The Entire Entertainment Industry Knows the Best Actor Has a Crush on Me - Chapter 5

The two leads maintained neutral expressions while performing, but the observers in the room were flush-faced and breathless.

Once it was clear that Pei Yuan was truly sincere about the role, the director slammed the table and made an immediate decision: the second lead belonged to him. The director was practically beaming; this was the Ji Yuli he had envisioned! That push-and-pull, that elusive tension finally, someone had brought it to life!

“When is it convenient to sign the contract?!” the director asked frantically, terrified Pei Yuan might slip away.

“Now.”

Now! Immediately! The director felt a surge of heat. Dammit, what did he put in my water? He scrambled to send someone for the paperwork, but before the staff member could leave the room, Pei Yuan called out to them.

The director’s internal alarms blared, but Pei Yuan simply said: “I’ll handle the contract signing myself. No need to notify the agency or my manager.”

He didn’t want Bai Chao to lose his “wife” at such a young age.

The director hesitated, feeling this was somewhat improper. Qiao Zhiyu, equally puzzled, gave Pei Yuan’s sleeve a gentle tug.

Pei Yuan glanced at the man beside him the sensation of Qiao Zhiyu’s touch was still vivid in his mind. He shifted his gaze back to the director. “Is there anyone else who can play this role?”

The director shook his head.

“Is there anyone more straightforward or with higher market value than me?”

The director shook his head again. Suddenly, it clicked! He was hit with a realization. Dammit, the guy’s family practically owns the company anyway, why wouldn’t he be able to decide?

“Sign it! Sign it now!!!”

Qiao Zhiyu was stunned. He realized that the way Pei Yuan treated others seemed fundamentally different from how he treated him…

With others, Pei Yuan would joke around or be business-like, but with Qiao Zhiyu, there was a faint sense of distance.

Why? Is it because he doesn’t like me yet? But why single me out for this cold treatment…?

The Tabby Cat and the Truth

Qiao Zhiyu’s mood remained dampened even after signing the contract and heading downstairs. As they approached the car, he planned to tell Pei Yuan he didn’t need a ride back to avoid being a bother. But before he could open his mouth, the man spoke first.

“Can I treat you to dinner?”

Qiao Zhiyu froze. Every cynical theory in his head was instantly overturned, leaving his mind a complete blank.

Pei Yuan pursed his lips. “Is it inconvenient?”

Qiao Zhiyu threw all his doubts to the wind and shook his head. “No, it’s convenient.”

As the car drove steadily down the road, Qiao Zhiyu didn’t ask about the destination. His mind was a mess of contradictory thoughts. He felt Pei Yuan was deliberately keeping him at arm’s length, yet the invitations to act together and now to dinner made it feel like a delusion.

He could handle total indifference, but this hot-and-cold treatment made his heart ache slightly. He sighed inwardly. Fine, as long as he doesn’t hate me.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated with an unfamiliar number. He had a premonition. He answered and pressed the phone to his ear.

“Hello, is this Mr. Qiao Zhiyu?”

Qiao Zhiyu tilted his head slightly, lowering his voice. “This is he. Are you the clerk from the pet shop?”

“Yes, it’s me! You actually remember,” the girl’s lively voice rang out. “It’s like this: I have a small Dragon Li here that matches your description. Should I send you a photo?”

His heart skipped a beat. “Yes, please. Thank you.”

The message arrived quickly. In the photo, a tiny kitten was eating a cat treat. It was small, fluffy, and incredibly cute.

It was his cat, he recognized it instantly. But now didn’t seem like the right time to go pick it up. If he went to the shop, he’d have to cancel dinner.

He typed back: [I’ll take it. Could you please board it for one day? I can transfer the payment now.]

The girl was surprisingly generous, saying there was no need for money yet. [It seems to be a local stray. Strangely, I’ve never seen it before, but the moment I opened the shop today, it was just sitting at the door and wouldn’t move.]

Free? Qiao Zhiyu remembered Song Yuanjia specifically telling him that the cat had cost a thousand yuan.

A thousand yuan wasn’t a fortune, but the difference between “free” and “a thousand” was a massive gap. Was he lying, or did the pet shop overcharge him? It was a matter from a past life; he no longer had the heart to investigate.

[I’ll transfer the boarding fee anyway. We can discuss the details when I arrive.]

“World’s Third Best”

“I’ll take you to the pet shop to get the cat after we eat.”

The man’s cool voice suddenly broke the silence. Qiao Zhiyu hadn’t quite pulled himself out of his melancholic thoughts; traces of sadness still lingered in his eyes.

Pei Yuan glanced over and caught sight of those shimmering, watery eyes. His heart sank, and he changed his mind on the spot. “We’ll go now.”

He reached for his phone. “What’s the address? I’ll navigate.”

Realizing the man had misunderstood his mood, Qiao Zhiyu spoke up quickly. “Let’s eat first. I’ve already paid the fee.” He let out a sigh of relief when he saw Pei Yuan put the phone down.

Qiao Zhiyu looked at the man’s profile as he focused on the road, a warm, tingly sensation rising in his chest. He smiled. “Teacher Pei, you really are a good person…”

In the last life, and in this one. How could I have thought poorly of him just now?

“I’m just average, third best in the world…”

The car went silent.

Pei Yuan felt an overwhelming wave of embarrassment. To avoid leaving an unprofessional impression, he hadn’t dared to speak much since they met. Now look at him, he finally speaks, and it’s a cringey, outdated joke. He felt like this “dad joke” had probably raised him when he was a kid.

A soft chuckle came from the seat beside him, making his embarrassment even worse.

“I’m sorry…” Pei Yuan muttered.

Qiao Zhiyu cleared his throat, shaking his head. “It was actually quite funny. Teacher Pei, you’re so serious that I thought you hated me.”

The tone was lighthearted, but the intent was serious. Pei Yuan didn’t catch the probe; he kept his eyes on the road, raising an eyebrow. “If I hated you, why would I treat you to dinner? I’d have to be pretty sick to do that.”

Qiao Zhiyu’s shoulders shook with suppressed laughter. It wasn’t actually that funny, but he couldn’t stop. The weight in his heart had vanished; the man beside him finally overlapped with the memory of the one from his previous life.