The Vicious Cannon Fodder Despised by Everyone Really Doesn't Want to Go Viral - Chapter 20

Flowers bloom among the mountain peaks as we drink, cup after cup.

The good mood of the reunion was utterly consumed by Xie Yunce’s sudden proposal. After several bowls of aged wine, Wei Zheng and the others were already dazed by the alcohol.

Zhou Zhongxing lay flat across the stone table like the character for one, his cheeks flushed and his eyes tightly shut. Yan Linxue leaned against her medicine scale, her fingers tracing a small object. It was uncertain whether it was medicine or a curse charm she had brought back from the Southern Border.

Wei Zheng was sprawled even more recklessly against a rock, his hair disheveled and his collar slightly open. His limp fingers could no longer hold the wine jar. Liquid spilled from the tilted mouth, shimmering like crystal under the moonlight before trickling down a winding path toward the pond.

Only Xie Yunce remained sober.

Perhaps it was because he was famously resistant to alcohol, or perhaps because he had too much on his mind; aside from the crimson creeping up his neck, his gaze remained as clear as ever. He lazily sat down on the rock where Wei Zheng was slumped, pulled a half carved piece of boxwood from his robe, and shook a small carving knife from his sleeve.

Pressing his thumb between the handle and the wood, he gave a light push, slicing off a thin shaving. Yun Qi, who was dozing in her chair, seemed to find her position uncomfortable. She grumbled and opened her eyes, squinting at Xie Yunce.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her voice slurred.

Xie Yunce lazily lifted his eyelids to look at her. With a slight curl of his lips, he spoke in a tone one might use to tease a child, “Carving a small figurine for Zhuoyu.”

Hearing that annoying name, Yun Qi frowned in distaste. “Xie Yunce, someone who did not know better would think he was your son.”

Xie Yunce chuckled softly. “It is a tradition in our Xie family. During the Capping Ceremony, the father or elder brother must personally carve a figurine as a gift to ensure safety and ward off evil. I did the math recently; Zhuoyu is just about at that age.”

His thumb brushed over the fine grain of the wood. Wood chips drifted down like silent sighs, scattering at his feet.

Yun Qi huffed. “With his wet behind the ears look, I think it is still a long way off.”

Xie Yunce’s fingers suddenly paused. After a moment of distraction, he continued carving, though his movements were heavier than before, as if he were trying to suppress his internal emotions. Suddenly, he stopped, held the unfinished figurine at a distance, and gazed at it with a look that was both soft and melancholy. “It is just that I am afraid I will not be able to give it to him in time.”

The path he had chosen was destined to be dangerous. With the trip to the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets being so uncertain, he did not know when he would return to the academy to see Xie Zhuoyu again.

Yun Qi sensed the underlying meaning in his words. Her expression tightened, but she quickly added, “Why think so much? The Pavilion is my territory. No matter what, I will keep you safe.” She looked up at him with a faint smile and continued, “You think you are the only one who is scared? My life is precious; I cannot let it be thrown away in a forbidden area with you.”

Xie Yunce swept the gloom from his face, bowed to Yun Qi with smiling eyes, and said, “Then I shall rely entirely on the protection of Heavenly Envoy Yun Qi.”

“Stop flattering me,” Yun Qi said, turning her head away, though she was clearly satisfied with the compliment. She sat in arrogant silence for a moment before continuing, “Seeing you like this reminds me of when we first met. One day you suddenly said your family had a new younger brother, and you frantically came to us for advice on what to give him.”

Xie Yunce’s hands did not stop, but his drifting thoughts followed her back to those years. “Wei Zheng told me to give him a peach wood sword, saying a sword cultivator must start from childhood. Linxue stayed up all night to make a sachet filled with rare herbs from the Yan family pharmacy. Zhou Zhongxing, ha, he brought out everything he had hidden at the bottom of his trunks. And you.”

“I gave him a longevity lock,” Yun Qi said. “And now, every time I see that brat who is hated by both man and dog, I regret it immensely.”

Xie Yunce could not help but laugh softly.

“Xie Yunce, in our Pavilion, before the elders begin teaching, they tell every disciple one thing,” Yun Qi paused and said slowly. “If one day you see your fate, do not worry, and do not fear. Accept it calmly.”

“I understand,” Xie Yunce said quietly.

Beyond the lens, the noise of the set gradually pulled everyone back to reality.

“I have always felt that gentle characters are the hardest to play,” screenwriter Ye Nanyi said, staring intently at the monitor. “Gentleness is a rare trait. A bit too much and it becomes weak; a bit too little and it becomes ordinary. He interpreted it perfectly.”

“Especially when he was looking at the wood carving,” Zhao Jinyu added for her.

Ye Nanyi said with a smile, “I feel like he has brought the Xie Yunce I wrote to life. Jinyu, do you understand that feeling?”

Whether it was the calm gentleness on his face even when his eyes leaked killing intent, the restrained pride and confidence when holding a long sword, or the starlight in his eyes when he was with friends, he was exactly how she imagined Xie Yunce should be.

“I was worried this role would not be played well, so I deleted many plot points from the book to avoid a failed imitation. I did not expect this,” Ye Nanyi said. “He perfectly fits what Stanislavski said: only the spirit of exploring the inner character, combined with the actor’s own emotions, can find the truth of performance.”

Zhao Jinyu glanced at her, then looked past the monitor at Lin Zhiyu, who was getting up with the help of his assistant. He was carefully holding his waist, muttering something to himself with a look of both annoyance and relief, as if he had already detached himself from the oppressive emotions of the character.

“No, I do not think he thought that much while performing,” Zhao Jinyu said flatly.

Ye Nanyi froze. Before she could speak, Lin Zhiyu rushed over like a gust of wind. His speaking speed was even faster than his footsteps. “Director Zhao, my scenes for today are finished, right? Surely there are no pick up shots or new script pages for me?”

Zhao Jinyu nodded. “None. That was the last scene of the day. We are planning to wrap up as well.”

“Great! Then I am off work!” Lin Zhiyu said. “Talk to my company about the extra scenes. Make sure the pay is not calculated wrong!”

With that, Zhao Jinyu and Ye Nanyi watched as he limped away, supported by Chen Chen. His movements were so agile that one could not tell he was a patient with a waist injury.

Zhao Jinyu thought, “…” Ye Nanyi thought, “…”

“He.”

Zhao Jinyu turned to meet Ye Nanyi’s confused gaze and said calmly, “What do you think now?”

Ye Nanyi thought for a moment and said suspiciously, “Leaving work is the primary productive force?”

Zhao Jinyu thought, “…”

“But have we found an actor for Shen Xiuming yet?” Ye Nanyi asked.

Zhao Jinyu said, “Most of the actors available for a last minute save do not have the skills to carry the Cloud City portion of the plot. Although Wen Lu’s acting was just mediocre, he was pushed in by investors, so I could not refuse at the time. But now that we can choose, I want to pick someone better.”

Ye Nanyi nodded in agreement. “Shen Xiuming can never escape Xie Yunce’s shadow. He thought he would be free after Xie Yunce died, but how can the light of a firefly compete with the moon? He constantly chases and imitates, but he cannot become Xie Yunce and instead forgets his original self.” Ye Nanyi murmured, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration. “Since he has to imitate Xie Yunce anyway, why not just let.”

She leaned into Zhao Jinyu’s ear and whispered her idea.

“But will Lin Zhiyu’s price be much higher than Wen Lu’s? The budget.”

Zhao Jinyu gave her a look reserved for idiots. “Lin Zhiyu’s price is not even half of what that other guy cost.”

Ye Nanyi’s pupils dilated. “What?”

The high quality and low priced Lin Zhiyu sat quickly in the car and slumped against the seat back, completely motionless.

“I told you overtime drains a person’s spirit,” Lin Zhiyu grumbled while taking out his phone. New group messages popped up. Shen Chengyi had pulled him in before the last scene; the group name was the cliché Taixu Academy F5.

Lin Zhiyu did not care about that. After work, he wanted to stay as far away from colleagues as possible. But Xu Xiao, perhaps influenced by the milk tea, had dropped his previous distance and even wanted to practice lines with him at night.

Studying lines alone at home already felt like being back in the third year of high school; working overtime with a colleague was absolutely out of the question.

[Xu the Xiao]: Brother Lin, how did you disappear in the blink of an eye? I wanted to ask if you wanted to eat dinner tonight. [crying emoji]

[Shen Chengyi]: Stop acting so pathetic. Are you looking down on us eating with you?

Chen Chen glanced in the rearview mirror. “Brother Lin, are you really not going? It should be fine to leave after dinner.”

Lin Zhiyu leaned back lazily. “No. Xie Yunce is tired, and Lin Zhiyu needs to nurse his waist.”

[Xu the Xiao]: I just wanted to use this meal to win back some of Brother Lin’s favor. Brother Lin, are you still angry about the dressing room thing? Can I have one minute to explain?

[Yan Ruohan]: I also want one minute to explain.

Lin Zhiyu felt helpless. [Paper Fish]: I am not angry. [patting dog head emoji]

[Paper Fish]: My manager called me back to try on clothes. He said there is a fashion gala invitation in a few days. Next time.

[Shen Chengyi]: The Aurora Tenth Anniversary Gala? I remember they sent invitations last month. Is it still in time for you to borrow clothes now?

Lin Zhiyu gripped his phone and replied through gritted teeth, [Paper Fish]: I do not know. Let us see.

There was a red carpet event before the gala with a special theme this year. Xu Dongdong had suddenly messaged Chen Chen while Lin Zhiyu was filming, catching him off guard. However, since the notice was so late, the organizers probably did not value him much. He figured he would just borrow a standard suit and get it over with. Male celebrities on the red carpet were always the same anyway; as long as the face looked good, it was fine.

If Chen Chen had not insisted on taking him, Lin Zhiyu would have returned to the hotel to lie down immediately. However, when they arrived at the studio Xu Dongdong mentioned, they learned all the clothes had already been rented out.

“There is nothing we can do, Teacher Lin. You are a step too late,” the designer said softly. “Perhaps you should ask elsewhere?”

“Is he playing us?” the college intern could not help but curse as Lin Zhiyu pulled him out of the studio.