Lu Wen and Sun Xiaojian were starving, so they left the film set and found a Chongqing restaurant.

After ordering, Lu Wen read the detailed shooting schedule. Tomorrow would be a full day of script reading at the hotel, followed by a start-of-filming banquet for the entire crew in the evening.

Sun Xiaojian said, "Remember your makeup and on-set times every day. The hot water room is on the first floor. The boxed meals are greasy, rinse them with water before eating. Common medicines and supplements are in the RV cabinet, take them immediately if you feel unwell."

Lu Wen didn't remember a single word. "Isn't all this your job?"

"What if I'm not around?" Sun Xiaojian rested his chin on his hand. "You used to be a minor supporting actor, nobody gave a damn about us. Now you're the male lead, I have to work hard on networking."

Lu Wen said, "For instance?"

Sun Xiaojian replied, "First, I'll try to get a photo with the female lead."

The dishes arrived, and Lu Wen and Sun Xiaojian raised their glasses to celebrate the start of work. From the audition and being selected, to negotiating and signing the contract, the two of them had already celebrated eight hundred times.

Sometimes they would exchange a knowing smile. If it weren't for the huge gap in their looks, passersby might think they were having a bro-mantic moment.

Every single time, Sun Xiaojian would lament, "The entertainment industry is really a mystery. So many people auditioned—people more famous than you, with connections, who knew the producers—and what happened? You beat them all!"

And every single time, Lu Wen would repeat, "This is the first time I've been in such a fierce competition!"

The production company held an open casting call for the male lead, looking for a fresh face. Countless newcomers and unknown actors flocked to it. At the time, everyone joked that it was like taking the art school entrance exam.

Sun Xiaojian had few connections and poor resources, but he was decisive and bold, running around busily to get Lu Wen an audition. Whether the application was successful was the first round of screening, based on physical appearance, which Lu Wen passed smoothly.

The audition was like an interview. There were a dozen or so people in his group that day. They were given two scenes to perform and prepared separately. Lu Wen had no hopes, and with the mindset of it being a one-day trip, he memorized his lines, then took out a comic book he had with him and started reading.

At that moment, an older man walked by and asked him why he wasn't preparing. He looked up and said, very nonsensically, "I'm a very zen person, so I'll just go with the flow."

The man asked again, "You've at least memorized your lines, right?"

"Of course I have," Lu Wen said proudly. "I'm super fast at memorizing lines. I just need to read them a few times."

The man said, "That means you have a talent for it."

Lu Wen said, "When I was in school, I never memorized texts. The next day when the teacher checked, I would quickly cram it. I wouldn't call it talent, more like a special skill I developed."

He showed off like that to the man, only to find out when he met the director's team during the official audition that the older man was the head director, Ren Shu.

Ren Shu smiled and reminded him, "Don't be nervous, we've already met, you could say."

Lu Wen wasn't nervous at all. He was sure he had no chance, so what was there to be nervous about? After the audition, feeling bad for letting down Sun Xiaojian's efforts, he conscientiously gave up carbs for a week.

Unexpectedly, he was chosen.

Recalling it now, Lu Wen was still a bit baffled.

Sun Xiaojian, his face glowing from the meal, said, "Although... but..."

Lu Wen understood the omitted part—although "The First Night" was a web series, not comparable to a primetime drama airing on major satellite channels, and certainly not a major film; the theme wasn't family-friendly, and the lovers didn't get a happy ending; director Ren Shu specialized in urban life dramas and had never tried other styles.

But just as he had lamented, the competition was fierce, with countless actors fighting tooth and nail for the role.

And the reason was probably—the screenwriter was Qu Yanting.

Meanwhile, on the street next to the restaurant, a hot pot place that had been open for over a decade was packed. In a private room, Qu Yanting sat on a long bench, fishing a slice of beef from the boiling red broth.

He dipped it in the sesame oil dish, then placed it in his mouth to savor. His light-colored shirt, paired with his slow and methodical movements, exuded a unique sense of leisurely detachment in the fiery atmosphere.

Ren Shu sat opposite him. Having taken off his outer jacket, he was just in a short-sleeved shirt, revealing a solid build. He was sweating profusely and drinking herbal tea. "No way, it's too spicy!"

Qu Yanting glanced up. He had a pair of phoenix eyes with slightly upturned corners and drooping eyelashes, giving him an innate sense of distance. But the bridge of his nose was narrow, a bit delicate for a man, and the lines of his lips and jaw were also gentle, which together neutralized the coldness of his eyes.

He added a large spoonful of dried chili to his dipping dish, coated a piece of beef aorta until it was red before putting it in his mouth, and said with satisfaction, "This is how I love to eat it."

"Here, here, it's all yours." Ren Shu picked out the cooked meat from the pot for Qu Yanting. "Back when we were classmates and roommates, I'd take you to my place for meals on weekends, and you were just the same, finishing half a bottle of chili sauce in one sitting."

That chili sauce was Mother Ren's exclusive secret recipe. Qu Yanting would eat half a bottle and take the other half back to school. Even after graduation when they contacted each other less, he would unfailingly send gifts to Mother Ren every Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, and New Year's Eve.

Qu Yanting said, "Then this meal is on me."

"Are you looking down on me?" Ren Shu said. "What kind of relationship do we have? If you're going to treat me, make it a big one."

Qu Yanting joked, "Buy you a house in Chongqing?"

"As expected of Screenwriter Qu, offering a house just like that." Ren Shu joked back. "The start-of-filming banquet is tomorrow night, how about you cover the expenses for me?"

Qu Yanting's chopsticks paused mid-air, not reaching the pot. He retracted them and placed them gently on the chopstick rest. He wiped his mouth, a hint of complaint in his tone, "What a coincidence."

Ren Shu, completely oblivious, said, "If you'd come two days later, you would've missed it. Tomorrow, it's not just the actors; the people from the co-producers are coming too. You're the main investor in this show, and the screenwriter. You have to be there to oversee things."

Ren Shu continued, sounding a bit dissatisfied, "After graduation, you've shown your face less and less. We're both in the same circle, but how many meals have we shared?"

Qu Yanting said, "You're doing well, and I'm getting by. That's enough. This circle is full of ups and downs. Getting too close means forming cliques. Keeping a distance is better for everyone."

Ren Shu laughed, "What's that supposed to mean? You don't want to form a clique with me?"

A gentleman does not form factions. Qu Yanting wished to remain independent. He said, "But if you're ever in trouble, I will definitely not hesitate to offer help in your time of need."

Ren Shu believed him. The circle was full of people who pretended to be close when they weren't, calling each other 'brother'. Their enthusiasm wasn't necessarily genuine; truly loyal people were few and far between. After graduation, his career had been relatively smooth. He had directed a few slice-of-life dramas that earned him a good reputation, awards, and money, but he also hit a bottleneck, unable to break through his own limitations.

Just when he was feeling lost, Qu Yanting approached him, wanting to collaborate on this show. From negotiations to preparations, he never had a chance to ask, but now his curiosity got the better of him. "You're doing so well in the film industry, like a fish in water. Why shoot a web series?"

This wasn't child's play; it was a film and television project with capital flowing through it. The reason behind it couldn't be a mere whim. Qu Yanting lowered his eyes, his phoenix eyes transforming into those of a lazy, sleeping phoenix. His tone was light as he said, "I wanted to give it a try."

Ren Shu tactfully didn't press further and turned to reminiscing about their university days.

He was very lazy, so Qu Yanting would get his meals and water for him every day. When he borrowed books and didn't return them on time, Qu Yanting would take the scolding from the librarian for him every time. When they bought a second-hand camera to shoot a short film together, he would be sound asleep while Qu Yanting stayed up all night drawing the storyboard.

The red broth cooled, and the lingering steam slowly dissipated. Ren Shu raised his glass. "Enough with the sentimentality. I'll toast to you."

Qu Yanting had a kind of refined straightforwardness. He said, "I'll drink to that."

Leaving the hot pot restaurant, the lights of the Mountain City were dazzling, brighter than the overcast daytime. The Porsche was parked by the roadside. The driver was off duty, so Ren Shu drove Qu Yanting back to the hotel himself.

Once on the road, Ren Shu asked, "Are you comfortable in this car?"

"It's alright." Qu Yanting sat in the passenger seat, his elbow resting on the window frame and his wrist propping up his temple. "You should keep it for yourself. Get me a minivan."

Ren Shu exclaimed, "Forget it! When you get busy, you don't change your clothes for days. I'd be worried you'd ruin my car. How's that driver? If he's okay, just have him be responsible for your transport."

Qu Yanting said, "Fine. Don't trouble Old Liu anymore."

Ren Shu started laughing. "I almost forgot. Old Liu called me this afternoon and said there was a small mix-up at the airport pickup; an actor from the crew got into the wrong car. I was busy at the time and didn't listen carefully. Is that for real?"

The street scene in the rearview mirror was like a series of continuous shots. Qu Yanting stared at it, his mind automatically freezing the frame, rewinding it, flashing back to the scene at the airport.

He let out a "mm" and said, "It's real."

Ren Shu asked, "Who was it?"

Qu Yanting replied, "The male lead you picked."

"Lu Wen?" Ren Shu turned the steering wheel, glancing at the car's interior in the mirror as he made a turn. "Why is a cushion missing? My new, authentic Sichuan Embroidery one."

Qu Yanting said, "Your male lead forgot to put it back when he got out. I gave it to him as a souvenir."

"How generous of you." Turning onto a commercial street, the hotel wasn't far. Ren Shu sensed something was off. "Hey, what do you mean, the male lead I picked? I showed you the makeup test photos and the audition tape. You nodded and approved."

Indeed, Qu Yanting had seen Lu Wen's photos early on and had watched his two audition scenes repeatedly, but he knew nothing about Lu Wen as a person.

He asked, "Why did you choose him?"

"Without interference from capital, politics, or power, isn't casting all about suitability?" Ren Shu slowed down and pulled over to the side of the road. "On the day of the audition, everyone was preparing seriously. Only Lu Wen was reading a comic book."

Qu Yanting: "..."

Ren Shu recalled, "He didn't know I was the director. I asked him why he wasn't preparing, and he was pretty smug, saying he memorized lines quickly. When he saw me again at the audition, I was worried he'd be nervous, but I don't know if he was just cool under pressure or if he had given up completely—he seemed even more relaxed than when he was reading his comic."

"So you chose him?" Qu Yanting unbuckled his seatbelt.

"That whole vibe of his—'I don't like to study,' 'I'm just here to participate in the exam,' 'I don't care at all'—it's just too perfect." Ren Shu paused, turning to the side to look at Qu Yanting. "He's the spitting image of Ye Xiaowu."

Qu Yanting was quiet for a moment, then said slowly, "He is quite like Ye Xiaowu."

Ren Shu unlocked the car doors. "Ye Xiaowu is the male lead, so isn't that right?"

Qu Yanting said, "But Ye Xiaowu is an idiot."

He opened the door and got out. A cool night breeze swept over him. As Qu Yanting was closing the door, Ren Shu interrupted him, asking if he wanted to join the script reading tomorrow.

He shook his head and said, "You'll be in charge. I trust you."

Qu Yanting returned to the hotel. As he passed through the lobby, he caught a glimpse of a tall and a short person in his peripheral vision, but he paid them no mind and walked straight into the elevator area.

Sun Xiaojian was checking in, instructing, "I'm on the 53rd floor. It's getting late, so go back to your room, put on a face mask, and get to bed early. I'll come up and help you get organized tomorrow morning."

Exhausted from a day of travel, Lu Wen took his room key and left as soon as he got it.

The express elevator had just closed, so he took another one. He checked his reflection in the gilded mirror doors, then stared at the ascending numbers.

The 62nd floor arrived. The entire floor had only a few suites and was very quiet. Lu Wen stepped out of the elevator slowly, and as he turned, he saw a moving figure a few steps away.

He didn't like to stare at people, but at this moment, his eyes followed the figure.

The person was about 1.8 meters tall. At the back of his head was a thick, neat crop of hair. His neck was long and slender, with the top half visible above the collar of his oatmeal-colored shirt. Below that was his body in motion. From the back, he was slender, but his shoulders were broad, his waist was trim, and his legs were long—everything was just right, proportioned and neat in a way that didn't seem like an ordinary person's physique.

Lu Wen unconsciously turned a corner and walked down another hallway. Being tall with long legs, he gradually closed the distance to just one step.

Suddenly, the person stopped and stood sideways outside room 6206.

"Holy crap!" Lu Wen recognized him. "It's you?"

The carpet was thick, so Qu Yanting hadn't noticed the footsteps behind him. He was about to look for his key card when he heard the voice, turned around, and was met with Lu Wen's surprised expression. For a moment, his mind went blank.

The lighting was excellent, leaving their faces completely exposed to each other. Lu Wen realized it wasn't that the sunglasses were too big, but that the other person's face was too small.

He looked at this face, not meeting the aloof phoenix eyes, nor noticing the delicate, straight nose. In that instant, all he saw were Qu Yanting's slightly parted lips.

He didn't know what the man had eaten, but they were moist and bright red, like two rose petals.

Qu Yanting came back to his senses but didn't react. He just turned back and took out his key card.

Just then, Lu Wen asked from behind him, "Bro, who are you playing?"