Chapter 10: The Movie Emperor Wants WeChat

Jiang Youchuan praised loudly, “I have to admit, you really have some skills.”

Chen Chang’an brushed the dust off his clothes and politely thanked him, “Thank you, thank you, Director Jiang, you truly have an eye for talent.”

Jiang Youchuan shouted to those behind him, “Where’s the action director? Where’s the action director? Hurry up and design some fight scenes to let the God of Wealth show off a bit!”

Only Jiang Baiqing stood on the stairs, his face pale and his hands trembling slightly.

Chen Chang’an didn’t notice this scene, but the viewers watching the live stream did.

Uncle Jiang: Uncle Jiang seems to be in a rather unpleasant mood.

Clouds Return to Chang’an: I bet a pack of spicy strips that Chang’an hasn’t noticed at all, hahahaha.

Please Be Polite: Don’t you guys really care about what they wore during the interview? It looks like the same style!

There is a Beauty on the River: What’s the rush? We’re already digging through the pictures to prepare a refutation, so stop trying to stir things up.

Chen Chang’an indeed didn’t notice Jiang Baiqing’s unusual behavior, but he realized that the next scenes were shot at double speed, flowing smoothly, and the movie emperor no longer made any “mistakes,” causing the show to lose much of its comedic effect.

Chen Chang’an was still quite pleased, “Teacher Jiang, you’ve returned to your usual standard!”

Jiang Baiqing lowered his eyes, “Heh.”

“Teacher Jiang, are you not happy?” Chen Chang’an asked, puzzled.

Jiang Baiqing’s expression was flat, his tone devoid of any fluctuation, “Why wouldn’t I be happy? I’m very happy.”

Chen Chang’an weakly replied, “But your face is clearly saying ‘I’m not happy, hurry up and ask me’!”

“You know me well?” Jiang Baiqing raised an eyebrow.

“I don’t know, I don’t know,” Chen Chang’an waved his hands repeatedly, “You’re very mysterious and strange; no one can understand you.”

Jiang Baiqing fell silent, his eyes downcast, and for a moment, he seemed a bit lonely.

—

Post-production would take some time, and after finishing the scenes, Jiang Youchuan gave the actors a break.

Chen Chang’an was filled with thoughts of the barbecue he had planned with the movie emperor. After work, he didn’t leave, following Jiang Baiqing like a little tail.

However, the latter was in no hurry; not only did he not mention the barbecue, but he also sat on the sofa, leisurely scrolling through his phone.

Chen Chang’an sat across from him, anxious and restless, finally unable to hold back, “Teacher Jiang, are you mad at me?”

“No.” Jiang Baiqing replied stiffly.

Chen Chang’an was certain, “You are mad at me; you’re not even looking at me when you speak.”

“I’m not.” Meeting those stubborn and anxious eyes, Jiang Baiqing’s tone softened a bit, “I’m just angry at myself— you almost fell, and I… didn’t catch you.”

With Chen Chang’an’s light and delicate frame, how could he withstand such a fall?

Just thinking about Chen Chang’an getting hurt made Jiang Baiqing furious at himself for being absent in that moment.

“Teacher Jiang…” Chen Chang’an’s eyelashes fluttered at his words, seemingly touched, “Are you feeling better now?”

Jiang Baiqing’s emotions calmed a bit, “Better.”

“Oh.” Chen Chang’an nodded, “Then can we go eat barbecue now?”

“Chen Chang’an, you really have a big heart.” Jiang Baiqing laughed in exasperation.

Chen Chang’an raised a finger and shook it, “This is just the beginning; my stomach is bigger than my heart.”

“Heartless, are you proud of that?” Jiang Baiqing smiled slightly, “No barbecue for you.”

“Teacher Jiang, how can you be like this!” Chen Chang’an, caught up in his joy, spoke without thinking, “You’re not keeping your word; you’re being too much.”

“Chen Chang’an, understand the current situation.” Jiang Baiqing leaned forward, tapping the coffee table in front of him, “The crew isn’t working today, and there’s no meal provided—so right now, you have no food. Once you grasp this, adjust your attitude when speaking to me.”

After hearing this, Chen Chang’an’s heart raced, “I was wrong, Teacher Jiang! Whatever you say goes!”

“Very good.” Jiang Baiqing nodded in satisfaction, “Now, call me Brother Bai.”

“Brother Bai.” Chen Chang’an obediently called out.

“Eh.” Jiang Baiqing responded, getting up to grab his things, “Let’s go.”

Chen Chang’an was still in a daze, “Huh?”

Jiang Baiqing lifted his chin, “We’re going to eat barbecue.”

Chen Chang’an couldn’t believe it, “Really, we can go?”

“If you want to, we can.” Jiang Baiqing replied succinctly.

He was always like this with him, making a grand gesture to pick up, then lightly letting go.

—

“I want… thirty skewers of lamb, thirty skewers of beef.” Chen Chang’an rested his chin on his hand, “Um… let’s add a grilled eggplant. Uh, Brother Bai, what about you?”

“I know you can eat.” Coming back to his senses, Jiang Baiqing smiled, “I didn’t expect you to really be able to eat.”

Chen Chang’an shrugged, “So what if I can eat? I’m not eating someone else’s rice.”

Jiang Baiqing raised an eyebrow, “You’re eating mine right now.”

“Ah, I forgot I’m spending your money.” Chen Chang’an pretended to refuse, softening his voice dramatically, “Brother, I’m eating so much, you won’t be mad, right?”

“Not at all.” Jiang Baiqing felt his ears heat up, speaking nonchalantly, “You can keep eating mine in the future.”

“That’s great.” Chen Chang’an’s eyes lit up, happily humming, “With Brother Bai, there’s meat to eat.”

Jiang Baiqing didn’t know what was happening to him; he was usually a very indifferent person, but seeing Chen Chang’an always stirred something within him.

“Chen Chang’an.” He couldn’t help but call out Chen Chang’an’s name.

Chen Chang’an looked up, confused, “Brother Bai, what’s up?”

“Shall we talk?” Jiang Baiqing pushed the beer in Chen Chang’an’s hand aside and opened a bottle of cola for him.

Chen Chang’an took the cola, smiling as he asked, “Sure, what do you want to talk about?”

“I’ve been very happy lately.” Jiang Baiqing confessed, “I used to be unhappy.”

“…Why?” Chen Chang’an spoke with a mouthful of grilled meat, his words muffled.

“Before, I was just unhappy.” Jiang Baiqing was momentarily taken aback, “Now, I don’t know.”

“You just said something pointless.” Chen Chang’an stated.

“Yes.” Jiang Baiqing chuckled at himself, “Let’s not talk about it; eat more.”

—

As Chen Chang’an was eating, he suddenly paused, glancing left and right, then covered his mouth and whispered:

“Brother Bai, I always feel like someone is taking pictures of us.”

Jiang Baiqing was used to being photographed and didn’t find it strange, “Don’t want to be photographed?”

Chen Chang’an wrinkled his nose and shook his head, “I’m afraid they won’t take good pictures.”

“You look good no matter how you’re photographed.” Jiang Baiqing calmly added a piece of eggplant to Chen Chang’an’s bowl.

“That makes sense.” Chen Chang’an nodded, then began to speculate, “What do you think they’ll write about us?”

Jiang Baiqing remained impassive, “That depends on how they define our relationship.”

“Just a plain colleague gathering?” Chen Chang’an tilted his head in thought.

Jiang Baiqing frowned, “Is it just that?”

Chen Chang’an thought again, “Then, a slightly eventful colleague gathering?”

“We’re just ‘colleagues’?” Jiang Baiqing’s expression darkened.

Chen Chang’an, feeling anxious, emphasized, “‘Eventful colleagues.'”

Jiang Baiqing added, “Just ‘slightly eventful.'”

“Could it also be ‘very eventful’?” Chen Chang’an suggested at the right moment.

“Chen Chang’an, call me ‘Brother Bai.’ I’ve never let anyone call me that.” Jiang Baiqing blinked slowly, still unable to sort through the chaotic thoughts in his mind, “I don’t want to be just colleagues with you; what do you think?”

Chen Chang’an was stunned, “Huh, what do you mean?”

“What do you think… about it?” At that moment, Jiang Baiqing’s heart raced.

Chen Chang’an didn’t understand.

He had no idea what the movie emperor was talking about—if he didn’t want to be just colleagues, did that mean he wanted to take things further?

That would be great; having a good relationship with the male lead could help him secure a role as the male second.

Chen Chang’an nodded reservedly, “I understand Brother Bai’s intentions; do you understand mine?”

“I understand your intentions.” In an instant, Jiang Baiqing felt ecstatic, suppressing the smile at the corners of his mouth, he excitedly asked, “So what are we now?”

“Close friends.”

Jiang Baiqing: …What are you talking about?!

—

“Brother Bai, I didn’t expect a big movie emperor like you would actually want to be friends with me.” Chen Chang’an was still moved, “I once offended you so deeply, and you don’t hold a grudge at all; that’s truly great.”

“I’m not great at all; I’m quite selfish.” Jiang Baiqing shook his head self-deprecatingly, “You’ll understand later.”

“How could you think that?” Chen Chang’an was now a loyal fan of Jiang Baiqing, “Brother Bai, you are electricity, you are light, you are my only myth! In my eyes, whatever you do is right!”

Jiang Baiqing put down his chopsticks, his gaze falling on Chen Chang’an’s slightly baby-faced visage, suppressing the urge to pinch his cheeks: “I hope you can always think that way.”

“I will definitely always think that way!” Chen Chang’an quickly affirmed.

Jiang Baiqing tried to appear nonchalant as he casually asked, “In that case, would you be willing to give me your WeChat?”

His tone was as casual as saying, “The food today is quite good.”

But just a month ago, he had directly entered the other’s fan group to send red envelopes to avoid adding him as a WeChat friend.

Chen Chang’an complained, “Brother Bai… don’t you think your transition is a bit abrupt?”

“I think it’s fine.” Jiang Baiqing’s expression was somewhat stiff.

Chen Chang’an quickly retracted his words, “Then I think it’s also fine.”

The two fell silent for a moment.

“Haha, giving WeChat isn’t a big deal.” Chen Chang’an forced a laugh, lighting up his phone screen.

Jiang Baiqing found a new focus: “If it’s not a big deal, do you often give it?”

“Pretty often…” Chen Chang’an was as oblivious as ever, “Investors, partners… for work reasons, I give my WeChat to those who ask.”

“And I am?” Jiang Baiqing lifted his eyelids.

Chen Chang’an replied earnestly, “Close friend.”

Jiang Baiqing was drinking water when this term unexpectedly struck him for the second time, causing him to cough heavily.

—

Chen Chang’an had already opened his friend interface, looking at him expectantly.

Jiang Baiqing adjusted his state before turning on his phone and opening his QR code.

“I’ve opened the QR code; you can just scan it.” Chen Chang’an didn’t understand.

Jiang Baiqing insisted, “You scan me.”

“Is there a difference?” Chen Chang’an scratched his head but complied, “Verification message… what should I fill in? Let me just send you an emoji.”

Jiang Baiqing’s phone vibrated, and he looked down to see a small red dot in the “new friends” section.

Chen Chang’an: /sun

Jiang Baiqing satisfiedly withdrew his gaze, “Alright, you can go back now.”

Chen Chang’an widened his eyes in disbelief, “Aren’t you coming with me?”

The barbecue place was very close to the television station where they recorded the show, and the two had walked there, but Chen Chang’an’s return was not so easy; he had come with the crew’s car in the morning, and without it, walking back would take at least two hours.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Baiqing’s eyelids twitched, “I’m not going back to the crew; I’m going back to my own home—did you pawn the car too?”

Chen Chang’an obediently nodded, “Yeah, I invested all the money into the movie.”

Originally, the car wasn’t pawned, but after hearing Zheng Rongyu say, “Because Jiang Baiqing makes money,” Chen Chang’an inexplicably added more investment.

“Why didn’t you pawn your house too?” Jiang Baiqing scoffed.

Chen Chang’an shook his head, “No, I don’t want to stay at Uncle’s house during the promotional period.”

Jiang Baiqing fell silent for a moment, a hint of bitterness in his expression.

“If you had pawned your house, you could come stay at my place.” After saying this, he realized he had misspoken and added, “Anyway, it’s all the same where you stay; you’ve invested so much money, staying at my place or the director’s house is the same.”

Chen Chang’an cheerfully apologized, “So it turns out the investor has such a high status.”

Jiang Baiqing laughed, “Little God of Wealth, don’t you have enough status in the crew?”

Chen Chang’an shook his head, looking unsatisfied, “It could be a bit higher.”

Hearing Jiang Baiqing call him “Little God of Wealth” in his deep, hoarse voice for the first time made Chen Chang’an’s heart tremble strangely.

After realizing the oddity, he thought for two seconds and attributed it to staying up late too much, causing an irregular heartbeat.

After a moment of silence, Jiang Baiqing asked again, “You trust me enough to invest everything?”

Of course, after all, you’re the son of destiny who could get hit by pies falling from the sky just by walking!

Following you and picking up a few crumbs of pie isn’t a bad deal, right?!

Chen Chang’an couldn’t say this; he circled around, “It’s only right; I’m Brother Bai’s fan, after all, supporting my idol.”

Jiang Baiqing shook his head at this, smiling helplessly, with a hint of indulgence.

—

Chen Chang’an blinked, filled with hope, and asked, “So can Brother Bai take me back to the hotel now?”

Unexpectedly returning to this topic, Jiang Baiqing became unyielding again: “No, you should handle your own matters.”

Chen Chang’an was shocked, “What do you mean by ‘handle your own matters’? I didn’t ask you to take me back to the hotel.”

“Just no.” Jiang Baiqing still refused, “Get some exercise; it’s good for your health.”

Chen Chang’an walked despairingly to the restaurant door when his phone suddenly rang.

Jiang Baiqing: [Transfer – 20,000 RMB]

Jiang Baiqing: Pocket money.

Jiang Baiqing: Take a taxi back.

Chen Chang’an: I didn’t expect that even the God of Wealth would have a day asking others for pocket money.

Jiang Baiqing: Be careful on the way; send me your license plate number when you get in the car.

Chen Chang’an: Oh…

—

After the people left, Jiang Baiqing finally got up from his chair and walked precisely to a corner in the back, where a girl was sitting, playing with her phone.

He smiled politely but distantly, asking, “Hello, did you just take a picture of us?”

“I did, I did.” The girl nodded shyly, “I’m sorry, because I’m a fan of Chang’an… I won’t post it; I’ll delete it right now!”

Jiang Baiqing shook his head, “It’s fine, no need to delete it yet; can I take a look first?”

The girl handed him her phone, and Jiang Baiqing glanced at the few photos she had taken. In the pictures, he and Chen Chang’an were sitting very close, with Chen Chang’an’s smile radiantly bright, while the turbulent emotions in his own eyes were something only he understood.

“No need to delete it; you can also post it.” Chen Chang’an looked handsome in the photos, and Jiang Baiqing returned the phone to her, “We don’t mind.”

Thus, the next day’s trending search was—#Fans Encounter Jiang Baiqing and Chen Chang’an Eating Barbecue Together#

Chang’an Chang’an Chang’an: I just went out for a meal and ran into Chang’an and the movie emperor! What incredible luck! The movie emperor is so gentle in real life; he not only didn’t blame me for taking a candid shot but also allowed me to post these photos! Here are their freshly taken pictures! [Image]

Chen Chang’an woke up in the morning, saw this, and mumbled sleepily, “So that’s why he didn’t want to take me home; he was doing this,” before turning over and going back to sleep.

Meanwhile, the outfits worn by the two during the show, which had been scrutinized by the movie emperor’s die-hard fans for a long time, were confirmed to be the same style, albeit with slight differences in appearance.

Uncle Jiang Marries Whoever I Marry: Once is a coincidence, twice is a recognition; they are indeed wearing couple outfits!

No Lychee for Eating Melons: The dialogue in the show made it very clear; they are probably promoting a CP during the promotional period.

Please Be Polite, I Ship It: Key point, Chen Chang’an is promoting a CP and will untie it after the promotional period; the movie emperor is definitely “no means no”!

Passerby Walking on the Road: So that means—the movie emperor is pursuing Chen Chang’an unilaterally?

Those Who Don’t Love Chang’an Are in Trouble: Exactly! Chen Chang’an deserves it!

—

Chen Chang’an couldn’t sleep for long before being woken up by Xu Chengzi’s call.

“Didn’t we say we’d hold a meet-and-greet last time? We’ve prepared most of it; take a look at the process, and if there are no issues, we’ll start the promotion.”

“Sister Chengzi, it’s nine in the morning.”

“I know.” Xu Chengzi gritted her teeth, “My working hours are from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon; during my working hours, no one is allowed to sleep!”

Chen Chang’an was shocked by her words, “Sister Chengzi, you’re really terrifying.”

Xu Chengzi declared firmly, “If you don’t go crazy, you can’t survive. If I’m not doing well, no one can be well.”

Although Xu Chengzi spoke fiercely and violently, the planning was indeed very reliable; she was truly a woman aiming for a thirty-six-line.

It could be said that the team behind Chen Chang’an, aside from Chen Chang’an himself, had no hidden dangers.

After Chen Chang’an finished reading, he called her, “No problem, thank you for your hard work; let’s do it this way, bye.”

“Wait, I have a question.” Xu Chengzi stopped him.

“Okay, what’s the question?” Chen Chang’an paused.

“Didn’t you agree with the movie emperor to do joint marketing?”

“I think so.” Chen Chang’an remembered Jiang Baiqing mentioning it.

“Then why didn’t you tell us?” Xu Chengzi raised her voice.

Chen Chang’an didn’t understand, “Ah, do I need to tell you?”

Xu Chengzi sighed, “You don’t know what’s happened these past two days…”

The movie emperor instructed to do joint marketing with Chen Chang’an, so their side’s operations always included Chen Chang’an, and the official account also appeared very close; however, Chen Chang’an’s side didn’t know, and they were apprehensive about the closeness to the movie emperor’s team.

Thus, the tone shifted to this—

Movie Emperor’s Studio: Close to Chang’an fan group～

Chang’an’s Studio: [Handshake.JPG][Handshake.JPG][Handshake.JPG]

Movie Emperor’s Studio: Chang’an, good morning, good afternoon, good night～

Chang’an’s Studio: Thank you, let’s collaborate again next time!

The movie emperor’s studio was cute enough, creating a strong CP vibe.

Chang’an’s studio was official enough, responding with positive energy.

“Sorry about that.” Chen Chang’an said weakly, “I felt awkward just watching.”

“It’s fine, we haven’t lost anything,” Xu Chengzi said meaningfully. “It’s just that I wonder how the movie emperor will think about this.”

Chen Chang’an was startled and quickly sent a WeChat message to the movie emperor.

The author has something to say:

Movie emperor’s logic: He spends money on me, sells his house and car for me, he must be head over heels in love with me.