Chapter 92: But a Boyfriend

Liu Heping…

Hearing this name suddenly, Huai Zhang was stunned for a moment.

The coordinator ran over, “Teacher Huai, your dressing room is over here, separate from theirs.”

Huai Zhang took off his hat. “Give me two minutes.”

He walked up to Jiang Shi, smiled, and extended his hand. “Hello, you look a bit familiar. Have we met somewhere before?”

Given Huai Zhang’s current popularity, everyone else on set was eager to curry favor with him. To their surprise, he took the initiative to greet an eighteenth-tier actor whose name they had never even heard of. Many jealous glances were cast toward Jiang Shi.

Jiang Shi, who had been feigning sleep with his eyes closed, took a few seconds to realize the other person was greeting him. He opened his eyes, stood up, and politely shook Huai Zhang’s hand. “You might have the wrong person. I have a rather common face.”

His demeanor was polite but not overly eager, even a little cold.

It was the first time Huai Zhang had been treated so “coldly.” His gaze swept over Jiang Shi’s “common” face, and he smiled. “I hear your manager is Liu Heping?”

Jiang Shi sighed inwardly. He finally understood why this “big brother” had approached him.

“Yes.”

“What a coincidence,” Huai Zhang said flatly. “He was my former manager too. Brother Liu has a strange personality. You’ve been with him for so many years and are still lukewarm. He hasn’t given you a hard time, has he?”

The way he said that…

The slight smile on Jiang Shi’s face faded. “Brother Liu has been very good to me, and his personality is fine, not strange as you say. If there’s nothing else important, I need to get my makeup done.”

The people around them vaguely sensed that the atmosphere was off and didn’t dare to speak.

Huai Zhang seemed oblivious to the surrounding silence and instead broke into a hearty laugh. “We’re sort of from the same company. How about I call you junior brother?”

“Junior brother, don’t be so angry. Brother Liu managed me for several years, so we still have some sort of connection. After all this time, you’re the only artist he has. Maybe his personality has changed?”

Jiang Shi looked up at him. “What exactly are you trying to say?”

The smile on Huai Zhang’s face began to stiffen. He never would have imagined that after all these years, Liu Heping would be managing someone so clueless. No wonder he was still an unknown after so long.

“I heard Xinghui has been on a decline in recent years, and the executives are even thinking of selling the company. Have you thought about your future path, junior brother?”

Jiang Shi found this person’s nagging truly annoying. The young master’s patience had clearly run out. “What does that have to do with you?”

The corner of Huai Zhang’s mouth twitched.

After a two-second silence, he continued, “For the sake of our shared past, perhaps I can help you.” He gave his assistant a look. “This is the contact information for Chuan Yu Entertainment. If you want to leave, the doors of Chuan Yu are always open for you.”

Poaching his former manager’s artist in front of everyone—it seemed the grudge between Huai Zhang and Liu Heping was anything but shallow.

The assistant pulled a business card from his bag and held it out to Jiang Shi.

Jiang Shi didn’t even move his hand. “Thank you for the kind offer, but I’m not interested.”

He ignored the business card and turned to sit back down in his chair.

The people around were very quiet. Jiang Shi waited two seconds, then looked at the makeup artist. “Are you not going to continue?”

The makeup artist, as if waking from a dream, glanced awkwardly in Huai Zhang’s direction.

Seeing that Jiang Shi was unreceptive to both gentle and firm approaches, Huai Zhang turned with a cold face and went back to his own dressing room.

By the time Liu Heping returned with the coffee, the commotion had subsided. Jiang Shi was sitting on a small stool, waiting for his scene.

Because he was playing a corpse, his entire face was made up to be deathly pale, but his lips were an unnatural red. His chest was covered in blood, and his semi-long hair concealed his face as he drooped his head listlessly.

Liu Heping sat down next to him with the coffee and lowered his voice. “I heard you got into an argument with Huai Zhang?”

Jiang Shi’s dark lashes were lowered, his voice lazy. “It wasn’t me. He just has a problem with me for some reason.”

Liu Heping sighed mournfully. “Then it’s probably because of me.”

Jiang Shi took a sip of the coffee, which helped him feel a bit more awake. “What’s the deal between you two, anyway?”

Liu Heping glanced around. They were huddled in a corner, unnoticed by anyone.

He said, “Back then, Huai Zhang was the artist with the most potential under me. He worked hard and did become famous. But he wanted much more than that. The problem was, Xinghui’s capabilities were limited, so the resources he could get were only so good. Later, he started to rely on himself.”

“Having ambition is a good thing, but his ambition was too strong, and he wanted too much. In the end, he took a wrong turn. He got involved with a female vice president of some company. I didn’t approve.”

The Liu Heping of that time was far from the peaceful man he was now. He was young and stubborn, always believing that taking such shortcuts would ultimately harm oneself and others. He forbade his artists from doing such things.

But Huai Zhang thought he was obstructing his path to stardom.

So they had a falling out. He used his connection with the female VP to terminate his contract with Xinghui and move to a bigger, better company.

“Later, I heard he and that female VP broke up. Now he’s with the second son of Chuan Yu Entertainment’s owner, which is why his resources have been so good lately.”

“Because of that incident, he’s always had it out for me.” Liu Heping wore a pained expression. “Don’t go head-to-head with him. We’re just small fries. He’s a top-tier star at the height of his fame, and he’s backed by Chuan Yu. Offending him won’t do us any good.”

Jiang Shi was unconcerned. “The worst that can happen is I quit.”

Cheng Ye was constantly in his ear, brainwashing him, relentlessly badmouthing the entertainment industry, just hoping for the day he would quit and spend his money instead.

Liu Heping: “…”

He had forgotten he was dealing with a young master.

The scene with the second male lead had required several takes, so there was no telling when it would be Jiang Shi’s turn.

Liu Heping leaned closer and said, “Guess why it took me so long to get coffee? I got some inside news. The company is getting new leadership.”

Jiang Shi looked at him.

“The decision was just made this morning. Our company has been acquired, and the entire top management has been replaced. We don’t know if us little fish will be kept or let go.”

Liu Heping was a long-time employee. Although he now only had the lukewarm Jiang Shi under his wing, he had seen his share of glory in the past.

But Jiang Shi’s fate was uncertain…

He comforted him, “Don’t worry, I’ll plead with the higher-ups for you.”

After his experience with Huai Zhang, Liu Heping was now quite content with Jiang Shi’s desire-free state.

Jiang Shi took another sip of coffee and grimaced at the bitterness. He repeated his earlier sentiment, “It’s fine. The worst that can happen is I quit.”

Liu Heping: “…”

It wasn’t until almost noon that Jiang Shi’s scene was finally up.

His first scene was playing a corpse, which required no acting skills. He just had to lie there with his eyes closed. The only issue was that the crime scene was in a bathtub, so he had to soak in it fully clothed.

The New Year had just passed, and the temperature hadn’t risen yet. It was still winter. The director had the water replaced with warm water, and Jiang Shi lay down, assuming the required pose.

A large pool of blood spread through the bathtub. The young painter lay with his eyes peacefully closed, holding a rose symbolizing love, a smile on his face, sleeping serenely.

Jiang Shi was not sleeping so serenely.

The temperature was already low in winter, and even though the water in the tub was warm initially, it had gradually turned cold after some time. His hands, submerged in the water, were slowly turning pale.

It was actually a very simple scene. The female lead was a student at the art studio. When the painter didn’t show up for class, she went to his house. All she had to do was open the door, discover the painter lying in the bathtub, show a horrified expression, and then tremble as she called the police.

But for some reason, the actress, who had been performing smoothly all day, kept getting her state wrong when it came to Jiang Shi’s scene, leading to repeated NGs.

The longer it took, the colder Jiang Shi became in the water.

In the end, the director simply told the actress to take a break and get into character.

Jiang Shi twitched his fingers and opened his eyes, about to climb out, but a staff member pressed his shoulder. “Teacher Jiang, the set is complicated to arrange. Please bear with it for a moment.”

His shirt clung to him, soaking wet. After so long, the water temperature had dropped, pricking his skin like tiny needles.

It was a cold that hurt.

Jiang Shi frowned. “How long do I have to wait?”

The staff member pursed their lips with some annoyance. “That depends on when Sister Zhou has rested enough.”

And so he waited, for more than ten minutes.

Jiang Shi was so cold his lips turned white, and it was an effort to even lift his fingertips.

The director couldn’t stand it anymore and urged the actress. After she reluctantly filmed a few more takes, they finally got a barely passable one.

As the director called “Cut!”, Jiang Shi’s entire body went limp and sank into the bathtub. Fortunately, a quick-handed staff member next to him pulled him out.

The actress, upset from being scolded by the director, sat to the side crying. Everyone rushed to comfort her, and no one paid attention to Jiang Shi, who was huddled in a corner wrapped in a towel.

Finally, the makeup artist who had done his makeup couldn’t watch any longer and brought him a cup of hot water. “Are you okay?”

Jiang Shi tried to bend his fingers. After confirming they could move, he reached out to take the water.

“Thank you.”

His voice was hoarse.

The makeup artist glanced at the female lead, who was the center of attention. This industry was always like this; status was more important than anything.

She reminded Jiang Shi, “Zhou Ying is from the same company as Huai Zhang. Although this drama is male-led, with Huai Zhang’s popularity, even a background female lead role is better than one in a smaller production. I heard Huai Zhang recommended her to the director.”

Jiang Shi sneezed. His long, damp hair was plastered to the back of his neck, and his face was even paler than it had been with the makeup. “Could you please get my phone for me?”

The makeup artist brought it to him.

He unlocked his phone. The first message was from Liu Heping.
[There’s a company meeting, I have to go back. Take care of yourself on set. Call me if you need anything.]

Then there was one from Cheng Ye.
[What time do you get off work? I’ll come pick you up for dinner.]

Jiang Shi sneezed again.

The director called out from across the set, “The one playing the painter, you can wrap up for today. Go back and rest, come back tomorrow.”

Jiang Shi drank half the cup of water and replied to Cheng Ye.
[I’m already done. I’m heading back to the hotel first.]

He didn’t know what Cheng Ye was busy with, but after two minutes, there was still no reply.

Jiang Shi had no assistant with him, so he wrapped the towel around himself and went back to the hotel on his own.

He took a comfortable hot shower, and just as he got out, Cheng Ye called.

“You’re off work?”

Jiang Shi hummed in agreement. “Just finished my shower.”

Cheng Ye said, “I’m on my way. What do you want to eat?”

The filming location was in Jiangcheng, not far from Cheng Ye’s company, so Jiang Shi didn’t object to him coming. He thought for two seconds. “It’s too cold. I feel like hot pot.”

As he said this, he sneezed again.

Cheng Ye heard it and asked, “What’s wrong?”

The events on set had been upsetting, so Jiang Shi didn’t tell Cheng Ye. “I got a little wet during filming just now. I probably caught a bit of a chill.”

He didn’t think much of it after saying it, feeling that his physical condition was pretty good. It was just a little cold water; it couldn’t be that serious. After drying his hair, he sat on the sofa and messaged Liu Heping.

Liu Heping didn’t know what had just happened. He called Jiang Shi. The sounds in the background were noisy, like he was on a busy street.

“The company has changed. It was just sold this morning, and the new leadership came for a meeting at noon.”

Jiang Shi put the call on speaker, lay down on the sofa, and skillfully opened a game. “Oh… so are they firing us?”

“Pah, pah! Can’t you say something more positive? This new boss has a huge background. Do you know where he comes from? Let me tell you…”

Before he could finish, Jiang Shi’s exclamation came through the phone. “No way, I died even like that? The opponent must be cheating. I’m reporting them.”

Liu Heping: “…”

He said in a long-suffering tone, “Kid, can you please pay a little more attention to yourself?”

Jiang Shi: “Snack? What snack?”

“…”

He was a lost cause.

Liu Heping flagged down a taxi and headed toward Jiang Shi’s location. “Have you eaten? What do you want to eat? Do you want me to bring something back for you?”

“No need,” Jiang Shi said. “I’m eating out.”

Liu Heping had wanted to ask about this for a long time. “Are you… in a relationship?”

Xinghui had been on the decline for the past two years, and Jiang Shi had less work, so they didn’t see each other often. But every time there was an event, Jiang Shi’s frequency of taking calls and sending messages was very high, making it hard not to have suspicions.

Jiang Shi said, “Huh? I didn’t tell you? I have a partner.”

Liu Heping felt like he was about to cough up blood. “When I asked you if you had a girlfriend, you said no.”

“That’s right, I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“But I have a boyfriend.”

Liu Heping: “?? “

What?!