Chapter 37 Part 2

Ren Haichuan let out a long breath, clearly not expecting this shot to go so smoothly. Just as he was about to say a few words, he saw Jiang Chi hurry over to Ye Lan's side and say apologetically, "Are you alright from when I pushed your wrist just now? I feel like I used a bit too much force, I'm sorry..."

Ye Lan wiped the corner of his eye and shook his head. "It's fine, I wasn't gentle either."

Jiang Chi pursed his lips and said softly, "No... when you pushed me against the wall, I felt you cushion my back with your hand..."

Ye Lan hadn't expected Jiang Chi to notice. He smiled. "I was afraid you'd hit the back of your head."

Jiang Chi's heart instantly warmed.

Ye Lan deliberately teased him, "Why don't you rub it for me then? My left wrist here..."

Ren Haichuan couldn't watch anymore and said coldly, "Ye Lan, take a break. Jiang Chi, prepare for the next shot."

Ye Lan didn't want to rest and was planning to watch from the set. Cen Wen, who had been waiting at the side, came over and whispered a few words in his ear.

Ye Lan hummed softly in acknowledgment and followed Cen Wen back to the break room.

Cen Wen said apologetically, "I did my best, but I really couldn't get in touch with the relevant personnel. I was also afraid of alarming others in the crew and causing gossip for Jiang Chi, so... I asked Sister An Ya for help."

Ye Lan had anticipated this, knowing it would be difficult. "It's fine. Did she get it?"

"She got it, just sent it over." Cen Wen opened her tablet, pulled up a video, and handed it to Ye Lan. She added, "Sister An Ya said she has something else to discuss with you and asked you to call her during your break."

Ye Lan nodded absently. "Alright... go stand guard at the door, don't let anyone else in."

Ye Lan held his phone and quietly watched Jiang Chi's audition video on the tablet.

He quickly finished watching the short, four-minute audition.

Speaking objectively, Jiang Chi's audition video, by Ye Lan's standards, could only be described as passable.

Jiang Chi's performance was average, at least not as good as his current performance on set.

Ye Lan thought back to the scene just now, then looked at the video again. The difference was still huge.

An audition video like this, if Ren Haichuan were the one to review it, really might not have passed.

Ye Lan narrowed his eyes slightly and let out a soft breath.

He called An Ya.

The call was answered quickly. Ye Lan smiled, "Sorry to trouble you... Handle it discreetly. Don't let anyone know I'm looking for this."

An Ya naturally understood this. However, she didn't want to talk about confidentiality. She said softly, "You had Cen Wen look for this... do you think there was something suspicious about how Jiang Chi joined the cast?"

Ye Lan chuckled. "What's so suspicious about it? I'm just curious about his audition video."

An Ya hesitated for a moment before saying, "You don't have to hide it from me. When I was looking for this video for you today, I discovered that there does seem to be a problem with how Jiang Chi joined the cast."

The smile on Ye Lan's face faded a little. "How so?"

"I'm old acquaintances with your crew's executive producer. I was chatting with him today and casually asked about it. I found out he knows nothing at all about the circumstances of Jiang Chi joining the cast back then." An Ya was silent for a moment, then said, "It seems there are non-disclosure agreements concerning Jiang Chi's matter, both before and after. This is a bit strange... Jiang Chi has no backing and didn't invest in the project. If he got in through a normal audition, how could..."

An Ya trailed off.

Ye Lan gave a faint smile. "What do you mean?"

An Ya gave a dry laugh. "I didn't say anything... I just think this matter..."

Ye Lan cut An Ya off, "You suspect Jiang Chi got this role by sleeping his way into it."

An Ya laughed awkwardly. "When did I say that? I..."

An Ya said resignedly, "Alright, that is what I was thinking. Jiang Chi is good, but he wasn't the most outstanding during the auditions, yet he got the role. A new-generation young actor, making his big-screen debut in a dual-lead role with you. Anyone who knows about this would think the same."

Ye Lan listened quietly until An Ya finished, then shook his head with a smile. "I was worried he had some other hidden trouble, but you jumped to that conclusion."

An Ya was taken aback. "You... don't believe it?"

Ye Lan said, "I don't."

An Ya laughed. "Ye Lan, not everyone is born with a silver spoon in their mouth like you. It's too difficult to climb up in this circle. Even if something like that did happen, you don't need to make a big fuss about it. But this move of his is quite risky. This film's subject matter won't be of much help to his future development. Maybe he just wants the title of a 'film actor'? Or maybe..."

"Use your brain for a second," Ye Lan interrupted An Ya coldly. "If he was really willing to throw himself away and let people sleep with him, would he have struggled and tumbled through the industry for so long, filming so many trashy films?"

An Ya was at a loss for words.

Ye Lan scrutinized the video on the tablet screen and said, "Or, with his temperament and looks, do you think there'd be a shortage of people wanting to sleep with him?"

An Ya laughed dryly. "That is... a bit strange."

Ye Lan sneered, "What? Done slinging mud at him?"

"No..." An Ya said awkwardly, "I'm just surprised. You can occasionally hit the nail on the head and see things so clearly."

"Since that executive producer doesn't know anything, don't contact him again. Don't let any bad rumors about Jiang Chi spread." Ye Lan instructed, "But don't shelve this matter. I have this vague feeling... that knowing the truth will benefit me."

Jiang Chi would be signing with Starlight in the future. An Ya thought Ye Lan was worried about his own uncle signing a troublemaker, so she nodded. "Okay, I'll do my best. But..."

An Ya asked, puzzled, "How can you be so sure that he really didn't get into the cast through... that kind of relationship?"

Ye Lan lowered his head and smiled, saying slowly, "During the New Year, I had Jiang Chi stay over at my place."

"I was a bit drunk and muddled that day. I forgot there was only one bed, so I let him sleep in it. For the whole night... he stayed obediently in the room."

"He didn't pretentiously ask me where the blanket, pillow, or pajamas were; he didn't deliberately get half-undressed then come out to ask me how to turn on the showerhead; he didn't pretend to be homesick or that he couldn't sleep in a strange bed... He didn't come downstairs to find me even once the entire night."

Ye Lan had been in this circle for so many years. What kind of schemes had he not seen, what kind of ploys had he not experienced?

Ye Lan said, "If he were really that kind of person, with an opportunity like that, how could he possibly have done nothing? I had been drinking at the time. If he had acted shamelessly and flirted with me, it's hard to say what might have happened..."

Recalling that warm evening, a smile unconsciously appeared on Ye Lan's face. "I was sleeping on the sofa at the time. He could have completely stripped naked and slipped into my blanket during the night. Why didn't he?"

"..." An Ya was silent for a moment, then said woodenly, "Let's have a normal conversation... don't make dirty jokes. You may be shameless and not care if people around you hear, but I'm afraid if this gets out, I won't be able to handle it."

Ye Lan smiled arrogantly. "Let them listen if they want."

"I'm telling the truth. Jiang Chi isn't an idiot. Even if he were willing to let someone sleep with him, why didn't he come to me in the first place?" Ye Lan propped his legs up on the coffee table and said coldly, "In this entire crew, from top to bottom, besides me, who else has such high value that he'd be willing to take his clothes off for them?!"

Ren Haichuan pushed open the door, just in time to hear Ye Lan's shameless and outrageous declaration.

Ren Haichuan, the film's director: "..."