Just how famous was Chen Haoyu?
If he posted a single period on Weibo, it would get hundreds of thousands of reposts.
He had dominated the top spot on the fan ranking forums for an entire year, no matter how many new albums dropped, movies were hyped, or birthdays were celebrated, no one could dethrone him.
If his face appeared in a film, even for just a few seconds, it would guarantee a box office surge.
Whenever he arrived at or departed from an airport, the crowd of fans would be so massive that it looked like they were giving away free apartments in downtown Shanghai.
As for trending topics on Weibo? He practically owned property there, appearing on the list daily.
Chen Haoyu was nothing short of a miracle in the idol industry, a rare species among male celebrities, a national-level superstar with an unprecedented fan following.
And right now, this same person was sitting beside Ju Li.
Yes, beside her.
Ever since he had that drink, the superstar in front of her had transformed into her best buddy.
Not only had he moved from across the table to sit on the couch next to her, but he was sitting cross-legged, completely at ease, like he was chilling at home.
Ju Li stared at the portion of his fair, toned calf exposed under his bathrobe, her mouth going dry.
She had not anticipated this situation.
As a 23-year-old girl who had just graduated, never been in a relationship, rarely interacted with men (her younger brother being the only male she regularly spoke to), she felt completely unequipped to handle Chen Haoyu in this state.
His smooth, short hair hung slightly over his brows, brushing against his eyelashes whenever he turned his head.
Each time, he would brush his bangs aside with a slightly irritated expression, like a high school heartthrob, exuding youthful charm with a hint of cluelessness.
Ju Li was certain that every woman in the world would want to be his bangs, just to be touched by him over and over again.
This was a dangerous situation.
She was just a girl who hadn’t even had the chance to experience romance before reality had crushed her dreams. Why was he sitting here, acting all seductive?
Too treacherous.
“What did President Zhong ask you to tell me?” Chen Haoyu asked, pushing the fruit platter closer to her. “Here, have some grapes, they’re sweet.”
“Thank you,” Ju Li responded quickly.
“No need to be so polite. What’s your zodiac sign?” He suddenly tilted his chin slightly and asked.
His tone made it sound like a command, but the way he raised his chin gave off a bit of a proud, playful vibe.
“Leo,” Ju Li answered, confused about how the topic had shifted.
“I’m a Libra. That’s a good match,” Chen Haoyu remarked, raising an eyebrow and shoving a grape into her hand.
Ju Li stared at the grape, feeling like if this continued, she’d have to start reciting Buddhist scriptures.
No, desire is emptiness, emptiness is desire, everything is but an illusion.
[T/N: 色即是空，空即是色: Form is emptiness; emptiness is form – a phrase from the Heart Sutra, a Buddhist text.]
“Mr. Chen, President Zhong–” she tried to steer the conversation back on track.
“Just call me Haoyu,” he interrupted.
“…Okay, Haoyu,” she complied hesitantly, trying to suppress the feeling that things were getting increasingly out of control.
“Go on,” he said, stretching out his long legs, kicking the suitcase beside him to make more room for himself.
He hadn’t gone to sleep yet because he’d been sitting on the suitcase, strategising about what to do next.
Leaving the production team suddenly wasn’t without consequences.
But if Xiao Yun was still there in the morning, he definitely couldn’t stay either. Otherwise, this entire standoff would become a joke.
“Right, so President Zhong wants to know if there’s any room for negotiation regarding the issue with Teacher Xiao– she said, licking her lips nervously as she looked at him.
She hoped he’d agree immediately so she could escape this dangerous situation and go back to her room to sleep.
For the first time, she had a room with a bathtub. She hadn’t even had time to take a bath yet. She hadn’t even gotten to stand by the window and admire the night view from above.
But fate had other plans.
The seemingly easygoing, talkative Chen Haoyu, loosened up by his drink, suddenly shook his head firmly and declared, “Darling, anything else is negotiable, but when it comes to work, I never compromise.”
Otherwise, he wouldn’t be where he was today.
Ju Li felt as if she had been struck by lightning, frozen in place.
What… what did he just call her?
Chen Haoyu thought she was upset about his refusal and patted her shoulder reassuringly. Feeling a little guilty, he added, “Did President Zhong say anything else? Something unrelated to this matter?”
Ju Li subtly pulled back her shoulder, took a deep breath, and pressed on, “So your main reason for wanting out is that you feel your role in this drama has been diminished and that the character lacks masculinity?”
Chen Haoyu nodded but waved his hand dismissively. “The details don’t matter anymore. I don’t want to talk about it.”
If it were anyone else, they might have backed down in the face of his firm stance. But Ju Li wasn’t just anyone.
She ignored his attempt to shut down the conversation and continued, “That’s not how this works. The reason matters. Everything we do should be goal-oriented. Even if your goal is just to vent, you should have a clear target. Acting without considering your objective will only lead to self-destruction. Smart people don’t do that.”
Her tone had shifted, she was now speaking like an older sister scolding her younger brother.
Chen Haoyu was momentarily taken aback.
A moment ago, he had been frowning, determined not to discuss the topic. But now, as he studied her serious expression, he realised she wasn’t joking. She was genuinely lecturing him.
The usual arrogance and playfulness on his face faded, and he withdrew his legs, sitting up straight.
He turned his head to look at her face again before sighing, “I’m already 28 years old, been in the industry for 15 years. Even though I seem to be dominating the entertainment industry, I still understand the principle that things reverse when they reach their peak. Once I hit the ceiling, going any higher will be incredibly difficult. Worse yet, I might gradually find myself in an awkward position… I already feel like I’m hitting that ceiling. Every time I think about those who are less capable than me surpassing me while I can only decline, facing contempt, ridicule, and being looked down upon… I can’t take it…”
Once he started talking, he poured all his emotions into it.
As he spoke, his voice grew hoarse.
This fear had been lingering for a long time, growing worse over the past year. He could feel that if he didn’t find a breakthrough soon, he would inevitably start his downfall.
He couldn’t let that happen.
And the more he feared, the more intense his reactions became when facing various situations.
That was why he was so adamant this time.
“Think about it. Right now, everyone is watching me. They’re all waiting for me to fall from the pedestal, just waiting for an incident to prove it.” Chen Haoyu’s expression turned sharp with anger as he furrowed his brows and raised his voice:
“What is Xiao Yun trying to do? I read the initial outline, and the male lead was originally the one strategising and calling the shots. But the more details got written, the less screen time this character has! And now he’s even randomly coughing up blood all the time. Once word gets out about this drama’s situation, the media and the industry will go crazy. Won’t this just prove that Chen Haoyu isn’t good enough anymore? Look! Even his role got reduced! His character is weak now!”
Saying this, he took a sip of water, trying to calm himself down. But when his gaze met Ju Li’s wide, clear eyes, his heart softened, and sorrow washed over him again.
“I still haven’t found a way to break through. Sure, many movies have had high box office sales because of me, but not a single director believes I can carry an entire film on my own. I’m always either playing a supporting role or a special guest appearance…”
He turned away, his eyes slightly reddened, his voice trailing off, unable to continue. “At a time like this! Of all times! Xiao Yun wrote this kind of script. If I had known, I wouldn’t have accepted this drama! I’ve been holding on, holding on, but if I get exposed all at once, how am I supposed to move forward? Will advertisers lose confidence in me? Will major investors, producers, and directors stop wanting to work with me? What if, ”
His voice suddenly grew louder, only to cut off abruptly. His eyes were red, and he could no longer continue speaking.
All the fear in his heart suddenly surged out, drowning him completely.
A 28-year-old young man, bearing the immense pressure placed upon him from all sides.
Ju Li suddenly felt that, even though she was poor and weak, she might actually… be happier than him.
She never expected him to be under such immense pressure, to have such strong fears.
Sitting across from him, she could even feel the suffocating weight of it, as if the world was closing in.
Reaching out, she instinctively stroked his hair in a gentle, rhythmic motion, just like she did when comforting her younger brother, Ju Jing.
One stroke after another, soft and soothing.
Chen Haoyu pursed his lips, turning his head away in resistance, but as she continued, tears began to fall uncontrollably.
A man does not cry easily, unless he has truly reached a breaking point.
What elite persona?
What overbearing CEO-type roles?
What top-tier idol?
None of it mattered.
Crystal-clear tears flowed from his beautiful, almond-shaped eyes, tracing down his handsome face and dripping onto his shirt, resembling raindrops on pear blossoms, heartbreakingly beautiful.
Ju Li had an urge to pull out her phone and take a picture. She was sure someone would pay a fortune for it!
She should take pictures from different angles too, selling them separately to different media outlets could maximise profit.
Maybe she could sell a single photo for tens of thousands?
Unfortunately… she could do nothing but sit there quietly, accompanying him and soothing him.
If anyone knew that her humble, poverty-stricken hand was currently stroking Chen Haoyu’s precious head and back, his fans might actually offer a fortune just to buy her hand…
“A year ago, I had a secret lover. We were really in love. But we couldn’t make it public, and with paparazzi and obsessive fans constantly following me, in the end… we had no choice but to break up.” He sniffled, his tear-streaked eyes looking at Ju Li like a pitiful puppy gazing at a trusted owner. “You know? Back when I wasn’t famous yet, some big bosses used to take advantage of me, touching me, groping my ass…”
Ju Li pressed her lips together, the mental image making her stomach churn with disgust.
Her heart welled up with sympathy. She patted his back, her own expression growing sombre.
He must have been completely overwhelmed by his emotions because, out of nowhere, he angrily blurted out:
“I’m always playing CEOs or cold-hearted bad boys. The acting skills I originally learned are completely useless! All I need to do is widen my eyes, pretend my contact lenses are really uncomfortable, and that’s it, that’s my entire performance! And now they want me to transition to different roles? After playing such one-dimensional characters for years, do they really think I can just switch like that? But if I don’t transition… what, am I supposed to still be acting in idol dramas at 35 or 50 years old?!”
“No one believes I can play emotionally complex characters! No one believes I can be a serious actor!” He was so worked up that he waved his arms in frustration.
Ju Li watched him, pursing her lips. She thought to herself, Always wearing a mask, always having to act tough, it must be exhausting, right? How long has he been suppressing all of this?
Tears continued to stream down Chen Haoyu’s face as he practically shouted, “I don’t even know how to act anymore!”
“That’s not true!” Ju Li immediately objected, not wanting him to fall into complete self-doubt. That kind of mindset was too dangerous.
And then,
In the next moment, he suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her in a tight hug.
“…” Ju Li froze, arms splayed open.
“…” Ju Li’s eyes widened in shock.
This…
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