Xia Yang’s wrists were firmly restrained, unable to move. Han Yi’s arm was braced above him, a cold and stern expression shadowing his brow.
Xia Yang could hear his own heartbeat, pounding loudly in the still air. The words “discipline you” still echoed in his ears, and images of ancient tortures suddenly flashed through his mind. His fingers trembled, and his whole body shrank back.
“I… I didn’t know your earlobes were sensitive,” he mumbled, biting his lip.
“Oh.”
Han Yi’s gaze clearly showed disbelief.
“Well, um, can you let me go first? We can talk this out,” Xia Yang struggled against the grip on his arms.
But it was useless; the person above him was much stronger.
After a brief silence, Han Yi spoke in a hoarse voice, his eyes still fierce. “What else do you want to say?”
“Uh,” Xia Yang quickly looked away, fingers clutching the pillowcase, his throat bobbing. “You’re… you’re pressing down on my little buddy.”
Han Yi: “…”
“Seriously, you’re squashing its morning vigor,” Xia Yang continued.
Han Yi: “…”
In an instant, Xia Yang’s wrists were released. Taking advantage of the lack of restraint, he quickly scrambled off the bed.
Han Yi continued to stare at him with a pair of inscrutable black eyes.
Xia Yang moved a little further away to a safe distance. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly clutched his lower abdomen, wincing dramatically, “Ouch, it hurts!”
He tried to act convincingly to make Han Yi believe him, but the overly exaggerated expression made Han Yi frown.
After another moment—
“Okay, I’ve learned my lesson,” Xia Yang looked up, meeting Han Yi’s gaze, his eyes misty like a deer’s. “So let’s just call it even, and we owe each other nothing.”
Han Yi snorted coldly, turning his gaze away. After a pause, he turned back and said sternly, “Don’t ever mess with me while I’m sleeping again.”
“Got it, understood!” Xia Yang held up three fingers, clutching the feather, swearing solemnly.
…
After freshening up, Fang Ming arrived with breakfast and a kraft paper envelope.
“Sir, the studio has been registered.” He handed over the documents.
Han Yi glanced at them briefly before gesturing towards Xia Yang. “Give them to him.”
Xia Yang raised an eyebrow in confusion as Fang Ming handed him the envelope. “What’s this about?”
“Mr. Han said that if you want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, you need your own studio. The registration is complete, and I’ve shortlisted some candidate team members for you to consider expanding with in the future.” Fang Ming laid out the documents in front of him.
Xia Yang was stunned.
When had all this happened? He had no idea.
As Han Yi stepped away to take a call, Xia Yang quietly pulled Fang Ming aside. “Brother Ming, why did Brother Yi suddenly decide to set up a studio for me?”
Fang Ming hesitated, then lowered his voice. “Mr. Jin Yang mentioned last time that you had no company, no agent, and no assistant. When Mr. Han found out, he instructed me to handle it the next day.”
Xia Yang gulped.
“Mr. Han also said that whether you take on work is up to you, but since you’re in the entertainment industry, you should have the same resources as others.”
Having the same resources as others… Xia Yang opened his mouth, suddenly feeling at a loss for words.
It seemed like the ice-cold big boss was no longer the same as before.
He had melted a bit and even added a touch of sweetness.
When Han Yi returned from his call and sat at the dining table, Fang Ming, not wanting to disturb their meal, took his leave. Xia Yang put away the documents, feeling a newfound warmth in his heart as he sat down.
Breakfast consisted of vegetable and crab meat chicken congee, fried eggs, stir-fried vegetables, and soft, easily digestible pastries. The fragrant aroma filled the air, whetting the appetite.
Xia Yang lifted the lid off the congee, testing the temperature with his palm. It was too hot to drink right away.
Wanting to express his gratitude, he offered to cool it down for Han Yi.
“The congee’s a bit hot. You eat the other dishes first; I’ll blow on it to cool it down,” he said, puffing out his cheeks and blowing on the steaming bowl.
Blowing hard made his heart race, and stars danced before his eyes.
This small body seemed weak; his lung capacity wasn’t great.
Han Yi closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath. “You…”
“Don’t be so polite with me,” Xia Yang interrupted, massaging his temples and gesturing grandly. “It’s my duty. You just enjoy it.”
Watching the little specks of saliva fly into the congee, Han Yi felt: “…”
He was a typical clean freak; anything contaminated usually put him off, even making him feel nauseous.
If anyone else had tainted his food, he’d probably react the same way.
But…
“Eat up; it’s not hot anymore.” The gentle voice brought him back, and the warm porcelain bowl of congee was placed in his hands.
Looking at the human air conditioner…
Han Yi’s gaze lingered on Xia Yang’s face for a while, then shifted back to the bowl. After a moment’s hesitation, he picked up a spoon and took a sip of the hot congee.
…
The next day, the “Hidden Heart” drama team officially announced the cast on social media, and the main actors followed by sharing the post on Weibo.
In the afternoon, Tang Siming again came to pick up Xia Yang for the script reading.
Seeing them arrive together, the director couldn’t help but feel curious and pulled Tang Siming aside. “Mr. Tang, pardon my curiosity, but is Xia Yang your…?”
The director had suspected from the beginning that the big star and the young idol had something going on.
Having worked with Tang Siming several times before, he’d never seen him so eager to recommend anyone, chauffeuring them around like a doting father figure—just like the latest trend in “daddy” boyfriends.
If there was something between them, he understood the need to take care of the young idol.
“There’s nothing like that, please don’t spread rumors.” Tang Siming quickly denied it.
The director raised an eyebrow, still skeptical. “Really?”
“Of course! How could he be my man? I wouldn’t even dare think about it,” Tang Siming leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “To be honest, Xia Yang has a powerful backer you wouldn’t believe.”
The director was shocked. “Him? A backer?”
He couldn’t see it.
“Stronger than you?”
“Yes, stronger than me,” Tang Siming nodded emphatically. “So, don’t play matchmaker or ship them as a couple, or you might find someone angry enough to smash your camera.”
The director: “…”
The rest of the afternoon’s script reading went smoothly.
During a half-hour break, Xia Yang found a small sofa by the window and browsed his phone. The official announcement of the “Hidden Heart” cast had already garnered tens of thousands of comments, with the buzz still growing.
– @ImmortalGoddess: It’s official! So excited for Shen Xing! Tang Siming, my god!
– @NocturnalTales: Hahaha, Wang Ze is at it again, playing another domineering CEO. But this time, is he playing a villainous tycoon?
– @YourBigBrother: Goddess Xiaoxiao! [hearts][hearts][hearts][hearts][hearts] Can’t wait for Lin You!
– @ChickenChampion: Wait, am I seeing things? How is Xia Yang in a movie now???
– @KingOfAfrica: Why can’t Xia Yang act in a movie?? That cruise commercial he did blew up; I’m still swooning over his godly looks~
– @SweetAndSourRibs: Oh dear, you must not have seen that cringe-worthy drama he acted in before. Cringe-worthy acting and cringe-worthy lines. @DirectorGuoDafu, how could you cast someone like this?
– @Ragdoll Cat: @Director Guo Dafu, can’t you hire decent actors? We’ll give you some waterdrops, please don’t hold my male god back, thank you!
– @StarvingAndPoorlyClothed: @Director Guo Dafu, go and have your eyes checked, it’s such a good script!
The comments about Xia Yang were split, half good and half bad. He felt a bit helpless but not particularly angry.
He couldn’t blame the netizens; he had to blame the original person.
The only online drama the original had starred in was notoriously bad enough to become a legend. Coupled with his off-putting styling and primitive acting, Xia Yang figured he’d probably have taken to the keyboard to vent if he were in their shoes.
But it was tough on the director, taking the heat because of him. Feeling a bit guilty, Xia Yang decided to go to the break room, having seen Guo Dafu go there to make coffee two minutes ago.
“Director Guo, may I come in?” he knocked on the door.
“Ah, it’s Xia!” The director came over, holding a fragrant cup of coffee. “Would you like some?”
“No, thank you.” Xia Yang shook his head.
He guessed the director wasn’t aware of the online backlash, so he recounted what he’d seen and expressed his apology.
To his surprise, Guo Dafu didn’t mind at all. He waved it off. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’m over forty; if I still let some random people affect me, I’d be living my life backward. But you, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Xia Yang felt relieved by his response. “I’ve always had a big heart; when the world gives me pain, I respond with a song.”
“No, no, no,” the director said seriously. “When the world gives you pain, you slap it back! Slap, slap!”
Xia Yang: “…”
That seemed to make sense.
Slap, slap!
Not long after leaving the break room, he saw the director on Weibo, engaging in a battle with two netizens.
– @DirectorGuoDafu: Of course, I dare. What’s it to you? [pride]//@SweetAndSourRibs: Oh dear, you must not have seen that cringe-worthy drama he acted in before. Cringe-worthy acting and cringe-worthy lines. @DirectorGuoDafu, how could you cast someone like this?
– @DirectorGuoDafu: Go find a job. Knowing you’re starving and poorly clothed yet still spouting nonsense online//@StarvingAndPoorlyClothed: Get your eyes checked, it’s a good script!
Xia Yang was stunned, deeply impressed.
The director was so bold! He was slapping back at the “world” on his behalf!
By the evening, #GuoDafuScoldsNetizens had climbed the trending entertainment charts.
After the netizens devoured the drama, they refocused on the source of the storm—Xia Yang.
– @YourUncle: Wow, Director Guo Dafu standing up for a small-time idol? @DirectorGuoDafu, blink twice if you’re being held hostage!
– @IdontBelieve: I can’t believe it; why would XY, a nobody, get this kind of backing?
– @LanKwongHotshot: Probably a sugar daddy, nothing more to say, just dropping a [doge emoji]
Within an hour, some resourceful netizens dug up details about the newly established studio under Xia Yang’s name.
– @KeepItToYourself: This minor celeb isn’t as simple as he seems. The majority shareholder in his studio is the famous YunDing Group, a top cruise company in the country. Chairman: Han Yi.
– @BigWhale: Seriously, just a few months ago, Xia Yang starred in an annual creative ad for Han Yi’s company, which gained some attention. Now Han Yi’s his investor. I’m getting a whiff of scandal!
– @SmellyFeet: Impressive, impressive! No wonder a well-known director is backing him up.
– @DaddyDaddy: This doesn’t prove anything. Han Yi invests in many businesses. What’s the big deal about one studio?
– @HeadBopper: It means a lot.
– @IWannaGetRich: A resource-dependent star, a talentless beauty. Thankfully, he’s not the lead in this movie. Poor Tang Yingdi.
– @AreYouHappy: I want to see what kind of performance Xia Yang, a nobody famous for his stepping on others, will deliver!
…
At 9 PM, the script reading ended, and the actors gradually left. The next time they’d meet would be at the opening ceremony.
Tang Siming had some styling suggestions that needed confirmation with the makeup artist, so Xia Yang decided to take a taxi home.
With traffic at a standstill during the evening rush hour, Xia Yang felt bored and pulled out his phone to chat with Han Yi about the situation.
– @Yang: Are you there, big boss?
– @Yang: The studio got exposed today, and they also found out about you. [sigh][sigh]
– @Han Yi: Watch your words; we’re not a gang of suspects.
– @Yang: Oh, oh, sorry.
– @Yang: Sigh, if I had known, I wouldn’t have started the studio. Now that it’s been exposed, people will definitely suspect our relationship. Even the director asked me about it when I left. [sigh][sigh]
– @Han Yi: What did you tell them?
Xia Yang replayed in his mind the response he had given the director, which was somewhat reserved.
He couldn’t deny that Han Yi was his investor, but that was all. They were purely in a business relationship, with him being the billionaire’s experiment in the entertainment industry.
So, he typed out his honest reply to Han Yi— [@Yang]: I told the director: I’m not familiar with Han Yi; we’re not connected in any significant way. The big boss was just trying out the entertainment industry after getting bored with cruises.
Before he could finish, the taxi made a sudden stop, causing his finger to tap the screen, accidentally sending the message.
“Oh, sorry about that, a car cut in front. Are you okay?” the driver asked apologetically.
Xia Yang settled back, waved it off, then looked down at his phone. His eyes widened as he sucked in a breath.
The message sent out was—
– [@Yang]: I told the director: I’m not familiar with Han Yi; we’re not connected in any significant way. The big boss was just trying out the entertainment industry and came to the industry to try to sleep with me”
Try! Sleep!
This… Xia Yang cringed in embarrassment, quickly deleting the message.
But just as he retracted the message, a new one popped up in the chat…
Han Yi: I saw that….
Author’s Note:
Xia Yang: Ahhhh! Damn autocorrect!!!
“When the world kisses you with pain, slap it back” — Wang Mian (I personally love this quote).
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