Gu Yaxing stopped outside, adjusting his clothes as he watched Luo Ding and Wu Fangyuan leave. Wu Fangyuan turned back after taking a few steps to wave goodbye, and Gu Yaxing smiled and waved back.
A feeling of unexplainable worry crept into his heart, much like how parents feel when they watch their children embark on a journey. Luo Ding’s new opportunities filled him with both joy and concern.
The opportunity to audition for *Blade Warrior III* was enough to make most domestic film stars scramble, but thanks to Duan Xiubo, Luo Ding had already made direct contact with the director. Watching Luo Ding rise from obscurity, steadily making his way to where he was today, Gu Yaxing felt both proud and a little heartbroken.
Even though Luo Ding hadn’t mentioned it, Gu Yaxing knew that several major companies in the industry had likely already tried to poach him. Especially Universal Media—if they were willing to take in someone like Su Shengbai, whose fame was lukewarm at best, they’d certainly be eager to sign someone with Luo Ding’s growing potential. Wu Fangyuan had been trying to tell him something in recent weeks, likely about these talent agencies privately approaching Luo Ding to leave.
Luo Ding was independent, composed, and had his own way of handling things. The company hadn’t really helped him much, and all the opportunities he had now were the result of his own efforts. To be honest, even if Luo Ding chose to leave, Gu Yaxing wouldn’t resent him—Luo Ding didn’t owe the company anything. Besides, Gu Yaxing was used to this—he had watched many of the raw talents he nurtured leave, rising to heights beyond his reach, polished by others to shine even brighter.
But Luo Ding hadn’t left.
Within the company, Luo Ding wasn’t as smooth and polished as he was outside. When tired from work, he would show his frustration when no outsiders were around, sometimes even sulking. Gu Yaxing always felt that Luo Ding treated him and Wu Fangyuan with the patience of an elder caring for younger siblings. It was precisely because of this that Gu Yaxing often felt guilty for not being able to help him more. Whenever an opportunity like an EP came along, Gu Yaxing poured everything into it.
Now, it seemed his judgment had been right all along. Luo Ding, who never openly declared loyalty or affection, was, in fact, someone who deeply valued old ties.
Without Gu Yaxing around, Wu Fangyuan grew quieter as they approached the lounge.
Luo Ding’s busy schedule had also influenced Wu Fangyuan. The little chubby assistant had lost over ten pounds recently and now fit into size 35 pants. His walking no longer looked as awkward, and aside from the blond hair, Luo Ding didn’t have much to criticize.
Duan Xiubo was lying on a lounge chair listening to music, while Mi Rui sat beside him, slowly eating a watermelon. When he saw Luo Ding approach, Mi Rui’s eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up. “Luo Ge, over here!”
“Mi Rui,” Luo Ding smiled as he approached, “don’t call me Luo Ge, it’s too formal. You can just call me Luo Xiaoding like Duan Ge does.”
Mi Rui glanced at his boss, who instantly perked up as soon as Luo Ding appeared. Smiling, he remained silent. Luo Ding might be modest, but Mi Rui didn’t dare address him so casually. If he called him Luo Xiaoding, Duan Xiubo’s glare alone could cut him in half.
Duan Xiubo sat up. “How are you feeling? Any better?”
“Much better,” Luo Ding replied as Duan pulled him to sit on the sofa. He let Duan touch his forehead and hands, smiling as he allowed the other man to fuss over him. “I’m really fine.”
Duan’s hand lingered on a scar on Luo Ding’s left wrist, his fingers gently brushing over it twice. His eyes filled with concern. “I’m glad you’re okay, but you really don’t make it easy for others to stop worrying.”
Luo Ding wasn’t surprised that the scar had been noticed. It was too prominent to remain hidden forever. He remained calm and didn’t pull his hand away, smiling as he confidently repeated, “I’m fine. Really, I’m doing great.”
Duan Xiubo didn’t find anything off in Luo Ding’s eyes. Although he still felt a little puzzled, he was much more at ease.
Since Duan didn’t ask further, Luo Ding smoothly changed the subject and started inquiring about the details of *Blade Warrior III*.
His schedule was still tight. Since he didn’t know the exact date Carmen Clovis had set for the audition, Luo Ding, as a relatively unknown artist, couldn’t afford to ask directly. The longer he stayed abroad, the more his domestic matters would pile up.
All the songs for his EP had already been recorded. Once the post-production was complete, the EP would be released as soon as possible to take advantage of Luo Ding’s current popularity. The trailer for *The Tang Legend* would be released within the next day or two, and it featured many of Luo Ding’s scenes. The promotional stills for *Wolong* were scheduled to be released by the end of the month, and Luo Ding would need to participate in promotional events. While Gu Yaxing would handle most of the marketing, there were many occasions where Luo Ding would need to make personal appearances, which Gu couldn’t replace him for.
These small, tedious tasks were the most bothersome. It wasn’t like Duan Xiubo, whose high status meant he didn’t have to attend frequent events—just a few high-quality films per year and he was set. In fact, his free time probably exceeded that of the average office worker.
Duan Xiubo chuckled, handing a plate of fruit to Luo Ding. “Why worry about so much? If we really run out of time, after the flight tomorrow, we can rest for a few hours and then I’ll take you to the audition.” He spoke confidently, as he had a close personal relationship with Carmen Clovis.
Luo Ding smiled gratefully, skewering a piece of melon and popping it into his mouth. When he felt Duan’s hand ruffling his hair again, although a bit unused to it, he didn’t object.
******
Their flight took off in the morning and landed the same day, though Luo Ding was still disoriented by the time zone difference. After taking some cold medicine and sleeping on the plane, he felt reasonably refreshed. As soon as he stepped off the plane and saw the crowd of various skin tones, Luo Ding was struck by a sense of déjà vu, as though he were once again that workaholic constantly traveling the world.
A hand pushed him from behind, followed by a strong arm wrapping around his shoulders. Duan Xiubo’s voice broke through his reverie: “Let’s go. Why did you stop? Feeling unwell?”
Luo Ding smiled. “No, just not used to the time difference.”
“That takes time to adjust to,” Duan reassured him. “Didn’t Xiao Wu say you’ve never been abroad before? But I heard you speaking English with Clovis last time. You’ll have no problem communicating, so there’s nothing to worry about—just stick close to me.”
Luo Ding squeezed Duan’s hand, which was still draped across his chest.
Duan felt a tingling sensation shoot up from his hand to his arm, though outwardly he remained calm. “What’s up?”
“Let go,” Luo Ding suggested with a grin. “It’s heavy.”
When Mi Rui returned with Wu Fangyuan, dragging the luggage behind them, he noticed that Duan Xiubo’s expression wasn’t quite right. Knowing that one should always treat their boss with warmth, Mi Rui cheerfully sidled up. “Boss, are you airsick?”
Duan Xiubo smiled amiably. “Go away.”
Feeling wronged, Mi Rui fell in line beside Wu Fangyuan, trailing behind the two men who occasionally brushed shoulders as they walked. Unable to resist, Mi Rui nudged Wu Fangyuan with his shoulder.
Wu Fangyuan turned to him, confused. “What’s up?”
Mi Rui adjusted his glasses. “How does Luo Ge usually treat you? Is he good to you?”
Scratching his head, Wu Fangyuan answered without hesitation, “Of course, he’s great! Even when he works late, he always tells me to go to sleep first. If he’s not eating, he makes sure I eat. He never yells at me—he just reasons with me when I mess up. I’ve made so many mistakes, but he’s never once complained. And because he’s always respectful to me, everyone else in the crew treats me nicely too.”
Mi Rui gritted his teeth in jealousy, feeling it grow like unruly weeds. “How much do you make a month?”
“About five thousand,” Wu Fangyuan replied honestly.
Oh.
Instantly, Mi Rui felt calmer. It made sense—workload and pay were proportional. If Duan Xiubo only paid him five thousand, Mi Rui would quit without a second thought.
A manager had to have his own dignity!
Although Luo Ding was beyond the age of playing pranks, he still found it amusing to see Duan Xiubo’s reaction after just one comment. But when Duan didn’t link arms with him again, Luo Ding felt a strange sense of disappointment. As they walked, he secretly glanced at Duan Xiubo’s face.
Wearing sunglasses, Duan’s expression seemed as pleasant as ever, with a gentle smile tugging at his lips.
“Are you mad?” Luo Ding nudged him with his shoulder.
“Nope,” Duan Xiubo replied, eyes straight ahead.
Luo Ding sighed and apologized, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it seriously. I was just joking.”
Duan Xiubo’s bruised pride slowly healed as Luo Ding’s soft voice soothed him. Then he heard Luo Ding add, “But I really don’t like too much physical contact. It’s not just you—I’m like this with everyone. Even Wu Fangyuan doesn’t get too touchy with me.”
Duan pressed a hand down on Luo Ding’s head, ruffling his hair. “And what about this?”
Luo Ding fell silent.
Though it felt strange, he couldn’t deny that it wasn’t unpleasant.
**********
Duan Xiubo’s entourage was even larger than Luo Ding had anticipated. Four bodyguards, all towering at nearly six feet tall and with muscular builds, were waiting at the arrivals area. As soon as they spotted Duan, they immediately joined him. The shortest one approached Duan to speak, his accent unfamiliar to Luo Ding—it wasn’t English, and Luo couldn’t understand.
Duan replied to him, smiling as usual. The bodyguard then turned his attention to Mi Rui.
Mi Rui spoke a bit louder than Duan, and this time Luo Ding caught the conversation. It was in French.
He recognized a few words: “sir,” “safety,” and “Switzerland.”
Noticing one of the bodyguards casting a scrutinizing glance his way, Luo Ding discreetly shifted his gaze from their waists. Did they have guns?
When they reached the armored vehicle waiting outside, Luo Ding couldn’t hold back his curiosity any longer. He cast a questioning look at Duan Xiubo.
Duan smiled as he personally opened the car door for Luo Ding. “Get in.”
The bodyguards, seeing Duan’s gesture, immediately became more respectful toward Luo Ding.
Once inside the car, Luo Ding noticed two other vehicles also starting up slowly. Hesitating, he whispered, “Is this all provided by Triumph?”
Duan raised an eyebrow. “Yeah.”
What a great company…
Luo Ding felt a twinge of envy. In his previous life, despite earning so much money for Universal, all he’d been given was a bodyguard and a driver. At the time, he’d thought that was decent. But compared to Duan Xiubo’s treatment, it seemed laughably inadequate.
A bodyguard in the passenger seat answered a phone call, his tone reverent. After a brief conversation, he carefully handed the phone back. Upon noticing that the person in the back seat wasn’t Duan, he quickly turned the phone away.
Duan glanced at the name on the screen before hanging up and tossing the phone back to the bodyguard.
“Turn it off,” he ordered, and this time Luo Ding understood the word perfectly.
**************
Luo Ding was brought directly to the set for the *Blade Warrior III* audition, without even a break to rest, as Duan had promised.
Four bodyguards stayed with the cars while two followed them inside. All the crew members recognized Duan Xiubo, so they didn’t stop him.
Carmen Clovis was busy overseeing the placement of props, pacing back and forth to ensure everything was just right. It wasn’t until Duan called his name that Clovis noticed them and immediately greeted Duan with an enthusiastic hug.
Luo Ding caught a whiff of sweat from afar. Clovis, with his scruffy beard and wild hair, looked completely different from the last time they’d met. Dressed in a baggy gray shirt and floral Hawaiian shorts, he radiated an air of carelessness.
“You’re finally here! You have no idea how excited I was when I got the call last night!” Clovis’s voice boomed. “Look at the set I’ve designed for the third movie—it’s going to be iconic!”
Luo Ding maintained his composure as Clovis hugged him in greeting.
“I didn’t expect you to actually come!” Clovis squinted at Luo Ding. “I need two Asian actors. Duan is a no-brainer, but you’re competing for the last spot. It’s a tough role to land. Are you sure you want to try?”
Hollywood wasn’t short of Asian faces, most of whom had grown up abroad and were more familiar with Western culture. This gave them a communication advantage over Luo Ding, who didn’t have as much of an edge. Clovis liked his appearance but wasn’t fully convinced of his abilities. Inviting him had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, but now that Luo Ding was here, Clovis felt a little bad if the trip was for nothing.
Luo Ding understood Clovis’s hesitation. From the start, the invitation had carried an element of courtesy. But to make it big, one had to be thick-skinned. He was here now, and no matter the outcome, it would only cost him a few days.
Smiling confidently, Luo Ding nodded. “I believe in myself.”
With Westerners, there was no need for excessive humility. Luo Ding’s confidence in his abilities made Clovis regard him with a bit more respect.
“You can go ahead and change into the armor—try it on and see if you can handle the weight during filming,” Clovis said before pausing as if something occurred to him. “Oh, wait—Camila!”
A blond man popped his head out from behind a rock prop, irritated. “What?”
“The small armor suit! Where is it?!”
The man thought for a moment before shouting back, “Tommy Lee said he was coming in to try it on this morning! It’s probably on him! Don’t ask me!”
Author’s Note:
Oh my gosh, I came back from work and saw so many readers felt uncomfortable about the media-related parts in the story—I’m genuinely surprised!
Please understand that I was just making light-hearted jokes! Anyone who has followed my works knows that I am a patriotic person who deeply values unity, love, and national pride. There’s absolutely no intention of promoting regional discrimination in any way! In fact, my previous job involved frequent travel between Taiwan and mainland China, and I have many friends from Taiwan. Most of the time when we chat about Taiwanese talk shows, everyone tends to unanimously poke fun at how lowbrow the topics can be. That’s why I thought no one would mind these jokes.
Including this storyline actually serves a purpose—it’s laying the groundwork for Luo Xiaoding’s entry into the Hong Kong and Taiwan entertainment markets!
Oh dear, I’m getting all tongue-tied just trying to explain myself. It seems like I didn’t consider everyone’s feelings carefully this time. If it’s really too uncomfortable, I’ll consider making some edits. Please, please don’t misunderstand my intentions. Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China are all part of one family. We’re all fellow countrymen, no need to explain further!
R : As expected.. I knew at the end of chapter 44 this would happen… sigh
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