Chapter 14

Zhu Xinyue knew that when Ji Linyu said he was "coaxing" her, he meant it as an apology because she had waited for him at the restaurant for a long time, hungry.
But she was still very happy.
Back in her dorm, Zhu Xinyue's mind was filled with scenes from the evening.
Ji Linyu had escorted her back to the base and told her to message him once she reached her dorm.
Zhu Xinyue picked up her phone, which had been charging in her room, and saw a message Ji Linyu had sent hours earlier, "I'm next door. Go ahead and eat, no need to wait for me."
He hadn't known at the time that she hadn't brought her phone.
Zhu Xinyue smiled, pressing her lips together, and leaned against the desk as she sent him a message.
[Zhu Xinyue: I'm back in my dorm, Brother Linyu. Thank you for tonight!]
She stared at their chat window, waiting for Ji Linyu's reply.
[Ji Linyu: You're welcome.]
His reply was concise, giving Zhu Xinyue no opportunity to continue the conversation.
Zhu Xinyue opened the message box, wanting to reply with something, but worried that starting a conversation might come off as too abrupt, overdoing it. Or perhaps he was still busy. After all, while they were strolling through the night market and she was shopping in the stores, he had taken out his phone to pay, and she occasionally caught glimpses of several incoming calls, all of which he dismissed.
He had deliberately cleared his entire schedule for her, as if placing her at the highest priority.
Zhu Xinyue tapped on Ji Linyu’s profile picture and changed his nickname again.
[Big Boss]
Her one and only big boss.
The next day, the main cast team entered the training base to attend classes with them.
They were divided into different classes based on the roles they played. The same courses were further split into Class A and Class B according to the students’ progress. Class B’s pace was slightly slower, and the main cast team temporarily joined Class B for training.
Zhu Xinyue and Su Miao sat cross-legged at the very back of the group, quietly slacking off.
“Did Linlin end up getting to eat the cake?” Zhu Xinyue asked.
Su Miao kept her eyes fixed on the martial arts instructor demonstrating at the front and lowered her voice to reply, “Yes, yes, she did. This morning, when she went to her guqin class, she even asked me to thank you.”
After CEO Ji took Zhu Xinyue away, the staff no longer stopped her, only saying, “Don’t let it happen again.”
Zhu Xinyue chuckled. “No need to be so polite!”
Sitting at the very front of the group were the main cast members. As per usual practice, they would soon split up for individual practice, with the martial arts instructor giving them one-on-one guidance.
“Ji Qingyuan dyed his hair back to black! Black really suits him too!” Su Miao craned her neck to look at the male lead sitting at the front of the adjacent row.
Zhu Xinyue glanced over and thought to herself, He’s truly a master of time management. Last night, during their dinner gathering, Ji Qingyuan still had light blonde hair, but today it was already black again.
“I wonder if there’s a chance to get Ji Qingyuan’s autograph after class…” Su Miao muttered under her breath. When the camera filming the behind-the-scenes documentary swung in their direction, she immediately shut her mouth and pretended to be paying close attention to the lesson.
The martial arts instructor asked, “Is anyone willing to come up and demonstrate what they’ve learned?”
Su Miao mustered the courage to glance around. The main cast team had just arrived today, so they definitely wouldn’t volunteer. A few bold individuals from Class B might, but showing off at this moment might not be a good idea…
If that were the case, the instructor would probably call on the student who had learned the best to demonstrate. Su Miao turned to look at Zhu Xinyue beside her, only to find that Zhu Xinyue had already ducked her head down, hiding behind the tall, burly male student in front of her.
Zhu Xinyue had learned well entirely because she was an artist under Jin Huan Group Entertainment, and the instructor had given her “special attention”, whenever no one else volunteered to demonstrate or spar, she would be called upon.
“Zhu Xinyue, I see you,” the martial arts instructor called her out directly.
Zhu Xinyue gritted her teeth.
She stood up from the back row, and all the young main cast members except Ji Qingyuan turned around to look at her.
The camera followed Zhu Xinyue’s movement as she walked to the front.
“Come on, let’s do the section we learned yesterday,” the martial arts instructor handed her a prop umbrella.
The character Zhu Xinyue played used an umbrella sword as her weapon, usually, it remained in its umbrella form, and only during serious fights would it transform into a sword.
Zhu Xinyue took the umbrella and followed the martial arts instructor to one end of the practice area.
The students began whispering among themselves.
"Is she an artist from your company?" The second male lead, overhearing the discussion from the trainees in Class B behind him, spoke to Ji Qingyuan beside him.
Ji Qingyuan nodded, "...Yes."
Based on his understanding of Zhu Xinyue, she couldn’t handle hardship. She wasn’t particularly diligent in her studies either, just a pampered young lady from a wealthy family. How well could she possibly perform?
"Does your company have specific standards for looks when recruiting artists?" The second male lead’s gaze as he assessed Zhu Xinyue was completely undisguised.
Zhu Xinyue was naturally tall, with an upright posture. Her high ponytail revealed a slender neck, elegant as a swan. Her face was clean and free of makeup, her features delicate and striking, both beautiful and fierce.
Ji Qingyuan glanced at the second male lead beside him and clenched his fist.
Hah, what an idiot. With that sorry look of yours, how dare you even fantasize about my childhood friend? Are you worthy?
On the field, Zhu Xinyue came to a halt, holding the umbrella body, turned around, and faced the martial arts instructor directly. Her gaze suddenly sharpened.
Gripping the umbrella handle, she swung it toward the martial arts instructor, who dodged aside. The sharp sound of the umbrella cutting through the air and the rush of wind accompanied each strike, every move carrying the force of a deadly blow.
The umbrella swept horizontally and slashed vertically, in her hands, it no longer resembled an umbrella but more like a blade.
She rolled forward to pursue, the tip of the umbrella thrusting and flicking, transforming it into a long sword.
The martial arts instructor was a professional; every attack aimed at him was blocked with a sharp "smack," the sound grating on the ears.
The two fought their way from one end of the field to right in front of the audience. The wind from the sweeping umbrella rushed toward them, and the lead actors sitting in the front row instinctively leaned back to avoid it, even though the two combatants were still quite far away.
The final exchange was the most dazzling. Zhu Xinyue, initially at a disadvantage, had the martial arts instructor pointing a tree branch at her throat. She dropped to her knees, evading backward, while simultaneously pressing the umbrella’s opening button, directing the tip toward him.
Snap.
The unfurled umbrella blocked his branch.
The incredibly fluid exchange left the audience almost breathless.
The second male lead watched with newfound respect, joining the surrounding applause.
Ji Qingyuan raised an eyebrow and clapped with a smile.
The martial arts instructor handed the tree branch to Liang Yuyu, who was seated in the front row but in a corner, and said, "The sequence I just performed with Zhu Xinyue is what you’ll need to learn in the future."
Liang Yuyu looked up at the actress who had already closed her umbrella and was walking toward the back of the line, his eyes filled with admiration.
"Alright, I’ll put my heart into it."
As he watched Zhu Xinyue, Jiang Rui, seated slightly behind and to his side, was also watching him.
In the subsequent martial arts class, Zhu Xinyue’s partner was switched to Liang Yuyu.
Through her interactions with Liang Yuyu, Zhu Xinyue finally understood why, after his suicide, nearly half the entertainment industry mourned his loss.
Liang Yuyu was a very dedicated actor and an extremely approachable senior.
Sometimes, fists and feet had no eyes, Zhu Xinyue would occasionally hit too hard, leaving a red mark on Liang Yuyu’s arm, but he never got angry. He would just shake his head and tell her to continue.
Zhu Xinyue sometimes brought scripts from her acting class to her martial arts lessons, using breaks to memorize lines so she wouldn’t forget them in front of her acting teacher.
When Liang Yuyu took a break with her and saw her reciting lines from The Merchant of Venice, he naturally picked up the next line when she forgot hers.
Zhu Xinyue caught on and continued reciting along with him.
When her acting delivery or line emphasis was off, Liang Yuyu would point out where she went wrong.
“Thank you, Teacher Liang,” Zhu Xinyue said, hugging her script gratefully.
Liang Yuyu replied, “As long as you don’t think I’m being overly instructive.”
He was far too modest. As Zhu Xinyue was speaking with him, two shadows fell over them.
Ji Qingyuan sat down beside Zhu Xinyue first.
The actress he had been sparring with was the female lead, Jiang Rui, who sat next to Liang Yuyu, keeping a small distance between them.
“How’s the learning going?” Ji Qingyuan asked Zhu Xinyue in a familiar tone.
Zhu Xinyue glanced at the training area behind them, actors and instructors were all focused on their lessons, while only the four of them were slacking off during the break.
“It’s alright.”
Ji Qingyuan took the script from her hands, flipping through it casually. “The Merchant of Venice? Who are you playing? Want to run lines with me?”
Since she had nothing better to do, Zhu Xinyue turned to face Ji Qingyuan and began rehearsing with him.
Nearby, Jiang Rui glanced at Liang Yuyu and noticed a bruise on his arm. “Teacher Liang, I have some medicated wine in my room. If you need it, I can bring it to you.”
Liang Yuyu lifted his arm to take a look, unconcerned. “It’s fine.”
Meanwhile, Ji Qingyuan, who had been rehearsing with Zhu Xinyue, rolled the script into a tube and lightly tapped her head with it, smiling. “Your line delivery isn’t great. Have you been paying attention in class?”
Back in the original host’s school days, whenever she went to Ji Qingyuan for help with homework, he would always do this, telling her to focus in class while giving her extra tutoring, making sure she understood everything before heading home.
Zhu Xinyue snatched the script back and retorted, “The teacher said we don’t have to perform this part, so I didn’t memorize it.”
Ji Qingyuan was about to say that memorization was a basic skill for actors, and even if the teacher said it wasn’t necessary, she should still learn it.
“Xinyue is very diligent,” Liang Yuyu’s voice came from the side.
Both of them turned to look at him. Liang Yuyu’s expression was natural, as if he were simply stating a fact. His tone carried a hint of laughter as he said, “She’s a very promising actress. With just a little guidance, she grasps things quickly. Even though she didn’t graduate from a professional acting school, she’s much sharper than most who did.”
Liang Yuyu was Ji Qingyuan’s senior. Though not as famous, in terms of experience and acting skills in the entertainment industry, Ji Qingyuan still had to address him as “Teacher Liang.”
Ji Qingyuan hadn’t expected Liang Yuyu to hold such a high opinion of Zhu Xinyue. What’s more, his tone made it sound as though he understood her better than Ji Qingyuan, who had grown up with her. An inexplicable irritation stirred within him.
"Alright, since you have Teacher Liang backing you up, I won’t say anything more." Ji Qingyuan’s tone was ambiguous, his eyes curved as if smiling but not quite, and the hand resting on his knee tightened into a fist.
He didn’t look at Zhu Xinyue but kept his gaze fixed on Liang Yuyu.
Others might not have noticed, but Zhu Xinyue could tell he was upset.
But why was he upset? What was bothering him about seeing her improve?
"By the way, I came to tell you that you don’t need to attend classes for the next couple of days. I’ve already requested leave for you," Ji Qingyuan said, patting Zhu Xinyue’s shoulder. "I’ve booked you a flight to Country Y. After class, head straight to the airport."
With that, Ji Qingyuan stood up and left.
Recalling the message Zhu Shilang had sent her a couple of days ago, Zhu Xinyue had a hunch and followed Ji Qingyuan outside.
The two of them walked to the corridor outside the venue.
Only when Ji Qingyuan confirmed no one was around did he speak to her: "My parents are holding their wedding in Country Y."
Zhu Xinyue thought back to Ji Qingyuan’s background in the novel. The previous generation’s grudges were a long story, but in short, Ji Qingyuan’s parents had registered their marriage abroad long ago but had never held a wedding ceremony.
When Zhu Shilang had messaged her, Zhu Xinyue had already considered that, since it was Ji Qingyuan’s father’s wedding, Ji Linyu would surely attend as well.
"The Zhu family is also on the guest list," Ji Qingyuan paused, fixing his beautiful puppy-dog eyes on Zhu Xinyue. "Will you sit at the main table with me, or at the guest table with your dad and the others?"
His smile was bright, his tone cheerful. As he asked, he seemed already certain of her answer, as if she would always stand firmly by his side.
Zhu Xinyue thought to herself, Good thing I’m not the original host. Otherwise, with Ji Qingyuan’s charming devil-like nature, I’d definitely think he was flirting with me.
Adults weigh pros and cons. As the young lady of the Zhu Chang Group, being his plus-one should be face enough, right?
Seeing her remain silent, Ji Qingyuan, accustomed to her shyness, went straight to the next arrangement: "The flight lands at midnight. My brother will pick us up."
At the mention of Ji Linyu, Zhu Xinyue blinked.
"Alright," she agreed, her body responding faster than her mind.
Ji Qingyuan thought she was referring to sitting at the main table and hooked an arm around her shoulders, laughing. "You’re the best."
The plane landed at 4 a.m. local time.
Zhu Xinyue had taken red-eye flights before when she used to work, and she’d always been exhausted. This time, it was a long-haul flight, and as she stepped out of the arrival gate, she couldn’t help but yawn.
Ji Qingyuan pulled her back as she started following a group of foreigners, slinging an arm over her shoulders to keep her from getting lost in a foreign country, then stood still to call his brother.
"...Brother, Xinyue and I have arrived. Yeah, okay, let me look for you."
Zhu Xinyue mustered her energy, letting Ji Qingyuan keep his arm around her shoulders as she pulled her small suitcase toward one of the exits.
"Brother!" Ji Qingyuan took off his mask and waved in a certain direction.
Zhu Xinyue jolted awake, opened her eyes, and looked ahead.
Ji Linyu, whom she hadn't seen in days, was leaning against a car, watching them.
With just one glance, Zhu Xinyue noticed the changes in Ji Linyu, his hair was cut shorter, making him look cleaner and fresher. Instead of his usual three-piece suit, he wore a soft blue shirt and black casual pants, which made him appear young, handsome, and exuded a unique sense of ease.
Ji Linyu’s gaze swept past Ji Qingyuan and settled on her.
Zhu Xinyue instinctively smoothed her slightly messy hair and noticed Ji Qingyuan’s hand still resting on her shoulder. Pretending to tie her shoelaces, she bent down to avoid his touch.
Ji Qingyuan’s arm dropped to his side as he watched Zhu Xinyue repeatedly fasten and unfasten the Velcro straps of her sneakers. Finding it odd, he looked up and saw his brother walking over.
His brother’s gaze was fixed firmly on his childhood friend.
His brother chuckled softly and his childhood friend’s ears suddenly flushed red.
Ji Qingyuan lowered his eyelids, glancing at his childhood friend and then at Ji Linyu, whose attire was completely different from usual.
Almost involuntarily, he said to his brother, “Brother, A-Yue is my date.”