In order to care for YanMingXiu, ZhouXiang didn't go out for a few days except when needed to buy necessities.
This is the first time he is taking on a leading role. Just thinking about it is inconceivable. He doesn't feel that he is qualified enough. If it wasn't for YanMingXiu, he likely would never have such an opportunity in his life. So his demands on himself are extremely strict.
Sometimes YanMingXiu would sit quietly on the side and observe ZhouXiang read the scripted lines over and over again, using various kinds of emotions and moods to portay the role within the scripted context and surrounding environments. They could just sit and do this for an entire afternoon with neither feeling tired.
ZhouXiang felt that his entire heart had been heated up. He didn't need to do anything in particular everyday besides quietly and peacefully passing this ordinary life with YanMingXiu, getting up early to eat, taking a nap at noon, relaxing in the afternoon, and sleeping at night. These are ordinary things but because there is a special person by his side, it had become extraordinary. Every minute and second that he spends with YanMingXiu makes him feel immensely happy.
Sometimes he felt that his home is a secret space. As long as they continue to stay here, just like they did in the beginning, they would continue to live peacefully and happily. But once they leave the confirnes of this home, they would return to the real world and endless troubles are surely to follow.
Although ZhouXiang knew that evading the issues wouldn't solve anything but his mind had also become lazy, hoping that this kind of peaceful days can last a little longer.
Unfortunately, this peaceful life couldn't last over a week and YanMingXiu is already unable to sit still. There were many things he had to deal with in his company. After his rib fracture had recovered a bit and wasn't as painful, JiangYuan came to pick him up to go to work.
After he left, ZhouXiang also resumed his routine work, such as horse riding, memorizing the script, and losing weight to prepare for the filming in two months.
After the release of the MV with LanXiRong, his image had greatly improved. Now that he has a bit of fame, his work also increased. Any free time that could be used for work, he would have CaiWei reach out to his connections, not wanting let any opportunities to make money slip away.
His thought is very simple. He wanted to repay YanMingXiu. If only he could repay the two million is when he could finally lift his head in front of the Yan family.
On this day, he went back to the company to discuss a job. When he passed by the office, he was stopped by a colleague.
Ah Liu smiled with his hand on his shoulder and voiced, "Xiang Ge, you haven't come to the company for a long time."
"Of course! You've all missed me like crazy, right?" ZhouXiang said sarcastically.
Ah Liu and the others laughed. Lao Zhou patted the table, "ZhouXiang, you brat is not ordinary. Now that you have a bit of fame, you don't have to help me move equipment anymore."
"Zhou Ge, don't treat me like an outsider. If you need me to help move the equipment, I'll be there."
ZhouXiang has always liked this company because it is a lot more compassionate and warmly compared to other average companies. The rumor of his intimate relationship with YanMingXiu has long not been a secret but these people are still able to talk to him without any judgements. This point alone already made ZhouXiang felt very touched.
Ah Liu said mysteriously to ZhouXiang, "Xiang Ge, come over here, let's gossip."
ZhouXiang smiled, "What kind of gossip, you sound so excited?"
"WangYuDong is in trouble. Did you know about it?"
ZhouXiang is a bit surprised. His surprise is not pretension. He is surprised because he now realized that even Ah Liu knew about this news so the entire industry must also know about it.
He asked, "What is going on?"
"Seeing you looking like this, you obviously don't know. Let me tell you. Strictly speaking, it's not him that is in trouble but his father. You know his father, right? Is a big boss, involved in various kinds of industries with two companies listed, but it suffered huge losses of more than ¥8 billion in the last quarter with the stocks plummeting below the issue price. This time I heard that he is suspected of having illegally raised more than ¥3 billion with his younger brother. WangYuDong's company was also affected. Now that the situation has gotten so out of hand, his acting career has been halted."
ZhouXiang nodded, "It's that serious?"
"Exactly, this big celebrity Wang had always been shamelessly arrogant. Oh, that's not true. In fact, the way he conduct himself is not that annoying and he's quite generous to the people below. He's just too much of a show-off, making people envious and hates him.
"Now that he's in trouble, there must be a bunch of people waiting to watch a good show."
Zhou Ge grinned, "I think this is the best time to get close to him, think about it? How can WangYuDong fall so easily? Who is behind him? Will the Yan family allow him to shame the family? Who doesn't know how to make something perfect even more perfect? Helping him in this time of desperation is really showing true affections. If anyone is smart, this is not the time to avoid him but instead get on his side."
"Get on his side? That's easy for you to say? If he was to come looking for you to help him or borrow money at this time, are you willing lend it to him?"
"I definitely will lend it."
"Zhou Ge is just bullshitting"
"Of course I am, where do I have the money to lend."
"Hahahahah."
Within this bunch of people's lively gossip, ZhouXiang could clearly see what it means by 'when a man is going down, everyone will give him a push.' Although he has no sympathy for WangYuDong, he could sense the hypocrisy of the world.
After chatting in the office for a while, he went to find CaiWei to discuss the next stages of work that has been arranged for him. Ever since he had received more work, the percentage of fee he has to give the company also increased. This is the company's policy so ZhouXiang has no complaints. On the contrary, because of their mutual understanding relationship, the level of work he can get has also been upgraded.
After the two finished discussing work, CaiWei started to talk with him about WangYuDong's recent rumors that has shaken up the entire entertainment industry.
Although ZhouXiang knew the inside of this story, it wasn't appropriate for him to disclose so he could only warn CaiWei not to follow the others in their mockery. No matter how one puts it, WangYuDong will not fall. He is still the son-in-law of the Yan family.
CaiWei is aware that ZhouXiang knew a lot more of the inside story, but he also didn't ask. He just listened along.
After returning in the evening, YanMingXiu sent him a text message telling him that he is not coming back today.
ZhouXiang didn't care too much. Seeing that there was no food at home, he puts on his jacket intending on going downstairs to buy some food.
Right when he got out of the front door to his neighborhood, a military vehicle immediately slammed right in front of him and an officer strolled out of the car, "Mr. Zhou, please get in the car."
Needless to say, in this situation, ZhouXiang knew who it is, "What's going on, a kidnap?"
The other side's face didn't move, just automatically repeating, "Please get in the car."
"Can you let me change my clothes?" ZhouXiang opened the front of his jacket, "I'm in my pajamas."
"Sorry, I need to get you there in half an hour. The time is tight, please get in the car."
"Fine, let's go."
As ZhouXiang got into the car, he thought to himself. Going there looking like this is going to be a joke. But since YanFei wouldn't have any hope for him, it wouldn't have matter anyway.
He didn't think that at the time, this joke was still a very big joke.
End of the chapter