Chapter 71: The Hypocritical Senior 13 Part 1

Yu Sui ate his food in silence, looking thoroughly distracted.

[Host, what do you plan to do?] the System asked curiously.

“What can I do?” A glint of chill flickered in his eyes, though his tone stayed as light as ever.

Because his co-star had met with an accident, the new drama Yu Sui and the others were working on had been put on hold for the time being.

He received a notification from his assistant and felt puzzled.

Filming hadn’t even started yet—they could simply select another artist from the company’s roster.

He recalled what that previously fired colleague had said.

Be careful of Li Xia.

He might not be what he seemed.

Yu Sui’s eyes darted as an idea took shape.

He made a phone call.

After catching a few hours of sleep, Yu Sui finally rose, his whole body radiating lazy comfort.

His hair was tousled and disheveled, his bathrobe hanging loosely off his frame.

When he checked his phone, he saw it was already past five in the afternoon.

He wasn’t at the company, but everyone there was talking about him.

“Is it true that Brother Sui is teaming up with Brother Zhou?”

“I heard Brother Sui made the call himself.”

Li Xia overheard this and came to a stop. He turned to a nearby staff member with a blank look. “Who’s Brother Zhou?”

“Zhou Ran,” the staffer replied. “He used to be a senior here at the company. When his contract expired, he started his own studio. He’s always had a high opinion of Brother Sui.”

At those words, wariness stirred in Li Xia’s chest. “Is that right?”

“Zhou Ran is one of the seniors Brother Sui respects the most. They’ve never worked together before, though. Who would’ve thought they would now?”

Li Xia pressed his lips into a thin line and turned to leave.

Su Shan caught wind of the company chatter about Zhou Ran and made a point of sending Li Xia a message just to poke at him.

Yu Sui glanced at the text from his agent and fired off a casual reply. Then he asked his assistant about the buzz at the company.

[He seems pretty jealous of you. The moment he heard about you working with Zhou Ran, his face just dropped.]

The assistant described Li Xia’s reaction in detail.

It was different this time.

Yu Sui was now almost certain that the two of them had swapped identities at some point in the past.

Were they toying with him?

Did they like him?

A flash of malice crossed Yu Sui’s eyes.

He typed back a simple “Got it,” then stood to tidy up his things and toss the trash.

A quick search for Zhou Ran on the platform brought up page after page of information about him.

Li Xia gnawed on his finger as he scrolled through the glowing reviews of Zhou Ran. He had no interest in any of it himself, but every mention of Zhou Ran inevitably dragged Yu Sui into the picture.

Yu Sui had taken over Zhou Ran’s spot as the agency’s top star. Accounts of their mentor-junior friendship stretched from Zhou Ran’s early days of obscurity right up to the present—they’d always been close.

Li Xia’s expression grew darker with every word from those marketing posts.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Young Master Song.

“Zhou Ran and Yu Sui…”

“Yeah? What’s up?”

“Are they that close?”

“Like brothers in arms.”

Those words had Li Xia biting his lip until it bled.

Yu Sui got himself together, and the next day, he threw on a casual athletic set—loose and comfy.

His hair fell in soft curls, the full gray ensemble topped off with a knit beanie and earbuds. He looked bursting with youthful vigor.

He’d never dressed like this before. The sight had everyone at the company doing a double take.

“What’s with Brother Sui today?”

A bunch of people asked out of curiosity.

“Has Brother Ran gotten here yet?” Yu Sui asked with a smile.

His smile seemed far more genuine than usual, laced with a hint of eager excitement.

Li Xia stood amid the crowd, watching the effort Yu Sui had put into his appearance. His hands clenched into fists.

So… so he had moments like this too?

His heart felt like it was bleeding. The tip of his nose stung, but he forced himself to keep watching.

[You…] The System sounded puzzled. [What are you up to?]

“I can’t take him in a straight fight,” Yu Sui replied inwardly. “And even if I beat the crap out of him, he’d probably get off on it. So…”

“I really hate being threatened.”

[You’re getting revenge on him?]

Yu Sui said nothing.

“Brother Zhou’s upstairs,” his assistant reported, hurrying over.

Yu Sui’s steps grew lighter, positively bouncy. He brushed right past Li Xia without so much as a glance.

That starstruck fanboy look on his face was enough to drive Li Xia mad with jealousy.

The whole thing was making waves.

Su Shan naturally picked up on the gossip too, and he couldn’t hide his glee.

No matter what schemes Li Xia cooked up, he would never get what he wanted. That was his fate—he deserved it.

Yu Sui arrived at his agent’s office.

Zhou Ran was chatting idly with the agent. He glanced over at the sound of the door. “Xiao Sui.”

Zhou Ran was two years his senior and carried himself with a steadier air. His smile was gentle as ever. “What’s with the look today?”

“Ahem.” Yu Sui cleared his throat, a touch embarrassed.

“Why the sudden urge to act together?” Zhou Ran asked, genuinely puzzled.

Yu Sui took a seat beside him. “We’ve known each other forever, but we’ve never shared the screen.”

They hadn’t teamed up before because Yu Sui had been afraid Zhou Ran would steal all his thunder—not that he’d admit it back then.

“This script’s a solid one,” Zhou Ran said, warming to the topic.

Yu Sui didn’t say much, just gazed at him sidelong with an ever-brighter smile in his eyes.

Li Xia knocked and stepped inside, only to catch Yu Sui in that deeply affectionate stare.

It carried more genuine shyness than anything he’d mustered on set—felt utterly real.

His heart plummeted, every breath a sharp ache.

“You timed that perfectly,” the agent said, spotting Li Xia.

Zhou Ran looked over too. “One of the company’s new talents?”

“Yeah, this is Li Xia.” Yu Sui made the introduction. “A promising junior.”

“Oh?” Zhou Ran nodded with real interest. “Hey there.”

Li Xia fidgeted with his fingers. “Hello.”

Once the greetings were done, he glanced at the agent.

After Yu Sui left, Li Xia itched to follow, but he couldn’t come up with a good excuse.

Right then, the agent messaged him to come by the office.

Without a second thought, Li Xia headed upstairs.

“This drama’s got a hefty budget, so the company’s decided to cast you as the third male lead. What do you think?” the agent asked.

Li Xia blinked in surprise. “I’m totally fine with that.”

The thought of sharing a set with Yu Sui lifted his spirits a bit.

The agent chatted a little more, then stepped out to take a call.

Zhou Ran turned to Yu Sui. “Xiao Sui, how have Auntie and the family been?”

“They’re doing great. Always going on about how you should swing by, though.”

“Me?” Zhou Ran arched a brow.

“Yeah, saying you never visit.” Yu Sui shrugged. “Hard to tell whose family it is.”

Zhou Ran let out a chuckle. “You haven’t changed a bit—still such a kid.”

Li Xia knew he should leave, but his feet wouldn’t move.

Head bowed, he eavesdropped like a masochist as the two reminisced about old times.

The senior’s tone was so easy and familiar, almost coquettish in a way Li Xia had never witnessed.

Alarms blared in his mind, but there was nothing he could do.

“Let’s do lunch—my treat,” Yu Sui said after they’d caught up on other things.

“Nah, big brother’s buying,” Zhou Ran countered.

“You’re still the same as ever,” Yu Sui grumbled. “Such a hypocrite.”

“You weren’t complaining when you came begging for my help.” Zhou Ran grinned. “Who was it calling me ‘bro’ nonstop and pleading?”

Li Xia couldn’t stomach it anymore. He shot to his feet. “I… I’ve got something to handle. I’m heading out.”

He fled the room, the sound of laughter chasing after him. It sounded like the two were play-fighting now.

Li Xia’s steps quickened.

Yu Sui’s smile faded bit by bit, and so did Zhou Ran’s.

“You’re dressed like such a try-hard today,” Zhou Ran said sharply, all traces of warmth gone. He sounded utterly repulsed.

“Don’t blow our cover while you’re helping me out,” Yu Sui shot back in warning.

“No pay and this attitude? Come on.”

“You love a good drama, don’t you?” Yu Sui raised an eyebrow. “Have at it.”

“Why not just go to the cops?” Zhou Ran asked, baffled. Then his eyes narrowed. “Wait, don’t tell me this is some kinky game? Am I part of your bedroom play now?”

“Bullshit. I’m straight,” Yu Sui insisted. “There are reasons I can’t get into. Just play along for me.”

“You’re being way too gross about it,” Zhou Ran griped. “Can you drop the fake smile already?”

“You’re one to talk—plenty fake yourself.” Yu Sui fired back.

On the surface, they got along fine. They just knew too much dirt on each other to ever turn on one another—doing so would mean mutual scandal.

After trading a few more barbs, they got down to planning their next moves.

“Fine,” Zhou Ran agreed with a nod. He’d go along with whatever Yu Sui said.

Back in his workspace, Li Xia overheard the staff gossiping about their relationship.

“Is this what they call childhood sweethearts out of nowhere?”

“If they weren’t both straight guys, I’d totally buy it.”

“But after all these years with zero scandals? Who knows.”

“Anyone else notice how Brother Sui’s whole style—his clothes, everything—lines up with Brother Zhou’s?”

Li Xia’s fingers dug in tighter. He’d spotted it the moment he walked in.

Zhou Ran’s smile, Zhou Ran’s style—everything felt so familiar.

At noon, the two grabbed lunch at a restaurant near the company.

Li Xia wasn’t trying to tail them, but he couldn’t rein in the jealousy and panic churning inside him.

Zhou Ran spotted him and waved with a friendly smile. “Hey! Want to join us?”

Yu Sui overheard and turned, his expression souring. “Brother Ran, I thought it was just the two of us…”

“Thanks, Senior.” Li Xia mustered a smile and stepped forward gratefully.

Yu Sui frowned but held his tongue.

“You’re still the same as ever,” Zhou Ran said fondly, eyeing Yu Sui. “Wearing your heart on your sleeve like that—if someone snaps a photo?”

Li Xia pressed his lips together and took the seat next to Zhou Ran.

The man promptly added an extra set of utensils.

“Fan Cai’s back. You heard?” Zhou Ran asked.

“I picked her up,” Yu Sui replied.

“We should all get together sometime,” Zhou Ran added.

Yu Sui nodded, but his expression wasn’t great because of someone’s arrival.

Li Xia noticed his displeasure. Clearly, he thought that he had interrupted their alone time.

Yet Li Xia kept his head down as if he were completely oblivious.

Zhou Ran’s eyelid twitched. This guy really wasn’t ordinary, no wonder Yu Sui found him such a headache.

He gave Yu Sui a look, signaling how they should play this next.

Yu Sui signaled back that he shouldn’t give himself away.

“What do you like to eat?” Zhou Ran finally remembered there was someone else there and asked.

Li Xia snapped back to attention. “I… I’m fine with anything, Senior. Please don’t stand on ceremony.”

Zhou Ran nodded.

“When is the drama you’re co-starring in going to air?” Zhou Ran asked curiously.

“We still have a few scenes left to shoot,” Yu Sui said.

“I never thought you’d switch genres,” Zhou Ran remarked with a sigh.

“Following the market trends,” Yu Sui replied helplessly.