Tonight’s shoot ran until past eight in the evening, and no one had eaten dinner yet. Li Ran paid out of his own pocket and treated everyone to a gathering at a nearby hot pot restaurant.
The directors and main actors had a private room to themselves. Over a dozen people sat around the round table. The server brought the drinks, set the ingredients into the pot, and left.
“Don’t be shy, grab whatever you want. If it’s not enough, we’ll order more.” Li Ran poured himself some wine. He didn’t put on any airs now. Outside of work, he was quite easygoing under most circumstances. “Ladies, skip the alcohol, switch to juice instead. The rest of you, do as you please, just don’t end up reporting to the wrong film set tomorrow.”
A few chuckles rippled through the room, and the atmosphere grew lively.
Lin Qinghe and Jiang Nian sat together. He ladled half a spoonful of broth from the steaming pot and poured it over his oil dipping sauce. The aroma hit his nose instantly.
“Qinghe, want some?” Jiang Nian gestured with the wine bottle.
A little drink lifts the mood. Lin Qinghe nudged his glass forward a few inches. “Eighty percent full is fine, thank you.”
“I thought Qinghe wouldn’t drink. Turns out he’s a dark horse,” Zhong Yu said with a smile. “Looks like I jumped to conclusions.”
Su Zihan, who was replying to messages, looked up at this and asked, “Why say you jumped to conclusions?”
Zhong Yu replied, “Before, I said Qinghe enjoys refined pursuits like tea tasting and listening to rain. I always thought he was otherworldly. And since he’s so young, I just assumed he didn’t touch a drop of alcohol.”
Lin Qinghe took a sip of wine, a comfortable feeling settling in his chest. He said with a faint smile, “What do you mean otherworldly? I not only like wine, I also like fried food.”
This hobby traced back to Xi Nian.
One night, Xi Nian was ordering takeout at the hotel. It happened to be Crazy Thursday, and she couldn’t resist ordering too much. Unable to finish it alone, she took the food and went to find Lin Qinghe. Lin Qinghe had never eaten fried food before. Out of curiosity, he helped Xi Nian polish off the fries and two small chicken legs. From then on, he was hooked beyond redemption.
When Xi Nian discovered that Lin Qinghe actually developed an interest in fried food, she found it amusing, but also felt her idol wasn’t as unapproachable as she had thought.
Su Zihan propped her chin on her hand and nodded. “That’s a little surprising indeed. What about Happy Water?”
Lin Qinghe thought for a few seconds, then stated, “It brings happiness, but Xi Nian told me to drink less of it.”
“Hahahahaha.”
“Hahahaha.”
…
Jiang Nian shook his head with a helpless laugh. He could detect a hint of resignation in Lin Qinghe’s tone.
In the gaps between cheerful chatter, food churned in the boiling water. The cooked colors made mouths water.
Li Ran raised his glass and said, “This is our crew’s first dinner together. There will be a second, and a third. ‘Dream of the Blue Moon Night’ brought us all together. It’s fortune and fate.”
“Every one of you has been hardworking and dedicated during the filming process. Sometimes my demands were a bit strict, but you were all very cooperative.”
Zhong Yu hurriedly said, “Not at all, Brother Li. You tirelessly guided me every time, giving me demonstrations. Thank you, Brother Li.”
“A little strictness is a good thing. We’ve learned a lot too.”
“Yeah, these days with the crew have been immensely beneficial.”
Li Ran’s brows lifted. He knocked the bottom of his glass against the table with a dull thud. “Alright, enough said. I hope our crew can complete filming smoothly.”
Everyone followed with a toast. “To a smooth shoot.”
Li Ran downed his wine in one go, then told everyone to help themselves.
Lin Qinghe sat between Su Zihan and Jiang Nian, occasionally joining their conversation. He sensed the two were friends, because their chatting tone was very relaxed.
Su Zihan recommended, “There’s a pretty good pan-fried bun place on Pu’er Street in Western Capital. I love their fermented rice egg custard. Chilled, it tastes even better.”
Jiang Nian agreed. “Not bad. Qinghe, you should try it sometime if you get the chance.”
Lin Qinghe said, “Alright, I’ll try it when I have the chance.”
“When you guys traveled to Kejia before, what places did you think were fun?”
Jiang Nian thought for a moment. “The scenery in Deyue is beautiful. Spring-like all year round, picturesque mountains and clear waters, and the pace of life is slow. The ancient castle at Prosperous Sea Bay is grand and vintage. Following the path to the seaside, the road is lined with roses. And there’s Deer Spirit Snow Mountain. The meadow at the foot of the mountain is lush green, and the streams are crystal clear.”
“If you’re thinking about it, I can send you the travel guide later.” Jiang Nian seemed to understand something. A subtle look crossed his face. “Already planning this trip?”
“Just asking.” Su Zihan smiled gently. “You could also say I’m planning.”
In truth, Su Zihan could be considered Jiang Nian’s legal family. They were just missing one formality.
“Probably after Dream of the Blue Moon Night wraps, I’ll rest for a while.”
Jiang Nian nodded. “That’s soon then.”
No matter what, it would be finished this year.
By the latter half of the gathering, everyone was well-fed and satisfied. Some played on their phones, others chatted animatedly. Zhong Yu was good at socializing, sharing all the sights and experiences of his life. The assistant director was also a chatterbox, showing no sign of stopping until he’d had his fill.
Bored, Su Zihan used her alternate account to browse Weibo. Browsing and browsing, she stumbled upon a topic. Returning to the homepage to confirm, it was indeed what she thought.
She leaned closer to Lin Qinghe and whispered, “Qinghe, you’re trending.”
Lin Qinghe was now quite sensitive to the words “trending topic.” He inclined slightly toward Su Zihan. “Why?”
“Don’t be nervous, it’s not a scandal.” Su Zihan tapped her screen with her fingers. “The popularity of ‘Twelve Miles of Snowy Capital’ combined with your popularity has pushed the topic past the top twenty.”
Ever since Dream of the Blue Moon Night, the name Lin Qinghe had been appearing on Weibo intermittently. Besides the traffic the crew itself generated, he already had two trending topics. Last time it was #Deity Beauty Finally Has an Archetype#, and this time it was #Whose Tanhua Is This, Come Claim Him#
Someone had edited a short video of Xie Yuanyu getting third place in the imperial exams. The high attractiveness plus pure, natural acting sent the view count soaring in a short period.
[Flying World: Who understands? Just now, after finishing the first half of Twelve Miles, that final scene of Xie Yuanyu riding his horse down the long street completely bewitched me. Flawless from every angle.]
[Do Not Forget: Whose Tanhua looks like this? Completely struck my heart!!!]
[Bizarre and Motley: You’re not alone, sis! This casting is really so fitting. Xie Yuanyu is just so Tanhua.]
[Past Events of a Floating Life: The character fits so well. It makes me feel that’s exactly what a Tanhua back then was like—a refined gentleman, carefree and untrammeled.]
[Cheng Shuang: Netizens these days are so fast. Just finished watching it moments ago and already brushed past an edited voiceover short video. Replayed it over and over to savor.]
[Ning Cheng: Really, really. That face just looks so scholarly. Reminds me of ‘a gentleman unparalleled in this world.’ Super love it.]
[Cat’s Dream: So whose family does this Tanhua belong to? Come claim him, okay? Sobbing hard. Netizens, you have three seconds. I want all his info.]
[Liang Shu: Same question. This is really important to me. Someone who never chased celebrities has never been this excited.]
[Pink Rabbit Ears: Uh… em… Mainly Xie Yuanyu’s screen time seems a bit short. He’s not a major character, so maybe the crew pulled in an amateur? I’m not sure either. Seems like I’ve seen him, but also seems like I haven’t.]
[Bright Moon Another Branch: I’ve watched so many dramas, I definitely shouldn’t have seen him before. His recognizability is very strong. If I’d seen him, I would definitely be able to name him.]
[The Third Kind of Beauty: Ah, why does it feel like it’s Lin Qinghe? Not sure, let me look again. Isn’t he at the Dream of the Blue Moon Night crew?]
[Li Xi: It’s definitely him. Who else in the entire domestic entertainment circle looks like that?]
[Link City: It’s He He, lol hahahaha. I edited the video.]
[Link City: I’m saying, it’s been so hard. No official news. If I weren’t following this drama, I wouldn’t have known my bro went off to be a Tanhua. Just kidding.]
[The Third Kind of Beauty: Lin Qinghe always gives me unexpected surprises. After Celine, now Xie Yuanyu. How many more are there? Throw them all out. I can take it!]
[Tangerine Peel: So heroic and dashing, completely different style from Celine. But his attractiveness stays at a high level. Loudspeaker: Lin Qinghe, please do more promotions, please do more promotions, please do more promotions!]
[Fish King: Compared them. Same person, different characters, different feelings. Shows the acting is on point.]
[Deer Antler: Good heavens, is this really Lin Qinghe??? A newcomer acts this well!? I’m shocked.]
[Jiao Si: It’s actually Lin Qinghe!? I can’t believe it. Didn’t they say he had no acting skills? But clearly, his acting is very good!]
[Jiujiang: Who was it that said his acting was bad? I was fooled too, damn. His acting is super good, okay!? Playing himself!]
[WorkThreeHoursADay: Sorry everyone, Crane Fans are late. This is our family’s Tanhua Lin Qinghe. We’re here to claim him now. Spinning in circles.]
[Immortal Family He He: All I can say is, it’s like opening a blind box. Hit the jackpot today. Hahahaha, I’m going crazy. Poisoned by He He.]
[Heartbroken: Wuwuwuwu, seeing He He somewhere else again. Can He He do more promotions on Weibo!]
[Cat’s Dream: Hahahaha, I can tell you guys are loaded with grievances. Count me in as a Crane Fan!]
[WorkThreeHoursADay: Great! Come and join our ranks! Charge!]
…
Lin Qinghe lightly touched the screen and scrolled to read. His fans were very active in the comment section. Smiling faintly, he took a screenshot and sent it to Xi Nian.
A few minutes later.
Xi Nian: Brother Qinghe, starting tomorrow, actively do promotions. Cheers.
Xi Nian: Sister Lin says netizens aren’t as resistant to you now. You’ve pretty much passed the lowest valley period. From now on, you don’t need to stay so quiet. Send more perks to your fans~
Lin Qinghe: OK, I’ll head back to the hotel soon.
Xi Nian: OK, I’ll learn more from Sister Lin.
When it was time to leave, Li Ran asked everyone how they were getting home. A few, like Lin Qinghe, were staying at Floating Fate Hotel and planned to walk to digest their food. Jiang Nian and Su Zihan had people picking them up. Du Ruoxuan and her assistant drove their private car back.
Just as Lin Qinghe, Zhong Yu, and the others were saying goodbye to Du Ruoxuan, a black sedan pulled up. The license plate number was a bit familiar. Lin Qinghe recognized the car owner as Xi Yan.
“Brother Li.” Xi Yan turned off the engine and got out. He seemed to be seeing an old friend as he greeted Li Ran. “Long time no see.”
“Xi Yan.” Li Ran chuckled. “It has been a while. You came at a bad time. The wine’s all gone.”
Xi Yan picked up the conversation naturally. “Whenever Brother Li is free, my treat. I’m at your service anytime.”
“You’re generous.” Li Ran waved his hand. “Hurry and take Jiang Nian home. Be safe on the road.”
“We’ll be going then, Brother Li.” Jiang Nian waved goodbye and got into the passenger seat.
The evening breeze was cool and refreshing. Leaves rustled along the roadside.
The hotel where the staff were staying was in the same direction as Floating Fate Hotel. Lin Qinghe, looking at ease, walked half a step behind them with Zhong Yu.
“That was Xi Yan who came to pick up Jiang Nian just now. The earlier rumors were true, right? They’re very close.”
“Jiang Nian and Xi Yan might have been together since Daybreak. It’s just that no one dared to spread it around.”
“They’re really together?”
“Confirmed.”
“Who would dare spread it? You all know the Xi family’s background. It’s been kept strictly under wraps.”
“Seems like their relationship is quite good. Can Xi Yan’s parents agree to this kind of relationship?”
“The Xi family has two sons. Xi Yan’s older brother runs the company. He’ll definitely inherit the family business in the future.”
“Xi Yan and Jiang Nian are a minority in these circles. Several couples in the industry accidentally got exposed to the public. In the end, they either drifted apart or changed careers.”
“Just saying, you still have to be careful.”
Although Lin Qinghe had known the relationship between Xi Yan and Jiang Nian was not ordinary from the time he met Xi Yan, this was the first time he heard others describe the two as a couple.
He didn’t feel any disgust or resistance. Love was precious enough. Two people understanding and cherishing each other was not easy. Gender should not be a limitation.
.
As more drama followers saw Lin Qinghe’s portrayal of Xie Yuanyu, he found himself in the spotlight. Quite a few capitalists were itching to make a move, wanting to invest in him.
After all, even a very minor role in ‘Twelve Miles of Snowy Capital’ could generate so much discussion for him, let alone the value he would have once ‘Dream of the Blue Moon Night’ was released.
The annual Glinbin Fashion Magazine Gala was about to be held. The gala’s person in charge had long since organized the list of celebrities to be invited. Invitations were delivered one after another into the hands of the celebrities’ managers.
Lin Qinghe was among those invited.
In the entertainment industry, a celebrity’s popularity could be judged by their endorsements, commercial value, and fashion resources.
For top streamers, it was normal to have a dozen or twenty endorsements. The more fashion resources they had, the higher their value was proven to be.
The ways for celebrities to obtain fashion resources were essentially two. One was brands contacting the studio directly. The other was for celebrities to attract brand attention through various fashion events.
The Glinbin Fashion Magazine Gala was an event many celebrities would fight tooth and nail to attend. Firstly, it could increase exposure. Secondly, they could meet brand representatives at the event and pull in fashion resources for themselves. Lin Qinghe being invited meant that some brands were interested in him.
In Room 226, Sun Lin briefed Lin Qinghe on the gala agenda. “First, there’s the welcome cocktail party. After that, the red carpet ceremony. From six to eight is the dinner banquet.”
“Over fifty celebrities. Some business figures from Western Capital will also attend, mainly investors involved in the entertainment industry.”
Lin Qinghe put down the invitation and asked, “What preparations do I need to make for attending the gala?”
Sun Lin silently observed Lin Qinghe for a few seconds. For an ordinary celebrity attending a gala, thorough preparations were needed in all aspects—makeup, attire, hair. Every detail under the flashing lights had to be perfect.
But Lin Qinghe was not ordinary. Even without any adornment, just bare-faced and in plain clothes standing there, he was enough to draw people’s gazes.
Still, that would be too conspicuous and seem disrespectful. So, putting in a little effort would do.
She spoke, “I have a way to get the high-end couture for attendance. For the look, we’ll hire a makeup artist to do a little something. The rest is the etiquette of dealing with people. Because someone might come to chat you up, but you won’t know their identity, which could cause unnecessary misunderstandings.”
Lin Qinghe nodded. “I will study hard.”
Sun Lin smiled, holding high expectations for Lin Qinghe. “Mm.”
