59 5.5

Originally, the Xiang Kai who was being stifled by Fanxing Entertainment Group didn't have any jobs scheduled for a while, but when Chen Yu checked his phone in the morning, he found that he'd received several offers overnight.

Unbeknownst to him, Sun Ri, who was Fanxing's top star and also the link through which Guo Ziyue had previously pressured the company to alienate Xiang Kai, had announced his new positive stance on Xiang Kai yesterday. The youth had apparently so impressed him that the famously picky actor had promised to star in any project Xiang Kai agreed to perform in.

Thus, the company's various managers, PR specialists, and team leaders scrambled all night, scratching together their choicest proposals and rushing to fawn over the formerly neglected Xiang Kai. Unfortunately, a few hours was really too short notice even for the industry leaders to achieve top results, the options they presented weren't exciting enough to appeal to Chen Yu.

Anyway, Chen Yu's itinerary was rather full for the next month, because he had already determined how to make money as Xiang Kai and draw out his lover at the same time: he would write out several scripts roughly sketching the various worlds he'd passed through with that man and produce them. In their last life, Hou Yi had seemed to retain a vague sense of familiarity toward certain things, so Chen Yu hoped that if he acted in these recreations himself and made sure that they became famous, they would prompt some reaction.

As for whether Chen Yu's screenwriting enterprise slightly derailed from what the original owner, who had solely been obsessed with acting, would have done, Chen Yu figured it was still in the entertainment industry. So what could the system do to him?

In any case, since the original owner had enough savings to support Chen Yu until he made money from his productions, there was no need for him to take up any jobs he wasn't willing to. Therefore, much to Sun Ri's disappointment, Xiang Kai directly ignored all the messages to rest some more, reminding himself to go to the hospital for an examination as he dozed off. This body was strangely weak, although it could just be that it felt so fatigued compared to Jin Yongguang's overly robust health.

A week later, he finally got around to visiting a small clinic nearby due to a constant redness across his nose and cheeks. With the telltale butterfly rash, the doctor ordered blood tests and inspected his autoimmune system's responses, rationally suspecting that the patient had lupus.

Chen Yu hummed, while the lab results weren't out, he could now guess the original owner's reason for marrying into a rich family.

In all likelihood, Xiang Kai's lupus, which had remained dormant throughout his youth, had been aggravated from being stressed and overworked once he'd spent a few years as an actor, thereby causing a flare. At that time, despite his acting skills being publicly acknowledged, his absolute wooden face would have made other people reluctant to work with him, so that to survive on his merely moderate popularity, he'd have been forced to take on many minor parts instead of one major role at a time, contributing to the lupus turning symptomatic. Whereas he could currently afford the basic treatment for lupus, if the disease spread to his kidneys, it would become far more expensive.

The need for money to cover his medical bills was probably why he'd held such an abrupt wedding with an heiress, although Chen Yu wasn't sure yet how Xiang Kai had gotten introduced to the woman in the first place. As for the original owner's circumstances after the protagonist had reincarnated, when he hadn't been able to marry or work, the plot didn't detail how he ended up ultimately, but it could be assumed that he wouldn't have been able to sustain his treatment.

Now, with Chen Yu's soul inhabiting the body, he could naturally use his golden finger to fix this. For the moment, however, he simply left it alone as he considered his options.

---

The night of the wrap party, Shui Re Dian, having eagerly called to confirm that Xiang Kai would accompany him, picked him up in a flashy red sports car, gallantly opening the passenger door for him. A puzzled light flashed through Chen Yu's eyes as he studied the man who was dressed in a simple fitted black suit with a narrow tie that happened to match his own outfit.

Noticing his odd stare, Shui Re Dian coughed abashedly. "We're partners tonight, I was just trying to coordinate with what I guessed you would wear."

Chen Yu's mouth faintly curved as he suddenly considered whether this could be his lover. Such weird logic was what he would expect of that man, but Shui Re Dian wasn't quite intense enough or obsessive enough...Nevertheless, Chen Yu began to feel some interest in him.

When the two stepped into the hotel lounge where many of the crew members were already gathered, Sun Ri, who had been watching the entrance, narrowed his eyes. It appeared that Xiang Kai was in a good mood, he was carrying on a conversation with Shui Re Dian for far longer than he'd ever seen him speak. Annoyed at the thought that Xiang Kai would exert himself for such a useless bug, he brusquely excused himself from the Guo Ziyue who'd been chattering at him and strode toward the pair with a shot of whiskey in his hand.

Chen Yu had also recognized the couple at the bar, but, discerning that the protagonist had been abandoned so easily, he rubbed his temples, wishing that the thigh would properly cooperate. Look at how Guo Ziyue, that so-called actor, couldn't even suppress his anger, he was plainly clenching his fists and gritting his teeth ah. How was their romance supposed to progress if Sun Ri insisted on being an idiot?

Oblivious to how he was ruining Chen Yu's plans, Sun Ri expressed his concern as he swiftly approached Xiang Kai. "What's wrong, does your head hurt?" Knocking away the hand that Shui Re Dian had reached out toward Xiang Kai, he carefully raised the small face and inspected his complexion. En, he appeared to be a bit paler than usual, had his hospital visit not gone well?

Indeed, when Xiang Kai had refused all the job offers he'd received, thereby preventing Sun Ri from having access to him, the young master had gotten impatient. In order to not miss any opportunities to get close to him even if he couldn't appreciate him in person, he had long assigned some of Sun Jia's guards to Xiang Kai. Due to this arrangement of his, he had gotten a report the instant Chen Yu had visited the clinic. Because he was unable to use his identity, however, he couldn't pressure the doctor into revealing the confidential records so that, unable to find out what the issue was, he'd been anxious for weeks.

Chen Yu twisted out of Sun Ri's grip, his usually frozen face clearly unhappy. As a habitually silent character, he couldn't speak out his dissatisfaction at the man's constant manhandling. Despite that, his implied rejection was enough, Sun Ri immediately sensed that he'd offended Xiang Kai.

But right as he opened his mouth, wanting to appease him, Guo Ziyue inconveniently interrupted. "Seniors, why are you standing there? Come, have some drinks! You have to drain it in one go for the movie to have good luck!" Saying so, he handed two full glasses of alcohol over.

Shui Re Dian, who'd been pushed into a corner by Sun Ri, hurriedly took this opportunity to reclaim Xiang Kai's attention. Promptly accepting, he handed one to the youth and urged, "Here, Xiang Kai, let's celebrate!"

Chen Yu peeked through his lashes at Guo Ziyue, sneering in his heart. The original owner, who had been very weak to alcohol, had always avoided it in order to not embarrass himself. How could the protagonist who'd spent two lifetimes around Xiang Kai be unaware? So, this was clearly a ploy, but for what? Curious, Chen Yu decided to cooperate with the play, he nodded and drank it down in one gulp before Sun Ri could snatch the glass back.

Watching that all it took was a mere glimpse at Guo Ziyue to convince Xiang Kai to swallow the alcohol that he'd obviously been hesitant to take, Sun Ri frowned fiercely. Just how much did he care for Guo Ziyue? And if he liked the boy, why was he so nice to Shui Re Dian?

Guo Ziyue smirked at seeing Xiang Kai force himself to drink. As expected, he was an ambitious actor, he wouldn't dare to be seen as cursing the movie to have bad luck in front of the leading stars. He remembered from his past life that Xiang Kai couldn't even handle a can of beer, the one time he'd seen him drink even a few sips, he'd become completely dazed. Licking his lips, Guo Ziyue recalled that alluring appearance that had almost tempted him into pushing that delicate body down...

Soon, however, he shook his head and returned to reality, turning his focus to carrying off his scheme flawlessly.

Recently Sun Ri had distanced himself, hinting that Xiang Kai wasn't as the rumors described him to be and just now, he'd even thrown him aside to tend to the scum. Moreover, he was apparently encouraging Fanxing to give Xiang Kai a chance, presenting plenty of openings for the man to become famous. But this wouldn't do, he hadn't been reborn to stand by as that man achieved his dreams.

So tonight, he had to prove to Sun Ri that Xiang Kai was a dirty piece of trash, then consummate their own relationship.