CH 15

Chapter 15: Interception

The small detail of hair-rubbing was observed by Cheng Fei throughout the entire incident. He held his breath for a moment, then quietly opened a window and let out a sigh.

He wasn’t a fanboy, so why was he feeling so excited?

Perhaps it was because these two individuals were too outstanding, too perfect together?!

Since they had to go to the filming location in the afternoon, they didn’t go home and went straight to a hotel nearby for lunch. After finishing their meal, Jin Yanliu went to take a nap, while Xiao Pangzi planned to rest in the adjacent room. However, just as he stepped out of the door, he was called back by Zhou Beiyang.

“I need to ask you something,” Zhou Beiyang said. “Let’s talk in your room.”

Xiao Pangzi quickly used his room key to open his door, and Zhou Beiyang went in directly.

After closing the door, Xiao Pangzi felt a bit nervous. “What’s the matter, Yang-ge?”

“Recently, you’ve been following him around every day. Have you noticed any unusual behavior from him?” Zhou Beiyang asked.

Xiao Pangzi understood that he was referring to Jin Yanliu. He nodded and replied, “Liu-ge has indeed been acting a bit strange lately, but I really don’t know the reason. I asked him, but he didn’t tell me.”

“Who has he been meeting recently?” Zhou Beiyang inquired further.

Xiao Pangzi pondered for a moment. “He hasn’t met many people. Liu-ge has mostly been resting at home. He had a few meals with Zhao-ge and Wang-ge.”

“What about the actors for his new drama? Has he met any of them?” Zhou Beiyang asked.

Xiao Pangzi didn’t grasp the implication behind Zhou Beiyang’s question. “He has met quite a few of them. Liu-ge bought the full rights to the new drama ‘Entering the Demonic Path.’ He personally selected the actors, and he’s been busy with that. He has met almost all the actors who came for auditions.”

“Has he met anyone privately?” Zhou Beiyang pressed.

Xiao Pangzi shook his head. “No, he hasn’t.”

Zhou Beiyang recited a phone number. “Do you know whose number this is?”

Xiao Pangzi took out his phone and checked his contacts, but the number wasn’t listed among the hundreds of entries.

“It might be one of the male actors from the new drama,” Zhou Beiyang suggested. “Can you help me find out who it belongs to?”

Xiao Pangzi didn’t understand the reason behind the request, but he still nodded. Zhou Beiyang pursed his lips, his expression serious.

In the morning, when he went to the filming location, Zhou Beiyang took a close look at the people surrounding Jin Yanliu without saying a word. He couldn’t spot any particular closeness between Jin Yanliu and anyone else.

Xiao Pangzi contacted the staff on the set and, to his surprise, he found out that it was Yan Huihua.

“Yan Huihua?” 

Xiao Pangzi nodded. “He will play the male supporting role in ‘Entering the Demonic Path’.”

He pulled out a photo of Yan Huihua and showed it to Zhou Beiyang. “It’s him.”

Zhou Beiyang took the phone silently and enlarged the photo.

As soon as he saw it, his face darkened.

That was because Yan Huihua was truly handsome, surpassing the average good-looking actors in the entertainment industry.

It made sense that Jin Yanliu was interested in him.

“So, my brother really likes him?” 

Xiao Pangzi confirmed, “Yes, he played the role of Ye Hengyang, the second male lead. His character was exceptionally well-received. Many actors in the industry competed for this role, but Yanliu personally recommended him to the director. He didn’t even submit a resume. We went to find him ourselves. By the way, Yang-ge, how did you get his phone number?”

However, Zhou Beiyang didn’t respond to him.

Xiao Pangzi glanced at Zhou Beiyang and was startled by his expression.

It wasn’t a fierce or ferocious look; on the contrary, Zhou Beiyang had no facial expression at all. But his whole being exuded an intense, brooding aura. His gaze seemed somewhat deranged, as if he was lost in another world. Xiao Pangzi had never seen Zhou Beiyang like this before.

After a while, Zhou Beiyang handed him the phone and said, “Oh, I happened to come across it. Just asking casually.”

It was a scorching hot day, but Xiao Pangzi couldn’t help but feel a chill running down his spine. He took the phone silently.

Zhou Beiyang casually put his hands in his pockets, pursed his lips, stood there for a moment, and then left.

Xiao Pangzi adjusted his glasses, utterly confused about what had just happened. He felt as if he had somehow caused trouble.

Zhou Beiyang returned from Xiao Pangzi’s place and headed straight to Jin Yanliu’s bedroom. The curtains in the room were drawn, casting a dim light inside. Jin Yanliu lay sound asleep, covered by a thin blanket across his stomach.

Zhou Beiyang’s demeanor underwent a complete transformation. He was no longer gentle, noble, or indifferent. He lowered his head, his gaze shifting from Jin Yanliu’s face to his toes.

Jin Yanliu was exceptionally beautiful, and it wasn’t just a case of beauty being in the eye of the beholder. It was a widely acknowledged fact. He possessed not only good looks but also a pure heart, untouched by any taint. His life had been smooth sailing, devoid of hardships or exposure to the world’s ugliness.

But Zhou Beiyang was different. He had disguised himself to fit Jin Yanliu’s ideal image of a younger brother, but in reality, he was a sinister and self-centered man with a strong lustful desire and possessiveness.

How could that Yan Huihua compare to him? He wasn’t as handsome or tall as Zhou Beiyang. He was just an unknown actor trying to punch above his weight. Was he really a suitable match?

Zhou Beiyang’s chest heaved, and he crouched down, resting his forehead against the headboard for a while.

The air carried Jin Yanliu’s scent, a familiar aroma he had known since childhood, but now it had a slight difference that provided him solace.

The main roles in “Entering the Demonic Path” had already been filled. Most of the lead characters were newcomers, while the supporting roles were played by seasoned actors, such as Sang Yuan, who portrayed Mu Wushuang’s teacher, and Song Hua, who played Ye Qingdu’s teacher.

Jin Yanliu personally made an effort to invite Lin Jianlu, his former co-star, for a guest appearance as Aruan in this film.

There was only one crucial role left to be cast—Yu Yingchi, the disciple of the demonic cult leader.

This character, like Lu Fanglin’s role, was a supporting character in this film but would become a leading role in the second season. Liu Qichang’s suggestion was to find a well-known male actor for the part.

It would be too much pressure to rely solely on Jin Yanliu to carry the entire show.

However, they had contacted several second and third-tier male actors in the past few days, but none of them were willing to take the role.

The reasons were straightforward. Firstly, established male actors were generally reluctant to participate in adaptation dramas. Secondly, the second season was still uncertain, and nobody knew if it would be filmed or what it would turn out to be. Currently, Yu Yingchi was merely a supporting role in the first season.

Assigning such a role to Jin Yanliu, who was at the pinnacle of the industry, was acceptable. But giving it to actors like Yan Huihua and Lu Yao, who held higher positions, would be a loss of face.

Every department of the production team was working overtime. Jin Yanliu had set an extremely tight filming schedule. Efficiency was directly proportional to the monetary investment. Once production commenced, money would be spent like water, so they needed to start shooting as soon as possible, leaving little room for wasting time on the casting process.

For the first episode of their show, the opening shot depicted a grand scene—a pilgrimage to the immortal sect—featuring a large ensemble of actors.

So, they had to quickly finalize the role of Yu Yingchi.

“Otherwise, we could still go with a newcomer,” Jin Yanliu suggested. “Promoting one newcomer or several would still be a boost.”

“But then, besides you, almost all the main characters would be newcomers. Lu Yao’s popularity isn’t that great right now,” Liu Qichang contemplated and said, “There’s another option: let’s make a change with Yan Huihua.”

Ye Hengyang, the male second lead, had a well-defined character and significant screen time. He believed many actors would be interested in playing that role.

“Don’t you think he’s a good fit for the role of Ye Hengyang?” Jin Yanliu asked.

“His image does suit it, but honestly, he could also pull off Yu Yingchi. He can be the fourth male lead this season and become the main lead in the next season without affecting his fame.”

Furthermore, it would be more reasonable to have two big stars, Lu Yao and Yan Huihua, play the third and fourth male leads.

Jin Yanliu glanced at Yan Huihua’s photo, recalling his bloodshot eyes from the previous night.

If he demoted Yan Huihua from the second male lead to the fourth, Yan Huihua would probably resent him, right?

To Yan Huihua, it would likely seem that he didn’t comply with the industry’s unwritten rules, resulting in his downgrade from the second male lead to the fourth.

“We haven’t officially informed Yan Huihua yet, so there’s still time to make the change,” Liu Qichang said.

“I’ll think about it some more,” Jin Yanliu replied.

Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door. The assistant director entered and said, “The boss of Starry Sky Media called and recommended one of their newcomers.”

“Who is it?” Jin Yanliu looked up.

“I don’t know if you’ve heard of him, but it’s Zhou Beiyang.”

“Zhou Beiyang? He’s a rising star who debuted just this summer!” someone immediately exclaimed.

Jin Yanliu was momentarily stunned. “Zhou Beiyang?”

The assistant director nodded. “They want to audition him for the role of the second male lead, Ye Hengyang.”

Xiao Pangzi, sitting in the corner, straightened his posture upon hearing this, his heart pounding.

Damn.

Could it have been such a coincidence?

The conference room buzzed with excitement as they began discussing Zhou Beiyang. Taking advantage of a restroom break, Jin Yanliu slipped out of the conference room and immediately called Zhou Beiyang. Zhou Beiyang always answered his calls quickly. “Hey, bro.”

“Is it your decision to audition, or is it your company’s decision?”

Zhou Beiyang replied, “I’ll be there soon. Let’s talk when we meet.”

Jin Yanliu hung up the phone and returned to the conference room. He saw the assistant director showing Zhou Beiyang’s profile to Liu Qichang on his phone.

Liu Qichang exclaimed as if he had never seen a handsome guy before, “This kid is impressive.”

“Bro, who isn’t impressive?” Jin Yanliu thought to himself.

Liu Qichang waved his hand. “Come over and take a look. This Zhou Beiyang has a good appearance.”

Jin Yanliu couldn’t be bothered to pretend not to know him and simply said, “I know him.”

“He looks handsome, and his demeanor is not bad either. I’ve fallen behind. I can’t even recognize these young idols anymore,” Liu Qichang sighed.

To be honest, Jin Yanliu was once again amazed by Zhou Beiyang’s popularity.

News of Zhou Beiyang auditioning for the role of Ye Hengyang had just spread, and their crew was buzzing with discussion, especially among the young girls in their twenties. Whenever his name was mentioned, they all became extremely excited.

This is the difference between idols and actors. Idol fans are the most enthusiastic.

A commotion could be heard outside, and Jin Yanliu heard someone shout, “Zhou Beiyang is here!”

The voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement.

The door was open, and the first to enter was Zhou Beiyang’s agent, Feng Li, a tall middle-aged man. Zhou Beiyang followed closely behind. This time, he wasn’t wearing a mask or a baseball cap. He was dressed in a plain white cotton T-shirt, looking young and proper. In the scorching summer, he was like a refreshing breeze. His clothes and hairstyle seemed specially groomed because even someone as familiar with him as Jin Yanliu couldn’t help but be amazed.

Immaculately clean, with only black and white colors adorning his body, yet exuding exceptional handsomeness.

Author’s Note: Little Zhou is quite imposing when he makes his appearance.