Chapter 8
Qu Di finally met the legendary Emperor of Vision.
The Emperor’s name was Shu Yi. Unlike Tang Xiyan, he was a professionally trained actor with handsome looks and outstanding acting skills. He was the only actor in the country who had won the Golden Plum Vision Emperor award twice and the Ice Lotus award once, the highest honors for actors in the country.
When Qu Di was working on his graduation project, the character of the Alpha male lead was somewhat inspired by Shu Yi’s image. Shu Yi had always been an actor he admired for his calmness and even once took six months to travel the world to experience life when he couldn’t find a good project.
Although his exposure was not as high as some new actors or popular stars, once his name was mentioned, very few people were unfamiliar with it.
“Hello, I’m Shu Yi.”
His voice was deep and gentle, exuding a lazy and approachable vibe. Even in the most ordinary white shirt, he seemed like an English gentleman sipping tea in his garden on a sunny afternoon. His straight nose and slightly upturned lips made everyone’s eyes stick to him.
But as a life assistant, Qu Di clearly didn’t have the qualifications to talk to the Emperor of Vision. He could only watch from a distance, and at most, stand by when his artist and Shu Yi talked, stealing a few glances. Perhaps Shu Yi hadn’t even noticed him.
“Hello, I’m Xiyan.” Outside, Tang Xiyan always went by Xiyan.
“I’ve heard your song. That ‘Chuyang’ is very nice; I like it.”
“Thank you, but I haven’t really watched the TV shows you’ve acted in. I’m sorry.”
Hearing this, Qu Di came to his senses. Hadn’t Tang Xiyan learned how to speak politely? He seemed oblivious, and that phrase from Qiu Wenhuan came to mind, which he had forgotten today.
He guessed Shu Yi might be angry now. How would he explain this to Fei Ge? He hadn’t even joined the cast yet, and he had already offended the male lead of the same show during a photo shoot.
But to his surprise, Shu Yi not only didn’t mind, but he even smiled, saying, “You’re interesting. I rarely meet someone as candid as you.” He had heard enough of the usual pleasantries in this industry, so hearing some genuine words for a change was quite interesting.
“Shu Yi, come change your clothes!”
“My manager called me. I’ll go first; we can chat later.”
Once Shu Yi left, Qu Di pulled Tang Xiyan aside, saying, “You shouldn’t have said that just now.”
Tang Xiyan, however, didn’t care at all. “So what if I haven’t watched? What would I do if I said I had and he asked me which character I liked?”
“Really? You haven’t watched it? His TV shows are so popular.” Qu Di thought Tang Xiyan was deliberately causing trouble. In this day and age, how could anyone not have seen Shu Yi’s TV shows? But then he realized something was not quite right. “But, don’t you need to get to know your fellow cast members before joining the production?”
“Fei Ge briefed me. I’ve been busy and didn’t have time to watch.”
“…” It was a miracle that this person had survived in this industry for so long. Qu Di felt like he had found more evidence about him and Tang Xiyan…
He reminded him, “Please be careful about what you say later. Fortunately, it’s just you and Shu Yi who came today; others had their photos taken yesterday. When you go back, make sure to thoroughly review the material. We don’t want any unexpected news.”
“I got it, I got it. I’ll go get my makeup done, and you can get me a sandwich.” He had shown off to the reporters outside the studio earlier, and now he was starving.
The studio was somewhat remote, and it took him ten minutes to find a coffee shop. He bought a few small cakes and coffee because the director and screenwriter were present today, and he wanted to win their favor.
Back in the studio, Qu Di finally felt alive. After the light rain that day, the sun had been shining brightly, and there was a pervasive heat everywhere. Even the reporters and fans outside, who had been squatting, were barely moving and huddled in the shade.
He placed the peach cakes and cappuccino he bought for Tang Xiyan in front of him. This was the first time he had done something like this. Looking around, he realized everyone was busy. How could he naturally and without embarrassment offer these snacks and drinks to them?
He spotted Shu Yi’s assistant, a cool and aloof girl leaning against the wall, waiting for Shu Yi to change. He walked slowly over, attempting to strike up a conversation. “Hello, I’m Xiyan’s life assistant, my name is Qu Di.”
The girl glanced at him and replied, “Hello.”
“…”
Silence fell between the two of them. After a couple of seconds, Qu Di spoke again, “Xiyuan asked me to bring some food for you, but I didn’t know you don’t like sweets.”
“Shu Yi doesn’t like sweet stuff. It makes him gain weight.” She gave him a look as if he were a complete idiot.
Artists are very particular about their physique; Qu Di was aware of that. But wasn’t it okay to indulge occasionally? Seeing that Shu Yi’s assistant had no intention of engaging further, he politely apologized and was about to leave.
But at that moment, Shu Yi walked out, having changed into his costume, an emperor’s robe. He was dressed in a black robe embroidered with a golden dragon with five claws. There were faint traces of auspicious clouds, and underneath was a long robe of the same color with a gold-trimmed water pattern at the collar. A white jade-studded golden dagger hung from his waist, and he wore black dragon-patterned boots.
Perhaps because of the makeup, the previously gentle Shu Yi no longer appeared soft. With his arched eyebrows and resolute gaze, he exuded a hint of recklessness.
“What’s going on? I overheard you talking outside just now,” he said, then noticed Qu Di. “You’re Xiyan’s personal assistant, right? Is there something you need from me?”
Qu Di didn’t expect Shu Yi to recognize him. He smiled politely and said, “It’s nothing, Xiyan asked me to bring you some food, but I didn’t know you don’t like sweets.”
“I didn’t say I don’t like it.” Shu Yi took a couple of steps forward and accepted the items from Qu Di. “It’s just that my manager is strict about my diet. Since it’s your thoughtful gesture, I won’t refuse. Besides, I haven’t had breakfast, so thank you.”
“Ah… You’re welcome.” Shu Yi was quite close, and Qu Di caught a whiff of the subtle minty scent on him. So, that was the scent of his pheromones.
Qu Di discreetly took a step back. “I’ll be heading back now.”
“Hey!” Shu Yi stopped him and asked, “What’s your name?”
Seeing that Qu Di seemed a bit startled, he explained with a smile, “We’ll be working together on the set for several months, so it’s only natural to get to know the actors and the people around them.”
“I… I’m Qu Di, ‘qu’ as in melody, ‘di’ as in flute.”
For a brief moment, Shu Yi’s eyes flashed with an emotion Qu Di couldn’t quite discern. He then introduced himself, “I’m Shu Yi.” He pointed to his assistant and continued, “This is Zheng Siyi, ‘si’ as in thought, ‘yi’ as in loyal.”
Before he could finish, Zheng Siyi interrupted, “It’s ‘si’ as in missing, and ‘yi’ as in loyalty.”
“In the future, if you need any help, you can contact Siyi.”
“Sure, thank you.”
Qu Di returned to Tang Xiyan’s side, still trying to process how impressive Shu Yi was. He had to admit that Shu Yi was a national heartthrob. Not to mention Omega, even as an unaffected beta, Qu Di had been momentarily lost in his presence. He also felt his face heating up and wondered if it was noticeable.
“Where did you go?” Tang Xiyan asked.
“Huh?”
Qu Di had never expected to be so captivated by Shu Yi’s presence. It was surprising to be enchanted by someone he had been working with for almost two weeks.
Seeing his slightly stunned expression, Tang Xiyan straightened his posture, raised his chin, and had a peac0ck-like appearance. “What’s wrong? Are you mesmerized?”
Tang Xiyan played the role of a general who had guarded the borders for eight years, earning respect, but he was also a ruthless character who didn’t flinch from killing. His eyebrows and eyes exuded fierceness, and he wore a black armor suit with a silver lining. He had a black bun on his head, held a spear with a red tassel, and wore black boots with a dragon pattern.
“Not… not bad,” Qu Di mumbled to himself, as long as you don’t make such out-of-character expressions.
Tang Xiyan held on for just a few seconds before sitting down and complaining, “This thing is too heavy, and it’s really hot! Do I have to wear this iron suit for the shoot?”
The passing director overheard this and chuckled, “You’ll only wear this outfit for a few scenes. When you return to the capital, you’ll wear official attire or casual clothes most of the time.”
The director looked at Tang Xiyan’s appearance and was quite satisfied. He had the look of a general heading into battle, full of energy. This outfit wasn’t cheap; it was all handcrafted, and each piece of armor was made of high-quality materials. Besides Shu Yi’s coronation outfit, it was the most expensive costume.
The shooting proceeded smoothly. Qu Di had never expected Tang Xiyan to be so good at portraying this role. Even the photographer said he had a great sense of the camera, and he captured the essence of the character well. As for Shu Yi, he was even faster, finishing his scenes in just half an hour.
When they stepped outside, a wave of heat hit them. Qu Di took out a sun umbrella and opened it. “The nanny car is over there; let’s walk.”
Tang Xiyan put on his sunglasses, took the umbrella from Qu Di, and sipped his iced lemon tea. He nodded, and most of the cakes and drinks that hadn’t been given away had found their way into Tang Xiyan’s stomach. With Fei Ge not around and not wanting to be too pushy in front of outsiders, he had seized the opportunity.
Shu Yi followed them, also wearing sunglasses. His assistant held an umbrella for him. He waved to the fans waiting nearby, displaying his signature smile. However, his eyes behind the sunglasses were fixed on Qu Di’s back.
Qu Di suddenly turned around, and Shu Yi also saw him. He smiled at Qu Di, and the nearby fans erupted in cheers.
“Husband! He’s smiling so sweetly!”
“Ahhhh, I love you, Shu Yi!”
“Shu Yi, look at me! Look at me!”
“Ahhh, I’m dead!”
As for Tang Xiyan’s side, a bunch of fans had gathered too, but seeing the artists cooperate so well with each other, they felt a bit sour. Someone started chanting, “Hey, kid! Look at your mom!”
Then, the crowd began to stir.
“Yanyan! Mom was so worried after reading the news! Are you okay?”
“Kid! Give us a smile, or we’ll worry ourselves to death!”
“Yanyan! Yanyan!”
But Tang Xiyan remembered Fei Ge’s advice and, before getting into the car, bowed to the fans with a blank expression, making it look like he hadn’t completely shaken off the shadow of his past life as a private fan.
“Phew…”
Tang Xiyan took another sip of his drink. “So, how was my acting? Pretty good, right?”
“Um…” Qu Di was busy writing in his notebook.
Tang Xiyan leaned in to see what he was writing. “What are you writing?”
He was taken aback when he saw his menu:
Lunch: Beef spaghetti (crossed out) changed to Vegetable salad (without dressing).
Dinner: Chicken breast salad (crossed out) changed to Whole grain porridge.
Tang Xiyan couldn’t believe that Qu Di was going to ruin his diet for the next few days. He quickly stopped him, “Why!?”
Qu Di looked at the lemon tea in Tang Xiyan’s hand and silently added an extra hour to his workout time for the next day.
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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