Zhang Jin’an closed his iPad and returned to the variety show. On screen, the production team asked their standard question: “How do you usually spend your days off?”
Jiang Siyang smiled. “I might be different from the other teachers and seniors. They usually plan things out because they’re afraid of wasting time and letting their rest days slip away. I’m different. My hiatus periods are very long, so I have more leeway to manage my time. Because of that, I’ve picked up a lot of hobbies.”
Though he spoke lightly, Zhang Jin’an knew that the experience behind those words was anything but light.
A hiatus in this industry was a troublesome thing; it was often synonymous with being shelved. Without traffic or trending topics, a company wouldn’t pay attention to you, which meant no resources, leading back into a vicious cycle. A good opportunity was vital. Fortunately, Jiang Siyang had found his opportunity and escaped that loop.
After the interview, the camera cut to Jiang Siyang’s home to begin the day’s recording.
When Jiang Siyang’s home was revealed, Zhang Jin’an was somewhat surprised. This place was... a bit too small.
The living room and bedroom were combined. Excluding the balcony, there were only three rooms in total. Zhang Jin’an counted the cameras; there were five in all, which showed just how cramped it was. However, he had to admit the apartment was incredibly clean and organized. During the interview, he could see the books on the shelf, arranged neatly from tallest to shortest. Despite the small size, there were many small plants, giving the place a very lived-in, cozy atmosphere.
Production Team: [Q: You originally intended to apply for a military academy, but ended up becoming an actor?]
Jiang Siyang: “Yes. I originally wanted to apply to the National University of Defense Technology, but I discussed it with my parents in high school. My mother didn’t approve of me joining the military, and in our house, my mom’s word is law, so...” Jiang Siyang lowered his head and gave a soft laugh. “I ended up going to a finance university. Later, due to various reasons, I became the actor I am today.”
Production Team: [Q: How long have you lived alone? The house looks quite small?]
Jiang Siyang: “I’ve lived alone since university. This place is rented. Since I didn’t have much money, I could only rent a small one, but I think this size is just right for one person. Isn’t this how everyone starts out when they’re working hard? It was completely empty when I first got it, so I’m very satisfied with how it looks now after the renovations.”
Zhang Jin’an silently apologized in his heart; he probably wasn’t fit to be counted among those "working hard."
Production Team: [Q: We heard you like making things that require patience?]
Jiang Siyang nodded. “Yes, I like things that require focus. Like that bookshelf partition in the living room and the puzzle above the TV—I did those myself. I basically assemble everything I can on my own. On one hand, it saves money; on the other, assembling these things is actually very interesting.”
Zhang Jin’an was surprised. Setting aside the shelf, even the puzzle above the TV wasn’t a pre-made decoration? He had assumed it came like that. A puzzle of that size must have had over a thousand pieces; if it were him, he’d probably get frustrated after a few minutes. How long did it take Siyang to finish it?
Then again, it was clear just how long Jiang Siyang’s hiatuses had been. When a person is idle, they can do anything.
Production Team: [Q: Do you really enjoy doing housework?]
Jiang Siyang nodded. “It’s probably a habit I developed at home since I was a kid. My dad and grandpa were both soldiers, so their standards were high—everything had to be clean and tidy. It’s a good habit to have. Besides, if this place got messy, where would I even sleep?”
“True. If a place this size got messy, you wouldn’t even be able to walk,” Zhang Jin’an agreed with a nod.
After the questions, the camera cut back to the apartment. Jiang Siyang was just coming out of the bathroom. He was wearing a hoodie and camel-colored trousers, his hair still a mess. Holding a water cup, he brushed his teeth as he walked into the living-bedroom area, turned on the TV, and picked up the remote to search for something.
The scene didn’t show the TV screen. Zhang Jin’an could only see Jiang Siyang’s fingers skillfully pressing the buttons. Finally, as if he had made his choice, he left the living room and went back to the bathroom.
Just then, the TV began to play. The screen still wasn’t shown, but a man’s voice filled the room: “Why don’t you ask around and see if I’m a man of my word?”
It was a voice Zhang Jin’an knew better than anyone, filling him with a mix of surprise and delight.
Then came a girl’s voice: “Did I say I didn’t believe you? Even if you were speaking nonsense, I’d believe it.”
Zhang Jin’an let out a smile. That’s right—that voice belonged to him.
Jiang Siyang walked out of the bathroom and went straight into the kitchen opposite. Zhang Jin’an thought the layout of the room was a mystery; the kitchen was directly across from the bathroom.
Once in the kitchen, Jiang Siyang took two eggs from the fridge and a bowl of rice covered in plastic wrap. Then he took out two sausages, quickly sliced them along with some green onions, and turned on the gas stove. He poured in oil and the eggs, and once the eggs were cooked, he added the rice.
Nothing smelled better than egg fried rice made with leftovers; Zhang Jin’an could practically imagine the scent through the screen. The final product looked excellent—the grains were even and plump, glistening with oil and topped with a layer of green onions. The cameraman was practically tormenting the audience, filming the rice grains so closely they could be counted.
After that, Jiang Siyang made four pancakes, fried a plate of fifteen dumplings, and prepared a bowl of seaweed soup.
As the dishes were brought to the coffee table one by one, Zhang Jin’an almost forgot this was a meal for one until a caption appeared in the bottom left: *Is this really the portion for one person?* He had almost thought two people were eating.
Production Team: [Q: Do you like eating or cooking more?]
Jiang Siyang scratched his head sheepishly. “It’s fifty-fifty. Because I love eating, I love cooking. Plus, I work out, so I eat even more.”
Zhang Jin’an suddenly remembered that day at the mall when Jiang Siyang had indeed eaten two boxed lunches. Moreover, before they went shopping, he had noticed an untouched lunch box on the sofa. He had wondered whose it was at the time; now that he thought about it, it might very well have been Jiang Siyang’s.
But on second thought, Jiang Siyang exercised, and people who worked out generally ate a lot. It was quite normal.
Zhang Jin’an kept the comments from the bullet screen in mind. When he went on the variety show later, he would definitely have something to say about this.
After tidying the kitchen, Jiang Siyang sat cross-legged behind the coffee table and began to eat. He didn’t say a word the whole time, quietly watching TV as he ate.
Jiang Siyang really made eating look delicious. He habitually took large bites, his cheeks puffing out. The editors even added a picture of Shinnosuke Nohara from *Crayon Shin-chan* next to him. Looking at the comparison, Zhang Jin’an thought they really did look alike.
Watching Jiang Siyang, Zhang Jin’an suddenly felt it would be nice if Jiang Siyang were actually his younger brother. Just watching him eat gave one an appetite—unlike those two ladies who would sit at the table for half an hour, eat a tiny bit, finish in five minutes, and then spend the rest of the time staring at him while he ate. If nothing else, they were the perfect dining companions for when one was on a diet.
When Jiang Siyang paused his chopsticks, he suddenly said: “Fine, I promise you. When I return, wait for me under this banyan tree. I will come for you.”
Zhang Jin’an smiled. That was his line coming up.
Sure enough, the "Zhang Jin’an" on the TV stood under the vast twilight, saying affectionately to the female lead: “Fine, I promise you. When I return, wait for me under this banyan tree. I will come for you.”
Word for word, even the pauses were identical.
“Okay, I’ll listen to you,” Jiang Siyang said casually.
“Okay, I’ll listen to you,” the female lead said slowly.
Many bullet comments had already guessed which drama it was.
This kid... he really hadn't forgotten his original intentions. Even after all these years, he hadn't changed a bit.
But to be honest, Zhang Jin’an was happy.
In this entertainment circle, people came and went; every year brought new faces and saw old ones fade. Situations changed in the blink of an eye, and netizens had many "idols of the moment." Having someone who supported him consistently was, of course, a good thing.
Jiang Siyang’s delivery of the lines was so natural, as if he were just talking to himself. To anyone watching, it didn't look like he was reciting a script; it was clearly something that came to him instinctively. This was exactly why everyone was so amazed.
Unaware of how everyone was marveling at his skill, Jiang Siyang stood up after finishing his meal and took the dishes to the kitchen to wash them.
While washing, Jiang Siyang stared blankly at the ceiling, his hands moving like an assembly line, as if he hadn't fully woken up. The movement was hilarious. Zhang Jin’an would bet fifty cents that this expression of Jiang Siyang’s had definitely been turned into a meme by fans.
After washing the dishes, Jiang Siyang changed his clothes, put on a trench coat and a hat, and headed out.
The camera followed Jiang Siyang through the alleys and onto the main street. The sky was bright and white, and the number of pedestrians was slowly increasing. In those years, Jiang Siyang wasn't a big star yet. People probably just thought he was someone filming something, so they only looked at him with curiosity.
Jiang Siyang walked slowly, or rather, he walked and stopped frequently. Most of the time he stopped, it was to take photos. No wonder Zhang Jin’an saw nothing in Jiang Siyang’s Friend Circle except for reposts like *Shocking! Ten Things You Didn't Know* and photos of flowers, birds, insects, and fish. He was one step away from changing his profile picture to a lotus flower with the caption "I'm withdrawing from the world."
Production Team: [Q: Are you not good with electronic products?]
“It’s not electronic products; I’m just not good at social networking or games. I prefer going out for a stroll. Even if I walk the same path every day, there are always changes. Like today, the weather is great, and that bakery over there isn't open—it’s all different. Observing these things is very interesting to me,” Jiang Siyang said to the camera. “The only electronics I use regularly are my phone and camera. I mostly use them for work; I don't really play with them.”
After walking a bit longer, Jiang Siyang entered a shop. It was a musical instrument store. He seemed very familiar with the owner, greeting him immediately: “Brother, is my ukulele still here?”
“Xiao Jiang? That one is still here. What, are you finally going to buy it?” the owner asked.
“Yeah... I have some time now. I want to practice while my hands aren't too rusty,” Jiang Siyang said, holding out his hands with a smile.
Jiang Siyang’s hands were slender and very beautiful, something Zhang Jin’an had noticed when he held them. Unlike his own, Siyang’s hands were clean and gentle, just like the man himself. His fingers were neither too long nor too short—just the right length for plucking string instruments—and they had calluses of varying degrees.
Zhang Jin’an had thought Jiang Siyang could only sing; he hadn't expected him to be good with instruments too.
He couldn't help but wonder: *Just how many skills does this guy have?*
The production team happened to ask that very question for him.
Production Team: [Q: You know how to do a lot of things?]
Jiang Siyang thought for a moment and smiled. “Because everyone has to eat. Having many skills is no burden; learning a few more means I won't starve in the future. Besides, I only know a bit of string instruments; I don't know anything about other kinds...”
Zhang Jin’an felt that one bullet comment was spot on: *“You can make a living just with your face, what are you afraid of starving for?”*
It wasn't the hard work of others that was scary; it was the hard work of someone who was both better looking and more talented than you. Jiang Siyang was exactly that kind of person.
Jiang Siyang chatted with the clerk for a while longer. The clerk led him to a wall covered in guitars, took one down, and handed it to him.
Jiang Siyang sat on a nearby chair, tested the guitar, tuned it, and began to play.
He lowered his head slightly, watching his plucking fingers. With that kind of focus, combined with the camera's filter, what girl wouldn't be attracted to him?
The song Jiang Siyang hummed was "Can't Help Falling for You." He forgot the lyrics to a few lines, but it didn't detract from the performance.
Zhang Jin’an listened intently, his fingers unconsciously tapping along to the beat. Jiang Siyang’s voice at commercial performances was more mature than it was here. The Jiang Siyang on the screen looked like a music major who had just graduated.
Zhang Jin’an thought that perhaps Tuan Yuan had watched this segment, which was why she wrote about Jiang Siyang singing on the street in her story.
Zhang Jin’an couldn't remember if he had ever told anyone—Jiang Siyang’s resemblance to him wasn't in his appearance, but in certain actions. He was very much like Zhang Jin’an used to be.
He recalled what Jiang Siyang had said to him that day: “I want to become you.”
Those ambitious words didn't quite match the Jiang Siyang in the video, who sat by the glass window singing gently with a harmless smile.
Recalling Jiang Siyang’s gaze that day, Zhang Jin’an couldn't help but smile. “Jiang Siyang really is a top student; he’s truly clever.”
If anyone else had heard those words, they would have become defensive, fearing someone was trying to take their place. They wouldn't be like Zhang Jin’an, full of praise for the person who had "threatened" them, even chatting with him from time to time.
That was because Zhang Jin’an understood the meaning behind Jiang Siyang’s words. Jiang Siyang didn't mean he wanted his status; he meant he wanted to possess his capabilities.
He wanted to become him, so he sought to understand him. And because he understood him, he felt comfortable saying those words directly to him without reservation. That was where Jiang Siyang’s brilliance lay.
Finally, after some thought, Zhang Jin’an opened his notes app and wrote a sentence under Jiang Siyang’s name: *Strongly competitive, yet indifferent to winning or losing.*
It was a strange sentence, yet perfectly apt. Zhang Jin’an looked at it; it described Jiang Siyang, but it also seemed to be describing himself.
Jiang Siyang was worlds apart from him, yet he had to admit that in certain matters, they were remarkably similar.
Perhaps for this reason, an inexplicable feeling blossomed in Zhang Jin’an’s heart. The desire to know more about this person spread through his mind. Consequently, he watched three episodes in a row. Zhang Jin’an, who had originally planned to sleep early, didn't drift off with bleary eyes until the early hours of the morning.
***
