At eight in the morning, before filming had even begun, the set was already more bustling than usual.
The day’s shoot was taking place on a road adjacent to a residential complex, and the crew had brought in several extras to play passersby. Director Tang was busy organizing the extras, a crowd gathered around him. Not far away, another group had congregated, though they weren't rehearsing a scene; they were watching Zhang Jin’an ride a balance scooter.
Zhang Jin’an had arrived at the set on the scooter today.
He had two reasons for riding it. First, to put it to good use—it would be a waste to let such a gift sit idle.
Second, pure ostentation.
If it weren't for the fact that he was currently harboring a secret crush and couldn't be too loud about it, he would have bought a megaphone and ridden around on a loop, broadcasting: "See my scooter? My partner gave it to me. None of you have one."
Dressed in a white shirt and black high-waisted jeans, Zhang Jin’an glided effortlessly through the crowd on the scooter.
Yuan Yuan was brimming with curiosity. As soon as Zhang Jin’an completed a lap and came to a stop, she couldn't help but ask, "Can I try?"
"Sure," Zhang Jin’an said, hopping off the milk-white, two-wheeled device.
Ge Xianxu looked at Yuan Yuan with an expression of admiration. "Wow, Yuan Yuan, I didn't know you knew how to ride one of these."
Yuan Yuan replied enthusiastically, "Huh? I don't."
Ge Xianxu: "..."
Yuan Yuan was a bit hesitant to step on. Ge Xianxu lent a hand, supporting her elbow until she managed to find her footing.
As she wobbled, trying to find her center of gravity, she asked Zhang Jin’an, who was watching from the side, "Big Brother, is there a shortcut to learning this?"
Zhang Jin’an replied, "Of course there is."
Yuan Yuan: "Quick, pass on your wisdom."
Zhang Jin’an: "You'll learn after you fall a few times."
Yuan Yuan: "..."
Zhang Jin’an laughed for a good while before seriously teaching her how to operate the scooter.
Yuan Yuan was a decent learner; within a few minutes, she could move two or three meters. The only drawback was that she refused to let Ge Xianxu go.
Clutching Ge Xianxu’s hand tightly, she shrieked throughout the process, "Little Ge-Ge, don't you dare let go! If you let go, I’m a goner!"
"Alright, alright, I won't let go," Ge Xianxu said patiently. "But if you want to learn, you have to let go eventually."
Yuan Yuan wasn't listening at all. she shouted, "I don't care, I don't care! I don't know how to turn yet. If you let go, I’m dead!"
Yuan Yuan truly didn't know how to turn. Normally, one would just steer back after traveling a certain distance, but Yuan Yuan chose to dismount at the turning point, manually rotate the scooter, and then get back on to ride back.
Because she was holding Ge Xianxu’s hand, her body was tilted the entire time. The onlookers were all amused by her antics, and Zhang Jin’an laughed along with them.
"What’s going on here?"
Zhang Jin’an’s heart jolted. He turned toward the voice to find Jiang Siyang standing beside him, though he hadn't noticed when the younger man had arrived.
Jiang Siyang had been in hair and makeup, which was why he hadn't been around earlier. He was wearing a long-sleeved sweatshirt and linen wide-leg pants paired with canvas shoes.
Zhang Jin’an couldn't help but steal glances at him. This was the person he liked. Clean and refreshing, with eyes as clear as a lake—a surface shimmering with ripples that could reflect the bright moon.
Zhang Jin’an found it miraculous that he could have such a strong reaction just by seeing Jiang Siyang. Between yesterday and today, only a single night had passed, yet his feelings for Jiang Siyang had completely transformed.
"You're here?" Zhang Jin’an couldn't suppress a smile.
Jiang Siyang nodded, his eyes immediately landing on the balance scooter under Yuan Yuan’s feet. He smiled at Zhang Jin’an. "I didn't expect you to start using it so soon."
*Damn it, what do I do?* All he wanted to do was look at Jiang Siyang. He didn't care about the gift, or anyone else—none of them could compare to Jiang Siyang.
But Zhang Jin’an also knew he couldn't be too blatant. Jiang Siyang wasn't stupid; the kid was more observant than anyone.
In the end, Zhang Jin’an only looked at Jiang Siyang for three or four seconds before averting his gaze. Though he felt a pang of regret internally, his expression remained the same as it always was when they chatted. "Things like this should be used often, otherwise they're a waste."
Just then, Yuan Yuan and Ge Xianxu approached.
Yuan Yuan stopped in front of them. Seeing Jiang Siyang, she greeted him while still standing on the scooter. "Oh? Siyang, you're here?"
Jiang Siyang looked at the pair. "Do you know how to ride, or..."
"I'm learning, I'm learning," Yuan Yuan said, hopping off. "This isn't mine; it's Big Brother’s."
"Siyang knows. He’s the one who bought it. It was a birthday gift for me," Zhang Jin’an said.
If one listened closely, they might have detected a hint of pride in his tone. Unfortunately, at that moment, no one besides Zhang Jin’an himself was overthinking it; their curiosity was focused entirely on Jiang Siyang.
Ge Xianxu let out a "Wow." "Siyang bought this?"
Jiang Siyang nodded. "Yes."
Ge Xianxu asked, "Why did you buy a balance scooter?"
Jiang Siyang explained patiently, "During a casual chat a while back, I heard Brother mention that his old one was broken, so I bought this one."
Yuan Yuan added, "So that means you came back yesterday, Siyang?"
Jiang Siyang replied, "Mhm."
Yuan Yuan immediately asked, "Aha! So when you told me you were eating, you were lying?"
"I really was eating at the time, but I headed to the train station right after," Jiang Siyang answered.
"I bet Big Brother was pretty shocked when he saw you," Yuan Yuan said.
Zhang Jin’an hummed in agreement and glanced at Jiang Siyang. Jiang Siyang smiled back at him. It was the same smile as always, but because the observer’s mindset had changed, the smile felt entirely different.
Zhang Jin’an had always heard people say that a secret crush was painful. He hadn't understood it before, but now he knew where the difficulty lay.
The hardship of a secret crush is that you can't stop yourself from wanting to get closer to the other person, yet you must act as if nothing is wrong. But who can truly act that well? Love is an emotion far too difficult to hide; so many people have seen their efforts go to waste because of a single look. Even as a professional actor, he found it somewhat taxing. He wondered how ordinary young men and women managed to endure it.
He could probably hold out until the end of filming at most. Any longer and he wouldn't be able to keep it in. He wasn't the type to be timid or hesitant for long.
Zhang Jin’an let out an imperceptible sigh and replied, "I was quite shocked."
After that, Zhang Jin’an stopped talking and simply listened to them chat.
Yuan Yuan stepped back onto the scooter. "It's a good thing we aren't filming a period drama or shooting at night. Otherwise, it would be terrifying—just a head floating back and forth."
Ge Xianxu nodded repeatedly. "Right, right..."
***
Li Qiang had been sitting in the rest area watching Zhang Jin’an from afar. When he saw Liu Wenping approaching in her high heels, he immediately beamed and stood up. "I really didn't expect Siyang to rush back yesterday. That was very thoughtful of him."
Liu Wenping stopped in front of Li Qiang and smiled. "If anyone else said that, it would sound like corporate pleasantries."
"Is that so? I’m being quite sincere," Li Qiang said.
"That’s why I said it has to be you. When you say it, I feel it’s a genuine compliment," Liu Wenping replied.
Li Qiang chuckled, and the two sat down together.
Liu Wenping smoothed her skirt to cover her knees. "Actually, I wasn't surprised that Siyang rushed back. He mentioned it to me a few days ago when he was booking the tickets."
Li Qiang looked at Jiang Siyang’s back. "Oh—so you're saying he planned this well in advance?"
Liu Wenping nodded. "But in all the years I've known him, I’ve never seen him spend so much money at once. Only for Zhang Jin’an’s birthday would he buy something so expensive."
Li Qiang clicked his tongue. "Tell me about it. I saw that scooter; it’s identical to Zhang Jin’an’s old one. Must have cost over two thousand, right?"
Liu Wenping smiled and whispered, "I’ll tell you something funny. I watched him place the order. After he finished, Siyang just sat there in his chair, comforting himself by saying, 'It’s fine, it’s just a month of eating sesame biscuits.'"
Li Qiang burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Siyang is too much. I really envy you for managing such a well-behaved artist. He’s so low-maintenance."
Liu Wenping, however, looked incredulous.
"You envy me? Brother Qiang, do you know how many managers envy you?" Liu Wenping began counting on her fingers for him. "Look at Zhang Jin’an. He’s been in the industry so long without a single scandal. Even when there is 'dirt,' it’s just funny stuff that doesn't even count as a dark history. His reputation is excellent in both the fandom and the industry. He doesn't cause trouble, he has great range, and he’s only getting better. He can trend just by appearing on a variety show and bring everyone else up with him. An artist like that is a treasure in this chaotic industry—a once-in-a-century find. Which manager wouldn't want him?"
What manager wouldn't be happy to hear their artist being praised? Li Qiang’s eyes practically disappeared into his smile, and he kept thinking: *As he should be, as he should be.*
But his professional decorum dictated that he remain humble.
Li Qiang said with a smile, "Xiao Liu, the way you praise Zhang Jin’an now really has Jiang Siyang’s flair—one compliment after another."
Liu Wenping laughed as well. "You caught me. Those were actually Siyang’s words. Whenever I ask him about Zhang Jin’an, he gives me a whole speech of praise. He doesn't even write that many words in his Weibo posts."
Li Qiang shook his head, smiling. "Siyang really is a fanboy. That’s solid proof right there."
"But to be honest, what he said is true," Liu Wenping said, resting her chin on one hand as she watched the people in the distance. "Zhang Jin’an has been active for so many years, and I’ve never seen him get into trouble. His heart is entirely in his acting. He makes people feel more secure and at ease than many other artists, and his works just keep coming out one after another."
"That’s true," Li Qiang admitted. "But Siyang is slowly becoming popular now too, isn't he? Aren't more scripts and variety shows coming his way?"
Liu Wenping shook her head.
"I’m not worried about Siyang’s acting. Do you know what I’m worried about?" Liu Wenping frowned. "I’m worried that while Siyang is upright and honest now, as he meets more people in the future, his heart might start to stray. Hey, Brother Qiang, did you see that news from a few days ago?"
Li Qiang asked, "Which one?"
Liu Wenping said, "The one about Bao Yunfei."
At the mention of that name, Li Qiang’s expression became somewhat uneasy. "Oh, him. Even PR couldn't save him. He’s completely toast."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 烧饼 | Sesame biscuits | A type of baked flatbread, often very cheap; used here to show Jiang Siyang's frugality. |
| 包云斐 | Bao Yunfei | A character mentioned as having a career-ending scandal. |
| 公关 | PR | Public Relations. |
| 糊了 | Toast / Flop | Slang for a celebrity whose career is over or who has lost popularity. |
| 石锤 | Solid proof | Literally "stone hammer," internet slang for undeniable evidence. |
