Unable to be Arrogant [Entertainment Circle] | Chapter 88 | The Meaning of Preference | Novela.app

Afterward, Xiao Zhou peppered Li Qiang with questions about when this romance had begun and all the various details he had missed. Every time a detail involved a moment where he had been present, Xiao Zhou would lament his own lack of perception. "Ah, it started back then? I remember seeing Siyang that day. Sigh, I didn't notice a thing," Xiao Zhou said with a sigh. "If you could have noticed it then, you'd be truly formidable," Li Qiang remarked. "Hahaha, true enough," Xiao Zhou laughed. Zhang Jin’an didn't join the conversation. He stared at his phone, its screen dark from disuse, his mind filled with what Xiao Zhou had said earlier—that Jiang Siyang would buy things related to him. Although he knew deep down that Jiang Siyang’s feelings were more akin to worship—the love of a fan for an idol—the most fundamental emotion underlying "worship" was "liking." Perhaps he could allow himself to hope a little more, to work a little harder, even if that "liking" only accounted for a tiny fraction of the whole. He would definitely find the right time to speak to Jiang Siyang clearly, without any ambiguity, speaking with earnestness and resolve. Seeing a hand waving in the distance, Li Qiang nudged Zhang Jin’an’s arm with his elbow. "Filming’s starting." "Alright, I'm off," Zhang Jin’an stood up, clutching his script. "Bye," Xiao Zhou waved vaguely, then immediately turned back to Li Qiang with excitement. "And then? What happened next?" "Are you listening to a story? Why are you so fired up?" As Zhang Jin’an drew closer to the set, the voices of Li Qiang and Xiao Zhou grew distant until they faded away entirely. He greeted the supporting actors and began the shoot. *** "Siyang, Siyang!" The lounge door burst open. The sound of it hitting the wall, accompanied by Xie Jie’s loud shouting, instantly pulled Jiang Siyang back from the brink of a dream. Jiang Siyang, who had been slumped over, slowly sat up. He rubbed his eyes and squinted to see who it was. Once he saw it was Xie Jie, Jiang Siyang relaxed and let out a yawn. "What is it?" After yawning, he felt much more awake. Catching up on sleep really did help; even though it had only been half an hour, his drowsiness had significantly diminished. He saw Xie Jie standing with his hands behind his back, looking incredibly high-spirited. "Siyang, look at how amazing I am! I! Bought! It!" "Bought what?" Jiang Siyang asked. Without a word, Xie Jie flourished the item right in front of Jiang Siyang’s eyes. "Am I great or what? Quick, tell me I'm the best!" The moment he saw the magazine, Jiang Siyang was fully awake. "You're the best, the absolute best!" Jiang Siyang praised. Despite his delight, Jiang Siyang took the magazine with great care, even peeling off the plastic seal with gentle movements. He held the magazine in his hands, sliding his palm across the cover to feel its smooth texture. On the cover, Zhang Jin’an sat behind a white table. His hair was styled with a fringe swept to one side, looking sharp and clean. Draped in a black cloak, his finger rested on a small, planet-like lightbulb in front of him. The background was a glass pane streaked with rain; outside was a blurred nightscape where city lights interlaced. When shooting pictorials, stylists often applied heavy contouring to make the features look more three-dimensional. Zhang Jin’an likely didn't need such help; his nose was straight and high, and the emotions hidden within his deep eyes were incredibly captivating. *This is what they call stage presence,* Jiang Siyang thought. Zhang Jin’an was born to command attention under the spotlight. Jiang Siyang flipped through a few pages before remembering the question he wanted to ask. He looked up at Xie Jie. "Where did you buy this? Didn't they say it was out of stock and waiting for a restock?" "The newsstand downstairs. Apparently, the restock came in today. Anyway, the moment I saw it, I snatched it up," Xie Jie said. "Thanks for the hard work." Jiang Siyang set the magazine aside and pulled out his phone. "I'll transfer the money to you." Xie Jie smiled and said, "No need. It’s just a bit of money, don't be so polite." They had known each other for years, after all; pushing the issue further would seem too distant. Jiang Siyang put his phone back in his pocket and thanked him. "Then, thanks." Xie Jie pointed at the magazine. "If you really want to thank me, then get yourself on this magazine. When you become a superstar, I'll be famous by association too." Jiang Siyang picked the magazine back up. The magazine was called *Precision Creation*, an international powerhouse. No one in the entertainment industry hadn't heard of it; it was the top choice for every star. Its internal sections were linked with multiple luxury brands, and appearing in it meant one basically never had to worry about endorsement deals again. The magazine provided stars with financial benefits and prestige, while the stars increased the magazine's influence. However, it wasn't a publication just anyone could grace; one had to be a celebrity with a certain level of impact. Thus, there was a saying: "To see if a star is truly 'hot,' just see if they've been on PC." "I'm still a long way off," Jiang Siyang said with a small smile. He skipped the first few pages and flipped through quickly. As he neared the centerfold, the name 【Zhang Jin’an】 appeared in bold letters. It was framed in white with dark green diagonal lines filling a triangular motif; even the insert was uniquely styled and very artistic. Only then did Jiang Siyang begin to read seriously, line by line. Xie Jie continued talking beside him. "Sigh, a person’s gotta have hope," Xie Jie said, looking at the back of Jiang Siyang’s head. "The response to that *Playagame* episode was great. Your ranking on the celebrity charts is climbing too. Although you haven't broken into the top fifty yet, it’s a steady rise. As long as nothing goes wrong, getting into the top twenty shouldn't be a problem." "Mm, but right now I just want to act well," Jiang Siyang said, his eyes never leaving the magazine. "I'm an actor, after all. An actor's duty is to act; everything else comes after that." "True. I think the company is scheduling too much for you—a bunch of random stuff, but hardly any suitable scripts," Xie Jie said indignantly. "It’s understandable. Everything is based on popularity these days. The company will naturally prioritize actors who have it," Jiang Siyang said, turning to the next page. The photos of Zhang Jin’an here were all different—some by the sea, some on a stone bridge, some walking on a road. Each look had its own style, yet all of them suited Zhang Jin’an unexpectedly well. Xie Jie wanted to say something but ended up sighing. "I get the logic, I'm just annoyed... Oh right, when does your filming for *Hidden Shadows* end?" "Late October, or early November if it's slow," Jiang Siyang replied. "Oh... that's soon. Only a month left. A month from now, you'll be away from the set. Cherish these days while they last," Xie Jie joked, patting Jiang Siyang on the shoulder. Jiang Siyang smiled. "I know." Xie Jie chuckled, then looked around. "By the way, where did Sister Liu go?" "She knows someone here and went to chat," Jiang Siyang replied. "Alright then, I'll sit for a bit." Xie Jie pulled over a chair and sat down to play on his phone. Jiang Siyang looked at the words on the page, but his mind wasn't on them. Xie Jie was right; he should cherish these days. This production had Director Tang and Zhang Jin’an; he didn't know if he would ever encounter such a lineup again. Especially Zhang Jin’an. He would never meet another person like Zhang Jin’an. Jiang Siyang suddenly realized that, looking back, his memories with Zhang Jin’an were far more numerous than with anyone else. Particularly Zhang Jin’an’s words from yesterday: "I'm not like this with everyone." He had always felt there was more to it, because Zhang Jin’an’s expression at that moment had been... more moving than usual. He had thought about it for a long time last night. Usually a strict eleven o'clock sleeper, he hadn't fallen asleep until one. Unfortunately, he still hadn't grasped the underlying meaning; perhaps he had missed something. Jiang Siyang’s fingers lightly brushed the paper. He thought for a while longer but still couldn't figure it out. Finally, he decided to let nature take its course; perhaps the answer would reveal itself suddenly. With that thought, Jiang Siyang’s brow relaxed slightly, and he continued reading. The lounge fell into a temporary silence, broken only by the sound of pages turning. Jiang Siyang read bit by bit, very intently. Besides the photos, the magazine recorded Zhang Jin’an’s views and insights on various matters. There were several topics they would never normally discuss, such as charity work and his views on fake data and marketing hype. Jiang Siyang loved reading the parts where Zhang Jin’an spoke. Zhang Jin’an had unique insights and the courage to speak them boldly; all of this filled Jiang Siyang with admiration. Further back was the Q&A section. The reporter’s questions were mostly business-oriented, such as his views on the latest fashion trends or insights into stock market fluctuations. These questions were dry, but Zhang Jin’an’s answers were fascinating—every sentence was professional yet witty, very much in his signature style. Jiang Siyang laughed several times. At the very end of the interview, the reporter asked a few more personal questions regarding family, friends, and finally, love. 【**Reporter:** Zhang Jin’an, what is your ideal type? **Zhang Jin’an:** (Laughs) I can't really say. I think an 'ideal type' is just a concept. When you actually meet that person, that person becomes the ideal type. **Reporter:** Do you behave differently toward someone you like? **Zhang Jin’an:** Of course. If I treated her the same as everyone else, how would it show that I like her? **Reporter:** Finally, give us a keyword regarding 'love.' **Zhang Jin’an:** I think I would choose 'preference.' **Reporter:** Alright, thank you very much, Zhang Jin’an, for accepting our interview. **Zhang Jin’an:** (Laughs) You're welcome. See you next time. (Reporter: Jin Yuanlian)】 Jiang Siyang had clearly finished reading, yet his hand remained on the page, hesitating to turn it. He finally knew what the missing piece was. Combining this with Zhang Jin’an’s various behaviors recently, he had an answer. But this answer was somewhat extraordinary—it was also possible he was just being sentimental. Perhaps... Zhang Jin’an liked him. That was why Zhang Jin’an had been so conflicted, why he had said it was a personal matter concerning him. If it were true, then another question arose. Did he like Zhang Jin’an? Not worship—no longer the admiration of a fan for an idol—but *liking*, a determination from which there was no turning back. Could he find that determination for Zhang Jin’an’s sake? *** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- Precision Creation | Precision Creation | An international fashion magazine, often referred to as "PC". 偏爱 | Preference / Favoritism | In this context, it refers to "special treatment" or "partiality" shown to a loved one. 暗隐 | Hidden Shadows | The title of the drama Zhang Jin'an and Jiang Siyang are filming. 金园莲 | Jin Yuanlian | The name of the reporter who interviewed Zhang Jin'an.