Monday.
Bai Mao officially started his lessons.
Just as Mr. Yu had promised, the teachers he had invited were all top-tier figures in their fields, each one a well-known master whose name alone carried weight.
Having such instructors teach him basic skills almost felt like using a priceless sword to chop vegetables.
But Bai Mao didn’t dare to complain.
With proper teachers to guide him, he finally no longer had to fumble his way through everything alone. He absorbed knowledge like a sponge thrown into the sea, soaking up every drop of wisdom and technique the teachers poured into him.
To prepare for the upcoming audition, he even requested extra training specific to the role he was targeting.
Time flew by quickly when one was busy and determined.
Before he realized it, more than ten days had passed, and the calendar turned to the beginning of the month, the day of the audition.
Xu Dongming personally drove Bai Mao to the audition venue. Seeing him sitting quietly in the passenger seat without even glancing at his phone, Xu tried to reassure him.
“Relax. Don’t get nervous,” he said, smiling. “Just go in and perform the way you practiced. This role is going to attract a lot of competition. Even if you don’t get it, it’s not the end of the world.”
“I’m not nervous,” Bai Mao replied, smiling faintly.
The drama he was auditioning for was called Princess Xihe, adapted from a popular novel on Jinjiang Literature City. It was a grand historical drama centered around a legendary beauty, the Princess of Xihe, and the rise and fall of her life.
The role Bai Mao was aiming for was that of the second male lead, General Zhuo Yuanli.
Known as the “jade-faced general,” Zhuo Yuanli was a man whose striking beauty was both his blessing and his curse. Because of his looks, rumors constantly surrounded him and some even questioned his military prowess. Eventually, he took to wearing a mask to conceal his face.
His life was a portrait of the beautiful yet tragic hero.
As a young boy, he had endured countless hardships. Later, he fell deeply in love with Princess Xihe, a woman of noble status and unmatched grace. Yet, knowing his station and her high birth, he buried his feelings deep within his heart, never daring to speak of them.
When war came and the enemy conquered six border cities, the opposing general made a cruel demand: if the Princess of Xihe married his emperor, he would immediately retreat and return to all six cities.
The royal family was furious and heartbroken. They wanted to refuse but the princess, knowing her people’s suffering, volunteered to sacrifice herself.
It was in this moment of national despair that Zhuo Yuanli stepped forward. He volunteered to fight the enemy head-on. Though he died on the battlefield, his courage secured the border and reclaimed one city.
Bai Mao loved this role.
He admired Zhuo Yuanli’s quiet dignity and the tragedy of his love. For this audition, he had practiced relentlessly. If he still failed to win the role, he would accept it, it would only mean his skill wasn’t enough yet, and he needed to work harder.
“By the way,” Xu Dongming said, glancing over. “That episode of Travel On you filmed has aired. Have you seen it?”
“No,” Bai Mao admitted.
“The filming was tough but it turned out really well. After the episode aired, your Weibo followers jumped by forty or fifty thousand. A bunch of people are screaming that you’re their husband.”
Xu looked proud, as if it were his own success. “I knew this would happen.”
In his eyes, Bai Mao’s lack of fame was simply due to low exposure. Give him a spotlight and he would soar.
“Really?” Bai Mao said in surprise. He rarely used Weibo but curiosity made him open a small alternate account. He searched for his own page, the one Xu managed, and clicked on a random post.
Sure enough, the comments were flooded with people calling him laogong, “husband,” and some were even shamelessly flirtatious. The likes on those comments were shockingly high.
Bai Mao blushed. “These girls really dare to type anything, don’t they?”
Xu laughed. “They’re not all girls, you know.”
Bai Mao froze. “…What?”
He scrolled further, half mortified and half amused. Still, he thought to himself that some of these fan comments had a surprisingly good choice of words. He could even borrow a few lines for teasing Mr. Yu later.
A good canary, after all, never forgot to please its benefactor.
He almost teared up at his own professionalism.
After browsing for a bit, Bai Mao moved to the comment section under the variety show clip.
“Here he comes!”
“Holy, who’s that handsome guy?”
“The tall guy getting in the car behind Teacher Xu, who is he?”
“Let me enlighten everyone. His name’s Bai Mao. He debuted in a talent show but didn’t make the final cut. Still, his face is insane, literally gets better the longer you look. I’m obsessed!”
“Oh my god, the one who trended just for being too good-looking!”
Seeing someone praise his looks, Bai Mao immediately used his alt account to give the comment a like.
“This person has great taste,” he commented. “Very discerning.”
Xu nearly burst out laughing.
Then Bai Mao saw another thread.
“Is Tongtong not getting along with the handsome guy? Every time the camera pans to him, he looks so sour.”
“Haha, maybe he’s jealous because the guy’s better looking!”
“Oh my god, Tongtong really doesn’t know how to put on a duvet cover! But I get it, I was a spoiled princess at home too. When I went to college, I wrapped myself inside the blanket instead of the cover.”
“Wait, have you noticed Tongtong keeps sneaking glances at the handsome guy? And he even blushed during their chat scene!”
“What are they whispering about? Why was the audio cut out? What could they be saying that even VIP members can’t hear?!”
“Sisters, I have a bold idea… and I need to know, is there any fanfiction yet?”
“Point the way to the supertopic!”
Bai Mao stared at the screen, dumbfounded. “What? They’re shipping me and Shang Tongrui now?”
During filming, Shang Tongrui had always glared at him because of Bai Sheng. He thought the guy was watching him to find faults, not out of affection.
Now it turned out to be a full-blown misunderstanding.
Good thing their relationship had improved recently. If Shang Tongrui saw this kind of content earlier, he might have exploded and sworn to blacklist Bai Mao on the spot.
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.
Xu shook his head with a smile. “CP fans these days have wild imaginations. Two handsome men standing next to each other, not even talking and somehow, one ends up pregnant in their stories.”
“Wait, what?!” Bai Mao nearly dropped his phone. “That’s insane!”
Xu shrugged. “It happens more often than you’d think.”
“Unbelievable,” Bai Mao muttered, utterly baffled.
Xu then asked, “Should I talk to the PR department? We could quietly suppress any posts shipping you with other men, just in case.”
“Why?” Bai Mao blinked.
“Because of Mr. Yu,” Xu reminded him gently.
At the mention of that name, Bai Mao’s heart sank a little.
Mr. Yu…
Ever since that night when he had used up four little raincoats in one go, the man hadn’t contacted him for almost a month.
Could it be that he really had no worldly desires left? Impossible.
Bai Mao sighed quietly. “No need. If we try to hide those posts, it’ll only look like we’re guilty of something. Everyone else just ignores this kind of thing. We should too.”
“True,” Xu said with a nod. “I’m probably overthinking.”
Bai Mao didn’t respond.
Leaning against the seat, he thought lazily that if Mr. Yu did get jealous over this and came looking for him, it would actually be a good thing.
When he’d first looked into the matter, he’d found experts saying that a healthy relationship typically involved three to four “sessions” a week.
And yet in the past month, he’d only had two. Two!
Even counting generously, based on the number of raincoats used, that made a grand total of seven times, far below the so-called healthy range.
And aside from those rare encounters, Mr. Yu treated him like a subordinate.
Was that normal? Absolutely not.
Just as he was thinking this, his phone chimed.
“Payment received, eight thousand yuan.”
Xu glanced over. “You’re still doing side jobs?”
“No,” Bai Mao said calmly. “I don’t need to anymore. The money just comes in now.”
He explained the situation with Shang Tongrui and how he’d confronted Bai Sheng about the payment. Even Bai Mao himself found it strange how smoothly it had gone.
In the original story, Bai Sheng’s “followers” were fanatical. He hadn’t expected that by revealing the truth, he would actually win Shang Tongrui’s trust so easily.
Did that mean the original plot’s influence was weakening?
The thought filled him with optimism.
Xu could only shake his head, amused. As the car stopped at a red light, he gave Bai Mao a thumbs-up. “You two really are something.”
Before long, they arrived at the audition site.
The place was crowded. Princess Xihe was one of the most highly anticipated adaptations of the season, a phenomenon even before filming had begun. The original novel had been so popular that fans had filled the internet with fan art and edits.
Both the male and female leads were already confirmed, a top film emperor and a trending young actress. With such a star pairing, ratings were guaranteed.
Naturally, every actor in the industry wanted to seize the opportunity and make their mark.
As the staff called out numbers and scripts rustled in the waiting area, Bai Mao adjusted his collar, took a deep breath, and smiled.
No matter how fierce the competition, he was ready.
When filling in his information, Bai Mao glanced around and saw that nearly everyone chatting nearby was a recognizable face from the entertainment industry. Most of them had far more experience than him.
He looked ordinary in this crowd, blending in like an extra who had accidentally wandered into the wrong room.
No one paid him much attention. A few people swept a brief glance his way, noted the mask on his face and immediately looked elsewhere. None of them had the slightest desire to approach or make conversation.
Standing beside him, Xu Dongming felt more nervous than the one actually auditioning. “Why do I feel like I’m the one sitting for a college entrance exam instead of you?”
Bai Mao reached over and patted his shoulder, his eyes crinkling with amusement. “Don’t worry, at least I’ve still got my face.”
Xu Dongming was speechless for a moment, then suddenly realized he wasn’t wrong. The male lead for this drama was chosen for his looks, and the second male lead, the role Bai Mao was here to audition for, was described as a man so beautiful that his face alone could make the world weep. Looking around, there were indeed many handsome men present, but none who outshone Bai Mao.
He sat down casually with the scene script he had drawn, leaning back in his chair to wait. His number was still a dozen away.
He yawned, pulled out his phone, and sent a message to Mr. Yu.
Bai Mao: “Mr. Yu, I have a very important audition today. I’m a bit nervous. Could you give me a little encouragement?”
A few moments later, a reply came.
Mr. Yu: “Do your best.”
Bai Mao stared at the screen. “…That’s it?”
He waited a moment longer, thinking maybe there’d be more, but nothing came. Finally, he exhaled in disbelief. “That’s all? So perfunctory!”
Xu Dongming, unable to resist curiosity, leaned over and caught a glimpse of the screen. Then he burst out laughing. “Oh my god, that’s the most emotionless encouragement I’ve ever seen!”
Bai Mao gave him a flat look. “You’re laughing?”
Each actor was called in for roughly five or six minutes, some longer, some shorter. Two hours passed before Bai Mao’s number was finally called.
He stood up, straightened his clothes.
“Go for it, Xiao Bai! You’ve got this!” Xu Dongming gave him an encouraging thumbs-up.
Bai Mao nodded and walked toward the door. Just before stepping inside, he removed his mask and handed it to Xu Dongming.
Once he entered the room, he gave a polite bow. “Hello, teachers. My name is Bai Mao. I’m here to audition for the role of Zhuo Yuanli, the second male lead in The Princess of Xihe.”
He stepped forward and distributed his printed résumé to the director, the screenwriter, and the casting assistants.
From the moment he walked in, the entire panel’s expressions subtly changed. They hadn’t expected him to look this striking in person. The lighting highlighted his flawless skin and elegant bone structure. His features were fine and balanced, truly the image of a “Jade-faced General.”
Even the director, who had maintained a cool and distant tone with the previous auditioners, spoke to him more kindly. “Which scene did you draw?”
Bai Mao presented the card. “Scene Four.”
“Alright,” the director nodded. “You can begin.”
Bai Mao moved to the center of the room. When he lifted his gaze again, his entire demeanor shifted.
Gone was the easygoing young man who smiled at everyone. His expression turned cold, his eyes sharp with restrained fury. The warmth drained from his features as though a chill wind had passed through.
“I will not surrender,” he said in a low, clipped tone, his voice steady yet heavy.
He continued, his words gathering momentum, “I will never abandon the dignity of our northern kingdom. I will not, ”
He suddenly stopped. His lips trembled slightly, then pressed together tightly.
A brief silence fell. Whatever his unseen scene partner had said, his eyes darkened, and his voice dropped to a simmering growl. “You don’t understand. When a kingdom must give up its princess to its enemy just to survive, then it has already lost.”
He paused, a bitter smile flickering in his eyes. “Utter defeat.”
Emotion welled up from deep within him. His gaze was stormy, filled with anguish and determination. “No,” he whispered. “I will fight. I’ll lead our armies to victory, a victory that restores faith to our people and brings peace to our land.”
He turned away slowly, shoulders taut, as if listening to the silence left behind. Then, in a voice barely above a murmur, he added, “Don’t worry. I won’t abandon you.”
A few seconds passed before he bowed toward the panel. “That’s my performance.”
The room was utterly still. For a moment, no one spoke. Then the director finally glanced down at his résumé again.
They had expected nothing much from this actor, just another pretty face coming in for exposure, but his performance had been controlled, layered, and genuine.
“Not bad,” the director said at last, smiling faintly. “Have you read the original novel?”
“Yes.” Bai Mao’s eyes lit up. “I really like the character of Zhuo Yuanli.”
He spoke earnestly, sharing his understanding of the character’s restrained devotion and tragic courage, explaining the choices he made in the performance.
When he finished, he rubbed the back of his neck, a little shy. “That’s just my personal interpretation. I’m not sure if I got it right.”
The director nodded, visibly pleased. He turned to the others and exchanged a few quiet words. Then he kept Bai Mao’s résumé aside. “You did well. You fit the role’s image and temperament quite nicely. You can go home and wait for our call.”
“Thank you.” Bai Mao bowed again before leaving the room.
Outside, Xu Dongming was waiting at the door, instantly grabbing his arm. “Well? How did it go?”
Bai Mao thought for a moment. “It went alright.”
“Just alright?!” Xu frowned. “Come on, how confident are you?”
As they walked out together, he added, “I ran into a friend while you were in there. He said the director barely spoke to anyone, stone-faced the whole time, no extra questions. Everyone came out looking like they’d failed. Was it like that for you too?”
Bai Mao shook his head. “The director asked if I’d read the original novel.”
Xu’s eyes widened. “And?”
Bai Mao recounted what had happened inside.
When he finished, Xu slapped his thigh with excitement. “Are you serious? That’s a great sign! I’ve got a good feeling about this!”
Bai Mao chuckled. “It’s not decided yet. The director said they’ll contact me later.”
“No way, I can feel it, you’ve got it!” Xu grinned, rubbing his hands together. “No matter what, that was a success. We’ve got to celebrate. Tonight, barbecue, our old spot! I’ll bring my wife, and we’re not taking no for an answer!”
Bai Mao laughed. “Alright, alright.”
By eight o’clock that night, darkness had settled over the city.
Bai Mao lounged on the sofa, watching a movie while waiting for Xu to pick him up. When the doorbell rang, he sprang up and hurried to open it. “Finally! You’re late, I’m starving, Ge!”
But when he pulled open the door, it wasn’t Xu Dongming standing there, it was a tall man in a dark suit.
The man was nearly one meter ninety, his shoulders broad and posture imposing. Standing in front of Bai Mao’s one-seventy-three frame, he seemed to fill the entire doorway.
Bai Mao blinked in surprise. “…Mr. Yu?”
What was Mr. Yu doing here? Without warning?
Yu Xiangchen didn’t answer. He brushed past him, stepping directly into the apartment. Startled, Bai Mao stumbled backward as the man closed the door behind him with a soft click.
Yu reached out and tilted Bai Mao’s chin upward, his grip firm but not rough. His voice was calm, but there was a shadow beneath it. “Who were you calling ‘Ge’? Aside from me, do you have another good brother outside?”
A canary kept by a benefactor, and he still dared to flirt elsewhere? Did he think Yu Xiangchen wouldn’t care?
The man’s expression was dark, the air around him faintly dangerous.
Bai Mao’s heart skipped, and he hurried to explain. “No, no, it’s not what you think. I thought it was my manager at the door, he invited me out for barbecue. He’s older than me, so I called him brother.” He hesitated, then quickly added, “And he’s married! Planning to have a baby next year.”
Yu narrowed his eyes, silent, as if weighing the truth in those words.
Bai Mao’s slender fingers brushed lightly against Yu’s forearm. He blinked up at him and said softly, “Besides, you’re not my brother.”
Yu’s gaze shifted down to the hand resting on his arm. His voice came low, unhurried. “Oh?”
“By seniority,” Bai Mao murmured, leaning closer, his lips curving into a smile, “you should be my uncle.”
He reached up, looped his arm around Yu’s neck, and tilted his head back to look at him. His eyes sparkled with teasing mischief as he whispered, sweet and obedient, “Uncle.”
Then, lashes lowering, his lips moved again, his voice barely a breath. “Come on. I’m ready.”
Ten minutes later, Bai Mao lay sprawled across the sofa, lazily tapping on his phone.
He sent a message to Xu Dongming:
“Ge, about tonight, barbecue’s off. Something academic came up and I have to… discuss it. You and sister-in-law go ahead. Send me the bill later. I’ll have Bai Sheng cover it, it’ll be his treat. Eat well, eat a lot, eat him broke.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
(≧▽≦)ﾉ☕ coffee!
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · A Nightmare or Reality?Chapter 2 · Yu family’s BanquetChapter 3 · I know your Secret..Chapter 4 · Becoming A Stand-InChapter 5 · Real IntentionChapter 6 · Yu XiangchenChapter 7 · Moved into new houseChapter 8 · Why he’s so perfect?!Chapter 9 · Role stolenChapter 10 · Four Times a WeekChapter 11 · Wrong Message?Chapter 12 · Flower protectorChapter 13 · Study MaterialChapter 14 Part 1 · I don’t have that kind of worldly desireChapter 14 Part 2 · I don’t have that kind of worldly desireChapter 15 · Four thousand yuan has arrived in AlipayChapter 16 · In the River?Chapter 17 · Boss like him, People would ready to do OvertimeChapter 18 · Does Mr. Yu have two faces?!Chapter 19 · Now we can begin to express our gratitude.Chapter 20 · Split Personality!Chapter 21 · Mr. Yu is busy and may not have time to comeChapter 22 · Call duration: 0:12Chapter 23 · He’s not Worth itChapter 24 · Mr Yu on film setChapter 25 · You can consider me if you decided to leave Mr. YuChapter 26 · Big Sister has unique hobbyChapter 27 · Really? I’m actually the young master of the Bai family?Chapter 28 · Bai Sheng is Pitiful?Chapter 29 · Someone took a picture of themChapter 30 · Your little one is hereChapter 31 · Mr. Yu asked me if I had a stiff neckChapter 32 · The little lucky butterfly’s wings flutteredChapter 33 · Mr. Yu, you came here just once at the beginningChapter 34 · The door wasn’t lockedChapter 35 · You’re an adult nowChapter 36 · Are rooms still available by scrambling?Chapter 37 · I’m definitely going to watch this variety show!Chapter 38 · Who asked Bai Sheng for money to support Bai Mao?Chapter 39 · How many zeros are there?Chapter 40 · You have to be careful with your methodsChapter 41 · Let’s get MarriedChapter 42 · I’m obviously just coveting your body!Chapter 43 · Does what we’re doing count as Sneaking?Chapter 44 · You want to change rooms?Chapter 45 · Isn’t Bai Sheng’s scheming way too deep?Chapter 46 · Mr. Yu in front of me has become calm and composedChapter 47 · You care a lot about Yu Yutian?Chapter 48 · Bai Sheng has found someoneChapter 49 · How to fall in loveChapter 50 · Uncle Long LegsChapter 51 · Bai Mao, I’m a little scaredChapter 52 · I simply told them the truthChapter 53 · That was far too mercilessChapter 54 · Your fans mention it in your fan forumChapter 55 · In your dreamsChapter 56 · Hello, UncleChapter 57 · Verified account had repliedChapter 58 · Maomao, you don’t need to be afraid of themChapter 59 · What a headacheChapter 60 · It’s a bit… tragicChapter 61 · I’m waiting for you at homeChapter 62 · That’s just too much!Chapter 63 · Is this watch really that expensive?Chapter 64 · Tian CityChapter 65 · They’re easy to get along with.Chapter 66 · Want to have a relationship with marriage in mind?Chapter 67 · Is this the joy of being someone’s “little uncle”?Chapter 68 · Has the protagonist finally figured it out?Chapter 69 · I miss youChapter 70 · That whole family is something else.Chapter 71 · Then comfort meChapter 72 · What about sincerity?Chapter 73 · There’s also 10% of the company’s sharesChapter 74 · So called conservativeChapter 75 · I thought you’d be walking with a limpChapter 76 · They’ve been brainwashedChapter 77 · We got marriedChapter 78 · CongratulationsChapter 79 · You already knew it was me?Chapter 80 · You look very good in a shirtChapter 81 · Did you used to like Bai Sheng?Chapter 82 · I never liked himChapter 83 · Uncle is super niceChapter 84 · Extra 1Chapter 85 · Extra 2Chapter 86 · Extra 3