Director Li was stunned.
Wang Qirui looked straight at Shang Xueyan, astonished. “You know the owner of the house?”
The crew members who had gathered around immediately looked at him in surprise, and a thought quickly crossed their minds, was Shang Xueyan joking? A nobody eighteenth-tier actor who had come to the set for a bit part, and he claimed to know the owner of the garden?
“See, this is why I say young people these days just can’t be trusted they’ll make up any lie.” The crew’s logistics director frowned, his caterpillar-like eyebrows knitting together, his face full of disbelief as he looked down his nose in criticism. “All their energy goes into underhanded tricks. No wonder young actors’ performances keep getting worse and worse.”
“Alright, that’s enough out of you.” Wang Qirui said irritably.
The phone rang until it hung up on its own no one had answered.
The logistics director sneered. “Shang Xueyan, so this is what you meant by knowing them? No one even picked up the phone. Tsk.”
The crew members who had been watching were already full of suspicion, and after hearing Qian Meiyou’s words, they stared at Shang Xueyan with subtle, knowing looks.
Wang Xiantao’s mind was in a jumble, and he didn’t really believe Shang Xueyan knew the owner of such a grand estate either, but he didn’t like the way everyone was looking at him. Instinctively protective, he said, “What if the other person is busy? What if they just couldn’t pick up right now? Are you telling me you can answer someone else’s call twenty-four hours a day?”
The logistics director, Qian Meiyou, let out a cold snort. “Oh, that’s a convenient excuse”
Before she could finish, Shang Xueyan’s phone buzzed as an incoming call came through.
It was Shang Xianwang.
Shang Xueyan turned slightly and answered immediately. “Big brother.”
Shang Xianwang gave a low hum in acknowledgment. “Ayan, I was just in the restroom. Did you need something?”
“Big brother, do you own a garden estate in antique style on Yaoping Road, with two pixiu statues at the gate? I sent you a photo of the front gate on WeChat.”
Shang Xianwang opened WeChat, checked the photo, and confirmed. “Yes.”
“What is it? Do you want to move there?”
Shang Xueyan told him the truth: “Our crew is currently outside this estate.”
On the second day after he and his big brother had been reunited, his brother had pulled out an iPad and asked which house he wanted to move to, saying his villa was a bit small. Shang Xueyan remembered that among the properties his brother had shown him, this estate was one of them.
But Shang Xueyan didn’t want to move. His brother’s villa spanned six or seven hundred square meters across multiple floors, how was that small? Besides, his brother had been living in that villa for years, and it wasn’t far from where he worked.
After he said he didn’t want to move, during the few days he was learning to drive not long ago, his brother had brought in a renovation company and remodeled the room he stayed in, knocking through the wall to connect it with the adjacent guest room, creating a very spacious bedroom with its own bathroom and a massive walk-in closet.
A few minutes later, Shang Xueyan hung up, and the director and crew members all stared at him with bright, expectant eyes.
Shang Xueyan, however, was perfectly calm. A thousand years ago, he had often been stared at by many people; a thousand years later, it was no different.
Seeing his composed expression without the slightest trace of excitement, Wang Qirui sighed inwardly, assuming the call had come to nothing. Shang Xueyan was just an eighteenth-tier actor in the entertainment industry, how could he possibly have connections like that? He had even asked the show’s investors to contact the owner of the estate, and that had gone nowhere.
At the thought of having to settle for a lesser location for his drama, Wang Qirui felt an uncontrollable surge of frustration and helplessness rise in his chest.
At that moment, Shang Xueyan spoke in his usual tone: “We’ll probably have to wait about ten minutes. Someone will come to open the gate for the crew in ten minutes.”
Everyone:
The assistant director’s mouth fell open. After a moment, he said in disbelief, “Shang Xueyan, you’re not joking, are you?”
Unlike Director Wang and the others’ astonishment, Qian Meiyou’s expression turned sour. “Shang Xueyan, do you know how precious the crew’s time is? What if no one comes to open the gate after ten minutes?”
Wang Xiantao had disliked him for a long time and snapped back, “You can’t even wait ten minutes? Are you going to die before ten minutes are up?”
“You!” Qian Meiyou flew into a rage. “How dare you speak to me like that?”
“Enough. You’re a senior here, why are you bickering with two kids?” Wang Qirui scolded. “If you can’t stand the wait, get in the car and go back yourself.”
Qian Meiyou let out a cold snort, crossing his plump arms. “I’ll just wait and see what surprise shows up in ten minutes.”
It didn’t take ten minutes at most six before a Volkswagen drove up from the distance to the manor gate. It was the current manor manager whom Director Wang had seen exactly an hour ago.
Long Guang, who had been extremely impatient with their request earlier and had even refused to make a single phone call to the property owner on their behalf.
Long Guang got out of the car, swept his gaze over the crowd, and quickly spotted Shang Xueyan. A fawning smile creased his face. “Mr. Shang, I’ll open the gate for the crew right now.”
Qian Meiyou saw this and his head buzzed twice. His gaze accidentally met Shang Xueyan’s, and he quickly looked away, shrinking into a corner.
Because Long Guang was very cooperative, the crew entered the manor smoothly a place lush with trees and flourishing with flowers and plants.
The two hours that had just delayed the props team’s setup meant the shoot might start a bit late. Shang Xueyan, wearing an elaborate, exquisite crimson imperial robe, sat on a small stool playing with his phone.
With a click, Wang Xiantao unfolded a folding stool and sat down beside Shang Xueyan, a strange look on his face. “Shang Xueyan, tell me, how do you know the owner of this house?”
Before Shang Xueyan could speak, Wang Xiantao suddenly turned serious, speaking with mock gravity. “Actually, you’re the real young master that a wealthy family lost, and now you’ve returned to the fold, changing your fate overnight to endless riches.”
Having said that, he burst into laughter at his own joke.
Shang Xueyan was just about to find an opportunity to tell Wang Xiantao about his older brother. He curved his lips slightly. “I’m not a wealthy family’s illegitimate son lost outside. I’m a wealthy family’s biological brother lost outside.”
Wang Xiantao let out a “ha” of laughter. “Actually, I have a secret to tell you too.” His expression turned solemn.
“?”
“My dad is Qin Shi Huang.”
Shang Xueyan: “…”
Realizing that Wang Xiantao hadn’t taken what he’d just said seriously, Shang Xueyan was about to elaborate when the director called them over to rehearse the scene. Shang Xueyan had no choice but to put off the conversation and rehearse and film with Wang Xiantao and the male and female leads.
After that scene was finished, during the break before the next one, Shang Xueyan went to the restroom.
Not long after Shang Xueyan left, the assistant director raised his voice and asked, “Who in our crew has a Rolls-Royce custom Phantom parked in the Hengdian Zone 8 parking lot?”
This crew was willing to spend money, all of it went into costumes, props, and sets, while the actors themselves weren’t particularly famous.
The female lead was still in university, and the male lead had played supporting roles in a few productions; this was his first time as the lead.
A supporting actor glanced around at the lead actors, who all looked bewildered, and let out a snicker. “Director, who in our crew could afford a Rolls-Royce Phantom? I’d have to work ten lifetimes for that.”
A Rolls-Royce Phantom wasn’t exactly cheap it was already a luxury car, and the price of a custom-built Rolls-Royce Phantom was even more out of reach.
Even if you combined the lead actors’ salaries, they probably couldn’t afford a tenth of a Rolls-Royce.
“But when they parked this morning, they chatted with the security guard at the lounge and said they were an actor from our crew,” the assistant director said.
“Maybe they got it wrong?” Wang Xiantao replied.
“Probably a mistake,” a male actor joked. “If I could afford a Rolls-Royce, I wouldn’t be acting anymore.”
The assistant director was about to reply to a friend’s message to ask if there’d been a mix-up.
Shang Xueyan returned from the restroom to the pointed pavilion and, seeing they seemed to be discussing something, leaned down to ask Wang Xiantao, “What are you all talking about?”
Wang Xiantao: “The director just asked who in our crew drives a Rolls-Royce Phantom. Hilarious, how could any actor in our crew have a Rolls-Royce, let alone a Phantom? I’ve only ever seen that car online; I’ve never even seen one in real life…”
Shang Xueyan stood up and walked over to the assistant director. “Director Li, is that Rolls-Royce Phantom you mentioned the one with license plate ending in 8909?”
Director Li said yes, and a bold thought flashed through his mind. He hardly dared to believe it, swallowed hard, and said in a strained voice, “That Rolls-Royce Phantom is yours?”
“It’s mine. Is something wrong?” Shang Xueyan asked.
He’d parked the car properly in the parking lot nothing could have happened to it, right?
Director Li was stunned, and so were Wang Xiantao and the other actors on set. Shang Xueyan had some buzz a year and a half ago, but everyone here was a long-form drama actor who didn’t follow short dramas. Besides, Xueyan hadn’t blown up big, so few knew his name. Especially after a year or two had passed and several male leads had surged to fame, even fewer knew his background, most assumed he was just an ordinary minor actor.
Was he some rich family’s young master? But if he was that wealthy, why would he play an unimportant supporting role? Nowadays, even the ugly kids of capital could land lead roles, so someone like Shang Xueyan, a handsome child of privilege, could easily get a lead part, couldn’t he?
After a brief moment of shock, Director Li snapped back to reality. “Nothing’s wrong, I actually have a favor to ask you.”
“What?”
Director Li pulled Shang Xueyan aside to a quiet corner and scratched his cheek awkwardly. “A friend of mine is filming a modern drama and wants to rent a luxury car. He happened to see a custom Rolls-Royce Phantom in the parking lot. Would you be willing to lend your car to their crew? It won’t be long just three days.”
“Yeah, they’ll pay rent at market rate.” Director Li’s face flushed as he said this, because Shang Xueyan’s motorhome-style Rolls-Royce Phantom was a special custom edition, considerably more expensive than a standard Phantom, and there probably wasn’t another one like it available for rent on the market.
“Sorry, Director Li, I don’t want to rent it out.” Shang Xueyan was a generous person if a friend needed to borrow the car, he’d lend it without hesitation.
Director Li didn’t even know the director he mentioned, let alone the fact that the car was quite new his big brother probably hadn’t driven it more than a few times. Shang Xueyan didn’t like the idea of strangers coming and going through it.
Director Li steeled himself. “Really not considering it?”
Shang Xueyan shook his head decisively.
“Alright then.” Director Li’s attitude remained gentle, his tone even softer than before, and he spoke kindly, “Then I’ll have him check with the rental company for other luxury cars. Originally, before he saw your car today, he was planning to rent a Mercedes. You take a good look at the script we’re about to start filming soon.”
Shang Xueyan returned to his small folding stool.
Wang Xiantao remained frozen with his eyes wide in shock until Shang Xueyan sat down on the stool beside him. Only then did Wang Xiantao snap out of it, his voice hoarse. “Shang Xueyan, you drove a Rolls-Royce Phantom to the set today?”
Shang Xueyan nodded calmly, meeting Wang Xiantao’s gaze with an air of nonchalance. “I told you, I’m the long-lost younger brother of a big-shot tycoon.”
“Wasn’t that just a joke we made a moment ago?!” Wang Xiantao couldn’t believe it.
Shang Xueyan looked at him, saying nothing, just smiling.
Wang Xiantao suddenly realized something. He looked down at Shang Xueyan’s feet for the shoot, he was wearing the production’s shoes. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly. “Those shoes you wore this morning, were they real?”
Shang Xueyan blinked. “My big brother bought me a shoe cabinet full of shoes a few days ago. There should be some brands you like. I’ll take photos when I get home tonight if you like any pair, I’ll bring them for you tomorrow.”
Wang Xiantao: “!!”
Wang Xiantao grabbed Shang Xueyan’s arms with both hands. “Shang Xueyan, starting today, you’re no longer my brother!”
Shang Xueyan: “?”
Wang Xiantao said fervently, “You’re my dad, my real dad!”
The next day, when Shang Xueyan drove the Rolls-Royce Phantom to work, he brought two pairs of sneakers that Wang Xiantao liked. Wang Xiantao was nearly the same height as Shang Xueyan, and though his frame was broader, they wore the same shoe size.
Seeing how the other man looked like he wanted to enshrine those two pairs of sneakers, Shang Xueyan figured he probably wouldn’t wear them, he’d treat them like works of art, like display pieces.
After an afternoon scene wrapped, Shang Xueyan stretched his arms. Wang Xiantao hopped forward a big step and slung his right arm tightly around Shang Xueyan’s shoulder. “Yan ge, your presence just now was incredible. I almost thought you really were the emperor.”
Sensing that someone seemed to be staring at him, Wang Xiantao turned his face. Not far away, a tall young man in a black suit was walking slowly along the arched bridge toward the edge of the pond.
“Big brother!” Shang Xueyan waved excitedly at the man and ran toward him in big strides.
“Big brother, why are you here? Don’t you have work this afternoon?” Shang Xueyan said with enthusiasm. His imperial robes were layered seven or eight times deep, and in the late spring weather, they had his face flushed red from the heat.
“I came to watch you act. You did very well just now you had real imperial presence.”
Shang Xueyan let out a soft chuckle.
Seeing Wang Xiantao walk up beside him, Shang Xueyan took the initiative to introduce them. “Big brother, this is my friend, Wang Xiantao.”
“Wang Xiantao, this is my big brother, Shang Xianwang.”
“Hello, big brother.” Wang Xiantao enthusiastically extended a hand.
He extended his right hand, the same one that had just been draped across Shang Xueyan’s shoulders, his arm having been wrapped around the back of Shang Xueyan’s neck with his hand resting on his right shoulder.
Shang Xianwang shook it politely.
They couldn’t chat with Shang Xianwang for long the two of them had to go shoot the next scene. Filming often doesn’t follow the order of the script but rather the location; one location shoots all the scenes that take place there.
Shang Xueyan was called over by the costume crew to change outfits, into something more languid and leisurely than what he’d been wearing before.
He sat by the estate’s pond listening to silk-and-bamboo music, with two beauties flanking him, occasionally peeling grapes for him and massaging his legs, speaking in soft, gentle tones then the male lead requested an audience.
Wang Xiantao had no part in this scene, so he stood off to the side watching.
Clearly, Shang Xueyan wasn’t used to girls getting close to him. When a pretty girl in period costume tried to pop a grape into his mouth, the director reminded him, “She’s feeding you a grape, not poison. Emperor, you need to enjoy it enjoy it, understand? Don’t lean your body so far away from her.”
They ran through the scene twice. Once the director was satisfied, he sat back behind the monitor for the official take. The girl in costume fed Shang Xueyan a grape, and his acting was actually quite good once the director coached him, that air of rakish, indulgent pleasure came through.
He turned his head, wanting to chat a bit with Shang Xianwang. Wang Xiantao caught the look in Shang Xianwang’s eyes as he stared at Shang Xueyan and that girl, and paused for a moment.
“Hm?”
“Yan’er’s acting is pretty good, huh.”
“Yeah.”
The grape-eating scene was shot in just one take. The main focus was on Shang Xueyan and the male lead’s scenes, which took several setups before finally wrapping. By now the sun was directly overhead, the hottest part of the day. Shang Xueyan didn’t handle heat well, so he pulled open the collar of his layered costume robes, revealing a hint of pale collarbone, and walked over to the two of them.
Shang Xianwang twisted open the cap of a bottled water and handed it to him, remarking casually, “So you’re a rakish emperor after all.”
Shang Xueyan pressed his lips to the bottle’s opening, tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he took a few gulps. He pulled his damp lips away from the clear rim. “I don’t even count as a rakish emperor just two beauties attending to me. I once saw someone else filming, and the director got him four beauties to wait on him.”
“You want to act in something like that?” Shang Xianwang asked, his tone sounding perfectly even.
“Yeah… heh, just messing with you. No way I’d want that.”
Shang Xueyan’s last scene of the day was at dusk; once he finished it, he could go home. Wang Xiantao had night scenes and stayed at the estate to keep filming.
Shang Xianwang had driven there, so Shang Xueyan didn’t take the Rolls-Royce, he got into the passenger seat of the Maybach instead.
On the Maybach’s dashboard sat a little “safe travels” ornament. A few days ago, he’d felt his big brother’s center console looked too bare, and while browsing Taobao he thought the little thing was cute with a good meaning behind it, so he’d bought it specially and placed it in the car Shang Xianwang usually drove. Shang Xueyan poked the shiba inu–shaped car ornament with his finger. “Big brother, what are we eating tonight?”
“Let’s eat out. What do you want?”
“Let me take a look first.”
Shang Xueyan pulled out his phone and searched for good restaurants along the route from the film studio back home. He finally settled on a Thai place he’d never tried Thai food before. Going by Thailand’s location, that was the ancient Nanyue kingdom over a thousand years ago.
He’d just found the restaurant and was about to put his phone down when a notification flashed at the top of the screen, Wang Xiantao had sent him a message.
Wang Xiantao: [Your big brother really is your big brother, right?]
Shang Xueyan: [?]
Wang Xiantao: [You saw the paternity test, didn’t you? Did you confirm your blood relation?]
Shang Xueyan: [?]
Shang Xueyan held his phone, staring at the “typing…” indicator under Wang Xiantao’s contact name for several minutes before a message of moderate length finally came through: [Shang Xianwang doesn’t look at you with a clean gaze it’s not the look of an older brother toward a younger brother, but the look of a man toward the one he loves. Do you understand?]
Shang Xueyan’s face went blank: [I understand you’re calling me a woman!]
A moment later, Shang Xueyan frowned and added, [No wait, you’re actually calling my big brother gay!]