Chi Gui removed his original black tie and casually set it aside.
Perhaps the distance between them was simply too close. Jing Shun felt that the tea fragrance from the other man’s clothes was even stronger today, teasing his nerves with an almost overpowering intensity.
He met that face so close to his own and discreetly controlled his breathing. Only then did he slip the brand-new tie beneath Chi Gui’s shirt collar.
“Th-then, shall I try tying it?”
“Mm.”
Chi Gui lowered his gaze.
Jing Shun’s hands were beautiful—slender and fair, with neatly trimmed nails. Only the rounded tips of his fingers revealed a faint pink hue.
But upon closer inspection, one would notice a tiny, delicate light-brown mole along the side of his right middle finger. It was rather cute.
Perhaps it had been too long since he last learned how to tie a tie. Jing Shun did not rush to begin. Instead, he held the tie in his hands, turning it over as he secretly worked out the correct steps.
Seeing how serious he looked, Chi Gui asked, despite already knowing the answer, “Who taught you? You don’t seem to wear formal clothes very often.”
“When I was little, I went to a red-carpet event with a production crew and learned a few tying methods from the costume designer.” Jing Shun felt the faint warmth of breath brushing against his forehead and dared not look at him. “Don’t ask me anything else. I’ll get distracted and mess it up.”
A hint of amusement was hidden in Chi Gui’s eyes. “All right.”
Jing Shun said he might not tie it properly, but his hands showed no sign of clumsiness. Instead, they moved with remarkable dexterity.
In less than half a minute, he had tied a neat, standard Kelvin knot and withdrawn his hands.
Chi Gui followed up, “That’s it? Does it need any further adjustment?”
“Let me see.”
Jing Shun examined it carefully, then adjusted the folds beneath the knot once more. As he did so, he flipped down the shirt collar.
In an instant, his cool fingertips accidentally brushed against Chi Gui’s throat, and a strange, tingling sensation flashed through them.
“…”
“…”
It was nothing more than an ordinary, accidental movement, yet both of them froze at the same time.
Chi Gui’s back tensed immediately. When he spoke again, his voice was slightly deeper. “Is it done?”
Jing Shun assumed the other man disliked this unexpected, almost teasing contact and quickly withdrew his hand. “Done. Take a look. Does it suit you?”
“Mm.”
Chi Gui stepped back and began straightening his clothes.
Jing Shun discreetly rubbed his fingertips together. He could not shake the feeling that an inexplicable flame had clung to them, one that refused to go out.
After adjusting his emotions, Chi Gui turned around. “It suits me quite well. I’ll wear it.”
Jing Shun rolled up the tie Chi Gui had taken off and placed it in the gift box. Remembering that a group of people was still waiting for Chi Gui outside, he asked, “If it’s inconvenient for you to take it out, I can bring it home for you later?”
“Mm, that works.”
Chi Gui fastened the outer button of his suit with one hand. “I still have a trade association meeting and a banquet to attend later, so I won’t be able to come back for you. Should I have Old Zhang come early and wait for you?”
Jing Shun shook his head. “We’re recording two episodes today, so I’m not sure when we’ll finish. I’ll take Brother Yu’s car home when we’re done.”
After these few encounters, Chi Gui had come to trust Jing Shun’s manager, Yu Xiuzhu. “All right. I’ll head out first. Focus on your recording.”
Jing Shun nodded and watched him stride away.
Only after the door to the dressing room closed did he immediately open his smartwatch and check the body metrics recorded earlier.
102 bpm.
“…”
That was close.
Thank goodness he had tied it quickly.
Otherwise, if he had dragged it out for another two minutes, Chi Gui would probably have received an alert.
Knock, knock.
There was a knock at the door.
Yu Xiuzhu entered with the makeup and styling team. “Xiao Jing, it’s about time. Shall we start your makeup and styling?”
Jing Shun closed the smartwatch interface and nodded calmly. “Okay.”
…
Chi Gui had only come to Haishi Television Station to make a brief appearance. Aside from taking the initiative to visit the recording studio, he had no interest in the plans or facilities of the other departments.
After his “chance encounter” with Jing Shun, his interest quickly faded, and he found an excuse to leave ahead of schedule.
A black luxury car worth over a million yuan sped down the road.
Chi Gui looked down at the data on his tablet and made the final decision. “Weidi, have headquarters start preparing the contract. We can arrange a suitable time to officially sign with Haishi.”
Old Zhang was driving, while Weidi sat in the front passenger seat. “Yes, sir.”
Chen Yiming, sitting beside him, took the opportunity to report the afternoon’s schedule once more. “Sir, the quarterly trade association meeting of the Entrepreneurs’ Club is from three to five. The banquet is scheduled from five-thirty to eight-thirty.”
“Mm, I know.”
Chi Gui closed the tablet. He caught sight of the tie reflected in its dark screen and asked, as though casually, “Have the official photographers been arranged for today’s meeting and banquet?”
Chen Yiming answered, “Mm, the organizers have arranged them. But I already coordinated with President Chen’s secretary this morning. No videos or photos taken today will include you.”
Chi Gui disliked appearing in public, and he disliked being on camera even more. Everyone in the industry knew that.
Precisely because of this, his whereabouts and achievements over the past two years had become increasingly mysterious to outsiders. After all, when a major figure remained unseen, people had plenty of room for imagination.
Chen Yiming knew his boss’s habits well and considered the arrangement perfectly reasonable.
He had not expected Chi Gui to break with his usual behavior and say, “It’s fine to take a photo or two at the meeting and banquet occasionally. Just make sure they’re reviewed before being released publicly.”
“…”
Chen Yiming froze. “Sh-should I arrange that?”
Weidi, sitting in the front passenger seat, also raised his head. He had to suppress his curiosity to keep from turning around.
Chi Gui did not repeat himself. He merely straightened his tie.
As his personal assistant, Chen Yiming had an exceptional eye for detail. He immediately noticed something. “Sir, how did you end up changing your tie?”
Wasn’t he wearing a black-and-gray diagonal-striped one before leaving this morning?
Chi Gui had been waiting for precisely this question. He showed no intention of flaunting it at all. “Mm. Jing Shun gave it to me.”
“…”
Chen Yiming understood instantly.
Right.
Then they would have to make sure to take plenty of good photos tonight.
Old Zhang glanced at him through the rearview mirror and praised him. “Mr. Xiao Jing certainly has good taste.”
Chi Gui was pleased. “Old Zhang, Uncle Lin mentioned that your son is getting married next weekend?”
Old Zhang answered, “Yes, sir. Next Saturday.”
Chi Gui instructed Chen Yiming, “Prepare a wedding gift and send it over. Give Old Zhang a raise as well.”
Old Zhang was instantly overjoyed. “Oh my, thank you, sir!”
“Of course.”
Chen Yiming nodded, as though he had just discovered the best shortcut to getting himself a raise.
…
Jing Shun’s medical report had been making waves online. Anyone who read it couldn’t help feeling sympathy and concern for him. Taking advantage of the final two episodes of filming, many staff members came over to check on him and offer him encouragement.
Jing Shun was touched, but he also felt a trace of guilt and unease—
After all, the birth of a television program was the result of many people’s hard work.
Although the online controversy surrounding him had already died down, quite a few netizens had still been led astray by the public opinion. Outraged, they had gone to Douban and left a large number of one-star ratings, indirectly affecting the show’s overall score.
Before filming began, Jing Shun paid out of his own pocket for more than a hundred cups of coffee and milk tea. He asked Yu Xiuzhu to arrange for someone to deliver them to the set, as a small gesture of compensation for the trouble he had caused.
Halfway through filming, they finally had a thirty-minute break.
Carrying a bag of coffee, Jing Shun hesitated for a long while before knocking on Fu Changting’s dressing-room door.
“Who is it?”
There was movement inside almost immediately, and his manager, Chen Jiang, opened the door.
Looking at Jing Shun in his wheelchair, the wariness in his eyes was gone. Instead, he greeted him with the appropriate courtesy. “Mr. Jing.”
Fu Changting, who was touching up his makeup, heard this and turned around. “Is that Jing Shun? Come in.”
Jing Shun entered with the bag of coffee and greeted him. “Brother Ting, sorry to disturb you. I had someone buy some coffee. See if there’s a flavor you like.”
Seeing him take the initiative, Fu Changting smiled and accepted it. “Thank you. My schedule has been packed these past two days, and I haven’t been getting enough sleep. I was just thinking of buying some coffee to keep myself awake.”
As he spoke, he took out an oat latte, then handed the other drinks to Chen Jiang and the makeup artist. “Take these out and share them. I’d like to have a private chat with Jing Shun.”
Chen Jiang didn’t object. He gestured for the staff to follow him outside.
The dressing-room door was left slightly ajar, giving the two of them some privacy.
Jing Shun relaxed considerably and got straight to the point. “Brother Ting, thank you for speaking up for me on Weibo.”
Fu Changting had already guessed that was why he had come. “You don’t have to thank me. I don’t usually pay much attention to what’s happening on Weibo. I only learned about it after my assistant mentioned it.”
He had seen the insults and accusations beneath Jing Shun’s original Weibo post and found them disgusting.
Fu Changting offered some comfort. “These days, the quality of netizens varies widely, and it’s easy for them to be led astray by paid posters. Don’t take those nasty comments to heart.”
“My support was just a little late. I don’t know if it helped you at all?”
Jing Shun said, “Brother Ting, your fans are wonderful. I received quite a few messages from them backstage, comforting and encouraging me.”
Fu Changting smiled. “I saw quite a few of those comments too. Some people even said they wanted to see the two of us work together for real again.”
Remembering that, he continued, “Xiao Jing, filming for this show is coming to an end. What are your plans next? Do you still want to return to acting?”
“Of course I do. It’s just that, in my current condition, I probably won’t be able to get any scripts in the short term.”
Jing Shun had accepted reality, but he wasn’t discouraged. “I still have to undergo a second surgery. If everything goes smoothly, I’ll probably be starting rehabilitation afterward.”
In any case, he would just have to take things one step at a time.
Fu Changting agreed. “Mm. Your health is your greatest asset. You’re still young, and you have a long life ahead of you.”
Jing Shun nodded and sincerely expressed what was in his heart. “Brother Ting, I’m really happy that I got to meet you again on this show and become familiar with you all over again. I wish you all the best in the future.”
Meeting his sincere gaze, Fu Changting’s thoughts drifted back to ten years ago.
At the time, he had been a rookie actor who had just debuted, and his acting was still rather inexperienced. During the first week of filming his new drama, there was a scene he NG’d seventeen times in a row. The director had been so furious that he picked up a megaphone and berated him on set.
It had been the most discouraging day of Fu Changting’s rookie career. He had even considered giving up.
Back then, it was Jing Shun, who was still just a minor actor, who had run up to him and encouraged and comforted him like a little adult.
In the blink of an eye, so many years had passed.
Perhaps because he had experienced physical pain, the Jing Shun before him had lost some of his former sunny optimism. He was much quieter and more restrained now, yet he still offered him his sincere blessings, just as he always had.
Fu Changting’s emotions swayed, a complicated mix of relief and regret that he couldn’t quite put into words.
He steadied himself and replied, “Xiao Jing, you’ll get better. If we have the chance in the future, let’s act together again.”
Jing Shun smiled and accepted that hope. “Okay.”
…
It was almost nine by the time filming ended.
Yu Yinhe had arranged for the staff to prepare flowers for everyone ahead of time. “Thank you all for your hard work! Today isn’t a good time, and two of our teachers still have flights to catch. When we have the official wrap party, I hope you’ll all do us the honor of getting together for a proper celebration!”
Naturally, everyone responded enthusiastically to the invitation.
After saying goodbye to everyone one by one, Jing Shun followed Yu Xiuzhu back to the car. He looked down at the bouquet of flowers blooming brilliantly in his arms, still a little reluctant to part with them.
“Time really flies. It’s over in the blink of an eye.”
This variety show was a recording opportunity he had finally gotten after so many years.
Although there had been a few twists and turns along the way, it was his first step toward returning to professional work and reconnecting with society. He was already very satisfied.
Yu Xiuzhu started the car. “You’ve worked hard these past few days. The production team’s appearance fee should be fully settled within the next few days. I’ll have someone transfer it all to you then.”
The appearance fees one could earn in the entertainment industry were still quite substantial by ordinary standards.
Remembering that payment, Jing Shun made a serious suggestion. “Brother Yu, why don’t you take a cut and put it into the company account? Even brothers should keep clear accounts, let alone the fact that I signed an artist contract with the company.”
“You’re favoring me too much right now. If the other contracted artists find out, they might have something to say.”
Jing Shun didn’t want to put Yu Xiuzhu in a difficult position.
His agreement with Chi Gui would expire during next year’s summer vacation. Before then, he could still look for other work opportunities and try to save some money.
Yu Xiuzhu could hear the seriousness and insistence in Jing Shun’s tone. He reluctantly agreed. “All right. Let’s forget about the previous payment. As for this final installment, we’ll split it seventy-thirty according to the contract. How’s that?”
Seeing him give in, Jing Shun broke into a smile. “Deal!”
Yu Xiuzhu suddenly remembered some gossip he had heard from someone else not long ago and shared it with Jing Shun. “Meng Zhìde didn’t come today. Do you know why?”
“Hm?”
“Dong Qihao was the artist he had been responsible for recommending and inviting onto the show. I heard that after this controversy broke out, the deputy station director gave him a serious dressing-down.”
“They said he hadn’t screened the artist’s risks in advance, and they even criticized him publicly at the regular meeting. He didn’t come to today’s recording, probably because he felt too embarrassed.”
“…”
After hearing the gossip, Jing Shun raised his eyebrows slightly. “Oh.”
Seeing that he wasn’t very interested, Yu Xiuzhu brought up another matter. “By the way, I’ll find time soon to negotiate with the production team of Counterattack. I’ll try to get your accident compensation settled as soon as possible.”
Jing Shun was somewhat surprised. “Will they be willing to negotiate?”
In his previous life, Jing Shun hadn’t signed with any agency, and after the accident, there had been no one to step forward and argue his case with the production team.
He had endured the pain himself, making call after call to contact them and demand compensation. Unfortunately, the production company’s investors had seen that he was isolated and without support, so they kept making excuses and refusing to resolve the matter.
With no other choice, Jing Shun had filed a lawsuit against the production team and its investors!
That lawsuit had dragged on for nearly two years, and in the end, he had received only 120,000 yuan in compensation.
Jing Shun had thought the production team would be just as difficult to deal with this time. Why had they softened so quickly?
Yu Xiuzhu told him honestly, “My dad knows Mr. Lai, one of the production’s investors. I asked him to put in a few words for me.”
Yu Chuan was a renowned director in the industry, with considerable influence in both the film and television circles and investment circles. Sometimes, even if people didn’t care about the monk, they still had to show some respect to the Buddha.
Yu Xiuzhu continued, “They know you have the upper hand in public opinion right now, so they probably don’t want to go to court. As for the compensation amount, they still need to reach an agreement internally before they come to negotiate with you.”
Jing Shun understood the twists and turns of these personal connections and felt grateful. “I’ve caused Director Yu to go to so much trouble.”
Yu Xiuzhu smiled. “It’s family connections. Why not use them?”
“Still, this will take some time to sort out. I’ll find time to consult a lawyer in detail and see how much compensation you should reasonably claim in your situation. That way, it’ll be easier to negotiate when we meet them.”
“Mm.”
…
In mid-April, the air had already begun to warm.
“Woof!”
Goubao was running wild on the lawn, chasing after a flying disc and having the time of his life. Occasionally, he would get carried away and lose his footing, tumbling head over heels.
Jing Shun was amused by his own dog so many times that, even with his phone battery nearly dead, he kept taking pictures.
Suddenly, Yu Xiuzhu called.
Jing Shun answered. “Hello? Brother Yu.”
“Xiao Jing, I need to tell you something.” Yu Xiuzhu didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point. “I only found out today that the production team’s accident compensation has been released.”
“That fast?”
“Mm. A full 300,000 yuan. But someone already collected it on your behalf last Friday.”
“…”
Jing Shun hadn’t even had time to be surprised by the amount before the second half of the sentence left him utterly confused. “What do you mean? Who collected it?”
Yu Xiuzhu was usually gentle and refined, but even over the phone, he could barely contain the indignation in his voice.
“The person in charge on the investors’ side said that Jing Guanhai got there first, took your ID card and household registration booklet, and withdrew the money in the name of your biological father!”