The man behind him, looking like a student, wore an expression that was inexplicably both awkward and embarrassed.
Who else could it be but Lu Ren?
Rao Mengmeng: “…”
That evening, five of the top fifteen trending topics on Weibo were related to the *Blade* crew.
#Luo Jiuge and Yin Beilin’s Photo#
#Luo Jiuge Visits Yin Beilin’s Set#
#Blade Director Personally Selects Rao Mengmeng for the Role of Cheng Ru#
Initially, the top trending topic on Weibo was the photo of Yin Beilin and Luo Jiuge.
The photo focused solely on the two of them.
Yin Beilin, dressed in black, turned his head slightly. His phoenix-shaped eyes shone like cold stars, and his aloof, detached face remained exceptionally handsome as he glanced to his right.
Standing to his left, Luo Jiuge was equally stunning.
A quick search for comments on Weibo revealed that eight out of ten were discussing Yin Beilin and Luo Jiuge, though some also mentioned Rao Mengmeng.
I hope Yin Beilin trends every day so I can admire Master Lin’s divine looks daily. *pant pant pant*
Rainbow farts are streaming from my eyes. Luo Jiuge is truly a goddess; I’m absolutely obsessed with her in that beige-gray dress.
Rao Mengmeng has a bright future ahead.
Mengmeng is truly a genius girl. No wonder Director Xu Zhou appreciates her so much.
Isn’t Rao Mengmeng tired? I’ve noticed her team loves to milk that “talented and spirited young girl” persona dry.
Her acting is decent, but buying hot searches every single time is getting a bit old.
…Are you sick? She was handpicked by the director’s team! Rao Mengmeng’s performance in Linying was top-notch. She’s carving out a niche as a powerhouse young actress. How did she become a “marketing star” in your mouths?
Save the “powerhouse” praise for when the movie actually comes out, okay? *Blade* is a suspense film. Who knows if she even has ten minutes of screen time? Where’s the “powerhouse” performance? I’m speechless.
Gradually, the hot searches began to shift toward discussing the CP.
They’re so perfect together! As expected of the Emperor and Empress of the Entertainment Circle CP. Standing together, they’re simply a treasure of the human world.
Are Luo Jiuge and Yin Beilin dating? When I watched them in *Cold Day*, I really felt like there were sparks between them.
I think Jiu’er and Master Lin are together. Otherwise, why would Jiu’er visit the set? The Fan Leader said she cleared her schedule specifically for that.
Lingge is truly a match made in heaven, hahaha.
However, just as the CP fans were starting to celebrate, someone began to throw cold water on the fire.
Wake up, everyone! Every time Master Lin acts with someone, a bunch of people start shipping them. But in reality, Master Lin is a total CSNB.
What does CSNB mean?
CSNB stands for “cares nobody.” He ignores everyone. Isn’t Master Lin’s nickname Yin Buliao? Hahahahahaha.
Yin Beilin and Luo Jiuge’s CP was one of the most popular ships among Master Lin’s many pairings. Their fans were numerous and immediately began arguing with the doomsayers.
However, gradually, some people started to notice something off about the photo.
Just asking, who’s standing to Master Lin’s right? It feels like he’s looking to the right.
I’ve spotted a key detail: Jiuge seems to be reaching out, trying to get Master Lin to look at her, but in all these photos, Master Lin seems to be looking at the person next to him.
So who’s the person next to him?
Holy crap! Huge news! The neighboring network just released the unedited photos and video. The person next to Master Lin is CL!
CL? Who’s CL? Is he from our country? Why have I never heard of him?
CL is China Lu, the one who’s always trying to ride our coattails. Don’t thank me, but remember the ‘c’ in china should be lowercase.
[Holy shit hahahahahaha you guys are all geniuses]
[No, seriously, what’s going on? Has no one noticed how plain Lu Ren looks in these unedited photos? Fuck, I almost mistook him for a new crush and wanted to make him my wife. I’m a sinner.]
[Me too. I was just fangirling over this handsome guy for a while, but then someone told me it was CL, and I didn’t even believe them. Now I’m just straight-up heartbroken.]
[So Lu the Clout-Chaser is starting the ‘pure and sexy’ route? Heh, he’s really figured out how to play the internet, hasn’t he?]
[He’s not even being sexy this time. He’s almost as conservative as Master Lin next door.]
[Heh, you guys just don’t get it. Haven’t you noticed that his outfit is the exact same one Master Lin wore before? He’s standing right next to Master Lin on purpose—isn’t he just waiting to clout-chase?]
[Shit! If you hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have noticed. That outfit is clearly the runway piece from Yin Beilin’s last show… ]
[??? Lu Ren’s resources are good enough to get clothes like that? Stop joking. That’s a special piece HERME gives to their brand ambassadors.]
[He’s at it again, wearing fakes and showing up again.]
[Lu the Clout-Chaser has been trending so much lately. Is he about to star in another show? Could it be a publicity stunt?]
Lu Ren was completely oblivious to the online firestorm.
He had been whisked away by Yin Beilin, head spinning, for a photoshoot. After the shoot, Yin Beilin and Huang Ying exchanged a few words. All Lu Ren knew was that Huang Ying wouldn’t be driving him back; Yin Beilin would be taking him himself.
As soon as this was decided, Lu Ren was once again subjected to Huang Ying’s deathly glare, the kind a dean would shoot at a student.
Lu Ren was truly terrified of teachers. With Huang Ying staring him down like that, he didn’t dare utter a single word.
*I didn’t even want Yin Beilin to drive me!* Lu Ren wanted to cry, but no tears would come.
*But!* He didn’t have an assistant. His manager probably wanted to stab him twice by now. And *Blade* was still stuck on this desolate mountain road… If he didn’t take Yin Beilin’s car, he’d have absolutely nowhere to go.
Circumstances were stronger than the man.
Even though the male lead had given him the creeps earlier that day, Lu Ren still followed Yin Beilin away, head bowed and shoulders hunched, looking completely defeated.
Inside the low-profile coupe, Yin Beilin brought the car to a halt. He held the steering wheel with one hand and lazily extended his right, offering his phone.
“Give me the address.”
Lu Ren froze for a moment, then hurriedly and respectfully typed the address into the memo app on Yin Beilin’s phone. He entered it with the same precision as a food delivery order, including the building and unit numbers.
*…Good thing I started frantically recalling my address the moment Yin Beilin said he’d drive me home. Otherwise, if he’d asked me just now, I wouldn’t have even known where I lived…*
Lu Ren’s lips twitched. *He’d definitely think I was a lunatic.*
Yin Beilin glanced at the screen, his long fingers tapping it a few times. He must have started the navigation, as he set the phone aside.
Lu Ren had expected to be on edge, but once inside the car, his cautiousness—waiting for Yin Beilin to speak—had only made his eyelids grow heavier and heavier…
And then, he fell fast asleep.
It was a deep, dreamless slumber, the kind that left him completely oblivious to the world.
“Get out.”
Lu Ren jolted awake, rubbing his eyes as he looked out the window in a daze. “Are we here?”
“Yes.”
Lu Ren covered his mouth with his hand and yawned, still half-asleep.
But the next second, when he looked out the window, he wasn’t just awake—he was staring, dumbfounded.
Looking out the window, he could see a massive, titanium-steel gatehouse.
The structure was a complex web of reinforced steel with an asymmetrical design—one side towering higher than the other, twisting in a way that seemed both distorted and profound.
Lu Ren stared, speechless.
He didn’t understand the architecture, but he was utterly awestruck.
His gaze swept further ahead, taking in the skyscrapers that shot straight up from the ground. From the exterior to the interior, everything he saw was a masterclass in minimalist elegance, perfectly balancing simplicity with a high-tech aesthetic. A doorman, his hands encased in pristine white gloves, already stood by the car, waiting as if on standby.
Lu Ren muttered, as if in a daze, “This… this doesn’t look like my place.”
In the original owner’s memories, his apartment was top-tier—if he recalled correctly, the monthly rent was nearly 80,000 yuan… a luxury complex near the city center where many industry insiders lived.
But this place was on a whole other level of luxury.
If Lu Ren’s memory served him, this wasn’t just for entertainment industry figures. This was a truly high-end apartment complex, the kind only the ultra-wealthy and the new financial elite could even dream of stepping into.
After Lu Ren murmured his realization, Yin Beilin let out a noncommittal “Mm.”
He rested one hand on the steering wheel, his posture exceptionally elegant and poised, as he turned his head slightly.
Lu Ren swallowed hard.
The next second, he saw Yin Beilin smile faintly.
“This is my place.”