When Jiang Yu first heard the name, he was only shocked. But when Cheng Ran walked onto the stage, enveloped by the spotlight, Jiang Yu felt like he was going crazy.
Although he had heard about Cheng Ran starting to film abroad before, after living with Cheng Ran for so many years, Jiang Yu understood Cheng Ran too well.
Cheng Ran was like a delicate flower, needing to rely on others to survive, unable to withstand even the slightest hardship, let alone struggle alone abroad.
If the entertainment industry were really that easy to thrive in, if it were truly easy to become famous, there wouldn’t be so many actors struggling hard for decades and still remaining unknown.
In any country, the entertainment industry has its own set of rules. Without support and financial backing, breaking through is as difficult as reaching the sky. So when Jiang Yu heard about Cheng Ran studying acting and filming in Country N, he didn’t take it seriously. He couldn’t believe Cheng Ran would achieve anything remarkable.
But to Jiang Yu’s surprise, Cheng Ran did achieve success, and not only that, he somehow got involved with Ye Zhou, quietly made it to the film festival nominations, stood out among competitors, and actually won the final award.
Usually, film festival nominations are announced a week or even earlier in advance. If this had happened before Jiang Yu’s downfall, he would have known about this news early on and wouldn’t have been so surprised.
Since the bankruptcy of his company and the incident of buying trolls to tarnish Ye Zhou’s reputation, Jiang Yu seemed to have lost everything in an instant. He didn’t know what Jiang Tingyuan had said to their father, but instead of helping like he usually did, their father, Jiang Changsong, not only didn’t lend a hand this time but also warned him to behave and not cause trouble again, threatening to sever their father-son relationship if there was another incident.
Before Father Jiang said those words, Jiang Yu’s bankruptcy was just a failure in his career. His mother was now legitimately Jiang Changsong’s wife, and he had transformed from an illegitimate child to the legitimate young master of the Jiang family.
As long as this relationship existed, with the Jiang family’s support, Jiang Yu was not afraid of hitting rock bottom or having the possibility of making a comeback.
The creditors who came after him were only lenient due to the Jiang family’s influence. If they really acted tough, Jiang Yu would probably not have enough lives to pay off his debts.
Of course, all this was based on Jiang Yu not being disowned by the Jiang family. Once he was no longer part of the family or was completely abandoned by them, his life would be over.
Although Jiang Yu’s mind was sometimes not in the right place, when it came to his future development, he was quite clear. Father Jiang was his lifeline, and he couldn’t bring himself to cut off his own path.
So, for over a year, Jiang Yu spent most of his time revolving around his father, pretending to be an obedient and understanding son in front of Jiang Changsong.
On one hand, Jiang Yu’s actions were aimed at restoring his position in Father Jiang’s heart, and on the other hand, he was trying to evade his debts outside.
Being the child he watched grow up, who was diligently filial to him every day, and with Jiang Yu’s mother helping to persuade Father Jiang, Father Jiang’s attitude towards Jiang Yu had finally softened a bit.
After spending a year at home coaxing the old man, Jiang Yu had no time to focus on external matters, leading to a significant lack of information. He didn’t even notice Cheng Ran’s name among the nominees for the Golden Lemon Award this time.
Watching Cheng Ran stand on stage holding the trophy, although his excitement was evident, he remained very composed overall.
In Jiang Yu’s eyes, this version of Cheng Ran was far more unfamiliar than familiar.
He seemed too unfamiliar, with a demeanor and aura that seemed to have undergone a remarkable transformation. He lacked the cautiousness that used to accompany him when he was by Jiang Yu’s side and exuded confidence in every move.
Gone was the lowered gaze and submission in his face when facing him, his eyes, usually filled with worries, were now bright and captivating, making it impossible to look away.
When Cheng Ran left, he had dug such a big hole for him. Jiang Yu should hate him to the core. Over the years of separation, Jiang Yu had not shown any mercy towards Cheng Ran. In fact, due to resentment, Jiang Yu even hired local gangsters to harass Cheng Ran every now and then.
But considering they had once loved each other, seeing Cheng Ran shining brilliantly under the spotlight, while Jiang Yu was filled with hatred, he couldn’t stop his heart from beating wildly.
At this moment, Cheng Ran, standing on the stage receiving the award, had no idea of Jiang Yu’s current state of mind.
His gaze swept around the venue, eventually settling on Ye Zhou’s location. Raising the trophy, he intended to express his gratitude to Ye Zhou sincerely, but tears welled up in his eyes before he could speak.
“Perhaps it may sound a bit melodramatic, but if I don’t say it now, I might never have the courage to say it.”
“I’m not a very lucky person, because I’ve made many wrong decisions. Just two years ago, I went to Country N alone. It was a foreign land with unfamiliar faces and language barriers. Without a translator, I couldn’t even manage basic communication. My life had once reached a dead end, and in the quiet of the night, I often wondered, what’s the point of me, someone worthless, living in this world?”
“Just when I was on the brink of this tormenting question, Director Ye Zhou called me. He casually asked if I would be willing to audition.”
“I’m not afraid of being laughed at. I… I’m not a great actor. I started late in this field, never received formal acting training, not a smart person. I’ve even done many unreasonable things.”
“Even though I was such a mess, he still gave me a chance, an opportunity to break free from the mud, and he opened a new door for me.”
“It was also him who told me how splendid the world outside the door is, with blue skies, white clouds, and… sunlight warm enough to touch every inch of my skin.”
Cheng Ran’s voice trembled, his words slightly disjointed due to his overwhelming excitement, but every word came straight from the heart.
Many in the audience, both at the venue and online, were unaware of the entanglement between Cheng Ran and Ye Zhou. However, they could still sense Cheng Ran’s intense gratitude towards Ye Zhou in his heartfelt words.
Just after Cheng Ran finished speaking, the camera cleverly shifted to Ye Zhou.
In the frame, Ye Zhou didn’t say anything. Instead, he simply raised his hand and gave a thumbs-up to Cheng Ran on stage, a clear gesture of encouragement.
Many people in the audience saw it, viewers watching the live broadcast of the awards ceremony saw it, and Cheng Ran standing on stage saw it as well.
Cheng Ran lifted the trophy above his head, waved to Ye Zhou, then suddenly bowed deeply towards Ye Zhou’s location.
“Director Ye, thank you.”
I’m not a good person, I’ve done many wrong things. Thank you for forgiving me, and I’m even more grateful for the path you’ve shown me. In the days to come, I will work diligently, resolutely, and strive to live up to your expectations.
After the awards ceremony ended, Cheng Ran and Ye Zhou left with the crew of “Rewind.” As the lights dimmed inside, the crowd dispersed, leaving only Ye Zhou and Cheng Ran at the venue entrance.
Ye Zhou didn’t particularly want to leave; he simply couldn’t leave…
“Alright, stop crying. Isn’t it just a reward? It depends on your potential.” Ye Zhou said as Cheng Ran’s crying was giving him a headache.
Cheng Ran hadn’t intended to cry, but he couldn’t control himself when it came time to part ways, ending up sobbing uncontrollably while holding onto Ye Zhou’s arm.
Fearing that the media might capture him in this state, Ye Zhou had no choice but to pull him to a more secluded and secure exit of the venue to let him compose himself.
Unexpectedly, Cheng Ran’s tears persisted for over ten minutes, causing Ye Zhou to contemplate calling Mr. Jiang for help. Just as Ye Zhou was about to make the call, a sarcastic voice sounded from behind.
“Oh, isn’t this… the little white-faced boy my brother is supporting?” Jiang Yu had been following Ye Zhou and Cheng Ran for a long time, emerging from the shadows only after most of the people around had left.
Approaching the two, Jiang Yu feigned surprise and said, “Isn’t this my little lover Cheng Ran, who took off with my money? When I heard your name during the awards ceremony, I couldn’t believe it was really you, Cheng Ran.”
Ye Zhou looked at him as if he were dealing with a fool, too lazy to humor him, and bluntly said, “Get lost.”
If Jiang Yu could obediently leave when told to, he wouldn’t be Jiang Yu. With a cold snort, he tried to push Ye Zhou, but Ye Zhou wasn’t one to be trifled with. He took two steps back, dodging Jiang Yu’s attempt, then promptly kicked him in the butt.
The kick was merciless, not only causing Jiang Yu to stumble, but also leaving a dusty footprint on his white pants.
Instantly enraged, Jiang Yu lunged towards Ye Zhou to hit him. However, before he could steady himself, Ye Zhou moved faster and landed another kick to his calf.
As a result, the already unstable Jiang Yu awkwardly ended up kneeling on the ground, creating a rather embarrassing scene.
Looking at Jiang Yu, Ye Zhou’s eyes showed pity as he said, “Mr. Jiang, this isn’t very appropriate. We’re not that familiar, and you’re being so polite right after meeting.”
“Does Mr. Jiang have some peculiar undisclosed preferences, like greeting strangers by kneeling?”
With that, Ye Zhou took a few steps forward, grabbed Jiang Yu’s arm, twisted it forcefully, and in Jiang Yu’s pained cries, he smiled insincerely and said, “The ground is cold, Mr. Jiang. You should stand up, or else it might seem like I’m acting arrogant. The media might misinterpret it, and while I don’t really care, I’m more concerned about Mr. Jiang losing face.”
Jiang Yu glared at Ye Zhou, grinding out between his teeth, “Who do you think you are, daring to lay hands on me!”
Ye Zhou regarded him as if he were a fool, not even bothering to talk to him.
Jiang Yu turned to look at Cheng Ran beside him, full of anger, and shouted at him, “Why aren’t you coming over here to help me!”
Ye Zhou: “…”
Moron.
Nevertheless, considering Jiang Yu was the protagonist after all, and recalling the plot of the book, Ye Zhou turned to Cheng Ran next to him, afraid that he might rashly go to Jiang Yu’s aid.
But when he turned his head, Cheng Ran’s look towards Jiang Yu mirrored his own, filled with open disdain as if looking at trash.
Ye Zhou glanced at Cheng Ran and then at Jiang Yu, trying to suppress his laughter but eventually burst out with a ‘chuckle.’
So, with his relentless efforts, the plot of this book truly went haywire, the two main characters of this emotional sadomasochistic story successfully torn apart into pieces by his own hands.
Absolutely… delightful to witness!
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