Footsteps deliberately heavier than usual echoed at the doorway. Ye Shanshan felt uneasy. When he turned around, he saw Butler Hawke standing there.
“……”
Meeting the butler’s amused gaze, the scheming Ye Shanshan wanted to explain, “Uncle, please listen to me, it’s not what you think! That sentence wasn’t—well, okay, it was indeed me who said it.”
At this moment, silence spoke louder than words.
“Young Master Ye, lunch is ready.”
Pretending not to see the laughter in the other’s eyes, Ye Shanshan stood up with the kitten in his arms and silently placed it on his shoulder. “Alright.” There really wasn’t anything else he could say.
As they walked, the sky was overcast. Not a good day. After a moment of thought, Ye Shanshan asked Butler Hawke, “Uncle, have you ever met Gong Ji?”
The Hawke family had served the Gong family for generations. Butler Hawke had once served Gong Yue’s parents. After Gong Yi and Gong Youli left, he began serving Gong Yue.
“Young Master Gong Ji?” Butler Hawke didn’t question why Ye Shanshan wanted to know, instead he recalled warmly and respectfully,
“Young Master Gong Ji is a year older than you. He’s the only son of Mr. Gong Ze’s branch and was very intelligent as a child. The old lady was very fond of him. When he was six, he suddenly fainted while playing in the garden and was immediately taken to the hospital. It was said that a very rare and serious illness was discovered, but Mr. Gong Ze never disclosed the details to the public. So, to this day, all we know is that his condition is severe, but we don’t know the specifics.”
An undisclosed illness? Ye Shanshan nodded. After lunch, he went to the study.
The records regarding Gong Ji’s illness were well protected. After searching for a long time, Ye Shanshan finally found a medical report from over a decade ago. It must have been overlooked when the records were sealed, but the content was very brief. The only valuable information was the diagnosis: “Genetic defect, pending investigation.”
Seeing the word “genetic,” Ye Shanshan’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly accessed the database of the French airport, and discovered that the plane Gong Ji had boarded had been grounded for a full thirteen hours before taking off again—thirteen hours was enough time to go many places.
But the surveillance footage outside Bernard’s house showed that after they left, no one visited Bernard, and due to the heavy snow blocking the road, no one entered the town either.
Could Gong Ji really have been transferring through the airport? Or was there another purpose? But the timing was too coincidental, making Ye Shanshan feel that something was off.
Looking again at the diagnosis, “Genetic defect, pending investigation,” he felt as though he had stepped into a vast, unseen web. Gong Yue, Gong Youli, himself, Durant, Bernard, and now Gong Ji—it all made him feel that an unseen swamp was slowly spreading in the background.
He knew all too well the treatment that test subjects in the “God-making Project” were subjected to.
If their target was Gong Yue—Ye Shanshan stifled the growing unease in his heart. After chewing on his fingers for a bit, he finally opened a drawer, took out a stack of test papers, and began working to calm himself down.
The hidden enemy had not yet revealed themselves. He could not panic.
Sure enough, the test papers and assignments worked like a charm. After an hour of intense writing, Ye Shanshan felt calm and refreshed.
Capping his pen, Ye Shanshan noticed it was about time, so he went to the greenhouse, picked a bunch of baby bok choy (cabbage), and headed to the kitchen. Rolling up his sleeves, he channeled the aura and attitude of a top chef. With the chef’s help, he whipped up a dish of stir-fried bok choy (cabbage).
When Gong Yue returned home, he found Ye Shanshan holding his phone, taking pictures of the dish from various angles.
“Ge!” Hearing the door, Ye Shanshan hopped off the chair he was standing on, ran barefoot to Gong Yue, grabbed his hand, and eagerly led him to the table. Offering him chopsticks, he said,
“Your Majesty, this is a new dish from the imperial kitchen—’Jade Green Gem.’ It’s made with all-natural baby bok choy (cabbage), the finest seasonings, a perfectly controlled flame, and sodium chloride crystals. After seven meticulous steps and just over nine minutes, it’s finally ready. Would you like to taste it?”
After patiently listening to the entire introduction, Gong Yue took the chopsticks and, under Ye Shanshan’s eager gaze, tasted the dish but didn’t say anything.
“How is it?” Ye Shanshan stared nervously at Gong Yue. Why wasn’t he saying anything? Was it awful? No, he refused to believe that!
Seeing his anxious expression, Gong Yue finally reached out and ruffled Ye Shanshan’s hair. “It’s delicious.”
Letting out a huge sigh of relief, Ye Shanshan almost jumped for joy. As expected, on his path to becoming a culinary master, after the sandwich, he had just set another milestone! So happy!
Half an hour later, Ye Shanshan’s fans, who regularly begged for food on his Weibo, were surprised to see another update—an eight-picture series of stir-fried bok choy (cabbage), with the last picture being a long shot of the dish.
“—Am I dreaming? My Shan actually updated twice in one day, and both posts were from him, not his agent! Does this mean… our cold-hearted Lord Ye has been moved by our devotion?”
“—Hahaha, what’s up with that description? Jade Green Gem? That’s an amazing dish name! I can’t believe this!”
“—[Photo] Look what I found! There’s a reflection on the glass! Who is that?!”
“—[Photo] I saw it too! It’s a man, but it’s definitely not my Shan. I can only think of one person, but I’ll stay quiet. Ahhhh, this is giving me so many ideas! I’m mentally writing a 100k-word fanfic right now!”
“—It’s just a family dinner, what’s the big deal? But okay, fine, I’ve also mentally written a 100k-word fanfic, too, wahhh!”
“—[Link] I just refreshed my feed and saw that Juno’s official page posted behind-the-scenes footage of their photoshoot and poster! Even though it’s an edited version, my nosebleed is unstoppable! I’ll grab a couple of red dates before diving back in!”
After Juno’s official site released the behind-the-scenes footage, the commercial shoot was set to begin. When Ye Shanshan and Zheng Dong arrived at the studio, Balmond, who had been chatting with the makeup artist, approached them with a big smile. He slapped Ye Shanshan on the shoulder in greeting, causing Zheng Dong’s heart to skip a beat, worried that Balmond might crush Ye Shanshan’s shoulder with that heavy hand.
The ad was only supposed to be a minute long, but the script had been revised multiple times. Ye Shanshan had already received three different versions of the shooting plan, and this morning, when Zheng Dong came to pick him up, he brought the “final version,” indicating how much Balmond and the team had been struggling with it.
After greeting everyone, Balmond went to check on the set while Ye Shanshan and Zheng Dong headed to the temporary resting area.
Noticing that Ye Shanshan was staring blankly at a notebook, Zheng Dong handed him a glass of water, concerned. “Shanshan, something seems off today. From the moment I picked you up, you’ve zoned out at least ten times. Didn’t sleep well last night?”
Ye Shanshan snapped out of it and forced a smile. “I’m fine.” He took the glass but nearly burned himself, giving Zheng Dong a scare. He quickly took the glass and set it down on a nearby table.
Staring at the steam rising from the water, Ye Shanshan hesitated for a moment before saying, “I need to make a call.”
He pulled out his phone and quickly ran through Gong Yue’s schedule in his mind, knowing that Gong Yue was in a meeting. But the anxiety in his chest wouldn’t go away. Biting his lip, he pressed speed dial 1.
Moments later, the familiar voice on the other end of the line finally put his heart at ease.
“Shanshan?”
“Mm,” Ye Shanshan replied, unsure of what else to say.
Sensing Ye Shanshan’s rare silence, Gong Yue made a gesture to his subordinates, signaling them to pause the meeting. Speaking into the phone in a calming tone, he said, “I’m fine, don’t worry. Focus on your work.”
And just like that, Zheng Dong witnessed a miraculous transformation. After making the call, the previously distracted Ye Shanshan was suddenly energized, his spirits lifted as he returned to his usual self.
Does it work that well?
The first scene of the commercial opens with Ye Shanshan sitting up on a European-style, intricately carved four-poster bed. He lifts the blanket, his bare feet stepping onto the luxurious handmade wool carpet. His glossy toes and gracefully curved ankles are fully exposed.
He is loosely wrapped in a deep poppy-red robe. The rich red color contrasts starkly with his pale, captivatingly fair skin, black hair, and dark eyes. This extreme contrast creates an indescribable allure, yet it is paired with a sense of regal pride.
Following the set path, he walks into another room. The only sound in the scene is the equipment moving along its track. Ye Shanshan stands before a life-sized gilded mirror, staring at his reflection with cold eyes. The seductive charm of the vermilion mark on his face sharply contrasts with the fierce sharpness of his gaze.
At that moment, Balmond’s voice cuts in, “Cut. Ye, your performance is perfect. Change into the next outfit!”
Ye Shanshan nodded to him and returned to the preparation room, surrounded by the makeup and costume stylists. Twenty minutes later, when he reappeared, he was dressed in a completely different outfit.
He wore a pure black robe underneath, without any extra patterns, the color resembling the center of a poppy flower. Draped over it was a crimson cloak, so vividly red it almost stung the eyes. The pointed hood, part of the cloak, covered most of his face, leaving only his delicate jawline and slightly upturned lips visible, giving him an air of mystery and intrigue.
Balmond looked at Ye Shanshan in this outfit, his eyes lighting up. “You look stunning, Ye. You suit these rich colors so well!”
The entire studio was surrounded by a green screen, except for the path Ye Shanshan walked on, the stairs at the end of the path, and the throne at the top of the stairs, which were real.
After the filming began, Ye Shanshan stood still and closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them again, he took steady steps forward. As he walked, the crimson and black fabrics intertwined and fluttered, resembling a poppy flower slowly blooming in the night.
He ascended the steps slowly, reaching the top, then turned and sat on the luxurious throne. The loose and striking robe spread casually across the throne and floor, like a flower in full bloom under the night sky.
Ye Shanshan leaned casually against the chair, raising his hand slowly. His sleeve slid halfway down his arm, revealing his fair forearm. He gently moved his fingers, removing the hood that concealed his face, finally revealing his true appearance. Staring down the steps, a smile formed on his lips, cold as frost, his gaze filled with a haughty, regal dominance.
At this point, Balmond called for a stop, then enthusiastically applauded. “Ye, you always surprise me! Your interpretation of the script is even better than I imagined! I’m sure this ad will amaze everyone once it airs!”
They repeated the scene several more times before wrapping up. The next step was post-production, where editing, special effects, and music would be added. Juno planned to launch the ad in mid-March.
After saying goodbye to the crew, Ye Shanshan left the studio with Zheng Dong. By then, it was already dark, and the cold wind was biting. They quickly rushed to the car, both relieved to be back in the warmth.
Sipping some hot coffee, Zheng Dong flipped through his phone and reminded Ye Shanshan, “At 8 p.m. tonight, the company’s official website and social media will announce the start of filming for “Mountains and Rivers Remain”. Make sure to share it, since it’s the movie you funded yourself. Show some interest!”
Ye Shanshan, holding his thermos cup and sipping hot water in small sips, nodded like a little chick pecking at rice. “Got it, Brother Zheng. Don’t worry, I’ll remember.”
That evening at 8 p.m., Yuli Entertainment’s website and official social media accounts posted the announcement on time:
“Director of The Observer, @Zhang Bocheng, will soon begin production on his new film Mountains and Rivers Remain. Starring @Liu Yanqing, @Xu Luoyang, @Cheng Shaoran, and @Ye Shanshan, produced by @Ye Shanshan, and @Zhang Bocheng, featuring an all-star cast. Stay tuned!”
1You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you and Enjoy reading! ❤️” -TL: Ysiad
