Ye Shanshan thought he’d done a good job of keeping Gong Yue a secret. His “Majesty” was so amazing, and he’d even restrained himself from bragging—so how did so many people know? It didn’t make sense!
Since Wei Ying had cleared up the rumors and Julia had mentioned she was Ye Shanshan’s family tutor, everyone in the industry knew he had a strong background. The male host had heard bits and pieces of it, too. Since this topic wasn’t in the script, and Ye Shanshan hadn’t given any heads-up about dropping a big revelation, the host was about to steer the conversation away when he heard Ye Shanshan continue.
“My brother hasn’t even stepped out of the vampire castle, so how do you guys know about him?” He looked genuinely shocked.
The male host picked up on his attitude and followed along, saying, “Shanshan, I’m super curious too! Who is this ‘Majesty’ that fans keep talking about? Could you give us a hint? We’re a respectable show and don’t pry into people’s privacy, you know!” He glanced at the audience. “I’m even risking the show’s reputation for you guys, asking for gossip!”
The audience cheered in response.
“He’s the most important person to me,” Ye Shanshan said. Thinking that wasn’t quite enough, he added, “The most, most important.”
The male host nodded and then smoothly changed the topic. “Actually, Shanshan, you mentioned wanting to open a baozi shop. I bet a lot of people here would love that! Even if you only served plain water while they waited all day for baozi you’d already eaten, they’d be happy just looking at your face, right?”
He pointed the mic to the audience, who shouted, “Yes!” with many cheering his name.
After a few more questions, they moved on to the next segment.
“We all know *The Examiner* won several awards overseas. It’s been hugely successful, and the audience has high expectations for it. Now, let’s have each of you describe your character and offer them a heartfelt piece of advice. Yan Ke, you go first!”
Yan Ke stepped forward. “I play Wu Qian, a very conflicted person. Outwardly, he seems gentle, kind, and just, but he has many dark secrets…”
A still of Wu Qian appeared on the screen, and Yan Ke answered the second question with a light-hearted laugh. “If I had to give him advice, I’d say, ‘Stay home for a few days! Don’t meet your ex, Jiang Rui, or Hu Yan! You’ll ruin her, and he’ll ruin you! Staying home is your only hope for survival!’” His deadpan delivery brought a round of laughter from the audience.
Cheng Shaoran, who played Jiang Rui, advised her character, “There’s one timeless truth: don’t trust your exes or good-looking men!”
The male host laughed, “Shaoran, so your ex refers to Yan Ke’s character, and the good-looking man is Ye Shanshan’s character?”
Cheng Shaoran nodded, “Yes, exactly! They’re totally untrustworthy!” She added in mock anguish, “They’re the ultimate pitfalls—a lesson learned in blood and tears!”
One by one, they took turns until it was Ye Shanshan’s turn.
Holding the mic, he organized his thoughts and earnestly began, “My character, Hu Yan, is the big boss who makes it to the end of the film, which is pretty rare and impressive! His defining trait is his ruthlessness—even to himself. That’s why I took this role…”
Looking at the image of Hu Yan playing the violin, he continued, “If I were to give him one piece of advice, I’d say…”
Ye Shanshan thought for a moment, then looked at the camera and said sincerely, “We’re all adults here; let’s just work toward a peaceful world together!”
He delivered the line so seriously that it took a moment for the audience to react. Yan Ke broke the silence first, laughing uncontrollably, and the male host also stifled a chuckle, feeling like he’d laughed himself sore by the end of the taping. “Ye Shanshan’s mind is beyond twists and turns—it’s got to be a labyrinth!”
Yan Ke waved him off, “I refuse to build a peaceful world with a big boss!”
Ye Shanshan paused for three seconds, put on a mysterious, villainous look, and replied, “Well then, I’ll find another lead actor who’s willing to build a peaceful world!”
Yan Ke sighed in defeat, “Fine, let’s build peace together. It’s rough dealing with a boss who’ll replace you if you don’t comply!”
The final segment involved Yan Ke, Cheng Shaoran, and Ye Shanshan swapping roles to act out the final scene. Ye Shanshan played the male lead, Wu Qian; Yan Ke was Jiang Rui, the female lead; and Cheng Shaoran took on Hu Yan’s role.
Once everyone was in position, Yan Ke’s Jiang Rui barely said two lines before she dramatically “died,” lying flat on the floor. Ye Shanshan and Cheng Shaoran exchanged a few lines before Cheng Shaoran mimed shooting him. Ye Shanshan staggered back, looking at him in disbelief, then collapsed on the floor.
Lying there, Ye Shanshan shifted slightly, and Yan Ke whispered, “Did you hurt yourself when you fell?”
Ye Shanshan shook his head, looking pained. He whispered back, “No, I just crushed my invisible wings.”
“…”
Seeing Ye Shanshan’s utterly convincing look of pain, Yan Ke felt like he’d truly lost to his bizarre humor.
The recording lasted five to six hours, and everyone was exhausted by the end. Backstage, Ye Shanshan accepted a water cup from Zheng Dong, drinking several sips in a row.
After talking with Yan Ke, the male host approached Ye Shanshan, cracking a few light-hearted jokes before asking, “Do you want us to cut the part where the audience mentioned your brother?”
Zheng Dong looked at Ye Shanshan. During the taping, when Gong Yue was brought up, Zheng Dong had broken into a cold sweat backstage, worried Shanshan might accidentally say something serious.
Setting down the water, Ye Shanshan shook his head. “Thanks, Chen-ge. No need to cut it.” He understood that people were already curious; giving an official response now could be beneficial.
“Alright, and feel free to come back on the show anytime. It feels like our ratings go up when you’re here!”
Whether it was politeness or genuine, Ye Shanshan beamed, and Zheng Dong added, “It’s a privilege for Shanshan to be on a show as top-notch as *The Call*. Hopefully, he’ll get to come back!”
***
By the time they left the TV station, it was already afternoon.
Ye Shanshan slumped into the back seat, giving a couple of weak yelps before quickly reviving and pulling out his phone to play Tetris.
Zheng Dong sat beside him, listing the upcoming schedule:
“After today, on the 23rd, you’ll be doing another show to promote the film with the cast. *The Examiner* premieres on the 27th, and you’ll need to attend the opening ceremony. Next month, on March 9th, filming starts for *Rivers and Mountains Remain*. Remember to share a post on Weibo on the opening day, as there will likely be journalists on set. Juno’s ad will air on the 17th, and you’ll need to repost that too—preferably with a few product photos.”
After Zheng Dong finished reading the schedule, he couldn’t help but sigh, “I’ve been your agent for so long, and finally, this schedule looks like that of a slightly famous artist.” Even he felt a bit emotional about it.
“Got it.” Ye Shanshan didn’t seem too affected, holding his phone in one hand. Soon after, he leaned back against the seat, tilted his head, and fell asleep, only waking up when they arrived home.
Saying goodbye to Zheng Dong, Ye Shanshan covered his mouth and yawned three times in a row, looking drowsy as he stretched in the cold wind.
Then, he noticed fresh tire tracks on the ground. His sleepiness vanished instantly, and he quickly headed inside, taking off his coat. “Uncle, is my brother back?”
Taking Ye Shanshan’s coat, Uncle Hawk smiled, “Yes, young master. The elder master is at the pool.” As soon as he finished speaking, Ye Shanshan was gone like the wind.
At the pool, Ye Shanshan immediately saw Gong Yue doing push-ups by the edge, shirtless. His hair was damp and dripping, and the position highlighted the firm muscles of his back and the toned lines of his waist, disappearing into his pants. A thin layer of sweat glistened on his skin, making him look like a walking hormone generator.
Ye Shanshan felt captivated.
The pool water shimmered, reflecting waves onto the ceiling. Ye Shanshan walked over, unable to resist reaching out to touch the sweat on Gong Yue’s back, thinking he looked perfect in every way.
Sighing, he wondered why, even after so long together, his heart still raced. He simply sat on the nearby marble floor, warm in the temperature-controlled room, and started chatting away about his day to Gong Yue. He detailed everything—even down to how much cash he took out of his wallet to buy fans hot drinks.
Finally, he sighed and shared his reflections. “I’m starting to realize that having someone in your heart feels completely different. No matter where you are, who you’re with, you’re always thinking about them, imagining all kinds of things, wishing you could shrink them down and carry them in your pocket, taking them with you everywhere.”
Before Gong Yue could respond, Ye Shanshan—his affection skills maxed out—squatted beside him, leaned in, and kissed Gong Yue’s waist, even tracing a few small circles with his tongue, something he’d wanted to do the moment he saw him.
Gong Yue’s muscles tensed under the touch, and he murmured, “Shanshan.” But aside from saying his name, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything to stop him.
Ye Shanshan, master of “advance and conquer,” smoothly slid underneath Gong Yue, positioning himself between his arms, lying flat on his back and looking up at him. “Come on, I’m the grand prize!”
His eyes sparkled like a starry sky.
Gong Yue looked down at the person lying beneath him, bending his arms and lowering his body until he was pressed close to Ye Shanshan, their faces just inches apart.
Ye Shanshan felt it was the perfect moment to open the door to a new experience, so he placed his hand on Gong Yue’s skin, running it over him a couple of times, his tone slightly impatient, “Bro, let’s stop with the push-ups, okay? Let’s do something else.”
“Alright,” Gong Yue murmured, a drop of sweat from his chin landing on Ye Shanshan’s face. His breath was a bit heavy as he leaned in to kiss the corner of Ye Shanshan’s lips. “Just this once.”
Ye Shanshan’s smile blossomed, feeling more than ready to keep the momentum going!
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
