On that night, Lu Zhou went to bed early, and Xiao Yi didn't press him to go over the script. After all, they didn't need to go to the office for the entire upcoming week. So, Xiao Yi also lay down on the bed, finally able to sleep until he naturally woke up - being an assistant wasn't all that bad, to be honest.

At 2:30 AM, Du Mei called again. Xiao Yi informed her that Lu Zhou seemed to be fine now. Du Mei replied with relief, asking him to come to the office tomorrow for a detailed discussion. Xiao Yi lay in bed and checked Tianya on his phone. He stumbled upon eight posts about the romance between Lu Zhou and Xinyan. He scrolled through them, and a group of fans were fiercely criticizing Xinyan, claiming she wasn't good enough for Lu Zhou.

Xinyan's fans fired back with some comments, but they were eventually driven away. Xiao Yi's lips twitched, and he put down his phone to sleep.

The next day at the office, Du Mei said, "He's probably still asleep and won't wake up until noon. You can come back after having lunch and bring the gifts from the fans with you."

Xiao Yi looked at the pile of gifts in the corner and remembered the events of the previous night. He had provided a detailed explanation of the events that occurred. Du Mei seemed quite concerned as well. Xiao Yi chose to remain silent.

"Did he mention how he feels about Xinyan?" Du Mei asked. "Did he say anything else about her?"

"He said..." Xiao Yi recollected. "During their argument, Zhou Ge mentioned that you promised to hire a public relations company to manipulate public opinion."

"That's actually a topic," Du Mei remarked. "We didn't want to do it, but it does generate publicity. This kid, why can't he sweet-talk people better?"

Xiao Yi nodded in understanding. So, you guys just want to cosy up to Xinyan for the publicity, and Xinyan wasn't entirely wrong to get angry. Probably, Du Mei wanted to turn a blind eye to the online fan wars, letting fans occasionally criticize Xinyan to promote Lu Zhou, and then have Lu Zhou make amends himself. It seemed like a well-played game.

Xiao Yi hadn't even had lunch when Lu Zhou called, yelling, "Where did you go? Do you not want to work anymore?"

Xiao Yi quickly replied, "I'm here to help the fans move the gifts to your company... No, I'm coming to the office to return the gifts to you. I'll be there soon!"

"Such a nerve." Lu Zhou hung up. Du Mei gestured for Xiao Yi to hurry back and reminded him to urge Lu Zhou to review the script. Xiao Yi rushed to get back, thinking to himself, "You're the one with the nerve, you're the one with the nerve, you're the one..." As he loaded the pile of gifts into the car and drove back home.

Back home, three housekeepers were cleaning and cooking. Xiao Yi stood in the living room unwrapping the gifts. Lu Zhou, still in a bad mood, frowned when he saw the gifts and said, "Didn't I tell you not to bring these things into the house?"

"They're gifts from your fans," Xiao Yi said. "It's all goodwill, how can... how can..." Xiao Yi initially wanted to say, "How can you refuse them like this?" However, he changed his tone and said, "How can I refuse them when they're so persistent? The fans even followed us to the office entrance. So, I had no choice but to load them onto the car. There are no trash bins nearby."

"In the garage, there's one. Take everything there and get rid of them. Don't congest the place!" Lu Zhou said bluntly.

 

"Alright," Xiao Yi said aloud. When he saw Lu Zhou leave, he didn't throw the gifts away as instructed. Instead, he continued to unwrap them, unwrapping until his fingers grew tired. Inside were various homemade scrapbooks, albums, notebooks created by fans and enthusiasts. There were also many letters. Xiao Yi opened one and found it was a heartfelt letter from a middle school girl to Lu Zhou, making him smile.

The letters were meticulously folded, with pink-scented stationery and sentences that clearly revealed a sincere and anxious heart, much like the feeling Xiao Yi had when he first met Lu Zhou, like someone wanting to curl up and turn into a cute flower when meeting Lu Zhou for the first time.

It's a shame all that got ruined by this crazy situation!

As Xiao Yi kept opening the letters, he sighed and neatly placed them into a box.

"I told you to get rid of them, didn't I?!" Lu Zhou suddenly appeared on the stairs, sounding angry.

"I..." Xiao Yi said, "The items taking up space have been thrown away! These are the tissue boxes you ordered online last time!"

"Tissue boxes?" Lu Zhou was initially puzzled but quickly realized. He said, "Never mind, forget about those. Just clean the dining table, and let's have lunch."

As the phone rang, Xiao Yi secretly thanked his luck as Lu Zhou disappeared. He thought, "Why don't you just get rid of yourself? You're the most redundant thing in this house now..."

...Chocolate, handmade candies, stuffed toys, fluorescent mushroom lamps, potted plants, cards, local specialties – Xiao Yi was on the brink of losing it. He decided to keep the gifts for now. He secretly carried these items upstairs, each time trying to be stealthy and avoiding Lu Zhou, who was back on the phone.

By the time he came downstairs again, the cleaning ladies had cleared everything. Lu Zhou had finished his phone call and released a heavy sigh and then proceeded to enter the dining hall.. They sat down to have lunch.

"What did Sister Du say?" Lu Zhou asked warily.

"Just about what happened yesterday," Xiao Yi replied, following Du Mei's instructions. "Today, Xinyan couldn't help herself and made several calls to the company..."

"She called the company?!" Lu Zhou exclaimed. "What a joke! Last night, she was out with friends, all high and mighty. I heard she hooked up with some director. Everyone's calling me, and it's driving me crazy!"

"It's what Sister Du said," Xiao Yi said. "I don't know."

Lu Zhou fell silent and didn't speak further. After lunch, he lay on the sofa, reading a book.

Xiao Yi approached with the script, and he said cautiously, " Zhou ge."

"Not now," Lu Zhou replied. "Quit wasting time."

At three in the afternoon, Lu Zhou was in the basement gym, running on a treadmill while listening to music.

Xiao Yi came over with the script. Lu Zhou wiped off some sweat but still didn't say anything.

Exhausted, Lu Zhou removed his short-sleeved shirt, revealing a body covered in sweat. He panted and opened the bathroom door, and the water was already running.

After his shower, Lu Zhou lay on the sofa and said, "Read."

Xiao Yi, puzzled, asked, "Read what?"

"Read the script!" Lu Zhou required.

 

Xiao Yi reluctantly went to get the script, thinking to himself, "You must not know how to read, Lu Zhou, you're being so bossy."

"Scene one: Day, the grasslands, a wide shot..."

"Skip it," Lu Zhou impatiently said, "I don't care about the opening scene."

Xiao Yi looked down and continued, "Scene two: Day, along the Xilamuren River, people, with Lü Ping, and three female companions..."

"On the vast grasslands, shrouded in mist, Lü Ping emerges from bathing, and a young man lurks nearby..."

Xiao Yi: "..."

Xiao Yi thought, Is this some kind of cheesy drama?

Lu Zhou: "Read my lines!"

Xiao Yi: "What role are you playing?"

 

Luzhou: “……..”

Luzhou looked at Xiao Yi and said: “The Emperor Abaoji of Liao.” (NT: Emperor Taizu of Liao, ruling from 916 to 926)

Xiao Yi, an arts student, had no idea who Abaoji was. Lu Zhou added, "The founder of the Liao Dynasty. You've buried your history books under your cat!"

Xiao Yi asked, "And who is Lü Ping?"

Lu Zhou impatiently replied, "His wife and also his cousin. The Yelü and Suolu families intermarried."

Xiao Yi replied humbly: "The young man who peeked at Shulu Ping's bath seems to be Yelu Abaoji..."

Xiao Yi suddenly remembered that this seemed to be a historical drama, appearing all elegant and high-class. Looking further down, he said, "There's a role for you. In the second scene, a young man is peeping at a young girl bathing, and then... his companion runs from a distance, holding a bow and arrows, while shouting."

"Abaoji! Abaoji!"

Lu Zhou was instantly shocked and bewildered. He snatched the script and glanced at it, then angrily shouted, "Is this a farce? Is the founder of the Liao Dynasty peeping at his own cousin, Lu Ping, while she's bathing at the very beginning?!"

Xiao Yi: "..."

Lu Zhou: "..."

 

Lu Zhou: "I'm not going to read this."

Xiao Yi: "Let me read it to you; Du Jie's (NT: Sister Du) words... um..."

Xiao Yi continued, " Abaoji rushes into the tent and kneels before his grandmother."

"Young Abaoji is upset and yells, 'Why can all the other children go out to play, go hunting? Why can't I? Why? Why? Why?'"

"His grandmother, emphasizing her words, says, 'Abaoji, there is a saying among the Han people: 'When heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a man, it always first frustrates his spirit and will, exhausts his muscles and bones...'"

Lu Zhou was on the brink, too exasperated to continue, and waved his hand to indicate that Xiao Yi should stop reading. Just at that moment, the phone rang, and Xiao Yi got up to answer it, a call probably intended for Lu Zhou. Lu Zhou chatted away while Xiao Yi handed him the script, absently flipping through it.

Xiao Yi sat at the dining table, browsing his phone, listening to Lu Zhou discussing an investment in a red wine estate, which included a clubhouse. It seemed a friend had invited him to invest, and it involved millions of dollars. Xiao Yi couldn't help but wonder how wealthy Lu Zhou really was. How much was his net worth? The eccentricities of rich people were so peculiar, dabbling in both online shopping and red wine vineyard investments...

Although Xiao Yi was curious about Lu Zhou's finances, he knew it was impolite to inquire. In Xiao Yi's life, the realm beyond one million was mostly uncharted territory. For him, the difference between one million and two million was minimal, and even five million and ten million were just a series of zeroes.

Lu Zhou often worked on television dramas, so he must have earned quite a bit. The apartment he lived in alone would probably cost at least a hundred million, but as Xiao Yi looked around, he realized a hundred million might be a bit of an overestimation. Let's halve it—fifty million should suffice.

A small portion of Lu Zhou's assets would be enough for him to live comfortably in Beijing."

Some people are born with glamour and influence, able to influence events, while others live a life of obscurity, and it can be quite frustrating. Xiao Yi took a deep breath and thought that he was relatively lucky. He needed to thank Du Ma for giving him this opportunity, as he didn't want to remain an underachiever forever.

Lu Zhou's script had been flipped through three pages while he was on the phone and was left untouched on the sofa for several days. Xiao Yi intended to have him read it the next day.

Lu Zhou replied: “Already read it.”

Xiao Yi was a slow and struggling reader with limited character recognition, so he decided to research the stories related to Abaoji.

This was a historical drama, although it appeared to be somewhat melodramatic... Lu Zhou played Abaoji, and the female lead, Stewardess Lu, was a rising star highly promoted by Li Xing. Lu Ping was Abaoji's cousin, attracting the attention of all the young men, and she embodied a classic Mary Sue character (NT: a character archetype who is inexplicably competent across all domains and gifted with unique powers) with tragic love.

Xiao Yi typically watched American dramas, and this was his first encounter with the impact of domestic television dramas. The show likely drew part of its viewership because of Lu Zhou.

However, thunder or not, it was quite intriguing. Xiao Yi read the entire script, but Lu Zhou spent his days working out, playing games, and occasionally socializing. When Lu Zhou went to meet friends and sing karaoke, Xiao Yi would wait for him as his driver in the car.

.

A week quickly passed, and on Monday morning, a company car came to pick them up, taking them directly to the airport. Lin Yao was waiting at the airport and said, "Five assistants have been assigned to you. They arrived on a flight yesterday and have already gone to Hengdian."

Xiao Yi thought, "Five... five assistants? Does Lu Zhou really need this many people to serve him?" Lu Zhou had gone out for drinks the previous night and was still hungover, so he casually said, "Don't call me for meals on the plane."

Xiao Yi was flying first class for the first time and felt quite excited, though he had to act nonchalant. On the plane, Lin Yao handed him a stack of schedules and instructions, and he began discussing the details of what would happen after they arrived in Hengdian with Lin Yao's assistants.

Hotel arrangements, accommodations, transportation, expenses... Xiao Yi felt overwhelmed as he realized that his role was essentially Lu Zhou's butler and assistant manager. Most of the actors in Hengdian couldn't choose their hotels; they stayed wherever the production company arranged. However, A-list stars like Lu Zhou and Zhang Xinran had the privilege of selecting their hotels.

So, not only did Lu Zhou have the company arrange a five-star hotel, but he also personally paid for Xiao Yi's accommodations.

Xiao Yi glanced at Lu Zhou, who was currently leaning back in his seat, snoring with his mouth slightly open, his sunglasses askew.

When a flight attendant came over to inquire politely and saw Lu Zhou asleep, she immediately recognized him and had a surprised expression, clearly thinking, "It's the male god!" Xiao Yi quickly put on Lu Zhou's sunglasses and gestured to the flight attendant to not disturb his sleep.

Lin Yao asked for an in-flight meal and explained the details to Xiao Yi while eating. "After we arrive, we'll start shooting with the crew. I won't be able to be with you the entire time, so you'll have to rely on Lu Zhou. The first time in Hengdian can be a bit chaotic. If there's anything you don't understand, just ask Lu Zhou."

Xiao Yi nodded eagerly.

 

"Try not to ask for autographs from other celebrities."

"For evening events, unless it's necessary, you need to handle most matters as the first point of contact. If someone wants to meet him, tell them that he's exhausted from filming and suggest arranging another time. If he's available, he should notify them proactively."

"When dealing with fans or friends who come to visit the set, make sure to distinguish between them. Politely escort people out when necessary, but don't be too impolite..."

Lin Yao gave instructions all the way, and finally said, "I'm not worried about your temper; I'm more concerned that you won't know how to say no."

"I'll remember that," Xiao Yi replied. "Mr. Lin, you seem quite familiar with all this."

"I used to be his manager as well," Lin Yao laughed. "Du Ma was Lu Zhou's manager when he first started out. She was overwhelmed with work, so she handed most of it over to me."

The plane landed in Yiwu, and after waking up, Lu Zhou got into a car, where he continued to sleep. When they arrived at Hengdian Film and Television City, someone came to pick them up. Xiao Yi knew nothing about the arrangements, but Lu Zhou just smiled at the coordinator and asked, "Where's Director Li?"

The coordinator, a young woman, replied with a smile, "Director Li is in a meeting with some screenwriters. They have dinner scheduled for 6:30 tonight. It's a two-month shoot, and Lu Laoshi (NT: Master Lu, a respectful address) has the most and heaviest scenes. Thank you for your hard work. Here's the schedule for this week. The rest is still being finalized."

"The script isn't ready yet?" Lu Zhou frowned slightly.

The coordinator apologized, "We couldn't make it in time. Right now, we only have scene divisions, and the script hasn't been fully written yet."

Xiao Yi: "..."

Could it be like this? Xiao Yi was speechless, but Lu Zhou said, "Forget it, forget it."

After showing Lu Zhou and Xiao Yi to their room, the coordinator took her leave. Xiao Yi held the schedule and was filled with questions. Lu Zhou sat down on the sofa and said, "Tea."

Xiao Yi got up to boil water and make tea. Lu Zhou hadn't fully woken up yet and yawned before heading to the bathroom to wash his face and freshen up.

"If you don't understand something, just ask," Lu Zhou said impatiently.

Finally, Xiao Yi could speak up. "How can we shoot without the script?" he asked.

"Shoot haphazardly," Lu Zhou replied. "That's how most thunder dramas are made. Some actors even improvise and change the script themselves."

"Then... what's 'flying page'?" Xiao Yi asked.

 

"It means shooting the later parts first, where there's immediately someone dying, jumping off a cliff, or crying," Lu Zhou explained. After washing his face, he undressed in the bathroom and came out shirtless, asking, "Where are my underwear?"

Xiao Yi hurried to find a fresh set of underwear for him and asked, "You don't like shooting flying pages, do you?"

"I don't like any of them," Lu Zhou replied impatiently. "I don't even know the actors, and they start kissing right from the start. Who can handle that?"

Xiao Yi acknowledged, and Lu Zhou turned on the water, showering noisily. Xiao Yi asked, "What do we need to prepare for the shoot tomorrow?"

"Nothing," Lu Zhou said. "Just make sure to keep fans away when the time comes. The production crew already has security in place, so you need to be extra vigilant to prevent fans from barging in."

"Okay... okay," Xiao Yi sighed.

 

Translator : DarNan