(NT: The chapter is locked in jjwxc, so I could not get the original title and put a temporary one)

Lu Zhou rested for several days and finally could change into more comfortable clothes. His skin had been tanned to a bronze color, wearing a beret, a camouflage vest, military pants, and boots. He also had band-aids on his face, his short hair was covered in sweat, and Xiao Yi's expression was reflected in the reflective sunglasses.

"Do you want to try it?" Lu Zhou looked at Xiao Yi, half-smiling, "So, you like the uniform style?"

Xiao Yi: "..."

"Would you like to be the submissive in uniform?" Xiao Yi said, "Or maybe do both at once?"

"You're getting sassier. I'm spoiling you." Lu Zhou teased.

As the scene was set up, the two sat underneath. Xin Hongkai approached, extended his hand, and shook hands with Lu Zhou, then stood up.

"I'm off," Lu Zhou said.

"Good luck!" Xiao Yi replied.

Xiao Yi was afraid Lu Zhou would get injured filming action scenes, so he made all the preparations. Whenever an action scene was filmed, he felt anxious, fearing Lu Zhou might fall off a bridge during a high-speed chase.

Both cars were parked by the highway. Lu Zhou got out, holding a shotgun, wearing sunglasses. He slammed the car door, exuding a domineering aura.

Xiao Yi felt everyone was stunned. Xin Hongkai appeared from the other side, drew his handgun, and Lu Zhou's henchmen and Xin Hongkai's police officers also made their entrance.

The shootout scene was breathtaking. Three Toyota cars were involved, each specially modified with remote-controlled explosive devices attached to the windows. When triggered, glass shards flew everywhere.

"Cut!" the director shouted.

Props personnel went to set up the scene. Both sides paused, and Lu Zhou, holding a cigarette, glanced at Xiao Yi with a raised eyebrow. Xiao Yi, however, was very concerned, tapping his shoulder to remind him about the recoil of the firearms.

In the second part, four cameras were brought in from different directions, microphones were set up, and the pre-installed explosive devices inside the cars were primed. The props assistant pressed a button on the sidelines.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four shots, and four bullet holes appeared on the car door where Lu Zhou was hiding.

"That's amazing! Sure enough professionals are another level ahh !" Xiao Yi couldn't find words to describe it. Lu Zhou clenched a bullet in his teeth, reloaded, and faced the camera in close-up. Then, with a serious expression, he mounted the machine gun on the car hood and fired a barrage of shots. A thunderous explosion followed, nearly startling Xiao Yi, as the car door was blown off.

The cameras zoomed in on Lu Zhou's face as he approached, stepping on the broken glass with his military boots.

"Cut," the director said, "Too slow!"

So Lu Zhou retreated and did it again. It was a challenging shot, meant to show Zheng Changrong's determination to take Hu Ying's life without hesitation. Lu Zhou, sweating profusely under the scorching sun, hadn't even celebrated his birthday yet, spending all his time filming this scene.

Xiao Yi suddenly realized that the director's demands on the male protagonist seemed quite low, as most of the time was spent making Lu Zhou redo the scene.

"Take another!" the director shouted.

Lu Zhou shouldered the gun and did it one more time. Then, they moved on to the next shot. Xin Hongkai's expression was then captured in a close-up, as he clutched his left arm, and Lu Zhou pointed the gun at his head.

Hu Ying: "..."

"Cut!" the director yelled, "Your expression isn't right."

Xin Hongkai nodded, saying, "Sorry."

"I'm out of bullets," Lu Zhou mentioned, "Don't be too nervous."

No matter who it was, having a gun pointed at their forehead would make them tense. Xin Hongkai's expression was always off, so after a moment, the director asked them to take a break. Twenty minutes later, with no words exchanged, the female lead appeared, pointing a gun at the back of Lu Zhou's head.

Lu Zhou's lips curled slightly as he squinted.

Female lead: "Drop your gun!"

"Run!" Xin Hongkai shouted.

"Cut!" the director immediately shouted, "Action!"

Lu Zhou spun around, lifted his left foot, followed by the right, executing a series of high kicks. He was exceptionally agile, making the scene dynamic. As he kicked, the female lead fell backward, caught by the crew members. Xin Hongkai rushed forward from the side of the car, gun in hand. Lu Zhou quickly dashed behind the car, and Xiao Yi's heart leaped to his throat as Xin Hongkai fired.

"Cut!" the director shouted, "Perfect."

Everyone collapsed from exhaustion. Lu Zhou was drenched in sweat, and the machine gun was heavy. Xiao Yi immediately brought him water and positioned two fans to blow at him.

By afternoon, everyone retreated to their cars to eat. There were no restaurants nearby, so they could only eat the cold mung bean porridge brought in the morning. Lu Zhou forced himself to eat some, and in the afternoon, they resumed filming the escape scene.

They spent four days shooting under the elevated highway, and two major scenes were finally completed. Xiao Yi was blackened from the sun, and Lu Zhou's nose was peeling from the heat.

Finally, it was time for the last scene in the Tianmo desert.

At five in the morning, everyone waited for the sun to rise. They could only shoot at dawn each day. This scene worried Xiao Yi the most because when the script was written, there was intense debate. The director thought it was a mistake only beginners would make because they could only film this scene at dawn. If they had to redo it and the sun rose, they would have to wait until the next day.

In case the weather turned bad, especially since Beijing was often shrouded in smog, if the sunrise effect wasn't ideal, the whole crew would be at the mercy of the screenwriter.

But the screenwriter insisted on not making any changes. When both sides couldn't reach a compromise, the director finally asked the male lead and the supporting actor. Lu Zhou said it was okay, and if today didn't work out, they could wait until tomorrow.

Xiao Yi was afraid Lu Zhou might forget his lines because the final scene had a lot of dialogue, and the male lead had to kill the supporting actor, requiring complex meanings and intense dramatic feelings.

However, Lu Zhou reassured Xiao Yi not to worry. They set off from Beijing at two in the morning and arrived at the Tianmo Desert. Lu Zhou sat in the back seat, staring at the dark sky.

The air conditioning in the car was a bit cold, so Xiao Yi and Lu Zhou covered themselves with a blanket and cuddled together. Looking out the window, it was a sunny day.

"Don't be nervous," Xiao Yi was actually more nervous than Lu Zhou.

"I won't. I can do this. Your music saved me," Lu Zhou declared.

"Really?" Xiao Yi asked, puzzled.

Lu Zhou closed his eyes and tapped his fingers rhythmically on his knee, humming the melody of the untitled song Xiao Yi inadvertently played. Xiao Yi added, "I should have recorded it for you."

Lu Zhou didn't say anything. In the dim light of the night, his profile looked determined and steady. His confidence was so strong that Xiao Yi couldn't control his feelings for him. He hugged Lu Zhou's neck and kissed him passionately, and Lu Zhou turned his head, pushing him down into the car, kissing him earnestly.

Someone knocked on the car door from outside.

"Action!" the director's voice echoed from afar.

Xiao Yi smiled as Lu Zhou got up and said, "I'm going."

"Good luck," Xiao Yi replied.

Lu Zhou stood in the dim light of the approaching dawn, as if ushering in a new chapter in his acting career. Seeing him holding a gun, in costume, standing in the desert, gazing at the distant mountains, Xiao Yi knew that Lu Zhou had come out stronger than before.

Now, Lu Zhou was more powerful than ever before, his soul reborn like a phoenix from the ashes.

"Ah!" Lu Zhou screamed wildly in the desert.

He clutched his waist, leaving a trail of blood, stumbling through the sand.

Zheng Changrong died unjustly, unable to let go, with Hu Ying chasing after him. He knew he couldn't escape, yet he still staggered towards the dawn's light.

Xin Hongkai slowed down his pace, and Lu Zhou stumbled and fell in the desert.

The props guy was resting on Xiao Yi's shoulder, holding the remote control. Both of them forgot to speak, staring blankly at Lu Zhou in the distance.

"It's not me who defeated you," Xin Hongkai said loudly. "Changrong, it's you who ruined yourself. You can't escape. You can only stay in the darkness forever."

"Defeated myself?" Lu Zhou looked at Xin Hongkai, blood oozing from his mouth, trembling as he said, "It's easier said than done. Do you know what I've been through all these years? I've been working for the boss for so many years! What have I got in return? Scars all over my body, a name that can't see the light of day! And you! Do you think you're different in his heart?”

“ You're just another dog he's raised!" Lu Zhou shouted angrily.

"Even now, you still don't understand?" Xin Hongkai stepped forward with a gun, yelling at Lu Zhou. "Your file was destroyed by the boss a long time ago!"

Lu Zhou's face was filled with shock, and Xiao Yi became nervous instantly.

"No... I refuse to accept it!" Lu Zhou roared.

Then, both drew their guns at the same time.

This action had to happen simultaneously. Zheng Changrong still wanted to struggle at the last moment, but Hu Ying was faster. As Hu Ying pulled the trigger, Xiao Yi decisively grabbed the remote control from the prop.

Bang! The gun went off, and Lu Zhou's chest burst open, blood splattering everywhere.

"Cut!" the Director said.

Xiao Yi thought, I knew you'd forget to press the remote. The prop wiped his sweat and nodded at Xiao Yi in gratitude. If he had forgotten to press it, the director would definitely have had him shot in the head.

Lu Zhou lay on the sand, his eyes wide open, gazing at the horizon.

The sun rose.

"Hu Ying!" The female lead ran into the frame.

"Cut!" the director shouted, "The emotion isn't right!"

Xiao Yi thought, You've got to be kidding me! Don't mess with me! Another take could be deadly!

The female lead stepped back, then ran up again. Xin Hongkai turned his head several times, and the female lead hugged him multiple times. Meanwhile, Lu Zhou remained motionless, lying on the sand as a corpse.

Finally, the director said, "OK!"

As soon as Lu Zhou heard the voice, he immediately got up and ran towards Xiao Yi. The two of them completed another embrace like the male and female leads.

Lu Zhou laughed heartily, never feeling happier than now. Xiao Yi was almost in tears as he hugged him. They stood together in the dawn light.

"Don't shoot! Hey!" Lu Zhou shouted at the cameraman, "What are you doing! Teacher! Give me some face!"

" Behind-the-scenes," the director said. "A Behind-the-scenes would be nice. Come on, everyone, keep going. The emotion is overflowing, keep going! The toughest scene is done!"

"Lu Zhou, don't remove your makeup for now," the director added. "We might need to reshoot. I'll review it a few more times and let you know later."

Xiao Yi felt like he was struck by lightning. No, this isn't good, director...

Lu Zhou nodded, temporarily putting aside his concerns. The two of them leaned against the car. Xiao Yi remarked, "Actually, a lot can be accomplished with dubbing."

Lu Zhou waved his hand. "Dubbing is inferior. With so many people putting in effort for the big screen, can we afford to hold back?"

Xiao Yi thought about it. Indeed, Lu Zhou was right. When Lu Zhou was asked to remove his makeup, they said it was okay. The male and female leads were still shooting a scene of walking in the desert, so they turned on the air conditioning in the car and chatted for a while. Xiao Yi massaged Lu Zhou's shoulders, and Lu Zhou said, "Let's celebrate when we go back today! Haha, I've risen again!"

*

This movie might not break box office records, but Lu Zhou had found the best way for himself. He had finally come alive. Half a month later, when the filming wrapped up, everyone gathered for a meal, chatting leisurely. They made plans to collaborate again in the future.

Although Lu Zhou and Xin Hongkai acted as rivals, they hardly communicated except during scenes. However, after everyone dispersed, Lu Zhou spent another three days re-dubbing. Xiao Yi realized then that Lu Zhou was truly remarkable. He was extremely diligent in both his lines and acting. Even with dubbing, Lu Zhou could fully capture the character's emotions.

When he took a deep breath and added a few lines of dubbing into the microphone, the low, hoarse, resentful feeling, combined with the character on the screen, made Xiao Yi's heart almost convulse.

"Could you stop being so infatuated?" Lu Zhou said to Xiao Yi.

Using all the compliments he had accumulated in his life, Xiao Yi praised Lu Zhou, making Lu Zhou get goosebumps all over. Xiao Yi hugged Lu Zhou tightly again, looking excited.

"You're insane!" Lu Zhou shouted, then grabbed Xiao Yi and started messing with him on the couch.

At the end of August, there was a thunderstorm in Beijing. Xiao Yi and Lu Zhou went out for a stroll in the evening. Since they couldn't drive, they had to walk back through the flooded streets. Xiao Yi remembered a thunderstorm last year when Lu Zhou scolded him for not writing songs properly while holding him close.

"Don't walk over there!" Lu Zhou shouted. "It's all water! Can't you stay away from the edge of the road?"

Xiao Yi: "..."

A car passed by, splashing Lu Zhou all over with water, and Xiao Yi burst out laughing immediately.

"You're becoming more and more like my dad!" Xiao Yi said.

Lu Zhou glared at Xiao Yi and said, "Hurry up! Let's go!"

Xiao Yi said, "Is there any money left for dinner?"

In the midst of the thunder and lightning, Lu Zhou said, "None! Only twenty thousand left!"

Xiao Yi believed him and asked, "What do we do then?"

Lu Zhou replied amidst the thunderstorm, "I don't know! But I won't be paying you any salary anymore! Once you spend all your pocket money, that's it!"

Xiao Yi realized Lu Zhou was teasing him. "Can I sell some of your used underwear? While you're still somewhat famous, maybe some perverted old men will pay good money for them!"

Lu Zhou: "..."

As the storm swept through the city, their home was warm and cozy. The bathtub was filled with hot water, and Lu Zhou leaned against it, with Xiao Yi sitting between his legs, leaning back against his chest. The two of them hugged each other while soaking in the bath.

The sensation of their skin rubbing against each other was extremely comfortable. Lu Zhou drank chilled rum while bathing and showed Xiao Yi the financial records on his iPad.

Lu Zhou said, "The house is worth twenty-seven million, and it's appreciated by 40% in recent years. The liquid assets are over fifty-five million, with an annual return rate fluctuating around 17%. Remember, there won't be any shortage of food."

Xiao Yi was dazzled by what he saw. Lu Zhou's fixed-term deposits alone amounted to tens millions, managed through the private banking services of a major bank. After negotiating the terms, he earned a yearly interest of 12%. Additionally, the private banking services provided various bizarre services, such as hiring a nanny or arranging for cleaning services.

In addition to this, Lu Zhou also partnered in investing in a winery in Penglai, which had been running at a loss every year and had yet to turn a profit.

"At least it will take ten years for this to become profitable," Lu Zhou noted. "Let's not worry about it for now. Take a look at this instead."

"No need," Xiao Yi said decisively. "I don't have much financial expertise. I won't meddle with your family affairs. Are these all handled by financial advisors?"

"The advisors don't execute the transactions for you," Lu Zhou said, propping up his leg and rubbing against Xiao Yi's side. As Xiao Yi helped him scratch, Lu Zhou continued, "In a few days, I'll take you to the bank to arrange for authorization. From then on, you can directly transfer money from my card. Do you want to buy a house in Beijing?"

"No, absolutely not," Xiao Yi immediately replied.

Lu Zhou said, "If you want to take care of your family, you can buy a house and find a job for your younger brother."

"No, really, it's not necessary," Xiao Yi knew how hard Lu Zhou worked for his money, which was earned through blood, sweat, and tears. A house in Beijing would cost seven to eight million at least, and a good one could even go up to tens of millions. Lu Zhou would certainly be willing to pay for it, but regardless, he couldn't accept it. Spending over ten million at once, even for Lu Zhou, was a significant sum.

"I'll just pay off their mortgage," Xiao Yi said. "Hmm, I can use my twenty-something thousand for it."

"Are your parents urging you to get married?" Lu Zhou asked.

"No, they're not," Xiao Yi hurriedly replied.

"They're not?" Lu Zhou smirked. "How many times did they ask you last time?"

Xiao Yi thought, why do you know about this and still bring it up? Which pot was being called black. Parental matters were an almost insurmountable rift.

"Can your love for your idol betray your family?" Lu Zhou asked.

"I can't betray my idol," Xiao Yi thought for a moment and said, "But you're my partner. As a man, I have to be responsible for you. No matter what, I'll talk to my parents properly. But I'll wait for the right time."

"Aren't you afraid I'll dump you?" Lu Zhou asked.

"I'm not," Xiao Yi affirmed.

"You know I won't, right? Whether male or female, there are countless people chasing after me," Lu Zhou said.

Xiao Yi looked at Lu Zhou and smiled. "I don't think you will."

As Xiao Yi said this, he thought, damn, you don't even know that I've peeked at your WeChat numerous times. You even sent a message to Zheng Xiaocong saying I cured your impotence, but it only works for me, and it's likely you'll still be impotent with others... Looks like I'm going to be trapped for life, what should I do...

The one who's most afraid of being dumped is you, right? But Xiao Yi didn't dare to say it. If he did, there would definitely be a tsunami in the bathtub.

"I'll think about how to solve the family issues," Xiao Yi thought for a moment and said, "But I promise I'll definitely solve them."

"What can you solve?" Lu Zhou asked.

Xiao Yi thought: (middle finger emoji).

"In that case, I'll arrange for surrogacy abroad for you. Let's see if there's any technology available to have twins, with each of us fertilizing one. Same mother, two brothers. They'll be born with American citizenship, and even the household registration will be waived. Unlike the Nation Master, who had to pay a seven million fine for exceeding the national birth-control policy," Lu Zhou said.

"Ah!" Xiao Yi's heart blossomed instantly, thinking, this is indeed not a problem for Lu Zhou. Then he asked, "How much does surrogacy cost?"

Lu Zhou thought for a moment and said, "I had this idea before, afraid of being impotent and not having children, so I asked friends in the circle about it. It's about a million or so."

Xiao Yi said, "How do I tell my family about this?"

Lu Zhou said, "Just tell your parents you found a girlfriend, had a child, and she doesn't want it, so you're left to raise them! Isn't that enough?"

Xiao Yi thought this was a clever way to handle it. Lu Zhou was carefree as he said, "So, as I said, to make money, you need dreams. Money can solve all problems. Moon and Sixpence, you know? The moon represents ideals, and the sixpence is the money under your feet. Focus on the moon, and you'll miss the money."

(NT: The phrase originates from the title of a novel by W. Somerset Maugham, which was inspired by the life of the artist Paul Gauguin, who abandoned his family and career as a stockbroker to pursue his passion for painting in Tahiti.)

Xiao Yi thought, "Moon and Sixpence" doesn't mean that, but okay, got it, Your Majesty. Indeed, your nickname "Lu Fa Cai" is not made up.

(NT: the sentence actually means focusing solely on idealistic pursuits without considering the practicalities of life.)

*

After Lu Zhou finished filming ‘War of the Dawn’, he still wanted to take on more roles, but recently, no one was looking for him. Plus, his shoulder was starting to relapse due to the recoil from the firearms. Xiao Yi firmly refused to let him take on more roles. It was a good time to take a break, and they could go on a honeymoon in Europe. After they returned, they spent every day resting at home.

Until the following year's Spring Festival, when Xiao Yi called home, arranged the house matters, and sent the money back. It was their first year celebrating the Chinese New Year together in Beijing. The city was bustling with festivities. In the afternoon, they had hot pot, and in the evening, they attended the premiere.

Sitting in the cinema, Xiao Yi watched Lu Zhou's first film after his return.

Many of Zheng Changrong's scenes had been cut, almost turning him from a sympathetic villain into an irredeemable psychopath. Xiao Yi was initially irritated by this, considering they had spent nearly two months shooting in nearly forty-degree heat, enduring sun exposure, rain, heatstroke, and colds. They woke up at six in the morning and didn't sleep until two at night, enduring everything, only for Lu Zhou's scenes to be cut to less than fifteen.

However, as he continued to watch, Xiao Yi was completely immersed in it, forgetting his own anger.

Xin Hongkai's performance was neither good nor bad, just average. However, when Lu Zhou appeared on screen, Xiao Yi felt that everyone in the entire theater sat up straight involuntarily.

He turned to look at Lu Zhou, only to find that Lu Zhou wasn't even watching the movie; he had been looking at Xiao Yi the whole time.

Xiao Yi smiled, holding Lu Zhou's hand, fingers interlocking, and continued to watch the big screen.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Lu Zhou asked.

"That scene had a mistake, right? Why did I see simplified characters?" Xiao Yi joked.

Lu Zhou: "..."

During the gunfight scenes, Xiao Yi was completely shaken.

They hadn't been this dazzling when they were filming! It was too brutal now. When the Dolby system started playing, accompanied by various special effects and actions, Xiao Yi was instantly electrified. The special effects nowadays were so well done. Lu Zhou and Xin Hongkai's gunfight, bullets flying everywhere, felt like they were rampaging through the entire theater.

Lu Zhou was like a fighter jet among villains, especially when the gunfire stopped, and the whole world quieted down, the camera rotated, suddenly pointing towards the ground. Lu Zhou took a step forward, and the entire theater seemed to tremble for him.

 

Translator : DarNan