Chinese Entertainment: Top-Tier Boyfriends of Young Actresses

When the alarm clock rang, Su Yu was dreaming.

In his dream, he returned to the laboratory he used to work in.

What a nightmare.

I checked my phone and saw a few unread messages. The top one was from Wang Churan, sent around 1 a.m.: "Goodnight, Su Yu! See you tomorrow!" followed by a moon emoji.

I scrolled up and realized that after replying with "hello" last night, this girl seemed to have flipped some kind of switch.

The conversation jumped from "Was what you said at the dinner table today true?" to "I also think this industry is really strange," the topics leaping like a rabbit.

I got up and washed up, and I could see faint dark circles under my eyes in the mirror. I splashed cold water on my face, but it didn't help, so I ignored it.

His assistant went to the restaurant with him.

"Didn't sleep well last night?"

"...From reading the script."

Xiao Zhou stood to the side, pursing her lips and saying nothing.

The buffet restaurant wasn't big, and the crew members were sitting in small groups.

Su Yu had just sat down with his plate when a lively voice came from behind him.

"Good morning, Su Yu!"

Wang Churan held a bowl of wontons, smiling like a sunflower. Her hair was in a bun, she wore a white T-shirt, and her face was clean and clear, without a trace of staying up late.

She sat down opposite him without any hesitation, took a sip of soup, and then looked up to examine Su Yu's face.

"oops--"

Her eyes crinkled into a smile, her expression suddenly becoming coy, and her voice deliberately softened: "Brother Su Yu, why are there dark circles under your eyes? Didn't you sleep well last night?"

Su Yu paused for a moment.

"Did I bother my brother last night? It's all my fault—"

"..."

"Wang Churan, act normal!"

Wang Churan chuckled, her awkward expression instantly crumbling: "Just kidding~"

This girl seems like a completely different person ever since she talked to him last night.

Su Yu initially thought she was the kind of quiet, aloof little girl.

Her performance completely shattered my positive perception of her.

The aloof celebrity from my past life, who was expressionless on the red carpet and sparing with words during interviews, is completely different from the girl in front of me with soup on her lips and her eyes almost disappearing from her smile.

Alright, I guess I've gotten to know this girl's true personality now.

In the afternoon, in the hotel conference room.

The long table was full of people.

Director Lü Haojiji sat in the main seat, with Ma Sichun and Sheng Yilun on his left, and Wang Churan and other actors on his right.

When Su Yu entered, several gazes fell upon him.

Some scrutinized, some were curious, and some were disdainful.

After all, he's a complete newcomer without formal training. Who knows if he has the ability to land the second male lead role in such a big-budget production? Maybe he got in through connections.

Su Yu sat down next to Wang Churan.

"Everyone's here, let's begin." Lü Haojiji opened the script. "Today's reading is mainly about sorting out the relationships between the characters. Let's start with the main storyline of Ye Zhao and Zhao Yujin. Si Chun, Yi Lun, you two go first."

Ma Sichun and Sheng Yilun began rehearsing their lines.

Su Yu listened quietly, making marks on the script with a pen in his hand.

Wang Churan glanced at him occasionally, and several actors across the street also looked over from time to time.

That's how the entertainment industry is. If you're a newcomer sitting in this position, naturally people will be watching you.

But watching is one thing, whether you're convinced or not depends on your actual skills.

After going over a few scenes in the main storyline, Lü Haojiji flipped through the script: "Next scene, the one between Liu Xiyin and Ye Zhao. Chu Ran, Si Chun, you two will do it."

Wang Churan sat up straight and took a deep breath.

She opened the script and began to read her lines. The first line was alright, but by the second, her tone became noticeably hurried, as if she was rushing to utter the words.

"Xiyin has followed the general since childhood; wherever the general goes, Xiyin goes too—"

"Wait a minute."

Lu Haoji raised his hand, but his tone was not stern.

"Chu Ran, the emotion in this line is off. When Liu Xiyin said this, she wasn't expressing loyalty; she was being coquettish, expressing the kind of affection a young girl has for her sweetheart. You pronounced it too harshly."

Wang Churan's ears turned red: "I'm sorry, director, I'll try again."

She read it again.

Still not right.

It's not that I'm not familiar with the lines, it's that I haven't found the right feeling.

The more nervous she is, the harder she tries, and the harder she tries, the less she resembles a delicate young girl.

Ma Sichun took the initiative to lead her through the walk twice before they were able to get the pace back on track.

When Wang Churan sat down, her face was already flushed, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at anyone.

Su Yu glanced at her but didn't say anything.

Lü Haoji cleared his throat and changed the subject: "Alright, let's move on from this part. Next up is the meeting between Hu Qing and Ye Zhao in their military tent. Su Yu, Si Chun, you two come over."

All eyes in the conference room refocused.

They all knew this scene: Hu Qing's first appearance, the strategist reporting military intelligence to the commander-in-chief.

There aren't many lines, but every line is crucial. A good performance shows composure, while a bad one sounds like reciting a textbook.

Su Yu put down his pen and looked up at Ma Sichun.

His eyes have changed.

It was the gaze of a confident and intelligent strategist looking at his commander-in-chief—calm and resolute.

"General Ye, a scout from the front reports."

The sound wasn't loud, but it was very steady.

"The enemy's main force is stationed thirty li north of Yanmen Pass, numbering about 20,000 men. The supply train has already departed from the rear and is expected to arrive in three days."

He paused for a moment.

"Also, scouts discovered hoofprints in Wolf Fang Valley. They tracked them overnight and confirmed a small group of cavalry, no more than a hundred men. But their direction—was to circle around to our rear."

Ma Sichun continued, "What do you mean?"

"Openly repair the plank road while secretly crossing the Chencang pass."

Su Yu turned a page of the script: "The main army will be stationed at Yanmen Pass to draw attention, while a small elite force will flank from the rear. Once the supplies arrive, they will attack from both sides."

Is there a way to solve this?

"Yes." He looked up. "Eat the hundred men who flank them before their supplies arrive."

The meeting room was silent for a few seconds.

Lü Haoji spoke first: "Okay! This rhythm is right."

Sheng Yilun nodded as well.

The actors next to him exchanged glances.

Over the next three hours, Su Yu rehearsed several more scenes. There was a secret meeting with Ma Sichun in the military tent, and a confrontation with Sheng Yilun in the imperial court; he handled each scene flawlessly.

"That's all for today." Lü Haojiji closed the script. "Everyone go back and think about it some more. We'll officially start filming tomorrow."

The crowd gradually stood up.

Lü Haojiji and Sheng Yilun walked out side by side, whispering to each other. The director patted Sheng Yilun on the shoulder and said something with a smile. Sheng Yilun smiled and responded.

Su Yu was packing up the script when Ma Sichun walked over.

"Su Yu".

She stopped beside him, smiling. "You did a great job. You don't seem like a newbie at all."

Su Yu stuffed the script into his bag: "Sister Si Chun, you flatter me. After all, I've attended several training courses and even acted in a drama, so I've definitely improved."

"This is far from 'some improvement'," Ma Sichun said with a smile, shaking her head. "Alright, I won't bother you anymore. See you on set tomorrow."

She turned and left.

Su Yu slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out, with Wang Churan chasing after him.

"Brother Su Yu!"

She looked up at him, her eyes bright, "You were amazing just now! The way your eyes changed completely, your aura was so different, you seemed even more composed than those with formal training."

Su Yu paused for a moment, then a slight smile appeared on his lips.

After all, he was quite pleased with the beautiful girl's praise.

"Of course."

He put on airs, adopting a smug expression, "Don't you know who I am?"

Wang Churan rolled her eyes. "I didn't expect you to be so narcissistic."

Su Yu didn't respond, but instead repeated Wang Churan's lines in a high-pitched voice: "Xiyin has followed the general since childhood. Wherever the general goes, Xiyin goes too."

Wang Churan's expression froze.

"How is it? Do you think you're doing a good job?" Su Yu winked at her.

Wang Churan's face flushed red instantly, and she reached out to slap his arm: "You're still copying me!"

Su Yu dodged to the side.

She patted empty air, which made her even angrier, and she chased after him, patting him several more times.

Su Yu dodged twice, but didn't dodge the last time, letting her pat him on the shoulder.

The force was like swatting a mosquito.

"Su Yu, what are you laughing at!" Wang Chu glared at him angrily.

I didn't laugh.

"Your lips are practically curled up to the sky!"

Su Yu raised his hand and gently patted her head.

"Why aren't you calling me 'brother' anymore?"

Wang Churan covered her head, jumped back a step, and snorted, "I won't yell!"

After saying that, she turned around and ran towards the front of the corridor. After running a couple of steps, she turned back to see if he was following.

Su Yu took a step forward and followed. When Wang Churan saw that he was catching up, she ran a few more steps forward and then turned around.

"Hehehe, can't hit it!"

The two walked towards the hotel, one after the other, playfully bickering.

At the other end of the corridor, two prop crew members were carrying boxes past.

One of them was a beat slower and nudged his companion with his elbow.

The two watched the figures at the end of the corridor, one in front of the other. The girl skipped and hopped ahead, turning back to say something, while the boy followed behind, reaching out as if to pat her head again, but she dodged it.

"Youth is wonderful."

A voice said enviously.

Another nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, they seem like a perfect match."