Reshaping the landscape of the Chinese entertainment industry

Chapter 75 Chang'e Should Regret Stealing the Elixir

After tidying his clothes a bit, He Yi'an then walked down the stairs while holding onto the railing.

Although there were still a few people in the banquet hall, most of them had already left.

He Yi'an looked around but couldn't find Yu Feihong and Han Sanping. He guessed they were either still discussing the copyright or had already returned to the hotel.

He took out his phone and sent a message to Yu Feihong: "Senior, I've finished negotiating here. I'll leave the copyright matter to you and Uncle Han. I'm going back to the hotel now."

Then he sent another message to Yan Danchen.

After sending the message and receiving no reply for a long time, He Yi'an guessed that she was probably with Yu Feihong, so she didn't pay any attention to it and prepared to walk back to the hotel alone.

However, before he could take more than a few steps, he saw Yan Danchen emerge from the corner, seemingly having been waiting for him.

"Boss," she said, walking over, her voice cheerful, "Are you done talking?"

"We're done talking." He Yi'an looked at her questioningly. "Why haven't you gone back yet? Where are Yu Feihong and the others?"

"I've been waiting for you. You drank quite a bit tonight, and I was worried that if you drank too much, no one would take care of you."

Sure enough, the effects of the alcohol did gradually kick in, and his body started to feel weak, but he was still able to hold on. He Yi'an didn't respond to this suggestion of being considerate: "It's not like I've never drunk alcohol before, I don't get drunk so easily."

As he spoke, he prepared to continue walking.

However, being somewhat weak to begin with, he experienced uneven force distribution and almost stumbled.

This action seems to have triggered a chain reaction.

He drank quite a bit in the VIP room, and with the champagne, red wine, and whiskey he had at the banquet, this stumble seemed to have mixed all the drinks together.

The aftereffects came on very quickly.

He Yi'an felt a little dizzy.

He grabbed the railing beside him and shook his head.

"Boss?" Yan Danchen quickly helped him up. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing," He Yi'an waved his hand, "I'm just a little dizzy."

"Then I'll take you back to your room. I was just about to go back myself." Without waiting for a reply, Yan Danchen took his arm and helped him downstairs.

He Yi'an wanted to refuse, but after the wine was mixed together, the effects of the alcohol kicked in, making her head feel heavier and her legs weak, so she had no choice but to let her have her way.

As the two walked out of the banquet hall, Yan Danchen did not notice that a pair of eyes were watching her from a corner behind her.

Seemingly remembering something, the figure hesitated for a moment, then followed.

Back at the hotel, I walked through the corridor and arrived at the elevator.

He Yi'an leaned against the wall, closed his eyes, and felt the whole world spinning.

"Boss, where's the room key?" Yan Danchen asked.

He Yi'an moved his hand, felt his pocket, took out the room card and handed it to her.

He doesn't want to talk right now, he just wants to lie down.

The elevator arrived, and Yan Danchen helped him stagger inside and pressed the floor button.

The elevator doors closed immediately, and the small space was so quiet that you could hear each other breathing.

He Yi'an is actually a very good drinker; when he gets drunk, he usually just wants to sleep.

If I didn't want to embarrass myself too much, I probably would have just lay down and gone to sleep by now.

He leaned against the elevator wall, his eyes half-open, staring at Yan Danchen's profile with a dazed look.

-

Her long hair was a little messy, and she still wore light makeup from the banquet. Her eyelashes were very long, casting a shadow under the lights.

"Thank you, senior," he mumbled.

Yan Danchen turned her head, her eyes seemingly unable to meet his gaze, and whispered, "What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for actually waiting for me." He Yi'an's tongue was practically slurring at this point. "If it weren't for you, I'm afraid I would have made a fool of myself today, and there might even be another headline about me tomorrow."

Yan Danchen didn't say anything, but held his arm tightly to prevent him from falling.

The elevator arrived, and the doors opened.

Yan Danchen helped him walk down the corridor to his room and swiped the room card to open the door.

The room was dark, and by the moonlight streaming through the window, Yan Danchen helped him to the bed and laid him down.

Feeling himself back in bed, He Yi'an finally relaxed completely. He closed his eyes and felt the whole world spinning around him.

"Boss, lie down first, I'll go get you a glass of water." Yan Danchen's voice rang in my ears, followed by the sound of footsteps and water being poured.

She returned with a glass of water, lifted He Yi'an's head, and fed him a few sips.

"Have some more," Yan Danchen said softly.

He Yi'an shook his head and lay back down on his pillow.

He felt very hot, and the tie was uncomfortable around his neck. He reached out to pull it off, but he couldn't get it off no matter what he did.

"I'll do it." Yan Danchen helped him loosen his tie, and then she helped him take off his coat.

He Yi'an had his eyes closed and was half asleep when he felt someone wiping his face.

A warm towel feels so comfortable on my face, from my forehead to my cheeks, from my chin to my neck.

"Senior," he mumbled, "you don't need to worry about me, go back and rest."

Yan Danchen did not answer.

He Yi'an's consciousness became increasingly blurred, the alcohol dulling his mind until he finally fell into a deep sleep.

"The boss?"

Seeing that he seemed to have really fallen asleep, Yan Danchen grew bolder. Her voice was very soft, as if she were talking to herself: "You know what? You are the strangest director I have ever met."

He Yi'an did not respond.

-

"At eighteen, you were making movies, writing songs, winning awards, starting a company—you knew everything and dared to do anything. Sometimes I feel like you're not eighteen, but thirty-eight; you've seen through everything."

She paused, then lowered her voice further.

"The directors, producers, and so-called industry veterans I've met before—everyone looked at me like I was a piece of meat, wondering if they could take a bite."

"I've had many people say to me, 'Danchen, this role is perfect for you. Come to my room tonight to discuss the script.' Others have told me, 'I've signed a contract, and I guarantee you'll be famous nationwide within three years.'"

"I used to believe it too—but then I learned not to believe it."

"But boss, you're different."

"From beginning to end, you never had any improper thoughts about me."

"You chose me to play the female lead — you signed me to your company — you gave me an opportunity, you gave me trust, you gave me respect."

"You know, in this industry, respect is the cheapest thing, but also the most precious."

He Yi'an's breathing was steady; he was completely asleep.

Yan Danchen looked at his face; the moonlight shone on his profile, outlining a clear contour.

He Yi'an had thick eyebrows, a straight nose, and slightly pursed lips. When he was asleep, he finally lost the mature composure he had during the day and revealed a bit of the naivety of an eighteen-year-old.

"You're too young," she said softly, "so young that I'm embarrassed to even think about those things, but—"

Her fingers gently brushed across his forehead, brushing his hair aside.

"But sometimes, I think, if you were a few years older, or if I were a few years younger—"

She didn't continue speaking, but simply looked at him quietly.

There was tenderness, gratitude, and an indescribable emotion in his eyes.

"Boss," she said softly, "you know what? Your biggest problem is that you're too nice. So nice that people can't help but want to get closer, so nice that it's hard to tell whether it's gratitude or liking."

She reached out and gently touched his cheek.

"If one day you really become a great director, and the whole world knows you, will you still remember today? Will you still remember Venice, remember this room, remember—"

But just then, there was a knock on the door.

"Knock knock knock".

Yan Danchen froze.

There were three more knocks on the door, this time more urgent.

Like a startled deer, Yan Danchen walked to the door and peeked out through the peephole.

Standing outside the door was Yu Feihong.

She was wearing a loose-fitting knit sweater, her hair was down, and she had a half-smile on her face.

Just as Yan Danchen was hesitating whether to open the door, the knocking sounded again.

Yan Danchen, inside the room, bit her lip but still opened the door.

"Sister Yu." Her voice was a little strained.

Yu Feihong leaned against the door frame, glancing over Yan Danchen's shoulder and into the room.

He Yi'an lay on the bed, the blankets neatly tucked in, a water glass and a towel on the bedside table, and his coat draped over the back of the chair.

"Did he drink too much?" Yu Feihong asked in a very calm tone.

"Yes," Yan Danchen nodded, "I brought him back and wiped him down a bit, just in case he was uncomfortable."

Yu Feihong looked at her with a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Just wiped it?"

Yan Danchen's face flushed red: "Sister Yu, don't misunderstand, it's really just—"

"I didn't misunderstand." Yu Feihong interrupted her, smiled, "I just came to see how he is. President Han asked me to come and check on him, worried that he might have drunk too much and no one would take care of him."

She took two steps into the room, glanced at He Yi'an's condition, and then turned and came out.

"You're sleeping soundly," she said, looking at Yan Danchen. "You should go back and get some rest too; you have a flight tomorrow."

Yan Danchen nodded, followed her out of the room, and gently closed the door.

The two stood in the corridor, Yu Feihong with his arms crossed, looking at her with a half-smile.

Yan Danchen felt uncomfortable under her gaze: "Sister Yu, don't look at me like that."

"What do I think of you?" Yu Feihong's smile deepened.

"It's—it's that look in their eyes."

"What kind of look is that?"

Yan Danchen couldn't explain it; she just kept her head down, her ears as red as if they were about to bleed.

Yu Feihong looked at her, remained silent for a few seconds, and then sighed softly.

"Dan Chen," her voice softened, "you know, there aren't many people like him in this industry."

Yan Danchen nodded.

"He helped you because he genuinely felt you were suitable for the role, not for any other reason."

Yan Danchen bit her lip.

"I'm a few years older than you, and I've seen more than you have," Yu Feihong said calmly. "Some things are best left unsaid; once you cross that line, there's no going back."

Yan Danchen looked up at her and said, "Sister Yu, I know, I didn't do anything, really."

"I know. If you really did something, he wouldn't be asleep right now, he'd be awake."

Yan Danchen's face turned red again.

"Let's go," Yu Feihong patted her shoulder, "Go back and rest. We have to meet with the film distributors tomorrow, and there's a lot of stuff to do."

The two walked side by side down the corridor, then parted ways at the corner.

Yan Danchen returned to her room, closed the door, leaned against it, her heart still pounding.

Chang'e should regret stealing the elixir, the blue sky and the blue sky and the heart of every night.

She didn't know why she suddenly remembered this poem, but she felt that her hesitation and lack of determination had made her miss out on something extremely important.

Chang'e ascended to immortality because she regretted stealing the elixir, but she only regretted not being able to steal it.

Some things, once missed, are missed forever.

If she hadn't hesitated, if she had been bolder, if she hadn't cared about what others thought—

Could the outcome be different?

pity----

She gave a wry smile, went into the bathroom, turned on the tap, and washed her face with cold water.

The person in the mirror had slightly red eyes and makeup that hadn't been completely removed, making them look somewhat disheveled.

"Seven years old—if only I were a few years younger, or if I had just acted recklessly," she whispered.

P.S.: This chapter actually resolves the issues of the two female supporting characters all at once. The female lead is a bit more straightforward. It's normal for her to have thoughts, but she can't think entirely with her lower body. Female characters also need to have their own independent personalities!