Chapter 6: Is There Anything You Don’t Know?

After nightfall, Jiang Ye invited Ou Hao to a street food stall near the hotel. Under the plastic canopy, two bottles of ice-cold beer glistened with condensation.

Jiang Ye poured a glass for Ou Hao and got straight to the point: "Brother Ou, there’s something I need to clear up with you."

Ou Hao paused with his chopsticks mid-air, a peanut held between them. "About Chun-chun?"

"Yeah." Jiang Ye took a sip of beer, choosing his words carefully. "Teacher Ma has been... a bit too enthusiastic toward me lately."

Ou Hao’s fingers unconsciously rubbed the edge of his glass. After a long silence, he suddenly laughed. "You’re an honest kid." He tilted his head back and downed half his beer. "I’ll be blunt too—I’ve actually been suspicious of you."

Jiang Ye’s grip on his glass tightened.

"Though I don’t know exactly what she’s done," Ou Hao pulled at the corner of his mouth, his expression complicated, "I do know that in this entire crew, you hold the most appeal for her."

"Because you're just like I was when I was young!"

*Wait, what?* Was he drunk before he even started drinking? Jiang Ye was puzzled. He was clearly better-looking than Ou Hao, in better shape, and—he dared say—had more stamina, too. Where did this guy get the nerve to say he was like him? But seeing as Ou Hao was on the verge of being dumped, Jiang Ye decided not to hold it against him.

"Brother Ou, I absolutely have no..."

"I know," Ou Hao interrupted, his tone strangely calm. "If you really had intentions, you wouldn't have invited me out for drinks."

A night breeze carried the scent of charcoal-grilled oysters. Jiang Ye sighed in relief. "I just didn't want this to affect our relationship."

"Fine, for the sake of your honesty," Ou Hao raised his glass, "we're still brothers."

The glasses clinked with a crisp sound.

"But..." a flicker of sharpness crossed his eyes, "I won't give up easily."

*What the hell?* Jiang Ye felt like he couldn't stomach the drink anymore! He already had Dudu; why would he ever be interested in this "SpongeBob"?

Consequently, Jiang Ye drank him under the table. In the end, Ou Hao spilled his heart out.

"Brother, you really are handsome, just like me when I was young!"

"I made it big on *Super Boy* thanks to this face, but look at me now? There's no path forward for singers, and I've got no connections to transition into acting..."

"The entertainment industry is a tough place to survive!"

"Chun-chun is very important to me! She has Jiang Wenli and Gu Changwei behind her..."

"Brother, do you understand?"

Before he could finish, he slumped over onto the plastic table.

Jiang Ye understood perfectly. After all, for a man, living off a woman isn't something to be ashamed of. Even if this guy was a bit of a jerk—eventually dumping Ma and leaving her depressed—that was their own choice to make.

"Waiter," Jiang Ye pulled out his wallet, "two more bottles. I'll keep him company for a while longer!"

...

On the other side of the city, Chen Duling pushed open the door to her home in the Xiamen University staff quarters. In the living room, her father, a professor in the Department of Mathematics at Xiamen University, was staring intently at the TV screen.

The Juventus versus AC Milan match was at a critical juncture. Her father was a fan of Juventus, which was why he had named her after the city where the team was based—"Turin."

Hearing the door open, the elder Chen said without turning his head, "You're back?" his fingers nervously tapping the armrest of the sofa.

"Yes!" Chen Duling set down her backpack and tiptoed into the kitchen. Her mother, Lin Hongying, wearing a floral apron, was stir-frying a plate of shredded pork with green peppers. As the range hood roared, she looked back and smiled at her daughter. "Are you tired from filming? Dinner will be ready soon."

On the dining table, three dishes and a soup were steaming. Professor Chen finally tore himself away from the television, pushing up his glasses. "How was the filming today?"

"It was alright..." Chen Duling picked up some greens. "I just couldn't get the crying scene right; I kept messing up."

"Hmph!" Professor Chen set his bowl down heavily. "I told you, acting isn't a serious profession. Come back to school after you finish this one; your calculus grade has already dropped to second in your grade."

"Old Chen!" Lin Hongying glared at her husband. "If the child likes it, let her try." She turned to her daughter, her voice softening. "Did Director Su say you did a good job today?"

Chen Duling recalled the way Jiang Ye taught her to act, and the corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily. "There's a script supervisor assistant... he's really good at teaching."

"A script supervisor assistant?" Professor Chen frowned. "What’s his educational background?"

"Dad!" Chen Duling was torn between laughing and crying. "He’s from the Directing Department at the Beijing Film Academy."

"Beijing Film Academy..." Professor Chen muttered, "That's not as good as our Xiamen University."

Lin Hongying served her daughter a bowl of soup. "What do you think? Do you want to keep acting in the future?"

Chen Duling lowered her head, stirring her soup spoon. She thought of the spotlights on set, the patient guidance of Su Youpeng when she kept failing, and the serious look on that annoying guy Jiang Ye’s face when he taught her to act...

"I..." She looked up, her gaze steady. "I want to try."

Professor Chen let out a long sigh, but Lin Hongying smiled and patted her daughter's head. "Then do it well."

On the television, the announcer’s voice boomed excitedly: "Tevez scores!"

Professor Chen immediately turned back toward the living room, muttering, "Fine, fine, we'll talk about it after this one is finished..."

Chen Duling and her mother exchanged a smile. Outside the window, the evening bell of Xiamen University rang out, startling a flock of white egrets.

...

As the filming schedule progressed, Jiang Ye suddenly realized he had become the busiest person on set.

"Assistant Jiang! Help me look at this framing!"

"Little Jiang! Ma Sichun's emotions are off again; she said you need to come and explain the scene to her!"

"Jiang Ye! The props department needs an extra hand!"

From early morning until late at night, Jiang Ye was everywhere on the set. Su Youpeng became increasingly reliant on the young man, to the point where he could hardly function without him. He was just too useful!

At six in the morning, Jiang Ye was squatting by the monitor adjusting equipment when Su Youpeng walked over, yawning. "Little Jiang, the lighting for today's scene..."

"Already confirmed with the lighting crew. We'll use a 45-degree side-backlight to highlight Chen Duling’s silhouette." Jiang Ye replied without looking up, handing him a black coffee at the perfect temperature. "Three sugars, just the way you like it."

During the lunch break, the director of photography, Old Zhang, came over looking distressed. "The Steadicam balance is acting up again..."

Jiang Ye didn't hesitate. He rolled up his sleeves, dismantled the equipment in a flash, and explained while he repaired it: "The gimbal bearing is worn out. The temporary fix is..."

Old Zhang stared in astonishment at the young man’s deft movements, as if watching a master technician with twenty years of experience.

When it came to a crying scene, Chen Duling couldn't get into character. With a single glance from Su Youpeng, Jiang Ye understood. He quietly walked over to Chen Duling and whispered something that made her so angry she burst into tears; they nailed the take on the next attempt.

"Is there anything you can't do?" Su Youpeng couldn't help but ask after they wrapped for the day.

Jiang Ye was squatting on the ground organizing the script reports. He looked up and flashed a sunny smile. "I don't think I know how to give birth."