Chapter 4: Hello, Teacher Li!

[Ding~~ A task has arrived~~]

Just after five in the morning, Ji Yu rushed to the Che Dun Film City, and the system task popped up immediately.

By the time it was past seven, Ji Yu saw Chen Kun yawning as he arrived at the crew.

Looks like he didn’t sleep well last night.

Ji Yu didn’t pay him any mind; the fact that Chen Kun showed up to work today meant that the reporters hadn’t dug up any dirt yesterday.

Or maybe if they had, he might have been paid even more to keep quiet.

But it was none of Ji Yu’s concern—he was a man destined to rise to the pinnacle of the entertainment industry, not some paparazzo!

Time to get to work!

Ji Yu stayed busy until after six in the evening before wrapping up.

He managed to collect a few more disguise skill fragments.

Time to go home and get a good rest.

Ji Yu hopped on his trusty eighteen-speed bicycle, planning to buy some tangerines as a reward for his hard work.

The “Like Mist” crew would be wrapping up filming in a few days and wouldn’t be coming tomorrow.

Most of the extras were leaving; without changing locations, there would be no more shoots.

Might as well try luck with another crew—landing even a minor role beats being an extra with no prospects.

While Ji Yu was buying tangerines, he spotted Li Xiaoran carrying a suitcase, waiting for a ride. He approached her.

“Teacher Li!”

“Oh, it’s you, the shoeshiner! Sorry, I didn’t catch your name,” Li Xiaoran said with an apologetic and somewhat surprised tone.

She felt a strange connection to this person, having bumped into him several times recently.

Ji Yu smiled and said, “Teacher Li, my name is Ji Yu. You can just call me Xiao Ji or Xiao Yu.”

“Hello, Ji Yu. Are you off work now?” Li Xiaoran asked proactively.

“Yeah. Teacher Li, you’re done filming too, right? Congratulations.”

“Thank you,” she replied, unsure what else to say, then glanced around for a taxi.

“Would you like some tangerines? These are little kumquats, quite pricey,” Ji Yu offered, worried she might refuse.

“Thanks,” Li Xiaoran replied, sensing the respect in his words. She didn’t want to embarrass him, so she took one, peeled it, and tried it.

The kumquat was sour and not sweet at all.

“So sour!”

“Really? I think they’re quite sweet,” Ji Yu said, enjoying the sweet-and-sour taste.

“Are you planning to take a taxi? This parking lot is for the crew, and hardly any taxis come here. Just one block over, taxis are more common.”

“Oh, that explains why I didn’t see any for a while,” Li Xiaoran realized.

“Teacher Li, why not put your luggage on my bike? I’ll take it for you.”

Li Xiaoran hesitated for a moment. Ji Yu quickly added, “I’m not a bad person—I won’t steal anything.”

She looked embarrassed and quickly waved her hand.

“Sorry to trouble you, and please don’t call me Teacher Li. It feels awkward.”

She had only acted in a few dramas, had almost no fame, and was practically a newcomer.

She certainly wasn’t worthy of the title “teacher” and was just a small nobody in the industry.

This time, it was thanks to Chen Kun asking Zhao Bao for a favor that she landed a third lead role.

Still, Ji Yu’s sincerity in calling her that made her feel appreciated, though she remained shy.

“Just call me by my name. Please don’t call me Teacher Li anymore,” she insisted, though her tone betrayed a hint of reluctance.

Ji Yu scratched his head awkwardly. “Alright. But what was your name again? You spoke too softly the other day; I didn’t catch it.”

Li Xiaoran—so it was just me overthinking?

“Li Xiaoran, Li Xiaoran… got it! I definitely won’t forget this time!” Ji Yu nodded seriously, like he was memorizing lottery numbers.

Of course, Ji Yu had to remember this name.

She was the first celebrity he had ever met!

After escorting Li Xiaoran to the next intersection, Ji Yu smiled and said, “I’ll wait with you for a bit.”

“Thank you.”

Li Xiaoran tucked the stray hairs from her forehead behind her ear and looked around for a taxi.

She was beautiful.

Ji Yu looked at her profile and asked, “Why not take the crew’s car?”

Li Xiaoran looked back and explained, “I’m heading to another crew; it’s not on the way.”

“Congratulations,” Ji Yu said, stuffing a tangerine into his mouth with a sour expression—unsure if it was from the fruit or his feelings.

“Didn’t you say they’re sour?”

“Really sour! No pretending.”

Soon, a taxi arrived.

Li Xiaoran got in and gave the driver the address, then quickly leaned out the window to ask Ji Yu, “Do you have a phone number?”

“Yes!” Ji Yu was thrilled, thinking maybe romance was blossoming.

After noting down the number, Li Xiaoran said, “If my next crew needs extras, I’ll call you. Goodbye!”

“Oh, alright. Goodbye!” Ji Yu waved.

The taxi sped off, leaving Ji Yu with a mouthful of exhaust fumes.

He grumbled and patted his bicycle.

When will I be able to drive a car myself?

Oh well, back home to eavesdrop through the walls.

Ji Yu pedaled happily, singing as he went.

He had been reborn—what more could he want?

Enjoy the day while it lasts!

“Run, proud youth… uh, spit, spit, spit!”

A gust of wind blew sand into his face.

Riding is dangerous; singing is forbidden!

Ji Yu habitually chose to ignore the risk.

“Burn, proud passion! I want to sing the victory song again!”

He sang loudly as he pedaled.

It was as if he was announcing to the whole world:

Ji Yu is back!

At the traffic light, Li Xiaoran leaned out the taxi window.

She saw Ji Yu standing on his bike, singing freely with a wide smile.

If this moment had a name, it would be “happiness.”

Li Xiaoran’s lips curled into a smile as well.

“Ji Yu! Remember, my name is Li Xiaoran! Don’t forget next time!”

Ji Yu froze, then laughed heartily, letting go of the handlebars to wave both hands at Li Xiaoran.

She laughed and pulled her head back inside, then quickly leaned out again:

“Thank you for the tangerines! They were really sour but delicious!”

Ji Yu watched the taxi’s tail lights fade away and smiled.

What kind of youthful literature is this? It’s all so passionate!

He felt like he could stand and pedal another five miles.

Woohoo!

That night, when Ji Yu returned home, the neighbors had already moved out.

Ji Yu slept soundly and even dreamed.

Although the neighbors were quiet now, his heart was restless.

His temper was too fierce.

After finishing up at home, Ji Yu rode out to find more work.

With the extras’ leader still around, he had to grab as many gigs as possible.

When Ji Yu saw the extras’ leader, he smiled broadly without a word.

“Haha…”

“Stop laughing. There’s an urban drama next door that needs someone to play a patient with a broken bone. They have to put a cast on—are you in?”

“I’m in!”

“Good, hurry up, they need someone urgently!”

[Ding~ Task has arrived~]

[Disguise yourself as a patient, infiltrate the hospital, and secretly monitor to prevent the target’s escape.]

[Task Reward: Voice-changing skill fragment *1, Exposure points *10]

This task sounds interesting. Does disguising as a patient mean I have to wail in pain?

So that’s why the reward is a voice-changing skill. What use could that skill have?

I’ll have to think about it later.

Ji Yu changed into the patient gown, and his leg was put in a cast.

The crew was called “Life is So Beautiful.” Judging by the name, it should be a medical drama.

Soon, Ji Yu spotted the male lead.

Lu Erhao!

The Erhao from “Deep Love and Misty Rain,” but wasn’t he filming that just a few days ago?

Looks like, like Li Xiaoran, he had seamless transitions between crews.

Ji Yu envied these actors.

But what was Erhao’s real name?

So many in the entertainment industry are only remembered by their roles, not their real names.

Since Ji Yu had a cast and couldn’t move, he just sat there waiting.

But overhearing conversation nearby, he realized this wasn’t a medical drama at all.

It was a romance drama!

His role was just a background character, without even a close-up.

Whenever there was a hospital scene, he would be pushed out in a wheelchair wearing the patient gown.

His purpose was simply to emphasize the story took place in a hospital.

The set was built very casually, without any real hospital features.

The crew was poor—no chance of filming on location.

Ji Yu nearly fell asleep in the wheelchair when suddenly someone tapped his shoulder.

“Ji Yu! What are you doing here?”

Opening his eyes, Ji Yu saw Li Xiaoran.

“Li Teac—”

Before he could say “teacher,” his mouth was covered.

Li Xiaoran quickly stepped forward, covering his mouth.

Whispering, “Don’t call me Teacher Li. There are so many people around; it’s so awkward!”

Ji Yu quieted down, blinking at her.

Wasn’t this even more embarrassing?

Li Xiaoran realized she was leaning on him.

The two of them blinked at each other, as if silently seeing who’s heart would race first.