Top Dupe CH 069 Prying At A Corner Of A Wall Part 2

"Well... I'll leave the makeup for Wen Yuchi's character to you in a few days," Luo Yu said.

Ye Shengyi froze, his brain working overtime before he suddenly understood, his eyes lighting up. "Is Wen Yuchi... the character from the movie ‘Beast and Rose’?"

"En." Luo Yu nodded.

"You... you landed the role? You're going to act in a movie?" Ye Shengyi leaned closer to Luo Yu, his hands on the table.

Luo Yu smiled. "Yeah."

"And you're letting me follow you into the production team?"

"That's right."

"Am I dreaming? I'm going to join you on a movie set? How many makeup artists do you have? What number am I?" Ye Shengyi asked excitedly.

"You're currently my only makeup artist, number one."

"Ah! Is this the moment when my luck turns around?" Ye Shengyi was so excited that he hugged Luo Yu.

"I don't know if your luck is turning around, but with me, I can't promise you the highest salary or benefits. But if you want to dye your hair the colors of a rainbow, go ahead. If you want to decorate yourself like a Christmas tree, do it. Just be yourself." Luo Yu gently patted Ye Shengyi on the back.

After finishing their late-night snack, Luo Yu drove the still-excited Ye Shengyi back to the entrance of his apartment complex.

Before driving home, Luo Yu sent a selfie of him and Ye Shengyi eating fried rice at a food stall to Gu Xiaowei: [Teacher Gu, here's a picture of me and my makeup artist.]

Gu Xiaowei's reply was faster than Luo Yu expected: [Nice job prying the corner of someone else's wall.]

Luo Yu laughed: [How do you know it was a nice job?]

Gu Xiaowei: [Brother Yan showed me your audition photos for Huo Haoyan.]

Luo Yu hadn't expected him to be so interested in his progress.

It was getting late, and Luo Yu realized he needed to go to bed.

Jiang Yinchuan was very invested in Luo Yu landing the role of Wen Yuchi, even assigning a specialized lawyer to help Sister Cui negotiate the contract and ordering a customized nanny van for him.

The next morning, Luo Yu looked up the price of a nanny van online and was shocked.

"Yin Chuan, I need to discuss something with you. The van you ordered for me is too expensive! I won't be able to earn back the cost from just one movie! And if it gets scratched or dented, I'll be distressed. Maybe we should cancel it?" Luo Yu said in a gentle tone.

"Do you know there was a bidding meeting for TV dramas last weekend?" Jiang Yinchuan, on the other end of the phone, casually sipped Pu'er tea as he spoke.

"I... didn't know."

"I ran into Ou Juntao at the meeting, and during dinner that evening, he said the benefits I provide to my artists aren't nearly as good as when I was with Honghe Film and Television. He asked if I was having cash flow issues." Jiang Yinchuan's voice was a little frosty.

"R-really?"

"He even said I wasn't doing as well as Jiang Yunxie. He provides his artists with two nanny vans, a driver, assistants, makeup artists, and sometimes three or four bodyguards. And you? You don't have any of that."

"But you gave me shares in the company! Plus, we have a priceless friendship!" Luo Yu said, amused.

"That's between you and me! I have to let Ou Juntao see your status! It’s not just about money, it’s about pride!"

Ah, the male ego!

"Why do you care what he thinks? I’m signed with you. Just that alone means you’ll always win against him. Let him see that the relationship between us has nothing to do with material conditions." Luo Yu was genuinely concerned that Jiang Yinchuan might outfit him like He Mu was, which would be too flashy and inconvenient.

After a moment, Luo Yu laughed again. "Did Ou Juntao poach one of your prospects? Were you trying to sign an artist? Or was it a project?"

Jiang Yinchuan hesitated briefly, then awkwardly admitted, "A young actor. At first, he hadn't decided which company to sign with. I met with him and thought I had a good chance. I even helped recommend some roles for him."

Luo Yu made a bold guess and continued, "But with Dijun Media offering more appealing roles, the actor felt your offers couldn’t compare to their promises of instant fame."

"Yeah, that happens in this industry. It also shows that our values didn't align." Although a bit annoyed, Jiang Yinchuan quickly moved on.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, I’ve got a makeup artist now. I’ll take my time choosing the rest of the team."

"Then you'll have to pick up your makeup artist in that nanny van, won't you? Are you going to make your makeup artist take taxis? Or squeeze their makeup kit into your little POLO?"

With that, Luo Yu realized he needed to overcome his apprehension about the nanny van.

Taking a deep breath, Luo Yu thought, picking up the nanny van was a big deal—he had to bring someone along for moral support. Teacher Gu, let’s go!

Thus, at the dealership, Luo Yu sat in the seat, repeatedly clicking and unclipping the seatbelt buckle, over and over, even deliberately trapping his clothes in it to see if it would still open.

Brother Yan, sitting in the front row, leaned over the back of his seat and asked in confusion, "Do you have a grudge against the seatbelt?"

Xiao Qin, also curious, mimicked Luo Yu, clicking and unclipping her seatbelt repeatedly.

The VIP service representative at the door wore an awkward but polite smile. "This car not only has plenty of space, but its seatbelts are also very safe."

Luo Yu chuckled. "I just want to know, if the seatbelt ever gets stuck on clothing, can I still open it safely? After all, it would be pretty embarrassing to be trapped in the seat during an event, right?"

"Brother Luo, you really focus on the strangest things," Xiao Qin remarked with awe.

Suddenly, Gu Xiaowei, sitting beside Luo Yu, reached over and covered the seatbelt buckle, putting an end to his antics.

"I... I saw this TV show when I was a kid, where the protagonist, an actor, was on the way to an awards ceremony when their car plunged into a river. Then..." Luo Yu felt a bit sheepish about his seatbelt anxiety. "Then the seatbelt got stuck, and they drowned."

"Oh... so that's how it is..." Xiao Qin nodded in understanding.  

"Seems like you still remember the TV plot from when you were a kid. Must've been a real childhood trauma." Brother Yan was curious about which TV show it was.  

Gu Xiaowei looked toward the service representative at the door. "Is it okay to gift him a few multi-function safety hammers?"  

"No problem, of course! We’re even giving away car fire extinguishers!"  

With that, the service representative came over carrying a pile of safety equipment.  

Gu Xiaowei picked up the multi-function safety hammer, pressed a button on it, and with a "swish," a blade popped out. He very seriously told Luo Yu, "Watch carefully, if you're ever stuck by your seatbelt again, use this to cut it."  

Luo Yu looked at the shiny blade and nodded.  

"If the car flips into the water, you can also use this hammer to break the glass."  

"Understood."  

"All the necessary safety precautions are in place now, better than testing the seatbelt a thousand times."  

After speaking, Gu Xiaowei stored the multi-function safety hammer and placed it beside Luo Yu’s seat.  

For some reason, the shadow that had troubled him for so long suddenly cleared the moment Gu Xiaowei picked up that hammer.  

"Let’s go, take the new car and pick up your makeup artist," Gu Xiaowei said.  

So, the group accompanied Luo Yu to finish the car pickup procedures. Brother Yan drove, Xiao Qin sat in the front passenger seat, while Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei sat in the back, heading to Ai Cheng’s studio to pick up Ye Shengyi.  

Ai Cheng's team was bustling with people. Aside from the assistant and makeup artist who had been with her for years, she felt nothing special about anyone else leaving, especially since Ye Shengyi hadn't made any standout contributions and they didn't have a deep relationship.  

Sister Lan was a little surprised to receive Ye Shengyi's resignation letter. After all, she could tell that Ye Shengyi cared about the job. He was always paying close attention to every detail about Ai Cheng, including her skin, temperament, and condition. The more meticulous he was, the more Sister Lan felt a sense of threat.  

One day, Ai Cheng would notice Ye Shengyi’s strengths, and then Sister Lan’s standing in Ai Cheng’s eyes would diminish.  

So Ye Shengyi deciding to leave now was a good thing for both sides.  

Sister Lan pulled Ye Shengyi into a small side room and asked, "Have you found your next job?"  

With a hint of pride in his eyes, Ye Shengyi nodded and said, "Yes, with an actor I've always admired."  

"An actor, huh? Are you joining their team?"  

"Yes." Ye Shengyi nodded firmly.  

Sister Lan looked at Ye Shengyi's expression, full of energy and determination, just like when he first joined Ai Cheng’s team.  

For some reason, Sister Lan felt a bit envious.  

"They probably don’t have just one makeup artist, right? Whether it's here with Ai Cheng or elsewhere, you’ll have to start from the basics. Have you really thought it through?"  

"I've thought it through. I'll be the only makeup artist for this actor."  

Just as he finished speaking, Ye Shengyi’s phone rang. He gave Sister Lan an apologetic look before answering the call. "Hello, Brother Luo... You're here? I’ll quickly pack my things and be right down. Huh? No need for you to come up, I don't have much stuff! Okay, I’ll say goodbye to my colleagues and come down!"  

"Your new boss came to pick you up? Seems like they really value you," Sister Lan remarked.  

"Yes, not only do they value me, but they also trust me." Ye Shengyi’s face was filled with confidence. "Well, Sister Lan, this is goodbye. I wish you all the best in everything!"  

With that, Ye Shengyi walked out. He didn’t have much to pack—just a neck pillow, a blanket for the air conditioning, and a plastic water bottle, all stuffed into a large plastic bag. After saying goodbye to the two assistants, he left.  

Ai Cheng was getting her hair done when suddenly a staff member at the window called out, "Isn't that Gu Xiaowei in that van?"  

"What?"  

In an instant, everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered by the window.  

Ai Cheng, who had been playing on her phone, chuckled, "You guys must be seeing things. Why would Gu Xiaowei come here?"  

At that moment, the van door opened. A pair of long legs stepped out, dressed in casual pants, followed by a figure bending down and stepping out of the vehicle, which sent the people at the window into a chorus of excitement.  

"It’s Gu Xiaowei! It’s really Gu Xiaowei! He looks just as good as on TV!"  

"Who’s the guy next to Gu Xiaowei? He’s so handsome, kind of familiar... but... is that Luo Yu?"  

Suddenly, Ai Cheng lifted her head, rushed to the window with her half-done curls, and shouted, "Move aside! Let me see!"  

Everyone quickly made way. Ai Cheng tried to stick her head out of the window, but the curlers in her hair nearly got her stuck.  

"Wow, it really is Luo Yu! He looks so handsome when he smiles! He’s so different from Bai Ying!" Ai Cheng exclaimed.  

Sister Lan helplessly shook her head at the others. Of course, women would gather to gossip about male celebrities in the industry.  

Ai Cheng, well, she had a serious addiction to male beauty, and she often fell for one after another.  

She had liked He Mu because his delicate face inspired endless fantasies, especially when he performed passionate dances, which was incredibly seductive. But that kind of refinement lost to Gu Xiaowei when they were compared.  

Gu Xiaowei, from his eyelashes to his hair, was perfect enough to make Ai Cheng’s heart race. Especially after she saw him up close at an event once and felt his aloof yet elegant aura, she couldn’t stop thinking about him, calling him a top-tier alpha.  

Then a few months ago, Ai Cheng came across a video of Luo Yu as Bai Ying, and she went crazy over him, saying he was the epitome of a “human masterpiece,” with a melancholic elegance and a sense of wild, broken intensity. Later, when Huo Haoyan’s character look was revealed, she went wild again, saying that the seemingly gentleman yet scheming type of man was her absolute favorite.  

In short, Luo Yu was currently her number one favorite among all the men she had fallen for.  

At this moment, Ai Cheng watched from the window as Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu, one holding Ye Shengyi’s blanket and the other his neck pillow, and she felt a sudden wave of envy.  

"I really wish I could be Ye Shengyi, receiving double the affection from Gu Xiaowei and Luo Yu!"  

Now Ai Cheng regretted not adding Ye Shengyi on WeChat earlier—if she had, she could have asked him for Luo Yu's autograph, maybe even get a chance to visit the set.  

"Is it too late to add Ye Shengyi as a friend now?"  

Standing by the window, Sister Lan was surprised. Did Ye Shengyi join Gu Xiaowei’s team?