6 New Drama
“What do you mean by ‘based on private feelings for the protected person’?”
Chi Xing sat at the dining table, eating grapes, wearing a pair of red high-heeled slippers. She crossed her legs, one slipper dangling from her toes as it swung gently.
She intensified her tone and asked again, “What private feelings do you have for me, Zhou Mang?”
This was the second day after Zhou Mang had agreed to be her personal bodyguard. Chang Xiaoyan had brought Zhou Mang and He Nianhe to Chi Xing’s hotel suite. She carefully recounted the interview with Zhou Mang to Chi Xing, who had pondered all day but couldn’t understand why Zhou Mang would say something like that.
Unable to fathom it, she naturally had to ask—especially since this question would put Zhou Mang on edge.
He Nianhe stood straight, sneaking a glance at Zhou Mang. Zhou Mang’s face showed no emotion. “I know you. We’ve had unpleasant arguments before.”
Chi Xing didn’t let him off easily. “That’s it?”
Zhou Mang, a man of few words, closed his mouth tightly and fell silent.
Chi Xing pressed on, “Do you have a girlfriend?”
Zhou Mang said nothing.
Chi Xing teased, “With how you are, it’s easy for people to misunderstand and think you have a crush on me.”
Zhou Mang replied, “I’m not familiar with you.”
Chi Xing bit into a grape, laughing coquettishly. “Oh, another lie.”
She hadn’t told Chang Xiaoyan about whatever had happened between her and Zhou Mang, and obviously, Zhou Mang hadn’t told He Nianhe about their relationship either. The three men behind Zhou Mang were practically bursting with curiosity, and even Chang Xiaoyan, momentarily forgetting her wariness, blinked in amusement.
Zhou Mang calmly said, “If you’re ready, we’ll leave now.”
Chi Xing shot back, “If you treat your employer with that attitude, I’ll fire you.”
Zhou Mang responded, “Fengchuan Media is our employer; you are our client. Miss Chi Xing, you’d better distinguish between the two.”
Chi Xing spat out the grape seed, her eyes curved with laughter as she appraised Zhou Mang’s upright posture.
She didn’t know what Zhou Mang had experienced during the twelve years apart, but clearly, he was completely different from the boy she remembered. A twinge of regret and melancholy touched her heart, but it quickly gave way to a blazing curiosity and a thirst for challenge.
The group left the hotel and returned to Chi Xing’s home.
The community security had increased patrols, and the person who had been harassing Chi Xing hadn’t shown up again, though they hadn’t been caught either. When Chi Xing entered the code to open the door, Zhou Mang stood beside her and reminded her, “Change the password after every use.”
Chi Xing frowned. “That’s too troublesome; I can’t remember them all.”
Zhou Mang said, “...I’ll remember.”
He opened the door before Chi Xing. He Nianhe slipped inside to inspect the place. Chi Xing peeked in, curious. “So formal?”
Chang Xiaoyan, frustrated, said, “They’re professional bodyguards.”
Chi Xing smiled at the serious-faced Zhou Mang and reached into her bag for a cigarette—only to remember she had decided to quit for now.
Of course, she was dissatisfied with Lin Shuchuan’s arrangements. “Radiantly Sweet You” was a fairly conventional urban idol drama, not the type Chi Xing liked. But neither she nor Chang Xiaoyan had yet secured the right to choose scripts, so they had to bite their tongues and accept Lin Shuchuan’s assignments.
Chi Xing was serious about her work; even though she disliked the show, she had started analyzing the script the previous night.
Without a cigarette, she felt a bit restless, eager to tease Zhou Mang.
Before she could speak, Zhou Mang turned back and said, “You should check out your other properties too.”
Chi Xing blinked. “...What other properties?”
Zhou Mang said, “Your other houses.”
“I don’t have any.” After He Nianhe finished inspecting, Chi Xing stepped inside. “This one’s rented.”
This clearly surprised Zhou Mang; he frowned slightly. “...Or maybe you could rent a more private apartment.”
“Can’t afford it.” Chi Xing slipped off her shoes and padded barefoot into the room, collapsing on the sofa with a long, satisfying sigh. “Home sweet home.”
Chang Xiaoyan and Zhou Mang toured the apartment. Zhou Mang suggested installing cameras at the door, with footage saved directly by themselves instead of relying on the property management. Chang Xiaoyan agreed wholeheartedly and turned to discuss this with Chi Xing—only to find Chi Xing had already fallen asleep on the sofa.
---
“She’s been sleepless all night at the hotel,” Chang Xiaoyan whispered. “She doesn’t like big places either. This sixty or seventy square meters suits her just right.”
Zhou Mang asked, “Why doesn’t she buy her own place? That would be safer.”
Chang Xiaoyan replied, “I don’t know where she spends her money.”
He Nianhe curiously chimed in, “Is she picky about where she sleeps?”
“People without security feel that way.” Chang Xiaoyan told Zhou Mang, who was about to pick Chi Xing up. “No need to carry her to the bedroom. The living room sofa is purposely big for her to sleep here. Just get her a blanket.”
Zhou Mang immediately withdrew, standing upright.
He Nianhe, blunt and inquisitive, asked, “She doesn’t usually sleep here, right?”
“Only when she’s studying.” Chang Xiaoyan nodded proudly.
Zhou Mang glanced behind the TV, startled slightly. He hadn’t looked closely before, assuming it was just a decorative wall, but now he realized the books and DVDs on the wall were genuine. The books were covered with neon sticky notes for annotations, DVDs securely locked in a glass case, and others clearly used frequently.
Chi Xing wasn’t wearing makeup; although she looked mostly the same, the dark circles under her eyes were unmistakable. Chang Xiaoyan covered her with a blanket. The group then moved to the balcony to discuss security arrangements.
Chi Xing slept until the afternoon the next day, waking refreshed. After washing up and putting on makeup, He Nianhe drove, accompanied by He Nianyue and Zhou Mang, and the four headed to Fengchuan Media for a meeting.
Zhou Mang expected her to be troublesome after waking, but Chi Xing was quiet the whole way, only making two calls to Chang Xiaoyan. The rest of the time, she played games.
He glanced at her phone; the screen was colorful, showing a handsome male character. Chi Xing wore headphones and occasionally smiled oddly.
He Nianyue glanced several times, wanting to strike up a conversation. Chi Xing noticed and asked, “You play this too?”
He Nianyue, nervous and stammering, said, “I didn’t expect you to play ‘Phantom Nocturne’.”
They began a lively discussion, speaking in terms Zhou Mang didn’t understand.
He didn’t want to listen, but with Chi Xing sitting beside him, her warmth and clear voice kept drawing his attention. She praised a voice actor for having a pleasant tone and for his soothing “goodnight” line, then praised another for voicing a pervert with a captivating performance. Zhou Mang stared out at the passing traffic, alert but unable to ignore her words.
When they arrived at the Fengchuan Media building, Chang Xiaoyan hurried out, saying, “There’s been a change in the crew.”
Chi Xing immediately asked, “Oh? Filming’s canceled? Can I still compete for the role in ‘Earthquake Tremor’?”
Chang Xiaoyan scolded her, “Are you nuts? Don’t even think about ‘Earthquake Tremor.’ There’s trouble with ‘Radiantly Sweet.’ Didn’t you see today’s entertainment news?”
Chi Xing replied, “Not yet. The game updated yesterday, and I just started playing.”
Chang Xiaoyan pulled her toward the elevator. “You should play fewer otome games!”
The elevator doors opened just then. As they were about to enter, a man stepped out. He waved to Chi Xing and greeted with a smile, “Hello, Chi Xing.”
Chi Xing froze at the door, instinctively responding, “Hello... How are you here? You…”
Zhou Mang grew alert but saw the atmosphere between the three was friendly, not hostile. Upon closer look, even he, who usually couldn’t care less about entertainment celebrities, recognized the man’s name.
Yuan Qiushi—a top-tier actor who had risen swiftly in recent years due to his impeccably handsome face and a voice that melted the hearts of countless girls.
Zhou Mang recognized him for another reason: after waking, Chi Xing had stood in front of the TV brushing her teeth and eating breakfast, watching a drama starring this very man. Even He Nianyue was giggling over it. They had watched the show and the actor’s interview bloopers, causing a delay that frustrated Zhou Mang.
Yuan Qiushi shook hands with Chi Xing. “I came down especially to meet you. We’re about to have a meeting.”
He acted as if they had been long acquainted, very familiar. Chi Xing was half surprised, half doubtful. “A meeting with you?”
“From now on, we’re colleagues,” Yuan Qiushi smiled. “Don’t you know?”
Zhou Mang thought to himself, that handshake went on way too long—no sweat? He scrutinized Yuan Qiushi sharply, who nodded slightly in return.
Chi Xing wasn’t naive. The production of “Radiantly Sweet You” was well-funded. An actor of Yuan Qiushi’s status wouldn’t play a supporting role in an ordinary idol drama. She quickly turned to Chang Xiaoyan. “Wasn’t Yang Yi supposed to be the male lead?”
“Yang Yi crashed his car last night after drinking, hitting a curb,” Chang Xiaoyan whispered. “There was a girl from a girl group in the car, and they found pills in his bag. It’s a huge scandal. Didn’t your phone notify you?”
“No, the first notification I saw this morning was about my movie ‘A Moment’s Question.’ It wasn’t good news. I closed it right away,” Chi Xing murmured. “Is Yang Yi okay? Hurt?”
“He’s fine now, just shaken awake. But he keeps saying he’s single with no girlfriend, and the car incident is unexplained. Fans are furious, and investors are unhappy.”
“Radiantly Sweet You” was a key project co-produced by several film companies and platforms. Once negative news about the male lead broke, investors reacted immediately.
“That night of the incident, Lin Shuchuan and Yuan Qiushi were drinking together. Yuan Qiushi hasn’t had a suitable role lately, so Lin Shuchuan forcibly brought him in to save the project. He’ll only shoot for a month.”
Yuan Qiushi nodded in agreement.
The elevator doors opened, and the crowd squeezed in. Yuan Qiushi and Chi Xing stood in a corner. Zhou Mang positioned himself at the elevator doorway, the prime spot for protection, hearing Chi Xing’s delighted laughter.
“Did you agree to come because I’m in the drama?” Chi Xing asked, unsure whether she believed it but genuinely amused. “Really? Am I that important?”
Chi Xing had been a fan since Yuan Qiushi’s first drama. Both his appearance and voice matched her favorite type. He was an industry elite who returned from overseas, originally working behind the scenes, with some family connections in the industry—though Chi Xing wasn’t sure.
She had watched his two dramas and two films repeatedly. She didn’t have a major Weibo account but secretly followed Yuan Qiushi on a smaller one, though he posted only once a year, and it was dull.
She had tried repeatedly to arrange meetings through industry friends—hot pot, mahjong, fishing, ball games—anything to meet him, but it was always either her or Yuan Qiushi who was too busy.
With so many surprises today, collaborating with Yuan Qiushi wasn’t unexpected—they were both rising stars in the industry. What puzzled Chi Xing was when he had learned about her.
“I’ve seen your films—‘Tiger Fang,’ ‘Winter Grass,’ and ‘Du Liniang,’” Yuan Qiushi said, unlike the reserved image others had of him. He was very talkative. “Your costume in ‘Du Liniang’ was stunning.”
Chi Xing was speechless.
That hit a sore spot. “Du Liniang” was her least satisfying film. The costumes and makeup were indeed breathtaking, ethereal and dazzling, but the only redeeming aspect was Chi Xing’s portrayal of Du Liniang. Critics and audiences agreed: without her, the film would have been a complete disaster. Instead, it was at least a beautiful flop.
The costumes were beautiful, but the singing and dancing she had learned were cut out entirely. Instead, the three sensual scenes featuring a body double were the ones people talked about.
But now, the praise came from Yuan Qiushi.
Chang Xiaoyan waited quietly for Chi Xing’s expression to change, but to her surprise, Chi Xing smiled even more brightly. “You like it? I have the uncut version. Let’s watch it together.”
They quickly exchanged WeChat contacts.
Chang Xiaoyan ground her teeth in frustration.
By then, they had arrived at the conference room. He Nianhe opened the heavy wooden door, and Chang Xiaoyan grabbed Chi Xing’s arm.
Though her voice was low, Zhou Mang heard clearly: “Tone down your laughter. Don’t forget who the female lead is.”
Chi Xing asked, “Who?”
Chang Xiaoyan’s veins bulged. “Yan Yan!”
“Oh... then I have even more reason to laugh,” Chi Xing said.
Zhou Mang entered the conference room with Chi Xing, leaving He Nianhe outside on guard. He Nianhe whispered to his sister, “Who’s Yan Yan anyway?”
He Nianyue replied, “Did you watch the interview about Chi Xing’s ‘A Moment’s Question’ this morning?”
“I did. You forced me to.”
He Nianyue rolled his eyes. “Yan Yan is that ‘beautiful but unaware’ type.”
The moment Chi Xing entered, she swiftly linked arms with Yuan Qiushi. They chatted and laughed as they walked in. Yan Yan and the producers, director, and screenwriters were already talking.
“Ah, Sister Yan!” Chi Xing greeted warmly. “Long time no see. Why don’t you ever change your bag?”
Yan Yan gave a glance but didn’t look at Chi Xing, instead smiling faintly at Yuan Qiushi.
“Xiao Qiu, didn’t your sister buy a horse ranch recently?” Yan Yan asked. “When will you invite us to visit?”
“It was me who bought it. Let’s go this weekend. My sister hired two French chefs; the food is pretty good.” Yuan Qiushi turned to Chi Xing. “Do you know how to ride?”
Chi Xing smiled. “Will you teach me?”
Zhou Mang stood behind Chi Xing, stealing a glance at Yan Yan’s barely concealed anger and the effort it took her to suppress a smile.