duet

Zhou Nian paused before answering: "Dad."

The voice on the other end of the radio wave was as deep and solemn as he remembered.When was the last time you heard this voice?He doesn't remember very well.

"Well," the other side replied in a low voice, "I saw the promotion of your new drama."

"……How about it?"

"Trash." There was a muffled sound, like a cough hidden between fingers, "Have you been shooting these recently?"

"..."

Zhou Nian rubbed the script under his finger: "No."

"Others like this?"

"No," he said, "there is one... directed by Bai Hua's new work. I read the script and it's very well written."

"Birch's? That should be pretty good."

"You know him?" Zhou Nian was a little surprised.

"Know a little bit more." The father was a little impatient, "It's good to have these films. If they are all like your new drama, don't be ashamed, it's better to go home earlier."

Zhou Nian froze slightly.He closed his eyes: "...um."

"That's it."

The phone hangs up.

The call duration lights up on the screen. 52 seconds, much longer than last time.

He had previously heard his mother vaguely mention that his father seemed to have taken on another national project recently, and it was a time when he was extremely busy. He might have buried himself in his study for a whole month, and only occasionally looked up at the outside world—— And this rare glimpse coincided with "Seven Degrees of Youth"... Zhou Nian rubbed his forehead and gave a wry smile.

It was not easy for an old-fashioned pedant like my father to accept his only son as an actor; he found that his son suddenly had no new works for a long time, and finally had a youthful campus love drama... No wonder I have to put down my dignity to ask about it Two sentences, repeating what has been said countless times in the past five years: it is better to go home.

If you continue to make scenes like this, you might as well go home right away.

As for the absence of filming for a long time... my father only thought that he was not interested in him anymore, but he didn't know that there was a special term in the circle for such a situation: Xuezang.

When you are trapped in it, you will know its cold.

Zhou Nian doesn't care too much about popularity.The so-called fans and cheers are all false in the final analysis.However, any aspiring actor who is eager to leave his name in the history of film always speaks only in "works".

But what is a work?Pursuing popular tastes, youth dramas?Thrilling action movie?Nonsensical comedy? ——Among such genre films, how many of them can tell a good story in its entirety?

Zhou Nian opened his eyes, his eyes fell back to the table, and his fingertips stroked the corner of the script.

He didn't know when his father knew about Bai Hua.Perhaps, because he was worried about him, he finally condescended to take a look at the affairs of the entertainment industry.And after receiving this rare attention, Zhou Nian felt a splitting headache—it sounded like he was quite satisfied with Bai Hua, but if he knew how the appointment came about...

Xiao Bai rubbed against him and grabbed his trousers with his teeth.Zhou Nian bent down and hugged it on her lap, touching their foreheads together.A pair of round eyes like black glass beads looked up at him, the eyes were gentle and innocent, sinking to the hearts of the people.

He felt ashamed under such clear eyes.

The little milk dog didn't know what he was worrying about, so he just retracted his head into his arms and didn't move.Soft orange light fell from above the dining table like water, spreading pale gold like morning light on it.Zhou Nian took the script, picked out the actor's lines and read it silently from the beginning.When it was over, the time on the phone was just past nine o'clock.

He opened the address book and clicked on Chen Li's name.

"Sister Li," he said after the call was connected, "I'm going to audition."

Pei Xun actually didn't expect to get anything in return from Zhou Nian.

It is rare for him to be a real Lei Feng, and he feels pretty good about himself.What's more, what this "Lei Feng" did was just a phone call, including exchanging greetings and saying goodbye, and it took no more than 2 minutes from beginning to end.

Pei Xun has always been unconcerned about things that can be done with little effort, and once he hung up the phone, he ordered a bouquet of flowers on a whim to show his courtesy.

He never thought of asking Zhou Nian to "promise with his body".Although he is famous in the group, Pei Xun has nothing to do with the word "businessman" in his heart, and he doesn't pay much attention to the exchange of benefits.What's more, it has been less than a month since he "peacefully broke up" with his previous model girlfriend. Even if there are no new people around him, he will not lose the external image he wants to maintain for the time being, so he is naturally happy and relaxed.After all, it is very tiring to maintain a flirtatious shell, but to draw a "boundary" with every partner inside.Even if they are acting, they must eat, drink, have fun and sleep together during the relationship. For Pei Xun who is afraid of trouble, it is especially a test of patience.

When watching his "dog" withdraw, he doesn't have to live so tired.

What's more, Zhou Nian didn't seem like the type who would play with rich people - Mr. Pei grew up in Vanity Fair since he was a child, and he knew countless people. What kind of people would think about him depends on his appearance. You can probably guess.

He has seen Zhou Nian's play.In the play, although the actor wears the cloak of the role, there are always some characteristics originating from himself that cannot be hidden.For example, with Zhou Nian's pair of extremely clear eyes, one can tell at a glance that he is a good character, so he probably doesn't bother to rely on these heretic ways to get ahead.

Pei Xun is aware of all the filth in this circle, knows how precious it is to not be stained by mud, and also knows how difficult it is to maintain.But whether he will attach a high branch after the anniversary is not in the scope of his concern. To him, this is just a small matter of easy achievement, a whim of love for talents.As for climbing and folding this high-mountain flower... for the time being, he doesn't have such an elegant mood.

But there are always people who like to worry about him.

Zhang Peng is the general manager of Dongyu Entertainment, responsible for all the businesses under Pei's in the entertainment field.Like every employee who works under Pei Xun, he has no hope of the business ability of the crown prince at his head; but what he is smarter than most is that he can use Pei Xun's advantages to his advantage. maximize the value.

Although Pei Xun never asked about the group's management affairs, Zhang Peng never thought he was an idiot - "vase" would be more appropriate.He has been in the circle for decades, and he has never seen a rich man with such eye-catching power as Pei Xun.In the past three years since returning to the country, he has won enough exposure in the media for the Pei Group, at least establishing a good image of an heir as a "graceful returnee elite".As for words like "Merry", when they appear on a nobleman, they are just harmless lace and never affect the stock price.

For Zhang Peng, the most valuable thing is the position next to Pei Xun: the exposure he can get by standing there is no less than an advertising space in the center of a big city.

Therefore, he is more concerned about Pei Xun's vacant period than anyone else.Fat water does not flow into the fields of outsiders. Since standing beside Pei Xun can have such an effect, he should make good use of it—coincidentally, the most important thing he has under his command is beauties.Moreover, Mr. Pei is very good at serving, not only does not care about the beauty's appearance and personality, but even the gender of the beauty... As long as he aims at his celibacy and sends people to the side intentionally or unintentionally, he will almost never be rejected.

It's just that although Pei Xun accepted all the visitors, he never seemed to really care about anyone.Yes, he doesn't seem to have the ability to manage the group, but he is by no means an idiot.On the contrary, this well-educated heir is quite smart, and his vision of seeing people should not be underestimated-he comes from a family like the Pei family known for its chaotic private life, and has already seen too many sensual dogs.

Everyone has some kind of plan for him, some people want to use his fame, others want more, such as the position of "Mrs. Pei's young lady".Over the years, Zhang Peng has seen too many people who want to get close to Pei Xun with their own hearts and minds. No one knows Pei Xun's ability to distinguish and reject them better than him.The aristocrat in front of him is not someone to be fooled easily-at least not a real stallion.Beneath his dandyism that never refuses anyone who comes, lies his cold sober hypocrisy and hypocrisy.

However, looking at his "pimping" career in the past few years - he has never seen Pei Xun take the initiative to ask anyone.

Zhang Peng was actually quite surprised when Pei Xun called and asked about Zhou Nian.According to Mr. Pei's usual taste, he always likes fast-food lovers. It's better to be sensible and know how to leave after making a fortune... This is the experience he has summed up over the years.As for Zhou Nian, just by looking at his appearance, he can tell that he is an elegant and noble style, which is far from Pei Xun's simple and rough standards in the past.

It's like a person who is used to drinking carbonated drinks and suddenly falls in love with tea.

But it's perfectly normal for rich people to like to change their tastes. There are also precedents for stars with abstinent appearance who are more promiscuous than anyone else. The most important thing is that most of Zhou Nian's upcoming new dramas are invested by Dongyu. It's only good for Dongyu - this is enough for Zhang Peng to take the initiative to "share the worries" for his son.

He called Chen Li.

Zhou Nian stood at the door of the hotel.

After receiving a call from Chen Li the day before yesterday, he almost stayed up for two nights.This is quite a rare thing for him: during the non-shooting period, he has a good routine, goes to bed early and gets up early, and is as strict and self-disciplined as an old man.The chores of the past have never bothered him very much, especially since the showdown with his father that year, he has not had so many distracting thoughts for a long, long time.

It's just because - Chen Li asked him to contact Pei Xun on his own initiative.

After reading the script of "Mountain Ghost" that day, he already had the desire to "want to act in any case"; after talking with his father, it was even more impossible for him to let go of this opportunity.Rejecting Mrs. Wang before has left him silent for too long. If he rejects Pei Xun this time... no matter how unwilling he is, the fact is that his acting career can no longer withstand a second blow.

He knew what was waiting for him, and he was ready to curry favor with Pei Xun in the next period of time.It's just that I didn't expect to be paid so soon.

"I asked." Even when she said this, Chen Li's voice was still unwavering, and there was a hint of indifference in his ears, "Bai Hua has invited a total of five male stars to audition this time. Regardless of their acting skills, three of them are more famous than you - think about it for yourself."

She left the contact information of Secretary Pei Xun.

Just staring at the row of numbers in a daze, Zhou Nian spent nearly an hour; repeatedly pressing the number and then deleting it took another 10 minutes.Gathering up the strength needed to hit the dial button one last time had nearly exhausted his lifelong shame—but it was only the beginning.

It was Eva who answered his phone that day, and she didn't seem surprised at all when she heard his request to see Pei Xun.She still remembered Pei Xun's unexpected interest in Zhou Nian, and she only felt in her heart how efficient Pei Xun was in getting people. She immediately looked through the schedule and set an evening with him two days later.

She paused for a moment as she chose a location.Zhou Nian thought that what was waiting for him would be the address of a certain restaurant, after all, any relationship should start with at least one conversation - but she reported the name of a hotel.

It was a luxurious hotel in the city center, very close to the building of Pei's headquarters.Zhou Nian still had the luck that "the restaurant in the hotel might be good", Eva continued: "The twelfth floor."

...Is the restaurant in that hotel on the top floor?Zhou Nian has only been there once, so I don't remember clearly.But the female secretary immediately added a thoughtful sentence: "There is no room number, the entire [-]th floor is Mr. Pei's suite, and he is waiting for you there."

"..."

They are all adults, and the beginning of the matter is so ambiguous. It is self-evident what it means to meet in a hotel room.Zhou Nian took the cup and splashed cold water on his face, the hot but stubborn lingering on his face, it was so hot that the tips of his ears were slightly hot.This is really...

He didn't expect Pei Xun to be so direct - but the sentence itself is very funny: Pei Xun will be his benefactor, isn't that what the benefactor wants for stars?

But he had no choice.

Everything behind the revolving door of the hotel seemed more and more absurd in his eyes.Everything he saw was strange and hostile, and even the formulaic smile on the waiter's face seemed ironic—he knew it was his psychological reaction, but he couldn't resist the shame coming from the bottom of his heart. meaning.

Until he stood in front of the suite door on the top floor and rang the doorbell.

The door opened quickly.Zhou Nian held his breath, only to find that a young woman appeared in front of him.She smiled at him very sweetly, her voice was familiar, it was the secretary who spoke with him on the phone: "Mr. Pei is taking a shower, please wait a moment."

……bath.

Zhou Nian bowed his head in thanks, and Eva left with a smile on her face.He didn't care to explore the meaning of her smile—every time he thought about it, he felt deeply how despicable he was at the moment.

The suite was huge, and he walked in following the sound of the pattering water until he reached the door of the bedroom.

The sound of water stopped.

Pei Xun pushed open the bathroom door and brushed her wet hair behind her forehead.He walked a few steps towards the bed, only to find a stiff wax figure standing at the door—a familiar face.

It took him a while to realize that today's meeting was indeed arranged, and he nodded to Zhou Nian: "Come?"

The day before yesterday, when the secretary said that Zhou Nian wanted to see him, he was quite surprised. After being reminded, he remembered that he had helped Zhou Nian once not long ago, and that was probably why he came this time.Most of the time, he wanted to thank him in person, or he wanted to use it to build a relationship with him... Pei Xun had a good impression of him, so he didn't want to refuse directly, thinking that it would only take a few minutes to meet him, so he let him come over.

When there are no guests to receive, he lives in the hotel suite for a long time, and occasionally meets people in the parlor here.It should have been like this this time too, but he didn't even put on his clothes properly, so Zhou Nian came directly into the bedroom, and he didn't know what he wanted to do.

And his appearance...why is something wrong?

Zhou Nian has been watching him since he stepped out of the bathroom.

Pei Xun has a good figure, with a thin waist and narrow buttocks, and his skin is very fair, even under the background of the bathrobe.They had never met formally before, but this man showed his collarbone and chest openly, and he didn't seem to want to cover it up.Before he had time to blow dry his hair, water droplets rolled down from the ends of his hair and slid down along the line of his chest...

Zhou Nian is embarrassed to watch it again.He looked away, but saw the condom on the bedside table.

"..."

This was undoubtedly the last straw that crushed him.

"Ah," Pei Xun followed his gaze, feeling a little embarrassed.He was looking for something in the room just now, turned all the things in the cabinet upside down, and didn't notice that there were some unsightly things in the middle: "I..."

"I'm not zero." Zhou Nian cut off his words.

"……Um?"

Zhou Nian took a step forward and pinched his chin.Pei Xun opened his eyes wide, and saw Zhou Nian slowly lowered his head, and then, his lips felt hot.

The man closed his eyes and kissed him.