Chapter 16: Exposure

It goes without saying that Liu Qichang was once again smitten at first sight.

How did he not know before that there were so many handsome men in the entertainment industry nowadays?

If it weren’t for the fact that he was his younger brother, Jin Yanliu would have been too lazy to pretend not to know him. He shook hands with Feng Li and then looked at Zhou Beiyang.

Zhou Beiyang smiled gently at him and called out, “Brother Yanliu.”

Jin Yanliu pursed his lips but remained silent.

“Director, take a look at our Beiyang,” Feng Li said with a smile.

Feng Li was a top-tier agent, and anyone in the entertainment industry would know his name. Liu Qichang had naturally heard of him and treated him with respect. He immediately arranged for Zhou Beiyang to audition.

After the audition was over, Jin Yanliu called Zhou Beiyang into his room.

Closing the door, Jin Yanliu gestured towards the chair beside him.

Zhou Beiyang smiled and took a seat.

Jin Yanliu leaned back on the table. “Tell me, what do you want to do?”

“I came to audition,” Zhou Beiyang said. “After reading the script, I really liked it.”

“Ye Hengyang is Mu Huaying’s brother, and you want to play my brother?” Jin Yanliu asked.

“It’s just a role in a drama, not real life,” Zhou Beiyang replied.

“You’ve never acted before,” Jin Yanliu said.

“Idols can’t stay as idols forever. Sooner or later, we have to act. I don’t have much confidence, but if I can start my acting career with you, I’ll feel more at ease,” Zhou Beiyang said. “I won’t be alone. I have you, and I’m sure you’ll teach me.”

“… It sounds somewhat reasonable.”

“It feels too awkward. Do you want me to call you ‘brother’?” Zhou Beiyang asked.

“I’ve read the script, and there aren’t many lines where you have to call me ‘brother.’ Besides, we’re not really brothers,” Zhou Beiyang looked at him, no longer smiling, and repeated seriously, “We’re not really brothers. You can treat me as an ordinary man.”

Jin Yanliu felt a headache coming on. “Think about it again.”

“Brother, I want to play this role. Please give me a chance.”

Jin Yanliu looked at Zhou Beiyang, and Zhou Beiyang’s gaze was particularly sincere as he said, “I wanted to act in a drama with you.”

That statement instantly struck a chord in Jin Yanliu’s heart.

Acting in a drama together would serve as a cherished memory for them.

Rather than making wedding clothes for others, it was better to do it for his own younger brother. The drama “Entering The Demonic Path” was bound to be a hit, and having Zhou Beiyang as part of it was Jin Yanliu’s final gift to his brother.

However, Jin Yanliu couldn’t accept Zhou Beiyang playing his brother. Despite the fraternal relationship between Mu Huaying and Ye Hengyang, there were numerous gossip mongers in the entertainment industry. If there were any more rumors or fanfiction about them, it would become very awkward! Jin Yanliu had a better alternative, a role that would ensure long-lasting popularity.

“We also have another character, Yu Yingchi, who is a supporting male role. Would you be interested in playing him?”

“I’m only interested in Ye Hengyang.”

“We have already cast someone for the role of Ye Hengyang.”

“You mean Yan Huihua?”

Jin Yanliu nodded.

Zhou Beiyang fell silent for a moment and then asked, “Why did you choose him?”

“Because he is a suitable fit for the role.”

Zhou Beiyang remained silent.

“The role of Yu Yingchi is also excellent. He is one of the male leads in the original work, and our drama will have second and third seasons, where Yu Yingchi’s character will have a significant presence. We wanted to find a renowned actor, but no one was willing to take the role. Your arrival is perfect.”

“Okay.” To everyone’s surprise, Zhou Beiyang agreed readily. “I’ll play whichever role you want me to play. I’ll follow your lead.”

Jin Yanliu was slightly taken aback and said, “I must warn you in advance, you’ll have the most scenes with Lu Yao.”

Zhou Beiyang responded with a murmured “Mm,” as if he didn’t even remember the incident where he almost revealed his identity because of Lu Yao.

After hesitating for a moment, Jin Yanliu suggested, “Why don’t you try on some makeup first?”

Zhou Beiyang agreed to take on the role of Yu Yingchi, which surprised everyone. However, it resolved all the difficulties perfectly, as the drama now had two popular actors. The entire crew was excited.

Zhou Beiyang’s makeup test went well. He looked handsome, and any style suited him.

Jin Yanliu believed it was the right decision to cast Zhou Beiyang as Yu Yingchi. His appearance in ancient costumes was sharper and colder compared to Yan Huihua, making him ideal for portraying this villainous disciple. Additionally, since Zhou Beiyang had no acting experience, playing a character like Yu Yingchi, who had a stoic and expressionless demeanor, would be easier for him.

Zhou Beiyang agreed to take on the role of the supporting male character, with the only condition being no intimate scenes beyond kissing.

Male stars with such requirements are indeed rare. Liu Qichang jokingly said to Jin Yanliu, “Is he as straight as a steel pole?”

Jin Yanliu could understand it.

Apart from his family, Zhou Beiyang particularly disliked physical contact with others. He had a cleanliness obsession that bordered on a psychological disorder. Asking him to film intimate scenes with another man was indeed difficult for him.

The production team created an actor group, and Liu Qichang shared Zhou Beiyang’s makeup photo in the group, captioned as “Our Yu Yingchi.”

The group quickly exploded with compliments and praises.

Besides Zhou Beiyang’s genuinely handsome face, a significant part of the excitement was because Zhou Beiyang was currently a hot star.

The more big-name stars, the better. With the star effect, the likelihood of the drama becoming popular increased.

Lu Yao sat on the couch, staring blankly at his phone. He could hardly believe his eyes.

Zhou Beiyang was going to play his lover?

Holy cow.

Mingjie was even more excited than him. “Jin Yanliu actually found such a big star to act alongside you, Zhou Beiyang!”

Lu Yao looked at Zhou Beiyang in his ancient costume, stunned for a long time.

Suddenly, he didn’t dislike Jin Yanliu as much. What happened?

He didn’t know if Zhou Beiyang, this pampering brother maniac, had changed over the years. He didn’t ask for Zhou Beiyang to like him back; he just hoped Zhou Beiyang wouldn’t pamper Jin Yanliu in front of him anymore.

As soon as he thought about it, all of Zhou Beiyang’s pampering gestures came flooding back to him.

The most memorable one was during the spring sports meet one year. Jin Yanliu signed up for the 2,000-meter race, and he participated as well. When they reached the final stretch, it was just the two of them competing. As they neared the finish line, he suddenly saw Zhou Beiyang standing behind the red line.

Zhou Beiyang was tall, standing out among a group of infatuated female classmates who were screaming. He held a towel and a bottle of mineral water, eagerly watching them.

Even a fool could tell who he was waiting for.

A twinge of jealousy surged within Lu Yao, and he used every ounce of his strength to sprint, finally crossing the red line with a margin of half a second.

Just as he ran past, he heard Jin Yanliu shouting from behind, “Damn it!”

He stopped, panting, feeling somewhat relieved. He turned around and saw Zhou Beiyang holding Jin Yanliu’s arm. “Don’t stop immediately, take two more steps.”

“Just a little bit more,” Jin Yanliu exclaimed in frustration.

“You did great already,” Zhou Beiyang said as he wiped the sweat off his face and quickly unscrewed the bottle of mineral water he held, offering it to him.

“Hmph,” Lu Yao scoffed. Even though he had come in first, he couldn’t find joy in it anymore.

Jin Yanliu must have pushed himself too hard and pulled a muscle.

For a long period of time afterward, Zhou Beiyang was often seen assisting him when he needed to use the restroom.

At that time, Lu Yao already understood certain things about relationships between people of the same sex. Having a twisted mind, he couldn’t help but feel a dark sense of jealousy. Did Zhou Beiyang also watch when Jin Yanliu needed to relieve himself? And when Zhou Beiyang needed to use the restroom, did Jin Yanliu watch?

Fortunately, they were brothers; otherwise, he might have been consumed by envy.

—

With Zhou Beiyang joining the cast, the main roles were all set.

“Our production is quite time-constrained, so in the next few days, we will inform everyone individually for makeup and promotional photos. Script reading and training will commence next Monday. Everyone should prepare accordingly. During filming, we will be staying in a shared dormitory for a semi-closed set,” Liu Qichang announced in the group.

“And one more important point, until the official announcement is made, no one is permitted to post on Weibo. Confidentiality is our top priority.”

Just as Liu Qichang finished speaking, an actor in the group mentioned, “But Director Liu, it appears that Yanliu Ge’s makeup photo has been leaked.”

Liuye Luo finally posted on Weibo.

The production team immediately erupted in response because the makeup photo was crystal clear, capturing the monitor screen, indicating an internal leak.

However, with the vast number of personnel on the production team, it was impossible to trace the source. When Jin Yanliu had his makeup done, there was a group of people present, observing.

“It’s my fault, my fault,” Liu Qichang admitted. “I thought that with the numerous reminders, no one would dare to secretly take photos. I was careless.”

“In reality, it’s quite challenging to maintain confidentiality in such a large production team, especially one that was assembled hastily with a complex workforce,” Jin Yanliu said, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Let’s just make it public; it’s fine.”

Jin Yanliu’s popularity was skyrocketing, and there were already rumors circulating in various entertainment circles about him venturing into the industry. Now, with the leaked makeup photo, it immediately sparked discussions across entertainment news outlets. They didn’t even need to buy trending topics; numerous marketing accounts were racing to break the news, and it quickly climbed to the top of the trending list.

“Damn, Jin Yanliu really ventured into the industry!”

“Can’t believe it, ‘Entering the Demonic Path’ managed to snag Jin Yanliu.”

“Is Jin Yanliu really that ugly in ancient costumes? Did he get plastic surgery? His hairline looks strange.”

“No way, he just attended an event today, and he still looked handsome. This photo must have been heavily photoshopped.”

“That’s not the point. Isn’t the real shocker that Jin Yanliu ventured into the industry?!”

“Why did he accept this role? I heard the original work of this drama was quite bizarre, with a little mother and monk or something.”

“Homosexual romance was trending lately, and even top stars couldn’t resist trying to get a piece of the pie. Regardless, Liuye Luo’s fanbase is crumbling.”

Jin Yanliu also felt like his fanbase was crumbling.

He intentionally glanced at his largest fan group, and it was flooded with posts. Within moments, there were tens of thousands of messages.

Before he could read the comments, his phone froze.

With no other choice, he restarted his phone. Just as the screen lit up, Zhou Beiyang took it away from him. “Stop looking. Since you’ve decided to film, don’t care about what others think.”

Jin Yanliu smiled.

In reality, he felt a bit guilty. His life was his own, but at the same time, it wasn’t entirely his own because there were so many girls who loved him, in their own absurd yet sincere ways.

He used to believe that he was the star in the entertainment industry who treated his fans the best. With his looks and reputation, he made every fan of his feel proud. No matter where he got into arguments, he never felt wronged.

But now, he was personally tearing down their support.

He glanced at Cheng Fei and Xiao Pangzi, both of them focused on their phones, wearing serious expressions.

Cheng Fei was arranging tasks for the studio, trying to minimize the negative impact as much as possible.

“Are they all heartbroken?” he couldn’t help but ask Xiao Pangzi.

Xiao Pangzi looked up. “It’s not too bad. They can’t really believe it.”

Jin Yanliu made a low “hmm” sound and didn’t say anything further.

These were just the fans. When the time came to part ways with the people around him, he wondered if he could handle it.

No, his heart was not ruthless enough.

Xiao Pangzi continued staring at his phone. The sky outside had already darkened, and the glow from the phone screen illuminated his brows and eyes.

Suddenly, he lifted his head and glanced at Zhou Beiyang across from him.

Just a minute ago, Zhou Beiyang had officially announced that he would be starring in “Entering The Demonic Path.”

Although Zhou Beiyang didn’t have as many fans as Jin Yanliu, he was currently a hot sensation. When he posted on Weibo, it immediately spread across the entire internet.

“‘Entering The Demonic Path,’ what kind of shit luck did this drama have? Damn!”

“Yeah, they actually managed to cast Jin Yanliu!”

“Not just Jin Yanliu, but Zhou Beiyang too, damn!”

“Is Zhou Beiyang the one who’s been trending recently? The Zhou Beiyang from ‘Starry Seven’?”

“Who else could it be?”

“Damn, damn, damn!”

The names of Jin Yanliu and Zhou Beiyang appeared hand in hand for the first time on the trending list, each followed by the word “hot.”

Cheng Fei looked at the two names on the trending list.

This damn sweet romance! Zhou Beiyang attracted attention for love, self-exposure!