The wrap-up dinner felt particularly uneventful for Yi Xing, as the protagonist in the middle of the crowd wasn't him, but Huang Xiaoming, who had won the Ultimate Speed King title. He was going around toasting everyone, and it was a good thing it wasn't him.
Based on his understanding of his alcohol tolerance, he would reach his limit about halfway through. If he drank any more, he'd have to go to the restroom to induce vomiting. He just sat in the corner, secretly watching the lively crowd.
Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he frantically used his chopsticks to pile food into his bowl, filling it to the brim, then buried his head and started eating heartily.
He had been to this type of dinner party many times, and not once had he been able to eat his fill. He gradually realized that these weren't really for eating, but rather to provide a private occasion for everyone to make friends and greet each other.
However, he was already very familiar with everyone present, so he could confidently eat his fill without worrying about what others thought of him. Bowl after bowl, he ate, much to the astonishment of Ju Jingyi next to him.
His impression of him had always been sunny and handsome; even when eating with her privately, he was always slow and methodical, a complete contrast to how he was now. She couldn't help but ask,
“Yi Xing, didn’t you eat enough for lunch?”
“No, I did.”
“Then why are you…?”
“I expended too much energy during filming and I’m hungry. Anyway, no one’s watching me. How about it, do you want to join my ‘Eat-Until-You-Drop’ squad?”
This made Ju Jingyi somewhat tempted. She was essentially a little foodie herself, and after every dinner party, she would order takeout at the hotel. Without a leader, she felt too embarrassed to eat heartily at the dinner table.
Now that a leader had appeared, she unreservedly joined in, and the scene gradually began to become chaotic. Those who wanted to eat ate, those who wanted to drink drank, and those who wanted to chat chatted.
“Shall we go for a walk outside after dinner?”
“Sure, I’m not in a hurry to go back to the hotel anyway.”
She still liked the feeling of walking on the street, but she needed someone to accompany her. If she were alone, she wouldn't even want to leave the door.
After an unknown amount of time, Huang Xiaoming approached Yi Xing, holding a wine glass. As expected of an artist who had been in the entertainment industry for so many years, his alcohol tolerance had been honed.
Ju Jingyi, next to him, wisely left her seat, not intending to interrupt their conversation. She didn't need to know that much; if she was really too curious, she could just ask Yi Xing later.
“Thank you today, Xiao Xing. You’ve fulfilled a dream for your gege; I finally got to be the Speed King once. I’ll toast you.”
“Not at all, Xiao Ming Ge. But does that promise you made earlier still count?”
Yi Xing quickly stood up, picked up his already poured wine glass, clinked it with the newcomer, and drained it in one gulp.
“Of course it counts! So, have you thought about what you need my help with?”
“I’ve thought about it. I want to try what acting feels like.” He pulled him aside and they talked in a low voice. This was something they had discussed privately and it wasn’t good for too many people to know.
As soon as he said this, Huang Xiaoming coughed twice, a bit surprised. He had expected Yi Xing might ask to join his company or something similar, but he hadn't expected him to simply want to act in a play.
With so many TV dramas and movies released in a year, this wasn't a trivial matter. With his connections in the entertainment industry, adding someone was no difficulty at all, as long as it wasn't a lead role.
“You want to develop into a triple-threat artist in film, television, and variety shows?”
“Currently, I don’t have that idea yet. I haven’t systematically studied acting; I just want to try it out.”
“Alright, I understand what you mean. There’s a wuxia drama about to start filming soon; are you interested in that genre?”
“Anything is fine. I can accept anything.” Yi Xing shrugged, indicating he didn't care. What kind of genre it was didn't matter, as long as he could join the crew.
“Then I’ll ask the director tomorrow to see what roles he still needs. Oh, right, remember to send me your best-looking photo, and I’ll send it to the director as well.”
“OK.”
— — — — — —
On the streets of Yong City, Yi Xing and Ju Jingyi walked side by side, each holding an ice cream as a dessert after dinner. Compared to Xing City, the nightlife here wasn't as vibrant and colorful, but it had a different kind of tranquility and comfort.
Neither of them knew that this would be their last time appearing on the street without disguise. In the days to come, it would be almost impossible to go out without a mask, let alone take a walk at night. Of course, these were all later matters.
Ju Jingyi lowered her head and gently bit into the ice cream cone in her hand, letting out a satisfied sigh: “Indeed, ice cream cones are the best in summer.”
“Yes.”
The conversation they were about to start fell silent again. She couldn’t help but glance at the person beside her a few more times. Usually, whether on the show or in private, he was great at finding topics. What was wrong tonight? Was he not feeling it?
As she said, Yi Xing was indeed a bit distracted, most of his thoughts drifting to tomorrow. He was full of anticipation for the possibility of acting. If it worked out, he would be able to say what he had acted in when introducing himself to others.
He then began to plan what direction he should develop in if he successfully joined the crew, and what he should do if he wasn’t selected. He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't even notice the path beneath his feet, not realizing he had gone down a step, and stumbled.
Fortunately, Ju Jingyi was quick-witted and grabbed his arm, giving him a point of support for his body. She asked with concern and curiosity, “What’s wrong with you tonight? You’re so different from your usual self.”
“I was thinking about something and didn’t watch where I was going. It won’t happen again.” Yi Xing, standing upright, tidied his clothes and banished all the thoughts from his mind. Who could say what the future held anyway?
“What is it? Can I know?”
“Of course, it’s fine for you to know. It’s just that Xiao Ming Ge plans to introduce me to a director. He happens to have a drama about to start filming, and he’s seeing if there’s a suitable role for me.”
“Who among us is the senior in the entertainment industry? Your development is much faster than mine! I haven’t even acted in a drama yet. Oh, no, I did act in a micro-movie, but it was for game promotion.”
Ju Jingyi's happy mood, which had been there from eating the ice cream cone, gradually became less beautiful. There’s no harm without comparison.
“It hasn’t been confirmed yet. The way you’re talking, it sounds like it’s already decided it’s me.” Yi Xing was a bit exasperated. He wasn’t even sure if he could successfully be selected, but in her mouth, it had become a foregone conclusion.
“You don’t understand. If Xiao Ming Ge says something like that, you’ll definitely have a role. As for how big the role is, I don’t know. But, congratulations, you’re entering the film and television industry a step ahead of me.”
“Then shouldn’t you call me ‘senior’?”
“Don’t even think about it!” Ju Jingyi suddenly turned her head, letting her hair swing onto Yi Xing’s face, and walked ahead, puffing out her cheeks.
“Hey, no, wait for me!”