The Stand-in Side Character Only Wants to Make Money – CH63

Chapter 63 – There is Always Someone Coming for You

Chen Bai, confident in his ability as an actor to control his expression, initially thought he could stifle the smile. But when Huo Chuan suddenly smiled, he couldn’t hold it back.

The excuse about having naturally smiling lips no longer seemed convincing.

In true CEO fashion, Huo Chuan stuck to his word. He insisted on listening all the way through, and Chen Bai dutifully played the rest of the piece, no matter how it sounded.

“To kill a thousand enemies while losing eight hundred of your own” — he felt like even Huo Chuan couldn’t really stand listening to this music, but in order to follow through on what he said, he forced himself to endure it.

As Huo Chuan held on, so did Chen Bai, every cell in his face straining to keep composed.

When the not-so-calming nocturne finally ended, it was hard to say who was more exhausted.

The professional, Chen Bai, managed to suppress the corners of his mouth this time. Meeting Huo Chuan’s gaze with utmost seriousness, he lifted his head and said, “Mr. Huo played very well.”

He added earnestly, “It was deafeningly loud and thought-provoking.”

To call a nocturne “deafeningly loud” was clearly a wildly exaggerated compliment.

Luckily, Huo Chuan didn’t expect any meaningful praise. He flipped through the sheet music and asked, “Anything else you want to hear?”

Chen Bai’s eyes widened under his messy hair. “You’re going again, Mr. Huo?”

Huo Chuan replied, “If it sounds good, then keep playing.”

By the earlier logic, it wouldn’t disturb anyone, so if it’s enjoyable, they could play a bit more.

Chen Bai thought, Well, I’m a ‘someone,’ and it disturbs me at least.

Clearly, anyone who could get along with Auntie Zhang probably wasn’t entirely serious or straight-laced. There was a hint of mischief in this ‘god of wealth.’

Casually pushing back the stray hair that had fallen in front of his eyes, Chen Bai quickly stopped Huo Chuan from turning another page. “Take a break, boss. I’ll take over again.”

Huo Chuan chuckled.

Chen Bai returned to the piano bench. This time, instead of saying “play anything,” Huo Chuan requested the same nocturne from earlier.

Having just listened to Huo Chuan’s “deafening” performance, even a professional like Chen Bai struggled to hold back laughter as he began playing again.

It was definitely better to play it himself than to have the “god of wealth” attempt it again. By the end of the evening, through his own efforts, Chen Bai successfully earned a 200,000-yuan bonus.

For most of the night, neither he nor Huo Chuan touched their phones again, except for one occasion, when the phone was used for a bank transfer.

After collecting a nice bonus before bed and receiving his pay on the spot, Chen Bai slept soundly that night.

The next day was New Year’s Eve.

After years of practice, Chen Bai had become fully capable of waking up early, even if he went to bed late, as long as he set an alarm.

His brain might still be foggy, but he would definitely get up.

After taking off his pajamas and changing into his loungewear, he floated downstairs like a ghost and bumped into Huo Qing and Aunt Zhang, who were also just coming down. He greeted them.

After exchanging greetings, he walked over to the window, half-opened his eyes, and looked outside.

Huo Qing ran over to join him and asked, “What are you looking at, Brother Bai?”

“Nothing,” Chen Bai replied, rubbing his hair. “The weather forecast said it would snow.”

They’d been saying it since yesterday, but no snow had fallen, making it seem pretty untrustworthy.

Huo Qing glanced at the sky and said, “Maybe it will snow today.”

Madam Zhang, who was already in the dining room, waved for them to come over.

Huo Chuan was the last one to come downstairs.

When he came down and saw Chen Bai, who was already sitting in the dining room with his messy hair, he raised an eyebrow in surprise, grabbed the water glass from the table, and took a sip. “You’re awake?”

Chen Bai propped his chin on his hand and looked up. “Of course.”

There was even a hint of pride in his voice.

Huo Chuan then asked, “You went to bed at 2 AM?”

Chen Bai held up his fingers to indicate a short distance and smiled. “A little earlier—1:30 AM.”

It was indeed just a little earlier.

Realizing that he meant 1:30 in the morning, Madam Zhang, who always went to bed at 8 PM, was momentarily stunned. Then she scrutinized his face and said, “You slept so late, and yet you’re up so early?”

She was clearly alarmed and seriously cautioned him, “The kitchen can save breakfast for you. Not getting enough sleep is bad for your health.”

A staunch early-to-bed advocate.

Chen Bai nodded in agreement.

Compared to the long hours he used to endure on set, this amount of sleep was already more than enough for him. But he didn’t explain further, just kept saying “okay, okay” to put everyone at ease.

“…”

Huo Qing, who occasionally stayed up until 2 AM herself, sat silently to the side, avoiding the conversation. She hadn’t intended to speak but then realized something and asked her brother, “How did you know he went to bed at 2 AM?”

Madam Zhang, who hadn’t caught on to that yet, also looked over curiously.

Chen Bai answered for him, saying, “We had a brief chat last night.”

He also had a brief opportunity to appreciate Mr. Huo’s generously offered nocturne.

“…”

The thought of that nocturne replayed in Chen Bai’s mind, the sound lingering vividly, refusing to fade. He quickly lowered his head, and the hand supporting his chin subtly moved upward to cover his almost uncontrollable smile.

Sometimes, having a good memory wasn’t such a blessing.

Huo Chuan glanced down at him, noticed the barely hidden smile, but chose not to call him out on it. Instead, he looked away and took another sip of water.

—Detective Huo Qing furrowed her brow, sensing that something wasn’t quite right.

Something must have happened between these two while she and the others weren’t around yesterday. Her brother seemed slightly different after waking up.

Something had definitely happened, but no one was telling her. Brother Bai was chatting with them as usual, not mentioning last night’s events, and her brother definitely wasn’t going to bring it up.

Her curiosity unsatisfied, the topic was left behind, and time moved on to the afternoon.

There was no sunshine outside today, so in the afternoon, everyone stayed in the living room, not venturing out to the yard.

They were searching for something to watch on TV when the pastry chef in the kitchen mentioned they were baking a batch of cookies. Eager to exchange experiences and perhaps learn a thing or two, Chen Bai went to the kitchen to join in.

Even Huo Qing, who had never set foot in the kitchen before, joined them, though she didn’t know how to do anything. She did, however, get her own apron.

With his ample experience in cookie-making, Chen Bai teamed up with the pastry chef for a two-on-one coaching session. Together, they managed to prevent any tragic waste of flour and butter, ensuring a successful batch.

After the dough was kneaded, it was time to shape the cookies. There were molds to make the process simple and fast.

Wearing gloves, Chen Bai decided to hand-shape his cookies instead of using the molds. Huo Qing, of course, followed suit and tried to shape them by hand as well.

The things she shaped couldn’t be judged by conventional standards of beauty or ugliness—they had ventured into the realm of abstraction.

Huo Qing “…”

She stared at her creation for a long time before making a decision: “Let’s not waste it, I’ll give this one to my brother.”

Master Chen readily agreed. “Good idea.”

The two quickly reached a consensus. The pastry chef beside them glanced at the abstract cookie and then at the person they referred to as “brother,” who just happened to be drinking water in the dining room next to the kitchen. In the end, the chef quietly averted his gaze and focused on using cookie molds, diligently making cookies.

Unaware that someone had been in the dining room, halfway through shaping the cookies, Chen Bai’s phone, tucked in his pocket, started vibrating. Busy with his work, he took off his gloves, pulled out his phone, and glanced at the screen.

It was a message from Mrs. Jiang, asking if he was working right now.

Technically, he was working, but he could still take a call. After excusing himself, he grabbed his phone and went to a quiet hallway.

Mrs. Jiang’s message usually meant she had something to say. As expected, after he replied, a phone call came through.

When Mrs. Jiang called, she started with her usual check-ins, asking if he’d been eating regularly and if work was tiring.

Since meals were provided at work and his only task was to have fun, Chen Bai found himself eating much more regularly than when he was home alone. He figured this kind of work couldn’t be considered tiring from any angle.

So, he humbly replied, “It’s alright.”

Then he asked, “Did you need something, Auntie?”

Mrs. Jiang didn’t have any urgent matters—she just wanted to ask what he liked to eat and if he had any dietary restrictions, among other things.

There were still several days before he would visit, but Mrs. Jiang was already planning the menu. She was determined to make sure that everything he wanted to eat and do would be fully satisfied during his stay.

She sighed and said, “Si Nian probably knows all this. I wanted to ask him and surprise you, but he’s busy and hasn’t replied yet.” So, she had no choice but to call him directly.

Sitting on a small stool by the window, Chen Bai, who was easy to please and had no dietary restrictions, casually listed a few dishes he often enjoyed with his good neighbors. Then, remembering something, he asked, “Is Xu Sinian working around this time too?”

Mrs. Jiang confirmed, “Yes, he works all year round, with no regard for holidays.”

She explained that this had been the case for many years now. It wasn’t impossible to find time to meet during the year, so there was no pressure to see him specifically during the New Year. She said they’d all gotten used to it over the years.

That must mean Xu Sinian had spent the past several years working on set during New Year’s. Chen Bai’s fingers, which were resting on the side of the chair, twitched slightly.

Sensing what he was thinking, Auntie Jiang said, “We’re all used to it, and so is he. Don’t dwell on it—just remember to rest when your work is done.”

He replied with a “got it.” After finishing her questions, Mrs. Jiang said she wouldn’t disturb him any longer, and they both said their goodbyes before hanging up.

Even after the call ended, his phone screen remained lit, displaying a long string of notifications from various apps and messages from friends, most of them celebrating New Year’s Eve.

Since high school, Chen Bai hadn’t celebrated the New Year. His clearest memory of the holiday was the triple pay he earned during this time. Only after seeing these messages did he feel a faint sense of the occasion.

He sat in the chair for a while, replied to the remaining messages, and then stood up and returned to the kitchen.

In the short time he’d been on the call, Miss Huo had already created another abstract masterpiece and was pondering what to do with it.

If it really couldn’t work out, they could always flatten the dough and start over. But she was rather reluctant to destroy her creation, which had a certain artistic flair. So, she turned to him, silently placed her masterpiece in front of him, and decided, “Let’s say Brother Bai made this for my brother.”

Thus, the victim was once again designated to be the “god of wealth.”

She really was his little sister.

The abstract masterpiece had already been placed in front of him, so Chen Bai didn’t bother returning it and accepted it as it was.

That day, both the pastry chef and the two kitchen helpers had a lot of fun.

The fun resulted in far more cookies than expected. The tray was overflowing, and the extra cookies were packed into special bags. Chen Bai received a bag of cookies he had made himself, just perfect for snacking on during a late-night work session.

When the tray of cookies was brought to the table, if he wasn’t mistaken, both the “god of wealth” and his mother twitched their eyebrows at the sight of the two strikingly abstract cookies.

Huo Qing introduced them: “This one is the special one I made for you, and this one was made by Brother Bai.”

Chen Bai stood to the side, thinking that no matter how you looked at them, both abstract cookies seemed like they were made by the same person.

Mrs. Zhang avoided the abstract cookies, and her raised brow slowly returned to normal.

While watching TV, everyone politely finished off the entire tray of cookies, including the two avant-garde stars of the abstract cookie world.

That evening’s dinner was called the New Year’s Eve feast, and it was an impressive spread.

Since Auntie Zhang wasn’t in the best of health, Huo Qing took over and snapped a picture of the table using her phone.

The winter night fell quickly, and by the time they started dinner, it was already completely dark. Auntie Zhang was in high spirits tonight; her smile never left her face, and she even stayed up until 9 PM. Only after a gentle reminder from her caretaker did she finally wrap up the conversation and get wheeled back to her room.

There was an old tradition of staying up late on New Year’s Eve, but it wasn’t practiced here. Going to bed early and waking up early was, objectively, better for one’s health. The lights in the house remained on. After Auntie Zhang retired to her room, Chen Bai also returned to his room, took a shower, and changed into his pajamas.

As the night grew later, the number of messages on his phone increased. While drying his hair, he checked his phone and saw that his good neighbor had sent him a message.

It had been sent while he was in the shower. Figuring he was still working, his neighbor didn’t call but texted instead.

[Getting off work around 11.]

[Go to bed early tonight.]

The first message was a response to his earlier question about work, and the second was a gentle reminder, likely sent during a break.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Chen Bai raised his hand to reply to a message when something flashed outside the floor-to-ceiling window. He turned his head just in time to see a firework burst into bloom.

This area was near the outskirts of the city, quiet and sparsely populated. The fireworks were far away—visible, but without sound.

Putting down his phone, he got out of bed, slipped on his slippers, and pushed open the tightly closed floor-to-ceiling window.

As the window opened, a gust of cold wind rushed in, blowing his hair back in an instant.

The firework he first saw seemed like a prelude. Soon after, more fireworks began to rise continuously, one after another, exploding in the dark night sky. They were silent yet brilliant, filling the sky with bright colors, twinkling like stars.

The light faded into the darkness, only for another firework to rise. Each firework appeared and disappeared in a fleeting moment.

Dazzling but short-lived.

Chen Bai “…”

His pale gray pupils reflected the lights that flared up and extinguished again. At the far end of his vision, he could vaguely see the distant city skyscrapers briefly illuminated.

In the cold night wind, Chen Bai reached out and pressed down his hair that was being tousled by the breeze.

There was no need for much thought or reason. As his icy fingertips touched his temple, he turned and walked back into the room.

Closing the floor-to-ceiling window, he pulled on a coat over his pajamas, put on a hat, grabbed his phone, and finally took the small packet of biscuits from the table. Without needing to prepare anything else, he opened the door and left the room.

As he descended the stairs, the lights in the living room were still brightly lit, and he bumped into Huo Qing, who was coming down for a late-night snack.

Seeing him already dressed in a coat, Huo Qing paused mid-step towards the kitchen and asked, “Brother Bai, are you heading out?”

Chen Bai nodded and said yes.

Huo Qing, still not fully processing the situation, glanced at the dark sky outside and then back at him, asking, “Now?”

It was an almost rhetorical question, but Chen Bai patiently replied, “Mm, going to meet a friend.”

The word “friend” is usually generic, but when Chen Bai used it, it often referred to one specific person. Remembering the man they had briefly met at the hospital before, Huo Qing quickly said, “I’ll get Uncle Li to drive you.”

Uncle Li was the driver. Chen Bai waved it off, saying there was no need, “I called a cab. It’s about three kilometers away, and it should be here soon.”

Most people would choose to go home at this time, but some would take this opportunity to work, especially during the most profitable hours. Even though this place was near the outskirts, as long as it wasn’t completely remote, cabs were still available.

He changed into his shoes, smiled, and said goodbye.

Just before he left, Huo Qing called out, “The security guards work in shifts, so there will always be someone to let you in, no matter when you come back.”

Wearing his hat, Chen Bai acknowledged with a “got it” and waved his hand.

This time, he really left.

With a casual pull, he closed the front gate of the house. Chen Bai walked through the courtyard, past the garden, greeted the security guard, and under the guard’s watchful eyes, exited the traditional grand gate adorned with carved flowers.

By the time he walked out of the courtyard and waited two more minutes at the gate, a car arrived from the highway and stopped steadily. The driver, relieved to see there was indeed a passenger, relaxed.

Chen Bai got in, buckled his seatbelt, and as the scenery on both sides gradually flew past, he greeted the driver.

The car’s heater made it much warmer inside compared to the outside. While they were still on the mountain roads, the driver focused on driving and didn’t say much, only easing up after they descended the winding roads.

Leaning back slightly, the driver casually asked, “What brings you out so late, little brother?”

It was a trip from one edge of the city to another, taking nearly two hours.

Chen Bai gave the same answer, “Going to meet a friend.”

The driver, used to chatting with passengers, reflexively asked, “What’s the story?”

What’s the story?

Glancing at the time on his phone, Chen Bai looked out the window at the fireworks that continued to rise, bloom, and fall, and smiled, “Maybe I just don’t want any regrets.”

Back in his second year of high school, he hadn’t expected that ordinary, short-lived New Year celebration to be his last complete one.

At that time, he was just like now—sitting in his room, watching fireworks quietly rise and disappear.

The future was uncertain, so he seized the moment.

The driver smiled, glancing up at the fireworks in the sky ahead, “The ones at midnight will be even more beautiful.”

Chen Bai smiled, “Is that so?”

There were few cars on the road. Noticing that Chen Bai was still in his pajamas under his coat, the driver assumed he was in a hurry and slightly increased his speed, the city’s tall buildings flying by.

The car passed through the skyscrapers and finally entered the quieter old town, slowing to a stop by the roadside.

They had arrived.

After paying, Chen Bai stepped out of the car, waved at the driver through the window, and thanked him, “Happy New Year, Uncle. May you have great fortune in the coming year.”

The driver smiled genuinely, waving back in imitation of him.

The car pulled away from the curb. Under the lights of the nearby trees, Chen Bai looked across the overpass at the bright hotel, then checked the time on his phone.

[23:55]

—

The hotel.

That afternoon, in a rush to keep up with the schedule, they had skipped dinner. After the shoot, the crew had arranged to have dinner at the hotel.

They wrapped up filming earlier than expected, around 10:30, and after spending some time tidying up, the crew of over a hundred people gradually made their way to the hotel restaurant after 11:00 for what was considered their New Year’s Eve dinner.

Xu Sinian made a brief appearance, sitting with the director and producers at the main table. He barely ate, and spent most of his time picking up his phone.

He wasn’t doing anything with it, just checking it.

Once again, he picked up his phone and glanced at the still unanswered messages, leaning back in his chair, eyes downcast as he took a sip of water.

He was checking his phone so frequently that even the director beside him noticed. Turning his head, the director asked, “Something on your mind?”

Xu Sinian turned off the screen, set down the cup, and answered briefly, “Nothing.”

He’s probably still working, no time to reply.

At this hour, knowing his habits, he’s likely pulling another all-nighter.

The moment the cup touched the table, the phone—silent all this time—lit up.

Along with the light came a faint vibration.

The sound was soft, but the people nearby could hear it. A few who had also set their phones to vibrate instinctively reached for their pockets, only to realize their phones were still silent. They saw the quiet man at the table pick up his phone and stand.

It was Xu Sinian’s phone that had rung.

Everyone watched as he walked over to a quieter spot near the corridor window to answer the call. He seemed to say only two sentences before turning his body and looking down towards the ground floor. Then, he pressed the button for the elevator.

The elevator was still on its way up, so he started walking towards the staircase.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared into the stairwell.

“…”

With his phone in hand, Xu Sinian quickly descended the stairs and walked straight out of the hotel lobby, stepping into the cold street wind. Listening to the voice on the other end of the phone, he looked at the empty street.

The roadside lights twinkled, but there was no one in sight.

“You’re looking in the wrong place. Look up.”

Holding his phone in one hand, listening to the voice through the receiver, he instinctively turned around and looked up. He saw a figure quickly running across the overpass.

The person descended the overpass steps, and the familiar figure instantly entered his dark pupils.

One side of the person’s face was lit by the phone’s glow. They descended the steps, one hand holding tightly onto their precious hat, while their white coat billowed behind them.

It was a familiar way of running down the stairs. Xu Sinian’s pupils slightly widened, and unconsciously, he raised his hand.

The person, hands full and unable to stop in time, dashed straight into him.

With a gust of wind, the person crashed into his chest. Xu Sinian staggered back half a step, one hand sinking into soft hair. This time, he managed to catch them steadily, the familiar faint scent filling his nose.