The Stand-in Side Character Only Wants to Make Money – CH85

Chapter 85 – Premiere

The silence that followed was only broken by the soft rustling of the bouquet’s wrapping paper. Huo Chuan’s grip on the flowers tightened as he looked down, meeting Chen Bai’s unwavering gaze.

The usual cheerful glint in Chen Bai’s eyes was gone, replaced by seriousness as he gazed back at Huo Chuan without flinching.

This wasn’t a joke. There was no playful banter this time; it was a sincere response.

Huo Chuan asked, “Is it Xu Sinian?”

He thought his voice sounded calm, as if he could maintain composure no matter the situation, but the moment he said that name, he realized his voice wasn’t as steady as he had imagined. It was hoarse.

Chen Bai, not expecting Huo Chuan to accurately guess the name, nodded vaguely in response.

The silence returned.

“He…”

“Buzz—”

Just as Huo Chuan was about to speak again, Chen Bai’s phone buzzed in his pocket. Grateful for the distraction, he quickly pulled it out, telling Huo Chuan to wait as he stood up and took a few steps away. Glancing at the caller ID, he answered the call.

Of course, one shouldn’t speak recklessly. As soon as he mentioned Old Xu, Old Xu called.

The familiar voice on the other end was Old Xu, kindly asking where he was, offering to come pick him up.

Old Xu had some errands to run in the old district and said he could swing by and give Chen Bai a ride.

Meeting up was definitely not an option, but Chen Bai responded vaguely, “What? You lost your apartment key again?”

He glanced back at Huo Chuan, who was watching him closely. Frowning slightly, Chen Bai continued, “Your dog hasn’t eaten all day? Don’t worry, I’ll be right there.”

Not giving Huo Chuan another chance to speak, Chen Bai hung up the call with lightning speed and checked the time.

Perfect—6:01 PM.

With the phone call as an excuse, he turned back to Huo Chuan, who had already stood up and was watching him. “Was that… your boyfriend?”

The word “boyfriend” was spoken with difficulty, his voice softening as he said it, as if he still couldn’t bring himself to say it naturally.

Chen Bai immediately waved his hand. “No, it was a client. He lost his keys, and his dog hasn’t eaten all day.”

There was no way he was going to admit it was Old Xu. Although his gut instinct told him this would lead to an even stranger situation if he nodded.

That would be an unimaginable scene.

Staying calm, AAA locksmith expert Chen Bai pointed out to Huo Chuan that it was now after 6 PM and said, “So, we’ll leave it at that for today. The client’s dog is in urgent need, so I’ll head to my next job now, Mr. Huo.”

Without waiting for a response, Chen Bai took off, speaking quickly as he went. His hoodie and black coat billowed behind him, and he reached up to adjust the brim of his hat as he fled.

He avoided the flower path and the sea of flowers with precision, leaving without hesitation and never once looking back.

Under the building’s awning, Chen Bai’s personal assistant, who had been waiting downstairs, was startled to see him suddenly emerge from the elevator.

“Encountering” here refers to a one-sided observation: he watched the person jump out of the elevator and swiftly get into a taxi, the vehicle quickly starting and driving away with a seamless fluidity.

The assistant “…”

Oh no.

The assistant understood and lowered his head, beginning to search “What to do when your boss gets dumped?” but then deleted it and changed it to “How to get the most compensation when being laid off.”

Chen Bai took a taxi to the old district to find his good neighbor.

The matter was urgent, so he even spent a significant amount of money on the taxi ride. Once inside, he messaged his good neighbor, saying he was on the way.

Knowing that Chen Bai was coming, the good neighbor stayed behind and waited in the residential building.

During the ride, the usually cheerful person wasn’t smiling, his demeanor somewhat cold. Sensing this, the driver wisely remained quiet and focused on driving.

As the vehicle traveled from the city center to the old district, the surrounding buildings became increasingly familiar. After turning onto a familiar street, the car stopped in front of a familiar yet slightly unfamiliar residential building.

He paid the driver, politely remembered to say goodbye, and then hopped out of the car.

The distance from the street to the entrance of the residential building wasn’t far, just a short stretch. Without an umbrella, he quickly crossed it and went straight up the stairs.

He hadn’t been here in a long time, but he still remembered which floor was which without needing to look at the doorplates. In a few steps, he was at the final flight of stairs and stopped in front of the door, raising his hand quietly to knock.

Even before he knocked, the sound of footsteps could be heard. As he knocked on the door, Xu Sinian was already bending down to open it.

The person standing in the doorway still had their hand raised in midair, the brim of their hat bearing traces of water from the rain. He must have gotten caught in the rain earlier. He looked up and greeted, “Comrade Old Xu.”

Sensing something was off in his tone, Xu Sinian looked down and asked, “What’s wrong?”

As soon as he spoke, the expression Chen Bai had been holding in crumbled. Large tears began to well up, and his hand, still hovering in midair, slowly moved forward, coming to rest on the back of Xu Sinian’s neck.

Thinking something serious had happened, Xu Sinian bent down, making it easier for Chen Bai to rest his hand there.

Then, Chen Bai wrapped his arms around his neck—not too tightly, but with enough strength to hold his entire weight.

The cold, damp air mixed with shallow breaths as the person in the hat hugged him.

Xu Sinian “…”

Underneath his tousled hair, Xu Sinian’s dark eyes trembled slightly.

Feeling the chill from the body in his arms, Xu Sinian steadied his waist with one hand and pulled the door closed with the other.

With a “click,” the door shut. The hand on Xu Sinian’s neck, warm and slightly trembling, tightened its grip. Chen Bai held on to his good neighbor as if afraid that letting go would bring some other disaster. He buried his face into Xu Sinian’s shoulder and mumbled in a muffled voice, “This world is just one giant lychee shell.”

No matter where you go, it’s full of thorns.

Who else would experience being confessed to by a straight male colleague in the garden, only to be confessed to by their boss, who already has someone they like?

Setting aside the “world is a lychee shell” theory for now, Xu Sinian patted Chen Bai’s back twice, patiently asking again, “What happened?”

With a sigh, Chen Bai finally managed to explain that he had been confessed to by his former client. Then, he hugged his dear good neighbor even tighter, exclaiming, “Thanks, Comrade Old Xu, for saving my life.”

If it hadn’t been for that phone call, he would still be out there playing verbal kung fu with his former god of wealth, fingers nearly tearing holes in the carpet.

Xu Sinian “…”

When he mentioned the word “confession,” for just a moment, Xu Sinian seemed to feel the body in his arms stiffen slightly—not very noticeably, almost like an illusion.

The hand patting Chen Bai’s back slowed down. His expression remained unchanged, but he lowered his gaze and asked, “Is it resolved now?”

He also asked if Chen Bai needed any help.

“It’s resolved.”

Finally remembering something, Chen Bai reluctantly let go of his good neighbor, both feet landing firmly back on the ground. One hand unconsciously brushed the back of his neck as his eyes drifted slightly. “You’ve already helped.”

Meeting Xu Sinian’s gaze, Chen Bai straightened up and, with a serious tone, offered an apology. “I didn’t know how to reject him, so I said I had a boyfriend.”

Xu Sinian’s eyes flickered slightly as he listened, responding with a simple “mm” and waiting for Chen Bai to continue.

Chen Bai lowered his head obediently and said, “I said you were my boyfriend.”

He felt weak and helpless, but he could still spin a good story.

With hands pressed together in a gesture of repentance, he said, “Sorry, I ruined your reputation.”

His good neighbor had worked diligently, free from scandal, and here Chen Bai was, giving him a fake boyfriend title, completely tarnishing his good name. Even though the situation had been urgent, it was still a heavy sin.

After apologizing, Chen Bai lifted the brim of his hat slightly, trying to gauge his good neighbor’s expression to see if further apologies were necessary.

But just as he raised his eyes, before he could see Xu Sinian’s expression, a large hand came down on his hat, pressing the brim back down firmly.

With his vision suddenly halved, Chen Bai blinked in surprise. Then, realizing something, his eyes widened. “Are you mad?”

If Xu Sinian was angry, it needed to be addressed immediately. Without avoiding the issue, Chen Bai ducked out from under his hat, executing a smooth escape maneuver, and looked up.

In that moment, he thought he caught a glimpse of a smile on Xu Sinian’s face.

Chen Bai “…?”

But it was gone in an instant. When Chen Bai looked again, Xu Sinian’s lips were set in the same neutral expression they usually were.

Maybe he had imagined it. In any case, it didn’t seem like Xu Sinian was angry after all.

Chen Bai glanced over again, still uncertain, and cautiously asked, “Did you just smile?”

Xu Sinian “I’m not angry.”

Without removing Chen Bai’s hat, Xu Sinian simply lifted it slightly, freeing him from the need to take it off himself. Then, testing it with his hand, he said, “It’s a bit damp. You should change it later.”

After checking the hat, Xu Sinian touched his hair. “It’s also wet. Go dry it off.”

With just a few words, he skipped over the previous question. Chen Bai had only asked casually, and he forgot about it almost immediately, obediently following him to dry his hair.

It had been a long time since Chen Bai had visited here. As he walked towards the living room, he couldn’t help but take another look around, noting that not much had changed since his last visit.

The good neighbor returned to the room with a hairdryer, so Chen Bai cooperatively sat down on the sofa.

The sound of the hairdryer started, and the slightly warm hand tousled his messy hair. It felt strangely like a massage, so comfortable that Chen Bai unconsciously squinted his eyes.

Once his eyes closed, sleepiness crept in. Just before he completely drifted off, a voice came from above his head: “If you ever need it, you can say it like you did today.”

The hairdryer was on a low setting, so the voice was clear despite the sound.

Chen Bai’s brain was already slowing down, and it took him a moment to figure out what “like today” referred to. When he realized, he opened his eyes, looked up, and said, “But if I keep saying that, your reputation will be ruined.”

The good neighbor above him said it was fine.

Chen Bai was deeply moved, like a child wiping away tears, and vowed that they would be best friends for life.

The good neighbor casually acknowledged it.

He continued drying Chen Bai’s hair, and the phone sitting nearby lit up. It was a call from Mrs. Jiang, and Chen Bai helped answer it.

Mrs. Jiang was surprised to hear him answer but didn’t say much. She asked where they were, and after learning they were still in the old district, she urged them to hurry back and then hung up.

After drying his hair and putting on a clean new hat, Chen Bai, feeling refreshed at his good neighbor’s place, got into Comrade Old Xu’s reliable car, and they headed home together.

The windshield wipers were working non-stop as the car drove down the road. Chen Bai took out his phone and opened his contacts, scrolling for a while but ultimately deciding not to contact the god of fortune to reimburse the cab fare. He put the phone back in his pocket.

By the time they arrived home, it was already past seven in the evening, and dinner was ready. Even before they drove into the yard, Yi Wan had been waiting by the roadside, wagging his tail.

After eating the dinner that had been prepared all afternoon, it was time for the usual family chat. Busy actor Xu Sinian had work to attend to and went upstairs to take a call, so Chen Bai chatted with his aunt and uncle.

During these gossip sessions, Chen Bai would normally be the happiest, but today, he struggled to maintain his usual expression.

The conversation began with Mrs. Jiang and then shifted to Huo’s mother, Zhang Ling. It quickly veered into territory that made Chen Bai want to curl his toes in discomfort.

When they brought up Aunt Zhang, the topic initially seemed normal. Ms. Jiang, after hearing from other ladies, mentioned that Mrs. Zhang, who had been quite cheerful recently, had fallen into a bad mood again. Her frequency of inviting people to play mahjong had also dropped.

It had been a while since they had a proper chat, so Chen Bai perked up a bit, petting Yi Wan’s soft fur and listening attentively.

Then Ms. Jiang said, “Didn’t they say her eldest son has poor taste?”

She took a sip of warm water and continued, “I heard that this time, he picked someone really nice, someone she really likes. But somehow, Huo’s eldest managed to mess it up.”

Chen Bai “…”

Chen Bai’s ears, which had perked up, now drooped as he quietly wiped his face.

Tonight’s conversation was full of hidden twists and turns, just when he thought things were taking a hopeful turn, another curveball hit. After Mrs. Zhang’s topic was finished, Mr. Xu brought up the Hai Luo restaurant.

There wasn’t any specific reason; they had initially considered eating there tonight since it was close to their neighborhood. The short travel distance would have been better for someone who had just returned from abroad and needed rest. However, the restaurant had announced it would be closed for the day.

Chen Bai “…”

Chen Bai buried his face into Yi Wan’s fur, his breaths filled with the scent of dog fur.

Thinking he was tired, Mrs. Jiang patted his shoulder and said, “It’s getting late. If you’re tired, go ahead and sleep.”

Feeling like he couldn’t listen any longer, Chen Bai promptly stood up and went upstairs to sleep.

Yi Wan, who had been specially bathed today, followed him upstairs, carrying his beloved shark toy that had been washed countless times but was still in use. Clearly, the dog was hoping to snuggle in bed with him.

No one could refuse a puppy’s request, so Chen Bai took Yi Wan with him to the bedroom.

Xu Sinian’s work call lasted a while. By the time he returned to the living room, there was one less person on the sofa, and the dog was also gone.

Seeing him glance around, Mrs. Jiang explained, “Chen Bai went upstairs to sleep, and Yi Wan followed him.”

Mrs. Jiang folded Yi Wan’s blanket, which had been left on the sofa, and placed it to the side. Xu Sinian sat down on the edge of the sofa.

Mrs. Jiang put down her water cup and quietly leaned over, asking, “Chen Bai didn’t seem right today. Do you know what happened?”

After spending so much time together, it was easy to tell if something was wrong. Since Chen Bai needed rest, she hadn’t asked earlier, but now that her own son was here, she decided to inquire.

Knowing that even if he didn’t say it now, Xu Sinian would ask Chen Bai about it tomorrow, so he briefly explained, saying Chen Bai had encountered another confession.

He didn’t mention who it was, but based on Chen Bai’s reaction that afternoon, it was likely someone he hadn’t expected.

Auntie Jiang “?”

Auntie Jiang was stunned, trying to count on her fingers. She turned to Mr. Xu and asked, “Is this the second one?”

Mr. Xu replied, “The second one.”

It was the second they were aware of. There might have been others, some of which even Chen Bai himself might not have noticed. This second one referred to the second confession they knew about.

Ms. Jiang then turned back to Xu Sinian and said, “You might want to move faster.”

If he kept delaying like this, there might come a time when she and Mr. Xu would have to attend Chen Bai’s wedding to someone else. Her son would have to give a gift, and who knows, he might even have to walk Chen Bai down the aisle himself.

Xu Sinian took a sip of water, nodded, and stood up again, saying, “I’ll go check upstairs.”

Some people tend to kick and thrash in their sleep, and with the restless Yi Wan in the mix, it often doubled the chaos. Kicking off the blankets was a common occurrence.

Ms. Jiang and Mr. Xu watched him go upstairs.

—

For the past few days since returning from abroad, Chen Bai had been battling jet lag.

His agent didn’t schedule any new scripts for the remaining time this year. The movie ‘The Blossoms Record’ was slated for a Spring Festival release, and before that, there would be the premiere, where he would be traveling across the country along with the other lead actors. In addition, a TV drama he starred in had just passed the review process, and its air date was set, with the press conference scheduled after the premiere.

These two events alone were enough to keep him busy. Just like last year, his agent wanted to go home for the New Year, so there were no plans to pile on more work.

Between autumn and winter, all it took was a shower of rain and frost.

As winter arrived, a high school student who hadn’t been home in a long time returned before the premiere.

The last few times he came home, the family had a small pet named Wan. This time, little Wan had grown into a big, fluffy ball of fur.

After a semester of intense study, the high schooler was finally able to play to his heart’s content with Er Bai (Chen Bai). Er Bai also made the most of his time, even live-streaming ‘PUBG’ late into the night before the movie premiere, continuing to dominate ‘Player Unknown’s Battlegrounds’ long after the student had gone to bed.

The result of his late-night gaming session was clear the next morning. When his agent came to pick him up, she was greeted by a dazed Chen Yi Bai, his eyes half-closed, looking like he could fall asleep standing up.

Gao Qian “…”

After politely greeting the household staff, she quickly ushered him into the car and instructed the driver to start the vehicle.

As the car started moving, Chen Bai, half-awake, accepted a cup of black coffee from his assistant.

The familiar taste of terrible coffee hit him again. After a couple of sips, his eyes, which had been mere slits, finally opened a little wider.

The agent asked, “What time did you go to bed last night?”

With a scarf wrapped around his neck—courtesy of Mrs. Jiang before he left—Chen Bai radiated warmth and replied, “I don’t remember, probably around one.”

Knowing him well, the agent thought it was unlikely. If he was this tired, it was more likely he slept around two, but definitely not one.

Clearly, this was a sugar-coated answer. The assistant sitting in the back didn’t quite believe him either and gave him another glance.

“We’re heading to the same city where we filmed before. I know you’re tired, but stay awake for a bit. Here’s the schedule for the premiere—take a look so you’re prepared,” the agent said, sending the document to his phone. “There’s also a media Q&A session. Do you still remember the plot? There’s no time to review the script, so at least go over the character bios and a brief summary.”

Chen Bai sipped his coffee and said he remembered.

Since the movie was related to gold coins, he still remembered the story even though it had been a while. He could still recall his character, A-Huai, from the first script.

Relieved to remember that this guy had a sharp memory even when sleep-deprived, the agent rubbed her face and moved on to check messages in the group chat. Something came to mind, and she said, “Although your movie avoids clashing with your friend’s film release, don’t expect the box office to be particularly strong. Prepare yourself mentally.”

Whenever Xu Sinian released a movie, other films’ box office and awards would usually pale in comparison. The fact that they weren’t directly competing this time was already considered lucky.

Chen Bai looked up at her.

The agent wasn’t implying anything specific, just giving him a heads-up. Since all his previous TV dramas had been massive hits, she was concerned he might have overly high expectations for the box office performance of his movie.

The script, creative team, and cast were all solid, so the movie’s baseline performance was secure. The investors wouldn’t lose money, but how much they’d earn was another matter.

Chen Bai didn’t have particularly high expectations—if anything, he didn’t really grasp the concept. Before entering the industry, his only interaction with movies had been the week he worked at a theater when they were short on staff.

The agent said, “Don’t expect too much from the box office, but the awards could be something to hope for.”

During the Spring Festival season, audiences usually preferred lighthearted family comedies. The tone of The Blossoms Record didn’t quite fit the festive mood, and the release date was chosen more to meet the awards season deadline than to cater to holiday crowds.

Holding his coffee, Chen Yi Bai nodded absentmindedly, thinking that the movie indeed had a shot. He remained indifferent and detached, as though the outcome had little to do with him.

The agent glanced at him and said, “You might have something to look forward to as well.”

“Me?”

Chen Bai, biting the straw, laughed and waved it off. “What’s there for me to expect?”

The agent didn’t elaborate, simply saying, “You never know.”

After another sip of black coffee, Chen Bai leaned back comfortably, the agent’s words barely registering. He smiled and said, “It’s still early for me.”