The Stand-in Side Character Only Wants to Make Money – CH92

Chapter 92: The Soon-to-Be Boyfriend (Part 2)

The driver had gone to bed, so Chen Bai didn’t disturb him. He left the hotel and hailed a cab to the airport.

After telling the driver his destination, he remained silent for the rest of the trip, and the driver didn’t speak either. The ride to the airport was quiet.

He had left so quickly that he hadn’t put on a mask or a hat, so when he arrived at the airport, he pulled up the hood of his coat, lowering it to cover half his face.

At this hour, the airport was almost empty, with only a few scattered people. He sat quietly in a corner of the waiting area and sent another message.

Still no reply. He scrolled through his phone, found the location message Old Xu had sent earlier, and switched to another app to check the route.

After noting down a few key places, the airport’s announcement played, and he got up to board.

There were few people on the flight, with only him and another passenger in his row. The other passenger had fallen asleep as soon as they boarded, completely undisturbed by any noise.

Chen Bai didn’t sleep. He gazed out the window, his fingers slowly tapping on his phone screen.

The other passenger woke up just as the plane was about to land, right after the announcement. He turned to Chen Bai, the only other person in the row, and asked, “Hey, are we almost there?”

Chen Bai responded, “Yes.” His voice was a bit cold but pleasant. The passenger thanked him.

The plane landed, and it was still raining heavily outside. When the lights came on as everyone was leaving the cabin, the passenger turned to let Chen Bai pass and caught a glimpse of his smooth jawline and pale lips in the brief light.

Before he could get a clear look, the person thanked him and quickly blended into the crowd ahead.

After leaving the airport, he took a taxi to the county and then another ride to the town.

Hours of flight, followed by hours of driving, led him to the small, sparsely populated town. The cell towers still hadn’t been repaired, and there was no signal. Chen Bai paid the driver in cash.

The driver dropped off several passengers at a designated stop but didn’t offer to take them any further. The hotel where the film crew was staying needed to be found on foot.

It was just after 5 a.m. when he got off the bus. The heavy rain had subsided to a steady downpour. The southern town was shrouded in gray, and the streets were deserted.

Remembering the map of the town he had glanced at earlier, Chen Bai looked at the names of the shops along the street before heading in one direction.

Walking through the unfamiliar town under an umbrella, he passed several streets and eventually stood under an old yellow-horned tree. From a distance, he saw the river that split the town in half. The river’s water was now murky, and as it cascaded down from a height, it made a continuous roaring sound, splashing everywhere.

The bridge over the river had been closed to vehicles, so Chen Bai bypassed it and walked in another direction.

By 5:30 a.m., he had found the hotel where the crew was staying, according to the location shared earlier.

The road in front of the hotel had designated parking spaces, but they were empty except for a single ordinary van. The crew’s vehicles were nowhere in sight.

The hotel’s front door was open. Chen Bai put away his umbrella and walked inside.

The sound of rain hitting the umbrella ceased, and the hotel was eerily quiet. There was no one at the front desk.

He walked further in and called out tentatively. With no signal, this was the only way to communicate.

“…”

The empty hallway remained silent.

Just as he was about to turn around and inquire at a neighboring establishment, a head peeked out from the end of the hallway. It was an older woman, holding a spatula, her eyes widening in surprise. “There really is someone here!”

Chen Bai politely nodded, explained why he was there, and asked about the film crew.

So, he was here for the crew. The woman explained, “They left yesterday. The dam in Yixiang was breached. If it’s not repaired, the people downstream might be in danger.”

Yixiang was where the crew had been filming for the past few days. Although the river issues in this town were still unresolved, the emergency response teams were focused here, and manpower was scarce. Since Yixiang was mostly inhabited by elderly people, the village leader had turned to the film crew for help.

Given that the crew had hired young, able-bodied workers for filming in the rural mountains, they were able to assist.

A group of them left yesterday, intending to return by early morning. However, the woman had waited in vain, and this morning, someone passing by mentioned that the crew was still engaged in emergency repairs, but it seemed like they were nearly finished and should be back soon.

In short, everyone was safe, just tired.

The woman waved her spatula and added, “I heard they’ve run out of gas over there, so they probably haven’t had a hot meal all day. I was thinking of cooking something to take to them.”

She waved the spatula again and rubbed her back, saying, “But it seems like my back isn’t holding up so well.”

The kitchen staff wouldn’t arrive until the morning. Some things just couldn’t be forced.

Hearing that everyone was safe, Chen Bai finally relaxed. He removed his hood, rolled up his sleeves, and with a slight smile, offered, “Can I help?”

With that smile, the air around them seemed to warm up, dispelling some of the gloom.

As he took off his hood, the woman finally saw his face clearly and couldn’t help but brighten up.

Though she was a bit older and didn’t use her phone often, she recognized the highly recognizable face she’d recently seen on TV.

Chen Bai went to the kitchen to help.

At first, the woman was a little worried, still finding it hard to believe that a big star like him could actually cook. But when she saw him handling the spatula with ease, she kept her doubts to herself.

After a quiet stretch, Chen Bai finally started chatting with the woman while working in the kitchen.

The locals spoke with a bit of an accent, while Chen Bai’s speech was in clear, standard Mandarin, making it obvious he wasn’t from the area. The woman glanced at him and then at the rain outside, asking, “How did you come all the way here in weather like this, dear?”

“Plane and car, it was easy,” he said, skipping the details. “I wanted to see a friend.”

The woman guessed, “Is it that tall, handsome one?”

Chen Bai chuckled. “Yes, the very handsome one.”

After packing up the food into boxes, the woman handed them to Chen Bai. He put his hat back on, lifted the boxes, and headed outside.

——

Rescue workers had arrived, and the professionals were handling the rest. The crew was returning to the town earlier than expected.

After spending half a day in the water, the warmth of the vehicle couldn’t chase away the chill in their bones.

Most of the crew huddled together, shivering, but Xu Sinian didn’t join them. He sat by the window and glanced at his phone.

The crew never lacked waterproof bags, so his phone was fine and still functional.

One of the people in front leaned over and asked, “Mr. Xu, do we have a signal now?”

His eyes flicked over the red exclamation mark, and he simply said, “No.”

The person in front turned back, and a collective sigh of disappointment filled the van.

As the vehicle drove back into the town, the empty fields on either side of the road gradually gave way to scattered buildings, and eventually, they reached a street lined with houses.

Through the gray rain and mist, someone in front, still pressed against the window, finally spotted the familiar hotel. “We’re almost there.”

After saying that, they squinted and looked again. “It looks like someone’s outside.”

It wasn’t just “someone”—there really was someone standing by the hotel’s van, holding an umbrella, seemingly placing something into the vehicle.

The figure in the rain was somewhat blurry, but it was clear they weren’t someone from the hotel.

The vehicle slowly pulled to the side of the road and came to a stop. The person who had been standing next to the van had already placed something down, folded their umbrella, and walked back toward the hotel. Noticing the commotion, they turned their head to look over in the dim light.

Swoosh—

Before anyone could get a clear look, and before the others could react, the back door of the car opened. Xu Sinian, who had been silently looking at his phone, had already stepped out. The moment the door opened, the sound of heavy rain filled his ears, only to fade again as the door shut behind him.

They didn’t see the person clearly. All they caught was a glimpse of the man’s back as he quickly strode into the hotel, disappearing into the shadows in the blink of an eye.

Both figures at the entrance were now gone. A moment later, the hotel’s landlady came out with an umbrella, telling them that there was freshly made food in the van and suggesting they go take a hot shower and eat something to warm up.

Chen Bai had gone to his friend’s room.

The hotel room looked very much like the one he had stayed in during the last variety show, a double room with white bed sheets sinking into the dim shadows.

Creak—

The door closed behind him, and outside the window, the dark green tree branches swayed. Xu Sinian stood by the door, setting his phone on the small cabinet. He lifted his gaze slightly, watching Chen Bai, who had his hands behind his back, as if he was inspecting the room. “Did you get caught in the rain today?” he asked.

Chen Bai didn’t reply. His fingers fidgeted behind his back, lightly scratching his palms. His pupils reflected the swaying tree shadows outside. He exhaled deeply, then, in the same moment as his breath left him, he suddenly spun around.

His light gray eyes glowed faintly, and as he turned, it was as if a ray of light had cut through the dim room, making him even more striking.

With just a couple of quick steps, he darted forward. Xu Sinian, who already knew what was coming, looked down and said, “I’m dirty—”

But his words were cut off by the cold touch on the side of his face and ear.

Xu Sinian “…”

A warm breath touched his lips, and in the quiet room, he lowered his eyes, his pupils dilating slightly as they were drawn into the darkness.

Unbothered by the wetness or the slight grit against his skin, Chen Bai tilted his head up and cupped Xu Sinian’s face, closing his eyes as he kissed him.

“…”

He held that pose, unmoving.

As bold as he might be, the most daring thing Chen Bai could bring himself to do was to press his lips against Xu Sinian’s and freeze there, too afraid to take the next step.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest. Over the sound of his own heartbeat, he heard his friend laugh softly.

His jaw slackened. Remembering the time he had bitten him before, Chen Bai didn’t dare move a muscle, leaving himself defenseless.

With their ragged breaths filling the air, the situation flipped. Chen Bai’s hands, which had been cupping Xu Sinian’s face, slid down and stopped just below his shoulders, clinging to the wet fabric of his clothes to stop himself from slipping further. His head was supported by Xu Sinian’s large hand, and he could feel the heat of his touch through his hair.

The wind and rain continued outside. At the last moment before he nearly suffocated, Chen Bai finally pulled back, gasping for air as he clung to Xu Sinian’s clothes.

Xu Sinian lowered his head, looking at him, and spoke softly. “Friends don’t do things like this.”

“I know.”

Leaning his head against Xu Sinian’s shoulder, Chen Bai took a few more breaths before looking up again. “Sorry, I’m not ready to have a boyfriend just yet.”

Xu Sinian’s steady hand moved slightly, waiting for him to continue.

“So, Xu Sinian, wait for me.”

Chen Bai wiped the dirt off Xu Sinian’s neck and added, “After I get my share from the TV drama, I’ll still owe over two hundred million. Sister Qian says my endorsement deals could surpass ten million soon, so just give me two more years.”

He smiled slightly. “That kiss was a privilege for a future boyfriend.”

As the wind and rain lashed against the windows and the shadows of the trees danced, his voice was clear and direct amid the noise outside.

“…”

In the silence, his soon-to-be boyfriend bent down and gently embraced him, tightening his hold as he whispered, “Take your time. I’ll wait, no matter how long it takes.”

——

Around noon, the repairs to the town’s communication towers were completed, and signal was restored within several kilometers.

After showering and having breakfast, the crew slept until noon. When they woke up, their phones were flooded with missed calls and unanswered messages.

They headed to lunch, provided by the hotel, and the crew gathered in the dining hall. They hadn’t even had a chance to eat before their phones started ringing again, filling the hall with the sounds of conversations.

The kitchen had prepared several dishes and three soups, which were available for self-service. After finally finishing their calls, the group served themselves and sat down to eat. One of them took a bite and suddenly remembered something. They asked the landlady, who was putting out some fruit, “Did you cook the breakfast this morning?”

The taste was different from usual—not in a way they could pinpoint, but somehow it was particularly delicious. After a shower and a hot meal, life felt perfect.

“No, though I would’ve liked to,” the landlady said, waving her hand. She scanned the crowd, searching for someone. “It was that tall, handsome guy, Xu… huh?”

She didn’t see the person she was looking for and glanced around again. Finally, she spotted someone coming down the stairs and continued, “His friend made it.”

The “he” she referred to was Xu Sinian, who had just come down. The others turned to look at him and, after hearing the landlady’s words, glanced behind him, expecting to see someone else—but there was no one.

None of them could be the friend she mentioned, as they had all been busy helping with the repairs. The friend must be someone from outside the crew.

It was hard to imagine that in a place none of them had been before, Xu Sinian would have a friend here. The assistant director, who was usually good at getting people to talk, asked on behalf of the others’ unspoken curiosity, “Where’s your friend, Mr. Xu?”

It was an innocent question, but something in it seemed to hit the mark. The usually stoic man smiled slightly and said, “Sleeping in my room.”

The hotel had just enough rooms for one person each, with no extras. If the friend was in a room, it could only be his own.

This person, who was somewhat of a neat freak, would never easily let anyone sleep in their room, even if it meant sleeping in separate beds.

Although it seemed unbelievable no matter how you looked at it, the group had an idea of what kind of “friend” he was talking about. The assistant director’s eyes widened: “Wasn’t he supposed to be in Y City…?”

In this industry, news travels fast, especially in large productions. Once an announcement goes out for casting, people generally know where the filming is happening. They had noticed earlier that the production Chen Yi Bai was working on should still be in Y City.

He had just joined the crew, so there shouldn’t have been much time for a break. Besides, the distance from Y City to here wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

Xu Sinian picked up a tray and served himself some food, casually answering, “Yes.”

From north to south, spanning over a thousand kilometers, Chen Yi Bai had worked during the day yesterday, stayed awake all night, took a shower upon arriving, and fell asleep immediately. He hadn’t woken up since.

“…”

The group, busy eating, suddenly realized what was going on.

No wonder he moved so quickly when he got out of the car.

Xu Sinian didn’t stay to eat. After getting his food, he took the tray back to his room, clearly intending to bring it to someone so they could eat when they woke up.

The others watched as he left.

Once he had disappeared up the stairs, one person, full of envy, lamented, “How is he so lucky? I want to change my name to Xu Sinian too.”

The others patted him on the shoulder in sympathy, thinking that a name change probably wouldn’t solve the problem. One person jokingly suggested, “Maybe try changing it to Xu Wunian. You might meet Chen Sanbai.”

The group met the well-rested Chen Yi Bai in the afternoon after he had finally woken up and finished his meal.

He had practically stayed up all night, but after waking up from his nap, he looked surprisingly energetic, dressed entirely in his friend’s clothes, all black, feeling like the coolest guy around.

Though the coolest guy around still had to roll up his pant legs from time to time.

Everyone, along with the kind landlady, took a group photo. Chen Yi Bai also signed a special autograph for the landlady.

The landlady wasn’t particularly interested in autographs, but her daughter was a fan of his. Her daughter was in her final year of high school, studying for college entrance exams, and the landlady wanted to cheer her up with an autograph after the exams.

Once the photo was taken and the autograph signed, Chen Yi Bai only had a day to rest. He had booked a flight back to Y City for that afternoon.

This time, he didn’t have to pay for a long drive. His good neighbor drove him straight to the airport.

The trip there had taken a lot of time, but the return was incredibly fast. He left in the afternoon and was back at the crew’s hotel by the evening, checking in with a string of contacts.

While updating Auntie Jiang on his whereabouts, he remembered from the hotel landlady that her daughter was taking the entrance exams, and this reminded him that his good younger brother, Xu Lang, should also be taking the exams soon. So, he casually asked about it.

The situation was that his younger brother didn’t need to take the college entrance exams.

Xu Lang, little brother Xu, had attended a summer camp where he won an award for excellence, which granted him direct admission to A University’s independent enrollment program. He had already passed both the written and interview portions, and in September, he would be starting as a student in A University’s mathematics department.

A while ago, Xu Lang had taken a few days off to hang out with Chen Bai. He had so much energy that even the dog-walking exhausted Chen Bai. Xu Lang ended up bored with no one to play video games with or take him out for walks. Stuck at home, he skimmed through some college textbooks, got even more bored, and a couple of days ago, he rolled back to school to annoy his classmates.

Listening to this story, it was hard to believe this was the same kid who had once calculated the speed of a block of wood as if it were a high-speed train. Chen Bai chuckled, “That’s great.”

Auntie Jiang also thought it was great, though she was a bit disappointed. She had been looking forward to playing the role of a worried mom waiting for her child outside the exam room and had been clearing her schedule for it.

Chen Bai teased, “Yi Wan’s still young. With proper nurturing, you’ll have another chance to send him to the exam hall.”

Auntie Jiang laughed, her voice faint as she called for Yi Wan. She had even found some of the university textbooks Xu Lang had flipped through in an attempt to speed up her dog’s education, dreaming of turning the puppy into a genius.

Each member of this family had their own way of being ruthless. Chen Bai quickly snapped a screenshot, adding another funny picture to his collection.

Almost a month later, another rainstorm came, and with it, the college entrance exams ended.

Amid the discussion about test questions and the frustration of high school students returning home to find their rooms turned into storage spaces, one person posted something quite unique:

[Who can understand this! I came home after my exams, only to find out that Xu Sinian had been filming here! Not only that, but my family’s shop hosted Xu Sinian and Chen Yi Bai! My mom, who never follows celebrities, has pictures with them and the crew, and she even got me an autograph from Chen Yi Bai, wishing me success on the exams!]

[My superhero mom! I’m definitely taking her to see the movie when it comes out! (PS: Chen Yibai’s handwriting is gorgeous)]

The post included two pictures: one group photo with most people’s faces blurred out, and another of the autograph.

[Same world, same generation of test-takers, different treatment. I’m going to riot!]

[Wait, they filmed a movie together? When did this happen?! Why didn’t anyone tell me?]

[Chen Yi Bai, your clothes… actually, never mind, they look great. While you’re at it, can I get an autograph too?]

[The post says Xu Sinian was filming. Chen Yibai might have just stopped by to hang out. Don’t get your hopes up (tears).]

[How can an auntie who doesn’t even follow celebrities get a picture, while I, a longtime fan, don’t even have one? Is this the unfairness of the world [shocked.jpg]?]

[I’ll find out when the movie comes out, but I need to know now! Can the movie be released tomorrow, please? [puppy eyes.jpg]]

The movie didn’t come out the next day. As summer turned to fall, it wasn’t until October of the following year that the film finally got a confirmed release date for National Day.

Before its release, the production company officially released the trailer and the full cast list, which included both the lead actors and key supporting roles.

Xu Sinian’s name was listed first among the important actors, and surprisingly, there was a Chen Bai listed as well.