The Stand-in Side Character Only Wants to Make Money – CH93

Chapter 93: BCL Summer Tournament

Although his name appeared in the cast list, Chen Yi Bai did not appear in the trailer.

Fans watched the trailer over and over, analyzing it frame by frame, but couldn’t spot him.

In response to people not seeing him, the film’s official account gave a vague reply, saying, “You’ll see in the full movie after the release.”

This essentially meant they said nothing at all. Chen Yi Bai’s account merely shared the update without adding any further comment, remaining quite silent.

The trailer was short, but that didn’t hinder its box office potential. One week before its National Day release, tickets for ‘Jiangping Road No. 33’ sold out instantly across major theaters.

If all goes as expected, this will likely be another box office hit.

On the day of the movie’s release and throughout the National Day holiday, Chen Yi Bai took the rare opportunity to give himself a few days off, determined to stay at home and avoid all social interaction. He even turned off notifications from all his apps.

As long as he didn’t check, he wouldn’t hear anything from the outside world.

This quiet self-imposed break was kept a secret from both Mrs. Jiang and Mr. Xu. Chen Bai was resolved to spend these difficult days alone, holed up in his neighborhood house.

He had just finished filming one movie, and the next project wasn’t scheduled yet. With no scripts to read, he decided to use all his time to catch up on his streaming schedule.

On the day of the movie’s release, his mistake was glancing at the messages from other contacts when he reached out to his friend Qingzhou.

One contact, led by Qian Jin, had sent dozens of messages. Without even looking, he knew more than half of them must be filled with “hahaha”s. The most recent message asked, “So, taking a wild guess, you don’t have a sister who looks like this?”

Chen Bai “…”

His brow twitched. Chen Bai raised his hand and typed, kindly suggesting that Qian Jin leave the solar system immediately.

As expected, his dear friends never missed a chance to laugh at him. Even the compliments were full of laughter.

It was all within his expectations.

He took a sip of water, trying hard to ignore the barrage of messages, clicked a couple of times to start loading his stream, and then messaged Qingzhou.

Unfortunately, his friend was out for the day.

With his usual gaming partner unavailable, he logged on and quickly searched for other online friends to play with. He hurriedly put his phone down, avoiding the flood of new messages from his contacts.

Once the stream had loaded, he clicked to start it.

It had been half a month since his last stream, and as soon as it began, the chat was flooded with complaints.

Smiling, he apologized and explained the situation: “Qingzhou isn’t here today, so I’ll randomly pick someone online to play with.”

[I knew he wasn’t here, he’s definitely out watching a movie.]

[He’s probably already seen it and still had time to reply to Er Bai’s messages while watching. Such strong friendship (teary eyes).]

[How do you all know he’s watching a movie? What movie?]

Chen Yibai was just as confused as the chat. As he selected his new teammate, he asked, “How do you guys know?”

[He was buying tickets live on his stream yesterday, and he got them.]

[It’s definitely for ‘Jiangping Road No. 33’. He’s a hardcore Chen Yi Bai fan. His sister even made the bouquet for Chen Yi Bai’s before!]

[My once-beloved BaiZhou ship… like the great Yangtze River, it flows eastward forever (hands behind back).]

[No one can resist Chen Yi Bai!!! I only regret not getting more tickets, should’ve bought a few extra to watch it again and again, wah!]

[You’re lucky to even get a ticket! People like us, who couldn’t get tickets and can only stare at photos of Chen Yi Bai online, are in pain!]

Seeing all the strange comments and watching the conversation veer in an odd direction, Chen Er Bai quickly pulled it back by starting the game, hoping to shift the topic.

He succeeded in changing the topic, but it only went in another strange direction.

[Hahaha, I wonder what Er Bai would look like in a dress.]

[Hahaha, can’t imagine straight-laced Er Bai in a dress. He’d definitely cut off all social ties and hole up at home pretending to be a mushroom (nodding).]

Chen Er Bai “…”

His hands faltered on the keyboard and mouse, causing his character to miss a shot and fire into the air. He quickly adjusted and finished off his opponent on the hillside.

While his character delivered a swift blow to the enemy, Chen Er Bai wished someone could deliver a quick end to him.

Though he hadn’t played in a while, his skills hadn’t dulled. The missed shot was a rare fluke. After securing a win, he started the next game before the conversation could drift further.

Alas, no one could bring an end to Chen Er Bai’s suffering.

The film’s box office numbers skyrocketed. On its first day, it surpassed the combined total of all other movies in the same release window. In the following days, the numbers continued to climb as more people managed to get tickets or returned to watch the movie multiple times.

Some returned to catch details they missed on their first viewing; others were simply captivated by the actors’ looks.

According to early viewers at the premiere, Chen Yi Bai’s performance in this film marked a significant improvement over his previous work.

What the rest of the audience didn’t realize, however, was that this breakthrough wasn’t just in acting. Those who had seen it stayed tight-lipped, refusing to reveal more until others watched for themselves.

As the movie played for several days, Chen Yi Bai’s character remained a hot topic on social media.

[When my wife first appeared, I didn’t even recognize him. I was wondering, who is this stunning new actor with such grace and charm? (peaceful lying down).]

[I keep rewatching that scene where he smokes, the look in his eyes… your acting is incredible, wife… wait, I mean, your acting is so good it made my heart race, no wait… your performance totally bewitched me.]

[Everyone’s talking about how beautiful you are, but I just want to say, Chen Yi Bai, you’ve improved so much! Comparing this role to your first, A-Huai, your acting has really skyrocketed (not saying A-Huai was bad, A-Huai was great too).]

[The happiest one has to be Lin Wanyu. He actually got the chance to play a couple, and they had so many scenes together, it’s overwhelming! (sobs)]

However, some people had a different opinion about Lin Wanyu being the happiest.

“The happiest one isn’t him. I suggest you watch the behind-the-scenes footage; the happiest man is actually Xu Sinian.”

Midway through the National Day holiday, the film released a compilation of behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot.

Through their screens, the fans got a taste of just how great it is to be friends with Chen Yi Bai.

In the movie, his character stands completely opposed to the protagonist, but off-screen, he and the lead actor were practically inseparable. Most of Xu Sinian’s rapid-fire bloopers came from scenes with him.

[Hahaha, when I was watching, I kept wondering how Xu Sinian managed not to catch Yi Bai during the fight scenes. Turns out, he did catch him in the actual shoot—total reflex! Hahaha.]

[I’m begging you guys, just start dating already, okay? If you two don’t start dating soon, my friend and I will be too embarrassed to call ourselves friends anymore [crying cat meme].]

[Honestly, I can’t even imagine how great Xu Sinian’s daily life must be… Waaa, my wifeee, waaa!]

[Wait, so Xu Sinian is actually this smiley of a guy? I knew it, you two should star in another movie together! Can we have a sequel, please!]

A week after its release, ‘Jiangping Road No. 33’ broke box office records. Even after the National Day holiday ended, its momentum didn’t slow down and continued to rise steadily.

While the film was still showing, Chen Yi Bai was ready to start working again.

After several days of gaming and staying up late, by the time his manager arrived to talk about work, he looked completely disheveled. His hair was a mess, and he was wearing his old, durable 39.9 yuan t-shirt, looking no different from a lazy couch potato.

After staring at too many polished photos of him circulating online these past few days, seeing him like this was such a jarring contrast that the manager’s eyebrow twitched uncontrollably.

The lazy couch potato let her in.

He looked like he had just woken up. The manager didn’t expect him to offer her a drink, so she went to the kitchen to pour herself some water. Carrying two glasses back to the living room, she put the documents on the table and asked the usual question: “What time did you go to bed?”

Chen Bai gave an “OK” gesture.

His manager responded in a friendly tone, “How come you haven’t burnt yourself out yet?”

Her words were so friendly that the still-drowsy Chen Bai, his brain half-asleep, automatically took it as a compliment. Humbly, he replied with, “Thanks for the praise.”

His manager smacked him on the head.

That woke him up. He leaned forward, grabbed the second glass of water from the table, and took a sip to physically cool his brain.

While fishing something out of her pocket, his manager said, “The movie’s reception is great.”

Chen Bai nodded while holding his water. She glanced at him and casually added, “Your reviews are pretty good too.”

In every aspect.

His fanbase grew exponentially, industry reviews soared, and even the data from his account showed a surge in male followers, quickly catching up to the number of female fans.

Although he’d been staying home, he still heard bits of news here and there. At this, Chen Bai quickly made a time-out gesture, feeling a twitch in the corner of his eye.

The manager stopped, deciding not to mention any more data from the backend, choosing instead to protect his fragile heart.

She pulled out the documents from her bag and said, “Veent is negotiating a contract renewal, upgrading to a global top endorsement. After the company split and before taxes, you’re looking at an eight-figure estimate.”

Veent wouldn’t lose out either. The endorsement fee was eight figures, and the resulting profit would start in the nine figures. There was competition between brands, and Veent likely found out that a rival brand was also interested in offering him a deal, so they raised their bid higher than expected to secure him.

They’d had a pleasant collaboration before, so the manager’s personal recommendation was to renew for another two years.

Chen Yi Bai had no objections to making money.

His manager could already guess his thoughts and responded with an, “Okay, I’ll move forward with that. Once it’s finalized and we’re set to reshoot the promotional photos, I’ll let you know.”

This wasn’t the main focus of today’s meeting, so she quickly moved on. She handed him a stack of organized movie offers from under the contract and said, “All of these are film scripts. Take a look at which one catches your eye.”

She added, “Personally, I recommend the first one.”

Chen Bai looked down.

The first script was a film based on a true story about human trafficking, and he was offered the lead role.

The manager objectively analyzed, “It’s a good script. The production team is solid, and the director they’re eyeing won’t disappoint. Plus, it’s the lead role.”

She felt it was the right time—he’d been in the industry for a few years, had matured in his craft, and it had been a while since he’d won Best Supporting Actor. She thought it was time to aim for a higher award.

While he quietly read the script excerpts, his manager continued analyzing, knowing he could multitask: “But it’s just an invitation to audition. There’s a chance you might not land it.”

It wasn’t a done deal yet. The other scripts were also promising, with lead roles guaranteed if he accepted—no risk involved.

Additionally, the filming schedule for this one would be long and intense since he would be the lead. He’d have very little time off and would disappear from the public eye for a while.

After laying out all the pros and cons, the final decision was still up to Chen Bai. He had time to think it over while balancing work.

Chen Bai didn’t have any specific thoughts and wasn’t planning to drag it out. His brain automatically simplified the analysis. After glancing at the script for a while longer, he nodded and said, “I’ll give it a shot.”

Simple, direct, and quick.

The manager nodded, “I’ll schedule the audition for you then.”

Today’s meeting was just a quick check-in to go over a few minor details. She had other appointments to get to, so after finishing her glass of water, she grabbed her bag and stood to leave. Before she left, she reminded him, “You have work tomorrow, so try not to stay up too late tonight.”

Staying up late wasn’t necessarily off the table, but for now, Chen Bai nodded, looking like he was quite easygoing.

After a few days of rest, his schedule for the upcoming period resembled the cramped cheat sheets his high school classmates used—completely packed.

The audition was set for two weeks later. He would perform a scene selected from the script he had previously received.

A week after the audition, he got the results along with the full script. The rest of the cast was still being chosen, and filming was expected to begin in about a month, with an ideal shooting period of five to six months. However, it could extend depending on weather or other uncontrollable factors.

——

From preparation to completion, the actual filming lasted seven months, spanning more than half a year.

Summer, City A, airport.

It was the rainy season, and the ground was soaked with persistent rain when the plane landed.

Inside the airport, announcements played, blending with the noise of travelers. As they moved from indoors to outdoors, the chatter was gradually drowned out by the rain.

The driver was already waiting at the entrance, with windshield wipers constantly scraping across the windows. The raindrops falling from the umbrellas splashed on the ground as the car door opened and a few people got in.

Once the door was shut, the car windows sealed out the humid, muggy air outside. The air conditioning inside provided just a hint of relief.

Chen Yi Bai, seated, removed his cap and leaned back into his seat, his messy hair falling down as he tilted his head, his features partially obscured in the dim light.

The driver, Uncle Zhao, turned his head and quietly asked, “Is Yi Bai really that tired?”

He hadn’t accompanied them this time. The film crew had provided a driver since they were traveling all over the country, so he wasn’t fully up-to-date on the situation.

The manager nodded on his behalf, “It was a tight schedule. He finished shooting in the mountains this morning and returned to the city this afternoon for the wrap party.”

Thanks to his strong willpower, he hadn’t fallen asleep at the party.

The driver blinked, “That tight?”

Chen Yi Bai, barely hanging on, muttered, “It’s fine.”

His manager responded to his “it’s fine” by lightly tapping his head. She switched off the overhead light and said, “Just sleep.”

After getting a smack on the head, Chen Yi Bai obediently closed his eyes. The manager instructed, “Take him back to the apartment.”

The friend’s place was too far away, on the opposite side of the city from the airport. Despite the person beside her whining about wanting to go home and sleep with his dog, Chen Yi Wan. He still had to go back to the apartment anyway.

The driver nodded and started the GPS.

The car remained quiet. Halfway through the trip, Chen Bai, who had dozed off for a few hours on the plane, woke up.

His waking was silent. It wasn’t until the car entered a tunnel, and the flashing streetlights outside disappeared, that the manager noticed the dim blue glow of a phone from his reflection in the car window.

She turned her head and saw him half-awake, yawning while looking at the screen. He was still sleepy but fully alert, his eyes focused on the screen intently.

The manager asked, “Chatting with someone again?”

“No,” Chen Bai thought for a moment, then punched a few numbers into the calculator and said, “I’m figuring out how much I still owe.”

With that, the manager became interested too, leaning over to see. “So, how much do you still owe?”

The phone’s calculator was open, and Chen Yibai was still adjusting the numbers. “Once the rest of my payment comes in, I’ll owe around 30 million.”

Finally, the figure had dropped from nine digits to eight. The manager offered her heartfelt congratulations.

She glanced at her phone’s schedule and memo. “You should be getting your profit share from that previous movie soon, which, after taxes, will leave you with over 10 million.”

So, about 20 million left. It wasn’t too much, but it wasn’t too little either. In the long run, it would be easily earned, but in the short term, aside from the upcoming profit share, there were no other immediate sources of income.

The manager said, “By the end of the year, with contract renewals and clearances, you’ll definitely have that 20 million.”

Chen Yibai rubbed his sleep-mussed hair and said, “That’ll be too late by then.”

The manager glanced at him. “Are you in a hurry? Is it the final deadline for the repayment?”

“No.”

Chen Bai didn’t plan on saying much until things were settled but simply said, “I promised someone something.”

Despite his carefree nature, he was surprisingly good at keeping promises. The manager nodded. “I’ll let you know if there’s any work coming up soon.”

The car drove through the night, arriving at the apartment complex’s gate.

It was still raining outside. Not wanting his manager or assistant to see him off, Chen Bai grabbed his suitcase in one hand and an umbrella in the other and entered the apartment by himself.

His good neighbor was traveling abroad and not home, so he returned to his own place.

He had already showered once before the wrap party, so he just needed to freshen up a bit and change into his pajamas before heading to bed.

By then, it was too late to start a livestream. He lay on the bed, rolled over, and picked up his phone to check messages.

In the short time between getting out of the car and lying on his bed, he had already received several new messages.

One was from his regular chat buddy, Qingzhou, and the other from a livestream coordinator he hadn’t heard from in ages.

The coordinator’s message came first, so he checked that one.

There were several messages, all of which looked very familiar—another invitation to watch the BCL Summer Championship finals, with a link to the event.

He never went, but the invitation came every year, becoming some kind of strange tradition. After glancing at the invite and checking the date on his phone, he realized it was summer once again.

This year, he had been crawling around all sorts of remote corners, feeling tired but not too hot. It was hard to believe summer had already arrived.

This kind of event had nothing to do with him. He copied and pasted the rejection message he had sent last year, but this time, he thoughtfully added a little emoji to make this year’s refusal slightly different before sending it off.”

Seeing the message from the coordinator, Chen Bai could already guess what his buddy had sent.

Just like the coordinator, Qingzhou had made it a routine every year to ask him if he would attend the competition, forwarding the summer tournament link as if he were another coordinator himself.

With work keeping him busy, there hadn’t been the time or opportunity to meet in person over the years, despite knowing each other for quite a while. Chen Bai did want to chat face-to-face with his friend at some point. He raised his hand and replied: [Not going.]

It was concise and straightforward.

After replying, he was just about to go find some stickers from another friend when another message popped up.

He’d been receiving a lot of messages tonight. Without even checking who the sender was, his reflexes kicked in, and he opened it.

It was another familiar BCL link—the one he’d already seen twice that night—this time sent by his money-making buddy. His reflexes kicked in again, and before his brain could process it, he fired off a quick reply: [Not going.]

Money-making buddy: [?]

Money-making buddy: [It’s a job, seven figures.]

“…”

With a soft slap, Chen Bai quickly retracted his message.

—