Chapter 5: 11

In which Gu Yan is now officially older than me. Congrats, Gu Yan!

Volume 2, Chapter 11

The day the branch restaurant opened was coincidentally Gu Yan’s twenty-ninth birthday.

Qin Zhiyuan had someone send over a flower basket, while he himself parked across the street. From afar, he heard the popping and crackling of firecrackers, and the restaurant doors had many people trying to get in on the fun, but he didn’t get a single glimpse of Gu Yan’s figure.

He didn’t even have to guess to know that the other was definitely in the kitchen taste-testing new dishes.

It was almost the tail-end of summer, yet the weather still remained stifling hot. Qin Zhiyuan rolled down his car window, letting the cool night air brush past his face. When he imagined the image of Gu Yan hurrying around at this moment, his lips couldn’t help but curve into a smile.

It had already been several months after Zhao Xin’s wedding, and Gu Yan had also long finished filming for that movie. While he had picked up practically no work in the meantime, he and Qin Zhiyuan’s relationship had become very peaceful. One person wasn’t in a rush to rebound from his heartbreak, while the other also didn’t exhaust his methods to hide, so the two of them had become like perfectly ordinary friends. Sometimes, they’d have a nice conversation on the phone, and when they had time, they’d go out for a meal together.

This had all been quite difficult for Qin Zhiyuan.

To give up on the person he had loved for so long was akin to digging out a piece of his still-beating heart, hollowing his chest out with pain. That kind of lonely emptiness often caused him to wake up suddenly in the middle of the night, preventing him from going back to sleep again. And when he could barely take it anymore, he’d think of finding someone, anyone, to stay by his side.

But he didn’t go through with it.

It was just like Gu Yan had said before, only time could heal all wounds.

One day, two days wouldn’t let him forget, but one year, two years, ten years, twenty years should do it.

Qin Zhiyuan closed his eyes. When he saw that it was about time, he started the car and circled around, driving to wait at the restaurant’s back door. Not long later, as expected, he saw Gu Yan come out wearing those big sunglasses.

This street was quite empty, so Qin Zhiyuan simply had to honk the horn twice before Gu Yan found his car, walking over with long strides and asking, “You got off work this early today?”

Qin Zhiyuan didn’t mention how he personally took time off his schedule and simply said, “Get in, let’s go eat.”

Gu Yan opened the door and got in.

Qin Zhiyuan looked at his empty hands and said, finding it strange, “You didn’t make cake today?”

Gu Yan waved his right hand and returned with, “I have to make my own cake even on my birthday?”

Qin Zhiyuan remembered that he always used to make it himself in the past, but what he said just now also made sense, so Qin Zhiyuan simply stepped on the gas and said with a smile, “All right, I know where we should go for dinner now.”

He took Gu Yan to a very tasteful coffee shop.

The interior was decorated to maximize nostalgia, with dim lighting and a classic hit song playing on the gramophone, full of a lingering sort of wistful atmosphere. Qin Zhiyuan ordered their baked Alaska. When the cake was served to the table, the rum on top was lit, and the entire cake ignited, the light-blue light dancing in the dark room, beautiful enough to move people’s hearts.

After the flames were extinguished, the actual taste of the cake was also quite good. Ice cream was even inside it, making the cake taste cold and sweet, but not at all cloying.

Although the taste couldn’t be considered the most remarkable, the important thing was the surprise of the fire being ignited. Qin Zhiyuan was also quite considerate and had chosen exactly that time to say happy birthday.

As Gu Yan watched the flames pitter away, he also thanked Qin Zhiyuan. Later, when he tasted the cake, a smile was clearly visible in his eyes.

Qin Zhiyuan felt that this kind of relationship also wasn’t bad.

He and Gu Yan were no longer in the transactional relationship they were in the past, but they actually had much more of an understanding of one another now. Even without the delight of a physical relationship, they could still have a calm happiness.

Because of his work, he would sometimes meet some boys who looked similar to Gu Yan. They all had clear eyes and black hair, appearing even younger and more beautiful than Gu Yan. Of course, he had a good time interacting with them, but when he compared them to Gu Yan, those young boys would immediately lose their luster.

Qin Zhiyuan also couldn’t say why that was. Perhaps it was that… he’d once possessed this person’s most beautiful years.

After they finished eating, Qin Zhiyuan didn’t let Gu Yan stay out too late and sent the person home after the other drank a cup of coffee. He also didn’t go anywhere else and simply went straight home to sleep.

He had recently been cultivating his mind and body and very rarely went out looking for pleasure. Even the amount of times he thought of a certain person had lessened by a significant amount. Instead, when he turned off his lights to sleep, he unconsciously thought back to that moment when the flames lit up and Gu Yan’s expression instantly turned bright.

That person was almost thirty, yet he was still so easy to please.

If Qin Zhiyuan had time tomorrow, then perhaps he should go eat at that newly opened restaurant as a show of support.

With these thoughts in mind, Qin Zhiyuan fell deeply asleep. When he woke up the next day, he actually felt quite refreshed and went to the company bright and early. That day, he completed all his work quite smoothly, but just as he was about to get off work, he received a call from Gu Yan’s manager.

Qin Zhiyuan had always paid a lot of attention to Gu Yan’s work, and he had arranged many of them personally. Especially regarding filming, all of it had to go through him before it could be accepted. As such, the manager had called him to ask for instructions, saying that there was a film looking to cast Gu Yan as the lead.

Recently, Gu Yan’s thoughts hadn’t been on filming, and in these past several months, he had accepted only two commercials. Qin Zhiyuan also didn’t want to force him and so didn’t really think much of this matter, asking carelessly, “What kind of movie?”

“It’s a literary film.”

“Uh-huh. And who’s the director?”

The manager somewhat hesitated for a moment before finally saying a name, “Lin Jiarui.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Zhiyuan was stunned.

It wasn’t that this director was too obscure, it was that he was truly too famous.

This name wasn’t really famous because of the popularity of his films but rather because of his family background — he was the Lin conglomerate’s most spoiled little young master. It was said that he filmed movies completely for his own fun. From the scripts to the actors to the costumes to the props, everything was handled by him personally, and everything had to be as he liked. He was even more excessive when it actually came to filming, needing to consider the weather, the ambience, and his own mood. One time, for the sake of shooting a sunrise scene, he stayed up on a mountain for a month.

The time spent shooting these films would drag on and on, and when it finally finished, it’d be full of his own unique flavor, so unique in fact that quite a few reviewers would praise his work. It wasn’t known whether they had been bribed or these films truly had that much meaning. In short, his family was rich enough to let him spend as recklessly as he wanted regardless.

With this kind of identity, Lin Jiarui naturally also had a somewhat proud temperament, and those in his circle normally called him Young Master Lin. Everyone knew that, when Young Master Lin chose actors, he never cared whether they were popular or not, only whether they were suitable.

No matter how firm their relationship was in the past, Qin Zhiyuan also had no way to get Gu Yan into his films, not even as a small supporting role.

But this time… why did Lin Jiarui take the initiative to come looking himself?

“President Qin.” The manager was still on the other end waiting for directions. “The other party is saying that they want to arrange a time to meet with Gu Yan and discuss the details of the movie contract. Do you think that’s feasible?”

Qin Zhiyuan didn’t hurry to answer. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Let’s first ask Xiao-Gu and see.”

“Then I’ll give Gu Yan a call…”

“No need, I’ll tell him myself.”

After Qin Zhiyuan hung up the phone, he tidied up the documents on his desk and then got off work on time, going to Gu Yan’s restaurant for dinner according to his earlier plans.

Because the restaurant had just opened, a special promotional discount had been going on for the past few days, and the restaurant’s business was as good as could be. Gu Yan thus had to take the waiters’ place to serve the dishes to Qin Zhiyuan, jokingly saying, “Next time, President Qin should remember to make a reservation before he comes, or else I might only be able to get you a seat next to the bathroom.”

Qin Zhiyuan didn’t get angry, simply waving a hand at him and saying, “Sit down with me and eat a bit.”

While Gu Yan said that he was ‘too busy, too busy’, he still sat down and very conscientiously explained each of the dishes.

Qin Zhiyuan tasted each and every one, saying that ‘it was delicious’ without exception, but in his heart he actually thought that none of them matched up to Gu Yan’s own handiwork. However, right now their relationship wasn’t the same, so he no longer had the standing to ask Gu Yan to cook for him. Sometimes when he thought about it, he also found it regretful, and he actually couldn’t remember when was the last time that Gu Yan had entered a kitchen.

It wasn’t until halfway through the meal that Qin Zhiyuan remembered the matter with Young Master Lin and mentioned it to Gu Yan by-the-by.

Gu Yan had spent this long in the entertainment circle, so how could he not have heard of the name Lin Jiarui? But he had simply heard that Young Master Lin had a weird temperament, having never met the person, and hadn’t ever considered that he’d be able to act in this person’s film.

After he finished listening to Qin Zhiyuan, he didn’t display much surprise, simply blinking his eyes and asking, “How much money did you spend?”

“Hm?”

“If you didn’t spend money or effort, how did you get me this kind of job? You couldn’t have sold your sex appeal, right?”

Qin Zhiyuan almost laughed. “This time, it was the other party who took the initiative to contact me. I didn’t do anything.”

“Ah…” Gu Yan finally showed some surprise, and in the end, he tossed out his favorite phrase, “I don’t play supporting roles.”

“I also specifically asked about this, and the other party said that they want you as the male lead. How about it? If you’re interested, then arrange a time to meet up with Director Lin for a chat.”

Gu Yan wasn’t much interested in the movie, but he was quite curious about why Lin Jiarui wanted him as the male lead. It couldn’t be that Young Master Lin actually needed a flower vase as a male lead this time? Hm, it wasn’t impossible.

You are reading story Flower Vase at novel35.com

Why should he miss out on this once in a lifetime opportunity?

Even if they couldn’t agree on the contract, he’d still be able to see the renowned Young Master Lin.

Gu Yan thereupon nodded at Qin Zhiyuan and said, “Then help me arrange it.”

Afterwards, they talked about a few other subjects, and the meal was finished quite happily. A few days later, the manager finished helping Gu Yan arrange a time to meet Young Master Lin.

The chosen location was at a tea shop in the downtown historical district. The tea shop was built near a river, and the interior was decorated with an antique ambience in mind. Anytime one stepped on the narrow wooden steps, even the sound of the stairs creaking could be heard. And when the window was opened, the guests could also see the beautiful swaying of the willow trees by the river bank. At three, four in the afternoon, the setting sun would cast a long shadow on the building, and the soft sounds of a Jiangnan folk song would resonate from an unknown place.

Drinking tea while sitting in such a place would make even time seem to pass leisurely and slowly.

Gu Yan arrived ten minutes early to the private room, but when he pushed open the door, he discovered that Qin Zhiyuan had long already been waiting there. He couldn’t help but startle and ask, “Why is it you? Where’s the manager?”

Qin Zhiyuan poured him a cup of tea and unhurriedly said, “I had more time today.”

This kind of line aroused even more suspicion, but Gu Yan didn’t inquire further, simply walking over and sitting down, beginning to chat idly with the other as he sipped at his tea.

Lin Jiarui was extremely punctual.

Since the meeting had been scheduled for three o’clock, then he really pushed open the door and entered right as the clock struck three — he had a natural-born baby face and wore a T-shirt that was neither too new nor too old as well as a pair of sneakers on his feet, looking very much like a college-aged young man who had just come of age. But his pretty and delicate face was expressionless, and his eyes were as cold as a winter snowstorm, one look could tell that he was as arrogant as could be.

Qin Zhiyuan handed over a business card, but the person gave it only one look before he carelessly put it to the side and introduced himself with a simple, “Lin Jiarui.”

As if those three characters were enough to explain everything.

Though actually that was indeed true.

When it came Gu Yan’s turn to introduce himself, Young Master Lin actually paid quite some attention, staring fixedly at his face, before suddenly saying, “Sorry in advance for the offense.”

And then he rose from his own seat and reached out a hand to grab Gu Yan’s chin.

For a moment, Gu Yan wasn’t able to react.

Qin Zhiyuan’s expression changed slightly, and he immediately grabbed hold of the other’s wrist, asking, “Director Lin, what are you doing?”

Lin Jiarui completely ignored him.

The two’s strength was about the same, and so they were locked in place like this for a while.

Lin Jiarui earnestly scrutinized Gu Yan’s features once over, and only then did he release his hand and sit back down. As if speaking to himself, he said, “Looks just about the same as I imagined. This face really is very beautiful.”

Gu Yan rubbed his chin and agreed in a way that could be considered at least somewhat modest, “Many thanks for the compliment.”

Unexpectedly, Lin Jiarui rolled his eyes and said, “I was simply stating the truth, not complimenting you.”

“Oh, then many thanks for the observation.”

“With this attitude of yours, you definitely offend people very easily.”

Gu Yan immediately said, “The same to you.”

Lin Jiarui wrinkled his brows. Originally, he had simply paid attention to Gu Yan’s face, and only at this time did his gaze fall on Gu Yan himself. After giving the person a few more looks, he revealed a sliver of interest in his expression, “Not bad. This is a bit interesting.”

This sentence made people feel quite annoyed.

Qin Zhiyuan cleared his throat and also poured a cup of tea for Lin Jiarui, taking the opportunity to say, “Director Lin, let’s discuss business now.”

Lin Jiarui finally retracted his gaze and retrieved a script from his bag, saying, “Let me first summarize the plot…”

“Director Lin,” Gu Yan reached out to receive the script, “I have a question I want to ask you.”

“Shhh,” Lin Jiarui waved a finger, coldly saying, “Don’t interrupt me.”

Thus, the only thing Gu Yan could do was shut his mouth and shoot Qin Zhiyuan a glance, the meaning clear — this Young Master Lin really was difficult to get along with.

Qin Zhiyuan smiled and helped him fill up his tea.

Although Lin Jiaruri was cold in disposition, he was quite enthusiastic towards filming and very earnestly detailed the story of his film: the male lead was a psychologist, and he treated all kinds of patients, each with their own bizarre symptoms as well as a mysterious sort of connection with each other. For the sake of uncovering this mystery, the male lead took on many strange risks… and in the end, everything came to light, and it turned out that the male lead was himself the patient suffering from severe mental illness. All the patients in his imagination were actually the doctors, nurses, housekeepers, and janitors with whom he usually interacted. All of these so-called “normal people” had their own eccentric secrets, and all of these secrets came to light one-by-one before the eyes of this “abnormal person”, the male lead. In the final scene of the movie, the male lead closed his eyes in the darkness of reality, finally revealing a smile as he immersed himself in the light of fantasy.

While the story couldn’t be considered particularly brilliant, if the script was written well, and the director also handled things nicely, then the film would still end up plenty interesting.

The most important thing was that the story didn’t have a female lead. The majority of it was from the unfolding perspective of the male lead, so the male lead was an especially important character in the film, definitely not any kind of flower vase.

Then why did he want Gu Yan?

When Lin Jiarui had finished, he gestured towards Gu Yan and said, “All right, you can ask now.”

With a self-important expression as if he was waiting for questions from reporters.

Actually, Gu Yan had only one question — why did Young Master Lin want him as the male lead? Since Qin Zhiyuan was also here, he decided to just straight-out ask.

Lin Jiarui actually didn’t find him annoying and very breezily said, “First of all, of course, because your face is beautiful enough, making it really suited to my own image of the lead. Second of all, because I incidentally managed to see a certain video.”

“What video?”

Lin Jiarui didn’t respond, instead directly taking out the laptop he was always carrying and placing it on the table. After he turned on the laptop, he clicked open a video in a certain folder and then pressed play.

Gu Yan and Qin Zhiyuan both moved over to look.

Right as the opening music of the video started, Gu Yan was able to recognize that this was the trailer for Black Hair. That movie had already finished filming several months ago, and the premiere date was set in October, so right now was just about the time to start publicity.

Although Gu Yan’s part had been cut significantly, the promotional materials still said that there were two male leads, so he had quite a few scenes in the trailer. One of the scenes was him in a white robe, lowering his head to play a flute in a pavilion, the wind blowing against his black hair slightly. The moment he raised his hand to brush aside his hair, the surrounding flowers scattered and fell, making the scene look singularly beautiful.

Qin Zhiyuan was somewhat entranced watching this.

But Lin Jiarui actually yawned and pressed fast-forward to bypass this scene. It wasn’t until that disfigured face of Gu Yan’s appeared that he once again played at regular speed.

The accompanying music was becoming more and more poignant.

After showing the scene of the male and female lead sweetly taking a boat ride on a lake, what followed was the scene of Gu Yan holding his sword in that pouring rain. His clothes were all worn and tattered, his entire body soaked through from the downpour, the scar on his face looking especially sinister. As he coughed, hand pressed against his chest, he seemed to be moving with the last of his energy before finally falling, battered and exhausted, in the midst of the rain.

…And he never stood up again.

Gu Yan hadn’t expected even that scene to make it into the trailer and was caught off-guard upon seeing that image of himself. Feeling his heart tighten for a moment, he couldn’t help but press down on his right hand, softly stroking that scar on his palm.

At this time, Lin Jiarui paused the video and said to Gu Yan, “There’s no need to mention all the other mediocre parts, but at least this scene was acted quite well.”

Gu Yan very quickly adjusted his mood and said, smiling, “You can barely even see my face.”

“As it happens, only this scene left a deep impression on me.” Lin Jiarui seemed to appreciate Gu Yan’s performance at that time quite a bit, rewinding the clip and playing it over once more. As he watched that figure falling down in the pouring rain, he said, “Everything else isn’t important. The most important thing is whether or not your acting will be able to move people’s hearts.”

Qin Zhiyuan was similarly watching with rapt attention.

The person watched how Gu Yan fell down, fatigued to the extreme, how he struggled to crawl back up, and how he finally gave up in despair, allowing the rain to continue battering down upon him. His face was covered in mud, that scar across his cheeks looking particularly twisted and frightening, and only those eyes still remained clear and bright.

The camera moved in for a close-up, zooming in on Gu Yan’s eyes.

Tears bubbled forth from those black eyes, falling and mixing in with the rainwater, very quickly disappearing amidst the torrent. But he still kept his eyes wide open, staring fixedly towards somewhere in the distance, as if his beloved person was standing in that place, as if he had already been gazing like this for a lifetime. After that, the camera shook, and Gu Yan’s gaze lost focus, his eyes slowly losing its luster, signifying that this person’s life had already ended.

Qin Zhiyuan’s chest felt suffocated, and a ridiculous thought suddenly flashed through his mind. He felt as if what died was not only Gu Yan’s character in the film but also that kind of love which had been carved into the bones — every last bit of it had been snuffed out.

Yes, so here we get Qin Zhiyuan’s perspective!! And like you, dear fellow readers, I also can’t wait until he finally gets a clue, ahahaha.

“Why do I think about Gu Yan so much?” idk, man, i don’t know what to tell you.

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