Chapter 39: Want to Star in an Ad?

　　The director felt a tumult of conflicting emotions stirring within him.

　　After catching up on the night’s trending topics on Weibo and hearing Du Ya’s scathing tirade next door, his mood fluctuated wildly like a roller coaster, each turn more exhilarating than the last. 

　　Once a celebrity was associated with the word “drugs,” their career was essentially over, with no chance of a comeback.

　　What’s more, Lin Yun’s personality was far from charming. Perhaps years of being suppressed seemed to have taken their toll, and now, with newfound fame, he was relishing his success. Backed by immense capital, he acted as if he were above everyone else.

　　His blind arrogance was worlds apart from the cold, aloof demeanor of the Revered Master in Dragons of Destiny. Only Du Ya’s skillful management kept his image intact; had he revealed his volatile and irritable side to the fans, he would have surely broken many hearts.

　　For someone as famous as he was, shooting an ad for a no-name tea brand did feel like a bit of a downgrade. But hey, the money was good — so good, in fact, that it put big-name brands to shame. With the contract signed, all that remained was to see it through.

　　From the moment he set foot in the village, he began complaining about everything, from refusing to stay at the guesthouse and insisting on a hotel in town to putting everyone in a difficult position.

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　　“Hmm?” The director blinked in surprise, tilting his head to listen more closely. “It really sounds… like it?”

　　“What’s a police car doing here?” the production crew member pondered, frowning in confusion.

　　The director turned to face the wall, his eyes boring into the surface as if it held the answers he sought.

　　Could it be… someone called the police?

　　Before long, the answers to his question fell into place.

　　The guesthouse owner, stumbling over his words in broken Mandarin, gestured toward Lin Yun’s door. “Officer, the celebrity who’s been accused of drug use is staying here.”

　　The director poked his head out from the next door, his mouth agape in shock, completely forgetting to pick up the cigarette that had fallen to the floor.

　　Moments later, Lin Yun was taken away by the police, his expression one of despair. Du Ya wearily followed while staff from the other rooms whispered among themselves, some even discreetly filming the scene on their smartphones.

　　Director Dou sighed deeply and glanced at Ruan Wenya. After a moment of hesitation, he inquired, “What’s our next move, Manager Ruan?”

　　Ruan Wenya rubbed her face, still reeling from the surreal events of the day. “I spoke with the boss,” she began, her voice steady. “He insists the project must go on, but the actor has to be replaced. As for who to replace him with, I’ll have to figure that out myself.”

　　After all, she had been the one who pushed so hard to recommend Lin Yun to President Qi in the first place. Now that things had gone awry, the responsibility fell squarely on her shoulders.

　　“Do you have anyone in mind?” the director probed, his gaze full of anticipation.

　　Ruan Wenya managed a rueful smile. “I’m afraid not.”

　　The director furrowed his brow, unease creeping into his voice. “What are we supposed to do now? The contract you signed with our advertising agency only gives us two weeks.”

　　If Manager Ruan could not find an actor within two weeks, the entire advertisement project would be doomed.

　　Ruan Wenya hesitated, then suggested, “How about… I ask Mr. Su tomorrow?”

　　“Mr. Su?” The director’s eyes gleamed with sudden inspiration. “Don’t you think his appearance perfectly matches the description of the fallen immortal in the script?”

　　Astonished, Ruan Wenya turned to the director. “So you’re suggesting… we should cast Mr. Su?”

　　At that moment, she could not help but think that the director’s idea was a bit of a stretch.

　　However, the more the director thought about it, the more brilliant the idea seemed. Rubbing his hands together with glee, he declared, “It’s settled then! Off to bed! We’ll need plenty of energy for what’s to come!”

　　He hummed the national anthem, a smile tugging at his lips as he headed back to his room.

　　Ruan Wenya was speechless, still processing what had just happened.

* * *

　　Su Ling had slept well, the restful night doing wonders for his weary body.

　　Wrapped in Lin Feng’s arms, he woke with a contented sigh. Snuggling closer to his chest, he refused to get out of the bed.

　　“Stop messing around.” Lin Feng rasped, his voice low and gravelly.

　　Su Ling slid his arms around Lin Feng’s neck, shifting to lie on top of him, and pressed a kiss to his chin. “Good morning, my husband.”

　　“Good morning, baby.” Lin Feng whispered, gently ruffling his hair with a fond smile.

　　After a restful sleep, Su Ling woke up feeling refreshed and full of energy. He swung his legs off the bed, stretched his limbs, and felt ready to tackle the day ahead.

　　“Come on, get up! Let’s go catch some fish today!”

　　The trending topics on Weibo from last night did not faze him one bit. Instead of getting caught up in celebrity gossip, he found it far more worthwhile to think about how to sell the Chinese ricefish.

　　Li Dahai mentioned that in previous years, the fishmongers from the town would come to the village to purchase Chinese ricefish, but the prices were so low that the villagers could barely make a living. Oftentimes, they were unable to sell all their fish, and large quantities of unsold fish would perish in the fields, becoming fertilizer for the autumn rice.

　　Seeing how well the vegetable sales took off on his live stream, Su Ling figured he would try his luck with fish, curious to see if it would reel in the same success.

　　Lin Feng’s eyes were riveted on the beautiful curve of his shoulder blades before he rose from the bed. His tall, muscular frame stood exposed, a sight that left nothing to the imagination.

　　With his arms finally lowered, Su Ling turned to find Lin Feng’s eight-pack abs on full display. Unable to help himself, he swallowed hard as his gaze trailed downward to an enticing bulge that made his heart flutter.

　　As if reading Su Ling’s mind, Lin Feng grabbed the robe from the chair and slipped it over his shoulders, blocking the tempting view and cutting off Su Ling’s wandering thoughts.

　　“… So stingy,” Su Ling muttered under his breath as he headed to the bathroom to start his morning routine.

　　Downstairs, Su Ling spent a few moments cuddling his two pets before filling their bowls with food. The little ones wasted no time, eagerly burying their faces in their meals and devouring them with gusto.

　　Lin Feng was working out in the courtyard, pushing his limits with each rep. Meanwhile, Su Ling watched him from the colonnade for a moment before an irresistible urge to join him took over.

　　“Let’s have some fun.” He dropped into a karate stance, fists ready to strike.

　　Lin Feng took a step back and signaled him to come with a flick of his wrist. Su Ling darted forward in a flash, and they engaged in a lively back-and-forth of punches and kicks.

　　Unlike Su Ling’s expertise in karate, Lin Feng had spent his younger years mastering the art of sanda kickboxing.

　　The Lin family was a prestigious lineage, its roots tracing back over a century. Within their legacy, they developed an ancient martial art — a traditional form of hand-to-hand combat passed down through generations. This technique was capable of taking on a lone opponent armed with a weapon or even overwhelming multiple adversaries in close quarters. In the present day, however, the Lin family’s martial prowess had evolved, seamlessly incorporating modern sanda techniques into their ancestral style, making it all the more lethal.

　　As such, Su Ling stood no chance against Lin Feng. Though they sparred, it was clear Lin Feng was holding back, allowing him a few strikes while Su Ling panted for breath. In contrast, Lin Feng remained perfectly calm, unfazed by the exertion.

　　Twenty minutes passed, and Su Ling still could not gain the upper hand. With a resigned sigh, he finally conceded defeat.

　　“I’m done, I’m done! I give up.” The words came out lacking any real conviction as Lin Feng pinned his arms behind his back. 

　　After letting him go, Lin Feng gave his shoulder a quick check. “Are you hurt anywhere?” 

　　Su Ling flexed his arms and shook his head. “No. You barely used any strength, and besides, I’m not some fragile porcelain doll.”

　　Seeing that he was truly unharmed, Lin Feng’s furrowed brow eased, his expression softening with relief.

　　After sparring for so long, both of them were drenched in sweat. Su Ling figured a shower was in order before heading downstairs to make breakfast. Just as he stepped inside, the doorbell rang from the courtyard.

　　Who could it be so early in the morning?

　　Standing before the classic courtyard gate, Director Dou adjusted his glasses, a look of wonder spreading across his face. 

　　It was hard to believe that a quaint Chinese garden could exist in such a poverty-stricken village.

　　Mr. Su, as one would expect, was no ordinary man; he lived with an ease and comfort that most could only dream of.

　　After pressing the doorbell, Ruan Wenya felt a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach.

　　Having stayed awake through the night, she barely caught a few moments of sleep in the early hours of the morning. When dawn broke, she got up and asked the guesthouse owner for Mr. Su’s address, then set off with Director Dou to pay him a visit.

　　Walking along the newly paved concrete path eastward, she crossed a small bridge that arched over the brook. A bit further on, she passed through a grove of trees and was met with a magnificent classical estate, as though the trees had parted to unveil it.

　　Mr. Su was indeed a man of refinement, with striking good looks and exceptional demeanor. His distinguished lineage only added to his remarkable presence.

　　I wonder if someone as wealthy as he is would even consider starring in the ad.

　　At this point, Ruan Wenya did not harbor the faintest hope and even found Director Dou’s ideas downright ludicrous.

　　Despite that, she pressed the doorbell and waited, heart racing with anticipation.

　　Before long, the courtyard gate swung open, revealing Su Ling’s strikingly handsome face.

　　When Su Ling’s gaze fell upon Ruan Wenya and the director, a flicker of surprise flashed in his eyes.

　　“Good morning, Manager Ruan, Director Dou,” he greeted, his smile as warm as the sun. He gracefully moved to the side and added, “Please, come in and have a seat.”

　　“I’m really sorry for the intrusion, Mr. Su,” Ruan Wenya stated politely as she stepped over the threshold. Her eyes quickly took in the colonnade, waterside pavilion, and the pond with its sculpted stones, her face lighting up in awe.

　　Director Dou’s reaction mirrored hers exactly — once inside, he could not stop marveling at everything around him.

　　“You are indeed blessed, Mr. Su!” he exclaimed, a hint of admiration in his voice.

　　With its expansive grounds, elegant simplicity, and seamless blend of space and details, the Chinese garden exuded an exquisite charm that outshone even the multimillion-yuan¹ CNY 1,000,000 is approximately US $138,138.72. villas in the city.

　　To reside by the mountains and nestle beside the water was a life of such serene charm that stirred boundless envy in all who beheld it.

　　Meanwhile, Su Ling ambled down the gravel path, leading them into the main hall.

　　“My second grandfather expanded on the old ancestral house to build this garden, and I was fortunate enough to inherit his legacy,” Su Ling smiled, gesturing toward Mount Phoenix in the distance. “The tea plantation is also part of the inheritance, along with another ten acres of land.”

　　Upon hearing that, Director Dou’s insides twisted with envy, jealousy, and resentment. Why haven’t I been blessed with a grandfather as wealthy as Su Ling’s? Why does the gap between people have to be so great?

　　Setting aside Su Ling’s special status as the wife of Lin Enterprises’ CEO, the inheritance he received from his elder alone would make him a bona fide billionaire.

　　In the guest hall, two happy pets played gleefully, their bellies full and tails wagging. Spotting the strangers, King immediately bounded over, sniffing them with keen curiosity as he circled their feet.

　　Ruan Wenya felt a twinge of fear at the sight of the dog and instinctively moved closer to Director Dou. Su Ling noticed her discomfort and called out, “King, why don’t you go play in the courtyard?”

　　As if he understood Su Ling’s words, King barked twice, grabbed his favorite rubber ball, and made his way outside. Lion, on the other hand, yawned widely and lazily trailed after the tugou.

　　A soft sigh escaped Ruan Wenya, her tension easing without a sound.

　　After inviting the two to take a seat, Su Ling went to the kitchen to brew a pot of Dewfall Tea. He returned to the guest hall, poured each of them a cup, and placed them carefully on the coffee table.

　　As the fresh aroma of the tea leaves filled the air, Director Dou could not help but lift the cup to his nose and take a deep breath. The fragrance was refreshing, soothing his mind and calming his spirit.

　　“This must be Dewfall Tea, right?” he wondered, his eyes sparkling with interest.

　　“Yes, that’s right,” Su Ling confirmed, sitting down gracefully across from them. “After this year’s new tea was processed, Boss Qi had someone send me ten tins.”

　　Ruan Wenya raised an eyebrow in mild surprise at this revelation. President Qi was notoriously stingy when it came to matters beyond business, so sending ten tins of tea to Mr. Su clearly indicated his sincerity.

　　It seemed that President Qi had a high regard for Mr. Su.

　　Director Dou blew lightly on the tea and took a small sip. With his eyes closed, he savored the flavor for a moment. Finally, he commented, “It’s truly good tea, though its reputation doesn’t do it justice.”

　　While there were many varieties of Dewfall Tea in the market, the ones produced on Mount Phoenix were few and far between. If it had not been for the advertisement project that brought him to the countryside, he would never have known that such excellent Dewfall Tea was grown on Mount Phoenix.

　　Cutting the small talk, his expression turned serious as he got straight to the point. “Mr. Su, are you interested in starring in an ad?”

　　Upon hearing that question, Su Ling nearly spat out the tea he had just sipped.

　　“What?”