IWBKSS 24

Chapter 24:  Seafood

Jiang Yin and Zhao Yansen chatted happily. Initially, Jiang Yin didn’t want to get too close to Zhao Yansen because he wanted to avoid the social circle of his original self. The fewer people who noticed the difference between him and the original, the better. Moreover, as the new Jiang Yin, he wanted a fresh start with new people. He hoped that the person others recognized would be him, not the original.

However, Zhao Yansen’s temperament suited his preferences. Every interaction increased Jiang Yin’s impression of him. In his past life, he would have definitely recruited him and promoted him when he assumed power. Unfortunately, he was currently just a commoner, socially inferior to Zhao Yansen.

Fortunately, he had no intentions of relying on others, not even considering leveraging his previous status. He suppressed any thoughts of taking advantage and decided to interact with Zhao Yansen with a calm heart in the future.

However, appreciating someone and becoming friends were two different matters. Even if he was willing, Zhao Yansen might not see it that way, considering their respective statuses. Jiang Yin was well aware of this, having carried this knowledge from his past life. No matter how much he admired a courtier, he would never consider being friends with them. In the modern era, despite the notion of equality, social classes remained distinct. Besides, in Zhao Yansen’s eyes, he probably wasn’t even considered a courtier; he was treated more like Zhao Pengpeng, a junior.

Jiang Yin, carrying his luggage, mused internally as he quickly lifted the suitcase into his room, not wanting to keep Zhao Yansen waiting for too long. As soon as he took out the doll, he immediately came back down with the empty suitcase.

Unexpectedly, just as he was about to return the suitcase, he caught a glimpse of Jiang Ai and Zhao Qianjin entering the hotel through the revolving door.

Jiang Yin inwardly cursed, pulling Zhao Yansen’s arm without hesitation, moving to the side. “Sorry, my sister is here. If she sees us together, she will definitely misunderstand…”

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“Fsaau, kv oypd’v kdvldvksdyz.”

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Jiang Yin: “…”

What could he say? Just a thank you.

However, being admonished like this, he oddly felt a bit pleased. Jiang Yin found it amusing – was he someone who enjoyed being scolded? Praised, and he didn’t like it; scolded, and it felt oddly comfortable?

Deeply terrifying.

Jiang Yin shivered in his heart, pulling back his thoughts that seemed to be veering off course.

After seeing off Zhao Yansen, he opened WeChat and transferred the money for the dolls to Zhao Pengpeng. He had initially transferred the money earlier, but Zhao Pengpeng was unsure if she could buy them, so she hadn’t accepted it. Now that the items had arrived, she naturally accepted it. They chatted for a while and made plans to meet back in the country.

B&B was a luxury brand beyond the first tier, and the two teddy bears were quite expensive. Each one cost around 8,000 RMB, totaling nearly 70,000 RMB. It was roughly equivalent to an ordinary person’s annual salary.

However, for Jiang Yin, it was just a matter of filming for a few days or participating in a few variety shows, and doing a few endorsements.

Jiang Yin glanced at the bill, and the slight desire to leave the entertainment circle faded away again. There’s a saying online that resonated with him: Money isn’t everything, but without money, everything is nothing. The more he understood about the modern world, the more he realized the importance of money. Even if he wanted to pursue his interests after leaving the entertainment industry, he needed sufficient financial support.

Not to mention, he was currently enjoying a lifestyle beyond that of an ordinary person. Going back to a life of careful budgeting was something he wasn’t willing to do.

Money could make the world go round. For the sake of money, even the Emperor had to set aside his bias against merchants and let go of the rigid class distinctions in his heart, starting to pay attention to wealth.

But just as one shackle was removed, he encountered the second one the next day.

Kneeling.

In his past life, Jiang Yin had only knelt before two people – his father, the Emperor, and the Empress, his father’s primary consort. Great Zhou did not have the ceremonial etiquette of frequent kneeling seen in palace dramas on TV, except on significant occasions like major festivals. Courtiers only bowed or performed respectful gestures, and court sessions were conducted while seated. The same applied to palace attendants and commoners, who only needed to bow their heads or half-crouch in respect; frequent kneeling wasn’t required.

Courtiers and palace attendants didn’t kneel, and princes and princesses certainly didn’t. Only during important events like ceremonies did they kneel.

In theory, Jiang Yin should have only knelt before his father. However, the Empress, having a bad temper due to her lack of favor, valued power and often wanted to assert her status to everyone. She wouldn’t dare to intimidate those favored princes and princesses, but for Jiang Yin, who wasn’t favored, it was different. She loved to display her authority in front of them, and young Jiang Yin was often troubled by her during his childhood.

However, the Empress’s reign was short-lived. When Jiang Yin formally entered school, she passed away due to illness. The successor who took her place acted in the opposite manner, consistently displaying magnanimity. During the years the Empress was around, Jiang Yin didn’t have it easy.

So, for Jiang Yin, kneeling was truly a difficult task, especially in front of an audience.

He knew that modern people didn’t view kneeling as something significant, with various jokes circulating about kneeling for a wife, a keyboard, or even a durian. It seemed to be somewhat celebrated, even though he had only been here for a few months. Understanding didn’t necessarily mean acceptance.

Jiang Yin felt conflicted, but others wouldn’t wait for him. The lighting and photography were in place, and all the crew members were ready. They just awaited the two actors to take the stage.

“Sis?” Jiang Ai, acting as his makeup assistant, helped touch up his makeup and gave him a push. “All done, hurry up, why are you standing there staring?”

“Ah, yes.” Jiang Yin snapped back to reality, suppressing the discomfort in his heart and stepped forward with determination.

However, reality proved that people were shaped by their environment, and when it came to the actual performance, he kneeled surprisingly naturally.

In the moment of kneeling, Jiang Yin felt as if something inside him had been shattered, making a distinct ‘crack’ sound. The sun was setting, casting its rays through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and he seemed to see his lost… ahem, integrity.

Life was not easy, sighed the Emperor in his heart.

The scene they were acting out was Qin Yuan making a small mistake and seeking forgiveness from Gu Mi. The characteristics of the little wolf had already been portrayed, and now it was the turn of the little puppy.

Since he had already kneeled, Jiang Yin decided to go all out and acted spoiled without any burden, embracing Fang Xiao and playfully expressing his grievances. What was wrong with acting a bit spoiled?

“I was wrong. I didn’t know she thought that way. If I had known, I definitely wouldn’t have met her…”

In the storyline, at this point, Qin Yuan had already quit his delivery job, gathered money saved over the years, and, with Gu Mi’s help, was preparing to open his own business. A boss he had gotten acquainted with during his delivery days offered to mentor him, but little did he know that the boss had other intentions. Coincidentally, Gu Mi witnessed the whole thing.

Fang Xiao glanced sideways. “Why do I feel like you sound so triumphant?”

The plot had reached its conclusion, with the age difference and other conflicts between them being resolved. Gu Mi had confidence in their love, and her comment was just for fun.

“No, no.” Jiang Yin nervously shook his head according to the plot, tilting his head to show her his sincere eyes. Holding Fang Xiao’s legs, he presented a perfect image of a big puppy seeking forgiveness and affection.

Fang Xiao couldn’t help it and burst into laughter.

“Sorry, sorry…” She covered her mouth, unable to stop laughing. “I couldn’t resist…”

Jiang Yin, understanding why she was laughing, released her legs with a bit of helplessness and didn’t stand up. Instead, he casually sat cross-legged.

Fang Xiao, seeing the situation, smiled even more.

After a hearty laugh, she said, “You can’t blame me for this. It’s because you usually act like an old man, so mature that it’s absurd. Suddenly acting cute, it’s really hilarious.”

After nearly two months of filming, she had gained a clear understanding of Jiang Yin. Most young people entering the entertainment industry were precocious, and she wasn’t surprised. However, Jiang Yin’s precocity was different from the others she had seen before. His maturity was reflected in his insight into worldly matters, possessing a well-established set of principles, rather than just adept behavior and eloquent speech. There was a sense of being worldly-wise without losing innocence.

Moreover, she once accidentally discovered that he was in contact with Zhao Dong’s sister, Zhao Pengpeng, making her think that the previous rumors of his fall into the water were a misunderstanding.

Accustomed to his mature demeanor, seeing him suddenly act childish was a stark contrast that she couldn’t resist.

To be honest, it was a bit cute, and it indeed touched her soft spot.

Jiang Yin, having just thrown away his dignity, was further encouraged by her laughter. He shamelessly cleared his throat and hummed, “Who says only girls can act cute? I can too! I’ll act cute!”

“Pfft—” Wang Dao sprayed mineral water out of his mouth.

Jiang Ai made a disdainful sound, revealing shock.

Fang Xiao stumbled for a moment.

Jiang Yin became even more spirited, holding his face and deliberately acting cute, “I’m so adorable, and you guys actually despise me. It’s too much, hmph! Hmph!”

Everyone: “…”

In any case, Jiang Yin, who had lost his dignity, smoothly completed this scene. Various scenes of acting cute and foolishly infatuated were effortlessly brought into play, to the point that Wang Dao, inspired, added several sweet interaction scenes for them.

In this pleasant atmosphere, the filming of the drama concluded.

Wang Dao specifically concentrated on the scenes shot in Lucheng at the end, and the wrap-up celebration was held in Lucheng. Everyone enjoyed a feast of seafood.

Sizzling chili clams, ginger-flavored hairy clams, steamed scallops with silky threads, sauce-bursting sea snails, saltwater pipi shrimp, spicy squid rings, and even lobsters and crabs, among others.

—

In the past, the Great Zhou Dynasty had limited exploration of the ocean, and many seafood items displayed were unfamiliar to Jiang Yin. Being from the northern regions, he rarely encountered seafood, and after this meal, he gained considerable knowledge.

The entire crew maintained a lighthearted and joyful atmosphere from the beginning to the end. The wrap-up celebration in Lucheng, with the scenes involving young actors, featured supporting actors who weren’t yet well-known. Jiang Yin and Fang Xiao were the only notable ones, receiving constant praise and attention throughout.

Jiang Yin accepted both overt and subtle flattery, vaguely understanding why those popular celebrities continued to star in poorly written dramas.

In such a crew, popularity equaled authority. Even directors had to compromise with the popular actors. The drama was relatively better, with Wang Dao mostly in control. Jiang Yin and Fang Xiao seldom interfered, unlike some crews where the lead actor or actress had the final say, dictating script changes and acting choices. Directors and writers directly served them.

In the prime of their youth, being adored by fans as big stars, why bother with discomfort in serious dramas? What’s wrong with poorly written dramas when fans are willing to foot the bill?

After a moment of contemplation, Jiang Yin shook his head. He couldn’t control how others approached their careers. He would do his best to have a clear conscience, providing the audience with value for their money.

As the wrap-up celebration ended, everyone packed up and went their separate ways.

Jiang Yin initially planned to invite Fang Xiao for a meal the next day to express his gratitude. However, she had already booked a flight for the next day and left him with no choice but to give up. He casually booked a flight ticket and returned to Beijing with her.

Little did they know, upon landing, they received a call from Chen Dan.

“Are you on the same flight as Fang Xiao? Don’t come out yet! Listen to me, go separate ways. Go to the restroom, change your clothes, and then come out!”

Jiang Yin instinctively looked at Fang Xiao, only to see her also on the phone, wearing a displeased expression.

****************

Author’s Note:

Finally crawled up to update. I could have updated earlier, but overtime turned me into a spinning top. Returning home late at night, I found someone had thrown a kitten outside my door, like, WTF, seriously, black question mark. In the dead of winter, I can’t just ignore it. It’s palm-sized, not even in a cardboard box, just a small cage. In the freezing cold, I had to go to the convenience store to buy milk powder for it. The next day, after taking it to the hospital for a checkup, turns out it’s sick. A series of tests, plus medication, cat litter, and a bed, cost me two thousand bucks. Terrifying.

These days, I have to worry about its food and drink. The scariest part is, I’ve lived for more than twenty years, and for the first time, I had to pick up poop! It’s really poop! The moment I picked it up, I couldn’t help but have deep doubts—Who am I? Where am I? Why am I doing this?

Feeling that December has been really unfriendly to me. Next, my mom has a small surgery to do, and I have to take care of her. I guess the next update will be a bit slower. Really sorry, everyone, and sincerely hope the new year treats me better.