29. I didn’t cry.

“——June 6, 2015, overcast weather.

It turns out that in this world, there is a saying, ‘Heaven does not satisfy people’s wishes.’

I never expected it to happen to me.

This matter involves Yu Yue, and I am sorry for him.”

After the incident with the late-night snack, Xu Yuanzhe quickly finished filming for that crew. He was originally the third male lead, with not many scenes.

After finishing filming, Xu Yuanzhe started thinking about signing with a company, even a small one would do. Because with a company, he would have some support, and his future development would probably be much better.

He submitted many resumes and interviewed with many entertainment companies. Finally, a very small company invited him for an interview.

After the interview, they expressed liking him and promised to help Xu Yuanzhe develop in the entertainment industry, scouting opportunities for variety shows, TV dramas, and movies.

Xu Yuanzhe believed them.

He signed the contract, but this was just the beginning of a nightmare.

Perhaps the more one desires something, the less likely it is to happen, just like Xu Yuanzhe. He really wanted to sign with a company to act and make money, without relying on Yu Yue’s help. The more he wished for it, the deeper he fell into the mud.

After signing with this company, Xu Yuanzhe didn’t receive any suitable scripts. The company’s attitude changed from before signing, becoming indifferent to him. After finally being given a role, it turned out to be a script of unknown quality.

Finally, in the second month after signing the contract, the company suddenly notified Xu Yuanzhe to come and review a script, saying there was a suitable role for him.

Xu Yuanzhe went, did a screen test in the company, and the middle-aged director behind the camera smiled as he looked at Xu Yuanzhe, saying he liked him a lot, that Xu Yuanzhe was very suitable.

The company didn’t provide the complete script; they only gave a small portion during the screen test.

Xu Yuanzhe thought he was taking on a youth campus film.

However, after signing the shooting contract, when Xu Yuanzhe saw the full script, he realized he was supposed to film something similar to an adult film, with no proper plot. It was all about undressing, and various explicit scenes dominated it.

Only at this moment did Xu Yuanzhe realize he had been deceived.

He went to the company, but the people there just grinned and said, “You signed the contract yourself; you said you’d film anything. Why, having second thoughts now? Want to see the penalty clause in the contract? Three times the penalty, can you afford it?” After a slight pause, they stood up, smiling, and said, “If you can’t afford it, then film properly; your compensation won’t be lacking.”

Xu Yuanzhe remained silent.

He glanced at the script in his hand, finally slammed it onto the table, and with thin lips, uttered a single word: “Get lost.”

At that time, Xu Yuanzhe had no idea how much trouble the word “get lost” would bring to him and Yu Yue.

On the fourth day Xu Yuanzhe slammed the script on the company’s table, Yu Yue was attending classes at school. His roommate and good friend, Tang Ziqi, suddenly approached him with a phone in hand, “Yu Yue… Yu Yue! How did you trend on hot search?!”

Yu Yue was taken aback.

He took Tang Ziqi’s phone and looked at the Weibo post.

The post read, “Today’s big news: Y’s director’s son, fooling around with small actors outside, engaging in same-sex relationships! There are pictures and evidence~ Holding hands and going home, really romantic…”

The photo was too blurry, and Yu Yue didn’t look at it closely.

He just glanced at the comments section and saw people saying:

“Y surname? As far as I know, there’s only one director with the surname Y.”

“And it’s a famous director, no escape, must be Yu Jingnian.”

“Haha, didn’t Yu Jingnian have an affair before?”

“His son… hasn’t been exposed to the public much, but seems to be just like his father, using his resources to support small actors and having his father shoot scenes for that actor.”

“Agree, that’s how the entertainment industry works.”

“Oh, I heard that Yu Jingnian’s son recently provided a month’s worth of supper for a crew, just for the actor he’s supporting. How extravagant! I have an insider here, feel free to ask me anything.”

Yu Yue read through the comments, even seeing more indecent remarks.

His fingers became icy, shaking uncontrollably.

He didn’t know who bought the trending topic, pushing it to the forefront, drawing everyone to click and increase its popularity, making it difficult for the topic to fade away.

Tears welled up in Yu Yue’s eyes.

Tang Ziqi said, “Hey, don’t cry, don’t be nervous, if they’re spreading rumors, sue them…”

Before he could finish his sentence, Yu Yue’s own phone vibrated.

Yu Yue glanced at it.

The caller’s name displayed: Dad.

Trembling, he declined Yu Jingnian’s call and messaged, “I’m in class, let’s talk after.”

Yu Jingnian replied, “Now, immediately, right away, leave your classroom, come out and call me.”

Yu Jingnian always spoke with such authority, making it impossible for people to refuse.

Especially at a time when Yu Yue was in chaos.

He went out holding his phone.

Answering Yu Jingnian’s call, he didn’t hear the expected scolding.

There was silence on the phone for a moment before Yu Jingnian said, “You’ve grown up now.”

Yu Yue remained silent.

He bit his lip, actually starting to calm down slowly, but still decided to adopt a strategy of not making a move unless provoked. He questioned Yu Jingnian, “What are you talking about?”

Yu Jingnian sneered on the other end of the line.

He said, “You’ve caused such a big fuss, trending on hot search, and you ask me what I’m talking about? You just entered university, and you’re already into same-sex relationships? Sponsoring a small actor? How capable are you, Yu Yue? Who taught you all this?!”

As the conversation reached its climax, Yu Jingnian was almost shouting.

Yu Yue’s hands were trembling.

But his voice was calmer than he had imagined.

Yu Yue said, “First, being homosexual is not wrong. Second, I’m in a normal romantic relationship with him, not sponsoring. All those online rumors are false, I don’t know who…”

“Shut the hell up!” Yu Jingnian finally erupted. “I raised you, and it’s for you to engage in a same-sex relationship with someone else? Do you know the expression on my face when relatives told me about this today? You’ve embarrassed me completely! Your mother doesn’t know yet. I advise you to break up immediately and let me handle this. Have you ever thought about me…”

“When you cheated,” Yu Yue gritted his teeth, saying each word deliberately, “did you ever think about me?”

For a moment, there was silence on the other end of the phone.

Before Yu Jingnian could react and start berating Yu Yue, Yu Yue hung up the phone.

After hanging up, he felt his whole body going cold, trembling uncontrollably, an uncontrolled shiver spreading from his heart to his limbs, making him feel very cold, very cold.

The phone vibrated again.

Yu Yue subconsciously wanted to hang up.

But he looked and saw that it was Xu Yuanzhe calling.

Seeing the name “Zhe Ge” on the phone, Yu Yue’s eyes immediately reddened.

He answered the call, and a simple “hello” choked with sobs came out.

On the other end, Xu Yuanzhe’s voice was hoarse, “Why didn’t you answer the phone all this time? You scared me.”

Without telling Xu Yuanzhe about his father’s call, Yu Yue vaguely said, “There’s something else…”

Xu Yuanzhe’s voice seemed to carry a hint of panting; he seemed to be running. “I’m at your school. Are you in class now?”

Before finishing his sentence, Yu Yue saw Xu Yuanzhe running up the stairs from the other side.

Xu Yuanzhe paused, saw Yu Yue in the corridor, and hung up the phone.

He quickly walked to Yu Yue.

Seeing Yu Yue’s reddened eyes, Xu Yuanzhe’s heart felt like it was breaking. He spoke in a low voice, trying to comfort Yu Yue, “Don’t cry, it’s okay, don’t be afraid.” Pausing slightly, he continued, “Are you still in class?”

Yu Yue glanced at the nearby classroom.

Many eyes were secretly looking out the window.

Yu Yue shook his head slowly, “I want to go home.”

Xu Yuanzhe said, “Alright, let’s go home. Will this class take attendance?”

Yu Yue shook his head.

What happened after that, following Xu Yuanzhe back home, Yu Yue couldn’t quite remember.

After sitting on the sofa, Xu Yuanzhe poured a cup of hot water for Yu Yue.

When Yu Yue’s icy hands touched the hot water, he finally regained some awareness.

Xu Yuanzhe stayed in front of Yu Yue, tightly holding Yu Yue’s cold hands. Even though Xu Yuanzhe’s own hands couldn’t warm up, they were equally cold.

Perhaps sensing that Xu Yuanzhe’s hands were also trembling, Yu Yue turned around and comforted him, “I’m fine, it’s just… it’s too sudden. When my friends told me, I didn’t react.”

“It’s my fault,” Xu Yuanzhe, although appearing somewhat calm, had a hoarse voice, “I didn’t know that refusing to film that movie would lead to this. I’ve already hired someone to suppress the trending topic. I won’t shoot that kind of film, but I’ll borrow money to pay the breach of contract fee, and this matter will pass quickly.”

Yu Yue could feel Xu Yuanzhe’s helplessness.

He was just a twenty-year-old young man, new to society, inexperienced in the treacherous ways of people, yet he had unwittingly entangled himself in the most important person.

Yu Yue set down the cup of hot water in his hands.

With warm palms, he gently lifted Xu Yuanzhe’s face and asked, “How much is the breach of contract fee?”

Xu Yuanzhe’s lips moved.

This time, he didn’t say, “Not much.”

Yu Yue said, “You tell me, I’ll help you pay it first. Later, when you earn money, you can slowly repay me.”

He even smiled and lightly pressed his fingers against the red marks at the corner of Xu Yuanzhe’s eyes. “Don’t cry, it’s not a big deal. The entertainment industry is full of such things; they love spreading rumors, but we’re not in the kind of relationship they claim. What are we afraid of?”

But Xu Yuanzhe turned his head away, tugging at the corner of his lips. “I didn’t cry.”

Yet, as he turned away, too many suppressed emotions surged up. Yu Yue didn’t know that before this incident was exposed, Xu Yuanzhe had already received a warning from the company. He had argued with the company for a long time, trying to use legal means, but since he had signed the contract himself, everyone told him there was no way to resolve it.

He learned to smoke for the first time. When Yu Yue wasn’t around, he spent the night smoking, using up his meager savings, and asked the company if he could pay the breach of contract fee in installments. The company told him it wasn’t possible.

The company gave him a deadline of five days.

But they were malicious to the extreme, exposing this so-called “black material” on the fourth day.

Xu Yuanzhe looked out of the window, turned his head, and uttered a sentence:

“I’m sorry.”

Yu Yue stared blankly at the tears on Xu Yuanzhe’s face.

He was about to say something when Xu Yuanzhe’s phone vibrated.

It was a call from an unknown number.

Xu Yuanzhe hesitated for a moment but answered it in front of Yu Yue.

After answering, in front of Yu Yue, he heard the voice of a strange man saying:

“Short of money, right? I’ll give you money; break up with my son.”