“Stay with Me a Little Longer”

In the following days, the careers of the three male leads progressed smoothly. Nan Pei was pleasantly surprised to find that the career progress of all three male leads had surpassed 30% on the system panel, with only a 2% deviation in the plot, which was within the normal range.

The system praised, “Host, your efforts during this period have not been in vain. Your performance is excellent, and the task is progressing very quickly.”

Recalling the system’s mention of a milestone reward, Nan Pei asked, “You said there would be a reward when all three lines reached 30%. What’s the reward?”

The system replied, “When the career progress of the three male leads surpasses 30%, you get one opportunity to seek help from this system. The system will take on a human appearance to assist you.”

Hearing this, Nan Pei said, “So, if I’m in danger of a mishap next time, I can ask you for help, and you’ll turn human to help me out, right?”

“That’s correct,” the system said, “but the help opportunity has a trigger condition.”

Nan Pei suddenly had a bad feeling. He asked, “What’s the condition?”

The system answered, “The condition is: all three male leads must appear in front of you simultaneously.”

Nan Pei: “…”

He had never been so speechless in his life.

“All three male leads at the same time?” After a moment of silence, Nan Pei quipped, “By then, what can you do in human form? Help collect my remains?”

The system obediently said, “Rest assured, I’ll do my best.”

Nan Pei couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have all three male leads together. He would never let that happen.

Today, the system panel indicated that the entertainment industry line needed Nan Pei’s attention. Lu Bairan was filming with the “Love Meteor Shower” crew. This idol drama was being filmed and aired simultaneously, with one episode released each week. Now, the filming of the first few episodes was nearing completion, and the crew had started promotional work.

However, due to the outdated title and the cast of relatively unknown newcomers, the drama hadn’t made much of a splash. Occasionally, a few passersby who noticed the drama left comments predicting it would be another flop. The lackluster promotional effect left the crew in a low mood.

Lu Bairan sat in a chair on set, looking at his script. An assistant handed him water, and he said a faint “thank you” without taking his eyes off the script. However, Lu Bairan wasn’t actually memorizing lines. His thoughts drifted elsewhere.

With such a big issue in the promotion of “Love Meteor Shower,” Nan Pei hadn’t shown up today. Lu Bairan wondered if Nan Pei had forgotten about the crew. This thought brought a trace of annoyance to Lu Bairan’s eyes. He wasn’t someone who showed his emotions easily, so even if he was unhappy, he kept it inside.

Soon, the director called him to shoot, and he quickly adjusted his mood and got into character. The scene Lu Bairan was about to film involved him diving into a river from a height to retrieve a necklace the female lead had lost. This scene required multiple takes, with Lu Bairan repeatedly jumping into the river.

The weather was already chilly, and the director asked if Lu Bairan needed a stunt double, but he refused. Trusting Lu Bairan’s ability, the director began filming. However, after several takes, the director suddenly noticed that Lu Bairan seemed a bit off today. Although his acting was on point, his eyes lacked something.

The director called “cut” and told Lu Bairan, “I’ve mentioned before, this necklace is from the person you love most and is very important to you. When searching for it in the water, your eyes should show your love for the female lead and your concern for the necklace…”

Lu Bairan nodded and tried again. The effect was better than before but still fell short of the director’s expectations. Lu Bairan himself wasn’t satisfied and repeated the scene several times, his skin turning pale from the cold.

On the tenth take, Lu Bairan still couldn’t find the right state. Standing in the water, he frowned, his lips pressed tightly, fingers clenching, and the frustration in his eyes deepened.

After the director called a halt, Lu Bairan suddenly heard him say, “Oh, Nan Ge, what brings you here today?”

Lu Bairan froze for a moment and immediately turned to look behind him. Nan Pei stood on the shore, still dressed in his flashy clothes, but his eyes were filled with concern as he looked at Lu Bairan in the river.

This scene was crucial for Lu Bairan. His outstanding performance in this segment would later make it a hot topic online. His superior looks, sexy physique, and top-notch acting would endear the male lead to countless viewers. Moreover, Lu Bairan’s dedication, repeatedly entering the cold water in autumn, earned him admiration for his professionalism.

Therefore, Nan Pei had to ensure Lu Bairan completed this scene perfectly. After Lu Bairan came ashore, Nan Pei personally handed him a thick towel, “Dry off quickly.”

He took the towel, casually wiping himself, his gaze falling on Nan Pei, “You finally decided to come today?”

His tone was calm, revealing no emotion.

“Xiao Ran, you have to believe, I’ve always cared about your career,” Nan Pei said sincerely, “No one wants you to become a Film Emperor more than I do.”

Nan Pei’s words seemed to warm Lu Bairan a bit. Maybe it was because this person could heat up the atmosphere wherever he went.

Nan Pei raised a banner and shouted loudly, “Born Film Emperor Lu Bairan! Go for it! Nothing can stop you!”

Lu Bairan: “…”

Is this what they call social prowess?

However, this time, the expressions of those watching Nan Pei weren’t as mocking. They all knew Lu Bairan’s acting was excellent, and with a little polish, he was sure to shine brightly in the future.

After drying his hair, the director approached Lu Bairan and said, “Xiao Ran, the last take was actually pretty good. Should we call it a wrap?”

Lu Bairan pressed his lips, “I think it’s still missing something.”

Nan Pei suddenly interjected, “Director, I’d like to see the last take.”

The director was taken aback, “Huh? Nan Ge, you want to watch?”

“Yeah,” Nan Pei feigned shyness, “I want to see what Xiao Ran looks like wet.”

Saying this, he couldn’t help but glance at Lu Bairan’s physique. His skin was pale, the towel draped over his shoulders covering some of his muscular lines, but his abs and V-line were still visible. Normally, Lu Bairan looked slender, but without clothes, he was quite toned.

Director: “…”

Lu Bairan: “…”

He carefully wrapped himself more securely in the towel.

The director showed Nan Pei the recent takes. As an actor himself, Nan Pei could tell Lu Bairan was indeed missing something. So, he furrowed his brow slightly, pretending to be clueless, and said, “Even though I don’t quite get it, I think Xiao Ran should do a few more takes.”

The director was momentarily stunned. He thought Lu Bairan’s performance was already good, but Nan Pei wanted him back in the water?

After a moment, the director understood—Nan Pei probably just wanted to see Lu Bairan in the water again, no other reason.

The director gave Nan Pei an out, “Nan Ge has a point. Actually, I also feel Xiao Ran’s eyes aren’t quite there yet, making the necklace seem less important.”

Lu Bairan stood by, pressing his lips, and slowly said, “Alright, let’s do it again.”

Nan Pei’s presence lifted Lu Bairan’s spirits a bit. He felt his state would be better than before.

A few minutes later, Lu Bairan filmed the water scene again. This time, it was indeed much better, but still not quite up to Nan Pei’s expectations. Such a segment wouldn’t go viral online.

Perhaps it was the lack of protagonist luck, just a little bit off, leading to a deviation in the final result.

Nan Pei stood up, walked to Lu Bairan, who had just come ashore, and said, “Let’s do it one more time.”

Lu Bairan was taken aback. He also felt the last take wasn’t perfect. Did Nan Pei notice too?

“You look great in the water,” Nan Pei said with a shy smile, “I want to see you stay in there a bit longer.”

Everyone: “…”

They all looked at Lu Bairan with a bit of sympathy.

Lu Bairan looked down at Nan Pei, saying nothing. After a moment, he nodded in agreement.

Just as the director was about to start filming, Nan Pei suddenly said, “Wait a minute.”

Everyone looked at Nan Pei.

Nan Pei walked to the riverbank, looking at the relatively calm river, then turned to Lu Bairan and said, “Xiao Ran, let’s play a game.”

Lu Bairan frowned, confusion in his eyes, “What game?”

Nan Pei reached out, slowly removing the large gold chain from his neck. Then, holding the chain, he dangled it over the river, turning to Lu Bairan, “I’ll throw my chain in, and you help me get it back.”

Lu Bairan’s eyes widened in shock, staring at the chain—if it got swept away by the river, how much would it cost to replace??

Everyone was startled by Nan Pei’s reckless action, urging him not to be impulsive. If it couldn’t be found, it would be a huge loss!

However, Nan Pei had a nouveau riche attitude, “It’s just a chain, what’s the big deal?”

After speaking, Nan Pei turned to the director, “Director, if there’s no problem, let’s get started.”

The director swallowed, his hand holding the megaphone trembling slightly.

Lu Bairan stood by, frowning at Nan Pei, not understanding his intention. But in this crew, Nan Pei held the most power, so everyone had to follow his lead.

“…Alright, let’s do another take,” the director said nervously, “Everyone get ready…”

Once everyone was set, Nan Pei unhesitatingly tossed the gold chain into the river, then quickly stepped out of the filming area.

Lu Bairan stared intently at the chain. It was much more valuable than the props the crew had prepared. If he couldn’t retrieve it… how many months of filming would it take to pay for it?

With this thought, Lu Bairan tore open his shirt and jumped into the river without hesitation, swimming with all his might towards where the chain had sunk.

Lu Bairan couldn’t even feel the cold of the river. He searched underwater vigorously, his eyes filled with determination to find the chain.

After a while, unable to find the chain, a hint of panic flashed in his eyes. So, he moved more vigorously underwater.

Nan Pei stood on the shore, watching the person underwater, his eyes also filled with tension.

Ten seconds later, Lu Bairan suddenly emerged from the water, clutching the chain tightly in his hand, raising it high above his head. He wiped his face casually, a look of relief on his face.

His first instinct was to look at Nan Pei on the shore, involuntarily curling his lips, a hint of pride in his eyes. Although it lasted only a second, the camera captured it.

The director, sitting in front of the monitor, was stunned. This time, Lu Bairan was completely in the zone, and the filming effect was stunning. His concern for the chain, the panic while searching, the joy upon finding it, and the pride when looking at the person on the shore—all these small details were vividly portrayed, incomparable to previous takes.

After a while, the director finally snapped out of it and shouted, “Cut.”

After coming ashore, Lu Bairan handed the gold chain back to Nan Pei, his expression calm, and said slowly, “Don’t throw away important things next time.”

Nan Pei took the chain, smiling at Lu Bairan, “Xiao Ran, you did great.”

This smile contained love for Lu Bairan and pride in him. Seeing Lu Bairan’s performance, Nan Pei knew this filming would be more successful than in the original work.

Lu Bairan looked at Nan Pei’s smile, momentarily dazed. He couldn’t tell if Nan Pei was praising him for finding the chain or for his acting. But he knew Nan Pei didn’t understand acting, so it must be for finding the chain.

Even so, Lu Bairan couldn’t help but curl his lips slightly, his tone calm, “I can’t afford to replace such an expensive chain.”

After speaking, Lu Bairan went to the side to dry his hair. The director approached him, full of praise, “Xiao Ran, that last take was amazing. It seems Nan Ge’s chain really made a difference…”

Everyone assumed Lu Bairan’s panic was due to the chain’s value. But Lu Bairan knew that besides the chain’s worth, he cared about Nan Pei’s feelings. After all, Nan Pei was the first to say he would become a Film Emperor and the first to stand firmly by his side.

Although Lu Bairan felt he wouldn’t like someone like Nan Pei, he still didn’t want to see disappointment in Nan Pei’s eyes.

Nan Pei watched the recent footage, satisfied, and told the system, “I’m a genius.”

“What if the chain was lost?” the system asked curiously.

“It’s just gold-plated,” Nan Pei explained, “Not that expensive.”

System: “…You might as well have used a plastic one.”

Nan Pei: “That won’t work; plastic would float.”

System: “…”

With the filming successfully completed, Nan Pei was about to leave. At this moment, Lu Bairan’s manager, Chen Zixiao, suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, Xiao Ran, why is your forehead so hot?”

Nan Pei paused. He suddenly had a bad feeling. Sure enough, shortly after, the medical staff measured Lu Bairan’s temperature and found he had a low fever.

Tonight, the TKT team was about to have their first match, and Nan Pei couldn’t stay in the entertainment circle for long. However, faced with a feverish Lu Bairan, Nan Pei couldn’t just leave.

Not to mention the character-breaking issue, Nan Pei also felt guilty for making him go into the water, which might have contributed to his illness.

Despite everyone’s concern, Lu Bairan waved it off, “I’ll just take some medicine.”

But his peripheral vision kept drifting towards Nan Pei.

In the end, Nan Pei didn’t leave. He handed Lu Bairan a cup of hot water and said, “Don’t film anymore, go rest.”

“I’ve been busy these days, no time to rest,” Lu Bairan looked at Nan Pei, his tone calm.

The crew had indeed been busy, and Lu Bairan held himself to high standards, pondering each scene repeatedly.

Nan Pei frowned, “But it’s not so busy that you need to work while sick, right?”

“It is,” Lu Bairan looked at Nan Pei, slowly saying, “You haven’t been around, so you wouldn’t know.”

Recently, Nan Pei had spent the least time in the entertainment novel because Lu Bairan was very capable, and his career path was clear, just following the crew’s progress.

At this moment, he detected a hint of displeasure in Lu Bairan’s tone. Not only Nan Pei, but everyone around also noticed, collectively stunned for a second—after all, Lu Bairan was known for his good temper in the crew, like a clay figurine with no temper at all.

Yet in front of Nan Pei, he seemed a bit… petulant?

“…Xiao Ran,” Nan Pei thought for a moment and said, “I’ve been neglectful these past few days because there’s a lot going on at the company, but I’ve been asking the director about your progress every day.”

The director quickly added, “Yes, yes, Nan Ge is really concerned about Xiao Ran in private.”

Lu Bairan was momentarily stunned.

Nan Pei continued, “And with the crew’s poor promotional effect, I’ve been worried, discussing strategies with the entertainment company…”

Lu Bairan looked at Nan Pei, saying nothing.

Nan Pei: “Xiao Ran, no matter what, I care about you. You’re sick, don’t push yourself. I’ll take you home to rest.”

Lu Bairan’s thin lips pressed together. After a moment, he finally nodded slowly, his voice soft, “Okay.”

Only then did Nan Pei smile, “Let’s go, Xiao Ran, I’ll take you to the hospital first.”

A few minutes later, Lu Bairan got into Nan Pei’s car, sitting in the back seat. Nan Pei took him to the hospital to register. Fortunately, the doctor said the fever wasn’t serious, no need for an IV, just some medicine.

After getting the medicine, Nan Pei took Lu Bairan home. It was still the same simple apartment. When the car stopped downstairs, Lu Bairan was already asleep, leaning against the back seat cushion.

Nan Pei was taken aback. Lu Bairan’s pale cheeks were slightly flushed, the fever not yet subsided, and his handsome face looked a bit haggard.

In the original work, Lu Bairan was a resilient, gentle artist who endured everything silently. Now, he was so exhausted he fell asleep in the car, seemingly letting down his guard around Nan Pei.

Nan Pei gently woke him, “Xiao Ran, we’re home, go upstairs and sleep.”

Lu Bairan groggily opened his eyes, momentarily stunned upon seeing Nan Pei, then hoarsely and vaguely said, “Okay.”

Nan Pei accompanied Lu Bairan upstairs. Lu Bairan must have been really exhausted, heading straight to the bedroom, kicking off his shoes, and collapsing onto the bed.

“Don’t sleep yet,” Nan Pei quickly said, “Take your medicine first.”

Lu Bairan obediently sat up, looking at Nan Pei with a dazed, vacant expression. Nan Pei poured him water and helped him take the fever medicine, then said, “Alright, you can sleep now. I’ll cook something for you, so you can eat when you wake up.”

Lu Bairan nodded and lay back down to sleep.

Nan Pei went to the kitchen to cook some porridge and took out some vegetables from the fridge to make some home-cooked dishes. After finishing, it was already late.

There was an hour left until the TKT match started. Nan Pei returned to Lu Bairan’s bedroom, seeing him sleeping soundly, and wrote a note telling him where the porridge and dishes were, so he could heat them in the microwave when he woke up.

Lu Bairan had never slept so peacefully. Since entering the entertainment industry, he had worried daily about his livelihood, losing sleep when he couldn’t get roles. But this time, he had no burdens, completely immersed in his dreams.

The aroma of food from the kitchen inadvertently woke Lu Bairan. After a nap, he felt much better. Opening his eyes, he saw Nan Pei writing a note nearby.

Watching Nan Pei write seriously, he felt a bit unfamiliar. In his impression, Nan Pei was an uneducated nouveau riche, completely different from him. But at this moment, he felt a gentle, clean illusion from Nan Pei.

Lu Bairan was slightly stunned, thinking he hadn’t fully woken up. In the dim room, he stared at Nan Pei’s profile, involuntarily swallowing.

After finishing the note, Nan Pei curled his lips slightly, then turned to look at Lu Bairan. Lu Bairan quickly closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.

Nan Pei walked to Lu Bairan’s bedside, intending to place the note by his pillow. He crouched down, seeing Lu Bairan still asleep, and softly remarked, “Becoming a Film Emperor isn’t that easy…”

Lu Bairan’s heart skipped a beat. Nan Pei was so close he could hear their breathing. The air was filled with the aroma of food. This warm feeling, accompanied by Nan Pei’s voice, made Lu Bairan want to get closer.

Just then, Nan Pei glanced at his phone and saw two messages from Duan Heng:

[The match is about to start.]

[Where are you?]

Nan Pei knew he had to go to the e-sports novel. He carefully placed the note on Lu Bairan’s pillow and whispered, “I have to go now…”

Lu Bairan was momentarily stunned. Once Nan Pei left, his apartment would return to its original cold state.

The next second, just as Nan Pei was about to withdraw his hand, Lu Bairan suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist.

Nan Pei froze. Was Lu Bairan asleep or awake??

Just as he looked at Lu Bairan in surprise, the latter opened his sleepy, bloodshot eyes. With a rolling Adam’s apple, he hoarsely said, “Stay with me a little longer… can you?”

Author’s Note:

This is two chapters in one! It’s long!

Thank you all for your support!