Later, Shi Yi told Ying Ming that the group was very happy.

Ying Ming humbly said that he wasn’t very good at organizing things like that. Shi Yi just gave a slight smile and didn’t say anything.

Most of the time, Shi Yi’s friends could be categorized into a few distinct types.

One type included people like Wang Le, with whom he had grown up. Their bond had become a habit over the years. They might eat a meal together every now and then, rarely call each other unless something came up, but they still kept in touch because of memories from childhood. Even if they didn’t see each other often, they still had a strong connection.

Another type was people like Ou Yang. A work partner who also happened to be close friends. They’d have drinks together after a tough day or play ball on the weekends to unwind. When they talked, it was mostly about work.

Then there were friends like Ying Ming. He wasn’t someone Shi Yi was especially close to, but he was reliable. When Shi Yi needed help, Ying Ming was someone he could think of. They would run into each other at social gatherings, have a chat, and maybe occasionally think, “I haven’t seen him in a while,” but not enough to make a plan to meet up.

By comparison, Ying Ming’s categorization of friends was simpler: There were drinking buddies, and there were fun buddies.

The first group consisted of people he could eat with without losing his appetite. The second group was people who could make things fun when they hung out.

As for his relationship with Shi Yi, he didn’t deliberately keep his distance, but he didn’t go out of his way to get closer either.

They were just part of the same social circle. If they met, they’d talk, and if they didn’t, it wasn’t something to dwell on.

What eventually shifted the dynamic between them was Shi Yi’s later acquaintance with a woman.

Her name was Liu Li.

For Shi Yi, relationships were nothing more than optional distractions, a spice to life that could easily be taken or left behind.

There had been a time when he fully enjoyed the feeling of having a soft, warm, fragrant girlfriend nestled in his arms. But that phase had come and gone much earlier for him than for most men. Back in high school, he’d even stirred up some major trouble over a girl. Once he learned how to rein in his impulses, though, incidents like that became increasingly rare.

And after he established his career, they practically disappeared.

Of course, given his environment, he was never short on potential companions. When he met the right person, he’d sometimes get into short, semi-serious relationships. But most of these relationships didn’t end well. Some ended amicably, while others ended with messy aftermaths that made him lose faith in love.

Shi Yi met Liu Li during dinner with a client.

The client had mentioned that a famous celebrity would be making a guest appearance that evening. When Liu Li pushed open the door and entered, Shi Yi had to admit she took his breath away.

Calling her stunning was no exaggeration.

Shi Yi had seen plenty of beautiful women in his time, but Liu Li had an undeniable allure that could captivate any man.

From her figure and face to her overall aura, she was the picture of perfection.

She wasn’t just a beauty but a well-known figure in the entertainment industry. She’d starred in several blockbuster films, and from the way her career was progressing, she seemed poised to break into the international market.

As the introductions were made, Shi Yi’s gaze remained locked on her. She seemed to sense it and gave him a faint smile.

By the end of the night, they had exchanged phone numbers.

Shi Yi had never imagined himself pursuing a celebrity.

When Ou Yang heard about it, he teased him, joking that Shi Yi must have been possessed.

But the truth was, no one, including Shi Yi took it all that seriously.

He wasn’t actively pursuing Liu Li. He’d simply been drawn to her and developed a passive curiosity that evolved into a mild interest after a few ambiguous meals together.

Liu Li was a smart woman, skilled in conversation and adept at reading the room. Unlike some actresses he’d met, she had an impeccable sense of balance when it came to interacting with people. It was clear she was interested in him, yet she never made it obvious, letting the subtle tension between them simmer just beneath the surface.

It felt a bit like a game of cat and mouse. Teasing, testing, and circling one another, but never making a move to shatter the unspoken ambiguity.

Naturally, with their increasing encounters, rumors began to spread.

Shi Yi wasn’t worried. He knew Liu Li wouldn’t admit to anything, and it wasn’t like anyone dared question him directly. When friends teased him about it, he didn’t deny it. He just let them joke.

He even brought Liu Li with him to one of his social gatherings.

Ying Ming happened to be there that day.

When Liu Li arrived, she immediately caused a stir. Kou Jing stared and tugged at Ying Ming’s sleeve in disbelief. “Isn’t that Liu Li?”

Ying Ming, whose sleeve was about to come off from all the tugging, rolled his eyes. “Can you stop the act? You’ve met her before. Why are you pretending that you haven’t?”

Kou Jing ignored the teasing and smiled, then playfully complimented Shi Yi. “Young Master Shi’s got skills getting Liu Li herself to make an appearance!”

“And not just show up,” another chimed in with a smirk. “She’s probably gonna pour Young Master Shi a drink later, too.”

The banter flew fast and loose. There were no boundaries in this crowd.

Shi Yi didn’t mind. He let them talk as they pleased, unaffected by the barbs.

Sitting next to him, Liu Li smiled naturally throughout the exchange. When she spotted Ying Ming, she raised her eyebrows slightly in surprise.

“Ying Ming is here too?” she said curiously.

Ying Ming casually waved a hand in response, acknowledging the greeting without much enthusiasm. He was sitting some distance away from Shi Yi and had no intention of walking over to make conversation.

Liu Li turned slightly toward Shi Yi and gave him a questioning glance. “You’re friends with Ying Ming?”

“Yeah, we get along pretty well. You know him?”

Considering they were part of the same entertainment circle, it made sense that Liu Li might be more familiar with Ying Ming than Shi Yi was.

But Liu Li just smiled and shook her head. “I’ve only heard of him. We’ve never worked together.”

“Maybe you will someday,” Shi Yi said nonchalantly, taking a sip of his drink. “Just don’t play any roles opposite each other. I’d find that awkward to watch.”

As soon as he downed the rest of his drink, he turned and kissed the woman beside him. The room erupted in cheers and teasing shouts, the atmosphere lively and chaotic. Ying Ming, watching from the sidelines, raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Later, Liu Li mentioned to Shi Yi that there wasn’t much chance of her ever collaborating with Ying Ming.

“They shoot different types of films,” she explained.

Shi Yi had always known that Ying Ming was an actor. His name was familiar enough that when it came up in conversation, people recognized it. But Shi Yi had never bothered to dig deeper into Ying Ming’s career. He vaguely assumed that Ying Ming wasn’t a top-tier celebrity but wasn’t obscure either.

He didn’t watch many films or follow the entertainment industry, so his knowledge was limited. Without his connection to Liu Li, he wouldn’t have paid the slightest attention to that world.

But as time passed and he started hearing more conversations and gossip about it, Shi Yi gradually realized that Ying Ming’s career wasn’t as smooth as he had imagined.

It wasn’t as if Ying Ming was struggling to make ends meet. Shi Yi had spent enough time with him privately to know that Ying Ming didn’t lead an extravagant lifestyle, but he lived quite comfortably.

The problem, however, was his acting career. Ying Ming didn’t have any outstanding works to his name.

When his name was mentioned, it was often in connection with low-budget projects, small comedies, or cheaply made action movies. Once, while browsing in a video store, Shi Yi had stumbled upon some of Ying Ming’s movies. Out of curiosity, he randomly picked two DVDs and took them home, only to realize after watching them that both the covers and the contents were rather inferior.

They were basically softcore erotica.

They reminded him of the late-night B-movies that used to play in dingy old cinemas when he was a kid. These weren’t entirely explicit but pretty low-quality.

Shi Yi didn’t finish either DVD. He tossed them on a shelf and forgot about them.

When Shi Yi had jokingly mentioned the possibility of Liu Li and Ying Ming working together, he hadn’t expected it to actually happen. Not long after, reality caught up with his offhand comment.

He was watching TV when he saw a news report and blinked in surprise at the announcement. It took him a second to process what he was seeing. Then he picked up his phone and called Liu Li.

“Ying Ming’s in your new movie?”

“Yeah. I was just as surprised. I didn’t know until I saw him at the press conference.”

“That guy didn’t say a word to me about it!”

On the TV screen, the camera zoomed in on Ying Ming, giving him a brief close-up. On-screen, he looked a bit more muscular than he did in person, probably because the camera added bulk. In reality, he was quite lean, and although his muscles were real, they were subtle and hard to spot unless he was shirtless.

The first time he ever felt a real interest in learning about a film, Shi Yi chuckled and asked, “Who’s he playing in it?”

“I’m not sure yet, probably a supporting role. Why, did you call just to ask about him?”

Liu Li’s tone softened toward the end, carrying a hint of teasing. Shi Yi smiled. “What else would I ask? You must be the female lead, right? I read that it’s a big-budget film, sounds like it’ll be pretty decent.”

“Yeah, the director’s reliable.”

Liu Li laughed too. There was some noise in the background on her end, probably from a banquet. She spoke quietly to Shi Yi, telling him to wait a second, then stepped away from the crowd. The background noise faded, and things became a bit quieter.

“I should be done around ten.”

Her words were subtle, but Shi Yi fully understood the implication. “Want me to pick you up?”

“There are reporters here, better if you don’t come. I’ll head straight to you.”

“Alright, I’ll wait for you.”

Shi Yi hung up in a good mood. When he looked up, the news was still playing. He sat at the table for a while, watching it, and for some odd reason, he decided to give Ying Ming a call.

But it was even noisier on Ying Ming’s end than it had been with Liu Li.

It sounded like he was at a bar, and the music was so loud it made Shi Yi’s ears buzz.

“Damn, where are you?”

“Friend’s birthday, we’re partying here. What brings the great Shi Yi to my phone tonight?” Ying Ming’s voice had a slightly husky quality, carrying a roguish edge. It was always hard to match his voice to his face, which was why Shi Yi had long believed that someone like Ying Ming probably wasn’t suited for live sound recording.

They’d have to dub him over with a voice actor.

Otherwise, how could anyone fully immerse themselves in his characters?

Shi Yi had originally planned to mention that he knew about Ying Ming’s upcoming film with Liu Li, but the noise was so distracting that it killed his enthusiasm. Before he could finish his sentence, he hung up and sent a brief text instead. “Never mind.”

Ying Ming didn’t reply.