Director Fang’s period drama began selecting cast members, and Yu Yan brought both Jian Ran and Song Yun Jing along.

Song Yun Jing was auditioning for the role of a college student, with only a dozen or so scenes.

Since the auditions were separate, Yu Yan only gave her a few instructions before leading Jian Ran to another location.

Jian Ran looked nervously at the name of Lu Yan posted on the door of the waiting room. “I… what are we doing here?”

“You’ll audition in a bit. Let him run a scene with you, see how it feels,” Yu Yan said calmly, knocking on the door before Jian Ran could respond.

The sounds of movement came from inside, and Jian Ran immediately tensed, seemingly wanting to leave. Yu Yan quickly grabbed his arm.

A couple of days ago, Xiao Man had contacted the staff from Lu Yan’s team, and they had easily agreed to join the variety show.

Then Yu Yan asked Director Fang about Lu Yan’s opinion on Jian Ran playing the third male lead. The response was that Lu Yan not only had no objections but had even volunteered to attend the auditions.

The lead male had already been confirmed, so Lu Yan didn’t have to show up, yet he still came.

Just these two things revealed a lot of information, and Yu Yan felt a smug satisfaction, as if everyone else was drunk while he remained clear-headed.

After a moment, the door to the waiting room opened.

Lu Yan didn’t show any surprise, his gaze briefly pausing on the hand that Yu Yan had on Jian Ran’s wrist before moving to Jian Ran’s face.

“What’s this? Taking the back door for a role?”

“Say something nice, and I’ll consider it.”

Yu Yan: “…”

His mouth should just be donated.

“Speak plainly,” Lu Yan said, sounding slightly irritated.

Before Yu Yan could respond, Jian Ran started to show signs of hesitation, gently shaking his head at Yu Yan. It seemed he was not only thinking of backing out of the scene with Lu Yan but also giving up on this rare audition opportunity.

Yu Yan raised his brows and was about to speak when he saw Lu Yan yank Jian Ran’s hat off.

“When did this happen?”

“No… it didn’t.”

“When did you call me?” Lu Yan’s tone rose, sounding arrogant.

Jian Ran lowered his head to avoid the intense gaze. “I didn’t.”

Yu Yan sighed, “Seven years ago, in high school, when he just transferred.”

Lu Yan’s displeasure showed on his face, but after hearing Yu Yan’s words, his expression softened slightly.

He seemed like he wanted to explain something but stopped when he saw Yu Yan was present. “Do you have something else?”

Yu Yan: “…”

“No… nothing. He still has the audition to do. Help Jian Ran run through the scene.”

Before leaving, he glanced at Jian Ran, and seeing him nod, he felt reassured and left.

With Lu Yan there, Yu Yan didn’t need to worry about Jian Ran. He turned to find Song Yun Jing.

When he arrived, Song Yun Jing was crouched on the floor replying to messages.

“Has your audition finished?” Yu Yan asked.

Song Yun Jing put away her phone. “Not yet, the audition a few days ago didn’t pass.”

“The one invested by Xinghai?” Yu Yan frowned.

“Yes,” Song Yun Jing nodded. “They chose another artist from the company.”

She mentioned a name, and Yu Yan thought back. The person was one of the company’s top artists, promoted by Xinghai. The individual had solid skills, and with connections in the film industry, it made sense that they’d land the role.

“Forget about that for now. Focus on the audition for this drama. If nothing unexpected happens, the role should be yours.”

With a 45% share of prime-time scheduling, no director could resist this temptation.

Moreover, Song Yun Jing herself wasn’t bad; it was just that she lacked luck. She had been held back for a few years after encountering someone like Zhang Yuan when she just debuted.

Song Yun Jing nodded and went back to reading her script.

While waiting for the audition, Yu Yan casually scrolled through his phone and came across a live interview with Shen Yu Chen.

The interview lasted about half an hour, and throughout the process, Shen Yu Chen handled everything with ease. No matter how tricky the reporter’s questions were, he answered confidently without any awkwardness.

At the end of the interview, Shen Yu Chen even detailed the future development plans for Minghua.

As the interview ended, the camera turned to the outside view, showing a skyscraper.

Yu Yan instinctively looked up, and the skyscraper in his view matched the one on his phone.

What a coincidence, they were in the same place?

He opened Shen Yu Chen’s WeChat. He initially wanted to ask if they could have a meal together but hesitated after being rejected a few times before, so he deleted the message.

Yu Yan turned to send a message to Yu Chen, asking if he could help arrange a meal with Shen Yu Chen. With Yu Chen’s help, the success rate would surely be higher.

Yu Chen didn’t ask why, just sending an “OK” emoji.

Two minutes later, a message from Shen Yu Chen popped up on Yu Yan’s phone.

【Shen Yu Chen: [Location Shared]】

The location seemed to be a Sichuan restaurant, but it was quite far, on the other side of the city’s Fourth Ring Road. Even with no traffic, it would take about two hours to get there.

Shen Yu Chen didn’t like Sichuan food. Why would he choose such a faraway place?

Yu Yan didn’t ask further and called a ride.

The phone buzzed continuously, and Yu Yan opened it to find the “Those Who Can’t Stand Us Go (4)” group was blowing up.

【Jian Ran: @Yu Yan Brother Yan, my audition just finished, where are you?】

【Jian Ran: @Yu Yan Brother Yan, I’m waiting for you downstairs at the cafe.】

【Emperor He: Your Brother Yan doesn’t want you~】

【Song Yun Jing: Why do you look so trashy?】

【Jian Ran: Maybe he went to the bathroom.】

【Emperor He: Your Brother Yan doesn’t want you~】

Yu Yan: “…”

【Yu Yan: @Jian Ran, you’ve worked hard. Go home and rest for two days, wait for the contract signing and joining the crew. I’ll reimburse you for the coffee.】

【Jian Ran: Have you left?】

【He Ying Di: Your brother doesn’t want you anymore~】

【Yu Yan: Hmm, I have something to do, I’ll treat you to a meal later.】

【Song Yun Jing: What’s the matter? A date, huh?】

【Yu Yan: …Sort of.】

【Jian Ran: Then I’ll head back myself.】

【He Ying Di: Your brother doesn’t want you anymore~】

【Song Yun Jing: Which little sister? Let me see!】

【He Ying Di: Maybe it’s not a little sister, maybe it’s a little brother.】

Yu Yan: “…”

The phone kept buzzing nonstop, and without even looking, he could imagine what He Zhi Yu was saying.

Two hours later, Yu Yan successfully arrived at the restaurant. He thought he had arrived fast enough, but it seemed like Shen Yu Chen had been waiting for quite a while.

The restaurant was rather small and didn’t seem particularly nice, but it was clean.

Since it was Yu Yan treating, he directly handed the menu to Shen Yu Ming for him to order.

“Chen Ge, when did you meet my brother? Have you been friends the whole time?”

It seemed like Shen Yu Chen had a good relationship with his brother. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have gone to the welfare home with him and even allocated two million in funding for him.

“Hmm, we’ve been classmates from kindergarten to high school, and we went to the same university, just different classes,” Shen Yu Ming said, handing the menu to the waiter after ordering.

“That’s a coincidence. Did you grow up together? Childhood sweethearts?” Yu Yan continued to be curious.

“Pretty much.”

“Then where do you live now?”

Since they grew up together, their places should be close, right?

The Yu family’s villa had been there for decades and hadn’t moved, but Yu Yan hadn’t heard any news that Shen Yu Chen lived nearby, so he must have moved.

It was good that Yu Yan still had such friends around him. If he only had friends like Shen Yu Ming, who was deep in schemes and calculations, how could life go on?

Shen Yu Ming noticed his intentions, hesitated for a moment, then spoke, “Due to family reasons, I’ve moved a few times.”

After saying this, Shen Yu Ming noticeably slowed down. His gaze dropped, his dark pupils unfocused, as if feeling restless.

It seemed like he had said something wrong. Yu Yan scratched his nose.

“What about you?”

Yu Yan snapped back to reality. “I grew up in the welfare home in Rong Cheng. A little over a year ago, I had a car accident, and that’s when I found out I was from the Yu family.”

When the truth is mixed with lies, it becomes the final truth.

The similar experiences made Yu Yan confused a few times, and he even forgot that he had traveled here.

Shen Yu Ming raised his eyebrows slightly. “The Yu family knew five years ago that Yu Chen wasn’t their biological child, but they kept it a secret. They gave him project startup funds to let him start his own business, sent him to work at the company, and gave him shares.”

“I know. That’s because my brother is really great,” Yu Yan chuckled, brushing it off.

Although he treated Shen Yu Chen as a friend, he knew that in Shen Yu Ming’s heart, Yu Chen was more important than him. At this moment, he was just testing if Yu Yan really had no other intentions regarding Chao Xing.

The original body had done too much, and no matter how much he explained, it wouldn’t make a difference. So, at this point, he didn’t elaborate further to show his determination.

Yu Yan took a bite of dessert, acting naturally, his mood unaffected.

Suddenly, Shen Yu Ming felt bored. He put down his chopsticks and looked out the window.

Can someone really give up what originally belonged to them?

He didn’t believe it.

Suddenly, a commotion came from outside. Yu Yan instinctively turned his head and saw that Shen Mu Yang had arrived with a group of people.

The restaurant didn’t have private rooms, but every table had bamboo curtains around it for privacy.

Yu Yan took a deep breath and quickly fumbled to lower the bamboo curtain. Fortunately, Shen Mu Yang didn’t notice him.

“Afraid of being discovered?”

Today, Shen Yu Ming seemed different from any other day. Gone was his usual gentle and humble aura. Instead, there was a more casual and slightly rebellious vibe about him.

He unbuttoned the top button of his shirt with one hand, loosening the collar, and leaned back on the sofa. His posture was lazy and carefree.

Then—he lit a cigarette.

The orange-yellow glow flickered on and off, the thin strands of smoke swirling around his face, blurring his features.

Sexy.

That was Yu Yan’s first impression.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed twice, averting his gaze. His voice wasn’t as natural and relaxed as usual; instead, it sounded a bit hoarse.

“Was that intentional?”

He wasn’t naive. After Shen Yu Ming’s repeated tests, there was no way he wouldn’t notice.

Yu Chen and Shen Yu Ming were watching him!

The visit to the welfare home earlier had been his suspicion, but now it was confirmed.

Shen Yu Ming didn’t answer him but took another drag from the cigarette. “Shen Mu Yang’s company has taken on a few projects and made a good profit, but they lack startup funds. If the funding chain is sufficient, they might even go public sometime.”

“As a member of the Yu family, I want Chao Xing to develop well more than anyone else. Over the years, under my brother’s leadership, Chao Xing has been continuously reforming and innovating, and its market share is growing. I’ve made mistakes before, caused trouble, but I’ve decided to correct myself.”

Yu Yan focused his gaze on Shen Yu Ming, speaking slowly and firmly, “I will never betray my brother, so stop testing me over and over.”

Shen Yu Ming didn’t respond. He just shook off the long ash and extinguished the cigarette in the ashtray.

“It won’t happen again.”

Knowing that Yu Chen and Shen Yu Ming were watching him, Yu Yan couldn’t say he didn’t feel anything, but he wasn’t really angry either.

From another angle, he didn’t believe someone could change so quickly in such a short time. After all, he had a criminal record. The original body had done anything for money.

Before he could answer, his phone rang—it was Yu Chen calling.

“Brother, I’m having dinner outside,” Yu Yan explained quietly.

Yu Chen was silent for a moment. “Are you with Shen Yu Ming?”

“Yes, I’m having Sichuan cuisine with Chen Ge,” Yu Yan glanced at the dishes on the table.

On the other end, Yu Chen muttered a few words before hanging up.

Yu Yan was slightly stunned. His fingers clenched around the phone tighter, and after a long pause, he finally looked up.

“Today is your birthday.”