T/N: Hey y’all, I’ll be out for the next 2 weeks, so there won’t be any updates until after Sep. 18. ABV’s release schedule will also increase to 2x weekly at that point. Finally, any ko-fis during this period will be counted after I return.

In the meantime I’ll be ‘using’ up the ko-fis for ABV (thanks biki and Miaunian), and releasing 2 extra chapters to tide over the lack of releases in the next 2 weeks.

Happy reading!

-komorebi

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In the end, the agreement was revised following Jiang Dao’s proposal.

The next step is to wait for Chu Yinlong Studio to negotiate the liquidated damages with Xingyao Media.

After handing over the agreement to his assistant, Chu Yinlong looked at Jiang Dao, and asked, “Are you living in Xingyao’s dorms now?”

Jiang Dao nodded: “Yes, I have been viewing homes for the past two days, but finding something suitable is hard.”

Although he still has some savings, it is obviously far from enough to buy a house in Yan City, otherwise the one million in liquidated damages wouldn’t be a headache. If he moves to the suburbs, traffic will become a big problem – unless he can get his driver’s license soon.

However, if he rents in the urban area, it’s difficult to guarantee the privacy needed as an artist, and he may encounter unexpected troubles.

“If you don’t want to sign a brokerage contract, the Longqi Entertainment’s dorms can’t be distributed to you.” Chu Yinlong thought about it and said, “However, I have two apartments in my name. If you don’t mind, you can choose one and stay temporarily.”

Hearing this, Jiang Dao raised his eyebrows. “Why do I feel more and more that you are digging a hole for me? Helping me deal with the liquidated damages, and giving me a place to live… Suddenly I have the feeling of jumping into a trap myself.”

Chu Yinlong smiled: “Didn’t you propose the loan for the liquidated damages?”

Pretending to be afraid, Jiang Dao’s face was full of vigilance. “You won’t just give me a few hundred as salary, right? After adding rent, will I ever be able to pay it off?”

Chu Yinlong’s face was torn between laughing and crying.

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He stretched out his hand and tapped the word “fair” in the phrase “fair remuneration” in the contract, and said, “If I only give you a few hundred in remuneration, won’t you run away?”

After exchanging a few jokes, Jiang Dao went back to the business: “If your house is suitable, I can move in… But I can’t live in vain. You can ask for a rent, and we’ll sign a rental contract.”

Chu Yinlong sighed: “Must it be so clear? I thought we were friends.”

Hearing this, Jiang Dao suddenly remembered what Lu Zhengrong said a few days ago, about Chu Yinlong rarely having friends of the same age.

After just two variety shows, Chu Yinlong recognized him as a “friend”. This should be the reason the agreement in black and white didn’t make any harsh demands on him.

It’s just a pity that in his mind, their relationship has not yet reached his definition of “friend”. For example, if they’re now on the battlefield together, in the face of a life-and-death crisis, it’ll be impossible for him to completely entrust Chu Yinlong with his back.

This is the rule of making friends in the wasteland. It is one thing to trust one’s character, and it is another to not worry about the test of human nature.

Therefore, Jiang Dao could not accept Chu Yinlong’s excessive kindness with peace of mind.

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“You’ve already helped me a lot.” His deep thoughts were hidden behind his smile. “Even as a friend, I should still pay rent for living in your home.”

Seeing his insistence, Chu Yinlong didn’t bother arguing. “Fine then. If you don’t have any plans, let’s have lunch together, and when we’re done, I’ll take you to see the house.”

“That works.” Jiang Dao put down his teacup and leaned against the booth. “There are no classes on weekends, and I don’t have work. Zhu Yao’s busy with that two-person team and doesn’t have time to care about me… If I wasn’t afraid that the company would arrange some auditions and entertainment, and can be so idle all the time, I wouldn’t be in such a hurry to terminate the contract.”

Chu Yinlong sighed helplessly: “So, you still plan to live freely by the mountains and water in the future?”

Jiang Dao smiled: “Of course, my ultimate goal has never changed.”

Chu Yinlong said nothing, sipped his tea silently, and turned his eyes to the lush flower bed outside the window.

“But don’t worry.” After a while of silence, Jiang Dao spoke. His tone was light, but serious. “I will do my best in what I promise you, and will not deal with it casually. Correspondingly, I only promise that I will do my best to act. As for publicity and hype…”

“I won’t pull you.” Chu Yinlong sighed, “In terms of publicity, I will try to weaken your sense of existence. You just need to concentrate on acting.”

Jiang Dao raised the corner of his mouth, and generously gave Chu Yinlong an incomparably sweet smile.

Chu Yinlong accidentally choked on the tea. A trace of pink colored his ears as he coughed a few times.

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After a brief lunch at the coffee shop, the two went to a high-end residential area near Longqi Entertainment to look at Chu Yinlong’s apartment.

The apartment isn’t big. At a glance, it’s designed for a single person to live alone, with two bedrooms, one living room, one kitchen, and one bathroom. Apart from the bathroom, the room is decorated with a whole wall of mirrors, treadmills and fitness equipment, and a sandbag in the corner.

Seeing the toothbrush and tooth cup placed in the bathroom, Jiang Dao’s face was full of suspicion. “You come here often?”

“Not too often.” Chu Yinlong didn’t hide it. “When something is scheduled nearby, I’ll occasionally stay for one or two nights to reduce commute time. Usually, I stay in the suburban area, which is closer to the airport… Ah, let me ask Xiao Yang to pack and take these things away.”

“No need, just put them in storage.” Jiang Dao smiled. “Your home is still your home. When your schedule is inconvenient, come back and stay. I can make do with the floor in the practice room for a night. By the way, is there any gas in the kitchen?”

Hearing this question, Chu Yinlong fell silent in embarrassment.

“There is no gas,” he coughed lightly. “Only electrical appliances… um, the shower is also electric, so you need to boil the water in advance.”

Seeing his face, Jiang Dao suddenly remembered that the actor in front of him is incompatible with the kitchen. He caused several fires in the past, so no wonder the kitchen is not connected to gas. Otherwise, his assistant would be worried to death every day.

After seeing the apartment and discussing the rent, Chu Yinlong sent Jiang Dao back to Xingyao Media.

Watching him disappear into the building, Chu Yinlong withdrew his gaze and let out a low chuckle.

In the driver’s seat, his assistant couldn’t help but say: “Helping him pay liquidated damages and a place to live. If people know you’re doing this to ‘beg’ him to act in a movie, they’ll think you’re crazy.”

“They won’t.”

Chu Yinlong lowered his eyes slightly, staring at the black phone screen.

“They won’t think that I’m crazy; they will only speculate on Jiang Dao with greater malice. Only the three of us know about this matter – outside, we’ll say he’s an artist who signed with the studio. If a fourth person learns about the loan, prepare your resignation letter.”

The assistant shrank his neck: “Understood!”

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After a moment of silence, Chu Yinlong said: “Tonight’s episode of “Eat!” will be broadcast soon. Have the PR team keep an eye on it.”

“Okay. I’ll let you know if there’s anything.” His assistant nodded immediately.

8 o’clock in the evening.

The new season of “Come on, Eat!” is starting.

Jiang Dao sat on the small sofa in the dormitory, looking at the uninvited Zhou Wei speechlessly.

“Why do you have to come to my house to watch a variety show?” Holding the box of popcorn the other party brought, he sighed. “If you want to invite someone, you should’ve invited Tang Yao instead.”

Zhou Wei looked at Jiang Dao with a puzzled expression. “Why would I ask Brother Yao?”

Jiang Dao was speechless.

That’s right, at this time, Zhou Wei has not been taken down by Tang Yao. Their CP has just started to emerge, and it has not yet become mainstream. The current Zhou Wei will not ask Tang Yao to watch a show together.

But…if he remembers correctly, at this time in the book, Tang Yao has already started to like Zhou Wei. Later, he began to deliberately add sugar while filming, which made CP fans ecstatic.

Thinking of the follow-up plot, Jiang Dao was slightly startled: “Have you finished filming the online drama?”

In the book, filming the online drama took a long time, so how did Zhou Wei come back less than a month after filming began?

“Yeah, my part was finished yesterday. There may be a few small parts that need to be changed, but I don’t have to stay on the crew all the time.” Zhou Wei smiled shyly. “I just came back today, thinking that we haven’t seen each other for a long time. Watching the variety show with you… In fact, I wanted to thank you again for giving me the role back then.”

Jiang Dao didn’t care about this. “You’ve already thanked me before. No need to keep talking about it.”

Zhou Wei replied with a smile: “Then treat it as if I want to be your friend.”

Hearing this, Jiang Dao suddenly had a headache. “One after another, why do both…” …of you want to make friends with me?

Before he could say the second half of his sentence, he was interrupted by the noise from the TV:

“Ah!”

“Aiya!”

“Careful!”

“Mr. Chu, are you injured?”

The clip of the opening scene of the variety show flashed quickly on the screen. Jiang Dao was stunned.

What?

This section, didn’t the recording team say that it will be cut out!

How is this “cut out”?!

Zhou Wei was also stunned.

After a long while, he made a long “wow”. “They included this part!”

“Huh,” Jiang Dao sneered. “I shouldn’t have believed the director’s words.”

“It’s okay,” Zhou Wei was very happy for him. “You’re so good at fighting. If a director sees it, maybe they will find you to act in a martial arts drama. Such an opportunity is very rare!”

Jiang Dao said helplessly: “It’s not a question of whether I can fight or not…”

It’s a matter of him seizing the initiative to act and then hurting himself!

Even if he quits the entertainment industry in the future, this scene is destined to stay on the internet forever along with the variety show, and be pulled out again and again given Chu Yinlong’s popularity.

Frowning for a long time, Jiang Dao suddenly slapped the armrest of the sofa—he knew where the problem was. It was his own missteps that provided the program team with such good material.

If he hadn’t shown extraordinary skills in the final tag tearing battle, and hadn’t fought with Chu Yinlong, the show team might have really cut out the accident at the opening.

But now, in order to pave the way for the confrontation between him and Chu Yinlong later on, they included it to show the effect in full!

After realizing this, Jiang Dao pursed his lips gloomily.

This time, he was blinded by the food again. He even dug the pit himself in order to win the water feast.

 

The pit is getting bigger JD… Signing with CYL and then living at his place.

Don’t forget to rate and leave a review on novelupdates. Want to support ABV? Buy me a ko-fi for faster releases (add’l release status is tracked on my ko-fi page).

 

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