Chapter 135: So It Was an Old Friend Flexing (Extra Chapter, Seeking Monthly Tickets)

Han Han was truly beyond reproach; the fact that he could pull off the stunt of hiding gold inside his books showed that this guy was a bit abstract.

Yet, he never imagined that after pulling such "performance art" back in the day, he would run into someone even more abstract.

That limited edition batch of *1988* only had one hundred copies in total!

He lost three thousand on every copy sold, meaning he lost three hundred thousand on those one hundred copies.

Of course, given his style, dropping three hundred thousand to pull a stunt was actually nothing; it was quite normal for something like this to happen to him.

But who could have known that one person would manage to sweep away a quarter of them?

"How old were you in 2010? Spending that much money to buy books?" Zhao Liying finally couldn't hold back and asked.

"I was in high school, either my junior or sophomore year, I can't quite remember."

"You spent tens of thousands in high school to do that?"

"It wasn't my money, anyway." Bai Liang spread his hands.

When he bought those limited edition "trash books" from Han Han back then, his girlfriend had naturally footed the bill.

She was a little rich girl, too~ She had given Bai Liang fifty thousand directly.

Even after she transferred schools and they broke up, she never asked for the money back, nor did she want the books.

All in all, Bai Liang had suddenly made a small fortune.

Fortunately, he had long been accustomed to such things by then.

"Then we really are quite fated. I didn't expect that I let you, kid, make a fortune back in high school. Did you sell that gold?" Han Han remarked with emotion.

"Too lazy to sell it. I didn't have anywhere to spend money back then, so I gave it to my grandmother."

That gold was melted down to make a large bracelet, over two hundred grams. Bai Liang's grandmother hadn't worn the thing to this day.

But she did often take it out to fiddle with it~

When he went home for the New Year this year, the thing was still gleaming bright.

"Puppy love."

Sister Zhao couldn't help but quip.

Her focus was rather strange; after all, a little rich girl who could shell out fifty thousand for her little boyfriend to buy books in high school... that wasn't an ordinary person either~

This brat really had a knack for being a kept man!

"Didn't he have puppy love too?" Bai Liang expressed his dissatisfaction, dragging Han Han down into the gutter along with him.

"Ahem..."

That's true, too. This person's puppy love was even written into his books.

No wonder you two are "birds of a feather"!

Han Han always felt he had been caught in the crossfire; when she was discussing the role with him earlier, her facial expressions hadn't been this vivid.

Felt like he had been looked down upon in passing.

But after this bit of banter, besides feeling that he had some fate with Bai Liang, Han Han suddenly realized the two of them really seemed somewhat alike.

After the car crash, upon hearing this guy's reputation as a "track nightmare," he naturally became curious enough to inquire about him.

Upon discovering that the other party was also an actor, he became even more interested.

There were many actors in the entertainment industry who liked playing with cars, but they usually just collected them, buying supercars or vintage cars.

He really hadn't seen many like Bai Liang, who dove headfirst into the racetrack.

The key was that he drove really well!

Except for the fact that he was like a torpedo.

And the more he inquired, the more he discovered this guy's "versatility."

Besides his identity as an actor, he was actually an esports player, had even taken the national civil service exam and almost became a civil servant, and had also passed the judicial exam...

These were things with sufficient evidence; there were others that hadn't been verified yet.

If one hadn't met Bai Liang in person, the probability of thinking he was just building a persona in the entertainment industry would likely be quite high.

But as it happened, Han Han had truly seen Bai Liang drive on the track.

Honestly, for such a "torpedo," if he were truly building a persona, he would absolutely be the most dedicated one in the damn entertainment industry.

Risking his life to build a persona! Who could hammer him for that?

Although their hobbies and professions only overlapped in racing, upon closer reflection, Han Han really felt Bai Liang was somewhat like him.

Oh right! That was before.

He didn't feel they were alike anymore; he didn't have Bai Liang's ability to make a fortune just by picking up a girl.

In the field of investment, the two were worlds apart.

It was with these prerequisites that they had this opportunity to chat about the role while holding the script.

The prerequisite for an actor to be favored by a director is: to be seen by the director first~

Up until this moment, Bai Liang finally saw the script for the movie *Duckweed*.

In Han Han's previous movie *The Continent*, there was a famous line: "Only children distinguish right from wrong; adults only look at interests."

Yet *Duckweed* told the story of a group of "children" who "didn't look at interests."

Xu Zhengtai, who had watched too many Hong Kong movies, was the boss of a "gang," using his fragile and chuunibyou idealism to guard his hometown town.

The painful price didn't matter; after all, the answers were all in the wine.

Liu Yi, who was always being shunned, had a heart as precious as gold beneath his honest and clumsy exterior. In the days when you were accustomed to him accompanying you and ignored his existence, he might be the person who plucked your heartstrings the most.

Xiao Ma, a youth who was out of place with his companions but honest and sincere, possessed the largest dose of confusion and loss, probably because he hadn't yet guessed how vast a future belonged to him.

And Tai Lang was an intruder, as well as a spiritual leader.

Only he knew whether hoarding pagers or speculating in real estate would appreciate more, or whether opening a video arcade or a movie theater would be more profitable.

The characters in Han Han's movies were always very interesting.

After reading the script, Bai Liang looked at Han Han again with some curiosity.

That slightly scrutinizing gaze made Han Han feel somewhat familiar, yet it didn't trigger the subconscious dislike he usually felt.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just suddenly had a small reflection, recalled a little bit of the past."

"What past?"

"Back in middle school or freshman year of high school, I remember the Chinese teacher saying with a pained expression that the rebellious and ignorant Han Han would definitely be a flash in the pan like Fang Zhongyong."

Bai Liang's voice wasn't serious, and it wasn't much different from usual, just like he was casually joking with a friend, talking about the past.

It was just inexplicably mixed with a strange sense of clarity.

This made Han Han subconsciously sit up a bit straighter, a self-deprecating look appearing on his face.

But before he could speak, Bai Liang smiled:

"But back then, my deskmate, who was also the top student in the class, was sitting underneath, holding a pirated copy of *Triple Gate* and reading it with great relish."

"He said he really envied that unruly guy, envied his insistence on questioning and voicing his own opinions to this world."

At this moment, the style seemed to turn into a flashback.

Sister Zhao had long since stopped talking, her hands propped on the table, holding a thermos cup.

Her line of sight happened to pass through the cup, dividing these two men, born in different eras but both somewhat "strange," into two sides.

She felt this scene was very unlike the situation of directors and actors chatting about scripts and roles common in the industry.

Up until now, the two hadn't mentioned a single word about the role.

Bai Liang, who should have been the most concerned, was the least concerned.

Han Han, who should have been the "examiner," inexplicably had a bit of melancholy.

Sister Zhao listened half-understandingly, but she found fun in it.

Through the thermos cup in her hand, she looked at this one, then at that one, making the faces of these two handsome men turn into strange shapes.

Because of the angle, somehow Bai Liang's side felt like he hadn't changed at all.

While looking at Han Han's side, it always felt a bit twisted~

Hmm... Sister Zhao's inner thoughts: I always feel this Xiao Bai's guts are truly big!

However, an even bolder one came: "But a few years ago, you became the 'Father of the Nation,' and after you were no longer that literary Monkey King, he started cursing you."

Han Han:...

He held his breath for several seconds, and finally only said one sentence: "The times have changed."

"No, you're still that small-town youth, aren't you?" Bai Liang said with a chuckle, raising the script in his hand.

Han Han was stunned: This is getting interesting.

Watching the two men smiling at each other, Sister Zhao was completely confused. So, how did this script chat go? "Hmm, no problem, I'm willing to take this role."

Ah?!

*Smack!

Bai Liang took a slap on the leg from Sister Zhao, her little round face full of disbelief: Rebellious against heaven!

"Speak properly~"

Ah, this~ Bai Liang looked at Sister Zhao with confusion, as if he understood something, so he put on a confident smile:

"No problem, I'll take this role!"

"I give up on you, Director. His brain might be a bit abnormal."

The little round face was quite "vicious" when roasting people.

If it weren't for the fact that she was a "sister," Bai Liang would definitely have knocked her a couple of times.

But what made Zhao Liying want to curse was that Han Han actually nodded, too. "Thanks~"

Please... you... collect... 6... 9... books...!

"Ah?!"

"But there's another problem. For the role of the second male lead, I contacted Eddie Peng at the beginning, and it was basically almost settled, and the schedule was almost arranged. What should we do about this?"

Han Han spoke quite seriously, as if he were really asking Bai Liang for his opinion.

As a result, Bai Liang tilted his head. "That should be his business, why are you asking me?"

*Tsk*~ That makes sense!

This brat is indeed quite like Xu Zhengtai when he gets abstract; having him act it really is no problem.

At this time, Yanzi called, saying she would be there soon.

It started raining outside at some point, and Bai Liang found an umbrella, preparing to go pick up Yanzi.

Leaving Han Han and Sister Zhao there, one conflicted, one confused.

Han Han hadn't expected that his whim to come here would seemingly cause trouble.

From a businessman's perspective, he should have mindlessly chosen Eddie Peng.

Looking at it from the standards of the film industry, the other party crushed Bai Liang from every angle.

Just the fact that one was a movie actor and one was a TV actor meant they weren't on the same level.

Coming here to chat was mainly to stop himself from being conflicted.

As a result, it seemed even more conflicted.

Looking at the young man standing at the door, Han Han always felt as if ants were crawling on him.

*Ring-a-ling*~ *Ring-a-ling*~

The phone rang; it was Han Han's phone.

A few seconds after answering, his expression began to change strangely.

This call didn't last long, but when he finally hung up, the confusion on his face was almost piling up.

He muttered to himself: "Is it such a coincidence?"

"What's wrong?" Sister Zhao asked first, then made a joke. "It wouldn't be that Eddie Peng really found a way to quit himself, would it?"

After saying this, she felt it was funny herself.

As a result, Han Han's expression and eyes soon made her unable to laugh.

After staring blankly for a few seconds, Sister Zhao was full of disbelief. "It wouldn't be true, would it?"

Han Han nodded helplessly. "It's true. Just now, Eddie Peng's side said that because of a schedule conflict, he can't come over to participate here..."

"How could a schedule conflict suddenly appear at a time like this? Which movie is it with?"

"*Wukong*, he's the first male lead over there."

Sister Zhao was even more unable to understand. Could the schedule for a project like this suddenly have problems?

Wasn't it all arranged long ago?

Han Han spread his hands, indicating he wasn't very clear either; that's just what they said.

They sounded quite regretful on the phone~

"Brother Xiao Bai, why did you come to pick me up? Where is Director Han Han?"

Yanzi, who had rushed over, didn't care about the slight rain, and didn't even rush to go inside.

She pulled Bai Liang, preparing to "conspire" a little bit outside first.

"He's inside having a mental breakdown~" Bai Liang said with a smile.

"Mental breakdown?" Yanzi was confused, not understanding the situation, but... she brought a very interesting piece of news.

From a certain old friend.

"Brother Xiao Bai, your chances are very high now!"

"Hmm?"

"That Shuangzi seems to be making trouble again, Eddie Peng's schedule is very likely to have problems!"

"Ah?"

So it was solved in this way? Too outrageous.

Eddie Peng's schedule didn't really have any major problems originally; it would have been fine with just a little adjustment.

But a certain lead actress of *The Legend of Wukong* wasn't happy, feeling it was a waste of her time; why should she have to accommodate his schedule?

Playing the big shot, are we?!

Schedules are indeed quite troublesome for popular actors; with too many projects on hand, sometimes they can only make certain trade-offs, or compromise between the two sides.

The *Duckweed* project was launched too hastily; this guy Han Han even planned to release it during next year's Spring Festival.

That left even less schedule and time for the actors.

The first male lead, Deng Chao, had to join the crew seamlessly, with a schedule gap of only one day of fault tolerance.

Bai Liang had just said it casually; he didn't expect that they really started "finding a way."

However, he was a bit suspicious: is Shuangzi that powerful? Does she really attack whoever she sees?

"How did you two talk just now?" Yanzi didn't dwell on this topic too much and asked again.

"It was okay~ I find Han Han quite pleasing to the eye."

Hmm... this sounded a bit strange, but Yanzi didn't care, subconsciously agreeing first: "That's good~"

But after two seconds, she reacted and was suddenly stunned: "Hey? What about him toward you?"

"Don't know, that's his business, let him find a way himself."

"*Pfft*~ Brother Xiao Bai, you're really optimistic! Oh my, why is it raining today? So annoying, feels unlucky."

Rainy days are unlucky?

Bai Liang actually felt so, too.

He didn't dislike rain; if he were holed up in a hotel or a camper, listening to the sound of rain actually had quite a feeling and atmosphere.

But if he had to walk outside on two feet, it was a bit annoying.

At this moment, he and Yanzi were sharing an umbrella, and Bai Liang's shoulders were a bit wet, and his shoes were also a bit wet.

He frowned~

"Hey, the rain stopped! Good omen!"

Yanzi looked at the dark clouds dispersing in the sky, a look of joy on her face.

The rain cleared, and there was even a rainbow.

And Bai Liang unhurriedly put away the umbrella. "Let's go, it's your turn to go on stage, give Han Han some intensity!"

"Alrighty~"

——

Today's three chapters, fourteen thousand words, completed. See you tomorrow, *mwah*.