Anchor Effect - Chapter 17.2: It's Okay

When his phone rang inside the car, and he saw an unfamiliar number, he answered it using the car's Bluetooth.

"Hello, is this Ye Yuchen?" the voice on the other end said. "I'm calling to inform you that you've passed the audition, and you've been cast as Zhang Xiaole."

The news had come so suddenly that Ye Yuchen stared in shock at Yu Xiu. If Yu Xiu hadn't reminded him to brake in time, he might have run a red light.

"As for the details of the contract, someone will contact you later. Additionally, if you have any requests, feel free to bring them up with the production team, and we will try to accommodate them."

"Okay, thank you."

After hanging up the phone, the traffic light turned green, and Ye Yuchen pressed the gas pedal. He asked Yu Xiu with curiosity, "Can the male second lead make requests like that?"

"I'm not sure," Yu Xiu shook his head, but then he smiled, "Congratulations."

"Heh, it's not a big deal," Ye Yuchen tried to control his slightly upturned lips, not wanting to appear too excited. "What would you like to eat? My treat."

It was approaching noon, and they could have lunch before returning to school.

Yu Xiu didn't make a decision and said, "You can decide."

"Since we just had seafood, how about some barbecue?" Ye Yuchen turned the car around, leaving the road towards the school. "I know a place that's really good."

Happiness seemed contagious. Even though Yu Xiu had secured the role out of formality, he kept a smile on his face. "Sure, I'll go with your choice."

There was some traffic on the road, but it didn't affect Ye Yuchen's mood.

Even though Zhang Xiaole was just an inconspicuous male second lead with a hastily chosen name, it was a role Ye Yuchen had earned through his own abilities. This feeling was much better than obtaining what he wanted through his family's connections.

But...

Should he inform his family about this matter?

He hesitated for a moment and decided to keep it a secret for now. But just at that moment, his phone rang again, and the caller ID showed "Mom."

A sense of unease suddenly rose in his heart as Ye Yuchen pressed the answer button on the keyboard and said, "Hello."

"I heard you went for an audition?" A familiar voice sounded from the car.

"Yeah," Ye Yuchen's anxiety grew. "What's wrong?"

"Don't go. This project isn't up to standard."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiu looked at Ye Yuchen instinctively. Ye Yuchen's face remained expressionless, but his tone had grown colder. "I've already accepted it."

"What are you accepting? What's so great about a male second lead?" Ye Yuchen's mother still sounded indifferent. "Listen, didn't you want to switch to a limited edition sports car? Mom will buy it for you."

"I don't want that," Ye Yuchen pursed his lips. "I want to act."

"You can act later. This project isn't worth it now."

"When exactly is 'later'?" Ye Yuchen said irritably. "It's a role I earned myself. Why shouldn't I be allowed to act?"

"Do you really think it's a role you earned yourself? They knew who you were when you were introduced for the audition. The producer just called me and wants our family to invest in this project. Do you still think it's your own achievement?"

"... I am," Ye Yuchen gripped the steering wheel tightly.

"Okay, don't make a fuss. This project isn't worth the investment, and you didn't secure the role through your abilities alone. It's meaningless."

"I told you I am!" Ye Yuchen suddenly stopped the car by the roadside, and he was struggling to contain his emotions. "Have you even seen me audition? You just assume I got everything because of our connections, right?!"

"Okay, sweetheart, calm down first. Mom is just looking out for your best interests."

Ye Yuchen didn't want to argue further. Another call came in at the right time. He said "I'm hanging up" and then took his phone outside to answer it.

He didn't want Yu Xiu to see him in his current embarrassing state.

"Big brother," Ye Yuchen let out a breath and calmed his emotions. "Are you here to advise me too?"

Ye Yuchen had a good relationship with his older brother, Ye Bingkun. Compared to their mother, he was more willing to listen to his older brother's advice.

"Yes, I also think it's best if you don't take this role."

"Why?" Ye Yuchen raised his voice, but his anger was suppressed by Ye Bingkun.

"The production company behind this project is Xu Corporation. They have a project and want to secure some funds from me, but I've been delaying my approval. If they use your participation in this film as an excuse, it will put me in a situation where I owe them a favor. Do you understand?"

"But I didn't rely on you..."

"I know, Chenchen, but you also need to consider the family's situation."

Ye Yuchen's family owned a private bank, and he had never realized that it would impact his acting career.

"I've already been looking for your debut project. How about we start preparing for it in your senior year? You know I keep my word, little brother. Let's not take this role for now, okay?"

Ye Bingkun had made his point, and Ye Yuchen didn't have much more to say. He fell silent for a moment and asked, "Are we really going to start preparing in my senior year?"

"Don't worry, it will be a big-budget production worth hundreds of millions."

"...Alright."

After hanging up the phone, Ye Yuchen slumped his shoulders and let his gaze wander, fixating on the ground.

A voice came from beside him, Yu Xiu drawing closer. "Are you okay?"

Ye Yuchen tilted his head slightly, glanced at Yu Xiu, and then looked at the ground. "Not okay."

"You can't take this role?"

"Yeah, it's off."

He had been so happy just a moment ago, and now he felt equally disappointed.

Yu Xiu didn't know how to comfort Ye Yuchen. He moved his arms as if to reach out but stopped multiple times. Finally, he raised his hands and gave Ye Yuchen a hug from the front, whispering softly, "It's okay."

Hugs had a magical way of comforting people when they felt down.

Even though Ye Yuchen's mood had hit rock bottom, hearing Yu Xiu whispering "It's okay" in his ear made him feel like it really was okay.

Later, when Ye Yuchen looked back on it, he realized that it was probably at that moment when he understood that Yu Xiu was different from others.

Suddenly, the phone rang, interrupting Ye Yuchen's thoughts.

He shifted his gaze away from the white windmill and looked at the incoming call, which was from his older brother, Ye Bingkun.

"It might not be easy to help Yu Xiu make a comeback. The decision to blacklist him came from the Shao family patriarch, and we have to respect his authority."

"Isn't he on the verge of death?" Ye Yuchen said casually.

"It's hard to say when exactly," Ye Bingkun replied. "Or you can ask Yu Xiu? He might know."

As he said this, he seemed to remember that Ye Yuchen had no way of contacting Yu Xiu. He added, "Oh, I forgot that you have no way of contacting him. I'll inquire about it."

Ye Yuchen didn't want to worry Ye Bingkun, so he didn't mention that Yu Xiu was on the island. He simply said, "Alright, thanks, big brother."

Sitting across from him, Zhou Quan was clearly curious about the conversation. He asked, "What did your brother want?"

"It's nothing," Ye Yuchen said, looking at his phone, and he sent a message to Yu Xiu.

[Ye Yuchen: Come up, I need to talk to you.]

He sent the message, but there was no response for a while.

Yu Xiu had just urged Ye Yuchen that he’ll take responsibility, but now it seemed like he had disappeared into thin air.

"Where are you going?" Zhou Quan asked again.

"I'm going to find someone," Ye Yuchen said expressionlessly. Where had that cute and comforting person gone to?

Previous | Index | Next