Anchor Effect - Chapter 18.2: I'm very cheap

He remembered that saying: when the emperor isn't in a hurry, the eunuchs are. It seemed like he was that eunuch. And the problem was that the emperor had noticed he was that eunuch.

"You care," Yu Xiu said.

Ye Yuchen had already prepared his response. "I'm just seeking justice."

Yu Xiu didn't respond, just gazing at Ye Yuchen as if trying to discern something from his expression.

Ye Yuchen was quite candid, though. "Why should they have the power to blacklist anyone they want? Do they think the entertainment industry belongs to their Shao family?"

"You're quite free," Yu Xiu gave up on studying Ye Yuchen's expression and looked straight ahead. "Defending your ex-boyfriend's honor."

"You don't need to care about what I do," Ye Yuchen said. "I'll do whatever I want."

"Actors can simply quit when they want," Yu Xiu brought up the topic again, even though he had asked Ye Yuchen not to mention the past.

"Isn't that good?" Ye Yuchen smiled. "Otherwise, who knows who will be this year's Best Actor."

Yu Xiu furrowed his brow, clearly not pleased with Ye Yuchen's nonchalant response.

Ye Yuchen was a bit helpless; it seemed no matter how he responded on this topic, Yu Xiu would be dissatisfied.

He decided to change the subject. "Have you thought about how to handle the compensation you received?"

Yu Xiu smoothed out the wrinkles between his brows and said lightly, "I deposited it in your family's bank."

"..."

Yu Xiu seemed different and yet not different, always sincere enough to catch you off guard.

"Oh," Ye Yuchen said, "our family has a good financial team. You won't need to work in the future, and you won't have to worry for the rest of your life."

"I still want to work," Yu Xiu said. "Retiring at twenty-eight would be too boring."

Indeed, Ye Yuchen thought. Although he occasionally wrote scripts and managed the villa's operations, his life was essentially that of a retiree. A retiree without a partner.

At this moment, Ye Yuchen's phone suddenly rang; it was a call from Zhan Yang.

He guessed it was a reminder to come back for dinner. He answered the phone and said, "I'll be back in a while. Ask Auntie to start dinner later."

"Okay, okay. Shall we go for a walk in the evening?"

"Yes."

The private hot spring bath was quite small, and Zhan Yang had a loud voice. Ye Yuchen didn't realize that Yu Xiu had overheard their entire conversation.

After hanging up the phone, Yu Xiu asked, "Your personal assistant?"

"Yeah," Ye Yuchen said.

"What exactly does he do?" Yu Xiu asked.

A physical therapist, of course, performed physical therapy.

Ye Yuchen's back condition wasn't severe and didn't affect his daily life, but it was a constant source of pain. Although the pain had lessened over the years, or perhaps he had grown accustomed to it, excessive physical activity could still lead to sleepless nights.

Taking painkillers daily could make him feel normal, but it would be harmful to his body in the long run. That's why Zhan Yang helped Ye Yuchen manage his pain every day, which was essential for him.

Most highly skilled physical therapists didn't want to work so far from home or family, so it was rare to find one willing to work on this remote island. Even if he made occasional mistakes, Ye Yuchen didn't mind, as finding the right physical therapist was incredibly difficult.

Of course, Ye Yuchen didn't need to explain all this to Yu Xiu.

"Yeah," Ye Yuchen thought for a moment and said, "to keep me company, I guess?"

Yu Xiu frowned, a look of confusion in his eyes.

"It gets boring," Ye Yuchen said with a smile. "He's full of energy, so having him around makes it less dull."

Yu Xiu's brow furrowed even more tightly, showing that he simply couldn't understand why someone would take on such a job.

But it was all fabricated by Ye Yuchen in the first place.

"What if you can't make a comeback in the end?" Ye Yuchen didn't want to continue the topic of Zhan Yang and casually made a hypothetical. "Have you thought about doing other work?"

Like becoming a screenwriter, which was Yu Xiu's dream job. Or perhaps he had already given up on that path, and with his experience, becoming a university acting teacher wouldn't be a bad idea.

"I've already thought about it," Yu Xiu said lightly, though his gaze held a hint of meaning.

"What?" Ye Yuchen asked out of curiosity.

Yu Xiu didn't answer immediately but stood up from the water.

His swim trunks were a bit tight, causing Ye Yuchen to quickly raise his gaze. However, certain nostalgic memories were still untimely, occupying his mind.

He quickly cleared away those thoughts, but by the time he refocused, Yu Xiu had already come in close. He leaned down slightly, with his hands on Ye Yuchen's sides, and brought his nose close to Ye Yuchen's.

"...What are you doing?" Ye Yuchen was inexplicably nervous.

He didn't think that Yu Xiu wanted to kiss him, but he truly had no idea what this famous actor was up to.

"I'm quite affordable now," Yu Xiu said while looking at Ye Yuchen.

"I know," Ye Yuchen replied. "So what?"

"So," Yu Xiu leaned in a bit more, his nose brushing against the side of Ye Yuchen's face, reaching his ear, and he asked in a whispered tone, "Do you want to keep me?"

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