Male Sing and His Pet Owner: Chapter 69

After rushing through the schedule to finish filming the advertisement at RA, Zhan Hang had to hurry back to the city to record a variety show.

Zhao Kaile was in the car looking at the script that the production team had sent in the group chat after communicating the details countless times. It was said that the investors had even spent a fortune to bring in a team from Country H, which showed they really intended to make this show big and successful.

The thought that he would soon see Sun Yimin and Zhao Jingran, two eyesores, at the filming site made Zhan Hang’s mood anything but beautiful. Outsiders would only think that one was from the same company as him and the other called him brother, so their relationship couldn’t possibly be that bad.

“There’s only one female guest, Deng Xiaoran,” Zhao Kaile muttered to himself. “Why didn’t they invite Zhang Wenqian?”

“Her schedule is packed full. Where would she find the time for this kind of low-budget reality shows?” Zhan Hang said rather viciously.

Zhao Kaile scrolled through his phone and said, “Brother Hang, I’ve seen a few predecessors of this show. The heat and response were pretty good. Didn’t Sister Li say Jiang Chongyang even invited a foreign team? She must think this show can succeed to put so much effort into getting you in.”

“Did you see the persona they wrote for me?” Zhan Hang asked.

Zhao Kaile hesitated and said, “A gentle, neighborly big brother with strong action ability and high combat power…”

Zhan Hang: “Which of the words ‘gentle’ and ‘neighborly’ do you think has anything to do with me?”

Zhao Kaile: “Uh…”

“Can’t even fight for real.” Zhan Hang was dissatisfied with every segment he looked at, nitpicking everything. “If I get even a little serious, the fans will get triggered again.” He then imitated a little girl in a sarcastic tone: “Oh my, how can you lay hands on our brother? Are you jealous of our brother’s stunning beauty and want to destroy him because you can’t have him?”

Zhao Kaile nearly burst out laughing.

When they arrived at the filming site, those two hadn’t arrived yet. It seemed they were still trying to outdo each other in who had the bigger star power. The person in charge was anxiously making phone calls, but didn’t dare to call too frequently, only daring to call once every two or three hours.

Jiang Chongyang entered the lounge to communicate with the guests who had arrived first. He was a very amiable person. Seeing that two people were late, he didn’t get angry. He just smiled and told everyone to sit down first: “Let’s get to know each other first. Two friends haven’t arrived yet, no rush.”

The several people began to exchange pleasantries. Everyone present was around twenty-three or twenty-four years old. Only Deng Xiaoran and Zhan Hang were of similar age, so they communicated slightly more smoothly.

“Nice to meet you, nice to meet you.” Deng Xiaoran extended her hand and shook his jokingly: “I saw you were busy filming dramas before. Why did you suddenly decide to do a variety show?”

Zhan Hang smiled and said: “I also wanted to experience it. I see others having fun on shows.”

“Jiang Chongyang’s connections are impressive, being able to bring in Zhao Jingran and Sun Yimin.” Deng Xiaoran had an air of it being none of her business, and her words were quite humorous: “We’re all here to be green leaves… Everyone else in the company is busy, so they could only grab me to fill in.”

Zhan Hang was surprised by her frankness. His tone relaxed, and he could empathize with her situation, so he nodded sympathetically: “I haven’t seen you filming a new drama recently. What have you been busy with?”

Deng Xiaoran smiled: “I suddenly realized being a celebrity isn’t that interesting. I’ve been busy sightseeing and traveling everywhere.”

Zhan Hang was stunned for a moment upon hearing this and couldn’t help but look at her with new respect.

“Not young anymore. Want to go get a certificate with my husband,” Deng Xiaoran said. “Our women’s shelf life isn’t as long as you men’s.”

Zhan Hang smiled bitterly: “It’s about the same.”

After chatting for a while, Sun Yimin arrived first. He still had some manners, apologizing to Jiang Chongyang and everyone before sitting down. But Zhao Jingran was late and didn’t come, so everyone had to communicate about other segments first. Zhan Hang quietly got up, preparing to go out to the restroom.

Zhao Kaile saw him come out and quickly stood up, asking with his eyes if he needed anything.

Zhan Hang said: “Going to relieve myself. No need to follow.”

Zhao Kaile still followed, saying: “I’m going too.”

Zhan Hang looked at him suspiciously, then glanced around at the other artists’ assistants, and nodded.

The two walked one after the other.

When they reached a slightly quieter section, Zhan Hang asked: “What’s up? Did someone say something?”

“Nothing,” Zhao Kaile said a bit embarrassedly. “They don’t talk much.”

“Feeling bored?” Zhan Hang went into the restroom to relieve himself, saying casually: “Go play outside for a bit. Come back when I call you.”

Zhao Kaile waited outside for him, leaning against the wall weakly: “How could that be…”

The sound of a stall door opening came from inside. Both fell silent at the same time.

Zhan Hang followed the sound and looked back, showing a surprised expression. The other party wasn’t very surprised, instead greeting him with a grin: “Hello, big star Zhan. Long time no see.”

“…” Zhan Hang pulled up his pants and said angrily: “What the hell, when did you get back?”

The man sauntered over to put his arm on Zhan Hang’s shoulder: “Morning flight today. Why should I report to you? We’re seeing each other now, aren’t we?”

Zhan Hang kicked him: “Get lost! Did you wash your hands?”

“What attitude is this! You puked all over me after drinking back in the day, and did I say anything!” The man got angry after being kicked, rolling up his sleeves: “Want to fight, huh!”

Zhan Hang wasn’t afraid of him at all, instead arrogantly provoking him: “Come on, come on. Let’s see what kind of shady martial arts you learned abroad.”

The man: “@!¥#¥@%¥#!”

Zhao Kaile couldn’t make out what they were arguing about inside at all. He only knew Zhan Hang was about to fight someone, so he rushed in and shouted in panic: “Brother Hang! Don’t be impulsive!!”

However, these two hadn’t even started fighting yet. It was just that their verbal conflict was rather intense.

Zhan Hang arrogantly poked the other person’s shoulder with his finger, cursing him as an idiot.

That person saw Zhao Kaile rush in and couldn’t really blow up. He casually slapped Zhan Hang’s hand away, turned around to straighten his clothes, and only then turned back to extend his hand to Zhao Kaile, revealing a handsome and gentlemanly smile like a Sichuan opera face-changing: “Hello, I’m Zhou Jiyang, this idiot… Zhan Hang’s childhood friend.”

Zhao Kaile shook his hand in shock, looking at Zhan Hang with hesitant eyes.

Zhan Hang gave an “mm,” glanced down, and coldly told Zhao Kaile: “He hasn’t washed his hands yet.”

Zhao Kaile: “…”

So the three of them lined up to wash their hands, went out, and Zhan Hang and Zhou Jiyang walked side by side in front, with Zhao Kaile following behind curiously observing, not asking much, thinking to himself that it seemed Brother Hang really wasn’t lying. He really did have friends.

However, he was also very curious about what kind of person could be friends with Zhan Hang for so many years.

Zhou Jiyang was obviously a chatterbox. When he ran into Zhan Hang, he couldn’t stop talking, saying: “My brother isn’t coming, so my dad told me to come and take a look. He said he doesn’t feel at ease if there’s no one from our family watching over a project we invested in. Why doesn’t he come himself, this old man…”

“Then didn’t you see the guest list long ago?” Zhan Hang asked with a frown.

Zhou Jiyang: “Yeah, but I wasn’t planning to have a warm reunion with you in the restroom.”

Zhan Hang said heartlessly: “Psycho.”

“You’re not sick. You’re not sick but you’re doing a variety show. Isn’t that beneath you?” Zhou Jiyang mocked: “At your age, fighting for topics and heat with a bunch of young fresh meat. What are you fighting for.”

Zhan Hang immediately got angry again: “Are you asking for a beating??”

Zhou Jiyang put on an exaggerated expression: “Beat me, beat me. I’ll call a few cameramen over right now.”

Zhan Hang: “…”

Zhao Kaile listened and couldn’t stop holding back laughter, tears almost coming out. He completely didn’t expect Zhan Hang’s childhood friend to have this kind of personality. Too lively.

Zhou Jiyang glanced out of the corner of his eye at Zhao Kaile, slightly restrained his expression, put his arm around Zhan Hang’s shoulder, leaned in and quietly asked: “I didn’t recognize the wrong person, right? Is it him?”

“Mm.” Zhan Hang coughed and said vigilantly: “Don’t ask too much.”

Zhou Jiyang grinned mischievously at him, then bumped him with his shoulder. Zhan Hang reluctantly bumped back. The two stumbled along for a while. Zhao Kaile watched with a dark expression, feeling that when these two got together, they were completely elementary schoolers!

When they reached the entrance, Zhao Jingran arrived. The important members of “Unnatural Events” were finally all gathered, and the show officially began recording.

The artists and staff were busy on stage. The idlers and assistants sat below watching and waiting at any time for their bosses to summon them.

However, the idler Zhou Jiyang had no interest in watching the live show at all. From time to time, he poked Zhao Kaile beside him, asking all sorts of random questions.

“How old are you?” Zhou Jiyang looked at him. “Graduated from university yet?”

Zhao Kaile politely said: “Just graduated. Will be 23 after my birthday.”

Zhou Jiyang rubbed his chin: “That’s not bad. The difference isn’t much. I thought you hadn’t even finished university.”

Zhao Kaile asked: “What difference isn’t much?”

“Nothing.” Zhou Jiyang laughed for a while, then asked: “I heard you have a website where you write novels.”

Zhao Kaile cracked on the spot. He thought to himself, Brother Hang is like a big sieve! How does he tell everyone about this!

“No, no,” he awkwardly scratched his fingers. “Just writing casually.”

Zhou Jiyang: “How long have you been with Zhan Hang?”

Zhao Kaile thought for a bit and answered: “About seven or eight months. Over half a year.”

Zhou Jiyang said understandingly: “Oh~ How does he usually treat you? Is he especially fierce, ordering you around?”

“Not really,” Zhao Kaile said rather indifferently. “This is the job of an assistant. Brother Hang is a good person. Doesn’t hit people.”

Zhou Jiyang looked at him again for a while, revealing a bit of a wicked smile.

Zhao Kaile: “…”

What a strange smile! What is he trying to do by asking me these questions!

Zhou Jiyang sighed and said: “This person has no EQ. In the first few years after debuting, he was too much of an idiot, offending everyone who had a face to lose. During these years of silence, he finally understood why he wasn’t popular, and only then did he slightly learn how to be a person.”

Zhao Kaile was stunned upon hearing this, and then understood many things.

So that’s how it was…

No wonder with Sister Li’s methods, with Zhan Hang’s dedication and hard work, he had struggled for so many years without breaking through. Because their starting point was already a large section behind others. What was lacking wasn’t just that bit of luck. It was fundamentally like training with weights on.