AWUBV C11.2

“Brother Chu, I’m cooking. You should go out. The spice is strong.”

Yin Zheng turned his head away, coughed a bit, and continued cooking.

Knowing that Chu Yunsheng had an affinity for Sichuan cuisine, Yin Zheng, who happened to be skilled in it, decided to prepare a sumptuous meal to celebrate.

The range hood buzzed above Yin Zheng’s head, the chopping board was covered with various chopped vegetables, pots and pans were piled on the cooking table, and there was a greasy pot soaking in the sink.

In this small kitchen, there was a vibrant atmosphere that instantly filled the otherwise empty apartment.

“It doesn’t smell bad; it’s very fragrant.”

Chu Yunsheng took a paper towel from the dining table, walked over, and reached out to wipe the sweat from Yin Zheng’s forehead. He rolled up his sleeves and joined in to help, all the while inspecting the pots and pans. “Spicy rabbit meat?”

Yin Zheng nodded, his cheeks slightly flushed. “Yeah, I noticed you took extra at the banquet, so I thought you might like it…”

Yin Zheng picked up a piece with chopsticks and brought it to Chu Yunsheng’s mouth.

Chu Yunsheng instinctively opened his mouth, and as he looked up, he met Yin Zheng’s slightly embarrassed gaze. “Does it taste good, Brother Chu?”

Chu Yunsheng carefully took a bite of the rabbit meat from Yin Zheng’s chopsticks and then reached for an empty plate. “The taste is great, it’s cooked to perfection. Let’s eat.”

“Alright.”

Yin Zheng quickly turned off the stove and began plating the dishes. The ingredients for this meal were purchased by Yin Zheng during his earlier trip. He had prepared four dishes and a soup, all vibrant and bursting with color and flavor.

Chu Yunsheng savored each dish and found them to be even more delicious than what was served at the Sichuan restaurant during the banquet.

“I never knew you could cook.”

Chu Yunsheng recalled that this detail had not been mentioned in the original plot.

Yin Zheng served a piece of boiled fish without much thought. “I don’t really like eating out, so I’ve learned to cook for myself. By the way, Brother Chu, I plan to cook for you when I have free time in the future. The takeaway options around here aren’t great, and the supermarket is quite close.”

Chu Yunsheng ladled another serving of rice, contemplated for a moment, and declined Yin Zheng’s offer. “You’ll be very busy with filming soon, and it’s not ideal to have spicy food all the time. I’ll learn to cook in the coming days.”

As Chu Yunsheng spoke, a piece of boiled fish fell into Yin Zheng’s bowl with a slight splash.

Yin Zheng tugged at his slightly sweaty collar and was about to say something, but Chu Yunsheng changed the topic, asking, “Did Yuan Meng provide you with scripts? Are there any that you particularly like?”

Yin Zheng’s thoughts were instantly redirected, and he replied with seriousness, “Yes, he gave me a stack, and I’ve gone through them all. They’re all great scripts, but I’m particularly interested in ‘Ocean’s in France.’ I admire Director An, and even though the film falls under the category of niche literary works, I believe it can help me improve my acting skills.”

Chu Yunsheng nodded in agreement. “Director An is indeed quite talented.”

He then added, “However, this film is about to start shooting, and the male lead has already been cast for a while. If you take on a role in it, it will most likely be the second male lead, and a significant portion of the filming will be done overseas. If you’re interested, let Yuan Meng know, and he can arrange an audition with Director An.”

“I understand, Brother Chu.”

Yin Zheng nodded.

After the meal, Chu Yunsheng washed the dishes, while Yin Zheng sat in the living room, engrossed in reading the script. He eventually called Yuan Meng to discuss the audition.

Yin Zheng had already become quite different from the person he used to be, and as a result, the audition went smoothly.

He only stayed in the apartment for four or five days before joining the filming of “Ocean’s in France” in Paris.

Chu Yunsheng saw him off and decided to take a break from filming more movies or TV series for the time being.

After resolving the “Blue Sky Murder” issue, he focused on his scientific research. Changing into a lab coat, he spent a week at the research institute, making occasional trips back to the apartment.

However, the apartment felt empty and desolate. Chu Yunsheng, who was used to being on his own, suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort and didn’t linger any longer.

Yin Zheng’s filming was ongoing, but his role was substantial, so Chu Yunsheng could only receive sporadic updates from him. Most of these updates included photos of Parisian street scenes, blond foreigners, the crew’s lavish catering, and the passionate yet sometimes irate Director An.

Chu Yunsheng would read and save these photos on his phone. Everything was peaceful and stable.

But this calmness was disrupted one day.

Chu Yunsheng had just finished his experiment when he checked his phone, and was alarmed by a message from Yin Zheng: “Brother Chu, do you think the person in this photo looks like Tao An? The personnext to him resembles the CEO of the Zhou family.”

Chu Yunsheng hastily opened the message and saw a photo attached. Though the image was taken from a distance, it still showed Tao An in loose clothing with a noticeable bulging belly, as well as Zhou Ziyan with a gentle and caring expression.

Both of them walked side by side, accompanied by two bodyguards, and were surrounded by some shadowy figures.

Chu Yunsheng’s heart raced as he recalled a particular segment of the original plot. It was when Yin Zheng, while abroad, took intimate pictures of Tao An and Zhou Ziyan raising their children. Out of spite, he intended to sell these photos to the domestic media. However, Zhou Ziyan discovered the scheme and accused Yin Zheng of being a drug addict, leading to a fabricated drug scandal that destroyed Yin Zheng’s reputation.

In the original plot, Yin Zheng was caught taking photos by one of Zhou Ziyan’s bodyguards. Zhou Ziyan acted quickly, subdued Yin Zheng, and ultimately framed him.

Chu Yunsheng’s heart pounded. He couldn’t take any chances with this plot change. Without a second thought, he immediately called Yin Zheng.

“Du, du, du—”

But all he got was a busy signal. No one picked up.

A thin layer of sweat formed on Chu Yunsheng’s forehead. He quickly removed his lab coat, put on his jacket, and dashed outside. Simultaneously, he sent Yin Zheng a text message: “Do not leave the crew, be careful around Zhou Ziyan and Tao An.”

As Chu Yunsheng hailed a taxi, he contacted Yuan Meng urgently. “Old Yuan, send my Schengen visa and passport to the airport immediately.”

Yuan Meng was perplexed. “Why the rush? Where are you going all of a sudden? Wait… You’re not going to France to see Yin Zheng, are you? Are you out of your mind? Why this sudden decision? He’ll be back soon, so there’s no need to…”

Chu Yunsheng swiftly booked the next available flight ticket and replied in a determined tone, “It can’t wait.”

Yuan Meng: “What? What happened…”

Chu Yunsheng leaned on the car seat and raised his hand to pull off the gold-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose.

His heartbeat was thundering, his teeth clenched slightly, and he repeated into the phone: “I can’t wait, he needs me.”

“…I want to see him too.”