Isn’t money good?

Chapter 9

Their eyes met, and Yan Shiqiu forced a smile. “What a coincidence.”

Ji Yunnian scoffed. “I hope it is.”

There was no need to be so narcissistic.

Remembering his previous promise to Ji Yunnian to stay far away from him, he still felt the need to explain. “It really is a coincidence. I just came to look at paintings. I’ve been coming here these past few days.”

Fu Baiqing chimed in, “Yeah, that lady over there even greeted us earlier.”

After hearing this, Ji Yunnian’s gaze turned to Fu Baiqing, nodding at him. “How is Uncle Fu doing?”

Fu Baiqing was shocked. “You know my dad?!”

“I’ve met him a few times. The Ji and Fu families have business collaborations.”

Yan Shiqiu was surprised. Fu Baiqing was actually from the Fu family. The book had mentioned the Fu family. They were both competitors and partners with the Ji family.

In the end, the two families collaborated to swallow up Ye Corporation together.

However, Fu Baiqing seemed so naive and cute, completely unlike the Fu family’s style.

Fu Baiqing rushed up to Ji Yunnian and warned him, “I ran away from home, so don’t tell my dad you saw me.”

“…” Ji Yunnian’s expression was complex.

Yan Shiqiu, who had been listening on the side, was equally speechless. You’ve run away from home only to make such a high-profile debut as an entertainer, yet you’re still afraid of being discovered?

“Don’t tell him, okay?”

He stared straight at Ji Yunnian.

Ji Yunnian nodded.

Now Fu Baiqing was satisfied and returned to Yan Shiqiu’s side.

The gallery owner, who had been marginalized for a long time, finally found a chance to speak. “Mr. Ji, this is the sunflower painting you were looking for. This is Bai Zhi’s final work. Not long after completing this painting, she passed away from illness. She never married and had no children. Her parents, following her wishes, auctioned the painting for charity, donating the money to a children’s foundation. I bought it from the original owner half a year ago.”

“You can take a look.” As he spoke, he had someone take down the sunflower painting.

Yan Shiqiu was stunned and looked at Ji Yunnian. “You want to buy it?”

Ji Yunnian took the painting and examined it carefully, his tone cold. “Mm, my mother really likes Bai Zhi. She has all of Bai Zhi’s works except for this one.”

“Your family has all of Bai Zhi’s paintings?” Yan Shiqiu was overjoyed, his eyes burning as he stared at him.

Ji Yunnian looked up, seeing the light in Yan Shiqiu’s eyes and his undisguised excitement, somewhat surprised. “What, do you like Bai Zhi too?”

Of course, that’s my mother.

But he couldn’t say that.

“Mm, I like her very much.” He nodded emphatically.

Ji Yunnian observed him thoughtfully for a while, then switched back to sarcastic mode. “So you do have artistic sensibilities after all.”

Yan Shiqiu: “…”

“I know you just don’t want to see my good points, but that’s not right.”

“You’d better actually have good points.”

“Of course I do. If you don’t believe me, I’ll count them for you.” Yan Shiqiu held up his fingers, listing them one by one. “Respecting elders and caring for the young, polite and adorable, admitting mistakes and correcting them…”

Ji Yunnian was amazed by Yan Shiqiu’s thick skin and couldn’t help but interrupt. “The more you lack something, the more you emphasize it. You can match yourself accordingly.”

Yan Shiqiu said earnestly, “You can’t deny my precious qualities just because you dislike me.”

Ji Yunnian: “…”

Fu Baiqing and the gallery owner, who had been watching their banter from the sidelines: “…”

Well, should they not be here?

Seeing that Ji Yunnian had been rendered speechless by his words, Yan Shiqiu cheerfully made a victory sign in his mind.

Ji Yunnian stopped arguing with Yan Shiqiu. He returned the painting to the staff and told the gallery owner, “Please wrap it up and deliver it to my house. The price will be as you mentioned before.”

The gallery owner was delighted. “Yes, yes, of course.”

Yan Shiqiu instinctively spoke up: “Wait.”

“What, do you want to buy it too?” The gallery owner turned to ask him.

“I…”

Ji Yunnian also looked at him.

Yan Shiqiu lowered his eyes and gently shook his head. “It’s nothing.”

He had no money.

“You really like it that much?” Fu Baiqing suddenly asked.

Yan Shiqiu’s fingers curled up as he said quietly, “It’s very important to me.”

Fu Baiqing crossed his arms and paced back and forth several times before finally making a decision. “Then I’ll lend you the money, but you have to promise to carry me in games. I want to reach War God rank!”

He asked the gallery owner, “How much are you selling it to him for?”

“It’s not about the money.” The owner said awkwardly. “Mr. Ji and I had already agreed on this beforehand. I can’t go back on my word.”

“Then I’ll pay double.” Fu Baiqing was incredibly generous.

Ji Yunnian reminded him kindly, “Young Master Fu, aren’t you supposed to be running away from home?”

“I can ask my mom.” He pulled out his phone.

“No need.” Yan Shiqiu quickly grabbed Fu Baiqing’s sleeve to stop him from making the call, smiling as he thanked him. “Thank you, but it’s not necessary.”

“But…”

“It’s a fact that I don’t have money, and I was a step too late.”

He looked at Ji Yunnian again, gazing deeply into his eyes. “You’ll treasure this painting well, won’t you?”

Yan Shiqiu’s expression was very serious. Understanding that he truly loved the painting, Ji Yunnian rarely made him a promise. “We will.”

“Thank you.”

Yan Shiqiu took another look at the painting and left the exhibition hall.

Fu Baiqing hurried after him.

“Don’t be sad. Didn’t Ji Yunnian say his mother really likes Bai Zhi? She’ll definitely take good care of this painting. And she has all of Bai Zhi’s works. Adding this final one makes it a complete collection, right?”

“I know.” Yan Shiqiu tilted his face up. The sunlight was glaring, so he raised his hand to shield his eyes, murmuring repeatedly, “I know.”

Fu Baiqing felt that Yan Shiqiu was very sad. He thought for a moment and comforted him again: “Actually, it’s good that Ji Yunnian bought it. You know him, so if you want to see the painting, you can ask him to take you to his house to see it. That’s better than it being bought by a stranger.”

Yan Shiqiu had already recovered. He had actually been mentally prepared for this, but he just hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. He had no time to raise the money.

He turned to look at Fu Baiqing and smiled at him. “No need to comfort me anymore. Let’s go find somewhere to sit and play games. I’ll carry you.”

Fu Baiqing was delighted. “Really?”

“Why are you suddenly so agreeable?”

“Because I discovered you’re super loyal.” Yan Shiqiu said.

Fu Baiqing patted his chest and lifted his chin. “Of course! We’re friends, after all.”

Yan Shiqiu smiled warmly.

…

After lunch, Yan Shiqiu said goodbye to Fu Baiqing and went home.

At the entrance to his residential complex, a low-key black sedan not far away honked its horn and drove toward him.

???

Who?

The car stopped beside him. The rear window rolled down, revealing Ji Yunnian’s sharply defined, handsome face. “Get in.”

Yan Shiqiu was confused. “Huh?”

“Get in.” Ji Yunnian crossed his arms and repeated.

Looking at him quietly, after more than ten seconds, Yan Shiqiu finally opened the car door and got in.

“What’s this about?”

Ji Yunnian first told the driver, “Go home.”

Then he answered him, “You looked very worried about Bai Zhi’s painting being bought by me. To prevent you from spreading rumors later, I’m taking you to see how much my mother treasures Bai Zhi’s paintings.”

Yan Shiqiu was stunned for a moment, then his eyes curved into a smile.

“Thank you.” He said softly.

Ji Yunnian hummed in response, said nothing more, and began to close his eyes to rest.

Noticing the deep shadows under his eyes, Yan Shiqiu also stopped talking. He put his phone on silent and took out his script to read.

The role he was playing, Chu Yuexuan, didn’t have many scenes, concentrated in the first eleven episodes, after which he would officially exit, existing only in the protagonists’ memories.

But his presence was strong. He was the older brother that the male lead respected and admired, and the savior that the female lead could never forget. To both the male and female leads, he was like a white moonlight figure.

Just as he had said during his audition, Chu Yuexuan embodied the characteristics that Chen Hangsheng always favored: having the world at heart, kind and gentle.

Chu Yuexuan was born in an era of decline. His father was obsessed with women, trusted treacherous officials, and neglected state affairs. The crown prince was cut from the same cloth. Embezzling disaster relief funds and military provisions, framing loyal ministers and generals, allowing his subordinates to exploit and oppress the people.

After traveling the realm for two years and witnessing the people’s suffering, he wanted to change the situation. However, his father and brother ignored him completely, refusing to listen to his advice.

With no other options, he finally embarked on the path of rebellion.

He killed his brother and orchestrated a palace coup, but ultimately fell victim to his own goodness, dying under countless arrows. His body was not allowed to be buried in the imperial mausoleum and was abandoned in a mass grave.

A tragic ending that left a lasting impression.

After finishing the script, Yan Shiqiu once again confirmed Chen Hangsheng’s favoritism. In just ten episodes, there were highlight scenes in almost every one.

Finally writing Chu Yuexuan’s death both fit the character’s fate and added tragic color, earning tears for Chu Yuexuan and making people love and remember him even more.

Such favored treatment made him very happy.

For actors, it wasn’t about having few scenes. The fear was getting a character that was bland and forgettable, one that audiences forgot immediately after watching. That would truly be acting for nothing.

He felt somewhat excited. He could predict that the character of Chu Yuexuan would definitely make him an overnight sensation.

“We’re here.”

Ji Yunnian’s voice suddenly rang out, pulling him back from his thoughts.

Yan Shiqiu snapped back to reality, put away his script, and opened the car door to get out.

Looking up, he gazed at the building before him that was identical to the one in his memory, his breathing catching.

Ji Yunnian walked a few steps, noticed Yan Shiqiu hadn’t followed, stopped and looked back at him. Seeing his shocked yet nostalgic expression, he was puzzled. “What’s wrong with you?”

After a long while, Yan Shiqiu finally spoke: “This is your home?”

Ji Yunnian was speechless. “If it’s not my home, is it yours?”

What a coincidence. It really was his home.

In the real world.

His family’s house was very famous and valuable. The architectural blueprints were personally drawn by his grandparents, both of whom were very famous designers. Later it became his mother’s former residence. When it was auctioned to pay debts, it sold for 900 million yuan.

He thought that in the book world, it became Ji Yunnian’s home probably because the author casually used it as a setting.

Collecting himself, he suppressed his emotions and walked to Ji Yunnian’s side.

“I was just admiring it because it’s very beautiful.” Yan Shiqiu said.

“Not bad, your aesthetic is on point.”

Yan Shiqiu “hehe’d” at him. “My aesthetic has always been on point.”

Ji Yunnian smiled. “Flashy and gaudy, indeed on point.”

Yan Shiqiu instantly understood what he was referring to. Although he also thought the original owner’s dressing style was too flashy, he had to admit it wasn’t ugly. Having good looks meant he could pull it off.

He defended the original owner: “With looks, you can be willful. It was obviously very good-looking.”

He stared at Ji Yunnian and added, “Do you dare say I used to dress ugly?”

Ji Yunnian fell silent.