6

A few years ago, a celebrity got into trouble when it came out that their daily pay was 2.08 million. Ever since, people online have used that number as a shorthand for us. Qi Yichuan knew Wen Fu didn't spend much time online, but he hadn't expected Wen Fu to be unaware of something so widely known.

After explaining, he didn't forget the post. He asked quickly, 'So, is it true?'

Wen Fu shook his head.

Qi Yichuan let out a breath. 'I knew you wouldn't...'

Wen Fu said, 'I don't make 2.08 million a day.'

Qi Yichuan: '...'

'Who's talking about that?' Qi Yichuan felt like his head was going to explode. He poked at his phone. 'I'm asking about what the thread said. Did you really call Zhou Ji fat?'

Wen Fu shook his head again.

Qi Yichuan let out another breath.

Wen Fu: 'I wasn't talking about Zhou Ji.'

Qi Yichuan: !!!

'You really did call someone fat?' Qi Yichuan pressed. 'Who did you call it to?'

Wen Fu didn't explain. He looked down at the comment section.

[Post 1] @Gong Er (Not a Fan of Ip Man): Finally, someone noticed this nobody. I ran into him at a commercial performance once. He kept a straight face the whole time and left right after singing. Haven't liked him since. I make sure to step on every thread that calls him out. [375 likes]

[Post 2] @momo (Darkened): Bump for the OP.

[Post 3] @Don't Love Me If You Can replying to [Post 1] @Gong Er (Not a Fan of Ip Man): So, gege... how is his singing? Is it auto-tuned or is he actually that good?

[Post 4] @Gong Er (Not a Fan of Ip Man) replying to [Post 3] @Don't Love Me If You Can: Gege... his singing is actually okay... The sound equipment where I was was pretty average, and the other singers were a disaster, but he... he was solid... his attitude just stank. [82 likes]

[Post 5] @momo: Random interruption... the IDs of the two gege above have such great chemistry. [189 likes]

[Post 6] @Sun Da Ying replying to [Post 5] @momo: Supporting Gong Er in locking his heart away.

[Post 7] @sama: ...What an arrogant 208. [219 likes]

[Post 8] @momo: If you don't want to get out of the elevator, just say so. Don't act like you're doing everyone a favor while giving them attitude. I bet his assistant got docked pay for that... [355 likes]

[Post 9] @I Am Not Momo replying to [Post 8] @momo: Ahhhhh gege... us workers really can't stand this... feeling for the assistant for 1 second.

[Post 10] @Nian Shi Lan (Doesn't Eat Pickles): So it was him... I was chasing my idol once and ran into his fans at the airport. He was super cold the whole time, looked so annoyed, just marched straight to the car without even glancing at the fans. Finally, he waved his hand at them like he was giving out charity... I'm telling you, his fans need to find someone better to stan. [401 likes]

[Post 11] @My Mother Tian Xiao Cao replying to [Post 10] @Nian Shi Lan (Doesn't Eat Pickles): Why does he hate his fans so much...

[Post 12] @Men You Ping (Already Home): My former idol... I started stanning because his face was pretty, then stopped because his attitude was too foul... Never saw him smile at fans... But to be fair, his singing is good. I still have a few of his songs on my playlist... I loop them every day. [86 likes]

[Post 13] @momo replying to [Post 12] @Men You Ping (Already Home): Your words... you still love him... [222 likes]

[Post 14] @My Idol Deserves the Temple replying to [Post 10] @Nian Shi Lan (Doesn't Eat Pickles): If he hates fans so much, why even be a 208 in the entertainment industry... wants the money but doesn't want to cater to fans. [316 likes]

[Post 15] @Gao Qi Qiang (Fish Seller Version) replying to [Post 14] @My Idol Deserves the Temple: You're already a 208, what's wrong with catering to fans? If a 208 can't cater to fans, get out of the industry. [75 likes]

[Post 16] @My Idol Is the Best Girl: Saw his songs recommended in the thread, I'm going to go listen.

[Post 17] @Call Me Father: Is this just reverse marketing? There's no proof so far. [166 likes]

[Post 18] @momo [OP] replying to [Post 17] @Call Me Father: I took photos at the time, but since I was standing in the very back with a lot of people in front of me, they're a bit blurry, so I didn't post them [Image] [457 likes]

[Post 19] @Lin Daiyu of the 800,000 Imperial Guards replying to [Post 18] @momo [OP]: Is that the one wearing a mask and a beanie? I think I've seen that.

[Post 20] @Men You Ping (Already Home) replying to [Post 18] @momo [OP]: That's him... I chased him offline three years ago and he was wearing that same windbreaker... Three years later and he's still wearing it. [59 likes]

[Post 21] @Leng Qi replying to [Post 20] @Men You Ping (Already Home): What... gege... does that mean he only wears this one piece of clothing for winter every year...

[Post 22] @Men You Ping (Already Home) replying to [Post 21] @Leng Qi: He has a black one too... a down jacket... he swaps between the two...】

Wen Fu glanced at the down jacket he was wearing, remembered the one Zhou Ji had swapped out for him, and kept scrolling.

【[Post 23] @Xu Jun Da replying to [Post 19] @Lin Daiyu of the 800,000 Imperial Guards: Have you seen him offline too, gege? Does he give people the cold shoulder then too... or is it something else...

[Post 24] @Lin Daiyu of the 800,000 Imperial Guards replying to [Post 23] @Xu Jun Da: No, it was on my brother's phone. A photo from a bar many years ago. I remembered it because his eyes were so pretty, but I'm not sure. I'll have him show me again when he gets back.

[Post 25] @Xu Jun Da replying to [Post 24] @Lin Daiyu of the 800,000 Imperial Guards: Sounds like there's some tea here... waiting for you... gege... don't let me down. [216 likes]

[Post 26] @Baili Tusu (Already Martyred) replying to [Post 22] @Men You Ping (Already Home): Such a stingy 208.

[Post 27] @Half-Blood Prince Severus replying to [Post 26] @Baili Tusu (Already Martyred): I wouldn't call that stingy... I swap between two coats in the winter too... because I'm broke /emoji [/: crying] [302 likes]

[Post 28] @Baili Tusu (Already Martyred) replying to [Post 27] @Half-Blood Prince Severus: But he's a star. He should at least have some basic image management. Is he really that unwilling to spend money on a few more pieces of clothing? Fans see him in a windbreaker at the airport one day, a down jacket the next, then back to the windbreaker. He hasn't taken it off in three years, even when the Taobao dupes are out of stock. The fans' schedule photos have a 100% overlap rate... no wonder he can't attract new fans. [12 likes]

[Post 29] @Cao Mengde (Eating Rice Bowl) replying to [Post 28] @Baili Tusu (Already Martyred): Not trying to speak for the 208, but are we really at the point where stars get dragged for having too few clothes? /emoji [/: sweating] [179 likes]

[Post 30] @Baili Tusu (Already Martyred) replying to [Post 29] @Cao Mengde (Eating Rice Bowl): Isn't my point that he's not responsible enough to his fans? He doesn't do any image management at all. Who wants to wait at the airport for two or three hours in the middle of winter just to see a walking windbreaker?】

The remaining ninety-some posts were all arguing about whether Wen Fu wearing only two coats in winter was right or wrong, and the entire thread had gone completely off the rails.

Wen Fu couldn't understand most of the forum slang. He handed the phone back to Qi Yichuan, eyes lowered, lost in thought.

Qi Yichuan asked, 'What do you think?'

Wen Fu pondered for two seconds. 'I'm a bit hungry.'

Qi Yichuan: ?

Truth be told, Wen Fu hadn't been full after those two chicken wraps. Just as he was about to scan the code to order more food, Qi Yichuan stopped him. 'Time to go.'

In the time it took them to talk, quite a few customers around them were glancing over, and some were already secretly holding up their phones to take pictures.

As fellow artists in the entertainment industry, Qi Yichuan had become famous earlier and was more well-known than Wen Fu.

After all, Wen Fu was a singer who focused on one lane, and he was the classic case of his songs being more famous than he was. Qi Yichuan was different—he was scouted for commercials in college, then shot to fame after one period drama. For the past few years, he'd played the lead in all sorts of major IPs. He had hit dramas and popular shows under his belt; he could be recognized on the street at any moment.

As they left the mall together, Qi Yichuan finally realized: 'Where's Zhou Ji? Why did he let you wander around alone?'

Wen Fu's eyes scanned the passing traffic for a taxi. 'There are sasaengs.'

'Oh...' Qi Yichuan understood. He pulled out his car keys and waved at Wen Fu. 'Come on, I'll take you back.'

Once in the car, Qi Yichuan said, 'Take your mask off. Don't you feel stuffy wearing it all the time?'

Wen Fu pulled off his mask. Qi Yichuan glanced at him while turning the steering wheel. 'You look really pale. Haven't you had any rest lately? Just running commercial performances?'

Qi Yichuan knew his situation, and he knew why Wen Fu kept taking work—to help pay off his debts.

Wen Fu's company was at a dead end. Since he was the only one who could make money, they squeezed him for everything he was worth, booking him for commercial performances that prioritized quantity over quality.

With Wen Fu's current fame, he could make anywhere from a hundred thousand to over a million for a three- or four-song set at a commercial performance, but the company took ninety percent of it. Sometimes, after a full day of performing, Wen Fu's voice would be so hoarse he could barely speak.

Qi Yichuan had once thought about introducing Wen Fu to acting resources. After all, the pay for filming was high, and it wasn't as damaging to his reputation as constant commercial performances. If he got lucky and landed a good production team, his fame could skyrocket. But Wen Fu had refused.

Wen Fu was stubborn—a mule, really. If he didn't want to do something, no amount of convincing would change his mind. He didn't consider himself a professional actor, so no matter how good the opportunity was, he wouldn't be swayed.

So Qi Yichuan guessed that a large part of the reason Wen Fu was running all over the country for these performances was his own choice.

As for why, Qi Yichuan couldn't figure it out, but his gut told him Wen Fu's goal definitely wasn't just to make money for the company.

'I'm telling you, that agency of yours is ridiculous. If they can't manage you, they should just go bankrupt. They book you for everything—sleeping at two, waking up at six, and the second you open your eyes, you're rushing to catch a flight. What is this, an extreme challenge? The only thing missing is them sending you to play the suona at a funeral in the middle of the woods,' Qi Yichuan said. 'That's not how you make money. When you really can't take it anymore, speak up. Get Dai-jie to let you rest for a few days.'

Wen Fu hadn't really felt anything, but with Qi Yichuan's constant nagging, his ears started to buzz. He blinked, and sleepiness washed over him again.

He did need a rest.

Wen Fu nodded. 'I will.'

The car pulled into the garage. Qi Yichuan started to follow Wen Fu toward the elevator. 'Aren't you hungry? I'll go up and cook you something.'

Wen Fu was too tired. He just gave a slight shake of his head, told Qi Yichuan to head back, and stepped into the elevator without a word.

The elevator doors closed. Wen Fu didn't press the button for his own floor. Instead, he went back to the first-floor exit and stood by the flower bed, staring at the bench where he'd hallucinated Fei Bolin sitting that morning.

Two nannies were sitting on the bench, chatting while pushing strollers. Wen Fu leaned against the wall, waiting until they left and the bench was finally empty before slowly walking through the garden.

He didn't sit in the exact spot where Fei Bolin had been. He stood in front of the bench for a while, lost in thought, then slowly sat down next to the spot where the figure had appeared, as if the hallucination from that morning were still right there beside him.

Wen Fu sat in silence for a long time. The wind made his hands and face go numb. Suddenly remembering something, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

This was the number Fei Bolin used to use. It was the number Wen Fu was most familiar with in the world, aside from his own ID. Over the past eight years, he had called this number countless times, and every single time, the result was the same: the phone was off.

But everyone has to hold onto something, even if it's hopeless.

Wen Fu lifted his frozen fingers, pressed the receiver to his ear, and waited quietly for the cold, robotic female voice to tell him, as it had hundreds of times before, that the number he had dialed was powered off.

But this time, two seconds later, he heard a 'beep.'

Wen Fu's breath hitched.

From behind one of the windows in the building behind him, he heard the ringtone he remembered so well.