Chà Chà Novel

The weather was unusually beautiful, yet someone still had to cause trouble and spoil the mood.

“Why is he being bullied every time I see him?”

Xia Liangzhi stepped out of the spacious production van just in time to see Dan Shen stumble back a few steps after being shoved. How could he let such a perfect opportunity to play the hero pass him by?

The waist beneath his hand was firm. It felt wonderful. Xia Liangzhi gave it two more light strokes before reluctantly letting go. At Dan Shen’s startled expression, he smiled gently.

“Are you all rehearsing your lines?”

“M-Mr. Xia…”

The young man who had been acting so arrogant a moment ago immediately bowed his head in greeting.

Everyone on set looked stunned. A few could not resist sneaking out their phones to take pictures.

“Liangzhi!”

A casually dressed middle-aged man noticed the commotion, his eyes lit up, and he hurried over.

Xia Liangzhi’s faint smile deepened. “Good morning, Director Zhang.”

“Didn’t I tell you that you could come this afternoon? Why are you here so early?”

“I wanted to get to know everyone first. We’ll be working together for the next few months, after all.”

Xia Liangzhi gave a small wave. Several carts of cakes and drinks were promptly rolled in.

Standing behind him, Dan Shen found his gaze settling on the smooth, slender nape of Xia Liangzhi’s neck. For some inexplicable reason, the pale blue pheromone-blocking patch there bothered him. He remained lost in thought until the director called him twice.

“Dan Shen, stop staring. He’s playing your prince. You’ll have plenty of chances to look at him later.”

The expressions of everyone else on set turned peculiar.

Even Dan Shen did not immediately understand what the director meant.

Director Zhang clapped his hands and addressed the crew. “I’m sure you all know Xia Liangzhi, so I won’t spend time introducing him. Because of his particular circumstances, I kept this quiet to avoid unnecessary trouble. Let me introduce the actor playing Shen Qing’an in The Golden Age: Xia Liangzhi!”

The director was the first to applaud. The others finally came to their senses, and thunderous applause followed. Several of the principal actors were so excited their faces turned red.

It was Xia Liangzhi! With him in the cast, the show’s audience was practically guaranteed. This production was bound to succeed!

They would benefit from his popularity too. How could they not be excited?

No wonder the director had refused to reveal the other lead actor’s identity. If the news had leaked, people would have dug up every detail about the production before filming even began.

Xia Liangzhi’s arrival kept the set buzzing. Only when the director lost his temper and sent everyone away to rehearse their lines did things quiet down a little.

Given his fame, Xia Liangzhi had a private dressing room. Once inside, he finally had a moment of peace. The script in his hand was pristine; clearly, it had never been opened.

That did not matter. The system had already sent every scene directly into his mind.

Xia Liangzhi had accepted this script partly for the mission and partly because he genuinely liked it.

An unfavored prince and a young general. Using each other, then pursuing each other; seducing each other, then offering their hearts in earnest. In the end, one would guard the frontier while the other sat on the throne and ruled the realm…

“Host, why did you take the role of Shen Qing’an? Weren’t we supposed to take Yan Jue’s role…?”

Director Zhang had sent the script to Xia Liangzhi long ago, but the original host had turned it down. After all, appearing in a television drama might lower his standing.

Later, when the original host learned that Dan Shen had been cast, jealousy drove him to ask Ling Xiao to give Dan Shen’s role to someone else. Fortunately, Director Zhang firmly refused, so Dan Shen kept the part. Even so, Ling Xiao’s actions hurt Dan Shen for a long time.

Since Xia Liangzhi had accepted the script this time, the system had assumed he would demand Dan Shen’s role…

“Why would I play Yan Jue? Shen Qing’an suits me better. He’s a young ruler raised in luxury. I have no desire to spend my time galloping around on horseback. Yan Jue has so many scenes on wires, too. My skin is far too delicate for that.”

Ba La La was still uneasy. “This may be a drama with two male leads, but after it aired, Shen Qing’an barely made a splash. Only Yan Jue became famous. If you do this, I can’t help worrying that the original host will feel overshadowed and his resentment will rise again…”

Xia Liangzhi put on a vivid crimson robe. The makeup artist stared at him, almost drooling.

He stood and adjusted the feathered headdress on his head. A belt drew in his slender waist. His lips were softly colored, and his cool expression did nothing to diminish the nobility he exuded.

“Do you really think anyone could overshadow me?”

The smile at the corner of Xia Liangzhi’s mouth was both languid and confident. The hint of pride between his brows nearly sent Ba La La’s program into disarray.

Damn it. Forget it ever said anything!

The script wove love together with duty to the nation, only to end in tragedy. The original host had been in the entertainment industry for years. How could he not have known that, if performed well, this drama would make an impact? Someone who truly loved acting could hardly turn down a role like this. Yet the rules of this little world had forced the original host to refuse it.

What a shame…

“Damn it, the original host’s resentment just dropped another five points! M-Mr. Xia, from now on, you’re my one and only boss!”

Xia Liangzhi’s styling was fairly simple. His skin was already so fair that he barely needed makeup, and he was ready before long. When he stepped outside, Dan Shen was still getting dressed.

A young man in an imperial dragon robe brightened at the sight of Xia Liangzhi and hurried over.

“Hello, Mr. Xia! I’m a huge fan. My name is Li Nan. Could I have your autograph?”

Meeting his idol for the first time made the young Alpha so nervous that his palms were sweating. His pheromones escaped without his noticing, leaving Xia Liangzhi slightly uncomfortable. Xia Liangzhi said nothing, however. He took the pen and postcard, signed it quickly, and handed them back.

Li Nan was about to say more when Xia Liangzhi took two steps back and asked helplessly, “Would you mind putting on another pheromone-blocking patch?”

Whether someone was an Alpha or an Omega, accidentally releasing pheromones when overly excited was not a serious breach of etiquette.

Li Nan’s face flushed. He hurriedly backed away.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Xia. I lost control. This is so embarrassing.”

Xia Liangzhi shook his head. Hearing movement behind him, he turned, raised an eyebrow, and nearly let out a whistle.

At twenty, Dan Shen was in the prime of his youth. His black martial attire gave him such a commanding presence that it could make anyone weak at the knees. The youthful traces still visible in his face contrasted with his cold, fierce expression, creating an appeal that was difficult to describe.

“You look impressive.”

Xia Liangzhi did not hold back his praise.

The cool composure on Dan Shen’s face cracked for an instant.

Compared with Dan Shen’s appearance, Xia Liangzhi looked rather disheveled. Dust clung to his slightly loosened crimson robe, and the feathered headdress on his head sat crooked. Together, they gave him a fragile beauty, as though a single touch might break him.

Looking at Xia Liangzhi, Dan Shen seemed to slip into character in an instant.

This was how Shen Qing’an and Yan Jue first met in the story: an unfavored prince and a young general who held great power. What came next would be…

Dan Shen’s ears reddened. A delayed surge of joy made his heart race, just as it had when Xia Liangzhi caught him around the waist that morning.

He would be playing Xia Liangzhi’s lover…

It felt too unbelievable to be real. He was only a substitute, yet on screen, he would get to hold that radiant moon in his arms…