Chapter 21: The Real Reason

Serious Mr. Yu, upon receiving the pleading look from Ruan Xingwen, felt a sense of delight; he quite enjoyed this kind of gaze filled with complete trust from the little leopard. Just as he was about to speak to comfort the little leopard, his cousin without any tact enthusiastically chimed in. "Xingxing, don’t worry, Mr. Yu is very experienced, he’ll guide you through, hehe." After speaking, he began stuffing food into his mouth again. "I heard from the manager that you’re the co-owner of this restaurant? Why are you eating like you haven’t eaten in days?" Ruan Xingwen asked in confusion. When it came to this, Yu Yue had quite a bit to complain about. "Isn’t it all because of Mr. Yu." He looked at the silent Yu next to him with blame, then continued. "He is joining a film crew for a shoot tomorrow, and there’s a lot of buzz online that needs handling quickly. When the manager responsible for game promotion reported this, I felt the online suggestions weren’t entirely unfeasible and upon reviewing your information, I found you suitable, so I decided to approach you for the contract." Yu Yue took another sip of soup, catching his breath before continuing his explanation. "Besides, you’ve been worried about online matters too, isn’t this killing two birds with one stone!" He nodded affirmatively after speaking, giving Ruan Xingwen a negotiating look. Ruan Xingwen looked at Yu Yue, then at the always expressionless Mr. Yu beside him, showing a helpless expression with a smile inside. Who would’ve thought the boss of such a popular game company is actually a chatterbox who can’t stop chatting. Yet, he’s quite adorable, different from those wealthy people he’d encountered before. Yu Yue is honest and sincere, and when negotiating contracts with him, rather than maintaining a lofty demeanor, he genuinely seemed to be seeking discussion. Ruan Xingwen liked this person. It’s not that he liked Yu Yue the way one likes a lover, but he liked his temperament. He always liked candid people, like Little Yuan. A person’s behavior reflects their upbringing and cultivation, and around an honest and straightforward person, there can’t be bad people. Unaware while eating silently, Mr. Yu, somewhat helpless with his naive and chatty cousin, was perceived as not a bad person by his little leopard due to this cousin. Ruan Xingwen’s face showed a sincere smile, and there was amusement in his voice, the address became much closer. "Then I’ll thank you first, Ah Yue. However, I can’t take on this endorsement for now, as there are some matters I need to deal with first." Yu Yue waved his hand, indicating he understood. "I know, you’re going to terminate your contract tomorrow, right? But, I think your company won’t let you go that easily." Even Mr. Yu, who was quietly eating, shifted his gaze to Ruan Xingwen. "There’s still a year and a half left on the contract. Initially, I thought I’d wait for it to expire and then retire. Who knew, one card draw could spark such a reaction. But seriously, are you sure you want to sign with me?" Yu Yue and the quietly eating Mr. Yu both looked at him in confusion. Ruan Xingwen could only lament the "misery" of the past two years. "I am somewhat unlucky these past few years... no, really unlucky. Any program I participate in either flops or has issues... so now, very few people ask me to participate in programs. I’m not saying this with any hidden meaning, just hoping you would reconsider, I’m afraid you’ll regret it..." After thinking for a while, Yu Yue still stuck to his initial decision, joking lightly. "It’s all in the past, besides, if you were really unlucky, what does drawing the last limited edition card a few days ago count as? Did your luck get stuffed into a balloon and finally popped after two years?" At this point, Mr. Yu had finished eating, dabbed his mouth with a napkin on the table, and looked directly into those eyes glimmering with starry sea, giving his affirmation. "Don’t rush to deny yourself, since we’re still here eating together, it shows we’ve made up our minds and believe you can do well." For over three years, the unfortunate Ruan Xingwen, aside from ridicule and resentment from various sides, hadn’t received affirmation and recognition from a partner for quite a while, Ruan Xingwen thought sentimentally. From Yu Xiaozhe’s words, he gained courage and assuredly promised. "Hmm! I believe this will be a pleasant cooperation!" Just after confidently speaking, he suddenly wilted again. "But I still haven’t terminated my contract, I don’t want to bring such profit to this company at this time." "We can help you!" "Need any help?" Both spoke simultaneously, glanced at each other, then disdainfully shifted their gazes away. To make Mr. Yu show such varied expressions, Yu Yue and he must be very familiar, both are surnamed Yu... could it be? "Mr. Yu, are you and Ah Yue... uncle and nephew?" The last "ma" carried a tone of certainty. Yu Xiaozhe’s expression, initially gentle like spring, turned icy cold directly upon hearing this. "Pfft hahaha!" Yu Yue burst out laughing, laughing for over a minute... "No, I just..." "Laugh again, and don’t expect your salary for this month." This time, Ruan Xingwen and Yu Xiaozhe spoke simultaneously. Hearing his sweet little money might fly away, Yu Yue immediately gave Ruan Xingwen a lesson in changing expressions, seriously refuting. "How can Mr. Yu and I be uncle and nephew! Mr. Yu is so young and handsome, charming and wealthy, a golden bachelor, a diamond rich bachelor..." "Alright." Yu Xiaozhe, helpless against him, interrupted Yu Yue’s irrelevant words loudly, then solemnly explained to Ruan Xingwen. "Yu Yue is my little aunt’s son, my little aunt is a late-born child, fifteen years younger than my dad." As for why solemnly, Mr. Yu also doesn’t know, he just felt it necessary to declare he is very young, he’s only twenty-eight! "Shuo Ri was something he just had to prove to his family when he was sixteen, a product of his rebellious period." "But, isn’t ’Godslayer’ popular and profitable?" Ruan Xingwen weakly questioned. "Indeed, this game is well-made and has great feedback, so when it came to the game’s third anniversary release, he approached me for endorsement, I agreed." Yu Xiaozhe’s words inadvertently answered Ruan Xingwen’s inner question, why Mr. Yu, who’d never accepted game endorsements, suddenly endorsed ’Godslayer’. Ruan Xingwen felt it necessary to ask further about the specific reason, after all, this isn’t a simple endorsement, it’s a collaboration with the double-award-winning actor Mr. Yu! "Oh, I just read online discussions, and most believe I’m an insider of the game company, why not just explain it straightforwardly, but instead come to me for endorsement, especially since I’m not that famous." At this moment, satisfied and content Yu Yue let out a laugh. "Of course, that’s because..." Looking at the obedient student-like Ruan Xingwen, waiting for his answer, he left it hanging. "Ahem..." Mr. Yu coughed lightly, actually curious too, apart from the estimated collaborative value they discussed, what was this unreliable Yu Yue’s initial thought. "When the manager put Xingxing’s photo on my desk, I just felt he really suited our game." "Salary..." "Alright! It’s because Xingxing is handsome! Is that okay!" Yu Yue finally shouted out the real reason, blushing... And Ruan Xingwen, due to this real reason, blushed to the tips of his ears.