The film and television city starts from the courtyard

Upon hearing Zuo Yongbang's words and noticing that Luo Shuquan and Mi Qi were both staring intently at him, Zhao Shucheng quickly waved his hand and said:
"Then you might be disappointed, I'm not one to dream."

"Really? I don't believe it!"

Seeing Miki's provocative gaze, Zhao Shucheng said, "I don't need you to believe me. It's pointless for me to come all this way and chat with you about these nonsensical things. I should have just stayed home and not come out. Maybe I could have written a couple more chapters."

"Xiaobai, are you avoiding the topic because you feel guilty?" Luo Shuquan asked curiously.

Zhao Shucheng ignored the others, took a sip of coffee, and said, "Alright, enough joking around. It's getting late, let's all go home!"

Miki watched Zhao Shucheng's retreating figure and said, "I told you there's no such thing as pure friendship. It seems Xiaobai's crush has failed."

"Why is it just a crush?" Luo Shuquan asked curiously.

"Isn't it obvious? Gu Xiaobai didn't confess to such a beautiful girl. Instead, he became her brother. He must be too afraid to confess and can only keep his feelings to himself."

When Zhao Shucheng returned home, he saw A Qian lying on the sofa watching TV in a rather alluring pose.

"Qian, can you tone it down a bit?"

"what happened?"

"What do you think? Look at you. Only I would have acted like this. Any other man would have been driven mad by his animalistic instincts long ago."

A-Qian tossed her hair and said, "Then why didn't you come?"

"Go away, don't seduce me. If you anger me, I'm capable of anything."

Zhao Shucheng was just joking. Although A Qian is good-looking, he wouldn't actually sleep with her like that.

Aqian suddenly looked at Zhao Shucheng and said, "Xiaobai, I like you because I like your character. You are genuine, unpretentious, and not hypocritical. You have all the flaws of men, but you never hide them."

Zhao Shucheng said, "Then why didn't you say so sooner?"

Qian said, "But I will never have anything happen between us, not because you are not good enough or charming enough, but because... I actually like girls."

Zhao Shucheng looked at A Qian, trying to see if what she said was true or false, but he couldn't see through it no matter what. In the end, A Qian sighed and slowly walked into the bedroom.

a few days later.

Zhao Shucheng was watching TV with Aqian when Aqian saw the actresses on screen and suddenly shouted in annoyance:

"Why can she act in it, but I can't? Why, why?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "Stay away from me, you're about to spit on me."

"I just want you to help me analyze why she can play the role but I can't. Do I look like her? Don't we look alike?"

Zhao Shucheng glanced at it and said, "It does look like it, but so what?"

"It's true that people are all the same, but different people have different fates. I look better without makeup than she does with makeup. Why is that? What's so special about that?"

"You'd be lucky to be born into the same family as her."

"Oh, Mom and Dad, what are you doing? Couldn't you have had me a few years earlier? Sigh!"

Zhao Shucheng said, "Qian, your uncle and aunt probably can't do anything about it. After all, they married and had children as early as possible when they gave birth to you. If you want to be born a few years earlier, you can only be reborn into someone else's family."

"Xiaobai, can't you at least comfort me and stop hurting me?"

"Okay, you can become famous now, as long as you're willing to go all out."

Upon hearing this, Wang Qianqian looked at Zhao Shucheng in shock and said, "Xiaobai, you've changed. How could you say such a thing? If I had such intentions, would I have waited until now, unable to afford food and almost sleeping on the streets?"

"So, some things are destined, just be yourself."

Just then, Zhao Shucheng's phone rang. To his surprise, it was Mo Xiaomin calling.

"Xiao Min, what made you decide to call me?"

Mo Xiaomin said on the phone, "Long time no see. Are you free? Let's go out for a meal together."

Before Zhao Shucheng could decide whether to agree, Qian grabbed his arm and mouthed, "Agree, hurry up and agree!"

Zhao Shucheng smiled and said, "Sure, no problem, you decide the time and place."

Mo Xiaomin breathed a sigh of relief when she heard Zhao Shucheng agree, and said, "Then it's settled. We'll meet at noon at a restaurant not far from the mall where we met last time."

Zhao Shucheng went to keep the appointment, leaving Aqian alone at home to cook, but she seemed distracted throughout.

She didn't expect Zhao Shucheng to have a new relationship so soon. Does this mean she can no longer live here, or even visit Zhao Shucheng often?
Whenever she thought about this, Aqian felt a little irritated, wondering if she shouldn't have joked with Zhao Shucheng about liking women. Maybe if she had just come clean back then, the outcome would have been different.

After Zhao Shucheng arrived at the restaurant, sat down, and ordered, Mo Xiaomin looked at him with a smile.

"Xiao Min, why did you suddenly invite me to dinner? What's up?"

Mo Xiaomin asked, "Can't we eat together if there's nothing else going on?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "Of course not, I was just a little surprised. By the way, I ran into you at the mall last time, will you be working there from now on?"

"Okay, so if your girlfriend wants to buy cosmetics in the future, she can get a discount from me."

Zhao Shucheng smiled and said, "That's unfortunate. I'm still single. You'll have to wait."

"Really? What a coincidence, I'm single too."

Zhao Shucheng asked curiously, "Didn't you get back together with your boyfriend? It hasn't been that long, and you're already having another fight?"

"I guess so. This time it's a complete breakup."

"How could I possibly know why? Did you cheat on me?"

Mo Xiaomin nodded with a wry smile and said, "Yes, we were upset because he was very close to other women before, and he promised he wouldn't do it again, but I never expected..."

Zhao Shucheng said, "Take it easy. It's better to find out sooner than to be kept in the dark forever."

"Too."

The two ate their meal somewhat awkwardly. Zhao Shucheng was unsure why Mo Xiaomin had asked him out, but he decided not to make the first move and would wait and see.

After Zhao Shucheng and Mo Xiaomin finished their meal and returned home, they found the house pitch black with no lights on, and there was even a pungent smell wafting out.

Zhao Shucheng quickly turned on the light and saw A Qian sitting on the floor in front of the sofa, drinking red wine, with a plate of black things on the coffee table.

"Qian, what are you doing?" Zhao Shucheng rushed into the kitchen. Sure enough, something was still burning on the stove. If Zhao Shucheng hadn't come back early, it might have already caught fire.

"Leave it there, I'll do it!"

"What are you doing here? The house will be on fire soon."

Zhao Shucheng turned off the stove and then opened the window to let the wind in.

Aqian sat on the ground, holding a glass of red wine, watching Zhao Shucheng bustling around without saying a word, just giggling.

"No, Qian, what's gotten into you?"

As if just coming to her senses, A-Qian said, "Xiao-Bai, you're back? Welcome back."

"You only saw me after I got back? What happened? Why did you drink so much?"

Ah Qian said, "I originally wanted to eat, so I cooked for myself, but I messed it up, so I can only drink to relieve my boredom."

A-Qian looked at Zhao Shucheng with a somewhat innocent expression. After seeing him sit down, she leaned over and asked, "How was your date?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "It wasn't really a date, just having a meal together."

"I asked you last time what your relationship was with this Mo Xiaomin, and when you met, but you didn't say. Can you tell me now?"

"It was the afternoon we met Zuo Yongbang, after we parted ways. We met by chance and almost got together."

"Really? Then why didn't you two get together back then?"

"Her boyfriend cheated on her, and she wanted to get revenge on him, but then he tried to get back together with her, and naturally we lost contact."

"what about now?"

"Now, it's hard to say. She said she broke up with her boyfriend."

"Then why is she contacting you? Is she asking for compensation for emotional distress?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "Qian, I've noticed that all you think about these days is money?"

"I suddenly had an epiphany and realized that without money, everything is difficult. As an actress, I'm just trying to survive without any roles, so I don't have any ambitions anymore. But how about I pursue you now?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "Of course, no problem. But you know me, I'm quite fickle. While I don't fall in love with everyone I meet, I also never stay with one person for long. In fact, I might break up with someone over a small disagreement. Are you willing to do that?"

Ah Qian paused for a moment, then said, "I was just kidding. But let's make a deal: when you're forty and nobody wants you, and I'm forty and nobody wants me either, we'll live together as a couple, okay?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "Is this the legendary backup plan?"

"Completely correct!"

"Absolutely impossible."

Seeing Qian's blank stare, Zhao Shucheng said with a smile, "Qian, you are different from me. A man is in his prime at forty and can still find young girls in their twenties or thirties, but you are different. You are already old and faded and can only find old men in their fifties or sixties. This is called having different paths and not being able to work together."

"Well, you, Xiaobai, I never thought you were this kind of person. I guess I misjudged you."

"It's not that you misjudged me, it's that you simply don't understand men. Men will always prefer eighteen-year-old girls. Although I only like beautiful women and I'm not too strict about age, I can't possibly make someone wait for me for more than ten years. I can't do something so heartless."

Zhao Shucheng, while pressing on A Qian's shoulder, said, "A Qian, if you really like me, just say it directly, and I'll consider it. But if it's just a joke, I hope you won't make jokes like that in the future, because too many of them will hurt our feelings."

Before Qian could say anything, Zhao Shucheng stood up and said, "Qian, I find myself feeling very relaxed when I'm with you. Perhaps you are my soulmate, and I don't want this feeling to suddenly disappear."

Aqian was already quite drunk. When she heard Zhao Shucheng say that, she tried to stand up, but instead fell into Zhao Shucheng's arms.

At this moment, the two were very close, really close, and the distance between them was getting closer and closer. A-Qian could not hear any other sounds and even closed her eyes on her own.

Zhao Shucheng looked at A Qian and couldn't help but laugh.

Hearing Zhao Shucheng's laughter, Aqian couldn't help but open her eyes, look at Zhao Shucheng, and say, "What are you doing?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "It's not impossible, but I'm afraid you'll regret it later."

As he spoke, Zhao Shucheng helped A Qian to her feet, then turned around and went straight back to his bedroom.

Aqian stared at Zhao Shucheng's retreating figure, frozen in place for a moment.

In the time that followed, Zhao Shucheng and A Qian continued to get along as before, playing together, shopping together, joking around, and chatting.

Occasionally, when Zhao Shucheng is reading, Aqian will paint her toenails while placing her feet on Zhao Shucheng's lap to dry, giving off a feeling of an old married couple.

When Zhao Shucheng was working, A Qian never bothered him. At most, she would fill Zhao Shucheng's water glass with water or wash some fruit.

During this period, Zhao Shucheng and Mo Xiaomin had a few meals together, but their relationship remained ordinary, as if they were just friends having a meal together.

That day, Zhao Shucheng met with Zuo Yongbang, Luo Shuquan, and Mi Qi again.

Miki looked at Zhao Shucheng curiously and asked, "Xiaobai, why didn't you bring Qian with you?"

“This is a gathering of friends. What’s the point of bringing Qian along? She’s not my girlfriend.”

"Really? But it's a gathering of friends, and Qian is our friend too, so why can't she come along?"

Zhao Shucheng said, "Really? So you can bring friends? Why didn't you bring any?"

The others were taken aback for a moment, and then Mickey said, "I don't have many friends, so naturally I can't bring any."

Zuo Yongbang smiled and said, "My friends' schedules are uncertain, and it's not suitable for them."

As for Luo Shuquan, he doesn't have many friends to begin with, and the only girl he's pursuing is Zuo Yongbang's daughter, so it's even less appropriate for him to bring her here. Besides, he has a special kind of feeling for Mi Qi.

"So, it's a bit inappropriate for Ah Qian to show up here so abruptly, but maybe there will be an opportunity in the future."

Miki asked, "What, are you not planning to keep your relationship purely platonic?"

"Not really, it's just that I suddenly realized that Qian might have feelings for me, so I can only take it one step at a time."

"You see, I told you there's no such thing as a purely platonic relationship between men and women. Even if one party thinks that way, the other party may not necessarily think the same way."

Zhao Shucheng smiled and said, "I admit you have a point. Actually, I've thought about this carefully these past few days. It's normal for men and women to be just friends, but to advance to the level of good friends already means there's a certain level of mutual attraction."

"Although this feeling of goodwill is not necessarily love, it may turn into love when the relationship progresses further. However, the fear of changes in the way they get along, or even the fear of drifting apart, leads them to suppress this feeling and what they show is a pure friendship."

"But when someone of the opposite sex, or even someone they like, appears around the other person, they unconsciously feel repulsed, yet still have to try hard to pretend." (End of Chapter)