I really didn't intend to make a living based on my looks.

Jiang Chen stared at the bag of grapes handed to him, his mind going blank for a moment.

Late at night, someone knocks on your door. You open it and find it's Gulinazha...

Do you want some grapes?

He considered himself quite worldly-wise, but he really couldn't keep up with this girl's train of thought.

"……what?"

Naza's hand was still raised, the bag hanging in mid-air, and her face was already red.

"Grapes," she repeated, "seedless, white, and very sweet."

Jiang Chen looked down at the grapes, then looked up at her.

"Is something wrong?" he asked tentatively.

"No!"

"...You live here?"

"Yes, I live next door, in room 301."

Jiang Chen suddenly realized that it was her who had been banging on the wall the other night...

Jiang Chen stepped aside and invited, "Would you like to come in and sit down?"

"No! No need!" Nazha jumped back as if burned, then, realizing it was too rude, quickly waved his hands. "I meant... I just came to tell you!"

She took a deep breath, mustered her courage, looked up, met Jiang Chen's eyes, and then instantly gave up.

"Um...you sing really well! Really!"

Jiang Chen: "????"

Are you not here to file a complaint?

"That's it?"

"Okay, that's all... I won't bother you anymore... Goodbye!"

She turned and ran.

"etc."

Naza froze and turned to look at him.

Jiang Chen reached out and took the bag of grapes from her hand.

"Thank you. I'll take the grapes; I'll treat you to dinner another day."

"No, no, no need to ask..." Nazha quickly waved his hand and took a step back. "Then I'll be going. You go about your business."

She turned and walked away in a hurry, almost tripping over her own foot.

I took out my key to open the door to 301, but my hands were shaking so badly that I had to insert it several times before I could get it in.

The door opened, she slipped inside, slammed it shut, leaned against the door, covered her burning face, and slowly squatted down.

The grapes in my hand are gone.

What was she here for?

That face is all I can think about.

……

Jiang Chen carried the grapes back to the living room.

On the sofa, Zhang Yisan and Yang Zizheng were lounging side by side, holding game controllers in their hands and staring at the TV screen.

They were playing a Sony PS3. The slim version, which was released last year, wasn't widely available yet. This one was an older model, which Zhang Yisan had brought from home.

On the screen, Grand Theft Auto IV is playing, and Zhang Yisan is controlling the protagonist as he races through Liberty City, crashing into a row of trash cans.

"Overtaking, overtaking, overtaking, and then we crashed," he muttered.

Yang Zi followed behind in his own car, driving steadily without speeding or running red lights.

Zhang Yisan turned to look at her: "You follow traffic rules even when you play GTA?"

"I'm used to it."

"Someone like you would be a law-abiding citizen even in a game."

Yang Zi ignored him and continued driving steadily.

He continued to ask Jiang Chen, "Who is it? I heard a girl's voice."

"Next-door neighbor".

"What does she want from you? It's late at night, a man and a woman alone together..."

"I think you're too noisy," Jiang Chen interrupted him.

"Me?" Zhang Yisan pointed to his nose. "I don't even live here. What does she have to complain about?"

"I complain that you're too noisy when you play games. When you yell 'overtake, overtake!' in the living room, I can hear you even through a wall."

Did I yell?

Yang Zi nodded expressionlessly.

"...Okay then." Zhang Yisan agreed, but quickly leaned closer again, "Is it pretty?"

Jiang Chen glanced at him. "Is that the point?"

"Of course it's the key point."

"pretty."

"Then you have to treat me to a meal."

Jiang Chen was taken aback: "Why?"

"Because I'm the one who got you to move here. If I hadn't helped you find this place, would you have met such a beautiful neighbor? I'm your matchmaker."

Yang Zi added from the side, "This logic makes perfect sense. Please bring your Zi Mei along."

Jiang Chen looked at the two of them, and for a moment he didn't know how to refute them.

……

Inside a private room at a high-end club.

A pot of Longjing tea sits on the table, its liquor a bright, golden yellow.

Yang Mi pushed the door open, threw her bag on the sofa, and crossed her legs.

"Orange, why did you call me here? Don't you know I'm very busy? Filming for 'Palace' just wrapped up, and I haven't even had enough sleep yet."

Chen Sicheng sat opposite him, wearing a dark hoodie, smiling obsequiously.

He handed her a cup of tea, his tone ingratiating: "Old friend, I have good news for you."

Yang Mi took the tea, but didn't drink it, and glanced at him sideways.

"There's a TV series called 'Beijing Love Story,' and the female lead, Yang Zixi, is someone I immediately thought of. You're the first person I thought of."

"How about that? Pretty loyal, huh?"

Who is the director?

"I."

"I won't act."

Chen Sicheng's smile froze on his face: "Hey, what do you mean?"

"You?" Yang Mi leaned back in her chair, her expression disdainful. "You're an actress, and you suddenly come out and say you want to be a director? Have you ever even touched a monitor? Do you know how to write camera language? You don't even understand script format, do you? You think you can direct a movie?"

Chen Sicheng was speechless, opening his mouth but then closing it again.

The two have known each other for many years. They first met in 2005 when they filmed "Wang Zhaojun". Yang Mi played Wang Zhaojun and Chen Sicheng played her childhood sweetheart Wang Dun.

Later we became buddies...

Yang Mi's sharp tongue has been known for a long time; he's used to it.

He took a deep breath and changed his strategy. "Honey, this is my first movie, you have to help me."

Yang Mi stared at him for a few seconds, then sighed, "Alright, alright, I'll help you, okay? But I have one request."

"you say."

"I have a younger brother, a freshman at the Beijing Film Academy. He's a good actor and has a great image. Could you help me reserve a suitable role for him?"

Chen Sicheng's heart skipped a beat: "What's your name?"

"Jiang Chen".

really.

Chen Sicheng leaned back in his chair and glanced at Yang Mi with interest.

"Who is this kid? This is the second time I've heard his name."

Yang Mi remained calm, picked up her teacup, and took a sip. "Oh? Who recommended it to you?"

"Yaya".

Yang Mi's eyelashes trembled slightly, but she didn't say anything.

Ya Ya also recommended Jiang Chen?

Could this old woman also have feelings for him?

"Then can you agree?"

"You can ask, there's definitely no problem."

"it is good."

Chen Sicheng stood up, picked up his coat, and walked towards the door. At the door, he turned back and glanced at her: "Honey, you and that guy…"

"roll."

"Alright."

The door closed.

Yang Mi sat on the sofa, staring at the tea leaves floating in the teacup, not moving for a long time.

She felt inexplicably uneasy, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, she just felt a little uncomfortable.

The three of them were close at the time, and she always felt that Tong Liya's feelings for Jiang Chen were not just those of a brother and sister.

It's just a woman's intuition...

She glanced at the spot where Chen Sicheng had just been sitting, and a thought struck her.

How about... we try to bring them together?

The two old guys are actually the right age...

She pushed open the door and left, her high heels clicking as she walked away.

……