Huayu: You were supposed to be a top star, but you've become capital?

The car drove into the underground parking garage of Palm Bay and came to a stop.

Bai Mengyan opened the car door and followed closely behind Lin Shen.

Lin Shen took two steps, then noticed the tail behind him, stopped, and turned to look at her:

"Aren't you going home to rest? You don't have classes tomorrow?"

Bai Mengyan blinked, pointed in the direction of the elevator, and said in a slightly hesitant tone:

"No... Brother Shen, we haven't drunk the porridge yet."

Seeing her reluctantly follow, Lin Shen gently patted Bai Mengyan's shoulder.

"Alright, I was just kidding. Why drink cold porridge? Be careful not to get a stomachache. Go back quickly, get some sleep, and make sure you're well-rested. You'll be joining the crew soon."

"Really?" Bai Mengyan's eyes lit up, and she instantly became lively. "Brother Shen, you're not angry anymore?"

"If you keep nagging, I'll really make you drink it." Lin Shen pretended to press the elevator button.

"Enough chit-chat, I'm off! Goodnight, Shen Ge; goodnight, Chao Yue~"

Bai Mengyan immediately turned around and jogged lightly towards her building, waving back as she did so.

Watching her disappear around the corner, Lin Shen and Yang Chaoyue entered the elevator together.

As the elevator ascended, only Lin Shen and Yang Chaoyue remained in the car.

The numbers were ticking away. Yang Chaoyue stared at his toes, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his clothes.

With a "ding," the elevator doors opened, and Lin Shen stepped out first, entering the password to open his apartment door.

The warm yellow motion-sensor lights inside the room automatically turned on, dispelling the chill of the corridor. Lin Shen casually draped his suit jacket over the sofa and walked towards the open kitchen island, where an insulated bag was placed.

Lin Shen opened the package and glanced at it. Sure enough, the porridge had cooled completely, with a thin film forming on the surface: "It's really cold."

Yang Chaoyue immediately said, "Brother Shen, shall I... shall I go heat it up for you? Or cook something else?"

"No need." Lin Shen walked to the living room sofa and sat down, rubbing his temples. "You sit down too."

Yang Chaoyue moved over, not sitting on the sofa, but on the carpet next to the coffee table, looking up at him, her voice soft:

"Brother Shen, I'm sorry."

Lin Shen looked at her.

"I shouldn't have taken Mengyan there without asking first," Yang Chaoyue said, looking down at his fingers. "And...and I bothered you too."

Lin Shen looked at her and suddenly smiled, reaching out to rub her head.

"Don't overthink it, I'm not blaming you."

Yang Chaoyue suddenly looked up: "Really? You're not angry that I disturbed you and Teacher Tang Yan... you know?"

She was still young, and her words were mumbled, her face already flushed.

Lin Shen found her blunt question somewhat amusing: "So what if it's strange? Do you expect me to go and call Tang Yan back right now?"

Yang Chaoyue shook his head like a rattle-drum: "I won't do it!" After saying that, he couldn't help but grin like an idiot.

The tension and fear I felt on the way here dissipated most of it with this smile.

Looking at her silly grin, Lin Shen suddenly asked, "Do you have a problem with Tang Yan?"

"It's not that I have any objections..." Yang Chaoyue wrinkled his nose, trying to find the right words.

"I just feel... she's... well, anyway, she seems a lot older than you, Brother Shen, and yet... I feel like you're getting the short end of the stick."

Upon hearing this, Lin Shen couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle: "Alright, stop putting such a thick filter on me. I'm not some saint who doesn't eat the food of mortals, nor am I a perfect person who is good at everything."

"No way!" Yang Chaoyue immediately retorted, extremely earnestly, "I just think Brother Shen is the best, you're good in every way!"

These words were spoken bluntly, carrying the girl's unreserved admiration.

Looking at her sparkling eyes under the light, Lin Shen was momentarily speechless. In the end, he simply ruffled her hair again and softened his tone:

"Alright, you've been up late enough today. Go take a shower and get some rest."

"Okay! Brother Shen, you should get some rest too!" Yang Chaoyue quickly got up.

Reaching her room, she grasped the doorknob and glanced back. Lin Shen was still sitting on the sofa, his eyes downcast, lost in thought.

The warm yellow light outlined his profile, making him appear more relaxed and... indescribable, than he usually did in front of the camera or in the conference room.

Yang Chaoyue blurted out, almost as if possessed, "Brother Shen, don't be angry."

Lin Shen looked up and gazed over.

Yang Chaoyue said with a grin, "Later...later I'll introduce you to Sister Mengyan, she really likes you! And she's much younger than Teacher Tang Yan!"

After saying that, before Lin Shen could react, she quickly turned the doorknob, slipped inside like an eel, and slammed the door shut.

The living room fell completely silent.

Lin Shen sat on the sofa, pondering Yang Chaoyue's last words, and Bai Mengyan's face inexplicably appeared before his eyes.

He twitched the corner of his mouth and smiled silently.

Young? He certainly has a fierce spirit.

As for that girl Yang Chaoyue...

Lin Shen suppressed his smile and looked down at the empty living room.

Everything went too smoothly.

From his time travel and profiting from information asymmetry, to his sudden rise to fame with "Gu Jian" (Ancient Sword), establishing a brand, and investing in Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book)...

Every step seemed to be taken at the most opportune moment.

Old Jia managed things perfectly for him, he had enthusiastic fans, his network of connections in the industry expanded smoothly, and even Tang Yan's initiative tonight was, to some extent, proof of his current popularity and value.

It was like suddenly falling into a honey pot, surrounded by sweet flattery and convenient passageways.

What was Huang Bo's quote again? "Once you become famous, you'll be surrounded by good people."

Yang Chaoyue's undisguised admiration and his declaration that Shen Ge is the best are the most vivid examples.

Lin Shen got up, went to the study, took out an old edition of "Guanzi" from the bookshelf, turned to a certain page, and his eyes swept over a familiar article.

"Zou Ji was over eight feet tall and had a handsome appearance. Dressed in his court robes and hat, he looked in the mirror and said to his wife, 'Who is more handsome, me or Xu Gong of the north of the city?'"

Lin Shen took out his phone and took a picture of the page.

Then he walked to Yang Chaoyue's room and knocked on the door.

The noise inside stopped immediately. Soon, the door opened a crack, and Yang Chaoyue poked his head out, still looking a little confused.

"Brother Shen?"

Lin Shen turned his phone screen towards her: "Go back and read this article, 'Zou Ji Advises King Qi to Accept Criticism.' I've sent it to you; I'll test you on it later."

Yang Chaoyue blinked, looking completely bewildered: "Huh? What taboo? What admonition?" She had dropped out of junior high school and entered the factory, so she was completely unfamiliar with this article.

"Look it up yourself, look up any unfamiliar words in the dictionary." Lin Shen didn't explain further. "Go to sleep first, we'll talk about it tomorrow."

"Oh... okay." Yang Chaoyue took the phone, and although he didn't understand, he obediently agreed.

Lin Shen turned and went back to his room.

Yang Chaoyue closed the door, looked down at the dense classical Chinese text on his phone, and pouted.

Why did Brother Shen suddenly show her this? It's so strange.

However, there must be a reason why Brother Shen let her see it.

Yang Chaoyue scratched his head and decided to study it again after he woke up tomorrow, as he was too tired today.

In the master bedroom, Lin Shen quickly took a shower.

The warm water washed over my body, taking away some of my fatigue. The person in the mirror was young and handsome, with a calmness in his eyes that transcended his age.

He wiped the condensation off the mirror, revealing his face clearly.

Flowers adorn the landscape, and oil is poured into a raging fire.

Especially at times like these, we must remind ourselves to distinguish between genuine strength and inflated, inflated achievements.

Yang Chaoyue's unwavering trust is a good thing, but it also serves as a warning.

She is still young, and tends to see things in black and white, and she has too much of a filter on herself.

Let her see how the ancients distinguished between flattery and truth behind the comparison between "I" and "Xu Gong"—it's a subtle reminder, perhaps for her as well as for herself.

At the very least, he can't get carried away, and those around him can't lose their judgment because of his fame.

However, these are just minor, trivial thoughts.

Lin Shen turned and walked towards the bedroom. Tomorrow, he still needed to finalize the pre-sale plan with the brand team, review the revised storyboards for "The Lost Tomb," and keep track of the pre-launch data on Xiaohongshu...

Capital has just entered the game; it doesn't have much time to indulge in irrelevant emotions.

As night deepened, in a hotel on the other side of the city, Tang Yan removed her makeup in front of the mirror, her movements somewhat forceful.

The woman in the mirror still harbored lingering anger and resentment in her eyes and brows.

"Lin Shen..." Tang Yan's fingers unconsciously traced her lips, where a slightly unfamiliar sensation seemed to linger.

Then, she pursed her lips and gave an ambiguous smile.

"See you on set? Sure."