Chapter 45

Nine Heavens was scheduled to start filming in April. Zhao Yu finished her overseas performances and returned to China a month early to clear her schedule and delve into the script. By the time she joined the production, she already had her lines down pat.

When the production team officially announced the cast, netizens saw the male lead was Ji Shucheng and the female lead was Zhao Yu—a pairing that gave off an odd “veteran cadre meets rocker girl” vibe. But once the character stills were released, everyone was surprised to find they actually had great on-screen chemistry.

Netizens commented:

– Maybe good-looking people just have chemistry with everyone.
– Zhao Yu, the girl who matches with anyone.
– Now that I think about it, “veteran cadre × rocker girl” is actually a pretty intriguing pairing! Tea cup meets beer can, wellness meets partying—the contrast is just too adorable!
– Anyone still remember the Chi-Yu CP by Daming Lake?
– Chi-Yu drowned in Daming Lake a long time ago. Go go go, Idiom CP!
– Zhao Yu’s previous roles leaned more toward the cool big-sister type, but these stills give off a much younger, girlier vibe.
– This sister’s finally not doing idol dramas anymore. But with her acting skills, she might not be able to hold her own opposite a Best Actor.
– Wang Duo’s dramas are all award contenders. They won’t let the female lead be the show’s only flaw. Since the production chose Zhao Yu, it means she’s the best fit.
……

With a Best Actor and a top idol in the leads, buzz was inevitable. But Zhao Yu had such good public goodwill that most of the discussion was positive. After reading through the comments, Lin Zhinan felt reassured. She accompanied Zhao Yu through the opening ceremony, then left the set to handle other work.

For the past couple of years, Zhao Yu had sent a new album to Ji Shucheng’s little niece every time she released one, so they’d maintained a certain level of contact. She was genuinely pleased to finally have a chance to collaborate with him.

Acting opposite a seasoned veteran was one of the best ways to improve one’s craft, and with Ji Shucheng guiding her, she’d have even more to learn.

Xia Yuan had finally realized his dream of collaborating with his goddess, playing Zhao Yu’s younger brother in the drama. Even if it was just a brother role, it was enough to make him ecstatic.

From the very start of filming, Xia Yuan was in a constant state of excitement, buzzing around Zhao Yu like a little bee, calling her “sis” all day long. He said it so often that Zhao Yu started to wonder if she actually had a brother.

He even asked her excitedly: “Sis, sis, is it my turn to be in a scandal with you this time?”

Zhao Yu pushed his head away with her water bottle. “Know your role. If anything, it’d be me and Teacher Ji.”

Ji Shucheng happened to walk by with his teacup and glanced at them.

Zhao Yu immediately raised her hands in surrender. “Teacher Ji, I didn’t mean I actually want to be in a scandal with you!”

Xia Yuan laughed smugly beside her, and Zhao Yu flicked him on the forehead.

With her current acting experience, matching Ji Shucheng’s caliber was indeed challenging. Their scenes together easily exposed her weaknesses. Fortunately, Ji Shucheng was patient, teaching her techniques line by line. Zhao Yu studied diligently for a while and made noticeable progress.

When she wasn’t filming, she’d sit under the shade with Xia Yuan and play games.

After years of grinding on the QQ server, Zhao Yu’s skill had reached the point where she could solo queue to Diamond. Duoing with Xia Yuan could get her to Star level, and with some luck, she could even push to King.

While that was still average among the vast player base, it was far better than Shen Junyi, the noob who relied on boosters!

But after all these years on QQ server, with all her skins, emblems, and heroes there, her initial ambition to become a pro and crush Shen Junyi on WeChat server had faded.

The new season had just started. A couple days ago, she’d solo queued a few matches and got demolished by boosters, paid companions, and streamers, causing her rank to plummet. Since both she and Xia Yuan were free that day, they decided to grind for ranks.

They were in the middle of a crucial team fight when Xia Yuan’s WeChat blew up with multiple messages. While shouting, he swiped up to clear the notifications, but the obstructed view caused their team to get wiped, and the enemy pushed their crystal down.

Xia Yuan was livid. He switched back to WeChat and laid into the sender. “Juni, what are you doing?! I was in the middle of a game and you got me killed!”

Shen Junyi said, “I was looking for you to play. You were already playing? I didn’t see you online.”

Xia Yuan: “I’m on QQ server!”

Shen Junyi said matter-of-factly: “What’s so fun about QQ server? It’s all elementary school kids. Come to WeChat—I’ll get my buddies to carry you!”

Xia Yuan refused three times in a row: “No, no, no. I’m staying on QQ server. I want to play with my sister.”

Shen Junyi paused, then immediately sent a voice call. As soon as Zhao Yu picked up, he yelled, “Wow, you two—playing on QQ server behind my back! Zhao Yu! Zhao Yu, are you there?!”

Zhao Yu rubbed her forehead and leaned in with resignation. “What?”

Shen Junyi: “Why are you secretly playing ranked with Xia Yuan without me?!”

Zhao Yu said coolly, “Because he doesn’t mock me for being Bronze.”

Shen Junyi was silent for a moment, then chuckled sheepishly. “Oh, come on. You’re still hung up on a joke from years ago? My bad, my bad—I’m sorry. Come to WeChat server, I’ll carry you.”

Zhao Yu: “Carry me with your booster?”

Shen Junyi immediately bristled. “Who told you I use boosters?! Was it Xia Yuan? Xia Yuan, come out here! You’re dead, Xia Yuan—I’m suing you for defamation. Expect a lawyer’s letter!”

Xia Yuan: “…………”

Zhao Yu: “Anything else?”

Shen Junyi grumbled a couple of times, then said reluctantly, “Fine, fine. I’ll lower myself and come to QQ server. Don’t start without me! Wait for me! Or I’ll spam messages!”

Xia Yuan: “…… Then hurry up!”

So the three of them ended up playing casual matches on QQ server.

Over the past couple of years, everyone had been busy. Zhao Yu and Shen Junyi had seen each other only a handful of times. Apart from Path of Thorns back when she first returned, they’d never had another chance to collaborate. The three top idols each ruled their own domain—even sharing a stage was rare.

This was the first time Shen Junyi had ever played a game with Zhao Yu. When they got into the match, he spent ages browsing the free hero trial list before picking the bouncy little Lu Ban.

Xia Yuan took Dian Wei for jungling. Zhao Yu was used to supporting him when they duoed, so she picked Zhong Wuyan to follow him.

As soon as the game started, Shen Junyi went straight to the bottom lane. When he saw Zhao Yu sticking with Xia Yuan, he immediately got upset: “Why isn’t the support following me?!”

Zhao Yu: “I’ll come to you once the jungler hits level four.”

Shen Junyi: “No! Come now! I’m scared!”

Zhao Yu: “Then stay under the tower and clear minions—don’t go out!”

They bickered nonstop, but their hands didn’t idle. Zhao Yu followed Xia Yuan to invade the enemy’s red buff jungle, then rotated bottom to gank the enemy marksman after hitting level four.

– “Sis, give me a dive—I’m turret-diving.”
– “Done. Passive proc’d—they’re cc’d.”
– “Help tank the tower for me.”
– “Okay. You go out first—I’ve got a shield.”
– First Blood! Double Kill!

Their coordinated dive netted a double kill. Zhao Yu was left with a sliver of health, recalling in a bush as she pinged “Well played.” Xia Yuan chuckled.

Then Zhao Yu saw little Lu Ban drop his second skill at her feet and fire a few shots at her.

Zhao Yu: “…… What are you doing?”

Shen Junyi: “He’s level four now—you’re not allowed to follow him anymore! Follow me!”

Zhao Yu cursed under her breath as she headed bottom, and then began a spectacular variety of ways for the marksman and support to die together. After the fifth death, she couldn’t take it anymore: “Can you stop feeding?!”

Shen Junyi: “It’s your fault for not protecting me! You protect Xia Yuan so well, but you’re so half-hearted with me!”

Zhao Yu: “Who’s half-hearted?! You’re just bad and reckless!”

Shen Junyi: “Oh, Zhao Yu—you’ve gotten bold after not seeing me for so long, daring to talk to your big brother like this?”

Just as they were about to escalate, Xia Yuan quickly jumped in to change the subject: “Hey Junyi, you finished recording that variety show, right?”

He was referring to this year’s hit horror puzzle show, Escape to Life, which had topped viewership charts across all platforms since its premiere. Shen Junyi’s goofy antics had won him another wave of fans, and he’d even formed a funny CP with another guest, Sheng Qiao, called “Find the Horse.”

Shen Junyi finally stopped bickering: “Yeah, it’s done.”

Xia Yuan asked gossipily: “Is the ‘Find the Horse’ CP real?”

Shen Junyi deflected: “Is the ‘Idiom’ CP real?”

Zhao Yu’s hand slipped and she missed a skill. “Why are you dragging me into this when I asked you?”

Shen Junyi: “A young girl like you should have some self-respect. You’re always getting tangled up in scandals!”

Zhao Yu: “You’re no better yourself!”

Xia Yuan: “…………”

Great—they were at it again.

This game had been exhausting for Xia Yuan. Finally, as they pushed to the enemy base, Xia Yuan’s Dian Wei tanked the tower and hit the crystal. He fell just as the crystal was down to a sliver of health.

Shen Junyi had just respawned and was walking up to the base. Xia Yuan urged him: “Junyi, go hit the crystal!”

The little Lu Ban, skipping along with his backpack, took two steps forward and stopped. Shen Junyi’s voice came through, indignant: “The minion wave hasn’t arrived yet. If I go in, the crystal will kill me!”

Xia Yuan: “You’re full health! The crystal is one hit away—two attacks and it’s down!”

Shen Junyi stood firm: “No. I’ll wait for the dragon.”

Xia Yuan was about to have a breakdown. “By the time the dragon gets here, they’ll respawn!” After arguing to no avail, he finally gave up. “Then get out of there! Don’t just stand there—they’re about to respawn.”

Shen Junyi, utterly lacking any self-awareness: “It’s fine. Only one’s respawned. Once the dragon’s here, I’ll knock the crystal down! Haha, watch me turn the tide—”

And then he got one-shot by the enemy Zhao Yun.

Xia Yuan: “…………”

Zhao Yu: “Tsk, tsk—”

And she’d once dreamed of getting good enough to show him up. At this rate, was there even a point?

The match ended in defeat. Xia Yuan pursed his lips and shot Zhao Yu a look of utter despair. She responded with a weary smile.

Shen Junyi was clamoring for another round. Xia Yuan quickly said, “I’ve got a scene to shoot. No more, no more!”

Shen Junyi said cheerfully, “Then get going. I’ll duo with Zhao Yu.”

Zhao Yu: “!”

Xia Yuan shot her a “good luck” look and logged off in a flash. Zhao Yu stared at the Bronze-ranked smurf account named “ProWillCarryYou” on the party screen and said, “I think you should change your ID.”

Shen Junyi: “To what?”

Zhao Yu: “Talentless and Addicted.”

……

After that day, Shen Junyi frequently came to QQ server to play with Zhao Yu. Every time, she’d curse at him while accepting his party invite, then proceed to die in a hundred and eight different ways across the King’s Canyon.

Each time, she’d swear under her breath that she’d never queue with a noob again. Yet the next time Shen Junyi sent an invite, she’d still click accept.

And so, life on set became as bright and carefree as the early summer sunshine itself.