Mr. Zhou Doesn’t Want to Work Hard Anymore!

Chapter 62

Zhou Mingxuan first composed himself and asked, “What do you mean, you’re already together with him?”

Zhou Chenxi, feeling guilty, replied, “Yes… yes.”

The character for “川” on Zhou Mingxuan’s forehead deepened, and he asked, “When did this happen?”

Zhou Chenxi hesitated and said, “About two months ago…”

Two months ago!

Zhou Mingxuan recalled that he had even inquired if Lu Ji needed any help when he heard about the issues with the Lu family. He regretted it now!

However, Zhou Mingxuan had mentally prepared himself for this situation. He consoled himself, realizing that he had seen Zhou Chenxi falling for Lu Ji. This day was only a matter of time.

Zhou Mingxuan calmly said, “All this talk about betrothal gifts or no betrothal gifts; if Lu Ji truly wants to be with you, let him come and talk to me himself.”

Zhou Chenxi glanced at him in silence, sat for a while, claimed that he was full, and quietly went upstairs.

Zhou Mingxuan let out a sigh. It seemed that he needed to find a suitable time to have a serious conversation with Lu Ji.

Zhou Chenxi had hoped to meet Lu Ji, but to his surprise, Lu Ji was as busy as Zhou Mingxuan towards the year-end, leaving him with no time to rest. When he finally had some free time, it was already past New Year’s Day.

Because of a last-minute notice from the “Peak Battle” production team, they were required to return to the set on New Year’s Day. After confirming that all the crew members could be present, they had arranged plane tickets for them in advance.

Zhou Chenxi barely had time to meet Lu Ji before he had to leave for A country on New Year’s Eve. After a flight lasting over ten hours, he landed in the city of Cassin, A country.

Cassin enjoyed a year-round spring-like climate, and all he needed was a thin short-sleeved shirt.

Standing under a ginkgo tree near the production set, Zhou Chenxi said to Lu Ji with a hint of sadness, “If I return home after the movie has ended its run, we’ll have to find a chance to watch it online together.”

Lu Ji comforted him, saying, “It’s okay; watching online is just as good.”

Zhou Chenxi wanted to say more but heard the production team calling him, “Chenxi? Where’s Chenxi? Come over here; we’re getting ready to start shooting.”

He replied from a distance, “I’m coming!”

Reluctantly, he told Lu Ji, “…Then I have to go.”

“Go ahead!” Lu Ji said, “There are many people with the flu over there, so even though the weather is warm, don’t forget to take precautions. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Zhou Chenxi responded, “Alright.”

With that, he hung up the call.

Though he couldn’t watch “The Fantastic Cat’s Tale” with Lu Ji, the film received high praise from both the general audience and film critics. Its ratings on review websites continued to climb.

A renowned film critic even wrote a review calling it a “new breakthrough” for director Luo Jitian, thanks to his bold decision to cast Zhou Chenxi.

At first, the director didn’t know who Zhou Chenxi was and, upon searching online, discovered that he was an actor known mainly for his minor role in “Journey to the West,” with only that one representative work to his name. In other projects, he either played bit parts or appeared in variety shows.

Initially, the director wasn’t particularly impressed by this resume. Such a mix of roles often gave off the stereotypical impressions of being a “pretty boy with only a fanbase,” “inadequate business skills,” and “relying solely on variety shows for popularity.”

However, after watching “The Fantastic Cat’s Tale,” his perspective on Zhou Chenxi underwent a profound change.

He stated that Zhou Chenxi was more than just an actor with “spiritual energy.” But how could this be explained?

He praised Zhou Chenxi’s ability to handle emotions and capture subtle expressions, showing a genuine connection with the camera. These qualities were not typically found in novice actors, and it seemed like he had honed his skills behind the scenes.

He believed that Zhou Chenxi’s transformation might be attributed to his extensive experience as an extra and in minor roles, most of which couldn’t be found online due to various reasons, such as unreleased or unfinished projects. The critic genuinely admired Zhou Chenxi’s determination and admitted that his previous bias against the actor was unwarranted. Zhou Chenxi had indeed shown remarkable talent.

This review resonated with many people, and some even found evidence to support Zhou Chenxi’s claim of not being a “naturally talented actor.”

The first piece of evidence was a photograph.

Taken two years ago on an early morning in a film and TV studio. Most of the crew had wrapped up their work, except for a few temporary actors gathered around a production bus. The project’s responsible person had disappeared, leading to the dissolution of the production unit, and the temporary actors had not yet received their paychecks. They were discussing their wages, and someone took a photo that captured the youthful-looking Zhou Chenxi.

The second piece of evidence was a screenshot found online.

Also from two years ago, it was related to an incident on a production set. It appeared that one of the main actors in the drama was injured, and the actor’s agency caused a scene on the set, demanding compensation. The production team refused to pay, and this controversy escalated, resulting in the withdrawal of the investment partners, and the project eventually fell apart.

That show was called “Hundred Flowers Club.” When the production crew released behind-the-scenes photos, someone unintentionally captured Zhou Chenxi in one of the photos. Although it’s unclear what role he played at the time, he was indeed part of the project.

Another series was “Foodie’s Gathering.” Zhou Chenxi was originally selected by the director to portray the male supporting role but was replaced by another actor near the end of the filming process. “Foodie’s Gathering” has already been broadcast, and it is possible to find references online regarding the actor replacement. The official Weibo account of “Foodie’s Gathering” even posted a photo of Zhou Chenxi initially, but it was later deleted.

The actor who replaced Zhou Chenxi remains nameless, and no information about him can be found online. Not mentioning the potential impact of staying in the role or the fact that, had he performed, Zhou Chenxi would have had more notable works in his portfolio before “The Fantastic Cat’s Tale.”

However, none of these experiences are documented in Zhou Chenxi’s official resume.

During his announcement of withdrawing from the “I Am a Talented Actor” show, Zhou Chenxi mentioned that he was very unlucky, and this was not an exaggeration. He did indeed face several setbacks.

The article, posted by a fan of Zhou Chenxi on her Weibo account, serves as a tribute to him. It is a record of her journey as a fan and aims to prove that Zhou Chenxi doesn’t possess innate talent but instead has achieved his success through hard work. The article was shared by a film critic, who commented, “So that’s how it is.” This increased its visibility and led to more comments:

– “Though it’s a bit amusing, it’s also somewhat heartwarming. What’s going on?”
– “Ah, Ah Xi, Mom is hugging you. I’ll support all of Ah Xi’s future works!”
– “How come I didn’t know about Ah Xi’s past like this?”
– “Is Ah Xi really the Second Young Master of the Zhous? He looks quite miserable, and it doesn’t seem like his brother helped him much…”

Upon coming across these comments while taking a break from filming, Zhou Chenxi quickly posted a Weibo message: “The paths we’ve walked before accumulate as experience, and being able to earn your approval makes it all worthwhile! [Thank you] [Image].” The attached image was a candid photo Zhou Chenxi had taken of his brother during the Lunar New Year. In the photo, his brother was sitting on the couch with his back to the camera, seemingly engaged in a phone call.

Zhou Chenxi said, “I’ll stay a bit longer here. Let Xiaoliang take you.”

Shang Xiaoqin replied, “Okay.”

Xiaoliang approached from a distance, carrying Zhou Chenxi’s bags. “Bro, are you okay staying alone here? In a foreign land, I heard people here legally carry guns, and those of us without weapons feel quite unsafe…”

Zhou Chenxi pointed behind him to Zhao Yi and Qian Er, who had robust chests hidden beneath their T-shirts, saying, “I have weapons with me.”

Xiaoliang looked at Zhao Yi and Qian Er, who were not to be trifled with, and didn’t say anything more.

He told Shang Xiaoqin, “Let’s go.”

After a few steps, Shang Xiaoqin discreetly asked Xiaoliang, “Are you in the ‘Millennial Party’ or the ‘Hope Party’?”

Xiaoliang replied, “Huh?”

Shang Xiaoqin mysteriously said, “Millennial is Zhou Chenxi and Ren Qian. Hope is Zhou Chenxi and Lu Ji. Do you understand? Are you supporting Lu President or Ren the Movie King?”

Xiaoliang looked at her oddly, thinking, “What on earth is this ‘Millennial’ cult? Can’t we just stick with ‘Hope Only’?”

Before Xiaoliang could respond, a car drove up from the distance. Although it was a business car, the emblem on it seemed to declare, “I’m valuable.” The car smoothly parked by the side of the road, and a man got out.

The man was tall and handsome, wearing a windbreaker. His clean-cut, short hair and deep, dark eyes gave him a striking appearance.

“Lu… Lu President?” Shang Xiaoqin said in surprise.

Then she saw Zhou Chenxi rush over like a gust of wind. “Lu Ji, you’re here!”

Lu Ji hugged him, feeling his wet clothes. “Why are you so wet? Haven’t you changed your clothes?”

“I was planning to go to the changing room, but you said you had already arrived, so I thought of waiting here.”

Lu Ji took off his windbreaker and draped it over Zhou Chenxi, not minding that his expensive attire got soaked by Zhou Chenxi’s seawater-drenched body. “Get in the car; you might catch a cold.”

Zhou Chenxi followed Lu Ji into the car, muttering something under his breath.

Shang Xiaoqin: “…I understand now… Hope CP is real.”

Xiaoliang: “As long as you understand…”

Meanwhile, Zhao Yi and Qian Er stood in the same spot, contemplating for a while whether they should inform Zhou Mingxuan about Lu Ji coming to A country to pick up Zhou Chenxi. After much thought, they decided to give up on the idea and quickly got into their own car, starting it to follow Lu Ji’s vehicle.

Author’s note: Zhou Mingxuan: Thanks for the invitation, but I’m in my home country, busy preparing dowry for my younger brother.

Special thanks to the readers who left comments!

1TL: YSIAD “You can support me if you like my translations by leaving a comment below, or by sending me a Ko-fi. Thank you ️”