The next day.
Inside the Yuchuan Media Studio, a scene of busy activity unfolded.
Su Qing paced back and forth in the pantry with her phone in hand, her tone professional and crisp. “I'm sorry, but our boss isn't considering any live-stream sales collaborations at the moment. Yes, even with a higher offer.”
At a corner workstation, Chen Fei wore headphones, his fingers flying across the keyboard as he edited Jiang Yue's highlight reels from 《Star Weekend》 to prepare promotional materials.
Holding a financial report, Jiang Kaiwen excitedly pushed open the door to Jiang Yue's office.
“Bro! After deducting rent, salaries, and miscellaneous expenses, the studio's accounts actually have a surplus!”
His face was flushed with excitement. “Our studio is officially up and running!”
Jiang Yue was reading one of Cheng Songran's previously published physical suspense novels. Hearing this, he looked up and smiled without saying anything.
Jiang Kaiwen set the report down, leaned in, and whispered, “Bro, is that director really coming today? Isn't that a bit too dramatic? Flying over just to meet you? Are we really that big of a deal now?”
“It's the script that's a big deal,”
Jiang Yue replied, closing the book.
The author of the book was indeed Guanmu.
The writing style was cut from the same cloth as the script—cold, precise, and possessing a brutal insight into human nature.
“So, what do you think he's like?”
Jiang Kaiwen was still uneasy. “Director Xu called him a genius, but I've heard that artistic geniuses are extremely difficult to work with. What if he's a tyrant who screams at people on set all day?”
“Director Xu said he's just a bit shy.”
Jiang Yue offered a more diplomatic phrasing.
“Shy?”
Jiang Kaiwen looked utterly baffled. “Are you kidding me, Third Brother? The guy talks like a robot. You call that shy?”
Just then, Jiang Yue's phone buzzed on the desk. It was a message from the contact with the profile picture of a single black fountain pen standing on a pine wood tabletop.
There were no extra greetings, only a shared location.
Jiang Yue tapped on the location. A pink icon with bunny ears popped up on his phone screen.
The name displayed for the location was:
Pink Bunny Dessert House, Jing'an Branch.
Jiang Kaiwen, sharp-eyed, leaned in and saw the name, instantly turning to stone.
“P-Pink Bunny?”
He stammered, his expression looking as if he had seen a ghost. “Bro, did he send the wrong address? A director who wants to shoot a suspense thriller is meeting us in a place like this?”
Jiang Yue stared at the name, also falling silent.
Recalling Xu Pingqiu's description of the director being a closet eccentric who loved to play the aloof type, he suddenly felt that this meeting might be far more interesting than he had anticipated.
He stood up and said to the still-shocked Jiang Kaiwen, “Let's go meet our shy, genius director.”
Pink Bunny Dessert House, Jing'an Branch.
Standing at the entrance, Jiang Kaiwen stared at the giant pink bunny on the sign winking at passersby, completely dumbfounded.
“Third Brother, are you sure this is the place?”
His mouth twitched as he lowered his voice. “Where on earth did we end up? Anyone who didn't know better would think we're going on a blind date.”
Jiang Yue pushed up the sunglasses on his nose and calmly confirmed the location on his phone.
“It's correct. Let's go in.”
As they pushed open the glass door adorned with wind chimes, a rich aroma of milk and vanilla washed over them.
The customers in the shop were almost exclusively young girls in groups. The occasional few guys present looked utterly dead inside, holding up phones for their girlfriends at various photo spots.
When two tall, long-legged men with cold, commanding auras walked in, they instantly became the center of attention, drawing many curious glances.
Fortunately, Jiang Yue's disguise was airtight. With his hat, mask, and sunglasses trio, he didn't cause a commotion.
“Hello, do you two have a reservation?”
A server wearing a pink apron came over to greet them.
“We're meeting someone,”
Jiang Yue replied, looking around.
In the innermost booth, which was cleverly partitioned off by a row of waist-high green plant screens, a person raised a hand toward them. The gesture was small but clear enough.
Jiang Yue led Jiang Kaiwen over. When he saw the person sitting in the booth, his steps paused for a brief second.
It was a young man with foil-perm hair, wearing a loose-fitting trendy brand T-shirt and a dazzling silver cross chain around his neck.
Jiang Yue spoke first. “Director Cheng, let me introduce you. This is my cousin. He also helps with managerial affairs at my studio.”
Jiang Kaiwen quickly extended his hand. “Hello, Director Cheng.”
Cheng Songran shook it, smiling politely. “Hello, it's a pleasure to meet you.”
He then looked at Jiang Yue, a polite and formal smile on his face—neither overly warm nor particularly cold.
“Teacher Jiang, it's a pleasure to meet you.”
He extended his hand. “I am Cheng Songran.”
“Director Cheng.”
Jiang Yue shook his hand. The grip was dry and firm.
Jiang Kaiwen watched from the side, completely dumbfounded.
This person seemed like a completely different individual from the man-of-few-words Guanmu online, yet he didn't seem as shy as his brother had described.
He was carrying himself with a slight air of pretension, like a fresh college graduate trying hard to appear mature and experienced.
Cheng Songran gestured for them to sit. “The venue is a bit unique, but it's quiet here and offers good privacy.”
As he spoke, his gaze swept across Jiang Yue's face, clearly observing his reaction.
Jiang Yue took off his mask and calmly surveyed his surroundings.
This spot had been chosen with care. Located in the corner and shielded by the screens and plants, it allowed a view of most of the shop while blocking out almost all outside glances.
Just then, the server approached with a tray, deftly arranging several items on the table.
“Hello, here are your orders: the signature Sea Salt Cheese Thick Milk Snow Cap, the Matcha Starry Sky Mousse, two iced Americanos, and one Raw Coconut Latte. Please enjoy.”
The table was packed with a colorful array of red, green, and pink desserts, all exquisitely styled, causing Jiang Kaiwen's eyelids to twitch.
Cheng Songran folded his hands on the table and spoke with a hint of testing, “I took the liberty of ordering a few of the shop's signatures. I hope you don't mind, Teacher Jiang.”
Alarm bells rang in Jiang Kaiwen's head.
Here it comes. Is this some kind of artist's test?
If my brother shows any disdain, is this collaboration going to fall through?
However, Jiang Yue merely glanced at the desserts on the table, then picked up his iced Americano. “You've put a lot of thought into this, Director Cheng. This is an excellent spot.”
He didn't comment on the desserts themselves, but instead acknowledged the director's attentiveness in choosing the location.
With just that simple sentence, the polite mask on Cheng Songran's face cracked.
His entire posture relaxed as he leaned back into the sofa, a bright smile breaking across his face.
“Phew.”
He let out a long breath. “To be honest, I was really worried you guys would think it's weird for a grown man to love eating this stuff. Brother Jiang, I won't lie to you, this habit of mine started when I was writing novels.”
Jiang Kaiwen watched this scene play out in sheer awe.
One second he's an aloof, trendy director, and the next he turns into the boy next door?
Even a Sichuan opera face-changing troupe would need two days to study this kind of speed, right?
My brother just said one thing, and it was like flipping a switch!
Meanwhile, Cheng Songran had already started rambling.
“When I write suspense novels, I sit there for over ten hours at a time. My brain gets so overworked it practically starts smoking, so I have to rely on sugar to keep me going.”
“Gradually, I fell in love with it.”
His form of address had smoothly transitioned from “Teacher Jiang” to “Brother Jiang.” With his conversational floodgates open, he pointed at the desserts on the table as if presenting his prized collection.
“Here, Brother Jiang, try this matcha mousse first.”
“They use Isuzu matcha powder from Uji, Japan. Matcha of this grade has very little bitterness, a sweet aftertaste, and a hint of seaweed aroma.”
“The whipped cream paired with it is from Normandy, France. It has a high butterfat content, making it incredibly dense and smooth when whipped.”
Hearing this, Jiang Yue actually picked up a small silver spoon and carefully took a bite.
Savoring it slowly, his eyebrows twitched slightly. “Indeed. There's a fresh, botanical aftertaste that couldn't possibly be replicated by artificial flavorings.”
“Right?!”
Cheng Songran looked as though he had found a kindred spirit, speaking with even more enthusiasm as he pointed to the pink drink in front of Jiang Kaiwen.
“Brother Kaiwen, yours is called Sunset Breeze.”
“It's made from squeezed blood oranges from Sicily, Italy, mixed with a bit of pink coconut water from Thailand, which is why the color is so beautiful.”
“Try it. Can you taste how the fruit acidity balances out the sweetness?”
Jiang Kaiwen took a skeptical gulp, smacked his lips, and his eyes widened. “Hey, you're right! It's sweet and sour, not cloying at all!”
Cheng Songran clapped his hands in delight, looking exactly like a child showing off his favorite toy.
“Let me tell you, the owner of this shop is a buddy of mine, and he's extremely picky about his ingredients.”
“He even insists on using Fleur de Sel from Brittany for the sea salt in his cheesecakes, saying its texture and salinity are the gentlest.”
As he spoke, he pushed the Sea Salt Cheese Thick Milk Snow Cap to the center of the table.
“Come on, everyone try it.”
“You have to scoop deep for this one so you get the Oreo cookie crust at the bottom. The texture is incredible!”
Over the next ten minutes, the scene became exceptionally bizarre.
Three grown men huddled in the corner of a dessert house filled with pink bubbles, sharing delicate mousse cakes while discussing the hardcore suspense plot of the protagonist's self-redemption with deadpan seriousness.
Rate on N.U.
