My Nemesis Has Finally Gone Bankrupt Chapter 107

Chapter 107:

The late-night snack they ordered was spicy crayfish.

Jiang Yunjian never imagined he’d one day be sharing a midnight meal with Cheng Peng, especially after such an intimate encounter. His hands fumbled clumsily while peeling the shrimp.

“Don’t know how to peel it?” Cheng Peng asked as he placed a peeled shrimp in front of him.

Jiang Yunjian shook his head. “I do, I can peel it myself. I don’t want to trouble you.”

Cheng Peng didn’t respond. He took off his plastic gloves, casually turned on the TV, and switched to a popular entertainment channel.

The person on screen appeared—wearing simple clothes provided by the show, hands clasped behind his back, standing on the edge of a group of celebrities. His smile was just right, and even though he wasn’t in a prominent spot, he was still easy to notice.

Caught off guard by hearing his own voice on the TV, Jiang Yunjian turned to look, startled.

He was always uncomfortable watching himself on screen, feeling a tinge of shame. Every movie premiere left him squirming in his seat.

However, Cheng Peng set the remote down, showing no intention of changing the channel.

“Maybe we should switch channels…” Jiang Yunjian suggested. “This show is scripted anyway; it’s not that interesting.”

Cheng Peng asked, “A few years ago at that countryside inn, was that scripted too?”

Jiang Yunjian paused in peeling his shrimp. “…You still remember?”

Cheng Peng smiled. “My memory isn’t that bad.”

But you don’t remember my name.

Jiang Yunjian thought silently, though he wasn’t upset. The fact that Cheng Peng remembered the variety show at all was already surprising.

The countryside inn incident had, of course, been scripted. In the next room, there were “ordinary people” planted by the production team. But the moment Jiang Yunjian saw Cheng Peng smoking in the corridor, he veered off script. During a game segment, he took the initiative to approach Cheng Peng’s room. Coincidentally, another guest had the same idea, and both ended up heading toward that room. The production team was momentarily caught off guard.

Eventually, the director noticed how visually appealing the men in the room were, and for the sake of the show’s effect, decided to let it slide.

“There was a script,” Jiang Yunjian admitted, snapping back to reality. “Not just a script—there were assigned personas too.”

“Personas?” Cheng Peng raised an eyebrow. “What was your persona?”

Jiang Yunjian, visibly embarrassed, replied, “During the countryside inn episode… I was the ‘naive sweetheart’.”

Cheng Peng chuckled, glancing at the screen. “Still the same now?”

“Not anymore,” Jiang Yunjian answered honestly. “I’ve been filming more realistic movies lately, so I had to change my image. Now I’m the ‘warm guy’ and the ‘lucky charm’… But starting this year, I’m done with variety shows. This was my last one.”

Cheng Peng glanced at the promotional text in the corner of the screen. “Finale tonight?”

Jiang Yunjian nodded. “Yes.”

After a moment of contemplation, Cheng Peng suddenly stood up. Jiang Yunjian’s gaze instinctively followed him.

Cheng Peng fetched two cans of beer from the fridge, opened them, and handed one to Jiang Yunjian. He clinked their cans together. “Congratulations on the finale.”

Jiang Yunjian was momentarily stunned.

“Don’t want beer?” Cheng Peng asked, noticing his lack of response. “Spicy crayfish pairs well with beer. Or should I get a bottle of red wine instead?”

“N-No.” Jiang Yunjian held the can with both hands, clinking it against Cheng Peng’s again. The chill from the can seeped into his hands. “Thank you.”

After they’d eaten their fill, Jiang Yunjian began cleaning up the plastic containers without being asked.

“Any resources you’ve been eyeing lately?” Cheng Peng’s voice came lazily from behind.

Jiang Yunjian froze mid-action.

He had almost forgotten—they weren’t in a conventional relationship.

Despite his busy schedule, Cheng Peng had taken the time to look into Jiang Yunjian’s background. After all, even if he was just a lover, Cheng Peng wanted to know more about the person who shared his bed. Jiang Yunjian’s profile was exactly what Cheng Peng had expected—he was indeed very popular. Cheng Peng couldn’t help but wonder what kind of opportunity would make Jiang Yunjian willing to take such risks just to be with him.

Jiang Yunjian remained silent for a long time.

Cheng Peng smiled, thinking he was feeling shy. “It’s okay. Having big ambitions is a good thing.”

Jiang Yunjian felt strange, his heart swelling with a mix of emotions, as if lying on a bed of cotton.

After a moment, he mentioned a famous director’s name, “I want to join his film crew.”

The director was renowned, with actors from his films often winning various prestigious awards. Many Best Actor and Best Actress winners had emerged from his movies.

It was indeed a significant opportunity. In reality, Jiang Yunjian had already negotiated with the director and was on the verge of signing a contract. He knew Cheng Peng would delegate the task to his assistant, so he wasn’t worried about the details being uncovered.

There was silence behind him.

Jiang Yunjian quickly added, “It’s okay if it doesn’t work out. I’ll keep trying.”

“I understand. I’ll take care of it,” Cheng Peng replied.

With that, the matter was settled.

After tidying up the meal containers, Jiang Yunjian wasn’t sure what to do next. He couldn’t just sit and watch a program he starred in with Cheng Peng.

He glanced at the clock. It was already midnight, time to rest.

“…Well, President Cheng, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back?”

“Okay,” Cheng Peng said. “Did you drive here?”

“No, I took a cab.” Jiang Yunjian pulled out his phone. “I’ll just call a ride.”

After Jiang left, Cheng Peng turned off the TV and went back to his bedroom.

The bed was neatly made, and Cheng Peng chuckled, realizing he hadn’t been too rough earlier. Jiang Yunjian even had the energy to tidy the bed.

He picked up his phone, walked to the window, and dialed a number.

When the call connected, Cheng Peng spoke, “Uncle Wu, I hope I’m not disturbing your rest.”

“I heard your new film is starting production. Is there still a spot for a sponsor?”

“…Yes,” he said, lowering his voice with a chuckle. “You caught me. I have a young man who wants to join your crew. Good-looking, nice personality… His acting should be decent too. His name is Jiang Yunjian.”

_____

During his five-day vacation, Jiang Yunjian spent two days at home and the other three at Cheng Peng’s place.

The first day, he had mustered the courage to ask. The next two days coincided with the weekend, and Cheng Peng messaged him to come over.

The first message was: [Are you free?]

The second message changed to: [We’re out of supplies. Pick some up on your way. I’ll reimburse you.]

The consequence of overindulgence was that Jiang Yunjian spent his first day back at work yawning non-stop.

“Brother Jiang, what’s wrong?” the makeup artist asked, concerned. “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

“No, I slept early,” Jiang Yunjian replied.

He wasn’t lying. After a wild day with Cheng Peng, he had gone home and fallen asleep by ten.

Fortunately, today’s workload wasn’t heavy—just a magazine cover shoot, which would be done by noon. After getting his makeup done and while the crew adjusted the set, he took out his phone and, without much hesitation, sent a message to Cheng Peng.

Having done this once before, it wasn’t so hard the second time.

Just as Jiang Yunjian sent the message, his phone screen changed with an incoming call from Bo Zhen.

“Xiao Jian,” Bo Zhen’s voice was filled with excitement. “Is there anyone around you?”

Jiang Yunjian glanced around the empty dressing room. “No, why?”

“I take back what I said before,” Bo Zhen replied.

Jiang Yunjian was puzzled. “What do you mean?”

“You don’t need resources, and there’s no need to get involved with Cheng Peng… things like that,” Bo Zhen said, barely containing his excitement. “Your next watch endorsement has been finalized.”

Hearing the brand name Bo Zhen mentioned, Jiang Yunjian was stunned.

“No one in the country has ever secured an endorsement from this brand. Even the previous Best Actor only starred in a short film promoting one of their seasonal collections,” Bo Zhen, rarely flustered, continued.

It was understandable. Until Cheng Peng’s assistant called, Bo Zhen hadn’t considered the possibility that the brand would look for a domestic spokesperson.

“You’re still at the studio, right?” Bo Zhen asked. “Why aren’t you saying anything? Overjoyed?”

Jiang Yunjian snapped back to reality. “No, I’m still here in the studio.”

“Alright, I’ll come over to discuss the details and give you a ride back.”

After hanging up, Jiang Yunjian hesitated for a moment before opening his chat with Cheng Peng.

[Jiang Yunjian: Thank you.]

[Jiang Yunjian: Was securing this endorsement very troublesome?]

[Cheng Peng: Not at all. They already have a collaboration with the company.]

[Jiang Yunjian: Thanks.]

[Cheng Peng: You left your belt at my place yesterday.]

“…” Jiang Yunjian froze for a moment, realizing why he couldn’t find his belt that morning.

His clothes were all custom-made and fit perfectly, so the belt was more decorative. Without a stylist reminding him, it was easy to overlook.

[Jiang Yunjian: Sorry, I must have forgotten it. Can I come by tonight to pick it up?]

[Cheng Peng: No need to apologize. I took it off. Next time, I’ll remind you to take it.]

Jiang Yunjian’s mouth suddenly felt dry.

The next message brought him back to reality.

[Cheng Peng: I won’t be free in the next few days. No need to come over; I’ll have my assistant send it to you.]

When Cheng Peng’s assistant arrived, Jiang Yunjian had just finished a photo session with his partner and was about to change outfits.

“Mr. Jiang, I’m President Cheng’s assistant. Here’s your belt,” the assistant handed him the bag along with his business card. “If you need anything in the future, feel free to contact me.”

The assistant had been with Cheng Peng for twelve years and was now saying this to Jiang Yunjian for the second time.

Word for word, even the tone was the same.

Jiang Yunjian accepted the bag, pressing his lips together. “Thank you, but I don’t need the card. I still have your contact information saved.”

Now it was the assistant’s turn to be surprised. Trying to avoid awkwardness, he had deliberately not mentioned the past, but Jiang Yunjian was far more forthright than he expected.

After the assistant left, Jiang Yunjian carried the bag back to the dressing room. He had barely stepped inside when someone followed him in and locked the door behind them.

Jiang Yunjian turned around to see his shooting partner for the day, a fresh-faced teen idol who had just graduated from university.

“Brother Yunjian,” the teen idol whispered, his eyes wide. “Wasn’t that Cheng Peng’s assistant who just brought you something?”

Jiang Yunjian’s expression shifted instantly. The warm demeanor turned icy as he eyed the teen idol warily. “No, it wasn’t.”

“That’s impossible. I recognize him…” The teen idol stopped, realizing what Jiang Yunjian might be thinking. “Brother, don’t misunderstand. I didn’t mean it like that.”

Jiang Yunjian couldn’t relax. His mind raced, calculating how to keep Cheng Peng out of this if the teen idol spread the word.

“I’ve seen him before,” the teen idol continued. “Yeah, that assistant. I went to the same university as Cheng Peng’s boyfriend. That assistant came to our campus to pick him up.”

“………” Jiang Yunjian’s grip on the bag loosened slightly.

“Really, my classmate’s name is Chen An. Have you heard of him? He’s not in the industry.”

Jiang Yunjian lowered his gaze, controlling his tone. “I don’t know, and I’ve never heard that name.”

He truly didn’t know. He had seen the face but didn’t know the name.

Thinking Jiang Yunjian didn’t believe him, the teen idol grabbed his phone and scrolled through his friend’s moments for a long time before finally pulling up a group photo. “Look, it’s this guy.”

Jiang Yunjian wanted to end the conversation but couldn’t help glancing at the photo.

A youthful, innocent face— the boy who had sat next to Cheng Peng a few years ago.

He quickly looked away. “I don’t know him. The person who came just now is my friend. I know he works as an assistant, but I’m not sure where.”

The teen idol realized, “Oh, I thought…”

“Thought what?” Jiang Yunjian asked.

“Nothing,” the teen idol quickly shook his head.

Jiang Yunjian placed the bag in a corner, feigning nonchalance. “You said you’ve seen my friend at school? Does his boss often send him to pick up his boyfriend?”

People who aren’t usually gossipers asking about gossip often ignite storytelling enthusiasm.

The teen idol: “Yeah, but your friend didn’t come often. Most of the time, Cheng Peng came himself. I heard they had classes five days a week, and Cheng Peng would show up at least twice.”

Jiang Yunjian murmured, “Weren’t they afraid of being noticed?”

“He’s a big boss, not a celebrity, so he doesn’t need to care about others’ opinions,” the teen idol chuckled. “But Chen An was quite scared, though he couldn’t hide it. Even though we weren’t in the same class, everyone knew about it.”

Jiang Yunjian: “….I thought big bosses were usually busy.”

The teen idol, not noticing anything amiss, laughed, “It’s different when it comes to his boyfriend.”

The teen idol’s makeup artist knocked on the door, urging him. He unlocked the door. “Brother, I’m going to touch up my makeup.”

“Wait,” Jiang Yunjian stopped him. “….What kind of person is Chen An?”

The teen idol: “Huh?”

Jiang Yunjian smiled. “I’m just a bit curious.”

“I haven’t interacted with him much, so I don’t really know about his character. But he looks pretty good, as you saw—fair-skinned, delicate. He’s short and thin, totally harmless. To put it bluntly, he’s soft, really tender, like a high school kid. Oh, and he stutters a bit,” the teen idol added, then suddenly looked shocked. “Now that I think about it… the boss’s taste might be a bit risky, huh?”

When Bo Zhen arrived at the studio, the shoot had just wrapped up.

Jiang Yunjian sat dazed on a chair, holding a bag on his lap. His makeup had been removed, leaving him looking pale.

“The traffic was bad. Did you wait long?” Bo Zhen quickly approached him.

“No, it just ended,” Jiang Yunjian came to his senses and stood up.

Bo Zhen, beaming with excitement, started talking about the endorsement deal all the way: “They’re so straightforward. Commercials, magazine shoots, promotions through their official social media, everything! Yunjian, you—” He turned his head to continue but paused when he saw Jiang Yunjian’s expression. “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing.” Jiang Yunjian stayed silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “Brother Bo, do you think I’m getting old?”

Bo Zhen looked puzzled, firing off a series of questions: “Old? Who said you’re old? You haven’t even turned twenty-five yet! You’re so young and already so popular. Do you know how many people envy you? Don’t tell me you’ve been reading the haters’ comments on those big Weibo accounts again?”

“…I’m already twenty-five?” Jiang Yunjian was at a loss.

“Already…?” Bo Zhen, in his thirties, almost choked. “What’s gotten into you?”

Twenty-five already.

Fair-skinned, delicate, thin, and short—none of those descriptors applied to him anymore.

If the teen idol hadn’t mentioned it today, he might have forgotten that he had passed his prime years.

He was no longer Cheng Peng’s type.

Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.