Chapter 36 – One Glance at That Person Dooms a Lifetime

Guan Lan sat outside Yang Peining’s office.

The secretary came over to pour him a glass of water: “Director Guan, please wait a moment. Director Yang’s conference call is taking a bit longer, but he should be able to see you in at most five minutes.”

Guan Lan took the water: “Thank you, you can go back to your work. I’ll just wait here.”

The secretary returned to her seat, unable to resist stealing glances at Guan Lan from behind her computer monitor.

As the boss’s secretary, she was well-informed and naturally knew that Guan Lan’s mood was probably not great at the moment; his visit to Yang Peining was likely not for a friendly work report.

Even so, he remained so amiable and polite—what a charming man.

Guan Lan held the cup with both hands, his thumb gently rubbing the handle. He recalled the first time he had come to this office ten years ago, trailing behind Lin Xuewen, full of ambition yet nervous, like a primary school student who had just received a merit award and was waiting for the teacher’s praise. Back then, Yang Peining’s secretary was somewhat similar to this one, also a big-eyed girl—perhaps that was his particular aesthetic preference. However, that girl was now the head of Tianlong’s advertising department, and even second-tier celebrities in the industry had to address her as “sister.”

It had already been ten years.

The hookup that night ultimately didn’t happen.

Zhou Junzhuo’s call came at such a perfect moment, it was as if they had conspired beforehand, making Guan Lan feel a sense of guilt, as if he had been caught cheating, when he answered the phone.

So when he said he had to go meet Zhou Junzhuo now, Zhuang Lin’s expression was predictable.

Zhuang Lin: “It’s so late, what does he mean? Do you really have to go?”

Guan Lan: “It’s something urgent. I can tell when he’s serious.”

From the change in Zhuang Lin’s expression, Guan Lan realized he really shouldn’t have said that.

Zhuang Lin: “Fine, I’ll go with you.”

Guan Lan: “What would that mean? To fight or to show off? Don’t be ridiculous, it’s not appropriate for you to go.”

Zhuang Lin was irritated: “Then what does he mean by calling you out so late? Doesn’t he know we’re together? This is a direct challenge, and I can’t even respond?”

Seeing him act like a male animal whose mating rights were threatened, Guan Lan was even more determined not to let him go: “Don’t you trust me? Do you think something will happen if I go see him? Do you think I’ll play with both of your feelings?”

Zhuang Lin was silent for a few seconds before speaking: “I trust you, but Guan Lan, don’t think I’ll always be confident.”

Zhuang Lin: “You just said you’ve known each other for fifteen years, half your life. That half of your life, I don’t know about and wasn’t part of. I’m afraid once you go, you won’t come back.”

Guan Lan was soft-hearted but not easily swayed; seeing the dimness in Zhuang Lin’s eyes made his heart ache.

Guan Lan: “…I just had a drink, so I can’t drive. How about you take me there? I’ll only talk to him for half an hour, and then we’ll go home together, okay?”

They met at a snack street outside the side gate of their university.

Guan Lan, who had just rid himself of the smell of Sichuan pepper, now reeked of cumin.

Zhou Junzhuo: “Remember when we couldn’t get a music classroom, so we practiced singing behind the flower beds at the activity center, and then came here for barbecue?”

Guan Lan: “How could I forget? Later, we came so often that the stall owner recognized us and even gave us his number. I’d text him in advance, and he’d have twenty skewers of lamb and ten skewers of tendon ready for us. We’d sit down and eat as soon as we arrived.”

Zhou Junzhuo: “While waiting for you just now, I kept thinking, it seems like apart from these old memories from ten years ago, we don’t have many decent ones.”

Guan Lan: “All those songs I wrote over the years, did I write them for dogs? You ungrateful bastard.”

Zhou Junzhuo: “Yeah, now that you’re taken, you talk to me so naturally.”

Guan Lan was slightly embarrassed when Zhou Junzhuo pointed out his relationship status: “You know about it?”

Zhou Junzhuo looked at Guan Lan’s car fifty meters away: “Even through the car window and the smog, I can feel his aggressive gaze.”

Guan Lan: “He insisted on coming… He’s young, I’ll educate him when we get back.”

Zhou Junzhuo: “The younger generation is formidable. He was just declaring his territory on Weibo.”

Guan Lan: “Which Weibo post? He didn’t say anything inappropriate, did he?”

He hurriedly took out his phone to check. Thankfully, it was just a picture.

Zhou Junzhuo: “He chose that picture carefully. The background—anyone who’s been to your place would recognize it’s at your home.”

Guan Lan: “That probably won’t have much effect, since not many people have been to my place.”

Zhou Junzhuo: “The fact that not many people have been there, but he has, speaks volumes.”

Guan Lan hadn’t expected there to be such a scheme behind a simple picture. While the gossip crowd might not see the nuance, it was enough to make a true rival uneasy.

Zhou Junzhuo: “I know you don’t enter relationships lightly. Once you start, you’re in it for the long haul.”

Zhou Junzhuo: “I just want to ask you, why him?”

Why him?

Guan Lan momentarily forgot the awkwardness between them and opened up to his old friend.

Guan Lan spoke slowly: “You know I have a phobia of relationships. My parents—they were in love when they got married, and they were sweet and affectionate when they were young. But in the end, they ended up despising each other, unable to live under the same roof, either in a cold war or arguing, not even able to maintain ten minutes of peace. People say that beautiful love is like a peacock—gorgeous from the front, but just a feathered backside from behind. If my love ends up like that, I don’t think I could handle it. It’d be better not to start at all.”

Guan Lan: “But Zhuang Lin… when he looks at me, it’s like there are stars in his eyes.”

Guan Lan: “Looking at him, I feel that no matter how long we’re together—ten years or twenty—every single day of those years is a gift from heaven.”

Zhou Junzhuo looked into Guan Lan’s eyes.

Guan Lan probably didn’t realize it himself, but when he talked about Zhuang Lin, his eyes were also filled with starlight.

Zhou Junzhuo: “Guan Lan, I like you.”

Guan Lan was startled, then sighed helplessly: “You didn’t have to say that…”

Zhou Junzhuo: “I know. I just needed to say it for myself. If I didn’t, I’d feel too resentful about these past ten years.”

Guan Lan: “You know, once you say that, we can’t be friends anymore.”

Zhou Junzhuo: “Don’t kid yourself. From the day you started avoiding me, we stopped being friends.”

Guan Lan was stunned.

Standing on that familiar street, he felt time rapidly rewind around him, and he saw that young man in white again.

Guan Lan: “I’m sorry.”

He finally got the apology he had been waiting for for ten years.

Zhou Junzhuo walked Guan Lan to his car and knocked on the driver’s side window.

Zhuang Lin rolled down the window.

Zhou Junzhuo: “I didn’t drive here. Can you give me a ride? I want to talk to you. Guan Lan, you can take a taxi back.”

Guan Lan: “…Why? What are you planning?”

Zhou Junzhuo: “What, afraid I’ll hit him? If we fight, wouldn’t that be giving the paparazzi a holiday bonus? I’m an industry elder, after all. We’ll talk business, discuss art.”

Who would believe they’re going to talk about art!

Zhuang Lin: “Alright, Teacher Zhou, get in. Darling, should I call you a taxi?”

Guan Lan thought silently, you’ve never called me “darling” in bed, but now it rolls off your tongue so easily?

Guan Lan: “Drive safely, I’ll take the subway.”

Guan Lan: “What did you two talk about?”

Guan Lan spent the entire subway ride anxiously pondering this question.

Zhuang Lin: “Don’t worry, we didn’t fight. I have to maintain some dignity as the winner, don’t I?”

Zhuang Lin: “He might have had some drinks before coming, though. He spent the whole ride ranting about you—how you lead people on but never commit, calling you Yang Guo, the kind of man who ruins lives with a single glance.”

Zhuang Lin: “I think he made some good points.”

Guan Lan was speechless.

Guan Lan: “If I’m Yang Guo, then Little Dragon Girl is Yang Guo’s master, which would be Sister Xuewen. Then I guess my right arm was chopped off by her husband, Old Yang. Makes sense.”

Guan Lan: “If I’m Yang Guo, who is Zhou Junzhuo? Lu Wushuang? …No, he should be Guo Fu.”

Zhuang Lin: “Then who am I?”

Guan Lan thought about the age difference: “…Guo Xiang?”

Zhuang Lin was so pissed!

At least Guo Fu ended up marrying a rich and handsome man, but Guo Xiang? She was completely ruined, lived alone, and became a nun!

They fell asleep together, unaware of the brewing storm of public opinion.

On his first day back from a long vacation, Guan Lan finished handling his tasks by late afternoon. By the time he noticed the online uproar, the situation was already out of control.

Using the picture Zhuang Lin had posted the previous night as a starting point, gossip forums like Tianya, Douban, and entertainment industry marketing accounts on Weibo began a large-scale excavation of the “scandalous” history of Guan Lan, the so-called “casting couch king.”

Chen Jin quickly fell out of favor, while Zhuang Lin was suspected of taking his place—a new queen replacing the old, a changing of the guard…

These rumors had always existed online, but if they were previously small skirmishes, this time it was a full-scale war.

Zhuang Lin had never seen Guan Lan look so grim—he was also angry, but he needed to comfort Guan Lan first: “It’s fine, they’re already deleting posts. It’s all the same old stuff, no real evidence. We don’t need to respond, it’ll blow over by tomorrow.”

Guan Lan didn’t speak.

Zhuang Lin: “It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have posted that picture. They used it to stir things up, these people are really despicable.”

Guan Lan: “It’s not your fault. Even without this, there would have been something else. I should have known this would happen sooner or later.”

Zhuang Lin: “Do you know who’s behind it?”

Guan Lan: “The enemy is within the walls. I’ve risen too quickly in recent years, blocking someone’s path.”

Zhuang Lin: “Someone inside the company?”

Guan Lan sighed and didn’t answer immediately.

Guan Lan: “Even in a small company, there are factions and cliques. Isn’t that ridiculous? I’ve always been aware of these things. They can’t stand me, but they can’t do anything about me, so they hide in the shadows and use these despicable tactics to mess with me. I never really cared before. I always remembered my mentor’s words: we make a living with our skills, we don’t need to kowtow to anyone.”

Guan Lan: “But I didn’t expect that if you don’t fight back, they’ll take it as a sign of weakness and push further. I didn’t care how they slandered me before, but this time, they’ve crossed my line.”

Zhuang Lin: “…Am I your line?”

This time, the attacks were mostly aimed at Guan Lan, so Zhuang Lin only suffered a few stray bullets. He didn’t feel much of an impact. But Guan Lan’s furious “How dare they touch my person” reaction was so captivating that it made Zhuang Lin’s heart race.

Guan Lan frowned deeply, suddenly stood up, and faced the window, standing there for about ten minutes.

Zhuang Lin was considering whether to leave him alone or go over and hug him when Guan Lan turned around.

Guan Lan: “What do you think about me starting my own label?”

Zhuang Lin: “You want to go independent?”

Guan Lan: “I’ve been hesitating because I don’t have much money, and most of my resources are at Tianlong. But now I think, screw it. If I go bankrupt, I’ll live off you and write songs just for you. How does that sound?”

Zhuang Lin: “…I’ll talk to my sister and get more work. I can take on ten more endorsements.”