[1]
The first time Yu Ran met Wei Lan was at a movie press conference.
The movie he had invested in had just been released, and this event was for the media.
His friend had dragged him to a golf course, delaying him for a while. By the time he arrived, the event was already halfway through, and the male and female lead actors were on stage giving interviews.
Yu Ran casually found an empty seat in the back row, planning to sit through the rest of the interview.
But soon, his attention was drawn to the person sitting next to him.
It was a young-looking omega boy, wearing a light gray hoodie and black-gray cargo pants, with a large black backpack at his feet.
The boy had a small laptop resting on his lap. What caught Yu Ran's eye was the boy's hands, typing swiftly on the compact keyboard.
Work stolen from https://chipoholictranslations.blogspot.com/p/homepage.html
The sleeves of the boy's hoodie were long, covering his palms, leaving only his slender, pale fingers exposed. His fingers moved effortlessly over the black keys, the sound of typing soft and rhythmic — like gentle rain tapping against a window.
Yu Ran glanced sideways, his gaze sweeping over the boy's laptop screen.
He saw words like "Act 3," "Outdoor Scene," and "△."
Oh, so he's a screenwriter.
The screenwriter Yu Ran had recently been working with was an older man, in his early fifties, who liked to wear glasses as thick as a bottle bottom. He typed scripts by slowly poking the keyboard with his two index fingers.
The boy scrolled through his script, and Yu Ran caught another line of text—
Wei Lan, Drama School of X University.
A name that made him think of the sky or the sea.
"Are you from X University too?" Yu Ran asked.
"Too?" Wei Lan didn't look up.
He seemed to be trying to figure out a character's emotions in the script. He rewrote a single line of dialogue three times before finally turning his head slowly.
It was only then that Yu Ran saw the omega's face clearly for the first time—
He had never seen such indifferent, empty peach blossom eyes before. The omega's lips were thin, the color like a freshly bloomed flower. The corners of his mouth were calmly pressed. His jawline was delicate but not sharp, and his cheeks had a slight softness to them, so even without a smile, he didn't come off as overly cold.
"I accidentally saw your computer screen," Yu Ran admitted. "But I can only count as your alumnus. I graduated three years ago."
"Oh." The omega's attitude was indifferent, but his eyes seemed to spark with a fleeting trace of interest, lingering on Yu Ran's face for barely a second before he turned back to his script.
He edited a lot — each line of dialogue carefully revised several times — yet his writing speed wasn't slow despite the meticulousness.
Before long, the lead actors' interview ended on stage, and the screenwriting team was next to speak.
Wei Lan's typing slowed a little, but he didn't look up.
Yu Ran found it a bit strange. This omega came to a movie press conference, yet he wasn't watching the film or paying attention to the lead actors' interview.
So what on earth was he doing here?
"What do you think of this movie's plot?" Yu Ran asked suddenly.
As a producer, he found himself curious to hear this screenwriting student's opinion.
Wei Lan typing paused, and the omega glanced over slightly. "I think the script is the biggest failure of this movie."
Yu Ran: "…?"
"Is it that bad?" Yu Ran asked.
"The opening is too slow, unclear, barely watchable at best," Wei Lan patiently explained in a businesslike manner. "But from the 34-minute mark, the emotional logic falls apart. The female lead's feelings for the male lead doesn't have enough buildup. At 79 minutes and 30 seconds, the dialogue is very detached and sounds like the protagonist's soul got transmigrated."
Yu Ran: "..."
"Of course, those are just small problems," Wei Lan continued seriously. "The biggest issue is that the story is boring, and the whole thing feels like sentimental nonsense."
He paused for a beat, then added, "I don't know what the producer saw in this script. Maybe he's into moaning and groaning too."
Yu Ran: "..."
"Sorry," the omega said, calmly closing his laptop. "I need to use the restroom."
The space between the front and back rows wasn't particularly cramped, but for someone of Yu Ran's height, it felt a bit tight. He bent his legs slightly to make way for Wei Lan to pass.
Wei Lan turned his back to him, head bowed slightly. The waistband of his loose black cargo pants sat a bit low, revealing a glimpse of his narrow, slender waist as he leaned forward to step across the row. The slightly oversized waistband gaped at the back — barely wide enough for a finger — right in Yu Ran's line of sight.
As the omega moved past him, his leg brushed against Yu Ran's knee, leaving a faint, fleeting warmth behind.
Even after Wei Lan had been gone for a while, Yu Ran still maintained that slightly bent-leg posture.
Meanwhile, Wei Lan leaned against the sink in the restroom, carefully dabbed his fingertips dry with a tissue, and then replied to his friend's message.
[YoYo]: How's the third male lead in person?
[LanLan's Sky]: Total Photoshop!
[LanLan's Sky]: 360 degrees of bad angles—no looks, no muscles. Not even worth sneaking a pic for you.
[LanLan's Sky]: I was so bored I wrote three versions of my final assignment during the event.
[YoYo]: That sucks.
[Lanlan's Sky]: But it's not a complete waste. The guy next to me is a very handsome, high-quality A. If I get a chance later, I'd like to hook up. My contacts list is running low on As.
[YoYo]: What type is he?
[LanLan's Sky]: Innocent senior.
[YoYo]: How can you tell?
[LanLan's Sky]: He practically has Wanna Fuck Your Brains Out written on his face.
By Yu Ran's left foot lay Wei Lan's black backpack.
The omega had accidentally knocked it over on his way out. Now it rested against Yu Ran's calf, heavy and with pointed corners, suggesting it was packed with textbooks.
The omega looked serious and stuffy when he talked about the script — he was obviously a little academic nerd.
"Sorry." A hand lightly patted his thigh twice.
The little nerd was back.
Wei Lan slid into his seat, reopened his laptop, and soon, the soft, rhythmic sound of his typing filled Yu Ran's ears again.
Gentle taps, like a drizzle against a window, stirred something in his chest. His heart felt like a boat drifting on a river, rising and falling with each ripple.
"Ahh…" Yu Ran heard the person beside him sigh.
"Hmm?" He turned his head instinctively.
Wei Lan unplugged his USB drive, struggling a bit to lift his heavy backpack before stuffing his laptop inside.
"It's out of battery," he said. "And my assignment isn't done."
"You can use mine," Yu Ran offered without thinking.
"Does your laptop have FinalDraft?" Wei Lan asked seriously.
Yu Ran couldn't help but chuckle.
Such a classic overachiever. His first thought wasn't whether it was okay to borrow a stranger's laptop, but whether the stranger's laptop had useful software.
"It just so happens that it does," Yu Ran replied.
Wei Lan took the laptop, plugged in his USB, and resumed typing the script for his final assignment.
"What do you think…" Before long, the alpha next to him spoke again. "Is the script of this movie really that bad?"
"Not exactly. It's already pretty good," Wei Lan said. "It's just that the details have some hard-to-ignore flaws, which makes it uncomfortable to watch."
Work stolen from https://chipoholictranslations.blogspot.com/p/homepage.html
"But I wouldn't recommend watching any movies by this producer," he added. "I think his name's Yu Ran, and the movies he invests in all have this stale, cheesy vibe."
Yu Ran: "..."
"Finished." Wei Lan unplugged his USB. "Thanks. I'm heading out."
Just as he finished speaking, the on-stage interview with the screenwriter team wrapped up, and the host's sweet voice spread to every corner of the hall through the microphone—
"Next, let's welcome our producer, Mr. Yu Ran, to give a speech for our newly released movie…"
"This is also Mr. Yu's first public appearance."
There was thunderous applause.
Wei Lan glanced around, only to watch his "innocent senior" stand up, straighten his jacket, and walk steadily onto the stage.
Wei Lan: "?"
Wei Lan: "..."
X University Omega Dormitory.
"Lin Jianlu! Stop laughing!" Wei Lan slumped into his hanging chair. "Laugh again, and no marshmallows for you."
Lin Jianlu, holding a book full of sheet music, sat by the bed, his slender, pale legs swinging in the air. "I don't think he wanted to fuck your brains out, he wanted to blow your brains out."
"Not my fault." Wei Lan tore open a big bag of marshmallows and tossed a few to Lin Jianlu. "The script is really bad. It's an occupational disease—I couldn't hold back. And he never said he was Yu Ran."
"What a pity." Wei Lan sighed. "I actually quite liked him."
Lin Jianlu looked skeptical. "How much is 'quite'?"
"Well… I borrowed his laptop," Wei Lan fiddled with the marshmallow wrapper in his hand. "and left a backup of my assignment on it. It has my name, student ID, and my phone number."
"…You're smooth." Lin Jianlu said.
"What's the use," Wei Lan said as he uploaded the three homework assignments that he'd completed in excess to the professor. "I've offended him too much."
"Maybe…" Lin Jianlu pointed to his phone, which had just lit up. "Not that much."
Wei Lan glanced down. A message from an unknown number stared back at him:
[Hello, is this Wei Lan? I'm Yu Ran. We met today. Are you interested in collaborating on a movie with me?]Work stolen from https://chipoholictranslations.blogspot.com/p/homepage.html
[2]
The second time the two met wasn't long after their first encounter. Soon, Wei Lan saw Yu Ran again.
The public lecture for X University's Drama Literature program had invited Yu Ran as a guest.
As the favorite student of the college, Wei Lan was naturally the one chosen to present on stage.
Yu Ran entered the large lecture hall with friends and immediately spotted the omega adjusting their presentation script from afar.
At school, Wei Lan was dressed even more neatly than the last time. This time, he wore X University's college uniform.
The black-and-white uniform was loose and plain, with no particular style to speak of. Yet on him, it gave off an elegant, scholarly air.
From a distance, Yu Ran couldn't help but admire in his heart: This little nerd is surprisingly good-looking.
After his brief moment of appreciation, Yu Ran glanced up at the presentation title on the screen, and froze—
"The Practical Impact of Script Selection on Film Investment—Using Producer Yu Rans Two Failures as Case Studies"
Yu Ran: "……"
"Sorry, Mr. Yu." Having finished his presentation, Mr. Little Stuffy walked down the stage all prim and proper, stopped in front of Yu Ran, and took off his black-framed glasses. "It's just an analysis. Please don't take offense."
"No offense taken." Yu Ran gestured for him to sit down.
Not long after the last press conference, the movie officially premiered. Within just a few days, the box office results were beginning to take shape.
Overall, it made a profit, but it still fell short of Yu Ran's expectations.
He browsed through reviews on major film sites, and to his surprise, the final consensus wasn't much different from Wei Lan's analysis that day.
"You want to make a movie with me?" Wei Lan sat down next to Yu Ran in the last row of the lecture hall.
Just like before, he carried that same heavy backpack.
"Yeah," Yu Ran replied. "Join the production team. Follow a project I invested in from start to finish."
"Are you sure?" Wei Lan pulled up a post on an industry forum and passed it over.
[How painful it is to work on a production with X Uni's genius, Wei Lan]
1L: I'm going crazy. I rewrote the dialogue for one fight scene over ten times, and he still wasn't satisfied.
2L: Hahahaha, last time I went to the dean's office for a stamp, I saw the dean being cornered by him to revise the teaching plan.
3L: Top students only make friends with other top students. I noticed he's pretty close with Lin Jianlu from the music academy. They're always heading to the cafeteria and library together, which is eye candy anyway.
4L: But every production Wei Lan's worked on ended up being a hit.
5L: True, Wei Lan's freaking awesome! That said—keep away from Wei Lan!
Yu Ran: "..."
Whoa, that's notorious.
"I'm sure." Yu Ran said.
After all, he had some less-than-honorable alpha motives of his own.
"Hi, Senior Yu Ran." An omega passing by greeted Yu Ran cheerfully.
"Hello." Yu Ran had a lukewarm attitude.
"I'm in the directing and screenwriting program too, just like you." The omega smiled. "Can I add you on WeChat, Senior?"
Before Yu Ran could answer, Wei Lan spoke first. "Sorry, we're in the middle of a work discussion."
Seeing Yu Ran shake his head as well, the omega could only walk away in disappointment.
"He's a player." Wei Lan watched the omega's retreating figure and said seriously, "Don't let him fool you."
"Oh?" Yu Ran looked surprised. "Is that so?"
"Yeah." Wei Lan nodded solemnly. "When he asked for your WeChat, he touched your wrist first, making physical contact. I guarantee you won't be the only alpha in his contacts."
"Mr. Yu, tell me about your next movie plan." Wei Lan unfolded a sheet of draft paper, the back of his hand lightly brushing against Yu Ran's arm as he uncapped his pen.
The omega's eyes were serious and sincere, clear as sunlight, falling gently like a kiss on the once-frozen surface of a lake.
[3]
"He’s a player, then what are you?"
Two years later, the movie "The Night Before," starring Xie Wang and featuring Lin Jianlu in a cameo, premiered. Wei Lan, as the head screenwriter, attended the roadshow at X University alongside investor Yu Ran.
The roadshow venue just so happened to be the very same classroom where Wei Lan had given lip service to warn about a "player."
Yu Ran pulled himself out of his memories and asked this question.
"Huh? What?" The omega beside him jolted, immediately starting to play dumb.
"At the time, I thought I was chasing the most outstanding, serious, and kindhearted omega in the world." Yu Ran gritted his teeth and said, "Now I get it — who else in the world but a more high-level player could recognize a player at first glance?"
Yu Ran: "Don't play dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about."
Wei Lan: "..."
"That wasn't being a player, I'm just.. good at appreciating alphas." Wei Lan quibbled. "Out of all those Fierce As, I only slept with you."
"You have no idea how much I liked you," Wei Lan added. "I barely knew you, and I was already badmouthing other people, scared someone else might trick you away from me."
That one landed right in Yu Ran's heart. He waved a hand, signaling Wei Lan to go do whatever he wanted.
Wei Lan wandered off to the front row, looking for Lin Jianlu.
"Yu Ran's such a psycho," Wei Lan spoke softly. "It's been so long, and he's still fussing about my hooking up with alphas. Those few months on set, I almost died under his hands."
After that, he pretty much lost interest in other alphas altogether, because one Yu Ran was worth a dozen of them.
Turns out, Yu Ran wasn't as harmless and gentle as Wei Lan first thought. The alpha's possessiveness ran deep. He loved to dig up old dirt from years ago, randomly picking a lucky alpha from Wei Lan's past to get jealous over.Work stolen from https://chipoholictranslations.blogspot.com/p/homepage.html
"You guys have got a good eye," Lin Jianlu said. "This is the best movie that Yu Ran has invested in so far."
"You just want to brag about your Da Wang, don't you." Wei Lan squinted at him, calling him out.
"Half and half," Lin Jianlu patted his shoulder with a grin. "Our LanLan's script is top-tier too."
"Let's go, YoYo." Xie Wang happened to return at that moment. "Come with me to change clothes."
"Mm, okay." Lin Jianlu got up and followed Xie Wang away.
"What were you two talking about?" Xie Wang asked curiously.
"I was complimenting you," Lin Jianlu replied.
Xie Wang didn't buy it. "Oh yeah? What'd you praise me for?"
Lin Jianlu: "Your acting."
Xie Wang: "?"
You two talked this tame today?
"Da Wang," Lin Jianlu added, voice calm. "Your prejudice is showing. Most of the time we talk about things related to work and study, you know."
Xie Wang: "Okay, okay."
Xie Wang: "No prejudice here."
Only a fool would believe that.
But no matter how Lin Jianlu was, he loved him all the same.
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