Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Beginning of the Semester, Requesting Leave

In the following days, Yu Qian and Chu Yueyue stayed home, playing games without stepping outside. For convenience, Chu Yueyue simply moved in with Yu Qian.

Zhou Jingchen and Wen Xiu wanted to join them, but unfortunately, work kept them busy.

Zhou Jingchen was not only good-looking but also had a knack for style. When he once accompanied Yu Qian to an arcade, someone took his photo and posted it online, making him go viral. By a stroke of luck, he caught the eye of a director.

The director’s name was Xu Guangrong.

Director Xu had gotten hold of a script—the tale of a high-IQ gang pulling off the theft of a priceless gem. Casting for most of the main roles had been settled, except for one part that Xu had been wavering over. That changed when he saw Zhou Jingchen’s photo online; he brought his team to the provincial capital and waited several days to find him.

This particular role was third in importance in the script—a young man from a wealthy family, a programming genius and aristocrat. Each time the protagonists carried out their heists, he was the shadowy figure behind them, providing technical support and direction. The character’s height—set at 188 centimeters—had already eliminated a large swath of candidates. The role also required someone who could exude both toughness and charm without seeming out of place, narrowing the pool even further.

Xu was unimpressed with the acting ability of the remaining options. The project stalled. He was even prepared to cut the character altogether rather than let poor casting ruin the production.

But when he finally met Zhou Jingchen, Xu knew immediately he’d found the right person.

Upon learning that Zhou Jingchen was, in fact, a programming talent in real life, Xu made up his mind on the spot.

Unfortunately, Zhou Jingchen had little interest in acting and refused at once. Xu, however, was persistent, pestering him for a long time. Somehow, Xu managed to track down Wen Xiu and enlisted her help in persuading him.

Wen Xiu could only sigh; her studio was filled with fresh faces she hadn’t even promoted yet, and now her boss was set to make his own debut.

She pulled Zhou Jingchen aside for a talk, after which he finally agreed to take the role. Yu Qian, curious, asked what the two had discussed, but neither would tell her.

And so, Wen Xiu’s studio, already home to internet celebrity Yu Qian and a group of newcomers, welcomed a new member—major shareholder Zhou Jingchen.

Busy with script readings and acting lessons, Zhou handed over his gaming account to Yu Qian.

After twenty days, the game’s seal had been broken up to level eighty-nine, and their guild had smoothly advanced to level five.

Meanwhile, the new semester began at No. 1 High School.

After nearly twenty days without seeing Zhou Jingchen, Yu Qian was surprised to find him waiting at the gate to escort her to school. For a moment, she thought she was seeing things.

The grueling training had changed Zhou Jingchen’s demeanor noticeably. If before, traces of his past life’s gloom would occasionally surface, now he had learned to conceal his emotions.

He seemed every inch the gentle, cheerful young man.

“Looks like your acting coach is quite something,” Yu Qian remarked out of the blue. Zhou Jingchen immediately understood her meaning.

He gently ruffled her hair. “Don’t worry, I’ll do my best to become better.”

He took her schoolbag, intending to hold her hand on the way, but she dodged.

“We can’t date early,” Yu Qian shot him a glare, clasping her hands behind her back.

“Alright, no holding hands,” Zhou Jingchen replied with a smile, unbothered by her avoidance.

After all, it was just a matter of waiting until she turned eighteen. What was six years more? As long as, in the end, she was his, the process didn’t matter.

He accompanied her to register, collect textbooks, and get her school uniform, then took her home before returning to school to register and request leave for himself.

Director Xu’s film was set to start shooting on September ninth. Zhou Jingchen’s role was neither small nor overwhelming, but filming would take two to three months at least.

That meant he would have little time to attend school this semester.

Taking an extended leave at the very start of the term was going to be tough.

And so it proved—the dean scolded him for half an hour. In the end, only after Zhou Jingchen completed a set of college entrance exam questions and proved he was so outstanding that he didn’t need to spend much time at school, was his leave granted.