“I think you owe me an explanation about last night—”
“It was that inhibitor!” Jiang Yu immediately interrupted Yu Shiqing. He lifted the blanket, got out of bed, and quickly tied the nearly loose belt around his waist with a dark expression. He repeated firmly, “I wasn’t in my right mind last night. It must’ve been a side effect of that inhibitor.”
As he spoke, he snapped the medicine box shut and threw it straight into the trash can.
Yu Shiqing had expected this explanation, so he didn’t say anything and got out of bed from the other side.
“Why did you stay last night?” Jiang Yu asked, as if casually, while looking much calmer than when he first woke up.
“I was planning to leave,” Yu Shiqing simply explained what happened last night. “You probably don’t remember, but you insisted I stay and read the script. You even said that if I didn’t, it meant I had a problem with you—”
“Enough!” Jiang Yu firmly cut him off. “Let’s leave last night in the past!”
Judging by his reaction, what happened last night had clearly shaken him.
Yu Shiqing nodded with a faint smile. “Alright.”
Knowing Jiang Yu needed time alone, he got up and walked toward the door.
“Wait.” Jiang Yu’s face was cold. “It’s daytime. You can’t leave.”
Just as Yu Shiqing turned around, he got hit by the clothes Jiang Yu tossed at him.
“Put on mine,” Jiang Yu said.
Yu Shiqing remembered something, took off the flashy jacket he had on, and asked, “Your heat period had a problem. What’s your plan?”
Jiang Yu frowned. “I took a day off today to go to the hospital.”
Yu Shiqing didn’t ask anything else. Since Jiang Yu was going to the hospital for a checkup, he would naturally go with him.
Fortunately, when the test results came out, the doctor said everything was normal and that Jiang Yu’s heat period had ended. But they couldn’t figure out why it had lasted eight days instead of the usual seven.
After leaving the hospital, they stopped in front of the car.
Jiang Yu looked at Yu Shiqing. “What do you think?”
“I’ll move back in,” Yu Shiqing said.
Normally, he wouldn’t question the doctor’s ability, but their situation was special. Besides, the hospital couldn’t explain why Jiang Yu’s heat period was longer than normal. If it happened again, living together would be more convenient.
Jiang Yu had the same thought but didn’t want to seem eager, so he waited a moment before replying, “Thanks for the trouble.”
Yu Shiqing assumed the pause was because of the psychological shadow left from last night, so he didn’t think much of it.
Maybe that shadow had really affected Jiang Yu deeply. Half a month passed, and even when the film officially started shooting, his heat period didn’t act up again.
Yu Shiqing never moved out.
Jiang Yu came from a singing background and had never acted before. After reading the script, he worried that learning while filming would slow things down. So, he asked Yu Shiqing to be his acting coach.
Ren Bai had been dying of curiosity ever since Yu Shiqing moved out and then came back the same night. But Jiang Yu brushed him off for half a month with just, “What’s wrong with two alphas living together?”
Yu Shiqing never bothered with Ren Bai’s curiosity.
Since Jiang Yu had asked him to be his teacher, and since he now had someone to rehearse with, Yu Shiqing had no reason to refuse.
It had to be said—Jiang Yu was a very talented student. Before filming even started, he had already shown solid progress.
When they filmed the very first scene, director Yan Hongyun was pleasantly surprised.
By contrast, Yu Rong, another singer-turned-actor, looked stiff and weak on camera. Whether it was acting or delivering lines, the difference was stark. The joy on Yan Hongyun’s face slowly turned stiff.
This film was also his big transition project. He got the script two years ago and started preparing a year and a half in advance, pouring in endless effort. At such a critical moment, he had to find a solution.
As the set atmosphere began to freeze, Yu Shiqing was reading the script offstage. A couple of days ago, the script had gone through another revision after a group read-through. In the final version, the movie changed from Jiang Yu being the clear male lead to a near dual-lead structure.
Not only did Yu Shiqing’s character appear earlier, but he also got more solo scenes that gave depth to the character.
The story of Doomsday Rescue is set in a world where continuous deep mining by the world’s top mine causes a collapse, releasing a never-before-seen parasite that can infect any living being. Within days, they grow into giant bloodthirsty monsters that form rings and spread outward, turning city after city into ghost towns.
The film opens with a city that has just developed a vaccine, only to be attacked by monsters before it can be delivered. Scientists are trapped, and a signal goes out, calling rescue teams to risk their lives to save them.
In the original draft, Yu Shiqing’s character, Ji Ming, was a cold, arrogant antagonist. He ignored the safety of the main group several times for the mission and ultimately died because of his stubbornness.
Now, Ji Ming had become someone who saves the team twice in moments of crisis. He seemed heartless on the surface but had his own reasons, and secretly trained his younger brother Ji Ning (played by Jiang Yu). The misunderstandings were only resolved when Ji Ming sacrificed himself to save Ji Ning.
Although Ji Ming’s storyline wasn’t as exciting as the main arc, it offered strong emotional resonance, making him one of the most memorable characters in the film.
The changes were bold. At first, Yu Shiqing thought Jiang Yu would be upset and might even ask the writers to revert it. But Jiang Yu wasn’t. After reading the new version, he didn’t object—in fact, he seemed quite satisfied.
The only one unhappy about it was Yu Rong.
Since his screen time was cut, Yu Rong became more and more careless. When he saw Jiang Yu or the director, he still put on a show, but with others—especially Yu Shiqing, who he blamed—he was clearly irritated.
After watching enough of Yu Rong’s lackluster performance that morning, Yan Hongyun started filming scenes with Yu Shiqing in the afternoon and approached him beforehand.
Yu Shiqing was reading lines with Jiang Yu after lunch when he saw Yan Hongyun bringing Yu Rong over and understood what was going on.
Yan Hongyun praised Jiang Yu first. “You were great this morning! Amazing performance!”
Jiang Yu glanced at Yu Shiqing. “All thanks to Teacher Yu’s coaching.”
Before Yu Shiqing could reply, Yan Hongyun clapped his hands. “Exactly! That’s why I’m here to ask Teacher Yu for a favor.”
Jiang Yu sensed something wrong and frowned slightly. “What kind of favor?”
“You’ve already graduated from training, no problem for today’s shoot!” Yan Hongyun began with praise before moving to his real request. “But this guy still needs some guidance from Teacher Yu.”
He pushed a clearly reluctant Yu Rong forward.
Jiang Yu slowly turned to look at Yu Rong. That glance made Yu Rong’s scalp tingle—he had no idea what he’d done to offend him this time.
Yu Shiqing looked at Yu Rong too. “If he’s willing to learn.”
Yan Hongyun nodded quickly. “He’s willing! Definitely!”
Under Yan’s signal, Yu Rong clenched his fists and said, barely convincingly, “Please teach me, senior.”
Behind Yu Shiqing, Ren Bai sneered, “I think Director Yan shouldn’t force it. Yu Rong came here to act, not get scolded. What if Teacher Yu doesn’t teach him well?”
Yu Rong secretly curled his lips.
Yan Hongyun looked helplessly at Jiang Yu.
Jiang Yu said, “If he can’t learn, we’ll replace him.”
Yu Rong let out a sigh of relief.
“…What?” Yan Hongyun was stunned.
Jiang Yu repeated, “If he can’t understand the role, there’s no point in learning. I’ll contact Qingyuan.”
Yu Rong: “…”
Wait—by “replace,” did he mean replace him??
He was furious but didn’t dare defy Jiang Yu’s authority. The pressure gave him a sudden sense of danger.
He looked at Yu Shiqing with more sincerity. “Senior?”
Yu Shiqing glanced at the script. The afternoon’s scene was the first meeting between his character and the main group, with Yu Rong included.
“Did you memorize the lines?”
Yu Rong nodded. “Yes.”
“Then let’s go,” Yu Shiqing said as he stood up.
Yu Rong blinked. “Right now?”
Jiang Yu also stood. “Got a problem?”
Yu Rong quickly shut up.
“I’m going too,” Jiang Yu told Yu Shiqing.
As the lead actor, his presence was essential.
“Even better,” Yu Shiqing replied.
Seeing everything settled, Yan Hongyun returned with relief.
Yu Shiqing and Jiang Yu walked to the set. Yu Rong followed behind.
