I Became the Koi Actor After Entering the Book

**Chapter 83: Just Bear With It**

Translator: Namizaki

*********************

Lu Yuzhou had to attend a dinner with senior executives, and Chi Zhongqiao couldn’t just run off after receiving his awards. The two lovestruck young men were forced to remain at their respective banquets, navigating the endless toasts and small talk with industry titans.

It wasn’t until 10:30 PM that Lu Yuzhou finally managed to escape the clutches of the executives.

He wasn’t some idle second-generation heir, but a legitimate power holder. Even at the banquet, few dared to pressure him to drink. Chi Zhongqiao, however, was a different story. Having won two prestigious awards that night, he was mercilessly plied with drinks after the ceremony.

To make matters worse, the moment Chi Zhongqiao left the banquet, he was swarmed by fans waiting outside the hotel.

Though he wasn’t rowdy when drunk, he wasn’t exactly easy to handle either.

Zhong Yin and Du Yusheng watched helplessly as Chi Zhongqiao stumbled off, clutching his Best Actor trophy.

“Brother Qiao!” Zhong Yin cried out in desperation. “That thing will break if you drop it! Let me carry it for you!” Damn it, why aren’t the Peony Awards trophies made of metal?

Chi Zhongqiao glanced down at the trophy in his arms, dodged Zhong Yin’s outstretched hand, and shook his head firmly. “I want them to see it.”

Du Yusheng couldn’t dissuade this little tyrant either, and could only watch helplessly as Chi Zhongqiao stood among his fans, clutching the trophy.

Du Yusheng: “…Zhong Yin, calligraphers have very steady hands, right?”

Zhong Yin, tears welling in his eyes: “I-I think so.” The problem was that Brother Qiao was completely drunk!

The two watched with bated breath as Chi Zhongqiao, cradling the fragile trophy, let each fan touch it.

Zhong Yin, bewildered: “What exactly is Brother Qiao doing?”

Du Yusheng stroked his chin thoughtfully, then speculated based on Chi Zhongqiao’s personality: “He probably feels the award belongs to the fans, so he’s letting them all touch it.”

Zhong Yin considered this and agreed that it fit Brother Qiao’s character perfectly.

But a drunk Brother Qiao was also remarkably talkative. Standing a few steps away, Zhong Yin could hear Chi Zhongqiao lecturing the group of fans who were still waiting outside past 10 PM. Zhong Yin’s head began to ache, yet the silly girls seemed to be enjoying themselves, smiling and teasing Chi Zhongqiao even as he scolded them.

Zhong Yin rolled his eyes heavenward.

When Lu Yuzhou drove up, this was the scene that greeted him: His Qiao Gege surrounded by a crowd of fans, his tall, striking figure still standing out prominently in the midst of the group.

Lu Yuzhou raised an eyebrow slightly as he got out of the car, carrying a cup of warm milk.

As if sensing his gaze, Chi Zhongqiao suddenly turned to look at Lu Yuzhou.

He casually handed the trophy in his arms to a girl, then strode into the car, retrieved another heavy trophy, and bent down to exit again.

Du Yusheng, unsure what antics Chi Zhongqiao was planning, could only watch helplessly as he walked toward Lu Yuzhou, clutching the trophy.

Sensing trouble, Du Yusheng hurried forward to block Chi Zhongqiao.

“Come, come, Zhongqiao. I know you’re tired. They made you drink a lot at the banquet, didn’t they? Go home with President Lu now.”

The drunken Chi Zhongqiao, under the solicitous guidance of his 1.9-meter-tall manager, was pushed away with a dazed expression.

Zhong Yin, ever perceptive, opened the passenger door. Without a word, Du Yusheng shoved Chi Zhongqiao into Lu Yuzhou’s car, smiling to signal that Lu Yuzhou could leave immediately.

Nearby fans erupted in a flurry of excited squeals at the sight.

Inside the car, Chi Zhongqiao stubbornly wriggled out and clung to Lu Yuzhou’s side, calling out to the fans, “It’s late. Don’t make so much noise outside. It’s cold tonight—go home quickly.”

February’s weather remained cold. Some girls, prioritizing style, ventured out in just coats and short cotton skirts, paired with leggings.

Lu Yuzhou stood by the car, gently rubbing Chi Zhongqiao’s icy hands. He handed him a warm cup to hold, then tucked him back into the car.

Turning to face the fans who were squealing softly, Lu Yuzhou gave a slight nod before circling around to the driver’s seat.

Under the fans’ watchful eyes, the black Maybach slowly glided out of sight.

As soon as the car was gone, the fan group erupted into unrestrained cheers. Remembering Chi Zhongqiao’s warning not to make a scene, they quickly covered their mouths.

“I’m dead! I’m dead! He touched his hand! Did you see that? He touched his hand!”

“Ahhh, Qiao Bao is even more gorgeous in person than on camera! His beauty is truly otherworldly! President Lu has such an aura—that nod earlier… Damn, all those over-the-top CEOs from dramas need to take notes! This is what a real CEO looks like!”

“Hand touch!”

“Qiao Bao’s eyes are mesmerizing! That gaze… it feels like you could drown in them!”

“Hand touch!”

*****

“They’re just being brothers. Why are you so excited?”

“He touched his hands! President Lu touched Brother Qiao’s hand!”

Huh… Looks like a hardcore fan snuck in…

Wait, President Lu touched Brother Qiao’s hand?

That actually sounds… kind of hot.

The fans watched the Maybach drive away, feeling like they’d missed something. Finally, a girl exclaimed in horror, “Brother Qiao, your trophy!”

***

Chi Zhongqiao sat in the passenger seat, clutching his heavy trophy, his eyes sparkling as he gazed at Lu Yuzhou.

Lu Yuzhou drove, glancing at Chi Zhongqiao several times, and chuckled, “Qiao-ge, you seem awfully pleased.”

Chi Zhongqiao placed the trophy closer to Lu Yuzhou’s side. “No Best Actor award.”

As they stopped at a red light, Lu Yuzhou slowly brought the car to a halt and turned to look intently at Chi Zhongqiao.

“Just Best Newcomer. It’ll have to serve as a modest engagement gift for now,” Chi Zhongqiao said. “You’ll have to bear with it for the time being.”

Lu Yuzhou leaned over, covering Chi Zhongqiao’s eyes with his hand, and lowered his head to kiss him.

*****

The next day, nearly half of the trending topics were about the Peony Awards ceremony. Chi Zhongqiao emerged as the biggest winner among the actors, securing two major awards. It could be said that half of the trending topics related to the Peony Awards were about Chi Zhongqiao.

This marked Chi Zhongqiao’s first film role, and he had already achieved such remarkable recognition.

Meanwhile, <Campus Prince and Campus Belle> continued its phenomenal success, achieving impressive box office numbers in both Japan and Korea. Chi Zhongqiao had also amassed a substantial fan base in both countries. His solo magazine, Night Capital, surpassed 210,000 copies in total sales, finally unlocking his full commercial potential as a star. Countless endorsement offers flooded in.

Yet Du Yusheng remained unhurried to accept them. Firstly, Chi Zhongqiao was currently busy filming, and Du Yusheng didn’t want to burden him with additional commitments. On this point, their views aligned perfectly—an actor’s true foundation lies in their work.

Secondly… Du Ke’s contract as the Asian brand ambassador for Du Ke was set to expire in June.

President Lu had a particular fondness for Du Ke, a top-tier luxury brand with Sino-foreign investment. Almost all of Chi Zhongqiao’s formal attire provided by President Lu was from Du Ke.

Du Ke’s Regional Head for Asia had already been considering replacing their brand ambassador. The outfit Chi Zhongqiao wore to the Flying Hope Awards had been provided by Du Ke as a friendly gesture.

After all, Du Ke’s previous ambassador, once one of the “Four Young Male Actors,” had seen his reputation tarnished by a cheating scandal.

Although male celebrities’ infidelity is often quickly forgotten or forgiven by the public, Du Ke couldn’t tolerate a cheating star representing their brand in Asia. While they didn’t formally terminate the contract, they effectively treated him as if he no longer existed, canceling nearly all his promotional activities in the region. Even before the scandal was confirmed, Du Ke had already begun scouting for a new ambassador.

Du Yusheng had already received Du Ke’s favor multiple times, and the Regional Head for Asia had expressed great admiration for Chi Zhongqiao’s impeccable image.

Du Yusheng, ever astute, understood the unspoken message and immediately turned down offers from other clothing brands.

The next morning, Chi Zhongqiao woke up with no memory of the previous night’s events. Lu Yuzhou had placed the Flying Hope Award trophy in a bulletproof glass display case, alongside Chi Zhongqiao’s Best Supporting Actor award and Most Popular Actor award, all proudly showcased together.

Every time Chi Zhongqiao passed the display case, he couldn’t help but glance at it. He always felt it looked out of place in their home, but seeing Lu Yuzhou’s subtle excitement when it was installed, Chi Zhongqiao kept his thoughts to himself.

Alright, if Yuzhou likes it, that’s all that matters.

Chi Zhongqiao ran his hand over the newly installed bulletproof glass display case and smiled wryly.

Time flew by, and mid-May arrived quickly. <Invisible Crime> premiered in the United States. Notably, due to cultural differences, the plot had been slightly adjusted, requiring Chi Zhongqiao to reshoot some scenes, and the series was extended to over fifty episodes.

From the start, the series had been heavily promoted with the names of China and Yan Qingbo. This immediately garnered anticipation from overseas Chinese communities. Furthermore, Yan Qingbo, as an internationally renowned actress, was well-known to many Americans and had a massive global fanbase. These fans initially became the primary driving force behind the series’ viewership.

<Invisible Crime> received positive reviews abroad, but it didn’t achieve a complete breakthrough.

Fu Jingshen remained unhurried, calling Chi Zhongqiao to say leisurely, “Now it’s up to your performance, Zhongqiao.”

He was waiting for the episode where Shang Tang’s image would be completely reversed to air.

Even the director wasn’t in a hurry, so Chi Zhongqiao was even less so. He felt perfectly justified in abandoning <Invisible Crime> to focus on his remaining scenes in <The Patriot>.

Meanwhile, Lu Yuzhou confirmed his trip to the United States in June, departing on the 14th and staying for forty-five days.

Chi Zhongqiao calculated the time. He had very few scenes left to film and would be done in just a few more days. By then, he would definitely be able to go with Lu Yuzhou.

Having escaped the exceptionally busy months of January and February, Chi Zhongqiao had been practically invisible for the past few months. Only occasional social media updates hinted that this lucky Koi was still bustling around on set.

By the end of May, Chi Zhongqiao finally wrapped up filming.

The drama, which had been in production for seven months, finally concluded. That night, the entire cast and crew gathered for a wild celebration, even Director Yu had a beer.

In early June, Chi Zhongqiao received a contract from Du Ke.

Accompanied by Du Yusheng, Chi Zhongqiao secured the endorsement deal for all of Asia. On the day of the signing, Chi Zhongqiao calmly sat beside Du Yusheng, wearing the watch Lu Yuzhou had given him.

The head of Asian operations was a fellow Chinese compatriot who clearly adored Chi Zhongqiao. As soon as he sat down, he expressed his admiration.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that this contract remains in the hands of our Chinese people.” The executive said, his voice tinged with pride. “Japan had produced a super idol this year, and one of our senior Managers wanted to make him our brand ambassador. I asked him, ‘Does this idol have Lord Qiao’s fame? Lord Qiao’s beauty? Lord Qiao’s universally recognized acting talent?’ He fell silent immediately.”

The executive pushed the contract toward Du Yusheng, his pride barely concealed. “When your movies and TV dramas were released, all my friends asked me, ‘Are all the boys in your country as handsome and talented as this? He portrays such vivid characters! And his calligraphy is so exquisite—one of my friends even got his hands on your bookmark and keeps asking me where he can learn calligraphy…'”

“I’m truly, truly proud. Please sign this contract, which carries my utmost sincerity.”

Zaki~ English is not my first language, but I’ll try to get the translations as close as possible to the Author’s work. If you see any grammatical errors or mistakes in the translation, please feel free to drop them in the comments section so I can correct them immediately. Thank you and Happy Reading 🙂