Daily Life in the Pet Shop Ch. 93

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Du Qianze took the scripts and flipped through them. There were five in total—three from renowned directors, and two featuring the hottest trending themes, also helmed by well-known directors. Any of these films would be a golden opportunity.

"What are you showing me these for?" Du Qianze tossed them back. "With scripts this good, I wouldn't even land a supporting role."

"These scripts are all offering you the lead role," Hai Yang said, his expression strange.

"You forgot to take your medicine today?" Du Qianze reached out and touched Hai Yang's forehead. It wasn't warm, so he didn't have a fever—then why was he spouting nonsense?

"Get lost! I'm not sick. I'm serious. Chi Rui called me in early this morning, threw these five scripts at me, and told me to pick one for you. He wants you to decide as soon as possible." Hai Yang patted his chest, still unable to calm himself. Chi Rui was being so generous that it felt like a dream—so much so that he wondered if the man had taken the wrong medication.

"Chi Rui?" Du Qianze frowned. What was he trying to do? Had he already figured out what Du Qianze had been up to and was now trying to send him a message?

"Oh, right—I asked Chi Rui why he was suddenly handing you these top-tier scripts," Hai Yang suddenly added.

"And what did he say?"

"His official explanation is that you have both talent and good looks. He watched the trailer for The Immortals and Demons and said you're bound to become popular after its release. So, he's preparing in advance, making sure you stay in the spotlight and become the company's next cash cow," Hai Yang said, shaking his head like he was reciting a script.

"And his unofficial explanation?" Du Qianze asked, immediately catching the key detail.

"Unofficially..." Hai Yang hesitated, then sighed. "Chi Rui said that while working with you, he found you to be a good person. Your looks also happen to match his aesthetic preferences. He's fallen for you and wants to pursue you."

Even as he spoke, Hai Yang still found it hard to believe. Sure, Du Qianze was handsome, but that was nothing special—there were countless attractive people in the entertainment industry. The idea that Chi Rui would develop feelings for him was completely unexpected.

"Are you serious?" Du Qianze looked skeptical.

"As serious as these scripts. When I left the office, I overheard people saying that these five roles had already been cast, but Chi Rui personally took them back. Except for the actors who secured their roles by bringing in money, the rest might all be replaced," Hai Yang said with a pout. To be honest, even he didn't believe Chi Rui actually liked Du Qianze. After all, they barely interacted on set, and Chi Rui never seemed particularly interested in him.

"You've been going to the pet shop again, haven't you? I don't remember seeing this hamster before," Hai Yang suddenly exclaimed.

"It's just a hamster. Do you have to make such a big deal out of it? Can we get back to discussing the scripts?"

"Don't tell me you don't know about Hua Ziyi and Chi Rui's relationship. When Hua Ziyi abused that kitten, wasn't it Chi Rui who stepped in to cover for him? They must've found out you're investigating animal abuse! And you still dare to visit pet shops? You're practically announcing to Hua Ziyi and Chi Rui that you're working against them! Hua Ziyi is one thing, but if we really piss off Chi Rui, we're done for. Maybe these five scripts aren't an opportunity—they're a warning."

Hai Yang was just an ordinary guy. He had no particular attachment to animals—neither loving them nor hating them. He thought people who abused animals were sick, but to him, it wasn't worth jeopardizing one's career over. In his eyes, a few stray cats and dogs couldn't compare to the fame Du Qianze had worked so hard for.

"Calm down, calm down. Here, have some water." Du Qianze pulled Hai Yang down onto the sofa and handed him a glass. After Hai Yang finally cooled off, Du Qianze spoke again.

"I know what you're thinking. If Chi Rui really is involved in the animal abuse, then continuing to help Fang Yi means I might never make it big in this industry. All my years of effort would go to waste. I understand that risk." He paused, then said firmly, "But Hai Yang, you've never raised pets before—you don't understand.

"To me, animals are family. Even if we can't take them all in and give them a good home, the least we can do is treat them with kindness when we see them outside. What Hua Ziyi and Chi Rui have done crosses my bottom line. I can't just stand by and let it continue."

"...F*ck," Hai Yang muttered under his breath. He glared at Du Qianze and snapped, "Don't act like some saint. The world doesn't need you to save it. Isn't Fang Yi already capable enough? He even knows Ning Feng! You're weak and powerless—what can you possibly do? You're throwing away your career for nothing!"

"I don't know if it's worth it. I don't even know if I can stop them," Du Qianze admitted. "But if I don't try, I will regret it.

"Even if I become a movie king, even if I stand at the top of this industry—I'll still regret it, just like I would've regretted accepting the unspoken rules.

"If I had given in back then, even if I were a movie king today, I'd still be miserable. I took the right first step, and I don't intend to start going the wrong way now."

"Forget it, forget it, forget it..." Hai Yang scratched his head in frustration. "I can't argue with you. Do whatever you want. I'll return a few of the scripts to Chi Rui and tell him you can't take them. In the meantime, I'll book you for a few more gigs to squeeze the last bit of money out of you."

Du Qianze patted Hai Yang's shoulder and said, "Thank you."

Hai Yang was different from most people—getting him to see things from another perspective was difficult. But despite their differences, he was still willing to help, and Du Qianze felt lucky to have met him. If it had been any other agent, they would have abandoned him the moment he was blacklisted. But Hai Yang had stuck by his side through thick and thin. Now that Du Qianze had finally gained a bit of fame, Hai Yang should have been proud. Instead, he had offended Chi Rui, and this time, there was a real chance he'd never be able to recover from it.

If it were any other agent, they would have been cursing him by now. But Hai Yang forgave him so easily.

All credit goes to the original author
Feel free to pinpoint us if there are any grammar error or typos
Please don't use Guazi's translation to re-translate in other languages

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