APCF – Chapter 46 The Boss

Qi Xingchen was completely caught up in the logic of it all. Even after hanging up his dad’s call, he was still utterly confused.

What did this have to do with Xu Sheng? The main issue was that he was currently filming and couldn’t leave anytime soon, so how could he manage a diamond mine?

And even after The Heart of the Ocean wrapped up, he still didn’t want to go to South Africa.

Sure, being a mine owner sounded glamorous, but as someone who had transmigrated into this world, his connections and familiarity were all here. Going to South Africa, where he didn’t know a soul, seemed like a bad idea.

[Dad sent a message.]

While Qi Xingchen was agonizing over what to do with this “gift,” his father had already anticipated his worries. He messaged:

[You don’t need to worry about managing it. I’ve already found a suitable overseer to handle things there. The mine’s quarterly revenue will be directly deposited into your bank account. I’ll send you the overseer’s WeChat contact. If you have any work arrangements or want diamonds, just let him know.]

Qi Xingchen: “…”

In just over a week, from inspecting the mine in South Africa to buying it and selecting a capable overseer, it was clear how much effort, stress, and sleepless nights his father had endured.

Feeling a wave of guilt and warmth, Qi Xingchen decided that once the mine produced its best diamonds, he’d make sure to set aside 10 or 20 top-tier gems for his family first.

He sent a friend request to the WeChat contact his father had provided, expressed his gratitude to the old man, and then turned his attention to another pressing issue: how to appease Bo Ye.

Their texting frequency had increased significantly lately, especially considering Bo Ye’s busy work schedule.

Usually, Qi Xingchen was the one to initiate contact. But on the rare mornings when he was tied up with script prep or accidentally napped during a car ride and didn’t message, Bo Ye would check in with him around noon.

It had become an unspoken routine between them.

But after his foolish mistake last night, Bo Ye hadn’t spoken to him all day.

He’s probably still mad.

While An Ran finished tidying up the room, Qi Xingchen leaned lazily on the balcony railing, arms crossed. He fidgeted with his phone screen, typing and deleting messages, before finally settling on three simple and corny words:

Xingxing: [I’m sorry.]

Xingxing: [I drank too much last night. 😭😭]

After sending the messages, he stared at the screen.

His phone was set to lock automatically after three minutes. He repeated the lock-unlock cycle four times before the chat interface finally showed a response.

Bo: [Hmm.]

One word. One period.

Even high school reading comprehension exams weren’t this hard.

Qi Xingchen had thought that as long as Bo Ye replied, it meant their friendship hadn’t reached a breaking point.

But now…

Still, he figured he might as well try to salvage the situation. Bracing himself, he typed another message:

Xingxing: [I suspect the restaurant’s wine was fake—it’s bad for the brain.]

Bo: [Hmm.]

Xingxing: [Next time, I’ll be more careful about drinking.]

Bo: [Hmm.]

“…How am I supposed to fix this?”

Qi Xingchen couldn’t stay still any longer. He pushed himself up, his toes shuffling nervously on the ground.

The movement spread to his legs and hips, making him sway side to side. From a distance, he looked like a big, clumsy dog trying to charm its way out of trouble.

Bo Ye couldn’t help but chuckle.

After some trial and error, Qi Xingchen realized excuses weren’t working. He decided to get serious and apologize properly.

Xingxing: [I promise I’ll behave from now on.]

Bo: [How will you behave?]

Finally, it wasn’t just another “Hmm.” Qi Xingchen saw a glimmer of hope and quickly pledged:

Xingxing: [I won’t leave you alone. Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do it. If you tell me to get out of the pool, I’ll get out immediately—no need for you to count to three.]

Bo Ye: “…”

Bo: [That’s it?]

What else could there be?

Qi Xingchen was baffled. Wasn’t Bo Ye upset about his lack of manners or disobedience?

His toes shuffled even faster, and he grew increasingly anxious:

Xingxing: [Tell me what else there is. I’ll listen to you completely.]

Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable.

Bo Ye sighed:

Bo: [Come down. My car’s license plate ends in 365.]

Qi Xingchen froze for a few seconds before understanding what Bo Ye meant.

He leaned over the railing and looked down, spotting Bo Ye’s car parked by the hotel’s side entrance. His toe-shuffling stopped immediately, and he slid his phone back into his pocket.

Gripping the railing with both hands, he leaned out even further to try and see.

Inside the car, Bo Ye had sent the driver home to rest, so Allen had been driving these past few nights. From behind the tinted windows, Allen saw Qi Xingchen’s precarious posture and panicked.

“Oh my god, that’s so dangerous! Is he going to fall? What’s he trying to do?”

“Maybe he’s trying to wave at us,” Bo Ye said, frowning.

Luckily, the person on the top floor seemed to realize how futile waving from such a distance was. Qi Xingchen hopped back onto the balcony and disappeared from view.

Allen finally relaxed and let out a long breath.

He turned to Bo Ye and said, “Hey, boss, did you notice something?”

“What?”

“Xingxing’s usually really sharp, but the moment he’s around you, he turns into a complete fool.”

Really? Bo Ye’s lips curved into a barely noticeable smile.

Qi Xingchen dashed back to his room, grabbed his small backpack, opened the fridge, and packed a few bottles of chilled drinks. In two long strides, he was at the shoe rack.

An Ran noticed his unusual behavior and asked curiously, “Xingxing, are you going out?”

Qi Xingchen nodded, answering honestly, “Brother Ye is waiting for me downstairs.”

“Oh, be careful not to get caught by the media. By the way,” An Ran added, “do you want to return the shirt to him while you’re at it?”

Qi Xingchen paused mid-shoe-tying. “…I’ll find another chance. It wouldn’t be proper to give it back without ironing it first.”

With that, he hurried out, putting on his hat and mask in the elevator.

The moment he pushed open the hotel’s side door, the car door opened. He hopped in with one swift motion.

Bo Ye glanced at his slightly heaving chest and sighed. “Why are you running so fast?”

Qi Xingchen sat down in the same row as Bo Ye and replied, “I was in a hurry.”

“What’s the rush?”

“I was afraid… afraid,” Qi Xingchen panted, “afraid you’d leave if you got tired of waiting.”

Does he really seem like such an impatient person? Bo Ye wanted to ask his little fan.

But since, in Qi Xingchen’s mind, Bo Ye was still supposedly upset, Bo Ye kept up the act, putting on a stern face and staying silent.

Qi Xingchen glanced at Bo Ye’s expression, his heart sinking. He took out the drinks he’d brought, sorted through them, and handed the plain-flavored one to Allen.

He opened the only bottle of unsweetened tea and cautiously offered it to Bo Ye. “Thirsty?”

Seeing the sparkle in Qi Xingchen’s eyes, tinged with apprehension and anticipation, Bo Ye pressed his lips together tightly.

He accepted the drink, took a sip, and said, “Old Shang mentioned that you did well in today’s key scene?”

“Yep!” Qi Xingchen said proudly, not forgetting to flatter, “It’s mostly because of your great guidance yesterday.”

“…There’s half a month left until wrap-up. Focus on your remaining scenes. Afterward, I’ll check with Old Shang about your performance. If he’s satisfied, you’ll get your gift.”

Before joining the crew, Bo Ye had promised to give Qi Xingchen a gift.

At the time, Qi Xingchen thought Bo Ye was just humoring him. He hadn’t expected Bo Ye to bring it up again so seriously.

Now, Qi Xingchen’s curiosity was piqued. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of gift Bo Ye might give.

But he was too embarrassed to ask outright, so he took a roundabout approach. “Why are you here? Were you looking for Director Shang?”

“If I came for him, I’d have gone straight into the hotel,” Bo Ye said, raising an eyebrow.

“Oh, then who are you here for?”

“…” Bo Ye thought Allen was absolutely right earlier.

“I’m here to demand answers,” Bo Ye said flatly. “Why did you ignore me? Why didn’t you listen to me?”

…Wait, isn’t this what he said over text? Qi Xingchen furrowed his brows. Something about Bo Ye’s tone seemed off, as if he was being ironic.

“It’s all my fault,” Qi Xingchen lowered his head. “These are two charges. Are there any more? Let’s declare them all at once and wait for my autumn execution.”

Bo Ye couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. “Then let me ask you this—when you went to the swimming pool, did you read the safety guidelines?”

“Read it,” Qi Xingchen racked his brain, “Skin disease and heart disease patients aren’t allowed inside… Oh, and intoxicated people aren’t allowed either!”

He froze for a moment after speaking, suddenly realizing why Bo Ye was upset—it wasn’t about being impolite or disobedient.

“When you drink, your reflexes slow down,” Bo Ye explained. “There are countless reports every year of people getting into accidents after drinking and going into the sea. And last night, it was so late. If I hadn’t been there, who would you have turned to if something had gone wrong?”

Qi Xingchen rubbed the tip of his nose sheepishly.

“Don’t do something so dangerous again, okay?”

“…Okay, I understand.”

“If you do it again, I won’t just be mad next time.”

“Got it, I won’t…” Qi Xingchen started but quickly corrected himself when he saw Bo Ye raise an eyebrow. “Actually, no, there won’t be a next time. This was the last!”

Seeing his determined expression, Bo Ye finally couldn’t hold back and nodded with a smile.

The warm yellow light inside the car mixed with the symphony of cicadas chirping outside. Qi Xingchen couldn’t help but recall the events of the previous night and licked his lips absentmindedly.

“Alright, it’s getting late,” Bo Ye said, glancing at his watch. “I still have some backing vocals to work on. You should head back.”

So soon? Qi Xingchen picked up his backpack reluctantly.

“Wait,” he stopped before stepping out of the car, suddenly realizing something. “Who exactly did you come here for? Did you get it done?”

“…Idiot.”

Bo Ye sighed helplessly. “I wrapped up filming nearby and stopped by to check on you.”

“I wrapped up filming nearby and stopped by to check on you.”

This line played on a loop in Qi Xingchen’s mind. Even when he stepped onto the set the next day, it echoed faintly before gradually fading.

“Oh, look, our merman prince is here!!!”

As soon as he entered the makeup room, the makeup artists and stylists swarmed around him.

“Hehe, Xingxing, how does it feel to go viral with a video that’s trending across the internet?”

Qi Xingchen wasn’t used to such attention. His face flushed. “Stop teasing me. It’s just a short clip, not a movie or anything.”

“Movies don’t even get as many views as you did!” one of the makeup artists said, pulling out her phone. “Look—on KooYo, you were #2 in clicks yesterday and #1 overall. On QiYiAi, you were #3 yesterday and still #1 overall. And don’t forget Penguin Video…”

Last night, after returning from Bo Ye’s car, Qi Xingchen had gone straight to bed without checking any of this. Hearing what was being said, he opened the video apps on his phone and checked each one.

It was true. His underwater clip hadn’t topped the hot search lists, but it had spread incredibly widely, appearing on every platform.

It ranked in the top three in views across multiple sites and had even been reposted on several international video-sharing platforms.

Qi Xingchen’s eyes widened slightly in disbelief. He hadn’t expected such a short clip to go viral like this.

Just then, footsteps echoed from the door. Director Shang’s assistant walked in, scanning the room. “Mr. Qi, here you are. When you’re free later, please get ready. The media will be coming for a group interview this afternoon.”

“Group interview?” Qi Xingchen asked, puzzled. “Why didn’t Director Shang tell me beforehand? This feels sudden. How many outlets are coming?”

A group interview meant multiple media outlets interviewing at once. Unlike single media visits, where anyone in the crew could be interviewed, group interviews typically focused on the main cast and crew, leaving minor actors like him out of the spotlight.

“Nine so far,” the assistant replied. “Three live-stream platforms, one print outlet, two self-media outlets, plus traditional media and TV stations.”

Nine now? Qi Xingchen figured that once news of Heart of the Ocean holding a group interview spread, that number could easily double.

“Do I really need to go?” Qi Xingchen asked, still puzzled.

“Absolutely, Mr. Qi! Most of them are here because of your video!”

The assistant, clearly busy, quickly informed him that the group interview would take place at the Bai Niao Garden performance hall and then dashed off.

Upon hearing the dreadful news that he had to participate, Qi Xingchen, who was clueless about dealing with the media, let out a sigh. He began to think about what kinds of questions the reporters might ask and how he should answer them.

Since he joined the industry late, he hadn’t yet mastered the art of media-savvy speech. It was easy for him to slip up, and if he ended up causing trouble for the production team, he’d feel unbearably guilty.

Thankfully, Shang Yuliang had foresight and gathered everyone for a short meeting at noon. During the meeting, he specifically warned Xu Sheng and Qi Xingchen not to speak recklessly or bicker with each other.

Both of them nodded obediently.

At 2:00 PM, at the Bai Niao Garden indoor performance hall:

The stage, originally set up with iron hoops and wooden perches for bird performances, had been cleared out. A long table was set up instead, with microphones and nameplates for the Heart of the Ocean cast and crew arranged neatly.

The seating order was as follows: Female Lead 3, Qi Xingchen, Feng Qingyuan, Shang Yuliang, Tao Tao, and Xu Sheng.

Xu Sheng was the first to enter the hall. His face darkened momentarily when he saw the seating arrangement.

Judging by the placement of the nameplates, Feng Qingyuan and Shang Yuliang were clearly positioned as the primary focus, with Tao Tao and Qi Xingchen seated opposite each other. Tao Tao was the indisputable female lead, making her the top billing.

But Qi Xingchen seemed to have subtly been elevated to the second billing.

Was Director Shang planning to give him more screen time?

What was even more infuriating was that Xu Sheng, along with the third female lead, was seated on the farthest ends, effectively relegated to third billing.

It was just a short clip! If not for Qi Xingchen’s sheer luck in gaining such exposure, how could he have received this level of attention?

Closing his eyes, Xu Sheng took a deep breath. When he opened them again, he had regained his composure and plastered a warm smile onto his face.

That afternoon, the Bai Niao Garden had temporarily closed for the group interview.

Five young bird trainers, after feeding the birds and cleaning the area, found themselves bored and began tugging at each other.

“Hey, I heard there’s a big celebrity in that crew. Let’s go check it out!”

“They’re in a meeting. Isn’t it inappropriate for us to barge in?”

“What’s the harm in just peeking from the door? I heard Tao Tao’s there too—you’re a big fan of hers, aren’t you?”

“I… well… yeah, I’d like to see her. Alright, let’s go and give it a shot.”

“Let’s move!”

The five young trainers put down their parrots, but as soon as they stepped away, the birds flew back onto their shoulders.

These parrots were of purebred lineage and exceptionally well-trained. If not for their feathered forms, one might think they were divine beings in disguise.

Seeing that they couldn’t shake them off, the trainers figured that as long as they didn’t make noise, the parrots wouldn’t randomly squawk either. With this in mind, they let the birds perch on their shoulders and made their way to the entrance of the hall, five men and nine parrots in tow.

Unsurprisingly, they were stopped by two bodyguards.

The door to the hall was open, though, so they decided to stand at the entrance and watch the commotion from there.

This group interview ultimately attracted nearly twenty media outlets—a decent turnout for a TV drama without a major celebrity driving its popularity.

Under the direction of the assistant director, the preliminary segments proceeded smoothly, and the session had now moved into the open Q&A period.

A journalist in the front row stood up: “From this interview, it feels like the Heart of the Ocean production team is a very harmonious and loving group. Could you share some funny or memorable moments from your time together?”

This type of question was inevitable, and everyone answered in turn according to their seating order. Qi Xingchen shared a story about how Director Shang had asked him to come to his room one evening, which almost caused a misunderstanding. Shortly after, it was Xu Sheng’s turn to speak.

Clearing his throat, Xu Sheng said: “Speaking of funny moments, I’d like to take this opportunity to apologize to Xingxing. On my first day reporting to the set, I assumed Xingxing, like the rest of the supporting cast, was staying on the 23rd floor of the hotel. So, I kept pulling him in that direction—haha!”

A reporter followed up: “And then?”

“Well, it turns out Xingxing was actually staying on the director’s top floor! Thinking about it now, it’s hilarious—haha!”

As Xu Sheng finished, the media attendees laughed cooperatively.

However, after the laughter subsided, they began to sense an issue with his comment.

With the success of Let’s Budget Travel Season 4, the show had reignited interest in its cast, boosting their public profiles. Many now knew that Qi Xingchen came from a working-class family.

Why, then, was he treated differently from the other supporting actors? Why was he staying on the same top floor as the head director?

This sparked suspicion. After all, Xu Sheng had previously been accused of hiring marketers to spread rumors about Qi Xingchen having a “sponsor.” What if those weren’t just baseless smears?

Why would Xu Sheng target the third male lead instead of the first male lead unless there was some truth to it?

Reporters, being sharp and seasoned, immediately caught on. One of them jokingly asked:  “Xingxing, how does it feel living next door to Director Shang? Does he often pull you aside for discussions about your role?”

Qi Xingchen’s expression shifted subtly; he could tell the question was less about “discussing the role” and more about why he was living next to the director.

Lowering his head toward the microphone, he prepared to respond with the explanation Qi Yujing had taught him. He opened his mouth—

At that moment, the bird trainers who had been watching from the doorway were utterly stunned.

“Boss?!”

“Isn’t that our boss?!”

And as their exclamations rang out, the parrots perched on their shoulders also began to squawk: “Boss! Caw!”

“Boss, caw caw!”

“Boss! Boss! Caw caw caw!”