Strawberry Pop Pop Pop chapter 52
Early that morning, Xia Fei arrived at the villa area according to the address given by Gu Nuan to pick him up.
“This is incredible,” Xia Fei exclaimed when he saw the large villa in front of him.
He had always known that Gu Nuan’s family was wealthy, but he didn’t expect them to be this wealthy. Since Gu Nuan never acted like a rich second generation, Xia Fei assumed they were just an ordinary business family.
However, when he saw the address Gu Nuan sent him today, Xia Fei was left in shock.
—An affluent neighborhood.
Xia Fei’s car was checked at the gate, and he called ahead to inform Gu Nuan before driving in.
Along the way, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “I used to think Lao Liang’s family was rich enough, but now that I see your family, it’s like comparing a small stream to the ocean.” His cheap, beat-up car suddenly looked even more shabby.
Gu Nuan felt embarrassed and said, “I bet it was quite a hassle for you to come over here. Thanks, Xia-ge.”
“It’s no trouble.” He had insisted on picking Gu Nuan up himself. Xia Fei drove while asking another question, “Hey, Nuan, what kind of business does your family do?”
“Suppressants and similar products.”
“Suppressants? Interesting, tell me more.”
“The suppressant pills that most Omega individuals in Country C are currently taking are mostly produced by my family. My father mentioned that the company has also been developing pheromone isolators, which are portable like small perfume bottles. This way, in case of sudden emergencies with an Omega, an Alpha can help them maintain basic composure.”
Gu Nuan, seeing Xia Fei’s interest, casually mentioned some details about the company, most of which he had heard from the public conversations between Gu Yuanchen and Ji Mu.
Feeling warm inside the car, he took off his scarf.
Xia Fei acknowledged with a nod, though he didn’t fully understand as their professions didn’t align.
Finally, Xia Fei’s eyes widened, and he parked the car at the side of the road.
“Wait a minute?! The Gu Group??”
“Yes, didn’t my brother mention it to you?”
Xia Fei was speechless, clutching his chest and gasping for breath, “What?! So, you’re from such a wealthy family?”
“Xia-ge, why are you stuttering?” Gu Nuan couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction.
“Did I stutter?”
After a few playful remarks, Xia Fei regained his composure. He had teased Gu Nuan purely for fun. He hadn’t expected that Han Yang was actually an adopted child of the Gu family; it was truly unbelievable.
Xia Fei, straightforward as ever, said, “I can see that you treat your brother well. Your family must treat Han Yang well too, right? He’s always thinking about you guys.”
“Yeah, Dad and Father really like my brother. He’s been outstanding since he was a child, much more responsible than me. Originally, Father wanted him to start learning about the company slowly, as he’ll eventually have to take over with me. But my brother wanted to pursue acting, so he declined
Xia Fei was momentarily speechless, “…”
Little did he expect that Han Yang was the rich young master of the Gu family, rumored to be taking over the family business alongside his brother if he didn’t pursue acting.
Xia Fei’s imagination ran wild for a moment, almost choking on his thoughts. Then, he returned to the topic, “With your family being so wealthy, have you ever thought about helping Han Yang in his acting career?”
“I have, but my dad and Father both wanted to ‘go crazy’ over it, and my brother won’t allow it.”
“Wait, he still won’t allow it?”
Gu Nuan nodded, giving Han Yang another hundred thumbs up in his heart. “My brother is truly diligent and capable. He can excel in anything he does by himself.”
In the driver’s seat, Xia Fei was at a loss for words, “…”
The filming location was in the outskirts of the neighboring city, a bamboo forest area that was available for rent in different sections.
The crew had rented one of these areas, complete with wooden cabins for resting, and it was fully equipped.
Many crew members stayed here for convenience, and some actors without night scenes chose to sleep at hotels outside the bamboo forest.
The crew had also booked a hotel room for Han Yang, but he had been staying in the wooden cabins these past few days since he had night scenes to shoot. He was used to hardships, didn’t mind the cold, and often slept in a sleeping bag with several crew members.
Gu Nuan arrived just in time for the scenes with both He Yunchu and Han Yang, which involved a fight scene. Because Han Yang was shooting a fight scene for the first time, they had to redo it several times.
Han Yang looked serious and apologized to He Yunchu constantly, “I’m sorry, senior.”
“If you know you’re sorry, then don’t look so upset. Otherwise, your emotions will affect your performance. Han Yang, when you swing the sword later, pay attention to pushing off with this foot first and raise your right arm a bit.” He Yunchu demonstrated it once.
Han Yang concentrated on learning.
“Also, your character is loyal to mine. You need to control that emotion.” He Yunchu gave an example. “Have you ever raised a dog? It’s like how a dog looks at its owner. Understand?”
Han Yang nodded, “Got it.”
Once He Yunchu was in work mode, he completely forgot about his previous thoughts of pursuing Han Yang. He was now focused on discussing the script with Han Yang and pointing out many flaws in his acting.
After watching He Yunchu’s demonstration and practicing it himself several times, Han Yang’s attention was completely absorbed, and he didn’t notice Gu Nuan, who had come with Xia Fei, watching from the sidelines.
Xia Fei chuckled, “Look at those two, they’re an unbeatable workaholic duo. It’s scary, scary~”
This was the first time Gu Nuan had seen a celebrity up close, and he couldn’t help but exclaim, “He Yunchu looks much better in person than on TV.”
While he said this, Gu Nuan’s gaze never left Han Yang.
Han Yang, dressed in a black suit, looked so handsome that Gu Nuan’s heart skipped a beat. If it weren’t for Xia Fei’s reminder not to take photos here, Gu Nuan would have wanted to secretly take a picture and set it as his screensaver.
Xia Fei didn’t stay long with Gu Nuan and soon spotted an old friend. He waved towards them, “Nuan, I’m going to catch up with my friend for a bit. Are you coming with me, or staying here?”
“I’ll stay here to watch my brother’s scenes. Don’t worry, Xia-ge, I promise not to disturb anyone.”
“Okay,” Xia Fei smiled and ruffled Gu Nuan’s hair.
Gu Nuan didn’t have time to dodge, so he tidied his hair, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
He turned back to continue watching Han Yang act. Every time there was a NG (no good) take, He Yunchu patiently coached Han Yang on how to improve.
Occasionally, He Yunchu would hold Han Yang’s hand to demonstrate certain actions. Gu Nuan didn’t know what he said, but suddenly, Han Yang burst into laughter and whispered something to He Yunchu.
To outsiders, He Yunchu and Han Yang seemed very close.
Gu Nuan was surprised. He had always thought that Han Yang wouldn’t smile at strangers, but today he saw Han Yang smile at He Yunchu, and it was a gentle smile.
Even though he knew it was wrong to feel jealous, Gu Nuan, who had been ignored by Han Yang for many days, couldn’t help but feel upset. He had originally planned to say hi to Han Yang after this scene, but now, with his less-than-happy expression, he decided to stay silent.
—Does my brother not want to see me at all?
—Does my brother have his own friends and circle? Could he have developed feelings for someone else?
Various thoughts kept swirling in Gu Nuan’s head, making him inexplicably sad. He was afraid that if Han Yang saw his awkward expression, he would feel even more distant. He turned away from the scene, leaving. He saw a sign indicating the restroom nearby and thought he should wash his face to calm himself down.
…
Next to the restroom was an open space. Gu Nuan stood in front of the mirror, lost in thought.
His mind kept going back to the expression on Han Yang’s face when he had rejected him. Contrasting that with Han Yang’s smile towards He Yunchu just now, their attitudes were completely different.
Gu Nuan forcefully splashed cold water on his face, causing his cheeks to turn red.
He took a deep breath and, after coming out of the restroom, didn’t rush back. Instead, he found a downhill spot in the open area and sat down, lost in thought. He had left his scarf in Xia Fei’s car, and the cold wind made him shiver.
At this moment, he received a message on his phone from Ji Mu.
“Nuan, your father and I are going out for dinner tonight. Don’t stay out too late, and send me a message when you get home.”
Gu Nuan was about to reply when he heard two people approaching not far away.
They were two crew members, one of them holding a cigarette, taking a break in the open space.
One of them said, “In recent years, there haven’t been many newcomers as hardworking as him.”
“You mean Han Yang?”
“Yeah, with his acting skills and looks, he won’t remain unknown for long.” The person chuckled. “Besides, in the dramas led by He Yunchu, there are very few that don’t become popular.”
Over the past few years, He Yunchu had undoubtedly boosted the careers of many supporting actors.
Gu Nuan didn’t intend to eavesdrop, but he was curious about their conversation, so he wanted to listen.
As they continued talking, their discussion veered into gossipy territory. “By the way, is He Yunchu exclusively only dating Alphas? It seems like it, as most Alphas in the industry prefer to date Betas. Have you also noticed that as soon as Han Yang finishes shooting, he keeps his distance from all the Omegas on set? He barely talks to them. He really seems to dislike Omegas.”
Betas lacked the pheromone rivalry that Alphas had with Omegas and were less likely to have complications, such as marking. They had less emotional baggage and didn’t interfere with each other’s careers.
The other crew member laughed, “Some of them have been together for a long time, and they even got married. But… it’s rare.”
“What’s so rare about it? Our group had one before! Even an Alpha with a high compatibility didn’t want to date Omegas and went and got a marriage certificate with a Beta. Now, both their love and careers are thriving.”
Both men laughed and marveled at how popular Betas were in the industry.
“Long-term work relationships often develop deeper feelings. He Yunchu looks good, so I think Han Yang won’t be able to resist.”
Gu Nuan listened more and more, and his eyes widened in shock!
Oh no, could it be that Han Yang was going to be the mouse who falls into the rice barrel?!
“Ugh.” Gu Nuan slapped his mouth. “Brother is not a mouse.”