Chapter 23: The Premiere Broadcast

The day after the conclusion of "The Promise of Three Lifetimes," the two returned to Beijing separately. They kept in touch via messages and calls, and they met once every week.

During the show, Su Shengxin had mentioned that he was taking on a role in a modern urban romance drama that required basketball skills, despite him having no experience at all. Shang Yin had offered to teach him, and he had kept his word. Shang Yin didn't just teach him personally; he actually hired a former national team head coach to assist. Under such elite "tutelage," Su Shengxin progressed rapidly.

"It's a pity," Su Shengxin remarked. "Ten years ago, my parents wouldn't let me touch a ball for fear I'd injure my fingers. Now that I’ve fulfilled that wish and learned a bit, I’m happy, but it’s also a shame. Learning it now, there are no more intercollegiate matches to play; I have no arena to showcase my skills."

"Who says there isn't?" Shang Yin replied. "Shangzhou holds an annual event. If you want to participate, keep practicing, and next time, I’ll assemble a team."

Su Shengxin laughed. "If the great President Shang joins in, the company will go into a frenzy."

Shang Yin shrugged dismissively. "So what?"

"No need. I’m already very happy," Su Shengxin said, stroking his face. "You don't need to satisfy my every whim. We are independent individuals."

"Of course I don't need to satisfy your every whim," Shang Yin looked at him, "but I want to."

"..." Perhaps it was the glare of the sun, but Su Shengxin felt a sudden warmth in his eyes. He recalled a time in his childhood when he had cut his hand during an art project at school. When he held up his bleeding finger to show his mother, her expression changed instantly. "The competition is in a week! How could you be so careless? Can't you use your brain?"

He had always been a "good" boy, yet he could never be perfect enough. He often thought that perhaps it would have been better if he had never shown any talent or offered any expectations from the start.

And so, for two full months, the former national team coach would come by every Saturday morning for a session, followed by Shang Yin accompanying Su Shengxin for some casual practice—sometimes with a hired ball boy, sometimes just the two of them. Shang Yin remained endlessly patient. After every failure of Su Shengxin’s, Shang Yin would comfort him: "It's alright," "You were so close," "Let's go again."

Su Shengxin found this refreshing. One day, he finally asked, "I seem to have heard that President Shang has a terrible temper? That your patience for partners and subordinates is extremely low?"

Shang Yin simply walked a long way to retrieve a ball and replied, "You are you; others are others."

"Is that so?" Su Shengxin curled his lips, holding the ball, then suddenly bent down and rolled it far away. "How about this?"

Shang Yin gave him a faint glance.

Every night after eleven, the two would shower separately. Su Shengxin would change into clean clothes, and then they would share a long, lingering, and heavy kiss. Sometimes Su Shengxin would have lunch at Shang Yin’s place, but most of the time he had other arrangements.

Time passed day by day, yet every time Su Shengxin saw Shang Yin, his heart still skipped a beat—especially when they kissed. He felt he had truly fallen, and for a dangerous man at that. Shang Yin was famous for his aggression and cunning. Yet, he wanted to believe in him.

...

That day, the first episode of "The Promise of Three Lifetimes" finally aired to great anticipation. It was also Su Shengxin’s last day before joining the cast of "Calamity of Heaven and Earth."

Shang Yin invited Su Shengxin to his home to watch it, having a nutritionist prepare snacks and opening a bottle of red wine. It was only then that Su Shengxin learned there was an art to pairing wine with snacks—cheese crackers had to be paired with white wine, specifically a creamy, mild Camembert... it was fascinating.

Shang Yin casually introduced his soundproof home theater: "This audio system is the best, and the screen is eight meters wide."

Su Shengxin laughed. "Used just to play a show like this?"

"What kind of show?" Shang Yin chuckled softly. "Su Shengxin’s scam? Fooling the whole country on screen?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Su Shengxin picked up a snack and tossed it into his mouth. "Then could President Shang please use this eight-meter-wide theater setup to evaluate if my acting is up to par?"

"Sure." Shang Yin opened the program list, looking relaxed. "I’ll use this eight-meter-wide setup to appreciate, frame by frame, the wonderful process of how a con artist managed to scam himself into it within two weeks."

Su Shengxin: "..."

He retorted, "Isn't President Shang a con artist as well?"

"Need me to remind you?" Shang Yin’s lips curved with a hint of a smile. "The initial marriage text was sent to me by Teacher Su. And this show was also Teacher Su’s idea to participate in. Teacher Su is the principal offender; I’m merely an accomplice."

Su Shengxin sneered, "Turns out the accomplice is much more enthusiastic than the principal."

"Mhm," Shang Yin said, his tone still casual. "The accomplice is already addicted."

Su Shengxin: "..."

Shang Yin’s skin was too thick; Su Shengxin felt he truly couldn't compete.

As they spoke, the broadcast time for the first episode arrived. Because the show was so explosive, the Shangzhou Group’s video platform, despite thorough preparations, still crashed. They had managed to crash their own platform!

Shang Yin was clearly unhappy and cursed, "What the hell?" But he didn't immediately blame his subordinates. They had no choice but to wait.

"Shang Yin," Su Shengxin recalled something during the wait. "I saw a report the other day saying your estate abroad is 3,000 square meters? With a swimming pool, racetrack, golf course, tennis court, soccer field, and basketball court. I thought it sounded huge at first, but then I realized, isn't that just half a standard soccer field? How could it fit all that?"

"Hmm?" Shang Yin looked at Su Shengxin languidly, suddenly laughing. "The reporter must have miswritten it. It’s 3,000 acres."

"..." Su Shengxin checked his phone and discovered that one acre is 4,047 square meters. So, that estate wasn't 3,000 square meters; it was 12 million square meters. It wasn't half a soccer field; it was 2,000 soccer fields with room to spare. He fell silent, shocked once again.

Fortunately, the website recovered, and the show began to play. Su Shengxin took a sip of wine and waited.

At first, the show featured the guests' "disconnection period"—intended to cultivate longing between the couples. Shang Yin was constantly working, seemingly unaffected. Su Shengxin, however, was not. He would periodically open his chat history with Shang Yin, reading it over and over, savoring the memories. He would open their videos and photos, watching them quietly, full of longing. He often zoomed in on details on his phone, staring at Shang Yin’s face with eyes full of tenderness.

The chat logs and videos from those few days were, of course, things Su Shengxin had prepared in advance.

The comments began to flood the screen:
[Earth's Top Grinder Elimination Squad: This relationship is so lopsided!]
[Cynical When Online: No way, Shang Yin is way too cold!]
[Peppa Pig is a Gem: I feel so bad for Su Shengxin...]

Watching these comments, Su Shengxin laughed and took a sip of wine. Shang Yin said calmly, "Happy now, con artist?"

"Not bad," Su Shengxin replied. "I won against everyone in this house in the game of deception."

The show transitioned to the content of the first episode: Shang Yin picking the right room color; Shang Yin wetting his cuffs so Su Shengxin rolled them up; eating, drinking wine; Su Shengxin tracing the fingerprints on Shang Yin’s laptop... Finally, after both had showered, they looked at each other through the glass, palms pressed together, eyes locked. Su Shengxin’s fingertips scratched the glass, and his letter ended with, "I love you, Mr. Shang."

The comments instantly drowned out the screen.

When Su Shengxin opened the door:
[First time seeing President Shang in casual wear!]

When Su Shengxin rolled the sleeves:
[Shang Yin’s fingers... so long, thick, and firm, the knuckles are so defined.]
[Are you implying something, upstairs? [Dog head emoji]]

When Su Shengxin touched the computer:
[Computer: Am I part of your foreplay too?]
[The sparks flying between them!]
[Computer: You two have had enough.]

When Su Shengxin showered:
[Oh my! Su Shengxin’s collarbone!]
[My nose is bleeding.]
[Shang Yin’s chest muscles...]

When they pressed palms together:
[I'm a simpleton, I'm satisfied!]
[Help!]
[So intense...]
[So erotic]

[They played the rules to a T...]
[Su Shengxin has such a contrast...! He seems so rational and calm usually, yet he’s so unreserved in front of President Shang.]
[He really knows how to handle things.]
[Su Shengxin!!! You can't touch each other on the first day!!! Do you want President Shang to break the rules?!]
[Su Shengxin is too aggressive...]
[It looks like President Shang is about to crack...]
[President Shang: Normal attack, normal attack. Su Shengxin: Critical hit, critical hit. President Shang: Kneel.]
[President Shang’s gaze... I take back what I said earlier; he’s not cold to Su, he’s just enduring.]
[President Shang was just pretending to be calm before.]
[President Shang doesn't seem able to hold back anymore.]

[Don't even mention the President, I can't even hold back.]
[Playing this big...]
[It must be me, but I keep feeling like it's a bit staged, a bit industrial.]
[I think so too. Something feels fake.]

When Su Shengxin finished his letter:
[So direct???]
[He actually said the word 'love'.]
[Someone isn't going to sleep tonight!]

Su Shengxin’s eyes were sharp; he spotted a comment:
[President Shang is not calm at all... ever since he sent the goodnight text, he checks his phone every five minutes.]

"Mr. Shang," Su Shengxin glanced at him, "checking your phone every five minutes, is that true?"

Shang Yin replied, "Acting. You can act, and so can I."

"Really?" Su Shengxin was skeptical, as Shang Yin hadn't really been trying very hard to play along.