Original subtitles

[English subtitles are available]

[You are My Fateful Love] [EP28]

The good ones don't come cheap.

This is everything I've got.

For the best you've got.

So... are we good?

The second this is over, you're out.

I'm out ASAP.

So how long does something like this

usually take?

Depends on how bad the mess is.

Well...

My mess...

It is that bad?

Three days, then.

Three days... okay.

Guess I can stomach it.

If someone has to put up with it, that's me.

Getting yourself a lawyer now, are we?

Go ahead. What do you want?

He walked away from me,

finding himself nothing.

Now He wants me back, huh?

Or is he accusing me

of those leaks online?

You want my piece of advice?

Stop burying

your noses in those law books.

Learn how this industry really works.

I spent years building him up.

You know how many enemies that courted?

The higher you fly,

the harder you fall.

Now that he's down, they're lining up to kick him.

I aren’t rocking the boat.

Go ahead and sue if you want.

You won't get anywhere near me.

The false information

currently circulating online,

or, in your terminology...

the "leaks" online...

we've already

preserved the evidence.

Rest assured.

Until we have proof solid enough

to expose whoever's pulling the strings,

we won't be pointing fingers at anyone.

Glad you know how to play it smart.

However,

there's one thing we both understand:

Just because a dog bites you

doesn't mean you bite back.

Are you calling me a dog?

You just said the leaks

had nothing to do with you.

So my little analogy

shouldn't have shaken you a tad, should it?

What do you want?

What's your plan, then?

Knowing him the way I do,

he wouldn't

have left any

traceable trail,

meaning... we're left to go after clickbait accounts.

When someone

throws a problem at you,

you can either

answer it head-on,

except there's another way...

throw a problem right back at them.

The reason I'm here

is to go over

the contracts your company

signed with my client,

as well as those

signed on his behalf.

That's all prehistoric.

Can we just skip it?

As long as the statute of limitations

on contract disputes hasn't expired,

ancient history is very much on the table.

Take this management contract, for instance.

The rights and obligations are wildly imbalanced.

The financial terms are

heavily skewed in your company's favor.

It grossly inflates

your liability exemptions,

and meanwhile

unreasonably

restricting the artist's personal freedoms,

stripping away his right to be informed,

to participate, and to raise objections.

In legal terms,

that's an unconscionable clause.

I'm sure your company knows full well

that unconscionable clauses don't hold up in court.

Which is exactly why,

when my client offered to pay the penalty in full,

you let him go without a fight.

Because if it ever went to court,

you wouldn't have seen a fraction of that.

Uncon... what?

The penalty's been paid. That's that.

That money was designated

in black and white.

You're not getting it back.

That money

was indeed paid out

as a penalty. But we can

get it back

under a different claim.

What do you mean?

These three are commercial partnership contracts.

All of them involve false advertising

that damaged

our client's reputation.

A full body of evidence

establishing that reputational damage

has been preserved on our end.

We are prepared to seek compensation from both

your company and the brands involved.

So tell me. Do you think

I know enough

about showbiz to do my job now?

As for what the total claim could look like

based on

the value of these contracts...

you could run it

by your in-house legal team.

On top of that,

in past revenue settlements,

your company repeatedly

fabricated grounds to penalize my client and unlawfully

withheld

earnings he was contractually owed.

Every transaction record

and all correspondence

has been documented.

We will be pursuing full recovery.

Enough.

What do you want?

Simple.

Whoever leaked that information,

you know better than anyone

that everything online

is completely baseless.

We are demanding that your company

issue a public statement

through your official social media accounts

addressing these false claims,

and setting the record straight.

You clear my client's name,

repair the damage,

and restore his reputation.

Fine. On one condition:

we draw up an agreement

guaranteeing

he won't push further.

Not a chance.

No a chance?

Are you serious?

That

basically gives you leverage over me anytime.

If by "leverage"

you mean we reserve the right

to hold your company

legally accountable at any time,

then yes.

But let's be clear.

You're not doing us a favor here.

We're the ones do.

You are in no position

to be making demands of my client.

He's coming at me like this?

Has he lost his mind?

I don't buy it.

It's not like him to

go all this length,

filing lawsuit after lawsuit like this.

He's made up his mind

to cut

all ties with you.

Can't you see

someone willing to walk barefoot

isn't afraid of someone wearing shoes.

Li Shican's agency

just dropped a statement.

I knew those rumors

were all made up.

Let me see.

"Our company holds in the highest regard"

"Mr. Li Shican's professional"

"conduct and contributions"

"throughout our partnership."

"We respect Mr. Li Shican's"

"career decisions at this stage,"

"and wish him..."

See? Those rumors were totally mucked up

by the agent out of spite.

Looks like they've

sorted it out. Bottoms up, come on.

Bro.

Good thing you came

to drink with me tonight.

That's what friends are for.

Come on. Cheers.

It's all in the drink. Come on.

Bottoms up.

Friends...

Brothers...

Our

obligations to each other

are officially done.

No business here.

Just friendship.

Thank you.

It's all in the drink.

To break free from the contract,

lately I've been...

played along with Allen.

I gave him the same empty promises

he'd been feeding me.

Kept him from getting suspicious.

Fortunately, writing music was a nice excuse

for shunning new deals.

During my little retreat,

I sold my car, sold my place, and finally

scraped together the penalty.

I thought once I was free,

I'd feel like a nirvana.

Start fresh. New chapter.

But I don't know why.

There's just this emptiness I can't shake.

Allen and I...

We were more than just friends.

We were in it together.

I don't know if somewhere along the way

he changed,

or if

he just decided to

dropping the act.

I thought we were fellow travelers.

But somehow we just...

drifted apart.

So, want to meet someone

who hasn't drifted away yet?

How's everything, Shican?

You... how did you...

Two more, please.

The moment you come clean to me,

I knew I was

going with you.

I just wasn't sure

if they'd let me.

So I didn't tip you off.

Not until Allen gave in, today.

Two words.

"I agree?"

"Get lost."

Here. Thanks.

So how did you even get in touch with... him?

You forgot?

I had Mr. Xu's address.

I even mailed the promo standee.

Right.

Sorry, sorry... my bad.

My bad. The fault is mine.

Thank you.

It'll all work out.

Xiaofei told me

Shican had a few too many that night.

Talking you up nonstop.

Said you're the most calculating person

he's ever met.

Is that a compliment?

This definitely is:

Mr. Xu isn't just

just brilliant at his job.

He's also genuinely kind.

I hear he didn't charge

a single cent.

Like I would

sponge off someone living on

pocket change!

Consider it pro bono.

Getting this headache out of my life...

so I get to enjoy a nice date

with my girlfriend.

I'm afraid the date is officially off.

Nobody's changing my mind today.

End of story.

Yu, it's the weekend.

Huaisong isn't working, right?

Why not

bring him over?

Your dad keeps talking about you two.

Got a few sides to finish...

Where are we going?

To grab some gifts, obviously.

Can't show up empty-handed, can I?

Not need to be so tense.

Teachers always have a soft spot

for their star students.

Dad, is that...?

Just focus on your own plate.

Huaisong.

Have a few drinks with me.

Right away.

Go ahead.

Dig in.

Here.

Okay, Mom.

Mr. Ruan, here.

Dad, his st...

What's taking you

so long to pour a drink?

Mr. Ruan, a toast to you.

Huaisong, if you knock this back,

you're grounded for the night.

Then he'll just stay over.

We have plenty of rooms.

No worries.

Ms. Qu?

Chop chop, Yu.

Come give me a hand.

Move it.

Off you go.

You two carry on.

Mr. Ruan,

bottoms up. No pressure on you.

Take it easy, Huaisong.

Don't get hammered.

I'm good, Sir.

Do you know

why I tried setting Yu up

with Liu in the first place?

And do you know

what they liked about him?

Because he's a lawyer?

Because he's a straight shooter.

Kind-hearted, truthful.

He doesn't have a mean bone in his body.

He's a man of action, not just words.

Because he's honest and dependable.

A good guy with no hidden agenda.

Not a mean bone in his body.

He's a man of action, not just words.

Because...

he's a lawyer.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Sir,

why were you so dead set

on Ruan Yu marrying a lawyer?

Because more often than not,

Yu needs someone to watch her back.

There's always some troll online

trying to drag her through the mud.

And she actually thinks

she's been playing it cool with us.

Truth is, we figured out

about her pen name years back.

We've been keeping tabs on her all along.

She was just terrified we'd see

all the toxic things

being said about her.

Since she wouldn't open up,

we just played dumb.

Our little girl is all grown up.

She's trying to spare our feelings.

But because of that,

she bottled up her frustrations too.

So we thought,

let's find someone who be her confidante.

Someone to protect her.

To be her rock when things get rough.

Let's have another round.

Yu says your stomach is a bit sensitive.

Yeah. Work is a grind.

It's seen better days.

In that case, know your limits.

Being a protector

isn't about blind courage

or stupid heroism.

First,

you have to take care of yourself

to even stand a chance at taking care of her.

Huaisong,

a glass of water.

It'll help wash down the alcohol before it

wreaks havoc on your gut.

Much appreciated, Sir.

Water probably tastes pretty

bland right now, huh?

Yes, Sir.

That's why most people are like you.

They take a sip and then lose interest.

But life isn't a movie.

It can't always be

high-proof drama

all the time.

For the most part,

it's as ordinary as water.

Anyone can handle the fireworks.

That's the easy part.

It's only when you stand the test of the grind of the everyday

that you've really made it.

Sir, I'd like to toast you.

That's enough.

I can trust a student whose character I've vetted.

I should also thank you, Sir,

for this life lesson.

If you really mean it,

try and find a better way to address me soon.

I'll give it my all.

What's the worry?

Your dad knows what he's doing.

Mom,

the way Dad was acting today

freaked me out.

I felt like I was back

in front of my math teacher.

Yeah, I remember.

I remember that.

Time really does fly by.

I know I've been

nagging you to find someone for ages.

And now that I've actually nagged a

son-in-law into existence.

Honestly,

the thought of letting you go kills me.

Mom,

you're getting way ahead of yourself.

It's not like I'm getting hitched tomorrow.

And besides,

even if I do,

it's not like I'm leaving Hang City.

You're blushing!

Of course I know.

I can drop by whenever you want.

It'll be just the same.

I'm not asking you to

visit me often. I just want

the two of you to build your own life.

They say

a daughter

is a mother's greatest comfort.

But to me,

it doesn't matter what

you're "supposed" to be.

None of that matters.

As far as I'm concerned,

as long as you're healthy,

happy, and safe...

That you can live in

as much joy as I have

is all I wish for.

Mom, stop it.

My sweet girl.

Look at you,

still clinging to your mom.

How are you ever gonna move out?

Stop it!

Fine, I'll drop it.

We've got veggies to rinse.

What's up?

Just checking to see if you're wasted.

Of course not.

I've barely even started.

So how much did you

actually drink with Dad?

Just that one glass you saw.

That's it?

All that time for one glass?

Because the rest of the time

was a pep talk over a glass of water.

A "water" chat?

Is there a reason why

I wasn't invited?

No way.

That was a private session just for me.

Already playing favor?

Check it out.

That glow on her face!

She looks so happy.

It's just like how we were back then.

No, actually, it's not.

Stop peeping.

It's fine.

Say good-bye to good old youth.

You're not outdrinking anyone

anymore. Now

off you go. Move it!

We're off, Mom, Dad.

Take care.

Okay.

Huaisong,

drive safe.

Will do. Don't worry.

Yu,

call us every single day.

Nonsense.

Only if you have a minute.

I need to check in on my daughter.

Fine, fine.

See you later, Sir,

- Ma'am. - Okay. Bye!

Just play it.

[So, you had dinner]

[at Yu's place?]

[When are you going to]

[bring her over at ours?]

Let's do it.

It's not like we've anything else going on today.

It might have to be later.

Right now, you've got something

much more important.

What's that? How come I wasn't told?

You'll find out.

Mr. Cen,

are you serious about

investing in "Whispers"?

Is it because of...

Don't overthink it, Ms. Ruan.

I'm investing because

I see the potential

of this project.

You knew?

I only got the confirmation

from Mr. Cen last night.

Confirmation?

It was Mr. Xu who brought it

to my attention.

Our film and TV division

has been vetting it for a while.

I'm really grateful that you and your team

see the value in my project.

It's not just the project.

I have full faith

in your talent and character, Ms. Ruan.

Personally, I'd like you to be more than just

the screenwriter.

I hope you fully involved in the shoot

and the entire post-production process.

What do you say, Ms. Ruan?

Absolutely, I'm in.

That was a quick yes.

No other conditions or requests?

I wouldn't call it

a condition.

So, a while back,

there was an auditionee

named Sun Miaohan.

She's very passionate

about her craft.

And she has this natural spark on screen.

So,

I'd like to ask for her to get

another shot at an audition.

Of course,

we'll make sure everything

is strictly by the book.

Selection will be based entirely

on the project standards.

No problem.

Thank you, Mr. Cen.

As for the male lead,

any recommendations?

It's fine. We're just getting started.

No rush. Let's polish the script first.

We'll handle casting in parallel.

This table

has been waiting forever

to finally have you

seated by it.

Mom,

don't you think my brother must've

saved the universe in a past life

to land a girlfriend

as amazing as Yu?

Your brother

is still earning his good karma in this life.

Yu,

when can we get your parents together

with us for a meal?

Mom!

I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?

Mom's just so thrilled

to see Yu.

She wants her to lock you down

as soon as possible.

Xu Huaishi, just worry about your dinner.

What? Like you don't want that?

I guess there's no shutting you up today.

Dig in.

If Dad could see Sis Ruan,

I'm sure he'd be...

really happy too.

With your father's health,

is he fit to travel?

What did you just say?

Mom, do you actually want him to come back?

Regardless of how I feel,

he's still your father.

Mom...

does this mean...

you've finally forgiven him?

Even if I'm to untangle everything

and to

sort through our scores...

I'm not sure if I can manage now.

It was just that he had his principles,

and as for me,

I simply made my own choices.

It's all in the past now.

Now that it's behind us,

no point in

arguing over who has the right to forgive.

Dig in.

Help yourself, Yu.

Here.

Yu,

have one of these.

Thank you.

That was great.

Was it? Yes.

No, no, it's fine.

I'll take care of it.

It's Yu's first time here.

Why don't you show her around?

Leave it to me.

Let's just do as Mom says.

Let's go.

Go on, have fun.

Ma'am, Huaishi, thank you so much.

Don't worry about it.

This way.

Alright, get back to your homework.

I know, I know.

Come on in.

So this is your room.

What's on your mind?

I was thinking...

back in high school, I never would've guessed

that Xu Huaisong the "hot nerd" 's bookishness

extends to

extra-curricular stuff.

I've read this one too.

And this one... as well.

This one...

You've read it, too.

And the rest on the shelf.

It's exactly because you did

that I collected them.

Remember this one?

"What if these beautiful moments

end up in vain and in pain?"

"'Even so, I must search.'"

"'Even if the endless powdering of stars in the Galaxy

makes the quest seem hopeless.

Even if I must do it alone.'"

"From The Galactic Empire." "I dedicate this quote to you,

my anonymous friend."

"Life has its moments of brilliance,

freedom, and joy."

"There are also marshes and bogs,

desperation and loss."

"If you are ever swallowed,"

"keep searching,"

"and create your own beautiful moments."

Back when you didn't even know

who it was

that'd been reading by your side...

you had already lit up his life.

Can I come in?

Just a second.

Uh...

Everything okay?

Look

what I found.

Yu,

this was... supposed to be

your New Year's gift.

I've been keeping it safe for years.

Now, it's going to its rightful owner.

Thank you.

Those mature,

experienced actors kept distance

as if we're jinxed. They're not even

showing up.

And the ones who do show up...

either their acting is too raw,

or their look and vibe

just don't fit the character.

Yu, what's your take?

Well, I feel like

everyone's interpretation of the male lead

is slightly off the mark.

The "vibes" just aren't there.

Chen Lin, are there

any other actors left?

That was the last one, Director.

Alright, let's call it a day then.

Okay.

Good work, everyone.

Mr. Zheng, there's one more file here

for you to look over.

Thanks. Thank you.

This is actually quite good.

Yu,

take a look at it.

This character profile...

provides a spot-on insight into the male lead.

In fact,

it even goes beyond

what we provided in the script.

Exactly.

It's as if he has some kind of

special connection to the lead.

Mr. Zheng,

which actor wrote this?

Can we invite him over?

Sure.

Really impressive.

Shican?

Li Shican?

He's cut out for it.

Nice

Hello everyone, I'm Li Shican.

What I just performed for you

was a recreation of a performance

from my university days.

Shican, the way you carry yourself

at the piano...

really aligns with our lead character.

I noticed something else.

While you were playing,

you kept stealing glances at the audience,

and you even missed a note.

Those little details in your performance

were so nuanced. It felt very real.

That wasn't "acting."

That's my understanding of unrequited love.

Wonderful.

You have a deep grasp of the character

and a true connection to the core

of a secret crush.

Shican, you should have started acting ages ago.

Shican.

Thanks for saving the day.

I could

really use a paycheck right now.

So, how was I? Not bad, yeah?

I'm impressed.

It was incredibly nuan...

Nauseated?

What are you doing here?

To pick you up.

And you?

I... We've landed

our male lead.

Really?

Well, you can finally stop worrying.

Who got the part?

Far as the horizon,

yet right before your eyes.

You're a singer. Can you even act?

You're a lawyer.

Aren't you "acting" all the time?

Don't worry.

I'll do my best to learn from my "senior."

I'll leave you to it.

I'm off. Bye!

Bye.

This is great.

We have a start date for filming now.

My keyboard is

geared to be on fire.

And you, Mr. Xu, need to

focus on your bar exam.

Let's go.

Yu!

You're here!

Take it slow.

Hi, Yu. Hey there.

Yu, I heard "Whispers"

starts filming on New Year's Eve...

I'm just so excited!

And they're shooting the fireworks scene

where the leads hold hands.

It's so meaningful

for both you and my brother.

Well, actually,

we only planned to start in December.

I never expected it

to fall exactly on this day.

And I definitely

had no idea they'd come to our high school.

It's perfect, isn't it?

Only my brother

is now abroad and can't make it back.

He's there

to wrap up his final case,

and to bring your father back home with him.

Those are really important things to do.

So it's fine that he's missing the New Year

and the first day of shooting.

Well, if he can't make it,

we certainly did!

What are you guys doing here?

Hey, I'm the editor of the original book!

And I'm the one who handled the legal case for it.

Of course we had to be here to witness this.

Hi, Director!

Director! Hello, hello.

Is this your sister, Yu?

Yes, she's my sister.

By the way,

are we starting the first take

exactly at midnight?

There's a massive crowd today.

Should we run a few more rehearsals?

That won't be necessary.

In and out of the scene it is midnight sharp.

That's a good omen.

I'm starving.

All of a sudden?

Yu, catering is about to start.

Go ahead and grab something to eat.

Are you sure, Director?

Of course. Go ahead.

Alright. We'll be right back.

Got it.

Let's go, I'm famished.

Didn't you eat dinner or what?

She's here!

In about an hour we're

good to roll.

How are you feeling

about this scene?

We're ready.

All set.

Even though the entire act features

only one line from the male lead...

"Sorry, I grabbed the wrong hand."

It's only a few words,

but the emotional weight

is the most intense

in the entire movie.

It's like a fountain pump under extreme pressure.

Right on the verge of erupting,

only to be arrested last-minute.

Acting without the crutch of dialogue

is the ultimate challenge.

I did find it a bit odd, though.

Why is Director starting

with such a heavy scene?

It's probably a budget thing.

The students here are already

celebrating New Year's Eve,

so we have natural extras

and free production design.

That makes sense.

But usually, we recruit extras

who can follow

the director's blocking.

If we just

capture the students'

actual celebrations,

won't the frame look too chaotic?

Well...

Director wants this film to feel as raw and real

as possible.

He opts for

an actual celebration

to get the real vibes.

Right, Miaohan?

Exactly.

I've seen Director

do this kind of thing before.

The scale of it was breathtaking.

Amazing on screen.

What we get tonight

is a recipe for a blockbuster.

Blockbuster.

Without a doubt.

How long have you been acting?

Five years.

But you look

just like a high schooler.

People at the set today

seem a little strange.

Other people might have a sharp intuition,

but yours?

I wouldn't trust it if I were you.

What is that supposed to mean?

Being a little sharp today, aren't we?

I happen to know someone

who'd mistake a celebrity's trailer

for a kidnapper's getaway car.

Maybe I'm just overthinking it.

Can any wish really come true?

What's up?

Is there something you want?

No... it's nothing.

I was just thinking out loud.

Why are you blushing?

Nonsense! I am not blushing.

Fine, my mistake then.

Teacher's coming. Let's get back.

Caught you!

You scared the life out of me!

What were you doing hiding there?

Lying in wait,

obviously!

Let me hang this up first.

You there!

Run! It's the Dean! Which class are you in?

Hurry!

At it again, are we?

You're the eighth one today!

So, what kind of wish do you have?WEBVTT

So, what kind of wish do you have?