Chapter Fifty-Seven: Perseverance

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It was Li Ran who carried Jiang Yihan on his back. Jiang Yihan was utterly exhausted, so much so that even his thoughts felt burdensome.

"Jiang Yihan, you’re number one! Congratulations!" Li Nankui approached, his face still wearing that ever-present smile. Li Ran, however, felt a strong urge to throw a punch at him. But after a moment’s hesitation, he swallowed his anger. Jiang Yihan had worked so hard not to fall out with Li Nankui; any impulsive word or action from him now might ruin all that. So Li Ran forced himself to speak as calmly as possible: "It’s all thanks to your guidance. I hope everything goes smoothly in today’s production. Our Yihan is happy to contribute, and so are we."

"Very good, very good. Jiang Yihan did great today. You’re always welcome on our show," Li Nankui replied, finally revealing a hint of genuine satisfaction in his smile before turning away.

When they got home, Li Ran gently woke Jiang Yihan and urged him to take a bath to avoid catching a cold. Jiang Yihan felt like his whole body was falling apart, but under Li Ran’s insistence, he shuffled into the bathroom.

By the time he came out, Jiang Yihan was visibly better—still weary, but far more alert. Li Ran carried him back to the couch in the living room, dried his hair with a towel, and then threw the towel onto the floor with force to show his frustration. He fetched the first aid kit to apply some medicine to Jiang Yihan’s injuries.

"Don’t be upset. This industry is tough, especially for a newcomer like me. Today was just a hard day, that’s all. I’ve had it easy until now—it’s only fair I have a tough day now and then," Jiang Yihan said with a wry smile, trying to console his friend, though Li Ran’s expression didn’t soften as he looked at Yihan’s swollen ankle.

"Do you know how many people dream of being on a show, recording an album, or making a debut? It’s all so difficult. I’ve gotten this far without really sacrificing much. Today was nothing," Jiang Yihan continued, his voice tinged with bitter humor.

"Hmph, and who was it that fainted in the practice room several times?" Li Ran replied coolly, making Jiang Yihan look awkward.

"Ah, that was just a matter of stamina," Jiang Yihan said sheepishly, scratching his head, which earned him a disdainful snort from Li Ran.

"Do you think I’m only where I am now because of luck?" Jiang Yihan asked, his tone suddenly reflective.

"If it was just luck, you wouldn’t be here. You happened to meet the right people at the right time, but you got here because you worked for it," Li Ran replied with conviction.

"Mmm…" Jiang Yihan responded thoughtfully.

"Hey, what’s wrong?" Jiang Ziyi had returned home. Since the day’s schedule wasn’t too busy, both she and Xu Xian had been given the day off.

"I got hurt during the show this afternoon," Jiang Yihan said lightly.

"What? You got hurt? Is it serious?" Jiang Ziyi rushed over to the sofa, her eyes filling with tears at the sight of her brother’s swollen foot.

"Silly girl, it’s nothing serious. Stop worrying," Jiang Yihan laughed, ruffling her hair gently.

"It’s not that, brother. I just wonder if all your hard work is worth it," Jiang Ziyi said, curling up by his side. "So many times, I’ve seen Li Ran carrying you home after you fainted, and it breaks my heart. Why do you push yourself so hard? Why do you give so much? These past few weeks, being with you on your schedules, I’ve realized just how hard this job really is—the darkness and hardship behind all the glamour. And now you’re hurt again. I’m starting to question whether I was right to encourage you to pursue this path in the first place."

Hearing this, Li Ran’s hand paused before he continued applying the medicine. Yes, whether this career was the right choice or not was a question that no one could answer even now.

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"Yiyi, do you know? There’s a kind of magic in this profession. It makes us bear expectations beyond our own capacity. We strive, we fight, we work hard, just to live up to the hopes placed on us," Jiang Yihan said gently. "When I see the crowd cheering for me from the stage, all the suffering seems insignificant. I don’t regret choosing this path. Even if I did, I’d have to tell myself not to regret it, because now I’m not just me anymore—I have so many people supporting me."

"Getting hurt today was just an accident, so don’t worry too much. Accidents can happen anytime, right? And besides, I was just careless," Jiang Yihan said, but then suddenly grimaced in pain—Li Ran had deliberately pressed a bit harder, reminding Yihan of the "familiar" ache.

Seeing Jiang Yihan’s grimacing face and Li Ran’s mix of frustration and amusement, Jiang Ziyi finally broke into a smile.

Indeed, in life, once you make a choice, there’s no turning back. All that’s left is to persevere.

"Lazy cat, I’ll take a day off for you tomorrow. There’s no way you can film in this condition," Li Ran said, concerned.

"It’s just a sprain, nothing serious. Why can’t I?" Jiang Yihan pouted.

"You…" In truth, it was only a sprain, not a major injury. The swelling was mainly due to continued activity after the sprain. A few days of rest would do the trick.

"I know you think my injury might affect the shoot, but think about it: this is my first role, and if I start dragging the whole crew down, what will people say about me in the industry? I’ll do my best to cooperate with the crew. If it really gets bad, I’ll take care of myself, okay?" Jiang Yihan explained, thinking ahead.

Li Ran let out a sigh and glanced at Jiang Ziyi. Both of them looked helpless.

The next day, Jiang Yihan still arrived on set as scheduled.

After getting out of the car, he tested his foot; the swelling had gone down a bit, but it was still numb, and the pain wasn’t too obvious. He took a deep breath and headed toward the crew with a smile.

Filming went smoothly; his foot didn’t cause much trouble until scene 133. Jiang Yihan pulled a long face—this scene required him to run. He glanced at his leg, took a deep breath, and walked over to Park Yinghu to prepare for rehearsal.

After confirming the direction and flow of the scene, Jiang Yihan went to his starting position, hopping in place a few times. His foot tingled, but the pain wasn’t sharp. He quietly ran through the whole scene in his mind.

In this scene, Han finally understands his feelings for Zai and can’t hold back any longer—he runs to find her. But in front of the school building, he sees Zai and Xi embracing. Seeing the happiness on Xi’s face, Han can’t bring himself to interrupt, realizing there’s no place for him between them.

The scene called for Han to run from the other side of the school building to the path where he sees the two embracing. As the countdown began—"5, 4, 3, 2, 1"—Jiang Yihan silently prayed he’d get it right in one take so his foot wouldn’t hurt more.

He dashed off, racing to the tree at the path’s entrance, coming to a sudden stop at the sight of the embrace. His expression darkened as he watched their happiness.

"Yihan, your expression isn’t quite right. Not enough intensity—the sense of loss needs to be stronger," Park Yinghu called out.

Jiang Yihan forced a helpless smile at Kim Jaejoong and Kim Xiaoxi, who were sitting opposite to help him with the scene. "You two, get up and help me with the scene! You’re supposed to be embracing, not just sitting there," he said.

Both ignored him, laughing and remaining seated. Jiang Yihan had no choice but to turn back and try again.

Another run. Then another—this was already the eighth take.

Jiang Yihan could feel his foot growing numb, a rotten, spreading sensation as if it were soaking in water. He wondered if his skin had broken and was bleeding, but he didn’t dare take his shoe off, afraid of what he’d see—and even more afraid he’d lose the will to keep going. So he clenched his teeth and said, "Director Park, let’s go again."

Han emerged from behind the school building, the wind whipping past his ears, excitement and hope shining on his face. But he suddenly stopped—his foot rooted to the spot—because in front of him, Zai and Xi were hugging. He couldn’t see Zai’s expression, but Xi’s happiness shone in the sunset. The light in Han’s eyes faded. The wind lifted strands of his hair. He bit his lip, eyelids lowering, hope dissolving into the golden sunset. A few leaves drifted down, and Han closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and clenched his fists—tight, then slack, then tight again. Steeling himself, he turned and left. His silhouette stretched long in the setting sun, his steps unsteady, heavy with pain.

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"Cut!"

Finally, it was over. Director Park called cut, satisfied with the performance.

Jiang Yihan finally let out the breath he’d been holding. Suddenly, an overwhelming pain surged through him. His heart pounded violently, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his knees as tears streamed uncontrollably down his face, his features scrunched in anguish. The numbness in his foot vanished, replaced by an agony that crashed over him like a flood. He could even feel the heat in his breath, his head spinning as if it were about to explode.

"Yihan! Yihan!" Voices echoed around him, distant and hollow, circling endlessly.

Suddenly, a strong hand shook him hard. Jiang Yihan lifted his head in a daze, sweat and tears mingling on his pale face, leaving Li Ran utterly panic-stricken. "Lazy cat, what’s wrong with you?" Li Ran quickly hoisted him onto his back and carried him off set, leaving the crew stunned—Kim Jaejoong and Kim Xiaoxi included.

At the hospital, the doctor couldn’t even remove Jiang Yihan’s shoe and had to cut it off. His swollen foot had already begun to fester, the wound and sock stuck together, the fabric stained with blood. Li Ran felt a sharp pain in his chest at the sight of the wound.

"Sigh, why didn’t you come earlier? Why didn’t you rest?" the doctor scolded. "It was just a sprain, not a big deal. But you kept going—your foot was swollen, and you forced it into that shoe, cutting off airflow, which let blood pool in your veins. You must have been moving intensely just now—the friction broke the skin, and the pooled blood burst out. But don’t worry, the wound just looks scary. Thankfully, you didn’t sprain it again; it’s just a mild infection. It’s not a real problem."

"Then why is he so out of it?" Li Ran pressed.

"It’s just the pain. The swelling numbed it for a while, but now the pain has hit all at once, so his brain’s overloaded. He’ll be fine once we treat the wound," the doctor reassured him.

Only then did Li Ran’s heart settle. But looking at Jiang Yihan’s sweat-soaked, tear-stained face, he couldn’t bear to look any longer.

…

After resting for three days, Jiang Yihan returned to the set. The action scenes were postponed, and the regular walking and talking shots posed no problem. His hard work and perseverance earned unanimous praise from the crew. Still, Jiang Yihan felt apologetic for his recklessness—his three-day absence delayed the schedule. If he’d rested properly in the first place, he might have only lost a single day. Lesson learned: sometimes, resting well is the best preparation for work.

Back on set, Jiang Yihan’s filming pace remained steady. Perhaps it was the experiences he’d endured—life’s hardships deepen one’s understanding of a role. Jiang Yihan understood that more than ever.

"Stupid cat, don’t push yourself so hard next time. Even if you insist on persisting, at least let someone be with you. Charging in alone won’t do," Li Ran said, making the decision for him.

Jiang Yihan just made a face, making it impossible for Li Ran to stay stern.

"Brother, you need to learn to take care of yourself before you can look after me. How can you not value your own health?" Jiang Ziyi nagged, now playing the housekeeper.

"All right, all right, but remember who’s been taking care of you all this time. Now you finally get a chance, and you’re acting like Mom," Jiang Yihan joked.

"Hmph, keep it up and I’ll tell Mom myself. See what she says," Jiang Ziyi said, wrinkling her nose in mock anger.

"Fine, fine, I’ll be careful. Don’t tell Mom and worry her," Jiang Yihan said, trying his best to look obedient, leaving Li Ran and Jiang Ziyi helpless but amused.