Huayu: This director specializes in promoting young actresses.

Chapter 80, "The Best of Us," aired.

On New Year's Eve, Raymond Lam was nestled on the sofa, holding Li Yitong in his arms. On the television screen, the opening credits of "With You" had just begun, showing boys and girls in blue and white school uniforms running in the sunlight.

"I'm a little nervous." Li Yitong gripped his hand, her fingertips slightly cold. Although she knew the post-production was well done, her heart was still pounding when the broadcast time actually arrived.

"Relax." Lin Feng ruffled her hair, opened his phone, and logged into Tencent Video. "You'll know once you see the comments."

At 8 PM sharp, the series premiered. The moment the first frame appeared, a flood of comments poured in:

"Finally! I've been following this since 'The Beginning'!"

"This scene is so clean and tidy! The sunlight streaming onto the desks reminds me so much of my high school days!"

"Geng Geng's ponytail looks so real, unlike the fake elegance in other dramas!"

Li Yitong looked at herself on the screen—wearing an oversized school uniform, twirling a pen on the table, her face still a little chubby—and suddenly laughed: "I was so silly back then."

"So adorably silly." Lin Feng lowered his head and kissed her forehead, his eyes never leaving the screen. When Yu Huai pushed the note that read "Let's be deskmates" to Geng Geng, the screen instantly flooded with comments:

"Who understands! High school crushes are always so secretive!"

"Raymond Lam's portrayal of Yu Huai is so vivid; that slightly arrogant yet timid vibe is just perfect!"

"Please get together already! I've been waiting for this second collaboration since 'The Beginning'!"

Li Yitong's cheeks flushed slightly, and she snuggled closer to him, saying, "Why would they say that..."

"That just means we acted well." Raymond Lam smiled and opened the comments section. The top comment read: "No melodramatic plot, just endless exams and sneaky glances at you—that's my youth!"

Hundreds of comments echoed this sentiment, with some saying it reminded them of their deskmate, and others saying they were moved to tears by the line "He was the best version of himself back then, and I am the best version of myself now."

My phone chimed with a group message from Tian Xiwei, accompanied by a screaming emoji: "Brother Feng! Sister Yitong! Your acting was absolutely amazing!"

Liu Haochun quickly replied: "Yeah, it looks great. Feng-ge looks especially handsome in his school uniform, and Yi-tong-jie has two cute dimples when she smiles."

"Look, everyone likes it." Lin Feng handed his phone to Li Yitong. "I told you it would be successful."

Looking at the messages in the group chat and then at the scrolling comments on the screen, Li Yitong finally felt relieved.

She suddenly remembered the days when they were filming. In the summer in Qingdao, she ran around on the playground in her school uniform over and over again. Zhou Ming always said, "Be more natural, just like you usually are."

"Do you remember our promise?" Lin Feng suddenly whispered in her ear.

Li Yitong froze for a moment, then her cheeks flushed bright red. During filming, the two joked that if the drama was well-received, she would wear Geng Geng's school uniform…

"Don't do anything reckless..." she whispered, her eyes glancing at the wardrobe, where she had washed the blue and white school uniform and kept it at the very back.

"A bet's a bet." Lin Feng raised an eyebrow, pinched her cheek, and said, "Go on."

Li Yitong hesitated for a long time before blushing and walking into the bedroom. A few minutes later, she came out wearing a baggy school uniform, her hair tied in a high ponytail like in the drama, her hands nervously clutching the hem of her clothes, her eyes timid, just like Geng Geng who had just transferred to the school.

"Perfect." Lin Feng chuckled softly, walked over, picked her up, and carried her to the bedroom. As they passed the living room, the TV was showing a clip of Yu Huai explaining a problem to Geng Geng; the boy's voice was clear and bright: "This problem is very simple, look..."

He propped his phone up on the bedside table, pressed play, and then lowered his head to kiss the person in his arms. On the screen, Geng Geng was attentively listening to the question, but in reality, Li Yitong was breathless from the kiss, and he unbuttoned her school uniform one button at a time.

"Look," Lin Feng said, his voice hoarse as he pressed his forehead against hers, "we'll make up for the regrets in the drama in real life."

The next morning, when Lin Feng woke up, sunlight was already streaming into the room through the curtains. Torn pieces of his school uniform were scattered on the floor, and Li Yitong was still asleep in his arms.

He quietly got up, picked up his phone, and saw that Lao Yang had already sent him a message: "President Lin, the data is out! VIP viewership has exceeded 20 million since last night, topping the daily charts for web dramas! It's number one on Weibo's trending topics, with over 100 million reads! It has an 8.6 rating on Douban!" A string of celebratory emojis followed.

Raymond Lam replied with a smile, "I understand."

He opened Weibo, and the three hashtags #TheBestOfUsPremiereExplosion#, #RaymondLamAndLiYitongSecondDramaAchievedGodhood#, and #ThisIsWhatYouthDramasShouldBe# dominated the trending topics. Clicking on them revealed nothing but positive reviews from viewers.

Someone posted a screenshot of Yu Huai playing basketball and said, "This is my white moonlight in high school." Someone else edited a compilation of Geng Geng and Yu Huai's interactions and captioned it, "The most infatuated thing is the innocent love."

Li Yitong rubbed her eyes and sat up. Seeing him looking at his phone, she asked groggily, "How's the data?"

"It's a huge hit." Raymond Lam pulled her into his arms. "Our lingering feelings have become someone else's ideal type."

"Really?" Li Yitong instantly snapped out of her daze, snatched the phone, and scrolled through the comments praising her for "perfectly portraying an ordinary girl's unrequited love." Her eyes lit up like stars. "I knew it, I acted exceptionally well."

Just then, the phone rang again. It was Zhou Ming calling, his voice trembling with excitement: "Junior brother! Did you see the data? 8.6 points! I never thought I could make a drama with such a high score in my life!"

"Congratulations, Senior Brother," Lin Feng said with a smile. "We'll celebrate properly at the victory banquet."

"Absolutely!" Zhou Ming shouted on the other end of the phone, "I want to drink three glasses with you! No, five!"

After hanging up the phone, Li Yitong leaned on his shoulder, looking at the sunlight outside the window, and suddenly felt her heart was full.

From the cautiousness of "The Beginning" to the ease and naturalness of "The Best of Us".

"Next, it's time to prepare for 'Making a Name for Yourself'," Lin Feng said.

"Okay." Li Yitong nodded, then suddenly remembered something, "Oh right, Tian Xiwei and Haochun are probably still discussing it in the group chat, we need to reply to them."

She opened the group chat, and sure enough, Tian Xiwei had already sent dozens of messages. One moment she said, "That part about military training was so real. I was also secretly winking at my classmates when I was standing at attention." The next moment she said, "The way Yu Huai explained the problem to Geng Geng."

"It's exactly the same math problem Feng Ge explained to me." Liu Haochun quietly posted a few screenshots, all scenes from the show, with the caption "The lighting here is especially beautiful."

"We'll treat you to milk tea tonight," Li Yitong sent a message with a celebratory emoji.

"Yay!" Tian Xi replied instantly. "When I come to visit you during winter break, you guys have to treat me to a big meal!"

"Definitely," Lin Feng replied.

Liu Haochun then sent a "Go for it!" emoji: "Brother Feng, Sister Yitong, congratulations!"

On January 4th at Huzhou Film and Television City, Lin Feng wrapped himself tightly in a down jacket and watched his team move the equipment into a Western-style building with a Republican-era feel. His breath instantly dissipated in the cold air.

"Director Lin, everything is arranged. The actors will be in place by nine o'clock tomorrow morning." Assistant director Wen Muye walked over, holding a clapperboard in his hand. This director later became a legend for "Dying to Survive".

"Thank you for your hard work, senior." Raymond Lam patted him on the shoulder. "Don't be late for the dinner party tonight, and get to know the actors better."

Wen Muye nodded in agreement and turned to check the script. Lin Feng looked at the distant studio and handed the execution over to Wen Muye. He was relieved; although his senior brother was not famous, he had a natural sensitivity to the camera.

The dinner party was held at a restaurant near the film studio, and the private room was very warm. The lead actors arrived one after another, and when they saw Raymond Lam, they all stood up with respect in their eyes.

After all, this young man in front of us has already amassed 5 million yuan in box office revenue at such a young age, and his new drama has become a hit. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a "golden touch".

"Sit down, don't be shy." Lin Feng smiled and waved his hand, pouring himself a cup of tea first. "We'll be spending more than a month together, so let's just treat each other as friends."

The actor playing Lu Ziye, a veteran of the stage, raised his glass and said, "Director Lin, you're so young yet so talented, I admire you. This glass is for you, and I wish our play 'Making a Name for Yourself' great success!"

"Thank you for your kind words." Lin Feng raised his glass and clinked it with his, but didn't drink much, only taking a small sip.

Wang Ou sat next to him and joked with a smile, "Director Lin, are you trying to stay in shape? I heard you not only direct films but also play the male lead, you're quite busy."

"There's no other way, we have to save money," Lin Feng said half-jokingly. "The company just moved to a new place, so we have to be careful with our spending."

"Honestly," Wang Ou said, picking up a piece of fish, "when I took on this role, my agent advised me against it, saying that suspense films are niche and might be a flop. But seeing Director Lin's attitude now, I think it's a sure thing."

"Whether it's a success or not depends on everyone." Raymond Lam looked at everyone. "This script is like a jigsaw puzzle; it won't work if anyone's piece is missing. Let's work together to put it together and try to give the audience a pleasant surprise."

When the show ended, the rain hadn't stopped. The actors walked in the rain, their conversation revolving around the young director. "I didn't expect him to be so easygoing; I thought all big directors were very serious."

"Didn't you see the look in his eyes when he discussed the script? It was absolutely brilliant; he truly understands acting." "Following him, you might actually become a star."

At the opening ceremony on the second day, there were quite a few reporters present, with long lenses and microphones set up outside the cordon, and flashes going off incessantly.

"Director Lin, 'The Best of Us' just became a hit, why are you thinking of making a suspense film right away?"

"This movie is so different in style from 'Take My Brother Away,' is it an attempt to change its image?"

What are the projected box office figures?

Raymond Lam took the microphone, his smile composed: "I make suspense films because I enjoy them, it has nothing to do with a career change. As for the box office..." He paused, his gaze sweeping across the audience, "It won't be lower than my last film."

The moment the words left his mouth, the actors on stage held their breath. 5 million? That's no small sum! For a suspense film with no big names and no big scenes?

The reporters erupted in a frenzy, bombarding him with questions. Lin Feng, however, didn't answer, simply waving his hand and saying, "Filming has started. Let our work speak for itself."

As we entered the photography studio, Wang Ou leaned over and said, "You've got quite the nerve, aren't you afraid of being proven wrong?"

"If we're afraid, we won't film it." Raymond Lam adjusted the camera. "Besides, I have confidence in our script." He looked at the screen on the monitor. The spiral staircase of the mansion cast shadows under the lights, creating a sense of suspense. "Look at this scene, it's perfect for telling a story."

The first day of filming went exceptionally smoothly. Raymond Lam, who played Li Jiahui, wore an old suit, had messy hair, and had a stubborn, unyielding look in his eyes, making him look nothing like a 20-year-old.

Watching from behind the monitor, Wen Muye couldn't help but say to the script supervisor, "Junior brother's acting skills are so good, he should act more."

When Wang Ou, who played Su Mengdie, appeared on screen, she made a simple gesture of gathering her hair, and her eyes switched from charming to wary in just two seconds. When Raymond Lam shouted "Cut!", he led the applause: "This is the real Su Mengdie."

The atmosphere on set was getting better and better. The actors were no longer reserved. When they weren't filming, they would gather together to rehearse their lines, and occasionally they would argue heatedly over some detail.

Lin Feng never interrupted, but simply listened from the sidelines, waiting for them to reach a conclusion before smiling and saying, "Let's do it your way and give it a try."

Time slipped away amidst the clinking of fingers, and with two episodes of "With You" released each week, they always sparked a buzz on trending topics. The group chat was even more lively; Tian Xiwei faithfully watched the show every week, her messages filling the screen:

"Yu Huai's basketball scene was so cool! Feng-ge, did you secretly practice?"

"When Geng Geng gave me the notebook, my mom cried. She said it reminded her of the boy she had a crush on in high school!"

"We're being divided into classes next week, please don't make it tough on us!"

Liu Haochun would send recordings of himself practicing his lines, and occasionally ask a few questions about acting, which Lin Feng would patiently answer.

Li Yitong is the busiest, running around to events and shooting endorsements. In between, she posts a photo, either in the dressing room or at the airport, with the caption always "working hard."

On the morning of January 24th, as the final curtain fell on the last scene, Raymond Lam had just breathed a sigh of relief when someone suddenly grabbed him from behind, the force so great that he almost crashed into the monitor.

"Brother Feng! Brother Feng!" A familiar voice boomed in my ears, "I've finally seen you!"

Lin Feng didn't need to turn around to know it was Tian Xiwei. He patted her arm helplessly and said, "Alright, alright, let go. You're squeezing me so tight I can't breathe."

Tian Xi loosened her grip slightly, her eyes red, but her face broke into a wide smile: "I missed you so much I almost cried! You have no idea."

Lin Feng then noticed Liu Haochun behind her, who was carrying a bag. When she saw him looking over, she smiled a little shyly and said, "Brother Feng, I'm here."

"Haochun is here to film a movie," Tian Xiwei interjected, "just a few minutes of screen time, and she kept it a secret from me! If I hadn't begged my mom to let me come to Huzhou for fun, she wouldn't have told me!"

Lin Feng chuckled and ruffled Tian Xiwei's hair: "That was just a cameo role. You've already played leading roles before, why would you care about that?"

"That's different!" Tian Xi pouted slightly. "I just want to act with you guys."

As they were talking, Wen Muye led the main actors over. Lin Feng quickly introduced them: "This is Tian Xiwei, my junior sister, also an actress. This is Liu Haochun, an artist from our company."

He then introduced everyone to the two women, "This is Teacher Wang Ou, and this is Teacher Zhang, who plays Lu Ziye..."

Tian Xiwei then realized there were so many people around her, her cheeks instantly turned red, she shrank behind Liu Haochun and whispered, "Hello, teachers," all her previous boisterousness gone.

Wang Ou looked at her and said with a smile, "This is the younger sister from 'Take My Brother Away,' right? You acted quite well."

"Really?" Tian Xi's eyes lit up, and she instantly perked up again. "Thank you, Sister Ou! I absolutely love the spy dramas you act in!"

"Don't rush Hao Chun's scenes," Lin Feng glanced at his watch. "Tian Xiwei, go to the dressing room with your assistant first. I'll show you around the set later."

"Yay!" Tian Xiwei ran after her assistant, turning back to wave at him after a few steps, like a happy little rabbit.

Liu Haochun took a thermos out of the bag: "Brother Feng, this is beef sauce made by my mom. You and the teachers can try it."

"Thank you for your kindness." Lin Feng took it and handed it to Wen Muye. "Senior brother, share it with everyone."

Wen Muye opened it with a smile, and a fragrant aroma wafted out: "It looks delicious. Haochun has come to improve our meals."

Liu Haochun's face flushed slightly, and he asked softly, "Brother Feng, my scene... is it okay?"

"Don't worry," Lin Feng said, looking at her. "Just remember, the nightingale's eyes should have light, like stars."

Liu Haochun nodded vigorously, her eyes lighting up; she knew how to act.