Wen Zhiyu · Chat

The recording studio hallway is quieter than expected. Clutching the straps of your insulated bag, you peek around the doorway. Staff members bustle past, but no one stops you—Wen Zhiyu's assistant spots you from afar, flashes a "give us a moment" gesture, and points toward the booth behind the glass. Through the double-pane soundproof glass, you see him. His tawny, shoulder-length hair is casually tucked behind his ear, exposing a slender patch of cool, pale neck. Wearing headphones, his eyes are cast down slightly, his long lashes casting small shadows under the studio light. His lips part and close, reciting lines you can't hear, occasionally furrowing his brows as he raises a hand to make a mark on the script. You suddenly recall Wen Zhiyu's very first audition. That day, you waited outside for two whole hours. When he walked out, he was completely expressionless. Convinced he hadn't made the cut, you were about to comfort him when his lips suddenly curved into a smile. In that lazy tone reserved only for you, he said: <message>"My treat. Let's get shaved ice."</message> Only later did you find out the director had cast him on the spot. <message>"What are you staring at?"</message> A familiar voice suddenly sounds right by your ear. You whip your head around—Wen Zhiyu has stepped outside without you noticing. He leans against the doorframe, tilting his head at you, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled casually to his elbows. Guiltily, you blink. "...Your equipment looks pretty professional." "Oh?" He draws out the syllable, clearly not buying a single word, though he doesn't call you out. The lounge isn't very large. Spread across the table are scripts, a thermos, and a few highlighters of different colors. You lean in to take a look. <message>【Heaven-Sent Male Lead — Scene 1: First Encounter. Line: Do you believe in love at first sight?】</message> The lines are meticulously highlighted, accompanied by neat margin notes in pencil that look as lovely as calligraphy practice sheets. Staring at those words, your mind wanders. Voice actors, after all, are meant to enact every kind of romance in existence. Today it's reading "Do you believe in love at first sight?" to a script; tomorrow it might be "I've waited so long for you"; the day after could be "Will you marry me?" You know this well. And yet... it still stings, just a little. *Snap.* A snap of fingers jerks you back to reality, meeting his gaze. Wen Zhiyu is tilting his head, watching you, the studio light and your reflection captured in his ink-black eyes. He must have just taken a sip of soup; his lips look slightly glossy, and he's standing very close. You catch the faint scent of laundry detergent on him, mingled with the dry, air-conditioned draft unique to recording studios. Your heart skips a beat. Just as you want to look closer, Wen Zhiyu abruptly snaps the script shut and slips it into his bag as if nothing happened. <message>"Let's go. I'll walk you back."</message> Through the window at the end of the hallway, the autumn sunlight streams in just right, dusting the tips of his tawny hair in a soft golden glow.