Big Sweetie Rises! She’s Building My Royal Harem in the Tang Dynasty!
Chapter 26 - Shen Lang: "I Can Only Repay You with Myself!"

Chapter 26: Shen Lang: “I Can Only Repay You with Myself!”

“Xiao Lang, how do you like my place? Cozy, isn’t it?”

Li Xiaoran excitedly pulled Shen Lang into the apartment, saying, “This is one of my properties in Beijing. I bought it a while ago but barely stayed here. From today onward, it’s our little love nest!”

She grinned. “So? Do you approve?”

“Whenever you miss me, just send a text. I’ll come straight here to meet you.”

Shen Lang wasn’t surprised by her words—just grateful for the system’s perks.

“Sister Xiaoran, have you wrapped up filming too?” he asked.

Li Xiaoran nodded. She had asked the director to shoot all her scenes consecutively, finishing in just over ten days. After returning to Beijing, she spent a day tidying the apartment before immediately summoning Shen Lang.

Hotels were risky—she worried about paparazzi ruining them both.

But her own home? Safe.

Her concern wasn’t for herself, but for Shen Lang.

“Xiao Lang, you’re just starting out. You need to be careful.”

“I believe you’ll become a top star… Speaking of which, I’ve studied the industry. Nowadays, it’s all about traffic and looks. A pretty face can land you A-list opportunities.”

“You’ve done well in variety shows. Keep exposing yourself to the audience. All you’re missing is one big break—or a hit drama!”

Every word she said was spot-on.

“Sister Xiaoran, don’t worry. I’ll be cautious. No paparazzi will catch me.”

“You have to be careful. If we get exposed, we’re both ruined. You’re too young for scandals…”

Touched by his sugar mommy’s concern, Shen Lang felt deeply moved.

How could he repay her?

Only by offering himself!

By day, Shen Lang attended classes.

By night, he reported to Li Xiaoran’s apartment.

When Meng Ziyi asked where he kept disappearing to—hinting at rekindling their romance—he bluntly declined, saying he had a rich patron to attend to.

Meng Ziyi: “???”

Shen Lang had changed. She barely recognized him anymore.

Yet…

Why couldn’t she forget him?

The question haunted her.

After a few days with Li Xiaoran, another sugar mommy—Tian Jing—summoned him.

She wanted to brief him on The Untamed’s production details before filming started after the Qingming Festival.

With the holiday break over, Tian Jing wrapped up her busy schedule and immediately called her kept boy back to Beijing.

Once the break ended, Shen Lang flew to Hengdian to join The Untamed’s set.

“Xiao Lang? What are you doing here?”

Meng Ziyi gaped at him in shock.

“What do you think I’m doing?” Shen Lang smirked.

“You’re the male lead?”**

She couldn’t process it.

In her memory, the leads were supposed to be Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo.

How had Shen Lang replaced them?

Soon, she learned the truth: Shen Lang and Xiao Zhan were co-leads.

The realization hit her—

Tian Jing, the sugar mommy, had pulled strings.

Ever since Shen Lang became Tian Jing’s project, his resources had skyrocketed. Lead roles? Snatched effortlessly. Even stolen from others.

The Untamed’s launch ceremony was low-key.

Shen Lang wasn’t famous enough to draw attention anyway.

His brief buzz from Ace vs. Ace had long faded—he hadn’t bothered sustaining the hype.

In China’s entertainment industry, stars rose and fell faster than trending hashtags. A few months of inactivity, and you were forgotten.

Still, when the cast group photo from the launch event hit the internet, it sparked some discussion—though barely a ripple.

“Xiao Lang… are you really being kept by Tian Jing?”

After the event, Meng Ziyi dragged him aside, whispering urgently.

“Ziyi, don’t spread baseless rumors.” Shen Lang feigned sternness.

Her eyes gleamed. The more serious he acted, the truer it must be.

So when he’d brushed her off days ago, he’d been with his sugar mommy!

When would she get a rich patron? Wait—she was Shen Lang’s girlfriend (ex, but close enough).

“Xiao Lang, besides The Untamed, what other resources did Tian Jing give you? Can you… help me out too?”

Shen Lang blinked.

Was she asking to be Tian Jing’s kept woman too?

Even if so, shouldn’t he be the one keeping her?

“Ziyi, how about I keep you instead?”

“Sure~” She giggled. “You get money from Tian Jing, then use it to keep your ex… which means I’m technically also kept by Tian Jing, right?”

Shen Lang’s brain short-circuited.

Since when did math work like this?

“Enough talk. Let’s get ready for filming.”

Meng Ziyi smiled mischievously. “I don’t have scenes this week, but…”

She leaned in. “I’ll stick around the set. With you.”**

“Suit yourself.”

With that, Shen Lang headed to makeup.

As the male lead, his workload was massive.

He’d skimmed the script earlier but only started memorizing lines seriously now.

Back at school, he’d kept it secret from Meng Ziyi, planning to surprise her on set.

Well, the surprise was mutual—and her countermove was even wilder.

“Shen Lang, watch your expressions.”

“Xiao Zhan, you too. This is a danmei adaptation, but we still need to keep it broadcast-friendly…”

“If we could just film two men going at it, why would we need female leads?”

“There’s a reason it’s called an adaptation. This is a web drama—meant for public viewing, not some censored underground film.”

Before filming began, producer Yang Xia repeatedly reminded the two leads.

The Untamed would toe the line—not cross it.

“Producer Yang, I’ll be mindful,” Shen Lang assured.

Xiao Zhan echoed the sentiment, though curiosity burned in his eyes.

How had this guy stolen the role?

Though resentful, Xiao Zhan knew better than to show it. The production team and investors all backed Shen Lang. Only his own connections had saved his spot as the second lead.

The unknown was terrifying. For now, he’d play the polite colleague.

Shen Lang: “(^o^)/~”