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 apartnt, 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 , just send a text. I’ll co straight here to et 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 apartnt before imdiately summoning Shen Lang.

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

But her own ho? 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 beco 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 .”

“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 apartnt.

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

ng 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 Untad’s production details before filming started after the Qingming Festival.

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

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

“Xiao Lang? What are you doing here?”

ng 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 mory, 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 beca Tian Jing’s project, his resources had skyrocketed. Lead roles? Snatched effortlessly. Even stolen from others.

The Untad’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 entertainnt 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 so discussion—though barely a ripple.

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

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

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

Her eyes glead. 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 Untad, what other resources did Tian Jing give you? Can you… help 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 ans 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.”

ng 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 skimd the script earlier but only started morizing lines seriously now.

Back at school, he’d kept it secret from ng 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 dani adaptation, but we still need to keep it broadcast-friendly…”

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

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

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

The Untad would toe the line—not cross it.

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

Xiao Zhan echoed the sentint, 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^)/~”