Chapter 97

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When Xia Xingcheng came back in with a bundle of flowers in his arms, Yang Youming was already dressed, and he was sitting on the bed, on a phone call.

Seeing Xia Xingcheng come in, Yang Youming smiled at him and continued talking to the person on the other end. At last, he said, “I know, there’s no problem” before hanging up.

Xia Xingcheng placed the flower bouquet on top of the TV cabinet.

Yang Youming put his phone down, then raised his head and asked, “Who gave you flowers?”

Xia Xingcheng deliberately observed the man’s expression and said, “Yuan Qian.”

There wasn’t a change in Yang Youming’s expression at all. He merely stared at the bouquet for a while, then suddenly asked Xia Xingcheng, “Are you close with Yuan Qian?”

Xia Xingcheng was stunned by this question.

Yang Youming then asked, “What exactly were you doing in her car for over ten minutes?”

Xia Xingcheng slowly walked up to Yang Youming’s side and sat down. “We just talked, I asked her about you…”

Yang Youming said, “For things concerning me—you can directly ask me in the future.”

For a split second, Xia Xingcheng wanted to ask Yang Youming whether he had loved Yuan Qian, but gave up just as the words encroached the tip of his tongue. Whether Yang Youming had loved Yuan Qian or not, it was a thing of the past and belonged to their memories. All he wanted was Yang Youming’s tomorrows.

Thus, Xia Xingcheng changed his question at the last moment. “Who were you calling?”

Yang Youming answered, “My agent.”

Xia Xingcheng’s mind stalled, and it took him a while to react. With some surprise, he said, “Is your agent still Du Jin?”

Yang Youming laughed. “It’s still Du Jin, why?”

Stunned, Xia Xingcheng said, “I thought you were no longer with Juxin.”

Juxin was a big entertainment company, and it was at Juxin that Yang Youming became popular. Back then, it was Du Jin who brought him out. Du Jin was ferociously well-known, and up until now, he was still one of the biggest agents in the industry. Later on, as Yang Youming’s position in the film industry solidified, his name rarely appeared next to Du Jin’s or even Juxin.

Yang Youming said to Xia Xingcheng, “I’ve been in Juxin all this time. I guess you haven’t been paying attention to me.”

To Xia Xingcheng, it sounded like Yang Youming was complaining, and he couldn’t help but laugh as he bumped against his body. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Du Jin follow you around, I thought Du Jin was managing someone else.”

Yang Youming hugged his waist and said, “Du Jin really is managing someone else. It’s Teng Song, the one your cousin really likes.”

Xia Xingcheng was struck with a sudden realization. “No wonder. Du Jin is really powerful, Teng Song’s hands are full with all the good resources that other people can’t even ask for.”

Yang Youming turned his head and rubbed the tip of his nose against Xia Xingcheng’s cheek. “How about it, do you want to come to Juxin? I can ask Du Jin to take you on.”

Xia Xingcheng looked at him in astonishment. “Is that really possible?”

Yang Youming chuckled and nodded. “I practically helped build Juxin up. You ought to know Juxin’s boss, Lu Nianxin. We have a good relationship, so it won’t be a problem if you want to sign with us. I just don’t know if Cai Meiting’s side will let you go or not.”

Xia Xingcheng listened to his earnest words and promptly said, “No I can’t. even though the gap between Huang Jixin and Du Jin isn’t small, in any case, we’ve been working together for so many years. I’m not turning my back on him.”

Yang Youming raised a hand and stroked his hair, saying, “Huang Jixin is pretty good. At least he genuinely cares about you. I suggest that you have a regular assistant at your side though, don’t just hire one temporarily everytime you go out to film.”

Xia Xingcheng said, “I have no use for a life assistant when I go back home, it’d feel pretty wasteful.”

Yang Youming seemed to be considering this, his fingers clutching at the soft hairs at Xia Xingcheng’s nape and fiddling with it for a while. “See whether this Hua Hua is reliable or not, if she’s alright, then I’ll give Huang Jixin a call—ask him to talk to Hua Hua and let the company arrange a dormitory.”

Xia Xingcheng was somewhat baffled. “You think Hua Hua’s okay?”

Yang Youming looked at him. “You think there’s something not okay with her?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “Don’t you think she’s a bit slow?”

Yang Youming laughed. “I think she’s too naive. But with assistants, naivety is a good thing. As long as her hands and feet are diligent, you can slowly teach her the things that she currently doesn’t understand. It’s not good if they’re too smart.”

Xia Xingcheng nodded and hugged him. “I got it.”

That afternoon, Zhu Tianjie asked his assistant to send Xia Xingcheng a large, beautifully wrapped fruit basket filled with dark red cherries surrounded by dozens of bright red strawberries.

Xia Xingcheng didn’t accept it.

Zhu Tianjie’s assistant looked embarrassed.

Xia Xingcheng said, “I really don’t need it. Please help me return it to Mr. Zhu.”

“Xiao Xing ge…”

Xia Xingcheng asked him, “Are Mr. Zhu’s parts finished?”

“Mm,” the assistant nodded. “He’s flying out this afternoon.”

Xia Xingcheng let out an ‘Oh’, then, “He must be anxious to leave.” With that, he said to the assistant, “Why don’t you go back?” and closed the door.

He came back in and, when he found that Yang Youming had opened up his suitcase and had started to pack his things, he immediately said, “You’re leaving?”

Yang Youming nodded. “You’re returning to the crew tomorrow. I can’t keep staying at the hotel waiting for you, so I’m going to use this time to go home.”

“Home?” Xia Xingcheng was a little puzzled.

Yang Youming said, “My hometown isn’t far from this film and television base. Given that I didn’t go back for the Lunar New Year, I’ll take a trip there now since I have the time.”

When he heard this, Xia Xingcheng immediately said, “I want to go with you!”

Yang Youming chuckled and said, “Are you free?”

Of course Xia Xingcheng wasn’t free. He had no other choice but to say, “Wait for me, I’ll go back with you when my parts are done.”

Yang Youming casually tossed the shirt in his hands at the bed, then said, “I’ll come pick you up when you’ve finished shooting.”

Xia Xingcheng took a step forward and captured Yang Youming’s hand, glued his face to the man’s face, pressed his mouth to his ear, and whispered, “The scene with the dress… there’s actually still more.”

All of a sudden, Yang Youming gripped his waist. “When?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “The location shooting.”

Yang Youming’s hand slid down his waist and pinched his ass, pushing Xia Xingcheng towards his body. “Has the schedule been set yet?”

Xia Xingcheng’s body fit snugly against Yang Youming’s, and he laughed and looked up, saying, “Not yet, I guess we’ll have to wait until later.”

Yang Youming pressed a gentle kiss on his lips. “So I’ll come back and pick you up then. You keep your mind on filming, okay?”

Xia Xingcheng swayed his body, not saying yes or no, only faintly smiling at him. He wanted Yang Youming to stay.

Yang Youming kissed his mouth once more. “Okay?”

Xia Xingcheng still didn’t answer.

This time, Yang Youming kissed him with tongue.

When their lips parted, Xia Xingcheng laughed and said, “Still not okay. Come up with something more convincing.”

Yang Youming picked him up and threw him onto the bed. “Then I can only convince you in bed.”

–

When Xia Xingcheng returned to the crew the next day, Yang Youming secretly left the hotel that morning.

Xia Xingcheng met Yuan Qian on the film set.

Yuan Qian and Bao Kai had a relatively important scene that day; the two of them quarrelled and then blew up at each other.

Yet Yuan Qian was obviously out of sorts, and her emotions weren’t in the right place even after several takes.

In this scene, Xia Xingcheng was mostly in the background, standing aside and silently watching their fight.

Afterwards, Ding Wenxun told them to take a break first.

Yuan Qian sat next to Xia Xingcheng, her face and posture revealing a somewhat fed up and weary air.

After she sat down, she first looked ahead with her hands on her knees for a while, then asked Xia Xingcheng, “Has he left?”

Xia Xingcheng shot a glance at her, then lightly answered, “Mm.”

Yuan Qian smiled soundlessly. Only the corners of her mouth were raised, and the smile appeared entirely fake. “I thought—” She abruptly opened her mouth, but stopped halfway, seeming somewhat absent-minded.

Xia Xingcheng leaned forward, propping his arms on his knees. “What?”

Yuan Qian said, “I just suddenly thought—when you said he isn’t dull, maybe it’s true.”

Xia Xingcheng turned to look at her.

When Xia Xingcheng had asked her last time, she wasn’t willing to say these words, yet now Yuan Qian said, “I think he was very good to me, but this ‘good’ didn’t have any heat. In our relationship, he was too cool-headed. Even if he said that he didn’t want a divorce, I still don’t think that my leaving him can truly hurt him.”

Xia Xingcheng clasped his fingers and listened in silence.

Yuan Qian was in a daze. “But when I saw you yesterday afternoon, I realized that it wasn’t the same.”

Xia Xingcheng didn’t know what to say for a moment; he could understand Yuan Qian’s every word. Yang Youming’s seemingly gentle tolerance actually unsettles you, and in the end, you don’t know how much he values your relationship. In love—in addition to tolerance—perhaps a kind of tension was also needed.

When you’re out drinking and partying late into the night, a lover who worries and urges you to come home is more likely to make you feel that he cares about you than a lover who doesn’t mind when you return.

Love does not require limitless tolerance. Love should be selfish in nature—a desire to firmly grab hold of them and never let go.

Yuan Qian lowered her head, and she didn’t speak for a long time.

Xia Xingcheng even thought that she was crying.

After a while, Yuan Qian raised her head, her face still as fair and flawless as always. She said, “So it was right for me to divorce him. My only mistake was that I was over-confident in myself, and that I shouldn’t want to turn back.”

Xia Xingcheng looked at her and discovered that the corners of her eyes were faintly red. After a little hesitation, he lifted his hand and lightly hugged her shoulder.

Yuan Qian turned and rested her forehead on Xia Xingcheng’s shoulder, burying her head there, and said, “I’ll stay here for a bit.”

Xia Xingcheng whispered, “Actually, you did hurt him when you divorced him, but he’ll never tell you.”

Yuan Qian stiffened.

Xia Xingcheng patted her back placatingly. “After all, he treated your marriage wholeheartedly.”

After that, Yuan Qian’s shooting suddenly went smoothly, and this time her emotions broke out so fully that the director almost forgot to shout ‘cut’.

When he returned to the hotel that night, Xia Xingcheng lay on his bed after a shower and video-called Yang Youming.

He found Yang Youming in a rather large room that looked a little old and had wooden pillars.

“Is this your home?” Xia Xingcheng was a little amazed.

Yang Youming picked up his phone and turned in a circle to give him a look, saying, “This is the house I lived in with my parents when I was small. It’s quite nice, isn’t it?”

When Xia Xingcheng saw that the floor and windows in the room were all made of wood, he couldn’t help but lament, “It’s genuinely old. Looks like your family was pretty well-off back then, right?”

Yang Youming laughed. “When I was small, there were six families living in this building. Only this room belonged to my family, and the kitchen and bathrooms were shared. Later on, I bought the entire building then reinforced and renovated it.”

Xia Xingcheng’s face was brimming with eagerness. “I can’t wait to see it.”

Yang Youming said, “You’ll see it soon.”

After they ended the video call, Xia Xingcheng stayed in bed and went online. He opened Weibo and saw a hot search concerning Zhu Tianjie’s new drama. Once he tapped on it, he found that a highly invested IP drama that had previously appointed Zhu Tianjie as the male lead had unexpectedly replaced him at the very last moment.

This aroused intense dissatisfaction from Zhu Tianjie’s fans, and they began to hurl abuse at the investors and the drama’s official Weibo. Yet Zhu Tianjie himself was completely mute, never issuing his own Weibo post from start to finish.

Xia Xingcheng vaguely felt that this matter had something to do with him, but he didn’t want to ask Yang Youming. Soon after, he exited Weibo, not planning to continue paying attention to Zhu Tianjie and upsetting himself in the process.

After they wrapped up the scenes in the film studio, what followed was the location shooting.

Xia Xingcheng’s didn’t have that many location scenes. He only needed to film for more or less ten days, and the scene where he wore a dress was to be shot in the last two days.

On the afternoon of the official shooting day, Yang Youming conscientiously came for a visit.

He and Ding Wenxun have been close friends for many years, and he was also the one who recommended Xia Xingcheng to the crew, so there was nothing wrong with stopping by in passing while he was back home.

The only thing that would’ve caused controversy was the fact that Yuan Qian was the movie’s female lead, but it just so happened that on the day Yang Youming came to visit, Yuan Qian didn’t have any location shots, so they avoided the awkwardness of meeting each other.

This scene was of Qian Chengjin, who was playing pool with his friends in a game hall, getting besieged by a debt collector who makes him change into a red sling dress and a pair of high heels in front of his two friends and girlfriend, after which he gets driven out and made to walk down the street.

For this purpose, Ding Wenxun had rented a game hall with a pool parlour, which was closed on the day of the shoot. The guests inside were all extras.

Xia Xingcheng borrowed the staff lounge to change and get his makeup done. At this time, he was still wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, and the red dress was dangling from a hanger.

When he came out of the lounge, he found that there was a lot of noise outside. The various staff members who were originally making preparations all gathered around when they realized that it was Yang Youming who had come.

Ding Wenxun was accompanying Yang Youming, introducing him to the main cast and crew, as well as the young actress who played Qian Chengjin’s girlfriend.

Yang Youming maintained his customary gentle smile, shaking their hands one by one.

When Xia Xingcheng approached them, Ding Wenxun promptly said, “Xingcheng, come say hello!”

When Yang Youming saw Xia Xingcheng, though his smile was unchanging, his eyes brightened. He extended a hand towards Xia Xingcheng. “Xingcheng.”

Xia Xingcheng immediately held his hand, but what he didn’t expect was the sudden force in the grip that pulled him over. Xia Xingcheng’s pulse accelerated. He thought Yang Youming was going to hug him, but Yang Youming simply lifted his other arm and wound it around his shoulder, patting it once before letting go of his hand.

When Yang Youming let go of his hand, his fingers softly tickled Xia Xingcheng’s palm. After, he even reminisced about their past in a solemn manner.

Except for the muddle-headed Hua Hua, no one here knew of their relationship.

Due to Yang Youming’s sudden appearance, the filming’s pace was slowed down a bit. Ding Wenxun was not in a hurry; instead, he was enthusiastically introducing the entire film to Yang Youming.

Xia Xingcheng was standing next to him.

Afterwards, Ding Wenxun grabbed Yang Youming’s hand and said, “How about I give you a cameo role?”

Yang Youming glanced at Xia Xingcheng and asked Ding Wenxun, “What role?”

Ding Wenxun said, “A debt collector.”

Before Yang Youming could even open his mouth to speak, Xia Xingcheng couldn’t help saying, “That’s not like Ming ge at all.”

Ding Wenxun laughed. “What I want is a contrasting effect. Moreover, has Yang Youming ever played something this unlike him?”

“A debt collector?” Yang Youming looked quite interested. “So I’m going to be bullying Xingcheng?”

Ding Wenxun hurriedly beckoned the screenwriter to come over and revise the script to add a last minute character, giving the two debt collection company thugs a boss who would threaten Qian Chengjin to pay back the money and force him to wear a dress.

Having done this, Ding Wenxun pushed the screenwriter over to Yang Youming and said, “Come come come, talk to our screenwriter about how you want to bully him. We’ll do all we can to satisfy you.”

Xia Xingcheng was suddenly a little afraid.

☆ ☆ ☆

t/n – 👁️👄👁️

⟵ Chapter 96 | TOC | Chapter 98 ⟶

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