Extra 2...

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“Film Emperor”

Dai Xiaoxuan placed a recorder on the table, picked up her coffee, and sipped it while silently observing Xia Xingcheng, who sat in front of her.

Xia Xingcheng had just finished a photoshoot for their magazine. His assistant was removing his makeup with makeup wipes. The short female assistant was someone Dai Xiaoxuan recognised—she seemed to have been by Xia Xingcheng’s side for several years now.

Dai Xiaoxuan had once been crazy about Xia Xingcheng. Around four or five years ago, when “Gradual Distance” had just been screened overseas, she and many other girls her age scoured the internet to download and watch the movie. It was a movie she had watched over and over, nearly ten times in total, and if she closed her eyes, there were many scenes and dialogues that she could still recall even now.

But as time went by, Dai Xiaoxuan grew up and had to prioritise her own work and life. Her initial fervour and fanaticism gradually faded into a more subdued fondness and silent attention.

Six years had passed in the blink of an eye since Xia Xingcheng shot ‘Gradual Distance’, and Dai Xiaoxuan had the rare opportunity to see Xia Xingcheng up close. She discovered that he had changed somewhat, but he still gave off the same vibe.

The most noticeable difference was most likely his calm demeanor. There was no telling how many interviews Xia Xingcheng had sat for after so many years of making movies as an A-list actor. He gave the impression of someone who had settled down, with a steadiness that befitted his status.

But there were many aspects of him that had remained unchanged. When he spoke to his assistant, for example, his face was adorned with the same sunny smile, his eyes clear and bright, as if his disposition had not changed since his twenties. His face appeared especially youthful.

A word flashed across Dai Xiaoxuan’s mind: smooth.

She thought of Xia Xingcheng’s debut at such a young age, his rise to fame in his youth, and his pursuit of the Film Emperor title when he was barely thirty. His acting career could not have been smoother. With no setbacks hindering his path, it was only natural that his heart didn’t accumulate a great many burdens. As a result, his face remained youthful, and his eyes remained clear and bright.

As her thoughts reached this point, Xia Xingcheng suddenly turned to face her, smiling and saying, “It’s Xiao Xuan, right? Should we begin?”

Dai Xiaoxuan straightened her back right away. She glanced down at her notebook, then raised her head and confidently began today’s interview.

It was only at the very end of the interview did Dai Xiaoxuan tell Xia Xingcheng, “Xiao Xing ge, I actually used to be a fan of yours, a really big fan. I even went to greet you at the airport.”

Xia Xingcheng had spoken quite a bit. Right then, he was drinking his coffee with his head bowed. When he heard her words, he looked up at her, his eyes brightening. “Really?” he stroked his chest with a smile. “I’m honoured.”

As he stroked his chest, Dai Xiaoxuan noticed the edge of his tattoo peeking out from under his collar, and her thoughts returned to the contents of the interview just now. One of the questions concerned the meaning of the tattoo. When asked, Xia Xingcheng had answered that it was a symbol for his feelings and the things he’d experienced.

He’d never explained what exactly the tattoo signified to the rest of the world, but back then, Dai Xiaoxuan and other Xia Xingcheng fans had harboured an outrageous speculation. Back when ‘Gradual Distance’ was at the peak of its popularity, a fan deduced that the sun and moon in the tattoo represented one person, while the stars represented another. It was clear who the stars represented, and the sun and moon made up the character for ‘ming’—who it referred to couldn’t be more obvious.

But in the end, speculation was only speculation. Xia Xingcheng had never opened up about it, and no one could say for sure whether this speculation was correct.

As she recalled this now, Dai Xiaoxuan felt that those days of chasing after Xia Xingcheng were a very joyful time. She had numerous friends on the internet, many of whom were convinced that Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming’s on-screen relationship had become a real one—or at least it had, back then. Moreover, following ‘Gradual Distance’, Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming collaborated again in quick succession, sending fans into a frenzy. They practically urged the two men to get married. Unfortunately, they never acted in the same film again after ‘The Trap.’ They were almost never seen in the same frame.

During this period of time, Dai Xiaoxuan graduated, worked, and dated. She jumped ship from working in a newspaper company to a fashion magazine, and finally had the opportunity to be this close to Xia Xingcheng for the first time ever.

Therefore, she asked him a long-awaited question, “I can only ask on my behalf: is there still a chance to see you and Yang Youming act in the same movie again?”

Xia Xingcheng’s smile remained on his face, still as sincere. He seemingly had no intention of avoiding the question, saying, “If there’s a good script and a good opportunity to work together? Of course.”

Dai Xiaoxuan smiled back at him. She softly said, “You’re so nice.”

Xia Xingcheng suddenly asked her, “Do you like Yang Youming too?”

Dai Xiaoxuan wasn’t expecting this question. “Of course I do,” she said after a stunned pause. “I fell in love with both of you when I first saw ‘Gradual Distance’.”

Xia Xingcheng nodded and said, “Then I’ll say hello to him for you when I can.”

Dai Xiaoxuan was somewhat taken aback. “You two have been in touch?” After the question rolled off her tongue, she felt stupid. Xia Xingcheng and Yang Youming didn’t appear to have any conflicts—they’d even worked together on a number of films—so what was so strange about staying in touch?

Xia Xingcheng chuckled and said, “Yeah, we keep in touch on a regular basis.”

After getting off work that day, Dai Xiaoxuan bought a boxed meal on the way home. The meal was then heated up in the microwave, and she had dinner while using the computer to browse the internet.

She saw a piece of celebrity gossip about Yang Youming posted on the internet, so she bit at her chopsticks and clicked on the news to have a look, only to discover that it was a paparazzi photo taken on the streets. Yang Youming had a child with him. They were buying drinks on the side of the road, and he turned around and handed it to the boy after paying for it.

These photos seemed to have been taken a couple of days ago. As it was currently summer, Yang Youming wore a white T-shirt paired with casual jeans. He was looking down at the boy with a gentle smile.

Because the photos had been taken secretly, they were shot from a distance and came out a little blurry. However, Dai Xiaoxuan thought that Yang Youming hadn’t changed at all from his ‘Gradual Distance’ days. He was still the handsome and gentle Yu Haiyang.

AAAAH—if it hadn’t been for the chopstick between Dai Xiaoxuan’s teeth, she would’ve let out a shriek right then and there. At the thought of the movie’s ending, her heart was immediately filled with pain. She couldn’t help grumble to herself: So what if he’s gentle and charming?! That man is a scumbag!

That tabloid report had written up a bunch of nonsense, claiming that Yang Youming had taken the little boy out and doted on him with a gentle manner, speculating that this little boy was most likely Yang Youming’s illegitimate child. Yang Youming had been divorced from Yuan Qian for so long—there was no way the man hadn’t started a new relationship.

Dai Xiaoxuan estimated the boy’s age to be around ten years old. If he was Yang Youming’s illegitimate child, he was most likely conceived before Yang Youming and Yuan Qian got married. This simply didn’t make sense.

She closed the webpage to find a TV drama to watch while she ate. She aimlessly browsed titles on a streaming service before remembering her interview with Xia Xingcheng earlier today, and finally opened the hard drive she had always kept the ‘Gradual Distance’ movie in.

This was her eleventh time watching the movie. She hadn’t watched it at all in the last few years. For some reason, she felt particularly nostalgic today. When she saw the familiar title sequence, she hurriedly shoved food into her mouth.

–

It was very late when Xia Xingcheng got home from work.

They were still living in Yang Youming’s place, and had never had any plans to move.

All the lights had been turned off. These last two days, Xia Xingcheng’s nephew Dong Dong had been staying with them. The kid was definitely sleeping right then, so Xia Xingcheng moved extra quietly. As he entered their bedroom, he couldn’t bring himself to turn on the lights and wake Yang Youming. He opened his wardrobe and used his phone to search for a clean pair of briefs before going to the bathroom to shower.

After showering, he emerged from the bathroom in briefs and steam billowing around him. He’d only just turned off the bathroom lights, and because his eyes weren’t used to the darkness yet, he couldn’t see anything and had to rely on memory to stumble towards the bed.

As soon as he got to the bed, he was suddenly lifted up by his waist and pressed down on the bed. Xia Xingcheng almost screamed out in fright, but a warm and familiar palm covered his mouth, and Yang Youming’s voice echoed in his ear. “Don’t be scared, it’s me.”

Xia Xingcheng’s heart was pounding. He began to gasp as he felt Yang Youming’s palm move away from his mouth. “You’re going to scare me to death,” he said.

Yang Youming’s deep voice carried a trace of weariness as he said, “Never.”

Xia Xingcheng grabbed his hand and let Yang Youming feel his chest. “Feel how fast my heart is beating?”

Yang Youming’s palm came to a halt over the left side of his chest for a moment. “I was afraid you’d stub your toe,” he explained. “Shouldn’t I just lift you instead?”

Xia Xingcheng said, “I’m not that clumsy.”

Yang Youming’s hand slowly wandered over his chest.

A moment later, Xia Xingcheng’s eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he saw Yang Youming lying on his side. One hand propped his head up, while the other was plastered to Xia Xingcheng’s chest. He was watching Xia Xingcheng with his head bowed.

The two men looked at each other. They could only barely make out the other’s facial features.

“How come you’re still awake? Waiting up for me?” Xia Xingcheng asked.

Yang Youming said, “I woke up the moment you came home.”

Xia Xingcheng looked up and ruffled Yang Youming’s hair. “Light sleeper.”

“Mm,” Yang Youming hummed. “I can’t sleep unless you’re next to me.”

Xia Xingcheng smiled as he looked at him. After a beat, he said, “Why do you keep groping my chest? Not sleepy?”

Yang Youming’s hand did not stop moving. “Wasn’t it you who put my hand here?” he said, touching him. In the dim light, he moved his hand upwards, pinpointing the tattoo on Xia Xingcheng’s collarbone. “How come you’re taking advantage of me?”

“I’m taking advantage of you? Do you know what ‘taking advantage’ means?” Xia Xingcheng snapped. His hand travelled down Yang Youming’s body. “Now this is taking advantage!”

Yang Youming rolled over and pressed Xia Xingcheng down, kissing him on the lips.

Xia Xingcheng wrapped his arms around Yang Youming’s shoulders, stroking the taut muscles on the man’s back and letting out groans of pleasure.

“Keep your voice down,” Yang Youming muttered as he kissed his earlobe.

Xia Xingcheng wasn’t too happy. He tightly hugged Yang Youming and said, “I’ll call Xia Ye tomorrow and get him to take Dong Dong back.”

Yang Youming’s words were interspersed with small gasps. “Dong Dong specially came to visit you for summer vacation. Let him play for a little longer. Why are you driving him away?”

Xia Xingcheng, who was no longer in the mood to speak, turned his head, sought Yang Youming’s lips, and kissed him passionately.

☆ ☆ ☆

Thank you to MIR for the kofis!

⟵ Extra I Part 4 | TOC | Extra II Part 2 ⟶

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