Chapter 41

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The subsequent filming went without a hitch.

He Zheng didn’t have that many demands. Except for a few lines and close-up shots, he let the two of them play in the water by themselves.

There was basically no need for a script at all. No matter when and where, Xia Xingcheng’s eyes would always fall on Yang Youming. When Yang Youming spokr, he would gaze at Yang Youming earnestly and listen to him with a smile on his face, but when Yang Youming’s eyes were on him, he couldn’t help but slightly bow his head, subconsciously fidgeting.

He Zheng sat on a small stool behind the monitor with one hand on his jaw and open fingers covering half his lips. His expression was somewhat complicated as he wondered whether he ought to praise Xia Xingcheng for adjusting his mood so well.

When the scene wrapped up, He Zheng raised both hands and gave them a thumbs-up.

At the end of the day’s filming, the cast and crew returned to the hotel for the night.

Xia Xingcheng took an early shower and returned to his bedside to turn on the diffuser, letting the faint smell of lavender fill his entire room.

Actors were like this. They spend most of the year filming and spend more days in a hotel room than at home. Once they’re familiar with one place, they have to pack up and move to the next hotel room and familiarise themselves with their environment all over again.

Xia Xingcheng sat at the head of the bed reading the next day’s script. His phone was charging on the bedside table when the screen suddenly lit up to show that he had received a message.

Before reading the contents of the message, he first caught a glimpse of Yang Youming’s name. He immediately set the script aside and reached out to pick up the phone.

Yang Youming had sent him a message, asking him, “Would you like to have a midnight snack?“

Staring down at his phone, Xia Xingcheng was slightly stunned. They had been filming together for such a long time, but this was the first time Yang Youming privately invited him out. He had no time to think about the particulars of his invitation and promptly replied with a “yes” for fear that Yang Youming would suddenly change his mind. When he got up in a hurry to change his clothes, he returned to his phone and typed a few words: “I’ll be right out.”

Setting down his phone again, Xia Xingcheng walked over to the wardrobe, his eyes sweeping over the row of clothes at lightning speed. At last, he picked out a thin loose long-sleeved shirt and jeans and got changed. He suddenly recalled something, then opened the safe next to the wardrobe and took out the necklace Yang Youming gave him.

He turned the necklace over in his hand, but finally placed it back in its box, stuffing it back into the safe.

He went back to his opened suitcase next to the bed, found a pair of earrings and put them on. At last, he put on a hat and changed into sneakers, then came out of the room with his phone and keycard.

When he walked out the door, Xia Xingcheng bumped into Yang Youming who happened to be coming out of the next room, his door closing gently.

Yang Youming was also dressed casually, a similar baseball cap on his head. It only needed to be pressed down slightly before the brim of the hat would shroud most of his face in its shadow.

Xia Xingcheng was inexplicably excited. He walked side by side with Yang Youming through the hallway, his sneakers barely making a sound on the soft carpet. “Is it just the two of us?” he asked softly.

Yang Youming asked, “Do you want to invite others?”

Xia Xingcheng shot a quick glance at him and thought that it was probably a genuine question, so he said, “No, just us.”

Yang Youming nodded. He first reached out and pressed on the elevator’s button, then said to Xia Xingcheng, “Li Yun doesn’t eat midnight snacks. She’s afraid of gaining weight.”

It was already more than eleven o’clock at night. They didn’t meet any other guests along the way down from the elevator to the hotel lobby, and only the hotel’s concierge looked up as they passed the front desk.

Yang Youming pushed open the hotel’s glass door and let Xia Xingcheng through first before he followed him out.

The instant they exited the hotel, Xia Xingcheng unexpectedly felt a slight chill. He said, “It’s a little colder here.”

Yang Youming let out a soft “Mm” from behind him.

Xia Xingcheng turned around and asked him, “Do you want to call a taxi?” He didn’t know if Yang Youming had asked the driver to prepare the car.

Yet Yang Youming said, “There’s no need, it’s only about a ten minute walk away.” With that, he reached into the pockets of his sports jacket and walked down the steps of the hotel entrance.

Xia Xingcheng hurriedly followed him, maintaining a small distance from the man. “What do you want to eat?”

Walking slowly, Yang Youming looked ahead and said, “I stayed in this hotel two years ago. At that time, a friend took me to a midnight snack stall that specialized in roasted pig’s feet. I still remember the flavour until now.”

“Roasted pig’s feet?” Xia Xingcheng couldn’t even summon up the image of Yang Youming eating such a commoner food. In his eyes, Yang Youming was unfailingly elegant at all times.

Yang Youming smiled. “That’s right, I remember the taste and the soft, tender, sticky texture of pig feet. At that time, I thought that I definitely had to eat it again if there’s ever a chance to.”

After walking along the wide street in front of the hotel, they turned to a smaller lane which was lined with residential buildings on both sides. By this time, most of them had already turned off the lights and went to sleep, leaving only several street lights that were spaced apart. Their surroundings were especially quiet, and Xia Xingcheng stared at their shadows for a short while, watching the continuous back and forth of their bodies.

Yang Youming was right beside him. As they were walking, their hands would bump into each other’s from time to time. Sometimes, a gust of wind blew by and he would be able to smell the faint fragrance of Yang Youming’s shower gel. He wanted to get a little closer to him, but he also couldn’t.

When they almost reached the end of the lane, a dog suddenly sprang out from the narrow alleyway between two residential buildings and barked at Xia Xingcheng, who was closer to it.

It was originally quiet around them, and the dog’s sudden shrill barks harshly startled Xia Xingcheng. He subconsciously dodged to the side, then Yang Youming reached out and held on to his shoulder, pushing Xia Xingcheng to his other side.

Yang Youming said, “Don’t be afraid.”

The dog barked at the entrance of the alley yet didn’t rush over.

They sped up and walked away. Under the street lights, Xia Xingcheng caught sight of the mild smile on Yang Youming’s face. Seeming to notice Xia Xingcheng’s line of sight, he turned to look back at Xia Xingcheng and said, “Are you scared of dogs?”

In an instant, Xia Xingcheng flushed red and replied, “Not scared. It just startled me because it suddenly came out of nowhere.”

The smile on Yang Youming’s face did not fade. He nodded and said, “Really?”

Xia Xingcheng didn’t want Yang Youming to really think that he was afraid of a dog and wanted to explain himself, but Yang Youming’s footsteps suddenly came to a halt and he whispered in Xia Xingcheng’s ear, “We’re here.”

When he said this, Yang Youming’s lips were practically pressed to Xia Xingcheng’s ear.

Looking up, Xia Xingcheng saw a wide street that appeared out of the end of the small lane. The sides of the road were very wide. Someone had set up a roadside stall, and there were at least seven or eight tables around the stall, most of them were already full with customers.

No wonder Yang Youming had spoken to him in a low voice.

–Because even if you couldn’t see their faces, just by looking at their tall builds, their combined presence in this place was still very eye-catching.

☆ ☆ ☆

⟵ Chapter 40 | TOC | Chapter 42 ⟶

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