Yu Zhifu tactfully stepped aside, but Gu Fanzhou stubbornly grabbed Xian Sui’s arm, seemingly determined to force the other man to focus on him. “Xian Sui, this is official business.”
“What we discuss on set is official business. Everything else is my personal time,” Xian Sui forced himself to sound tough, though the moment the words left his mouth, he felt a pang of regret. “I am sorry, Brother Gu.”
“For you, was I the one constantly taking up your personal time before, then?”
“I did not mean it like that. I know Brother Gu has been helping me.”
“You just do not need me,” Gu Fanzhou let go of Xian Sui’s hand with chilling coldness. “Then do not let me see you anywhere outside of the set.”
This was the third time Xian Sui had made Gu Fanzhou lose his temper, and he figured he had no hope of salvaging the situation, leaving him with no choice but to slink away from the set in defeat.
It was not that he wanted to put on this kind of attitude; he simply did not want to become a stumbling block between Gu Fanzhou and Cheng Lian.
Standing at a distance, although she could not hear the exact words, the assistant could guess from the postures that they had been arguing. “Brother Xian Sui, having a fallout with the best actor and an investor like that, are we going to get blacklisted?”
Xian Sui: “…”
Gu Fanzhou radiated an unapproachable aura so intense that only Yu Zhifu dared to approach him, gently patting his shoulder. “Let us go grab a drink at Mist. Perfect timing.”
“Drive.” Without room for argument, Gu Fanzhou followed Yu Zhifu to the parking spot and took a seat right in the front passenger side.
Yu Zhifu drove all the way to Mist. The bar played its usual soothing background music, making it a rare, peaceful-feeling spot in the center of Lingzhu City.
Gu Fanzhou casually ordered a high-proof cocktail, and the drink menu was slid over to Yu Zhifu the next second. She let out a helpless chuckle. “I really never imagined I could put up with a bad temper like yours.”
“I did not say anything harsh to you.” Gu Fanzhou could not even be bothered to spare her a glance.
“Do you know how terrible your expression looks right now?” Yu Zhifu let out a nearly imperceptible sigh. “Never mind, the reason I came here this time is to talk about your situation.”
“I am fine, I do not need your counseling.” Gu Fanzhou lifted his cocktail glass and took a sip.
Yu Zhifu truly had no way to deal with her friend, so she decided to hit straight to the point and force Gu Fanzhou to face reality. “If you and Xian Sui keep going like this, shooting the rest of the film is going to be extremely difficult to push forward.”
“You should ask Xian Sui what he is thinking.”
“And what are you thinking?” Yu Zhifu tapped her fingertip against Gu Fanzhou’s glass. “Is it still that you cannot face what happened back then?”
“What does one thing have to do with the other?” Gu Fanzhou’s movements paused slightly.
“You care too much about the fact that you feel nothing toward women, which is why you have never spoken your true feelings to Xian Sui.”
Gu Fanzhou forcefully pushed the glass in front of him away. “Enough.”
Back in his adolescent years, Gu Fanzhou had received a love letter sent to the villa, written by a male classmate in his class.
It was the first time Gu Fanzhou had experienced such a wondrous feeling. He had heard of the other person’s name, someone brilliant enough to rival him, and he had even felt the urge to write a reply back.
However, the letter was discovered by his father. Before he even had a chance to pick up his pen to write a reply, the letter was torn to shreds right in front of him. “It is not enough that you are a man, you want to date a man too? Even more despicable than I imagined.”
Gu Fanzhou found it hard to imagine what kind of father could evaluate his own child with such language, simply because he had once tried to block his stepmother from entering the family.
“Rest assured, even if I chose a dog, I would not look for a man.” Gu Fanzhou vanished from his father’s sight without looking back.
Yu Zhifu remained silent for a long moment, then took the risk of provoking Gu Fanzhou by asking, “Are you still just stubbornly fighting with your dad?”
“I am not that childish. We have already fallen out completely.”
Yu Zhifu had heard plenty of rumors regarding Gu Fanzhou’s family affairs as well, so she had a rough idea of the situation. “Your dad truly is not worth saying nice things about.”
She then abruptly shifted the topic. “I have booked a KTV room. I am going to tell Xian Sui he has to come, and you are coming too. It is run by someone in the industry, very safe.”
Gu Fanzhou looked ready to crush the glass on the table.
Yu Zhifu initially intended to urge Gu Fanzhou to calm down, but before she could speak, she noticed that Gu Fanzhou’s left hand was trembling continuously at an abnormal frequency.
“Fanzhou,” Yu Zhifu reached out, wanting to press it steady, “your hand is shaking.”
“It is nothing.” Gu Fanzhou picked up the cocktail glass with his right hand, downed the drink in one breath, and hurriedly left Mist.
Xian Sui received the invitation from Yu Zhifu to unwind at a KTV room near downtown Lingzhu City, with the reassurance that all expenses would be covered by the company. He had little interest in karaoke; if not for the firm tone of Yu Zhifu’s message insisting he had to go, Xian Sui would have most likely chosen to decline.
The chill of early spring had passed, and the stifling heat of midsummer was now in full swing. Xian Sui wore a cotton short-sleeve shirt on the inside with a thin hoodie jacket thrown over the top, making it just right for walking in the cool breeze of a summer night. He took the subway to the city center on his own and finally went upstairs to locate the room number Yu Zhifu had sent him on WeChat.
Yu Zhifu sat at the very edge of the room, with Gu Fanzhou looking relaxed and casual right beside her. Across from them sat Meng Qiao and an unfamiliar man Xian Sui had never seen before. Seeming to notice the private room door being pushed open, Gu Fanzhou instinctively turned his head to sweep a glance at Xian Sui, who was still standing blankly in the doorway, before casually pulling his gaze back as if nothing happened.
“Come over here.” Gu Fanzhou placed a cup of orange juice, ordered who knows when, in front of the empty seat beside him.
Xian Sui took care to greet everyone in the room individually before sitting down in front of the orange juice. Gu Fanzhou introduced the unfamiliar man sitting next to Meng Qiao as Shi Qianyue, one of the well-known directors in the industry currently on good terms with Meng Qiao. Shi Qianyue had come specifically upon Gu Fanzhou’s invitation to get acquainted with Xian Sui.
“Teacher Meng has been on the set of Peach Blossoms Unseen and shared scenes with you. He told me you are a newcomer actor with a lot of potential,” Shi Qianyue said with a smile, extending his hand toward Xian Sui. “Even Best Actor Gu recommended you, so I simply had to come meet you.”
Xian Sui shook Shi Qianyue’s hand. “I am still a newcomer and have a lot to learn from Brother Gu and Teacher Meng.”
Shi Qianyue was very warm toward the young actor, casually revealing that he planned to direct a film in the near future dealing with urban and rural themes, featuring a protagonist similar to a young guy like Xian Sui, and adding that if plans held steady, he would invite Xian Sui to audition.
Xian Sui hurriedly thanked Shi Qianyue for his appreciation. The subsequent conversation felt much more ordinary. Since Xian Sui was not very familiar with Shi Qianyue, he did not dare butt into the conversation and simply drank the orange juice before him on his own. Whether because he had drunk too much or something else, the next moment Xian Sui stood up from his seat. “Excuse me, I am going to the restroom.”
The restroom was just to the right outside the private room. After finishing up, Xian Sui stood in front of the washbasin, and before he could even step out the door, Gu Fanzhou suddenly materialized in front of him and casually locked the bathroom door.
Given how unpleasant things had been between Xian Sui and the other man on set, being alone with Gu Fanzhou was bound to be a bit awkward. As the latter kept stepping closer to Xian Sui, Xian Sui subconsciously took a few steps back to the side, looking as though he were deliberately trying to avoid him. “Brother Gu, other people might come by. This is not very appropriate.”
Gu Fanzhou clearly did not take Xian Sui’s words to heart, asking instead whether he had any interest in Shi Qianyue’s new film. No matter how dense Xian Sui was, he could see that Gu Fanzhou was pulling strings behind the scenes regarding Shi Qianyue. He hesitated for a moment, then gave a stiff nod. “I am interested, but Brother Gu, you do not need to help me this much.”
“You know I am the one helping you?” Gu Fanzhou did not seem to like this reaction from him. “You happen to fit Director Shi’s casting criteria and you have the acting chops for it, which is why I recommended you to him. But it is just an audition opportunity; whether you pass or not depends entirely on yourself.”
“This is already more than enough.” Xian Sui had never imagined Gu Fanzhou would pull off this kind of favor-currying gesture. If he turned this down, not only would it be hard to explain to Shi Qianyue, but it would also put Gu Fanzhou in a tough spot.
The audition matter was thus half-settled. Feeling awkward, Xian Sui tugged nervously at the hem of his shirt. “Brother Gu, if you ever need help with anything in the future, you can let me know.”
“Want to return the favor?”
“Um, yes.”
Gu Fanzhou closed the distance by another step. “You just want to draw a clear line between us, do you not?”
“I did not mean it like that.”
“Did you not?” Gu Fanzhou reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a bright silver necklace. Looking closely, Xian Sui saw a diamond embedded right in the center.
Xian Sui hurriedly refused, blocking Gu Fanzhou’s hand holding out the diamond necklace. “Such an expensive item, I cannot accept it.”
Although poorly timed, Xian Sui unhelpfully recalled the scene in the hospital where Fu Minglou had handed a diamond necklace over to Jian Shuyu.
“To me, it is just a gift for an ordinary friend.” Gu Fanzhou walked around behind Xian Sui, attempting to fasten the necklace around his neck.
Before Xian Sui could pull away, Gu Fanzhou was so close that the distance between them was practically nil, and he could even catch the scent of the sachet Xian Sui carried on him.
“This is not the scent pouch I gave you.” Gu Fanzhou’s expression instantly darkened. “What fragrance is this?”
“White jasmine,” Xian Sui took out the sachet he carried with him and unfolded it in front of Gu Fanzhou. “I bought it myself.”
Gu Fanzhou looked away, his tone clearly dissatisfied. “Just how much do you hate me?”
“It is not like that, Brother Gu.”
Quite the opposite, Xian Sui thought.
“Is that the only thing you know how to say?” Gu Fanzhou seemed to have reached the end of his patience, promptly backing Xian Sui into a corner and trapping him in his embrace. “What on earth is so wrong with me?”
“Brother Gu, you are great.” Xian Sui turned his head away, avoiding Gu Fanzhou’s face inches from his own.
Gu Fanzhou did not even want to hear Xian Sui’s meaningless remarks anymore. Since the gentle approach was not working, he simply grabbed the other man’s chin tightly, forcing Xian Sui to look straight at him.
Before the kiss could land, someone suddenly knocked on the door outside the restroom, and Shi Qianyue’s voice floated in from outside: “Xiao Xian, Teacher Gu, are you two alright? You have been gone a long time, so I came to check.”
Gu Fanzhou had no choice but to let go of Xian Sui. “It is nothing. We are heading back.”
Before leaving, Gu Fanzhou turned back, aiming a warning gaze at Xian Sui who was walking behind him. “Do not be out of the zone during our next shoot. You know what I will not tolerate.”
Xian Sui pressed his lips together. Gu Fanzhou seemed to be trying to smooth things over with him for the sake of the shoot, but he did not dare take another step closer.
“Brother Gu,” Xian Sui hurried to catch up. “I will not delay the filming. Please believe me.”
Gu Fanzhou did not answer him, turning back into the private room instead.
Even though they were in a KTV room, the people inside practically never sang a single song. Xian Sui ordered some beer to pass the time by drinking, only for Gu Fanzhou, whether intentionally or not, to snatch it away from the side and pull the tab to chug it himself.
When the gathering broke up, Xian Sui headed downstairs first. Since he had not driven, he walked to the nearest subway station on his own.
Unintentionally looking back, he actually caught sight of Gu Fanzhou’s figure not far away, though the moment after, the other man turned a street corner, and both vanished from each other’s field of vision.
Returning to the set, Xian Sui still felt uncertain. He had read the script countless times and memorized every single plot point by heart, but this was his first time filming an intimate bed scene, leaving him inevitably feeling a bit flustered.
He had specifically asked Meng Qiao for advice and chatted with Yu Zhifu about related issues, which allowed him to finally relax by half a breath.
Once preparations for filming were nearly complete, Yu Zhifu cleared the set-in advance, and the entire scene was shot inside Jian Shuyu’s home.
Guided by Jian Shuyu, Fu Minglou sat down at the edge of the bed. The former dropped to both knees, kneeling right in front of Fu Minglou.
“What are you doing? Get up first.” Fu Minglou reached out to help him up, but Jian Shuyu pressed his hand right back down.
“Minglou,” Jian Shuyu pressed his palm against the fly of Fu Minglou’s suit trousers. “Have you ever been with a man?”