Chapter 29.1 (1/2)
Deep in the Act
Translator: Kotoni
Editor: Cien
Quality Check: Isalee
First Published on Chaleuria
Chapter 29.1
”Thank you, sis-in-law!”1 Bottles of Évian water in hand, Xiao-w.a.n.g and several other female staff eagerly thanked Feng Yunting.
”It's too early to call me that,” Feng Yunting replied, shyly waving aside their flattery. Today was the first day of her visit, and she had bought refreshments for everyone, including the drivers and runners. ”We haven't even gone official yet. It's still a secret - a clandestine affair, you know?”
”But, it's at least half-official now since Chen-laos.h.i.+ has brought you here.” The girls on set gathered around the young model as they rushed to leave a good impression on her. ”It's pretty normal for celebrities to be attached, anyway. It's no longer a big deal these days.” They continued chattering among themselves.
Sitting a little distance away, Chen Hsin looked through his script in agitation. Feng Yunting's appearance last night had been sudden - so sudden that his heart seized and stopped beating when he shook off Zhang Zhun's hand. Even though she clearly saw the way they were, she pretended to see nothing. Climbing into bed after showering and changing, she even held up two packs of fluorescent condoms and asked him to choose a flavor, strawberry or mint.
Chen Hsin was troubled. The situation had become a headache for him. Just as the girls pointed out, it was no longer a big deal for male stars to be romantically attached. What excuse did he have to keep putting Feng Yunting off? What was he supposed to do - tell her that he had fallen for a man?
”Honey.” Having completed her rounds of socializing, Feng Yunting returned to Chen Hsin. She sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around his. ”Those girls were so frustrating. They just kept going on and on without stopping.”
”Do you really want us to go public?” Chen Hsin drawled.
”Can't we?” she asked, puffing out her cheeks and staring straight at him like a little animal. She looked very pretty today. Her long hair, blown with meticulous care, fell to her waist in a soft cascade. The light makeup on her large eyes emphasized the bright, juicy pop of color on her pouting lips. Her lemon-yellow dress brought out her complexion and hugged her curves in all the right places: from her full b.r.e.a.s.t.s to her tiny waist, generous hips, and perky b.u.m. No man could ever bear to reject her.
Likewise, Chen Hsin found it impossible to tell Feng Yunting 'no'. As he struggled to find a way to deal with her, the door opened. Xiao-Deng came into the room, playing with his phone, and held the door ajar with his foot. Chen Hsin's eyes stared uncontrollably at the doorway, rapt with antic.i.p.ation, as if the curtains were about to rise on a show he had waited his entire life to see.
As expected, Zhang Zhun appeared a moment later. His makeup was already done. Sporting a slicked-back undercut and a silver stud glinting in his ear, he entered the room in an exquisite, well-fitted suit. The jacket's waist, masterfully altered and suppressed, accentuated his figure with clean, perfect lines. A silken ascot tie, black and white in design, sat at his throat while the luxurious scent of his expensive fragrance permeated the air.
Chen Hsin's scalp began to p.r.i.c.kle as desire stirred within him. Beside him, Feng Yunting piped up all of a sudden, ”He's really hot, isn't he? What a surprise since he looked so plain and ordinary last night.”
Driven to distraction because he only had eyes for the other man, Chen Hsin answered with foolish honesty, ”He looks even better on normal days actually, when he isn't acting. He's much more relaxed and easy on the eyes. This look is too forced and artificial.”
”Oh…” Feng Yunting replied, dragging out the syllable. ”I see. You don't like his on-screen persona; you like him in real life.” Sensing the double entendre in her comment, Chen Hsin realized he had gotten carried away. He wanted to explain himself, but she turned her attention to her candy-colored nails instead, as if she had not meant anything by her remark.
Zhang Zhun, too, noticed Chen Hsin as soon as he stepped through the doorway. Chen Hsin still looked the same as he did when they parted last night, so dazzling that Zhang Zhun was almost burned by his brilliance. Chen Hsin's girlfriend, on the other hand, looked just like the flawless poster girls in the vintage picture cards Zhang Zhun had seen as a child. The couple looked so good together, so compatible that they seemed like a match made in heaven.
Chen Cheng-Sen strode up to Zhang Zhun, frowning, and lifted the actor's chin with a chubby hand. ”What's with the puffy and bloodshot eyes? What were you thinking, staying up at night when you ought to be sleeping?!”
”I was studying the script till pretty late,” Zhang Zhun lied. ”It's the first clinic scene. I didn't want to screw up.”
”Zhou Zheng!” Chen Cheng-Sen called out, displeasure evident in his face. ”Where are those j.a.panese eyedrops for getting rid of bloodshot eyes?”