Chapter 33.1 (1/2)
Deep in the Act
Translator: Kotoni
Editor: Cien
Quality Check: Isalee
First Published on Chaleuria
Chapter 33.1
Chen Hsin and Zhang Zhun walked back to the hotel. They chose a somewhat deserted route, walking side by side where there were people and hand in hand when alone. Nearing the building, Chen Hsin put on his cap. Together, they cut through the small parking lot in front of a sailors' pub and headed straight for the hotel back door. As soon as the pair stepped through the doorway, they found their way blocked by a mob armed with cameras and microphones of all sizes.
Spotting the actors at once, the mob swarmed around the two men, clamoring at the top of their voices, ”Chen Hsin! Chen Hsin!” The couple was dumbstruck by the situation. They stood rooted to the spot, dazed, as the crowd of entertainment reporters rushed to question Chen Hsin.
”Chen-laos.h.i.+! You've been dating Miss Feng Yunting in secret for half a year. What made you decide to go public now?”
”Chen-laos.h.i.+! Miss Feng told us that the two of you have no plans to get married. Is that true?”
”Chen-laos.h.i.+, please tell us how you're feeling right now!”
Camera flashes kept going off, their searing bright lights s.h.i.+ning straight into the actors' faces. Well-practiced from years of experience, Chen Hsin lowered his head and s.h.i.+elded his eyes. Zhang Zhun, however, was caught by surprise and did not know how to react. Stung by the harsh strobing lights, his eyes watered, and tears began falling uncontrollably.
Most of the reporters did not recognize Zhang Zhun. In their tussle to get to Chen Hsin, the crowd jostled the older actor out of the way as if he were a mere spectator, pus.h.i.+ng him farther and farther away. Amidst all the noise, Zhang Zhun's phone started ringing. He answered it mechanically. On the other end of the line, Zhou Zheng sounded very much like an animal with a trampled tail. ”Zhang–laos.h.i.+, are you with Chen Hsin right now?!” he yelled with urgency.
Zhang Zhun was about to say 'yes' when he realized that he could no longer find the other man in the crowd. Despite being in the same s.p.a.ce, the two of them seemed to belong to completely different worlds. ”No, I'm not…” Zhang Zhun had no choice but to cave under the helplessness within him. ”We're not together…”
Zhou Zheng said something in response and ended the call. Meanwhile, the crowd surged into the hotel's in-house café with Chen Hsin trapped in their midst; he was probably giving an interview at the moment. Left in the lobby all alone, Zhang Zhun stared at the blinking elevator b.u.t.tons with vacant eyes. After a long while, he reached out and pressed for the elevator with a light, fleeting touch.
Once he was back in his room, Zhang Zhun switched on the TV out of habit. Feng Yunting's face appeared on the screen. She did not look particularly dressed-up, and was still in the same outfit she had worn to the hot pot restaurant. She must have been caught by the media when she drove back before him and Chen Hsin. The young actress looked very evasive as reporters hounded her with questions. ”Why are you here, Miss Feng? Rumor has it that you're secretly dating Chen Hsin-laos.h.i.+. Are you here to visit him?!”
Zhang Zhun dug around for his remote control. As soon as his fingers closed upon the device, he began changing channels in a fit of hysteria. He switched through several channels, but Feng Yunting's face continued to haunt him from the TV screen. Before his eyes, she relented little by little. Initial evasiveness softened into pa.s.sive, half-hearted replies before melting into a sweet, blus.h.i.+ng admission: ”No, we haven't decided to announce it yet. We don't want to place too much pressure on each other… Yes, our relations.h.i.+p is very stable right now… That's right…”
For Zhang Zhun, watching the young woman was just like watching a performance. Bitter laughter escaped him as he shook his head at various points of Feng Yunting's interview. She did not speak the truth, whereas he could not tell the truth at all. Just then, a reporter from an online network piped up, ”If we're not wrong, Chen Hsin-laos.h.i.+ should be working on a gay film right now. Sources say that it's going to be really explicit. Does this bother you in any way, Miss Feng? Are you actually here to 'supervise' the production?” Amused laughter rippled through the crowd.
”Of course not,” Feng Yunting replied, charming and docile. ”It's just acting. There are times when I have to work in similar situations as well. We're both very understanding of each other. Besides, as you just pointed out, it's a gay film. If my 'supervision' were ever required, it would be for a non-gay film at least.”
Feng Yunting's reply endeared her to the crowd and lightened the mood at once. Another reporter asked, ”Have you met with Chen-laos.h.i.+'s co-star yet? Do you ever feel jealous?”