Chapter 49 Part2 (1/2)
Deep in the Act
Translator: Kotoni
Editor: Isalee
Quality Check: Isalee
First Published on Chaleuria
Chapter 49.2
Not knowing what the man wanted with him, Chen Hsin furrowed his brow in puzzlement. The men shared a mutual dislike, and neither cared much for the other; the feeling of their arms pressed together, and their faces in such proximity, filled both with equal degrees of discomfort. ”On my way here,” Wu Rong cleared his throat and raised the bottle, ”I saw that interview that you guys did.”i His features became twisted in anger, or some other obscure emotion. ”Can you be any more shameless than that?!”
Chen Hsin got it now; the man was here to pick a fight. So he folded his arms and sat back, intending to make himself as comfortable as possible while he listened to what Wu Rong had to say.
”Got a problem with stuff gettin' on his leg? What you picking at it for, hand itchin' for a beatin'?!”
Though Chen Hsin could not quite understand what Wu Rong was saying, he had no trouble comprehending the displeasure in his voice. ”Shut it and drink up,” he shot back, mimicking the man's tone. Then he grabbed a random bottle off the table and clinked it against the one in Wu Rong's hand. ”Let's see who'll last longer, you or me.” He marked his challenge by knocking back his drink at once. The small bottle was emptied within ten seconds; Chen Hsin put it down with a clank on the marble tabletop, unaffected by the alcohol. ”If beer isn't your thing, foreign liquor's okay too. I'm great with imported booze.”
Wu Rong would never, ever, allow himself to lose out in two things: fighting and drinking. Without a single word, he raised his bottle and began chugging away. Chen Hsin did not wait for the man to finish before starting on his next drink. He, too, s.n.a.t.c.hed up a new bottle and continued swigging. Less than ten minutes into the contest, the film staff began asking the waiters to bring in more rounds for the actors. Something was off, everyone knew, but this was all in a day's work for an industry where abnormality had become the norm.
The reckless drinking went on for over an hour, leaving more than enough empty bottles to cover two whole tabletops. Both actors were equally wasted though they managed to remain upright. Xiao-w.a.n.g picked up the tab, and the remaining staff held up the two men as they prepared to leave, not forgetting to arrange the bottles in a heart shape for some wefies before they called it a night.
Xiao-w.a.n.g brought Chen Hsin back to room 3815, where Chen Cheng-Sen was pulling yet another late night editing dailies in the dark. The director looked at the boneless man draped across Xiao-w.a.n.g's shoulders. ”Leave him here,” he decided. ”You go take a walk.”
Playing on the computer screen was the footage shot in the day on set B; the editing was almost complete. Zhang Zhun stood in the frame wearing that cashmere overcoat with a pin on its lapel, looking so beautiful that he seemed to have shattered into a million pieces. The director was not using speakers, and all was silent in the room as Zhang Zhun met the heated gaze of another man with a suggestive one of his own. Chen Hsin stared hard at the screen: the man undid his belt; then, Zhang Zhun got on his knees before his eyes, and the camera cut away to a close-up shot of the sheer pleasure on that other man's face.ii
Everything seemed so, so real. Chills raced down Chen Hsin's spine as a wave of nausea churned in his gut. His mind cleared all of a sudden. Just as if someone had punctured his chest, every single breath now filled him with the most excruciating pain.
”Met Wu Rong already?” Chen Cheng-Sen asked. The younger man gave him a drunken nod. Removing his headset, the director continued, ”You two have a few scenes together, and you know very well why we haven't shot those yet.” He sighed. ”It's fine for you to have a bit of a temper, Master Chen. You made a name for yourself at a young age after all. But you can't go around feuding with everyone, right?” The director lit two cigarettes and pa.s.sed one to Chen Hsin. ”And it's just as well that things have cooled down a little between you and Zhang Zhun.”
Chen Hsin felt a twinge of unease at the mention of his ”cold” relations with the older actor. ”Wu Rong does grate on my nerves,” he started defending himself in an attempt to hide his guilty conscience, ”but that doesn't get in the way of filming…”
”Doesn't get in the way, you say?” Chen Cheng-Sen scoffed. ”So many drivers on the team, yet no one's let you in on the gossip?” He flicked some ash off his cigarette. ”Remember Wu Rong's bedroom scene from before? He blew up at me. Flat out refused to film the scene with you around.”
Chen Hsin looked up with a sharp jerk of his head. ”That's why…”
”That's why you were sent off to an interview,” Chen Cheng-Sen replied lightly.iii “The production team can help bear the brunt for many things - your breakup, for example, and your s.e.x scandal. All I ask for is that you do your job as an actor, and do it well.”
Feeling rather ashamed of himself, Chen Hsin remained silent.
”Why am I telling you this?” The director stubbed out his cigarette on the table. ”Because the physical conflict between you and Wu Rong in the upcoming scene is gonna be pretty rough. I hope you'll be able to control yourself.” The actor nodded, but Chen Cheng-Sen pressed him for an answer, ”Can you do it?”