The reporters had been fired up ever since Feng Hao appeared on the scene. After all, this was the first guy ever involved with the King of the Silver Screen in a scandal in ten years. Just a few blurry pictures and a baseless report was enough for the media to stir a ruckus for half a month. Finally, both parties involved did not respond and eventually, it came to an end.
Such big news had just cooled down for a couple of days and yet both of them would actually be starring as opponents in another show once more. Senior's "unspoken rules" with a junior, the fantasies couldn't be more stirring.
The reporters still had some reservations towards Ling Lang, they did not dare to ask too explicitly, but towards Feng Hao, there were no restrictions. At that moment, a non-stop barrage of uninhibited personal questions were hurled at Feng Hao. At first, the host dismissed a few sentences, later however, it became more and more difficult to control the whole situation.
The manager below the stage ground his teeth, on the contrary, the a.s.sistant scrolled through weibo with a calm face.
"What kind of connections does Feng Hao have? He gets subst.i.tuted in every time, a professional pander with over thirty years of experience… he's really not afraid that it would backfire," the manager said angrily, being in the entertainment industry for so many years, if he couldn't tell that Feng Hao's background wasn't simple then he was an idiot. Knowing that person was not someone he was able to offend now, he could only use his mouth to grumble about it.
"Ah, it's here." the a.s.sistant found what she was looking for, "Actor Wu Guan Feng accidentally fell from a horse and injured himself during filming, it caused a small fracture on the left knee, the doctor advised to stay in bed for a month and recuperate."
"That time he fell from the wire, this time he fell off a the horse– could it be that the earth's gravitational force was rigged by him?" the a.s.sistant kept her phone, "Now you know that Feng Hao isn't using Ling Lang for the hype?"
The manager kept quiet, what the a.s.sistant said was right–he was unable to refute it–judging from Feng Hao's backing, he would be successful even without the help of Ling Lang's seniority.
"Ling Lang is already thirty-two. He has never dated anyone until now, don't you think that you are being a little too controlling?"
The manager's eyes darkened, however, his thoughts were unreadable.
The a.s.sistant sighed. To smooth the manager's raised hackles, she earnestly said, "A daughter has to marry when they reached a marriageable age, the father has to learn to let go."
The manager turned his head and glared, "Even if I'm the father, I'll be the father on the husband side, whose side are you on?"
"On your side, on your side," the a.s.sistant pacified him, "I raise both hands and legs in absolute support of you being a father on the husband side [1]."
It was only when the manager felt soothed, did he react and realized something wasn't right after fifteen minutes, and vehemently said one word, "f.u.c.k!"
"It is a great honour to be able to collaborate with Senior once again, please guide me along in the future."
After the filming ceremony ended, Feng Hao came down and he happily spoke with Ling Lang; it seemed that the bombardment from the reporters earlier did not have any effect on him.
Ling Lang nodded blankly, no emotions shown. This time when he saw Feng Hao he did not have that nervous feeling from before, but this was normal. It was always others getting nervous in front of him, how would a junior caused him to be awed?
As for that illusion previously, it was most probably the aftermath of filming the movie and being too into the character.
"Oh yes, the television program that we've recorded has been broadcasted, I wonder if Senior has watched it yet?"
Ling Lang didn't have the habit of watching such programs, but this time it was rare that he hesitated for a while, "No."
Feng Hao had long been prepared for this, "If Senior is interested, I have a copy of it as a keepsake."
Ling Lang immediately stopped, when he looked at the other party there was puzzlement and shock in his gaze, "Why do you always have a copy?"
"Senior appears on television all the time… I'm afraid you won't know how it feels," Feng Hao rubbed his nose embarra.s.sedly, "I'm a newcomer, it's rare that I appear on television… I'm sorry I seem like such a joke."
It was only then did Ling Lang realize that Feng Hao had debuted less than six months ago. Back then, when he had just debuted, he probably even cut pieces of articles from the newspapers and collected it. As time went by, he had forgotten how he felt at that time.
When he thought of that, Ling Lang was relieved, the precautionary look in his eyes lessened. Just now, he actually suspected the other party's motive. He had secretly kept the NG scenes to improve his acting skills, the magic tricks were for the talent show and the copy of the program was just as a keepsake… surely, he was the one that thought too much about it?
"If you don't like it," Feng Hao carefully probed and said, "I’ll delete it when I get home."
"No need," Ling Lang replied coldly, paused and said, "You don’t have to use honorifics when you speak."
There was a brief moment of surprise on Feng Hao's expression, but soon he smiled again, "Then I’ll respect and obey."
"That recording," Ling Lang hesitated again, "let me borrow it to watch."
Feng Hao nodded his head excitedly, "Let's watch it at my house later?"
"No need, just lend me the disk and it’ll be enough," Ling Lang instantly refused.
"Alright," Feng Hao scratched his head, "I’ll bring it to the set tomorrow."
Throughout the way, the both of them avoided reporters, reached the underground parking lot and saw Ling Lang took out the car keys, Feng Hao curiously asked, "Senior where is your trailer?"
"At the door."
Feng Hao responded quickly, "Escape plan? Good stratagem."
"Your car isn't functioning today?"
Feng Hao shook his head embarra.s.sedly, "No, it is…then, see you tomorrow?"
Ling Lang did not reply, he pressed the switch on the car key, not far away a car sounded off as a reply.
Ling Lang walked to his car unguardedly, suddenly someone sprang out from behind and covered his mouth. Shocked, Ling Lang struggled and his voice was m.u.f.fled.
"Shut up!" the person at the back said fiercely
.
"Mmm..mmm," Ling Lang struggled even more, a cold knife was placed at his neck. Immediately, Ling Lang kept quiet, eyes filled with fear. Desperately he tried to take a clear look at the robber's face, yet all he saw was a black cloth concealing the other party's face.
Ling Lang was forcefully dragged by the robber to a corner of the parking lot. He felt the other party's hand lift from his mouth. When he attempted to shout for help, a bunched up cloth of unknown material was stuffed into his mouth, followed by his mouth being sealed by a tape, very quickly both his hands and feet were fastened in place by the tape.
The robber opened the car boot and threw the restrained Ling Lang into the trunk. Ling Lang started to wriggle and struggle but the robber had fastened him tightly; no matter how he struggled, it was to no avail.
"Behave yourself, baby," the robber patted his face and slammed the car boot shut.
"Pa.s.s!" The director was very satisfied, "Let's film another one in the hostage's point of view."
Ling Lang's hands and legs had been bound. The robber extended his hand and carried Ling Lang out of the trunk by his waist, gently placing him on the ground.
The a.s.sistant rushed over and untied Ling Lang. The both of them stepped out of the site, Â watched the staff set up the video camera in the car and continued to film the one in the hostage's point of view.
"That guy changed the script by himself once again; luckily the director approved of it," the a.s.sistant pouted and complained.
"Is that so?"
"Look, the actual lines should be 'Behave yourself!' There isn't 'baby' in it," the a.s.sistant took the script that he remembered by heart and showed it to him."
Ling Lang did not express his views, he silently stood at the side of the site and looked at that person re-enacting the part of "behave yourself, baby" once more.
The robber took off the cloth and walked towards Ling Lang.
"Senior, I'm sorry, I've offended you "
Ling Lang shook his head, "It's just acting."
"I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No," Ling Lang paused and said, "It's work, you don't always have to be so polite."
Feng Hao smiled when he heard it, "Alright, later if I offend you in any way, please excuse my impoliteness."
The portion of city scenes had already been filmed for a month. After they finished filming this parking lot scene, they would be going to the mountains.
This season, the mountains still retained the chill of early spring. Ling Lang wore the thin costume, the cold could be felt even when lying in the car.
The car boot was finally open, Ling Lang showed a complicated expression as though he had a hard time adjusting to the sudden brightness. Feng Hao roughly hauled him out and threw him onto the ground, the touch of the cold and moist mud made Ling Lang s.h.i.+vered.
Feng Hao walked to the side, and furiously made a call. Ling Lang wriggled his body on the floor in an attempt to find a chance to escape.
Feng Hao came back once the call ended. Already in a bad mood, when he saw Ling Lang misbehaving, he gave him a kick.
"You're not the person I'm supposed to kidnap?"
Ling Lang desperately shook his head.
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Ling Lang was m.u.f.fled and couldn't speak, Feng Hao extended his hand to tear the tape on his mouth.
Ling Lang spat out the cloth in his mouth, "You didn't even give me a chance to speak!"
"You still dare to argue," Feng Hao kicked him again, "I didn't let you speak but don't you know how to express it with your eyes?"
Ling Lang stared at him angrily.
"You're staring again?" Feng Hao grabbed his hair and pulled him up, and slapped him twice.
The a.s.sistant director took a step back as if those two slaps had been slapped on his face; he leaned to the director's ear, and said, "The script doesn't seem to have this part…"
The director was watching excitedly, he rolled his eyes at him when he heard it, "What do you know? This is called improvisation!"
The a.s.sistant director trembled and felt that this director was a s.a.d.i.s.t.
Ling Lang lowered his head, his shoulders could not stop trembling, the people on set felt that this emotion of not daring to flare up in spite of being indignant was very moving, there was a close up of him on the video camera.
Feng Hao's role this time was a robber that had kidnapped the wrong person, he was supposed to kidnap a wealthy man's son, but the one that got unlucky was the a.s.sistant that was around the same age as the son.
The boss refused to pay for the a.s.sistant's release, the a.s.sistant had seen the robber's face, there was no way out. The robber decided that since it had started then no matter what he must see it through to the end. He brought the a.s.sistant to the mountains to get rid of him.
It was hard to trek through the mountains. Although both of Ling Lang's feet had been set loose, both his hands were still tied behind his back, he swayed about as he walked. Feng Hao would occasionally shove him from the back and scold him a few sentence.
"Hurry up and walk!"
While Ling Lang talked to Feng Hao to distract his attention, at the same time he observed the terrain to escape.
A small slope appeared on the right. Ling Lang staked it all and bit him, jumped down from the slope and rolled down.
"d.a.m.nit!" Feng Hao hurriedly slid down the slope to give chase. Ling Lang suffered from a lot of abrasions when he rolled down–even his foot was sprained. When he got up, he hobbled and limped to run forward.
Very soon Feng Hao managed to chase after Ling Lang. From the back, he kicked him down, "Run? Why don't you continue running?"
Feng Hao in a rage; he gave Ling Lang a beating filled with kicks and punches. To minimize damage, Ling Lang could only try his best to curl up to protect the weakest part-the abdomen.
Feng Hao beat him until he was tired, stopped, looked around and realized that it was s.p.a.cious and remote. It was a good place to kill someone and dispose the body.
"It seems that you've chosen a good place for yourself, I'll grant you your wish."
Feng Hao tied Ling Lang to the tree, turned back to retrieve the toolkit that had dropped at the slope. Â He took out an a.s.sortment of shovels from the inside.
The staff had prepared beforehand, Feng Hao only needed to pretend, a huge pit had already been dug.
Feng Hao threw the shovel and walked to the direction where Ling Lang was at, "I've made you wait for a long time, baby."
The a.s.sistant bared her teeth, "Tampering with the lines again!"
a.s.sistant director: "Won't changing it like this make him out of character?"
The director gave a big wave, "This role is originally about a sicko with a split personality, I think it's alright if it's acted out in this way."
Feng Hao untied Ling Lang from the tree and threw him towards the pit. When he wanted to throw him down, unexpectedly Ling Lang used all his strength and shoved Feng Hao in, but because of inertia he also fell onto the other party's body. Once again, the both of them fought in the pit.
How could a bound Ling Lang be a match against Feng Hao? Feng Hao turned over and pinned Ling Lang below him, using his hands to clutch the other party's neck, his hands tightened over it.
"OK! Pa.s.s!"
Ling Lang felt the strength that restrained his neck disappear. Giving a sigh of relief, he relaxed his limbs and let it fell to the ground; Feng Hao was still straddled above him. This filming of this scene wasn't finished, both of them were still waiting for the staff to put things in order, the pit was small and tight. The both of them could only continue to maintain this awkward position.
Feng Hao moved back, unsure whether it was done intentionally or not, his hands gently brushed against Ling Lang's private part. Ling Lang was relaxed at first, then, all of a sudden his whole body tensed up.
Feeling the uneasiness of the person beneath him, Feng Hao revealed an ambiguous smile, lowered his body and with a voice that only Ling Lang could hear, he softly said beside his ear: "Senior, you'll let the cat out of the bag if you're like this."
Translator’s Note:
[1] father on husband side is referred to by the same word as one refers to a eunuch