WAM CH35

When a day of training ended, Li Guangzong was organizing the itinerary in the car while casually reporting to Shao Si: “Undercover finished filming two days ago; I’ve already shared the post on your Weibo… Then in a few days, there’s a large-scale promotional event you can’t miss. We have to fly to Nanyang City, and I’ve already smoothed things over with Director Ou…”

As he spoke, he started feeling that something was off. In the past, whenever he seriously reported work matters, Shao Si would at least make some noise in response, regardless of his mood. But today, he was lying in the back without a single reaction.

“Are you listening?” Li Guangzong put down his documents and turned his head to look at him. “…Dad, what are you doing looking so out of it?”

Shao Si had his hand propped against the car window, intentionally or unintentionally covering his mouth. Only after a long while did he reply, “It’s nothing. Just feeling a bit dizzy.”

“…”

“Why would you be dizzy?” Li Guangzong braced himself on the back of the seat with one hand, leaned over, and stretched his body to feel Shao Si’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever, do you?”

Li Guangzong’s hand was hot. Placed on Shao Si’s forehead, it made his head spin even more. Furthermore, Li Guangzong’s enunciation was sometimes not very standard, and it was easy to mishear him at first listen.

Consequently, Shao Si swatted his hand away and rejected, “I’m not in heat [1], thanks.”

“What are you saying, so weird.” Li Guangzong rubbed his nose and sat back down.

The hour-and-a-half car ride passed quickly. When Shao Si got out of the car, he didn’t know what he was thinking about, but he almost missed a step and stumbled a few times before barely stabilizing himself.

Watching from the car, Li Guangzong’s heart leapt into his throat. “Oh my dear Dad, please be careful, don’t fall whatever you do.”

Shao Si feigned composure and waved his hand at him without turning his head. “I’m fine. Bye. Sleep early.”

However, when Shao Si returned home and leaned against the entryway to change his shoes, all his emotions surged up.

Finally, he simply took off his shoes and sat barefoot directly on the floor, ruffled his hair, and thought with some irritation: Damn it, am I too innocent?

It wasn’t like he hadn’t filmed kissing scenes before. When he filmed Child of the Sea, he kissed the actress in the water for a solid half hour. He didn’t know how many times they NG’d, and when he finally climbed out of the pool, his only sensation was being cold.

Shao Si was actually quite resistant to kissing scenes. In truth, his winning an award for Anti-Narcotics last time involved a lot of luck. Although Shao Si’s acting was good, he had a massive problem when it came to the aspect of ‘love’. Or perhaps he was just too young, and his understanding of the word ‘love’ wasn’t profound enough.

The director had specifically spoken to him about this issue, ruthlessly asking if he had never loved anyone, and even pointing out that his kissing skills were quite poor.

“Art comes from life. Even though many companies nowadays don’t allow artists to date, Xiao Si, take my advice: if you meet the right person, go for it,” the director had patted Shao Si’s shoulder at the end, speaking earnestly. “And while you’re at it, learn how to kiss properly; your kissing scenes are truly awful.”

…

Shao Si shook his head and laid straight down on the mahogany floor.

He must be crazy, otherwise why would he be recalling all this.

After showering, Shao Si came out barefoot with a towel wrapped around his neck, his feet sinking into the cashmere rug. He climbed into bed in a few steps, leaned against the headboard, and logged into his email.

The private detective he had hired previously told him he would send him all the files within three days at the latest. But three days later, the guy specifically called him using a voice changer: “Dear employer, because I severely overestimated myself… the documents you requested might be delayed. Please give me another week. Life isn’t always smooth sailing; it’s often fraught with accidents. But it is precisely these accidents that make our lives more exciting, wouldn’t you agree?”

Exciting my foot.

After hearing him out, Shao Si only had one thought: Next time, I absolutely must switch to a different detective agency.

However, when he opened the folder and saw the files on Zhou Jianguo, he dispelled that thought.

Zhou Weiping, formerly named Zhou Jianguo. Thirty-three years ago, this was the name he used when he left his hometown to work in Nanyang City.

At the time, he also used this name to publish articles in newspapers and magazines, though the total number of pieces wasn’t large.

He stayed in Nanyang City for about three years, living in an old-style building on the right side of Minjin Road. The apartment was rented, and he frequently couldn’t pay the rent.

…

Without a doubt, this file was incredibly comprehensive, encompassing almost all sorts of trivial matters.

Yet Shao Si still harbored many suspicions about it, because finding these documents actually made the situation more complicated.

Why did Zhou Weiping adamantly deny ever using this name in the past?

What connection did this name have with Ye Xuan?

Thirty-three years ago, Ye Xuan hadn’t even been born.

Shao Si hesitated for a moment, then sent the private detective another message: Help me look up one more person.

The other side quickly replied: Who?

Shao Si’s finger tapped lightly on the screen a few times, ultimately sending two words: Ye Qing.

The two weeks of special training prior to filming flew by. After the final class, Old Mei patted Shao Si on the shoulder and said, “Not bad, not bad. Although you’re still far off, to have learned this much in just half a month is already very impressive.”

“It’s all thanks to your excellent teaching, Teacher.”

Shao Si walked the old man out the door for the last time. He thought about how, when he returned tomorrow, no one would be sitting in this small room at the old desk and chairs brewing tea, and no one would scold him about what was wrong with his movements or intonation.

Although Old Mei would also come over to provide guidance during the several months of filming, he was getting old and couldn’t be overly exerted, so he would visit less frequently. Furthermore, once they started shooting, they had to film through wind and rain, day and night.

When they reached the door, Old Mei stopped and patted Shao Si’s head. The old man’s hands were covered in wrinkles, weathered yet warm: “Child, that segment of Yutang Chun I taught you a few days ago wasn’t in the script, and was taught out of my own selfishness… When you performed it, you looked remarkably like him.”

Him?

Only after Old Mei got into the car did Shao Si realize who ‘he’ was.

[I think the person we should be investigating right now is Ye Qing,] Shao Si said to the system in his heart. [Otherwise, this is far too coincidental.]

[Your man’s sixth sense?]

[Every hidden scandal target you’ve given has only ever been a lead-in. For example, during the Qi Ming incident a few years ago, the target you provided was Chi Zijun. For a long time, I wondered if Chi Zijun was the one with the problem.]

The system went eerily silent for two seconds: [Speaking of Qi Ming…]

[Hm?]

[Forget it, it’s nothing.]

As soon as the system finished speaking, Li Guangzong ran over in a hurry: “Has Old Mei left? …Quick, quick, quick, get ready for makeup. Today’s very first scene is a scene opposite Best Actor Gu; you better perk up.”

Shao Si walked at a leisurely pace: “…What’s the rush?”

“Remember to rehearse your lines again when you two are doing your makeup,” Li Guangzong said. “Since you guys have never acted together before, I’m afraid there might be some issues with your chemistry…”

Shao Si recalled the time in the makeup room on the Devil Young Master set when he straddled Gu Yanzhou’s lap and choked him, and then thought of the scene they rehearsed in front of Ye Xuan a few days ago.

“We’ve acted together twice,” Shao Si said with a slight twitch of his mouth. “We indeed have pretty bad chemistry.”

“When did you act together twice? Anyway, have a better attitude later. Call him Senior Brother Gu and ask him to rehearse with you… Also, I’ve noticed you’ve lost your manners at some point, directly calling him ‘Gu Yanzhou, Gu Yanzhou’. It leaves a terrible impression.”

“Alright, I get it.”

Hearing this extremely perfunctory response, Li Guangzong immediately looked over suspiciously. He wanted to warn him again, but his attention was drawn to something else: “…Dad, why are your ears so red?”

Shao Si’s steps paused at the door of the makeup room. Hearing this, he raised a hand to touch his ears and said without changing his expression, “Probably from the cold.”

Shao Si’s makeup was done very quickly. Since his character was only the second male lead and had a massive disparity in status and position compared to the male lead, Shao Si’s makeup was relatively simple.

After he finished, under Li Guangzong’s eagerly expectant gaze, he tried his best to stall for a while. Ultimately, it was Gu Yanzhou who proactively asked if he wanted to rehearse lines.

Shao Si generously gave Gu Yanzhou a chance to reject himself, saying: “If it’s not too much trouble…”

However, before he could even finish his sentence, he heard Gu Yanzhou say: “It’s no trouble, come over here.”

Gu Yanzhou played an officer with a prominent family background but little actual power. Born into a warlord family as a direct descendant, he should have reasonably inherited everything in the family in the future. However, ginger gets spicier as it ages; his power was almost entirely stripped clean by his several uncles. As for him, he was ultimately left with nothing but the empty title of “Eldest Young Master of the Capital.”

Shao Si sized the man in front of him up a couple of times, realizing he looked even more outstanding in a military uniform than in a suit. His proportions were balanced—looking thin with clothes on, but muscular without them. The collar wasn’t buttoned up yet, revealing his collarbone and a large swath of his chest; it was likely they still needed to brush some powder on to deepen his skin tone.

Shao Si still couldn’t quite tell if Gu Yanzhou was actually good-looking, but his body was definitely…

Very nice.

Gu Yanzhou currently had his eyes closed, letting the makeup artist sweep eyeshadow on him, waiting for Shao Si to recite his lines while his makeup was being done. After waiting a long while, the person next to him was acting like a mute, so he slightly lifted his eyelids and said, “What are you spacing out for?”

…His words actually served as a reminder.

Shao Si couldn’t help asking himself internally, What the hell am I spacing out for?

“I’m getting into character,” Shao Si found a random excuse, pretending to flip through two pages of the script, and repeated, “Getting into character.”

Gu Yanzhou remained noncommittal, only saying, “When will you be done getting into character?”

“Soon, right away.”

Shao Si cleared his throat and was just about to deliver his first line when Ye Xuan walked in from the door wearing her costume. Looking to be in a good mood, she called out softly, “Brother Zhou…”

Then the words stuck in her throat, unable to continue.

The three of them locked their six eyes in silence for a moment.

Ye Xuan took two steps back: “…Are you rehearsing lines again? Is there another kissing scene? If there is, I can excuse myself.”

Shao Si looked at her for a moment, closed the script, and said, “Do you perhaps have some sort of misunderstanding about us?”

__

Translator’s Note:

[1] Li Guangzong asked if Shao Si had a fever (fa shao – 發燒). Shao Si misheard (or jokingly misheard) it as “in heat” (fa sao – 發騷).