RSDH CH44

The young couple fell silent.

Li Lin found it strange and asked again: “Have you?”

They definitely had, but it seemed they didn’t meet the director’s requirements.

Duan Xingye accepted an ice pack, applied it to his lips, and played dead.

Cheng Duzhou nodded, echoing: “Understood. Will control it later.”

But specifically what scale to control it within, the Movie Emperor had no clue.

The makeup artist ran up to tidy their hair and clothes. Not long after, filming started again.

The clapboard holder: “Hunting Scene 128 Shot 3 Take 2, Action!”

Two young men stood in the corridor.

Cheng Duzhou reached out cautiously, cupping Duan Xingye’s exquisite face, lowering his head to approach.

Li Lin stared at the monitor, his face not softening.

If the previous scene was a stormy sea, then this one was stranded on the beach.

“Cut!”

The two actors had to stop.

Surrounding staff relaxed and scattered.

“Emotion is wrong.” Li Lin guided from a distance. “You two know each other, not strangers. Adjust your state!”

Since Cheng Duzhou dominated the scene, and they were stopped consecutively, Duan Xingye started doubting: “Do you know how or not?”

Cheng Duzhou put his hands on his hips, somewhat frustrated: “Don’t ask. Whatever you are like, I am like.”

“…”

Neither should disdain the other; their experience was gained from practicing on each other, six of one, half a dozen of the other.

Duan Xingye knew his state during filming depended on Cheng Duzhou’s state, so he simply said: “Just treat me as your first love, isn’t that enough?”

Cheng Duzhou looked at him.

Duan Xingye felt strange being looked at: “What?”

After a long while, Cheng Duzhou squeezed out the word: “…Right.”

“Then you still can’t act well?” Duan Xingye was unhappy, taking a menacing step forward. “Is my face not immersive enough?”

“Has nothing to do with your face…”

Cheng Duzhou found it hard to speak, reaching out to block his palm-sized face.

Duan Xingye was his first love to begin with; this was exactly what he did to his first love. The key was he couldn’t say it.

Previous take didn’t pass, another one.

The clapboard holder trotted up: “Hunting Scene 128 Shot 3 Take 3, Action!”

Cheng Duzhou pinned Duan Xingye against the pillar (kabedon), leaned close to rub his lips, then started kissing.

— “Cut.”

Li Lin took off his headphones, finally understanding this couple was different from ordinary couples.

He might have encountered a pair of Crouching Dragon and Phoenix Chick (geniuses in a sarcastic way/weirdos).

He called the two over, softened his tone, and said, “Stop acting. Everyone can tell you two lack emotional experience in this area. Come, sit.”

Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye sat on chairs nearby, both grabbing a bottle of mineral water, guzzling water as a cover.

“Put aside your own experience first; feel the character’s situation with your heart.” Li Lin said to Cheng Duzhou, “You have to consider, that era wasn’t like modern times; same-sex marriage is possible now, right? The fact that love could arise between you is something even you would doubt. But whether regarding matters or feelings, you are a decisive person. Maybe hesitant and entangled before the kiss, but the moment you truly kiss, it means you will no longer care about worldly eyes, nor care about having an extra worry in your heart in the future. Remember, for the profession of a spy, worries are fatal. While loving your country with your life, you will also love him with your life. So for you, a first kiss isn’t just a heartbeat game for young people; considerations will be heavier.”

“Focusing emotions on the individual again, the essence of a first kiss is unchanging: immature, uneasy, testing each other like fledglings, finally returning to satisfaction. Imagine when you started to have feelings for Xiao Duan, you must have wanted to get close very much but were afraid of rejection—unless you are a very confident type of person. But for most men, reactions facing the beloved are timid and careful. Find that contradictory mood well.”

Cheng Duzhou listened to the director explaining the scene. Towards the end, his eyes unknowingly drifted past the director in the middle to Duan Xingye on the other side.

Duan Xingye happened to look at Cheng Duzhou at this time too. Gazes collided, then moved away as if nothing happened, secretly thinking Cheng Duzhou wouldn’t find that feeling.

How could a pervert have those innocent thoughts? Started seducing him on the first night sharing a bed.

…Whether he could resist the seduction was another matter.

“Xiao Duan.” Li Lin turned direction at this time.

Duan Xingye immediately dispelled messy thoughts, snapping back: “Speak.”

“You.” Li Lin turned a page of the notebook, checking against the character setting table. “You are among the first batch of people in that era to accept Western humanism. Although Duzhou falls in love first, you are the first to soberly realize what you want. You also have a personality brave enough to pursue love. So when you discover signs of Duzhou wanting to kiss you, if you don’t take initiative, your attitude must show obvious encouragement, attracting him to approach, not waiting for him to guide you. And there’s another problem on your side…”

Saying this, Li Lin brought up the footage of the first take of this scene on the computer and clicked play.

On the screen, the two actors kissed inseparably. Under 4K high definition, even the silver thread at the corner of their lips was clearly visible.

Stimulated, Duan Xingye straightened his back, unable to control his volume: “Don’t play the raw footage!!!”

A circle of people around immediately burst into laughter.

Li Lin was stunned, remembering Duan Xingye also laughed muffledly when first entering the set. Closing the screen, he said, “It’s like this. I found that when truly entering the kiss scene, your aggressiveness is actually stronger than Duzhou’s, seeming to have a feeling of definitely suppressing the other party.”

Duan Xingye didn’t believe it: “Is there?”

Cheng Duzhou pointed at the computer: “Play the raw footage for him!”

“…” Duan Xingye shoved the person across the director. “Shut up, so much talk…”

Seeing the two bickering like this, the girls on set screamed, corners of their mouths never coming down.

“Okay okay, calm down.” Li Lin didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “What I hope you pay attention to is to retract a bit of the domineering feeling. After all, love isn’t one side winning over the other; it’s opening hearts, accepting each other, then sharing the feeling of heartbeat together.”

Duan Xingye pursed his lips, letting Cheng Duzhou go, giving no response, unknown if he listened to the director’s words.

Li Lin saw that the state of the two filming intimate scenes was getting worse each time. Pressing too hard would make them lose the feeling. Moreover, Duan Xingye’s time on set was limited, so he decided to film the scene of meeting again in the library first.

Actors returned to the dressing room to change.

Old Xu asked Li Lin on behalf of the chief director of All the Way With You if they could post a Weibo later to preview the situation on set today in advance.

Li Lin agreed good-naturedly. Anyway, when recording All the Way With You in two days, everyone would know Cheng Duzhou and Duan Xingye collaborated in a movie.

Cheng Duzhou had an exclusive dressing room as the lead actor.

But Duan Xingye noticed the surrounding girls casting green-eyed gazes intentionally or unintentionally, so he straightened his back, passing in front of Cheng Duzhou without looking sideways, heading for the public dressing room.

“…” Cheng Duzhou still stood there, holding the door waiting for him to enter.

The public dressing room was like fitting rooms in a store, a row of several, small cubicles blocked by wooden boards and curtains.

Duan Xingye was changing his shirt in the innermost room.

— “What’s the use of hard work? Not as good as finding a good partner. Clearly can’t act, yet stuffed into such an important role.”

Duan Xingye stopped for a moment, looking up at the fluorescent tube above, continuing to button his shirt with his hands.

Yang Wan was a traffic actor who started in ancient idol dramas, in a career transition period. Stuffed into Director Li’s crew by a capital father, under the name of a cameo, playing a small supporting role with less than half a minute of screen time in the movie.

He entered the dressing room, sat carelessly on a chair, and relying on no one being around, complained wantonly about his dissatisfaction: “Both here for cameos. Don’t know if my role will be cut, but as soon as he joins the crew, he films a screen first kiss with the lead. Movie not even finished, topic traffic earned fully first. Just because his husband is Cheng Duzhou? Really unfair.”

His assistant said awkwardly beside him: “He has background after all.”

Yang Wan scoffed: “Really no self-awareness. Don’t join the fun if you can’t act. What acting as himself, that’s serving people with beauty (selling body for favor). This kind of person, let me tell you…”

Swish—

The curtain of the inner room was pulled open.

Yang Wan and the assistant jumped in fright. When they saw clearly the person walking out while looking down to adjust clothes, their scalps tingled. Never expected to meet the person involved here. Thought Duan Xingye would use the VIP dressing room.

Yang Wan put down his crossed legs, back leaving the chair, suspended.

When Duan Xingye looked up, his gaze slid briefly over the two, walking to the vanity mirror on his own, attaching the thin suspenders to his trousers.

However, the calmer Duan Xingye acted, the more restless Yang Wan became, cold sweat about to flow down. He gibbered at the assistant, winking frantically, wanting to find an excuse to flee.

Right at this moment.

“You might have a misunderstanding about me. I’ve always had self-awareness.” Duan Xingye suddenly spoke.

Yang Wan’s heart jumped. But seeing Duan Xingye wasn’t angry and seemed easy to handle, probably the kind of brainless vase, he relaxed, revealing a fake smile: “Misunderstanding, I didn’t say…”

Duan Xingye raised his exquisite chin slightly, looking at himself in the mirror, adjusting the suspender on the other side: “Precisely because I know my husband is Cheng Duzhou, I dare to do whatever I want on set. Otherwise what did you think?”

“…” Yang Wan didn’t expect him to say such things without changing expression. At the same time, he felt Duan Xingye’s contempt. Soon his face flushed red, the previous smugness gone, eyes gradually becoming unwilling.

Duan Xingye finished tidying his clothes, looking down at Yang Wan, eyes high above: “Hard work is of course useful. Useful for people like you with no background and no face.”

“You!”

Yang Wan was angry.

When someone is sour towards you and inflicts malice, don’t try to lower yourself and compliment the other party to show friendliness. Instead, whatever he is sour about, let him see what you have.

Anyway, regardless of whether he worked hard or not, this kind of person decided he relied on Cheng Duzhou. Then no need for self-proof; retort according to the other party’s logic.

Talking about values with someone with crooked values? Don’t be funny. Use magic to defeat magic.

“But I still have to clarify one thing.” Duan Xingye leaned one hand on the counter. “Even if my partner wasn’t Cheng Duzhou, this kiss scene would still have to be acted by me, and only I can act it.”

Yang Wan’s chest heaved, laughing coldly in anger, tearing off face politely: “Is that so?”

“Of course.” Duan Xingye curled the corner of his lips shallowly, articulating clearly word by word, “Because he loves me to death, can’t act with anyone else.”

Yang Wan’s face looked like vegetable color: “…”

The little assistant trembled beside him, daring not interrupt at all.

Duan Xingye ignored them, walking outward. Just before reaching the door, Cheng Duzhou appeared, leaning against the door frame.

“…”

Duan Xingye paused slightly.

And behind him, Yang Wan and the little assistant’s faces had turned white.

Duan Xingye didn’t let anyone notice anything unusual, continuing to walk out. Passing Cheng Duzhou, without stopping, his upturned dark eyes looked at the man, extending a slender white finger to poke his chest: “What kind of people are in your crew?”

Leaving a sentence lightly, Duan Xingye left.

Cheng Duzhou looked back at Duan Xingye, one hand in pocket, then looked back at the man in the room almost shrinking into a quail.

He didn’t know what this person was called, nor was he interested. But hearing the other party say Duan Xingye “served people with beauty,” he still asked, “What’s your name?”

The other party hesitated for a moment, swallowed, and said, “Yang Wan…”

Cheng Duzhou nodded, saying lightly: “Don’t trouble me to open my mouth. Go settle your salary with the producer yourself.”

Yang Wan jumped in shock. He knew Cheng Duzhou had the ability to fire him because Cheng Duzhou was one of the investors in this movie, not needing the director’s consent at all.

“President Cheng, I just misspoke with a loose mouth, not to the extent…”

“How is it not to the extent?” Cheng Duzhou stood straight, preparing to leave. “After all, I love him to death.”

“…”

Yang Wan was speechless, slumping back into the chair again.

Duan Xingye left the building, a faint embarrassment flashing across his face.

He was just mouthing off to anger people just now. Cheng Duzhou heard it; he was probably laughing to death.

Duan Xingye “tsk”-ed, a bit irritable.

Right at this moment, footsteps sounded behind him.

The back of Duan Xingye’s neck tightened slightly, unconsciously speeding up his pace.

But that person’s steps were obviously bigger. In a while, his wrist was grabbed.

“Walking so fast for what?” Cheng Duzhou asked.

Duan Xingye turned around, righteous and confident: “What time is it? If we don’t walk fast, waiting for someone to urge us?”

Cheng Duzhou lowered his eyes, loosening the grip on Duan Xingye’s wrist, saying, “It’s okay, walk slower… let’s go.”

Duan Xingye let him hold his hand. The two continued towards the library.

There were rivers on both sides of the road, willow trees planted along the way, blowing gently in the sunny March afternoon.

Cheng Duzhou said, “Ignore that kind of person just now.”

“Do I need you to tell me?” Afraid he would bring up something like “love me to death,” Duan Xingye hurriedly changed the topic amidst chaotic thoughts. “Cheng Duzhou, don’t you think it’s too much? On what grounds do they say I rely on you? Going on variety shows is like this, filming a movie is like this. Clearly everyone benefits mutually, okay.”

Cheng Duzhou said lowly, “Because you are too good, they are all jealous.”

Duan Xingye’s face heated up, only hearing “You are too good.” Coming from Cheng Duzhou, it was truly rare. Opening his mouth, his sharp tongue didn’t work anymore.

Cheng Duzhou continued, “Actually, some people also say I leach off your heat because your popularity in the variety show is relatively high. Others say that kid is a better match than me because you can both write lyrics and music, very talented, eighteen years old, having stars in his eyes when looking at people. I could marry you entirely by taking advantage of being childhood friends.”

Bullshit!

Duan Xingye instinctively felt those people online were bullshitting, so idle they panicked and messed up matchmaking.

He pushed Cheng Duzhou: “Don’t mention that kid to me!”

“Oh.” Cheng Duzhou had no other emotion except a slightly low voice. “I just remembered, saying it by the way.”

Duan Xingye said, “Then why did you sound quite aggrieved?”

Cheng Duzhou said, “I didn’t.”

Duan Xingye said, “You did!”

Cheng Duzhou thought for a moment and said calmly, “I just wanted to say, there are all kinds of voices outside. We just need to know what’s going on ourselves; no need to take it to heart and be troubled.”

“You are transcendent! Then how could you be traumatized to death by a video.”

“…” Cheng Duzhou stopped pretending, just asking, “Are you still angry?”

He just wanted to make Duan Xingye feel better.

However, not starting this topic would have been fine. Now Duan Xingye got angrier the more he thought about it. Just now facing rumors, he could retort elegantly and freely. Coming to Cheng Duzhou, he couldn’t hold back his bellyful of complaints: “What does it mean hard work is not as good as finding a good partner? After marriage, I never asked you for resources. Instead, you got an opportunity to be the male lead. So who exactly found a good partner?”

Cheng Duzhou blinked, looking at him: “What male lead?”

Duan Xingye blurted out: ” Zhao Ge (Morning Song).”

But as soon as he finished speaking, he bit his lip, realizing he spoke too much.

Zhao Ge was his grandfather Kan Dashan’s classic work. Just as he agreed to marry Cheng Duzhou, the crew announced Cheng Duzhou as the male lead. So much so that he always thought his marriage was a business deal, and a money-losing one at that.

But Duan Xingye never brought this kind of thing to the table, feeling it lost face. But not saying it didn’t mean he got over it in his heart. Ultimately feeling unconvinced, holding it back for two years, now under a heated brain, he finally couldn’t help saying it.

The atmosphere by the riverbank fell silent, leaving only the rustling sound of wind blowing through willows.

Quite a while later.

Cheng Duzhou let go of Duan Xingye’s hand. Duan Xingye suddenly didn’t know where to put his hand, hanging it on the suspender strap, turning his head to look elsewhere.

Although hurting feelings, speaking it out was good. Cheng Duzhou didn’t need to feel embarrassed; he wouldn’t look down on the other party because of this kind of thing. This kind of exchange of interests didn’t involve moral flaws.

Cheng Duzhou pursed his lips and said, ” Zhao Ge was won by my audition.”

Duan Xingye’s breath slightly condensed. Looking at the person in front of him, the tightly screwed valve in his heart loosened a bit.

__

Author’s Note:

President Cheng: So you think of me like this (Local dog covering face weeping)

Teacher Duan failing again: Don’t be like this! Don’t be like this!