Yu Qinghuan's part was not the first. After watching others acting for some time, he went to a corner memorizing his lines while waiting for his part.
Yu Qinghuan formed a habit when filming. That is he would recite his lines by heart and always familiarize himself with other's lines, so he would make the best response according to the context.
"Qinghuan, come here. Come here. Eat some roasted sweet potato." While he finished one page and was about to recite the next one, Yu Xin trotted at him with a paper bag in his hand. He then picked the softest one and handed it to Qinghuan, saying while smiling, "It's sweet. Shen Yi's assistant sent it to you."
Shen Ji was the most popular B-list celebrity under Yu Xin. In the previous life, on the way Yu Xin sent him to the shooting set, they had a car accident and Yu Xin died on spot.
Yu Xin had a kind heart. In case Shen Yi's face got disfigured, he covered his face with all he could. And the result was everyone died on spot while Shen Yi only had some bruise on his arm.
But Shen Yi forgot Yu Xin's funeral, because he served his sugar daddy that day.
Although Shen Ji became the target of public criticism after that thing was exposed, Yu Qinghuan still bore the grudge against him.
Now looking at the juicy and fragrant roasted sweet potato after remembering the past, Yu Qinghuan immediately lost the appetite. He asked Yu Xin while peeling off the sweet potato skin, "What is he doing here?"
"Nothing important." Yu Xin shook his hands while smiling, "He just passed by."
How is it possible!
Their shooting site was located in such a resolute place where even a bird wouldn't lay eggs. Shen Ji could never drop by as he claimed.
But seeing Yu Xin in a good mood, Yu Qinghuan didn't want talk much about it, so he continued, "I heard he has got a role in a TV series recently. Don't you wanna go have a look?"
On hearing that, Yu Xin shook his head, with all gratitude on his chubby face, "Shen Ji is really a good guy. He knew that I have just taken you over, so he said he doesn't need me this time. He'll take care of everything by himself and ask me to focus solely on you. Alas! Even though I have no A-list big stars under my hands in this life, it's already worth it to have your guys as my friends."
Yu Qinghuan then felt much relieved. He didn't want to know why Shen Ji came today. As long as Yu Xin didn't go to his filming site and died a worthless death like in the previous life, he'd feel very satisfied.
When Yu Qinghuan was about to say something, he got hit from behind, whoosh, the script in his hand flew out and directly dropped into the basin the crew used as props, like that person did it on purpose.
The boiling water immediately wetted the thin papers. Only a few seconds and the script was totally wasted.
"Sorry, sorry!" The propman with props in his hands hastened to apologize, with regret and self-blame written on his face, "I��m gonna get another script for you, OK?"
The props looked very heavy, and he looked kind of exhausted already, with sweats on his forehead on such a winter day, still panting while talking.
"It's fine." Yu Qinghuan smiled at him, "Mind your own business. I'll get one from Qingyuan."
"Thank you, Qinghuan." That propman finally caught his breath, then went away busy with his work after bowing to Qinghuan.
The script was very important for him. It not only was marked with the emphasis, but also recorded his own understanding and comprehension of it. If it had been someone hot-tempered, he would have already slapped him in the face.
Thinking of that, the propman turned around and cast a glance at Yu Qinghuan, deciding to be his big face from now on.
"I think you should really go to some temple and burn some incense." Seeing the propman walk away, Yu Xin said to Yu Qinghuan, "Endorsement snatched first, now script ruined, how could you be so hapless recently?"
Seeing Yu Qinghuan still look like nothing happened, Yu Xin couldn't help pushing him, "Go to Zhao Qingyuan for the script now. It'd be your scene later."
Even though Yu Qinghuan had learnt the script all by heart, it wasn't bad to read some more. So on hearing him, Yu Qinghuan nodded and walked away.
But the moment he lifted a foot, someone grasped his hand from behind.
Yu Qinghuan turned around, confused, "Huo Qu? What's up?"
"Don't go to see him." Huo Qu pursed his lips, staring at Qinghuan, holding his hand tightly.
"Be good. Let go." Yu Qinghuan tried to pull off his hands. When he was about to say something, Huo Qu said blandly, "Are you going to borrow the script from him? I…I can recite it for you."
Recite???
Then with Yu Qinghuan's jaws dropped and eyes popped out, Huo Qu recited all the content Qinghuan was going to shoot today. Not a single word was mistaken!
Yu Qinghuan was kind of dumbfounded, "When did you read my script?"
"This morning." Huo Qu answered honestly. Taking advantage of Yu Qinghuan's inadvertence, Huo Qu quietly and secretly and slowly got close to him. When Qinghuan came to his mind, he nearly jumped out of his skin by that enlarged face right before his eyes.
He complained, "Why are you leaning so close to me?" and then continued, "So you memorized it all in such a short time?"
Huo Qu nodded honestly, "Yeah." After a pause, he added, "It's easy."
Yu Qinghuan, "…"
As the provincial top scorer of liberal art in the college entrance exam, Yu Qinghuan thought his memory had already surpassed most people. So many of his classmates asked him enviously whether he had any special method, and Yu Qinghuan always gave them the same answer, "No special means. I just can memorize things after I read them."
And those classmates all complained and wished that they could switch their heads with him.
And now the payback came. Now he knew how his classmates felt in those years.
Yu Qinghuan gave Huo Qu a complicated peep and then pulled him to one side, saying with a snicker, "Well, you recite it for me one more time, in a slow way, I mean."
Huo Qu had no idea he was playing a prank on him. So he just recited it all over again. After finishing it, he looked at Qinghuan with his head titled, eyes shining, "Qinghuan, you want me to do it again?"
He likes this kind of feeling, the feeling…Qinghuan needs him.
How he wished that time would freeze at this moment. He is not a monster or a useless person. He could help Qinghuan at least.
"No." Huo Qu's innocent eyes made Yu Qinghuan feel very guilty. He couldn't help stretching out a hand to stroke his hair, "You did a good job. And with your help I could memorize it all."
"Really?" Huo Qu popped out his eyes, and leaned toward Yu Qinghuan happily, asking, "Did I really help you? For real?"
"Of course." Yu Qinghuan raised his head and looked at him, smiling, "You are pretty impressive."
Then he saw a big smile blooming on Huo Qu's face, which nearly eclipsed the winter sun.
Yu Qinghuan had waited the whole morning, but Liu Jia'an didn't call him, because Fang Zhongxi had kept NG. He just couldn't pass that one.
"Forget it. Have some rest. Let's do it again this afternoon." Finally Liu Jia'an was even not in the mood of scolding him and just closed the monitor.
Actually Fang Zhongxi's acting was not bad, and he worked very hard. Liu Jia'an kind of liked him. But today he was just not himself, either forgetting his lines or not in the right mood.
Even though the whole crew was pressed for time, Liu Jia'an was a perfectionist. As long as the acting was not what he wanted, he wouldn't let it pass.
"Sorry, director. Sorry for the trouble." Fang Zhongxi kept apologizing and promised, "Trust me. I will do it right this afternoon."
Liu Jia'an nodded without saying a word.
On seeing that, Fang Zhongxi felt much perturbed and dare not say more. He then left moodily.
"Zhongxi, it's fine. Just the spokesman of Chicly." On seeing Fang Zhongxi's darkened face, his broker tried to comfort him, "There're many opportunities out there."
"Stop it! You always say that!" Fang Zhongxi covered his face bitterly, "I'm no longer young. If I keep relying on my face, even I feel ashamed of myself. I have done so much for the spokesman of Chicly, now someone else snatched it!"
Knowing he was not in the mood, the broker dare not say others words to irritate him, so he tried to switch the topic, "But you are trying to transform. Getting a part in The Line of Life and Death is the best proof. Since Liu Jia'an hired you, it means you have your commercial value. Don't think too much. Hard work pays off."
After a long silence, Fang Zhongxi heaved a sigh, saying, "I took the wrong path before. No one has seen my efforts." After a pause, he turned to his broker, "You go inquire about Ada for me. They are choosing a spokesman for their watch recently."
"Zhongxi!" His broker was startled with his eyes wide open. "That is A-D-A! How could such a luxury brand hire you as…" After looking into Fang Zhongxi's ironic eyes, he just swallowed the next few words.
"Yeah, how could they want a C-list celebrity like me?" Fang Zhongxi sneered, "Is that what you want to say?"
Before his broker answered him, he continued, "Doesn't that even matter? Anyway they just want a watch spokesman," Fang Zhongxi then lowered his voice with his head down, "I heard their design director is into men…"
"Are you crazy?" His broker never expected Fang Zhongxi would go down so low. He looked at him disapprovingly, "Zhongxi, it's only an endorsement."
"Yeah, just an endorsement." Fang Zhongxi muttered to himself, "But I just can't get it. What should I do?"
His voice was low, but inundated with desperation and dark. After gazing at him for quite some time, his broker looked away, "I know. I will take care of it."
While at the film set, when Yu Qinghuan just sat down and was about to dig some food, he got dumbfounded by the news Yu Xin had brought, even nearly knocked over his lunch box. If it hadn't been Huo Qu who was quick enough, his lunch would be flushed down the toilet.
"What? How is it possible Ada would want me as their spokesman?" It nearly drove Yu Qinghuan crazy. He tried to confirm it with Yu Xin again and again, "Dude, are you mistaken? How could that be? I even failed the audition of Chicly."
"Told ya. That's because Chicly has a poor taste." Yu Xin felt like he was gonna fly, "Eat your food. And we'll go to see their design director later. It won't take you long, four hours on tops. Anyway, your part comes last today. Don't worry."
"No! What if everything goes very smoothly here and it will be my part soon? I have to wait for my turn." Yu Qinghuan refused.
Seriously? Finally his creepy good luck had a sign of vanishing, how could he try to maintain it? He had to figure out a way to turn it down.
When Yu Qinghuan was still thinking, Liu Jia'an's chipper laugh was heard from behind, "Qinghuan, just go. It's OK. I got a lot of other scenes to shoot, so you won't be necessary the whole afternoon. Just make sure you could come back before 7."
Yu Qinghuan turned around impassively, seeing that Liu Jia'an and Jiang Qi were moving to his side with cigars in their mouths, saying, "I like Qinghuan's personality, earnest, responsible and honest!"
"Yeah, Qinghuan has superb moral quality."
Yu Qinghuan, "…"
No! Actually he just didn't want the audition!
Since the only excuse was spoiled, Yu Qinghuan could only go with Yu Xin.
The design director of Ada was called Evensen, a handsome man with blonde hair and blue eyes, very outgoing. The moment he saw Yu Qinghuan, he was trying to hug him. But the moment he was about to touch Qinghuan, Huo Qu stopped him.
Avenson was kind of confused. He meant to ask why, but on seeing Huo Qu's hostile eyes, he immediately understood. After lingering his eyes on Yu Qinghuan for a second, he never had any physical contact with Yu Qinghuan, but came straight to the point—the endorsement of Ada.
When in the working mode, Evenson looked extra serious. He detailedly inquired about Yu Qinghuan's physical data, made Yu Qinghuan do some poses for him, and even asked the accompanying photographer to take some photos. After scrutinizing these photos and Yu Qinghuan's face, he then put these photos down and stretched out a hand, "In the coming year, may we have a pleasant cooperation."
So…he got it?!
Only a few glances and they decide to use him?
Has Ada always choose a spokesman so hastily?
If it hadn't been the warm touch from his hand, Yu Qinghuan nearly thought this was a dream!
Although it was only a one-year contract, it was Ada! As a newcomer who had no representative works, he got chosen as the spokesman of Ada! This was so unreal!
He could imagine the mega-hit after Ada released this news.
Yu Qinghuan then went back to the film set, still muddleheaded, while Evenson took a taxi to Starlight instead of going back to the hotel.
"So, you make the decision after seeing him in person?" asked Huo Rong who was leaning on the couch.
"Yeah." Evenson thought highly of Yu Qinghuan, "Whether his body or his temperament, he perfectly matches the normcore series watch of Ada's."
After a pause, maybe afraid that Huo Rong may raise additional conditions, he then added, "But he has no fame. You know, for a spokesman, this is the biggest drawback. If it hadn't been that I owe you, I would never use him."
Huo Rong sneered, "Fame? Wait half a year and see. You make a good bargain, you know. 1.2 million a year, pretax, you think that's too much? Beside," He then looked at Evenson bitterly, "You think I don't know? The normcore series is the most underappreciated among your products. Otherwise you would never agree even if you owe me big."
"Nothing can be hidden from you." Evenson laughed, didn't show any bit of embarrassment after being exposed in the face.
After a pause, he suddenly changed the subject, "Yu is really handsome. I will definitely chase him if he has no boyfriend."
"What did you say?" Huo Rong immediately jumped out of the couch and raised his voice, "You said Qinghuan has a boyfriend?"
"Yeah." Evenson looked at him, confused, "The man who is a little taller and always wears that emotionless face around him, isn't it his boyfriend? Don't tell me you don't know."
Afraid that Huo Rong didn't believe it, Evenson specially told him every detail of what had happened today and then added, "Trust me. I swear in the name of my so many years' experience of relationship, that man is his boyfriend!"
Huo Rong felt like he was gonna black out.
No wonder he already felt something ain't right!
No wonder his stubborn younger brother started to admit the mistake he had made! No wonder he would come back from America no matter what on hearing Yu Qinghuan was bullied! No wonder he would insist being around Yu Qinghuan!
So this kid liked Qinghuan!
His younger brother became gay without everyone noticing! Holy crap!
Suddenly nosing a huge secret of his younger brother, Huo Rong felt terrified but dare not tell anyone else. Afraid that this may drive him crazy, he dialed Huo Zheng's number and told me this on the phone. He kept sighing, "Zheng, what should we do? How could he like Qinghuan?"
Huo Rong was not stupid. He thought about Yu Qinghuan's attitude towards Huo Qu and realized that Qinghuan didn't take it that way at all. So his younger brother just carried a torch for Qinghuan like a fool.
Whoever his younger brother was with, he would always wish him the best, but…Huo Rong still thought Yu Qinghuan wouldn't respond to Huo Qu's affection. Besides, he would be worried if Qu was really in a relationship with Yu Qinghuan.
Yu Qinghuan was handsome, related well to people, so there would be a long line there chasing after him. As otherworldly as his younger brother was, he wouldn't even know when someone stole Qinghuan away from him.
On hearing that, Huo Rong accidentally dropped a glass on the floor. After quite a while, he asked, "Are you sure?"
Huo Rong, "I am 100% sure."
Huo Zheng then said calmly, "You stay out of it."
Before Huo Zheng finished his words, Huo Rong already protested, "How could I stay out of it? Life is already so hard on him. How can we let him take that road?"
Huo Zheng put the phone away from his ear. After Rong finished, Huo Zheng then put it back and said, "Oh, so you can handle it?" After a pause, he added, "So Qu listens to you?"
Huo Rong, "…"
It seemed…he really could not handle it.
But this was something huge. How could he stay out of it?
"Then what should we do?"
Huo Zheng now sounded bland. When he heard about such a huge thing at first, he showed kind of discomposure and soon had no further freaking reactions, "Let him make the decision." After a pause, he continued, "Besides, given Qu's situation, we still have no idea whether it's that kind of like."
Huo Rong's eyes immediately shone. Right! How could he forget about this! If Qu's feeling was not love, just that kind of possessive feeling between friends, and if he suddenly butted in and misled Qu, he might really fall in love with Qinghuan.
On thinking of that, Huo Rong couldn't help but sighed, "Experience counts!"
Huo Zheng, "I was born just one minute earlier!"
Huo Rong, "…"
Huo Qu had no idea that his two brothers were worrying about him. At this time, he was at the filming set, sitting on a small stool, waiting for Qinghuan's part, with the notebook Qinghuan newly bought him, on which he was writing and drawing something.
While now Yu Xin was staring at him, with his mouth wide open and eyes nearly popped out.
Huo Qu had just said he wanted to learn how to recognize the ways, so Yu Xin searched a detailed local map on the internet for him…And then…he saw something no human would even achieve…
Those complicated and heterogeneous streets and shops, Huo Qu could draw all of them after watching the map for only tens of minutes!
Yu Xin couldn't believe it! So holding the determination of finding the truth, he compared the map Huo Qu drew with the one on the internet with every bit of detail, and finally he had to admit a genius was really different from the common people. There was really no single mistake of the map Huo Qu drew!
This is…giving those common people no chance!
Having no idea of Yu Xin's abomination, Huo Qu suddenly put down the map and stood up, "Do you know where the bathroom is?"
"Oh, well." Yu Xin suddenly came to himself, and pointed to one direction, "Walk that way and turn left at that shack, and walk straight, and you will see it on your right hand."
Huo Qu pursed his lips but didn't move.
Yu Xin asked with confusion, "What?"
Huo Qu smiled awkwardly, "Well…can you lead the way? I have no idea of what you are saying."
Yu Xin was struck dumb for a bit and then said, "OK. OK. I'll lead the way!"
Speaking of which, he already led the way in front of him, with pride written on his face.
Someone who could remember the whole city map in tens of minutes could not find the bathroom?! Gee!
Yu Qinghuan peeped at their side when making preparations and felt much relieved on seeing that Yu Xin was with Qu.
"Qinghuan, come here." Liu Jia'an shouted at Qinghuan through his typhon.
Yu Qinghuan immediately drew back his sight and trotted at him, "Director, you want me?"
"How is your drinking capacity?"
The next scene was about what happened after Ye Sheng arrived at the battlefield.
All the other doctors and nurses had arrived at the military hospital in the first place for the rescue work. Only Ye Sheng, because of indignation and fear, not only wouldn't join the rescue operation, but even drowned his sorrows.
And one day when he was still plastered, the battlefield suddenly had a bombing and the hospital received more patients, making it very short of hands. Peng Cheng had no choice but to drag Ye Sheng to the hospital.
Ye Sheng drank some wine but not very drunk. He was kind of excited now, hands shaking, which could not take up the scalpel now. However hard he tried to control his hands but still failed.
At last, he could only see the patient who he could have saved if he had been sober die slowly in front of him.
That was a turning point in Ye Sheng's life.
"Not good." Yu Qinghuan squeezed out two words, and after a pause, he added, "very bad actually."
"That ain't work." Liu Jia'an rubbed his head chagrined.
An absolute sober person, however good his acting skills were, wouldn't be able to show that kind of a little drunk but with a bit excitement feeling. He meant to let Yu Qinghuan drink a little alcohol, plus his superb acting skills, this scene would be easily passed.
But now he knew that Yu Qinghuan was bad at drinking! What to do? What if Qinghuan really got drunk and couldn't do the acting? That'd be a disaster.
"I can try." Yu Qinghuan took a deep breath and made up his mind, "Just a little, I'll be fine."
"All right." Liu Jia'an nodded and then turned to Jiang Qi, "Get him a 8° Rio," after giving it a second thought, he then changed, "Forget it. 5° will be fine."
Then after peeping at Yu Qinghuan's slim body, he then heaved a long sigh, "No, 3° will be enough."
If Qinghuan really got drunk, he could never carry such a tall man over 180 cm.
Jiang Qi held back his laughter and threw him a bottle of wine, "Dude, save it. Remember? We only have 8° Rio."
Liu Jia'an could only take it and handed it over to Yu Qinghuan, warned him again and again, "You just take a sip. Never ever get drunk!"
"I know, director." Yu Qinghuan responded awkwardly. He then opened the bottle and drank half of it sip by sip.
He didn't feel anything wrong, so he took a few more sips and then put it down and said to Liu Jia'an, "I'm ready."
Yu Qinghuan could feel that he was kind of more excited than usual, but still sober, and wouldn't wobble when walking, which was the perfect state for the scene.
"Hurry! Lighting! Props! On your marks!" On hearing Qinghuan's signal, Liu Jia'an immediately asked them to be in set. After observing Yu Qinghuan for a few seconds, Liu Jia'an moved before the monitor satisfactorily.
Yu Qinghuan perfectly grasped the feeling between sober and drunk. He didn't express Ye Sheng's drunken state in the tradition exaggerating way, but through his eyes, moves and flushing corner of his eyes.
And his way of acting won Liu Jia'an great appreciation. After watching the whole scene behind the monitor with smiles on his face, Liu Jia'an praised him, "You have made great progress than when you first came."
After thanking him and making sure his part was done, he then left with Huo Qu.
Maybe because of the alcohol, he felt like he became more and more excited, and couldn't control his glimmer of smile at all.
"Stop laughing like that." While Huo Qu went to get some water fro him, Yu Xin warned Yu Qinghuan, "What if some girl falls for you if you keep smiling like this?"
Yu Xin knew Qinghuan looked good, but even so, he had already got used to that pretty face after being with him for so long.
The bland feeling on Yu Qinghuan was totally gone. Yu Qinghuan's beautiful amorous eyes had that gentle smile, light lips curled up, even the move of sitting there casually already exposed that kind of dissolute and attractive feeling..
"Isn't there no girls here?" Provokingly, the smile on Yu Qinghuan's face became much bigger.
"Forget it. Do whatever you want." Yu Xin just ignored him and left.
Yu Qinghuan sat on his bed and waited for some time, but Huo Qu still hadn't got him the water, so he went to the kitchen himself.
Huo Qu was still working on that electric kettle, sweating profusely, knocking the body of the kettle and then hearing its sound, looking quite anxious.
"Press the button." Yu Qinghuan walked to him while saying so.
"Ah?" Huo Qu responded and immediately lowered his head to look for the button awkwardly.
Yu Qinghuan couldn't bear to see it, so he walked over and pressed the button at the bottom of the kettle and then the heating light was on.
Yu Qinghuan patted his back of the head and teased, "You little fool!"
This was the first time someone called him fool, but Huo Qu didn't get angry at all. He wanted to talk back, but when he raised his head and looked right into Yu Qinghuan's kind of drunken eyes, he immediately lost his voice.
At that very moment, the whole world disappeared in his eyes, only that smiling face left.
Some kind of thick and domineering desire aroused from his heart, burning in his chest, tempting him and turning him on.
He had no idea what that kind of feeling was, and he also had no idea why he was yearning for.
He just looked at the man in front of him greedily.
"What's up, dude?" asked Yu Qinghuan while looking at him confused.
His eyes were so pretty, even brighter than the most shining star in the sky. His eyes showed kind of caring when they fell on him, but Huo Qu thought it was still not enough.
He wanted…this person to look at him only all the time.
Suddenly some kind of horrible idea flashed in his mind, which even shocked Huo Qu himself.
He knew this ain't no right, but he really couldn't control himself.
What to do? What was wrong with him? How could he have such kind of thought?
Some kind of overwhelming desperate feeling nearly got him drowned. He felt so awful but didn't know how to explain it.
"Qinghuan," The water was boiling. Huo Qu raised a hand and gently covered Yu Qinghuan's eyes, imploring with a low voice, "Please! Don't look at me that way!"