Splash.
Splash splash.
The sound of running water filled his ears, drowning out even the abnormal pounding of his heart.
It was just for the photoshoot.
And nothing else.
Shen Jingwei wiped off the remaining traces of makeup from his face and sighed at the mirror.
Throughout his stellar career, Yan Renzhong was used to performing intimate scenes with various actresses.
He held up his co-stars in similar positions many, many times.
There was no reason for Shen Jingwei to get carried away.
In fact, was this not what Yan Renzhong warned him about the last time they spoke?
"We have unresolved issues from the past. I hope you won't let them affect your and my performance in the drama. Act the professional you are supposed to be."
How utterly despicable, Emperor Yan, he thought with a touch of indignation.
Bathrooms were scarce in the camping area. Knowing that, Shen Jingwei was unable to remain inside for long.
Unfortunately, his tent also offered no solitude.
As twilight descended, a festive atmosphere enveloped the camp. A crackling bonfire at the heart of the encampment, cast an inviting glow against the deepening dusk. Surrounding it were the cast and crew members actors, their faces illuminated by the flickering, dancing flames.
They engaged in cheerful conversation with one another while tending to their roasting food.
The air was filled with the tantalizing aroma of grilling meat and vegetables, mingling with the crackling of the fire and the hearty laughter of the company.
A sense of camaraderie and shared enjoyment permeated the scene, creating a warm and welcoming ambiance that defied the encroaching chill of the night.
When Zhu Dongyi spotted his protégé, he quickly rose to his feet and dragged Shen Jingwei to his circle.
"Little Shen, ah, good job, very good job today. Have you seen the photos? They are amazing!"
Shen Jingwei let out an incoherent grunt in response. He was too embarrassed to even look at the pictures.
But Zhu Dongyi, this insensible donkey, actually whipped out his tablet and showed Shen Jingwei the array of images in high definition.
"Look! Look how good they turned out!"
"..."
Again, Shen Jingwei hated to admit it, but Yan Renzhong could not look more handsome in this stunning attire. Surely his female fans must squeal in delight at his sight.
Or maybe not.
He was holding him up.
A man.
A man!
And it was someone whom he had a scandalous affair with in the past, too.
Hopefully, the production team restrained itself and chose to publish the pictures much later.
"These pictures garnered a lot of likes on Weibo already!" Zhu Dongyi announced, shattering Shen Jingwei's three-world view at once.
They already posted it???
Shen Jingwei quickly took out his phone and searched the post, his heart bleeding profusely in light of the insensible move.
There it was.
Sprawled across his phone screen.
The image of Yan Renzhong, Emperor Yan, holding him up like he would a beloved concubine.
If the image hurt his eyes immensely, the comments beneath were infuriating.
But, surprisingly positive.
"Awwww look at them holding each other close like that!"
-Purple Lotus, 12.4k likes.
"Emperor Yan, please hold me in your arms, wuwuwuwu
-EmperorYan4Life, 10k likes.
And finally,
"I know that this is a BL drama, but can't they tone it down slightly? Men holding each other, yuck. My stomach can't take it."
-YanLover, 2k likes, 22.2 k dislikes.
And there was another comment made by Shen Jingwei's one and only fan to date, Supreme Spearmaster.
"Shen Jingwei looks stunningly beautiful in this costume. Please keep working hard, I will always be rooting for you."
Shen Jingwei inadvertently bloomed into a smile.
He gave the comment one like, and replied with, "Thank you for your encouragement and support."
The photoshoot session ended today. Tomorrow, the shooting would begin for real.
Although the night was still early, the actors and actressed had to get up early in the morning.
Therefore, the production crew members took the initiative to gently usher them back to their tents for some well-deserved rest.
When walking back to his tent, Shen Jingwei spotted two figures standing in front of his tent.
One was Lang Yuxuan.
The other was Yan Renzhong.
They were speaking to each other in low voices. Shen Jingwei was too far away to eavesdrop their conversation. Not that he wanted to.
In fact, he hoped that the couple could finish their conversation somewhere else. He just wanted to throw himself onto his mattress and fall asleep.
Lang Yuxuan said something to Yan Renzhong. And then, standing on the tip of his toes, he hooked his arms around Yan Renzhong and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Searing pain lanced through Shen Jingwei's chest, threatening to cleave him into two.
This must be what Xie Jianyu felt when he watched Zhang Fengxi kissing Liu Wenyuan with his own eyes.