Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 161 : Pawns On The Chess Board

Chapter 161: Chapter 161 : Pawns On The Chess Board

"Shen Jingwei is feeling dizzy from shooting the fall scene just now, so I loosened his clothes to make him breathe easier," Yan Renzhong explained without skipping a beat.

A round of profound silence followed as the spectators observed Shen Jingwei intently. For someone who had trouble breathing, his face was suffused with a lot of blood.

It had to be a good sign, right?

"It must be the robe, hahaha," Vice Director Qin laughed nervously. "I am going to scold the costume team later."

Said costume team members were fuming and seething inside.

Why would this stupid vice director blame the robe? Omega robes were designed with a focus on comfort and breathability. There was only one loose silk belt adorning Shen Jingwei’s hip, and it would come undone with the slightest tug.

There was no need to strip the actor naked at all!

But of course, no one had the courage to speak out loud. They chose to swallow their indignation instead.

"Yes, Vice Director Qin."

"We will reflect on our mistakes, Vice Director Qin."

The looming scandal was averted, abruptly releasing the tension in the air.

Wu Jin let out an inaudible scoff and walked away. Meanwhile, Shen Jingwei and Zhu Dongyi returned to their tent, leaving Yan Renzhong and Wen Guilin behind.

"You know what, Little Yan..." Wen Guilin glared at his protégé. "I know that you two lovebirds miss each other dearly, but must you tear his clothes apart as soon as you see him???"

Yan Renzhong arched a brow at his manager.

"First of all, I waited a good hour before I got to hold him. Second of all, I didn’t tear his clothes apart. That robe can still be used."

Albeit a little wrinkled, because Shen Jingwei resisted so much.

Wen Guilin pursed her lips.

"Don’t act stupid. You know what I meant. Geez."

Yan Renzhong took a deep breath and exhaled slowly as he watched Shen Jingwei’s retreating back.

"I didn’t expect Wu Jin to land the major villain role," he said. "This is going to be troublesome."

"You told Little Shen everything necessary to know about Wu Jin, right? No need to worry. Little Shen is not stupid. He will know what to do."

"He is not stupid," Yan Renzhong agreed, "but he is prone to fall victim to two-faced people. People like Wu Jin, for example."

Wen Guilin sighed.

"When you are right, you are right. But at this point, there is nothing we can do. We can’t possibly kick him out of the role."

Shang Ruohan executed his plan neatly behind the curtain. Since Shang Ruohai failed to take notice earlier, his underlings must be even more clueless.

Fortunately, he warned Shen Jingwei in time. Besides, the first shooting period was going to wrap in one or two days, so it was not a big deal. It would take a while before they all met again.

"Now, since you are here and you refuse to shoot a scene, we might as well use the time we have to shoot some promotional photos. We are here to work and not for leisure, after all. Come, let’s get you dressed as Supreme General Zhang Fengxi."

Yan Renzhong rose to his feet.

"Alright."

They left the tent and headed toward the costume preparation area, unaware of a certain person who lurked nearby and watched their every movement.

As soon as Wu Jin made sure that Yan Renzhong was otherwise occupied, he sneaked toward Shen Jingwei’s tent.

Meanwhile, Shen Jingwei had already taken off the omega robe, accessories, and make-up. The costume team members were especially unhappy.

"Look at this robe, it’s all wrinkled!" a lady complained.

"I am sorry," Shen Jingwei apologized profusely.

"And this golden chain is all tangled!" another wailed.

"I am sorry..."

"And the shoes! All tattered and dirty!" another added.

"I am so very sorry..."

"Oh, come on, ladies, must you make Shen Jingwei feel so bad?" Wu Jin’s voice was heard before the person made his appearance.

The startled costume department ladies jumped at the unexpected interruption.

"Mr. Wu!"

"No, absolutely not, Sir."

"We didn’t mean to complain. Mr. Shen, we are deeply sorry. Please excuse us..."

Clutching the clothing materials tightly, they fled as quickly as possible, their escape accompanied by the squeals of excited fans.

Wu Jin snickered.

"Don’t mind them," he said. "Shen Jingwei, are you alright? You were so pale during the shooting."

"Oh, yes," Shen Jingwei beamed at Wu Jin. "I am fine. Thank you for your concern."

"Soooo..."

Wu Jin plopped down right next to Shen Jingwei, who inadvertently shifted away from him. The gesture was subtle, but it confirmed Wu Jin’s suspicion.

"So, what did Yan Renzhong tell you about me?"

Shen Jingwei laughed.

"What? No, he told me nothing."

Wu Jin narrowed his eyes at Shen Jingwei, his lips curving into a smile.

"Liar," he said. "You don’t even need to tell me anything. Let me guess. He told you to stay away from me, because I am a bad, bad person, am I right?"

"... No, he didn’t say that."

"Or was he simply jealous because you and I are getting close as friends?"

Shen Jingwei shook his head.

"Whatever he said, I want you to know that I’m just an ordinary person trying to make my mark in this industry. I work hard every day, just like everyone else, striving to reach the top."

Just like everyone else.

Both he and Yan Renzhong, the so-called "champions", were nothing but pawns across the chess board, played by two powerful men who strived for dominance.

Shen Jingwei averted his eyes from Wu Jin with a sigh.

"You should stop worrying about what Yan Renzhong thinks about you."

"I am not worried about him," Wu Jin pointed out. "I just hate it if people pit others against me just because they don’t like me. Especially because..."

Wu Jin clawed into his scalp and gritted his teeth, appearing extremely frustrated.

"...because well, I love you, Shen Jingwei."