Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 40 : The Most Embarrassing Visit

Chapter 40: Chapter 40 : The Most Embarrassing Visit

"Why?"

"Well, uh."

Shen Jingwei listened with rapt attention.

And the answer was strange, if not utterly ridiculous.

"In her words, she said that she couldn’t stand your face."

"..."

Shen Jingwei inadvertently walked in front of the bathroom mirror to look at his face.

Did he become hideous all of a sudden?

"Let’s not dwell on it," Zhu Dongyi decided. "It was a pity, but we will definitely find another job for you."

"... Hm, okay."

That was what Shen Jingwei told his manager, but he was unable to bypass Chun Yao’s eerie rejection just like that.

Chun Yao disliked him so much that she would rather delay the release of her MV.

Intriguing.

His curiosity brought him to CNC Studio’s headquarters the next day.

Truly, it was like stepping into an enemy’s lair blindly.

The reception floor was a veritable gallery of CNC Studio’s triumphs, its walls lined with enormous, glass-enframed posters spotlighting their most acclaimed productions and the luminaries who brought them to life.

This kind of opulent display did not surprise him at all.

What surprised him was his own face on one of them.

As Xie Jianyu in "Dance Of The Dragons" of course.

Shen Jingwei was already thinking about going back home to grab some shawl, glasses, hat, or all of them at once, when someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Shen Jingwei, what a pleasant coincidence."

Shen Jingwei froze, his body stiffening as he slowly turned to face a man standing behind him. The man’s smile was disconcerting, revealing sharp eyes that held a cryptic depth. His dark hair, falling just past his shoulders, framed a face cloaked in an aura of mystery.

As if reading Shen Jingwei’s mind, he extended his hand and introduced himself, "Shang Ruohai, nice to meet you."

"Oh, um... Shen Jingwei, also nice to meet you," Shen Jingwei said as he weakly shook the other man’s hand.

Shang Ruohai laughed.

"What brings you to CNC Studio?"

Uh.

Shen Jingwei would love to bury himself underground, but first he needed to get out of here first.

And since running away was no option, he might as well grit his teeth and openly declared his intention of coming here.

"I would like to pay a visit to Chun Yao."

"Oh?"

Shang Ruohai did not seem surprised at all. If anything, it almost seemed like he had been expecting Shen Jingwei’s arrival.

"Chun Yao’s recording studio is in the basement. Let me take you there."

"Uh, thank you?"

It was grossly impolite to start questioning Shang Ruohai’s identity, right? But why did Shen Jingwei feel like a child being lured away with the promise of a delectable candy?

"Thank you for taking me to Chun Yao," Shen Jingwei said after they stepped into the elevator.

"Oh, no worries. I should help my younger brother after all."

"....."

Shang Ruohai flashed Shen Jingwei a bright smile.

"Don’t you remember the cast list? I will join ’Dance Of The Dragons’ as Xie Jianshen in the next shooting period."

Oh.

Oh!!!

...

Now Shen Jingwei really wanted to bury himself underground. Maybe Shang Ruohai could help him with that.

Shang Ruohai pressed a hand against his lips and stifled a chuckle.

"It’s fine. We never worked together and we also do not belong to the same agency. It makes sense to not know each other."

"You do know me, though," Shen Jingwei pointed out.

"It would be strange to not know you after your face is pasted at the reception hall for everyone to admire," Shang Ruohai shrugged. "What with Yan Renzhong looking like he would impregnate you in a second."

"..."

He read the novel.

He must have read the novel!

And thank God no one else was in the elevator to listen to his scandalous words.

Ding.

The elevator door popped open and two men with blond hair were seen on the other side.

"Senior Shang, hi," one of them greeted Shang Ruohai. He then stared at Shen Jingwei curiously. "Oh, look, it’s Shen Jingwei. Is the rumor true? Have you been working Senior Yan so hard on the bed that he can’t walk for several days?"

"....."

Shang Ruohai gave his junior a clean head chop.

"Stupid. Don’t be impolite to our guest. Besides, Yan Renzhong is supposed to be the one on top."

"Ow. Okay, Senior Shang, I am so sorry..."

"Let’s go, Shen Jingwei."

"Uh, okay."

Shen Jingwei gave the juniors an acknowledging head nod as they walked past him.

He could hear their soft murmurs before the elevator door closed behind him.

"I mean, it must be difficult to get a man pregnant."

"I know right? But if it’s Senior Yan, I know he can do it. He can do anything."

"....."

This marked his first and last visit to CNC Studio.

This building was full of BL novel lovers. Shen Jingwei would rather run away and hide in Beihai Entertainment’s safe enclosure.

"Don’t mind them," Shang Ruohai said in a placating tone. "They don’t know that the drama shooting hasn’t progressed that far."

"I don’t think that’s the main problem here," Shen Jingwei said weakly.

"It isn’t?" Shang Ruohai appeared to be startled. "I applaud you, Shen Jingwei. You really make the perfect Xie Jianyu. I will send Yan Renzhong some kidney supplements later. He will need it for the wedding night."

"....."

AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

Shen Jingwei’s internal scream was abruptly interrupted when a door to their right slammed open and a petite young woman with braided ringlets on her hair stormed out of the studio.

"I said, all I want is a handsome guy to shoot the MV with!" She cried out in indignation. "Why is it so hard to achieve???"

She froze in her tracks when she came upon Shen Jingwei and Shang Ruohai.

"You!" She raised a finger at Shen Jingwei. "I like your face. Would you like to feature in my MV? I am going to pay you handsomely!"

Shen Jingwei stared at the young woman, and then at the name tag at the door.

"Chun Yao".

"Sure," Shen Jingwei flashed her a brilliant smile. "I would love to."

---------------

Author’s note :

Meanwhile, at Yan Renzhong’s apartment, countless get-well-soon gifts poured in.

A ceramic idol of the Aztec goddess of fertility from the cast and crew of "Dance Of The Dragons", "We are constantly praying for you!"

Kidney supplements from Shang Ruohai, "Take one daily, two if you plan to go all night".

Omega Impregnating Manual and pregnancy pills from a lot of juniors at CNC Studio, "Senior Yan, we believe in you!"

Sex toys from Feng Jietang, "Go f*ck yourself, Emperor Yan ಠ⁠益⁠ಠ."

Yan Renzhong : ....