Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 49 : A Warning For Shen Jingwei

Chapter 49: Chapter 49 : A Warning For Shen Jingwei

Shang Ruohai whirled around, his eyebrow raised in question at the younger man, who clung to Yan Renzhong’s arm like a climbing vine.

"Who is forcing whom? Our staying together will benefit the shooting immensely. Don’t you think so as well, Yan Renzhong?"

Yan Renzhong, who had chosen to remain quiet until then, immediately became the center of attention.

The man’s cold, impassive eyes wandered from one person to another before they settled on Shen Jingwei.

"There will be a lot of palace scenes involving all three of us," he announced. "It’s best to rehearse the lines together prior to shooting the scenes."

A victorious smile brightened Shang Ruohai’s features instantly.

"It’s settled then. Shen Jingwei, you do agree, don’t you?"

"..."

Honestly speaking, Shen Jingwei did not mind staying at either hotel. He just couldn’t help but feel sorry for Feng Jietang.

Defeated in body, mind, and soul, the other man looked like he just lost part of his soul to Shang Ruohai.

And so, Shen Jingwei gave in to Shang Ruohai and let himself be dragged into CNC Hotel.

Behind him, Zhu Dongyi hurried with the trolley.

Behind them, Yan Renzhong and Lang Yuxuan followed with their own entourage.

"Senior Shang seems to be quite taken with Senior Shen," Lang Yuxuan commented in a low voice. A tinge of envy in his words was discernible to Yan Renzhong.

"There is no need to overthink it," Yan Renzhong said as he shouldered his bag. "Shang Ruohai knows talent when he sees one."

"..."

Yan Renzhong’s words, spoken openly with no hidden agenda whatsoever, only served to fuel the fire of competition in Lang Yuxuan’s heart.

So Shang Ruohai acknowledged Shen Jingwei as an actor?

Lang Yuxuan’s face darkened gradually.

So unfair.

Why did Shang Ruohai not give him the same, if not more attention? After all, he was signed with CNC Studio while Shen Jingwei was just a Z-Lister signed with Beihai Entertainment!

And all that after he expended so much effort to tarnish Shen Jingwei’s reputation with a scandalous post on Weibo!

Lang Yuxuan pursed his lips in displeasure.

Someone like Shen Jingwei should remain in obscurity, hidden from the spotlight for all eternity.

After surviving two shooting periods done in outdoor locations, Director Ma and the entire production team were more than happy to stay in a hotel during the entirety of the third shooting period.

The transition from the sweltering, insect-infested outdoor environment to the serene, climate-controlled hotel rooms was akin to stepping from a battlefield into an oasis.

The next morning, the team arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the agreed rendezvous point at Peak Point Shooting Studio, ready to begin with work.

The primary objective of the first day was to complete outstanding scenes featuring Xie Jianshen. Consequently, Shang Ruohai, in addition to Yan Renzhong and Shen Jingwei, needed to be on set early for character preparation.

Three dressing stools were placed in the middle of the preparation room, forming an inconspicuous triangle.

When Shen Jingwei arrived, Shang Ruohai was already standing on one of the stools.

Once the intricate process of transformation was complete, Shang Ruohai was eclipsed by a being of ethereal beauty.

His features, softened by makeup and accentuated by the feminine styling, seemed to glow with an otherworldly radiance.

Although he was dressed in an identical fashion to other omegas, he carried a different aura than others.

Probably because unlike other omegas, who were portrayed by new actors and actresses, Shang Ruohai was a seasoned actor at least two generations above Yan Renzhong.

There was an icy precision to his bearing, a calculated intensity that hinted at a dangerous core, making others instinctively wary.

And when he raised his eyes and smiled at Shen Jingwei, the latter was trapped within his intensive gaze.

"Good morning, Shen Jingwei," Shang Ruohai greeted the younger man with a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Shang."

"Ahhh, Mr. Shen, you finally arrived. Come, come."

A hairstylist quickly ushered Shen Jingwei to one of the dressing table.

Shang Ruohai chuckled.

"Why so formal? You can drop the honorific and call me by my name."

Shen Jingwei looked at Shang Ruohai’s reflection in the mirror right in front of him.

"It doesn’t seem proper. You are my senior after all."

"Then call me ’Senior Shang’, as is customary in our field."

"..."

Shen Jingwei gulped as he watched Shang Ruohai’s smiling face.

"Then, Senior Shang, please take good care of me."

"Of course," Shang Ruohai said, still smiling. "I will do my best to take good care of you."

For some reason, the way he said those words gave Shen Jingwei an inexplicable shiver down his spine.

Before long, Yan Renzhong too arrived at the preparation room.

"Good morning," he said to no one in particular, but everyone responded to him automatically.

Yan Renzhong took a seat next to Shen Jingwei. They exchanged brief glances through their reflections in the mirror.

"How’s your ankle, Renzhong?" Shang Ruohai asked.

Yan Renzhong answered by crossing one of his legs on top of the other.

"Better now, but I still can’t stand for a long time."

Shang Ruohai laughed.

"Good that you only need to lay flat on your stomach for the first scene, then."

The first scene for them to shoot was the one where Zhang Fengxi sneaked into Xie Jianyu’s bedroom at Fuxi Palace and overheard that Xie Jianyu liked him.

"I guess."

Yan Renzhong sneaked another glance at Shen Jingwei, one he was unable to fathom.

They did not engage in further small talk until Shang Ruohai was ushered out of the room.

"Thank you for your help," Shen Jingwei blurted out while standing on one of the dressing stools.

Yan Renzhong lifted his eyes and stared at him through the mirror.

"For what?"

"The Weibo post," Shen Jingwei reminded him.

"Ah."

Yan Renzhong lowered his gaze and scrolled through his phone.

"It’s not that important."

Shen Jingwei bit into his lower lip and lowered his gaze as well.

The issue may have been insignificant to Yan Renzhong, yet it held profound importance for Shen Jingwei. Yan Renzhong’s dismissive attitude discouraged him slightly.

"Okay, Mr. Shen, you can go," the costume fitter declared.

Shen Jingwei stepped off the dressing stool, preparing to go.

"Shen Jingwei, one moment."

Yan Renzhong beckoned him over. Shen Jingwei approached his chair with a frown.

"What?"

Yan Renzhong pulled Shen Jingwei close and whispered into his ear, "Do not get too close to Shang Ruohai."