Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 51 : The Benefit Of The Doubt

Chapter 51: Chapter 51 : The Benefit Of The Doubt

"What the hell were you thinking?" Yan Renzhong snapped at Shang Ruohai as soon as they were alone, standing together at the corner of Fuxi Palace’s backyard.

Clearly amused, Shang Ruohai folded his arms before his chest and cocked his head at Yan Renzhong.

"What, exactly, are you talking about?"

"Don’t play dumb with me," Yan Renzhong ground his teeth. "What you did was uncalled for. You are an experienced player in this industry. Must you prey on innocent ones?"

Seeing Yan Renzhong all hot and bothered, Shang Ruohai could not take it anymore. He doubled up with roaring laughter.

"Hahahahaha!!!"

Yan Renzhong did not find it half as amusing. He dragged the other man back up by his lapels and pinned him against the wall.

"This is not a game," he said, leaning close to Shang Ruohai. His low voice was dripping with threat. "Don’t think that I will just idly stand by. I don’t care who you are or what you can do. I am going to sue you for sexual harassment."

Shang Ruohai ran a hand across his lips, his gaze locked defiantly on Yan Renzhong, who refused to back off even an inch.

"Relax, Yan Renzhong," he said before he exhausted Yan Renzhong’s patience. "I didn’t do anything improper. I merely guided his hand and made him touch himself."

"..."

Yan Renzhong stared at his opponent incredulously.

"Really?"

"Well, yeah, what were you thinking?"

Shang Ruohai freed himself from Yan Renzhong’s grip with a shove.

"Novice actors often struggle with intimate scenes, particularly if they lack personal experience. All I did was share a simple technique to facilitate his performance."

"..."

Shang Ruohai smoothed the creases of his robe and straightened his lapels.

"Like you said, I am an experienced player in this industry. Even if I desire Shen Jingwei, I wouldn’t molest him in broad daylight with cameras pointing at me and half the crew and cast members witnessing me perform the act.

I am not that dumb. Neither are most celebrities, by the way."

Yan Renzhong threw his head backward and tossed out a scoff, as if ridiculing himself.

"Why didn’t you just say that in the beginning, then?" He stepped away from Shang Ruohai. "Was it fun messing with me?"

Shang Ruohai rolled with his eyes and chuckled.

"Maybe you should ask yourself why you grapple with such a dirty mind."

Yan Renzhong shook his head in disbelief. He raised a hand to his head and began massaging his aching temple.

"Look, can you please just stay away from Shen Jingwei?"

"Why should I?"

Yan Renzhong took a deep breath, in a desperate attempt not to lash out at Shang Ruohai a second time.

"You know the reason very well."

"We are playing siblings in the drama, if you recall," Shang Ruohai pointed out. "We need to be close at least during the filming."

"You can get along with him without getting close in person," Yan Renzhong remarked. "Don’t tell me that you treated all your previous co-stars the same way you treated Shen Jingwei."

"Of course not," Shang Ruohai sighed. "Most of them are not as interesting as Shen Jingwei."

Shang Ruohai patted on Yan Renzhong’s shoulder before he moved past him, intent on returning to the set.

"You have been standing for a while now. Your foot must be hurting. Go and rest."

"Shang Ruohai."

Shang Ruohai stopped in his tracks.

Behind him, Yan Renzhong was supporting himself against the garden railing, his back facing Shang Ruohai’s.

"Do not tell Shen Jingwei a word about what happened three years ago."

"..."

Shang Ruohai did not answer, so Yan Renzhong turned around in slight irritation.

"Did you not hear me?"

Once he did, he understood why Shang Ruohai said nothing in response.

Shen Jingwei was standing there, at the entrance to the backyard. His arms were locked behind his back, his face frozen in an unreadable expression.

"The next scene is about to start," he said. "The crew members are looking for the both of you."

"Ah."

Shang Ruohai pulled his lips into a cryptic smile.

"I see. Why don’t we go back quickly then?"

Shang Ruohai was stopped in his tracks a second time when Shen Jingwei spoke up again.

"You mentioned my name just now. What exactly are you keeping a secret from me?" He asked, his eyes directed at Yan Renzhong.

The taller man pushed himself off the railing and closed the distance between them in shaky steps.

He then pulled at Shang Ruohai’s elbow, leading him away from the backyard.

"Nothing of importance," he said as they walked past Shen Jingwei.

Shen Jingwei swiveled on his heel and watched the two men leave in silence. A tempest of restlessness and curiosity churned within him. If it was nothing of importance, then why bother keeping him in the darkness?

Besides, what else was there to uncover about the incident three years ago? Shouldn’t Shen Jingwei know everything by now?

He curled his fingers into fists and glared at Yan Renzhong’s retreating back.

For some reason, a certain person’s advice floated back into his mind.

"Give Yan Renzhong the benefit of the doubt."

"Not all bad people have hidden backstories no one knew about, but Yan Renzhong is different. I can feel it."

Shen Jingwei drew in a deep breath, holding it before releasing it slowly, as if to wash away the chaos in his mind.

He did not wish to harbor grudge against Yan Renzhong forever, casting him in that villain role eternally for the unfortunate events that transpired three years ago.

But if there was truly a backstory that explained Yan Renzhong’s actions, Shen Jingwei needed to know.

So what to do if the man himself refused to divulge the details?

Pester the only other person who knew the secret, of course.

That night, Shang Ruohai sat alone at the restaurant bar. He had a hand clasped around a glass of dry martini while listening intently to soft jazz music being played on the stage.

The singer, a voluptuous beautiful woman with a sultry and yet commanding voice, was crooning her rendition of "Fly Me To The Moon".

He was lost in his thoughts until someone came over to offer his company.

"All alone, Senior Shang?"

Shang Ruohai’s lips stretched into a grin as he looked up to see Shen Jingwei hovering over him.

"Not anymore, Shen Jingwei."