Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 53 : Shattering Feng Jietang’s Heart

Chapter 53: Chapter 53 : Shattering Feng Jietang’s Heart

Several days passed with no progress in Shen Jingwei’s personal quest to unravel the truth.

After several acts were shot to completion, the production team entered another period of closed-door seclusion.

Meanwhile, half of the production crew and select cast members packed up to go to the next shooting location.

Nestled in the southern region, the chosen backdrop for the fictional Maiden Tears Lake was a breathtaking natural wonder. This time of year painted the landscape in vibrant hues as a dense canopy of towering, verdant trees formed a protective embrace around a sprawling lake. Its waters, an enchanting shade of turquoise, mirrored the sky above, creating a scene of almost surreal beauty.

"I love this act," Feng Jietang told Shen Jingwei as they sat together at the edge of the lake, waiting to shoot the next scene.

"Oh, why?" Shen Jingwei asked.

"Because."

Feng Jietang’s eyes twinkled with unconcealed delight when he spoke further, "this is the act where you get to kick Yan Renzhong’s ass."

"..."

"Oh, the joy that courses my veins every time I think about this act!" Feng Jietang gushed. "I dream about this act several nights in a row! Little Shen..."

Feng Jietang clasped Shen Jingwei’s hands in his.

"Listen to me. You will never beat Yan Renzhong in a fair one-on-one fight. This is your chance to humiliate him once and for all. Make sure that kick lands. It will be the most glorious moment in your life, captured through the lens.

This is a memory destined to be shared for generations, a cherished tale to pass down to your children and grandchildren."

"..."

Shen Jingwei wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry.

What’s with everyone’s boundless confidence in him???

The act started as planned.

Shen Jingwei and Feng Jietang walked along the beach, holding hands like two kindergarten boys when Yan Renzhong hollered behind them.

Feng Jietang’s heart was beating like crazy.

This was it! He cried in his heart.

This was it!

While his heart yearned to trade places with Shen Jingwei and execute the kick himself, he found immense satisfaction in simply witnessing his friend’s performance from the sidelines.

...

The satisfaction never came.

Feng Jietang’s jaw went slack in a numbing disappointment.

Shen Jingwei did everything according to the script.

Their weaponless duel was a storm of fury and grace, a whirlwind of martial artistry that would reduce Shen Jingwei’s instructor to tears of sheer joy and disbelief.

Shen Jingwei did kick Yan Renzhong.

Or better said, he aimed a kick in Yan Renzhong’s direction, but it never landed.

Emperor Yan, this @#$#! bastard practically hurled himself into the water!

"Cut!!!"

Like a tempest tearing through a fragile flower, the word mercilessly obliterated Feng Jietang’s cherished dream, leaving his innocent heart broken and desolate.

"Little Shen, what happened?" He wailed loudly as he ran over to Shen Jingwei.

Meanwhile, a group of people rushed toward Yan Renzhong to help him out of the water.

Hmph, weakling!

Feng Jietang shot Yan Renzhong a venomous glare before he put an arm around Shen Jingwei’s shoulder and dragged him away from the edge of the water.

"I thought you were going to kick him hard!" Feng Jietang whined.

In response, Shen Jingwei gave him a cold stare.

"Are you out of your mind, Jietang?" He snapped. "The last time I slapped Yan Renzhong hard, Chun Yao said she could not stand my face and refused to work with me. Yan Renzhong is still recovering from his sprained ankle. If I kicked him ruthlessly this morning, his 200 million dedicated fans will lynch me online before lunch!"

"Ah."

Feng Jietang pulled a grimace.

"You are right."

"Speaking of which..."

Shen Jingwei frowned at Feng Jietang.

"You badmouthed Yan Renzhong badly in my latest Weibo post. Did you not get any backlash at all?"

Feng Jietang guffawed loudly.

"Pshhh. What can his fans do to me? I have a strong company to back me up. I do not fear Yan Renzhong, let alone his fans."

Shen Jingwei pursed his lips and shook his head in disbelief.

True.

Once signed with a powerful entertainment company, celebrities enjoyed a certain degree of freedom of expression.

While serious offenses like drug use or prostitution could irreparably damage their careers, petty feuds between celebrities were often brushed under the rug, with the companies stepping in to manage the fallout.

"By the way, you did a very good job defending yourself last time," Feng Jietang praised him. "Still, you shouldn’t have to. You are a signed actor, so why didn’t Beihai Entertainment step up to defend you?"

Shen Jingwei offered Feng Jietang a weak smile.

"Beihai is a small company. They can’t risk raising their voice in my defense. Otherwise, they might end up harming the careers of other stars who signed with the company."

"True, but if they are not willing to represent their stars and deal with online disputes, they might as well dissolve the company. What good is there for you to stay in such a measly company?"

Technically speaking, Feng Jietang was not wrong.

A representative from CNC Studio reached out to him several days ago with the offer to recruit him directly.

Shen Jingwei only had to say yes, and the representative would handle everything on his behalf.

Still, Shen Jingwei was hesitant to make the move.

Or better said, he was reluctant to do so.

CNC Studio was, after all, the company responsible for his fall three years ago.

Signing with CNC Studio was akin to surrendering to the enemy, all grudges forgotten and forgiven.

It felt wrong.

He was not ready to do just that.

"... So, what do you think?"

Feng Jietang had been talking the entire time, but Shen Jingwei only heard the question in the end.

"I think it’s great," Shen Jingwei heard himself saying.

"Perfect! I am going to inform the headquarters at once. You will hear from Yunhuan Entertainment’s talent recruiters first thing in the morning."

Shen Jingwei blinked at the beaming Feng Jietang several times in confusion.

Wait, what...?