Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 69 : Evening Spar (1)

Chapter 69: Chapter 69 : Evening Spar (1)

The sparks flying between the two powerful men were enough to set the scene ablaze.

The intense tension caused Shen Jingwei to instinctively step back.

Thankfully, an unsuspecting production crew chose that time to announce the start of the scene.

"Hmphg!"

Shang Ruohai left the set with a scoff and a flick of his sleeves.

Smirking, Feng Jieyun headed to opposite direction and joined the panel of judges at their table.

The judges had no lines to deliver during the initial rounds of the sword competition.

They merely had to act their roles and watch as the main casts mingled with the background actors and advanced from the initial round to the final round of the competition.

At last, only two people remained -- Zhang Fengxi and Wu Shenxia.

Wu Shenxia was played by a famous actress from CNC Studio, Ye Lingxia.

Her five years of experience in xianxia dramas were on full display as she effortlessly combined grace, power, and precision in her movements.

The match between Wu Shenxia and Yan Renzhong set a new standard for the final fight.

The pressure to perform better was high not only on Shen Jingwei but also on Yan Renzhong.

To achieve perfection, the two men rehearsed their fight scenes for hours on end. The sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the ground, before Director Ma finally called a wrap for the day.

Both Yan Renzhong and Shen Jingwei were so tired that they collapsed on the platform on the spot.

Zhu Dongyi and Wen Guilin, the hardworking managers, quickly brought them two bottle of waters and two sets of towel.

"Little Shen, you worked hard," Zhu Dongyi put one of Shen Jingwei’s arm around his shoulder and helped his protégé on his feet. "Up you go. Come on, let’s rest in the hotel room..."

Shen Jingwei turned his head slightly in Yan Renzhong’s direction.

"Yan Renzhong, is your ankle alright?" He asked.

"Nothing a cold compress can’t cure," Yan Renzhong replied. "Thank you for asking."

"Mmm."

Shen Jingwei could not help but feel guilty.

As he hobbled across the set with Zhu Dongyi as his support, he came across Ye Lingxia, who was chatting with Lang Yuxuan.

"Senior Ye is so amazing," Lang Yuxuan gushed loudly. "Your performance is top-notch. No one can beat you in a sword fight!"

He deliberately aimed a contemptuous sneer at Shen Jingwei, hoping to utterly destroy his confidence.

Unexpectedly, Shen Jingwei reacted differently.

"Miss Ye," he greeted Ye Lingxia with a smile. "Your performance was a masterpiece. Every attack was carried out with calculated precision, flowing smoothly from one movement to another. I was thoroughly captivated."

Ye Lingxia smiled at him in return.

"Mr. Shen, you are too polite. For someone who has never acted in a martial arts drama before, you displayed a lot of potential. I can’t wait to see what you can do tomorrow."

Shen Jingwei laughed.

"We will see," he said.

Honestly, he did not know what to do.

At night, he lay on his stomach and read through a stack of books Zhu Dongyi gave him.

There was only so much he could learn from them. A person did not become a master swordsman by reading manual after manual.

He needed a teacher.

And also a sparring partner.

And most importantly, time.

Shen Jingwei buried his face into a pillow and groaned.

Right now, he had neither.

Still, it was better to do something than lie around on the bed and read.

Shen Jingwei donned his training attire and grabbed the imitation of Winter Frost that Zhu Dongyi gifted him before heading downstairs.

Unlike other hotels, CNC Hotel set itself apart with its comprehensive fitness facilities, offering a traditional gym, a boxing ring, and versatile studios for various workouts.

It was a place for CNC Studio’s luminaries to hone their skills.

Although it was already past eight, the studios were fully booked.

"Actually, Mr. Shen, you are quite late," the receptionist said with a regretful smile. "All private studios are typically booked two months in advance."

"..."

And how the hell was he supposed to know that, again?

Just as Shen Jingwei pondered the merit of swinging his Winter Frost inside the hotel room, the door leading to the gym’s reception area was pushed open and three people entered.

Shang Ruohai, Yan Renzhong, and Ye Lingxia.

"Hello there, Shen Jingwei!" Shang Ruohai beamed at Shen Jingwei. "Are you here for some evening practice before bed?"

Shen Jingwei chuckled.

"Unfortunately, all studios are booked."

"In that case, why don’t you practice with us?" Ye Lingxia kindly offered.

Shen Jingwei’s mouth fell open in astonishment.

"But... Won’t I disturb you?"

"Noo, not at all!" Shang Ruohai said. "What’s one more person? Come, come, it is healthy to get sweaty after dinner. Remember to take a shower before bed, hm?"

If it was not a lucky coincidence, Shen Jingwei did not know what was.

Shang Ruohai grabbed Shen Jingwei’s arm and dragged him toward their studio.

Yan Renzhong and Ye Lingxia followed closely behind them.

The private studios varied in size. The one Shang Ruohai booked for his group’s use was the largest of them all, enough to accommodate ten people who wanted to practice their arts at the same time without disturbing each other.

Once they entered, Shang Ruohai went to sit on a bean bag and scrolled through his phone.

Yan Renzhong and Ye Lingxia drew their wooden swords and started sparring with each other.

Shen Jingwei, like a shy wallflower, went to the farthest end of the studio.

With Zhu Dongyi’s books as his guide, he began to practice the sword techniques described in the pages.

Deeply immersed in his own training, he did not even notice how much time passed.

And then, Yan Renzhong suddenly spoke to him.

"Shen Jingwei, when are you planning to go back?"

Only then did Shen Jingwei realize that Shang Ruohai and Ye Lingxia had already left, leaving him and Yan Renzhong alone in the studio.