Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 73 : A Wicked Scheme (1)

Chapter 73: Chapter 73 : A Wicked Scheme (1)

The Winter Solstice scene unfolded at a lakeside pavilion, bathed in the ethereal glow of a full moon.

The night was crisp and clear, a stark contrast to the artificial clouds that had been conjured to fill the lake, leaving only a crescent-shaped void where the lanterns from the Human Realm were supposed to ascend.

The pavilion, adorned with crimson lanterns that swayed gently in the breeze, echoed with the festive murmur of the gathering.

Within, a sumptuous banquet awaited, with tables laden with mouthwatering delicacies. Succulent meat dumplings, their aroma tantalizing to the senses, were paired with bowls of sweet, glutinous rice dumplings.

Steamed fish, delicately flavored with ginger and black ear mushrooms, was complemented by the crisp texture of stir-fried bamboo shoots, which was tossed with minced garlic and sprinkled with chopped spring onions.

Jugs of fragrant wine, their contents shimmering in the lantern light, stood ready to be shared among the banquet participants.

The air was charged with anticipation as guests, dressed in their finest attire, took their seats according to the hierarchy.

The laughter and chatter of small children, who sported various animal ears and tails to represent the palaces they hailed from, added a touch of youthful exuberance to the celebration.

Lang Yuxuan stood in his position and took a deep breath.

The cold night’s air entered his lungs in an instant.

It did little to disperse the nervosity pooling at the bottom of his stomach.

He hated scenes where he had to act with people other than Yan Renzhong.

His Senior Yan always knew how to bring out the best in him.

The others, not so much.

Particularly Shen Jingwei, this no-good Z-Lister who always dragged Yan Renzhong down with his mediocre performance.

He already messed up twice in four shooting periods.

Thanks to him, the production of "Dance Of The Dragons" was delayed.

Lang Yuxuan bit into his lower lip in resentment.

Back then, he was on the verge of proposing a change of actor to fill the male lead role.

But then, unexpectedly, Yan Renzhong expressed his wish to step out of the drama for good.

While the news caught Lang Yuxuan off guard, it was not exactly unwelcome.

If Yan Renzhong no longer had any interest in performing in "Dance Of The Dragons", surely because he was sick of dealing with Shen Jingwei, then Lang Yuxuan would be more than happy to follow suit.

Little did he know, Yan Renzhong’s mind was as fickle as the wind, shifting from resignation to commitment in the blink of an eye.

Arghhhhh.

He almost drove Lang Yuxuan crazy with his antics.

"Liu Wenyuan, get ready," a production crew warned him.

Lang Yuxuan gave him a curt nod.

And that was how he ended up back in this drama again, having to witness Shen Jingwei and Yan Renzhong kissing each other like their lives depended on it the last time, and having to act along with Shen Jingwei during the Winter Solstice act this time.

What a hateful act.

And what a hateful co-star.

"Camera, ready! Anndddd action!!!"

Lang Yuxuan stood up straight and started walking along the corridor.

When he passed a chamber, a familiar voice caught his attention, prompting him to stop and listen.

Through the slightly open door, he could see Shen Jingwei and his two maids inside. The two maids were busy working on Shen Jingwei’s costume.

By chance, they had to pick up a box of hair accessories that they accidentally left in the carriage.

Their departure opened a window of opportunity for Lang Yuxuan to exact his plan.

"Excuse me."

Shen Jingwei raised his eyes and looked at Lang Yuxuan’s reflection in the mirror.

"Your Majesty, it’s your turn soon, but your hair is not yet done. May I offer some assistance?"

Shen Jingwei turned around to look at Lang Yuxuan.

"No need. You should not wander out on your own. Where are your maids?"

Lang Yuxuan smiled in response.

"The Empress has requested my help in banquet preparation. I am here to do my job."

"Ah."

Lang Yuxuan took a step closer to Shen Jingwei, "Can I come and help? It is very crowded out there. Everyone is quite busy."

At last, Shen Jingwei agreed.

"If you don’t mind, that would be great."

Lang Yuxuan’s smile grew wider as he stepped into the room and positioned himself behind Shen Jingwei.

"Your Majesty, you have long, beautiful hair," he praised as he took a handful of Shen Jingwei’s silky, smooth, and long hair.

"... Thank you for the compliment."

"Thinking about it, the Crown Prince helped me twice but I haven’t had the chance to say thank you."

"..."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. If not for your benevolence, I might rot behind bars the last time."

At this moment, Lang Yuxuan believed that his emotions overlapped with Liu Wenyuan’s completely.

He could understand why Liu Wenyuan did what he did.

Xie Jianyu, much like Shen Jingwei, was trying to take Zhang Fengxi away from him!

Fueled by his own hatred toward Shen Jingwei, Lang Yuxuan thrust the silver comb in his hand hard into Shen Jingwei’s scalp.

Although the comb’s tip lacked the razor-sharp edge of a blade, its spiky ends still inflicted a stinging pain upon Shen Jingwei.

Shen Jingwei let out a soft hissing sound through his teeth.

Lang Yuxuan dropped the comb onto the floor.

"Oh, I am so sorry. Your Majesty, please forgive me..."

Shen Jingwei barely suppressed a sneer, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and contempt.

This scene must have brought Lang Yuxuan a perverse sense of satisfaction.

Soon afterward, the maids returned and Lang Yuxuan made his exit.

"Cut...!!!"

Shen Jingwei raised his hand to touch the aching spot on his head, but it bumped against his golden crown instead.

"Xie Jianyu, please do not mess with your hair!" A hairstylist cried out before she quickly fixed the position of the crown on Shen Jingwei’s head.

"..."

Apparently, he had no other choice but to endure the discomfort until the performance concluded.

The moment he could remove his hair crown, he would waste no time in soothing the aching area with a much-needed massage.

After a brief respite on his side, the next scene commenced.

Aided by two metal wires, Shen Jingwei effortlessly stepped off the ground and launched himself skyward, heading toward the dance stage.