Second Take On Romance - The A-List Actor Wants Me
Chapter 75 : A Romantic Rendezvous By The Lake

Chapter 75: Chapter 75 : A Romantic Rendezvous By The Lake

Once the shooting concluded, the banquet began in earnest.

More and more dishes poured out from Peak Point Shooting Studio’s kitchen to pamper the participants’ rumbling bellies, courtesy of CNC Studio.

Shen Jingwei only ate a few mouthfuls before he excused himself to take a walk near the lake.

At this time, the lake was teeming with rented boats that gently bobbed up and down the water surface. Peak Point Shooting Studio, ever the opportunist, had organized a lantern viewing event at the lake, open for public.

The boats, on the other hand, must be rented.

Nevertheless, it was a small price to pay for a romantic evening.

Couples were seen drifting along the water in solitary boats, with the mesmerizing lantern above their heads as the only source of light.

The soft light reflected on the calm water, creating a mesmerizing dance of shadows and reflections. The atmosphere was filled with a sense of tranquility and romance, as couples enjoyed the intimate setting and the breathtaking view of the sky.

"Sir, do you want to rent a boat?" An excited boat rental operator approached Shen Jingwei in a hurry. "You are here quite late. The lanterns have already been released. I can give you 30% discount! Well? Well???"

Shen Jingwei laughed.

"I am alone here. What do I need a boat ride for?"

"You can still enjoy the view without a partner!" The operator insisted. "Alright, what about 35%? Hmm?"

"We will take it," someone announced before Shen Jingwei could dish out another polite rejection.

It was Yan Renzhong.

"Come on," he said as he walked past Shen Jingwei.

The latter watched with a touch of astonishment as Yan Renzhong followed the operator to select one of his remaining boats.

A part of him yearned to flee, while another compelled him to stay. The night was exquisite, and a boat ride with Yan Renzhong seemed rather harmless.

The water lapped against the hull as Yan Renzhong steered their boat to the center of the lake. Soon, they were adrift in a vast expanse, surrounded by other boats.

They were far enough away to avoid eavesdropping, yet close enough to see the others’ shadowy figures huddled together intimately.

As opposed to him and Yan Renzhong, who each sat at the ends of the boat, obviously trying to get as far away as possible from each other.

Shen Jingwei cleared his throat.

"So, what’s up?"

Under the lantern light, it was impossible to see the expression on Yan Renzhong’s face.

"... How are you feeling?"

Shen Jingwei chuckled.

"I am alive. Thanks for saving me. Even if I supposedly won’t die from falling from such height."

"Death is not necessarily the worst ending for a person," Yan Renzhong remarked.

"..."

Okay?

"You did a good job tonight," Yan Renzhong praised. "Shang Ruohai will do everything in his power to investigate tonight’s incident. I hope you won’t let it affect your future performance."

A corner of Shen Jingwei’s lips tugged up in a smirk.

So that was why they were even here.

What else did he expect?

Be it Shang Ruohai or Yan Renzhong, all they cared about was the continuation of the drama.

No one cared for a worthless Z-Lister’s life and death.

"I know," Shen Jingwei replied. "I won’t speak about the incident. I will play Xie Jianyu’s role to the end."

"... Yes, that’s for the best."

Silence engulfed them for the next fifteen minutes, during which Shen Jingwei wondered why Yan Renzhong did not just steer them back to the edge of the lake.

Surely he didn’t expect Shen Jingwei to swear an oath of silence by using his blood?

"You sure care a lot about this drama," Shen Jingwei remarked after a while, unable to endure the suffocating silence any longer.

"Don’t you?" Yan Renzhong asked in return.

"I do, because it’s my first big role ever," Shen Jingwei admitted. "But you have played important roles in many blockbuster movies. Why do you care so much about ’Dance Of The Dragons’?"

Yan Renzhong took a deep breath before he answered.

"Professional actors stick to their roles once they commit their time and energy to certain jobs. I care about all dramas and movies I partake in, be it in the past, present, or future."

Spoken like a true professional. His answer made Shen Jingwei feel so small and meaningless.

It was good that they were hulled in darkness. Otherwise, Yan Renzhong would be able to see his darkened expression.

"I understand," Shen Jingwei meekly said in response.

"... It’s good if you do."

Another suffocating period of silence followed.

Shen Jingwei was itching to ask what Yan Renzhong dragged him out to the lake for.

If he merely wanted to extract a certain promise from Shen Jingwei, then congratulations, he already achieved his goal.

So then, why were they still drifting around in the boat?

Did Yan Renzhong drop the oars into the water, or what?

Shen Jingwei squinted at the sides of the boat. He saw the two oars resting neatly in their holders.

Shen Jingwei opened his mouth to speak.

"Yan..."

A deafening roar drowned out his next words. A dazzling display of fireworks erupted overhead, each one more spectacular than the last. Shen Jingwei stared in awe at the breathtaking spectacle of light and color.

"Wow," he mouthed.

Yan Renzhong, sitting at the opposite end of the boat, was not captivated by the fireworks. His gaze was fixed on Shen Jingwei’s side profile. A soft smile graced his lips as he watched Shen Jingwei’s smiling face.

Once the firework show ended, the boats returned to the edge of the lake one by one.

"So, uh, thank you. I will pay half of the fare, how much?" Shen Jingwei asked Yan Renzhong once they were back on dry land.

Yan Renzhong shot him an irritated look.

"I don’t accept small changes."

"...."

Did it mean that Shen Jingwei had to pay him a million Yuan for the boat ride, or what?

Shen Jingwei rolled with his eyes, scoffed, and left.

Yan Renzhong chuckled to himself when he saw Shen Jingwei stomp away in indignation.

At that time, a beam of light fell on top of his face, coming from a person under a tree.

Yan Renzhong climbed up the slope to reach the person, who was snarling at him unhappily with both arms folded before his chest.

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Author’s note :

Mini theater!

Emperor Yan wrote in his diary : I had an amazing date with the Empress today. He looked so happy. I hope we can go on more exciting dates in the future.

Empress Shen wrote in his diary : I have never had a worse date in my life. He was taciturn and unsociable. Will never go on another date with the Emperor!