Ch3 – With all due respect, you have shit taste
Li Guanzong pulled Shao Si’s sleeve with trembling hands.
Yet Shao Si didn’t react at all, only digging a piece of paper out of his pocket and asking if he had a pen because he wanted to get the sister’s phone number.
“Pen what pen,” Li Guangzong hated that iron couldn’t become steel, “Look over there, 45 degrees— behind the pillar, it’s Gu Yanzhou! God! I’m actually breathing the same air as my god!”
Shao Si, “…I remember you brought a pen.”
Li Guangzong completely ignored his actor, his five senses seemed to be glued onto Gu Yanzhou, excited till he was flustered, “When did he come? Did he hear what we said? Daddy I didn’t say anything bad did I? Think for me, I feel like I’m about to die, I can’t think…”
You idiot!
Shao Si turned back and smiled softly at sister makeup artist, “Do you mind if I borrow your phone?”
The sister seemed to be stunned by a certain Film Emperor, only returning to her senses after Shao Si spoke. She found the person in front of her with eyes curved up, making her feel drunk in that kind of passionate gaze, especially when he only sees you in his eyes. She had clearly touched a block of ice, but her heart had unexpectedly heated up instead.
Thus the sister didn’t think before handing her phone over, even taking the initiative to unlock it.
As Shao Si held the small phone in his hand, the screen seemed to shrink.
Shao Si input his own phone number into it and called, hanging up immediately before the ringing sounded. The whole process was fast, no more than 20 seconds. He took his own phone out after and found the unknown caller.
Makeup artist, “…?”
Shao Si bullshitted, “I think your makeup skills aren’t bad, let’s work together next time.”
“Oh, of course…” The sister’s face reddened like an apple, “I’d be honoured. I’m sorry I’m too excited, I don’t know what to say.”
Li Guangzong finished getting flustered, picking up the thermos from the floor and missed the interaction between the two people beside him. He patted Shao Si, whispering, “Don’t play with your phone, go over and say hi to the Film Emperor.”
“For what?” To be honest, Shao Si just didn’t want to move. He sat on the chair and crossed his legs, “Going so carelessly wouldn’t be too good, would it?”
Li Guangzong kicked the back of his chair, dragging him over.
As they walked closer, Director Wang finally remembered that there was still another person within the makeup room— the sprout he had chosen from the audition. He facepalmed himself, “You came just in time, I almost forgot. This is Gu Yanzhou, I probably don’t need to introduce him… Yanzhou, this is Shao Si. Sigh, Xiao Si you’re from D Film too, right? This is your senior from a few years earlier.”
It’s true that he graduated from D Film Academy but he had been busy exposing shady deeds to save his own life back then. Which girls had a sugar daddy, school violence, Head of Grades receiving bribes, he’d exposed quite a number of those. Thus he didn’t know about a lot of the famous seniors there.
…Plus he’s got face blindness. (t/n: every face looks the same if theyre strangers lmao)
“Gu shixiong, I’ve heard a lot about you but it seems like a hundred praises aren’t worth a single glance at the real person.” Shao Si reached over a hand, not a single sign that he was annoyed and spoke quickly. He gave himself full marks for that. (t/n: shixiong is senior brother)
Holy shit the curve of Laozi’s mouth right now is just too perfect! Not too cold and not too warm.
He only had time to study the person in front of him after he said his opening statement, the man from the rumours… the man that stands at the top of the entertainment circle.
Shao Si will never achieve the beauty that Gu Yanzhou possesses, Li Guangzong had almost chased him around with a kitchen knife for this. That day, Li Guanzong— who was forged in iron— had a high fever and was sick in bed. Shao Si and the assistant checked up on him right after filming.
Li Guangzong had posters of Gu Yanzhou pasted all over his walls. As the assistant was warming water for him, Shao Si tapped his chin and told his manager: This is your male god? You might as well just hang my posters, I look much better.”
This agitated Li Guangzong so much that he found the last sliver of strength he possessed and shot up and started beating him.
Let’s not bring up the past.
Shao Si felt like his eyes were completely fine, but everyone else felt like his taste was shit.
But Shao Si always stubbornly believed that, since I think I’m handsome and you guys also think I’m handsome, how can my taste be shit? There’s no way.
Gu Yanzhou truly looked average.
……
“Hello,” The ‘average-looking man’ smiled, shaking his hand. Shao Si noticed that there wasn’t anything extra on his hand, very simple and his bones defined. Warm and clean.
They shook hands for three seconds before Gu Yanzhou let go.
Both parties nodded to each other and never spoke again.
Li Guangzong carefully cut in from the side, “Hello, I’m a huge fan of yours… Can I… s-shake your hand too?”
Shao Si put his hand behind his back, secretly pinching him, warning him not to reveal such a stupid and dazed look. But this pinch made him notice that Li Guangzong’s back was full of sweat, and now his hand was also wet.
Shao Si’s face froze, wiping his hands roughly on his pants in disgust.
Li Guangzong froze, “What are you touching my ass for?”
……
Awkward silence….
Thankfully, Gu Yanzhou didn’t mind, taking the initiative to shake Li Guangzong’s hand instead.
Shao Si saw Li Guangzong looking like an idiot and felt like he’d chop his hand off and worship it forever.
Director Wang pretended not to hear anything. He had contacted Gu Yanzhou with the intention of making him the second male lead in his new film. This child might as well have been raised by him, with insane talents. They had collaborated frequently back when Gu Yanzhou was a new actor.
Although Gu Yanzhou has always called him his teacher, Director Wang never took it to heart. He’s been in the circle for too long, he’s seen too many actors that look down on him after reaching fame, the small celebrities that require him to book appointments before meeting.
But Gu Yanzhou was an exception. Even as his value increased over the years, the price given to Director Wang was still the same as before, one million per movie. One million. (t/n: about uhuhuh about 200 thousand SGD) (e/n: around 158300.5 USD)
How much was a million?
One million was low to the point that Director Wang would be shameless to accept it. But he couldn’t continue being stubborn when Gu Yanzhou comforted him: “You’ve always spent a lot of money on production, so don’t think so much. If this film takes off, I’ll also be able to increase my fame, so I won’t be losing anything. It’s just that my profit isn’t something money can buy.”
“Director Wang, if you had told me about this earlier, I definitely would have agreed.” Gu Yanzhou continued with Director Wang, his tone gentle. His face was actually attractive in a way that demanded attention, but that sort of “in your face” vibe was forced down by his calm temperament, becoming just as toned down as his style. “Director Feng got me a role last week, so it’ll be too rushed with both of you.”
“Ay, Lao Feng is stealing my people again.” Director Wang’s anger rose as quickly as it fell, “Did you come here just to say this? Just call me for these kinds of things next time, how could I delay such a bigshot from his work?”
“Talking about this was secondary, I came because I wanted to talk to you. It’s been half a year since I last saw you.”
His conversational skills are top tier, maybe a wolf in sheep’s clothing. (t/n: prolly saying that hes a two faced liar or smth lmao)
Shao Si quietly made the observation.
In the next second, Director Wang dragged him in front of said wolf.
Then he pulled Gu Yanzhou’s hand and placed it on top of Shao Si, saying, “I was going to have you bring Xiao Si around. This child is a good seed, he’ll definitely have learnt a lot following you, but it seems that there is no opportunity.”
Shao Si thought, What opportunity, sounds like we’re dating or something.
Gu Yanzhou looked from Shao Si’s face down to their interlocking hands.
Shao Si’s hair rose, wanting to take his hand back when he heard Gu Yanzhou’s calm yet subtle undertone voice, “How could there be no opportunity.”
……
Even after Director Wang brought the strongest group to send off Gu Yanzhou, Shao Si was still spacing out with a name card in his hand.
Half a beat later, he opened his mouth, turning to ask Li Guangzong, “Kiddo, why do you think he gave me a name card?”
“Flirting?” (t/n: not technically flirting but it kinda is, its like trying to sound u out and see if ure interested)
Li Guangzong found that Shao Si was tapping his chin and thinking of the possibility and kicked him, “I’m joking! Don’t get so complacent after someone shows you goodwill! Director Wang wanted him to teach you so how could he not give him some face?”
“I see. That makes me feel better.”
Feel better my ass!
I’ll die from anger because of you!
How can the actor I have been so shameless? You’re the most shameless one I’ve ever had.
Li Guangzong pondered just what ability he had that allowed him to live until now.
The first scene was pretty simple, Shao Si didn’t NG much either. Director Wang had predicted 8 hours for it to finish but under Shao Si’s high efficiency, it had been shrunk into 6.
This youth was even more impressive than he had thought.
The early stages of preparation took quite a long time. Including the so-called audition, it was about 3 months spent on it alone.
‘Infiltrate’ was another movie about police, but it wasn’t Narcotics police this time, it was about a spy in the underworld.
Director Wang’s projects were bound to be high-quality.
Shao Si was extremely serious while filming this because he was about 90% sure that the company would arrange for him to play in some shit commercials with high pay and a spicy plot.
To receive Director Wang’s film this time was only to borrow the title of Film Emporer he just received to solidify the persona of ‘Powerful Film Emporer’.
Shao Si missed the times when he could pick and choose the films he wanted to act in.
On the way back, he asked Li Guangzong what made the entertainment circle get worse as time went on.
“Daddy, is your brain okay? Why are you asking the kind of question that would make the entire 13 Billion of the Chinese population silent.” Li Guangzong gave Shao Si a bottle of water, “Water?”
Shao Si took it but still didn’t give up, “…Now that the economy is more and more developed, the human spirit is instead falling to the point of extreme scarcity. Don’t you think it’s regretful?” (t/n: human spirit as in like sportsmanship ig???)
“……”
Shao Si, “Why aren’t you speaking?”
Li Guangzong massaged his temples, “How about you sleep.”
Shao Si thought about it, then threw the water away, falling asleep.
He had been too alert during the film and suppressed his exhaustion. Now that he’d been reminded of it, his sleepiness had peaked its head out again.
Li Guangzong also wanted to take a nap, but at the critical moment, he suddenly remembered, “Shao Si! Please tell me you didn’t fucking throw the name card Emporer Gu gave you.”
“…Right, how could I forget to throw it?”
Shao Si curled up in the backseat, the blanket covering his face.
Li Guangzong watched his hand search around the blanket until a wrist slowly reached out from underneath, holding a name card in between its fingers.
“What are you giving this to me for?” Li Guangzong was so mad he laughed, “Send him a message yourself. You just met, so you should greet him while he still remembers you.”
Shao Si ignored him.
“Did you hear me? Speed up.”
“I’m counting to three! You’ll regret it!”
“3, 2…”
“Jesus Christ,” Li Guangzong used the chair as support and stood up, he leant towards the back seat and took the name card from Shao Si’s hand, admitting defeat, “Give me your phone, I’ll send it.”
Li Guangzong felt that he was the nanny picking up shit for Shao Si, worrying about everything.
—Gu shixiong, I’m Shao Si, we just met today. I’m actually a huge fan of yours, you’re my idol. I’ll be in your hands, shixiong. [/cute]
Sent.
Li Guangzong sent it and opened Shao Si’s Weibo, looked for Gu Yanzhou and dropped a follow.
Just as he was about to throw the phone back at Shao Si, the phone vibrated.
—“Thank you. I also like you a lot, good luck with your new show. Wish you success.”
Sender: Gu Yanzhou
Addict Translations 