Chapter 5 – Acting on the Spot

The two men maintained their handshake for an indeterminate amount of time, neither wanting to be the first to let go—a sight that left Director Xu utterly baffled.

As a director, emotions seldom escaped his notice. To him, something seemed off about the way the two looked at each other—a forced calm, an assumed nonchalance, all while sparks flew across the chasm between them, as though they were setting off fireworks for each other.

What was going on? It was like two Parkinson’s patients, in their shared plight, were finding kindred spirits in one another, their feelings deepening in the midst of shared suffering.

“Ahem,” Director Xu cleared his throat, reminding the two not to take things too far.

It was only upon hearing the cough that Jiang Heng came back to his senses and hastily pulled his hand away.

“You go get ready; we’ll shoot your scene first this afternoon,” Director Xu instructed Jiang Heng, then shifted his gaze to Shen Fubai, scrutinizing him up and down, his satisfaction with Fubai’s looks evident, “You, go get your styling done; we’ll take your official photo this morning.”

The starring cast of “Pear Blossoms” had long since had their character photos released and shared with the public, but the role of Yu Tang had remained unconfirmed. This character was a figure of immense charm, and not just anyone could portray him. Because Director Xu couldn’t find a suitable candidate, he had left the role uncast—until the investor made a late and unexpected intervention, forcing someone into the spot.

Director Xu was well-known in the industry, but not enough to stand up to the investors. He swallowed his frustration and resigned himself. Fortunately, after looking at Shen Fubai’s photo, he was truly dazzled, much of his anger dissipating. The only concern left was the playboy actor’s professionalism and acting skills.

The character photos of the other roles in the show were already up online, with Jiang Heng’s military uniform photo spreading far and wide, draining countless people of their blood with its sheer beauty. The one remaining mystery was the peerless Yu Tang, and the internet eagerly awaited the release of his character photo.

When the news broke that Shen Fubai had been chosen to play Yu Tang, online reactions were polarized. On one side, there were those who said, “Shen Fubai is the perfect choice for Yu Tang with his looks,” gushing over his appearance. On the other, there were those who said, “Yu Tang can’t be played by just a pretty face,” ruthlessly mocking Shen Fubai’s acting.

If he played this role well, he would shoot to fame overnight—or he already was famous; this work was what could potentially transition him from a celebrity to a serious actor.

If he failed, he would be shunned and mocked by all.

Taking on such a role, a normal person would feel exceptionally pressured, but Shen Fubai did not.

He was currently feeling quite flighty.

He nearly floated as he walked.

“I’m going to die. I shook hands with Heng Heng. Even the shape of his hand is so beautiful.” While walking back to the dressing room, Shen Fubai gazed at his hand with a look of affection, as though it were a priceless treasure. “I’ve made my decision. I will never wash my hands again. I’ll preserve the scent of Heng Heng.”

Xiao Lin said, “Brother Shen, you need not play Yu Tang. You are better suited for the role of that obsessed man who doesn’t bathe for three years and chases after Yu Tang in the show.”

Shen Fubai: “I’ll deduct your salary if you keep this up.”

Xiao Lin: “Go ahead and deduct it. It’s only a dollar anyway.”

And in all truthfulness, he’d never once really made the deduction.

The character photo for Yu Tang was in the image of a performer. Upon entering the dressing room, Shen Fubai was promptly whisked away to change into his costume, coming out in the regalia of the leading actress.

“You look stunning in your attire,” the stylist remarked, having worked on the looks of many celebrities, and even he was awestruck by Shen Fubai’s transformation.

Shen Fubai was born to dance the classical style, every move a piece of poetry. With a body proportioned like the perfect golden ratio, standing at 1.8 meters tall, his legs stretching 1.1 meters, his shape was slender and gracefully proportioned. The theatrical clothing hugged his figure, accentuating his beauty.

“Thank you,” Shen Fubai raised the curtain, adjusting his gown before seating himself in front of the dressing table, allowing the make-up artists to do their work on his face as he held it still.

Theatrical make-up was complex. Preparing the skin properly for the make-up was crucial, ensuring the cosmetics wouldn’t harm it, before applying a base to bleach out the entire face, followed by blush, heavy eye shadow, two strokes of willowy eyebrows, and a final layer of lipstick.

As the makeup artist dabbed the powder onto Shen Fubai’s face, he held his breath—this face, too close to be anything less than perfection. Up close, his skin was pore-less, with a high and straight nose, soft lips, and well-defined features. Most striking were his eyes, capable of ensnaring one’s soul as his gaze shifted with alluring light.

“How remarkably great your skin is. How do you usually maintain it?” Even the makeup artist, an expert in all the skincare tips and tricks, was genuinely envious.

Shen Fubai tilted his eyes in a smile. “I’m naturally gifted,” he said, his voice tinted with amusement.

His smile, combined with those amorous eyes, momentarily left the makeup artist in a daze, causing the brush to veer off, resulting in an uneven rouge.

“Ah, I’m so sorry! You’re such a humorist,” the makeup artist hurriedly rectified the mistake, “Let me redo it.”

Shen Fubai smiled. “No problem.”

The makeup artist silently begged him to stop smiling, she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

The sheer force of Shen Fubai’s facial appeal was overwhelming. She had been given the chance to apply makeup on such an ethereal face, feeling herself steeped in divinity, nearly undergoing a transcendental transformation. The real person was incredibly amicable, pure, and unpretentious; not at all like those cheap and ostentatious vixens on the outside!

She had decided right then and there, she was going to join the army of Shen Fubai’s admirers of his exquisite looks! She would be one of the most die-hard ones!

“Close your eyes.” The newly converted fan-girl prepared to apply the eyeliner on Shen Fubai.

Shen Fubai obediently closed his eyes.

The new fan-girl inhaled deeply; she was seasoned in makeup and her hand had always been as steady as a dog’s, but this time, she felt panic-stricken, fearing she might not make this face more perfect.

It was fortunate Shen Fubai closed his eyes; otherwise, she would be incapable of applying any makeup, too busy being in awe.

The makeup artist accentuated Shen Fubai’s eyes with eyeliner and applied a rosy eye shadow, painting the eye’s outer corners to extend to the temples, completing his eyeshadow.

Upon the completion of his eyeshadow, it gave him the essence of a famous performer.

—Evidently, Shen Fubai did not believe in keeping silent.

Right after his eyeshadow was done, Shen Fubai exclaimed, “Wow, who is this? They’re stunning.”

—Not that the charm hadn’t been completely undone by his unexpected words.

The makeup artist’s hands were like magic, turning ordinary into extraordinary. Shen Fubai already had the beauty of the gods, but with the flawless makeup technique adding to his looks, the effect was breathtaking.

After finishing Shen Fubai’s makeup, the artist started on his hairstyle. She put a wig on him, adorning it with jade ornaments, and decorated it with splendidly shimmering vines. The moment Shen Fubai lifted his eyes, everyone involuntarily exclaimed a “Wow.”

This was… too damn beautiful…

Xiao Lin was stunned, as though he had never known Shen Fubai before. “Brother Shen… you’re really beautiful.”

He had always known that Shen Fubai’s beauty surpassed the heavens, but he had never imagined that his appearance in costume could push the limits of expectation further than he had ever allowed himself to imagine.

Xiao Lin expected Shen Fubai to respond with something like, “That goes without saying—who do you think I am?” at this point. However, he refrained.

The young man, resplendent in his theatrical attire, laughed in front of the mirror, a hint of light scoffing. “They only love my façade, which is bearable.”

A slight start was seen in the eyes of the onlookers.

Shen Fubai’s words were directly from the script of “Pear Blossoms.”

Yu Tang was the pillar of the Pear Orchard Troupe, drawing a full house for each of his performances. Noblemen from all over the city showered him with their fortunes, and countless performers envied him with admiration.

Once, before a performance, Yu Tang was applying make-up in front of the dressing mirror when a child admired him and exclaimed, “Brother Tang, you’re so beautiful.”

Yu Tang only chuckled softly, lacing his self-deprecating remarks with disillusionment: “They only love my façade, which is bearable.”

Shen Fubai unexpectedly said a line from the script; it was compelling, leaving the makeup artist and others looking at each other, unsure of how to respond.

Shen Fubai had simply picked up on the similarity between Xiao Lin’s comment and the script’s dialogue, unintentionally uttering a line. Noticing everyone’s confusion, he was about to continue as normal when he heard a response.

“There’s no need for Brother Tang to undervalue himself.”

It was Director Xu and Jiang Heng, fresh from his military uniform styling.

Jiang Heng’s scenes were to be shot in the afternoon, and they had only planned to watch Shen Fubai’s character photo shoot. But upon arriving, they heard Shen Fubai reciting the lines from the script.

There was a note of bitter derision in his voice, a deep-rooted resentment—portrayed to perfection.

Jiang Heng, who knew the script well, recognized the scene the lines came from and entered the character, responding to Shen Fubai’s dialogue.

Dressed in his military uniform, Jiang Heng held his cap in his hand, his eyes cold and stern. Though his default features were delicate and refined, he had suppressed them for this moment, emanating an aura of bloodshed from the battlefield and an unyielding spirit.

He walked over to the dressing chair, rested both hands on the backrest, leaned slightly forward, and looked at the youth through the mirror, “Brother Tang, you’re beautiful. But what I like isn’t just your beauty.”

Swoon! Heng Heng is right behind me!

Shen Fubai didn’t turn around; he just stared at the reflection in the mirror, his expression subdued. “When did the general return?”

“Yesterday,” Jiang Heng paused, “I was hoping to come see you right away, but…I had to meet with my granduncle.” He placed his arms around Shen Fubai’s shoulders.

Oh, mercy! Heng Heng is touching my shoulder! Please descend a little lower, don’t hold back!

“Enough.” Shen Fubai fiercely pushed Jiang Heng’s hand away, bolted to his feet, and spun around, causing the braid to quiver faintly. “Didn’t you go meet that Miss Zhang? You went out to engage in blind dates; you could’ve told the truth; why did you have to lie to me?!”

He spoke with such intense emotions that his eyes brimmed with anger, making it difficult to discern whether it was the make-up or genuine tears. However, the indisputable anguish had been clearly communicated.

Jiang Heng was pushed back a step, wincing as he clutched his arm.

“Director Xu, should we… ?” The staff was unsure whether to intervene as the situation seemed to be unfolding in an unexpected manner.

Director Xu raised his hand, indicating for everyone to remain silent and watch them continue.

Jiang Heng and Shen Fubai were both giving exceptional performances.

In this scene, Shen Fubai had heard that the Chu family was planning a matchmaking banquet for the second young master, Chu Yu. He had stewed in resentment all day, and when Chu Yu didn’t address the issue head-on, his emotions surged.

As for Chu Yu, he had been injured on the battlefield, tending to his wounds for quite some time. He had indeed missed the matchmaking banquet. After wrapping his injuries, he hurried over to see Yu Tang; he couldn’t tell him about his injuries, which is why he was suddenly pushed by a disheartened Yu Tang, precisely on where the wounds lay.

So the wincing of Jiang Heng was eerily accurate.

To be truthful, the heartache that Shen Fubai felt was all too genuine—he had actually pushed Heng Heng away!

Jiang Heng’s wince was genuine as well—he could not bear to see Shen Fubai distressed, not even when it was a charade.

“You leave.” Shen Fubai calmed himself, but his hands clenched tightly under the sleeves of his gown. “The show is about to start. If the general wants to watch the show, you could sit upstairs.”

“Brother Tang—” Jiang Heng called out in response.

“General, on your wedding day, you can invite the drama troupe in the city to perform for your enjoyment. There’s no need to invite me,” Shen Fubai turned around, sat back in front of the mirror, and whispered, “Don’t make a spectacle of me that way.”