Chapter 8 – Senior, You First

In an explosive moment, Shen Fubai, his mind reeling from the prospect of his idol seeking his contact details, blurted, “Sure, your name on the deed’s fine with me. The whole row of houses in Chaoyang District is mine, pick any one.”

Jiang Heng: “…”

Shen Fubai: “…”

What are you babbling about, Shen Fubai? Did the door pinch your brain on your way out this morning? Shen Fubai howled inwardly.

Jiang Heng was caught aback for a moment, then smiled gently, “That sounds too lavish of a gift.”

Look at that, how adept he is at handling awkwardness. His resolution so gentle; he even found an out for him.

Shen Fubai’s inner monologue sang more praises for Jiang Heng, just as he prepared to laugh it off, he noticed Jiang Heng fumbling in his pocket. He then handed him a keychain. “It’s only fair you pick, I have nothing better to offer.”

Shen Fubai’s smile froze.

It wasn’t the keychain itself; it was the array of car keys dangling from it.

Rolls-Royce, Maserati, Lamborghini, Porsche, Bugatti…

Damn, Heng Heng, you’re loaded.

Heng Heng, your pocket’s like a bottomless treasure chest.

Heng Heng, you said something about reciprocation? Are you hell bent on getting on my properties’ deeds?

Shen Fubai’s expression revealed his very thoughts, and Jiang Heng effortlessly deciphered them, inwardly whispering, I’m hoping for your family registry too.

Jiang Heng felt a pang of urgency too. Silently, he understood that Shen’s proposition was an ill-fated jest. This impulsiveness on his part was off-putting. So, he collected the keychain nonchalantly. “Let’s swap contact codes. Should I scan you or vice versa?”

“Scan me…” Shen Fubai, at the ready with his phone’s lock screen, shut it immediately, panic-stricken.

He forgot one thing: his lock screen wallpaper, his keyboard cover image, his chat background, all were photos of Jiang Heng.

“I’ll scan you.” Shen Fubai interrupted himself, hastily switching to the scanning page as he securely blocked the view of his phone from Jiang Heng. He could not risk any exposure.

Whose turn it was didn’t matter, but Shen was wary not to expose his phone’s pages to Jiang Heng. A mishap leading to its display was the last thing he needed.

Jiang Heng was hesitant too.

Remembering that Shen Fubai graced every background in his phone, including his WeChat profile picture…

The two exchanged glances, falling into a stumped silence-

“So, solely because of that lame reason, you didn’t exchange contacts with the famous actor Jiang?” Xiaolin couldn’t hold back any longer at this part of Shen’s tale.

Shen Fubai reclined on the bed, eyes a hazy mess. “Don’t mention it. The involved party really feels regretful, remarkably regretful.”

It was nine o’clock Beijing time. Their day’s engagements were complete, returning to the hotel.

The first day was uneventful. Primarily for stills and poster shoots, followed by Jiang Heng’s uncrucial afternoon performance, before the minor characters had their scenes. The evening wrapped up with a team dinner, leading them back to their reserved hotel.

Shen Fubai, bogged down with his awkwardness, refused to inch forward for scanning Jiang Heng. Jiang Heng, likely thinking Shen disinterested in this formality, politely offered his respect.

The WeChat addition was thus thwarted.

Shen Fubai gave a strained smile before hastening away. To an outsider, it appeared as a flamboyantly made-up youth delivering a cold smile, then hastily leaving like dodging lightning. It only solidified the long-standing discord between Shen Fubai and Jiang Heng.

He entertained the idea of killing himself now.

Shen Fubai, what’s wrong with you? Heng Heng offered to add you, and you… then…

Shen Fubai placed an arm on his eyes, sighing heavily, sensing crumbling and cracking worlds.

Xiaolin could bear the sight no longer. “Brother Shen, Jiang’s room is right opposite. Why not try asking him for a friend request?”

“…”

Worlds reassembled.

“Yeah.” Shen Fubai, jolting upright immediately.

However, he laid back down soon after. “I can’t, I’m not brave. I fled so unluckily in the day, what will Heng Heng think of me tonight?”

Xiaolin: “Then don’t go.”

Shen Fubai again sprang up. “No, I will go.”

Xiaolin: “…Are you doing sit-ups here?”

Shen Fubai, unheeding Xiaolin, whipped out his phone, bearing the agony as he hurriedly replaced all the Jiang Heng wallpapers, nodding at Xiaolin. “I’m off.”

The resolute enhancement of his vapor-like temperament was bewildering. Hardly a soul would assume he was merely paying a visit next door to request WeChat.

Room 607 housed Shen Fubai, room 608 harbored Jiang Heng. The two rooms, directly facing each other, would be their homes for the duration of the Beijing shooting period.

Despite each possessing a house in Beijing, given the city’s expanse, the daily commute was less than convenient, hindering productivity.

Inside room 608.

A soft sigh escaped Jiang Heng’s lips. “Alas.”

Xiaozhang: “Brother Jiang, that’s your thirty-eighth sigh today.”

Jiang Heng: “No amount of sighing can mend the anguish in my heart.”

He was so close to becoming WeChat friends with Shen Fubai, but the moment faltered. Considering the untransformed WeChat profile picture and the various posts in the WeChat moments, he could only excuse himself as improper. Shen Fubai jetted off promptly thereafter.

Jiang Heng, not being a lover of socializing, kept a professional network purely via mobile numbers. WeChat was a personal space to him. Friend-less there, Shen Fubai was his first and sole addition.

Because of having no friends on WeChat, Jiang Heng lavishly shared many posts related to Shen Fubai, even his profile picture was that of Shen Fubai. Captivated by the idea of adding Shen Fubai as a friend today, he overlooked the indecency of his WeChat moments.

It was a horrendous crash-site.

“Is he upset with me? I requested to add him on WeChat, but during the scan, I froze. Is he thinking I’m toying with him? Was that speedy departure his way of expressing anger?” Jiang Heng altered all his moments to private, his profile picture back to his. Collapsing onto the sofa with an even more piteous outlook, “What’s the point of this emergency fix-up. I missed out on a prime opportunity to add Fubai as a friend. I’ve lost tens of millions.”

Xiaozhang, deeply head-ailing from his ramblings, suggested, “Brother Jiang, Shen’s a star right across the hall from you. Go ahead and give his door a knock if you yearn for a reunion.”

Jiang Heng cradled the pillow tight, tensing up. “I’m a coward.”

Xiaozhang: “Then don’t go. Off to bed.”

Jiang Heng promptly threw the pillow away. “No!”

Xiaozhang: “…What on earth do you want!”

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Heng mustered his emotional readiness. “Wish me luck.”

Xiaozhang mimicked a cheering stance

Doorknobs turned simultaneously, doors 607 and 608 opened, Shen Fubai and Jiang Heng, intending for an outdoor sojourn, crashed right into each other.

They gazed wordlessly at each other, engendering a scene fairly awkward.

Shen Fubai swiftly regained his composure, greeting calmly, “Mr. Jiang, do you also intend to head to the rooftop star-gazing?”

Jiang Heng: “Ah, yes.”

Shen Fubai: “Shall we go together?”

Jiang Heng: “Mm, okay.”

Shen Fubai felt an immediate surge of wisdom in his improvisation

Hotels for superstars certainly didn’t fall short of splendor. Where Shen Fubai put up was a sixteen-story building, the sixth floor engrossed by the entire crew. The roof buttoned up to be a self-service restaurant, an open area covered by a transparent glass panel overhead, possible to open up during clear days, the sunshine streaming down, reaching the room of the flower house, like a hanging garden.

By night, it turned into a fine spot for star-watching. With a flickering candlelight, the establishment music on, slicing into the steak and the fruit facing each other in front of the flower house, with a skyful of stars overhead, the atmosphere could surge to a ravishing height.

Entering the elevator, Shen Fubai pressed the sixteenth floor button, both of them wordless within its confines.

An elevator ride from the sixth to sixteenth floor still took some time. Constricted within it, Shen Fubai’s sly looks at the other were caught red-handed as he promptly averted his eyes from Jiang Heng’s sight, no words exchanged between them.

Shen Fubai’s heartbeat accelerated, his breathing hastened, and his cheeks tinged red. It was from excitement, purely. With the greatest self-control for his entire life, he refrained from letting out a scream. This was the deity treatment, having a one-on-one ride in the elevator with his idol. Ask if there’s anyone left, who has this?

Jiang Heng was in a similar predicament.

He reveled in studying Shen Fubai under the dim lighting of the lift. The fresh and smooth skin of the newly-donned makeup looked unblemished from every angle, the corners of his eyes and eyebrows, boasting an arresting allure, contrasted with a tangible sense of reality over and above the TV and poster versions.

His idol, pursued for six years, stood beside him right now. A step’s gap, breathing shared within the same air segment.

It was an incredulous scene.

The elevator doors slid open, both holding their breath as they waited for the other to step out first.

Eventually, no one did.

Shen Fubai, after an extended wait, sensed the doors were about to close yet again, couldn’t resist saying, “…Would you like to step out first?”

Jiang Heng: “No, Senior should go first.”

Shen Fubai: “I’m no Senior, in the realm of acting, you are the one with the experience. After you.”

Jiang Heng: “I watched you grow up…”

Observed the entirety of your process from stepping into the entertainment industry at the age of 16 to where you are at now. That’s three honors of Senior in one for you.

Shen Fubai: “…” Heng Heng, though I’ve addressed you Senior, you don’t necessarily have to say you watched me grow up, right?

The two engaged in mutual flattery, as the elevator waited for none, promptly closing its doors.

“…”

Destiny in his palms, Shen Fubai pressed the button, resigning. “Alright, I’ll go.”

When exiting the lift, Shen Fubai almost stumbled, Jiang Heng almost tripped over the carpet.

Fortunately, they steadied themselves in time, out of the other’s notice. Otherwise, it’d have been a mortifying show.

The roof was a murky cobalt blue tone, every light blendable with the nighttime view, inducing a sense of the darkness’ tranquility.

Put simply, it was virtually devoid of lighting.

At this hour, the roof had no eaters. Even the staff members were sparse. Only a couple of fruits and desserts were scattered across and no main dishes..

This hotel with overnight rates of tens of thousands, attracted a crowd of elites. With its habituated exposure to superstar sightings, star-chasers would not dare to mingle within. Hence, their appearance without trepidation.

None but the two here at the moment.

Jiang Heng asked, “Feeling like a bite?”

Since you’re here, appreciating the stars solely would be too monotonous.

The dinner they had tonight, just a team reunion dinner. Erupting in food was impossible, the sea of alcohol had to be palatable instead.

I do want a bite as well.

Shen Fubai longed to devour every leftover pie and desserts in the restaurant.

Despite it being just not possible.

Fellow Heng’s around, image matters.

“Only wish for some fruits.” Shen Fubai expressed with a broken heart.

Jiang Heng chuckled gently. “Then take a seat, I’ll fetch some.”

“Mm…” Shen Fubai choked.

I don’t want fruits! I want sweets!

And then Shen Fubai watched as Jiang Heng returned with fruits and… a pile of strawberry cakes, mango puddings, vanilla ice creams, chocolate milk tea, and vanilla tarts.

Shen Fubai was astonished.

Are you an angel, Fellow Heng?

Do you consume all this in the evening?

Celebrities usually require maintaining their body shapes. However, this is not the case for Shen Fubai. He would eat accordingly, harboring a deep affection for sweets.

“Go on. It’s not wasted anyway.” Jiang Heng smiled, “A little more effort will metabolize the calories.”

Having been a stalker of Shen Fubai’s Weibo for long, how was it possible for him not to be aware that Shen Fubai was a pastry-loving-foodie.