Chapter 18 – Put a Little More Effort

Shen Fubai and Jiang Heng maintained a contemplative silence, neither of them speaking.

The scene was quite awkward to say the least.

Lu Yunqian was mortified. “Do you think I am some kind of storyteller who stays up all night just for you?”

Muran Jinhuan: “If it’s not enough, I can add more?”

Lu Yunqian raised his voice. “Do you think I don’t sleep at night!”

Muran Jinhuan increased his volume as well. “Didn’t I just give you more money!”

Tsk, and this so-called transaction was indecent and underhanded. Muran Jinhuan’s resilience was impressive to maintain such extracurricular activities for an entire night. No wonder Lu Yunqian was walking like he was playing a game of limbo today…

Shen Fubai looked at Lu Yunqian as if he were a cabbage that had been leaned on by a pig, filled with both sympathy and resignation.

No second thought was required to know who the pig was.

Lu Yunqian gave up arguing with Muran Jinhuan, reasoning that their conversation was not on the same wavelength as Jiang Heng and Shen Fubai’s thoughts. He looked towards the door, eager to clarify. “We…” We were merely discussing telling stories! Please don’t misunderstand!

Shen Fubai nonchalantly turned around. “Oh, I got the wrong place. Where am I? I should be back in my dressing room.”

Jiang Heng trailed behind, lying with his eyes wide open, “I also got lost. I apologize and shall take my leave.”

Leaving behind the stunned faces of Muran Jinhuan and Lu Yunqian in Jiang Heng’s exclusive dressing room.

Muran Jinhuan was somewhat perplexed. “Why do I feel like they were acting strange?”

Lu Yunqian smiled calmly. “No, that was their normal reaction.”

The odd one was you, you cursedly dog-like creature.

Just as Shen Fubai and Jiang Heng had left, Xiao Zhang and Xiao Lin arrived.

“Huh? Where did Brother Shen and Brother Jiang go?” The two assistants stood at the door of the dressing room perplexed. They turned away for a moment to pack some things, and now they couldn’t figure out where these two had gone.

They were supposed to come back to the dressing room for makeup removal, yet inside the room, they found only the presence of Muran Jinhuan and Lu Yunqian.

Muran Jinhuan pointed in a direction. “They’re in another dressing room.”

“Thank you,” replied Xiao Lin, shutting the door as he was well-versed with the procedure.

Xiao Zhang was thoughtful. “We won’t disturb you.”

It was evident that they had also misunderstood the relationship between Muran Jinhuan and Lu Yunqian.

As soon as he closed the door, Xiao Lin couldn’t resist gossiping. “I didn’t know that some people, who looked like a domineering CEO on the outside, were actually the type to get dominated.”

Xiao Zhang: “Ha?”

Xiao Lin: “See those traces of countless purple and red bruises on the red-dressed man’s neck, don’t they look like affectionate marks?”

Muran Jinhuan: People say I’m the type to get dominated, but I swear on my god, it was just a bad tumble from a bike.

Xiao Lin: “And the thoughtful way Xiao Lu applied cream, it makes me stand by his dominance.”

Xiao Zhang: “Why do you seem so experienced?”

Xiao Lin sighed deeply: “If you had an artist like Brother Shen, you would be far too familiar with this as well.”

Xiao Lin was straight, but Shen Fubai was something else.

Perhaps not exactly like that, because Shen Fubai had never had a romantic affection for anyone. He was chasing Jiang Heng obsessively, but only regarded him as an idol. So, Xiao Lin wasn’t entirely sure if Shen Fubai was gay or straight.

However, Shen Fubai was definitely queer.

Why? Because Shen Fubai had a collection of BL novels on his phone all for Xiao Lin to help him download. Celebrities are busybees, and a chore like finding literature is surely left to the assistant.

Thanks to Shen Fubai, Xiao Lin was now an avid reader within the BL scene, his imagination soaring and expanding abundantly.

Shen Fubai entered his dressing room and Jiang Heng followed, closing the door behind him.

Neither said anything. Running into the earlier event had left them in an awkward state.

Shen Fubai sat down to remove the hair accessories from his head, the tassels colliding with one another. The sound was tinkling and beautiful, clear and pleasing to the ear.

Exquisite peking glass pearl flowers, pointeed phoenix hair combs, and white jade tassels were taken off one after another lifting a considerable weight from his head. Halfway in removing the ornaments, Shen Fubai lifted his sore neck, entranced by the peerless beauty staring back in the mirror.

No matter how many times he looked, he always found himself stunningly gorgeous.

The reflection in the mirror offered a gentle smile, stunning Shen Fubai speechlessly.

Ah, I’m dead.

In the next second, the smile of the beauty in the mirror began to warp.

He was truly done for, his hair was caught up in the hair accessories.

The tassels entangled with the hair, the flowers were caught up in the hair too. Shen Fubai attempted to remove them, but it was futile.

He didn’t dare to use more effort, afraid of damaging the hair accessories. The set of headgear had been specially commissioned by Director Xu, not just some cheap props. If damaged, not only could he not afford to replace, but within a short amount of time, finding a set of hair accessories so exquisite would also impede the progress of the film crew.

Shen Fubai pressed his hand against his head, failing to remove it despite trying hard.

Help! What should I do with my hair tangled in the hair accessory? Waiting anxiously for online help…

Jiang Heng discerned the situation and asked, “What’s wrong?”

It was simpler for Shen Fubai to seek help from Jiang Heng. “My hair is caught in it.”

The accessory was tangled in the back of his head, Shen Fubai couldn’t see it in the mirror, so of course with fumbling hands, he couldn’t untangle it.

Jiang Heng hastened over. “I’ll help you. Where is it caught?”

Shen Fubai slightly lowered his head. “Right here, help me untangle it.”

Jiang Heng then reached out to untangle. Standing behind Shen Fubai, he looked down. The youth’s head was half stripped of pearls and emeralds, and yet his face retained its enchanting makeup. The serene demeanor with lowered brow and lowered eyes was peaceful, the tail of the eyes was enchanting, the lips were bright with blood, revealing an elegant neck.

Staring, Jiang Heng skipped a beat of his heart. His eyes fluttered and his hands moved clumsily.

After Jiang Heng strived hard, the hair ended up being tightly tangled with the accessory.

Shen Fubai had had his head down for long, feeling sore. “Have you got it yet?”

Jiang Heng was momentarily frustrated when he saw the accessories hung up more intricately than before. “Almost there.”

His movements were increasingly cautious, trying not to hurt Shen Fubai’s scalp.

Then it became more disordered the more he undid it.

Shen Fubai asked a few times if it was done yet, and Jiang Heng said it would be finished soon.

Later, Shen Fubai couldn’t help but say, “Use more force.”

Such a weak attempt wouldn’t have even a chance of unhooking it.

Jiang Heng hesitated, “I’m afraid it will hurt you, it’ll be better if I use less force.”

Shen Fubai said, “I can’t feel anything anyway, just trust me, put some effort into it, I’m not afraid of pain.”

Xiao Lin paused with his hand raised to knock.

“Should we wait a little longer?” Pressing down his shock, Xiao Lin seriously suggested to Xiao Zhang, “It might not be the most suitable time to enter right now.”

He was truly shocked. When had Brother Shen grown so efficient with his actions? He had already latched onto Brother Jiang in the dressing room- impressive.

The dressing room was the Bell of True Love?

Five minutes later.

“… Jiang Heng.” Shen Fubai spoke weakly, void of any temperament.

Although he had enjoyed being close to Heng Heng for such a long time, his neck really was aching from being low for such a duration!

Jiang Heng’s voice was distant, he had come to the realization that he was certainly unable to untangle this accessory from the hair.

“Sorry, I can’t do this…”

Without Jiang Heng’s admission, Shen Fubai already knew. With all the fussing, if it could be undone, it would have been long ago.

Angry? No- why would he be angry at his idol.

Shen Fubai: “Where is my knife?”

He was just going to cut his hair.

When Xiao Lin heard this, he immediately pushed open the door, “Brother Shen! Killing someone is illegal! Even if Brother Jiang lasts only five minutes…” He paused upon seeing the indoor scene, “… you guys are actually doing something like that.”

Shen Fubai was puzzled. “What’s the deal with five minutes?”

Xiao Lin: “Nothing.”

Mon dieu, he had thought Brother Shen was dissatisfied with the duration and wanted to go out in a storm of blood. All due to him hearing Brother Jiang’s apology and overthinking.

A man can never say he can’t.

His fault. For assuming that Brother Jiang would only ever last for five minutes, he deserved to be punished.

Shen Fubai glanced at him from the corner of his eyes, deciding not to dig deeper. “Scissors. Hurry hurry, I’m sore-necked.”

Xiao Lin went to the drawer to find the scissors, commenting, “You are wearing a wig. Since your neck hurts, you just have to remove the wig and you can slowly untangle it.”

Shen Fubai and Jiang Heng were momentarily frozen in place.

They had been like two fools.

A few minutes later, the makeup artist pushed the door open. “Sorry, I just went to the washroom. Hey? You already took off the wig? That saved me a lot of work.”

Shen Fubai and Jiang Heng maintained their smiles.

They didn’t wish to recall how foolish they had been.

“Brother Jiang, change your clothes. I’ll take off Brother Shen’s makeup.” The makeup artist took the makeup remover.

Jiang Heng’s makeup was very light, he could step out anytime after just taking off his military uniform. Shen Fubai’s face was far more profusely made up, there was also his elaborate costume.

Jiang Heng nodded and changed into his clothes in the fitting room.

He asked before leaving the scene, as if nonchalant, “Are you going back together?”

They were staying at the same hotel, after all.

Shen Fubai replied, “Yes, we can have a meal together.”

Xiao Zhang and Xiao Lin shared a look.

Just as they thought, they would have dinner together too.

Finally, Jiang Heng emerged in casual wear and leaned by the door waiting for Shen Fubai.

Shen Fubai washed off his makeup and put on his ‘death Barbie pink …’ Well, let’s call it ‘life reviving pink’ on him instead.

“Let’s go, off duty.” Shen Fubai came over, brimming with energy.

Jiang Heng smiled with his eyes, “I’ll go tell Uncle Xu.”

Jiang Heng was back soon after, addressing Shen Fubai, “Get on the vehicle.”

“Not the same nurse van you used in the morning?” Shen Fubai looked at the approaching Land Rover, the keys he was supposed to receive yesterday popping into his mind.

Jiang Heng got into the driver’s seat. “Let’s go out for a bite.”

The food in the hotel was excellent, but they needed to try a change in flavor from time to time. It was just four in the afternoon, returning too early. Staying in the hotel for the rest of the day was also boring. Jiang Heng actually hoped to wander around with Shen Fubai after dinner as well.

That was their private time.

Shen Fubai was elated beyond belief, maintaining a restraint on his face, “Alright.”

Jiang Heng grabbed the steering wheel. “Where would you like to go?”

Shen Fubai fastened his seat belt. “I’ll go wherever you go.”

Jiang Heng nodded, inching forward with the pedal.

Xiao Zhang and Xiao Lin breathed in car exhaust fumes.

Xiao Lin dramatically remarked, “Did they forget to bring us along?”

Xiao Zhang curtly responded, “Limited edition third wheels can’t be named.”