Deep in the Act: Chapter 7

The day after they were assigned separate rooms, Qin Xuner arrived on set. She was a female star on the same level as Zhen Xin, not young anymore, still single. When Chen Zhengsen had the two of them meet, Zhen Xin wondered why they had cast her. She was short, nothing like a ballerina. Qin Xuner was very interested in him though, her hand with its fuzzy nail polish loosely pinching his finger. “Teacher Zhen, nice to meet you.”

Although Zuo Linlin was Gao Zhun’s girlfriend, most of her scenes were with Fang Chi, with a few intimate scenes as well. According to Chen Zhengsen’s plan, they would shoot her parts first. The moment Zhen Xin heard this, he refused. “Director, I spent half a month getting along with a man, and now that we’re filming, you want me to work with a woman?”

Qin Xuner burst out laughing. “I thought Teacher Zhen was a universal plug.”

Zhen Xin looked at her without saying anything. Chen Zhengsen pulled him aside. “She doesn’t have a nice mouth. Don’t take it to heart.”

Zhen Xin nodded. “I’ve heard about it. With a mouth like that, no wonder she can’t get married.”

“Your mouth is pretty vicious too,” Chen Zhengsen lit a cigar for him. “Her schedule couldn’t be worked around. I had Zhou Zheng talk to Zhang Zhun about it. Just do your scenes with her and it’ll be fine.”

Zhen Xin looked incredibly handsome smoking the cigar, his slightly curled bangs covering half his face, smoke rising in wisps from his mouth and nose. Maintaining this handsome pose, he asked, “Have you seen Zhang Zhun these past two days?”

Chen Zhengsen looked at him with some reproach. “Do I have nothing better to do than keep tabs on some small-time star?”

“You did the room assignments on purpose,” Zhen Xin puffed smoke at him angrily. “He’s in 3705, I’m in 3834, with the whole crew between us. If I can’t act well, don’t blame me.”

“Who are you threatening?” Chen Zhengsen snatched the cigar from his mouth. “Go, build some chemistry with your female co-star. Filming starts tomorrow!”

Zhen Xin slumped his shoulders and walked toward Qin Xuner. Chen Zhengsen suddenly remembered something. “Teacher Zhen, Zhang Zhun went to pick up his girlfriend. She’s coming from Guangzhou, staying for two days.”

Zhen Xin paused for a moment, then said, “Oh.”

Until filming began, Zhen Xin never saw Zhang Zhun. Actually, there was no reason to see him. In the blink of an eye, he was standing in front of the camera with Qin Xuner. He was reading the script while the makeup artist touched up his makeup. Qin Xuner was sipping juice and looking at him hotly.

This was an office building very close to the set. The crew had rented ten rooms, one of which had been renovated into Fang Chi’s consultation room. Thirty-some staff members, actors, assistants, and equipment were all squeezed together, making the room seem much smaller. Warm yellow lights blazed down hotly. Assistant Director Zhou received the director’s instructions, stood up with a megaphone, and called out, “Attention all departments. This scene comes later in the story. Fang Chi and Gao Zhun are already together, but Zuo Linlin doesn’t know yet.”

Zhen Xin handed the script to the makeup artist. Qin Xuner handed her juice to her assistant. The script supervisor was Taiwanese. He began calling the slate. “In Character, Cameras A and B, Scene 239, Shot 1, Take 1!”

Then the director called “Action.” The camera’s red light came on. Qin Xuner stood on a wooden crate, barely entering the frame at the same time as Zhen Xin. Her emotions were full and on point. “Charles, I regret it.”

She was giving him plenty to work with. Zhen Xin could easily pick it up. As the script required, he maintained a reserved silence. Qin Xuner continued. “He doesn’t love me. He won’t touch me.”

Zhen Xin spoke. “The last time I went to your place…”

“I forced him!” Qin Xuner covered her face. Tears spilled from between her fingers. “You clearly cured him. Why… why is he treating me like this!”

Zhen Xin showed a guilty expression, walked toward her, and hesitantly put his arms around her shoulders. Qin Xuner immediately leaned in. At an angle the camera couldn’t capture, she pressed her full breasts against him. Zhen Xin shrank back. She pressed her advantage, stood on her toes, and kissed his lips. The script did have this kiss, but not this soon. Zhen Xin angrily pushed her away. Chen Zhengsen had no choice but to call Cut.

“What’s wrong with you, Zhen Xin!” He threw a fit from the director’s chair.

Zhen Xin wiped his mouth, speaking righteously. “If you want to change the script, tell me beforehand!”

Qin Xuner showed no sign of apology at all. “Director Chen,” she scratched her hair. “I felt the emotion was there so I just went with it. We’re all veteran actors. No need to be so nitpicky.”

For some reason, the director took Qin Xuner’s side. “Teacher Zhen, let’s go with Teacher Qin’s interpretation for this scene. One more time!”

Zhen Xin’s eyes were blazing with anger. The Taiwanese script supervisor came up again with the slate. “In Character, Cameras A and B, Scene 239, Shot 1, Take 2!”

A simple kiss scene dragged on for most of the day. On the way back from the office building to the hotel, Chen Zhengsen got into Zhen Xin’s car and spoke to him gently. “It’s not that serious. It’s not like it’s your first day filming.”

“I can’t stand her!” Zhen Xin didn’t hide it at all. His hands were crossed on his knees, his eyes fixed on the window.

Chen Zhengsen sneered. “Alright, don’t throw your award-winning actor tantrum. You’ll have a bed scene with her soon.”

“Did she bring in the investment?” Zhen Xin finally turned to look at him.

Chen Zhengsen’s expression was a bit unnatural. “No… she came to my room last night. The vibe was pretty good…”

Zhen Xin couldn’t take it anymore and pressed his temple. “Then keep her in line. Damn it, her big chest almost crushed me to death!”

“Wow! Having a chest pressed against you isn’t good?” Chen Zhengsen grinned lewdly. “Or does Teacher Zhen not like breasts anymore?”

“Get lost!” Zhen Xin turned back to stare out the window. Chen Zhengsen leaned over. “Seriously, a woman at this age who’s still single is like a hungry wolf or a fierce tiger, buddy. If you want to make a move, do it soon.”

Zhen Xin pushed him away. “Have some decency!”

They arrived at the hotel. Chen Zhengsen was the first to jump out of the car and arranged the next shoot with Zhou Zheng. “All personnel, go straight to the 37th floor. Have Zhen Xin and Qin Xuner get ready.”

Zhou Zheng was about to go relay the message when Chen Zhengsen stopped him. “Zhang Zhun got back from the airport, right? Have him come too.”

“He’s not in these scenes.” Zhou Zheng flipped open the shooting schedule.

Chen Zhengsen patted his shoulder. “Have him observe.”

There was a couples’ suite on the 37th floor, very suitable for this scene. It was called a bed scene, but it was really just a flashback of Fang Chi and Zuo Linlin falling in love in America. A brief suggestion would be enough. The bed was covered in rose petals. Qin Xuner wore a bathrobe, lying on it leisurely and playing on her phone. The room below the bed was packed full of people. Zhen Xin came out of the bathroom in a bathrobe. The staff members all nodded at him, respectfully calling out “Teacher Zhen.”

Qin Xuner’s assistant was young, sitting on the carpet by the bed holding up her juice can. Zhen Xin didn’t want to look at her for even a second. He was about to push through the wall of people to find Chen Zhengsen when someone hurriedly ran in through the door. Earbuds in his ears, the cord running down to the phone in his shorts pocket. The weight of the phone pulled his shorts loosely halfway down his waist, revealing a small strip of hip bone. It was Zhang Zhun.

He wasn’t wearing anything on top. His lean muscles rose and fell. Sweat trickled down his muscle lines. His hair was slightly damp. His two nipples stood up sharply. Breathing unevenly, he said to Assistant Director Zhou standing by the door, “Sorry I’m late. I was working out.”

Zhen Xin heard the sound of his own swallowing. What was worse, he seemed to be getting a bit hard. He ruffled his hair randomly, avoiding looking in that direction. Then he heard Qin Xuner on the bed say, “What’s his name?”

The little assistant said dismissively, “Zhang Zhun. The second male lead. An action star.”

“Not a bad body…” Qin Xuner whispered something to her little assistant, then giggled. “Aren’t we being so wicked!”

Zhen Xin turned back and glared fiercely at the two of them. Qin Xuner tilted her head and didn’t see. The little assistant was scared into silence.

He walked toward Zhang Zhun. Through all those people, at first glance he saw on his sweat-dampened neck the marks he had bitten. Those red spots. His hickeys. His mind went blank with a buzz. He felt his heart beating so hard it hurt.

Zhang Zhun of course saw him too. He was so eye-catching, the center of attention wherever he went.

Zhen Xin had thick powder on his left eye socket. If you looked closely you could still see the purple bruise underneath. The people who joined the crew later didn’t know the cause of this injury. They only saw Zhang Zhun looking at Zhen Xin with a strange, almost sorrowful expression, gazing at him tenderly, like attachment.

“Worked out?” Zhen Xin stood across from him, awkwardly saying something pointless.

“Yeah, I went to the airport this morning,” Zhang Zhun’s beautiful big eyes gazed at him, his thin lips carrying a hint of evasion, a hint of a smile. “Just found a chance to work out. Assistant Director Zhou called and asked me to come up. You…”

Before he could finish, Director Chen called for all departments to get in position. Zhen Xin reluctantly paced back to the bedside. Assistant Director Zhou briefly introduced the plot. The script supervisor came up to slate. “In Character, Scene 3, Shot 1, Take 1!”

Chen Zhengsen was about to call action when Zhen Xin interrupted him. He went to the bathroom and got one of his own jackets, had a staff member pass it over to Zhang Zhun. He didn’t think much about doing this, but the staff members stirred up a wave of whispering. “Their relationship is that good? Damn, so thoughtful… such boyfriend energy…”

Zhang Zhun took the jacket. His whole face turned red. Zhen Xin cursed himself inwardly. Damn it, I made him uncomfortable!

Carrying this restlessness, he got onto Qin Xuner’s bed. The two of them hugged and kissed for a while, then began taking off their bathrobes. Dozens of people in the room, not a single one making a sound. Qin Xuner was very into it, moaning and sighing. Her hand reached under the covers and gave Zhen Xin’s crotch a squeeze. Then her two arms embraced him, pressing those big breasts against his chest. She whispered in his ear, “Teacher Zhen, you’re so into it. You’re hard.”

Zhen Xin rolled his eyes, thinking, it’s not hard for you, then pulled her off of him. He turned to Chen Zhengsen and said, “Director, I’m not in the zone. One more take!”

The staff members began whispering again. “No way, even like that he’s not in the zone…”

Qin Xuner lost a lot of face. Zhen Xin didn’t care about her. He glanced over at Zhang Zhun and saw him half sitting on the arm of the sofa, not looking this way at all. He was staring at his phone, probably WeChatting with his girlfriend.

The second take, Qin Xuner behaved herself much more. When she behaved, Zhen Xin had nothing to say. They finished filming lukewarmly and easily. Chen Zhengsen scratched his head. “Both teachers, the feeling isn’t coming through. One more take?”

So they did another take. Still didn’t pass. During the break to adjust emotions, Zhen Xin pulled out his phone and sent Zhang Zhun a text. I’ll treat you and your girlfriend to dinner after work.

Zhang Zhun didn’t reply for a long time. Until this bed scene was finally finished with great difficulty, his phone finally received a message. Okay.

The dinner was at six in the evening, but it wasn’t just the three of them. It was the whole crew. They had booked two private rooms at a KTV near the hotel to celebrate the start of filming. Zhen Xin and Qin Xuner were assigned to one room. Zhang Zhun and Xie Danyi were assigned to the other. A large group of people made noise, drunk and rowdy. Zhang Zhun couldn’t hold his liquor well. After two drinks he stopped. Xie Danyi sat beside him. When everyone else went to the next room to make toasts, she touched the side of his neck and said, “He did this?”

Zhang Zhun was stunned for a moment, then understood. His face reddened a bit. He nodded. Xie Danyi said somewhat coquettishly, “I’m going to be jealous!”

Zhang Zhun smiled, gently grasping her hand. “You might not trust me, but you should trust my sexual orientation.” He handed her his glass and picked up his own. “Let’s go over too.”

The door to the next private room was half open, packed full of people inside. The two of them were holding hands about to go in when they heard Zhen Xin say with a thick tongue, “Yeah, I just want to get into Zhang Zhun’s bed, so what!”

He was drunk. No one present took it seriously. They whistled and hollered and made a fuss. But Zhang Zhun let go of Xie Danyi’s hand, his face looking terrible. A staff member happened to turn around, saw him, and called out, “Teacher Zhang!”

Zhen Xin heard. He staggered through the crowd, one foot deep one foot shallow, heading toward the door. Zhang Zhun turned and left. Down the long KTV hallway, he didn’t lift his head. That tiny bit of alcohol all rushed to his head. Zhen Xin is too much, he thought. He’s too much!

Someone caught up behind him. He thought it was Xie Danyi, so he slowed his pace. But a broad chest embraced him from behind, pushed open the door in front of him, and shoved him inside. It was the men’s restroom. Zhen Xin reached back and pressed the lock, pushing him against the sink, forcing him to face him. Then he looked at him, drunk, and said, “I’m sorry…”

Zhang Zhun was a soft-hearted person. In just one second, the voice deep in his heart was already about to say words of forgiveness. But Zhen Xin suddenly kissed his mouth, biting like a madman. Zhang Zhun immediately struggled. Zhen Xin knew his strength. He pressed his mouth to his earlobe and bit it. “Yeah, hit me. Swell my other face too!”

Zhang Zhun stared with wet eyes, his fist clenched but not moving. Zhen Xin pressed his advantage and kissed him again, kissing his ear, his cheekbone, his temple, his eyelashes. As he kissed, he murmured, “I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

Zhang Zhun didn’t know what was happening. He was just standing there dazed when Xie Danyi’s voice came from outside the door. “Zhang Zhun! Zhang Zhun!”

She had seen Zhen Xin push him in, but why was the door locked? She pushed and knocked. The door suddenly opened from inside. Zhen Xin shoved past her and fled in the direction he had come from. She rushed in and saw Zhang Zhun standing quietly by the sink, his hair somewhat disheveled.

“You two… fought?” she asked timidly.

Zhang Zhun knew this wasn’t what she wanted to ask. “No,” he tugged at the corner of his mouth, walked over and took her hand. “It’s nothing.”