Chapter 51 - My Costar Says I Complement Him

Yao Shen feels like he's going to sweat through his makeup under the bright stage lighting.

He and Xin Hulei are sitting behind a table covered with a patterned cloth, decorated with a flower arrangement -- to invoke the feeling of refinement the audience is supposed to experience when watching a period drama, Yao Shen assumes, -- and  two folding fans with the name of the drama written across their creamy paper. 

Of course the drama can't have the same name as the novel, for one it's a mouthful, for another it just sounds silly. So its temporary, "official", title is 'Crimson Promise' which has nothing to do with the story at all, but sounds good in both Chinese and English. It might still change just before the drama airs, but that's not Yao Shen's concern.

In his mind, he still thinks of the drama as 'Shizun, this disciple will have to kill you,' or just 'Shizun', more often than not.

Right now, Yao Shen's biggest concern is not looking like a deer in the headlights as the reporters, -- which is perhaps generous, for the kind of flustered intern they send out to do these kind of fluff pieces -- ask him what they believe are the questions that will propel them into recognition in their field.

"Yao laoshi, do you think it's fair to examine Yan Shuyi's actions as manifestation of the id, while Xie Huan would be the ego?"

What the fuck? 

What is he going to say to that? He studied acting, not whatever Freudian bullshit he's spitting at him. Is Freud still a thing? Wasn't the discredited? His he back now?

"Yan Shuyi is a very complex character and his motivations are multiple and varied," is what he ends up saying, eyes vacant and voice hollow.

It's also what the asshole deserves to hear for asking such a stupid question.

He's obviously not pleased with Yao Shen's bland answer, and moves on to Xin Hulei. "Xin laoshi, same question?"

Xin Hulei shrugs. "Yao laoshi's answer mirrors my thoughts as well." 

Yao Shen can't help shifting his eyes towards Xin Hulei and smirking slightly.

The next interview is more in line with the kind of questions Yao Shen expects. The girl is young and easily excitable, laughing loudly at everything they say. Yao Shen can already envision the particular video of this interview, filled with cutesy stickers and funny sound effects.

It's all going well, until suddenly the interviewer stops giggling and grinning and turns towards them with a cunning glint in her eye.

"How would the two laoshi compare having each other as coworkers with previous experiences in past dramas?" 

Yao Shen goes deathly still. He knew this was coming but he still isn't prepared for it.

"Uhm, I haven't had much experience, I only had minor and secondary roles before...'Crimson Promise'." The name feels weird on his tongue but Yao Shen does his best to get through it, he knows his eyes are downcast, he's not meeting the camera and it makes him look inexperienced and insecure. 

"Uhm, Xin laoshi has been a great help though, he has helped me a lot through some of the more difficult scenes and I'm indebted to him for all his guidance and support." That last mumbled part is true at least. Xin Hulei did try to help him and give him several suggestions, Yao Shen just wasn't necessarily grateful about it.

Yao Shen doesn't expect Xin Hulei to have anything to say on the matter, so he's surprised to hear him say:

"Of all the people I've acted with, I feel that Yao laoshi is the one who complements me the best. I feel as if I'm able to act better, get more in tune with the character when we're acting opposite each other."

Yao Shen tightens his hands into fists, glad for the table hiding his movements from the cameras. His skin feels like it's too small for his body, and his ears are burning him like a coal fire on the side of his head.

He knows Xin Hulei is just saying that because of his agency's instructions to keep at it with the fanservice. Not to mention that it looks good for an actor to praise his costar. After all, the success of the production hinges on their combined talent.

Why wouldn't he talk up Yao Shen?

"Xin laoshi is very kind," he mumbles awkwardly. "Honestly, I've been learning a lot."

The words feel so thick and clumsy on his tongue -- Is it because they're insincere or because Yao Shen feels guilty about what he must do?

Either way, he's going to have to do something about Xin Hulei. 

It would help if he knew more about the demonic realm, but Xin Hulei has made it clear he doesn't want to elaborate.

The interviewer seems happy with their replies, smiling giddily through the whole thing, until it's time for the next person to take up her seat.

The next person isn't so much a reporter, as he is a media assistant for a popular talkshow, where the segment they're recording will be broadcast at a later date. 

As his show plans to air their segment after the drama is already airing, they're expected to address their future audience.

Yao Shen feels stiff and awkward as he waves mechanically towards the camera, wishing everyone a good night, thanking the unseen hosts --whose names he's reading from a piece of paper -- for having them on their show, and wishing "that everyone is enjoying the show and being moved by Yan Shuyi's and Xie Huan's story."

Xin Hulei goes through the whole pantomime much more smoothly, once again making Yao Shen feel clumsy and inadequate without even trying.

After that, they have to play a silly game where one of them names an emotion, and the other needs to draw the first thing that comes to their mind.

It's a very plain set up for some fanservice, Yao Shen can feel it coming a mile away when the man passes Xin Hulei a card with emotions written on it.

"Friendship," Xin Hulei reads, his voice level and cold.

Yao Shen rolls his eyes, that's not an emotion but whatever. He starts drawing. Only when his time is up and he needs to show it to the camera does he realize he drew a black cat.

He lowers the drawing pad in shame, his cheeks flaming up. Why did he draw Heimao? He's Xin Hulei's cat not his.

It's Xin Hulei's turn next, and Yao Shen gives him the drawing pad, flinching a little when the their fingers touch.

The interviewer passes him a card with his own emotions to read from.

"Desire," he reads, his tongue sticking to the back of his throat.

It's a big jump, from 'friendship' to 'desire'. Yao Shen runs his eyes over the emotions he still has to read, and feels something sour pool in his stomach. They left the softballs for last, probably so they can be easily edited out in a chunk.

Xin Hulei's time runs out. He shows the drawing pad to the camera and Yao Shen.

Yao Shen's eyes widen as he takes in what exactly Xin Hulei drew, his mouth going so dry he can feel the roughness of his tongue against his teeth.