Chapter 91 - My Costar Is Intimidating

There's not much Yao Shen can do besides shoot Jia Hao a warning glance, and try not to show his discomfort.

No one else beside him and Xin Hulei can see Jia Hao.

It's not like he can ask security to escort him out of set.

He's well aware that he's on thin ice, not only for the whole scandal with Xin Hulei, but also for the sudden revelation of an unsolved crime on live TV. The last thing a production company, or a network, wants before their show even airs, is for its actors to be shrouded in controversy and speculation.

Anything that could hamper the show's chances from airing on schedule is going to worry them.

Yao Shen can only imagine how well it would go down if they caught wind that the lead actor was hearing voices and talking to the air.

"Sorry, I think I missed my queue. Can we go from the top?" Xin Hulei asks, addressing Director Chen who nods and tells the cameramen, "Reset, from the top."

Yao Shen is relieved that at least for a moment, he won't have everyone's attention focused on him while the crew gets everything ready to shoot again.

It doesn't buy him much time, because the cameras barely moved on the trolleys, but it's enough for him to stage whisper to Jia Hao: "Now is not a good time, come back later."

"No, I've been waiting enough! You said you'd help me but you didn't do anything." He grows angrier as he speaks, his wan face almost getting a little color in his rage. "You owe me!"

Yao Shen keeps his head down, determined to ignore his presence and not draw any more attention, but Jia Hao won't be deterred. 

He steps up on the table and starts jumping up and down while waving his arms, his curly air bouncing like a fluffy cloud. "You are a liar, you have no honor, you can't keep up your word," he chants, working up a ruckus that makes Yao Shen flinch at the noise.

A production assistant walks up to Yao Shen and straightens out the sheet of paper and the inkstone and brush on the table, her hand going straight through Jia Hao's legs.

That annoys Jia Hao even more who tries to get hold of her hat but his hands just shoot through her head.

As she walks away Yao Shen can hear her complain, "I got a headache all of a sudden," as she rubs the place Jia Hao's hand went through.

"Ok everyone, action," Director Chen says, snapping his fingers together and sitting up straight in his chair.

Yao Shen closes his eyes and holds the brush firmly, determined to ignore Jia Hao and his temper tantrum.

When a thick winter cloak drops on his shoulders, Yao Shen's little jump or surprise is only partially acting. He's relieved not to see Jia Hao anywhere, when he opens his eyes.

"The days are getting colder, Shizun should be careful," Xin Hulei says, reciting the same line as in the first iteration of the scene.

Except this time, when he tries to place the hand warmer on Xin Hulei's lap it slips from his fingers hand falls on the floor, scattering warm coals on the end of Yan Shuyi's robes.

He's quick to act and neutralize the coals and whisk them away with a flick of his wrist -- which will of course be added later in post production.

For now, he gives Xie Huan and amused shrug. "It's the thought that counts," he runs his fingers over the fur around the collar of the cloak. "Thanks for the cloak."

Xie Huan's face goes through a series of expressions, and Yao Shen can't help admiring Xin Hulei's talent. 

He doesn't think he has ever seen him look the way Xie Huan does now. Xin Hulei looks like the kind of person who has never made a blunder, let alone look embarrassed. 

A lot of the mystique around actors, and any entertainer, really, is related to their looks, talent is often secondary to how attractive they are.

But in Xin Hulei's case, he truly deserves all the acclaim he gets. It's staggering seeing him work, how effortlessly he disappears into his character.

It falls to Yao Shen's own character to put Xie Huan out of his misery.

He pulls him down to sit at his side, the one not currently dirtied by the mess from the hand warmer, which has not been cleaned away and is merely out of frame.

"Why are you up so late at this hour?" Yan Shuyi asks, adjusting the collar of Xie Huan's robe, an intimate yet familial action that only makes Xie Huan more uncomfortable. "Were you worried about your Shizun?" Yan Shuyi teases.

In the scenario Xie Huan imagined, Yan Shuyi was quietly overwhelmed and docile, but in reality there's a mischievous streak to his 'refined sect master' personality, and it always comes out to cause Xie Huan grief and further embarrassment.

Yan Shuyi is oblivious to Xie Huan's feelings, but he wants him to admit to enjoying his teachings, and benefiting from it. His goal in this conversation is to get Xie Huan to admit to value him as his shizun.

Xie Huan's goal is to get into his pants.

"This disciple thinks Shizun works too hard," Xie Huan says, his head lowered.

Yan Shuyi tuts, going back to his calligraphy. "That's because my disciples are too troublesome, always quarreling among themselves instead of focusing on their studies."

Yao Shen is so comfortable in his performance, that he almost forgets about Jia Hao. 

"I think this guy likes you," Jia Hao says, from his perch on the low table.

His sudden appearance almost causes Yao Shen to jump out of character, but he focuses on looking at Xin Hulei and the lines he needs to say.

For his part, Xin Hulei gives no sign of seeing Jia Hao, even though Yao Shen knows he can.

Right on queue, he clears his throat, and his slender fingers reach across the table to run over the character Yan Shuyi has finished drawing.

"This disciple will endeavour not to create any trouble for Shizun."

That line, and his somber tone of voice, is a clear reference to his guilt that Yan Shuyi suffered a cruel punishment in his place.

Yao Shen hopes post-production doesn't decide to include a flashback of Xie Huan learning about it -- it's too tacky, and the audience isn't stupid. Also, an obvious ploy to increase the show's runtime and sell more episodes.

Jia Hao doesn't take kindly to being ignored while Yao Shen focuses on playing his part and continues running his mouth. "I'm not talking about the characters you're playing, I'm talking about the the very dude, the guy himself." He attempts to slam the back of his hand against Xin Hulei's chest but changes his mind at the last moment.

Yao Shen continues ignoring him, while Xin Hulei keeps pretending not to see him.

Trying to empty his mind of distractions, Yao Shen delivers his next line, "Don't be so serious, I'm only teasing. Shizun thinks you're very good already."

Jia Hao hooks a harm around Yao Shen's shoulder, half of it disappearing into Yao Shen and sending shivers through his back. "You don't believe me? It's true, I'm always around and I've seen the way he looks at you. Always looking when he thinks you can't see him."

He snickers, shaking his head and making his curls bounce. "Of course you're not much different, always following him around with your eyes. I don't know if even you notice."

Yao Shen goes very still. 

Xin Hulei is hearing all of this.

"One time, I went to your trailer to see if Gao Wu was there but you were asleep. You were saying his name in your sleep." He laughs loudly. "It was hilarious."

Yao Shen is seriously considering using the System's exorcism skill, consequences be damned, when something changes in Xin Hulei's expression.

He turns away from the camera, so that only his back is visible, and stares right at Jia Hao, who flinches at seeing his cold gaze focused on him.

Then, Xin Hulei's face shifts. His eyes change colours; one red, one pale grey. The crimson seal that marks him as a demon appears between his eyebrows and his obsidian horns sprout form his forehead.

The change only lasts a fraction of a second before he resumes his fully human appearance, but it's enough to make Jia Hao shout: "Demon!", and vanish as suddenly as he appeared.

Director Chen yells cut from his chair with a sigh, "That's too much of a delay, Xin laoshi, did you forget your lines?"

Xin Hulei nods, standing up from his seating position. "Yes, I apologize Director Chen, I must have not slept well."

Extremely put upon, Director Chen tells everyone to reset the scene so they can film from the beginning. He's clearly upset that these interruptions are preventing him from getting two good takes at once, so that he can string the two scenes together.

For his part, Yao Shen is relieved that Xin Hulei got rid of Jia Hao. He doesn't know how much longer he'd be able to act as if he wasn't there.

"Thank you," he whispers, pinching the edge of Xin Hulei's sleeve discreetly.

Xin Hulei gives him a measured look, and it's almost as if Yao Shen can see a crimson hue shining through their brown human color. "What did he mean, you 'owe him'?"