CH 11

Before coming on set, Ren Shuhan spent two days watching his previous films and came to a conclusion: 

His acting was above average, and his looks were actually his saving grace.

His facial paralysis was such a natural condition to him that the audience would automatically start making things up in their brains. What reserved or melancholic look…. They could only see talent and a gift in acting.

Moreover, the original owner had always been very rebellious, and started acting in order to get the family fortune. Most of his movies were related to fame and fortune.  Besides, because he filmed so little movies, that meant that the current Ren Shuhan could learn very little from his memories, so more preparation was needed from him ——

After all, there were many intimate scenes to film now, so he’d better make the most out of them.

Recently, he’d feel himself burning up wherever his eyes would catch sight of Jiang Qingyue.

However, he also paid attention to tone it down, so as to not appear too presumptuous. He hadn’t figured out how to express himself yet, so he didn’t want to scare the other off. 

After all, the original owner had hesitated over this and hadn’t had the courage to admit anything all his life. So naturally, Ren Shuhan didn’t dare to be careless, especially since it involved someone as precious and important to him. 

In addition, in order to slowly recover his memory, he secretly went through the photo album that he had seen during the last program and found that the photo album was actually not his, but Jiang Qingyue’s. Every single page featured him, or the two of them would be pictured together. However, there was rarely a single picture of Jiang Qingyue alone. 

Most of those pictures where he was alone were from the time where he was still in the Jiang Family. 

A baby born in a luxurious family has a golden spoon in his mouth, yet Jiang Qingyue was miserable and was not dressed up in any of those pictures.

However, his looks had lived up to Ren Shuhan’s expectations, and he had always looked adorable ever since he was a baby. Ren Shuhan could only chuckle when he saw the cute, round and chubby baby wearing a red bib that looked like a little fairy.

Just after the 100 days after his birth passed, it seemed like there was a shortage of Jiang Qingyue’s childhood pictures until he was three or four years old. New photographs appeared at the same time he had been adopted by the eldery housekeeper in Ren Shuhan’s house, and that was when they started playing together every day. 

Ren Shuhan’s parents give a lot of importance to their reputation and appearance. Although they’d spent a lot of time away from home doing their own things, once they’d come back, they  would give Jiang Qingyue a kiss and a hug as if he were their other child. They’d even dress him up as a girl and when they’d take the two children out, people would give them envious glances while saying: “What a blessing these dragon and phoenix children1It’s an expression for a set of male and female fraternal twins, which is an auspicious sign are!”  

People who are good looking may have something in common, and since they grew up together, Ren Shuhan did kind of feel like Jiang Qingyue and him were somewhat a married couple.

The next pictures in the album were an evidence that he used to take Jiang Qingyue along in the manor to make trouble. 

Climbing trees to pick birds’ nests, fishing in streams, pouncing on butterflies in the fields, and venturing on rooftops were all activities that have scared the adults around them half to death.

He could more or less remember that he was always the one to take the lead in making these messes, while Jiang Qingyue always gave his unconditional support. Even when he was afraid of heights, he also gritted his teeth and insisted that since his brother was so cool, then he had to be as brave as him. 

Yet sometimes, he couldn’t help it and he’d tremble in fear, saying: “Brother, I’m scared…”

When Ren Shuhan would realize that, he’d turn back, hug him tightly and say in a sweet milky voice: “Don’t be afraid, let’s do something else.”

If he doesn’t get coaxed, then nothing would happen; but once you start coddling the little Jiang Qingyue, he wouldn’t be able to hold it in anymore and would burst into tears. Seeing the little one be so aggrieved, Ren Shuhan would receive a beating from other adults, and Jiang Qingyue would try to defend him: “No, it’s not my brother’s fault! Don’t hit him!” 

Even the young Ren Shuhan was very precocious, and he would think that Jiang Qingyue was adorable when he cried, so it all was worth it. 

Those were probably the best moments of his life.

After going to elementary school, the first and second grades were fairly good and passed by without trouble. In the third grade, however, Ren Shuhan discovered that the children around him seemed to suddenly grow up, and began to understand the distinction between men and women, the rich and the poor. Some were busy with their first innocent crushes, while others were busy making small groups. Jiang Qingyue also understood why the eldery housekeeper told him that when he grew up, he should no longer call Ren Shuhan “Brother” but instead should refer to him as “Young Master”.

They were still inseparable as when they didn’t know anything, but instead of walking side-by-side, they walked one in the front and one following behind.

The photos of them together stopped after the third grade. Ren Shuhan looked through other albums, but it was in vain.

The last photo was taken at the beginning of the third grade by an unknown person to him. They were standing in front of the school gate and crossing the street. Their school uniforms were standing collar suits, shorts, tall socks, small shoes and bright yellow caps.

Ren Shuhan walked in front, carrying two school bags on his back, and when he looked back, Jiang Qingyue had lowered his head and handed him a letter with both hands.

The letter contained a class seating chart, but the scene looked like Jiang Qingyue was confessing with a love letter, causing the photo to circulate in the school forum for a long time and becoming a beautiful story around their school.

Ren Shuhan had managed to secretly get a copy of this picture, put it in a frame, and hid it underneath his pillow.

Thinking about this, in Director Chen’s movie ‘Confession’, the first scene shows the male lead receiving a love letter. 

One morning during senior year, Xiao Zhang pulled out a pink letter from his deskmate Wang’s textbook and read it aloud.

“Dear class president, there is a message that I have always kept deep in my heart, and I didn’t dare to say it.

I’m not afraid of what other people think of me, but I’m afraid that you will alienate me after you know it. But when I see others walking with you and think that you might belong to others, I can’t stand it any longer. I must tell you my feelings, even if you may reject me …”

When the letter was read there, Xiao Wang, who was late, finally arrived.

The two fought, ending with Xiao Wang being lectured by the class teacher, with the whole class teasing and laughing, and with his face injured, Xiao Zhang ended up skipping class with a heavy heart. 

Because Director Chen’s requirements are high, every punch exchanged is a real one, and since they were filming in an old classroom, there was no air conditioning. Ren Shuhan and Gu Qingmeng ended up being tired to death after filming. Sitting during a break, Jiang Qingyue and Shen Xinghe respectively gave them fans and passed them water bottles. 

“Ice God, you have a great physique and you seem to hit really hard.” Shen Xinghe looked gloomy as he gave Gu Qingmeng an ice compress.

“Don’t do something stupid.” Gu Qingmeng gave him a dark look. “We’re filming, it’s normal to go all out.”

Jiang Qingyue on his side was much quieter and hadn’t said a word. He gently wiped Ren Shuhan’s forehead with a wet towel. When he saw his bruised eye, he revealed a very distressed look. 

The people around: Ah, the beauty is frowning….

Rather than Ren Shuhan who had been hit, in everyone’s opinion, Jiang Qingyue’s distress was harder to see.

Shen Xinghe muttered to Gu Qingmeng: “Can’t you take a lesson from assistant Jiang? I’m speaking out for you, the least you could do is to be as gentle with me.” 

Ren Shuhan took the towel away from Jiang Qingyue’s hand and while turning it to a clean side, he lifted the hair on Jiang Qingyue’s forehead and wiped it. “Are you getting hot with your long hair?” 

Gu Qingmeng also reprimanded Shen Xinghe and said: “You take a look at the Ice God, can’t you ask me too if I’m getting too heated?”  

The two partners saw a deep dislike in each other’s eyes.

Jiang Qingyue gently shook his head, took back the towel and put it away, his cheeks had a trace of light red.

“If it’s too hot, why don’t you cut it?” Ren Shuhan also remembered this problem today after hearing Gu Qingmeng say that it would be more comfortable to cut his hair short. Although he had a fetish for long hair, he still wanted his little cutie to be comfortable.

But Jiang Qingyue still gently shook his head, looking at the floor, his cheeks reddened even more.

Ah…. Ren Shuhan felt like his little cutie deserves to be called something even lovelier, his adorableness seemed to double.

When faced with such a sight, his eyes became alike to a large feline who pounced on Jiang Qingyue. He could imagine himself jotting multiple bite marks on his fair neck, descending towards his thin waist until his head reached his pillowy thighs before he could burry his face in his lower abdomen. 

“Do you remember when we were in elementary school, you gave me a love letter?” Ren Shuhan teased him, ” And was photographed, and posted on the school notice board.”

Jiang Qingyue: “No, that’s not it!”

“Do I remember it wrong?” The smile in Ren Shuhan’s eyes could not be concealed, and it looked like he was kidding, “But I have a photo to prove it.”

Jiang Qingyue said powerlessly: “Young master….”

Yeah, that tone…. It was too good to bully him. His eyes were already wet, yet he hadn’t done anything, had he? Ren Shuhan ended up saying: “You looked very cute in your primary school uniform. I had that photo hidden. You have an electronic version of the photo album, don’t you? Send me a copy of it later and I’ll add it.”

Jiang Qingyue fervently nodded. “That… Young Master, you’ve seen it? Do you remember your childhood?” 

“When I think about it… There was a little one who refused to go to school unless he could share a class with me, or else he would cry.” Ren Shuhan teased him again. “I think that little one also got pestered by other little boys all the time, so he kissed me and put all the trouble on me… I wonder who it is?”  

Jiang Qingyue lowered his head, and in an embarrassed low voice spoke. “….It was me…”

Just like when he was a cute child, Ren Shuhan wanted to grab him in his arms and hold him close against him. 

They never went to kindergarten as they had private tutors at home, so when they went to elementary school and Little Jiang Qingyue realized that they would be in different classes, his world seemed to collapse. He had looked at Ren Shuhan with huge eyes full of tears, trying his best to not let them fall down. The other couldn’t take his heartache and hugged him while saying: “My brother has never been out of the house alone, if I’m not there to take care of him, then who will be there for him?” 

The eldery housekeeper had to ask somebody to assign Jiang Qingyue to the same elite class as Ren Shuhan. 

Then, Jiang Qingyue, because of his beautiful appearance, became the object of among the girls and boys of their class, so Ren Shuhan had to always hide him behind him. 

There was a precocious little bully in the class who has been holding a grudge against Ren Shuhan for not being able to sit at the same table with Jiang Qingyue, and once during a free time activity in PE class, he jumped out to pick a fight: “Why do you keep Jiang Qingyue all to yourself?

Ren Shuhan had simply turned back and asked: “Qingyue, who’s bride do you want to be?”

Little Jiang Qingyue had raised his tiny hand with embarrassment and grabbed the corner of Ren Shuhan’s coat.

“He didn’t even say anything!” The Little Tyrant pointed at Ren Shuhan and said, “He doesn’t like you!”

The tiny Jiang Qingyue had held his breath for a while, and then let out a huge mouthful and stood on his tiptoes and gave Ren Shuhan a loud “kiss” on the cheek and said loudly, “I only like him!”

The little bully who had endured long enough couldn’t hold back anymore, he let out a cry and ran away. 

Ren Shuhan couldn’t help but laugh when he thought of this, and he was so kind that he whispered in Jiang Qingyue’s ear to remind him, “Next time we’re going to shoot a kissing scene, you should be mentally prepared.”

I’m surprised they had a school board/forum for an elementary school… especially since these two were like 8 or 9 years old but yeah I guess it could happen in a rich/elite school (ಡ‸ಡ)

Also, Ren Shuhan embarrasses me so much (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄) Like sir, how can you keep a straight face while thinking things like that…!