Crossover Actors - Chapter 8

Lu Wen felt a bit suffocated.

 

It was as if someone had lit a match, igniting a fiery circle of laughter around the table. The others were roaring with laughter, and Lu Wen felt utterly confused.

 

Ren Shu laughed so hard that his stomach hurt. He slapped Lu Wen on the back and said, “Lu Wen, you’ve mistaken the person!”

 

Lu Wen, towering at 1.88 meters, felt weak and unsteady. He stared at Qu Yanting in disbelief, stammering, “No way…”

 

“Still don’t believe it?” Ren Shu’s laughter boomed, and he placed a hand on Qu Yanting’s shoulder. “This is the real Qu Yanting; you just toasted to Mr. Zhou!”

 

The director’s assistant, fearing to be blamed, clarified, “Mr. Lu, didn’t I tell you that Qu Yanting was wearing black?”

 

Ren Shu asked, “How could you still make a mistake? Lu Wen, you really are a gem!”

 

Director Liu, laughing so hard that his face turned red, teased, “Lu Wen, you mistook Qu Yanting’s car at the airport, and now you’ve mistaken him again. You’d better apologize properly to Mr. Qu.”

 

Amidst the chaos, Lu Wen didn’t know whom to listen to, his head buzzing.

 

He stared at Qu Yanting in shock, his mind reeling from the surprise. This was terrifying! This person was indeed Qu Yanting!

 

Meaning, he had mistakenly gotten into Qu Yanting’s car, chatted casually with him, boasted about being the lead actor, and confused Qu Yanting for a balding middle-aged man.

 

Lu Wen’s disbelief turned into shock, and then into panic.

 

He stood there feeling uneasy, like a naive pup that had wandered into a wolf’s den, too scared to speak or move.

 

Qu Yanting, still with a half-smile, tilted his head slightly and waited until the laughter quieted down before speaking simply, “Lead actor.”

 

Lu Wen stammered perfectly, “Q-Q-Q…”

 

Qu Yanting repeated the question from the bathroom: “Do I not look like a screenwriter?”

 

Lu Wen broke into a sweat, replying, “Y-Y-You look exactly like one.”

 

Qu Yanting continued, “Do you want to become a best actor?”

 

Lu Wen’s face turned red instantly. “N-No, I’m not demanding it.”

 

Ren Shu couldn’t hold back his laughter, leaning back in his chair and laughing uproariously again, and everyone joined in, laughing heartily.

 

Director Liu said, “Lu Wen, you’re meeting the real screenwriter now.”

 

Lu Wen replied, “Yes…”

 

Director Liu asked, “Do you still think Mr. Qu looks like your father?”

 

Lu Wen’s face went from white to red, and he didn’t even need to answer—everyone was already laughing uncontrollably. Ren Shu coughed and reflexively looked at Qu Yanting’s reaction.

 

As the most qualified person to tease, Qu Yanting didn’t laugh at the mention of “father,” but instead looked away from Lu Wen, his faint smile fading.

 

“Alright, alright,” Ren Shu said, making a “stop” gesture. “Everyone, take it easy. We haven’t even started filming yet, don’t scare our lead actor.”

 

He glanced at his watch and suggested, “Let’s go to the banquet hall and meet the cast and crew.”

 

Everyone got up, and Ren Shu patted Lu Wen’s arm. “Stop standing there. You didn’t mean to mistake him, so go on and toast to Mr. Qu again and apologize.”

 

Lu Wen stiffly nodded, “Thank you, Director.”

 

With everyone filing out, the room felt empty.

 

Besides Qu Yanting, who was seated, and Lu Wen, who was standing, the two doors closed behind them, and the noise instantly fell away, leaving an eerie silence.

 

Lu Wen’s feelings were difficult to describe, even for a top science student. His chest felt tight, as if it had been pummeled by a heavyweight boxer but not fatally—just stuck in a half-dead state.

 

He moved cautiously, carefully sitting beside Qu Yanting. Once seated, he realized this was the closest he had ever been to Qu Yanting, even closer than when they spoke in the bathroom.

 

Lu Wen looked down, noticing the intricate design on Qu Yanting’s wristwatch and the veins on his hand. Below the table, he could see Qu Yanting’s slender thighs wrapped in black trousers. Looking sideways, he saw Qu Yanting’s straight nose, the texture of his skin, and his thick eyelashes.

 

When he first entered the room, Qu Yanting was mingling among the drunk men, looking refreshingly handsome and scholarly, which had caught Lu Wen’s eye immediately.

 

Lu Wen counted silently in his mind, realizing he had seen Qu Yanting four times.

 

… Damn.

 

How shocked was Lu Wen? Despite the full confirmation, he blurted out uncontrollably, “… Are you really Qu Yanting?”

 

Qu Yanting responded, “Do you want to see my ID?”

 

“No, no need…” Lu Wen quickly corrected himself, scared.

 

He sat in silence, suddenly realizing he was still holding the empty wine glass. He set it down and poured some Krug from the half bottle for Qu Yanting, saying, “Mr. Qu… Let me toast to you again.”

 

Qu Yanting asked, “Do you want to repeat the toast?”

 

Lu Wen’s wrist trembled as he tried to recall the forgotten words, “If there’s something you want to hear…”

 

Qu Yanting said, “No need. I can’t listen to it.”

 

Lu Wen sighed in relief, finished pouring the wine, and toasted Qu Yanting once more. Qu Yanting extended his hand, tracing circles on the base of his wine glass with his fingertips but didn’t pick it up.

 

He asked, “Are you really my fan?”

 

Lu Wen didn’t directly answer and simply said, “I’ve watched all the movies you’ve written.”

 

Qu Yanting didn’t probe further and asked something else, “How did you find today’s script reading?”

 

Lu Wen said, “I gained a lot from it.”

 

Qu Yanting asked, “Did you digest all the details?”

 

Lu Wen had a bad feeling and replied, “Not completely…”

 

Qu Yanting remarked, “Your stomach isn’t good, is it?”

 

Lu Wen felt like everything was wrong.

 

Why did he greet Qu Yanting in the bathroom? Why did he chat with Qu Yanting? Why did he show off to Qu Yanting?

 

In his regret, Lu Wen felt a bit aggrieved. As the saying goes, ignorance is no excuse. He was indeed ignorant, but Qu Yanting was fully aware of everything.

 

He mustered his courage and asked, “Mr. Qu, knowing I made a mistake, why didn’t you tell me?”

 

Qu Yanting replied, “Didn’t I hint to you?”

 

Lu Wen recalled that Qu Yanting’s hints were quite obvious. To mitigate his fault, he self-deprecatingly said, “I’m a bit slow-witted and can’t pick up on hints.”

 

Qu Yanting observed him like a mystery of the world, “So, fool, are you trying to trick me?”

 

Lu Wen hurriedly said, “I wouldn’t dare trick you. I’m just a small-time actor. I’m embarrassed and don’t know what to do.”

 

Qu Yanting asked, “Didn’t you say pretending to be humble was annoying? What are you so happy about?”

 

“You asked to see me by name, so of course I’m happy!” Lu Wen blurted out in a rush, his stutter gone and his voice loud.

 

Realizing that the person in front of him was Qu Yanting, he felt a bit scared and muttered, “Since you knew, did you call me here just to watch me make a fool of myself?”

 

“Didn’t you say that?” Qu Yanting replied. “Since you’re here, I want to see the soul of the whole film.”

 

Lu Wen’s face burned with embarrassment. “Then, after you’ve seen it, do you regret letting me play the lead?”

 

Qu Yanting finally picked up his wine glass and drank the champagne in one gulp. Lu Wen, noticing Qu Yanting’s moving Adam’s apple, reacted slowly and quickly drank his own glass as well.

 

Just as he swallowed, and before he had a chance to wipe the moisture from his lips, Qu Yanting, as if both answering and warning, said, “Whether I regret it or not, we’ll only know after we start filming.”

 

The small bowl of noodles had already gone cold. Qu Yanting picked up his chopsticks and stirred it a few times, saying, “Alright, you can leave now.”

 

Lu Wen got up obediently and walked out. As he reached the small vestibule, he turned around. Under the dazzling crystal chandelier, Qu Yanting sat alone by the table, his slim figure looking lonely.

 

For some reason, Lu Wen suddenly felt the urge to confess, “Um, the toast speech was written by my agent.”

 

Qu Yanting’s tone was flat: “Why are you telling me this?”

 

Lu Wen wasn’t sure why, so he answered honestly, “I don’t know.”

 

Qu Yanting chuckled softly, his tone heavy: “Do as you wish. But in the future, don’t say things like you see me as your father.”

 

Lu Wen decided to keep quiet and not confess that the one line was his own idea.

 

When he left the private room, Lu Wen felt a sudden relief and leaned against the wall, taking a long breath. He had entered with confidence, but now he felt utterly burnt out, and he suspected he might be suffering from some kind of internal imbalance.

 

Sun Xiaojian had been waiting three steps away and rushed over, “What happened? Director Ren and the others all went to the banquet hall and said you stayed behind to talk with Mr. Qu. Is that true?”

 

Lu Wen replied, “Yes.”

 

“Wow.” Sun Xiaojian was surprised and delighted. “Mr. Qu not only specifically asked to see you but also had a private conversation with you?”

 

Lu Wen could hardly speak, “… I didn’t expect it either.”

 

Sun Xiaojian checked his electronic watch. “I started timing when you went in. I estimated you’d be out in ten minutes, but you were in there for thirty minutes. You’re amazing!”

 

Lu Wen didn’t know how to respond and said, “A man shouldn’t be too fast.”

 

Sun Xiaojian laughed, wiping sweat from Lu Wen’s forehead. “Why the sweat? By the way, you didn’t forget your lines, did you? How did Mr. Qu react after you finished speaking?”

 

“He… laughed,” Lu Wen said, feeling disillusioned. “Everyone laughed.”

 

Sun Xiaojian said, “That means you’re likable. How do you feel? Do you think Mr. Qu will remember you?”

 

Lu Wen estimated, “If Qu Yanting doesn’t get into an accident that causes amnesia, I think he’ll remember me for a lifetime.”

 

“Wow…” Sun Xiaojian was stunned. “Impressive.”

 

The door opened, and Qu Yanting’s chopsticks had just been set down. He wiped his mouth and identified the sound of only one person’s footsteps. Ren Shu returned first, his cheeks flushed and his intoxication evident, and he sat down, feeling light-headed.

 

Qu Yanting poured a cup of tea and pushed it toward him. “Sober up.”

 

Ren Shu took the cup. “How much did you drink?”

 

Qu Yanting had drunk a liter of Fenjiu and several glasses of Krug, yet he didn’t look flushed or out of breath. During college, whenever his friends were drunk, he would help them back to their dorms and still be sober enough to do some homework.

 

Ren Shu said dully, “Hey, has Lu Wen left?”

 

Qu Yanting responded with a brief “Mm,” and then looked down at his phone, instructing the driver to wait at the hotel entrance. Ren Shu lamented, “Lu Wen must have been too nervous. He’s just a small actor and hasn’t seen much of the world.”

 

Qu Yanting thought to himself that staying in a luxurious suite, dressed in high-end custom clothes, wearing the latest and hardest-to-get jewelry, and feeling overly pleased with himself was certainly not the behavior of someone inexperienced.

 

He had no time for trivial matters. He poured a second cup of tea for Ren Shu and said, “You should go back to your room early. Don’t delay the start of work tomorrow.”

 

Ren Shu joked, “What’s to be afraid of? You’re in the crew; if I can’t make it, you can replace me. You haven’t forgotten what you learned back in the director’s department, right? You were the top of our class.”

 

Qu Yanting smiled without speaking, pretending to look at his phone, but his gaze was fixed on his fingertips. Hands that once drew storyboards and handled equipment were now used only for writing and typing.

 

Whether he had forgotten or not, he wouldn’t say, nor would he test it.

 

On the way back to the hotel, Qu Yanting kept his eyes half-closed, as if tired. The vibrant neon lights illuminated the car interior, but he wasn’t fond of such glamour, so he drew the curtains.

 

The driver kept silent and increased the speed.

 

In the hotel corridor on the 62nd floor, Lu Wen stood with his back against the door.

 

He had returned early under the pretense of reviewing the script, not removing his makeup or taking a shower. After calming down, he realized he had forgotten to apologize to Qu Yanting in the private room.

 

He wanted to make amends and now wondered if he could still redeem Qu Yanting’s impression of him.

 

In the future, would he ever have the chance to act in a script by Qu Yanting again?

 

And would he even get a chance to work on a film by the great director Zeng Zhen?

 

Lost in thought, Lu Wen waited for a long time without noticing. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the person he had been waiting for and thinking about come around the corner.

 

Qu Yanting, reeking of alcohol, wore a loose black shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His arms and face were illuminated in a warm yellow light from the wall lamps, and his black jacket swung lightly with his steps.

 

He wasn’t drunk but had shed some of his usual poise.

 

Qu Yanting walked over slowly and leaned against room 6206. With each having their own door, they met in the dimly lit corridor, reminiscent of a scene from Wong Kar-wai’s film *In the Mood for Love*.

 

Lu Wen took a step closer and said, “Mr. Qu, you’re back.”

 

Qu Yanting didn’t respond, his eyes downcast as he fumbled with his room card.

 

Lu Wen said, “Mr. Qu, I didn’t get a chance to apologize in the private room. I want to sincerely apologize to you now for any offense over the past few days. I’m very sorry.”

 

Qu Yanting took out his room card and turned around.

 

Lu Wen seized the moment. “I shouldn’t have taken your car, drunk your Perrier, or spoken arrogantly to you. Most importantly, I shouldn’t have mistaken you for someone else in front of others. It’s all my fault. Can you forgive me?”

 

Qu Yanting shivered slightly, relieved that no one else was around; otherwise, they might think they were performing some emotional drama.

 

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “Go back. Don’t bother me anymore.”

 

Lu Wen felt a bit relieved, and Qu Yanting opened the door.

 

As Qu Yanting was about to enter, Lu Wen suddenly remembered he had forgotten to explain the most important point, which Qu Yanting had warned him about before leaving the private room.

 

“Mr. Qu!” Lu Wen darted forward and propped the door open.

 

Qu Yanting was startled by the arm in front of him and the low bass sound behind him. He turned impatiently, “Is there something else?”

 

Lu Wen’s expression was extremely sincere as he said, “You absolutely do not resemble my father.”

 

Qu Yanting was stunned for a few seconds, then replied earnestly, “I don’t want to have a son like you either.”

 

After saying that, he noticed Lu Wen’s eyes were slightly wide, looking confused and helpless. He remembered that Lu Wen had mentioned being raised in a single-parent family during the toast.

 

Perhaps, he shouldn’t have said that to someone who only had a father.

 

Unexpectedly, Lu Wen replied, “Damn, my dad said the same thing.”