Scumbag Actor Screwup System

Chapter 48 - Happy Ending

Shen Yuan had been feeling down lately. He couldn't pinpoint the reason, his mind was a bit of a mess. Maybe it was the fact that he had to reshoot a scene he'd thought was good, it kind of felt like a failure. But... he was avoiding it again. His mind was protecting him from the pain of the real reason, walking on its tippy toes not to wake the real thing. The colors of the world around seemed muted, everything was much too noisy, and yet none of that seemed to matter too much.

When he got home after that day's excruciating filming of little details (please look here Shen Yuan- no, move more fluidly, not like that! - That's right, now repeat without the fan - Etc.) he planned on going home and playing video games until his eyes bled. He wanted to lose himself in a story, so maybe he'd go to a classic Final Fantasy, offline and away from everyone. He left the set without looking back and after a short walk, he opened his trailer and stepped in, ready to lose the cultivator outfit. Then his cell phone started playing the Proud Demon Immortal Way theme. How come it wasn't silent- oh it was an actual call, that's why.

"Bro, are you there?"

"Of course I'm here, but you need to be more specific. Was I supposed to be somewhere in your vicinity," replied Shen Yuan to Qinghua's voice.

"No, no, you're in your trailer, right? Stay there."

"Wait, are you coming, what's up?"

But there was no answer. Shen Yuan looked at the makeup remover and just as he was about to pick up a cotton pad there was a knock on the door. He opened.

It was not Qinghua.

"Can we talk, Sh...Shen Yuan?"

Shen Yuan felt as if an icy needle had skewered him. Xu Tengfei was there, and for the first time probably ever, he hadn't called him Shizun. He wanted to ask why, to be hurt. Instead he took his fan out and hit him.

"You are being disrespectful, but come in," he said with a little sigh and moved to the side, pointedly avoiding looking at the boy's face. Was Tianlang Jun doing a thumbs up in the background? He looked outside once more but couldn't quite find him again. He shut the door, turning towards Tengfei who was speaking.

"I'm sorry- I thought you didn't really want me to call you shizun and... I wanted to speak to you. To the real you- about..." Xu Tengfei made a little pause, and when he spoke again he seemed somehow stronger, " I want to talk about the kiss."

Shen Yuan felt the icy needle rummage in his chest. He kept staring pointedly at the floor.

"It was just work. You don't need to feel threatened, I would never assault you like that.*

Xu Tengfei's tone seemed anguished now.

"You think - you really think I hated it?"

"I- well- why are you here?" Shen Yuan looked up now. Shit, the kid was on the verge of tears again.

"I liked it. I just wished- I wished it was me instead of Luo Binghe that had been kissed. Do you like him better than me?!"

It was a few seconds before Shen Yuan noticed his mouth had dropped open, who knew the cliché actually happened in real life. His mind, meanwhile, kept racing in full panic, wondering what to do or say as the silence stretched. He did two things, close his eyes and open his fan. What would Shen Qingqiu do?

"I- well... "

What would Shen Qingqiu do?

"This master's kiss was honest," he tried. It didn't sound right.

"Shizun! It's the real you I want, not... not the character."

The needle continued poking, how could one dislodge it?