Capturing My Demon King Costar

MY COSTAR ADMITS EVERYTHING

Yao Shen keeps shifting his gaze from the scene in front of him, to Xin Hulei at his side, crouched down behind the bushes.

His expression doesn't betray his feelings, but the clenched fist on his bent knee does.

Ahead, Yan Shuyi says something in a low voice, and the man in the red robes wraps him in his arms, whispering something fiercely into his ear.

Yan Shuyi tries to step away, but the man holds him fast.

Yao Shen is still confused, but one thing is clear, Xie Huan and Xin Hulei are not the same person, as he has been assuming since he found out the events of the novel were based on reality.

He can't even be sure if the man holding Yan Shuyi is named Xie Huan, but he resembles the description of Xie Huan from the novel and drama.

He's tall and imposing, and there's a decisiveness to the way he holds Yan Shuyi to him.

In hindsight, it's obvious that Xin Hulei couldn't have been him.

This explains why his personality has nothing in common with Xie Huan's; why every time he talks about his love for Yan Shuyi he never mentions Yan Shuyi's feelings for him.

In 'Crimson Promise' Xin Hulei might be playing the role of Xie Huan, but in reality he was Rong Zi.

When, Yao Shen looks to his side, the longing on Xin Hulei's face is plain to see. It's the same face Yao Shen saw moments ago while awake. The same sculpted jade features, the same unfathomable eyes.

"Shizun, I'll find a way," Xie Huan says, raising his voice loud enough for Yao Shen to hear, drawing his attention back towards the two of them.

Yan Shuyi shakes his head, clearly distraught. "They'll kill you if we're found out. They should kill me for leading you astray, but you know that the elder council has it out for you." Yan Shuyi looks terrified, his fine features sallow and wan under the moonlight.

"Nothing will happen to me, we'll run away, let's just leave. There's not reason for us to stay here," Xie Huan says, running his thumb over Yan Shuyi's cheek and cupping his jaw.

But what about the demonic realm, that he and Xin Hulei were supposed so save?

At Yao Shen's side, Xin Hulei's expression doesn't change. If he's wondering about that too, there's no way to tell.

"But don't you want to help your kind? I thought you wanted Frozen Peak's relic to save your city," Yan Shuyi says, surprising both Yao Shen and Xin Hulei.

Xin Hulei is clearly surprised because he didn't expect Yan Shuyi to know that Xie Huan was a demon. While there isn't a scene exactly like this one in the drama, Yao Shen can sort of place it at the point that Yan Shuyi and Xie Huan have already embraced their feelings, but are trying to keep their relationship under wraps.

In the drama, Yan Shuyi finds out about Xie Huan and Rong Zi being demons through Chao Yue's last, desperate attempt, to drive him and Xie Huan apart.

It generates some tension in their relationship -- but what kind of love story would it be, if Yan Shuyi didn't eventually wholeheartedly accept Xie Huan?

But clearly, this is the first time Xin Hulei is hearing of it.

For Yao Shen, the shock comes from hearing Yan Shuyi call what the drama calls the 'demonic realm' a city.

On the other hand, it does put in perspective some vague comments Xin Hulei has made.

"Of course I want to help, but I don't want to put Shizun's life in danger," Xie Huan says. "Shizun is so sure they'll kill me, but honestly, I think they'll kill us both."