ZhouXiangâs breadth became unstable as his chest fiercely undulated. He looked at the person in front of him, the feeling is so unfamiliar. His pupils tinged with the shade of extreme disappointment as he very slowly open his mouth, âYanMingXiu, do you know the importance of this role to me? Iâve offended WangYuDong. There is no place for me in the entertainment circle. All my bet is on this role. Only if I can breakthrough this barrier myself will I be able to have a footing in this industry.â
YanMingXiu didnât put his apprehensions to heart. He couldnât wait for ZhouXiang to quit the entertainment industry. After all, the disappearance of a small character like ZhouXiang would not be any huge loss to anyone. But for him, it can ensure that ZhouXiang would no longer have any associations with LanXiRong. Not to mention that it is no big deal for him to support ZhouXiang.
YanMingXiu threw the phone on the sofa and said nothing, âYou overestimate yourself. What makes you think you can play Dong Geâs role? When this film comes out, it wonât even be profitable. Will you be able to establish yourself? You will be even more dejected and depressed.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
ZhouXiang sneered, âIn your eyes, WangYuDong is God. But thatâs not what I think. Whether or not I can play this role is not for you to judge. You have no right to stop me.â
YanMingXiu looked at him fiercely, âYou can try and see if you can get out of here. Your few moves are only for show. Even if I have to tie you up, I wonât let you go.â
ZhouXiang canât suppress the sorrow from rising in his heart, âYanMingXiu...you treating WangYuDong with such deep affections, I can say nothing more. In your eyes, except for him, others are nothing. Even if we were together for a year, in your eyes, it didnât amount to shit.â
YanMingXiuâs lips quivered, seeing the sorrow in ZhouXiangâs eyes, his heart shuddered all of a sudden. He gritted his teeth, âZhouXiang, why bother to steal his role? What is the point of humiliating him? Whatâs more, itâs a role with LanXiRong! You want to shoot a film or you want to be the lead, Iâll satisfy you. You can pick any prominent director and screenwriter in the country; Iâll pay to tailor a film or TV series for you. Are you satisfied with that?â
ZhouXiangâs expression is as if he wanted to cry, âYanMingXiu, weâve been together for this long, why havenât you thought of giving me anything during this time? With your prestigious wealthy Yan family, it shouldnât matter to anything. If it wasnât for me threatening your Dong Ge, you wouldnât even have thought a bit for me, am I right?â
In this relationship between them, ZhouXiang had always been the one who is continuously putting in the effort...constantly putting in the effort. Not once had YanMingXiu given him the slightest reciprocation. ZhouXiang wasnât really expecting anything in return for treating him well. He even believed that the reason YanMingXiu didnât help him in the past wasnât because he was unwilling to spend the money. It was merely because he was too lazy to put in any effort for him...because even if YanMingXiu didnât do anything, he, ZhouXiang, would still shamelessly treat him wholeheartedly. Why would YanMingXiu need to waste any energy?
ZhouXiang felt that he, himself, is so fucking pitiful. If he knew early on that YanMingXiu was only treating him as a substitute, he wouldâve handle the relationship between them completely differently and definitely wouldnât have let himself fall for this person. But right now, everything is too late.
YanMingXiu responded harshly, âYou are deliberately twisting my meaning. Whether or not there is Dong Ge, I wonât let you and LanXiRong have a chance to act in the same film...â
Unexpectedly, ZhouXiang yelled at YanMingXiu, âDonât fucking pretend!! Iâve known you for more than a year. Only with matters involving WangYuDong would you not be calm. Only with matters involving WangYuDong would you become abnormal. In your eyes, WangYuDong is God. Iâm not fucking anything. Why canât you admit it!!? Why are you involving LanXiRong in this? It has nothing to do within him from start to finish. From now on, I, ZhouXiang... whoever Iâm with, whatever film Iâm in, how I live... will have nothing to do with you! I also donât care whether or not your Dong Ge will be humiliated. I must act this role! Get the fuck out of my home right now!â After ZhouXiang said these words, his tears had already fallen.
This is purely unbearable. YanMingXiuâs unconditional protection of WangYuDong made him gnash his teeth with hatred toward WangYuDong. No, maybe itâs not hate, but jealousy. He is so jealous of WangYuDong that he is going crazy.
WangYuDong has everything... the looks, the talent, a great family, status, and even YanMingXiuâs wholehearted genuine feelings.
Which of these do ZhouXiang have? He is jealous of WangYuDong having something that is beyond his reach. The power of jealousy motivated him to take WangYuDongâs role, to humiliate WangYuDong. Even if he can beat WangYuDong for even a little bit, it is enough to make him feel happy.
Although he knew that he will never win over WangYuDong.
In WangYuDongâs eyes, he is just a lucky bastard that Director Wang conveniently use as a weapon, someone that is not even worthy to be his opponent. He definitely wouldnât have known that the thing that ZhouXiang desperately strive to get and wanted was actually YanMingXiuâs heart, which also belonged to him (WangYuDong).
He, ZhouXiang, will always just be a mere stuntman for WangYuDong. The applause and glory that WangYuDong gets in front of people and the fame and affections he gets from behind the scenes has nothing to do with his stuntman (ZhouXiang).
There had never been a moment in his life when he felt so mediocre, so lowly. WangYuDongâs glory that had occasionally swept through his dark corner is already enough to pierce his heart, making his entire body feel such immense pain, not to mention YanMingXiu stabbing him with a knife time and time again.
He didnât just get deeply hurt and heart-broken from YanMingXiu, he was also deeply ashamed.
Although he knew that doing so will only exacerbate the situation and will not be beneficial to him at all, he still wanted to compete with WangYuDong for this role. Otherwise, he canât get pass himself. He also wanted to take something from WangYuDong to save this last bit of self-esteem that is on the verge of collapse.
But all this, YanMingXiu will not understand.
He understood that in YanMingXiuâs eyes, he is now just a lowly person who dared to offend WangYuDong. YanMingXiu would not hesitate to bait him with huge sums of money in exchange for WangYuDongâs reputation.
He absolutely wonât agree to this.
YanMingXiu dazedly looked at the tears on ZhouXiangâs face and felt overwhelmed for the first time.
He never saw ZhouXiang cry. ZhouXiang always had on a smile... a generous and wholehearted smile... a gentle smile and a considerate smile. In YanMingXiuâs eyes, ZhouXiang is a person who never seems to have any worries and can get over anything. At least, ZhouXiang never showed his moodiness in front of him.
But in one night, all of this changed. He got to see ZhouXiangâs indifference and resistance. And now, he also got to see ZhouXiangâs helpless tears.
YanMingXiu immediately felt his heart tightened. He really didnât know what is happening to him. Seeing ZhouXiang expressionlessly crying is most unsightly.
He didnât know how to refute ZhouXiangâs words.
The reason he did this is not only for WangYuDong. WangYuDongâs request, he really canât refuse. But the bigger reason is that he canât stand for ZhouXiang to film with LanXiRong, especially when their relationship is on the verge of collapse. LanXiRong will definitely take this opportunity to get together with ZhouXiang. He had heard from WangYuDong before that this new film will be shooting in the northwest desert for three months. This is a very remote area with no entertainment whatsoever. With ZhouXiang and LanXiRong in this place for more than three months, what will happen when he return? Will ZhouXiang have a change of heart? Will he still like him (YanMingXiu)?
He canât take this risk. He canât see his own heart clearly. The only thing that he knows surely is that he donât want ZhouXiang to leave him. He is used to having ZhouXiang by his side. He is used to enjoying everything that ZhouXiang had given him. Especially after his delusion with WangYuDong shattered, he needed ZhouXiang to stay by his side even more. ZhouXiang is the only person who can comfort him and is the only person who can put him at ease.
He would never give ZhouXiang to anyone. He absolutely would not let ZhouXiang be in this film!
ZhouXiang wiped the tears from his face, picked up his keys, and turned to go to the door.
YanMingXiu shouted, âWhere are you going?!â
ZhouXiang did not answer and went straight to the door.
YanMingXiu quickly chased from behind. But ZhouXiang seemed to be prepared and on guard. He suddenly turned around and raised his fist toward YanMingXiu.
YanMingXiu didnât think that ZhouXiang would hit him. ZhouXiang didnât think he would be the first to strike, but without thinking, his fist had already been thrown out. Even though he hesitated, he still struck YanMingXiu in the face.
YanMingXiuâs body hit the shoe cabinet, groaning as he instantly grab the shoe cabinet to stabilize his body from falling to the ground.
ZhouXiang desperately gasped a few breaths and quickly reached for the doorknob, wanting to quickly leave this place as soon as possible.
YanMingXiu suddenly hugged him from behind, forcing him to fall on the floor in the living room.
ZhouXiangâs body slammed on the ground. He struggled to get up.
YanMingXiu was on top of him at once. With his infinite strength, he instantly had ZhouXiang trapped. He couldnât even move.
ZhouXiang didnât know where YanMingXiuâs strength came from as he vigorously struggled to get up, but YanMingXiu hands grabbed his arm like a pair of iron tongs.
ZhouXiang glared at YanMingXiu with bloodshot eyes, âLet me go, are you fucking crazy!?â
YanMingXiu looked at him condescendingly and said firmly, âDonât think of leaving.â
ZhouXiang was anxious as he screamed, âEven if you treat WangYuDong better, he wonât be with you! He is your brother-in-law! What fucking use is it for you to be doing this?! He wonât like you, he never will!â
âI know that,â YanMingXiu responded calmly. He knew all these reasons, but he never thought that someone would tell him that. He thought he would flip out from humiliation, but he didnât. He felt that he had accepted this reality very peacefully. Perhaps because he had been disappointed for too long so he couldnât even feel much sadness.
The only thought in his mind now is how to stop ZhouXiang.
ZhouXiang struggled desperately, so much that he was panting and sweating profusely, âYanMingXiu, you are really pitiful, for someone who doesnât like you...â He wanted to say something provoking to incite him, but he canât say it, because every word and every sentence seems to be mocking himself.
For a person who doesnât like him, he made himself into such a pitiful fool, what qualifications does he have to talk about others?
YanMingXiu pulled out a rope used for jump rope from under the coffee table. It was very old and seemed to be more than ten years old. It hasnât been used for a long time but it is very convenient. He grabbed ZhouXiangâs hand and tied them up.
ZhouXiang saw that YanMingXiu was serious about this and panicked as he shouted, âYanMingXiu, let me go!! WangYuDong merely lost just a role. If I donât go, my career in the entertainment circle for all these many years is completely over, I must go!â
âIf itâs over, then so be it. Iâll support you,â YanMingXiu said calmly and coldly.
ZhouXiangâs eyes are bloodshot as he glared at YanMingXiu furiously.
After YanMingXiu finished tying him up, he gripped his chin and asked, âZhouXiang, do you like me?â
ZhouXiang didnât speak. He just stared at him.
YanMingXiu gently stroked the newly grown stubble on ZhouXiangâs chin and softly muttered, âContinue to like me, you can have anything.â
He leaned over and softly touched ZhouXiangâs lips, âIâll give you what you want, but youâre not allowed to think about others.â
ZhouXiang closed his eyes, turning his face to the side, feeling completely devastated.
End of the Chapter