Chu Chen’s face held a smile, he took the initiative to speak: “Sorry, sorry, I pulled him chat and took too long, director Rong if you want to scold, scold me.”
“Everyone is here to join in the fun. There’s no need to scold, as long as you don’t have too much NGs in the future.”
[TN: NG — Not Good, bad takes in scenes]
Chu Chen agreed with a cheeky grin.
Duan Changke sat on the right side of the producer, and next to him was director Rong Jiu. When he raised his head, Rong Jiu immediately introduced him, “This is our male lead, Chu Chen, and male lead number three, Fang Lin.”
“You must have seen Chu Chen, you may not know Fang Lin too well, but his script reading was very bright, I also look forward to his future performance.” The director probably drank a lot of wine, his mood was good, after the introduction, he couldn’t help but praise the two people.
Amused, the producer quickly spoke: “Director Rong probably forgot, Duan Chengke should know Xiao Fang ah, he was just signed to his company.”
“Oh oh, so,” Rong Jiu responded, he didn’t feel embarrassed, instead he enthusiastically solicited the two people over to sit, “that’s good, but it’s the right time to greet him in person.”
Chu Chen obediently sat next to Rong Jiu, and Fang Lin just wanted to find a corner to sit down, but because of the words of the producer, everyone remembered that Duan Changke was now his nominal boss, so naturally they kindly moved seats so he could sit with his new boss.
Fang Lin looked quite calm, he knew that some people at the table must be curious about how he signed the contract, and at this moment they wanted to use this to satisfy their curiousity.
Since others gave up their seats, he walked over and sat down, and greeted Duan Changke politely.
His boss nodded.
Duan Changke was still in black, but changed to a very elegant bumpy collar with two buttonseft undone, and he looked at Fang Lin with the same look as the other times – except for the time when he overstepped the mark in the office.
“I’m happy he signed.” Duan Changke lightly responded.
“Xiao Fang is doing very well.” Rong Jiu couldn’t help but praise again.
“Can you drink? If you can’t drink, just say so, you can use water instead,” Rong Jiu was enthusiastic but he wouldn’t force anyone, “I know it’s troublesome to toast one by one, after spending time together, there’s no need to be so polite.”
“Director Rong, I can’t, once I drink, I have no image.”
The other two actresses also tentatively changed the originally poured wine in their hands into water or drinks.
“What about Xiao Fang? Want to change?” Fang Lin looked young, his role was also a brother type, so Rong Jiu subconsciously felt that he shouldn’t be able to drink, so he took the initiative to ask.
He didn’t expect Fang Lin to shake his head: “It’s okay, director Rong, I’ll drink with you, I can drink well.”
Rong Jiu was worried that he said this because he was embarrassed, and said that he shouldn’t be restrained and that it was okay if he didn’t want to drink.
But Fang Lin proved himself with practical actions, he was really an amazing drinker.
Rong Jiu was very excited today, his expectations of the drama was very high, and he was satisfied with all the actors, he was also looking forward to working with the screenwriter and other staff. He poured more wine, but certainly didn’t persuade Duan Changke, Duan Changke didn’t drink, some actors also drank water or drinks, the producer accompanied him but there was more than enough alcohol, so he had been drinking with him for a long time, Fang Lin drank like he was drinking water.
No one expected such a person would be a wine altar, Rong Jiu had begun to show signs of drunkenness, but Fang Lin only had slightly red cheeks, other signs couldn’t be seen.
Duan Changke was obviously sitting next to him, he didn’t drink a drop of wine, except for the first few words of exchange, they had almost no interaction.
But it was just right, if the boss, who had always talked little, took too much care of his new artist it was easy to be caught in the act, and if Fang Lin was too enthusiastic, it would make people think he was too flattering. In any case, this was the safest way to handle the situation, Fang Lin thought.
He didn’t know if he was being sensitive, but he felt that there were times when Duan Changke seemed to glance over, but he remained silent.
Rong Jiu knew that he was drunk, and he didn’t want to lose his composure, so he planned to stop.
He stood up and poured himself the last glass of wine. First, he routinely thanked all the people present, drank it all at once, and said that he had enjoyed himself today.
But he was too excited, and before he could return to his position, he walked over to Duan Changke.
“Mr. Duan.” Rong Jiu kept a basic image even though he was drunk.
Seeing that he seemed to have something to say to Duan Changke, Fang Lin was just about to stand up when Rong Jiu lowered his voice: “I really want to thank you for coming to the first audition, otherwise ……”
Fang Lin didn’t hear anything else.
The banquet lasted quite a while, but it was quite free to go in and out, some people had already left the table, and Rong Jiu was still speaking to Duan Changke.
When Fang Lin left his position, Chu Chen came over and patted his shoulder: “I didn’t expect you to drink so well, people can’t be judged by their appearance. Let’s go back together–”
He thought that Fang Lin was going to the room arranged by the crew, and was about to ask him to go together, but Fang Lin looked like he was startled and jolted.
“What’s wrong?” Chu Chen was puzzled.
“No, I was just thinking about something else.” Fang Lin soon looked the same as before, but he didn’t go back with Chu Chen, “You can go back first, I have something to do, I think I’ll go back later.”
The place where they lived wasn’t far, there was only one street around, and there weren’t many stores. Chu Chen didn’t doubt him, he nodded and walked to the door, and soon disappeared.
In the box, the lively atmosphere just now was gradually dispersing, and the producer was being polite with others when he looked up and found that the investor had stood up by himself.
He hurriedly called out “Mr. Duan”, but the other seemed to be explaining something to his secretary, so he didn’t hear him and left.
The crew also temporarily arranged a room for Duan Changke, a suite in the same hotel.
He didn’t intend to stay overnight, but his subordinates were very considerate, even though they knew he didn’t drink, they still prepared a sobering soup for insurance purposes, just in case.
Duan Changke originally wanted to ask the driver to pick him up, but when he was about to call, he thought of something and hesitated for a moment.
Seeing the number that hadn’t moved since it was saved suddenly calling, Fang Lin stood in front of the drink counter at the convenience store and froze for a while before picking it up.
“It’s me.”
Duan Changke was concise.
“My assistant prepared sobering soup, what’s your room number? I’ll have him send it to you.”
“Mr. Duan, I ……” Fang Lin, still holding a bottle of milk in his hand, replied in a daze.
His pause made Duan Changke understand: “You’re not in your room?”
“I’m going back.” Fang Lin said while walking to the counter to check out, “Do I …… need to report to you what I’ve done?”
“No need.” This time, the other paused.
Sensing the end of the two topics, Fang Lin was originally going to wait for Duan Changke to hang up, but suddenly thought of something, he looked at the clerk who was checking out, then he whispered: “President Duan.”
Duan Changke didn’t speak, but Fang Lin knew he was listening.
“I …… still want it.” He sounded quite natural, “Give me your room number, I’ll come and get it soon.”
The other side was quiet.
Quiet to the point that Fang Lin thought Duan Changke wasn’t going to pay attention to his words.
But after a long silence, he heard a “ta” sound from the other end of the phone, like a lighter.
Duan Changke said a number.
He only said it once, and then said, “If you want to come, then come.”
Duan Changke’s room was on the top floor of the hotel.
When the elevator gave its last beep, Fang Lin walked out of it.
The crew was very careful in some aspects, for example, to show his importance, this floor was booked just for Duan Changke, to ensure that there would be no other people to disturb.
Fang Lin followed the carpet all the way forward and easily found the room corresponding to the number Duan Changke gave him.
He took a deep breath, flexed his fingers and knocked twice.
A few seconds later, the door opened and the person who was sitting next to him not long ago appeared in front of him.
Duan Changke opened the door for him and went inside. He turned on the light at the entrance and said casually, “It’s on the table.”
Fang Lin still had the paper bag from the convenience store in his hand, he walked in and closed the door and put it casually on the door.
There was really a sobering soup on the table, smelling sweet and sour, and it was even a little warm to the touch.
Duan Changke was still wearing the same clothes, but the third button was unbuttoned, and it didn’t look like he intended to stay here overnight.
“Director Rong is quite good. If you don’t want to drink, you can tell him directly.” After a moment of silence, Duan Changke spoke again.
Except for two flushed cheeks, he couldn’t even tell that Fang Lin had just drunk so much wine.
“Mr. Duan, I’m fine.” Fang Lin put down the warm bowl on the table and stood up.
Not only that, he also took two steps forward, and the distance between the two of them got closer.
Duan Changke didn’t react, but raised his eyes and asked indifferently, “Are you uncomfortable?”
Fang Lin shook his head again.
“I drink very well. I’ve never been drunk.”
Duan Changke laughed lightly, he wasn’t sure if he was affirming his statement, or something else.
“Fang Lin.” Duan Changke’s voice wasn’t loud, he called his name and asked meaningfully, “You’re not drinking the sobering soup anymore?”
“I’m not drunk.” Fang Lin tilted his face up to look at him, his eyes were clear, indeed he didn’t feel drunk at all, even when he opened his mouth to speak, the smell of alcohol wasn’t there.
“Is that so?” Duan Changke crossed his arms and stared at him from a very close distance.
“Then what are you doing here?”
“It’s true that I don’t get drunk when I drink.”
The entire suite had only one light on, so Fang Lin’s words followed the ambiguous atmosphere that was surging between the two at a very close distance: “But does Mr. Duan want to try something else?”
The silence seemed to be only two seconds, but it seemed to stretch for a long time.
But Fang Lin couldn’t calculate this silence anymore.
Because Duan Changke really approached him this time, he stretched out his hand and encircled his thin neck with his thumb and middle finger, and kneaded it not too lightly but not too heavily.
“So active.”
Fang Lin actually knew that from the time he told him his room number, it was a tacit approval of his implicit invitation.
Duan Changke’s questioning wasn’t like a compulsion this time.
It was more like an interrogation.
But his hand was hot, his thumb lightly clasped Fang Lin’s throat, so that whatever he said, his fingers would clearly perceive it first through the vibration of his vocal cords.
“That’s how much you want to sleep with me?”
TN:
Finallllly 👏.
I love this novel but I don’t like retranslating things, glad I’m done so I can move forward, can’t wait!!!!!!!! 😀