SM Chapter 52

Chapter 52: Sheng, you can’t control me anymore.

Lin Han arrived at the studio early in the morning, intending to go to Sheng Mingqian’s office to find an old film. He unlocked the door only to find it wasn’t locked. Puzzled, he pushed the door open and was startled by the sight of someone lying face-down on the sofa, asleep.

The person was curled up with their back hunched, making no sound. Lin Han craned his neck and peered inside for a couple of seconds before recognizing that it was Sheng Mingqian.

“Mingqian, why are you here so early?”

It wasn’t even eight o’clock yet, and Sheng Mingqian usually didn’t come to the studio unless he had something to do. Lin Han walked over and nudged his shoulder. “You didn’t sleep in the office last night, did you? When did you get here?”

Sheng Mingqian felt a disturbance near his ear. He frowned, pinched his ear hard, and groggily turned his neck.

Lin Han was taken aback when he saw Sheng Mingqian’s face. Sheng Mingqian looked as though he had just walked back from the brink of death, having not slept for days. His face was pale, his eyes were red, his beard was unshaven, and his lips were cracked. Looking into his eyes felt like staring into a black hole.

Thinking that Sheng Mingqian was sick, he reached out and touched his forehead, but he didn’t have a fever. “What’s wrong? What happened? This is serious.”

Sheng Mingqian finally recognized him, raised his arm, and brushed Lin Han’s hand away. He sat up, blinked hard, and stared blankly at the floor for a long time before moving his neck and saying, “Nothing.”

Last night, Ye Lai had run out wearing pajamas and slippers, without even taking his phone or keys. It was very cold at night, and the wind was strong.

He found him near the small flower bed downstairs, hugging himself and shivering from the cold. The first thing Ye Lai said when he saw him was that it was his home, and if anyone should leave, it should be him.

Ye Lai was being stubborn, so he had to coax him back first, saying that he would leave. The office was closer to Ye Lai’s new apartment, so he didn’t go home.

Sheng Mingqian sat and rested for a long time before suddenly asking, “Do I have a lot of work lined up?”

While searching for what he needed on the bookshelf, Lin Han began to list them for him. “Too much. Promotion for the new movie, film festivals, walking the red carpet, several events, and a TV interview. There’s quite a bit of work. The first half of the year is packed. It’ll be even busier if you shoot a new movie.”

Sheng Mingqian leaned back against the sofa, trying not to let his shoulders completely slump. He said weakly, “Except for the promotional work for the movie that’s about to be released, push back all the other events. I want to rest for a while.”

Lin Han realized that something was seriously wrong. He stopped looking for things and pulled up a chair to sit opposite Sheng Mingqian.

Sheng Mingqian’s expression was serious, with an undisguised sense of frustration and sadness. Lin Han was puzzled. “What’s wrong? Do you feel like you’re in a burnout period? If you want to rest, then rest. You’ve never rested in all these years.”

“I’m not filming a new movie for the time being either,” Sheng Mingqian said.

He was experiencing the feeling of failure for the first time, because of his neglect of Ye Lai over the years, and because of his own self-doubt and denial. The sharp claws that had emerged in his heart over the past few days were about to tear him apart. He couldn’t accept it as naturally as he used to, and he couldn’t piece those fragments back together.

“After all these years, I feel like I’m getting worse and worse.”

“What do you mean?” Lin Han asked.

Sheng Mingqian pressed his thumb and forefinger hard against his brow. His eyes, which had been clouded for days, momentarily cleared. “I remember when I was filming my first movie, I could understand those characters. You and a few other screenwriters who were unknown at the time would argue all night about the lines of even the smallest supporting character. But now…”

Sheng Mingqian paused. Just thinking about Ye Lai made his heart ache even more. It still felt like someone was squeezing his neck tightly and wouldn’t let go. As his Adam’s apple bobbed, the rising flames surged higher, burning him with no place to escape, and seemed to mock him.

After a moment of silence, Sheng Mingqian finally said, “Now I seem to have lost that ability. I consider the market, the audience, the direction of the film, all sorts of problems, but I put what I really want last. I put the characters I used to value the most last. I used to just want to tell good stories, to tell the stories of those people. You, me, him – we were all ordinary people in the world, vivid, with personality, with flesh and blood. But now, I’ve become the most foolish filmmaker. For the first time, I feel disgusted with myself.”

Sheng Mingqian’s words were heavy, and Lin Han also felt a sinking feeling as he listened. Over the years, in his and others’ eyes, Sheng Mingqian was talented, with his own persistence and passion. Of course, he also had the confidence and arrogance to match.

But the Sheng Mingqian in front of him, who said he felt disgusted with himself, exuded endless fatigue and decadence, reminding Lin Han of the fine grains of sand on the beach, indistinguishable from the others, just sand that could be washed away by a fierce wave at any time.

Lin Han had never seen Sheng Mingqian like this before. At the same time, he speculated in his heart about the reason why Sheng Mingqian had become like this overnight.

In fact, when he learned that the author of “The World on the Bough” was Ye Lai, Lin Han already had a premonition that this fact might be a fatal blow to Sheng Mingqian. Now it seemed that his premonition was correct. Sheng Mingqian’s current loss and depression should all stem from Ye Lai.

Ye Lai had broken down the hard, high walls in Sheng Mingqian’s heart, leaving only broken walls and ruins, vulnerable to the wind.

Lin Han didn’t say much else, just patted Sheng Mingqian on the shoulder. “Rest if you want to rest. Don’t do it if you don’t want to do it. Film later when you want to film. If you don’t want to film, you can retire directly.”

–

–

The new drama that Ye Lai had just taken on was a TV series. He joined the team halfway through because the original male actor had been exposed for drug use halfway through filming. There was no way that person could continue to work, and because the plot was more important, they could only temporarily replace him and reshoot.

The director looked for many people, but many were afraid to take on the script because it was a crime drama with a large scope, fearing that it wouldn’t pass censorship later. After searching around, they finally found Ye Lai.

Ye Lai wasn’t picky about work. After meeting the director and reading the script, he immediately decided to take on the role. All the scenes with the male lead showing his face had to be reshot.

Ye Lai waited on the film set all day. It was already noon when it was his turn, but just after filming one scene, the director shouted at him through the loudspeaker, “Ye Lai, let’s stop here for now. Take a break at noon. Someone’s here to visit you. They’re waiting for you in the lounge.”

The scene they had just filmed was a falling-into-the-swimming-pool scene, and Ye Lai’s suit was soaked. A staff member handed him a large bath towel. Ye Lai took it, wiped his hair, and then draped it over himself. He walked over and asked, “Director Sun, who is it? Is it a friend of mine?”

The director looked Ye Lai up and down, his eyes gleaming with gossip. The news of his divorce from Sheng Mingqian had caused such a stir that everyone in the circle knew about it, but very few knew the truth. Now this was interesting: his divorced director ex-husband was coming to visit the set. What was this all about?

When Ye Lai saw the meaningful expression on the director’s face, he knew that the person who had come was Sheng Mingqian. He told the director and quickly walked towards the lounge.

Sheng Mingqian’s eyes were fixed on the door. As soon as Ye Lai came in, he saw him wrapped in a bath towel from head to toe. His hair was wet, and his face was covered in water droplets. He knew that he had just filmed a water scene.

Ye Lai glanced at Sheng Mingqian, who was standing by the dressing table, without saying a word. He went straight into the inner room, took a shower, and changed into dry clothes before coming out.

“Director Sheng, why are you here again?”

Sheng Mingqian’s eyes never left Ye Lai’s face. His gaze was burning. Ye Lai’s hair was still sticking wetly to his cheeks, and his eyes were covered with a thin layer of mist. When he looked at people, it was like seeing white sails vaguely rippling on the water.

“Was it a water scene?” Sheng Mingqian took the lunchbox out of the bag and moved it closer to Ye Lai. “I brought you food. The director said you haven’t eaten yet. It’s still hot. I heard from Director Sun that you have a night scene to film tonight.”

Ye Lai pressed his lips together, not saying a word and not moving. Sheng Mingqian had already changed out of his wet clothes from last night. He must have taken special care to tidy himself up before coming, but the cracked corner of his mouth still couldn’t hide his embarrassment.

Faced with such a Sheng Mingqian, Ye Lai couldn’t calmly look at him for long. The things he couldn’t grasp always made him uneasy.

Seeing that Ye Lai didn’t speak, Sheng Mingqian opened his mouth himself. “I’m planning to rest for a while. I’ve pushed back most of my upcoming work.”

Ye Lai lowered his eyes. Sheng Mingqian hadn’t rested in so many years and always had endless work to do, either on the film set or at events. He was also known as a model worker director in the industry. He didn’t know why he had suddenly decided to rest, but he didn’t ask. He said lightly, “That’s your own business.”

Sheng Mingqian awkwardly changed the subject again. “What scenes are you filming this afternoon?”

Ye Lai didn’t even think about it. “I’m filming a bed scene this afternoon.”

Sheng Mingqian’s hand, which was opening the lunchbox, froze. “What bed scene?”

He had been waiting for Ye Lai in the lounge and had glanced at the script on the table, but he hadn’t had enough time to finish reading it. He didn’t know that Ye Lai had a bed scene to film.

The uneasy mood couldn’t last too long, or it would put him at a disadvantage.

Ye Lai’s eyes moved slightly. His misty peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly. The previously gloomy face was replaced with a mask with a faint smile. He slid his left index finger forward along the table, stopping just before it touched Sheng Mingqian’s wrist. He raised his finger and tapped the table rhythmically three times.

“Director Sheng, you really are forgetful. My bed scenes are still what you taught me personally when we were filming ‘Skinning Alive’. A so-called bed scene is an intimate scene acted out on a bed. You’re the famous Director Sheng. It’s not appropriate for you to ask such a question.”

Ye Lai was clearly doing it on purpose, and Sheng Mingqian had no words to refute. He had no position and no identity. Yet, the images that kept flashing through his mind were of Ye Lai lying naked on the bed, his body moving back and forth, his cheeks flushed, deep teeth marks on his shoulders, and the tickling moans and gasps that snaked from his ears into his body.

The more Sheng Mingqian thought about it, the faster his heart beat. As soon as he thought about Ye Lai in that seductive state filming a bed scene, the throbbing in his heart immediately turned into an unspeakable knot. He asked dryly, “Who’s the co-star? Male or female?”

Ye Lai crossed his arms and answered with interest, “Director Sheng, whether I film a bed scene or not, what kind of bed scene I film, and who I film it with, doesn’t seem to be any of your business anymore.”

–

–

Sheng Mingqian observed Ye Lai’s bed scene from the sidelines.

Director Sun also didn’t expect that Sheng Mingqian would come directly to the film set. He had someone move a chair for Sheng Mingqian to sit behind the monitor with him and couldn’t resist his curiosity, indirectly inquiring about his relationship with Ye Lai.

Sheng Mingqian spoke to Director Sun intermittently, his eyes never leaving the monitor.

This scene had already been filmed once. The co-star didn’t need to film again, only Ye Lai needed to film the close-up part to show his face.

Ye Lai was on the bottom, and the person acting with him was a male stagehand from the crew. He looked very young, only in his twenties. He was only wearing a black sports vest on his upper body, exposing the developed muscles on his arms. Sheng Mingqian stared coldly, frowning.

Ye Lai had been chatting with that person, discussing the positions and distances for a while. It seemed that the two of them were already very familiar.

Finally, filming began. Ye Lai was lying on the bed wearing a bathrobe. The front of the bathrobe was open a little, exposing his collarbone and part of his chest. The man was standing by the bed and had just taken a step forward, his leg not yet touching the foot of the bed, when Sheng Mingqian squeezed out an angry “Cut!” from his throat.

Director Sun scratched his head. “Director Sheng, why did you call cut?”

Sheng Mingqian realized that his behavior had crossed the line and said, “Sorry.”

Ye Lai was just about to say his lines when he was interrupted. Sheng Mingqian was now interfering with his normal work. He stood up and said to Sheng Mingqian angrily, “Director Sheng, please go back to the lounge and wait for me.”

The photographer and the staff next to him exchanged whispers. This was the first time they had eaten melon seeds at such close range. Ye Lai felt his face burning as he listened to the discussion, but Sheng Mingqian didn’t care.

Director Sun took up the conversation with a smile. “Director Sheng, Ye Lai will be done with this scene today.”

After Director Sun finished speaking, he leaned closer to Sheng Mingqian’s ear and said in a low voice, “The scale isn’t that big. It’s just pulling at the bathrobe and touching the face. There’s nothing else. The previous actor has already filmed the rest. Director Sheng, rest assured.”

Sheng Mingqian’s breath, which had just been raised, slowly landed. He felt a little relieved after listening, but his cold gaze still swept over the young man acting with Ye Lai.

The staff member felt a chill in his heart from Sheng Mingqian’s stare. The corner of his mouth twitched.

Sheng Mingqian walked to Ye Lai’s side and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, “I’ll go to the lounge and wait for you. In the future, you can’t film bed scenes.”

“Why?” Ye Lai was shocked by Sheng Mingqian’s words. Sheng Mingqian’s words were absurd and bizarre. Why should he do whatever he said? They were no longer related. “Director Sheng, you can’t control me anymore.”

Sheng Mingqian was still suppressing his voice. “Lai, in our divorce agreement, the second point on the third page, point twenty-eight, states that you can’t film bed scenes.”