Taming The Tiger

18. A Deserved Punch

"I will be late today as well, be sure father will be home before seven," Yu Hua said over the phone and could mentally see Yu Lan rolling his eyes.

"Everyday you are late and I am not father's nanny, you know, I have a life as well!"

"I am working, not enjoying myself," Yu Hua said, trying to keep his anger under control, "I am still paying for his previous debt, so you should do your part to help me."

"Whatever," Yu Lan murmured, annoyed and hung up.

Putting his phone on the makeup table, Yu Hua rubbed his face with irritation. It was the third week of the shooting and everything was getting worse. After Sun Ming left, he thought things would be better, but no. As if promising to avenge his psychotic lover, the director got more ruthless and the other main leads joined hands with him. Now, he was repeating each scene more than twenty five times until he was collapsing to the ground or having nosebleeds, and as if it wasn't enough, the director kept adding rain, running and crying scenes just for Yu Hua and Jing Yong.

Although Yu Hua was the main target, he was more worried for Jing Yong. He was just twenty two years old and he was a sensitive soul. A few times, Yu Hua caught him crying in the dressing room and when the poor boy talked about quitting the drama for good, he decided to help him.

With a great tenacity, he observed the staff and decided the girl from the makeup department was the best choice for his plan. He waited for two days until the opportunity arose. That day, all the cast were present on the set and Yu Hua managed to become the last one to receive makeup after Jing Yong.

"I will wait for you outside, ge," the young man announced and left Yu Hua with the makeup girl.

"I can't believe that he is such a sweetheart although he doesn't have to act nice towards anyone on the set," he threw the fishhook as he stared at the short girl through the mirror.

"What do you mean?"

Got you! Yu Hua said inwardly and feigned being shocked, "don't you know who he is?"

She lowered the brush she was holding and looked at him with curiosity, "no, I don't know, who is he?"

Yu Hua leaned forward towards her. As if giving her a secret, he whispered "he is the nephew of the biggest sponsor of the drama. I heard the CEO calling him as the biggest asset of the cast."

She shook her small head with shock, "can't believe it!"

Yu Hua put his forefinger on his lips, gesturing shush, "don't tell anyone, it is between you and I."

She nodded with a smile and finished his makeup.

As Yu Hua expected, the news reached the ears of the whole members of the drama before noon and suddenly Jing Yong's torture stopped.

"Ge!"

Jing Yong's voice brought Yu Hua's wandering soul back, "hmm?" he asked, looking at his smiling face.

"Guess what happened," the young actor said while clapping his hands with excitement.

"You tell me."

"The director praised me again! It is the third day in a row!"

"Well done!" Yu Hua congratulated the naive man with a smile and hoped he would keep his innocence in that dirty industry.

"I am so happy!" he threw himself on Yu Hua, hugging him tight, "I will treat you to dinner today after your shooting."

Yu Hua heaved a sigh, "you go first, I have a feeling I will be here until midnight."

Suddenly, Jing Yong broke the hug and looked at him with eminent sadness in his dark brown slanted eyes, "they are still mistreating you, right?"

Yu Hua faked a smile and patted his soft hair, "it is okay," he reassured the other and sent him home to rest. After him, Yu Hua inhaled and exhaled a few deep breaths to get ready for his daily torture and left the dressing room before the director shouted for him.

Well, apparently it was a break time as the director was drinking coffee with Na Na. Not wanting to be seen by the director, Yu Hua decided to go back to the dressing room, but before he could do that, his ear caught something ugly.

"The CEO and Jing Yong, ha?!" Lu Mei exclaimed with wide open eyes.

Dan Li grimaced with disgust, "that lowly leech didn't get the role because of his uncle, first he went under that cold pervert like all the others, then his uncle helped him to secure the role," he lied confidently, making Yu Hua gape.

Before he realised what he was doing, Yu Hua stood in front of Dan Li, looking down at him, "say it again," he challenged the actor with fire in his eyes.

Dan Li took a step back, but his voice was unwavering, "why? Do you also want to be fucked by Jing Yao or you want to fuck that fragile lee-"

He couldn't finish his sentence as Yu Hua punched him hard on the face. "SAY THAT AGAIN AND I WILL BE SURE YOU WILL NEVER UTTER ANY OTHER WORD!" he threatened the fallen man. Although he wasn't sure about the CEO having sex with the other actors, he knew he wasn't a pervert and Jing Yong was such an innocent baby towards whom Yu Hua felt utmost responsibility.

"YOU PSYCHO!" Dan Li shouted back as he rose to his feet again and punched Yu Hua before the other staff pulled them apart.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR IT!" Dan Li shouted as he was directed to the dressing room and Yu Hua knew that it wasn't a baseless threat... yet he didn't care about it at the moment.