"We saved some breakfast for you," Shen Jintai said to Yan Qiuchi after he went up: "There are buns, porridge, and soymilk fritters."
"I have no appetite." Yan Qiuchi said: "You worked hard yesterday."
"Actually, I didn't help much." Shen Jintai said: "It's just that Auntie Fang was worried about you, so drink less in the future."
"I was talking to him about that just now. What are you doing drinking so much alcohol outside by yourself?" Mrs. Yan said.
She just seized the opportunity and hurriedly asked Yan Qiuchi about the situation last night, but she didn't expect him to say that nothing happened.
Such a good opportunity was wasted. However, she didn't believe Yan Qiuchi's words. According to her son's temperament, even if something happened, he probably wouldn't say it. Yan Qiuchi was quite conservative in this regard, and their mother-son relationship had not reached the point where they can talk about everything.
Shen Jintai went to Yan Qiuchi's room to get his blanket. He saw that it had been neatly folded and Yan Qiuchi's bed was cleaned and tidy.
Yan Qiuchi followed him in and asked: "Didn't you use the hotel blanket?"
Shen Jintai: "No, I brought this one myself to sleep more comfortably."
Usually, he would use the sheets and blankets provided by the hotels. This time, because he had to stay for a long time, he brought his own blanket. He felt it was cleaner.
Shen Jintai picked up his blanket and said: "Do you remember being drunk yesterday?"
Yan Qiuchi said: "I remember vaguely."
Shen Jintai laughed: "You are quite clingy when you are drunk."
Yan Qiuchi: "Did I bother you?"
Shen Jintai said: "No, but I was worried. I was afraid that when you wake up and see me lying next to you, you would think that I was harassing you. Don't worry. I was very upright last night. I did sleep in the same bed with you without your consent though. I hope you don't mind."
Shen Jintai was obviously joking around causing Yan Qiuchi to smile faintly: "I don't mind."
When Shen Jintai was about to leave, Yan Qiuchi shouted: "Jintai."
"Hmm?" Shen Jintai turned his head.
Yan Qiuchi: "You often tell me that you are different from before, so I can rest assured... In fact, I also want to tell you that I have seen your changes with my very own eyes. My attitude towards you... is also changing. I now think... you are good, truly."
He felt that it was necessary for him to talk to Shen Jintai about this, although this topic was a bit embarrassing for them both. But every time Shen Jintai made such half-truths about himself, he worried that Shen Jintai thought he was still stuck in the past and still hated him. He wanted Shen Jintai to know that they all changed. He won't mind or worry about being harassed. Truthfully, he would even welcome it.
Shen Jintai wasn't sure if it was because of the sun was affecting his mood, but it seems that their relationship had improved. He felt that when Yan Qiuchi looks at him it seems to be different from before. It was very bright and focused. He couldn't help but smile, feeling a bit moved. Everyone has now seen his changes. The clothes he had stripped in front of Yan Qiuchi are slowly being put back on one by one.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door. The door wasn't locked and immediately opened after the knock. Shen Jintai saw it was Yan Qiuchi's assistant, Fang Yun.
Yan Qiuchi usually was busy with work. In the two-day break since he came to visit the set, he had accumulated a pile of work.
Fang Yun had become anxious as the people below kept urging her. Yan Qiuchi was devoted when working but when he takes a break, in principle, he doesn't allow people to contact him unless it's an emergency. He was supposed to return yesterday but after a day of delay Fang Yun rushed over to personally deliver documents.
As soon as she knocked and entered the room, she saw Shen Jintai. She immediately became excited as she was one of the thousands of gold powders.
Shen Jintai looked a little more muscular than before. He had a more heroic and upright feel as well. He was truly a star. His temperament was good, and his porcelain skin and beautiful appearance were not heavily exaggerated making look a little above average. There are many handsome men that were probably better looking than him, but compared to him, Fang Yun thought that Shen Jintai was more dazzling.
Of course, this was due to her fan filter.
Yan Qiuchi saw her and said: "Come in and talk."
She bowed to Yan Qiuchi, then nodded to Shen Jintai, and then entered the room.
"Then I'll leave you guys to it." Shen Jintai hurriedly left while holding his blanket.
Fang Yun's heart was pounding. She just witnessed Shen Jintai coming out of President Yan's room holding a blanket. What did this mean? Is it what she thought it was?
"Give it to me." Yan Qiuchi sat down on the sofa.
Fang Yun hurriedly took out a few important documents from her bag: "This is a major project candidate for the fourth quarter. Here's the summary for the proposal for <Ten Thousand Lights>. The internal review had passed yesterday, and Director Zhao has signed it. Please give your final confirmation. This proposal is for <Welcome Rain on a Spring Night>. It contains the revised script by Director Qiu Hong as well as the company's proposed changes based on their internal audit. The changed parts are marked with fluorescent labels."
The script for <Welcome Rain on a Spring Night> was brought by Yan Qiuchi himself. Fang Yun wasn't sure why as he had always ignored script selection in the past.
Yan Qiuchi nodded, took out the script and handed it to her: "You can send it to Shen Jintai."
Fang Yun was stunned as she took the script from his hand.
"Don't you like him very much?" Yan Qiuchi said to her while reading the documents: "Go. You can also ask him for an autograph."
"Can I?" Fang Yun was very excited when she heard this. She hurriedly went to Shen Jintai to give him the script and ask for an autograph.
Shen Jintai was surprised when he saw Fang Yun. He didn't expect that there were people around Yan Qiuchi that were his fans.
"I like you very much." Fang Yun said excitedly: "You acted beautifully in The East Palace. My parents also like you a lot."
When speaking about <The East Palace is Coming> or the role of Li Xu, she felt that they provided a great significance to society. Before it, she never thought her parents would one day like a gay character. It is also because of this that Shen Jintai has become a cinnabar mole* in the minds of many people.
*Cinnabar mole (的朱砂痣) = based on . The White Rose represent the white moonlight (bai yueguang) while the red rose represents the cinnabar mole. The white moonlight is your first love, but you cannot be with while the cinnabar mole represents the person you spend a lifetime with. || In this context it means that Li Xu's character made a deep impression on the audience and is now with them for a lifetime. See my Kinky Thoughts for more details.
Fang Yun: "Like everyone else, I am waiting for the makeup photo for <Pilot>."
"It will be release this morning." Shen Jintai said with a smile.
<Pilot> adheres to Director Lu Ming's consistent style, that is, it does a very good job in confidentiality. The crew has been filming for so long, and not a single picture had been leaked. As the first work after Shen Jintai's East Palace, not only gold powders but even passersby were looking forward to it.
"I heard that the makeup shots will be released at 10 in the morning, and the trailer will be released at 8 in the evening!"
"Finally, I have some materials to eat! Shen Jintai acting as a soldier, I am so looking forward to it!"
"Because of him, I watch a bunch of film and television materials on the pilots during the Republic of China a few days ago. Oh my god, I was sobbing like crazy watching them. I was so excited and moved. Lu Ming's directing skills are top notch and Shen Jintai's going to explode again!"
"Shen Jintai's resources are really amazing. Seems like all the rumors in your district are movie pies, right? He has so much negative news and he's gay. I really want to thank The East Palace for giving him these resources. It's great luck that he got to participate in a popular national drama."
"The East Palace three masters' follow-ups are so good. Bai Qingquan seem to be joining a group to make a movie and Zheng Siqi is paired with Yang Lizhi, who's a hua dan. However, Shen Jintai is the one who ate the most benefits. He's considered to be at the nuclear explosion level. The endorsement are soft*, and the movie pie can't be eaten."
*Soft (软) = extended meaning to be poor quality/ability and easy to be move or shaken.
*Clairty: I believe the last sentence is meant to be a diss saying his endorsement are poor quality and the movie he's making won't be palatable.
"I think he is completely worthy. When he signed the contract with Monsoon Entertainment, it's rumored that the blockbuster <Pilot> was one of the stipulations. They also promised to make him the resident MC for <Full Preparation>. This is a popular variety show for top stars. In the end Shen Jintai rejected the variety show in order to make a movie. Not everyone possesses this kind of courage."
"If it suits him, then actors should make good movies and participate less in variety shows. Speaking of which, I will hate myself if it doesn't meet my expectations!"
"Shen Jintai's Weibo followers are about to break 30 million. He's about to overtake Bai Qingquan!"
Shen Jintai was busy with filming and work that he hadn't shown up for a long time. He was one of the few top line actors who made the fewest public appearance after becoming popular. Despite this, he remained topical and trendy. This was partially due to <The East Palace is Coming> continue rise in popularity as it attracted more and more gold powders every day.
Gold powders have been like reclusive monks lately. In the beginning, they fought with black powders to defend their brother. Recently, there hasn't been any anti-black powder work that needed to be done. Since Shen Jintai rise to fame, the black powder couldn't make any waves, so the gold powders didn't bother paying attention to them. Being so worry-free as an idol fan was not something they were used to. They were like Buddhist* eagerly waiting for <Pilot>.
*Buddhism = buzzword referring to anything will do. || In this context it's basically saying they would be satisfied with any kind of news no matter how big or small from Shen Jintai.
Fang Yun left after getting her autograph. There was still urgent work to be done. Yan Qiuchi and Mrs. Yan had to leave at noon. Before leaving, Mrs. Yan ordered a batch of packed lunches at the best local restaurant and sent them to the crew. It contained all types of seafood and fruits.
"We won't go to the set," Mrs. Yan said to Shen Jintai: "Make sure to take care of your health while you're here."
"I'll see you again in a bit. Uncle Yan's birthday is only a few days away." Shen Jintai said: "I have asked the crew for leave in advance."
Mrs. Yan nodded and hugged him.
Shen Jintai then glanced at Yan Qiuchi who was standing behind Mrs. Yan. He wasn't sure if it was fine to hug him and felt that shaking hands was too polite. He gave Yan Qiuchi a smile instead and bid him farewell.
Shockingly, Yan Qiuchi step forward and took the initiative and stretch out his arms. It seems that the two have now completely clear the air of their past grievances. It had all been written off and they can move forward to becoming friends, or even brothers.
"Thank you for coming to see me." Shen Jintai said to Yan Qiuchi.
The height difference between the two weren't to far apart. Shen Jintai's chin was just on Yan Qiuchi's shoulder, making it convenient to hold it up. Yan Qiuchi didn't say anything. He simply pressed Shen Jintai's back with his large hands and then let go.
Don't worry. Take your time.
Yan Qiuchi was determined to snag him. He was a confident person. His cautiousness in front of Shen Jintai was not due to lack of self-confidence. Eventually he would get what he wanted. Even if it wasn't his and belongs to someone else, he could always take it back.
—
At 10 in the morning, the official blog for <Pilot> released the makeup photos. Relying on Shen Jintai's popularity, it jumped to first place on the hot search.
Unlike ordinary single-person stills, the crew posted a group photo of seven male actors, imitating the group photo of the pilots in history. The photos were deliberately made to look old, with yellow gloss and in black and white. Seven male actors in their prime stood in a row wearing flight suits. Shen Jintai was third from the left, standing out with his tall figure. The old photo made him look even more handsome and heroic.
As the top flow, under this kind of official blog, hot comments were naturally dominated by gold fans.
"Ahhhhhhhhh, uniform temptation! Too good!"
"Brother, rush, fly into the sky!"
Shen Jintai forwarded the stills from the official blog with a post saying [Hello, Chen Zheng.]
The author has something to say：
A new chapter.
Kinky Thoughts: As mentioned in my footnote, the white moonlight/cinnabar mole is from Eileen Chang's novel, Red Rose, White Rose. The White Rose is the first love that is unforgettable while the Red Rose is the Cinnabar Mole that you spend a lifetime together.
Here's an excerpt from her novel explaining it: [Perhaps every man has had two women like this. Marrying a red rose, over time, the red rose becomes a smear of mosquito blood on the wall, the white one is still the bright moonlight in front of the window; the white one is a grain of rice stuck to the clothes, and the red one is a cinnabar mole on the heart.]
It's quite beautiful actually and if you think about it in the context of <The East Palace>'s Zhou Ying and Li Xu... Zhou Ying is the white moonlight and Li Xu is cinnabar mole. I now realize why white roses was tied to Zhou Ying and red roses were tied to Li Xu. It was a reference to this.
Regarding near the end of Yan Qiuchi's inner thoughts I think that he's not referring to Shen Jintai as some kind of object that he could just "take". It's more so like he's a confident person and has this whole domineering president vibe going on so it's more like he's saying, I'm confident that one day I can make Shen Jintai fall for me. Even if Shen Jintai is with someone at that time, he's confident he can win him back. That's my hot take anyways.