Yao Shen is now fully convinced he's having a nightmare.
All that stupid talk about aphrodisiac blood and all the other nonsense put these kind of thoughts into his head.
He becomes aware of several things around him. When his fingers clench on the sofa he hears the soft clink of gold, as the rings on his fingers connected to chains around his wrist jingle with the movement.
When he looks down at his chest he sees a fine gold chain going down his sternum and then splitting into two beneath his chest, wrapping around his ribs. He lets out a drawn out gaps when Xin Hulei's lips move up his leg and feels the chain pull tight around his back.
His rapid breathing makes the fine muslin covering his nose and mouth flutter with each quickened exhalation.
Why is he dreaming he's dressed like this?
And where is he? What's up with all the silk and the cloying incense smell. Somewhere in the distance he thinks he can hear the lively sound of a pipa(1).
Xin Hulei's kisses reach the divot of his hip, his warm breath ghosting over Yao Shen's hot flesh.
"May I?" he asks, his gaze shining with barely suppressed desire, the edge of a sharp canine digging into his plush lower lips.
Yao Shen wants to take control of the dream and scream at him: "Why are you asking? Since when do you need permission? Just do what you're going to do anyway..."
"Take what you want," the him in the dream says, breathless and overcome. And yet, a perfect echo of Yao Shen's conscious thoughts.
That's all the permission Xin Hulei needs.
Yao Shen wakes up covered in sweat, with his heart beating frantically inside his chest, and his underwear feeling uncomfortably sticky.
He peels himself off the soggy sheets and makes his way to the bathroom, mentally preparing himself for a terrible day.
---
With that kind of feverish wake up call, Yao Shen is right to expect the rest of the day to go downhill.
The crew is getting everything ready to begin filming the inter-sect conference where promising young disciples from all the righteous immortal cultivation sects compete for the chance of winning a precious relic, cementing their own position in Jianghu(2) and bringing prestige to their own sect.
All of Yan Shuyi's disciples are taking part, and for most of the day Yao Shen will be filming several training segments with all of them.
Including a hand-to-hand combat training scene with Xin Hulei that is giving him hives just to think about.
Why couldn't they fight with swords instead? Frozen Peak is a sword cultivation sect, why is Yan Shuyi teaching hand-to-hand combat techniques?
To end up sprawled on Xie Huan's lap, that's why.
Fucking xianxia romance settings.
After this Yao Shen is going to make sure he gets cast in a police drama or something like that.
At lest he'll be filming with Ye Fang and Gao Wu for most of the morning.
Mei Shuang is understandably upset that Rong Zi and Xie Huan will be given such a huge honor after being Frozen Peak disciples for such a short period of time, and during the scene she'll air out her grievances to Yan Shuyi who will comfort her like the kindly shizun he is.
Yao Shen and Ye Fang work well together, and come to a seamless agreement concerning their character's motivations for the scene they're going to shoot.
"I think part of it is because she sees Yan Shuyi as a sort of parental figure," Ye Fang says, showing Yao Shen the parts of her script she has highlighted. "It's not just petty jealousy. For a long time it was just her and Yan Shuyi, and unlike other disciples in Frozen Peak, she's an orphan, so she's come to rely on Yan Shuyi as her only family."
Yao Shen nods along to her interpretation. "I think so too, she's feeling that her position is threatened."
Director Chen, observing them both talk so seriously about their characters smiles to himself, pleased.
Yao Shen taps a particular line on Ye Fang's script. "We have to focus on this part, because it will inform Mei Shuang's actions during the conference. Her feelings that she might be loosing her place next to Yan Shuyi are the whole reason why she'll trick Xie Huan into breaking the rules."
With everything laid out clearly, they have no issue filming the scene and get done faster than expected.
Yao Shen even gets to enjoy a quiet break in peace before filming the next scene with Gao Wu.
---
That's when the trouble starts.
For reasons Yao Shen doesn't understand, Gao Wu is unusually skittish. Answering in toneless monosyllables to everything Yao Shen says, his gaze drifting around as if he's afraid someone might be watching him.
It's hard for them to find a good rhythm and they have to go over the scene multiple times before Director Chen has something he's halfway happy with.
Yao Shen tries to ask Gao Wu what's gotten into him but gets only a dismissive, "I'll see laoshi lather," for his troubles.
He doesn't think Gao Wu has ever not addressed him as 'gege'
Something weird is definitely going on.
He's having lunch alone in his trailer when Xin Hulei barges in, uninvited and uncaring about it.
"Let's have lunch at 'Hell on Earth'," he says, extending one hand towards Yao Shen.
Yao Shen barely has the time to question if that's the name of the odd restaurant, before Xin Hulei activates the twisting seal that conjures the teleportation flames.
When Yao Shen next blinks his eyes open he's standing in the middle of the busy restaurant, filled with chatting patrons as usual.
He slaps his closed fist against Xin Hulei's chest. "You have no fucking manners."
Xin Hulei just nods and motions him towards the stairs leading up to the same upper floor they were seated in the first time they were there. "I look forward to learning better manners from you."
Yao Shen glares at his back all the way up the stairs.
---
The same smiling waiter greets them effusively, but Xin Hulei merely asks him for the day's specials, without further conversation.
"I hope you're not thinking of going back on our deal," Yao Shen says, eyeing the food the waiter brings them warily.
Xin Hulei takes a sip of his wine. "You have nothing to fear from me, we have signed a contract."
Yao Shen pokes at the rice vermicelli in front of him with his chopsticks, half expecting it to change colours suddenly or catch on fire.
"I do still have questions for your, though," Xin Hulei says, meeting Yao Shen's eyes above the rim of his wine cup.
Yao Shen knew this was coming. In fact, he has been preparing for it since this morning.
He has the perfect excuse ready when Xin Hulei asks, "If you are a human, how come you knew what I was, and can see Jincan and Heimao?"
"My grandfather is a Daoist Priest," he says, his face impassive.
"A Daoist Priest?"
"He always told me our family had special skills that allowed us to perceive the supernatural world, I never believed him until now," Yao Shen says, keeping things vague like all the best lies.
"Interesting," Xin Hulei says, setting his cup down on the table softly.
Yao Shen can't be sure if he believes him or not, but just then a message arrives on his phone, and since it's placed screen up on the table by his side -- in case Bi Jialu calls him -- it's impossible for Yao Shen not to read it.
[Summer Sunlight: I'm sorry for my weird behaviour today, gege. After my recent talk with Xin laoshi I don't want him to get the wrong impression that's all. I understand the nature of your relationship, and I promise I won't try to get between the two of you.]
Yao Shen reads the message once, and then twice. And then turns his phone around so that Xin Hulei can read it too.
"What's the meaning of this?"
---
(1) - string instrument, played somewhat like a lute
(2) - lit. rivers and mountains, the martial arts world.