At this point, Pei Shaocheng's heart suddenly tightened, and he inadvertently detached himself from the character.
There was a time when he had pressed Wen Yuhan against the bathroom sink, just like now, and splashed the other's face with icy water, asking the same questions.
At that time, he foolishly believed that Wen Yuhan could abandon his dignity for his own fame and fortune, and fawn over those so-called investors. Little did he know that if he were truly willing to do so, he wouldn't have steadfastly held onto that dilapidated theater deep within his heart, refusing to leave.
As if noticing Pei Shaocheng's absent-mindedness, Wen Yuhan's eyes trembled. She pushed him away, straightened her wrinkled clothes, and said coldly, "Get out of my way, or I'll burn this useless thing to ashes."
He turned to leave as he spoke, but Pei Shaocheng grabbed him, pulled him back, and pressed him against the mirror. He kissed the other's protruding shoulder blades from behind, his breath seductive: "You can't leave. You have to stay with me tonight."
Many fans who had come specifically for Pei Shaocheng were sitting in the audience, and they were practically going crazy.
They knew that Pei Shaocheng was a superb actor, and that no matter who he worked with, he could always control the overall rhythm and drive the development of emotions.
At this moment, the handsome man who was pinned down by him was not at all passive. On the contrary, he pulled the tension just right in his back-and-forth with Pei Shaocheng.
Everyone held their breath, some even unconsciously gripping the armrests of their seats, their eyes glued to everything on the stage.
The mirror fell to the ground as Han resisted Andrew, making a shattering sound, and the shards pierced everyone's hearts at the same time.
Dust filled the air, and a cold shirt hung in the corner of the closet, with a long tear in it.
Pei Shaocheng was worried about the other party getting hurt, so he deliberately protected her during the entanglement. However, when he saw the glaring bloodstains on Wen Yuhan's back that had been made up beforehand, he felt heartbroken.
He applied even pressure, pinning Han to the floor, and reverently kissed the blood-red wound. Han suddenly stopped struggling, lying there motionless, as if her soul had been ripped away.
“No, something must be wrong…” He stared blankly at one spot, muttering to himself, “The character is out of control, and is even starting to control me… Ha… It needs to be changed, it needs to be changed, this play needs to be changed…”
The lights went out, and when they came back on, only Han remained on stage, kneeling amidst the mess of props, as if he had been talking to himself the whole time, and Andrew had never appeared.
Time slipped away imperceptibly as the performance unfolded on stage.
When all the lights in the Yancheng Theater were turned on and the actors came out to take their final bow, the theater remained completely silent.
Someone, seemingly the first to snap out of their daze at the breathtaking audiovisual spectacle, erupted in a sudden burst of applause. The theater, in turn, erupted in a deafening roar, as if swept by a tidal wave. Even the staff at the theater entrance were startled; the sound echoed for several blocks.
The flashing lights of countless cameras were blinding. At that moment, everyone realized that a classic had been born. Its impact far surpassed that of its predecessor.
When it came time for the Q&A session with the main cast and crew, Pei Shaocheng led the crew back to the front of the stage. A stir immediately erupted as various media outlets scrambled to obtain firsthand interview material, instructing their cameras not to miss a single shot.
After the usual questions such as "How are you feeling right now?", "What are your thoughts on the characters Andrew and Han in the play?", "What are the upcoming performance schedules for 'The Harsh Words'?", and "You also played Andrew in the original version of this play. What are your thoughts on playing this role again after so many years?", the questions gradually led to those events from many years ago.
"Mr. Pei, Ms. Han Shu's 'Love Talk 2' is currently having its premiere at the Rusheng Theater. It's said that both plays are based on the same play from the past, is that true?"
The scene fell silent for a moment after this question was raised.
Pei Shaocheng glanced indifferently at the microphone in front of him and said, "Yes."
"I heard that the plot of that drama was suspected of plagiarism. What do you think about this?"
Sensing Wen Yuhan's slightly flustered expression, Pei Shaocheng grasped his hand in front of everyone and said to the camera, "Yes, that was my lover's work, which was plagiarized by Han Shu."
Everyone was stunned when he said that. It wasn't just because Pei Shaocheng had publicly accused Han Shu of plagiarism, but also because of his use of the word "lover".
The reporter who had raised the question also began to stammer, looking uncertainly at Pei Shaocheng and then at Wen Yuhan, whose hand he was holding tightly and whose brows were slightly furrowed. He swallowed and asked uncertainly, "You...you just said...your...love, your lover?" He had a feeling that he might have caught a shocking news story, and that a promotion and a raise would be just around the corner.
“Yes.” Pei Shaocheng spoke slowly and clearly, “The other lead actor in this play, who is also the screenwriter of the original and new versions, is my lover.”
Wen Yuhan never expected Pei Shaocheng to publicly announce their relationship at this time, and it was too late when she tried to stop him.
He closed his eyes and sighed deeply in his heart. Pei Shaocheng gripped his hand even tighter, and they simply intertwined their fingers.
It seems that tonight is destined to be a sleepless night for the entertainment industry.
Later, the media's attacks were directed at Wen Yuhan, all wanting to dig out some more explosive revelations about him.
Seeing Wen Yuhan's embarrassed expression, Pei Shaocheng immediately shielded her behind him and, escorted by Emily and security personnel, let Wen Yuhan go backstage to rest.
Meanwhile, Pei Shaocheng also received news that Han Shu and Lu Yanchen had been taken away by the police immediately after the performance at Rusheng Theater. "Love Talk 2" has been accused of serious money laundering, and the evidence is conclusive; a formal investigation has now been launched.
As for the dramatic effect itself, the overwhelmingly positive reviews already clearly demonstrate the difference in quality.
It seems that artistic creation is both complex and quite pure. It seems that no matter how hard you try, you can never explain it clearly, yet it seems that you don't need many words to prove everything.
At this moment, Pei Shaocheng's mind was filled with thoughts of Wen Yuhan. He only wanted to go back to their little home with him without a care in the world, drink some wine, play with the cat, listen to the other's playful banter, and then easily interrupt him with a kiss.
But he also understood that he still had a lot of mess to clean up, after all, he had just personally dropped a bombshell on the entertainment industry. He couldn't let Wen Yuhan be troubled by this, yet he couldn't wait to announce it to everyone.
He wanted the whole world to know that the person shining on stage tonight was Pei Shaocheng.
On the other side, as soon as Wen Yuhan opened the door to the backstage dressing room, Xiao Yang excitedly hugged her tightly.
Xiao Yang tends to become speechless when he gets excited. At this moment, with snot and tears streaming down his face, he could only keep repeating, "That's great, that's great!"
Wen Yuhan patted him on the back with a smile and asked, "Got a cigarette?" He felt dizzy and lightheaded, and everything around him seemed unreal.
It seemed that overnight, the whole world turned upside down, black finally became white, and truth was revealed. All the hysteria and wounds of the past vanished like smoke, faded, covered in dust, and blurred in an instant.
A cigarette was handed to him, and then a familiar voice said, "Sorry I'm late."
Wen Yuhan was suddenly stunned and turned to stare blankly at the newcomer.
The other person still had that handsome face with a humble smile, and said in a gentle voice: "Seeing Pei Shaocheng announce your relationship in public as soon as you enter the theater is really immature. But to be honest, I'm still extremely jealous."
As Lu Yanheng spoke, he considerately lit the lighter for Wen Yuhan.
Wen Yuhan stared at him without moving, a cigarette dangling from her lips, before finally letting out a sigh of relief: "I don't think you're much better than him. You've been missing for so long without a word, let alone getting inspiration from me."
"I'm sorry, Xiaohan, I made you worry." Lu Yanheng smiled apologetically at Wen Yuhan, "I was really too down on my luck at the time, and I didn't have the face to let you see me."
Upon hearing this, Wen Yuhan finally couldn't bear to blame him anymore and asked softly, "So you're alright now?"
Lu Yanheng nodded: "Yes, I'm fine." As he spoke, the light in his eyes behind his glasses darkened slightly, "This time, let's change them."
As the two were exchanging pleasantries, a head suddenly peeked out from outside the lounge. Seeing Lu Yanheng and Wen Yuhan standing side by side chatting, the person immediately cursed under their breath: "Damn it, we agreed it was just a brief encounter!"
The speaker was none other than Shen Wei, the current president of Huacan Entertainment and one of the investors in "Harsh Love Talk".
He strode up to the two of them, shoved Lu Yanheng hard on the shoulder, and said impatiently, "Hurry up and leave. If Pei Shaocheng finds out I brought you backstage to meet his wife, he'll tear me apart and feed my chickens to the fish!"
Lu Yanheng seemed unable to tolerate the other party's rude words, and frowned slightly, but still did not refute them. Instead, a hint of indulgence appeared in his eyes.
He then turned to Wen Yuhan and said gently, "Xiaohan, I still have some things to take care of. Let's arrange to meet you and Shaocheng another day and find a place to have a good talk."
"Okay, there should be two more shows. I'll save the tickets for you."
"Don't worry, he'll find a way to see it if he wants to." Shen Wei hurriedly pushed Lu Yanheng out, turning back to tell Wen Yuhan, "Pei Shaocheng is dealing with those reporters up ahead, he deserves it! When you see him, don't let him off easily, make him sleep on the floor and kneel on durians! Oh, and whatever you do, don't tell Pei Shaocheng that I brought Lu Yanheng to see you!" He then made a "please" gesture, before pulling Lu Yanheng out of the theater through a side door.
After a brief period of liveliness, the lounge fell silent again. Xiao Yang looked at the door with suspicion and clicked his tongue: "When did President Lu and President Shen become so close?"
Wen Yuhan turned his head and lit the cigarette he hadn't had a chance to smoke earlier, then sat down on the sofa to relax.
Recalling Lu Yanheng's expression when he looked at Shen Wei, a knowing look appeared in his half-lowered eyes, and then he subtly curled his lips.
It seems that a new story is about to unfold from here.
...
A note from the author:
The next chapter will be the grand finale!
Chapter 91
End of text
Pei Shaocheng finally managed to deal with those annoying reporters and hurried back to the lounge. Wen Yuhan was already asleep on the sofa.
Xiao Yang, who was standing nearby, made a "shh" gesture to him. Pei Shaocheng moved quietly and asked Emily to go to the dressing room next door to get makeup remover and cotton pads. She then bent down and gently wiped off Wen Yuhan's makeup.
Perhaps because he hadn't slept all night and had exhausted too much energy on stage, Wen Yuhan, who was usually a light sleeper, surprisingly didn't wake up. Seeing this, Pei Shaocheng decisively canceled the celebration banquet that night, picked Wen Yuhan up horizontally, and instructed his driver, Xiao Wu, to drive his car to the door.
The night breeze dispelled the daytime heat, carrying a faint scent of night-blooming jasmine. Wen Yuhan, nestled in his arms, breathed evenly, her face turned inwards, pressed against Pei Shaocheng's chest. Feeling the gentle patter of the other's breath against his chest, like a feather tickling his heart, Pei Shaocheng felt a ticklish sensation.
He took a deep breath and tried to keep his steps as steady as possible, as if he were holding a priceless treasure and couldn't bear to let Wen Yuhan feel the slightest bump.
Just as Pei Shaocheng was about to put Wen Yuhan into the back seat of the car, he suddenly felt a complicated gaze coming from behind him.
His gaze darkened, and the person in his arms seemed to sense something, opening their eyes without warning.
"Sweetie, keep sleeping," Pei Shaocheng coaxed gently. Wen Yuhan's eyes glazed over, then gradually cleared, and she asked in a slightly nasal voice, "Why didn't you wake me up?"
The person behind her seemed to notice that Wen Yuhan had woken up. They tightened their grip on their canes, opened their mouths as if to call out, but hesitated and dared not step forward. Their hunched backs were bent as they stood awkwardly and stiffly under the streetlight.
Pei Shaocheng didn't want Wen Yuhan to see him, so he tried to block him with his broad back. But perhaps out of an instinctive sense of familiarity, Wen Yuhan's breathing suddenly quickened, and his whole body tensed up as he saw the person behind him.
Pei Shaocheng frowned unhappily, a hint of cold hostility flashing in his eyes.
"Shao Cheng, put me down," Wen Yuhan said softly.
Pei Shaocheng had no choice but to gently put Wen Yuhan down, his hand still on Wen Yuhan's shoulder, and turned back to stare darkly at the old man with the cane, Liu Zhengju.
He simply couldn't imagine how this person could possibly have the nerve to appear before Wen Yuhan.
At this moment, Liu Zhengju's attention was entirely focused on Wen Yuhan. His cloudy eyes were covered with a layer of gray haze, and he looked like a lamp that had run out of oil.
He stretched his hand forward, as if to greet Wen Yuhan. But he paused in mid-air, then awkwardly withdrew it, his grip on the cane trembling.
"I've been watching your performance from the audience." Liu Zhengju's lips moved, and finally, realizing he was being awkward, he gave an embarrassed laugh and lowered his head. "You're even better than before."
Wen Yuhan looked at him silently, his eyes surprisingly calm. After so many years, he had met this man who was like a teacher and a father to him again, and he was neither sad nor happy, which surprised even himself.
Liu Zhengju suddenly coughed violently for a while, as if he might suffocate at any moment. He finally made up his mind and staggered towards Wen Yuhan. Pei Shaocheng immediately took half a step forward and blocked Wen Yuhan's way.
Liu Zhengju coughed twice more and asked hoarsely, "Do you... have any cigarettes?"
Wen Yuhan was silent for a moment, then patted Pei Shaocheng's hand to reassure him, before rummaging through his pockets and taking out a cigarette case.
"Shao Cheng, let me speak to him alone for a moment."
Pei Shaocheng was clearly unhappy that Wen Yuhan was spending too much time with Liu Zhengju, but he also knew that Wen Yuhan had his own plans. He nodded slightly and said, "I'll wait for you over there." After saying that, he put a cigarette in his mouth and gave Liu Zhengju a threatening look as he passed by.
Seeing Pei Shaocheng standing alone by the flower bed not far away, smoking, Wen Yuhan looked at the old man again, handed him the cigarette, and lit it for him with a lighter.
“You’ve lost a lot of weight,” Wen Yuhan said, gesturing with her chin towards a nearby bench. “Come sit down.”
Liu Zhengju nodded slowly, then laboriously moved to the bench, leaning on his cane. Wen Yuhan noticed that he didn't use his other hand to hold a cigarette the entire time, but instead pressed it against his right rib.
"What's wrong."
"Late-stage liver cancer." Liu Zhengju said with a smile, his breathing finally calming down as he smoked a cigarette. "I don't have many days left to live, and I was thinking of coming to see you one last time before I die."