Looking at Pei Shaocheng who remained silent, Wen Yuhan smiled and said, "How was it? Wasn't it exciting?" As he spoke, he tried to pull his hand away from Pei Shaocheng's fingers, but the other party held it tightly and he couldn't break free.
Wen Yuhan clicked her tongue lightly, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Pei Shaocheng: "Hey, you don't actually want to experience it first, do you?" Her tone was amused and teasing. "That won't do. If Teacher Luo finds out I've made a mess of her rehearsal room, she'll definitely strangle me."
Pei Shaocheng pursed his lips, took a deep breath, and then released Wen Yuhan. He turned away to compose himself, and when he turned back, he found Wen Yuhan already sitting on the prop box, his pen flying across the script. The previous flirtatious and lewd demeanor seemed like an illusion; now, he was completely absorbed in his work. In that instant, it was as if the whole world had been cut off from him.
Pei Shaocheng thought to himself, "This person is really strange." At the same time, he felt a little disappointed by the other person's sudden change in attitude.
“I think if I can’t continue as a screenwriter in the future, I might actually try being an actor,” Wen Yuhan said to Pei Shaocheng without looking up.
Pei Shaocheng shook his head with a stern face: "You're more suited to writing Phoenix Books than acting."
"Is that so?" Wen Yuhan raised her eyebrows and nodded as if pondering. "What you said makes sense. So, should I start thinking about a pen name now? Do you have any good suggestions, Shao Cheng?"
...
"Shaocheng? Shaocheng."
Director Tian Wen pushed open the door to the dressing room and leaned in: "Everyone's in position on set. How are you doing?"
"Ah, we're done too!" the makeup artist quickly replied.
Director Tian nodded, signaling the people following behind him to come in, and then said to Pei Shaocheng, "This is the actor who will be working with you from now on. He just returned from studying in France and graduated from drama school."
As the director spoke, a boy wearing a light blue shirt and white trousers walked up to Pei Shaocheng, extended his hand and smiled brightly, saying, "My name is Yi Li, I'm in the second acting class, two years younger than you! Please take care of me, Senior Pei!"
The glass lamp flickered slightly, illuminating the vermilion beauty mark at the corner of Yi Li's eye. He was exquisitely handsome; his fair skin was flawless, and his clear, bright eyes held a touch of innocence, yet were accentuated by the beauty mark, adding a touch of allure.
It can be said that such a person was born to belong on the screen and the stage.
"I just returned to China and I'm not very familiar with the interpersonal relationships and environment here yet. But I'm relieved to be working with my senior this time!" Yi Li's smile became even sweeter. "I've seen all your movies and plays! In my heart, my senior has always been my idol!"
...
Chapter 20
"Xiao Li, move closer to Shao Cheng... Yes, put your hand on his shoulder." Director Tian directed from behind the photographer. "Then next, Shao Cheng, put your arm around Xiao Li's waist. Very good. Xiao Li can look at Shao Cheng with a more ambiguous gaze."
Yi Li has a very slender waist, and his excellent skills make his body very flexible. His shirt is made of ice silk, and for the sake of the look, it has been sprayed with a layer of water, so it clings thinly to his body, and the skin under the fabric is faintly visible, making him look sexy and alluring.
Pei Shaocheng put one arm around Yi Li's waist, meeting the other's watery eyes. During a break in filming, Yi Li whispered to him, "Am I heavy?"
Pei Shaocheng frowned slightly and said calmly, "It's nothing."
Yi Li smiled, the beauty mark at the corner of his eye trembling slightly: "I've discovered that you're even more handsome in person than on screen."
Pei Shaocheng maintained the deep affection Director Tian had requested, gazing into Yi Li's eyes as if he were looking at his most cherished lover, but his words were utterly jarring:
"Pay attention and be mindful of the time."
Yi Li paused for a moment, then Pei Shaocheng lifted Yi Li's chin, waiting for the camera flashes to go off several more times.
"Very good! Excellent!" Director Tian exclaimed with satisfaction. "I dare say that after this play is performed, Xiao Li will become a household name."
Yi Li scooted up from Pei Shaocheng's arms: "Thank you, Director Tian."
Tian Wen nodded: "But you still need to practice more, after all, your partner is Pei Shaocheng."
Yi Li: "Definitely!" He smiled at Pei Shaocheng, "I might have to trouble you again, senior brother."
“It’s necessary, it’s necessary. From now until the performance, you two are a real couple.” Tian Wen patted Yi Li’s shoulder and looked at Pei Shaocheng. “It’s almost time to wrap up. How about we have a couple of drinks? A friend of mine recently opened a bar. You and Xiao Li can get to know each other better.”
"Sorry, I have something to do tomorrow." Pei Shaocheng unbuttoned his jacket and handed it to Emily, who was standing next to him. "Maybe next time."
After he finished speaking, he turned to leave, but Director Tian called out from behind, "Shao Cheng!"
She paused, then walked over to Pei Shaocheng and said, “My friend who owns a bar used to be involved in music, especially classical music. She’s a huge fan of Debussy and even lived in Saint-Germain-en-Laye for a long time because of it. The bar is also themed around ‘The Afternoon of a Faun.’ I remember you’ve always planned to re-adapt ‘The Afternoon of a Faun,’ why don’t you talk to her about it?”
Pei Shaocheng indeed stopped.
Indeed, "The Afternoon of a Faun" has always held a special meaning for him. When he finally gained fame with his debut film and went to France to attend a film festival, he also made a special trip to Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Debussy's birthplace.
It was a rather warm afternoon, with sunlight slanting into the foreign alley. He walked through the narrow wooden door, went up to the second floor, and looked down at the street scene through the old window.
Debussy's "Clair de Lune" slowly flowed from the old gramophone, and then, in this deserted museum, he cried uncontrollably, like a child who had lost his toy.
That was the first and last time Pei Shaocheng cried in his memory.
As he left, he told himself that the greedy god of shepherd should truly awaken.
"good."
Pei Shaocheng accepted Director Tian's invitation, but failed to notice the probing gaze in Yi Li's eyes behind him.
...
The bar is located in an art park, and the owner's "intentions" are evident from the name itself.
Pan.
Pei Shaocheng lowered his hat brim and followed Tian Wen and the others into the bar. There was none of the hustle and bustle of the city center, nor any noisy crowds.
The bar is not large but is tastefully decorated, with an overall blue theme. An orange light shines on the bar counter, illuminating the various kinds of liquor on the shelves and the gleaming glasses on the surface.
It was nearly midnight, and there were only a few customers in the bar, talking quietly to each other. From their words, it was clear that they were all artists.
A woman in a denim jacket stood in the middle of the bar, her long hair loosely tied back with a hair tie, deftly flipping a curling stone. Upon seeing Tian Wen, she nodded and gave a casual smile: "You're here."
Tian Wen waved to her, and the woman walked around the bar and came to their side.
Tian Wen turned to Yi Li and Pei Shaocheng and introduced them, "This is the owner of this bar, A Luo." Then she said to A Luo, "These two..."
“Actor Pei,” A Luo said with a familiar smile, “I’ve seen you act at your school before. You played Pan. To be honest, you were quite green back then, but I still like that stage play of yours the most, more than any of your later ones.”
Aro has a slightly husky voice, which is hoarse but has a certain charm when you listen closely.
Pei Shaocheng has always liked honest and straightforward people, especially after seeing so many smooth talkers in the industry who say one thing to one person and another to someone else. Therefore, he has a good impression of the straightforward A Luo.
A Luo gestured for the group to sit down together, then leaned on the table and said, "I won't show you the drinks menu. I've just developed a few new flavors of wine, you can try them." As she spoke, she turned to Pei Shaocheng and said, "Take off your hat, big star. I don't have much business here. Apart from these two in front of you, no one should bother you."
Pei Shaocheng didn't speak, but he still took off his hat and put it aside. A Luo leaned closer to his face to examine him closely, then raised an eyebrow and smiled with interest: "Seriously, the director of your show really knows how to cast actors. No one is more suitable to play the Shepherd God than you... Wait for Pan, I'll get you a drink. You'll want to have a good chat with me."
After speaking, Aro turned and went back to the bar.
Tian Wen shook her head apologetically at Pei Shaocheng: "That's just how A Luo is; she always wears her heart on her sleeve. Don't mind her."
“No,” Pei Shaocheng said.
He turned to look at the picture frames hanging on the bar wall, and suddenly his eyes darkened. He involuntarily stood up and walked to one of the picture frames.
It was an oil painting depicting the scene from Mallarmé's poem where the pantheon and the water spirit entwine in a lake. However, what attracted him wasn't just the painting itself, but the small inscription written in pen beneath it:
"The heavy body and the empty mind slowly succumbed to the proud silence of the afternoon."
"Farewell, fairies... I will still see your shadows." Pei Shaocheng raised his hand to trace the words, his deep voice rising precisely during the silence between the music.
A Luo looked up and saw Pei Shaocheng looking at the painting. She explained to him, "Oh, this painting was a gift from a customer. He was the first customer here when the bar opened that day."
Pei Shaocheng withdrew his hand, turned to A Luo, and asked, "Does he come often?"
A'Luo poured the cocktail into a glass and pushed it towards Pei Shaocheng: "She doesn't come very often, and she's always alone, sitting in that corner behind you guys." At this point, A'Luo gave a gentle smile, "She's a very beautiful and witty person... So, do you know her?"
Pei Shaocheng paused for a moment: "You mean he's always alone?"
A Luo nodded: "Yeah, at first I thought someone with his kind of temperament would be in your industry. Don't be offended, I usually use a button phone and I don't watch TV much."
Pei Shaocheng recalled the image of Wen Yuhan sitting alone in the corner drinking, and his tone softened. He picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and said, "I suppose so."
“He doesn’t say that.”
Pei Shaocheng looked up at A Luo.
A Luo: "He said he wrote the Phoenix Book."
...
The author writes: “The heavy body and the silent mind slowly succumb to the proud silence of the afternoon.” — Mallarmé, *The Afternoon of a Faun* (Translated by Fei Bai)
Chapter 21
"Heh...the author of Phoenix Book."
The image of Wen Yuhan's cunning eyes and the rising intonation at the end of his nonsensical words flashed before Pei Shaocheng's eyes, and he chuckled.
If he were to actually write the Phoenix Book, he would probably have an easier life than he does now.
"So what exactly does he do?" Aro asked, resting her chin on her hand.
Pei Shaocheng didn't answer, tilted his head back and finished the drink in his glass, then placed it on the bar: "It tastes good, the base spirit is juniper berries?"
A Luo observed Pei Shaocheng with great interest, raising an eyebrow and saying, "Tsk, avoiding the main point, big star, there's a story behind this..." She didn't press further, instead introducing the wine to Pei Shaocheng, "I named this wine 'Reed Flute.' You should be able to taste the herbal flavor in it, right?"
"Rosemary, bellflower, cloves, and... dried houttuynia cordata."
"Wow, that's impressive!" A'Luo exclaimed in surprise. "You can even tell if the houttuynia cordata is dried?"
“The dried houttuynia cordata has a sweet aftertaste, and its original earthy taste is also reduced.” Pei Shaocheng handed the wine glass back to A Luo. “It’s perfect for neutralizing the bitterness of rosemary.”
Upon hearing this, A Luo looked at Pei Shaocheng with an even deeper smile in her eyes.
She pushed another glass of wine towards him and said, "To be honest, I'm liking you more and more. Don't get me wrong, I mean admiration, I don't like men." As she spoke, she also raised a glass of wine and gestured to Pei Shaocheng, then lowered her voice and chuckled, "You don't like women either."
Pei Shaocheng paused for a moment, then raised his glass and gently clinked it against A Luo's.
A Luo took a sip of her drink and gestured with her chin towards Yi Li, who was standing behind Pei Shaocheng: "Your lover?"
"No." Although he didn't hide his sexual orientation from A Luo, Pei Shaocheng didn't intend to tell her too much either.
Aro nodded: "You two are a good match, you're both handsome."
After she finished speaking, she stretched and said, "I'm going out for a smoke, we'll talk later. Come on over and sit down, that kid has been watching you the whole time."
Pei Shaocheng turned around and, as expected, met Yi Li's gaze.
Yi Li smiled at him, her face flushed with a faint pink hue from the alcohol.
Pei Shaocheng sat down next to Yi Li: "Where's Director Tian?"
"Director Tian just went to answer the phone; it seems there's some problem at the theater. I didn't tell you because I saw you were chatting with the boss," Yi Li said softly.
Pei Shaocheng nodded, glanced at his watch, and planned to wait for A Luo to return so he could say goodbye before leaving.