Chapter 25
After they finished filming the final scene, everyone was exhausted and excited.
A staff member had already put up a banner a while ago, celebrating that the film was able to wrap up without a hitch.
Wang Yudong was on set accepting rounds of reporter interviews. He took a few photos with the crew members and then took Yan Mingxiu away.
In the evening, the cast and crew booked a few tables at a restaurant for the wrap party. Wang Yudong didn’t participate, but he had properly fulfilled his part for the occasion.
Zhou Xiang was originally really looking forward to today but after Yan Mingxiu left he couldn’t but feel dejected, and in the end, it was Lan Xirong who accompanied him to eat.
This drinking party lasted until really late. Many people got drunk, let loose and went on a rowdy drunken craze. Everyone had laboured hard for seven to eight months, encountering a lot of difficulties and challenges along the way. The relationship between their main actor and the director in particular had made little soldiers like them fret without end. It was all finally over now. Everyone was naturally very excited, and drank as much as they possibly could.
In contrast, Zhou Xiang, who was usually a very good drinker, only drank a few mouthfuls. He and Lan Xirong sat at one side the entire time, talking about the past. Zhou Xiang was a bit absentminded, but because there were so many people present, he couldn’t leave.
Lan Xirong finally couldn’t help but ask "Xiang’ge, what relationship does your boyfriend have with Wang Yudong? They left together just before."
Zhou Xiang replied, "Hm, they’re acquainted."
Lan Xirong’s brows knitted.
Zhou Xiang immediately explained, "It’s not what you’re thinking."
Lan Xirong replied in a low voice, "Really? It doesn’t look that simple to me."
Zhou Xiang couldn’t just casually gossip about Wang Yudong to him. However, what happened earlier, and the warning look Wang Yudong directed at him before he left, made him feel an unexplainable sense of anger towards Lan Xirong’s conjecture. His face finally darkened. "Don’t make blind guesses. It’s really not what you’re thinking."
Lan Xirong looked at Zhou Xiang’s dark ace with slight shock; his expression looked slightly wronged, "Xiang’ge, you’re angry at me?"
Zhou Xiang let out a sigh, "No..."
"That time, even when I accused you of harbouring illicit thoughts towards me, you didn’t even get angry with me. I was so insensitive at that time, but you were still able to forgive me. But now, you got angry just because of one careless remark I made. Xiang’ge, I was wrong. You truly like
Zhou Xiang responded quietly, "Xirong, yes, I do really like him, if not, why would I live with him? But don’t tell anyone about this matter. He isn’t part of this circle, and I don’t want to be indirectly linked with Wang Yudong in any way."
Lan Xirong didn’t speak, and gloomily drank a mouthful of wine. He then said bitterly, "Xiang’ge, we really can’t go back to before."
Zhou Xiang was also honestly in no mood to comfort him. His head was an entire mess himself. He didn’t know how this situation would develop from now on.
By the time the dinner party ended, it was already past ten. Zhou Xiang hadn’t drunk much, and could immediately drive off. Lan Xirong was a completely different story. Zhou Xiang couldn’t tell if it was deliberate or if Lan Xirong was truly drunk, but either way, Lan Xirong directly draped himself on Zhou Xiang’s body and resolutely claimed that he couldn’t walk by himself.
Whether or not he could walk, his body reeked of alcohol so he definitely wouldn’t be able to drive. He had come here for Zhou Xiang’s sake. Zhou Xiang had no choice but to lend his shoulder and fulfil the duty of sending him back home.
Lan Xirong looked really skinny but he was tall, and after drinking, he was especially heavy. Gasping for breath, Zhou Xiang sent him back home to the address given, working up a sweat in the midst of the great winter.
He opened the door to Lan Xirong’s house and saw that it was maisonette apartment with a floor area of over two hundred square meters. The interior decor was simple, but very rich and high class. Zhou Xiang couldn’t help but be reminded of the small apartment Lan Xirong rented at that time, which was as different as sky and earth when compared to his current apartment. He couldn’t help but feel a little envious.
While he was dazing out, Lan Xirong’s body dropped, and he started falling forward headfirst.
Zhou Xiang hurriedly caught him but he was tripped up by Lan Xirong’s long legs. He lost balance and fell down onto the bright and clean wooden floorboards with Lan Xirong.
Lan Xirong had fallen on top of Zhou Xiang, roughly breathing against Zhou Xiang’s body. He had a pair of abnormally bright classic apricot eyes. When his eyes were smiling, he looked pure and kind, captivating the hearts of millions of people.
However, at this moment, those eyes were completely intoxicated and filled with lust.
Zhou Xiang had a bad premonition, and promptly pushed away Lan Xirong, wanting to stand up.
However, Lan Xirong pinned down his arm, lowered his head and violently covered Zhou Xiang’s lips with his.
Zhou Xiang knitted his brows.
Lan Xirong’s mouth was all alcohol flavour. But that wasn’t the important; the main point was that this was his first time kissing a man. His kissing had absolutely no order to it. He bit Zhou Xiang’s lips and randomly grinded against Zhou Xiang’s mouth, and even knocked into Zhou Xiang’s teeth.
Zhou Xiang calmly gave his waist a strike.
Lan Xirong shrank back in pain.
Zhou Xiang speedily pushed Lan Xirong off his body, and nimbly got up from the ground. He said in a heavy voice, "Don’t drink so much next time. You can’t drink alcohol in the first place." He knew that Lan Xirong wasn’t drunk. There was no way a drunken person could have so much strength.
Lan Xirong said hoarsely, "Xiang’ge, why didn’t you wait for me?" The volume of his voice was really low, as if he was saying it only for himself to hear.
Zhou Xiang didn’t reply to him. He picked up his own phone which had fallen onto the ground, and left without turning back.
He had originally thought that Yan Mingxiu definitely wouldn’t come back home today. Surprisingly, his house lights were on.
Zhou Xiang entered the apartment, and sure enough, Yan Mingxiu was sitting on the sofa. He wasn’t watching TV and he wasn’t reading a book. He just sat there, as if he was thinking of something. When he saw that Zhou Xiang had come back, he cast a glance at Zhou Xiang; his complexion was very pale.
Zhou Xiang stood at the door no knowing what to do. "You... You’re back."
Yan Mingxiu said coldly, "Isn’t that what I should be saying to you? You guys ate till this hour? Does the restaurant not get off work?" Yan Mingxiu looked at the clock on the wall. It was already nearly two.
Zhou Xiang replied, "We went drinking after eating. Those people are too rowdy. If I had known that you were at home, I would have come back earlier."
"Why can’t I be at home?" Yan Mingxiu countered.
Zhou Xiang said hesitantly, "Today, Wang Yudong..."
Yan Mingxiu’s complexion turned even darker, "That’s none of your business. Don’t mention it again."
Zhou Xiang changed into slippers, stripped off his coat and hung it on the clothes rack. While carefully observing Yan Mingxiu’s expression, he sat down next to him.
Yan Mingxiu said with a dark face, "I called you several times, why didn’t you answer?"
"Oh, my phone ran out of power. Big screens consume way too much power." Zhou Xiang even specially fished out his phone from his pocket, wanting to prove his words. The result was, when he casually pressed the button, the screen lit up.
Zhou Xiang was taken aback. He lowered his head to look at lock-screen. To his surprise, it was a fashion modelling photo of Lan Xirong.
Yan Mingxiu’s good eyes also noticed. He snatched away the phone. His complexion couldn’t get any uglier.
Zhou Xiang immediately realised what must have happened.
That year was precisely the year the first generation iPhone came out; it was as hot as it could be. A place like the entertainment circle was flooded with people who closely followed trends. Zhou Xiang was inevitably influenced, and also bought one. Currently, he was surrounded by people who used that phone. Everyone would take out the same phone. Sometimes it was really easy to get their phones mixed up.
Seeing that photo of Lan Xirong, Zhou Xiang almost immediately remembered that his phone with a dead battery was still in the pocket of his coat. He had taken Lan Xirong’s phone which had fallen to the ground for his own, picked it up and taken it home.
How was he going to explain?
Yan Mingxiu waved the phone with the offending screen. His face was a bit menacing, "Care to explain?"
Zhou Xiang’s brain turned in full operation, and decided to tell the truth. "He... He got drunk and couldn’t drive so I sent him back. His phone dropped onto the ground, I thought it was mine, and brought it back."
Yan Mingxiu said viciously, "Zhou Xiang, you’re treating my words like air, right? I f**king told you not to come in contact with him again!"
Yan Mingxiu’s day of accumulated rage was set aflame. He raised the phone and violently smashed it to the ground.