Chapter 122: Bai Yueguang is Tempted! Shen Jintai recently took the opportunity to work out more in hopes that his figure will look buffer when he takes off his clothes for filming. Luo Wensheng was a teacher. Although he didn’t need strong muscles, he at least needed to have a stronger figure than Bai Qingquan. Fortunately, although he had a thin waist and a firm butt, his figure overall was well-proportioned, and he was tall. Last time when he filmed the shower scene, the camera only captured his legs and upper body. The water drops that hit him on his back rolled down beautifully into the crevices his body formed, giving him a strong semblance of what a young man’s body should look like. Sun Sihai was good at capturing men on camera. Despite being the same size as Bai Qingquan, on film, he was able to establish a clear gong look. Bai Qingquan was also worried about his figure. Before leaving the hotel, he stood naked in front of the mirror gazing at his body. He thought his butt looked okay and his waist was thin, not much worse than Shen Jintai, and was actually thinner than his. Thinking about this, he really envied him. Shen Jintai was obviously very thin but didn’t look like a stick at all. All the meat and fat were in the perfect area where they needed to be. Shen Jintai… Whenever he thinks about him now, all he could picture were the good aspects in his mind. He didn’t know how he had changed from hating him so much to liking him now. Bai Qingquan got dressed and rushed to the set. Today’s filming was a highlighted scene, Luo Wensheng’s death. He had arrived earlier on set than usual and found that Shen Jintai was already in the dressing room with half his makeup already completed. The moment he saw Shen Jintai, he felt a slight movement in his heart. “How long have you been here?” Bai Qingquan smiled and sat down beside him.
“More than an hour ago.” Shen Jintai said. “Teacher Shen worked hard.” Bai Qingquan teased. Shen Jintai’s old-age makeup was very realistic, but it also meant that it took a long time to apply. As his makeup artist came over, Bai Qingquan poked his head towards the mirror and said: “These past few days filming all these crying scenes seems to have cause a disfunction in my endocrine system. I have another pimple on my chin that needs to be covered up.” “Didn’t you say that you wanted to look plain in this scene?” Shen Jintai asked. Bai Qingquan said to the makeup artist: “Then just help me cover up the pimple… no other touch ups.” To look plain and daring not to apply makeup would make him look good for winning awards, which was similar to applying heavy makeup to pretend to be old and ugly. “It’s still better to touch up a bit, otherwise you won’t look good.” Shen Jintai chuckled. Bai Qingquan sat next to him, sighed, and said: “Fortunately, you have on old-age makeup. Otherwise, your skin is so beautiful and tender. Who are you trying to impress?” The makeup artist covered up his pimple and arranged his hair. After finishing, Bai Qingquan watched Shen Jintai getting his makeup done from the side. While watching, he said to Shen Jintai’s makeup artist with jealousy: “His mouth is so delicate and his lips so rosy. Where does he look like a man on the verge of death? Make him paler.” “Is it appropriate for you to say this to your lover of several lifetimes?” Shen Jintai snided.
Bai Qingquan: “Then what should I call you? Husband?” Shen Jintai said: “Call me that again and I’ll get a reaction.” Bai Qingquan laughed, stretch out his feet and kicked his chair. Shen Jintai smiled and said: “I have to suggest to Screenwriter Song that we’re like an old husband and wife. Before I die, you should call me husband.” The makeup artist next to him laughed and said: “Isn’t it bad for you two to bicker all day?” Shen Jintai said: “For an old husband and wife, that’s what we call fun.” As he said this, he leaned forward to look at his lips. It was still too rosy. In order to not make his lips look so tender, he had already controlled the amount of water that he drinks hoping it will dehydrate it a bit and make it look more wrinkled. He had to pretend to be ugly and old and strongly felt that his rewards for becoming beautiful may not all be as good as it seems. Since the scenes to be filmed was heavy, the two of them stopped joking around after their makeup was applied. They began to adjust their emotions. The crew knew their habits so all of them went out, leaving only the two of them in the room. Shen Jintai leaned back in his chair. He was going to play an old man who was on the verge of death. He closed his eyes and simmered his emotions for a while, and then opened his eyes to look at Bai Qingquan who was lying on the back of the chair, looking back at him intently. He sat up and raised his eyebrows. He was now a old dying man and the action only deepened his wrinkled face.
Bai Qingquan tilted his head and said: “You know, as long as I look at your face for more than ten seconds, I feel like crying.” Shen Jintai: “Then why are you not crying now?” Bai Qingquan: “I cried just now; you didn’t see it.” Shen Jintai found that Bai Qingquan’s eyes were indeed teary. Shen Jintai: “Keep some strength and hold it in until we film.” There’s going to be several versions of this scene that needed to be filmed and each version most likely will have multiple reshoots. After filming the entire thing, he’ll cry to point of collapse. “I drank a lot of water today.” Bai Qingquan said lightly. Shen Jintai smiled, laid down on the chair again, turned to look at him, and said: “You’ll act very well. I can feel it.”
Bai Qingquan: “To be honest, I think there’s a shadow of mortality that’s been shrouded around Luo Wensheng and Yu Nuo for the past ten years that they can’t experience much happiness, especially for Yu Nuo who have traveled back several times already. I think he knows the end game, even in the face of the young Luo Wensheng, there is no way for him to truly enjoy his love as happily as the very first life. His heart will never be complete again. I couldn’t understand this feeling at first. If it were me, I might choose to move on and keep Luo Wensheng as just a memory, but now, I suddenly understood him very well. If you let him choose again, he may choose not to get attached to Luo Wensheng but that’s a choice he doesn’t have. He has already fallen for him, and this memory can never be forgotten.” Yu Nuo had tried many times not to go back in time. He had tried to move forward, start a new relationship, and meet new people. In a future where same-sex marriage was no different than a heterosexual marriage, he tried going on blind dates, but when he was at the halfway point of meeting them, he stopped and didn’t go to the appointment. He had collapsed and cried on the way back.
There were many men in the world, but none was Luo Wensheng. How ridiculous. How hopeless. He expected that one day, ten, twenty, or even hundreds of years from now, his disease would be cured. He could be able to travel back with the antidote so he would no longer live forever and could grow old with Luo Wensheng, and then die together. Bai Qingquan: “Do you think if Luo Wensheng knew that Yu Nuo had come back over and over again, and experience his life and death countless of times, he would resent him?” Shen Jintai shook his head and said: “I think for himself, he certainly doesn’t regret it, but if he knew Yu Nuo’s pain, he might choose to let it go.” Those with memories feel the most pain. Bai Qingquan smiled when he heard those words, but the smile was full of tears. This was a tragic love that lasted several lifetimes but in the end it felt empty. At this moment, Yu Nuo chose to let it go. For his final crossing, he chose to pass by and not interact with Luo Wensheng. Since then, his previous memories disappeared, replaced by new ones. They no longer love each other and there was no longer a Yu Nuo who cross through time and space for Luo Wensheng. It was like their love had never existed. 17-year-old Luo Wensheng rode his bike passing by 16-year-old Yu Nuo as complete strangers. “Giving you an ordinary life is my last love for you.” There will be at least three versions of Luo Wensheng’s death: the first life, the nth life, and the last life. Bai Qingquan completely lost control when he filmed the death of Luo Wensheng in his last life. He wouldn’t cross back in time again*. He was too hollowed out by the pain and misery. This was the last time he hugged Luo Wensheng and hear the sound of his lover’s breath in his arms. It was too painful, yet he was so reluctant to give up.
*Clarity: as in crossing back to fall in love with Luo Wensheng again. The final time he does it is when they don’t meet at all. Like Yu Nuo himself, Bai Qingquan was torn apart as he experienced this kind of pain and reluctance. When Yan Qiuchi arrived on the set, they were filming the death of Luo Wensheng. Shen Jintai and Bai Qingquan had performed so well that he saw that the eyes of many staff members on the scene were red. The people on the monitor had messy hair and were extremely haggard. Their grief almost overflowed the screen. Bai Qingquan was speechless. The first time he had cried so bitterly but this final time, he only hugged Shen Jintai quietly. Minutes became hours and eventually he lowered his eyes slightly as tears slowly rolled down his face. His lips were a little chapped and bleeding. Shen Jintai was lying in his arms had tears in the corner of his eyes. The camera zoomed in to capture this moment and then Sun Sihai shouted “Cut!” and said: “Listen to the sound and control your emotions.” Shen Jintai opened his eyes and sat up. His expression was very calm. He only nodded his head and pursed his lips, tears still flowing down his face. “This time you don’t need to start over. We’re just making up for the last shot.” Sun Sihai said. Shen Jintai laid back in Bai Qingquan’s arms who was still caught up in his emotions. When the director shouted “Action!”, he blushed, lowered his head, and kissed Shen Jintai’s lips as he hugged him tightly, intending to never let go. “Cut! We’re done!” Sun Sihai shouted. The staff hurriedly brought water. They were both exhausted after filming this scene and their voices were hoarse. With the filming over, the crew gave them some space to rest. Shen Jintai stretched out his arm and Bai Qingquan couldn’t help hugging him. He pressed Bai Qingquan’s head with his hand and suddenly heard a ding dong, as Xiao Ai suddenly came online.
“Kiss~ Excuse me, dear!” Shen Jintai: “…” Xiao Ai: “Killer nose, sensitivity reward, and legs play year* have all been given out! Your next level, male body fragrance, is three points short!” *Legs play year (玩年腿) = it’s a reference to having incredibly sexy legs that others can’t help but want to play with them. Shen Jintai: “What…?!” Xiao Ai: “A major breakthrough! Bai Yueguang’s favorability for you has reached the level of love. I feel that he has fallen in love with you!” Shen Jintai let go of Bai Qingquan in surprise. Seeing Bai Qingquan looking at him with tears in his eyes, he had to admit that this was a beautiful look. All this and he hadn’t even made a move yet as he hadn’t thought about attacking Bai Qingquan recently! If you intentionally plant flowers, they will not bloom but inadvertently planting willows and they’ll make shade*. Did he really have to rely on acting to catch Bai Qingquan?! *(有心栽花花不开,无心插柳柳成荫) = it’s a metaphor for trying to do something, spending a lot of energy and effort, but the result is not expected; on the other hand, inadvertent things produced smooth and good results. From the ancient teaching “Zenguang Xiawen”.
What does “feel” mean in regards to having fallen in love with him. Is the system this lax? Does the kind of love that sprouted from acting together counts? Also, what does leg play year even mean? Who’s playing with it? Sensitivity? Is it the unimaginable sensitivity of the upper body and the indescribable lower body? What the hell is body fragrance?! Shen Jintai was full of questions! The two bowed to the staff and were about head back to the dressing room. Shen Jintai put on the coat handed over by Xiao Tang, closed his collar, when he suddenly saw Yan Qiuchi. He was taken aback, and his heart skipped a beat. He suddenly realized what would happen to him if he were to fall into Yan Qiuchi’s hands. Kinky Thoughts: Well for those who wanted to know the ending… I can’t with this drama. It’s so painful translating it that I’m about to collapse from all the tears. Also, it doesn’t solve the problem for Yu Nuo who’s never going to die. If there is no Luo Wensheng, there will be another to take his place. For Yu Nuo, his only choices are to never fall in love or to fall in love with someone that has the same disease as him. This was more painful to translate than The East Palace. I swear to god author if the next drama is going to make me sob, I’m going to flip my shit!