Chapter 88 – Will It Hurt?
Xiao Fang’s expression didn’t falter for a second. Instead, his eyes lit up as he replied, “Of course. I have just enough ingredients for two servings. Sir, please have a seat.”
Xiao Qi smiled faintly, pausing for less than a tenth of a second, but this moment was successfully captured by Ruan Tan, who marked the beat without changing his expression.
“Can I stand here and watch you make them, little brother?” The main character, Yu Zhi, had traveled far and wide and would never pass up an opportunity to observe a chef at work. Most of the time he was naturally shooed away, but on rare occasions, he was allowed to stay.
Xiao Fang wiped the sweat from his forehead and began to work nimbly. How could Xiao Fang, who could cook a grand eight-course meal, be defeated by a small wonton?
He first stirred the prepared filling, then scooped it into two bowls with a large spoon. In one bowl, he added freshly chopped scallions. Xiao Fang skillfully mixed the meat paste, then used a small spoon to scoop it onto the small, square wonton wrappers. His slender index finger dipped into a bowl of water and lightly traced a line on the wrapper. He placed the meat paste, and with a deft pinch of his ten fingers, a small, cute wonton was formed. He wrapped them with incredible speed, with no trace of showmanship.
The camera captured Xiao Fang’s technique in perfect detail.
In less than ten minutes, Xiao Fang had wrapped both servings of wontons and put them into the pot in two batches.
“Boss, the wontons you make look delicious,” Xiao Qi began to recite his lines from the script, though it was completely contrary to what he was actually thinking.
Xiao Fang’s flushed face looked a little shy. He wiped his sweat and said with a sincere smile, “I personally select all the ingredients for my wontons. The market opens at 5:30 in the morning, and I’m usually there right on time. I pretty much sell out whatever I buy that day.”
Xiao Fang’s delivery was so natural, it was as if the person standing before him wasn’t his arrogant brother, but a wonton vendor with a little story of his own. Xiao Qi almost couldn’t keep up with the scene and barely managed to respond.
As the plot progressed, the onlookers gradually noticed the difference. No matter how thick their fan filters were, they could see that Xiao Qi was struggling to catch the cues Xiao Fang was throwing. But strangely, the ever-strict Director Ruan didn’t call a cut.
At the end of the scene, Xiao Qi finished the last wonton, drank the last sip of soup, and stood up, his face showing a look of enlightenment.
“Thank you for your hospitality, boss.”
Xiao Fang, wiping the table, gave an honest smile. “Have a safe trip.” It was as if he said this to every customer, yet it felt so intimate and warm.
Xiao Qi’s expression was on the verge of collapsing as he walked away. Although Director Ruan hadn’t called a halt this time, it was more agonizing than any other take. The camera switched between two shots: one of Xiao Qi’s retreating back, and the other of Xiao Fang, holding a bowl of wontons and leaning close to his girlfriend, his face filled with happiness and contentment.
Worried that his girlfriend hadn’t eaten enough, Yu Zhi thoughtfully picked out the wontons from his bowl and placed them into hers. Shi Yiyi’s face first showed a look of mock annoyance, then a blissful smile of being pampered.
Everyone was moved by this warm atmosphere, and this small happiness made them think more of their own families.
“Cut!” Ruan Tan’s face showed a satisfied smile. The three actors all let out a sigh of relief. For Xiao Qi, it was more a sense of being unburdened. But in the next second, Ruan Tan’s words made him tense up again.
“Xiao Fang and Shi Yiyi are wrapped. Xiao Qi, reshoot.”
Everyone was surprised, but it was expected. Although it wasn’t great, they didn’t expect Director Ruan to announce it this way.
“Director Ruan, wasn’t the take fine?” Xiao Qi looked over with a dark expression. Very few directors dared to give him such an attitude, but he didn’t dare to show his own displeasure to this one. He could only swallow his anger and ask.
Ruan Tan didn’t beat around the bush. Before Xiao Fang had even left the set, he said bluntly, “You should have thought about your escape route from the moment you started ad-libbing. In the end, Xiao Fang handled it steadily, but you were the one who lost your footing. He smiled once, and you paused. Do you think I’m blind? And you still try to find excuses with me. On my set, using one’s status to pressure other actors shouldn’t happen! If I see it again, it won’t be let off as easily as this time.”
Who was Xiao Qi? His public persona was clearly written as a good actor who was cold on the outside but warm on the inside. But it seemed he wasn’t just cold on the outside. In this entertainment industry, there were still many things they hadn’t seen clearly.
Without waiting for Xiao Qi to recover, Xiao Fang let out a scoff and went back to remove his makeup.
By the time the makeup artist finished chattering compliments in his ear and removed his makeup, another half hour had passed. It was already afternoon. Xiao Fang went to the break room first. Ma Rui chatted with him for a while, then ran off to discuss follow-up matters with the planners. He was quite efficient.
Xiao Fang took out his phone to check his messages. Fei Xiangnan’s name was lit up in the message box.
“Are you done with work?” The cunning President Fei had even attached a picture. It was of Da Bao Lang Lang and Nuomici sleeping. The fair and tender Da Bao had his pink lips slightly pouted in his sleep, blowing happy little bubbles. Beside him, Nuomici was also sleeping soundly, his tongue subconsciously licking his pink paws. It was incredibly cute.
The sight of the two little cuties sleeping almost made Xiao Fang melt. He was now a father of two, and his desire to go home instantly intensified tenfold. Even the thought of having spicy hot pot before going home was extinguished.
“Finished, finished! =^.^=”
The cunning President Fei smiled slyly. He knew this trick would work.
“Should I come pick you up?”
Xiao Fang looked around to see if anyone was coming in. He felt a little embarrassed. It wouldn’t be good if he was discovered.
“That’s not a good idea. There are so many reporters outside. Xiao Ma and I can just come back.” Although he really wanted to participate in this “old husband picking me up from work” activity, from a practical standpoint, Xiao Fang still gave up the idea.
“Just take the car for a short distance and stop at the library. I’ll wait for you there. There’s strawberry mousse you like in the car. I just bought it at the shop, it was the last one.” Fei Xiangnan continued to cast his long line.
Gah! Xiao Fang felt like he was completely caught. Going home by himself and eating strawberry mousse were on completely different levels, okay?
“Okay, okay, I’ll call you when I leave!” Xiao Fang was bubbling with happiness, temporarily forgetting about the promise they made after the New Year.
“No problem, no rush. I have to go to the pharmacy later. Take your time.” President Fei smirked.
Xiao Fang’s mind instantly blanked. “The pharmacy? Are you not feeling well?”
“It’s nothing. Just buying some small items at the pharmacy counter, that’s all. (smile)”
Xiao Fang instantly understood. His hand was trembling so much he could barely hold his phone. The acting was over, so naturally, there was no need to study scripts anymore. President Fei had been waiting for this day. No wonder he used strawberry mousse to tempt him. It was all for a purpose!
Xiao Fang’s face turned red. More than shyness, he was definitely scared. If he said no now, it would seem petty, or like he still had doubts about their relationship. But who knew that he was genuinely afraid of pain?
Was Ruan Tan resting now? Should he go ask him now?
Xiao Fang’s mind went into rapid-fire brainstorming mode. He walked with his hands and feet moving in unison. Unexpectedly, just as he reached the door, someone came in from outside.
“Ruan Tan!” Speak of the devil.
Ruan Tan looked suspiciously at the slightly abnormal Xiao Fang. “What’s wrong with you?”
Xiao Fang continued to walk back with his hands and feet in unison. “Nothing. Why aren’t you outside directing?”
“Sigh, I just had Xiao Qi try again. It’s no good. I’m tired, so I let everyone take a break. I’m really stuck with a primadonna. His acting isn’t half as good as yours, but he’s great at putting on airs.” Xiao Fang had truly learned about Ruan Tan’s bluntness today.
Xiao Fang grunted in agreement, but most of his thoughts were still stuck on Fei Xiangnan going to the pharmacy.
Ruan Tan was a keen observer. He sat down next to Xiao Fang and asked, “Your expression is so strange. Did something happen?”
If he didn’t ask now, wouldn’t he be doomed when he got to bed?
Xiao Fang suppressed the slight shyness in his heart and grabbed Ruan Tan’s shoulders. This move really startled Ruan Tan. “Are you okay?”
“I want to ask a question.” Xiao Fang’s face was serious.
“Go ahead, ask.” Ruan Tan still looked confused.
Xiao Fang swallowed hard and conveyed the true meaning with his eyes, wiggling his eyebrows. “Does it hurt?” He gave a “you know what I mean” look.
“What hurts?” The artistically-minded Director Ruan clearly didn’t understand.
That shouldn’t be. Xiao Fang intensified his efforts. “You know, an aerobic exercise. The initial starting move. The one doing the leg stretch, does it hurt?” Xiao Fang thought this should be very clear.
However, was Director Ruan an ordinary person?
“Stretching exercises will definitely hurt. As an actor, you don’t even know that? It’s part of body management.” Ruan Tan looked as if he had been asked a very strange question.
Xiao Fang was on the verge of a breakdown. Did he have any face left to lose? He had already hinted so clearly, hadn’t he?!
How should he say it? How could he say it so he would understand?
“Does it hurt to enlarge a point?”
“The kind that becomes a circle?”
Xiao Fang nodded excitedly. He finally understood.
“Well, that depends on what you use.”
“Mhm, mhm!”
“If you use a computer to draw it, it definitely won’t hurt you. Unless you get your finger caught in the mouse. No one would be that stupid, right?” Ruan Tan said matter-of-factly.
Xiao Fang frantically slapped his face. Could this conversation even continue?
Ruan Tan was also getting confused by the questions and said impatiently, “If you have something to say, just say it. If you keep dithering, I’m going back to filming!”
Xiao Fang was about to explode. How could there be someone in modern society who couldn’t understand hints? But, if he delayed any longer, he would not only suffer but also lose face when he got back! Compared to that, this was nothing, okay?
“Hurry up! The countdown is on. Why are you dithering?” Ruan Tan waved his hand.
Xiao Fang’s heart was exploding with shame, but the words rushed out of his mouth: “I want to know if it hurts for the receiving party when two people do it, and to what extent it hurts!”
“Brother Xiao, we’re ready to go back.” Xiao Ma, who had opened the door at that exact moment and heard everything.
The three people in the break room blushed simultaneously…