Author: 反舌鸟 / Mockingbird
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Editor: Eli
Chapter 6
Long Xingyu’s practiced motions surprised both Yu Ruoyun and the director.
“I thought he was just someone who slipped in,” the director whispered to Yu Ruoyun. “I didn’t expect he might have some acting talent.”
“Maybe your expectations were too low,” Yu Ruoyun replied.
The director thought that might be true. He had low expectations for Long Xingyu, so even a slight improvement was astonishing.
“Let’s not talk about him,” Yu Ruoyun said. “I need to take a leave to get a follow-up examination. I feel like I’ve started to recover some memories.”
“That’s good news!” the director said. “No problem. Go ahead. Have you remembered anything specific?”
Yu Ruoyun chose his words carefully. “For example, our first meeting when you talked to me about this project.”
The director, being a newbie, had no real power, but the producer was a friend of Yu Ruoyun and had complained to him about various issues. The lead actor hadn’t been decided, sponsors were hard to find, and what was supposed to be a joint broadcast on TV and the internet stations was now facing difficulties…
The producer wanted Yu Ruoyun’s help because of his extensive connections, but Yu Ruoyun went above and beyond by directly taking on the lead role.
The director laughed. “I didn’t think you would come. I thought Lao* Cui was joking. Really, thank you so much. I hope you get better soon. Someone posted set photos recently, and Lao Cui said you didn’t look happy.”
*Old (老) It’s a friendly way to address someone, often indicating familiarity, respect, or affection.
Did he? Yu Ruoyun didn’t think so, but he didn’t know what he was like before either. He also didn’t know how a complete novice like Long Xingyu could tell if the lighting was off.
…..
The doctor had said that the reasons for amnesia were complex. Although Yu Ruoyun didn’t have major external injuries, he should have recovered quickly.
“It might be psychogenic,” the doctor said. “Something traumatic that you don’t want to remember.”
“I’ve recalled some things,” Yu Ruoyun said. “Like my parents and friends, but only fragments. It feels like something is missing.”
He paused, then described the situation in a way that obscured his sexual orientation, “Maybe I even forgot my own wife.”
The doctor took it as a joke and laughed, “Mr. Yu, stop joking. You don’t have a wife.”
“Really?”
“Definitely not, unless you’re secretly married,” the doctor said. “If that’s true, congratulations. My wife is a fan of yours.”
……
When Yu Ruoyun returned to the set, he saw Long Xingyu at the entrance.
“I waited for you all day,” Long Xingyu complained. “If you hadn’t come back, I would’ve left.”
Yu Ruoyun didn’t need to report his leave to him, and no one would inform Long Xingyu. He waited like a fool, not feeling bored.
The young had privileges; they could ask questions freely, and people would think they were foolish and explain things to them, like teaching a child.
“This is for you.” Long Xingyu handed Yu Ruoyun a paper rose, still practicing how to speak like a normal person to the other man. “I made it for the stage manager, and this is an extra.”
It was the ugliest one Long Xingyu had chosen after a long time. Wrinkled and stained, it had probably been held too long. He didn’t want to give a nice one to Yu Ruoyun. If Yu Ruoyun rejected it, he could throw it away without feeling any regret.
Yu Ruoyun didn’t take it. Long Xingyu continued, rushing through his words. “Our group has a fan meeting. I need to go, so I’m leaving tonight.”
He had originally thought being an idol was just about looking good in front of the camera, not realizing there was so much to do. To ensure his performance was passable, he hadn’t rested these past two days, hiding in his room to practice unfamiliar dance moves with video tutorials.
After speaking, Long Xingyu tossed the rejected paper rose into the trash and suddenly leaned close to Yu Ruoyun’s face. “I’ll be back soon.”
It sounded like the declaration of the Big Bad Wolf.
Yu Ruoyun blinked. Long Xingyu had approached him like this several times. He noticed that every time, Long Xingyu stopped breathing briefly when delivering his fierce words, eyes fixed on him, clearly nervous.
But Long Xingyu might have lost his senses. Already close enough to see each other’s facial hair, he moved even closer, ignoring personal space.
Then, very lightly, he pressed a kiss to Yu Ruoyun’s lips.
Long Xingyu startled himself, springing back like he’d been shocked, and left without waiting for Yu Ruoyun’s reaction.
Yu Ruoyun stood there until the corridor’s motion-sensor lights went out. Then he came to his senses. He walked over, squatted down, and picked up the crumpled paper rose from the trash.
Capricious, eccentric, unpredictable, sensitive, and easily angered—the celebrity who was both loved and hated—this wasn’t Long Xingyu, but Yu Ruoyun tolerated Long Xingyu because he felt familiar. Even his breathing habits were familiar.
These traits were all Jiang Yu’s.
The floodgates of memory finally opened, but the first image in his mind wasn’t the real Jiang Yu. It was a news photo of Jiang Yu.
It was the scene of the superstar’s death.
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