“Come out.”
Sheng Min hung up the phone and spoke softly.
The phone had grown a bit warm in his hand after holding it for so long. The night rain drifted by, bringing a rare hint of warmth that reminded him of Li Xuan’s voice on the other end of the call.
Thinking of him made Sheng Min feel a sense of sweetness, mixed with an inexplicable bitterness. Pushing aside his tangled thoughts, he turned around. Aside from the sound of wind and rain, the hallway remained completely silent.
“Do I have to call you several times?” Sheng Min’s tone didn’t sound angry; it carried more helplessness than anything else.
After a few seconds, Yang Xu, looking guilty, slouched his shoulders and slowly stepped out. “Ge…”
“Had enough of eavesdropping in the corner?” Sheng Min couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh before speaking. “You dislike Li Xuan so much. Why were you calling him?”
Yang Xu pursed his lips and, after a long pause, reluctantly muttered, “…It’s not like I like him or anything. But when he was around, you seemed tougher than usual… And you’re one to talk. You like him so much, so why are you lying to him?” He couldn’t help but grumble, “Those film critics must be blind to say your acting is bad—your performance is flawless.”
The rain was getting heavier, so Sheng Min closed the window. “How am I lying to him…?”
“You didn’t lie, it’s true. But is that what I was going to tell him?”
“What were you going to tell him?” Sheng Min massaged his temple, feeling a headache coming on.
“I don’t want to say anything anymore!” Yang Xu snapped, like a cornered rabbit. “Just let people bully you. I call you ‘Ge,’ but in reality, I’m just working for you. Why should I stick my nose in and have you hate me for it? Your actual brother is throwing a tantrum in the hotel room, demanding to see you!”
After that outburst, Sheng Min showed little reaction, not even furrowing his brow. A waiter pushing a meal cart stepped out of the elevator at just the wrong moment, startled by the commotion. Trying to avoid them, the waiter’s gaze landed on Sheng Min. Unable to resist, he cautiously asked in a hesitant voice, “…Excuse me, could we take a photo? I’m a fan of yours.”
“Sure.” Sheng Min naturally adjusted his expression into a smile and posed for the photo. After thanking him profusely, the waiter continued on his way.
This brief interruption defused Yang Xu’s emotions a bit. He bit his lip, but his fidgeting hands betrayed his lingering unease.
“Is Sheng Hui still in your room?”
Yang Xu nodded hesitantly. “He insists on seeing you.”
Sheng Hui had shown up that afternoon with no warning, somehow finding the address and traveling all the way from N City to the hotel. Then again, nothing was secret to obsessive fans. The room Sheng Min was staying in was likely no exception.
The production crew had booked three entire floors, and Sheng Hui, with no identification, was naturally stopped at the entrance. Feeling humiliated, he loudly claimed to be Sheng Min’s brother, his behavior arrogant and aggressive. The security staff, not knowing who he was but wary of offending him in case it was true, contacted the crew. At that time, Sheng Min had just changed into his costume and couldn’t leave the set with so many people waiting. He had no choice but to send Yang Xu back to the hotel early to handle the situation.
“I’ll ask the production assistant to arrange another room for you. Just move there instead .”
“What about you? He’s throwing a massive fit. You’re going to deal with him alone?” Yang Xu asked nervously.
“It’s fine.” Sheng Min smiled ambiguously. “Get some rest.”
Yang Xu’s old room was one floor below his. As Sheng Min reached the elevator, he paused briefly, glancing toward the room at the end of the hallway.
On his way back from the set, he had already called Wang Shuying. It took several rings before she picked up, and the background noise of card games and chaos came through, even muffled by the phone.
She hadn’t realized Sheng Hui had run away yet. As soon as she heard about it, she panicked on the other end.
“How could he travel so far by himself? What if something happened? Hurry and send your brother back!”
Wang Shuying’s tone was one of deep maternal concern. Sheng Min explained that the production schedule was packed, leaving him no time, but she immediately exploded. “Can’t you arrange someone to do it? Ugh, forget it!” As if granting some great favor, she relented, “I’ll come pick him up myself. He’s just a child—how could he travel so far alone? What if something happens?”
Sheng Min glanced at a newly received text message. In four hours, Wang Shuying would arrive. When it came to Sheng Hui, she was always particularly urgent, yet the travel expenses invariably came out of Sheng Min’s pocket. This time, fearing he wouldn’t take it seriously, she had even hastily bought the ticket herself.
“It’s your fault.” He recalled her parting words before hanging up, filled with resentment. “I’ve told you countless times to buy him an apartment. You keep stalling, and now he’s forced to do this? If anything happens to him, how will you explain yourself?”
Explain himself?
Sheng Min briefly closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts. Why did he owe her an explanation?
He couldn’t let Wang Shuying show up at the set and create a scene, delaying the crew’s work. If gossip started spreading, it might end up trending online again.
Before she arrived at the airport, Sheng Min resolved to send Sheng Hui there first.
Having made up his mind, he didn’t feel like seeing his brother just yet.
His shirt, still damp from being held at the hotel entrance earlier by fans, clung to his skin uncomfortably, making him feel exhausted.
He pressed the elevator’s up button, deciding to return to his room, take a shower, and change into dry clothes before addressing these “explanations.”
But just as he stepped out of the bathroom, someone knocked on his door.
The hand holding the towel paused mid-motion. Sheng Min adjusted his shirt and walked to the door. “Who is it?”
He already had a guess. Sure enough, Sheng Hui’s agitated voice came from outside. “Open up! Are you afraid to meet me? I told you I wanted to talk to you, so why are you hiding? Sheng Min, hurry up and open the door.”
The knocking continued persistently as Sheng Min opened the door, catching Sheng Hui mid-action with his hand raised in the air.
“You’ve been knocking for a while,” Sheng Min remarked.
“I was in the shower and didn’t hear.”
“I think you’re just scared.”
Sheng Min glanced at him briefly and countered, “Why would I be scared?”
Sheng Hui had no response, glaring at him stubbornly.
Sheng Min frowned slightly at his expression. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a head peeking around the corner of the hallway. It was quickly withdrawn when their eyes met. Sheng Min knew it was Yang Xu, worried and following him. With a subtle shake of his head, he signaled Yang Xu to leave before turning back to Sheng Hui.
“Come in, let’s talk.”
“Why should I come in?” Sheng Hui didn’t know why he was in such a bad mood, retorting every sentence. “Are you too scared to talk to me here?”
“Yes, I’m scared.” Sheng Min replied flatly, “I’m a public figure. If someone snaps a photo of me, wet-haired, at the door, tugging at a man, it’ll make headlines. Do you really want to be surrounded by reporters at school and have to explain everything?”
“Like that’s such a big deal.” Sheng Hui scoffed and rudely pushed him aside, storming into the room.
1
Author’s note:
About three or four chapters from now, I’ll be wrapping up the issues with Sheng Min’s family.
