Chapter Ch61.2 - I’ve got this Celebrity’s back (21) – End
Three months later, filming for “The Journey” started.
Gu Xi’s original role had been given to an unknown newcomer instead. Many people were wondering if this was a repercussion from the previous turmoil. Some speculated that Gu Xi was threatened by the Ning family in revenge and some speculated that he was withdrawing from the crew in order to prevent being continually targeted. Discussions were varied and mixed, but they all agreed that he was the one who lost out.
Liang Yuan knew a lot and when he saw the announcement that they were beginning filming, his heart couldn’t help sinking.
During the past few months, Gu Xi has been devoted to filming “The Fall” and little news about him has come out. His Weibo blog posts were filled only with pictures of delicious food and his assistant. It was like he was living out his retirement. After the last storm, he hadn’t gotten much work or exposure.
Although popular roles weren’t that hard to come by for Gu Xi, after all, it would have still been icing on the cake. Everything had been going fine and then he was suddenly replaced without any explanation. It was inevitable that people’s imaginations would run wild.
They continued to keep in touch these days but he has never heard him say anything about this at all. Liang Yuan couldn’t sit still. He dialed his number but closed his phone. He finally couldn’t help following the tracks of an overturned cart and bombarded Gu Xi with series of messages.
Filming for “The Fall” has finished and Gu Xi dutifully and responsibly went to do the promotional tour. Afterwards, he disappeared like he had evaporated from the face of the earth. The more Liang Yuan thought about it, the more worried he became. He was pacing back and forth with his phone in his hands. He was restless all day, and it was not until it was getting late that he received a reply.
“This person can be blacklisted: I just got off the plane. Did something happen?”
Liang Yuan sat up. He grabbed his phone, sent him a screenshot of the news and quickly typed out a series of question marks. “Just what is happening here? Did you have a falling out with “The Journey”? That’s a decent blockbuster! With an international team! Not just anything can get in on that. Ning Feiping was willing to make you suffer to death because of this role. Just what the hell are you doing?!”
He had no idea where Gu Xi had ran off to. He sent over a series of message but it took a while before he got a couple of messages in reply.
“This person can be blacklisted: It’s too easy. I didn’t want to pick it up.”
“This person can be blacklisted: Don’t worry, I’ve got a job lined up. I won’t starve to death.”
“This person can be blacklisted: [Picture]”
Liang Yuan couldn’t think of a job that was better than this script. He was so worried that a couple of his hairs fell out. As he angrily opened the picture, he was already preparing a few words to admonish this old classmate of his who was over-indulging in love and was totally uninterested in acting. But then his expression suddenly froze.
That was a picture of the script on top of which were two hands with their fingers intertwined. They weren’t wearing a ring but a thin red rope was tied to their wrists and a small bell also dangling on the rope.
Already able to smoothly avoid the sudden critical attacks sent over from time to time by this guy, Liang Yuan’s gaze bypassed the hands and landed directly on the English words exposed on the script. He frowned for a long while in contemplation. All of a sudden, he was stunned and his eyes widened in shock.
*
Gu Xi had just arrived at the hotel they’d booked. He carefully placed the airsick little paparazzo on the sofa and put an ice pack on his forehead. He took a look at the phone. Seeing that there was no new messages coming in, he put it aside.
Lu Qingzhou wasn’t used to riding a plane. They encountered strong turbulence the entire flight and until now, he still feel dizzy and his face was still pale. Realizing that Gu Xi was about to get up, he instinctively raised his hand and grabbed the corner of his clothes.
The little paparazzo has always been very sensible. Even after that kind of thing, he would still wait obediently. He rarely ever takes the initiative to make him stay.
Gu Xi’s footsteps stopped. It was like the softest spot at the bottom of his heart was squeezed hard. He felt pained and distressed. He went back to pick him up, and lowered his head to kiss him gently. “I’m not leaving. I want to get some water for you to drink&#k2026; Still feeling dizzy? Are you feeling really unwell?”
Lu Qingzhou gently shook his head in his arms. But he couldn’t help closing his eyes and lowering his head to burrow into his arms.
“We won’t take the plane next time. We won’t take a plane anymore.”
Gu Xi felt so distressed. He placed him in his arms and slowly caressed his back. With the other hand, he helped him with the ice pack against his forehead. But when he took his hand away, Lu Qingzhou suddenly held that hand again.
“What’s wrong, is it particularly uncomfortable?”
Perceiving his movements, Gu Xi became even more nervous. He was about to put their things down and take him to the hospital, but Lu Qingzhou’s hold on his hand tightened slightly, “I want to drink soda…”
Gu Xi was somewhat surprised and he nodded immediately, “Okay, I’ll ask for some. I’ll have them add ice, five pieces of it.”
On the plane, Lu Qingzhou felt uncomfortable. Gu Xi tried ordering some soda for him. After drinking it, he really did feel better. The little paparazzo probably remembered that.
Gu Xi called the front desk and asked for a soda. His heart was still slightly hot. He lowered his head and kissed the other’s still closed eyes, embracing him protectively in his arms.
There hadn’t been any coaxing, or any teasing.
His little paparazzo now knew how to take the initiative to ask him for things.
He now knew to call him when he felt uncomfortable; knew how to hold on tight and not let go when he didn’t want him to leave; knew how to take the initiative to lean in his arms; knew that he was by his side.
Even if for others these were things that couldn’t be any simpler, for Lu Qingzhou to be able to do it now meant that what was once a cage that was densely covered with thickets and iron thorns now had its doors completely opened and he had tried his very best to go to him.
Gu Xi’s eyes are hot and damp. He lowered his head and kissed him, slowly patting his back and softly coaxing, “I’ll put the soda in the refrigerator. Sleep first and drink it when you wake up. You won’t feel uncomfortable after you’ve had some sleep…”
He whispered, gently comforting. Suddenly, Lu Qingzhou held his hands a little tighter. He opened his eyes and looked up at him.
“Will you stay with me?”
Gu Xi was startled. He instinctively guessed that Lu Qingzhou’s words were not just about the present moment but was filled with deeper implications than he could think of.
Fortunately, the answer to this question was the same no matter what.
Raised his hand to caress those eyes. Gu Xi lowered his head and kissed him lightly. He solemnly promised, “I’ll always be with you.”
Fragmented rays of light shone from his soft black eyes. Lu Deng raised his head. The lines on his palms fit tightly. Although his brows were still pale and slightly furrowed from dizziness, the corners of the lips have been gently curled up.
“That script, I’ll act in it with you… is it okay?”
Gu Xi’s heart suddenly jumped.
He had read the script a long time ago. It was “Lighter”, the new work by a celebrated American science fiction film director. It had been translated to “Lightbearer” in Chinese. Set against the background of the mysterious world where characters have superpowers, a surreal grand world view was constructed. The role he had been invited for was only a very small part in all this.
In the script, his character meets a young man who lives all alone in the forest.
The biggest villain in this world is a crazy doctor with no bottom line. Many humans have been imprisoned as experimental subjects for his research and the boy is one of them.
The young man was born in a laboratory and for as long as he could remember, he was subjected to endless cruel human experimentations. That was until an accidental explosion caused the destruction of the research institute. The doctor ran away in a panic, but the youth unexpectedly survived and gained extremely powerful abilities.
When the young man woke up alive, he was able to try fresh air, clean water and touch that caused no pain for the first time. However, he was regarded as a messenger of death by the people, believing that he was there for revenge.
No one hugged him; no one touched him. As far as he could see, there was always fear and hostility. Even when he tried to open himself up to others, it only ushered in more terrible injuries.
He escaped from one hell only to enter the real hell on earth.
The role that Gu Xi got is originally affiliated with the righteous alliance. But when he is on this ‘hunt and kill’ mission, he is unexpectedly saved by the legendary “Son of Hell”.
Given the breadth of world building done for this story, this was not meant to be only one movie. There will probably be a series of follow-up stories, but their story ends when he takes the boy home and chooses to live in seclusion in a place unknown to everyone.
This was a framework that was completely removed from real world. He has tried to find a reflection in reality for these stories but he always felt that it was a bit incongruous. However, amidst the darkness, he also felt that this seemed to be how this story should be.
Who said that in the vast universe, there must be only one world and that only the content in this world could be called reality?
Gu Xi has read this script countless times. He read the extremely detailed texts and from those texts, he had almost make out the real appearance of that young man.
But he couldn’t bring it up to Lu Qingzhou.
Regardless whether he could explain it sufficiently, this was still, after all, a dark and heavy memory.
“I’ve read it… It’s written very–”
Lu Deng’s chest rose and fell slightly. He pursed his lips. He was trying to find an accurate description. After a moment, he said, “Very clearly.”
He used to be just a complex set of advanced data, and the world he came from was not such a peaceful real world, but an apocalyptic world full of eternal killing and doubt.
He still didn’t know how to completely open up with Gu Xi, how to explain things to him in a way that he could better understand. He hadn’t expected that his uncle would think of such a way.
Regardless of whether the other believed it or not or how much of it he believed…
Lu Deng closed his eyes, put his cheek against his chest and listened to his clear heartbeats. “I want to be with you, okay?”
Gu Xi held his breath for a while. He tightened his arms around him and nodded with a smile.
“It would be my pleasure……”
*
When “The Lightbearer” was released in China, Liang Yuan excitedly pulled Gu Xi to see it but Gu Xi refused.
The 3D giant screen theater was luxuriously fitted and only two people were seated. Gu Xi gripped Lu Qingzhou’s hand. The light and shadow from the screen danced on the quiet and empty seats.
……
The door of the room opened and footsteps approached. The young man curled up tightly, trembling, hiding in a deeper within the closet.
The door of the closet was pulled open, making the old wood creak.
The boy’s limbs curled up into a position to easily block off attacks. He instinctively wanted to fight back. But the man’s tall figure knelt down in front of the closet, embracing him entirely, hugging him against his chest.
His struggle was fully taken in by the firm and powerful embrace. The hand on his back kept ever steady. His struggle slowly turned into trembling, instinctively fearful of the unfamiliar body warmth and touch. But he was reluctant to back away. Finally, he approached cautiously, little by little. Like a small animal, he snuggled against his neck.
The sun was shining through the window and the dust fluttered down. The light gathered in his pure black eyes, slowly growing into a bluish hue.
……
Under the light of the projector, Lu Qingzhou raised his head. Light reflected in his dark eyes, making them look like they were full of stars.
Gu Xi smiled and squeezed his hand. Under the gentle light and shadow, he kissed him deeply.
He was once trapped in the abyss.
Seeing him, he grasped the light.