Rivals In Love c8

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Chapter 8: Ask for leave for a date

Xiang Ke really wanted to play with his new friend Cheng Zhengyan, who had resolved his misunderstanding, but since that day, Cheng Zhengyan has been busy for some reason.

He left in a hurry after a shot on the set and there was no one in the room after work. After knocking on the door for the nth time and seeing the other party’s assistant, Xiang Ke thought that it would be better not to disturb the other person lately.

Of course, there are a lot of things he can do with his life. In addition to Cheng Zhengyan, he can also find Wang Pang, stage lighting, art designer, producer (Investor of Starlight Entertainment sent on his side), director, and so on people to play. It’s just that these people are usually very busy and they can only take a short break after filming.

Therefore, when he could not find someone to play with, Xiang Ke can only desperately ponder about his own life events; such as finding someone to fall in love with, get married with, or something. That’s right, he has not given up that plan yet.

Xiang Ke sat on a chair with his cheeks propped, sighing. Wang Pang, who was passing by, saw his melancholy expression; immediately laid down the work in his hand nervously. “What’s wrong? Why are you upset? Are you not feeling well? Cold?”

Xiang Ke shook his head, he was in good health, he was full at noon and dressed very tightly. The drama almost directed one-third of the sun in the entire group’s direction. He was so comfortable making him feel drowsy.

But now he has to get up and talk to Gao Tang, who is left alone in the distance because of patching up her makeup as he insisted on doing these days.

I really don’t want to move ah. But Guo Jiaqi told him that he must always seize the opportunity to pursue a girl……

This kind of sorrow that only belongs to adults, Wang Pang will not understand. Xiang Ke has never seen him have a girlfriend for so many years.

The worrying mother Wang Pang who inexplicably got a sympathetic look on their own child: “???”

In the distance, the Cheng Zhengyan, who lied about going back to the hotel to read the script, stared at the nanny car’s window.* The assistant beside him followed his line of sight and also saw the downcast look on Xiang Ke’s face, he could not help but sigh. “Xiang Ke doesn’t seem to be very happy these days. Even Director Xu has taken the initiative to ask several times."

*Nanny's car generally refers to a vehicle that can be loaded with goods or a large number of people, usually more than 7 people. It specializes in cooking, makeup, and styling for stars. Since the car can provide daily activities like a nanny, so it’s called a nanny’s car.

When his voice fell, he caught the flash of guilt in Cheng Zhengyan’s eyes. Before he had time to wonder, Cheng Zhengyan had already frowned, turning his body and stared back at the script.

(this translation is only here on ztranslations.blogspot.com otherwise, stolen)

As soon as Gao Tang finished her makeup, she turned around and saw Xiang Ke appeared behind her with a cold look. She was silent for a few seconds first.

Although she did not know why there are so many people in the whole crew, Xiang Ke can only be extraordinarily cold and beautiful in front of her but this does not prevent her from finding the other pleasing to the eye. 

Just kidding. This is the most beautiful young man in the entertainment industry who won 42% of votes in the Weibo contest in 2017. There are countless people competing to raise (?) even if there is no old grass to eat the tender cattle. (?)* The thought made Gao Tang’s expression subconsciously softened. “What’s wrong?” 

*老草吃嫩牛 (even if there is no old grass to eat the tender cattle): I’m not quite sure how to explain this. Basically, a romance where the man is significantly older than the woman. Something like that. If I explained it wrong, feel free to comment. Oh and, the question marks are actually included in the raws.

Xiang Ke thought for a while, he would talk with Gao Tang almost every day these days, he should have laid the groundwork. Therefore, he issued a serious invitation: “Would you like to have dinner with me?”

Gao Tang was a bit surprised but also very happy that Xiang Ke did not dislike her. She nodded her head quickly, “Okay!”

Xiang Ke’s goal was achieved. He immediately nodded his head and left with great satisfaction.

Gao Tang, who thought they could talk for a while, felt at a loss and walked away.

*****

Cheng Zhengyan, who had been away for a long time after starting work in the afternoon, finally reappeared. Hearing his assistant say that he had done nothing after he left, he just sat in the room and read the script for the entire noon. When he arrived, he ignored everyone, grabbed his script, and headed into the dressing room.

Xiang Ke could not even find time to talk to him. They only glanced at each other briefly, his heart could not help but secretly admire the other party’s dedication.

Sure enough, he could not find anyone after the shot. Xiang Ke no longer thought about this problem. He returned to the hotel to eat snacks while waiting for Gao Tang who said that she wanted to change clothes.

This “set of clothes” took more than half an hour to change. From dusk to sunset, Xiang Ke finished two bags of potato chips.

Gao Tang tucked her hair and asked, “I’m sorry, the makeup was delayed a little. Have you been waiting for a long time?”

Xiang Ke suddenly remembered that before breaking up, Guo Jiaqi also asked him this question. He could not help but scrutinize Gao Tang’s makeup. It was stunning, but it looked no different from that on the set……, right?

The experience taught by his several ex-girlfriends made him quickly blurt out the standard answer: “No.”

Therefore, the two of them went out together in a friendly atmosphere, and in order to avoid being photographed by paparazzi, they kept a safe distance from each other.

What was more unexpected was that they actually ran into Cheng Zhengyan when they got out of the elevator.

All three of them froze at the same time and Gao Tang was the first to react and called his name. Cheng Zhengyan’s coat did not seem to have faded out of the temperature outside, making his temperament much colder. There was a rare smile on his face and his gaze briefly crossed at Gao Tang’s meticulous outfit, before falling directly on Xiang Ke. “You guys……?”

Xiang Ke was only squeezed out when the elevator door was about to close. Obviously, they had a lot of rivalry scenes, but they just left the camera and did not communicate. However, at this moment, he felt as if he had not seen Cheng Zhengyan for a long time.

He did not know what to say for a moment. He lowered his head and felt aggrieved for no reason. Gao Tang replied with a smile, “We’re on our way to dinner. How about you join us?"

Cheng Zhengyan looked at Xiang Ke but he could only see the other party’s drooping head. After a moment of hesitation, he still pulled up the corners of his mouth, “……no. I’m going back to my room and read my lines.”

“You are really a busy man.” Gao Tang smiled as soon as she heard it. “Okay then, we’ll go first.”

As soon as she left, Xiang Ke also followed. After walking a few steps, he could not help but turn back. Cheng Zhengyan and his assistant were still waiting at the elevator, motionless.

*****

The vicinity of the Film and Television City is very desolate. It’s already late and there’s nothing to eat so it’s not good to go downtown. Xiang Ke was originally optimistic about a dessert shop but unexpectedly, Gao Tang offered to eat steak.

Can’t eat what he wants. Xiang Ke did not know why he was a little depressed in the beginning and couldn’t help but become more depressed. He thought about it and blamed it on Gao Tang for inviting Cheng Zhengyan to have dinner together just now.

This is not a good sign. Fortunately, Cheng Zhengyan refused her invitation. Xiang Ke thought about it and could not help but remember the day he just joined the crew, he seems to have encountered a similar scene.

The two times Gao Tang invited him for dinner, Cheng Zhengyan refused both times.

Xiang Ke was happy when he thought about it. Doesn’t this show that Cheng Zhengyan does not like Gao Tang!

Since they’ve become good friends, it’s great that they’re not competitors!

His emotional threshold was shallow, with just a small taste of sweetness, he immediately became happy, and the steak that he didn’t like very much seemed to be less annoying. The only thing is that Gao Tang, who proposed to eat steak, ended up eating a total of meat about the size of longan.

Gao Tang wiped her mouth and said she was full. Xiang Ke did not believe it. Lin Mi ah, Guo Jiaqi ah, and his ex-girlfriends all did this when he first fell in love. When they broke up later, they all weighed an average of ten kilograms. Guo Jaqi later called and scolded him while losing weight.

But even if the reasons are clear, seeing the people at the same table show a lack of interest in food, Xiang Ke was still affected and lost his appetite. Soon, he also followed and put the knife and fork down.

Thus, he drank tea face to face and waited for Gao Tang to take pictures and put away her phone, then asked to go back to the hotel. Xiang Ke unexpectedly felt a sense of relief like being given amnesty.

Chasing people is not the same as being chased…..Guo Jiaqi, they all take the initiative to find topics to chat with QAQ.

*****

On the road, Xiang Ke was so exhausted that wanted to give up. He really thought about why he didn’t want to fall in love. As a result, when he arrived at the hotel, he received a message on his phone. As soon as he opened it, a friend of an artist sent a photo of dog abuse* with his wife on vacation in Maldives. 

*Well, not literally. It’s just them being lovey-dovey and it’s seen as dog food/dog abuse for us single dogs lol.

Xiang Ke: "......"

Nevertheless…….let’s be more frustrated and courageous……

As he sighed, he took out his room card, and the sound of a door opening behind him sounded almost at the same time as his door lock.

Xiang Ke met Cheng Zhengyan’s eyes as soon as he turned back. He subconsciously took out his phone and looked at the time. It was almost past ten o’clock, almost two hours since they went out.

Cheng Zhengyan has not yet changed his clothes. “Back?”

“Uh……” Xiang Ke was asked and could not help but froze for a moment. He then immediately showed a smile, “Are you done reading the script?”

Cheng Zhengyan: “……en.”

After a pause, he asked, “How was dinner?”

Xiang Ke showed a rare crying face.

Cheng Zhengyan snorted but the corners of his mouth finally hooked up.

Two people were just like this. You look at me, I look at you, seeing you smiling face to face. Xiang Ke thought to himself, compared to falling in love, it’s better to be with friends!

Speaking of this, he thought of the difficult problem that bothered him. Therefore, instead of going back to his room, he ran across the street. “Cheng Zhengyan, Cheng Zhengyan——”

Cheng Zhengyan held the door and looked down at him. He did not invite him in and asked in a fierce tone, “What is it?”

Xiang Ke raised his head and asked, “Do you like Gao Tang?”

…… After making his debut for many years, he has never heard anyone ask other people’s feelings directly like this. Cheng Zhengyan looked puzzled: “What?”

“I mean——” Xiang Ke changed his words, “you don’t like Gao Tang, right?”

Cheng Zhengyan stared at his eyes that were full of hope and sparkling when he asked the question. The muscles in his back collapsed. “How is it possible.”

But being liked, his chest can’t stop feeling soft again. This fool……

Xiang Ke got an affirmative answer, he immediately squinted his eyes, and smiled contentedly, “Ah, that’s good, that’s good.”

Cheng Zhengyan looked at him and felt like he had fallen into half-cold and half-boiling water. His emotions were torn between reason and joy. In a flash, after hearing Xiang Ke while patting his chest and saying the second half of the sentence——

"...... I can finally feel at ease to chase her."

Cheng Zhengyan: ".................."

The world seemed to pause for a moment, freezing his expression along with it.

Xiang Ke, who does not know how to observe words and expressions was still humming, “…..she seems to have a crush on you……”

“Wait, wait a minute,” Cheng Zhengyan raised his hand to interrupt him. His brain was still empty and his IQ struggled to grab his hair and digging into his head. “……you like Gao Tang?”
“Huh?” Xiang Ke was asked like this for the first time, felt unexpectedly confused. “Should be……,right?”
Cheng Zhengyan held his head. At this moment, he felt suspicious of life. “But, aren’t you……?”
Xiang Ke tilted his head: “Hmm?”

Cheng Zhengyan wanted to say something but immediately stopped. He stared down at Xiang Ke and looked into his eyes that were so bright that he could almost see the soul. He pursed his lips bit by bit.

The aura in his body changed instantly and felt like an iron cage locked with a fierce beast slowly pulled open the door. Xiang Ke instinctively felt the danger and showed a worried expression, “What’s wrong with you?”

Cheng Zhengyan looked at him inexplicably and slowly shook his head.

Xiang Ke believed it unsurprised, then he immediately put down all his guard and talked with Cheng Zhengyan about tonight’s dinner with Gao Tang.

“Ah——” Xiang Ke moved his mind to very aggrieved. “What Guo Jiaqi said was useless. Chasing girls is certainly not like this and the feeling of dating before is not the same at all!”

(this translation is only here on ztranslations.blogspot.com otherwise, stolen)

“Dating……” Cheng Zhengyan slowly savored these two words in his mouth.* His eyes fell on the sight of Xiang Ke, who became more and more unhappy. Thus, he finally pursed his lips, “……you have not chased……people?”

*约会: two words in the raw.

“Ah?” Xiang Ke realized that he actually lifted his own bottom* and immediately scratched his head in embarrassment. “That…….” 

*Expose their real situation to others as a metaphor.

The tip of Cheng Zhengyan’s tongue pressed hard against the itchy teeth. Looking at the other party’s slender white neck with his head down, revealing his neckline; he did not speak.

Xiang Ke thought about it and soon came back. What’s shameful of not chasing someone! Although he did not look as mature and stable as Cheng Zhengyan, it’s not that he has never been in love, he’s popular!

Thinking in this way, he began to ostentatiously peel off candy wrappers and stuffed one for himself, um, also give one to Cheng Zhengyan.

When the candy was handed over to his eyes, Cheng Zhengyan glanced over the two slender fingers holding it and slowly opened his mouth.

Xiang Ke showed a small animal-like flattering and cunning smile. “Cheng Zhengyan ah. What great ideas do you have, please guide me too.”

The rich taste of milk melted in his mouth, Cheng Zhengyan’s sharp teeth chewed viscously. He narrowed his eyes and stayed on Xiang Ke’s good-looking face for a long time.

Then, the corners of his mouth gradually pulled a full aggressive arc. “Okay.”
He agreed so quickly that Xiang Ke couldn’t believe it, “Really?”

“Hmm.” Cheng Zhengyan did not say much, directly taking a step from the room and walked out.

Xiang Ke didn’t understand so he followed in small steps. “Where are you going?”

“Ask for leave! Date!”

*****

At 10:30, Director Xu Liang who had finally finished work early, eventually got into bed after finishing a series of health rituals such as drinking wolfberry tea, soaking his feet, and applying hair tonic.

Since the start of filming, the time has been tight every day. Today can be regarded as a good night’s sleep, his serious face could not help but reveal a happy smile.

The next second, there was a shocking knock on the door, and the drowsiness he finally developed suddenly dissipated. He was so scared that he almost grabbed the quilt and rolled to the ground.

Xu Liang said in his heart that if it wasn’t a fire, you’re fucking screwed. As he opened the door angrily, he saw Cheng Zhengyan’s increasingly sharp handsome face under the light with a smile but not a smile expression. “Director, let’s talk about it later, and take a leave of absence tomorrow.”*

*This was hard to construct. He just literally went straight to the point like, director, discuss, take a leave tomorrow. Aaah. 

As soon as Xu Liang heard the words, his anger almost flew away, “What are you playing with......”
Before the words fell, a small head suddenly appeared behind the other person’s tall body.

Xiang Ke crooked his head and drilled out half of his body, with his hands together to make a plea, while swaying his body a little, blinking pitifully, “Please la~ please la~”

Xu Liang: "............"

At this moment, he once again clearly felt the vicissitudes of life.

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Z: Welp. I didn't notice I had so many footnotes, aiya. If anyone saw any typographical or grammatical errors, please let me know through the comments. This also includes the previous chapters anyone noticed. Thank you.