Chapter 26: Turning the tables
The place where one slept the day before would still be the same place one would wake up the next day.
The next morning, Tang Feng was rudely awakened by the frantic ringing of the doorbell; the cursed sound was like a broken mantra without pause. He scrunched his brows and nudged the sleeping man hugging him.
“Go and open the door…” he muttered drowsily. Having drunk too much last night and having ‘exercised’ right after, Tang Feng tiredly rolled over in the sheets and continued to enjoy his beauty sleep. He looked like a white spring roll, with only a tuft of his glossy black hair and a pair of clean, pale feet peeking out at the two ends.
Lu Tian Chen quickly got up. He picked up the bathrobe that Tang Feng wore the night before and put it on as he walked towards the door. The loose and wide white robe was unable to cover the bite marks on his chest courtesy of Tang Feng.
Perhaps right from the start, he had no intentions of covering it up at all.
“Morning,” Lu Tian Chen greeted as he opened the door. Standing outside was not only Charles but also Gino.
This could explain why Charles had been ringing the doorbell incessantly. The two men must have gone to Lu Tian Chen’s room, saw that he was nowhere to be found, then immediately thought of Tang Feng. Lu Tian Chen had unplugged the room’s phone cord early last night but seeing the two frenzied looking men before him, he thought he really should have disconnected the doorbell as well.
No matter the case, bees will always be drawn to nectar. The people that should come will always come in the end.
“You were here? I knew I would find you here.” Charles stood by the door, looking at Lu Tian Chen smilingly. Only those familiar with the man would know that his smile did not reach his eyes. As the so-called “smiling faced tiger”, the wider the smile on his face, the angrier the man was.
“Here or there, is there any difference?” Lu Tian Chen turned his head, peering into the dim bedroom. Like a gentleman, he stepped outside to close the bedroom door, afraid their voices might disturb the other man inside the room.
This scene was a bit familiar. Not too long ago, Charles stood inside the room whereas Lu Tian Chen stood on the outside. This time, however, their roles were reversed; Charles was the one knocking on the door while Lu Tian Chen was the one answering it.
The only similarity was that the one in the room, sleeping on the bed, had always been a man named Tang Feng.
Truly as sensational as a drama, this sort of situation left one feeling rather helpless in its wake. That’s right, the same person had these two men wrapped around his little finger, yet in the midst of the crossfire, still remained safe and sound, pleasantly sleeping. Such a scene unfolding in the past would have been unbelievable, but now it was clearly happening right before everyone’s eyes.
The truth was proven once again: people abandoning their reasons and morals for allurement’s sake was as commonplace as ever.
“There really isn’t much of a difference.” Charles’s upper facial muscles were stiff as his fake smile grew wider.
“The flight’s been delayed till this afternoon. We can meet again for lunch afterwards, or perhaps even later.” Lu Tian Chen smiled faintly in return. The two old friends’ eyes flashed with fire as they regarded each other silently. There were some things that, without being said, could be made clear to the other.
Through years of learning and cooperation, a tacit understanding developed between them. And right at that moment, their comprehension of one another had attained matchless unity.
Can you give him up?
My answer is no.
What about you?
Naturally, my answer will be no as well.
If that was the case, there was only one conclusion left. Between the two of them, only one could accompany the other man.
Oh, and additionally: This competition would only have two competitors. Should a third participant, like a certain Michael Gino, show up, they would put their differences aside for the time being to deal with the common enemy.
You see, this was the true power of a collusion between experienced friends-turned-enemies in action.
Just when Lu Tian Chen was about to turn around to return to the room, the third wheel, Michael Gino, stepped forward with a cold expression on his face, “Wait!”
“Do you need something else?” Lu Tian Chen asked politely, stopping in his tracks.
Being a well-mannered and educated person, no matter how unsettled his heart was, Gino would never blow up at another polite individual. He took a deep breath in order to calm himself down. However, no matter how much he tried to slow his breathing, he just couldn’t seem to compose himself properly.
From the beginning, he had always felt that Tang Feng had some sort of a relationship with Fiennes and that Lu Tian Chen was simply Tang Feng’s superior and boss. However, after seeing how Lu Tian Chen obviously came out of Tang Feng’s room, it would be a joke to say that the two men merely chatted away the entire night.
What’s more, the marks on Lu Tian Chen’s body were startlingly obvious. Even if he wanted to pretend to be blind, he could not ignore them at all.
“Where’s Tang Feng?”
“He’s inside, still sleeping.”
“What did you do to him?!” Gino could not believe Tang Feng would willingly be with Lu Tian Chen of his own accord.
“Make love?” Such words coming from a normally respectable and serious man felt utterly repulsive to him. Even Charles who stood beside him could not help but let out an amused snicker.
“You… you forced yourself upon him?!”
It was clear as day as what Lu Tian Chen and Tang Feng had been up to last night, but no one could have been prepared for the subsequent sharp and direct words that came out of Lu Tian Chen’s mouth.
Lu Tian Chen shot Gino a contemptuous look, saying, “I, Lu Tian Chen, never have and never will force myself upon another person. And even if that was the case, Tang Feng is not a man I can simply force myself upon. He is not that weak.”
Before Gino could say anything else, Lu Tian Chen promptly inserted, “Even though Tang Feng maybe of eastern descent, he is not like the usual easterners who are overly conservative and obstinate. Making love is a very normal thing. He is a full-grown adult who has his own right of interests and freedom of choice. As for your concerns, I really appreciate your care for him as a friend.
“And quit with the doorbell already.” These last words were directed towards Charles, to which the latter clicked his tongue in response and turned around, walking away with large steps.
Without sparing Gino another glance, Lu Tian Chen pushed the door open and went back inside the room.
♦
Having met with people he did not want to see while sweeping his own tomb on his birthday left Tang Feng on a relatively sour note. Fortunately, he was able to enjoy the rest of the day eating and drinking his fill, had Lu Tian Chen specially put on a firework show for him, and participated in some steamy ‘exercises’. The man who slept well and woke up naturally was, of course, in a chipper mood.
Lu Tian Chen wasn’t as talkative the next day, yet he didn’t retain the joy to himself like a fool. At least now, the man always had a slight smile in his eyes whenever he looked at Tang Feng.
As for Charles, Tang Feng found the bastard unexpectedly silent for once, never nagging at him or even showing any trace of anger. This left him feeling quite good. Perhaps Charles’ interest in him was finally waning. Hurry up, quickly find another lover to play with already.
One more thing Tang Feng found surprising was that another person also seemed to change. On the way back, Gino didn’t talk much. At most, he stared out the window or played with his phone.
Tang Feng had no intentions of explaining anything, so perhaps this was for the best.
They set off for Los Angeles high spiritedly, however, upon return to their temporary homes, they were quiet.
Until now, Tang Feng’s secret remained unknown to all. Perhaps it was better to wait until another opportunity to say it presents itself again. If not, he wouldn’t mind keeping this secret to himself for a lifetime.
♦
MOVIE: SATAN’S ALLEY
ACT NO.: 37
LOCATION: OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, ON THE HILL
DAYTIME, OUTDOOR SHOOT
The morning’s freezing sea breeze was like a knife submerged in ice water, scraping indelible marks across his body. The monk Tang carried on with his monologue. His actions were truly an embarrassment and a blasphemy to God, but at the same time, it gave him a sense of happiness.
It was as if he was caught in a place between heaven and hell. His faith in God was being tested by the temptations of the Devil in the depths of his heart, agonizing him every passing day.
Tang kneeled upon the highest hill by the sea, hands clasped tightly around a golden rosary in prayer. He hoped that God could forgive him for his sins, and at the same time, he silently prayed for another blessing.
[I will be leaving. When I return, Tang, I hope you can give me your answer.]
Those words Chris spoke to him by the sea still echoed in his ears. The day Chris was due to leave arrived. Though the young and handsome monk did not bid him goodbye, he still saw the look Chris had in his eyes, even if it only lasted two seconds.
What could not be said aloud was silently recited in his heart: I will wait for you, and I will return to your side.
No matter if it takes a day, two days, one year, two years, or even ten years…
Tang closed his eyes. His hands tightened around the prayer beads as the cool ocean breeze continued to mess with his short black hair. Against the backdrop of the vast mountain, his figure appeared rather small and insignificant.
In this vast and boundless world, they were nothing more than just a group of mortals, powerless and weak against the might of fate.
Even though the script did not require character dialogue for this scene, nor was it called for by the director, Tang Feng had other ideas.
The moment his eyes closed shut, he opened his mouth and let out a hoarse cry. It was a sound full of repression and was unpleasant to the ears. It was a startling contrast to the beauty of nature around him, leaving the audience with a profound sense of despair.
This was Tang making his stand against fate. This was him finally releasing the agony and conflicts deep within his heart in a single cry.
“Cut! Good take! Tang Feng, that last scene really was not bad.” The director stood at the side, giving a thumbs up of approval at Tang Feng. Even Li Wei hadn’t thought that Tang Feng would give him many surprises in the following shoots. He had shown quick situational comprehension skills, possessed a conscientious attitude towards work, was a good listener to instructions, and was always willing to happily discuss the emotions of the characters in the scenes with the director. Occasionally, Tang Feng would even help with the editing and changing of his lines to suit certain scenes better.
If he had not known that Tang Feng never acted in movies before, he really would have thought of him as a veteran actor rich in experience.
Chapter 26: Turning the tables
The place where one slept the day before would still be the same place one would wake up the next day.
The next morning, Tang Feng was rudely awakened by the frantic ringing of the doorbell; the cursed sound was like a broken mantra without pause. He scrunched his brows and nudged the sleeping man hugging him.
“Go and open the door…” he muttered drowsily. Having drunk too much last night and having ‘exercised’ right after, Tang Feng tiredly rolled over in the sheets and continued to enjoy his beauty sleep. He looked like a white spring roll, with only a tuft of his glossy black hair and a pair of clean, pale feet peeking out at the two ends.
Lu Tian Chen quickly got up. He picked up the bathrobe that Tang Feng wore the night before and put it on as he walked towards the door. The loose and wide white robe was unable to cover the bite marks on his chest courtesy of Tang Feng.
Perhaps right from the start, he had no intentions of covering it up at all.
“Morning,” Lu Tian Chen greeted as he opened the door. Standing outside was not only Charles but also Gino.
This could explain why Charles had been ringing the doorbell incessantly. The two men must have gone to Lu Tian Chen’s room, saw that he was nowhere to be found, then immediately thought of Tang Feng. Lu Tian Chen had unplugged the room’s phone cord early last night but seeing the two frenzied looking men before him, he thought he really should have disconnected the doorbell as well.
No matter the case, bees will always be drawn to nectar. The people that should come will always come in the end.
“You were here? I knew I would find you here.” Charles stood by the door, looking at Lu Tian Chen smilingly. Only those familiar with the man would know that his smile did not reach his eyes. As the so-called “smiling faced tiger”, the wider the smile on his face, the angrier the man was.
“Here or there, is there any difference?” Lu Tian Chen turned his head, peering into the dim bedroom. Like a gentleman, he stepped outside to close the bedroom door, afraid their voices might disturb the other man inside the room.
This scene was a bit familiar. Not too long ago, Charles stood inside the room whereas Lu Tian Chen stood on the outside. This time, however, their roles were reversed; Charles was the one knocking on the door while Lu Tian Chen was the one answering it.
The only similarity was that the one in the room, sleeping on the bed, had always been a man named Tang Feng.
Truly as sensational as a drama, this sort of situation left one feeling rather helpless in its wake. That’s right, the same person had these two men wrapped around his little finger, yet in the midst of the crossfire, still remained safe and sound, pleasantly sleeping. Such a scene unfolding in the past would have been unbelievable, but now it was clearly happening right before everyone’s eyes.
The truth was proven once again: people abandoning their reasons and morals for allurement’s sake was as commonplace as ever.
“There really isn’t much of a difference.” Charles’s upper facial muscles were stiff as his fake smile grew wider.
“The flight’s been delayed till this afternoon. We can meet again for lunch afterwards, or perhaps even later.” Lu Tian Chen smiled faintly in return. The two old friends’ eyes flashed with fire as they regarded each other silently. There were some things that, without being said, could be made clear to the other.
Through years of learning and cooperation, a tacit understanding developed between them. And right at that moment, their comprehension of one another had attained matchless unity.
Can you give him up?
My answer is no.
What about you?
Naturally, my answer will be no as well.
If that was the case, there was only one conclusion left. Between the two of them, only one could accompany the other man.
Oh, and additionally: This competition would only have two competitors. Should a third participant, like a certain Michael Gino, show up, they would put their differences aside for the time being to deal with the common enemy.
You see, this was the true power of a collusion between experienced friends-turned-enemies in action.
Just when Lu Tian Chen was about to turn around to return to the room, the third wheel, Michael Gino, stepped forward with a cold expression on his face, “Wait!”
“Do you need something else?” Lu Tian Chen asked politely, stopping in his tracks.
Being a well-mannered and educated person, no matter how unsettled his heart was, Gino would never blow up at another polite individual. He took a deep breath in order to calm himself down. However, no matter how much he tried to slow his breathing, he just couldn’t seem to compose himself properly.
From the beginning, he had always felt that Tang Feng had some sort of a relationship with Fiennes and that Lu Tian Chen was simply Tang Feng’s superior and boss. However, after seeing how Lu Tian Chen obviously came out of Tang Feng’s room, it would be a joke to say that the two men merely chatted away the entire night.
What’s more, the marks on Lu Tian Chen’s body were startlingly obvious. Even if he wanted to pretend to be blind, he could not ignore them at all.
“Where’s Tang Feng?”
“He’s inside, still sleeping.”
“What did you do to him?!” Gino could not believe Tang Feng would willingly be with Lu Tian Chen of his own accord.
“Make love?” Such words coming from a normally respectable and serious man felt utterly repulsive to him. Even Charles who stood beside him could not help but let out an amused snicker.
“You… you forced yourself upon him?!”
It was clear as day as what Lu Tian Chen and Tang Feng had been up to last night, but no one could have been prepared for the subsequent sharp and direct words that came out of Lu Tian Chen’s mouth.
Lu Tian Chen shot Gino a contemptuous look, saying, “I, Lu Tian Chen, never have and never will force myself upon another person. And even if that was the case, Tang Feng is not a man I can simply force myself upon. He is not that weak.”
Before Gino could say anything else, Lu Tian Chen promptly inserted, “Even though Tang Feng maybe of eastern descent, he is not like the usual easterners who are overly conservative and obstinate. Making love is a very normal thing. He is a full-grown adult who has his own right of interests and freedom of choice. As for your concerns, I really appreciate your care for him as a friend.
“And quit with the doorbell already.” These last words were directed towards Charles, to which the latter clicked his tongue in response and turned around, walking away with large steps.
Without sparing Gino another glance, Lu Tian Chen pushed the door open and went back inside the room.
♦
Having met with people he did not want to see while sweeping his own tomb on his birthday left Tang Feng on a relatively sour note. Fortunately, he was able to enjoy the rest of the day eating and drinking his fill, had Lu Tian Chen specially put on a firework show for him, and participated in some steamy ‘exercises’. The man who slept well and woke up naturally was, of course, in a chipper mood.
Lu Tian Chen wasn’t as talkative the next day, yet he didn’t retain the joy to himself like a fool. At least now, the man always had a slight smile in his eyes whenever he looked at Tang Feng.
As for Charles, Tang Feng found the bastard unexpectedly silent for once, never nagging at him or even showing any trace of anger. This left him feeling quite good. Perhaps Charles’ interest in him was finally waning. Hurry up, quickly find another lover to play with already.
One more thing Tang Feng found surprising was that another person also seemed to change. On the way back, Gino didn’t talk much. At most, he stared out the window or played with his phone.
Tang Feng had no intentions of explaining anything, so perhaps this was for the best.
They set off for Los Angeles high spiritedly, however, upon return to their temporary homes, they were quiet.
Until now, Tang Feng’s secret remained unknown to all. Perhaps it was better to wait until another opportunity to say it presents itself again. If not, he wouldn’t mind keeping this secret to himself for a lifetime.
♦
MOVIE: SATAN’S ALLEY
ACT NO.: 37
LOCATION: OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, ON THE HILL
DAYTIME, OUTDOOR SHOOT
The morning’s freezing sea breeze was like a knife submerged in ice water, scraping indelible marks across his body. The monk Tang carried on with his monologue. His actions were truly an embarrassment and a blasphemy to God, but at the same time, it gave him a sense of happiness.
It was as if he was caught in a place between heaven and hell. His faith in God was being tested by the temptations of the Devil in the depths of his heart, agonizing him every passing day.
Tang kneeled upon the highest hill by the sea, hands clasped tightly around a golden rosary in prayer. He hoped that God could forgive him for his sins, and at the same time, he silently prayed for another blessing.
[I will be leaving. When I return, Tang, I hope you can give me your answer.]
Those words Chris spoke to him by the sea still echoed in his ears. The day Chris was due to leave arrived. Though the young and handsome monk did not bid him goodbye, he still saw the look Chris had in his eyes, even if it only lasted two seconds.
What could not be said aloud was silently recited in his heart: I will wait for you, and I will return to your side.
No matter if it takes a day, two days, one year, two years, or even ten years…
Tang closed his eyes. His hands tightened around the prayer beads as the cool ocean breeze continued to mess with his short black hair. Against the backdrop of the vast mountain, his figure appeared rather small and insignificant.
In this vast and boundless world, they were nothing more than just a group of mortals, powerless and weak against the might of fate.
Even though the script did not require character dialogue for this scene, nor was it called for by the director, Tang Feng had other ideas.
The moment his eyes closed shut, he opened his mouth and let out a hoarse cry. It was a sound full of repression and was unpleasant to the ears. It was a startling contrast to the beauty of nature around him, leaving the audience with a profound sense of despair.
This was Tang making his stand against fate. This was him finally releasing the agony and conflicts deep within his heart in a single cry.
“Cut! Good take! Tang Feng, that last scene really was not bad.” The director stood at the side, giving a thumbs up of approval at Tang Feng. Even Li Wei hadn’t thought that Tang Feng would give him many surprises in the following shoots. He had shown quick situational comprehension skills, possessed a conscientious attitude towards work, was a good listener to instructions, and was always willing to happily discuss the emotions of the characters in the scenes with the director. Occasionally, Tang Feng would even help with the editing and changing of his lines to suit certain scenes better.
If he had not known that Tang Feng never acted in movies before, he really would have thought of him as a veteran actor rich in experience.
