novel
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Meeting
The beautiful notes of of the fourth movement of Schubert's Trout flowed through the air of the coffee shop.
The store was decorated in a retro manner, with wisteria and other leafy plants filling the intimate space. The floor was covered with small pebbles and there was the gurgling of running water. The sun shone through the transparent glass ceiling that was shaded by trees.
This place was more like a garden for people to rest in the afternoon than a coffee shop.
There were a small number of customers in the store, and it was cleverly designed to cut off line of sight to the entrance.
A china spoon stirred through the brown liquid that exuded a warm taste into the warm air. Slender fingers picked up a small lump of sugar and threw it into the cup.
There was a contemporary entertainment magazine on the table. Li Fei removed the sunglasses from his face, looking like a laid back person as he flipped to a column in the magazine that introduced movies.
Li Fei looked like he was reading, but his eyes didn't stay on the page. He seemed bored as he occasionally fiddled with the lid of the lighter in his left hand. It made a low sound, but no flames emerged.
Once the sugar in the coffee had half melted, Li Fei saw a man walking towards the table with the help of a employee.
The music was entering a minor variation and the sun shone on the man, making him look blurry. However, his temperament was outstanding.
The black coat over the light coloured shirt. It didn't have the quality of tailored clothes and couldn't be called brand name clothing. Despite this, owner of the clothing still seemed relaxed, as if he didn't care about the speculation and eyes of others.
They hadn't seen each other for a long time, so Li Fei couldn't help closing his eyes. Then he stiffened and the lighter in his left hand slid onto the table.
When Jian Hua walked into the coffee shop, he got a ominous foreboding.
This was the meeting place for his appointment with Li Fei. From Li Fei's position, there was no need to trick a small person like him. If he did want to trick Jian Hua, wasn't it more appropriate to choose a private club instead of such an upscale coffee store?
In addition to the dangerous omen, there was an inexplicable excitement.
It was with this strange mood that Jian Hua walked through the hollow partition wall decorated with flowers and trees. As he approached the table, his heartbeat increased and the music changed.
Trout. The trout freely swimming in the stream was fished up and became prey.
—The fierce beast opened his eyes and found his prey.
Both Jian Hua and Li Fei were unprepared for this change. Despite all the strange changes in their lives, they chose to wait and continue with their original plan.
Now this situation suddenly occurred, so they didn't know if they should feel scared or surprised.
"It turned out to be you." Li Fei and Jian Hua muttered at the same time. Both of them were aware that another force had appeared in Huai City.
"Sir, is this not the table you were looking for?" The employee hastily inquired.
"No, this is the table."Li Fei nodded with a smile. The employee was a young girl who immediately flushed. She bowed, pulled out the chair for Jian Hua, placed a heavy satin booklet on the table and politely left.
The words that Jian Hua originally wanted to say, they were completely lost due to this incident.
After he sat down, Jian Hua's eyes were involuntarily drawn to the pages of the entertainment magazine, where there were stills from Crow and a poster where the main character was a silhouette.
The general was standing next to a river in bright armour. However, the reflection in the river showed a blood-stained and tore shirt, with wounds in the gaps. The only thing similar was the same tall and upright posture.
"When the movie finally set a release date. I couldn't spare time to take photos, so they picked some stills from the movie." Li Fei pointed to the images.
The shadow on the water wasn't actually a person.
"You are very good. You are the best stuntman I have seen at grasping the character." Li Fei's tone was soft and warm, like the melting sugar in the coffee cup.
This wasn't the first time they've met. During the filming of Crow, they talked and ate lunch boxes together with the crew.
In addition, he used the make-up artist dedicated to Li Fei and the same costumes and props, so they sometimes talked to each other. However, once the final scene was done, like the rest of the crew, they quickly went their separate ways.
They were just strangers talking to each other. Movie actor and stuntman, what other relationship was there?
Li Fei closed the magazine and pushed it aside. Without the magazine, the distance between them suddenly became empty and the strange feeling intensified.
"Do you know why you can't be a good actor standing alone in front of the camera?"
"I fail at micro-expressions." Jian Hua answered in an indifferent manner.
His eyes, the muscles on his face, the wrinkling of his brows. They all unconsciously exposed Jian Hua's thoughts and he couldn't control it. Jian Hua bowed his head. He couldn't disguise his eyes when he came in contact with people. No matter how good his acting, it didn't carry over to his face. After years of hard work, the best he could do was maintain a placid expression.
Now Jian Hua's eyes were full of vigilance and some hostility. Li Fei controlled his eyes, he didn't want to reveal his expression of regret.
It was regret, but also mercy to some extent. The entertainment business was a bright and beautiful place, but it was also a cruel battlefield. The most horrible thing in this world was having 'no talent. '
This was an insult to those who were proud.
"I heard that you haven't been working recently."
Li Fei was used to leading the conversation and there was also a difference in their status. Jian Hua didn't interrupt and listened in silence.
"Star Entertainment Media is a good company. Its treatment of the film and television members aren't harsh and you need a job. I believed that I was your best choice, until five minutes ago..."
Li Fei trailed off, the last words making the air seem to freeze.
Under this type of pressure, Jian Hua's lips slowly curved. The sun shining through the leaves shone on his face, making his handsome appearance become blurred by the warm light. It was enough to make a person's breath stop.
—Just like Li Fei, who closed his eyes.
In this different field of view, everyone seemed to be nothingness. There was the shadow of the guest of wind and the outline of the bones in people's body, that had no strength and no weight.
Only this person in front of him was clear. Every texture on the face was fresh, his facial features were clear and profound. His ability slowly shone through, making Jian Hua truly beautiful.
Li Fei's heart throbbed and he wanted to see more of this force.
It was an endless abyss, rich in darkness that swallowed all the colours. But it also contained the truth. The force watched Li Fei quietly, like he was its prey.
"We are very similar. This is the first reason why I chose you..." Li Fei moved the strength he obtained when Pearl Hotel exploded."But I didn't think we were so similar."
Jian Hua didn't try to hide it."You can control that force?"
Li Fei suddenly closed his eyes, drank the coffee and shook his head."Not well."
Li Fei's implication that this wasn't something he was willing to accept clearly reached Jian Hua. The ability Jian Hua received after the stagnated time was indescribable, and it always felt like there was a worse problem behind him.
The two people sat silently and the tense atmosphere slowly dispersed. Their forces struggled against each other, but it was a common secret that created a tacit understanding between them.
"I thought... it would at least be a private room?" Jian Hua asked while looking around. The news about Li Fei was in full swing on the Internet, but he was openly sitting here drinking coffee.
Li Fei chuckled and put down the cup in his hand."This is the coffee shop that I opened."
"..."
"The employees won't bring new customers to the tables around us while we are talking, so it is no different from a private room." Li Fei said with a smile. His charm seemed brighter than the sunshine."If you want something then feel free to say it."
Jian Hua was silent for a moment before failing to hold back his words."You made your own private room."
"You found out." Li Fei smiled happily.
"It must cost a lot of money to maintain every year. Isn't it a loss?" Jian Hua touched the wisteria leaves. There was no mistake, this was a real plant.
"Please don't tell the public the truth in the future, especially if it is truths related to me." Li Fei touched Jian Hua's back. He instinctively stiffened, but refrained from shrinking back.
"It seems you don't plan to find another stuntman." Jian Hua returned to the original topic.
Li Fei's words just now meant he was interested in future cooperation.
Whether publicly or privately, it was useful to Jian Hua. Needless to say, his top priority was earning money to eat and live. Jian Hua was looking forward to working with the emperor of movies. He also wanted to get some clues about his ability from Li Fei.
"People who have trouble themselves aren't qualified to be critical of others." Li Fei nodded, before turning on the Bluetooth function of his phone. He asked Jian Hua, "What is your phone model?"
After receiving the answer, he sent over the electronic draft contract. Jian Hua carefully read the entire contents and found the draft impeccable.
The only thing required was that regardless of the situation, he was to accompany Li Fei to the shootings. There was no need to sit idly at home and the contract period was one year from when it was signed. This generous treatment would cause anyone in the entertainment world to pinch themselves.
"If you have no objections, my assistant will arrive in Huai City in half an hour. We can chat here while waiting for him to bring the printed documents that you can sign directly."
"..."
Should he fell sorry for the Emperor's assistant?
Li Fei saw the clumsy change in his expression and laughed happily, before extending his hand to the person across the table."Then with this renewed understanding, I think we need to know more about each other in all aspects."
Jian Hua silently gripped the hand.
"Li Fei, gender is male and I like men."Li Fei released his hand and leaned back comfortably."I think this is something you should know."
Jian Hua looked down. Then he suddenly looked up and said in a clear voice."Jian Hua, gender is male and I love you."
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