After Getting Involved In A Love Triangle With My Mortal Enemy From A Past Life, All I Want To Do Is Lie Down And Relax - Chapter 11

In the middle of the night, the stars outside the window sparkled brilliantly. A cool breeze blew, and the city was shrouded in silence. Inside the room, it was just as peaceful as the world outside, save for the occasional rustle of turning pages.

The young man at the desk was exceptionally focused, continuously analyzing the script in his hands while making various notes and sketches. Dressed in pajamas, he looked completely relaxed. Under the lamplight, his exquisite features were more radiant than the starlight itself. He picked up a glass of warm water and took a light sip, his eyes never straying from the pages.

After a while longer, Sang Luo rubbed his eyes. The production team had distributed the scripts near dusk, and tomorrow’s task was a live performance. Despite the scene being only a few hundred words long, Sang Luo had spent the entire night studying it. Each pair would act together, and the scripts had been assigned randomly.

By some coincidence, Sang Luo had drawn the most difficult one. It was a historical piece where Sang Luo played an assassin and Huo Xun played a general. In the script, the assassin was extremely paranoid and cold-blooded. His family had been slaughtered when he was a child, and he had endured years of humiliation for the sake of revenge. The culprit was none other than the general. During one assassination attempt, he was captured by the general and subsequently tortured until he was barely recognizable.

Two years later, he transformed his identity and was presented to the general as a songstress. The general fell in love with the assassin at first sight, leading to a night of wild abandon. When the assassin attempted to strike, the general discovered the truth but chose only to imprison the assassin in his private quarters. What followed were five years of mutual torment. Despite the general’s constant vigilance, he eventually died at the blade of the assassin, this time by his own choice. After taking his revenge, the assassin burned down the general’s estate and committed suicide by jumping off a cliff the following year.

The segment Sang Luo and Huo Xun were to perform took place just after the assassin was presented to the general. Sang Luo spent the night analyzing the assassin’s mindset and emotional shifts, aiming to portray the character in his entirety. After thoroughly digesting the script, Sang Luo checked the time: 2:00 AM. He had learned a lot today, but the most important part would be the execution. After turning off the lights, the scenes from the script lingered in his mind until sleep finally took hold. He was unaware that throughout the hours his light was on, Huo Xun had stayed up with him, only turning off his own light once he knew Sang Luo was sound asleep.

The next day, Sang Luo did not wake up until nearly noon. Today was special; the live performances were not scheduled to begin until 2:00 PM. Looking around, he found only Chen Jing on the first floor.

“You are awake? Come over quickly, I have made some porridge.” Chen Jing was very attentive, placing the warmed porridge in front of Sang Luo.

“Thank you,” Sang Luo said with a faint smile. “I appreciate the trouble.”

“I just helped heat it up. CEO Huo prepared this for you. They went out to buy ingredients, and I stayed behind to wait for you.” Chen Jing sat next to Sang Luo, constantly stealing glances at him. “Can I ask a question?”

“Sure,” Sang Luo nodded. “What is it?”

“Are you and Movie King Huo on very good terms?” Chen Jing added an explanation. “I noticed he takes quite good care of you.”

Sang Luo paused for a fraction of a second before naturally masking it. “I do not know him. We are just in the same pair for the show.”

A look of contemplation crossed Chen Jing’s face. “I see.”

Sensing that Sang Luo did not want to elaborate, Chen Jing did not press further. Ten minutes later, Huo Xun and the others returned. Even while carrying groceries, Huo Xun’s aura remained powerful. Their funds were still at 200 yuan as there had been no reward for the slip task, but today would be different. The production team had invited several well-known directors to judge the performances.

After putting away the vegetables, Huo Xun walked over. “I bought eggplant, tomatoes, and eggs. Is that alright for lunch?”

“It is fine.” Sang Luo was not picky. He looked up and said, “I will help you wash the vegetables.”

“No need.” Huo Xun took off his jacket, revealing a white shirt. It fit him perfectly, subtly outlining his muscular build.

“Let me help.” Sang Luo walked into the kitchen and took out the vegetables. Huo Xun stood beside him, reaching out a few times before hesitating and pulling back.

“They are washed. You can do the cutting; I am not very good at it.” Sang Luo knew his culinary skills were lacking and planned to learn eventually.

“Alright.” Huo Xun worked quickly. Sang Luo ate a few bites and then went back upstairs. Since they were now responsible for their own cooking and preparation, many things had become simpler. After finishing the dishes, Huo Xun also went upstairs, leaving Liu Zhiya standing there staring at his back. Ever since Sang Luo had frightened her, she had not dared to do anything overt. But now that she had regained her composure, she was unwilling to give up. What does Sang Luo have besides that face? If he can do it, why can’t I? This thought grew stronger, bordering on obsession.

At 2:00 PM, the guests gathered. The stage for the performance was simple, with only basic backdrops and costumes. This put more pressure on the actors’ skills; a good live performance could easily catch a director’s eye. The order of performance went from simplest to most difficult.

First up were Qin Yibing and the diva Number Six, Chu Yuqing. Their scene was not difficult, a dialogue between a CEO and a “canary.” Qin Yibing’s portrayal of the male lead was striking. Her short black wig was sharp and clean. Though she looked somewhat slight, her powerful aura was undeniable.

“Qingqing, still angry?” Qin Yibing held a cigarette, her eyes unreadable in the dim room.

Chu Yuqing, playing the canary, wore light makeup and a white dress that looked ethereal. “I would not dare.” Her voice was laced with mockery. “You hold all the power; who would dare to cross you?”

Qin Yibing calmly discarded the cigarette and walked forward. The sound of her footsteps was startling in the silent room. Chu Yuqing trembled but stubbornly refused to lower her head.

“You would not dare?” Qin Yibing lifted Chu Yuqing’s chin, her voice oozing dominance. “You have crossed me plenty.”

“Then what more do you want?” Chu Yuqing’s eyes instantly reddened. “Tell me, what do you want?”

Qin Yibing stared at the girl for a long time. Eventually, she straightened up and turned her back. “How did we become like this?” She closed her eyes to hide the pain. “Is it so hard to admit you have feelings for me?”

The room remained silent; Qin Yibing received no answer. “Get some rest.” As the footsteps faded, the room became dark once more.

“Not bad. The eye contact was very on point,” Bai Chen remarked with undisguised admiration. “The difficulty level was not high, but your understanding of the character is clearly there.”

“Thank you.” Qin Yibing smiled brightly. She turned around to help Chu Yuqing up. “Thanks for your hard work.”

“It was not hard,” Chu Yuqing said, her cheeks slightly flushed. “My acting was just average.” She had few lines, but her crying scene had been decent. She was a veteran of the industry after all; even if she was not primarily an actress, she could hold her own.

“If you were to play Qin Yibing’s role, do you think you could do it well?” Bai Chen asked.

Chu Yuqing gave a measured response. “I think I could manage.” Bai Chen nodded with a smile but did not say more. The next scene featured Bai Chen and Liu Zhiya. Their script was also simple, an encounter between former lovers.

[THE END]