Waiting Upon You Chapter 2

Waiting Upon You – Chapter 1 Act 2

Translator: PKitty

TLC: Momoe Pom

Editor:  Isabelle

Quality Check: Kai

First Published on Ainus.h.i.+. 

Act 2,Duel…

　　Ling Lang opened the cubicle door to which his heart skipped a beat. He was unsure if it was due to the fact that he was too absorbed into the act or maybe the other party was just light footed. He had not heard anyone entering nor did he have any inkling of when he had came in or what he might have heard.

That person stood with his back facing him, however you could clearly see his face from the mirror's reflection.

　　Feng Hao had obviously saw him and hurriedly turned around, greeting him "Teacher Ling."

Ling Lang shook his head, "I do not like it when people address me as Teacher."

"Well….Elder?" Feng Hao asked, testing the waters.

"Just my name will do."

"No that won't do, it is too disrespectful," Feng Hao was put in a difficult spot, "Ah, would it be alright for me to address you as Senior?"

It was only then did Ling Lang directly cast his gaze on him.

"Like you, I am a student of the Lake Shuo Film Academy,"Feng Hao happily did a self introduction, the two of them had been working together for a full week yet this was the first time they privately interacted, it showed how strongly Ling Lang radiated an aura of aloofness.

Ling Lang felt a little surprised.

A few months ago, his manager came to his apartment with this script telling him that it was specially tailor made for him along with a paycheck of an astronomical figure, telling him that the investors wanted to invite him to act in this movie by all means.

In this movie, Ling Lang played a cop. His childhood sweetheart and girlfriend was also his superior's daughter. Due to her father's work, she was killed by the underworld as a means of revenge.

　Ling Lang, for the sake of getting revenge for his girlfriend, hid and infiltrated into the underworld as an undercover. He swallowed humiliation, carrying the heavy burden for a whole 7 years  before he was finally able to gain the young master's trust, at the same time that he was about to exact his revenge, he had found clues leading to the discovery that the manipulator behind the scenes was not anyone else but his own superior.

　Not too long after the triad's young master succeeded the position, he caught the cop who had opened fire in the midst of chaos that had killed his father. Ling Lang used his ident.i.ty to help his colleague escape, going as far as to stab himself, even then the young master did not believe him, thus leading to that scene at the beginning.

　The beginning of the script is cliché, the middle filled with complicated twists, the ending was fast paced, the plot development could still be considered to be above expectations however what Ling Lang liked about the script was the confrontation between the various characters.

　　This was a bloodshed movie that appeals to men, the female lead actress was only there in the beginning for a short period of time before fading into obscurity. In the first half of the show Ling Lang dueled against the young master, the later half against his superior and the final battle was a chaotic one. He had to admit, the screenwriter’s knowledge and description about the climax of the intellectual confrontation between men was quite skillful.

　　Ling Lang looked at the script, asked for details and then proceeded to signed the contract. When it was time for the filming to start only then did he realise that it was a newbie with completely no experience instead of the actor that was originally finalized to play the role of the triad's young master.

　　The media had gotten used to Ling Lang's cold att.i.tude,  n.o.body suspected anything when he did not speak at the opening ceremony before the start of filming, only those that had been with him for a long time such as his manager and a.s.sistant knew how unhappy he was towards this.

　　"What happened to the original actor?"Ling Lang asked the moment he returned to his resting room.

　The actor that was previously decided for this role seems to be Wu Guanfeng, due to his previous show where he had a fall while he was being suspended on the wire, even till now he is still lying in the hospital."His a.s.sistant explained.

　"Therefore they arranged for a newcomer?"Ling Lang asked coldly, the role of the young master was 2 years older than the role of the cop that he was acting , acting from 25 years old till 32 years old. In this show, other than him and his superior, he would be the next supporting actor, he would also have the most interactions with Ling Lang, it is a truly difficult role to manage and portray.

During a mutual confrontation between both parties, if one party's  stage presence is weaker than the others, the results are bound to be imbalanced. The one acting as an opponent against the king of the silver screen would actually be a young and inexperienced fledgling, even before the show has commenced filming, it has already became a joke.

　　Investors trying to raise new people, would spend a huge sum of money to find a well known figure in order to help them pave the way of the newbie, this type of matter was a common occurrence in the industry, however it was the first time that Ling Lang had seen anyone that just joined a.s.sume such a critical role.

"Reject the show."Ling Lang guessed the truth after merely a moment of pondering.

"Ah?" His manager was stunned, "but the contract had been signed, the filming rites have been done, even the media knows about it.

　"I do not act in youthful idol dramas," Ling Lang firmly said."Even though there are 'unspoken rules'[1] , they should know better than overdoing it."

　　"It is not an 'unspoken rule',"his a.s.sistant rushed to report the unreliable news that she had heard, " It is said that the new actor for the young master is the producer's …..younger brother…." Under Ling Lang's gaze, her voice became weaker and weaker that the volume of her last two words was almost impossible to hear.

　Ling Lang sneered after hearing what he said, his manager after following Ling Lang for so many years had became a veteran, he obviously knew that a breach of contract was not possible as such he hurriedly raised the delay card, "Why don't you try to act a few scenes with the newcomer, if he is not up to standard the director would surely request for a new change of actor."

　　Ling Lang accepted his suggestion, stood up and walked out, "Just in time, I would like to see that…what was his name?"

　"Feng..Feng..Feng……"

　　"Feng Hao!"The a.s.sistant completed the sentence.

　　"h.e.l.lo Teacher Ling! I am Feng Hao, I will be in your care!"

　　Ling Lang practically ignored him as he walked past him, leaving only three words behind, "It rhymes well."

Feng Hao did not feel angry at being snubbed, it fitted the understanding that he had of Ling Lang's character, he rubbed the back of his head consoling himself and followed along in a hurried manner.

　　On the first day, the very first scene coincidentally involved the interaction between them. When the director was explaining the scene, Feng Hao was listening extremely seriously, his attention was fully focused on the director, he would even nod his head from time to time, seemingly as though he did not pay notice to the examining gaze from Ling Lang at the side.

　Ling Lang quietly sized him up from head to toe, however, he could not see any potential of the underworld prince from him.

　This is definitely the face suited to act as a male lead in a youthful and inspirational drama , even his facial expressions and actions were identical to the foolish people in the stories. If he acted for an idol drama, all he needed to do was just open his eyes wide and bright at the camera lens and clench his fists, there would simply be no need for any acting skills.

"Is there anything that you do not understand?"the director asked routinely after he finished going through the main points.

   Feng Hao turned his head in Ling Lang 's direction, with the desire of listening to what he had to say, he unexpectedly met Ling Lang's direct line of sight.

　　When he that found Ling Lang was looking at him, Feng Hao's eyes curved, the corner of his mouth raised to revealed a wide smile.

　　Ling Lang turned his head away expressionlessly.

　Feng Hao once again rubbed his nose in awkwardness, it was exactly like what the others had said, the King of the Silver screen had an enigmatic temperament.

　The filming of this scene is the first time that the young master made a public appearance at the Green Dragon Gang, following after the director's call for the filming to begin, Ling Lang followed the gang members and ran into the hall, what they saw was not the acting gang leader but the back view of a man that they had never seen before.

   Under the gaze of the astonished crowd, Feng Hao slowly turned his body around.

　　The entire film set was engulfed in silence, it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

　　"Cut——" This abnormal tranquility was torn by the director.

　By the time Ling Lang was clear headed, he had became the focus of everyone's attention.

　　That's when he realized, it was his turn to recite his lines, yet he stood blankly on the spot without uttering a single word.

　The director did not say a thing, he had no idea what had happened to cause that situation, to put the mistake of forgetting his lines on the king of the silver screen would be rather extreme, there must be some other reason, thus he waited for Ling Lang to explain.

　However Ling Lang only apologized in a low voice and turned to return to the starting position.

　　
Compared to other people and their suspicions, right at this moment, although Ling Lang appeared serene however in his heart there was turbulence surging forth.

　　What is this sudden feeling of oppression?

　　The moment when Feng Hao turned around, his whole body was exuding an overbearing aura, as though he had been possessed by the character that he was playing, merely with a glance, he was able to make people overlook his appearance, his age, but only to be tightly spellbound by his temperament.

　　Ling Lang totally did not believe that this was the standard that a newbie could achieve, even when he had just started out, he was still far from having such capabilities.

　No, he did not even seemed like he was acting at all, but restored to being his natural self.

But the moment the director called for a stop, the oppressive aura that had enveloped him vanished instantaneously, the omnipresent  oppressiveness that had filled the air immediately faded away, as though the Feng Hao he had just saw was nothing but a figment of his imagination.

　Initially Ling Lang thought that Feng Hao was like a flower vase that only had looks and no substance, making use of his connections to get the role. Thereafter he admitted that he was a smart and gifted individual. After hearing what he had said today, only then did he know that Feng Hao was actually professionally trained.

　　"You are also a graduate from the Lake Shuo Film Academy?"He asked again in uncertainty.

　　"Yes I am from the Lake Shuo Film Academy,"Feng Hao was happy that Ling Lang finally had an interest about the topic of his conversation,"I graduated later than senior by 2 years.

　"You do not look that old."

　"I started school at a young age, and everyone said that I look younger than my actual age."

　"Then why…." Ling Lang did not continue to ask.
　

If he was obscured and unknown since the day he had debuted, it would have made sense, however he did not step foot into the show business for so many years. Only now did he started acting in his first film, at this age it has unavoidably pa.s.sed his prime time.

　　Feng Hao could guessed what he wanted to ask, "During those times, I had been busy with the family business, it was only until recently that things started to slowly settle down, only then could I finally do the things that I wanted to do.

　　"Family business…. the underworld?"

　　"Pff~,"Feng Hao laughed, "Can I presumptuously a.s.sumed that what senior had said to me is an acknowledgement of my acting skills?"

　　Ling Lang lowered his head to wash his hands and pretended that he did not hear the question.

　Fortunately Feng Hao did not mind, he was still in high spirits as he said, "Senior, I was actually a fan of yours since my university days."

　　"I did not act in any films during university."

　　"But you acted in stage plays," Feng Hao's eyes was s.h.i.+ning, "In the play《The Brave Lives Forever》 "

　Ling Lang's hand that was pulling paper napkins paused for a beat.

　"I became a fan of yours after watching that very stage play, senior your performance on stage was great, till today I still have the VCR of your performance at home."

　　Ling Lang threw the paper napkin that he had used to wipe his hands into the trash bin, "That kind of embarra.s.sing history, it would be better to burn it.

　　"How could that be,I would still take it out to watch every weekend, that particular stage play is the one I liked the most,"Feng Hao said in excitement, "Ever since I watched 《The Brave Lives Forever》, even when I am asleep I would dream of being able to act on the same stage as you senior, who would have thought that this wish of mine would finally be granted."

　　Speaking about this, it seemed that Feng Hao had suddenly came to the realization about something. The happy expression that was originally on his face had in just an instant became dispirited, "But senior, my performance today must have made you disappointed."

　Ling Lang was silent, as a newcomer Feng Hao's performance could be considered as outstanding, however he did not have the habit of praising people, in fact the reason that he called for a stop was not what Feng Hao was thinking about but an entirely different reason that was too embarra.s.sing to mention aloud.

　　Just when the situation started to become awkward, his manager pushed open the toilet's door and  entered. He did not find Ling Lang in his personal resting room, as such he went around looking for him until he reached the toilet.

"Oh you are here? And you are here too?" The manager was surprised to see the both of them together.

　　"h.e.l.lo,"Feng Hao took the initiative and greeted him. 　　

The manager looked at Ling Lang suspiciously, you would not stop him here because of the 7 NG, just to beat him up in retaliation, would you?

　He gave Feng Hao another glance and did not discover anything unusual, he could only bury the suspicion in his heart, he urged the both of them saying, "Break time is over, the director is calling for the cast."

　　When they returned to the set, the director was currently discussing with the a.s.sistant director about how to film that particular scene.

"Should we amend the script?" Delete this section away?"asked the a.s.sistant director.

　　
"Of course not, without that scene it would not be able to fully portray the tremendous sacrifice that the undercover had to go through."the screenwriter opposed resolutely

"I know of what we can do,"the a.s.sistant director clap his hands, "use a body double!"

　　The director use the rolled up script to hit his head,"Then what would happen during the ending close up shoot of the police face?"

　　"Is it not possible to edit it in later? the screenwriter suggested.

　　"No!"It must be film consistently from the young master's face to the police's face, only then would you be able to see the contrast between their expressions.

　　After discussing for a period of time they had reached a deadlock, at this time a quavering voice interrupted them.

　"Well about that, I have an idea…'

　The person that spoke out was Feng Hao.

　The three of them turned their heads at the same time, "What ideas do you have?"

　　The rest of the people on the scene silently p.r.i.c.k up their ears to listen.

　　"I feel that this part in the script could be modified a little…"

　The brows of the scriptwriter furrowed, "Did I not mention this before, this part of the scene must absolutely not be deleted."

　"His subordinate allowed his father's killer to run away, would he let him off simply with just crawling through and then pardon him?"Feng Hao shook his head, "If I am him, I would definitely not allow this matter to end so simply."

Everyone that heard those words end up sucking in a mouthful of cold air.

　
Feng Hao's words. .h.i.t the core of the director's heart, his voice trembled with excitement, "How do you want to change it?"

　　
"I do not want to delete, but rather I want to add on."

Translator’s note: [1]Unspoken rules: Sleeping their way up the ladder.