Sorry for disappearing for so long. My hard drive died and I lost all my chapters and the motivation to continue.
I'm making this post to let people know that I will be dropping Professional Body Double.
But don't worry, RosySpell's BL Translations have already translated the entire novel and are currently releasing chapters everyday (under the name "Professional Substitute").
I recommend that you start reading from the beginning because they've translated from a slightly different source (the published novel I think), and their translation is also a lot better than mine.
I might pick up a new novel in the future but I'm not too sure at this point.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed the translations and thank you for reading.
Zhou Xiang's complexion was pallid. He didn't dare to even raise his head. He could sense the countless gazes on him, which were just like needles, making him unable to sit still.
He cursed Director Wang and Wang Yudong a hundred times inside his heart. Why do these two bastards never let him off whenever they fight?
Chief Wang tried to smooth things over. "Aiya, cool down, Director Wang. The misunderstandings between you two can be settled by communicating. Don't get worked up."
The annual party was held one week before Christmas. In addition to the company employees, many media people also came. Zhou Xiang was still busy behind the scenes even on the very day.
Lan Xirong, who was originally supposed to be in the banquet hall, was for some reason at the back door of the hotel looking for Zhou Xiang.
Zhou Xiang had squeezed in a break and was smoking a cigarette. When he saw Lan Xirong, he said with shock, "What're you doing all the way here?"
Lan Xirong laughed, "I've been looking for you the whole night. I didn’t expect that you'd be hiding here."
Censored Version Below to trick aggregators. Click here: https://nuexinnovels.wordpress.com/professional-body-double-chapter-30/ for full version
When Yan Mingxiu came home that night, he noticed that Zhou Xiang was looking at him strangely.
Because his sister and Wang Yudong's engagement ceremony was steadily drawing closer, Yan Mingxiu had been in a jittery mood these days. He hadn't looked at Zhou Xiang straight in the face for many days already. He knitted his brows, "What's wrong? Why're you looking at me like that?"
Zhou Xiang reacted strongly to his words, hastily explaining, "Nothing, you've been looking preoccupied lately. Even if you're busy with work, you shouldn’t tire yourself out."
The New Year's holidays were just around the corner. Zhou Xiang noticed that Yan Mingxiu's mood was worsening these days. He would often shut himself in the study and not come out. Sometimes he would sit in front of the TV and silently daze out.
One day, Zhou Xiang finally couldn't take it anymore and asked Yan Mingxiu what was wrong with him. Was his company not going very smoothly? After all, things were relatively busier at the end of the year.
Even now, Zhou Xiang still didn't have any concrete idea of what Yan Mingxiu did. It seemed to have something to do with finance and investing of that sort, but Zhou Xiang didn't understand that stuff, and was always too lazy to ask. He just knew that Yan Mingxiu had a pretty good salary. He always bought the best when he was shopping. They didn't split their living expenses; both of them just paid whenever something needed to be paid, and never haggled over it. Thanks to Yan Mingxiu, Zhou Xiang had also gotten to use a lot of good stuff. Generally, companies needed to focus on and settle with backlogged work at the end of the year, so being busy was a given. Even Zhou Xiang who usually didn't need to go to the company office was dragged away to prepare for the company's annual party these past few days. Seeing Yan Mingxiu's state, Zhou Xiang guessed that he was suffering from exhaustion.
Zhou Xiang got a call from Cai Wei at night. Cai Wei excitedly told him that Director Wang might be collaborating with Wang Yudong again for his next movie, and Wang Yudong's company still wanted Zhou Xiang to be his martial arts double.
Zhou Xiang was astonished, "Director Wang is collaborating with Wang Yudong again? They’re at such loggerheads with each other already."
"Director Wang doesn't want to but the investors want Wang Yudong to be in it, to guarantee box office success. They're still arguing about it, but I reckon they'll have to compromise in the end."
Zhou Xiang felt a bit weary. "Wei'ge, I don't want to do it this time."
In the end, Zhou Xiang was simply too sleepy and stayed the night at a hotel. Even though that house was clearly his home, it was like he had been kicked out.
He only woke up at noon the next day due to hunger. After he woke up, he sat and dazed out on the unfamiliar hotel bed for half a day. As he recalled what happened yesterday, his head ached more and more.
He refreshed himself and then checked out of the room. It was currently the most bustling time of the day. The sunlight pierced his eyes when he came out of the hotel. The weather was so good, but his mood was gloomy and heavy.
He sat in his car for a long time and then decided to go home.
Zhou Xiang looked at the phone on the ground, head lowered, and didn't speak.
He didn't want to have a fight with Yan Mingxiu but he was too tired to explain. Merely sending a drunken friend back home could result in this kind of interrogation. Yan Mingxiu's wilfulness and arrogance was nothing new, but it was especially unbearable today. Perhaps it was because his mind was still occupied with what happened during the day. Yan Mingxiu's attitude, how he anxiously dissociated himself from him, made it so that even though Zhou Xiang had found lots of reasons in his head to defend him, he still felt bitterly disappointed.
Seeing that Zhou Xiang wasn't saying a word, Yan Mingxiu got even madder. Wang Yudong's low sigh echoed in his head over and over again. Wang Yudong had looked at him with eyes of complete puzzlement and asked him why he was getting involved with someone like Zhou Xiang.
After they finished filming the final scene, everyone was exhausted and excited.
A staff member had already put up a banner a while ago, celebrating that the film was able to wrap up without a hitch.
Wang Yudong was on set accepting rounds of reporter interviews. He took a few photos with the crew members and then took Yan Mingxiu away.
In the evening, the cast and crew booked a few tables at a restaurant for the wrap party. Wang Yudong didn’t participate, but he had properly fulfilled his part for the occasion.
Zhou Xiang was originally really looking forward to today but after Yan Mingxiu left he couldn't help but feel dejected, and in the end, it was Lan Xirong who accompanied him to eat.
At that moment, even the reporters and staff members on the side could sense the abnormal atmosphere between the three people.
Yan Mingxiu's face with covered with ice, Lan Xirong's face was stiff, Zhou Xiang was at a complete loss.
Although they didn't recognise Yan Mingxiu, and couldn't make out what was going on between them, their sharp eyes could see that Lan Xirong and this handsome new arrival did not get along.
They might be able to scoop up some big gossip. Filled with excitement, everyone paid close attention to how the situation would unfold.
Zhou Xiang went forward and grabbed Yan Mingxiu's arm. "Mingxiu, what are you doing here? I just bumped into Xirong. We’re planning to go outside for a smoke, let's talk outside." He spoke while signalling to Yan Mingxiu with his eyes, getting him to take note of the fact that there were lots of reporters on the side.