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.
The next day, Zhou Xiang went to the company to find Cai Wei. To his surprise, Chief Wang, who only came to the company once in a blue moon, was there too.
Zhou Xiang thought that the situation must be very grave and was extremely nervous.
Chief Wang saw his expression and knew what he was thinking. After he slowly drank some tea, he said, "Relax, everything’s alright now."
The weight on Zhou Xiang’s mind was immediately lifted.
"After Cai Wei told me the situation yesterday, I gave Wang Yudong a phone call. Director Wang is an elder, his personality can't be changed. Although that old man is unreasonable at times, his talent is real. Wang Yudong shouldn’t bother arguing with him. I talked to Wang Yudong for long time yesterday. He said that he'll go to apologise to Director Wang in a few days’ time. I got another investor to talk to Director Wang. That take won’t be in the movie, so you don't need to worry."
Zhou Xiang smiled awkwardly, and randomly fabricated a story about how they got together, and then introduced them to each other.
Yan Mingxiu didn't feel any hostility towards Cai Wei. This was primary because ‘sister-in-law’ was one of the first words that came out of Cai Wei’s mouth when he arrived. Yan Mingxiu politely shook Cai Wei's hand, but as usual, he still didn't look really enthusiastic.
Zhou Xiang was used to his behaviour, and hurriedly invited Cai Wei in to sit.
Cai Wei glanced at Yan Mingxiu a good number of times, and his occupational disease kicked in, "Xiao Yan, which agency are you from? Who come I haven't heard about you before?"
Yan Mingxiu lightly knitted his brows.
Lan Xirong's eyes were a bit red.
Zhou Xiang blinked and quickly calmed down, "Xirong, do you know what you're saying?"
"I know."
"Let go of me first." Zhou Xiang gave Lan Xirong a push but Lan Xirong didn’t budge. Lan Xirong stubbornly stared at him. Zhou Xiang said helplessly, "Let go of me. You should know what rumours will start spreading if someone sees us like this." Zhou Xiang slowly, but forcefully pushed Lan Xirong away.
Lan Xirong half lowered his eyelids. His emotions had calmed slightly. "I'm serious about what I said. I don't trust anyone, they all have ulterior motives, only you are sincerely good to me."
As expected, Yan Mingxiu and Zhou Xiang had a falling out, and Yan Mingxiu didn’t come home for consecutive days,.
Zhou Xiang didn't feel anything at first, especially when he was busy with work. However, after a few days passed, he started to feel uncomfortable, and kept feeling that the house was empty and missing a person. There were traces of Yan Mingxiu everywhere in the house. It was only when Zhou Xiang woke up to reality, that he discovered he really missed Yan Mingxiu.
Zhou Xiang had a good temper but that didn't mean that he didn't have his own principles. With the exception of Yan Mingxiu, he had never been so patient and accommodating with anyone before, and although he felt that he hadn't done anything wrong, Yan Mingxiu’s indifference was too much for him to bear. Yan Mingxiu said that he wouldn't come back and really didn’t come back; he didn’t answer his calls, and didn’t reply to his messages.
Zhou Xiang hadn't been drunk for a long time. When he woke up, he turned over, but his body met air and he fell onto the ground with a thud. He opened his drowsy eyes and saw that he was in the living room, and just before he had been sleeping on the sofa with only a blanket over him.
Zhou Xiang couldn't remember how he got back, but since he got home safety, it didn't matter.
"Awake now?"
Zhou Xiang jumped with a start. He turned his head and saw Yan Mingxiu sitting in front of the dining table, coldly staring at him.
Zhou Xiang’s body ached terribly all over. Someone his height had squeezed in a sofa for one night so it wasn’t surprising. "My waist really hurts, ow." Zhou Xiang complained resentfully, "You let me sleep on the sofa?"
Their company's boss booked a banquet hall at a hotel to hold a welcoming reception for Lan Xirong. Lan Xirong had actually come back to China twice before, apparently to prepare to record a single. However, that movie really did take over a year to finish shooting. After the filming finished, Lan Xirong’s status in the China was already substantially different.
Almost all of people in their company had come today. Their company wouldn't be considered big, but it had seventy to eighty employees, and always performed pretty well financially. The boss was the child of an official. He owned a wide range of businesses, and his personality was also relatively weird. However, he was a good person and gave his employees good company benefits. Whether it was Zhou Xiang or some other employee, everyone felt really comfortable working for this company.
After Zhou Xiang had a shower and went to bed, he cast a glance at the clock on the wall. It was already four o'clock.
He felt really tired but he couldn't fall asleep. His mind was tense the entire time. His head couldn't get rid of the events that had happened between him and Yan Mingxiu over the past ten hours.
Zhou Xiang was deeply worried for himself. No matter how attractive Yan Mingxiu was, he still shouldn't be plunging in like a greenhorn who was in love for the first time. Analysing it rationally, although Zhou Xiang had always dreamed of having a stable relationship, Yan Mingxiu was evidently not a person who could settle down with him. Yan Mingxiu was too dazzling and too young. Zhou Xiang didn't feel that he'll be able to keep a watch over him.
He shouldn't be so serious about Yan Mingxiu. It was too dangerous.
Zhou Xiang closed his eyes, forcing himself to fall asleep.
Zhou Xiang worked until eleven o'clock in the evening before they finally called it a day. Yan Mingxiu didn’t look like a person with patience, but he quietly sat at a corner the entire time, eyes closed and ear phones in his ears, silently waiting for Zhou Xiang.
Although everyone on set was stunned by his looks, no one could tell what he was thinking.
Once in a while Zhou Xiang would turn his head and would see Yan Mingxiu sitting at the side with an indifferent expression on his face, glancing at him from time to time.
This person waited eight to nine hours for him, from the afternoon to nearly midnight. Zhou Xiang didn't know why Yan Mingxiu decided to do this, but he was very touched.
Zhou Xiang said with slight astonishment. "What are you doing here?" Although he was very surprised, he still couldn't conceal his delight.
Yan Mingxiu pulled the ear phones out of his ears. "I'm not welcome?"
"How could that be? Come in."
Zhou Xiang opened the door and let Yan Mingxiu into the apartment.
Yan Mingxiu stared at the exposed area of Zhou Xiang's slender neck from the back. He really wanted to throw himself at him and take a bite, to vent out the resentment and indignation in his heart.
He drove almost three hours to the shooting location to see Wang Yudong, but in the end, Wang Yudong went to his sister's place, and Yan Mingxiu even had to bid him farewell with a smile. He was so angry he felt like his heart and lungs were going to explode.