Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Xia Siyu was a bit surprised as she checked the time—it was already six o’clock. Bo Yan had finished shooting at four in the afternoon, and when she left for her shoot at five, the neighboring film crew had already left. At this point, even the tourists had been persuaded to leave. It was highly unlikely that he would still be here now.
But the voice on the phone was indeed his: slightly low and magnetic.
Xia Siyu frowned and hesitated for a few seconds before finally following the sound.
This was a film studio, with artificial sets specifically built, including a river flowing down from the mountain and winding its way through the studio. There were willow trees planted along the riverbank, complementing the Taihu rocks.
Xia Siyu walked along the river and, as expected, saw a man leaning against a willow tree making a phone call not far away. The man’s tall figure, dressed in black casual clothes and shoes, added a touch of cold depth to his demeanor, without feeling excessively stiff.
It really was Bo Yan.
She was a bit too far to hear what Bo Yan was talking about specifically. Occasionally, she could catch a strain of his voice, which seemed to be laughing at something. But strangely, while the lower half of his face seemed to be smiling, his eyes remained detached and calm, almost mocking. It was a face with two expressions; even when he smiled, the smile did not reach his eyes, let alone his heart.
With the end of his final sentence, he hung up the phone.
But he didn’t move away or leave. He just stayed there, calmly leaning against the willow tree, letting the willow branches flutter in the wind above him.
Right then, Xia Siyu’s phone began to ring. The noise reached Bo Yan’s ears.
He glanced back, eyes unwavering as he looked at her.
The lights of the film studio came on just at that moment. The dim, golden glow of the streetlamp illuminated him from the side; half of his figure was bathed in the soft light, while the other half was hidden in the darkness of the night.
In the eyes of the public, Bo Yan’s image had always been that of a cool, impassive god-like figure. His past as a university lecturer bestowed upon him an air of scholarly grace and aloofness. Furthermore, he always refused to be tied to any on-screen couples, keeping a low profile outside of filming and exuding an aura of ‘keep out’ to strangers.
However, at this moment, Xia Siyu felt that the darkness hiding beneath the night that nobody saw represented his true thoughts. Normally he remained hidden, lying in wait. Once his prey entered his hunting ground, he would reveal his sharp fangs.
Then, he straightened his body, a slight movement in his eyes, and took long strides toward her.
The phone was still ringing. Xia Siyu didn’t answer it. But as Bo Yan approached, she didn’t hide either.
With each step Bo Yan took, the distance between them rapidly closed. Soon, they were only three to five meters apart.
The ringtone of her phone coincidentally stopped just as Bo Yan reached her. The film studio had already closed to visitors by this time, and the other film crews had packed up and gone home. The noise of the day had faded away, leaving a stillness that seemed to envelop just the two of them.
Although both of them were performers and inevitably met at work, personal encounters were rare. The last time had been on New Year’s Eve, when they met over a family dinner. But their conversation did not exceed ten sentences, and the gathering lasted less than an hour. After the meal, you got into your car, I went my way; there was mutual disdain.
But now, right at this moment, Xia Siyu felt that Bo Yan wanted to touch her face.