Chapter 97: Star of the Future
Translator: Mike Editor: Chrissy
Xia Qianyu was astounded. What were the odds of meeting someone who was also inside the circles on a blind date?
"Isn’t the world a bit too small?" She couldn’t help having misgivings about this. If others were let known about the fact that two people who were both inside the circles went on a blind date, they would become a laughingstock for the public.
Jiang Luoshen was no less surprised than her friend. Sizing Chu Feng up and down, she thought to herself, "What a coincidence!" Hardly had she ever expected to see people who shared the same trade as her in this kind of setting. She was on the verge of bursting out laughing for the great awkwardness of this situation.
Xia Qianyu pinched Jiang Luoshen for laughing at her. She desperately needed the help of this friend of hers to get her out of this awkwardness.
Chu Feng, meanwhile, was full of regret. He shouldn’t have made such liberal use of his mouth. Things like this shouldn’t have been mentioned so indiscreetly. Therefore, Chu Feng couldn’t get a hold of himself either. He felt unsettled, and he was in an emotional turmoil.
"What a pleasant surprise," Jiang Luoshen finally broke the tension in the air. Her voice sounded coarse; she did this deliberately so that her identity wouldn’t be exposed.
She was refined in her manner and carriage. The words she said were all appropriate remarks. She didn’t ask questions that were too explicit; instead, she chose to beat around the bush. She asked Chu Feng about his workload so that she could have an idea of how much fame he held.
Jiang Luoshen firmly believed that she had never heard of this person before. He was most likely someone who had just started his career. At best, he would be given a walk-in part in the movie.
She was smart with her words. She tried to elevate Chu Feng’s ego by keeping quiet about her real thought on him.
"Yeah. Do you have a heavy workload?" Xia Qianyu finally came to her senses and asked. She secretly admired Jiang Luoshen for her cleverness; a question like this was both inoffensive, but at the same time, it could elicit some very informative answers.
"Yes, heavy workload indeed. I work around the clock. I arrive on set before the sun comes out and leave at midnight," Chu Feng chose to be truthful with his words.
However, for the two beauties sitting opposite to him, these words were nothing more than a blatant lie.
How could a newcomer get such heavy workload this early in his career? Xia Qianyu was skeptical.
Jiang Luoshen was no longer going to be euphemistic with her questions. She believed that this rash young fellow didn’t quite grasp the point of her question. This time, she went explicit, but she asked with a hearty smile on her face, "What role do you play in the movie?"
"Male lead," Chu Feng candidly answered.
Xia Qianyu was sipping on a glass of lemon juice like a fine lady; she almost choked herself on the drink when she heard this.
A newcomer to the field was let play the male lead in the film? How preposterous! Was this man treating her like a fool? After all, she herself was someone making a living in the theatrical circles; she knew what it was like in there.
She puffed out her cheeks, staring wide with her clear and pretty eyes. She wheezed and coughed, thinking that this man was either mad in the head or just trying to play her as a fool.
"Wow! How awesome! Who would have thought that you’re playing the leading role?" Jiang Luoshen smiled. Her eyes were behind a pair of shades; if not, Chu Feng would have been amazed by how charming she was when she smiled.
Xia Qianyu could finally swallow that mouthful of lemon juice down her throat. Luckily, she had enough control of her lips that the water didn’t get spit out. She then echoed, "Yes! That’s impressive!"
In fact, this seeming compliment was her sarcasm. She was ridiculing him for boasting so shamelessly.
Chu Feng could never know that the two ladies sitting directly opposite were a member of the theatrical circles as well, but his words were all truths. He was pouring out his grievances, recounting the misery he suffered during his short acting career.
"I really didn’t want to be part of this film, but I’ve got no other alternatives."
Chu Feng grew speechless when he thought of the torment he recently suffered. As a strong and powerful mutant, being an actor shooting for an indie film was something he found shameful.
God knew what would happen once the film was on air.
Back then, Lu Tong from Hollow Jade Temple justified his involvement in this film with some staunchly righteous words. He said that the people of this country needed something inspiring to ignite their fighting spirits. Chu Feng was Angel Ox, and he was playing this role in the film as well. It was a responsibility that he couldn’t shirk.
Chu Feng shook his head and sighed.
But little did he know that how much his words and his movements had infuriated the two girls!
Especially for Xia Tianyu. The fact that she could work as an actress was all thanks to the help that Jiang Luoshen had offered in the past; without her involvement in this, God knew what job she would end up with right now.
She was a stunning lady with an excellent academic performance at school, but besides these, there was nothing else outstanding about her. Her family was not exactly the wealthy type, nor had they had any connections with other people.
Because of this, even with Jiang Luoshen’s help, she would still never get to play the leading role in any films. Luckily, although she was only playing minor roles in small-budget movies, the amount of scenes she received was quite plentiful.
Life as an actress was hard for her, but seeing a man so shamelessly boasting about a non-existing career was even more infuriating; Chu Feng’s pretentious attitude and his lack of appreciation made things even more enraging for her. Who wouldn’t want to take the leading role in a film?
"Go to hell, you bastard!"
Xia Qianyu was furious. The amount of "lies" he told disgusted her. "Is he thinking that I’m some innocent gullible little girl? Does he really think that his lies will get me jumping into bed with him? What a sick man!"
Chu Feng had made a bad impression on Jiang Luoshen as well. She thought that he was a lying man with wicked nature.
"What movie do you play a part in?" She no longer treated him politely. She wanted to get to the bottom of the matter straight away.
"An inspiring movie that has taken the current situation as its main setting," Chu Feng said.
Jiang Luoshen was slightly shocked. He sounded like a man who knew his stuff instead of spewing out bullsh*t with every word he said. Xia Qianyu was playing a part in a film that had a similar setting.
Movies like this were especially hot when the world suddenly took a change. The world had gone to its primitive roots; after the upheaval, the world was reconstructing its rules and orders based on a new set of systems. In a time like this, no-one was interested in soap opera anymore.
Both the tycoons and the government were eager to make something inspiring for people to watch. They wanted their movie to be impassioning and rousing for the viewers; they wanted it to be something that could inspire the people to work hard and to aim high.
Xia Qianyu had the haircut of a primary school girl; her eyes were big and innocent, and her cheeks were puffed up. Everything about her was pretty and innocent. However, she thought that this man was too evil. "Right! You do know your stuff, but then what, it doesn’t justify the fact that you’re lying to us right here right now. When can you stop lying and say something truthful?!"
Chu Feng didn’t know what the girls were thinking. He was still innocent of the knowledge that they were actresses themselves.
"Who is the director?" Jiang Luoshen asked. Her voice was coarse, but it was still very pleasant to the ear.
"Ah, why are we mentioning it?" Chu Feng shook his head. He really hated to mention the name of Zhou Yitian. He was an unreliable director who had already made himself a laughingstock in the theatrical circles.
But for the girls, his words sounded way too perfunctory. The girls looked at each other and squinted their nose. They both agreed that this man was quite an awful person. It would be for the better if they could end the conversation with him as early as they could. They needed to get a move on.
"Oh, our star of the future. I wish you a big success on your film. Oh, and don’t mind me asking for your signature when you’re famous," Jiang Luoshen said with a smile.
"Ha, ha!" Xia Qianyu couldn’t help chuckling. She followed up with the ridicule, "Yes, star of the future. Your future is bright! Your stardom is dazzling! With that amount of fame and fortune, I’m sure one day, you will replace Jiang Luoshen as the most desirable person in the country; so, may I ask, why do you come here, today? What’s all the hurry?"
Chu Feng had a glance at her and Jiang Luoshen, then he said, "Can’t you see? The world is not ours anymore. It’s like the end of the world for us humans, so my mom and dad were wishing for a grandson. For them, the continuance of the family line was pressing and urgent. I couldn’t defy their orders, so I’m here today."
He had sensed that the girls were holding some sort of prejudice against him, so although the truth might sound a bit shocking, he still had to let it out.
Wishing for a grandson?!
Sure enough, the girls were very shocked by what they heard. Things like going to a blind date were already horrid enough for them, let alone giving birth to a child. How could a man say something like this during his first date?
"Ah, I’m so sorry that I’ve made you girls stay hungry for this long. Let’s order some food, shall we?" Chu Feng said with a smile.
He had treated this blind date as a mission, and this mission was basically accomplished for him. He couldn’t care less about how these two girls thought about him, at least he knew for a fact that all he said was the truth. "Just treat them as some psychiatrists to whom I can vent my grievances," Chu Feng thought to himself.
This so-called blockbuster really made him queasy at heart. For him, this film was a mine, a bomb that could blow up any minutes now.
"It’s alright. We don’t need to use a meal for now. We’ve still got some business to deal with. Moreover, I feel like…" Xia Qianyu tried to organize her language so that she could explain herself clearly. For her, this was the last time she wanted to meet with this man; if he was a tactless scrub who couldn’t get the hint, she would still get Jiang Luoshen to have her back.
But right at this moment, Chu Feng’s communicator began to ring. It was on the table. A name was displayed on the phone—Lin Naoi.
Jiang Luoshen was taken aback because, for her, this name couldn’t be any more familiar. To some extent, she and Lin Naoi were competitors.
Xia Qianyu showed a strange look on her face as well because, for her, the name was not a strange one either.
Before the battle of Taihang broke out, a picture of Lin Naoi was posted online. The charming silhouette of her figure caused quite a sensation across the globe. People were stunned by her beauty.
After the battle of White Snake, her popularity skyrocketed. She enjoyed just as much fame as the "national goddess", Jiang Luoshen!
In terms of looks, the two were roughly on the same level.
Jiang Luoshen and Xia Qianyu looked at each other in the eye. They both agreed that it was not a call from Lin Naoi herself. On the contrary, they suspected that Chu Feng was trying to put up a show to fool them again. "What a bloody bastard!" the two cursed under their breath.
Chu Feng got up from his chair and apologized for the call. Then, he answered the phone. "How are you, Naoi?" he greeted with a soft tone.
"What are you up to?" Lin Naoi asked. Chu Feng could hear from her voice that she was in high spirits.
"I’m on a blind date," Chu Feng somehow chose to admit on this awkward arrangement to Lin Naoi, but he immediately regretted.
On the other end of the line, there was silence at first, then there was laughter. In the end, there was the gentle voice of Lin Naoi. "Interesting. I’ll let you continue."
She quickly ended the call.
"What have I done?" Chu Feng regretted. He stood there, looking lost in thought.
"Lin Naoi from Deity Genetics? She is a charming lady. How interesting to know that you know someone who shares the same name as her!" Jiang Luoshen said with a smile. She then added, "You look a bit different than how you were just then. You look a bit… despondent. Is that your ex-girlfriend calling you just then?"
Chu Feng was still lost in thought. He didn’t answer.
But in the eyes of Xia Qianyu, Chu Feng was too much of a snob who seemed to have taken an interest in acting as someone whom he was not. "Do you really think that I’ll be foolish enough to believe that you were talking to the real Lin Naoi on the phone?"
Even Jiang Luoshen couldn’t stand this anymore. She found it necessary to put the wind him up so that this no-good lying son of a b*tch won’t trouble Xia Qianyu in the future.
Jiang Luoshen acted with decision; she took off her mask, exposing half of her white and sparking face. It was a face with look that represented utter perfection. One would definitely recognize her at such close quarters.
Chu Feng was taken aback. He had indeed recognized who she was!
Had he allowed his godlike instinct to function, he would have recognized who she was from the very beginning.
However, this would mean that the scent of his body would emanate, and the glitter that flowed on his skin would appear. This would expose his identity. Moreover, the functioning of his instinct was coupled by the functioning of his superhuman senses. He would be able to hear the fluttering wing of a mosquito who was lurking at a dark corner hundreds of meters away from where he sat, let alone all the other kinds of noises.
It was an awful experience for him, especially when he was in the city!
But he did recognize her as soon as she took off her mask.
During the battle of white snake, they had run into each other and exchanged a few lines of words. Lu Shiyun, the girl whom he had fed with expired skewers, was on the scene as well.
Back then, people only knew him as Angel Ox. No-one had a clue as to who was the man behind the mask, so today, even as they saw each other eye to eye, Jiang Luoshen still failed to recognize him.
Chu Feng was still collected and calm. He didn’t feel threatened by the overpowering charisma exuded from the presence of the "national goddess"; on the contrary, he was sizing her up and down with his gawking eyes. How could he afford to miss the chance of drinking in the sight of a beauty like this displayed in front of his eyes?
He looked up and down; his eyesight wandered from the height of her adorable cheeks down to the protruding part of her lower body. Everything that was on display had been taken in.
What was happening? Jiang Luoshen was a bit flabbergasted. Firstly, her overpowering charisma didn’t seem to have suppressed him in any ways; secondly, she realized that she was being "taken liberties with" by this man with his eyes! What the hell!
Xia Qianyu was just as equally shocked. Ain’t this man a tad too calm? How could the presence of Jiang Luoshen not shock him? Why did it not stir up any surge of emotion in this guy?
Suddenly, the look on Chu Feng’s face drastically changed. He saw Clairvoyant as well as Clairaudient. Ye Qingrou was walking along with them as well. This lot was heading into the same restaurant too.
Chu Feng grew dizzy upon the sight. Being caught by someone in the middle of a blind date was quite an embarrassment, especially when that someone was just as boorish as Clairvoyant and Clairaudient. They would go out like a loudspeaker, letting the world know about the embarrassment he was in. Chu Feng trembled with fear just by the mere thought of it. He wanted to bash himself against a wall so that his embarrassment would never be known by others.
In fact, when he saw them back at the downstairs of Clear Sky Tower, he had a bad premonition about this. What he feared the most still happened in the end. Now, everyone was in the exact same diner, sharing the exact same awkwardness with each other.
Chu Feng was too shy to let himself seen by them. He cast a glance at Ye Qingrou then quickly snatched the facial mask away from Jiang Luoshen. He then put it on his own face.
Xia Qianyu froze. What was he doing? Was he trying to take liberties with Jiang Luoshen? How f*cking dare he?!
A strand of black line crawled across Jiang Luoshen’s forehead. Between those fiery red lips, there were teeth grinding!
It was the mask she wore. It had touched her lips, her nose and had even contracted some of her spit and dribble. How dare he, as a man, wear such a thing over his mouth?!
This was molestation! This was unbearable!
Anger had gotten the better of her.