Absent-Minded

Night fell, and brilliant lights illuminated the cruise ship. Distinguished figures from the worlds of politics and business gathered together.

On an occasion like this, Shu Sizhuo was inevitably surrounded by people eager to talk to him. Outwardly, he spoke with poise and handled them with ease, but inwardly, he was annoyed to death.

He didn't want to talk to any of these people.

This one, that one, and that one too. None of them.

He really wanted to throw them into the sea one by one.

Shu Sizhuo's gaze drifted absent-mindedly across the sea. A few lights twinkled on the other side, while the ink-black sea rolled with a muffled roar, making it impossible to make out anyone on the shoreline.

He knew Tong Zhao had a seaside scene that night. Although he had sent people to keep an eye on him, he was still nervously on edge.

He had told Tong Zhao not to wander around by the sea because it was dangerous, but he didn't know whether Tong Zhao had listened.

The scene The Setting Sun Enters the Heart was filming that night was the male lead's birthday party. Bai Yue played the male lead.

As an uneducated, good-for-nothing young master, Tong Zhao's character naturally had to attend. He wasn't the only one going, either. The male lead's rival in love, Leng Jiah ‌ang, played by Shi Ruohe, would be there too.

The birthday party was held at a seaside villa, then moved to the beach after dark. By then, the beach was also brilliantly lit, with handsome men in floral shirts and beautiful women in bikinis everywhere. The young people played games and laughed, eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves with carefree abandon.

In the final scene, Leng Jiah ‌ang, played by Shi Ruohe, and the male lead, played by Bai Yue, fought over the female lead amid all the finery, overturning every table and chair.

If they didn't get the shot right, everyone would have to put everything back in place and film the fight again. Fortunately, they got it in one take.

The makeup artist was about to apply injury makeup to the two men when Shi Ruohe raised his head, revealing a swollen eye and a split at the corner of his mouth. Even the director was shocked. He scolded Bai Yue, "Didn't we agree to fake the hits? You really laid into him!"

Bai Yue looked at Shi Ruohe and smiled without a trace of guilt. "Sorry, I got too caught up in it and couldn't hold back."

Tong Zhao handed Shi Ruohe a wet wipe and asked worriedly, "Are you all right?"

Shi Ruohe took it and shook his head.

Tong Zhao's teeth itched with anger. "He did it on purpose."

Shi Ruohe lowered his head and said quietly, "Things like this are hard to avoid in scenes like that."

Tong Zhao looked at Shi Ruohe with sympathy. Even if they knew Bai Yue had done it on purpose, there was really nothing they could do. As Shi Ruohe had said, things like this were hard to avoid in such scenes, and making too much of it would seem overly precious.

After the fight, the two filmed another scene in which they argued fiercely. The female lead sided with the male lead, and Leng Jiah ‌ang turned and left, disappointed and resentful.

Later, the male and female leads went to the villa to film a few romantically charged scenes. The crew gradually cleared away the props on the beach, and Tong Zhao accompanied Shi Ruohe back to the hotel.

In Shi Ruohe's room, Tong Zhao disinfected his wounds, then studied his expression. "Bro, are you okay?"

Shi Ruohe nodded. "Yeah." He smiled again. "I'm just a little tired."

After partying, fighting, and shouting through that night's scene, how could he not be tired?

Tong Zhao patted him. Not knowing how to comfort him, he could only ask softly, "Then why don't you get some rest?"

Shi Ruohe smiled and stood up. "Okay. You should go back and rest too. Don't worry about me."

"If you feel unwell, call me, no matter how late it is." Tong Zhao was still a little worried.

"Okay, I'm really fine." Shi Ruohe stood up and saw Tong Zhao to the door. Seeing that Tong Zhao seemed to have something to say but hesitated, he smiled. "I'll be fine after some sleep. Good night, Tong Zhao."

Tong Zhao returned to the sixth floor. As he opened his door, he glanced at the tightly shut door next to his. Knowing Shu Sizhuo was still at the dinner party at this hour, he went straight to the balcony and looked toward the luxury yacht in the distance. Still uneasy, he sent Hua Xiaotang a message: "Is the dinner party on deck fun?"

He waited with his phone for a while, but Hua Xiaotang didn't reply. So he went to the bathroom, showered and washed his hair, then changed into pajamas and slipped under the covers. Hua Xiaotang still hadn't replied.

Tong Zhao began tossing and turning.

He told himself that Hua Xiaotang knew how to behave and things probably weren't the way he imagined, but he was burning with anxiety inside, and his mind kept conjuring up inappropriate, adults-only images.

He didn't know how long he had tossed and turned in bed before a soft knock sounded at the door.

Tong Zhao froze, then practically sprang out of bed. His heart in his throat, he hurried to the door.

Is it Shu Sizhuo?

Has he come back from the dinner party?

Then... then nothing should have happened between him and Hua Xiaotang.

Tong Zhao pulled open the door and found Shi Ruohe standing outside.

Tong Zhao was taken aback. He quickly suppressed the faint disappointment in his heart and asked worriedly, "Shi Ruohe, what's wrong?"

Shi Ruohe looked dejected. He held up two bottles of liquor. "The assistant director just brought me these and told me not to hold it against Bai Yue."

Tong Zhao understood. "Want to drink with me?"

"Yeah."

"Sure. I'll throw on a coat, and we can go drink by the sea."

Shu Sizhuo's hostile attitude that morning had already upset Shi Ruohe, and that night Bai Yue had so blatantly targeted him. No matter how much he pretended not to care, he still felt a wave of dejection.

There were no stars in the sky that night, and a strong wind blew by the sea. Shi Ruohe and Tong Zhao each held a bottle of free liquor as they sat on the beach, gazing at the dark, surging waves. Shi Ruohe asked in a low voice, "My personality really isn't likable, is it?"

Tong Zhao took a swig from his bottle and countered as he always did, "You're just introverted, socially anxious, and not good at making friends. Anyone who's been your friend knows how likable you are."

Shi Ruohe looked at him, his eyes brimming with tears. "But other than you, no one wants to be my friend."

"Friendship depends on fate too, and when it comes to friends, quality matters more than quantity. One or two close friends are enough." Tong Zhao turned to look at him, and at the thought of him becoming a lonely great Best Actor someday, a rush of emotions filled him. "But people who are too outstanding might be very lonely..."

Shi Ruohe grew even sadder. "But I'm not outstanding, and I'm lonely too."

"You have me. I'll stay with you. Besides, you'll definitely be outstanding someday." Tong Zhao put his right arm around Shi Ruohe's shoulders and clinked his bottle against his with his left hand. "Future great Best Actor, come on, cheers."

Shi Ruohe didn't believe Tong Zhao. He didn't know why Tong Zhao kept saying he would become a great Best Actor, but when Tong Zhao said he would stay with him, his heart overflowed with comfort and contentment.

Sometimes Shi Ruohe hated how sentimental he was, how he overthought things, and how little confidence he had. He also hated being introverted and socially anxious. As he was, he always needed Tong Zhao to comfort him, and he was actually a failure as a friend. He decided to be stronger in the future, or at least not cause trouble for his friend.

And since Tong Zhao said he would become a great Best Actor, he had to work hard to become one. He couldn't let Tong Zhao down.