Chapter 52 – On Fire

Because he had to squeeze time to make up for the shooting, Qin Chen’s group also had a heavy shooting task today. The director pulled the group of them to shoot until 7 pm before they were released to eat dinner.

Qin Chen and the actor who played the forensics spent the afternoon in the ‘autopsy room’ facing the ‘corpse’ prop. The strong light in the autopsy room made his eyes dry and astringent.

After receiving the eye drops handed over by Pan Min, he leaned back, took two drops, and closed his eyes. When he opened them again, Qin Chen felt much better and asked:

“What about them?”

Qin Chen glanced around but didn’t see Xu Jian’s figure.

Pan Min: “Are you asking about Xiao Nan or Milk?”

Qin Chen: “Cat.”

Pan Min looked at him, “You’re (mind is) now full of cats.”

Qin Chen smiled and in the next second, Pan Min looked at Qin Chen with a sympathetic look, “Unfortunately… your cat isn’t full of you.”

There was a hint of schadenfreude in Pan Min’s tone and she was quite happy about the meaning.

Qin Chen turned his head, “Hmm?”

What do you mean?

Pan Min pretended to pat Qin Chen’s shoulder heavily, her voice filled with an undisguised sneer,

“While you were trying to make money to raise your cat, your precious baby cat has climbed the wall.”^[1]went over with someone else

Before Qin Chen could react, Pan Min added,

“In other words, Milk is running away with someone else and your backyard is on fire.”

Qin Chen: “???”

Who did this little heartless run away with?

…………

Qin Chen, whose backyard is on fire, rushed to put out the fire. Then he saw a certain unscrupulous cat lying on Shen Xi’s lap with a piece of small dried fish in his mouth, and the other piece was still in Shen Xi’s hand.

Qin Chen: “……”

Pan Min also saw it and deliberately added fuel to the fire,

“You know, Milk is never fed by anyone but you and even more so be held by others.”

The cat is right in front of him but he couldn’t suck it. Qin Chen held the cat in front of him every day to show off. Pan Min’s heart has been unbalanced for a long time.

Today can be regarded as an opportunity to vent her anger.

Hearing Pan Min’s words, Qin Chen’s temples suddenly jumped.

What is this about running away with someone, this cat has already been successfully abducted, alright?

He’s even lying on other people’s lap.

It was too late to analyze his complex emotions at that moment. Qin Chen called out ‘Milk’ then walked towards Xu Jian with big strides.

Xu Jian, who was lying on Shen Xi’s lap eating small dried fish, heard Qin Chen’s voice; his spirit roused, and abruptly turned his head to look at him.

When he met Qin Chen’s gaze, Xu Jian felt guilty for no reason and he subconsciously stood up.

Shen Xi also saw Qin Chen. He stood up with the cat in his arms and waited for him to come over.

After Qin Chen approached, Shen Xi was the first to greet and introduced himself.

After looking at Shen Xi’s hand holding the cat, Qin Chen pursed his lips; his tone was neither salty nor light,

“Qin Chen; we’ve met before.”

Shen Xi nodded, “Yes, we’ve met backstage at ‘Charity Gala’ last year.”

It is said that the entertainment industry is not small but it’s not big either; there are only a few people who are popular. Although Qin Chen and Shen Xi haven’t worked together, they’ve met a few times and nodded to each other.

Qin Chen looked down at Xu Jian again, with a little anger in his gentle tone,

“Didn’t I tell you not to run around? How did you run into someone else’s arms in a blink of an eye?”

After being swept away by Qin Chen like this, Xu Jian felt inexplicably guilty with the look in his (QC) eyes. After shrinking his neck, he thought to himself ——

What is this feeling like being caught in bed with someone else?

No, why do I feel guilty?

And Qin Chen, who watched Xu Jian shrink into Shen Xi’s arms again, felt that not only his backyard was on fire, but now even the roof was burnt down.

Qin Chen looked at Xu Jian which means: shouldn’t you explain the current situation?

Qin Chen believes that it’s necessary for Xu Jian to self-reflect on the matter of ‘climbing the wall’.

With the tacit understanding cultivated in the past few months, Xu Jian unexpectedly read the meaning in Qin Chen’s eyes.

Xu Jian silently averted his eyes, not daring to look at him and thought——

Who can refuse their favorite actor?

What’s more, Shen Xi is a young and promising, handsome guy with outstanding looks.

In Xu Jian’s heart, Shen Xi is his idol.

Being able to have close contact with your idol, Xu Jian couldn’t have asked for it, how he could refuse.

Time rewinds by an hour.
Xu Jian, who wanted to ask for an autograph for himself and Chen Doudou, only hesitated for two seconds when facing Shen Xi’s outstretched hand, and then raised his two front legs to the other party.

That means: hug~

Looking at Milk, who has always been aloof and recognized people, unexpectedly take the initiative to act coquettishly and ask for a hug, Xiao Nan’s eyeballs almost stared off:

What about recognizing people?

And now, Qin Chen saw Xu Jian avoiding his gaze, his brows twitched——

This little heartless, like the new and hate the old so soon?

Perceiving the changes in Qin Chen’s eyes, Shen Xi smiled and handed over the cat,

“Your cat is quite well-behaved.”

Xu Jian, who was complimented by Shen Xi, gave him a soft ‘meow’ which meant:

Thank you, idol, for your compliment.

Qin Chen’s expression didn’t fluctuate much and said ‘thank you’ to Shen Xi. After reaching out to take Xu Jian, he saw that he still had half of the small dried fish’s tail in his mouth.

With anger in his heart, Qin Chen glared at Xu Jian in his arms and pinched his meat pad a bit hard. He couldn’t hear any emotions in his voice,

“Is the small dried fish fed by others tasty?”

Xu Jian blinked at him with an innocent face, “Meow meow?”

Don’t all small dried fish taken out from a bag taste the same? What’s tasty and what’s not?

Facing Xu Jian’s harmless cat face, Qin Chen’s heart softened, and his temper disappeared in an instant. He stared at him for a few seconds then gave up.

Qin Chen turned to look at Shen Xi, “Are you done for today?”

Shen Xi shook his head, “There are two more night scenes in the evening and the filming will be over.”

At this time, Xiao Nan happened to come over with dinner. Qin Chen held the cat and looked at Shen Xi, “Let’s eat together?”

Shen Xi readily nodded, “Okay, it just so happen that I also have something to ask you.”

Shen Xi asked his assistant to bring his dinner over as well. He and Qin Chen occupied one side of the folding table.

After serving Xu Jian’s cat meal, Qin Chen turned his head and asked Shen Xi,

“What do you want to ask?”

After glancing at Xiao Nan and Pan Min who were eating not far away, Shen Xi also didn’t beat around the bush and asked directly,

“Do you know a person named Xu Jian?”

Xu Jian, who was buried in his meal, jerked his head up to look at Shen Xi and the tip of his ears twitched.

He didn’t expect to hear his name from Shen Xi’s mouth.

Qin Chen, who is seldom astonished, was also taken aback for a moment. He swept a glance at the cat beside him with the corner of his eyes before slowly speaking,

“Which Xu Jian?”

Shen Xi: “The former artist of Ancient who recently terminated his contract, Xu Jian. Linxie said he’s your friend.”

Qin Chen put down his chopsticks, “Did Jiang Linxie tell you? Why are you looking for him?”

When he knew that Shen Xi picked up the third male lead, Qin Chen guessed that his (SX) relationship with Jiang Linxie was very good, but he was a little surprised when he heard the overly intimate name ‘Linxie’ from him.

Shen Xi’s brows wrinkled when he heard the words and replied,

“It’s not a big deal. I just want to meet him.”

Hearing Shen Xi’s words, Qin Chen paused and looked at Xu Jian silently——

Is this your cat thing that brought this up again? Love debt?^[2]fig. moral obligation in consequences of a love affair

At first, Qin Chen thought he had just picked up an ordinary little cat, as a result, the other party turned into an adult man, and he claimed that he was a small actor who hadn’t been popular for many years and was so muddled.

When Qin Chen finally accepted Xu Jian’s setting, in the end, a President Jiang, Jiang Linxie, who opened an entertainment company for him popped out first, and now another big star, Shen Xi, asked the door…

Qin Chen felt that his family’s little heartless wasn’t ordinary whether he was a cat or a human.

Being widely stared at so lightly, Xu Jian felt more wronged than Dou’E^[3]Dou’E – a young widow who is wrongfully accused of murdering her mother-in-law from the play titled The Injustice to Dou E or Snow in Midsummerand pulled out an extremely aggrieved call in his throat at him,

“Meow—”

Xu Jian dared to swear with his paws up that he hadn’t seen Shen Xi before today.

Their contact was limited to Shen Xi on the TV and Chen Doudou and him outside the TV, discussing his acting skills.

Xu Jian also had no idea why Shen Xi knew his name.

The account with Xu Jian can be settled slowly after returning to the hotel room after work. Qin Chen looked at Shen Xi,

“He’s not here now, what do you want to see him for?”

Shen Xi smiled and asked instead of answering,

“You have a good relationship with him?”

Qin Chen smiled and said unhurriedly, “Whether my relationship with him is good or not isn’t something you worry about, Mr. Shen, right?”

“That’s true,” Shen Xi shrugged his shoulders slightly.

“Then since you know each other, do you have his contact information? There are some things I want to say to him in person.”

Qin Chen raised an eyebrow, “It may be inconvenient for him to see you right now. If you don’t mind, you can say anything here. I can help you convey it.”

Xu Jian on the side nodded slightly——Idol, say it. I’m listening.

After staring at Qin Chen for a while, Shen Xi finally smiled,

“I appreciate your kindness, but even if it’s not today, I still want to see him.”

Shen Xi didn’t want to say it and Qin Chen didn’t force him either. He changed the subject, asking him why he took this play. Shen Xi said he was doing someone a favor.

Qin Chen asked if it was a favor to Jiang Linxie but the other party smiled and said nothing.

Until the end, Shen Xi didn’t say why he had to see Xu Jian.

Xu Jian was as curious as a cat in his heart but it’s a pity he can’t talk now, otherwise, he would have said to Shen Xi:

Idol, what do you have to say? Don’t keep me in suspense!

…………

Qin Chen and Shen Xi filmed a few night scenes together. Xu Jian, as a melon-eating onlooker, felt what was called a powerful play at the scene.

Whether it’s Qin Chen or Shen Xi, they enter into the scene very fast, their emotions are adjusted appropriately, and their expressions were natural. They could neither see the traces of acting nor appear to be exerting too hard.

Xu Jian watched the two people act against each other; admiring and envying, wondering when his acting skills would be so good.

But as soon as the idea circled in his head, Xu Jian smiled self-deprecatingly in his heart——

I’m not even considered as a normal person the way I am now, let alone acting, what kind of daydreaming are you doing?

After returning to the hotel after work and swiping the card in the room, Qin Chen didn’t have time to wash up and began to ‘ask for crime’.^[4]lit. to send punitive forces against the other; Idk how to properly translate it but this implies: you are not and will not be nice and are not reluctant to use the last resort, such as law or … Continue reading

Putting Xu Jian on the sofa, who doesn’t know what will happen afterwards, Qin Chen grabbed his tail when he wasn’t paying attention and before his hair exploded, he quickly blocked his movements with a pillow.

By the time Xu Jian reacted, he had already been blocked by Qin Chen with a pillow in the corner of the sofa, while his tail was still being grasped.

The tail is too sensitive for cats. Xu Jian felt a fire starting from where Qin Chen’s hand touched him, burning him from his tail all the way to his skull which made his scalp numb.

Xu Jian looked at Qin Chen with round eyes; his eyes were full of panic, and his four legs under the pillow were kicking frantically:

“Meow meow meow?”

Xu Jian: What are you doing?

Seeing that Xu Jian was about to break free, Qin Chen simply put him down on the sofa with his feet facing the sky and then use the pillow to carefully restrain him.

Qin Chen’s skillful strength will neither let Xu Jian escape nor hurt him.

After suppressing Xu Jian, Qin Chen grabbed his tail, swept the cat’s face with the tip of his tail, and then pointed at him with it, pretending to be stern,

“Speak. What is your relationship with Shen Xi? Why are you climbing the wall!?”

The author has something to say:

Jian Cat: I’m not, I didn’t.

Qin poop scooping officer: It’s over, my backyard is on fire.

Our inner thoughts: … It might be comfortable in Shen Xi’s lap… want.
I say play dead milk…
XJ be like: Doesn’t small dried fish taste the same?