Xie Lian's artistic side| Colors of the Heart ~ Hualian AU

Chapter XXVII

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"Puqi, what came over you? I saw the rehearsals, but seeing it all now on stage, for real, my goodness, it felt lik..." Shi Qingxuan entered the room talking and turned her body to close the door. She then looked around and stopped her waterfall of words when she noticed Puqi laying on the sofa. "Hey, what's going on? Are you all right?"

Xie Lian sat, his hair messy. "I'm just piling up emotions like a house of cards." She pouted in response and fixed his hair, oblivious to his true carousel of feelings. He just faintly smiled back. "Did mom and dad look like they were approving of it?"

She pressed her hands together. "That's what I came to tell you. Well, your mom was enjoying the whole experience since the beginning, of course, and I think I heard her snuffling when you said your first lines. But your dad..."

Xie Lian squeezed his eyes shut, waiting to hear that he left, or that he was not looking to the stage, he was swearing, or anything of the sort.

"... He wasn't even blinking, Puqi." Xie Lian looked at her with wide eyes. "He was paying so much attention, I even heard him saying when the first act ended 'already?'" She grabbed his shoulders and shook them. "They love it, Puqi! They love you." Then she jokingly slapped his face. "Why did you tell them about the naked scene straight away like that? I was going to be much smoother, I was going to tell them before the second..."

She went silent when Xie Lian playfully pinched her ear. "You, miss, can't be mad at anything. You have some explaining to do. How come you plotted with them behind my back and did not tell me a thing about it?"

"Ouch, ouch, ok. Later. Are you staying at mine's today too?"

Xie Lian pondered. Shi Qingxuan instantly knew.

"Oh, I see. I guess things are in the way of working out with director Hua now?"

The actor felt he was blushing, but he had so much make-up on that it would not show. "Sort of? I don't know. I'll definitely make him do some talking today." Xie Lian looked serious, almost annoyed. "So I'm not sure what time I'll be free."

Xie Lian stood up and noticed he was sitting on top of an envelope. His chronometer rang, announcing three minutes to the last alarm for resuming act two. Still, he opened it without paying too much attention, but was thrown completely off guard. Seeing his expression change so much, Shi Qingxuan approached him and looked at the piece of paper he was holding.

Two men stood at the photo, their arms behind their backs bringing their bodies close. One had very long hair, the other was wearing a dark red suit and making a peace sign.

Shi Qingxuan gasped. "Is this from the graduation ball?"

***

Moments earlier, Hua Cheng passed by Xie Lian's dressing room just before the door closed and noticed he was laying down. Hua Cheng was anxious to check on him, but alone. Had the actor found the envelope? Still, he did not want to risk annoying Xie Lian in the middle of the play. Thus, he was forced to continue walking and ended up talking to a few of the other actors and staff members. Everyone was stunned by Xie Lian's intense performance. Hua Cheng's heart speeded up everytime someone mentioned it. Actually, it was beating so loud that he was wondering if anyone else could hear it too. It was aching at every beat. He was doing his best to keep his poker face up.