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

Chapter LV

"Amazing! Xie Lian, that was great. We love you even more now!"

Xie Lian's eyes turned into crescents, the only way he found to express his gratitude after a hard day of work. "Thanks, Ling Wen. Are we done then?"

"Actually, yes. The director just said he's got all the necessary takes. The band was really happy with your earlier interpretation of the song too. It gave a more dramatic and passionate note than they previously expected, but it was perfect."

The actor exhaled, relieved. "Okay, I'm really happy to know it. I guess I'll head off then. I'll try to change my flight tickets."

Ling Wen guided him to the dressing room. "Are you still shaken by that problem? You shouldn't let that get to you, it's clearly not about you so it's not necessarily your problem." Little did Ling Wen know, it was not as simple as that.

Even though Xie Lian nodded with his head to avoid extending the subject, he did not truly agree. "It's complicated. I'm glad all worked out fine here and that we manage to wrap it up successfully in a day."

Ling Wen nodded. "I'm just thinking, I wouldn't interfere with anyone else's life unless I was clearly told to do so. Once I've heard a saying, 'by the Heaven Official's Blessing no paths are bound'. So, yeah, we must let paths unbound."

Xie Lian did not answer. That was one way of interpreting that saying, not one that he chose for himself though.

Ling Wen watched the pretty actor picking up his things and preparing to leave. "Well, I still have things to do around here. Have a safe trip, Xie Lian." she said. "The driver is waiting to take you back to your hotel."

Xie Lian left the studio with a sense of mission accomplished. As soon as he was out, he saw the driver playing with a dog on the sidewalk. Although the dog was jumping up and down excitedly, it had only three little legs. Xie Lian felt his heart warming up as he noticed it was wearing a tiny cape. He approached and petted the dog, who happily swung his tail back and forth and licked the actor. Xie Lian made small talk with the driver but dismissed the fancy ride back to the hotel, saying goodbye fast. He wanted walk around for a bit.

After a couple of hours, the sun was setting and Xie Lian ended passing by one of the most famous touristic spots in the city. While walking, he managed to call the airline company and changed his flight to very early in the next morning. That would give him a poor night of sleep, but it would not be much better otherwise anyway. He really wanted to go home.

He sat on a bench at the corner of the famous square and watched the sunset for a bit. The lamps went on since it was getting dark and people were walking by with their office outfits, probably heading home. Was there someone waiting for them at home? Were they actually heading to a bar or to grab something to eat? What was each one of those microcosmos experiencing right now? Xie Lian himself appeared fine at first but was hurting inside, and no one would ever guess the reason looking from the outside. Many of those people could be experiencing something even worse than what he was living, but it did not show just by watching them.

Xie Lian thought about the actress in San Lang's previous play and how trapped and alone she must have felt. The actor picked up his phone unconsciously and searched about her online. She must also have been caught in the crossfire of the current charges against San Lang, after all, she was the alleged victim. Xie Lian pitied her. He noticed her agent was someone he already saw at uni once, giving a talk, and that he was part of a big agency. Even though there was not much to be found online about Yushi Huang before this new wave of comments, there was an address for her previous agency, which should not have changed in the last few years since it was so famous.

Xie Lian looked up at the urban landscape again. Amidst the wave of people, there was not a single familiar face in the crowd. It made Xie Lian wonder what he was doing there and feel slightly awkward not to be where he felt he should. It was as if he could not do a single thing to help the person he cared about the most. In fact, even if he was closer, he could not help San Lang with the law and he could not help Mu Qing do his job.