33 – Falling into the Grave They Dug

Chapter 33: Falling Into the Hole He Dug Himself

After being misunderstood as having ruined the lecture, He Yu explained himself to Xie Qingcheng several times.

Unfortunately, Xie Qingcheng—a professor who was the quintessential “old school” stickler—could forgive other issues, but he could not overlook this particular incident. Perhaps that was why he continued to unilaterally ignore He Yu for several days.

Even if He Yu was a patient whose mental state required care, provoking him in such a manner was an entirely different matter. Once Xie Qingcheng had stepped on a landmine, it was nearly impossible for him to forgive the offender.

However, under the gaze of heaven, the day of forgiveness finally arrived.

On this day, Xie Xue called Xie Qingcheng.

-Brother, you know Huzhou University and Huzhou Medical University are holding a centennial celebration, right?

“Why do you ask?”

-Ah, as part of the event, there’s a program where the schools jointly film a drama. It’s not for a formal web upload; they’re just going to post it on the school website on the day of the event so everyone can watch the movie together.

When her brother didn’t say much, Xie Xue continued to chatter.

-It’s just a study piece filmed for fun, but since it’s a centennial event for both Huzhou University and the Medical University, the school said it’s very meaningful and invested a lot of money. They told our professors to guide the students from related departments so they can film it well. This is a really rare opportunity. I’m already seriously writing the script; could you be the medical consultant for me?

Xie Qingcheng had little interest in such events, but since Xie Xue requested it so earnestly, he couldn’t refuse.

“Send me the draft. I’ll take a look.”

-Wow, okay! You have to look at it! Cheer me on!

Shortly after the call ended, Xie Xue sent the proposal she had prepared. The Huzhou University side had already drafted a rough filming plan. Since it was a joint event with Huzhou Medical University, the work was given the working title Hundred Forms of Sickness. It was an omnibus-style drama where each episode dealt with the reality of various patients and outsiders in our society.

Sitting in his office and sipping coffee, he skimmed through the documents and realized that the production required quite a few actors. Xie Xue had already marked the roles the students had applied for, but ten roles were still vacant.

The fact that roles remained despite the high interest from students meant those parts were unpopular.

Xie Qingcheng scrolled down. As expected.

The roles everyone avoided were quite diverse. A caregiver who handles a patient’s excrement, a pregnant woman with severe morning sickness, and a homosexual who shares deep affection with a partner.

Even if it was just a study piece, as long as the records remained at the school, the prestigious Huzhou University would undoubtedly demand vivid acting from its students. In other words, the caregiver [Read on Read BL Novels]would actually have to handle waste, the pregnant woman would actually vomit, and the homosexual visit our sitewould actually have to kiss and embrace a man. Furthermore, as it was a centennial celebration for two universities, they couldn’t afford to hold back.

Since these roles were avoided for being too demanding, he had no choice but to forcibly conscript an actor.

After thoroughly dissecting the proposal, Xie Qingcheng narrowed his eyes, thinking of He Yu, who had tampered with his lecture files. After a brief silence, he picked up his phone and pressed Xie Xue’s name in his call history.

“I checked the email.”

Leaning back in his office chair and twirling a ballpoint pen, he began casually.

“I’ll be the medical consultant. But I have one condition.”

-What condition? Just say the word!

The character description for the homosexual role was reflected in Xie Qingcheng’s dark pupils.

With a calm gaze, he scanned the text filling the PPT screen.

“I want you to give one of the roles to He Yu.”

Xie Xue was momentarily bewildered by her brother’s sudden recommendation. However, thinking about it, He Yu was originally a student in a related department. He visit our sitevisit our sitehad helped with a web drama filming before, and he was even handsome. Although he was currently a directing student, no one knew whether he would eventually stand in front of the stage or behind it.

They must be on such good terms, Xie Xue thought to herself. After all, He Yu was a child Xie Qingcheng had watched since he was young. Perhaps he wanted to give the boy a chance to discipline himself. Judging it as such, Xie Xue readily agreed to Xie Qingcheng’s request.

He Yu could not bring himself to refuse the professor who had come in person to conscript him. A few days later, after finishing his nightly self-study, He Yu arrived at the rehearsal site for the omnibus drama Hundred Forms of Sickness.

Among the episodes, he participated in the script reading for Sick Love, which depicted the current state of survival for homosexuals.

When Xie Qingcheng arrived, He Yu and another lead actor were in the middle of coordinating their chemistry.

In truth, He Yu was a freshman and not an acting major, so far from participating in acting department filming practices, he had hardly any experience taking acting classes. The “Male No. 5” role he played in that outdated web drama had only been easy because it was a role simple to immerse oneself in. Therefore, the sudden homosexual role plunged him into agony.

Xie Qingcheng stood to the side for a moment, observing the scene. Compared to the acting he had seen when visiting Hangsi, He Yu’s current performance was practically like falling off a cliff.

No, “falling off a cliff” was too polite. It would be more accurate to say he had fallen into the depths of the East African Rift.

He wondered what this was supposed to be as acting. The scene in the script was a secret and sweet date between the male lead and his gay partner. It was a scene meant to show fresh love and desire, but even after watching for a while, not a shred of love could be felt in He Yu’s acting. An AI would probably do a better job.

“How much do you love me? What would you give up for me?”

Surprisingly, the other male student was quite [unauthorized copy]skilled at acting. With a tender expression, the visit our sitestudent wrapped his arms around He Yu’s neck and asked.

To this, He Yu replied indifferently.

“I love you sincerely. I could give up everything for you.”

“Look into my eyes and tell me.”

“…….”

The next part was a scene where He Yu gazed intently at his first love, unable to resist the surging desire, and leaned down to kiss him.

However, He Yu’s expression as he stared at the male student was so dark it was unbearable to watch. First love? He looked like he was staring at the enemy who had killed his father.

“Hyung, kiss me.”

The male student repeated, hugging He Yu’s nape. Since it was a rehearsal, there was no need to worry about NGs, so when He Yu didn’t react, the student gently shook his arm to prompt the next scene.

Up until now, it had been barely tolerable, but when the partner whispered coquettishly, He Yu’s patience finally snapped. He Yu pushed the male student away and asked the director with a pale face.

“I’m sorry, but could we just match the angles?”

The person in charge of this omnibus episode was a female senior, a graduate student majoring in directing, known for her uncompromising personality. The senior shook her head ruthlessly.

“Maybe with another director, but not in my shoot. I clearly stated the filming conditions when recruiting actors. I don’t do fake filming where we just match angles.”

“…….”

“Still, since this is a rehearsal, you don’t have to actually kiss.”

After answering He Yu, the director senior turned to the male student.

“And you, don’t cling too much. Your role is to help Young Master He overcome his psychological issues, right? He Yu isn’t like you. You’re a well-known gay student at our school, and He Yu is a well-known hetero.”

Despite being openly called gay, the male student seemed quite pleased. He was distinctly different from comrades who lived in hiding. However, he was a radical who believed the whole world should accept sexual minorities, claiming that if there were heretics who rejected them, they should all be sealed inside Empress Dowager Cixi’s coffin.

He Yu, who was relatively strong at emotional restraint, was a homophobe but did not explicitly reveal his ideology. Thanks to that, the male student had been acting with passion, thinking He Yu might be bisexual.

This shoot was truly the optimal method for tormenting He Yu. He Yu’s face looked like someone suffering from motion sickness. Seeing that complexion, pale as the beautiful greenery of May, Xie Qingcheng finally felt at peace.

He had been so obedient when he was young. Since unauthorized copythe day they [visit our site]reunited after parting, He Yu had grown in both heart and height, stolen contentand he had the audacity to hold his head high and talk back to him without hesitation.

And now, watching the helpless He Yu, Xie Qingcheng could finally savor the feeling of the past when he had crushed He Yu beneath his feet.

The corners of Xie Qingcheng’s solemn expression softened slightly.

What a ridiculous sight.

“Oh, Professor Xie.”

The director looked over as the medical consultant for Hundred Forms of Sickness appeared. Figuring it was time for a break, the director gave He Yu time to collect his thoughts and spoke with Xie Qingcheng.

“He Yu really won’t do. His acting is too terrible.”

“Indeed.”

“Sigh. Professor, please tell him that homosexuals and normal people are the same. Other things aside, love is all the same, but look at him acting like a corpse. I really can’t stand it….”

Xie Qingcheng lit a cigarette and spoke.

“Then bring He Yu over.”

Leaving only those words, Xie Qingcheng moved behind the rehearsal stage curtain, complaining that it was too noisy, and waited for He Yu.

A moment later, a pale He Yu pushed aside the curtain and stormed in. The red velvet curtain fluttered behind the young man’s back. There were no third parties in the space blocked by the curtain. As soon as he entered, He Yu pinned Xie Qingcheng against the wall. Due to the violent force, cigarette ash fluttered down between Xie Qingcheng’s fingers. His entire body was pressed firmly against the cold wall.

“Xie Qingcheng. Do you want to die by my hand?”

Of course, Xie Qingcheng was also tall, so he wasn’t intimidated just because he was pinned by He Yu.

He scanned He Yu with his cold peach blossom eyes.

“I told you that you must know how to remain calm in any situation.”

“…….”

A sarcastic tone, tinged with the smell of cigarettes, entwined their breaths. Xie Qingcheng added lowly.

“Can’t you understand human speech?”

“…….”

“Move.”

A short silence followed. Since he couldn’t actually strangle Xie Qingcheng to death, He Yu pushed him away forcefully.

“You know I’m a homophobe, yet you make me do this kind of acting?”

“So what.”

Xie Qingcheng raised his hand and put the cigarette in his mouth. His clean, neat teeth entered He Yu’s field of vision.

“If you can’t even overcome that level of emotion, what will you do about other emotions?”

“This is just you venting your anger.”

Xie Qingcheng smiled and sneered subtly.

“Let’s assume that’s the case. …So what are you going to do about it?”

“…….”

“Try acting hard.”

Behind the dark curtain, Xie Qingcheng lightly tugged and straightened He Yu’s collar, looking at the pitiful young man being tested.

“I’ll be watching closely.”

“—He Yu, where did you go! We’re resuming the rehearsal!”

The director shouted from outside.

He Yu stared intensely at Xie Qingcheng with a chilling gaze.

“Go ahead and watch closely.”

Xie Qingcheng merely responded indifferently.

“Go.”

With a face the color of earth, He Yu stepped back onto the filming set.

Soon, the rehearsal resumed.

This time, it was even more absurd. He Yu, who had looked like a car-sick patient, now looked like someone dying of seasickness. As the male student clung tenaciously to help He Yu immerse himself in the acting, He Yu resisted even more violently. It was truly like trying to force-feed a cow that refused to eat grass.

Throughout the following sequence, He Yu and the male student performed the same scene several more times. He Yu’s acting was truly abysmal. From the lines to the movements, there was more than one problem. It reached a point where not a single take was completed smoothly.

The director, who had shouted ‘Cut!’ repeatedly, rolled up the script and poured curses on He Yu.

“You brat! Are you a robot? Relax your body and move! Is someone sexually harassing you right now? You love your partner! Sincerely! He’s your first love and you’re only fifteen. You’re a boy full of courage to turn the whole society into your enemy, dreaming of a dazzling future with an innocent and reckless personality! Do you not know what these emotions are? Look here, mister! This is the fifth time! Please wake up!”

This was all because of He Yu’s “good person” image. Because he usually hid his antisocial personality and lived like a typical model student, the senior didn’t hesitate to pour out curses.

Of course, He Yu didn’t even have the energy to hold a grudge against the senior. He felt like he might have a seizure at any moment because of the hot and sincere gaze of the male student.

After receiving the curses along with the cut sign, He Yu placed his hand on his forehead and pressed his throbbing temples. Then, he walked in circles to calm his mind.

While circling, Xie Qingcheng suddenly entered his sight. In an instant, heat surged within him. He almost strangled the culprit of this nightmare—who was leaning leisurely against the wall with his long legs crossed—to death right in front of everyone.

Xie Qingcheng smirked at him, then lowered his head and took out his [visit our site]phone. It was the exact same tactic He Yu had used last time. Shortly after, unauthorized copythe Read on Read BL Novelsphone in He Yu’s pocket vibrated.

“……Director, I’m sorry. I just got a message. I’ll check it and start again.”

“Check it quickly! You’re terrible at acting, but you sure have a lot of things to do!”

Under everyone’s gaze, He Yu checked the message that had arrived on his phone.

It was a message from ‘Adoptive Father.’

‘Adoptive Father’ was the name He Yu had saved for Xie Qingcheng’s contact. It was a name inspired by Xie Qingcheng’s personality, which was sometimes more fatherly than his own biological father, reminiscent of a head of a household in the feudal era.

[Xie Qingcheng: Your professional spirit is impressive. Do a great job with the kiss scene.]

He Yu’s expression instantly became extremely gloomy. Startled by the atmosphere, the female student next to him asked.

“What’s wrong?”

Xie Qingcheng turned his head and kept his mouth shut. He looked cold and composed, as if He Yu’s anger had nothing to do with him.

He Yu quietly caught his breath. His pretty visit our siteeyes stared intently at Xie Qingcheng without blinking once. It was a piercing gaze, as if he could stolen contentpin [Read on Read BL Novels]Xie Qingcheng to the wall with his eyes alone.

“……It’s nothing.”

Right then, the director senior’s characteristic booming voice was heard.

“Ah? Is that so? Would that work?”

Thanks to that, all eyes shifted to one side. It seemed the acting director had approached the director to share an opinion. The surprised director senior merely stared at the acting director with doubt.

Still, the director senior tended to respect her own senior. After hesitating for a moment, she finally nodded.

“Then let’s try that. I’ll go with the senior’s opinion. His acting is terrible anyway.”

As she said this, the director senior gestured to He Yu from a distance.

“Junior, come here!”

He Yu, who prided himself on never having felt fear in his nearly twenty years of life, somehow did not want to respond to the senior’s gesture.

Xie Qingcheng sat in unauthorized copythe chair with his long legs Read on Read BL Novelscrossed, his expression calm, unauthorized copysilently mouthing words.

‘Go.’

What choice did he have? He Yu glared at Xie Qingcheng with a look that said ‘You’re dead! Just you wait!’ and then walked toward the director like a prisoner heading to the execution ground.

But who would have known that the director senior would suddenly drop a comment that no one expected?

“He Yu, let’s try practicing by changing your partner first.”

He Yu frowned blankly.

“Change the partner?”

“Yeah.”

The director senior answered dismissively, waving her small hand. When the male student, He Yu’s partner, tried to protest in surprise, she quickly calmed the junior.

“It’s just a temporary change, so don’t get anxious and be quiet. We’re short on time tonight anyway.”

Then, she continued while looking at He Yu.

“Pick anyone here. Anyone you like. Then, after talking for a bit, try acting again.”

He Yu, who had been standing there blankly without knowing the reason, soon realized something. He narrowed his eyes, grazed his teeth with the tip of his tongue, and slowly turned his head. A sharp canine tooth peeked through his lips.

“Director, there’s no need to pick.”

He smiled brightly, staring at Xie Qingcheng, who was leaning against the wall and watching the rehearsal with great enjoyment.

“I’ll do it with that person.”

“……You want to coordinate with the medical consultant professor?”

“Is that not allowed?”

The director looked troubled and spoke in a low voice.

“Do it with someone else. That person isn’t from our school, and he’s a famous professor, so it’s a bit…”

“I don’t feel it with other people. That person seems to be the only one I like.”

He Yu added a gentle word.

“Senior, please let me do it with him.”

No matter how violent his personality was, the senior director—a straight man through and through—found his heart unintentionally wavering when a pretty male student made a request in such a gentle voice.

“Y-yeah, well… then I’ll go talk to him…”

“It’s alright. Since we already know each other, I’ll go talk to him.”

Leaving behind a faint smile, He Yu walked toward Xie Qingcheng.

Having overheard their conversation vaguely, Xie Qingcheng watched He Yu approach with a subtle expression on his face. In front of everyone, He Yu took Xie Qingcheng’s hand quite gentlemanly and led him behind a curtain where no one else was present.

The moment the red curtain fell shut, the gentleman’s face changed.

His elegant and refined aura instantly degenerated into that of a reckless thug.

With the fluttering velvet curtain visit our sitebehind him, He Yu stepped stolen contentforward, pressed his lips close to Xie Qingcheng’s neck, and whispered.

“Professor Xie. Do you know the saying that if you commit a sin, you will receive that karma back in this life?”