Dreaming With My Dragon Lover

Yuan Ge was seated at the dining table and saw Rong Qiuchen serving up mixed congee made from various kinds of grains and pulses, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, roasted aubergine, cucumber salad, tofu with preserved eggs, and eight different types of pickled vegetables. Not only was there a good balance of hot and cold dishes, but they also varied in colour and texture, which looked quite appetising. After taking a bite, Yuan Ge couldn't help but exclaim, "You're not a bad cook at all! I haven't had a decent Beijing style home-cooked Chinese breakfast in a long time."

Qiuchen replied modestly, "In the past, when I was in the Jinyu Troupe, all the brothers had to take turns to prepare meals. My cooking skills are not great but they are not bad either, but after I joined the House of Rong, I didn't have the opportunity to prepare meals anymore. If Gege doesn't mind, you can leave all these matters to me."

As Yuan Ge ate his sumptuous breakfast and looked around the large kitchen that had been thoroughly cleaned, he couldn't help but sigh, "Honestly, it feels so good to be served. No wonder Haruki Murakami would say that 'In order for there to be true art, there necessarily has to be slavery'."

Qiuchen nodded and laughed at Yuan Ge's sentiment, "That's for sure! Gege didn't even know how many servants the Third Lord of the Rong Mansion had to wait on him every day. He was a man who appreciated the art of eating, drinking and playing, and was a master of all art forms, from the qin, chess, calligraphy and painting. If he had to clean his own house, prepare his own meals, lay out his own paper and grind his own ink, I'm afraid he wouldn't have any time left to ponder, so how could he become a great connoisseur of art?"

"You sound quite servile. A little fuddy-duddy full of feudal dross!"

"Fuddy-duddy? Gege has given me another strange name. I saw that you were preoccupied, so I wanted to do something to relieve you of your worries."

When Yuan Ge saw how gentle he was when he said these words, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh, "Chenchen, we've known each other for quite some time, so let me simply give you the lowdown. Actually, I have thought of replacing Yin Fenghua and asking you to star in my 'Qingqing'. It's just that... according to my pessimistic estimation, I am afraid that the film is likely to be aborted. If you pretend to be an ancient man to approach me and look after me all for the sake of wanting to star in that film, there would be no need to work so hard now."

"Gege, what do you mean by that?"

"King Guan Entertainment will soon start shooting their blockbuster of the year, 'A Journey in Brocade', and I have for some reason become their chosen male lead. For a small company like Dragon Dreams, even if I don't care, others will try their best to seize this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and will definitely drop the shooting of 'Qingqing' after New Year to focus on this King Guan's film. So, if you want to play Rong Qiuchen in Qingqing, I'm afraid it will be six months from now at the earliest. And what happens six months later, in this fast-changing entertainment world, no one can say for sure. Maybe that the whole film will be delayed in production, or even aborted..."

Yuan Ge saw that Rong Qiuchen was listening attentively and felt that his words were a bit cruel. In order to win the chance to play Rong Qiuchen, this guy had put in efforts that no one in the acting business could have done. If he kept on giving him false hope on the grounds of the role and coaxing him into servitude, then his conscience wouldn't be clear.

However, Rong Qiuchen didn't seem to be too disappointed. Yuan Ge thought he hadn't explained himself clearly enough, so he went on to give an example, "I went to the audition originally for the assistant director's job, but now I ended up taking on the role of the male lead. This is like the Empress Dowager Cixi writing a new opera on a whim and choosing one of the most popular artists from the 300 or so opera troupes to sing it, only to end up with picking a handyman in the troupe."

"Gege is wrong. Her Imperial Highness Old Budha was a true connoisseur in opera, and she often made her own changes to existing productions, so her new piece might not be substandard. If she picked a handyman to sing, she might have a discerning eye. Perhaps that person has the potential to outshine the famous actors, and now that he has been given the stage, he will soar to the top and become a legend on the opera stage."

"You're quite good at comforting people. And you do have a point."

Yuan Ge had expected Qiuchen to be extremely disappointed when he found out the truth, and to return to school and go back home, with no more attachment to him. But to his surprise, not only did he not show any displeasure, he also said these comforting words. He always acted like he wasn't quite in his right mind, but when he spoke seriously, he sounded very mature, unlike a student who hadn't experienced the world.

"But … What's the point of following me around and suffering like a little servant if you can't be part of Qingqing's filming?"

A hint of hurt finally appeared on Rong Qiuchen's face, "Does Gege think that what I have done is just to get a role in the cast?"

Seeing the unconcealed sadness in Qiuchen's eyes, Yuan Ge stumbled and replied, "No-no-no! I was - I am - afraid of - worried that you sacrificed yourself for nothing..."

"Gege, I have followed you willingly because of your kindness in saving my life, because of the help you have given me in recharging my batteries, because of the warmth you have provided me in bringing me home, and because I admire your dedication to your art. I have learned so much from the time I have spent with you, my heart has been touched and my mind settled. Why doesn't Gege appreciate my feelings and assume that I'm just in it for the fame?"

"I don't mean that at all!" Yuan Ge was so flustered by Rong Qiuchen's words that he hurriedly explained, "I used to say things like you are a 'porcelain bumper' just because we didn't know each other too well yet, but now that I understand the way you are and appreciate your attitude in many things, coupled with your excellent personal qualities, you will definitely become a good actor in the future. I'm just worried that after I get into the filming of 'A Journey in Brocade', I will become so busy that I won't have enough time to take care of you. I won't be able to continue filming 'Qingqing' in the short term, and this may hold up your future stardom."

When Qiuchen saw Yuan Ge's sincerity in his speech, his sadness turned into joy, "Gege, I learn a lot every day when I'm around you.. Whether you are filming 'Qingqing' or 'A Journey in Brocade', the best way for me to learn is to be with you."