True Star Vol 2 Chapter 5

Chapter 5
CHAPTER 5: UNDERSTANDING IN THE NIGHT

 

Who wasn’t afraid of death?

Whenever one’s mind drifted to the topic of “death” in the middle of the night, one couldn’t help but count the remaining days of one’s life. One’s chest would tighten at the number and a chill would run down one’s back as the hopelessness set in.

It didn’t have anything to do with courage. It could be considered a reflex, the natural resistance humans had toward the dark, toward death. However, it would also be accurate to describe it as a fear rising from humanity’s attachment to life. It was the reason why Tang Feng had such a peaceful death in his past life. He didn’t have anything binding him to life. Numerous nights, he’d dreamed of the moment when he would leave the world. When the grim reaper finally raised his scythe and bound his soul in chains, he didn’t feel much fear.

Only a little disappointment.

He was disappointed at the lack of human relations.h.i.+ps in his life.

Tang Feng woke up in the middle of the night from a nightmare. It was a first for him after his rebirth. He dreamed of when he was young and living in the orphanage. To his horror, he found that he had been locked inside the orphanage for all his life. He stood in a room without a door; his only gate to the world was a tiny, metal window that he couldn’t open.

The world become more distant to him by the second. He yelled and screamed, but no one answered his call. Soon after, he woke up.

His body was drenched in cold sweat; his breathing erratic.

“I can’t believe I’m going insane just from filming a movie.” Tang Feng swiped at his sweat-drenched forehead. He fumbled around in the dark and turned on the bedside lamp. It wasn’t the same as sunlight, but the warm lamplight comforted him all the same. He took a few deep breaths and tried to clear his mind.

The clock hanging on the wall displayed that it was one-forty-seven in the morning. His room was quiet enough that he could hear his own breathing and the ticking of the clock hands. The stillness in the room made him feel as if he were back in the nightmare again.

His chest tightened, and a chill ran from his head to his toes. Tang Feng threw off the covers and got out of bed. He rushed to open the window and took a deep breath of fresh air. Luckily, the night wasn’t completely dark. From the balcony, he could see the dazzling golden lights of the lively city. The lights below shone like the moon, broken into thousands of tiny individual reflections.

Gripping the railings tightly, Tang Feng took in a deep breath.

Dong dong dong.

He heard the sound of knocking at his door. Who wanted to see him at this time of the night?

Was it Charles? Or Lu Tian Chen?

Both men had followed him over to the United States. For Lu Tian Chen, his reason was that he had business to do with an American entertainment company. For Charles, his reason was even simpler: his business was based in the United States in the first place.

Tang Feng walked over to open the door. Charles was standing outside in his pajamas, sleep still decorating his face. He wasn’t alone as Lu Tian Chen was also standing beside him wearing a robe, looking quite awake in comparison. When Tang Feng opened the door, both men stared at him in surprise.

Charles immediately woke up from his sleep walking, while Lu Tian Chen’s eyes gleamed brighter.

Tang Feng glanced down at himself and cursed. When he’d gotten out of bed, he hadn’t bothered to put any clothes on. The matter had completely slipped his mind when he was walking to the door. As a man who was used to sleeping naked, he was undoubtedly― s.h.i.+t! He had opened the door for Charles and Lu Tian Chen while completely naked

, and now those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds were staring at him with such bare expressions!

Slam!

Although Tang Feng was past the age of being embarra.s.sed for being naked in front of people, he still shut the door without hesitation. He quickly grabbed the black silk robe that was hanging beside the bed and put it on. He headed for the door again, but on second thought, he turned back and pulled on some underwear as well.

Five minutes later, he wasn’t alone in his room anymore.

It was a rather strange situation. Tang Feng pulled at his collar and leaned against the couch. Charles and Lu Tian Chen were sitting opposite of him. The two men stared at him without blinking. Though the chill from earlier had disappeared, Tang Feng felt his hair raising at the unnerving stares the men were giving him.

As for the reason why the three of them were living together, it had to do with the agreement they had made a few weeks earlier. More simply, they were putting on an act for Albert.

Having been immersed in the movie, Tang Feng had completely forgotten about the agreement. But Lu Tian Chen and Charles remembered it perfectly well, which was why they were living together at the moment.

During the workday, Tang Feng would go onset to film. Lu Tian Chen and Charles also had their work to do. At night, the three of them would come back and eat dinner. As none of them wanted to cook, their dinner for the past few days consisted of take-outs. Charles had jumped at the chance to cook, but Tang Feng had harshly rejected his offer. He didn’t want to get food poisoning.

“Ah, I’m tired. Instead of sitting around, why don’t we get in bed and continue sleeping?” Charles yawned and said listlessly.

The “we” Charles mentioned definitely didn’t include Lu Tian Chen.

“You want to sleep with me?” Tang Feng squeezed the center of his brows. After waking up from his nightmare, he’d had the urge to sleep together with someone. He didn’t want to spend the rest of the night alone. After experiencing a frightening nightmare, he’d much rather have someone beside him, that way, he might sleep better.

“I know you had a nightmare, darling.” Charles took up the act of a psychologist and started a.n.a.lyzing Tang Feng. “During the month that you’ve lived with me, once your head touches the pillow, you won’t wake up until the morning after. Now you’ve suddenly gotten up during the middle of the night and even turned on the lamp. You’ve definitely had a nightmare. I’ve had similar nights. I know what will make you the most comfortable, that is, having someone sleep beside you.”

Charles’ emphasis on “you and I” made Lu Tian Chen frown. Charles had on an expression that seemed to say that he knew Tang Feng very well. Truly, compared to his friend, the things Lu Tian Chen knew about Tang Feng was laughable.

“I think Charles is right. Tang Feng, did you have a nightmare?” Lu Tian Chen spoke up to remind the other two that he wasn’t a transparent wallflower.

Ah… It was rather embarra.s.sing to admit that he couldn’t sleep because of a nightmare. Tang Feng sighed. “You can take it that way.” Why couldn’t they guess that he’d gotten up to go to the bathroom instead? Then again, he didn’t have the habit of waking up to go to the bathroom either.

“All right. It’s getting late. Let’s go to sleep.” Rather than Charles, Lu Tian Chen was the first one to stand up. Under Charles’ suspicious gaze, he grabbed Tang Feng’s hand and dragged the actor over to the bed.

Charles finally reacted and quickly followed after them. He made an exaggerated showing of disbelief and said, “Hey hey hey, what are you guys doing? My dear old friend, you can go back to your room now. I can take care of Tang Feng.”

I only had a nightmare. I’m not sick. I don’t need anyone to take care of me. Tang Feng sighed lightly. He was exhausted from filming these past few days. He didn’t even have the energy to argue with the other two.

“It’s a three-way agreement, Charles.” Lu Tian Chen pushed Tang Feng down onto the bed. The actor bounced a few times on the mattress, before shrugging out of his robe.

Don’t overthink it, Tang Feng wanted to tell the other two. He simply didn’t like being fully clothed while sleeping.

Charles’ mouth morphed into a perfect “O” at the sight. He watched as Lu Tian Chen helped Tang Feng out of his robe. The president even had a hand on the fickle actor’s chest. “My dear Tang, you really want Lu Tian Chen to sleep together with you?”

“I don’t care.” All Tang Feng wanted to do at the moment was preserve his sleeping hours. He didn’t care who slept at his left or his right. One thing for certain, if anyone dared to hara.s.s him in his sleep, he’d kick them out of the bed. He’d rather endure his nightmares alone than allow that to happen.

“Tang Feng, you’re hurting my heart,” Charles said as he walked over to the bed. He stripped off his pajamas and took the spot to Tang Feng’s right. Unashamedly, he wrapped his arms and legs around the actor like a sloth.

“Oh… The fact that I’m able to hurt your heart means I will have a good dream later tonight.” Tang Feng closed his eyes and smiled. He turned sideways and came face to face to Lu Tian Chen. The latter s.h.i.+fted back a little, allowing Tang Feng to sleep inside his arms.

“Sweet dreams.” Lu Tian Chen chuckled lightly. With Charles’ scrutinizing gaze boring a hole in him, Lu Tian Chen leaned forward and kissed Tang Feng’s forehead. He then turned off the lamp.

“You two are not allowed to hara.s.s me. If either of you step over the boundaries, then you can go back to your own rooms.” Even though he was about to fall asleep at any minute, Tang Feng didn’t forget to leave a warning behind that made the other two behave.

If I leave, Charles would definitely take advantage of the moment and take Tang Feng’s underwear off. Lu Tian Chen glanced at Charles.

If I leave, a repressed fool like Lu Tian Chen would definitely turn into a wolf and crush Tang Feng beneath him. Charles smiled at Lu Tian Chen in the dark. The president graced him with a similar smile.

As old friends, they understood each other’s intentions perfectly. If they had to resist themselves, then they had to do it together. If they had to leave, then they were leaving together. No one was going to be left behind.

Despite the smiles, they were also silently asking each other deeper questions: Why have you suddenly become interested in Tang Feng? Why are you so reluctant to let go of someone you’d gotten bored of?

Their complicated feelings clashed together in the dark, lighting up like a brilliant shooting star. Only they themselves understood their true feelings.

Situated between them, Tang Feng had already fallen deep asleep. Rather, it was the two of them who had to suffer through a sleepless night, troubled by their thoughts.