Chapter 137: Night of the Stars

Rosamund Kwan’s victory in the Best Actress category also brought good fortune to Yan Xu and the others. None of the next few routine awards went to Yan Xu’s group. Best Actor was taken by the returning actor John Walker, while Farewell Ark won its second award of the festival—the Best Director award. Perhaps it was the finest gift that could have been offered to the late Shuji Terayama. Best Picture, meanwhile, went to Gordon’s Re-Animator, an exceptionally fine achievement for Gordon.

After the regular awards came the Jury Grand Prize and the Audience Favorite Award. The former went to Romero’s Day of the Dead, which offered the master of zombies a measure of consolation. After all, the film had performed worse than its predecessors both at the box office and among critics. The latter award, however, unexpectedly went to Mansion No. 1. Although it was not as important as the major awards presented earlier, it represented the audience’s affection—and therefore its box-office potential. That alone could allow Mansion No. 1 to command an excellent price at the festival.

Mansion No. 1 had won two major awards at the festival, tying with Farewell Ark for first place. It had become a true Asian night. The Sitges Film Festival had never seen anything like it before. Asian films, usually present merely as decoration, had suddenly risen to prominence and claimed four awards.

As soon as the ceremony ended, Yan Xu and the others were surrounded by the waiting press. Yan Xu could only watch as Jenkins slunk away in embarrassment. Perhaps he was afraid Yan Xu would humiliate him, or perhaps he truly intended to honor his wager with Yan Xu and stay away from May.

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The day after the awards ceremony was another frantic day for Yan Xu. Distributors from everywhere came rushing to him, and the price of Mansion No. 1 continued to rise. The endless negotiations kept him so busy that he did not even have time for lunch. After dinner, he hurried to Barcelona Airport to see Rosamund Kwan off.

Filming on Armour of God was at a critical stage, and Rosamund could not be away for long. Her attendance at the festival had required the production crew to coordinate on several fronts. She had only taken a brief tour of the town of Sitges during the day, leaving behind a photograph in front of its famous white church. She had no idea when she would return.

Although Yan Xu had made several suggestive little gestures, Rosamund behaved as though the kiss they had shared at the awards ceremony had never happened. She completely ignored his advances. Only at the final moment before boarding did she turn back and place a faint kiss on his cheek.

By the time Yan Xu returned to the hotel, it was already eleven at night. In a single day, distribution deals for several regions of Mansion No. 1 had been settled. Two million dollars—perhaps the highest price a Hong Kong film had ever fetched in the Western markets at that time. The American rights alone had contributed nearly seven hundred thousand dollars, the final price offered by New Line.

Two million dollars came to more than fifteen million Hong Kong dollars. That was enough to recover all the money Yan Xu had invested in Dragon Films, and it also caused his recently depleted savings to swell again. Of course, the entire fifteen million did not belong to him. Under the agreement made when Hundred Battles had handed over the film, overseas revenue would be divided equally between Yan Xu and Feather. Half of it—approximately seven-point-eight million—would therefore be transferred to Feather. Receiving such a sum out of nowhere, that fellow would surely be delirious with joy. In addition, a release date had already been set for Mansion No. 1 in Japan, and Yan Xu believed that deal would bring in another substantial amount.

After returning to his room and taking a quick shower, Yan Xu heard someone knock. He casually dried the water from his body with a towel and quickly put on a dressing gown. He had no idea who would come knocking so late. There were certainly women in the hotel who made their living entertaining guests, and during the film festival prostitutes from every region had gathered in town, but they usually called by telephone or solicited customers in the downstairs bar. Very few offered door-to-door service.

When he opened the door, he found a tall woman standing outside. A broad sun hat concealed her face, and she wore a gray-brown trench coat. The coat wrapped her body so tightly that almost nothing could be seen, but it was clear that she had a beautiful figure. Her pale feet were exposed beneath the hem, adorned with golden high heels. The red polish on her toenails gleamed like delicate jewels, alluring and dazzling.

“You...?”

Yan Xu was deeply puzzled by the mysterious woman standing at his door. Before he could ask anything more, she slowly raised her head. A familiar and exquisite face appeared before him, turning his question into delighted astonishment.

“How is it you?”

The woman standing before him was Mathilda May. She wore only a light touch of makeup, and flames flickered in her pure, wide eyes. Her lips curved slightly upward in a mysterious smile.

May did not answer. Instead, she suddenly reached out and shoved Yan Xu into the room. With one foot beneath her coat, she hooked the door and slammed it shut. At the same time, her delicate feet slipped free of the golden high heels and came to rest on the soft carpet.

She removed her enormous hat, and her long black hair spilled down over her shoulders in silky strands. Her fingers wound around the belt of her trench coat. With a gentle tug, the knot at her waist came undone. Gripping both sides of the coat, she slowly opened it.

At the sight of what she was doing, Yan Xu’s mind seemed to explode. Heat rushed straight to his head. If his self-control had been any weaker, blood might have burst from his nose.

Beneath May’s spacious coat, she wore nothing at all. Her flawless white body looked as though it had been carved from jade. Pale pink blossoms crowned her full breasts, lending not only them but her entire fair body a touch of French romance and passion.

Below her flat, smooth abdomen rose a graceful mound, where a single white magnolia seemed to bloom in solitude, releasing its fragrance to the world. Her long legs occupied much of her figure—strong, shapely, and free of any excess. Her bare feet were perfectly formed and charming, their delicate skin cared for like that of a newborn child.

As the trench coat fell to the floor, May remembered that Yan Xu’s English was poor. Without saying a word, she took several steps forward, sprang lightly into the air, and wrapped both arms tightly around his neck. Her long, beautiful legs locked around his waist. She clung to him like a koala.

Driven back by May’s momentum, and by the fact that she was scarcely shorter than he was, Yan Xu staggered several steps despite her slender, balanced body being far from heavy. Holding her naked form, he fell backward onto the bed.

Breathing heavily, Yan Xu looked at May as she sat astride him. He gazed at her perfect breasts as her small hands roughly tore open his dressing gown. Then she grasped him, and as he hardened beneath her touch, she slowly lowered her head.

That position allowed a man to see every expression on a woman’s face. It allowed him to watch each movement of her lips, each motion of her tongue, each swallow. People said it was the position most likely to awaken a man’s sense of conquest and excitement. Yan Xu had no idea what other men felt in such circumstances. He only knew that his entire body seemed to blaze with desire.

The Mediterranean climate was changeable. The day had been bright and clear, but by night a cool breeze had risen. Clouds spread across the sky and obscured the moon. Around midnight, a light drizzle began to fall. As the wind grew stronger, so did the rain, and the temperature dropped sharply. Large drops struck the hotel windows with a rapid patter.

Unlike the chill outside, the room was hot as a furnace. Two naked bodies twisted together like entwined serpents, the friction of their skin generating heat that steadily raised the temperature. The air itself seemed saturated with the scent of passion.

After his final climax, Yan Xu held himself rigid, arching his waist as far forward as he could. His hands clasped May’s legs where they rested over his shoulders, while he turned his head and kissed her small feet, curled tight with pleasure.

He lowered her feet, still glistening with moisture, and pulled her body tightly into his arms. He did not withdraw from her, but remained joined to her as though they were a single being. His hand moved over her breasts, and at last he was able to admire at close range the fullness that had driven men throughout the world to madness.

“I’m leaving tomorrow.”

May’s breath was fragrant, and her eyes, still clouded with lingering pleasure, rested on Yan Xu.

“So soon?”

Still savoring the passion they had shared, Yan Xu held her close, reluctant to let go. He had thought that he would have several more days to enjoy himself with May, but he had not expected her to leave the very next day.

“I accepted a film before I came here. As soon as I return, filming will begin.”

Lying in the curve of Yan Xu’s arm, May looked somewhat lonely as well. She knew there was no future between them. After she left, she did not know when they would meet again—perhaps never. That was why she had allowed herself one final night of abandon.

“Is that Jenkins still bothering you?”

Yan Xu lightly kissed her forehead, deliberately steering the conversation away from its sorrowful direction.

“He?” May smiled faintly. “He left this morning. I imagine he was afraid to face you. He probably won’t trouble me again. My contract with his company has ended, and we will have fewer opportunities to meet. But we are in the same country and the same circle. Never seeing each other again would be impossible.”

“But what about you?” May paused slightly. “We don’t know whether we’ll ever meet again. I’ll give you my address and telephone number in France. I hope you won’t forget me.”

“Never. If I get the chance, I’ll come and see you.”

Yan Xu caressed her body with lingering affection, raising gooseflesh across her already flushed skin.

“Will you really come looking for me?”

May’s breathing grew heavier beneath his touch. Suddenly she sat up, and Yan Xu slipped free of her body.

Meeting the hopeful look in her eyes, Yan Xu nodded firmly.

“I’ll be waiting for you.”

A trace of joy crossed May’s face at his answer. At the same time, she bent down again and took him into her mouth once more.

The flames rose again...

To be continued.