Chapter 24

Zhuohua leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes to rest. Her newly bought cashmere sweater was soft and comfortable, making her look even more serene. She was as calm as if she were going to a trivial tea party for the upcoming photoshoot.

She glanced at the script a few times. The character of Song Qinglan was simple and straightforward—fighting, protecting her own, and occasionally sparring with that "bookworm." Compared to the work in the God Realm, which involved moving mountains and filling seas and scheming against each other, it was as easy as a vacation.

As the car entered the film and television city, the familiar hustle and bustle hit us. The crew of "Under the Blue Sky" was stationed in a relatively quiet, antique-style street. The set was exquisite, and the atmosphere was more relaxed and lively than that of the previous "The Long Song" crew.

Director Chen, a sprightly old man wearing a baseball cap, greeted Lu Xiao and Zhuo Hua warmly upon seeing them. His gaze swept back and forth between the two, finally settling on Zhuo Hua with undisguised amazement and satisfaction.

"Oh my! We've been waiting for you! Lu Xiao, Zhuohua! Welcome, welcome! Director Zhang has been praising you to the skies! Especially Zhuohua's skills, this old man is really looking forward to it!"

After exchanging pleasantries, the photo shoot began in earnest.

When Lu Xiao changed into that faded, scholarly blue scholar's robe and put on the square scarf symbolizing academic achievement, the entire set seemed to fall silent for a moment.

He was tall and straight, with a youthful clarity in his brows and a hint of naivety and inexperience in his early days in officialdom. His eyes were clear yet held a stubborn scholarly air. Without any deliberate acting, the aura of Shen Yan, the scholar from a humble background who had achieved the highest rank in the imperial examinations, naturally emanated from him.

A few staff members whispered among themselves, "Tsk, this costume is exactly like Magistrate Shen who stepped out of the book!"

When Zhuohua changed into her smart dark red outfit, with her hair in a high ponytail and a prop dagger hanging from her waist, the set fell into a brief, deathly silence!

The dark red fabric of her dress made her skin appear even paler, and her ponytail was neat and stylish, with a few wisps of hair brushing against her smooth forehead. Her posture was as upright as a pine tree, her eyes calm and undisturbed, yet she possessed a sharp aura that kept strangers at bay.

Wearing that tight-fitting outfit, she showed none of the ruggedness of men's clothing. Instead, it accentuated her slender yet powerful lines, exuding an androgynous and breathtakingly heroic aura! She stood there casually, like a peerless blade hidden in an ancient scabbard, its sharpness concealed, yet no one dared to underestimate her.

Director Chen slapped his thigh excitedly, almost knocking his glasses off: "Great! Fantastic! The chosen one! Song Qinglan is simply the chosen one! That temperament! That aura! Absolutely amazing!"

He circled Zhuohua twice, becoming more and more satisfied with the photos. "Quick, quick! Photographer! Take some pictures of them together! Their chemistry is off the charts! They don't even need to act!"

Standing beside Zhuohua, Lu Xiao's heart raced uncontrollably as he gazed at her dashing appearance. His character, Shen Yan, looked at his childhood sweetheart, Song Qinglan, with a habitual dependence and a barely perceptible admiration; the emotion flowed naturally, almost effortlessly. The photographer's shutter clicked rapidly, capturing this seamless chemistry and tension.

The photoshoot went exceptionally smoothly. Director Chen, looking at the preview on the camera, couldn't stop smiling and exclaimed to the assistant director beside him, "We've struck gold! We've really struck gold!"

Filming officially began. It was the height of summer in the film studio; the sun was blazing, the antique-style streets were scorching hot, and the air itself seemed to shimmer with heat.

The first scene is when Shen Yan (played by Lu Xiao) arrives at his post and is harassed by local thugs in the market. Song Qinglan (played by Zhuo Hua), who is following him incognito, comes to his rescue.

"Action!"

The camera focuses on a bustling, antique-style market. Lu Xiao, playing Shen Yan, dressed in a blue robe and carrying a simple bag, is being shoved and extorted by several shady-looking thugs.

He tried his best to maintain the dignity of a scholar, attempting to reason with the people, his face showing the bewilderment of someone new to officialdom and feigned composure, but his eyes couldn't hide a hint of offended shame and indignation, and the anxiety of being isolated and helpless. He portrayed the naiveté and integrity of a "bookish" county magistrate to the fullest extent.

"Cut! Great! Excellent! Lu Xiao, the emotion is spot on! Hold on!" Director Chen shouted from behind the monitor, praising Lu Xiao's performance. "You captured the feeling of Shen Yan perfectly! You're a promising young man! A promising young man!"

Just then, the stagehands, following the script, pushed a wooden cart full of prop fruits and vegetables, creating chaos and giving Song Qinglan an opportunity to appear.

However, an accident occurred! A heavy wooden crate slid off the swaying cart, whistling through the air, and smashed hard onto the head of a young stagehand who was squatting down arranging props!

"Watch out!" someone exclaimed!

The change happened too fast! The young stagehand had his back to him and didn't have time to react!

At this critical moment—

A dark red figure cut into the frame like a ghost!

Zhuo Hua's character, Song Qinglan, was supposed to appear in the next shot, but at this moment, she moved!

Without a single unnecessary movement, no one even saw how she moved! She appeared beside the young stagehand as if by teleportation! Her left hand shot out with lightning speed, steadily catching the bottom of the rapidly falling wooden crate, which weighed several dozen kilograms!

The movement was effortless, as if lifting a feather! At the same time, her right leg moved with lightning speed, delivering a clean and crisp side kick!

"Bang!"

The thug extra who was closest to Shen Yan and was about to make a move on her was kicked in the side by her. He was sent flying through the air with a scream, as if he had been hit by a speeding truck. He landed in a very embarrassing position in the pile of prop fruits and vegetables next to him, splashing juice everywhere!

The entire action happened in the blink of an eye! Fast! Precise! Ruthless!

The set was deathly silent! Everyone was dumbfounded!

The rescued stagehand collapsed to the ground, his face deathly pale, staring in shock at Zhuohua, who was steadily carrying the wooden box, his mouth agape as if he could fit an egg in it.

The extras who fell into the pile of fruits groaned and groaned. Although they were not injured (Zhuohua controlled the force), they were still quite disoriented.

Zhuohua, supporting the heavy wooden box, remained as steady as a rock, her breathing not even faltering. She didn't even look at the person she had rescued, nor at the extra who had been kicked away; she simply placed the wooden box casually on the open ground beside her, making a dull thud.

Then, she turned around, her gaze precisely landing on Lu Xiao (Chen Yan), who was surrounded by thugs and looked equally shocked. Her brows furrowed slightly, carrying a hint of habitual disdain and impatience, and her clear, cold voice rang out, perfectly matching Song Qinglan's lines in the script:

"Bookworm, what are you daydreaming about? Stand back! You're in the way!"

"Card--!!!"

Director Chen jumped up from behind the monitor, his face flushed with excitement. He waved the script, his voice cracking, "Perfect! A stroke of genius! Zhuohua! You're simply the chosen one, Song Qinglan! That reaction! That skill! That aura! Absolutely amazing! That scene just now didn't need any editing! It's straight to godhood! And Lu Xiao! Your shocked little eyes! So real! So dramatic! The chosen one! You two are the chosen ones, Shen Yan and Song Qinglan!"

The entire set erupted in cheers! Applause, gasps of amazement, and whistles filled the air!

"My God! That speed just now! Was that even human?!"

"He carried the suitcase like it was cotton! And he kicked someone so far away!"

"The director was absolutely right to call them the chosen ones! Their skills and teamwork are a perfect match!"

"Lu Xiao's reaction was amazing! He's totally the epitome of a bookworm protected by his childhood sweetheart!"

Lu Xiao was still reeling from the shock of what had just happened. Watching Zhuo Hua's heroic figure and how she calmly resolved the crisis, his heart pounded and his blood boiled!

It wasn't just amazement at her strength, but also a deep-seated sense of security and excitement stemming from her powerful protection! The shock, dependence, and quietly growing admiration in Shen Yan's eyes, as portrayed by him, needed no acting; they came entirely from the heart!

Amidst the praise, Zhuohua walked back to her rest area as if she had merely swatted away a fly. She picked up a bottle of water, unscrewed it, took a sip, and remained composed.

Filming continued.

With Zhuo Hua's stunning opening performance, the entire crew's morale soared, and their efficiency was astonishing. Lu Xiao also fully immersed himself in the role, portraying Shen Yan's naiveté, kindness, confusion during his growth, and perseverance with meticulous detail, and his collaboration with Director Chen became increasingly smooth.

However, the sweltering heat of midsummer was the greatest enemy. A scene that required Shen Yan to deliver a lengthy speech and expound on the new policies under the blazing sun was filmed several times.

Wearing a heavy costume and under the scorching sun, Lu Xiao's inner clothes were already soaked with sweat, which rolled down his forehead and temples, and his lips were dry. Although he gritted his teeth and persevered, the exhaustion and the torment of the high temperature caused his condition to decline significantly. His eyes began to glaze over, and his lines were delivered with a panting tone.

"Cut!" Director Chen frowned as he looked at the monitor. "Lu Xiao, your emotions are a bit scattered, and your rhythm of the lines is off. Ten-minute break! Touch up your makeup! Cool down!"

The assistant immediately rushed over with a small fan and ice water. Lu Xiao walked wearily under the sunshade, took the ice water and gulped down a few mouthfuls, but the scorching heat seemed to stick to his skin and wouldn't go away, and his head was still a little dizzy.

Zhuohua sat on the folding chair next to him, holding a small electric fan in her hand, slowly blowing it on herself. She was wearing relatively light and close-fitting clothes, with only a thin layer of sweat on her forehead, appearing unusually composed in the high temperature.

She glanced at Lu Xiao's disheveled appearance, drenched in sweat and with dry lips, and her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. Trouble. It's so hot; she'll have to wait for him to cool down. She didn't want to be late for the workday.

No one noticed that Zhuohua's left hand, which was resting on her knee, twitched very slightly at the fingertips.

A faint yet incredibly pure icy aura, like invisible ripples, silently spread out from her center. This aura wasn't an attack, but rather a precise cooling field.

Buzz—!

An indescribable, bone-chilling coolness, like the finest mint spring water, instantly enveloped an area within a meter radius around Lu Xiao!