Chapter 133 The Show Begins: Humiliating the Male Lead, the Husband's Perverted Nature
As an adult, Qi Zechen has become a powerful tycoon who controls a large area of the city. He can make the entire Beicheng shake with a stomp of his foot.
But during his student days, he was an illegitimate child who had just been recognized by the Qi family.
After entering the top private school where the Qi Xing and Qi Yue sisters attended, they suffered even more cold looks and ridicule from their classmates.
Qi Xing was the only one among everyone who showed respect to the boy.
Therefore, it became the only light in his dark life and an obsession that he could not shake off for years to come.
As the two best-looking sisters in school, Qi Xing and Qi Yue do not get along well.
Nothing more.
Madam Qi had difficulty conceiving, and the couple, both over 30, still had no children. By chance, they encountered Qi Xing, who had been abandoned by the roadside, and took him in.
Six months later, Madam Qi became pregnant, and ten months later, she gave birth to a baby girl, Qi Yue.
Perhaps because they felt that Qi Xing was the lucky star of the family, the Qi couple not only did not favor one over the other, but also loved their adopted daughter and their biological daughter equally.
The two sisters had a very good relationship when they were very young.
But Qi Xing is calm, loves learning, and is eager to learn and ask questions.
Qi Yue is lively and playful, but her academic performance is poor.
As time went on, the gap between the two widened, especially when they appeared together and were always compared to each other.
There were even rumors that the Qi family's biological daughter was not as good as their adopted daughter, and that Qi Yue was not good enough for the Qi family.
Qi Yue has a very strong sense of self-respect and naturally couldn't stand this humiliation, which gradually created a rift between her and Qi Xing.
The friends I associated with changed from gossipy heiresses to street thugs who claimed to be "righteous".
Today's scene is about Qi Yue and a group of thugs humiliating Qi Zechen.
Before being recognized by the Qi family, Qi Zechen and his mother made a living by selling stinky tofu. However, the small business and meager profits were not enough to cover Qi Zechen's tuition fees, so his mother borrowed money from petty thugs at high interest rates.
After Qi's mother passed away, Qi Zechen returned to the Qi family.
However, the Qi family refused to repay the high-interest loans, so the debt fell on Qi Zechen.
Even if he is just a high school senior with no financial means.
"You little rascal, I've finally caught you today."
A thug with dyed yellow hair, carrying a baseball bat, blocked Qi Zechen's way on the path behind the school playground.
Behind him were two followers with tiger tattoos on their arms.
Qi Zechen didn't say anything, but glancing at the three people blocking his way, he glanced behind him and began to slowly back away.
"I heard you're now a son of the Qi family. The Qi family is very wealthy and powerful. Shouldn't you pay back the money you owe?"
Qi Zechen's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. "I'll give you that money. But I need some time."
"Pah! I want it now!"
The blond-haired man sneered, "Don't blame me for being ruthless. I'm giving you time, but nobody's giving me time! If you can't come up with this money today, I'll have to break your leg! Come on, get him! Hold him down!"
Two henchmen rushed towards Qi Zechen from the left and right, trying to surround and trap him.
However, Qi Zechen took a long stride and slipped away like a fish in another direction.
but.
"Run! Why have you stopped running?"
A pretty yet sinister voice came from behind. Qi Yue held a stick in her right hand and tapped it lightly against her left palm.
They were blocking Qi Zechen's escape route.
Beside her were two little followers.
"Qi Zechen, weren't you quite tough when you pushed me earlier? Why are you chickening out now?"
The beautiful tit's eyes resembled those of a deep, cold pool.
Just a few days ago, Qi Zechen accidentally pushed Qi Yue into the nearby green belt while trying to save Qi Xing.
A shrub branch left a scratch on Qi Yue's face, and the light pink mark can still be seen from the corner of her right eye to the corner of her lip.
Teenage girls love beauty the most.
Moreover, it was the proud Qi Yue.
With people blocking his way from all directions, Qi Zechen gritted his teeth and chose to rush towards Qi Yue, who seemed to be the weakest.
Little did they know that Qi Yue had practiced Taekwondo.
When the two collided, Qi Zechen, relying on his male strength, had the upper hand and forced Qi Yue back.
Just as he was about to run away, Qi Yue swung a stick at his left ankle, causing a sharp pain that sent him sprawling to his knees as he fell into a muddy puddle by the roadside, splashing mud everywhere.
"Cut! Stop!"
The moment Qi Zechen fell, Director Fang's voice came, and the actors instantly snapped out of their acting state.
"Qi Zechen, what's wrong with you! You were hit on the ankle by Qi Yue with a stick. First you were hit, then it hurt, then you fell down in pain and rolled over. It was all done in one smooth motion. Did you fall down on your own?!"
Once filming officially began, real names were no longer used on set; only the characters' names were mentioned.
The most difficult part of this scene was Qi Zechen's series of reactions when Qi Yue's stick landed.
There are other scenes to come, but of course, they can't actually fight. This requires Qi Yue to control the force and position well, while Qi Zechen must accurately and naturally express the stress response.
"I'm sorry, director, I'll try again. I'll be more careful this time."
Qi Zechen apologized with a look of remorse.
Director Fang returned to the monitor and said, "Let's do it again. The assistant director, please point out their previous positions and start again from the part where they run towards Qi Yue!"
"Come on, 3, 2, 1—Go!"
However.
"...Qi Zechen, you were beaten, not trying to scam someone! Qi Yue's stick hasn't even hit you yet, why are you throwing things like that! Go back and try again!"
"...Qi Zechen! Your ankle! You were hit in the ankle, not the knee! The feint was too obvious, start over!"
"...Stealing, stealing, stealing the action again, Qi Zechen, are you in such a hurry to be reincarnated! Wait for Qi Yue's stick!"
"..."
After going over it again and again, Director Fang finally got so angry that he threw down his headphones and rushed back to the set.
"The most difficult thing to control was Qi Yue's position, but she always gave you the correct spot for each move. All you had to do was run to the spot and bend your ankle at the right time. Why is it that such a simple move is getting worse and worse with each take?! Do you even understand what I'm saying?!"
Every scene needs one long shot and two close-ups.
This ensures that there is enough material to guarantee smooth transitions during editing.
To prevent close-up shots from being visible in the frame, close-up details have not yet been filmed.
If even a slightly distant panoramic view has such a large flaw, then close-up views are likely to be even more riddled with holes.
There are more than 50 scenes a day. For the past week, we've been filming from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. every day, and there are also two consecutive night scenes that were filmed until 2 a.m.
Actors can rest during scene changes, but the director needs to keep a close eye on the camera's monitor the entire time. So if filming doesn't go smoothly, Director Fang quickly loses his temper.
So far, the full-view shot of Qi Zechen falling has been reshot eight times.
"I'm sorry, Director Fang, I've delayed the schedule. I will definitely work harder."
Shen Yuning's attitude in admitting his mistake was sincere. Sweat beaded on his forehead and nose, and his face turned red from exercise and nervousness.
Seeing the tense atmosphere on the field, Song Ying thought for a moment and spoke.
"Director Fang, I have an idea—could I adjust my movements slightly? Qi Zechen doesn't need to accommodate me; he just needs to make sure his ankle hurts, and I can use the stick to apply force to a fixed point in line with his movements, instead of fixing it in the same spot every time. Is that alright?"
Director Fang looked at Song Ying, and since she hadn't made any mistakes before, his tone was better than when he spoke to Shen Yuning.
"We're having you set a specific point because we're worried you might actually hit someone. Qi Zechen's leg can't really be damaged. There are still two scenes where he's running on the playground. If anything goes wrong, we won't be able to film the rest of the scenes. Then the extra time, the venue fees, actor fees, equipment fees, and labor costs will exceed the budget."
For a large production crew, even half a day's delay can result in an extra expense of tens of thousands of yuan, not to mention that some actors' schedules don't align.
Therefore, most directors don't have a good temper when they encounter actors who cause delays.
"Don't worry, I won't hit him."
Song Ying spoke with certainty, and Director Fang was taken aback for a moment before quickly waving his hand, "No, no, we can't mess around with this!"
"Director Fang, I believe in Teacher Song."
The speaker was Shen Yuning.
"The fact that she could stay on the spot so steadily before shows that she can control her strength very well. And these past few times, no matter how flustered I am, it doesn't affect her performance. Maybe we can really give it a try."
Shen Yuning is not afraid of pain, nor is he careless.
The more times you have to do a NG (no good) job, the more nervous and flustered you become. The more you fear making mistakes, the more likely you are to make them. This back and forth leads to bigger and bigger problems as you go on.
If he continued to use the old methods, he wasn't really confident that he wouldn't make mistakes.
"Director Fang, we've already had so many takes, why not try this one more time? What if we succeed?"
With both main actors saying so, and considering there were still dozens of scenes to come, Director Fang finally relented.
"Okay, let's try it once."
"In a moment, you run straight towards me, silently count to three, and start twisting your ankle. Just follow the same movements as before, don't overthink it. Leave the rest to me."
Just before filming began, Song Ying gave Shen Yuning one last piece of advice.
Shen Yuning responded, took a deep breath, and then, after the executive director called out the countdown, rushed forward single-mindedly as instructed by Song Ying.
With fewer concerns, the movements became much smoother.
Just then, the stick whistled through the air and came crashing down on his ankle.
Shen Yuning could even feel the air ripples caused by the approaching danger. Almost without acting, her ankle would instinctively throb with pain, and then she would naturally sway to the side and slide into the next movement.
"Cut! Excellent!"
The director, who had been angry, stood up agitatedly.
"That's it! That's the pose I wanted! Can you hold it?"
Song Ying glanced at Shen Yuning, then looked at the director and said, "Okay."
Shen Yuning quickly added, "I'm fine with that too."
That moment just now felt so smooth, like a dream, completely different from the awkwardness I felt before.
"Makeup! Touch up the actors' makeup, quick!" Director Fang called out, making arrangements for the follow-up shots. "After that, we'll take another wide shot, then a two-camera close-up!"
The staff started working quickly.
Having had a successful experience before, Shen Yuning was no longer so nervous.
While touching up my makeup, I mentally reviewed the key points from before, and then I successfully completed the full-view shot on the first try.
This was followed by close-ups of him and Song Ying from two cameras: one camera focused on Qi Yue's facial movements, and the other on Qi Zechen's face. Then came a second close-up, one focusing on Qi Yue's hand and the other on Qi Zechen's ankle.
They usually pass on the first try.
That's how filming works in real life. For any scene that the audience sees, if a change in shot is needed, the actors have to repeat the performance again and again.
It wasn't because the filming was bad, but rather to be prepared for any eventuality, to use one to protect another, and to add close-ups of specific details. Even if every take was completed in one go, the actors would still have to repeat the scene at least three or four times.
Therefore, Shen Yuning fell into the mud pit four times in a row.
But he didn't utter a single complaint.
This made Song Ying look at him in a new light.
The scene where Qi Yue steps on Qi Zechen to humiliate her opponent focuses on the characterization of Qi Yue and Shen Yuning, testing their facial micro-movements and eye acting, but there is no difficulty in terms of action.
Except for one time when mud and water got into his eyes, causing Shen Yuning to blink and turn his head away, resulting in an NG (no good) moment, he basically got it right on the first try after that.
It went very smoothly.
The entire show ended at exactly 11:30.
Qi Zechen went to take a shower and change his dirty clothes, while Song Ying acted alongside the female lead, Zhao Jingyi.
It's even more comfortable to spar with a master than before.
Zhao Jingyi got into character quickly but didn't cause any trouble. Song Ying's acting skills were just as good as hers, and their back-and-forth banter was pleasant to both of them.
The crowd watching felt that the two were exactly like Qi Xing and Qi Yue from the original novel.
The progress that was delayed due to Shen Yuning's NG was quickly made up for in the scenes between Zhao Jingyi and Song Ying.
The schedule was even faster than expected, with the first two afternoon sessions filmed ahead of schedule.
Director Fang was in a great mood and immediately waved his hand.
"Serve the food! Serve the food! Take a break, eat first, then continue!"
-
The crew was large, so lunch was all boxed meals, typical takeout sets. They weren't exactly delicious, but there was plenty.
Everyone found familiar faces and chose their own corner to eat. Song Ying and Jiang Xiuyuan also found a stone slab under a tree and next to a flower bed to sit down.
"Don't worry, sis, I'll hold one for you!"
Although Jiang Xiuyuan can be annoying at times, he is very attentive when it comes to being careful.
He placed a summer cooling mat on the stone slab and then took a small blanket to cover Song Ying's legs—the school uniform was a short skirt, and although there were safety shorts underneath, there was still a chance of exposure.
After taking the boxed lunch from Jiang Xiuyuan, Song Ying had only taken two bites when she saw Jiang Xiuyuan pull out a tissue and spit a mouthful of cabbage onto it.
"This is absolutely awful!"
Jiang Xiuyuan's face changed. "It has no taste at all, it tastes like it was boiled in swill."
"How can you talk like that? Does anyone else want to eat?"
Song Ying frowned and reminded her.
The crew's boxed lunches were all from large pots and were indeed not very tasty, but after Jiang Xiuyuan said that, how could anyone else have an appetite? Luckily, there wasn't anyone around.
"But this stuff is really hard to swallow," Jiang Xiuyuan said, feeling wronged.
He had never eaten such a terrible meal in his entire life.
"If you're not going to eat it, give it to me. Forget the vegetables, I'll take the meat. Then you can go out and eat by yourself."
"Sis, you don't need to eat anymore. I'll take you out to eat. There are so many good restaurants in Mo City, and there are plenty right here on this street. Let's go now!"
"My first scene this afternoon is with me, so I don't have time for all this."
Song Ying doesn't like to eat it either, but that's how it is in this industry. Filming is a team activity, and if she goes out now, she will inevitably make others wait.
Moreover, "Even if you don't eat it, don't waste it. Come on, dig it over here."
"Here, take it all." Jiang Xiuyuan stuffed all the meat into Song Ying's hands, then stared at her.
Song Ying ate it bite by bite.
To save time for touch-ups, she ate quickly, yet with composure and elegance.
His expression remained calm and composed.
The more Jiang Xiuyuan looked, the more her brows furrowed.
"Sis, I feel like you've changed!"
"What has changed?"
"I remember you used to be even more spoiled than me, and your tastes were much more discerning!"
During the three years that Song Ying lived in the Jiang family when she was a child, she was almost pampered and cherished by the entire Jiang family.
Forget about food and drink, even if she wanted the stars in the sky, Grandpa Jiang would find a way to pluck them down for her.
At the time, just because Xiao Songying said she liked it, he spent 70 million to buy a necklace for her as a birthday gift.
That was 70 million more than a decade ago.
Back then, a 200-square-meter apartment in the center of Beijing only cost 500,000 to 600,000 yuan.
But when Grandpa Jiang took a picture of Song Ying, he didn't even blink.
Yet this little princess, who is pampered by everyone, now has to film again and again under the scorching sun, endure all kinds of criticism on the Internet, and even eat such unpalatable boxed lunches without any disgust.
This was completely different from the Song Ying that Jiang Xiuyuan remembered.
"As long as I don't go hungry, it's fine as long as it's for work."
After swallowing the food in her mouth, Song Ying responded to Jiang Xiuyuan's words, "Moreover, I was young and ignorant at that time, and I didn't know that many things were hard-won, so I acted recklessly and thought that everything was a matter of course."
"But things are different now. Having experienced hardship, you know that money is hard to earn. Having seen all walks of life, you also know that being able to eat a hot meal is a luxury for many people. So, you should be content when you should be content."
Actors must portray all aspects of life, which requires them to have seen the diverse faces of all people.
During her years abroad, Song Ying traveled to many places, from the slow-paced Nordic countries to famine-stricken Africa, and even war-torn regions and the sparsely populated North and South Poles.
Different customs and traditions, different lifestyles, different attitudes towards life.
Everything she has seen and the paths she has walked have left their mark on her growth, ultimately transforming the little princess who once floated in the clouds, oblivious to the hardships of the world, into the peaceful and resolute woman she is today.
The meal was finished quickly.
Song Ying tidied up the trash and put it in the recycling bin. She patted Jiang Xiuyuan on the shoulder and said, "Okay, I need to go touch up my makeup to prepare for the afternoon's scene. You can play by yourself first. There will be a lot of traffic at noon, so be careful when you go out to eat."
Watching Song Ying's departing figure, and then looking around at the staff sitting under the trees, on the steps, and squatting by the roadside eating boxed lunches, Jiang Xiuyuan hesitated to take a step away.
Sunlight filters through the gaps in the plane trees lining the school path, creating dappled patterns of light.
A warm breeze blew, the leaves rustled, and the sunlight flickered and shimmered.
The cicadas stretched out their tireless chirping, one call after another.
Jiang Xiuyuan suddenly moved.
I walked to the place where I could get my boxed lunch, took another one, and sat down on the steps next to it to eat in silence.
It still tastes awful.
But it's not so hard to accept anymore.
-
After filming six scenes in a row, Song Ying finally had time to rest.
While we were waiting, Jiang Xiuyuan handed me a bottle of water.
"Everyone else has an assistant with them, to help them with their clothes and hand them water. Why don't I see your assistant with you? You're all alone. What will you do if I don't take care of you?"
The younger brother's tone was disdainful, but his actions showed concern.
Song Ying took the drink and drank a few sips before saying, "I was just thinking that staying at home wasn't very convenient, and besides, I sent Xiao Lu to a training course, so I can't leave."
When filming period dramas, assistants are indispensable.
Modern dramas are alright.
Moreover, in "Temptation Star", Qi Yue didn't have many outfits during the campus scenes. Apart from the concentrated scenes on the first day, the later scenes were actually quite scattered and not that tiring.
It's not worth making the deer suffer along with you.
"Go get my computer for me," Song Ying said.
What are you doing?
“I have 13 more scenes to go before my next scene, which is about two or three hours. I’ll take this opportunity to help my grandparents with the new arrangement for their square dance.”
Filming is important, but she hasn't forgotten the promise she made to the elderly couple.
Jiang Xiuyuan: "...You and your aunt are becoming more and more alike."
The adorable little princess has transformed into a career-driven, strong woman.
Jiang Xiuyuan originally thought that even if his three older brothers were all excessively outstanding scholars, at least he still had Song Ying to accompany him in being a lazy bum.
Now it seems that the Joker is himself.
-
Jiang Xiuyuan didn't know how to arrange music. After giving Song Ying the things, he went to watch people filming.
Song Ying sat in the classroom, with a fan gently spinning above her head, and cicadas chirping outside the window. Looking up, she saw the familiar desks and blackboard.
In that instant, she felt as if she had returned to her school days.
Schools have that kind of magic.
It easily evokes memories of youth.
Unfortunately, Song Ying's high school years were extremely uneventful, with no extra romance or poetry, only a constant barrage of practice problems.
The pressure of the college entrance examination in Beijing is immense, and although her parents felt that as long as she was happy, they didn't have any extra requirements.
But when everyone around you is excellent and constantly striving to go to better places and become a better version of themselves, stopping or even falling behind seems to subconsciously become a sin.
So at that time, most of her pressure was self-imposed.
Looking back now, Song Ying is grateful to her past self for pushing herself to take one more step forward, and then another.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be who she is today.
Intermittent flashbacks, accompanied by square dance music in the background, create a completely different style, yet they blend together in perfect harmony at this moment.
Because I had already planned it out, the arrangement didn't take too long.
After everything was settled, there was still almost an hour and a half before her scene started.
After saving the edited new arrangement, she casually sent it to Qin Shu.
I wonder what he's doing right now.
Stretching and turning her neck, Song Ying turned off her computer, packed her bag, and stood up.
Just as I reached the classroom door, my phone vibrated, displaying a message from Qin Shu.
[A new hobby?]
Come back and teach me, let's dance together.
Song Ying: ……
That's clearly not what she meant.
Song Ying: [This is a piece I adapted for my grandparents' competition.]
Qin Shu: [Screenshot.jpg]
Song Ying casually clicked on it; it was Qin Shu's new nickname for her.
—A World of Flowers
Qin Shu: [I can't fly out anymore]
Song Ying: ...?
Thinking of something, she clicked on Qin Shu's profile picture.
Well, someone changed their ID too.
—The Drunken Butterfly
That catchy lyric kept echoing in my mind:
I can't fly out of this colorful world. It turns out I'm just a drunken butterfly.
Song Ying: ...SOS, my husband's brain circuits are abnormal, he's being overly corny, hilarious and weird, what should I do?
I need help urgently.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
