Chapter 22
Luo Mingxiu got up from the ground, squatted down against the wall, his head down, his shoulders slumped, and he exuded sadness and loneliness.
Li Nan is right, he doesn't dare to confess, at least not now.
Shen Li is so outstanding, it's perfectly normal for him to be liked. Should he be happy?
He really had no right to stop others from pursuing her.
Should we give up?
Luo Mingxiu took off the necklace around his neck. The puppy pendant gleamed faintly in the darkness. He thought of Shen Li's smile, and a bitter feeling welled up in his chest. His throat hurt so much that he couldn't make a sound.
No, he couldn't bear the heart-wrenching pain of watching her be taken away by someone else.
He wanted her attention to be on him, and he wanted to be the man in her heart, not her younger brother.
Before filming started, he dared not think this way at all, because he thought that Shen Li had found happiness, that he would come back to see her, and that he could only stay by her side and be her younger brother again.
But now that she's divorced, this is an opportunity given by God. He doesn't want to be satisfied with the status quo. Even if the hope is slim, he still wants to hope. Let's just call him greedy.
After meals, the guesthouse terrace also serves as a viewpoint. When someone enters, Luo Mingxiu puts away his necklace, stands up, and his phone screen lights up.
Shen Li sent a message: I've already taken Aunt Luo back to her room.
As Luo Ming was about to reply, exclamations of admiration rose from the surroundings. He looked up and saw that at sunset, the sky was a deep blue, with towering peaks and thousands of Miao households hidden in the mountains and fields, and distant lights flickering on and off.
People taking pictures of the scenery raised their phones, and Luo Mingxiu joined the group to take photos of the picturesque view.
When she received the message, Shen Li had just come out of the bath. After seeing it, she sent a few photos she had taken while walking with Aunt Luo and replied: We also took photos, but none of them have the same feeling as yours.
Shen Li: This picture of yours is so beautiful! Where was it taken?
Luo Mingxiu: The third-floor terrace has a wide view.
Shen Li thought to herself that he had quite the leisure and refined tastes, and typed: Have you gone back to your room? Go to sleep early, you need to get up early tomorrow.
Luo Mingxiu: Time to take a shower.
When Shen Li saw this message, she started to make connections automatically. She shook her head, and the image of his Adam's apple bobbing when he wore the necklace that day flashed through her mind again.
Annoyed, he replied: "Okay, go wash up."
Luo Mingxiu: Good night.
The next morning, Shen Li and Xiao Yu went to a breakfast shop near the film set and saw Li Nan and his assistant there.
He raised his eyebrows and beckoned them to sit down opposite him.
Shen Li: "Getting up so early? Didn't you say you didn't need to come?"
Li Nan: "I had arranged for a photographer to take pictures, so I got up early. Director Liu asked me to attend the ceremony and share in the joy."
“I see…” Shen Li nodded. Her phone on the table lit up, and she opened the message box. It was sent two minutes ago.
Luo Mingxiu: Are you awake?
Luo Mingxiu: Do you want me to bring breakfast?
Shen Li: No need, I'm at the breakfast shop.
As soon as he finished replying, Li Nan said, "Oh, we've met again."
These words were spoken to the person behind her. Shen Li turned around and saw Luo Mingxiu walking over, while Xiao Wen was queuing up at the pancake stand by the door.
"Sorry, there are no seats available," Li Nan said.
Luo Mingxiu gave him a gloomy look, turned around, and found a seat diagonally behind them.
Shen Li looked at the two of them and felt a little strange.
When the waiter came over, she took the breakfast, temporarily ignoring the strange feeling in her heart, and buried her head in eating.
After quickly finishing her breakfast, she turned around and saw that Luo Mingxiu had already finished eating and was waiting for her. So the three of them walked together to the designated location.
The journey was quiet and peaceful. Chen Li walked in the middle, looking left and right, and the strange feeling grew stronger and stronger.
What are these two up to? Didn't they seem to have a lot to talk about when they were having dinner yesterday?
Who offended them?
After the ceremony organized in conjunction with the local cultural and tourism authorities, the actors took a group photo. The two lead actors, Shen Li and Yuan Haoxuan, stood in the front row with the leaders, while the others stood in the back.
Luo Mingxiu strode over, intending to stand behind Shen Li.
At this moment, a staff member led Li Nan this way: "Come on, Teacher Li, stand in the middle."
Luo Mingxiu was pushed aside and stood on the side, his gaze fixed on Shen Li in the very center, his heart filled with bitterness.
After the group photo was taken, the crew prepared to start filming. Shen Li felt someone tapping her on the shoulder from behind. She turned around and Li Nan said to her, "I'm leaving now. I'll come see you again this afternoon."
"Teacher Li, have fun," Luo Mingxiu walked over and stood in front of Shen Li, "It's not your filming time yet."
Li Nan's expression darkened, and he looked away from him at Shen Li.
Judging from the atmosphere, there must be something going on between them. Shen Li thought for a moment and said, "Li Nan, Ming Xiu is a straightforward person. He did interrupt our dinner yesterday, so it's understandable that you're unhappy. How about this, after we finish work tonight, I'll treat you to another meal alone. Can you choose the place?"
“Okay,” Li Nan agreed immediately, “I’ll pick you up after work.”
After saying that, he looked at Luo Mingxiu smugly, and as they passed each other, he lowered his voice and said, "Thank you."
Luo Mingxiu's face was gloomy, his ten fingers clenched tightly, and the veins on his hands bulged.
Shen Li turned around and flicked Luo Mingxiu's forehead: "Li Nan is a senior, you can't be so rude in the future."
“Hmm,” Luo Mingxiu gritted his teeth and said cautiously, “Can I go with you tonight? I want to apologize to him.”
Shen Li glared at him: "No."
A visit to a Miao village wouldn't be complete without experiencing the classic costume-changing scene.
In the play, Xie Huaixi and her group were guided by a mysterious person to a Miao village in the previous case, and left behind a bamboo flute. This flute is really strange. When her friend Mu Ling touches it, she will have a splitting headache and be controlled, appearing on the roof late at night for several days in a row to play the flute.
Xie Huaixi believed that this object must be related to Mu Ling's many years of amnesia, and decided to go to the Miao village to find out the truth, as the mysterious person had said.
However, it is said that witchcraft is prevalent here, and outsiders are easily targeted by bad guys and forced to use poison to make gu. Therefore, they need to disguise themselves as locals and go to the black market to find some medicinal herbs and treasures for self-defense.
Due to limited resources, the crew temporarily set up a tent on set to serve as a costume room.
Shen Li and Sun Qi went in together to put on makeup and change into Miao ethnic costumes. In order to distinguish themselves and fit their character settings, Mu Ling, played by Sun Qi, needs to be able to move around easily by using light-footed skills, so she only needs to change her clothes and wear a pair of silver hairpins on her head.
Xie Huaixi, having been protected by the other three all the way, could disguise herself more effectively and dress more formally.
After changing her clothes, Shen Li waited for the makeup artist to finish applying her makeup before putting on various silver ornaments, and finally put on a silver-flowered flat hat.
After the entire look was completed, she walked back and forth a couple of times, feeling as if she weighed a ton, and unconsciously became dignified.
Sun Qi was taking pictures of her like crazy, her eyes sparkling: "She's so beautiful, Sister Li, she's a goddess!"
"You're beautiful too," Shen Li smiled.
Director Liu asked them on WeChat if they had changed yet, and she replied: Yes.
The two arrived at the filming location, an uninhabited wooden house. The scene was about them changing clothes and walking out to stun the other two. Yuan Haoxuan and Luo Mingxiu each looked at her, and all they had to do was make sure their eyes met.
Once the actors were ready, Director Liu shouted, "Come on, let's start filming!"
After the stage manager clapped the clapperboard, the two people inside went out one after the other. Mu Ling stepped out first, and the two people outside looked up. Then Xie Huaixi came out. The wind blew the silver curtain, and she walked closer step by step. The silver bells tied to her ankles made a delicate and crisp sound, clear and pleasant.
The bell stopped, her feet stopped, and she smiled gently, her eyes and brows as beautiful as flowers, captivating and enchanting.
Luo Mingxiu's heart pounded. The sound of the wind chimes was both unsettling and unsettling. He was glad that there were no lines in this scene, otherwise his voice would definitely be hoarse.
"Okay," Director Liu called out, "Next scene."
The actors followed Director Liu to change scenes. Shen Li saw that Luo Mingxiu was still standing there, so she walked over, waved her hand in front of his eyes, and said two words: "Out of character."
Luo Mingxiu snapped out of his daze, pinched his burning ears, and followed.
The next scene was in a bamboo forest. According to the original novel, the black market was hidden in the bamboo forest. The forest was foggy, so they split into pairs, with one man leading one woman.
The four people stepped into the bamboo forest, and the camera followed them. Outside, people operated a fog-making machine to manually create fog as they groped their way forward.
The fog thickened as they approached the entrance to the black market. When they heard a sharp whistle, a flock of black crows swooped down. They had to throw their swords to drive the crows away. After that, the fog dissipated, and the gate to the black market appeared.
After the chaos subsided, the four of them stood with their backs to each other. Li Ze was the first to see the entrance and took the hand of the person next to him.
Luo Mingxiu felt that the texture was different from before, and his heart skipped a beat. He turned his head and saw Shen Li looking at him speechlessly.
"Cut! You've grabbed the wrong person!" Director Liu walked over and scolded, "Mu Ling is on your left, why are you grabbing her on your right? The scene was so smooth just now, and you ruined it all with that last move."
Luo Mingxiu: "I'm sorry, director, I didn't see it clearly."
"Didn't you see clearly? Their clothes are completely different. If you didn't see clearly, I think you're out of your mind." Director Liu said this to him simply because he regretted the effect of the one-shot scene just now.
Now we can only start from Black Crow and repeat the story again.
Fortunately, after the criticism, the subsequent black market transaction scenes were filmed smoothly, and the effects the director wanted were added.
After the morning session ended, Shen Li walked towards the RV. Luo Mingxiu ran over and followed her, saying, "Sister, has Teacher Li booked a place? Where are you going to eat?"
Shen Li stopped and turned to look at him: "You've been thinking about this all morning, haven't you? You're not taking acting seriously."
"Do I need to report to you who I eat with and where I eat?"
Luo Mingxiu opened his mouth but didn't speak, his head lowered.
“I don’t like this,” Shen Li said.
Seeing a hint of anger between her brows, Luo Mingxiu panicked for a moment and said, "I'm sorry, I won't ask anymore."
“No matter what conflict you have with Li Nan, resolve private matters privately,” Shen Li said. “I don’t like people who are thinking about things unrelated to filming while they are acting. If your mind is not clear, ask the director for a break or to adjust as soon as possible.”
Although it's not a solo performance, it still requires everyone's cooperation. We need to be responsible to the director and fellow actors. Since we've started acting, we must have the right attitude and not just go through the motions or be perfunctory on camera.
"Do you understand?"
"knew."
Shen Li saw him bow slightly, his eyes half-closed as if he dared not look at her.
Luo Mingxiu avoided her gaze: "Don't be angry, I won't do it again."
"Am I very fierce when I'm disciplining people?" Shen Li asked.
Luo Mingxiu quickly shook his head: "Not fierce."
“You’re lying,” Shen Li moved closer to him, forcing him to look into her eyes. “Then why don’t you dare look me in the eye? Am I putting pressure on you?”
"No." Luo Mingxiu took a step back, his face burning hot.
He said, "It's so beautiful."
Shen Li was taken aback: "What?"
"You're so beautiful, it's easy to lose focus when you're looking at you," Luo Mingxiu said bluntly.
This time, Shen Li became the one who was recognized.
In the afternoon, after filming four group scenes, Shen Li still had her scenes with Yuan Haoxuan left.
Luo Mingxiu and Sun Qi were being transferred to another filming group. Before they left, Shen Li noticed the two looking in their direction and went over to ask, "What's wrong?"
Just as Sun Qi was about to speak, Yuan Haoxuan seemed to understand her meaning and said, "Take a group photo?"
Sun Qi nodded.
"That's right, I knew it. How could we not take pictures in such gorgeous clothes? Wait, I'll go get someone." Yuan Haoxuan said and rushed to his assistant.
Today, the main cast of their group had one scene after another. After changing costumes, Shen Li only glanced at Luo Mingxiu's Miao ethnic costume briefly because she was so engrossed in the scene. Only now did she calm down and take a closer look at him.
She wore a blue and red Miao costume with silver ornaments at the waist and cuffs, and her hair was braided.
Looking upwards, the small snake coiled above his head is the finishing touch, highlighting a touch of devilish charm to his otherwise upright and handsome features.
As a bodyguard, his appearance in this drama doesn't change much. He usually wears a simple black outfit, which is probably his most complicated look.
"Pick out a braid," Shen Li said to Luo Mingxiu, taking out her phone.
Luo Mingxiu was overjoyed to see her pointing the camera at him.
Shen Li shook her head: "That's not how it feels. Try to tone down your expression."
Luo Mingxiu turned around, and only looked back after his frantic heartbeat had subsided.
With long, slender fingers, he lifted the braid to his lips, then looked up, his gaze fixed on the boy with a seductive smile.
Shen Li's heart fluttered for a second, and after pressing the shutter, she quickly looked away from him.
After Yuan Haoxuan returned with his assistant, the four of them took a group photo, and the assistant director sent someone to urge Luo Mingxiu and Sun Qi to change scenes.
Shen Li and Yuan Haoxuan also rejoined Director Liu's team to continue filming.
The plot describes how, after Xie Huaixi and his companions gathered the medicine and treasures, they learned from a villager about a master who could drive corpses, cast spells, and control people's hearts. Whenever he appeared, he was always accompanied by the sound of a flute.
Having obtained this crucial information, they headed to the location described by the villagers, Baiyue Cave. However, upon reaching the valley floor marked on the map, they were suddenly attacked by a large number of black crows, which swirled into a black wind and abducted Mu Ling and Li Ze.
"Fifth scene, one take, one shot, action!"
Smoke billowed, and the air was filled with a damp, putrid stench.
The flute music rang out again, and the fog visibly thickened. Xie Huaixi frowned, then shouted, "Poison!"
She covered her mouth and nose, pulled Bai Xuchao to a sheltered spot by the stone wall, squatted down, took out poison-repelling beads from her bag, and put one in each of their mouths.
"Luckily, I bought this on the black market," Xie Huaixi said.
Bai Xuchao looked around at the hazy surroundings and said, "Flute sounds, black crows, fog."
"Have you noticed that these three things appear every time we go to a new place?"
“Yes, that should be the key. It means we’re getting closer and closer to that person,” Xie Huaixi said, pulling off her hair ribbon and tying their hands together.
"But strangely, of these two attacks, one led us to the black market and the other resulted in the abduction of people."
"They didn't directly harm us, but I think that person was trying to guide us in some way once again."
Bai Xuchao gripped her hand tightly: "No matter how chaotic things get, we must not separate."
The two rose, and in the mist, their figures leaned on each other as they moved forward.
"Alright! This match is over, everyone take a break."
After going over her lines with Yuan Haoxuan, Shen Li went to the side and sat on the small stool that Xiao Yu always carried with her. Xiao Yu handed her a water cup and a phone. She took a sip of water and saw a new message on WeChat.
Li Nan sent me the restaurant's location, which was a little further away than the last one, but it was still a 20-minute drive, which was an acceptable distance.
Li Nan sent her a link to the restaurant's dishes and asked her how they were.
Shen Li clicked in, glanced at the reviews, and replied: Okay.
The next three scenes were filmed smoothly, and we wrapped up before sunset.
Shen Li handed the script to Xiao Yu, took her phone and left the film set. She saw Li Nan's car already parked at the intersection in the distance.
Just as she was about to run over, her phone rang. Seeing that the caller was Sun Qi, she answered.
"Sister Li, Luo Mingxiu is injured."
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