Chapter 110: The freedom of R-card characters will be increased...
The crew spent three days finally filming several major scenes, and everyone from the director to the script supervisors breathed a sigh of relief.
The subsequent filming went very smoothly.
Director Tang called for extras again when filming some scenes with extras, but this time the residents of Zone 4 weren't so interested. They just wanted to join in the fun and experience it, not actually want to film a movie.
Director Tang even increased their daily wage and found several minor roles with lines for them to experience, finally finding some who were willing to come back and play again.
For example, Xiang Laoniang was also assigned a line, and she was overjoyed.
However, what no one expected beforehand but felt in the end was that Zhu Cui found a job on the film set directly through her craftsmanship!
She was present during the filming of those major scenes, and naturally, she was pulled in to help with the hairstyling of the extras. She was quick and good at combing hair, and even with some modern props, she could learn them very quickly.
By the time the final scene with the extras came up, the lower-level makeup artists even started to directly acknowledge her as their leader.
Lu Xiaoqi jokingly called it "reversing the Heavenly Gang" and "successfully usurping the throne."
It was because of that scene that Sister Fen, the head of the makeup team, observed for a long time and discovered that this seemingly frail woman, who walked with a slightly strange gait, was truly exceptional in terms of makeup and styling. After the makeup and styling were completed, she kept the jewelry.
"This basic updo doesn't seem difficult for you. More complex... like the glamorous styles that require a lot of wigs, layering, and exaggerated styling, could you do that?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Cui's eyes lit up slightly. She thought to herself, "The test has begun."
Sister Fen did think that Zhu Cui had done a good job. She was thinking about the banquet scenes that would be filmed in the next few days, featuring many noble ladies and young women whose hairstyles needed to be more elaborate and glamorous. With just the few of them, they'd probably have to work through the night. If this suddenly appearing person could really handle it, that would be wonderful.
Zhu Cui nodded without hesitation: "Of course, no problem."
She had styled the most ordinary maid's double-loop hair, and she had also served noblewomen with their elaborate headdresses adorned with pearls and high, flowing buns. Those intricate hairstyles were not difficult for her; on the contrary, they showcased her skills even more.
"What style do you need? Do you have a pattern? Or, I can try one on for you to see first."
Looking at Zhu Cui's calm and confident eyes, Sister Fen was already seven or eight parts convinced.
“Okay!” She was a straightforward person, and immediately pointed to the pile of the highest-grade, unopened hairpieces and intricately designed hair bundles on the dressing table. “Use those materials to style someone’s hair like that of a noblewoman. It needs to be gorgeous, but not overpowering. It needs to reflect her status, and it also needs to be sturdy enough to withstand the movement of the actress and the stress of filming. Can you do that?”
Zhu Cui looked at the pile of materials, thought for a moment, and then calmly nodded: "I will try my best."
All the junior makeup artists nearby held their breath and looked over.
Sister Fen has very discerning tastes, and it's hard to satisfy her.
Zhu Cui actually looked down on the pile of materials; their texture and color were cheap. They were far inferior to the real hair she used to use, but fortunately, there was plenty of it and a variety of styles.
Sister Fen directly asked a young makeup artist to be her model.
After scrutinizing her for a moment, Zhu Cui quickly made a decision in her mind: the Lady of the Marquis... must be elegant and dignified, with a composed demeanor, but not too flamboyant or overbearing.
Next, it's time for the performance.
Her fingers flew across the paper, her movements gentle yet incredibly efficient, gathering every strand of hair perfectly. Zhu Cui's actions were swift, as if she already had a plan in mind for her next move.
Her fingers seemed to possess magic, seamlessly blending real hair and wig at her fingertips, leaving no visible trace of the connection.
What left Sister Fen and the makeup artists around her speechless was her ability to handle the details of the hair bun.
The hairstyles in period dramas nowadays are actually a bit like pre-made dishes. All the hairstyles are pre-prepared modules, and often all that's needed is to fix them in place with hair clips, and then the actors' real hair is used to cover them up.
The advantage of this method is that it's fast and saves a lot of time, but the disadvantage is that it's inflexible and rigid. It's suitable for makeup artists whose skills are conventional and not outstanding.
Sister Fen originally thought that if Zhu Cui could complete the task to this extent, it would be considered satisfactory.
Unexpectedly, Zhu Cui's next move took her completely by surprise—
Zhu Cui disassembled all those styling hair clips! Then, she used a rat-tail comb to carefully loosen, adjust, and even recombine them, reshaping them into a form that better suited her vision. Throughout the entire process, her movements were dazzlingly fast, yet exceptionally precise. Each hair clip was placed in just the right spot, ensuring it was secure while remaining completely hidden beneath the thick strands of hair.
Moreover, she did not use any ready-made plastic-looking hair accessory molds, but directly used real and artificial hair strands to create extremely delicate and complex textures and layers through some basic combing techniques.
In less than fifteen minutes, a very exquisite hairstyle had already taken shape. It had wispy, cloud-like hair buns and elegant lines resembling a phoenix spreading its wings, layered and staggered yet perfectly integrated.
"This speed and skill level..." Sister Fen was a little dazed, suddenly remembering something her master had once said, "Do you think combing hair is easy and requires no skill? You think you can just find someone to practice with? Let me tell you, those who can comb hair well definitely understand architectural art and have a sense of space. That's talent!"
Sister Fen asked at the time, "So, Master, do you think you are like that?"
Her master shook his head: "I don't think I have that talent; I was taught purely through experience."
Sister Fen never met anyone like the person her master had described. She thought, who would learn to comb hair if they understood architectural art and had a sense of space?
But now, this sentence suddenly flashed through my mind.
The embroidery was nearing completion. She casually inserted a few hairpins and hair ornaments provided by the production team into her hair, placing them precisely in key positions of her updo. The small beads hanging from the hair ornaments swayed gracefully with the model's slight movements, instantly bringing the entire look to life.
Sister Fen checked the time; the whole process took only about twenty minutes.
"Alright," Zhu Cui said softly, revealing a shy smile that made her look somewhat delicate.
But no one dared to underestimate her at this time.
All the makeup artists, including Sister Fen, gathered around, their eyes fixed on the hairstyle.
"Amazing..." the young makeup artists murmured to themselves.
This was nothing like the usual elaborate but somewhat fake and clumsy ancient-style hairstyles they made! Some even thought that Zhu Cui's skills were better than those of the people in the crew who specialized in styling the hair of the lead actors.
Of course, they wouldn't dare say it out loud.
Sister Fen gently touched the bun on the model's head; it didn't budge, incredibly secure. She then circled the model twice, her gaze gradually shifting from initial scrutiny to surprise, and finally to utter astonishment and disbelief.
She looked up at Zhucui, her tone complicated: "Who did you learn this skill from?"
This wasn't just the level of an ordinary hairstylist; it was practically a restoration. Several renowned costume stylists from the film and television industry immediately flashed through her mind. Could she be one of their apprentices?
How did they manage to remain unknown?
Zhu Cui merely bowed slightly, speaking casually: "It's just a trivial skill, not worth mentioning. It's just something I've done a lot in the past, so practice makes perfect. Do you think this is suitable?"
"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!" Sister Fen clapped her hands excitedly and immediately made a decision, "If you're willing, we can sign the contract right now."
She even wanted to have Zhu Cui do the hairstyles for several of the supporting actresses.
Looking at Sister Fen's sincere and anxious face, and then at the familiar yet unfamiliar hairstyle in the mirror, Zhu Cui was filled with mixed emotions. She had been in modern society for almost half a year, had undergone surgery, and gained a new life, but she still felt anxious and insecure.
My identity, my skills... are so insignificant compared to everyone else in the ancient town.
She's just a woman who combs hair.
Miss Lu still pays her a salary, but will she be able to make a living off all that salary? She can't just take it all for free, can she?
Zhu Cui had nowhere to confide in about her feelings of bewilderment over the past few months.
She came to the film crew a few days ago, and that's why she was so eager to seize this opportunity.
Only when she signed the contract did her heart begin to settle down. It turned out that her skills weren't useless in modern society; they still had a place to be used.
And so, Zhu Cui stayed with the crew. Towards the end of filming, even the lead actress, He Yan, specifically requested that she do her makeup and hair. The crew members would also respectfully call her "Teacher Zhu Cui".
And so, May slowly arrived.
The crew was about to finish filming the scenes in Qinghe Ancient Town and head to Hengdian World Studios. Director Tang and Sister Fen wanted Zhucui to go with them, but Zhucui declined.
She's an R-card, so she doesn't have that much freedom.
After hearing this, Lu Xiaoqi advised her to proceed: "They still have several days left, just sign the contract! We'll definitely find a way to get you there!"
Zhu Cui's eyes lit up: "Miss Lu, is it...?"
She was so excited that she couldn't even finish her sentence. Was it what she thought?
Lu Xiaoqi winked at her: "You'll know in a couple of days, no, maybe tomorrow."
Late that night, the sky suddenly changed color.
Boom! A muffled thunderclap rolled through the thick clouds, followed by a blinding silver streak tearing through the sky, illuminating the dim world in an instant. Immediately afterward, a torrential downpour began without warning, the dense raindrops pounding against the tiles, window frames, and flagstones, creating a crackling sound and instantly weaving a hazy curtain of rain.
Lu Xiaoqi quickly got up and reached out to close the window tightly, shutting out the noise and humidity from the outside world. The air inside suddenly became stagnant, filled with the earthy smell and stuffy, humid atmosphere unique to before the rain, clinging to the skin uncomfortably.
It's only May, so turning on the air conditioning for this seems a bit too much of a fuss.
Lu Xiaoqi turned on the fan.
When I woke up in the morning, the rain had lessened, but my skin still felt sticky.
At this moment, she desperately wanted to possess the "Constant Temperature Weather Control System" produced by the system. She had already obtained one fragment, and was just waiting for Wang Wei to fulfill his wish so she could obtain the second fragment.
"Sigh," Lu Xiaoqi sighed. "It seems we'll have to wait until the second phase is completed to see Wang Wei fulfill his wish."
Wang Wei is currently serving as the landscape consultant for the second phase of the project, primarily responsible for the landscape construction and greening improvements within Qinghe Ancient Town. Of course, he is only a consultant; the actual execution still falls to his subordinates. Wang Wei is very dedicated to this, spending almost all his time on it, except for occasional visits to the Qinghe City Library and Qinghe University.
Su Jun was worried that he would have difficulty communicating with his subordinates, so he specially chose Xiang Erlang as his assistant. Although Xiang Erlang was unconventional, he had already adapted to modern life, was very clever, and knew both ancient and modern things, so he was just right to act as a communication intermediary.
The second phase of the project is now divided into two groups. One group is responsible for the renovation of several areas in Qinghe Ancient Town, with a focus on the planned high-end hotel. The library, which she had previously drawn as a special building card, is located not far from the hotel, near area number five.
The other group was responsible for the construction of the lakeside area, which had to be built from scratch, as it had become a construction site.
Yuwen Kai's "Ancient Architecture in its Natural Formation" is extremely useful, just like Huang Daopo's "Clothing the World," both accelerating construction projects within their respective areas. Therefore, although the second phase of the project is much larger and more complex than the first phase, it has proceeded surprisingly smoothly and is expected to be completed gradually next year.
Listening to the sound of rain outside, Lu Xiaoqi felt a sense of peace in her heart.
She glanced at her work group chat and saw that everyone had their tasks well organized. The customer service department was restocking emergency umbrellas and raincoats throughout the ancient town, and the engineering department was ready to check the electrical circuits and drainage...
She no longer needs to worry about any of these things.
Lu Xiaoqi simply lay back on the sofa, intending to take advantage of this rare quiet time to organize her system tasks.
Almost without warning, a system notification sounded in my mind:
[Congratulations, player! Your main quest: The scenic area 'Qinghe Ancient Town' you are associated with is currently at too low a level. Please work hard to manage it, receive three million tourists within one year, and spread the fame of Qinghe Ancient Town to a wider area. This quest has been completed.]
[You can claim the following rewards: Ancient Town upgraded to C level; 10 million cash; Treasure chest.]
The ancient town is currently at a C-level. The special NPCs hired in the ancient town, and the freedom of choice for R-card characters, will be increased.
Lu Xiaoqi breathed a long sigh of relief, a smile spreading across her face: "We've finally waited for this day!"
She'd been waiting for notification that the mission was complete. She figured it would be today if things went well, but a day or two later if things didn't. It seemed that even with the rain, there were still a lot of tourists today.
She chuckled and said to the system, "Completing it six months ahead of schedule makes me feel like an ordinary little genius."
This time, the system didn't criticize her; instead, it praised her, saying, "The player did indeed do an excellent job."
We took each step steadily and firmly.
Actually, if the scenic area hadn't limited the number of visitors, this goal would have been achieved long ago.
System: [However, players can help the SSR character fulfill their wish as soon as possible to obtain the reward.]
Lu Xiaoqi shrugged: "This isn't something I can decide on my own."
Zhao Guo's wish is to experience the farming activities of the four seasons, which is time-limited and will definitely take a year; Wang Wei's wish will also have to wait until the second phase is completed; Li Guinian's wish is easier to fulfill, as he is currently working hard to restore "The Dance of the Rainbow Skirts", and we hope he can succeed.
As for the two major problems, Zhang Zhongjing and Zhao Feiyan.
Let's not talk about Zhang Zhongjing; there's no way to know where to begin. Zhao Feiyan has already gone to Hengguo to film. She saw the costume fitting photos and thought they were pretty good, but that will take time.
"What can we do? We can only wait."
During this time, she also drew cards again, all of them R cards. A seamstress and a weaver came, as well as a doctor who was said to have bone-setting skills passed down in his family. Qinghe Textile Bureau and Guanmai Hall gained another boost.
Lu Xiaoqi is very satisfied with the current progress.
The system continues to remind you:
[Player, you have a new main quest to claim: Please upgrade the bound scenic spot 'Qinghe Ancient Town' to Grade B, manage it diligently, receive five million tourists within one year, and spread the fame of Qinghe Ancient Town to a wider world.]
Upon completion of the mission, players will receive 50 million in cash and a treasure chest.
This task... doesn't seem too difficult?
Why is the system suddenly this good?
Lu Xiaoqi expressed her doubts.
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