It soon became completely dark, and the dim light in the concierge came on. Cheng Yaoyao rubbed her arms. She was not wearing a thick coat, so she felt a little cold.
The security guard urged her several times: "If someone wants to see you, I will be the first to notify you. Hurry up and eat, all the food in the cafeteria has been snatched away!"
Only then did Cheng Yaoyao walk away, looking back every few steps.
The dishes in the cafeteria tonight are pretty good, with a big pot of stewed eggplant and meat, a big pot of stewed mixed fish, and unlimited rice.
Cheng Yaoyao filled some white rice and found an empty seat to sit down. As soon as she sat down, Liu Yue and the others stopped talking and laughing, and the silence was very abrupt.
Cheng Yaoyao looked at the dishes on the table. She came late today, and the dishes in the big bowl were almost all eaten, with only a few vegetables left at the bottom of the bowl, soaked in oil. Cheng Yaoyao didn't eat anything, so she poured some boiling water to soak the rice.
A lunch box of food was pushed in front of Cheng Yaoyao. Cheng Yaoyao raised her eyes, Meng Rui smiled at her and said softly: "Since you didn't come so late, I left some food for you."
Cheng Yaoyao was absent-minded, stirring the rice with a spoon: "Thank you, I'm not very hungry."
Meng Rui advised, "You have to eat more. We have several important scenes to shoot tomorrow. After dinner... shall we go to the rehearsal room to rehearse?"
There is a kissing scene and a boat scene tomorrow. Going to rehearse so late at night? Meng Rui's little thoughts disgusted Cheng Yaoyao. She stretched out a white finger and pushed the lunch box away: "No."
Meng Rui was not annoyed. He had hit a wall with Cheng Yaoyao several times, but he still lost the battle. After all, which male actor in the crew didn't have his eyes on Cheng Yaoyao? He was the leading actor, and he was close to her. The others envied him so much.
Cheng Yaoyao was still thinking about Xie Zhao, but the others saw the interaction between the two and were already jealous.
A girl squeezed her eyes with Liu Yue and suddenly asked Cheng Yaoyao: "Yaoyao, you don't eat vegetables?"
Cheng Yaoyao smiled and said, "I'm not too hungry."
Liu Yue turned around and jokingly said to the girl, "These are leftovers. How could anyone like them? The director specifically asked her to open the stove."
Several actors were about to pick up some food, but when they heard this, their chopsticks stopped in mid-air, unable to move forward or backward.
Cheng Yaoyao sneered: "Whether I turn on the stove or not is none of your business? I don't need to lose weight anyway."
Not every crew has such good food. Many actors are newcomers who had barely eaten rice before joining the crew. They gained a lot of weight in a month, which was especially obvious when they were on camera. Director Rong repeatedly asked the actors to control their weight, but some still couldn't control their appetite.
Cheng Yaoyao came up with an idea: contouring. At that time, the makeup technology in China was quite simple and backward, and contouring cream had not yet been invented. According to Cheng Yaoyao's description, Meng Jie used a dark foundation as contouring, and finally solved the problem of the whole crew having round faces.
Cheng Yaoyao herself didn't need it. She was in a bad mood recently and her face became thinner. Director Rong asked Lao Li to cook for her, but Cheng Yaoyao didn't like it.
Liu Yue is the opposite. She has a round face, which is very popular in the model opera Cheng Yaoyao's angular face. When she is fat, she looks more rustic, but she can't control her mouth. When she stands next to Cheng Yaoyao during filming, she is overwhelmed by him.
Cheng Yaoyao's words "I don't need to lose weight anyway" touched Liu Yue's heart. But Meng Rui said: "Yaoyao is too thin, she should eat more."
Liu Yue slapped her chopsticks and burst into tears. She didn't rush to Meng Rui, but to Cheng Yaoyao: "You mean I'm fat?!"
The whole table was shocked.
Cheng Yaoyao scooped up a spoonful of rice and put it into his mouth. He swallowed it slowly before answering, "You said that yourself."
Liu Yue's voice was shrill: "You just said I'm fat, right?! Cheng Yaoyao, what gives you the right to say that to me!"
Cheng Yaoyao raised his eyebrows, his peach blossom eyes revealing genuine confusion, "You don't know whether you are fat or not? Why do you keep asking me?"
"Cheng Yaoyao, you are such a bully!" Liu Yue rushed towards Cheng Yaoyao.
The others hurriedly grabbed Liu Yue and said, "Stop making a fuss! If Director Rong and the others hear you, you'll be criticized again!"
Liu Yue was so angry that she started to cry. She kept saying those few words incoherently: "Why do you say I'm fat? Cheng Yaoyao, you are so bullying. Just because you are the leading actress hired by the director, do you think you can bully others at will? Let's ask the director to judge!"
Cheng Yaoyao raised his eyelids and said, "Look for it if you want."
A girl who was close to Liu Yue said, "Everyone knows that the director is protecting you. What's the point of looking for the director?"
"We just have to bear with it and not bother with her."
Cheng Yaoyao was surprised and asked, "Why is the director protecting me? I haven't done anything that requires the director's protection, have I?"
"You..." Liu Yue said without thinking, "The crew doesn't allow romance, but you're still dating a country idiot. You...ah!"
The large aluminum basin flew straight towards Liu Yue, spilling the greasy soup all over her hair. The other girls were not spared either. Liu Yue felt the warm and greasy soup dripping down her hair, with an eggplant hanging from her nose: "You... Cheng Yaoyao!"
Cheng Yaoyao frowned and grabbed another basin: "Keep talking!"
Cheng Yaoyao was beautiful, naturally arrogant, and she didn't hang out with other young girls. Everyone had a preconceived notion that Cheng Yaoyao had a bad temper, but for the sake of Director Rong's face, they didn't dare to provoke her.
I didn't expect her to actually take action! Seeing Liu Yue crying so sadly, everyone looked at Cheng Yaoyao with dissatisfaction in their eyes.
Liu Yue cried heartbreakingly: "I want to find a director!"
Cheng Yaoyao pulled the corner of his lip sarcastically: "I haven't even bothered with you yet, but you bumped into me first. Let me ask you, someone came to see me this afternoon. What did you say?"
Liu Yue's crying stopped abruptly, and she tried to calm herself down: "What... I don't know what you said."
Cheng Yaoyao scanned the guilty expressions on Liu Yue and the others' faces one by one and said, "Aren't you going to sue the director? Why don't we go to the director and make things clear?"
Before he finished speaking, Director Rong appeared at the entrance of the cafeteria: "What's going on again?"
Director Rong had seen many fights between the female actors in the crew. The tense atmosphere between Cheng Yaoyao and Liu Yue certainly could not be hidden from the director's eyes. Looking at Liu Yue's vegetable soup, Director Rong's eyelids twitched.
Cheng Yaoyao curled his lips: "Director, it's..."
"Director, I... I was just joking with Yaoyao." Liu Yue forced a smile that was uglier than crying, with the oil on the tip of her nose dripping down bit by bit.
Director Rong coughed and said, "Even if you're just fooling around, you have to be sensible! There's a big show tomorrow morning, so go get some rest after eating!"
The crowd dispersed in a hurry.
Liu Yue was persuaded to leave crying. When they passed by Cheng Yaoyao, they couldn't help but quicken their pace, fearing that if they were a step slower, Cheng Yaoyao would scold them. Cheng Yaoyao smelled the greasy smell on them and wrinkled his nose. The hot water in the bathroom stopped supplying, and they didn't know how to wash away the smell.
Cheng Yaoyao felt relieved and walked briskly back to his dormitory. The dormitory was a small building built alone in the garden. It looked antique, but the interior was very simple. There was a bed, a table, and a washbasin stand.
Cheng Yaoyao took out the thermos, poured some boiling water into the basin, hesitated for a moment, and added some Lingquan. Xie Zhao had already come to Suzhou, so she didn't have to save it anymore! Cheng Yaoyao rolled into the quilt after washing up, looking forward to the arrival of the next day.
…
The side yard covered with fallen leaves was silent. The sunlight in the early winter morning was bright and thin, shining through the hollow window lattice into the west wing, reflecting the figures of a couple lying on the bed.
Cheng Yaoyao was trapped between the man's chest and the bed. She leaned back in the soft silk and looked at the man in the backlight. The man held one of her hands without question and lowered his head...
The camera couldn't capture their faces. Cheng Yaoyao had a blank expression on his face, just waiting for the shot to end. Meng Rui had been filming with Cheng Yaoyao for a month, but this was the first time he had seen Cheng Yaoyao's face up close, which was a visual shock. He looked at those soft, rosy lips, his throat went dry, and he couldn't help but get closer and closer.
Cheng Yaoyao couldn't help but frown as the breath of a strange man approached her. She immediately turned her face away after hearing a "cut!". Meng Rui's lips landed right on her hair.
Cheng Yaoyao pushed him away and glared at him.
Meng Rui was in a daze, shocked by what he had just done, and was embarrassed: "Yaoyao, I..."
No one else noticed anything unusual, and they all smiled and said, "Thank you for your hard work, this scene was filmed very well!"
Cheng Yaoyao put on his coat and said to the director, "Director, I'm going out for some fresh air."
Director Rong said, "Okay, your next scene will be in half an hour, be ready!"
Cheng Yaoyao agreed and ran to the yard to get some fresh air. There was wind here, which made her shiver and relieved a lot of the anger in her chest. When Meng Rui touched her just now, the sticky and greasy feeling made her feel uncomfortable all over.
Meng Rui chased after him: "Yaoyao, I'm sorry, I wasn't..."
"Nothing?" Cheng Yaoyao stared at him angrily.
Meng Rui was wearing a military cap and a neat uniform, looking quite intimidating: "I really didn't mean to be a hooligan just now, I just... Yaoyao you are too beautiful, I... I can't help myself."
Cheng Yaoyao was shocked. It was the first time she heard someone explain hooliganism in such a fresh and unconventional way.
Cheng Yaoyao looked up at Meng Rui. Her eyes were light in color, and her peach blossom eyes were misty and watery when she looked at people, always giving people the illusion that she was amorous.
This is what Xie Zhao saw. Cheng Yaoyao was wearing a moon-white satin cheongsam, looking at the man in front of her and saying something, as if she was acting coquettishly.
The soles of shoes stepped on the dead branches, making a crisp sound. Cheng Yaoyao and Meng Rui looked over in the direction of the sound.
A tall young man stood not far away, looking at him expressionlessly. Meng Rui instinctively sensed the other party's hostility and said unhappily, "This is a film crew, you can't just come in! Who are you?"
The young man said calmly: "Did I bother you?"
Meng Rui frowned, but heard Cheng Yaoyao beside him calling out, "Xie Zhao!"
In the past month on the set, Meng Rui has never seen Cheng Yaoyao look so happy. Her eyes sparkled, her cheeks flushed like a blooming rose, and the smile at the corner of her lips was filled with honey: "Xie Zhao!"
Cheng Yaoyao ran over in her high heels, but after a few steps she fell into Xie Zhaohuai's arms, and he held her firmly: "Slow down."
"You're finally here! Where did you go yesterday? Why did you come here suddenly?" Cheng Yaoyao looked up and asked repeatedly. Xie Zhao's embrace was warm, and his refreshing and pleasant scent continuously surrounded her. If she hadn't had a bit of rationality left, Cheng Yaoyao would have hung herself on him.
Xie Zhao held Cheng Yaoyao's hands and helped her stand steadily. He looked at her intently with his deep eyes, which made Cheng Yaoyao feel embarrassed: "What are you looking at?"
Cheng Yaoyao didn't hide her feelings at all, and her face was full of adorableness. Xie Zhao said lightly, "You've lost some weight."
"Of course!" Cheng Yaoyao proudly took two steps back and showed her cheongsam to Xie Zhao, "This cheongsam has a narrow waist. I'm the only one in the crew who can wear it!"
Cheng Yaoyao had a slim figure, and her waist was so thin that one could hold it in one hand. Xie Zhao's eyes darkened as he looked at the spoiled brat who didn't know how to live or die, and he said nothing.
Some people just love to ruin the atmosphere. Meng Rui looked Xie Zhao up and down, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming that he was not an actor. He said tartly, "Yaoyao, who is he?"
"It's none of your business, go in and film." Cheng Yaoyao didn't even bother to glance at him.
Cheng Yaoyao's attitude towards himself and Xie Zhao was completely different. Meng Rui was angry and deliberately said, "We are about to shoot a movie, shouldn't we rehearse the scene?"
"..." Cheng Yaoyao gritted his teeth.
Xie Zhao said: "You go ahead and do your work. I'll wait for you."
At this time, the stage manager called out, "Meng Rui, come in and get ready!"
Meng Rui walked to the door and suddenly turned to Xie Zhao and invited him, "We are filming a movie. Since you are Yaoyao's friend, why don't you come and take a look. Yaoyao and I will have a big scene later."
Meng Rui smiled provocatively at Xie Zhao with a hint of something, then went into the house to take pictures.
Only Cheng Yaoyao and Xie Zhao were left in the yard.
Xie Zhao looked at Cheng Yaoyao in silence. Cheng Yaoyao's eyes trembled, not daring to look at Xie Zhao, and he said with a grunt: "Today's scene is nothing interesting... Let's shoot... shoot the sex scene."
Xie Zhao repeated: "Bed scene?"
Cheng Yaoyao gritted his teeth and explained: "It's just that kind of intimate scene...it's not real!"
Xie Zhao's breath suddenly became stronger. Seeing the veins on the back of his hand bulging, Cheng Yaoyao hurriedly said, "It was shot with a borrowed angle! It was just a borrowed angle. He didn't really touch me!"
Xie Zhao didn't know how to film a play, but he knew that Cheng Yaoyao was trying to be tricky: "I want to see how you film a play."
"No...no need for that." Cheng Yaoyao looked bitter.
Xie Zhao glanced at her, and Cheng Yaoyao frightened. She took his hand and walked towards the west wing, muttering to herself to comfort herself: "You will see it sooner or later anyway... Since you are here, say hello to Director Rong and the others."
The corners of Xie Zhao's lips twitched imperceptibly.
As they walked to the door, they bumped into the assistant director who rushed out. Xie Zhao held Cheng Yaoyao in his arms, but the assistant director was not so lucky and fell back on the doorstep: "Ouch!"
Cheng Yaoyao said: "Assistant Director, are you okay?"
The assistant director held his glasses that had fallen on his nose and said unhappily, "How can you be so reckless, you..."
The assistant director's eyes fell on Xie Zhao, and suddenly a sharp light flashed out. He looked him up and down: "Who is this?"
Cheng Yaoyao pinched her waist and said proudly, "My boyfriend, Xie Zhao, came to see me!"
"Your subject has a nice body. Has she trained before?" The assistant director's eyes lit up behind the lens. He jumped up and reached out to pinch Xie Zhao's arm.
Xie Zhao raised his hand to block him, and Cheng Yaoyao's alarm bells also rang: "What are you doing!"
Seeing the assistant director staring at Xie Zhao with fiery eyes, Cheng Yaoyao hurriedly stood in front of Xie Zhao and glared at the assistant director. This old man usually doesn't have this habit!
"You, you are Yaoyao's target. Your name is Xie Zhao, right?" The assistant director did not notice Cheng Yaoyao's vigilance. He suppressed his excitement and said to Xie Zhao, "You came at the right time! Help me!"
The west wing was filled with props and staff, making a lot of noise. The director was furious: "How can we shoot this figure! A soldier looks like a chicken, how can we shoot this!"
Meng Rui was seen shirtless, blushing from the scolding. He was a tall, thin man, and to be fair, his figure was much more professional than the young men with belly in later generations. But Director Rong had strict requirements, and the male lead was an officer who came from the military and fought in the rain of bullets, so this figure was indeed not up to standard.
Director Rong slammed the table and said, "This scene is all close-ups! How can we shoot it?"
The script supervisor said carefully: "Paint the black spots, are you shooting the distant view?"
"You can't tell the distant view?" Director Rong said angrily, "The leading actor takes the distant view, then who takes the close-up? Let Yaoyao take it?!"
The assistant director laughed and said, "We found a substitute! We found one!"
Behind the assistant director, Cheng Yaoyao walked in with a tall and stern young man. Everyone's eyes lit up.
The director was also stunned: "Xie Zhao?"
Xie Zhao greeted Director Rong, and Director Rong's face changed. He came up to him enthusiastically: "Xie Zhao! You came at the right time!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
