CH 28

Within the first couple of days, there was a scene with Gu Qingchi in it.

This was a habit of Wang Haisheng’s. Whenever there was a newcomer in the crew, he would schedule their scenes early in the filming process in order for them to start getting used to the job. 

The stuff they filmed during this stage usually couldn’t be used. It just served as good practice for the newcomer. Besides, they happened to have a movie emperor in their film crew this time. It would be a waste not to make use of him.

Once they reached the later stages, the newcomer would then be able to start filming for real. By then, the material would be of a much higher quality.

Directors generally liked to use experienced actors, preferably someone like Xie Luyu. They wouldn’t have to worry about anything. Plus, they might even be able to win an award or something.

Wang Haisheng was no exception. Recruiting newbies was essentially a big challenge to his patience. 

He had a bad temper. Taking on a newcomer was already challenging his limits. It was like torture for the both of them.

However, it was not an exaggeration to say that most newcomers seem to go through a complete change after acting under him.

Even the smallest of problems, such as being stiff in front of a camera or getting nervous, would all be cured after going through him.

Gu Qingchi wasn’t just a newbie. He wasn’t even professionally trained. However, Wang Haisheng attached a great deal of importance to Ke Mu’s character, so he made up his mind to polish up Gu Qingchi’s acting skills.

It didn’t matter if he was unnatural in front of the camera. They would just take a few more shots until he got used to it. It doesn’t matter if his acting was not good. They can run it through a few more times. Wang Haisheng was just going to pull apart every detail until Gu Qingchi understood.

It didn’t matter if he was nervous in front of his seniors. Wai Haishen would just stick Xie Luyu right in front of him. After being nervous for a while, the anxiety would eventually die down. He’ll never be nervous in front of anyone ever again.

He had full confidence that he would be able to create a Ke Mu that met his expectations.

That was why Gu Qingchi’s first scene was with Xie Luyu. 

There were several pieces of equipment placed next to them. They looked rather intimidating, but they weren’t actually turned on. Once they started filming, they were only going to turn one or two of them just for the sake of it.

Xiao Ke was worried that Gu Qingchi would be nervous, so she came over to cheer him up.

In order to distract Gu Qingchi, she chatted with him for a long time.

Interspersed in their conversation was stories about the things that various actors did while they were still newcomers. She was hinting at Gu Qingchi, “See? Everyone was once a rookie. Everyone has a dark history that they don’t want people to know about.” 

Gu Qingchi didn’t actually look that nervous. He sat there with the script spread out on his lap.

He was the same as usual, quiet, taciturn, but he didn’t ignore people. Xiao Ke would chatter on and on and on, and Gu Qingchi would hum in response.

Finally, Xiao Ke took a sip of water, took a cough drop, and gave Gu Qingchi one final boost.

“Gu ge, after you finish this scene, I’ll buy you some milk tea without letting Ye ge know.” 

Gu Qingchi looked up and said oh. After gaining an inch, he wanted a mile. He slowly spoke.

“I want a large cup, with coconut jelly.”

Xiao Ke, who had been hyping him up all this time, still wasn’t as convincing as a cup of milk tea. “…Oh.”

Once Xiao Ke stopped talking, Gu Qingchi started flipping through the script. He wasn’t in a hurry at all. He looked as if he was just reading a book to pass the time. 

Lf ibbxfv ilxf atfgf kjr reqqbrfv ab yf j oibkfg ujgvfc cfza ab tlw. Pc ogbca bo tlw, atfgf rtbeiv yf j kbbvfc ajyif jcv j qba bo yijmx afj.

Xiao Ke finally realized that the person she was trying to comfort didn’t seem to need any comforting?

Qtb xcfk ktfatfg Xe Hlcumtl kjr cfgnber bg cba. Slatfg kjs, Wlf Oese kjr vfolclafis cfgnber.

Lbkfnfg, fnfgsbcf jrrewfv atja tf kjrc’a cfgnber. 

Xie Luyu had always been domineering, even as a rookie. Not too long afterwards, he became the industry’s top dog. His previous arrogance and pride seemed to make a lot more sense.

Not to mention, becoming movie emperor at just twenty-seven years of age made him more than qualified to be that arrogant.

Xie Luyu lived up to his name.

Others might not know this, but everyone in his team was very clear. Although Xie Luyu was always on the trending list, he had never bought his way there. That was all real, organic social media traffic. 

However, he wasn’t an influencer or an idol. He was an actor whose focus was acting. This was enough to illustrate just how terrifying his popularity was.

Especially now that he was China’s youngest movie emperor.

Nervousness wasn’t something he was familiar with.

Xie Luyu had never been nervous for any of the international blockbusters that he acted in, and Xie Luyu had never been nervous for any of the billion dollar productions that he worked on 

However, right now, Xie Luyu was nervous about this random commercial film that he decided to pick up.

Xie Luyu has a separate dressing room and lounge. The makeup artist was currently applying makeup for him.

Xie Luyu kept his head still. He had his arms stretched out of his smock in order to read his script. He kept flipping through it over and over.

His assistant didn’t understand. 

“Xie ge, don’t you always memorize the script before filming even starts? Why do you keep flipping through the script?”

“Please correct your attitude. Thank you.”

Xie Luyu didn’t even take his eyes off the script.

“As an actor’s assistant, how can you complain about an actor reading his script? Alright, don’t say anything. I will deduct ¥2.50 from your bonus. Make sure this never happens again.” 

To be honest, it wasn’t surprising that others weren’t able to see Xie Luyu’s nervousness. His nervousness was just so different from other people’s nervousness. It never stopped him from shooting off at the mouth.

The assistant was used to this.

“No, Xie ge, what I wanted to say was that filming’s about to start.”

Xie Luyu’s hands shook, and the script fell to the ground with a clatter. 

The first scene entailed the early stage of Ke Chengqi’s life. At this point in time, he was still a young man of seventeen or eighteen.

How reckless Ke Chengqi was now would be how painful things would be later on.

At the time of this scene, Ke Chengqi was still a reckless boy. Not only was he reckless, but he was also naughty.

Ke Chengqi ended up being detained at home because he was too naughty. 

Ke Mu was ordered to guard Ke Chengqi.

Teenage Ke Mu’s martial arts were already outstanding. He was more than capable of watching over Ke Chengqi, who had never properly studied martial arts.

However, Ke Mu was always docile in front of Ke Chengqi. He would never refuse Ke Chengqi, but he couldn’t disobey the madam either.

So, Ke Chengqi conceded. For the first time, he took Ke Mu to the pleasure house to have fun. 

Ke Mu rarely even left the estate. Ke Chengqi’s friends had never seen Ke Mu. They were attracted by Ke Mu’s outstanding appearance, and they eagerly started talking to him one after another.

Ke Mu’s eyes were filled with ignorance and naivete. When he looked out at the sensual and unrestrained crowd, they even seemed to hold back a little bit, just for him.

Ke Chengqi was finally able to make a trip outside the estate, yet Ke Mu ended up grabbing the limelight. He was incredibly dissatisfied for a while.

When someone asked who Ke Mu was, he simply said that Ke Mu was his servant. He even claimed that Ke Mu was just like his name, simple and dumb. 

Although it wasn’t exactly wrong for him to say so, Ke Mu was raised by Ke Chengqi’s mother. He was considered somewhat of a young master within the estate.

If others were to speak a few more words with Ke Mu, they would soon notice Ke Mu’s abnormality. However, since Ke Chengqi was a member of the Ke family, they would hold themselves back for Ke Chengqi’s sake.

Ke Chengqi’s attitude made the others look down on Ku Mu.

In the end, one of those bastards had the audacity to go after Ke Mu while Ke Chengqi wasn’t paying attention. 

Ke Mu might’ve been mentally handicapped, but he had never been easy to mess with. He had only ever docile in front of Ke Chengqi.

He was an untamed beast. He didn’t take anything else into consideration, and he hadn’t been taught how to handle a situation like this. If someone were to provoke him, he would instinctively take a bite out of them.

So, when the second son of the imperial duke provoked him, Ke Mu grabbed his head and slammed it on the table.

Someone else immediately complained to Ke Chengqi. He deliberately distorted the facts and claimed that Ke Mu was attacking people for no reason. 

Ke Chengqi didn’t even finish listening to him. He simply threw his wine jar at that person. Then, he hurled another wine jar towards the second son of the imperial duke. This time, he directly smashed it onto his head.

After smashing his head, he took Ke Mu back home.

Once news of this incident reached their estate, his father was furious. Ke Chengqi hadn’t even reached his room before he was stuffed into the ancestral hall. He was whipped thirty times and then punished to kneel.

He hadn’t been kneeling for long when Ke Mu quietly walked in from outside. 

Ke Chengqi was used to being punished. At the time, he had done his best to protect Ke Mu, but, now, he started to feel awkward again.

Teenagers were full of contradictions. He was the one who had protected Ke Mu. Now, he was also the one who was annoyed by his parents’ favoritism. However, Ke Chengqi wasn’t annoyed for too long.

Ke Mu knelt down beside him. It was only then that Ke Chengqi realized that the back of Ke Mu’s clothing was soaked in blood.

From then on, Ke Chengqi’s father made a rule that Ke Mu would receive the same punishments as Ke Chengqi, no matter what. 

From then on, Ke Chengqi took on Ke Mu as his responsibility. He ended up carrying that responsibility for the rest of his life.

Today, they were filming the scene in the ancestral hall. This scene was full of emotions. It required a lot from the actors.

Wai Haisheng had done this on purpose. If they were going to act, they might as well start with the most difficult one. Afterwards, each scene would feel easier than the one before it.

The ancestral hall was connected to a long, long corridor. The ancestral hall and the corridor were both very dark. There was almost no sunlight at all. 

In front of the ancestral hall, there was a dense pile of black memorial tablets. The altar didn’t have an incense burner. Instead, there was a broken spear. The spear had oxidized blotches of blood littered along its body.

There was no praying mat before the altar. There was only the cold and hard floor.

Xie Luyu was nervous, but, as soon as he was on set, he was able to immediately get in character.

Xie Luyu was dressed in bright red clothes. After being tossed around for a bit, the clothes were already a little messy. His back had been whipped, so it was oozing blood. 

He was already past Ke Chengqi’s current age. Although a seventeen or eighteen year old looked like an adult, their every move would carry the air of a teenager.

Although the makeup artist had softened his sharp lines, Xie Luyu still looked like an adult full of charm.

However, as soon as the cameras were turned on and the clapperboard did its thing, he was suddenly transformed into a different person.

Now, he was kneeling on the floor, and his eyes were full of annoyance. The image of a fresh and lively young man had appeared. There wasn’t any sense of incompatibility. 

At this moment, he was Ke Chengqi.

Footsteps sounded through the corridor. Then, they stopped.

Ke Chengqi looked up.

Ke Mu stood at the entrance of the corridor. 

Right now, he was supposed to recite his lines, but Xie Luyu paused. It was very brief. Almost no one had noticed.

However, Xie Luyu knew that his expression had been off just now. He hadn’t controlled it well, so he gestured to stop this take.

“My bad, sorry. Let’s do it again.”

The crowd retreated and prepared to do another take. 

Xie Luyu pressed his hand on the floor and closed his eyes. Just now, Gu Qingchi had been standing at the entrance of the corridor, light and shadow intertwining across his body.

It was that same gaze. Gu Qingchi was still looking at him with that same gaze. There was nothing in his eyes.

Xie Luyu had been completely stunned for a moment.

It was as if he had returned to the changing room from that afternoon. Gu Qingchi had looked at him through a cloud of smoke. There was also that one time at the company. They had looked at each other from across the crowd. 

Xie Luyu’s eyes were full of Gu Qingchi, but Gu Qingchi’s eyes were like flying birds. They lightly swept across the sky, leaving nothing behind.