Chapter 22

Shortly after Zhu Xinyue returned from Country Y, “Peach Blossom Spring” officially started filming.

The day before filming the first scene, Zhu Xinyue tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

She posted a moment on her WeChat.

[Tomorrow is my first filming! I’m so nervous that I can’t sleep…]

Just like when she was in college, the night before graduation thesis defense, her dorm mates couldn’t sleep well either.

Before sending it out, Zhu Xinyue set the visibility to only Jin Linyu.

She didn’t know if he would see it, and it wasn’t appropriate to privately chat with him. Big bosses like him were usually very busy, right?

Zhu Xinyue waited with her eyes open for a while. Half an hour passed, but there was no response.

Forget it, time to sleep.

As a minor supporting role, Zhu Xinyue had few scenes and lines. Most of the time, she served as a background prop.Basically, wherever the Second Elder is, she, the personal bodyguard, has to be there.

The second elder, played by Liang Yuyu, is a hidden but frail master who spends most of his time lying or sitting.

Zhu Xinyue’s first scene was a night scene. The plot involved an outsider (the male lead) intruding on the island and bringing news from the outside world, hoping that the reclusive immortals could help. The Grand Elder invited everyone to the meeting hall for discussion, but the Second Elder pretended to be unwell to avoid attending. The newcomer, a disciple of the Grand Elder, tried to forcefully take the Second Elder to the meeting, but was stopped by Zhu Xinyue, the personal guard.

It’s inevitable to be nervous when filming for the first time.

Zhu Xinyue stood by Liang Yuyu with an umbrella.

The makeup artist was still applying powder to Liang Yuyu, making his already pale face even paler.

“You’re shaking more than the candle next to you,” Liang Yuyu remarked. It was the first time that Liang Yuyu saw a newcomer like this. They usually got along well, and he even gave her acting lessons.

Even Director Wen, who was doing the test shoot, noticed that Zhu Xinyue was shaking violently and smiled behind the monitor. But after all, she was an artist of Jinhuan, and someone “accidentally” mentioned she was the daughter of Zhu Chang Group’s president. Director Wen didn’t have high expectations of her, so he comforted Zhu Xinyue: “If one take is not good enough, just shoot a few more. It’s okay.”

As for newcomers, he has always been very tolerant of them.

Director Wen was known for being a good-natured director, but his only flaw was that he liked to torture actors during filming. It was routine to shoot a scene ten or twenty times. If he wasn’t satisfied, they would continue the next day.

Zhu Xinyue’s palms were sweating.

She was the kind of student who detested group presentations in school the most.

“I’m fine, just a little nervous,” she said.

While the director was explaining the role to the male supporting actor who played the eldest disciple, Liang Yuyu also gave Zhu Xinyue some special lessons.

“After filming starts, you won’t be Zhu Xinyue anymore. You’re Qingyu, a native orphan of Taoyuan, raised by the Second Elder for over a decade. He taught you reading, writing, martial arts, and cultivation.”

“To repay his kindness, you stayed by his side as his personal guard, taking care of his daily life. How would you react to anyone disrespecting the Second Elder?” 

Liang Yuyu patiently instructed, his expressive peach blossom eyes slightly narrowed, as if the Second Elder himself was teaching his young attendant.

Zhu Xinyue’s expression sharpened, her gaze piercing, “I’d kill them.”

Liang Yuyu smiled again, his flowing robe fluttering in the wind. He was naturally slender, and the clothes emphasized his frail appearance, as if he might cough up blood if he laughed too hard.

“A good student indeed,” Liang Yuyu praised her, teaching her techniques to bring her character to life. “When acting, it’s important to understand the character’s logic. The character’s breathing, movements, and pronunciation of lines should all reflect their experiences and age.”

Zhu Xinyue listened attentively, having already prepared a brief biography for her character and practiced privately, though she wasn’t sure how effective it would be.

The filming officially began.

The camera followed the footsteps of the eldest disciple as he approached the Second Elder. When he mentioned “inviting the Second Elder to the meeting hall,” the camera panned over his shoulder to capture the Second Elder sitting askew on the couch.

The Second Elder folded his hands into his wide sleeves and coughed, “Qingyu, check if my medicine is ready.”

The umbrella-bearing girl standing beside him, dressed in armor, closed her eyes as if nodding off. She hadn’t heard what the disciple had just said. The Second Elder coughed, and she immediately snapped to attention.

“Yes, Second Elder.”

Like a worker caught slacking off by the boss.

Director Wen nodded approvingly. This girl really put her heart into it.

Qingyu went to check the medicine for the Second Elder, while the eldest disciple continued the conversation with the Second Elder, revealing the reason why the Second Elder didn’t want to attend the meeting: “Every meeting ends in bloodshed. I don’t want to be an executioner again.”

She was just a background in the shot, but viewers could see her childish gesture of pinching her earlobe because she had been scalded by the hot lid, then she fanned her nose after lifting the cover, as if she could smell the unpleasant medicine.

When the eldest disciple and the Second Elder’s conversation broke down and the eldest disciple was about to act, Qingyu, who had just been particularly childish, immediately stepped forward and fought with the eldest disciple.

She initially used the umbrella, intending to drive away the opponent, but the eldest disciple was unexpectedly angry and used a killer move against her.

At this moment, the Second Elder’s fingertips touched a drop of medicinal soup and shot towards the eldest disciple! The eldest disciple’s knees softened, and he dropped all his killing moves and knelt on one knee towards Qingyu.

Qingyu’s hand rested on the umbrella handle, and the sword inside the umbrella flashed with a white light, but she obediently put it back, as if nothing had happened, and returned to the Second Elder’s side with the umbrella.

The eldest disciple glared at Qingyu angrily.

“What are you glaring at her for?” The Second Elder laughed lightly and said to Qingyu, “That silly child thought I was saving you.”

Qingyu tugged at the corner of her mouth, showing a disdainful smile, as if saying, “Him?”

The eldest disciple left angrily.

The camera followed him as he left, passing over the two inside the room: the Second Elder handed the medicine bowl to Qingyu, seeming to want her to make another bowl for him. Qingyu yawned and took the bowl with one hand, looking like nothing had happened, and walked towards the medicine making area.

“Cut!” Director Wen didn’t expect that Zhu Xinyue’s first filming would go so smoothly, especially the fighting scenes, which were so smooth!

Zhu Xinyue finished her scenes and, according to the director’s request, shot a few more shots. She was not in a hurry to leave but moved a small stool to study nearby.

She was able to perform smoothly this time, mostly because her opponent was a very good actor who was able to bring her into the role.

Liang Yuyu sat there, he was the second elder who seemed out of tune but was actually unpredictable. However, since he could cultivate Qingyu with such high martial arts value, his martial arts value could only be high, not low.

And then there’s that eldest disciple, who portrayed the character of someone cunning and vengeful, unwilling to accept defeat easily, and would take revenge sooner or later. It’s no wonder that he played a role in Qingyu’s death in the end.

Zhu Xinyue had just sat down when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

It was Ji Qingyuan’s assistant, pointing towards the trailer, “Boss Ji sent someone to bring a midnight snack over. Qingyuan asked me to come and ask you to have a midnight snack.”

Zhu Xinyue stood up and asked, “Is President Ji here too?”

The assistant shook his head, assuming Zhu Xinyue was concerned about being alone with Ji Qingyuan, and said, “Teacher Jiang Rui and Teacher Liang are there.”

Zhu Xinyue entered the trailer, where the three of them were already seated, discussing the script and having their meal.

Jiang Rui and Ji Qingyuan also have a night scene tonight, but it will be a little later, so they will still have time to go to the set after having a midnight snack.

“Xinyue, sit here.” Jiang Rui was originally sitting opposite Liang Yuyu and Ji Qingyuan. When she saw her coming, she stood up and let Zhu Xinyue sit in. In this way, Ji Qingyuan was sitting opposite Zhu Xinyue.

Zhu Xinyue looked across at Liang Yuyu, who was busy picking out golden thread taro pastries from his lunchbox.

Unlike the other two actors, the vegetables in their bowls had to be rinsed with water to remove the oil before eating.

After Liang Yuyu finished, Ji Qingyuan quietly moved most of the sweet dishes on the table in front of Zhu Xinyue, remembering that she liked sweet foods.

“How did it feel filming for the first time?” Ji Qingyuan turned the conversation towards Zhu Xinyue, using his chopsticks to pick up a crystal shrimp dumpling and placing it in Zhu Xinyue’s empty bowl.

“I was nervous, but it was quite enjoyable,” Zhu Xinyue looked towards Liang Yuyu sincerely and thanked him, “Thanks to Teacher Liang for helping me get into character.”

Liang Yuyu smiled and shrugged it off.

Jiang Rui added, “Teacher Liang’s acting has always been my goal to aspire to.”

Her tone was natural, but her words were direct and bold, sounding like a confession yet also a compliment.

Liang Yuyu had heard many younger actors say similar things, but the entertainment industry was full of double-dealers. They might praise someone in public but target them behind their back.

Liang Yuyu’s smile faded a bit.

Ji Qingyuan chimed in, “I also have much to learn from Teacher Liang.”

When he smiled, his eyes were bright and cheerful, lifting the mood.

Liang Yuyu’s smile faded even more.

Someone with acting skills and talent comparable to his, with far more popularity and fans, and an inscrutable family background, could be considered a prodigy. Saying he wanted to learn from Liang Yuyu sounded oddly grating, but he knew Ji Qingyuan meant no harm, so he just smiled and let it go.

“The dim sum in this restaurant is quite delicious.” Zhu Xinyue said she was here for a midnight snack, so she focused on eating it. During the meal, she did not forget to recommend the thousand-layer cake in front of her to Liang Yuyu, “Teacher Liang, eat more too.”

The other two continued discussing their lines and preparing for the next scene, leaving only Zhu Xinyue and Liang Yuyu eating at the table.

Liang Yuyu put down his chopsticks, took a sip of barley tea, and said, “If you are fat, you will not look good on camera.”

“You’re too thin,” Zhu Xinyue thought of Liang Yuyu’s fate in the novel every time she saw him. After spending time with him on set, she found him to be a good senior, making it hard not to sympathize with his later struggles when he was bullied online and fell into depression.

Liang Yuyu noticed Zhu Xinyue’s sympathetic look and thought she was concerned about his health. He smiled, “It’s alright. Although I’m thin, I’m quite healthy.”

Ji Qingyuan added, “Teacher Liang and I go to the gym for exercise every day.”

Jiang Rui brightened, “Can I join?”

Ji Qingyuan gestured “OK,” saying, “Okay, let’s create a group.”

They created the group chat, and Zhu Xinyue couldn’t imagine getting up at five in the morning to exercise. When she had no work, she just wanted to sleep, but they had pulled her into it anyway.

【Taoyuan Squad (4)】

Got it.

The first thing Zhu Xinyue did was mute the group chat.

As she put away her phone, she casually saw Jiang Rui open Liang Yuyu’s avatar—he wasn’t added as a friend.

Out of curiosity, Zhu Xinyue finished midnight snack and went back, clicked into the group chat to see Liang Yuyu’s homepage, and found it was another account, likely a private one. Before, she had added a work account, so it wasn’t surprising that there was no activity in his circle of friends.

Liang Yuyu had a clear boundary between “friends” and “colleagues.”

Back at the hotel, after freshening up, Zhu Xinyue lay down on the bed, lifting her hand to look at the marks on her fingers.

This was from the previous scratch by the prop umbrella, but she hadn’t noticed herself. She only found it when she was showering earlier and had other places with bruises, probably bumped into her opponent during the fight.

The pain comes late.

Zhu Xinyue’s phone vibrated.

She rolled over to the bedside and reached for her phone, seeing the note “Big Boss” and smiled at the corner of her mouth.

[Big Boss: Have you had supper yet?]

[Zhu Xinyue: Mm! Has Brother Linyu finished his work?]

[Big Boss: In ten minutes, there’s another meeting.]

[Big Boss: Are the snacks too sweet?]

Zhu Xinyue remembered the supper just now, half of which was sweet. Could this be understood as him testing her taste?

[Zhu Xinyue: The taste was just right, I really liked it!]

[Big Boss: That’s good. Did the filming go smoothly today? ]

Zhu Xinyue’s lips almost couldn’t contain her smile.

So he did see her WeChat Moments, the one visible only to him.

[Xin Yue: It went well! The director even praised me, but I wonder how it will look on the big screen.]

After a while, he replied.

[Big Boss: Wait until the movie is released.]

It seemed like he hadn’t finished typing when he sent the message, so he withdrew it right after sending it, but Zhu Xinyue had been staring at their chat window and didn’t miss his message.

Did he want to say, “You’ll know when the movie comes out,” to tell her not to be impatient and just focus on filming?

Zhu Xinyue didn’t wait for his message and sent a “rabbit question mark” emoticon.

[Big Boss: It might be too early to talk about this now.]

Zhu Xinyue’s heart sank. Humph, was he saying that she was worrying too much?

Then another message came from him, making her heart race again.

[Big Boss: When the movie is released, should we watch it together?]

**

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