Li Qianxing arrived at the bar set, where preparations were nearly complete and final checks were underway.
Jiang Lin had come early and was blocking his movements with the assistant director inside the bar while He Zhanpeng monitored the effect from behind the screens. Li Qianxing greeted He Zhanpeng and joined him in watching.
Although many lights illuminated the set, the final effect created was that of “a bar interior with only the counter lit.”
Jiang Lin sat down at the bar counter, and a stand-in with a build similar to Li Qianxing’s stood behind it. Two cameras were positioned to capture them. The lighting technician switched between two light setups as He Zhanpeng alternated between the two monitors, discussing details with the cameraman.
Li Qianxing swiftly walked over, gesturing for the stand-in to leave, and took his place.
Each person’s facial contours and features differ, so while stand-ins suffice for medium and long shots, it’s better for the actor to stand in person for close-ups and extreme close-ups to allow the lighting technician to make fine adjustments.
Jiang Lin leaned sideways against the bar, tilting his head slightly to look at Li Qianxing, and smiled, “Teacher Li, this look of yours is quite a departure from the roles you’ve played before. When the film is released, your fans will probably be pleasantly surprised.”
Li Qianxing stood still, lowering his head slightly to return the gaze.
His current hairstyle featured slightly longer bangs, permed into gentle waves, and dyed a pale purple. His eye makeup had a smoky effect, and his lips were a deep red. He wore a black silk shirt with the top two buttons undone, accentuating his pale skin and highlighting his collarbones, which cast distinct shadows under the lights. He exuded a kind of nocturnal allure.
Jiang Lin’s appearance was the complete opposite – just an ordinary office worker with wind-tousled hair, bearing the weariness of a long workday, out for a quick drink.
However, later in the film, after Jiang Lin’s character sheds his constraints, he too would sport a flamboyant look. Similarly, Li Qianxing’s character would later adopt an everyday style to match his white-collar lover.
So Jiang Lin had expected Li Qianxing to chat with him briefly about their appearances.
Unexpectedly, Li Qianxing said, “I haven’t had a proper chance to say this before – thank you.”
Jiang Lin was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, chuckling, “It was nothing, really. No need for such formality. Besides, Mr. Qi has already given me a generous thank-you gift.”
Li Qianxing maintained his usual expressionless demeanor, but his eyes were earnest. “Even if my brother gave you a gift, I still can’t skip saying thank you myself.”
Jiang Lin blinked, the warmth in his eyes deepening as he nodded.
At that moment, all departments signaled their readiness, and He Zhanpeng called the two over.
None of them held scripts; the scene they were about to film was already etched in their minds.
He Zhanpeng looked back and forth between his carefully chosen lead actors and smiled, “Just approach it with the mindset we discussed during the table read. This scene shouldn’t be difficult for you two. I don’t have much to add. Let’s shoot it once and see how it goes.”
For the first scene on opening day, to ensure a good start, they usually arrange a relatively simple scene, aiming to nail it in one take.
Li Qianxing and Jiang Lin exchanged a glance before turning to take their positions.
Suddenly remembering something, He Zhanpeng called out, “Oh, Xiao Li. About that ice pick – the prop team prepared a real one. Be careful not to hurt your hand. We’ll use a hand double for the ice-chipping close-ups later.”
Li Qianxing turned back, “No need for a double. I know how to chip ice balls. You can film me directly.”
He Zhanpeng was taken aback. “You do?”
Li Qianxing glanced at the camera positions and suggested, “Why don’t we film the ice-chipping close-up first? It’ll help me get into character.”
With the actor making such a request, He Zhanpeng naturally agreed.
No matter how good a hand double might be, nothing beats filming the actor himself. After all, they’re not the same hands, and attentive viewers can spot the difference.
Li Qianxing took his position behind the bar, accepting an ice block from the prop team and picking up the ice pick with his right hand.
The cameraman shouldered his equipment as the lighting technician adjusted a new light to focus on Li Qianxing’s hands.
Li Qianxing turned the ice block in his hand, then set it down, calling for the prop team to bring over the ice bucket. He plunged his left hand directly into the crushed ice.
The surrounding crew members immediately began whispering among themselves.
He Zhanpeng, understanding the situation, picked up his megaphone. “Lighting, turn off the lights first. Don’t let that ice ball melt. Props, how many ice balls do we have ready?”
Props: “We have five semi-finished ones now.”
He Zhanpeng said no more and lowered the megaphone. Jiang Lin pulled up a chair, sitting beside him to watch the monitors.
After freezing his hand for a good while, Li Qianxing withdrew it to pick up the ice block again. He flexed his fingers, then signaled he was ready to begin.
He Zhanpeng: “Lights on, camera rolling.”
In the frame, a beautiful hand loosely held an ice ball. Long fingers appeared particularly pale under the cold light, with only the fingertips gripping the ice ball showing a faint flush from the cold. The ice ball rotated rhythmically in that hand as the sharp ice pick fell repeatedly with precision, quickly shaving away ice chips to shape the ball into an increasingly perfect sphere.
The surroundings were completely silent, with only the boom mic capturing the sound of ice being chipped.
He Zhanpeng nodded approvingly, unable to resist praising quietly, “His technique is quite professional. I had no idea Xiao Li had learned this too.”
Recalling their encounters at the bar those few days, Jiang Lin also said softly, “He might even know how to mix drinks.”
He Zhanpeng’s smile deepened. “That would make filming so much easier.”
After capturing enough footage, He Zhanpeng called cut and gave Jiang Lin a pat on the back. “Your turn. Don’t let him outshine you.”
Jiang Lin smiled, rising to take his position.
◆
In the afternoon, inside the not-yet-open bar, only a single light illuminated the counter.
The bar owner stood casually behind the counter, head slightly lowered, leisurely wielding the ice pick as he skillfully chipped away at an ice ball.
Suddenly, a clear tinkling sound rang out as the front door was pushed open.
The owner raised his head to see a tall silhouette, seemingly carrying a briefcase, standing in the doorway. Backlit, the figure’s face was indiscernible.
“Sorry, customer,” the owner’s voice carried a hint of laziness. “We’re not open yet. Come back later.”
After speaking, he paid no attention to the other’s reaction, lowering his head again to continue chipping away at his ice ball, as if it were an endlessly fascinating game.
The sound of the front door closing echoed.
However, the customer didn’t leave. Instead, he slowly approached the bar.
In the quiet bar, each footstep was clearly audible.
Yet the owner seemed oblivious, his gaze fixed solely on the ice ball in his hands.
The customer entered the bar’s circle of light, smoothly taking a seat on a high stool. He leaned sideways against the counter, his gaze settling on the owner’s face.
The owner chipped away a few more times before finally succumbing to that stare, halting his movements.
Before he could look up, the customer spoke, softly calling out a name: “Ji Ming’an.”
Instantly, the owner’s entire body tensed.
After a moment, he slowly raised his head to look at the customer.
Their eyes met.
The customer’s gaze, a mix of sorrow and joy, pierced the owner’s eyes like an arrow.
The owner’s eyes first showed bewilderment and confusion, then a flash of joy, quickly followed by shock.
The ice ball rolled from his hand onto the counter with a soft thud.
He opened his mouth, and when his voice finally came, it was slightly hoarse.
“Cheng Yue…”
◆
He Zhanpeng called cut and carefully reviewed the playback.
The previous scene had actually paused once to adjust the lighting, but to maintain the actors’ emotional flow, he hadn’t reviewed it and had them continue straight through.
After watching it all, he happily picked up his megaphone. “That’s a wrap! Let’s get one more take of the medium shot! Makeup, check if they need touch-ups!”
With the first scene going smoothly, applause erupted from the surrounding crew.
From there, the production began to operate like a well-oiled machine, running efficiently and quickly.
When the first day’s shooting concluded successfully, Li Qianxing returned to his trailer to change back into his own clothes.
As Xiao Zhu carefully removed his makeup, she said, “That little incident at the opening ceremony was caught on camera and posted on Weibo. Now your fans and Jiang Lin’s fans are already shipping you two, and they’ve even started a CP super topic. Should the studio make a statement about it?”
Li Qianxing replied indifferently, “Handle it as you see fit. Has the upcoming shooting schedule been finalized?”
Xiao Zhu: “Not yet. The assistant director said it might not be ready until tomorrow morning.”
Li Qianxing sighed slightly, “Alright. If it’s still not out by noon tomorrow, I’ll go talk to Director He myself.”
*
Jiang Lin had just returned to his trailer when he received a call from his agent.
Yan Yi: “How was it? Did the first day of shooting go smoothly?”
Jiang Lin, wearing earphones and removing his makeup, replied, “They don’t schedule anything too complex for the first couple of days. It’s just me and Li Qianxing shooting. It’d be hard for things not to go smoothly.”
Yan Yi chuckled, “After your heroic rescue before the shoot started, is he letting you steal scenes now?”
Jiang Lin laughed along, “With Li Qianxing’s level of professionalism? Do you think that’s possible? For him, it’s all about the best performance, not about letting anyone steal scenes.”
Yan Yi: “Alright, enough joking. After your heroic rescue, you two now have a CP super topic. What do you think? Should we let this CP continue?”
Jiang Lin found this surprising. “You’re asking me? Doesn’t this depend on Xingyi’s stance?”
Yan Yi: “I’ve been in touch with Mr. Qi. His idea is to let things develop naturally, neither suppressing nor hyping it. After all, your fans aren’t organized, so it’s not a big deal. However, if we want to issue a statement to clarify things, they’ll cooperate.”
Jiang Lin: “So what do you think?”
Yan Yi: “Well, I think when you’re filming a romance, it’s inevitable that people will ship the actors for a while. If we break up the CP now, won’t it affect the film’s release later…”
Jiang Lin chuckled, “Sister Yan, you don’t need to beat around the bush. While I dislike malicious CP hype, this isn’t the same thing. Let’s just follow Xingyi’s approach and leave it be.”
Yan Yi: “Alright, that’s settled then. Get some rest after shooting and keep up the good work in the coming days.”
After hanging up, Jiang Lin asked Xiao Ding, “Is the upcoming shooting schedule out yet?”
Xiao Ding shook his head. “It’s unusually late this time. They said it’ll be ready tomorrow.”
Jiang Lin thought for a moment, then suddenly smiled, “It looks like it won’t just be tomorrow, but after tomorrow’s shooting is done.”
Jiang Lin’s prediction turned out to be accurate.
The scenes scheduled for the second day weren’t too demanding. Jiang Lin and Li Qianxing performed well, finishing the morning scenes ahead of schedule, so He Zhanpeng moved up the afternoon scenes.
During lunch, Jiang Lin saw Li Qianxing chasing after He Zhanpeng for the shooting schedule, but He Zhanpeng kept making excuses. Jiang Lin found it quite amusing.
As soon as they finished shooting in the afternoon, He Zhanpeng proactively called both of them over, smiling as he said, “Tomorrow’s schedule is ready. It’ll be posted in the group chat later. I’m looking forward to your performances.”
With that, he patted both their shoulders and quickly walked away.
Jiang Lin and Li Qianxing exchanged a few polite words before heading back to their respective trailers to change and remove their makeup.
Soon after, the assistant director indeed posted the schedule for the next two days in the crew’s group chat.
Jiang Lin was wiping his face when Xiao Ding, who saw it first, couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Tomorrow is the kissing scene and bed scene! And it’s the most intense one!”
Jiang Lin paused for a moment, then smiled, “I knew it.”
Xiao Ding looked at him expectantly: “Can I watch on set tomorrow?”
“You…” Jiang Lin turned to look at him, giving him a light tap on the head. “Prepare to be cleared from the set.”
Xiao Ding let out a long, disappointed sigh.
Shooting wrapped up early that day. Jiang Lin had showered early and was preparing to watch some films to get in the mood for the passionate scenes.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
He tightened his open bathrobe and went to answer the door.
Li Qianxing was outside.
Jiang Lin opened the door wider. “Teacher Li, come in and have a seat?”
Li Qianxing entered but didn’t sit down. Instead, he looked directly at Jiang Lin.
“I’d like to rehearse the scene with you first.”
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