Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 265 Double Happiness

Liu Jing was taken aback. After things went smoothly last night, Shu Chang's favorability rating only increased by a little.

He tried for half an hour, but the favorability rating remained at 89 points.

During their subsequent tender moments, I said a lot of sweet words, but it was all in vain.

I just bought some food in the morning, and I've already gained a little bit of goodwill.

If this were Sisi, even if you bought me food every day, let alone one meal, it wouldn't increase by a single bit.

For Sisi, it's her duty to buy me meals; it's wrong of her not to. It's a matter of course.

Every woman is unique, and the methods for winning her over are different for each woman.

Before 80 o'clock, the strategy is roughly the same, and you can rely on routines to increase favorability.

After 80 o'clock, the usual routines won't work; you have to be more strategic and methodical.

As for the period after 90 or 10, results can only be achieved through dedication, and miracles can also happen through hard work. It is necessary to tailor a strategy to each individual.

[Bond: Soothing Song]

[Level: Level 1]

[Fame Value: 76]

【Favourability: 90】

[Entertainment Atmosphere: 29347/90000]

[Synergy Skill: Generating...]

"Oh dear, baby, you can't move around easily, so don't get out of bed." Liu Jing quickly put the things on the table, then returned and picked up Shu Chang in a princess carry.

With deep affection and tender care, he gently placed Shuchang on the bed and pulled the blanket over her.

Shu Chang shuddered, "Holy crap..."

"Darling, I'm just worried about you." Liu Jing gently rubbed Shu Chang's head, his voice soft.

"Oh my god, you're disgusting! Are you up to something again?" Shu Chang asked, her voice filled with suspicion and disbelief.

"I've already taken advantage of you, what bad ideas could I possibly have for you?" Liu Jing said irritably, unable to keep up the act any longer.

"That's hard to say. Look at those short videos, they're so perverted. I have to leave for the airport soon, it's a long way, so don't do anything reckless." Shu Chang looked wary.

"Then why don't you come down and eat?" Liu Jing was completely exasperated. What kind of thought process was that?

"Phew, that's more like it." Shu Chang patted her chest, relieved. She was so scared; she thought you were trying to find another way.

"Tofu pudding, fork, egg puffs, what do you want to eat? Don't get up, I'll feed you." Liu Jing glanced at the ointment on the bedside table, and his heart softened.

"I'll eat whatever you feed me, I'm so easy to take care of," Shu Chang said with a grin.

One gently fed the other, and the other ate obediently; the atmosphere was quite warm.

"Wood, will Sisi be able to win a Grammy this time?" Shu Chang asked curiously.

"With her level of skill, getting a nomination is already quite an achievement." Liu Jing wasn't optimistic at all; even if she hired someone to lobby, the result would still be slim.

"I'm going to tell her that you look down on her singing." Shu Chang was unconvinced. In her opinion, her sisters' singing was the best in the world.

"Eat your food..." Liu Jing said irritably, and before he knew it, the tofu pudding spilled onto Shu Chang's neck.

Shu Chang let out a scream, and Liu Jing quickly handed her a tissue.

She wiped it clean and snatched the tofu pudding away, saying, "You'd better stop feeding it, or it'll get up your nose."

Liu Jing was speechless. Whenever he offended Qianqian, she would complain to Sister Li. Now, there was another one to complain to Qianqian.

As Shu Chang ate, she thought of Fan and said, "Hey, that guy surnamed Fan, did he say that to you on purpose?"

“She’s not stupid.” Liu Jing lay on the bed, resting his head on his arm.

Mr. Wu's acquisition of Mei Ya was kept secret from the public.

Fan Xiaopang didn't find out from Liu Jing; rather, it was Boss Wu who deliberately leaked it to others to show off Orange Sky's formidable strength.

Xiao Fan is very shrewd. Boss Wu was negotiating with Liu Jing in Dandong when he suddenly called her and asked her to accompany a boss.

She immediately guessed that this boss was probably Liu Jing.

Regardless of whether it's true or not, even if it's only 10%, she still wants to make her stance clear.

Because she recently discovered that Mr. Wu was taking advantage of her and was completely oblivious to her perfunctory attitude.

"Hey! What a scheming bitch." Shu Chang only realized this after the fact.

"If you don't have a bit of cunning, you'll have been sold out long ago." Liu Jing doesn't think having cunning is a bad thing; people without cunning are the ones you really can't be close to.

“That’s true, she’s had a tough time too.” Shu Chang agreed, noting that she had known Xiao Fan longer than Liu Jing had.

"Let's not talk about her anymore. How many roles has she taken on lately?"

"I haven't been able to answer calls lately, I'm busy with graduation, it's so annoying..."

Will I be able to graduate smoothly?

"What a joke, I'm a top student."

Have you rehearsed the performance yet?

"A situational drama, with Zhang Li, Wang Kai, and me..."

……

As they were chatting, Shu Chang's assistant knocked on the door; it was time to leave.

She had already packed her luggage, and Liu Jing helped carry the two large suitcases to the car.

Silly girl isn't stupid; she knows how to avoid suspicion, and in fact, she avoids it almost too deliberately.

"The mountain path winds and turns, and you are nowhere to be seen; only the horse tracks remain on the snow."

Even after the vehicle disappeared from sight, Liu Jing was still gazing into the distance, lost in thought.

Bai Bing couldn't bear to watch any longer, and she couldn't wait any longer either.

She was only wearing a light jacket, and although the sun was shining, it was still very cold.

Besides, such a deep and affectionate gaze is not the persona of a boss.

"Don't overthink it. I'm thinking about something, not because I'm reluctant to part with Shuchang." Liu Jing took off his down jacket and draped it over his assistant.

He was indeed thinking about something, and it was related to Shu Chang. This man, who was about to graduate from the Central Academy of Drama, was considering Shu Chang's future career path.

Bai Bing pouted, wrapped her down jacket tighter, and muttered to herself, "You might as well have thought of Shu Chang, so I could feel that you're more affectionate."

Liu Jing was wearing a sweater and didn't feel cold at all; his physical condition was much better than his assistant's.

The two returned to the hotel one after the other and entered Liu Jing's room one after the other.

The assistant hung the down jacket on the hanger, her eyes darting around, somewhat disappointed that the room was quite clean and she couldn't see anything special.

"Old Wu made quite a few moves last night; he wants to finalize this deal as soon as possible. We won't negotiate today; I'll take you for a stroll around the county town. By the way, how was your meal last night? I still owe you a meal; I'll make it up to you tonight." Liu Jing stood by the window, suddenly unsure of what to do.

"My meal wasn't very good, just instant noodles and ham, and a bottle of mineral water. The boss's meal must have been delicious, it looked very appetizing, and it must have been to his liking." Bai Bing's tone was sarcastic.

"I didn't keep Jiang Yiyan."

"Shu Chang, her leg injury is quite serious, she walks with some difficulty." Bai Bing snorted lightly. Last night she did guess it was Jiang Yiyan, but when she took Shu Chang away just now, she realized she was wrong.

She'd seen the boss's level of competence more than once. Shu Chang was petite and delicate; it would be strange if she hadn't gotten hurt.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Liu Jing asked, his expression turning hostile as he approached the assistant.

"I didn't..." The assistant had nowhere to retreat, so she retreated to the bed.

Liu Jing sat on the edge of the bed, stroking his assistant's smooth face, then slowly moved downwards, "I'll give you a chance to explain."

Bai Bing bit her lip. "Last night, Manager Gao from Huayi contacted me. He wanted to talk to you about Meiya. I was worried that Jiang Yiyan would disturb your mood in this room. So I took the liberty of letting him talk to me. I can make the decision on this matter."

"Well done," Liu Jing praised. If Manager Gao really wanted to talk to him, things might have been much more difficult last night.

The boss unbuttoned his secretary's shirt, his large, slightly cool hand slipping inside to touch her warm skin.

Bai Bing grunted, her breathing becoming rapid. "Manager Gao said that after the restructuring of Meiya, Orange Sky left us with 5% of the shares, valued at 200 million. They are willing to exchange 100 million in cash, plus 100 million worth of copyrights and film and television resources, for 5% of the shares. However, there is one condition: during the negotiations, we must secure a seat on the board of directors. The shares will be nominally in our hands, but a separate agreement will be signed to hold them on behalf of Huayi. The candidate for the board seat will be provided by them."

Liu Jing muttered, "This is like planting a nail."

"Boss, you...you're hurting me." Bai Bing's voice trembled, her eyes seemed to hold two pools of water, as if in a dream.

The texture, soft yet firm, captivated Liu Jing. "Let me test you, why did they do that?"

"Huayi has always considered Orange Sky its primary competitor, both in the past and in the future. Huayi didn't take us seriously before, but then Sister Li overtook us and established herself in Hong Kong and Taiwan. Orange Sky will likely no longer consider us its primary competitor; Huayi will probably remain the main rival. The competition between Huayi and Orange Sky is different from competition between other companies. Orange Sky rose to prominence by poaching Huayi, and those two aren't exactly magnanimous; they'll definitely seek revenge. The fact that they planted a spy within Orange Sky is also a way of keeping an eye on them..." Bai Bing rambled on, explaining her point of view.

"Do you think we should agree or not?" Liu Jing asked.

"Boss, are you really asking me this?" Bai Bing asked in a low voice.

"You've been with me for so long, don't you know what kind of person I am? Don't worry, I won't set a trap for you. This is your punishment for eavesdropping," Liu Jing comforted his assistant.

“After Manager Gao spoke with me, I didn’t dare to make a decision on my own. I felt that things were almost done on your end, so I came to find you. When I got to the door, I vaguely heard some noises. This time I didn’t eavesdrop and just left,” Bai Bing explained.

"This time?" Liu Jing asked with amusement.

"I think we can agree directly with Huayi Brothers, but not with Orange Sky Entertainment. This is my opinion. We can benefit from both sides and maximize our gains. Orange Sky will contribute 100 million in cash, five film resources, and 5% equity, while they gain access to Mei Ya as a financing channel. Huayi Brothers will contribute 100 million in cash, 100 million in copyrights and resources, and gain 5% equity in Mei Ya, a board seat, and a small stake in the company. We'll sell off Mei Ya, a burden, and get 200 million in cash, five film resources, and copyrights and resources worth 100 million. It's a win-win situation for all three parties; everyone gets what they need, and I believe everyone will be happy," Bai Bing concluded.

"Excellent," Liu Jing praised, continuing to gesture downwards as encouragement. "Have you heard of Zhonghai Triumph?"

"Of course I've heard of it. It's located on the east side of Yandu Financial Street, next to Xidan." Bai Bing was in high spirits, her face glowing with excitement as she looked at the boss expectantly.

The boss didn't disappoint her. "Sister Li bought several large apartments in that complex. Once the deal with Meiya is finalized, I'll have her transfer one to you. Just so you know, the property management fees there aren't cheap, so you'll have to pay them yourself."

"Boss, I'll pay, I'll pay, I love you to death!" Bai Bing exclaimed excitedly, hugging her boss's neck and giving him a sweet kiss.

The housing prices there aren't cheap, around 50,000 to 60,000 yuan per square meter. Large apartments are at least 200 to 300 square meters, and a single apartment can be worth tens of millions.

With such a catalyst, Bai Bing was so excited she almost fainted.

She hasn't graduated yet, but she's about to own a several-hundred-square-meter apartment on Chang'an Avenue in Yandu, where land is incredibly valuable.

Just thinking about it makes me incredibly excited; making the right choice is indeed more important than anything else.

To express her excitement, she nearly suffocated herself before finally letting go, feeling dizzy and disoriented.

The young assistant giggled foolishly, and no matter how composed she was at the negotiating table, she was still a girl in her early twenties.

Being hit by a house worth tens of millions all at once is indeed dizzying.

This was only because I made a lot of money in the stock market last time, which strengthened my mental resilience; otherwise, I would have been even more unable to control myself.

The boss's hand hovered over her lower abdomen, but she didn't care at all; instead, she felt a sense of warmth.

"Phew! Boss, I can't accept this. This negotiation was a natural outcome; I contributed nothing and put in no effort." Bai Bing felt her boss's hand moving downwards and suddenly came to her senses.

“You’re one of my people, consider this a personal reward for you. Given your status, it’s inappropriate for you to continue living in Sister Min’s house,” Liu Jing explained. He didn’t mind giving away a house at all.

The assistant is a talented individual and worth investing in.

Besides, when we bought it, it only cost around 10,000 yuan per square meter.

This is what he learned from Fan Xiaopang's words: dreams are important, but without the support of reality, they will collapse sooner or later.

Drawing a picture of a cake to satisfy hunger is not something you can do often; however, you must give the benefits you deserve, and you should give more than others.

Even the strongest feelings have cracks. Even the most secure bonds have other entanglements.

So pamper them, nurture them well, and make others who try to poach them pay a price that will leave them in despair.

The saying "A thousand pieces of gold can be spent and then returned" was a principle that Lü Buwei had always understood, and now he truly understood it.

Bai Bing stared blankly at Liu Jing, "I..."

"Work hard in the future, and you will gain even more," Liu Jing encouraged.

“Boss, I want to become one of your people, like Shu Chang.” Bai Bing took a deep breath and looked directly at Liu Jing.

"You need to think this through carefully. This is different from Shu Chang's situation. Once you take this step, there's no going back." Liu Jing stopped what he was doing.

“I want to become someone like Huo Wenxi, so I definitely have to take this step. Only by becoming your person can I better serve you, and you can trust me more with your work.” Bai Bing’s expression was resolute, her conviction never before so firm.

She knew very well how she differed from Shu Chang. As the boss's assistant, she helped him handle many things—good, bad, righteous, evil, and everything in between.

There are some things you can't even tell your wife. If someone isn't absolutely family, how can the boss trust you?

"Are you ready?" Liu Jing stared intently at his assistant.

"You'll know once you feel it." Bai Bing unbuttoned her skirt and took the boss's hand to examine it.

"Wow." Liu Jing was shocked. It's true that women are made of water, but this...

"This is my first time too. Don't make me follow Shu Chang's example. She injured her leg yesterday. If I get injured today, it'll make this hotel look sinister," the assistant said, embarrassed and annoyed.

“No, you two are different. You wouldn’t do that,” Liu Jing asserted.

Last night I had a smooth bowel movement, and today I'm drinking iced drinks—two completely different feelings.

It's not cold at all.

buzzing...

[The bond skill "Double the Happiness" has been generated. Please check your inbox.]

[Double the Fun: When Shu Chang plays two roles, your inspiration, experience, physical improvement speed, and acquisition of entertainment energy are all doubled.]

"It really is double the happiness." Liu Jing paused for a moment, then sped up and continued, "Xiao Bai, let me show you what double the happiness is."

Xiaobai was speechless; for her, double, triple, or even more times meant nothing.

Liu Jing was still pondering that many of the plays Shu Chang performed involved playing two roles, and she did it so convincingly.

A meeting of minds, a pair of phoenixes flying together, a sworn brotherhood, double the joy...

Is there some kind of pattern to it?
ding dong...

Mr. Wu rang the doorbell; it was already noon, and he wanted to treat everyone to lunch.

"Liu Jing, Liu Jing, Liu Jing..."

Liu Jing remained silent, covering his assistant's mouth to prevent her from making a sound.

buzzing...

This is the sound of a phone vibrating. Mr. Wu couldn't get a response when he called out, so he had to make a phone call.

"Mr. Wu, Brother Jing and Sister Bing have gone out. If you need anything, just tell me." Zhang Jiao came out of the house after hearing the commotion.

"I'll just leave then, I don't have anything else to do." Mr. Wu left disappointed.

Zhang Jiao glanced at the door, gave a soft snort, and walked away with a pout.

She watched Liu Jing and Bai Bing enter the house. Since there was no response after knocking for a while, they were definitely not talking about work inside.

So what are they doing? It's easy to imagine.

She wasn't surprised, nor was anyone in the company. It would be strange if Young Master Jing didn't have an affair with his assistant.

Mr. Wu left, but his phone kept ringing, one call after another.

The buzzing sound is more annoying than flies.

A few beeps are fine, but a constant buzzing completely ruins the mood.

Liu Jing had no choice but to answer the call.

"Brother, it's fucking cold in Dandong. Our companies are all in Yandu, coming here to discuss business is just plain stupid. Huayi has nothing to do with us now, let's have a proper talk. After we get back to Yandu, I'll treat you to Heaven on Earth..."

"Hello, hello, hello, hello, Lao Wu, what did you say? I can't hear you, the signal is bad, I'll call you back in a bit."

Mr. Wu said, "Hello?" to Liu Jing.

The four "wei" sounds, from the first to the fourth tone, are all different.

Snapped!
Liu Jing hung up the phone, and then it was quiet.

"You're so naughty." The assistant rolled her eyes; she really has a lot of tricks up her sleeve.

"Ignore him, he's just wasting time." Liu Jing was in high spirits, as if he had discovered a new continent while developing a new piece of ice, which was much more fun than Shu Chang.

He even thought about how happy he would be if Shu Chang hadn't left.

Then I thought, I still have a piece of ice. Is water more watery than ice, or is ice colder than watery ice?
-
Regardless of what Liu Jing thought, time continued.

Everyone had their own plans and everyone was interested, so Orange Sky's acquisition of Mei Ya was quickly finalized.

The second day after the iced drinks, the conversation didn't go very well, and at Mr. Wu's suggestion, everyone returned to Yandu.

The day after returning to Yandu, the two sides reached an agreement, and all that remained was to go through the formalities.

However, some unexpected things happened, not at Orange Sky, but at Huayi.

Liu Jing was willing to accept five percent of the equity, and Mr. Wu was overjoyed and wanted to sign the agreement without saying a word.

Huayi Brothers encountered some problems; they were short of funds and had to borrow money to film "Assembly".

They proposed installment payments: 40 million in the first year, 30 million in the second year, and 30 million in the third year. As for the copyrights and resources worth 100 million, they could be delivered at any time.

Bai Bing told them that installment payments were possible, but they would have to pay 40 million yuan annually, with any excess interest charged. Furthermore, the value of the resources and copyrights would need to be increased to 120 million yuan, to be assessed by a third party.

After careful consideration, Huayi finally agreed to the plan after Mr. Wang called Mr. Ma.

Mr. Ma believes that after the restructuring of Meiya, Orange Sky will inject assets, and with the backing of Avex, the distribution channels will be established quickly and more comprehensive than before. In business operations, one shouldn't focus on immediate profits or short-term gains. As long as the future is promising, paying a higher price now is worthwhile.

Huayi also had its own considerations. Even if Mei Ya's market value was only half that of Golden Harvest in the future, they would still have made a profit from this deal. Besides, their original purpose wasn't to make money, but to guard against Orange Sky. Installing some employees and artists was far less powerful than installing a board member.

Little Wang has not shown up since. I heard that Liu Jing is recuperating in the hospital. That kick he gave was quite vicious.

Liu Jing suggested visiting him at the hospital, but was refused, with the staff saying they didn't see outsiders.

The assistant mocked the boss, saying that this visitor was only targeting him, and that all the actors from Huayi went to see him, even Zhao Benshan brought apples with him.

The boss was furious and berated his assistant for an hour, until his voice became hoarse.

During the afternoon negotiations, everyone was puzzled when the assistant said that the weather was dry and he wasn't feeling well.

Because of this incident, Mr. Wu took the opportunity to suggest returning to Yandu.

Everything was settled, and Liu Jing would not be involved in the follow-up. He returned to the film crew to continue filming.

Time passed day by day, and "The Warlords" progressed steadily. "Cut! Lian Sheng, what's wrong with you? Stop, stop..." The director couldn't contain his anger, pacing back and forth with the script in his hand, looking like he was about to go crazy.

This is Gao Yuanyuan's last scene, where Jiang Wuyang kills Liansheng.

This scene has been filmed seven or eight times already, but there are still problems.

The problem isn't with Liu Jing; it's mostly with Gao Yuanyuan.

"Director, I...I'm sorry." Gao Yuanyuan bit her lip, looking timid. The director couldn't bear to say anything harsh to her.

With a final sigh, he said, "Liu Jing, I'll give you five more minutes. You know better than I where the problem lies."

"Okay." Liu Jing smiled wryly.

Whether it's Pang Qingyun or Zhao Erhu, Gao Yuanyuan is able to complete the filming work very well.

He didn't have many scenes with Gao Yuanyuan, and in fact, he kept messing up during the most important parts of the scene.

"Yuanyuan, come out with me." Liu Jing beckoned, and Gao Yuanyuan pouted and followed him out.

She was also very aggrieved, wondering why she kept making mistakes because of conditioned reflexes.

Every time she heard Jiang Wuyang call her "sister-in-law," she would be jolted out of character and unable to get back into the role. A jumble of random scenes would flash through her mind, none of them related to filming.

"It's all your fault, what are we going to do now?" Gao Yuanyuan pouted.

"Let me think about it." Liu Jing had a headache; this was already the third five-minute interval.

For the previous five minutes, he instructed Gao Yuanyuan not to get into character and to just follow his lead. But as soon as she called him "sister-in-law," Gao Yuanyuan burst out laughing.

After thinking for two minutes, Liu Jing said, "More than a month ago, when we were rehearsing, do you remember the scene where Lian Sheng seduced Jiang Wuyang?"

"There are so many scenes, how could I remember them all?" Gao Yuanyuan blinked. She had the nerve to call it rehearsal; she was just using different names to mess with her.

"Wu Song, Pan Jinlian," Liu Jing reminded them.

"Oh, you mean that scene?" Gao Yuanyuan suddenly realized.

This is an impromptu scene adapted by the two from the classic novel *Water Margin*. Lian Sheng is kneading dough when Jiang Wuyang walks into the kitchen and questions her about how her brother died.

Lian Sheng's kneading movements were quite vivid, which enraged Jiang Wuyang. He stepped forward, ripped open his clothes, drew his sword, and began to slash, engaging in hundreds of rounds of attacks.

"You absolutely mustn't copy this. When I call you 'sister-in-law,' if you really can't help it, just purse your lips, like you're usually feeling wronged. Once you get past this hurdle, I'll guide you through the rest of the scenes," Liu Jing instructed.

“But…but the director said that Lian Sheng should be scared.” Gao Yuanyuan hesitated.

"Lian Sheng will be scared, so be good later." Liu Jing stroked Gao Yuanyuan's hair and gently comforted her.

"Be good?" Gao Yuanyuan was completely confused. Of all your women, which one is as good as me? I'm the most good.

"Go and prepare, I need to calm myself down." Liu Jing closed his eyes.

Gao Yuanyuan was even more confused, but she still obediently left.

Two minutes later, Liu Jing approached the director, "Director, how about I try this scene?"

"Give it to you?" Peter Chan looked at him strangely. "You're not good enough as an actor anymore? You want to be a director, huh?"

These troublemakers are really something...

Li Lianjie, when filming his own scenes, has essentially become the director in many of them; Andy Lau does this occasionally as well.

He was just thinking that of the three main male characters, the third brother was the most honest.

You can't keep nagging about things; my third brother also wants to direct his own film.

"My teacher assigned me the task of writing a reflection on filming 'The Warlords' from a director's perspective. Without actually filming a scene, the reflections will always feel superficial and not truly my own," Liu Jing explained.

"Keep it up!" Peter Chan shrugged. If the shot turned out well, he could save himself some trouble. If it didn't turn out well, they could just reshoot it.

"Thank you." Liu Jing was really itching to practice his skills with this scene.

This scene had been on his mind for a long time, and he was well prepared.

He wanted to express the images in his mind through cinematic language, and then see the effect.

Peter Chan's skill in directing dramatic scenes is far superior to his skill in directing action scenes, and he is also more nuanced than Wong Kar-wai.

Liu Jing was also secretly learning the craft, gradually transforming theoretical knowledge into his own.

A tall building rises from the ground, and a director is not made overnight; it takes years of accumulation.

After Peter Chan finished explaining, the others weren't surprised, since Li Lianjie and Andy Lau had both done similar things before.

"Props, move this screen around, it should be placed like this..."

"Old Huang, when I come in later, don't show me the camera yet. Point the camera here, yes, this angle. No, adjust it lower. Lian Sheng, stand on the bed first. No, that's too far in, stand here..."

With a single word, Lian Sheng silenced Gao Yuanyuan, who dared not throw a tantrum.

At this point, Liu Jing was not her man, but rather in a different state.

"Lights, shine the lights this way later."

"The costume and Lian Sheng's makeup should be redone, made brighter, to create a contrast; this makeup is too dark."

Everything was ready and everyone cooperated. Liu Jing shouted, "Let's try it out first, everyone get ready."

“Action…”

Lian Sheng is standing on the bed, hanging up the window screen, and the camera slowly moves across the screen.

"Stop!" Liu Jing frowned and reviewed the monitor footage, but it didn't produce the effect he wanted.

This time, instead of giving instructions, he directly set up the scene, adjusted Lian Sheng's position, the camera angles, and the lighting.

Liu Jing tried three times in a row, but he was still not satisfied.

"What kind of effect do you want?" photographer Huang Yuetai couldn't help but ask.

Photography is physically demanding. He lost 20 to 30 pounds while filming more than half of "The Warlords".

After so many years in the industry, all my experience comes from being thin.

“I wanted to show Jiang Wuyang’s inner conflict: making a decision, wavering in his resolve, and making a decision again. I wanted to portray Lian Sheng’s will to live. She knew Jiang Wuyang was going to kill her; she didn’t want to die, and she was unwilling to die, but she had no choice but to die. And…” Liu Jing described the state he wanted to achieve.

"OK, leave it to me!" Huang Yuetai thought for a moment and then gestured.

"Okay! Let's try again."

The results of this test were much better than the last one.

Liu Jing whispered to the photographer, and after trying again and again, they finally achieved the desired effect.

"He's quite skilled at directing," Cheng Xiaodong said, somewhat surprised.

"Heh, he's a top student from the directing department of Beijing Film Academy, unlike you, who's a latecomer to the field," Peter Chan scoffed.

"Director, you don't think there won't be any action scenes after the New Year, do you?" Cheng Xiaodong asked with a smile.

"It's about to start, don't disturb their filming." Peter Chan's expression turned serious, successfully changing the subject.

Inside the room, on the bed, Liansheng was hanging up the gauze curtains.

Her expression was relaxed and joyful, as if a wonderful life was about to begin.

In a casual glance, she saw her third brother, Jiang Wuyang, standing beside her and looking at her.

A strange look in his eyes, filled with malice, struggle, hatred, indifference, and regret...

Gao Yuanyuan's heart skipped a beat, a sense of fear rising within her. Her smile vanished, replaced by a hint of apprehension. "You startled me."

She wasn't acting; she mustered up the courage to even say her lines.

Liu Jing has never performed like this before.

Jiang Wuyang stepped forward, while Gao Yuanyuan wanted to retreat, but remembering Liu Jing's instructions, she didn't dare to take a single step back.

"Sister-in-law," Jiang Wuyang called softly.

Gao Yuanyuan reflexively snapped out of the scene and twitched the corner of her mouth. These things were hidden by the screen and did not appear in the shot.

In the footage, only her evasive eyes and slightly fearful expression are visible.

"Wu Yang has come to say goodbye." Jiang Wu Yang stopped in front of the screen.

"Are you leaving?" Gao Yuanyuan wanted to look away, but for some reason, those eyes seemed like a magnet, drawing her in tightly.

At that moment, she suddenly had a feeling that the man in front of her was about to say goodbye, and that they would be separated forever.

"I'll take you." Jiang Wuyang took another step closer, looking directly at Lian Sheng.

“Where am I going? I’m waiting for Erhu to come back.” Gao Yuanyuan felt a pang of sorrow, her eyes becoming blank. “I…I just finished making dinner for him.”

"My eldest brother is going to kill my second brother for your sake." Jiang Wuyang's voice trembled.

"Impossible! No, he wouldn't kill him, it's impossible." Lian Sheng shook his head, panicked and helpless.

"Director, Lian Sheng's lines are wrong," someone reminded Peter Chan.

Peter Chan glared at him, signaling him to shut up.

Just now it was all Gao Yuanyuan, but now it's Liansheng. The director doesn't want to ruin this state.

Jiang Wuyang gripped the knife in his hand, reached out his other hand toward Liansheng, and said softly, "Get down."

"No! I won't! I want to install this gauze curtain. Have you ever seen such a beautiful gauze curtain? This gauze curtain..." Lian Sheng panicked, her words incoherent, her voice choked with sobs.

"I'll be twenty-nine next year, and I've been fighting for over a decade..."

At this point, Lian Sheng really cried.

At twenty-nine, she thought of herself; wasn't she also twenty-nine?

Who would willingly be an immoral person, and who would want to be someone who gets scolded?

"Get down!" Jiang Wuyang grabbed Lian Sheng and shouted, pulling her down onto the bed.

At this moment, Gao Yuanyuan could not recall any of the nighttime rehearsals.

She really wanted to cry, she really wanted to have a good cry.

"If you kill me, will you be able to save your second brother?" Lian Sheng asked, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I don't know, but I can only kill you." Jiang Wuyang also cried, raising his knife. "Any outsider who harms my brothers will be killed."

Beneath her, Lian Sheng was shouting, struggling, and crying out.

Jiang Wuyang turned a deaf ear and a blind eye, living only in his own world.

The knife was stuck in Lian Sheng's chest; she was still struggling and crying.

Liu Jing, ready to break character at any moment, called out "Cut!"

"You won't, you won't abandon me. You won't, you'll always love me..." Gao Yuanyuan murmured, completely unaware of the call to stop.

Liu Jing held her in his arms. "Okay, okay, be good. It's over, it's over, it's all over. I'll always love you and I'll never abandon you."

"Will you kill me?" Gao Yuanyuan asked, confused.

Liu Jing was both amused and exasperated; he was so engrossed in the role that he hadn't snapped out of it yet.

He waved to the crowd who were watching the spectacle, and the director gave him a wink. Soon, only the two of them remained in the room.

"Yes." Liu Jing turned her over, slapped her bottom a few times, and then stopped acting.

"Phew! That was terrifying. I thought... I thought you were really going to kill me. It was like... like a dream." Gao Yuanyuan was still shaken.

"You're a good actor; most people wouldn't be able to carry you. I didn't expect it to be so easy to mentor you," Liu Jing sighed.

"I'm so afraid you won't want me anymore, that you'll abandon me for them." As Gao Yuanyuan spoke, tears streamed down her face again.

“You are my chosen lover, my only true lover, how could I possibly abandon you?” Liu Jing comforted him.

"Pah! You're kidding me." Gao Yuanyuan burst into laughter through her tears.

"Hurry up and wipe your tears. You don't want your girlfriends to laugh at you when Shu Chang comes over," Liu Jing reminded her.

Two weeks ago, the filming crew moved to Hengdian.

Shu Chang is also filming in Hengdian, so she didn't come here to visit the set.

With the year-end approaching, their film crew was on holiday, so they came to see Liu Jing today.

"Girlfriends?" Gao Yuanyuan was stunned. When did you sneak food? How come I didn't know?
This is Gao Yuanyuan's last scene, and also the last scene of the day.

"Congratulations, Lian Sheng has finished filming." Liu Jing didn't explain.

"Filming has wrapped up." Gao Yuanyuan was a little disappointed. She joined the crew in late December and finished filming Lian Sheng in mid-February.

She spent those forty or fifty days in a very fulfilling way.

Liu Jing stayed with her the whole time; no one competed with her or tried to take her away from her.

When she wasn't filming, she rarely went to the set, instead staying at home. She, who never cooked before, tried making dishes and soups, waiting for her man to return.

When she has a role, she'll leave home with a man, stepping on the morning stars and returning with the setting sun behind her.

In the evenings, they would cook and eat together, take a walk together, or go out for dinner and watch a movie.

"Let's go! Hurry up and take off your makeup, I'll cook you a nice meal when we get back." Liu Jing helped Gao Yuanyuan up.

Gao Yuanyuan composed herself and said with a smile, "You're not making delicious food for me, you're making delicious food for your girlfriends, aren't you?"

"Tonight, you are the star."

"Pah! I'll fly at you two!"

An hour later, after the two removed their makeup, Liu Jing rode his electric scooter home with Gao Yuanyuan in tow.

He has a house in Hengdian and did not stay in a hotel.

The soundproofing here is excellent, so you can be as carefree as you like.

Even if you shout until you're hoarse, no one will knock on the wall to remind you.

Riding a swift horse in the spring breeze, Liu Jing wanted to conduct a mathematical experiment.

Double the joy with two phoenixes flying together—how many times more will it be?

Before heading home, the two made a detour to the supermarket to buy groceries.

I didn't buy much this time. "The Warlords" will be on holiday in two days, and everyone will be going home for the Chinese New Year.

In the New Year of 2007, Liu Jing returned to Jiangcheng because Qianqian was going to participate in the Hubei Provincial Spring Festival Gala.

"Yuanyuan, you should go out. You look like you're in an operating room, not cooking."

Gao Yuanyuan was fully armed and wrapped up tightly, worried that the cooking fumes would be bad for her skin.

"I'm almost thirty, and many things are irreversible, like my skin." Gao Yuanyuan didn't want to go out; cooking together was more fun.

Just then, Shu Chang arrived.

"Let me cook. My cooking skills have improved a lot, and I'm even better than you." Gao Yuanyuan pushed Liu Jing out.

"Alright, no need to make too much, Shuchang has a small appetite." Liu Jing took off his apron, opened the door, and looked somewhat surprised.

Shu Chang is usually very lively, but today she was hanging her head, as if she had done something wrong.

"Were you bullied?" Liu Jing asked.

"Yeah! Your sister scolded me, and we're breaking up." Shu Chang's voice was trembling with tears.

"Isn't she busy with the Grammy Awards? How could she have time to scold you?" Liu Jing wondered.

"Sigh! This is a long story..."

"Stop talking nonsense." Liu Jing said irritably. This guy was a drama queen, quirky and eccentric. He suspected that his expressions and tone were all an act.

Shu Chang entered the room, greeted Gao Yuanyuan first, and then sat down on the sofa with a heavy expression.

"What would you like to drink?"

"green tea."

Liu Jing unscrewed the green tea and handed it over, while he drank mineral water himself.

"Wood, I'm pregnant."

"Pfft..." Liu Jing exclaimed in shock, unable to believe it. "What did you say?"

“The last time my relatives came to visit was last year. More than forty days have passed this year, and they still haven’t come to visit.” Shu Chang said with a melancholy expression.

"Stretch out your hand." Liu Jing couldn't believe it; it had only been a little over forty days since the end of last year.

Shu Chang extended her hand, letting Liu Jing take her pulse. "Don't worry, I'll give birth to the baby. After leaving the hospital, I bought baby clothes, diapers, and some maternity wear and skincare products. It's amazing how it happened! I'm still a child myself, I wasn't prepared at all. If my godmother knew, would she kick me out of the house...?"

Shu Chang kept rambling on, and Liu Jing's expression was strange. "Ahem, silly girl, could it be irregular menstruation?"

"No! I checked online, and the symptoms are very similar. Nausea, vomiting, fatigue, drowsiness, frequent urination, and this area is a bit enlarged," Shu Chang explained.

"How much food have you been eating and how much water have you been drinking these past few days?" Liu Jing asked patiently.

"Three meals a day, with meat at every meal. Three liters of water a day, drunk even before feeling thirsty."

How many hours do you film each day? How much sleep do you get?

"I get up at four o'clock every morning to do my makeup, and shoot until six or seven o'clock in the afternoon. I only get five or six hours of sleep a day."

Liu Jing concluded with certainty, "You're not pregnant."

"What about my symptoms?" Shu Chang breathed a sigh of relief. If Mu Tou said he didn't have any, then he definitely didn't.

Because of her childhood experiences, she loves children and is particularly fond of her younger cousins.

She often thought how wonderful it would be to have her own child. But she was also terrified: what if she couldn't raise the child well? Did she want them to go through the same suffering she endured as a child?

Hesitation, entanglement, and contradiction lingered in her mind, causing her great distress.

"Overwork caused irregular menstruation. After resting for a while and recuperating, everything will be fine," Liu Jing sighed.

"Oh no! I just told Xixi I'm pregnant." Shu Chang was dumbfounded.

Liu Jing was even more dumbfounded. He clutched his chest with his left hand, his right hand trembling as he pointed at Shu Chang, "You...you..."

“She was still a virgin last month, how would she know these things? No one has ever told me these things since I was a child, it’s normal for her to be wrong.” Shu Chang said confidently.

(End of this chapter)