Huayu Chunqiu, starting from being adopted by a fairy mother

Chapter 376 Favorability -1
Favorability +1
The sound of rushing water paused for a moment; Liu Jing was taking a shower and humming a little tune.

I couldn't help but feel a little puzzled. Zeng Li's favorability rating had inexplicably increased by one point, and it was now 84 points.

"73, 84, those two numbers again..."

The dumpling gathering ended in the evening. It was everyone's first day at Qiu Manor, and since we weren't very familiar with each other, we didn't really let loose. We ate a little, parted slightly tipsy, and this was actually the most comfortable state.

It wasn't even ten o'clock when the show ended. Liu Jing returned to his room and the first thing he did was take a shower. He threw his dirty clothes into the laundry basket and felt a little nostalgic for Gao Yuanyuan and Little Lion. If those two were in the same film crew, he wouldn't have to worry about what to wear.

He has assistants, but he's not used to entrusting his personal matters to them, nor does he feel very comfortable with it.

He wasn't worried about his own connections at all, but it was hard to say about others. There was a time when an assistant sold celebrities' intimate apparel, and it was even a male celebrity involved. Ever since then, Liu Jing had become very cautious.

When he was on the set of "Chinese Paladin 3," Little Lion often secretly helped him with his laundry. Don't count on Yang Mi; she's unreliable when it comes to housework, even less so than Tang Yan.

These bonds mean that Little Lion is absolutely unparalleled in terms of family and housework, truly a virtuous wife and loving mother.

The atmosphere at the dinner table tonight was quite good, and Liu Jing felt it was a good start.

Cigarettes form bridges, wine paves the way, and smiling faces greet everyone—it's all about human relationships and social customs.

This applies to the workplace, business, officialdom, and the entertainment industry as well.

Wang Zhiwen, who doesn't drink, is very aloof, but after a couple of drinks, he becomes quite talkative and cheerful.

Another contrasting example is Wu Gang, who, along with Wang Zhiwen, became the two who talked the most at the dinner table.

Chen Kun and Zhou Xun were also having a good time, and the two even organized a drinking game. However, when the two were playing the game, Liu Jing always felt like his left hand was hitting his right.

Fan Wei and Zeng Li did not drink alcohol. Fan Wei does not drink, and Zeng Li was responsible for cleaning up the mess.

"Zeng Li must have misunderstood, right? Honestly, I really didn't mean to collect any debts today." Liu Jing came out, drying his hair and wrapped in a bath towel, and began to speculate.

There are reasons for the increased favorability.

Zeng Li will most likely come tonight; it's been made quite clear in the kitchen.

Thinking of this, Liu Jing took out his phone and sent Zeng Li a text message: "Good night. Filming is the most important thing. We can talk about other things another day."

He planned to find an opportunity tomorrow to talk things out with Zeng Li. Filming was the most important thing; he would collect the debts after "The Message" wrapped up filming.

With everything arranged, Liu Jing picked up "Empresses in the Palace" and started reading.

He was reading a script, and he read it patiently. If it were a novel, he wouldn't be able to get through it even if he tried.

ding dong...

The doorbell rang, and Liu Jing frowned. Who was so blind as to come in the middle of the night? Didn't they know the director needed to rest?
Zeng Li has already made it clear that Zhou Xun wouldn't be so blatant, Zhao Xiaodao would avoid him at all costs, and Zhou Yang is a respectable person...

Looking through the peephole, lo and behold, it really was Da Qingyi; she hadn't even checked the text message.

"Sister Zeng Li, we have filming tomorrow, shouldn't you take a break?"

Zeng Li was dressed neatly, but her chest was a little low. Liu Jing glanced at her and knew that she was not wearing anything underneath.

He was used to being pushed around and didn't think it was a bad thing. But he didn't expect anything to happen during filming; the two of them got too close, which affected the filming process.

For example, Gao Yuanyuan was unwilling to take on the role of Li Ningyu because of this.

No matter how Liu Jing tormented her, whether in the play or in real life, she accepted it willingly.

Some of his remarks today were not directed at Chen Kun. He may be petty about certain people and things, but he is very magnanimous at other times.

Besides, he didn't suffer any loss in the Chen Kun incident. The other party was humble and sincere, and he had long since let go of his grudges.

Those words were meant for Zeng Li, because he noticed that after joining the crew, this woman looked at him very strangely, as if she wanted to devour him.

Liu Jing understood what was going on; he had been flirting with her for over a year, pushing her to her limit.

The leading lady is thirty-two years old this year, the perfect age for experiencing life's pleasures, brimming with passionate energy.

How could Liu Jing not mutter to himself, "How can we film scenes together when you're like this? No matter how much we flirt off-screen, on set, I'm the director and you're the actor—that's the rule."

He and Zeng Li had a scene where he was subjected to physical torture, which required the other person to feel humiliated and eventually break down.

A breakdown isn't madness or mania, and it's not easy to act. Gao Yuanyuan didn't want to play the role of Li Ningyu because of this scene.

Liu Jing was worried that Zeng Li wouldn't be able to portray that kind of character; their familiarity with each other might actually be a problem.

"I've come to pay off my debt." Zeng Li closed the door, his eyes lighting up as he looked at the well-defined pectoral muscles, his mouth watering.

Even twenty-year-old girls are envious, let alone thirty-year-old women.

"Pay back debts?" Liu Jing sighed. You've come at just the right time, but I don't want debts right now.

“Zhou Yang is right next door. I was thinking of waiting until she leaves the crew before I came to see you tonight. My creditor sent me a text message demanding payment, but I'm not the kind of person who defaults on debts.”

"Wasn't my text message clear enough?" Liu Jing was speechless.

“I understand perfectly well. Let’s talk about it another day. Isn’t this just a debt collection tactic? You were in the kitchen tonight saying the dumplings were delicious, and now your sister-in-law has delivered them right to your door.” Zeng Li started eating directly, not noticing Liu Jing’s expression, which had changed at that moment.

Looking at the eager woman in blue, Liu Jing had an idea. At that moment, the director's rationality prevailed, defeating his lust.

"Sister-in-law? Do you know my brother sent you dumplings?" Liu Jing lifted Zeng Li's chin, a smile on his lips but coldness in his eyes.

Zeng Li felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her, her passion fading. "Wood, don't overthink it, those are just rumors..."

“A hundred years ago, you would have been a princess, how could you explain this to a lowly person like me?” Liu Jing mocked.

"Wood, what's wrong with you? You..." Zeng Li was stunned. Could it be that all those flirtatious text messages I received were fake?
"Aren't you going to pay off your debt? Are you going to put on your clothes and pay it off?" Liu Jing asked expressionlessly.

Zeng Li had already realized something was wrong; this was completely different from what she had imagined.

She'd been teased for over a year and had long since given in. Over the past year, her resources had steadily increased, and her status within the industry had risen—all tangible benefits.

Liu Jing's hands were incredibly fast; the clean-looking person in front of him quickly became even more clean-looking.

"Your face isn't as pretty as Gao Yuanyuan's, your breasts aren't as full as Chen Zihan's, your skin isn't as fair as Li Xiaoran's, and your temperament isn't as elegant as Yan Danchen's. Oh, you do have your strengths, though—they're all younger than you." Liu Jing's finger moved downwards, down his neck, down to his groin. "Two hundred years of the Central Academy of Drama, and this is nothing special. The five hardships of spring and autumn, your long face truly deserves the title. Didn't you claim to be a Buddhist? Why are you here today…?"

Zeng Li turned pale and slapped him, but Liu Jing grabbed her wrist. "I don't want to eat dumplings tonight."

boom……

Zeng Li put on her clothes and slammed the door shut with a deafening roar, shaking the entire floor.

Liu Jing sighed. He wasn't sure if Zhou Yang had been alerted earlier, but he was certain he had now.

Favorability -1
Favorability -1
Favorability -1
……

Liu Jing was stunned by the eight consecutive reminders.

Damn system, why didn't you tell me that favorability could decrease?

He insulted the others, hurt the feelings of Yang Mi and Xiao Shizi, and often abused Bai Bing, yet no one's favorability towards him decreased.

Zeng Li's favorability rating increased by one point today, but then dropped by eight points, now standing at 75, the absolute lowest. "What I said wasn't even that harsh, far less harsh than those who provoked Yang Mi. If I had known it could drop further, I would have definitely used a different approach." Liu Jing said bitterly, it was too late to say anything, he might as well just go with the flow.

Each monkey has its own way of being chained up, and the increase in favorability is similar before 80 points.

After 9 or 10 o'clock, everyone is different.

Only by opening your heart can you gain true sincerity; this is Liu Jing's realization.
-
"The vibrant colors of spring have faded, leaving only broken wells and crumbling walls. What a waste of such a beautiful day! Whose courtyard now enjoys such delightful pleasures? Morning flights and evening retreats, clouds and rosy pavilions. Rain threads and wind fragments, misty painted boats..."

Chen Kun is singing Kunqu Opera—no, he's playing Bai Xiaonian now. This is true both on and off stage.

Zhao Xiaodao was startled and spilled a cup of hot tea on Liu Jing.

"hiss……"

Liu Jing looked shocked, his pants were soaked, and he almost wet himself. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought he had wet himself in fear.

Another day of filming ended, and Liu Jing did not return to his room, but sat quietly in the lobby.

One of the single sofas has become his exclusive seat, and no one dares to take it from him.

After work, everyone had their own things to do.

Some people are reading books, some are reading newspapers, some are going out for drinks, and some are chatting. Some are memorizing scripts, and some are sleeping soundly.

Zeng Li was the one sleeping soundly. Ever since she was humiliated by Liu Jing the night before last, she had no eyes for the director, only for the wooden figure.

Online friends who used to chat and flirt with each other are now like strangers.

"Are you trying to scald me to death?" Liu Jing said irritably, glaring at Zhao Xiaodao.

Chen Kun is practicing Kunqu Opera, immersing himself in the role.

Liu Jing sat silently on the sofa, seemingly in a state of nurturing Takeda.

Chen Kun sang a high note, and Zhao Liying was so startled that her hands trembled, and then she spilled a cup of tea on him.

The tea was scalding hot, and Liu Jing could no longer remain calm, completely snapping out of his Takeda-like state.

"I'm sorry, but when he yells, who can stand it?" Zhao Liying panicked a little. "That big jerk is so petty, I wonder if he'll take this opportunity to mess with me."

She quickly grabbed a towel from the table, but Liu Jing slapped it away, saying, "Are you trying to torture me with a comb?"

The towel was specially made, with barbs on one side. It was a torture device conceived by Shen Ao, who thought it was more cruel than a brush, but it was rejected by Liu Jing.

Holding an iron brush, the audience can understand without any special explanation.

If a special towel is used, a close-up shot is needed, which is an extra step and not a good thing.

"I'll do your laundry," Zhao Liying said with a pained expression.

"Okay! Come to my room later and take the clothes I changed into yesterday." Liu Jing was satisfied; it was just a little water, and it wasn't that hot through his pants.

"I only got this one dirty..." Zhao Liying panicked. What did Da Luobo mean? Did he think she was a laundry maid?

"This dress of mine is worth over ten thousand yuan, why don't you compensate me for the price?" Liu Jing didn't know why, but every time he saw Zhao Xiaodao, he always wanted to tease him. He found it very satisfying to see the other person so anxious and angry. That expression of gritting his teeth but unable to actually bite down was actually quite cute.

"Brother, this is a costume from the film crew," Zhao Liying said, pouting.

"I say how much it costs, and that's how much it costs," Liu Jing said lazily.

"I'll wash it." Zhao Liying gritted her teeth, her face turning into a steamed bun.

"You're quite bold, aren't you? How come you get so scared by the slightest noise?" Liu Jing was in a great mood after resolving the laundry issue.

"His boldness is all an act."

Zhao Liying looked at the dense thorns on the back of the rag, her scalp tingling and goosebumps rising all over her body.

This place is like the underworld, these actors are like lunatics, and these three directors are like perverts. How brave can I be?

She shuddered at the thought of what she had experienced over the past two or three days.

On the first day of filming, she developed a phobia of the black dog; Wang Zhiwen's laughter sounded terrifying. A warm dinner of dumplings swept away her fear. Everyone chatted and laughed; whether they were award-winning actresses or actors, no one was pretentious. This film crew was quite nice. She had worked on many film sets in the past two years, but she had never experienced such treatment, much less such a harmonious environment.

Zhao Liying knew very well that the harmonious atmosphere of the film crew was not due to good conditions, but because there was a powerful figure in charge.

She was brushing her teeth that evening when a loud "bang" shook the mirror. She was startled; the toothbrush was poking into her gums, and it felt incredibly painful.

She was woken up early yesterday morning by the barking of dogs. She also learned the source of the earthquake sound from last night. A staff member revealed that the director was trying to sexually harass Zeng Li, and the actress slammed the door and stormed out.

Zhao Liying didn't believe it at all. Although Da Luobo was a womanizer, he still had principles. While he and the boss were having an affair, she was working as a concubine. The boss had hinted several times that she should be his concubine, and she was prepared for it, but Da Luobo refused every time.

If Da Luobo (a nickname for a man) were to engage in illicit relationships, he could be a groom every night, and Zeng Li might not even object. The way this woman looks at Da Luobo doesn't seem like a legitimate relationship.

Last night, she dreamt of black dogs. Then, her neighbor, Duan Yihong, started singing Peking Opera on his balcony, waking her from the nightmare and plunging her into another one.

This morning, the loud banging on the door startled her. The production manager was yelling at her to get to work. "Aren't I an actress? Why are you treating me like a staff member again?"

There was no other way; to maintain secrecy and to avoid affecting the filming atmosphere, the director had all the staff and actors' assistants move to the outer rooms yesterday. Entry to the inner rooms was strictly prohibited, and no one was allowed to stay without permission.

Zhao Xiaodao understood that this was the result of staff gossiping, which angered the director.

They were short-staffed, and this minor actress caught the attention of the production department. They couldn't get anyone else to do their bidding, nor did they dare to.

During lunch, as she was enjoying her meal, Fan Wei suddenly pushed aside his chopsticks, made a gun gesture with his hand, pointed it at his temple, and said, "I'm going to give myself a quick death, bang..."

Fan Wei is very dedicated, constantly thinking about the play, especially the scene of Jin Shenghuo's suicide. He felt that for the character of Jin Shenghuo to be believable, this scene had to be performed well.

Zhao Xiaodao was terrified again. This wasn't a comedian from the Spring Festival Gala; he was clearly a lunatic. She even choked on a fishbone and had to eat two large steamed buns to swallow it.

Tonight, because of Chen Kun's shout, she became the director's laundry maid, adding another job to her resume.

Zhao Liying just silently complained, without much emotion. So many people are begging to join the cast, and still can't get in. If it weren't for her boss and director having such connections, this opportunity definitely wouldn't have fallen into her lap.

For such a small role, Yang Tianzhen turned down several more major TV dramas for her and strictly ordered her to stay on set from beginning to end. Perhaps the director, seeing her good attitude, would even add more scenes for her; such examples are common.

Yang Tianzhen attaches great importance to this drama. Even if Zhao Liying only makes a brief appearance in it, it will boost her own status.

Liu Jing went back to his room to change his clothes and continued studying the script while seated on the throne in the hall. It was still early, not even eight o'clock yet. The rooms here felt cramped; the hall was much more spacious.

Zhao Xiaodao was cleaning. There were only Da Luobo and herself in the living room, and she felt inexplicably good.

The two didn't speak or communicate. She would check if the man had enough tea, and he would occasionally glance up at her. She knew it wasn't concern; he was just checking if she was slacking off.

If she is busy, the man will pretend he doesn't see her.

If she had been free at that time, her suffering would have been compounded.

She felt like Yang Bailao (a character from a Chinese folktale who suffers from poverty) and the man was like Huang Shiren (another character from a Chinese folktale who suffers from misfortune). Actually, she wanted to be like Xi'er (another character from a Chinese folktale who suffers from misfortune).

"I've been observing you for two years."

(End of this chapter)