This director is vindictive.

Chapter 363 The First Crazy Moment After Filming Begins

The film "The Heartbroken" has finally begun filming.

Although it was marketed as a "science fiction film," anyone with a discerning eye knows that it is essentially a drama film that relies on emotions, and the so-called science fiction elements are merely narrative embellishments disguised as "soft science fiction."

For this reason, compared to hard science fiction films that require a lot of special effects, the filming period for this movie is expected to be much shorter.

The opening ceremony was held in a neighborhood of old-fashioned tenement buildings on the outskirts of Beijing.

This old building complex, built in the 1970s and 80s, has faded and mottled red brick walls, and traces of communal living still remain in the stairwells. The film crew's temporary incense table was set up in the open space in front of Building No. 3, surrounded by weeds, and the branches of a few old locust trees rustled in the morning breeze, adding a touch of vicissitude to this simple filming location.

At six o'clock in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, the film set in a tenement building on the outskirts of Beijing was already crowded with media reporters and enthusiastic fans who had rushed over after hearing the news. Director Chen Mo stood in front of a makeshift incense table, holding three lit sticks of sandalwood in his hand, his expression solemn and focused.

Offerings—fresh fruit, roast suckling pig, and several cups of tea—were laid out on the altar, with wisps of incense rising slowly in the morning breeze. This is a traditional opening ceremony from the Hong Kong film industry. Although it carries a superstitious element, it is mostly for good luck, praying for smooth filming and box office success.

The crew members stood quietly to the side, no one joking or playing around; the atmosphere was solemn and reverent. After all, no one wanted anything to go wrong with this film. Chen Mo took a deep breath, held incense sticks in both hands, bowed in all directions, and then solemnly placed the incense sticks into the incense burner.

After the worship ceremony, the production crew immediately called on everyone to clean up the set, remove the offerings, and organize the equipment in preparation for filming. The set quickly became busy; cameras were set up, lights were adjusted, and the actors took their positions. The entire crew operated smoothly and efficiently.

Huang Bo rubbed a non-existent gold ring on his finger, grinned, and leaned close to Chen Mo. He managed to make Chen Mo's Armani suit look like something from a cheap street stall.

"Director Chen, wishing you a successful start to filming!"

He deliberately placed his gold-trimmed crocodile leather handbag on the altar, and took out a thermos bag from it. "I just had the driver bring these crab roe buns from the Ritz-Carlton. Want to try them? The kitchen said the filling has to be made with crabs from Yangcheng Lake to be truly flavorful."

Chen Mo glanced at the flour stains on his suit sleeve and scoffed, "Did your Michelin chef switch to steaming buns?"

"Hey! Isn't this just experiencing life?"

Huang Bo casually pulled his belt up a little, revealing a shiny H buckle.

"Old Kang is such a fascinating character, driving a nice car while eating at a roadside stall."

As he spoke, he suddenly pulled a crumpled invoice from his pocket, clicked his tongue in pain, and said, "Look at these buns, six of them cost me 288, and I have to add 6% tax to the invoice—isn't that exactly what Lao Kang would do!"

Chen Mo ignored him and turned to look at Hu Ge and Liu Lili standing to the side.

Hu Ge was wearing He Xi's signature white shirt, her hair slightly disheveled, and her eyes held a hint of fatigue and daze, clearly already in the "mathematical madman" mode. Liu Lili, on the other hand, was wearing a faded blue cloth dress and holding a newly sewn handkerchief in her hand, occasionally wiping non-existent sweat from Hu Ge's forehead.

"Mom, no need..." Hu Ge subconsciously dodged, but Liu Lili's hand had already reached out, the movement so natural that it seemed as if they were really mother and son.

"Crack!" Chen Mo suddenly shouted, startling everyone.

"It's not on yet, Director Chen!" the script supervisor whispered a reminder.

“I know.” Chen Mo stared at the screen on the monitor, a slight smile playing on his lips. “But this ‘mother-son interaction’ is so natural. I’ll write it down and see if I can use it later.”

Huang Bo clicked his tongue in amazement from the side: "Good heavens, they're already taking advantage of the actors on the very first day of filming? Director Chen, I could hear your scheme all over Qingdao!"

Chen Mo ignored Huang Bo's banter, turned around and waved to the photographer: "For the first scene, let's go straight to the one where He Xi goes crazy!"

Upon hearing this, Hu Ge's eyes widened: "Director, are we going to start with something this intense for the very first scene?"

Chen Mo grinned and patted him on the shoulder: "Before Teacher Liu spoils you into becoming a mama's boy, hurry up and go crazy and see what happens."

He gestured towards Liu Lili with his lip, "Don't worry, your 'mom' will definitely wipe your sweat after you're done going crazy."

Liu Lili stood to the side, a gentle smile on her face, and said softly, "It's okay, Mom's here."

Hu Ge: "..."

The novel doesn't describe He Xi's madness in much detail, which gave the production team room to improvise.

But for Hu Ge, this scene was definitely a tough one – she had to convincingly portray emotional breakdown, loss of physical control, and mental confusion.

Liu Lili also had a tough time; she had to portray a mother who loved her son but was powerless to help him in a way that was heartbreaking.

Chen Mo wasn't giving orders blindly.

During this time, Liu Lili really treated Hu Ge like her own son, showing him concern and feeding him snacks every day, which made Old Hu's face even rounder.

If this continues, how will He Xi continue to go crazy? After all, Hu Ge is an actress, not a real madman. We can't let him be softened by "motherly love".

The scene sprang into action, with lights, camera equipment, and props all in place. Chen Mo walked up to Hu Ge and asked directly, "Do we need time to prepare?"

Hu Ge took a deep breath, his eyes darkening: "Ten minutes!" Chen Mo nodded, grabbed the walkie-talkie, and shouted to the entire crew: "Attention everyone, filming will officially begin in ten minutes—Old Hu is going crazy!"

Hu Ge sat alone on a folding chair in the corner, the noise of the film set seemingly separated by an invisible barrier.

He kept his head down, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the script, his knuckles turning slightly white from the pressure.

He muttered broken lines under his breath, his voice hoarse like sandpaper scraping.

Liu Lili stood a few steps away, clutching the faded blue apron in her hand.

She wanted to go forward several times, but she held back, and in the end she just stood there with red eyes.

Having spent so much time together, she had come to regard Hu Ge as her own son—bringing him millet porridge she had cooked herself in the morning and always remembering to drape a coat over him at night.

But now, she could only watch from afar, even breathing softly, afraid of disturbing him.

The ten minutes felt like they were fast-forwarded.

When Hu Ge suddenly raised her head, everyone on set instinctively held their breath.

His eyes were like ink splashed on them, dark and unfathomable, and the corners of his mouth were stretched into a stiff line.

Her original gentle temperament had vanished, and she was like a fully drawn bow, ready to snap at any moment.

"I'm ready."

The sound didn't seem to come from the throat, but rather from deep within the chest, with a hoarse, metallic scraping quality.

People at the scene looked at Hu Ge in surprise. Was this really the same Hu Ge who had just called out "Aunt Liu" with a smile? She was clearly a madwoman driven to the brink of despair.

"All departments, take your positions! Get ready to start filming!" Chen Mo saw that Hu Ge had adjusted her condition and didn't say much, simply giving the order.

This team all came from his old team and are very experienced.

Soon, each department was performing its duties.

Ready.

The script supervisor came up and shouted, "Scene 92 of 'The Heartbroken,' shot one, first take, action!"

With a click of the clapperboard, the set fell into a tense silence.

Hu Ge's eyes suddenly became unfocused, and her pupils trembled slightly, as if her soul had been sucked away by some invisible force.

His fingers gripped the table nervously, his knuckles turning white from the force. He clutched the scattered scratch papers, which tore sharply in his palm. "Wrong... completely wrong..."

His voice was hoarse, as if squeezed from the depths of his throat, each word trembling with the urge to collapse.

Chen Mo stood behind the monitor watching this scene and couldn't help but sigh in his heart, "Old Hu really put his heart into it!"

To be honest, he planned to spend the whole day filming this scene, but he didn't expect Hu Ge's performance to be so good!

It's important to understand that actors also need to get into character, and it requires a gradual process!

A scene depicting someone on the verge of collapse, which is the very first scene filmed, is incredibly difficult for any actor. However, Hu Ge's performance in this scene left Chen Mo in awe.

"Camera number 2, focus on Xia Qunfang! Pay attention to the close-up of her hands!" Chen Mo instructed into the walkie-talkie.

The monitor quickly switched to camera number 2.

The camera focused on Xia Qunfang, played by Liu Lili, standing awkwardly to the side, wanting to go forward but hesitant. Her hands unconsciously twisted the hem of her apron, her knuckles turning blue from the force. Her lips moved slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but swallowed it back, finally managing only a weak cry: "My son..."

Hu Ge suddenly looked up, her eyes bloodshot, her gaze piercing her mother's, as if questioning, or perhaps desperately accusing her: "Mom, even you think I'm crazy?!"

Tears welled up in Liu Lili's eyes instantly, but she didn't wail. Instead, she bit her lower lip tightly, letting the tears silently trickle down her wrinkles. She reached out her trembling hand, her fingertips slightly curled, as if wanting to touch her son's face, yet afraid of disturbing him: "Mom doesn't understand... Mom just feels heartache..."

Hu Ge, seemingly indifferent, suddenly went berserk, grabbing the calculation paper and scattering it like a shower of petals.

Xia Qunfang, played by Liu Lili, instinctively protected the falling papers before wiping the spittle from her son's mouth with her apron. When the frayed blue checkered fabric brushed against Hu Ge's chin, he staggered back as if he had been burned.

Hu Ge suddenly swung his arm and shoved her aside. Liu Lili staggered backward, her back hitting the wall with a dull thud. Hu Ge himself seemed to be overwhelmed by the recoil, staggering into the bookshelf behind him. The wooden shelf wobbled, heavy books crashed down, pages flying everywhere, like his shattered sanity.

The set was completely silent; even breathing seemed to freeze.

"Cut!" Chen Mo's voice broke the silence.

On the monitor, in the replay, Liu Lili's hands were still trembling slightly, while Hu Ge's breathing was heavy, as if she had just woken up from a nightmare.

Hu Ge's sense of collapse was so real, and Liu Lili's "heartache" was even more heart-wrenching—she didn't even have a complete line, but that humble feeling of "wanting to get close but not daring to" brought tears to the eyes of several production assistants.

Chen Mo stared at the monitor, remained silent for a few seconds, and then suddenly smiled: "Okay, this one is approved."

Hearing that Chen Mo had called out, Hu Ge breathed a sigh of relief.

"Mom, are you alright? I just..." Hu Ge hurriedly stepped forward and asked with concern and apology.

"I'm fine! But you, you must have been badly injured in that collision," Liu Lili said with some concern.

"I'm fine!"

At this moment, Chen Mo turned to look at Liu Lili: "Teacher Liu, were those tears... prepared in advance?"

Liu Lili wiped her eyes and said softly, "No need to prepare yourself. How can a mother resist looking at Xiao Hu like that?"

Hu Ge: "..."

"Director, should we keep one more take?" Hu Ge asked.

"No need. This kind of emotion is best experienced the first time. It's hard to achieve the same effect even if you do it again!" Chen Mo said with a smile.

In fact, when many directors say they want to "keep one take," it's often because the previous takes weren't satisfactory.

The idea of ​​"keeping one more time" is, frankly, just doing it again, which is no different from "no more attempts".

For Chen Mo, since the first attempt was already very good, there was no need to go through the trouble of doing it again.

Yang Mi's eyes widened, and she even forgot to put down her thermos: "Old Hu, you're amazing! Your speed in getting into character is terrifying!"

She looked Hu Ge up and down as if she were seeing him for the first time, "Back when we worked together on 'Chinese Paladin,' you didn't have this kind of explosive power!"

She had worked with Hu Ge before, so she naturally knew his acting skills. To be honest, she was genuinely surprised by what happened just now.

Is this still the same Lao Hu I know?
Huang Bo also looked at Hu Ge with some curiosity; in fact, everyone was very curious.

It's really amazing that this kind of play can be done in one take. The key is that everyone saw Hu Ge and Liu Lili's performance just now.

Liu Lili is a national mother and a veteran actress who has played dozens of mother roles, so everyone can understand her performance. But Hu Ge, to be honest, is quite surprising.

Hu Ge twitched the corner of her mouth, her fingers unconsciously rubbing the faint scar over her left eye. The set suddenly fell silent; everyone pricked up their ears.

"Actually..." His voice suddenly became very soft, as if it were drifting from a very far place!
“I don’t need to act out He Xi’s despair at all.” He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly tracing the almost non-existent scar!

"On the evening of August 29, 2006, when I touched my face covered in gauze while lying in my hospital bed," his Adam's apple bobbed violently.

"I'll never forget that feeling in my life."

Yang Mi's thermos cup fell to the ground with a clatter.

Huang Bo's smile froze on his face. The set was so quiet that you could hear the hum of the air conditioner vents.

“Of course, He Xi is crazy about math, and so am I.” Hu Ge suddenly laughed, a few fine lines appearing at the corners of her eyes. “But the feeling of being ground down by fate is universal.”

"He bent down to pick up Yang Mi's thermos, the veins on his knuckles still trembling slightly!" The only difference is, He Xi smashed calculation paper, while I smashed a mirror back then.

Everyone suddenly realized what was happening.

Hu Ge was in a car accident years ago and was disfigured for a time.

It was arguably the most desperate time for him.

After all, for an actor who is at the most crucial moment in his career, to be struck by a sudden misfortune and to be able to recover and regain his vitality is a process that is truly incomprehensible to outsiders.

Moreover, someone died in that car accident, so for Hu Ge, it was like she had been given a second chance at life.

Imagine Hu Ge at that time. Although Hu Ge rarely mentioned that incident afterward, and it even became a taboo topic for him, everyone knows that he went through so much to recover from that car accident.

And in some ways, He Xi and He Xi do have something in common.

Hu Ge's car accident almost cut his acting career in half.

On August 29, 2006, after that ear-piercing screech of brakes on the Shanghai-Hangzhou Expressway, shards of windshield glass pierced his face like knives.

When he woke up in the hospital, the first thing he touched was the gauze wrapped around his entire face—the touch was like touching a strange corpse.

The most despairing moment wasn't the pain, but the day the bandages were removed. Her face in the mirror was covered in scars, and her left eye was almost completely closed. The doctor tactfully said, "It will require a long recovery period," but Hu Ge knew the unspoken message: this face might never be able to act again.

The spirited Li Xiaoyao from "Chinese Paladin" suddenly became a memory from a past life.

Just like He Xi's "Theory of Micro-Continuity," a work he poured ten years of his heart and soul into, which was discarded as waste paper. His teacher Liu Qing's words, "Nobody thinks it's useful," were like a dull knife, slowly torturing his dignity as a mathematician.

What's even more ironic is that the money for his girlfriend Jiang Xue's overseas studies actually came from Lao Kang, the man who had always coveted Jiang Xue—this hurts more than a direct slap in the face.

Hu Ge at least has encouraging letters from fans, but He Xi has even lost the money her mother, Xia Qunfang, received for buying out her 27 years of service.

Both were driven to the brink: one looked at her shattered face in the mirror, the other at her shattered dreams on a piece of scratch paper. The difference was that Hu Ge ultimately rose from the ashes, while He Xi...
“Actually, I was prepared for this scene to be a long one, but I didn’t expect you to get it right in one take. You’re in such good form. So let’s go straight to the scene where He Xi really breaks down,” Chen Mo suddenly said with a smile, breaking the silence.

A brief silence fell over the set as everyone exchanged bewildered glances, clearly taken aback by Chen Mo's suggestion.

In the scene just now, Hu Ge's character, He Xi, was on the verge of collapse, but he hadn't completely gone mad—there was still a struggle in his eyes, resentment in his fingers as he scratched at the calculation paper, and a last glimmer of hope in his roars questioning of his mother. It was a kind of despair driven to the edge of a cliff, but at least he hadn't jumped.

But now, Chen Mo actually wants to film the scene where He Xi completely breaks down?

Hu Ge took a deep breath, his eyes darkening slightly. He knew what that scene meant—He Xi would completely lose her mind, like a bridge that had been blown up, collapsing with a deafening roar, with no way back. It was no longer despair, but madness; no longer struggle, but surrender.

Liu Lili gripped her apron tightly, her knuckles turning white. She knew better than anyone that in the upcoming scenes, He Xi would completely shatter his identity as his "son," and Xia Qunfang would watch helplessly as he fell into the abyss, without even having the courage to reach out.

The set was so quiet you could hear the air conditioner humming.

Chen Mo looked around and grinned: "What? Got scared?"

(End of this chapter)