Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

……

……

Inside the sweltering, crowded, and dusty abandoned warehouse, the air seemed to solidify into a viscous gel.

The temporary hostages, playing temporary roles, huddled in a corner, their dark faces etched with genuine fear and despair; their eyes themselves carried the unique undertones of suffering characteristic of this land.

"Bang—!"

A dull, loud bang shattered the silence.

A tall but fragile figure flew out like a sack hit by a heavy truck, crashing hard into a makeshift "wall" made of discarded planks and crates on the side of the warehouse.

"Crack—Snap!"

The fragile wooden structure shattered instantly, sending splinters flying and raising a cloud of old, choking dust that instantly engulfed the figure.

"Cough...cough...cough..."

A painful coughing sound came from the dust.

Gu Qing struggled to push away the broken wooden planks pressing down on him, trying to prop himself up. The dust choked him, making his eyes water and blurring his vision.

He had barely opened his eyes, and hadn't even seen his surroundings clearly yet.
A cold, hard, gunpowder-smelling round object came into view.

His survival instinct made him instinctively raise his arm and turn his face to the side, trying to use his most vulnerable part to block the unknown deadly threat.

Goodbye, boy.

A burly man, weighing over 200 pounds and standing over 2 meters tall, resembling Uluru, grinned menacingly as he pulled the trigger.

"Whoosh whoosh-!"

The expected explosion did not occur; instead, a series of faint yet dense, comically comical, whooshing sounds filled the air.

Several white, rubber-textured bullets struck Gu Qing's chest, shoulder, and raised arm in succession, making muffled "thud" sounds.

It brought a sense of absurdity.

The burly man's ferocious grin froze instantly, then turned into a look of embarrassment and anger at being teased by a "toy".

He growled, and a large, fan-like hand shot out, gripping Gu Qing's neck with precision and brutality, lifting him up from the pile of rubble.
With her other hand, she pressed a ridiculous toy gun against his forehead.
Didn't your mother tell you, kid, don't play with guns?

He leaned closer, his breath, heavy with odor, almost hitting Gu Qing's face.

"Your mom is dead."

Gu Qing's face turned red, and he managed to utter a sound with difficulty. He recalled his master's teachings in his mind, and his hands trembled as he placed them on the strong man's wrists. He was about to raise his left knee to attack the groin.

crucial moment,

"Big Bear, stop fooling around, something's happening outside!"

The lock on the warehouse door was pulled open, and the burly man's colleague said impatiently.

"Kid, you're lucky."

The burly man named Big Bear turned sideways, inserted the toy gun into the gun holster on his leg, loosened his grip like a vise, and kicked Gu Qing away again.

Fortunately, the hostages inside the warehouse managed to catch them this time.

He strode away with heavy steps, panting heavily.

until,

With a 'bang,' the iron gate slammed shut again.

"Are you alright? Are you alright?"

The people around him quickly accepted the concern.

"I...I'm fine."

Gu Qing rubbed his neck and coughed twice. He sat down on the ground, his face puffed out, and after everyone left, he gritted his teeth and cursed, "When I get out of here, I will definitely not let these bastards get away with this!"

"Brother Fan, stop bragging, okay?"

Beside them, a man who had been sitting on the ground with his knees drawn up, his face ashen, looked up and said weakly, with a numbness that seemed to have seen through the world, "We're about to die, and we're still pretending."

"Crack——!"

"Passed! Beautiful!!"

Behind the monitor, Wu Jing's loud and excited voice pierced the dullness of the warehouse. He almost jumped up, clapping his hands vigorously.
"Little brother, you acted well, not bad at all. I thought you were really pinched just now."

He praised her loudly as he jogged toward Gu Qing, his face showing undisguised admiration and concern.

However, before he could even reach them...

With a "whoosh,"
The five or six staff members who were originally waiting around or acting as hostages rushed over even faster and instantly surrounded Gu Qing.

Their faces were filled with undisguised heartache and anxiety, and their movements were gentle yet swift:
"Teacher Gu, are you alright? Please sit down and rest!"

"Does your chest hurt? That kick was really hard!"

"Exactly, it's terrifying to watch! You could easily find a body double to film the back of the subject for a scene like this."

"Should we call the on-site doctor to take a look? His neck is all red."

Amidst the chorus of concerned voices, Wu Jing was completely isolated outside the human wall, his hands outstretched and mouth agape, unable to get a word in edgewise.

These are all his 'soldiers'!

Surrounded by the crowd, Gu Qing blushed with embarrassment, especially with an elderly comrade watching beside her.

"I'm fine. Everyone, go and put Teacher Wu down first. He's been hanging there for a long time."

His gaze swept past the crowd and landed on another corner of the warehouse.

Despite his advanced age, Wu Gang's hands were bound behind his back with rough hemp rope, and he was suspended from a rusty iron hook.
His face was covered in bruises and red marks, and he stared in the direction he was in, utterly despondent.

For a fifty-year-old comrade, being suspended like that, relying entirely on his arms and core strength for support, is obviously a huge challenge.

Hearing Gu Qing's reminder,

Only two staff members, seemingly reluctant, slowly walked over and untied Wu Gang.

Gu Qing squeezed through the crowd and walked to Wu Gang's side, asking, "Teacher Wu, are you alright? Is your wrist hurt?"

When Gu Qing met Wu Gang, she was truly glad that her drama "Nirvana in Fire" had been broadcast ahead of schedule.

During my conversation with Wu Gang, I learned that after Huang Guotai's "Ze Tian Ji" was completed...

His new drama, "In the Name of the People," is about to be released.

Among the TV dramas airing at the same time, who would dare to touch this one?
Whoever touches him dies!

"It's alright, it's alright, these old bones can still hold up."

Wu Gang flexed his wrists, his wrinkles crinkling into a smile. He carefully examined Gu Qing, reached out to pat the dust off his clothes, and sincerely praised, "You're the one I really didn't expect... to be so genuine."

"There aren't many young actors like you these days."

Although he couldn't help but envy Gu Qing's treatment in his heart.

But this young man, during the time we worked together, was really not spoiled at all, and he was humble and polite when he saw me.

Clearly, in this scene where he gets beaten up,
Even Wu Jing said they should find a body double and just film a shot of someone's back to make do.

As a result, Gu Qing insisted on filming on location, pursuing the ideal presentation for the screen.

This naturally suits the tastes of veteran actors like Wu Gang.

Getting kicked a couple of times is nothing.
When they were young, slapping each other hard in the face during filming was nothing compared to what they did when they were young.

But now... it's better not to say anything.

Gu Qing chose to film the actual event.

Wu Jing was naturally happy to see this scene, and his affection for Gu Qing was about to skyrocket.

Goodness, are there any male leads who actually consider the director's perspective?

How many celebrities like this are there in the entertainment industry?
He now regrets it a bit; why did he criticize young male celebrities so harshly back then, calling them all effeminate?

This boomerang will eventually hit him in the face.

……

"Little brother, the next scene is your turn to fight back."

"Filming wrapped up as soon as it was finished."

Wu Jing finally squeezed in and asked with concern, "Do you need to practice your moves again?"

"Brother Jing, no need, it's just a few moves, let's get started."

Gu Qing smiled and shook her head.

quickly,

After having his makeup touched up, Leng Feng, played by Wu Jing, arrives to rescue Zhuo Yifan and the others, helping them escape.

Gu Qing covered the hostages' escape.

The group arrived outside the warehouse.

The film crew has already set up the abandoned vehicle set.
The bear chasing from behind caught up and immediately engaged Gu Qing in combat.

Gu Qing was physically weak and was clearly no match for him. He was quickly grabbed by the neck again. He used the moves taught to him by his master Leng Feng to kick his groin and flip his wrist, successfully breaking free.

And with a swift and stylish motion, he drew his gun, took out the pistol from his waist and pointed it at the bear's head.

Didn't your mother teach you not to play with guns?

Upon seeing that it was a toy gun, Big Bear clamped his legs together, grinned menacingly, and reached out with both hands, ready to fight back.

Next second,
With a "bang,"
A bloody hole appeared in his skull.

Gu Qing kicked the burly bear to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of his lips. Gasping for breath, he yelled, "Didn't your mother teach you not to mess with brats?!"

"Grass!"

As his adrenaline subsided, he staggered backward, bracing himself with his hands on the hood of the abandoned vehicle.

At this time,

Armed rescue workers then arrived.

"Click! Passed!"

"Zhuo Yifan has wrapped filming!!"

Due to a shortage of funds, Wu Jing hurriedly picked a few wildflowers from the roadside and used them as a gift for Gu Qing.

"Brother Jing, you should keep these flowers for yourself."

Gu Qing struggled to lift the burly man weighing over 200 pounds, shook her head with a chuckle, and looked at Zhao Ya as she walked over. "Sister Xiao Ya, book a flight for tonight."

"Little brother, you're leaving without even attending the victory celebration banquet?"

Wu Jing was very reluctant to part, "I wanted to have a couple more drinks with you."

"Brother Jing, I'm scared because you want to drink with me."

Gu Qing joked for a moment, then waved his hand and said, "Just kidding, I have a business event to attend and need to rush back. I can't wait too long."

"What business activity is so urgent? You don't even have time to have a drink with me, brother."

Wu Jing asked.

"The Bulgari gala dinner was specifically requested by the president of their Greater China region. Do you think I could refuse?"

Gu Qing shrugged.

"..."

Wu Jing shut his mouth and didn't say anything, but just gave a thumbs up.

As one of the world's most prestigious and renowned jewelry brands.

If I could just sneak some jewelry from his house, I wouldn't be short of funding for my drama.

Gu Qing took Zhao Ya back to their hotel and prepared to pack their luggage to head to the airport.

The car drove along the bumpy dirt road, and outside the window, the desolate and unfamiliar scenery of the African continent rushed past.

Because the locally hired driver and security personnel were in the front, Zhao Ya was able to sit in the back seat with Gu Qing this time.

The car had barely started moving when she couldn't resist taking Gu Qing's phone out of her bag. A look of relief mixed with distress crossed her face as she handed it over, her voice low and pleading.
"Boss... just now... Teacher Sweetie called again."

For the past two weeks, almost every day... I'm almost at a loss for how to answer the phone.

Since Gu Qing came to Feizhou to film,

It was probably only two days after the filming of "Love O2O" wrapped up that his phone started receiving frequent calls and messages from Jing Tian.

In the beginning, Gu Qing was able to reply a few words during filming breaks, but as her role became more demanding, especially with more action scenes, she also had to learn how to drive tanks and firearms.

He is often so exhausted at the end of the day that he doesn't even have time to look at his phone.

then,

The task of receiving the call and making initial communication fell to the assistant, Zhao Ya. This was undoubtedly a form of torture.

Jing Tian's phone calls were incredibly frequent, ranging from three or four times a day to as many as seven or eight times.

The content was highly consistent: asking Gu Qing where she was, what she was doing, and why she wasn't answering her calls.

The tone shifted from initial longing and coquettishness to later anxiety and grievance, and then to a recent underlying stubbornness and unease.

Following Gu Qing's instructions, Zhao Ya did not reveal their exact location in Feizhou, fearing that Da Tiantian might really come over regardless of the consequences.

They could only give vague excuses, saying that Gu Qing was filming in a closed location, the signal was bad, and she was very busy. Such excuses might work once or twice, but after using them for more than half a month, even Zhao Ya herself felt they were weak and ineffective. Every time she answered the phone, her scalp tingled, and she felt immense pressure.

"give it to me."

Gu Qing remained silent for a moment, then reached out and took the phone, a hint of weariness and helplessness flashing across her face.

As if to confirm Zhao Ya's words, the phone lit up as soon as it was in his hand, before he could even warm it up.

A crisp ringtone accompanied the caller ID: Jing Tian.

This time, it was a video call request.

Gu Qing adjusted her posture, tidied her slightly disheveled hair and collar from filming, and lightly swiped her fingertips across the answer button.

The screen lit up instantly.

Jing Tian's face, which was still delicate and bright even under the front camera of the phone, appeared in the picture, but now it looked obviously haggard.

"Zhao Ya, you let...! Great...Great God?"

Just as Da Tiantian, her pretty face flushed with anger, was about to unleash her fury, she was stunned when she saw a face suddenly appear on the screen.

This cry was filled with undisguised dependence and grievance.

Next second,
Her eyes visibly reddened, her long eyelashes became damp, and her voice took on a heavy nasal tone.
Why are you ignoring me?

I've called you so many times, why don't you answer?

Do you know how hard I've searched for you? Don't you want to see me at all?

A barrage of questions, brimming with longing, anxiety, and the sadness of being neglected, came rushing in.

Compared to the past, Jing Tian in the picture does look a bit thinner, with faint dark circles under her eyes. Although she is still beautiful, she has lost some of the vibrancy and radiance she had in the "Love O2O" crew, and looks more melancholy and haggard.

Even Zhao Ya, who was listening in, couldn't help but steal glances at the screen. Seeing Jing Tian's tearful and pitiful appearance, her heart softened.
I thought to myself: Who could withstand this? The boss really has... extraordinary composure.

……

"slight,"

Hearing that familiar address, and seeing Da Tian Tian's clearly unusual mood,

A hint of worry flashed in Gu Qing's eyes. She softened her voice and said, "It's not that I don't want to see you. I'm here to 'see' you, aren't I? I've read all the messages you sent when I had time and tried my best to reply."

He patiently explained, "It's just that the filming schedule has been really heavy lately, and the environment is quite special, so it's often inconvenient to contact you."

"I don't want to see messages! I want to see you in person! Where are you?"

Jing Tian asked stubbornly, tears welling up in her eyes but refusing to fall, "Are you lying to me?"

Gu Qing flipped his phone camera and pointed it at the desolate and primitive scenery rushing past the car window.

"I'm in Feizhou, filming a movie."

His voice was calm. "Look, it's desolate. It's nothing like the situation back home."

The screen shook violently, as if Jing Tian had suddenly sat up straight.

She stared wide-eyed, trying to make out the completely unfamiliar sights outside the window.

"Flying to Africa? Great! I got it! I'll book the tickets right away!"

She blurted it out almost without thinking, then turned to call her assistant's name off-screen to arrange the schedule.

"slight."

Gu Qing had to interrupt, saying, "Listen to me, my scenes are finished. Filming wraps up today. Tomorrow, I'll go back to China."

"Return to China?"

These two words seemed to have a magical power, instantly capturing Jing Tian's full attention.

She turned her head sharply, her beautiful eyes flashing with an astonishing light, and a blush of excitement spread across her tired face.

"You're coming back, Master? Tomorrow? What time are you arriving? Which airport? I'll pick you up!"

Her tone was urgent and cheerful.

"Senior sister, this isn't a film set anymore."

Gu Qing deliberately switched back to a more casual way of addressing him, "Are you sure... you can come pick me up?"

He recalled that when he first got into character after filming "The Journey of Flower," the impact wasn't this strong.

At most, I just have insomnia and can't sleep well. I really want to call and see Sister Zhao.

But it shouldn't be to the point of losing one's appetite.

After a week, I was able to get out of the emotions in the play quite smoothly.

It's been over a month since he left the film crew, and there's still no sign of Jing Tian getting better.
Could it be that,
Is it because Sister Zhao's charm isn't as great as mine?
……

A chubby-faced female celebrity attending a business event had an itchy nose, but she maintained a smile and tried her best not to sneeze.

Which bastard is talking badly about me behind my back?
……

"Senior sister...the film crew..."

Gu Qing's change of address was like a basin of cool water, making Jing Tian, ​​who was immersed in the joy of reunion, momentarily dazed.

She bit her lower lip, her long eyelashes drooping down, casting a shadow under her eyelids, and remained silent for a few seconds.

She actually understands.

They understood the reminder in Gu Qing's words, they understood that the story of "Xiao Nai" and "Bei Weiwei" had come to an end, and they understood that outside the film crew, they were the actors Gu Qing and Jing Tian.

But... understanding and being willing to accept are two different things.

The months spent filming "Love O2O" were the happiest, most relaxed, and most "life-like" time she had ever experienced since entering the industry.

There's no need to deal with complicated interpersonal relationships within the industry, nor the pressure of handling unsustainable "big-budget" productions; you can simply immerse yourself in that beautiful story.

Gu Qing... is equally outstanding, gentle, and tolerant both on and off screen, seemingly fulfilling all her fantasies of a "perfect partner"—someone she spends every day with.

Those tacit eye contact, those playful banter, those moments spent working together for a single shot, those moments when he took meticulous care of me... every little detail can no longer be simply summarized as "acting".

Before filming this movie,
Jing Tian also needed to mentally prepare herself. It was just a kissing scene, just a kissing scene. She could just pretend she'd been bitten by a pig and it would be fine.

But when facing Gu Qing,
She found herself falling for him without even realizing it, unable to distinguish whether it was "Bei Weiwei" who had fallen in love with "Xiao Nai".
Jing Tian... has become addicted to the feeling she had when she was with Gu Qing.

After filming wrapped and she left the crew, she was overwhelmed by a huge sense of emptiness and loss.

Returning to the familiar room, I felt that everything was empty.

Despite receiving offers to appear on screen, she couldn't muster any interest. She locked herself in her house, feeling listless and unable to focus on anything. Her mind kept replaying scenes from the film set: Gu Qing's smile, his voice, and even his serious profile as he explained the script.

She finally...successfully "got into character".

He became a "good actor" who could experience the deep emotions of the characters.

but,

No one taught her how to "get out" after the experience.

"...Senior sister, try not to stay at home all the time. You can use work to distract yourself, or go out with friends more often. Staying alone makes it easy to overthink, and you'll get more and more caught up in it."

Gu Qing's voice pulled her back to reality as he shared his own insights on how to break out of character.

"I do not!"

Jing Tian suddenly raised her head, turned it away, and said with a stubborn willfulness, "I just want to stay here!"

If "Love O2O" doesn't become a hit, I'll retire from the entertainment industry!
I wasn't even 'in character,' so why should I 'step out' of it?

Gu Qing knew that she couldn't confront them head-on.

His eyes flickered slightly, and he suddenly changed the subject: "Senior sister, did you listen to the song I sent you before?"

really,

Jing Tian's attention was successfully diverted. "I...I listened." She nodded, her voice lower, tinged with hesitation and anticipation.

"Gu Qing, are these two songs written for Bei Weiwei?"

"No."

Gu Qing's answer was straightforward: "It was written for Teacher 'Gu Man'."

"I……"

Jing Tian felt a tightness in her chest. The first half of his sentence made her heart ache, while the second half, with his untimely "banter," left her both amused and exasperated.

Most of that pent-up anger dissipated instantly, leaving only helplessness. "Can you please stop teasing me on purpose? Can't you just comfort me a little?"

"division……"

"I don't want to hear 'senior sister'!"

Jing Tian interrupted him, a little annoyed, "If you say that again, I'll really wait for you at the airport tomorrow!"

Gu Qing readily complied, changing her form of address and lightening her tone: "Okay, Weiwei. So, what have you been doing at home lately?"

Jing Tian couldn't help but complain, "What else can I do? I just listen to the songs you wrote for me on repeat every day."

She paused, her tone revealing a sharing desire she herself wasn't even aware of, "Also, watching those 'musical note short videos' that you endorse is such a waste of time!"

I would spend the whole day scrolling through it, and by the time I stopped, it was already dark.

She seemed to remember something, and her eyes brightened again: "I also came across that dance challenge video you filmed with Zhang Yixing before!"
I never knew you danced so well! Your movements are clean and powerful. How many more surprises do you have in store for me?

Her tone carried a familiar adoration and a touch of coquettishness.

"Of course I can dance. I've been a trainee for five years, so I have the basics."

Gu Qing responded with a smile, recalling the days and nights she spent training hard in South Korea.

"I'm also a good dancer!"

Jing Tian raised her chin defiantly, revealing the graceful lines of her swan-like neck. "I graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy. I'm good at both folk dance and classical dance."
"How about we have a match sometime...?" she challenged, her eyes gleaming with eagerness.

"Dance battle?"

Gu Qing was amused by her sudden competitive spirit, and then an idea flashed through her mind.

Perhaps this is a good way to bring Jing Tian out of the drama.

"It's not a problem to demonstrate."

Gu Qing followed her words and said, "However, Weiwei, since you have nothing to do at home and like to watch short videos, why don't you practice dancing more at home to keep in shape?"

"When 'Love O2O' premieres and we start promoting it, I've come up with a simple and fun duet dance idea. Let's film a short video together to promote the show, what do you say?"

"real?!"

Jing Tian's eyes lit up instantly, her surprise and delight evident. "Are you serious? We'll film a dance video together?"

"Ah."

Gu Qing nodded seriously and gave her a reassuring look. "I will only 'not see' you, but I will not lie to you."

He deliberately used the joke she had just made, with a hint of teasing.

"Ah!! Xiao Nai! Go to hell!!"

Jing Tian realized what was happening and instantly bristled, baring her teeth and claws at the screen, both embarrassed and angry, "You're just trying to annoy me! Don't let me catch you!!"

But the tone of his voice no longer carried the gloom and stubbornness of before, but instead had a vibrant vitality.

After chatting for a few more minutes and calming Jing Tian down,

Gu Qingcai then ended the long video call.

He put his phone aside, leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and let out a long sigh.

This feels even more tiring than filming those two intense action scenes on set. It's not just physical exhaustion, but a huge drain on my emotions and energy.

"boss,"

Zhao Ya, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally couldn't help but speak softly, her face full of confusion and curiosity, "Why... do you seem to be quite afraid that Sister Tian Tian won't 'get out of character'?"

If she really falls for you because of the drama, wouldn't that be great? Sweetie is beautiful, comes from a good family, and is devoted to you...

In Zhao Ya's opinion, this was simply a windfall.

Gu Qing opened her eyes and lightly tapped her forehead in an annoyed tone: "What do you know?"

"It's very dangerous for actors to become so immersed in the emotions of a character for too long that they can't detach themselves. At best, it will affect their subsequent work performance; at worst, it may lead to psychological problems."

Blending the lines between reality and drama is a very dangerous thing.

He paused, his gaze fixed on the rapidly receding wasteland outside the car window, gradually being swallowed by the twilight.
"Besides... how can you be sure that she likes the real 'Gu Qing,' and not the one in her heart?"

Is it a perfect illusion constructed from the image of 'Xiao Nai,' the wonderful atmosphere on set, and her own emotional projections?

Zhao Ya was stunned, blinked, and carefully considered what her boss had said.

It seems... a bit profound, but it also seems to make a lot of sense.

"So this is ah."

She nodded as if she understood, thinking that although her boss was young, he always thought very deeply and far ahead.

The carriage was quiet for a while, with only the roar of the engine and the rustling of tires over the dirt road.

Just as Gu Qing picked up her phone again, preparing to browse the news and find out what dramatic changes had taken place in China over the past two weeks.

Zhao Ya, however, spoke up subtly:
"So, boss, who do you like when you're not acting?"

……

...(End of chapter)