Top Chinese celebrity: Debuted from Running Man

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"Easy? Honey, you're balding on your forehead, not your eyes."

Gu Qing glanced at Yang Mi sideways, her gaze so direct it was as if she were looking at an unreasonable fool, her tone carrying undisguised disdain:
"Sister Mi, you're someone who can even make four 'Tiny Times' movies in a row, and now you're telling me that making movies requires heart and time? It's not very convincing coming from you."

"You...you're dead!"

Yang Mi was stabbed in the heart again, and her chest heaved slightly with anger. Even the sadness she had felt during the filming break was completely washed away.

Her delicate body trembled slightly with anger, and her jade-like hands instinctively reached out to tug at Gu Qing's sleeve, wanting to have a good talk with him about just how infuriating his mouth really was.

But Gu Qing casually flicked her wrist, and her wide sleeves swung open, perfectly avoiding Yang Mi's hand, causing Yang Mi to miss her target.

He walked with a casual yet dashing gait, slowly turning around and heading towards the monitor. "Director Yu Fen, which part are you filming?"

Lin Yufen was already used to it. He just smiled, raised his chin, and pointed to the set not far away: "We just filmed Si Yin and Zhe Yan preparing to step into Kunlun Ruins. The next shot will be the first encounter between Mo Yuan, played by you, and Si Yin."

She added with a smile, "But since you're here, Xiao Gu, and in such good spirits, let's film your scenes with Mimi first. We can postpone Zheyan's scenes and reshoot them later."

Upon hearing this,

Zhang Zhiyao, who was waiting in the audience not far away, sighed softly, a complex emotion flashing across his eyes.

In his youth, he was the handsome and spirited Yang Zongbao in "The Heroines of the Yang Family" and the gentle, refined, and dashing Hua Manlou in "The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng".

Back then, he was a well-known and talented young actor in the entertainment industry. Wherever he went, he was the absolute protagonist, pampered and protected by the entire crew, enjoying immense fame and success.

Unfortunately, youth fades quickly, and the turnover of stars in the entertainment industry has always been cruel and realistic. Newcomers replace the old, and only the laughter of the newcomers is remembered. Few people care about the loneliness of the old.

Now, he has to put aside his former leading role and play a supporting role to the younger generation, playing Zheyan, a character with few scenes.

For artists who were once incredibly popular and at the peak of their careers, this kind of fall from grace is undoubtedly a torment, and an unspeakable torture.

Fortunately,

Zhang Zhiyao, with her clear mind, quickly calmed the turmoil in her heart.

Especially when she saw Gu Qing, with his flowing robes, tall and handsome figure, striding towards her, she felt a surge of joy.

He immediately composed himself, forced a gentle and polite smile, and was about to nod to greet this now top-tier junior in the entertainment industry.

Who knows,

Gu Qing spoke first, her tone sincere and tinged with a touch of junior's admiration: "Teacher Zhang, when you're free after filming, could you sign your autograph for me?"

"what?"

Zhang Zhiyao was momentarily stunned, even subconsciously thinking that the newly popular celebrity in front of her was making fun of her.
After all, many popular celebrities in the industry today no longer respect the older generation of actors.

But who would have thought,

Gu Qing then proceeded to recite, word by word, all the classic dramas and roles he had played back then.
He spoke with such conviction and utter naivety, as if he had grown up watching his plays, without a trace of falsehood or perfunctoriness.

Speaking of innocence,

Gu Qing then brought up an old story with a smile: "Teacher Zhang, it's a bit of a regret to say. Back then, I auditioned for the role of Wu Xie in 'The Lost Tomb,' but unfortunately, I wasn't selected in the end."

Otherwise, we could have collaborated back then, with you playing my third uncle. Just thinking about it is quite interesting.

"Oh...right, right, I remember now!"

As the actor who played Wu Sansheng in the original Tomb Raider series, Zhang Zhiyao instantly recalled the casting process, and his tense state immediately relaxed.

The way he looked at Gu Qing became more affectionate, and the two immediately chatted and laughed warmly.

On the other side of the film set,
All the supporting actors and extras were busy adjusting their positions and rehearsing their lines, while the props team was working hard to adjust the Kunlun Ruins set, magical artifacts, and lighting. The entire crew was operating smoothly.

Yang Mi stood alone, watching Gu Qing steal Zhe Yan away in the blink of an eye, her eyes darkening with anger.

He gritted his teeth inwardly: "This kid is the real fox!"

In the blink of an eye,
Everyone is ready, and the lighting, photography, and props are all in place.

This scene is a meticulously designed long take, from the moment the Jade Void Kunlun Fan automatically recognizes its master, Si Yin, to the astonishment and bewilderment of the Kunlun Ruins disciples upon their arrival.

Then Mo Yuan makes his appearance, immediately seeing through Si Yin's true identity as a woman. However, out of concern that the ancient artifact might fall into the wrong hands, he makes an exception and takes her as his disciple. The entire scene is filmed in one take, which demands a high level of performance and camera presence from the actors.

"Xiao Gu, let's do the first shot according to my idea."

Lin Yufen pulled Gu Qing aside and earnestly explained the play, "In the setting, Bai Qian is the most beautiful woman in the Four Seas and Eight Deserts. Even if she transforms into a man named Si Yin, her appearance and temperament are still top-notch."

Therefore, I require that when you first see her, your gaze must undergo subtle changes—first, upon seeing the Kunlun Fan in her hand, show confusion and bewilderment; then, as your gaze shifts to her face, a fleeting hint of amazement and emotional fluctuation should flash across your eyes, before quickly returning to calm and composure.

Lin Yufen looked at him, her tone filled with anticipation: "Can you do it?"

Gu Qing hesitated for a moment and then nodded. "Okay... I'll give it a try."

Thankfully, Lin Yufen didn't make any further demands, such as asking him to perform the fan-shaped eye gesture that's circulating online—"three parts mockery, three parts indifference, and four parts nonchalance."
Otherwise, no matter how good his acting is, he probably won't be able to help and will have to surrender on the spot.

Everything is ready.
Gu Qing stood outside the camera's view, slowly closing her eyes, gathering her emotions.

"Come on, scene 3 of episode 1, action!"

The clapperboard sounded crisply as filming officially began.

"what is this?"

Suddenly, a phantom appeared in mid-air, and a jade folding fan suspended in mid-air by a shimmering white silk thread slowly came into Yang Mi's sight.

Her beautiful eyes were filled with doubt. She subconsciously reached out and took the folding fan, holding it in her hand and turning it gently. A sweet smile unconsciously appeared on her lips, a blend of youthful spirit and girlish charm.

"This……"

How did the Kunlun Fan end up in his hands?

A group of Kunlun Ruins disciples, dressed in white robes and with their hair tied up in buns, rushed over in a panic. Seeing Si Yin, now in male form, holding the sect's ancient magical artifact, they were all shocked.
Some impatient disciples immediately raised their hands, wanting to step forward and snatch it.

Yang Mi quickly turned to the side, gripped the fan tightly, and took a step back, her eyes warily protecting the Kunlun Fan.

at this time,

Suddenly noticing the figure behind them, the disciples quickly and respectfully parted into two rows, bowing and greeting each other: "Master!"

Gu Qing walked out with steady steps, his black robe accentuating his extraordinary figure and otherworldly aura.

This was originally the character's setting in the play.

Seeing Gu Qing, who was arguing with her one second and instantly got into character the next, Yang Mi's heart actually stirred slightly, and she was momentarily stunned by his beauty.

Gu Qing stopped in front of the disciples, his gaze falling on the folding fan in Si Yin's hand. His expression remained unchanged as he muttered to himself, "Strange, this fan actually chose him as its master..."

Mo Yuan was filled with doubt, his brows furrowed slightly, and his gaze slowly fixed on Si Yin.

With his profound magical power accumulated over 360,000 years, he saw through the illusion of the other party at a glance and realized that she was Bai Qian's true daughter.

In an instant,
Having lived for 360,000 years and slain countless demons, the Heavenly War God's heart, long since still and unmoved, was stirred by a subtle ripple at this moment.
A subtle stirring of emotion, unnoticed even by himself, quietly arose, only to be quickly concealed in his eyes, leaving no trace.

Seeing this, Zheyan, who was not far away, curled his lips smugly, thinking that his illusion technique had perfectly fooled Mo Yuan, and even gave Bai Qian a look without making a sound.

Bai Qian lowered her head slightly, her fair hand tightly gripping the folding fan. She stepped forward cautiously, only daring to steal glances at the Heavenly War God in front of her, who was dressed in a black robe and had a handsome face like a young man.

"I thought the God of War of the Four Seas and Eight Desolations had three heads and six arms, but who would have thought he was just a pretty boy even more charming than Zheyan..."

Yang Mi pursed her lips, silently rehearsing her lines, and turned her head slightly. But out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of the handsome and imposing Gu Qing in front of her.
For a moment, she was inexplicably lost in thought, her mind drifting uncontrollably back to her earliest audition—

At that time, Mo Yuan was originally intended to be played by Mark Chao. Every time they rehearsed a scene, looking at his mature and serious face with a clearly defined stubble, she felt helpless and desperate.

But at this moment,
That weathered face seemed to overlap with Gu Qingqing's handsome features, creating a striking contrast.

Yang Mi's lips curled up uncontrollably. She tried her best to suppress it, but the corners of her mouth still couldn't help but curl up again and again, and she was about to burst out laughing.

Whether it was the joy of being paired with Gu Qing or the amusement of this inexplicable association, she forced herself to finish reciting all her lines for the entire scene, her whole body tense.

"Crack!"

Lin Yufen called for a stop, "Get ready, we're going to shoot the second take."

The second point is that Gu Qing interprets it according to her own understanding.

He continued walking, his gaze falling on the Kunlun Fan in Si Yin's hand. Amidst his doubts, a deep worry crept into his expression.

He worried that this ancient magical artifact was extremely powerful, and if it were to fall into the hands of people outside Kunlun Ruins, it would surely cause turmoil throughout the world.

Even though he could see through Si Yin's true gender, he had to prioritize the greater good and take her under his wing.

After filming this scene, Lin Yufen finally nodded: "Cut! Take a ten-minute break. The props team will prepare the set for the next scene."

She turned to Gu Qing and Yang Mi: "Gu, Mimi, come and watch the replay too. We can judge together which version is better." "Coming, coming!"

Yang Mi immediately became interested and followed along, walking side by side with Gu Qing towards the monitor.

She stood on tiptoe, hands behind her back, deliberately leaning forward and turning her head to look at Gu Qing. With a snort, she said smugly, "I'm giving you one last chance to please me, do you want it?"
Gu Qing didn't turn her head, waved her sleeve, and said in a light tone: "Just choose the worst one. Anyway, if the show flops after it airs, it's your problem, not mine."

"If you didn't have this face, you'd never find a girlfriend in your life!"

Yang Mi stomped her foot in anger and chased after him through gritted teeth.

The two quickly arrived in front of the monitor. Lin Yufen pulled up the first playback, watching it while praising with a smile, "Mimi, not bad! Your acting has improved a lot since then."
That smile, tinged with shyness, perfectly captured Si Yin's feelings; it was just right.

"Did you hear that!" Yang Mi's face instantly lit up with a smile. She nudged Gu Qing beside her with her elbow and proudly raised her chin. "The director praised me. Are you jealous?"

Gu Qing didn't speak, but her brows furrowed more and more, her eyes fixed on the screen, her expression extremely serious.

After the first scene finished playing, Lin Yufen pulled up the second version performed by Gu Qing and watched it carefully, his expression gradually becoming serious.

"Mimi, your second smile was noticeably less natural than the first one; it seemed a bit forced."

Lin Yufen couldn't help but offer his comments.

Yang Mi's eyes lit up, and she asked cheerfully, "Director, do you think the first take was better?"

She was waiting to see Gu Qing get his comeuppance.

"No, the second time is better."

Lin Yufen truthfully said, "You just didn't smile naturally enough. You can add a line later."

However, considering the overall screen time, Gu's portrayal of Mo Yuan is more believable.

Yang Mi's smile froze instantly, and the corners of her mouth drooped slightly.

"...So it turns out the problem was with me all along?"

"Xiao Gu, in terms of visual presentation and character portrayal, your ideas do fit Mo Yuan's temperament better—calm, restrained, and prioritizing the overall situation."

Lin Yu paused for a moment, still insisting on her original creative intention, "But I still feel that if there were no foreshadowing of Mo Yuan's attraction in the first life, his later death for Si Yin would lack emotional groundwork and would be difficult to move the audience."

She said earnestly, "I have an idea—your feelings for Si Yin can gradually increase as the story unfolds; you don't need to fall in love at the very beginning."

Later, when she cuts her own blood to feed her medicine, and you protect her from the perspective of Jinlian's soul, then you can truly realize your own feelings. This way, the emotional progression will be more natural and won't affect the plot of the later two lifetimes. What do you think?

Lin Yu had been arguing heatedly with Gu Qing before, but after thinking it over carefully that night, she figured out the key point:

If the emotions are fully developed in the first life, the love and hate entanglements in the following two lives will only cause aesthetic fatigue for the audience. The emotional tension must be balanced.

"I think it's okay."

Gu Qing thought for a moment and nodded in agreement.

Lin Yufen immediately beamed with a smile, and was about to clap her hands to signal the staff to prepare to continue filming.

Gu Qing suddenly spoke up, her tone calm: "Director, don't you think there's a very serious problem in both of these scenes?"

"Oh no... I knew this kid was going to bring this up."

Lin Yufen inwardly groaned, a troubled expression appearing on his face.

"What's the problem?"

Yang Mi blinked, looked at Lin Yufen who looked troubled, and then at Gu Qing who looked serious. She urged him impatiently, "Stop beating around the bush, just say what you want to say. I'll just shoot a few more takes, and we'll definitely pass."

"Honey, this is a big problem..."

Lin Yufen forced herself to speak, her face full of worry, "It might not be something that can be solved by filming a few more takes."

She knew perfectly well what Gu Qing was saying.

But as a director, she understands even more that some things cannot be made up for by acting skills alone; it is a kind of weariness and numbness that comes from the very core of one's being.

"What is it?" Yang Mi's patience was almost exhausted.

"Yes……"

Lin Yufen, who is usually straightforward, hesitated to speak at this moment.

She knew how hurtful those words were to an actress, even more so than being publicly told she was bald.

This riddle-like attitude intensified Yang Mi's irritation. Her chest heaved slightly, and she was about to raise her voice and press for an answer.
"Honey, I think you need to rest for a few days."

Until she heard a soft sigh in her ear, without mockery or teasing, "Your eyes are too tired, I can't see any vibrant emotions in them."

"Hey, that's...that makes some sense!"

Lin Yufen, who had been hunched over, fearing she might ignite a powder keg, suddenly brightened up and straightened her back.

She turned around with a surprised yet mischievous grin and patted Gu Qing's arm, inwardly praising him repeatedly.

Who said this kid's mouth is only good for making people talk?
That was a very tactful yet insightful statement, and it was also incredibly heartwarming. Doesn't that show a high level of emotional intelligence?
She was originally prepared to bite the bullet and say, "Mimi, your eyes are in terrible condition. They don't look like a young girl's at all. They're as dull as if you're fifty years old. There's no spark in your eyes at all!"

Thankfully, I didn't say it out loud, otherwise today's scene would definitely have ended badly.

"My...my eyes are very tired?"

Yang Mi stood there, stunned, completely bewildered.

She subconsciously turned her head to look at the monitor screen, her gaze falling on her own eyes.

Upon looking at it, she suddenly realized something and fell completely silent.

The image of myself on the screen has eyes like a stagnant pool, exuding a calm madness that, if stared at for too long, can even feel somewhat eerie.

"Sister Honey, let's rest for two days before filming again."

Gu Qing spoke again, "If you're not in good shape, filming more takes won't help."

This time, Yang Mi didn't get angry or argue. She just gently bit her lower lip and looked into Gu Qing's clear and bright eyes.

His eyes were clear and bright, like untouched stars, radiating the vibrancy and purity of youth, so beautiful that she couldn't help but envy them.

She slowly lowered her head, her voice as soft as a breeze, tinged with an indescribable bitterness: "Little brother, I can't stop..."

“If I take a few days off, what will happen to the whole crew? What about your schedule? The contract we signed only allows for a little over a month of filming.”

She was really scared—scared that she wouldn't be able to finish filming, scared that the schedule would be delayed, scared that she would breach the contract.

For celebrities, a few days is never just a few days.

Behind this is a series of business activities, endorsements, and the schedule of the next film. If these are stopped, the resulting losses will be incalculable.

Especially for a top-tier celebrity like Gu Qing, every second is precious, and countless people are lining up to collaborate with him.

If it were her, upon hearing that her co-stars were taking a few days off, she would probably be furious and want to tear the entire crew apart, let alone take the initiative to accommodate them.

This is something other artists can't even imagine.

But Gu Qing seemed completely oblivious to her concerns, and instead couldn't help but laugh, saying matter-of-factly, "If we can't finish filming, I'll stay and continue filming."

"Honey, I already told you to go and rest, why are you still worried about my schedule?"

He looked at her, his eyes earnest and admonishing, "Listen to me, go back to the hotel and get a good two-day rest, recharge your energy, and then we'll film together. I'm not in a hurry, really not in a hurry."

For Gu Qing, when filming, he can turn down all irrelevant business deals and devote himself entirely to the creative process.

He knows better than anyone that the value of a good work is far more important than multiple commercial endorsements.

not to mention,
"Three Lives Three Worlds" was itself a phenomenal hit drama in its previous life.

He has unknowingly developed an obsessive-compulsive habit: not only does he have to act well, but he also has to make the whole drama reach its most perfect state.

He wants every story he plays, every character he puts his heart and soul into, to be genuinely loved by more people.

Yang Mi stood there, looking at Gu Qing, whose features were clean and whose tone was sincere. The hard shell that had been wrapped around her heart for many years melted away in that instant.

that moment,
She suddenly felt that she had wasted all these years of her life.

Why would I marry an older man?

"If I don't get a divorce, am I supposed to change his diapers when he's old?"

……

...(End of this chapter)