Huayu: This celebrity doesn't follow the rules.

Chapter 26 Let me demonstrate

At two o'clock in the afternoon, the sunlight shone down through the glass windows at the top of the photography studio, casting a lazy glow on people.

The production crew sat in twos and threes on folding chairs to rest, while the prop master checked the set props to be used that afternoon. The whole set was filled with a rare relaxed atmosphere.

"The filming went very smoothly this morning, Lao Jiang." Zhang Ming handed him a glass of iced Americano.

"Remember to address him by his title on set: Assistant Director Zhang!"

Zhang Ming, who had been hunched over with dark circles under his eyes, seemed to have been injected with a shot of adrenaline. His tired body immediately perked up, his back straightened, and the corners of his mouth turned up uncontrollably, revealing a silly grin and a set of big white teeth: "Yes!!! Okay, Director Jiang!"

Jiang Ye entrusted him with an important task, giving him the title of assistant director!

Second only to one person in the film crew!
When he heard the news, he was so excited that he almost knelt down and called out "Dad!"

Jiang Ye also valued him highly, doing things like moving equipment, coordinating extras, carrying bags for the director, and buying him coffee...

He did almost all the odd jobs, and he didn't even get paid...

"At this pace, we can wrap up work early today after shooting three more sets of shots."

Jiang Ye took the coffee, took a sip, and the bitter liquid slid down his throat, clearing his mind, which had been somewhat muddled from continuous work.

He glanced at the shooting schedule, his gaze lingering on the last scene of the afternoon.

The highlight scene is the Crown Princess forcefully kissing the Crown Prince against the wall.

"Have Meng Ziyi and Ou Hao get ready. Scene 27 will begin filming in twenty minutes."

Jiang Ye raised his chin towards the dressing room.

Assistant Director Zhang nodded and turned to inform the actors.

Jiang Ye then went to the monitor and reviewed the footage shot that morning.

The morning's scenes went very smoothly. Meng Ziyi's portrayal of the Crown Princess was naive enough, and Ou Hao's portrayal of the Crown Prince was cheeky enough. Their scenes together were full of sparks, and almost all of them were filmed in one take.

"I hope the afternoon goes just as smoothly."

Twenty minutes later, all staff members were in place.

The setting is an antique-style study.

Meng Ziyi wore a red palace dress embroidered with peonies in gold thread, the hem of which trailed on the ground like flames.

Her willow-leaf eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes were adorned with orange-red eyeshadow, and delicate floral decorations were placed between her eyebrows. Her bright red lips made her skin appear even whiter.

However, her expression was unusually complicated, as if she had something on her mind.

Ou Hao, dressed in a moon-white robe, and the two waited quietly for filming to begin, creating a picturesque scene.

"Scene 35, shot one, action!" The script supervisor slammed the clapperboard and quickly stepped back.

In front of the camera, Meng Ziyi walked aggressively towards Ou Hao. According to the script, she was supposed to push Ou Hao onto the bookshelf and then kiss him forcefully.

However, just as her lips were about to touch Ou Hao, Meng Ziyi suddenly turned her head away.

"Cut!" Jiang Ye frowned. "Meng Ziyi, what's wrong?"

Meng Ziyi awkwardly smoothed her hair: "Sorry, Director, I... I think my hair got caught on Ou Hao's collar. Let's do it again."

Jiang Ye nodded: "Okay, let's do it again. Scene 35, shot two, action!"

This time, Meng Ziyi successfully pushed Ou Hao onto the bookshelf, but when she got close, Ou Hao's body stiffened noticeably, and his eyes flickered.

"Cut! Oh no, why are you hiding? The prince should be in a state of surprise but not resistance right now, but you're hiding like you've seen a ghost."

Jiang Ye couldn't help but stand up from behind the monitor.

Ou Hao scratched the back of his head: "Sorry, director, I'll adjust it."

Over the next hour, the scene was filmed twelve times, each time with different problems. Either Meng Ziyi backed out at the last minute, or Ou Hao's reactions were unnatural.

The atmosphere on set gradually shifted from relaxed to tense, and the staff began to whisper among themselves.

"Thirteenth shot, cut!" Jiang Ye finally lost his temper and shouted to stop. "What's wrong with you two? Weren't you working together perfectly this morning?"

Meng Ziyi and Ou Hao stood in the center of the set, both with their heads down and not saying a word.

Meng Ziyi's cheeks flushed, and her fingers nervously twisted her sleeves.

Ouhao stared at the floor, as if there was something there that particularly attracted him.

"Speak up, what's the problem?" Jiang Ye walked up to the two of them, his voice filled with suppressed anger.

"I...I just a little..." Meng Ziyi stammered.

“Director, this scene is too sudden, we may need more time to prepare…” Ou Hao tried to explain.

Jiang Ye took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger: "Ou Hao, you're a professional actor. It's just a kissing scene, what's there to prepare for? Meng Ziyi, didn't you act the domineering crown princess very well this morning? How come you can't even film a kissing scene now?"

The set was completely silent; everyone held their breath.

Jiang Ye rubbed his temples and suddenly made a decision.

“Okay, I’ll demonstrate for you.” He turned to Ouhao, “Come and watch.”

Ou Hao, as if granted a pardon, quickly stood aside. Jiang Ye walked to the bookshelf, leaned against the wooden bookshelf, and let his hands hang naturally at his sides.

“Meng Ziyi, just like you did to Ou Hao, treat me like the crown prince, and I’ll teach you how to act.”

Meng Ziyi's eyes widened slightly: "Now? Now?"

“Now is the time,” Jiang Ye said firmly. “Let’s see where the problem lies.”

Meng Ziyi bit her lower lip and slowly walked towards Jiang Ye.

All eyes on the two were on the two people, and a strange tension filled the air.

When Meng Ziyi stood in front of Jiang Ye, her eyelashes cast tiny shadows under the lights, and the lipstick on her lips had faded a bit from the previous shoot, revealing her original pinkish lip color.

"Remember, the Crown Princess is determined to win over the Crown Prince at this moment," Jiang Ye instructed in a low voice. "Your actions must be forceful and decisive, without hesitation."

Meng Ziyi nodded, then suddenly reached out and pressed her hand against the bookshelf next to Jiang Ye's ear, trapping him between herself and the bookshelf.

Jiang Ye could smell the fragrance emanating from her hair, and when her warm breath brushed against his chin, he could see her Adam's apple bobbing gently.

The girl's eyes were red at the corners, and although she was forcing a domineering posture, her fingertips were trembling slightly under the fabric.

He understands this awkwardness all too well. When a newcomer is filming a kissing scene for the first time, they practically need a ruler to measure the distance even when using camera tricks to fake the kiss.

"Don't be too nervous during your first shoot. You can..."

??
To everyone's surprise, Meng Ziyi did not hesitate at all, leaned forward and kissed Jiang Ye on the lips while he was still chattering.

The kiss came suddenly but was not violent.

Jiang Ye could feel her heartbeat, fast and strong, coming through their bodies pressed together.

Time seems to stand still at this moment.

Jiang Ye originally only intended to give a demonstration, but he didn't expect Meng Ziyi to be so involved.

When Meng Ziyi finally stepped back, her cheeks were flushed, but her eyes were unusually clear: "Like this, Director. Right?"

Why can't we just let him finish speaking?

(End of this chapter)