Chinese entertainment: Top stars have no holidays

Chapter 96 Xiaotian's Birthday, A Subtle Show

As expected.

The following day, Jiang Bai's agency, Ju Ke Ai Studio, received a formal letter of intent from the production company of "Better Days".

After signing the contract, he officially became the male lead in "Better Days".

While it can't be said that there have been 100% no changes, given Jiang Bai's status as a top star, it's highly unlikely that he would be replaced just before filming begins.

This kind of thing can be done to minor actors or actors with low commercial value.

But you can't do that to a top celebrity.

Because top stars' schedules are extremely valuable, the losses can be enormous if you miss out on their schedules.

That could really cause a huge uproar.

Unless absolutely necessary, the production company will not do something that harms others and benefits themselves.

In the following days.

Jiang Bai's work schedule is regular and monotonous, consisting of going back and forth between the film set and the hotel where the crew lives.

Time quickly came to November 14th.

As the National Day holiday draws to a close, "City of Rock" has finally surpassed 5 million yuan at the box office.

This box office result has already surpassed the final box office of the original timeline.

Moreover, this low-budget film has already made a huge profit.

Jiang Bai's film has thus proven its commercial value.

Even if no one knows how much box office this movie was originally expected to achieve, it's clear that Jiang Bai created at least 1 million yuan in value for the film.

Spending ten or twenty million to hire him to make a movie would definitely be a profitable deal.

While the production team was celebrating, Jiang Bai quietly asked the crew of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" for a day off.

Well, it's not about attending a movie wrap party that hasn't even started yet.

I had some personal matters to attend to, and I returned to the film set the next morning.

In fact, most film crews are quite lenient about taking a day off occasionally, since it's easy to adjust after a day of rehearsals.

Producers and directors hate it when people take consecutive days off; the more consecutive days they take, the greater the extra costs for the production team.

Therefore, the crew did not schedule any major scenes involving Jiang Bai that day, only a few fragmented shots, which could be reshot later with slight adjustments.

It will not affect the overall filming schedule.

That's why almost no one in the entire crew noticed anything unusual.

Most of the staff and actors thought that Jiang Bai's scenes were not scheduled today and that he was just taking a normal rest.

Nobody knew that Jiang Bai had already quietly left the group and boarded a cross-city flight.

This was a completely confidential, non-public trip. Jiang Bai didn't even bring an assistant; he boarded the plane alone, fully armed.

The flight pierced through the clouds and fog, heading south towards Duyun, Guizhou.

At this moment, the Duyun Qin-Han Film and Television City is bustling with activity as filming takes place.

This is the latest filming location for the crew of "Ever Night".

This top-tier IP drama, which cost hundreds of millions to produce, involved a journey that involved traversing mountains and rivers.

Initially, "Ever Night" started filming in Turpan, Xinjiang. After only half a month of filming, the crew moved to Xiangyang and Longzhong in Hubei Province to shoot on location.

After a period of filming, the crew moved again to the newly built Qin-Han Film and Television City in Duyun, Guizhou, to begin a new round of intensive filming.

The filming locations for "Ever Night" span three provinces: Xinjiang, Hubei, and Guizhou, covering nearly twenty cities.

From the Gobi Desert to the green mountains and clear waters, from ancient city towers to highland lakes, the production team insisted on filming on location for every scene involved in the script, and never used green screen technology.

Director Yang Yang has a strong preference for shooting on location, pursuing the ultimate in realism.

Her subsequent directorial work, "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality," continued this concept of extremely realistic filming, shooting in various locations across the country, with a quality that far surpassed most other fantasy works of the same period.

Jiang Bai greatly admires directors who insist on shooting on location.

Actors never act out of thin air; the environment and atmosphere are crucial to enhancing their performance.

If all the acting takes place against a green screen, the actors can only rely on their imagination to fill in the scene, resulting in low immersion and difficulty in expressing their emotions.

Being surrounded by real mountains, rivers, and buildings, with the wind blowing through the grass, natural light and shadow, and atmosphere all very realistic, actors don't need to consciously imagine things to naturally immerse themselves in the character's state of mind.

The performances were also more relaxed, authentic, and layered, resulting in a completely different quality in the final product.

Of course, this refers to actors who truly put their heart into their performances.

Actors who are overly concerned with their image and always wear the same three-piece set of wide eyes, furrowed brows, and cold face no matter what role they play, are not really worth filming on location.

Therefore, most movies strive for real-life shooting, and only use green screens where special effects are absolutely necessary.

TV dramas used to be filmed on location, but that's rarely done now.

Most of the filming now takes place in Hengdian and Xiangshan, and any missing scenes are simply filmed using green screens.

Therefore, the same scene might appear in one drama as a sect's gate, in another as the wedding place of the male and female leads, and in yet another drama as the stage for a final battle between the good and the evil.

TV drama directors who can film on location all over the country are already extremely rare.

Jiang Bai thought that if there was an opportunity in the future, he could work with this director Yang Yang.

That novel, "A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality," is quite good.

If the sheep can go there, so can I!

A few hours later, the plane landed smoothly at Duyun Airport.

Jiang Bai kept a low profile throughout, wearing a simple mask and baseball cap, and dressed casually, blending perfectly into the disembarking passengers without attracting any attention from passersby.

In fact, under normal circumstances, most people wouldn't stare at a stranger's face for no reason.

There aren't that many spectators in real life.

When celebrities are on private trips, as long as they wear a mask and a hat, 99% of people will not recognize them.

At the airport exit, Tian Xiwei's personal assistant was already waiting.

Avoiding crowds and surveillance cameras, she successfully picked up Jiang Bai and drove straight to the high-end hotel配套的酒店 (supporting facilities) of the film and television city.

This was during the peak daytime shooting period.

The entire crew of "Ever Night," including actors, directors, production assistants, cinematographers, and lighting technicians, stayed on set to work overtime.

The hotel, which was entirely booked by the crew of "Ever Night," was empty, the corridors were quiet and deserted, and there were almost no staff members on duty.

No one would care about Jiang Bai's arrival anymore.

He arrived at Tian Xiwei's hotel room without any problems, ready to wait for his girlfriend to return from work so they could celebrate her birthday.

At this moment, the set of "Ever Night" is still a busy and bustling scene.

Tian Xiwei, dressed in the ancient costume from the drama, with exquisite and gentle makeup, her long hair tied up, and her bright and sweet eyes, was waiting on set with a group of actors to film a scene.

But today, she was clearly somewhat restless.

In the past, during breaks between scenes, she would either quietly review the script and ponder the emotions of the lines, or chat and joke with the actors around her, being very lively and cheerful.

But today, she kept glancing at her phone unconsciously, unlocking the screen every few minutes to check messages, her eyes filled with undisguised anticipation.

Sitting not far from her, Meng Ziyi noticed Tian Xiwei's unusual behavior after she repeatedly turned her phone on and off.

She and Tian Xiwei usually get along well. They are about the same age, get along well, and have a good relationship.

Meng Ziyi has a carefree and somewhat rough-around-the-edges personality; she can't keep things to herself and is very curious.

At first, she just paid attention casually, but she noticed that Tian Xiwei looked down at her phone more than ten times in just half an hour, and would occasionally smile down, indicating that she was in a good mood.

After hesitating for a while, Meng Ziyi finally couldn't suppress his curiosity, leaned closer, and whispered, "Xiao Tian, ​​you're acting strange today."

"Why are you constantly looking at your phone? And why are you secretly smiling to yourself? Who are you chatting with?"

The sudden question made Tian Xiwei feel slightly flustered.

She instantly suppressed the smile in her eyes, quickly locked her phone, shook her head with feigned composure, and casually made up an excuse: "Who could I chat with? I'm just casually browsing Weibo and reading fan comments."

"Today happens to be my birthday, and many fans sent me private messages with their blessings, so I only replied to a few comments."

This sounded reasonable, but it did nothing to convince Meng Ziyi, who was bursting with curiosity.

Does replying to fans' private messages have to be done in such a secretive and anxious way?

They also wouldn't frequently chuckle to themselves while looking at their phones.

Something's definitely up!

Since Tian Xiwei gave a perfunctory response and was unwilling to say more, Meng Ziyi could not continue to ask questions. He could only suppress his doubts, nod and stop asking.

But this curiosity is not so easily dispelled.

For the rest of the day, Meng Ziyi's gaze kept unconsciously falling on Tian Xiwei, quietly observing her every move.

After observing her all day, apart from frequently looking at her phone, occasionally smiling, and being in an exceptionally cheerful mood, she did not exhibit any other unusual behavior.

Even after work, she returned to the hotel with the rest of the group.

Back at the hotel, Meng Ziyi followed Tian Xiwei out of the elevator and watched her walk back to her room. Standing in the corridor, Meng Ziyi scratched his head, looking completely confused and puzzled.

If I can't figure it out, I'll just stop thinking about it.

She shook her head, turned around and went back to her room. She still had her daily skincare routine to do after work, which was the most important thing!

Meanwhile, just as Tian Xiwei closed the door, a strong and warm embrace suddenly pulled her into her arms.

A familiar scent wafted towards her, and warm, strong arms encircled her waist, gently enveloping her completely.

A deep, gentle voice whispered in my ear, filled with a warm smile: "Xiaotian, happy birthday."

These four simple words made Xiaotian incredibly happy, her face beaming with a radiant smile.

She received countless birthday wishes from the very beginning of the day.

There were phone calls from family members wishing him a happy birthday, well wishes from colleagues on set, official birthday posters and Weibo posts from the company, and a flood of messages of love from fans.

All sorts of blessings flooded in, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

But none of that could compare to the birthday wishes personally delivered by her boyfriend who had traveled from afar.

She had only been playfully teasing him on WeChat when Jiang Bai actually asked the film crew for a day off and flew from Qingdao to Guizhou to celebrate Tian Xiwei's birthday.

This kind of attention warmed her heart, and all the fatigue from months of work disappeared.

She immediately tilted her head back, stood on tiptoe, and took the initiative to meet Jiang Bai's lips, passionately kissing him.

Their teeth were intertwined, and their bodies were getting warmer.

The two embraced and slowly walked towards the inner side of the room, their steps soft, neither willing to let go of the embrace.

The long, intense kiss finally ended. Tian Xiwei's cheeks were flushed, her eyes were moist, and she gently clutched Jiang Bai's clothes with her small hands. Her voice was soft and touched: "Why did you really come?"

"I was just saying it casually. You're so busy working on set, you don't need to take time off to celebrate my birthday with me."

really?

I do not believe.

You should usually take what girls say in reverse.

Jiang Bai raised his hand and gently ruffled her long hair, his fingers lightly brushing her flushed cheeks, his eyes full of doting affection: "This is your first birthday since we got together."

"No matter how busy you are, you have to come."

Tian Xiwei immediately grinned, wrapped her arms tightly around Jiang Bai's waist, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his face several times.

"This is a reward for you!"

Jiang Bai, both amused and exasperated, pressed down on Xiao Tian's fluffy head that was rubbing against him.

She reached out and took out a pre-prepared exquisite gift box, handed it to Tian Xiwei, and said with a smile, "This is a birthday present I specially prepared for you. See if you like it."

Tian Xiwei's eyes lit up with surprise as she carefully accepted the gift box and slowly opened it.

The exquisite and luxurious Bulgari necklace lies quietly in the center of the gift box.

The necklace features a delicate and exquisite chain, a clear and sparkling pendant, and a simple yet elegant design. It doesn't have any ostentatious large diamonds or jewels, but is composed of more than ten small gemstones of 1-2 carats, giving it a youthful look that perfectly matches her temperament.

"So beautiful! I love it!" Tian Xiwei's eyes sparkled with joy.

Jiang Bai reached out and gathered the hair that was draped over her neck, then personally placed the new necklace on her fair and slender neck.

The cool, delicate chain hugged her skin, and the sparkling pendant rested between her collarbones, making her skin appear even whiter and brighter, and her collarbones seemed to reflect light.

Jewelry complements a beautiful woman perfectly.

"It suits you perfectly." Jiang Bai looked at his girlfriend with satisfaction in his eyes.

Tian Xiwei gently stroked the pendant in front of the mirror, her smile never fading, her heart overflowing with happiness.

The atmosphere between the two became increasingly intimate and ambiguous.

The evening breeze gently wafted in through the window cracks, and the temperature in the room quietly rose. A hint of heat gradually crept into their gazes as they looked at each other.

Dry wood ignites a raging fire, and feelings begin to stir.

However, just as Jiang Bai reached out to ask for a reward and the atmosphere was about to heat up, Tian Xiwei gently raised her hand and placed it on Jiang Bai's chest, stopping his movement.

"Wait a minute." She looked up at Jiang Bai with a helpless smile. "I have to do a birthday live stream later. It was arranged by the team a long time ago."

Jiang Bai was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, then chuckled and nodded, saying helplessly, "Alright, I'll listen to you."

He had forgotten about that.

In today's entertainment industry, celebrity birthdays are no longer private holidays, but rather semi-public fan celebrations.

Since the hit drama "A Love So Beautiful" pioneered a new model of live-streaming promotion on Weibo, live-streaming interaction has quickly become another way for celebrities to promote their work.

Celebrities often use holidays, birthdays, and new drama releases as opportunities to start live streams, get closer to their fans, and maintain their popularity and casual audience.

However, the live streaming industry at present is not as commercialized as it will be in a few years.

At least it hasn't reached the point where celebrating a birthday requires elaborate setup of a live stream room and a detailed script.

Now it's just simple fan interaction, casual chat, and receiving blessings—relaxed, casual, and genuinely pure.

Tian Xiwei's team also finalized this birthday live stream in advance because they needed to retain their fan base.

Let her have a short one-hour interaction with her fans after work as a way of thanking them for their support.

A celebrity's birthday is never just for themselves; it's a day to be spent with their fans.

Jiang Bai understood perfectly, so he obediently sat on the sofa next to her, took out his phone and looked down at the messages, quietly waiting for her to start her live broadcast.

After taking a short break and adjusting the phone angle and lighting, Tian Xiwei started her Weibo live stream on time.

As soon as the live stream started, a massive number of fans flooded into the live stream room, the number of viewers skyrocketed, and the barrage of comments was densely packed.

The screen was filled with fans wishing her a happy birthday.

This birthday live stream was announced on Weibo a week in advance.

In front of the camera, Tian Xiwei was still wearing her usual casual home clothes and her makeup was very simple, clearly showing her daily life at home after work.

This everyday side is a private, homely side of their idols that fans rarely see before.

This refers to the so-called "girlfriend vibe" and "closeness".

This is why celebrity live streaming is gradually becoming a new way to attract fans.

People are tired of those high-class, overly business-like red carpet and gala looks, but they certainly don't offer anything new anymore.

On the contrary, these daily live streams allow fans to see another side of celebrities in private, attracting a lot of new fans.

Tian Xiwei set up her phone and waved to the camera with a smile: "Good evening, everyone."

"Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes. I finished work early today, so I'll go live and chat with you all."

Her voice was soft and gentle, and her temperament was sweet and healing, instantly sparking intense interaction among fans in the live stream.

Today is a day of great victory for the female fans.

Yes, Tian Xiwei has a lot of female fans; sweet girls always attract more female fans.

After the broadcast began, Tian Xiwei patiently answered various questions from fans, shared her daily life on set, talked about her recent work progress, and thanked fans for their company and support, just like chatting with everyone.

The atmosphere in the live stream was very relaxed.

In the shot, the brand-new Bulgari necklace around her neck, with its sparkling pendant, shone brightly under the light, making it particularly eye-catching, exquisite, and captivating.

It's hard for fans not to notice the necklace, and soon the comments section was flooded with new content.

"Wow, Oda looks so good today! She's in amazing shape!"

"That necklace is so exquisite! Is it new jewelry? It's so beautiful!"

"This pendant is so sparkly, the design is so gentle, it suits Xiaotian perfectly!"

"Could you please provide a link to the necklace? Your styling is amazing!"

Seeing the barrage of comments praising the necklace, Tian Xiwei's smile deepened, a secret joy lurking in her heart.

But facing the camera, she casually raised her hand, brushing it over the pendant on her collarbone, and said softly, "Thank you for the compliments. This necklace is a birthday gift I received today from a friend, and I really like it."

A simple sentence, seemingly plain, yet it hides a lot of subtle boasting.

However, fans don't see anything wrong with that statement.

Receiving jewelry as a birthday gift from a friend is a perfectly normal thing.

Since Tian Xiwei took the initiative to share it, fans subconsciously assumed that it must have been a gift from a female best friend or close friend, otherwise she wouldn't have brought it up so readily.

The fans didn't even consider the possibility that it was related to her boyfriend.

Jiang Bai sat to the side, silently watching the girl in the camera who pretended to be calm but was actually secretly happy, feeling both amused and exasperated.

He understood her little thoughts perfectly.

Young girls in their adolescence really can't hide their love at all; they can't help but subtly show off their affection.

This isn't just a problem for Tian Xiwei; it's a common issue among all new-generation artists.

It's hard to resist showing off when you're in a relationship; it's impossible to hide it completely.

Of course, it won't be a straightforward official announcement, nor will it be publicly revealed.

But people have all sorts of ways to subtly show off: a matching phone case, a piece of exclusive jewelry, a cryptic caption, an emoji with a specific mood, or a perfectly timed birthday post.

Anyway, as long as I don't officially confirm it, it's all just excessive speculation from the outside world.

Fans will either turn a blind eye or simply deceive themselves, believing that it's all malicious rumors spread by anti-fans!

Compared to other celebrities in the industry who flaunt their wealth in a high-profile yet deliberate way.

Tian Xiwei's approach has been low-key enough.

She was just a little girl who couldn't help but secretly share the sweetness of her love, so what could Jiang Bai blame her for?

The one-hour live stream passed in the blink of an eye.

As the event drew to a close, Tian Xiwei gently waved goodbye to the camera, saying, "It's almost time, that's all for today."

.

Thank you again for the birthday wishes. Get some rest, and see you next time!

As soon as she finished speaking, she smiled and waved to close the live stream.

The moment the screen went black, the girl who had been so gentle and poised in front of the camera instantly broke down, turned around and threw herself into Jiang Bai's arms, her eyes crinkling as she nuzzled her head against his neck.

"From now on, it'll just be the two of us!"

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