Chinese Entertainment King: Starting as a Fat Boy and Becoming a Singing King

At 4:30 a.m., Xu Yao's phone alarm went off.

He closed his eyes, reached for his phone, turned it off, lay in the dark for thirty seconds, and then sat up.

It was still completely dark outside the window; even the sanitation workers hadn't come out.

The second day of the music video shoot was an outdoor day.

The notice said to depart at 5:30 and arrive at 6:00, to catch the first rays of dawn.

When Xu Yao finished washing up and came downstairs, the bus was already parked in front of the hotel.

Bai Lu arrived earlier than him and was standing by the car door, holding a cup of hot soy milk. When she saw Xu Yao, she jogged over.

"Good morning, here's some soy milk for you, it's still hot."

What time did you get up?

"4:30."

"Why get up so early?"

"I'll buy you soy milk."

She smiled, turned around, and walked towards the car.

Holding the cup of soy milk, Xu Yao watched her skip and jump into the car. He couldn't help but sigh. His heart was like a stone bridge, having weathered countless storms over the years, still calm and undisturbed. Yet, there was still a moment when he felt attracted to a woman.

How can there be such a carefree girl?

And it also possesses an unpretentious cuteness and beauty?

The bus drove for nearly an hour, and when we arrived at the filming location, the sky was just beginning to lighten with a thin layer of dawn.

This is an old street near the university town. The road is not wide, and both sides are planted with plane trees with thick trunks and branches that overlap high up to form a green tunnel.

The whole street was quiet, with only the rustling sound of sanitation workers sweeping the ground.

"This is it."

Director Cat Tree jumped out of the car, stood at the street corner, looked around, and began giving instructions into the walkie-talkie.

"Lighting team, set up the reflectors over there; we need to use the side-backlighting from this morning. Props team, don't set up the booth yet; wait until the lighting is set."

Xu Yao stood on the side of the street, looking at the old street.

Bai Lu stood beside him, also looking at the street.

The morning breeze carried the coolness of dew, and she hunched her shoulders and pulled up the hood of her sweatshirt.

The director of Cat Tree called the two people in front of the monitor, holding a storyboard in his hand.

"Today's footage consists of flashbacks, memories from our relationship phase. We'll cut them into smaller clips and insert them into the main verses later."

He pointed to a few squares on the storyboard: "Scene 1, ring toss. Night market. Xu Yao wins a teddy bear ballpoint pen and gives it to Bai Lu. The action should be a little silly, not too cool, like that feeling of a guy trying to impress a girl he likes but not quite succeeding."

"Scene two, an ancient town. Sketching. Xu Yao is painting the bridge, and Bai Lu is watching from the side. Take the red string out of your bag and tie it around her wrist. The movement should be slow and ceremonial."

"The third scene, a Polaroid photo. Right on this street. The two of them leaned against each other, smiling foolishly, and Xu Yao held up the camera and pressed the shutter."

Director Cat Tree looked up at the sky: "The light is good this morning, so let's shoot the ring toss game and group photos first. We'll shoot the ancient town this afternoon. And in the evening..."

He turned the storyboard to the last page.

It will rain this evening.

Bai Lu was taken aback: "Director, the weather forecast doesn't predict rain today."

The director of Cat's Tree glanced at her: "We'll make rain."

The props team set up a simple ring toss stall at the end of the old street.

"Three, two, one, begin."

Xu Yao stood in front of the stall, clutching several bamboo rings in his hand.

Bai Lu stood next to him, her hands in her hoodie pockets, tilting her head to look at him.

He threw the first hoop, but it went off course and bounced twice on the ground.

The second circle went off course again.

The third one was hanging on a plush rabbit's ear; it shook and fell off.

Bai Lu laughed beside him. It wasn't an act; he was genuinely amused by Xu Yao's clumsy antics.

When she laughs, she leans back, her ponytail swings, and her eyes curve into crescent moons.

Xu Yao became even more nervous as she laughed, and when he threw the fourth hoop, it didn't even touch the edge of the stall.

"How can you be so clumsy?" Bai Lu said with a smile, giving him a gentle push.

Xu Yao scratched the back of his head.

On the fifth lap, he took a deep breath, squatted down, and aimed at a ballpoint pen in the front row.

The pen was stuck in a plastic pen holder, and the cap had a cartoon bear printed on it.

The bamboo hoop flew out, drawing an arc, and caught the target.

"Yes."

Xu Yao jumped up from the ground, turned around and looked at Bai Lu, his eyes shining as if he had won the whole world.

Wow...

Bai Lu looked at him, the smile on her lips slowly faded, and then she smiled again, a smile even sweeter than before.

Xu Yao handed her the ballpoint pen: "Here you go."

Bai Lu took it, looked down at the little bear on the pen cap, and rubbed his thumb on the bear's face.

"But it's so ugly."

"Then give it back to me."

"I won't pay it back."

She clutched the pen in her hand and hid it behind her back.

The director of Cat Tree was watching this scene from behind the monitor.

He didn't call "cut," but turned to the photographer and said, "Keep the look Bai Lu gave Xu Yao just now."

The performance in the ancient town is scheduled for the afternoon.

The film crew cleared a small section of the alley along the river in advance, with bluestone slabs, stone arch bridges, and willow trees drooping over the water.

Xu Yao sat on the stone steps by the bridge, a small drawing board in front of him, a pencil in his hand, gesturing towards the bridge.

Bai Lu walked over from the other end of the alley.

She changed into a white dress, her hair was down, and a small hair clip was pinned to her temple. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the willow trees, falling on her face, creating dappled patterns of light.

"What are you drawing?"

"bridge."

"How's the drawing?"

"It's ugly."

"show me."

"No."

Bai Lu sat down next to him, tilting her head to look at the easel.

Xu Yao tilted the easel to one side, and as she moved closer to that side, he moved away to the other.

The two of them wriggled and twisted on the stone steps like two chicks fighting over food.

Director Cat Tree shouted into the walkie-talkie, "Xu Yao, take out the red string."

Xu Yao took the red string out of his pocket.

When Bai Lu saw the red rope, he fell silent.

Xu Yao took her left hand, wrapped the red string around her wrist, tied a knot, then another, his movements slow and his fingers a little clumsy. Bai Lu looked down, watching him tie it.

"alright."

Bai Lu did not immediately withdraw his hand.

Her wrist was still resting in Xu Yao's palm, the red string pressed against her skin, the silver beads gleaming in the sunlight.

She looked at her wrist for a long time.

Then she looked up at Xu Yao and smiled.

The director of "Cat's Tree" said over the walkie-talkie, "This smile has a good aesthetic appeal."

The photographer chimed in, "That's what it feels like to like something."

It's 5:30 in the evening.

The horizon was ablaze with orange-red light.

Bai Lu stood on the street, watching the staff adjust the water volume, looking a little nervous.

The director of Cat Tree walked up to her.

"Don't worry, it's just raining. You're standing at the door, you realize it's raining, you don't have an umbrella, so you run out. He'll be waiting for you across the street. You run over, and he'll pull you under the eaves. It's that simple."

Bai Lu nodded.

The director of Cat's Tree stepped back behind the monitor and picked up the walkie-talkie.

"All units, prepare. Rain, come!"

The water pump of the sprinkler truck started with a hum, and water jets shot out from the nozzles, shooting into the sky, then spreading out and turning into a fine mist that fell through the gaps in the sycamore leaves.

The entire old street suddenly transformed into a wet, glistening painting.

The stone path began to reflect light, the sycamore leaves crackled under the rain, and the air was filled with the mixed scent of earth and grass.

"Three, two, one, begin."

Bai Lu pushed open the door of the milk tea shop and stood under the porch.

She looked up at the sky, then took a deep breath and rushed into the rain.

The rain soaked her through instantly.

The white dress clung to her body, her hair was wet and clumped together, and water droplets streamed down her cheeks.

She ran in the rain, her canvas shoes splashing water as she stepped into the puddles, each step creating a tiny ripple.

When she reached the middle of the old street, a figure appeared on the opposite side.

Xu Yao stood across the street.

My dark T-shirt and jeans were soaked through.

Her hair clung to her forehead, rainwater slid down her brow bone, flowed along her jawline, and dripped from her chin.

He saw Bai Lu, paused for a moment, and then ran towards her.

The two met in the middle of the road.

Xu Yao grabbed Bai Lu's wrist and pulled her under the eaves next to him.

The eaves were narrow, barely enough to shelter two people, and rain leaked through the gaps in the tiles, dripping onto their shoulders.

Bai Lu leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

She looked up at him, and he looked at her too.

The two gazed at each other deeply, their eyes filled with affection.

Behind the monitor, the director of Cat Tree sat up straight, stared at the monitor for a long time, and then picked up the walkie-talkie.

"Card."

Neither of them moved.

Director Cat Tree stood up and walked towards them.

He stood in the rain, looked at Xu Yao, and then at Bai Lu.

Rain dripped down the brim of his baseball cap, but he was completely unaware.

"Regarding that scene just now," Director Cat Tree paused, "would you two like to take advantage of the atmosphere and give each other a kiss?"

Bai Lu was taken aback for a moment: "Huh?"

"I meant the storyline of the music video," the director of Cat's Tree quickly added. "The scene where you two are standing in the rain has such a great atmosphere. If you kissed, the entire music video would be emotionally elevated. Of course, it's okay if you don't kiss, but you two should change your clothes quickly so you don't catch a cold."

Bai Lu stood under the eaves, raindrops dripping down her hair.

She glanced at the director of "Cat Tree," then at Xu Yao.

Xu Yao's profile was visible through the rain, with water droplets clinging to his eyelashes; he was so handsome it was almost heart-fluttering.

"Director," Bai Lu bit her lip, "I only accepted the role because you didn't mention there would be a kissing scene."

"I know," Mao Leshu said sincerely. "It was just my feeling on the spot. The way you two were just now was so right, so much like a couple who had just started dating. That feeling of first love, that cautiousness. A kiss, and that innocent first love feeling came through."

He paused for a moment: "Of course, it's perfectly fine not to kiss. The previous take was already very good and can be used directly. However, I think that a professional actor internally recognizes and admires art."

As a professional, top-rated director, how do you persuade a newcomer with just a few words? Is it something you can just say off the cuff?

However, he didn't intentionally add kissing scenes; rather, the atmosphere and emotions during filming were just right.

Bai Lu lowered his head and looked at his canvas shoes.

Her shoes were completely wet, with a sycamore leaf stuck to the surface. Hesitantly and nervously, she rubbed the leaf off.

"Well... okay then, I... I'm a professional actor."

Bai Lu raised her head, glanced at Xu Yao, and then hurriedly looked away.