Bai Lu got scammed, but I became a superstar through e-commerce.

The evening breeze of midsummer carried the scent of everyday life. The van had just driven away from the set of "The Mystic Nine". Bai Lu, with a few traces of hairspray from his Republic of China-style hairstyle still stuck to his temples, casually straightened his loose casual shirt and turned his head to look at Qing Xiao, who was resting with his eyes closed beside him.

"I was just admiring the grandeur of a Republican-era mansion, and now I'm immersed in the set of a down-to-earth crime drama like 'Yu Zui.' The pace is so fast that it doesn't even give you time to react." Her tone carried a hint of novelty. "And this time you're playing the male lead, not just a cameo. You must be under a lot of pressure, right?"

Qingxiao slowly opened his eyes and looked at the complete script of "Yu Zui". The page was covered with red marks indicating the characters' psychology and the rhythm of the scenes. The most eye-catching part was the famous scene of monitoring and transmitting messages in the third episode of the second season.

After finishing the role of Yu Zui, he will accumulate a lot of fame, which is an important endorsement. It will be a good foundation for him to become a celebrity e-commerce boss in the future, like Li Yapeng.

He traced the four bold characters "Operation Cancelled" with his fingertips, his eyes showing no panic but rather determination: "I came here specifically for the role of Yu Zui. If I'm taking over the role, I have to carry the weight. 'The Mystic Nine' is about national and familial grandeur, while Yu Zui represents justice rooted in the mud. The more extreme the role, the more compelling it is to act."

Under Qingxiao's arrangement, Bai Lu was invited by the crew to make a guest appearance as Chen Xi, a pharmacy clerk who has a brief scene with Yu Zui. It was an original guest role with few scenes, but it could indirectly highlight Yu Zui's down-to-earth nature. It fit the actual filming location and was neither out of place nor overshadowed the scene.

The car came to a steady stop at the entrance of the "Yu Zui" film set in the urban village film and television base. Even before getting close, one could feel the tense atmosphere that was completely different from that of a sophisticated Republican-era film crew.

A dilapidated and abandoned warehouse was set up in the center of the site, with exposed wires, mottled walls, and old and broken items piled up in the corners, exuding a sense of decay and oppression.

The cool-toned photography lights shone obliquely, without any soft lighting or skin smoothing, only the most straightforward realistic light and shadow.

The crew, cameramen, and lighting crew were all moving quickly, with low voices constantly coming from the walkie-talkies. The entire set was quiet yet efficient, filled with the somber atmosphere of a hardcore crime drama.

The assistant director was already waiting at the door. Upon seeing the two, he quickly went to greet them, his tone urgent yet polite: "Teacher Qingxiao, Teacher Bailu, you've finally arrived! The situation on set is urgent. Director Zhang is already waiting in front of the monitor, ready to shoot tonight's key scene. Let's go see the director first."

Qingxiao nodded and walked side by side with Bailu into the core area of ​​the film set.

In the center of the set, Zhang Rui, the director of "Yu Zui," was bending over, staring at the monitor with a slight frown and a serious and focused expression.

He is known for his realistic directing style, dislikes superficial and flashy approaches, and only values ​​"realistic characters and grounded emotions". For the core character Yu Zui, he demanded that he perfectly fit the background of "street thug and brave undercover agent", and he could not tolerate the slightest bit of superficiality.

Upon seeing Qingxiao, Zhang Rui immediately stood up to greet him. Without any formalities, he got straight to the point: "Qingxiao, I won't beat around the bush. You're the male lead we've chosen, replacing Yu Zui. Today, we're filming the highlight scene of the entire series—the surveillance message and the cancellation of the operation. I don't care what kind of roles you've played before. Once you're in this group, you have to throw yourself into a desperate situation and bring out the soul of Yu Zui."

"Bai Lu," Zhang Rui then looked at Bai Lu beside him, his tone softening slightly, "You'll be making a cameo appearance as Chen Xi, a pharmacy clerk. There'll be an opening scene where you have a chance encounter with Yu Zui, setting the stage for his everyday life. It's not a big role; we can film it in ten minutes after the makeup session."

Bai Lu immediately nodded in agreement: "Okay, Director Zhang, I have no problem."

The entire main cast and crew were present on set; they are all seasoned professionals, without a trace of the hype or superficiality of celebrity endorsements.

Chang Rong, who plays Xu Pingqiu, the leader of the Iron-Faced Special Task Force, is dressed in a composed formal suit with sharp, eagle-like eyes, exuding an imposing aura of someone in a high position.

Zhang Jincheng, who plays drug lord Fu Guosheng, wears a simple and elegant shirt, with gentle eyes and brows, but hides a gloomy villainous temperament with a smile that conceals a knife.

Wu You, who plays policewoman Lin Yujing, has a neat short haircut, a tall and straight figure, and a cool and capable demeanor, exuding the aura of a powerful policewoman.

There are also a host of supporting actors who play the roles of Mouse, Yen Te-piao, and other police academy brothers. They are all down-to-earth and fully integrated into the everyday life of the people.

Qingxiao was the only core character on set, and it was rumored that Zhang Yishan was originally cast as the male lead. All eyes were on Xin Yu Zui, who took on the role at the last minute.

Zhang Rui pulled Qingxiao directly in front of the monitor, pulled up the storyboard and scene positioning, and explained the scene word by word, all of which were real shooting requirements, without a single empty word.

"We are now filming the third episode, the most crucial scene in the entire series, without exception."

The background is simple: Fu Guosheng distrusts Yu Zui and sets up a trap, ostensibly an underground transaction, but actually a test of the undercover agent. Outside, Xu Pingqiu's task force has already set up surveillance, monitoring the situation and ready to make the arrests at any moment.

But Yu Zuixian saw through the situation first—once the operation started, his undercover identity would be exposed on the spot, and he would surely die.

His predicament: Beset by predatory drug dealers in front and teammates awaiting orders behind, neither advancing nor retreating meant certain death. His only option was to silently relay messages via surveillance cameras, right under everyone's noses, to save himself and the entire mission.

When it came to performance and camera work, Zhang Rui's tone became increasingly stern, pointing to the camera positions as he emphasized.

"I only used three camera angles, focusing entirely on the details:"

First, a close-up shot from the front, focusing intently on your eyes and lips. This is information for Xu Pingqiu and the audience, and it must be clear.

Second, a medium shot from the side, capturing your entire state of being; it should convey loneliness, tension, and a sense of suffocation in a desperate situation.

Third, the background shot shows your courage to look directly at the surveillance camera even when surrounded by drug dealers.

I'll emphasize again, there's only one line of dialogue, and it's lip-reading, the exact same line, not a single word can be changed—the operation is canceled.

He stared into Qingxiao's eyes and tapped on the monitor.

"Don't play a secret agent for me, don't try to look cool or pose. Yu Zui isn't a born hero; he's just an ordinary person who's afraid of death, wants to live, but has no choice but to take on responsibilities."

At this moment, he was trembling with fear, but he had to pretend to be calm and collected. His mind was in turmoil, but he couldn't show the slightest weakness on his face.

What I want isn't coolness, but restrained panic, composure born of necessity, and a solitary courage hidden beneath a roguish air. Understand?

The room fell silent; everyone was waiting for Qingxiao's response.

Qingxiao showed no stage fright. His gaze swept over the surveillance camera and the actual scene of the abandoned warehouse, then looked at the screen on the monitor. He slowly opened his mouth and spoke his deep understanding of the character, each sentence hitting the core of the matter.

"Director Zhang, I understand."

Qingxiao shared his opinion.

The Yu Zui that everyone sees—being glib, roguish, and reckless, always trying to be clever—that's not his true nature; it's just a protective shell.

He was a street urchin, understood people's hearts, and knew that only by pretending to be the least threatening thug could he survive in the drug den.

In this surveillance scene, the moment he looked up at the camera, he wasn't carrying out a mission; he was gambling with his life.

He can't panic, or he'll lose everything; he can't be tough, or he'll expose his true colors as a policeman.

So I won't act too fiercely, nor will I act too arrogantly.

I'll first let go, adopting the nonchalant attitude of a street thug, then gather all the fear, resolve, and desperate gamble into my eyes. My lips will be clean, my movements restrained, and my tension hidden only in micro-expressions unseen by others—knuckles clenched, Adam's apple bobbing slightly, eyes tightening for a second, then immediately relaxing back to my thug persona.

It's not that he wasn't afraid; it's that he was so afraid that he could only remain calm.

Zhang Rui's previously tense brows instantly relaxed.

He patted Qingxiao on the shoulder, his tone full of surprise and approval: "That's exactly what I meant! So many actors can't grasp the essence of Yu Zui, either they're too cool or too flamboyant, but you've got it right away. Okay, enough talk, let's get ready to start filming. Bai Lu will film her opening cameo scene first, and ten minutes later, Qingxiao will go straight to the male lead's main scene."

The crew immediately went into full-speed operation.

Bai Lu quickly went to the dressing room to get her makeup done. In ten minutes, she changed into simple casual clothes, put on a clean and everyday makeup, and transformed into Chen Xi, an ordinary pharmacy clerk, to start filming the opening scene of their chance encounter.

In the scene, Chen Xi, played by her, is carrying a cardboard box and passing by the street corner outside the warehouse. She brushes past Qing Xiao, who is pretending to be casually strolling around and scouting the area. The two short, natural lines of dialogue not only set the stage for Yu Zui's daily life in the city, but also do not overshadow the main plot. The scene is completed in one take.

Zhang Rui nodded in acknowledgment: "Bai Lu is in good condition, standby. Qing Xiao, change into your costume, prepare for the actual filming of Yu Zui's main scenes."

The crew quickly cleared the area, all unrelated personnel retreated to the cordon, the lighting was adjusted to the most oppressive, cold tone, all cameramen took their positions, and the static from the walkie-talkies fell silent.

Qingxiao changed into Yu Zui's iconic look—a simple black tight-fitting vest, cargo shorts, and his hair was casually messy, lacking any sophisticated styling. He completely shed his usual refreshing temperament and exuded the carefree and roguish air of a street kid.

He stood in the middle of the corridor of the abandoned warehouse, with the surveillance camera pointed directly at his forehead.

The set was filled with extras playing drug dealers, their eyes menacing, pressing closer with each step, instantly creating a tense atmosphere.

The stage manager claps the clapperboard.

"Episode 3 of 'Yu Zui,' one take, filming in progress!"

Qingxiao instantly got into character.

His eyes were slightly lowered, his shoulders were relaxed, his back was slightly hunched, his hands were in his shorts pockets, and his steps were slow. He was completely like a lazy, idle street thug, with a vacant look in his eyes that showed no sign of his thoughts. He was slowly waiting for the so-called "deal".

The next second, as if by accident, he noticed the gaze of the surveillance camera above his head.

Without any preamble, he slowly raised his head.

The moment his gaze met the camera, that nonchalant, roguish air vanished without a trace.

There was no glare, no roar, no exaggerated gestures, only a pair of eyes that suddenly narrowed.

Sharp, clear-headed, and resolute, it conceals a calmness that sees through a dead end, a tension that risks one's life, and an unspeakable, forbearing courage.

Surrounded by enemies and burdened with worries, he had no way out but to break the deadlock.

He parted his lips slightly, without uttering a sound, yet his lip movements were clear and deliberate, accurately recreating the silent dialogue of the original famous scene, each word carrying immense weight.

Action – Cancel – Cancel.

Four words, as steady as if nailed to the ground.

With his hands hanging at his sides, his Adam's apple bobbed very slightly as he suppressed the turmoil in his heart.

His jawline was taut and sharp, yet he showed no sign of panic.

A mere two seconds of eye contact, a life-or-death signal, precisely transmitted.

The sharpness in his eyes vanished in an instant, and he reverted to being the carefree and nonchalant hoodlum Yu Zui.

A smug smile even appeared on his lips as he turned to the drug dealer in front of him, his tone casual and nonchalant: "What are you looking at? Where's the stock? Don't try anything funny with me."

Completed in one go, flawless.

The set was deathly silent for a full three seconds.

Behind the monitor, Zhang Rui stared intently at the screen until Qing Xiao completed his last movement. Then, he clenched his fist and spoke into the walkie-talkie in a deep voice, his voice filled with undisguised admiration.

"Pass! Passed! Perfect, one-shot success!"

He strode up to Qingxiao, patted him hard on the shoulder, and made no attempt to hide his affirmation.

"I didn't misjudge you! You are Yu Zui!"

Many people outside have played this role, but they can only learn the roguishness, not the essence.

You can only portray his handsomeness, not his pain. You're different; you brought out his fear, his composure, and his desperate gamble!

Silence speaks louder than words. With just a glance upwards and a lip movement, the character is brought to life!

Chang Rong, watching the monitor playback, nodded solemnly: "The emotions are all in the bones. There isn't a single line of dialogue, yet the tension is overwhelming. That's what undercover dramas should be like—breathtaking in silence."

Zhang Jincheng also smiled and said admiringly, "His eyes are so nuanced. He seems carefree on the surface, but he's full of things on his mind. His scenes with Fu Guosheng will definitely create sparks."

Bai Lu, who had just finished filming her cameo scene, stood by the monitor, watching the whole thing with bated breath. When she walked over to Qing Xiao, her eyes were full of amazement: "I got goosebumps just now. There wasn't a single line, but it was more touching than any shouting. When you were standing there, I really felt that your whole body was a performance."

Qingxiao was slightly out of breath, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. His seemingly calm performance had already exhausted all his tense strength. He raised his hand to wipe the sweat, looked at the surveillance camera above his head, and spoke in a low voice.

"This scene is never about being cool; it's about an ordinary person holding onto the light in their heart in the darkness."

Zhang Rui watched the playback on the monitor and became more and more satisfied. He immediately made the final decision.

"Qingxiao, the male lead Yu Zui, all subsequent scenes will be filmed in this style!"

Bai Lu, your cameo scenes were directly edited into the final cut, fitting seamlessly into the scene and producing a great effect.

"Everyone, get ready! In ten minutes, we'll film the rooftop collapse scene. Let's keep going!"

The crew quickly moved to set up the rooftop scenery, and the lights gradually came on.