Huayu: Starting from retirement, sweeping across the domestic entertainment industry

After Tian Xiwei finished filming, the crew went through five more days of intense shooting.

For the past five days, the film set has been like a clockwork mechanism, brightly lit from morning till night.

Groups A, B, and C started working simultaneously, with the actors spinning like tops between different scenes. Li Ran only slept four or five hours a day, relying entirely on his enhanced physique from the system to keep going.

Finally, on the evening of the fifth day, the last group scene was filmed.

Zhou Ye has finished filming.

She stood in front of the camera, dressed in the iconic bluebird outfit, listening to the director yell "Cut!"

Staff members gathered around, some gave her flowers, and Lu Yuxiao even went up to hug her and said, "Goodbye, Sister Qingniao."

Zhou Ye responded to everyone with a smile, but there was an indescribable emotion in that smile.

She might feel a little reluctant to leave. Although the intense filming made her very tired, she was still very happy during the month-long time on set.

Hu Lianxin has also finished filming. She had few scenes, and she completed the filming of her last scene this morning.

Now that she has changed out of Xuan Yuan Qingfeng's costume, she stands on the side of the set, quietly watching the crowd celebrating for Zhou Ye.

Zhang Ruonan's scenes also ended on this day.

Princess Pei Nanwei didn't have many scenes to begin with, and she finished filming them in the last few days, which is why she wrapped up filming today.

The three actresses had a simple wrap party.

The crew prepared cakes and flowers, and director Zhang Li personally presented each person with a bouquet of flowers and said a few polite words.

Everyone smiled and took a group photo.

Li Ran stood to the side, watching the three of them take a picture together.

Zhou Ye was dressed casually and without makeup, but she looked very energetic. Hu Lianxin was holding her arm, and the two of them were looking at photos on their phones.

Zhang Ruonan stood on the other side and gave a peace sign to the camera.

The shutter is pressed, and the image is frozen.

……

The next morning, Li Ran saw Zhou Ye and Hu Lianxin off.

The film crew sent a car to take them to the airport.

Zhou Ye stood in front of the car door, looked at Li Ran, and suddenly reached out and hugged him.

"I'm leaving."

Li Ran patted her on the back: "Message me when you arrive."

Zhou Ye released him, got into the car, and Hu Lianxin followed. Before closing the door, she glanced at Li Ran and said, "I'll be waiting for you at Peach Blossom Village!"

As she spoke, she winked at Li Ran.

The car door closed, and the car slowly drove away.

Li Ran stood there, watching the car disappear at the end of the road.

In the afternoon, Zhang Ruonan was also leaving, and Li Ran still came to see her off.

She stood in front of the car, looking at Li Ran, and slowly asked, "When will filming for 'Even If This Love Disappears' begin? Is there a definite date?"

Li Ran thought for a moment: "It should be early May."

He paused, then added, "Take more time to read the script; the requirements for the female lead in this drama are quite high."

Zhang Ruonan nodded, unusually refraining from rebuking him: "I know, I've been studying the character carefully lately."

She checked the time: "Alright, I can't chat with you anymore. I need to catch my flight. See you at the script reading."

Li Ran smiled and said, "See you at the script reading."

After Zhang Ruonan got into the car, she suddenly turned around and waved to Li Ran.

Li Ran also waved.

The car started and drove off into the distance.

The film crew suddenly became much quieter. The ensemble scenes were finished, and the actresses had left.

Now only Li Ran and Lu Yuxiao are left, and there are still a few scenes to film at Wudang Mountain.

The production team did not use a sequential shooting method, but instead adopted a scene-based shooting method based on the actors' schedules...

Li Ran has no filming duties today; the remaining scenes with Lu Yuxiao will officially begin filming tomorrow.

Now, only the plot of Xu Fengnian going to Wudang Mountain to receive the Great Yellow Court Technique remains.

……

The following morning, Li Ran arrived at the filming location.

The staff are packing up equipment and moving props in preparation for the upcoming filming.

Standing beside the film set, watching the busy figures, Li Ran suddenly felt a little dazed.

From the moment it was turned on until now...

The lively scenes, the chattering voices, and the faces coming and going all receded like the tide.

Now only he and Lu Yuxiao remain.

He turned his head and looked at the distance not far away.

Lu Yuxiao was sitting under a parasol, looking down at the script.

Sunlight streamed in from behind her, casting a soft glow on her silhouette.

She looked up and met his gaze.

The two stared at each other for a second.

Then she lowered her head and continued reading the script, as if nothing had happened.

……

After finishing the morning's filming, Li Ran took her lunchbox and found a place to sit down in a corner of the set.

The sunlight was a bit too bright, so he squinted and scanned the area before his gaze landed on a figure not far away.

Lu Yuxiao sat alone under a parasol, a takeout order in front of her, eating something with her head down.

The staff members around them gathered in twos and threes, chatting and laughing.

She was all alone, completely out of place amidst the bustling surroundings.

Li Ran paused for a moment, then walked over anyway.

He sat down opposite her.

Lu Yuxiao looked up and saw it was him. Her eyes trembled slightly, as if something had lit up.

But only for a moment; the next second, the light dimmed.

She lowered her head and continued eating her fried chicken.

Li Ran chuckled: "Why are you eating fried chicken? Don't you need to worry about your figure?"

Lu Yuxiao heard him speak, but she didn't ignore him.

She pursed her lips: "It's only once a month, what could possibly happen?"

She paused, then added, "Besides, fried chicken and cola make me happy."

Li Ran asked knowingly, "Have you been unhappy lately?"

Lu Yuxiao raised her head and looked directly into his eyes.

"Do you think I've been in a good mood lately?" she asked with a fake smile.

Those eyes were filled with resentment, like a silent accusation.

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly: "Why?"

Lu Yuxiao continued to stare at him, her eyes unblinking: "Don't you know? Your Highness..."

Li Ran smiled and shook his head, then held out his chopsticks to her and picked up a piece of fried chicken.

"I'll have one piece."

He paused, chewing as he said, "Because of Xu Fengnian?"

Lu Yuxiao didn't stop him; instead, she pushed the takeout box towards him.

She shook her head, still looking at him, quietly watching him eat.

Li Ran picked up another piece.

The third piece.

The fourth piece.

Just as he was about to pick up the fifth piece, Lu Yuxiao finally spoke up: "No, how much more do you want to eat? I don't have enough..."

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "I thought you weren't going to eat anymore. You weren't saying anything, not eating anything, just staring at me... What, have I gotten even more handsome lately?"

Lu Yuxiao pulled the takeout box back in front of her: "Then you don't need to eat it."

She paused, looked at Li Ran, and shook her head: "You haven't gotten more handsome, you've gotten even more shameless."

She gazed into his eyes and said, word by word, "Don't you know I'm unhappy because of you, Li Ran?"

Her voice was soft, but every word was clear: "She keeps hovering in front of me, it's so annoying..."

Li Ran smiled faintly, said nothing more, lowered his head, and continued eating his lunch.

……

The afternoon shoot went exceptionally smoothly.

Lu Yuxiao was like a completely different person; she performed exceptionally well in every scene.

In the video, Jiang Ni's eyes held hatred, resentment, stubbornness, and a hint of something else that couldn't be hidden...

Director Zhang Li stood behind the monitor, watching the playback, a satisfied smile on his face.

"Lu Yuxiao's acting skills have improved a lot recently."

He said to Li Ran next to him, "At the beginning of the filming, we still needed guidance, but now her portrayal of Jiang Ni is just right. The feeling of loving and hating Xu Fengnian is really great."

Looking at the footage on the monitor, Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, "Maybe this is filming in sequence, which helps her get into character better."

He offered a casual explanation.

But I know in my heart what the real reason is.

Lu Yuxiao's feelings for Li Ran are exactly the same as Jiang Ni's feelings for Xu Fengnian.

On one side is the hatred of national subjugation, and on the other is the affection formed from childhood companionship.

Jiang Ni's inner turmoil when facing Xu Fengnian... she wanted to get close, yet dared not; she wanted to hate, yet couldn't bring herself to.

Her current mental state is exactly the same as Lu Yuxiao's.

Knowing that Li Ran had girlfriends, and more than one, she instinctively wanted to run away.

But she couldn't resist the irrepressible attraction in her heart, and she was always unconsciously drawn to him.

I want to hate him, but I can't bring myself to do it.

I want to stay away from him, but I can't help wanting to get closer.

This inner conflict perfectly captures the core of Jiang Ni's character.

Li Ran withdrew his gaze and looked towards the film set in the distance.

Sunlight shone on the eaves of the antique-style building, reflecting a dazzling light.

He suddenly felt like a jerk.

He knew exactly what she was thinking, but he couldn't do anything about it or make any promises.

Unless she wanted to, what right did Li Ran have to drag her into the whirlpool of his own emotions?

All I could do was watch her struggle alone, processing those complex emotions by herself.

but……

What could he do?

Li Ran sighed and continued watching the monitor.

In the scene, Jiang Ni is looking at Xu Fengnian, her eyes filled with unspoken words, yet she cannot utter a single one…

The crew of "The Sword and the Snow" filmed for another seven days.

The film set was much quieter during those seven days.

Without Zhou Ye, Hu Lianxin, Zhang Ruonan, and others, only Li Ran, Lu Yuxiao, and a few supporting actors remain.

The scenes at Wudang Mountain were filmed methodically, one take at a time, and Xu Fengnian and Jiang Ni in the shots were still the same bickering couple.

The last scene was filmed in the evening.

The setting sun bathed the entire film set in a warm orange hue, and the eaves of the antique-style buildings were gilded with a layer of gold.

The staff began packing up the equipment; some pushed cake carts over, while others carried flowers to distribute them.

The wrap party was a grand affair.

Flowers, cake, champagne—everything was provided.

Director Zhang Li stood in the center of the crowd, held up a microphone, and said some polite words, thanking the actors and staff, and looking forward to the post-production and broadcast results.

Everyone applauded and cheered, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wang Churan returned to the film crew three days ago and finished filming the remaining scenes of Nangong Pushe.

She was dressed in a white robe, with the Xiudong sword at her waist, making her stand out in the crowd.

She smiled and walked up to Li Ran, then reached out and smeared some cake on his face.

Li Ran was stunned for a moment, then reached out and smeared some on her face as well.

"Take a picture! Take a picture!" Wang Churan pulled Li Ran and called to the photographer next to them.

The two stood together, both dressed in white robes, one with a spring thunder pendant at his waist, and the other holding a Xiudong pendant.

The photographer pressed the shutter repeatedly, capturing a set of wrap-up photos with a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, the martial arts world) atmosphere.

Wang Churan leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Remember to post on Weibo tonight."

Li Ran smiled and nodded.

His gaze swept across the crowd and landed on a figure not far away.

Lu Yuxiao was standing in the corner, taking photos of the characters' wrap-up shots all by herself.

She held the sword case of the Great Liang Dragon Sparrow, flashed a standard smile at the camera, took one photo, and then changed to another pose.

Li Ran walked over.

"Little clay figure, your turn! Time to take the wrap-up photos of the male and female leads."

Lu Yuxiao turned her head, saw it was him, and smiled: "I understand, Your Highness."

The smile was as bright as ever, but Li Ran sensed something different.

Less carefree, more... restraint.

Over the past few days of filming, Lu Yuxiao no longer deliberately avoided him, but she also stopped clinging to him like she did at the beginning.

The two of them are now more like good friends of the opposite sex... They chat and joke, but maintain an appropriate distance.

The photographer gestured for them to stand together.

Both of them were dressed in white. He carried Chunlei and Xiudong at his waist, while she held the sword box of Daliang Longque in her arms.

Standing together, they really do have the air of a chivalrous couple from the martial arts world.

The shutter clicked several times.

After the photo was taken, Lu Yuxiao looked at him and suddenly smiled.

That smile was different from before; it wasn't a standard business smile, but a genuine, heartfelt, and slightly relieved radiance.

"Thank you, Li Ran."

She added slowly, "Thank you for letting me play the role of Jiang Ni."

Li Ran looked at her and said, "No need to thank me. You worked very hard yourself, and you portrayed Jiang Ni very well."

Lu Yuxiao shook her head: "I know my acting skills. If it weren't for you, no matter how good my acting is, I couldn't play Jiang Ni."

She paused for a moment, then said, "So, I really should thank you."

Li Ran smiled and didn't say anything more.

Lu Yuxiao just stared at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a long time.

The afterglow of the setting sun fell upon her, casting a soft glow on her silhouette.

There was a complex emotion in her eyes... a sense of reluctance, a sense of relief, and something else that was hard to explain.

"Can I have a hug?" she asked softly.

Li Ran opened his arms.

Lu Yuxiao stepped forward and gently hugged him.

She buried her face in his chest, and a muffled voice came out: "Thank you, Li Ran."

Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing something.

"Thank you Xu Fengnian and Jiang Ni for bringing us together."

After a long while, she slowly released her grip.

Li Ran looked down at her and noticed that her eyes were already red.

"Little clay figure..."

He said softly, "Why are you still crying? Are you reluctant to part with His Highness?"

Lu Yuxiao pouted and blinked hard: "Stop being so cocky. I'm just a little sexy... oh no, I mean, a little sentimental."

She sniffed and looked at him again.

"Li Ran".

"Um?"

"I feel I still need to say something to you."

Li Ran looked at her: "What did you say?"

Lu Yuxiao remained silent for a few seconds.

She took a deep breath, as if she had mustered all her courage.

"I like you."

After saying that, she turned and ran.

They acted so quickly, as if afraid they would regret it.

Li Ran stood there, watching her hurried figure flee, shaking his head and chuckling.

Am I really that charming?

He thought Lu Yuxiao could let go, but clearly, this silly goose was getting deeper and deeper into it.

……

Lu Yuxiao ran a long way until she was sure Li Ran couldn't see her before she stopped.

She leaned against the wall, panting heavily, her heart pounding as if it would burst out of her chest.

She looked up at the darkening sky, and a smile slowly crept onto her lips.

Actually, she was also conflicted.

But she just wanted to express her feelings.

You can't just get dumped for no reason when you have nothing, right?

Although they were never together, she did have feelings for him.

Now that you've said it, it's all good.

She took a deep breath and calmed herself down.

We probably won't see each other much after this. As time goes by, I might not like him as much anymore.

Maybe.

She straightened up, dusted off her clothes, then turned and walked straight away...

This isn't a no-go, it's a recommendation for the treasure book "Chinese Entertainment: Starting from Retirement, Sweeping Through the Domestic Entertainment Industry":