172: Chapter 172 Lu Wanqing's Question

"Scene 4, Take 2, Action!"

The clapperboard snapped, and Lu Wanqing walked onto the set.

The wedding dress had been custom-made yesterday; it was a strapless style that cinched her waist tightly, with layers of the skirt cascading onto the floor.

It instantly drew the gaze of all the male extras nearby.

Shen Feng walked in wearing that feathered suit, his steps light and airy. He held a beer bottle and stopped a meter away from Lu Wanqing, his eyes unfocused.

"Qiu Ya, I've prepared a song for you..."

It was Lu Wanqing's turn to deliver her lines.

Her eyelids twitched, and just as she was about to speak—

"Cut."

Director Ning Yuan took off his headphones. "Lu Wanqing, where are you looking? Why are you staring at his ear?"

The set went quiet for a second. Lu Wanqing's face heated up, and she gripped her skirt. "I'm sorry, Director Ning, let me try again."

"Take two."

This time, their eyes met, but her line delivery was half a beat late.

Director Ning Yuan said nothing; he turned his head to look at Jiang Fan, tapping his fingers against the back of his chair.

On the third take, Lu Wanqing moved to the wrong position, ending up next to the veteran actor playing the groom, completely ruining the camera angle.

"Cut—Lu Wanqing, watch your position."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Five takes in a row, and not a single one was usable.

Director Ning Yuan stood up, hands in his pockets, and dismissed the actors.

He didn't get angry at Lu Wanqing; his voice remained that same flat tone, but it was more suffocating than an outburst.

Lu Wanqing stood where she was. Agent Zhou approached and whispered a few words to her. She nodded, but her fingers remained clenched on the silk of her wedding dress skirt.

—

Sister Yue carried a bottle of mineral water over to Shen Feng and shoved it into his hand.

"The girl is acting like this today; do you have any issues on your end?"

Shen Feng unscrewed the cap, took a sip, and waved his hand. "I have no issues."

He pursed his lips toward Lu Wanqing. "The girl is under too much pressure. Can't you see her face has gone pale? Every time her eyes dart toward Jiang Fan, her performance falls apart."

"How hard is this scene for Qiu Ya? Two lines, one action, just stand there. Yet the simpler it is, the easier it is for things to go wrong."

Sister Yue turned her head and looked at Shen Feng for a long moment.

"You've got quite a bit of insight."

"I've been in the industry for over a decade; if I couldn't see that much, I'd have wasted my time."

—

Director Ning Yuan pulled up a chair and had Lu Wanqing sit opposite him.

The crowd dispersed, the lighting crew packed up the lights, and the stagehands pushed carts to move props; it was noisy and chaotic.

Lu Wanqing hadn't taken her hair down yet; small hairpins were densely pinned in a circle around her head, and her expression was very nervous.

"Five takes today, and I'll tell you where the problem lies." Director Ning Yuan's tone wasn't comforting; he was simply stating an objective fact.

"You keep thinking about how to act, and your lines sound like you're reciting a script. But Qiu Ya doesn't need to perform anything in this scene. She's just a bride who runs into a classmate she hasn't seen in years at her wedding, that's all."

He leaned back against his chair and concluded, "You're overthinking it."

Lu Wanqing lowered her head, her hands resting on her knees. "I understand. I'll try again tomorrow."

Director Ning Yuan glanced at her and stood up. "Fine."

At this moment, Jiang Fan walked over.

Director Ning Yuan stepped aside.

Jiang Fan sat down in front of Lu Wanqing. Without preamble, he asked, "What are you thinking about right now?"

Lu Wanqing paused. "Thinking about... how to act this scene well."

"That is the problem right there."

She didn't quite understand that logic.

"Qiu Ya doesn't need to think about anything in this scene," Jiang Fan said, his tone different from Director Ning's lecturing style. "You were tense in front of the camera today, and the audience can feel that."

Lu Wanqing lowered her head and didn't speak.

"Before we film tomorrow, don't think about where the camera is. When Director Ning Yuan calls Action, you only need to do one thing—truly look into Shen Feng's eyes, and that will be enough."

Beside them, Director Ning Yuan added, very briefly, "Got it?"

"Got it."

—

Lu Wanqing came out after changing into casual clothes, and Agent Zhou was waiting in the corridor.

As they walked to the elevator, Agent Zhou sighed. "Today was a bit rough, but the fact that Director Ning Yuan didn't lose his temper on the spot is already the best-case scenario."

Lu Wanqing didn't respond; she glanced back.

Over there, Jiang Fan was scrolling through his phone while talking to Director Ning Yuan; the two were leaning against the corridor wall.

Agent Zhou followed her gaze for a second, adjusted her bag on her shoulder, and pressed the elevator button.

Lu Wanqing stood there for two seconds and pulled the collar of her jacket up.

Director Ning Yuan said, you're overthinking it.

Indeed.

It's just that what she was thinking about didn't have much to do with the scene.

—

In the courtyard, the staff were finishing up work one after another.

Director Ning Yuan lit a cigarette and stood in the courtyard with Jiang Fan.

"Lu Wanqing has the potential; she'll probably be better tomorrow. Sometimes pushing someone to the edge actually helps them deliver."

"Mm."

Director Ning Yuan turned his head to look at him, his cigarette dangling between his fingers. "But I'm saying this upfront: don't get too close to her."

Jiang Fan didn't speak.

"I saw clearly why that girl messed up today."

"You can't control my business."

"I can't control your business, true." Director Ning Yuan flicked the ash off his cigarette. "But I do control my film. If you really mess with her and fill her head with other things, don't expect this scene to be filmed smoothly."

Jiang Fan glanced at him without denying it.

Director Ning Yuan stubbed out his cigarette, threw it into the trash can nearby, and clapped his hands. "Alright, I'm heading out."

—

Back in his hotel room, Jiang Fan washed his face and sat on the chair by the window.

His phone screen lit up, and a message from Song Siyi was at the top.

[Song Siyi: Jiang Fan, journey to the west launches tomorrow.]

[Song Siyi: Operations has put all our resources into this—homepage pop-ups, category recommendations, and the internal signing announcement. Manager Chen told me to keep an eye on the backend data and report back at any time.]

[Song Siyi: Where are you right now?]

[Jiang Fan: On set.]

[Song Siyi: ...You're writing a novel and filming a movie at the same time?]

[Jiang Fan: What's wrong?]

[Song Siyi: Nothing, I just feel sorry for you.]

[Jiang Fan: Alright, let's talk business.]

[Song Siyi: That is the business. It launches at midnight tomorrow. The first day's data is very important; keep an eye on reader feedback if you have time.]

Jiang Fan tossed his phone onto the bed, leaned back against the chair, and stared at the ceiling.

He knew what the reaction would be when journey to the west appeared on Blue Star for the first time.

In his past life, this book supported half of the entire classical mythology IP landscape; countless animations, films, television shows, and games had grown from it.

He moved his consciousness, and the system panel appeared.

[Target: Lu Wanqing Compatibility: A]

A wasn't very high, but he was already stretched too thin; with the film set, the novel, and the four divas all moving forward, he didn't have the energy to start a new game here for the time being.

He closed the panel and got up to lie on the bed.

Director Ning Yuan's words from earlier were still echoing in his ears.

This old geezer, he loves to say everything so bluntly.