Director Wang Peng didn’t stand there alone. Behind him were Tang Mou, chief screenwriter of the Legend of Youth, Lian Pengxing and Wang Yue, who were about to film another scene in another courtyard, as well as their assistants, makeup artist, and several staff members who came to help. They all stood there.

Everyone looked at Gu Xun with different expressions.

Gu Xun made a gesture to Wang Peng first and then looked back into the study window.

In the study, Qi Cong was still reading the script intently and didn’t notice the movement outside the window.

Everyone couldn’t help but follow Gu Xun’s gaze and look at the window, making the atmosphere even weirder.

General Director Wang Peng withdrew his eyes from the window and faced Gu Xun again. His mouth opened and he was about to speak, when Gu Xun suddenly took the initiative to reach out to him and say in a low voice, “I’m sorry to disturb the crew. Qi Cong doesn’t know I’m here and I don’t want to affect his filming. Could you do me this favor, Director Wang? “

Gu Xun’s eyes swept over the group behind Director Weng Peng and then focused on the chief scriptwriter Tang Mou, Lian Pengxing and Wanh Yue. He nodded, made a gesture and continued to look at Wang Peng as he spoke. “After Qi Cong’s filming is over I will come and make amends with you.”

The words were polite enough, and the word “amends” was also used. Wang Peng saw a lot of wind and rain in his life so he  quickly digested this slightly strange situation. He shook Gu Xun’s outstretched hand and said, “Teacher Gu doesn’t have to be so polite. Then, make yourself at home.”

Gu Xun withdrew his hand and replied, “Thank you.” 

Then he took a step back into the shadows and looked into the study window again.

“…”

Wang Peng withdrew his hand, turned to a group behind him and said, “Just pretend you didn’t see anything.” With that, he looked at Gu Xun and then Qi Cong, who was  reading by the lamp near the window and took the lead to leave.

Tang Mou and the other people followed, but when they passed by Gu Xun they still couldn’t help turning their heads to look at him. Among them, Lian Pengxing, who was walking on the inside once again followed Gu Xun’s line of sight and looked at Qi Cong in the window.

In the open carved wooden window, the prince in blue sat at the desk. In one hand he held a book while the other supported his forehead. As his head was slightly lowered, a few strands of long hair fell in front of his body. A warm yellow candlelight illuminated his face. Even though a mask covered most of his face, it still made people feel a quiet and beautiful atmosphere.

Sometimes a half covered face was more attractive than a fully exposed one. Although he didn’t want to admit it, the proportion and shape of Qi Cong’s body was very good. After the enhancement of his costume paired with the hair and set background, him just sitting there was like a painting.

The relationship between looking up and being looked up to.

As he walked, Qi Cong’s figure gradually became invisible. Lian Pengxing  withdrew his sight and once again looked back at Gu Xun’s position.

“I don’t know how deep the connection between the two was back then, or how dazzling Qi Cong was in order to make Gu Xun do such a thing as make such a gesture to Qi Cong even after three years.”

Wang Yue, who was walking next to him, suddenly spoke, making even Lian Pengxing pause his step and look sideways at her. “It’s particularly dazzling.” 

The assistant of Lian Pengxing who was walking behind them suddenly came closer and whispered, “Netizens have found out a lot of things about Qi Cong. He has won a lot of prizes. He’s not only proficient in everything from the piano, calligraphy and painting, but was also very good at studying. He studied in Haiwen University, which is one of the top 5 universities in our country.”

Lian Pengxing’s steps suddenly stopped.

Then Wang Yue also stopped and looked questioningly at Lian Pengxing and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Lian Pengxing’s assistant changed his expression, glanced cautiously at Lian Pengxing, bowed his head and moved back a little.

Lian Pengxing looked at his assistant, then looked at Wang Yue, smiled, and replied, “I remembered that I ordered something to drink for everyone before, and it should have arrived by now. Xiao Liu, go outside and pick it up, the takeaway can’t be delivered in.”

The assistant, known as Xiao Liu hurriedly nodded and then turned around before walking away.

Wang Yue smiled. “Lian Pengxing, you are always so thoughtful. No wonder all the people you have worked with are full of praise for you.”

Lian Pengxing smiled and waved, “Not at all, don’t embarrass me. Okay, go inside, our last scene today is after Qi Cong. Since he’s a newcomer I guess it will take him a while to finish, so take some time to rest first.”

“Ugh.” Wang Yue sniffed and sighed, raised her hand and squeezed her shoulder. “I hope Qi Cong won’t get stuck. I want to get off work early and get some sleep today.”

On the other side, Director Guo had already been joined by Director Wang and Chief Scriptwriter Tang Mou. As soon as Deputy Director Guo saw Tang Mou, he handed over the letter in his hand and gestured for Tang Mou to read it.

“What is this?” Tang Mou was puzzled as he took the letter to look at it.

Wang Peng, who was standing next to Tang Mou, also followed and looked over.

A few seconds later, Tang Mou looked up at Deputy Director Guo, his eyebrows raised high, and asked, “Who wrote this?”

Director Guo gestured to Qi Cong behind the desk and said, “How about you open your eyes? To tell you the truth, I was surprised by his words, literary skills and understanding of the plot. Then with his appearance, we made a pure profit. Also, I just saw that his script was densely written on. I don’t know what he has written, but he passed his first scene in one go and even carefully pondered and prepared small details.”

Wang Peng on the side took the letter and read it carefully, then suddenly gave a “tsk” and said, “No wonder.”

Deputy Director Guo, who didn’t understand, asked, “No wonder what?”

“No wonder Gu Xun was willing to feed mosquitoes outside.” Wang Peng returned the letter to Tang Mou and asked Deputy Director Guo, “Did you give him the second scene?”

“Not yet.”

“Then I’ll go.” After saying that, and without giving Deputy Director Guo a chance to refuse, he turned around and walked toward Qi Cong.

Behind the desk, Qi Cong was about to turn a page of his script when a hand suddenly reached over and knocked on the desk in front of him. He looked up and saw Director Wang Peng standing at the desk looking at him. He put down the script, got up and greeted, “Director Wang.”

“Well. I’ll be shooting the next two scenes for you, so I’ll tell you about them.” Wang Peng dragged a plastic stool to sit down while also gesturing for Qi Cong to sit. Then looking at the Qi Cong script he asked, “Can I see that?”

Wang Peng will shoot his scenes?

Qi Cong sat down and handed over his script. “Please.”

Wang Peng took the script and opened it.

Qi Cong’s script wasn’t thick and was only about ten pages long, which was much thinner than the other actors. Yet compared to his role, it still looked a little too thick.

In these ten pages, only five were the pages of the drama given by the crew. The rest were all his own notes, including a character biography, guessing simulations of characters’ growth experiences, a character psychological analysis, and even a hand-drawn diagram of the relationship between the royal family.

Wang Peng flipped through it one by one and then focused on Qi Cong’s analysis of today’s death scene. After he finished reading it he fell silent for a few seconds before putting the script in front of Qi Cong and saying, “You already have a deep understanding of your character so I won’t talk to you about it. Let me tell you about the position and the areas where you need to pay attention in front of the camera. Your next scene needs to start from here….”

Qi Cong listened attentively.

Three minutes later, Wang Peng got up and announced for the crew to prepare to begin filming the remaining two scenes. Everyone froze, including Qi Cong as Deputy Director Guo, who came over and asked, “We won’t rehearse the scene first?”

“No, record it directly and let Qi Cong get into the character’s state as soon as possible. By the way, turn on all the cameras, we will shoot the two scenes together.”

Deputy Director Guo became even more surprised. “Together?”

“Together. Let’s keep the emotions consistent. Qi Cong is that all right?” Director Wang suddenly looked at Qi Cong.

Qi Cong returned to his senses, looked around at the dumbfounded staff and frowning Deputy Director Guo. Zhao Zhenxun and Shen Jia heard the commotion from a distance and were looking over. Qi Cong touched the phone in his hand, slowly got up and nodded. “I can try.”

“Then you get ready. Five minutes before the start of filming the next scene.”

Filming the two scenes together was settled, making the set become busy again. Yuan Yuan and Jiang Meng collected their tools and trotted quickly to Qi Cong to help him collect his script, comb his hair and organize his clothes. Zhao Zhenxun and Shen Jia also came over.

Shen Jia said, “If they shoot the two scenes together, then won’t it be a long shoot? Cong you, you don’t get nervous, you you you…”

“You can do it.” Zhao Zhenxun picked up Shen Jia’s words, turned Shen Jia’s excessively nervous face away to not let Qi Cong see it and then said to Qi Cong, “You’ve been preparing for so long, I think you can do it.”

Qi Cong just nodded.

A staff member came over with a blood bag to teach Qi Cong how to use it. Zhao Zhenxun seeing this situation didn’t say anything more and just reached out to hold Shen Jia who still wanted to say something and moved with him behind the staff.

Five minutes later, everything was ready. All the cameras were turned on as Director Wang and Guo were each in charge of a camera, one for long shots and one for close ups.

After Qi Cong sat back at his desk, the letter he had just written returned to his hand. In a moment he would need to take this letter and go to the window to send it away by carrier pigeon.

While the staff was confirming the final details and before the official shooting started, Qi Cong turned his head and looked out of the window.

Because he had to send and receive letters with carrier pigeons at the window later, the position of the window was rearranged by the crew, a set of lanterns and a light post were added outside the window, which made it a little brighter than before. Before, he was still able to see a blurred shadow of the trees but at this time he was only able to make out shape and color.

There didn’t seem to be anything special.

“All departments get ready!”

Qi Cong returned to his senses, withdrew his eyes and closed them, adjusting his breathing.

He was You Changqing now. Full of ambition that hasn’t yet been put into full play, You Changqing that was about to die.

“Three, two, one, go!”

Qi Cong opened his eyes when he heard the clap.

 

…….

 

Outside the study, Gu Xun retreated to the corner of the corridor in order to not affect the filming, and looked at the faint figure of Qi  Cong in the gap of the window. His eyebrows wrinkled as he became a little anxious.

It was Wang Peng directing the filming now and Qi Cong was a newcomer. Why didn’t he rehearse the scene with Qi Cong before he officially started filming? Qi Cong was still a newcomer who didn’t know how to cooperate with the camera!

In case of frequent NGs, Qi Cong…

“Mr. Gu Xun?”

Gu Xun’s thoughts broke off and he looked towards where the voice came from.

Lian Pengxing in a moon white costume with a cup of coffee from the side of the courtyard, smiled at Gu Xun’s unwelcoming eyes, and said, “Director Wang said it was rude to ask the staff to send you away from here so he let me send you a cup of coffee to make amends. By the way, he asked if you wanted to go to the rest area to wait? Qi Cong is going to shoot a long scene so it may take a long time.”

Gu Xun slightly restrained his emotions and said back, “No, but thank Director Wang for his kindness and coffee.” He looked back at the window of the study, “I will stay right here.”

Lian Pengxing was politely rejected, but didn’t leave. He looked at Gu Xun’s profile bathed in the night, took a step and walked to a position a step and a half away from Gu Xun’s side. He put the coffee on the wooden railing of the corridor in front of Gu Xun, and also looked at the direction of the study.

Inside the study, Qi Cong opened his eyes without even a trace of himself.

He bowed his head and rolled up the letter he had just written a little bit, put it into the paper tube and then stood up holding his crutches. Without using a wheelchair he walked to the window with difficulty.

 

Edited by: Antiope1

 

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