Chapter 53: Celebrating Wrapping Up with a Public Display of Affection

Chapter 53: Celebrating Wrapping Up with a Public Display of Affection

Xu Jianguo pointed to the small stool beside him. "Don't just stand there like a wooden post. Sit down."

Zhou Weichuan's gaze shifted to Tang Fei, who was wearing a white wig and had makeup that added wrinkles to her face. She was discussing with Guan Liu about which angle would make their kissing scene appear more natural.

Zhou Weichuan suppressed the sour feeling in his heart and put on a polite smile, carrying the demeanor of a respectful junior as he moved the stool aside and sat down. "Uncle Xu, I won't interfere with the production. Please carry on."

"I wouldn't mind if you did. It's not a big deal for young people to act impulsively once," Xu Jianguo patted his shoulder. Zhou Weichuan shook his head. "The aftermath of an impulsive action is that my life remains the same, but the other person's life might be turned upside down. I can't control whether the change will be good or bad, but I can control stability."

Xu Jianguo had grown up under Xu Jianguo's watchful eye since childhood. He had always been sensible, following closely behind his mother and sweet-talking everyone he met, calling them uncles and aunts.

He had done homework in the makeup room on set and in the hospital, taking care of his sick mother at a very young age.

The rumors about him being a illegitimate child and the absence of a father figure might have left deep scars that were hard to heal.

Unlike his younger brother at home, who dared to bring girlfriends home at the age of thirteen or fourteen, Zhou Weichuan was already 26 but had never even had a rumored love interest.

"There's someone who makes you feel impulsive. Cherish them well."

"Affection can take many forms." Zhou Weichuan's gaze returned to Tang Fei, who, with her every expression, radiated a unique brilliance and allure on set. "She belongs on screen, as a dazzling jewel under the spotlight."

Xu Jianguo agreed with this assessment and, unable to persuade Zhou Weichuan for the moment, he turned to grab the walkie-talkie. "Everyone, take your positions. Ready, action!"

On the monitor, Tang Fei, in the role of Li Xiuyun, appeared aged and gray-haired. The hands that Su Yang clenched were lined with wrinkles, yet these details did nothing to diminish Li Xiuyun's beauty or Su Yang's deep affection.

Su Yang gently combed Li Xiuyun's hair and carefully tucked the blanket around her. Activating his psychic ability, he froze the entire room.

The wind machine blew through Su Yang and Li Xiuyun's long tresses, while the snow machine scattered artificial snow into the room. Special effects would later enhance the frozen ambiance.

Wind and snow swept in, and as the floating flakes slowly descended, they froze not only the space but also Su Yang's heart.

Outside, the lights changed, signifying the passage of time. Li Xiuyun, frozen in her smile, remained unchanged.

Su Yang spoke softly, recounting their past, from the moment he first laid eyes on Li Xiuyun. Throughout this, several supporting characters attempted to console him, but Su Yang stubbornly refused to let Li Xiuyun be buried.

"Just a little longer, please."

"I only want to see her one more time."

"I know she's gone, and I understand everything you're saying. I hate that I'm lucidly aware of her departure. I haven't lost my mind."

"Due to her fear of the wind and light from the poison, for decades, she could only stay in the darkness of a small room."

"But she was a person who loved sunlight, excitement, and running freely. She wanted to see the singing fish, talking and bickering flowers, towering towers, upstream water, and glow-in-the-dark grass that the wandering storytellers spoke of. All these were available in our village, yet I was afraid to tell her, fearing she'd disregard her health and venture out. I was too selfish."

"Do you want to see them? I'll take you there." Su Yang gently brushed the snow off Li Xiuyun's face and carried her out. "Our village is the largest human settlement on the Central Continent. It has the most people, the tallest Spirit Tower, and bustling markets. We'll stroll through the market and ascend the tower to gaze at the stars. You'll surely love it."

Tang Fei was nestled in Guan Liu's embrace, while Zhou Weichuan suddenly stood up from his stool. Xu Jianguo looked at him, silently encouraging with his gaze, "Come on, show your youthful enthusiasm."

Zhou Weichuan's eyes remained fixed on Tang Fei, following the wind machine and snow generator as they moved along. Six cameramen either crawled on the ground, capturing their backs, profiles, or close-ups of the lead actor's or actress's faces, while lighting and reflectors were dragged along with them.

What was he planning to do? Was he going to disrupt Tang Fei's work?

Zhou Weichuan closed his eyes and slowly sat back down.

He still remembered his initial goal: to mold Tang Fei into a perfect masterpiece and place her at the pinnacle.

If he were to ruin it now with such an immature mindset, destroying a masterpiece before its completion, it would be disrespectful to both Tang Fei and himself.

"Click! Done!"

Xu Jianguo's voice was like music to Zhou Weichuan's ears, freeing him from his inner conflict.

Guan Liu also promptly released Tang Fei, rubbing her arm while feeling a chill down her spine. Could it be that the fan was too strong?

Tang Fei joked, "You should exercise more, Teacher Guan."

"I didn't even ask you to lose weight, and you're telling me to exercise?" Guan Liu had just taken a sip of water from her assistant, which she promptly spat out.

Tang Fei dodged and clutched the thick cotton jacket that He Zhou offered. "Teacher Guan, you're the senior here, you should set a good example."

"Well, let's discuss who debuted earlier..."

Tang Fei and Guan Liu's interaction was natural and relaxed. Could they have become so close after only ten days?

This was a special period during filming when co-stars got to know each other quickly due to their many scenes together. It was normal, and he had grown up on sets; he knew how things worked.

Zhou Weichuan exhaled, thinking that he could visit the set more often in the future – there wouldn't be a problem then.

He pressed his forehead, not planning to intervene. Why should he make an extra visit to the set?

Why?

He was Tang Fei's boss; it was his responsibility to prevent any scandals involving his female actress, which could damage her brand value.

He had justified his actions and found a perfect excuse.

In the second scene, Li Xiuyun was being buried. Her coffin lid slowly closed, but at the last moment, Su Yang stepped forward and held it back, allowing the camera to capture Li Xiuyun's face inside.

"She doesn't like darkness."

"Su Yang, Xiuyun can no longer see. Let her rest in peace."

Unable to hold back, Su Yang's nose tingled. Gazing at Li Xiuyun's face, he knew it would be the last time. Using his spiritual energy, he gathered a cluster of glowgrass and planted each one into Li Xiuyun's coffin.

The coffin was eventually sealed shut. Li Xiuyun lay within, surrounded by the colorful glowgrass – the very sight she had always wanted to see but never had, as described by others.

"Great! Move on!"

The director announced that Li Xiuyun had wrapped up her scenes!

He Zhou and the other crew members pulled Tang Fei out of the coffin. Tang Fei was already freezing, with icy hands and feet. She had worn little during the outdoor shoot and couldn't move around. After climbing out, she sneezed several times in a row.

He Zhou promptly brought over a bowl of ginger soup.

Guan Liu even offered her own hand warmer. "Quickly warm yourself up."

Tang Fei expressed her gratitude. Noticing Guan Liu's still-red eyes, she realized that the actress was still immersed in the intense emotions of the scene.

"Tide of Psychic Frenzy was supposed to be an inspiring drama," Tang Fei said, "but my part seems more melancholic than anything. I've been crying during these past few days of filming." She patted the prop coffin.

"Ai, my dear lady, you misunderstand. Even the toughest men have tender hearts; heroes have vulnerabilities. Since ancient times, it has been difficult to balance career and love..." Guan Liu sang a snippet in a Peking Opera tune, injecting humor into the situation.

This made Tang Fei laugh.

Zhou Weichuan watched the playful banter between Tang Fei and Guan Liu. He had held back during shooting, as it was work after all. But outside of the production, such jovial interactions didn't seem appropriate! It seemed crucial now to prevent any romantic rumors from forming between the two artists! They needed to be kept apart!

Zhou Weichuan took the hot water bag from Xu Jianguo's hands, and Xu Jianguo, now empty-handed, didn't seem annoyed at all. Instead, he chuckled, "Words are just words, this dog's temper is another matter."

Zhou Weichuan pulled He Zhou into the conversation between Guan Liu and Tang Fei. Guan Liu was pushed back several steps, and the warm hand warmer he had just given away returned to his grasp.

"Mr. Guan, are you feeling cold? You still have an important scene coming up. Take care to stay warm. I've asked the production team to prepare more cold medicine. If you feel unwell, remember to let them know," Zhou Weichuan said warmly to Guan Liu.

He then handed the hot water bag he had taken from Xu Jianguo to Tang Fei. "Use this for now. If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to ask the production team. Don't be shy, how could you take something that belongs to someone else? What if Mr. Guan catches a cold?"

Tang Fei opened her mouth, wanting to explain, "I... um..."

She felt that something was off, but what he said also made sense. She found herself momentarily unable to refute him.

Guan Liu also sensed something amiss, but he still expressed his gratitude. As he walked away, he pondered over Zhou Weichuan's swift and forceful return of the hand warmer. Was it because he was worried about Guan Liu getting cold?

Was that possible?

No way!

Ah...

He was retrospectively fed dog food!

Guan Liu turned back and looked at Zhou Weichuan standing beside Tang Fei. Zhou Weichuan's gaze also met his, and upon eye contact, Guan Liu realized the source of the chill he had felt during the shoot. He quickly stepped away.

What kind of gossip is this?! The Nine O'Clock CEO isn't becoming a monk anymore? He's breaking his vow!

Tsk tsk, a perfect couple, may you have a hundred years of bliss. I didn't mean to offend, so I'll just slip away.

I won't disturb your celebration of wrapping up the shoot with dog food.

Zhou Weichuan looked at Tang Fei. The frustration that had been building up inside him for over three hours due to her silence couldn't be vented out.

He then called Zheng Haisheng. "Zheng Haisheng, has Time Culture's financial chain broken or has the company gone bankrupt? The company's top star doesn't even have a heating pad?"

Zheng Haisheng, who was currently directing people to carry the cake to the shooting location, picked up the call. "???"

...

"Boss, um, I do have a heating pad, but it broke yesterday..." Tang Fei's voice was soft.