Chapter 88: Another Drag Alert

Chapter 88: Another Drag Alert

After half an hour of hard work, the makeup artist and stylist had completed their task.

The person sitting in the chair, who had been dozing off, finally opened his half-closed eyes to look at himself in the mirror.

It was him, yet it didn't quite feel like him.

He couldn't tell what the result was after staring at his face for so long, but judging from the expressions on the producer and agent's faces, it seemed alright.

After much discussion among the group, the final decision was to make minor adjustments to the hair, leaving everything else unchanged.

This meant they were very satisfied. For one movie, he had three outfits, which he tried on simply without any issues, no need for further alterations. It was settled as is.

Today, the set progress was faster than expected, and they wrapped up earlier than planned, returning in the afternoon. Before everyone else came back, Chen Yibai had just enough time to change back into his usual clothes, once again the familiar white.

Waking up early in the morning, he was immediately sent back to his room by his agent to rest for a bit after finishing his tasks.

Looking out the window of his room, which overlooked the hotel entrance and the opposite parking lot, he first washed his face and hair. Standing by the window with a towel on his head, he wiped his hair while doing a far-sighted eye exercise. Just then, he spotted the returning convoy.

The parking lot, which wasn't usually crowded, was now packed with cars. People got out of the vehicles, some crew members wearing vests carrying equipment towards the hotel. The joy of finishing work was palpable, and within moments, most people had left the parking lot.

Casually wiping his hair a few more times, Chen Yibai retracted his gaze and walked back into the room with the towel still on his head.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway outside, catching his attention slightly.

After separating from his assistant upon entering the hotel, Xu Sinian took the elevator alone and stepped out onto the corridor. This floor was quiet, with few people around, making even the slightest footsteps seem amplified.

Moving quickly, the black windbreaker pants rustled with each step, creating a series of fabric friction sounds that mixed with his footsteps.

As he approached his room, faint footsteps from elsewhere mingled with the sounds. He lowered his head, lifting his hand to check the time on his wristwatch.

It was a soft, quick series of sounds, lasting less than three seconds, followed immediately by the sound of a door opening.

A gentle breeze carrying a faint scent of grass and wood brushed against him from behind, causing a strange sensation on his neck.

Chen Yibai, who had quietly prepared an ambush in the room, still had the towel on his head. In the first moment, he locked his arms around the person's neck, hanging onto them, attempting to use his body weight as an added attack.

Xu Sinian didn't dodge the well-planned ambush, standing still and receiving it all. He raised his hand to grasp the wrist that was across his body, ensuring the person could hold on more steadily.

Turning his head slightly to catch sight of the disheveled hair now within his view, he asked, "What did I do wrong?"

This person wouldn't usually launch such an attack without reason; if he did, there must be a valid explanation.

An excellent question, Chen Yibai tightened his grip around the neck, saying, "You knew I was here today, yet you came back so late."

While other enthusiastic crew members had already returned to the hotel, his good neighbor was the last to arrive.

He accused without hesitation, "Do you not want to see me? Fine, our relationship has grown distant."

In one sentence, he placed two heavy accusations, leaving no room for rebuttal—a true master of accusation.

Xu Sinian, whose relationship had supposedly grown distant, didn't bother to defend himself. Instead, he offered the bag in his other hand, asking, "I bought a cake, are you hungry?"

Knowing this person woke up early without much appetite, he could guess that he hadn't eaten much for breakfast. After a long drive and a day of work, he probably hadn't consumed anything substantial since.

"…"

So, he had returned late because he went to buy a small cake.

The situation flipped dramatically, with Chen Yibai becoming the villain who falsely accused the good man who bought cakes, committing a grave sin.

His gaze shifted slightly, and Master Accuser Chen attempted to quietly dismount from the person. However, both his wrists were firmly held, preventing him from descending. Thus, he remained hanging onto the person as they entered the room together.

Once inside the room and the door closed, he landed safely on the ground, finally seeing the bag his good neighbor had been holding.

It was a pink bag, contrasting starkly with the all-black attire.

Indeed, he hadn't eaten much, and Chen Yibai expressed his gratitude to the good man.

With the arrival of his good neighbor, his living conditions instantly upgraded from barely getting by to super VIP treatment. Sitting there eating a small cake, he also had Master Xu, the professional hair blower, helping him dry his hair.

While munching on the cake, Master Xu asked when he would join the next production. Pausing briefly in his cake-eating, Chen Yibai cautiously replied, "In a little over two months."

He emphasized the word 'little,' indicating that there would be a period between finishing this project and joining the next one.

Though his claim of 'a little over two months' was questionable, his good neighbor didn't press further, instead asking, "Did you try on your costume today?"

Another question that struck right at the heart, Chen Yibai tried to answer succinctly, "Yes, I did."

His good neighbor inquired about his feelings regarding it.

"Not much," taking another bite of the cake, Chen Yibai turned his head back, preemptively warning, "Don't laugh when you see me tomorrow."

His good neighbor's gaze swept over his eyes, agreeing with a simple nod.

Having enjoyed the small cakes brought by his good neighbor in the afternoon, Chen Yibai rested for a while before descending downstairs in the evening to participate in a small script reading session limited to a few guests. There, he met the director and the actor playing his boyfriend.

The actor's name was Lin Wanyu, tall and unexpectedly shy, a stark contrast to the thug-like character he portrayed in the script. He was also very polite, bowing slightly when greeting others. Chen Yibai promptly returned the bow, exchanging greetings as a sign of respect.

The script reading didn't last long, as everyone present had scenes scheduled for the next day and needed to rest early. It ended after about half an hour. Just as he was about to get up and leave, Chen Bai was stopped by someone.

The actor who stopped him expressed a desire to exchange contact information. Adding contacts was a simple matter, and he nodded, pulling out his phone.

Pulling out his phone resulted in adding everyone around him to his contacts. The last person to add him as a friend was his shy partner. When saving the contact information, he bowed his head once more, saying, "Thank you."

It was merely a matter of scanning a code and clicking 'accept,' and Chen Yibai quickly waved his hand, saying that there was no need for thanks.

A night of freedom passed, and the second day of official filming arrived.

Due to the complexity of his costume and makeup, Chen Bai had risen at dawn, hastily donning his outfit before chugging down a black coffee with soy milk. As the character with the most intricate styling, he was the last to leave while others had already departed for the filming location. He remained seated in the dressing room.

His agent stepped out to make a call, returning to check the time and reassure him, "No rush, you're not needed for the early scenes."

Chen Yibai acknowledged with a nod.

He had risen before the sun, and by the time he left the hotel and got into the car, daylight had fully illuminated the sky, its brightness piercing.

The filming site was an old street that had existed since the previous century within the county. The street was devoid of residents, and by the time they arrived, two scenes had already been shot.

The car pulled over by the roadside, the door opening. His agent, still stuffing a jacket into a bag, couldn't hold back the ever-ready Chen Bai from leaping out as soon as the vehicle came to a halt. Unaware of his attire, he jumped out as if it were any other day, his skirt and long hair trailing behind him, swaying in the wind.

It was quite coincidental; as they disembarked, the third scene began. Though he didn't spot the other tenants he had met the previous day, Chen Yibai did catch sight of his good neighbor conversing with the director.

To be precise, he first noticed the director. Shorter by a head, the director silently ascended a step to nearly match the height of his counterpart, enabling a level conversation. The bald spot atop the director's head was more conspicuous than his neighbor's face, immediately catching one's attention.

With no intention of interrupting their discussion and nothing pressing to attend to, Chen Bai squatted beneath a nearby tree.

The director didn't converse with Xu Sinian for long, eager to oversee the ongoing shooting. After a brief exchange, he departed, casting a glance towards a dark silhouette not far away.

His eyes widened as he recognized the figure, kindly gesturing and remarking, "Your friend is here."

Xu Sinian turned around.

Under the tree, the person's skirt pooled around them as they leaned against a hand, engrossed in their phone. Their long black hair cascaded down, obscuring much of their face.

As if sensing his gaze, the individual lifted their head to look in his direction.

The dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves above, casting a shadow on the pale side of their face. The cold-toned shadows revealed the slender ties of the neck adornment, hanging alongside their long hair onto a slender back.

Their eyes met, and the person squatting on the ground waved, their typically aloof features softening into a radiant smile.

"..."

In that instant, Xu Sinian's fingers, hanging loosely at his side, involuntarily twitched.

With his towering height and long strides, he reached the shade beneath the tree in just a few steps. The person remained crouched, waiting for him to approach, extending a hand upon his arrival.

He gently pulled the person up, requiring minimal effort to help them stand.

After using his assistance, Chen Yibai promptly withdrew his hand, squinting to scrutinize his good neighbor more closely, focusing particularly on the corner of his mouth.

Excellent, there was no hint of mockery.

Pleased, he casually swept his hair behind his ears and extended his hand to pat his companion's shoulder. "Well done, Comrade Little Xu indeed keeps his promises."

Satisfied with his praise, he failed to notice that Comrade Little Xu's gaze hadn't returned to him since their initial meeting. It wasn't that he didn't want to look, but rather, it seemed as if he dared not.

Xu Sinian draped the jacket that had been resting on his arm over Chen Yibai, lowering his eyes as his eyelashes concealed his emotions. "The temperature is low, add another layer."

Chen Yibai was about to mention that he had his own jacket in the car, but before he could speak, his good neighbor swiftly draped the jacket around him.

He obediently stretched out both arms, successfully slipping them into the sleeves.

Another warm moment for White unfolded as he watched the person before him adjust his cuffs. Noticing something peculiar, he inquired with concern, "Has Comrade Old Xu been under the sun for too long?"

Comrade Old Xu didn't meet his gaze, continuing to adjust the cuffs. "Hmm?"

Chen Yibai honestly observed, "Your ears seem sunburnt."

Though not overly apparent, his keen observation skills allowed him to detect the subtle change.

Comrade Old Xu fell unusually silent, responding after a moment, "Hmm."

Having finished organizing items in the car, the agent and assistant who were lagging behind finally arrived.

The assistant carried a jacket, intending to retrieve it from the bag as they walked. However, upon closer inspection, they realized something and paused, then quietly returned the jacket to the bag.

Without lingering, Chen Bai was led away by his agent, heading to the filming location for an early viewing.

Currently being filmed was a scene where the thug brother and the postgraduate student argued in the corridor due to the disturbance caused by noise during the night. The middle of the corridor was cleared, with people gathered at both ends. Although he appeared shorter when standing beside his good neighbor, Chen Bai's actual height was sufficient to allow him to see the situation from the periphery.

Contrary to the shy demeanor he had witnessed the previous day, the actor who shared the most scenes with him transformed completely. With a buzz cut and tattoos covering his entire arm, his gaze towards the postgraduate student was filled with disdain and irritation, embodying the essence of a thug even more so than the actual thug. The postgraduate student, trembling yet determined, held his ground.

It wasn't identical, but it was strikingly similar.

Noticing that he was staring intently, the agent whispered in a voice audible only to him, "The Best Supporting Actor award you won last time? Lin Wanyu was also among the nominees, and he stood right next to you during the photo session."

Although he ultimately fell short and lost to Chen Bai, Lin Wanyu was indeed a talented actor.

Chen Bai genuinely had no recollection, merely offering a simple acknowledgment.

He arrived without making a sound, and it wasn't until the director behind the camera called cut after a take that a crew member, turning their head inadvertently, noticed the presence of two additional individuals.

Chen Yibai received the highest form of attention, drawing the gazes of the thug brother and the postgraduate student who had just completed their scene.

"..."

He chose to respond with a smile.

With a substantial amount of footage to shoot today, his next scene was imminent. Shedding the jacket he had only recently donned, despite the chill, he proceeded directly to the set.

Time was tight, and he had multiple scenes scheduled throughout the day, with the majority involving the thug brother.

His good neighbor had already departed with the actors portraying friends to film at another location on the street, where all of his scenes for the day would take place. Without anyone to chat with, he smoothly completed several scenes in succession. During his break between takes, he sat down in the same spot, flipping through the well-worn script in his hands.

Indeed, whenever he acted in films, he seemed destined to encounter action sequences. Every movie he joined inevitably included fight scenes, regardless of his character's persona. The thug brother, who looked capable of fighting, didn't have any action scenes, whereas Chen Bai found himself engaged in combat.

The Rogue Brother had no one to chat with either, perhaps simply due to his own ambition, as he sat down cross-legged by the side and watched the script for as long as he sat there, studying the various highlights and annotations on it.

Contrary to the Rogue Brother's character, who was prone to cursing at any moment, Lin Wanyu, despite his heavily tattooed arms, was rather reserved. He sat in silence for half a day without uttering a single word.

It wasn't until dinner time, when the sky had turned dark, that the crew's dinner arrived, accompanied by some commotion in the distance. The person who had been engrossed in the script finally lifted their gaze and said, "Teacher Chen…"

Teacher Chen had already left his small stool, having spotted his good neighbor returning from work behind the food delivery truck. He lifted the slightly cumbersome hem of his dress and jogged over, disappearing into the darkness amidst the clamor, a faint "Comrade Old Xu" still audible.

That evening after dinner, Teacher Chen didn't have any scenes with his good neighbor, but he was fortunate enough to witness the filming of his good neighbor's scene.

It was top-tier oppression from every angle.

His good neighbor usually spoke unhurriedly, sounding strangely comforting, with a peaceful gaze. However, when working, his dark pupils seemed bottomless, capable of piercing someone through with a single glance.

"…"

As everyone else was still watching, Chen Moubai began to quickly flip through the script, finding the action scene that was almost worn out from frequent reading.

He had an action scene with the protagonist's friend and another with the protagonist himself.

The action scene with the protagonist included, but was not limited to, attempting to strangle someone and a sneak attack from behind.

Facing the gaze of his agent beside him, he glanced at the script, then looked up at the smooth lines under his good neighbor's black shirt, his eyebrows twitching. Silently, he pointed to his own limbs, eyes wide open, and said, "Strangle someone? Me?"

The agent thought for a moment before scheduling the scene with the protagonist's friend for later, patting his shoulder reassuringly. "At least this scene is further down the line. We'll shoot the other one first."

Chen Moubai was lost in thought about his limbs, pondering from the end of the last scene all the way until they got in the car, wondering how his good neighbor could let him perform the neck-strangling and backstabbing moves.

If he kept thinking, he would spend the entire night doing so. His agent promptly interrupted him, setting aside the jacket they had brought but hadn't used. She glanced out the window at the others also preparing to leave and asked, "How did you feel about acting with Lin Wanyu today? Wasn't he pretty good?"

"It was good."

Chen Yibai's criteria for evaluation were simple and straightforward; if the scene went smoothly, it was considered good. He temporarily set aside thoughts of letting things happen and, after a brief moment of contemplation, added, "He just doesn't talk much."

He had been engrossed in the script, so Chen Moubai didn't disturb him, achieving the feat of sitting together with someone for over an hour without exchanging a single word for the first time.

"Doesn't talk much?" The agent took a few more glances out the window, catching sight of the Rogue Brother and the postgraduate student actor chatting on the roadside. "I saw him chatting quite well with the actor playing the postgraduate student tonight. They seem to have a good relationship."

Chen Yibai leaned back, unperturbed. "Then I guess we just don't click."

Making friends depended on fate; not everyone could get along. He didn't force these matters.

With a positive attitude, the agent didn't say much more. As the vehicle started, she glanced at her phone, providing real-time updates to someone who didn't care about online news. "Your drama is number one in ratings, with great reviews. You should try competing for the title of Drama King this year."

Assuming he didn't have a concept of what being a Drama King meant, she simplified her explanation: "In short, you're going to make a lot of money."

Since its release, the dividends he could receive had far exceeded the portion of his salary he had given up. The earnings after the broadcast finished should be quite substantial.

She said, "Congratulations, you're one step closer to your big goal."

Chen Bai responded with a smile.

The production team was pushing ahead to meet their schedule. After several days of stable daytime shoots, a certain Bai, following the original plan of the production team, welcomed his first major night shoot, which was also his first action scene.

The action scene was a chase sequence in the stairwell and corridors of a residential building. In early May, the sky darkened relatively early, and by dusk, the production team had begun setting up equipment. People were constantly entering and exiting the stairwell, filling the small space with various devices.

The darkness outside didn't affect the brightness inside the stairwell, which was lit up like it was daytime. Amidst the bustling crew members, Chen Yibai wore a jacket and followed the action director as they briefly went over the movements on-site.

This scene was crucial, and tonight, they were only shooting this segment. The other actors without scenes had logically already left, but Lin Wanyu and the postgraduate student stayed behind to observe on set.

Xu Sinian also remained, not for any other reason, but simply to keep an eye on Chen Yibai.

"Then, when the time comes, you'll do something like this, flipping over here, lowering your center of gravity to slide down, and when you reach this point, prepare to jump, hooking your friend's neck."

The action director explained each position one by one. After finishing, he raised his head and looked at the person standing above on the stairs, asking, "Do you understand?"

Chen Yibai understood, and with strong initiative, he pushed off with his hand, directly flipping onto the somewhat wide railing of the staircase. Releasing his grip, he immediately tried it out.

"?"

His actions were swift and decisive, without any hesitation. Others didn't even have time to react, only seeing a blur as he flew out, causing their hearts to suddenly leap and their minds to blank for a moment.

He flew out and then flew back.

He was hauled back by the ever-quietly standing Xu Sinian, the renowned actor.

Their hearts were still pounding as the crew temporarily put down their work and first set up safety measures, hastening to add soft cushions on one side of the stairs to prevent injuries from falls.

When the sky was completely dark, all the equipment was set up, and the lights illuminating the stairwell disappeared. The area was cleared, transforming back into an ordinary staircase.

The protagonist's friend became aware of the abnormality in this residential building but lacked evidence. In the dead of night, he headed to the residential building to verify his suspicions. However, on the third floor, where there should have been no one, he encountered the tenant who should have been asleep in his room on the second floor, in an abandoned restroom. Without any hesitation, he bolted downstairs.

Echoing through the corridor were heavy breathing and chaotic footsteps, which soon turned into the sound of descending stairs. Relying on his quick reflexes, he managed to maintain a distance from the pursuing tenant. As he reached the bottom of the stairs on the first floor and was about to exit the residential building, the footsteps following him suddenly vanished. He turned around.

There was no one on the stairs. A figure dressed in a long black skirt flipped onto the railing, supporting themselves with one hand as they leaped from the second-floor railing. With the other hand, they casually untied the black ribbon around their neck. The ribbon, mixed with loose long hair, flew backward, while the black skirt flared, producing a fierce whistling sound as it cut through the air.

The distance suddenly closed, and the light from the exit illuminated a pair of stunningly beautiful pale gray eyes, filled with a cold indifference and haughty disdain, as if looking at a dead man.