Chapter 7

Chapter 7

After embarrassing himself during the script reading session, Jiang Zihang had hoped to outshine Su Xingyao during the actual filming.

However, on the very first day of shooting, he quickly realized a harsh truth.

He was, in fact, the least skilled actor in the entire crew.

The so-called "good-for-nothing" Su Xingyao not only performed well but could even be considered quite good.

Even when acting alongside veteran actors, he didn't fall short by much.

Finally realizing that he was outmatched by Su Xingyao in every way, Jiang Zihang had no choice but to settle down.

Once the actual filming started, not only Jiang Zihang but also the rest of the crew were surprised by Su Xingyao's performance.

Given his bad reputation, everyone had set their expectations for him at the lowest possible.

Many even thought that as long as he didn't stir up any trouble and could complete the filming without issues, that would suffice.

But to everyone's surprise, not only did he avoid causing any problems, his acting, delivery, and attitude on set were all excellent.

There was none of the "reciting numbers" on set that his haters had claimed.

Realizing that the rumors were unfounded, the crew members started to see him differently within just a few days.

*

Ji Linghe lucked out by not having a night shoot scheduled today.

In a good mood, he planned to wrap up early and go out for a hotpot dinner.

However, fate had other plans. Jiang Zihang, who was supposed to act opposite him today, seemed completely out of it, as if he were still half-asleep.

Ji Linghe, though a classically trained actor, relied heavily on the scene's atmosphere and his own instincts for his performance.

So, after dealing with Jiang Zihang's constant flubs and repeated takes all afternoon, he got more and more frustrated.

The consequence of this was that when it came time to act opposite a seasoned actor, his emotions and state were completely off.

After barely managing to finish the scene by relying on his professional skills, Ji Linghe immediately became cold and extremely irritable.

The temperature today had soared past 35 degrees, and the set felt like an oven.

In such oppressive heat, Ji Linghe's frustration only grew as his filming was disrupted by someone else's lack of skill.

After tossing his cape to his assistant, he plopped down next to the air conditioner vent.

Feeling parched, he tried cooling off with the air conditioner but it didn't help. Feeling dizzy from the heat, he reached out to grab the water bottle his assistant had placed under the chair.

Just as Ji Linghe reached out, a sudden coolness brushed his fingertips.

Soon, this coolness spread through his fingers.

And the heat in his body seemed to dissipate with this newfound coolness.

Ji Linghe immediately realized that this sensation wasn't from the water bottle and looked up.

He realized that what he had touched was a glass of iced lemon soda offered by Su Xingyao.

Inside the transparent crystal glass, lemon slices and ice cubes floated in the clear soda, bubbling gently. A blue straw rested against the rim of the glass, accompanied by a few fresh mint leaves.

The color scheme alone gives off a refreshing and cooling vibe.

"For me?"

Ji Linghe looked at Su Xingyao in surprise, not expecting to see him here.

Su Xingyao nodded, handed the drink to Ji Linghe, and then gave him a small fan.

Ji Linghe was really thirsty. He thanked him and took a big gulp.

This was his favorite summer drink, but he was surprised to enjoy it early in the stifling April heat on set.

That one sip instantly calmed the frustration he’d felt all afternoon.

Feeling much better, Ji Linghe finally smiled.

He looked at Su Xingyao and asked, "Why are you still here? Didn’t you wrap up early today?"

The set was scorching, and most actors couldn’t wait to bolt back to their air-conditioned rooms after filming.

It was the first time Ji Linghe had seen someone like Su Xingyao stick around instead of leaving.

Of course, Ji Linghe didn’t flatter himself into thinking Su Xingyao had waited just to give him a drink.

He wasn’t one to gossip, but he could still read people well.

Despite Su Xingyao’s bad rep, Ji Linghe found him to be a decent guy—not the overthinking or troublemaking type.

Sure enough, Su Xingyao’s answer lined up with what Ji Linghe had guessed.

"I’m here to pick up some tricks from Teacher Gong."

Teacher Gong was the seasoned actor who’d just acted opposite Ji Linghe. He was a legendary supporting actor, known for his incredible acting and countless Best Supporting Actor awards.

Ji Linghe nodded, understanding.

He’d done the same thing as Su Xingyao, grabbing every chance to stay on set and watch award-winning actors perform.

After all, the set was the real deal—full of surprises and raw performances, unlike the polished final cut.

Watching these pros in action taught you not just acting techniques but also how to handle the unexpected.

Maybe because he saw a bit of his younger self in Su Xingyao, Ji Linghe started chatting more freely.

"There’s a lot to learn from Teacher Gong. You should talk to him—he’s really approachable and happy to answer questions."

Su Xingyao smiled and nodded, then added quietly, "Teacher Gong’s too worn out right now."

Ji Linghe immediately realized his oversight.

This heat was tough even for him, let alone for Teacher Gong, who was pushing seventy...

Remembering how exhausted Teacher Gong looked after filming, Ji Linghe nodded at Su Xingyao.

It wasn’t the time to bother him.

Ji Linghe took another sip of the soda, his opinion of Su Xingyao improving significantly because of his thoughtfulness.

As the saying goes, "When you take someone’s gift, you owe them; when you drink their drink, you’re in their debt."

After gulping down a glass of lemon soda, Ji Linghe, feeling like he'd been saved from the brink, immediately asked Su Xingyao to join him for hotpot that evening.

Over dinner, they chatted about their upcoming scenes together and later played some games.

The dinner wasn't super lively, but it wasn't boring either.

Ji Linghe thought it was just right—comfortable and easy.

After the meal, he went ahead and added Su Xingyao on WeChat.

This was the first time he'd really gotten to know Su Xingyao.

Before, they'd just been nodding acquaintances.

They'd eaten with the crew before but never shared a scene.

After that hotpot dinner, Ji Linghe's opinion of Su Xingyao changed for the better.

He realized Su Xingyao was articulate, level-headed, and someone he could easily be friends with.

Back at the hotel, Ji Linghe remembered Su Xingyao's line delivery and decided to reach out.

"I’ve got a scene tomorrow morning, Xiao Su. Mind helping me run through the lines?"

Su Xingyao didn’t hesitate and agreed right away.

They rehearsed with the script until almost ten that night.

Su Xingyao's energy helped Ji Linghe shake off the frustration Jiang Zihang had caused earlier.

Ji Linghe was really grateful for Su Xingyao's help when he was feeling off.

From then on, Ji Linghe warmed up to Su Xingyao.

He started seeking out Su Xingyao to rehearse whenever he had time and gave friendly tips on acting, positioning, and camera angles.

Thanks to Ji Linghe's guidance, Su Xingyao's filming went a lot smoother.

However, Jiang Zihang, who’d been laying low, started causing trouble again.

He’d joined the drama hoping to become a top star.

But for a BL drama to blow up, the CP has to be sweet and fun to watch.

His manager kept telling him to interact more with Ji Linghe on set so the camera could catch those off-screen moments that looked intimate.

Those clips would end up in the BTS footage, making CP fans believe they were really in love!

Jiang Zihang, always mindful of his manager’s advice, did his best to follow it.

But unfortunately, Ji Linghe wasn't very cooperative, always lukewarm towards him and not actively engaging in fan service.

Already troubled by this, Jiang Zihang now found that Ji Linghe was so attentive to Su Xingyao, teaching him how to act and playing with him.

He felt like he’d swallowed a thousand lemons, bitter and jealous to the core.

Unable to stand it any longer, Jiang Zihang, who was increasingly annoyed by Su Xingyao, finally vented to his good friend Shen Huaixi.

Su Xingyao then asked his friend to come and visit him on set.

*

"Flowers Fall on Stained Glass" is divided into the Immortal-Demon Arc and the Mortal Arc.

The Immortal-Demon Arc has fewer scenes compared to the Mortal Arc, so it was wrapped up relatively quickly.

In about two weeks, the filming of the main scenes for the Immortal-Demon Arc was completed, and the production smoothly transitioned to filming the Mortal Arc.

The Mortal Arc's storyline is far more intricate, and the shooting locations are more diverse.

Most of the scenes were arranged to be shot in the studio of the film city, but prior to filming these scenes, the crew arranged a three-day outdoor shoot.

So the entire crew moved the filming location to a remote, scenic mountain forest hundreds of kilometers away from City Y.

The location was a scenic area still under development, surrounded by mountains, tranquil and picturesque.

However, matching the pristine natural scenery were the relatively harsh living conditions, with limited amenities.

There were neither hotels nor guesthouses here, so the actors had no choice but to stay in local wooden cabins or bamboo huts.

Su Xingyao offered the more comfortable bamboo hut to a female colleague and opted for a secluded wooden cabin on the outskirts.

The cabin was sparsely furnished, with just a wooden plank bed and no other furniture.

However, Su Xingyao, who had experienced hardship in the past, didn't mind it much.

After quickly tidying up, he stepped out, intending to take a stroll and snap some photos.

As soon as Su Xingyao stepped out, he saw Yu Sisi pacing anxiously in the courtyard with her phone.

Assuming she might be in trouble, he hurried over.

"What's the matter, Sister Sisi?"

Frowning, Yu Sisi brightened upon seeing Su Xingyao and quickly waved her phone at him.

"Ah, Xingyao, do you have any signal in your room? My signal is so bad, I can't even video call my daughter."

Su Xingyao hadn't checked his phone yet, so he was unaware of the signal strength.

Seeing Yu Sisi ask him, he quickly pulled out his phone to check.

"One bar."

Hearing Su Xingyao's report, the hope on Yu Sisi's face instantly vanished.

"You've only got one bar too? Same here."

Then she half-jokingly started complaining.

"Director Wang sure picked a spot fit for immortals. Our phones are utterly cut off from the mortal world's signals."

Just as Yu Sisi finished speaking, Ji Linghe joined them with his phone in hand.

"Is your signal bad too?"

He then pointed helplessly at the frozen screen on his phone.

"It's the new gaming season today, and I wanted to take advantage of the break to play a few matches with my friends and rank up... but this signal has completely thrown me off."

While the three of them were talking, other crew members also noticed the issue and started worrying about the weak signal.

"Is the signal bad because this place is so remote? I feel like even making a phone call is intermittent."

Upon hearing the assistant's words, Su Xingyao shook his head.

"It's probably because the mountains are too high. The high mountains and dense forests block the cell signals from the towers, so the signals we receive are weak."

Hearing this explanation suddenly, the assistant admired Su Xingyao, "Oh, I see, Mr. Su, you really know your stuff..."

Su Xingyao shook his head again and then looked at everyone who was troubled by the signal.

Then he tentatively spoke up.

"Perhaps... we can try using a cell signal booster."

Yu Sisi, hearing about this for the first time, quickly asked Su Xingyao, confused, "What signal are you talking about?"

Before Su Xingyao answered, Ji Linghe stepped in to explain.

"Xing Yao is talking about a cell signal booster, something that can boost cell signals."

After saying this, Ji Linghe added with a bit of regret.

"I actually thought of this too, but since we're in such a remote area, by the time we order it online and get it delivered, the filming would have long been finished."

Yu Sisi, who had just felt a glimmer of hope upon hearing about the signal booster, had her hopes crushed again by Ji Linghe's last comment.

She continued to sigh with a worried expression.

"So, we're stuck without internet for three days, huh?"

Before Yu Sisi could finish sighing, she heard Su Xingyao talking to his assistant, Xiao Yu, beside her.

Su Xingyao turned and quietly asked his assistant, Xiao Yu, "Did you bring the package I told you to pick up yesterday?"

Xiao Yu was a bit confused as to why Su Xingyao was asking this now and hesitated for a couple of seconds before answering, "Yes, yes, Su Su, do you need it right now?"

"Yes."

Xiao Yu was still confused but quickly went to get the box.

Su Xingyao checked what was inside and then told everyone.

"I think I can put one together here."

Upon hearing Su Xingyao's words, the people around him immediately gathered around him as if they had found a lifesaver.

"Assemble?? Wow, Xing Yao, you're incredible!!"

"Ahhh, how do you put it together? What do you need, Mr. Su? I'll get it for you right away."

"Mr. Su, can a DIY one really boost the signal? I've seen online that people say these things are useless."

Amid the chatter, Su Xingyao calmly answered each question one by one.

"It's not a DIY job."

"I have all the necessary tools here."

With that, he opened the package and showed everyone what was inside.

"A few days ago, my roommate heard I was heading to the mountains for filming and sent over a new signal booster they developed, asking me to test it out."

As he spoke, he opened the assembly manual.

After a quick glance, he set it aside.

"If it works once assembled, streaming videos should be no issue."

Hearing Su Xingyao's words, everyone's eyes sparkled with excitement.

They leaned in, forming a tight circle around Su Xingyao.

Everyone watched Su Xingyao closely, holding their breath.

Everyone was cautious, as if a louder breath might scatter a part.

Over the next hour, the cast and crew watched Su Xingyao, the so-called 'useless beauty', skillfully assemble the parts.

After an hour, Su Xingyao stood up.

He clapped his hands and said, "All done."

Ji Linghe quickly handed Su Xingyao a wet wipe, saying, "Mr. Su, here's a wipe for your hands."

He then asked, "Will it work?"

"Let's give it a shot," Su Xingyao said, pressing the switch.

Everyone quickly checked their phones, eyes glued to the signal bars.

Two seconds later, the room exploded with cheers.

"Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!!!"

Everyone was stunned to see their previously dead phone signals instantly jump to full bars!!

Yu Sisi eagerly opened TikTok to check the speed.

In no time, her previously unplayable video was streaming smoothly.

Yu Sisi: OMG!!!!!!!

Is this the magic of a tycoon and tech?!

That afternoon, the 'Falling Petals' crew simultaneously updated their WeChat moments, brimming with excitement and awe.

The posts were simple but packed with overwhelming, heartfelt emotion.

Everyone posted the same thing:

Mr. Su!!!

You! Are! My! God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!