Chapter 54

“So red… he looks a bit like a boiled lobster.”

“Can it be used if he’s this red?”

“Are you still thinking about that?”

“My god… I feel like I just learned something incredible…”

“Shh!”

Gu Nan had no idea what he looked like right now. He only knew his heart was pounding like a drum, his mouth was dry, and his limbs were stiffer than during an illness. He had completely forgotten about the existence of the camera, the director, and the crew.

His pupils widened slightly the moment Tao Zui embraced him, then began to tremble violently. His eyelashes fluttered, but he didn’t dare look down, as if he were afraid that just one glance would wake him from this dream.

His lips were parted slightly, and his prominent Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed, catching a few droplets of water.

After a while, he finally recovered from the rigidity. A certain part ​stolen content​of him, hidden by Tao Zui’s body, began to stir, and his hands showed a tendency to wrap around the body in his arms…

Right at that moment, Wu Zheng shouted, “Cut!”

“Cut! Very good! Next scene!”

As soon as he heard Wu Zheng shout “Cut,” Tao Zui pulled away from Gu Nan as if he’d been pricked by a needle. He took a long stride to distance himself, as if Gu Nan were some kind of terrifying beast.

A flicker of grievance crossed Gu Nan’s eyes. He took a step to chase after him, but just as he was about to speak, he heard Tao Zui muttering to himself:

“Form is emptiness, emptiness is form… form is emptiness, emptiness is form…”

Gu Nan paused, then burst into laughter.

So, he doesn’t hate it after all… Does this mean I might get what I want sooner than I thought?

Thinking this, he pretended not to hear anything, patted Tao Zui’s shoulder, and said: “Brother, want to see the playback? Want to see your screen debut?”

Tao Zui was startled: “N-n-no need! You go watch it yourself! I’m going to change!”

Without looking back, he fled into the locker room as if something terrifying were chasing him.

Gu Nan chuckled at his retreating back and walked behind the monitor. When he saw his own body turning red at an alarming rate on the screen, his face showed no surprise; internally, however, he was secretly relieved—Thank goodness Tao Zui didn’t come to see the playback, otherwise, how could I have hidden it?

As for the crew members who had witnessed it all, he couldn’t care less.

“Director Wu, is he too red? Can this be used?”

Wu Zheng looked at Gu Nan, who was asking seriously without a hint of embarrassment, and showed a meaningful expression: “It can be used, why wouldn’t it? This is genuine emotion coming through; it’s much better than your previous acting.”

Gu Nan lowered his head with a shy smile and held his right index finger to his lips, signaling silence to Wu Zheng.

Wu Zheng grunted: “Got it, got it. I’ll help you keep it a secret from that fool. You don’t have to worry about the others; I’ll tell them.”

Gu Nan laughed: “Thank you, Director Wu. I’ll treat you to a meal after we finish filming.”

“Forget the meal. Just keep acting well; I’m counting on this film to win awards!”

Tao Zui, who had escaped to the locker room, had no idea what sinister agreement his artist and the director had made. He was still secretly congratulating himself on his strong willpower, otherwise, he would have blown his cover just now.

Taking off his costume, Tao Zui let out a long sigh of relief and whispered to himself: “Thank goodness it was just that once. If there’s a next time, I’m going to lose my life…”

After changing into his own clothes, Tao Zui walked out of the locker room, looking perfectly respectable, as if the embarrassing scene from moments ago hadn’t happened at all, and approached Wu Zheng.

“Director Wu, since the matter is resolved, I’ll be leaving. The company still has…”

“You can’t leave!” Wu Zheng looked up and glared at him. “There’s more to come!”

Tao Zui was bewildered: “More? More what?”

Wu Zheng said righteously: “Acting!”

Tao Zui: “Huh? No, I know there are scenes left to film, but what does that have to do with me?”

Wu Zheng: “Either way, you can’t leave. If you leave, I’m recasting the male lead.”

Tao Zui: “……”

Soon, Tao Zui realized why Wu Zheng insisted on keeping him.

The next scene also took place by the pool. The protagonist, Xiang Dong, suddenly got a leg cramp while warming up. The coach told the others to warm up on their own while he performed a solo leg stretch for Xiang Dong.

Because of the cramp, Xiang Dong sat on the tiles, and the coach crouched before him, holding his foot to perform the stretch. One movement required lifting the leg to shoulder height, bringing their faces incredibly close—less than a palm’s width apart.

As their breaths intertwined, ambiguity swirled. Without eye contact, they hid their lingering desires within the palms pressed into muscles and the bulging veins of their clenched arms.

Tian Xiujun and Gu Nan filmed a few takes first, then it was Tao Zui’s turn to put on the coach’s clothes to film a close-up for Gu Nan.

As the two moved closer due to the stretching exercise, Gu Nan’s flushed ears, his throat involuntarily swallowing, and his tongue subconsciously licking his lips were all faithfully recorded by the camera, clearly telling everyone—

This is the real reaction when facing someone you’re secretly in love with.

Wu Zheng looked at the screen, the corners of his mouth curving upward in triumph.

If this doesn’t win an award, then the jury must be blind!

Having served as a body double for the day, Tao Zui finally realized: Wu Zheng had discovered Gu Nan’s feelings for him and was reaping the rewards!

Once he figured this out, he couldn’t sit still. He got up and went straight to Wu Zheng’s room.

Wu Zheng didn’t seem surprised by his arrival; as he opened the door, he simply said: “Just in time, I’ve just brewed a pot of tea.”

Tao Zui swallowed his words, followed him to the sofa, sat down, and downed the cup of tea before saying: “I can cooperate with the crew, but I have one condition.”

“I know—” Wu Zheng drew out the tone, “Gag order within the crew, right? Don’t worry, the fact that Gu Nan likes you won’t be leaked.”

“Ahem ahem ahem ahem!” Tao Zui was startled by Wu Zheng’s bluntness, choking on the tea. It took a long while for him to recover. “You, you don’t talk… ahem ahem! Don’t talk nonsense!”

“Nonsense?” Wu Zheng wore an expression of you’re insulting my intelligence. “It’s obvious to anyone with eyes, alright?”

Tao Zui was silent for a moment. After another cup of tea, he [Read on BaiLianTales]said: “Perhaps, but I hope this layer of window paper stays on the window. Don’t poke a hole in it.”

Wu Zheng frowned: “You don’t like Gu Nan?”

Tao Zui smiled: “I do. He’s my artist, my cash cow—how could I not like him?”

Wu Zheng tsked: “You know what I’m talking about.”

“……Director Wu, Gu Nan is only twenty,” seeing Wu Zheng’s look of disapproval, Tao Zui waved his hand, signaling him to listen. “His feelings are sincere and straightforward. As for me, I’m twenty-five; my feelings require considering too many factors. Before all conditions are met, I hope we won’t cross the boundary, to avoid uncontrollable consequences.”

Wu Zheng sipped his tea: “To put it plainly, you’re hoping for a good outcome for both of you, right?”

Tao Zui lowered his head and laughed: “Of course.”

Wu Zheng nodded and slapped his thigh: “Fine, I understand. Although I personally live by the motto of ‘drink today and be drunk today,’ I don’t hate people who are cautious. Rest assured, these people have worked with me for years and know what should and shouldn’t be said. I’ll make sure this matter rots within the crew.”

Tao Zui breathed a sigh of relief and raised his teacup, using tea as a substitute for wine: “Then thank you, Director Wu. Also, tonight’s conversation…”

“Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, and I know.”

Two small Kung Fu tea cups clinked together with a crisp sound. After sending Tao Zui off, Wu Zheng looked at the two cups and shook his head.

Good grief. Two people who clearly like each other—one likes the other so much that everyone knows except the person involved; the other knows the first likes him and likes him back, yet pretends not to know to keep the peace… the two of them are playing out a romance more complicated than a love quadrangle.

But regardless, this state was perfect for filming Water Village. Far from being a nuisance, Wu Zheng welcomed it.

Thus, over the next three days, the crew repeated this pattern, quickly filming most of the intimate scenes. Until the day before New Year’s Eve, Wu Zheng picked up his megaphone, feeling there was still more to be done:

“Cut! The last take before the New Year is passed. Everyone pack up and go home for the New Year! See you in three days! I wish everyone a happy New Year!”

“Happy New Year!”

“Happy Spring Festival, Director!”

“Best of luck in the Year of the Dragon!”

Amidst the laughter, Tao Zui took off the costume unauthorized copythat felt as heavy as lead, feeling a bit lighter at last.

After changing into his own clothes, Tao Zui, Gu Nan, and Li Shengping—who had packed his luggage early—got into the Cullinan. They dropped Li Shengping off at his home first before turning back toward the dormitory.

Everywhere along the road, the festive street decorations reminded them that tomorrow was New Year’s Eve; the Spring Festival was just around the corner.

“There’s absolutely no holiday feeling at the film base. If Director Wu hadn’t mentioned the holiday, I’d have completely forgotten about it,” Tao Zui remarked while gripping the steering wheel.

It was supposed to be a temporary set visit, but who would have thought he’d be held captive by the crew for nearly a week? If Taoli Entertainment didn’t only have five artists in total—with one not even joining until after the New Year—his disappearance act would have been enough to bankrupt the company several times over.

“Speaking of which, how did you guys spend the Spring Festival in previous years?”

“Previous years…” Gu Nan watched the traffic ahead, falling into memory.

When he was little, the impression Spring Festival left him was the noisy fireworks outside and the cold, silent house inside. His mother would volunteer to work overtime at the hospital for triple holiday pay, and his father… was either at the gambling table or the liquor table.

When he grew older and fireworks were banned, it became cold and desolate both inside and outside the house, with the only noise coming from the neighbor’s TV playing the Spring Festival Gala—a lively celebration that had nothing to do with him.

Since joining the company, he had only spent one Spring Festival, but it was unforgettable.

“Last year, Inuo’s mom and dad invited us to spend the New Year at their house. We made dumplings together, watched the Spring Festival Gala, and the next day went to Fifth Zou’s place…”

Hearing the nostalgia in Gu Nan’s tone, Tao Zui raised an eyebrow: “Sounds like you had a great time. What about this year?”

“They invited us over this year too, but I didn’t know when the crew would release us. Qiu-qiu also said it would be too much trouble for them, and besides…” Gu Nan paused deliberately, giving Tao Zui a look that was neither a smile nor a frown. “Everyone is waiting for you to announce when we’re on holiday.”

Tao Zui slapped his forehead: “Forgot about that… Fine. In that case, let’s spend the New Year at the dormitory together. Luckily, tomorrow is only New Year’s Eve, so there’s still time to prepare.”

With that, Tao Zui stepped on the gas, a wild smile spreading across his face: “Just let Papa show you guys how we Tao family celebrate the New Year!”