Acting Out of Character (GL) - Chapter 7

Director Hu was still dazed when Chen Ge woke him and brought him back to the van. He had no idea what had come over him today—he simply could not stop feeling sleepy.

It was probably because this miserable place was far too humid. Everywhere he went, he felt like a live chicken being steamed, leaving him listless and unable to summon any energy.

It was all the weather’s fault.

Director Hu had slept for most of the night, but he still had work to do.

Once the van began moving, he took the GoPro and reviewed the footage Chen Ge had filmed while waiting at the airport.

It was not bad. The only problem was that the camera had shaken violently when she first met Luo Xin, though he had no idea why.

Director Hu pointed the GoPro at the two leads sitting on opposite sides of the back row. Before filming, he explained:

“Tonight, we’ll film the scene where the partners meet for the first time. You both know that although we call you partners, you’re actually forming a CP. You’ll promote the pairing together and give the audience some sweet moments…”

Surprised by what he said, Chen Ge could not help interrupting:

“Wait, Director Hu. You said we’re forming a CP. You mean Sister Luo and me?”

“That’s right. Why else would Director Feng have asked you to pick Sister Luo up tonight? It was so you could form a CP with her. Didn’t Director Feng tell you?”

“…No. She only asked me to come pick Sister Luo up. I already have another partner.”

Chen Ge was rather confused.

So Sister Luo was also a guest?

Wasn’t her promotional CP supposed to be Song Ruyu? Had she already been replaced by Sister Luo?

The production team had not even notified her.

Then again, after thinking about it, who would specifically explain anything to someone of her status?

This was not a film or television production either. As long as they informed her when it was time to perform, she only needed to do her assigned work as well as possible.

Director Hu had little patience for these obscure celebrities.

“Then Director Feng must have changed your CP. Whoever came to pick Sister Luo up would form a CP with her. Otherwise, why would she send you? Obviously, it was so we could begin filming material from the very start.”

Director Hu was naturally impatient, and his voice was loud. Whenever he spoke, it sounded as though he was either reprimanding someone or starting an argument.

After being scolded like that, Chen Ge fell silent.

Luo Jingyi thought her little CP seemed like a good person. She had done nothing wrong, yet she was being yelled at. A protective impulse immediately arose within her. Her expression darkened as she said to Director Hu:

“Can’t you speak properly? Stop glaring and raising your voice. Things go more smoothly when you speak politely.”

Director Hu: “…”

When it came to scolding people, Director Hu had still been working as an extra in Hengdian while Luo Jingyi was already fighting heaven and earth with her sharp tongue. They were not even in the same league.

Even when Luo Jingyi merely stood there normally, she carried an inherent aura of authority. Once her expression turned cold, she became the complete embodiment of an Empress Dowager.

Director Hu knew that Luo Xin was the emergency replacement invited by Director Feng. Although he did not know her exact identity, he still possessed some ability to judge people.

This woman might have been introduced as an amateur, but both her bearing and the designer clothes covering her body made it obvious that she had an impressive background.

She spoke like someone in charge. Perhaps she was a director or producer. Whoever she was, Director Hu could not afford to offend her.

After being reprimanded, Director Hu truly restrained his temper and began speaking properly.

Chen Ge had not expected Sister Luo to stand up for her. She looked at Luo Jingyi gratefully.

Luo Jingyi remained seated steadily without looking back at her.

Feeling slightly awkward, Chen Ge withdrew her gaze.

Director Hu returned his attention to work and adopted the manner of a director explaining a scene:

“What we’re filming tonight is simply the two of you getting acquainted. Make conversation even if there isn’t much to say and learn a little about each other. Of course, it would be even better if you could find an interesting topic and create some entertaining moments. Neither of you needs to be nervous. Although a camera will be filming you, you can completely ignore its presence. Get to know and interact with each other in the most natural way possible. Just talk the way you normally would when meeting an unfamiliar friend for the first time.”

Once he started speaking reasonably, Director Hu’s temper subsided and he felt much more comfortable. The atmosphere inside the van improved as well.

This was Luo Jingyi’s first time aboard this particular pirate ship. She had not expected even a reality show to have a script. She had underestimated it.

Chen Ge sat beside her, listening earnestly to Director Hu. Every time he said something, she nodded seriously, like a high school student listening to material guaranteed to appear on the final examination.

“Xiao Chen,” Director Hu called her out by name. “You’re an actress, right? You should be more accustomed to cameras. Guide Sister Luo a little.”

Luo Jingyi was mildly surprised. She had not expected Chen Ge to be an actress.

An actress Luo Jingyi did not recognize was undoubtedly someone who had not yet made a name for herself.

Now that she thought about it, Chen Ge’s face truly was very well suited to the big screen.

The two women sat on opposite seats, separated by a narrow aisle.

Viewed from such a close distance, Chen Ge’s features were exquisitely refined, and her profile was beautiful. Her beauty was perfectly balanced—one degree more would make her overly glamorous, while one degree less would leave her ordinary. Stories seemed hidden within her eyes.

She still appeared somewhat inexperienced, however. She probably had not yet been carefully shaped by a famous director.

Luo Jingyi had seen far too many actors, especially young domestic actors. Almost all of them had appeared before her at some point. One glance was enough for her to recognize that this young woman was an unpolished piece of jade that had yet to be properly developed.

Luo Jingyi studied Chen Ge’s features while she happened to be turned at the perfect three-quarter angle.

Streetlights occasionally shone through the window, flashing beneath her eyes.

The young woman wore little makeup. Her face was clean and pure, and her attention was wholly focused.

The scene appearing before Luo Jingyi already resembled a shot from a polished film.

But…

After looking a few more times, she unexpectedly found the young woman somewhat familiar.

Luo Jingyi wondered whether she had seen her at some event before.

She had encountered far too many actors to remember every one of them.

Besides, her memory was not particularly good. It would be perfectly normal if they had met before and she had forgotten.

After Director Hu instructed her to take more initiative, Chen Ge felt somewhat uneasy.

Sister Luo was Director Feng’s lover…

Yet for the sake of appearing as a guest on Director Feng’s show, she was actually going to promote a romantic pairing with someone else.

She was truly sacrificing herself for art. It could not be easy.

Chen Ge secretly resolved to produce a good effect while carefully maintaining proper boundaries.

“Should we rehearse it once first?” Director Hu continued indulging his desire to direct as he held the GoPro. “Try having a conversation. I’ll check the framing, but we won’t record yet. Once we’ve gone through the scene and settled everything, we’ll film it.”

Luo Jingyi joked, “Why not draw a storyboard first?”

Director Hu said, “You even know about storyboards? You’re an expert.”

Luo Jingyi smiled and asked him, “Don’t you have a script too? We can simply follow the scripted dialogue.”

Director Hu explained, “Our production has an outline, but we don’t give the guests specific details. The director provides a general direction for what should happen in each scene, then the guests improvise until they create the intended atmosphere and effect. For this scene, the two of you are meeting for the first time. Just chat casually, communicate, and leave an impression on each other. Once you reach Li Village tomorrow, the script will probably become more specific.”

Luo Jingyi understood their filming method, but she did not particularly agree with rehearsing beforehand.

“If you want the natural atmosphere of two people meeting for the first time, rehearsing will only make it seem artificial. We might as well begin immediately. The editors can decide what to keep and what to remove later.”

“…That works too.”

Director Hu was rather impressed. Everything Sister Luo said went straight to the heart of the matter. She truly understood the industry. It seemed he had made the right decision by not offending her earlier.

With this bearing and ability to take control, she looked exactly like a major director!

Still, was there a famous female director in the country named Luo Xin?

“Let’s begin.” Luo Jingyi patted Chen Ge’s arm. “Would you like to speak first, or should I?”

Chen Ge immediately straightened her back. “I’ll go first.”

“All right.”

Director Hu said, “Begin.”

Chen Ge turned toward Luo Jingyi across the narrow aisle and asked:

“What… is your name?”

“Cut!”

Director Hu stopped them after the very first line.

“Xiao Chen, what are you doing? Have you forgotten what you were holding when you picked her up at the airport? Didn’t that sheet of paper have Sister Luo’s name written on it? We filmed the whole thing. Why are you asking her name now?”

Chen Ge patted her forehead. “Oh, right, right. I forgot about that.”

“Think of another opening. Ask where she’s from or whether the journey here was tiring. Or you can simply introduce yourself. Tell her your name and what you do.”

“All right. I can do that.”

Filled with renewed determination, Chen Ge prepared for another take.

Although Chen Ge had acting experience and extensive theoretical knowledge, being asked to improvise freely without written dialogue still made her nervous.

And when she became nervous, everything turned awkward.

The moment the GoPro began recording, Chen Ge turned and saw Luo Jingyi’s mature, beautiful face. Her self-introduction immediately sounded like a junior employee attending her first job interview, consisting entirely of dull, chronological details.

“Stop, stop, stop. This is far too fake. Xiao Chen, you’re an actress, aren’t you? Why is your performance so stiff?”

Leaning against the back of her seat, Luo Jingyi laughed softly and came to her defense:

“When actors film a production, they have a specific script and dialogue. The director also tells them what kind of performance and emotion they should present. That’s completely different from the improvisational performance used in a reality show. It isn’t her fault that she’s struggling.”

Director Hu said, “Xiao Chen, imagine Sister Luo is an extremely handsome man. How would you normally speak to a handsome man? How would you try to get close to him? Just perform it that way.”

Chen Ge had never tried getting close to any handsome man. She was usually quiet and reserved and rarely initiated conversations.

But one of an actor’s fundamental skills was being good at observation and imitation.

Although she had never done it herself, Song Ruyu behaved that way often enough.

Chen Ge imitated the way Song Ruyu usually joked and flirted with the company’s male artists, but Director Hu still refused to approve it.

“What was that supposed to be? That was far too greasy. Even I, a grown man, found it unbearable.”

Chen Ge’s face reddened. “…I’ll study it some more.”

One look at her expression was enough for Luo Jingyi to know that she had never been in love and probably had no experience flirting either.

This was not a proper film set, so Luo Jingyi had no intention of continuing to make things difficult for her.

One of Luo Jingyi’s principles in life was this: either do not lift so much as a little finger, or do it better than anyone else.

She said to Chen Ge, “Why don’t I take the initiative? I’ll guide you.”

Chen Ge asked, “Hm? Would that be appropriate?”

Director Hu found Luo Jingyi’s suggestion much more reliable. “All right. Sister Luo can guide Xiao Chen. Let’s try again.”

As soon as Director Hu called “Begin,” Luo Jingyi picked up the backpack she carried with her. Pretending that she had only just boarded the van, she sat directly in the seat beside Chen Ge, bringing the two of them close together.

The moment the distance between them narrowed, the atmosphere changed completely. The anticipation of a first meeting rose instantly.

Director Hu’s eyes immediately lit up.

Luo Jingyi did not bother with an old-fashioned introduction. She asked Chen Ge directly:

“You came all the way out here so late at night to pick me up. Aren’t you hungry?”

Director Hu’s heart jumped. Brilliant.

Coming out this late specifically to pick someone up was already an excellent topic, leaving plenty of room for the imagination.

It was much more interesting than an introduction or ordinary attempt at conversation.

Luo Jingyi’s tone was entirely natural, like an ordinary exchange between friends. It did not sound as though she were reciting lines at all. She spoke exactly as she normally would.

Chen Ge immediately understood the key from her tone. She quickly relaxed and shook her head as though they were simply chatting.

“No, no. I ate a bowl of noodles right before I left.”

Just as she claimed not to be hungry, Chen Ge’s stomach chose the perfect moment to growl loudly.

Everyone in the van: “…”

Embarrassed, Chen Ge covered her stomach.

Luo Jingyi opened the backpack she carried with her. Inside was a box of pastries she had brought onto the plane as a snack.

“They aren’t very sweet. They’re sugar-free. I don’t know whether young people like you are used to them.”

“This…” Chen Ge looked at the snowy-white pastries. “My hands are a little dirty. I brushed against the suitcase wheels while moving the luggage.”

“Then open your mouth. I’ll feed you.”

Luo Jingyi, who maintained absolute cleanliness at all times, opened the pastry box as she spoke. She pinched off a small piece and brought it to Chen Ge’s lips.

Director Hu silently exclaimed, Oh my. Sister Luo knew exactly what she was doing. She really knew how to create the right atmosphere!

Chen Ge’s entire body stiffened, trembling faintly. But beneath Luo Jingyi’s gaze, with barely any distance separating them, she caught the scent of Luo Jingyi’s perfume.

Chen Ge did not know which perfume she wore, but its faint, complex white-musk fragrance was impossible to ignore.

It was the first time Chen Ge had ever thought white musk smelled so pleasant.

She obediently opened her mouth.

Using her little finger, Luo Jingyi gently moved aside a strand of hair clinging to the corner of Chen Ge’s lips, then placed the pastry into her mouth.

Luo Jingyi asked, “Is it good?”

Chen Ge nodded and answered indistinctly, “It’s good.”

“Good, good, excellent.”

Director Hu lowered the GoPro and enthusiastically praised Luo Jingyi, saying she truly knew how to create entertaining moments. Then he glanced at Chen Ge and said:

“Xiao Chen, even your ears have turned red.”

Author’s Note:

Luo Perhaps Bending Occasionally Isn’t So Bad Jingyi: Very good. My little CP looks obedient and quite delicious.

Chen Sacrificing Herself for Art Ge: ////