As the opening ceremony concluded, the director wasted no time in gathering the actors around , urging them to connect and converse with each other . If all went according to his plan, filming was set to commence tomorrow. The sets were meticulously prepared, and every other detail was all in place. The only lingering delayfor the start of the production is the selection of the female lead, which had finally been resolved by SuYue .
Xu Shen, who was the last year’s Best Actor recipient, was the male protagonist cast opposite Su Yue. He exuded an aura of refined elegance in his light gray, slim-fit suit pant and crisp white shirt . His reputation as a formidable actor, even at his young age, was well-deserved all the way in the industry . His immense popularity was also evident as a multitude of fans flocking to this remote shooting location just to catch a glimpse of him.
“Senior Xu, hello.” Chu Mengyun, portraying the second female lead in the project , approached Xu Shen with a polite greeting. “Senior Xu, I truly admire your work, and now I have this incredible opportunity to collaborate with you. I hope you’ll offer me guidance regarding my role .” Chu Mengyun’s delicate features and composed demeanor perfectly suited her character, a female teacher in this project .
“Hello,” junior sister i will try to offer as much help as i can Xu Shen responded polietly , while accepting the script from his assistant. After that he offered Chu Mengyun a courteous smile before turning to walk towards Su Yue.
“Hello, Miss Su, do you mind if I call you Su Yue?” Xu Shen began, his voice a bit low, filled with a magnetic resonance. “After all, we’ll be spending few months together here , and getting to know each other better will make filming more comfortable and efficient .”
“Okay,” Su Yue nodded simply.
“I hear you don’t have any prior acting experience,” Xu Shen continued, his tone now warm. “Please don’t misunderstand my candor; I don’t mean to mock you.” His handsome appearance combined with his captivating voice easily explained his devoted fanbase.
“No, not at all,” Su Yue replied, her keen observation skills confirming his sincerity.
“Lack of experience can make filming more challenging,” he explained gently. “It’s best to memorize your lines thoroughly. Otherwise, forgetting your words or failing to convey the right expression during filming can be problematic for all the crew .” He alluded to the common issue of actors merely mouthing “123” instead of their lines, a practice strictly forbidden by Director Guan. Given the numerous scenes between the male and female leads, and Su Yue’s inexperience, Xu Shen braced himself for frequent retakes, yet hoped to minimize them as much as he can .
“If you’re unsure about anything, , please also feel free to ask me,” Chu Mengyun interjected kindly, approaching them from a far . “While my experience isn’t vast like senior Shen, I hope I can be of an assistance to you .”
“Thank you,” Su Yue responded, with a touch of surprise in her voice. She hadn’t anticipated such concern for her lack of acting skills from the cast . But then, she understood: her inexperience could potentially hinder the entire crew’s progress .
After the opening ceremony meal, staff members escorted everyone to their respective village accommodations. Living in the village was a requirement for the duration of filming. While the city was only a few hours’ drive away, Director Guan believed that immersing themselves in the daily routines and habits of farmers would help the actors quickly embrace and embody their roles.
Su Yue and her assistants were also led by a staff member to the humble home of an elderly woman, nestled halfway up the mountain. The old woman’s son worked elsewhere and only returned for New Year’s, leaving her alone in this spaciouscourtyard house . The crew had made an arrangement to pay rent and cover meal expenses for using the villagers’ homes, leading to a scramble among locals eager to lend their properties to them . Still the old woman’s house was chosen for her not only for its three vacant rooms but also to provide her with a much-needed security .
Granny Ping, as she was known, had meticulously cleaned her home in anticipation of her guests. She also sat patiently on a small stool by the door in order to welcome them .
“Granny Ping, we’re here,” the staff member who was escorting SueYue announced his arrival , ushering Su Yue and her entourage forward to enter the house . “These are the people who will be staying with you from on . Your help will means a lot to us in this period of time . Thank you..”
The single-story courtyard house was once white but over the years the walls are became , now yellowed and covered in moss everywhere , also had patches where the plaster had peeled away, revealing the sandy bricks beneath. Outside the door, a wide-open space was adorned with drying corn cobs and chili peppers.
“Hello, Granny Ping,” Su Yue greeted, stepping forward respectfully.
Granny Ping’s eyes widened as she looked up at Su Yue. “It’s incredible!” she exclaimed, almost clasping her hands in reverence. “She’s like the Goddess Guanyin!”
The old woman’s house lacked modern entertainment; even her old black and white television was broken. Her son had offered to buy her a new color TV, but she refused, deeming it a waste of money. So it’s very true for her as in her all lifetime, she had never encountered such a stunningly beautiful girl before.
Mao Yuanyuan, Su Yue’s assistant, stifled a giggle hearing her comment . “Granny is right, Miss Su is truly beautiful, just like a fairy descended from heaven?”
“Yes, yes!” Granny Ping nodded vigorously. “She’s a fairy! Can a young girl really be so beautiful?”
Su Yue remained unperturbed by Granny Ping’s persistent admiration. She sensed the old woman’s genuine kindness, her curiosity, and affection thorugh her actions . “Granny Ping, the sun is a little strong out here. Let me help you inside.”
“No need you to help me !” Granny Ping quickly waved her hand, as if being aided by a goddess was an unbearable honor. “I’ve cleaned all the rooms; this place isn’t big, so please don’t laugh at my poor abode, little girls.” At seventy, her hair has turned gray, but her posture remained remarkably good.
The interior of the house was dimly lit, with a dark cement floor instead of tiles or marble. The furnishings were sparse: a square wooden table and chairs in the center, and a few low stools tucked into corners, presumably for guests. Behind the wooden door, a small pile of potatoes added to the distinct local atmosphere.
“There are empty rooms on both sides, little girls, you can go and have a look,” Granny Ping offered, her thoughts already turning to slaughtering a chicken from the backyard coop for her guests’ dinner.
Sheng Yan pushed open a room on the right. It was small, containing only a wooden bed with neatly folded quilts and a single-door wooden wardrobe. The wood of the wardrobe was faded with age, but Sheng Yan found no peculiar smell inside, only a faint, clean woody scent. She then inspected the two guest rooms on the left; their furnishings were even simpler, with only a bed and a wooden chair.
Ultimately, Sheng Yan and Sheng Tian chose the room with the wardrobe. From their large black suitcase, they retrieved a neatly folded silk quilt. Than Sheng Tian removed the existing colored sheets and quilts from the bed, replacing them with the silk quilt. Next, a thin, pale yellow silk sheet with subtle dark patterns was spread on the bed , followed by incredibly soft pillows with matching pillowcases. In an instant, the bed was transformed to a fluffy style , imbued with a touch of luxury.
“Madam, President Jiang informed us before that you are only accustomed to sleeping on a soft bed,” Sheng Yan reported, her tone serious and professional. “We apologize for the temporary inconvenience of staying here. Still we will ensure all your daily necessities are arranged as you are used to .”
Su Yue was momentarily taken aback by her words. She hadn’t realized Jiang Ci was so thoughtful about her , even relaying such specific instructions to her assistants. Mao Yuanyuan, watching from the side, was feeling stunned by the arrangements made by her SuYi’s two acompaniyng assiatants . She had always considered herself a top-tier assistant, but now, compared to Sheng Yan and Sheng Tian, she felt utterly useless and somewhat ashamed.
In a short while, Sheng Yan and Sheng Tian had subtly transformed the room. Though it was still simple, it now felt more like a young woman’s boudior . Su Yue also had no complaints about these arrangemets ; she had lived in even smaller , and humble rented accommodations before her debut.
On the other hand when Jiang Haoyan emerged from the kindergarten gate , his small schoolbag was swaying on his back. Despite knowing Su Yue was away and couldn’t pick him up, a pang of disappointment struck him when he saw only his father waiting to pick him up .
“Dad, when will she be back?” he asked, settling into the car and putting down his schoolbag.
Jiang Ci looked down at him and asked expressionlessly . “Did you miss her?” he asked slowly.
“Yeah,” Xiao Haohao nodded vigorously, a shy sweetness emerged in his dark eyes. He always spoke in a soft, childish voice, “Haohao misses his mommy.”
“Mommy?” Jiang Ci’s eyes narrowed slightly, as a peculiar expression masks his face.
“Yes,” Xiao Haohao affirmed honestly. “That day, she said she was Haohao’s mommy.” He was referring to the day Su Yue had told Dazhuang that she was his mother.
“Oh,” Jiang Ci leaned back lazily in his seat, pulling out his phone. “Than you can call your mother.” She hadn’t contacted him all day on her own ; it was simply unacceptable!
When Su Yue received the call from Jinag Ci , she was deeply immersed in a script discussion with the director and other cast members on the set .
As she answered the call “Hey?”
The next second, a child’s timid, milky voice reached her ear: “Mommy, Daddy asked Haohao to call you.”
Su Yue paused, hearing this then excused herself from the group to answer the call outside. “Haohao,” she said, her heart swelling with a mix of emotions at hearing him call her “Mommy” for the first time. And this joy slowly took over all her body. She knew Jiang Haoyan wasn’t Jiang Ci’s biological son; the book had even stated he was adopted.So she had never pressured him to call her “Mommy,” knowing that despite his young age, he had his own thoughts. Still his sudden change of address for her was a delightful surprise.
“Haohao is here, and so is my daddy,” Xiao Haohao’s innocent voice came through the phone, clear and crisp.
The corners of Su Yue’s lips curved upward. “Does Haohao have anything to tell me?”
“Today, the teacher praised Haohao for being good and for writing his own name without any help !” Xiao Haohao exclaimed into the phone, his voice a little loud, eager to share his accomplishment with his mother .
“Haohao is so wonderful! Did you also get a little red flower?” Su Yue leaned against the wall outside, gazing at the lush green trees, her mood now brighter than ever .
“Yes, Haohao got three big red flowers and a toffee today ! Dazhuang only got one red flower!” Xiao Haohao spoke quickly, full of pride and seeking praise from her .
“Haohao is so amazing! When I come back, will Haohao show me your big red flower?”
“Yes , Haohao will show it to Mommy all of my red flowers,” Xiao Haohao said timidly with a hint of shyness in his tone.
“Okay,” Su Yue smiled, her eyes twinkling like stars .
“Su Yue!” Than a clear, magnetic male voice suddenly boomed from the other end of the line, followed by a cold chuckle.
Su Yue, still leaning against the wall, one foot propped up, replied softly, “hmmm?”
Jiang Ci had snatched the phone from Jiang Haoyan’s small hands and switched off the speaker. “Did you arrived safely ,are the accommodation arrangements alright ?” he asked, though his assistant had already messaged him with the details of her moving into the villager’s house and her settling in flawlessly he still wants to hear it from her own mouth.
“It’s all arranged exceptionally ,” Su Yue replied . Then, remembering something, she praised him. “The two assistants you arranged for me are incredibly capable.”
“Are you Satisfied?” Jiang Ci glanced at his son, whose face was still puffed out, clearly wanting to continue his call with Su Yue. Jiang Ci ignored his tantrum and continued , holding the phone languidly as he looked out the window.
“Very satisfied! Where did you even find those two capable individuals?” Su Yue’s dark eyes held a hint of curiosity.
“I’ll tell you later about this . On the other hand if you’re satisfied, then praise me .” Jiang Ci’s handsome brows, usually so cool, softened with a small smile.
Knowing Jiang Ci wouldn’t reveal the information now, Su Yue didn’t press further. He had promised to tell her later, after all. “Mmmm, I miss you a little,” she admitted. Now that she was in this quiet place , she truly did feel a pang of longing for Jiang Ci. It seemed strange, as was used to having been with him every day, so to be separated for so long felt unaccoustomed to her .
Jiang Ci’s dark eyes held a small smile. Listening to Su Yue’s gentle, soft whisper, his ears also tingled, as a pleasant itch spread through his chest, like the soft paws of a kitten scratching his heart . Still his thin lips twitched “Little liar,” as he said lazily. “You didn’t even think to call me till this time ?” Nore even sent a single message .
Su Yue blushed hearing his complaint . “I was going to call you tonight,” she defended. She had been engrossed in the script just now and had simply forgotten for a while.
With a soft snort on the other side , Jiang Ci didn’t chastise her. “I heard someone else’s voice just now,” he said, particularly noting the male voice.
“It was the director and the male lead, and some other actors. We’re working on the script.”
Jiang Ci’s eyes darkened. “Then send me the script right now ,” he stated matter-of-factly. He had been busy recently and had forgotten to read Su Yue’s script. He grimaced inwardly at the thought of “making out scenes” or “kissing scenes.” No, not even holding hands. Not even touching. Preferably they have to be a meter apart while filming .
Unaware of Jiang Ci’s instantaneous flurry of thoughts, Su Yue smiled and readily agreed . “Well, I’ll send you the electronic version later.”