LBC |Love Beyond Control/Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Since filming began, Wang Muge had been very satisfied with the results so far.

As the final work of her career, Wang Muge could be said to have poured all her heart and soul into it. Whether it was the grand and stirring war scenes, or the wind-and-cloud-ghostly faction struggles, every scene was thrilling and exciting, making people’s adrenaline surge.

But a successful commercial film had to do more than stir the audience’s emotions, it also had to give them room to catch their breath, so Liu Yunti, as the character in the drama with the most literary, dialogue-heavy scenes, took on this crucial task.

The scene about to be filmed now was the largest in the whole film.

After Xue Huaijiang rescued Liu Yunti from the theater, he did not directly take him back to the Xue residence, but instead arranged for him to stay in a nearby side residence as an honored guest.

In order to get closer to Xue Huaijiang, Liu Yunti resolved to take advantage of bedchamber matters when Xue Huaijiang came to listen to the opera again, and use it to draw Xue Huaijiang further into the game.

“As Liu Yunti steps forward one pace at a time, the robe on his body loosens by one degree. When he is two steps away from Xue Huaijiang, he strikes Xue Huaijiang’s chest with his water sleeves, then slowly slides all the way down toward Xue Huaijiang’s lower body…”

Inside the RV, Xiao Nuan was immersed in reciting the content that was about to be filmed, the smile at the corners of her mouth very bright.

“Then, Xue Huaijiang grabs Liu Yunti’s water sleeve with one hand, and pulls him into his arms! Looking at Liu Yunti with restraint, he says: You drank alcohol today, you are still not clear-headed. I do not wish to take advantage of someone in distress, and do something that will make you resent me in the future.”

“Alright, alright, don’t read anymore…”

Before Xiao Nuan could recite even more explicit lines, Xin Yuan finally could not help interrupting.

There was a bottle on the table that had already been drunk more than half empty. In order to get into the right state ahead of time, Xin Yuan could only rely on some physical means.

It was just that, with filming about to start, he did not feel drunk at all. Instead, his mind grew even clearer, repeatedly replaying those scenes that could not be spoken of in detail.

Before the official shoot, there was first a rehearsal.

During this period of working together, Ren Song and Xin Yuan had become increasingly tacit and in sync. They quickly ran through the lines, and then immediately began rehearsing the most important physical movements.

Seeing Xin Yuan’s nervousness, Ren Song simply sat first on the edge of the bed. After Xin Yuan was ready and took the initiative to step forward, he followed the script’s requirements, pulled Xin Yuan in front of him, and hooked Xin Yuan’s knees with his legs.

Ren Song’s movements were already quite restrained, but Xin Yuan still could not help tensing up.

He instinctively wanted to call for a pause, but all the cameras were already aimed at him, so he could only endure that discomfort and let Ren Song’s palm move upward from his lower back all the way.

According to the script description, Xue Huaijiang was very restrained at first. Only after he saw the same feelings in Liu Yunti’s eyes did he exert force, suddenly pulling him into his arms and turning around to pin him beneath him.

“This section has overall tension, but it still feels like it’s missing something.”

Wang Muge watched the rehearsal clip back, pondering it. “Xin Yuan, how about opening your collar a bit more? It’d be best if, when Xue Huaijiang presses your body down, the collar can loosen along with it.”

Last night before wrapping up, Wang Muge had even teased Xin Yuan and asked him how far he could accept the scene going.

Out of respect for the work, Xin Yuan had said that as long as the filming effect was good, anything was fine.

But saying it was one thing, and actually facing the gaze of dozens of people all packed together was another. Xin Yuan was so nervous he did not even know how to place his limbs.

The alcohol he had drunk finally started working, and Xin Yuan’s whole body grew hot.

He breathed out irritably, originally wanting to steady himself a little longer, but in Wang Muge’s eyes, this faint hint of drunkenness instead became even more soul-stirring, and she immediately called for the start.

“Camera one, move forward, a little closer to Liu Yunti.” Wang Muge stared closely at the monitor.

At first Xin Yuan’s posture was still a little stiff, but once filming officially started, it was as if he had become a different person out of nowhere.

The camera slowly moved upward from Liu Yunti’s bare, clean toes, gliding all the way over the hem of his robe and meeting his dazed eyes.

Those apricot eyes seemed to be veiled in a thin mist. It was impossible to tell whether there was more shyness or invitation in them. A faint smile hung at the corners of his eyes, and with every step he took toward Xue Huaijiang, the robe on his body loosened a little more.

Xue Huaijiang’s breathing grew heavier and heavier. By the time Liu Yunti’s water sleeves slipped down in front of him, he finally could not help but pull him close.

In the tugging and pulling, Liu Yunti’s collar had already completely come undone. The loose robe slid backward along his shoulders, faintly revealing the lines of his shoulder blades.

Wang Muge gave this scene a close-up. The slow motion shot slowly pushed from Liu Yunti’s shoulders little by little toward his lower back. Under the candlelight, one could only glimpse the waist beneath the robe, slender and supple enough to be held in one hand, yet still unable to see his full true appearance.

“Have you thought it through? Aren’t you afraid you’ll regret it later?” Xue Huaijiang’s voice was hoarse.

Liu Yunti’s robe finally slipped completely to the ground. His hands slowly reached toward Xue Huaijiang’s shoulders. “Before I met you, I was already someone who had no future to speak of. If I have to say what I fear, I only fear missing today.”

Everyone was holding their breath.

Under the camera, Liu Yunti’s eyes were red and wet. The lighting technician timely caught up with a few strands of soft light, enclosing them all around his brows and eyes. In those watery eyes, all kinds of desires intertwined, set into that face clean to the extreme, making it effortless for people to sink into him.

Producer Zhang, behind the monitor, looked on and could not help sighing with emotion. “Jiaqiann Media really picked up a treasure. This kid is going to be something amazing in the future.”

Xiao Nuan, standing nearby, covered her mouth with one hand while tremblingly recording the screen with the other, sending the video to Xiang Zhu feng in batches.

By the time this scene was fully shot, the sky had already turned toward evening.

The filming process went much smoother than expected. Wang Muge was in a great mood and waved a hand, announcing that everyone’s late-night snacks would be reimbursed.

It was rare for the crew to wrap early once. Aside from the staff who still had cleanup to do, everyone basically dispersed in a rush.

“Brother Xiaoyuan, aren’t we leaving yet…?”

At first Xiao Nuan thought Xin Yuan just needed a little time to get out of character, and seeing him squat alone on the ground, she did not dare disturb him at first.

But as the last few staff members were about to leave, Xin Yuan was still half-squatting on the steps, holding a tree branch in his hand, not knowing what he was scribbling on the ground.

Xiao Nuan finally could not help moving closer, and actually saw the three characters “Xiang Zhu feng” lying messily in the dirt pile, so she immediately coughed and looked away.

But Xin Yuan suddenly raised his head and stared straight at Xiao Nuan for several seconds, then said, “I know.”

“…Ah?”

Xiao Nuan froze at once. “Know, know what?”

“You’re the one sent by him to watch me, right.” Xin Yuan used the tree branch to point at the ground.

Before Xiao Nuan could reply, Xin Yuan said again, “He hates me, and is afraid I’ll bring him trouble, so he wants you to keep an eye on me at all times by my side, to stop me from doing bad things again.”

As he spoke, he picked up the tree branch again and drew a very big cross over Xiang Zhu feng’s name.

Only at this moment did Xiao Nuan finally realize that Xin Yuan’s shocking performance under the camera just now was not simply because he was a good actor, but because he was really completely drunk.

After trying all sorts of ways to coax him to no effect, and seeing a huge bolt of lightning suddenly split across the sky, Xiao Nuan finally chose to go ask Xiang Zhu feng for help.

Twenty minutes later, in the pouring rain, they were honored to be met by Xiang Zhu feng, whose face was even darker than the sky.

There was no way to drive in the film city. Xiang Zhu feng walked a long way before getting in. Probably because he had rushed over too anxiously, Xiang Zhu feng was slightly out of breath, his chest rising and falling very unpleasantly.

Xin Yuan had no sense of crisis at all. He was still squatting on the ground, hugging his knees and shrinking into a tiny ball. Even though Xiao Nuan was trying hard to hold the umbrella, his body was still thoroughly soaked by the heavy rain.

“Have you not had enough of filming your movie? There are no cameras on you now, so who are you acting for here?”

Xiang Zhu feng’s words were mixed in with the noisy sound of rain, yet one could still hear how rude they were.

“So fond of acting, do you want me to call Ren Song back to keep you company?”

Xin Yuan finally had a little reaction at this point. He raised his head, followed the unreal voice, and looked at Xiang Zhu feng once, then lowered it again.

He was really beyond saving.

Xin Yuan had thought that as long as he did not go back to the room, as long as he did not stay alone, he would not keep thinking about Xiang Zhu feng.

But it was useless.

It was useless when he was awake, and still useless when he was drunk.

Xiang Zhu feng did not even want to see him, yet he had no way to drive Xiang Zhu feng out.

Faced with Xin Yuan’s silence, Xiang Zhu feng’s temper flared even more. “You like getting rained on, right? Fine, let me see how long you can stay here.”

With that, he directly pushed Xiao Nuan’s umbrella aside, exposing Xin Yuan’s entire body to the torrential rain.

Xiao Nuan cried out in alarm and wanted to step forward again, but was directly stopped by Xiang Zhu feng.

“The driver is waiting outside. You go back with him first. Today you don’t need to take care of him anymore, just let him stand here and get rained on until he’s had enough.”

It was the first time Xiao Nuan had seen Xiang Zhu feng so furious, and she did not dare stay any longer. She looked at Xin Yuan, who was still motionless, one more time, then left trembling.

Just then, another flash of lightning cut across the sky, shining on Xin Yuan’s pale face.

In the heavy rain, Xin Yuan’s figure was left only as a blurry outline. He drooped his head, his long eyelashes covered with water droplets, which kept flowing down his face, white to the point of being nearly transparent, as if he would melt into the rain the very next second.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

Just after Xin Yuan clearly shivered, followed immediately by a sneeze, Xiang Zhu feng finally bent down, clamped Xin Yuan’s arm in one hand, and yanked him up from the ground.

Xin Yuan’s legs had long since lost feeling. He was almost hauled into Xiang Zhu feng’s chest with no ability to resist at all.

But perhaps he was truly drunk, and Xin Yuan suddenly wanted to try. So what if he pushed Xiang Zhu feng away once?

Why was it that every time, it was Xiang Zhu feng who appeared whenever he wanted, while he could only ever be the one waiting?

Thinking this, Xin Yuan struggled recklessly for a moment, only to be pulled even tighter in the next second.

“Let go of me!”

Xin Yuan tried hard to clench his fists, thinking he was hitting Xiang Zhu feng with all his strength, but in reality they were soft and weak, just like his voice.

“Let go of you? You think I really want to touch you!?”

Although Xiang Zhu feng was holding an umbrella, half of his body was already soaked through. Seeing Xin Yuan still trying to resist, he simply threw the umbrella away and picked Xin Yuan up horizontally.

He could act so naturally in a scene of that kind of scale with other people, yet now that he merely touched him, it was as if he had touched something extremely disgusting. It was truly laughable to the extreme.

Seeing Xin Yuan still struggling, Xiang Zhu feng fiercely tightened his arms. “If you dare move again, I’ll tie you to this pillar right now and keep you here until you’ve had enough rain!”

With that, he made as if to carry Xin Yuan toward the pillar.

Xin Yuan looked truly frightened this time. He immediately hooked both hands around Xiang Zhu feng’s nape, and used his reddened eyes to show a little insignificant anger.

Whether he was pretending to be drunk or really drunk, Xiang Zhu feng did not want to keep wasting time with Xin Yuan in such horrible weather. He quickened his pace and carried Xin Yuan straight toward the exit.

Xin Yuan indeed did not struggle anymore. He only shrank back very lightly into Xiang Zhu feng’s arms, letting out one muffled sob after another.

The old Xiang Zhu feng would never come back.

Even in hallucinations, the Xiang Zhu feng who had once been so, so good to him would never come back either.

Falling asleep in Xiang Zhu feng’s arms, or perhaps before passing out, Xin Yuan finally understood this fact that he should have long ago recognized.