Chapter One Hundred and Twelve: The Kiss Scene

When Jiang Yun arrived on set, Liu Guoqiang was filming some relatively unimportant scenes.

After spotting Jiang Yun, Liu Guoqiang kept a dark expression and did not speak to him. “Get him made up!”

“Right!” The production crew did not dare provoke Liu Guoqiang when he was in such a mood. They went over to Jiang Yun, brought him to the makeup room, and called the makeup artist.

Beside him, the crew member said, “Teacher Jiang Yun, Director Liu is in a bad mood today. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Jiang Yun frowned. “What happened?”

“The actress playing the female lead, Wang Fengwan, suddenly went to Director Liu today and said she wanted to quit.”

“Quit?” Jiang Yun was surprised. “Did she say why?”

“No.”

Jiang Yun nodded. Could it be because of him?

After his makeup was done, Jiang Yun went to the set.

Liu Guoqiang saw him and gave a nod in greeting.

Jiang Yun nodded back.

“Cut!”

The crew and actors on set all stopped.

Liu Guoqiang flipped open the script. “Next scene: Yun Yun battles the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King and is saved by Xiao Yan!”

“Jiang Yun, get ready!”

The actress playing Yun Yun was a seasoned child star named Zhou Yu. She was twenty-five this year and had once been immensely popular fifteen years ago.

As Zhou Yu grew older, her opportunities dwindled. This role, which was close to a second female lead, had only been secured after much effort.

Dressed in a white long gown and holding a serpentine longsword, Zhou Yu fully brought out Yun Yun’s grace and nobility.

This scene was a fight between the two of them.

A martial arts performer, equipped with gear all over his body, played the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King.

Zhou Yu stepped into position, and the two faced off.

“Action!”

Boom!

The wire behind Zhou Yu yanked her upward, suspending her in midair.

The martial artist shot into the air as well, and the two confronted each other from a distance. “Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, hand over the Purple Spirit Crystal! I’ll trade you pills for it!”

The martial artist barked, “Don’t even think about it, unless you can produce a Transformation Pill!”

“In that case, there’s nothing more to say!”

Swish!

Zhou Yu thrust her sword forward.

The martial artist raised his right palm and struck, knocking the sword away in an instant.

The two began working through their moves.

Then, before anyone could react, Zhou Yu was kicked squarely in the stomach.

“Ah!”

Zhou Yu cried out. Her posture faltered, and she was suddenly turned completely upside down. She hung there headfirst in midair.

“Cut!”

“Get her down quickly!”

The crew rushed to respond and lowered Zhou Yu.

“Zhou Yu, are you all right?” Liu Guoqiang hurried over to her side.

Zhou Yu clutched her stomach and shook her head.

“Zhou Yu, I told you long ago to use a stunt double. You just wouldn’t listen!” Liu Guoqiang lectured her.

“Use a double!” Liu Guoqiang suggested.

“Director, I can do it! Please give me a chance!” Zhou Yu said stubbornly.

“Oh, all right then.”

“Scene 36, shot 36, take two! Action!”

Zhou Yu and the martial artist were lifted once more, both hovering in midair.

“Ha!”

With a sharp cry, Zhou Yu thrust out her sword.

The martial artist punched forward, and by sheer bad luck, his fist landed directly on Zhou Yu’s right shoulder.

“Ah!”

Zhou Yu gasped, and the sword slipped from her hand.

“Cut!”

The crew lowered them both.

“Director, I...”

Liu Guoqiang came over. “Say no more. Use a double.”

His decision was final.

“Zhou Yu, I know you’re a very diligent person, but sometimes effort alone isn’t enough. You also need to know how to be flexible,” Liu Guoqiang said sincerely.

“All right.” Zhou Yu accepted it helplessly.

With a stunt double, things became easy. Zhou Yu struck a pose, and Ye Xiaohe copied it exactly.

Ye Xiaohe and the martial artist began their choreographed exchange.

In the end, Ye Xiaohe was sent flying, and Zhou Yu stepped in.

“Cut!”

“Okay, good. Pass!”

“Next scene!”

Jiang Yun, who had been waiting on the side, walked onto the set.

Liu Guoqiang nodded toward him.

Jiang Yun was dressed in black, with a large cleaver strapped to his back.

He took a couple of steps forward, then suddenly narrowed his eyes as if he had noticed something. Zhou Yu was lying sprawled on the ground.

“An Emperor-tier expert?”

“Save her, or not?”

“Damn it. You’re lucky this time!”

Jiang Yun strode quickly to Zhou Yu, lifted her up, and carried her into a small artificial cave.

Blood was gurgling from Zhou Yu’s abdomen, and Jiang Yun began to treat her injuries.

Clang!

The unconscious Zhou Yu suddenly woke with a start and pressed a sword against Jiang Yun’s throat.

“You, you’re misunderstanding me! I only wanted to treat your injuries!”

“Keep your filthy eyes in check!”

Gulp.

Jiang Yun swallowed hard, perfectly playing out the look of nervousness.

“Cut!”

“Okay, very good!”

Zhou Yu and Jiang Yun both gathered themselves.

“Next scene! The grilled fish scene!”

Zhou Yu’s face flushed bright red at once.

“You’ve both read the script, right?”

Jiang Yun nodded.

“Zhou Yu? Zhou Yu?”

“Huh? What is it?” Zhou Yu came back to herself.

“The grilled fish scene. Have you read that part of the script?”

“I have, I have!” Zhou Yu nodded repeatedly.

Liu Guoqiang said, “Good. Get ready. We’ll start right away!”

Zhou Yu calmed her nerves and began recalling the lines for this scene.

“All departments prepare. Lighting, prepare!”

“Action!”

Zhou Yu and Jiang Yun sat together, with a pile of fake campfire props before them and two fake grilled fish placed beside them.

Jiang Yun held a grilled fish. “Yun Zhi, what did you put in this fish? Why do I feel something is off?”

“I feel it too. It’s so hot! No, I can’t stay here any longer!”

Zhou Yu got up, only for Jiang Yun to grab her at once. “I’ve heard that there’s a kind of ape that’s interested in human women too!”

In the next part of the scene, the two embraced.

“Medicine Rock, if I lose my purity, I will kill you for certain!”

According to the script, they were supposed to kiss at this point, but no matter what, they just could not bring themselves to do it.

“Cut!”

“What’s wrong with you two?”

“Director, it’s my problem.” Zhou Yu raised her hand and said softly.

Liu Guoqiang frowned. “Forget it. We’ll use a camera trick.”

“Wait, Director, I can do it!” Zhou Yu said.

“All right. One more take. If it still doesn’t work, we’ll use a trick shot.”

“All departments, prepare!”

“Action!”

Jiang Yun and Zhou Yu went through the lines again as before.

Then they reached the kissing part.

I can do this, I can do this, Zhou Yu told herself.

If I can’t do action scenes well, then the kiss scene has to be fine!

Summoning her courage, Zhou Yu said, “I can do it. I’m going all in!”

Ding.

Zhou Yu gently kissed Jiang Yun on the lips.

Jiang Yun froze completely.

But there was no time to stand there stunned. Jiang Yun reacted immediately and carried on with the scene.

Smack!

He slapped himself across the face, then pretended to run out of the cave.

“Cut!”

“Okay! Pass!”

The rest of the filming went extremely smoothly, and before anyone knew it, it was already afternoon.

“All departments, wrap!”

“Woo-hoo! Finally wrapped!”

“At last, we can rest!”

Jiang Yun went to the makeup room to remove his makeup. He would be eating soon.

...

Ding-ling-ling!

Liu Guoqiang’s phone rang.

He picked it up and glanced at the caller ID. It was Wang Fengwan.

Liu Guoqiang answered, “Hello? What else do you want to say? Fengwan, making a scene like this out of nowhere is really putting me in a difficult position.”

Wang Fengwan’s voice came through the phone. “Director Liu, it’s not impossible for me to keep filming.”

“Then say it. As long as I can do it, I’ll satisfy you.”

“Fine. If you want me to keep filming, you have to add a kiss scene for me in the later episodes!”

“What? Add a kiss scene? Didn’t you never do kiss scenes?” Liu Guoqiang looked completely baffled.

“Just tell me whether you’re adding it or not!”

“Add it, add it! I’ll notify the screenwriter right now to change the script!”