Chapter 32: Do Whatever You Want, No Restrictions
After the actors finished their still photoshoot, they returned to their respective rooms to rest.
It's now 7 p.m. Shen Qingzhi, who had just had dinner, was full of energy at the moment. She held the script in her hands and carefully pondered in her room.
Tomorrow, there are several scenes scheduled. From the protagonist's first appearance to the initial encounter with her opponent, the most challenging scene is the one where Feng Yasong sneaks into Cang Xingyun's bed, the scene that Director Xue emphasized on having sexual tension.
Before joining the production, Shen Qingzhi had read the script outline, and at that time, the description of this scene was only a few brief sentences.
[Feng Yasong is pursued and hides in Cang Xingyun's chamber, concealed within the bed. Cang Xingyun angrily scolds her for being audacious, yet still helps to cover her.]
When she read this part before, she didn't think much of it. However, when she received the detailed version of the script this afternoon, her face nearly turned into a tomato.
In the new version of the script, although there aren't many lines or actions between the two characters, a lot of pen and ink has been put into depicting the atmosphere. It's just a matter of using the bed to hide, but it's written as if they're about to do it the next second.
The scriptwriter for this show is actually the original author, so there's a distinct style.
When Shen Qingzhi read the script, it felt like she was reading a novel. The writing style was pretty good if she's not the one who's acting.
Movies are different from TV dramas. Compared with TV dramas with dense lines, movies pay more attention to the scene and atmosphere.
The script indeed effectively created the atmosphere, but how to portray it has become a challenge.
As the only member of the main cast with zero experience in movies, Shen Qingzhi felt the gap for the first time.
In the previous scripts, everything from action details to lines will be marked out in detail.
She only needs to act according to the script, and then add her own understanding of the characters, and the effect will be very good.
For this script, the producer gave the actors the greatest freedom.
After the tone of the characters is set, as long as they can show the effects required by the script, except for the fixed main lines, the rest of the actors can act as they like.
This is much more challenging than just following the script rigidly.
In fact, for her, the difficulty doesn't lie in portraying innocence or audacity.
The challenge is how to 'tease' Cang Xingyun to the point of being scolded.
Thinking about it carefully, in her previous works, most of the highlighted scenes were solo shots or one-sided retorts.
It's the type of actress often jokingly referred to as "solo beauty."
She has been in the industry for almost a year and has several representative roles, but her experience in emotional scenes is close to zero.
Originally, it wasn't necessary. She played supporting roles and villainous characters, so there wasn't much emphasis on deep emotional storylines.
When she only read the outline of the script before, she habitually thought that this was also a story with a smooth plot.
After all, the original work with only 50,000 words has no room to exaggerate the atmosphere.
However, the more she reads now, the more overwhelmed she feels.
"Take the initiative, tease the black heart boldly..."
Shen Qingzhi stared at the script, murmured in a low voice, and designed many possible actions in her mind, but she still felt awkward.
"Ai, why is this so difficult?!"
She wailed and fell on the sofa, letting the script cover her entire face.
It's not that she didn't want to go to Gu Jinrong to act with her, but after thinking about it, she couldn't handle the first scene, which seemed too shameful.
Moreover, she and Gu Jinrong seem to be in a cold war recently, although this is her one-sided assumption.
But anyway, the two of them hadn't spoken seriously for many days. If she took the initiative to find her right now, she would lose face.
While thinking this way, she opened the door and paced back and forth in the corridor several times.
It's a good thing the seventh floor doesn't have surveillance cameras, otherwise, she would easily attract the attention of the security with her sneaky demeanor.
At that moment, the door next to hers opened, and Gu Jinrong stepped out, wearing a black silk pajama set that highlighted her fair skin. She curled her lips, looking as if she were posing for a photoshoot.
"Qingqing."
Shen Qingzhi stopped, turned her head, and saw this extremely seductive scene, her brain started to "buzz" again.
It took her a lot of effort to control the wild horse galloping thoughts in her mind and pursed her dry lips.
"I... I was taking a walk."
After finishing speaking, she wanted to bite her tongue off: She didn't even ask you what you were doing. Don't be presumptuous!
Gu Jinrong seemed to believe her words deeply and leaned on the door to extend the invitation.
"Does Qingqing want to take a walk in another place? My room is carpeted. Walking there won't make noise downstairs."
Go for a walk in your room, do you think I'm three years old?
With a straight face, Shen Qingzhi refused without hesitation, "No, I'm almost done, so I'll go back to my room and continue reading the script."
As soon as she finished speaking, she began to regret the next second: No, why did I refuse, that was a great opportunity!
Shen Qingzhi declined but didn't leave, standing there eagerly watching Gu Jinrong, afraid that she might close the door the next second.
However, Gu Jinrong acted as if she hadn't seen Shen Qingzhi at all. She turned around and entered her room, casually closing the door behind her.
Shen Qingzhi: !
She really left! Without saying a word!
Upon closer inspection, the door appeared to be unlocked.
But since she wasn't invited again, she wasn't going to make a fool of herself.
Shen Qingzhi stood like the sea god's needle*, her rosy lips bore several teeth marks for a moment. Fortunately, Gu Jinrong didn't stay away for too long, probably just around half a minute.
*定海神针 (Dìnghǎishénzhēn) a divine object used by the deity Dragon King of the East Sea to calm the sea, used metaphorically to describe a powerful and decisive action or determination that can bring stability or resolution to a chaotic or difficult situation.
She appeared at the door again, this time with an extra script in her hand.
"I happened to be reading the script just now. Tomorrow, most of our scenes involve us interacting. It feels a bit incomplete when I read it alone. How about we analyze the script together?"
Shen Qingzhi pursed the corners of her mouth, concealing the little pride in her heart, "Are you asking for my help?"
Gu Jinrong nodded slightly, "I'm asking you to help me analyze the script, okay?"
Shen Qingzhi felt relieved, "Since you have entrusted me with such sincerity, then I will show my good spirit."
She walked over and looked at the script in Gu Jinrong's hand, but her gaze inadvertently fell on the delicate collarbone peeking through the black fabric.
Shen Qingzhi: !
This person, dressing like this and standing in the corridor, isn't she afraid of being seen by others?!
She turned her face away, with a very upright expression, "It's not good for you to stand by the corridor like this." Although there is no surveillance camera installed on this floor, what if someone comes up?"
Gu Jinrong smiled and let the door open, "Then let's go inside and talk."
Shen Qingzhi moved very quickly this time, she stepped into the room first, and after Gu Jinrong followed in, she closed the door behind her.
With the door sealing them in a confined space, the atmosphere suddenly felt different from when they were in the corridor.
When Shen Qingzhi turned her head again, Gu Jinrong was already sitting on the sofa with the script in her hands, her slender legs crossed, revealing her tight and fair calves.
Shen Qingzhi's legs went weak, but thanks to the wall she managed to grab for support, she didn't lose her composure.
She tried her best to move her eyes up, not to look at the part that caused the crime. However, it seemed as if the woman was deliberately challenging her, emitting a dangerous allure from every part of her body—her neck, collarbone, wrists…
She obviously wasn't wearing revealing clothes, why did she still seem so seductive?
She never dressed like this at home before!
Shen Qingzhi stood there in a daze for a while, until Gu Jinrong's beautiful thin lips parted slightly, "Qingqing?
Then she leaned against the wall and walked to the sofa step by step, and stood one meter away from Gu Jinrong, looking very serious.
"I want to make a suggestion."
Gu Jinrong raised her eyes and looked at her with a smile, "Hmm?"
"It's about your portrayal of Cang Xingyun's character. She's very introverted."
"When you're not acting, can you try to align yourself more with the character's image?"
"Otherwise, I see a stark contrast between your on-screen and off-screen personas. It's making it hard for me to get into character."
Shen Qingzhi's words were righteous and strict, and she completely looked like she was thinking about the movie.
Gu Jinrong nodded when she heard the words, and immediately restrained her expression, "Like this?"
It is the same makeup and facial features, but it can be switched from alluring to "strangers not allowed" in a second.
Shen Qingzhi was dumbfounded, and couldn't help admiring secretly in her heart.
But now Gu Jinrong's sacred and inviolable face, coupled with the half-covered silk pajamas, looks more ascetic but at the same time, it makes it more tempting to invade.
Shenn Qingzhi shook her head vigorously, trying to get rid of all those uncontrollable thoughts, and scolded herself fiercely in her heart: Shen Qingzhi, what are you thinking about, be normal!
Gu Jinrong had a panoramic view of the reaction of the person in front of her, the slight curve of her lips barely detectable.
She pretended to be nonchalant, and led Shen Qingzhi to sit on the sofa beside her, "Qingqing, shall we read the script now?"
At this time, Shen Qingzhi was still fighting with good and evil in her small mind, and before she could react, her palms were wrapped in warmth and delicateness.
It felt very comfortable, and she could feel goosebumps forming.
"Hmm~" She hummed subconsciously, raised her head to meet Gu Jinrong's gaze with deep meaning, and suddenly became annoyed from embarrassment.
So she pulled off the sofa cover next to her and wrapped it around Gu Jinrong's body, angrily shouting: "It's just acting, why are you dressed so provocatively!"
Gu Jinrong: ...
She remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly, word by word, "This is the home collection from Miracle's current season. You're the brand ambassador for this label."
Shen Qingzhi: Huh?
She lifted the sofa cover a little, and as expected, she saw Miracle's brand logo.
Miracle is a luxury brand targeting both young girls and mature women, with the slogan "Girls should love themselves." It emphasizes comfort and relaxation, and currently, it hasn't ventured into the direction of being sexy.
At this moment, Shen Qingzhi felt extremely relieved that there were no onlookers around. Otherwise, if someone found out that she had criticized the brand she is endorsing, her already limited resources might have been reduced even further.
She knew she was in the wrong, but she still insisted, "The outfit is pretty good, but how can you wear it like that?
Taking advantage of Shen Qingzhi's distraction, Gu Jinrong took off the sofa cover that was wrapped around her body and went along.
"Oh, how about we have the brand ambassador educate everyone on the proper way to wear this sleepwear?"
Shen Qingzhi was backed into a corner and could only kneel on the sofa, pulling the slightly open neckline together with her hands, trying her best to ignore the accidental warmth her fingertips touched.
"Like this, you see how the models showcase it? The buttons on the collar are all fastened." She spoke with an air of seriousness, as though they were discussing a piece of art rather than pajamas.
Gu Jinrong smiled as she let Shen Qingzhi fiddle around, allowing her to struggle until she managed to wrap her upper body like a rice dumpling.
"Qingqing, I just remembered that Miracle has an advertisement saying that you can do whatever you want, and there are no restrictions. But does this brand even have strict regulations on how many buttons customers need to fasten?"
Shen Qingzhi: ...
I'm so angry, but keep smiling.