Facing Qin Wei's pitiful gaze, Li Liang remained silent and took a step back, holding a pile of documents.
Li Liang had no problem dealing with daily trivial matters and work-related affairs, but she had no experience in comforting children.
Moreover, Hong Dou was severely lacking in a sense of security and had a terrible temper. She really didn't know what to do.
Li Liang's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz:
"Sis... you should comfort your own child..."
...
The staff came to help Qin Wei install the necessary equipment for the suspension performance. There wasn't much Qin Wei needed to cooperate with, so she stood in place, trying her best to console Hong Dou.
"Brother, brother! If you cry later, can you tell me who upset you? I can help you beat them, okay?"
Hong Dou sobbed while hugging Qin Wei's leg. Qin Wei had to temporarily remain upright to cooperate with the work, unable to squat down and look at him directly. She could only gently pat his head and try to comfort him as much as possible.
He cooperated as well, sobbing as he explained the situation. However, his speech was muffled, and it took Qin Wei quite a while to understand:
"There was an uncle who gave you a milk lollipop, but Auntie took it away and didn't let you eat it, right?"
"Yes..."
Hong Dou looked up at her, his eyes teary and two glistening tears on his face.
Qin Wei asked, "Do you know that uncle?"
Hong Dou paused and shook his head.
Qin Wei asked again, "Can you eat something that a stranger gives you?"
Hong Dou remained silent for a long time before reluctantly shaking his head.
"So, is it wrong for Auntie to take away the candy given by a stranger?"
"But I wanted to eat it."
Understanding the reasoning is one thing, but it depends on who says it.
Qin Wei couldn't accept it at all, but she seemed more open to what Hong Dou said.
Looking at him like this, Qin Wei felt sorry for him. Restricting a child from eating snacks, especially sweets, at such a young age felt too strict to Qin Wei. It deprived him of any happiness.
What can make adults and children unhappy may be different, but the unhappiness of adults and children is the same. You may think that having candy taken away is not worth mentioning, but for a child, it's as if the sky has fallen.
Just as the installation of the performance equipment was completed, Qin Wei was finally free to move. She picked up Hong Dou to comfort him and wiped away his tears.
"I understand how you feel, but I'm not your mom. I can't interfere with what you eat or drink, and I'm really sorry about that...
But I can play with you, have dinner together, tell you stories, and help you fall asleep. If possible, please don't cry anymore. We're going to shoot a scene, so let's adjust our mood."
Although he didn't get any candy from her, these words somewhat comforted him. He rubbed his eyes and murmured softly:
"Then I want to hear a story about dinosaurs that make mud..."
"Okay, okay~"
Hong Dou revealed a shy smile and suddenly hugged Qin Wei's neck, burying his face in her shoulder.
"From today onwards, you are my mom!"
Qin Wei: "?"
Qin Wei chuckled, "That's so casual."
Hong Dou nodded firmly.
Alright then, she unexpectedly gained a goose.
...
Qin Wei, a young actress, was taken aside to calm her emotions. The director approached her and briefly explained the scene. In this particular segment, Qin Wei was making her first appearance, traveling from the grasslands to the imperial city. As soon as she entered the stage, she showcased her exceptional lightness skills and saved the young master Xing Mang from falling off the golden throne.
Director Yao pointed to the markings on the ground and said to Qin Wei, "While the wirework helps with the lightness skills, it's the actor's own expressiveness that matters. Going straight up and down looks awkward and fake. Body posture is crucial, and since you have a background in dance, you should understand."
"So, from your starting point to the marked spot I indicated, you need to have a process of tiptoeing, flipping in the air, touching the ground, and then leaping onto the golden throne. Did the martial arts instructor give you any tips? This particular segment will feature your face, and I prefer not to use a stunt double."
Qin Wei made an OK gesture and proceeded with the first rehearsal.
With everyone in their positions, the countdown began... "Scene 210, shot 1, take 1, action!"
As the clapperboard snapped shut, the filming officially commenced.
The camera focused on the palace exterior as the palace maids entered the main hall with Empress Jiang. They noticed the young master had climbed to a great height on the throne and was about to fall.
"Someone, hurry and catch him!"
The camera then zoomed in on the empress for a close-up shot.
The camera angle switched again. The red-clad girl who had been walking beside the empress dashed over, leaped gracefully, and caught the child in her arms just as he was losing his balance on the throne.
"Cut!"
The director spoke while reviewing the playback on the monitor. "Lighting is good, makeup and hairstyling are good, the actor's emotions and movements are on point. Excellent job, everyone. Let's change the angle and do it again."
Everything went smoothly. They filmed this scene from several different angles, and each time, it was a success!
"Great job, everyone. Qin Wei, please treat everyone to some herbal grass jelly drinks, and all departments can take a 15-minute break."
After spending over two hours filming the wirework action, they finally wrapped up. The wirework technician came over to remove the equipment, and Li Liang hurriedly went to support Qin Wei and guide her to sit down for a rest.
"Oh, I..."
Li Liang interrupted her in a righteous tone. "Sis, watch your language. There are certain plants we shouldn't mention!"
"My neck hurts, my waist hurts, my legs hurt. I didn't mean to curse..."
Qin Wei rubbed her neck. It was challenging to control her body movements after being suspended, although it looked effortless and graceful. Each movement required exertion.
And yet, all the difficulty mustn't be apparent in her actions and expressions. She had to appear relaxed, elegant, and confident, so that the audience wouldn't have thoughts like, "Is this girl pulling onions out of the ground?" or "Is the female lead being suspended by wires?"
As she sat down to rest, even though she didn't have any lines, she felt like her throat was on fire.
At the right moment, Li Liang brought her a cup of lukewarm, unsweetened, taro pearl herbal grass jelly milk tea.
Qin Wei took a sip, vividly remembering that she had ordered it with less ice, three-quarters sugar, and added taro pearls. What was this low-quality drink in her hand?
She had been anticipating it for two hours!
She looked up, huffed, and glared at Li Liang.
Li Liang hummed and twiddled her fingers, saying,
"Sis, it's not my fault. Li Yao didn't allow me to..."
Qin Wei became furious and pouted,
"Li Yao, Li Yao, Li Yao! You have the same last name, Li, as him. Every time you open your mouth, it's Li Yao. Are you his own mother's darling?"
Li Liang: "......"
Fine, let it be low-budget then... Qin Wei practically wasted all of it and even flipped through the new script that was supposed to come from Xiao, but it was completely blank with no markings on it.
Yao Director happened to pass by and unintentionally caught a glimpse of it. His entire demeanor changed for the worse.
Just a moment ago, while shooting the action scenes, he thought Qin Wei was working hard. But now, seeing her with a blank and brand-new script, he felt like she was exposing her true nature.
The script had been distributed for over a month, and it was still pristine!?
He had heard rumors before about a certain Qin-surnamed female celebrity being unprofessional on set. He was lucky enough to never have collaborated with her. However, during the auditions for this drama, she indeed showed outstanding performance and appeared sincere. Coupled with her inherent topic-generating influence, the rest of the creative team unanimously selected her. Yao Director himself hesitated a bit due to her past, but out of trust in Qiao Sixiao's recommendation, he still gave the green light.
After all, she was recommended by Qiao, who had collaborated with him multiple times. He naturally believed in her.
But now, Yao Director felt like his drama was being manipulated by capital once again.
What more could he do when it was already a fait accompli?
He could only explain the scenes bit by bit and have her imitate them.
When she didn't feel like performing, just coax and pamper her.
If it really didn't work, then use doubles and editing.
Unfortunately, that's how this project turned out.
Feeling mentally exhausted.
Life is not easy, Yao Director sighed.
