Crossover Actors - Chapter 10

Ruan Feng was firmly hugging Qu Yanting, his arms wrapped around Qu Yanting’s waist, and he lowered his head to nuzzle and rub against Qu Yanting’s shoulder.

 

At first, Qu Yanting hugged him back, patting his back, but after just a few seconds, he began to push him away, saying, “That’s enough, you’re making it hard for me to breathe.”

 

Reluctantly, Ruan Feng let go, “It’s been several months since we last met. I missed you a lot. Did you miss me?”

 

Qu Yanting had mentioned it over the phone, but saying it face-to-face felt a bit mushy. Even with the embrace, as an adult, he wasn’t used to maintaining it for too long.

 

As he sat Ruan Feng down on the sofa, he asked, “Did anyone see you just now?”

 

“Don’t worry,” Ruan Feng reclined casually, “They’re all across the street filming, and there aren’t many people in the residential area, so I won’t be seen.”

 

Qu Yanting turned to the side and pushed Ruan Feng’s bangs away, “There are many people in the crew, so be a bit more discreet in what you say and do.”

 

Ruan Feng responded jokingly, “To be safe, I should just call you Mr. Qu in private too. How about that?”

 

Qu Yanting muttered, “You’re so inappropriate.”

 

Ruan Feng rubbed his forehead against Qu Yanting’s palm, “Did you come to the set just to see me?”

 

“Think again,” Qu Yanting pinched Ruan Feng’s cheek, “I came to revise the script and happened to check on you.”

 

Ruan Feng, feeling the pinch, glanced at the coffee table, which indeed was covered with a pile of scripts. He felt a bit foolish for rushing to the set immediately after getting off the plane, without even catching his breath.

 

Qu Yanting had arranged with the team leader to review the script as a personal favor and had instructed Ruan Feng to keep it to himself and not spread it around. Ruan Feng nodded and asked, “How long will you stay?”

 

“As long as things go smoothly,” Qu Yanting countered, “Have you met the director yet?”

 

Ruan Feng replied, “Not yet. I was eager to see you and didn’t greet anyone else.”

 

“Oh right, I ran into Lu Wen at the entrance of the residential area just now,” Qu Yanting described as he sat up. “When the male lead was selected, I looked up his photos online. He looks even better in person. The street was so crowded, but I spotted him at a glance.”

 

Qu Yanting remained calm as if listening to news, “Hmm.”

 

Ruan Feng asked, “So, compared to Lu Wen, who do you think is more handsome?”

 

Qu Yanting replied, “Compare intelligence rather than looks.”

 

“Forget it, let’s call it a tie,” Ruan Feng said, “But wait, you’ve only been here for two days. How do you already know his intelligence?”

 

The conversation drifted further, and Qu Yanting, having no time for small talk, glanced at his watch, pulled Ruan Feng up from the sofa, and said, “We’ll talk after work. I need to revise the script. You should meet the director quickly, then get to the set. If you have nothing else to do, just stay wherever it’s cool.”

 

Ruan Feng, reluctant to leave, asked, “Do you have time in the afternoon? Could you come watch my scenes?”

 

Having already made plans with Ren Shu, Qu Yanting said, “I’ll be with Group A in the afternoon. Maybe another day.”

 

After spending some time, Ruan Feng left, and Qu Yanting continued revising Scene 14.

 

As requested, he cut down some interactions between the main and supporting characters, added more individual shots of the main character to enhance the atmosphere of the story, and adjusted the script accordingly.

 

Overall, the changes were minor. Qu Yanting finished by noon, printed the revised script, and had Xiao Zhang distribute it to the director’s team, the camera crew, and the actors involved in the scene.

 

Lu Wen had just finished filming and was resting in the trailer when Sun Xiaojian brought the script, sat down at the table, and said, “The script has changes for Scene 14. Please take a look as soon as possible.”

 

Lu Wen was distracted and replied, “Oh.”

 

Sun Xiaojian wondered, “Why the changes? Could it be that Mr. Qu is just bored?”

 

Lu Wen mumbled, “Not bored, it’s a bright and sunny day.”

 

Sun Xiaojian didn’t hear clearly, “By the way, don’t eat anything else after the noodles. I’ve ordered some millet porridge for you to help your stomach, it’ll be delivered later.”

 

Lu Wen wasn’t listening, his mind was preoccupied with the scene he had witnessed at the entrance: Ruan Feng knocking on the door, putting his arm around Qu Yanting, and hugging him, with Qu Yanting happily accepting it all.

 

The way they behaved didn’t seem like it was their first meeting. Could it be that Qu Yanting and Ruan Feng knew each other?

 

But then Lu Wen thought, he and his dad didn’t hug even once a year, and he wasn’t that close with childhood friends either. In comparison, Qu Yanting and Ruan Feng’s familiarity seemed excessive.

 

Lu Wen’s mind wandered to the rumors about Ruan Feng in the industry…

 

“You’re lost in thought, your phone’s ringing,” Sun Xiaojian said.

 

Lu Wen’s train of thought was interrupted. He checked his messages and saw a last-minute notification from the director’s assistant. The cast and crew were to gather in ten minutes for a brief read-through of Scene 14 for the afternoon shoot.

 

Having drunk too much milk, Lu Wen said, “I’m going to the restroom.”

 

“Slowpoke,” Sun Xiaojian took the script and said, “I’ll go ahead and reserve a seat with your things so the director thinks you’ve arrived. It won’t look good otherwise.”

 

Lu Wen replied, “Save me a spot in the back.”

 

The filming location was moved to a nearby school next to the residential area. It was a small elementary school that hadn’t been renovated in years. The students had moved to a new campus six months ago, leaving this one temporarily abandoned.

 

In the drama, it was the high school attended by Ye Shan, a low-ranking high school with poor scores.

 

On the second floor of the teaching building, the crew members crowded the corridor eating boxed lunches. Several team leaders, the entire camera crew, Ren Shu, and the assistant director were eating in a classroom and would read through the script afterward.

 

Lu Wen arrived a few minutes late and, upon entering, looked towards the back row, only to find someone already sitting there.

 

Qu Yanting was seated in the far corner of the last row by the window, distant from others, writing with his head down, appearing detached.

 

Lu Wen walked over and saw that Qu Yanting’s script was being used as a makeshift writing pad. Anyone who’s been to university knows this is a behavior that would be criticized in a classroom setting.

 

But in reality, Lu Wen took a step back and sat in the second-to-last row quietly.

 

The sound of the pen scratching on paper was audible, but Qu Yanting didn’t look up. Lu Wen’s back was against Qu Yanting’s desk, and his broad shoulders provided a bit of cover, making Qu Yanting feel somewhat more at ease.

 

The breeze from the back window fluttered the paper, causing a sheet with writing to slip off the desk.

 

Finally, Lu Wen saw his chance, bent down to pick it up, and glanced at the paper.

 

It was no surprise that the paper was filled with lines of random scribbles, alternating between solid lines, dashed lines, and wavy lines.

 

Lu Wen turned around and handed the paper to Qu Yanting, “Mr. Qu, here you go.”

 

Qu Yanting still didn’t look up, took the paper, and placed it under his script as if nothing had happened.

 

Lu Wen said, “Mr. Qu, that’s my script.”

 

There was a brief pause in the atmosphere as Qu Yanting leaned back in his chair. Lu Wen pulled out his own script and saw the paper again, unable to resist offering a friendly reminder, “Mr. Qu, if you’re bored, you could use your phone instead.”

 

Qu Yanting finally spoke, “Have you become familiar with the script?”

 

Implied by the words was “go review your script,” but Lu Wen thought Qu Yanting wanted to chat, so he sat sideways and stayed still, “There’s no problem. There are just a few fewer lines, which are easier to remember.”

 

Qu Yanting didn’t like this half-hearted attitude and said, “Easy to remember doesn’t mean easy to act.”

 

“I’ll perform it seriously.” In the afternoon, when filming Ye Shan’s scenes, there was a scene involving a seat change, and Lu Wen said, “Mr. Qu, you happen to be sitting where Ye Shan will change to.”

 

Qu Yanting responded with a brief “Hmm,” and then fell silent.

 

Lu Wen muttered to himself, “It must be nice to sit next to you.”

 

Qu Yanting asked, “Why?”

 

Lu Wen answered, “It’s convenient for copying homework.”

 

“So you often copy homework?” 

 

“Not often, I usually don’t do it.”

 

Qu Yanting wasn’t too surprised, “That doesn’t sound like Ye Shan; it sounds more like Ye Shan’s classmates.”

 

Lu Wen disagreed, “Ye Shan’s classmates are so dumb, I’m not like that.”

 

Qu Yanting paused for a moment, “Then how would you be?”

 

“I’d stand up for Ye Shan, hang out with him, and treat him to good food when he’s hungry. Of course, I’d hope to occasionally copy his homework,” Lu Wen answered with a carefree smile.

 

Sitting in the classroom with such a distance between the front and back desks, and with such a simple, radiant smile… Qu Yanting felt a bit dazed, as if everything was unfamiliar and new.

 

After everyone finished lunch, the read-through finally began.

 

Everyone carried out their roles: Qu Yanting went through the scenes, Ren Shu revised the storyboards; the camera crew designed shots based on the storyboards; the lighting team adjusted the lighting based on the shots; the set design team modified the scenes, and the props team made corresponding arrangements.

 

Lu Wen followed the instructions, rehearsed the lines, and practiced the scene repeatedly until he was thoroughly familiar with the script.

 

Everyone sacrificed their lunchtime, and once the read-through was over, the set design and props teams immediately started working, while the stylist had just arrived and would need some time to do everyone’s hair and makeup.

 

Lu Wen took a moment to relax in the corridor, leaning against the railing and looking at the scenery with Sun Xiaojian.

 

Sun Xiaojian said, “I saw the stylist’s clothes, all school uniforms.”

 

Lu Wen couldn’t remember the last time he wore a school uniform; during his school days, he wore them very rarely, feeling that the monotonous school uniform would tarnish his handsomeness.

 

Sun Xiaojian commented, “The other people’s uniforms are fine, but the main character’s uniform is really shabby, old, and wrinkled.”

 

Lu Wen explained, “That’s intentional. The main character’s family is very poor. Ye Shan’s mother sells fish at the market, and Ye Shan helps out every morning and noon. His uniform inevitably gets messed up, and over time, it absorbs the fishy smell that won’t wash out.”

 

This fishy smell causes Ye Shan to be disliked and ostracized by his classmates, forcing him to change seats and sit alone in the back corner of the classroom.

 

Sun Xiaojian said, “That’s really unfortunate, but it’s convenient for eating fish.”

 

“Eating fish? How could he eat?” Lu Wen explained, “Ye Shan runs around during lunch, so he only gets to eat during the break in the afternoon. If it’s fish, he’d be starving for one meal.”

 

If Lu Wen weren’t an actor, he’d never experience this kind of life. He sighed, and his stomach growled in agreement.

 

Then he remembered, “The millet porridge you ordered hasn’t arrived yet?”

 

Sun Xiaojian smacked his forehead, “I forgot, it’s in the thermos box!”

 

The thermos box with the boxed lunches was placed in the corridor. Lu Wen went over to get it, lifted the lid, and saw that besides the millet porridge, there was also an untouched takeaway meal.

 

He took out the porridge and casually asked, “Who hasn’t had lunch yet?”

 

Xiao Zhang took a look and quickly brought out the takeaway, “What’s going on? I ordered this for Mr. Qu. Didn’t he eat before the read-through?”

 

Lu Wen wasn’t sure and looked towards the back door of the classroom, “Ah, Mr. Qu is coming out.”

 

Xiao Zhang didn’t dare delay and immediately ran over with the boxed meal, “Mr. Qu, please eat first, you’ll get cold otherwise.”

 

Qu Yanting said, “No need.”

 

“That’s not right,” Xiao Zhang handed over the takeaway, “Director Ren said you like spicy food. I ordered you water-boiled fish. You shouldn’t skip a meal.”

 

Qu Yanting showed no intention of taking the food. Stepping back from the aroma of the water-boiled fish, he shook his head and said, “I don’t eat fish.”

 

Xiao Zhang asked apologetically, “Ah… Are you allergic to fish?”

 

Qu Yanting replied, “Even if I were.”

 

Xiao Zhang said, “I’ll order something else for you right away. Today’s my mistake.”

 

Qu Yanting patted Xiao Zhang’s shoulder, indicating that it was okay. He felt that missing one meal wasn’t a big deal and turned towards the corridor to get a bottle of water to soothe his throat.

 

After taking a few steps, he was stopped by an arm extending from the side.

 

Lu Wen, holding a lunchbox, said, “Mr. Qu, let me treat you to some porridge.”