IPCFS: Chapter 81 Part 1

For the role of Wen Qiong, Qin Yue had specially grown his hair by five or six centimeters. It was tied at the back of his head like a small bun.

The blurred lights from the bar made the bridge of his nose straighter. Combine this with the delicately carved brow bones above, the thin and reddish lips below, and the man’s figure wrapped in a gray and old wide tan blazer.

It was obvious that he deliberately wore old clothes and had a haggard appearance, but Qin Yue had a sense of pride that still existed despite the fall of his noble status.

This Qin Yue was different from his previous roles, and it was something Ji Li had never seen before.

Ji Li stared straight ahead and was unable to look away for a while.

It was no wonder why Lu Yao couldn’t take his eyes away from Wen Qiong the moment he entered the bar. It was no wonder why Lu Yao was so excited that he decisively ordered the Long Island Iced Tea he had only read about.

Wen Qiong, played by Qin Yue, was just like the Long Island Iced Tea. He looked harmless on the surface and even confusingly attracted people’s attention, but once it was drunk, the inner taste was so strong that it was unforgettable.

Qin Yue seemed used to such cheering. He bypassed the group of onlookers and walked quickly to Ji Li and Cameron.

“You’ve come?”

His greeting was obviously aimed toward Ji Li.

Before Ji Li could respond, Cameron excitedly hugged the other protagonist in his movie.

“Qin, the first time I came into contact with this character, I thought you were suitable for it. Unexpectedly, you still gave me such a huge surprise.”

It was too suitable!

This role was born for Qin Yue!

“Thank you, Director. The fact that I can get your affirmation means that my character creation has been half successful.”

Qin Yue’s emotional intelligence was very high, and he praised Director Cameron with this simple sentence.

Ji Li gave a low laugh, but he couldn’t help praising this person, “Brother Yue, your appearance is quite charming.”

The word ‘charming’ was subtle and beautiful.

Qin Yue met Ji Li’s straightforward, admiring gaze and suppressed the pleasure in his heart. “Director Cameron, you will soon find that you have also picked the right person for Lu Yao.”

Cameron raised his eyebrow and rubbed his hands together. “Ji, you should hurry up and put on makeup. I can’t wait.”

“Okay, Director,” Ji Li responded.

He took half a step closer to Qin Yue and looked him up and down. Then he whispered in Chinese, “Brother Yue, I am under a lot of pressure when you act like this.”

However, it was both pressure and motivation.

Ji Li hadn’t felt such excitement for a long time. Under the guidance of the staff, he quickly approached the temporary dressing room in the rear box.

Cameron obviously didn’t understand Ji Li’s last sentence and asked curiously, “Qin, what did Ji say to you just now?”

A gleam of satisfaction appeared in Qin Yue’s eyes and he said without blushing, “He said that he likes my… Wen Qiong very much.”

“Really?” Cameron seemed to understand something.

Qin Yue snorted lightly. “Director, didn’t you say you want to shoot a single person poster? I’m ready.”

“Okay, let’s get started.”

Cameron called for the camera team of the crew to start preparations.

Yu Fuya and Baozi were blocked by the tall foreign staff, but they had heard the conversation just now.

Baozi pushed up his thick-rimmed glasses. He always felt that he had discovered another side of the movie king that was unknown. “Sister Yu, why do I think that Teacher Qin Yue is a bit black-bellied?”

When did Brother Ji say that he liked Wen Qiong?

Teacher Qin Yue was bullying Director Cameron for not understanding Chinese!

“He is scheming and planning to swallow the sheep step by step,” Yu Fuya replied with a cold snort.

Before Baozi could realize what ‘sheep’ meant, he saw Yu Fuya walking toward the backstage dressing room. “Sister Yu, where are you going?”

“I’m going to keep an eye on the little lamb to ensure it isn’t tricked by the big-tailed wolf.”

“What?”

***

The foreign team responsible for Ji Li’s makeup was very professional. The moment it was confirmed that Ji Li would play Lu Yao, they designed a full set of makeup based on his appearance characteristics.

Lu Yao was a rich second generation master. He lingered in entertainment venues and was accustomed to luxury and money.

So, unlike the ‘down and out’ appearance of the actor Qin Yue, Ji Li’s clothes had to be bright and beautiful.

He wore a bright purple long jacket with a black-colored sweater inside. There was an overly luxurious watch, necklace, and ring. Every strand of hair was exquisite, and no imperfections were allowed.

Once the makeup was completed, Baozi involuntarily gulped as he stared at Ji Li’s million dollar watch and the equally expensive accessories.

The crew was really willing to spend money!

From the little beggar who ‘begged for food’ to the rich second generation master who ‘wore gold and silver’, the wealth of Brother Ji’s role had skyrocketed!

“Brother Ji, you look so rich now.”

The moment Baozi finished saying this, Yu Fuya rewarded him with a hit to the back of the head. “Look at your dog-legged appearance. It seems like our Chaoying is very poor, which is why we haven’t arranged this type of styling for Ji Li.”

Baozi laughed and rubbed the back of his head without any annoyance.

“Mr. Ji, if there are no problems, you can go to the shooting set,” the head of the styling team told him from the side.

“Yes, thank you.” Ji Li smiled while expressing his thanks and quickly walked back to the bar’s shooting location.

***

Qin Yue had finished shooting for the movie poster. At this moment, a group of people were gathered around the tablet to select a shot, and the crew’s photographer praised Qin Yue’s sense of the camera.

There was no doubt that Qin Yue was the first person to notice Ji Li’s return. He didn’t care about choosing the shot and simply got up neatly. “Are you all ready?”

The people around them heard Qin Yue’s words and shifted their gazes.

There was an exclamation from the group. “Oh my god, this Chinese actor is also so beautiful.”

The bright purple long coat undoubtedly made Ji Li the brightest presence in the bar.

It had to be known that purple was always the most attractive color. If the skin was a bit darker and the shape a bit rough, it was easy to be unable to suppress such a noble and rich color.

Not only could Ji Li wear it, but he also wore it beautifully.

Under the dappled light, he had a casual smile. The seemingly innocent but quiet eyes were like a bright aurora bursting out in the night, reflecting the romantic and almost absurd heart of the character.

Lu Yao was a person who was accustomed to camouflaging bloody wounds with superficial prosperity and smiles.

Ji Li understood this character, so the moment he put on makeup, he became Lu Yao.

“Qin, you are right. Ji is a good actor. His Lu Yao has brought me a surprise compared to your Wen Qiong…”

Cameron let out a sigh of satisfaction and expressed in broken but sincere Chinese, “It is more than that.”

He should take a photo to show the screenwriter, Amanda. She didn’t come to film this time, so she couldn’t get close to the impact of the characters in the script jumping into reality. It was such a pity!

Screenwriter Amanda was a person who loved the script like life. She spent four years perfecting the script. During the preparation period, she also repeatedly communicated with Cameron and the others.

As a result, she backed down the moment filming was approaching.

Amanda believed in Director Cameron’s vision, but she was still afraid there would be a gap between reality and the script.

However, Cameron firmly believed that the appearance of Ji Li and Qin Yue would make the screenwriter Amanda let go of all her worries.

“Director, do you want to shoot Ji Li’s solo poster?” The crew photographer excitedly asked while carrying the equipment.

“Of course.” Cameron nodded.

He looked at Ji Li and asked, “Ji, how do you understand Lu Yao?”

“He came here not to travel as he claimed, but to avoid himself…”

He hid the bloody pain under his smile. His longing for family affection and the expectation of love had cooled after his mother’s death.

Lu Yao had put on a disguise in front of his scoundrel friends for many years. So he hid in Iceland, in this place where no one knew him.

Cameron didn’t express his position directly, but asked his staff members to bring him a glass of alcohol.

“Let’s shoot. Do it according to your own understanding, Ji. You are Lu Yao. I don’t need to set a framework for you any longer.”

“Okay.”

Ji Li looked around and found the small part of the bar that was the brightest.

It was the window seat next to the store. In order to attract business, the bar’s most brilliant billboard was hung on the outside of it.

It was too obvious that few people usually liked that position.

The photographer followed closely.

Everyone’s eyes followed closely, including Qin Yue himself.

Ji Li sat on the bar stool and gently shook the glass of alcohol.

The gorgeous lights hit his handsome face, creating different light waves every second.

The photographer quickly pressed the shutter and changed the angle to shoot.

Currently, Ji Li was like a dynamic pictorial. Every move was eye-catching.

However, such a superficial state was far from enough.

So after the photographer took dozens of photos in a row, Ji Li changed his posture.

Ji Li’s originally upright body collapsed. He seemed to be extremely tired as he lay on the table. Then he tapped the glass that glowed with the alcohol.

The cup hit the tablet and shattered crisply.

He looked at the red liquor flowing on the edge of the table. The smile on his face dissipated little by little, and endless bitterness surged in his eyes.

The originally glamorous aura instantly softened. The sudden strong sense of loneliness could almost kill people instantly.

Ji Li seemed like a long-injured little beast, trapped in this seemingly bright world.

In the light, in the darkness.

The onlookers and drinkers were infected by him and unanimously frowned.

They were afraid that the young man in the photo would pick up the broken glass and end his life in this way.

If only they could give him a hug, even if it was just one.

Many onlookers thought so.

The photographer understood what Ji Li was expressing and frantically pressed the shutter.

Awesome!

It was amazing!

Where did Director Cameron find the two leading actors? They obviously shot the posters one after another, but the two of them felt the same through the lens!

As the only direct viewer behind the camera, the photographer could clearly perceive it.

These two equally lonely souls were about to meet inside this bar. In a world full of darkness and noise, they were each other’s only light.

The shooting of the solo posters lasted less than 20 minutes before Director Cameron announced that it was over.

He was very satisfied with Ji Li’s shaping of the character and didn’t need to comment on it deliberately. He could see the result through the looks of everyone present. The audience’s real emotions were always the best comments.

The photographer immediately checked the materials of the two people. Then he was pleasantly surprised to find that Qin Yue and Ji Li’s posters already had an invisible sense of harmony.

The ‘protagonists’ hadn’t even met yet!

What did this mean? It could only mean that there was a natural fit between the two leading actors!

The photographer was reluctant to delete all of the photo materials, so he saved them on his hard drive.

Director Cameron was worthy of being the one who had won the ‘Best Director’ at the Yana International Film Festival six times. His vision of the characters was too accurate!

He could already imagine what type of explosions there would be after seeing two such faces during the official promotion of the movie!

The best posters for the solo versions were already out!

He couldn’t wait for the poster with the two people together and their official filming.

Qin Yue and Ji Li were both excellent actors. They knew how to find a sense of character in a short period of time.

So after a short poster shooting, Cameron immediately decided to enter the filming of the first scene.

“Qin, you and Ji should check your lines again.” Cameron requested. Then he busied himself with communicating with the camera team about the net filming details.

Half an hour of preparations passed in a flash.

On the cold street corner outside the bar, Ji Li’s downcast eyes were gathering the emotions of the character. The cameraman carried a mobile camera and stood diagonally in front of them. The two people stood in their respective spots, always ready for the director to call for them to start.

The sound of music from the bar was muffled through the thick brick wall and Cameron’s ‘Action!’ soon broke through the noise.

The first scene of ‘Long Island Iced Tea’ and the first encounter between Lu Yao and Wen Qiong officially started.

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Proofreader: Azure