Chapter 24

There is no endless road in this world, just as there is no banquet that never disperses.

Upon arriving at Jin C's residence, Li Jingming, the young master of a wealthy family, naturally felt nothing, but Li Zhiyan was stunned. Wasn't this the legendary villa? A standalone European-style house with a not too large or small yard, elegant and refined, especially in summer, the yard was filled with lush flowers, adding a unique charm. It was already afternoon, the sun was not too scorching, slanting in and casting a golden edge around the small building. Li Zhiyan immediately broke free from his shy and flustered state in the car, feeling his life goals suddenly become much clearer: strive to debut, work hard to earn money, and buy a house like this.

After a few people entered the house, a young man with an ordinary appearance immediately came forward. He was so ordinary that even if his wanted posters were plastered all over the streets, he could still go to the supermarket to buy vegetables and then go to the sauna without being recognized.

"Brother! You're here." This person bowed to Jin C.

"Oh, Sanggi." Jin C threw his things aside: "I'm going to change clothes, you guys get to know each other."

Jin C hadn't taken a shower since yesterday. Now that he was home, he decided to change his clothes first. He threw the script onto the coffee table in the living room and left.

"Hello, I'm Li Jingming." Li Jingming greeted politely.

"Hello, I'm Li Zhiyan." Li Zhiyan followed.

"Hello, I'm Baek Sanggi." The other person returned the greeting.

Seeing that the other person didn't speak again, Li Jingming asked, "May I ask, you are..."

"Oh, I'm Brother Jin C's agent."

Then, silence. Li Jingming's mouth twitched. Why did he keep encountering people with this kind of personality these days? They only spoke when asked, otherwise they just stood there.

Fortunately, Jin C was quick. He came out in just two minutes. Men's summer clothes are simple, just two pieces, one on top and one on the bottom (underwear not included).

"Do you all know each other?" Jin C asked with a smile.

All three nodded, but only they knew what they were thinking. Was it enough to just know each other's names?

Jin C nodded in satisfaction and led the three to the third floor, where his resting area was. The living room was filled with people, and the equipment was already set up, waiting for the lead actors to perform. These people were found through Jin C's company connections and had worked with him many times, so they seemed very familiar. Li Jingming and Li Zhiyan greeted everyone and then sat in the positions Jin C pointed to, ready for the next round of shooting.

Outside the living room was the third-floor terrace, separated by a full-glass sliding door, with excellent lighting. The furniture and floor mats inside were pure white, making the entire room bright. This scene was of two people sitting on the floor eating toast. Li Jingming used strawberry jam to draw a pink heart on the toast and then fed it to Li Zhiyan. The simple scene required the two to show a warm and loving side, which wasn't difficult, but Li Zhiyan had a problem again.

Jin C asked the two to sit close together, with Li Zhiyan hugging Li Jingming's arm and resting her head on his shoulder, then taking a bite of the toast and showing a sweet smile. The problem was with the "hugging." In the heat of summer, with few clothes on, Li Zhiyan's hug pressed her right breast almost entirely onto Li Jingming's arm. Li Jingming, who had "seen it all," felt nothing from this small favor, but Li Zhiyan, a pure and shy girl, was flustered, taking a hesitant bite and then giving a restrained smile.

Jin C shook his head, feeling it was off: "Too weak, do it again."

They did it two more times, slightly better, but still far from Jin C's standards. Seeing some improvement, Jin C didn't want to scold them directly: "Find the feeling you had in the studio, it's still too weak." Jin C, as a movie director, had seen all kinds of situations with so many actors in a film, so he wouldn't lose patience so easily.

Many people think acting isn't difficult, thinking, "Isn't it just acting? I can do it too." Let's use an analogy. One evening, you're sitting at a street stall, with a pile of skewers and cold noodles on the table. Just as you're about to enjoy a delicious meal, a group of people suddenly surround your table. They don't say anything, just stare at you, some even taking photos with their phones. Who could still have an appetite? Not only that, but when you finally overcome your discomfort and decide to eat a skewer of lamb, a man from the crowd slowly says, "Too weak!"

At that moment, you'd probably want to stab him with the skewer.

Actors face even more exaggerated situations. Singers perform on stage in front of a large audience, but the audience is still far away. In a film crew, not only are there a bunch of staff members surrounding you, but you're also under strong lights and cameras. You might have to repeat the same line ten or twenty times, making exaggerated expressions and movements. Without editing, it would look like a group of exaggerated lunatics.

Understanding the hardships of actors, Jin C was very tolerant. Unfortunately, no matter how tolerant Jin C was, Li Zhiyan couldn't take it anymore. Shyness was one thing, but her dry mouth was another. She had been biting the toast since the beginning, and as Li Jingming's technique for drawing the heart with a spoon improved, her mouth became drier. People who watch Korean entertainment shows might notice that Koreans are very frugal, sometimes even swallowing prank foods. Li Zhiyan was now in such a situation. This was the sixth NG, and after Jin C called a stop, she swallowed the toast directly, even though it was just a small bite each time. She couldn't bear it anymore, and she was embarrassed to ask for water.

Li Jingming didn't notice at first, but after a while, he noticed Li Zhiyan licking her lips from time to time, which was very tempting. After confirming that Li Zhiyan wasn't just feeling hot and thirsty, Li Jingming realized she was thirsty.

Taking advantage of Jin C scratching his chin to think of a solution, Li Jingming quietly said to Li Zhiyan, "Hey, we're almost out of toast (a small pack of eight slices), your diet plan is about to fail."

Li Zhiyan nudged Li Jingming with her shoulder, annoyed that he was making jokes. This wasn't a solution, and she wondered if they would have to use the beef method again.

"Brother, I'm a bit thirsty, can I have a glass of iced water?" Li Jingming shouted to Jin C, ignoring Li Zhiyan's expression.

"You're already complaining after ten minutes, how troublesome." Jin C said, but still called an assistant to bring a glass of water.

Li Jingming took a sip and pretended to look at Li Zhiyan, "Do you want some too?"

"Thank you." Li Zhiyan realized that the water was for her, feeling deeply moved. In such a helpless situation, even a small act of kindness could be magnified. She had never been so moved by a glass of iced water before, but the timing was crucial.

"Here, take it." Li Jingming handed the glass to her, winking.

While Li Zhiyan was lost in her thoughts, Jin C's voice rang in her ear like a thunderclap, "Li Zhiyan, your state is no good! How can we shoot the next scenes like this?"

Wait, the next scenes? Li Zhiyan remembered, the next scenes were the bed scenes!

Jin C's question made Li Zhiyan think about the problem. She couldn't even do a simple hug and bite of toast, how could she handle the bed scenes? The word "weak" would become "extremely weak."

Li Zhiyan's throat was even drier, and she drank the iced water in one gulp. She steeled herself, determined to break through.

Water is great, not just a source of life, but it also has a mysterious effect on the mind. In a critical moment, a glass of cold water can calm you down (purely a joke). With the help of the water, Li Zhiyan calmed down and decided to "let go." Jin C was impressed by her transformation, feeling the taste of love.

"Cut, very good." Jin C nodded, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. This scene didn't take too long, but for Li Zhiyan, it felt like half a century, while for others, it was just half an hour.

Li Jingming's butt was sore from sitting on the floor for so long. Hearing that it was over, he quickly stood up and rubbed it. Seeing Li Zhiyan still sitting, he reached out and pulled her up. The two smiled at each other, and the chemistry in a love scene was different, making their feelings grow rapidly.

In a pink atmosphere, the two followed the crew into a room, which was Jin C's bedroom.

The room's interior was very simple, contrary to Jin C's public image. It was exceptionally clean and tidy, with just two cabinets and a large bed. The bed was very large but low, almost like a mattress on the floor, with two large pillows and a thin blanket on the white mattress.

While the crew set up the scene and adjusted the equipment, Li Jingming and Li Zhiyan stood by the bed, watching it. Finally, the moment had come.

"You two, go lie on the bed." Jin C didn't even look up, still directing with the viewfinder. But he clearly meant Li Jingming and Li Zhiyan.

Li Zhiyan took a deep breath, sat on the edge of the bed, and neatly placed her slippers before lying down. Li Jingming went to the other side of the bed. With so many people around, even he, who was usually calm, felt a bit uncomfortable, but seeing the beauty lying next to him, his frustration decreased.

Although Li Zhiyan was determined to break through, she was still nervous. She bent her left leg and pressed it against her straight right leg, her tight summer jeans showing off her smooth and attractive legs. Her left hand held the hem of her T-shirt, and her right hand gripped the mattress, looking like a delicate flower needing care.

Seeing this, Li Jingming was immediately aroused. To hide his condition, he propped himself up with one hand, half lying and half sitting, which made it easier to look at Li Zhiyan. From his high vantage point, he looked down at Li Zhiyan, who initially avoided his gaze but then looked up and met his eyes.

Just as the two were about to turn the pink atmosphere into a red one, a loud voice rang out behind them, "Hey!"

Oh, who is it? Li Jingming was angry. He was lost in his thoughts, and this sudden shout could leave a psychological shadow. What if it affected him in the future?

In movies, there are always scenes where the wedding ceremony is held in a church, and the protagonist waits outside for hours, ready to shout "I object" when the priest asks if anyone objects. Li Jingming always wondered what would happen if the priest didn't ask. Was this cliché going to happen to him?

Li Jingming turned his head and saw a distorted face.

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