Chapter 36

"Sure, Miss Zheng Xiuyan will be playing my wife, hahaha, Sister Xi Zai, are you disappointed?" Li Jingming immediately introduced Jessica to the rest of the crew, "She is a trainee from S.M Entertainment and also my friend."

He didn't mention Jessica's upcoming debut, as S.M hadn't officially announced it yet, and the final results were still uncertain. He didn't want to cause any trouble for Jessica by leaking the information prematurely.

Jin Xizai, the makeup assistant for Jin C, complained half-jokingly, "I thought after working behind the scenes for so many years, I would finally get a chance to be on camera, even if it's just a back view. Look, now a beautiful lady has come, and Jin C's eyes are glued to her."

"Such a grudge, OPPA is directly called Agassi now." Jin C found it a bit amusing. They had worked together for many years and had a good relationship, so a little teasing was harmless.

"Hello everyone, I am Zheng Xiuyan, my English name is Jessica. You can call me Jessica." Jessica bowed and greeted the crew. Artists in the industry were expected to show respect to the behind-the-scenes workers, a kind of "industry rule."

"Alright, let's finish this scene first." Jin C clapped his hands to get everyone's attention and continued shooting Li Zhiyan's part, "Li Zhiyan, capture that emotion well. You can take a moment to build it up, and then signal me when you're ready."

Li Zhiyan took a deep breath, looked up at the sky, which was a bit overcast with leaden clouds covering the entire sky of Seoul. A cool breeze on the rooftop dispersed the heat from the past few days, but she was immersed in a vague and indescribable melancholy.

She nodded to Jin C, and the word "Action!" rang in her ears. Li Zhiyan began her performance.

The performance was both exaggerated and realistic. If she smiled and cried as usual, it would lack the emotional intensity on screen. On the other hand, overly deliberate and unrealistic acting would lack the power to evoke emotions. The balance was a good actor's tool to convince the audience through their own performance.

Chinese opera, with its exaggerated performance techniques, beautiful singing, and detailed performance routines, has a unique charm. Many people think that such a performance art, compared to today's films and TV dramas, seems too external and rigid, lacking in acting skills. However, this is not the case. Opera emphasizes vivid and lifelike performances, all centered around the word "spirit." The "spirit" honed by veteran artists over decades is something most TV drama actors lack.

Li Zhiyan's previous performance lacked this "spirit." She was not only a trainee but also a drama student at university. Acting classes were her focus, and in terms of performance, she had already reached a very high level. Unfortunately, Jin C was a very picky person and was never satisfied. Now, as Li Zhiyan looked at Jessica standing next to Li Jingming, a faint, sour feeling arose in her. This feeling was elusive and hard to describe, but it added a touch of self-pity to her performance as she swayed the paper bag piano in her hand.

Jin C's eyes lit up. This was the feeling he had been looking for. He himself couldn't accurately grasp the emotions of the female lead because he wasn't a woman. However, from a viewer's perspective, he felt it wasn't good enough, so he kept asking Li Zhiyan to redo it. Jin C also had the idea of trying different approaches to pinpoint the right emotion, so he patiently helped Li Zhiyan rethink each take. Li Zhiyan's perseverance and determination had already won his approval, and if she still couldn't get it right, he would just pass it, as it was partly his own fault.

Now, Li Zhiyan's performance suddenly had a certain "rhythm," which delighted Jin C. He glanced at Li Jingming, who was standing stiffly like a spectator, and wondered if the boy had some kind of "acting aura" that made Li Zhiyan's performance burst forth.

Jessica was impressed. This sister's acting was so strong, even surpassing some professional actors in her eyes. At S.M, there were also acting classes, and many people attended them, especially those who thought they were good in other areas. Jessica, though focused on singing, had a good appearance and was ambitious and confident about acting. Watching Li Zhiyan's performance, she felt a sense of admiration, understanding why she was chosen by Jin C as the lead.

Jin C was a part-time film director and a veteran actor. If her acting could gain his approval, Li Zhiyan's acting career would receive a lot of support. Jessica, though just a cameo, was determined to perform well.

"Cut, perfect!" It was not easy for Jin C, such a picky person, to say "perfect." The crew clapped sparsely, and Li Zhiyan herself instantly snapped out of her acting state, knowing that the feeling she had just experienced was hard to recapture. Acting often involves weaving and amplifying non-existent or subtle elements to help oneself get into character, which is what Li Zhiyan had done.

"Great, Li Zhiyan, your part is done." Jin C clapped his hands and said, "Do you have any urgent matters? You can leave if you need to."

"No," Li Zhiyan quickly replied. For a trainee, a chance to participate in a production was very rare, and she had learned many things in the past two days that she couldn't learn in class. She didn't want to miss this hard-earned learning opportunity. Many newcomers would stay on set even after their scenes were done to learn from the experienced actors, and if they could pick up a trick or two from the veterans, it would be invaluable. Although this was just a simple MV, having Jin C, a senior figure, directing and Li Jingming, an excellent actor, as the lead, made it a valuable experience.

The next scene would be at the male lead's home years later. Li Jingming was sitting upright in the car, having put aside his usual carefree attitude because Li Zhiyan and Jessica were sitting on either side of him. Two men could quickly chat when they first met, and a man and a woman could quickly get into a conversation, but two women, especially two beautiful women, sitting together for the first time...

Since getting in the car, Li Jingming had seen Li Zhiyan smile at Jessica, and then Jessica smile back at Li Zhiyan, and then nothing. Jessica was now staring out the right window, and Li Zhiyan was staring out the left window. Despite living for many years, Li Jingming had always been at a loss with women. He didn't understand them and turned to Jin C for help, only to find that he was already asleep. The last scene was simple for Li Jingming, and there was nothing for Jin C to consider, so he fell asleep in the car after working for two days straight. For the crew, "moving" was almost synonymous with "resting."

Li Jingming didn't try to start a conversation to build rapport between Jessica and Li Zhiyan; he didn't want to wake Jin C.

It was still Jin C's house, and this time they would use his study.

After everyone was in position, Li Jingming noticed two small figures squeezed in the crowd, "strongly observing." Two cute little boys, about four or five years old, looked like they were carved from the same mold. They were twins. The two boys were holding onto the shorts of the cameraman, who was wearing shorts, presumably his sons. Li Jingming sat in front of the computer in Jin C's study, preparing to signal Jin C to start shooting. But when he turned around, he saw an unforgettable scene.

The two cute little brothers pulled down their father's loose shorts with all their might and then stomped on their father's feet. The poor cameraman, holding the camera, couldn't free his hands to pull up his pants, and his toes were being stepped on by the two rascals. He quickly put down the camera and pulled up his pants, and the two boys had already run away. At thirty-seven, it was his zodiac year, and his bright red underwear was seen by the entire crew, including Jessica and Li Zhiyan, who quickly turned away. The crew burst into laughter, as they were all familiar with each other.

"Hey, you two little rascals, don't let me catch you!" The poor cameraman thought he couldn't be any more embarrassed, but then something even more embarrassing happened.

"Mom told us that if we catch you staring at pretty big sisters, we should punish you!" The two little boys struck a pose from the Power Rangers, as if they had become agents of justice. Suffering so much and being labeled as a pervert for "staring at pretty big sisters" left the great father in a state of confusion.

The crew laughed even harder, and Jessica and Li Zhiyan's faces turned red. The cameraman's wife was truly a spirited person, teaching her sons such a powerful "punishment technique." However, the effect was undeniable. No matter how handsome and charming one was, once their bright red underwear was seen by everyone, they wouldn't have any more romantic encounters.

After laughing, Li Zhiyan shyly lowered her head, while Jessica looked as if she had learned something, seemingly inspired by the incident.

The two little boys' mischief completely dispelled the emotions Li Jingming had been building up for a long time. He wasn't annoyed; he was the happiest one watching. He really liked children, but in his previous life, he had never had his own. Watching these mischievous little angels, he could truly feel the charm of life.

After a while of chaos, the shooting had to continue. Li Jingming sat back down, opened his email, and saw a letter with an old-fashioned name. He was slightly surprised by the appearance of the email, and his detailed expression made Jin C nod. Li Jingming opened the email, and the unique tone, distinct voice, and small writing habits of the person were both unfamiliar and familiar. Some people are never forgotten in one's heart, even if they are sometimes hard to recall.

Li Jingming silently looked at the screen, at the letter, and touched his lower lip with his index finger, as if lost in a sea of memories. After a while, he took out a cigarette box from the drawer, opened it, and took out a cigarette, putting it in his mouth. He didn't sob softly or tremble, but the hesitation and longing were clearly felt by everyone around him. Li Jingming's practical acting skills were honed to subtly infect others.

Just as Li Jingming was expressing his nostalgia and faint regret to the fullest, a soft body embraced him from behind.