Chapter 47 — Distracted on Set

“Cut… That won’t do! Yi Shu, your emotions aren’t in the right place. The other guy is your romantic rival. When you’re facing your rival’s provocation, as a man, your dignity and the anger of defending your love should build up gradually, bursting out bit by bit—not lukewarm like that. Of course, the inner struggle is important, but your expression must also draw the audience in…”

Director Lu, one of the rare male directors in the romance genre, had won several awards. Right now, plenty of people in the television industry were desperate for a chance to work with him.

“All right…”

After hearing the director’s long speech, Cheng Yi Shu only replied with a faint, “Okay,” then sat back in his chair, his face completely unreadable.

“Uh… well then, let’s all take a ten-minute break. We’ll shoot again after ten minutes…”

The assistant director, skilled at reading the room, cut off Director Lu’s rising annoyance and hurriedly pulled him aside to the director’s monitor, smiling as he spoke.

“Director Lu, have some tea and rest for a bit. The assistant just made you this year’s new Tieguanyin—fresh as can be!”

Director Lu grunted in dissatisfaction but still took the tea, blowing on it gently.

“How is it? Not bad, right?” The assistant director bent over, practically groveling as he smiled and asked.

“It’s just all right.”

Director Lu set down the cup, his expression turning stern as he looked at the assistant director. Most of his anger had subsided as he said, “Don’t think this trick works every time. I’ve seen it all before. Acting and living are the same—if your acting is lacking, you can improve, but if you don’t know how to conduct yourself, you’ll never make it in this life. What’s with Cheng Yi Shu? Not everyone gets the privilege of having me personally coach them. Is this the kind of impolite and unprofessional artist your company produces?”

As he spoke, Director Lu’s anger, which had just cooled, flared up again.

“No, no…” The assistant director kept smiling apologetically and lowered his voice, “Yi Shu just joined the industry, so he’s unfamiliar with a lot of things. He’s not formally trained either, so his acting does need polishing. That’s why we’re so grateful for your guidance. He’s young and inexperienced, a bit thin-skinned… but I’ll talk to him, get him to learn from you. Not everyone gets this opportunity. Don’t worry, we won’t let you be troubled again…”

Director Lu didn’t respond to this speech, so the assistant director could only chuckle awkwardly and add, “You rest for now. I’ll go talk to Yi Shu, give him a proper reminder… You just relax.”

Director Lu nodded noncommittally, crossing his legs and sipping his tea. Only then did the assistant director straighten up and head toward Cheng Yi Shu.

Staring blankly at the game on his phone, Cheng Yi Shu was as motionless as if he were meditating with his eyes open.

He had thought Lin Xiaowen must have liked him; that was why he was willing to reopen old wounds, exposing his scars to her bit by bit.

All these years, no one had ever made him lower his guard like this, speak so openly and vulnerably about his pain.

Yet last night, in front of Lin Xiaowen, he had shed all his armor, revealing the other side of his idol self to her.

All because Cheng Yi Shu thought Lin Xiaowen liked him…

But her indifferent tone and distant gaze had told him otherwise.

She’d rather go on blind dates, meet one stranger after another, than like him.

Why?

Was he really so unworthy of being liked, of being loved?

Were Lin Xiaowen and Tan Jing both really so indifferent to him—was he truly dispensable to them?

“Yi Shu…”

When the assistant director approached, Cheng Yi Shu was still lost in chaotic thoughts. Da Lingzi, his assistant, held up a finger, signaling the assistant director to keep quiet.

“What’s going on?” The assistant director, no longer so deferential as before Director Lu, questioned Da Lingzi directly.

“I’m not sure. He’s been like this since makeup this morning…” Da Lingzi pouted, her expression saying, “Why are you asking me?”

Hearing their exchange, Cheng Yi Shu slipped his phone back into his suit pocket.

He looked up at the assistant director standing before him, his gaze cold as he asked, “What is it?”

The assistant director, also from Star Entertainment, had joined the crew specifically—to serve as a ‘nanny’ for Cheng Yi Shu, the company’s hot new leading man.

If you’re a nanny, you have to ‘love and care for’ your ‘protected animal’ at all times—hence the scene where Director Lu scolded Cheng Yi Shu in public, and the assistant director quickly intervened.

“Yi Shu, you… is something wrong?”

Cheng Yi Shu was known in the company for his aloof and proud demeanor, but he was always diligent and earnest at work.

Since they were from the same company and had worked together before, the assistant director immediately sensed something was off.

“It’s nothing.” Cheng Yi Shu replied softly, then stood up as the wardrobe stylist hurried over to tidy his clothes.

He added, “I slept late last night, have a bit of a headache, just not in the right state.”

“That’s good. Do you need some medicine for your headache?” The assistant director looked at him with concern, then quickly switched to a mildly reproachful tone. “You know you have work—shouldn’t stay up late. Didn’t we wrap up early yesterday? It’s filming season now, you have to take care of yourself. Don’t run off for no reason, and take Da Lingzi with you if you go. Read the script several more times, get into character. Look over there…”

He motioned with his eyes for Cheng Yi Shu to look at Qin Xingyu, who was beside Director Lu, watching the monitor with full attention. Leaning in, he whispered so only the two of them could hear, “Look at him—good with people, attentive. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, Director Lu already has issues with your attitude. You’d better get it together. The show’s just started filming—anything could happen, got it?”

The assistant director gave him another warning look, patted Cheng Yi Shu on the shoulder, and walked away.

Cheng Yi Shu was as calm as ever, but Da Lingzi couldn’t hold it in. She darted in front of him, about to speak, but seeing the stylist still fussing, she instead smiled and said, “Excuse me, makeup artist, but Brother Cheng’s throat has been a bit inflamed these past days—he needs to take some medicine. Sorry to trouble you!”

The stylist smiled easily and said, “No problem,” packing up and leaving at once.

“Oh my god, Brother Cheng, did you hear what the assistant director said? You heard it, right? What do we do now, what do we do?” Da Lingzi squealed, almost jumping in place. Cheng Yi Shu only glanced at her and replied coolly, “What’s there to do?”

Good grief, how can he be so calm?

Da Lingzi was speechless, staring at Cheng Yi Shu as if he were an alien.