Since Gu Tingshen declared his intention to pursue Jing Li, the atmosphere between them had instantly changed. The ambiguity from before intensified, now tinged with a sweet and clinging affection.
Though they merely spoke of courtship, they clung to each other like lovers already in the throes of passion.
[Gu Tingshen: Still rehearsing?]
[Jing Li: It’s over.]
[Jing Li: I just saw them off.]
[Gu Tingshen: Them?]
[Jing Li: Yeah, Lele was here too.]
Jing Li typed a reply and, after a moment’s thought, casually added another message, [Didn’t you say you don’t like it when I’m alone with others, Shen-ge?]
Following that message, Gu Tingshen didn’t reply for several seconds, as if rendered speechless.
Jing Li imagined Gu Tingshen’s face turning red while trying to stay serious and found it irresistibly cute. A light chuckle escaped his lips.
Just as he was about to tease further, a video call request suddenly popped up on the screen. Assuming it was from Gu Tingshen, he fluttered his lashes and accepted without hesitation.
But the familiar face that appeared was his brother’s.
Jing Li: “……”
Jing Li’s smile froze for an instant before he adjusted and smiled softly as he greeted, “Ge.”
Jing Yu also greeted him with a smile. Then, suddenly, he sensed something was off and leaned closer to the screen, asking, “Why is your face so red?”
“……Maybe the air conditioning is too warm.” Though separated by a screen, Jing Li instinctively leaned back to increase the distance.
As if afraid his brother would see through him, he hastily changed the subject, “Why are you calling me at this hour? Haven’t you gone to bed?”
“Yeah, I just finished washing up and laid down.”
Fortunately, Jing Yu didn’t press the issue of Jing Li’s flushed face, though he found it odd his brother had the air conditioning on in early autumn. He went along, saying, “I was just worried since you just arrived on set, so I wanted to check on you.”
“I’m all grown up now, what’s there to worry about?” Jing Li teased with a smile, but his brother’s words filled him with warmth, his smile growing gentler. “You’re the one who needs to stop working so late. No amount of money is more important than your health, Ge.”
“Our Xiao Jing has really grown up,” Jing Yu remarked with a gentle smile, his eyes softening as he looked at his brother through the screen.
The brothers continued chatting for a while longer until it got really late, and finally, Jing Yu reluctantly ended the call.
After the call ended, the interface returned to Jing Li’s previous chat with Gu Tingshen. Jing Li saw an unfinished sentence of gibberish pinyin in his input box, as the call had interrupted his typing.
Looking back at their conversation, he noticed Gu Tingshen had responded at some point.
[Gu Tingshen: I just took a call briefly.]
[Gu Tingshen: Yeah, I don’t want others distracting my Xiao Jing.]
[Gu Tingshen: I want your eyes to only see me ever.]
……
[Gu Tingshen: Why aren’t you responding? Did I scare you?]
……
[Gu Tingshen: Fell asleep?]
[Gu Tingshen: Good night, baby1宝贝 (bǎo bèi) – treasured object / treasure / darling / baby.]
The timestamp showed the replies were from half an hour ago. Jing Li glanced over them, his gaze lingering on the last two words for a few seconds. Feeling the sweet flutter they gave him, the corners of his mouth curved up involuntarily.
He stroked the screen, deleting the incomplete sentence one character at a time, then softly murmured to himself, “Good night.”
*
On the first day of filming, everyone took it very seriously, rushing to the set early in the morning.
After finishing his makeup, Jing Li saw that there was still some time before shooting began. Several main actors gathered to run lines and prepare for the opening scene.
Just as they finished a run-through, Director Wen had someone notify them to get ready. The chatter ceased, and everyone headed towards the set.
The first scene involved Jing Li and two supporting actors. It was Jing Li’s main scene, portraying him as a young Major General devastated upon learning of his father’s assassination by his sworn enemies. Barely holding himself together through anguish and vengeance, he gritted his teeth and shouldered the family’s burdens. He secretly arranged for someone to retrieve his father’s body while hastening to the meeting hall to calm and assert his authority over his father’s subordinates who rushed over after hearing the news.
The scene appeared simple but severely tested one’s acting skills. Because of minimal dialogue, the entire scene relied heavily on micro-expressions and emotional delivery to set the tense atmosphere.
The set was a luxurious, aristocratic Republican-era townhouse, its lavish decor clearly belonging to a wealthy, powerful family. Soldiers stood spaced throughout, their guns slung over broad shoulders, adding an air of authority and seriousness to the already grand mansion.
Jing Li stood on the second-floor hallway in military uniform, eyes sharp as he strode forward purposefully. His boots struck the wooden floors with dull thuds reverberating through the solemn silence, their cadence seeming to bear down on the tense atmosphere, amplifying an awe-inspiring presence.
Outside, the torrential downpour pounded mercilessly, yet seemed muted by the dominating aura of the man within.
“Major General2In the intro for this script a few chapters back, the protagonist was a major general (少将 shăo jiāng). After that, it changed to 少帅. [少 (shào) – young; 帅 (shuài) – (bound form) commander-in-chief / (bound form) to lead; to command / handsome; graceful; dashing; elegant / (coll.) cool!; sweet! / (Chinese chess) general (on the red side, equivalent to a king in Western chess)]. I could only find 帅 in two military ranks, namely Yuan Shuai (Marshal) and Da Yuan Shuai (Grand Marshal). In this scene, the father is being called Lao Shuai (which could be Old Marshal) and the son is called Shao Shuai (which could be Young Marshal). According to HiNative, this is not a military rank but the son of a commander-in-chief/Marshal. But it is obvious that JL’s character is in military, so I will still be using Major General, and Father will be called General. Please let me know if you prefer Old/Young Marshal as opposed to General/Major General., Adjutant Qian of the late General’s forces requests an audience.” Just as Jing Li reached the first floor, the stillness shattered with a crisp report. His steps faltered briefly. “Let him in.”
The curt reply carried an undeniable commanding presence.
The reporting soldier bowed deeply with an “Yes, sir,” before turning to rush out. Moments later, he returned with another man.
But this newcomer appeared far from composed—his uniform was torn in several places, and he was drenched head-to-toe, whether from battling the downpour or thoroughly soaking beforehand. Mud and bloodstains dripped down his messy form.
Soldiers prided themselves on neatness when meeting superiors, yet this man seemed past caring. Spotting Jing Li, he blurted, “Major General!” before continuing hoarsely, reddened eyes brimming, “The General has met with misfortune.”
A crack of thunder punctuated his words. Then, as if a trigger had been pulled, the man recounted how they had been ambushed by traitors colluding with the enemy, leading to the General’s grievous injuries and subsequent death. They were trapped with no way to bring the General’s body back, fearing that news of the General’s death would cause chaos within the troops, so they sent him back to request aid.
As soon as Jing Li heard the first sentence, his expression changed drastically. By the time the man finished recounting everything, he looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, his entire body swaying precariously.
“Major General!” The subordinate beside him quickly reached out to steady him, allowing Jing Li to regain his footing.
“Adjutant Zhou!” Jing Li called out hoarsely through gritted teeth, his reddened eyes taut with strain.
“Major General, Adjutant Zhou is still overseeing the newly arrived supplies,” another subordinate reminded, his own eyes rimmed in red, chest heaving – clearly shaken by the news.
Not just him – the nearby soldiers, despite standing rigidly at attention, all had reddened eyes too. The atmosphere, so solemn and imposing at first, now took on a tinge of anguished fury.
At that moment, another report came in: several veteran officers under the former General had gathered at the mansion’s gate, requesting an audience with the Major General to discuss military affairs.
At a time like this, what military affairs could there be? They likely caught wind of rumors and had come to verify the situation to make their own plans for the future and position themselves accordingly.
Such actions would only further disrupt the troops’ morale and stability. Even the personal guards around Jing Li showed signs of unease.
Jing Li understood this clearly. He knew that the entire mansion and the entire army were now relying on him, with enemies lurking outside and traitors within eager to drag him down.
“Immediately notify him to lead men and secretly rendezvous with Adjutant Qian,” he forced himself to regain his previous composure and solemnity. He instructed the nearby subordinate before turning to the soldier who reported: “Escort the elders to the meeting hall. I’ll join shortly.”
The two soldiers hastened off on their orders. Jing Li scanned the room, signaling two personal guards to accompany him, before returning upstairs to change into the military uniform tailored for his succession.
“Cut! That’s a wrap on this one!” The director’s excited voice shattered the tense atmosphere. Nailing the first take on the first day was always an auspicious sign, putting a wide grin on his face he couldn’t suppress.
Hearing the director, everyone seemed to snap out of the dramatic scene, laughing and congratulating each other as they turned to other tasks.
“Jing-laoshi and Lin-laoshi’s performances were so impactful, especially Jing-laoshi’s. I could practically feel the Major General’s heartbreak and despair upon receiving the news of his father’s death!”
Wu Xiaojun quickly approached Jing Li, wiping at the corners of his eyes while offering heartfelt praise, his tone full of admiration and respect.
His words drew the attention of others nearby who chimed in as well: “You really did act it splendidly!”
“No wonder you won Best Newcomer, it was so well-deserved.”
“These young stars nowadays are truly incredible!”
……
Jing Li smiled and thanked everyone, his expression calm and humble, not seeming to take undue pride in the praise. This demeanor earned him even more goodwill from those around him.
“Jing-laoshi, have some water,” Wu Xiaojun handed over a water bottle he had been holding, his smile genuine, “The weather here is quite dry. Drink more water to keep your throat moist, or it’ll be hoarse by the end of a day’s shooting.”
Jing Li paused, glancing at the offered water, and was about to respond when a crew member suddenly rushed over and thrust a bouquet of roses at him breathlessly: “Jing-laoshi, someone sent these for you. Please accept them.”
Jing Li blinked at the vibrant red roses in surprise before asking instinctively, “Did they say who sent them?”
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