The conditions in the mountainous area were quite harsh, and Chen Miao could clearly feel that the chill in the mountains was far colder than in the lowlands.
The director of this ancient-style xianxia1genre of Chinese fantasy, where protagonists often seek immortality drama had a deep love for on-site shoots, and the location had been carefully chosen after much deliberation.
This was a major xianxia adaptation, with the original author personally taking on the role of screenwriter. Ye He, who had recently won Best New Actor, was cast as the male lead, while Lu Lianning was cast as the second male lead.
Initially, Gu Chen had fought with the director for Lu Lianning to get the male lead role. However, with Ye He’s recent award win and recognized acting skills, his popularity was soaring. Meanwhile, Lu Lianning’s recent scandals were more than Gu Chen could handle. After considering all factors, the director ultimately decided that Ye He’s image was better suited for the role.
Lu Lianning was quite vexed about this but didn’t want to give up the opportunity. This type of major adaptation drama hadn’t even started filming yet, and fans of the original novel were already generating buzz. Ye He was currently in the spotlight, bringing in a massive following, and the director, Ren Qi, was known for his impeccable reputation.
In the end, Lu Lianning couldn’t bring himself to walk away. He knew that if he gave up now, countless others would be clamoring for the role.
Besides, the second male lead had plenty of screen time, almost equivalent to a dual male lead.
Chen Miao, holding a new smartphone, quickly browsed through information about “Floating Jade.”
In the morning, the mountain air was thick with a lingering mist that refused to disperse. It was late autumn, and although Chen Miao wore a thick sweatshirt, he still felt cold standing outside.
From a distance, he watched as Lu Lianning, dressed in white, emerged from the bamboo forest’s mist. With minimal makeup, Lu Lianning’s natural good looks shone through. Though only a few steps away, he always exuded an air of aloofness—an untouchable, noble coldness. Even the usually critical Ren Qi couldn’t find any fault in his performance.
In the drama, Ye He’s character was a naive and carefree young man, born into a privileged family and doted on by his parents. However, his parents began to show subtle signs of worry. Though they tried not to reveal their concerns in front of him, he sensed that something was wrong.
At first, he assumed it was a problem with the family business, something he didn’t need to concern himself with. After all, with an enterprise as large as theirs, it would take a long time to lose everything, even if they were losing money.
But then, over the course of a year, his parents and relatives were mysteriously killed one after another, and even his siblings met tragic ends.
The once-noble young master was now engulfed in immense grief and pain, constantly gripped by fear and anxiety.
During the Lantern Festival, a time meant for family joy, he found himself alone without a family.
With tears in his eyes, he slipped out of the city amidst the crowd, clutching the travel money given to him by the servant who had cared for him since he was a child.
The inexperienced young master, who had always been sheltered from the world, was soon swindled out of his travel funds in just a few days.
Starving, he fought with street beggars for a steamed bun, only to be beaten because he had encroached on their territory.
Dragging himself up the mountain, he chewed on tree bark with tears in his eyes. His tragic life had left him so hungry that he collapsed in the bamboo grove. But then he glimpsed a nobleman in white. The ethereal figure made him think he was seeing a god.
He desperately grabbed hold of the white hem of the robe that drifted past him, clutching it tightly with tears streaming down his face. He pleaded, saying he didn’t want to die, and begged the immortal to save him.
A cold voice came from above, tinged with displeasure, “You dirtied the clothes my master just washed for me. Let go.”
This scene marked their first meeting.
What followed was the story of the young master clinging to the powerful first disciple, who had just descended from the mountain for training. Together, they faced trials, overcame traps, fought monsters, leveled up, and gathered clues.
In this role, Lu Lianning portrayed a cold and noble character—someone who never needed others meddling in his affairs.
After the scene was finished, Lu Lianning began sulking and throwing a tantrum, finding fault with everything. He took one bite of the boxed lunch provided on set before spitting it out.
The surrounding staff, along with Ye He, who was also eating his boxed lunch, became tense at this.
Everyone had heard the rumors about Young Master Lu—his questionable acting skills, legendary temper, and tendency to act like a big star.
Standing nearby, Chen Miao began to sweat nervously. Lu Lianning had another scene to shoot that night, including wire-flying. If he didn’t eat, how would he manage?
To cater to Lu Lianning’s picky tastes, Chen Miao started running down the mountain every day to a local farmer’s house to prepare special meals for him. He would cook a pork rib soup and carry it up the mountain in a thermos.
Each meal included a few stir-fried dishes and a warm soup to bring up the mountain.
This treatment made others in the crew envious. Ye He’s assistant shot several sideways glances and whispered something discontentedly to Ye He. After hearing it, Ye He’s expression soured, and he raised his hand to silence his assistant, clearly not pleased by the comment.
The director simply turned a blind eye to Lu Lianning’s attitude on set. Ren Qi’s only concern was that Lu Lianning didn’t delay filming or disrupt the schedule. As long as his acting was passable, that was enough.
Lu Lianning showed little interest in building relationships with the rest of the crew, and the director wasn’t about to teach a grown man how to manage his social skills.
Chen Miao’s cooking skills improved significantly over time. After meals, Lu Lianning would sip on the chicken soup Chen Miao had made for him.
Filming progressed from one mountain peak to another, transitioning from late autumn to the first snowfall. The outdoor scenes in the mountain forest were nearly complete.
