RCQT Chapter 98

Chu Qianze pushed the door open and walked in, colliding head-on with a staff member.

“Hello, we’re here for a photo shoot for an advertisement.”

He stepped in first, and Rong Jinghe and others followed from outside, greeting the others in turn.

“Hello, hello. I’m in charge of taking you to the makeup room,” the staff member smiled at them and then led them backstage for makeup.

In fact, when it comes to makeup, everyone has already basically prepared in advance, and now they’re just checking if there are any adjustments needed.

“Filming an advertisement, it’s a bit nerve-wracking when you think about it,” Hong whispered, his tone full of excitement.

“Don’t get too carried away,” Chu Qianze chuckled, then shifted his gaze to the people behind.

Meanwhile, Dou Xi has not said a word from the beginning to now, visibly tense.

Because each person is shooting different content, they split up and head in their respective directions.

Chu Qianze followed the staff into a room, his gaze falling on the window sill in front.

The ground around the window sill was encircled by sports drinks, and there were also signs of sports drinks around the windows.

The photographer next to him was adjusting his camera, his complexion not looking too good, as if he could explode at any moment.

The few trainees who had just finished shooting seemed fine, but once they were in front of the camera, they looked completely different.

Stiff smiles, deadpan expressions, limbs moving like wooden blocks – ask them to strike a pose, and they give you a peace sign?

Goodness, what level is this?

He felt like he was suffocating, his eyes and soul both undergoing serious trauma.

Chu Qianze observed the photographer for a moment, feeling that this person was like a pufferfish, all puffed up and inflated.

“Am I supposed to shoot from the window sill?”

Upon hearing the question, the photographer replied somewhat irritably, “Of course, where else would you be shooting from?”

As he looked up, his eyes lit up.

This person really has an impressive appearance!

The photographer’s initially terrible mood eased a bit. However, recalling the devilish experience just moments ago, he had a gut feeling that this person might not be any better, and his mood darkened once again.

Taking a deep breath to restore a sense of calm, the photographer began explaining his requirements to the person.

Preferring to lay out everything in advance, he wanted to give them a mental framework. It was better than correcting things on the fly while shooting.

The photographer had already given up hope. Just now, he had shot approximately three trainees, and it had taken a toll on him both mentally and physically. He just wanted to quickly finish this last shoot and go back to seek some comfort from his cat.

After outlining the general requirements, the photographer said, “Anyway, in this scene, I hope you can be as cool as possible. Be as handsome as you can. Let’s start now.”

Chu Qianze didn’t decline either. He walked directly to the window sill, leaning against the window glass.

Hands in his pockets, one leg crossed over the other, head slightly lowered. In the next moment, he lifted his gaze towards the camera.

The photographer zoomed in with the lens, perfectly capturing the moment when Chu Qianze raised his eyes.

Hmm, not bad?

“Now, let’s try a few more poses casually,” the photographer suggested.

Hearing this, Chu Qianze turned his head to look to the side, lips slightly parted.

Photographer: Oh, oh, oh, that’s the feeling!

“Keep going, keep going.”

Chu Qianze lifted his chin, grasped the collar of his own shirt, and a cold, sly curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

One leg bent, stepping back, his body leaning backward, palm against the wall, gazing at the camera with a deep expression.

“Very good, now sit directly on the window sill.”

Raising an eyebrow, Chu Qianze opened the window, sat down directly, his body leaning against the edge. One long leg bent, the knee aligned with the shoulder, while the other leg dangled down. His arm rested directly on the bent knee, eyelids drooping.

The pupils of Chu Qianze’s eyes moved slightly, casting a sidelong glance at the others.

Bending his neck, he laid half of his face against the crook of his arm, turning his head to gaze at the camera.

Unexpectedly, there was a cinematic quality, and he showed no signs of stage fright, exuding a strong presence.

Things were progressing much more smoothly than imagined, and it should have ended by now. However, watching Chu Qianze’s performance, the photographer remained silent. He wanted to see what else the other could bring to the table.

“More material makes it easier for post-production selection.”

Seeing that the photographer didn’t give instructions or signal to stop, Chu Qianze continued to play around.

He lifted his hand, grabbing the window frame, tilting his head slightly against his arm, and the gaze fixed on the camera seemed like a scrutiny.

Lowering his leg, Chu Qianze turned to face the people in the room, with the bright sunlight behind him. It should have been a very warm scene, yet an inexplicable chill filled the air.

He gripped the edge of the window sill with both hands, pulling out a meaningless smile.

Not good yet?

How about I just perform some acrobatics?

Chu Qianze sighed, propping himself up on the window sill. He stood up, his upper body slightly bent, leaning against the window ledge.

“Okay.”

Upon hearing the photographer’s words, Chu Qianze composed his expression. He lifted one foot forward and jumped down from the window sill.

“Where are we going for the next location?”

Following the arrangement of the advertisement content, the window sill was just a small part.

“Come over to the table.”

Nodding, Chu Qianze adjusted his clothes and moved to the table.

“Similar to the previous feeling, or maybe you can dance a bit?” the photographer suggested.

During the previous shoots with the trainees, they were incredibly tense. That’s why he would inform them in advance about what to do and what expressions and movements to make.

But Chu Qianze was different; he appeared particularly natural, as if it were just an everyday matter when seen through the lens.

Since the other had this capability, the photographer couldn’t be bothered to say anything else. He let him improvise.

“Then I’ll dance a bit.” After contemplating for a moment, Chu Qianze waved his hands outward and proceeded with a freestyle dance.

Several backstage members nearby were stunned. Was this really without a script? Could someone dance so casually and make it look like that?

Midway through, Chu Qianze smoothly picked up a sports drink from the side, tossed it into the air, spun the bottle around, and caught it effortlessly.

Finally, he lifted the drink with a reverse grip, placing it against his cheek. The silver packaging added a delicate veil-like texture to his face.

“Cool~”

The photographer watched the entire process of Chu Qianze’s performance through the lens. When he saw him put down the drink, he finally spoke up with praise.

God knows, he hadn’t found an opportunity to speak until now. He always felt that speaking might disrupt the atmosphere on set. So, he waited until it was confirmed that Chu Qianze had no follow-up, and then he spoke.

After reviewing the footage, the photographer added another compliment, “You did great.”

Chu Qianze placed the drink back on the table and smiled lightly, “Thank you.”

“However, you might need to redo the dance you just did,” the photographer said.

“No problem. Do you want it to be exactly the same as before?” Chu Qianze asked.

Seeing the photographer’s confusion, he explained, “Because it was an improvised dance, the movements were random and relied on muscle memory. Each time is different. If you want it to be the same as before, I might need to review the footage and memorize the movements.”

The photographer understood, “There’s no need to imitate the exact dance from before. Just dance however you want.”

Chu Qianze: “Alright.”

This made things much more convenient. Dancing freely, it was as natural as breathing for him.

Rolling hips.

Continuous shakes.

Egyptian hands.

In the subsequent takes, each version from Chu Qianze was different, yet remarkably fitting the theme. After reviewing them all, the photographer found himself liking every version.

Now, which one should I choose later on…

Furrowing his brows, the photographer struggled to reach a conclusion for a while, and finally, he sighed deeply. If only he could use all of them.

But an advertisement only had a limited amount of time, and his wishful thinking could only go so far.

Putting this headache-inducing decision aside, he decided to continue enjoying the rest of the shoot. As a photographer, seeking and capturing beautiful moments was his professional nature, and Chu Qianze’s dance and camera presence brought him immense joy.

Especially after being driven nearly mad by a few trainees just moments ago, Chu Qianze seemed even more precious, like an absolute angel!

Like a desert wanderer encountering an oasis, finding unexpected solace, the photographer was deeply moved. His gaze towards Chu Qianze now held warmth, a sharp contrast to the cold demeanor just moments ago.

“This part is finished. We can move to the next location. Xiao Wang, Xiao Ai, pack up, we’re relocating,” the photographer reminded the assistant who was still standing in place.

Having purified his eyes, he was in a good mood now and didn’t want to dwell on the distraction of the two assistants.

“Oh, right!”

The two assistants quickly realized and promptly packed up the equipment.

Once the entire shoot was over, Chu Qianze rubbed his cheeks to relax fully, making sure he didn’t turn into a puddle of exhaustion after each session.

“You’ve worked hard. These drinks are for you to enjoy. Take a sip,” the photographer said, offering a bottle of sports drink.

Chu Qianze didn’t immediately open it but held it in his hand.

“This is my business card. If there’s a chance in the future, we can collaborate,” the photographer added.

The photographer handed over the business card, and at this moment, there was no trace of the earlier irritability or coldness. He now had a pleasant smile on his face, as gentle as a breeze.

“Thank you.”

Chu Qianze took the business card and left the area, ready to check on the progress of the others. He thought he saw Rong Jinghe just a while ago.

Moving forward based on his memory, as he passed by a set of doors, he paused, tilting his head to look inside.

Rong Jinghe was still in the midst of shooting, representing the lychee-flavored sports drink.

At this moment, he was seated in a spot that resembled a refrigerator, with his legs crossed and his fingers resting on top. His features had a kind of ethereal youthfulness.

His long legs seemed a bit cramped, awkwardly squeezed to the side.

Seeing that the shoot was finished, Chu Qianze waved to get his attention, a form of greeting.

“You’re done already?” Rong Jinghe walked out, rubbing his shoulders.

“Yeah,” Chu Qianze took a couple of steps forward. “How was it? Efficient, right?”

“Indeed, I thought I was pretty fast,” Rong Jinghe admitted, glancing left and right. “Do you know where the others are?”

“I’m not entirely sure. I just finished, and I saw you right away, haven’t spotted the others yet,” Chu Qianze said, opening the bottle and taking a sip.

“Let’s go see how they’re doing. After this, we still have to go back for rehearsals,” Rong Jinghe had the upcoming performance on his mind.

The time allotted for everyone had already passed halfway, and the schedule was tight to begin with. Spending almost half a day shooting the advertisement meant compressing training time. If they couldn’t catch up with the progress later, everyone would end up pulling all-nighters.

“I remember Hong seems to be over there,” Chu Qianze pointed in a direction, and Rong Jinghe quickly walked towards it.

“Take it easy; you’re walking too fast,” Chu Qianze caught up with him and said casually.

“Mm,” realizing he was walking too fast, Rong Jinghe slowed down his pace. “What kind of advertisement did you shoot?”

“It’s for this, the soda-flavored one,” Chu Qianze lifted the drink in his hand and shook it. “The deep silver packaging, it’s actually quite good.”

“They didn’t give you a drink? I think the lychee flavor is not bad either,” Rong Jinghe shook his head. “I don’t drink sports drinks much.”

Arriving at Hong’s shooting area, they were immediately greeted by a sea of pink.

Hong stood in a deep pink ocean, looking shy and cute.

Chu Qianze’s expression froze for a moment. This advertisement sure knew how to choose its models… They had directly hit Hong’s adorable charm, which surprisingly matched perfectly.

Hong let the makeup artist touch up his makeup, and when he saw Chu Qianze and Rong Jinghe, he waved at them with a joyful and excited expression on his face.

“I’m here, I’m here.”

“Just a moment, it’ll be done soon, and we’ll finish shooting in a little while.”

After agreeing on a meeting point, they headed to Yelun Kuo’s shooting area.

After taking the bus back, everyone went straight to the practice room to continue rehearsals.

“Now that we’ve got the basic choreography and lyrics down, let’s start capturing the essence of this song.”

After completing other training, the group had to turn their attention back to the seemingly insurmountable challenge of the century.

How to teach the shy, bashful, or tough steel-straight guys the flirtatious and charming qualities.

After attempting several methods that ended in consecutive failures, Chu Qianze chose to give up. “This is really something I can’t teach. Watch more dance, listen to more music, and figure it out yourselves.”

Nothing is difficult if you’re willing to give up.

“Starting today, pair up and stay together. Dive into that kind of feeling every day. If it doesn’t work out, just follow what I said earlier. Imagine them as enemies. If enemies don’t quite fit, go ahead and imagine them as romantic rivals. You know, the kind that can’t wait to tear each other apart.” Chu Qianze clapped his hands, looking serious.

Hearing this, Rong Jinghe couldn’t help but appraise Chu Qianze. Was this guy actually serious?

“Practice by imitating along with the music. Chu Qianze just made a good point. Two people in a group, stay together and discuss this song. As for the romantic rivals part, listen selectively to what suits you,” the instructor added.

This situation was indeed difficult to handle. Chu Qianze himself didn’t have a solution.

“Alright.”

The group responded, finding it challenging as well.

Meanwhile, on the internet, discussions about “Debut, Trainees!” had already generated several popular threads. Fans were voting for their favorite idols, editing videos, and striving to attract more attention.

If you love him, give him your vote, support him, and help him debut.

Rong Jinghe had started his journey as a trainee early on, debuting once before, and already had a fan base. His talent and character were exceptional, evident from his two consecutive wins, showcasing his influence.

On the other hand, Chu Qianze emerged as a dark horse, previously unremarkable but transformed during the show. He exhibited excellent singing and dancing skills, coupled with a strong stage presence. His demon-like charm and carefree personality attracted many fans. His rapid rise in rankings hinted at a potentially strong contender for the championship.

Considering the program’s content, the two were clearly direct competitors, vying for the top spot from the beginning.

Although they had claimed to have a good relationship in interviews, the true situation remained uncertain.

While fans of both sides didn’t openly engage in rivalry, behind the scenes, this matter was already considered a focal point. Fans from both camps refrained from interfering with each other, diligently voting to support their idols and help them debut.

In the last performance, Rong Jinghe lost to Chu Qianze, and his fans were determined to help him reclaim victory. If he were to battle Chu Qianze again, there was no room for defeat!

On the other side, Chu Qianze’s fans hoped to see him maintain his winning streak. Ideally, they wanted to see him outperform Rong Jinghe again!

Fans on both sides were ready and eager, anticipating a pleasant surprise from their respective idols in this upcoming performance.

As the fans eagerly awaited, the day before the performance arrived. Following tradition, the program lineup was set to be announced. When the list was finally released, both fan camps fell into a brief silence, only to explode with excitement moments later.

[What’s going on? Chu Qianze and Rong Jinghe are performing “Pretend Gentlemen” together?!]

In a certain fandom corner, fans were celebrating as if it were New Year’s Eve.

[Ah ah ah ah, everyone remember to watch tomorrow’s program!]

 

 

 

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