Jing Li rested in the room for a while before someone came to inform him that the set was almost ready. He and his assistant went downstairs.
When they arrived at the set, many people had already gathered. As the time approached, the opening ceremony began under the director’s guidance.
As before, there were rituals to worship deities. However, perhaps because he was also one of the investors, the director treated this ceremony with much greater solemnity. The ritual procedures had several additional minor details compared to before, as if truly beseeching the deities for a smooth production.
Jing Li was also infected by the director’s emotions. Although he knew there were no deities in this world, he silently offered his sincere blessings to the crew.
Due to the time taken by the opening ceremony, it was already quite late, so the initially scheduled first scene was postponed until the following morning. The remaining time was used for taking stills and an evening script reading.
With limited space, the crew only had a few dressing rooms. As male and female actors were separated, each room was shared by three to five people. The lead actors and Zhang Shuo from Jing Li’s studio were assigned to the same room.
While waiting for the makeup artists to prepare their tools, the group chatted.
“This is your first time in a crew. How does it feel?” Jing Li turned to look at Zhang Shuo, who was sitting opposite him, and asked with a smile.
“I’m a bit nervous, but it feels exciting,” Zhang Shuo replied with a smile, his expression a mix of excitement and anticipation. “It’s like studying military strategy for years and finally having a chance to take to the battlefield. Although it’s a bit tiring, it’s also thrilling.”
“It’ll be more thrilling when you get scolded for NG shots,” Wang Lele, sitting next to Jing Li, added with a laugh, and the others joined in.
As they were chatting and laughing, Wu Xiaojun, the third male lead sitting in the same row as Zhang Shuo, suddenly looked over. With a modest demeanor, he said, “Mr. Jing, Mr. Wang, may I take a photo with you both?”
Everyone turned to look at him as he scratched his head, his expression slightly embarrassed but also anticipatory. “I… I just feel that it’s quite fated to be able to work with the both you, so I wanted to take a commemorative photo.”
Since he had put it that way, Jing Li naturally couldn’t refuse, especially since he had encountered actors who wanted photos before. So, he readily nodded in agreement, “I don’t mind.”
Upon hearing his consent, Wu Xiaojun excitedly exclaimed “Yay!” before looking expectantly at Wang Lele.
“If the boss agrees, of course, I have no problem,” Wang Lele smiled and shrugged, then stood up and walked over to Jing Li’s side, leaning against his chair and teasing him with a sidelong glance, “Right, Boss Xiao Jing?”
Jing Li smiled and nudged him with his elbow, and the two immediately started laughing and joking around.
“Mr. Wang and Mr. Jing really have a good relationship,” Wu Xiaojun remarked with a smile, his eyes occasionally showing a hint of admiration. Then he turned his gaze to Zhang Shuo in the same row, “Zhang Shuo, why don’t you join us?”
Perhaps not expecting the invitation, Zhang Shuo was taken aback for a moment before realizing it was likely out of consideration for Jing Li. He then smiled politely and agreed, standing up and positioning himself behind Jing Li.
“Thank you,” Wu Xiaojun said gratefully, then handed his phone to his assistant. “Take a few more shots, make sure they look good!”
With that, he eagerly walked over and stood beside Zhang Shuo next to Jing Li, slightly bending his knees to maintain a similar height level as the seated Jing Li.
Once all four were ready, the assistant raised the phone and looked through it, then said, “Xiaojun, tilt your head a bit inward, you’re slightly out of frame.”
Wu Xiaojun paused for a moment, then tilted his head. “Like this?”
“That’s fine,” the assistant replied, then called out, “Say cheese,” and rapidly pressed the shutter button several times.
“Let me see how they turned out.” As soon as the shots were taken, Wu Xiaojun hurried over and took the phone from the assistant to browse through the photos. He then grinned and said, “My goodness, Mr. Jing, you three have such high visuals that even the original camera can capture you looking so good! If it weren’t for me lowering the overall visuals, uploading these online would surely cause netizens to go crazy fawning over your looks.”
“Wu-ge, you’re being too modest,” Zhang Shuo said with an embarrassed smile after being complimented, and jokingly added, “If I remember correctly, when you debuted, netizens praised you as the top visual among your peers.”
“Heh, I just got lucky and didn’t encounter your heavenly visuals back then, or I would’ve been instantly outshined!” Wu Xiaojun joked about himself, his eyes never leaving the photos on his phone. After a moment, he suddenly said, “No, the more I look, the more excited I get. I really want to show off my insane luck!”
Saying that, he looked up at the three across from him, his expression earnest. “Mr. Jing, Mr. Wang, can I share these photos on my Weibo? Don’t worry, I’ll definitely edit them before posting.”
Wang Lele and Zhang Shuo paused upon hearing this, then simultaneously turned to look at Jing Li in the middle seat.
Jing Li glanced at Wu Xiaojun, feeling a bit surprised but not too opposed to the idea.
Wu Xiaojun had an open and straightforward personality, making interactions feel comfortable. His popularity wasn’t low either, so it couldn’t be considered seeking attention.
Moreover, as they were in the same crew, the casual pre-styling photos didn’t involve the drama’s content, so there was no issue of infringing on the crew’s interests.
After considering, Jing Li nodded his consent.
Seeing his nod, Wu Xiaojun’s smile widened further, immediately thanking him. He then edited the photos and posted them on Weibo.
As a newcomer, Zhang Shuo followed the main cast after the official crew announcement, so he received Wu Xiaojun’s Weibo update notification at the same time. He took out his phone and opened it to take a look.
Wu Xiaojun V: Even after editing, I’m still the one lowering the visuals. [/sad] [Photo]
Wu Xiaojun’s public image had always been straightforward and humorous, and his fans interacted with him similarly, so his post instantly drew a plethora of bantering comments from fans.
“Hahaha, so our Visual King Wu Xiaojun got overshadowed by his crew members again?”
“No worries, Gege can save face with your acting skills in the new drama! [Humans live on vain dreams.jpg]”
“I was about to blindly hype up my Xiaojun, but after opening the photo, I silently closed my mouth!”
“So Gege, just how delusional are you about your visuals?!”
“Ahhhh, look at how sweet he looks tilting his head and leaning towards Jing Shao! He’s the epitome of a fangirl!”
“Hmm, I don’t know why, but for some reason, I suddenly feel like Xiaojun leaning against Jing Shao looks oddly fitting?”
“Top idol gong x dork fanboy shou?”
“Always has to leech off someone’s heat in every crew, the true King of Leeching!”
……
“Wu-ge, your fans are too funny!” Zhang Shuo couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the comments below. He was about to show the screen to the other two beside him when the makeup artists finished preparing and could start, so he put his phone away again.
Wu Xiaojun glanced nonchalantly at his actions and also put away his phone with a smile.
Time was tight, so everyone got ready without further delay. As the staff brought in the costumes, everyone changed into their period attire and sat waiting for the makeup artists to do their makeup.
Fortunately, since this drama was set in the Republican era, the costumes and styling were relatively simpler compared to ancient attire, so it didn’t take much time to complete their looks before moving to the photo studio to start the stills shooting.
The second male lead played by Wang Lele was the young marshal’s adjutant. He wore a crisp blue military uniform exuding a neat and capable aura. Wu Xiaojun, playing the third male lead, was an important member of the Red Star Party, wearing the party’s distinctive, albeit more modest, military attire. Zhang Shuo, cast as a doctor, wore a long white coat, presenting a gentle and approachable demeanor.
As one of the three major warlords, Jing Li’s military attire was naturally more ornate and luxurious. The dark green military uniform with knee-high black leather boots accentuated his tall and upright figure, adding a sharp edge. Coupled with his purposefully enhanced chiseled features, his gaze toward the camera held a piercing coldness reminiscent of a war-torn god of war, exuding an aloof and formidable aura that commanded respect and fear.
Merely standing there, without uttering a word, his presence was undeniable.
This dashing Jing Li effortlessly captivated not just the photographers but also the observing staff and actors, who unabashedly admired his appearance through the incessant camera shutters until the shoot ended.
Having been in the industry for so long, Jing Li was accustomed to such scrutiny and showed little reaction. After the shoot, he went to rest and waited for his little assistant to distribute the gifts he had brought.
Shortly after, Wang Lele and Zhang Shuo finished their shots and sat beside him, followed by Wu Xiaojun.
As soon as he sat down, Wu Xiaojun couldn’t help but shake his head with a sigh. “I thought I could raise my visuals with these stills, but it seems impossible now, impossible in this lifetime!”
“You guys, you three already stood out with your bare faces, but after makeup, your visuals skyrocketed even further.”
“You didn’t see how everyone looked at you; it was like their very souls were crying out,” he dramatically shielded his eyes and exclaimed, “‘Ahhh, so dazzlingly handsome, blinding my eyes!'”
His exaggerated actions and tone immediately drew laughter from the group, bringing them closer together.
Meanwhile, the photo Wu Xiaojun had posted earlier gained traction online, especially among the fans of those featured, who avidly shared and admired their idols.
Gu Tingshen, who closely followed Jing Li’s every move, naturally saw the group photo. However, his focus was somewhat skewed.
In the photo, Jing Li sat smiling at the camera, Wang Lele stood to his right leaning against his chair, Zhang Shuo stood upright behind Jing Li, while Wu Xiaojun bent his knees and leaned against Jing Li’s left side, head tilted close as if snuggling up to him, his bright smile exuding intimacy.
Gu Tingshen stared intently at the unfamiliar face, his lips tightening upon seeing comments about how well the two looked together.
After a moment of silence, he couldn’t resist and sent Jing Li a message.
I am getting irritated with WXJ.
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