Chapter 39 Part 2

“Filming that kind of movie, as long as all the emotional beats are designed well, there’s not much pressure on me or the crew.”

“But that night at Black Pool Bar, when I saw you, I thought: I could shoot this script another way.”

“You were dancing in the Red Pool then. You danced with everyone, but no one could hold you. How to put it… you were like something floating, not like a living person. No one could make you stop and look twice.”

That night, Jiang Sisi had been the one to bring people and save her, so it was normal for her to be at Black Pool Bar then.

But that wasn’t the point.

Leng Xiang looked at her expressionlessly. “…You’re saying I’m not human?”

Jiang Sisi was cursing her, right? She definitely was.

Jiang Sisi said, “No, absolutely not. I’m just expressing the most direct feeling when I saw you.”

“I thought right then: Why does Su Qing have four relationships? Because she’s floating, can’t settle down.”

“In the original Luxury Goods script, she didn’t seem like a living person either—like a clown set up just for laughs. She makes people laugh, but the character doesn’t hold up; once the laughs fade, she ceases to exist.”

“But if we add the new persona from the current script, her joys, sorrows, and all the farce become understandable. All the laughs pave the way for tragedy, and she comes alive.”

Then the film completely became a stream-of-consciousness tragedy disguised as a hilarious light comedy—about same-sex love.

The firelight flared brightly in the darkness, then suddenly went out.

A faint glow gradually brightened.

Jiang Sisi pointed to the cigarette in her hand and said, “Mind if I smoke?”

Leng Xiang shook her head. Her father, Liu Lingshu’s husband, had been a heavy drinker and smoker; she’d smelled this scent since she was fourteen. She didn’t like it, but she could tolerate it.

Jiang Sisi said, “I don’t like this stuff much either, but us in the film biz sometimes need it for inspiration.”

“And you back then, to me, were just like this cigarette. Without you, there’d be no Luxury Goods as it is now.”

“It was just a joke before.” Jiang Sisi smiled and said, “You don’t owe me anything. I didn’t cast you to sleep with you. Don’t overthink it.”

Leng Xiang fell silent for a moment before saying, “Really?”

She was probably truly drunk…

Her current state looked like she had shed a layer of shell…

Unexpectedly, very soft.

Jiang Sisi thought this and laughed. “Really. If I lied, I’d be a puppy.”

“It’s too cold outside. Rest early. I’ll walk you back.”

Leng Xiang agreed.

Jiang Sisi had put it so plainly; she had no more worries.

Though Jiang Sisi was indeed mischievous and loved teasing her, she truly had no other intentions.

Filming the movie properly was the right path.

Jiang Sisi’s room was on the floor above Leng Xiang’s, the twenty-eighth floor, enjoying the total director’s privilege of a single luxury suite.

Jiang Sisi walked Leng Xiang back to her room on the twenty-seventh floor. Pei Shuang shared the room with Leng Xiang and had already returned from the launch banquet.

At the door, Leng Xiang swiped her card to enter.

The hotel bathroom was right near the entryway. Pei Shuang was brushing her teeth, spitting out white foam. Hearing the noise, she poked her head out from the bathroom and mumbled indistinctly, “You’re back. I have some hangover medicine here. Do you want some? Where did you go so late…”

Before she finished, she belatedly noticed Jiang Sisi standing behind Leng Xiang. Her hand holding the toothbrush froze, and she ducked back into the bathroom, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.

Joke’s on her—she had personally seen Leng Xiang sitting on Jiang Sisi’s lap in her office. With Leng Xiang returning so late, where else could she have gone? Did she even need to ask?

She was perceptive. After finishing up in the bathroom, she dawdled a bit longer before coming out.

Jiang Sisi hadn’t left yet and seemed to still be instructing Leng Xiang on something.

Pei Shuang greeted her. “Teacher Jiang.”

Jiang Sisi nodded. “You didn’t drink too much tonight, right?”

Pei Shuang shook her head vigorously. “No, no. We start shooting tomorrow; I definitely wouldn’t dare drink much.”

Jiang Sisi nodded approvingly, then turned back to Leng Xiang. “Drink plenty of hot water. If you show any signs of fever tonight, call me. The makeup artist used to be a doctor and can take care of you.”

Leng Xiang said, “She used to be a doctor?”

Jiang Sisi replied, “Yeah, she said the hospital was too grueling and makeup was more fun, so she switched careers. She was a pediatrician before, specializing in kids’ fevers and colds.”

Leng Xiang: “…”

If this person could go one day without annoying her, she’d thank the heavens!

After sending off the still-teasing Jiang Sisi, Pei Shuang handed her the hangover medicine. “I saw you drank quite a bit tonight. Take some medicine, or your head will hurt tomorrow and affect your performance.”

Leng Xiang thanked her, took the medicine, pulled pajamas from her suitcase, and headed into the bathroom for a shower.

Pei Shuang had given her the medicine and wanted to ask something. She opened her mouth, but even after Leng Xiang entered the bathroom, she didn’t know how to broach it.

Leng Xiang finished her shower and emerged in her pajamas, steam wafting around her.

Pei Shuang was already in bed, watching Leng Xiang come out. She hesitated, wanting to speak.

Leng Xiang noticed Pei Shuang’s odd gaze. “What’s wrong?”

Pei Shuang suddenly felt there was nothing worth asking.

The first time they met, Leng Xiang had been dragged by Yu Shan to act as a stand-in, with a last-minute script change, yet her performance was still flawless.

Facing Yu Shan’s nitpicking, she reacted swiftly and calmly. When Yu Shan mocked her, she fired back sharply, leaving Yu Shan embarrassed.

Pei Shuang admired Leng Xiang greatly.

She had acting skills and could carry a role. So what if she and Jiang Sisi were involved? What did it matter?

Besides, Leng Xiang was genuinely beautiful—prettier than most female stars in the industry.

She knew all about the unspoken rules in the circle. They were all insiders; she’d seen it plenty. It was par for the course.

To use modern terms, she was a true Buddhist—didn’t even care why she couldn’t break out herself, let alone others’ business.

So there was nothing to ask.

Pei Shuang shook her head. “Nothing. Let’s sleep.”

Fortunately, she didn’t develop a fever or catch a cold that night.

Perhaps thanks to the hangover medicine, Leng Xiang slept soundly for once and woke up refreshed.

Unless there were special circumstances, the crew generally started shooting at nine in the morning and wrapped at five in the afternoon, with night shoots extending into the evening if needed.

At eight-thirty, Leng Xiang and Pei Shuang finished breakfast and arrived at the studio together. Most of the staff were already there.

The studio was a large room set up like a living room in an ordinary apartment, with cameras, lighting equipment, and gear scattered everywhere, leaving barely any space to walk.

Jiang Sisi wore a work cap and was discussing with the cinematographer and makeup artist.

Jiang Sisi said, “Remember, shoot Leng Xiang from whatever angle you think makes her look most beautiful. Take plenty of backups for editing; we’ll use them for promo shots later.”

“Make Leng Xiang look pretty. Think about how you’d dress yourself for your wedding, and do that for Leng Xiang. Su Qing is a silly sweet girl early on, so lean the makeup that way too.”

The cinematographer said, “Yes sir! Mission guaranteed!”

The makeup artist said, “Yes sir! I won’t let you down!”

Leng Xiang: “…”

She daily doubted how this unreliable crew managed to produce a finished film.

The makeup artist dragged Leng Xiang off to do her makeup without pause. Wang Linlin entered the makeup room with the script.

Wang Linlin flipped through the script, pointed to a heavily marked section, and handed it to Leng Xiang. “Director Jiang said we’re shooting this scene this morning.”

Considering it was the first day of shooting, the scene wasn’t too difficult. It was a segment between Su Qing and Jiang Chuan, mainly to help the leads get into character quickly.

The assistant director had finally yielded to Jiang Sisi’s threats and compromises. Jiang Chuan’s emotional arc with Su Qing ran through the entire script from start to finish.

Jiang Chuan and Su Qing were university classmates and roommates for four years. Jiang Chuan had fallen for Su Qing from freshman year and loved her for eight years.

After graduation, Jiang Chuan turned down better job offers and chose to work near Su Qing’s company. Then she told Su Qing, Look how fated we are. Let’s rent a place together from now on.

Oblivious, Su Qing was delighted to continue their university bond and agreed. They rented together for four years, becoming each other’s best friends and confidantes.

In Luxury Goods’s main plot, Su Qing went through four relationships, the fourth being a blind date.

This morning’s scene was the morning of the blind date. After doing her makeup, Su Qing chatted casually with Jiang Chuan.

The film used original sound. The cinematographer, lighting tech, and sound engineer were in position. Leng Xiang and Pei Shuang’s makeup was done.

The makeup artist sighed regretfully. “I think a cold, glamorous, killer vibe would suit her better, but this movie won’t have a chance for it.”

Her assistant said, “There’s makeup like that?”

The makeup artist replied, “Yeah, like Dongfang Bubai or Zhou Zhiruo style. She’d nail it!”

The assistant said, “Isn’t that like Abbess Miejue?”

The makeup artist said, “Exactly! That noble, icy vibe!”

Leng Xiang pretended not to hear.

Wang Linlin couldn’t hold back a laugh. “…Pfft.”

Leng Xiang glanced at Wang Linlin, who promptly zipped her mouth shut.

Jiang Sisi called Leng Xiang and Pei Shuang over to go through the scene.

Jiang Sisi said, “Jiang Chuan, you’ve loved Su Qing for a full eight years. You’ve watched her date three boyfriends; this is the fourth man. On the surface, he’s your rival, but you know even without him, you have zero chance.”

“You’re annoyed yet relieved, hoping the blind date fails—wishing Su Qing weren’t so pretty. You’ve endured eight years without showing a single flaw in front of her.”

“As for Su Qing, you know nothing; you’re just wondering if this blind date will work out.”

“That gives this scene two emotional beats. It should be easy to shoot; I won’t say more.”

Leng Xiang and Pei Shuang nodded and entered the set.

Everything was ready. The whole set fell silent. Li Guchuan had arrived at some point and stood with Jiang Sisi behind the camera, watching.

The slate runner dashed across the front of the lens.

“Luxury Goods, Scene 1, Take 1, action!”