6.4

Another one of the main characters in the film was Jun Tianrui. Qiao Chen had long suspected that the several time film award winner Yang Xiukai would be cast in that role. Yang Xiukai was the go-to for film roles and had worked with Du Jingnan many times. His temperament and appearance were nearly identical with the role of Jun Tianrui. He didn't even need to mention Yang Xiukai's impeccable acting skills that would have already put him on the top of the list.

This world had long recognized and fully accepted homosexuality. Therefore, people weren't afraid to gossip about Du Jingnan and Yang Xiukai's potential relationship. They had worked with each other for so long that they couldn't help but speculate. However, in reality, Yang Xiukai had long been married to his husband. He was careful of his private life and never publicly announced it.

—

Qiao Chen wore a white lace dress. A matching veil covered half of his face. He was equipped with a silicone breast plate and was waiting for his next scene.

The director would have been very annoyed if any of his staff members were distracted while on the job. They could potentially ruin the shot if the light had been moved in the wrong direction or if the boom mic lowered into the camera's view. Unfortunately for him, the crew that worked throughout the scenes couldn't help but glance over or watch Qiao Chen as he waited. Qiao Chen already had long and slender legs, but they were regularly hidden under his pants. The lace dress was cut off just above the knees, so Qiao Chen's legs were free for viewing. Furthermore, his chest plate gave him a curvy and voluptuous looking body that paired well with his round butt. His hour-glass looking figure was very in line with their society's beauty standards. The makeup artist was very skillful, because his face was expertly painted in a feminine manner. His original features transformed into a very tender looking woman. Every single one of the staff that saw Qiao Chen post-makeup and wardrobe all thought that it was a pity that he was born with such looks as a man. They all thought that he would have been a beauty icon if he had been born a woman.

Qiao Chen's role didn't have many parts in the film. Most of the role also required him to be a 'woman'. However, this character wasn't a woman. This character was a former wealthy young man whose family fell from their high status and money. Qiu Chen had resorted to stealing to survive.

The scene they were filming was the one where Qiu Chen pretended to be a woman to gain access to a rich businessman's home. The businessman was holding a large party, so it was the most opportune scenario for things to go missing. However, Li Zhongxi, the role Du Jingnan was playing, was under the impression that the rich businessman had gotten him drunk and prepared a woman to warm his bed for him. He basically forced himself onto Qiu Chen.

They had just filmed the scene where Du Jingnan's character had gotten drunk and was given a room to rest in. The next shot would be where Qiao Chen's character was to attempt to escape from under the bed. Then Du Jingnan's character would catch him, and they would film the rape scene.

The assistant director talked to each of the actors for the upcoming scene. Then they cleared the room so that the unneeded staff wouldn't be there to potentially mess up the scene or distract the actors in this emotionally taxing and intimate scene. Du Jingnan entered the set and began shooting.

Qiao Chen lay in the bed, and Du Jingnan got on top of him. After the slate, the scene began. 'Action!'

Li Zhongxi roughly kissed and bit Qiu Chen's neck while pushing the dress up. Qiu Chen's thighs were immediately exposed.

Qiu Chen was afraid of calling out for help in case the guards realized that he wasn't supposed to be there. He bit his lip to stop himself from making any sounds. Then he tried to shove Li Zhongxi away. However, Qiu Chen's background was that of a former rich boy. His strength and combat skills were far inferior to that of Li Zhongxu who was a soldier with great strength and daily training.

Throughout the struggle, Qiu Chen's veil fell off from his head. His eyes were widened in fear. His face was contorted in pain. It looked like Qiao Chen was really being violated by Du Jingnan.

The staff and photographers present were all stunned. Even the assistant director sitting outside and watching on the screen was surprised. They had all expected Shu Qichen's infamous stone face. Where was the face paralysis he had? Didn't they say that he was a poor actor? The assistant director had discussed it with Du Jingnan already. If Shu Qichen didn't emote well enough, and to Du Jingnan's satisfaction, then the assistant director would just film from the neck down.

However, his whole perception had changed. He couldn't help but thinking that people would fantasize over the two men's slender and strong legs as they entangled. He was amazed that all the acting- all the drama was all there on Shu Qichen's face.

This violent scene was shot with immense drama and strength. Qiao Chen splendidly portrayed the panic, the fear, and the pain. His facial expressions were striking as "Li Zhongxi" entered his body. The resistance and the tears shed showed caused everyone watching to feel deep and emotional distress.

These types of scenes were the ones that NG-ed* the most. It was easy for the actor to get lost in their character's emotions and forget their marks or the director's notes. Embarrassment or nervousness could also creep up and cause the actor to laugh or break. Everyone had been expecting Du Jingnan's impeccable acting skills. Shu Qichen, however, had performed beyond their expectations. He was actually able to keep up with Du Jingnan's acting and cooperate very well. Even Du Jingnan was inwardly surprised by Shu Qichen's sudden surge in acting ability.

(T/N: where the scene isn't good enough/ bloopers/ mistakes)

"Cut!" was shouted out loud and the actors stopped. Du Jingnan pulled on the blanket beside him and covered up Qiao Chen's naked lower body that was covered in red marks from the kicking and struggling. Then he got up and saw Qiao Chen's face covered in tears. Du Jingnan asked, "Are you okay?"

Qiao Chen shook his head and sat up.

"Where is Shu Qichen's assistant?" Du Jingnan shouted to the crew waiting outside.

The crew arranged a temporary assistant for Shu Qichen. Xiao Lin immediately ran in with Qiao Chen's clothes and a thermos. Du Jingnan walked out and prepared to watch the playback on the TV screen.

The assistant director immediately gave Du Jingnan his seat and showed him the playback, "What do you think? I don't think we need to reshoot this scene."

Du Jingnan pointed to the screen and continued to talk to the assistant director. He gave the assistant director notes to pass on to the editing department on how he wanted the scene to be cut and edited.

Qiao Chen exited the room wearing a long coat and asked, "Do I need to redo the makeup?"

"No need." Du Jingnan replied. "Wait for a bit. We will be doing a few more close-ups shots soon."

So Qiao Chen sorted out his attire and then waited for the close up shots with Du Jingnan.

....

Later that evening, Qiao Chen finished his shower. He had barely exited the bathroom when he heard the doorbell ring. Qiao Chen walked to the entrance and opened the door. It was, unexpectedly, Du Jingnan, so Qiao Chen asked, "Is there something you need?"

"I want to talk to you about the script." Du Jingnan replied.

Qiao Chen moved aside and let him enter the room. Then he took a couple of mugs out and made two cups of coffee.

"Are you feeling alright after today's scene?" Du Jingnan asked as he accepted the coffee.

"I'm good. I'm an adult. Are you scared that you'll scar me?" Qiao Chen joked and replied. It was easy to form a psychological block or some sort of trauma when one entered deep into their emotions for acting. Furthermore, Qiao Chen's expressions and actions were too realistic and it was all done in a few shots. It was easy to see Du Jingnan's concern. However, the fact of the matter was that Qiao Chen was only able to enter such state and act so well without any trouble was because he had the system help him.

"I've watched some of your work when you acted in that TV series you used to do. That told me how well you are able to perform. Nothing from that series would have told me that you'd be able to act at the level that you are today." Du Jingnan had especially sought out Shu Qichen's recordings from his previous series to understand his acting level. He had even found a replacement for him because of what he had seen. However, he was completely blindsided by Shu Qichen's performance today. It was above and beyond anything he could have expected.

"Some people have to experience more of life before they can enrich their emotional capability and understanding. I do admit that I am not someone who is naturally talented in acting. Furthermore, those shows had clichéd plot points and contrived characters with eternal face paralysis. The director asked me to do whatever I wanted. What else was I supposed to do without any notes or direction?" Qiao Chen explained. He held the cup of coffee closer to him and leaned back into the sofa. Then he lifted his legs up and sat cozy. His long and slender legs that were slightly bent at the knees were completely visible.

"I see. Well I hope that your acting skills and creative talents persist." Du Jingnan replied. His eyes traveled along Qiao Chen's legs and stopped at his thighs. Then Du Jingnan looked back up at Qiao Chen's face.

The two began a discussion and went in depth into character analysis. Qiao Chen noticed that Du Jingnan hadn't hinted that he would return to his own room yet, so he reminded, "It's gotten late. I don't have any scenes tomorrow, but you as the director must have a busy day tomorrow."

Du Jingnan's eyes lingered on Qiao Chen's face for some time. Then he smiled a smile filled with hidden meanings and got up to leave Qiao Chen's room.

Qiao Chen was inwardly laughing at that smile. He knew that Du Jingnan wouldn't do anything to him while they were still filming.

Since Qiao Chen's role didn't have that much screen time, he mostly stayed at the hotel in his room while he waited for his scenes. Du Jingnan often visited Qiao Chen's room in the evening to discuss the script when he didn't have any night scenes to shoot.

From these nightly visits, Qiao Chen knew how strict and particular Du Jingnan was about everything from script and filming details to the actors' acting skills. This showed him that this was the real reason why Du Jingnan's films sold so well.

Qiao Chen was in a playful mood. He would always show Du Jingnan what he couldn't eat. Sometimes he would show off his long legs. Other times he would wear a loose shirt with a low neckline. He was very intentionally tempting Du Jingnan, and sometimes unintentionally, because he knew that Du Jingnan wouldn't touch him while they were still filming.

Qiao Chen was very confident with this lifetime's body. When he was Shu Qichen, he had to do the nude scenes when he was relegated to stand in and body double work. And even though he was only doing background work, he was still noticed by the audience. There were some directors who even asked him to shoot some action movies.

It was also because of the one time that he had to be a naked body double that Li Huang noticed and took a fancy to him. Then, Xu Jieming, who was very invested in the movie, was notified of this and sent Shu Qichen straight to Li Huang's hotel bed.

Qiao Chen's final scene required him to finally wear men's clothing. However, Qiao Chen didn't know if he had worn women's clothing too many times, because the crew all treated him like he was a woman. They all used a gentle tone and soft manner when they spoke to him. They even started to pamper him too. Even the costuming people and hair and makeup staff continued to praise his good figure and perfect skin. Furthermore, each and every time they complimented him, they never forgot to add in at the end of each sentence "So much better than a woman's".

Contrary to what Qiao Chen thought, the crew's attitude changed because they knew, even if they were seasoned veterans or not, that Qiao Chen's character in this film would be insanely popular. They didn't even need to worry about all the people happily scolding Shu Qichen online. Most people, if not everyone, would be shocked to see Shu Qichen when the movie was released. Everyone here had been there from the beginning. They weren't surprised by Shu Qichen's acting skills anymore. Putting aside his future popularity, how would they even dare to act against Shu Qichen when even the director and assistant director were polite to him?

This next scene was filmed separately with Qiu Chen and Li Zhongxu. The war was on the verge of beginning. Li Zhongxu had sent someone to bring Qiu Chen to a safe zone, so that he could feel at ease while on the battlefield.

Qiao Chen and Du Jingnan stood face to face beside a black car as they waited for the crew to finish their preparations.

Qiao Chen was dressed in an ink drawing print chang pao. He wore a sky blue cloak over that chang pao and it had fluffy white fur that decorated the edges of the collar. His skin was lustrous and dewy. His overall face looked very delicate. He had an air of breathtaking elegance that seemed to exude from the top of his head all the way down to the tips of his toes. This man really embodied the saying of a jade-like being.

Du Jingnan was dressed in a black colored military uniform. Gold colored thread was embroidered on every edge from the collar to the sleeves. This accentuated his handsome and powerful image and pushed it into extraordinary heights.

The two men stood together and not one bit of one matched the other. However, there was an exceptional kind of harmonious atmosphere that gave off the feeling that these two people were made for each other.

"Are you cold?"Du Jingnan asked. The staff had to layer on thick clothes over the past few days because of the rapid drop in temperature.

"Not too bad. Luckily, today's wardrobe had very thick and warm clothing." Qiao Chen replied. Today's temperature was very low. However, this was still a scene that required them to be outside. If it was supposed to be like the wardrobe from before then he'd be forced to wear thin and lightly layered western fashion or a cheongsam. He would definitely be freezing. He thought that he was quite lucky that he was able to wear a very thick and warm layered look for his character's debut in menswear.

"Today is your last scene. What do plan on doing after you return?" Du Jingnan asked as he helped tidy up Qiao Chen's collar and cape.

"I don't have an agency. What can I do? I'll probably take a break after I go back and then finish up that new script."

"Please send the script to me first when you finish it." Du Jingnan reminded immediately. He often went to Qiao Chen's room to discuss the script, so he soon discovered that Qiao Chen had already begun writing a new script. He very hastily grabbed whatever Qiao Chen had been working on. He had to read it. Even though Qiao Chen had only written less than half of it, Du Jingnan quickly became very interested in the plot.

"Roger that. You've already told me that several times." Qiao Chen replied. He had also received a call from Zheng Qi. She told him that she was the new lead for the script review team and that Cai Hao was dismissed from his position. Then she finished off by telling Qiao Chen that he could send and script he finished directly to her.

Zheng Qi was very warm and inviting while she spoke, so Qiao Chen agreed. However, he had been sorting through some of the things he had written previously. It was splayed out across his laptop screen. He had the system help him fix up and change some parts here and there. Then he forgot to put away his laptop when Du Jingnan came to his room. Qiao Chen didn't want to let him see its contents, but Du Jingnan had snatched the laptop from his very hands. Afterwards, he read through it. From then on, Du Jingnan constantly nagged and reminded him to send the script after he finished writing it.

They were about to film the next sequence, so Qiao Chen shelved these distracting thoughts away. Then he prepared himself and got into the emotional zone that his character would be feeling. The assistant director called out for the scene to begin. Qiao Chen and Du Jingnan immediately snapped into their roles with their emotions' in the correct states.

'Action!'

"Why do you have to send me away? I would never be a burden to you." Qiu Chen said. His face showed his stubbornness and his eyes were filled with reluctance and unwillingness.

"It's not that I'm scared that you'd be a burden. You would never be a burden to me. I need to know that you are safe and sound, so that I can be completely focused when I go off into battle. Knowing that you are safe is one less worry I will have when I fight against the enemies." Li Zhongxu persuaded. He carried an aura of bloodlust unique to that of a soldier. He was originally displayed a resolute and imposing atmosphere. However, Li Zhongxu's eyes carried an ambiguous gentleness when he looked at Qiu Chen.

"I'm a man too! I can enter the battlefield and fight against the enemy too. It isn't just Jun Tianrui who can fight alongside you. I can do just the same. Why won't you give me the chance to prove it?" Qiu Chen looked up at Li Zhongxu. His expression had changed. The grievance was even more pronounced now.

Li Zhongxu softly sighed, "Are you fighting me on this now? At this time? Please…"

"You've never regarded me as a man anyways." Qiu Chen turned his face away, resigned.

Li Zhongxu pulled Qiu Chen into his arms and hugged him tightly, relieved. Then he opened the car door and helped Qiu Chen in. Li Zhongxu closed the door, but Qiu Chen reached out the window and grabbed his arm. Anxiousness dripped from every word, "Will you come back for me?"

"When the battle is over I will personally go get you myself. I swear that I will as long I still have a single breath in my body. I will come back for you." Li Zhongxu assured. He pulled his hand back out the window and then signaled to the driver for him to leave.

The car engine started up. Qiu Chen's voice trembled as he spoke, "You have to come back for me."

Li Zhongxu stood in place as he emotionally watched the black car drive off into the distance. He waited until he lost sight of it before he entered a different vehicle.

"Cut." The assistant director yelled out. The crew behind the camera couldn't help but give a round of applause for the two actors' performances.

Qiao Chen and Du Jingnan walked together to watch the playback. Then they redid the scene with the camera at different angles. Finally, Qiao Chen was officially wrapped up.

"You going back today?" The assistant director asked.

"Yes." Qiao Chen nodded.

"You have to come for the wrap party."

"Let's talk about that later."

Qiao Chen returned to the hotel to gather his belongings. Du Jingnan had personally come to see him off. He said, "Go back and don't play around. Quickly finish the script."

Qiao Chen rolled his eyes and retorted, "That's all you care about."