I Want to Become the King of the Silver Screen [Entertainment Industry] Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Beer

In the following week, Jiang Yin was busy with non-stop filming. He completed scenes with Zhao Pengpeng, then with Qi Baijia, and later with Jiang Wei, who played the role of Minister Cao Shen, as well as various other supporting actors and group scenes. There was hardly any break.

Once they started filming, he realized that acting wasn’t as simple as it seemed. One of the challenges was to immerse oneself in the role while ignoring the presence of the crew on set. Unlike TV dramas, there were no background music or editing during the actual filming. Actors had to rely on their own imagination to create various situations. Normal scenes were manageable, but some scenes or lines in front of a large audience felt awkward. People with thin skin would surely feel embarrassed. Zhao Pengpeng initially had numerous NG takes due to this reason. Even with Jiang Yin’s guidance, she still felt nervous.

There was also the challenge of controlling expressions, mannerisms, and tone of voice. “The Legend of Empress Lu” was filmed with live sound, and focusing solely on delivering lines was not easy. Additionally, Director Liang had strict requirements. Even the slightest mistake meant redoing the scene over and over again. The initial novelty wore off, leaving them exhausted.

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However, as a minor supporting role, it wasn’t his concern. He focused on delivering a good performance. Most importantly, after days of filming, his acting skills had improved rapidly.

Ever since he decided to stay in the modern world, Jiang Yin had been studying almost every day. He delved into the history, development, culture, and laws of this world, as well as practical matters like using electronic devices and culinary techniques. Countless new knowledge and fresh experiences fascinated him.

Of course, the aspect he devoted the most time to each day was acting.

After all, it was the skill he currently needed the most. He found himself grateful to the person who had given him this role, as it allowed him to observe the acting skills of veteran actors up close and learn techniques under Director Liang’s strict guidance.

He also became an acquaintance of Qi Baijia.

In the modern world, or rather, in this lifetime, Qi Baijia was the first friend he had made.

Jiang Yin didn’t know if other emperors had friends, but he didn’t.

When he was a prince, he wasn’t favored. Apart from the two attendants assigned to him when he entered school, he had no contact with anyone else. Even when he entered school, it was the Crown Prince who helped him secure a spot. The two attendants were also chosen by the Crown Prince, and they treated Jiang Yin with nothing but respect.

As for palace servants, it was even more impossible. The scenario of a master becoming friends with a servant, as depicted in novels and TV dramas, simply wouldn’t happen. Even the most benevolent master wouldn’t entertain such an idea. Perhaps it was different in other dynasties, but within the vast and intricate world of the Da Zhou aristocratic families, where the imperial examination system hadn’t fully flourished, and where the class divide among the common people was like a chasm, there was no chance of developing friendships with the royal family.

Before he was remembered by the Crown Prince and allowed to enter school, the eunuchs and palace maids outside the Cold Palace treated him with indifference. It wasn’t malicious disregard, but rather they only attended to their assigned duties. When they saw him, they would respectfully salute and make way, as his presence represented trouble. For them, it was better to avoid any entanglement.

Even if there were palace servants who wanted to be friends with him, he wouldn’t agree. After all, he was still a prince, and how could he be friends with servants? This was the environment he grew up in, the education he received, and his understanding of the world. If it weren’t for coming to the modern era and having the memories of the original host, he wouldn’t have even considered the concept of equality among all people.

Furthermore, there wouldn’t be palace servants with such unrealistic ideas.

So Qi Baijia was the first friend he made since he could remember.

In his eyes, Chen Dan was like a family member and elder. Qi Baijia, on the other hand, was around the same age as him, especially with his baby face. He looked as old as Jiang Yin was in his previous life, so Jiang Yin instinctively treated him as someone of the same age.

They had gotten along well while sitting on the bench earlier, and after filming several scenes together, they naturally became friends.

“Okay, cut!”

Today, they were shooting a scene that portrayed Liu Ying protecting Liu Ruyi. After Liu Ruyi was deceived by Empress Lu and brought to Chang’an, Liu Ying, fearing his mother’s actions against him, kept Liu Ruyi by his side, accompanying her throughout the day and even sleeping together.

No dialogue was required; they just needed to convey this scene visually.

There was no precise historical record of Zhao Ruyi’s birth year, but it was generally estimated to be around the age of 11 to 14. With some makeup and modifications, Qi Baijia’s baby face seemed suitable.

TV dramas were adaptations, so as long as it wasn’t too far-fetched, it was acceptable.

At Director Liang’s call, Jiang Yin and Qi Baijia, who were lying on the bed, immediately uncovered themselves and sat up.

“Oh my goodness, I can’t take it anymore! It’s too hot! Where is my beloved pet?” Qi Baijia couldn’t stand the heat. Wearing long sleeves and pants in over 30-degree weather and covering himself with a thick quilt felt like torture.

His assistant, Xiao Yu, immediately handed him a small fan.

Jiang Yin also couldn’t bear the heat. Chen Dan wasn’t around today, and ever since he mentioned helping him get a role in a period drama, he had been busy with that matter. He didn’t have an assistant, and the original host didn’t have much work, so both Jiang Yin and Chen Dan agreed that it wasn’t necessary to waste money hiring an assistant.

“Hey, come here, Your Highness.” Qi Baijia grinned mischievously as he handed the fan towards him, fully embracing his role as a drama queen. “Look at him, so oblivious! Can’t he see that the emperor is also feeling hot? Xiao Yu, quickly go and get one for His Majesty too.”

Xiao Yu couldn’t help but chuckle and turned around to fetch another fan.

The two “brothers” sat by the bed, blowing the fans and chatting about their hometown until it got dark.

They couldn’t stay up until dawn to shoot the scene, so they made do with the evening light.

Before they started filming, Qi Baijia’s phone rang a few times. His expression changed as he picked it up.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Yin asked.

Qi Baijia’s brows furrowed. “My girlfriend wants to break up with me.”

Jiang Yin responded without hesitation, “You have a girlfriend?”

Qi Baijia paused for a moment before saying, “…”

Director Liang was already calling for action, leaving no time for further discussion. Qi Baijia gave Jiang Yin a look that said they would talk later and tucked his phone back under the covers.

As soon as the word “action” was called, their expressions immediately changed.

In the dimly lit palace adorned with candlelight, the camera zoomed in. Liu Ying, who had woken up early, was gently calling his younger brother to wake up.

“Ruyi, Ruyi,” he softly whispered, reaching out to gently shake Liu Ruyi. “It’s time to wake up.”

Liu Ruyi groggily opened his eyes and tried to rub them, but as soon as his hand came out from under the covers, he recoiled from the cold. “I’m so tired, I want to keep sleeping.”

Liu Ying adjusted his blanket and smiled. “Who was the one who said they wanted to go hunting with me yesterday?”

“Not me.” Liu Ruyi pulled the covers up to half of his face, acting spoiled as his eyes playfully wandered around, looking adorable.

“It’s so cold outside, I don’t want to go out.” He pouted, “Brother, you go alone. I promise to wait patiently in the hall for your return.”

Liu Ying couldn’t bear to wake him up anymore and glanced at the palace maids who were already prepared outside. Thinking that the empress mother was probably still asleep, he figured he could return before she woke up. So, he agreed.

He gently tucked the blanket around his younger brother, and Liu Ruyi looked at him with eyes full of smiles.

The scene depicted a loving and harmonious relationship between the brothers, which would later contrast sharply with their tragic separation. The current atmosphere was warm and cozy, but when Liu Ying returned to see his brother poisoned to death by their mother, it would be incredibly cruel.

However, some people couldn’t help but feel excited while watching the “bed scene” between the two handsome young men.

Zhao Pengpeng, who was observing from the side, couldn’t contain her excitement as she held her face in her hands. She specifically came to watch this scene and was not disappointed.

After finishing this scene, Qi Baijia finished for the day, and the scene with the poisoned wine was scheduled for tomorrow. Jiang Yin still had a group scene to film, while Qi Baijia was anxious to comfort his girlfriend, so he waved goodbye and left.

Jiang Yin felt a little worried and immediately called Qi Baijia as soon as they finished filming.

The call was quickly answered, but it wasn’t Qi Baijia who picked up; it was Xiao Yu.

Twenty minutes later, Jiang Yin hurried back to the hotel in a taxi. He went straight to the top floor in the elevator and found Qi Baijia going wild in the emergency exit.

“Yin, you finally came.” Qi Baijia exclaimed excitedly as soon as he saw him. “Let’s go, let’s go, quickly, let’s go to the rooftop!”

Xiao Yu leaned over and whispered softly, “Qi-ge insisted on going to the rooftop, and I was afraid something might happen, so I said we should wait for you to come together.”

Qi Baijia poked his head over. “Hey, hey, I’m not drunk. I’m listening, okay? I said I don’t want to jump off the building, I just want to go up there and feel the breeze.”

“Here.” Jiang Yin handed him a small fan and aimed it directly at Qi Baijia. “Wind, you wanted to feel the wind, right?”

He blew forcefully, indulging in it.

Qi Baijia: “…”

In a mysterious silence that lasted three seconds, Qi Baijia actually accepted the fan and aimed it at himself.

Jiang Yin: “…”

“The world is no longer what it used to be, and society is in decline.” Qi Baijia faced the wind, feeling sorrowful. “I thought that even without love, I still had friendship, but the result…”

Jiang Yin quietly watched his performance.

Qi Baijia: “…”

Xiao Yu took out three cans of beer from a plastic bag on the ground and placed one in front of each person. He gestured to Jiang Yin to drink it and then made a sleeping gesture, implying that Jiang Yin should help him pour the beer and make him quiet down.

Before Jiang Yin could say anything, Qi Baijia had already taken the beer and opened it himself, even inviting Jiang Yin and Xiao Yu to join him in drinking.

“Come, come, let’s toast if we’re brothers.”

Jiang Yin had only been in this world for a month and hadn’t tasted beer yet. When he opened it and took a sip, it didn’t taste as good as the memories left by the original body. Instead, it had a strange taste that he wasn’t quite accustomed to. Nevertheless, he drank along with Qi Baijia.

He didn’t know how to console someone because he had never been in a relationship, let alone experienced a breakup.

After thinking for a moment, he took out his phone and searched for ways to comfort someone after a breakup.

“Hey, hey, I’m already so pitiful, please don’t stimulate me anymore, okay?” Qi Baijia thought he was chatting with his girlfriend.

Jiang Yin had a clever idea and comforted him, “I don’t have a girlfriend, and I’ve never been in a relationship. Look, you’re better than me. At least you’ve experienced it, I’m even worse off than you.”

Indeed, he had never been in a relationship. The original body had a preference for same-sex relationships and was solely focused on becoming famous, so there was no room for that kind of sentiment.

Qi Baijia pondered for a moment and agreed, “That’s true.”

Seeing the sympathetic and compassionate look in his eyes, Jiang Yin realized that being a popular idol had its downsides—they couldn’t freely engage in romantic relationships.

Jiang Yin: “…”

He was being silly to try and comfort him.

After two cans of beer, Qi Baijia was completely intoxicated, swaying from side to side, unable to recognize anyone, but surprisingly, his speech was still sharp. “… Do you know why she broke up with me?”

“Why?” Jiang Yin played along.

Qi Baijia: “She said it’s because I have a baby face.”

Jiang Yin: “??”

Qi Baijia: “She said every time we’re intimate, it feels like a crime. What’s wrong with a baby face? Is it my fault for looking young and small? She claimed to like little puppies, but am I not milky enough?”

Jiang Yin: “… Maybe she prefers little wolves?”

Qi Baijia suddenly stood up abruptly. “I can also be a wolf, with six-pack abs.” He was about to lift his clothes, but suddenly paused, as if he had touched something. “Hey, let me show you something good.”

Hotel corridor.

Zhao Yansen came to visit Zhao Pengpeng. He didn’t want to attract attention, so he didn’t go to the filming location but came directly to the hotel.

His assistant followed him, carrying a thermal box.

As they passed through the security door, faint voices could be heard from inside.

“… Take a puff, just one puff…”

“… I’m afraid of getting addicted…”

“Is it what a man feels like? Right, isn’t it pleasurable?”

…

The assistant was shocked. The filming crew was so open-minded, actually gathering to do… that.

Glancing at the boss’s expression, which had turned dark, the assistant was startled and quickly stepped forward, kicking the door open. “What are you all doing?”

“Cough, cough, cough, cough.” Jiang Yin was startled by the sudden intrusion and inhaled the smoke ring he had just tried to blow out, causing him to cough uncontrollably.

Through teary eyes and the swirling smoke, he met Zhao Yansen’s cold and stern gaze.

***