RGS 18 PART 2

Chapter 18 part 2

At the time, Xie Ze thought that even in a weakened state, he could act well. But seeing how dedicated Tom was, he didn’t want to refuse as an actor. He wanted to be able to showcase his skills, even if he had to rely on his face for now.

With too many people in the private room, they couldn’t make their way out, so they could only do the makeup in the dressing room. Fortunately, there weren’t many costume changes today, and the other actors had already received their costumes.

The makeup artist was applying makeup to Xie Ze, but there wasn’t much to do. The basic requirement was to make him look weak. Given Xie Ze’s current condition, he was already in the best state for the role. While applying some powder, the makeup artist couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. She had seen actors push themselves for roles before, but she had never seen anyone work so hard, especially a newcomer like him.

Jian Anning stood guard about two meters away from the crowd. Xie Ze glanced at the people behind him in the mirror and smiled at them, winning over their hearts. The makeup artist, who had been working closely with Xie Ze lately, couldn’t help but say, “Even if you have to cooperate with the role, you shouldn’t starve yourself like this.”

A person from behind sympathetically covered their chest and said, “You should eat more. I have some nutritional supplements. You can have some after you finish shooting.”

Jian Anning had no idea how to react to the situation. She stood there in astonishment. It was truly magical. What kind of magic did Xie Ze possess that made the entire crew care about him so much? Was this world, where looks mattered so much, really so crazy and joyous?

Jian Anning was inwardly exasperated but outwardly played along with Xie Ze’s vulnerable act. She said with a pitiful tone, “Oh my, Xie Ze has been starving himself for over ten days to play Ael convincingly. He’s deliberately consuming his muscle protein, and he only took those nutritional supplements this morning because he was afraid he might not last through the shoot. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have eaten!”

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The indoor set had already been constructed, representing an abandoned old building. In the film, Ael died in this dark, dirty room, which starkly contrasted with his naturally outgoing and sunny personality.

As Xie Ze entered the set, he felt the atmosphere change. He sensed that Arnold had arrived. As expected, Tom was talking to a tall man dressed in camouflage, who was undoubtedly Arnold.

Xie Ze had become quite popular within the crew over the past few weeks, and as soon as he entered, people began to greet him excitedly. Some even raised their nutritional supplements to show they were ready.

This level of attention from strangers was new to Xie Ze, and he felt deeply moved. He smiled gratefully at the people around him. Tom, too, quickly noticed Xie Ze’s arrival amid the commotion.

Tom had already gotten used to this. In the past two weeks, his female screenwriter had willingly made dozens of revisions to the script, sometimes sacrificing sleep and health just to perfect the character of Ael and win the audience’s favor. This was the ultimate version of the script, but Tom had a feeling that there might still be revisions in the details ahead.

Tom and Arnold were in the middle of a conversation when they both turned to look at Xie Ze, and Arnold froze for a moment.

Tom was nearly about to drop the megaphone in his hand. “Doesn’t he know this scene is about playing a dead person? Who did his makeup? Is he going to a beauty pageant or to his death?”

The makeup artist responsible for touch-ups rushed over, thinking Tom was overreacting, but when she saw Xie Ze’s makeup, she was also taken aback. It was indeed meticulously done, but the problem was that there was barely any makeup on him. He didn’t even have eyeliner! Well, it wasn’t Xie Ze’s fault that he looked handsome to begin with!

The makeup artist could only brush Xie Ze’s face casually, whispering to him, “Don’t be angry. Tom has always been like this. You’ll get used to it.”

Tom, after venting his frustration, realized that the issue was not the makeup. It was simply that Xie Ze was too good-looking. He didn’t say anything else and gestured towards the set. Then, he addressed Xie Ze, “Come here, I’ll brief you.”

Xie Ze walked over, and as he passed Arnold, he nodded as a form of greeting. Arnold glanced at him but maintained his proud expression without saying a word.

Tom walked to the center of the set, adjusted the lighting, and signaled for Xie Ze to lie down. Xie Ze did so, and there was a slight commotion from the audience below, but it didn’t affect Tom’s instructions.

Tom said, “In this scene, you have to die peacefully. You know Ael’s personality, always positive and optimistic, even towards death. So, you can’t show fear. Just lie there calmly. If you can’t interact with Arnold, look at some other point and we’ll take care of it in post-production.”

Xie Ze, who was already feeling faint due to hunger, nodded in agreement.

Tom continued, “Hold on during this scene, and you won’t have to starve for the rest of the shoot.”

Xie Ze nodded again, not saying much, and closed his eyes to get into the right mindset.

Arnold had been somewhat surprised when he saw Xie Ze. He had first seen him at the exchange meeting and knew that this Asian newcomer had already made a name for himself in the entertainment industry, mainly because of his striking appearance. However, Arnold had a hand in securing Xie Ze for the role of in “Player.” While it may have seemed like Zhang Kai had made the decision, it was actually Arnold who had made the final call. Zhang Kai had hesitated, thinking that Zhou Yang was a better fit for the role, as a reality show needed a character like him to lighten the mood. Zhou Yang had performed exceptionally well during auditions and had the production team laughing.

However, Arnold believed that the Asian newcomer could do it, and he internally decided to cast him. Of course, he didn’t reveal this decision publicly.

In the dimly lit, dirty room filled with dust and a musty odor, a weak but serene figure lay on the dirty floor, dressed in clean camouflage attire. Beyond the halo of the pale yellow light cast by a handheld lamp, the room hid its filth and disarray. Inside the circle of light, there was Ael’s tranquil face and Jo’s half-masked countenance.

Ael wore a clean camouflage uniform, his face pale as he lay on the floor. Under the camouflage outfit, his body appeared fragile. However, his face retained its calmness, much like the impression he had always given—a clean, cheerful, and sunny disposition. Even in death, it seemed unable to drag him into the dark abyss.

Jo, on one knee, knelt beside him, gazing down at Ael. The mask covered half of his face, and his bowed head concealed any emotions that might be evident in his eyes. Despite appearing calm, the tense line of his back betrayed his emotions.

Ael slowly opened his eyes. His black eyelashes fluttered like agile butterflies. He didn’t resemble a dying man. Instead, his dark eyes sparkled with life. After opening his eyes and seeing Jo, he spoke, “I think it’s actually quite nice this way. I can reunite with my dad.”

Jo finally raised his gaze, his icy blue eyes fixed on Ael. He relaxed his tensed back, bending forward and maintaining an unwavering gaze. It was as if he feared that Ael would disappear if he blinked. He had not uttered a word throughout the scene.

Ael smiled gently, devoid of the fear and sorrow that often accompany those near death. He appeared serene, as if he had long anticipated this outcome. In this moment, in this dirty room, his smile seemed even more pure and simple.

This was probably a last glimmer before death. No one knew what Ael saw, but his gaze turned towards the dark ceiling, as if he glimpsed a joyful illusion. His black eyes shone like still water, and his handsome face bloomed like a rich flower in this moment, exuding intense beauty.

Ael’s gaze returned to Jo, and he finally spoke, “I used to be particularly curious about what’s behind your mask.”

Jo’s hand slowly lifted, grasping the concealed clasp beneath the hair, but Ael shook his head, saying, “Better not, curiosity killed the cat. What if you’re too ugly, and I find you repulsive? I wouldn’t be at peace in death.”

Jo didn’t respond, only slowly lowered his hand, which landed gently on Ael’s shoulder, resting lightly.

Ael laughed heartily, like a dancing musical note. It was as if he wasn’t facing death at all, behaving just as he always did, chattering away. He shared stories of his childhood, like the time he sneaked into his father’s laboratory and nearly got thrashed for drinking a bottle of chemicals. He mentioned that he didn’t actually like Jo initially because he was too cold and difficult to get along with. He revealed that his biggest wish in life was to find a quiet place and live peacefully. However, he had come to realize that adventures could be quite intriguing…

Jo remained silent, kneeling attentively, just like in the moments they had spent together before.

However, Ael’s smile gradually faded, and his eyes remained as deep and tranquil as a still pond.

After a while, the room suddenly fell silent, not a single sound to be heard. The dim circle of light only encompassed the two figures. Ael closed his eyes and smiled gently, saying, “Jo, goodbye.”

The word “goodbye” hung like a pause, and when the sound ceased, it marked the end of a young life.

Jo didn’t move for a long time, only keeping his hand, which was lightly placed on the shoulder of the deceased young man, tightly clenched.

[Cut!]

Tom’s “Cut!” had just landed when several bags of nutrients were thrown into the center of the stage like sandbags. One of them hit Arnold in the chest and dropped onto Xie Ze’s stomach.

Xie Ze  opened his eyes and saw a bag of nutrients on his stomach. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and immediately started drinking. He was clearly weakened beyond belief.