Chapter 72: God of Gamblers Begins Filming

At dawn, outside the Macau Grand Lisboa Hotel, over a dozen black vans were parked in neat rows. Crew members were busy setting up filming equipment, lighting technicians were adjusting spotlights, and makeup artists weaved through the crowd carrying toolboxes. Xiang Fei, wearing sunglasses and holding a clapperboard, stood in the center of the hotel's opulent lobby, surveying the casino that was about to become the film's primary setting.

"All departments, prepare!" the assistant director shouted into a megaphone, "First scene, rolling in five minutes!"

Inside the makeup room, Liu Liu Furong was practicing Chen Chen Xiaodao's signature roguish grin in front of the mirror. Dressed in a floral shirt with an exaggerated gold chain around his neck, he looked every bit like a street hooligan.

"Brother Rong, this look suits you perfectly!" the stylist couldn't help but exclaim.

Liu Liu Furong grinned, revealing two small tiger teeth: "Brother Fei wrote this character with such flavor; I fell in love with this Chen Chen Xiaodao the moment I read the script."

In the adjacent makeup room, Xiang Qiang was trying on the black suit for Long Wu. He struck several fighting poses in front of the mirror and frowned: "Isn't this outfit too tight? Will I be able to move freely during the fight scenes?"

The wardrobe supervisor quickly explained: "Rest assured, Mr. Xiang, we used elastic fabric specifically designed for action sequences."

Xiang Fei entered the lead actors' rest area, holding the storyboard script. "Everyone, we'll start with the key scene of God of Gamblers Ko Chun's entrance." He turned to Liu Liu Furong: "Rong-zi, later your Chen Chen Xiaodao needs to convey that complex emotion of both admiration and defiance."

Liu Liu Furong nodded: "Understood. I'll capture that feeling of 'wanting to curry favor with the boss while also wanting to prove myself'."

Xiang Fei then looked at Xiang Qiang: "Uncle Qiang, Long Wu's first shot is crucial; it must make people immediately feel he's a ruthless character."

Xiang Qiang snorted: "Once I stand there, won't that be ruthless enough?"

Just then, Zhang Min and Wang Wang Zuxian walked in arm in arm. Zhang Min wore a red evening gown, breathtakingly beautiful; Wang Wang Zuxian wore jeans paired with a white T-shirt, innocent yet wild.

"Wow! Sister Min looks absolutely stunning today!" Liu Liu Furong couldn't help but whistle.

Zhang Min elegantly twirled: "Young Master Xiang said the first scene involves the God of Gamblers and his wife making their entrance, so of course I had to dress formally."

"Silence everyone!" the assistant director shouted, "God of Gamblers, Scene One, Take One, action!"

The clapperboard snapped shut with a sharp "click."

The camera slowly pushed in from the casino entrance; accompanied by stirring background music, Xiang Fei, playing Ko Chun, appeared in a black suit, sporting his signature slicked-back hair, a faint smile playing on his lips, walking into the casino with elegant strides. Zhang Min held his arm, the pair shining like a king and queen.

"Cut! Perfect!" the assistant director shouted excitedly.

Xiang Fei, however, did not call halt; he continued acting. Ko Chun walked to a gambling table and casually tossed a stack of chips to a waiter: "Give every guest a glass of champagne; put it on my tab."

This improvised detail made everyone on set hold their breath. Liu Liu Furong, as Chen Chen Xiaodao, squeezed out from the crowd, his eyes shining as he stared at Ko Chun: "Boss, can you teach this little brother a trick or two?"

Xiang Fei turned, his gaze suddenly turning sharp: "Are you worthy?"

This improvised line made Liu Liu Furong pause for a split second, but his professionalism kicked in immediately: "I, Chen Chen Xiaodao, have mixed in Macau for so many years, and I've never met anyone I couldn't beat!"

"Cut!" Xiang Fei finally called, "That's a wrap! Rong-zi, your reaction was fantastic!"

Warm applause erupted on set. Liu Liu Furong wiped the sweat from his forehead: "Brother Fei, you really scared me just now; that look was incredible!"

Xiang Qiang walked over and patted his nephew's shoulder: "Ah Fei, you're starting to look like the God of Gamblers."

At noon, the crew dined in the hotel restaurant. Xiang Fei, Liu Liu Furong, Xiang Qiang, Zhang Min, and Wang Wang Zuxian sat at one table, discussing the afternoon scenes while eating.

"This afternoon we're filming the amnesia sequence; how does Young Master Xiang plan to play it?" Wang Wang Zuxian asked curiously.

Xiang Fei smiled mysteriously: "Just wait and see." Then, suddenly, his expression shifted, his eyes becoming innocent and naive as he grabbed a chocolate from the table and stuffed it into his mouth: "Delicious... chocolate is the most delicious..."

This sudden transformation stunned everyone. Liu Liu Furong's chopsticks fell to the floor: "Oh my god! It's like he's a completely different person!"

Zhang Min couldn't help but laugh: "It seems I, as his 'wife,' will have to take good care of this 'silly husband' of mine."

During the afternoon shoot of the scene where Ko Chun, having lost his memory, wanders the streets, an accident occurred. According to the script, Xiang Fei, dressed in ragged clothes, was to be jostled in a vegetable market. Unexpectedly, an extra got too into the role and pushed with excessive force, knocking Xiang Fei to the ground.

"Young Master Xiang!" crew members cried out, rushing over.

Xiang Fei, however, lay on the ground laughing heartily: "Great push! That's exactly the realism we need!" He climbed up, dusted himself off, and said, "Come on, let's do another take!"

This display of dedication earned the respect of all staff members. Liu Liu Furong whispered to Xiang Qiang: "With Young Master Xiang working this hard, we veteran actors can't afford to lose."

The night shoot featured the casino climax, the scene where Ko Chun regains his memory and dominates everyone. This scene required a single continuous take, posing a huge challenge for both the actors and the camera crew.

"Everyone, prepare!" the assistant director shouted, "This is the final scene of the day; let's stay focused!"

The camera started with a close-up of Xiang Fei; he slowly lifted his head, his eyes shifting gradually from confusion to sharpness. As the music swelled, he ripped off his tattered jacket, revealing the black suit underneath.

What followed was a series of fluid, cloud-like gambling displays, Xiang Fei's movements so fast they dazzled the eye.

"Cut! Perfect!" the cinematographer shouted excitedly, "That take was amazing!"

Xiang Fei let out a long sigh, only then realizing his back was soaked with sweat. Liu Liu Furong rushed over first to hand him water: "Brother Fei, that sequence just now is definitely going to become a classic!"

At 11 PM late at night, the first day of filming finally concluded. Xiang Fei gathered all key creatives for a wrap-up meeting.

"Everyone performed wonderfully today," Xiang Fei said, looking at his tired but excited team members, "especially Rong-zi and Uncle Qiang; your scenes together sparked with chemistry."

Xiang Qiang rarely smiled: "Ah Fei, you're directing quite convincingly."

Liu Liu Furong rubbed his sore shoulders: "Brother Fei, tomorrow we're filming the romance scenes between me and Wang Zuxian; please go easy on us."

Wang Wang Zuxian blinked playfully: "What? Is Rong-zi shy?"

Everyone burst into laughter again. Xiang Fei looked at the harmonious crew, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment: "Alright, that's all for today; tomorrow morning at 7 AM sharp, we start work!"

After returning to the hotel, Xiang Fei found Liu Liu Furong still practicing tomorrow's lines in the hallway.

"Rong-zi, still not resting at this hour?"

Liu Liu Furong smiled: "Tomorrow's scenes are important; I want to find the right feeling." He hesitated slightly, then asked, "Fei-zi, do you think Chen Chen Xiaodao's feelings toward Ko Chun should be more about admiration, or more about jealousy?"

Xiang Fei pondered for a moment: "I think it should be contradictory. He both admires Ko Chun's talent and envies his success; this complex psychology is precisely the character's charm."

Liu Liu Furong's eyes lit up: "I understand! It's like... like the feeling of loving and hating an idol at the same time."

The two exchanged a smile and continued discussing their characters in the hallway late into the night. As a hotel waiter passed by, he couldn't help but glance twice—at this moment, these two big stars seemed just like two students deeply passionate about acting.