Chapter 102: *Ping Zong Xia Ying* Begins

It wasn't just the opening ceremony.

Even the opening banquet was different.

He Qun issued a ban on alcohol; no staff, front or back of house, were allowed to touch alcohol, and the producers would accompany the reporters.

Due to the machine failure, the start time was delayed by two days.

The filming progress was also behind schedule.

They had to hurry to catch up.

They were only given an hour and a half for lunch, and filming had to start immediately in the afternoon.

After lunch.

Li Luo returned to his room with the packed meal; the master bedroom was dim, and steady breathing could be heard.

"Swish~"

He grabbed the curtains and pulled hard.

Sunlight~

Hmm.

There was no sun.

As the curtains opened, the daylight spilled onto the two-meter-wide bed in the bedroom, revealing a scene that made Li Luo's heart surge.

The bedding was messy, hair was scattered.

Long legs were intertwined.

A flat stomach rose and fell gently with each breath.

After reaching the top.

It traced two arcs, one large and one small.

Although the key areas were covered by the sheets, there was a semi-hidden sexiness that made one look on with even more excitement.

"What are you doing~"

Huang Sheng whined, kicking her long legs into the air: "I still want to sleep!!!"

As she spoke.

She rubbed against Bian Xiaoxiao.

That plump pillow seemed to be a favorite of hers.

"Get up and eat."

Li Luo walked over and waved his hand, giving two slaps: "I have to film in the afternoon, and I'll probably have to work late tonight. After you eat, I'll call a car to take you back to Beijing. Don't you have classes tomorrow?"

As the slaps landed, finger marks appeared on their fair buttocks.

The two women, who were sleeping groggily.

Woke up instantly.

"Bastard."

"It hurts!"

Both let out cries of pain and were about to pounce on him, claws and teeth bared.

"I'm wearing makeup!!!"

Li Luo hurriedly turned to dodge, his long hair draped behind him swinging along; his current look was a bit of a mess, wearing a thick down jacket while his head was covered in an ancient hairpiece.

Seeing this, the two women burst into laughter.

There was no help for it.

Changing clothes was simple, but applying the hairpiece was a hassle.

Until the end of the day, that thing had to stay fixed on his head.

Fortunately, it was winter.

The warmth was good, so he just treated it like wearing a hat.

"What's there to eat?"

Bian Xiaoxiao, who always loved to eat, put on her bathrobe, sat at the table near the window, and opened the meal boxes placed on it.

"Wow, there's sea cucumber."

"Big shrimp."

"Roasted squab???"

The variety of delicacies left her full of praise; she immediately lifted one foot onto the chair, grabbed a shiny roasted squab, and ate it with relish.

The hem of her bathrobe slid off her legs with her movements.

That flash of spring was visible, now and then.

Bian Xiaoxiao didn't care at all.

After two absurd nights and one day, she no longer cared about such trifles.

Huang Sheng, who was never proactive about eating, slowly put on her bathrobe, gave Li Luo a look, and walked quickly toward the bathroom.

"You eat slowly."

Li Luo helped open the boxes: "There's also squab soup here, I'm going to wash my hands."

"Mm-hmm."

Bian Xiaoxiao nodded repeatedly.

Arriving at the bathroom, Li Luo turned on the faucet and washed his hands unhurriedly.

"Brother Luo."

Huang Sheng wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned against his broad back: "I can tell Xiaoxiao likes you, so she didn't resist much, but I'm still afraid she'll have thoughts."

"So?"

Li Luo turned around and lowered his voice.

Looking at that pure face, he looked forward to what she would say next.

It must be very interesting.

"You be nicer to her during this time."

Huang Sheng was very unhappy, but still shook her head and said: "You must not let Xiaoxiao's mind wander. It's not good if this kind of thing gets out. I'll try to persuade her again after I get back to school."

As she spoke, she pinched Li Luo hard.

"It's all your fault."

The Shanghai girl gritted her teeth, her strength not diminishing in the slightest: "I told you to carry her back to the room first, and now look, you've caused trouble!"

"You bastard got a bargain!!!"

Although she felt depressed inside.

There was no help for it.

That night, she herself had decided to pull Bian Xiaoxiao in, so she couldn't really go back on it.

She could only pinch him to vent her anger.

Li Luo felt a sharp pain in his waist, but inside he was desperately holding back laughter.

Clearly, she was the one who had been tricked.

Yet, with him and Bian Xiaoxiao working together, she thought she was the one doing the tricking.

Damn it.

He was too bad.

Li Luo cursed himself fiercely and reached out to hook Huang Sheng's fair chin: "Don't worry, I know what to do. You're still blaming me? If it weren't for you kissing him inexplicably."

"Hate you, hate you."

With the angry scolding, small fists rained down on him.

After a sumptuous lunch.

And washing up.

Li Luo first called the front desk to arrange a business car, then accompanied the two of them to the elevator and headed straight to the hotel lobby.

Is there a problem with classmates visiting each other on set?

If it were one man and one woman.

There might be some problems.

But with two female classmates coming together, any normal person would think there was absolutely no problem, so Li Luo was open and honest, even smiling and greeting people he knew.

The more secretive you are, the easier it is to attract prying eyes.

Acting like this.

Instead, no one thought in that direction.

"If you're hungry on the road, just buy something to eat." Li Luo avoided the driver's line of sight and put a thousand yuan into Bian Xiaoxiao's hand: "The car belongs to the hotel, you don't need to pay the fare."

They did a good job, so they had to be rewarded.

Huang Sheng thought Li Luo had taken her words to heart and gave him a secret thumbs-up.

"No need."

Bian Xiaoxiao hurriedly declined: "It's only a few hours' drive."

"Oh, just take it." Pressing her hand down, Huang Sheng's tone was very intimate: "I happen to know a Western restaurant that's quite good. Let's go spend some money tonight."

"Consider it Li Luo's treat!"

Happy inside, Bian Xiaoxiao accepted it half-heartedly.

"Driver."

Coming to the passenger side again, Li Luo reached in and handed twenty yuan through the window: "Take this to buy some water. Be safe on the road, thank you!"

This was a hotel business car.

The related charter fees would be settled directly in the room bill.

Giving a tip.

Was to make the other party pay attention.

Although he didn't know what kind of water was worth twenty yuan, the driver still accepted it with a full face of smiles, thanking him repeatedly, and even patted his chest to guarantee they would be delivered safely.

This money could cover a normal person's day of work!

Waving at the departing vehicle, Li Luo walked happily into the hotel's revolving door.

"We've already started, everyone be alert."

He Qun looked around and roared into the megaphone: "Why is the threshold so clean? Do you think snow doesn't fall at your house? Hurry up and get some and scatter it on."

Filming officially started in the afternoon.

He Qun changed from his usual good temper, and his roaring continued.

Unless it was a director in name only.

Otherwise, most people doing this job would have a worse temper once they entered a working state, because the thousands of threads of the crew weighed on their hearts.

And sometimes, if your temper isn't big enough, you can't suppress the monsters and demons in the crew.

"Li Luo, come here."

Putting down the megaphone, He Qun beckoned: "In a moment, you walk out from behind the camera, walk along the courtyard toward the house, and the two servants sweeping the snow will greet you. Just respond."

"Let's start with a simple one to warm you up."

"Alright."

Li Luo indicated no problem.

Jumping on the spot, he quickly adjusted his state, letting himself, who had been idle for months, enter the acting atmosphere.

Although it was the first day of filming.

What they were filming now was the plot after Zhang Zongzhou was assassinated.

"All departments, pay attention."

He Qun returned behind the monitor and raised the megaphone again: "Unrelated personnel, leave the scene, we're about to start!"

"Actors, take your positions."

Li Luo came to the side of the camera and squinted at the bright sky.

His heart rate accelerated.

His palms were sweating.

He hadn't been in this business for a short time, but every time he played a new role, he always felt inexplicably excited.

Every time, it was a brand-new challenge.

"Scene 6, Take 3, Attempt 1."

The clapperboard operator came to the front of the camera, showed the various information recorded on the board, and then pressed down hard on the top.

"Clap."

The wooden strip on top of the clapperboard fell heavily, making a crisp sound.

The crisp sound echoed in the courtyard.

*Ping Zong Xia Ying* officially began filming!

Li Luo took a deep breath, his figure flashed from beside the camera, he leaped up two or three steps, his pace on the snow was slightly hurried, he passed through the atrium and headed straight for the main house in front.

"Young Master."

The two extras sweeping the snow stopped their movements, leaned on their brooms, and greeted him respectfully.

"Hmm."

Li Luo hummed lightly, his speed not slowing in the slightest.

Making his robe hem sway.

The camera followed slowly, pushing forward a short distance, making the whole scene come alive.

"That's it."

After he walked down the steps, the megaphone calling "cut" sounded.

The first shot of *Ping Zong Xia Ying* was officially completed; it was just walking a short distance with his back to the camera, which couldn't be easier, but he saw He Qun behind the monitor frown slightly.

Li Luo's heart started drumming, and he walked over quickly to ask:

"Director, how was it?"

"The picture is fine."

He Qun hesitated, but still reached out and tapped forward: "Why did you walk so fast here? You didn't even stop when the two servants greeted you?"

Life is a process of grinding, grinding with all kinds of people.

Directors and actors are no exception.

If it were a small supporting role, he could directly ask the other party to follow his own ideas.

But this was the lead.

Sometimes you still have to discuss it.

It's common for directors and actors to discuss how to interpret a segment; the reason he hesitated was because it was only the first shot, and he didn't want to seem like he was nitpicking.

But if he didn't say anything, he couldn't stand it.

He Qun felt that Zhang Danfeng was a well-read man, and ignoring the two servants like that was too rude; it would be best if he could pause slightly.

"Director."

Li Luo sat down on the side and said seriously: "I think it should be hurried here, it's not the time for etiquette."

"Why?"

He Qun lit a cigarette and handed one to him.

"Thank you."

Waving his hand to indicate he didn't smoke, Li Luo continued to express his view: "Zhang Zongzhou was assassinated; even if he knew his father was fine, Zhang Danfeng should be more anxious to see his father at this time."

"Instead of caring about those tedious formalities."

Exhaling smoke, He Qun nodded slowly.

He hadn't thought of this point, and he looked at Li Luo with satisfaction: "I didn't expect you to have such a thorough understanding of the character."

"That's the job I'm supposed to do."

Li Luo smiled and spread his hands: "So, this shot?"

"Pass!"

He Qun flicked the ash.

Getting his signal, the assistant director immediately grabbed the walkie-talkie and notified the staff to change positions.

Li Luo also got up from the chair.

And began preparing for the next scene.

Filming is so trivial, grinding slowly shot by shot; every time a scene changes, a lot of preparatory work is needed.

The camera position was changed.

Zhang Danfeng walked up the steps in a hurry and greeted the butler at the door.

The scene changed again.

This time the camera position moved indoors.

"Li Luo, Shichang, and you two."

Taking advantage of the time spent moving equipment, He Qun called several actors over: "Next is the scene where Zhang Danfeng learns that his father has been assassinated and the two meet for the first time. Let me tell you how to act."

The "Marketplace" in He Qun's mouth was the actor playing Zhang Zongzhou.

Not famous.

But his qualifications were extraordinary.

He started making movies back in the sixties.

The actors called by name stepped forward to listen to He Qun explain the scene.

After the scene was explained, they started blocking.

Before officially filming, this was indispensable.

This scene involved four characters: Zhang Danfeng, Zhang Zongzhou, the butler, and the maid; except for Zhang Zongzhou sitting down, the pace and position of the other three were particular and could not be messed up.

Otherwise, it would easily destroy the balance of the picture.

After walking through the positions a few times, they finally achieved the effect He Qun was satisfied with.

"Clear the scene."

Pushing his glasses, he sat back in the director's chair: "All departments, take your positions, actors, take your positions, get ready to start!"

"Three, two, one."

"Action."

"Once more."

"No, once more."

"Again!"

Zhang Zongzhou sat upright, Zhang Danfeng entered the door to speak, the butler followed behind, the maid served tea; although the shot lasted nine seconds, it wasn't very complicated, but it took a full eight takes to get it done.

By the end, Li Luo didn't even know which leg to step with!

And he couldn't ask why.

Just cooperate anyway.

Sometimes when filming, directors don't even know what effect they want.

In this regard, Wong Kar-wai is particularly outrageous.

Li Luo had read a news report that when filming *Days of Being Wild*, Wong Kar-wai didn't say what effect he wanted, and made Tony Leung repeat a line of dialogue twenty-seven times, leaving the man so devastated he nearly collapsed.

Jacky Cheung also filmed a head-raising action more than sixty times in this movie.

In the final cut, it didn't even seem to be used!

"It has nothing to do with you."

Seeing Li Luo's confused expression, Zhang Zongzhou, who had come over to rest, shook his head and smiled: "Do you know what nickname our Director He has?"

"What nickname?"

Sun Hao, who played Yun Zhong, turned to the side.

"He Eight Takes."

Zhang Zongzhou made a gesture, flicking the fake beard on his face: "It's not aimed at anyone, Director He just likes to ponder various things, and it often happens that a shot is filmed eight times."

Looking at He Qun waving his arms not far away, Li Luo gulped down a mouthful of hot water.

Compared to Lai Shuiqing.

It really was two completely different ways of filming. ===== CHAPTER 103 =====