Chapter 52: That woman doesn't look like a good person

"Ouch!" Lei Jiayin rolled on the ground before coming to a stop.

In truth, neither of those kicks was heavy, nor did they hurt, but while the damage was minimal, the insult was significant.

Lei Jiayin shook his head as he stood up and immediately raged, "What the hell, what kind of game are you playing?"

"Cut!" The executive director's call to stop came a few beats late. "What's going on?"

"The acting was going fine, why start getting physical?"

"I don't know, this old woman is acting crazy!" Lei Jiayin curled his lip and said, clearly annoyed.

Facing the executive director's inquiry, Li Caihua rubbed her arm and cried out, "He used too much force and hurt me!"

The executive director was speechless. Just that?

"What kind of nonsense is 'it hurts'?" Lei Jiayin shouted. "I didn't even use any strength!"

"I think you did it on purpose!" Li Caihua stuck to her story.

Lei Jiayin immediately shrugged his shoulders, rolled up his sleeves, and sneered, "Knowing I'm strong, you still dare to be this arrogant?"

"Who gave you the courage?"

"Do you believe I'll take you down?"

He wasn't going to indulge Li Caihua at all; she wasn't his partner, nor was she his family, so why should he give her any face?

This woman had made him unhappy time and again, and he had long wanted to show her a thing or two.

Don't talk to him about how Northeastern men don't hit women; up in that part of the Northeast, even if you wanted to hit someone, you might not even be able to win the fight!

Seeing Lei Jiayin's demeanor, Li Caihua's expression shifted, her face draining of color.

Lei Jiayin's head was thicker than her waist; if he really started a fight, it would be trouble.

She hurriedly looked toward Qi Hui, her eyes filled with grievance, attempting to find help there.

Qi Hui wasn't burly, but his combat record was verifiable—he had slapped Lei Jiayin across the face before.

Qi Hui rolled his eyes, too lazy to bother.

Usually cold-faced, but when trouble hits, she wants my help?

"Alright!" the executive director called out. "Doctor, come over and check her!"

Lei Jiayin curled his lip and put away his aggressive posture; he was only trying to scare the woman.

Soon, the doctor arrived, examined her, and found nothing wrong.

However, Li Caihua kept insisting it hurt.

"Can you still act?" The executive director glanced at her and asked.

There were only one or two shots left; if she couldn't act, they would just wrap up and find time to make it up later.

Li Caihua pursed her lips, suddenly realizing that her status from Hong Kong no longer granted her special treatment.

In the past, no matter who in the mainland knew she was from Hong Kong, they would hold her in higher regard; even if there was no tangible benefit, their attitude would become very accommodating.

But at this moment, she discovered it wasn't like that at all.

Times have changed... Li Caihua sighed inwardly; the glorious era of Hong Kong actors in the mainland seemed to have passed.

Of course, she could say she couldn't act now, but what about later?

Li Caihua glanced at Qi Hui; if he could put in a word for her, she wouldn't be in such an embarrassing position.

Qi Hui raised an eyebrow. Why are you looking at me?

This woman isn't holding a grudge against me, is she?

"...I can act, let's continue." Li Caihua took a deep breath and slowly stood up.

The executive director glanced at her, somewhat surprised; he had thought this woman was going to keep causing trouble.

"Old Lei, any problems?"

"No problem." Lei Jiayin yawned and said.

"Alright, you two clear your heads, we start in three minutes." The executive director checked his watch and called out:

"Where's the makeup artist? Please help Old Lei touch up his makeup."

Lei Jiayin's head was too big, and the intensity of the previous action had smudged his makeup.

Soon, time slipped away.

"Actors reset, cameras in position!" The executive director shouted through his megaphone: "3, 2, 1, action!"

Lei Jiayin, playing Lin Yide, lay by the door, his face flushed after the touch-up: "Aili... open the door, Aili, open the door..."

Li Caihua walked into the frame, wearing a look of disgust and indifference, and kicked Lei Jiayin: "Get up... hey, get up!"

"Cut!" the executive director suddenly called out.

Li Caihua and Lei Jiayin stopped and instinctively looked at him.

"Caihua, your force was a bit light." The executive director called out: "You need to kick out that sense of disgust; your previous take was very good."

"Do it like that."

Li Caihua had overcorrected, and now she didn't dare to use force, which was a good thing.

But for the filming effect, it wasn't a good thing.

That previous look was Aili walking straight into reality; that was truly excellent!

Lei Jiayin curled his lip; those two kicks in the previous take had been mixed with a fair amount of personal emotion.

Great... he was the one suffering and doing the hard work again.

Behind the monitor, Qi Hui also glanced at the executive director.

The executive director felt a bit awkward; he knew there was a small issue with the previous take, but wasn't the effect great?

Li Caihua looked at the executive director in surprise, then took a deep breath. If that's what you want, I'm wide awake now!

"Director, I'm ready."

"Good!" the executive director shouted: "Action!"

Li Caihua walked into the frame, looked at the drunken Lin Yide at the door, and kicked him with disgust: "Get up... hey, get up!"

As she spoke, she kicked him twice more.

Lin Yide's body, lying on the ground, swayed, but he didn't react much.

A smile appeared on the executive director's face; that's more like it!

"Qi Hui, get ready, you're in the next shot."

"Got it." Qi Hui nodded, carrying a small gift bag, and took a moment to straighten the wine-red dress shirt he was wearing.

In the shot, Lin Yide staggered up and grabbed Aili, who was in the middle of a phone call.

"Ah... let go of me!"

"I won't let go, Aili, unless you marry me..."

Just as the two were struggling, with a *ding*, the elevator door opened.

Qi Hui, playing Hong Shixian, walked out of the elevator carrying a small gift bag.

Seeing this scene, he remained expressionless, simply dropped the gift bag in his hand, and turned to leave.

"Shixian!"

Aili screamed in alarm, hurriedly breaking free from Lin Yide to chase after him: "Listen to my explanation."

Qi Hui remained expressionless, slowly backed into the elevator, pressed the button to close the doors, and left.

Leaving Aili outside the door, constantly slapping the elevator doors.

"Very good, cut!" the executive director shouted excitedly. He had always been a co-director, and while he had directed like this before, it always gave him a huge sense of accomplishment.

On set, the three of them—Qi Hui included—let out a sigh of relief. It was over.

"Alright, everyone pack up, that's a wrap."

"Finally over." Lei Jiayin felt a sense of relief.

"Heh, we have to continue tomorrow." Qi Hui immediately shattered his fantasy.

"...Shut up!" Lei Jiayin's face darkened.

The two talked as they returned to the hotel together.

As for Aili... Li Caihua, she had already left a step ahead.

"Hey... why do you think that woman is always giving me a hard time?" Lei Jiayin asked, clearly annoyed.

"Maybe she's taken a liking to you; deep love manifests as harsh criticism." Qi Hui laughed, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it.

"Get lost!" Big-headed Lei's face darkened as he reached out to swipe one for himself.

He had been mooching cigarettes and food off Qi Hui lately, almost recouping the cost of that piece of deer antler he'd bought.

Anyway, Qi Hui was single; one person fed meant the whole family was full, so why not take advantage?

But he was different; he was poor, had a partner to support, and his career development wasn't as good as Qi Hui's.

Then his eyes rolled, and he chuckled, "My scenes with her are almost done, it's your turn next."

"Heh heh, you're in for a rough time."

Hearing this, Qi Hui couldn't help but feel a toothache, instinctively taking a drag of his cigarette.

This woman doesn't look like a good person!