Chapter 26

Shu Chang had already flipped back her hood and taken off her sunglasses.

Lin Nan and she walked toward the tent at the very back.

Passing through the crew camp along the way, the staff coming and going didn't pay too much attention to the two of them.

When passing by the director, Yu Min did glance at Shu Chang, who hurriedly made a quiet gesture and whispered, "Director, I'm here to visit Xixi."

Lin Nan also smiled and greeted him, then followed Shu Chang further inside.

"Who is that? I feel like I've seen them somewhere."

Yu Min muttered while looking at Lin Nan's back. A prop crew member reacted, "Director Yu, isn't that Lin Dao Nan? *Returning to Youth* had a box office of over one hundred million, you know."

This sentence immediately enlightened Yu Min. The news most discussed by people in the circle recently was him. *Returning to Youth* broke one hundred million, making him the second director in the domestic hundred-million-yuan club. China Film, Shanghai Film, and Enlight Media could be considered to have made a profit. It was said that the film had been imported by the South Korean side, and even the remake rights had been sold for eight million.

"Isn't he about to start a new film? How does he have time to come to our set?"

Yu Min was puzzled. If it were official business, it shouldn't bypass him, the director. So, was it a private matter?

Thinking again that Lin Nan was with Shu Chang, and Shu Chang was visiting the set, it must be for Liu Yifei. Then, what about Lin Nan?

At this moment, another martial arts instructor added, "Probably visiting Liu Yifei. I heard they were classmates before."

Yu Min nodded, didn't think much more about it, and continued discussing the location shooting.

Outside the tent, Lin Nan slowed his pace, and Shu Chang also felt playful.

Voices could be heard inside; it was the stylist and Liu Yifei talking.

Shu Chang pointed at herself and then at the inside, meaning she would go in first. Then, without waiting for Lin Nan to react, she lifted the tent curtain.

"Xixi..."

The next second, a sharp exclamation was heard inside, followed by laughter.

The stylist and makeup artist came out within two minutes. Lin Nan hurriedly stepped aside before walking in.

A white outfit like snow, a braid reaching the waist wrapped around her shoulder and resting in front of her chest, with no adornments on her head, paired with an exquisite and delicate face, she looked like a fairy who had fallen into the mortal world.

The moment she saw Lin Nan walk in, Liu Yifei was first pleasantly surprised, then quickly cooled her face.

"I didn't break my promise. I said I'd come to visit the set, so I definitely came, and I even brought someone extra."

"It's already the 29th today. I'll just pretend I never heard you talk about visiting the set."

"Hahaha..."

Shu Chang laughed heartlessly on the side.

Lin Nan looked at Liu Yifei, who was pretending to be angry in front of him, and sat on a chair. "You don't know, ask Shu Chang. I've been busy to death this month. This meeting today, that meeting tomorrow. This leader wants to see you, that leader is looking for you. I ran away halfway through the celebration banquet just because I was afraid of being forced to drink too much, and today I missed my flight."

After Lin Nan finished speaking, he gave Shu Chang a death stare.

"Yes, yes, Lin Dao is right. Can you stop glaring at me? Haha."

Liu Yifei couldn't hold her expression anymore and started laughing too.

"Little Lin Zi, congratulations. You are a top-tier big director now."

Liu Yifei changed her face very quickly; Lin Nan estimated she must have taken advanced courses when she went to Jiuzhaigou.

"Xixi, can you not call me Little Lin Zi? I'm three years older than you." Lin Nan pretended to be pitiful.

"No, I'm going to call you that."

The three of them chatted and laughed for over an hour.

"Where is Auntie? Why haven't I seen her for so long?" Lin Nan finally remembered and felt something was wrong.

"Mom might be over at the location. We'll be filming there tomorrow."

"By the way, how long are you staying?" Liu Yifei asked, a hint of expectation in her eyes.

Shu Chang played with Liu Yifei's braid. "I'm flexible. I asked for several days off, just treating it as coming out to play."

"Shall we watch your scenes tomorrow?" Lin Nan probed.

"Okay." Liu Yifei's eyes sparkled.

In the evening, the crew specially bought many ingredients from the foot of the mountain, firstly to reward everyone, and secondly to welcome Lin Nan and Shu Chang to visit the set.

Lin Nan and Shu Chang took many photos with the crew in the evening; the press releases were probably almost written.

Liu's mother was much more enthusiastic toward Lin Nan this time, with many more smiles.

Some actors lived in hotels at the foot of the mountain, some staff stayed on the mountain, and there was so much equipment to look after.

Shu Chang went to the hotel with Liu Yifei and her mother. Lin Nan chose to stay on the mountain, wearing a military coat and watching the stars; it was truly beautiful.

The next morning, Lin Nan met the actors for this scene: Kong Lin, who played Huang Rong; Zhong Zhentao, who played Gongsun Zhi; Chen Zihan, who played Guo Fu; Fu Miao, who played Gongsun Lü'e; and Yang Rui, who played Lu Wushuang.

The most important one, Yang Guo.

"Senior Brother Xiaoming."

"Lin Dao."

Lin Nan and Huang Xiaoming shared a hug, each using their own form of address.

"I'm so envious of Danchen. A heroine of a hundred-million-yuan box office film, she's incredibly popular. When will you save a role for me?"

"If there's a suitable script, I'll definitely look for you."

No one could question the popularity of the 'Leader' Huang; his values were upright, he was kind-hearted, it was just that his acting skills might fluctuate later on, which depended on the director and the crew.

As a newly minted big director, the news of Lin Nan visiting the set had already spread through the crew, and many actors took the initiative to come over and greet him.

Everything was in place. Lin Nan was invited to sit next to Director Yu to watch and chatted a few words with Zhang the Bearded.

Shu Chang held oranges, eating while watching the fun.

Some crew members were filming behind-the-scenes footage, and Lin Nan and Shu Chang entered the frame.

Lin Nan saw it in his eyes and admired Producer Zhang's thoughtfulness. For the sake of the Dragon Girl, he endured it.

On the Broken-Heart Cliff, Gongsun Zhi fought everyone, and Yang Guo saved Gongsun Lü'e. A sentence: "What am I worth? Why do you have to be like this?" made the Zheng Xiaolong Girl have the intention of fulfilling them and the intention of self-sacrifice.

Liu Yifei held double swords to confront them, appealing to emotion to obtain the Heart-Broken Pill, and finally resorting to force, saving the other party when they fell off the Broken-Heart Cliff, thereby obtaining the Heart-Broken Pill.

Yang Guo did not seek to live alone and threw the bottle containing half a Heart-Broken Pill off the Broken-Heart Cliff.

After Huang Rong's persuasion, by the next morning, there was no trace of the Zheng Xiaolong Girl, only the Broken-Heart Grass and Dragon Girl Flowers left on the edge of the cliff.

"Xixi acted really well." Shu Chang said while hugging Liu Yifei.

After a day, the crew finished filming the scenes at the Broken-Heart Cliff, and the Zheng Xiaolong Girl also jumped off the cliff.

"Lin Nan, who do you hate the most in this *Return of the Condor Heroes*? I hate Guo Fu the most. She cut off Yang Guo's arm; she's just an ill-bred young lady." Shu Chang asked Lin Nan and answered it herself.

Lin Nan looked at the gazes cast by Liu Yifei and Shu Chang and thought for a moment. "I hate Guo Fu's mother the most. If it weren't for her meddling, Yang Guo would have jumped off the cliff, and once down there, he could have met the Zheng Xiaolong Girl without having to wait sixteen years."

"Hahaha, you're too funny."

Everyone was amused by Lin Nan's answer.

On the morning of the 31st, Shu Chang still wanted to play for two more days before going back.

Lin Nan was already prepared to leave.

"I'm leaving. Don't push yourself too hard while filming on set. Be careful when on the wires."

Lin Nan gave a few instructions, like an old mother.

"I will. You take care too."

Liu Yifei appeared a bit constrained; there were quite a few people seeing them off on the side, but fortunately, Liu's mother didn't come.

The crew of *Return to Dust* was scheduled to start filming on the 5th. The assistant director was already contacting Lin Nan, and most of the main cast had already moved into the villagers' homes prepared in advance.

The news of Lin Nan visiting the *Return of the Condor Heroes* crew had already started to appear on portal websites, along with a large number of photos.

Landing, transferring to a sedan, a bus, and finally a mule cart, it took a long time to reach the destination.

This place was two worlds away from the big city, facing the yellow earth and backing the sky. There was no need to deliberately arrange anything; this place perfectly matched the era and location described in the script. Lin Nan had made all the adjustments that needed to be made in the script.

Lin Nan refused the hospitality of the local leaders; he couldn't do that, and promised to donate two hundred thousand.

Li Baotian was chatting with the villagers, laughing and talking; his accent blended in very quickly.

Jiang Wenli had put on makeup and was just a weather-beaten rural woman. "Sister Wenli, make the makeup even yellower, that kind of waxy yellow."

Cao Guiying's setting was that she had lived a life of being despised in her brother and sister-in-law's house for years, living in a wooden shed exposed to wind and rain, with weak energy and cold body, and also crippled in one leg; her appearance did not match her age at all.

There was really a not-so-small river outside the village, it's just that there were no fish; that was her final destination.

"Dear teachers, for the next month, we will be together day and night. I hope everyone will work together to make this film express the most sincere emotions and tell the evil and good of human nature."

The opening ceremony was very simple, with no media or reporters. Those who applied to visit the set for interviews were all rejected by Lin Nan's arrangements, and those who sneaked in were also blocked.

Li Baotian, who had entered the state, was completely the image of an old widower, his aura perfectly fitting Ma Youtie.

One was treated as a long-term laborer by his brother and sister-in-law, the other was regarded as a pig or dog by her brother and sister-in-law.

On the first day, the crew officially started after a simple test shoot, using Cao Guiying, played by Jiang Wenli, as the entry point.

Starting from being beaten so badly that she couldn't walk for half a month for giving a steamed bun to a madman in the village, Cao Guiying's background was unfolded.

Abuse from childhood to adulthood, an inhuman living environment, caused her to become disabled, unable to bear children, often suffering from incontinence, unable to take care of herself, so that under the dual devastation, her heart was numb and dead.

"Cut." Lin Nan shouted.

Jiang Wenli expressed the deadness in Cao Guiying's eyes very well; what was alive was just a broken body.

Lin Nan understood very well why other directors always liked mature actors; because filming was very smooth, they could show you the effect you wanted, even if not perfect, it could reach seventy or eighty percent.

Li Baotian's appearance interpreted what was called an old drama bone and a first-class actor.

Gold, silver, copper, iron, he was the poorest Ma Youtie in the whole village.

Since Cao Guiying was "introduced" to him, his long-term life of resignation seemed to have a trace of difference.

Lin Nan sat behind the machine, watching Li Baotian's interpretation, the calm dead water began to ripple because of Cao Guiying.

The crew filmed like this, and after half a month, it went very smoothly.

During breaks, Li Baotian gave Lin Nan many opinions and suggestions, including lines and positioning, etc. Lin Nan felt they were very valuable for reference, and Li Baotian was tireless.

The crew continued filming, and life after marriage seemed to have allowed the two to find support.

Cao Guiying's numb heart began to wake up, and Ma Youtie also had longing for life.

Ma Youtie worked hard to farm and also raised chickens, always thinking of saving money to treat Cao Guiying's illness.

But hemp rope always breaks at the thinnest point, and misfortune only finds the suffering.

The boss Zhang Yongfu, who came to the village to collect grain, was hospitalized...