Chapter 145: Acting Duel Between Best Actresses

During this period of filming grand scenes, among the main actors, only Wang Sheng had scenes.

However, Cao Yang had Li Xiaoran and Gao Yuanyuan stay behind, saying he wanted to use this time to coach them and, incidentally, let them increase their familiarity and build some rapport.

Cao Yang was so busy every day that his feet barely touched the ground, his mind filled with the details of various grand scenes; he had no time to coach the two of them. This was just an excuse to keep them both there.

Besides, after nearly three months of preparation, Cao Yang had long since explained everything that needed to be explained to them. He could be considered to have, unknowingly, practiced what Tian Zhuangzhuang wanted to do.

To be honest, Cao Yang discovered that doing this was completely sufficient for a commercial film—simple and straightforward, without needing the actors to understand any implied themes or meanings of the movie.

However, after twenty-some days of being together, Li Xiaoran and Gao Yuanyuan were familiar, yes, but as for rapport—did looking at each other with increasing mutual dislike count?

Fine, this feeling was exactly right.

This was the effect Cao Yang wanted.

Actually, his method was very simple: he had them write their insights on their characters every day, without limiting the word count, and then he would praise one of them the next day, the third day, and the fourth day, while only saying the other was "alright."

A few days later, he would only praise the other one.

A very simple little trick, but the effect was surprisingly good.

Of course, it certainly wasn't just this.

When Cao Yang was with one party, he would "inadvertently" mention something good about the other, mainly about their figure, face, temper, etc. —these were the topics girls were most sensitive about.

You tell me, which girl wouldn't care?

The degree of this was mastered very well; just a light touch was enough, and it only needed to be guided slowly. Otherwise, when women got jealous, it was still a bit troublesome.

Cao Yang sincerely suggested that those with multiple girlfriends should not try this easily; it was very easy to be counterproductive, to be too clever for one's own good, and it wouldn't be easy to clean up.

If it weren't for the movie's effect, Cao Yang wouldn't have done this easily.

To what extent was the effect good now?

Li Xiaoran had already started calling Gao Yuanyuan a "vixen" behind her back, which stemmed from the fact that Xiao Wei, whom Gao Yuanyuan was to play in the movie, was a vixen. Li Xiaoran felt this was most appropriate for Gao Yuanyuan.

Gao Yuanyuan called Li Xiaoran "Second Mistress Li" behind her back, firstly perhaps out of subconscious envy for the "four taels" on her chest, and secondly because in *Night by the Seaside*, Li Xiaoran played the heroine of an extramarital affair who fell in love with a married big-name director.

Wasn't it very appropriate? Anyway, Gao Yuanyuan thought this nickname was excellent.

During the twenty-some days of filming war scenes, Cao Yang met with the crew's relevant staff until very late every day, so Li Xiaoran or Gao Yuanyuan had no chance to sneak into his room.

This was actually also intentional on his part; he was afraid that when he was with one at night, he would be bumped into by the other, and then it wouldn't be easy to clean up.

Cao Yang felt that he was really pushing himself for this movie; it was simply like playing with fire—one careless move and it would be a Shura field.

Things were just so strange; they must have known, more or less, that Cao Yang, such a big director, and so young, and without a girlfriend, should have more than one woman outside.

But knowing it in one's heart was one thing, and having it pointed out and placed on the table was another thing entirely.

On the last day of wrapping up the war scenes, the thing Cao Yang worried about happened.

Li Xiaoran might have felt that this plot segment was finished and Cao Yang wasn't busy, so she snuck into Cao Yang's room at night.

"Xiaoran, why are you here?"

Cao Yang pulled Li Xiaoran to sit down calmly and asked with a soft laugh.

Li Xiaoran also calmly took a quick look around Cao Yang's room before acting spoiled: "I haven't been with you for so long, I missed you."

"Don't we see each other every day? How come we haven't been together?"

"But I'm scared at night; I can't sleep well if I don't hold you." Li Xiaoran hugged Cao Yang's arm, blinking her watery big eyes at him.

Cao Yang had a bit of a headache; Li Xiaoran's acting was getting better and better, and such childish methods of acting spoiled were second nature to her.

"I'm busy."

Cao Yang flicked Li Xiaoran's nose and said: "It's not like you don't know, a crew of thousands of people, and all grand scenes that require comprehensive consideration; I wish I could work twenty-four hours a day, fearing even the slightest oversight."

"I know you're working hard, and I feel sorry for you." Li Xiaoran pressed her head against Cao Yang's chest. Cao Yang thought for a moment, then lifted Li Xiaoran's chin and said with a smile: "Since you feel sorry for me, listen to everything I say tonight."

"Hate you."

"Just tell me if you'll listen or not?" Cao Yang kissed Li Xiaoran on the forehead, holding her face in both hands, and asked gently.

"Mm, alright, I'll listen to everything you say, you bad guy."

Li Xiaoran buried her head in Cao Yang's chest and replied in a low voice.

"This is what you said, no going back on your word."

"Hate you."

"Haha, I knew Xiaoran was the most obedient."

Cao Yang took out his phone and dialed a number: "Come to my room for a bit, I want to..."

The words "coach you on the scenes" stuck in his throat. He hadn't even finished speaking when Gao Yuanyuan had already hung up the phone, seemingly a bit impatient.

!

Damn it, it's over!

Two minutes later, Cao Yang bit the bullet and opened the door, just about to give a warning when Gao Yuanyuan spoke first.

"Missed me, right? I knew you were to, to, to..."

Gao Yuanyuan was wearing sexy lingerie inside and a silk robe outside, clearly having specially applied light makeup and sprayed a bit of perfume. The whole person was like a lotus flower emerging from water, both delicate and tender...

But the occasion and atmosphere were a bit off.

"I, she, you..."

Gao Yuanyuan saw Li Xiaoran, who was looking at her with interest, and her brain went blank for a moment; she didn't know what the situation was.

"Yuanyuan is here. Why are you dressed like this? Are you going to sleep? Sigh, it's all my fault. I thought that since I finally had some free time tonight, I'd coach you two on the scenes."

Cao Yang said, pretending to be calm, while glaring at Gao Yuanyuan—couldn't you have waited for me to finish speaking before hanging up?

At the same time, Cao Yang was secretly a bit relieved. Looking at Gao Yuanyuan's attire, it was clear she had been prepared long ago; he guessed that even if he hadn't made this call, she would have come over herself.

Fortunately, he hadn't started discussing art with Li Xiaoran the moment they met, otherwise it really wouldn't have been easy to clean up.

"Oh? Oh, oh, yes, I, I, oh, right, I have some misunderstandings about some of the character's actions, and when I heard you say you were going to coach on the scenes, I came over impatiently."

Gao Yuanyuan froze for a moment, then spoke more and more smoothly. Regardless of the reason, and regardless of whether this reason was nonsense, she had found a reason for herself.

"Sigh, I'm just such an acting fanatic; once I start pondering a character, I enter a state of selflessness. I also know this isn't good, and I really want to change, but thinking that it's precisely because of this that I got the first Cannes Best Actress for global Chinese, I persisted."

Then, Gao Yuanyuan smiled at Li Xiaoran, who was watching the fun from the side.

"Sorry, Xiaoran, let you see a joke. I'm only like this when I'm pondering scenes; I usually pay attention to propriety."

This time it was Li Xiaoran's turn to freeze. Good for you, vixen, you're really shameless, coming over in the middle of the night to seduce my man, dressed in this slutty way, and still talking about pondering scenes, I spit!

"Ha, is that so? Yuanyuan, you're really dedicated; no wonder Cao Dao likes you so much!"

Li Xiaoran added a sarcastic remark about Cao Yang, blaming him for playing her earlier.

"I'm different; I still pay great attention to propriety, especially when going to the director's room at night..."

"Cough, cough, alright, since you're both here, let's start coaching on the scenes."

Cao Yang hurriedly interrupted Li Xiaoran. He knew Li Xiaoran had a sharp tongue, and if she started being sarcastic, he was afraid Gao Yuanyuan wouldn't be able to take it, and if the two of them started fighting, it would be funny.

At the same time, he couldn't help but complain to himself: "I'm really sick, why do I have to walk a tightrope? Next time I must remember, never let two women appear in the same movie, remember, remember!"

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 146 =====