Chapter 36: The Picky

Yan Li, after his makeup was finalized, went to see Gao Qunshu; if the director didn't approve, no amount of satisfaction from him or the makeup artist would matter.

The production of "Conquest" had already started; Gao Qunshu wasn't at the inn, so since the location wasn't far, Yan Li simply went straight to the set.

As luck would have it, today's scene was Liu Huaqiang and his assassins Jin Bao and Da Peng plotting to kill their enemy Wu Tian in a rented apartment.

When Yan Li arrived, he heard several menacing-looking men discussing how to kill "himself," and found the experience strangely surreal.

"Director Gao."

During a break in filming, Yan Li seized the chance to greet him; Gao Qunshu saw him and his eyes lit up.

"Wow, you look sharp."

"This is the look the makeup team finalized—what do you think? Should we make any changes?"

Yan Li turned sideways to show off the look; Gao Qunshu paused, then found one flaw.

"A bit too youthful."

Wu Tian in the script is in his thirties; Yan Li's face is rugged, his demeanor steady, lacking the naivety and restlessness common among men his age.

But age is age—even with his hair slicked back, he looked no more than twenty-seven or twenty-eight, at most early thirties.

Of course, this wasn't a major issue; many actors' appearances don't match their ages—it's subjective whether someone looks old or young, as long as it doesn't break immersion; if absolutely necessary, makeup could compensate.

Overall, Gao Qunshu was satisfied; besides noting the youthfulness, he made only one small adjustment.

He added a gold necklace around Yan Li's neck, alongside the counterfeit solid-gold Rolex, to convey Wu Tian's wealth.

Yan Li hesitated: "Won't that seem tacky? Like a nouveau riche?"

Gao Qunshu looked at him strangely: "Isn't Wu Tian literally a nouveau riche?"

Yan Li "…."

There was no help for it—the look was too handsome, making him feel oddly immersed.

In his own nature, if he had money, he wouldn't dress like this—but it fit Wu Tian, this crude tycoon.

Plus, the story's backdrop was the 1990s, when those entrepreneurs who'd just made their fortune after going into business really did love flaunting gold necklaces.

Yan Li volunteered: "Should we add a gold ring too?"

Gao Qunshu considered: "Less is more—the gold necklace is enough. Don't pick one too thick; Wu Tian is shrewd, more restrained than those crude tycoons."

"Understood."

After a few more exchanges, the makeup look was settled; the several actors who'd been listening nearby curiously drifted over.

The shoot was taking place in a residential home, the space cramped, the crew small; as soon as Yan Li entered, the actors noticed him.

"Director Gao, who's this?"

The speaker was Li Yixiang, who played Jin Bao; he knew Gao Qunshu better, so he was more casual.

"Yan Li—he's playing Wu Tian."

Gao Qunshu introduced him; Yan Li offered a polite, friendly smile and greeted the group.

Hello, everyone.

Of the actors playing Liu Huaqiang, Jin Bao, and Da Peng, Yan Li only had any real impression of Sun Honglei, who played Liu Huaqiang.

He'd portrayed the mob boss Ah Lai in Zhao Baogang's "Like Mist, Like Rain, Like Wind," and had even appeared in Zhang Yimou's "My Father and Mother"—he was somewhat famous.

Of the other two, Yan Li at least knew Zhang Li, who played Da Peng, had appeared in Gao Qunshu's "Anshisan Sect"; but Li Yixiang was completely unknown to him.

The intelligence system hadn't shown any data on them, yet it had dug deep into Sun Honglei's and Gao Qunshu's private lives.

Thinking of this, Yan Li subtly sized up Sun Honglei.

Small eyes, long nose, a menacing face—not handsome at all, yet somehow adept at winning over "sisters."

That actress Ding Jiali was one thing, but even Gong Li had been entangled with him.

Not picky at all?!

Yan Li admitted he felt a twinge of jealousy—after all, that was Gong Li.

During his youthful, naive adolescence, Gong Li's films like "Red Sorghum" and "Ju Dou," especially "Ju Dou," had deeply shaken and stunned him.

But Yan Li was always good at hiding his thoughts; no matter what he felt inside, his face always showed respect and warmth toward seniors.

This slightly improved Sun Honglei and the others' impression of Yan Li.

Don't think only women feel uneasy around beautiful women—same-sex rivalry exists; many men instinctively dislike handsome men.

Especially since these guys all relied on their skills or unusual appearances and demeanors to get by—they were probably even more sensitive about it.

Yan Li's proactive friendliness diluted some of the resistance and hostility, earning him a degree of acceptance.

From "pretty boy" to "a pretty boy who's actually not bad."

If Yan Li knew what they thought, he'd feel wronged—he had a clean, rugged face and a tall, muscular build; few ever lumped him in with "pretty boys."

But then again, who else was he in the "Conquest" crew?

Not only were the villains ugly and menacing, even the cops weren't gentle-looking—most actors could walk straight off set and play Shan Daiao and the Eight Golden Warriors on Weihu Mountain.

Compared to this gang of bandits and mobsters, wasn't Yan Li clearly a "pretty boy"?

In contrast to the male actors' unfriendliness, the female actors treated Yan Li with noticeably warmer familiarity.

For example, Liu Weiwei, who played Liu Huaqiang's mistress Li Mei.

She was also on set, but since her scenes were light today, she'd been waiting nearby; seeing Yan Li stay to observe the filming, she took the initiative to explain some production details to him.

Learning he'd just arrived in Shishi and lacked daily necessities, she even recommended the supermarket near the inn.

Yan Li expressed deep gratitude for Liu Weiwei's help, but kept a careful distance from her at all times.

As mentioned earlier, the intelligence system's dossier on Gao Qunshu included this Liu Weiwei.

So, in the drama, Liu Huaqiang and Li Mei's relationship mirrored hers and Gao Qunshu's.

Regardless of Yan Li's personal moral code—however promiscuous he might be, he never touched the women of his friends or brothers; Gao had treated him well, and he wouldn't betray that trust.

Even if his relationship with Gao Qunshu was merely average, he wouldn't steal someone else's woman on their own turf.

Otherwise, if word got out, Gao would give the order, and although Yan Li had a few rusty tricks up his sleeve, he couldn't withstand the wolf-like, tiger-like "bandits" of The Conquest.

Of course, Liu Weiwei might not even be interested in Yan Li.

It might just be simple kindness, or perhaps under the contrast of Sun Honglei and others, she found Yan Li's decent looks more pleasing.

If a man saw a pretty girl among a group of shrewish women, he'd also prefer to interact with her.

But no matter what she thought, Yan Li had no intention of associating with her too much; compared to chatting with her, he preferred watching Sun Honglei and the others act.

Yan Li, having read The Conquest script, held high praise for Gao Qunshu's casting.

Dapeng was dumb, ruthless, and brave; Jin Bao was ruthless and brave as well, yet also capable and efficient—a scholar and a warrior, perfectly complementary.

As for Sun Honglei's portrayal of Liu Huaqiang, his appearance was flawless, exuding ferocity and cruelty mixed with cold calculation.

What struck Yan Li most as right was how he captured the black boss's aura of "about to move but not yet moving, about to rage but not yet raging."

Watching him speak, he seemed casual and relaxed on the surface, yet always carried an oppressive, fearful sense that he might suddenly erupt and strike.

Yan Li watched Sun Honglei's performance, his eyes gleaming with eagerness.

At the Sui and Tang Heroes cast, he had acted alongside film and TV emperors like Xie Junhao and Yang Shulin.

But due to constraints of script, dialogue, and the director's style, many actors held back, going through the motions, even half-heartedly—how much of their true ability they actually showed was highly questionable.

To be honest, aside from a few special scenes, Yan Li felt little acting pressure on the Sui and Tang Heroes set.

Pressure leads to progress!

When he was in school, Yan Li loved rehearsing with the most skilled classmates—not only did it hone and polish him, but it was challenging and deeply satisfying to perform.

The performances and states of several actors on The Conquest set were excellent, especially Sun Honglei, who seemed to be going all out.

Acting with such an actor, even if overshadowed, could teach you much.

If you could withstand the pressure, push through, and gain insight, you might achieve a tremendous leap and transformation in your acting.

This The Conquest set? Perfect choice!

(End of Chapter)