Chapter 1 Part1 (1/2)
Merry Christmas, our readers! Sending you and your family the warmest wishes and blessings. Tidings of joy for this season. ❤
We meet the famous Yi Wenze! Honestly, if I were to meet my idol, I don't think I'd do as well as Jia He did. LOL.
Chapter 1.1 — Filming-Kickoff Press Conference (1)
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Jia He stared glumly at the time on her mobile phone, her heart beating faster and faster. The press conference for filming kickoff had long since begun, but she was still here stuck on the road with her destination as good as light years away. But what could she do about it, since, after all, it was Valentine's Day? Couples sat in every taxi in Shanghai. It had taken her an entire hour to simply hail a taxi, and now adding traffic congestion on top of that, by the time she arrived at the site, the people remaining would likely only be the workers.
The driver seemed to sense the atmosphere she was emitting, and kept smiling and consoling her that they would soon be there.
”Don't worry. Men should wait, especially on such a day as today.”
Jia He looked out the window in dismay. ”How awesome it would be if things really would wait for me.” Press conferences never needed the screenwriter. It was not as if she was an actress or director; who would wait for her?
”You've even brought your luggage. How could he not wait for you?”
In the rearview mirror, Jia He saw the driver's keen, sparkling eyes. At first she wanted to explain, but she really was not in the mood to speak. Once the press conference finished, she would be going with the cast and crew to Hengdian, so of course she had brought her luggage. However, every person, even if you switched in a hundred different people, seeing a woman towing along her suitcase to a Hilton Hotel on Valentine's Day would think the same thing…
The traffic light changed from red to green, from green to red. It basically was changing for the air to see, for not a single car could move.
So, when the taxi finally crawled like this to the hotel, it was nearly six o'clock.
Jia He dragged her suitcase behind her and strode towards the downstairs level of the hotel. When she saw a few groups of young girls there in the chilly wind, all of them lovely and adorable-looking, waiting for their idol, she could not help wondering which group was Yi Wenze's fans. Thinking about the fact that she would be seeing him in person very soon, she actually grew a little bashful herself, and it was only when she caught sight of the hotel doorman's a.s.sessing gaze on her that she recovered herself.
These last two years working as a screenwriter were like a waste. She, someone who had always had a way of being able to put on a calm and collected appearance, had completely failed in her pretense this time.
”I'll say, you really are something.” When the elevator doors slid open, Qiao Qiao almost threw her mobile phone at her. ”It's half over already, and now you finally show up.” As she spoke, she grabbed Jia He's luggage from her and then strode swiftly into the press conference venue.
A backdrop board that stood as high as a wall. More than ten rows of seats. A hall illuminated with splendid lights.
At this time, the conference had already moved into the part for individual interviews. The cast's several main leads were in various places around the venue, surrounded by cameras and long lenses while being interviewed. The lead actress was a new, rising idol in Mainland China, and she had snagged the prettiest background, the media backdrop board. Her smile was still stiff and inexperienced as she struck a perfect pose. Back when the cast and roles had been confirmed, Jia He had not even known her name and had had to specifically search up her information and profile on the Internet. All this time, she had been unable to imagine how this actress would be able to play the part of a n.o.blewoman of the Tang dynasty[1]. Now it did appear, at least from the standpoint of that figure[2] of hers, that… she did fit the role.
Qiao Qiao all of a sudden gave her a tug and pointed towards the right of the stage.
In that spot was, naturally, Yi Wenze.
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The backdrop behind him was picture of a brilliantly-lit Daming Palace[3] in the night.
Despite being surrounded by a dozen or so reporters, due to his height advantage, she still had a clear view of his side profile through the crisscrossing lenses of cameras and video cameras. His short, black hair and his gaze that was extremely incisive were so real they left Jia He in a daze.
At this moment, a young journalist was presenting a question, but possibly because she was anxious, or perhaps for other reasons, her words came out falteringly and her face was actually slightly tinged with red. He, though, merely listened patiently with a smile until the journalist had finished asking her question, and then immediately, his demeanour very polite, he provided his answer. At this distance from him, Jia He could faintly make out his voice with its Mandarin p.r.o.nunciation that was not very standard, so familiar to her, yet at the same time, so unfamiliar as well.
”When interviews are finished, I'll have the director introduce the two of you.” Qiao Qiao threw a sideways glance at her. ”If I, just a little ol' producer, make the introductions, he might not end up remembering you. The director is the hot shot.”
Jia He tried with all her might to maintain her poise. But as her mind drifted away, she suddenly realized that she should have worn high heels today. She was already half a head shorter than Qiao Qiao to begin with, and now with Qiao Qiao standing in heels next to her, she ended up looking like the a.s.sistant to a supermodel.
”Stay cool, stay cool.” Qiao Qiao handed her a cup of water. ”We need to just look past him, like he's not there. If you show any adoring, wors.h.i.+ping look in your eyes, you've lost. I swear, every day, he'll definitely be making you change the script or add scenes—”
”Isn't it like that every time anyway?” Taking a sip of water, Jia He said dolefully, ”Whether it's the male lead or the female lead, a supporting actor or supporting actress, the first thing anyone says the instant the script is in hand is, 'There's something wrong with this script.' It's like, for the entire scene, everyone else has to be just a block of wood and they're the only one constantly with lines to say, and then that's a good script.”
”Eh? Why are you telling this stuff to me? Go say it to the director.” Qiao Qiao s.n.a.t.c.hed her cup away from her and took a drink from it as well. ”I'm between the devil and the deep blue sea. Don't make things difficult for me.” Qiao Qiao batted the lashes of her big eyes, looking with innocence at Jia He.
Grinding her teeth, Jia He shot a glare back at her.
Qiao Qiao nearly sprayed the water from her mouth. ”Fine, then. If you're so good, don't budge on anything when Yi Wenze tells you to make changes.”
Right as Jia He was about to fire back a retort, Director Jiang had already sent away a reporter, and spotting the two of them, he waved.
Qiao Qiao hastily gave her a nudge, saying in a quiet voice, ”I'm going to go check in on the lead actress. That woman is a drama queen; she likes to be ‘valued.'” Once she finished saying this, she did not wait for Jia He's response and, plastering a wide smile on her face, squeezed her way into the ma.s.s of people from the media.
Jia He watched as Director Jiang made his way over to Yi Wenze's side. Yi Wenze was in the midst of continually getting his photograph taken with various reporters. Seeing the director approaching him, he at last politely sent the media along on their way and then began conversing in low tones with the director.
Simply gazing upon the side profile of Yi Wenze's face left Jia He unable even to move her feet.
Until the director lifted his head once more and called to her. At the same time, Yi Wenze also turned his head to cast a glance at her.
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Like a special effect specified in the script, a slow motion shot did a close up of his smile and the expression in his eyes, and his gaze landed only on Jia He, forcing embarra.s.sment and disquiet to rise in her. But this lasted for only a moment. She very quickly put on an appropriate smile and walked up beside Director Jiang.
Director Jiang gave a pat to Jia He's shoulder. ”This is our screenwriter, Jia He.”
”h.e.l.lo.” Yi Wenze gave a nod, a smile filling his deep, black eyes. Unlike the polite, distant manner he had held towards the media, there was presently an added touch of warmth and geniality to him. Extending a hand, he grasped Jia He's lightly in greeting.
”h.e.l.lo.” Because Jia He had just stepped indoors, her palm was still icy-cold, and when his warm hand took hers, her heart began beating even more furiously.
”How are the revisions to the script coming along?” After the two had released one another's hands, Director Jiang immediately began to ”extort” her to pay her ”debt.”