CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 36: CHANGING LIVES (5)

The highway was smooth all the way to the H City film base. The filming location was still set up at the original studio site.

Zhou Huaiyi was filled with mixed emotions, never expecting to return within a month.

As she entered, the crew had just finished a shot. Zhou Huaiyi saw Liu Yang carrying a boom mic approaching and, in her excitement, leapt forward to greet him: "Senior!"

Liu Yang was taken aback and, upon seeing Xiang Qichen smiling brightly before him, felt quite flattered, and awkwardly smiled: "Qi Chen... I’m three years younger than you. Calling me that is a bit too flattering..."

Immediately, Zhou Huaiyi’s smile faded, and she nodded slightly: "...Sorry."

Returning to the dressing room, Zhou Huaiyi patted her chest in relief, almost forgetting she was wearing Xiang Qichen’s face... Luckily, Liu Yang didn’t think too much...

After changing into her costume, Zhou Huaiyi sat in front of the makeup mirror, staring at the handsome face in the mirror, happily biting her lips with a smile.

The makeup artist came over with tools, looked at her in the mirror, glanced at her outside the mirror, and picked up foundation and concealer, chuckling: "Qi Chen, you’re in great spirits today, what’s got you so happy?"

Zhou Huaiyi pursed her lips but said nothing, just smiled.

Swooning over the handsome face of the male god \(//∇//)\

,

After getting her makeup done and waiting for the scene on set, Zhou Huaiyi studied the script several more times, as she had a scene to perform with the male lead, Li Wei, today.

In the past few years at the Film Academy, she occasionally directed and acted in student projects a few times. Although she had acting experience, she wasn’t formally trained, and her rudimentary skills were hardly presentable in an actual crew.

She reviewed her lines twice more before the director’s assistant came to call her to get ready.

Zhou Huaiyi took a couple of deep breaths, patted her cheeks to pep up, and strode to the center of the set.

After discussing with the director, the scene was shot smoothly.

The second male lead, Li Wei, was about the same age as Xiang Qichen but debuted later than Xiang Qichen, considered a newcomer in the entertainment industry, possessing both looks and acting skills.

It was only the second time Zhou Huaiyi had seen Li Wei in this crew; during the previous two months of her internship, she had merely caught a glimpse from afar, and now, meeting him again, she was going to act alongside him...

The changes in life... really take one by surprise.

"Cut!" sounded suddenly.

The mood Zhou Huaiyi had just brewed was interrupted.

Director: "Qi Chen, expression not right, go again!"

So Zhou Huaiyi rallied herself again.

However...

"Cut! Again!"

"Stop stop stop!"

"What’s wrong with you, Qi Chen, today?!"

...

After more than a dozen NGs.

Zhou Huaiyi lowered her eyes in guilt, sighing with more desire than ability.

What to do T^T Will I bring trouble to the male god? T^T

The director’s voice was amplified through the speakers to Zhou Huaiyi’s ears: "You have to be angrier. The look in your eyes is crucial; he has hurt the person you love!"

Zhou Huaiyi pursed her lips and reflected for a moment, looking at Li Wei in front of her, with the director’s words echoing in her mind, "he has hurt the person you love."

Hurt the person you love...

Hurt... the person you love.

Suddenly, an image flashed in her mind, and a surge of anger instantly rose within Zhou Huaiyi. She stepped forward, grabbed Li Wei by the collar, and said fiercely with straight eyes: "How dare you! Ye Zun! How dare you! Do you know how much she means to me! Ye Zun!"

Almost instantly in character, Li Wei almost didn’t regain his composure. He paused, pulled away from Xiang Qichen’s grasp, faced him with anger, and said: "If it wasn’t for her, would you and I be at this point? Liu Xuan, where’s your ambition? Your grand aspirations? Have you given up on them?"

"Cut! Good! Very good!" The director’s face lit up with satisfaction, "Keep this emotion for another take, focusing on the close-up!"

——

After leaving school, Xiang Qichen made a detour to Wanxiang City.

When he returned home, in addition to his luggage, backpack, and violin, he also had a few bags of newly purchased women’s clothing.

Xiang Qichen brought them all into the cloakroom, and neatly hung them in the wardrobe one by one.

After pouring a glass of water in the kitchen, he returned to the living room and his eyes accidentally fell on the violin he’d casually left on the sofa.

Xiang Qichen took a sip of water, walked over, picked it up, and placed it flat on the coffee table, running his finger over the spot where the instrument case had a peeling corner.

Unexpectedly, she could play the violin.

Speaking of which, when Xiang Qichen was young, he also played the violin for a few years. Later, he went to study at the dance academy and neglected it. It wasn’t until three years ago, when filming "Strings of Your Heart," that he rekindled his previous learning experience.

It’s just that after so long, his skills were somewhat...

The thought of his violin instructor Fu Weiheng’s stern and intense expression from back then made Xiang Qichen slightly afraid.

After all, the aura of that musician was overwhelmingly powerful.

Xiang Qichen chuckled silently and found a spot to carefully store the violin.

Checking the time, Xiang Qichen, feeling a bit uneasy, called Zhou Huaiyi.

The phone rang for a long time. Just as Xiang Qichen was about to hang up, thinking no one would answer, the call was suddenly connected with a soft "click."

A slightly surprised male voice came from the other end: "Zhou Huaiyi?"

Xiang Qichen paused, then replied, "Mm."

Yang Li lightly coughed and said, "Uh, Qi Chen is filming. Is there something you need to tell him?"

Xiang Qichen tersely said, "Just have him call me back later."

Yang Li felt a bit uncomfortable with Zhou Huaiyi’s indifferent tone, gave a faint "oh," and hung up the phone.

Xiang Qichen: "..."

Not long after the call ended, the phone suddenly rang with a cheerful ringtone. Xiang Qichen thought, did they call back so soon? But when he picked up the phone, his expression changed.

[Incoming call - My Dad]

So, was it Zhou Huaiyi’s dad calling?

Xiang Qichen: "..."

He composed himself and answered at the last moment: "Hello..."

"Zhou Huaiyi, why do you take so long to answer the phone!"

Xiang Qichen stiffly called out, "Dad."

Father Zhou responded with a grunt: "What are you doing? Are you coming home for the National Day holiday?"

Xiang Qichen thought for a moment and responded, "I probably... won’t come home."

"Not coming home?" Father Zhou sounded displeased, complaining, "You haven’t been home for two months during the summer break, and now you don’t want to come back for National Day? You always came home whenever you had time in the first three years of university. Why aren’t you as keen on coming home this year? Did you get a boyfriend?"

The change in topic was sudden, and Xiang Qichen was momentarily stunned, saying, "No, it’s just that there are more school activities in my senior year."

This reason left Father Zhou with nothing to argue, so he asked: "What about your internship? Where are you going to work?"

Xiang Qichen: "Not decided yet."

Father Zhou went on habitually with a string of nagging, and just as Xiang Qichen was about to respond, he abruptly hung up the phone.

Xiang Qichen: "..."