Chapter 48: A Science Guy's Confession
"Xiao Ming Ge, I didn't mean to interrupt you just now."
"I was just too excited to see Senior Li Chen, I'm sorry, Xiao Ming Ge."
Yang Mi and Huang Xiaoming walked back to the hotel, sincerely apologizing to him.
Huang Xiaoming smiled gracefully and said, "I can tell, Mi Mi."
"You haven't even enrolled yet, but you've already reserved a spot for the Class of '05."
"It's fine, Director Li didn't mind, and he even gave you his contact information."
Yang Mi smiled happily; this was her biggest gain today.
Li Chen found an excuse to send Luo Jin and Yang Siwei, those two high-wattage light bulbs, away.
He accompanied Miss Liu for a casual stroll.
"I feel like you have a good impression of Yang Mi," Miss Liu suddenly blurted out.
Li Chen sighed, marveling at the mysteriousness of a woman's intuition.
"It's not a 'good impression,' just that my impression isn't bad. Besides, I'm a steadfast fan of celestial beauties!"
"Any beauty, in front of Wang Yuyan's looks, is but a skeleton," Li Chen said with a smile.
If anyone else had said that, Miss Liu probably wouldn't have felt anything.
But when Li Chen said it, a smile appeared in the corners of Miss Liu's eyes.
She cast a tender, sweet glance at Li Chen: "Smooth talker, I don't even know if I can believe you."
Li Chen smiled, "If you don't believe me, who will you believe? Tang Yan is no worse than Yang Mi, and my impression of Tang Yan is even better."
"Xixi, I see that they are all approaching this from an investor's perspective, without a trace of ulterior motive."
This sentence hit Miss Liu's sweet spot.
Miss Liu didn't look at Li Chen: "What about me?"
Li Chen drew out his words: "You, huh...?"
"Hurry up and say it!" Miss Liu already had her hand on the soft flesh of Li Chen's waist.
Seeing Miss Liu's sparkling eyes looking at him.
Li Chen looked directly at her and smiled, "You know the answer!"
"Say it again?" Miss Liu had already started to act.
Fortunately, Li Chen was wearing thick clothes, but he didn't provoke Miss Liu any further, and said with a straight face.
"As for you, of course... I'm also approaching it from an investor's perspective."
Miss Liu was taken aback. Seeing that he didn't seem to be joking, the smile in her eyes instantly vanished.
Li Chen immediately realized something was wrong and quickly tried to mend it: "Hey, hey, don't rush, I haven't finished speaking yet!"
Miss Liu's eyes were slightly red as she looked at him without speaking.
She really gets teary-eyed at the slightest disagreement.
"Although they are all investments, what I invest in you is love!"
"And it seems I'm already stuck."
Li Chen smiled and wiped the corner of her eye.
Miss Liu saw Li Chen's eyes sparkling, with only her reflection in his pupils.
The instant shift from extreme joy to sorrow and then sudden happiness made Miss Liu's eyes even more moist: "You're annoying, always playing tricks."
"What 'stuck'? That sounds terrible!"
Li Chen smiled, "If it sounds terrible, I won't say it again, okay?"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Please, it's been almost two years, Comrade Li Chen can be considered a well-tested comrade, right?"
Miss Liu stared steadily at Li Chen, not answering.
After a while, she shyly said, "Come here, I have something to tell you."
Li Chen moved a little closer: "Go ahead, there's no one else here."
Miss Liu glanced around; no one was paying attention to them.
Then she tugged at Li Chen's sleeve, quickly took off both their masks, and slightly stood on her tiptoes: "Mwah!"
In a flash, she completed this series of actions.
Before Li Chen could react, Miss Liu turned around gracefully, hands in the pockets of her brown down jacket, and walked back quickly.
Li Chen felt as if he had been electrocuted. Holy cow, he had been kissed forcefully.
Li Chen touched the dampness on his cheek, smiled at Miss Liu's retreating back, and called out in a low voice.
"Auntie, wait for me, what do you mean by this? Guo Er doesn't understand!"
Miss Liu suppressed a laugh, quickened her pace, and ignored the silly person behind her.
That night, Li Chen and Yang Siwei's group returned to Hengdian World Studios.
The filming of painted skin was progressing smoothly.
However, today was not going so well.
Today's scene was an intimate one between Xiao Wei, played by Zhou Xun, and Wang Sheng.
There was a shot of Zhou Xun emerging naked from the water.
To protect Zhou Xun's privacy, all non-essential personnel left the set.
But the aesthetically pleasing shot of Zhou Xun emerging from the water never achieved the effect Li Chen wanted.
This scene would require visual effects in post-production.
Dreamlike, ethereal, beautiful, and moving.
Li Chen had called for an N-take three times, and the smile had vanished from his face.
Zhou Xun's expression was also not good; her wet hair clung to her face, making her expression unclear.
"Zhou Xun, at this moment of emerging from the water, you need to imagine yourself as a lotus flower rising from the water."
"Show your most beautiful side, so beautiful that people wouldn't dare to defile it."
"And there must be a feeling that all things in heaven and earth do not exist, only the person in front of you (Wang Sheng)."
"Get ready, let's go again!"
Zhou Xun took a deep breath, letting the staff member next to her put a coat on her.
"Got it, Director Li, one more time, I promise to get it in one take."
Wu Ershan, standing nearby, didn't say anything. In fact, he thought Zhou Xun had already acted quite well.
With visual effects added in post-production, the scene would definitely be stunningly beautiful.
But even though he was doing the director's job, he ultimately had to listen to Director Li.
Let alone Wu Ershan, even Tang Yan, who was nearby, felt that Zhou Xun had truly acted very well.
She was clearly not as pretty as herself, nor did she have a better figure.
Yet, she managed to portray a beauty that made people completely disregard her looks.
This time, Zhou Xun indeed did not disappoint him.
Whether it was the rhythm of emerging from the water or her clear, flawless eyes, everything was just right.
"Cut! That's a take!"
"Prepare for the next scene, Xun Ge," Li Chen smiled.
Zhou Xun also let out a long breath.
She gave Li Chen a glare: "When it's a take, you call me Xun Ge, but when it's an N-take, you call me Zhou Xun, Director Li, you're so heartless."
The crew on set, seeing that Director Li's mood had cleared, also started to laugh.
Zhou Xun was clearly teasing Director Li, mimicking Ada Choi's classic line from Princess Iron Fan.
Li Chen wasn't angry, and said with a smile, "No choice, I wouldn't even spare a newcomer like Tangtang, let alone you."
"I have to be responsible for my film!"
Zhou Xun clicked her tongue and said, "I've certainly experienced Director Li's style."
"Before, I only saw Director Li's box office success as a great director, but today I truly realized that Director Li also has the temper of a great director."
"When he got serious on set, you saw how scared everyone was, not even one person stood up to speak for me!"
Li Chen shook his head and smiled, not taking her bait.
It was Tang Yan who stepped forward and said with a smile, "Sister Xun, it's not that we didn't speak up for you, I was completely stunned."
"Especially this last take, I think this shot will definitely become a classic!"
Zhou Xun also smiled and said, "Fine, seeing that Director Li's employees are so good at talking, it doesn't matter if I soak in the water a few more times."
"Enough, enough, I'm freezing to death!"
Ning Hao called from the Berlin Film Festival, sounding in low spirits.
According to him, when green grassland was screened in the International New Film section of the Berlin Film Festival.
He counted himself, and there were only forty audience members seated.
Ning Hao complained to Li Chen: I don't make a movie to travel ten thousand kilometers to communicate with dozens of audience members!
I think I really should make some movies that domestic audiences like; this is my direction going forward.
Li Chen didn't say much else, nor did he ask how the movie sold.
He only said one sentence: Come to him if he needed anything.
Thanks to the book friends who voted, I am deeply grateful.