Chapter 254: Supershuang
Translator: Lonelytree Editor: Millman97
Xia Cheng was paying attention to Rong Su, and Rong Su was paying attention to Ye Shuang. Ye Shuang was paying attention to Xia Cheng but at the same time did not forget to answer to Rong Su…
The dinner was interesting. Everyone felt like they were witnessing an actual drama. Even though there was no element of overlapping relations.h.i.+p, no matter how it was seen, this was a quintessential love triangle.
As Rong Su’s cousin, Qian Qianxiang’s emotions were complicated. He could hardly resist the urge to kick Ye Shuang out of this star system. Can’t you see that the girl is interested in you? If you’re interested, then make some move; if you’re not, then get lost. Why are you playing so hard to get. What’s with this intention of stringing people along‽
Truthfully, Ye Shuang was feeling very conflicted as well. Turning against Rong Su was definitely impossible, but drawing the line clearly between them would not work either.
After all, the girl had not openly expressed her interest—perhaps she was merely showing adoration to her idol. To have Ye Shuang express her feelings before she even said anything, that would appear like Ye Shuang was more than a bit conceited.
Secondly, it was because Ye Shuang had to consider the connection to Xia Cheng. Taking advantage of a girl when her heart was broken was such a clichéd move, but it worked every time. If Ye Shuang really stopped the possibility of the chance of her getting closer to Rong Su, she could not guarantee that Xia Cheng would not take advantage of this situation to move Ye Shuang aside and brush up on his existence. Without the value of allowing him to get closer to Rong Su, Ye Shuang would be completely worthless in Xia Cheng’s eyes.
Thankfully, there was more than one way to improve a relations.h.i.+p. If one did not want to go down the love route, then one could only try one’s best to go down the route of big brother.
“Brother Ye, are you serious?” Half an hour later, Rong Su was completely in awed with Ye Shuang and had forgotten that there were other people at the table. She pulled on Ye Shuang and rambled endlessly, “Can we really improve our acting skill by making silly faces? How come I’ve not heard of that before?”
“Not directly improve acting skill, but increase one’s familiarity with acting.” Ye Shuang helped Rong Su take a piece of braised meat, and he patted her lightly on her head with a smile. “Have some meat, don’t just eat the vegetable… When you’re emoting, you’re using forty-two muscles on your face. The better you can control them, the more detailed and expressive your expression will be. Many people are unable to control the muscles on their body—for example, there are people who cannot curl their tongue, and some can only pull down one corner of their lips. Those are human being’s natural limitations. There’s no need to care about these things in everyday life, and it won’t affect them much, but as an actor, you have to hold yourself to a higher standard…”
Acting could be separated into the experience type and the performance type. Even though they were called different things, in reality, they were somehow related.
For a good actor, whenever they showed an expression or did an action, the viewers would understand what they were doing instantly and could predict the type of emotional changes and potential action the character might do in the next scene. If not, the viewers would have to make a guess on their own. The viewers would be so confused, and it would be tiring for the actor as well.
Why were TV dramas so popular? Other than matching the audience’s interest, the other important point was that they are very easy to follow. The viewers did not need to use their brains to figure out what would happen in the later scenes—the exaggerated emotions and actions as well as direct lines would show the entire plot. However, this was also the reason that this genre was looked down upon. This was because the actors did not need to possess great acting skill; they only needed to follow the script and recite the lines word by word.
“A movie is normally more reserved; this is not about the topic or lines. The main reason is the length of the movie, so each scene will contain more content compared to a TV show.” Director Zhou picked up a peanut and added two cents.
Giving face to the wealthy family, he picked this opportunity to show Rong Su the ropes of the business. “Take for example, in a TV drama, Character A and Character B used to be good friends, but they eventually dropped out and became enemies. For this effect, a TV drama can drag it out for two to three episodes to focus on things like Character A doing some stuff to make Character B feel bad. The actual cause and effect are put on screen… because it is explained so clearly, the viewers will have no issue understanding it.
“However, it is different for a movie. This might be concluded in just a few shots. After a scene, the two will go their separate ways… In other words, in every second of this shot, the actor has to master and show the emotional changes within the character, going from friendly to conflict and the eventual falling out. Then, people will understand that there’s a reason why there’s a conflict between the two of you. If the viewers cannot see the changes in your emotion, then they’ll think that you’re simply being unreasonable.”
Rong Su nodded with some understanding. “I know all this, but I feel like my acting is not bad.”
Qian Qianxiang coughed and turned his face away. His cousin was good and fine, but the fact that sometimes she could be too confident in herself could make people around her rather speechless. Director Zhou’s chopsticks shook, and the peanut fell onto the table. He also appeared like he was stunned.
Ye Shuang laughed heartily and patted Rong Su’s head. “Xiao Su, you don’t need to know so much; you’ll see the result after practicing it for some time… Hmm, how about thirty minutes of practice every day. Remember to not be lazy and skip on the exercise.”
Rong Su was a good kid. Even if she did not quite understand it, she nodded obediently. “Okay, I will start practicing today.”
When Ye Shuang had the intention of endearing herself to someone, it was actually really simple for her to achieve that goal. Theoretically speaking, she had all the knowledge in the world to resolve their every concern and question; she had the physical prowess to help them s.h.i.+eld against the worst of aggression; she had the ability to see through their every emotion and able to do the most heart-warming action when they most desperately needed it and at the most suitable location…
Other than all these good points, she was handsome and fit, possessing a regal presence. Therefore, earning Rong Su’s affection was something that was written on the wall. Even Qian Qianxiang, who did not have a good impression of Brother Shuang, had to admit that the man appeared flawless. He was not only able to follow up on any kind of topic of conversation, he also managed to take care of the feelings of everyone present.
For example, when Director Zhou’s wine was almost empty, he would ask the waiter for a jug of fruit juice. When Luo Mingxin’s chopsticks moved slower than others, he would turn the lazy Susan on the table casually. And… the only people whom Ye Shuang did not take care of were only Qian Qianxiang and Xia Cheng.
It was natural for Qian Qianxiang. He could be considered the host, so naturally, he would not be taken care of, or else it would seem like Ye Shuang was trying to take over his role, and that would be incredibly rude. But why would Xia Cheng receive the same treatment? Qian Qianxiang felt like he had the need to observe this further.
After the dinner, everyone had a new understanding of each other, and in conclusion, everyone was quite satisfied with the dinner that night. Rong Su’s ident.i.ty being exposed did not change much. There were not that many people with such a background within the entertainment business, but the number was not little either. One did not even need to go far to find an example—Mo Xiao Xia was one of the best examples.
When interacting with these artists that brought along their support, there was no need to be too careful. After all, no one had the power to bring the entire entertainment business down to its knees with just one word. However, adjusting the way they were treated in the future by giving them more conveniences was something that was to be expected.
Qian Qianxiang drove Rong Su back to the apartment. Since they departed from the dinner and on the journey back home, Rong Su maintained a highly excited state, and she kept on talking. The topic of conversation was obviously Brother Shuang. What Brother Shuang had said, what Brother Shuang had for dinner, how beautiful Brother Shuang’s fingers were, how pretty Brother Shuang’s smile was…
As Qian Qianxiang drove the car, he could not help but roll his eyes. He really could not understand the admiration that his cousin had for that actor.
Rong Su happened to turn her head when she spoke, and she got mad when she saw the expression Qian Qianxiang’s face. She puffed up her cheeks and seriously criticized her cousin. “Brother Xiang! What kind of disagreement do you have with Brother Shuang‽”
A lot of disagreements!
Qian Qianxiang rolled his eyes one more time, but he knew that this was not the time to argue and reason with a brainless fan, so he moved the topic away. “It’s nothing. I was just thinking about something else… Xiao Su, if that sponsor called Xia from your crew comes to find you and tries to approach you in the future, you must be careful to stay away.”
“Why?” Rong Su blinked multiple times like a lost puppy. “But that’s the sponsor. Isn’t it a good thing to form a good rapport with him? Furthermore, he wouldn’t dare to do anything to me so there’s nothing to worry about.”
Qian Qianxiang still had not gotten to the bottom of the truth, but that did not affect his ability to make the best decision for his cousin. “I also have no idea what is wrong with him yet, but… didn’t you realize that your Brother Ye constantly kept the man at a distance?”
That was more than enough. Qian Qianxiang did not need to a.n.a.lyze for Rong Su how Ye Shuang had acted on the dining table and what that kind of att.i.tude might represent. With just one sentence, Rong Su immediately abandoned her principle and promised with a nod, “Okay, I will ignore him from now on!”
“…” Qian Qianxiang.
…
The crew returned to the shoot the next day, and Xia Cheng did show up to visit them. The man knew not to appear too groveling. Therefore, he came with the excuse of visiting the entire crew. He brought some food, snacks, and drinks and did not stick to Rong Su like a stalker.
Even though Rong Su was a female role, she did not have a lot of scenes. There were already many characters showing up for a historical drama, and Rong Su’s plot was mainly between the king, the general, and her lover, so most of the time, whenever she was required to show up on screen, Ye Shuang would be there.
This was a tragedy for Xia Cheng. If Brother Shuang was not there, Rong Su would have shared her attention with other people, but with Brother Shuang there, the girl was not going to see another creature in her eyes. After a few days of observation, considering Rong Su’s scenes were going to end in a few days, Xia Cheng finally decided to approach Ye Shuang.
“In a bit, you go and find Ye…” After making that decision, Xia Cheng asked his a.s.sistant to go look for Ye Shuang, but he was surprised when he raised his head because Ye Shuang, who had been wandering around the set, had suddenly disappeared.
“Ye?” The a.s.sistant was confused.
Xia Cheng’s expression was complicated when he was silent, and he asked his a.s.sistant, “Where’s the person that played the general?”
The a.s.sistant was still clueless. “There are so many generals, Mr. Xia. Are you looking for Hua Mulan?”
This was what was not so good about historical drama—there were too many wars and countries. Any single extra could be playing an official role, and it was impossible to use an occupation to categorize the extras.
Xia Cheng gritted his teeth. “I’m talking about Ye Shuang who plays the general… Wasn’t he just in the scene earlier? Where is he now? Gone to the toilet?”
The a.s.sistant was even more confused. “I have no idea. Er, Mr. Xia, didn’t you come to see Miss Rong? Even if Miss Rong doesn’t have time for you, there are other female actors. Why are you looking for a man now?”
The a.s.sistant felt like he started to get confused by the sponsor’s att.i.tude.
…
Even though Rong Su’s ident.i.ty had been exposed, it had not been revealed to everyone. Xia Cheng did not have the time to explain to the a.s.sistant whom the company had a.s.signed to him that he was not there to look for a woman. There was a great generational gap between the two of them. The a.s.sistant also did not realize other than focusing on the female actors, he had to help his boss keep a look out on the male extras.
Finally, before Xia Cheng exploded, one of the crew members who was pa.s.sing through heard the argument and came over out of kindness of his heart to help the a.s.sistant. “Mr. Xia, are you looking for Brother Ye? Brother Ye had some emergency—he just received a call and asked to leave early from Director Zhou.”
What the f*ck‽ Xia Cheng wanted to curse. What kind of extra was so powerful that he could come and go as he please?
Xia Cheng cursed in his heart and then asked, “Has Miss Rong left as well?”
“Miss Rong’s remaining shoot today is a scene with Mr. Ye, so since Mr. Ye has left, she also…”
At that moment, Ye Shuang had no idea that Xia Cheng had already turned his focus on her because an emergency really did appear. She had no time to deal with Xia Cheng and grabbed the car key that she borrowed from Luo Mingxin and left. Because her head was not in the situation, Ye Shuang did not realize that there was an excited little tail following her. When she reached the parking lot and got into Luo Mingxin’s car. She started the engine and made the call. It was then that the backdoor also opened, and then an urgent voice almost made Ye Shuang’s soul jump out from her body.
“Brother Ye, what’s happening?” Rong Su got into the backseat without even removing the period outfit that she was wearing.
Ye Shuang turned her head around and almost dropped her phone. “Xiao Su?”
Rong Su put her hands on the seat and poked her head forward. She asked with concern, “I saw you rus.h.i.+ng away without even changing. Did something happen?”
Ye Shuang swallowed her saliva. She was thinking about what to say when the call was connected. There was nothing that she could do then. Ye Shuang made a sign to tell her to quiet down and then she used one hand to control the steering wheel. As the car exited the parking lot, she talked on the phone. “What’s happening?”
“I don’t really understand as well. We’re being tailed. We’re so unlucky.” Su Zheng’s unsatisfied grumble came through the phone. She groused for a few seconds before going silent. Three seconds later, she screamed excitedly, “It’s big brother! It’s big brother! I’m finally going to meet big brother in person… Eh, no wait, I mean, where is Sister Shuang?”
Ye Shuang stomached the noise. “She had to leave due to an emergency and left her phone with me. I saw your message… Tell me, what happened?”
“Hmm, big brother you have to listen to me,” Su Zheng answered excitedly. “A few days ago, didn’t Sister Shuang introduce me to a girl called Mo Xiao Xia? Today, we made plans to go to the mall after she was done with her photoshoot. When we departed from the studio, we realized that we were being tailed. It is a Black Audi, and the plates are fake. The windows are tinted, so I cannot see clearly. The driver is wearing a cap and sungla.s.ses. There appears to be three people sitting in the backseat…”
“Okay, that’s enough description. Can you tell me where you are now?” Ye Shuang asked. If this was just one person tailing them, the problem was not that big, but if the tailing car had other people, then the meaning of this tailing was worth considering. Why are there three people sitting in the backseat? They could not be there just for fun, right? Then obviously, they served some kind of purpose like fighting and detaining the targets when the car was stopped.
“We’re on the highway by the sea. Big brother, wait a minute, I’ll open the satellite triangulation and send you our location.” There was the sound of typing from Su Zheng’s end. It was probably Mo Xiao Xia who was driving. Other than Su Zheng, who was speaking, Mo Xiao Xia had not spoken a word.
Soon after that, Ye Shuang’s phone received Su Zheng’s location. There was an attached message. Su Zheng told Ye Shuang silently that Mo Xiao Xia’s face was completely white, and she was under great pressure. She did not dare to say any more things, afraid that it might influence Mo Xiao Xia’s mental state. They did not dare to stop the car to change the driver either. In other words, the situation was dangerous.
Ye Shuang messaged back and told Su Zheng to try to keep Mo Xiao Xia’s emotions in check. Then she hung up. The car turned and headed on the highway.
“Brother Ye, what is happening?” Rong Su felt the car speeding up. While she was nervous, she was excited as well. Her fingers gripped the back of the seat, and she asked, “I heard someone is being tailed on the phone.”
“Yes, my friend is being tailed.” Ye Shuang did not have the time to remove the armor. She pulled off the wig. The whole situation felt very surreal. She was driving a car while wearing an outfit from ancient China. “Xiao Su, move to the left side. Don’t sit behind the pa.s.senger seat… Hold onto the door and put on the seat belt. I don’t have the time to drop you off now. No matter what happens later, don’t get out from the car.”
Rong Su changed seats quickly and poked her head out. “Brother Ye, Brother Ye, why don’t you tell me? Why is your friend being tailed? What is your real job? You are a special agent, aren’t you?”
With such good physical ability, he has to be a special agent!
Ye Shuang was speechless. The young woman these days sure are brave.
When she was young… no, before her DNA was changed, she did not have courage like that. This was a girl who could trip on flat ground. When she was on the horse, she had been so scared, but how come she became so excited at that moment?
Ye Shuang had no idea there was a concept called security in this world. After she was saved from the rampaging horse, Ye Shuang had become equal to 007 in Rong Su’s heart, and that meant that she was practically Superman. Furthermore, even the most cowardly of girls had a curious heart. Rong Su was willing to uncover the secrets that were surrounding her Brother Shuang.
“I’m not a special agent.” Ye Shuang sighed wordlessly and then glanced at Rong Su through the rear-view mirror. “Get ready, I’m going to pick up speed.”
Huh? Pick up speed? But we’re already at eighty miles an hour… Just as this thought crossed Rong Su’s mind, the next second, she was slammed against the backseat by the sudden increase in speed.