Chapter 400: The Peak of the Bubble: I'll Take Care of You, Really
Half a month passed,
Under Gu Zhiyuan’s “life-burning” intensity of shooting,
The film crew progressed rapidly.
Haoting Grand Hotel in the capital.
The presidential suite on the twenty-eighth floor, outside the floor-to-ceiling window was the capital’s dazzlingly brilliant CBD.
Jiang Ci stood before the mirror, letting the stylist fasten the top button of his shirt for him.
“Teacher Jiang, your collarbone is absolutely perfect, it’s a shame you don’t act in idol dramas.”
The young makeup artist muttered softly while helping him with his tie.
Jiang Ci didn’t speak, he looked at himself in the mirror.
His hair was meticulously slicked back with hair gel, revealing a smooth forehead.
Those once turbid, fawning eyes,
Under the cool-toned lighting, actually exuded a kind of noble pride that made people dare not look directly at him.
“Actually, this shirt is quite tight around the neck, feels like life is choking me.”
Jiang Ci thought to himself, his neck shrinking slightly.
Just this one subtle movement, that “rich young master” aura cracked open a seam,
revealing the low-level cannon fodder extra inside who seemed a bit awkward due to unfamiliarity—Chen San.
“All departments, positions!”
Gu Zhiyuan sat behind the monitor,
This guy hadn’t washed his hair for half a month, his beard grew like weeds, but his gaze was frighteningly bright,
“Scene 189, interior, visit to the set. Action!”
The door was gently pushed open.
Chen Yi wore a somewhat tight-fitting old windbreaker, holding a thermal food jar in her hand.
She stood at the doorway, the prepared smile on her face froze when she saw Chen San in the room.
The man standing on the expensive carpet before her,
Made her instinctively look down at the flat shoes on her own feet.
Chen Yi’s hand tightly gripped the handle of the thermal food jar, it was the only support for her entire body.
“Piaopiao?”
Jiang Ci moved.
He walked over quickly.
His steps were large, but because he wore expensive leather shoes that didn’t quite fit, they landed particularly softly.
“Why did you come at this time? Is it windy outside?” Jiang Ci smiled, wanting to reach out and take her jar.
But Chen Yi instinctively shrank back half a step.
“I… I heard Old Zhang say you moved into a grand hotel.”
Chen Yi very naturally picked up the scene, her gaze wandering over the gilded decorations in the room.
“I was passing by, cooked some red bean soup.”
“Passing by?” Jiang Ci chuckled, it was Chen San’s signature simple, honest laugh.
He snatched the thermal food jar, directly twisted open the lid with his hand,
Didn’t even get a spoon, took a big gulp right from the edge of the jar.
“Fragrant! Still that same taste, the soup those chefs in the crew make is like dishwater.”
Jiang Ci drank until his mouth was full of red bean paste, even a drop of juice splashed onto that snow-white shirt.
Chen Yi looked at that stain, her gaze froze,
Heartbroken, she exclaimed: “Oh no! The clothes got dirty! These clothes are expensive, right?”
She flusteredly pulled out a crumpled tissue from her pocket, wanting to help him wipe it.
But Jiang Ci grabbed her hand.
At that moment, the room immediately fell silent.
Gu Zhiyuan behind the monitor tightly bit his finger, Lin Wan also instinctively leaned forward.
Jiang Ci’s hand was very warm, Chen Yi’s hand was very cold.
“Piaopiao, look.” Jiang Ci pulled her to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
Below their feet, were the myriad lights of the capital, streams of traffic converging into golden rivers, weaving through the steel forest.
“The play we’re acting in, it’s about to wrap up soon.”
Jiang Ci pointed into the distance, flames dancing in the depths of his eyes, “The director said, I’m the male lead. When the movie is released, we’ll have money.”
Chen Yi stared blankly. In her life, she had never looked down upon this city from this height.
“When that time comes…” Jiang Ci’s voice lowered,
“I’ll bring your brother to the capital. Find the best doctors, stay in the best hospital rooms. We’ll never go back to that leaky alley again.”
He turned his head, looking at Chen Yi’s shining eyes.
“Piaopiao, remember what I said that rainy night?”
Chen Yi didn’t speak, just her eyes rapidly reddened, mist swirling in her big eyes.
“I’ll take care of you.”
This time, it wasn’t a promise made under a broken umbrella, drenched and bedraggled by the rain.
But here, atop this gilded, cloud-like height symbolizing a leap across social classes, the most formal, most arrogant confession.
Chen Yi finally couldn’t hold back, tears silently streaked across her cheeks.
She was happy, but within that extreme happiness, there was always a sense of unreality that made her want to flee.
“Chen San…” she murmured, as if confirming the truth of this dream.
Before the monitor.
The entire film crew was quiet.
That warm, sweet, hope-filled atmosphere was so thick it was almost tangible.
Even the lighting technician uncle who always kept a stern face couldn’t help but reveal a motherly smile.
“So good…” the clapper loader girl cupped her face, muttering softly, “You must stay happy forever.”
The scene was too beautiful.
However, who is Jiang Ci?
Just as everyone was immersed in these pink bubbles.
Jiang Ci suddenly let go of Chen Yi, deciding to add another scene for Chen San.
“Oh right, I have something good to show you!”
Jiang Ci mysteriously blinked, turned and rushed into the bathroom.
Five seconds later.
He ran out with an armful of colorful little bottles in his embrace.
Shampoo, body wash, conditioner, small soaps, even two pairs of disposable slippers.
“Quick! Open your bag!”
Jiang Ci said while deftly stuffing these things into Chen Yi’s old canvas bag.
“These are all high-end goods from a five-star hotel! That verbena-scented one! So fragrant!”
“I asked the receptionist, these can all be taken! Free of charge!”
“You take them back for your brother to use, and these slippers, the quality is amazing, wear them when showering back home to prevent slipping!”
The tears on Chen Yi’s face hadn’t dried yet, before her bag was stuffed full of toiletries.
She stared blankly at Jiang Ci.
That deep, affectionate “male lead” from just now was gone.
“You…” Chen Yi was both angry and amused, “You’re a big star now, can’t you not be so…”
“Not be so stingy?”
Jiang Ci chuckled, casually putting a shower cap on Chen Yi’s head, “When living life, you gotta save where you can.”
“This is called… what’s that phrase again? Right, rational allocation of resources!”
Chen Yi looked at his self-righteous, money-grubbing appearance.
“Pfft.”
She laughed through her tears.
That bit of unreality in her heart, landed.
This is Chen San.
“Cut!”
Gu Zhiyuan’s voice rang out.
But his voice was instead terrifyingly low.
Jiang Ci and Chen Yi separated.
The two looked at each other and smiled, that sweet afterglow still hanging on their faces.
Gu Zhiyuan sat in the shadows, staring at the frozen image on the monitor—
Before the floor-to-ceiling window, the two embraced, beside them a scattered pile of cheap toiletries.
Warm, beautiful, and with a silly hope for the future.
Gu Zhiyuan let out a long sigh.
Then, he picked up the walkie-talkie.
“Everyone, don’t move.”
“Lighting technician.”
“Take away all the warm lights.”
“Switch to cold lights.”
“Color temperature to the lowest.”
The on-site staff were stunned.
“Director? This… this scene is finished, isn’t it? Why switch to cold lights?”
“Less nonsense! Switch!” Gu Zhiyuan suddenly roared.
“Click.”
The soft, warm yellow lights went out.
The originally warm presidential suite became eerie, lifeless.
Jiang Ci stood under that ghastly white light, the white shirt on his body appearing particularly glaring.
Chen Yi shivered, instinctively hugging her arms tightly.
She looked at Gu Zhiyuan.
Gu Zhiyuan also looked at them.
His gaze carried a cruelty of being about to personally destroy something beautiful.