December 14th, Tuesday …
Pei Qian arrived at the filming location of Tomorrow is Beautiful early in the morning.
He had not been here for some time and was very worried.
The last time he was here was two weeks ago. Pei Qian had casually asked Lu Zhiyao to act as a salted fish. He did not expect Lu Zhiyao's acting skills to explode. This scene won unanimous praise from the crew.
Therefore, Pei Qian had been suppressing his worries and did not go to the filming location again.
He was afraid that his unintentional words would give Lu Zhiyao a new epiphany. Then, the situation would get out of hand …
However, he could not just not go.
Pei Qian felt that he could not always hold the mentality of an ostrich. Otherwise, it would be too late if something really happened.
He had to discover it early and treat it early.
Even if the situation was irreversible, he could at least prepare to spend money in advance to reduce some losses for himself if he knew it earlier.
Therefore, Pei Qian came to the filming location since he had nothing to do today.
The filming location was quite busy with staff shuttling back and forth.
Pei Qian did not want to disturb everyone's work. He just stood casually at the side and watched the performance.
The surrounding set was no longer that narrow capsule. Instead, it had become the exterior of a future city.
Of course, although it was said to be an exterior scene, it was still filmed in the studio. However, there were many green screens.
Those cool futuristic city scenes would be synthesized with special effects.
The close-up scenes were also made with real objects. For example, in this scene, the male and female protagonists were going to eat at a roadside shop together. The entire shop was built. The tables, chairs, cutlery, decorations, and so on were all real objects.
In addition, the shop's signboard, the roadside trash can, the male and female protagonists' costumes, and all the extras' costumes were also custom-made.
These were all carefully made by the props team. It gave off a sense of authenticity.
From these settings, it could be seen that this was a poor residential area similar to a steampunk.
According to Director Zhu Xiaoce's plan, the buildings in this movie would be roughly divided into four different styles:
The capsule space where the male protagonist lived looked very technological, but it was cramped and narrow. The style was very homogenous. This was a welfare facility built uniformly.
The slums of the outside world were where the male and female protagonists met and dated. There were many small shops here, which looked a bit like a steampunk style. The bright lights made it look very lively, but it was full of chaos and disorder.
The bright and beautiful outside world, including the scene of the talent show. It looked very high-tech, spacious, and grand. It was a typical sci-fi architectural style.
The houses of the upper class were mainly in the style of classical mansions. They had beautiful fireplaces, large oil paintings, and expensive wooden furniture. They would only be decorated with some high-tech elements to distinguish them from real mansions.
Because in the script, only the upper class could afford to play with the "classical arts" such as oil painting and piano. In their circle, "retro" architectural style was a trend, used to distinguish the taste of those who were generally rich.
This scene was shot in the slums of the future city, which had a cyberpunk feel to it.
This was Pei Qian's first time seeing the female lead of this drama.
The actress was called Lin Ruyi. She had a round face, big eyes, and two beautiful dimples when she smiled. She had the standard face of a first love.
Pei Qian had tried to search for her information before, but he did not find any famous works. After asking, he found out that she was a newcomer who had just been poached from the film academy and had not graduated this year.
In terms of appearance, Lin Ruyi was not particularly good-looking. Because of her round face, she was not very photogenic.
However, this was in line with the setting of the script.
That was because in the script, the female lead was not a very stunning and beautiful character. Otherwise, she would have been fancied by the upper class long ago, and the latter story would not have happened.
Pei Qian did not have any requirements for the female lead. His only requirement was that she not be too good-looking.
After all, this was an era where everything depended on appearance.
If the female lead was too good-looking, it might become a hot topic. If her acting skills were better, the consequences would be even more unimaginable.
If the female lead was too good-looking, the audience would not hate her at all even if she played a green tea bitch. Instead, they would fall in love with her. Wouldn't that be a bad thing?
Of course, Pei Qian also knew that it was not very realistic to find an ugly actress to be the female lead.
Therefore, this newcomer who did not look particularly outstanding was already a good choice for Pei Qian.
Soon, Pei Qian saw the plot of this scene.
The female lead had already participated in a talent show, but she had not been chosen.
Now, the male lead played by Lu Zhiyao was resting and drinking with the female lead in a small shop by the road.
Lu Zhiyao would try his best to make Lin Ruyi happy, and Lin Ruyi would casually go along with him.
When Lu Zhiyao revealed his cards and said that he had saved enough money to buy a two-person capsule, Lin Ruyi would suddenly explode and burst out a few emotional conversations before walking away.
This scene was considered a breaking point in the early and middle plot. In short, it could be summarized in four words: the male lead was cuckolded.
Ai, this was really an eternal and classic poisonous point.
Pei Qian could not help but feel emotional.
…
At that moment …
Lu Zhiyao was thinking about the future, looking like a complete bootlicker. He was quite humble.
However, because he was handsome, it did not make people feel uncomfortable even though he was a bootlicker. Instead, people felt a little pitiful for him.
On the other hand, Lin Ruyi stared blankly at the drink cup on the table, nodding from time to time or going along with him very perfunctorily. Obviously, she was thinking about other things.
"I heard that a good restaurant opened nearby. It will sell delicious simulated meat, standard clean water, and red wine.
"The simulated meat we ate last time could only simulate about 60% of the taste of real meat, and it was already very delicious. This restaurant is said to be able to simulate about 80% of the taste of real meat, and there are many other flavors such as beef and chicken.
"There's also standard clean water. The standard clean water we drank before all had a rusty smell. The standard clean water in this restaurant is said to have almost no smell and even has a faint fragrance. It's a hundred times better than the water in the residential capsule.
"There's also red wine. The red wine sold in the capsule is very expensive. The red wine there is only about 70% of the price in the capsule vending machine, and it's said that the taste is almost the same.
"How about we try it tomorrow or the day after tomorrow?"
Lu Zhiyao looked at Lin Ruyi opposite him.
A polite smile appeared on Lin Ruyi's face. "Yes, sure."
Two shallow dimples appeared on her face when she smiled, and she looked very charming.
However, this smile disappeared very quickly. She continued to stare at the cup on the table absent-mindedly. She picked it up indifferently and took a small sip. Her expression seemed to say that the drink in the cup was tasteless.
Lu Zhiyao could not help but feel a little helpless when he only got three words in exchange for a lot of words.
However, he quickly adjusted his emotions.
That was because he had prepared a big surprise today.
The two of them fell into a short silence.
Lin Ruyi still did not know what to think, but Lu Zhiyao was drinking his drink and making up his mind to speak.
"I know that not being selected in the talent show last time was a big blow to you.
"It's okay, it will pass.
"Don't worry, I have already planned the future for the two of us."
Lin Ruyi raised her head and looked at Lu Zhiyao blankly, as if she did not understand what he meant. "Huh?"
Lu Zhiyao could not hide the smile at the corner of his mouth. "I've saved enough money to buy a two-person capsule again!
"Let's go pick a suitable place to live tomorrow, and then you can move in!
"Although the two-person capsule is not big, we can slowly move to a bigger place later!
"Maybe one day, we can also afford a 60-square-meter luxury apartment with a kitchen so that our children can go out at 6 pm. If we're lucky, we can even see the sunset …"
Lu Zhiyao excitedly described the beautiful future in his imagination.
However, there was no joy on Lin Ruyi's face. Instead, she became more and more impatient.
"You keep the money. I don't want to live in a two-person capsule, and I don't want to marry and have children with you.
"Let's break up."
Lu Zhiyao's smile froze on his face.
"Why?
What's wrong with you?
"You've been in a strange state since the talent show …
"It's just a talent show, it doesn't matter …"
Lin Ruyi kept a straight face. "You don't understand how I feel at all. Of course, it doesn't matter!"
Lu Zhiyao was speechless. "My dear, I know how you feel! I spent a lot of effort to save up the registration fee. This matter is a huge loss for both of us! "
Lin Ruyi seemed to be even angrier. "It's a huge loss for you too?
"You only lost some stinky money, but I lost my dream!"
Lu Zhiyao was speechless for a moment.
He suddenly realized that there was something strange about this matter and asked, "My dear, what's wrong with you?"
"I don't think I did anything wrong. I just wanted to buy a two-person capsule for you. Why are you angry?"
"Why am I angry?" Lin Ruyi's mood seemed to have worsened. "Everything!"
Both of them spoke in English, so the words' everything 'sounded quite imposing.
"I'm angry because of the watered, low-quality syrup drinks at the roadside stalls. I'm angry because of the disgusting, greasy snacks. I'm angry because I can only come out for three hours a day to walk in the dark slums, and I'm angry because I have to be with rats …"
Lu Zhiyao was speechless. "But, aren't we living such a happy life? Why do you say that … Could it be that you … "
He saw Lin Ruyi wearing more and more accessories and her slightly bulging lower abdomen. A terrifying guess appeared in his mind.
Lin Ruyi seemed to have broken down emotionally. She covered her face with both hands and looked up again after a long time. Her eyes were filled with tears, but she was unusually determined.
"I'm sorry, I don't want to hide it from you anymore.
"I became the judge's lover and got pregnant with his child."
"So, let's break up. We're done."
Lu Zhiyao's expression changed from suspicion to shock, then to despair, and finally to despair.
His body, which was leaning forward slightly, seemed to have lost its support as he collapsed on the chair.
Lin Ruyi stood up and prepared to leave.
However, Lu Zhiyao grabbed her wrist.
"He didn't marry you, and he didn't give you a lot of money, right?
"He doesn't care about this child at all. Otherwise, you wouldn't be broken and confused now, right?
"He even … abandoned you the moment he found out that you were pregnant, right?"
Lin Ruyi's body trembled slightly.
Lu Zhiyao knew that he had guessed correctly and that he still had a chance. He hurriedly said, "It's okay, it's okay …
"You will have a hard time alone, and no other man will be willing to accept a pregnant person.
"If you need me, I will help you take good care of this child.
"Believe me, I won't mind this matter, I will definitely …"
There was a pleading tone in his voice.
Lin Ruyi was silent for a few seconds and then suddenly shook off Lu Zhiyao's hand.
"This child has the blood of an upper-class person.
"I don't want him to be like you, a useless pauper."
Lin Ruyi resolutely strode away.
On the other hand, Lu Zhiyao watched her leave. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he did not manage to do so.
It was as if all the strength in his body had been sucked out, and his entire body 'collapsed'.
…
"Cut!
"Not bad, not bad at all!
"After seven or eight shots, there's finally one that I'm satisfied with. Everyone has worked hard!"
Director Zhu Xiaoce took the lead and applauded.
At that moment, Lin Ruyi, who played the female lead, hurriedly bowed to Director Zhu Xiaoce and the crew and then to Lu Zhiyao.
"Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I would not have been able to be so engrossed in the scene if not for your good acting skills."
Lu Zhiyao smiled. "Your acting skills have always been good. I wouldn't dare to take credit for it.
"What's more, I'm just a 'box office poison'. In terms of acting skills, it's really not clear who is guiding who."
Pei Qian, who was watching silently from the side, secretly raised his thumb.
Awesome!
The scene just now gave him goosebumps and made him want to hit someone.
Lu Zhiyao played a bootlicker to life, especially the last few sentences, which vividly explained what 'bootlickers don't get in the house' meant.
Lin Ruyi, on the other hand, played a green tea bitch to the fullest.
The little emotions at the beginning were very well expressed, and the last two sentences were the finishing touch.
Pei Qian felt seriously uncomfortable watching on the set.
Too poisonous!
Men would fall silent when they saw it, while women would cry when they saw it.
Pei Qian felt that he would probably faint on the spot if he saw this film in the cinema.
Moreover, Pei Qian also realized a huge piece of good news.
Perhaps it was a good thing for him that Lu Zhiyao's acting skills had improved?
If Lu Zhiyao did not act well, people might not be so immersed in the movie. Instead, they might be secretly happy that Lu Zhiyao was so miserable in the movie.
This fellow did not have much audience affinity after all.
However, Lu Zhiyao acted well now. Many people would naturally feel the bootlicker aura emanating from him and feel instinctive discomfort.
Lu Zhiyao's fans would definitely be fuming with anger, right?
That way, more people would definitely criticize this movie!
Pei Qian suddenly felt his mood improve.
It seemed that accidentally improving Lu Zhiyao's acting skills a little was not too big a problem.
As long as the script was poisonous enough, no actor could be saved no matter how good they were!
Pei Qian could not help but smile as he went forward to talk to Director Zhu Xiaoce.
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