“Brothers are not the only ones who can love and care for someone…” Xiayang paused for half a second before immediately reacting.
“Right, it’s not just a brother,” he said seriously, counting on his fingers, “It could be a sister, a great uncle, or a seventh granduncle. I’d be thrilled with any title you take on.”
Han Yi: “…”
He wouldn’t be happy with any of those titles. They weren’t the roles he should have.
But seeing the young man’s innocent expression, he decided not to continue the conversation. The topic was thus closed.
—
A week before the Mid-Autumn Festival, Xiayang was notified to join the filming crew. The shooting location was in A City, so he didn’t need to stay in a hotel every day. The director had shown him the shooting schedule in advance, which left him with about two free days a week.
A five-day workweek.
The next day was the start of filming, and as soon as the ceremony ended, the “Hidden Heart” crew plunged into formal shooting.
There were no scenes for Xiayang in the morning. The scenes filmed revolved around a case in Jiangcheng — a fashion designer named Hehe was found dead at home, naked. A leather collar was around his neck, chains on his ankles, and there were bruises on his wrists, all presenting a bizarre scene. The police initially concluded it was murder, and Jiangcheng’s wealthy wife, Lin You, confessed to killing Hehe. Everything seemed settled, but in reality, there were many doubts…
As the filming began, Xiayang sat quietly on a small stool, watching Tang Siming and Bai Xiaoxiao’s scenes.
Tang Siming played the role of detective team leader Shen Xing, while Bai Xiaoxiao played Lin You, the wife of Jiangcheng’s tycoon.
The director was serious, even strict, and even as Bai Xiaoxiao’s second uncle, he was merciless in his criticism.
“What kind of expression is that, Bai Xiaoxiao? Why would you look scared meeting the detective team leader?”
“Cut, Bai Xiaoxiao didn’t catch Tang’s lines, let’s do it again!”
“Bai Xiaoxiao, are you the autumn weather? You’re making me feel refreshed with anger!”
Xiayang, watching from the side, felt nervous and uneasy, worried that he might be scolded just as harshly when it was his turn to film.
As he was trembling with nerves, Li Ke, who played the “deceased” Hehe, came over and tapped his arm, saying, “Brother Yang, the photographer asked you to go take a set of still photos.” He pointed to Studio 3 not far behind. “It’s being shot over there.”
“Okay.” Xiayang smiled at him. “Have you finished shooting?”
“Sigh, don’t mention it,” Li Ke pointed to his neck. “The photographer asked me to wear a leather collar for the shoot, but the new assistant lost it. We had no choice but to borrow the dog collar from the director’s husky. Can you believe it?”
Pfft! Xiayang stifled his laughter and patted Li Ke comfortingly. “It’s okay. Life is unpredictable. As long as you’re not embarrassed, the embarrassment is on others.”
“True.” Li Ke nodded in agreement.
In Studio 3, the photographer and stylist were already waiting. Xiayang’s makeup was light, just a foundation layer, and his eyebrows were slightly trimmed.
“Xiao Xia, you’re really good-looking, a naturally beautiful face!”
The stylist praised, handing him a costume. The black combat suit, combat boots, and the belt fastened outside the clothes, with a silver saddle buckle at the waist, highlighted his sleek and slender figure, making it hard to look away.
Xiayang had never tried a tough-guy look before. After seeing the finished photos, he felt like he had unearthed a formidable side of himself. He asked the photographer to send him an original picture, planning to admire it later that night.
“I’d like the last one with the combat pose, thanks~”
It was the toughest, most badass, most show-offy.
—
After lunch, they started filming Xiayang’s first scene, a scene with Tang Siming.
“This scene is your emotional test with Shen Xing,” the director laid out the script and came over to explain the scene to him. “You’ve admired your senior for a long time, even giving up inheriting the family business to become a small detective. But you know Shen Xing is a workaholic, who has never dated, a straight iron man. So, you’re half-jokingly, half-seriously testing him…”
The film focuses on suspense, with the emotional lines significantly toned down. In the film, Xiao Chang has a fondness for Shen Xing beyond friendship and brotherhood, and in this scene, his probing, whether in terms of emotional nuance or lines, must be just right—subtle but not completely hidden, straightforward but not overly so.
This was challenging for Xiayang, who had never played a romantic role before.
“You have to grasp the balance,” the director pointed out a few lines, emphasizing the key points.
“Okay, I’ll… try my best.” Xiayang said, lacking confidence. “It’s fine. Newcomers can try a few times; we have plenty of time. I’m not harsh on you.”
Eh? Xiayang was surprised: Was the director being so gentle with him?
Out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to see Bai Xiaoxiao throwing sharp looks their way.
“Familiarize yourself with the script first. I’ll have Tang bring you in to get a feel,” the director said, pulling Tang Siming over and giving him the responsibility. “I’ll leave Xiao Xia in your hands. Let me know when you’ve found the feeling, and we’ll do a take.”
The others left the studio. Tang Siming brought over two chairs, gesturing, “Sister-in-law, take a seat.”
The acting masterclass began.
Xiayang obediently sat down, pulling out a small notebook from his pocket, ready to take notes like a good student.
“Sister-in-law, have you ever tested Han Yi? Like, when you weren’t sure about his feelings, did you try to feel him out?” Tang Siming intended to connect theory with practice, drawing from real-life experiences.
Xiayang was taken aback. No, he hadn’t.
A contractual couple, where’s the emotion? Testing the sponsor would be like taking off your pants to fart—unnecessary.
But he couldn’t tell the truth, he had to keep the contractual couple facade intact.
“Uh… no, I haven’t,” he averted his gaze, casually lying, “Yi and I don’t like being subtle or implicit, so we never tested each other. We’re all about just doing it.”
Tang Siming: “…”
Tang Siming: “!”
Alright then, just do it!
He underestimated them.
This approach didn’t work, so Tang thought for a moment and changed tactics.
“How about this, you understand equivalent replacement, right? When filming, pretend I’m Han Yi, the person you admire and respect. All your emotions should be for someone who can fully captivate your heart.”
“Oh.” Xiayang nodded mechanically, taking a shallow breath.
It seemed difficult.
He had no feelings for Han Yi. To fully captivate his heart, he’d rather be given a bag of money.
But for now, this was the only way.
He nodded, noting in his little notebook: Equivalent Replacement—Imagining Han Yi.
The scene moved outside. The late autumn afternoon sun was warm, the slight chill in the breeze brushing against their faces felt comfortable.
With the camera set up, Xiayang adjusted his state, entered the scene, and began reciting his lines.
“This Liang Shanyi gives me a feeling… not as gentlemanly and elegant as the public praises, a big philanthropist. I always feel like he’s wearing a mask, with two faces. What we see is only the one that shines in the sun, while in the dark corners…” He paused for a few seconds, not continuing, then changed the subject, “But aside from my subjective thoughts, he’s genuinely good to his wife. It’s rare!”
Shen Xing looked ahead, walking slowly down the path. “You can see the details in how someone feels about another person. It’s similar to how we collect evidence in a case.”
“Oh?” Xiao Chang slowed his pace, a playful smile on his lips. “It seems that Senior doesn’t just understand criminal investigation, but also the details of liking someone?”
“…” Shen Xing glanced at him, saying nothing.
Xiao Chang looked up at him, the sunlight reflecting in his bright eyes, shimmering slightly. The autumn wind rustled the leaves above, making the branches rustle. He tiptoed, gently picking a small dry leaf off Shen Xing’s shoulder, then softly said.
“There’s also someone in this world who makes me want to take the time and effort to create one detail after another for him, unique details for just the two of us. Yi Ge, are you interested in guessing who that person is?”
“Cut!” The director suddenly called out, startling Xiayang. He had been so into the role that he almost outlined those “details” in his mind.
“Xiao Xia, you acted well in the beginning, but then you inexplicably flubbed the line?”
“That line should be ‘Senior, do you know who that person is,’ how did it become Yi Ge? What is Yi Ge?”
Tang Siming: “…”
Xiayang: “…”
Damn, he got too into the role, directly inserting Han Yi’s name.
That was awkward.
Fortunately, Tang Siming quickly explained, “Director, he was talking about brother 1. In our character backstory, Xiao Chang not only admires and respects Shen Xing but also sees him as his Number One. He wants someone reliable as his Number One.” (1 … like Yi Ge..) )
Xiayang: “…”
Director:
“…”
Number One… they actually came up with that!
Hey? How does this character backstory seem a bit skewed?
“Sorry, Director, I’ll do it again. This won’t happen again.” Xiayang hurriedly apologized.
The director waved his hand dismissively, “It’s fine, no problem.”
Though the line was off, he was still pleased with the portrayal of the emotional probing.
“Xiao Xia has some natural talent, a certain aura. Very rare for a newcomer!”
Xiayang widened his eyes, surprised and flattered by the director’s approval.
It seemed that imagining Han Yi worked well.
“Alright, let’s do it again,” the director clapped his hands, bringing him back to focus. “Keep your state, concentrate, and don’t think about your brother 1 for now.”
“……”
On the second take, Xiayang continued with the “imagination technique,” delivering lines smoothly, with the right eye expressions. The performance was seamless, and the director applauded from behind the monitor, “Great! Very good!”
Tang Siming stepped out of character and gave him a thumbs up. “Sister-in-law, you’re smart, quick to grasp things.”
Xiayang shyly smiled. “No, no, It’s all thanks to brother 1…”
…
They wrapped up filming before 5 p.m., and Xiayang was hailed as the “strongest newcomer” for his outstanding performance. The director even gifted him a chocolate pie he had baked himself that morning as a reward.
The pie was heart-shaped, simple yet delightful, not as exquisite as those from bakeries, but Xiayang loved it and was overjoyed.
It was an official recognition.
After dinner, he returned to his hotel room, carefully placing the pie on a white porcelain plate and taking a photo with his phone.
He thought about posting it on his social media but hesitated, not wanting to seem like he was bragging. After some thought, he decided to share it only with his “plastic” husband.
[Xiayang]: [Image]
[Xiayang]: Isn’t it beautiful? The director personally gave me this pie. Don’t you think it shows his favoritism~
The response came quickly:
[Han Yi]: No
[Han Yi]: He might be giving you a consolation prize
[Xiayang]: ……….
How heartless.
He sent two eye-rolling emojis to express his dissatisfaction, which Han Yi ignored, switching to another topic.
[Han Yi]: Finished filming? How did it go?
Xiayang paused, surprised that the plastic husband was showing interest in his career.
Unusual.
[Xiayang]: Filming’s done, and it went surprisingly well! I’m already drafting my Oscar Best Supporting Actor acceptance speech!
[Han Yi]: [Thumbs up]
[Xiayang]: Oh, and we took some promotional photos today. Let me show you a cool one~
He opened his photo gallery and sent the cool promotional photo he had received from the photographer.
In the photo, he looked stern, his gaze firm, half-kneeling in a fighting stance, looking cool and tough.
His aura was no less than Han Yi’s.
Minutes passed without a reply. Xiayang waited, growing impatient, finally sending a [Why aren’t you responding? Too many sisters to handle, huh?]
Then he received a series of “…”
Tsk, he was clearly holding the phone. Read but not replying, how rude.
Xiayang was still mentally complaining when Han Yi sent back the photo he had just sent.
“?”
What’s that supposed to mean?
He frowned, opened the image, and saw that Han Yi had circled a spot with a red line near his waist.
[Xiayang]: What’s up? Cursing me with a circle?
[Han Yi]: Minor flaw, see the mark
“???”
Xiayang blinked, even more puzzled.
Minor flaw… what’s flawed? What’s the mark?
He opened the image on his computer, zooming in infinitely, staring at the red-marked spot closely.
Finally, when his eyes were about to go blind, he saw it.
In that red-marked spot, there was a very fine, almost negligible white edge.
It was at the edge of his waistband, and without being incredibly meticulous, one wouldn’t notice it.
And that very fine, almost negligible white edge was probably the white underwear he had inadvertently revealed during the photo shoot.
Damn!
The most perceptive eyes ever!
He held his throbbing temples, feeling a mix of gratitude, admiration, and slight embarrassment. He typed into the chat—
[Xiayang]: How could you spot such a subtle blind spot? Are you a wolf? Your eyes are so sharp!
Author’s Note:
Han Yi: So you’re a sheep?
Xiayang sings: The wolf loves the sheep~ loves it wildly~
🎄Christmas event : Merry christmas guys ! 2 weeks of daily updates for you !❄️❄️❄️
🎄Please consider supporting us on Ko-fi! It helps a lot ! Thank you so much ♡(´･ω･)(･ω･`)♡
🥰🥰