Looking Back
In the drama "Shattered Mountains and Rivers," Mu Yiqing was a character second only to the male lead, Du Yi. If one had to categorize him, he could be considered the second male lead or the primary antagonist, meaning the most important villain.
When Lu Mingxin read the script, she was once deeply drawn into the story within, but the character of Mu Yiqing alone gave her a faint sense of dissonance.
How to put it? In Lu Mingxin's view, the script quality of "Shattered Mountains and Rivers" was quite high. Not only was the background grand and magnificent, but the plot was also full of twists and turns.
Although it was a fictional setting, and the plot differed from all the history she was familiar with, it wasn't like some fictional dramas where the logic had serious flaws. Instead, all plot developments were clearly delineated, with no flaws in hard logic.
She thought this was likely related to the fact that the people involved in the script were all top-notch in the industry. In terms of historical logic, with Gu Qinglan, a history professor, participating, there certainly wouldn't be any problems.
Therefore, when the character of Mu Yiqing was mixed in with the logically rigorous story and flesh-and-blood characters, she found him somewhat awkward.
What about this character? He was very much like the typical villain in some second or third-rate period dramas: initially appearing suave and refined, then undergoing some kind of stimulus that caused a sudden, drastic change in style, becoming a traitor who deceived the ruler and committed heinous crimes.
When he was good, he seemed very fake, and when he was bad, he was bad without reason.
The script described it thus: Mu Yiqing was originally the Empress's choice for Imperial Consort. However, the Empress suddenly broke off the engagement and designated another minister, Mo Ningxi, with whom she had always had an ambiguous relationship, as the Imperial Consort.
Mu Yiqing's father was already the prime minister of the country, and the Mu family was a ducal and marquisal lineage. Prime Minister Mu was initially furious and humiliated, but the imperial decree could not be defied, and the Mu family could only swallow their anger.
At this time, Mu Yiqing still behaved with great magnanimity and gentlemanliness, stating that he did not mind and wished the Empress and the new Imperial Consort a hundred years of happiness.
But after all, he had been jilted on the eve of his wedding; he had even moved into the palace. To be rejected like this and return to his residence in disgrace, the Mu family quickly arranged another marriage for him.
This marriage was his engagement to Lu Qingping. Originally, before Mu Yiqing was chosen by the Empress, the Mu family and the Lu family already had a marriage agreement. Once he was designated by the Empress as the prospective Imperial Consort, no one naturally mentioned this marriage agreement anymore.
Now that the Empress had broken off the engagement with him, the matter of the marriage contract was brought up again. The Mu and Lu families had been friends for generations, and their interests, one in civil affairs and the other in military affairs, were intertwined. The Lu family didn't say much and arranged for Lu Qingping to marry into the Mu family.
However, Lu Qingping, who had no romantic feelings for Mu Yiqing since childhood, was very dissatisfied with this.
In her view, it was first Mu Yiqing who didn't want her, driven by ambition to marry into the imperial family and become the Imperial Consort. When that didn't work out, he used her as a substitute.
She could marry, but it had to be to someone she loved and who loved her in return, not this muddled arrangement dictated by parents and matchmakers.
To resist marrying into the Mu family, she caused a lot of trouble, from injuring Mu Yiqing and fleeing the marriage to disguising herself as a man and sneaking into the army barracks. This process was amusing and not without its comedic moments.
This could be considered a series of farcical events carried out by the future heroic female general in her reckless youth. The scenes currently being filmed were precisely from this period.
Later, under the influence of the young general Du Yi, whom Lu Qingping met by chance, she began to mature gradually, realizing her own willfulness and recklessness.
After witnessing a real battlefield and personally seeing the sacrifices of her comrades around her, she also recognized the importance of protecting her home and country, as well as the bonds between family members.
So many comrades-in-arms yearned day and night to return home alive and see their parents, yet they could not. She, however, had run away from home without permission, making her parents and relatives worry about her.
The matured Lu Qingping, after experiencing bloody battles, finally returned to court victoriously with the army. At the celebratory banquet, she proactively stood up and frankly admitted that she was a descendant of the Lu family and a woman, causing an uproar in the entire court.
Although a female emperor ruled during this era, it was still a patriarchal society where men were superior to women at its core. Therefore, such a rebellious act by a woman was criticized and opposed by most people.
Fortunately, the Empress was, after all, a woman and had no intention of punishing her, merely offering a few token rebukes. At this time, Mu Yiqing also stood up, stating that as her fiancé, he had failed in his duty to guide her and was willing to accept punishment, hoping the Empress would forgive her crime of concealing her identity.
With such a way out, the Empress simply gave Mu Yiqing some insignificant punishments like a reduction in salary and then ordered the two of them to marry as soon as possible.
Thus, Lu Qingping was bound to marry Mu Yiqing. Lu Qingping, having matured somewhat, remembered the friendship she shared with Mu Yiqing in their childhood and appreciated his courage in speaking up for her in front of all the ministers. She became willing to marry Mu Yiqing.
The most crucial point was that General Du Yi, whom she truly admired, had already married his childhood fiancée at this time.
The sweet yet bittersweet love affair ended before it even had a chance to begin. At the age of eighteen, Lu Qingping, carrying her admiration for Du Yi, married Mu Yiqing, the renowned scholar of pristine reputation in the capital.
After marriage, Lu Qingping and Mu Yiqing's life was relatively harmonious. To enable her to personally experience the battlefield, Mu Yiqing even proactively requested an imperial decree to guard the border, so that she could go to the front lines as a female dependent of the army.
However, at this moment, a sudden change occurred. Du Yi, while marching, mistakenly fell into an enemy ambush. With only two hundred personal guards by his side, he was captured alive by the rival King of Western Xia.
Lu Qingping had been sent by her father to a martial arts sect to learn combat skills since childhood. Upon hearing this news, she insisted on going alone to the enemy camp to rescue Du Yi.
Mu Yiqing failed to dissuade her and could only give up. The rescue process was naturally thrilling. After Lu Qingping rescued the heavily tortured Du Yi from prison, the two of them were besieged on a cliff for three days.
Three days later, reinforcements finally arrived. With the help of their comrades, the two successfully escaped. However, during the retreat, Lu Qingping was shocked to discover Mu Yiqing standing beside the King of Western Xia.
Unable to believe that the person who shared her bed was standing with the enemy, Lu Qingping loudly questioned Mu Yiqing, only to receive a light chuckle in response. When they returned to their camp, they learned that Du Yi's whereabouts had been revealed to the King of Western Xia because there was a traitor in the army.
Now that Mu Yiqing had appeared in the Xixia camp, it was self-evident who the traitor was. His proactive request to go to the front lines and other actions were also explained.
Lu Qingping was heartbroken at this moment. She was saddened by her husband's betrayal of the country and also grieved for the heavy losses suffered by Du Yi and the army camp.
When the news of Mu Yiqing's treason reached the capital, the Empress, amidst her shock, also lamented that she had failed Mu Yiqing first.
Since Lu Qingping was at the front lines, the battle was critical, and the King of Western Xia's army was pressing down, the Empress issued an edict, appointing her as Chariot and Cavalry General on the spot to assist Du Yi in battle.
However, after Mu Yiqing defected to the enemy, his military talent proved extraordinary. Du Yi and Lu Qingping were repeatedly defeated by his ingenious strategies.
Fortunately, the country had many capable individuals. With the main army at the forefront, saving the nation from peril, just as Lu Qingping was at her wit's end, she discovered a small blue bird perching in front of her tent every day.
The bird was not afraid of people and had a small brocade pouch tied to its ankle. After several consecutive days, Lu Qingping finally caught the small bird, took off the brocade pouch, and opened it. Inside, there was a letter containing a brilliant plan specifically addressing the current battle situation.
Lu Qingping took the letter to discuss it with Du Yi. In the end, the two decided that since the battle situation was already so dire, they might as well take a leap of faith; it wouldn't get any worse.
As a result, they acted according to the plan that day and truly crushed the formation set up by Mu Yiqing, dealing a heavy blow to the enemy forces. Lu Qingping and Du Yi were greatly encouraged. With the help of the blue bird's ingenious plans and the arrival of reinforcements from the capital, they finally managed to drive the King of Western Xia's army out of their territory step by step.
The King of Western Xia suffered successive defeats and could only flee back to his capital, Xingzhou, in disarray. During the retreat, he vented his anger on the informant and military advisor Mu Yiqing, abandoning him alone in a deserted barracks.
Mu Yiqing was captured alive by soldiers, but Lu Qingping hated him for defecting to the enemy out of selfish desires and refused to see him. And this hypocrite, initially gentle and refined, later despicable and shameless, died in prison shortly after being escorted back to the capital.
Subsequently, there was no trace of this person in Lu Qingping's life. Guided by the blue bird again, she found a rare book on military strategy hidden in a mountain cliff.
With the help of the military strategy book, strong soldiers, and capable generals, they not only drove the King of Western Xia back to his homeland but also breached Xingzhou, beheading this hegemon of a chaotic era and completely pacifying Xixia.
The ending of the drama "Shattered Mountains and Rivers" depicts the female general returning to court in triumph, receiving the support and adoration of the common people, and being commended and rewarded by the Empress. The heroic name of a legendary female general is forever recorded in the annals of history.
As the whole story concluded, in terms of screen time and his role in driving the plot, Mu Yiqing was considered an important character. Although his ending was tragic, his character, oscillating between good and evil with a strong contrast between his earlier and later self, was one with great potential for popularity.
Initially, the production team wanted to find a seasoned actor for the role. However, the investor who held the second-largest stake insisted on casting the popular young heartthrob Cao Yeyang.
This Cao Yeyang was quite a figure. He was handsome and pursued a path of all-around development, participating in singing, acting, and variety shows, yet excelling in none.
His singing resulted in nothing but trashy albums, his acting was limited to a string of teen idol dramas, and he seemed to have appeared on almost every variety show; turn on the TV, and you could see him constantly hopping around.
Yet, he perfectly matched the current aesthetic requirements for a "flower boy." Online, he knew how to act cute and coquettish, so he had a massive fanbase and immense popularity.
His appearance did fit the requirements for the role of Mu Yiqing; he was tall and slender, with delicate and refined features. He himself probably wanted the role badly, having specifically studied the script. On the day of the audition, with his eyes downcast, he truly exuded a few hints of gentle refinement.
It was said that Du Li disliked him, feeling he was too frivolous in his work and probably couldn't settle down to properly portray this crucial character for the entire drama. However, she saw Cao Yeyang perform very well during the audition, and that investor insisted on him playing the second male lead before agreeing to invest, so she hesitated.
It was also said that she even took Cao Yeyang's audition photos to consult Gu Qinglan. Gu Qinglan didn't say much, only: "You arrange this role." So, in the end, Cao Yeyang was cast as Mu Yiqing.
As it turned out, this young "king of pop" failed to be reliable this time. His schedule for a commercial shoot already conflicted with the start of filming, causing him to miss the opening ceremony. Then, after returning to the country, this incident occurred. Now, it was no wonder the producer lost his composure and cursed publicly.
After a busy day on set, and then receiving this news before leaving, Lu Mingxin's mood was inevitably affected by the time she returned to the villa.
When she entered, Gu Qinglan was sitting in the living room, not with a book in front of him, but a laptop, looking like he was working.
Seeing her walk in, he paused and smiled at her. "Mingxin, you're back?"
Lu Mingxin was still concerned about the bruise on his chest. She quickly went over, touched his chest, and asked, "Qinglan-gege, does your chest still hurt?"
It was just a bruise. Besides, even if Lu Mingxin had been rough in her dream, it was ultimately an injury caused by a palm. After applying bruise medication, it had mostly healed.
But since Lu Mingxin wanted to see, he smiled and allowed her to unbutton his shirt to check.
Lu Mingxin saw that after applying the medicinal wine, the color of the bruise had lightened, and the swelling was less obvious. She breathed a sigh of relief, then covered his clothes and leaned over to kiss his somewhat pale cheek lightly.
Gu Qinglan sensed her low spirits and asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"
Lu Mingxin was already worried about Cao Yeyang's situation. Hearing him ask, she quickly blurted everything out, adding at the end, "If we don't start filming his scenes in a few days, the shooting schedule will be delayed... Besides, I don't like him playing Mu Yiqing."
Hearing her speak, Gu Qinglan paused slightly, then smiled gently. "Oh? Why?"
These days, she would unconsciously relax in front of him. It was the same now. Frowning, she blurted out, "His attitude towards performing is problematic. Mu Yiqing isn't a character that can be played casually, yet he has such an irresponsible attitude."
Gu Qinglan heard her indignant tone, then smiled and said softly, "I remember you don't have any old grudges with him. Why do you have such a strong opinion of him?"
Lu Mingxin snorted lightly. "I just can't stand him playing Mu Yiqing... He clearly can't portray that kind of moral integrity."
Gu Qinglan still spoke in that unhurried tone. "Oh? Isn't he a villain? What moral integrity could such a person have?"
If it had been before yesterday, Lu Mingxin definitely wouldn't have objected to him saying this; she hadn't paid much attention to the character of Mu Yiqing.
But after yesterday, especially in the dream where Gu Qinglan was "Mu Yiqing," she developed a different feeling for this character.
Now, hearing Gu Qinglan say this, for some reason, she felt a pang of sadness after his words, as if he were demeaning himself. She quickly said, "No, I think there must be some hidden reason for Mu Yiqing's defection and treason. He's not that kind of despicable person."
Gu Qinglan smiled faintly. "It seems your understanding of this character is even deeper than the screenwriter's."
Only then did Lu Mingxin realize that Gu Qinglan was one of the script's contributors. An outsider's opinion had been brought before the person himself. She felt a wave of embarrassment but still whispered, "Anyway, I think the character of Mu Yiqing can still be explored further. Cao Yeyang can't play him well."
Gu Qinglan didn't answer her further but turned his head and coughed a few times. Lu Mingxin saw that he indeed looked somewhat tired and didn't speak anymore, just hugged his arm and rested her head on his shoulder.
The faint, cool scent of his body lingered in her nostrils. In a daze, she seemed to vaguely see that tall, noble figure in white again. She had reached out to touch him countless times, only to touch endless ice and snow, a bone-chilling cold.
Gu Qinglan didn't want to get too entangled with her on the issue of Mu Yiqing... She seemed careless, but she was surprisingly astute.
He had once asked her if she believed in past and present lives. She had denied it at the time. Actually, what he wanted to tell her was, what if "past and present lives" truly existed?
That was a year ago. At that time, due to the breakup of his relationship with Su Ji, he had returned to the United States alone. He already had a company in the US, and a university had invited him to teach, so his schedule was packed.
The heavy workload exhausted him, and also allowed him to avoid thinking about that failed relationship, which was quite painful for him.
After some time, when he had freed up his mind and body, he finally began to think calmly and realized that Su Ji, to him, might not have been the lifelong love he originally thought.
He and she originally didn't have much interaction. He was young and reckless back then, and too conceited. Su Ji was merely a "girl who deeply admired him" who appeared before him at the right time. His understanding of Su Ji was limited to her performance in school.
He admired her detached and worldly indifference, and also felt her adoration and affection for him. Thinking back now, neither of them had seen the real other person. To each other, they were just a faint yet profound shadow.
Such a love could only stop at a hazy affection—Su Ji had simply realized this earlier than he did.
It was also at that time that he suddenly began to experience frequent headaches. The pain was unfamiliar, something he had never experienced before, as if countless voices were clamoring in his brain, yet he couldn't hear them clearly.
Until one time, the pain caused him to lose consciousness. In a daze, he felt as if he had arrived in a strange world. He could clearly tell this wasn't reality, yet he saw and heard too many things. A chaotic mess of people and events desperately drilled into his memory, making it impossible for him to convince himself that it was just a dream.
In that world, Su Ji was the Empress named "Ji Ying." Su Ji's real-life husband, Mo Yuanning, was the minister "Mo Ningxi" who had assisted her since childhood. He himself was the only son of Prime Minister Gu, and his name was "Gu Qinglan."
He had been famous since his youth, his reputation renowned throughout the capital. Favored by the Empress, he was often allowed to enter and leave the palace. When the Empress came of age and was about to select an Imperial Consort, he naturally became a candidate.
At that time, he already had a marriage agreement with the Lu family of generals, but the imperial decree was difficult to defy, and he could only obey the order and enter the palace. It was also then that he already sensed the Empress's true thoughts. She enjoyed conversing with him, but it was limited to poetry, songs, classical texts, the art of governance, and so on.
Their interactions did not have the inexplicable affection of young lovers lost in romance. The Empress and Mo Ningxi had grown up together; she deeply loved Mo Ningxi but was unaware of it herself, and the two had become estranged due to political disagreements.
Several years passed. Two years later, Ji Ying reached the age where she should appoint an Imperial Consort. At this time, she was still deeply in love with Mo Ningxi, but because of their estranged relationship, she deliberately used him to provoke Mo Ningxi.
Finally, Mo Ningxi's words, "Gu Qinglan can be a candidate for Imperial Consort," turned him into the person who would become the "Imperial Consort" in the Empress's edict.
Later, he indeed became a victim of their love affair. After Mo Ningxi was in danger, Ji Ying recklessly chased out of the palace.
When they returned to the capital together, Ji Ying produced the late Emperor's edict and officially announced Mo Ningxi as the Imperial Consort. Things having come to this point, he could only leave the palace and return home, vacating the position and fulfilling the wishes of this perfect couple.
At this time, although there was a faint sense of loss, it was mostly relief... Then his father, Prime Minister Gu, in order to restore the Gu family's reputation, hastily arranged for him to marry Lu Mingxin, the daughter of the Lu family.
As for what happened next, he embellished it slightly and, over the course of half a year, gradually wrote it into the script titled "Shattered Mountains and Rivers"— After marriage, he treated her with all his heart, seeking only harmony and mutual respect. Yet, she still yearned for General Mo Qi, lacking even a shred of trust in him. In the end, he exchanged his heart's blood and life for her peace and the victory of the war, but from beginning to end, he never told her the truth.
He had deeply infiltrated the enemy camp to save her and Mo Qi. The blue bird that delivered messages to her, and the military strategies it carried, were also written and sent out by him from within the enemy camp.
When he did those things, he no longer hoped she would fall in love with him. He was merely doing his utmost for her, and for the country. Yet, until the final moment of his life, he still did not receive a single glance back from her.
In a trance, it felt as if another lifetime had passed. When he regained consciousness, he was already lying in a hospital.
It was only then that he learned he had been unconscious for several days. After he first woke up, he lingered in a daze for a long time between the real world and that unseen, untouchable world. Reason told him he should consider it an absurd dream.
Having received so many years of education, he certainly couldn't accept any supernatural "past life." But the memories, the realism of those memories, made it impossible for him to admit it was just a dream. So, he could only consider it an "illusory realm," occurring in some unknown time and space.
He also tried to view those surging memories as a farce from another life, trying his best to forget. But she was like a steel needle plunged into his heart. In the "illusory realm," he couldn't pull it out even in death. Now, the painful scar remained, making him avoid it at all costs.
Her figure appeared before his eyes again and again. He learned about her recent situation from his mother. Opening domestic news websites, she often appeared in the entertainment section.
What event she attended, being caught by reporters eating at a night market without makeup. He watched the movies she starred in. She played Mo Qi's lover, and the look in her eyes when she gazed at him was full of trust and adoration.
At that moment, a sudden, unbearable pain gripped his chest... In the "illusory realm," she had also looked at General Mo with that same gaze. He had seen it clearly from the side but never mentioned it.
She had dreams in her heart, and he helped her pursue them. She loved another, and he pretended not to know. Perhaps he was just a passerby in her life, but could she still find someone willing to cherish her so?
Half a year passed. Not only had he not forgotten her, but the frequency of his headaches and fainting spells had increased.
He began to stubbornly want her to "remember" as well. Even knowing that perhaps that "illusory realm" might only be his own memory, he still insisted on his own way... Not for any other reason, but because he didn't want to become an insignificant part of her life again.
This obsession was so strong, exceeding all his previous life's expectations. Thus, the current situation came to be. He wrote the events of his past life into the script, found professional screenwriters to polish it, established a film and television company to invest, and approached her agency to cast her.
He even found Mo Qi, the actor who shared the same name and looked remarkably similar to the General Mo Qi from the "illusory realm."
All of this, he painstakingly orchestrated, not for her, but for himself. He hoped to discover from her that the "illusory realm"... even if it was a past life, was not his memory alone, that she too could remember.
Then, when she also recalled, those words he couldn't say to her until death in their past life, perhaps he would have a chance to say them again, or those unresolved grievances from that life might dissipate into nothingness.
Now, she was finally beginning to remember. Last night, he was awakened by her unconscious struggles in her sleep. When he went to embrace her, she cried out something and struck his chest with her palm.
She had used great force, leaving a bruise on his chest. Fortunately, he had hugged her in time, preventing her from injuring herself with too much movement.
The next day, Lu Mingxin arrived at the film set early as usual. The producer who had been present yesterday was also waiting there early. Seeing her arrive, he called the resident director, assistant director, and several main actors together for a brief meeting.
According to the producer, Cao Yeyang had unfortunately run afoul of a city-wide crackdown on public order and appearance; a 15-day detention was certain. Furthermore, after being stopped by traffic police, he had engaged in a verbal and physical altercation with them. After the basic punishment, it remained to be seen whether the public security organs would prosecute him.
Thus, his originally scheduled arrival at the crew in a week was definitely impossible. It was still unknown when exactly he could join the production.
After an emergency consultation with the investment company last night, the producer decided to temporarily use a body double to film Cao Yeyang's scenes that didn't show his face. Once he joined the crew, the scenes with his face would be reshot.
Lu Mingxin listened from the side, feeling even more depressed: among the entire crew, she had the most scenes with Cao Yeyang. If many shots had to be filmed twice, it would invisibly increase her workload considerably.
Seeing her rather unhappy expression, the producer quickly added, "Mingxin, if you feel this adds to your burden, when Cao Yeyang reshoots his scenes, you can also use a stand-in."
Lu Mingxin, holding back her anger, rarely said something unpleasant: "I don't want to. Otherwise, after filming this drama, am I acting opposite a stand-in, or opposite Young Master Cao?"
Although the producer also had a bellyful of complaints about Cao Yeyang, hearing her vent her anger so publicly made his expression a little awkward. He could only explain lamely, "There's really no other way. If the filming period exceeds the date stipulated in the contract, everyone will be compensated on a daily basis."
If Lu Mingxin truly intended to make things difficult for him, she only needed to retort: Can that little compensation make up for my lost time? Given the status of an actress of her caliber, that would leave the producer speechless.
But she wasn't intentionally looking for trouble. She only said that one sentence and then remained silent. Mo Qi, seeing the situation, tried to smooth things over from the side, "It's alright. Every crew inevitably encounters some unexpected situations. As long as we can finish filming smoothly, it's fine."
The producer's expression finally improved a little. After saying a few more words about the hot weather and for everyone to take care of themselves, the meeting was quickly adjourned.
Coming out of the room that served as a temporary meeting room, avoiding others, Mo Qi smiled at Lu Mingxin and said, "What's wrong? Cao Yeyang affected your mood?"
Lu Mingxin had a good relationship with Mo Qi. Since he asked, she didn't hide it, "I don't like Cao Yeyang. He can't play Mu Yiqing well at all!"
Mo Qi was also surprised that Lu Mingxin, who always kept a low profile, would use such strong words against an actor she hadn't worked with before. "What? You have a problem with Cao Yeyang?"
"Frivolous and impetuous, a typical case of someone who doesn't know who he is once he has fans supporting him." There was no one else around, so Lu Mingxin vented thoroughly. "There are plenty like him in the industry who suddenly become explosively popular. If they don't straighten out their attitude and work properly, they'll become has-beens faster than anyone."
Hearing this, Mo Qi started to stifle a laugh. Lu Mingxin noticed and turned to look at him. "Qi-gege, what are you laughing at?"
Mo Qi raised a finger. "I just suddenly remembered a report from two years ago that said the same thing about a certain actress who suddenly became hugely popular..."
This "actress," of course, was Lu Mingxin herself. She was both angry and amused, and pushed Mo Qi. "Are you still my brother or not? Why are you siding with an outsider! Besides, my work attitude has always been very proper!"
After such playful banter, Lu Mingxin cast those minor unpleasantries to the back of her mind. Moreover, the filming schedule was tight, with major scenes coming one after another. As the lead actress, she was under immense pressure, so how could she have the time to criticize others?
After filming the scenes of Lu Qingping's youth, the crew had to change locations. Mu Yiqing's scenes indeed couldn't be delayed any longer. For the next few days, the crew arranged for Cao Yeyang's body double to act opposite Lu Mingxin.
The crew had actually hired Cao Yeyang's stunt double early on. However, this double was originally intended only for dangerous action sequences. Naturally, the selection process hadn't been too strict, and his back view was only about seventy to eighty percent similar to Cao Yeyang's.
The key was that this rather handsome young man was only a professional stunt double and had never studied acting. Asking him to be a stand-in for dialogue scenes, he would only wear the costume and stand in front of Lu Mingxin with a dazed expression.
Lu Mingxin considered herself a professional actress capable of performing an entire play even opposite a wall—though whether she performed well was another matter.
However, while she was laughing, crying, and making seductive eyes on her side, the other side had a vacant gaze, looking as if he only cared whether the boxed dinner that night would be good.
If he could maintain that vacant expression, it would have been fine. The crucial point was that if Lu Mingxin's expressions or actions were slightly exaggerated, he would strangely snap out of his daze, revealing a contorted expression of suppressed laughter.
After a few days, Lu Mingxin felt her entire being was unwell. The hard-earned shots frequently resulted in NGs, and the filming progress was simply disastrous.
When Lu Mingxin once again dragged her face, tormented by the stunt double, back home, Gu Qinglan was sitting on the living room sofa reading a book.
Looking up at her dejected, wilted-eggplant-like appearance, he couldn't help but say, "Young lady, conduct yourself with more propriety."
Lu Mingxin looked up at him with a mournful face. "Qinglan-gege, I'm suffering so much."
She delivered this line almost in tears, her captivating peach-blossom eyes brimming with moisture, as if she were Dou E from ancient times facing the magistrate in court.
Gu Qinglan was also slightly taken aback by her. After a moment, he finally asked, "What, work not going smoothly?"
Lu Mingxin nodded vigorously, her eyes welling with tears. "Qinglan-gege... I don't even have anyone to act with. Filming is so difficult for me..."
As an investor, Gu Qinglan didn't pay much attention to the trivial matters of the "Shattered Mountains and Rivers" crew. He only periodically reviewed the financial reports from the producer.
In the recent reports he saw, the producer indicated that due to Cao Yeyang's absence, the crew might finish this stage of filming a bit later than expected, and additional shots of Cao Yeyang might need to be filmed later, all of which would, of course, increase the budget.
He wasn't familiar with the entertainment industry to begin with, nor did he know who Cao Yeyang was. Apart from deciding on Lu Mingxin and Mo Qi, he didn't inquire at all about how other roles were chosen.
Initially, he had planned to be the sole investor, but Du Li recommended this investment company, saying they had some resources in sales channels, so he relinquished a 20% share.
Because of this 20%, the other party wanted to place an actor from their own company, which was considered an unwritten rule in the industry, so he didn't bother with it. As for the portion of the investment exceeding the budget due to Cao Yeyang's absence, he had no intention of bearing it; the other company would naturally foot the bill.
But since Lu Mingxin was crying to him, and it was because of Cao Yeyang's absence that she had been leaving early and returning late these past few days, looking dispirited.
Gu Qinglan's lips immediately curved, and he said faintly, "It's alright, someone will act with you."
As he uttered these words, the matter of replacing the young pop king Cao Yeyang, who was still locked up in a detention center, was basically settled.
Unfortunately, Lu Mingxin didn't understand such domineering CEO-like words. Instead, after hearing this sentence, a flash of inspiration struck her, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Gu Qinglan. "Qinglan-gege... does your chest still hurt these past two days?"
His chest injury was originally just a bruise and had mostly faded. He smiled faintly. "It's fine."
Lu Mingxin still looked at him with shining eyes. "Then, Qinglan-gege, can you do me a favor..."
She had just started speaking when she immediately felt a little regretful. "No, it's too hot now, and the costume and wig are so thick. What if you get heatstroke? Your health isn't good..."
Her hesitant way of speaking made Gu Qinglan frown. He put down the book in his hand. "If you have something to say, say it directly."
Lu Mingxin kept stealing glances at him. "This... that... I want you to help me run lines..."
Hearing her say this, Gu Qinglan had no objection. The script had originated from him, and he had a good memory. Helping her run lines was extremely simple; he didn't even need to look at the script again and could recite them from memory.
Hearing this, he nodded. "That's acceptable."
Lu Mingxin then continued, "I mean, you wear the costume, put on the wig, get your makeup done... and go in front of the camera to help me run lines."
The scene fell into an eerily quiet state for a good ten seconds. Gu Qinglan just looked at her, his brow slightly furrowed, hesitating to speak. Clearly, Gu Qinglan hadn't expected her to make such a nonsensical request and, for a moment, didn't know how to respond.
Who was Lu Mingxin? With such thick skin, she seized the opportunity of his speechlessness, pounced on him, hugged his neck, and rubbed her cheek against his. "Qinglan-gege... the stunt double acting with me is too wooden, and he keeps breaking character and laughing, and he doesn't even run lines with me! It makes me say a line, then I have to time myself and wait before saying the next line. It's so boring!"
She clung to him too tightly. Gu Qinglan helplessly let her hug him and act coquettishly, feeling somewhat resigned. "So you came up with the idea of having me help you run lines?"
Lu Mingxin was rather proud. "Yeah! Aren't I smart? I thought you're the most familiar with the lines, you don't even need to memorize them. And you usually have so few expressions, you'll definitely have even fewer on camera, and you absolutely won't break character and laugh!"
As she spoke, she couldn't help but voice her true thoughts, "And Qinglan-gege is so handsome, you'll definitely look amazing in ancient costume. I won't even feel tired watching you act!"
She was so excited. Gu Qinglan could only sigh softly. "How do you know I look good in ancient costume?"
Lu Mingxin quickly said, "That day in my dream, I dreamed you were wearing a white long robe. You were so beautiful I almost drooled!"
Her mentioning the dream from that day made Gu Qinglan look at her again. He remained silent. Just when Lu Mingxin thought he would definitely refuse, he actually raised the corner of his lips slightly and nodded. "Alright, I'll go to the set with you tomorrow and try."
Lu Mingxin had just said it casually; she herself felt her request was absurd. Now, hearing Gu Qinglan actually agree to indulge her foolishness, she could hardly believe it. With a cheer, she leaned over and kissed him.
Since Gu Qinglan had agreed to something, he would definitely honor his word. The next morning, he indeed went out with her, taking the same car to the film set.
Lu Mingxin linked her arm through his, excitedly pulling him towards the makeup room. "Before the stunt double arrives, quickly put on the clothes!"
Towards her shameless act of "squatting" the spot, Gu Qinglan could only smile helplessly. When Lu Mingxin pulled Gu Qinglan into the makeup room, Mo Qi, who always habitually arrived early, was already having his makeup done.
Seeing Gu Qinglan enter, he thought it was the boss personally inspecting the site and greeted them with a smile, "Good morning, Mr. Gu. Good morning, Xiao Lulu"
Gu Qinglan also smiled back at him. "Morning."
Lu Mingxin was impatient and didn't even bother with greetings. She pulled Mo Qi and the makeup artist over and explained everything, finally letting them know that Gu Qinglan was here today to help her with her scenes.
Originally, Gu Qinglan wasn't an actor, nor an extra. But in a film crew, having other staff members stand in for a few background shots wasn't too uncommon.
Moreover, Mo Qi knew Gu Qinglan was the main investor in this drama. He felt it was reasonable for the boss to be responsible for his own money, so he nodded. "Sure, it shouldn't be a problem if we tell Director Liu."
The makeup artist walked around to Gu Qinglan's back and observed for a while, nodding frequently. "This back view, the similarity to Cao Yeyang's is even higher than Wu Ye's! Reliable!"
Wu Ye was the stunt double. Originally a retired professional martial arts athlete, his physique was naturally much more robust than Cao Yeyang's, who deliberately dieted to look good on camera. So, even if their height and build were similar, their back views were only about seventy to eighty percent alike.
But Gu Qinglan was different. He was naturally the slender type, and his height was also close to Cao Yeyang's. From behind, the two were almost ninety percent similar.
Since Gu Qinglan was already here, he let them do as they pleased, saying resignedly, "If we finish filming sooner, can everyone rest? Let's start quickly."
Their crew's chief makeup artist was a seasoned professional in her forties, already renowned in the industry. She had a rigorous work attitude. Although she was already a well-known makeup artist, she didn't cut corners when doing makeup and would personally come to the makeup room every day.
Today, she looked Gu Qinglan up and down, her eyes shining brighter the more she looked. "This face, this figure, it's simply born for ancient costumes. No, I have to make some small adjustments to the original styling today."
No one could stop an artist when their creative desires flared up. So, what Lu Mingxin had originally coaxed Gu Qinglan into – just wearing a costume and a wig – turned into a meticulously crafted full ensemble.
It was Gu Qinglan's first time having makeup applied to his face. He wasn't very used to it but didn't say anything, just closed his eyes slightly and let the makeup artist's nimble hands work on his face.
Finally, when the makeup artist was satisfied and finished her work, letting him stand up, he spoke with a hint of helplessness, "Is this really necessary... Aren't we not filming my face?"
None of the women in the room spoke. Even Mo Qi, who had already finished his styling, leaned against the side, stroking his chin and looking at him with a meaningful gaze.
Lu Mingxin had already changed into her costume and had her hair styled. Her black hair was all coiled up into a double bun on top of her head. It had to be said that her beauty was indeed a rare perfection even in the entertainment industry: striking yet delicate, capable of looking both youthful and maturely elegant. Whether in ancient or modern attire, most styles suited her without any sense of incongruity.
It was the same now. The peach-pink ruqun1 made her skin look like snow. Although she wasn't wearing makeup, her peach-blossom eyes seemed to hold layers of spring water, sparkling and enchanting, exuding a captivating charm.
The upward tilt of her eyes added a hint of girlish coyness. Such a young woman was enough to stun anyone at first sight. Unfortunately, the expression on her face right now definitely didn't match her beauty. She stared blankly at the person before her with shoulder-length black hair and a white long robe, her mouth agape.
Gu Qinglan had no doubt that if he let her continue to daze off, drool would start flowing from her mouth in a few seconds. Even though he was quite speechless, he had to raise his hand and push her open jaw up. "Mingxin, mind your conduct."
Lu Mingxin's mouth closed, but her body acted honestly. She grabbed the sleeve of the person in front of her and uttered a classic line, "This beauty, where have we met before?"
Gu Qinglan helplessly shook off his sleeve. "Stop fooling around."
Lu Mingxin shamelessly sidled up and linked her arm with his. "Qinglan-gege is too beautiful, I'm stunned!"
She said she was stunned, and that was the truth. In her dream, she hadn't seen the anciently dressed Gu Qinglan very clearly. Moreover, because the "her" in the dream was causing trouble and even pushed him, it was just a casual glance amidst the chaos. Now that she could look her fill, she couldn't help but look again and again.
Gu Qinglan's features were already classical. Now, to emphasize his temperament, the makeup artist had deliberately elongated his eyebrows and slightly accentuated the upward tilt of his eyes.
This made him look even colder than usual. This look was less like a noble young master and more like an immortal who could ascend at any moment.
Letting her endlessly fawn over him like this, who knew when it would end, Gu Qinglan raised his hand and gently pinched her tender cheek, smiling as he said, "Be good, hurry up and finish your makeup so we can start work."
It was currently between July and August, the hottest time of the year in Beijing. Although the film studio was located in the suburbs and was much cooler than the city, it was still considered high temperature.
Gu Qinglan had already changed into the full costume. Although the layers of fabric were considered thin and breathable, they were definitely stuffy and hot.
He was only here to act opposite Lu Mingxin. If Lu Mingxin could finish her makeup earlier and finish filming the scenes sooner, then he could also change out of his clothes and rest earlier.
Nodding quickly, Lu Mingxin hurried back to continue her makeup.
The scene Lu Mingxin needed to reshoot today was the confrontation and argument between Lu Qingping and Mu Yiqing before she injured him and ran away.
In this scene, she needed to show affection towards Mu Yiqing, as well as anger and disappointment at his inability to understand her.
At this moment, her emotions should be quite intense. She couldn't just let the audience see her willfulness; she should also let them experience her inner anguish and struggle.
Lu Mingxin had actually filmed this scene several times yesterday, but none of them passed. She couldn't grasp the emotions well, and the stunt double kept breaking into laughter when he saw her rushing over to argue with him.
After several takes, the effect was really too poor, and it was getting late. The director simply told her to continue filming it today. Today was better; she had brought strong backup and was confidently preparing to challenge it again.
The on-site executive director was named Liu Qi. While Lu Mingxin was still in makeup, Mo Qi had already found him and told him that Gu Qinglan would be standing in for the body double to help Lu Mingxin with her lines.
Liu Qi certainly knew Gu Qinglan's identity. After listening, he had no objections, gave an "OK" gesture, and indicated that there was no problem on his end.
When the actors were in position, and the lights and cameras followed, filming began. The camera focused on Lu Mingxin's face; Gu Qinglan would at most be filmed from a slight side angle. His task was also very simple: just stand there and run lines with Lu Mingxin.
After Lu Mingxin's makeup was done, a peach blossom design was painted on her forehead, making her face look even more like a peach blossom, stunningly beautiful.
She first stomped her foot a little angrily, then reached out to pull Gu Qinglan's sleeve, shaking it slightly, and pleaded, "Mu-gege, the soldiers have returned victoriously to court. What a glorious and uplifting moment this is... I have long heard of General Du's fame but have never had the chance to meet him. Please hide it from Father and let me sneak out..."
Before she could finish her words, Gu Qinglan had already interrupted her faintly, "His Majesty most dislikes private dealings between powerful ministers. General Du now commands heavy troops on the border, and General Lu is responsible for the defense of the capital. The two families should maintain distance to ensure their integrity.
"You admire General Du Yi and wish to befriend him; arrangements can be made for that in the future. But this time, to insist on disobeying General Lu's prohibition and going out secretly, if no one discovers it, it might be fine. But if others see it and make an issue of it, I'm afraid it will be a hidden danger."
Truly befitting the original scriptwriter, such a long passage of lines, delivered so smoothly without a single pause.
Lu Mingxin had long been secretly cheering "Qinglan-gege is amazing" in her heart, but the expression on her face was somewhat impatient. She hesitated several times, looking as if she were barely restraining herself from listening to him finish.
Once Gu Qinglan's voice fell, she stomped her foot again and said angrily, "I'm just going to secretly see General Du. Does even this have to be dragged into some major state affair?"
Gu Qinglan looked down at her. He seemed to have thought of something, a faint smile playing on his lips, a hint of subtle mockery in his expression. "Under the heavens, everything is the Emperor's private property. Our every move is not our own to decide. What is there that cannot be implicated?"
His words clearly reminded Lu Mingxin of his broken engagement with the Empress. She paused slightly, seemingly also infected by his sorrow, but quickly, she turned her attention back to the matter at hand.
It could be considered pitying his misfortune and being angry at his lack of fight. She frowned and said resentfully, "That's just you! Don't think everyone in the world is like you, only kowtowing to the powerful, acting like a puppet with no thoughts of your own!"
Her tone was too harsh, and Gu Qinglan's face paled slightly, but he only curved his lips and smiled faintly again. "No matter how you scold me, I will not let you go this time."
Lu Mingxin waved her fists angrily, looking as if she wanted to punch him right then. "How could I know someone like you! Do you even have any sense of reason?"
Gu Qinglan still smiled faintly. "Haven't I already reasoned with you? In short, no means no."
As he spoke, he slightly raised his hand, gesturing to the two black-clothed guards standing behind him. "It's too cold in the courtyard. It's better to escort Miss Lu back to her room."
At this moment, Lu Mingxin wasn't savage enough to fight the guards. Besides, these two guards accompanying him were martial arts experts personally selected by the Empress from the imperial guard; she truly couldn't beat them.
Thus, she could only cry out to heaven and earth in vain as she was flanked by the guards and escorted towards her room. Although escape was impossible, she was still indignant and turned back to shout harsh words at Gu Qinglan, "Someone like you still wants me to marry you? That's simply wishful thinking!"
After she finished, as if it wasn't harsh enough, she added, "No wonder Her Majesty chose the deeply affectionate Lord Mo. Someone like you is not worthy of a sincere heart!"
This scene was also completed in one go. It wasn't until Lu Mingxin was escorted off-camera by the guards that Liu Qi, still wanting more, shouted, "Good job!"
The moment Lu Mingxin was freed, she immediately ran back to Gu Qinglan's side like an unbridled wild horse, her eyes shining brightly, almost wishing a tail would sprout from behind her and wag. "Qinglan-gege is amazing! I knew I wasn't wrong. With Qinglan-gege's help, it's twice the result with half the effort. It almost feels like acting with Qi-gege; I was completely carried away by the emotions!"
Movie King Mo, who was watching from the side, stroked his chin. Although he was praised, for some reason, he didn't feel happy: after all, he was a professional actor, right? And this was Gu Qinglan's first time...
It was unclear whether it was the effect of the makeup or the lighting in the venue being too bright, but after Lu Mingxin finished speaking, she felt that Gu Qinglan's face looked too pale.
She reached out to touch his cheek and asked worriedly, "Qinglan-gege, are you unwell? Is it too hot?"
Before her hand could touch his face, it was caught by him. Gu Qinglan smiled at her. "I still have makeup on my face."
That was a makeup look the stylist had spent all morning meticulously creating. If she smudged it, the stylist might come after her.
Lu Mingxin quickly stuck out her tongue. "Oops, I forgot."
Gu Qinglan looked at her with a smile. After a moment, he said, "I'm fine, just a bit hot. I'll be alright after resting."
After he finished speaking, he turned and went to sit on a nearby chair. Lu Mingxin still had scenes to film, so she also walked away.
It wasn't until the camera started rolling again and she was back in the center of the lens that she somewhat dazedly remembered: the palm of his hand that had just gripped her wrist was clearly ice-cold in this scorching heat. How could it be just "a bit hot"?
Lu Mingxin filmed two more scenes, and then it was time for the lunch break. After the lunch break, they were to film the scene Lu Mingxin had once dreamed about.
She was curled up at the foot of the bed, sulking. Gu Qinglan came to see her. Although his tone was, as usual, cool, it concealed deep concern and affection.
Not only did she not appreciate it, but she was still trapped in her own emotions and continued to speak harshly to him.
This scene was also filmed very smoothly. Although an alternative take was filmed for effect, it essentially passed in one take.
Gu Qinglan was not a professional actor and had not received training in blocking. However, in these two scenes, he basically didn't need to move; he just needed to stand and deliver lines with Lu Mingxin.
Of course, he wouldn't get stage fright either. Even under the watchful eyes of the surrounding crew members, he still delivered his lines faintly, his expression showing little fluctuation, which was quite close to Mu Yiqing's personality.
Seeing Lu Mingxin go all out and pass in one take today, a stark contrast to her listless state a few days ago, even Liu Qi joked, "Mingxin likes acting with Mr. Gu so much, why don't we just let Mr. Gu do it from now on."
He was just saying it casually. After all, Gu Qinglan was already the boss and a university professor; it was impossible for him to suddenly switch careers and become an actor.
Lu Mingxin was waiting by his side. After hearing this, she immediately said, "Filming is so hard. I wouldn't bear to let Qinglan come every day."
Everyone nearby covered their faces, exclaiming about the public display of affection and telling them to have some self-respect and not blind the onlookers' "dog eyes."
The filming went smoothly, but when it came to the part where Lu Qingping pushed Mu Yiqing and escaped from the courtyard, Lu Mingxin got stuck again.
Every time she rushed towards Gu Qinglan, she would either suddenly forget her actions or her push would be too off-target and fake. Anyway, her palm just couldn't bring itself to touch even a corner of Gu Qinglan's clothes.
After several back-and-forths, Liu Qi couldn't bear to watch anymore and shouted from the side, "Mingxin, is Mr. Gu made of glass? You don't even dare to touch him?"
Lu Mingxin looked back, on the verge of tears. "Director Liu, you don't understand. It's not glass... it's liuli2..."
Liu Qi was also bored and chimed in, "What's the difference?"
Lu Mingxin shouted, "It's more beautiful, and even more fragile!"
Gu Qinglan, the subject of their discussion, stood aside with only a faint smile on his lips.
In the end, the stunt double, Wu Ye, had to hurriedly get into costume and step in. He was also comical, even waving specifically at Lu Mingxin, "Come on, I'm sturdy, push as you like!"
Lu Mingxin, wanting to avenge herself for his laughter during the past few days, really rushed over fiercely after filming started and pushed him hard on the chest, sending him staggering back several steps. He didn't even need to fake a fall; the effect was incredibly realistic.
This time, even Wu Ye, who had excessively underestimated her, was stunned. After the shot was finished, he specifically clutched his chest, feigning great pain. "Aiya, Miss Lu, you've practiced Sanda, haven't you? That strength is too much."
Of course, she wasn't strong enough to injure the muscular Wu Ye, but at least she had made him suffer a setback, which made her happy. She stood with her hands on her hips and laughed for a few moments, her goddess image completely gone.
Gu Qinglan was not an actor in the crew. In addition, he originally had work, and his health was not very good, so Lu Mingxin only dragged him there for that one day.
And with his help that day, Lu Mingxin quickly regained her form. For the subsequent scenes, she completed them all with Wu Ye.
Of course, there was another reason: ever since she pushed him back several steps with one palm, Wu Ye had looked at her with new eyes. It was unclear whether he was afraid she would fly into a rage and beat him up, or if he had developed a kind of respect between "martial arts masters," but anyway, when he acted opposite Lu Mingxin, he never laughed out of character again.
As Lu Mingxin's scenes at the film studio on the outskirts of Beijing came to an end, the crew would next be divided into A and B teams. Team B would continue filming at the film studio, while she and Mo Qi would follow Team A to the western film studio to complete the filming of scenes in the border military camp.
Considering that they were about to leave home soon, the crew specially gave the members of Team A a three-day collective holiday to prepare their luggage and rest to adjust their condition.
For nearly a month, working non-stop every day, even someone like Lu Mingxin, who was considered to have good physical fitness and abundant energy, was exhausted to the point of collapse.
With this rare holiday, she wished she could just stay in the villa and not go out, hugging her pillow and sleeping to death with Gu Qinglan every day.
And as Beijing University began its summer vacation, Gu Qinglan also became free. On the second day of Lu Mingxin's holiday, he dug her out of bed, threw her into the bathroom, and left her with a single sentence: "Get ready, we're going to see Uncle and Auntie."
The "Uncle and Auntie" he referred to were Lu Mingxin's parents. Their two families were hereditary friends, they had been dating for three months, and were preparing to get married. Although the wedding date hadn't been set, their daily interactions had become as familiar as family.
These days, Lu Mingxin had been very tired from filming, and Lu Zhiyao and Wu Yanqiu had also been in the lab. So, counting the days, she hadn't seen her parents for a month.
Therefore, early this morning, after breakfast, they brought gifts and went over together.
Knowing they were coming, Wu Yanqiu had already prepared lunch. She had heard from her best friend Yuan Yingjie that Gu Qinglan had had a weak stomach since childhood, so she paid special attention when cooking. Basically, everything was prepared according to Gu Qinglan's taste; there wasn't a single dish of the rich meat and fish that Lu Mingxin liked.
Being restricted from eating meat heartily at Gu Qinglan's place, and then being ignored at her own home, Lu Mingxin once again lamented that life was simply unbearable.
After the meal, she was again ordered by Wu Yanqiu to wash the dishes. She didn't dare say that her hands still had to appear in the watch advertisement she had just filmed, nor did she dare mention her newly done manicure and the several layers of hand cream she had applied. She could only obediently roll up her sleeves and go to the kitchen to work.
After she was sent away, Gu Qinglan was left in the living room. Lu Zhiyao and Wu Yanqiu sat on either side of him. Lu Zhiyao didn't speak. Wu Yanqiu began, "Xiao Gu, about your and Lu Mingxin's future, do you have any plans?"
Gu Qinglan smiled. "After Mingxin finishes filming this drama, we plan to hold the wedding. As for other things, Mingxin is in the rising phase of her career, so we'll see her arrangements."
Wu Yanqiu had done scientific research all her life and was clearly not someone who would beat around the bush. She said directly, "We wanted to talk to you today to see if you could persuade Mingxin to leave the entertainment industry."
Gu Qinglan had long known that Lu Zhiyao and Wu Yanqiu disagreed with Lu Mingxin taking this path. He could only smile. "Mingxin is a very talented actress. She's also in her prime. If she leaves this profession, what would she do?"
Wu Yanqiu had clearly already thought it through. "It's precisely because she's young that it's good. She's not stupid. Let her take the postgraduate entrance exam again. Aren't you at B University? You can help her choose a supervisor. Even a literature or history major would be fine. Later, she can pursue a doctorate and stay at the university, or do other work. Anything is fine."
In the end, she still hoped Lu Mingxin could return to her studies. For someone her age, whose thinking was firmly fixed on scientific research, she would indeed feel that the cultural industry, especially the noisy entertainment circle, was ultimately a "crooked path." Only doing research and pursuing knowledge was the "right path."
Gu Qinglan listened, then turned to look at Lu Zhiyao. Seeing him looking down at the newspaper in his hand without speaking, he knew that although these words were spoken by Wu Yanqiu, this opinion was clearly their consensus.
He thought for a moment, then smiled at Wu Yanqiu. "Auntie, in the future, I will be Mingxin's husband. What I can promise you is that I will take good care of her life and resolve her worries. As for what career she chooses, I should respect her thoughts and have no right to interfere forcefully."
Wu Yanqiu had watched him grow up and knew that ever since he was young, he had been mature for his age and had his own strong opinions.
She had originally hoped he would share her views, which would give some hope of persuading Lu Mingxin to "turn back." Now, it seemed he didn't think there was anything wrong with Lu Mingxin being a star.
She hesitated to speak several times, but finally sighed in resignation. "Mingxin, this child, has never been easy to manage since she was little... It's still the same now."
Gu Qinglan smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry, you'll have me in the future."
Wu Yanqiu looked at him again and finally thought: Even if her daughter is unreliable, this prospective son-in-law is too perfect. I don't know what kind of dog-shit luck my daughter had...
When Lu Mingxin finally finished washing the dishes, to avoid being nagged by her mother, she quickly pulled Gu Qinglan downstairs for a walk, claiming that Gu Qinglan had a weak stomach and must be active after meals, not sit around.
She had grown up in this compound since childhood. Most of the people here knew her, and outsiders rarely came in, so there was no need to worry about reporters taking secret photos. Thus, she casually linked her arm with Gu Qinglan's and asked him, "Did my mom grumble to you just now? Wanting you to discipline me?"
She understood her mother's tactics quite well and could even guess this. Gu Qinglan curved his lips. "Yes, she wants me to persuade you to change careers, continue your studies, and pursue academia."
Lu Mingxin shrugged. "If she had said that before I filmed my first drama, it would have been fine. Now, it's too late."
Gu Qinglan turned to look at her and smiled faintly. "How so?"
Lu Mingxin said nonchalantly, "Actually, it's very tacky. After someone gets used to being the center of attention, how can they be willing to return to that state of obscurity?"
Gu Qinglan actually didn't scold her, just smiled. "It's rare for you to be so honest."
Lu Mingxin then added, "Of course, after finishing my first drama, I found it quite interesting to play other people... Especially after filming, being able to see myself in the drama on screen. That feeling is also quite wonderful."
Gu Qinglan just smiled and, following her words, asked casually, "Oh? How is it wonderful?"
At his question, Lu Mingxin stopped walking. She seemed a little confused but still said very seriously, "I don't know either. For a period of time, I was particularly inclined to take on historical dramas... I didn't feel anything special while acting, but after finishing and watching myself in ancient costume on screen, I would feel like I wanted to remember something, but I couldn't, no matter how hard I tried. There was also a particularly desolate and vicissitudinous feeling. I don't know what words to use to express it..."
Gu Qinglan also stopped. He turned slightly to look at her. After a moment, he said softly, "The vast expanse of ancient skies, all returns to dust?"
Lu Mingxin nodded quickly. "Yes, that's exactly the feeling."
Gu Qinglan smiled. "You're just feeling the vicissitudes of history. Many people experience that."
Lu Mingxin also thought this explanation was good and laughed, "Haha, in that case, I should be interested in history. Otherwise, I'll really go take your postgraduate entrance exam. You have to go easy on me!"
Gu Qinglan looked down at her, his brow gentle. "Mm, a teacher-student romance isn't bad either."
Lu Mingxin couldn't stand it when he showed such a gentle expression; her blood would immediately rush, and she would transform into a wolf. Fortunately, she was mindful of the old neighbors in the courtyard and restrained herself, merely standing on tiptoe to kiss him lightly on the cheek. "Alright, Teacher Gu!"
Seeing her parents in a good mood, on their way back to the villa in the afternoon, Lu Mingxin hummed an out-of-tune song again, thoroughly enjoying herself.
Gu Qinglan, however, looked somewhat tired and leaned back against the car seat with his eyes closed, resting.
When she drove the car back to the villa and parked it in the driveway in front of the door, she reached out and touched his cheek. "Beauty, wake up!"
Gu Qinglan opened his eyes, pulled her hand away, and casually reprimanded, "Frivolous."
Now, his reprimands were completely taken as a form of amusement by Lu Mingxin. She laughed very arrogantly twice. "This lord is just frivolous! So what?"
Gu Qinglan couldn't be bothered with her anymore, released her hand, and bent down to get out of the car himself.
Just as it seemed this day would pass uneventfully, they had just entered the villa when Gu Qinglan's phone rang. He glanced at the screen; the caller ID showed "Du Li." As the chief producer, Du Li rarely contacted him directly.
Her calling now probably meant something urgent had happened. He frowned slightly, walked into the living room, slightly evading Lu Mingxin behind him, and then answered the phone, "Director Du?"
Du Li's tone was somewhat grave. "Mr. Gu, Cao Yeyang's fans are causing trouble."
✿——✦——✿
1. "Ruqun" refers to a type of hanfu, a traditional Chinese garment, that consists of a short jacket (ru) and a long skirt (qun). ⤣
2. Liuli (琉璃, or 瑠璃) is a form of glass art with thousands of years of history in China. Liuli is also known as liuli crystal, liuli glass, or liuli crystal art. The arrival of glass in China likely occurred from Mesopotamia, Persia or the Roman Empire. Historians believe domestic Chinese production using local materials started around 5th century BCE, some 2,500 years ago. ⤣
