I Became Famous in the Entertainment Industry with High Martial Arts Skills - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: Teacher Ji and Student Xie

After Xie Ci posted the Weibo with the crew’s tag, the comment section was swarmed by a large wave of fans who had “fallen into the pit” because of the character Wan Yuya, all leaving enthusiastic comments.

“Baby Yuya, I have arrived!”

“Seeing my male god exercising, I immediately scrambled out of bed to follow suit!”

“So cute, let me kiss him. So cute, let me kiss him…”

However, when Ji Xiuheng accidentally “slipped his finger” and liked the post, the style of the comment section gradually veered off track.

“Star-Constant (Ji’s fans) reporting for duty.”

“Saw Brother Ji liked this, here to support the newcomer.”

“Ji Xiuheng seems to think very highly of Han River Crossing; he’s promoting it so hard?”

“Hide your passive-aggressiveness, person above. Is it because Movie King Ji didn’t promote your idol and you’re jealous?”

Ji Xiuheng’s online activity had been dwindling in recent years. Lately, two consecutive posts were related to the Han River Crossing crew. While bringing a lot of heat, it inevitably drew out fans of competing dramas.

Meanwhile, inside Xie Ci’s fan group, all was calm and bright.

Chili Sandwich: “!! Sisters, my wish came true! Xiao Ci really shared his workout method!”

In the shared video, Xie Ci stood against a hotel wall, somewhat shyly demonstrating movements. The side of the video featured detailed annotations of the movements and their theoretical sources. The video was less than four minutes long, showing that the editor had a great grasp of rhythm. Combined with Xie Ci’s high-traffic face, it quickly surpassed 300,000 likes.

“Xiuheng, did you forget to switch accounts before going online?”

A crisp, straightforward female voice came from the phone—it was Ji Xiuheng’s manager, Sister Tian. Sister Tian had worked with him for years and understood his personality well. To outsiders, he was a modest gentleman, but in reality, his heart was as hard as iron; most people couldn’t get close to him.

“First promoting, then liking? And you even asked me to find someone to clean that apartment before…” A crisp flick sounded over the phone as Sister Tian blew out a smoke ring. “Is the iron tree finally blooming?”

Listening to the teasing, Ji Xiuheng replied indifferently, “Just helping out a bit.”

But the hand holding the phone tightened slightly, and the phrase “iron tree blooming” circled in his mind for a long time.

Mo Li and Xiao Ya sat before the computer, looking at each other and making eyes until Mo Li finally gave in. Just as he was about to call Xie Ci—who was focused on exercising—over to look, Ji Xiuheng suddenly liked the latest Weibo updates of several other lead actors in the crew.

Xiao Ya and Mo Li: Great!! We knew Movie King Ji was just doing a favor for the crew!

Xie Ci saw the two of them from the corner of his eye, their expressions changing from nervous to smiling. He pursed his lips, turned around, and continued practicing his ancient health-preserving techniques.

Wednesday arrived again. The official crew Weibo struck while the iron was hot, releasing stills for episodes three and four. This caused a chorus of wails from the audience, all wishing for Saturday to arrive sooner.

“Wow, the second female lead dresses so luxuriously after returning to her country! Qiao Mingyue’s ‘radiant beauty’ style is quite good!”

“The male lead finally doesn’t have to be covered in mud. Even Li Zhaobai’s visuals couldn’t withstand that early styling…”

“The Eldest Brother of the Wan family is so cold-hearted. How could he bear to hit such a beautiful and obedient younger brother? My heart is broken.”

The stills of Han River Crossing essentially buried foreshadowing for the plot. While “licking the screen,” many viewers didn’t forget to guess the plot, making the fan groups very lively.

Filming for episode six was nearing its end. Xie Ci didn’t have many scenes today; he mostly watched the performance of the veteran actor Li Anguo, who played the Emperor. Unlike the young actors, Li Anguo’s performance carried the distinct characteristics of his generation. His lines perfectly matched his facial expressions, and his pacing was handled just right. It instinctively made the audience feel he was the Emperor unpredictable, willing to sacrifice love and family to stabilize power.

As Xie Ci watched, he thought about the words Ji Xiuheng told him that night.

“The sense of reality in a character mostly comes from micro-expressions and eye-acting. A good actor must achieve both physical and spiritual resemblance.”

Xie Ci flipped through his notes. On one page, Ji Xiuheng’s handwriting from that night remained.

Watching Xie Ci go downstairs with his bag, Mo Li stood at the door with an exceptionally weathered look. This time, before Xie Ci could even knock, the host was already waiting at the door.

Ji Xiuheng was wearing black cotton-linen loungewear today. At first glance, it looked quite similar to the conservative style Xie Ci was wearing. His hand, with slightly protruding veins, rested on the doorframe. The black glasses on his high bridge added a steady, “ascetic” temperament to his aura.

Xie Ci tapped the open door and smiled. “Teacher Ji, I’m here for class again.”

His tone was very familiar. The former social politeness had long been thrown to the wind; in his heart, he already considered Ji Xiuheng a senior who had looked after him many times a trustworthy person.

Ji Xiuheng was drawn into a smile. “Student Xie, come in.”

On the sofa in the living room, there were two new fluffy throw pillows. A black cat and a white cat, huddled closely together.

Xie Ci sat in his usual spot, took the books he had Mo Li buy out of his bag, and focused on listening to Ji Xiuheng explain the scenes.

At twenty, Ji Xiuheng had won the Movie King award with his debut a dark horse indie film about family. He snatched the title of the youngest Movie King in Chinese cinema in one fell swoop. Having struggled in the industry for nearly ten years, his early output was high and every piece was a masterpiece, winning almost every major and minor award.

Xie Ci had done his homework while filming Diving Abyss. His hand paused while taking notes. “Brother Ji, can I see the movie you filmed when you were twenty?”

Ji Xiuheng looked at Xie Ci, his face turning cold. “What, are you complaining that the current me is old and want to see the younger me?”

Xie Ci waved his hands frantically, his face turning red instantly. “No, no! I’m just curious about Brother Ji’s first work…”

Seeing Ji Xiuheng turn half his body away, Xie Ci grew anxious. Disregarding everything else, he moved closer to Ji Xiuheng and tentatively pulled at the other’s sleeve.

Looking at the fair fingers on his sleeve, Ji Xiuheng couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle. “Alright, I’ll stop teasing you. I was joking.”

He turned around and naturally pinched Xie Ci’s ear. The warm touch made Xie Ci feel his whole face heating up. Ji Xiuheng stood up, took a well-preserved disc from the solid wood cabinet under the TV, and started the screening.

Xie Ci sat on the sofa, still a bit dazed. He had always thought Ji Xiuheng was a steady and reliable senior; he hadn’t expected him to tease him by faking anger tonight. To think he was so worried that Ji Xiuheng was actually upset!

Ji Xiuheng saw that Xie Ci was still pursing his lips, his beautiful cat-like eyes lowered, with thick, long lashes casting two small shadows on his face. Seeing that he had teased the boy into genuine annoyance, Ji Xiuheng’s calm expression faltered. He squatted by Xie Ci’s legs, took the hand hanging at his side, and gave it a gentle shake.

“Scared you?” he asked in a low voice. “Brother Ji was just playing with you. How could I be angry with you over that?”

On the screen, the opening featured Ji Xiuheng’s twenty-year-old face. The features were the same, but the temperament carried a hint of rebellion and indifference, completely different from his current steady, gentlemanly feel.

Ji Xiuheng squeezed Xie Ci’s palm. “Didn’t you want to see my movie from when I was twenty? Don’t hide your head; look up.”

Xie Ci still didn’t speak, his eyelashes fluttering slightly. Ji Xiuheng couldn’t help himself and reached out to tilt Xie Ci’s chin up, but the youth caught his hand.

Those moist cat eyes blinked. “How was my acting? You were scared by me just now, weren’t you?”

His snow-white, small face tilted up. Xie Ci curled the corners of his mouth at the now-tense Ji Xiuheng, smiling with a bit of mischief. Ji Xiuheng’s hand stopped mid-air, and a helpless smile appeared on his face.

He tapped the dimple on Xie Ci’s cheek. “If you scare your Brother Ji to death, who will explain the scenes to you?”

That soft, snow-white little hollow he finally got to touch it as he wished.

With this bit of playfulness, the boundary in their interaction broke, becoming more natural. For two hours during the movie, Ji Xiuheng didn’t talk about his own performance but instead shared his feelings while acting opposite the veteran actors.

Xie Ci listened earnestly. While filming, he occasionally acted opposite the veteran playing Wan Yuya’s father. Ming Yang had been extremely selective; the supporting actors with important roles were all “acting powerhouses.” The quality of a drama is determined not just by the main characters; the small characters often bring a more relatable sense of immersion to the audience.

The actor playing Father Wan was a “Golden Supporting Actor” in the circle with a strong sense of drama. When acting opposite him, one would instinctively be drawn into the scene. On set, besides watching Li Anguo, Xie Ci loved watching him act.

After the movie, Xie Ci felt he had gained a great deal. The small notebook for notes was forgotten on the table; the words spoken by Ji Xiuheng were all recorded in his heart.

When the movie ended, Xie Ci followed his previous technique, gently massaging Ji Xiuheng’s neck and shoulders. Lately, he felt his health gradually improving, and his “Qi” flowed more smoothly during practice. Now, as he massaged Ji Xiuheng, his fingertips exerted force skillfully and accurately.

Ji Xiuheng lay on the sofa, his broad back exposed. He felt a wave of warmth wherever Xie Ci massaged and couldn’t help but feel surprised. He hadn’t expected Xie Ci to actually know massage; he had thought the kid was just too thin-skinned and felt embarrassed to listen to the lectures for free.

The warm fingertips brushed across his back, and his heart began to beat faster and faster.

Click. The door closed.

Xie Ci placed his bag on the entryway rack. In the living room, Mo Li was still at the computer, chatting with Xiao Ya while planning the work projects Xie Ci could take on next. Xie Ci knew that while Mo Li appeared carefree, he was actually constantly screening projects and attending dinners to build connections. Now with Xiao Ya joining the team, Mo Li had someone to consult with, easing his pressure significantly.

“You’re back. The red date tea is on the table,” Mo Li reminded him as he entered.

Aside from the pay that had to be shared with the studio, the money Xie Ci received for Han River Crossing was enough to keep their small three-person team running for quite a while. Therefore, Mo Li specifically found a nutritionist to design a menu for Xie Ci claiming that as the core of the team, he must have a body of steel.

Xie Ci held the warm tea and stood quietly before the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside, the roads in late November were covered in fallen leaves, adding a touch of desolation.

In episode seven, the male lead has just entered officialdom and tasted power for the first time. After much hesitation, he still wants to save the second lead’s life. By this time, the Wan family has already collapsed. The once-glorious Suzhou Prefect was beheaded at noon, his corpse tossed into some mass grave.

Except for Wan Yuya, all adult males of the Wan family were beheaded. The rest were exiled a thousand miles away, suffering heavy casualties along the way. In prison, the second lead often curled up in a corner in a daze, watching those who once bullied or ignored him being dragged out for sentencing. His heart was filled only with terror, worry, and a faint sense of pity.

On the path of exile, Wan Yuya, like the others, was shackled in heavy irons, wretchedly following the guarding soldiers. By this point, Xie Ci’s styling became very rough and dusty, completely losing the beauty of his debut.

The makeup artist joked, “I almost can’t bring myself to make Xiao Xie’s beautiful face so dirty.”

Xie Ci had a good temper, and many staff members liked to joke with him. Despite saying they couldn’t, the makeup artist was very professional in applying the look.

On the path of exile, Wan Yuya finally sees Zhu Qing, but he never finds the male lead, Gu Huaizhou. He mutters a few worried words.

Zhu Qing lets out a cold laugh. “A-Zhou? He’s a Great Guard now. He was the one leading the men to take the Eldest Master and the Master away!”

Zhu Qing’s voice was raspy, his face flushed with fever, and his eyes were full of hatred for the male lead. Xie Ci was struck as if by lightning. In that moment of a thousand thoughts, he only remembered the small boat pendant around Gu Huaizhou’s neck.

“Cut! Keep this state, prepare for the next scene.” Ming Yang clapped her hands with a smile.

Xie Ci truly had a talent for acting; his skills improved almost every day. No wonder Li Anguo liked him so much. This kind of efficient and capable actor is truly hard to dislike; even if she shot a scene several times, she never saw a hint of impatience on his face.

The actors playing the escorting guards were in position. What was to be filmed next was the most important scene in episode seven.

Zhu Qing dies saving his master. Wan Yuya suffers a double blow, setting out on a path of no return, completely severing himself from the simple and timid young master of the past.

From this point on, Xie Ci’s “white moonlight” image in the drama is shattered, replaced by the blood-stained Master Wan.

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