Chapter 139

“Perfect.”

The two people on camera had completely lost themselves in the moment.

Kissing, embracing, entwining.

They had forgotten the world outside, forgotten the camera filming only inches away. There was nothing left but the world they shared.

The dark expression Chen Guohui had worn all afternoon finally gave way to a smile.

They were progressing far faster than he had expected. Both of these young actors possessed exceptional insight.

By habit, he preferred shooting kissing scenes in close-up, using extreme close shots to emphasize emotion. He demanded absolute precision in every subtle expression on an actor’s face.

Su Wei’s lashes trembled, and her cheeks flushed—not with makeup, but with a genuine, instinctive shyness.

At that moment, she resembled a sunset steeped in wine, breathtakingly beautiful.

Xiao Mo’s eyes were half-lowered. A few crystal-clear beads of sweat clung to his straight, elegant nose. His thin lips wandered greedily across her red ones, leaving kiss after kiss behind.

Kissing scenes were not easy to film. This was not the kind of movie that relied on explicit physicality; the kisses themselves were not the point. What mattered was the emotion revealed through them.

In this scene, Jin Bihui and Tianlin had only just realized that they were in love. Tianlin’s feelings were open, wild, and fiercely possessive.

Jin Bihui was somewhat shy yet filled with happiness, the emotions she had long suppressed now bursting forth with vigor.

Both actors had performed perfectly.

It was an immaculate kissing scene.

Chen Guohui had no idea that the scene Su Wei was imagining was the kiss in which she and Jiufang Xia confessed their feelings to each other aboard a ship. Naturally, the emotions fit perfectly.

“Director?” the assistant director reminded him. At this point, they could call cut. If they continued kissing, things might become awkward.

But Chen Guohui did not stop them. He had scheduled the kissing scene ahead of time in order to bring the two closer together. The longer they kissed, the deeper their feelings would become—or so he thought.

Su Wei leaned against Xiao Mo’s chest, almost melting into a puddle. She could barely catch her breath.

Xiao Mo, too, had become completely immersed in the scene.

The body in his arms was soft and fragrant. Beneath her half-lowered lashes was a face so perfect it seemed unreal. And yet, shamefully, gradually, he began to feel himself responding physically.

Their kiss deepened. At some point, Xiao Mo had changed position and ended up pressing down over Su Wei.

Something hard pressed against her lower abdomen.

Su Wei’s eyes flew open, abruptly tearing her from the illusion.

Her breathing stopped. She stared at Xiao Mo in shock, forgetting even to push him away.

Xiao Mo froze as well. His body’s reaction was so embarrassing that he wanted to die, but as a professional actor, he could not stop until the director called cut.

Two pairs of dark eyes stared at each other from inches apart, and the kiss came to an abrupt end.

Realizing what had happened, Chen Guohui immediately called, “Cut. We’ve got it.”

…They had it?

Su Wei could scarcely believe her ears. She was still breathing heavily.

Xiao Mo turned his face away and slowly steadied his breathing.

After a while, both of them recovered. Only then did Xiao Mo release the woman in his arms and murmur, “I’m sorry.”

Su Wei knew exactly what he meant. She shook her head, stood up, and walked toward Chen Guohui.

“Director Chen, is that enough?”

Chen Guohui gave her a thumbs-up and motioned for her to look at the camera.

On the screen, she and Xiao Mo were kissing as though they could never bear to part, like the most deeply devoted lovers in the world.

That brief scene had nearly cost her half her life. Su Wei said guiltily, “I’m sorry, Director Chen. My performance today was really…”

“Haha, your performance was excellent. Don’t sell yourself short! I originally planned to set aside three days to film this kissing scene. I never expected that putting a little more pressure on you would bring everything out of you. The emotion and the acting were both perfect.” Chen Guohui laughed.

This was not the first time he had felt this way about Su Wei. The more pressure she was under, the more her potential emerged. Once she broke through this kissing scene, she would have no trouble filming this kind of material in the future. The emotional scenes that followed would open up for her as well.

Su Wei did not understand what he meant. She had clearly been dragging things out the entire time, forcing Xiao Mo to struggle through the scene with her and keeping everyone from getting a proper meal.

“This is only the first kissing scene. There are several more over the next few days, as well as a bed scene. Be prepared,” Chen Guohui added.

“Director Chen, could we film those later? Could we shoot the other parts first?” Su Wei pleaded.

This one scene had been more torturous than running fifty thousand meters. She was nearly drained. If she had to do it again, it would kill her.

“I think it would be difficult to force it. If we push too hard, I’m afraid…”

“No. You two need to finish all the intimate scenes together. The longer you delay, the harder they’ll be to film!”

Seeing that Su Wei looked ready to break down, Chen Guohui finally felt a trace of sympathy. She was still too young, and perhaps it was excessive to put so much pressure on her. Even so, he hardened his heart and rejected her request.

Both young actors found intimate scenes difficult. They had finally managed to find a sense of rhythm today. If they delayed, they might lose even that small spark the next time, and then there would be real trouble.

Xiao Mo walked over and stopped behind Su Wei. Hearing Chen Guohui’s words, he could only sigh helplessly.

The usually proud man lowered his head, though he secretly glanced at Su Wei from the corner of his eye.

That had been…

So embarrassing.

In weather this cold, he should not have had a reaction like that. He had truly lost control.

He had always believed that he could maintain perfect command of his emotions while acting, yet he had actually…

What would Su Wei think of him? Would she assume he was some kind of pervert—someone who could become aroused even in the middle of filming?

He thought about it with bitter self-mockery.

“Besides, the schedule has already been arranged. We’ll film during the day and ride horses at night. Once the intimate scenes are finished, we’ll move on to the riding scenes, then continue with the capital kidnapping-the-bride sequence.”

With Chen Guohui putting it that way, what else could Su Wei and Xiao Mo say? They could only nod together.

“Yes.”

“Go eat as soon as possible. Afterward, come straight to the equestrian grounds to learn how to ride,” Chen Guohui ordered.

Xiao Mo left first. Su Wei followed behind at a slow pace. Watching her retreating figure, Chen Guohui called out once more.

“Su Wei.”

She stopped. “Director Chen?”

“It will be exhausting. But that is simply what filming is like,” Chen Guohui said.

“I know, Director Chen. I’ll work hard.”

She was speaking to him, but also to herself.

After dinner, they began their riding lessons. Because filming had finished late, the lesson had been delayed as well. By the time it ended, it was nearly midnight.

The production crew had already dispersed. Only Xiao Mo’s business van remained waiting. Su Wei had no way to return on her own, so she had no choice but to ride with him back to the hotel.

There were only five people in the vehicle: the driver, Su Wei, Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo’s manager Rosa, and his assistant.

It was far too late, and everyone was exhausted. They were all drowsy and on the verge of sleep.

Su Wei and Xiao Mo sat beside each other. Neither of them dozed off, but neither spoke, either.

Su Wei did not know what to say to him. They had spent the evening learning to ride together, yet he had not said a single word to her.

She felt that he might dislike her.

That did not sit right with her. She had been at fault today, after all, delaying the schedule and holding everyone back. Summoning her courage, she said, “Xiao Mo…”

She had barely begun when the vehicle suddenly lurched violently. Su Wei stumbled forward, but Xiao Mo reacted swiftly and caught her.

“What’s happening? Are we being robbed?”