Accidental Mark

Early the next morning, Pei Shaoze took his younger brother to the set.

Today really was snowing and Liu Xueyi wanted to take advantage of it to finish filming the solo scenes of Cheng Xia and Shen Kai. He had cooperated with Shen Kai before so he first shot Shen Kai’s part, letting Cheng Xia watch by his side.

The actor Shen Kai was a relatively ‘Buddhist’ newcomer.

Most newcomers in the entertainment industry would think about fighting for more resources to become popular as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Shen Kai was the type of lazy person who wasn’t very ambitious. He did what the agent asked him to do. If he didn’t have resources, he painted at home. He used to study fine art and didn’t graduate from a professional film school. Later, he was discovered by a scout, signed to a studio and embarked on the path of acting.

Fortunately, Shen Kai’s talent in acting was good. He also had experience cooperating with Liu Xueyi and the early morning filming was very smooth.

Cheng Xia watched carefully and felt that Shen Kai acted very well. It was in line with the image of Lu Fengyang that he understood. Zhou Yan whispered, “Shen Kai is 20 years old this year and has filmed three online dramas. You should learn more from him. I think his acting is quite good. Once you act against him in the future, don’t be completely suppressed by him.”

In an opposing scene, if the two people’s aura wasn’t on the same frequency, it would be too unsightly if one party completely suppressed the other. Shen Kai was a tall alpha and Cheng Xia would be under a lot of pressure acting against him in the future. Therefore, Cheng Xia watched carefully while the director was shooting Shen Kai.

After Shen Kai finished the shooting, it was Cheng Xia’s turn. Shen Kai smiled at Cheng Xia in a friendly manner. “Don’t be nervous. Come on!”

The scene Cheng Xia was going to shoot today was about the protagonist Qin Nian coming to school with a schoolbag on his back. As he walked to the school gate, he found that he had forgotten to bring the paper the teacher had handed out yesterday. It was snowing heavily and it was freezing cold. He hesitated for a moment at the school gate between returning home to grab the paper or accepting criticism from his teacher. Finally, he decided to run home to grab the paper.

In the cold winter, Qin Nian was dressed very thinly. The conditions at home weren’t good and his shoes and sweater were very old. The school uniform was also washed until it was faded. He had come all the way to school and had to go back to get the filled math test paper.

This scene was mainly to show Qin Nian’s serious attitude toward learning.

In order to perform this scene well, Cheng Xia didn’t wear many clothes today. He only wore a sweater and the school uniform. The shoes that the props teacher gave him were also deliberately worn out.

Before filming started, Zhou Yan was worried he would catch a cold and had him wear a down jacket. Once Shen Kai’s part was finished, Director Liu said, “The next scene, Cheng Xia.”

Cheng Xia immediately took off his down jacket and ran to the shooting venue with the bag on his back. Director Liu simply explained Cheng Xia’s positioning later. Cheng Xia walked through it once and then Director Liu waved his hand. “Photography, lights and props, ready. Act 17, start!”

A clapperboard with the words ‘Folding Paper, Act 17’ on it passed in front of the machine.

The lights hit and the shooting began.

Cheng Xia ran over from a distance as directed by the director. There was snow everywhere on the ground. He slipped and accidentally fell, causing snow to cover his face. He hurriedly grabbed the tree next to him, got up and wiped the snow off his face. As he walked to the school gate, he thought of something and muttered to himself, “Oh, it seems I didn’t bring the papers…”

Cheng Xia started looking through his schoolbag only for Director Liu to shout, “Cut!”

Cheng Xia stopped his actions and Liu Xueyi walked over. “Cheng Xia, you were too tense just now and haven’t entered the state. Pay attention to your expression. When you fall and get up, there should be a trace of annoyance in your eyes. Behave more naturally. In addition, you just washed this school uniform yesterday and you’re worried about getting it dirty. Be careful when tidying up your clothes.”

Cheng Xia listened carefully and nodded. “I see.”

The makeup artist hurriedly stepped forward, touched up his makeup and wiped the snow from his face.

Liu Xueyi returned to his seat. “Prepare, start!”

Lighting and photography started all over again. Cheng Xia returned to his original position and did the same action. Cheng Xia ran and slipped…

“Cut! You slipped too deliberately. It is like a fake fall to scam someone.”

Cheng Xia blushed. “Sorry, I’m sorry. Let’s do it again.”

The third time, Cheng Xia was looking through his schoolbag only to be unable to open the zipper. He lowered his head for a while before laughing. “I’m sorry, there seems to be something wrong with the zipper of the schoolbag…”

The props crew rushed forward to help him with the zipper.

The fourth time…

The fifth time…

Perhaps he had woken up too early in the morning. Cheng Xia’s state wasn’t very good today and there were continuous NGs.

In the distance, Pei Shaoze stood on the outskirts of the set with his brother, watching Cheng Xia run and fall in the snow over and over again. Pei Shaoze looked calm but Pei Shaoyan couldn’t help complaining. “Isn’t this too hard on Cheng Xia? He has fallen several times. Isn’t Director Liu being too demanding? This is too much!”

Pei Shaoze answered calmly, “Don’t blame Director Liu. Cheng Xia really isn’t relaxed enough. Perhaps he is a bit nervous about getting up early in the morning to film. Still, he is doing a good job for a newcomer.”

Some people around them were talking and laughing. “This newcomer can really endure hardships. He had to shoot so many times but there are no complaints.

“He is a newcomer and has to lower his posture. Can he be arrogant and not act?”

”I think he is very serious. He runs and falls every time. I would hurt my knees if I feel like this…”

Pei Shaoze heard this and slightly frowned.

Pei Shaoyan whispered, “Don’t you feel distressed seeing him falling like that?”

Pei Shaoze didn’t answer.

Distressed? It was the job of an actor to make the requirements of the director. This was a professional quality that professional actors must possess. It wasn’t just falling in the snow. There were martial art scenes that required holding the sword in the heavy rain with repeated NGs. In addition, hanging from wires all day, soaking the body in water, wearing a down jacket in summer, shooting winter scenes in 30 degree Celsius weather where it was so hot that they were about to get heatstroke…

How could it be easy to be a good actor? Falling in the snow was tempering that Cheng Xia had to go through. Pei Shaoze wouldn’t step forward to interrupt. He didn’t want to interfere with Cheng Xia’s work. It was just as his brother said… he was a bit distressed.

Pei Shaoze was silent for a moment before turning and walking out the school gates. Cheng Xia should be tempered as a newcomer but he couldn’t break the young seedling.

Pei Shaoyan followed his brother and saw him walk into a department store that had just opened. His brother looked around and grabbed a pair of knee pads, warm cotton socks and hand warmers before walking to the counter to pay. After that, he went to another store and bought a warm cashmere vest that was Cheng Xia’s size.

He returned to school after shopping and the scene had just finished filming. Cheng Xia was bowing to the staff members and thanking them. “I’m sorry, you have worked hard.” Due to his frequent NGs, the photography, lighting and props crew also accompanied him and stood in the snow for more than half an hour. Cheng Xia politely thanked everyone and their mood naturally improved.

Liu Xueyi smiled and waved at him. “Come here, it’s freezing!”

Cheng Xia’s face was red from the cold but his smile was bright. “Director Liu, I’m fine. I can bear it.”

Just then, Pei Shaoze came over. He was followed by the tall young man Cheng Xia had seen yesterday. Cheng Xia looked at the other person and the young man showed him a friendly smile. Cheng Xia didn’t know the other person and looked confused. Unexpectedly, the other person took the initiative to introduce himself. “Brother Cheng, hello. I am President Pei’s new assistant. You can call me Xiao Yan.”

Cheng Xia smiled politely. “Hello.” Then he met Pei Shaoze’s eyes. President Pei’s gaze seemed a bit complicated? Cheng Xia was startled but still greeted him politely. “President Pei, you came.”

Pei Shaoze asked, “Director Liu, is Cheng Xia’s scene finished?”

Liu Xueyi nodded. “It is over. The effect is great. Thank you Cheng Xia! Go and rest. Ask Zhou Jiawen and Qi Xiaoting to come over to finish filming all the scenes at the school gate!”

The staff went to call the people. Cheng Xia saw his assistant waiting with a down jacket nearby. He was just about to go to Sister Rong when Pei Shaoze suddenly said, “Cheng Xia, come with me.”

Cheng Xia doubtfully followed President Pei to the lounge. Pei Shaoze took out a pair of hand warmers and stuffed them in his hands. “You are frozen, right?”

Cheng Xia’s hand warmed and he was taken aback. “President Pei?”

Pei Shaoze handed him a bag. “You are a newcomer and have no experience. In the future, you can wear knee pads for scenes that require falling since they can’t be seen on the outside. In addition, you are wearing too few clothes. Qin Nian’s clothes might be thin but adding a warm cashmere vest to the sweater won’t affect the image of the drama.” He looked into Cheng Xia’s eyes and spoke softly, “Don’t be too hard on yourself. It is right to film seriously but you must also protect yourself, understood?”

Cheng Xia, “……”

He remembered that every time he went out to play as a child, his father would tell him many things like this. Still, these words were coming from President Pei’s mouth. Cheng Xia couldn’t help his heartbeat speeding up and his ears turning red. The feeling of being cared for by an older alpha was really different.

He took the things Pei Shaoze handed over with a red face and whispered, “Thank you President Pei… in fact, Sister Rong has prepared it for me. Just now when I was falling, I wore knee pads and my knees didn’t hurt.”

Pei Shaoze, “……”

It seemed he had done too much? Pei Shaoze frowned, seemingly unhappy.

Cheng Xia hurriedly added, “However, knee pads are easy to wear out so I will replace them with the pair given by President Pei tomorrow.”

Pei Shaoyan wanted to laugh but he didn’t dare laugh out loud. If the two of them were in love then just fall in love. What was this shy and awkward appearance? His big brother was really too frustrating. At this time, he should hold Cheng Xia tightly in his arms and say something like, “Baby, are you cold? I will warm you up.”

Yet he fucking gave hand warmers! How could hand warmers be as warm as an alpha’s hands? ‘Brother, do you know how to fall in love?’

Cheng Xia always felt that the eyes of the young man were weird. He lowered his head in an embarrassed manner. “President Pei, aren’t you busy at the company? You came to the studio so early for a visit?”

Pei Shaoze explained, “The company has Zhang Fan and he will help with trivial matters. I will stay with the crew more frequently. Don’t forget, I am the producer of the drama and I have to oversee the filming for the drama.”

Cheng Xia’s eyes slightly widened. “So President Pei will stay at the studio every day?”

Pei Shaoze nodded. “Yes.”

Cheng Xia didn’t know why but he was a bit nervous and also happy. He was nervous because this alpha’s presence was too strong and it might affect his state. He was also happy because he could see President Pei every day… wait, why was he so happy to see President Pei?

A hint of doubt flashed in Cheng Xia’s eyes.

Once he raised his head, he saw that Xiao Yan standing behind President Pei was smiling at him. It was a strange smile.

Cheng Xia was even more confused. He coughed slightly and said, “President Pei, I will leave first to find my agent. I have several scenes in the afternoon and have to check the script. Thank you for buying me these things.”

Pei Shaoze casually replied, “Yes, go ahead.”

It wasn’t until Cheng Xia left that Pei Shaoyan couldn’t help chuckling. He thought that he shouldn’t be a lightbulb in the future. Otherwise, his brother would keep pretending to be an upright boss and Cheng Xia would be too embarrassed to throw himself into his brother’s arms.

Proofreader: Cat