Qu Yanting didn't accept it, but his hand felt a sudden weight. Lu Wen had pushed it directly into his hand. Through the plastic container, his palm felt the warmth of the millet porridge.

Lu Wen said, "I had noodles this morning, I'm not hungry right now."

Qu Yanting said, "I don't need—"

"No need to be polite." Lu Wen interrupted, quickly thinking of an excuse. "The day I took the wrong car, I drank a bottle of Perrier that was meant for you. Consider this bowl of porridge as repayment."

He didn't want to haggle over a bowl of millet porridge, and besides, there were too many prying eyes around. People might misunderstand that he was trying to curry favor with Qu Yanting. Sucking up in private was one thing, but doing it in public would be an insult to his dignity as an obscure, eighteenth-tier actor who 'may be unknown but wasn't without ambition'.

Lu Wen decided to just leave, saying, "Teacher Qu, do as you please. I'm going to get my makeup done."

His long legs moved a few times, and in the blink of an eye, he was already five meters away. Qu Yanting held the porridge, watched Lu Wen's back disappear through the classroom doorway, and was left with no choice but to accept it.

The makeup room was a temporarily converted classroom. While waiting for his turn, Lu Wen couldn't sit still for a moment. He sat on the windowsill with a face mask on.

Sun Xiaojian brought over a protein bar. "Sigh, the porridge is gone. Eat this."

Lu Wen lifted a third of his face mask and said strangely, "Even though you're a money-grubbing cheapskate, you're not so stingy as to feel bad about one bowl of porridge, are you?"

Sun Xiaojian said, "That was porridge from an '8 yuan off every 20' deal, with free delivery. If I'd known you were going to make a move, I would have definitely bought a feast from a five-star hotel. Too bad it's too late."

Lu Wen wasn't concerned with the price. Chewing, he asked, "Wait a minute, what do you mean by 'make a move'?"

Sun Xiaojian gave a sleazy smile and praised him, "Making a move on Screenwriter Qu, of course. I didn't expect you to react so quickly, seizing the opportunity to get close. That display of attentiveness was so natural."

Lu Wen hadn't thought that far at all. Seeing Qu Yanting would rather go hungry than eat fish, he had inexplicably thought of Ye Shan.

Sun Xiaojian said, "Considering Screenwriter Qu's wealth... I hope he doesn't find my porridge beneath him."

Lu Wen asked casually, "What kind of wealth does he have?"

Sun Xiaojian said, "Do you have any idea how much a famous screenwriter makes for one episode of a TV drama, or for one movie? Qu Yanting stopped playing that game a long time ago. He takes a percentage of the profits, and he has a stake in the investments of those movies. That hit drama from the beginning of the year was produced and overseen by his studio. This web drama is just child's play to him."

Lu Wen: "Oh."

"What do you mean, 'oh'?" Sun Xiaojian said, trying to brainwash him. "Screenwriter Qu is an important and busy man. He won't be on set for long. While he's still here, you need to use all your skills to latch onto this high branch, okay?"

Lu Wen gave a vague reply. He didn't care about Qu Yanting's wealth or assets in the slightest, but he understood that behind all the titles and halos, Qu Yanting was a person with considerable influence.

How could he have associated him with Ye Shan? He was really overthinking things.

Lu Wen pulled off his face mask and slapped it onto Sun Xiaojian's forehead, saying, "Stop talking so much nonsense. Teacher Qu is a man of wealth. He'll probably take one sip of that '8 off 20' porridge and throw it away."

Sun Xiaojian said worriedly, "You think so?"

Lu Wen jumped off the windowsill to get his makeup done, saying, "Forget it, you cheapskate."

In reality, not only did Qu Yanting not throw it away, he finished it spoonful by spoonful. He had been in Chongqing for a few days, and every meal had been delicious but spicy. This bowl of warm, light millet porridge eased the burden on his stomach.

He sat alone in the teachers' office. The partially closed door couldn't block the sounds from outside. He didn't find it noisy. After finishing the porridge, he listened quietly. The set was noisiest during preparation. The director was in control of everything, and Ren Shu's rough roars drifted in from time to time.

—Did you want to experience what it's like to be a director?

Qu Yanting mulled over this sentence as if racking his brain over a difficult problem. Before he could find an answer, the director's assistant came to inform him that everything was ready and shooting would begin in five minutes.

He let out a soft breath, set the answer aside, and picked up his script to continue being Screenwriter Qu.

All non-essential personnel had gone downstairs, leaving only the A-team staff in the hallway. At the front door of the classroom, the head of photography was making final adjustments, while the gaffer stood off to the side.

The director's monitor was just inside the back door. Ren Shu waved and called out, "Yanting, come over here."

Qu Yanting's gaze swept over first. By the doorway, Lu Wen was leaning against the frame, not as nonchalantly cool as he was that morning with his hands in his pockets, but looking awkward as if he'd stumbled onto the wrong set.

Lu Wen had been feeling awkward ever since he got his costume and makeup done.

He was wearing a school uniform. The polyester fabric made him feel uncomfortable all over. The uniform pants were too short for his legs, leaving his ankles exposed. The clothes were covered in creases, and worst of all, there were realistic stains on the front and cuffs.

In all his life, this was the first time he'd ever been dressed in such a sorry state.

Seeing Qu Yanting approach, Lu Wen shifted his feet, which were in a pair of thirty-yuan canvas shoes, and turned his face away slightly. His short hair was combed neatly, not hiding the dark circles under his eyes, and that small mole had also been covered up.

Compared to the morning's Ye Xiaowu, Ye Shan looked less spirited.

Qu Yanting sat down next to Ren Shu, and they watched the monitor together. Ren Shu joked, "A big guy like Ye Shan getting bullied feels a bit like a plot hole."

Lu Wen misunderstood that the director was dissatisfied and poked his head in to say, "Actually, I'm not as tough as I look."

Ren Shu said, "Xiao Lu, your physical proportions are excellent. Neck, arms, legs, and head, chest, waist, hips—the 'three longs and four dimensions'—none are substandard. Your proportions are fit for the big screen."

Lu Wen's worry turned to joy. "Thank you for the compliment, Director Ren!"

He lowered his eyes, his angle giving him a direct view of the top of Qu Yanting's head. He could clearly see Qu Yanting's jet-black hair—soft, dry, thick, and fluffy. The bangs on his forehead were being fluffed up by the draft, revealing a fair forehead.

"Teacher Qu." Lu Wen attempted to latch onto the high branch.

Qu Yanting looked up. "Hm?"

Lu Wen's method of climbing was very direct. "Director Ren said I'm fit for the big screen. If your future movies are ever short on people, please feel free to contact me. I'd like to express my deepest gratitude in advance."

Qu Yanting turned his expressionless face back to the monitor. "Just focus on shooting this scene well first."

With everything ready, Lu Wen sprayed his cuffs and sideburns with water, then went to his mark in front of the camera. The "students" inside the classroom also got into character.

Action. Scene 14, take 1. The script supervisor clapped the board.

Ye Shan had gone to help at the wet market at noon and was a little late returning to school. He sprinted toward the classroom as the bell rang.

Lu Wen ran up the stairs, beads of sweat clinging to his sideburns.

This third-rate high school had no academic atmosphere to speak of. The teacher hadn't arrived yet, and the students were chatting and playing on their phones; almost no one was waiting obediently for class to start. Ye Shan rushed to the classroom door. He was late, yet he still hesitated outside for a moment.

Lu Wen pushed the door open and walked into the classroom with his head down, not looking at anyone.

Seeing Ye Shan appear, a large group of students, led by five or six boys, covered their noses and pretended to gag. Ye Shan walked to his seat and found his schoolbag thrown under the desk, with some dirty footprints on the chair.

Lu Wen's lips were pressed tightly together, the muscles in his face tensed. He bent down to pick up his schoolbag.

The first take wasn't over yet when Ren Shu shouted, "Cut! Let's go again from the entrance."

Again, which meant it wasn't good enough.

Lu Wen returned to the doorway for the second take. He was stopped again while walking to his seat, which made him nervous.

Ren Shu asked, "Xiao Lu, why are you taking such big strides?"

Lu Wen answered, "They're mocking me, so I want to get back to my seat quickly."

"Your understanding is correct, but it doesn't come across that way on camera," Ren Shu said. "Good grief, with the imposing air of those long legs of yours, I thought the school's top dog just walked in."

Lu Wen went back for the third take. He restrained his steps, walking cautiously and timidly. Unexpectedly, before he even reached his seat, Ren Shu's booming voice called "cut" again.

Ren Shu said, "Don't just focus on your feet and forget your face. Where's your expression? You need to give me Ye Shan's embarrassment. Give it to the camera."

In front of all the supporting actors and extras, Lu Wen swallowed awkwardly and returned to the doorway for the fourth take.

Amidst the collective mockery, Ye Shan walked embarrassedly to his seat, picked up his schoolbag, wiped the chair clean, and silently organized his books. When he came across a new supplementary textbook, Ye Shan stared at the cover. Someone had scrawled the word "Stinky" all over it, and the inner pages were covered in footprints.

Lu Wen gripped the spine of the book tightly, clenching his back teeth at the same time.

The boy in the front seat gloated, "What's wrong?"

Lu Wen said in a low voice, "This is a new book I just bought."

The first part of the scene ended there. The word "Cut," like a constricting headband spell, rang out from the back door. Ren Shu shouted, "Xiao Lu, you already have a deep voice. When you deliver your line so gloomily, it sounds like you're about to punch him in the next second. Soften your tone, make it lighter, understand?!"

Lu Wen quickly said, "Understood, Director."

The previous shot was re-filmed. Lu Wen softened his tone and delivered the line, but before the last syllable could even land, Ren Shu's voice interrupted, "Cut, cut, cut! The emotion is wrong!"

Fuck, what was it now?

Lu Wen was on the verge of a breakdown.

Ren Shu asked, "Xiao Lu, tell me, when his new book is destroyed, what is Ye Shan feeling?"

Lu Wen answered, "Anger?"

Ren Shu asked again, "If your brand new eight-million-yuan sports car got smashed, what would you feel besides anger?"

Lu Wen said, "Heartache."

"This book is to Ye Shan what a supercar is to you," Ren Shu said. "Ye Shan scrimped and saved to buy this new book, and it was ruined before he could even use it. You have to show his heartache."

Scene one, take six. The script supervisor clapped the board.

Ren Shu was tired of shouting. He rested his fist on his philtrum and stared at the monitor without a word. After Lu Wen finished his line, he gestured for the cameraman to keep rolling.

He didn't call "cut" and moved on to the second part of the scene. Lu Wen let out a sigh of relief, thinking he had performed well this time.

Ye Shan's shoulder was grabbed, and the boy at the desk behind him leaned over and snatched the book. "Who's so shameless, ruining someone's new book like this? It even says 'Stinky.' Why write such an obvious truth?"

The people around them roared with laughter. Lu Wen turned to grab it back, saying, "Give me the book."

The other boy dodged Ye Shan's hand. "You're going to suffocate me with your stink! Look at yourself, your cuffs are all wet. Can't you change your clothes after selling stinky fish and rotten shrimp?"

Someone said, "He relies on that stink to keep himself awake and alert to get first place, you know."

Lu Wen immediately dropped his hand and repeated helplessly, "Give the book back to me."

The boy behind him threw the book with all his might. "You feel bad for one stupid book? I have to smell your fishy stench from behind you every day. My lungs are uncomfortable! Why aren't you hurrying up to apologize to me?"

"Me too! I stand next to you during exercises, it stinks to death."

"Apologize now!"

"If you don't apologize, treating us to a meal as compensation will do."

The words rushed at him like a tide. Amidst the surrounding accusations, Ye Shan stood up. He went to the teacher's podium to pick up his book, but on his way back to his seat, he was blocked from the front and back, trapped in the middle with nowhere to go.

Lu Wen hunched his shoulders. "Let me go back."

The teacher appeared at the doorway, and everyone stopped. Ye Shan returned to his seat.

The second part of the scene ended.

Ren Shu finally made a sound, but he didn't speak. He heaved a heavy sigh.

No one dared to breathe. Lu Wen's heart tightened. He stood up, waiting for the director's verdict under everyone's gaze.

With a clatter, Ren Shu also pushed back his chair and stood up. He asked, "Xiao Lu, how do you think you performed?"

Lu Wen said tentatively, "Not very well."

"How was it not good?" Ren Shu pressed.

How would Lu Wen know? In fact, he felt he did quite well.

Ren Shu pulled out a cigarette and stuck it in his mouth. "I'll tell you what was not good. You can't truly understand Ye Shan. Ye Shan's embarrassment, forbearance, and helplessness—you can't portray them. Or rather, one can tell at a glance that you're acting."

"Your thought process is this: Ye Shan feels wronged, so you act wronged. How do you act it? You lower your head, you hunch your shoulders, you put on a somber expression with that handsome face of yours. What's the feeling I get? That this handsome guy is acting very seriously. But you're still a handsome guy, not Ye Shan."

"Emotional expression needs to be natural, profound, and leave no trace. Whatever emotion Ye Shan is feeling, you should brew that emotion within you, not just pretend to have that emotion, understand?"

"You can only succeed in shaping the character after you've entered the role. You haven't entered it; you're just shaping it dryly. It's like getting married after one blind date—it'd be a miracle if you could live in harmony!"

Ren Shu had a short temper, and as the supervising director, he always said whatever was on his mind. In front of a room full of supporting actors and staff, this round of criticism was unambiguous, smashing down mercilessly on Lu Wen.

Lu Wen stood rooted beside the desk, his face already burning. More than feeling humiliated, he felt lost. What should he do next? Film another take? And how should he act then?

During a lull in the silence that had fallen over the set, someone coughed lightly. It was Qu Yanting.

In contrast to Ren Shu's explosive temper, Qu Yanting had watched all six takes with a detached eye. His emotions were stable, and he hadn't said a single word from beginning to end.

Lu Wen looked over at him, a bit timid and a bit stunned. It was likely the first time he had been scolded like this in public.

Qu Yanting broke the stalemate. "Let's take a break."

Ren Shu told everyone to take a fifteen-minute break. "This Xiao Lu, his audition clip was so good, but today he's dropping the ball."

Qu Yanting changed the subject. "That last set of shots needs to be adjusted too."

Ren Shu lit his cigarette and blew out a smoke ring. "Don't worry, I'll handle them one by one. I won't be sloppy. Besides, with you here, if I'm not satisfied with how this scene is shot, nobody is going home today."

Qu Yanting waved away the secondhand smoke. "No need for that. Let's take it slow."

"I'll go adjust the camera angles first." Ren Shu picked up the storyboard script and went to find the director of photography.

The classroom was in a mess. Qu Yanting glanced around and saw that Lu Wen was still standing rooted to the spot, looking like he had done something wrong and was waiting for punishment.

He had watched the six takes from start to finish without offering any opinion, but he knew with perfect clarity why Lu Wen couldn't truly understand Ye Shan.

Explaining the scene was the director's responsibility, so Qu Yanting put down the script.

He called out, "Lu Wen."

Lu Wen looked up like a police dog, alert yet guarded. "...What is it?"

Qu Yanting said, "Come with me."