"How is it, are they filming?" Huang He, wanting to give Leng Zhiwen a surprise, quietly arrived at the filming location on Xianling Island without notifying her.
This was the most beautiful island among the thousands of small islands on Zhejianglin Lake. [PS: I mistakenly said over three hundred islands earlier, my dad corrected me, there are actually over a thousand, more than Qian Dao Lake.]
Believe it or not, fifty years ago, this island was just a small hill, and Zhejianglin Lake itself didn't exist.
Fifty years ago, Zhelin had no lake, and was called Zhelin, because it was a forested area surrounded by mountains. Within this area, there was a town called Zhelin and scattered dozens of villages.
Fifty years ago, to build the largest hydropower dam project in Asia, it was decided to construct a massive artificial reservoir, Zhejianglin Lake.
Thus, the great people of Jiangxi spent thirty years, from 1958 to 1988, completing the construction of the artificial lake, forcefully creating China's largest artificial reservoir at the time, transforming a forested mountainous region into a shimmering lake rich in fishery resources.
The 1,667 islands of various sizes within this lake were the 1,667 small hilltops of this mountainous forest, their peaks emerging from the water to become islands, a true miracle.
Xianling Island was the most scenic among them. The island itself wasn't very large, with an area of 0.95 square kilometers. Part of the original mountain forest was preserved on the island, and more remarkably, there were natural hot springs on this island.
Furthermore, in the northwest corner of the island, there was a not insignificant area, which could be considered a small lake, thus forming Xianling Island, an island within a lake, and a lake within an island.
As such, Xianling Island was the most enchanting scenic spot in all of Zhejianglin Lake, boasting not only forests and lakes but also hot springs. Every morning, a light mist would cover the entire island, appearing and disappearing with the morning breeze. If the sun was at just the right angle, the entire island would shimmer in a golden light, almost identical to Xianling Island in the game.
Months ago, when the New Zealand special effects team came to Zhejianglin Lake for on-site inspections, they were completely stunned by this beauty. They used the world's best cameras and borrowed two helicopters to shoot over 600 hours of footage of Xianling Island from all angles over a month, from which they edited a three-minute promotional video that perfectly showcased all the beauty and ethereal quality of Xianling Island.
Frankly speaking, Huang He's special trip to Xianling Island to visit the set was partly motivated by this promotional video, a desire to witness the island's beauty for himself.
Of course, Xianling Island now belonged to Jiangnan Group, Huang He's own territory, so Huang He was, in a sense, inspecting his own island.
Ahem, back to the main point. When Huang He secretly arrived at Xianling Island, he learned that the crew had been preparing since 3:00 AM to shoot one of the most classic scenes from the game and TV series at 7:00 AM, when the mist on Xianling Island was the thickest – the scene where Li Xiaoyao peeks at Zhao Ling'er bathing.
When Huang He stealthily reached the filming location, he saw a young actress immersed in the hot springs of Xianling Island. Judging by her back and skin, she was an incredibly beautiful maiden.
However, the surrounding cameras and numerous crew members were quite a damper on the atmosphere.
"This is 16-year-old Liu Yifei!" Seeing the beautiful maiden, Huang He couldn't help but sigh. Historically, Liu Yifei was 17 when she filmed Chinese Paladin, but here she was, 16, precisely the same age as Zhao Ling'er in the game, a time when a girl is most favored by youth, a delicate age where all adjectives related to beauty could be applied.
And such a beautiful maiden, with bare shoulders, was submerged in the water, subjected to the shooting of cameras, and being secretly watched by a young man hiding behind a rock.
He was an extremely heroic and handsome young man, about 20 years old. Although he wore simple white coarse cloth, it couldn't conceal the heroic spirit emanating from him.
His gaze held a light that could make any woman mesmerized. He was a youth who perfectly embodied all imaginations of the name Li Xiaoyao.
Seeing this, Huang He couldn't help but marvel that the expensive makeup artist had been worth every penny, having completely transformed Leng Zhiwen, a beautiful maiden, into a handsome young man.
"The boss is here, I'll tell the director to stop!" The crew member who first spotted Huang He quickly said.
"No, don't disturb them. I'll just watch secretly!" Huang He quickly stopped the staff member and said, "Do you have any masks or anything to cover my face?"
"Yes! Yes!" This crew member was responsible for props, so he immediately found a red bandana and said, "Boss, look, this is a mask worn by the Moon Worship Cult disciples, it's perfect for you!!"
"Oh!" Huang He nodded and put the mask on his face, leaving only his eyes exposed.
"Secretary Hu, do you think I'll be recognized like this?" Huang He asked facing Hu Jing.
"Most people probably won't recognize you, but some definitely will!" Hu Jing smiled. "After all, everyone on the set is your employee, boss. They think about how to flatter you every day, living by your photos. Even with a mask, the chance of being recognized is quite high, as people in our line of work have sharp eyes!"
"I see!" Huang He scratched his head. He wanted to surprise Leng Zhiwen. If he were recognized by other staff members midway, it wouldn't be so good.
"Boss, I actually have a suggestion!" Hu Jing, understanding Huang He's intentions perfectly, smiled and said, "Boss, why don't you go all out? Since you're already wearing the mask of a Moon Worship Cult disciple, why not wear the costume as well."
"The costume worn by the Moon Worship Cult disciples is a large red robe with an exaggerated hat on the head. If you wear this outfit with the mask, no one will be able to recognize you!" Leng Zhiwen smiled.
"Oh, can you get me the full outfit?" Huang He asked the props guy.
"This..." The props guy hesitated. "Boss, to be honest, we originally prepared a lot of Moon Worship Cult costumes. However, because a large number of scenes involving Moon Worship Cult disciples are still to come, the costume factory has only sent three sets so far. More costumes will arrive in a few days."
"And according to the script, there will be a scene soon where three Moon Worship Cult disciples attack, so these three costumes will all be used, and those three extras are about to go on set..." the props guy stammered.
"Then never mind!" After all, it was his company's film, and Huang He had no intention of interfering with his company's filming. However, Hu Jing's eyes darted, and she said, "Boss, there's actually no problem with this. You might as well play a Moon Worship Cult disciple."
"How can that be?" Huang He repeatedly shook his head. "I haven't even seen the script, how can I go up and act?"
"Not at all, boss. As far as I know, among these three Moon Worship Cult disciples, one has quite a few lines, while the other two are silent followers. As long as you play the role of a follower, keep your face covered, and put on a fierce look, there will be no problem!"
"What's more, there will be fight scenes involving Moon Worship Cult disciples. You can take this opportunity to pretend, according to the script, to embrace Miss Zhiwen with a hug, then reveal your true face, and Miss Zhiwen will definitely be surprised by you!" Hu Jing said with a smile.
"I think it's not a surprise, but a scare!" Boss Huang muttered, but then he thought about it and found the idea very amusing.
So, Huang He readily agreed, "Let's do that. Go find the assistant director and tell him it's my idea, but ask him not to tell anyone I'm here!"
Since Huang He had spoken, there was no delay. The props guy rushed to find the assistant director. In less than a minute, the assistant director rushed over, greeted Boss Huang, and quickly arranged for the work, canceling an extra's role and assigning it to Huang He.
Although the extra didn't know why his scene was canceled, he had no objections when the assistant director said he could still get paid even if he didn't act.
Thus, after a bit of fuss for over ten minutes, Huang He changed into a Moon Worship Cult disciple costume, wearing the disciple's mask and a large hat, and appeared in the core area of the set without arousing suspicion, watching the filming from the best vantage point.
At this moment, the filming had reached a crucial stage, the scene of Zhao Ling'er emerging from the bath.
Speaking of which, Huang He was a bit displeased. When he watched the TV series in his previous life, Zhao Ling'er's bath scene only exposed her shoulders, less than what was revealed in an evening gown.
This time, with Huang He on site, he could at least see a bit more!
Ahem, please don't criticize when you see this. It's not that Huang He is perverted, but men, as they say, admire beauty. No matter how much money one has, peeping can still be exciting, not to mention that Liu Yifei was also one of Huang He's goddesses in his past life. It was only later that with Liu Yifei's various questionable actions, Huang He lost interest in her as a person, but that didn't diminish his interest in her...
"Who is it?" Soon, the plot progressed to Li Xiaoyao exposing his presence, startling Zhao Ling'er, who suddenly stood up from the water.
Huang He's eyes widened, but as soon as Zhao Ling'er stood up, Huang He realized that she was actually wearing a full swimsuit underwater. Even when she stood up, only her shoulders were exposed. Huang He was immediately bored.
"Stop filming! The bathing scenes are all finished. Nothing more is to be filmed! Turn off your cameras. If I find anyone taking an unauthorized shot, I'll make so much trouble that even your boss, Huang He, won't be able to handle it!" Suddenly, a woman shouted, causing all the surrounding cameras to stop.
"Who is this person, acting so arrogantly, shouting in my set?" Huang He frowned, watching.
"That's Liu Yifei's mother. She accompanies her daughter to every shoot and is very particular about any revealing scenes, keeping a close watch on us as if we're going to devour her daughter!" the assistant director whispered.
Yes, this assistant director had been deliberately staying close to Huang He since he knew Huang He was here, afraid that some insensitive person would offend this ancestor, thus losing their entire crew's bonuses.
The celebration banquet for the "Soldiers Sortie" crew yesterday had reached all of Tangren Film and Television Group. Now, the entire crew was extremely energized, everyone giving their all.
After all, a company like Tangren Film and Television, which valued its crew members so much and specially gave them bonuses, was truly unique. Everyone's current thought was that "Chinese Paladin" could be as successful as "Soldiers Sortie" in the future, and each of them could receive tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, in bonuses. That would mean they'd struck it rich.
Therefore, the entire crew was full of drive and absolute respect for Boss Huang He. No one dared to displease Boss Huang, not even to speak ill of him. Only this one person dared to be so arrogant on set.
"Why is she so arrogant?" Huang He's expression was very displeased.
"This... because when Liu Yifei signed the contract, we had an agreement that she wouldn't film any revealing scenes, otherwise she could withdraw her daughter from the set at any time. So, we all have to indulge her a bit!" the assistant director said helplessly.
"How could you sign such a ridiculous contract?" Huang He's mouth widened.
"Well, after all, you specifically requested her..." the assistant director said with a wry smile. Huang He then realized the problem stemmed from him. He had specifically requested Liu Yifei to play Zhao Ling'er, so the entire crew, in order to keep Liu Yifei, had to tolerate her mother.
"Besides filming revealing scenes, does she interfere with the normal filming process like this?" Huang He asked.
"No, other than that, filming is usually normal. Actually, she's just a normal mother protecting her daughter, and we can all understand that!" the assistant director said.
"Mm!" Huang He nodded. He put himself in her shoes and thought that he certainly wouldn't want Leng Zhiwen to film scenes that crossed the line, so he could somewhat understand Liu Yifei's mother's actions.
"After today's filming is over, go tell her that we will not violate the contract, but she is not allowed to shout and disrupt the normal filming process here. If there's a next time, she and her daughter can leave. It's hard to find a three-legged toad in this world, but there are plenty of good-looking young girls!" Huang He said calmly.
"Yes!" the assistant director replied softly. Huang He nodded and continued watching.
Soon, Zhao Ling'er changed her clothes and came out. The next scene to be filmed was Zhao Ling'er recognizing Li Xiaoyao and discovering he was her Xiaoyao Gege from ten years ago.
"Xiaoyao Gege! You are my Xiaoyao Gege!!"
"Xiaoyao Gege! Ling'er has finally waited for you!" Zhao Ling'er said her lines with excitement and emotion. In fact, both of them acted quite well. Zhao Ling'er portrayed the joy of a young girl, while Leng Zhiwen portrayed Li Xiaoyao's confusion, helplessness, fear, and bewilderment, performing even better than Hu Ge in the historical drama.
"Cut!" Director Li Guoli called out and poked his head out from behind the monitor, saying, "Little Miss Liu, your emotions are still a bit lacking, and why are you so far away from your Xiaoyao Gege?"
"You've read the entire script. You need to think from Ling'er's perspective. You know that your Xiaoyao Gege from ten years ago saved you and brought you to Xianling Island, and you've missed him for ten years."
"When someone you've longed for for ten years suddenly appears before you, it's not enough to just show excitement and emotion. You also need to take action, such as throwing yourself into your Xiaoyao Gege's arms, talking to him with joy and happiness, and acting intimately. Actions driven by instinct are rational!" Director Li Guoli explained.
"As expected of Director Li!" Huang He exclaimed.
When he watched "Chinese Paladin" in his previous life, he felt that this scene was filmed somewhat incorrectly, too superficial. It looked very emotional, but there was no real emotional outburst.
Now, with Director Li's clear explanation, Huang He understood what was wrong.
"Okay, Director, I understand..." Liu Yifei nodded, about to make improvements, when she saw her mother walk over to Director Li and say in a voice that didn't attempt to conceal her disapproval, "Director, I think she's acted well enough. There's no need to force them to hug. It's their first meeting, and hugging immediately is not appropriate!"
"Why is it inappropriate? From Zhao Ling'er's perspective, there's a ten-year emotional connection between them. Moreover, Zhao Ling'er has lived on Xianling Island for ten years, surrounded only by women, living a simple life. She knows nothing about external etiquette between men and women, so her intimate actions are from the heart and very natural. Why is that inappropriate?" Director Li patiently reasoned.
"No means no. We already agreed that all revealing scenes and physical contact during filming would be limited to what's in the script. We must follow the script's settings!" the mother insisted.
"No, the script is static, but people are dynamic. When the script was written, it wasn't fully considered. It's natural to discover a better way to handle it during actual filming. How can we possibly stick to the script word-for-word?" Director Li argued.
"That's your business, not mine. In any case, our agreement is like this!" the mother retorted fearlessly. "Director, my daughter is only 16 years old, still a minor, a girl who knows nothing. How can you have her act with a man like this? How will she face people in the future?"
The phrase "minor" had immense impact, and Director Li was immediately stumped.
"She doesn't know, is Leng Zhiwen a woman?" Huang He asked with a frown.
"Indeed, she doesn't know. Liu Yifei and her mother only joined the crew yesterday, and we haven't had the time to tell her that Miss Zhiwen is a woman. Also, to prevent the crew from having any unnecessary fluctuations due to Miss Zhiwen being a woman, except for makeup, directors, and a few other positions, most of the crew doesn't know that Miss Zhiwen is a woman!" the assistant director explained.
"Even if she thought Zhiwen was a man, this is still an outrageous interference. It's just a hug, not an excessive action, and she won't even allow that. Who would dare to hire Liu Yifei in the future!" Huang He frowned. He couldn't understand the mother's behavior at all and thought perhaps an author was simply mentally deficient to create such a character.
Little did he know, Director Li Guoli of "Chinese Paladin" in another world, in an interview, had alluded to this very point when discussing the filming of the role of Zhao Ling'er.
Of course, the process was very subtle. Liu's mother accompanied her daughter throughout the filming and interfered with the entire shoot. For any scenes with even a slight intimacy, she would strictly review and intervene.
In the director's flattering words at the time, she protected her daughter very well and was a rare good mother.
However, later, some crew members revealed to entertainment media the dissatisfaction and anger of the entire crew towards this mother. It was just that at the time, they couldn't find an actress more suitable for Zhao Ling'er than Liu, and the crew didn't have the time or energy to find a new female lead and reshoot, so they kept accommodating Liu.
The most obvious point was that after "Chinese Paladin" achieved such astonishing success, Tangren should have capitalized on the CP of the male and female leads and launched one or two more projects.
After all, the pairing of these two leads itself was a huge publicity gimmick, and capital would never pass up such an opportunity.
However, Tangren did not do so. In fact, when filming "Chinese Paladin 3" in the future, Liu Yifei was not invited at all. Instead, Liu Shishi, who had a similar feel to Liu Yifei, was cast as Long Kui. This clearly showed how disgusted everyone at Tangren was with Liu Yifei and her mother at the time.
In fact, if you look closely at Liu Yifei's subsequent resources, although she supposedly became a "movie star," for several years she didn't have any major productions where she was the lead. Only after Liu Yifei's mother stopped accompanying her to film sets did the situation slightly improve.
At this moment, under the strong pressure from Liu's mother, Li Guoli was faltering. Just as he was about to restrain the filming of this scene, like his historical counterpart, a Moon Worship Cult disciple quietly appeared behind Li Guoli and said in a voice that startled Li Guoli, "Tell her, if she doesn't film it, she can just get lost!"