Chapter 1 The Current Scene

The scene being filmed now depicts the male lead's listless existence, drifting through life in a capsule apartment before meeting the female lead.

The living space inside the capsule is quite small. Lu Zhiyao, being rather tall, only has a few inches of headroom when sitting on the bed.

The capsule's interior is decorated in a minimalist, high-tech style, with no unnecessary frills.

Where a television screen should be, there's a large green screen; the TV programs will be added in post-production.

Nearby, there are also some props prepared for filming, such as fast-food relief meals, potato chips, and beer.

Of course, these props are also custom-made. Take the beer, for example: ready-made tall canned beer is used, but with special stickers applied to cover the original brand and emphasize the setting of this world.

In addition to the fictional beer brand, the beer can is also covered in colorful advertisements. This is because, according to the script, advertising in this future world is pervasive, and even beer cans are not spared.

Afterward, Lu Zhiyao lay down in the capsule, and filming began.

First, there were a few shots of him idly watching TV commercials in the capsule.

These shots were easy to film and didn't require much acting, so they were quickly completed after a few takes.

Next up was the scene of him eating a relief meal.

The capsule has a special dining area located across from the bed. There's a small table for one, with a small screen on the wall next to it, as well as a food dispensing outlet.

The small screen is also a green screen, and the ordering menu will be created with post-production special effects. When no order is being placed, the screen loops various food commercials.

The content of this scene is simple: when it's time to eat, the male lead receives his relief meal for the day, while watching various food commercials looping on the small ordering screen, highlighting his miserable situation.

Lu Zhiyao sat down next to the small dining table, staring blankly at the dispensing outlet.

Because watching commercials and receiving relief meals have become fixed routines at set times every day, there's no expectation at all. Lu Zhiyao had to act out this feeling of utter indifference.

With a "click," the dispensing outlet opened, and a tray-like object with decent-looking packaging fell out of the outlet, landing on the table.

Lu Zhiyao expressionlessly tore off the foil-like seal, revealing a black and white powdery substance inside.

Pei Qian asked in a low voice, "What's that inside?"

Zhu Xiaoce whispered back, "Milk powder and chocolate powder."

Pei Qian nodded. "Not bad."

At least it's edible, so it doesn't seem like he'll have to pay Lu Zhiyao extra.

Lu Zhiyao took the tray and held it under the nearby water dispenser, filling it with warm water. Then, he used the small spoon provided with the tray to stir it evenly.

Of course, the whole process was still listless and devoid of any expectation.

After that, he picked up the spoon and started feeding himself spoonful after spoonful.

While eating, Lu Zhiyao kept staring at the small screen beside him.

Although it's a green screen now, post-production effects will add all sorts of dazzling food commercials.

Lu Zhiyao had to show some change in his eyes as he looked at the green screen, expressing longing and anticipation for these delicacies, as well as some subconscious movements, like swallowing saliva and licking his lips.

"Cut!"

"That expression was a bit too intense just now. According to the plot, you should be seeing these commercials every day, so there's no need for such a big reaction. Just show some instinctive reactions to the food."

"Overall, it was great. Okay, let's do another take!"

Director Zhu Xiaoce pointed out any issues in a timely manner, and Lu Zhiyao did his best to cooperate.

After a few takes, this scene was also completed.

Pei Qian silently marveled to himself, "This Lu Zhiyao, his acting is pretty good, huh?"

He felt like he was holding his breath during this performance in *A Beautiful Tomorrow*.

Lu Zhiyao had always been known as a "box office poison," and even though his acting was decent, he couldn't escape criticism from the audience.

The most common criticisms were that he was too handsome, too detached, that his acting was too forced, and that he took people out of the scene, among other things.

But this time, Lu Zhiyao was indeed seriously acting the part of a decadent person.

Although he's handsome and his decadent state wasn't too miserable, he did manage to convey this feeling of decline.

The stagehands began to get busy, preparing for the next scene.

Zhu Xiaoce said to Pei Qian, "Boss Pei, the next one is the main event."

Pei Qian asked, "Oh?"

Zhu Xiaoce pointed to the cans of beer over there. "There's going to be a close-up shot of him drinking beer."

"The plot is that the male lead participates in a TV show's quiz and wins a lot of quiz coins, so he rewards himself with a can of beer."

"In order to play this scene well, Lu Zhiyao hasn't had any beer since the day he arrived in Jingzhou."

"He even drinks very little water usually, and instead drinks some very unpleasant beverages, like Sarsaparilla, Red Flower Snake Herb Water, Western Root Beer..."

"It's all so that he can deliver a memorable performance when he finally gets to drink that beer."

Pei Qian was speechless. "...There's no need to go that far, is there? Are those drinks even meant for humans? It's just filming a scene, no need to risk your life..."

Director Zhu Xiaoce smiled. "Well, that's what makes a qualified actor. Even Mr. Zhang Zuting has praised Lu Zhiyao's attitude towards acting."

Pei Qian was speechless again.

There's really no need to go that far!

If he ends up creating a classic scene that goes viral, wouldn't that be a disaster!

However, Pei Qian didn't know exactly how Lu Zhiyao was going to act, so he could only watch silently from the sidelines, remaining highly vigilant.

At the start of this scene, Lu Zhiyao first acted out the entire process of winning on the green screen.

The anxiety of waiting for the TV show's results, the solitary celebration inside the capsule after learning that he had won a small sum, and then the eager anticipation as he went to the dispensing outlet to buy a can of beer.

After two or three takes, it was time to film the scene of him drinking beer.

Lu Zhiyao went to the small screen next to the dispensing outlet and pretended to perform some operations, while continuing to add acting to his face: the joyful smile of winning the quiz still lingered, and this smile also contained a hint of anticipation for the beer he was about to drink, plus some subconscious licking of his lips...

Pei Qian, standing next to Zhu Xiaoce, clearly saw Lu Zhiyao's series of micro-expressions. At this moment, he missed the days when young idols would just shout "1234567" while filming movies.

With a "pop," a can of beer dropped out of the dispensing outlet.

Lu Zhiyao immediately grabbed it excitedly, and could even see a few drops of water clinging to the cool, chilled can. With a "pshh," he opened the can and tilted his head back, glugging it down...

After drinking more than half the can, Lu Zhiyao finally stopped, took a long, happy, and satisfied breath, and looked at the canned beer in his hand with a look of contentment.

Wiping the beer foam from his lips, Lu Zhiyao tilted his head back again with some lingering reluctance, and drank the remaining half of the can in one gulp, continuing to pour even after the can was empty, as if he didn't want to miss a single drop.

Finally, Lu Zhiyao reluctantly threw the empty beer can into the trash, wiped his mouth, and burped contentedly before going back to bed to lie down.

The burp sounded very natural; it probably wasn't planned, but was simply a result of Lu Zhiyao drinking too quickly, and it came out at just the right moment.

"Stop!"

Theoretically, he should have yelled "Cut," but since it was Boss Pei who yelled "Stop," Director Zhu Xiaoce quickly added "Cut" and looked at Pei Qian with great importance.

"Boss Pei, is there anything wrong with the acting?"

Zhu Xiaoce knew very well that Boss Pei was not only the investor in this film but also the original author of the script.

If Boss Pei had any objections to any of the scenes in the film, it definitely meant that the scene had deviated from the original meaning of Boss Pei's work. They had to respect the original work and make changes.

Pei Qian felt a bit helpless.

Buddy, you're trying way too hard!

It's just drinking a can of beer, but your expression is more exaggerated than in *Cooking Master Boy*!

He was just short of some "万里の長城" (Wan Li de Chang Cheng - Great Wall) background music, golden special effects lighting up the sky, and the ocean and sky in the background...

Pei Qian could already foresee the hashtag #LuZhiyaoDrinkingBeer trending on Weibo on the day the movie was released.

Pei Qian cleared his throat twice. "There's really no need for that. Just act normal..."

"The male lead is just a salted fish, so it's best if you just act like a salted fish."

Lu Zhiyao looked bewildered. "Huh?"

He was very confident in his acting, and originally thought that the previous scene should have been a moment worthy of being recorded in film history, but it didn't move the original author of the script.

This...

He could only look at Director Zhu Xiaoce.

Director Zhu Xiaoce pondered for a moment. "I didn't think so originally, but now that Boss Pei has said so... I also feel like it might have been a bit too intense. What do you think, Mr. Zhang?"

Zhang Zuting nodded. "Boss Pei is indeed worthy of being the original author; his grasp of the story and the characters is very accurate."

"Perhaps what Boss Pei said was very colloquial, but I can understand what he's trying to express."

Pei Qian was confused.

It seemed like the situation was developing in an unexpected direction...

Zhang Zuting looked at Lu Zhiyao and said earnestly, "Let's say, we change the background of this scene."

"You're playing a coolie who has to work eighteen hours a day, working hard for a month just to drink one can of beer, and there are no other entertainment options around. Beer is the ultimate pleasure..."

"Then your performance would be qualified, and it would be very impactful."

"But the character you're playing now is just an ordinary person drifting through life in a future world."

"Is he only able to drink one can of beer a month? Obviously not."

"Are there no other, greater pleasures around him? No."

"The small screen next to him is constantly playing advertisements for other delicacies and fine wines. Compared to those advertisements, the pleasure that this can of beer brings is insignificant."

"The male lead won money playing TV quizzes, so he's rewarding himself with a can of beer. That is to say, he can buy it whenever he wants, just by spending his savings."

"So, this can of beer isn't precious."