After the break, Chu Xiaxing touched up her makeup and returned to the set for the next round of filming.
The Distant You in My Heart was a low-budget sci-fi romance drama about a female earthling falling in love with a male alien. The director was a boastful, sleazy middle-aged man, the male lead was a 18th-tier fresh face with a square face and wheat-colored skin, and the script was an illogical mess - basically checking all the boxes for a flop.
Of course, Chu Xiaxing was also contributing to the show's inevitable failure, being an 18th-tier black and red artist who had made the social news section. She went through each day on set with complete detachment - just going through the motions. With such a terrible setup, who could expect to create a masterpiece?
"Alright, let's move on to the next shot!" Director Wang, as he was surnamed, lounged behind the monitor, holding the paper script in one hand and a walkie-talkie in the other. His assistant stood nearby with a small fan, thoughtfully cooling him down - Wang carried himself with all the airs of an emperor.
In Chu Xiaxing's eyes, Director Wang was just an incompetent hack who had probably never properly directed anything, just loitered around film sets before - putting on royal robes doesn't make you a prince.
The camera crew methodically set up their equipment while Director Wang noisily flipped through the script. "Let me see, whose turn it is..."
Chu Xiaxing had already checked the day's schedule. Without waiting for Director Wang to speak first, she naturally walked in front of the camera, precisely finding her mark. The male lead, Cao Yangang, was also filming his first drama. He awkwardly shuffled around beside Chu Xiaxing, looking uncomfortable every time he faced the camera.
Director Wang stared at the monitor screen and called out, "Hey, move a bit more to the left, that's not quite right..."
Cao Yangang looked at Chu Xiaxing, then at Director Wang, pointing at himself with uncertainty: "Me?"
Chu Xiaxing: "Yes, you."
Director Wang: "Of course it's you! Who else would it be!?"
Cao Yangang suddenly understood, hurriedly adjusting his position with clumsy movements: "Oh, oh, oh..."
Director Wang frowned: "No, no, go back, the left side won't work either, take another step back."
Seeing the director's frown, Cao Yangang became even more nervous and immediately stepped backward.
Director Wang watched the monitor screen, stroking his chin while complaining: "What's going on? Why does it look so awkward? Can we even film this?"
Having never acted before, Cao Yangang treated Director Wang's words as gospel. Now unable to meet the standard, he was sweating profusely from anxiety. Though Director Wang was all bark and no bite, he was still intimidating enough to frighten inexperienced actors.
Cao Yangang asked nervously: "...Director Wang, what am I doing wrong?"
Director Wang: "Let me think... take a diagonal step backward..."
Hearing the incompetent director's random instructions, Chu Xiaxing couldn't believe such a simple shot was taking so long. She sighed almost inaudibly, then directly grabbed Cao Yangang's sleeve, pulling him two steps closer to herself. Seeing his confused expression, she said flatly: "Look at the camera behind me."
"I said move diagonally backward, why are you moving that way..." Director Wang was about to lose his temper watching Cao Yangang's random movements on the monitor, but when he saw the current shot composition, his voice gradually lowered, saying with surprise, "Oh, this might work too, let's try filming it like this."
Chu Xiaxing: "..." What do you mean 'try'? Are you just filming by trial and error?
Listening to Director Wang's pig-headed words, Chu Xiaxing momentarily wanted to snap his head off in anger, but remembering her promise to Han Chuning not to start fights on set, she suppressed her rising temper.
Film sets have their hierarchies - actors arbitrarily confronting directors is considered highly disrespectful, unless the actor's status far exceeds the director's.
After finally finishing one take, Chu Xiaxing was thoroughly irritated and said somewhat temperamentally: "Jingjing, make me some chrysanthemum tea tomorrow, I feel like I'm getting inflammation."
Assistant Li Jing: "Of course, it's really hot lately, it's easy to get inflammation from the heat..."
Chu Xiaxing: "No, I'm getting inflamed from anger." If they kept filming like this, she was going to explode - it felt like playing house every day.
Chu Xiaxing drank tea on the side to cool down, trying hard to return to her elderly-like zen state. This drama had completely shattered all her acting fantasies. She felt her past choice to become a director had been absolutely correct - that way no fool could ever dictate terms to her on set, at most she'd just have to deal with producers and investors.
"You're amazing, getting every scene in one take. You've got such natural talent!" Cao Yangang, also on break after filming, couldn't help praising when he saw Chu Xiaxing nearby.
Although Chu Xiaxing had decided to just coast through The Distant You in My Heart, her acting skills were more than sufficient, completely outshining the other 18th-tier actors - even Director Wang couldn't find fault. Cao Yangang was nowhere near Chu Xiaxing's level, requiring multiple painful retakes for every scene, and with Director Wang often lacking clear direction, it truly tortured everyone on set.
Chu Xiaxing took a sip of tea, glancing at Cao Yangang before responding: "Is that so? But you're actually not suited for this kind of drama."
Cao Yangang had a naturally simple personality. Hearing such direct criticism didn't anger him; instead, he good-naturedly replied: "I probably just don't have acting talent."
Chu Xiaxing: "No, I mean your appearance isn't suited for idol dramas - you've chosen the wrong path."
Cao Yangang's features weren't delicate enough, leaning more toward a tough guy image, even appearing somewhat naive - honestly, his looks directly impacted his casting potential. If he tried playing more rugged, down-to-earth roles, he might actually make it, but going the idol drama pretty boy route was simply ridiculous.
"Oh, so that's what you meant." Cao Yangang scratched his head foolishly, then asked curiously, "By the way, how did you know where I should stand earlier? Even Director Wang wasn't sure!"
Director Wang often randomly tried different actor positions on set, occasionally coming up with new ideas out of nowhere, wanting to boldly try different shots. He usually played it by ear, only to end up scrapping everything.
Cao Yangang had been surprised when Chu Xiaxing secretly guided his positioning earlier, which is why he was now quietly asking. She seemed to have a perfect internal compass, always finding the right mark, as if she could see the monitor's image and knew every camera angle clearly.
Chu Xiaxing recalled the messy filming and felt her anger rise again. She raised an eyebrow impatiently and said coldly: "Because he's a pig, that's why he has no idea."
Director Wang couldn't even direct actors properly as a director. He was probably worse than a pig. At least pork could fetch a high price - he was just a useless waste of space. Some directors would prepare storyboards, more experienced ones would keep the storyboard in their heads, only wastrels like Director Wang would try things randomly on set, wasting everyone's time.
If Chu Xiaxing had expressed such direct dissatisfaction in the past, she would have scared everyone around her into instant silence - no one would dare trigger Director Chu's temper.
However, Cao Yangang was naturally simple-minded and seemed born insensitive to atmosphere. Not only did he not shut up, he cheerfully advised: "You talk like a kid, getting angry at the director. It's fine for us to chat privately, but you should be more polite to Director Wang in person."
Cao Yangang just thought Chu Xiaxing was new to work and didn't know how to restrain herself. He didn't have Xia Hong's ability to read social cues, naturally being immune to Chu Xiaxing's aura and treating her like an ordinary young girl.
He didn't sense Chu Xiaxing's destructive power, mistakenly thinking she was just frustrated with filming and throwing a tantrum. Worried she might offend Director Wang and get targeted, he even kindly offered some advice.
"..." Chu Xiaxing stared at Cao Yangang in disbelief, never imagining there'd be a day when she couldn't even intimidate a 18th-tier actor, and would actually be called a "kid" by them.
Looking at Cao Yangang's dull and blank expression, Chu Xiaxing felt both irritated and amused: "Young man, there's a reason you won't make it big - you really can't read people at all."
Xia Hong came from a privileged background, and although he didn't know Chu Xiaxing's background, he could smell danger and knew who could and couldn't be provoked. Cao Yangang's radar was extremely dull - he couldn't read people's expressions at all, nor could he assess situations, which was fatal in the entertainment industry.
"You'd probably be quite suited for playing straightforward characters in comedies, might even become a specialist at it." Chu Xiaxing teased, knowing Cao Yangang meant no harm, so she didn't get too angry. She just felt his judgment was poor, the type likely to follow the wrong leader.
If actors follow the wrong people when first starting out, they'll inevitably take many detours and suffer unnecessarily. There are too many hypocrites in the industry - without the ability to read people, you're bound to stumble sooner or later.
Cao Yangang confusedly rubbed his head. He felt Chu Xiaxing's words carried a hint of arrogance, but considering her genuine acting talent, he attributed it to her having real skill and therefore naturally having a touch of pride.
In the scorching summer, hot wind brushed faces, making the afternoon on set increasingly unbearable, especially since they were filming outdoors, nearly causing people to faint from heat. Staff members were all sweating profusely, while the cameraman frantically fanned his collar trying to get some relief.
Chu Xiaxing sat waiting in the blazing sun, fine beads of sweat appearing on her nose tip, causing the makeup artist to frequently come over for touch-ups. Everyone was feeling irritable, their eyes fixed on Cao Yangang who was still filming.
At this moment, Cao Yangang was red-faced and panting heavily, having just finished running a lap with all his might. He anxiously looked toward Director Wang in the shade, hoping this take would pass. The extras beside him were equally drenched in sweat, all running out of breath and showing signs of fatigue.
Director Wang sat under the sunshade, crossing his legs as he watched the playback, muttering: "Not good enough, let's do another take..."
Cao Yangang humbly asked: "Director Wang, what's wrong with it?"
Director Wang: "Hard to say, hard to say, let's get another one for safety..."
Another safety take meant Cao Yangang and the extras would have to run another lap. Everyone was already struggling just to walk in the scorching sun, let alone sprint at full speed. Cao Yangang had no idea how to improve, and when he tried to ask for guidance again, Director Wang just brushed him off.
Assistant Li Jing stood beside Chu Xiaxing, quietly muttering: "Why does filming have to be so torturous, going round and round every day..."
Li Jing had never worked on a film set before and didn't understand TV drama production, naturally unable to comprehend Director Wang's methods.
Chu Xiaxing: "That's what happens when you follow the wrong leader."
The director is the set's organizer and commander, needed to coordinate various departments' work. If the director is a clueless fool, then the production is racing down the wrong path - not even eight horses could stop it.
After Cao Yangang and the extras ran another lap, Director Wang still wasn't satisfied with the footage. He pondered thoughtfully: "I think we can do one more take..."
As soon as Director Wang spoke, the crew's resentment reached its peak. Though no one dared complain out loud, their irritation was obvious. The staff were already working in extreme heat, and now they couldn't even complete one scene in half a day - naturally, they were frustrated.
Facing everyone's stares, Cao Yangang grew increasingly anxious. People wouldn't blame Director Wang's inconsistency, instead thinking it was Cao Yangang's poor acting skills.
After all, Chu Xiaxing got every scene in one take, while Cao Yangang always required multiple attempts, and with the weather so hot, emotions were running even higher. In reality, this wasn't Cao Yangang's fault at all - Chu Xiaxing came with built-in skills and didn't need Director Wang's guidance.
Originally, Chu Xiaxing didn't want to meddle, but seeing Cao Yangang about to become the crew's public enemy, she felt somewhat sympathetic. Finally frowning, she said: "The last take was fine."
Director Wang was startled by Chu Xiaxing's sudden voice. He turned around to find her next to the monitor and exclaimed in surprise: "When did you come over here!?"
Chu Xiaxing ignored Director Wang. She glanced at the slate board in the script supervisor's hands and casually pointed at several items, asking: "What are all these shot types?"
The slate board was used to record episode numbers, scene numbers, shot numbers, and take numbers, marking filming content and timecodes. The script supervisor would record which takes the director approved, then pass the slate board to the editor for post-production guidance.
The script supervisor was equally surprised to see Chu Xiaxing but still honestly answered, describing the shots that had just been approved.
After listening, Chu Xiaxing looked at the densely packed slate board and said flatly: "That's enough, no need to shoot more. Post-production already has more than enough material."
Since Director Wang had no clear vision, he wanted to shoot everything, causing the crew's work progress to be exceptionally slow. In reality, experienced directors already know which shots they'll need for editing. In the early days of film stock shooting, when the error tolerance was extremely low, someone like Director Wang would have been beaten for shooting this way - film stock was money!
Back then, Chu Xiaxing would get complaints from producers for shooting just a few extra takes. Naturally, she couldn't stand Director Wang's methods. Even with today's technological advances, digital filming wasn't meant for endless repetition.
Everyone's eyes lit up at hearing "no need to shoot more," but Director Wang, watching Chu Xiaxing's sudden intervention, couldn't save face. He complained dissatisfied: "Hey, who said it's okay? I still have shots to get..."
Hearing his nonsense, Chu Xiaxing's expression immediately cooled. She raised an eyebrow and retorted: "What shots are still missing? Do you want to bring in a drone for an aerial shot?"
The Distant You in My Heart had a low production budget - the crew didn't even have a drone to use. Chu Xiaxing's words were clearly sarcastic. The script supervisor couldn't help laughing at her comment, then quickly covered his mouth, suppressing his amusement while anxiously watching Director Wang's expression, fearing retribution.
Director Wang angrily said: "I'm the director here, I know what I'm doing..."
Chu Xiaxing thought "you don't know a damn thing," but maintained a composed expression and argued confidently: "Fine then, let's be reasonable - what shots are still missing? What haven't we covered?"
Chu Xiaxing had been lazy about dealing with him the past couple days, but that didn't mean she'd let him brush her off casually. When she was sitting in the director's chair back then, he was still playing in the dirt!
Director Wang's face alternated between blue and white. This scene actually didn't lack any shots - shooting more would really require bringing in a drone. Chu Xiaxing's words were actually correct, but he just couldn't tolerate being publicly challenged by a young girl, making him a laughingstock in front of the crew.
Seeing the situation turning sour, Cao Yangang rarely read the room correctly and tried to mediate: "Director Wang, let's do one more take, she was just joking with you..."
Having been offered a way to save face, Director Wang simply stormed off, angrily saying: "What more takes! Move on!"
The long and torturous filming finally came to a temporary halt. While the crew members could catch their breath, assistant Li Jing was terrified by Chu Xiaxing's recent words and actions.
Li Jing carefully said: "Sis, was it okay to clash with the director like that?"
Chu Xiaxing had already walked to the shade to drink water. Completely unfazed by the director's angry glares from afar, she calmly said: "Weren't you annoyed with him too?"
Li Jing said frantically: "...But I'd never dare to confront him directly."
With Producer Xia Hong absent from the set, Director Wang was now the highest authority in the crew. Offending him would definitely lead to consequences.
Cao Yangang was equally frightened. He rushed to Chu Xiaxing's side and tried to persuade her gently: "Come with me to apologize to Director Wang. You'll face retaliation if you don't..."
Cao Yangang knew Chu Xiaxin was standing up for him, but now she too had become a thorn in Director Wang's side, drawing his full resentment.
Chu Xiaxing let out a contemptuous laugh. "Is he worthy?" In the past, she wouldn't have even bothered speaking to someone like Director Wang - even exchanging words would have been beneath her.
Cao Yangang thought she was being incredibly brazen. His jaw dropped at her words, and he weakly said, "...aren't you being a bit too arrogant?"
Chu Xiaxing had originally remembered her agreement with Han Chuning not to pick fights, but when she heard about apologizing to Director Wang, her former quick temper instantly returned. She declared righteously, "Why shouldn't I be arrogant? I've been arrogant my whole life!"
Cao Yangang: "..." Where did this 'whole life' thing come from?
Chu Xiaxing had never been one for humble deference. If she had truly been able to swallow her pride and act courteous, she would never have made it as a director. Without that rebellious streak, she would have been crushed long ago.
"Whoever wastes time on set is in the wrong. He should be grateful I'm not demanding an apology from him, and now he wants me to apologize? Don't even think about it!" Chu Xiaxing flatly refused Cao Yangang. While she was kind and gentle with youngsters like Han Chuning, there were certain professional boundaries she wouldn't cross.
Having no other choice, Cao Yangang could only run back to apologize on Chu Xiaxin's behalf, but Director Wang showed no signs of cooling down.
When filming resumed, Chu Xiaxing had indeed drawn Director Wang's full ire. He kept stopping her during her performance, making her repeat takes four or five times. At first, Chu Xiaxing didn't want to hold up the others and forced herself to continue, but Director Wang's personal vendetta became so obvious that the entire set grew tense!
Caught in the middle, Cao Yangang fidgeted anxiously. He tried several times to ease the hostile atmosphere between them, but to no avail.
Seeing this, Chu Xiaxing lost all desire to continue acting. She dropped her performance entirely and looked directly at Director Wang behind the monitor, asking calmly, "Why don't you explain how this scene should be acted?"
Director Wang mistook this for submission and immediately sneered: "Now you want my input? Weren't you so capable earlier? How come you can't act anymore? I thought you were an even better director than me!"
It had been years since anyone had openly defied Chu Xiaxing. Rather than getting angry, she smiled lightly and said, "I've never shot garbage before, so naturally I don't know how to act in it. I should learn from someone with more experience."
Everyone gasped at these words, and Director Wang's face turned red with rage. No one expected her to speak so bluntly!
Director Wang exploded in anger. He stood up abruptly and retorted, "Such arrogance! Do you think you're Xu Xiancheng, directing 'Aimless' at such a young age? Or do you really think you're Chu Xiaxing - don't tell me you believe you directed 'Blood-Colored Sky'?!"
Xu Xiancheng and Chu Xiaxing were both directors who had found fame young, and their subsequent works remained consistently excellent with few missteps, achieving legendary status in China.
By naming these two famous directors, Director Wang was mocking Chu Xiaxin for not knowing her place, mistaking "Xin" for "Xing"!
Chu Xiaxing paused for a moment, then replied matter-of-factly, "Yes, that's exactly what I think." After all, she had directed 'Blood-Colored Sky' - there was nothing wrong with that statement.
Director Wang was stunned that she dared to agree and compare herself to the two master directors. He was so shocked by her audacity that he was momentarily speechless: "..."
Director Wang: You actually dare to agree! Do you have no shame?