Chapter Sixty-Nine: No Sense of Propriety, Such a Trivial Matter

September 20th, 8 a.m., the set of "Sweeping the Black Tide."

Lin Xing was getting his hair and costume done, preparing for his role as Zhou Bo. Unlike other productions that require makeup, Zhu Ming’s shows always insist on actors appearing bare-faced, aiming for authenticity. As Zhu Ming had declared during the "Script Reading Session," this was a drama rooted in reality—no filters, no heavy makeup. Of course, exceptions were made when the role demanded it.

"Has Feng Qing arrived yet?" Bai Yan, the director of Group C, frowned and asked his assistant, "Didn’t you tell him filming starts at 8:20?"

"I did, and I reminded him again last night," the assistant replied, glancing at the time. "Let me call him once more." He dialed Feng Qing’s number.

Coincidentally, Lin Xing’s first scene after joining the crew was an interaction with Feng Qing. TV dramas never film in order of the actors’ appearances; sometimes an actor’s first scene is a bed scene with the female lead, with no buildup whatsoever—just straight into it.

Lin Xing’s first scene was after his character had turned bad. Zhou Bo wanted to win Shen Ming’s favor and become his godson, so he needed to accomplish something. One of Shen Ming’s troubles was a demolition in the city village, but the village chief refused to cooperate, and his arrogant son showed Shen Ming no respect at all. Feng Qing played this unruly son.

Zhou Bo needed to help Shen Ming solve this problem. Si Tu Hui had chosen a good role for her son—five scenes, with highlights, and essentially just playing himself as a second-generation village brat.

"Director Bai, has Feng Qing filmed any scenes these past days?" Lin Xing, now ready, approached Bai Yan.

Bai Yan shook his head. "No. He joined the crew the same day as you, since all his scenes involve you."

Indeed, all five of Feng Qing’s scenes included Lin Xing. Today was strictly speaking their second scene together.

"Director Bai, Feng Qing will arrive in five minutes," the assistant reported after finishing the call.

"Alright, let’s prepare then," Bai Yan began coordinating, instructing the lighting crew to adjust the lights.

"Sorry, sorry, there was a bit of traffic..." Five minutes later, Feng Qing’s assistant arrived and apologized first.

"Lao Nie, hurry and do Feng Qing’s styling," Bai Yan, though annoyed, kept his composure, urging the makeup team to get Feng Qing ready.

Feng Qing, still looking cool, wondered why his scenes started after ten o’clock.

Ten minutes later, Feng Qing was ready, his appearance unchanged—bare-faced, but with bleached hair and an earring, clearly a street punk.

"Feng Qing, soon you’ll enter the room from outside, with your two lackeys. The staff will bring fruit platters and beer..." Bai Yan explained the scene to Lin Xing and Feng Qing, ignoring the two extras who played Feng Qing’s henchmen.

"Ah Xing, after you get the news, you come in carrying beer."

"Let’s walk through it. Yes, just like that. Double-check your lines."

"After entering the private room, you two speak first—naturally, just like that."

Ten minutes later, Bai Yan said, "Let’s roll."

"Lighting crew, OK."

"Camera crew, OK."

Everyone took their positions. The script supervisor gave the signal.

"Action!"

The private room door swung open. Feng Qing swaggered in, followed by his two henchmen.

"Qing, what are we doing here?"

"Yeah, Qing, didn’t Uncle ask us to keep an eye on Shen Ming?"

After sitting down, the two henchmen asked, puzzled.

"Where is this?" Feng Qing’s face twisted into a ‘ferocious’ grin. "This is Big Phoenix. Yesterday, Zhou Bo, the boss here, was having dinner. Watch my lead."

One henchman worried, "Qing, if it’s just the three of us causing trouble..."

"What if what?" Feng Qing sneered, "Let Zhou Bo try laying a finger on us. In Tiancong District, who dares mess with Hong Village?"

Almost as soon as Feng Qing finished, Lin Xing entered, carrying beer.

"Cut!" Bai Yan called before Lin Xing could even say his lines.

"Director Bai, did I come in too early?" Lin Xing asked hurriedly.

"Ah Xing, it’s not your fault," Bai Yan waved it off, turning to Feng Qing, "Feng Qing, you acted well, but you need to slow down a bit, and keep your eyebrows still."

Bai Yan was being diplomatic. He hadn’t expected Feng Qing’s ‘ferocious’ and ‘sneering’ expressions to be so exaggerated—his features all over the place.

Really, even a street punk shouldn’t overact like this. Worst of all, he seemed intent on displaying the villainous smile of a big-time gangster. Ridiculous.

Bai Yan wondered—Feng Qing’s mother was both an actress and an acting coach; shouldn’t she be correcting him?

"Alright, director, I understand," Feng Qing frowned, "Was I that bad?"

"Not bad, not bad, pretty good," Bai Yan wanted to curse, but kept smiling. "Let’s try again."

The second take showed no improvement. Bai Yan stopped calling ‘cut.’ Even Zhu Ming said nothing, so Bai Yan kept filming.

"Come on, brother, let this be my apology to you. See if there’s anything you like?" Lin Xing lined up the women, smiling, "This one’s a university student from Jinghai, this one’s a student, this one’s an office worker, this one’s a housewife..."

Ten women in a row, representing various professions—all forced to serve drinks due to inability to repay nude loans.

"Is this really okay..." Here, Feng Qing had to portray that, despite falling for the housewife, he hypocritically pretended to object. He should glance at her furtively.

All this needed nuanced acting from Feng Qing, but none was delivered. He simply raised his eyebrow, calling it acting.

So the crucial moment shifted to Lin Xing.

"You stay," Lin Xing pointed to the housewife, then turned to the henchmen, smiling, "You two, pick one too. Go next door and have fun. I have something to discuss with Brother Wang Qing."

The henchmen hesitated, "But..."

"What but? Listen to Brother Bo," Feng Qing whispered, "If you don’t sleep with her, it’s a waste."

Excited, the henchmen stood up and left with the other hostesses.

Now Zhou Bo had to show his ruthlessness. The housewife only wanted to serve drinks, not sleep with clients.

In the script, Zhou Bo threatened her with cold cruelty.

"Come, say it again," Lin Xing touched the back of his neck, smiled at the housewife.

Terrified, she stammered, "Bo, Bo, Brother Bo, I, I... ah..."

Lin Xing suddenly grabbed her hair, coldly articulating, "Do you want your friends and family to receive your nude photos?"

"Do you want the parents of your child’s classmates to get them?"

"Should I invite your husband here and ask his opinion? If he can give me one and a half million, I’ll let you go, how about that?"

He paused, "You know how debts are collected, right? If you treat my brother well, I’ll let you skip a month’s interest."

"Brother Bo, I’ll do it, I’ll do it," the housewife pleaded, "Please don’t bother my family, I beg you."

"See, that’s better. Don’t be afraid, I won’t eat you," Lin Xing released her hair, then smiled at Feng Qing, "Brother, don’t be shy. I won’t disturb you."

Lin Xing stood up.

Feng Qing: "I, I..."

He forgot his line.

Lin Xing’s performance was so realistic that Feng Qing was momentarily lost.

"Cut!" Bai Yan had to call it.

"Are you alright?" Lin Xing immediately apologized to the actress, "I hope I didn’t hurt you just now."

"No, no, I’m fine," she replied quickly.

Lin Xing had tested his grip on his own hair beforehand and rehearsed the blocking with her; there should have been no issue.

But Feng Qing had been thrown off.

Damn.

They had agreed to do this scene in one take to avoid repeatedly pulling the actress’s hair. Feng Qing only needed to say, "Thank you, Brother Bo."

Just that? And he still froze?

Hadn’t Kong Tian said Feng Qing had no more problems?

"Sorry, director, I..."

"It’s fine, it’s fine, let’s try again," Bai Yan shook his head.

If it were any other actor, Bai Yan would have cursed them out long ago. But with Feng Qing, what could he say?

Zhu Ming could see everything happening on all three sets from the studio. He didn’t need to be on set; the executive directors handled things. If Zhu Ming didn’t lose his temper, Bai Yan could only reassure Feng Qing, "You’re doing well."

The morning’s scenes were all shot in the KTV. So far, Feng Qing didn’t think he was performing badly.

"Lin Xing, I didn’t expect you to act so well—almost on par with me," Feng Qing remarked at lunch, "I planned to outshine you, but..."

Pfft!

Han Jin, who played Feng Qing’s henchman, suddenly spat out his food.

"Sorry, I choked," he said quickly.

The others buried their heads in their meals.

Everyone present during the morning’s filming—especially those acting alongside Feng Qing and Lin Xing—knew exactly how Feng Qing’s acting was.

No one said much, especially after learning that Feng Qing was the son of Feng Wei and Si Tu Hui. All they could do was envy him. Truly, birth determines destiny.

But this was a bit too shameless.

Extras who move between productions are seasoned veterans, having seen many actors. Which popular actor is as polite as Lin Xing, both on and off camera? None of them had seen such a thing.

As for acting, everyone thought Lin Xing was decent—much better than Feng Qing.

"Thank you," Lin Xing smiled, "Let’s all improve together, for the sake of the crew."

He understood now: Feng Qing was a privileged young master, shielded by his parents and surrounded by praise since childhood.

No matter how average Feng Qing’s performance was, everyone—extras and Bai Yan alike—praised him.

Even Kong Tian probably praised him.

This child was extremely well protected.

Not that he was a bad person.

He treated extras and staff decently, unlike Li Jingjing, who looked down on staff. He was simply socially awkward—a bit of a fool, as people from Lin Xing’s hometown would say.

He even said Lin Xing was not bad, and explained why he disliked him.

Turns out, Feng Qing used to be close with Wu Yao, and blamed Lin Xing for Wu Yao’s downfall.

Still, this fool was loyal.

Lin Xing suspected the scheming Wu Yao merely used Feng Qing as a tool.

"Right, all for the crew," Feng Qing nodded, "Don’t be too nervous. I’ll try to make it easier for you to follow my lead in the upcoming scenes."

Others could hardly stand it, but Lin Xing just smiled, "Alright."

Truthfully, Lin Xing never cared about Feng Qing’s supposed attitude or provocations. It was nothing.

They were adults.

The next few days, Lin Xing and Feng Qing got along well enough.

On the fourth day, Feng Qing had only one scene left.

This was Lin Xing’s first scene with Wang Fei, depicting the events before Lin Xing’s initial shoot: Shen Ming invited the village chief and his son from Hong Village to dinner to discuss the demolition.

In this scene, the chief played the good cop, aiming for conciliation, while Feng Qing played the bad cop, acting aggressively.

After this, Feng Qing would wrap filming.

A ten-minute scene stretched into two hours.

This time, Feng Qing finally understood what it meant to be rattled.

He was no longer missing lines, but was so shaken by repeated ‘cut’ calls he didn’t know how to act.

Previously, people gave him face and refrained from saying anything, but when you really disrupt the production schedule, that’s a different matter.

As always, society won’t indulge you.

...