My Landlord is an Idol Singer - Chapter 190

On the set of A Little Thing Called First Love. Yun Yinxue, playing Xiaoshui, was dressed in a white school uniform covered in her classmates’ signatures. Opposite her stood A’Liang, also in a signature-filled uniform.

The two faced each other by the poolside. Beyond the iron gate, Xiaoshui’s three best friends stood anxiously watching.

Today was graduation day, the day Xiaoshui finally made up her mind to confess to A’Liang. This scene was the soul of the entire film, the pivotal turning point. Everyone in the crew held their breath, watching the two actors at the pool’s edge.

But this was already the third time the director had called “cut.” In this cold weather, Yun Yinxue had already fallen into the pool twice, and once they hadn’t even started before it was stopped. Her lips were purple from the cold, and she’d already changed clothes twice.

Lai Jingming’s expression was dark. Yun Yinxue, who had always been the most stable performer on set, was performing unusually poorly today. Maybe it was the weather, maybe she hadn’t managed to shift into the right state.

“Take a break.” Gu Zhinan sighed, unable to bear it. He called over the makeup artist to bring extra clothes and even a hand warmer for her.

“Director Gu, I’m… I’m sorry.” Yun Yinxue lowered her eyes. She had been the steadiest one throughout this First Love movie, but now, so close to the finale, she was dragging everyone down.

Gu Zhinan’s face softened. “It’s not your fault. This film should’ve been shot in late summer or autumn. Shooting now is already too hard on you all.”

“It’s my fault too. I wasn’t in the right headspace. Sorry.” Chen Yuze admitted guiltily. The weather had been pulling him out of character all morning.

“Everyone take a rest, adjust your state. Sister Zhou, please make sure Xiao Xue keeps warm. Don’t let her catch a cold.”

The makeup artist helped Yun Yinxue back to the RV. Gu Zhinan patted Chen Yuze’s shoulder. “Your acting was weak today. If the camera hadn’t been focused on Xiao Xue, the problem point would’ve been you.”

His bluntness cut like a knife, but it was true.

Chen Yuze lowered his head, frustrated. He knew he’d been struggling. The pressure of acting opposite Yun Yinxue only made it worse.

“We’ll rest now. Skip lunch break, we’ll shoot again at noon when the sun is strongest. It’ll look better anyway.” Lai Jingming waved his hand.

After checking that Yun Yinxue was fine in the RV, Gu Zhinan came back. Lai Jingming was sitting by the pool with Situ Hongwei. When Gu Zhinan sat down, Situ finally spoke. “If the actors can’t get into the right state, this scene will be delayed. Today’s weather is the best we’ll get, clear and sunny. Only the cold gives away that it’s winter.”

“Mm. We’ll try again at noon. But if it doesn’t work, we won’t force it. Their health matters more.” Gu Zhinan dipped a hand into the pool. The icy water made his face tighten. He had underestimated how cold the south could get in winter.

While they talked, they noticed Chen Yuze standing in his spot, rehearsing his lines with the camera in hand, trying to get into A’Liang’s mood.

“Yuze works hard. When you weren’t here, he often repeated takes by himself at noon, trying to enter the role,” Situ said with a smile.

Gu Zhinan’s eyes lit up. “Go bring Xiao Xue out. I’ll act the scene with Yuze, maybe it’ll spark something for them.”

Though he only had a “replica” of the original in his mind, he wanted to see if he could express it himself. The books he’d been forcing himself to read about acting and directing were finally coming in handy.

“What’s going on?” Yun Yinxue’s face was still pale. Clearly, she hadn’t fully recovered yet.

“Director Gu wants to try acting with Yuze. You should watch, maybe it’ll inspire you.”

“Ah?” Wrapped in a heavy coat, Yun Yinxue came back to the poolside. She saw Gu Zhinan standing in front of Chen Yuze.

He was slightly taller than Chen Yuze, and now he was going to play Xiaoshui? It looked more like he was about to throw a punch than confess love.

“Alright, I’ll try Xiaoshui’s part. It might be awkward, but watch closely. I’m not a professional, just giving it a go.”

“Okay.” Yun Yinxue mustered a smile. Everyone on set was buzzing, this was the first time they’d seen Director Gu act. And he was going to play a girl in a confession scene? Excitement filled the air.

Chen Yuze’s nerves spiked. He knew better than to underestimate Gu Zhinan; the man had a way of cutting straight to the truth.

“Start!” Lai Jingming called out.

Gu Zhinan’s expression shifted. He recalled the original version of the scene, trying to reproduce Xiaoshui’s emotions. Everyone stared. The strange mismatch of roles hung in the air, but no one laughed. This scene mattered too much.

Gu Zhinan immersed himself in the character, recalling what he’d read, trying to replicate the expressions and movements. But something was off.

He knew it. Lai Jingming and Situ Hongwei saw it too. Yun Yinxue understood instantly, Director Gu was facing the same problem she had. He couldn’t bridge the shift from secret crush to open confession.

“Zhinan, imagine the person you’ve loved for a long time doesn’t like you back. If you confess, it’ll ruin everything.” Lai Jingming’s voice was soft, meant only for Gu Zhinan.

Gu Zhinan froze, his dark eyes suddenly deep, unreadable. Why ask him that now? He didn’t know how to respond. The script blurred in his head. He took a step back unconsciously.

“Zhinan!” 

“Director Gu, watch out!”

Before he could react, he missed his footing and fell straight into the pool, dazed. “Damn it!”

Lai Jingming rushed forward to pull him out. “I was just joking! Did you really have to?”

The freezing water jolted Gu Zhinan back to himself. Now he understood what Yun Yinxue had endured when she fell in. “I’m fine. Just slipped.”

Climbing onto the shore, dripping wet, he glanced at Lai Jingming with a calm face. “Fatty Lai, you can buy your own dinner tonight.”

Then he walked off toward the RV to change into a spare costume.

“Director Gu, I understand now,” Yun Yinxue suddenly said, smiling. She had seen the shift in his expression before he fell, the pain and struggle of confession.

“Good luck,” Gu Zhinan replied with a faint, forced smile.

The cold cut to his bones. Even his heart didn’t feel like beating anymore.