Why is Han Yu giving him that look? He wonders if Ni Ni has some kind of record of this world's Xi Zirui's previous history with other people.
Not knowing how to respond, he just smiles politely at Han Yu, and closes his eyes, allowing the makeup artists to do their job.
They powder his face and smooth out his long wig, making the hair fall charmingly around his face. The industrial sized fans behind the cameras make it, and his robes, billow gently in an artificial breeze.
He's supposed to be facing Han Yu for this scene, and he notices for the first time, the stark contrast between their robes. Han Yu's character is wearing light green robes, and his makeup is much more subtle, unlike Hai Yaomei's smokey smudged eyeshadow and red eyeliner which makes him looked at once dangerous, and oddly pitiful, as if he's been crying.
Whatever this drama is doing, it's not going for subtlety with the good vs bad dichotomy.
The director, a tall woman with close cropped hair, sits on her chair, and yells, "Action!"
As soon as the cameras start rolling, Han Yu's demeanor changes instantly, gone is the smirk, replaced by a look of wounded betrayal.
He raises his arm, brandishing a sleek silver sword towards Xi Zirui.
"Hai Yaomei, you were my shidi! I would have died for you, and yet you betrayed our sect, created your own Demonic sect and wreaked destruction on Jianghu! Don't think that your reincarnation will erase your past sins!"
Xi Zirui is stunned by the amount of info-dumping in that single line of dialogue, so much so, that he forgets that he's supposed to say his lines back.
Except, he doesn't know what they're supposed to be.
His head is completely empty. The muscle memory he was counting on isn't cooperating either.
What would an evil, but sexy, sect leader like Hai Yaomei say?
The director yells, "Cut!," anger clouding her sharp features. "Let's take it from the top, Xi laoshi, please say your lines on time."
The crew re-sets the setting, and Xi Zirui watches them work with a sense of embarrassment and worry.
Han Yu approaches him with a warm smile. "Is didi still tired, after last night? Maybe we can practice lines together, again, after we finish shooting for today?"
Xi Zirui's eyes widen. Is Han Yu implying what he thinks he is?
"Let gege help you," Han Yu says, almost whispering the words into Xi Zirui's ear.
Oh, it's definitely what he's thinking.
The director yells, "From the top!", saving Xi Zirui from having to come up with something to say.
Of course that doesn't solve the issue, of him having no idea what his lines are. He looks around apprehensively, and his eyes land on Su Xueyi, with his hands shoved inside the pockets of his skinny jeans. He smiles encouragingly at Xi Zirui, when he notices him staring.
That's when Xi Zirui has an idea.
Han Yu says his line again, while the rest of the crew looks expectantly at Xi Zirui.
He opens his mouth, as if to speak, but instead of his lines, his eyes roll back into his skull and he falls on the ground in a dead faint.
---
It's pandemonium after that, as everyone rushes to his side. Su Xueyi is the first to reach him, and, having faked his sudden collapse, Xi Zirui is fully aware of his arms picking him up from the ground.
"I'm going to take him to his trailer, someone call the emergency services," Su Xueyi says.
Xi Zirui continues to fake being unconscious all the way to the trailer, and even as Su Xueyi deposits him on the narrow bed, and takes off his boots.
He feels bad, for scaring everyone, and making them believe something might have happened to him, but he saw no other way to get out of having to act. And it seemed crueler to make everyone wait for him to remember his lines. Which was never going to happen.
After enough time has passed, he groans and tries to sit up on the bed, faking weakness.
Su Xueyi runs to his side, and helps him sit up more comfortably. He arranges the pillows behind Xi Zirui's back, and brings him a glass of warm water.
"How are you feeling?" he asks, watching Xi Zirui drink.
"A little weak. What happened, why are we here?" he asks, hoping some of the original Xi Zirui's acting skills rub off on him when he took control of his body.
Thankfully, Su Xueyi's handsome face doesn't show any sign of suspicion. "You fainted, maybe your blood sugar levels dropped?"
Xi Zirui hums noncommittally, he just wants the paramedics to get there and tell the director and producers that he needs a day off.
They do shortly after, carrying what looks like dozens of different medical equipment into the trailer.
They run a series of tests on Xi Zirui, who does his best to look sickly and haggard.
"He seems fine now, probably just stress and not enough sleep," one of the paramedics tells Su Xueyi. "He should be fine tomorrow."
He doesn't understand why the paramedic is speaking as if he isn't there. Aren't actors responsible for their own health? This is a very confusing world.
"Thank you for your help," Su Xueyi says, and opens the door to the trailer so the paramedics and all their equipment can leave.
Xi Zirui doesn't even have time to breath a sigh of relief, before the director, and a man in a suit who he assumes is the producer barge in.
"What did they say?" asks the man, chancing a look at Xi Zirui. "Is it serious?"
He's wringing his hands in a way that makes it clear his biggest concern is the drama potentially losing a lead actor, and not necessarily Xi Zirui's health.
He would be offended if he wasn't currently faking it.
"Just stress, and little sleep, he should be fine tomorrow," Su Xueyi answers.
The director sighs, running her hands through her short hair. "Can he be fine today?"
Fuck. From the bed Xi Zirui lets out an anguished moan, knitting his eyebrows in pain.
He opens one eye just the barest sliver, and manages to catch the tail-end of Su Xueyi's indulgent smile. "I think it's best if he returns to shooting tomorrow. As a representative of his agency, I can't let him overdo it."
Su Xueyi is an angel, a blessing, Xi Zirui is going to buy him the biggest, gaudiest basket of fruits he can find.
The director and the producer talk some more with Su Xueyi before eventually leaving.
"Are you well enough to walk?" Su Xueyi asks, helping Xi Zirui out of the bed. "I'm going to take you to your hotel, so you can be more comfortable."
And also, practice his lines for the next day. That would be ideal. He tries not too look overeager as he nods.
---
After Xi Zirui switches out of his costume, and into regular clothes, Su Xueyi brings a sleek electric car around, next to Xi Zirui's trailer, and opens one of the backseat doors for him.
The idea of Su Xueyi acting as his driver makes him supremely uncomfortable.
"No, I'll sit on the passenger seat," he says, opening the door himself.
Su Xueyi gets inside the car without another word.
They drive out of the shooting location, and out of the countryside and into a more urban area.
Xi Zirui almost opens his mouth to ask where they are, but realizes in time, that as an actor in the drama he should be well aware of that.
Su Xueyi catches him looking attentively out the window, and flashes him a dimpled smile. "You know, you're not what I expected."
What does he mean by that? Fuck, does he suspect Xi Zirui?
"In what way?" he asks, trying to keep his tone of voice casual.
"Well, don't take offence, but some people at the agency have commented that you can be... high maintenance."
That could explain his manager's frosty demeanor. The original Xi Zirui could very well be a bit of a diva, after basically growing up in the entertainment industry.
Xi Zirui hopes he isn't supposed to continue acting like that. He has no interest in being that kind of person. He just wants to finish this 'quest', or whatever it's supposed to be, and get back to his original world.
Su Xueyi takes him all the way to his room, which is a blessing because Xi Zirui would never be able to find it on his own, and helps him carry his things inside.
The hotel is as expensive as they come, and the production company clearly didn't pinch pennies booking his room. He has an amazing panoramic view of the city skyline, a huge bed, a mini kitchen, and even a separate living room, which the original Xi Zirui saw fit to decorate with dirty clothes and multiple video game consoles. Well, at least there's one thing he has in common with a famous actor.
"Thank you for your help," Xi Zirui tells Su Xueyi, feeling a little awkward, that he made him go through all this trouble.
"It's no problem, just make sure you rest," Su Xueyi says, his friendly grin turns into a smirk, before he adds, "Maybe if you sleep better, you won't have to faint in the middle of shooting because you forgot your lines."
Xi Zirui feels all colour draining from his face. Does that mean that Su Xueyi knew he was faking it and still went along with the farce. "Wait, no, I mean..."
Su Xueyi laughs, and shakes his head. "Hey, it's a free afternoon for me as well, I don't mind. Have a good night, Zirui."
He closes the door behind him before Xi Zirui has the chance to make up any more excuses.
---
The first thing he does is take a bath in the gigantic bathroom in his room, and take off all the makeup. He pins the long, incredibly cumbersome, wig on top of his head, because he isn't sure if he's supposed to take it off, and wouldn't even dare trying.
Once he's relaxing in the warm water, he decides it's in his best interests to learn a little more about the person whose life he's living.
"Ni Ni boot up," he says, speaking into the silver bracelet.
No answer.
He sighs. "Hello, Ni Ni."
Still, no answer.
"Ni Ni, wake the fuck up."
Finally he hears a metallic chime, followed by Ni Ni's robotic voice. "Welcome Host, how can I be of service."
"Show me everything you have on Xi Zirui, and on the current status of 'Demonic Sect Leader, I'll make you fall in love with me!'"
A huge wall of text appears on the translucent screen, broken up here and there, by pictures and occasional weibo posts and status updates.
Xi Zirui makes himself comfortable against the smooth porcelain of the tub, and prepares himself to read through all of it.
---
He's just stepping outside of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy white hotel robe, when he hears a knock at the door.
The sky has already darkened outside, and the surrounding buildings are lit up in a thousand flickering lights, Xi Zirui is momentarily arrested by the view from the large panoramic windows, when the knock sounds again and brings him out of his reverie.
He opens the door and comes face to face with a smirking Han Yu, who doesn't wait to be invited in before making his way inside the room.
"It's too bad your bodyguard got to you before I did when you fainted," he says, sitting down on Xi Zirui's bed. "It would have looked great in photos if I held you up in my arms, the illegal photographers would have gone insane. Weibo would explode."
Xi Zirui has no idea of what he's talking about, but he can only assume he and Xi Zirui are very close, judging by him barging in like this.
"Uhm, do you want something to drink?" Xi Zirui asks, motioning to the sleek electric tea kettle on top of the writing desk.
Han Yu gives him a weird look, and continues talking. "Anyway, some of them managed to sneak in into the hotel, and I made sure they caught me going up to your room. So there will be talk tomorrow anyway."
Xi Zirui has no idea what he means. "Talk about what?"
"About our budding relationship! The thing we have been working on since the beginning of filming to increase interest in the drama, and raise our profile?" He lets out an exasperated sigh, and levels Xi Zirui with an annoyed frown. "Honestly, did fainting rattle your brain?"