Finally, they called "cut." The set remained very quiet, with no staff coming over to disturb them. The basement was in such disarray it was almost frightening. Debris and shattered glass covered the floor, broken furniture lay scattered, and the carpet was stained with blood. A feeble white light struggled to seep through the gaps in the curtains, with dust dancing in the beams. A bright red apple rolled across the floor, stopping at their feet. Jin Jingyao opened his eyes. Li Ling still held him tightly, her hands cradling his head. Her eyes were closed, and she was still crying, her fingertips trembling. Her hands shook, her whole body quivered, like the earth trembling, with the heart at its core beating slowly. He silently watched her, from a distance closer than the camera. She seemed to love him deeply, with a surging, endless affection. But he knew this love was A-Ling's for Zhou Jing, and had nothing to do with him. He was just very fortunate to have borrowed another's body. Sunlight crept inch by inch up the mottled wall, illuminating Li Ling's face. Tears streamed from her eyes, like the purest diamonds. Had anyone ever told her that she looked truly beautiful when she cried? Perhaps not, as not many people had likely seen her cry so sorrowfully. She had told 9787532754335 that she didn't like crying in scenes. Even when He Wei repeatedly threw her into the water, she stubbornly refused to cry for him. So, Jin Jingyao didn't really understand why she always cried in his films. He hadn't written it into the script, nor had he asked her to do so. She cried so many times that he began to suspect she was like a mermaid who had swallowed poison, destined to melt away at sunrise. Leaving a field of knife blades for him. Every time he saw her cry on set, his heart felt uncomfortable. Now it felt even worse. It beat in a strange way. Jin Jingyao moved slightly in her arms, not really intending to do anything, but it already caused her to panic. Li Ling held him even tighter, pressing his face to her chest in a completely protective gesture. She was too deep into the role, unable to break free from A-Ling's character. Her fingertips dug deeply into his skin, as if trying to tear a hole in him. Her tears soaked his face, neck, and shoulders, like coarse sand, grinding into him painfully. For some reason, he felt a subtle, almost painful happiness. Perhaps he hadn't left the role either. He gently parted his lips, catching her tears. Still salty. As if he had kissed her eyes. Everyone in front of the monitor held their breath, watching the pair of actors on screen. A strange, tense atmosphere, like cold yet scalding waves, filled the air, bitter and salty. Li Ling was crying, almost losing herself in it. Jin Jingyao, held in her arms, watched her calmly. His gaze was so focused and calm it was almost frightening. If he were to turn her face and kiss her now, it wouldn't be too surprising. But it was clear he wouldn't do that. Jin Jingyao sat up slightly, turned around, and hugged her, gently patting Li Ling's back. He said to her, "It's okay." "It's all fake, don't be afraid." His tone was gentle, but it carried a detachment and clarity different from Zhou Jing's. Li Ling was stunned for a moment, perhaps slightly coming back to her senses. Through her tear-blurred eyes, she looked up at him. Her vision was so hazy that his blood-stained, scarred face didn't seem too frightening, but rather had a kind of broken allure. He smiled at her, lifted her face with his fingers, clumsily and carefully wiped away her tears, and then pulled her into his embrace. The young man's figure was so tall that he could completely hide her. They turned their backs to the camera, no longer visible. This moment belonged only to them, unrelated to the movie. - "We discussed the design of this shot for a long time. The director originally wanted to pay homage to Michelangelo's 'Pietà'," the assistant director explained to the camera. He displayed an image of the 'Pietà'. The Virgin Mary cradles the crucified Jesus Christ, her expression compassionate and serene. Christ lies on Mary's lap, his limbs and head naturally drooping. They are not intimate, but filled with divinity. The assistant director then explained that this was a typical example of Jin Jingyao's creative thinking. His compositions are filled with a lot of religious metaphors. Although he studied in England for many years, his aesthetic leans more towards Italian classical cinema, heavily influenced by Fellini and Antonioni. During the rehearsal, Li Ling and the director indeed tried this action. However, during the actual shoot, she did not perform it that way at all. She held Zhou Jing tightly in her arms, her lips pressed against his wound. She looked so pained that even her breathing seemed to hurt. Did she do it on purpose, or did she forget the director's design? Maybe she was just too emotional. She was not the Virgin Mary; she was not that important. She was just an insignificant person, just A-Ling, loved by Zhou Jing. Seeing her lover lying in a pool of blood, she could no longer be rational. The Virgin Mary would offer Jesus Christ to heaven. But she loved Zhou Jing with all her heart and only wanted to keep him in her embrace. Jin Jingyao's cinematic language did not include "love"; he was never good at expressing love. Li Ling's performance, however, filled this void of love. "I see, I think Teacher Li's change is very good," said another person from the director's team. "Indeed, if we followed the original shot design, it would have been too cold, too strange." "Just like every previous film by the director, with a kind of surgical precision, clear rhythm, and rigorous logic, but without any emotion." Another person said, "But the shot has been changed beyond recognition. Will the director ask for a reshoot?" "Probably not." "How do you know?" A few people chimed in, pretending to be mysterious, but the answer was obvious to everyone. The assistant director solemnly pointed the camera lens at the monitor on the set and said in an overly sentimental tone: "Because these two have been hugging for half an hour after finishing this take!" "Yes, dear audience, you heard it right, half an hour!" "—Post-production team, please add a lingering love song here, thank you." This was a new idea the assistant director had recently come up with, and it had received unanimous approval and cooperation from the director's team. Without seeking the director's consent, he secretly filmed a behind-the-scenes documentary of the crew, capturing the two main actors' moments on and off the set. He even had a name for this documentary: "Did the Director Improvise Today?" Before shooting this love story, Director Jin had never improvised. Improvisation requires the actors' spontaneous reactions, but in his films, actors were no more important than stage props. Their existence was to serve the completeness of the picture and the artistic expression of the creator, no different from a table, a lamp, or an apple. But now, everything was different. The camera has always chased after Li Ling, rather than her being constrained and limited by it. She repeatedly stepped out of the script, and the director always tacitly approved, even encouraged her recklessness, and adjusted his pace for her. He had never shot a film in this way before. For the assistant director, this approach itself, even more than the script, perfectly matched his definition of a "romantic film." He continued to enthusiastically explain to the documentary camera. Teacher Xiao Liu, holding a toilet brush, suddenly passed by the camera with a haughty expression. He yawned and said, "In that case, why not simply call the film 'Did the Director Get Slapped Today'?" "Or maybe 'Did the Director Fall in Love Today'." He pondered deeply. The camera quickly focused on his toilet brush, and the others stood in awe, saying in unison, "Teacher Liu, you're the best!" - In the end, they didn't continue hugging because Jin Jingyao finally smelled the scent of blood on Li Ling. The smell was faint, almost indiscernible, but like a shark in the deep sea, his expression immediately turned fierce. "You're hurt again?" He questioned Li Ling expressionlessly. From the word "again," Li Ling already sensed the seriousness of the situation. She tried to cover it up, saying, "No, I'm not." Her words were so unconvincing that even Xiao Liu wouldn't believe them. Jin Jingyao pressed her arm and, without a word, lifted her skirt to see her legs covered in bruises and numerous cuts from broken glass. Though none were deep, they were still shocking at first glance. His expression could no longer be described as merely gloomy. Earlier, in the scene, Li Ling had dragged her leg all the way, always appearing very calm, as if her leg had no feeling and wouldn't hurt. Up to this point, one could barely praise her dedication. But even after the scene was over, she hadn't said a word for so long. He didn't know whether to be angry at his own dullness or at her for not telling him about such a thing, wondering what she was trying to hide. He thought their hug after the shoot was to comfort her, to help her get out of character. Little did he know, she was still enduring the pain to cooperate with him. What a hypocritical comfort. How ridiculous. Not only did Jin Jingyao's face turn extremely ugly, but the staff who rushed over also exclaimed, "Damn, Teacher Li, how did you get so badly hurt!" "Why didn't you say anything earlier!" Li Ling smiled sheepishly, trying to comfort everyone, "It's really fine, it just looks scary, it's not that serious..." The medical staff came over to treat Li Ling's wounds. They were originally prepared for the stuntmen in the action scenes, but ended up being used for the leading actress. Li Ling's expression remained relaxed, even having the energy to joke with them. Until her gaze met Jin Jingyao's extremely gloomy eyes, she felt that if she continued talking, she might really get hit, so she cautiously shut her mouth. After her wounds were treated, her familiar old friend, the wheelchair, was brought over. She said helplessly, "Director, this isn't necessary, I can still stand..." "Shut up." "Yes, Director." Li Ling obediently mimed zipping her lips. This still did not please Director Jin, who looked at her with a cold and severe gaze, like a judge staring at a recidivist criminal. In fact, it was indeed so. Li Ling had been injured while filming more than once. He warned her that if her injury continued to affect the filming schedule, her stay with the crew would be extended beyond two weeks. For some reason, upon hearing this, Li Ling felt a secret joy in her heart. "Yes, Director," she said obediently. "It's all my fault. Please don't pay me anymore." Jin Jingyao sneered, "You're overthinking it. You owe me money. Do you know how much it costs to halt production for a day?" Li Ling was taken aback, finally realizing the severity of the situation. She began to cling to him, saying many flattering words with a dry mouth. No matter what she said, his expression remained indifferent. The problem was serious. She was going to go bankrupt. Jin Jingyao pushed her out of the set. The sky had darkened, and the shadows of the trees outlined secret shapes. The contours of the mountains were also indistinct, like indifferent gazes. Li Ling started to make small talk again, "By the way, Director, did you watch the playback just now? If that take wasn't good enough, I can do it again anytime..." Jin Jingyao felt the string in his mind finally snap. He stood in front of her, pressing down on the wheelchair's armrests with both hands, his body slightly leaning down, but his shoulders were very tense. In the shadow, the young man's facial expression was hard to discern, but the lines of his jaw were very sharp. "Li Ling." He rarely called her by her name, so every time he did, it inevitably felt shocking. A cold wind swept across Li Ling's face. She felt the pressure, the hairs on the back of her neck standing up, and she dared not speak recklessly anymore. He stared directly into her eyes, with a depth and coldness almost as if carved by a knife. "You are my actress," he said word by word. "I will never need you to make any sacrifices for this film.""