novellhall Chapter 73 Why are you still playing games?
Chapter 73 Why are you still playing games?
Because Zhang Yiming provided the money.
He recalled Zhang Yiming's words on the phone yesterday: "When you're shooting your short videos, please also show me the real-life location."
But his reason to Lao Li was different: "I don't like putting my private space online. Besides, the lighting equipment here is complete, the set is professional, and it's convenient to add shots and reshoot later."
Old Li nodded and didn't ask any further questions.
After a period of preparation, we were finally able to turn it on.
This was also the first time Wang Zian had experienced having makeup done.
The makeup artist pressed him down into a folding chair and patted toner onto his face. He instinctively flinched back, and the makeup artist smiled and said, "Don't move."
Zhou Ye sat in front of the dressing table next to him, secretly glancing at him in the mirror, a gloating smile hidden on his lips.
This is also why short videos are so popular; a significant portion of these videos depict people's most ordinary lives, from the filming environment to the people they portray.
At Wang Zian's request, the makeup artist simply did some basic contouring and moisturizing.
Zhou Ye didn't wear much makeup, just a simple touch-up.
The purpose is simply to present a realistic picture of everyday life.
This is also why short videos are so popular.
Most of those viral videos that get hundreds of thousands of likes are not made by celebrities, but by ordinary people like you and me.
At home, in the classroom, or in a bubble tea shop on the street, they show their most authentic selves in front of the phone camera.
Just like the catchphrase on TikTok says—record the beautiful moments of life.
Zhou Ye is just eighteen years old today. His face hasn't fully matured yet, and his eyebrows and eyes still have a touch of immaturity.
She changed into the navy blue tunic V-neck puff-sleeved dress provided by the crew and twirled in front of the mirror.
Her long hair was let down, and the ends were curled inwards with a curling iron, paired with simple earrings.
Full of vibrant energy, it perfectly captures the relaxation and vitality of summer.
After admiring herself in the mirror for a while, she suddenly remembered something and turned around to check on Wang Zi'an.
As I turned around, Wang Zian was just coming out of the men's changing room, looking down and adjusting his clothes.
He wore a black and white striped short-sleeved shirt, black shorts, and clean white sneakers.
The simple, tousled hair was left unstyled, merely tossed a few times by the makeup artist's fingers, and appeared jet black and shiny under the direct light of the overhead chandelier.
He looks quite different when he wears this outfit compared to his usual demeanor.
The clothes he usually likes to wear make him look older than his actual age, but now that he's changed into a school uniform, he looks like he's back to being eighteen.
If he were to wear thin-rimmed glasses and sit in the back row of the classroom, he would look like the top male student in the grade.
Zhou Ye looked at him, his mouth involuntarily opening.
The makeup artist who was adjusting her skirt next to her also looked over in the same direction and paused her work.
Wow! So handsome.
The young woman exclaimed sincerely, forgetting to put down the hem of her skirt, "He looks like the handsome guy from the class next to mine in high school, no, even more handsome than him."
Hearing others say this, Zhou Ye wasn't jealous. She just felt good that someone shared her thoughts.
Her gaze followed Wang Zian as he walked into the set, bent down to check the props on the desk, and then straightened up to confirm the positioning with Lao Li.
"You're not bad either!" The young lady didn't forget to give Zhou Ye emotional support, straightening the last fold of her skirt and patting her on the shoulder.
"Your face is small and delicate, you're sure to look great on camera."
Zhou Ye didn't have time to think much.
Old Li started calling them to go to the theater.
The two began their first shoot.
Their first scene together was simple, just a casual conversation between a couple, but the script was written as a comedy.
Considering that this was their first time officially filming a feature film, Lao Li specially chose the scene with the lowest difficulty.
You don't need to move around too much or make complicated facial expressions; you just need to speak your lines naturally.
The scene depicts Zhou Ye slowly walking into the room with his arms crossed, while Wang Zi'an sits in front of the computer playing a game, which triggers a conversation.
To make it realistic, Wang Zian actually played a game of League of Legends ARAM.
Zhou Ye stood outside the door, took a deep breath, and placed his hand on the doorknob.
"First take, scene one, shot one of 'Daily Life of Couples.' Action."
Zhou Ye pushed the door open and came in.
She walked slowly, her canvas shoes making a soft sound as they stomped on the wooden floor.
She walked behind Wang Zian and paused for a few seconds.
Her gaze passed over his shoulder, landing on the game playing on his computer screen, then on the opened bag of potato chips on the corner of the table, and on his phone next to the mouse.
She frowned slightly, her eyes narrowed, a hint of anger flashing across them, and her tone carried a deliberate accusation: "Are you still playing games?"
This one shot is all the drama it has to offer.
"Click!" Old Li's voice came from behind the camera.
Wang Zian pulled his fingers off the keyboard, and Zhou Ye also loosened his arms. The two of them turned around and looked at Lao Li with a puzzled expression.
Old Li stood up from behind the monitor, smiling awkwardly, "Zhou Ye, you did well; President Wang did well too."
He first offered a compliment, then took a step forward, saying, "However, there's a small problem: the two of you aren't quite in sync emotionally."
He turned to Zhou Ye and gestured a very small gap with his finger. "Teacher Zhou Ye, your emotions were right when you came in, but they need to be more defined."
Seeing him play games is a good reaction, but you could add one more detail.
"When you walk behind him, pause for a few seconds, then gently bite the corner of your lip. Just once, very lightly."
He gestured to the corner of his mouth with his hand, "It's like... everything that happened afterward was on purpose, you were just teasing him." His tone rose slightly.
Zhou Ye unconsciously followed his gesture and bit his own lip, then nodded.
Since it was her first time filming, she had no experience and would just do whatever the director told her to do.
····
The second take begins.
Zhou Ye stood outside the door again, the doorknob being gripped and then released in her palm.
She pushed open the door, walked behind him, and her gaze fell between the back of his head and the game interface on his screen.
She stared at it for a few seconds, her eyes revealing a clear, calculating look.
Then she gently bit the corner of her mouth, a smile she couldn't suppress playing on her lips.
The movement was subtle yet clear, just enough to be captured by the camera.
"Why are you still playing games?"
"What else would you do if you weren't playing games?" Wang Zian asked without turning his head, as he skillfully controlled his game character to take down a siege engine.
Zhou Ye's gaze swept across the table.
She found his phone, crookedly placed next to the mouse pad, along with an opened bag of potato chips.
She crossed her arms over her chest, a hint of genuine disdain in her voice: "You seem quite comfortable."
She reached for her phone, but Wang Zian seemed to have eyes in the back of his head; his hand was faster than his eyes, and he grabbed the potato chips and moved them to the other side.
Zhou Ye wanted to check what was on the phone, but seeing Wang Zi'an's protective expression towards the food, he instantly felt relieved.
She tossed her phone onto the table, held out her hand, and said in an uncompromising tone, "Give it to me."
"There's only one piece left!" Wang Zian refused.
"Don't give me that!"
Wang Zian glanced at her.
Then he took a piece out of the bag, licked it with his tongue from front to back and side to side, and then put it back in and shook it continuously.
Finally, he took out another piece and smiled as he gestured to Zhou Ye.
"Want some more?"
"Cut!" Old Li shouted loudly, "This take is perfect!"
"Hey you, Xiao Yang, open another bag of the exact same potato chips."
Upon hearing the click, both of them relaxed.
Zhou Ye pouted, staring longingly at the potato chips in Wang Zi'an's hand.
The camera only captured the opening of the bag; viewers couldn't see inside.
But she stood there and saw him lick the chip; there was at least half a bag left before he did.
But she's quite greedy!