The Movie Emperor, I Can't

After Si You cleared the game, had dinner with Jiang Tingxu, and woke from a good night's sleep, Qian Su drove over to take them to the set.

Director Zhu truly had an "iron will." He was clearly in poor spirits, practically slumped in his chair with a thermos in his hands, his head drooping slightly to one side.

When he saw Jiang Tingxu and Si You, Director Zhu reluctantly sat up straight. "You're here?"

Si You held back a laugh. "Don't drink so hard next time. Why put yourself through that?"

Jiang Tingxu took Director Zhu's thermos, unscrewed it, and glanced inside. "Goji berry tea. Very health-conscious."

Director Zhu snatched it back and snapped, "Film!"

Director Zhu was indeed stuck in an awful state, unable to get up or down. Only good performances from the leads could lift his spirits a little.

Today, Jiang Tingxu and Si You had a scene together.

They were filming out of sequence now, so they had to handle two scenes today. One was Sixth Prince Yun Si and the protagonist Lu Tu gradually going their separate ways, clashing in court over their differing beliefs. The other was Lu Tu being poisoned, with Yun Si traveling a thousand miles to bring the life-saving remedy. The former was easy to film; the latter was difficult.

Director Zhu and Jiang Tingxu had both told Si You that Yun Si's feelings toward Lu Tu were extremely complicated. There was gratitude for saving his life, respect for teaching him, and the contradiction of being "mired in the mud" himself while hoping the other person could "shine brilliantly." This mixture of emotions meant Yun Si's sincere heart was destined to remain unknown to the world, and even to Lu Tu.

While Jiang Tingxu filmed today, Si You did not sit nearby on a little stool and watch. He hid in a corner, pondering these things more and more deeply.

The court scene went very smoothly. It tested their command of dialogue.

Director Zhu gradually straightened up from his pancake-like slump, a certain light bursting from his eyes.

The dispute in court marked the beginning of Yun Si and Lu Tu clearly parting ways. Yun Si was not so much debating as trying to persuade him. The restrained calm he had cultivated during his period of concealment turned to ash, and he nearly flushed with anger as he "corrected" Lu Tu's thinking. But who was Lu Tu? The entire court stared in shock as the Junior Tutor remained calm and indifferent, while the Sixth Prince completely abandoned his usual manner, with several lines nearly cracking his voice.

But it was useless. Lu Tu's gaze remained as steady as a mountain, pressing down until Yun Si could barely breathe.

We are not on the same path... The thought surfaced in Yun Si's mind. His features were already strikingly beautiful, and the flush on his face only made him more dazzling. Yet there was a sorrow in those lovely eyes that Lu Tu could not understand.

Yun Si staggered back two steps, keenly feeling something in his heart completely collapse. After trying so hard for so long, he and Lu Tu had still ended up on two different paths. He wanted to seize power and make Lu Tu his trusted minister in expanding his territory. But Yun Si did not understand that his killing intent was too heavy, his brutality too deep. Once he stood in a high position, it would always be the people and officials suffering beneath his thunder and rain. So Lu Tu could never choose him. Lu Tu wanted a wise ruler who shared his ideals and could work hand in hand with him to restore the realm. And that person would not be Yun Si.

Yun Si stared blankly at Lu Tu. A mist seemed to rise in his eyes before quickly vanishing. After a moment, Yun Si gave a faint, self-mocking smile and cupped his hands in salute. "The Junior Tutor is wise. Tingzhu is ashamed to compare."

Yun Si had lived in the Cold Palace as a child and had never been given a courtesy name. The name "Tingzhu" had been bestowed by Lu Tu, in the hope that he would become green bamboo beneath the courtyard—unafraid of wind and snow, retaining his noble and steady character even if trapped within a small space.

Lu Tu was briefly moved, though neither Yun Si nor anyone else noticed it.

Lu Tu also cupped his hands in salute. "Your Highness flatters me."

As Yun Si turned away, his eyes met Lu Tu's. The flames of their conflict had faded, leaving only the desolation of two people bound for different paths.

Yun Si had been born with tender, captivating eyes. He seemed to want to say something, yet perhaps it was only Lu Tu's illusion. Those bitter feelings that sank into his heart were known only to Yun Si. At the same time, he knew Lu Tu would never accept them in this lifetime. Even if he tore out his heart, bloody and raw, it would probably look black, filthy, and rotten in Lu Tu's eyes. From the moment he began moving against the Crown Prince and attempting to shake the rightful succession, Lu Tu had already sentenced him.

There was no going back. Yun Si closed his eyes, then opened them again, leaving only icy darkness. He cast everything behind him and walked at an unhurried pace toward the violent storm outside the hall.

Lu Tu watched his retreating figure, seeing through everything yet remaining silent.

"Cut!" Director Zhu stood up, unable to hide the delight on his face. "Very good, very good! This is exactly the feeling I wanted!"

Si You immediately braced himself against a red pillar outside the hall, took a deep breath, and slowly pulled himself out of character.

Half of Director Zhu's cells still seemed soaked in the lingering effects of alcohol. He swayed slightly as he walked, while the assistant director carefully followed at his side, afraid he might fall.

"Si You, you've truly opened my eyes!" Director Zhu praised.

It was not just Director Zhu whose eyes had been opened. Who among those present was not utterly shocked?

The previous scenes had been minor, but today he was acting opposite Jiang, the Movie Emperor. That low, probing gaze carried such distinct force that merely being swept by it made one's entire body tense up. Yet Si You had caught it!

The two even traded blows with each other, instantly drawing everyone into the scene.

Si You forced a smile at Director Zhu. "Can the next scene wait a bit?"

Director Zhu understood. Lu Tu had never held any attachment toward Yun Si from beginning to end; only Yun Si's emotions were endlessly complicated. Si You needed to keep switching between them.

Jiang Tingxu walked over and gave Director Zhu a look, signaling for him to move aside first.

Director Zhu: "..."

Jiang Tingxu unscrewed a water bottle and handed it to Si You. "It's hot. Drink some."

"Thanks." Si You accepted it without thinking and took two sips. The warm water slid down his throat, instantly calming him considerably.

Heh. Director Zhu saw it all clearly. The blatant stench of romance left him speechless. Thinking back to Jiang Tingxu in the past, he would not even let others touch his belongings. Now he was eagerly offering them up like treasures. Just look at how cheap he was acting!

"Eek, eek, eek..." Strange sounds rose from behind him. Director Zhu turned around and found Si You's assistant Huahua huddled together with the female lead, Su Ya. They were whispering as they watched Jiang Tingxu and Si You, their faces full of the look of people who had found something to ship.

Director Zhu: "..."

Gao Jin stood in the shadows with his arms folded. After watching for several minutes, he turned and left.

Sun Wenzhu had initially been dissatisfied that Si You was someone who got roles through connections, but now he was convinced. If this scene had been given to him, he definitely would not have done as well as Si You.

Perhaps today's scene had satisfied Director Zhu to a great extent, because he suddenly stopped being so demanding. Wanting to give Si You time to recover, he arranged the thousand-mile rescue scene for tomorrow. At this point, quality clearly mattered more than quantity.

Si You let out a breath of relief. One night was enough. More importantly, Jiang Tingxu's acting was too good, pulling him headfirst into the role.

At last, Si You noticed that the thermos had an excellent texture. If he had to describe it, its exterior was understated yet luxurious, but every detail proclaimed, "I'm very expensive."

"Are the crew's thermoses this good?" Si You marveled.

Jiang Tingxu glanced at him. "It's mine."

Si You: "..."

Holding the thermos, Si You suddenly felt awkward and overheated. In the past, he would have immediately returned it to Jiang Tingxu. But Jiang, the Movie Emperor, had personally admitted that he liked him...

If Si You's emotions could take physical form, the wings behind him would have been standing straight up.

The person who confessed first would inevitably give the other person some confidence. Relying on that confidence now, Si You not only failed to return the thermos, but instead held the body of the cup as though warming his hands.

Si You coughed twice without speaking, and Jiang Tingxu acted as though nothing had happened.

"Ahhh!" Huahua breathed rapidly. "Did Jiang, the Movie Emperor, give that... to Si You?"

Su Ya's voice was thin and soft. "No! What Jiang, the Movie Emperor, meant was, what's mine is yours!"

"Ahhh!" The two girls huddled together and screamed again. Then Su Ya swiftly pulled out her phone. "I remember there's a Jiang-Si fan forum!"

Seeing that Su Ya was one of her own, Huahua immediately spilled everything. "I'm a moderator. Come on!"

"You're amazing, sis!"

"Boohoo, there's this big-name artist in there who makes absolutely delicious fan art. You have to check it out!"

Next, they filmed several fight scenes.

One scene involved the Feng Emperor's younger brother, Old Marquis of Yong'an, staging a rebellion. Several characters formed a brief alliance.

The actor playing the Yong'an Marquis's youngest son was named Zhang Tong. He was the real person who got roles through connections. Si You had overheard Director Zhu complaining to the assistant director that if it were not for the investment and whatnot, he never would have agreed. Fortunately, the role was not important and only appeared for two episodes. Zhang Tong would lead a fierce rebellion, then be cut down by Lu Tu with a single sword strike before Taiji Hall. He was basically minor cannon fodder. In Si You's opinion, they could have tied a dog there and it could have played the part, given that he only had a few lines. Yet Zhang Tong really had something going on—his dialogue with another actor took five NGs!

Once they finally got through it, it was time for his fight scene with Jiang Tingxu.

The surrounding crew fell silent as they watched Jiang Tingxu knock Zhang Tong's weapon flying for the third time.

Zhang Tong smiled awkwardly, though there was no real apology on his face.

"Sorry, Movie Emperor." Zhang Tong's voice was obviously put-on. His natural tone was rather low, yet he deliberately raised it slightly to sound youthful and energetic, while also trying to reveal a hint of cuteness. As a result, it sounded strange.

Jiang Tingxu's expression was faint. "I didn't use much force just now."

"Really?" Zhang Tong's looks could only be considered decent, and coupled with his acting problems, he truly did not catch Jiang Tingxu's eye. Yet Zhang Tong himself seemed quite confident. "Maybe the Movie Emperor is just too strong. You work out a lot, right?"

What a clumsy attempt at flirting! Si You sneered inwardly.

"I'm not familiar with that move just now." Zhang Tong gestured with his sword. "Would it be convenient for Jiang, the Movie Emperor, to teach me?"

Jiang Tingxu turned around. "Where's the martial arts instructor?"

"Here, here, here."

Jiang Tingxu was brief and direct. "Teach him."

The smile on Zhang Tong's face could barely stay in place.

Then Jiang Tingxu looked at Si You, who was standing nearby watching the drama unfold, and raised an eyebrow slightly.

A bad feeling rose in Si You's heart.

"Still watching?" Jiang Tingxu sounded faintly displeased. He was not angry; instead, it carried a touch of intimacy. "Come try the wire work."

Si You: "...Fine."

Yun Si led the Imperial Guard to provide reinforcements and rescue the emperor, but because he had played a little trick and was wearing the enemy's clothes, he initially clashed with Lu Tu and the others. Only after Yun Si removed the veil covering his face did he say, "It's me!"

During this, Yun Si exchanged two moves with Lu Tu. Lu Tu deflected his sword and retreated, then swiftly moved behind Yun Si and, in a flash, locked an arm around his neck.

But when deflecting the sword, the blade was heavy. Si You's wrist strength could not keep up, and when his sword struck and scraped against Jiang Tingxu's, his own longsword fell to the ground with a clang.

Si You smiled. "Let's do it again!"

But when he touched the sword hilt, a strange feeling welled up inside him. Si You did not know what he was thinking. After picking up the sword, he looked up at Jiang Tingxu with a half-smile and teased, "What should we do, Movie Emperor Jiang? I'm not familiar with this move."

Jiang Tingxu gazed at Si You, then stepped forward to stand behind him. From behind, he nearly enclosed Si You completely in his arms. Then his palm covered the back of Si You's hand, his voice low as he spoke each word distinctly. "I'll teach you."

Si You's mind buzzed.

Why the hell was he flirting so recklessly...

Seeing this scene, Director Zhu took a huge bite out of the bread in his hand.

This dog food was being forced down his throat whether he wanted it or not.