Don't Be Angry (Bonus Chapter)

Director Zhu really wanted to grab Jiang Tingxu by the collar and say, "There's a limit to your double standards!"

Of course, that explained it too.

Director Zhu sighed. "It's rare for the Movie Emperor to meet someone he feels so comfortable acting with. It's only natural that he'd be in a good mood and teach Si You a thing or two."

Everyone nodded. Indeed, Si You had been exceptionally outstanding since joining the crew, and the Movie Emperor valued acting talent above all else. This was what it meant to cherish talent.

Yet in truth, everyone was just comforting themselves.

Because... the atmosphere whenever Jiang, the Movie Emperor, and Si You were together really was different!

"In a moment, I'll stab at you from above and diagonally. Turn like this." Jiang Tingxu explained clearly, guiding Si You's hand through a swing before holding the pose. "Understand?"

Si You said, "Mm-hm."

"Were you listening properly?" Jiang Tingxu asked, leaning closer.

Si You's ears tingled, and he instinctively dodged aside. "I was, I was."

Jiang Tingxu gave him a faint smile, with a hint of teasing in it.

Si You immediately regretted it. What the hell...

Was Jiang Tingxu the one getting flirted with? Clearly, it was him!

While things were progressing smoothly on their side, the martial arts instructor's temple veins were throbbing. Still, he had no choice but to patiently say, "Zhang Tong, focus. Try that move again."

Nobody knew which nerve those words struck, but Zhang Tong looked toward Jiang Tingxu and Si You with an ugly expression. Suddenly, he threw down the sword in his hand. "I'm not practicing anymore!"

The martial arts instructor instantly did not dare breathe too loudly. Artists were delicate, and those with powerful backers were just as delicate. The instructor subconsciously turned to look at Director Zhu.

"Then we'll replace you," Jiang Tingxu said coldly. "Even if it's only a supporting role that appears for two episodes, plenty of people are willing to audition. There are countless people who would cherish the opportunity you look down on. If you want to throw your weight around, go home. We don't indulge that here."

Silence fell over the area.

Jiang Tingxu's words were far from polite. It could be said that he deeply despised actors who treated filming carelessly and without dedication. They held up the entire production without contributing a damn thing. He could not control what happened elsewhere, but for Journey, he was not only the lead actor but also its biggest investor. Whoever he wanted gone had to go.

The only person who could still move freely in the icy atmosphere was Si You. He understood perfectly why Jiang Tingxu was angry. It was only because he had no say right now. If he had his status from his previous life, he would definitely have given them a piece of his mind. So he busied himself practicing the move Jiang Tingxu had just taught him, wielding the longsword with impressive force.

"Learn from Si You," Teacher Jiang commented.

Si You spun around, his robe fluttering as he traced a beautiful flourish with his sword.

Everyone: "..."

Director Zhu was happy to take it easy. He was already considered one of the more upright directors in the industry, but in the current climate, some actors had tangled webs of interests behind them. Sometimes, there was no choice but to turn a blind eye. The drama had to be successfully released for the entire crew to have food on the table. Zhang Tong had been forced into the production by the second-largest investor, who had promised three advertising slots later on. Director Zhu could not easily speak up, but Jiang Tingxu was different. This man could do whatever he pleased.

The moment he heard he might be replaced, and thought of Jiang Tingxu's influence, Zhang Tong became a little afraid. After humming and hawing for a long while, he stiffly forced out, "I'll film it."

"Then practice properly," Jiang Tingxu said in an icy voice.

"Tsk, tsk. He really doesn't know how to be gentle with the fairer sex," Su Ya sighed. "This Zhang Tong is obviously trying to cozy up to the Movie Emperor."

Huahua clenched her fists. "My CP cannot be broken up!"

"Right!"

Si You became more and more fluid in his practice. Finally, he said to Director Zhu, "Let's film our scene first."

Director Zhu waved a hand. "All right."

Zhang Tong was forced to move aside and practice his moves elsewhere.

The longswords clashed with a ringing sound. Lu Tu moved behind Yun Si almost instantly. Feeling his neck being constricted, Yun Si feared that his head would be separated from his body in the next second. He hurriedly pulled down the veil covering his face. "It's me!"

Lu Tu's gaze flickered slightly before he released Yun Si and said in a deep voice, "Did you think I wouldn't recognize you?"

According to the original novel, Lu Tu had been the one to first teach Yun Si movement techniques and martial arts, so his fundamentals could not be hidden. On top of that, Yun Si's title as Qiyun Kingdom's most beautiful man had not been bestowed for nothing. Even if he wrapped himself in a rag, he would still stand out in a crowd. His face was covered, but those eyes were still captivating.

But the problem was that this part was not in the script.

After Jiang Tingxu finished speaking, Si You froze for a moment, then reacted with incredible speed. This was something Jiang Tingxu had added on the spot, because it better suited Lu Tu's character setting as someone who saw through everything and planned without fail.

So Yun Si sheathed his sword and stood firm, letting out a displeased snort. "Is that so? It looked to me like you were dying to strangle me just now."

Ever since their argument in court, the two had not spoken for a long time. When they encountered each other outside Taiji Hall, they merely nodded faintly. Yet with these few words, their relationship was suddenly eased. That complicated bond of teacher and student, of friends and family, finally became a little clearer.

This also gave tomorrow's thousand-mile rescue plot some cushioning, making it seem natural and logical. Otherwise, after things had turned out like that, why would Yun Si save him?

The knot in Director Zhu's heart instantly unraveled. He nodded vigorously. "Yes! That's exactly the feeling! Great addition!"

"Cut!"

Another familiar one-take pass.

"Good! Next, we'll film Si You and Gao Jin's scene together!" Director Zhu said, clutching the script in high spirits.

The General Who Stabilized the Nation deeply disliked the Sixth Prince, Yun Si. He always felt that Yun Si's appearance was too dazzling to be human, more like some demon that bewitched people's hearts. Furthermore, Yun Si was ruthless in his methods, making him even less welcome. Thus, even when Yun Si brought Lu Tu's token to Linguan Gate, informing him that the rebel Marquis Yong'an's son had already been executed and hoping that he would head to Profound Tranquility Gate to form an encirclement and wipe out the remaining rebels, the general did not believe him. He thought Yun Si and Marquis Yong'an had joined forces to frame the Junior Tutor, and conflict immediately broke out.

The General Who Stabilized the Nation had trained in martial arts for many years, his strength hard and powerful. Yun Si, meanwhile, was slender and could only defend himself, ultimately winning through clever use of force.

Si You was already familiar with the choreography. Gao Jin stood three meters away, and Si You felt nothing more toward him. He would finish filming properly, and afterward, it would be best if they never crossed paths again. Si You knew perfectly well what Gao Jin had been planning at that dinner gathering. He simply did not want to tear things apart.

"You both know it now, right?" Seeing both sides nod, the instructor made an OK gesture. "Then let's begin."

Director Zhu was quite confident in them, so he did not personally follow the shoot. He had the assistant director keep an eye on things while he stood to one side chatting with Jiang Tingxu.

"I know Zhang Tong has no potential at all. His acting is a complete mess. But his uncle gave too much. Fortunately, we only have to put up with him for a few days."

Jiang Tingxu said calmly, "I know. You don't need to explain it to me. I was only trying to scare him when I said we'd replace him."

"Zhang Tong..." Director Zhu shook his head, as if recalling something. "He doesn't know his own limits, and he even wants something to happen with you."

Director Zhu was watching the set and did not notice the flash of disgust in Jiang Tingxu's eyes.

Director Zhu was about to say more when he suddenly heard startled cries in the distance, accompanied by the sound of wooden boards splintering. Staff members were screaming. He froze slightly, but Jiang Tingxu was already striding forward.

Si You had crashed into and overturned a prop table, flying completely out of frame. He painfully turned onto his side and cursed Gao Jin's entire family in his heart.

Three minutes earlier—

Gao Jin had repeatedly made mistakes while suspended on the wires. The angle seemed off, so the sequence where he kicked Yun Si and Yun Si raised his sword to block kept failing. Just moments ago, even the wire crew had called out that it was no good, and the assistant director had raised an arm in an X signal. Si You had lowered his longsword, but Gao Jin suddenly swung directly toward him and planted a kick squarely in his chest!

Si You's reactions were fairly quick. He retreated sharply, but Gao Jin's kick still landed. The impact sent him stumbling back again and again until he crashed into and overturned the prop table.

The force was neither too heavy nor too light, but why did it have to be his chest? Si You's vision went black when he fell, and he nearly could not catch his breath.

He instinctively drew in a deep breath, and a long, tearing pain began cutting through his chest.

Si You lay back on his side, temporarily unwilling to move.

Gao Jin landed on the ground, his faint satisfaction turning to hesitation. "Is it really that serious?"

Si You's face went stark white. That was not something he could fake.

Huahua, who was closest, rushed forward, but just as she reached Si You's side, another figure forcefully inserted himself between them. Jiang Tingxu gripped Si You's shoulder and dropped to one knee, then bent down to ask, "How do you feel? Can you move?"

Si You was breathing heavily. Hearing Jiang Tingxu's voice, he barely managed to shake his head.

Jiang Tingxu suddenly turned around, his gaze fixing on Gao Jin with almost feral intensity.

Gao Jin had not expected this outcome and hurriedly explained, "I didn't do it on purpose!"

"You still dare say that?!" Huahua jumped nearly three feet into the air. "The wire crew had already said it wouldn't work, and the assistant director gave the signal too. Yet you used the momentum to rush straight at Si You. Fine, even if you couldn't control yourself, who told you to raise your foot? You kicked Si You in the chest so cleanly and decisively—who told you to raise your foot?!"

Gao Jin's assistant stepped forward. "Don't make false accusations!"

Huahua was shaking with rage as she pulled out her phone and muttered, "Just wait until I tell Brother Yuan!"

At that moment, Si You struggled to sit up, but Jiang Tingxu caught him. The man pressed him into his arms, instantly draining every bit of strength from Si You's body.

Si You felt as though he had suddenly entered his twilight years. He found a comfortable nest and stopped moving altogether. As he endured the pain, he heard Jiang Tingxu's low voice, heavy with the promise of a coming storm. "Where's the surveillance footage? Pull it up!"

It was not until they were nearly at the hospital that the bloody taste trapped in Si You's chest finally eased.

They were riding in Jiang Tingxu's nanny van, the same one they had arrived in, and it was spacious enough. As for being carried in Jiang Tingxu's arms, Si You had already developed an immunity to it. Now, leaning against the man's shoulder, he felt the stiffness binding his limbs gradually fade away. His breathing was no longer held by an invisible thread, where even the slightest movement made his whole body ache.

When he opened his eyes, Jiang Tingxu's jaw was tightly clenched, and his lips were pressed into a hard line. Si You could not help gently blowing on him.

Jiang Tingxu abruptly lowered his head.

Si You did not know that cold sweat at Jiang Tingxu's temples had soaked through his hairpiece and was trickling out from beneath it.

"Feeling better?" Jiang Tingxu asked.

"Mm." Si You's voice was hoarse. "Don't be angry."

Jiang Tingxu thought, What kind of thing is that to say? Right under my nose—how could I not be angry?

Jiang Tingxu merely answered, "All right." Then the vehicle came to a stop, and the door was pulled open from outside. Jiang Tingxu hooked an arm beneath Si You's knees and steadily carried him out.