After the ceremony, it is scheduled that the male and female lead would begin shooting the first scene.
But on take one, the female lead suddenly crouches down and holds her stomach tightly. Her skin goes pale and she starts to sweat. People are shocked and the scene grows chaotic.
The director is also spooked and doesn’t have time to consider whether this will impact the fortune of the affair . He calls out to his assistant, “get me doctor Zhou,” because the movie is a martial arts drama, there is always the risk of injury, and with the ample funds they hired an on-call doctor.
Who knew they would have had to call him in on day one.
After that the director quickly heads for Hou Yueting, telling people to give her some space before asking, “how are you feeling?” Weren’t you just fine up until just now?
“Thanks for asking. I’m fine,” though Hou Yueting’s face is as pale as a sheet of paper. Her forehead is covered in sweat.
The second female lead quickly shouts, “are you for real? Everyone who isn’t blind can see that you’re unwell. If you’re feeling bad just tell the director. We can send you to the hospital if we need to. If… You say you’re alright, then what if your condition starts to worsen because you kept dallying? Who’s going to be held responsible?”
Though she really isn’t mincing her words, but they’re all legitimate concerns. Nobody says anything in response. It’s a sort of tacit acknowledgement of what she said.
Hearing that, Hou Yueting’s pale face starts to blush, and she tries to bury her face into her legs.
That is when her personal assistant rushes ahead and say, “sorry director, and sorry everything. It’s that time of the month for her, and it’s especially severe for her. We’re really sorry,” she is still holding a warm cup of bubble tea. She was probably away just now to buy it for her.
Everyone “…”
How unexpectedly bashful, especially for someone in the entertainment industry.
But still, given Hou Yueting is just 22, and being from such a background, it isn’t entirely surprising.
That is when the second female lead says, “you can’t even remember when your time of the month is?”
Everyone “…”
The assistant says, “we’re sorry but…” But then Hou Yueting raises her head. It is still pale but also with flushed cheeks. Maybe it’s the embarrassment, or maybe it’s from the pain as well. Though, that said, it might look cute to others, even if no one would think her cute in this situation.
“I have a mild case of hormonal imbalance caused by an endocrine disorder, so my day of the month would fluctuate. I’m sorry,” she says rather strongly in tone.
Her assistant helps her to her feet and says, “director He, I’m helping her to the nanny van first. There’s medicine inside.”
That is when the doctor arrives, and after hearing a brief description, he also says, “sure, quickly carry her to the van to rest,” he can’t do much in this situation either, as he’s just a doctor here to provide emergency treatment for broken bones or bruises and whatnot. He’s definitely not a gynaecologist.
Thank heavens she brought her own medicine.
“Thank you director, and Dr. Zhou as well,” she says while moving towards the nanny van leaning on her assistant.
“Does it really hurt that much?” An extra actor asks someone nearly quietly.
“Of course it does. You’re not female, then I guess I should say it hurts like me punching you down there. That’s how much it hurts.” The second female lead heard him and replies.
Liu Yu’an glances over. That’s quite the statement.
But then she continues, “so remember to treat your future wife better.”
The director chuckles next to her, “yeah, Murui is right. Remember to treat your spouses better.”
Then, he turns to give an order to his assistant, “tell Hou Yueting to take a rest at home. I can push her parts back a bit,” he would rather not have any potential liability on set.
“Alright.”
After that, the director quickly looks over to Liu Yu’an.
He is certain that Liu Yu’an’s acting is the best of the bunch. If it wasn’t for Zhou Jiahe and Hou Yueting being the leads, he would much rather have Liu Yu’an start the shooting.
Maybe he should have followed his heart after all. Now great, suddenly the first scene shooting is completely halted. What a bad sign.
The director actually starts to get angry after the fact, which is showing in his expression.
So he goes past the male lead and directly tells Liu Yu’an, “we’ll start with your scene.”
“…” Liu Yu’an says, “director, I haven’t had make-up applied yet.”
He didn’t have any scenes today so he was just here to watch.
“Then go get it done right now,” the director says and tells the assistant to go get the make-up artist with him.
He’s made up his mind – Liu Yu’an will begin the first scene. His acting is the best, so he’s most likely to pass without NG.
The male lead seems to be surprised by the choice, but decides against saying anything, and moves to take a seat at a chair nearby.
When Liu Yu’an gets into the dressing room, he doesn’t let the make-up artist do the make-up for him.
What make-up the Emperor of the Yaoguai applies is a very complicated process that nobody but him knows best, given he’s had to do it for more than a hundred years himself. It’s formed muscle memories by now, even.
And to be honest, before, when the make-up artist did his make-up for the stylised photo, Liu Yu’an was dissatisfied.
The Emperor should appear seductive and vivid, but the make-up artist made it all dull and completely broke his character. He remembers the director being pissed that time as well.
Though he was just a third male lead and they had very little time, so they made do with it back then.
Liu Yu’an didn’t say anything back then given he isn’t someone to lash out for something like that on-scene, but this time he would much rather he did the make-up himself.
When Liu Yu’an stopped the make-up artist, she sounds very pissed off, looking at Liu Yu’an like she’d rather tear him to pieces, “if you did it yourself, then who’s gonna take the blame when it fails?”
She doesn’t want to be doing make-up for him in the first place. Now you’re telling her he doesn’t approve of her skills anyway?
She’s obviously justifiably mad.
“I’ll be responsible for my own actions,” he says and ignores the pufferfish-like make-up artist and starts to do the make-up himself.
So, when the director impatiently enters the room to see for himself, this is the scene he sees, and is shocked.
“Liu Yu’an, what are you doing?!” From the entrance, he can only see Liu Yu’an’s back, and most of his face in the mirror is blocked as well.
“Doing make-up,” Liu Yu’an replies nonchalantly, “it’ll be done soon. Director He, please wait a little longer.”
“Wait, don’t! Please, don’t mess about anymore!” The director is fuming so much he’s incoherent.
What a day.
What a bad, bad day.
Thankfully his heart is healthy, or he’d have had a heart attack or two by now.
Oh, my actor, my dear actor, even if you can do modern make-up, I need a dynastic-style make-up right now!
The director is pressing on his own chest to calm down when he notices the make-up artist sitting nearby. He quickly moves over to start lambasting her when Liu Yu’an says, “I stopped her from doing my make-up.”
“You…” The director turns towards him, still fuming.
That is when Liu Yu’an has finished his make-up, and turns around himself…
And shocks both the director and make-up artist to no end.
He looks… just like the Emperor himself.
The director quickly takes the headpiece from the make-up artist’s hand and hands it over to Liu Yu’an, hurrying him, “put it on your head, right now, let me see!”
He sounds even more desperate than before.
Liu Yu’an doesn’t say anything and starts to wear it.
Because he hasn’t put it on before, so he has a bit of difficulty adjusting it. The director couldn’t wait anymore, and also helps with it himself.
After Liu Yu’an has finished wearing the headpiece, there’s practically stars sparkling in everyone’s eyes in the dressing room, especially for the make-up artist.
When she recalls the make-up she applied to Liu Yu’an last time, she suddenly feels embarrassed.
Seriously? The actor could apply better make-up on himself than those done by people specialising in them? Jesus, what does that leave them? Is this damned Liu Yu’an taking revenge for the shoddiness of the make-up their team gave him last time around so they would get fired by director He?
Thinking so, the make-up artist gives Liu Yu’an a fierce glare before looking back at the director, who is now excitedly saying, “good, excellent! This is the Emperor I had in mind, very good!”
He seems to have completely forgotten about scolding Liu Yu’an, and now tells the stylist, “quick, get the Emperor’s clothes here.”
His face is beet-red from the adrenaline, it seems.
“…” Liu Yu’an speaks up, “director, I should go get dressed now,” it’s not like he can get changed in the dressing room.
“No need,” then director He yells out to the stylist again, “quickly!”
“Director, I need to get changed, but there are people here,” he isn’t expecting him to publicly undress here, is he?
That would be quite the rude gesture, to say the least.
“Oh, right,” the director finally realise he’s gotten a bit too excited, and points over to the door, “then go inside.”
Then he tells the stylist, “follow him and help him put on the gowns.”
“Alright.”
Liu Yu’an then says, sighing, “I know how to put the gowns on.”