Chapter 71: Take Some Medicine!

“Director Qiu, isn’t the emperor being a bit too partial? All of us have been serving him for so long without seeing any reaction, but the moment Consort Rou steps in for her very first scene, his response is so dramatic,” Yao Xiao complained, rubbing her stomach, her insides aching from laughter. In all her years on set, she’d truly never encountered anything so amusing.

“Exactly! She really is the only woman the emperor has ever loved—on and off the stage, it’s a whole different world,” Yu Yuyun teased, her curiosity thoroughly piqued.

Yu Yuyun was the latest diva to emerge, straddling both the music and television industries. Compared to Yao Xiao, she outshone her in experience, popularity, and nearly every other aspect. To put it bluntly, Yao Xiao had to address Yu Yuyun as “sister” and acknowledge herself as a junior.

However, since they belonged to different entertainment companies and had no competing interests, they got along quite harmoniously in private. While they weren’t inseparable friends, no serious conflicts or grudges existed between them.

“This guy—why can’t he hold it together when it counts?” Qiu Xian gripped the script, half-tempted to give Huang Zixue a good kick—not out of anger, but because he was so amused. The fellow was truly making a spectacle of himself.

“Luo Xi, come sit with us for a while. Huang Zixue has to change costumes; it’ll take a while,” Yao Xiao called out to Chu Luoxi, motioning to the empty chair beside her.

“Yes, and he still needs to stop the bleeding! It’ll be a bit—come chill with us,” Yu Yuyun chimed in, her appreciation evident.

Although Huang Zixue had just ruined the previous scene, industry insiders could see the subtleties. Yu Yuyun, for one, could tell that Chu Luoxi was no ordinary newcomer. The poise she displayed rivaled that of all the old hands; in the role of Consort Rou, no one would guess she was still a student if it weren’t mentioned. With talent like this, given the chance, she would soar to great heights. Qiu Xian was clearly supporting her, and rumor had it she had quite the background—her makeup was all exclusive, internal-use only. It was clear that befriending her could be very beneficial.

Chu Luoxi, holding up her elaborate costume, walked over with a sweet smile, embracing her identity as a true newcomer and winning the goodwill of many around her.

In truth, Chu Luoxi understood the mindset of those around her. Beyond the absence of direct conflicts of interest, the matter of the makeup had elevated her status in their eyes. She didn’t intend to explain herself—this situation was more advantageous than not. Besides, she had the talent to stand her ground; as long as she was given the opportunity, she could win her peers’ respect with her own abilities. Why not embrace it? Not everyone gets such a swift entry into the industry, and for this, she truly owed her thanks to Senior Brother Xiao.

No sooner had she sat down than Ding Ju set a glass of chilled water before her. Chu Luoxi glanced at her, assuming she simply had nothing else to do—after all, she hadn’t called for her that morning.

Ding Ju, who’d been holding in her emotions, felt both relieved and a little disappointed when Chu Luoxi didn’t question her. It was like throwing a punch into thin air—she’d prepared herself for an interrogation that never came.

Chu Luoxi, however, had always considered Ding Ju a member of Scenery Entertainment. Whatever she did was her own affair, and, after all, she was here to serve. What was there to criticize? So, with a nod and a quiet word of thanks, Chu Luoxi turned her attention to Yao Xiao and Yu Yuyun’s conversation, as well as the others’ teasing remarks. From the banter, it was clear that Huang Zixue’s reputation as the emperor had taken a real hit.

The jokes and laughter naturally revolved around the relationships in the script; it was only fitting that the emperor was a recurring theme.

Everyone thought the incident would be a passing joke, but Huang Zixue didn’t let things settle; he had another nosebleed in the next take, dirtying a second costume and leaving the whole crew speechless.

After another change of clothes, Qiu Xian set up a different scene, but facing Chu Luoxi, Huang Zixue still couldn’t compose himself. That vivid flush of red was enough to make anyone burst out laughing.

Seriously, was this ever going to end? How much blood could a man possibly have to lose? Wasn’t he worried about passing out from blood loss at this rate?

Once or twice might have been funny, but after several incidents, Qiu Xian was exasperated. He couldn’t even get angry—it was just a natural physiological reaction; what could anyone do?

“Huang Zixue, have your assistant buy you some heat-clearing medicine! At this rate, are we going to get any filming done?” Qiu Xian, seeing the fresh streak of red beneath Huang Zixue’s nose, could only shout in frustration. He was no longer a greenhorn—how could he still be so flustered around women? Though his reaction wasn’t as intense as before, it was still disrupting the shoot. As soon as he got close to Chu Luoxi, his nose would bleed. What was anyone supposed to do?

Huang Zixue was at his wit’s end as well; he hadn’t expected such a reaction, but it was out of his control. The moment he met Chu Luoxi’s tender gaze and saw her crimson lips, that tempting line of dialogue echoed in his mind. After all, he was a normal man; once the thoughts began, they wouldn’t stop.

“Director, let me compose myself for a moment! I drank too much last night…” Huang Zixue tried to save face—he must have gotten overheated, or why else would he be so easily unsettled?

“You’re impossible. I told you to ease up on the alcohol, but you wouldn’t listen! Now look at you,” Qiu Xian scolded, but it was also a way to give Huang Zixue an out.

At first, this might have been a harmless joke, but now, every time he was with Chu Luoxi, there was a problem. That would reflect badly—not only on Huang Zixue’s reputation but also on Chu Luoxi’s future. She was a young woman, a new recruit who’d only joined the crew yesterday and was shooting her first scene today. Any scandal would be terribly damaging.

While hype and publicity are vital for a drama, Qiu Xian didn’t want to use Chu Luoxi for scandal. Not only was it distasteful, but it could also jeopardize her career. He had high hopes for her and didn’t want to rush her development. Besides, with someone as formidable as Leng Daji at the helm, such tactics might not even be allowed.

Thus, in front of the entire crew, as the director, he had to make a statement: he would cover up the incident, and everyone else should refrain from spreading rumors. Anyone who made a living in the industry—unless they had ulterior motives—knew how to behave. Otherwise, if they disregarded professional ethics, it meant they didn’t care about their future in the business.

“So from now until we wrap up on ‘Rivers and Mountains,’ Huang Zixue, you’re banned from drinking,” Qi Yue chimed in, also wanting to protect Chu Luoxi.

“All right, Huang Zixue, take a break. We’ll film something else for now,” Qiu Xian clapped his hands to draw everyone’s attention, making the call. A perfectly good morning was nearly ruined by endless mishaps and retakes—truly, these young people were hard to rely on!