Love Contract chapter 4
Hidden Rules
He Yujing’s new single was titled “Fading Colors,” and the MV told a story about inspiration and love.
A moderately well-known painter, trapped in a creative bottleneck, goes out to relax and falls in love at first sight with a beautiful young man he encounters by chance.
The two then fall deeply in love. The painter draws continuous inspiration from his lover, producing new works that receive widespread acclaim.
In the MV, He Yujing would play the painter, and Jiang Liusui would play the lover who symbolizes inspiration. There would be many intimate scenes between them. Until flipping to the next page, Jiang Liusui still thought it was a sweet and light story.
But everything took a sharp turn.
The lovers, immersed in their intense affection, believed that their passionate romance would last forever, but the painter unexpectedly proposes a breakup without warning. They have an intense argument in the rain, with the lover crying and pleading, while the painter turns his back and leaves.
The pain of losing a beautiful romance pushes the painter to break through himself once again, creating an unprecedented masterpiece that led to genuine fame.
It was a very selfish story with a bit of artistic temperament. Beneath the romantic love was a cold indifference to the outside world, revealing a certain degree of self-fulfillment obsession from a certain perspective.
“This script is really quite trashy,” Assistant Ding Yan, a young man with a baby face and about the same age as Jiang Liusui, commented. “Mr. He is actually playing a heartless character.”
Jiang Liusui imagined He Yujing’s face, which was particularly captivating even with a simple smile, and thought he naturally suited the role of a scumbag.
“Actually, it fits him quite well.”
Ding Yan muttered, “He’s quite bold. Isn’t he afraid of being criticized?”
“It’s not as serious as you think. It’s just a story; no one will take it out on him personally,” Jiang Liusui smiled, “If it’s done well, he’ll definitely get praised. Besides, aren’t all artists a bit eccentric?”
Ding Yan thought for a moment and agreed, “Well, you’re right.”
While Jiang Liusui was getting his makeup done, Ding Yan went out to get him a drink. The shooting location was a small western-style house with a garden. Ding Yan wandered around for a while and returned, saying, “This is the first time I’ve seen such a grand setup for an MV.”
“Yes, just setting up the real scene took over a week,” the young makeup artist, who had been with He Yujing’s styling team for several years, said. Her hands were steady and skillful, applying makeup with precision and efficiency. “The overall style was personally decided by Mr. He.”
As the makeup artist finished the final touches, she said to Jiang Liusui, “Look, it’s all done.” She couldn’t help but exclaim, “Really… Your facial features are so good! You look great no matter what.”
Jiang Liusui stared at himself in the mirror for a while.
“Why does it feel a bit improper?” Jiang Liusui couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow slightly. His eyelashes were already long and thick, and now with the light-colored contact lenses, his eyes looked misty, almost electric.
As his expression changed, the beauty in the mirror mirrored his look, becoming more vivid.
“Like a seductress.”
“Pfft, you really know how to joke.” The makeup artist, looking quite adorable, said, “It’s a requirement of the production team to make it a bit more glamorous. I heard that your role was originally female in the script, and it was only changed to fit you after you were chosen. So, the makeup was done to emphasize a softer look.”
Jiang Chuan, who was tied up with work, told Jiang Liusui to contact him if needed and specifically instructed Ding Yan to pay extra attention.
As they entered the shooting location, all the staff were already in place, and the props team was adjusting the lighting. Jiang Liusui walked past the director’s team and greeted Wu Qi.
This was his first face-to-face meeting with Wu Qi, as the audition for “Liu Jing” was done through video recording.
Wu Qi’s gaze slowly scanned Jiang Liusui’s face, revealing undisguised amazement, and then he smiled, “I’ve never seen you in person before. I didn’t expect you to stand out so much.”
He patted Jiang Liusui’s shoulder, as if naturally and subtly hinting, “This is your first time filming an MV, right? Perform well later.”
Jiang Liusui paused for a moment and then smiled back.
He thought Wu Qi’s behavior was a bit odd, but Wu Qi didn’t pay him any more attention and instead continued discussing the set arrangement with the prop team.
Not far away, some noise caught Jiang Liusui’s attention. A tall, young man emerged from another makeup room, talking on the phone and occasionally laughing or scolding. His assistant followed closely behind.
He Yujing wore a loose orange sweatshirt with a black printed bomber jacket over it and casual pants. Such bright and bold colors aren’t suitable for most men, but on him, they looked fashionable and casual, perfectly suited to him.
On the phone, Chi Lianxi seemed to be concerned, “I heard you’ve been desperately searching for someone to shoot your MV. Do you need my help as a favor?”
“Get lost.”
“I’ll give you a friendly discount, seven figures,” Chi Lianxi said with a touch of seriousness. “When I win an award at the end of the year, my price will be even higher.”
He Yujing scoffed, “You said that three years ago. Go win an acting award in your dreams.”
“…” Chi Lianxi nodded, “Alright, if you don’t need it, fine. Later, you’ll be begging me to shoot and it won’t help.”
“I’ve already found a suitable candidate,” He Yujing asked with curiosity, “Besides, with your looks, what would I need to beg you for?”
Chi Lianxi had been in the industry for many years, and although his acting had been criticized, his looks had not. He couldn’t help but laugh at He Yujing’s sarcastic remark: “Is the person you found really that much better looking than me?”
He Yujing, who initially didn’t want to chat further, casually glanced at Jiang Liusui not far away, and his gaze lingered.
He contemptuously mocked Chi Lianxi, “A hundred times better looking than you.”
He Yujing immediately drew everyone’s attention when he appeared, and Wu Qi hurried over to greet him. Jiang Liusui saw him hang up the phone and walk over: “Teacher He, we meet again.”
He Yujing casually nodded, “Weren’t you calling me ‘Ge’ a few days ago? Just call me that.”
He had actually seen his Weibo post.
Jiang Liusui was surprised for a moment, then addressed him as instructed: “Yu Ge.”
“Mm.”
He Yujing responded and then lowered his head to continue looking at his phone. Seeing this, Jiang Liusui didn’t try to strike up a conversation again.
Having the chance to exchange a word with He Yujing was a dream opportunity for many. Considering the chance to get to know someone better, one should make the effort to talk to them. If Jiang Chuan were present, he would definitely scold him for not understanding social etiquette.
The morning shoot began in the middle of the script. This segment depicted the passionate phase of a painter and his lover, requiring many intimate scenes.
The studio had been elaborately set up as the couple’s love nest. Papers with painted artworks were scattered on the floor, and the walls and ceiling were covered with colorful paintings—some painted by the artist alone, others done together with the lover. Beige blankets extended from a low bed in the same color scheme to the wooden floor, with soft, fluffy, and varied-shaped pillows scattered around. The main color of the space was clean white, but the decorations everywhere made it look romantic and artistic.
The painter was absorbed in his artwork, while the lover quietly approached from behind and hooked his arm around the painter’s neck. As the painter turned around, the lover’s face broke into a sweet smile—
“Cut!” Wu Qi shouted sharply, “Jiang Liusui, your movements are too stiff! You’re in the passionate phase; he is your most beloved person. Even if you’re just gazing at his back, you should show tenderness. Don’t just go through the motions like a wooden puppet!”
Having been called to stop right after the scene started, Jiang Liusui didn’t think much of it and apologized, “Sorry, I wasn’t in the right state.”
Wu Qi pointed out several areas for improvement, and Jiang Liusui agreed to each one. The shoot resumed.
The camera slowly zoomed in on a pair of slender feet, with faint blue veins visible on the white skin, stepping forward on the carpet.
Jiang Liusui kicked aside the pillow by his feet and walked gently to He Yujing’s back, bending down to hook his neck.
“Cut!” Wu Qi’s cold voice cut through, “You can’t be so hasty. Your hand movement is wrong, and it ruins the atmosphere!”
Jiang Liusui subtly frowned.
He always felt that Wu Qi was calling for cuts too quickly, and the reasons seemed a bit forced. But since the director said so, it might indeed be that his acting wasn’t good enough. He suppressed his extra thoughts and said in a gentle tone, “Sorry, let’s try again.”
However, it wasn’t long before Wu Qi called for a cut again, citing Jiang Liusui’s expression as unnatural. This continued back and forth, and after more than an hour, there was still no progress.
The continuous takes made the atmosphere on set increasingly tense. During one take, Wu Qi directly interrupted the performance.
“You’re too deliberate with the camera angles!” He sighed, appearing somewhat helpless, “Let’s take a break and try to find the feeling.”
Jiang Liusui stood silently. He Yujing turned around, sitting casually with his hands resting on either side.
He suddenly spoke with a hint of ambiguous curiosity, “Is it difficult to act intimate with me?”
Jiang Liusui met his gaze but didn’t know what to say: “No…”
He Yujing interpreted his silence as confusion and chuckled a bit, “Just kidding. I’m not that scary, am I?”
After saying that, He Yujing stood up: “Take a break.”
He walked over to the side with a calm expression, and his assistant quickly handed him water while the makeup artist came over to see if he needed any touch-ups. Wu Qi thought for a moment and walked over to him, whispering, “Teacher He, Xiao Jiang isn’t quite getting into the role. He might need a few more takes. Please be patient with him.”
He Yujing, having been in the industry for many years, was used to all sorts of people. He sensed that something was off about the morning’s shoot but chose not to comment, vaguely saying, “Director Wu, you know Jiang Liusui is someone I personally selected. Please make sure to guide him well.”
“…” Wu Qi was momentarily puzzled by his meaning and eventually smiled, “I’ve heard about it before and thought it was a role chosen by your company. Your taste is good; his appearance is indeed suitable for this script…”
He Yujing didn’t respond this time, and Wu Qi continued to say a few words of praise.
…
…
After the break, they finally managed to shoot a few usable scenes, albeit clumsily.
The morning shoot had been quite unsatisfactory. Wu Qi frequently pointed out Jiang Liusui’s mistakes, and the surrounding staff whispered and cast occasional glances at Jiang Liusui.
Noticing the subtle atmosphere on set, Ding Yan brought lunch to Jiang Liusui during the break, feeling somewhat sorry for him: “You’re clearly performing so well, and I don’t see any issues. But Director Wu just keeps nitpicking—”
“Shh,” Jiang Liusui signaled Ding Yan to stop talking and said quietly, “Director Wu is a big director; his standards are naturally stricter.”
Not long after he spoke, Wu Qi, biting his cigarette, directly called out to him: “Xiao Jiang, come here. I want to discuss the scene with you.”
Jiang Liusui put down the unopened lunch box and followed Wu Qi to the corridor outside the villa’s living room.
With no one around, Jiang Liusui thought Wu Qi would provide a detailed explanation of the issues, but Wu Qi instead casually threw his nearly finished cigarette butt on the carpet and stepped on it to extinguish it. He suddenly spoke, “You previously auditioned for ‘Liu Jing,’ didn’t you?”
Jiang Liusui looked at Wu Qi in surprise, not expecting him to bring it up: “Yes.”
“To be honest, that role was more suitable for you in all aspects, but the production team wouldn’t have chosen you from the start,” Wu Qi’s gaze lingered on his white neck as he spoke slowly, “If you follow me, you can get roles in all major productions. Not just the second male lead; the first male lead is also a possibility.”
“…”
“I can support you and provide you with more and better resources,” Wu Qi’s words were laced with undisguised desire as he smiled confidently, “More famous than ‘Liu Jing,’ something that could make you famous overnight…”
In Wu Qi’s eyes, the easiest to tempt were these unknown small-time actors. He had probably tried his hand with countless similar individuals, always testing those he was interested in, and had never failed.
Moreover, it was obvious to anyone with clear eyes that Jiang Liusui’s casting for “Liu Jing” was purely a formality. Anyone would be holding back their frustration in such a situation.
At this point, Jiang Liusui should be gratefully accepting the olive branch.
Realizing Wu Qi’s intentions, Jiang Liusui’s polite smile faded, and he met the wrinkled eyes in front of him with a neutral expression.
“I’m sorry, but I have no intention in that direction. If you don’t wish to discuss the scene, I’ll take my leave—”
Wu Qi interrupted him: “Your acting is fine, but I’m not satisfied with you.”
Jiang Liusui coldly looked at him. Despite being rejected, Wu Qi wasn’t angry; rather, he was even more interested.
The kid seemed to have a good temper but hid an untamed pride. Both his looks and personality were very much to Wu Qi’s taste.
Though he enjoyed beauty, he rarely used such direct means to coerce actors. After all, it was best when both parties were willing; coercion not only created trouble but could also lead to disputes. However, Jiang Liusui’s face was irresistibly tantalizing, and he became interested the moment they met in the morning.
During the “Liu Jing” casting, he knew the financiers had already settled on Tang Xiao, and the rest were just there to fill in. He hadn’t even watched Jiang Liusui’s audition tape. If he’d known about this person earlier…
No, it was not too late to meet now.
“This MV is a rare opportunity for you. Do you know how many models and actors have fought over it?” Wu Qi’s tone changed, “If you can’t perform, there’s always someone waiting to take your place.”
Jiang Liusui’s pupils contracted for a moment, confirming the worst guess he vaguely had in the morning, and his mood dropped abruptly.
Wu Qi intentionally found various excuses to block his role from advancing. With his director status, as long as the reason was appropriate, others in the crew would only think the actor’s professional skills were lacking. Continuously blocking the role and delaying progress would eventually lead to dissatisfaction throughout the crew.
He had to either bow to Wu Qi and accept the hidden rules or be eliminated and lose this MV opportunity.
… Damn it! This bastard.
Jiang Liusui cursed inwardly.
He was really experienced in doing dirty business.
Wu Qi didn’t explain his intentions at first, hit him with a stick, and then tried to sweeten the deal. If it were a slightly timid actor, they might have been intimidated.
Knowing he understood the pros and cons, Wu Qi feigned a heartfelt tone: “You should seize this rare opportunity. You’re so young; if you make the right choice, you’ll surely achieve great things in the future.”
“I have high hopes for you, Xiao Jiang.”
Seeing Wu Qi take a step forward, reaching out as if to touch him, Jiang Liusui subtly avoided him, suppressing his anger and saying, “Thank you for your kindness. However, being young and inexperienced, I really can’t seize some opportunities.”
If it weren’t for the circumstances, he’d really want to throw this old pervert out.
He was old enough to be his father, yet his mind was full of these improper things. Didn’t he fear falling ill one day?
Wu Qi raised his hand to indicate he wouldn’t advance any further and smiled, “Don’t speak too soon. Think it over.”
Jiang Liusui gave him a cold glance and turned to leave the corridor.
Ding Yan, seeing him return and sit down without a word, anxiously asked, “What happened, Suisui? Did Director Wu pressure you?”
“… It’s nothing.” Jiang Liusui mumbled, opening the already cold lunch box. Seeing this, Ding Yan quickly stopped him: “Wait! I’ll heat it up for you.”
Jiang Liusui absently agreed. He was so disgusted by Wu Qi’s coercion that he couldn’t eat much for lunch.
Until the afternoon before shooting started, he still harbored a sliver of hope, just hoping Wu Qi wouldn’t continue to harass him after his clear rejection.
But as soon as the shooting began, Wu Qi escalated the situation, demanding a retake of the morning’s scenes due to poor results. He presented it convincingly, and with him being a renowned director, others in the crew didn’t see any issues.
“…” He Yujing glanced at Wu Qi but the latter avoided his gaze, slightly guilty.
The clapperboard snapped.
“ACTION!”
Jiang Liusui bent down, hooking his fingers around He Yujing’s neck from behind as he painted. Despite appearing relaxed, his clenched fingers were almost digging into his palm.
The sudden demand for a retake clearly seemed like an excuse to continue creating trouble, perhaps because of his refusal. Wu Qi seemed determined to put him in his place.
Jiang Liusui lowered his head, burying his face in He Yujing’s neck. He smelled a faint scent from him, different from last time; He Yujing had changed to a floral fragrance that softened his aggressive aura.
Shen Sijia had mentioned many times that her idol’s character was straightforward and proud, not fond of such lowly tactics.
During their first encounter, He Yujing helped him at the club because he couldn’t stand seeing him in trouble.
Should he trust this person once? Especially since there was no better alternative at the moment.
…
When Jiang Liusui looked up, he suddenly said, “Yu Ge.”
They were a distance from the camera and crew, and the scene required them to lip-sync and pretend to speak. Jiang Liusui spoke softly in a voice only He Yujing could hear.
He Yujing raised his eyebrows slightly and turned around, speaking softly as well, “What’s wrong?”
“Director Wu is doing this on purpose,” Jiang Liusui said, leaning in as the script required, his forehead touching He Yujing’s, “He wants me to agree to a certain.. request of his.”
They were so close that their breaths seemed to intertwine. Jiang Liusui whispered for help, “I haven’t agreed, and I don’t know what he might do. Maybe he’ll find a way to replace me or—”
He Yujing interrupted, “He doesn’t have that kind of power. The casting is beyond his control.”
Jiang Liusui was momentarily stunned by what he heard, unable to maintain the loving expression on his face.
“It’s you that I chose.”
“Cut—!”
“Jiang Liusui, what’s going on?” Wu Qi, surprised by his deviation from the scene, said sternly, “What kind of expression is that?! You’re supposed to be acting out a romantic scene, and here you are changing your face?”
He Yujing looked at Wu Qi, seeming like he wanted to stand up, but Jiang Liusui urgently grabbed the hem of his sweatshirt.
“Don’t go…!”
This wasn’t the first time.
He Yujing thought.
He found that Jiang Liusui’s look at him was like a fluffy little kitten. But today, with makeup, he resembled a little fox.
The vague premonition he had earlier matched Jiang Liusui’s words. Although he wasn’t sure if what Jiang Liusui said was true, he felt emotionally inclined.
He Yujing sat back down, indicating for him to continue.
Seeing that He Yujing seemed to believe him a bit, Jiang Liusui steadied his heart:
“Words are not enough. I’ll go to Director Wu and pretend to agree to his requests. Have someone listen to our conversation. If it proves what I’m saying, I hope you can make Director Wu ease up a bit, at least to finish this MV properly.”
In this industry, no one liked to meddle in others’ business. Speaking to He Yujing was a gamble, and he was actually very anxious.
If He Yujing didn’t agree, he’d just have to let things go. After all, he couldn’t afford the penalty for breach of contract and couldn’t agree to Wu Qi’s shady deals. He’d just drag things out; in the end, the most urgent one would be He Yujing if the MV wasn’t finished. But if it got to that point, it would be quite embarrassing, and he’d offend both He Yujing and Wu Qi, which would be the worst-case scenario.
The man in front of him frowned, seemingly unwilling to accept his request.
Jiang Liusui’s heart sank.
He Yujing said softly, “You’ll be at a disadvantage if you do this.”
Jiang Liusui was stunned, then heard him say, “There’s no need for you to verify. I’ll handle it.”
Seeing that he was willing to intervene directly, Jiang Liusui’s eyes widened involuntarily.
“But if you are lying to me,” He Yujing said with a half-smile, his expression carrying a chilling intensity, “I’ll make things even worse for you than Wu Qi could.”