Chapter 45 - I’ve got this Celebrity’s back (5)
Chapter 45: I’ve for this Celebrity’s back
The black bean noodles were really delicious.
Strictly adhering to the no-hugging-no-eating rule set by the little paparazzo, Film Emperor Gu held the person in his arms as he ate a whole bowl of noodles and finished off the side dishes as well. Only after he had finished everything, did he contentedly put down his chopsticks.
Although the result was a little different from what he had expected, the ‘unexpectedly met with difficulties’ Lu Deng still smoothly adapted to the situation. Amidst the distressed reminders of the system, he leaned back against the other’s familiar embrace.
He had done a lot of taste tests while he’d been making the dishes and now he didn’t feel hungry. After eating a few bites of noodles with Gu Xi, he shook his head to refuse; he didn’t want anymore. He continued to fiddle with his camera.
“What pictures did you take?”
He had never seen a camera that could directly retouch pictures. Gu Xi’s only guess was that this was some sort of new camera among paparazzi. Gu Xi leaned forward curiously and rubbed the head lying against his shoulder. “Can I have look at it?”
Without hiding the camera again this time, Lu Deng’s eyes curved into a smile and he nodded. He generously opened the display to show him.
Although this gift that he had brought back with him from a futuristic world had an antique appearance, its functions were still much more powerful than the ones in this world. Even the candidly taken photos were plenty clear enough, the focal length was precise and the light was just right. In Gu Xi’s opinion, he couldn’t even tell if there was any need for retouching.
The professionalism of paparazzi nowadays was getting better and better.
Most of the photos taken by Lu Qingzhou did not contain any offensive quality. He only took pictures of the working conditions of the crew. He even took more photos of the scenery than of the people. The film shooting that was nothing more than a dull and ordinary set, appeared to be deceptively expansive in his photos.
“They should ask you to shoot the official for the drama. The audience would had millions worth of funds. These are very classy.”
Gu Xi couldn’t help but chuckle. He rubbed his hair and praised him sincerely.
Even after so many worlds, he was still very happy to hear the other praise him. Lu Deng looked up at him. He then handed over his camera to Gu Xi, a bright glittering light in his eyes.
Gu Xi smiled at him and took the camera. He continued to slowly flip through the photo while he unobtrusively pulled the other deeper into his arms.
The air conditioner was really cool today.
Guessing that Lu Qingzhou was pleased at being praised, Gu Xi used almost all his knowledge reserves from school and meticulously admired everything from the play of light and shadow to the photo’s composition. Seeing the blush on the little paparazzo’s earlobe spread to his cheeks, Gu Xi couldn’t help his smile from growing bigger. He flipped to another photo, preparing to shower another round of praises, when he suddenly stopped.
It was a photo of him.
It was probably taken just after he had finished shooting a scene. Gu Xi’s shirt was drenched with sweat, standing in the dazzling sunlight. Everyone around him was either lying lazily or comfortably under their umbrellas, enjoying the cool air. They all knew that he had just shot three scenes in a row but no one was willing to move.
The only empty recliner was under the sun and his things were piled up to the side in a mess. The metal support rods reflected the brilliant rays of the sun. Just by looking at it, you could already tell how hot it must be from being exposed to the sun.
The focus was on him and the faces of the people under the umbrellas weren’t clear. However, it was precisely because they couldn’t be clearly seen that it was especially easy to invoke limitless conjectures.
Unlike the other beautifully-composed photos, this one seemed to be just a random snapshot. The picture was even a little fuzzy, which made it look more like a photo taken by a proper paparazzo.
Gu Xi had weathered through a lot of wind and waves and he knew better than anyone what kind of effect this photo could have once it was sent out.
He suddenly had a vague guess as to what Lu Qingzhou’s purpose was for joining the crew.
Although he was able to talk and laugh free while holding the other in his arms and eating just now, right now, his heart was beating a bit faster. Gu Xi lowered his head. His arms around Qingzhou tightened and his voice came out soft as he met those black eyes that were so clear, it was though they’d been washed clear.
“…Qingzhou, thank you.”
Those good-looking eyes curved into a smile. Lu Qingzhou gently shook his head and raised his hand to take the camera back. But Gu Xi held gently held back his hand instead.
Lu Qingzhou raised his head from the other’s chest. A gentle questioning look in his eyes.
Holding his hand tightly, Gu Xi lowered his gaze and spoke with a warm voice. “Give this to me and I’ll be the one to run it, okay?”
Someone was out to ruin him and their power was undoubtedly not small. Those who help him would only be beset with misfortune. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have found himself like this, surrounded by enemies, isolated and without help.
Over the years, he himself had managed to accumulate some public relations resources. Although it was somewhat dangerous for him to personally go into battle, it was better than getting Lu Qingzhou involved.
Lu Qingzhou shook his head. He took the camera back protectively in his arms and looked up at him, a serious look on his face. “We have quotas too.”
“…”
The little paparazzo’s reason for refusal was well-founded. Gu Xi was caught off guard and he opened his mouth to speak. All the excuses he reasons and excuses he was preparing, though, died in his throat.
Lu Qingzhou’s eyes curved in satisfaction and he hung the camera around his neck once again. Lu Qingzhou got up from his arms, packed up the lunch boxes on the table and took Gu Xi’s hand again, motioning for Gu Xi to follow him out.
In this kind of weather, it was pure torture to leave the cool air-conditioned room. And yet, Gu Xi didn’t ask much. He followed Lu Qingzhou and got up. He held his hand back and allowed the other to lead him outside.
It seemed that they weren’t making much progress on the set. No one has returned yet. Gu Xi looked around and the rest area was still empty.
Lu Qingzhou drew him into the dressing room and sat him in front of a mirror.
He had sweated a lot on set and his face had been sprayed by the misting fan, his makeup has already been ruined for sure. When Gu Xi went back to the lounge, he wiped it with a wet towel, thinking that he would have to have it redone in the afternoon anyway. He didn’t expect that his little paparazzo would be an all-rounder up to this point and that he actually planned to redo his makeup for him.
“Don’t move. This is also my first time.”
They were all items included in the Old Driver’s skill pack. Although he had no idea what makeup had to do with attracting someone, knowing more skills could only be a good thing. And so, Lu Deng chose to master all these skills and he imported all the content into his database.
When he saw Gu Xi on the set today, he felt that him learning this skill was very timely.
Gu Xi was good-looking, with sharp eyebrows and deep contours. But the makeup artist’s makeup was really mediocre. The eyeliner was too thick and the powder was too much. You could tell that she was going for the currently popular delicate style but it almost completely obscured Gu Xi’s distinctive handsome and heroic aura.
In the few scenes he had done just now, Gu Xi had performed very well. If the makeup and styling could have kept up, even if the shooting was mediocre, he could have relied on just these few scenes to shine in front of the audience.
Lu Deng pushed him to sit down and then looked at him intently. Once he had thought of the appropriate makeup, his eyes curved into a smile. “Okay, wash your face first.”
Gu Xi couldn’t help but giving a small smile. He nodded obediently, got up and walked to the sink.
Since this was the first time Lu Qingzhou will be attempting to put makeup on someone, no one can tell what the results would be. But fortunately, at this time, no one would be coming to the dressing room. Since his little paparazzo wanted to give it a try, it was fine to lend him this face to practice on.
At worst, he’ll just have to remove the makeup a few more times.
He didn’t keep Lu Qingshou waiting for too long. After washing his face, he went to sit back down at the dressing table.
Lu Qingzhou pushed him down to sit tight. He then lifted his hand to push away his slightly damp hair from his forehead.
Before he had any time to prepare, his delicate face was suddenly pulled in close. Film Emperor Gu, who habitually used the time he was having his makeup put on to relax and catch up on sleep, suddenly felt his heart jump. He held his breath as he let him pat foundation on his face. He said softly, “Qingzhou…”
“En?”
There were a few places where he hadn’t been able to apply the foundation evenly. Lu Qingzhou put down the powder puff and used the back of his hand to gently rub against his face.
…
This is bad.
They had just started but Gu Xi could already feel his breath going a bit unstable. He didn’t dare think how stimulating the succeeding steps would be.
Gu Xi forced himself to calmed his mind. However, his voice still unconsciously remained low, almost close to a whisper. “Have you…already met your quota?”
If he doesn’t have enough, he was quite willing to cooperate and pose for him.
In such a hot weather, it was already difficult enough having to pretend to be a working member of the crew, not to mention taking pictures on the side. Looking at overalls made of unbreathable fabric that Lu Qingshou was wearing, Gu Xi couldn’t help but frown. He raised his hand to pull down the tight zipper of its neckline a little bit for him.
“Not yet, so I’ll have to come around often.”
Lu Qingzhou replied and leaned forward a bit, letting Gu Xi fold the neckline flat for him. As though guessing the other’s thoughts, he was all smiles as he said, “I’m not hot.”
The neckline was dry and he really couldn’t see any sweat on the other’s the neck. Gu Xi curled his fingers and touched a small piece of his exposed skin. It really was cool but after being touched, it bloomed with a light blush.
Lu Deng was using his own body. Warm in winter and cool in summer was just its most basic configuration. Meeting Gu Xi’s slightly astonished gaze, he straightened with a small smile on his face and reached for the eyebrow pencil.
The tip of the pencil applied color to his brows. A deep and focused glint could be seen in the his dark eyes. His eyes fell openly on his body.
The two were so close; they were so close that Gu Xi could feel the clear stream of air as Lu Qingzhou breathed out. He gently spun around, brushing against Gu Xi’s chest, causing a soft warmth to spread in Gu Xi’s heart.
This make-up was really good. He really liked having make-up put on.
For the first time, he felt that this process was something other than dull and uninteresting; it was actually quite alluring and charming. Gu Xi blinked, feeling both pain and joy. When cool fingertips pressed lightly against his eyelids, his voice wafted into his ears. “Don’t move.”
Not moving. He’s not moving.
Gu Xi cooperatively closed his eyes immediately. Pretending to relax, he leaned back against his chair.
Wanting him to rest well for a while, Lu Qingzhou acted lightly. Instead of asking Gu Xi to straighten up again, Lu Qingzhou pressed his knee against the edge of the chair, pulled himself up using Gu Xi’s shoulders and stayed half-leaning over his body.
Even with the other’s body leaning over him, Gu Xi still kept his eyes firmly closed. However, he couldn’t help but lift up one hand to take his little paparazzo into his arms.
“It’s almost done.”
Lu Qingzhou spoke with a warm voice. The hand against his shoulder pressed down comfortingly. He finished the last of his eye makeup and Lu Qingshou told him to open his eyes.
Actually, Gu Xi hadn’t wanted it to end so soon. Gu Xi complied and opened his eyes. He glanced in the mirror and paused, slightly startled.
With Lu Qingshou’s skills, it didn’t look the least bit like this was his first time.
When shooting, the light wash out a lot of color. If you didn’t put on any makeup, you would look pale and wan. Even for someone naturally good-looking, makeup was necessary when appearing in front of the camera. In recent years, the prevailing fashion trend was changing. He has been forced to accept a lot of delicate makeup looks; having this and that applied on his face. Sometimes, even Gu Xi couldn’t recognize himself in the stills they take during production.
Now, the one he saw in the mirror was undoubtedly himself.
If you didn’t look carefully, you could hardly see the styling. There was no unnecessary makeup. The details were handled cleanly. After removing the superfluous embellishments, only a bright and refreshing look was left.
Lu Qingzhou straightened up. He joined Gu Xi in assessing his handiwork. He then curved his eyes in satisfaction, packed up his things and walked to the sink.
Gu Xi looked at himself in the mirror for a while. Suddenly, a somewhat unrealistic idea popped up in his head.
…If only those scenes from this morning could be re-shot.
At that time, he felt that it was enough for him to be able to do his best. Now, that he could see the hope for perfection, Film Empeor Gu’s strict requirement for himself reared its head once again. He took the script from the dressing table and flipped through it. His eyes swept through those few pages of lines and he tried his best to suppress the itch.
The crew was rushing to get things done. Everyone save for himself was basking under the heat of the sun. To ask for his scenes to be re-shot would truly be a bit unreasonable.
He bitterly walked those scenes through in his mind, trying to satisfy his craving. Gu Xi regretfully flipped the last page. Just as he was about to go through the afternoon scenes once again, his phone suddenly rang.
It was the message from Liang Yuan. The number of exclamation points almost broke through the screen. Gu Xi tried his best to extract the gist from all the unnecessary words. He then realized that the photo must have been already posted online.
Gu Xi raised his head and looked at Lu Qingzhou, who was still wearing those overalls.
His little paparazzo looked good in everything. Even when wearing such ordinary work clothes, he was still very eye-catching. If he wanted to go unnoticed, he probably needed to wear a mask and sunglasses.
Or maybe he should simply give him a proper identity that would allow him to hide beside him.
His thoughts were starting to drift away but he was able to reel them in just in time. Gu Xi wanted to ask him about the photo. He opened his mouth to ask but in the end, he still swallowed the words back down.
A paparazzo’s channels were secret. Lu Qingzhou had originally known that someone had been laying an ambush for him in front of his house. For him to know that must mean that he had some special channels. Since Lu Qingzhou didn’t take the initiative to tell him about it, he should respect the other party and not question him too closely about his trade secrets.
Gu Xi lowered his head. He clicked on Weibo and sure enough, he saw his name in the hot search.
That photo seemed to have been taken casually but because the timing and angle were all right, it resulted in a photo that was full of tension. Without hardly any need to think, you could already realize the strong helpless oppression. It easily aroused people’s emotions.
It has been a long time since anyone has spoken up for him.
A faint choked-up feeling rose in his chest. Gu Xi blinked and lost himself in a daze as he scrolled through Weibo. Without waiting for a reply, Liang Yuan bombarded him with one message after another.
“Liang Yuan: Did those bastards mess with you like this?! F*ck! Quit that job. You come to me and I’ll give you a job!”
“Liang Yuan: Send a reply, will you? Our crew is also sweltering under the sun but I gave out iced white pears for free! And even ice packs too! You should seriously think about it!”
“Liang Yuan: Your big brothers have slaved under the heat of the sun. We all know how hot that must have been for you. Don’t feel bad… Isn’t it just the unspoken rules? Shouldn’t alumni from the same school band together? Let their unspoken rules go. You come and find us. I still have two projects under me and Old Xin has one. Make your way into the mountain valley and it will be enough for you to weather this period through.”
“Liang Yuan: Old Gu? Have you fainted from the heat?”
Watching his messaging coming in nonstop, Gu Xi’s eyes went faintly hot. He took a deep breath and blinked back the urge to tear up. The corners of his lips ticked up and he picked out two photos of hand-made ice cream and black bean noodles and sent them back in reply.
His endlessly buzzing phone finally quieted down.