CHAPTER 70

The shooting of two scenes continued from the afternoon well into the night, posing a great challenge to the actors' mental and physical states, especially since this was a crucial and heavy scene.

"Do you have any thoughts?" Huo Bijun wasn't in a hurry, even adopting a posture that suggested a heart-to-heart conversation.

"I noticed that after your legs were injured, you saw a psychologist for quite a long time, and after your surgery, you continued seeing a doctor for some time. But after your mother passed away, you haven't gone again, it must be due to financial reasons, right?" Huo Bijun sighed lightly. "I overlooked it last time—Yang Yi's death must have been a considerable shock for you. If you need to see a psychologist again, I can help."

Xiaoyuan had been staring blankly in the air all this while, and she remained unresponsive to these words.

Captain Zhou's previous questioning seemed to have drained much of her energy, she curled up in her wheelchair, looking tired and fragile.

"When can I go back?" She finally turned her face slightly. she finally turned her face. "I'm cooperating with the investigation, not being detained as a suspect, right?"

"If I were treated as a suspect, I wouldn't be here without evidence, otherwise, I would have been detained long ago. Without evidence, you can't hold me for more than 24 hours."

Her gaze swept past Huo Bijun and landed on the one-way mirror on the wall, as if she were locking eyes with the officers behind it, speaking to them.

Huo Bijun smiled. "You seem quite familiar with police interrogation procedures."

Xiaoyuan slowly looked at him. Her eyes were deep and dark, like an unfathomable abyss, holding all the sorrows of the past.

During the filming of this scene, he had discussed with Xiaoyuan how he would edit this part later and the emotional portrayal of the character.

The next line Meng Xiaozhou needed to say was—because this isn't my first time in a police station.

In post-production, the film would include flashbacks of Meng Xiaozhou saying her lines, recalling a series of images:

The scene of going to the police station alone after being as$aulted, feeling scared and lonely, being questioned repeatedly, undergoing examinations.

How to face her parents, how to tell them what happened.

How to confront Yang Yi face-to-face, enduring the judgmental gazes of those around her.

This scene was nearing its end.

Huo Bijun noticed that from the afternoon until now, Xiaoyuan had hardly taken a break, and he was eager to see how she would deliver the ending of this scene.

The emotions and rhythm were flowing well up to this point, they must not falter here, or it would be hard to regain that momentum.

But Xiaoyuan just stared silently at him, her deep black eyes seemingly capable of absorbing the air around them.

That gaze sent a chill down his spine, making him feel as if the oxygen in the air had vanished.

Suddenly, a subtle smile appeared at the corners of Xiaoyuan's lips. She chuckled softly and said, "Because, you see..."

A layer of mist clouded her eyes, but she continued to smile, as if battling some memory, laughing all the while. "This isn't my first time in a police station..."

Her eyes transformed from an abyss into a deep lake. As her eyelids fluttered, it was as if heavy memories had rolled over her. A single tear seeped from the lake of her eyes, followed by another, sliding down her cheeks...

Huo Bijun's expression became complicated, his face showing a mix of sympathy and hesitation. In the end, he chose to remain silent.

......

After wrapping up the scenes for the day, the crew began to tidy up the set, and a few people were still wiping their eyes, discussing what had just happened.

"That was such a great performance! I'm going to be a fan of hers!"

"She was so dedicated, she could barely stand up afterward because her legs went numb!"

"My hair is still standing on end! I think I want to become a gardener now~"

......

Huo Bijun felt a mix of emotions, a split feeling. As a director, he was excited and happy, proud of his keen eye for talent in choosing such a remarkable actress. Yet, as an actor himself, he felt frustrated that Xiaoyuan had completely taken control of the scene. Even after the performance ended, he still felt goosebumps.

Could it be that He Chenying was right? Was he really no match for Xiaoyuan?

The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he became. He wanted to talk to He Chenying, hoping she could help him sort through his feelings, but after scanning the area, he found no sign of her.

The sky had long since darkened. Xiaoyuan, wrapped in a black down jacket with her small face buried in its collar, stood beneath a locust tree.

The warm, soft glow of the streetlights in deep winter illuminated the dusk-blue night sky. A bit of leftover snow still lay on the ground, while the twisting branches of the locust tree created striking silhouettes effect.

When He Chenying walked over, she saw a naturally perfect composition: the slender girl lost in thought was the highlight of this scene.

After watching for a moment, she spoke up, "The shoot is over, aren't you going back to rest?"

Xiaoyuan snapped back to reality and turned her head, "Sister Chenying."

"It's cold, you should hurry back and rest. Your chilblains haven't healed yet." He Chenying said as she stood beside Xiaoyuan.

"Mm," Xiaoyuan replied softly, a hint of a smile appearing as she said, "But you haven't gone back either."

He Chenying glanced at her. "Are you okay?"

Xiaoyuan spoke quietly, "You noticed..."

He Chenying gently replied, "A script that is too realistic puts high demands on the actors, which can create a lot of pressure. It can be quite exhausting."

"You're probably feeling the worst right now, but it will get better after the shoot is over. Just hang in there a little longer."

Xiaoyuan felt a warmth in her heart and nodded in gratitude, her smile becoming more genuine as she asked, "Is this from personal experience?"

He Chenying blinked and chuckled lightly, "Yes, indeed."

The atmosphere lightened as they exchanged a few smiles.

Xiaoyuan's face was slightly flushed from the cold as she looked up at the locust tree. After a pause, she asked, "Sister Chenying, what if I can't get out of character after the shoot?"

He Chenying's eyes flickered slightly as she asked, "Have you ever had trouble getting out of character before?"

Xiaoyuan shook her head.

So far, she had only experienced something similar once, during the filming of "Choice," when she felt very uncomfortable and recalled her relationship with her mother.

In the films or TV dramas she had done since, there were times when certain scenes were difficult to handle, but it hadn't reached the point of being unable to get out of character. However, ever since she saw the script for "Detective Huo's Case File 3," she had a bad feeling. Now that they were halfway through filming, she was becoming increasingly immersed in it, struggling to sleep at night, and feeling exhausted during the day.

"That's a good thing," He Chenying reassured her. "It means you're in a great state and fully immersed in the role."

Xiaoyuan was taken aback. Is it really a good thing?

With half her face buried in her collar, her watery eyes looked up at He Chenying as if they could speak.

He Chenying couldn't help but soften her voice, and said, "For us, acting is just work. Many people only complete their tasks, so being in a good state is quite rare."

"This is a great role, and you'll portray it beautifully."

Xiaoyuan blinked, realizing that He Chenying was encouraging and comforting her. Her mood lifted significantly, and she smiled sweetly at her.

"If..." He Chenying's smile deepened at the corners of her lips, "if you still feel uncomfortable after the shoot, you can take some time off. It's important to give yourself time and space to distinguish between the role and reality. Spend more time with friends in real life, and try not to be alone. Don't let yourself dwell too much in the storyline, okay?"

"Okay." He Chenying's words flowed through Xiaoyuan's heart like a gentle stream, calming her and lifting her mood. She nodded obediently.

Just as He Chenying was about to say something more, her phone rang.

She smiled at Xiaoyuan and answered, "Hello, Ranran? Still outside... I have an early flight tomorrow..."

"Okay, I'll head over now. You guys can order first."

Once Xiaoyuan saw her hang up, she asked, "Are you leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes, I have work to do. Ranran still has some scenes to shoot, so he'll stay with her dad."

Xiaoyuan pressed her lips together, looking at her.

He Chenying smiled, "What's wrong? Are you going to miss me?"

Ah, Xiaoyuan shyly smiled, feeling a bit reluctant to see her go.

"If you're here, I could ask you if I have any questions later on."

He Chenying shook her head with a smile, "You won't need my help. Even if I were to play Meng Xiaozhou, I might not do it as well as you."

Xiaoyuan suddenly wanted to tease, "But... the actress playing Meng Xiaozhou has to be under 28..." She blinked and flashed a grin at He Chenying.

He Chenying gave her a sidelong glance, pursed her lips, and gently tapped her forehead.

"Ow~" Xiaoyuan covered her forehead, "I deserved that." After saying this, she burst into laughter.

He Chenying let out a light laugh as well.

Not far from them, Cai Juan and Tian Tian had been watching them the whole time.

Tian Tian laughed heartily, almost cupping her cheeks in delight. "Ah, they're so cute together! This scene is just beautiful."

Cai Juan sighed in disbelief and muttered a few words under his breath.

Tiantian didn't hear clearly, "Brother, what did you say?"

Cai Juan chuckled lightly. "Nothing, nothing."

'It's just that a certain president's corner seems a bit dangerous...'

"Alright, let's leave it at that. Hopefully, we can meet again next time? We can have a meal together." He Chenying glanced at the time on her phone, it was time for her to go.

"Okay, goodbye, Sister Chenying." Xiaoyuan nodded.

He Chenying took a couple of steps but turned back to look at her.

Xiaoyuan was slightly taken aback. "Sister Chenying, what's wrong?"

He Chenying crossed her arms over her chest and said, "Xiang Xiaoyuan, don't you understand what manners are?"

Xiaoyuan's eyes widened even more, suddenly feeling a bit flustered at being called by her full name. "...Huh? Me?"

He Chenying handed her phone over, looking at her with a half-smile. "Aren't you the one who wanted to ask me for my WeChat?"

Xiaoyuan was taken aback, and the smile in her eyes danced. "I was wrong, Teacher He! Can I add you on WeChat?"

She jogged over, pulled out her phone, and scanned He Chenying's WeChat QR code, exclaiming in excitement, "Wow, I'm actually friends with Teacher He on WeChat now! I won't be able to sleep tonight!"

He Chenying let out a playful snort, looking at her, and couldn't help but pinch her cheek.

Xiaoyuan hadn't expected this action and let out a surprised "Ah!" while covering her face.

Tian Tian watched with excitement, several times trying to sneak a phone shot but was held back by Cai Juan. She protested, "Brother, I just want to see it for myself..."

"It's lucky I didn't let you poke your own eyes out!" Cai Juan warned her.

Tian Tian looked at him, puzzled.

Cai Juan sighed wearily.

'That certain president's corner really is a bit dangerous!'

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