Chapter 137: A Great Start to Filming
Although Shen Xiu didn’t quite understand, this was Director Xuan’s decision. Aside from feeling puzzled, Shen Xiu also felt a faint admiration deep down—because a situation like this truly tested the director’s skill.
“I see…” Other than that, Shen Xiu didn’t know what else to say.
Shang Yu locked his gaze onto Shen Xiu and sharply caught the key point: “So… Shen Xiu, are you saying you know the full script?”
Shen Xiu nodded, awkwardly admitting, “…Yeah.”
They were supposed to be a team, and everyone should have known the script.
But now it turned out only he knew. Shen Xiu felt like he was betraying both the production team and his friends.
On one hand, he felt guilty toward the crew; on the other hand, he felt uneasy with his teammates.
In short, he now felt like an outsider to both sides. It was incredibly awkward, and he was afraid his friends would think the crew was secretly giving him special treatment.
Shang Yu seemed to think for a few seconds, then nodded to himself: “Ah, I think I get it now.”
Song Cheng said, “Looks like Director Xuan doesn’t have much faith in our memory. Lucky for us he doesn’t. It’s my first time acting—I don’t even know how well I’ll do. If I also had to spend energy fully understanding the entire script, that’d be way too hard.”
Zhuang Yi quietly added, “Agreed.”
Though his role was small, this was his first time acting—and in a film, no less. He only got the part because of his connection with Shen Xiu. For him, this was both a challenge and an opportunity.
Reading too much would only clutter his thoughts. If he couldn’t perform well, he’d not only drag Shen Xiu down but also be ridiculed by everyone.
Director Xuan was probably thinking the same. Since Shen Xiu had helped Xuan Ji, the director would rather take on the pressure of guiding them himself than place that burden on the newcomers.
Xiang Yueting: “?”
Since he was a child, Xiang Yueting had always hated it when people spoke in riddles—because he genuinely didn’t understand them. Holding to the principle of “if you don’t understand, just ask,” he raised his hand and said, “Requesting clarification—can you guys speak in plain language?”
Xia Wenhao glanced at everyone’s expressions, then looked at Xiang Yueting speechlessly.
“What he means is: even if they gave us the full script, we probably wouldn’t be able to fully understand it in such a short time. Don’t you remember what Screenwriter Lu told us when we signed the contract? We’re not just supposed to memorize our own lines, but also understand them thoroughly.”
“The full script is that thick. It’s our first time acting—our acting skills are already questionable. If we can just manage our own parts properly, Director Xuan would be more than grateful. Got it?”
Xiang Yueting: “…Got it.”
Shen Xiu: “…”
So that’s why they gave him the full script—because he wasn’t a first-time actor?!
“Alright, alright,” Mu Zhenchu said. “Let’s eat.”
The topic was quickly dropped.
As they ate, Shen Xiu kept observing his friends’ reactions. Seeing that no one brought up the fact that he was the only one who had the complete script, he figured they truly didn’t mind, and the worry in his heart finally eased.
Everyone was usually busy with their own things, so they rarely had time to hang out together. Over the course of that one meal, they chatted almost nonstop.
It wasn’t until 11 p.m. that everyone returned to their rooms.
The next morning at 8 a.m., all nine of them showed up in the makeup room.
The styling for Storm was quite simple, and there weren’t that many makeup artists. Since the nine of them not only knew each other but were also close friends, the production crew didn’t bother being overly cautious and simply arranged for them all to share the same makeup room.
Most of the nine were first-time actors, and they were more than satisfied with this arrangement. Being together chatting was far more relaxing than being separated into different rooms.
Besides, not everyone had scenes in the Amara Desert this time. Only Shen Xiu, Shang Yu, Song Cheng, and Mu Zhenchu needed makeup and costume—those without scenes were just hanging around and chatting nearby.
“Shen Xiu, come here for a second.”
Shen Xiu had just finished getting his makeup done when Director Xuan Yushu called him out.
“Coming,” Shen Xiu responded and got up to follow Xuan Yushu out.
As soon as Shen Xiu left, the remaining people in the room began chatting curiously.
“Why did Director Xuan call Captain Xiu?” Xiang Yueting, still in the middle of his makeup, couldn’t turn around, so he stared at Shen Xiu through the mirror.
“If you want to know, why not just follow him and see for yourself?” Song Cheng, also getting his makeup done, laughed as he looked over at Xiang Yueting.
Xiang Yueting gave a little snort. “I’m no longer the same person I was when I first entered training camp—back then I was still scared of Captain Xiu. If Director Xuan weren’t around, I’d definitely go check it out.”
It was their first time acting. Though Xuan Yushu always smiled kindly at them and seemed gentle, he was still a director. As a rookie actor, Xiang Yueting was instinctively intimidated—like the fear a student feels when seeing a teacher on the first day of school.
As for Shen Xiu, being called out by Xuan Yushu felt eerily similar to being singled out by a teacher in front of the whole class.
Standing before his idol, Shen Xiu stuck to the principle of “the more you say, the more you might mess up.” So, he simply followed quietly, saying nothing.
Plus, not knowing why he was being called out made him more nervous than curious. He didn’t dare to speak carelessly.
Once they had walked a fair distance from the hotel’s makeup room, Xuan Yushu finally spoke.
“You guys talked last night, right? How did the script discussion go?”
Shen Xiu mentally drafted a response in one second before answering in order: “We talked, but since the others don’t know the full script, there wasn’t much to discuss.”
After saying that, Shen Xiu couldn’t help but ask, “Why am I the only one who knows the full script?”
Xuan Yushu: “…”
Did Shen Xiu think everyone was like him—able to memorize an entire script from start to finish in such a short time?!
Truly worthy of being called the “King of Overachievers”—working hard without even realizing it, assuming everyone else could do the same.
Xuan Yushu said, “They don’t need to.”
Having such limited time to study the script actually placed a huge test on the director’s abilities. When actors didn’t know the full script, it was up to the director to explain and connect all the scenes together.
Other directors might be worried about this approach, but since Xuan Yushu dared to do it, it meant he had complete confidence.
“Don’t worry. I know what you’re worried about, but what you fear won’t happen.”
Most of the nine actors were first-timers. For Shen Xiu’s sake, he wouldn’t let a single one of them be scolded.
Shen Xiu: “?”
What was he worried about? Shen Xiu looked at Xuan Yushu with a faint, unreadable expression.
Facing Shen Xiu’s distant gaze, Xuan Yushu continued, “Alright, I’ll be straightforward. Aside from you, there are eight others. Sometimes I won’t be able to manage everyone at once—I’ll need you to assist from the side. Is that a problem?”
Without hesitation, Shen Xiu nodded. “Of course not.”
“Then it’s settled!”
With that, Xuan Yushu gave Shen Xiu a once-over from head to toe and smiled with satisfaction. “Not bad—exactly how I imagined you’d be.”
Before Shen Xiu could respond, Xuan Yushu waved at him. “I’m going to check the set now. Jin Can is waiting for you all downstairs. See you in a bit.”
“Okay,” Shen Xiu replied as he watched Xuan Yushu step into the elevator.
He only turned around and headed back after the elevator doors closed and Xuan Yushu’s figure had fully disappeared from sight.
As soon as Shen Xiu walked back into the room, he heard Xiang Yueting call out, “Captain Xiu, what did Director Xuan want with you?”
“Is it some secret mission? Can you tell us? If not, that’s fine, but of course, if you can tell us, that’d be even better.”
Shen Xiu was long used to Xiang Yueting’s rapid-fire chatter. He patiently listened to everything and then summed up Xuan Yushu’s words without hiding anything.
“Director Xuan meant that during filming, if there’s anything I can help with, I should step in and help.”
Xiang Yueting recalled the days in training camp when Shen Xiu used to drag him off for extra practice. He let out a long, weary sigh: “…Got it.”
He really shouldn’t have asked. Sometimes, he’d rather be taught by a teacher than by a straight-A genius.
At least with a teacher, if he couldn’t learn something, he could comfort himself by thinking, “Well, there’s supposed to be a gap between students and teachers.”
But with a genius like Shen Xiu, there was no way to fool himself. He had to face the brutal truth: “Your brain and my brain are just not the same.”
A few minutes later, once everyone’s makeup and styling were done, the group left the room, went downstairs, and boarded Jin Can’s vehicle to leave the hotel.
Jin Can was driving a large bus, which carried not only the nine members of The Galaxy, but also the makeup artists and several other crew members.
As the bus pulled away from the hotel area, all that could be seen out the windows was a vast, endless desert stretching into the horizon.
Faced with such a sight, Xiang Yueting couldn’t help but marvel, “If Jin Can hadn’t taken our phones, I’d be dying to snap a picture and post it. This is my first time seeing such a boundless desert—and also the first time I’m seeing it with you guys.”
After that emotional outburst, he grinned sheepishly and added, “If my fans knew I was actually in a movie, they’d probably be shocked speechless.”
Though it wasn’t Song Chengwang’s first time seeing a desert, hearing Xiang Yueting’s words made him feel a strong sense of agreement.
In the past, he’d seen the desert alone—but now, seeing it with a group of friends really did feel completely different. “It’s amazing. Definitely something worth capturing.”
Jiang Yanxi added, “I heard we’re only shooting for a week. The schedule’s tight. I wonder if we’ll have any time left to actually play in the desert afterward.”
Ning Sinian said, “Probably not. It’s going to snow in Yicheng next week—that’s the exact scene described in the script. We’ll need to hurry back.”
Shang Yu withdrew his gaze from the vast desert and gently reminded the group, who were all feeling a bit regretful: “If we really want to come back, we can always plan another trip in the future.”
Zhuang Yi scratched his head and laughed, “Yeah, haha, Old Xiang pulled us all into that wave of melancholy.”
Hearing Shang Yu’s words, Shen Xiu couldn’t help but nod. “Mm!”
As long as you’re alive, any regret can be made up for. The scenery you didn’t get enough of this time—just come back next time.
Besides, he’d never gone on a trip with close friends before. He really wanted to experience that. Most importantly, when he was with his teammates, he didn’t feel all that anxious.
Everyone was used to Shen Xiu being quiet and reserved, so they were completely caught off guard when he spoke up at that moment—especially since this topic, from Shen Xiu’s usual perspective, would probably be considered nothing more than sentimental nonsense.
Their eyes naturally turned toward Shen Xiu.
After giving his approving “Mm,” Shen Xiu met the gaze of his teammates all staring at him.
Shen Xiu: “?”
“…Is there something wrong with what I said?” In front of people he was comfortable with, Shen Xiu had started to speak more and more often.
“No—nothing,” Xiang Yueting replied, smiling. “It’s just… really nice.”
Even Song Chengwang, who usually had a sharp tongue and wasn’t afraid to throw shade at the slightest provocation, nodded for once and echoed Xiang Yueting: “Yeah. It is nice.”
Although Shang Yu and the others didn’t say anything, their expressions clearly showed joy and warmth.
If anyone ever dared say again that their brotherhood was fake, they’d love to slap this moment of mutual affection and camaraderie right in that person’s face.
Ever since their last group album, they hadn’t seen each other much. Most of their communication was now limited to the group chat.
But seeing each other again today, it was clear to all of them that Shen Xiu’s feelings for them hadn’t changed one bit.
Shen Xiu’s gaze swept across the eight of them, and when he saw the obvious joy on their faces—even though he didn’t quite understand why—his mood also lifted, involuntarily.
…
After a bumpy ride, the bus finally arrived at the location for the opening ceremony.
As the bus came to a stop, everyone began getting off in order, based on where they were seated.
As usual, unless something unexpected happened, Shen Xiu preferred to sit in the very back of the bus, so he was the last one to get off. Standing behind everyone, his eyes landed on the incense table set up not far away.
Wait a second… this is Amara, not back home. Will burning incense here still be effective?
Xiang Yueting leaned in close to Song Chengwang and whispered behind his hand, “Can the gods back home even hear our prayers and bless our production when we’re this far away?”
Song Chengwang gave Xiang Yueting a helpless look. “Only you would care about such childish and pointless questions.”
Standing behind the two of them, Shen Xiu: “…”
For some reason, Shen Xiu felt like he’d been hit by a stray arrow to the knee. His ears reddened slightly, and he was too embarrassed to admit that he’d been wondering the same thing.
After roasting Xiang Yueting, Song Chengwang added, “Technology is so advanced these days—our gods have surely kept up with the times. Cross-border blessings should be no problem at all.”
Xiang Yueting replied, “You talk too much. I’m sticking with you!”
Shen Xiu heard that and couldn’t help but nod to himself: That actually makes sense—can’t argue with it!
Shang Yu, standing next to Song Chengwang, had also overheard their conversation. He glanced at the two of them, then looked away, the corners of his mouth lifting in a small smile.
Shang Yu had realized by now that Song Chengwang was all bark—he always shot back with sarcasm, but he still answered every time without fail. That’s what good friends do—just being together, even meaningless conversations become lively and enjoyable.
Seeing the look in Shang Yu’s eyes and the slight smile at the corner of his lips, Shen Xiu: “…”
Shang Yu was definitely laughing at how childish Xiang Yueting was!
In the end, it was Xiang Yueting who silently bore all the embarrassment for him! Shen Xiu cast a grateful look toward Xiang Yueting.
Shen Xiu’s cool gaze was almost tangible—it was impossible for Xiang Yueting not to notice it.
The moment Shen Xiu looked at him, Xiang Yueting immediately turned his head and asked, “What is it?”
Before Shen Xiu could respond, Xiang Yueting recalled what he had just said and blurted out, “Wait—don’t tell me you also think I’m childish and silly?!”
As a secretly embedded member of the “Childish Duo,” Shen Xiu firmly shook his head: “Not at all!”
Shen Xiu’s response drew a few glances from the others.
No matter what Xiang Yueting did, Shen Xiu always supported him. The others would be lying if they said they weren’t a bit jealous.
But… Xia Wenhao and the rest glanced at Xiang Yueting, then quietly looked away and composed themselves.
Shen Xiu spoils Xiang Yueting? Oh, that’s fine. Because… Xiang Yueting really is lovable.
No one could dislike someone so pure-hearted and sunny—like a sunflower always facing the sun.
Shen Xiu: …Why did everyone first look at me, then at Xiang Yueting, and then suddenly look away?
Could it be… they saw through his thoughts, realized that both he and Xiang Yueting were being childish, and chose to quietly give them some face by not pointing it out?
The more Shen Xiu thought about it, the more likely it seemed. He felt so awkward he wanted to curl his toes into the earth.
At that moment, Lu Wen’s voice rang out from nearby: “Everyone come over here—we’re about to start!”
Seeing Lu Wen waving at them, the nine of them walked over.
Once they were gathered by Lu Wen, he carefully explained the details to keep in mind for the upcoming opening ceremony: “In a moment, you all will…”
As Lu Wen finished speaking, Director Xuan strode over and looked at them. “You’ve all got that down, right?”
“Don’t worry, Director.”
“Got it.”
“No problem.”
…
After everyone finished responding, Xuan Yushu raised his hand and made an “OK” gesture. “Alright then, we’ll start in one minute.”
Ten minutes later, the kickoff ceremony ended. Xuan Yushu walked over to the camera to check the photos that had been taken.
As soon as Xuan Yushu walked away, Zhuang Yi couldn’t help but raise his hand to pat his chest and muttered, “Not gonna lie, I was actually kind of nervous just now.”
Since they had nothing else to do, the others gathered around and started chatting.
“Tell me about it. I was so scared of making a mistake and offending the deity.”
“Uh… didn’t anyone else feel kinda awkward?”
“Keep your voice down. Let’s just think it and not say it out loud.”
“Seriously though, even though I don’t believe in that stuff, the moment I offered the incense, I felt so sincere. Such a strange and profound experience.”
…
Shen Xiu listened to his teammates quietly discussing and nodded silently, once again admiring their courage to say literally anything.
Jiang Yanxi, after finishing his thoughts, noticed Shen Xiu’s calm expression and couldn’t help but speak up, “Captain Xiu, you looked really devout just now.”
Zhuang Yi looked at Shen Xiu’s current costume and couldn’t resist chiming in, “Especially in this outfit—how should I put it—it looked really devout, but also kinda weird.”
Shang Yu added, “Are you trying to say that Shen Xiu gave off that ‘wearing bloodstained Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist’ kind of vibe? Like devout, but also cold and ruthless?”
Zhuang Yi clapped his hands. “Yes, yes, exactly that feeling! When I stood behind Captain Xiu, even just that simple motion of his made me think of so many things. It really hit me!”
Song Chengwang gestured with his eyes toward where Xuan Yushu was. “We’re not the only ones who thought so. The person in charge of the shoot earlier got super excited too—snapped a bunch of shots in a row. I have a feeling this is going to be iconic!”
Shen Xiu lifted his hand and looked at his wrist.
Forget bloodstained prayer beads—there wasn’t even a drop of blood.
Even now, he still couldn’t quite grasp the way his teammates’ minds worked.
Although… according to the script, after Han Fei returns to Yicheng, he does indeed have the look they were talking about.
But right now, he hadn’t even done that look! Shen Xiu helplessly looked away from his own hand and turned his confused gaze toward his teammates.
Bathed in the morning light of the desert, Shen Xiu raised his hand. His icy gaze first fell on his wrist, then turned coldly toward the others.
Xiang Yueting clutched Xia Wenhao’s arm and cried, “We’re all human—so why is the gap between people greater than the gap between people and dogs? I don’t get it!”
Xia Wenhao shook off Xiang Yueting’s hand. “You’re just realizing that now?”
He had already figured it out back at the training camp when Shen Xiu crushed him from every angle.
Jiang Yanxi clutched his chest dramatically. “Captain Xiu, I’m begging you, please stop radiating charm!”
Shang Yu couldn’t help but join in, “That scene just now really had a Han Fei vibe.”
The cameraman who captured that very moment silently gave Jiang Yanxi a thumbs-up in his heart and walked over to Xuan Yushu. “Director Xuan, I just got another great shot—it looks amazing. I think we should include it!”
Xuan Yushu, who had just finalized the photo selection and was about to send it off to the operations team, glanced at the new shot and didn’t hesitate: “Add it. Send it all to operations as a bundle!”
Among the nine of them, only a few had finished their hair and makeup, but just based on those few, their visuals and overall presence gave Xuan Yushu a strong sense that—even without knowing how their acting would be—their looks alone would be enough to guarantee at least a passing grade at the box office.
Each of them had a different style—handsome in their own unique way. Xuan Yushu suddenly felt that maybe shooting a commercial film wasn’t as grueling as he once thought it would be.
—
In China.
Before netizens could finish gossiping about why all the members of The Galaxy had flown to Amara, a certain production crew named Storm posted a set of kickoff photos that gave them the answer.
@StormOfficial: Great start to the shoot—wishing everything goes smoothly! Photos [x18]
