Gao Jing gave Xiang Zhe a meaningful look. Xiang Zhe sighed silently and put his arm around Xu Jike's shoulder. "We're on the same flight. If we don't leave now, we'll miss it. Let's go."
Shi Lei conveniently grabbed Xu Jike's suitcase. "Let's go together; I'm heading to the airport too."
To be honest, he felt that the way Xu Jike was staring blankly was eyesore, but he couldn't just leave him here. It was better to get him out of here.
Tan You had no idea what was happening on Gao Jing's side; she was in her room focusing entirely on her dance practice. During this time, she was completely unaware of the discussions taking place between the director and Brother Chuan. It wasn't until she stopped to drink water that she saw Teacher Xu sitting alone to the side, occasionally glancing at her while sketching on a piece of paper.
Tan You wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Where's Brother Chuan?"
Teacher Xu: "The two of them are outside discussing how to film. From what I can see, the director is planning something big this time."
Tan You: "Then I'll keep practicing. I want to do my absolute best."
Tan You had always believed in the principle of either not doing something at all or doing it to perfection. Since others were investing so much effort, she couldn't afford to slack off; she couldn't let their hard work go to waste.
Before lunch, the director came over with the filming plan: "This afternoon, we're going to the forest rafting location. Tomorrow morning, we head to the snow mountains. If we film like this, we can finish the video by tomorrow afternoon."
"Then we upload it to the short video platforms tomorrow night, and that's that."
Tan You pursed her lips. "Then I'll leave it in your hands, Director. You're truly amazing at filming people."
To put it simply, this director was a master at filming beautiful women. Based on what Tan You had seen from Chi Mo's memories, every beauty captured through his lens was incomparably stunning.
The director smiled. "That's because you are beautiful enough. Xiao Chi, are you interested in acting?"
"It hasn't been easy for me to push my dancing to the extreme in this lifetime. If I try something else, I might not be able to do it. It's enough for me to focus on doing one thing well," Tan You said calmly. "I'm not a professionally trained actor, and I don't know how to act."
"You don't need to know how to act," the director said excitedly. "How about this: if there are dance scenes in the future, I'll contact you? I can see that your dancing is truly excellent, young lady."
Tan You didn't refuse the offer. "That's fine. Dancing is okay, but acting is really not my thing."
Having received a definite answer, the director's mood improved even further. "Then I'll keep that in mind. If I have a suitable role in a future production, you can't turn me down."
Tan You agreed readily. "Don't worry, I definitely won't."
She didn't commit herself entirely. She personally had no interest in acting, but who knew what Chi Mo might think? For now, she would build the connection; as for the future, she would see.
Teacher Xu asked curiously, "Is the director planning to film a movie?"
The director replied, "What director doesn't dream of filming a movie? I haven't decided yet, but I'll put Xiao Chi on my radar for now. I have a feeling she's bound to become a massive star."
Teacher Xu also smiled. "With Xiao Chi's qualities, it would be against the heavens if she didn't become famous."
Looking at Tan You, who had started practicing again, Teacher Xu pursed her lips and added, "Her ex-husband divorced her; he truly has no eyes."
"Let him go. She'll meet someone better," the director said with a smile, looking like a sly old fox. "These days, there are always people with the vision to recognize a gem. Perhaps divorcing him is better for Xiao Chi."
"True. If values are inconsistent, it's hard to make a relationship work," Teacher Xu nodded. "A girl this beautiful... the male guests in your program aren't quite a match for her."
Tan You wasn't paying attention to the conversation outside, but she did see the others. The other two were alright, but that man who looked very shrewd—Teacher Xu's impression of him was certainly not good.
The director chuckled. "He is a bit like that, but this is a dating show. Even if they aren't a good match, we have to push through and film it."
Teacher Xu shook her head. "You old fox. What time are we leaving this afternoon?"
The director: "Let's head out after lunch. Let's try to get it all done within two days. Xiao Chi's face and figure are truly exquisite."
Teacher Xu: "You don't have to tell me that. From what I've seen, she seems to suit any style. She has a gentle elegance in traditional clothing and a bright, playful charm in modern outfits. Her face has incredible versatility."
"Just watching her makes me want to get to work—I wish I could style her every day and make beautiful little dresses for her."
Brother Chuan: "I want to take photos of her every day too..."
After lunch, Tan You set off to the filming location with the director, Brother Chuan, Teacher Xu, and two other crew members. The main group had already left that morning, so the assistant director was naturally left to help out.
Who could blame the director for "neglecting his duties" to busy himself with Tan You?
"Cut! This take is good!" The director raised his megaphone after reviewing the footage. "Five-minute break. We'll add a few more shots later, and then today's filming task will be complete."
As soon as he spoke, Tan You's tense nerves immediately relaxed. She had high standards, and the director was no different; it was as if they were competing to see who could achieve perfection.
The dance was originally expected to be performed two or three times, but Tan You ended up doing it over a dozen. Of course, the results of her hard work were gratifying; at the very least, Tan You felt it was excellent after watching it. The director had captured all the ethereal beauty she desired.
Teacher Xu draped a down jacket over Tan You. "Are you alright?"
Tan You gave a forced smile. "I'm fine. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go back."
Perhaps because she had found something that required her full concentration, Tan You felt she could overcome the biting cold outside. Of course, once she stepped out of her dancing state, the cold hit her all at once.
As the sun began to set, the orange-red afterglow fell upon the forest, creating dappled shadows. The director looked at the forest scenery and suddenly brightened up. "Let's film it one more time. The effect of the same scenery at a different time will definitely be different."
Tan You also had an eye for this. "Right now, there's a sense of desolation. The dance movements will need to be adjusted accordingly."
The director loved how Tan You understood things instantly. "Alright, use your intuition. Xiao Chi is truly a natural performer."
Tan You strongly agreed with the director. While she appeared unassuming on the surface, she was a classic talent for improvising on the spot. Whenever a critical moment arrived, she was able to deliver something extraordinary.
Standing in the center of the filming area, Tan You did not perform the same dance from the afternoon. Instead, she thought of a ritualistic dance she had once seen.
She composed her expression and slightly lifted her chin. Teacher Xu unconsciously sat up straight, and the director even slapped his thigh in excitement. "She's getting into character, she's getting into character..."
Teacher Xu remained silent, simply pulling out her phone to begin filming the figure in the center.
Perhaps it was because the sunset was so beautiful today, or perhaps it was because Tan You's state of mind was perfectly aligned with the dance, but her every movement exuded solemnity and gravity, accompanied by an unmistakable sense of tragic heroism.