Faced with this scene, Shi Guanghua wavered for only a second before suppressing his usual awkwardness. He tried not to avert his gaze and even moved slightly closer to her.
If it were any other time, he would have become flustered, but now, even though his face felt hot, he didn't make any gesture of retreat.
Seeing this, Chu Yueyi's smile faded, and her gaze dimmed as she looked at him pensively.
Shi Guanghua's uncharacteristic initiative didn't please Chu Yueyi.
People's changes always have reasons. She had asked him yesterday if he was dissatisfied with her, which he flatly denied. Now his attitude had drastically changed, clearly with an element of spite.
If he had been putting on an act from the first episode, she wouldn't have had any objections. But he had been the king of awkward moments, frequently freezing up. How could he suddenly become so smooth?
He was like a child who had been criticized, deliberately putting on a show of correction while still inwardly rebellious: Is this good enough? Is this professional enough? Is this good enough for shooting a good show?
On the MV shooting set, the two seemed to be engaged in a bizarre duel, yet also giving off ambiguous signals, leaving the production team utterly perplexed. They appeared incredibly intimate, yet seemed to be at odds, trading moves like in a sparring match.
The MV storyboard had action designs, but the actual extent was up to the guests to grasp, and adjustments were made based on on-site direction.
Shi Guanghua only knew that in front of the camera, he'd better be the one leading the rhythm. This was more in line with the mainstream "man leads woman" dynamic, a formula accepted by the general public, just like other performative celebrity couples. If she was always the one taking the initiative, it would easily lead to audience criticism.
With this in mind, Shi Guanghua put his hand on her waist, reducing the distance between them as they began shooting the next scene.
Chu Yueyi noticed his movement. She didn't reflexively reject it, but instead smoothly stepped to the side, casually resting one hand on his shoulder. Her gesture wasn't out of line, but on camera, it still appeared as if she was clinging to him.
Her experience with camera positioning was indeed rich. She clearly knew how to effortlessly create the right angles. Even if he took the initiative to close the distance, she could still make the screen image different from reality.
She was an actress. Reality was unlimited, but the camera frame was limited.
Her specialty was performing within those limits.
Shi Guanghua quickly discovered her technique. Reviewing the MV footage, he found that she was still the main controller in the composition, and the show's raw footage was likely the same. He had clearly been the one to make the first move, but the camera skillfully filtered out the details, completely at odds with reality.
The two shot several scenes in succession, but no matter how Shi Guanghua changed his approach, the situation remained unchanged.
After pondering for a few seconds, Shi Guanghua looked at the person shooting with ease and said bluntly, "You're doing this on purpose."
Chu Yueyi replied indifferently, "So are you."
She had no intention of competing with him in putting on an act. It would be a competition without any suspense - what satisfaction could be gained from crushing a novice?
But she disliked seeing him force himself into this state.
He was clearly someone who blushed at close proximity and was uncomfortable with physical contact. Why was he forcing himself to change, struggling to appear "professional" and "performative"?
She had once fantasized about Shi Guanghua becoming more professional, imagining him as a mature celebrity or artist, frantically fan-servicing in front of the camera like male guests in other celebrity couples. The female guest would only need to occasionally play along, which would certainly make things much easier and simpler. Shooting would be a breeze.
Now, however, she no longer thought that way. There was no need for him to be like everyone else.
She was an insider in the entertainment circle; he was an outsider.
It's not like she couldn't lead him.
Or was it that she had been too harsh yesterday, causing him to overcompensate now?
Cameras still surrounded them, making it impossible to continue their conversation at the moment, but those few words had stirred up undercurrents.
Shi Guanghua now clearly saw many things. They were constantly covered by lighting, no wonder she was so different on and off camera. This was never a space belonging to just the two of them, but more like a theater under the gaze of outsiders, with them as the main characters on stage.
Everyone was working, except for him before. He would even throw little tantrums.
The people around them had been accommodating him during the recordings, while he only focused on her radiance, overlooking many details. Or rather, she had been completing parts that should have been his responsibility, so of course he hadn't felt any external pressure.
Not anymore.
Shi Guanghua gazed at her deeply for a long time. He made a decision in his heart and silently turned away.
Unable to read his thoughts, Chu Yueyi could only continue to cooperate with the shooting.
"Yueyi, please sit here first, then we'll look at the composition to see how best to shoot..." The MV director handed Chu Yueyi a book. This was her prop for the shoot; she just needed to sit and flip through it.
Chu Yueyi did as told. She lifted her elaborate skirt, leaned back on the soft sofa, and opened the prop book in her hands, like a marionette controlled by unseen hands, waiting for the other staff to get into position.
The makeup artist came forward to touch her up and arrange her skirt into beautiful lines before hurriedly retreating.
The MV director looked at Shi Guanghua: "See what action is appropriate, something a bit more intimate..."
In the next moment, Shi Guanghua stepped forward. He half-sat on the edge of the sofa, leaning over to envelop Chu Yueyi, trapping her within his arms. This was a rather dominant and aggressive move, and there was no way to neutralize it through camera angles. She appeared to be firmly locked in his embrace, like a bird in a cage.
She only felt a shadow approaching from above, and then she was surrounded by his cool breath, unable to move in the space created by his arms and the sofa.
His bangs fell slightly, his eyes rolling with clouds, staring at her intently, his body almost pressed against hers.
She looked at him expressionlessly.
Although he was trying his best to act, his tightly pressed lips still betrayed the truth - he was actually not at ease.
She felt this didn't suit him.
They could both feel each other's intertwining breaths. Shi Guanghua could already feel his ears burning, but he remained motionless, observing her, only to find that she had no reaction at all.
Her eyes were calm and unruffled, as if she were looking at a stranger.
But this was also normal. He was the only one who would blush.
He felt a slight disappointment in his heart, but his face remained impassive. However, at this moment, she suddenly moved.
Chu Yueyi sighed softly. She seemed to have lost the will to continue their silent dispute. She rested her forehead on the side of his neck, hiding her expression from the camera by lowering her head, and murmured, "Why do you have to go this far?"
He just wasn't the type to flirt. Why force himself to such extremes?
"I'm not a mind reader. If you don't speak up, I don't know what to change."
She didn't know the reason for his transformation, nor did she know why he was dissatisfied. One needs to at least understand the problem to find a way to correct it, but he hadn't said anything.
She was even thinking, if he wanted to show his displeasure on camera, then so be it. After all, she was long accustomed to it.
Rather than forcing him into an ill-fitting mold, it would be better to let him be simple and direct.
Shi Guanghua was slightly startled by her words. He suddenly understood her expression at this moment. It wasn't indifference or apathy, but genuine confusion from the bottom of her heart. He had always thought she could guess what he was thinking, so he often remained silent, but it wasn't actually like that.
"That take was great!" The MV director looked at the monitor and called a stop to the shooting at the right moment, admiring the scene. The show's camera was also filming, collecting behind-the-scenes footage for the MV.
Shi Guanghua didn't immediately start the next shot. He took the opportunity to sit up straight and sincerely reveal his thoughts: "If it's always the girl taking the initiative, others will say..."
He didn't finish his sentence, but the message was clear enough.
Leaning on the sofa, Chu Yueyi looked stunned when she heard this, not expecting this to be the reason for his initiative. She had always thought he lacked awareness of putting on an act and wouldn't consider the effect when the show aired. Of course, she couldn't have guessed this and thought he was just being sulky.
Shi Guanghua's expression was very solemn, seeming to attach great importance to her reputation.
Looking at him, Chu Yueyi suddenly smiled.
It was a relieved and relaxed smile, like sunshine after rain, without any impurities.
"Do you think I care about these things?" Chu Yueyi said languidly. "If taking the initiative means being called clingy, then I've been clinging to you for a long time, haven't I?"
She had been the one leading since the first episode, had seen countless of his awkward performances. How could she care about what others say?
She didn't know the reason for his sudden awakening, but she appreciated his sincere goodwill.
Suddenly, something occurred to her.
Chu Yueyi sat up, now dressed in elaborate clothing. She could only look towards the corner and said, "Can you help me get my bag?"
Shi Guanghua, without suspicion, retrieved her bag and slowly handed it over.
Chu Yueyi felt around in her bag and took out the silver key of promise. She held it up in front of him and calmly said, "The second promise: don't do things that don't suit you, just do what you're willing to do."
"Just be natural, you don't need to change deliberately," she said, lowering her eyes. "I don't mind taking the initiative."
She knew what kind of person he was.
That was enough.
She had promised to guide him, and she would fulfill that promise.
Shi Guanghua looked at the shining key of promise and suddenly felt that removing the filter wasn't so bad. In fact, the rose-colored filter hadn't shattered; she was still a warm and friendly person. He had just been addicted to feeling special before.
But they weren't anything to each other yet.
It turned out she was setting the mood, while he had gotten carried away on his own. She hadn't fully warmed up yet.
"I promise you," Shi Guanghua reached out to take the key of promise. His gaze was inscrutable as he replied, "I'll only do what I'm willing to do."
Chu Yueyi had no defenses against him. As she handed over the object in her hand, she was caught off guard when he grasped it, causing the prop to roll onto the sofa.
In the next second, he intertwined their fingers, feeling the warmth of each other's palms and even their restless heartbeats.
With just a gentle pull from Shi Guanghua, she was about to fall into his arms, the difference in their strength too great.
"But next time, don't take the initiative. I am a man, after all," his eyes were like deep pools, without a hint of light, as he said nonchalantly, "You don't really know if I'm willing or not, do you?"
They weren't anything to each other yet, so she especially couldn't take the initiative.
Otherwise, he would be jealous, thinking that perhaps she would treat anyone else just as kindly.
Chu Yueyi experienced his aggressiveness for the first time, staring at him in disbelief.
This was exactly the reaction he wanted. She couldn't let her guard down with everyone.
Shi Guanghua held her hand tightly. He gazed at her steadily and said in a low voice, "What if I am willing?"
The heat from his fingers transferred to her, seemingly about to spread like wildfire.
Chu Yueyi was stunned on the spot. She had only ever seen him being silent before, never hearing him say anything remotely suggestive. Her mind went blank in an instant.