Shi Guanghua faced her insincere praise and questioned, "Is the Montague family so easily suppressed?"
Chu Yueyi nodded frankly: "Of course, it's all because Romeo didn't revitalize the family." In other words, it was Romeo's fault for not trying hard enough.
Shi Guanghua reminded her: "Isn't this supposed to be a love story?"
Chu Yueyi: "That's right, the main plot is love, the subplot is career. Since you said Juliet is the heir, her revitalization of the family should naturally drive the main plot, otherwise what's the point of setting it up like this?"
Shi Guanghua: "...Juliet's revival of the family isn't meant to lock Romeo in a castle."
Chu Yueyi: "You're not Juliet, how do you know it's not?"
Shi Guanghua: "..."
Seeing the silent standoff between the two, the Chief Director hurriedly tried to mediate: "Alright, alright, let's continue. So the plot that follows is all about Romeo being imprisoned?"
Shi Guanghua was unable to answer. Faced with this bizarre plot development, he couldn't think of how to move forward for the moment.
Chu Yueyi leisurely sipped her water, not believing he could continue making things up.
Noticing Shi Guanghua had fallen silent, the Chief Director looked around at the staff and encouraged: "Can everyone help Guanghua think? Is this the end for Romeo?"
The people around vaguely waved their hands: "We shouldn't help think, it depends on Romeo's character design."
Chief Director: "Love stories all have patterns, right? Referring to mainstream romance literature, next..."
"He can choose to be a kept man, or he can choose to run away."
Shi Guanghua: "?"
The new version of "Romeo and Juliet" wasn't progressing smoothly, but the "Heart-Fluttering Promise" production team worked with high efficiency, quickly selecting a small theater fully equipped with costumes and props, renting it as the performance venue.
Since it was Shakespeare's classic play, there were ready-made costumes placed backstage. Shi Guanghua and Chu Yueyi were the lead roles, while the supporting roles and extras were played by staff members, essentially just standing in the background as scenery.
Chu Yueyi changed into her costume backstage. She took the stage wearing a long dress, looking at the stage curtains and empty auditorium with some emotion, suddenly feeling like she had returned to her university's small theater. Drama performances were regular training for performance majors, with plays being rehearsed every semester.
Moments later, Shi Guanghua also returned after changing. He wore a black court-style formal suit with intricate gold trim on the cuffs and edges, accentuating his broad shoulders, long legs, and upright figure, exuding the cold elegance of a noble young gentleman. He was awkwardly adjusting his collar, clearly unaccustomed to this attire.
"Tsk tsk, not bad," Chu Yueyi laughed. "Little Romeo's looking good."
Hearing her subtly teasing tone, Shi Guanghua couldn't help but look up at her: "I feel like there's something strange about the way you're talking."
Just calling him Romeo would suffice, but she insisted on saying "Little Romeo". Combined with the later imprisonment plotline, it gave an unsettling sense of déjà vu.
Chu Yueyi: "I find it strange that you agreed to play Romeo."
Shi Guanghua looked puzzled, not understanding where she was coming from.
"You'll know soon enough."
The first act of the play was Romeo wearing a mask, sneaking into the Capulet family's banquet, where he meets the beautiful and charming Juliet. The two fall in love during this fateful encounter.
Looking at the densely packed script, Shi Guanghua finally understood why Chu Yueyi was gleefully anticipating his struggle. Romeo could be considered a chatterbox, constantly showering Juliet with praise. There was an extra-long section just extolling her beauty.
As a mute musician, Shi Guanghua felt overwhelmed facing lines like "Torches pale before her radiance, she is a heavenly jewel descended to earth."
The stage had already been set up in the style of a banquet. Chu Yueyi was only a few steps away from Shi Guanghua. She noticed he hadn't spoken his lines for quite a while, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she innocently said: "Little Romeo, it's your turn."
Shi Guanghua: "..."
Seeing her face clearly saying "Hurry up and compliment me, what are you waiting for?", in a completely spectator state, Shi Guanghua felt both annoyed and amused. She didn't have a script in hand, performing effortlessly with lines memorized by heart, completely different from him.
Shi Guanghua pressed his lips together and stiffly recited: "I will wait until after the ball to follow her, to hold her delicate hand..."
Hearing him rattle off the lines, Chu Yueyi, as a master performer, patiently instructed: "Try to speak a bit slower, are you rapping?" Were these lines burning his tongue?
Shi Guanghua felt frustrated being taught by her, but dared not speak out. The script was written this way after all, it was Romeo's fault for being so shameless, saying whatever came to mind.
Halfway through the banquet scene, the Chief Director, doubling as the play's director, began to call out loudly: "Alright, next is the kissing scene!"
Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua were both startled, seemingly neither had anticipated this.
The Chief Director waved the script paper, confused: "Why are you two so surprised? Isn't this the play you specifically chose?"
The Chief Director's attitude clearly suggested, "Why are you two pretending? Didn't you pick this deliberately for the kissing scene?"
Shi Guanghua looked astonished, quickly lowering his head to scan the script, unsure how the plot had progressed so rapidly.
Chu Yueyi suddenly realized that this scene did exist in the original work. The text merely glossed over it with "kisses Juliet", but scripts are always more concise compared to the actual performance, which would be much more elaborate in reality.
Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua instinctively looked at each other, realizing their gazes had met, they awkwardly averted their eyes, feeling a bit out of place at this moment.
Shi Guanghua said in a low voice: "Perhaps this is just a hand kiss."
The Chief Director spoke seriously: "No, you can tell from the lines."
Of course, Shi Guanghua knew it wasn't a hand kiss. He wasn't illiterate when it came to reading the script, but he hadn't expected a kissing scene at their first meeting at the banquet. He suddenly felt dizzy and at a loss.
Chu Yueyi cleared her throat, pretending to be casual: "Standard camera angle tricks, it's quite normal."
Chief Director: "But that would be such a shame..." Did you two spend all that time picking the script for nothing?
The male and female leads both indicated it wasn't a shame at all. "Romeo and Juliet" continued, still set at the lavish banquet. The stage design for the play was quite professional, constructing an elaborate ball within the limited space.
At the banquet, numerous guests moved back and forth, chatting happily in the corners. On tables covered with white tablecloths were food and prop candelabras, with candle flames swaying gracefully in mid-air, indistinguishable from real flames.
Chu Yueyi and Shi Guanghua stood center stage, reenacting the classic scene from the famous work.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this: My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."
Shi Guanghua wore a black formal attire with an exquisite mask on his face, yet still revealing deep-set eyes and a smooth jawline. Anyone could see he was a young master from a distinguished family.
He was far from being as bold as Romeo in the original work, unable to blurt out confessions recklessly. Instead, his eyes flickered, inexplicably becoming shy as he tentatively took her hand.
Chu Yueyi had long memorized her lines by heart, but faced with his awkward and inexperienced performance, she also became nervous and hesitant, slightly turning her head to say: "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."
The two held hands on stage, ignoring the cameras nearby, completely immersed in the play.
Shi Guanghua lowered his gaze and said: "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"
Chu Yueyi displayed Juliet's coy reluctance: "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."
Shi Guanghua looked up at her, sincerely saying: "O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."
His gaze was anxious yet passionate, bright as the blazing sun, focused entirely on her.
Chu Yueyi was suddenly struck by his gaze, as if burned by an invisible, subtle affection. Her whole body felt heated, and for the first time, she understood Juliet's heart flutter.
Even Juliet, meeting him for the first time, probably couldn't refuse when faced with his fervent, attentive plea.
"Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake," she said.
Having received permission, Shi Guanghua didn't let go of her hand. Instead, he used it to pull her closer, carefully beginning to act out the scene. Following the procedure for a staged kiss, he slightly lowered his head, stopping just beside her lips.
They had done similar actions when filming MVs, so it wasn't entirely unfamiliar to either of them. Chu Yueyi's eyelashes trembled lightly. She could feel his soft breath on her cheek, and perhaps he could hear her breathing as well.
"Just a moment, for the close-up shot," the cameraman indicated, asking the two actors to maintain their positions. There were multiple cameras on set now, this one specifically for filming the play, while others were for behind-the-scenes footage.
This moment felt as long as a century, until both of their faces were flushed and the cameraman finally called cut.
"Alright, good work."
They both let out a small sigh of relief, instinctively adjusting their positions. Just as Chu Yueyi was about to stretch her neck, Shi Guanghua reacted slower than expected. Instead of immediately lifting his head, he unexpectedly turned to the side.
Chu Yueyi felt something brush against the corner of her mouth, leaving a faint, moist sensation. She turned to him in surprise.
Shi Guanghua was equally stunned, not anticipating this sudden turn of events.
They fell into silence, both frozen in place.
Shi Guanghua, being the culprit, felt sheepish under her scrutiny and stammered first, "It was an accident."
Chu Yueyi raised an eyebrow, mercilessly retorting, "You did it on purpose."
This cliché of an accidental kiss straight out of a trashy romance novel was both coincidental and absurdly trite. His movement seemed unnatural - who would suddenly turn their head when two people were so close?
Shi Guanghua couldn't clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River. He said helplessly, "I..." didn't.
Before he could finish, he saw her face just inches away, followed by the fleeting sensation of her lips on his.
Warm, soft, slightly moist.
She was like a cat standing on a human to kiss them - devoid of any desire, just a pure, simple kiss.
Caught off guard, his eyes widened slightly. As he felt her presence retreat, electricity coursed through his body, his hanging fingers twitching involuntarily.
Having done this, Chu Yueyi didn't look at his reaction. She muttered, "Now we're even."
With that, she walked towards the backstage, seemingly preparing for the next scene.
Shi Guanghua stood rooted to the spot, silent.
The crew members present were at a loss for words. The Chief Director looked at the nearby cameraman, who immediately gave a thumbs up, indicating that they could rest assured about the footage - everything had been captured.
As long as the footage was fine, the director had no complaints. He muttered, "If you're going to kiss, just kiss. No need for all this fuss."
The Chief Director thought: I knew from the start you two wanted to do a kissing scene, why bother with all these excuses?
Hearing this, Shi Guanghua couldn't bear to lift his head and also turned to go backstage.
Backstage, Chu Yueyi had initially wanted to calm down alone, but Shi Guanghua unexpectedly followed her, immediately making the atmosphere subtle and ambiguous.
They stood in awkward silence, neither finding a suitable topic. Chu Yueyi tactically busied herself with adjusting her skirt, not straightening up to meet his gaze, her eyes fixed on the floor.
Shi Guanghua touched his lips, his gaze wandering as he softly explained, "It really was an accident just now."
The initial brush had indeed been unintentional, absolutely a blunder.
"...So?" Chu Yueyi mistakenly thought he was going to reproach her. She said stiffly, "Just because it was an accident means I can't get revenge?"
Shi Guanghua listened to her combative tone, staring at her intently for a long while. Noticing her peach blossom-like lips, he suddenly said, "If I do it on purpose this time, will you still seek revenge?"