Every Day the Villain Continues to Fail
[Quick Transmigration]
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The next day was the scheduled start of filming for the movie.
Pei Xinan, with a look of dissatisfaction, hugged Ruan Yao and insisted on personally driving him to the film studio. In the end, Qin Shuang dragged him away reluctantly, citing preparations for a concert as the reason.
Ruan Yao, fully equipped with a baseball cap and mask, stood smiling as he watched the disgruntled Pei Xinan get into the car heading to the company.
He stood there, pulled out his phone, and glanced at the time: 7:59.
Ruan Yao silently counted down in his head.
Twenty-seven, twenty-eight, twenty-nine, thirty.
Eight o'clock.
A black Bentley glided through the traffic like a fish and came to a silent stop in front of Ruan Yao.
Calmly, Ruan Yao opened the car door and sat in the back seat.
The rearview mirror reflected the face of a man who epitomized the elite of a big city.
Pale and cold, he always operated like a machine, precise to the second. Ruan Yao sometimes wondered if he had any real emotions at all.
"Mr. Sheng already knows you're here" Yang Fei said as he turned the car around after Ruan Yao got in.
"So, are you going to drag me back?" Ruan Yao crossed his arms and turned to look at the scenery rushing past outside the window.
Yang Fei was silent for a moment, his tone carrying a hint of imperceptible gentleness. "You're alone without even an assistant. I'll take you to the set and take care of your daily needs"
Ruan Yao raised an eyebrow, as if he had expected this. "Did Sheng Yirong send you?"
Yang Fei sighed inwardly, though his expression remained unchanged. "Mr. Sheng is currently in the middle of an important project negotiating with foreign investors. He probably won't be able to come for a while"
"The company he's negotiating with you know them too"
Ruan Yao had no idea. His voice was muffled by the mask. "Why should I care?"
"The largest shareholder of that company is named Yan Hui"
Yan Hui arrived at the studio two hours earlier than the agreed time.
Before filming began, the actors had to take promotional stills.
Every one of Ruan Yao's outfits had been personally supervised and designed by Director Yan Hui, just waiting for him to put them on.
Yan Hui had never been this meticulous about an actor's appearance before. Every fold of the clothing, every strand of hair had been carefully compared.
Even the male lead of the movie didn't receive this level of attention.
When Ruan Yao stepped out of the car, Yan Hui's eyes visibly lit up.
The slender teenager removed his baseball cap, revealing soft, ink-black hair.
"You dyed your hair black" the man with Russian heritage bent down, playfully lifting a strand of black hair that fell by Ruan Yao's ear.
The faint scent of an unseen fragrance filled the air, and even his iron-gray eyes seemed to soften, as if ice were melting.
"Beautiful"
"So you're Ruan Yao?" A brash voice came from inside the studio, and soon a tall figure in a police uniform emerged.
It was a man as handsome as a Greek statue.
This was Xie Tong, the actor playing Jiang Ze.
He was a legend in the entertainment industry. At twenty-seven, he had already won three of the highest acting awards in the country, making him one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation.
Xie Tong had been furious when he learned that he, a triple-award-winning actor, would be sharing the lead role with a newcomer he had never even heard of. To make matters worse, this newcomer was supposedly a former idol who sang and danced.
"Damn, did he really sell himself to Yan Hui?" Xie Tong had cursed when he first heard about the casting for Ning Zhen.
Today, aside from taking promotional stills, he was here to see for himself what this newcomer had to offer and how he had landed the role.
Ruan Yao was initially blocked by Yan Hui’s body, and when Xie Tong came out, he could only see the agent, who looked pitiful, standing beside Ruan Yao..
Hearing the voice, Ruan Yao peeked out and happened to lock eyes with Xie Tong.
Though the greeting was clearly laced with ill intent, Ruan Yao didn’t seem to notice. He smiled warmly and said “You must be Teacher Xie, right? Nice to meet you”
With his hair dyed black, Ruan Yao’s charm was even more striking.
His jet-black hair framed a face as pale as snow, like a mythical ice-and-snow deity from ancient legends.
Xie Tong stood frozen for a good ten seconds before snapping out of it, feeling a mix of embarrassment and irritation.
What was this? He, Xie Tong, had seen his fair share of handsome men and beautiful women in the entertainment industry. How could he be so distracted by a guy?
Ruan Yao had seen the movie that earned Xie Tong two golden awards. In it, Xie Tong played a gentle senior who had become the white moonlight of many young girls.
He just hadn’t expected the real person to have such a prickly demeanor.
Yan Hui subtly took hold of Ruan Yao’s wrist, his thumb brushing lightly over the delicate skin.
Ruan Yao thought it was accidental and, though a little uncomfortable, didn’t pull away.
Yang Fei, standing beside Ruan Yao, glared with clear displeasure.
Yan Hui shot him a warning look.
It was as if he was telling him not to meddle.
Ruan Yao’s character, Ning Zhen, had many alluring and provocative outfits in the movie. Some were meant to seduce Jiang Ze, while others catered to the twisted tastes of his uncle, Ning Yiwei.
The crew had a shared makeup artist, and as she worked on Ruan Yao, she couldn’t stop marveling at how someone could have such naturally beautiful features and flawless skin, so smooth it seemed poreless.
“If I looked like this, I’d never wear clothes when going out” the makeup artist blurted out, her eyes sparkling as she spoke, causing Ruan Yao’s neck to flush red.
“With looks like this, if he doesn’t become famous, I’ll livestream myself washing my hair upside down”
Ruan Yao, overwhelmed by the enthusiastic makeup team, stammered “I… I need to go take photos. The photographer… is waiting”
He fled in a fluster, leaving the group of girls laughing and giggling behind him.
“Not only is he good-looking, but his personality is so adorable. I love him”
“I feel like Ruan Yao’s name sounds familiar. Wasn’t he trending before?”
“Oh, I remember now. Wasn’t he the one singing in that bar? I saw that video. He sang so well, and I watched it several times. How could I not recognize him in person? I must be blind”
“He’s a hundred times better-looking in person. It’s normal not to recognize him. I remember our little Pei even liked one of his posts. No wonder Pei took a liking to him!”
As Ruan Yao walked out of the makeup room, he nearly tripped upon hearing their comments.
“Careful” Yan Hui reached out to steady him. Whether intentional or not, Yan Hui’s grip was too strong, and Ruan Yao ended up falling into the man’s arms.
“Sorry” Ruan Yao quickly apologized, not wanting to seem clumsy or annoying on his first day on set.
Yan Hui’s eyes seemed to hold a brewing storm, something unfathomable.
Ruan Yao lifted his face, looking a little lost and conflicted. Why hadn’t Yan Hui let him go yet?
Ning Zhen’s most frequent outfit in the film was a simple white shirt paired with jeans, a clean and innocent student look.
The top button was always fastened, yet somehow, it still exuded an undeniable allure.
Especially with those soft, rosy lips and the flush of red blooming on his cheeks, like color seeping through frost and snow.
He looked both pure and enticing.
Like a handful of delicate snow resting atop a mountain peak, something that begged to be tainted, disturbed, and drowned in darkness, only to melt away completely in someone’s grasp.
Yan Hui had to summon every ounce of restraint to suppress the urge to pull Ruan Yao into his arms and crush him against his chest. Instead, he gently let go.
Ruan Yao’s expressiveness was exceptional. The photographer only needed to give the simplest directions, and he could capture the exact shot he envisioned.
After the first set, he was already full of praise.
“This is strange. Your performance is the best I’ve seen in years, yet I’ve never heard of you before” The photographer, a kind-hearted foreign man with a thick beard, had been working in China for over a decade.
He had photographed countless celebrities, from A-listers to the most obscure talents. Even the most unknown actors usually had some sort of reputation.
Ruan Yao simply smiled at him without offering any explanation.
On the other hand, Yang Fei seemed to tense up, as if something had struck a sensitive nerve. He turned his face away.
The second outfit was a complete transformation, full on womenswear.
A white lace-trimmed dress, layered like a delicate cake, seemingly pure yet utterly bewitching.
Ruan Yao put on a long, thick cascade of curls that tumbled down to his calves like seaweed. Beneath the hem of the dress, his slender legs peeked out.
Shoes weren’t needed for this scene, so he stood barefoot on the cool floor, his round little toes curling slightly like tiny pink flower buds.
This set was a duet with Xie Tong.
At this point in the story, Jiang Ze was already working as the Ning family’s private tutor. He wore a deep gray pinstripe shirt and tailored slacks, giving him an air of refined elegance.
He looked as if he had stepped straight out of an ancient poem: tall, composed, and impossibly dignified.
Ruan Yao had to tempt him. He tiptoed, stretched out a pale arm, and reached for Xie Tong’s neck. Their lips were just a whisper apart, on the verge of touching.
His long hair spilled down his back, a few rebellious strands curling against Xie Tong’s arm, as if carrying the intoxicating floral scent radiating from Ruan Yao’s skin.
Xie Tong had filmed plenty of intimate scenes over the years. Kisses, embraces, none of it was new to him.
Yet somehow, just standing this close, without even making contact, his body had gone rigid. His limbs refused to cooperate, as if he had forgotten where to place them.
“Mr. Xie, your expression should show more struggle” the photographer instructed, frowning. “You know this is forbidden, but you still can’t resist your feelings for him. Your soul is being torn apart, let that hesitation show. And don’t hold his waist”
Xie Tong clenched his molars so tightly his jaw ached. He was annoyed.
This nobody of a rookie thought he could rely on his face alone to throw him off balance? Did he really believe he could strip away Xie Tong’s professionalism?
“Don’t move. This angle is perfect. Yes, that’s it” The photographer peered through the lens, blue eyes gleaming with admiration and awe.
By the time the shoot ended, Xie Tong’s expression had darkened considerably.
Ruan Yao blinked, feeling confused. He thought to himself, Wow, the Best Actor really has a bad temper.
Only Xie Tong knew what he was truly angry about.
That night, he lay in his hotel bed, unable to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, Ruan Yao’s face appeared: so close, so breathtaking.
He could see it so clearly. The way those curled lashes half-veiled amber eyes that shimmered like liquid gold.
Even his heartbeat seemed to sway along with it.
Xie Tong gritted his teeth and forced himself to think logically. It’s just a rookie with a pretty face. When did I become so easily impressed?
To snap himself out of it, he started counting the celebrities he had been rumored with in the past.
The lead actress from his last film? No, she wasn’t as delicate as Ruan Yao.
The second female lead from two films ago? No, she didn’t look as easy to tease.
The male idol from that variety show? No, he didn’t have that same irresistible aura.
Xie Tong grabbed a pillow and buried his face into it. Just before he suffocated himself, a brutal realization struck.
Ruan Yao was, without a doubt, the most beautiful person he had ever seen.
Fuck.
Staring up at the dark ceiling, Xie Tong cursed under his breath.
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