Chapter 290: HIGH PRAISES COMING FROM YOU

The ChuanXiang studio buzzed with barely contained chaos the moment Guiying stepped through the doors, staff rushing past with lighting equipment, someone shouting about a missing prop bowl, another voice calling for the second camera to be repositioned before the director arrived.

"Mr. Tang!" A production assistant appeared almost instantly, ushering him inside with visible relief. "Thank you for coming; we’re running a little behind schedule today."

Haiyan peeled off toward a side room the moment someone gestured him toward the lounge, settling into a chair near the window with the easy patience of a man used to waiting.

A hand caught Guiying’s wrist before he’d taken two more steps, tugging him toward the makeup chairs with more urgency than necessary.

"Sit, sit, we need to move fast." The man’s grip tightened around his arm, pulling harder than the situation called for.

Fu Pei’s hand landed flat against the man’s wrist before Guiying could react, stopping the motion entirely.

"Let go of him." His voice stayed level, though something sharp sat underneath it. "Your rush has nothing to do with him. He arrived on time. Handle him properly, or don’t handle him at all."

The man froze, blinking at the sudden intensity aimed his way.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean—"

"I don’t care what you meant." Fu Pei released his grip on the man’s wrist, stepping back only once he was satisfied the point had landed. "Get someone who can do this job without manhandling the talent."

The man stammered another apology before hurrying off, returning moments later with a woman trailing close behind him, her expression apologetic before she’d even reached the chair.

"I’m so sorry about that." She gestured for Guiying to sit, her tone warm and unhurried despite the chaos still swirling around them. "I genuinely don’t know what got into him. We’re behind schedule, but that’s no excuse."

"It’s alright." Guiying settled into the chair, some of the earlier tension easing at her gentler approach.

She called over her shoulder, and a second stylist joined her moments later, both women setting to work with practiced efficiency, brushes and palettes already in hand. ℯℯ𝑙.

"I have to say." The first stylist studied his face, tilting his chin gently toward the light. "Your photos in the magazine last month were stunning. I showed my roommate, and she wouldn’t stop talking about you for a week."

"You’re even more handsome in person." The second stylist added, mixing foundation against the back of her hand. "And somehow pretty at the same time. It’s an unfair combination, honestly."

Guiying laughed under his breath, warmth spreading through his chest at the genuine compliment. "That’s kind of you to say."

Fu Pei stood a few feet away, arms crossed, watching the entire exchange with the same unreadable expression he wore for everything. However, he said nothing further, apparently satisfied that Guiying was finally in capable hands.

The makeup process took nearly forty minutes, careful layers building until his skin looked flawless under the studio lights, his eyes subtly defined without appearing overdone. A wardrobe assistant appeared partway through, holding up two options for approval before settling on a simple cream sweater paired with dark, tailored trousers, comfortable enough to look natural on camera.

Once dressed, someone pressed a single sheet of paper into his hands.

The script.

Guiying scanned it, surprised by how short it actually was. Two lines total, simple, warm, nothing that demanded much beyond genuine delivery.

"That’s it?" He glanced up at the nearby assistant.

"That’s it." She smiled. "The concept relies more on visuals and expression than dialogue. The lines need to land naturally."

Guiying nodded, running through the lines quietly under his breath a few times, letting the rhythm settle into something that felt like his own voice rather than a script.

"Places, everyone!" The director’s voice cut through the studio, and the chaotic energy from earlier suddenly sharpened into focused efficiency, staff scattering to their positions with practiced speed.

Guiying took his mark near the small dining table set built specifically for the shoot, steam already curling gently from the prop bowl positioned in front of him, warm lighting casting a soft golden glow across the entire set.

"Rolling."

"Speed."

"And—action."

Guiying lifted the bowl slightly, letting the steam catch the light exactly as instructed during rehearsal, his expression settling into something quiet and content before he delivered the first line.

"Some things taste better shared."

A beat passed, his gaze lifting toward the empty seat across from him, warmth threading naturally into his voice for the second line.

"Come sit with me."

"Cut!" The director’s voice rang out, followed almost immediately by scattered applause from the crew. "That’s it. One take, everyone. Let’s move to reset for the wide shot."

Guiying blinked, mildly stunned at how quickly it had wrapped.

The director approached him directly, clipboard tucked under one arm, an approving smile already in place.

"That was perfect." He extended a hand, and Guiying shook it, still adjusting to how smoothly everything had gone. "Exactly the warmth we wanted. A lot of models overplay the emotional beats in ads like this, but you kept it understated. Genuine. That’s rarer than you’d think."

"Thank you." Guiying’s smile came easy, genuine relief settling through him now that the pressure had lifted. "I wanted it to feel like an actual invitation, not a performance of one."

"That’s exactly what came through." The director tapped his clipboard. "We’ll need you for two more angles, then a few stills for the print campaign. Should only take another hour, maybe less."

"Take your time." Guiying nodded. "I’m not in a rush today."

The director moved off to confer with the camera team, and Fu Pei appeared at Guiying’s side almost immediately, arms still crossed, though something close to approval sat behind his expression.

"Not bad." He said it plainly, no exaggeration, no flattery. "Didn’t expect you to be good at this."

"High praise, coming from you."

"Don’t get used to it." Fu Pei’s mouth twitched, almost a smile. "Go get your stills done. I’ll be here."