CHAPTER 470: 189 HAS A BEAUTY

Gao Yuyue said cheerfully, "Why would I need a stunt double? I can handle this myself."

Huang Chu breathed a sigh of relief. This rookie looked delicate, but she wasn’t delicate at all.

Back then, Sun Qianqian... Forget it, no point bringing up that spoiled princess with late-stage entitlement issues.

"Alright, you guys head up the painted boat first and get familiar with the vibe..."

The group boarded the painted boat. Huang Chu stood behind the monitor, holding a walkie-talkie in hand, instructing the extras to get in position. The masked assassins hidden underwater also began diving into position.

On the boat, four handsome men and beautiful women sat by the window, sipping tea and enjoying the scenery—it was the picture of leisure.

"Hey, Mr. Gao, mind your expression control. You’re a Commandery Princess; don’t show your teeth when you smile. Your bearing must be dignified...."

"Don’t let your eyes wander, and don’t make eye contact with the camera...."

Huang Chu took a deep breath. No problem—it’s just her first time acting. Rookies are like this. Slowly training her will do the trick.

"The girl in the red dress, lean in closer to the Commandery Princess. Whisper some girly secrets, and make sure your expressions are lively...."

"As for the two guys, don’t just sit there drinking tea—engage with each other a bit...."

Before long, Gao Yuyue started slouching, unable to hold on. "Ugh, so this is what filming is like. It’s not fun at all."

Yan Lu shot her a sideways glance and took in the countless pairs of eyes staring at them from every direction. Even though she’d grown up accustomed to being the center of attention, she still felt her scalp tingle under so many watchful gazes.

Gao Yuyue threw up her hands in frustration. "Why did I even agree to this? Is it still too late for me to escape?"

Yan Lu couldn’t help quipping sarcastically, "People need to have a sense of responsibility. Just look at all the people around you—do you know what would happen if you suddenly ditched the job?"

Gao Yuyue sighed, straightened her back again, and tried to imagine herself as an ancient Commandery Princess. "I’ll just act arrogant—it’ll be fine."

Who would’ve thought that Huang Chu’s shouting would break through the silence like an arrow? "What I want is the image of a Commandery Princess raised in royal courts, dignified and refined, not a venomous, arrogant villainess with her personality stamped all over her face! Smart people don’t wear their emotions on their sleeves."

Gao Yuyue held it in—she had said yes, after all. She’d just have to figure things out herself.

The more she mulled it over, though, the more it felt wrong. "Director, something doesn’t add up. If the Commandery Princess is supposed to be so clever, why wouldn’t she travel with bodyguards—or, I mean, protective escorts? How could she be so easily killed off? Isn’t this inconsistency going to make viewers blame the screenwriter for treating them like fools?"

Huang Chu: ...

Honestly, he’d worked with plenty of actors, but this was the first time anyone had dared question him outright.

Since she seemed to be asking in earnest, he decided not to take offense.

Cui Jie stepped in to explain things to Gao Yuyue. "What you’re seeing is just one scene. When it airs, editing will help viewers understand the backstory and consequences surrounding the event. Logically, the script’s fine. Mr. Gao, the fact that you’re asking questions is a good thing—it shows you’re thinking seriously about your role."

Gao Yuyue nodded. "Oh, I see how it is now."

Huang Chu raised his voice, "Let’s continue. Mr. Gao, remember the drop point I mentioned earlier? Soon, when I call out ’three, two, one,’ you’ll get up, walk to the designated spot at the bow of the ship, where a hand underwater will grab your ankle. Later, VFX will replace that hand with a claw. You’ll look shocked, scream for help, and then fall backward straight into the water...."

Following Huang Chu’s instructions, Gao Yuyue stood at the drop point near the bow. Huang Chu’s voice, carried by the breeze, reached her ears. "Three... two..."

Suddenly, a damp, clammy hand emerged from underwater and grabbed Gao Yuyue’s ankle.

"One..." Huang Chu shouted the last number.

The girl standing at the bow lowered her head, her face obscured. She just stood there, frozen.

The diver playing the underwater assassin couldn’t help surfacing, wiping his face before snapping irritably, "Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear the director’s cue?"

The wind carried Huang Chu’s furious voice: "What are you doing?"

Gao Yuyue spoke up unexpectedly, "If someone grabs my ankle, why would I fall backward? This doesn’t make sense with the laws of gravity, does it?"

Diver: ...

What on earth is she talking about?

Huang Chu: "You’re an actor, not a researcher. Know your role."

Gao Yuyue: "But the logic needs to hold up—we can’t fool the audience."

Huang Chu turned to point at Cui Jie. "Where did you even find this oddball?"

Cui Jie smiled awkwardly.

This girl was certainly interesting, but maybe that inquisitive spirit wasn’t quite suited for the world of acting.

Yan Lu stifled a laugh, leaning over to Gu Bichen and Liu Runxi. "I think she’s here to sabotage the set. Look at the director—he’s so mad his face is twisted."

Gao Yuyue kept going, "Director, I should be falling head-first into the water. By the way, can the Commandery Princess swim?"

Huang Chu: ...

Even Cui Jie couldn’t stand it anymore. Rushing to intervene, he said, "Mr. Gao, your curiosity is admirable, but you do see what we’re doing here, right? Filming—you know what filming is, yes? It’s an artistic form of expression. And part of the art is that it requires a bit of embellishment, some drama. If we’re too pedantic about realism, the whole thing ends up looking like a documentary, wouldn’t you agree?"