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August 2016, Hengdian World Studios.

The media gathered at the opening ceremony of "The Story of Minglan".

The main actors and creative team stood in a row, with a long table covered with red cloth in front of them, on which were placed incense burners and offerings.

Producer Hou Hongliang stood in the middle, with director Zhang Kaizhou on his left and Su Ning and Chen Xiaojun on his right.

Further to both sides are Zhang Shishi, who plays Mo Lan; Tian Xiwei, who plays Ru Lan; the actress who plays Hua Lan; and a group of supporting actors.

"Thank you to all the media friends for coming today." Hou Hongliang hosted the ceremony. "The Story of Minglan is a key project jointly produced by Shandong Film and Television and Guangguai Luli Film and Television Company. It has been in preparation for more than a year. Today, we are finally going to start filming."

Reporters snapped photos, their flashes going off one after another.

A reporter asked, "Mr. Hou, I heard that the male and female leads are both played by the investors themselves. What was the reason for this?"

Hou Hongliang said with a smile, "It's very simple, because they are the most suitable. Everyone knows the acting skills of Su Ning and Chen Xiaojun, and the fact that they are a husband and wife team will generate a lot of buzz. Most importantly, they love acting."

Another reporter asked Chen Xiaojun, "Mr. Chen, you've been running a business all these years. Do you feel any pressure returning to television dramas this time?"

"There's pressure, but more than that, I'm excited," Chen Xiaojun replied tactfully. "Sheng Minglan is a character I really like, and it's an honor to play her. Plus, this time I'm working with Su Ning, so we have great chemistry and I'm confident we can deliver a great performance."

When it was Suning's turn, the questions were much sharper: "Mr. Su, you own several companies, yet you have to spend five months filming. How will you manage the company affairs?"

“The company has a professional team to manage it, and I can handle important decisions remotely.” Suning responded calmly. “Moreover, I think that doing business and acting are not contradictory. They are both ways to create value. After all, one should not forget one’s roots. I started my business by acting.”

Before the reporter could ask further questions, Hou Hongliang interrupted, saying, "Alright, it's almost time. We're going to offer incense and start filming."

The group took turns offering incense, removing the red cloth covering the camera, and posing for a group photo.

After the opening ceremony, the crew moved to the first filming location—the inner courtyard of the Sheng Mansion in the drama.

Today we're filming a scene where the three Sheng sisters are having a private conversation in their bedroom.

In the dressing room, the actors are getting their hair and makeup done.

Zhang Shishi sat in front of the mirror as her stylist combed her hair.

She had changed into Mo Lan's attire—a light green jacket, her hair styled into an exquisite bun, adorned with a jade hairpin.

Chen Xiaojun walked over: "Shishi, are you nervous?"

"A little," Zhang Shishi said honestly. "The character Mo Lan is quite complicated. She appears gentle on the surface but is calculating on the inside, and it's hard to strike the right balance."

"I watched your audition, and you did a great job," Chen Xiaojun encouraged. "Today's scene mainly focuses on the daily life between the sisters, so get a feel for it first."

On the other side, Tian Xiwei was practicing her facial expressions in front of the mirror.

Her Rulan look was more lively—a peach-pink dress with ribbons tied in her double buns.

Su Ning had already put on makeup and was walking over in the fine clothes that Gu Tingye had worn in the early episodes.

He was tall and straight, and his ancient costume made him look incredibly dashing. For a moment, everyone in the dressing room was stunned.

"President Su, you look... really handsome," Tian Xi said softly.

“In the play, you have to call me Uncle Gu Er.” Su Ning corrected with a smile, “You are Ru Lan now, Ming Lan’s older sister, so you have to act like an older sister.”

"Understood, Uncle Gu." Tian Xi winked mischievously.

Director Zhang Kaizhou came in: "Are you ready? We'll start filming in half an hour."

Everyone responded in unison.

The first scene was filmed in Miss Sheng's boudoir.

The scene was exquisitely arranged: carved wooden bed, dressing table, embroidery frame, bookshelf, all exuding the elegance of a Song Dynasty official's home.

"Action!"

The camera first zooms in from outside the door, and through the beaded curtain, you can see the three sisters sitting around a round table.

Chen Xiaojun (Minglan) is embroidering, her movements are graceful and quiet.

Zhang Shishi (Mo Lan) is holding a book, seemingly reading, but her eyes keep glancing out the window.

Tian Xiwei (Rulan) rested her chin on her hand, looking bored: "Staying indoors all day is so boring. Sixth Sister, when can we go out and play?"

Minglan didn't even look up: "Fifth Sister, if Madam hears you say that, she'll scold you again."

"So what if I heard it!" Rulan pouted. "I just want to go out. I heard a new rouge shop opened on South Street, it's so lively."

Mo Lan put down her book, her tone gentle yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible contempt: "Fifth Sister, we are daughters of officials, how can we always think about showing our faces in public? It would sound terrible if word got out."

"Fourth Sister is always lecturing," Rulan said, displeased. "Didn't you secretly send a maid to buy the new rouge last time?"

Mo Lan's expression changed slightly: "I... I had the maid go to buy it, not myself."

"We're buying things anyway," Rulan said, turning to Minglan. "Sixth Sister, don't you think so?"

Minglan put down her embroidery and smiled slightly: "Fourth Sister is right, we must follow the rules. But if Fifth Sister is really bored, we can go to the temple with Mother when she goes to offer incense in a few days."

"Really?" Rulan's eyes lit up.

"Cut!" Director Zhang Kaizhou shouted, "That take is done!"

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Tian Xi patted her chest: "I was so scared. It was my first time filming such a formal scene, and my hands were shaking."

Zhang Shishi handed her a glass of water: "You acted very well, bringing Rulan's charming naivety to life."

Chen Xiaojun also came over: "Xiwei, that little pouting gesture just now was very natural, keep it up."

Zhang Kaizhou watched the replay and nodded: "All three of them are in good condition. President Chen, your smile just now was very charming, and you captured Minglan's 'seeing through but not saying' feeling. Zhang Shishi, you handled Molan's micro-expressions very well, especially the fleeting guilt in your eyes when Rulan mentioned rouge."

"Thank you, director."

We then filmed several shots from different angles, and they all went smoothly.

During the lunch break, the crew ate boxed lunches together.

Su Ning, Chen Xiaojun, Hou Hongliang, and Zhang Kaizhou sat at one table.

"The filming went very smoothly this morning," Hou Hongliang said with satisfaction. "Especially the scenes between the three actresses, there was chemistry and the pacing was good."

"Although Tian Xiwei is a newcomer, she is very talented," Zhang Kaizhou said. "It's just that her delivery of lines needs improvement; some of her pronunciations are not clear enough."

“I had the dialogue coach join the production team and give her extra practice every day,” Chen Xiaojun said.

Zhang Shishi walked over with a lunchbox in her hand: "Director, I have a question."

"explain."

"Mo Lan probably doesn't think much of Ru Lan, but she can't show it. How do she strike the right balance?"

Zhang Kaizhou put down his chopsticks: "Mo Lan is an illegitimate daughter, but she is proud and arrogant, and always wants to be superior to the legitimate daughter. On the surface, her teaching of Ru Lan is like an older sister teaching her younger sister, but in reality, it is a sense of superiority that says, 'I am more sensible and better than you.' You acted very well just now, so keep up that gentle yet prickly feeling."

"I understand."

After finishing work in the evening, the film crew had a dinner together.

Lin Yunxiao arrived at 7 p.m. and went straight to the restaurant.

"Yunxiao!" Chen Xiaojun stood up to greet him.

"Xiaojun, Su Ning." Lin Yun greeted them with a smile, then looked at the others, "President Hou, Director Zhang, long time no see."

"Teacher Lin, welcome to the crew," Hou Hongliang said. "Your scene starts filming the day after tomorrow. You can take a look at the script and rehearse your scenes with Su Ning tomorrow."

"I've finished reading the script." Lin Yun smiled and sat down. "The role of Man Niang... is very challenging."

Zhang Shishi and Tian Xiwei also came over to say hello.

"Hello, Teacher Lin, I am Zhang Shishi, and I play Mo Lan."

"Hello, Teacher Lin, I am Tian Xiwei, and I play Rulan."

Lin Yun smiled gently and replied, "Hello. I've seen your promotional photos, they're very beautiful."

At the dinner table, everyone talked about the script and the characters.

Lin Yun asked Su Ning with a smile, "Does Gu Tingye feel love or pity for Man Niang?"

“In the early stages, it was love, or rather, what he thought was love,” Su Ning analyzed. “When he was young, he was rebellious, and the appearance of Man Niang gave him the illusion that ‘someone is genuinely good to me.’ Later, when he discovered that he had been deceived, love turned into hate, and then into a complex mix of guilt and pity.”

"So what about Man Niang's feelings for Gu Tingye?"

“It might have started with scheming, but after twelve years together, there was some genuine affection,” Lin Yun replied with a smile. “It’s just that her scheming outweighed her genuine affection, and in the end, she even got herself caught in her own scheme.”

Zhang Kaizhou nodded: "You understand very well. The emotional storylines in this drama are complex, and each character has multiple facets, which is what makes the script so compelling."

After dinner, Lin Yunxiao and Su Ning chatted alone in the hotel corridor for a while.

"We'll be spending five months together filming this movie," Lin Yun said with a half-joking smile. "Xiaojun won't be jealous, will she?"

“She’s a professional actress, and so am I,” Su Ning said frankly. “The play is the play.”

"That's true." Lin Yun smiled. "Then let's rehearse well tomorrow and let Director Zhang see our chemistry."

"must."

Back in her room, Chen Xiaojun was reading tomorrow's script.

"Did you finish chatting with Yunxiao?" she asked without looking up.

"Yeah, we talked about the characters." Su Ning sat down. "What, are you really jealous?"

“I’m not that petty.” Chen Xiaojun put down the script. “But to be honest, your scenes with Yun Xiao are really worth watching. Two acting powerhouses going at it, the audience is in for a treat.”

"Is it unwatchable for you to act opposite me?"

“It’s different.” Chen Xiaojun leaned on his shoulder. “We’re husband and wife, so our understanding is natural. But the tension between you and Yunxiao is… how should I put it, it’s a different feeling.”

Su Ning hugged her and said, "No matter what happens in the movie, you will always be my wife in real life."

“I know,” Chen Xiaojun said softly, “that’s why I felt comfortable letting you act with her.”

Outside the window, Hengdian is ablaze with lights.

Filming for "The Story of Minglan," which will last for five months, has officially begun.

The stories of the Sheng and Gu families will unfold slowly on screen.

……

The second week of filming for "The Story of Minglan" saw Hengdian in August experiencing unbearable heat.

That afternoon, halfway through filming a scene in the Sheng Family Garden, Chen Xiaojun, wearing heavy Song Dynasty costume, had beads of sweat streaming down her face. The moment the director yelled "Cut!", she immediately rushed to the shade of a tree, and her assistant quickly handed her ice water and a fan.

"This weather is awful." Chen Xiaojun wiped her sweat; the lining of her costume was already soaked. "I can't stand it after only half an hour. I have to wear an even thicker dress for the indoor scene this afternoon."

Zhang Shishi and Tian Xiwei were also extremely hot, and the three actresses huddled under a parasol with their small fans on the highest setting.

Tian Xiwei said with a pained expression, "President Chen, this is just a light summer outfit. How hot must your formal suit be?"

"It's layered on top of the other, weighing at least five pounds," Chen Xiaojun sighed. "And we can't turn on the air conditioning, it will affect the radio reception."

As they were talking, a giant silver-gray RV slowly drove into the outer perimeter of the filming area.

The vehicle is over twelve meters long and has a sleek, modern design that stands out from the surrounding ancient buildings.

The car door opened, and Suning got out of the driver's seat and waved in this direction.

"What kind of car is that?" Zhang Shishi asked curiously.

Chen Xiaojun was also stunned: "He didn't say he was coming."

The three walked over, and Su Ning had already opened the electric door on the side of the RV: "Come on in, there's air conditioning."

As soon as you step into the car, a cool breeze hits you.

The temperature inside the car was maintained at a comfortable 22 degrees Celsius, a stark contrast to the 38-degree heat outside.

"This is..." Chen Xiaojun looked around and was surprised to find that the interior of the RV was as spacious as a small apartment.

"This is a custom-made RV for filming, commissioned by Tiangong Auto," Su Ning explained simply. "We know you're sensitive to heat, so we specially modified it."

Tian Xi's eyes widened slightly: the car was divided into four areas.

At the front are the driver's seat and the passenger seat, in the middle is a spacious rest area with leather sofas and a coffee table; at the back are the dressing room and changing room, and at the very back there is even a small shower room.

"How much will this cost?" Zhang Shishi couldn't help but ask.

"Not much," Su Ning said casually. "It was used for filming; it's considered company assets."

Chen Xiaojun walked to the makeup mirror and noticed a hidden light strip around the mirror with adjustable brightness.

Pulling open the cabinet next to it reveals a tiered costume rack with built-in temperature and dehumidification functions.

“This cabinet keeps the costumes dry and prevents them from getting stuffy and sweaty,” Su Ning said. “And this…”

He pressed a button on the wall, and a transparent screen slowly descended from the ceiling of the rest area, displaying surveillance footage from various angles outside the vehicle.

"It's 360-degree surveillance, ensuring good privacy. People outside can't see in, but people inside can see out," Su Ning explained. "This way, you don't have to worry about being secretly filmed when you're resting."

Tian Xiwei was already excitedly sitting on the sofa: "This sofa is so comfortable! Much better than the one in the hotel."

“The sofa has a built-in massage function, which can relieve fatigue.” Suning then pointed to the small bar counter, “There’s a refrigerator here, with drinks and fruit. Next to it are a microwave and a coffee machine, so you can heat up food and make coffee.”

Chen Xiaojun entered the dressing room and found that the space was larger than she had imagined, making it perfectly fine to change into her costume.

What surprised her most was the shower room—although small, it had a separate wet and dry area and plenty of hot water.

"How did you come up with the idea to do this?" she asked Su Ning.

“Last time I saw you filming a night scene, it was already past midnight when you got back to the hotel. It took you ages to remove your makeup and hair, you were exhausted,” Su Ning said. “With this car, you can remove your makeup and rest right in the car after filming, without having to travel back and forth.”

Just then, the assistant director ran over to inform him: "Mr. Chen, Director Zhang says we can shoot the next take."

Just as Chen Xiaojun was about to get up, Su Ning stopped her: "What's the rush? Rest for another ten minutes. I'll have someone talk to Director Zhang and ask him to postpone the afternoon's scenes by half an hour."

"That's not good……"

“What’s wrong with that?” Su Ning said matter-of-factly. “If the actors aren’t in good condition, how can the filming be good? Your face is covered in sweat; it will take you ages to touch up your makeup.”

He asked his assistant to inform the production team, and then took out some chilled mung bean soup from the refrigerator: "Have some to cool down."

Zhang Shishi and Tian Xiwei also received a cup.

The three of them sat in the cool RV, drinking iced beverages, and the summer heat dissipated considerably.

"President Su, can we use this car in the future?" Tian Xi asked cautiously.

Suning explained, "We will customize other RVs in the future, but this one is exclusively for Chen Xiaojun."

"Great!" the two young girls cheered.

Half an hour later, Chen Xiaojun touched up her makeup, recovered her composure, and resumed filming.

The afternoon's filming went smoothly.

With the RV as a backup, the actors can truly rest during breaks in filming, instead of enduring the scorching heat.

When Chen Xiaojun returned to the RV at the end of the day, she found that Su Ning was still there.

"Why didn't you leave?"

"I'm waiting for you to eat together." Su Ning was heating up food in the small kitchen. "I had the hotel send over a few dishes; they're better than the boxed meals the crew provides."

The dishes were served: steamed sea bass, blanched bok choy, and yam and pork rib soup—all light and refreshing dishes perfect for summer.

Chen Xiaojun was indeed hungry, and she sat down and ate with relish.

“This car is really nice,” she said while eating. “This afternoon, Shishi and Xiwei both said that filming would be much more comfortable with this car.”

"Filming is already tough enough, every little bit helps." Su Ning served her soup. "By the way, there are still some features of this car that haven't been shown yet."

He picked up the tablet and operated it for a few moments.

The walls of the rest area suddenly became transparent, revealing the night view outside the car.

Then the wall surface transforms into a starry sky pattern, and then into different virtual scenes such as forests and oceans.

"This is electrochromic glass and a projection system," Suning explained. "It can help you change your mood and relieve fatigue during breaks."

Chen Xiaojun was stunned: "This must be incredibly high-tech..."

“It’s all an integration of existing technologies from Tiangong Automotive,” Suning said casually. “The solar roof panel charges during the day and is enough for the whole car for a day. There’s a water circulation system, and the shower water can be filtered and reused. There’s also an air purification system with a PM2.5 filtration efficiency of 99%.”

"You've built a mobile five-star hotel."

"Pretty much." Su Ning smiled. "From now on, wherever you're filming, this car will follow you. It has underfloor heating in winter and air conditioning in summer, and you can shower, eat, and rest anytime."

Chen Xiaojun felt a warmth in her heart: "Thank you."

"No need for thanks between husband and wife." Su Ning cleared the dishes. "You go take a shower first, I'll clean up."

When Chen Xiaojun came out after taking a shower, Su Ning had already cleaned the car and brewed a pot of tea.

"You have a scene with Lin Yunxiao tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yes, the scene where Manniang first visits the Sheng family." Chen Xiaojun dried her hair. "Have you read the script?"

"I saw it. Man Niang appears docile on the surface, but every word she says is barbed, trying to test Ming Lan's true abilities," Su Ning analyzed. "Ming Lan has to pretend to be naive, but she also has to let the audience see that she actually understands."

"The difficulty of this scene lies in striking the right balance," Chen Xiaojun said. "If she acts too clever, it doesn't fit Minglan's character of hiding her true abilities in the early stages; if she acts too foolish, it seems fake."

"I believe you can handle it well."

The two chatted about the play for a while longer, and seeing that it was getting late, they prepared to rest.

The sofa in the RV's rest area can be unfolded into a double bed, which, while not as comfortable as a hotel bed, is still quite comfortable.

After lying down, Chen Xiaojun suddenly said, "Actually, you don't need to do so much for me."

“I’d like to.” Su Ning turned to look at her.

Chen Xiaojun was touched, but said, "You're such a smooth talker! I think you're just advertising by giving me this RV. Tiangong Auto's RV orders are sure to explode now."

"Hehe, killing two birds with one stone!"

As night deepened, the RV fell silent.

The air conditioner makes a slight running sound, and the temperature remains constant within a comfortable range.

Through the car window, you can see the lights of Hengdian at night.

After being fussed over by Su Ning, Chen Xiaojun fell asleep quickly, and it was the best night's sleep she had had since joining the crew.

……

The next morning, Lin Yunxiao came to the RV to rehearse with Chen Xiaojun.

As soon as she got in the car, she was surprised: "This car... is too luxurious!"

"Suning set this up, saying it was for filming. I didn't go back to the hotel last night; I spent the night here specifically to experience it." Chen Xiaojun gestured for her to sit down. "Would you like some coffee?"

"Have a drink."

The two sat in the rest area, drinking coffee and rehearsing their lines.

Lin Yun smiled as he looked at the interior of the vehicle and exclaimed, "President Su really has a lot to say about you. This is the first time I've seen an actor bring such a high-end RV."

That's just how he is; if he's going to do something, he'll do it to the best of his ability.

After rehearsing the scene, Lin Yun asked with a smile, "Can I borrow this car for a bit? I have an emotional scene this afternoon and I'd like to find a quiet place to rehearse."

"Of course, you can come anytime."

From that day on, this super RV became a "mobile oasis" for the crew of "The Story of Minglan".

The main reason is that Chen Xiaojun is very generous. The actresses can touch up their makeup and rest here, and the director sometimes comes to the car to discuss the script.

Soon after, Suning delivered two more RVs of the same class, but they lacked the luxury and cutting-edge technology of Chen Xiaojun's.

During the hottest days, Zhang Kaizhou moved some of the script meetings to the RV, which made everyone much more comfortable.

Tian Xiwei privately told Zhang Shishi, "When I look for a boyfriend in the future, I also want to find someone like President Su. He's so considerate."

Zhang Shishi laughed at her, "Focus on acting first. Once you become a big star, you'll have everything."

Filming continues, and so does the sweltering heat.

But with this RV full of cutting-edge technology, the entire crew's mood improved a lot.

Suning's move inadvertently set a new standard for "actor treatment" in the film and television industry.

Tiangong Motors' RV series has also become very popular, and the outside world did not expect that Tiangong Motors had actually obtained the qualification to manufacture fuel vehicles.

What was even more unexpected was that Tiangong Motors' first choice for manufacturing models was actually RVs, so the entertainment industry was vying to place orders with Tiangong Motors.

...(End of chapter)