A writer has arrived in the Chinese entertainment industry.

Chapter 121 Forced into the Middle

"The one you bullied...it's me, isn't it!" Dilraba's voice was squeezed out through clenched teeth, but then she stammered because of shyness, "Even if it's...that tool, it's you who did it to me! You...wanted a mirror...and...wanted a French window..."

"Let's reason with each other, okay? When was it ever you who asked first?" Su Liuyi retorted righteously.

The two began to discuss who used whom as a tool for venting their frustrations, refuting each other with various details, the scale of which was simply shocking.

Dilraba complained about how domineering he was on the sofa, how he gripped her waist and wouldn't let go. Su Liu retorted, recounting how, in her moments of passion, she had urged him, "More, more," making Dilraba cover her ears like a child, muttering a long string of incantations: "I can't hear you, I can't hear you, I can't hear you."

If someone were to walk by at this moment and overhear these two talking at length about how to "swallow" and how to "manipulate," they would probably be struck dumb, thinking they had entered some kind of 18+ hell.

In the end, no conclusion was reached through discussion.

So Su Liu made the final decision, saying, "Reba, let's assume for now that neither of us is using the other as a tool for venting our frustrations, and that we truly love each other. Do you agree?"

"Okay, I agree." Reba replied, going along with his words, but then suddenly realized, "No, I'm being sincere, you definitely aren't."

"Shall we have a competition to see who's more sincere?"

"Okay, how do we compete?"

"Let's play rock-paper-scissors. Whoever wins is more sincere."

"No problem, my sincerity will not be defeated."

The exhaust fans on the ceiling of the studio were humming, and staff members were adjusting equipment not far away, with occasional buzzing sounds coming from the walkie-talkies. Su Liu and Reba looked at each other, their eyes filled with high spirits, their hands waving up and down in the air.

Once the two men's genuine battle of wits came to an end, the scene was ready.

Su Liu pointed to the script and gave Dilraba her final instructions.

"In the first half of the scene, the water gradually rises in the confined space, and you portray your panic and will to survive quite well. However, in the second half, your emotions are consistently lacking."

"At this moment, Chen Meiqin would have a sense of resigned acceptance of death." You must remember, it's not the kind of despairing, self-destructive resignation, but rather a self-consistent sense of liberation. In her heart, she should have died on the day her whole family committed suicide many years ago, and she feels she has already gained enough by living to this day.

"So, when the water rises, your eyes shouldn't show fear of death, but rather a calm of 'it's finally here,' even with a hint of mockery. But when you're finally about to be rescued, an extremely strong will to survive will erupt. Do you understand?"

Reba listened intently, then took a deep breath and softly replied, "I understand."

"Okay, go and get ready. Don't be nervous. If it doesn't work the first time, we'll try again."

As Reba passed Su Liu, about to enter the cold carriage, she still managed a joke. She leaned slightly forward, and a soft, amused voice drifted into his ear: "So...how many times tonight?"

Su Liu almost instinctively turned her head and glared at her, but Reba didn't stop and had already entered the refrigerated compartment.

"Alright, all departments, get ready; actors, get ready."

Su Liu said into the walkie-talkie, "Action."

"7

Instantly, the previously still train model began to shake violently. To simulate falling into a lake, the prop master turned on the water pump, and icy water poured in through the gaps in the roof and the pre-designed holes.

In the cramped space of less than three square meters, Reba and Li Xian began frantically searching for anything they could use to block the gaps in the carriage.

The first half went very smoothly, until the water reached their chests.

"Cut." Su Liu stood up from behind the monitor, then added, "Don't drain the water yet."

He strode across the cables on the ground and walked to the model carriage. Dilraba and Li Xian were soaking in cold water, their wet costumes clinging tightly to their bodies, and both of them looked somewhat pale.

"Reba, your eyes need to look even more tired. At this point, Chen Meiqin has already given up struggling, so you need to adopt a nonchalant attitude. You still have the mood to joke with Ah Xian and ask him what he wants to eat tomorrow."

Dilraba pursed her lips, thoughtfully wiping the water droplets from her face.

Su Liu returned to the monitor and said into the walkie-talkie, "Let's do this part again, get ready..." He paused for a moment, looked at Reba nodding to him, and then said, "Action."

"7

The fixed camera was focused on Dilraba and Li Xian, and the water had already reached above their shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I've dragged you into this." Dilraba spoke softly, her tone as calm as if she were discussing the weather, showing no trace of the urgency of being in a life-or-death situation.

Li Xian shook his head. "No."

Dilraba's eyes were slightly open, her pupils unfocused, as if she were looking ahead, or perhaps lost in deep thought, her gaze piercing through objects. Her facial muscles were relaxed, without any obvious expression, conveying an indescribable weariness and confusion.

"Consider it an apology. Are you free tomorrow night?" She suddenly tilted her head, a faint smile playing on her lips.

"tomorrow?"

"Let's go eat something delicious. I'll treat you to whatever you want."

"tomorrow."

"What should we eat tomorrow?"

"Cut." In the quiet film set, only Su Liu's voice and the sound of water echoed, and everyone's eyes were on the director.

Su Liu's tense shoulders suddenly relaxed. He gripped the walkie-talkie and said calmly, "That's a wrap. I hereby declare 'Unnatural Death' officially finished!"

In an instant, the silent film set seemed to be bombed, with cheers, whistles and enthusiastic applause erupting like a tidal wave, shaking the dust on the ceiling.

"Oh! Filming wrapped up!"

The prop team moved swiftly, pulling open the side drain valve and causing the water in the carriage to gush out. Reba and Li Xian, supporting each other, trembled as they walked out.

The assistants on both sides had been waiting for a long time, and they wrapped the two of them up tightly with large, thick down jackets and dry towels, like wrapping rice dumplings.

Su Liu walked straight through the cheering crowd and stopped in front of Reba.

He cupped Reba's icy face in his hands, looked at her slightly bluish lips, and said gently, "You did a good job this time."

Reba looked up at him, a bright smile spreading across her face.

She had previously been provocative, asking "how many times tonight," but at the wrap party, Dilraba completely forgot about it and got overly excited.

This was her first time playing the lead role in a major drama. At the banquet that evening, her face was flushed, and she looked incredibly vibrant.

Of course, the consequence of being too excited was that she was completely incapable of playing around in bed anymore. In the end, Su Liu and Mao Xiaotong had to drag her back to the hotel room, one on each side. Reba's head was tilted on Su Liu's shoulder, and she was muttering some nonsense that only she could understand, occasionally letting out a silly laugh.

"Ouch." The two men put her on the bed and complained, "She's pretty difficult to handle."

"Yeah," Mao Xiaotong said, looking at Dilraba lying on the bed with her eyes closed, still grinning like a child.

"She's just a kid. Actually, she's two years older than me."

Mao Xiaotong chuckled lightly, "You're pretty much the same, just as childish."

"I'm not childish!"

"Only little kids would repeatedly emphasize that they are not childish."

Su Liu reached out and suddenly pulled Mao Xiaotong into his arms.

The sudden attack made Mao Xiaotong lose her balance, letting out a low gasp, "What are you doing!"

"To prove myself."

Su Liu didn't give him a chance to continue teasing and directly lowered her head to kiss him.

The two kissed more and more intensely, and Su Liu pressed down on Mao Xiaotong, pinning her to the bed.

"Wait, not here!" Mao Xiaotong turned her face away, dodging his mouth, and urgently reminded him in a low voice, "Dilraba is here!"

"Childish people do childish things!"

So, on the bed that was already crammed with one person, Mao Xiaotong was forced to lie on top of Reba. Reba's slightly feverish body temperature from being drunk, combined with Su Liu's aggressive presence behind her, tightly sandwiched her between them.