The person who arrived was Yang Xuwen, whom Yi Xing had met during his audition. He was also the actor playing Guo Jing, the male lead in this drama. Hearing the other party ask him a question, he gave a polite smile. He treated people he wasn't very familiar with in this manner.
"Indeed, it's been a few days since we last met. Your presence here proves that you've secured the role of Guo Jing, right? I'm playing Yang Kang. And these two behind you are?"
"Let me introduce them to you. This is Li Yitong, who plays Huang Rong, and this is Meng Ziyi, who plays Mu Nianci in the drama."
After listening, he nodded at the two girls as a greeting. Although he wasn't particularly interested in either of them, his gaze lingered on Meng Ziyi a little longer. After all, she would be his scene partner later, so he had to observe her carefully.
After mutual nods, the atmosphere in the air gradually quieted down. The four sat silently on the sofa, each engrossed in their phones. Because they weren't very familiar with each other, they didn't know how to start a conversation.
The silence lasted for a while before Yi Xing was the first to put down his phone, breaking the awkwardness. He had looked up information on the two male and female actors he had just met. He wasn't boasting, but based on the current situation, he was the most well-known among the main cast.
"Oh right, what were you planning to do earlier?" he asked Yang Xuwen, who was beside him.
"We were planning to go eat at a restaurant nearby, but we don't know which one is good."
"Come with me. I've been here for several days, and I know all the good places to eat around here."
"That's great! We were just wondering where to go. Let's go, let's go, let's go!" Yang Xuwen's eyes lit up. He had rushed over from another place early in the morning, and it was almost lunchtime. His stomach was empty.
Li Yitong and Meng Ziyi, who were sitting on the other side, heard their conversation and quickly stood up, their faces showing anticipation. In this world, only good food wins people's hearts the most.
The four walked out of the hotel together, the boys in front, the girls following behind. Along the way, they met other artists, leading to another round of greetings, and it wasn't until 12 o'clock that they finally sat down at a table in the restaurant.
Most of the people eating here were actors filming nearby, so there was no need to waste money on a private room. If they met acquaintances, they could even share a table, which would be a pleasant experience.
Yi Xing picked up the menu from the table and handed it to the two girls sitting opposite him. It was better to let them handle ordering, which also saved him from having to ask about any dietary restrictions.
Friendships grow most rapidly at the dinner table, especially when everyone is the same age, making it even faster. Sure enough, after leaving the restaurant, their formation changed, with the two who would be acting opposite each other now walking in the same row.
Meng Ziyi and Yi Xing walked behind. The latter had a general understanding of the person beside him. From time to time, one or two startling remarks would pop out of her mouth, and he couldn't think of what to say in response, only able to agree with a nod or offer a compliment or two.
If one were to classify everyone's insensitivity into levels, then this girl's insensitivity belonged to the top tier. She couldn't tell which words were praising her and which were disparaging her. As long as it was a positive word, she would show her smile to others.
— — — — — —
The day passed quickly. Yi Xing got up early from bed. This morning, there was a launch ceremony, and Director Jiang had sent a notification in the group chat last night, meaning that the main actors needed to be in costume and makeup and hoped everyone would arrive early, as he didn't want to lose his temper at the launch ceremony.
He quickly washed up, changed his clothes, and got into the film crew's arranged car to head to the filming location. Sitting in the back seat, he felt both nervous and excited. This was his first time seeing a launch ceremony in person. He had only seen photos or clips online and wasn't entirely clear about the specific procedures.
Upon arriving at the scene, he followed the staff's guidance to the makeup room. He wasn't the only one there; some older actors already had most of their makeup done. However, he was the earliest to arrive among the small group from yesterday.
He wasn't entirely sure about the positioning of his character in the entire drama. He could be considered the second male lead or a very important supporting character. The staff member who brought him shared the same thought, so he was currently in the makeup room designated for supporting characters.
All the makeup artists and stylists inside were busy, so he walked to the changing area, found the clothes he wore during the audition, and reduced some of their workload, saving himself from having to change clothes after they finished with him.
After putting on Yang Kang's clothes, Yi Xing's entire demeanor instantly changed. He completely immersed himself in the role, his walking posture elegant yet graceful, and his gaze towards everyone filled with disdain.
Those who didn't know might have thought that the real Yang Kang had traveled through time; his image was truly too fitting.
This posture only lasted for a moment before he reverted to his original self. Filming hadn't even started yet, so there was no need to immediately immerse himself in the role. Everyone present could be considered a senior in the acting industry, and he dared not act presumptuously in front of them.
Ten minutes later, Yi Xing noticed that someone had finished. He took over the person's seat and sat down. The makeup artist standing nearby asked, "Which character are you playing?"
"Yang Kang."
"Yang Kang isn't on our side. There's a main cast makeup room next door. You should go there."
"Ah? Oh, oh, okay. I'm sorry to have bothered you." He paused, then nodded apologetically to the other party, walked out of the door, and went to the makeup room next door. Now he finally understood Yang Kang's role in the drama; it turned out he was the second male lead.
His debut work was as the second male lead; his future was truly promising.
The treatment in the main cast makeup room was completely different from that in the supporting cast makeup room. The layout inside was more spacious and comfortable, and there were only a handful of people, forming a stark contrast to the bustling activity next door.
One of the makeup artists saw someone walk in and greeted him with a smile, "You must be Yi Xing, who plays Yang Kang. Come over and sit down."
Yi Xing quickly walked over and politely replied, "Hello, sister. I'll be relying on you from now on."
"Don't worry, leave it to me."
He dared not offend his makeup artist. He would try his best to maintain a good relationship with her. She held his "power of life and death"; whether his styling looked good depended on her skill. He didn't want to appear on camera with a strange makeup or hairstyle.
"Your looks are quite good. The last time I saw such a superior face was Yang Yang. You know him, right?"
"I know."
"You two give me a similar feeling. Both of you have facial features naturally suited for the screen. You can catch people's attention at first glance, leaving a deep and stunning impression. Most of your current fans are probably drawn to your looks, right?"
"Sister, you're absolutely right. At least two-thirds of them."
"Keep up the good work and try to convert these 'looks' fans into 'acting' fans or others. You know, there are too many good-looking artists now. Beautiful skins are a dime a dozen; interesting souls are one in a million."
The makeup artist bent down and earnestly shared her views. People of a certain age always like to guide young people and share their experiences.
"I will, thank you for your advice, sister."
Amidst continuous conversation, Yi Xing's first ancient costume look was quickly completed. He looked at himself in the mirror; what a gentle and refined handsome man. The other makeup artists in the room all cheered, telling him to stand up and take a look.
He obediently stood up and even voluntarily spun around. The sisters looked him up and down with satisfaction, giving him thumbs up, their praise self-evident.