Top Dupe CH 086 Control Part 1

Jiang Yinchuan planned to independently produce dramas and movies in the future. Some roles were impactful but had few scenes, often requiring a search among extras at the set, which was time-consuming and didn't always yield good results.

Luo Yu had suggested that there were quite a few seasoned actors among the extras. Although they might look ordinary, their lines and expressions were no less skilled than those of formally trained actors. They could be signed for long-term collaboration; as long as they acted sincerely, they could be cultivated into "golden supporting actors," which would also reflect the company's strength.

Jiang Yinchuan decided to adopt Luo Yu's suggestion, and the first "golden supporting actor" he had in mind was Brother Long.

When Brother Long received the invitation to sign, he was overwhelmed with joy and deeply grateful to Yinchuan Culture for the opportunity. This renewed his motivation for acting.

He shared Luo Yu's sword dance video, sincerely praising, [Though I’m just a rough guy, it doesn’t stop me from thinking this dude is truly cool!]

Han Yang, after watching the video, called Jiang Yinchuan again to confirm that, after the filming of “Beast and Rose”, and a short Olympic-themed series, Luo Yu's schedule would be open afterward for the drama he was planning.

"Don’t worry, when have I, Jiang Yinchuan, ever broken a promise? Luo Yu is also very trustworthy! But the main focus now is for Screenwriter Hua to hurry up with the script, isn’t it?"

Since *”Counterattack” aired, Jiang Yinchuan's phone had nearly exploded with calls. Everyone could see that Luo Yu was already popular and would only become more so. Any more waiting, and it would be years before his schedule would open up.

When dealing with reasonable people, Jiang Yinchuan would respectfully listen to their proposals.

As for those who relied on past collaborations to demand that Jiang Yinchuan assign Luo Yu to their projects, Jiang Yinchuan had one attitude: "Luo Yu is not just a company actor; he's also a founding shareholder. I can’t dictate where my shareholder goes—he decides for himself."

On the other hand, Ou Juntao’s concerns were entirely different from Jiang Yinchuan's.

He had just watched Luo Yu’s sword dance—so powerful and beautiful, as if the blade could cut through the night breeze. Each turn, each swing of the sword, stole sight and heartbeat alike. That taut waistline, full of energy...

Ou Juntao swallowed; he couldn't resist replaying it over and over, his mind filled with endless thoughts.

But Gao He’s call disrupted everything.

"Chairman Ou, after watching Luo Yu’s sword dance video, the director of the “Wolf Smoke” crew consulted with the producer and investors. They want to replace He Mu and cast Luo Yu as the young general. They're very firm about this."

Every time Ou Juntao heard the name "He Mu", his head throbbed.

"And then?"

"Jiang Yinchuan’s side refused, due to scheduling conflicts."

This was the only bit of good news.

"Did He Mu really injure his back on the wire stunt?" Ou Juntao asked coldly.

"I heard… it was because the female lead, Ai Cheng, has been a fan of Luo Yu recently. She’s been watching Luo Yu’s videos during breaks and recommending him to others when not filming. This stirred the whole crew into watching “Counterattack”, and He Mu got into a quarrel with her, saying some unpleasant things, which led Ai Cheng to give him the cold shoulder."

Ou Juntao’s fingers turned white from clenching, "Are these two idiots? Go and tell He Mu that if he doesn’t get back to filming immediately, he shouldn’t bother accepting any more jobs! Doesn’t he realize his resources are deteriorating? And Ai Cheng—if she likes Luo Yu that much, tell her to ask Jiang Yinchuan if he’d take her on!"

Previously, Ou Juntao had indulged He Mu, hoping he'd get conceited and make things difficult for Luo Yu.

But now… with just one “Counterattack”, Luo Yu had gained incredible attention. And with “Counterattack” not yet finished, “Storm” was already scheduled for release. With these two dramas airing consecutively, Ou Juntao could imagine that the Yunwen Award for Most Popular Supporting Actor would likely go to Luo Yu this year—or, at the very least, he’d be nominated. And there was the professional Kirin Award, where Luo Yu would almost certainly receive a nomination.

At 10:20 PM, Luo Yu and Gu Xiaowei’s van pulled up in front of the youth apartment complex.

The surroundings were quiet; the light from the streetlamp illuminated the ground, bright yet giving off an eerie emptiness.

Luo Yu’s cheek was gently patted, and Gu Xiaowei’s voice sounded beside his ear, “We’re here, wake up.”

“En…” Luo Yu sat up, just about to rub his eyes when Gu Xiaowei caught his wrist, “Don’t rub. Smudging your eye makeup will mean more touch-ups.”

Only then did Luo Yu fully wake up. When he looked up, he met Gu Xiaowei’s gaze.

The light from the streetlamp filtered in through the window, and though Gu Xiaowei’s features were backlit, they didn’t carry the cold detachment of his sleepwalking performance.

Instead, there was a kind of warmth that melted the darkness.

Luo Yu stifled a laugh, “You know… tonight, you’re supposed to choke me in this scene. Being so considerate now, I’m wondering if you’ll even be able to go through with it.”

Gu Xiaowei paused slightly.

He knew very well that his current state of mind was his own; all the tenderness was genuinely for Luo Yu.

He found that he hadn’t fallen into character but had, in fact, retained his sense of self.

“Gu Xiaowei? Teacher Gu? Classmate Gu?” Luo Yu leaned closer, noticing Gu Xiaowei’s silence and looking worriedly at his expression.

The next second, Gu Xiaowei suddenly reached out and gripped Luo Yu’s throat, his Adam’s apple lightly bobbing under Gu Xiaowei’s palm as he reacted in surprise.

In that moment, Gu Xiaowei felt an illusion of control over this person.

“Do you think I won’t be able to choke you?” Gu Xiaowei lowered his gaze and looked at him.

Luo Yu’s hair was slightly disheveled, framing his eyes as he looked back in slight bewilderment, evidently not expecting Gu Xiaowei to suddenly strike.

Gu Xiaowei leaned closer and closer, his gaze growing colder, until his waist was sharply pinched by Luo Yu.

“Ow…” Gu Xiaowei let go of Luo Yu, leaning back against the van door.

“Ha, I finally succeeded once.” Luo Yu rubbed his own throat, “And you call that choking? You’re not even intimidating. Now, this is how you pinch.”

Luo Yu opened the van door with a flourish, the night breeze noticeably absent.

He deliberately swaggered past Gu Xiaowei as he stepped out.

The air seemed compressed by some invisible force, frozen and motionless.

The crew had already entered the apartment complex; inside, a model apartment represented Wen Yuchi’s “home.”

Ye Shengyi followed Luo Yu into the elevator, holding a makeup case.

After waiting a moment without seeing Gu Xiaowei enter, Luo Yu asked, “Where’s Teacher Gu?”

“He seems to still be in the van.”

Luo Yu frowned, wondering if his joke had unsettled Gu Xiaowei. Was Gu Xiaowei staying in the van to prepare emotionally? Luo Yu thought about going to check on him.

But if Gu Xiaowei was truly getting into character, interrupting him would ruin his focus.

“We’ll go up first. My scenes is up first,” Luo Yu said.

This was Luo Yu’s first time seeing Wen Yuchi’s “home.” It was clear the crew had put in effort. Being close to the resort, moving equipment and shooting was easy, and the layout matched Luo Yu’s imagination.

Upon entering, one could see a fabric couch with several wrinkled shirts and jackets strewn across its back, fitting Wen Yuchi’s lifestyle as a forensic pathologist who often worked late—returning too exhausted to tidy up.

In front of the couch was a small, round coffee table, unlike the large, modern glass tables in the resort villa; this one looked affordable, something you might find at Ikea.

Opposite the couch was a modest TV.

Adjacent to the living room was an open kitchen. On the counter was a cup rack with a few mugs hanging, and a knife set was by the stove.

The camera positions were set, and adjustments were underway.

Luo Yu lay on the couch, testing out the spot, as the lighting crew fine-tuned the lights.

Everything was ready, but the thunderstorm hadn’t yet arrived.

Director Sheng signaled to film Wen Yuchi’s return home.

Ye Shengyi adjusted Luo Yu’s makeup, and with the director’s approval, Luo Yu went to the door. He closed his eyes, gathering his emotions, took a deep breath, and slipped into Wen Yuchi’s state.

Wen Yuchi was still in the clothes he’d worn for the luminol test at Lu Pingfeng’s villa, visibly weary.

The sound of a turning lock broke the silence as Wen Yuchi opened his apartment door and casually nudged it shut.

The camera zoomed in to reveal that the door didn’t fully close, leaving a dark sliver, as if it led to another world. Perhaps an eye or a claw would emerge from the gap. But after a few seconds, it simply remained the same.

Wen Yuchi’s first action was to turn on the light. With a “click,” the whole room was bathed in a soft, warm orange glow.

He walked slowly to the sofa, instinctively picking up the clothes draped over it. He might have intended to tidy them up, but after taking a deep breath, he put them down again.

His stomach growled, so he went to the kitchen, lifted the kettle, and turned on the tap. While waiting for the kettle to fill, Wen Yuchi tilted his head back and closed his eyes, looking like he could fall asleep standing up.

Only when water began to overflow from the kettle did Wen Yuchi snap back to awareness.

He quickly turned off the tap, poured out the excess water, set the kettle on its base, and finally, the water began to boil.

Taking advantage of the break while the water boiled, Wen Yuchi returned to the sofa and sank down onto it. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and as the hum of boiling water filled the room, he slowly rolled onto his side and fell asleep.

This sense of exhaustion was portrayed so realistically.

Without a single line, he drew the audience into Wen Yuchi’s weariness.

After a quiet few seconds, a faint glow appeared in the distance outside the window, followed by distant thunder.

The long-awaited storm had finally arrived.

The sound of heavy rain grew louder in the distance, and flashes of lightning and thunder came closer and closer.

The previously stifling air finally began to flow.

“Good! Get ready for the next scene! Quick, quick!” Sheng Yunlan shouted.

“Where’s Teacher Gu? Lu Pingfeng’s scene is about to start!” The scene manager called out through a megaphone.

“Teacher Gu is here! He’s just outside the door!”

Luo Yu continued lying on the sofa, motionless, as if the bustling activity around him had nothing to do with him; he had truly fallen asleep.

His face tilted slightly to the side, a strand of hair clinging to his cheek, and the distant thunder did not cause his eyelids to flutter even slightly.

Sheng Yunlan was very pleased with Luo Yu’s state; this was not just acting but a professional dedication that ensured the consistency of his posture between scenes.

Gu Xiaowei had already arrived at the door. This scene was one they had rehearsed during the audition.

Who knew what kind of surprise these two might bring after working together for a few days? The whole crew was anticipating it.