3.7 – The proud son of heaven was always hated by others
Thanks to Bai Hao’s help, there were fewer things Xue Ling needed to do by himself. He found many recent movies and some award-winning films from domestic film festivals and spent every day watching them at home as he worked on his own script.
Although he had done many things and even tried acting before, making a film was still a first for him. There were many memories left by the original owner, such as scripts and other useful knowledge, and the system had also prepared a lot for him, but Xue Ling was still very serious about learning properly.
He was going to live a lifetime in this world as Bai Yue. He couldn't just make two films and then retire. It would be bad if he became known as someone who could only make a one hit wonder. Besides, he was interested in making movies - he could take this opportunity to learn it properly.
The system had no idea that its host had such varied interests and hobbies, and could only sigh in wonder over his energy.
Xue Ling laughed when he heard the system's thoughts. "I have said this before - I am a fox demon who has cultivated for thousands of years. Did you think that all those years were spent nested in a cave, doing nothing but cultivating?"
“No?” The system currently looked like a fox, and so it was very interested in this race.
Xue Ling shook his head. “It is pointless to have higher levels of cultivation without the right frame of mind. I rarely force myself to cultivate. What I'm currently lacking is practical experience. The experiences from these worlds are useful and can also be considered a form of toughening so that I can survive the tribulation after I've recovered my tails.
Xue Ling was once again a little sad thinking of the upper plane.
From ancient times till the present, the demonic cultivation path has always been much more difficult than the path for humans, and even in the future, there would always be human clans and sects working against them. Even the Dao of Heaven did not treat them kindly—every time he had to face a lightning tribulation, it would always be the Great Heavenly Tribulation of ninety nine lightning strikes, with lightning thrown from the sky as though it all cost nothing, taking at least half of Xue Ling's life. Xue Ling's dissatisfaction with the Dao of Heaven was not something new, but there was nothing he could do about it, which was why he was particularly diligent about overthrowing the fate of the protagonists and changing the fate trajectory of these worlds.
God’s favorite son and things like that were sometimes quite detestable.
Bai Hao had found a producer for Xue Ling, and the producer had his own complete film team, from production to lighting to cameras and so on, everything was there. After Bai Hao introduced both sides, Xue Ling brought out the script and handed it to the producer, who read it and proclaimed it to be very good. If it was shot well, there would be absolutely no worries about losing money. Bai Hao directly approved the funds, and the entire film was funded by White Light Entertainment. Fortunately, the film was a literary and artistic film, and the required investment was not much. Otherwise, regardless of whether Xue Ling was serious or just shooting for fun, or even what kind of achievements he would be able to obtain, the shareholders and directors would have been the first to disagree.
Even if it was a family business, they couldn't spend so much just for fun!
Fortunately, Young Master Bai generously expressed that he was rich and willing to spend freely, and the producer understood his attitude, so the production team was well prepared in all aspects.
Xue Ling spent every day immersed in watching movies, studying acting skills and shooting techniques, discussing scripts with editors, and discussing shooting venues and things that needed be prepared with the producer. A month passed by quickly, and most of the actors had been found when finally, the person that Xue Ling had been waiting for finally showed up looking for him.
According to the original plot, Lin Yi should have been the investor in the first film and Bai Yue would have come to him, looking for people he needed, making it easy for Sun Jianan to arrange for the actor who ruined his film's reputation from the last life to enter the team simply by making vague whispers in the background. But the butterfly effect had spread unusually wide and things were different. If Sun Jianan wanted to use this tactic, he could only have Lin Yi come and find Xue Ling to discuss it in person.
Xue Ling had been waiting for this day, and so he was extremely quick to agree when Lin Yi asked to meet.
As soon as he stepped foot out of the house, the report that Lin Yi had asked to meet Bai Yue landed at Bai Hao's desk. President Bai glanced at it and did not pay much heed - his younger brother had recently closed himself in at home, it would be good for him to go out for a while.
Lin Yi was delighted they were able to meet, and his heart beat faster when he saw Xue Ling.
At first, he had been interested in Bai Yue because of his looks. But later, after they spent several years together, he found that he also liked his character very much. Especially when he was a little proud, it often made Lin Yi's heart itch. It was just that Bai Yue was not easy to get together with, and in order not to make the other party hide from him, Lin Yi could only choose to find a stand-in to appease his growing desire.
Only… he recently found that he may have done something wrong. Not only was he unable to forget Bai Yue, he even fell more and more in love with the other. But Sun Jianan had also slowly entered his heart, and the small interactions they had made him more and more infatuated with Sun Jianan's sensibility and warmth.
But Sun Jianan's good points were completely forgotten the moment Lin Yi saw Xue Ling. He had not seen the other party in a month, and Bai Yue seemed to be more dazzling than before. Regardless of whether it was just walking or greeting others, every move was mesmerizing and seductive, but at the same time it also kept people at a distance. It made his heart really itchy, and Lin Yi really wanted to lay his hands on him.
He seemed cold and indifferent towards Lin Yi, but it was this indifference that aroused Lin Yi’s desire to conquer. He looked at Xue Ling with unusually hot eyes, making Xue Ling want to dig them out.
“You want to introduce actors for my film?” Xue Ling looked at the person with hot eyes sitting across from him as he slowly cut the steak on his plate. He found it a little amusing.
Looking at him with those kind of eyes, but doing what Sun Jianan had asked him to do, Lin Yi could hardly be any more garbage than he already was.
“Well yes, I heard you’re looking for people recently. I happen to know some good actors that I can recommend to you.”
Xue Ling quirked his lips, laid down his knife and fork, poured himself a glass of red wine, and said slowly, “It's true that I actually wanted to ask you for someone. My film has two protagonists and I still need another protagonist."
“Oh?”
“I’ve seen quite a few movies recently. The designated driver that you called over last time, Mr. Sun Jianan.” Xue Ling drank from his glass, and the movement of the adam's apple at his throat made Lin Yi feel hot. He licked his lips with the tip of his tongue and waited for him to continue. “He is somewhat similar to me and quite suitable for this role. I heard that his acting skills are good.”
Lin Yi was surprised to hear Sun’s name from Bai Yue’s mouth, and was flustered for a moment, but soon he calmed down and said, “It's true that he's an actor, and his acting skills are very good. I can talk to him about this, but I don’t know whether he would want to or not.”
Xue Ling smiled and looked straight at him making Lin Yi's mouth go dry. “It doesn’t matter. Just bring it up to him so that he has an idea. I've already arranged for someone to contact him. I don't think anyone would refuse a good script.”
Lin Yi nodded in agreement. “Well, since you doing it, it must be good.”
Xue Ling’s eyes narrowed with satisfaction, and he looked proud. “Naturally.”
This meal was a pleasure for both the guest and host. Xue Ling drank and was too lazy to call for a driver, and so he went home in Lin Yi’s car. Fortunately, he didn’t drink much, so Lin Yi had no chance to take advantage of him. In fact, Lin Yi was already really happy to be able to send him home.
When he left, he also asked Xue Ling if they could meet up again next time. Planning to string him along, Xue Ling expressed that he would start filming soon, and if Lin Yi was free, he was welcome to visit the set. This made Lin Yi feel soft all over and his head was full of the belief that Bai Yue was letting him get closer, turning to leave in high spirits. He did not notice that someone was staring at him from the second floor of the Bai villa, eyes cold and full of disgust.
It was Xue Ling who, after watching Lin Yi leave, looked up thoughtfully and met with the soft gaze that Bai Hao was using to watch himself.
He sent Bai Hao a smile, waved, and entered the house.
The system nested on his shoulder looked upstairs and then looked at its host, wondering what the weird atmosphere between the two was.
In Sun Jianan's schemes, he first wanted to arrange for his friend that betrayed him to enter the film, and then set up a scandal around that friend to kill the film. But after he read the script and was told about the conditions set by the people who got in touch, Sun Jianan realized that if nothing unexpected happened, the film would become very popular.
He could also rely on this film to win a prize. He didn't agonize too much over whether or not this would also benefit the other party; he figured that he could retaliate against Bai at any time, but he would need more personal strength in order to confidently snatch Lin Yi away from Bai Yue.
So he joined the team and learned that the other protagonist in the film would be Bai Yue.
This made him even happier. As long as Bai Yue was suppressed by his acting skills during the filming, it could be counted as him getting some of his revenge already. Although the other party was also the director of this film, if his acting skills were not up to par, what could he say?
Bai Hao’s brother complex recently became stronger. At first, he arranged for someone to investigate Bai Yue’s past. Later on, he forgot about it, but the other party continued to report Bai Yue’s movements. And so, he fell in love with watching what his brother did every day. This feeling of closely watching a person’s life and knowing everything was too good, and gradually, not only could he not give it up, it also became more and more serious. When Bai Yue was at home, he turned on the monitor feed. Even if his brother merely sat in the living room to watch movies and plays every day, he could still stare at the other person like a fool.
Naturally, Xue Ling knew that he was being watched, but he just lamented that Bai Hao's brother complex was beginning to erupt in an all-round way, and ignored him.
After all, this was a golden thigh, and could not be offended at the moment.
Xue Ling’s script was one written by the original Bai Yue – the one that had won a prize in his previous life. This time, Xue Ling had combined several scenes and changed a lot, thoroughly perfecting the script before he started filming. Winning a prize was inevitable.
It was his first time directing, and he was not very skilled in some places, but he slowly began to make use what he had learnt. The effect was good. Bai Hao asked several assistant directors, executive directors and action directors that he had helped to find, and discovered that Second Young Master Bai's filming was getting better and better.
Regardless of whether it was the scenes he shot or the scenes he acted in himself, they were both very well done. The atmosphere within the whole group was excellent, and the work was progressing smoothly.
Sun Jianan had been trying to suppress Xue Ling whenever they were acting together, but it was not easy. The more unsuccessful he was, the more his hatred towards Bai Yue grew. Xue Ling knew that Sun Jianan was narrow-minded and hated him enough to wish he was dead most of the time, but maintained his usual cold and indifferent air around him. He said what needed to be said, was angry when it was called for, and it was all for the sake of the film, but from Sun Jianan's perspective it seemed that Bai Yue was purposely making trouble for him.
Sun Jianan had always believed that if Bai Yue had not seduced Lin Yi in his previous life, Lin Yi would not have approached him. After all, he has always been the white lotus in Lin Yi's heart, which could be seen but not touched, be admired but not defiled. If Bai Yue had not gotten closer to Lin Yi, Lin Yi would not have been unable to extricate himself to the point where he finally broke up with himself to pursue Bai Yue.
Someone that obviously should have been his, that he wanted and worked so hard for, Bai Yue didn't even care about at all, and even disdained them. It was precisely because of Bai Yue's attitude that Sun Jianan hated him more and more.
The proud son of heaven was always hated by others, and Bai Yue was not so different.
editors: alamerysl & BlueBug
so i need a bit of wordpress help here… does anyone know how to change blog posts into pages? google was no help at all.