I’ve Got this Cannon Fodder’s Back

Chapter 58 - I’ve got this Celebrity’s back (18)

Chapter 58: I’ve Got this Celebrity’s Back (18)

The two bantered and played around for a while. The little paparazzo’s cheeks turned flushed. Gu Xi released his arms with satisfaction and took Lu Qingzhou to sit haphazardly onto the sofa. He kissed him hard on his cheeks.

Lu Qingzhou leaned against his chest, his black eyes were shining brightly as though washed clear with water. Then he blushed and raised his head, “Now… can I take a sneak shot of you?”

Who would ask permission first before taking a sneak shot?

Gu Xi chuckled quietly and stroked the corners of his eyes with the pads of his fingers. Just as he was about to answer, his eyes fell on Lu Qingzhou’s still burning ears. With a skip in his heartbeat, he suddenly understood the meaning behind his question.

…

They could take pictures until daybreak.

Lu Qingzhou has always been sensible. Right now, he was so close to Gu Xi that everything, from the bottom of his heart to every spot outside, was warm. Only then did he manage to raise his guts and read out the actor’s lines automatically generated by the Old Driver’s skill pack. He started to grow flushed as soon as he said it.

Before he could take back his words, Gu Xi had already carried him into his arms.

“Of course, you can take them.”

With a smile in Gu Xi’s eyes, he simply collected the scattered things and brought the little paparazzo’s folder along. He placed the other firmly into his arms, lowered his head and rubbed his forehead.

“The conditions here are terrible—let’s get back to the car and take lots of good photos. You can shoot whatever you want…”

*

Their rate of progress was thoroughly destroyed by Ning Feiping, who was completely out of form. Director Liang, who was trying to make up their schedule by shooting late into the night, hurried back to the lounge, dragging his exhausted body. He sunk into deep thought upon reading the note on the table.

*

Early the next morning…

It was spacious inside the car. It had been converted into a micro-RV style and it had all the necessary equipment. Gu Xi woke up perfectly content in an air-conditioned compartment with a spring mattress with the little paparazzo in his arms. He stretched his body and placed a kiss on the cheek of the person in his arms.

When all was said and done, they were still outside and they can’t toss about too much. They just tried a little bit last night but they still shot everything they needed to shoot.

Uncle’s teachings were very timely.

The emperor Gu, who has been single for almost 30 years, was satisfied in both body and mind. He circled his arms around the person who was still sound asleep. Remembering Mu Jinchu’s repeated instructions, while holding him in his arms, he used his cheek to test his forehead temperature. He was about to do another careful inspection but Lu Qingzhou had already opened his eyes in his arms.

“Does it hurt? I also did something inappropriate… Why did you wake up already? Did you sleep well?”

The little paparazzo was awake. Regrettably, Gu Xi retracted his hand that had gone exploring half under the blanket. He felt his forehead and asked softly.

It’s said that they should be asleep until noon the next morning.

There has been changes to both the actors and the script. Many scenes have to be reshot and even the sets have to be adjusted. There were too many things that needed to be handled. There was no way to resume shooting in just a day or two. Before Mu Jinchu left, he simply gave the crew a week off and delayed the production time for another three months.

Gu Xi had already made plans. He already made plans to thank Liang Yuan and then take his little producer back to the hot spring villa to discuss with the boss about the specific contents of the medicine box.

Lu Qingzhou curved his brows into a smile from between his arms. He shook his head and turned to sit up. A warm palm lightly covered his waist, “Does it hurt?”

Gu Xi: “…”

He had done stretches when he came here but when he filmed that fighting scene he hadn’t restrained himself. It was an uncontrollable melee. He had no idea whose gun had bumped him solidly at his waist.

He hadn’t felt any pain at the time. It was only last night that a large swath of black and blue appeared.

In addition, he had actually expended a lot of effort doing that…so, if asked if it hurts, well, it does hurt.

But Film Emperor Gu didn’t want to say it.

Seeing his conflicted expression, Lu Qingzhou’s black eyes widened slightly. He searched in the skill pack and then, the slightly dazed light turned into a bright smile in a flash. The corners of his lips couldn’t help from quickly ticking up.

His little assistant was actually laughing at him.

Film Emperor Gu, who had been shamed into anger, decided to strictly enforce the contents of the contract. He pounced on the other to lay down and bit down on the edge of his lips. Only when he saw the blush quickly climb up to his pretty and delicate face, did he rub the person into his arms with satisfaction. “Don’t laugh. If you laugh again, I will confiscate a photo.”

The last little knot in his heart was completely undone by their skin to skin contact. Lu Qingzhou was shielded in his arms. His smile couldn’t stop overflowing from the bottom of his heart. He couldn’t conceal it. He could only bury his face against his neck and rub gently against it. “I won’t laugh anymore…”

Film Emperor Gu was impartial and incorruptible. He was honestly trying to inspect Lu Qingzhou’s condition. He went a little overboard and stretched the wound on his waist again. He couldn’t help taking in a sharp breath.

Lu Qingzhou was concerned about his body. His heart tightened and he turned serious. He put on his clothes and without listening to his protests, pressed him to lie down on the unfolded seat.

“It’s okay, it doesn’t hurt if I don’t move. It will be fine in a couple of days.”

The little paparazzo’s movements were a bit anxious. Gu Xi coaxed him warmly and turned his hand to grasp his.

Lu Qingzhou had just taken out the safflower oil and a towel. He had both hands occupied so he lowered his head and gently touched the back of his hand with his cheek. “If you let me deal with it, it will be better sooner.”

With the soft touch, his heart grew soft. Gu Xi didn’t struggle anymore and let him massage his bruised bones.

Originally, he’d been intending to grit his teeth and endure the pain but the strength of the hand touching his waist was precise and gentle. Even if he could heard the crisp sound of the slightly misplaced joints being pushed into place, Gu Xi didn’t feel the slightest pain.

When there were no outsiders, Lu Qingzhou regained his ease and neatness. He methodically corrected the slight misalignment of his joints due to repeated tossing about. He took the safflower oil and massaged it carefully into his skin. “You should rest well…”

“Let take a good rest. Let’s go back to the hot spring villa take a three day three nights vacation. We’ll head to the set afterwards.”

Gu Xi responded with a smile. He remembered that the little paparazzo has now become a producer who no one would dare bully. His mood became more relaxed. He smiled and teased him, “I’ll have to act out really good scenes. You have to be a bit stricter. You can’t always let a scene go just because you’re worried I’m pushing myself too hard…”

Having had his thoughts read out loud, Lu Qingzhou’s face turned slightly hot. He concentrated on massaging his waist. “Okay.”

Gu Xi was in a much better mood. He was about to speak again when there came a knocking from outside the car window.

It was still too early. No one could possibly be coming here at this hour. Maybe it was a gift from nature that has fallen in the overgrown parking lot.

Gu Xi didn’t take it seriously and casually opened the car door to look outside. Liang Yuan’s anxious face appeared.

Gu Xi: “…”

Liang Yuan: “…”

The little assistant’s clothes could be considered neat and tidy but Film Emperor Gu wasn’t wearing a shirt and was lying on his back on the seat, making his little assistant rub his waist.

Director Liang fell into deeper contemplation.

“I thought a bird crashed into the car… Why’d you come here?”

Vaguely feeling that the other party had some more serious misunderstanding, Gu Xi energetically turned to free himself and sit up, but the black and blue swath on his waist still inevitably flashed in Liang Yuan’s vision. It instantly pulled Director Liang back from his wild musings. “How’d you get that? Did a prop knock into you?!”

Gu Xi hadn’t intended to let him know. He waved his hand casually and put on the shirt that Lu Qingzhou handed over. “It’s nothing. Is there something urgent you need me for?”

“Why didn’t you say something?! Don’t you know that Ning Feiyuan made a lot of noise after getting just a few bruises? He even made a post on Weibo, trying to fish for pity. These bruises of yours are more serious that his!”

Liang Yuan hadn’t wanted him to do that scene at first because he was afraid that he would be injured on set. That large bruise looked ghastly and he couldn’t help but blame himself more and more. “This won’t do. I have to reimburse you for medical expenses. This was the fault of the crew. No need to be polite. I’ll take it from the public account. I’m not spending my own money.”

His crew was wealthy and in the blink of an eye he slapped an IOU onto Gu Xi’s palm. Gu Xi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He nodded blankly and slipped it into his pocket.

Liang Yuan was satisfied. He let out an even breath before moving on to proper business. “About what happened last night… Just how did you do it? Ning Feiping took a total dive. I received a call this morning saying that Ning Feiping was to be replaced. The higher-ups won’t allow artists with bad backgrounds to appear on a movie with this kind of theme…”

“That bad?”

This was also Gu Xi’s first time formally fighting against others. After using Ning Feiping’s own wicked ways to get back at him, he no longer paid any attention to the matter. He hadn’t expected the higher-ups would react so straightforwardly. He couldn’t help being a little surprised. “You’ve already shot so many scenes, what are you going to do? Will you have to retake them all?”

“The Fall” also had a cast change. But after all, “The Fall” was a film that could be shot in a month. It was a purely commercial film and the investor was willing to add money. Aside from the lead creators who had to work hard and reshoot for a few more months, no one was unwilling to put more work. But Liang Yuan’s crew had been shooting earnestly for so many days and they were stuck in this remote mountainous area. Because Liang Yuan’s crew had been dragged down and implicated in this dispute, they had to reshoot all these scenes. Gu Xi couldn’t help feeling a bit apologetic.

“Isn’t being able to reshoot a good thing? With his wooden performance, if it weren’t for the forces behind him, I would have had him replaced a long time ago!”

Liang Yuan was in a much better mood than he expected. He patted him on the shoulder and in the blink of an eye, all his bitter complaints poured out.

“Most of his plays were one-man literary dramas. He’s not the protagonist anyway and he only appeared in these few episodes. Those scenes could be reshot in two days. Eight out of ten of the fighting scenes he was in used a stand-in. The only one he managed to shoot well was the one where you had him beaten up—Don’t worry, he didn’t show his face during that scene so I’ll keep that in for you! Actors with bad backgrounds ought to be beaten up!”

Gu Xi had originally thought that Director Liang had come looking for him to complain. Turned out, he was so excited that he couldn’t sleep and he came over here to show off.

Gu Xi chuckled quietly and nodded helplessly, “Have you decided who’ll be replacing him?”

“Not yet, I’ll be conducting interviews in two days.”

Liang Yuan waved his hand. He suppressed the joy of having gotten rid of his shackles. He lowered his voice slightly, “Just be careful these next couple of days. That Ning Feiping is the type to haggle over every cent. Having the higher-ups decide that he has this kind of reputation, a great part of his prospects have probably been ruined. There’s no telling if he might just insist on letting the fish die or have the net split with you…”

Gu Xi had been prepared for this a long time ago. Having heard what he said, he only nodded slightly and thanked him. He was just about to ask him the details when the phone to his side suddenly rang.

Seeing this number that hasn’t called him for a long time, Gu Xi raised his eyebrows slightly. After a moment of hesitation, he answered the call.

“Gu Xi? Where are you — come back quickly. You are in serious trouble!”

His dismissed agent, Mao Chuan, spoke in a hurry, as if he was really worried for him. He spoke rapid-fire, like the barrage of gunfire. “You ran out on your own and took on a cameo role. Why didn’t you discuss it with the company? Come back and give a reasonable explanation. Otherwise the company has the right to refuse to terminate the contract, do you know? You’ve provoked everyone up and down the company. I’m telling you all this now for old time’s sake—”

“How much money did Ning Feiping promise to give you guys…?”

Listening to his ex-agent’s secretly threatening words coming through the phone, Gu Xi rubbed the back of his neck and sighed slowly, “You think I won’t be able to get away?”

Hearing the name he mentioned, it was like the person at the other end of the line was severely choked. He instantly turned silent.

“Let me guess…You’re going to force me back from the crew and refuse to terminate the contract. Then what? You’re going to block me? Or you’re going to create for me some sort of “bad reputation”?”

Gu Xi had already made up his mind to have make a complete break from the agency. He refused to give them any face at all. The corners of his lips ticked up and he said with a cold voice, “I really didn’t follow the regulations in accepting that last cameo but I didn’t violate our contract. The company has violated several terms in our contract. You might not think you have but I know how things stand…”

His eyes darkened, “Tell Fang Kun, I will go back to find him today. If he doesn’t terminate the contract for me then just wait for the lawsuit.”

There was no sound from the other end of the phone, as though the receiver was being covered by a hand. They were probably anxiously discussing how to deal with it.

Gu Xi didn’t wait for him to reply. He simply hung up the phone and threw it aside.

“You just—”

Even if he had known earlier on that Gu Xi and his agency has had a falling out, he hadn’t expected him to be that blunt. Liang Yuan was alarmed and shocked when he heard it. He hesitantly probed out, “You’re just going to cut ties that cleanly? Then what are you going to do afterwards? Are you planning to go at it alone? You’re going to open your own studio?”

“I originally planned to do it alone but now I’ve changed my mind.”

Gu Xi smiled. He met the quiet and concerned gaze of the little assistant beside him. With a smile on his face, he rubbed his head and handed over the folder. “Qingzhou, I remember uncle bought you an entertainment company. What is it called? After my contract is terminated, you should sign me…”

He will have to deal with the agency sooner or later. During this remaining half year, even if he has to use all the resources he has on him, he was definitely going to break free of this contract.

Then he was going to make money for his little boss.

Meeting his gaze, the light in Lu Qingzhou’s eyes lit up bit by bit until it shone firmly. He smiled. “Okay.”

Liang Yuan turned shocked eyes at them but Gu Xi paid him no mind. He turned to a title page where he could see the words “entertainment company”. He carefully pulled it out and opened it. He was about to ask him to sign but he suddenly couldn’t help but pause.

Even Mu Jinchu didn’t know what company he had bought. Lu Qingzhou knew even less.

Holding the young master who had just involved in unspoken rules, Gu Xi shook the contract. He took a deep breath and patted Director Liang’s arm. “Excuse me, I’m going back to bully people now.”

*

Yikun Entertainment.

Ning Feiping’s face sank like water. He flung the car door open and strode into the sparklingly clean company lobby.

Although he had already expected earlier that he would be replaced, he never expected that the higher-ups would handle it this quickly. He had unexpectedly been driven out of the cast overnight and all his previously shot scenes would be discarded.

“Brother Ning, recently the higher-ups have caught on to this and are using this to rectify the atmosphere in the entertainment industry. Please calm down and wait for this trouble to pass and…”

The assistant beside him repeatedly tried to persuade him but Ning Feiping would not listen to him anymore. He pushed him away, stepped up to the front desk and said in a cold voice, “Tell Fang Kun to get the f*ck down here and see me.”

This was the first time he had seen someone being so rude to the general manager, the receptionist was so scared that his face changed slightly and he instinctively took a few steps back. The two people standing by the front desk also turned their heads towards the voice.

Ning Feiping hadn’t paid much attention to them when they had their backs to him; after seeing the two people clearly, Ning Feiping’s anger soared into a blaze. He gritted his teeth and said with a sneer, “Well, well. As they say ‘Destiny will make enemies meet’… Film Emperor Gu, did you sleep well last night?”

His posture seemed like he could explode at any time. He hadn’t expected they would see each other here. Gu Xi subtly walked in front of Lu Qingzhou, shielding him. He smiled at him. “Thank you for your care. I slept quite well.”

Although Ning Feiping has always been blackening him, he had always been cautiously hiding behind the scenes. He had never personally come out to fight. Unexpectedly, this time, he didn’t hide and came out in person. It seemed like he had gone completely mad with anger.

He cast a glance at the jumbled things piled up in the car at the door. Gu Xi looked pensive. As before, he had an amicable and gentle look on his face. “Is President Ning moving?”

Although Liang Yuan had given him a three-day grace period, Ning Feiping was not going to remain there and let himself be ridiculed by the crew. He brought all his belongings back this day. Hearing his seemingly inadverted question, he almost burst from rage. He charged forward a few steps before being dragged back by his assistant. “Brother Ning, I already called President Fang! President Fang is coming down now. It’s not worth it getting into a fight with him…”

Hearing the assistant’s veiled reminder, Ning Feiping, whose head had almost gone completely dizzy with anger, finally sobered up a little. He glanced up and down at Gu Xi and revealed a sarcastic sneer.

“I almost forgot—You won’t be so cocky in a few days. I can go back and inherit the family business but what will Film Emperor Gu be doing now? Will you go back to study for a doctorate?”

Being forced to delay his studies because of the agency’s arrangements has always been Gu Xi’s greatest regret. Many people in the industry considered it to just be a part of his crafted persona. But Ning Feiping had heard Fang Kun say that Gu Xi really desperately wanted to take the exam. He even almost breached his contract because of it. Because he was a minor at the time, he was not sued by the agency.

His chest was almost exploding from irritation. Of course, he had to use his words and thrust them like a knife at his opponent’s greatest regret.

Gu Xi was still calm but the light in his eyes became much colder. “And what does President Ning intend to do about it? Block me?”

“You think I can’t do it?”

Ning Feiping sneered and took a few steps forward to pull his collar but before he could get close, Lu Qingzhou had already firmly grabbed his wrist.

His movements were too fast, not only did he flash past Gu Xi who was in front of him, but even the well-trained bodyguard behind Ning Feiping had no time to react.

“Qingzhou.”

Even though he knew his skills, Gu Xi still didn’t want him taking risks. He stepped forward and speaking in a warm voice, tried to pull him back.

Lu Qingzhou didn’t move. The power in his hand was faintly locked.

“Let me go!”

It had all been going so smoothly and then everything went downhill because of the incident with this little assistant in front of him. Ning Feiping’s expression grew sharper and he said in a cold voice, “Do think you’re going to fly high in your career if you hug his thigh? Let me tell you, I will squeeze you to death like ants! I just need to say the word and I’ll have all your backers wasted. And when the time comes, I will find someone to break this hand of yours and he won’t even dare to put up a fart–”

“President Lu!”

His words were suddenly interrupted by a loud shout. Ning Feiping frowned. He turned around, displeased and was greeted with Fang Kun’s figure.

Fang Kun had just gotten out of the elevator and when he saw the person who was entangled with Ning Feiping, his heart jumped out in shock. He ran over. “President Lu, why did you come here by yourself?! Why didn’t you send word ahead… …”

Gu Xi, this good-for-nothing! Fang Kun hadn’t been paying much attention to these troublesome things recently and naturally he hasn’t even looked at the little assistant, who’d been following after him and had now become the talk of the town. But the real owner behind the company had sent a message saying that he had left the company to his nephew. Fang Kun, this person who was president only in name, could be replaced at any time. Trembling with fear, he had carefully re-read many times the information they had about the young owner who had yet to appear.

He had no idea how these people got together but he didn’t have the energy to be asking too much. He used his body to separate the two and bowed his head fearfully to apologize, “President Lu must have received quite a shock. This is — it’s a misunderstanding. Please do not mind…”

“I don’t mind.”

Lu Qingzhou shook his head and retracted his hand.

He can help bully people.

Ning Feiping’s harsh mockery of Gu Xi just now reverberated in his ears. It mixed with images of the paparazzi’s cars chasing Gu Xi down leading to that car accident he had seen before. These thoughts kept churning in his mind.

Lu Qingzhou lightly grasped the hand hanging by his side, driving away the image from his mind. He slightly raised his head to look at Gu Xi, “How many assets does the Ning Family have? Can I afford to buy them all?”