The skateboard version of the shoot went exceptionally smoothly, with only a few close-up shots of Ye Qiusuo on the skateboard needing to be filled in. Wan Yurou listened as the director and several others kept praising Ye Qiusuo, grinding her teeth with resentment.
Wan Yurou had actually received the scripts for these endorsement shoots in advance. Originally, the director wanted her to perform the skateboarding part, but she and her agent agreed it didn't suit her image.
Wan Yurou had always maintained an ethereal, gentle persona and naturally didn't want to do skateboarding moves like that.
Now, seeing Ye Qiusuo perform so well, Wan Yurou began to regret it: this role was originally hers.
"Professor Ye, Yurou, you two take a break first. We'll shoot the next version in a little while," the director said kindly.
Today's shoot had gone more smoothly than he had expected. Although there were some minor teething problems at the start, those were just part of the normal NG process.
This was when the difference between a celebrity and a layperson became apparent. As soon as filming paused, Wan Yurou's assistant immediately brought over a coat to drape over her shoulders, with all sorts of things prepared and readily available.
Ye Qiusuo's hands were wet and cold from the ice water. She looked around, wanting to find a tissue to dry them, but couldn't see any nearby for the moment.
"Your coat." Xie Xi had specifically gone to ask a female staff member for Ye Qiusuo's previously changed-out overcoat.
"Thank you." Ye Qiusuo was momentarily taken aback, then reached out to take the coat.
"Professor, you should dry your hands first." Xie Xi pulled the coat back and, with his other hand, took out a handkerchief to hand to her.
Ye Qiusuo took it, dried her hands, and only then retrieved her coat to put on.
Right then, Zhang Dong happened to arrive carrying an armful of hand-warming items: "Brother Xi, I'm here!"
Xie Xi reached into his arms, picked through the items, and finally pulled out a disposable hand warmer. It would self-heat once the packaging was opened. He handed it to Ye Qiusuo for her to warm her hands.
"...Thank you." Ye Qiusuo wasn't a particularly delicate person by nature. After repeatedly dipping her fingers in the ice water, her first reaction after filming was to dry her hands clean. She hadn't even remembered that her hands were red from the cold.
"Professor, your sense of control in front of the camera is quite good." Professor Ye was nothing like the wooden image he had imagined; she was completely at ease in front of the lens.
Ye Qiusuo looked down, holding the steadily heating hand warmer, and said casually, "It's about the same as giving a speech on stage in front of a camera."
That was a huge difference.
Zhang Dong nearly dropped the pile of things in his arms. Professor Ye's words were almost infuriating. If performing well on camera were that easy, there wouldn't be so many people who practiced hard but still couldn't grasp the knack.
Of course, his Brother Xi didn't belong to the "practiced hard" category. Some people were just born for this line of work.
While they were resting, the props team had already changed to another background entirely. The director called for the two endorsers to continue.
The subsequent filming went smoothly. Aside from a few NGs, they were basically able to complete the shots perfectly later on.
By the time it ended, it wasn't even dark yet.
Xie Xi had left during the later part of the shoot. After Ye Qiusuo finished filming, she glanced at the crowd outside but didn't see him.
After changing back into her own clothes, she picked up her phone and only then saw Xie Xi's voice message.
"Professor, we've left first. Hope the endorsement went well."
It was as if he had just been passing by.
Ye Qiusuo turned off her phone, walked out of the studio alone, and drove back by herself.
The studio crew had just started packing up the filming equipment. A few staff members were still talking about it, unable to let it go.
"What's the relationship between Xixi and Professor Ye? He calls her 'teacher' and even came specifically to see her."
"Professor Ye teaches students at the university. Calling her 'teacher' is normal."
"Xixi isn't a university student."
"I really want to know what their relationship is."
None of them let their thoughts wander in any other direction. If it were Xie Xi going to see another woman, it would probably cause an uproar. But with Ye Qiusuo, it was impossible to associate any hint of romance with her.
Perhaps that's the halo of being a scholar.
"You went to watch Professor Ye film the endorsement today?" Wei Qi came to ask Xie Xi that evening.
"Mhm." Xie Xi sat in front of the drum kit, tapping away. "Did Zhang Dong or Sister He tell you, Sister Wei?"
"Neither of them." Wei Qi covered her ears. "Xixi, what are you doing? Stop for a minute, I have something to say."
Xie Xi haphazardly banged out another series of beats before stopping. "Go ahead, Sister Wei."
"Today, in a small group chat, people were saying you went to see Professor Ye, and someone even took photos." Only after the various percussion sounds ceased did Wei Qi put her hands down. "Everyone's asking what your relationship is. Since your album is releasing tomorrow, the news about you inviting the professor could be let out around this time."
"You decide, Sister Wei."
Wei Qi frowned. "In a bad mood?" First, he was sitting in the music room banging on the drums randomly, and now he sounded listless. But from the photos she saw, he looked like he was in a good mood.
"I didn't draw the card I wanted." Xie Xi said absentmindedly, "So I'm in a bad mood."
"You... just draw again. It's not a big deal." Wei Qi was used to this sort of thing with Xie Xi. His most enduring hobbies, aside from music, were probably just playing games.
"Don't feel like drawing anymore today." Xie Xi gave a loud 'clang' on the nearby crash cymbal and started drumming again.
The room was instantly filled with the sounds of percussion.
Wei Qi covered her ears and shouted, "Fine! Remember to repost the studio's Weibo tomorrow."
It was only after the agent left that Xie Xi suddenly stopped, placing a hand over his chest.
Ever since he came back, it had been beating a little abnormally.
