195: Chapter 195 Help me pull up the back zipper

Director Zhou walked up to Jiang Fan with the storyboard.

"Mr. Jiang, for this scene, you enter the frame from behind her, place your hand on her shoulder, and she turns around. You two lock eyes for three seconds, then you cup her face and lean in. You don't need to actually kiss; just leave a centimeter of space," Director Zhou said.

Director Zhou gestured to demonstrate.

Jiang Fan nodded.

Su Yuyan stood with her back to the camera, the hem of her red dress spread out over the withered leaves. The afternoon light filtered through the red silk, enveloping her in a warm hue.

"Three, two, one—action."

The prelude began to play.

Jiang Fan walked in from the right side of the frame, every step landing perfectly on the beat of the music.

He walked behind Su Yuyan, raised his hand, and his fingertips rested on her left shoulder.

Su Yuyan slowly turned her head. Her eyes first caught sight of his hand, then followed his arm upward, finally meeting his gaze.

Jiang Fan's hand slid from her shoulder to the side of her face, his fingertips brushing against her cheek.

Su Yuyan's eyelashes fluttered slightly.

Jiang Fan leaned down, and their faces drew closer and closer.

Director Zhou stared at the monitor, holding his breath.

One centimeter.

Jiang Fan stopped.

Su Yuyan's lips were slightly parted, and her breath hit his chin.

"Cut."

After Director Zhou called out, the entire set went silent for two seconds.

The cameraman poked his head out from behind the equipment and glanced at Director Zhou.

Director Zhou didn't speak; he just replayed the footage he had just shot.

On the monitor, the moment their eyes met, the emotion in the frame seemed ready to overflow the screen.

Director Zhou rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.

He had been in this industry for eight years and had filmed music videos for all sorts of superstars. He had seen plenty of scenes where people acted out deep affection for the camera, and nine out of ten were fake.

But these two—

This wasn't acting at all.

Director Zhou didn't ask any unnecessary questions. In this industry, the most important rule was to keep your eyes and mouth in check.

"Pass. Next take."

The subsequent filming went ridiculously smoothly.

Normally, filming a duet scene for an MV would take at least half a day based on his experience.

Constant retakes, constant adjustments of angles to find the right feel.

Some artists lacked chemistry, and no matter how the cameraman adjusted the angles, it just didn't work, and no amount of post-production could save it.

Today—everything was done in one take.

Every time Director Zhou called "Cut," he would watch the playback, remain silent for a few seconds, and then nod.

In the second half, there was a scene where Jiang Fan hugged Su Yuyan from behind, and they stood in front of the red silk.

When Jiang Fan held her, the positioning of his arms was incredibly natural.

There was no hesitation or adjustment; he placed them right in that spot immediately.

Su Yuyan leaned back, resting the back of her head in the crook of his shoulder.

When she closed her eyes, there was a slight curve at the corner of her lips; it was subtle, but the camera captured it.

Director Zhou watched the monitor, crushing the mineral water bottle in his hand.

The photography assistant leaned over and whispered, "Director Zhou, are these two actually together?"

Director Zhou smacked the back of his head.

"Shut up and get back to work."

The assistant shrank his neck and didn't dare to make another sound.

— —

By the time they wrapped up, it was already dark.

The lighting technicians began dismantling the equipment. The chirping of insects in the garden emerged, and the air had cooled down significantly.

Su Yuyan sat on a chair in the rest area, still in her period costume.

A staff member handed her a towel, and she took it to wipe the sweat from her neck.

Director Zhou walked over, rubbing his hands together.

"Teacher Su, today went so smoothly. In the eight years I've been filming MVs, this is the first time I've encountered actors who could convey such emotion without any guidance. You two must have rehearsed many times, right?"

Su Yuyan's hand holding the towel paused for a moment.

Rehearsed?

She was still heartbroken over how that thirty-eight-thousand-dollar period costume had been ruined last time.

"You could say that."

Director Zhou nodded and wisely walked away.

Jiang Fan walked over after changing his clothes, holding a bottle of water. He unscrewed the cap and handed it to her.

Su Yuyan took it, drank a sip, and stood up.

"Let's go. Time to eat."

Jiang Fan followed behind her toward the parking lot.

After a few steps, Su Yuyan slowed her pace to wait for him to catch up.

The two walked side-by-side, the twilight stretching their shadows long.

Su Yuyan's hand hung by her side; she moved her fingers slightly and brushed against the back of Jiang Fan's hand.

Jiang Fan reached out and took her hand.

Su Yuyan didn't look up; she tightened her fingers, interlocking them with his.

The two walked to the car just like that.

— —

Back at Su Yuyan's apartment.

In the elevator, Su Yuyan leaned against the wall and kicked off her embroidered shoes.

"I'm going to change first. What do you want to eat? Japanese food or that private kitchen restaurant we used to go to?"

"Whatever you want. You decide."

The elevator doors opened, and Su Yuyan walked out first, the hem of her red dress dragging across the carpet.

Upon entering, Su Yuyan walked straight into the bedroom.

Jiang Fan sat on the living room sofa and took out his phone to check his messages.

Song Siyi sent a message—

Her resignation procedures were all completed, and she could start her new job tomorrow.

He replied with "Received" and tossed his phone onto the sofa cushion.

Su Yuyan's voice came from the bedroom.

"Jiang Fan, help me zip up the back; I can't reach it."

Jiang Fan got up and walked into the bedroom.

Su Yuyan stood in front of the wardrobe with her back to him, both hands behind her back, trying to reach the zipper pull at the nape of her neck.

The red period costume had a long zipper on the back, running from the nape of her neck all the way to her waist.

Jiang Fan walked over, pinched the zipper pull with his fingers, and pulled it down a few centimeters.

Pale skin was revealed through the gap.

Jiang Fan's hand stopped. Su Yuyan waited for two seconds, but nothing followed.

"What's wrong? Is the zipper stuck?"

Jiang Fan didn't speak. He pulled the zipper down further, revealing the black strap across her back.

Jiang Fan's palm pressed against it.

Su Yuyan's back tensed up.

"Jiang Fan."

"Yeah."

"What are you doing?"

"Helping you take off your clothes."

"I asked you to zip it."

"I am zipping it."

Jiang Fan used one hand to hook the clasp in the middle of the black strap and clicked it open.

Su Yuyan's breath hitched.

"Jiang Fan, I'm hungry. Let's go eat first—"

Jiang Fan's palm slid from her back to her front, and he pressed his entire body against her from behind.

His lips landed on the nape of her neck, and Su Yuyan's legs went weak as she leaned back against his chest.

"You're doing it again..."

She clamped her hand over the clothing slipping down from her chest.

"This one is new! You already ruined one last time!"

Jiang Fan turned her around and scooped her up. Su Yuyan instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Put me down—every time—"

She was thrown onto the bed, the red skirt fanning out to cover half of it.

Jiang Fan leaned down, his fingers sliding down from her collarbone, tracing the edge of the neckline.

Su Yuyan pressed down on his hand.

"Jiang Fan, this dress was custom-made. If you ruin it again, I won't forgive you."

"I'll try."

Jiang Fan stopped his hand from pulling at the clothes, lifted the hem of the red dress, and crawled underneath.

Su Yuyan's body shuddered.

"You—"

The red skirt covered Jiang Fan's head and upper body. From the outside, one could only see Su Yuyan tilting her head back, biting her lip, and gripping the bedsheets beneath her with both hands.

"Jiang Fan... don't..."

Her toes curled, and she tried to bring her knees together, but they were blocked by Jiang Fan's shoulders.

"You... mmm..."

Su Yuyan's voice was intermittent and grew quieter.

After a long while, her entire body went rigid, her waist arched off the bed, and she let out a muffled groan before collapsing back down.

Beneath the red skirt, Jiang Fan lifted his head. Su Yuyan's legs were still trembling slightly.

He withdrew from beneath the skirt and hovered over her.

Su Yuyan's face was flushed completely red, her eyes moist, and she covered her face with one hand.

"Jerk..."

Jiang Fan removed her hand and lowered his head to kiss the corner of her eye.

"The dress isn't ruined, is it?"

Su Yuyan was so angry she swatted him, but her palm was soft and weak, lacking any real force.

Jiang Fan's hand felt along her waist and pushed the skirt up a bit more; Su Yuyan's breathing quickened again.

"Wait... wait a second..."

"What's wrong?"

Su Yuyan looked up at him and reached out to undo the buttons of the red dress herself.

The period costume slid off her shoulders, and she gently lifted her waist to let Jiang Fan pull the skirt from beneath her.

The red fabric was carefully placed at the head of the bed.

Su Yuyan was bare from the waist up, with only a thin black strap still hanging on her ankle.

She tried to pull the quilt over, but Jiang Fan pressed her hand down.

"Don't cover up."

"Haven't you seen enough!"

"No."