The More Tragic I Act, the Stronger I Get — My Fans Beg Me to Stop Killing Off My Roles-Chapter 256: Tearing This Happiness to Shreds Would Be Beautiful

The pace of the film crew was terrifyingly fast.

The bone-chilling cold brought by Chen Mo's scene had not yet fully dissipated,

The very next day, the atmosphere of the entire film set underwent a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree reversal.

The crew entered the intensive shooting phase of the "sugar-coated bullets."

Hou Hsiao-hsien wanted to compress all the sweet scenes between Shen Qingyuan and Gu Wanbai from the early part of the story and film them all today.

The set replicated the old Shanghai Paramount Ballroom, opulent, decadent, and intoxicatingly luxurious.

A huge crystal chandelier cast a honey-like warm light over the scene. Background actors dressed in exquisite suits and colorful cheongsams,

Holding wine glasses, they weaved through the edges of the dance floor paved with crimson carpet.

In the air, the scents of perfume, cigars, and fine wine were stirred together into a heady, intoxicating mix.

Jiang Ci had changed into a well-tailored white tailcoat, his black bow tie meticulously tied.

Hair wax combed his black hair neatly, revealing a smooth, full forehead.

His face, usually lacking much color, under such attire, actually shed its usual aloofness,

Exuding an air of a young nobleman who was naive to the ways of the world, even somewhat innocent.

He stood in a corner of the dance floor, quietly adjusting his cufflinks.

Not far away, He Xiaoping had also finished her styling.

A lake-blue velvet cheongsam tightly hugged her graceful, well-proportioned figure.

Her neat short hair was meticulously styled, revealing a section of her long, fair neck.

She stood amidst the noisy crowd, watching the background actors playing high officials and nobles clinking glasses and toasting around her,

A faint smile fitting the era's context hung on her face.

But that smile did not reach her eyes.

The Gu Wanbai she portrayed, even while immersed in the honey of love, had never forgotten the stormy, precarious state of the nation outside the window.

Behind the monitor, Hou Hsiao-hsien confirmed all camera angles.

"Action!"

At the command, the ballroom music became melodious.

Jiang Ci moved.

He passed through the laughing, chatting crowd, every step falling on the beat, walking straight to He Xiaoping.

He performed a flawless gentleman's bow before her, the light in his eyes so tender it could drown a person.

He Xiaoping, playing Gu Wanbai, instantly flushed with a maidenly shyness,

But soon, that shyness was covered by a layer of feigned strength and reserve.

"Master Shen, it's too noisy here. I think I should be going back."

Jiang Ci completely ignored the distance in her words.

He leaned in slightly, close to her ear, and whispered in a breathy voice only she could hear.

"Miss, if my love troubles you, I shall speak no more; if my silence displeases you, I shall be silent no more."

He Xiaoping's body stiffened.

In the script, there was only a vague line: "Shen Qingyuan says a few sweet nothings to Gu Wanbai."

And Jiang Ci's improvisation with this line blocked all her reserved avenues of retreat.

Before she could react, Jiang Ci had already straightened up and extended his hand towards her.

A standard invitation to dance.

Under the gaze of the entire room, she had no choice but to place her slightly cool fingertips on his palm.

The next second, the two of them glided onto the dance floor.

Tango music suddenly rang out, powerful and aggressive.

Jiang Ci's dance steps were elegant, his arms strong, guiding He Xiaoping through every spin and pause.

Captured by the camera, the look he gave her was one of complete tenderness and infatuation.

Jiang Ci pulled her into his embrace. Following a powerful pause in the music, he led her through a swift and beautiful spin.

Just as He Xiaoping's back was to him, facing the camera, in that instant,

Jiang Ci's face, in a blind spot the camera couldn't capture, all warmth instantly vanished.

The lines of his facial muscles tightened. That laziness and innocence belonging to a young nobleman were completely gone.

On his face was an extremely alert, inhuman calmness.

His head turned slightly, his gaze quickly sweeping over several "guests" at the edge of the dance floor who were drinking and conversing, looking suspicious.

That was not the reaction of a wealthy young master immersed in love.

It was the instinct of a top-tier agent surveying the environment and assessing threats.

On the next beat, he spun her back again.

When He Xiaoping faced him once more, that tender, affectionate expression had reappeared, flawless.

The icy coldness of that previous moment seemed just an illusion caused by the dizzying spin.

But He Xiaoping's heart was utterly thrown into disarray.

Jiang Ci's movements were too perfect.

This body holding her was dry, powerful, every movement carrying a strong, unsettling sense of control.

This absolute perfection made her shiver with dread.

The music stopped abruptly at its highest crescendo.

The dance steps halted.

The surrounding background actors immediately erupted into enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Jiang Ci did not let go of He Xiaoping's hand.

He led her to the center of the dance floor.

Then, in a situation no one, including He Xiaoping, had anticipated, he released her hand and knelt on one knee.

He took a black velvet jewelry box from the inner pocket of his tailcoat.

The box opened with a crisp *snap*.

A diamond ring, shimmering with dazzling brilliance under the crystal chandelier, stung everyone's eyes.

The cheers around them reached their peak.

"Marry him!"

"Miss Gu, marry him!"

He Xiaoping, playing Gu Wanbai, was completely overwhelmed by this sudden happiness.

She covered her mouth, tears rolling down without warning.

This was the climax of the script.

This was the pinnacle moment of their love.

In Jiang Ci's mind, the pale blue system panel automatically appeared.

That familiar, warm, flowing sense of energy began to spread through his limbs.

But the source of the Heartbreak Value was not the woman before him, weeping with joy.

[From Cinematographer Wang Na, Heartbreak Value +10]

[From lighting technician Li Na, Heartbreak Value +10]

[From set assistant Little Liu, Heartbreak Value +20]

...

Line after line of fine notifications continued incessantly.

All the crew members present knew the bloody, brutal outcome that lay behind this grand proposal.

They knew how happy the beautiful couple before them were now, and how sharp the future blade would be.

This foreseeable tragic contrast made every witness to this scene taste the heart-piercing, bone-chilling bitterness in advance.

"Cut!"

Finally, Hou Hsiao-hsien's voice rang out from behind the monitor.

He said one word into the walkie-talkie.

"Pass."

The roaring cheers immediately stopped. The background actors quickly dispersed to prepare for the next scene.

He Xiaoping instantly reined in her emotions.

She raised her head and looked at Jiang Ci.

She tried to find on his face even the slightest remnant of the tender, affectionate Shen Qingyuan from moments before.

But she failed.

Jiang Ci stood up before her, briskly brushing off nonexistent dust from his knees.

The tenderness on his face had vanished without a trace.

He had changed back into the aloof, calm actor Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci walked over behind Hou Hsiao-hsien and stared at the playback on the monitor.

On the screen was a close-up of him tenderly placing the ring on Gu Wanbai's finger, and Gu Wanbai moved to tears.

The image was beautiful.

Jiang Ci quietly watched the entire playback.

He spoke softly, his voice devoid of any emotion.

"This kind of happiness is too dazzling."

"It should have a pretty good effect when it gets torn apart later."