The Cold and Ruthless Supporting Male Lead

Since this was an R18 novel, aside from the detailed descriptions of certain scenes, everything else was rather perfunctory.

When Hai Ku arrived on set, he immediately noticed that many of the staff members looked almost identical. The equipment was also incredibly basic; so much so that it didn’t seem like they could produce a quality show.

However, Director Chen appeared quite approachable. His face resembled that of a corporate elite who spent his days in an office. His inverted-triangle physique seemed sculpted to the ideal proportions.

Of course, besides Director Chen, Nan Shan was the same way.

But unlike Director Chen’s type, Nan Shan had the image of a sunny, cheerful boy. His face was always adorned with a warm smile, making him seem like a little sun that could brighten anyone’s day.

“Everyone, let’s work hard. We’ve only written the first episode of the script for now. Take a look at it first, and then I’ll explain it to you,” Director Chen said, not caring about the usual industry practices. He simply handed each of them a script. “These are your characters. Study them well. We start shooting in an hour.”

Even though Hai Ku knew that in a novel like this, details couldn’t be scrutinized too much, the director’s casual attitude still caught him off guard.

Taking the script in hand, Hai Ku glanced at his character description.

This role had been forcefully added by Lan Bai at his request, making it somewhat awkward. Originally, this was supposed to be a sweet romance, but now, an overprotective older brother had been thrown into the mix, adding significant obstacles for the male lead.

Hai Ku’s character, Lin Lu, was the older brother of Lin Youyou (Ji Xiaomei). He was an extreme sis-con. The story was set in a university, and Lin Lu, unable to trust others with his beautiful and charming younger sister, rented an apartment near her campus.

Although the school had dormitories, Lin Youyou only stayed there on nights when room checks were conducted. Otherwise, she always returned to her brother’s place. Lin Lu deeply enjoyed having his sister by his side and even wished he could keep her with him forever.

But when he discovered that a young punk (Nan Shan) was pursuing his beloved sister, Lin Lu lost his mind and started fighting with her over it.

However, Lin Youyou, already deeply in love, was completely helpless; she had fallen head over heels for her prince charming.

That was the character’s general backstory. The specifics were still subject to change, but from this summary alone, Hai Ku knew he had to play the role of an obsessive older brother.

***

“Male god… No, I mean, Senior, I never thought I’d get to act alongside you.” Ji Xiaomei, her face flushed with excitement, rolled up her script and sat beside Hai Ku.

(T/N: Male God = A Chinese phrase that is usually used for a male idol to express a deep level of admiration and affection.)

Hai Ku: “…” Wasn’t the female lead supposed to be heartbroken at this moment?

Nodding slightly, Hai Ku smiled. Though he felt that something was off, he didn’t voice his doubts directly. “In the script, I’m your brother now.”

“O-Okay… B-Brother…” Ji Xiaomei stammered, her face turning even redder.

She had thought she was already unlucky enough, having been “bitten by a dog” twice. But today’s turn of events made her feel like she was actually quite fortunate.

(T/N: Bitten by a dog = taken advantage of by a scumbag.)

She had never planned on doing it with just one man for the rest of her life. That whole one-true-love-for-a-lifetime ideal was just a young girl’s fantasy. After stepping into the entertainment industry, she had met all kinds of people; tough, handsome, and each with their own unique charm.

Experiencing different types of men was beneficial to her. After all, life was short.

Despite her bold outlook on relationships, she still longed for a passionate, whirlwind romance. And if possible, she hoped that person would be Hai Ku.

When she first entered the industry, she had held onto such dreams, but eventually, she thought they had been nothing more than wishful thinking. Now, however, she had hope again.

Having taken idol training courses, Ji Xiaomei understood her strengths well. Twirling a strand of hair around her finger, she spoke in a soft, delicate voice. “This is my first time acting. If there’s anything I don’t understand, can I ask you?”

“But shouldn’t you ask the director if you don’t understand something about acting?” Hai Ku found her behavior even stranger. Why didn’t she sound even a little bit heartbroken, as she was supposed to?

Ji Xiaomei’s face turned even redder. She had always known that her male god was straightforward, but hearing him say it so bluntly still made things a bit awkward.

“The first scene seems to be between you and me,” a gentle voice sounded from behind Hai Ku. Turning around, he was met with Nan Shan’s warm and charming smile.

Even as a man, Hai Ku had to admit; he was impressed.

No wonder the female lead was willing. This guy was practically a perfectly packaged dream.

“Yeah, my acting skills aren’t great, so I’ll be relying on you.” Hai Ku was well aware of his own reputation; he was a once-popular star who had been blacklisted. Though Nan Shan appeared easygoing, anyone who had climbed to his level in the industry was bound to have a much shrewder mind than they let on.

When necessary, politeness was essential. Hai Ku stood up, using this as an excuse to put some distance between himself and Ji Xiaomei, and walked over to discuss the script with Nan Shan.

This script was also hastily put together. The opening scene was a fight between Lin Lu and the male lead played by Nan Shan, with the reason being that Lin Lu refused to acknowledge his sister’s boyfriend.

Nan Shan, on the other hand, desperately wanted Lin Lu’s approval, so the scene began with him being beaten up one-sidedly.

Of course, Lin Youyou stepped in to mediate. After much persuasion, Lin Lu had no choice but to let Nan Shan move into his home under the pretense of evaluating whether he was worthy of his sister.

However, the rented apartment only had two bedrooms and one living room. As an extreme sis-con, Lin Lu would never allow Nan Shan to share a room with his sister. So, the only solution was for the two men to squeeze into the same room, with Nan Shan sleeping on the floor.

Given the tight budget, 80% of the scenes took place inside the house, with only 20% set at school or other locations. It was an incredibly cost-effective production.

“Make sure you go easy on me later~” Nan Shan rubbed his cheek and joked, “My face is my livelihood.”

“Hahaha, of course,” Hai Ku chuckled. He did have some intention of getting on Nan Shan’s good side and bringing him onto the same team. “If I accidentally injure your face, your fans might drown me in spit.”

Nan Shan wore a modest smile. “How could that happen? You’re so handsome; who knows, maybe they’ll all abandon me for you instead.”

Hai Ku smiled but remained grounded. “You’re overpraising me. That would scare me to death.”

Ji Xiaomei really wanted to lean in and eavesdrop on their conversation, but doing so would make her seem too eager. After all, she was still a young woman; walking straight over would be far too embarrassing.

After exchanging a round of flattery, the director finally called for action.

***

Ji Xiaomei didn’t have a scene in this first take, so she only needed to watch from the side.

Of course, Hai Ku didn’t actually hit Nan Shan. The fight scene was mostly done with camera angles. It had few lines, but because of improper positioning, they had to redo it twice.

“You’ll step in to break up the fight in a moment.” Director Chen, smiling, took Ji Xiaomei’s hand and led her to where the two men were. He positioned her behind them, holding her hands to guide her movements. “When they’re fighting and rolling on the ground, you squat down like this…”

A tingling sensation ran through her body, and Ji Xiaomei had no idea what Director Chen was even saying. The strong masculine scent of his cologne and the faint tobacco smell from his shirt made her feel hot and dizzy.

Hai Ku’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. Why did it seem like the entire crew is blind? Did no one notice that the director was blatantly harassing the female lead?

“Did you get that?” As he let go, Director Chen’s fingers deliberately brushed against Ji Xiaomei’s arm.

Ji Xiaomei dazedly nodded, though she hadn’t heard a word he said.

“I didn’t expect Director Chen to make a move so quickly…” Nan Shan chuckled to himself. “I figured a woman I liked would also be liked by many others. I just didn’t think my rival would show up this fast.”

Hai Ku: “?????”

“I was actually testing you just now; to see if you liked Ji Xiaomei too.” Nan Shan sighed and patted Hai Ku’s shoulder, looking at him meaningfully. “Since you’re not my love rival, we’ll definitely be able to work well together. But Director Chen won’t be easy to deal with. No matter what, he’s still the director, and we’re just actors.”

“Wait… Are you saying you already like her?” The situation was escalating beyond Hai Ku’s expectations. He felt like things were spinning out of control. “You two literally just met today, and you already like her?”

Even if this is an R18 novel, shouldn’t there be at least a tiny bit of buildup for romantic feelings? What was with this love-at-first-sight nonsense?

“I feel like some kind of force is drawing me to her. When I look at her, I feel comfortable… I think that must be love,” Nan Shan said dreamily, his gaze lingering on Ji Xiaomei. “No matter what, I have to have her!”

“But… But the director seems interested in her too. Are you really going to compete with him?” Hai Ku had read countless novels. Though his writing skills weren’t great, from a reader’s perspective, the pacing of this plot was way too abrupt.

Is it really impossible to expect coherent storytelling from an R18 novel?

Nan Shan laughed lightly, exuding a calm confidence. “Xiaomei hasn’t chosen a boyfriend yet. I still have a chance. As long as she hasn’t officially admitted to being with anyone, we’re in a fair competition. Isn’t that right?”

Hai Ku’s heart trembled. “And… what if she does admit to having a boyfriend?”