I am a Big Player
Chapter 679 - 670, I promise not to kick anymore! _1

Chapter 679: 670, I promise not to kick anymore! _1

The morning session ended, and Zhao Fatty squatted beside Ren He, lavishing praise so effusive that Ren He almost blushed from embarrassment.

When it was time to eat boxed lunches, Ren He’s treatment was a bit different. Special guests didn’t have to fight for food; a simple sunshade was set up with tables ready, and the crew had notified Ren He toward the end of the morning to eat there.

Ren He inquired if he could bring Jin Xiaolong and Zhao Fatty along, but he was told no, so he ended up helping them fight for boxed lunches again.

The crew felt that this lad was a bit unappreciative. Didn’t he know his own surname after gaining a bit of status? Didn’t he know how many people wished for the chance to eat under that shade?

However, for Ren He, this opportunity wasn’t actually so important.

Why was Zhao Fatty beaten yesterday? Was it because Mr. Zhao took umbrage at the sight of him? Not really.

It was because Zhao Fatty, risking danger, led Ren He and others into the film set and successfully landed roles, which left Mr. Zhao feeling slighted and looking for an opportunity for revenge.

As Jin Xiaolong said, Zhao Fatty definitely knew he was risking a beating by doing this—after all, he had been through it before. So, if Zhao Fatty could endure a beating to fight for opportunities for them, it would be a joke if Ren He, just to sit and eat under the shade, allowed Zhao Fatty and Jin Xiaolong to miss out on hot meals or even fail to get any food at all.

Zhao Fatty watched with a complex expression as Ren He squeezed into the crowd. He always thought that chivalrous types from wuxia novels didn’t exist in real life, but now it seemed like he had truly encountered one.

Ren He gave up the chance to eat with the director under the shade for his sake and Jin Xiaolong’s, and Zhao Fatty really wanted to call Ren He a fool to his face to shake awake the idiot, but he found he couldn’t quite bring himself to scold him.

Instead, he felt that he, Zhao Fatty, really had gained a new brother.

As Ren He pushed further into the crowd, he suddenly felt a punch to his ribs. The blow was inexplicable and deliberate, with a considerable force.

Yet for an ordinary person, what was a heavy punch was hardly painful for Ren He—after all, muscle density and bone density are part of physical fitness, too.

He turned around to look, but no one he had encountered before was nearby... However, with his exceptional memory, Ren He recognized at a glance that two people nearby were group actors aligned with Mr. Zhao. Even though he hadn’t interacted with them, he remembered them well.

The pair had looks of surprise, seemingly stunned that their punch had no effect on Ren He...

Ren He didn’t bother with them and continued to push forward to grab boxed lunches. After getting three, he handed them to Zhao Fatty, told him to wait a moment, and then turned back to join the queue for more.

Ren He scanned the crowd, singling out the group actors from Mr. Zhao’s side. He made his way to each one he could identify, delivered a punch to the ribs, and quickly moved on.

Suddenly, more than a dozen cries of pain echoed through the crowd fighting for lunches...

Mr. Zhao had been watching the situation closely, and when he saw Ren He emerge unscathed and then return to the crowd, he had a bad feeling...

Now, listening to the cries of pain from the crowd, Mr. Zhao felt like even his molars started to ache!

What kind of demon had they provoked?!

Jin Xiaolong kept his head down and ate, while Zhao Fatty guessed what Ren He was up to. Hearing those cries, he felt a twinge in his own teeth. Had he and the others from Mr. Zhao’s side thoroughly become sworn enemies?

In Zhao Fatty’s opinion, Ren He would surely become a permanent special guest actor if he performed well this time; Zhao Fatty was delighted about this. Of course, it was good news if his own "brother" could do well; maybe he could even help him out in the future.

Moreover, Ren He was different from the others he knew. Zhao Fatty always felt that if Ren He became famous, he would surely look back and help him out.

But what about before Ren He helped him get out of misery? There was still a long time before that happened, and for now, he would have to sneak around to avoid Mr. Zhao’s people; otherwise, he might be targeted for retaliation...

Thinking of his tough days ahead, Zhao Fatty looked somewhat downcast.

But if someone were to ask him whether he regretted Ren He taking revenge for him, Zhao Fatty would definitely say no regrets! It felt damn good!

The beatings I’ll have to endure in the future, if nothing else, when the Ren He brothers reconvene at North Fort, I’ll have them hit back for me!

Ren He came out for a meal and, seeing Zhao Fatty’s worried expression, he could roughly guess what the other was thinking. He laughed heartily, "Don’t worry, in a few days, brother will give you a big surprise and rescue you from misery."

"Okay, it’s a deal," Zhao Fatty immediately beamed with joy. Although he still worried and didn’t believe Ren He could pull him out of the mire so soon, he couldn’t always show his mopey face to his brothers, right?

The reason he didn’t believe Ren He could immediately help was that he knew even if Ren He’s next movie was lucky enough to land him the lead role in Director Li’s film, becoming a real star would still be something for at least a year in the future.

Ren He knew he didn’t believe him, but he didn’t say too much. Speaking too soon might be mistaken for bragging.

He estimated that it wouldn’t be long before Director Zhang arrived at North Fort...

In the afternoon, the TV series’ leading male finally came back. He was good-natured and started to wryly smile the moment he saw Ren He, probably recalling yesterday afternoon’s incident when he was knocked unconscious by a kick from an extra...

The leading man, Cheng Xin, patted Ren He on the shoulder and said earnestly, "Kid, don’t kick me today, okay..."

Ren He also felt a bit awkward, "You can rest assured, Cheng, I absolutely won’t kick you today."

The crowd nearby burst into laughter, thankful that the lead actor was so magnanimous. Otherwise, they would have to replace the extra for sure.

Director Li glanced over at them, "Are you ready?"

"We’re ready!" they replied together.

"Action!"

The scene reset to the same as yesterday afternoon’s; first, the Imperial Guard Han Servants were defeated by the protagonist one by one. Then, Ren He marched forward with fierce momentum, dragging his sword; he exactly matched Director Li’s vision for the Imperial Guard General!

At this moment, however, Liu, the martial arts director’s heart, tightened again. He knew people who had practiced combat sports or wushu often developed an instinctual response when frequently fed moves by skilled opponents. So he accepted Ren He’s explanation from yesterday: the kid was clearly a combat sports master with natural responses.

Therefore, he was particularly worried that Ren He would kick Cheng Xin today—and if that happened, they were screwed!

Indeed, Ren He was also very mindful of this. Yesterday, he had realized that this instinctual reaction was more critical than acting skill, not because he couldn’t act, but because, subconsciously, survival was deemed far more important. So when the horse spear jabbed at him, Ren He instinctively fought back, not caring about the acting at all in that split second.

At this point, everyone’s hearts were in their throats...

During the close combat between Ren He and Cheng Xin, after ten-odd moves had passed safely, it was time for Ren He’s character to be stabbed in the chest. Cheng advanced with a forceful thrust...and missed!

Everyone saw that as the spearhead nearly touched Ren He’s body, he dodged swiftly to the left, his movements too quick to see clearly.

Everyone froze, Cheng Xin froze, Liu, the martial arts director froze, Ren He himself froze...

Cheng Xin, somewhat at a loss, made another ghostly attempt to stab toward Ren He’s left side, missing again... as Ren He sidestepped to the right!

So it continued back and forth for over ten times, like they had choreographed it, one stabbing and the other dodging...

Cheng Xin outright threw his horse spear on the ground, both amused and frustrated, "What are you dodging for! Didn’t we agree..."

That’s when it dawned on Cheng Xin, feeling the sting of frustration. Damn it, Ren He had said he wouldn’t kick him anymore, not that he wouldn’t dodge! Could they even film a drama properly!

"Cough cough, instinctual response, instinctual response. Director, director, let’s go again. I guarantee no problems!" Ren He assured with a pat on his chest.

Director Li, teeth clenching in irritation, yelled at Ren He through a megaphone, "This is your last chance. If I see you ’instinctively reacting’ again, you’re out!"