Chapter 114: “wait, Are You Trying To Make Me Go After Lin Xiuyuan?”
2025, villa living room.
Yoona and Lin Xiaolu sat at opposite ends of the sofa, smiling outwardly, but the atmosphere was subtly tense like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.
Xiuyuan was stuck in the middle, quietly taking a sip of water, his gaze darting left and right, desperately searching for an excuse to retreat.
He cleared his throat lightly and probed softly, “Um, if you’re going to have class, I’ll step out for a bit. I’ll check the tavern’s inventory and you can call me when you’re done.”
He had just started to stand up when Yoona pressed his shoulder down firmly, pushing him back without ceremony.
“Don’t go. This performance training needs you to participate. You’re her acting partner today.”
Seeing this, Lin Xiaolu on the side stopped sulking and asked somewhat seriously, “So how do we do it?”
Yoona, who had pressed Xiuyuan back onto the sofa, slowly stood up, picked up the tablet, and skillfully cast The Heirs episode one to the TV in front.
Then she looked at Lin Xiaolu and spoke softly with some emotion.
“With only two months of preparation time for you now, plus the concert tour and work in between, there’s no condition to practice step by step slowly. So I’ve come up with a plan these past two days: use the ‘analysis method.’ We’ll deconstruct the scenes directly and use technique training to go through the process with you.”
Lin Xiaolu looked at the screen and pouted, “If that’s the case, I can just watch the TV series myself, right?”
“Can you analyze the rhythm changes by watching it yourself? Can you distinguish which expressions are transitions and which ignite emotions? Do you know how to echo the inner rhythm at lens switch points?”
Facing Lin Xiaolu’s response, Yoona smiled on her face, but her tone was sharp.
“The script isn’t for reading aloud; it’s for deconstructing. Whether a female lead can carry the emotional line depends on your ‘performance awareness.’ When you encounter an on-the-spot script change from the director, see how you cope.”
With that, she fully entered teaching mode, her posture confident and calm, no longer bickering with Lin Xiaolu.
“Let’s start with the first scene, that is, Cha Eun Sang working in America and being humiliated here.”
As the TV scene played slowly, Yoona stood in front of the screen, looking quite like a teacher as she analyzed it point by point.
“This is the character’s first impression scene, and it’s very key. Her state is ‘internalized,’ appearing strong outwardly but extremely fluctuating inwardly. Notice this shot: her gaze shifts to the lower right, that’s ‘self-defensive gaze,’ indicating she feels threatened but chooses to suppress her reaction.”
Lin Xiaolu watched Yoona dissecting the frames one by one with explanations, her expression indeed a bit puzzled.
“Why does it look to me like she’s just stunned? Scared silly, right?”
No sooner had she said this than Yoona replied from the front, “Precisely because you interpret this as ‘scared silly,’ your previous performance of the role had no highlights at all.”
“You’re the same, thanks.”
Lin Xiaolu froze at being scolded and instinctively shot back.
……
……
Half an hour later.
Yoona suddenly shouted: “Stop! What was that emotion? Your gaze is like waiting for takeout. What, are you very hungry?”
She walked in front of Lin Xiaolu and personally demonstrated that instant’s gaze, explaining while doing it.
“Your gaze is too flat; it needs some inner tension. Sigh, come on, let’s break down the rhythm.
First second is ’emotional defense,’ third second is ‘self-suppression,’ fifth second has a ‘tremble’ point, where you need to create ‘slight confrontation’ in the corners of the mouth and eyes at the same time.”
“What confrontation? How can the corners of the mouth and eyes confront each other?”
Lin Xiaolu’s gaze was clear.
……
……
One hour later.
“Let’s do some ‘technical training’ first then.”
Yoona turned to Xiuyuan on the sofa, “Xiuyuan, have you watched my dramas before? Like Love Rain, give an evaluation.”
Unexpectedly suddenly called on, Xiuyuan quickly sat up straight, his gaze shifting between the two: one exasperated at his uselessness, the other pouting aggrievedly.
So he answered softly, “Uh, watched a bit. Last year when I first arrived in Seoul, it was playing on TV, so I watched a few episodes.”
“So what did you think?”
“Um…”
Xiuyuan hesitated, then added dryly, “I think the two supporting actor teachers as the parents had pretty good acting skills.”
Lin Xiaolu immediately rolled her eyes and sighed deeply, “Enough, I know my acting skills suck. You tell me how to practice, and I’ll do it.”
Seeing the discouraging effect achieved, Yoona nodded in satisfaction and turned to the TV, “Still the first scene, run through ‘three-stage emotion control’ practice once, coordinating breathing and gaze. Xiuyuan, you handle positioning.”
Xiuyuan could only stand up helplessly, inwardly chanting: I’m just the door opener, how did I become a screen test partner?
……
……
After some unknown amount of time passed, seeing Lin Xiaolu still not entering the role, her emotions always floating on the surface, Yoona was starting to lose patience.
“Sigh, emotions haven’t sunk in. Let’s try a blindfold training.”
She fetched a long scarf and gently covered Lin Xiaolu’s eyes, exposing only from the brow bone downward, “Sometimes the audience can’t see your eyes, but you have to let them discern your emotional flow through breathing, lips, and jaw muscles.”
After saying that, Yoona pointed back at Xiuyuan, “Xiuyuan, stand one and a half meters in front of her, act opposite.”
Xiuyuan paused, “How to act opposite?”
“Be a mirror.”
Yoona’s tone was clearly heated, like a cat about to explode, “She looks at your expression to find her state, you watch her closely, and if something’s off, call stop immediately.”
……
……
This state continued from just past nine in the morning until 3 PM.
They hurriedly ate lunch in between, but the training barely stopped, chatting and eating with hands and mouths never idle.
Even so, after half a day, Xiuyuan realized that Yoona’s analysis work for Lin Xiaolu hadn’t even finished one episode.
So during this brief rest, he finally raised his hand, “Um, Yoona, I’m not saying you teach badly, I just want to make a suggestion.”
“Mm, what suggestion?”
Yoona, sitting nearby ‘questioning life,’ glanced over, her tone revealing some fatigue and self-doubt.
In this half day, she had gone through every acting technique, from breathing and gaze to rhythm and expressions, nitpicking each one, hoping to ignite Lin Xiaolu’s “lifeless” eyes.
But after trying so long, there was still no improvement.
She even started doubting if she was simply not suited to teach or truly lacked the talent.
Anyway, she felt a bit defeated for the moment.
Lin Xiaolu nearby was about the same; it wasn’t that she couldn’t understand what Yoona was saying or grasp how those “techniques should be done.”
But she just couldn’t execute them.
In the end, she simply didn’t know how to “act.”
Last time, it was with the help of a ‘hypothetical scenario,’ so she ‘truly acted’ it out.
But this time, switching to pure “acting,” she truly couldn’t act it out.
So when Lin Xiaolu heard Xiuyuan wanted to suggest something, she immediately turned her gaze to him, wanting to hear what he said.
“I think Xiaolu isn’t incapable of acting…”
Xiuyuan thought for a moment and said slowly, “It’s that every time you tell her to ‘do this or that,’ your words restrict her instead. Like last time when you didn’t say much, she relied on ‘conception’ and performed well.”
After Xiuyuan finished, Yoona still didn’t get it, “So what suggestion are you making, Xiuyuan?”
Lin Xiaolu also straightened up, her gaze fixed tightly on him.
“What I mean is, since she could act it out last time relying on ‘immersive experience,’ maybe this time we can try entering a familiar emotion first, then carry it into the role?”
At this point, Xiuyuan couldn’t help recalling a phrase: no technique, all emotion.
After hearing this, Lin Xiaolu thought seriously, but soon realized there was a major prerequisite.
Before she could speak, Yoona voiced it for her, “Xiuyuan, I’m not saying ‘method acting’ doesn’t work; of course it’s effective. But the problem is, it requires a certain emotional precipitation and life accumulation.”
Before, Lin Xiaolu thought of Sulli’s departure; the ‘immersion’ prerequisite was already completed in years of accumulated emotions, so she had enough emotional outburst.
But for the roles in this drama, she didn’t know any of them—how could she ‘immerse experientially’?
Lin Xiaolu nearby listened quietly to all this and nodded lightly when Xiuyuan looked at her.
Clearly, she also thought Yoona was right.
Hearing both say this, Xiuyuan was suddenly puzzled, “Shouldn’t you be able to immerse directly into the role’s world after reading the script?”
“What you’re describing is talent.” Yoona laughed, thinking of something.
Then Lin Xiaolu rolled her eyes speechlessly, “If I had that talent, would I be sitting here taking lessons?”
“Ah, I thought ‘method acting’ meant instantly diving in.”
“Stop talking, I’m really discouraged enough.”
Lin Xiaolu, who had just rolled her eyes, glared at him again in annoyance.
Seeing this, Xiuyuan quickly waved his hands with a smile, “Ah, sorry sorry. But from what you said, how about changing the approach? Like transplanting real-life emotions toward others into the role? Like emotion transplantation.”
This novel perspective left Yoona and Lin Xiaolu both stunned; they exchanged a glance and fell into silence.
After a while, Yoona slowly spoke, “It seems possible, but according to the script, it has to be both love and hate. So many years passed, I can’t remember if there’s a guy around Lin Xiaolu worth her feeling that way.”
“None.” Lin Xiaolu replied instantly, her tone crisp.
Hearing this, Xiuyuan gave an awkward smile, “Then no way, continue the lesson. Pretend I didn’t say that; I’ll go to the restroom.”
He hurried off, planning to catch his breath in a corner first.
As his back disappeared, Yoona suddenly turned to Lin Xiaolu and asked softly, “Do you think my course is useful?”
“The video before was useful when I figured it out myself. But switching to techniques, I can’t quite do it; probably my foundation is too weak.”
Now asked directly, Lin Xiaolu no longer had the earlier sharp confrontation but discussed the issue very calmly with Yoona.
Fair and frank, she gave her thoughts straightforwardly.
Yoona nodded lightly after hearing, “When Xiuyuan asked me to help shoot that video, I didn’t take it too seriously. I just casually shared some feelings, so no techniques. You passing that ‘crying scene’ later was mostly thanks to the ‘hypothetical scenario.'”
Lin Xiaolu had realized this too and nodded.
“But Xiuyuan’s ‘immersive emotion’ isn’t entirely wrong.”
Suddenly changing tack, Yoona smiled faintly, “If you can really transplant real emotions in, this drama is no problem.”
“Who did you think of?”
As ‘herself,’ Lin Xiaolu immediately knew she had an answer but wouldn’t repeat it.
Sure enough, Yoona smiled after hearing, “What do you think of Xiuyuan?”
Lin Xiaolu’s gaze froze, her whole body pausing as if fixed.
Yoona’s whisper continued in her ear, “See, a few days ago when you couldn’t find him, that urgent reaction was quite like the female lead’s state in this drama. Remember?”
“I remember.”
How could Lin Xiaolu forget her somewhat crazed reaction that day?
Mainly because she was too anxious then; the female lead role from writer Kim Eun Sook made her a bit obsessed, so she urgently sought Xiuyuan.
And because it was so impressive, she felt she could recreate it.
Yoona continued, “Also, that evening when we two met, your shock, astonishment, surprise were perfectly spot on.”
Lin Xiaolu chuckled, “Nonsense, that was genuine emotion.”
“And think about it: ever since learning about the time-space door, our little team definitely can’t split up. Since that’s the case, having a brief and ‘immersive’ quick romance with Xiuyuan would be pretty good.”
Beside her, Lin Xiaolu frowned tightly; this made her very conflicted.
So weird, so awkward, but seemingly very reasonable.
Moments later, inspiration flashed through, dispersing the fog in her mind, and her gaze sharpened, “Wait, hey, you’re suggesting I pursue Xiuyuan?”
“No pursuing.”
Yoona shook her head with a smile, “I know us too well; we wouldn’t fall for someone easily.”
Then she grinned slyly, “I mean, use him as a tool. Leverage that familiar emotional outburst, act it out, then drop it. Even if you break up later, it won’t hurt deeply; with the time-space door, the relationship can’t be cut anyway.”
As Yoona said this, Lin Xiaolu was dumbfounded, staring at her fixedly.
“Wow, scary. Xiuyuan said you take good care of him before, but now you’re scheming against him here, using him as an emotional stepping stone?”
“How is it scheming? Him being your ‘tool’ doesn’t cost him.”
Yoona spoke righteously, “If you can really act the emotion and throw yourself at him, he gets to enjoy a woman for free. Even if you two break up, worst case I sleep with him one night for emotional compensation. Guys and girls, friends—how could he lose out?”
Finally, she said, “Anyway, choice is yours: try ‘immersive experience,’ might open the floodgates instantly. Or continue technique lessons, but not sure if you’ll pass the assessment in 2 months. Up to you.”
These clear words floated unclearly into Lin Xiaolu’s head.
Causing her brain to crash directly, “Wait, what you said made my mind unable to turn around at once…”
She even raised her little hand, “Let me sort it, let me sort it. No wonder Ji-yeon said you old women are open.”
“Hm? Old woman?”
Yoona, whose expression was still calm, changed tone instantly at ‘old woman,’ her voice carrying a hint of danger, “Ji-yeon said that?”
Realizing she’d let it slip, Lin Xiaolu panicked and waved her hands repeatedly, “No, she didn’t say you; she meant… others.”
“Oh, I remember, that album.”
Yoona suddenly realized, then laughed out loud, “Ouch, little Ji-yeon is really bold, daring to say and do. If big Ji-yeon knew she evaluated her like that behind her back, tsk, I can’t imagine the scene of them fighting.”
As she spoke, she seemed to suddenly recall something else, her gaze lingering playfully over Lin Xiaolu.
“Like someone saying my face is puffy, heavy eye bags, gained weight. Lin Xiaolu, how should I return the favor?”
“Who said that, online comments? Those aren’t reliable; just take a look.”
Being caught red-handed in person after trash-talking behind the back, Lin Xiaolu coming up with that on the fly was genius.
Yoona raised her eyebrow slightly, lips curving, just about to tease more when Xiuyuan returned from the restroom.
He walked out wiping his hands and saw the subtle atmosphere; his eye twitched, and he turned to slip away again, “Um, I’ll grab a bottle of water.”
“Don’t run, Xiuyuan, come here. We have something to ask your help with.”
But as he turned, Yoona called him, smiling brightly.
Lin Xiaolu beside her quickly tugged her hand, “Don’t, I haven’t decided yet.”
Who knew Yoona’s smile was dazzling, “This isn’t just your thing. Didn’t you just say calling him like this is scheming? Then if I discuss directly with him, it’s not scheming, right?”
“?”
You’re digging a pit for me?
Lin Xiaolu stared fixedly at her; Yoona laughed even more happily, got up, pulled over Xiuyuan who was standing not far, and told him what she’d just discussed with Lin Xiaolu.
Finally summarizing, “What do you think? My proposal’s okay, right?”
After hearing, Xiuyuan’s first reaction wasn’t to respond but to silently turn his gaze to Lin Xiaolu.
Beside him, Lin Xiaolu awkwardly averted her eyes, pretending interest in the air.
Seeing this, Xiuyuan smirked and shook his head directly, “Reject, I won’t join your game. But I think Jung Soo Yeon is quite suitable; Lily blooming isn’t impossible, right? Consider it.”
Speak of the devil.
Next second, phone ringtone sounded—Jessica calling!!!
Monthly tickets please, another chapter later; this one took a bit long to write.
