117. On the Wire Rig

Given Ji Fanxing's current fame, even if she were just a singer, Ye Sanchuan would still wholeheartedly welcome her.

So the next day, Ji Fanxing and Ning Ze arrived at the largest film and television production base in Longguo, Zhejiang Province.

At the entrance to the filming base, Ye Sanchuan, who had been waiting early, spotted the two walking side by side from afar. When he clearly saw them, his eyes suddenly lit up.

The man was handsome! The woman was stunning!

Especially Ji Fanxing, who was even more beautiful in person than on television, with a unique aura and skin whiter than snow. Her clear eyes seemed to contain the stars and the sea, making it impossible not to be captivated.

Standing next to the male lead, Ning Ze, they were a match made in heaven.

Wasn't this the dream leading lady he had envisioned?

All of Ye Sanchuan’s remaining doubts vanished. After all, she was only a pretty face for the lead role; acting skills didn’t matter much.

He quickly stepped forward, extending his hand warmly to both.

“Ning Ze, Miss Ji, welcome, welcome. I’m Ye Sanchuan.”

“Director Ye, long time no see,” Ning Ze shook his hand and then introduced, “This is Ji Fanxing.”

“Hello, Director Ye,” Ji Fanxing nodded politely, offering a gentle smile.

Ye Sanchuan looked at the beautiful woman smiling gracefully before him and felt even more satisfied.

Having spent years filming outdoors, his skin was tanned, but his teeth were exceptionally white, and his smile now seemed even more enthusiastic.

“Miss Ji, I’m your fan. I listen to your song ‘Joy’ several times every day, and the horror sound effects in ‘Ghost Bride’ were absolutely amazing!”

Ji Fanxing noticed the dragon-headed tortoise pendant around Ye Sanchuan’s neck and the string of Five Emperor coins on his wrist—both symbols of good luck and protection against evil.

She understood immediately; this director was a man who paid attention to detail.

No wonder the movie had such a distinctive style.

“You flatter me, Director Ye,” Ji Fanxing said modestly.

“Come, come, let’s go inside and talk,” Ye Sanchuan said, leading them in as he explained, “The story of ‘The Treasure Quest’ is simple. The male lead’s girlfriend mysteriously disappears, and he ventures deep into the mountains to find her.”

“I’ve already read the script,” Ji Fanxing nodded.

The female lead’s main scenes were at the beginning, when she was kidnapped during a date with the male lead, and at the end, falling off a cliff. The rest were flashbacks in the male lead’s memories.

“To be honest, the investment in this film is limited, so the props and sets are rather rough. But we’re shooting on location, striving for authenticity,” Ye Sanchuan said with a somewhat embarrassed smile.

“I understand,” Ji Fanxing replied with understanding. For a low-budget film, shooting on location was already quite an achievement.

Surprised by her reasonable attitude, Ye Sanchuan felt even more embarrassed. He continued, “The studio we’re heading to now was borrowed temporarily from my sixth uncle. We only have one day to shoot.”

“The schedule is a bit tight... but no matter, we’ll shoot as much as we can. As long as we nail the wire stunt scene, the rest can be handled with face replacement…”

“No problem,” Ji Fanxing nodded calmly.

Hmm… Ye Sanchuan felt relieved but then uneasy again. Usually, young actresses would at least show some nervousness at the word ‘wire stunt,’ but she seemed so composed.

Maybe she hadn’t really understood what she was about to do.

Unfortunately, it was too late to back out now. The person was here, the location borrowed—it wasn’t that easy to cancel.

If necessary, they could cut out the extra movements and shoot a simple falling shot.

Though that would make the film lose a key scene...

Sigh, at this point, he could only be thankful it was usable.

Half an hour later, at Studio No. 1, Ji Fanxing stood on a platform ten meters high.

“Miss Ji, when you’re lifted by the wires later, try not to move or scream, or it’ll be hard to control…” The stunt coordinator, a seasoned man in his forties with dark skin, earnestly reminded her.

“Don’t worry, instructor, I definitely won’t move or scream,” Ji Fanxing smiled, her mood excellent. She loved wire work—it felt like flying.

“That’s good, that’s good,” Mr. Zhang nodded, though inwardly he didn’t believe her. Young actors these days were all so delicate, no one could endure being suspended by wires without crying or screaming.

“All departments, get ready!” Ye Sanchuan shouted through a megaphone. “Shooting starts in five minutes!”

“We’re ready!”

“Lights are good!”

“Camera’s rolling!”

...

“Action!”

With Ye Sanchuan’s command, what was meant to be a simple test shot took an unexpected turn.

Ji Fanxing was lifted steadily. The wind from the fans stirred her body, making it seem as though she was dancing with the air—light and stable, without a hint of shaking.

What extraordinary core control was this!

Everyone on set widened their eyes, watching the incredible scene in disbelief.

They held their breath, knowing this was ten meters above the ground—one wrong move and the consequences could be disastrous.

Yet Ji Fanxing showed none of the expected fear. She seemed completely unaffected, focused solely on her performance.

As the wires rapidly lowered her, her body descended swiftly. She executed a difficult flip in midair, transitioning from a face-down fall to a face-up one, as previously arranged with the instructor.

The wires held her suspended in midair while the crane camera slowly zoomed in for a close-up of her face.

Not far away, her lover shouted her name hoarsely, his voice laden with desperate anxiety.

But she kept her lips sealed, refusing to respond.

If this was a farewell, she chose to face death alone.

A single crystal tear silently traced down her cheek as Ji Fanxing whispered the line:

“We’ll meet again in the next life...”

The freeze-frame ended, as if that moment was the last breath of a dying soul.

The wires reactivated, and she dropped swiftly.

With a dull thud, she fell like a leaf drifting down. In that instant, the entire world seemed to fall silent.

The fans tirelessly continued to blow.

Yellowed leaves fluttered in the air like lifeless dancers, expressing their tragic beauty in their final moments.

“Cut!” Ye Sanchuan shouted excitedly, feeling his heart nearly stop. This was exactly the effect he wanted—better than he had imagined.

The set fell into silence, everyone stunned by Ji Fanxing’s performance, unable to recover for a long time.

“Great!” Someone shouted first, followed by thunderous applause that lasted endlessly.

“Amazing! Ji Shen really is a goddess!”

“That was incredible! I felt like my heart was about to leap out of my chest!”

“It’s been years since I’ve seen such a perfect wire stunt. So beautiful!”

...

Ning Ze burst out of the crowd and hugged Ji Fanxing tightly, his body trembling slightly, eyes full of lingering fear.

Startled by the sudden embrace, Ji Fanxing quickly composed herself and gently patted his back, soothing him softly.

“I’m fine. See? I’m perfectly okay.”

Ning Ze said nothing, only holding her tighter. He had genuinely been terrified, feeling as if his heart shattered the moment she fell from ten meters high.

“Do you know you really scared me to death just now!”

His voice was hoarse, tinged with a barely perceptible sob.