When it comes to romance dramas, what do average viewers envy most about the lead actors?
Without a doubt—it's the fairytale-like love stories they get to act out, and all the sweet, romantic couple moments written into the script.
On Day 15 of the story in the script, it's an important turning point for the male lead, Gao Shan, and the female lead, Shou Aimei.
That day, during the daytime scene, Aimei gave Gao Shan a haircut.
After working on the set together for quite a few days now, Jing Yu and Yu Youqing had grown familiar with each other. By this point, they were no longer overly sensitive to physical contact during filming.
After all, they'd already done a hand-holding scene on the street earlier in the story.
However, in the evening segment of Day 15, according to the script… things escalate.
The script doesn't go into explicit detail—just a couple of shots like in the original film. But for a romance movie, that kind of scene is expected. At the very least, audiences won't tolerate it being skipped over. Even if it's just a kiss, viewers definitely want to see it.
—
In a dimly lit room, the camera was set up. In the center, the two leads—played by Jing Yu and Yu Youqing—sat side by side on the sofa, watching a projected movie.
To be honest, Yu Youqing had been feeling awkward all day leading up to this scene.
Though she had a good impression of Jing Yu now, she'd never played a major role before. Her previous characters in dramas were minor, so this was her first-ever kiss scene.
She kept telling herself: If you want to be an actress, you've got to get over this shyness.
But still—she was very nervous.
"I want to hug you," Jing Yu said, staying in character. His tone was full of joyful anticipation, as the script required.
"Eh?" Yu Youqing stiffened instantly.
"Cut!" Director Gao Wencang called out right away.
"No, no. That's not it. Your reaction should show that you expected Gao Shan to say this. Then you smile and say, 'Then hug me!'"
"Remember, Shou Aimei already knew everything Gao Shan would say and do during this month together—she learned all of it when she was fifteen, from the twenty-five-year-old Gao Shan."
"So for this day—and this month—she's known exactly what would happen between them, how far things would go, and even when Gao Shan would lose control of himself," Gao Wencang explained.
"So when you suddenly said 'Eh?'—it felt way too forced. Viewers who rewatch the show will think it's fake. It's like she's pretending to be surprised even though she already knows what's coming."
Yu Youqing gave Jing Yu and the director a sheepish look.
That reaction hadn't been acting—it was her genuinely forgetting she was filming, and getting startled by what Jing Yu said.
"Sorry. I was a little too nervous."
Usually, Yu Youqing didn't have any real issues with her acting. At most, small imperfections could be fixed easily.
But this scene…
She botched it seven or eight times in a row. Completely out of sorts.
Director Gao Wencang gradually realized something was off and carefully re-read the script.
In the scene, after Aimei responds with "Then hug me!", Gao Shan hugs her—and naturally, leans in for a kiss.
Jing Yu had already picked up on the issue, but didn't want to call her out. He'd hoped she would adjust on her own.
He gave the director a subtle signal, and Gao Wencang got the hint. He found an excuse to give them some privacy to talk.
"Uh… you've never filmed a kiss scene before?" Jing Yu handed her a cup of hot water and sat beside her.
"Have you?" Yu Youqing, now off-camera, was visibly more relaxed.
"I'm a first-time screenwriter and first-time actor. How could I possibly have done a kiss scene before?" Jing Yu chuckled.
"Same here. First time. Naturally, a bit nervous. Honestly, I'd mentally prepared when I read the script… but when it really came down to it—felt completely different." Yu Youqing took a deep breath.
"First time shooting, huh… Wait a second," Jing Yu paused, catching something in her tone.
"Don't tell me… you've never been in a relationship before?"
"Is that weird?" Yu Youqing pouted. "I'm twenty-four. It's not that strange for a girl to have never dated before, right?"
"I could handle the hand-holding scene, but kissing… I haven't managed to overcome that yet." She looked at him apologetically.
"We can't fake it either. Viewers really hate when actors use camera tricks for kissing scenes." Jing Yu lowered his head, thinking.
"What if we use a protective film between us?"
Finger pads, cards, plastic wrap—those were the usual tricks actors used when they didn't want actual lip contact during kiss scenes. If the camera work was good, audiences usually couldn't tell.
Of course, some actors didn't mind the physical contact—they were more worried about involuntary physical reactions in front of the crew. There were even actors who chewed raw garlic before kissing scenes—if you could still react to that, well… that's a different problem.
Still, audiences prefer close-ups, clear framing, and uninterrupted kisses. Anything too obscured or indirect tends to be criticized.
"Eh? Can we do that?" Yu Youqing blinked, surprised.
She'd actually wanted to bring it up—but didn't dare.
Requests like this were usually made by married actors or big-name stars. A nobody like her asking for special treatment? It would seem pretentious and unprofessional.
"No problem at all. As long as the emotion comes across, it's fine. A few frames like this won't affect the whole drama." Jing Yu took a deep breath and smiled.
The crew already had things like plastic wrap on hand.
When Gao Wencang heard Jing Yu ask for it, he immediately understood what had been going wrong before.
From a director's perspective, of course, he wanted realism—but if even the screenwriter had spoken up, he wouldn't press the issue further.
They reset the scene for another take.
This time, Yu Youqing was much better.
"Then hug me!"
She delivered the line perfectly, her face showing an elegant smile—no unease, no odd reactions. It was like she already knew what Gao Shan would say… so she naturally replied that way.
Jing Yu didn't fumble either—he wrapped his arms gently around her neck…
Their eyes met.
Slowly, they leaned in toward each other.
The "protective film" was essentially just a thin barrier stuck on their lips. Jing Yu wasn't sure if it actually did anything—maybe it was all just psychological.
But Yu Youqing was clearly more composed than before, carefully holding back her emotions to avoid ruining the take.
One second.
Two seconds.
Their gazes locked. Both held their breath.
Every second stretched long. Jing Yu could even see her eyelashes trembling.
Oh no.
He could already tell something was happening to his body.
Or rather, if he didn't feel anything in this situation, something would be very wrong with his body.
"Okay." Director Gao Wencang finally called out, satisfied.
Yu Youqing and Jing Yu broke apart at once, both turning away to catch their breath.
The most daring scene in the entire drama—
One take. Nailed it.