By the time Jiang Nian walked out of the makeup room.
Nearly an hour had passed.
He had undergone a complete transformation.
The first thing that stood out was the outfit.
As they say, clothes make the man, and a saddle makes the horse.
Whether in movies, TV shows, or everyday life.
People always have a habit of judging someone’s current situation by what they’re wearing.
Lin Pingzhi is a perfect example.
In the makeup room, Lin Pingzhi may have many outfits, but if you really break it down, there are only four sets in total.
These four sets correspond to his current state of mind.
When he first appears, he’s dressed in flawless white.
This symbolizes that Lin Pingzhi’s heart is pure at this point—he doesn’t know the evils of the world and is a genuinely good person.
But at the same time, that pure white also corresponds to mourning clothes.
Foreshadowing the tragedy that will later befall him—his family destroyed and everyone killed.
After going through that ordeal.
Although the main color of Lin Pingzhi’s clothes is still white, there are now some gray accents added.
This represents that his heart has already begun to crumble.
After all, his family was destroyed.
No matter how pure and noble he is, it’s impossible for him to have no reaction at all.
If that were the case, the main tone of Lin Pingzhi’s character wouldn’t be tragedy—being toyed with by fate—but rather that he’s an idiot.
At the same time, those gray accents gradually increase as Lin Pingzhi slowly realizes he’s been schemed against all along.
Until finally, he takes the blade to himself.
The color of his clothes completely turns gray.
This represents that Lin Pingzhi’s heart has completely collapsed at this point.
As for now, the purple robe and red shirt Jiang Nian is wearing.
It means Lin Pingzhi has thorough stepped onto a one-way road to destruction.
“Whoa—”
The moment Jiang Nian appears.
Even though people had already seen this outfit in the makeup room countless times.
When Jiang Nian wears it, it still makes people gasp in amazement.
You have to understand, this outfit looks really tacky.
Dark purple tones paired with the bright, vivid red flowers embroidered on it.
It’s like those old-fashioned floral cotton jackets that village elders love to wear in winter.
Even though the style is hanfu-inspired, it can’t hide the rustic vibe.
But now, Jiang Nian is wearing it.
“Holy shit, this is just too damn handsome!”
Han Dong’s eyes go wide as saucers, and he can’t help but exclaim.
Whether it’s because Jiang Nian’s physique is just that incredible, or because his looks are just that stunning.
This slightly tacky outfit, when worn by him, doesn’t diminish his appearance at all.
Paired with that long hair hanging straight down beside his face.
The overall look is luxurious and alluring.
Like a giant python that’s been lying dormant for years in the mortal world.
Twisting its body, ready to strike a lethal blow at any moment!
“Yeah, Han Dong-ge, how come it looks so different from when you wore it!”
Deng Sha, now in full makeup and dressed as a nun, can’t help but remark.
Trying on each other’s costumes isn’t uncommon on set.
After all, everyone’s curious.
They all want to see what someone else’s costume looks like on them.
Among them, Jiang Nian’s costume is undoubtedly the most popular.
After all, Lin Pingzhi is notoriously difficult to perform.
Coupled with Jiang Nian’s incredibly refined acting—nailing it in almost every single take.
It makes them wonder if they could capture even a fraction of Jiang Nian’s essence if they played Lin Pingzhi.
But the result is that everyone who tried it on—except for Huo Jianhua—couldn’t even capture half of Jiang Nian’s essence.
Han Dong especially—when he put on the purple robe Jiang Nian is wearing now, well, if you knew him, you’d recognize he’s a celebrity. If you didn’t, you’d think some thug had wandered in from god knows where. It looked as ugly as could be.
Hearing this, Han Dong’s face can’t take it.
He clears his throat twice: “That’s because I didn’t have makeup on. No makeup, you understand?”
“But I seem to recall you specifically did the same makeup as Teacher Jiang that day?” Deng Sha says with a hint of surprise.
Han Dong immediately gets flustered and angry: “That’s different! Different! Makeup only changes the surface—it doesn’t touch the soul.”
What follows is some obscure, hard-to-understand stuff about “state” and “state of mind,” which sends everyone into fits of laughter, filling the set with a joyful atmosphere.
Seeing this, Jiang Nian smiles faintly.
Then he walks over to Huang Junwen: “Director Huang, when do we start shooting?”
“Let’s wait a bit longer. There are still some details on set that need to be sorted out.”
Huang Junwen says.
The next scene is a big one.
Just the main characters alone—more than ten of them appear.
This needs proper preparation.
Hearing this, Jiang Nian understands, then goes outside the teahouse and waits patiently.
As time passes, once the props team finishes setting up the scene and Huang Junwen has checked all the shots and setups and confirmed everything is in order, he sits down behind the monitor.
Holding the clapper in one hand and the microphone in the other:
“Everyone ready. ‘Smiling Proud Wanderer,’ Episode 47, Scene 8, first take. Action!”
The moment the words leave his mouth.
All the actors begin entering the scene one after another.
First is Yu Renhao, Yu Canghai’s disciple.
Then comes Huo Jianhua as Linghu Chong, Yuan Shanshan as Ren Yingying, and Deng Sha as Yilin.
After they all take their seats.
Jiang Nian’s Lin Pingzhi slowly walks in.
Right off the bat, out of old friendship, Lin Pingzhi greets Linghu Chong.
Then he directly sits down at the table across from Yu Renhao, casually straightening his handkerchief while saying offhandedly: “So you’re Renhao?”
As Yu Canghai’s disciple and one of the accomplices who slaughtered the entire Lin family.
He naturally understands that the man before him is the walking sword manual of the martial world—Lin Pingzhi.
With such a grudge between them.
Yu Renhao knows full well the other party isn’t here for anything good, so he silently tightens his grip on the sword resting on the table, on guard.
Seeing this, Lin Pingzhi doesn’t mind. He just uses his handkerchief to gently wipe away the nonexistent sweat on his face, his tone mocking:
“You want to play the turtle and hide in your shell? That’s fine. But you were there when my whole family was killed. Even if you turned to ash, I’d still recognize you.”
“Insolent! I am Yu Renhao, and so what?”
Hearing Lin Pingzhi insult him, Yu Renhao can’t take it. He slams the table hard and stands straight up.
This immediately scares the other customers in the shop into fleeing, not daring to linger.
If this were before, seeing him like this, Lin Pingzhi would surely be furious!
You thieving bastards—you killed his whole family, and you still dare to be this arrogant and insolent.
But now, after severing all ties, Lin Pingzhi’s personality has changed drastically. Seeing this, his heart doesn’t even ripple—he even chuckles softly: “The Four Young Masters of Qingcheng, heroes among men. But in my eyes, you don’t have an ounce of heroic spirit. As expected—the more someone lacks something, the more they emphasize it. Am I right?”
“You!”
At those words, Yu Renhao immediately flies into a rage. He grips the sword hilt, glaring furiously at Lin Pingzhi, looking like he’s about to draw his blade and strike at any second.
But Lin Pingzhi now has mastery of the “Evil-Warding Sword Art.” In terms of martial arts, in terms of strength—if he wanted to, he could borrow Yu Renhao’s head to play with anytime he pleased.
Why would he care about such posturing? So he just continues mocking the man.
To vent the pent-up frustration in his heart.
Through their words and demeanor, the atmosphere on set grows heavier and heavier.
It looks like the very next second, they’ll draw their swords on each other.
But just then.
Suddenly, a familiar, sinister laugh comes from outside the door, immediately drawing everyone’s attention.
They all look over and see Mu Gaofeng, holding Yue Lingshan hostage, striding in!
Seeing her, Lin Pingzhi’s pupils suddenly contract.
Then he looks at Mu Gaofeng, and his eyes erupt with an unprecedented, terrifying killing intent!
This treacherous, despicable bastard!
How dare he lay a hand on someone close to him!
Whether it’s because he got too immersed in the role or something else.
Jiang Nian actually goes off-script, stomping his heel hard on the ground.
“Boom!”
In an instant, the solid wooden floor cracks and splinters beneath his foot.
Debris flies everywhere.
This immediately startles the actor playing Mu Gaofeng, who was about to say his lines.
He stares at Jiang Nian, pupils shrinking, mouth agape, and for a moment, he genuinely doesn’t know what to do.
What the hell.
This part wasn’t in the script!
Why did this scene suddenly happen?!
And it’s precisely this stunned moment.
That causes all the emotion he’d built up before to completely shatter.
He simply can’t force himself to keep acting.
“Cut! Cut!”
Seeing this, Huang Junwen quickly grabs the microphone and calls for a stop.
Then he hurriedly walks into the inn.
Looking at the stone slab—split into pieces from Jiang Nian’s stomp—his heart pounds with fright.
Then he quickly goes over to Zhang Chunzhong, the actor playing Mu Gaofeng, and asks: “Teacher Zhang, are you okay?”
“I’m—I’m fine. Just my heart’s beating a bit fast!”
Zhang Chunzhong clutches his chest, looking at Jiang Nian, his face full of lingering fear.
It’s not that he’s timid.
It’s just that Jiang Nian’s stance just now was truly terrifying.
Stomping through the stone brick beneath his feet without a word was one thing.
The key was that look in his eyes.
Zhang Chunzhong swears—in all his years, he’s never seen such a ferocious gaze.
Like a starving wild wolf, eager to devour him alive.
It didn’t even feel like acting—it felt like the real thing.
Hearing this, Huang Junwen immediately looks nervous and asks: “Can you still shoot after this? Do you need to rest?”
This isn’t just small talk—he genuinely means it.
Although stopping the whole crew for one person is absurd.
But if the man really is feeling unwell, even if it costs time and money, he has to do it.
After all, Zhang Chunzhong isn’t young anymore.
Born in ’58, last century.
He’s fifty-four this year.
If something were to happen to him.
He couldn’t bear the responsibility.
Beside him, Jiang Nian nods, indicating he feels the same way.
To be honest, after that improvised stomp in the heat of the moment, he already somewhat regretted it.
If the person before him were really the utterly wicked Mu Gaofeng from “Smiling Proud Wanderer,” that’d be one thing.
But unfortunately, he’s just an actor.
And an older actor at that.
What he did was indeed a bit too impulsive.
Hearing this, Zhang Chunzhong shakes his head: “No need. Just let me catch my breath for a moment.”
“Are you sure? How about I tone it down a bit next take?” Jiang Nian suggests.
His intention is to ease the pressure on Zhang Chunzhong when they act opposite each other.
But unexpectedly, Zhang Chunzhong gives him an answer he didn’t see coming: “No, don’t tone it down, Teacher Jiang. Just perform normally—better yet, keep surpassing your limits like you just did.”
Jiang Nian: “???”
“You’re serious?!”
