ATLAS TRANSLATES

The basic planning for “Breaking Dawn” was mostly complete before filming began. Due to the inclusion of political propaganda elements, many things required special approval. However, with support from various parties, especially backing from the Ministry of Public Security, many matters were given special treatment. Things progressed smoothly, encountering few obstacles along the way.

Finally, they received notice that the lead actress role was secured. Tang Xin pushed back all of Fu Xueli’s scheduled appearances by at least two months. To prepare well for this film, she even spent two weeks in special training, until the crew started filming in mid-May at a film studio in Shanghai.

After “Breaking Dawn” was officially announced, several major online forums exploded overnight. Weibo and online message boards were filled with discussions about the casting choices, with the female lead being the most controversial.

There had been rumors that the female lead would be Ming Heqi, but Fu Xueli ended up getting the role. This coincided with a variety show airing, further confirming previous rumors of discord between Fu Xueli and Ming Heqi.

Fans of several young actresses who had been fighting amongst themselves suddenly united to attack Fu Xueli. Ming Heqi’s fans were particularly vicious in their attacks.

The topic repeatedly trended on Weibo and dominated entertainment news headlines for a week. Fan wars and gossip forums dug up scandal after scandal, leaving casual observers bewildered by all the drama.

However, despite the online tumult, “Breaking Dawn” began filming its first scene the afternoon of the first day. The location was the Shanghai Public Security Bureau headquarters.

In the production van, Fu Xueli was chewing on snacks and removing her face mask. She leaned back against a soft pillow, staring at the ceiling lost in thought.

“Sigh, I don’t know what’s going on lately. We keep going to police stations every few days. Last time it was a district station, now we’re going straight to headquarters…” Xixi complained softly beside her, adjusting her clothes with a sour expression.

Xixi was grumbling, unaware that someone else in the van was in an even more complex mood.

The van crawled through traffic. Fu Xueli grew irritated and tossed her thermos with a clang. “This damn Shanghai traffic is awful! It’s taken almost an hour and a half to go this short distance?! With this crappy transportation, how does the Shanghai government expect to keep a million college students here?!”

“Such a bad temper. Don’t give yourself a heart attack,” the others in the van treated her outburst as normal.

Strangely, after Fu Xueli’s cursing tirade, the road ahead suddenly cleared up. They turned left onto the bridge and merged into the flow of traffic. After about 10 minutes, the production vehicles finally arrived at their destination.

A sign at the main entrance warned unauthorized personnel to keep out. Someone got out to speak with the guards, and the iron gate slowly opened. The vehicles drove in slowly, with grand tree canopies lining both sides of the road. The thick foliage only allowed slivers of sunlight through on this beautiful day.

It was quite an impressive scene…

“Thank you for accommodating us on this weekend. We really appreciate it,” Director Wu said as he led the group off the vehicles, stepping forward to shake hands with someone who looked like a leader.

Chief Zhao waved his hand, “It’s no trouble at all. This is a task assigned by headquarters, so of course we take it seriously.”

The two men exchanged a few more pleasantries.

Used to being swarmed by fans and bystanders wherever she went, with paparazzi lurking in the shadows, Fu Xueli couldn’t help but find the serious and quiet atmosphere of this large group strange. Following behind the crowd, she passed by a white statue with a full-length mirror next to it. She caught a glimpse of herself in her uniform.

This was really something…

She never imagined she’d be walking around a police station in a police uniform one day.

The staff were discussing things amongst themselves as they gradually prepared the filming location. Chief Zhao patted Director Wu’s shoulder and introduced him, “We’ve specially selected some outstanding young officers to assist you. Let us know if you need anything.”

His tone was a bit excited and even a little proud, “These young men all have very proper appearances. They were chosen from the district stations.”

“More than just proper,” Director Wu said with a big smile, playing along skillfully. “Look at the people behind me – they’re all A-list celebrities. But your young officers are just as impressive, if not more so!”

Others chimed in agreement.

This sincere flattery made Chief Zhao laugh heartily, his chubby cheeks spreading into a wide grin. He looked very pleased with himself, which made Fu Xueli inwardly scoff.

Her face was stiff from forcing a smile as she stood at the edge of the group. Bored with waiting, her gaze began to wander.

It landed on a group of young men with upright postures across from her. She kept unintentionally making eye contact with one of them, causing him to blush deeply.

Knowing many people were sneaking glances at her, Fu Xueli didn’t care and continued looking around casually. Her eyes swept the area indifferently until they stopped on one spot.

There was someone who looked a lot like Xu Xingchun. In broad daylight, he was the only one standing calmly and attentively. Quiet and composed, with only half his face visible, his light-colored shirt was neatly tucked into black pants. His arms hung naturally at his sides, and his skin was slightly pale.

Fu Xueli rubbed her eyes again and realized…

This wasn’t just someone who looked like Xu Xingchun…

It really was him!

Her heart skipped a beat. She watched him for a while, but he showed no signs of looking back at her. She could only pretend not to care and look away, squeezing her water bottle hard.

She felt very conflicted inside.

As the saying goes: Big boss, big boss, when the big boss speaks, it’s not difficult.

There were several scenes to be filmed that afternoon. Besides “Breaking Dawn,” no other production could get this level of support at a police station.

Not only were they filming in real offices, but even the extras were actual police officers volunteering for free.

The assistant director was arranging the third scene using a megaphone.

A disciplined group was easier to direct, needing only a few instructions to understand. According to the script, a row of young criminal investigation officers put on their coats, their sharp features exuding a natural air of authority.

Their quick, uniform movements and healthy, powerful male physiques oozed testosterone, creating an unexpectedly magnificent impact. The assistant director’s enthusiasm erupted like a volcano, fully ignited as he loudly directed the camera movements, reluctant to even call for retakes.

Celebrities big and small, along with ordinary crew members, huddled to the side, watching idly. Some inexperienced young girls were left completely stunned.

So cool…

Fu Xueli also hid among the crowd, lounging in a chair, pretending to study her script while secretly stealing glances.

Little Zhang, sitting behind her, pointed at Xu Xingchun in the crowd, “Look at that guy behind Jiang Yidi. Is he a new heartthrob? How come I don’t recognize someone so handsome?”

Someone swooned, clutching their chest, “Yeah, he’s so charming and manly. I’ve been staring at him the whole time, I can barely breathe.”

“How noisy. Always thinking improper thoughts,” a calm voice spoke up. Fu Xueli casually closed her script and stood up, pretending to be nonchalant. Her gaze swept the area briefly as she folded her arms, complaining, “How much longer do we have to wait? It’s just a few seconds of footage, why isn’t it done yet?”

No one dared speak further. They waited for Fu Xueli to act up, exchanging glances and quietly rolling their eyes.

Suddenly, someone nearby shouted loudly: “Quick, move aside!”

Fu Xueli was confused for a moment. She instinctively turned her head to look, and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

A large German Shepherd was running full speed straight towards them!

??!!

Hearing screams, the crowd quickly dispersed, everyone darting to the sides. Fu Xueli found herself on the outer edge, retreating in fear. She wanted to run but her legs felt too weak to move.

Feeling like it would grab her pant leg in seconds, Fu Xueli’s fingertips trembled. She finally reacted and started to run. Someone was shouting, “Don’t run!”

But who would listen to that at a time like this?

The more they said it, the more frightened she became.

Plus, she had been terrified of dogs since childhood. Super scared, super scared, super scared – scared beyond reason! Fu Xueli ran blindly, not even noticing when her legs bumped into things. She looked back to see if the dog was catching up and saw its huge jaws only a few meters away.

In those few seconds, she felt utterly desperate. Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed her arm and she was yanked into someone’s embrace. The momentum almost made them both lose balance.

The German Shepherd stopped and circled their feet.

“Blackie!” someone shouted in reprimand as they caught up.

Xu Xingchun quickly realized the awkward position and let go of Fu Xueli, holding her shoulders to create some distance between them.

She refused to let go, “No, I’m scared!”

Sometimes emotions really can’t be controlled. In front of everyone, Fu Xueli had completely forgotten about propriety. She stubbornly clung to Xu Xingchun, hiding behind his back. Her eyes were tightly shut, heart pounding, both arms wrapped firmly around his waist.

She turned her head, her chest pressed against his back, panting hot breaths. A thin layer of sweat covered her nose, and tears of fright filled her eyes.

Soon, the person holding the dog’s leash hurried over, stopping in his tracks when he saw the scene.

Others crowded around, exclaiming, “Is Xueli okay? Oh my goodness!”

Having just escaped danger, Fu Xueli’s mind was a mess. She couldn’t hear any of the commotion clearly, her eardrums filled only with the sound of her own heartbeat.

As she slowly calmed down, she realized she was still hugging Xu Xingchun. She was holding him so tightly they were practically fused together. His whole body was tense; she could even feel his abs… Fu Xueli’s face gradually turned red as she slowly opened her eyes. She lifted her head slightly, her vision still blurry with tears. From this angle, she could only see his nose bridge and a bit of his chin. She opened her eyes just a little, then quickly closed them again.

His skin really was nice, a pure white like glazed porcelain.

Xu Xingchun just lightly patted the German Shepherd’s head. Surprisingly, the dog became docile, sitting on the ground and nuzzling his palm with its forehead, its paws scratching at the ground.

The large dog had its mouth open, drool dripping down. Its tongue was hanging out and its neck was in a harness, still looking quite scary. Seeing Fu Xueli raise her head, it excitedly tried to jump on her again.

She hadn’t fully recovered and screamed again, shouting in a somewhat hysterical tone, “Xu Xingchun, hurry up and get rid of it! I’m scared!”

Because the leaders were present, bystanders didn’t dare to make a fuss openly. However, the gazes from all directions were clearly tinged with amusement. Some couldn’t hold back their laughter.

After being scolded a couple times, the young officer holding the dog apologized while trying to explain in a low voice. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, his gaze shifting to Fu Xueli as he hesitantly asked, “Um, do you have something on you?”

Fu Xueli: “…?”

Worried she hadn’t heard him, he spoke a bit louder and repeated his explanation, “Blackie might have smelled something on you, that’s why he ran over.”

“For example…” the young officer seemed embarrassed to continue, “some food?”

Fu Xueli was still clutching Xu Xingchun’s shirt tightly. Her mind was in chaos, emotions all over the place. She hastily wiped the tears from her cheeks and used her free hand to search her pockets.

She immediately found several packets of beef jerky. It was the snack she had been eating in the car.

The young officer said awkwardly, “Yes, Black probably smelled the beef jerky. He’s… he’s a bit hungry…”

“……”

Fu Xueli took several deep breaths, feeling like she wanted to die.

This damn greedy mutt…

It made her embarrass herself so badly this time!!