Chapter 25 Graceful and Cool
"Alright! That's enough! " Jessica exclaimed as she landed on her feet and let out a breath of relief. The wirework was necessary for the film's flying scenes, and she anticipated spending most of her time suspended in them. The harness wrapped around her waist wasn't comfortable, and after enduring it all afternoon without a peep, she now felt as if the skin around her waist was raw, stinging with every touch.
"Well done. Your movements were good," the action instructor said, approaching and asking, "Have you done this kind of work before?"
"Never," Jessica replied, accepting the wet towel a staff member offered her and wiping the sweat from her forehead. She then asked, "Do I need to keep practicing other moves?"
"No need for now. Another lead actor just got back from recording a show in the capital, rushed back overnight, and should be arriving soon. We have to check her wirework first. You can continue tomorrow."
With that, the action instructor helped Jessica out of the harness and walked away to review the footage of her movements on the wire.
Even though she wasn't dressed in a costume from the show, her movements, whether spiraling downwards or soaring through the air, had an ethereal quality. Her swordplay and twirls were not only perfectly suited to her character's temperament, but each action she performed seemed to be in sync with the role, effortlessly elegant and imposing.
The assistant leaned over to look at the footage on the playback monitor and whispered, "You can tell she's got a solid dance background. Without it, those intense spins and bends under the tension of the rig would be impossible to nail in one go."
The stunt instructorinstructor, puffing on his cigarette, said nothing.
After so many years in the business, he had seen all sorts of celebrities. Even the female stars with some dance training struggled with the harness—either due to acrophobia, rigid bodies, or simply being too picky about the discomfort it caused.
No one could match Jessica. She was both tolerant and precise in her movements, even surpassing the director's expectations.
Curiously enough, Jessica's profile didn't mention she could dance, and even her manager never brought it up. With her capability, she could easily add more enchanting and beautiful moves to match the character of Katarina, the female lead's adversary.
"Send these test shots to the director," the stunt instructor remarked, glancing at the time before hurrying outside. "Trinity's arriving soon, and she's royalty in this industry. I'll go out and wait to welcome her!"
A recreational vehicle rolled slowly into the lot just as Jessica answered a phone call. She didn't notice the arriving vehicle as she continued her conversation, casually walking away from the set with an umbrella in hand.
Inside the RV, Trinity sat exhausted after a long day of recording, her impatience barely contained. Her assistant opened a fresh pot of soup, urging her to sip to relax, but the star didn't bother. She just looked outside with a displeased expression.
Passing by the RV with her umbrella, Jessica crossed paths with Trinity, who glanced outside, barely noticing through the rain-shielding barrier.
As the RV came to a stop, the stunt instructor rushed to greet the star with a smile, yet the person inside made no move to exit.
"Trinity, we're here." Renowned for her bad temper, Trinity was particularly irritable after an exhausting day. Her assistant, Lisa, was too timid to urge her vocally to disembark.
There seemed to be other voices outside.
Hearing her name called from outside the RV, Trinity leisurely picked up a spoon and took a couple of sips of the warm soup. "No rush," she said, eying the steady rain. "Let the rain ease up a bit first."
