Chapter 216: Chapter 215: Xiao Xu’s Professional Services

Everyone here is quite the actor. Jiang Mo listened to Zhang Chenyi and displayed a flawless smile, responding gratefully, “Thank you for your concern, Mr. Zhang. My equestrian skill has improved since last time, so I won’t be falling off the horse again.”

Standing behind Jiang Mo, Xu Ying already sensed a thick tension in the air and instantly thought those reality shows had nothing on this.

Once the director arrived, he called Jiang Mo and Zhang Chenyi over, “Come on, you two actors, try out your horses first, get to know each other, then run a few laps.”

The two horses had already been led to the starting point. Jiang Mo’s mount was Chasing Cloud, while Zhang Chenyi’s mount was named Cheng Feng.

Xu Ying slowly moved next to Jiang Mo’s horse, Chasing Cloud, and gently petted its neck.

She had just given Chasing Cloud a quick check-up; it seemed a bit irritable lately.

“Chasing Cloud, are you feeling okay today? Will you cooperate with our artist?”

Chasing Cloud nodded: [No problem at all.]

Xu Ying patted its neck, “Be good, and I’ll get you some calming medicine later so you won’t be so restless.”

The director knew that the male lead, Jiang Mo, had previously suffered a bad fall from a horse, “Jiang Mo, are you sure you’ll be okay this time? No need for a stunt double, right?”

Jiang Mo had already received Xu Ying’s subtle hints and nodded, “Don’t worry, director, I can handle it myself.”

Jiang Mo and Zhang Chenyi, each leading their horses, walked a few laps before mounting and running three or four laps around the paddock, dust flying everywhere.

The horses started competing with each other, trying to outdo one another, as if in a race. Jiang Mo clearly demonstrated superior horsemanship, effortlessly leaving Cheng Feng behind.

When the two dismounted, Zhang Chenyi’s face clearly didn’t look good as he irritably fiddled with his Buddha beads.

Xu Ying always felt that Zhang Chenyi looked a bit intimidating when he smiled, and even scarier when he didn’t.

Jiang Mo led his horse over to Xu Ying, “Later, there’s a scene where we have a conversation on horseback, shouldn’t be dangerous, but there’s a chasing scene tomorrow, and I’ll need you to take another day off to help.”

Xu Ying made an ’OK’ gesture.

Since she submitted a report to Director Yi to apply for assistant staff and other personnel, Director Yi quickly arranged for two animal rescuers to come and help, giving Xu Ying much more free time and enabling her to take a proper break.

“By the way, in addition to horses, there are other animal actors in this drama. The owner of the inn where the male lead lives keeps a parrot, and the male lead has a falcon. They’re all in the paddock’s rest area, along with many other animals.”

“They brought the animal actors from the Desert Scenic Area Wildlife Zoo. If you’re bored, you can go and familiarize yourself with them.”

Jiang Mo’s thoughtfulness was apparent. Even though Xu Ying was currently hiding her identity and couldn’t interact much with the crew members, she could still make friends with the little animal actors on set.

Once filming started, Xu Ying couldn’t wait to get acquainted with the small animals on set.

In the birdcage at the paddock’s rest area stood a King Kong Parrot, a stunningly beautiful creature resembling a fiery sunset, its body covered in vibrant scarlet feathers.

Only the edges of its wings were adorned with cobalt blue flight feathers, like red silk trimmed with blue.

This King Kong Parrot seemed quite pleased with its appearance, shaking its flame-like crest atop its head.

Xu Ying approached to make small talk with the King Kong Parrot, “Hey there, little parrot, what’s your name?”

However, the proud King Kong Parrot turned away, mumbling in avian language.

[Another annoying human trying to cozy up.]

[Don’t they know that my appearance fee is quite high? Charging for every word of dialogue.]

It grumbled while checking its feathers, sounding a bit frustrated: [Seriously, why hasn’t my stylist come to apply feather oil yet?

[What will I do if I’m all fluffed up when the white peacock arrives?]

Amused by the parrot’s theatrical personality, Xu Ying chuckled. This parrot really acted like a diva.

Xu Ying turned to find the makeup artist, who was busy touching up the female lead’s makeup, with no time for feather grooming.

“Do you want some oil?”

Xu Ying waved the small bottle of feather oil she’d borrowed from the makeup artist, smiling.

The King Kong Parrot whipped around, its obsidian eyes wide in surprise, not expecting a human to understand it.

[You-you-you—!] It stammered, fluttering its wings, [But I was clearly speaking authentic parrot language! How can you understand?!]

Xu Ying tilted her head and smiled, pointing to her ear, “Here’s a secret for you, I can understand what little animals say.”

The King Kong Parrot was thrown into chaos. It pecked the wooden perch twice with its beak to confirm it wasn’t dreaming, glanced around nervously, then suddenly buried its head in its wings, [Oh no, oh no, oh no! Does that mean you heard me call the director bald yesterday? And complain about the female lead singing like a sand rat hiccupping the day before… and the day before that, saying how the staging assistant waddles like a penguin…]

It whipped its head up, its crest drooping dejectedly: [Will you tattle on me?]

Amused by its silly charm, Xu Ying burst out laughing, as she hadn’t been on set the past few days anyway.

She intentionally put on a stern face, “Well, that depends on how a certain little parrot behaves in the future…”

[I’ll give you sunflower seeds!] The King Kong Parrot hastily extracted a cherished seed from beneath its feathers with its beak, [I stole it from the director’s lunchbox, it’s especially tasty!]

Seeing the feather-specked seed in its claw, Xu Ying couldn’t hold back her laughter, “Alright, your little secret is safe with me. However…”

She lowered her voice, “Next time you badmouth someone, make sure I’m not around first.”

[Got it!]

The King Kong Parrot suddenly rotated its eyes, which were located at the sides of its head, granting it a 300° field of vision. It immediately urged:

[Hurry up! The white peacock’s about to arrive!] It couldn’t wait anymore and hopped forward a few steps, wings slightly spread, assuming a posture that screamed, “An esteemed actor graciously allowing you to serve.”

Xu Ying couldn’t contain her laughter, opened the cap of the feather oil, poured a little into her palm, and carefully warmed it before gently applying it to the parrot’s feathers.

The King Kong Parrot immediately closed its eyes contentedly, its crest fluffing up slightly, and it made a satisfied “gulping” sound, much like a cat enjoying being petted.

Its feathers shone with a silky luster under the sun. Xu Ying’s fingers lightly combed through its back feathers. It even cooperatively lifted its wings, revealing the softer down underneath, indicating, “Here too.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep