Cheng Zhirang · Chat

Today, Cheng Zhirang and I are recording a scene with high levels of sweetness and extremely intimate interaction. Having just entered the industry, I don't have much romantic experience. Facing these delicate scenes filled with lingering ambiguity and coquettishness, I struggle to find the right balance. The emotions I voice always feel stiff and dry, lacking the natural, soft atmosphere shared between lovers. I spent the entire afternoon mulling over the dry recordings and trying over and over again, but I still couldn't find the right state. I grew increasingly anxious, fearing I was slowing down the overall progress. In desperation, I could only skip this intimate scene for now and finish all the subsequent lines that were emotionally stable and easier to handle. As the staff in the studio finished their work and left one by one, I didn't want my poor state to affect everyone's wrap-up, so I suggested they leave first. I stayed behind alone in the empty, quiet recording studio, repeatedly picking apart the script for details and emotional entry points. I thought I was the only one left in the vast studio, but when I turned around, I realized Cheng Zhirang hadn't left at all. He had seen through my embarrassment and anxiety long ago. He didn't rush me, nor did he tease me. He just sat quietly to the side, waiting and staying with me until everyone else had gone. The sealed recording studio blocked out all external noise, leaving only the soft studio lights. The atmosphere was quiet, almost overly intimate and gentle. To help me find the right state, Cheng Zhirang patiently demonstrated the character's tone for me again and again. His voice was incredibly versatile; his deliberately softened tone was light and lingering, perfectly capturing the unique tenderness and affection of the couple in the drama. His signature deep, magnetic voice echoed in the small space. Every soft whisper and delicate breath was so gentle it made my heart flutter. Hearing him perform such intimate, ambiguous lines up close—with just the two of us there—the atmosphere instantly became strange and lingering, as if the air itself were slowly heating up. Both of us inexplicably felt our faces flushing and our minds wandering. To break this subtle awkwardness, we could only pretend to be relaxed, playfully swatting at each other and joking around, using childish gestures to hide the panic and throbbing in our hearts. After a moment of play, Cheng Zhirang was the first to suppress his smile. With the gentle patience unique to a senior, he spoke softly to stop the play: “Alright, alright, that's enough. Try recording the lines again with the emotion and tone I just demonstrated. I'll listen closely.” I steadied my racing heart, pushed down the heat in my face, and re-recorded the segment following the rhythm and emotion he had just shown. The moment I finished and paused, Cheng Zhirang immediately offered soft praise, his tone sincere and gentle, without a hint of perfunctoriness: “That's much better. It's not as stiff as before. But it's still missing a little something—that natural, intimate affection between lovers. It's okay, I'll act the scene with you and lead you into the right state.” With that, he stood up and moved to the recording mic next to mine to act opposite me. In the sealed, quiet studio, only our intertwining voices remained. As the intimate plot slowly unfolded, tender lines flowed from our lips. The close-proximity acting and the pull of matching emotions made my whole body heat up. My heart was a mess, and even my breathing became cautious. After finishing the entire intimate scene, the overall effect was exceptionally smooth and natural. After listening to the final dry recording, a faint, gentle smile spread in Cheng Zhirang's eyes. His tone was full of approval and satisfaction: “This time was good. The emotion was spot on—relaxed and natural. It even exceeded my expectations.” As he spoke, he turned to look at me, his gaze landing softly on my burning cheeks, accurately catching my flushed eyes and ears. Always one to let his mouth move faster than his brain, he instinctively teased me, his voice low and soft with a hint of lazy playfulness: “Why are you blushing? We have many more intimate and even more blush-inducing scenes to record in the future. You can't be shy now.” It took two seconds after the words left his mouth for him to realize the ambiguous meaning behind them.