Chapter 8: Chapter 7
Things felt different after that kiss. Xu Can noticed something was off with Emma Stone. On set, everything seemed normal during filming. But as soon as the scene ended, Emma would always find an excuse to leave, running away like a startled deer.
Isn't it said that Western girls are more open-minded? It's not uncommon for people to casually engage in what adults do. So why was she acting so awkwardly after filming a kiss scene? Did he kiss her too intensely? Or maybe she had a bad experience because of something he ate that day?
Xu Can carefully went over everything in his mind, but nothing seemed to fit. Sure, they got carried away with the kiss that day, but they stopped as soon as they heard the director shout "Cut." Xu Can had indeed felt something shift during that kiss, transforming his feelings for Emma from "good friend" to "beautiful woman." He even considered trying to date her, to take their relationship to the next level.
But Emma Stone didn't give him a chance. She always avoided him when they were alone.
"No, this can't go on. I need to talk to her before it starts affecting our on-screen chemistry," Xu Can thought.
He wasn't one to let things drag on. He preferred to address issues head-on.
Back on set, they were filming at a campus baseball field. Xu Can and Emma Stone were sitting in the stands. Emma's eyes were a bit evasive until the director called, "Action!" Then she locked eyes with Xu Can, all signs of nervousness gone. Her gaze was pure Gwen Stacy, filled with the look of someone in love—her eyes practically sparkling.
"You didn't believe what the police said, did you?" Xu Can's Peter Parker asked.
Spider-Man had just fought the Green Goblin publicly for the first time, saving countless citizens. But in the eyes of the New York police, both Spider-Man and the Green Goblin were dangerous, and Peter was now a wanted man.
"Of course not, I believe you," Gwen replied, her eyes clear and deeply focused on Xu Can. She even reached out and gently touched his face.
The assistant director scratched his head in confusion. "Was that in the script?"
"No problem, let her go with it. It's working," Marc Webb said, practically grinning from ear to ear. The chemistry between them was undeniable.
"Are you scared?" Gwen asked, her voice full of concern.
"No," Peter replied, smiling brightly. "I had to step up and save those people on the bridge. They needed me."
"That's not your job…"
"Maybe not, but as Uncle Ben always said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' I finally understand that now."
According to the script, Gwen was supposed to look at Peter worriedly and then give him a warm hug. After that, a football would fly in from a distance, and Peter would catch it, ending the scene.
But just as Emma Stone was about to hug Xu Can, he suddenly said, "You know, I really enjoyed kissing you…"
"Huh?" Emma was caught off guard. Why was he bringing this up on set, in front of everyone? This wasn't in the script!
But Xu Can's eyes were serious, waiting for her response. He had done this on purpose. If she could slip away after filming, why couldn't he address it now? With the director's permission to improvise, Xu Can decided to go for it.
"Hey, hey, that's not in the script. Should we reshoot?" The assistant director was puzzled.
"No, keep rolling. This is gold," Marc Webb said, addicted to the chemistry unfolding before him.
With the director not calling for a cut, Emma had no choice but to keep acting. At this point, it was hard to tell if she was playing Gwen or herself.
"Your kissing skills are great," Xu Can pushed further.
Emma, usually so carefree, blushed and smiled shyly, nodding. "Well… yours are pretty good too," she admitted, looking at him with affection.
"Yeah?" Xu Can murmured, then gently pulled her close and kissed her deeply.
Three days after their last kiss scene, they were at it again.
"Three cameras! Adjust the angles for a better view!" Marc Webb quickly directed the crew, determined to capture every moment.
"Football! Ready!" someone called out.
Just as the male and female leads were locked in a passionate kiss, a football hurtled toward them. Without even looking, Xu Can caught it, then casually tossed it toward the far goal.
Bang! The ball hit its mark with a loud noise, smashing the goalpost. Of course, special effects would be added later to emphasize Spider-Man's superhuman strength.
"Cut!" Marc Webb finally called, satisfied with the footage. Emma Stone breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that Xu Can hadn't thrown in another unexpected line.
"So, are you going to run away again?" Xu Can asked her seriously.
"No, Xu, I wasn't avoiding you on purpose. It's just…" Emma hesitated, feeling nervous. She didn't want to avoid him, nor did she want to push him away.
"It's okay. No matter what, I hope we can still be friends and talk about everything. That won't change," Xu Can said with a faint smile.
"If you're free tonight, how about we have dinner together?" he asked.
"Okay, I'd like that," Emma agreed, her tension easing.
As they sat in the stadium, bathed in sunlight, Emma realized how silly her previous evasiveness had been. That kiss had been pretty great, after all…
Without thinking, she naturally leaned her head on Xu Can's shoulder.
"Photographer! Get a shot of this too!" Marc Webb quickly called over the photographer to capture the moment.
Spider-Man was now halfway through filming. Thanks to Xu Can's extraordinary performance, the filming progress was far ahead of schedule. If the editing went smoothly, the film could even be completed and released by the end of the year. This was a scenario Sony Pictures had never expected.
Before filming began, Spider-Man had sparked a wave of excitement among comic and animation fans. But more than a month into production, the buzz had died down, with people moving on to new trends. To keep up momentum, Sony's marketing and distribution teams had planned to start promoting the film during post-production. Now, with the film ahead of schedule, Sony needed to ramp up its publicity efforts sooner than expected.
The company had mixed feelings about the project. At the moment, Columbia Pictures only had one successful series, 007: Casino Royale. It would be difficult to make a sequel to the Men in Black franchise anytime soon. Basic Instinct 2 and the American remake of The Grudge 2 had been box office disasters, dealing a heavy blow to the company. Sony urgently needed a new blockbuster franchise.
So the top brass placed their bets on Spider-Man.
"Keep an eye on the shooting progress and get a preview ready as soon as filming wraps! We need to start building hype ASAP!" one executive ordered.
"Boss, can an Asian Spider-Man really pull this off? Should we consider reviving other IPs?" someone questioned.
"No, we're betting on Spider-Man! I've seen the footage, and this Spider-Man might just surprise the world!"
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