When filming began for "Xia Yi's Story", Xia Shuangshuang joined the cast as the pre-selected female lead. The director gave her special treatment, and others naturally dared not offend her. They could only speculate in private about what kind of backing she had, and how she was being promoted even more after being dumped by Xu Zifan.
Shi Xueman, Meng Yuncheng, and Yao Kexin also joined the crew. The first two had been working on film sets since childhood and were very familiar with everything. They were also very close, their daily banter and playful teasing was a regular occurrence, and they really enlivened the atmosphere on set. They immediately became the focus of attention, stealing the spotlight from Xia Shuangshuang. Neither of them did it intentionally, but they didn't try to hide it either. They had just entered the ranks of A-list actors, and even if their positions weren't secure, they were still Xia Shuangshuang's seniors. Regardless of who was behind Xia Shuangshuang, they had no intention of befriending her, having been recommended by Xu Zifan.
They all loved the script, and although they were all playing supporting roles to the female lead, the roles were substantial, and Xu Zifan gave them extra pay, so they accepted the assignments willingly. Yao Kexin was incredibly grateful to Xu Zifan. Not only was filming this drama beneficial to her career, but she also received generous extra pay from him, which was like a benefactor to her, especially since she was struggling financially. Therefore, she was very humble, cautious, and diligent on set. Even when she didn't have scenes, she would sit and watch others film, diligently learning and practically wearing out the script. She was the director's favorite actress in the entire crew.
Xia Shuangshuang had prepared a publicity stunt, intending to have her online army release articles claiming she outshone and outshone other actresses. Palace dramas are full of women, almost all of them beauties; one day she'd outshine them, the next they'd be feuding, the day after they'd be best friends, and the day after that they'd be suspected of falling out—there would be plenty of topics. With this publicity stunt, she could gain a wave of fans.
Ke Shi Xueman is just as beautiful, but has a higher status, more fans, and more talent and work. She can't belittle her, otherwise she'll be the one ridiculed. Yao Kexin is much prettier. Although she's a newcomer with few fans, just because she's a newcomer would be seen as bullying if she were criticized, and criticizing an unknown actress is pointless. If the second or third female lead can't be touched, what's the point of touching others?
There's also the male lead, the emperor, and the second male lead, the handsome imperial physician. Xia Shuangshuang had already figured out how to create a scandal; her most important thing right now is popularity. Who knew that the male lead and the second female lead were well-known confidants in the entertainment industry? If she dared to create a scandal with Meng Yuncheng, wouldn't she be torn to shreds by their CP fans? Even casual viewers wouldn't have a good impression of her. If she didn't create a scandal with the male lead but only with the second male lead, it would be too easy for the outside world to take it seriously. What if netizens actually believed there was something between them, and then they went their separate ways after filming? That would definitely bring not popularity but resentment.
Xia Shuangshuang's two publicity plans had completely fallen through, leaving her heartbroken. She felt resistant when filming scenes with these three, and her performance wasn't as good as when acting with others. Once again, Xia Shuangshuang's expression wasn't right, and the director impatiently yelled "Cut!" He said, barely containing his frustration, "Xia Shuangshuang, go find your groove. We'll film again in fifteen minutes. Everyone else, take a break."
Xia Shuangshuang said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Director, I'll go back to the dressing room to rest."
After Xia Shuangshuang left, Shi Xueman whispered to Meng Yuncheng, "Let her play the female lead. Don't ruin this drama. I still want to produce some works."
Meng Yuncheng also whispered, "It's alright, with so many of us supporting us, at most the overall balance is a bit off, and the main character isn't quite as outstanding. It's just that she offended Xu Zifan."
"Yeah, no matter what's going on between them, we're on Xu Zifan's side this time, so we can't hold back and support Xia Shuangshuang. I bet Xu Zifan hired the three of us actors to steal Xia Shuangshuang's thunder, so we have to act our best." Shi Xueman smiled. "Besides, I don't really like her. She's so arrogant, acting like she's some kind of princess."
"Alright, let's not talk about her anymore. Come on, let's rest for a while. The sun is so strong that we had to do two takes. Hopefully, we can get it right the first time later." Meng Yuncheng pulled Shi Xueman to rest under the parasol.
Yao Kexin glanced at them enviously, then returned to her chair, opened her script, and diligently memorized her lines. She had also had two NGs after joining the crew, but later, through daily, early morning and late-night practice, she passed all her scenes on the first try. This opportunity was so rare; she felt she had to work harder than everyone else.
The crew was taking a break when suddenly there was a commotion at the door, and someone ran in to inform the director, "Director, Xu Zifan is here!"
The director paused for a moment, then frowned. Xu Zifan was their biggest investor, their sugar daddy, but he had also had many girlfriends, mostly internet celebrities and actresses. His presence at this time was bound to raise eyebrows. However, a sugar daddy is a sugar daddy, and the director quickly composed himself, smiling as he greeted him, "Young Master Xu, what brings you here? Please come in."
Xu Zifan shook hands with him, led Liang Fei inside, and said with a smile, "I've come to visit the set. This is my first time investing in a TV series, and I'm quite curious to see how you guys film it. I want to learn more so I might invest in it in the future."
When the director heard that he wanted to invest in the future, his eyes lit up. Securing investment was the hardest part, and Xu Zifan was so wealthy; if he could build a connection with him, it would definitely be beneficial. The director's attitude towards Xu Zifan became much more genuine; he let him sit next to the director and even asked a staff member to get him some water.
Shi Xueman and Meng Yuncheng quickly came over to greet Xu Zifan, and Yao Kexin followed suit. The other actors present naturally couldn't miss the opportunity to greet their sponsor. Xu Zifan nodded to them, "Sit down, everyone. I just happened to be passing by today, so I thought I'd drop by." He looked at the three people he had arranged to come in and asked, "How's filming going these past few days?"
Meng Yuncheng smiled and said, "It went very smoothly. The director has high standards, and the quality of the film is also good. Young Master Xu will definitely not be disappointed."
Xu Zifan looked at Yao Kexin, "What about you?"
"Did the filming go smoothly?"
Yao Kexin, who was relatively unknown, was startled when she was suddenly called upon. She quickly said, "Young Master Xu, my filming went very smoothly, there were no problems."
The director laughed and said, "Young Master Xu, you made the right choice casting Kexin as the Imperial Concubine. She brought the Imperial Concubine to life, making her so vivid and realistic, much better than I expected. The audience will definitely love it. And Yun Cheng and Xue Man too." He gave a thumbs up, praising them profusely, "They're not all scumbags, not all poisoners. They captured the complex emotions within their characters exceptionally well, and their eyes and movements had a natural chemistry, perfectly fitting the childhood sweetheart dynamic. The sparks they created were very captivating. Young Master Xu, you have a keen eye for talent; this drama is sure to be a hit."
To demonstrate the quality of the film, the director showed Xu Zifan the footage that had just been recorded. After watching for a while, Xu Zifan said with satisfaction, "It's really good. Everyone acted very well. After filming today, let's all have a meal together. We've worked together before, but we're still not familiar with each other. Let's invite everyone who was on set today. Consider it a perk for the crew."
The director subconsciously glanced at all the actresses present, each one more beautiful than the last, those in costumes even more so. He couldn't help but feel a chill; was Xu Zifan about to make a move? But it wasn't appropriate to refuse, so he smiled and said, "Then thank you, Young Master Xu. It's a rare opportunity to meet you, Young Master Xu. I'd like to take this chance to talk to you about the film."
Not only the director thought so, but everyone present thought so too, since Xu Zifan's style had always been like that! Some of the actresses present who had ideas adjusted their most beautiful expressions and subtly flirted with Xu Zifan, while those who didn't, like Shi Xueman, immediately leaned close to Meng Yuncheng and whispered, and Yao Kexin simply lowered her head and stared at the script in her hand, completely hiding her face.
Seeing this, Xu Zifan couldn't help but find it amusing. Had he shown any interest in that kind of thing? Why did everyone from Li Ping to the director and actors think he had a crush on someone? He stroked his chin, genuinely wondering if he should find a girlfriend like the original owner of this body. Otherwise, people would wonder why he had suddenly become so celibate.
With all the commotion outside, Xia Shuangshuang, who had been sulking inside, finally noticed. She opened the door a crack and peeked out, her face darkening. "Why is Xu Zifan here? I knew he wasn't that magnanimous. What 'all-encompassing' nonsense? He's here to cause me trouble! Xiao Jiu, can you hear what they're saying?"
[Sorry, host, the system does not have this function. Eavesdropping is not directly related to becoming a superstar. Host, you've already lost 20 points due to two takes during filming, leaving you with 1207 points. Please work hard and don't get distracted while filming.]
"Xiao Jiu, your standards are too high. Even actresses have to do retakes, that's normal. Why should I lose 10 points for each retake? I've only managed to gain a few points with great difficulty."
[Host, appropriate punishment can help raise your standards for yourself, making you more cautious, careful, and diligent, which is reasonable. You will also receive reward points for completing tasks, which is fair.]
Xia Shuangshuang checked the task list. "Today's daily task is filming for 2 hours, which will be completed soon and I'll get 50 points. There's also filming a TV series for 500 points and filming a movie for 1000 points. There are also commercials, variety shows, and so on. None of them are quick; they all take time. When will I finally become beautiful?"
[Host, the first beauty filter only costs 5000 points. If you take on more gigs and complete your daily tasks, you'll accumulate enough points quickly.]
That was as good as saying nothing at all; Xia Shuangshuang had lost all interest in replying. She'd been ecstatic when the system told her it could make her beautiful, hone her acting skills, and help her become a superstar. Now it seemed like getting any of those things wouldn't be easy. She'd had the system for so long and hadn't gained any benefits yet; at best, she had a "friend" she could talk to anytime, anywhere. Her initial enthusiasm after her rebirth had faded. Without any benefits and without experiencing the system's wonders, where was her motivation?
Fifteen minutes later, Xia Shuangshuang saw that Xu Zifan hadn't left yet. She took a deep breath, went out and pretended to have just noticed him, greeting him casually, "Young Master Xu, are you here to visit the set?"
Xu Zifan nodded casually, his gaze not lingering on her, and continued discussing the upcoming plot with the director, as if Xia Shuangshuang wasn't his ex-girlfriend, but just a random passerby. Xia Shuangshuang had come prepared with various responses, thinking about how to act in a way that wouldn't offend Xu Zifan but also maintain her dignity. But Xu Zifan treated her like a nobody? This was even more unbearable than being targeted at her!