The male lead is feeling better today, and Xiaoyue, whom I've worked with many times, is here too, but unfortunately, there's another problem with the costumes.
Gu Yueyue had already gotten ready and was just waiting to go out to prepare for filming when she heard a commotion outside. She asked Xiao Ye, "What happened?"
"The role that Zhang Shishi refused to play, the senior sister, was played by a newcomer. However, the height difference between the two was too great, and the costume didn't fit. The director has been sending people everywhere to find a suitable costume."
Gu Yueyue had seen Zhang Shishi's height online, which was listed as 171 cm, the same height as her. So how tall must the new actress be to not be able to fit into the costume?
Ono noticed Gu Yueyue's confusion and said with a smile, "Zhang Shishi's publicly released body data is all fake. She's not 171cm tall at all. Even when she's wearing heels, she's still much shorter than you. I heard she's not even 160cm."
"What about the newcomer? How tall is she?" Gu Yueyue was quite interested in the newcomer because she had read the original novel before and was particularly interested in the role of the senior sister. She was somewhat disappointed when she learned that Zhang Shishi was playing the role of the senior sister. Although Zhang Shishi's acting skills were good, her appearance was far inferior. Now that a newcomer had taken over, her expectations were back.
"I don't know, I just went out to throw out the trash, how would I know so much? But she looks very tall, even taller than Director Ma. I estimate she must be over 1.7 meters. She's really beautiful, no female star in the industry can compare to her, it's just that it's a bit ridiculous that she's wearing such a short costume."
After saying that, Ono realized whose assistant she was, and she laughed and said, "Of course, I'm definitely not as pretty as our Sister Yueyue."
"I'm going out to take a look." Gu Yueyue was about to leave when Xiao Ye stopped her. "Sister, why don't you wait a while before going out? We were arranged by Hongsheng at the last minute. I'm afraid Director Ma might be angry with you. It's a complete mess outside right now. What if you go out and get blamed?"
"Director Ma isn't that kind of person," Gu Yueyue defended Director Ma. She wanted to go out and meet the newcomers when she bumped into the assistant director who was carrying a mask.
When the assistant director saw Gu Yueyue, he immediately beamed with joy. It was only because Hongsheng was being unreasonable and deliberately targeting Gu Yueyue that their small production team would have been able to hire her as a supporting actress. To put it nicely, she was a special lead, but in reality, Hongsheng was protecting a female actress who had committed a crime and was using Gu Yueyue as an apology.
"Teacher Gu, the scriptwriters added a last-minute setting and arranged a mask for you, what do you think..."
Gu Yueyue looked at the exquisite black mask in his hand and was somewhat tempted. She also felt that according to the introduction in the original work, the leader of the Loose Cultivator Alliance must be extraordinary, and there might be other twists and turns later. Adding a mask to push the mystery to a climax was quite fitting.
Ono was unhappy. "Assistant director, is this the director's idea? Our Yueyue already has so few scenes, and now we have to add a mask. What's the difference between her and a stunt double who doesn't show her face?"
The assistant director smiled like a Maitreya Buddha. He had long heard that Gu Yueyue was simple-minded and easy to talk to, but had a fiery little assistant by her side who was very troublesome and difficult to fool. Today it seemed that this was indeed the case.
"No, it's the investors' idea. I know Ms. Gu is a good actress and beautiful. But a special guest star isn't the lead role. The supporting role can't be more beautiful than the main flower, don't you think?"
Gu Yueyue's goodwill towards the mask plummeted. She reached out and took it, speaking in a neutral tone, neither pleased nor angry.
"I understand. The assistant director can rest assured." Gu Yueyue took the mask and put it on. She looked at herself in the mirror and it fit the character's description perfectly, but she couldn't be happy.
Seeing that Gu Yueyue was feeling down, Ono tried to cheer her up, but no matter what she said, Gu Yueyue remained the same. Finally, Ono advised her, "Sis, didn't you want to meet the newcomers? Why don't you go out and take a look?"
"I'm not going. Bring me my script, I'll take another look." Gu Yueyue took off her mask, slightly raised her head to force back her tears, knowing that crying now would only make her a laughingstock.
Ono sat next to her, muttering curses at the investors, and guessing, "Who is the investor going to promote? Is it the female lead or some other actress? This is too much! Why can't you get any screen time?"
"Alright, that's enough. You can go out now and let me have some peace and quiet."
Ono left unwillingly, finding fault with everyone she met. It wasn't until she went to the director's office that she ran back as if she had discovered some big news.
"Sis, guess who I saw outside!"
Ono suddenly ran in excitedly, disturbing Gu Yueyue's slight melancholy. Following her words, Gu Yueyue asked, "Who is it?"
"Remember that little girl we met a couple of days ago when we were eating popsicles together? She's the one playing the senior sister. I asked around, and her name is Xu Yi. She just turned 18 and is still a student. I heard she came here to earn tuition fees. It's the first time I've ever seen someone come here to do a summer job."
A languid figure walks against the orange sunset.
The scene from that day flashed through Gu Yueyue's mind, and she stood up on a whim. "I'll go out and take a look." Gu Yueyue walked to the door and stopped.
Ono: "What's wrong?"
"Never mind, we'll see each other when filming starts." Gu Yueyue went back to sit down, picked up the script again and read it carefully. She then began rehearsing in the break room, using the mirror as a reference.
Upon meeting again, for some reason, she wanted to perform better. Gu Yueyue didn't want any accidents to happen during filming later, at least not to let her down. Having gained a more thorough understanding of the script, she diligently honed her acting skills, looking forward to a perfect performance later.
Xu Yi was looking at the complete script with the director, who was arguing with the screenwriter next to him. The director seemed to have lost the argument and angrily slammed the megaphone on the table with a loud 'bang,' startling his colleague who was working diligently nearby.
"Investors, investors, all they do is cause trouble. Once I have money, those who don't know the rules can all get the hell out of here!" Director Ma was so angry that he kept cursing his sugar daddy.
Xu Yi looked up at him, and her eyes met Director Ma's.
Looking into the girl's clear and bright eyes, Director Ma hesitated for a moment before saying, "Xiao Yi, can you accept performing while wearing a mask?"
"?" Xu Yi looked at the director, completely bewildered. "Don't we need acting skills anymore?" She was trying to figure out how to control her facial expressions. Although the senior sister in the play was a bit aloof, she also had many tender moments, so there were some requirements for her facial expressions.
Director Ma sighed, "The screenwriter was worried that you were a newcomer and didn't have enough control over your acting skills, so he thought of giving you a mask, which fits the character's description quite well and will make it easier for you to act. What do you think?"
"Yes, thank you, screenwriter." Xu Yi felt that the screenwriter was extremely considerate; she was just worried about what to do since she had no acting skills.
A note from the author:
Miss Gu: You silly girl, you didn't even know you'd been sold out.
Xu Yi: Poor Miss Gu, she's been sold out and she's still counting money for the seller.
Two poor little things, they'll meet soon, then they can sit in a corner and cry together.
Chapter Seven
Ono went out for a walk and came back, pouting, and said to Gu Yueyue, "I just heard the director and screenwriter arguing. Do you know why?"
Gu Yueyue looked down at the script, a few strands of hair falling onto the pages. She tucked one strand behind her ear and asked Xiao Ye with a smile, "When are you going to get rid of your habit of needing a straight man when you speak?"
"..." Ono pulled up a stool and sat down next to her, her tone full of regret, "The investors want to promote a second female lead, so everyone else who could steal the spotlight from her has been dealt with. Zhang Shishi had fewer scenes before because of this. I didn't expect that a newcomer would come in, who is beautiful and has a good figure, and the character of the senior sister is also very likable. This has angered the second female lead again, and the investors have said that they want to reduce the scenes of that newcomer named Xu Yi."
"Reducing it further?" Gu Yueyue had read her senior sister's script, and it was already pitifully short. If it were reduced any further, there wouldn't be any left.
Ono: "Of course we can't cut it any further, so the screenwriter came up with another bad idea: to give the senior sister a mask too, a white one."
"Sis, when we take the photos, you two standing side by side, one in black and one in white, wow... you'll be so eye-catching!"
Gu Yueyue was at a loss for words. These days, money talks. Although investors can't control everything in the production crew, they have enough influence to ruin people's futures.
"Is Xu Yi alright?"
"What could possibly be wrong with her? She's incredibly naive. The director coaxed her, saying, 'We're worried your acting isn't up to par, so the screenwriter gave you a mask.' She was practically begging the director and screenwriter for forgiveness." Ono mimicked Xu Yi perfectly, but her tone grew increasingly strange. She admired Xu Yi's innocence, but in this industry, being too naive was just plain foolish. Therefore, she added a touch of disdain and regret.
Gu Yueyue didn't say anything more and continued to focus on memorizing her lines.
Xu Yi was also memorizing her lines, but compared to Gu Yueyue's meticulous analysis and deliberation, she had it much easier. She simply skimmed through the lines and wrote down all the words on the paper.
Ma Youcai walked around the film crew with a megaphone, and only after all departments were ready did he ask the assistant director to call the actors out.
"Xiaoyue, I don't need to say anything, I believe in you. Xiaoyi, come here, let me explain the play to you again." Ma Youcai taught her quite seriously. He had just met a talented person but couldn't be her mentor, which was really troubling.
Xu Yi listened attentively. Ma Youcai even took her through the area where they would be filming later, telling her how to find the camera and how to cooperate with it.
"You've written them all down, haven't you?"
Xu Yi nodded slightly, "I've got it." The senior sister of Cangyun Sect is exceptionally intelligent and quick to learn; memorizing the movement patterns is no problem for her.
Gu Yueyue put on her mask and came out, immediately focusing her gaze on Xu Yi, who had already entered the venue.
The war between immortals and demons is about to break out. During the preparation period, the number one righteous sect sent its leader and first disciple, Fairy Chen Xiao, to lead her disciples into battle. However, they first need to go to the Loose Cultivator Alliance to discuss important matters of demon defense with the alliance leader.
This scene depicts Fairy Chenxiao waiting for the Alliance Leader in the Loose Cultivator Alliance's reception room.
The junior sister who follows Fairy Chen Xiao is the second female lead in this drama, and she is also the one that the investors are heavily promoting. So whenever the junior sister is in the same frame as Xu Yi and Gu Yueyue, Xu and Gu have to put on masks.
In this first scene, the two naturally discuss matters while wearing masks.
Then, Fairy Chenxiao fell into demonic possession on her way to the Immortal-Demon Battlefield. It is unknown whether she was ambushed by a demonic cultivator or framed by a villain. On the night before she fell into demonic possession, Fairy Chenxiao was restless and secretly found the Alliance Leader, hoping that if she encountered any misfortune, the Alliance Leader could bring her junior sister back to the sect safely.
The leader of the alliance promised her that he would protect her junior sister as long as she lived.
Afterwards, Fairy Chen Xiao mysteriously disappeared, and the Alliance Leader continued the story with her junior sister.
Xu Yi only has three scenes: dancing with a sword under the moon to mourn her deceased friend, the Loose Cultivator Alliance meeting, and entrusting her to her junior sister on the eve of the great battle. In this airport scene, the second female lead is only present during the Loose Cultivator Alliance meeting, so this is the only scene where she needs to wear a mask.
In contrast, Gu Yueyue had far more screen time than her.
The Loose Cultivator Alliance holds a meeting to investigate the disappearance of Fairy Chen Xiao, engages in battle on the battlefield of the Immortal-Demon War, meets with the male and female protagonists to discuss matters, fights the Demon Lord one-on-one, and risks his life to save his junior sister.
Of these, she only didn't need to wear a mask during the fight scenes in the battle between immortals and demons; otherwise, she had to wear a mask in order to appear in the same frame as the second female lead.
Filming begins. Fairy Chen Xiao (Xu Yi) enters the council hall of the Loose Cultivator Alliance with her junior sister (Chu Man'er). Servants serve tea, and then the leader of the Loose Cultivator Alliance (Gu Yueyue), wearing a mask, appears.
The Alliance Leader (Gu Yueyue) entered and greeted them warmly: "Fairy Chenxiao, how have you been? A hundred years ago, at the Ten Thousand Sects Gathering, we all admired your elegance."
Xu Yi was stunned. This person's voice...
"Cut!" Ma Youcai slumped in his chair, unable to even lift his thermos to drink a few sips of water. "Xu Yi, what's wrong with you? Say your lines, say your lines!"
Xu Yi then realized that this was not Gu Family Fortress, and the person in front of her was not Miss Gu; they were just filming a movie.
"Sorry, I was daydreaming." Xu Yi apologized to everyone and bowed slightly to Gu Yueyue opposite her.
Chu Man'er, who was following behind Xu Yi, was also the second female lead who was being heavily promoted by the investors. When she saw that Xu Yi had messed up, she sneered. She originally wanted to say something to Xu Yi, but Gu Yueyue spoke up before her.
"It's okay, don't be nervous, relax, don't take this too seriously." Gu Yueyue thought she was just nervous because it was her first time filming, so she spoke to her gently and kindly.
Ma Youcai had been harboring a lot of unhappiness for the past few days, but he couldn't bring himself to take it out on others. He gulped down several mouthfuls of hot water and shouted, "Alright, everyone get ready, let's continue filming."
Perhaps soothed by the gentle tone, Xu Yi stopped daydreaming and diligently finished filming her scenes.
However, Chu Man'er, who was by his side, made a few mistakes, and Ma Youcai let it go. In any case, these minor flaws would not have a significant impact on the entire TV series, but they would affect the actors themselves after the series aired.
Ma Youcai deliberately didn't tell her, otherwise how could it be said that a small fire relies on promotion, but a big fire relies on fate, and excessive promotion will be punished by heaven?
Seeing that Xu Yi was getting into character, Ma Youcai filmed even more enthusiastically. She was beautiful, had a great figure, and could even dance with a sword. He wished he could make her the leading lady.
"Where's the martial arts instructor? Quickly call him over. Everyone else should take a good rest and try to film Xiaoyi's scenes this afternoon." Ma Youcai originally thought it would take two or three days to finish filming Xu Yi's scenes, but now that Xu Yi is in good condition and the others are cooperating well, he wishes he could finish filming in one day.
During her lunch break, Gu Yueyue sat under the shade of a tree and continued reading her script.
Ono went to buy her lunch. The crew also provided boxed lunches, but Gu Yueyue's health had been too poor lately. Ono couldn't bear to see her make do with boxed lunches, so he spent a lot of money to go to the nearby Hai Na Lou restaurant and order a few dishes.
Holding his lunchbox, Ma Youcai ate while saying, "Xiaoyi, go eat indoors. There's air conditioning inside, sit and rest for a while. The martial arts instructor will be over later, and she can teach you a few sword dance moves." They were filming Xu Yi's solo scenes that afternoon, and Ma Youcai was worried that she wouldn't be able to hold on and would delay the schedule if she didn't get proper rest.
"Okay, thank you, director." Xu Yi took a boxed lunch and went inside.
Ma Youcai carried a small stool to Gu Yueyue's side, glanced at the mask on Gu Yueyue's face, and said, "Take it off. Aren't you afraid of getting stuffy in the middle of the day?"
Gu Yueyue was stunned for a moment before she realized what he was talking about. She took off her mask and smiled, "I forgot."
Ma Youcai took out a cigarette and asked her, "You don't mind, do you?"
"I don't mind."
Ma Youcai exhaled the smoke hesitantly, and after the cigarette had burned halfway, he asked Gu Yueyue, "Don't you have any other plans? Hongsheng treats you like this, what are you still staying for?"
“Hongsheng’s penalty for breach of contract is too high, and besides, the contract can be terminated in six months. It’s just a matter of suffering some injustice.” Gu Yueyue turned a page of the script on her lap, her fingertips lightly tracing the lines. “I like acting, I’m good at any role.”
“I’ve never seen anyone as stubborn as you. Do you know what people say about you?” Ma Youcai looked at her, disappointed in her. “They all say you’re a fool, that Hong Sheng skinned you alive and sucked your blood.”
I don't care what others say about me.
"Then you should at least plan for yourself. There are so many people in this industry who are desperate to make it big, but you're just ignoring the opportunity right in front of you." Ma Youcai has known her for almost five years. The two have worked together on two TV series and a movie. Now he is praised as a promising and talented director, while his familiar old friend is tainted by the industry. "You're not a low-profile person now, it's not difficult for you to change employers."