C12 The Intention of the Drunken Old Man

Qu Zhenzhen was momentarily stunned. Why was she here? Did she also land a role in this show? Why hadn't Xie Yaotian mentioned anything? He seemed completely unaware.

Zhenzhen's suspicions were confirmed—Yuh Wan had indeed snagged the female supporting role. Yuh Wan had gone to great lengths to secure it, trying every trick in the book to get Xie Yaotian's approval, only to be repeatedly turned down. Undeterred, she used her "special skills" to charm another investor, who discreetly placed her in Zhenzhen's production, landing her the role of the villainous supporting character.

Yuh Wan strutted over to Zhenzhen like a proud peacock, giving her a disdainful once-over before speaking. "Surprised? Even if you used some underhanded methods to cozy up to the big boss, I still managed to get this role."

Her contempt was obvious, and she raised her voice enough to catch the attention of some crew members. Zhenzhen quickly regained her composure and smiled slightly at Yuh Wan. "If we're talking about underhanded methods, you're the seasoned pro here. I wouldn't dare compete."

Seeing Yuh Wan's smug expression falter, Zhenzhen continued with pointed remarks, "Nowadays, it seems like any Tom, Dick, or Harry can pass an audition. It's really concerning for the quality of this show." With that, she flipped her hair and walked away, seemingly in good spirits, glancing around as if Yuh Wan were nothing more than thin air.

Yuh Wan had hoped to intimidate her with the role, but Zhenzhen's indifference only fueled her anger. She silently vowed to teach her a lesson.

The leading man was once again Jing Yuanhao, who had previously worked with Qu Zhenzhen on a successful project. Due to the unexpectedly positive audience response from their last collaboration, the investors decided to strike while the iron was hot and pair Jing Yuanhao and Qu Zhenzhen together once more.

The entire crew was running smoothly, except for the discomfort Qu Zhenzhen felt with the arrival of Yuh Wan. However, the calm didn’t last long, as it was soon time for a scene between Yuh Wan and Qu Zhenzhen.

In the show, Yuh Wan played a supporting role specifically designed to oppose Qu Zhenzhen’s character. Although Qu Zhenzhen was prepared, she didn’t anticipate Yuh Wan’s aggressive approach.

“Smack!” A hard slap landed on Qu Zhenzhen’s cheek, startling the director, who stood up in shock. The script called for a staged slap, and in all the years of filming action scenes, no one had ever heard of a slap being delivered for real.

The director’s mouth dropped open in surprise, forgetting to call “cut.” On camera, Qu Zhenzhen gritted her teeth and endured the blow, which was delivered with full force. She even experienced a slight ringing in her ears.

“Oh no! I’m so sorry, I got caught up in the moment and forgot to fake it,” Yuh Wan exclaimed, her voice filled with apparent remorse, as if she truly regretted her mistake. She glanced at Qu Zhenzhen’s swollen cheek and subtly smirked. Her hand was still tingling from the slap, and she doubted Qu Zhenzhen could maintain her usual haughty demeanor.

“Director, I apologize. Let me adjust, and we can shoot it again,” Yuh Wan suggested.

The director nodded, “Alright, everyone, let’s reset for another take.”

Whether it was intentional or not didn’t matter to the director; only good work speaks for itself. Sometimes, off-screen tension between actors can actually enhance the portrayal of conflict between characters.

So, he didn't blame Yuh Wan for such a basic mistake and simply asked to start over.

"I thought you were my friend, and this is how you treat me!" Yuh Wan angrily delivered her line, raising her hand high and bringing it down hard without hesitation.

"Slap!" Another loud smack echoed.

The director couldn't take it anymore. He yanked off his headset and stood up from his chair, shouting, "Cut! Cut! Cut!"

"Yuh Wan, what's going on? Didn't I tell you to fake it?"

Yuh Wan immediately put on a pitiful expression, looking very aggrieved, and said, "I'm sorry, Director. I got too into character and acted out of anger."

Too into character? Nearby, Qu Zhenzhen wiped a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth and spat out the blood pooling in her mouth with a "ptooey."

After two slaps, her head was buzzing. Her left cheek was numb, and she couldn't feel much pain.

Her manager, Xiaoye, quickly stepped forward to support the unsteady Qu Zhenzhen, glaring at Yuh Wan with eyes that could cut.

"Miss Yuh, while everyone knows your acting skills have a lot of room for improvement, making the same basic mistake twice is unacceptable!"

Xiaoye couldn't help but speak up for Qu Zhenzhen. Even before becoming her manager, Xiaoye had heard about Yuh Wan using her connections with a big-time director to suppress Qu Zhenzhen.

This talentless vase, besides scheming against others, what else can she do? She's a blight on society, making the entertainment industry a mess.

"How can you say that? I already said it was an accident. If I wasn't so into the role, would I make such a basic mistake?" Yuh Wan retorted sharply.

Zhenzhen gently tugged on Xiaoye's sleeve, signaling her not to waste words on this troublemaker. It was just a few slaps, after all. Zhenzhen vowed that the hits she took today would be repaid to Yuh Wan tenfold in the future.

The director couldn't afford to neglect this rising young star, especially since she was being heavily promoted by Ruocan and seemed to have significant connections with the investors. He quickly instructed the Vice Director to check on Zhenzhen's injuries. Seeing her swollen cheek, he asked with concern, "Zhenzhen, why don't you take a break? We can hold off on this scene."

Zhenzhen waved him off, signaling for the shoot to continue, while the makeup artist hurried over to touch up her makeup. No amount of foundation could hide the swelling at the corner of her mouth or the distinct handprints on her delicate, fair cheek. The makeup artist sighed but dared not say anything. After lightly applying a layer of foundation, she quietly reminded Zhenzhen to be careful in the future before stepping back.

After all, Yuh Wan's background wasn't weak either, and no one in the crew wanted to cross her. "Everyone, get ready for another take," the director said, clearly annoyed. "Yuh Wan, pay attention this time and don't mess up again."

Yuh Wan smirked and replied loudly, "Got it, director."