Lin Chenghuan’s scenes continued to wrap up quickly, but even with capable co-stars and flawless props and sets, it was still common to shoot extra takes for safety.
“What’s a safety take?” Li Xiaoyi asked Lin Chenghuan after one scene wrapped.
“It means the take was good, but we shoot a few more just in case there’s an even better one to choose from.”
“Ohhh, that’s thoughtful.”
During her previous stint as a summer intern assistant, Li Xiaoyi had mainly been responsible for cooking, driving, running errands, and giving Lin Chenghuan daily shoulder and leg massages. Since she couldn’t observe the filming up close like a personal assistant, she hadn’t yet picked up much of the industry jargon.
This assistant was an excellent cook, a steady driver, and had a pleasant temperament, so Lin Chenghuan had always liked her. Before Li Xiaoyi joined the crew, Lin Chenghuan had encouraged her to ask about anything she didn’t understand. After a few days on set, Li Xiaoyi finally grew bolder and transformed into a walking encyclopedia of questions.
“Sis Huan, what are ‘fly pages’?”
“That’s when we shoot later scenes first. For example, if a senior actor’s first scene is escaping the cold palace and begging to see the empress in the rain.”
“Got it, hahaha…”
“Sis Huan, what’s ‘marking’?”
“It’s placing markers in specific spots to prevent actors from moving out of frame.”
“Ohhh.”
“Sis Huan, what’s ‘deferred shooting’?”
“When scenes that weren’t finished that day get postponed to an unspecified time.”
“Okay, thanks, Sis Huan…”
After asking so many questions, Li Xiaoyi finally felt too embarrassed to continue, even though she had spread her queries over several days. Fortunately, she had already become familiar with the production and props staff, so she started directing her questions to them.
“The entertainment industry has so much slang… no, no, professional terminology,” Li Xiaoyi marveled.
“Of course. Why do you think they say the entertainment industry is like the underworld, well, like a martial arts world?” the promoter chuckled.
The production coordinator cut in, “Don’t corrupt the newcomer. That’s all stuff from years ago.”
The promoter nodded, “Right, right. Everyone’s perfectly wholesome now.”
Not far away, Lin Chenghuan finished filming and went to rest. Li Xiaoyi hurried over, handing her water and massaging her shoulders.
“I wasn’t on wires today. You don’t need to do this so often,” Lin Chenghuan said.
“Okay.” Li Xiaoyi smiled and quickly stepped aside when she noticed someone approaching.
“President Lu.” Lin Chenghuan greeted Lu Zhiwei, noticing a hint of envy in her eyes. Smiling, she asked why Lu Zhiwei’s assistant hadn’t come with her.
“She went back to the company,” Lu Zhiwei replied, then added, “I’m not envious that you have an assistant.”
“Huh?” Lin Chenghuan was slightly puzzled.
“I’m… envious of your assistant.”
Lin Chenghuan raised an eyebrow in surprise, a skeptical look on her face. The boss didn’t want to be the boss but envied the on-call artist assistant?
Of course, the remark clearly carried a deeper meaning. An assistant could speak with her anytime and be by her side day and night. Lin Chenghuan almost felt as if she were being teased.
“How could that be? It should be me serving as President Lu’s assistant. If President Lu summons me, I’ll come at once. I wouldn’t even mind if you tried to manipulate me,” Lin Chenghuan quipped recklessly.
“…” Lu Zhiwei’s brow twitched. Oh no, had she offended her? But her initial thought really had been envy toward the assistant. It seemed she should find a time to clarify her words to avoid coming across as frivolous.
“There’s no need to go as far as the unspoken rules…” Lu Zhiwei said.
Lin Chenghuan glanced at her and couldn’t help laughing. So that was the extent of her courage.
“Talking with President Lu is always so stimulating, it really wakes up the mind.”
“Is that so? Then I’ll stick around a few more days.” Lu Zhiwei paused briefly before continuing, “There’s no one else around, so you don’t have to keep calling me ‘President Lu.’ I’m only a year older than you. Back in college, I even visited your campus.”
“Oh! Finance and Economics University is quite close to ours.” Lin Chenghuan replied casually, thinking to herself, It’s probably for the best that you didn’t know me back then, I was at my most foolish just starting college.
“So, does that mean you were already ‘President Lu’ during your student days? What inspired you to create the legendary Xia Yao Media in the entertainment industry?” Lin Chenghuan asked, eager for some gossip.
“Well, actually, it was because our family business was on the verge of bankruptcy. While everyone was at a loss, I was watching a drama and suddenly thought, ‘I could become an actress…'”
“Bankruptcy?” Lin Chenghuan was taken aback, this was a secret she’d never heard before.
“Yes, it was Universal Technology. In the end, I didn’t want to be in the spotlight, so I started a film and television company instead. With the help of family connections and my own efforts, I managed to grow the business and successfully resolved the crisis.”
“Universal… the company that started with online games and later expanded into internet communications and online video platforms? I think I even own some of your stocks.”
“Exactly, what a coincidence.”
Lin Chenghuan never imagined that Lu Zhiwei’s family business was a company she was quite familiar with, instantly feeling how small the world really was. Her own parents ran an internet company too, perhaps they had even collaborated with Universal at some point.
“Quite the coincidence indeed…” So how did Universal end up on the brink of bankruptcy? It seemed the CEO failed to meet a betting agreement and had to pay nearly 200 million… combined with various other debts coming due, the company nearly faced a cash flow breakdown.
The thought was nerve-wracking, but thankfully, it was all in the past. Now, Xia Yao’s annual earnings were almost surpassing Universal’s. Although the entertainment industry was often looked down upon in business circles, the money certainly flowed quickly.
Even as a minor actress like herself, earning hundreds of thousands per episode, she could make over ten million from this series alone.
As Lin Chenghuan marveled at this, she went online to search for more about Universal, but fate didn’t grant her much time to delve into hidden gossip, soon, the director called for her.
That day, Lin Chenghuan still didn’t have many chances to chat leisurely with Lu Zhiwei, but knowing that her family was also in the internet industry made Lin Chenghuan feel that the distance between them had finally narrowed.
A few more days flew by. Nine days after the official start of filming, the actress for Liu Fuying still hadn’t arrived. Moreover, on a bright, sunny morning, Yuan Yiran finally requested to terminate her contract and compensated the production team.
The next day, Monday, major media outlets were flooded with news of Yuan Yiran’s academic fraud and the revocation of her master’s degree. Thus, just ten days into filming, Joy Before the Monarch had its first major scandal involving one of its lead actors.
While the online world erupted in uproar, the crew members were either frustrated or indulging in the drama. It was disheartening that the production had hit such a snag so early on.
Publicity team: “I wonder who they’ll bring in to save the day.”
Coordinator: “This role is quite important, she’s the one who rallies everyone against the emperor in the later stages. A queen who appears gentle on the surface but is secretly unhinged, so compelling.”
Business affairs: “What a shame. If it were a minor supporting role, I might’ve volunteered to make a cameo…”
The crew member said, “The weather is good now, and there are many dramas filming in Hengdian. Most suitable actors are already booked. Finding a replacement on such short notice is quite tricky, we might have to go with someone less well-known.”
The martial arts director replied, “It’s not too bad. As long as we don’t delay filming, it’s fine. Whoever takes on this role will likely gain some recognition afterward.”
During their breaks, the crew chatted about who might step in, though more often they were busy scrolling through their phones for gossip or discreetly discussing Yuan Yiran’s situation in private corners. Lin Chenghuan was quite surprised when she saw the news after finishing her shoot.
She wasn’t at all familiar with Yuan Yiran, having only seen her a few times at industry events. She never expected something like this to happen to her. No wonder Yuan Yiran hadn’t dared to join the crew from the start, she must have caught wind of something beforehand.
If Liu Fuying couldn’t find a suitable actor, it would be the production company and investors who’d feel the pressure. As the boss of the production company, Lu Zhiwei was probably worried too.
“Are you going to be busy these next few days?” Lin Chenghuan soon found a chance to ask Lu Zhiwei.
“Not really. I don’t need to worry too much about this kind of thing.”
“True, just keep an eye on the big picture and let the team handle the casting gradually.”
“As for the new candidate… I hope it doesn’t shock you,” Lu Zhiwei said with a cryptic smile.
“Why would I be shocked? As long as that diva who always demands script changes doesn’t show up, it’s fine. She wouldn’t even be interested in a role like this anyway,” Lin Chenghuan replied nonchalantly.
“What if I’m the one who’s going to act?”
“…”
Lin Chenghuan was completely stunned. After a long pause, she hesitantly asked, “But I thought you didn’t want to show your face?”
“That was before. As the boss, I’ve already appeared in public countless times. Might as well fully experience what it’s like to be an actor,” Lu Zhiwei said, her eyes flickering as she tried to appear sincere.
“I see… Well, you’re certainly… spontaneous.”
“See, you are shocked.”
“Not just me. I wonder how many people will be shocked. It’s pretty rare for a boss to act in their own production.”
“Exactly. Then let’s all be shocked together,” Lu Zhiwei said leisurely.
However, after the initial shock wore off, Lin Chenghuan started to find the idea of Lu Zhiwei playing Liu Fuying utterly hilarious. The thought of her former boss acting opposite her was just too bizarre.
Liu Fuying was mostly gentle and composed, which suited Lu Zhiwei well, but she also had her wildly unpredictable moments. Remembering some of the iconic scenes from the script, Lin Chenghuan could hardly contain herself.
“Pfft… Hahahaha…” She nearly burst into goose-like laughter, successfully drawing the attention of her colleagues.
“What’s going on? Looks like President Lu’s pep talk was very effective,” Xu Sheng remarked.
“Uh, I just remembered something funny.”
“Did your wife have a baby?” Xu Sheng quipped, referencing a line from The Mermaid.
“Well… you could say something’s about to be born…” An author gives birth to a story, an actor gives life to a role, wasn’t that a kind of birth too?
“…” Lu Zhiwei gave them a strange, complicated look, which only made Lin Chenghuan want to laugh even more.
For the rest of the day, Lin Chenghuan remained in a cheerful, almost giddy mood, and everyone could tell she was radiating happiness. When fans visited the set, she happily took photos with them and signed numerous autographs.
However, by the second and third day, there was still no news about who would play Liu Fuying. Lin Chenghuan began to grow anxious and decided to visit Lu Zhiwei that evening to get some answers.
“Why hasn’t Sister Wei made the official announcement yet? Don’t back out now, I’m looking forward to our scenes together,” Lin Chenghuan said eagerly.
“Of course. You never come to see me normally, only when there’s something fun to pry into,” Lu Zhiwei shook her head.
“My mistake. I’ll come find you every day from now on.”
“…” Lu Zhiwei was momentarily dazed by the slightly coaxing, almost coquettish tone, her heartbeat growing erratic. Flustered, she murmured, “In a few days… I’ll make the announcement.”
“Great!”