Shang Xueyan finished another scene this one didn’t include the male lead, just him, the female lead, and the other actors.
After wrapping those two scenes, it was time for the crew’s lunch break. Surprisingly, the boxed meals on this set were pretty decent: sweet and sour ribs, pineapple stir-fried pork, sautéed eggplant, and cucumber salad.
Shang Xueyan sat in a relatively secluded corner. He had just picked up a piece of beef with his chopsticks when a man suddenly brushed past him, knocking his lunchbox to the ground. All that remained was the disposable wooden chopstick in Shang Xueyan’s left hand.
Zheng Yu bumped into Shang Xueyan but didn’t even pause his steps, let alone apologize.
Shang Xueyan took a deep breath, found cleaning supplies, and tidied up the spilled food. The logistics team had no extra boxed meals, and there was nowhere nearby selling bread or snacks. Shang Xueyan pulled out his phone and played with it for a while.
In the afternoon, they needed to move to a different filming location a shopping mall. After getting off the crew’s tour bus, Shang Xueyan went to a nearby store and bought the cheapest loaf of bread.
Even though it was the cheapest bread in the store, things in malls tended to be pricey, and Shang Xueyan couldn’t help but wince at the ten yuan he’d spent.
The bottled water he’d grabbed on set earlier was gone, and there were no more spare bottles. Shang Xueyan took his empty bottle to a water dispenser in the mall and filled it with some room-temperature water.
The tap was a bit faulty, with only a thin stream of room-temperature water coming out. Shang Xueyan waited a few minutes to fill the bottle, took a few sips, and headed back toward the crew. Just then, Zheng Yu walked out from diagonally across, holding a cup of coffee. They were heading in the same direction, and within a few steps, Zheng Yu was right beside him.
Zheng Yu didn’t like him. After meeting Jiang Lan today, Shang Xueyan wondered whether he should say a few words to Zheng Yu to fish for information about what Jiang Lan had said. After all, he still had over a week of filming left on this set, and most of his scenes involved Zheng Yu.
He should try to build some rapport with him, this role mattered quite a bit to him.
A smile formed on Shang Xueyan’s face, his lips parting to speak, but before the words could come out, Zheng Yu beside him suddenly stumbled. The hot coffee in his hand splashed all over the pristine white marble floor, and he crashed to the ground.
Zheng Yu looked incredulous. “Shang Xueyan, what are you doing?”
Zheng Yu’s assistant, Chen Guoguang, helped Zheng Yu up, frantically asking if Brother Yu was okay while cursing at Shang Xueyan: “Can you even walk? What are you trying to do? Intentional harm? Brother Yu just got injured not long ago his leg’s still bad.”
He rattled off like firecrackers, leaving Shang Xueyan no room to interject.
Director Lin heard the commotion nearby and hurried over. “What are you two arguing about?”
“Director Lin, perfect timing. Brother Yu was tripped by Shang Xueyan, and he nearly got hot coffee splashed on his face. Look, his hand’s already scalded red.”
“I didn’t do it. Director Lin, I didn’t trip Zheng Yu.”
“So you’re saying I’m deliberately framing you?” Zheng Yu fumed. “Director, if Shang Xueyan’s on this set, I can’t keep filming.”
“Exactly,” Chen Guoguang chimed in. “Today he just scalded Brother Yu’s hand red, tomorrow is he going to disfigure his face? We can’t work like this.”
Director Lin’s head throbbed. He spoke sternly: “Shang Xueyan, apologize to Zheng Yu right now.”
Shang Xueyan’s fingernails dug deep into his palms. Zheng Yu cast a condescending glance at him, and Shang Xueyan was certain that Zheng Yu had just fallen on purpose, it had nothing to do with him. But although this role was a minor one, it wasn’t the kind that only appeared in a scene or two. With seven or eight days of shooting, the pay was still decent better than what he made working at the coffee shop or delivering food.
“Sorry, Brother Yu, I didn’t mean it just now,” Shang Xueyan said.
Zheng Yu stared at Director Lin. “You saw that, right? His apology isn’t sincere at all. Director Lin, I really don’t dare to be on the same set as him. This afternoon, I merely accidentally bumped into his lunchbox, and he tried to trip me. Now he’s got a face full of resentment, who knows how he’ll try to get back at me?”
“Replace him. He’s only shot three scenes anyway.” Zheng Yu stated his demand lightly.
Director Lin hesitated for a moment.
Seeing this, Zheng Yu added, “Then I’m not filming. I wouldn’t dare to be on the same set as someone who wants to harm me.”
“Shang Xueyan, you can leave.” Director Lin made his decision quickly and directly ordered Shang Xueyan to go.
Shang Xueyan looked at Director Lin. “Director Lin, your production has only been shooting for five days, with three or four months of filming ahead. Today Zheng Yu took a disliking to me and found a way to kick me off the set. But tomorrow, the day after, and many days to come, what if he takes a disliking to other cast members and keeps threatening to walk out.”
“Director Lin, see, I told you he has it out for me. He’s even trying to get you to replace me. Fine, I’ll go, I’ll go, alright?” Zheng Yu let out a cold laugh and started walking out.
Seeing Zheng Yu about to leave, Director Lin made his decision without hesitation: “Shang Xueyan, you’re out. Our temple is too small to house a Buddha of your stature.”
Zheng Yu stopped and looked at Shang Xueyan with not just malice but blatant smugness in his eyes.
Shang Xueyan knew there was no way he could stay on the production. Between the male lead and an insignificant supporting role, the director had chosen the male lead without a second thought.
Shang Xueyan fought for the last right he could defend: “Then can you at least pay me for today’s work?”
Director Lin was fuming. Shang Xueyan had shot three scenes today, and now that he was out, those three scenes would have to be reshot wasting time, manpower, and energy. As for the conflict between him and Zheng Yu, he was just an extra; he should have known to tread carefully. Who told him to offend Zheng Yu and make him unhappy? If he hadn’t made Zheng Yu uncomfortable, none of this trouble would have happened.
Seeing that he still dared to ask for his pay, Director Lin snapped, “Go, go, just get out of here.”
“Director Lin, the production is the one unilaterally breaking the contract. Besides today’s pay, you should also owe me a penalty fee.” His gaze drifted to the corridor on the second floor of the mall, and Shang Xueyan instantly forgot what he was about to say.