Chapter 32: Video
The corridor was silent for a few seconds. Xu Dian handed himself over to the police officers with both hands. Three officers stepped forward. Liu Qin let out an inward wail, rushed forward, and bowed repeatedly to them. “Sorry, sorry! It’s all a misunderstanding, just a misunderstanding…”
The officers paused and looked at Xu Dian.
Xu Dian’s expression was relaxed, though there were scratch marks on his neck. In this state…
“The person inside…” One officer gestured toward the dark-colored door.
Xu Dian replied, “It’s my issue alone. Should I come with you?”
The officer hesitated. “…”
How could they arrest him like this?
Liu Qin hurriedly squeezed forward again and said, “He’s our investor. He just came over to chat with one of our actors. I’m so sorry, so sorry. I misunderstood the situation earlier. When the door wouldn’t open, I panicked and called the police.”
“Oh?” The officers exchanged glances with Xu Dian. His disheveled clothes, the scratch marks, and the partially untucked shirt suggested more than a casual chat.
It looked more like a scandalous incident.
“Perhaps we should have the person inside come out to clarify,” the officer insisted.
Xu Dian waved them off and made a call to the production manager. Shortly after, the manager arrived and froze upon seeing the scene.
After a round of negotiation, during which the manager even called Meng Ying, it was confirmed that Meng Ying had just finished a bath and that nothing had happened. With this assurance, the matter was resolved.
Once the police left, the manager hesitated before approaching Xu Dian’s car, bending down slightly to address him. “Mr. Xu?”
Xu Dian acknowledged him with a hum, buttoning up his shirt to hide the scratches on his chest.
The manager noticed this and formed his own assumptions.
However, he kept quiet and merely smiled, asking, “When will you be returning to Licheng, Mr. Xu?”
“Tomorrow.”
“Ah, then about Director Lin’s project… Mr. Xu, I know Li Yuan’er can be difficult, but her acting skills are solid. What do you think?”
Xu Dian smiled, raising an eyebrow. “What? Is this production doomed without Li Yuan’er? Is she that irreplaceable?”
The manager immediately shut his mouth.
Though she claimed to have taken a bath, Meng Ying hadn’t. She opened the door, letting Liu Qin and Chen Jie in. They carried food containers, placed them on the coffee table, and turned to look at Meng Ying.
Meng Ying wore a casual jacket, her hair loose, exuding a lazy demeanor. Her dress was neat, without any noticeable changes. From her appearance, it was hard to glean anything about what had happened. Liu Qin coughed lightly and asked, “So… about earlier…”
“Sorry.” Meng Ying walked over, picked up the food, and headed toward the kitchen. Liu Qin clicked her tongue. “What’s there to apologize for? You could’ve just sent a message.”
Transferring the food onto plates and putting it in the microwave, Meng Ying chuckled. “I wanted to.”
It was Xu Dian’s fault—he was a shameless jerk. If he hadn’t dragged things out at the door, she would’ve had time to text Liu Qin. Liu Qin, knowing their current relationship, would’ve taken Chen Jie to avoid the scene.
But no, he just had to make a scene.
Annoyed, she’d thrown him out of the room.
Hearing this, Liu Qin understood—there hadn’t been time to explain. Her face turned red, and she accepted the food Meng Ying handed her before leaving with Chen Jie.
Chen Jie, being overly naïve, rested her chin on her hands, blushing and sneaking glances at Meng Ying.
A beautiful woman, a handsome man.
If something did happen, wouldn’t the imagery be… quite intense?
Hearing her own thoughts, Chen Jie’s face turned even redder. She quickly stood up and said, “Yingying, let me do it, let me help.”
The three sat down and began eating. After finishing the meal, Liu Qin and Chen Jie prepared to leave. Before heading out, Liu Qin glanced at Meng Ying. Meng Ying had taken off her jacket, her expression calm and her eyes devoid of any extra emotion.
It was as if the earlier incident had been nothing more than a routine need.
Seeing this, Liu Qin finally felt reassured. She turned the door handle and stepped out.
After they left, Meng Ying grabbed her pajamas and went to take a shower. She had sweated earlier, and her skin felt sticky. Once she finished her shower, she blow-dried her hair, sat on the sofa, and started flipping through her script.
Her phone buzzed.
It was a WeChat message from Gu Yan.
Gu Yan: Are you done for the day?
Meng Ying picked up her phone, leaned back against the chair, and typed a reply.
Meng Ying: Just finished showering, looking at the script, then going to sleep soon.
Gu Yan: How’s the filming going?
Meng Ying: Not bad.
Gu Yan: No pressure?
Meng Ying paused for a moment, considering her answer. Before she could reply, Gu Yan sent another message.
Gu Yan: Excessive impersonation has its downsides, especially since… you’ve experienced that kind of empathy firsthand.
Meng Ying stared at the message for a long time, unsure how to respond. After a while, she simply sent back a smile emoji.
Gu Yan responded with a smile emoji of his own.
They chatted about a few other topics before exchanging goodnights.
The next morning, around 6:30 AM, Meng Ying arrived at the filming location. While sitting in the car, she casually scrolled through her social media feed and came across a post from Director Lin the previous night.
Director Lin: Sigh.
There was an image attached, showing a melancholic meme.
During makeup, a young assistant from the production team slipped in to gossip with the makeup artist. She revealed that Director Lin had been bombarded by his aunt the night before, urging him to bring Li Yuan’er back to the crew.
Director Lin was deeply troubled.
The assistant didn’t understand and asked, “What did Teacher Li do to offend Mr. Xu? Mr. Xu doesn’t seem like such an unreasonable person.”
The makeup artist replied, “I think Mr. Xu seems pretty aloof. How can you say he’s reasonable?”
“Not aloof at all! He even smiles a lot,” the assistant argued.
The makeup artist chuckled. “You don’t get it. Men like Mr. Xu are incredibly cold-hearted. Just because he bought you some snacks to bribe you doesn’t mean he’s nice.”
The young assistant from the production team exclaimed, “He’s so generous! Clearly, he’s trying to win over someone in our crew. How could that be cold-hearted?”
The makeup artist got intrigued. “Who? Who is he trying to win over? A man like him, trying to please someone? Name the person, and I’ll listen.”
The assistant shrugged. “How would I know? If I knew, I’d try to please her too! We have 29 actresses on this production, all of them good-looking. Even our screenwriter and author are women. It’s impossible to guess!”
The makeup artist glanced outside the door. “I heard that during the last dinner, Mr. Xu’s assistant helped walk Screenwriter Yang out. Could it be her?”
“You’re even nosier than me,” the assistant finally realized after their long chat.
The makeup artist laughed and quickly returned to filling in Meng Ying’s eyebrows.
Meng Ying kept her eyes closed.
Meanwhile, Liu Qin was brewing flower tea in a thermos, making two clicking sounds with her tongue.
Chen Jie pursed her lips, thinking to herself:
He’s clearly trying to win over our Yingying, and yet you all can’t figure it out even when she’s right in front of you.
That day’s emotional scene was crucial. Yue Yan realized she no longer wanted to be just a stand-in. She began wearing her favorite outfits frequently and refused to mimic Yue Ling any longer. This upset Zhang Hesheng, leading to an argument where Yue Yan shed her first tears.
After finishing her makeup, Meng Ying held her script, contemplating revisiting her past experiences to prepare. But recalling Gu Yan’s words from the previous night, she decided against using impersonation and instead focused on honing her acting techniques.
Director Lin, after hanging up on his aunt and turning off his phone, returned to the set. He told the crew, “We’re ready to begin.”
“Got it.”
The crew called Meng Ying and Qin Jun to the set. Qin Jun’s hair was messier than usual that day, reflecting his character’s need for comfort from Yue Yan as he thought about Yue Ling.
“Action!”
The clapboard came down.
Yue Yan swiped her card and entered. Hearing the noise, Zhang Hesheng quickly came out of his room, only to see Yue Yan dressed in pants with her hair tied in a ponytail—completely unlike Yue Ling.
Zhang Hesheng paused mid-step, choosing not to approach her. He quietly watched as Yue Yan set down the drinks she had brought and began, “The bureau has been tracking another case these past few days. It’s related to Yue Ling—”
“Why aren’t you wearing a dress?” Zhang Hesheng interrupted.
Yue Yan turned to face him.
His expression was harsh, almost reproachful. Yue Yan felt a pang of grievance—why should she…
“Cut!”
Director Lin’s voice rang out, interrupting the scene. Both actors relaxed and turned toward him. Peeking out from behind the monitor, Lin pointed at Meng Ying. “Your emotions aren’t full enough today. Qin Jun, you’re overdoing it. Let’s do it again. Meng Ying, you did great yesterday! Tap into your empathy again.”
Qin Jun rested his hands on his hips and smiled. “Yingying, why didn’t you take me with you this time?”
Meng Ying remained silent.
She had deliberately avoided using empathy, opting for a technical approach instead.
The following takes resulted in several NGs, but they eventually got through the scene. However, it didn’t flow as smoothly as the previous day.
Sitting on the sofa afterward, Meng Ying pulled off her hat and put it back on, appearing a little preoccupied.
Meng Ying lowered the brim of her hat, shading her eyes.
She was being a bit too deliberate.
For any actor who hadn’t mastered technique, starting with emotional impersonation was almost inevitable.
“Sh*t…” Liu Qin suddenly cursed while scrolling through her phone. Meng Ying pulled off her hat and looked over. Instantly, the entire room’s attention shifted to her.
Chen Jie whispered, “Sister, you’re trending on social media.”
“We’ve got a mole in the crew! What kind of lunatic does this?”
Meng Ying took the phone and saw the headline:
#MengYingReallyDoesn’tSuitYueYan#
Clicking on the tag revealed a video clip—her first take of the earlier scene, the one that had been NG’d. A short 30-second video was circulating, showcasing the moment when her expression felt slightly empty, her emotions not fully engaged.
Unfortunately, the parts where she eventually got into character weren’t included in the clip.
Since Tang Yi’s earlier comments about her casting, book fans had been eagerly awaiting production news—many even hoping for a recast. The leaked clip provided fodder for their criticism.
Comments poured in:
“Well, Tang Yi was right. Hua Ying should just recast already.”
“Tsk tsk, with acting like this, how is she going to pull off Yue Yan? I’d bet my head this will flop.”
“Oh dear, such lifeless expressions. Is she planning to stay wooden-faced the entire time?”
“Her performance in Nine Heavens was probably just good post-production. Tsk.”
“Bring back Yang Tong! We won’t accept Meng Ying as the lead. This ruins the original work.”
“Step aside, Meng Ying. Just go back to stirring up gossip with Gu Yan. You’re not fit for acting, let alone playing Yue Yan.”
The hashtag soared to the top of the trending list.
The entire set had seen it. The production manager stormed in, waving his phone, demanding, “Who leaked the video? Huh?”
Silence.
The room fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
The production manager turned to Meng Ying and quickly approached her, speaking softly, “Ms. Meng, my apologies. We’ll have this trending topic taken down immediately.”
His words caused an uproar.
What? Why was she being treated so well?
Why her?
A female actor couldn’t hold back her irritation and said, “Manager, not everyone can just get trending topics. Ms. Meng should consider this free publicity! Why is the production interfering with this?”
Leaked behind-the-scenes footage wasn’t uncommon in the industry. It was practically part of the job. Since when did the crew go out of their way to manage this for someone?
What made Meng Ying so special that the production manager would go to such lengths for her?
The manager’s face turned red with frustration. He raised his voice, “She’s my relative!”
A collective gasp filled the room.
“What?”
The producer, sweating profusely, instantly regretted his slip-up. His attempt to curry favor with Meng Ying, out of deference to Xu Dian’s influence, had backfired.
Meng Ying set down her hat and said calmly, “It’s not necessary. We’ll handle this ourselves.”
With that, she glanced at Liu Qin.
Liu Qin nodded and prepared to contact the company’s PR department.
Seconds later, she froze mid-action and looked at Meng Ying. “Another trending topic just appeared.”
Everyone quickly opened their phones to check.
#ThisIsHowMengYingPlaysYueYan#
The new tag linked to a fresh video. This time, it was a highlight from the previous day’s shoot—a scene where Meng Ying and Qin Jun faced off. The moment was captured perfectly.
The scene featured Yue Yan wearing a dress for the first time and holding Zhang Heshen’s hand. Her unease was evident as she instinctively tugged at the hem of her skirt. Yet, to please Zhang Heshen, she forced a shy smile, her eyes filled with love. As she awkwardly walked forward, nearly tripping, Zhang Heshen caught her just in time.
The two-minute clip was mesmerizing. Viewers were drawn into the emotions of Yue Yan, with the atmosphere and subtle gestures leaving their hearts racing.
Once this video surfaced, the book fans fell silent.
The fan who posted the video tagged Tang Yi:
“Do you still dare to say Meng Ying isn’t suited to play Yue Yan? Are you not embarrassed? Come out and say something…”
Then, another bombshell hit social media.
Li Yuan’er posted on Weibo:
Li Yuan’er V: Of course Tang Yi’s embarrassed. The previous trending tag, #MengYingReallyDoesn’tSuitYueYan#, was posted from Tang Yi’s alt account. Turns out, her good friend Yang Rou’s crush is in love with Meng Ying and is pursuing her. Tang Yi, out of loyalty to her friend, decided to deny Meng Ying’s talent and criticize her unfairly. Ah, so your respected author is just another ordinary person. Surprised? Disappointed? Feeling let down?
Book fans were stunned.
This…
Soon after, Meng Ying’s fans, along with the “Gu Yan x Meng Ying” CP fans, descended on the scene, stirring up a frenzy. Their overwhelming support forced even the book fans to acknowledge that Meng Ying was not just suitable for Yue Yan—she was perfect.
Some book fans were left red-faced, covering their cheeks in embarrassment as they revisited the video. Others flocked to Tang Yi’s Weibo, leaving comments:
“Tang Yi, how could you do this?”
“The director clearly chose Meng Ying for a reason.”
“Yang Rou seems like a terrible person. Why are you even friends with her?”
“Tang Yi, we’re so disappointed in you.”
Licheng.
Li Yuan’er let out a deep breath, picked up her phone, and dialed a number. It connected quickly, the background on the other end filled with the bustling noise of an airport. The man had just gotten off a plane.
Li Yuan’er straightened up. “President Xu, how did I do with my counterattack?”
Xu Dian got into the car, his tone steady. “Not bad.”
Li Yuan’er perked up. “President Xu, then… can I return to the crew? From now on, I’ll only admit that you and Meng Ying are the perfect match.”
The man raised an eyebrow.
“Sure.”
Afterward, he put down his phone.
On the screen, a long chain of text messages appeared—every single one from Li Yuan’er.
Li Yuan’er: President Xu, you and Meng Ying are the perfect match.
Li Yuan’er: President Xu, I was out of my mind.
Li Yuan’er: President Xu, I’m only worthy of carrying Meng Ying’s shoes.
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