Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Wen Nuan grinned mischievously, her eyes sparkling with playful curiosity as she looked at her friend Jiang Lingâer. âSo, why donât you tell me, what did I misunderstand?â
Jiang Lingâer, utterly flummoxed by Wen Nuanâs teasing, blinked in response.
In her good spirits, Wen Nuan continued, âSince you canât come up with an answer, Iâll assume there was no misunderstanding at all.â
Jiang Lingâer heaved a sigh of relief, sensing that the conversation was winding down. She offered, âAlright, 1 wonât argue with you anymore. Would you like some more coffee? I can brew another cup.â
Wen Nuan, savoring her playful triumph, replied, âDonât be like that. I wasnât really mistaken in the first place. By the way, are you heading to the film set later?â
Jiang Lingâer shook her head. âIâm taking a few days off at home.â
Wen Nuan probed further, âBut didnât you mention yesterday that you didnât want to rest for a while? Is it because of Mr. Liâ¦?â
Wen Nuan left her sentence hanging, casting a knowing look toward Li Yu.
Recognizing her friendâs knack for letting her imagination run wild, Jiang Lingâer cleared her throat and set the record straight. âItâs not what youâre thinking. Yesterday, when 1 visited the film set, I witnessed the lead actors rehearsing. The female lead spent the entire night reciting numbers, and I almost felt queasy listening to her. Moreover, her acting was way over the top.â
Li Yu was speechless.
In their conversations, it was rare for the gentlemen to get a word in.
Wen Nuan, now puzzled, queried, âHuh? But 1 heard that the female lead is a professional actress and stood out on a talent show. How can her acting be so exaggerated?â
Jiang Lingâer explained, âIf someone struggles with their lines and acting, why do you think the director would have chosen her?â
Wen Nuan suddenly pieced it all together. âIs there a powerful sponsor behind her, perhaps?â
Jiang Lingâer confirmed, âExactly. She told the director that she had to accompany her sponsor for a day of social events and didnât have time to memorize her lines. She simply took the easy way out. She has an entourage of eight security guards, four assistants, two masseuses, two makeup artists, two stylists, and an agent. More than half of the people on set are there for her. The male lead didnât even come close, and she immediately complained about his bad breath.â
Wen Nuan was flabbergasted. âHow can this be? The male lead is a big star with millions of fans. Many actresses would love to work with him to gain popularity. Why insult him like that? Isnât she afraid of angering his fans?â
Jiang Lingâer replied, âIn any case, she despises him so much that she insists he use mouthwash.â
Wen Nuan questioned in amazement, âWhat? She really canât stand it to that extent? If she dislikes it, why doesnât she just swap places? Why resort to humiliating him like this?â
Jiang Lingâer chuckled and elucidated, âItâs not as simple as that. The female lead has some powerful connections backstage. If they refuse to comply, sheâd expose their secrets the very next day. The male lead proposed exchanging positions if it bothered her so much, but the committed female lead refused, claiming she didnât want to disappoint the audience and was determined to find a way to overcome the situation.â
Wen Nuan couldnât hide her astonishment and exclaimed, âMy word, what kind of absurdity is this? If she canât stand it, why let him play the male lead?â
Jiang Lingâer responded, âItâs all about seeking more attention! Theyâve gone through many takes to get the kissing scenes just right, and the most outrageous part is that each time they film, the female lead pretends to retch.â Wen Nuan was left speechless, âThis is so over-the-top! Why not just switch positions? Many actors do that during kissing scenes, and audiences donât accuse them of being unprofessional.â
Jiang Lingâer pondered and concluded, âPerhaps itâs all for some future advantage, who knows?â
Wen Nuan expressed her disdain, âThis woman is seeking the limelight at the expense of others. Itâs outrageous!â
âWell, what can we do? She has a powerful sponsor as her godfather, and men like that are not to be trifled with. So, they endure it. However, the male lead suggested that if it was too much, they could just hold hands and skip the kissing scenes. Yet, the female lead insisted this is a CEO drama, and it couldnât be without kissing scenes; that would go against the whole concept!â
Wen Nuan chuckled and commented, âThis woman will do anything for attention! Her godfather must be quite a character.â
Jiang Lingâer couldnât help but burst into laughter and added, âYouâre absolutely right. By the way, theyâre supposed to film a fight scene tomorrow because the male lead forcibly kisses her.â
Wen Nuan was intrigued, âBut donât we have drama class tomorrow? Are you still planning to go to the set?â
Jiang Lingâer nodded and replied, âYes, thereâs only about a month left until the holidays, and our classes are primarily for revision. Iâm quite confident in my academic subjects, so Iâm not worried about exams. I thought Iâd visit the set tomorrow to observe and learn.â
Wen Nuan expressed her regrets, âLingâer, Iâm sorry, but 1 have to attend my uncleâs birthday party tomorrow. 1 must go, so I wonât be able to accompany you.â
Jiang Lingâer smiled warmly and reassured her, âNo problem at all. Iâm an adult now, not a child.â
Suddenly, Li Yu chimed in, âI have some free time. 1 can accompany you.â
Jiang Lingâer was taken aback by his offer..