Chapter 15

Shen Mingyou joined the crew the next day.

Yesterday, Yu Zhen showed her several TV drama scripts. Most were for second or third female roles, with one or two for the female lead. However, most female lead roles lacked investment and seemed to be hoping that Shen Mingyou’s fame as a “rich lady” would help.

Shen Mingyou chose the crew that could start filming the quickest. Interestingly, she knew the director, Shi Yan, from her first play when she debuted.

Shen Mingyou’s first drama was an idol drama, with a handsome male lead, a beautiful female lead, and good production. It made her famous. Now, Shi Yan still focuses on idol dramas.

The reason Shen Mingyou joined the crew so quickly was that the original second female lead, Guan Qiang, had left suddenly. The director needed a replacement and noticed Shen Mingyou’s recent popularity.

Guan Qiang had become famous from a recent hit TV series, which boosted her value. She wasn’t happy with her role in the melodrama “Hello, President,” which had a poor cast and director, as it was a small production. She wanted to bring her own screenwriter and make changes to the script.

Guan Qiang’s popularity meant the director had to agree to her demands. However, since joining the crew, Guan Qiang has caused trouble, including criticizing the crew, bossing people around, and altering the script from a single-female lead to a dual-female lead drama.

Although Guan Qiang had many demands, she stayed busy. She often criticized first, then made amends. For example, if she was unhappy with the filming environment, she would personally arrange for a better location. If she found fault with the staff, she would bring small gifts to smooth things over.

Despite her many demands, Guan Qiang was a skilled actress.

Considering various factors, the director decided to continue with the two female leads, hoping the film would still turn out well.

The real issue arose when Guan Qiang, dissatisfied after revising the script, had her screenwriter transform the dual-female lead drama into one with a strong female lead. In this new version, not only the original heroine but even the hero became supporting roles to Guan Qiang.

The director couldn’t tolerate this change. He was making an idol drama where the audience expected a straightforward love story with clear roles for the leads. This new version, with an overly dominant female lead, did not fit his style and would be difficult to produce well.

Shi Yan, the director, valued his work. Though he hadn’t had recent hits, his dramas remained popular and aired regularly on TV. Guan Qiang’s actions crossed his line, leading him to tell her: act if you can, or leave!

After Guan Qiang left in anger, the crew faced delays, having to reshoot scenes and find a new second female lead. Time was crucial, and the director was concerned about losing money. Thankfully, Shi Yan found Shen Mingyou.

Shen Mingyou joined the crew the next day, and filming resumed. The director felt relieved.

“Mingyou, don’t worry. Just act naturally,” Director Shi Yan reassured her. “Our show doesn’t need exceptional acting. You’re so beautiful that the camera will capture that, and the audience will focus on you rather than your acting skills.”

The producer, noting Shi Yan’s awkward way of comforting Shen Mingyou, added: “What the director means is that our idol drama doesn’t require high acting skills. We chose actors based on their looks. With you joining us, our “Hello, President” crew is even better.”

Shen Mingyou smiled and replied, “Don’t worry, Director. I’ll do my best.”

She knew “Hello, President” didn’t require top-notch acting, which was one reason she chose the role.

In the show, Shen Mingyou plays a rich girl engaged to the male lead since childhood. The male lead is the president of a hotel chain, and their families are close friends. The rich girl, spoiled and unaware of the world’s hardships, is gradually overshadowed by the heroine, who works as a cleaner in the hotel.

The heroine, working to support her family, attracts the hero’s attention with her sunny personality and charm. The rich girl, feeling slighted, tries to make the heroine’s life difficult. The hero continually saves the heroine from the rich girl’s schemes.

Eventually, the hero’s dissatisfaction with the rich girl grows, and he breaks off the engagement. The heroine’s cooking skills earn her a job as a chef in the hotel, where her dishes become popular.

The hero and heroine fall in love, and the rich girl, realizing her mistakes, moves away. The story ends happily.

When Geng Feng heard about Shen Mingyou’s choice, he criticized the script: “Why are scripts today still stuck in the same old patterns? A rich young man falling for an ordinary girl is so clichéd. And the idea of a rich girl bullying a hotel cleaner just because she was bumped into? It’s illogical.”

While Geng Feng’s critique is valid, many people enjoy these dramatic, emotional plots. This might be why idol dramas remain popular.

Shen Mingyou is actually quite excited about this role. 

Playing a spoiled and willful rich girl shouldn’t be too challenging for her. Since this will be her first drama after her comeback, it will serve as a test for her. 

The first scene she filmed involved carrying a cake to the hotel to find her fiancé, only to be accidentally knocked down by the heroine. 

Originally, the crew had planned to film at a small hotel, but due to dissatisfaction from the original second female lead, Guan Qiang, the crew signed a contract with the largest hotel chain in City A, the European Emperor Hotel under the Zhao Group. 

The European Emperor Hotel usually wouldn’t rent to small film crews, but since Guan Qiang was a good friend of the Zhao Group’s eldest daughter, the crew managed to secure the hotel at a high price for seven days of filming. 

Due to Guan Qiang’s contract termination, they had already wasted one day. They needed to complete the remaining hotel scenes in six days, making time very tight, and all crew members had been working hard since arriving at the hotel.

While the director discussed the scene with Shen Mingyou, Lin Simeng, who plays the leading female role, quietly observed her. Lin Simeng is a recent drama academy graduate and had a traumatic experience with the arrogant Guan Qiang. Now, with Shen Mingyou replacing Guan Qiang, Lin Simeng is even more anxious.

Lin Simeng saw Shen Mingyou’s trending searches on Weibo and felt uneasy about a wealthy lady joining their small crew and taking a supporting role away from her, a new and unknown actress. She worried that Shen Mingyou might act similarly to Guan Qiang, asking her to perform small tasks like getting water or holding an umbrella.

Seeing Shen Mingyou smile and ask about rehearsing the scene where she is knocked down, Lin Simeng, who was already nervous, became even more frightened.

Soon, the first scene was about to begin. As Shen Mingyou prepared for her makeup, the staff gathered to chat. 

An older staff member sighed, “Even though Guan Qiang acted like a diva on set, her acting was really good. Now that Shen Mingyou has replaced her, I’m afraid our drama might flop.”

Another staff member replied, “But Shen Mingyou is very popular right now. Her presence alone will boost our drama’s popularity.”

The older staff member explained, “We’re all experienced members of Director Shi Yan’s team. We worked with Shen Mingyou during her first movie, and it was painful due to numerous NGs and reshoots.”

Another staff member asked, “So, Shen Mingyou’s acting isn’t good?”

The older staff member replied, “It’s not good—it’s really bad!”

Concern grew as they discussed the new drama, “Hello, President,” noting that with new, inexperienced actors and Shen Mingyou’s poor acting, the show might not be worth watching.

The producer reminded the director, Shi Yan, to stay calm and not lose his temper during the shoot, as Guan Qiang’s departure had already caused issues. Shi Yan, usually good-natured but irritable during filming, was warned to control his temper even if Shen Mingyou made numerous mistakes.

Geng Feng, overhearing the conversation, thought about bringing snacks and drinks for the director and staff during breaks, anticipating that Shen Mingyou might make many mistakes.

As Shen Mingyou emerged after her makeup, she noticed the staff looking at her with mixed emotions—worried, curious, disappointed, and sympathetic.

A familiar middle-aged photographer tried to reassure her, saying, “Mingyou, don’t worry about the shoot. It’s okay if you make many mistakes. Even though I’m older, I’m in good shape and faster than before. I’ll handle the camera.”

Shen Mingyou realized he was the same cameraman who had followed her during her first filming with many NGs.

Under everyone’s watchful eyes, Shen Mingyou approached the camera, and Lin Simeng was ready to start.