The crowd turned their heads, only to see Li Xin storming over with others, her makeup perfectly intact, showing no trace of the previous crying and chaos.
Li Xin still felt very wronged; how could she accept that she, a proper young lady of the Feihong family, had suddenly become an ordinary person?
Even the Director was taunting her.
She called her father, and if it were before, he would have scolded the Director to vent her fury, but now, she was the one being scolded.
[Xinxin, our Li Family is finished, now you can only rely on yourself...]
After being lectured, Li Xin had no choice but to gather her emotions and come over.
After all, times had changed.
The Director said impatiently, "Aren't you refusing to shoot? So of course, I had to find someone else, I can't let the whole crew wait for you alone."
Moreover, Li Xin was not the main character.
Just the second female lead.
She used to rely on Li Peng, but now Li Peng has fallen, who considers her important?
Everyone watched.
Including Jiang Ruan and Prince Jing.
"I want to shoot now." Li Xin raised her head, looking at the Director, the haughty demeanor of a young lady unchanged, "Shouldn't you shoot me first?"
After all, her scene with the male lead was scheduled for the afternoon.
The Director hesitated upon hearing this, "Um..."
Turning his head, he discussed with the photographers, "We're already at the second scene, why not shoot the scene with them three instead today?"
The teachers nodded, "Sure."
Original script: Shangguan Ruo and Prince Jing strolling in the garden, encountering blooming peach blossoms, one falling into Shangguan Ruo's hair. Prince Jing gently helps her to remove it, unexpectedly seen by Shangguan Yu, who mistakenly believes Shangguan Ruo is seducing Prince Jing. Shangguan Yu becomes furious, rushes to the room, and angrily slaps Shangguan Ruo.
Action.
"Shangguan Ruo, you bitch, how dare you seduce Prince Jing!" Li Xin shouted angrily, wearing a noble purple dress with her head adorned, full of splendor.
In contrast, Jiang Ruan, donned a plain pink dress, with only a small tassel in her hair.
A very cute youthful appearance.
Yet her reply was anything but weak, she sneered, "Which eye saw me seducing him? Maybe he and I are mutually in love."
"Bah!" Li Xin mocked, "Mutually in love, what kind of thing are you? You're not worthy of him; I warn you to stay away from him, otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" Jiang Ruan moved closer, pressing step by step, "I'm unworthy, and you are worthy? Based on what? Because your grandfather is a poor scholar from the countryside, or because your mother is the concubine in the mansion, or because of your status as Shangguan Yu's second daughter?"
Shangguan Ruo's mother may have passed away early, but she was once a renowned talent in Beijing, from a military family.
The family had served in the army for three generations, now all prominent figures in the court.
They were mostly away, neglecting Shangguan Ruo, their only maternal granddaughter.
Now they returned, the family reunited.
Shangguan Ruo's support was beyond anything Shangguan Yu could compare to.
Li Xin was so furious her anger exploded; already having trouble getting into character, all she could think about was Feihong's downfall, the loss of her villa, and no longer being the young heiress of the entertainment circle.
At this moment, pushed by Jiang Ruan's lines, her mind went blank.
Apart from anger, grievance, and hatred, nothing else lingered.
Staring at Jiang Ruan's face, pure as if incredibly clean, Li Xin felt jealous.
While everyone was inattentive, Jiang Ruan was in front of her again.
Li Xin suddenly raised her hand and ruthlessly slapped Jiang Ruan!
Enraged, she cursed.
"Bitch, go die!"
The crisp sound of the slap instantly echoed around.
"Smack!"
Caught off guard by the hit, the script had no such direction, Jiang Ruan didn't even have time to react, her cheek burned with pain, her head buzzing.
She looked at Li Xin incredulously.
The Director and filming crew were thoroughly startled.
"What's going on? The script didn't include hitting people." The filming crew asked.
The Director thought the same, but seeing Li Xin now, tears streaming, grievance and hatred palpable.
She perfectly embodied Shangguan Yu.
Eyes lighting up, he said, "Let's shoot it this way, continue!"
"Sorry for this, Jiang Ruan." The Director apologized to Jiang Ruan.
Jiang Ruan licked her lips, smiled, "It's fine."
Sister Qin looked at her with concern.
Wanting to argue with the Director, but since they're filming, she had to wait till it's over.
Li Xin obviously did it deliberately.
Settling personal scores, she noted.
Jiang Ruan, since her debut, had acted in many films, there's no scene she hadn't seen, having no resources in the beginning, being a second or third lead and getting slapped was frequent.
Once, her face got swollen from being slapped.
She stubbornly held on; what's this.
But unexpectedly for everyone, the next person to be slapped was Li Xin.
"Smack!"
A slap louder than before, harshly landed on Li Xin's face.
Even used excessive force, directly knocking Li Xin to the ground: "Ah!"
Li Xin's whole head buzzed.
She lay on the ground holding her face, not reacting for a long while.
"You dare hit me!"
She stared wide-eyed, unbelieving.
How was there no reaction? How dare Jiang Ruan fight back???
The director group was stunned.
The filming crew was also stunned.
Everyone was discussing it privately.
Jiang Ruan thought: You hit me, so why can't I hit you back.
Isn't it just seizing an opportunity, who wouldn't?
Hmm!
So, Jiang Ruan straightened her shoulders, staring unblinkingly at Li Xin, and recited the revised lines in a strong tone: "Shangguan Yu, you have bullied and scolded me for so many years, I endured it, do you think I'm still the old Shangguan Ruo? I'm telling you, the old Shangguan Ruo is dead, killed by you all. Now, living is the first daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion, the only daughter of the talented woman in Beijing, the legitimate granddaughter of the General Mansion!"
"I will take back everything you owe me over the years!"
"Anything that matters to you, I will snatch it away!"
"Including Prince Jing!"
And just then, Prince Jing walked in from outside.
"Cut!" This scene ended with the misunderstanding between Prince Jing and Shangguan Ruo.
Sister Qin quickly came over: "Baby, how are you."
"Your face is all swollen!"
"It's okay, Sister Qin." Jiang Ruan smiled.
Sister Qin looked at her lightly made-up face that couldn't hide the redness and swelling: "First go remove your makeup, I'll get some ice for you to apply."
Jiang Ruan: "Okay."
Just about to turn around, Li Xin called out to her.
"Jiang Ruan, wait a minute!"
Jiang Ruan turned her head and saw Li Xin bringing someone over, her face red and swollen, looking quite frightening.
Jiang Ruan raised an eyebrow, seemed she didn't hold back either.
She shouldn't look that ugly, right?
Looking at Li Xin, Sister Qin, protective as always, blocked her in front and said grumpily.
"She needs to rest now, whatever you have to say, say it to me!"
Li Xin pointed at her face, accusingly said: "I didn't hit you this hard, Jiang Ruan, I was doing it for the sake of the act, look at my face!"
Jiang Ruan blinked, smiling sweetly, harmlessly: "I was also doing it for the sake of the act."
"Oh, how did it swell up like that."
"Maybe the skin is just too thin, not like mine, thick and durable."
"You!" Li Xin was furious, glaring at her: "Just you wait."
"I won't let this go so easily."
Saying that, she left with her people.
Sister Qin snorted coldly, raising her voice at the retreating figure: "Just wait then, think you're still the Feihong's first daughter, huh."
"Feihong has long since changed dynasties!"
The infuriated Li Xin got even angrier.
Went back and started smashing things again.
—
At night, silence reigned, Jiang Ruan was leaning on the big hotel bed, cheek attached to an ice pack, holding a script in her hands.
After applying the ice, the swelling on her cheek had subsided quite a bit, but it still hurt a little to touch.
She placed her phone outside for charging; after entering the set, she habitually isolated herself from the outside world, fully immersing in the filming.
This way, her mood wouldn't be affected, and she could fully perform in the best state to film.
Jiang Ruan leaned against the headboard, wearing an emerald green silk camisole, her skin like soft jade, slender waist and legs, long hair softly draped over her shoulders, exuding scent all over.
Like an ethereal, enchanting fairy.
Especially with that pure yet seductive little face, as small as the palm of her hand.
Before entering the hotel room, it had already been checked by people arranged by Sister Qin, the whole floor was cleared out, with bodyguards on duty at night.
So Jiang Ruan wasn't worried about safety issues or privacy leaks.
The bedroom was excessively quiet.
Jiang Ruan was used to such quiet nights, without interruptions.
After reading the script, she closed it, placing it beside her, gently massaging her weary temples to digest.
It's a lie to say she wasn't tired after a day of shooting.
But she was tired and happy.
For an actor, it's a challenging and interesting task to change into a different role and a different life.
Thinking of this, Jiang Ruan's mind inexplicably conjured up the figure of a man.
She pursed her red lips; ever since that day at the castle, they hadn't been in touch.
As if suddenly lost contact.
Except every day on the headlines she can see him strategizing, launching new projects, getting all sorts of praises.
Other than this she knows nothing.
But she's not interested either, thinking of him, she becomes angry.
That contract, the breakup fee of three billion, for sure, was something he had calculated long ago.
If he won't break up, fine, she'll just stay far away from him.
365 days a year, she films every day, what can he do to her?
Can he still lock her up?
Jiang Ruan thought.
Just then, the doorbell outside rang.
"Ding-dong..."