Chapter 11: Seen Too Many Pretty Faces

The director’s surname is Niu, and he is a very famous television director. Almost all the dramas he has helmed have been massive hits. He is particularly skilled in period dramas; whether it is his grasp of the environment, the costumes, styling, sets, or the layout of the shots, everything is handled with extreme precision and sophistication.

It has been said that his craft has reached a new level in recent years; any random screenshot from his dramas looks like a beautiful painting, practically good enough to be used as wallpaper!

As Jiang Xiaobai walked over, she saw Director Niu rubbing his forehead. He is in his fifties, his hair is somewhat thinning, and he has deep horizontal lines on his forehead and between his brows—one look and you could tell he doesn't have the best temper.

He was currently suppressing his anger, looking quite irritable, but he seemed to heave a sigh of relief when he saw everyone arrive.

"You're here. The situation here is... hard to explain."

As he spoke, he looked toward the side.

The direction he was looking was exactly where Li Biying was. She was sitting in a chair while a stylist was gesturing at her head. She nodded or shook her head from time to time, then exchanged a few words with them.

Upon seeing her state, a trace of anger couldn't help but color everyone's eyes.

Her makeup was done, and her hairstyle was halfway finished—presumably still being adjusted to something more suitable—but she wasn't wearing her costume at all!

How much longer would it take for her to be ready?

"Director Niu, we’ve been waiting for a long time. If we keep dragging this out, won't we fail to finish today's shooting schedule?"

"That's right. We might need to adjust our makeup and such during the shoot; it wouldn't be good if we delayed the crew's progress."

Everyone spoke up one after another. Their words were very tactful, not mentioning Li Biying by name, as if they were merely worried about the shooting schedule and had no complaints about her whatsoever.

They were all actors; hiding their dissatisfaction was easy. Aside from a brief moment of strangeness when they first arrived, they quickly returned to normal.

Director Niu didn't speak, but his gaze shifted toward Li Biying.

He had, of course, suggested earlier that the others start first, but Li Biying had refused quite unpleasantly. Her reason was that she was the female lead; if the supporting actors went first, what would it look like if word got out?

Now, he wanted to see how she would react.

Li Biying’s brows furrowed slightly, but she immediately broke into a smile and said quite considerately

"Director Niu, it should take me a little longer. Let them start first."

Li Biying wasn't stupid. She could put on airs when no one was around, but now that everyone had arrived, it would be a different story if she openly told them to wait.

"Alright, Qiao Yan, come here."

Director Niu breathed a sigh of relief, his expression finally softening a little.

"Sister Ying, your makeup looks so good. Is there a big problem with the hairstyle?"

Since the others had already finished their makeup and had nothing to do, they simply stayed to watch. Surprisingly, Huang Yan, who had the most complaints earlier, ran over to Li Biying with a face full of smiles, bending over to talk to her.

"The makeup is just average. The previous hairstyle had straight bangs; it was too dull, so I wanted to change it."

Li Biying lifted her chin slightly, her tone somewhat distant, but even so, Huang Yan’s smile only grew wider as she continued to talk, showing no intention of leaving.

"Tch... what a sycophant."

A female actress sneered and muttered under her breath.

The others acted as if they hadn't heard.

They had seen this kind of thing many times. As actors below the third tier, they rarely had the chance to speak with popular celebrities. Putting on a fawning face might seem shameful, but what if they managed to build a connection and landed a role because of it?

Face, compared to climbing the ladder, seemed insignificant.

Jiang Xiaobai took in everyone's reactions. After watching for a moment, she stopped and turned her attention to Qiao Yan.

He was wearing a black costume, holding a prop sword in his hand, and striking a pose. He kept his head slightly lowered, the curve of his refined chin looking very sharp. His lips were pressed together, his eyes cold, exuding a sense of detachment as if everything around him was nothing.

His whole face was practically written with five words—

I have no emotions!

Director Niu stood by the camera, occasionally calling out to adjust Qiao Yan’s movements, such as tilting his face a bit or changing the way he held the sword.

Qiao Yan had a great sense for the camera, and his own aura matched the character of the "Ghost Sword" well, so it didn't take long to finish the shoot.

Next was Jiang Xiaobai.

Director Niu turned back and waved at Jiang Xiaobai. She immediately understood, rose from her chair, and walked over while lifting her skirt.

"Jiang Xiaobai, the character you're playing, Fairy Haoyue, undergoes a significant change in temperament between the early and late stages. Your clothes are white, but you need to show that 'dark' side. Do you understand what I mean?" Director Niu asked, looking at her.

If there was one actor he disliked the most, it was definitely Li Biying. As a popular young star, her temper was bad, she loved to put on airs, and she would throw tantrums whenever she was in a bad mood—this was common knowledge in the industry.

But there was no helping it; she was popular, could attract large investments, and her acting skills were indeed solid. So, despite his dissatisfaction, Director Niu could endure it.

But if there was one actor he was most worried about, it was definitely Jiang Xiaobai!

She had been in the industry for several years, and the label of "vase" had always surrounded her. If it weren't for the fact that the original actress cast as the second female lead had an accident and time was too tight to find someone more suitable, he would never have let Jiang Xiaobai join the crew!

Now, he only hoped her acting skills had improved a little bit compared to before—even just a tiny bit would be enough!

"Alright, I understand."

Jiang Xiaobai nodded. No nervousness could be seen in her expression, but her faint smile made Director Niu’s heart settle just a little.

"Stand here. Look toward the camera, but look through it toward the distance. Show a sense of detachment, furrow your brows slightly... Hold this flower. Start tearing the petals once you begin. Your movements should be gentle but mixed with a hint of murderous intent."

Director Niu explained the key points of the shot while handing a vibrant flower to Jiang Xiaobai.

It was a bright red flower, likely a peony, with layers upon layers of petals. One could feel the slight dampness of the flower in one's hand.

Jiang Xiaobai listened carefully, memorizing what the director said, and adjusted her expression when he signaled that she could begin.

Director Niu stood by the camera, eyes fixed on Jiang Xiaobai, watching her every move.

The woman was dressed in white, full of ethereal grace, looking like a fairy from the heavenly palace. She was so beautiful that it gave one the urge to submit.

Director Niu sighed inwardly. Even he, who was used to seeing beauties, couldn't help but exclaim

He had seen plenty of "vases," but he couldn't recall many that were this beautiful!

If nothing else, just the way she stood there looked exactly like Liu Ruyan!

But the next moment, Director Niu’s eyes widened in surprise.

The fairy opposite him raised her head, her face toward the camera, but her eyes were gazing far away into the void, revealing a sense of bewilderment.

(End of chapter)