Chapter Eighty-Six: A Last-Minute Added Scene

By the later stages of the plot, Jiang Hu’s screen time had increased. Mo Niannian did not help him take on any other messy roles, letting him focus entirely on this production.

This was a breakout hit of a drama!

The original male lead had risen from obscurity to become an overnight sensation through this very series, turning into one of the little world’s most dazzling stars.

Mo Niannian dodged and weaved, but in the end she could not escape the fate of being pulled into filming. She entered the crew together with Jiang Hu.

Mo Niannian was dragged by the director into a hopeless discussion of the scenes.

Honestly, she had never felt so miserable. She sprawled across the table, utterly motionless.

“How is it, Miss Mo? Do you understand now?”

Mo Niannian blinked at him with a look of eager hope. “What happens if I say I still don’t understand?”

She truly regretted it. She really did.

If she could start over, she would never have taken this on.

No, if she could start over, she would never have built that adoring little fangirl persona in the first place.

This role actually had emotional scenes with the male second lead, the one played by Jiang Hu!

She was the dancing girl sent by the emperor to seduce Jiang Hu.

A familiar, overused setup, so cheesy it practically dripped off the page—but audiences loved this sort of thing!

And besides, taking a cliché to its limit and still making it fresh was exactly what tested a director’s skill.

Director Wang naturally had every confidence in that.

He did not mind at all. Smiling broadly, he said to Mo Niannian, “If Miss Mo still isn’t clear on it, I can explain it again.”

Mo Niannian listened to him three full times and felt her soul leave her body. At last she collapsed back onto the table and said, “Forget it. No need.”

“Then go rehearse with Jiang Hu. We start filming in ten minutes.” Director Wang made the decision on the spot and left humming a tune.

He was certain this drama would explode in popularity.

Needless to say, just the sight of Jiang Hu and Mo Niannian standing together was a feast for the eyes.

Director Wang understood all too well the truth that if the villain was cast well, one’s morals could be led around by one’s face.

Besides, there were no purely evil characters in his drama.

In this day and age, who was truly black and who was truly white?

Jiang Hu’s eyes flickered. “You don’t want to rehearse with me, Niannian?”

A trace of scrutiny appeared in his gaze.

They had already come this far in filming; of course Mo Niannian could not quit halfway. She immediately sat up straight and forced out a smile. “How could that be? I’m just worried that if I perform badly, I’ll ruin Brother’s scenes.”

“You won’t. Just follow my lead.”

As he spoke, Jiang Hu’s entire bearing changed in an instant. His eyes lifted slightly, and he gave Mo Niannian a sidelong look. “You’re the dancing girl sent by His Majesty?”

This was the first meeting between the male second lead and the dancing girl.

The male second lead had already learned the truth from before, but the emperor had not yet received word and brazenly sent the dancer over to keep watch on him.

The dancing girl became the male second lead’s outlet for his anger.

As for Mo Niannian’s character, she was set as the most beautiful woman in the martial world, with exceptional fighting skills.

The very first time Director Wang saw Mo Niannian, he felt she was perfect for the role. Unfortunately, she seemed utterly uninterested in acting, and she was ridiculously rich to boot.

Director Wang knew he could not persuade her and had reluctantly given up. Then, the moment he saw Mo Niannian drive a knife into the table, he was smitten all over again.

This role belonged to Mo Niannian and no one else. Fortunately, she was Jiang Hu’s fan, so he managed to talk her into joining without much trouble.

Facing Jiang Hu directly, Mo Niannian gained a much deeper appreciation of his acting.

In that instant, she truly saw that moody, unpredictable general.

He drew her into the scene, and she quickly picked up the lines that followed.

After rehearsing once through, even Mo Niannian herself found it a little unbelievable.

Jiang Hu’s eyes softened slightly, and he slipped out of character at once. “Wonderful. We’ll film it exactly like that later.”

Mo Niannian suddenly grew interested, straightened up with renewed energy, and changed into costume, ready to begin shooting.

The crew had prepared a red gauze dress for her. Red suited Mo Niannian exceptionally well; it made her breathtakingly vivid and dazzling.

If someone called her the most beautiful woman in the world, no one would object.

Director Wang’s eyes lit up. “Everyone get ready! Action!”

The camera moved from afar to near, settling on Mo Niannian.

Mo Niannian gave a soft, coquettish laugh and glanced at Jiang Hu.

She did not need to do anything deliberately; simply looking like that was enough to captivate.

She struck a casual pose.

Every movement was soul-stealing.

Director Wang truly had an eye for casting. Mo Niannian was made for this role, and no one else could have produced this effect.

Mo Niannian slowly moved closer to Jiang Hu, her long sleeves drifting toward him as if unintentionally.

Then Jiang Hu yanked her toward him. Caught completely off guard, Mo Niannian ended up sitting in his lap.

With her back to the camera, she frantically shot him warning looks.

Hey! This is not in the script!

Jiang Hu acted as though he saw nothing. He tilted her chin up. “You are the dancing girl sent by His Majesty?”

Director Wang did not call cut, so Mo Niannian could only grit her teeth and continue. “In reply to the general, this servant was indeed sent by His Majesty.”

“Very good.”

Jiang Hu’s hand tightened around hers little by little. The light in his eyes flickered in and out before finally settling into a smile.

He released the hand that had been restraining Mo Niannian and placed both hands on either side of the chair. “Then let this general see what skills the emperor’s envoy possesses.”

Sitting on Jiang Hu’s lap, Mo Niannian felt terribly awkward.

They were separated by only two thin layers of fabric, and she could feel the warm heat radiating from his body very clearly.

It was unbearably uncomfortable.

Yet several cameras were pointed at her, so she could only soldier on. She lifted her slender hand, plucked a grape, and offered it to Jiang Hu.

“General, please.”

Jiang Hu stared at her, opened his mouth, and took it in, along with her fingers.

His gaze was strangely sticky, carrying an indescribable shadow.

Mo Niannian’s hand jerked. She nearly slapped him across the face.

Jiang Hu extended the tip of his tongue and gave her finger a light lick.

Mo Niannian felt as though she had been struck by lightning. Her eyes widened.

Hey! There is nothing like this in the script!

Suddenly, Jiang Hu reached out, seized the back of her head, and passed the grape into her mouth.

Mo Niannian’s pupils trembled. She shoved him away hard.

Jiang Hu held her in an unyielding grip, and the kiss slid from the corner of her mouth to the side of her neck. He bit down hard.

His eyes half-lidded, he murmured in her ear, “He sent you to spy on me? Then have you prepared yourself?”

This person had become his best outlet for venting his anger.

Fury surged through Mo Niannian. She broke free of Jiang Hu at once, her eyes blazing with indignation.

“Good! This scene is perfect! The two of you have such chemistry. I already know how I want to revise the later plot!”

Director Wang was so excited that he immediately dragged the scriptwriter off to discuss the rest of the story.

The crew came over to help Mo Niannian and Jiang Hu with their makeup and costume changes.

“Niannian, I’m sorry. I got carried away and slipped into character.”

Jiang Hu looked apologetic.

Only then did Mo Niannian come back to herself and remember that this was filming.

Filming? And because of filming, she had lost her first kiss?

The worst part was that she had nowhere to vent her anger.

The very thought made her lose all patience. She turned and went straight to the dressing room.

That surge of resentment lodged in her chest, and she could not find a single outlet for it.

Mo Niannian rinsed her mouth three full times, yet she still felt as though there was a strange taste lingering there.