Chapter Eighty-Nine: Revising the Script

Jiang Hu escorted Mo Niannian into the production set, his face full of guilt. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think this through.”

Could Mo Niannian really hold it against him? She waved a hand, looking utterly worn out. “It’s fine.”

At worst, she would just spend money to bury the trending search.

“Niannian! Big news, big news!” Xiaohua came running over, unable to contain her excitement. “Something happened to the second female lead in our crew—the one named Zhao Yuxing.”

She had never gotten along with Zhao Yuxing. Now that Zhao Yuxing had run into trouble, Xiaohua was happier than anyone.

She whispered into Mo Niannian’s ear, “I heard she was caught in a hotel doing something scandalous.”

“And it wasn’t just one man. Apparently there was even some old man in his seventies.”

“When the police got there, the scene was a total mess.”

That was a lot to take in. Mo Niannian was genuinely stunned. Zhao Yuxing was attractive enough, and from what she had heard, her family was well-off too. Surely not.

“So our crew has to change the lead actress?”

Xiaohua rolled her eyes at Mo Niannian. “With gossip this huge, and all you can think about is changing the lead actress?”

She waved a hand. “With such a massive scandal, the lead actress is definitely getting replaced. Director Wang and Writer Liu were so worried they didn’t sleep all night.”

Xiaohua excitedly shared the gossip with Mo Niannian for quite a while, but when she got no reaction at all, she instantly lost interest.

“I’d better go find the other girls.” Xiaohua was just about to leave when she suddenly thought of something. Her gaze kept darting back and forth between Mo Niannian and Jiang Hu. “You two came together?”

Her eyes lit up with a blazing spark, and her gossiping spirit rose at once.

Mo Niannian: “...No, we just happened to be heading the same way.”

Xiaohua studied Mo Niannian a few more times, her gaze landing on her neck. Her expression turned increasingly teasing. “Oh? What happened to your neck? Don’t tell me you slept on it all night and the bite marks just got darker?”

How was that any different from trying to cover something up by pretending not to?

Xiaohua stared at Mo Niannian and Jiang Hu. Mo Niannian looked utterly miserable, while Jiang Hu simply met her gaze openly, without the slightest hint of concealment or avoidance.

Mo Niannian said, “All right... you can stop talking now.”

At least in this world, Jiang Hu disliked her.

Xiaohua made a zipping motion across her lips. “I get it. I get everything.”

After Xiaohua left, the atmosphere between Mo Niannian and Jiang Hu turned a little awkward. Mo Niannian scratched her head and searched for something to say. “With Zhao Yuxing in trouble, and a replacement coming in, doesn’t that mean all the earlier scenes will have to be reshot?”

“Mm. Casting will be a problem too.”

“Jiang Hu! Miss Mo, perfect timing. The director wants to see you.”

Before the writer had finished speaking, Director Wang hurried over. “Ah, perfect. I was just looking for you two.”

Director Wang was holding the script, looking pained. “You’ve all heard about what happened to Zhao Yuxing, right?”

“Just heard.”

“That woman has really infuriated me. When we signed the contract, everything was said so nicely, and now she pulls something like this. Is she deliberately making things difficult for our crew?” Director Wang was so angry his face had gone pale.

“Thankfully, filming only started not long ago, so there’s still room to salvage things.” Director Wang flipped through the script. “Her role is still vacant for now, so the editor and I decided to film your scenes first.”

He looked at the two of them. “No problem with that, right?”

Mo Niannian was practically praying for an early finish. “No problem.”

Jiang Hu also nodded, indicating there was no issue on his end.

“Good. Then take another look at the script while I have them set up the set.”

Mo Niannian only knew the script had been revised. She had no idea how it had been revised until she saw it herself.

The result was that an entire chapter in the script consisted of the emotional scenes between the two of them.

The degree of intensity made Mo Niannian suspect this might be a rather indecent production.

She slapped the script onto the table and stood up abruptly.

“Niannian, what is it?” Jiang Hu looked up at her.

Mo Niannian forced a smile that was not a smile. “I just suddenly remembered I have something to discuss with the director.”

She stormed into Director Wang’s office in a rage.

“Director Wang!” Mo Niannian braced both hands on the desk in front of him, her smile looking as though it could devour a person alive.

Director Wang jumped in alarm and shrank back a little.

“Why didn’t you tell me before the rewrite that it would turn into this kind of plot?!”

If she had known earlier, how could she possibly have agreed?

Director Wang looked puzzled. “Didn’t you all know about the script changes? I asked for your opinions, and both you and Jiang Hu said there was no problem.”

Mo Niannian suddenly remembered that.

Still, how could this be allowed? Even if reason was weak, she had to be forceful.

“Well, I didn’t know the scenes would be this intense before! Director Wang, you’re a serious director. Since when did you start copying the tricks of others?”

Director Wang: “?”

Intense? How was it intense?

Mo Niannian said with deep sorrow, “Director Wang, don’t ruin your lifelong reputation just for some gimmick or traffic.”

“Ru—” Director Wang swallowed the rest of the word back down. “How am I ruining anything? This is a crucial turning point in their relationship. Besides, what’s wrong with this scene?”

He cited examples, argued his case, and described the scene as though it were an act of noble self-sacrifice for art itself.

Mo Niannian looked utterly resigned. “Really can’t cut it?”

“If you cut it, the whole story won’t be complete. This is an important turning point between the two of you. Besides...” Director Wang gave Mo Niannian a look that said he knew exactly what was going on. “Am I not giving you an opportunity here?”

Who in the crew didn’t know Mo Niannian was Jiang Hu’s fan?

“Niannian, what are you talking about with Director Wang? What opportunity?” Jiang Hu suddenly appeared and startled them both.

Mo Niannian said, “...Nothing. I was just discussing the script with Director Wang, and we found it’s written really well. His speaking skills are amazing too.”

Director Wang, looking as though he had already seen through her, laughed and covered for her. “Yes, yes. We discussed the plot a bit, and she’s more than satisfied with today’s scenes.”

“Is that so?” Jiang Hu’s gaze fell on Mo Niannian.

With tears in her eyes, Mo Niannian said yes.

Before long, everyone on the set knew that Mo Niannian and Jiang Hu were about to film an intimate scene.

This was Jiang Hu’s first intimate scene, so whenever anyone had free time, they all gathered around to watch.

Unfortunately, Director Wang was worried Mo Niannian might feel embarrassed, so he sent everyone away.

Before leaving, Xiaohua patted Mo Niannian on the shoulder and gave her a thumbs-up. “Sister, you absolutely have to seize this chance!”

Mo Niannian looked even more dead inside. They didn’t understand. None of them understood.

“For this scene, I don’t really have much to say. The main thing is Jiang Hu. Niannian, all you need to do is show that kind of struggle where you seem to resist but are also yielding. The dancer’s purpose is, after all, to seduce the great general.”

Mo Niannian let out a long sigh. Fine. Whether she died sooner or later, she was going to die anyway.

She would just throw caution to the wind. Once this was over, she would be free. She carefully read the rest of the script. From here on out, it was all about the two of them turning against each other and standing on opposite sides.

“Niannian, don’t be nervous. Just follow my lead.” Jiang Hu was standing a little too close to Mo Niannian. The words felt as though they had been spoken right by her ear.

Mo Niannian: Big brother, I’m nervous precisely because I’m acting with you, okay?

He could change the script at any moment. Who knew what he might do if he got too immersed in the role?