Chapter 18

The arrow was already on the string and had to be released. But even if she knew about this in advance, Zuo Mingran couldn't do anything. Although she entered the production team with her own resources, she ultimately didn't have much influence. She couldn't meddle in the important role of the second female lead.

Moreover, Wen Feifei hadn't done anything wrong. Aside from their personal grievances, Wen Feifei had no negative news and had the necessary skills. Taking on the role of the second female lead was a necessary move from both emotional and rational perspectives.

But just this comparison made Zuo Mingran, the female lead, appear dim and lackluster.

The makeup room on the set was not particularly luxurious. The noise from outside seeped through the thin door panel, and Zuo Mingran faintly heard someone greeting Wen Feifei.

An Qi couldn't help muttering softly, "Why is she so persistent? Wherever Ran Jie goes, she goes."

Mao Mao immediately said, "Don't speak nonsense. Watch your words."

An Qi realized she misspoke and stuck out her tongue, "I'll go boil some water."

They called it a makeup room, but it was actually a resting room. The room was not large, but it had everything they needed.

An Qi organized the items she brought and started boiling water. Mao Mao watched from the side without intervening, only occasionally giving instructions when An Qi made a mistake.

Zuo Mingran looked at the two of them through the mirror. Anqi is a fan of Zuo Mingran and has been a fan for five years. In fan terms, she is considered a devoted fan.

Withdrawing her gaze, Zuo Mingran nodded at Zhuang Bai, "Let's begin."

Modern makeup may seem simple, but it is actually quite challenging. Unlike period dramas where you can see traces of makeup, modern dramas strive for a natural look. In addition, there are concerns about how the makeup will appear on camera and in post-production. It is up to the makeup artist to ensure that the makeup is in the right place.

Zhuang Bai asked, "Sister Ran, which part are we filming today?"

With her eyes closed, Zuo Mingran explained the scene to him.

On the first day of a new drama, everyone wants a good start, so the scenes to be filmed are not difficult.

Zuo Mingran had already memorized the lines for this part and had practiced the scene with Anqi a few times at home.

Despite this, she still felt a bit uncertain. During the makeup process, she had the script open on her lap, even if she couldn't see it clearly, it still provided some comfort.

Zhuang Bai glanced at it and smirked, "Is Sister Ran so nervous this time?"

He had been with Zuo Mingran for a long time and had done her makeup for many roles, but this was the first time he had seen her so nervous.

Zuo Mingran mumbled indistinctly, "Hmm," and quickly glanced at the script again.

Zhuang Bai intentionally eased her nervous mood and joked, "Could it be that Sister Ran is scared by the young heartthrob?"

The script portrayed a romance between an older woman and a younger man. Zuo Mingran played He Jiangna, a successful career woman on the verge of turning thirty, who is constantly pressured by her parents to get married. The male lead, Mo Ge, is a recent graduate just entering society, still naive and inexperienced.

To emphasize the youthful aspect of the male lead described in the original work, the role was played by a popular young idol named Ren Luning, who is two years younger than Zuo Mingran. He had a large fan base and this was his first television drama. The news of his casting was accompanied by a massive amount of publicity.

Zuo Mingran knew all of this because when the character photos were released, she was targeted by some malicious marketing accounts claiming that she was robbing the cradle.

She felt very wronged by this. She was only twenty-six years old, how could she be accused of robbing the cradle? Besides, just look at her ageless beautiful face, who is really benefiting here?

Rolling up the script loosely, Zuo Mingran lightly tapped Zhuang Bai's left arm, "Why are you talking nonsense? Focus on your makeup."

Zhuang Bai was applying eyeliner for her when he was lightly tapped by her. He pretended to cry out in pain, which made Zuo Mingran laugh and relieved some of her nervousness.

*

On the first day of the new drama, besides the media, there were also fans from various fan clubs. Zuo Mingran was surprised to see that many of her own fans had also come to the set.

Anqi ran over with a pile of gifts and asked if she should go and greet them. Zuo Mingran thought for a moment and said, "Okay, let's go."

This was the first time Zuo Mingran had interacted up close with her fans. As she walked over, a group of young girls immediately raised their fan banners and shouted her name.

Zuo Mingran approached them and greeted them. Someone shouted, "Ranran, don't wear too thin clothes."

In the transitional season from late summer to early autumn, the temperature difference between day and night was significant. Zuo Mingran tugged at her coat and said, "I'm wearing clothes, the costume is inside."

Someone else shouted, "Ranran, do well in filming!"

Zuo Mingran smiled, made a fist, and gave herself an encouraging gesture, "I will."

The fans screamed in excitement, and Zuo Mingran spoke with them for a while, took photos together, and reminded them, "There are a lot of people on set, so please be careful."

The fans were deeply touched and nodded repeatedly, "Ranran, you can rest assured."

Zuo Mingran: "..."

The opening ceremony ended smoothly, and after a brief interview, the media and fans left one after another, and the production team began the filming process.

Zuo Mingran took a sip of water from the cup handed to her by Anqi and patted her face, which had been smiling in front of the camera for a while and was starting to stiffen. "Alright, I'm going now."

Anqi said, "Sister Ran, don't make it sound so tragic."

Zuo Mingran took another sip of water. The director urged her to get on set, and she quickly muttered, fortune is not disaster, but disaster cannot be avoided) before taking off her coat and walking over.

Anqi, who was next to her, understood every word of what she said and couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

The first scene was the encounter between the male and female leads. On his first day of work, Mo Ge, a recent graduate, was warned by his senior not to provoke the company's "big devil." However, just as the warning was given, He Jiangna appeared in their sight. The senior quickly hid to the side, but Mo Ge, who didn't know He Jiangna, didn't see the senior's frantic gestures and entered the same elevator with her. During the elevator ride, He Jiangna answered a phone call and accidentally dropped her files. Mo Ge helped her pick them up.

The director finished explaining the scene to them and checked their lines. Soon, the official shooting began.

The first shot was of the male lead, Moge, rushing to the company early in the morning, panting because he almost arrived late, and then meeting a senior colleague in the same department.

The clapperboard was clapped by the script supervisor, and Ren Luning rushed in from outside the door.

The first take, he ran straight out of the frame.

The second take, he ran slower, with his hands in his pockets, as if he was strutting down a runway.

The third take, there was no trace of him rushing to work.

...

In less than a minute of the plot, Zuoming watched helplessly as Ren Luning messed up five times. The director's expression behind the camera became more and more unpleasant, showing a progressive effect.

Because the next shot was his, Zuoming waited on the side and watched the director gradually approaching a breakdown, and Ren Luning's acting showed no improvement in the frame.

After so many NGs, the director was also a bit overwhelmed. Before he got angry, the assistant director quickly said, "Luning, go find your feelings again. Let's move on to the next one first. And, uh, Mingran?"

Upon hearing his name, Zuoming took a deep breath and stood up from his chair. "I'm here."

The scene on the other side had been rearranged. With the clapperboard being clapped again, Zuoming quickly entered the scene.

The company lobby was bustling with people in the morning. Zuoming entered from outside the door, her high heels making crisp sounds as they hit the ground. She glanced at her watch with indifference, her beautiful face devoid of any expression. She exuded an aura that kept people at bay, and as she appeared, the crowd quieted down, even instinctively making way for her.

Zuoming walked through the crowd without looking sideways, picked up her phone, and sent a voice message. "If you don't show up within five minutes, just go ahead and process your resignation."

The director clicked his fingers.

This scene wasn't difficult, and no matter what, it was done in one take. The director's face relaxed slightly, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

On the first day of the new drama, nobody wanted any complications. If Zuoming had messed up a few times like Ren Luning, they might all have been in trouble.

Zuoming's heart was pounding as she came down. With so many crew members and extras on set, she thought she wouldn't be able to hold back her laughter, but when she got into the scene, she realized it was completely different from what she had imagined. The lights were shining on her face, and the camera was not far away. She was so nervous that her scalp tingled, and she couldn't laugh at all, only wanting to finish it quickly.

Hearing a familiar voice, Zuo Mingran looked up in surprise at the person in front of her. "Yan Yunyang?"

Yan Yunyang nodded, wearing a black hoodie today. His hair was not styled with wax as usual, but loosely hanging down, with a few strands falling in front of his eyes, partially covering his eyebrows and eyes, making him look much younger.

Only now did Zuo Mingran notice that he wasn't wearing glasses today. Remembering that he had just returned from a business trip this morning, she quickly made way and said, "Why did you come here? Didn't you just return from your business trip?"

Yan Yunyang placed the thermal flask he was holding on the table and said softly, "I went to the company, but there was nothing important, so I came back." 

He pointed at the thermal flask, gesturing for her to open it. Zuo Mingran did as he said, and as soon as she uncovered the lid, a strong aroma filled the air. The golden chicken soup was stored in the thermal flask, and the surface didn't appear greasy, making it very appetizing.

Yan Yunyang said, "I didn't stew it for long enough, so the taste might not be great."

Zuo Mingran held the lovingly made chicken soup in her hands, her hands slightly trembling. She lifted her eyes and looked cautiously at Yan Yunyang, asking, "Did you make this lunch for me?"

Author's Note: Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah, Yangyang, mommy loves you!

Ranran: I'm a bit panicked. Does he have some inappropriate thoughts about me?