Chapter 26

Looking back a year and a half ago, Zuo Mingran could never have imagined that one day she would become the target of criticism and controversy in the entertainment industry.

It was like she, an unmarried young woman, suddenly became a millionaire celebrity in a novel, and even had a handsome and wealthy husband. It felt like a magical transformation.

In her previous life, she was a homebody who didn't follow celebrities or idolize stars. She hadn't even watched a complete TV drama. However, she had a best friend who was obsessed with celebrities and would always tell her about the love and hate relationships in the fan circles.

Thanks to her best friend, she was now able to read those comments without feeling overwhelmed and could distinguish between fans, antis, and fake antis.

As a rising star, Ren Luning's fans were not to be trifled with. Since Ren Luning became popular through a talent show, his fans had taken over all social media platforms overnight, known for their strong fighting spirit and reputation for tearing apart the entertainment industry.

However, Shi Shuangxia was not a simple character either. She had been working in the entertainment industry for many years. Although she had only propelled Zuo Mingran to stardom, she had accumulated a network of connections and experiences that could provide her with a lot of help when needed.

Officially, Ren Luning portrayed the image of a rich young heir, and combined with the company's efforts to create an image of him being naive to the world, it satisfied many fans' girlish desires.

However, some things could be hidden from fans and passersby, but not from insiders in the industry. Observant people knew that there was someone behind Ren Luning, although they didn't know who it was. It was obvious that a lot of effort had been put into pushing that person into the spotlight. At present, even though Ren Luning had someone backing him, Zuo Mingran at least had the title of Mrs. Yan, whether it was true or not. In the eyes of others, she had the support of the Yan family, which put her on a somewhat equal footing with Ren Luning.

After making a few phone calls, Shi Shuangxia said to her assistant, "Let's make sure our team has a unified statement, saying that Ren Luning used a body double for the scenes. And ask the PR team to quickly come up with a proposal."

Time was tight and the task was heavy. It wasn't that Zuo Mingran couldn't handle the pressure from the online world. After all, since becoming famous, she had always been labeled as a "flower vase beauty" and criticized for her poor acting skills. Getting hate was a common occurrence.

But the key now was that this time, it was Ren Luning causing trouble unilaterally, a junior attacking a senior. If they just stood by and did nothing, they might become a laughingstock among their peers.

The online controversy spread rapidly, and after finishing shooting a scene, Zuo Mingran saw that the online discussions had gone back and forth several times.

First, Ren Luning worked while being sick, and then he posted a late-night Weibo. Apart from Wen Feifei and Zuo Mingran, the other actors in the crew commented and liked the post. As a result, Ren Luning and the antis started attacking Zuo Mingran, saying that her acting skills were poor and she didn't deserve to be an actor, that she was not dedicated and worse than the newcomers.

Later, Zuo Mingran suddenly went online on Weibo and posted a dynamic that seemed to hint at Ren Luning's marketing tactics, suggesting that she is not actually dedicated to her work.

Then, an insider claimed that Ren Luning had nearly ten body doubles on set, and that the so-called scene where she got sick from filming a night scene in the rain never actually happened, because Ren Luning had left the set early that day.

In just one morning, various hot topics took turns trending, from "Feeling sorry for Ren Luning" to "Zuo Mingran's poor acting skills," and then to "Ren Luning, Zuo Mingran," and "Ren Luning's body doubles." It made people suspect that these two individuals coincidentally bought the same day's hot topic to create such a lively scene.

Originally, a relatively unknown celebrity couple was getting married today, with various publicity stunts prepared in advance. However, with this incident unfolding, the previously planned top search keywords were overshadowed and failed to make even a small splash, making it the most disastrous event of the year.

The revelation about Ren Luning's body doubles was provided by an anonymous internet user to a marketing account, which had quite a reputation, with both real and fake fans totaling several hundreds of thousands. Soon after this news was released, it immediately sparked a heated backlash from Ren Luning's fans.

"Can anyone just claim to be an insider these days?"

"It's good to be a keyboard warrior without legal responsibility."

"Everyone, calm down. This blogger is originally a hater of Ning Ning. Let's not be led astray."

"Blogger, are you willing to bear legal responsibility for posting this?"

"You can say whatever you want. If I unfollow her, I'll admit defeat."

"Ugh, it's probably the work of an older woman's paid internet army."

"Heh, an older woman herself lacks acting skills, of course she can't stand seeing others do well."

"Take away my Ning Ning, I won't engage, we won't engage."

...

Zuo Mingran looked at the blogger's ID and felt familiar, so he asked Mao Mao beside him, "Is this blogger one of ours?"

Mao Mao had been with Zuo Mingran for a long time, and there were many things that they wouldn't keep from her. She also knew about marketing accounts that they had worked with, like this one.

Putting away her phone, Mao Mao nodded and said, "Yeah, Xia Jie called me just now and said she has changed the password for her Weibo account, so I can't log in right now. She told me to wait and she'll tell me later."

Zuo Mingran struggled to say, "Actually, I'm not a monster."

Mao Mao perfunctorily responded, "Yes, yes, we all know."

Zuo Mingran: "..."

Angel went to buy coffee and came back just in time to hear this. She casually remarked, "How could you possibly be a monster, Ran Jie? You're clearly a unique little fairy in the heavens and on earth!"

Zuo Mingran: "Thank you, but it's a bit embarrassing to be praised like that."

As others were targeting them, Zuo Mingran's fans naturally refused to back down.

"Wtaxs, did this Weibo post even mention a single word about my Ranran? Certain fans should not overthink."

"At least my Ranran is actually filming on set, and yours... heh."

"Yeah, your brother is the best, your brother is a genius, your brother is the center of the universe, right?"

...

The fans of both sides engaged in heated arguments online, while a group of neutral haters took advantage of the chaos.

After taking a break, the director called the male and female leads to position, and Zuo Mingran put down his phone and handed his coat to Angel. He patted his frozen face and said, "Prepare a hot water bottle, give it to me later."

This scene was a drowning scene. He Jiangna had a dispute with Wen Feifei, who played the second female lead, over work-related matters. In a fit of anger, Wen Feifei accidentally pushed her into the swimming pool. He Jiangna couldn't swim, and luckily, Moge, who happened to be nearby, rushed over to save her.

Although He Jiangna didn't stay in the water for long, it was already late October, and even standing still allowed them to feel the cold autumn breeze on their faces, let alone jumping into an outdoor swimming pool. The production team had taken this into consideration and managed to add some warm water to the pool, not much, but better than nothing.

The production team made the arrangements, and everyone quickly got into character.

In front of the camera, Wen Feifei angrily accused Zuo Mingran, saying that he shouldn't have any connection with Moge, as his status and position were not something she could imagine. Zuo Mingran, dressed in professional attire, braced against the chilly wind, coldly retorted to Wen Feifei that this matter had nothing to do with her.

Wen Feifei's acting skills were good, and Zuo Mingran quickly got into the scene as well. After they eased the tension between their characters, Zuo Mingran quietly asked Wen Feifei about her acting method, and Wen Feifei honestly replied, "Just treat me as the person you hate the most."

Zuo Mingran: "Ah?"

Wen Feifei said, "You see, in this drama, we are enemies, rivals. We don't want anything to do with each other. So, just treat me as the person you hate the most, and imagine how He Jiangna would react."

Zuo Mingran didn't dare ask who Wen Feifei saw herself as, even though there was a high possibility that it was herself, as they had recently been at odds with each other.

Wen Feifei was provoked by Zuo Mingran and couldn't help but raise her hand. Zuo Mingran slightly frowned and grabbed her arm, coldly saying, "Chu Xian, don't make a scene here!"

Wen Feifei's eyes turned red with anger, and as Zuo Mingran let go of her arm and tried to leave, she suddenly reached out and pushed her towards the nearby swimming pool. Zuo Mingran lost her balance and fell into the pool with a loud splash, creating a big water spray.

Director: "Cut, that's a wrap."

As soon as the director's words fell, Wen Feifei quickly squatted down and, along with the crew, pulled Zuo Mingran out of the pool. Angel ran over with a towel and covered Zuo Mingran's head, wrapping her up tightly and putting a hot water bag in her arms.

Zuo Mingran shivered from the cold, and with a gust of wind, her lips turned a shade of purple.

The director shouted, "Take a break, Mingran, and continue shooting the next scene later. Let's try to get it in one take."

Zuo Mingran opened her mouth, but her words were cut into several parts. Angel sympathetically spoke for her, "Okay, let's get ready."

Zhuang Bo came over to touch up her makeup, but Zuo Mingran waved her hand and said, "No need to touch up, I'll be diving later, and the makeup will get wet anyway."

Zhuang Bo insisted, "It's fine, I'm using waterproof makeup, so even if the camera gets close, we won't lose out."

Zuo Mingran: "..."

Zuo Mingran had no choice but to let Zhuang Bo touch up her face.

A few minutes later, with her body finally warmed up a little, Zuo Mingran jumped back into the water. Before coming down, she drank a large cup of hot ginger tea to prevent herself from trembling. Taking a deep breath, Zuo Mingran closed her eyes and dove into the water. At the same time, Ren Luning, playing the character Moge, ran towards the pool from a distance.

The first time, Ren Luning tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground as soon as he reached the pool.

The second time, Ren Luning didn't fall, but when he came running, he shouted "Zuo Mingran" instead of "He Jiangna."

The third time, Ren Luning stopped his feet again, but this time Zuo Mingran didn't wait for him to speak and kicked him into the pool.

Originally, Ren Luning wanted a stunt double for this scene because he believed that someone of Zuo Mingran's status wouldn't personally get in the water. However, Zuo Mingran was fearless and really went in herself, causing Ren Luning to change his mind and say that he also wanted to do it personally.

During the filming process, NGs were common, especially for Ren Luning, whose acting skills were not that great. Being stuck in NG was a regular occurrence for him, but he never expected to be kicked into the pool by Zuo Mingran in front of everyone.

The filming was paused, and Angel rushed over with a towel to embrace Zuo Mingran. Ren Luning stood in the water in a daze, still not processing what had just happened. His assistant tried to rush over, but was stopped by Wen Feifei.

Zuo Mingran's face was pale, her hands and feet frozen in the water. Summoning some strength from somewhere, she managed to climb out of the pool and kicked Ren Luning into it.

The crew members stared in shock as Zuo Mingran looked at Ren Luning in the water and suddenly smiled, "I heard that you've always been dedicated, even reading books to improve your acting skills while sick."

The others listened in a daze as Zuo Mingran squatted down, a hint of amusement in her lips as she looked at Ren Luning, though her gaze lacked any emotion. "Since you've always been struggling with your acting, how about this? Stay here and watch me perform, learn from a senior, what do you think?"

Zuo Mingran emphasized the word "senior," making Ren Luning feel a chill, rendering him speechless.

Zuo Mingran continued to smile, "It seems like you don't object, so that's settled."

Wen Feifei couldn't contain herself any longer and was held back by Xiaofei, but Xiaofei couldn't stop her from shouting excitedly, "I'll do it, I'll do it!"

Zuo Mingran: "..."

Her sisters were too enthusiastic.

Xiaofei's heart sank, and she had no choice but to let go. She watched Wen Feifei run over with a hot water bag and hand it to Zuo Mingran, saying, "I have good acting skills, I'll do it, you can rest."

Zuo Mingran was pushed away by her and sat down in her chair, holding the hot water bag. Mao Mao brought her a cup of hot ginger tea, and Zuo Mingran held the cup, looking at Wen Feifei by the pool. Finally, a trace of a smile appeared in her eyes.

Ren Luning wanted to come out of the water, but Wen Feifei stopped him. "Don't come up. Even though I'm not a senior like Ran Ran, I've been an actress since my debut. I have more experience than you."

Ren Luning's face turned pale, but Wen Feifei pretended not to see, insisting, "Get back in the water. Ran Ran was just in there. Only then can you see how I perform. That way, you won't continue NGing later."

Everyone watched as Ren Luning reluctantly followed her instructions, not wanting to ruin his reputation.

Having NGed three times before, Wen Feifei's guidance was given three times as well. When Ren Luning was finally pulled out of the water, he was completely frozen.

Zuo Mingran stood by with his arms crossed, coldly watching him. "Have you learned?"

Ren Luning didn't dare to say that he didn't know. Seeing Zuo Mingran's posture, he was afraid that if he uttered even half a word of "no," he would be pushed into the water again.

The scene had to continue shooting. Ren Luning had to go change his clothes. When he came out after changing, the director came up with a compromise solution. First, they would shoot the scene of Ren Luning running to the edge of the swimming pool, and then they would shoot the scene of him rescuing Zuo Mingran from the water.

Ren Luning was infuriated, but helpless. After finishing the scene, he immediately returned to his dressing room and slammed the door shut.

The internet was already buzzing with discussions about the incident, and now with this interlude, the crew members carried their curiosity but could only exchange glances.

As tensions rose around him, Zuo Mingran lowered his eyes and quietly gave An Qi a few instructions. Soon after, An Qi came back with many milk tea drinks.

As the weather turned colder, everyone put on their thick coats. During the break in filming, Zuo Mingran, who had changed out of his wet clothes, wrapped himself in a coat and carried two cups of coffee to the director's side.

Director Wang was looking at the next shooting plan. As the plot progressed, the romantic relationship between the male and female leads would become more prominent. However, with Zuo Mingran and Ren Luning currently disliking each other, even if they adjusted their state of mind, some clues might still be noticeable.

Director Wang was worried to the point of losing his hair. He had directed many dramas over the years and seen countless female leads and supporting actresses squabble, as well as male leads and supporting actors not getting along. However, this was the first time he had seen such a mismatched atmosphere between the male and female leads.

Zuo Mingran handed the coffee to him with a smile. "Director Wang, how is it?"

Director Wang had an easy-going personality and was usually smiling in the crew. He didn't have much attitude. During breaks, Zuo Mingran would come over and chat with him about plot-related matters.

"Mingran, come, sit down and talk," Director Wang said.

The assistant quickly brought a stool, and Zuo Mingran didn't stand on ceremony. He sat down next to the director, watching the scenes they had just shot together.

Director Wang: "Mingran, your expression is still a bit off; it's not easy to handle."

Zuo Mingran smiled. "Then let's shoot it again. I can do it."

Director Wang had directed Zuo Mingran's drama before, but it was three years ago. At that time, Zuo Mingran wasn't as famous as she is now. She played a minor role, with not many scenes, and left the crew after staying for half a month. Director Wang didn't have a deep impression of her, the only feeling he had was that she was beautiful but seemed dull, lacking vitality.

So it wasn't surprising when the title of "vase beauty" started circulating about Zuo Mingran, and he wasn't bothered by it.

Since Director Wang knew that Zuo Mingran had invested in this drama and there was a little-known male lead, he knew that they could just shoot casually and rely on post-production for the quality.

However, what he didn't expect was that Zuo Mingran actually improved rapidly. Although he couldn't be called a transcendent actor, at least he didn't have the same vacant expression and awkward acting as before. And during the filming period, Zuo Mingran's progress was visible to the naked eye, leaving a good impression on many people in the crew.

Director Wang touched his receding hairline. "Well, the major issue doesn't lie with you. Even if we shoot a few more times, it'll be the same."

Zuo Mingran smiled and handed him the coffee without saying a word.

Director Wang asked, "Are you familiar with the script for the upcoming scenes with Feifei?"

Zuo Mingran replied, "I've already memorized it, and we've rehearsed a few times. The effect is pretty good."

"At first, I was worried about the two of you," Director Wang joked. "But I didn't expect you to harmonize well."

Zuo Mingran also laughed. "It was just a small misunderstanding. Once we talked it out, everything was fine."

Just as they were talking, Wen Feifei came over holding a cup of pearl milk tea. "What are you talking about?"

Director Wang teased her, "We were just discussing whether you've gained weight again."

Wen Feifei turned around and walked away. She was not tall, with a round face, and in this era where almond-shaped faces were prevalent, people would discuss whether she had gained weight every few days.

Zuo Mingran called her back and pulled another chair to sit beside her, patting it and saying, "If you go back now, your milk tea will be confiscated by Xiaofei."

Like Zuo Mingran, Wen Feifei's weight was strictly controlled, especially high-calorie drinks like milk tea, which were strictly prohibited. However, Wen Feifei liked to drink it and could only occasionally buy and drink a cup when her manager and Xiaofei weren't around.

Wen Feifei sat lazily on the chair and found an angle that would block her from view. With pearl tea in her mouth, she mumbled, "Are we discussing the script? I'm listening."

Director Wang brought up their previous scenes and said a few words before opening the script to explain the upcoming scenes to them. After a while, Ji Jian, who played a supporting role, joined them and put his arm around Director Wang's shoulder, saying, "What are you all so happy about? Can I join in?"

Zuo Mingran laughed. "Are we about to play mahjong?"

Wang Dao's spirit was lifted. "Mahjong? When?" 

The three of them couldn't help but laugh and continued with the script's topic. 

Online, the situation continued to be a stalemate between the two sides. Several waves of media came to the set, expressing their intention to visit, but they were all politely declined by Director Wang. 

After work, as Zuo Mingran rubbed her tired eyes and got into the car, she looked up and saw Shi Shuangxia, who she hadn't seen for a long time and should be in the neighboring city, sitting in the car.