33, The Ruse of Self-Injury

The speaker was Yu Huixi.

She was also the actress portraying the Empress Dowager in this film.

Within the entire crew, she was considered a senior to all the actors, having won several awards for Best Actress at film festivals, and was currently semi-retired. She must have agreed to make a cameo appearance out of respect for Director Chen.

Director Chen treated her with great respect as well. "Mr. Yu, please go ahead."

Yu Huixi said, "This Miss Ye obviously doesn't have much experience in filming. Even a simple line comes out stuttered and lacks proper breath control. I can hardly hear her from where I'm sitting. What's the matter? Didn't get to eat lunch at the Robin Hood Hotel, so you're lacking strength?"

Ye Jiaorui felt both embarrassed and at a loss. "I'm sorry, Mr. Yu, I'm just too nervous..."

"I understand, after all, this is your first role with lines."

Ye Jiaorui again: "..."

Yu Huixi sharply criticized before finally getting to the point: "My method is very simple, Miss Ye. You don't need to recite your lines anymore, just drop them all. Let Miss Sheng speak. After she's finished, she'll slap you — a real slap."

Ye Jiaorui's eyes widened in shock. "Ah?"

Director Chen, however, seemed thoughtful and then had an epiphany. "That makes sense! Now, Ru Fei is the Imperial Concubine, and this is happening during a palace banquet with so many people watching. To speak and then slap would really emphasize her domineering and spoiled character setup from earlier in the story. Alright, let's do it that way. Sheng Congzhi, you go ahead and slap for real, but be careful to control your strength, don't hit too hard."

Sheng Congzhi smiled and nodded. "Okay."

Not hit too hard eh?

...

Sheng Wanrou, who was waiting outside the shed, became anxious upon hearing this. "Why has it suddenly turned into a real slap? I thought we agreed on a fake one?"

The assistant director was also taken aback. "Mrs. Ye, don't worry, I'll go and ask."

But as soon as he entered the shed, the scene had already begun shooting.

Sheng Congzhi's expression became stern, and she smoothly delivered a series of lines before raising her right hand.

There was a loud "smack".

Ye Jiaorui's face was turned to one side from the slap.

A clear imprint of five fingers soon appeared on her cheek.

She even staggered, totally unprepared for Sheng Congzhi to strike so hard. It took her a long time to react...

"Cut!"

Director Chen jumped up from his chair, once again exploding in anger, "Where's the reaction? The reaction after you've been slapped? Where's the response I need?"

Ye Jiaorui, her eyes red with pain, replied in a voice filled with resentment, "I, I..."

"Can you actually act or not?"

After several tries, compounded with the hot weather, Director Chen, already a workaholic, was on edge since they'd rented the film city venue in advance every day. If they couldn't finish this scene soon, it would delay the entire film's schedule.

"If you can't act, we'll replace you! We're just wasting time here!"

Ye Jiaorui: "..."

She dared not talk back.

Instead, the assistant director stepped forward and whispered a few words.

Director Chen took a deep breath, "Let's go again, everyone, get ready!"

"Director Chen," Sheng Congzhi suddenly spoke up, "let's touch up Miss Ye's makeup first."

The slap that had just occurred left a red mark on Ye Jiaorui's face, and her hair had become somewhat messy as well; she really didn't look good on camera.

Director Chen waved his hand to indicate they should hurry. "Make it quick."

The makeup artist rushed over.

And Ye Jiaorui just watched Sheng Congzhi, a flash of malicious scheming crossing her eyes.

Fine.

You think it's because I'm inexperienced at acting?

You'll regret this, Sheng Congzhi!

The official shooting began—

Sheng Congzhi stepped forward, fiercely delivering her lines, then raised her hand for another slap.

Ye Jiaorui turned her face to the side, then quickly turned back, "I, I didn't mean to, please forgive me..."

"Cut!"

Director Chen interrupted sharply, "What line is that you're saying now? You're playing a maid..."

Before he could finish, Ye Jiaorui started apologizing, "I'm sorry, Director Chen, I suddenly forgot the lines."

Director Chen looked at her: "..."

In his more than twenty years of making films, he had never seen someone so amateurish!

Even the simplest scene with a slap was turned into such a lengthy ordeal!

If it weren't for the fact that she was the mistress of the Ye Family and had invested twenty million in the film, he would have replaced her long ago!

"Director Chen, please give me another chance," Ye Jiaorui asked politely. "I can perform well this time."

Taking a deep breath, Director Chen calmed his anger. "Everyone get ready, action!"

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...

Just like that.

After five consecutive slaps, the scene was finally passed.

Sheng Wanrou hurried over.

Ye Jiaorui applied makeup several times to cover the slap marks on her cheek, but even so, it was clear that one side of her face had swollen terribly!

Sheng Wanrou was extremely distressed, "That damned girl, she really dared to hit hard! I'm going to settle the score with her..."

"Mom, I'm fine." Ye Jiaorui hastily held her back, with a look of aggrieved acceptance, "It's all for the sake of the filming, she didn't do it on purpose."

After saying this, she also reached up to hold her forehead, "Mom, I feel a little uncomfortable, can you ask Director Chen for a leave on my behalf..."

"What's wrong? Where do you feel uncomfortable?" Sheng Wanrou was shocked and frantic, "You two, come over here quickly!"

Two assistants hurried over to attend to her.

The rest of the crew was drawn in by the commotion and crowded around as well.

Then someone said, "Could it be heatstroke?"

"We have to go to the hospital."

Worried about her daughter, Sheng Wanrou could only go and ask Director Chen for leave.

Since she had supposedly suffered heatstroke, Director Chen, however displeased, could only agree.

And so a large group of people made a grand exit.

Chang Wan was completely baffled, "Wasn't she just fine a moment ago? How did she suddenly get heatstroke?"

Sheng Congzhi quietly fanned herself and memorized her lines from the script, oblivious to the outside world.

Equally unperturbed was Yu Huixi, "Director Chen, let's film the later scenes first. We can't let the progress of the whole drama be delayed because of one person."

Director Chen nodded.

Ten minutes later, filming resumed.

Needless to say, without Ye Jiaorui, everyone shot their scenes very smoothly, almost all in one take.

Director Chen's mood improved, and he called it a wrap at nine o'clock.

In the makeup room, Chang Wan whispered, "Sister Zhi, I heard that Ye Jiaorui is getting an IV at the hospital."

Sheng Congzhi looked in the mirror, "Really?"

"I heard it from the assistant director." Chang Wan didn't have a good impression of Ye Jiaorui, "We all filmed under the sun for so long today, is she the only one too delicate? Maybe she's just trying to shirk work?"

Sheng Congzhi chuckled, but didn't continue the conversation.

Back at the hotel.

Passing the service desk, a staff member called out, "Miss Sheng, you're finally back, you have a parcel."

Chang Wan took the box, "What is it?"

"I'm not sure."

"Sister Zhi, could it be a gift from a fan?" Chang Wan was uncertain.

With so many fans going crazy with love these days, and of course, plenty of haters too... it was always good to be cautious.

Sheng Congzhi glanced at it, "Shouldn't be."

Because the sending address was from Yunjing Hospital.

If she wasn't wrong, it should be from someone...

She took out her phone, snapped a photo and sent it: [Did you send this?]

Fu Yan replied instantly: [Why are you only getting back to the hotel now?]

It's definitely from him.

Sheng Congzhi replied with a "Hmm" and put down her phone, "Let's go."

...

Back in the room, she opened the box.

And was instantly stunned.

Inside was...

Her very own wedding diamond ring.

As if by telepathy, a message from that person came in: [Did you see the thing?]

Sheng Congzhi exhaled deeply and typed to him: [Why are you sending this?]

Fu Yan: [Just a reminder of your status as a married woman.]

?!

Sheng Congzhi gritted her back teeth: [Fu Yan, be a decent human being.]

I've never seen someone so snide!

"Sister Zhi!"

Chang Wan suddenly burst in through the door, "Something happened!"

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