Chapter 178: Visiting the Set
Tang Yumeng started filming, her role, though not the female lead, carrying significant weight, the story primarily focused on the male protagonist.
Life on set was hectic, her days filled with filming, her evenings spent studying the script and memorizing lines. She was working hard.
Hearing she had started filming, Fang Jiangning wanted to visit the set, bringing Yu Linna along, and also inviting Ye Zhiyun and Dai Wenqian, the latter clearly eager for a chance to mingle with celebrities.
They had met Tang Yumeng during their stay at the villa, their shared interests forging an unlikely friendship. Tang Yumeng, a couple of years older, treated them with kindness, and they wanted to show their support.
Yu Linna, familiar with the procedures, easily navigated the set, finding Tang Yumeng rehearsing a scene.
“Hey, you’re here! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”
Tang Yumeng, in costume, looked different from her usual self, but her smile was as warm as ever.
“We wanted to surprise you, Senior Yumeng! How’s filming going?”
“Pretty good.”
Tang Yumeng smiled, patting Fang Jiangning’s head, then opened a bottle of water.
Dream Life, though marketed commercially, was essentially an art house film exploring themes of dreams and reality. Such a heavy film wasn’t likely to be a box office hit, but it had potential for critical acclaim.
Director Wang had directed successful films in the past, even winning awards at international film festivals, but his attempts at commercial films had failed, his reputation declining. However, he was still a respected figure among older generations.
“I’ve read the script. It’s a good story, though a bit… heavy.”
Yu Linna had read the script, though an incomplete version, thanks to Tang Yumeng, and understood the premise. From a commercial standpoint, it wasn’t a promising project, lacking the typical tropes and hooks, but the story itself was compelling.
“I hope it turns out well. I like the story. It’s not a commercial film, which is… a good thing.”
With a cryptic smile, Tang Yumeng put down her water bottle and returned to filming.
Chenghe had contacted her recently, wanting to sign her, but she had refused.
They had then attempted to “teach her a lesson,” but realizing sabotaging an art house film wouldn’t benefit them, and she wasn’t a valuable asset like Nangong Ying, they had backed down.
So, for now, there was peace.
At least Chenghe wasn’t bothering her, perhaps having deemed her commercially insignificant.
Only Ye Zhiyun and Yu Linna understood the implications of this situation, their experience in the entertainment industry revealing the darkness lurking beneath the glamorous facade.
With Tang Yumeng busy filming, they decided to wait until she was done, then take her out for dinner. Dai Wenqian, always eager to mingle with celebrities, wanted to collect autographs, while Fang Jiangning, her livestreaming plans thwarted by the crew, joined Dai Wenqian in her quest for autographs.
Yu Linna and Ye Zhiyun stood on a path outside the studio, chatting, the bustling activity of the film set, the crew, the actors, the extras, a vibrant backdrop to their conversation. Cameras rolled, and staff members orchestrated the controlled chaos of filmmaking.
Yu Linna hadn’t technically acted in a film before, her experience limited to extra roles and commercials for Chenghe.
“Remembering the old days?”
“A little.”
She recalled her naive optimism, her dreams of stardom, her efforts ultimately ending in disappointment and disillusionment.
Looking at the actors in front of the cameras, reciting their lines, striking poses, she remembered her own desire to be in their place, a dream she had abandoned.
She was a novelist now.
The cast, mostly newcomers and second- or third-tier actors, with no recognizable stars, even the male lead, Chu Yan, a veteran of supporting and villain roles, their only claim to fame being the director himself.
“This story… it’s kind of like your own experience, don’t you think?”
“It is, isn’t it? It’s like… my own life story.”
Yu Linna couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity, though she knew it was Director Wang’s original work.
It felt… too real.
Like the story she had written after her failed audition…
But it was probably just a coincidence.
“Nana, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
She shook her head, dispelling the thought. She was probably overthinking it.
Director Wang, busy with filming, spotted Yu Linna and, delighted by her visit, bought them drinks during a break, his kindness evident.
“Young lady, we meet again. You’re in your senior year now, right? Is school going well?”
“My grades are fine. I can get into university with my eyes closed.”
“Haha, I like your confidence. Here, have some drinks. Don’t be shy.”
His assistant was surprised by his unusual display of friendliness. Though generally amiable, he rarely went out of his way like this.
Director Wang genuinely liked Yu Linna. Since her arrival, filming had been going smoothly, the story unfolding as he envisioned. This girl seemed to bring good luck.
And the story itself, Dream Life, had originated from a crumpled piece of paper he had found in a trash can, a thousand-word story he had expanded and developed, its author unknown, its premise captivating, inspiring him.
Seeing Yu Linna, he felt a strange sense of kinship.
Yu Linna accepted his kindness, though maintaining a polite distance, not wanting to impose.
“You seem… more reserved than before. You used to be so easygoing. What happened?”
“I’ve always been like this.”
“…”
Well, that killed the conversation, Ye Zhiyun thought, wanting to facepalm.
But it was Yu Linna; it didn’t matter. Anything she did was…
Finally, filming ended, and Tang Yumeng, after bidding farewell to the crew, took her juniors out for dinner, declaring it her treat.
Though her acting career wasn’t particularly successful, her income unstable, she had received a portion of her salary for this film, enough for a celebratory dinner. They didn’t hesitate to accept her offer.
“This film actually pays quite well. The total budget is about ten million, and my salary is eighty thousand, and I’m not even the female lead! Not bad, right?”
Tang Yumeng, discussing her salary, couldn’t help but sound a bit proud. Though a paltry sum in the industry, she was satisfied, especially for an art house film. And she was still relatively unknown.
Yu Linna, now a millionaire, couldn’t relate, but seeing her excitement over eighty thousand yuan, she recalled her own struggles in the entertainment industry, the joy of earning even five hundred yuan, a memory both bittersweet and nostalgic.
“That’s still quite low. Don’t some celebrities earn millions, even tens of millions, per film?” Fang Jiangning commented.
Salary was a contentious topic in the entertainment industry, fame and fortune often intertwined, though some relied solely on their popularity and fan base to demand exorbitant fees, despite their lack of talent or substantial work. True actors, with genuine skill and experience, often earned far less.
“Everyone has to start somewhere. This is a good start for me. My career is just beginning. My goal is simple, a small goal, to start with.”
“Earn a hundred million?”
“No, just a million.”
Tang Yumeng’s eyes sparkled as she talked about her dreams, her genuine passion evident.
Even without knowing what the future held, she embraced the present, her optimism infectious, reminding Yu Linna of her own past aspirations.
“Then I wish you all the best, Senior Yumeng. May you become a superstar.”
“Thank you. By the way, I’ll ask my brother to drive you home later. His car is quite spacious.”
She sent a message to her brother, asking him to pick them up. Though she rarely stayed at home, she still felt responsible for her juniors.
After dinner, they chatted for a while longer, then her brother arrived. The young man, after exchanging brief greetings, exchanged a look with Yu Linna, a silent acknowledgment.
Tang Yumeng, puzzled, wondered what was going on.
“Shion-sensei… hello…”
“Um… hello… Bai Chen-sensei…”
What a small world, Tang Yulong thought.
