Chapter 13: Part 3

Because the field recorder was urging her insistently, Lin Zixi had no choice but to set aside her script for the moment and hurry to the filming location.

Ye Can, with nothing better to do, led Tong Lin along as well.

Once they arrived on set, Lin Zixi learned that Yu Ming had called her over to discuss changing the script.

The scene Yu Ming’s crew was shooting that afternoon was a bamboo grove chase sequence, almost entirely done on wire harnesses. The highlight of the scene fell on Yang Shu, but after she scratched her finger during two wire stunts that afternoon, her agent threw a fit and absolutely refused to let her continue. The agent claimed the bamboo grove scene was too risky for scratches on the face—a female star’s looks couldn’t afford any damage.

Yu Ming tried to compromise: “We don’t have to shoot her face. We can use a stunt double and dub in close-ups of her face later.”

Yang Shu’s agent wasn’t having it: “Our Yang Shu is a dedicated actress. How could we use a stunt double? Besides, none of those doubles match her figure.”

The actors in the Limbo Inn crew, including Jiang Yue, all performed their own stunts with minimal doubles. That’s why they’d specially found a martial stunt double for Yang Shu when she joined.

But Yang Shu thought the double’s build was far too different from hers—lacking in grace—so she’d rejected it and insisted on doing the wires herself. Her inexperience had led to the current mess.

Yang Shu’s agent was relentless, grinding down Yu Ming until he had no choice but to call in Lin Zixi to deal with her.

Passing the buck happened now and then on set, but Yu Ming and Lin Zixi were on good terms, and this was a critical phase of filming. He shot her an apologetic look and pushed her forward: “How about this—the screenwriter’s here now. Take it up with her.”

With that, Yu Ming clapped his hands and prepared to shoot the next scene.

Lin Zixi understood the director’s predicament. She stepped in as the mediator to smooth things over. If she could convince Yang Shu’s agent to allow a stunt double, everyone would be happy.

Lin Zixi had always been mild-mannered, the polar opposite of Yu Ming’s occasional tyrannical outbursts, so people were willing to talk with her.

She spoke softly to Yang Shu’s agent, gently reminding her: “Miss Yang Shu has some hefty scenes ahead, and we’re still early in production. We really hope for smooth cooperation with her.”

Heavy scenes and standout roles were a boon for any actor. But if things soured with the production team, that could all change.

Yang Shu’s agent was no pushover: “Our Yang Shu isn’t some delicate flower. It’s just that this scene is way too unsafe. She’s sacrificing too much.”

Lin Zixi kept her tone patient: “We get that Miss Yang Shu is professional. How about we add an extra scene for her as compensation?”

The agent haggled: “One scene’s too few. Make it two.”

In the end, whether to make sacrifices came down to the payoff. Lin Zixi knew this all too well and furrowed her brow, looking troubled.

Ye Can had been standing off to the side with Tong Lin, munching on melon seeds and watching the drama unfold for what felt like ages. Lin Zixi was taking it all in stride, but Ye Can was getting pissed.

She dumped the remaining seeds into Tong Lin’s hands, clapped off the shells, and glared at Yang Shu’s agent: “Why are you making such a fuss? Just listen to what she’s saying!”

Ye Can was dressed in haute couture, her looks the epitome of refined beauty. The agent had noticed her early on but wasn’t sure of her status, so she’d kept her distance.

Now that Ye Can had spoken, the agent’s curiosity piqued: “Teacher Lin, who’s this…?”

Ye Can shot back with disdain: “None of your business who I am!”

Lin Zixi, ever the nice one, chimed in: “Her surname’s Ye. She’s a friend of mine.”

In Flower City, anyone with the Ye surname and that air of privilege had ties to the Ye Family. Savvy agents like her clocked it immediately—this was some young missy.

Even so, Yang Shu’s agent pressed on: “This is production business, Miss Ye. Best not to meddle. Teacher Lin, I still think two extra scenes is fair.”

Ye Can was fuming: “Why can’t I say anything? I think she makes perfect sense. Your star just doesn’t want to do the wires, right?”

“If she doesn’t want to, get someone to double for her!”

As she spoke, Ye Can yanked Tong Lin forward and pointed at her: “Use her. She’s got an agile build, and her back view’s gorgeous. Better than your girl, no?”

Yang Shu’s agent was mortified. She glanced between Ye Can and Lin Zixi: “Uh… what do you think, Teacher Lin…?”

They’d been negotiating seriously, and Ye Can’s outburst made it all seem unprofessional. Lin Zixi felt a pang of frustration but said to the agent: “How about adding scenes and letting Miss Yang Shu use a double?”

The agent pondered: “Fine, but we need a new double whose figure matches hers closely.”

Ye Can opened her mouth to retort when that icy voice echoed in her mind again.

“Traverse Hardships activated: Play an extra a thousand times to raise Favorability to 11, or suffer one Heavenly Punishment.”

The sudden voice made Ye Can frown. She was still puzzling over what “playing an extra” meant when another line followed: “Complete the ‘Stunt Double’ task: Finish shooting Yang Shu’s stunt scene within one hour.”

Ye Can scowled inwardly. What a pain. No reward? I’m not doing it. Even with a reward, no way.

So she righteously refused in her mind: “I am the sovereign of a kingdom—how could I debase myself as a clown entertaining the masses? Shameless cur, I won’t do it!”

But the Immoral God was true to her name, quickly showing Ye Can the cost of refusal.

In the next instant, Lin Zixi—who’d been standing right in front of her—went limp and toppled toward the ground.

Ye Can’s reflexes kicked in; she caught Lin Zixi and pulled her into her arms. In that moment of holding her, Ye Can’s back broke out in cold sweat.

For those few seconds, Lin Zixi only registered a brief blackout. When she came to, she was nestled in Ye Can’s embrace.

Yang Shu’s agent cried out: “Teacher Lin, are you okay? What happened—you just fainted out of nowhere! Should we call 120?”

Still dazed, Lin Zixi shook her head from within Ye Can’s arms: “No… probably low blood sugar.”

Ye Can, holding her from behind, clenched her jaw and silently cursed that vile Immoral God a hundred times over.

“Despicable! Shameless! Vile and low! For something so trivial, why drag her into it!”

But the Immoral God ignored the tirade. Once Ye Can had vented, she exhaled sharply and icily told Yang Shu’s agent: “I’ll be her stunt double!”

Lin Zixi looked up in shock at Ye Can, who kept a stern face while holding her tight, declaring firmly: “I’ll double for that woman. Stop making things hard for her.”

The words were for the agent, but they were aimed at the immoral deity who treated her like a toy.