Chapter 45: Putting on a Show

Lian Youyou was rehearsing martial arts moves with Fu Yuanye, while Fan Xiaoyun continued to memorize her lines.

“These lines are impossible to remember, they're so long!” Fan Xiaoyun tossed the script aside in frustration. “I never want to take another period drama again, just looking at it annoys me!”

Although Fan Xiaoyun had never studied abroad, she had traveled extensively. She loved American TV shows and enjoyed the environment of the US and various European countries. Her English was excellent; if it hadn’t been for her high school crush, the handsome senior Fu Yuanye, she would have majored in English and planned to study overseas.

“Isn’t it because Yuanye took this job?” Xiao Shu picked up her script for her. “Our Xiaoyun looks so beautiful in period costumes, like a princess…”

“What’s beautiful about it? It’s so tacky.” Like her father, Fan Chi, Fan Xiaoyun had absolutely no interest in traditional culture.

Suddenly, Fan Xiaoyun’s eyes sparkled. She gathered her skirts and sat next to Shao Zihan, who was also reading her script.

“Zihan, I heard you were originally supposed to play the second female lead, Wang Xian, right?”

Fan Xiaoyun hit a sore spot. Shao Zihan’s face, which had been full of dramatic emotion, fell instantly. “Why are you asking? To show off that you’re the lead? Yes, I’m not as awesome as you, don’t have a director dad, okay?”

“Oh, Zihan, you’re taking it the wrong way. I wasn’t mocking you, and I didn’t get the role through my dad either.” Fan Xiaoyun glanced toward Lian Youyou.

“But that Lian Youyou, I asked Director Li, and he said you were perfect for Wang Xian during auditions. But she’s got a wealthy patron backing her, brought her own investment to the crew. They had to give her a major role.”

Shao Zihan snorted. “Patron? She’s just her sponsor. So what if she’s clinging to a rich guy? Without talent, she won’t earn anyone’s respect!”

“That’s the entertainment industry, isn’t it? Full of filth. Director Li wants to add more scenes for her, and she almost has more screen time than me now.” Fan Xiaoyun sounded indignant. “Hmph! With people like her, relying on money and patrons, it really holds back talented actors like you. But with strong connections, no one dares to touch her.”

Hearing Fan Xiaoyun’s ‘concerned’ words, Shao Zihan immediately started plotting.

“Oh Zihan, look at me, always daydreaming. Alright, time to shoot, let’s go.” Fan Xiaoyun stuffed the script into her wide sleeves and got up.

“Alright, everyone ready! Cameras in position, actors ready, ‘Legend of De Zhao,’ Scene 23, Shot 3, Take 1—action!”

Li, the director, guided from the side with his megaphone, “Ping’er, accompanied by maid Bilian, walks slowly from the pavilion, glances left and right, good, camera zooms in for a close-up of Ping’er. Ping’er’s expression needs to be more resolute—you’re a clever woman, you’ve guessed Wang Xian’s motives. Stop when you reach Wang Xian!”

Fan Xiaoyun and Lian Youyou locked eyes.

Fan Xiaoyun bowed to Lian Youyou and said, “Madam Han, you summoned Ping’er so late, may I ask what for?”

Lian Youyou arched her slender brows. “What, do I need to check the hour to invite you?”

“Ping’er wouldn’t dare. May I ask, Madam Han—”

The director quickly interjected, “Wang Xian slaps Ping’er now! Then say your line!”

As Lian Youyou’s hand swept down, Fan Xiaoyun turned her face aside, completing the slap with clever camera positioning.

“Don’t know why I summoned you? Do I need to list out all your vile deeds one by one?”

Shao Zihan stepped forward to shield Fan Xiaoyun, angrily declaring, “Though you are Madam Han, what crime has my lady committed for you to strike her?”

Lian Youyou’s maid, emboldened by her mistress, put her hands on her hips. “Slapping your lady is already giving her face! My mistress is of noble birth, hitting your disgusting courtesan only dirties her hands!”

“Look at you, such a seductive fox, truly repulsive,” Lian Youyou said coldly, fanning herself. “Guards, drag this pair of master and servant away, lock them up!”

“Cut! That’s a wrap!”

“Youyou, you were fantastic!” Director Li gave Lian Youyou a thumbs-up. “You’ve inherited your mother’s talent for acting! You must be my leading lady in my next project, I’m booking you in advance!”

“Director Li, you’re exaggerating,” Lian Youyou replied, taking the water from assistant Coco with a smile. “I’m just a newcomer, still have much to learn.”

Director Li stood and clapped, raising his voice, “Props, prepare the set! Makeup, touch up the actors—today’s main scene is up next.”

Coco sat beside Lian Youyou, pouting in dissatisfaction. “Youyou, look, Fan Xiaoyun is playing a courtesan, but her costume is much prettier than yours. So unfair—clearly you should…”

“Why worry about such things? I’m not an ornament. I don’t need beautiful costumes to win.” Lian Youyou was unconcerned, turning to the makeup artist, “Please deepen the red eye shadow around my eyes. Yes, I need to look enraged and ready to kill in the next scene—it’ll be more effective.”

The makeup artist followed her instructions, surprised. “Miss Lian, is this really your first shoot? You seem more professional than Fan Xiaoyun, in acting and stagecraft, costumes, props—you’re much better.”

Fan Xiaoyun disliked period dramas mainly because audiences now preferred more authentic representations of ancient attire. The more authentic, the further from modern aesthetics—and that was unacceptable to Fan Xiaoyun, who only wanted to maintain her glamorous image.

She agreed to this drama only because Fu Yuanye was starring, and the heroine was a courtesan with beautiful costumes. This was Fan Xiaoyun’s first period drama as a rising star, giving the production an extra promotional boost.

“Xiaoyun hasn’t graduated from acting school, she’s still young.” A mere freshman—her own mother couldn’t out-act Lian Youyou, yet this senior wanted to compete?

Fan Xiaoyun was a year younger, but started college earlier, so they were classmates.

Coco nudged Youyou’s back, whispering, “Youyou, look, Director Fan is here!”

“He’s here to visit his precious daughter, Fan Xiaoyun,” Lian Youyou replied, not even looking.

“But he’s walking toward you…”

Fan Xiaoyun spotted Fan Chi and ran over excitedly.

“Dad! Are you visiting? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Fan Chi pushed her aside, “I’m not here for you today.”

He really did walk straight over to Lian Youyou.

“Youyou, today is your birthday. You’re filming, so I can’t throw you a party, but I’ll celebrate with you on set. Don’t be upset.”

Lian Youyou looked up at Fan Chi, unmoving in her chair. “What?”

What day was it? Fan Chi was giving her a birthday celebration?

Fan Xiaoyun’s eyes widened with rage. Her eyes were already large from cosmetic surgery, but now they were almost frightening. “Why would my dad celebrate her birthday? She doesn’t deserve to be part of our family. Who does she think she is!”

Xiao Shu quickly held back the furious Fan Xiaoyun. “Calm down, Xiaoyun! This is a public setting—Director Li and the producer are here. Don’t ruin the company’s image for you!”

Fan Chi carefully placed a square box on the table beside Lian Youyou, untied the silk ribbon, and opened it to reveal a delicate cake.

The round cake was topped with fresh, fragrant cream, crowned in the center with a sparkling silver tiara, and ringed with deep purple cherries.

“Dad remembers you always loved cherries as a child. There aren’t any this season, so I bought imported ones and had the baker place them on the cake. I heard imported cherries are just American cherries.”

His daughter loved cherries too, just like him.

The big cherries from Binhai City were famous nationwide; every year at the end of May, when cherries ripened, she would eat nothing but cherries, from the moment they appeared until the season ended.

“Oh, Director Fan, you’re here to visit Xiaoyun?” Director Li came over, eyes lingering on the cake, then exclaimed, “Isn’t that the crown you bought at the recent auction? What was the price again?”

“Two hundred twenty thousand,” Fan Chi replied.

He carefully removed the crown, wiped the cake from the base with a small napkin. “Youyou, today is your twenty-second birthday. Dad is giving you this crown worth two hundred twenty thousand…”

“Dad!” Fan Xiaoyun could no longer stand it, rushing over to point at the crown. “You promised to give that to me for my birthday next year! Why give it to her?”

Lian Youyou glanced at the crown and said to Fan Xiaoyun, “If you like it so much, take it. I don’t care for such things.”

“So you’re saying you don’t want it, and just tossed it to me?” Fan Xiaoyun shouted in frustration. “Well, I don’t want it either!”

Fan Chi glared at Fan Xiaoyun. “Why? Because she’s your elder sister. So the family’s gifts go to her first!”

Lian Youyou watched the father and daughter performing their act before her, barely containing her amusement. Was this a family drama?

“Thank you for the cake.” Lian Youyou picked up a cherry and popped it in her mouth, laughing softly. “It tastes good.”

She opened the small bag next to the cake, took out the knife and fork, and handed them to Coco. “Coco, share the cake with everyone. You should have a piece too—it’s delicious.”

With that, Lian Youyou took the first slice Coco had cut, and walked over to Fu Yuanye, who was memorizing his lines. “Let’s run our scene together.”

“Why did Director Fan come?” Fu Yuanye asked after taking a bite of cake. “Miss, don’t get me wrong—I’m not prying into your family affairs. But you sounded like you really dislike him. Yet just now, you looked happy?”