When will I be the queen

Chapter 472 Accident
[I'm dying of laughter at Cai Cai, how can she be so sincere and funny?]

[Cai Cai is really embarrassed. I'm trying hard to comfort her, but I can't find the right words.]

[Boss Mei is ruthless! Mu Lian embarrassed Cai Cai, so he just came up and exposed her shortcomings to her face.]

[But in the end, it's Cai Cai who gets hurt. The way she looks at Boss Mei is like, "Is it really okay for you to be so direct?"]

[Is it Mu Lian who's injured?]

Mu Lian clearly asked the wrong question; who asks something like "happy"?

[Cai Cai is truly isolated from the entertainment industry.]

[The vast film and television library is truly comprehensive!]

[The immortal lord in the arena is also watching Cai Cai's live stream, and his expression is really unpleasant, hahaha]

The Immortal Lord knew Mei Zhang was doing this on purpose; he had directly portrayed Mu Lian as the villain. So regardless of whether Mu Lian was truly distracted, he wanted to embarrass her in person, making her understand the consequences of embarrassing Cai Cai. It was also a way of making an example of her. Cai Cai might be kind, but that didn't mean she could be treated carelessly.

Sometimes, people are more lenient with kind and honest children because they don't have to worry about offending them.

There's really no need to worry about offending Cai Cai, because she's completely unaware that she's been offended, and she certainly won't hold a grudge. But the consequences of offending Cai Cai are something to worry about, and even something to be careful about.

But doing so left Cai Cai confused and bewildered. This ultimately proved to be a losing proposition.

The Immortal Lord felt that in this situation, the actress should be replaced immediately. There was no need to argue with the other party on camera. While the message that Cai Cai was someone you couldn't offend was conveyed, it also generated more chaotic comments online, further reinforcing Cai Cai's image as kind, honest, and naive. Even if this is Cai Cai's true character, it shouldn't be reinforced like this. Otherwise, if Cai Cai plays a slightly cunning or scheming character in the future, the audience will be taken aback.

Mei Zhang clearly understands this perfectly; she doesn't let Cai Cai appear in public, preventing the public from getting a strong impression of Cai Cai's true self. Because the real Cai Cai is just too unique and too likable. This is a talent that variety show personalities crave but can't possess, something actors often lack.

As a result, in order to establish authority and vent their anger, they staged this whole thing.
Mei Zhang was simply heartbroken for his child. Cai Cai's panicked and helpless state was truly distressing to him. He wasn't unaware of the consequences of his actions, but between the future and the present, Mei Zhang chose the present. He couldn't let his child suffer!
The live stream was incredibly popular, but the director wasn't happy. They didn't want to offend Cai Cai more than the buzz and viewership. That's why the director was so anxious. If it were any other celebrity, and something went wrong while trying to salvage the situation, the director would be ecstatic. Hua Mei's style is all about stirring up trouble. But this is Cai Cai! They went to great lengths to invite her, to coax her into saving the day. They spent so much money, and even then, it didn't have a positive effect. Even though the buzz and comments are positive, it's only because the person in question is Cai Cai!
Try someone else!

Even if Hua Mei had a million lives, she wouldn't dare to embarrass Cai Cai to gain attention!

The director wished Gaba would die here.
On camera, Cai Cai felt even more embarrassed after speaking, realizing that she and Mei Zhang were the epitome of villains—rude and disrespectful, not only embarrassing others but also failing to offer adequate comfort.
Ugh, work is so hard.
Cai Cai looked utterly dejected.

After being provoked, Mu Lian regained her senses.

Actually, the company had been keeping him silent about his ex-girlfriend, saying they'd wait for the right opportunity to talk about it and cultivate a persona of deep affection and unwavering loyalty despite his unfortunate encounter. Mu Lian felt that this was the perfect, ideal opportunity.

"I'm really glad you liked my performance in that drama; I actually liked it quite a bit too. That was the project that brought me and that lady together. But while filming, I just felt that we were very compatible in our understanding of the characters. I don't know how to describe it, but we both had the same feelings towards the characters, so we were very immersed in them."

Mu Lian didn't dare to be too truthful, nor too false, so she focused on her feelings: "Then, naturally, we developed feelings for each other while filming. I was really, really into it back then, and I was willing to risk my career. When we were photographed together, I just admitted to the relationship."

Nowadays, the entertainment industry doesn't take celebrity relationships as seriously. Unless it's for creating a single persona, promoting a romantic relationship, or selling fan services like "dream boy/girl," which require celebrities to publicly maintain a single status, other celebrities are generally more accepting of dating, as long as they're willing to go all out. This is because dating is now considered a form of business for celebrities.
It's truly all about entertainment. The fans themselves don't want to be in relationships, but they enjoy watching their favorite celebrities date.
Of course, celebrities who dare to operate in this way have done their research beforehand. Otherwise, they wouldn't dare.

Mu Lian actively promoted the on-screen couple after the drama aired, and they were actually dating in real life. Then, they were accidentally photographed staying overnight together. After discussions between their respective companies, PR teams, and major fan groups, they decided to publicly announce their relationship, further fueling the enthusiasm of the fans who were shipping the couple. Because the on-screen couple became a real-life couple, the feedback from viewers and fans was generally positive.

Most celebrities' "relationship promotions" start with creating a fake on-screen couple image and then transition into a real-life relationship. So, it's considered a form of "promotion."
This is the safest way to date. If it works out, it can generate a lot of buzz. If it doesn't, you can say it's because you couldn't distinguish between on-screen and off-screen relationships, that you acted too well and couldn't break free from the role, and that you couldn't stay together in real life, so you had to part ways with regret. After all that apology to the audience and fans, you won't get too much criticism, and your career can even take a step further.

Of course, there are downsides as well. This approach will subject celebrities to extra scrutiny of their private lives and may even affect their casting choices. The "unresolved feelings" associated with on-screen couples ending happily while off-screen couples suffer heartbreak are a label that celebrities can never shake off.

Mu Lian was three parts sincere and seven parts opportunistic at the time, so he listened to the company. Otherwise, he originally planned to let things fade away after a while.
Who would have thought that the woman would drop such a bombshell later?
Cai Cai didn't quite understand these intricacies, but she knew that celebrities use relationships for publicity. So when she heard Mu Lian say she risked her career to go public with her relationship, she said, "Then the other person was just like you, risking their career to go public with their relationship." Since you both shared the risk, the benefits were naturally shared. Therefore, the subsequent benefits and risks would naturally remain shared. So it's perfectly normal that if the other person got into trouble, your drama would also be banned.

Mu Lian stopped abruptly.

This directly interrupted Mulian's intended expression and vocalization.
Off-camera, Mei Zhang and the director simultaneously covered their mouths and stifled laughter. Mu Lian's agents and assistants closed their eyes; well, it was too late.

You know you can't say things that are too true or too false, so how dare you put on a persona in front of Cai Cai?
【Hahahahaha】

[Mulian's expression changes in an instant]

Seriously, if you lose your future, Zhao Ying loses hers too.

[Hey Zhao, don't type his name directly, it'll get blocked.]

Therefore, Cai Cai is not only a beauty tester, but also a lie detector.

[Hahaha, what the hell is this lie detector?]

[Don't lie to Cai Cai, it's pointless.] [Cai Cai herself doesn't lie, but she shouldn't let others lie to her either.]

Cai Cai is quite easy to fool, just don't be too blind.

[Mu Lian used the kind of self-deprecating rhetoric commonly seen in the industry, but this tactic didn't work against Cai Cai.]

I think Mu Lian is very sincere, while Cai Cai is being a bit too serious.

[Cai Cai is a feminist; she always sides with women.]

[Cai Cai claims to be a feminist? She's probably the least feminist female celebrity in the industry!]

[Zhao is quite pitiful; he's been out of the entertainment industry for so long, yet he's still being dragged out for publicity.]

Habitual thieves deserve it.

[If the habitual thief hadn't been caught overseas, he could have continued to live a life of luxury like other habitual thieves in the industry.]

Who else in the industry is a habitual thief?

Hua Mei's live stream was full of mischief, with comments section filled with names of celebrities who had been rumored to be habitual thieves.

"..." The Immortal Lord's face was stern. This was someone who had offended others without even realizing it. No matter how much the vegetable garden was cleaned or how many appeals were made, it couldn't stop everyone's gossipy nature.

Mu Lian then realized that she had used the wrong methods and quickly tried to make amends.

"I know she took on more risks than I did, to be honest. I wasn't confident we could last. Back then, I really liked her, so I wanted to add a sunk cost to the relationship." This was the truth. Mu Lian thought then and there that the bigger the commotion now, the bigger the commotion would be in the future. For better or worse, it was all about buzz and traffic—it was all his choice. If you want to get ahead, you have to be willing to take risks.

His contemporaries are already in S-level projects, while he's still stuck in A-level. Is he just waiting to decline if he doesn't step up? His family advises him not to worry, pointing out that many of his classmates are already in B-level, C-level, or even short dramas, and he's already quite successful. But Mu Lian feels that with her looks and talent, she shouldn't lose to anyone from her generation!

So after the drama aired and gained some popularity, the company bought a lot of trending topics and marketing promotions to push him hard. Having experienced a bit of fame, Mu Lian became even more afraid of his career fading. After being photographed together, Zhao Ying approached him to discuss creating a publicity stunt about their relationship, and he agreed.

As it turned out, his choice at that time, though risky, was also the right one. Or rather, Zhao Ying becoming a disgraced celebrity actually made him successful. It brought him to the attention of investors, who thought he was lucky—he became famous because of a girlfriend, and even after the relationship ended, he was unscathed. That's why they chose him as their main artist. He didn't achieve instant fame, but at certain times, he became the top performer among his contemporaries.

Mu Lian is genuinely afraid of not becoming famous. She's even more afraid that something will happen if she faces Cai Cai now.
Cai Cai is uncanny. Opinions about her within the industry are mixed, some good, some bad, but the consensus is that it's best to avoid being seen or talking to her. Whether it's your appearance or your inner self, Cai Cai will destroy you.

Yes, the word used is "destroy".

Mu Lian was no longer concerned about the external contrast; he just wanted to make up for his mistake as quickly as possible. Otherwise, he would be finished. Cai Cai's backing was too powerful; he couldn't afford to offend her in the slightest. Female celebrities have it easier than male celebrities, especially someone like Cai Cai. She became famous right after her debut and became a global superstar, a legend.
"When you're young, it's easy to get carried away with emotions and act impulsively. I wasn't unaware of my impulsiveness, but I just had this feeling that I had to sacrifice something for this relationship." This is Mu Lian's honest feeling, but not about a public relationship, but about his first love. He almost didn't debut because of his first love, because his girlfriend worried that he would change his mind if he became an artist. But before he even became an artist, he changed his mind and was still very afraid of how he had been so infatuated with his first love.
Cai Cai listened intently, because she didn't know anyone around her who would impulsively sacrifice anything for a relationship. She was curious, "Does being in a relationship always involve sacrifice?" She had indeed heard such statements. It's how it's portrayed in movies and TV shows; men and women, in love and in pain, would say during arguments, "Do you know how much I've sacrificed for you?!"

Mu Lian was hesitant to discuss romance with Cai Cai, but glancing at Cai Cai's manager, she noticed he didn't react much and didn't rush over to bite her like before.
So, for the sake of popularity, she really went all out. However, Mu Lian was still very cautious. "It's not about a spirit of sacrifice, it's just that I always want to do something. It's not about sacrifice, but about giving. Only in this way can I prove how much I value this relationship."

Cai Cai was confused again. "Shouldn't it be about valuing your partner? Valuing the relationship seems to prioritize yourself."

Mu Lian and the viewers in the live stream were both surprised by Cai Cai's keen insight. Yes, valuing feelings and valuing a lover sound the same, but upon closer examination, they are completely different.

"In matters of the heart, I do tend to prioritize myself more, but I don't see anything wrong with that. A relationship based on self-interest is true love for oneself and others; I probably couldn't achieve that kind of obsessive selflessness." Mu Lian, influenced by Cai Cai, was quite honest. He truly believes this in relationships: "Some people think this is selfish, that loving someone should be selfless, but if I lose myself, how can I be considered to be loving someone?"

Cai Cai nodded. That made sense. Loving yourself was the most important thing. "You have that kind of feeling, which is why you were able to portray those restrained emotional scenes. You really brought the character to life." Mu Lian's character returned from her tribulation, still retaining memories of her love with the female lead in the mortal realm, but all her feelings were gone. Cai Cai had watched that scene repeatedly; she truly felt like she was seeing a familiar stranger. The female lead's heartbreaking performance was also excellent. The two of them complemented each other perfectly in that scene. No wonder they fell in love on set—it's just that the actress who played the female lead became disgraced. Alas, poor character leads to a ruined career.

Mu Lian truly hadn't expected Cai Cai to like his character so much; it was a role he considered a black mark on his past, even a source of shame. He'd used public relationships to create drama, abandoned his dignity and ideals, becoming a ruthless entertainer. He'd initially just wanted to be a good actor, but who knew he'd work even harder off-screen than on screen?
"When I was interpreting the character's feelings in that scene, I felt that as a deity who had returned from tribulation and achieved immortality, even if there was passionate love in the mortal realm, it was still the mortal realm. A deity couldn't be swayed by mortal emotions. But because he remembered his mortal experiences, the seed of love for the female lead was planted." When Mu Lian took on that role, he still wanted to be a good actor, so he studied the script and worked hard on the character. However, after filming, his mindset changed. Fortunately, it was after filming; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to portray the character, and Cai Cai wouldn't have remembered him.

Cai Cai laughed. She remembered it so clearly; the actress had really put a lot of effort into studying the role. The result? It was banned. With today's technology, they could just swap the female lead's face, and while there would be some flaws, it wouldn't be unwatchable, since the acting was still the female lead's. But that would increase the cost, which isn't worthwhile for a drama with a low initial investment and mediocre broadcast performance. Some projects are better off not airing than losing money.

“When I research a character, I like to explore the causes and consequences to make the character and the script more closely connected. However, I initially did this to protect the roles I had already played,” Cai Cai said a little shyly. She didn’t have Mu Lian’s pure interpretation. “I didn’t want too many of my roles to be cut, so I tried to deeply embed the character in the story. That way, when the director edited the final product, they would consider the plot and preserve my roles.”

"..." Mu Lian hadn't considered this at all. Suddenly, it dawned on her. So that's how it's done!

Yes! That's right!! If a character remains central to the entire storyline, their role will be preserved later in the story for the sake of narrative continuity.

Teachers taught us many methods for securing roles in movies and TV shows when we were in school, but in reality, they are rarely used. This is because too many people use them, and there are too many reasons for doing so. Often, it's simply about money, not how well the actors perform.
Mu Lian's mind was in turmoil. He desperately wanted to grab Cai Cai and get her to elaborate further. But reason prevailed; he knew it wouldn't work. And now, here, it was even less likely. However, this was enough. Enough for him to ponder back at his own pace. It was a pity this was a live stream, already broadcast, and many of his colleagues were watching and knew what was going on—what a shame. He had also bought the overpriced acting course by Cai Cai that was circulating online, initially thinking it might be useful even though it was fake. Now, based on just one sentence from Cai Cai, he knew how fake and useless that course was.
The immortal lord raised his head slightly and looked around. Indeed, many people were watching Cai Cai's live stream.

Cai Cai explained it very clearly and it's easy to understand. However, anyone who has ever seriously and diligently acted knows that it's very difficult to achieve this. First, you need to be a very good actor, and you need to act exceptionally well, in an irreplaceable way. This is just the foundation. Then, you need everything that makes you stand out on camera: looks, talent, and charisma—all are indispensable. Finally, you need to be in sync with the director, clearly understanding what the director wants to see and what effect they want. This requires not only having a director's mindset, but also having the mindset of the director who is filming you.

The Immortal Lord realized that there were probably no more than fifty people in the entire world who could accomplish even these three simple points. To want to learn, to truly master, is incredibly difficult. He hoped that those who were excited and eager to try now wouldn't later harbor resentment towards Cai Cai in disappointment.