The Entertainment Industry in Turmoil: Young Actresses All Want to Rise to the Top

Chapter 184 This Child Is Like Me

The film "Brotherhood of Blades" has welcomed another important actor to the cast.

Li Qin's arrival was low-key, yet it carried an undeniable presence.

She wore a simple white shirt and light-colored trousers, her long hair loosely tied back, and quietly walked up to Lu Yang and Shen Mo.

"Hello Director Lu, hello Boss, I'm here to report for duty."

"I'm sorry for being a few days late."

Her voice was clear and cool, clean and bright, and her eyes revealed a sincere heart.

She was supposed to join the crew on the first day, but she couldn't turn down a few endorsement deals. Fortunately, it was a movie produced by her own company, so the director wouldn't mind too much.

Hearing the voice, Lu Yang looked up and greeted her warmly, "Teacher Li is here! Welcome, welcome! You must be tired from your journey!"

"Your scenes are mainly in the later parts, so you can familiarize yourself with the environment first, watch other actors filming, and get a feel for the shoot."

"Okay, thank you, Director Lu."

Li Lin nodded, turned her gaze to Shen Mo, and a bright smile appeared on her usually aloof face.

"How's the filming going, boss?"

"Not bad." Shen Mo raised an eyebrow. "Don't call me 'boss' on set, it sounds too formal."

"What's it called?"

"We should be around the same age, so let's just call each other by our names."

Li Qin nodded, tilted her head, and smiled as she extended her hand.

"Hello, Shen Mo, please take good care of me on this project."

Shen Mo stared at the palm for a long time, then his gaze shifted to her face.

Hello, Li Qin.

He grasped it, just like he did that night at the Hundred Flowers Awards.

That handshake was the key to her joining InkScar.

In this handshake, she became his leading lady.

It seems there has been some progress.

Liu Haocun stood not far away, holding the flying fish costume that Shen Mo would change into for the next match, taking in the whole scene.

She recognized Li Lin; he was the one who resolutely sat next to Mo Ge at the Hundred Flowers Awards, and his aloof appearance had left a deep impression on her.

Seeing the real person now feels even more...indifferent than seeing them on TV.

It's not indifference, but a sense of detachment and quiet that comes from the very core of one's being.

But she still had a strong feeling about her; her eyes were bright and alert, and she was staring intently at her target.

They are the type who seem unassuming and unassuming, but when they set their mind on something, they are straightforward and decisive.

Li Lin's assistant quickly helped her find a place to rest, right next to the main cast's rest area.

She didn't wander around chatting; she simply sat down and took out her script.

The distant sunlight cast a soft glow on her profile, her long eyelashes drooping slightly as she quietly turned the pages.

Shen Mo changed into the clothes Liu Haocun had brought him and naturally sat down in the empty seat next to her.

"How's your script reading going?"

Li Qin looked up from the script and gazed at him, her cool and aloof expression softening for a moment.

"Still watching."

Li Lin closed the script, her fingers unconsciously tracing the cover.

"The script is detailed, but it's not quite enough."

"I wrote some short biographies of her, trying to fill in the details."

Shen Mo nodded, picked up the water Liu Haocun handed him, unscrewed the cap, and took a sip.

"Zhou Miaotong is indeed given relatively little screen time in this script. Could you share your thoughts on what you'd like to add to her character?"

Li Qin turned her gaze to Shen Mo's face, her eyes filled with a hint of confusion and deep thought.

"She was originally the daughter of a loyal minister, but was demoted to the Jiaofangsi (a government-run entertainment institution) due to her family's crimes, becoming a woman of tragic fate."

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard, represented by Shen Lian, had confiscated the property of the Zhou family and personally ordered the confiscation of the property of her lover, Young Master Yan, and his family, imprisoning them in the imperial prison."

Her voice was flat, carrying a hint of reminiscence.

"Therefore, she both feared and resented Shen Lian of the Embroidered Uniform Guard; fear and hatred coexisted."

"She should be grateful that Shen Lian redeemed her from her servitude."

"But on the other hand, she has someone she truly loves."

"On the other hand, she was also afraid of Shen Lian's flying fish robe."

Li Qin rested her elbows on her knees and supported her chin with her hands.

"In my opinion, this persona isn't very good."

"The audience's love for Shen Lian, their sympathy for the eldest brother, their heartache for the third brother, and their affection for Zhang Yan."

"Everything will be blamed on Zhou Miaotong, after all, all the tragedies started because of her."

"Most importantly, she didn't even appreciate it."

"Many people might say that Miaotong is a green tea bitch, but what did she do wrong?"

"She didn't ask Shen Lian to do anything for her. She didn't intend to harm anyone. She just didn't love Shen Lian."

"She doesn't love Shen Lian, but Shen Lian loves her deeply. Is that wrong?"

Shen Mo nodded and took the script, which was full of her notes, from her lap.

"Indeed, Zhou Miaotong's character is a bit underdeveloped."

"The story ended up like this,

All the hatred has been directed at this innocent woman, making everyone sigh that "beauty is a curse."

"This setting itself can indeed easily put the character in a passive position, and even arouse the audience's disgust."

"So, do you have any ideas for revising the script?"

Li Lin shook her head, smiled slightly, and turned her gaze to the script in Shen Mo's hand, her eyes showing a hint of clarity.

"I don't have the ability to revise scripts, nor do I have the habit of doing so."

"But within the scope of the performance I can control, I want to try and see if I can pull her out of the image of a femme fatale a little."

She picked up the script again, turned to a page covered in dense notes, and gave a very faint smile.

"The tragedy of the story, and the audience's resentment towards Zhou Miaotong, actually stems from the fact that she loved him, but she didn't love him, and she let him down."

"However, if I can portray her inner conflict between fear and gratitude effectively, it should enhance her character."

Her fingertip touched a marker for a scene.

"For example, in this scene, Shen Lian takes a knife for her."

"In the script, Zhou Miaotong's reaction here is more one of shock and bewilderment."

"But I think perhaps we could add a few more layers."

"In the instant the blade flashes, the first instinct is fear—fear of violence, fear of death."

Then, she saw Shen Lian stand in front of her, and blood splattered out.

"In that instant, besides the shock, was there also a brief, unexpected... tremor?"

"It wasn't love, it wasn't gratitude, but the shock of 'this person actually did this for me.'"

"Immediately afterwards, a wave of guilt towards Young Master Yan washed over me: 'How could I be moved by another man?'"

"Finally, perhaps it is the confusion and bewilderment required by the script that comes into play."

"If I had conveyed her emotions—fear, shock, guilt, confusion, and even her reluctance to accept Shen Lian as a person rather than a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—through my eyes and subtle body language in those few seconds."

"It shows that she is not heartless or ungrateful; she is just bound by fate, identity, and the past. She is just a pitiful person."

"Perhaps, while the audience sighs for her, they can also show more understanding and less simple resentment."

"Perhaps, then there won't be so many people who feel sorry for Shen Lian."

Shen Mo stared at her.

At this moment, Li Qin's faint sense of detachment disappeared, replaced by a focused concentration that allowed her to immerse herself in the world of her character.

"A very good idea," Shen Mo affirmed, "but it requires extremely precise control of facial expressions."

"Can you do it?"

"Hmm." Li Qin nodded, not surprised that Shen Mo was able to grasp the core issue so quickly.

"So, during this time, I will try my best to immerse myself in the role." She looked at Shen Mo with a clean and direct gaze.

"I might also need your cooperation to help me get into character."

Shen Mo met her gaze and suddenly smiled: "No problem."

Li Qin was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting him to agree so readily.

She lowered her eyes, her thick eyelashes concealing her momentary emotions. When she looked up again, she had returned to her usual aloof demeanor, except that there seemed to be a faint blush on the tips of her ears.

"By the way, you can show Director Lu the character biographies you added."

"I will discuss with Director Lu how to enrich your character."

"You might not have the ability to revise the script for outside film crews."

"But this is our own film crew."

Li Qin looked up at him, felt a warmth in her heart, and then nodded gently.

Shen Mo stood up, preparing to return to the filming area.

Before leaving, he seemed to remember something and turned back to look at Li Lin.

"When you're not in a role, could you mentor Haocun for me?"

He pointed to Liu Haocun, who was sitting upright on a small stool beside him. She was listening intently, but she didn't expect Shen Mo to suddenly mention her.

"She's a new actress in our company."

"Could you give me some guidance on how to portray your childhood self, that unrefined fear and innocence?"

Li Qin glanced at Liu Haocun, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Her eyes were very clear, timid, yet strong."

She paused for a moment, as if carefully choosing her words.

"A bit like me."

Shen Mo smiled slightly, patted Liu Haocun's head, and then turned and left.

Liu Haocun looked completely bewildered; wasn't he the assistant?

How did I end up playing a character who was the female lead when she was younger?

Did the surprise come so quickly?

Or perhaps, Brother Mo saw through his thoughts all along.

Now that I'm making my own movies, I guess I'm not falling behind.

Liu Haocun's face flushed red rapidly, his eyes darted around, and his mouth was stretched almost to his temples.