Huayu: That year, I withdrew from the Super Boy competition.

The crew led Su Wei to an inconspicuous corner of the studio.

He casually told her, "Just wait here," and then turned to attend to his own business.

Su Wei didn't say anything more and simply stood with her back against the wall.

People kept passing by him, their gazes sweeping over him quickly, no one stopping for even half a second.

If it were another newcomer, they might feel awkward and neglected.

But Su Wei didn't care about this.

That's just his personality; he's too lazy to join in the fun or try to get attention.

The fact that no one bothered him actually pleased him.

Bored, Su Wei recalled what Yang Mi had mentioned to her before.

In the new version of "Dream of the Red Chamber", she plays the role of Qingwen.

Su Wei had some vague impressions of this version of "Dream of the Red Chamber" from her previous life.

However, it wasn't because he had watched the show, but rather after it aired.

Its reputation has collapsed, it's full of controversy, and there are countless flaws. It's been heavily criticized online, but its popularity remains high.

He searched his memory carefully, but couldn't recall any connection between Yang Mi and the show that made it so popular.

Logically speaking, even if a drama has a terrible overall reputation, it will still make a few supporting actors famous and a few characters stand out from the crowd.

However, he had absolutely no memorable impression of Yang Mi's portrayal of Qingwen.

Su Wei understood.

Most likely, this character didn't make a splash at all from beginning to end; he was unremarkable and faded into obscurity after the show ended.

…………

Su Wei waited in the corner for more than twenty minutes before finally seeing Yang Mi walk over from that direction.

She walked quickly to Su Wei, her voice tinged with weariness.

"Are you getting impatient? Let's go."

Su Wei nodded gently, without asking any further questions.

The two walked out of the photography studio side by side.

Stepping out of the heated area inside the shed, a chill immediately hits you.

Yang Mi subconsciously pulled up the zipper of her down jacket, wrapping herself up tightly to keep out the cold wind.

It was already completely dark outside, and the streetlights along the road were on, casting a pale white light on the concrete ground of the parking lot, making it look particularly desolate.

Fortunately, the location of the dinner was not far from the Dream of the Red Chamber film crew, only about a ten-minute walk away.

The two walked slowly along the street outside the film studio.

Most of the shops along the street had already closed, so the whole street looked deserted.

Only a few small supermarkets were still lit up with warm yellow lights, barely adding any color to the night.

The autumn night wind howled past the ground.

The chill was biting, making people instinctively shrug their shoulders and shrink their bodies.

Yang Mi pulled up the hood of her down jacket, put her hands in her pockets, wrapped herself up tightly, and walked forward with her head down.

In the stillness of the night, she suddenly spoke, breaking the silence of the journey:

"You were in the studio for a while just now. What did you think of the film crew?"

Su Wei glanced at her sideways, momentarily unsure of the focus of her question.

He wasn't sure if she wanted to ask about the atmosphere on set, the filming pace, or the overall quality of the series.

Afraid of giving the wrong answer, I chose the safest and most reliable angle to respond.

"It looks pretty good. The production team clearly invested a lot and put in a lot of money."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Mi pulled a hand out of her pocket and gently patted his back.

The force was very light, but the night wind was biting cold, and the sudden blow still made Su Wei instinctively shudder.

"Who asked you that?"

Her tone was displeased, as if she found his answer irrelevant.

"I'm asking you, how's this drama being made? Does it have the potential to become a hit?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wei frowned slightly.

He paused for a few seconds, then turned to look directly at Yang Mi, his tone serious:

Do you want to hear the truth, or a lie?

Yang Mi slowed her pace slightly, turned her head to look back at him, and her eyes held a hint of inquiry:

"How do you tell the truth, and how do you tell a lie?"

Su Wei withdrew her gaze, staring straight ahead at the dark road, no longer beating around the bush, and said directly:

"The lie is that the whole series looks exquisite and well-produced, so it will likely receive good market feedback."

He silently added to himself, but whether the feedback was overwhelmingly positive or met with widespread ridicule was a completely different matter.

At this point, Su Wei paused, leaving some room for maneuver.

Yang Mi waited for half a second, and seeing that he didn't continue, she couldn't help but feel a little impatient, and urged him softly:

"And what about the truth?"

Su Wei put her hands in her coat pockets and walked slowly forward into the night breeze.

"The truth is, I only stayed in the shed for a short while."

However, it's clear that the production team put a lot of effort into the show, from the set design to the content, and it also has its own highlights in terms of both content and artistic expression.

"But the problem is not with funding or investment at all."

He didn't hold back and went straight to the heart of the matter.

"The character development and cinematography of the entire series have very obvious shortcomings."

I dare not make definitive conclusions about other places, but there is one thing that is obvious at a glance.

Many actors' appearances and demeanors don't match the original characters well enough.

"If the character's aura doesn't match, the audience's first impression of the show will be off, making it difficult to fit the classic image in everyone's mind, and naturally failing to meet the audience's expectations."

Su Wei paused briefly, then added, "There's also the issue of styling."

"The crew's coin-shaped headdresses were paired with modern lace and tulle costumes."

The concept is bold, but it lacks the elegance and classical charm that traditional costumes should possess.

"After all, with the excellent old version of 'Dream of the Red Chamber' as a precedent, it's inevitable that the audience will compare you with it."

He didn't just belittle them; he spoke very objectively.

"I don't know the other details. You've been filming on set for so long, you should have more experience than I do."

Yang Mi walked silently beside him, listening quietly to his entire analysis, and remained silent for a long time.

A cool night breeze whistled by.

A moment later, a very soft sigh came from beside Su Wei.

A puff of white breath escaped from the corner of her mouth, condensing into a thin mist in the cold night, which was instantly dispersed by the wind, leaving only a heart full of indescribable helplessness and exhaustion.

She knew these questions better than anyone else.

Su Wei just mentioned that the makeup and styling were incongruous, the character's temperament was not suitable, and the style did not conform to the ancient style.

She could truly feel it every day when she was putting on makeup in front of the mirror, flipping through scripts, and filming in front of the camera.

Knowing this is one thing, but she is powerless to do anything about it.

She was not the director, the producer, or the investor with a say; she was just an ordinary actress in the crew who had signed a contract.

No matter how the script was changed, she could only act it out; whatever the costume was, she could only wear it and start filming.

A feeling of dejection lingered in my heart.

But Yang Mi never lets negative emotions hold her back for too long.

She walked a few steps in silence, then gently inhaled the cool air.

Then he raised his hand, pulled down the hood of his down jacket, and turned to look at Su Wei beside him.

The sadness she had just felt had vanished from her face, replaced by a light smile.

"I didn't realize you were so observant."