After a Contractual Marriage, Little Taotie Went Viral!-Chapter 326 - 320: Flowers for Beauty

"Do I need to pull strings?" Pei Yan scoffed lightly, his deep voice carrying a hint of arrogance.

Qin Yun looked puzzled, "Then how do you explain this script?"

"After you signed the contract, I knew the crew’s finances were tight, so I contacted Director Chen to discuss investing, but Director Chen didn’t agree at the time. Before involving Qiong Hai, I made a call to Director Chen, subtly hinting about the issue with Qiong Hai. People in this business aren’t stupid, and the matter with Qiong Hai is like a ticking time bomb. No one knows when it’ll go off. Instead of waiting for it to explode after the broadcast, it’s better to address it now and replace the person to minimize losses. When weighing the pros and cons, Director Chen would definitely choose the option that causes the least harm to the production."

"I also suggested that if Director Chen couldn’t find someone immediately, I could act as a special guest star in this drama. After all, this whole issue is mainly on my side, so consider it compensation. Additionally, I brought up the investment topic again. Director Chen agreed and discussed it with the scriptwriters. The modification of the script was proposed by the scriptwriters; initially, they just made some changes to the ending to prevent the character from being overly criticized."

"As for why it ended up like this, it’s probably because of the variety show we recorded together," Pei Yan thought for a moment and said, "because she said she was a fan of our CP and even asked for an autograph."

"Initially, the director disagreed with the changes. It should’ve been the scriptwriter who convinced him, or perhaps this version is simply more intriguing. Now it has turned into a multi-lead drama, with each main character having their storyline, and it all runs parallel. Of course, the male and female leads are still the protagonists, and the main storyline hasn’t changed; it’s just that on their respective subplots, they each have a leading role. No one’s scenes have been cut; according to the scriptwriter, each found new scenes ranging from three to five, enriching the characters even more."

"Your main scenes added a few emotional sequences with Gu Changjun, plus one or two action scenes. The camera time isn’t much, maybe just a minute or two, but they’re outstanding. Officially, you’re still the third female lead, but this role can be very brilliant if performed well."

"Really, you didn’t ask for this?" By now, Qin Yun was almost convinced but still asked.

"You really underestimated Director Chen’s demand for quality. If I had asked for it, and especially if I leveraged it through investment, do you believe he would kick me out in the next second? He wouldn’t care about your status at all," Pei Yan said with helpless humor.

"Director Chen is notoriously strict in this industry. To keep sponsors from meddling in casting and script changes, he could forego sponsors and even sell his house to make movies. His current sponsors aren’t big investment moguls; they’ve only invested tens of millions, but they’ve been working with him for a long time. They understand his temperament and never interfere in casting or script matters."

"I knew about this. The crew uses very realistic props that can be reused to leave more money for post-production. Even the makeup room is casually built with tents. Except for the two main leads, everyone else shares one makeup room. My first scene here was completed by working overtime to save on an extra day of renting the location," Qin Yun said, nodding in agreement.

The director’s standards for the drama are even higher. If he’s not satisfied with a take, he doesn’t hold back critique just because someone is an award-winning actor. If the performance doesn’t meet his expectations, his critiques can be even harsher.

Qin Yun recalled her first days of shooting when she was frequently scolded by the director and kept getting NGs.

"But with such a big change, won’t Teacher Wei’s fans make a fuss?" Qin Yun asked worriedly, frowning.

"They’ll definitely make a fuss. That’s why I’m still nominally the second lead. Although I’ve added ten more scenes, my screen time is still much less than the male lead. At that time, not only will Wei Haocang’s fans make noise, but my fans might not be quiet, either. If it really comes to that, the only result will be mutual harm. Wei Haocang is alright; he’s aware of this and has no opinions. Our relationship is okay, so it will depend on how the two sides coordinate the promotion," Pei Yan said.

"Sss—"

Qin Yun suddenly thought of something and gasped, her eyes wide open as she said, "If fans on both sides find out all of this is because of me, will they tear me apart?"

"That’s possible. Are you scared?" Pei Yan laughed.

"Scared of what? Isn’t there a saying: when the sky falls, there are tall ones to hold it up? Aren’t you here? You said to tell you if there’s anything," Qin Yun said with an exceedingly candid and confident tone.

"Hmm, well done." A deeper smile filled Pei Yan’s eyes, shimmering with a hint of indulgence, as if wanting to pat her head, but the setting wasn’t suitable.

Qin Yun gave him an annoyed glance, "Don’t talk to me in that coaxing-kid tone."

"Alright," Pei Yan replied good-naturedly.

Qin Yun: "..."

Seeing her face not looking well, Pei Yan changed the topic, "Shall we run through the scenes scheduled for tonight?"

Qin Yun glanced at the surrounding people watching them and nodded, "Alright."

With Pei Yan leading, the atmosphere noticeably lightened. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

That night, they were filming a night scene with Qin Yun and Pei Yan, where Gu Changjun arrives at Xiangsi Garden. Qin Yun dances for him, to thank him for saving her last time, while inviting him for a drink.

Since both had gone through the scenes already, the filming went smoothly.

The camera zoomed in, capturing Pei Yan in a well-fitting black suit. The jacket wasn’t buttoned, revealing the vest inside. His hair, perhaps due to the casual setting, wasn’t meticulously groomed like last time. Still wearing his gold-rimmed glasses, he exuded a vibe slightly reminiscent of an elegant scoundrel.

On stage, Qin Yun, in a white cheongsam with a fur shawl and a fan in hand, was dancing.

Though many attended Xiangsi Garden daily, as soon as Gu Changjun stepped through the door, she spun and glanced up, their eyes meeting momentarily. Li Beauty flashed a faint smile, causing the crowd below to frantically call out her name.

Gu Changjun returned the smile, stepped in from outside, and found a place to sit down.

After Li Beauty finished her dance, she left the stage.

The crowd kept calling for Li Beauty’s name, hoping for another dance.

Li Beauty sent someone to bring food and drinks over and approached Gu Changjun’s table herself, smiling as she asked, "Why didn’t you say you were coming, so I could prepare and treat you with the best food and wine?"

"Surprises are best unannounced. If I’d told you beforehand, how could I have witnessed such a beautiful scene," Gu Changjun said, suddenly producing a rose from somewhere, handing it to Li Beauty, as he suggested meaningfully, "A flower for a beauty."

Li Beauty took the flower, raising her brows with a hint of playful anger, "From what you said, do I not look good when I usually dance?"

"You usually look good, but today, you’re at your best," Gu Changjun replied.