Yuan Ting stood rooted, her eyes red with embarrassment, wishing she could vanish on the spot.
But upon hearing the word "web drama," her first reaction was to look at Xia Weiliang, seated beside Director Zhou, her gaze filled with resentment.
Both had emerged from web dramas. She had filmed two youth movies before Xia Weiliang, and her beautiful image coupled with a likable persona had ignited a wave of popularity and discussion online.
From then on, she considered herself to have shed the identity of a web drama protagonist. Her starting point was naturally higher than Xia Weiliang's!
Yet, Director Zhou's words at this moment had thrown her back to square one, while also negating the achievements of her previous two films.
Yuan Ting, unable to suppress her anger, her eyes still red, retorted without debate: "Director Zhou, I think you're being unfair! Both of us started from web dramas, and I don't think Xia Weiliang's acting is better than mine, yet you never find fault with her! Is it because I'm not as good as her at putting on a show? Not as good at pleasing you? If that's the case, then I have nothing more to say! You are the director, you have the final say!"
Hiss!!
A collective gasp swept through the surroundings.
Wasn't this equivalent to openly questioning Director Zhou's improper relationship with Xia Weiliang!
Did Yuan Ting no longer want to work in this industry?
Shang Rongrong, standing beside, glanced at her, as if looking at an idiot.
Xia Weiliang listened quietly, then looked up at Yuan Ting.
Alas, she truly didn't know she had committed a grave offense to Director Zhou.
But Director Zhou smiled.
He, who was usually as volatile as a lion on set, actually smiled.
However, no one dared to follow suit with a forced smile. In fact, the set was terrifyingly silent, with a palpable, ominous aura.
"Xiao Liang'er."
Suddenly being named, Xia Weiliang sighed inwardly.
Don't, please don't.
Isn't this too high-profile?
She didn't want this; it didn't suit her current style~
She looked up, giving Director Zhou a helpless look: "I'm here."
Director Zhou casually glanced at her, "Did you hear that? Someone's challenging you!"
"Oh."
"My crew never keeps the incompetent. Not even superstars."
"Mm."
"Since someone questions you, then show your true skills! Don't let people call you a nepotism hire later! If you don't have the ability, then leave early and scram!"
"Huh?"
These words were both a warning to Xia Weiliang and a message to Yuan Ting.
Yuan Ting's expression turned ugly, frozen in place. She was now in a position where she couldn't back down.
Having said those words in front of so many people, if she were to back down and concede now, she would be mocked and ridiculed wherever she went in the future!
She understood Director Zhou's intention clearly: he wanted Xia Weiliang to prove her eligibility for his film with her acting skills!
The outcome was that one of them, either her or Xia Weiliang, had to leave.
Yuan Ting hadn't seen Xia Weiliang act on set. Based on her previous understanding, she was just a pretty face, a vase, and her presence in Director Zhou's film was due to the actor's favor!
After much consideration, Xia Weiliang was not a threat!
Therefore, she raised her head and looked directly at Xia Weiliang: "Director Zhou's suggestion is good! Miss Xia, do you dare?"
Xia Weiliang slowly stood up, muttering to herself, "So troublesome… I didn't even quarrel with her, why am I being asked to compete with her… Is this killing two birds with one stone? Alas, so this is the kind of Director Zhou you are…"
Director Zhou, standing nearby, heard every word clearly. He shot her an exasperated glare: "What are you afraid of! Go on! If you chicken out, go home!"
Xia Weiliang acted as if she were coaxing a child asking for money, "Alright, alright, I'll go. I absolutely, positively must go!"
She looked up at Yuan Ting, thought for a moment, and said, "How about we make it bigger?"
Yuan Ting looked at her warily, not replying.
The rest of the crew, however, grew excited. Stirring up trouble?
Yes, yes!
They were already looking for something to do, and now a golden opportunity dropped from the sky!
No matter who won between the two of them, one would leave, and half the chaos would subside!
However, compared to their recent performances, Xia Weiliang seemed more pleasing to the eye. After all, she only caused trouble for Director Zhou, unlike this second female lead who, besides Director Zhou, caused trouble for the entire crew.
So, some onlookers cheered from below, "Make it bigger!"
Assistant Director Wang clicked his tongue and said, "You guys… you're too wicked!" He then turned to Yuan Ting and gestured with his fist to encourage her, "Sister Ting, you can't back down!"
Everyone spat at him: "Vile and wicked!"
Yuan Ting sneered.
"Fine, tell me how you want to do it, I'll listen to you."
"The loser has to call the winner 'Dad'."
A stunned silence fell, followed by whistles: "That's awesome!"
"Call me Dad! Just call me Dad!"
Hearing her tone, as if victory was already assured, Yuan Ting's teeth itched with hatred, "Fine! I'll call you Dad!"
"It's a deal."
Xia Weiliang directly packed her things and greeted Director Zhou, "You're busy, I'm going to learn how to be a dad."
Director Zhou chuckled and waved her away, "Go, go! Don't get in my way here!"
Within an hour, the entire crew knew that the second and third female leads were going to compete. Some had even set up bets to wager on the winner.
Assistant Director Wang cautiously moved next to Director Zhou, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Director Zhou glanced at him, "Don't plead for them."
"No… no… it's just, just for Xia Weiliang…"
Director Zhou was amused and exasperated, "I'm just curious, what benefits did that girl give you? Or did the movie star bribe you?"
"Hey, benefits from her? Forget it! It's good enough if she doesn't come to freeload food and drinks!" Assistant Director Wang squatted aside and said mournfully, "It's rare to find someone so compatible. If she leaves, won't it be too lonely!"
They hadn't interacted much, but the empress had a straightforward personality, a rare genuinely clear-headed person in the entertainment industry! Especially her rumored relationship with the movie star…
He hadn't fully figured it out yet, so how could he let her leave just like that!
Director Zhou looked disgusted, "You think I don't know you?" He then said slowly, "That girl is thick-skinned; she'll find every way to stay."
Yuan Ting was emotionally unstable, and her scenes with Uncle Chen and Shang Rongrong were probably not going to be filmed today, which greatly displeased Shang Rongrong!
"Stupid to death!"
She sat on a lounge chair, saying with disgust, "Fine if she ruins herself, but she has to drag others down with her! This bet is good, I'll see how capable she is!"
Assistant Xiao Zhao handed her a thermos, "If she competes with Empress Xia, I don't think Empress has much chance of winning. After all, her previous acting was truly eye-gouging. In terms of acting, Yuan Ting is considered top-tier among the '95 flowers'."
Shang Rongrong, however, was dismissive. She took a sip of tea and put down the cup, "Perhaps she's talented, and it's precisely because of this talent that she's trapped herself in a dead end, walking further and further into a narrower path, until she has no choice but to hit the wall."
"I've never seen her focus on acting properly on set." Leaning back against the chair, she said lazily, "This kind of person won't last long."
"But what if Xia Weiliang doesn't perform well either?"
"Director Zhou will kick them both out."
"Then isn't Empress Xia in danger?"
Shang Rongrong curled her red lips, her pair of alluring single-lid eyes glancing at the young assistant, "That depends on who she's acting opposite with later."
"It's…"
Little Qian patted his forehead and suddenly understood.
"It's a tactic! This is all Director Zhou's tactic! If she loses even when acting with the movie star, then it's an insult to the movie star!"
As expected, the rumors outside were true; you couldn't afford to offend Director Zhou!
Wasn't this clearly a move to eliminate Yuan Ting? It would both prove Xia Weiliang's qualifications to stay and prevent anyone from saying anything!
Have directors started engaging in palace intrigue now?