Melody Sutton has a sweet appearance, round eyes, a cute nose, thin lips, bright teeth, and long, milky-brown hair draping her waist. She was wearing a light purple JK uniform with an innocent smile on her face; despite arriving so late, the producer and director greeted her with smiles instead of anger.
Upon seeing Melody's face, the smile on Rosie Scott's lips gradually stiffened. Her jaw tightened, and she lightly furrowed her brows—it was her. In her past life, it was this woman who had pulled Blake Shaw down from his pedestal.
Jane glanced at Rosie from the corner of her eye and kicked her leg under the table, warning her in a low voice, "Manage your expression."
Rosie then turned her face away and composed her emotions.
The young girl standing between the producer and director clasped her hands together, expressing her apologies: "I'm truly very sorry. My assistant didn't arrange the schedule well, which delayed our opening meal. To make it up to you, I'll treat everyone here to milk tea, so please don't be mad at me."
The girl's eyebrows lifted, and her tone softened, making it clear that she wasn't genuinely sorry, just paying lip service while cleverly shifting the blame to her assistant.
Of course, not everyone appreciated her gesture. Some veteran actors in the show couldn't stand these young and arrogant stars, swaggering about because they've been in the limelight for a few youthful years, making everyone wait so long.
"Since you're here, take a seat quickly. I've been wondering which big star would make hundreds of people wait for two hours." The one speaking was Eugene Willow, a veteran actor with forty years of experience, a revered figure in the entertainment industry. He's appeared in countless period and fantasy dramas, with an immortally graceful presence that captivates even at nearly fifty years old.
Melody was given the cold shoulder, a flash of annoyance crossing her eyes. The director and producer immediately smoothed things over: "Since everyone is here, let's toast and start the banquet quickly. We need to be prompt since the male and female leads have a scene tonight."
Initially, Producer Sutton had planned for Melody to sit at Eugene Willow's table since they're all main actors and could have beneficial exchanges during the meal for their upcoming scenes. However, Melody had a falling out with Eugene, so she didn't want to sit at that table. As a result, Producer Sutton randomly found her an empty seat.
Coincidentally, she ended up at Rosie Scott and Jane's table.
From the moment she sat down, Melody paid attention to Rosie, scrutinizing her from head to toe and back again, her eyes filled with the full measure of feminine jealousy.
Jane curved her lips into a smile, raised her glass in a toast: "Melody Sutton, congratulations on landing such a big IP role, surely it took considerable effort, didn't it?"
Melody withdrew her scrutinizing gaze, only now noticing Jane Lindsey, the formidable agent at the table. Indeed, the place was full of hidden talents. Seeing the mockery in Jane's eyes, Melody felt uneasy, a flash of displeasure in her eyes. The young girl quickly adjusted her emotions and raised her glass: "Well, it's Ms. Lindsey. Last month, you turned me away at the door; I wonder for whom..."
She paused mid-sentence, glancing meaningfully at Rosie Scott with a smile in her eyes: "These days, having a pretty face is a passkey. But relying on looks fades fast, and scandals come just as quickly. Ms. Lindsey gave me that wisdom."
"Melody, do you know why I didn't take you on back then?" Jane took a sip of champagne before setting it down with disdain on her face, not even bothering to look up: "Because you're all beauty and no brains."
Melody's face flushed red with anger, left speechless. Although she had some disagreements with Jane before, she knew she couldn't offend anyone in her circle, or her road ahead would be even tougher.
Everyone at the table began glancing at her chest, and even Rosie couldn't help but raise her brows—must be a 38C?
Indeed, quite big.
"Yes, yes, Ms. Lindsey is very knowledgeable, you're right. Missing the opportunity to work with you was truly my loss. If there is ever a future chance, feel free to name your price, and I'll sign the contract without any dispute."
"I don't think that's necessary. I always choose artists based on character, not cash."
The tense atmosphere at the table made everyone afraid to pick up their chopsticks. Rosie thought Ms. Lindsey was indeed double-standard, telling her not to upset others while she was the one challenging someone, and this someone was the female lead of the show. If she offends her, it would be hard to avoid future conflicts on set.
The young girl looked at Melody struggling to breathe, although she enjoyed it—after all, Melody deceived Blake in her previous life. But Melody hadn't yet done anything in this life. As long as Blake sees her true colors early, the upcoming tragedy could be avoided.
"Ms. Lindsey, I peeled some shrimp for you, give it a try. I heard there is a scene to be shot tonight between the male and female leads, so you'll need to hurry." Rosie quickly peeled a plateful of shrimp for Jane as she spoke.
Though Jane wasn't fond of such flattery, she could distinguish friends from foes. Hearing Rosie's intention to interrupt, she didn't want to converse with a fool, fearing it might impact her IQ, so she started eating.
The outdoor sun hid behind the mountain, and dusk quietly faded. While they were eating, the crew had set up the scene carefully; inside a big tent, there was a ten-meter-high green screen, crystal chairs, a wooden bridge over a green lake, surrounded by flickering blue flames and the ground covered in white mist from dry ice.
"Sword Cry to the Nine Heavens" tells the story of a modern girl whose soul transmigrates to the Immortal Realm and is loved by Immortal Venerable Leonard. This scene depicts their first encounter: the modern girl falls from the sky, dressed in strange clothes, with a clueless expression as she inadvertently intrudes upon the Immortal Venerable's forbidden area and is locked in a Celestial Prison.
The big tent couldn't accommodate many people, so few could watch. Originally, Rosie couldn't get in, but she managed to squeeze in because of Jane's influence to see the live shooting.
As soon as she entered, she saw Melody being hoisted more than ten meters into the air by a wire, screaming continuously, terrified to tears and mucus. Meanwhile, Blake Shaw, already in costume on the ground, was a different story. Clad in a flowing white immortal robe, his silver hair tied high, his cold demeanor made him look like a jade statue standing on the wooden bridge.
"Oh, my dear Melody, you don't even have to act in this scene, just be afraid. But mind your appearance, wipe that nose." The director spoke through the walkie-talkie, and everyone inside the tent suppressed their laughter. Melody's face suddenly turned red, crying, "Director, I need a stunt double, I'm really afraid of heights."
The producer and directors sighed silently; today's actors can't bear any hardship, fearing everything. They couldn't understand why the client insisted on casting an inexperienced whiteboard female singer for this role. Although they suspected Melody might have used some method to get the part, they couldn't openly show displeasure due to the client's influence.
Jane coldly watched Melody, who looked pitiful with tears on her pale face, awkwardly climbing down from the wires.
"Utterly laughable." With that, Jane turned to leave, but Rosie stayed. She kept her eyes on Blake standing on the wooden bridge. His gentle demeanor attracted no complaints, even though he was a big star. Surrounding staff liked arranging his makeup and hair, which he cooperated with thoroughly.
Preparations were hasty today, with the female lead arriving late, leaving no time to find a stunt double. The producer and directors engaged in a heated discussion, unable to suppress Producer Sutton's temper from flaring up: "It's easy for you to say, but where do we find a female stunt double with a similar build?"
Suddenly, in the midst of the directors and producers, a head popped out, Rosie's eyes sparkling as she boldly declared: "How about me?"