Phoenix A: Internet Sensation! ( GL , ABO) - Chapter 5
“Achoo!”
Shen Nian instinctively touched her nose and murmured softly,
“Who’s secretly thinking about me right now?”
Though, in truth, the chance of someone missing her was small. Being cursed behind her back seemed much more likely.
When 432 heard this idle thought, it quietly noted, “At least the host is self-aware.”
As a popular rising actress, Shen Nian’s face was quite recognizable. To keep a low profile, she casually put on a pair of sunglasses before getting out of the car.
She had deliberately left at a different time than Jiang Zhiwan, although they were both heading to the same place: A University.
Among similar universities, A University was one of the best and had an especially large campus. Shen Nian had planned to rely on the GPS once inside, but surprisingly, she found the surroundings somewhat familiar.
She raised her eyebrows, slightly caught off guard, but didn’t dwell on it.
There were only a few good spots on campus suitable for filming. It wasn’t hard to guess where the crew would be setting up.
As for Ji Xicheng, there was no need to guess at all. She had already sent a flood of messages.
“Have you entered the campus yet? Our last scene is being shot in the auditorium. Can you find it? Should I send my assistant to get you?”
Because this overly anxious alpha kept sending messages nonstop, Shen Nian had no time to take in her surroundings. She let out a small sigh and started walking in the direction of the auditorium.
Master Ji, she thought to herself, you’ve summoned me, so here I come.
Outside the auditorium corridor, crew members were coming and going, each busy with their own tasks.
In a quiet corner, unnoticed by anyone, Ji Xicheng was still messaging her.
“Hey, Shen Nian, are you here yet?”
She was genuinely worried that her annoying alpha co-star would not show up.
The reply she received was casual.
“Almost there.”
Ji Xicheng raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t believe you. Share your location or I won’t be convinced.”
The response came quickly.
“Okay.”
After they shared their locations, Ji Xicheng saw the message pop up on her screen.
The person is less than ten meters away.
Wait, that close? She looked up, and sure enough, Shen Nian was turning the corner and walking toward her.
To match the atmosphere of the university campus, Shen Nian had even changed her usual style of dress. At first glance, she actually looked quite fitting for the setting.
Ji Xicheng quickly hid the flash of surprise in her eyes and teased with a smirk.
“What’s this? Changing your style today? Dropped the flashy outfits?”
Shen Nian couldn’t be bothered to respond. Behind her sunglasses, she rolled her eyes without hesitation.
Since filming was happening during the school’s vacation, the campus was mostly empty aside from the crew. Ji Xicheng had only just started chatting with Shen Nian when her assistant called her away to touch up her makeup.
Bored, Shen Nian leaned against a column and asked 432 about Jiang Zhiwan’s whereabouts.
432 replied instantly.
“She’s the lead actress, of course. She’s getting her makeup done too.”
The university had provided a few rooms for the crew to use. Jiang Zhiwan was in one of them, having her makeup done by the team’s artist, Lisa.
Jiang Zhiwan had very good features and smooth skin. Even a light touch of makeup was enough to make her shine.
Makeup artists loved faces like hers. Easy to work with and always camera-ready. No wonder everyone wanted a chance to work on her.
With her eyes closed, Jiang Zhiwan sat quietly, mentally reviewing how she wanted to perform in the upcoming scene.
When Lisa finished, she gently told Jiang Zhiwan to open her eyes and check the result. Just then, some noise came from outside.
The two women glanced at each other through the mirror. They both already knew who it was. It had to be Luo Shan stirring up trouble again.
During filming, Luo Shan frequently caused scenes like this. She often insisted on taking the makeup artist who was currently working on Jiang Zhiwan.
Ding Yuanyuan had been assigned to Jiang Zhiwan for this shoot and always prioritized her needs. Even though she knew Luo Shan could not be reasoned with, she put on a polite smile and said,
“Miss Luo, Lisa is working on my artist right now. Maybe you could look for another makeup artist in the meantime?”
Of course, Luo Shan refused.
“I want Lisa. No one else is good enough.”
As soon as she said that, she stepped into the room and her eyes immediately found Jiang Zhiwan.
Too late. The makeup was already done.
Luo Shan clicked her tongue silently but did not forget to flash a provocative smile.
“Miss Jiang, mind if I borrow your makeup artist for a bit?”
Jiang Zhiwan met her gaze. She clearly saw the hidden tension in Luo Shan’s expression. She simply smiled and replied politely,
“Of course. Go ahead.”
Once again, the confrontation landed without impact, like a punch into soft cotton.
Luo Shan had a complicated status on set. She had invested money into the project but still did not get the lead role she wanted.
It was understandable that she held a grudge.
In her past life, Jiang Zhiwan had barely interacted with Luo Shan. There was no reason to lose her composure now that she had a second chance.
Still, this troublesome omega had caused a minor scene during the wrap party in her previous life.
Remembering those events, Jiang Zhiwan’s eyes darkened. The thought of it all felt ridiculous and laughable.
The main plot of Youth, Loving You had already been completed. Only one post-credits scene remained before the production could officially wrap.
That was why Jiang Zhiwan and the others were here today, to finish recording the final scene.
Even though it was the very last scene, Director Deng Aiying remained fully focused. She made sure to check all the setups and reminded each team to avoid mistakes.
Once those tasks were done, she sat down to review the earlier edited footage. She had barely started when someone informed her that a visitor was looking for her.
She adjusted her glasses and looked up. When she saw who it was, her expression lit up with surprise and delight. She quickly stood up and greeted the person warmly.
“Professor, what brings you here?”
Yu Wanyu smiled at her proud student and replied,
“I have been very busy lately, but I finally found one free day. I thought since this is your first time directing, and it’s the final scene, I should come and see how it’s going.”
The moment the others heard her use the word “Professor,” they immediately understood who the visitor was.
Yu Wanyu was a renowned director who had made her mark on the film industry for decades. She had won numerous prestigious awards, both at home and abroad, and every one of her students had gone on to become a star.
The fact that she came in person was something Deng Aiying had not expected at all.
Faced with her mentor’s sudden presence, she felt as if she were back in school. She instinctively stood beside Yu Wanyu and respectfully asked,
“What do you think so far?”
“The script is strong, and the acting overall is decent. However, some of the actors…” Yu Wanyu chose her words carefully, not wanting to be too harsh. “Some of them haven’t quite captured the essence of their characters as written in the original story.”
For example, Jiang Zhiwan had a great understanding of her role and portrayed it very well.
But her male counterpart, Jiang Xiaoli, did not do quite as well.
The character Jiang Xiaoli played was meant to be rebellious, but what made him truly appealing was his fearless youthful energy.
Jiang Xiaoli had captured the rebellion but had unknowingly lost that youthful spirit, replacing it with arrogance.
From a casual viewer’s perspective, the difference might be subtle. However, from a professional point of view, or from the author’s standpoint, it was clear that the character had drifted out of character in a noticeable way.
As for the supporting cast, it was clear that Ji Xicheng was basically playing herself. Her image fit the role fairly well.
As for Luo Shan, Yu Wanyu did remember her. She had entered the industry thanks to a particularly protective aunt. Given that background, it was hard to expect too much from her acting.
For a director like Yu Wanyu, who always pursued perfection, a film with this kind of casting would fall short of her personal standards.
However, for Deng Aiying, this was her directorial debut. Her access to resources and industry connections was still limited. That she was able to produce a result of this quality already made her stand out among the new generation of directors.
Believing in Deng Aiying’s potential, Yu Wanyu offered her a few sincere words of praise.
Deng Aiying, although grateful, looked a bit shy. Checking the time, she realized the scene was about to start and took the opportunity to invite her mentor to join them.
Yu Wanyu had been planning to observe anyway, so she stood up and followed Deng Aiying to the central auditorium.
She recalled that her next film happened to feature a character whose look and temperament might resemble Jiang Zhiwan. Quietly, she decided to observe Jiang a bit more during the shoot.
The final scene was simple. It depicted a group of freshmen gathering for an orientation assembly in the auditorium.
To create a realistic atmosphere, the production team had invited a number of real university students as extras. They were told to act naturally and improvise.
Even the director wasn’t quite sure how the final footage would turn out.
Since there were no strict requirements for background extras, Ji Xicheng casually pulled Shen Nian in to join them for a cameo.
However, the decision had been too last minute. Shen Nian didn’t have the standard school uniform like the other students. As soon as she reached the entrance of the auditorium, a student volunteer stepped forward and stopped her.
Ji Xicheng was about to explain when Shen Nian gestured for her not to. Ji Xicheng folded her arms and watched with interest, curious to see what this alpha was planning.
Leaning lazily against the doorframe, Shen Nian looked at the student volunteer and asked with a playful tone,
“Back when you were in school, did you ever see any bad students?”
The student looked confused.
“Yes, I did. Why?”
“A bad student breaking the dress code once or twice seems pretty normal, right? And I…” Shen Nian raised an eyebrow and leaned in slightly, lowering her voice,
“I am that bad student.”
Finishing her sentence with a touch of mischief, she didn’t bother waiting for a reaction. She lifted her chin, grabbed Ji Xicheng, and strode right into the auditorium.
What she didn’t realize was that her little act, full of boldness and charm, had accidentally caught the attention of someone nearby.
Yu Wanyu found Shen Nian’s face familiar, though she couldn’t recall her name right away. She turned to Deng Aiying and asked.
Deng Aiying recognized her immediately.
“That’s Shen Nian. She’s not part of the crew, probably just visiting Ji Xicheng.”
“Shen Nian…” Yu Wanyu repeated silently, realizing that the real person was quite different from what the rumors had suggested.
Shen Nian was completely unaware that she had made an impression on the famous director. At the moment, she was sitting in a corner, listening to Ji Xicheng complain endlessly about another actor on set.
“I’m telling you, the guy playing the male lead, that alpha, he’s something else. There was a bit of dust on his seat and he just kept wiping and wiping…”
Ji Xicheng went on and on before finally summarizing,
“The lead role should have gone to me instead.”
Shen Nian gave her a long, unimpressed look and called her out directly.
“That’s what all of this is really about, isn’t it?”
Ji Xicheng had an almost obsessive desire to play the lead, but somehow she always ended up with supporting roles.
It was always the roles she could not have that stayed in her thoughts, which was honestly kind of heartbreaking.
With a soft snort, Ji Xicheng raised her eyebrows and asked,
“What are you eating? Share some with me.”
What was she eating? Crispy, chocolate-covered candy. A pack she had casually brought from home.
Ji Xicheng was tempted just by watching her. But Shen Nian refused to hand them over directly. Instead, she threw a few pieces into the air, making Ji Xicheng try to catch them with her mouth.
The alpha’s competitive nature kicked in. She caught every single piece, not letting a single one fall.
Feeling proud of herself, she suddenly caught the playful glint in Shen Nian’s eyes and froze. Her expression changed at once.
Damn it. That rotten A was treating her like a dog.
Ji Xicheng was just about to curse when Shen Nian interrupted with mock seriousness.
“Shh, don’t talk. The freshman representative is about to speak.”
That signaled the official start of filming. Ji Xicheng bit back her words and turned her attention toward the stage.
On stage, the character Yu Yixi, played by Jiang Zhiwan, began her speech calmly and with poise.
“Respected teachers and fellow students, I am honored to stand here today as the freshman representative…”
She had barely begun when a loud bang came from the door.
Everyone in the auditorium instinctively turned to look.
A young alpha with a loosely tied necktie stood at the entrance. He gave a dry cough and, without the slightest hint of guilt, said,
“Sorry everyone, I’m late…”
As he looked up, his eyes met those of the quiet omega on stage. For a brief moment, both were stunned, and then the boy gave a bright, carefree smile.
This was the first meeting between Yu Yixi and Su Yu.
Neither of them knew then that from this point on, their lives would become deeply entwined, eventually leading them to fall in love during the beautiful chaos of youth.
This post-credits scene perfectly mirrored the beginning of the story and brought everything full circle.
Perhaps because it was the final scene, the filming went incredibly smoothly. It was completed in just one take.