Provoking Fire [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 26

The director never imagined Su Yan would agree to return as the female lead. Now, she was ecstatic. Even with An Tong’s incident, since no official announcement had been made yet, they could quickly reshoot the promotional photos and capitalize on the current buzz for a massive wave of free publicity.

As a result, her gaze toward Chu Xiyue was as warm as could be, as if she were looking at a lucky star.

“Yueyue, take a look at this scene we’ll be rehearsing today. Teacher Su will be ready to join you shortly.”

The film, titled In Character, tells the story of two mismatched demon hunters who uncover a series of mysterious cases. Initially suspicious of each other, they gradually develop feelings for one another.

The female lead, Gu Feishuang, is the righteous heir of a prestigious demon-hunting clan. When her family is falsely accused of colluding with evil demons, the entire clan is imprisoned, with most perishing during their exile. Determined to capture the true demons and clear her family’s name, Gu Feishuang encounters the eccentric and unrestrained Yan Zhuoxi along her journey.

Yan Zhuoxi possesses extraordinary martial skills, but her methods and demeanor clash with the standards of a noble sect. Shrouded in mystery, Gu Feishuang deliberately partners with her to hunt the demons, sparking intense chemistry between them.

The film was full of suspenseful twists and turns, and the action scenes were visually stunning. Though the ending didn’t explicitly confirm a romantic relationship between the two female leads, and there were no definitive scenes like kisses throughout the film, the unspoken intimacy between them was far more compelling than any overt display of passion.

This was Chu Xiyue’s first film role, and she felt a considerable amount of pressure. Previously, she had acted opposite An Tong, with whom she shared a similar level of experience, so she hadn’t worried about being overshadowed. But now that Su Yan had taken over the role, the pressure immediately intensified.

Chu Xiyue had spent the past few days familiarizing herself with the script at home. The audition scene was fixed, primarily designed to assess the chemistry between the two actresses. Her task was relatively simple: she just needed to recreate the short scene that had secured her the role.

The scene depicted Gu Feishuang, the female lead, injured. Yan Zhuoxi, the second female lead, verbally mocked her but grew suspicious when she returned with medicine and saw Gu Feishuang seemingly communicating with someone. Sensing movement outside, Gu Feishuang grabbed Yan Zhuoxi by the collar and dragged her inside, initiating a tense exchange between the two women.

The script’s description of the scene was brief and straightforward.

After reviewing the scene one last time, Chu Xiyue saw the door open and a familiar figure enter. Her long hair was tied into a high ponytail, her expression crisp and alert, but her eyes held a serious intensity.

Su Yan wasn’t wearing period costumes or makeup, yet her demeanor had already transformed. Her spine was straighter, her aura colder, but unlike her usual aloofness, there was now a forced, deliberate quality to it.

In the original story, Gu Feishuang had shouldered the burdens of her entire clan at a young age, never daring to relax. Though still a beautiful young woman, she carried herself with the maturity of someone far older.

The moment Su Yan entered, Chu Xiyue felt she was looking at Gu Feishuang herself, despite the actress’s unchanged features.

A good actor is also a good partner, naturally drawing their scene partner into character without needing the director’s guidance.

Su Yan suddenly turned, her expression solemn, and raised her wrist as if checking a carrier pigeon perched there. Chu Xiyue stood at a distance, concealing the medicine in her sleeve, her steps appearing light but moving with unwavering speed. She stopped near Su Yan, her gaze fixed on the figure inside through the window, her eyes gradually hardening.

Suspicion and confusion flickered in her eyes, her delicate brows furrowed. She gradually lowered her breathing, instinctively leaning back to avoid Gu Feishuang’s line of sight. As she observed from this blind spot, the wooden door creaked open, and before she could react, a hand yanked her inside.

There was no door here. Chu Xiyue was yanked forward by a force and landed directly in Su Yan’s arms. She stumbled slightly, feeling Su Yan’s warm breath ghosting across her neck. Even her breathing seemed restrained. When she looked up, her gaze collided with those calm, deep eyes.

Su Yan pressed a finger to her lips, signaling her to be quiet.

At that moment, there was no one chasing them, yet Chu Xiyue felt a sudden wave of panic. Her expression shifted from shock to understanding as she gripped Su Yan’s hand tightly and pinned her against the wall, as if retaliating for Su Yan’s secrets. Su Yan winced, nearly letting out a groan, but in the next instant, she subtly adjusted their position.

Their hands shifted from a simple grip to interlocked fingers. The warmth and coolness of their skin intertwined, and every emotion between them seemed to intensify with this small, intimate gesture.

A tremor ran through Chu Xiyue’s heart.

As the actress playing the second female lead, Chu Xiyue had noticed during the two auditions that An Tong’s performance style differed sharply from Su Yan’s. The former adhered strictly to the script, delivering her lines in sync with Chu Xiyue’s own delivery. While their chemistry was good and An Tong’s eyes conveyed emotion, the truly impactful scenes required a full emotional outburst to ignite.

But the latter, with a simple, subtle gesture, conveyed the unspoken intimacy between the two characters. In that moment, Chu Xiyue felt completely immersed in her role, her heartbeat skipping a beat. It was as if they were fugitives on the run, each concealing their true identities while entrusting their lives to each other out of necessity.

As the sounds of pursuit drew closer, like a blade suspended in the darkness, Chu Xiyue tensed again, instinctively pressing closer to Su Yan. The two women were now even closer, their fingers gripping tighter.

Under the camera’s gaze, despite the absence of special effects or sound, one could almost hear their pounding heartbeats.

They held their breath until the pursuers’ footsteps faded into the distance. Gu Feishuang tried to release her hand, but Yan Zhuoxi tightened her grip, the red jade bracelet on her wrist warming against her skin from their close contact.

The director called “Cut!” with satisfaction, marking the end of the audition.

This scene had been filmed without other actors present, indicating the director’s near certainty about the outcome—this was merely a formality. After reviewing the footage, he was even more pleased, noting how Su Yan had drawn out a spark of vitality in Chu Xiyue’s performance. He was eager to begin filming immediately.

After giving them a few instructions, the Director left as if she’d been injected with adrenaline. She returned shortly after, even more excited, and booked a room for Chu Xiyue at the nearby grand hotel, instructing her to wait there with her assistant. The wait stretched for over two hours, just long enough for lunch to finish. Then, Chu Xiyue was ushered into the makeup room, where the team prepared her for reshooting the costume fitting photos.

The previous costume fitting photos featuring An Tong were, of course, destined for removal. But even after the reshoot, Chu Xiyue couldn’t believe how quickly she had officially become Su Yan’s co-star in the film.

This was nothing like their brief seven days together on the reality dating show. Filming the movie would take nearly three months, meaning they would be spending the next three months together, immersing themselves in their roles. After that, they would embark on joint promotional campaigns, stretching the collaboration for several more months. In total, Chu Xiyue realized she would be closely connected to Su Yan for roughly a year.

Just thinking about it filled Chu Xiyue with mixed emotions. But the silver lining was that Su Yan had filled An Tong’s vacancy, ensuring Chu Xiyue’s first film debut wouldn’t fall through. Most importantly, she no longer had to worry about her life-extending treatment.

Isn’t this the outcome I wanted?

Yao Xin didn’t accompany Chu Xiyue this time. After returning home, she called to ask about the results. Only when she learned that Su Yan had indeed secured the lead role did her heart finally settle back into her stomach, and she beamed with delight.

“Isn’t that great? Think about it—would you rather be An Tong’s subordinate, or have Su Yan above you?”

Chu Xiyue: “Didn’t you tell me not to fight over billing order back then? And what do you mean ‘Su Yan above me’? Why does everyone talk so strangely and offensively?”

Yao Xin clicked her tongue.

“That was to stop you from letting your anger make you miss out on this project. The script is solid, the director’s track record is excellent, and it has breakout potential. For your first film, we need to play it safe and establish a strong foundation. Besides, An Tong is An Tong, and Su Yan is Su Yan. They’re not the same at all.”

Regardless, Su Yan was like a timely rain, a savior for the entire production team. The An Tong scandal continued to escalate, especially after several former supporters turned against her, even exposing the company’s attempts to buy their silence. The fury of fans and the public surged, forcing An Tong to delete her apology post.

A few days later, the production team of In Character officially launched multi-platform accounts and announced the cast with official character posters, once again dropping a bombshell in the entertainment industry. The news sent shockwaves through the industry, like a single stone stirring up a thousand waves.

Su Yan hadn’t avoided commercial films entirely in recent years, but she had been selective. The quality of a script, after all, depended more on its story than its genre. Therefore, her involvement didn’t spark much controversy.

At twenty-six, Su Yan was at her prime in the entertainment industry, brimming with potential. It was only natural for her to explore diverse roles rather than confine herself to a single niche.

In recent days, the An Tong scandal had thrust the In Character production team into the spotlight. Previously, the news had been mere rumors spread by marketing accounts, even teasing the fans of several rising actresses. Now, with the official announcement, the hype reached its peak.

A top-tier actress, a newly crowned film queen, and even the two stars who had just finished a dating show and been voted the most popular CP were set to collaborate again, playing dual lead roles.

The buzz was absolutely explosive.

On the night of the official announcement, the Morning Dew, Evening Bloom CP fans went into full celebration mode on their supertopic. Whether the hardcore fans were angry or not, they didn’t care. All they knew was that while the other dating show couples were still interacting amicably, their ambiguous chemistry had faded. Only Morning Dew, Evening Bloom had announced a collaboration so quickly.

Although An Tong had been widely rumored to play the female lead in In Character, the production team remained silent, offering no official confirmation. Without concrete evidence, most dismissed it as a misunderstanding. Naturally, some anti-fans couldn’t resist mocking the situation, sarcastically suggesting that the role had been decided long ago, with the reality show appearance merely a publicity stunt to ensure a quick breakup after filming. Even the CP fans remained unfazed.

This must be our reward, hehehe.

For CP shipping, Morning Dew, Evening Bloom is the only way to go! I declare these two women the year’s ultimate visual CP!