Chapter 21: She Wants To Make A Good Start For Her

There is still hype on the Internet, and the hype is getting hotter and hotter. Seeing that the start date set by the crew has arrived, Yan Tinghuan and Xi Mo headed to Hengdian*.

*Hengdian World Studio, where traditional/historical dramas are filmed

Without the company's protection, there's only Yan Tinghuan, a seemingly unreliable agent, which feels extremely desolate. There's no special car waiting, no bodyguards by her side, no media flashlights, and no enthusiastic fans at the airport to greet her. Xi Mo's heart is in despair. Before, the media and fans' crazy pursuit and interception brought her a lot of trouble, but now it's all gone in an instant. She still can't fully adapt to this stark contrast.

The weather was hot, Yan Tinghuan happily bought two cans of cold beer and handed one to Xi Mo. Hengdian Film and Television City is very big and Yan Tinghuan dragged Xi Mo around there, facing such a big sun, looking at this, looking at that, Xi Mo was so angry that she was about to suffer from heat stroke.

Though she felt unhappy inside, she couldn't show her emotions on her face. Ruan Yesheng and Yan Tinghuan were good friends, and in Xi Mo's eyes, they were all in the same boat. Since they were in the same boat, how could one raccoon be angry at another raccoon? Xi Mo believed it didn't fit Ruan Yesheng's character. Although she really wanted to throw away her restraint and strangle Yan Tinghuan, she reluctantly took a sip of beer and pretended:"Tinghuan, it's so hot, stop playing around. Do you even know where the hotel for the crew is?"

She had been to Hengdian countless times, and each time, she was picked up by a special car, never needing to worry about such things before. But it's really strange, the navigation map on her phone couldn't find the specific location of this hotel, and even the taxi driver said he hadn't heard of it. She wondered what kind of obscure place Lin Qitang had arranged. Relying solely on the description of landmark buildings provided by the crew members over the phone, she should have arrived nearby when getting off the taxi, but no matter how she walked around, she couldn't find it.

Yan Tinghuan answered heartlessly and shrugged: "I really don't know, and I'm not familiar with Hengdian."

Xi Mo: "..."

She couldn't stand the heat, feeling her temple pulsating incessantly, and she could faint at any moment. "Then why are you still pulling me along as if you know the way? I thought you were clearer than me."

Yan Tinghuan said, "I find this quite interesting; let's just have some fun and treat it as a tour. What's wrong? Ruan Ruan, you don't like it? If you don't like it, you should tell me. If you don't say anything, how would I know you don't like it?"

Xi Mo: "..."

What kind of agent are you?!

You're just tormenting me!

Yan Tinghuan smiled and put her arm around Xi Mo's shoulder, "It's okay, we'll just ask people along the way, it's just a hotel, no need to worry about not finding it."

The heat was intense, and they were sweaty and sticky. Xi Mo thought of an idea and casually moved aside: "Is there someone from the crew to pick us up?"

Yan Tinghuan pouted: "I fought for you, but Director Lin said that he was too busy to arrange the manpower, so he let us go by ourselves. The crew members are probably busy picking up those coffee* after all, there are too many of them this time. How could they bother with us two shrimps?"

*term used is 咖 (ka) which can mean coffee or curry, coffee is a slang word for popularity or social status (comparing people with popular coffee brands), but 'ka' can also mean the borrowed English word 'cast'. It's most likely the first one.

Xi Mo lowered her eyes and thought to herself, indeed, it was true. Even with Ruan Yesheng's face, it didn't mean much now. Being able to join the crew was all thanks to using Xi Mo's name to play some tricks. In a humorous way, she could say that she was hugging her own thigh to get in. In order to smoothly integrate into the crew in the future, she needed to recognize the reality and exercise more patience. Thinking about this, she felt much more relieved. Without showing any change in expression, she continued walking, politely asking a few passersby. She learned that the hotel was newly opened, and many people were still unaware of it. The electronic map data hadn't been updated in time, which was why they couldn't find it.

Xi Mo asked about the detailed route to the hotel, and finally arrived at the destination after exhausting herself. She saw Feng Tangtang waiting in the lobby early in the morning, and hurried up to meet them.

"Ruanruan!" Feng Tangtang happily gave Xi Mo a big and sweet hug.

Xi Mo originally hated physical contact with others, but now her whole body is sweating, and feeling nauseous caused by the heat, she feels even more uncomfortable. She didn't want to hurt this piece of candy so she bit the bullet and hugged back stiffly, feeling like her heart was about to explode.

Ruan Yesheng, what evil thing have you done?!

"Tang Tang, why are you here?" Xi Mo was a bit surprised. "At this time, you should be with your 'Sister Xi,' right?"

Feng Tangtang is her assistant, and it is only normal for her to be by Ruan Yesheng's side now.

"Sister Xi stays here." Feng Tangtang said with a smile: "We are all here. After answering the phone call from Ting Huan, I knew you were coming to the crew hotel. Since I have nothing to do, I decided to wait if I can meet you, it turns out you're really here."

After hearing this, Xi Mo frowned slightly.

When she was filming before, she would never be in the same hotel as the crew. The crew was crowded and mixed. For some reason, she always let Lu Qingming choose another hotel for herself. Because she is a first-line celebrity, her weight is naturally very heavy. If she really wants to live separately, the crew will often give special care, and many first-line celebrities are like this. Many other actors don't have a choice. In order to facilitate better and faster arrangements and transfers among crew members, and ensure the progress and quality of shooting, most of the members have to live in the same hotel.

According to Lu Qingming's character, there is no need to remind him at all, and he will properly handle everything including hotel arrangements according to Xi Mo's previous habits.

However, the situation now is not what she had imagined. So, it was Ruan Yesheng, this woman, who decided to stay here? If she insisted, Lu Qingming would still agree.

"Didn't your Sister Xi never seem to live in a production hotel before?" As she said this, Xi Mo felt something and turned her face away.

A woman walked slowly from the hall, with long straight hair hanging down, tall and long legs, wearing a dignified custom-made long skirt, high heels and thin feet. With her appearance and temperament, it is difficult to pick out any flaws, wherever goes, she is a diamond shining so brightly that it catches people's eyes.

Xi Mo: "..."

Seeing her face and her familiar body leaning towards her, the situation was indescribably weird. The "good temper" acting skills she had cultivated these days almost failed in an instant.

Beside Ruan Yesheng, aside from Lu Qingming, there was also a tall strange man with a stern face, standing there like a black-faced god.

At this time, someone came over, and Lu Qingming stopped to talk to the person, probably discussing something.

Seeing this, Ruan Yesheng also stopped beside him, turned her head to look at Xi Mo, then squinted her eyes, and smiled at Xi Mo with the corners of her eyes hooked.

Xi Mo: "..."

This woman dared to act so flirtatiously with her own skin on her shoulders, even when no one was watching. This time, she really lost her reputation.

For so many days and nights, she secretly hypnotized herself to accept the status quo of their body swapping, but even now, she still can't pass this threshold.

Unexpectedly, Ruan Yesheng seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit.

Xi Mo turned her face away again, just pretending that she didn't see her.

Feng Tangtang didn't understand, so she continued there: "Actually, I also find it strange that Sister Xi is willing to stay in the hotel arranged by the crew. I heard that she proposed it on her own initiative."

"Really?" Xi Mo sneered with the corners of her mouth pulled.

"Yes, yes." Feng Tangtang is a piece of candy without scheming, how could she think of any mystery in it, and said: "But never mind, just thinking of staying in the same hotel with Ruanruan, I am happy."

Yan Yan laughed and said, "Tangtang, which floor are you on? We are in room 0825. If you're free tonight, come down and play 'Landlords'."

*Landlords(斗地主, Dòu Dì Zhǔ) is a popular card game in China. It is a competitive game typically played with three players, where the objective is to get rid of all your cards before the other players. The player who first plays all their cards becomes the "landlord" and gains certain advantages in subsequent rounds. 

"Okay, okay, I'm at 1219." Feng Tangtang nodded hurriedly.

"Feng Tangtang." A cold and beautiful female voice sounded.

Xi Mo's tendons are about to stand up. This woman is putting on a show with her skin and voice and deceiving others, but Xi Mo can clearly hear the excitement in her artificially cold voice.

Feng Tangtang was shocked when she was called out, and she turned her head quickly.

Ruan Yesheng stood there with a very calm expression, and beckoned at her.

Feng Tangtang clearly didn't want to leave, but it seemed like there was no other choice. She said goodbye to Xi Mo, promising to play again in the evening. Then, with her short legs bouncing, she happily ran towards her idol, "Sister Xi," as if Ruan Yesheng had casually instructed her on something, and she nodded eagerly.

After Lu Qingming finished talking, he walked inside, followed by the unfamiliar man and Feng Tangtang. Ruan Yesheng straightened her waist, turned around, and looked up at Xi Mo. Her eyes flowed for a while, and she smiled just enough to let Xi Mo see. Xi Mo felt a chill and didn't know what this coquettish monster was plotting. Then, she saw the fleeting smile on Ruan Yesheng's face, and she walked away with a cold face, holding herself up with a very high posture.

Xi Mo: "..."

Is she trying to show off to me?!

Did I really walk like that before?!

She didn't learn anything! I let her play my role properly, but the actor's self-cultivation has been eaten by dogs!

Crossing her arms, Xi Mo pretended to disdainfully say, "What's wrong with this 'Xi Mo'? She didn't walk like this before. Acting all pretentious, has she lost her mind lately?"

Yan Tinghuan snorted, "Really? As far as I know, isn't Xi Mo always walking with such nobility and elegance?"

Xi Mo: "..."

Yan Tinghuan looked into her eyes, smiling mischievously: "Anyway, there's no mirror next to us when we walk. Xi Mo's arrogance has reached the sky, she probably doesn't realize how she looks. Ruanruan, let's not imitate her. We have to learn well."

Xi Mo: "..."

"I think I'm about to get heatstroke. I'll go back to my room and take a nap," Xi Mo said, feeling a headache coming on, deciding to avoid Yan Tinghuan, the god of plague.

According to her speculation, Yan Tinghuan would call Feng Tangtang down to play in the evening. These two always like to join in the fun and don't mind causing trouble. It's 200% certain that they would choose her room, and then she wouldn't be able to refuse them. She would definitely be disturbed, so it's better to go to sleep early now and be prepared, so she can handle the situation calmly later.

"Are you really suffering from heatstroke?" Yan Tinghuan looked at Xi Mo's face and noticed her serious expression and slightly flushed cheeks, making her look a bit drunk. Yan Tinghuan's tone became more serious as she couldn't help but take the situation seriously.

"Is faking it possible?" Xi Mo glanced at her and swayed with a slightly unsteady gait towards the elevator, waving her hand, saying, "I'm leaving. Feel free to wander around, but avoid staying under the scorching sun like I did. Also, don't bother calling me for dinner tonight, I just want to sleep."

Yan Tinghuan didn't follow, and watched Xi Mo leave from behind, smacking her lips, her expression seemed mixed.

Apart from Ruan Yesheng and Xi Mo herself, she is the only one who knows the big secret of the two people's body swapping. She is very playful, and thinks that such a big star like Xi Mo suddenly encountering such a thing is really interesting, and sometimes she can't help playing tricks. Today she led Xi Mo around a few more times, but she didn't expect that Xi Mo will really suffer from heat stroke, and she still didn't really lose her temper because of that. She just endured the journey all the way. Yan Tinghuan is not unfamiliar with heat stroke. It's really uncomfortable, and for poor physique, it's almost fatal.

Before, there were gossip rumors claiming that Xi Mo behaved differently in public compared to her private life, suggesting that Xi Mo had a bad temper and was difficult to deal with, acting like a diva. However, after spending time together these days, even though Yan Tinghuan knows that Xi Mo is playing the role of Ruan Yesheng and there must be an element of pretense, if Xi Mo's temper were really as excessive as some people in the circle say, she wouldn't be able to act the way she does now.

Patience is the most uncomfortable thing in the world, like a blunt knife torturing the flesh, it's unbearably bitter. How many people push themselves and others into the abyss of trouble because they cannot endure.

Since a person can be so tolerant and considerate, always acting appropriately in public, how could they possibly be difficult to get along with in the truest sense?

Thinking of this, Yan Tinghuan suddenly felt a bit dull. She went to a nearby pharmacy and bought some medicine for heatstroke, then went upstairs and knocked on Xi Mo's door. After a while, Xi Mo opened the door with her eyes half-closed. Her hair and clothes were neat. In front of others, she indeed valued and payed attention to her appearance. This seemed to be a cultivated upbringing from a young age. No matter how bad her condition was, her appearance had to be dignified and not disrespectful to others.

"What's wrong?" Confused in her mind, Xi Mo forgot her identity as Ruan Yesheng for a moment, and her tone was indifferent.

Yan Tinghuan gave her the medicine for heatstroke: "Ruanruan, take this before going to bed."

Xi Mo was a little surprised. She didn't know that Yan Tinghuan already knew her true identity well, and after taking the medicine, she suddenly felt that although Yan Tinghuan was unreliable and likes to make troubles, she really cared about Ruan Yesheng. They are really fox friends so she decided to temporarily forgive her for a few minutes.

Yan Tinghuan said again: "Just now, I received the notice that the production team will have a banquet tonight. If you don't like this, don't go. I'll help you tell Director Lin to take a leave of absence."

Xi Mo frowned: "Tonight? Isn't it tomorrow night?"

"The arrangement has been temporarily changed, and the time has been changed."

Xi Mo didn't speak.

When the crew starts filming, they will inevitably gather together to have a meal. Later on, it's a long period of shooting, and at that time, the crew members will be bowing their heads without looking up*. Teamwork is crucial; the degree of coordination among the members greatly affects the filming progress. Chinese people like to build connections at the dining table, taking a bite, raising their glasses, and chatting about various topics from all over the place, which quickly establishes bonds. From the major actors to the various behind-the-scenes staff, many of them might be collaborating for the first time and are not familiar with each other. Tonight, the crew is holding a banquet to get to know each other better before the filming starts, so that the subsequent work can proceed more smoothly.

*busy

This shows how important the opening of the banquet is, whether it is in terms of participation attitude or practical sense, it is indispensable. In the past, Xi Mo would participate every time. Although she was cold and arrogant by nature, she was indeed very dedicated in the crew. The crew members who worked with her in the past generally had a good impression of her.

Source: https://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=2188414

This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.

Xi Mo shook her head and said, "I will go tonight."

Yan Tinghuan wanted to persuade her: "I don't think you are in the right condition now. What if they ask you to drink at that time? You are at best a newcomer now. If you are forced to drink, I am afraid it will be difficult to refuse."

"It's okay, I know how to measure. This is my first drama in a long time, it's very important, I have to leave a good impression on others, and it's also convenient for the follow-up work in the crew. If I don't go, what will others think of me? It wouldn't do good with my image." With Ruan Yesheng's body on her body, she is more and more able to consider issues from Ruan Yesheng's perspective. Even if she has opinions on Ruan Yesheng, maintaining Ruan Yesheng's image is the basic principle. If Ruan Yesheng is really as Feng Tangtang said, so eager and fond of acting, she will definitely cherish this hard-won opportunity very much.

Xi Mo didn't know why, but she wants to make a good start for her. Perhaps she was inherently dedicated to her work, and this matter resonated with her deeply.

"Okay." Yan Tinghuan has no choice. She heard Ruan Yesheng say that Xi Mo is sometimes very stubborn: "I'll call you before the banquet."

Xi Mo nodded wearily, said nothing, and closed the door with the medicine.