Joining the Crew

After joining the crew, Yu Shuman spent most of her time studying the script. Shooting hadn't started yet, as even the character costumes were still being finalized. The female lead hadn't arrived either, being a newly popular starlet with other commitments, so she would join the crew two days later.

In those two days, Yu Shuman memorized her lines and scenes until she could recite them with her eyes closed. She approached it with the same dedication she had for her high school studies, and soon had the lines down pat.

When the female lead finally arrived, the crew held a small welcome dinner at the hotel restaurant. Yu Shuman attended, but afterward, she went straight to bed, eager to be well-rested for the next day's costume fitting and the start of filming.

The following morning, when Yu Shuman arrived at the set, she saw Xiao An pulling a suitcase. Not knowing what was going on, Yu Shuman let Xiao An lead her to the makeup room. As she sat down, she noticed the makeup artist was the same one who had done her makeup during the final round of the talent show.

The makeup artist, Lucy, was mixing foundation as she spoke. "I've been recruited by 99 Entertainment. They offered too much to refuse." Yu Shuman trusted Lucy's skills but was concerned about whether using a different makeup artist might disrupt the visual consistency.

"Don't worry," Lucy reassured her as she prepared the foundation. "Right now, we're just in the costume testing phase. The lead actress also has her own makeup artist because they know their client best. Once we finalize the first look, I'll coordinate with the crew to ensure everything matches. Trust me, I've got this. There's no way a small production like this will stump me."

Lucy's confidence was palpable, and she even boasted, "Not to brag, but I used to work with top-tier stars. This little show is a piece of cake for me."

Yu Shuman laughed and complimented Lucy while she mixed the foundation. As Lucy began applying makeup, Yu Shuman noticed Xiao An opening the suitcase and pulling out a set of clothes wrapped in a protective cover. The cover didn't fully conceal the bright orange-red hem underneath.

"Manman, this is your outfit for the costume photoshoot," Xiao An said, noticing Yu Shuman's gaze. She hung the outfit on a rack and then pulled out a headpiece from the suitcase. "This headpiece was specially made by Sister Li. It's gilded with a special material, so it looks heavy but is actually lightweight. The gemstones and pearls are real, but they aren't too expensive. If any of them fall off, just let me know, and I'll have the props team fix it."

Yu Shuman felt a bit of anxiety at the mention of real gemstones but relaxed when she heard they were inexpensive.

Xiao An handed her the headpiece, which Yu Shuman carefully examined. "It looks heavy, but it's actually pretty light," she remarked. The headpiece was stunning, crafted in the shape of a phoenix, adorned with various jewels, and completed with two dangling phoenix hairpins.

Though Yu Shuman wasn't familiar with such accessories, she could tell it was an exquisite piece.

The outfit was a modified Tang Dynasty-style dress. The skirt was primarily orange-red with a gradient, covered by a dark green outer robe. The sash matched the skirt, creating an elegant and dignified appearance. Paired with the headpiece, it exuded the aura of a noble princess.

Lucy styled Yu Shuman's hair to match her features and the costume. When she was fully dressed, with the headpiece in place, she looked every bit the regal princess she was meant to portray. Xiao An then added a necklace, bracelet, and rings from a jewelry box she had brought.

As the final touches were being made, Sister Li arrived. Today was Yu Shuman's first time shooting costume photos, so Sister Li wanted to oversee everything. With her ensemble complete, someone from the crew came to check if Yu Shuman was ready. Sister Li led the way confidently, with Yu Shuman following behind, carefully lifting her skirt as Xiao An assisted.

This left Sister Li's assistant and Lucy standing in the dressing room. Lucy, slightly puzzled, commented, "Why can't I bring my assistant? It's been a while since I've handled everything on my own." The assistant chuckled, "Lucy, Manman is just a rookie star. She doesn't need a large entourage. Thanks for your hard work."

Lucy waved it off. "She may be a rookie, but she's got some serious backing. That outfit and jewelry must have cost a fortune." She held up eight fingers, indicating the estimated cost. When the assistant merely smiled, Lucy pressed on, "Come on, give me the inside scoop. What's her background?"

"That's not for me to say. But don't worry, you'll be well-compensated," the assistant replied, her tone carrying a hint of warning. Lucy got the message—Yu Shuman's background was off-limits. She sipped some water and let it go, knowing that the money was good, and that's what mattered.

Yu Shuman was led to the indoor shooting area, where the set had been prepared with warm yellow curtains. As she took her place, she resembled a figure straight out of an ancient painting. The director made some final adjustments to her makeup to ensure uniformity before giving the green light for the photographer to start.

Her session didn't take long, as there were others waiting to have their costume photos taken. Afterward, Yu Shuman asked the director if she could get a copy of her photos. The director looked at Sister Li, who subtly nodded, and then smiled, "Sure, you can have a copy. Just don't share it publicly. We'll need them for promotional purposes later."

Yu Shuman agreed and saved the unedited photos to her phone. Back in the dressing room, she changed out of her costume and immediately sent the pictures to Qin Ran. She trusted Qin Ran completely and didn't feel the need to remind her to keep the photos private.

Qin Ran received the photos while having lunch in the school cafeteria. Seeing her beloved in the outfit and jewelry she had arranged, looking every bit as regal as a princess, made her heart race. Every time she saw a picture of Yu Shuman, Qin Ran couldn't help but feel moved.

She had seen many sides of her senior—crying in secret, smiling like the sun, being mischievous, and even playfully coquettish. And she knew she would see even more sides of her in the future.

But one thought left Qin Ran feeling a bit possessive: soon, others would see this stunning side of her senior in the drama.

Balancing her chopsticks in one hand and her phone in the other, Qin Ran typed, "Your costume photos? You look amazing. Are you playing a princess?"

Yu Shuman was removing her makeup and couldn't help but smile at Qin Ran's perceptiveness. "Yes, I'm playing a princess. When the show airs, you have to watch it!"

"Of course."

There was no way Qin Ran wouldn't watch. In fact, she would ensure that Xiao An was present during the editing process, not to demand more screen time for Yu Shuman, but to guarantee that her best moments were included. Filming a drama is never a smooth process, and Qin Ran didn't expect everything to go perfectly for Yu Shuman.

However, she didn't anticipate problems arising so quickly. The issue wasn't with the female lead herself but with her behavior. Qin Ran had heard about top stars bringing their own scriptwriters and making changes on set, but she hadn't expected it to happen during Yu Shuman's first filming experience.

It seemed that top stars altering scripts wasn't uncommon in the industry.

Qin Ran only became aware of this when Yu Shuman casually mentioned that filming was progressing slowly. Sensing something amiss, she contacted Sister Li, who confirmed the situation. The female lead wanted more spotlight in the early episodes and was demanding more scenes.

Qin Ran was furious. "Her acting is mediocre, yet she has the audacity to demand more screen time."

Sister Li, ever the pragmatist, agreed but pointed out the reality of the situation: "Unfortunately, she's extremely popular right now. Yu Shuman has several scenes with her early on, and if she keeps up, it could be a breakout moment."

After some hesitation, Qin Ran decided to let it go, for Yu Shuman's sake. The female lead wasn't cutting Yu Shuman's scenes entirely, so it wasn't too damaging. But Qin Ran's rare show of patience was misinterpreted as a sign that Yu Shuman was easy to push around. Emboldened, the lead's team later requested that Yu Shuman's screen time be reduced, arguing that a supporting character having too much screen time early on would overshadow the lead.

"A supporting character with too much screen time?" Qin Ran scoffed. "My senior's role is all about the early episodes. If they cut her scenes, what's left?"

This time, Qin Ran wasn't going to tolerate it.

"So, she loves rewriting the script?" Qin Ran's eyes narrowed dangerously. Even Sister Li knew better than to intervene now, understanding Qin Ran's temperament.

Qin Ran was likely thinking, "If my senior doesn't get her scenes, then no one will."