With global currency devaluation, I'll wear these back and take my whole family flying!

But it was too late to regret it then. Her father had already invested the money, and she had signed the contract, so she had no choice but to grit her teeth and continue acting.

Kate Tsui kept giving herself positive self-affirmations, reminding herself that she was a professionally trained actress, that she was "Ah Yu," and that Shen Li was "Hua Xi Xi," both of whom were characters in the drama.

Having a strong sense of conviction is a basic quality that actors should possess. After a moment of self-hypnosis, Kate Tsui actually felt more confident.

Half an hour later, the second scene began filming.

All equipment was in place, and the sound of a clap followed by the word "action" instantly silenced the scene.

Kate Tsui knelt down with a "plop," about to release her emotions, when the director yelled "Cut!"

The assistant director, wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap, stood up and angrily rebuked, "Didn't we rehearse the scene? The camera was on 'Hua Xixi' when it started rolling. Who would see you kneeling down now? You should kneel down when the camera zooms in on you!"

No one had ever dared to speak to Kate Tsui so loudly in her life, but she also understood that the director was the most important person on set, and as a newcomer, the one person she couldn't afford to offend was the director.

So after being scolded, she just nodded obediently, looking compliant and submissive: "I'm sorry, director, I was too nervous."

Let's start over.

The camera focused on the scene of "Hua Xixi" shivering after falling into the water. On the small screen in front of the director, Shen Li's charming and perfectly timed naivety was particularly captivating, and the director and the assistant director behind her couldn't help but smile.

"This actress is good. New faces always bring a sense of freshness, and she acts well. The audience will like her." With his experienced eye in the industry, director Ke Youlun immediately recognized Shen Li's potential.

The scene shifts to "Ayu," who suddenly kneels down, reciting her lines in terror: "This servant deserves to die! Please, Madam and Old Madam, calm your anger!"

Madam Hua glared angrily and pointed at Ayu, scolding, "You useless fool! The Second Miss has been frail since childhood, and you still let her fall into the water?"

"Old Madam Hua" directly shouted in a deep voice: "Guards, immediately sell off this useless piece of trash who failed to protect his master!"

"Madam, spare me! Old Madam, spare me! I know I was wrong! I accept the punishment! Please, Old Madam, don't sell me off!"

"Ayu" cried and kowtowed, then stood up and slapped herself twice, before kneeling down and turning to her mistress: "Miss, please say a word for me..."

"Crack!"

A sharp crack severed Xu Zishan's completely absorbed emotions, leaving her with a burning pain on her cheek and a sharp ache in her knee.

The assistant director stood up angrily. Xu Zishan thought she had made a mistake again and instinctively shrank back. However, the assistant director's gaze passed over her and went to an extra behind him, cursing through gritted teeth: "You maid in the blue dress, what the hell is that on your wrist? Did they have watches in ancient times? You've given yourself away!"

The extra shuddered and quickly took off his watch and hid it.

"It all started when the old lady wanted to sell Ayu, and Ayu knelt down, kowtowed, and was slapped!"

Thus, Kate Tsui has to start all over again.

A scene that would only last five minutes on television took a group of people almost an hour to film. Coupled with the hot weather, everyone was getting restless, and their performance declined as the filming progressed.

Kate Tsui slapped her own face until it hurt, and later she didn't dare to slap it anymore.

In the end, the director decided to use the first take!

"Shen Li!"

After filming wrapped, Shen Li was about to return to the dressing room to get some water and rest when Xu Zishan caught up and blocked her way.

The dressing room door had a nameplate with the words "Shen Li" on it. Only private dressing rooms would have actors' names on them. Xu Zishan found it irritating, and her jealousy surged stronger than ever before.

"Are you doing this on purpose? I stole your role, so you come and play 'Hua Xixi' to disgust me?" Xu Zishan said with a vicious look.

The thought of how she had knelt down and begged for forgiveness in front of her and even slapped herself made her feel humiliated, even though she was able to perform professionally at the moment.

"I don't have that ability. I only play roles according to the arrangements of the production team and Director Feng Shan," Shen Li said softly.

Even though Shen Li spoke with absolute certainty, Xu Zishan didn't believe her at all.

With such a popular IP that has garnered attention across the internet, and "Hua Xixi" being a popular character in the original work, so why would this role fall into the hands of a completely unfamiliar newcomer?

Just because she's pretty?

But the entertainment industry is never short of beautiful women!

Xu Zishan looked at Shen Li meaningfully and sneered, "Stop pretending to be high and mighty. To get a role like 'Hua Xixi,' you must have used some underhanded methods."

"Shen Li, if you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. Don't think that denial can cover up the truth."

Shen Li could tell that her words were loaded with meaning, but she didn't get angry.

It wasn't a new thing for Kate Tsui to show hostility towards her. Although she found it all very strange, she wasn't the type to confront others.

Besides, she still remembered what Mina said: Xu Zishan's father was the investor in the production team, and she needed to avoid having any conflicts with her on set.

Thinking of this, Shen Li said expressionlessly, "Whether you believe me or not is none of my concern, but I advise you to apply an ice pack to your face as soon as possible, as it's already slightly red and swollen."

Upon hearing this, Kate Tsui's angry expression instantly turned into astonishment, and she subconsciously touched her face.

"hiss--"

it hurts!

At that moment, the door to the dressing room next door suddenly opened, and Ren Jia, dressed in a gorgeous outfit, walked out in a grand manner, surrounded by four staff members.

She paused slightly when she saw Shen Li, then smiled and said, "Oh, little beauty, we meet again!"

Upon seeing Ren Jia, Shen Li and Xu Zishan immediately composed themselves and greeted her politely with smiles: "Sister Ren Jia."

Ren Jia's gaze unconsciously swept over the two of them, and when she saw Xu Zishan's bright red cheeks, she was startled and exclaimed, covering her mouth in surprise: "Oh my god, little sister, did you get your face red from the filming just now?"

Xu Zishan nodded with a pitiful look, pretending to be strong and said, "I'm fine, Sister Ren Jia, it's just for the sake of the effect."

"Tsk tsk tsk, it must have hurt a lot, right? Who actually slaps themselves in the face like that? Didn't your teacher teach you how to use camera angles?" Ren Jia asked with a look of regret and heartache.

Xu Zishan shook her head. She had joined the film crew less than a month after the start of the semester and hadn't even attended many physical training classes.

"That's really honest of her." Ren Jia sighed, then turned to Xiao Ya and said, "Xiao Ya, hurry up and go to my room and get an ice pack from the small refrigerator to put on this little girl's face, otherwise Director Ke will get angry again if her face is swollen and delays the later filming schedule."