Gu Jiahui left, Sheng Tang did not think much of it, because after they had a simple dinner, they started working again.
The scene at night was only about one minute long, it was a scene between Ai Xiao and Sheng Tang: the two sisters sitting in the moonlit yard, talking about their past lives and their yearning for university.
In the past, their father was teaching at the university, and the two of them grew up in the faculty dormitory, the campus seemed like their home.
Talking about the campus, the elder sister Li Hong had a nostalgic expression, reminiscing beautiful times; the younger sister Li Lan exhibited a painful expression, her pain mixed with a stubborn desire to go back.
When the elder sister looked at her, her expression was innocent and bewildered.
Sheng Tang performed this scene excellently.
Facing her sister, her girlishness which exceeded her age was particularly obvious, it always made the director and other actors forget her real age.
She really looked like a sixteen-year-old girl, every gesture carried the innocence like a budding flower shyly standing on a branch.
Ai Xiao, who played the elder sister, always failed to capture the emotion.
"Okay, one more take." The director repeated the same line all night, "Sheng Tang, just maintain the level from before, Ai Xiao, try to grasp the character’s inner feelings. Don’t hold back too much, let it out a bit, relax your facial muscles a bit."
"This take was fine, but one more, Sheng Tang’s expression was great, Ai Xiao, don’t laugh, just lift your lips a bit, not asking you to smile."
It wasn’t until midnight that the scene was completed.
If it were just Sheng Tang or her scenes with other actors, it would have wrapped up in an hour, but it had to be with Ai Xiao.
"She’s dragging you down." A slightly older female actor from the same crew told Sheng Tang.
"No, partner scenes are a shared responsibility." Sheng Tang smiled.
Ai Xiao happened to hear it.
The female actor’s words displeased her greatly; Sheng Tang’s magnanimity enraged her even more, it felt like Sheng Tang was looking down on her.
Sheng Tang didn’t even bother to blame her, seeming to look down from a high position, with a sort of condescension.
After returning to her room, Ai Xiao grew angrier the more she thought about it.
She kicked all her things around.
A small pillbox fell out, inside was a mixture of Ai Xiao’s various nutritional supplements.
She usually diets heavily, thus her nutritional intake relies on supplements. Besides the nutritional ones, there was another type.
Ai Xiao glanced at them, and quickly formed a plan in her mind.
She didn’t sleep well that night, spending the whole time scheming.
The next day was still tiring indeed.
Ai Xiao was on the verge of collapse.
Sheng Tang’s superb acting, even demanded retakes ten times over, let alone Ai Xiao?
Ai Xiao was almost driven mad by the director, had never met a director who was so particular.
The director would shoot a scene three or four times for each frame, that was considered good.
It felt like the director couldn’t decide on the shots to use.
Ai Xiao endured it.
That day there were no scenes opposite Sheng Tang, so she was fine. When Qian Zhe Lin was acting with Sheng Tang, he would perform excellently guided by her presence.
When paired with other roles or Ai Xiao, he wouldn’t stand out much.
Meaning, on the entire set, Sheng Tang had a dominating presence. Every time it was her scenes, everyone followed her rhythm, otherwise it would be chaotic.
Of course, syncing with Sheng Tang’s rhythm quickly got them into character.
Other actors enjoyed working with Sheng Tang because she didn’t overpower them, just had a strong presence, maintaining control.
Ai Xiao always clashed with her, unable to harmonize, hence their scenes together were perpetually bad.
On the fourth day, Ai Xiao decided things couldn’t go on like this.
"I’ll have to endure it for now." Ai Xiao secretly turned the cup in her hand.