William joined the crew, bringing with him a fresh breeze that dispelled the previous gloom over the set.
In their scenes together, Sheng Tang still had the upper hand over Wen Yu.
Zheng Weiwei had explicitly told her that there was no need to hide her acting skills. A dual female lead movie was actually just a gimmick; whoever could carry the weight of the performance would boost the box office.
Thus, Sheng Tang no longer held back her abilities.
In her scenes with Wen Yu, not only the director watching from behind the monitor but also the on-site staff all had their eyes on Sheng Tang, who naturally commanded everyone’s attention.
She clearly made Wen Yu look like a supporting character.
Wen Yu couldn’t even complain; she couldn’t exactly demand that Sheng Tang’s scenes be cut, since she was also a leading role.
Outmatched in skills, Wen Yu felt immense pressure.
Eventually, during their scenes together, the director stopped giving her any requirements unless she made a major mistake.
Several times, she went to review the footage herself and discovered that the gap between her and Sheng Tang was significant. Even she could see it, yet the director didn’t ask for another take.
This silently acknowledged that she was simply no match for Sheng Tang.
What drove Wen Yu to the brink of collapse even more was the dynamic with their male lead, William.
William’s acting was raw; he might not exude much charm himself, but his romance line with Sheng Tang was a subplot, while his storyline with Wen Yu was the main plot.
However, when William and Sheng Tang acted together, their chemistry was palpable, so much so that even the staff on set could perceive their synchronicity.
Whether William’s character loved Sheng Tang’s Zhao Beibei or not was subtly suggested in the script, relying on the actors’ interpretation.
Wen Yu noticed that William’s eyes were more expressive and emotional when acting with Sheng Tang than with her.
A few days later, Wen Yu’s temper worsened.
Sheng Tang, on the other hand, found it quite thrilling.
She portrayed Zhao Beibei’s bitchiness and arrogance to perfection, delivering an outstanding performance.
Four weeks later, the film was about two-thirds complete.
Wen Yu took leave to attend several events.
With her absent, the scenes primarily featured Sheng Tang and William. The director had them finish all their shared scenes first.
The following week was filled with scenes between Sheng Tang and William.
Soon after, Sheng Tang noticed that William began avoiding her, no longer being chatty around her.
"William?" Sheng Tang called out to him at the restaurant entrance, "What’s wrong with you?"
William mumbled something and dodged her.
Sheng Tang was baffled. Had she offended the male lead somehow?
"In less than forty days, how did I manage to offend him?" Sheng Tang recapped, thinking she had been performing well.
In the afternoon, during filming, the director also noticed the problem and said to William, "Control your expressions, William, you can’t look at Zhao Beibei like that. Those feelings are meant for Qi Qi."
"William, more expression, you can’t be so expressionless here."
"William, tone down the gaze. We all admire Zhao Beibei, but you can’t."
That night, William broke down.
He went to Zheng Weiwei and the director, saying, "I can’t do it anymore. I can’t get out of character! I’ve fallen in love with Zhao Beibei!"
Zheng Weiwei: "..."
Director: "..."
William: "I don’t want to be with Qi Qi. I want to be with Zhao Beibei! When I say ’I,’ I mean the male lead, not myself. I just can’t get out of character."
William’s explanation was a mess, yet the director and Zheng Weiwei understood him.
He had indeed fallen into the world of the male lead William, as if a second personality had developed within him, one he couldn’t shake off.