Chapter 13: 013 I’m asking you to pass away.
Late at night, the air in Yancheng was humid and suffocatingly hot.
Ever since Yan Shixiu took over Huahai, he’d quickly got to grips with the entire operation in a very short period of time.
At the same time, he felt a sense of satisfaction mixed with pride; under Shi Lan’s leadership, there indeed were no bad debts to settle.
“Mr. Yan, Director Tang has called, and he’d like to speak with you,” the assistant said respectfully, knocking on the glass door to Yan Shixiu’s office.
“Put him through on the intercom,” Yan Shixiu replied without lifting his head.
In truth, Yan Shixiu didn’t have to guess; he knew it had to do with Shi Lan’s role as the second female lead.
The moment someone had a meltdown on their first day on set, now being ostracized by the whole crew, it wouldn’t have come to the director making the call himself if it weren’t serious.
Yan Shixiu had been worried about finding an excuse to see her, but now, it seemed like a good opportunity.
Shi Lan dared to openly cause such a commotion for many reasons.
Firstly, having signed a servitude contract, she had no choice in the matter, but she really didn’t want to see Gu Chengyu’s face. If Gu Chengyu insisted on withdrawing her role as the second female lead, she’d be happy to see it happen. But she had a fallback plan; if Gu Chengyu actually succeeded, she’d make a big fuss about how he’d been stringing her along as a backup while suppressing and ostracizing her, stirring up a storm and switching to the role of a victim.
Secondly, she figured the role wouldn’t be pulled; she couldn’t say for certain about others, but Yan Shixiu had personally watched her sign the contract, in black and white. Now, with the whole crew suppressing and ostracizing her, it was a slap in Yan Shixiu’s face. The man might seem genteel and harmless, like a university professor, gentle and refined, but… if someone dared offend him, well, sorry, but please depart this world.
Therefore, Shi Lan dared to risk going against industry norms and offend the entire crew to make her stance clear.
The next day, Miss Shi Lan, who hadn’t received any shooting schedule, arrived on set with Sun Ling by her side.
This time, it was Director Tang discussing the script.
The crew, aware of the ostracism that Shi Lan was facing, kept an unspoken agreement; knowing she wouldn’t last in the crew, they didn’t wish to bother with her. As for Gu Chengyu today, he had even less desire to throw a look Shi Lan’s way, given he had had an in-depth conversation with Director Tang the night before. He was confident that, given Director Tang’s strict requirements for actors, he wouldn’t tolerate Shi Lan’s continued delays in the crew.
“An Lan… Or how about we try to speak to Director Tang in private later?” Sun Ling suggested, feeling awful as the surrounding staff treated them like air. It was just too humiliating.
However, Shi Lan took a step forward and pushed Sun Ling behind her.
Director Tang had finished discussing the scene and was resting behind the National Couple with the script in his hands. Shi Lan stepped forward politely and asked Director Tang, “Director Tang, do you really intend to replace me?”
Everyone on the scene was stunned. They’d never seen an artist like Shi Lan, who knew what the director’s attitude was but still walked into the line of fire.
Director Tang put away his script and looked at Shi Lan with a complex expression.
The atmosphere on set suddenly became tense and riveting.
“Where did you hear that?”
“Isn’t everyone’s attitude… clear enough? We don’t need to exchange pleasantries. I’m sure you know who’s causing trouble, but as I said yesterday, I’m not here for personal reasons. So, to avoid wasting everyone’s time, how about I contact Huahai right now? I’m signed with Huahai, and if Huahai wants to replace me, I won’t say another word and will leave immediately. That way, I won’t hold up everyone’s time. What do you think?” Shi Lan said, her expression devoid of fear.
Even faced with a big-time director, she was neither servile nor haughty, her demeanor collected.
Director Tang was momentarily lost for words and didn’t respond.
“The whole set… has at least three hundred people, right? To ridicule, mock, and coldly brutalize a twenty-one-year-old girl, did I desecrate your ancestors’ graves?”
Sun Ling was shocked by Shi Lan’s words!
She felt she needed an emergency heart pill right then.