Chapter 443
Guest appearances were something Qin Wei had never done before. Firstly, she didn't have many friends in the industry, and secondly, she looked down on the red envelopes that TV crews gave for guest appearances.
Things were different now. She had thought it would be volunteer work and hadn't wanted to go, but because her roommate had made the decision for her, she had no choice but to go there with a long face. As a result, as soon as she arrived, the producer personally put a red envelope in her hand.
It was a red Hermes bag, with cash inside too.
Qin Wei was so happy she almost bloomed on the spot.
But she held it in.
With sunglasses hiding her emotions, she gave the producer a faint smile and said:
"You're too kind."
Li Liang understood, and immediately took the red envelope from the producer's hand.
"Miss Qin, you're too polite. You honouring us with a guest appearance is already our privilege. I don't even know what to say to express our gratitude that you've agreed to make time for us despite thinking our gift was inadequate."
The producer beamed. He was an investor in the variety show "Time Will Tell You", and although Qin Wei had almost ruined their program and then disappeared, she had also achieved high viewer ratings and made the investor take note of her potential, so he'd wanted to collaborate with her for some time.
Unfortunately her schedule was fully booked right now, so the investor had compromised by asking her to guest star.
It was a modern idol drama, and she was playing a major celebrity with a small role, a first-tier A-lister, bad-tempered and arrogant. The female lead got fired for offending her, which led to her meeting the male lead.
The rest of the plot followed the usual formula - the male lead was a genius or bigwig in some field but had an undisclosed flaw, while some quality of the female lead could make up for the male lead's shortcoming.
The female lead was poor, the male lead needed help, but the two disliked each other at first sight, only coming to appreciate one another after clashes revealed shining points about each other.
Ah, the female lead was fierce, but kind to small animals, feeling sorry for lamb kebabs.
Ah, the male lead was selfish, but looked so cool tidying up the female lead's messes!
Next there would be an accident to give them a chance to open up.
Then misunderstandings to separate the lovers again.
Get together, separate, reunite, separate, reunite... As many times as there were episodes.
As for the ending... "What's it got to do with me, a big celebrity who appears for 15 minutes in the first episode... Director, stop telling me the plot, I've read way more of these kinds of novels than you..."
Sitting at the set, the more Qin Wei heard, the more she felt it had nothing to do with her. She was only there to guest star.
"OK."
The director said,
"All departments get ready, let's start filming!"
Qin Wei: "?"
"Director wait, where's my script? My costume and makeup?"
Qin Wei stopped the director to make him come to his senses.
The director looked at the moss green Dior dress she had on today:
"This is fine, Teacher Qin's own costume and makeup are high class already, you don't need extra makeup, you're already a top celebrity."
"Oh, so play myself?"
Qin Wei understood instantly.
"Yes yes, just act like yourself!"
...
A Mercedes Benz nanny car drove up from the distance, several bodyguards in black suits lined up in two rows, a little assistant got out and carefully and cautiously opened a black ceremonial umbrella, watching the car's occupant:
"Teacher Li, we've arrived at the studio."
First a pair of red soled high heels appeared on camera, then a woman in a moss green dress emerged from the car, as beautiful as a goddess with skin white as snow, wearing big black sunglasses and an aloof, cold expression.
"I wonder if the boxed meals here taste good..."
"Cut!!! Teacher Qin what's going on???"
The director was a little confused, everything was going in the right direction until she opened her mouth???
The director looked towards Qin Wei's real assistant Li Liang, and Li Liang's eyes told the director -
"Yes, this is her."
The director considered, well, Qin Wei looked quite cool but her private personality seemed very different, this must be the real her...
Director: "Let's start again from getting out of the car, you can refer to Teacher Qiao Sixiao, you've been working together recently on that movie right? So you must understand her style!"
Qin Wei looked up and gave an "OK" gesture to the camera.
Take two- Assistant: "Teacher Li, we've arrived at the studio."
Teacher Li got out of the car, adjusted her sunglasses, aloof and silent, then headed towards the lobby.
The director was overjoyed, yes! This was the feeling!
In the makeup room, Teacher Li sat down and her assistant handed her an iced Americano:
"Teacher Li, your iced Americano." Teacher Li remained silent and aloof.
Just then the female lead came in and said to Teacher Li:
"Teacher Li, I'm sorry but we can't find the jewelry you were supposed to wear. But my bag has some pieces I designed that could stand in temporarily."
Teacher Li didn't speak, remaining aloof and cold.
Director: "Cut!! Teacher Qin what's going on? Say something!"
Qin Wei wrinkled her brow and turned to her assistant, asking coldly:
"Do I pay you to watch the fun? To report things like this to me? Shouldn't you be contacting the jewelry supplier, costume and makeup? What's the point of telling me?"
The director's mind buzzed. He looked at Li Liang again, and Li Liang nodded heavily.
Though Li Liang didn't speak, her expression screamed:
"This really is Teacher Qiao!!!"
Director: "..."
The director came to coach Qin Wei:
"Don't think about reality, real life isn't like idol dramas. In real life a small designer like the female lead wouldn't get to see you.
You need to act super arrogant, you're a top celebrity, throwing your weight around. "
Qin Wei blinked:
"Wasn't I just now?"
Director: "You just came across as very cold. You need to be arrogant, yell at the staff, yell at your assistant, pick on the female lead and make things hard for her until she gets fired."
Qin Wei frowned: "I feel like you're implying I used to have a bad temper and be mean to people. It's true I still reprimand people now, but there should be a reason for it right? Losing my temper at someone for no reason, is that okay?"
The director took some medicine, then explained to Qin Wei:
"To be honest, idol dramas have been in a slump the past couple years, lots of people want to see the sincere brotherhood between the male and second male leads, and the female and second female leads having a sisterly bond without fighting over men. No one wants to watch the male and female leads' sweet romance.
We asked you here to attract their attention, to let them know that between the male and female leads, there can still be love!"