The Female Lead Playing the Female Lead?
I widened my eyes, cautiously confirming for half a minute before I was absolutely certain I hadn't misheard.
Combined with the strange conversation between Su Yunyi (Shen Lang) and her agent I'd overheard in the stairwell, a thought flashed through my mind:
Could this beautiful sister also be an unlucky transmigrator like me?
Of course, while I was lost in these thoughts, Sylvia Shui beside me had already stood up, waving her hands in flustered denial. "No, no, no! How could it be me? Sister Su, I've seen your previous dramas. You acted so well. Why are you deliberately yielding to me?"
Unexpectedly, Su Yunyi (Shen Lang) seemed even more flustered than she was. "No... no, I'm not worthy. You're my sister."
Then the two of them started deferring to each other, exchanging bows as if they were participating in some civilized etiquette competition.
When Sylvia clearly stated she wanted to give the female lead role back to Su Yunyi (Shen Lang), I distinctly saw the pained, helpless expression on Jay Zhao's face beside her.
Good grief, if you're so reluctant to see your childhood sweetheart sister suffer, why not just invest in a movie yourself? One where she's the only actor, the absolute center of the universe. Then surely no one could compete with her for the female lead role.
Su Yunyi (Shen Lang) deferred repeatedly, but Sylvia stubbornly refused. Seeing the beautiful sister's expression verge on tears, I knew perfectly well she wanted nothing to do with the female lead. So, I tugged at Sylvia's sleeve:
"Friend, enough is enough. She's offering it to you, just take it. If you really didn't want to play the female lead, why did you even come to audition?"
Sylvia stared at me wide-eyed for several seconds, then lectured me with a serious expression:
"Ivy, you don't understand. The most important thing in life is knowing your place. It's obvious Sister Su deliberately performed poorly just now to give the role to me. But I don't need her to do that. Even if I lose, I want to lose with honor."
Hearing this, the expressions of the important figures present turned approving.
And Jay Zhao on the far end? Forget about it. If it weren't a public setting, I bet he'd rush over to give the female lead a hug and whisper ten or eight sentences of praise in her ear.
– He'd been doing stuff like that since they were kids.
That kind of person could be an idol? The entertainment industry in this dog-blood novel was truly doomed.
I sighed silently to myself, then shot a look at Su Yunyi (Shen Lang): "Bro, I tried my best. Nothing I could do."
Su Yunyi (Shen Lang) stared dumbfounded at the scene, still trying to struggle: "No, you misunderstand, you absolutely won fair and square—"
"Enough!" Director Luo waved his hand decisively. "Then it's settled. Su Yunyi, you'll play Princess Changping. Sylvia Shui—that's your name, right? There's another very important role in this drama: Princess Changping's rival, a courtesan singer from the pleasure quarters. Play it well, and it will be very impactful. Are you willing to take this role?"
Sylvia nodded firmly. "Director Luo, I am willing!"
Su Yunyi (Shen Lang) looked like she was about to cry. "Director, no, I really can't act! That was my normal performance just now!"
"Su Yunyi!" Director Luo snapped coldly, then looked at her with a warning glint in his eyes. "Excessive modesty is just showing off. Don't push it."
Su Yunyi (Shen Lang) was speechless and instantly shut up.
Watching all this unfold, I suddenly sensed something was off.
The courtesan singer Director Luo mentioned was precisely the supporting female role Sylvia took in the original story, the one who later got promoted to female lead after script changes.
But in the original, Su Yunyi had clearly won the director over with her outstanding acting skills, leading him to have the backup choice (Sylvia) reluctantly take the singer role instead.
Yet now, even with Su Yunyi (Shen Lang) performing like that, they still forcibly gave her the female lead role.
Coupled with the earlier incident where I didn't stop the car like the original owner, yet the actor's car proactively stopped to pick us up...
Was it possible that no matter how hard we outsiders tried, the plot would stubbornly follow the original story's development?
Did that mean even if I tried my hardest to stay away from Sylvia Shui, I'd still end up walking the path of burns and disfigurement meant for the original owner?