Going from "Fanservice" to Reality with My Goddess - Chapter 3

Despite her disappointment, Yu Nianzhe remained polite, greeting the panel of judges, including Director Duan Yi.

When she looked up, she found Duan Yi staring at her with an expression that mixed joy, awe, and a certain brilliance she couldn’t quite describe.

Much later, while chatting with Shen Yan, Yu Nianzhe would happen to mention the scene of her audition.

“That feeling,” Shen Yan had laughed, “is probably like seeing the character from your imagination actually step out of the script and stand right in front of you. That’s how I felt the first time I saw ‘Wen Yan’ as well.”

But that was a story for another time.

Back in the audition room, Yu Nianzhe felt a sense of trepidation seeing Duan Yi’s expression. In the industry, Duan Yi was known for having a gentle temperament. He never yelled or used harsh words on set, but that didn’t mean his standards were low. Instead, he would patiently explain a scene and have you reshoot it over and over until he was satisfied.

There was a story about a famous actress who once worked with him; Duan Yi, with a smile like a friendly Buddha, had her reshoot a single scene dozens of times until she was literally reduced to tears.

It was no wonder Yu Nianzhe was nervous.

When Yu Nianzhe finished her performance, the smile on Duan Yi’s face deepened. “Your acting is quite good.” He even offered her a few pointers on details she should pay attention to.

Although he didn’t say much else, his actions spoke volumes. Yu Nianzhe felt a surge of joy, and the gloom of not seeing Shen Yan was instantly washed away. If she could pass the audition and join the film, there would be plenty of opportunities to see Shen Yan later.

She thanked Duan Yi and the other judges before leaving the room.

Though she felt she had a good chance, everything remained uncertain until a contract was signed. Yu Nianzhe kept a close eye on the casting progress. She soon learned that Duan Yi was torn between her and another actress. The other woman had much more seniority in the industry; by comparison, Yu Nianzhe had only debuted a year ago, and there was still a gap in their acting experience.

After careful consideration, she managed to contact the investors and expressed her willingness to perform in Lovesick for only thirty percent of her usual salary. That finally sealed the deal.

Yu Nianzhe stared at the script, lost in thought. Wen Yan… I must play this character well.

After intense preparations, Lovesick finally held its opening ceremony in Pucheng.

Winter had already arrived. Pucheng, located in the north, grew colder by the day. Sometimes, waking up in the morning, one could see a thin layer of ice on the lake.

Yu Nianzhe stood outside the hotel, asking Lin Xin as they walked inside, “Which rooms are we in?”

Lin Xin followed closely behind. “Sister Yu, you are in 1506. I’m next door in 1508.”

They took the elevator to the 15th floor, unpacked their things, and headed to the opening ceremony.

On-site, actors gathered in small groups, exchanging polite pleasantries. Regardless of whether they knew each other, everyone was trying to get a “familiar face” out there and leave a good impression. Although Yu Nianzhe was currently popular online, many of the actors present were true veterans of the craft. Compared to them, she was still quite green.

Yu Nianzhe smiled and greeted everyone around her. While she socialized, she activated her “Goddess Detection Radar,” searching for Shen Yan in the crowd.

After a quick sweep, she finally found her in a corner. Shen Yan stood alone, not taking the initiative to talk to anyone. When people greeted her, she simply replied with a polite smile. Given her status, she didn’t need to curry favor with anyone.

Seeing her “Goddess” in person was a completely different experience than seeing her in videos or photos. Even from a distance, Yu Nianzhe’s heart raced. She wanted to rush over immediately and ask for an autograph to make up for her previous missed opportunity.

However, the stream of people fluttering around Shen Yan never stopped. Yu Nianzhe worried that approaching her now would seem too abrupt. The more she overthought it, the more her feet felt like lead. She took a sip of water to calm her nerves, watching from afar without making a move.

It had been a long time since Yu Nianzhe had last seen Shen Yan, and that had been such a brief encounter that the other woman might not even remember what she looked like. This time, things would be different.

Suddenly, someone draped an arm affectionately over her shoulder. “Nianzhe, you’re here!”

Yu Nianzhe turned to see a face with a fake, stiff smile looking back at her. She forced a smile of her own. “What a coincidence, you’re here too.”

The woman was Zhuo Ningxiao, the lead actress of the drama Yu Nianzhe had recently been in. Like Yu Nianzhe, she had gained fame through that show.

Yu Nianzhe had been so focused on Shen Yan that she hadn’t noticed who else was in the cast. She endured Zhuo Ningxiao’s forced intimacy while taking a moment to check the cast list on her phone.

Zhuo Ningxiao was playing Yu Nianzhe’s personal maid. It wasn’t a major role, and the character wasn’t particularly likable; she had likely used her connections to squeeze into the production just to have a Duan Yi film on her resume.

Yu Nianzhe knew her relationship with Zhuo Ningxiao wasn’t “good.” In fact, it was miles away from being good. After their drama aired, many people compared the female lead to the second lead, insulting Zhuo Ningxiao’s looks and acting while praising Yu Nianzhe. Zhuo Ningxiao had hated her ever since.

With Yu Nianzhe as the lead in this film and Zhuo Ningxiao as a mere supporting character, the woman likely hated her even more now. Even as she hugged Yu Nianzhe like a sister, the grip was so tight it felt like she was trying to strangle her. It was ironic—Zhuo Ningxiao was clearly miserable, yet she insisted on acting out this “sisterly love.” Yu Nianzhe humored her for a moment, then, fearing for the safety of her shoulder, made an excuse to slip away.

She looked toward Shen Yan again and saw that Duan Yi had arrived. The director walked straight to Shen Yan’s side, and they began chatting like old friends. Yu Nianzhe could only continue to watch from the sidelines.

Actually, at the same time Yu Nianzhe spotted Shen Yan, Shen Yan had noticed her as well.

With her looks and temperament, Yu Nianzhe stood out even among this crowd. Having seen her photos before, Shen Yan was still surprised by the “real-life” version. She looked just like her polished photos, but her aura was even more striking in person.

Despite this, Shen Yan’s opinion of her hadn’t changed. Good looks didn’t translate to good acting.

Furthermore, Shen Yan was currently extremely irritable. She had stayed up late working and had rushed here for the ceremony; now, her head was throbbing with a dull pain. She just wanted to find a corner to sit quietly, but people wouldn’t stop talking to her. She couldn’t very well snap at them, so she forced herself to keep smiling.

When Duan Yi finally arrived, he went straight to her. Shen Yan didn’t bother showing him the “polite” face she gave the others. She sat down to rest, acting as if he didn’t exist.

Duan Yi stood there awkwardly for a moment. Seeing that she had no intention of acknowledging him, he called her name.

Shen Yan slowly opened her eyes, as if only just realizing someone was there. “Oh, is that you, Director Duan? You’ve arrived?”

Duan Yi knew his previous “smoke and mirrors” tactics to get her into the film had been a bit underhanded, and Shen Yan was definitely holding a grudge. He cleared his throat twice. “We’ll be working together for the next few months, so let’s just turn the page on that, shall we? I was unfair, I admit it. I owe you a favor, okay?”

Shen Yan gave a soft snort. She just wanted to needle him a bit to vent her frustration. “Fine, Director Duan. Here’s to a happy collaboration.”

Seeing that she was letting it go, Duan Yi breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t want to stay and endure her sarcasm, and it was clear she wanted to be left alone. “Happy collaboration. I have a few friends over there, I’ll head over now.”

Shen Yan waved him away.

With the space finally clear, she seized the moment to rest. Because it was inappropriate to openly sleep at such events, the “Elegant and Dignified Film Queen” had long since mastered a special technique: she could maintain a perfectly upright posture while being fast asleep.

She was just about to drift off when a voice behind her called out: “Teacher Shen?”

No one likes having their sleep interrupted, and Shen Yan was no exception. She frowned. Her mood was already poor, and just as she had finally closed her eyes, someone had come to bother her. Her irritation reached its peak when she realized the intruder was Yu Nianzhe.

You arrived quite early couldn’t you have come over then? Or do you think appearing alone at the very end leaves a better impression on people?

Shen Yan didn’t even bother to give her a fake smile. She simply gave a cold, disinterested “Mhm,” and said nothing more.

Yu Nianzhe’s heart sank completely. Wasn’t she just smiling a second ago? Why did her face drop the moment she saw me? Did I do something to make the Goddess angry?

She was already nervous, and being met with such coldness left her speechless. She stammered a few words and then fled under the pressure of Shen Yan’s furrowed brow.

This little episode went unnoticed by most, and the opening ceremony proceeded as planned. Once everything was wrapped up, everyone returned to their rooms to rest.

Shen Yan took the chance to sleep for a bit and regain her energy. As the crowd dispersed, she called her assistant, Song Xin. “Is everything packed?”

“All set, Room 1504. I’m waiting for you, Sister Shen~” the voice replied.

Shen Yan gave a casual response and hung up.

Because of the sensitive subject matter, the ceremony had been low-profile, but “dedicated” entertainment reporters had still managed to sneak in.

Shortly after the event ended, the production was trending on social media—specifically with the hashtag: #Lovesick Leads Discord#.

Back at the hotel that evening, Lin Xin saw Yu Nianzhe, who had been so energetic earlier, walk into the room looking like a wilted plant. She slumped straight onto the bed.

“What’s wrong, Sister Yu?” Lin Xin asked cautiously.

Yu Nianzhe gave her a silent, mournful view of the back of her head.

Lin Xin assumed she had seen the trending topics. “Those marketing accounts are just writing nonsense. You and Teacher Shen didn’t even know each other how could there be ‘discord’ the first time you meet? Don’t overthink it.”

Yu Nianzhe’s head snapped up from the blanket. “There’s news about that?”

She opened Weibo and scrolled for a moment. This time, she pulled the duvet completely over her head. “Now the whole country knows Shen Yan doesn’t like me.”

The room was suddenly thick with the aura of “life is not worth living.”

Lin Xin: “…”