The Movie Queen is Flirtatious and Doting - Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The storm surrounding Ye Yansheng being replaced as the lead quickly stirred up waves online again. With Ye Yansheng having vanished from the public eye, various speculations ran wild, with many claiming she had been “urgently frozen” (shelved) by her company.

News broke that the female lead had been replaced by an obscure, 18th-tier actress. Because of this, many people were skeptical about the drama’s prospects. Although the male lead, Xu Feifan, brought his own “traffic,” it was limited to variety shows; he had almost no film or television credits, and his acting skills were heavily questioned.

Fighting Tooth and Nail became a sensation even before airing, especially after the disastrous lead swap. When it was revealed that the new lead wasn’t Ye Yansheng, her fans declared a boycott. Originally, the show relied on Ye Yansheng’s star power; without her, they felt there was nothing left to watch. Xu Feifan’s fans retaliated, telling them to watch it or not—”Who does Ye Yansheng think she is? She’s a veteran who bullies newcomers. With such a rotten character, are you fans blind?” Ye Yansheng’s fans fired back, stating they believed in her character—if their idol hit someone, that person surely deserved it! “Probably some sexual harassment! He must have done something punchable!”

Since no one knew the actual details of the scene, the internet devolved into a shouting match, with passersby joining the fray. The hype only continued to climb.

As the sympathy for Xu Feifan began to wane, public opinion shifted back toward Ye Yansheng being wronged. At this moment, a staff member from the crew leaked information: it was indeed Xu Feifan who had sexually harassed a certain actress on set. Everyone saw it, but no one dared to stop it—except for Ye Yansheng, who stepped in heroically.

Once this news was posted, public opinion flipped entirely. Fans who felt their idol had been wronged began an online crusade: “Why can a man who harasses actresses still be the lead? No! We demand he be replaced!” Ordinary netizens who couldn’t stand an artist with a “harasser” label also expressed disbelief that such a tainted drama could air, even tagging the National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) to intervene.

The situation spiraled out of control, causing the director to lose hair from stress. Xu Feifan’s company tried desperately to suppress the matter, but soon, a video damaging to Xu Feifan leaked. The video clearly showed Xu Feifan with an actress whose face was blurred. He was flirting with her and getting handsy; the actress was visibly trying to dodge his harassment. Then, Ye Yansheng appeared, pulled the actress away, and kicked Xu Feifan.

The video confirmed the sexual harassment. The public was outraged. Headlines about Xu Feifan’s harassment sprouted like mushrooms after rain, sweeping across all social platforms. It looked like the male lead was “finished” too.

The NRTA ordered the Fighting Tooth and Nail crew to halt filming for rectification. Whether this controversial drama, stopped halfway through production, would face “abortion” or a eventual return remained to be seen.

…

When Gu Yinglian heard that filming was suspended, she let out a massive sigh of relief. She felt she wasn’t qualified to be the lead and truly couldn’t carry the show. After a few days of filming the lead’s scenes, she realized how difficult it was. The director was extremely dissatisfied with her acting and frequently lost his temper on set. Gu Yinglian had been terrified he would suddenly jump over and hit her; she had been filming in a state of constant trepidation, as if walking on thin ice.

Fearing it would affect her mood for filming, she hadn’t checked Weibo for several days. Now that production was halted, she went online and realized something major had happened. She finally understood why the shoot was suspended. Someone had recorded her being harassed. Although her face was blurred, would she be “unmasked”? She was worried. Looking at her timid self in the video, she hated her own lack of courage. If she had fought back or dared to offend Xu Feifan then, maybe the subsequent events wouldn’t have happened, and Ye Yansheng wouldn’t have been replaced.

Speaking of Ye Yansheng, there had been no news of her for a while. What was she doing? Gu Yinglian scrolled through her Weibo; the latest update was just a very formal apology statement from days ago. She checked her Friend Circle; the last post was from last year. Gu Yinglian suddenly felt lonely. She had been afraid Ye Yansheng would blame her for taking the lead role, so she hadn’t dared to contact her. Now that the project was halted, she had even less reason to reach out.

…

Meanwhile, Ye Yansheng was on a shopping spree in the streets of Tokyo with her close friend, Zhu Mi. Ye Yansheng was quite famous in Chinese circles, and with the recent massive internet scandal, almost everyone recognized her. Since she was abroad, she didn’t wrap herself up so tightly. She was quickly spotted by someone who recognized her, and a photo was uploaded to the internet with the caption: Ye Yansheng in Tokyo.

Upon seeing this, some netizens commented sarcastically: “Look, you guys are worried sick here, but your idol is having the time of her life in Tokyo. She doesn’t care at all! You’re really worrying about nothing; mind your own business first.”

However, Ye Yansheng’s fans countered that their idol had been replaced as the lead—what was wrong with her going out to shop and clear her head? From just one photo in Tokyo, they deduced that their idol was so wronged she had to “flee” the country to find peace, yet she still couldn’t get a moment of quiet without “melon-eaters” (bystanders) gossiping about her.

Once the video of Xu Feifan’s harassment leaked, Ye Yansheng was hailed as a “Goddess of Justice.” An actress who wasn’t afraid of powerful interests or damaging her own reputation to stand up for others was a rare find. Many passersby became fans. Many netizens even thought her whirlwind kick was incredibly cool and stylish—like a scene from a movie. Heroic and handsome.

Ye Yansheng didn’t follow Weibo, so she had no idea about the public’s changing views or speculations. Since she was abroad, she decided to enjoy the relaxation. It was a rare, long vacation.

Tired from walking, the two sat in a quiet Japanese restaurant for tea.

Zhu Mi asked, “When do you plan on going back?”

“Maybe in a couple of days,” Ye Yansheng said.

“Have you followed the news back home recently?”

“No,” Ye Yansheng replied. “Have you?”

“When would I have the time?” Zhu Mi said. “Besides, it’s your business. if you don’t follow it, who will?”

Ye Yansheng said, “It doesn’t matter. Those messy affairs… the more you look, the more annoying they get.”

“True,” Zhu Mi agreed. “Now that you’re out, leave those things behind. Don’t you feel that stepping out of that circle occasionally feels amazing?”

Ye Yansheng took a sip of tea. “Mm, amazing.”

Zhu Mi said, “I saw a quote recently: ‘Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains.’ I think it’s right. Even though stepping out is great, we still have to go back. It’s because we know we have to go back that this moment feels so precious.”

Ye Yansheng laughed. “I didn’t know you had reached this level of philosophy.”

Zhu Mi frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? I’ve always had good taste.”

Ye Yansheng teased, “I can’t compliment your taste. After all these years, your style is still so ‘girly pink.’ Do you think you’re still eighteen?”

“What can I do?” Zhu Mi sighed. “The entertainment industry is a young person’s game. I have to pretend to be young. I even have to spend so much effort on skincare. It’s a hassle.”

Ye Yansheng said, “In a way, I understand your struggle.”

Zhu Mi looked at her. “What about you? You’re… what, twenty-nine? Almost thirty. Don’t you plan to settle down? At least pick one from your many ‘rumored girlfriends’ and seriously consider it?”

Ye Yansheng thought for a moment. “When I took this role, I actually met a pure little white rabbit.”

Zhu Mi laughed. “A newcomer, right? Every newcomer is a white rabbit—letting people mold and squeeze them. After a year or two, they aren’t white anymore; they turn black. They become little black rabbits.”

Ye Yansheng said, “She’s different. You know her. She’s written songs for you—Gu Yinglian.”

“Her?” Zhu Mi recalled the name but hadn’t had much contact with her. Songwriters and singers didn’t necessarily have to meet. “I don’t know her well, but as far as music goes, she’s quite talented.”

Ye Yansheng said, “I occasionally hum your songs and find the lyrics very special. When I met her in person, I was stunned. Maybe this is love at first sight.”

Zhu Mi laughed. “Love at first sight has another name: ‘lusting after beauty.’ Can you guarantee you’re not just lusting after her looks?”

Ye Yansheng said, “My feelings for her are pure.”

Zhu Mi teased, “Has she agreed to these ‘feelings’? Or is this just unrequited one-sided pining?”

“She seems straight,” Ye Yansheng admitted.

Zhu Mi said, “Actually, most women are bisexual. Until they meet the right person, they think they’re straight. That’s why the term ‘turning someone’ exists.”

Ye Yansheng asked, “Are you supporting me in turning her?”

Zhu Mi said, “Who knows? It depends on whether she likes you. If she doesn’t, no amount of ‘turning’ will work.”

“I think she likes me,” Ye Yansheng said.

Zhu Mi laughed. “Where do you get this confidence? No wonder you have so many rumored girlfriends. Aren’t you afraid of ruining your reputation?”

Ye Yansheng said, “Reputation isn’t exactly something I can control.”

…

The two finished their rest and continued exploring. In the evening, they returned to their hotel. Back in her room, Ye Yansheng realized she hadn’t contacted Gu Yinglian in a while. She wondered how that “poor little thing” was doing—she hadn’t sent a message or called.

Ye Yansheng picked up her phone and made a long-distance call to Gu Yinglian. Gu Yinglian, who was dazing on her sofa, was so startled by the call that she nearly dropped her phone. She tried to calm herself before answering. “Hello, Sister Ye.”

Ye Yansheng said, “Mm. What are you doing? Have you missed me?”

Gu Yinglian joked, “The whole entertainment industry is missing you.”

Ye Yansheng replied, “I’m asking you. Have you missed me?”

Gu Yinglian asked, “Are you in Tokyo right now?”

Ye Yansheng was slightly taken aback. “How did you know?”

Gu Yinglian said, “Because you come with a built-in camera. Of course I know.”