The Movie Queen's Beloved Crybaby Alpha - Chapter 20

After the three of them made their plans, their assistants had already completed the check-in procedures. Since they were all staying on the same floor, they took the elevator together before heading to their respective rooms to unpack.

Once settled, Ye Qinglan informed Ke Ying and went out to meet the other two. They found a private restaurant and booked a private dining room.

As they chatted over the meal, the topics ranged far and wide, allowing Ye Qinglan to learn quite a bit. After eating their fill, the three returned to the hotel, laughing and chatting before parting ways.

Once back in her room, Ye Qinglan picked up her phone and sent a message to Ning Yunshu.

[Ye Qinglan]: I’ve settled in.

[Ning Yunshu]: Good. Why did it take so long? Did something happen on the way?

Ye Qinglan suddenly felt guilty, she had been so focused on unpacking and meeting the others that she had forgotten about her little puppy.

[Ye Qinglan]: Sorry, I ran into Professor Wei and Professor Du at the hotel, and they invited me to dinner. That’s why I didn’t message you right away.

[Ning Yunshu]: Oh, okay.

Even through text, Ning Yunshu’s sulkiness was palpable.

Burning with guilt, Ye Qinglan quickly explained.

[Ye Qinglan]: I didn’t mean to ignore you.

[Ning Yunshu]: I know. You must be tired, sis.

The more understanding Ning Yunshu was, the guiltier Ye Qinglan felt. Rarely one to initiate concern, she decided to ask after her.

[Ye Qinglan]: Are you off work yet?

[Ning Yunshu]: Yeah, heading home now. It’s so boring, the house feels empty without you.

Seeing her take the opportunity to whine, Ye Qinglan couldn’t help but sigh.

[Ye Qinglan]: Alright, stop acting cute. Once you’re home, make sure to eat something.

[Ning Yunshu]: Got it~

Ye Qinglan could practically see the invisible tail wagging excitedly behind those words.

A smile unconsciously crept onto her face as she replied.

[Ye Qinglan]: Drive carefully, and don’t look at your phone. Message me when you get home. I’m going to take a shower.

[Ning Yunshu]: Okay, I will.

After sending the message, Ye Qinglan left her phone on the nightstand and stepped into the bathroom for a relaxing soak.

By the time she finished her skincare routine, several new messages had appeared on her phone.

[Ning Yunshu]: I’m home. Going to cook now.

[Ning Yunshu]: [Photo]

[Ning Yunshu]: Food doesn’t taste as good when you’re not here. Sad puppy face

Ye Qinglan looked at the photo just one meat and one vegetable dish, a far cry from the four dishes and soup they usually shared at home.

[Ye Qinglan]: Even when I’m not there, you need to eat properly. Don’t let your stomach problems flare up again.

[Ning Yunshu]: I know. But you’re the one who better not just grab a quick bite on set. I’ll ask Director Xu.

[Ye Qinglan]: Don’t you dare. I don’t want to trouble him, it’ll make me look like a diva. Got it?

[Ning Yunshu]: Fine. Then I’ll just have to activate Plan B.

[Ye Qinglan]: ???

[Ye Qinglan]: What’s Plan B?

[Ning Yunshu]: Can’t tell you that. But don’t worry, I won’t put you in an awkward position.

Ye Qinglan believed her, but what was Plan B?!

No matter how much she pressed, Ning Yunshu refused to say anything more, only assuring her repeatedly that it wouldn’t cause any trouble.

What else could she do? She had no choice but to trust her.

She had to wake up early the next morning for the production launch ceremony, so after a brief chat, Ye Qinglan went to bed early.

The next day, she quickly got ready and took a car to the filming location. By then, the area was already swarming with reporters. The moment they spotted her, camera flashes went off nonstop.

Fortunately, under Zhou Tiantian’s protection, she made her way inside without much trouble.

Seeing her slightly disheveled appearance, Wei Youning couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Teacher Ye is really popular, huh?”

Ye Qinglan flushed slightly in embarrassment. “Teacher Wei, please don’t tease me.”

Xu Su cleared her throat nearby. “Is everyone here?”

The assistant director scanned the area before replying, “Yes, everyone’s present.”

Xu Su nodded. “It’s about time. Let’s get ready to begin.”

“Got it,” the crew responded in unison.

Once the appointed time arrived, Xu Su led the traditional ceremony to pray for a smooth production. After the rituals concluded, it was time for interviews.

As seasoned veterans in the industry, Xu Su and Jiang Ying faced the cameras with ease. When it was Ye Qinglan’s turn, though nervous, she answered the reporters’ questions with a composed smile.

“Teacher Ye, as the lead actress in Ten-Day Operation, do you have anything you’d like to say about taking on this role?”

Ye Qinglan smiled. “I’m very grateful to Director Xu for giving me this opportunity. I’ll work hard and do my best to live up to her expectations.”

“Teacher Ye, as the youngest actor in this film, do you feel any pressure?”

She replied, “Pressure is inevitable. All the seniors here are role models in the industry, and I hope to learn as much as I can from them during this collaboration. I also want to thank them for their guidance and support.”

“Teacher Ye…”

Every question was answered flawlessly, leaving no room for criticism.

After Ye Qinglan’s interview, it was Xu Chaoyang’s turn. He handled the questions effortlessly. Finally, the reporters turned their microphones toward Du Wenjun, whose comeback had been making waves.

“Teacher Du, what prompted your sudden return to acting?”

Du Wenjun lounged lazily, offering a casual smile. “Well, my injuries have mostly healed, so it’s time to get back to work.”

“Teacher Du, why did you choose a supporting role? With your status, you could easily have taken the lead.”

The pointed question, seemingly directed at Du Wenjun, subtly implied that Ye Qinglan despite her junior status might not deserve the lead role.

Du Wenjun tilted her head and grinned. “Everyone knows I haven’t acted in three years. My skills have definitely declined. Taking the lead now would be disrespectful to the entire production team. Besides, Teacher Ye’s talent is undeniable, and she’s put in more effort than most. I truly believe no one is better suited for this role than her.”

Her tone was calm yet firm, leaving no opening for the reporters to exploit.

Realizing they wouldn’t get anything juicy from Du Wenjun, the journalists shifted their focus elsewhere.

By the time the lengthy interview session ended, Ye Qinglan was grateful for the month of physical training she’d undergone, at least standing for two hours straight didn’t leave her exhausted.

As soon as the press conference ended, Xu Su immediately began preparations for shooting the first scene, a group shot. Everyone rushed into the makeup room without even having time to grab a sip of water.

Given the special nature of the filming subject, even Instructor Li was invited to provide on-site guidance.

The first scene was a chase sequence inside a building, with six police officers working together to apprehend a group of desperate criminals.

With numerous fight scenes and action sequences, filming was particularly challenging. Xu Su had extremely high standards for the shots, often requiring multiple takes for even the smallest details until she was completely satisfied.

As a result, the first scene took the entire afternoon and still wasn’t finished. They decided to continue in the evening, testing the lighting for night scenes.

The actors were physically exhausted, so Xu Su decided to take a one-hour break after dinner before resuming.

By the time Ye Qinglan returned to the rest area, utterly drained, Zhou Tiantian had already brought over the meal box allocated to her.

Honestly, despite the heavy physical exertion, she should have been starving enough to wolf down the food. But Ye Qinglan was so exhausted that she had no appetite at all.

“No way. Sister Ke warned me, if I don’t make sure you eat properly, she’ll dock my pay,” Zhou Tiantian said with a serious expression.

Ye Qinglan glanced at her, then at the boxed meal on the table.

Truth be told, the chef Xu Su had hired was quite skilled. Though it was just a boxed meal, it was still well-presented and flavorful.

Even so, she suddenly found herself missing the meals Ning Yunshu used to make.

Damn it. Had Ning Yunshu spoiled her taste buds?

Frowning, Ye Qinglan didn’t want to make things difficult for Zhou Tiantian, so she reluctantly picked up her chopsticks and started eating.

Watching her, Zhou Tiantian secretly sighed in relief.

Thank goodness mission accomplished.

She really didn’t want her pay cut.

After finishing her meal, Ye Qinglan rested her head on the table for a short nap, finally regaining some energy. By the time filming resumed in the evening, everyone was busy again.

The lighting effects weren’t particularly impressive, but since the chase took place indoors, they didn’t need too many light sources anyway. Barely managing to wrap up the scene, Xu Su dismissed everyone to rest and return the next day for additional detail shots.

By now, it was already 1 a.m. Ye Qinglan dragged her exhausted body back to the hotel and collapsed onto the bed, too tired to even shower. She nearly dozed off before suddenly remembering, she had been so busy all day that she hadn’t even checked her phone. At this hour, she wondered if Ning Yunshu might be worried.

She opened her phone and saw several messages from Ning Yunshu, sharing bits of her day and reminding her to eat well.

The last message had been sent at 10:30 p.m. Ye Qinglan hesitated, thinking it might be too late to reply, what if Ning Yunshu was already asleep?

But in the end, she decided to send a message anyway.

Not just to reassure Ning Yunshu when she saw it in the morning, but more because… she missed her.

[Ye Qinglan]: Just got back to the hotel after filming. Ate dinner on time, don’t worry.

After sending it, she set her phone aside, planning to take a quick shower to wash off the sweat.

But the moment she put it down, the screen lit up with a new message.

Ye Qinglan quickly picked it up, sure enough, it was from Ning Yunshu.

[Ning Yunshu]: That’s good. It’s really late now, how about you freshen up and get some rest, sis?

Ye Qinglan was surprised to find Ning Yunshu still awake at this hour and quickly asked.

[Ye Qinglan]: Why aren’t you asleep yet?

Seeing this concerned message, Ning Yunshu curled her lips into a smile. Glancing at the pile of spreadsheet data on her computer, she replied to Ye Qinglan.

[Ning Yunshu]: Because… I missed you.

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