The Scandalous Actress Needs to Strive GL - Chapter 15

Jin Wen had spent some time organizing documents, so she arrived a bit late. When she walked in, Qiu Wan was taking a nap most likely exhausted from the night before. Young people, she sighed inwardly. Always pushing themselves without knowing their limits.

Not wanting to disturb her, Jin Wen quietly got to work, sorting out the script delivered by Yu Baishu as well as various program invitations. She also pulled up Qiu Wan’s previous acting clips onto the screen. Only after finishing all of this did she gently wake Qiu Wan.

“Now that we’re working together, I’ll speak frankly. I’ve reviewed your past acting performances, and to be honest, they lacked skill and charisma. At first, I was planning to either hire a professional acting coach for you or have you build popularity through variety shows. But now, it seems that might not be necessary your acting has improved significantly.”

She had seen Qiu Wan’s performance on set of The Long History of the Song Dynasty not long ago and had been surprised by the transformation. The contrast was like night and day so much so that it felt like watching two completely different people. This meant they now had more options to work with. But what Jin Wen couldn’t determine was whether this improvement was just a fleeting moment of inspiration or a genuine breakthrough.

Of course, she knew that openly questioning her artist’s abilities wasn’t the right move it could damage their relationship or even hurt Qiu Wan’s confidence.

So instead of asking directly, she decided to chat casually and observe Qiu Wan’s responses, allowing her to subtly reach her own conclusions. This would avoid awkwardness, strengthen their understanding, and lay a solid foundation for future collaboration.

Qiu Wan looked at herself on the screen well, not exactly herself, but the “original” Qiu Wan. It reminded her of the pretentious young noblewomen she used to encounter at banquets when she was still the daughter of a high-ranking official: shallow minds, overly delicate speech, all fake sweetness and no substance. Watching the screen now, she could clearly see the lack of sincerity in the performance the tone, the facial expressions, everything felt hollow.

She stared at the identical face on the screen, feeling a strange tinge of melancholy. Jin Wen was a responsible manager not only had she compiled Qiu Wan’s earlier acting clips, but she had also somehow gotten hold of newly edited scenes from The Long History of the Song Dynasty.

The comparison was drastic. Before, she was a total amateur; now, she could easily be mistaken for a seasoned actor. Every subtle expression made her appear like she was that graceful, wise princess in the drama.

After watching for a while, Qiu Wan looked away and said, “I trust your judgment, Jin-jie. I didn’t really understand acting before, but after going through some things, I had a bit of an epiphany. I understand more now, and I’m not as nervous on set. Once I relaxed, I actually started to enjoy acting, and things began to flow more naturally.”

She wasn’t stupid she understood Jin Wen’s concerns. There was no need to hide anything at this point. If nothing unexpected happened, they would likely become long-term partners. Honesty was the best way forward it would only benefit her career.

Just those few sentences gave Jin Wen enough insight. She didn’t think Qiu Wan was lying acting skills can’t be faked. One scene is enough to reveal the truth.

Though she didn’t know exactly what Qiu Wan had gone through, the improvement was real, and that was what mattered. With a decision made, her hands moved faster.

She eliminated roles from the script pile that didn’t demand much acting skill supporting characters or background filler. Then she selected two high-quality, performance driven roles:

• The first was a gentle, graceful leading lady in a historical drama. The character was very similar to the princess Qiu Wan had portrayed, so it seemed like a safe and easy role for her to handle.
• The second was a modern-day urban drama featuring an arrogant and unruly female second lead. Though a villain, the character had depth bold, fierce, unafraid to love or hate. If played well, she could easily become a fan favorite.

Most importantly, both dramas were funded by the Mu Corporation, which meant they had internal control over casting. Without that, Qiu Wan based on her prior reputation wouldn’t have had much chance of landing such roles.

As for variety shows, Jin Wen picked two options:

1. A talent competition where Qiu Wan would appear as a guest mentor. Although her acting reputation was still poor, the show would air after The Long History of the Song Dynasty, by which time public opinion would likely shift in her favor.
2. A slow-paced reality show focused on celebrities experiencing rural life in remote or underdeveloped areas. These shows often revealed the stars’ true personalities, and were aligned with national poverty-alleviation themes. Plus, they could boost local tourism and economy.

However, such shows had both pros and cons. On one hand, any moment funny or touching could earn popularity. On the other, any misstep could expose flaws and damage reputation.

Despite being a tough manager, Jin Wen always respected her artists’ opinions. She would choose suitable and challenging options, and let them decide.

She quietly observed Qiu Wan reviewing the scripts and program outlines, feeling a sense of anticipation even if she didn’t fully understand why.

Qiu Wan spoke first: “While the historical drama lead is similar to the princess I just played, repeating such a role makes it hard to show growth. The audience won’t see much change in my acting. Most importantly, with only one small supporting role under my belt, jumping into a leading role so quickly doesn’t seem appropriate. But this villain character that’s a different story. It’s challenging, surprising, and if I pull it off, it’ll naturally pave the way to leading roles. It’ll also build anticipation with the audience.”

She looked at Jin Wen and continued without hesitation, “As for variety shows, I think we can do one before filming starts this way, by the time I’m on set, the show will be airing, avoiding a long break from the public eye. Between the two, I’d prefer the second, the reality show. The first one airs next year, so technically it’d be fine to appear as a mentor post Long History, but it still feels a bit ambitious. I’m just a supporting actor with slightly improved performance it’d be too arrogant to guide new talent.”

“So I’ll go with the second. It’s a short shoot, doesn’t require high qualifications, and easily earns public goodwill. Even if I get some hate it’s still exposure, right?”

Qiu Wan said it casually. After all, the original Qiu Wan had risen through scandal and negative attention. She wasn’t afraid of controversy.

Jin Wen nodded in agreement. She loved working with smart people especially smart artists. It made everything easier. For a manager, this was the dream.

“You make good points. Go prepare, then. In a few days, we’ll start shooting the variety show. After that, you can take a short break before filming the drama. Next year, we’ll see how the show and the series perform, and plan your next steps. I’m looking forward to it.”

“So am I.” The two shared a smile, pleased with how well the conversation had gone. Sometimes, human interaction could be complicated where even a few words feel like too much. But other times, it could be simple. One sentence, one glance and you understand each other perfectly.

This was called chemistry, and while chemistry could be cultivated over time, there was also a simpler word for it: connection. And that’s what they had right now.

After wrapping up work, Qiu Wan began preparing for the variety show reading the shooting requirements, learning about the location, and checking what she needed to bring.

Around 6:00 PM, Yu Baishu came to inform her and Jin Wen that the restaurant was ready they could head out.

Mu Qingchen, having finished preparing, glanced at the two waiting nearby, then looked at her assistant and said calmly, “Let’s go together.”

“Yes, President.” Yu Baishu had no complaints. She would do her best to support her boss and if possible create a little alone time for the president and Qiu Wan.

She wasn’t so self-absorbed to think that she was the one invited to dinner. As a responsible assistant, she knew her job was to be a helpful sidekick. As long as her salary was paid on time, she’d be the best tool in the box.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Mu Qingchen gave Yu Baishu a look her eyes flickering with a hint of discomfort. Whether by coincidence or intention, the restaurant she had chosen… happened to be the same place where everything between her and Qiu Wan had started.

If Yu Baishu knew this, she would probably cry out in innocence how could she have known this was that place?