"Xiaxia, did you ask the director to change the screenplay?"
Somehow, there was a sudden burst of rumors in the crew saying that the director wanted to alter the screenplay specifically to eliminate all of Shen Zhiyi's scenes.
Xu Xia turned around, "Huo Heng, why would you think that of me? The changes to the screenplay were the director's own decision."
Huo Heng looked annoyed, "Then talk to the producer and have him pressure the director to add all of Shen Zhiyi's scenes back."
"Huo Heng," Xu Xia said with a sad expression, "you really care about Sister Zhiyi, have you actually fallen for her?"
"Of course not!" Huo Heng quickly denied, his tone softening, "Xiaxia, I'm doing all this for you. Even though we are together in this movie, your talent agency refuses to promote your CP, and I'm worried that if the hype goes overboard, my brainless fans will turn and attack you. That's why I brought Shen Zhiyi in. With her here, my fans will only focus on her. Now that her scenes are gone, it's not a good thing for us."
Xu Xia hung her head with an unreadable expression, "Her role was insignificant to begin with, it's only sensible for the director to cut it. Let's just go with the director's plans."
She changed to a gentler tone, "Huo Heng, even if the fans attack me, I'm not afraid. Let's not use Sister Zhiyi anymore."
Huo Heng frowned, feeling Xu Xia made sense yet hesitating; though Shen Zhiyi had made it clear she didn't want the role, Huo Heng thought she was being too proud and missing out on a good opportunity, as the director was quite famous.
Due to the screenplay modification, the main cast took a break for a while. When they resumed, the director introduced a new member in high spirits.
"Everyone, say hello. This is Liao Yuan, the screenwriter in charge of our screenplay modification this time."
Liao Yuan was a well-known ace screenwriter in the industry, with several hugely successful works. Her joining almost ensured this show would top the ratings.
Someone in the production team murmured, "How did Liao Yuan end up here?"
Their director had actually managed to engage this ace screenwriter.
Liao Yuan smiled as she answered, "I'm here because I admire one of the actors here."
She shifted her gaze to the side where Huo Heng and Xu Xia stood, "I really admire this female actor and would like to work on a drama with her."
Everyone's eyes turned to Xu Xia, murmuring in awe at her fortune to have her first acting project blessed by Liao Yuan, what luck!
Xu Xia realized this too and stepped forward, demure and polite, "Thank you for your appreciation, Liao Yuan. I will work hard—"
"Aren't you an idol?"
Liao Yuan said seriously, "I admire an actor."
Xu Xia looked upset by the question. Just as others were wondering who Liao Yuan was really referring to, she took a few steps forward and said to Xu Xia, "Excuse me, please step aside."
In front of everyone's eyes, Xu Xia stepped aside, and Shen Zhiyi, who had just joined the crew and hadn't yet changed into costume, looked up with obvious surprise.
"Miss Shen, nice to meet you. I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration."
Liao Yuan's person of interest was Shen Zhiyi? The Shen Zhiyi who had played the wicked woman in eight of her ten works since debut?
Apart from the director, everyone else could hardly believe it. Some suspected Huo Heng had a hand in this, given that he had been in Liao Yuan's previous works and Shen Zhiyi had been his girlfriend for years, but the shock on Huo Heng's face was no less than anyone else's. He too was unaware.
Liao Yuan turned to look at the director, who nodded and said with a barely concealed smile, "The script revised by Screenwriter Liao has been sent to the group, everyone should familiarize themselves with the script today."
The script revisions merely cut Shen Zhiyi's scenes, which didn't significantly affect others. Xu Xia didn't bother to check the revised script and instead stared darkly at Shen Zhiyi, who was chatting with Liao Yuan. She couldn't understand how Shen Zhiyi managed to get so close to such a top-notch screenwriter, especially since her attempts to have Huo Heng introduce her to Screenwriter Liao were rejected.
How could Shen Zhiyi be so lucky?
"Xiaxia," Huo Heng, having read the script, said in surprise, "This new script has changed Zhiyi's scenes—"
"All deleted?" Xu Xia said impatiently, unable to hide her annoyance, "That was the director and screenwriter's decision, so appealing to me is useless."
"No," Huo Heng said, "The new script hasn't cut Zhiyi's scenes but has modified the character design and the plot, adding a lot of content."
"Added?"
Xu Xia finally turned her attention back to the script. How could it be addition? She had made it clear to the producer that she wanted all of Shen Zhiyi's scenes cut entirely.
"You see, not only has the order of appearance changed, but the character design is completely different."
Xu Xia skimmed through several pages of the script, her fingers whitening as she clenched her phone, incredulously looking again at Shen Zhiyi, who was not far away.
The original role of Shen Zhiyi did nothing but draw hatred with no actual contribution to the plot. However, after the changes, her character became ambiguously moral. The screenwriter had fleshed out her background, explaining the internal reasons for her various behaviors and even gave the character several standout moments.
Why? Why would the screenwriter dare make such changes?
Shen Zhiyi was also curious about this, "Screenwriter Liao, why did you suddenly add so much to my character?"
Liao Yuan smiled slightly, "While I do have my personal biases, the main reason for the script changes was the investors' decision. The funding party was dissatisfied with the original script, especially your role."
"The funding party? Are you talking about Shengtang Entertainment?"
Shengtang Entertainment was Xu Xia's talent agency, and the film was an investment by the company to boost Xu Xia's career; even the script was modified at the company's request, giving the female lead more scenes than the male lead.
"Originally, the primary investor was Shengtang Entertainment," Liao Yuan said with a meaningful smile, "but that has now changed."
Who had become the new primary investor?
Pei Yu's image suddenly came to mind for Shen Zhiyi.
The night the director announced the script changes, she had a premonition she was about to lose the role. While packing up the script in her room, Pei Yu silently stood behind her for a while, then casually asked, "Do you want to play this role?"
Initially, she didn't want to play it, but after reading the complete script, she found the rest of the drama quite good, except her role was not very appealing.
Shen Zhiyi: "Since I have already started, I want to finish it and do well."
She wasn't someone to quit halfway.
Pei Yu nodded slightly, "You will."
Could he be the one who invested in this drama and requested the script changes?