Crying While Filling the Pit I Dug - Chapter 84

Despite her slender frame, Song Miaomiao’s muscles, developed during her weight loss journey, remained intact, leading to an increased metabolic rate. She woke up before dawn every day and returned home late at night. Yet, Song Miaomiao didn’t slack. When not acting, she engaged in stretching exercises. In the mornings, she ran on an empty stomach to catch the bus.

As time passed, Song Miaomiao grew thinner, her facial features becoming more defined and her face appearing smaller and more photogenic. Recognizing her good looks, a director finally gave her a chance to have a few lines in a scene. The pay for a role with lines was slightly higher, and while Song Miaomiao didn’t eat much, she invested all she earned into skincare products just to get by.

Finally, after a year and a half since arriving, Song Miaomiao managed to reach a weight of 90 pounds.

System Oppa: [Congratulations for completing the task successfully! You’ve received 1000 points, bringing your total points to 2300.]

Song Miaomiao looked at herself in the mirror. Though still resembling her original self, every part of her seemed to have undergone a subtle transformation. Her features appeared much more beautiful, with a sense of harmony and proportion that enhanced her overall appearance.

System Oppa: [Second Task: Successfully sign a contract with a company. Nature of the Second Task: The plot of the original novel that has been published. Bonus Points: 1000 points.]

Successfully signing a contract with a company, but without specifying the name—wouldn’t any company suffice?

Song Miaomiao pondered over this, concluding that the lack of specificity might be due to her own oversight when initially writing the story. Perhaps she had simply referred to Fang Zhenxin’s company without specifying its name.

Of course, Song Miaomiao made it clear in her writing that Fang Zhenxin would not succumb to the industry’s unspoken rules and would strive for roles based on her own merit.

However, Song Miaomiao vaguely recalled that she had clearly described the manager in her story. His name was Meng, but she couldn’t quite remember it. He possessed a certain level of resources, and if he selected certain roles for Song Miaomiao, it could potentially open doors for her.

During this period, Song Miaomiao compiled a comprehensive resume detailing her experiences on various sets and submitted it to numerous production companies. Some TV dramas had short production cycles, offering quick opportunities for stardom. Characters had already been cast, but she could still include some pictures and audio-visual materials to enhance her applications.

When Song Miaomiao appeared in a TV series that was currently airing, she made a special call to Fang Zhenxin’s family, who were now her own family, to share the good news. At first, Fang Zhenxin’s parents didn’t recognize her, so she initiated a video call with them.

In fact, Song Miaomiao did maintain regular contact with Fang Zhenxin’s family. They were aware of her weight loss journey, but they had never received a video call from her. When they suddenly saw Fang Zhenxin looking drastically different, they mistakenly assumed she had undergone secret liposuction over the past year and scolded her.

Despite Song Miaomiao’s persistent efforts to submit her resume to various companies, she received no responses.

Finally, she received an urgent invitation from a company for an interview, but the wait lasted for two days. She arrived at six in the morning after waking up at four, only to be informed after a full day of waiting that the leader hadn’t returned yet, and she would have to come back again at six in the morning the next day.

After much waiting and anticipation, she made it to the final round of interviews. It was then that she realized that the company was indeed using the casting couch route for recruitment. Of course, Song Miaomiao refused to comply with such practices.

With no other option, she continued to take on small roles, submit resumes, and seek opportunities within the crew.

In the crew, Song Miaomiao’s good looks, height, and healthy weight, combined with her willingness to endure hardships, earned her some special contracts for certain roles. These contracts came with higher salaries, more coherent plots, and the opportunity to appear in multiple scenes. Sometimes, she even had the chance to shoot alongside the main cast and crew.

On two occasions, Song Miaomiao was assigned by the director to play the maid or best friend of the female lead. However, upon seeing that Song Miaomiao was taller, slimmer, and more attractive than herself, the female lead insisted on having her replaced. Despite the director’s reluctance to offend the female lead, Song Miaomiao had no choice but to accept her misfortune.

She also encountered individuals who attempted to exploit the casting couch, even going as far as trying to make advances on her during the night. To protect herself, she spent 500 points to obtain a special anti-assault weapon from System Oppa. With this weapon, she didn’t need to physically attack those who attempted to take advantage of her. Instead, they would suddenly experience vomiting and diarrhea, becoming sick and weak without any apparent cause, thus preventing them from harboring any malicious intentions towards her.

In a modern drama, Song Miaomiao took on the role of the protagonist’s office colleague. Despite having no lines and only serving as background scenery, the camera often captured her due to the protagonist’s movements.

The person in charge of the lunch boxes on set was a health-conscious aunt who was also on a diet. Every day, she would prepare a dish of boiled vegetables. Although the portions were small, Song Miaomiao grew fond of them. It relieved her from the hassle of preparing meals for herself, and over time, she became acquainted with the aunt.

One day, the aunt invited Song Miaomiao to help her try on a dress—a Hanfu she had purchased for her daughter on Taobao.

With Song Miaomiao’s ample experience in wearing ancient costumes, her every movement exuded an ancient charm. Holding a round fan and standing beneath a tree, she radiated elegance as the aunt experimented with different compositions and angles, capturing several pictures.

After the shoot, Song Miaomiao considered it a small episode, but she never anticipated that it would lead to her gaining a bit of popularity.

The aunt applied a filter to Song Miaomiao’s pictures and uploaded it to the buyer’s site review on Taobao. Some Weibo accounts specialized in collecting amusing buyer pictures and comments to attract traffic and attention. By chance, a blogger stumbled upon Song Miaomiao’s ancient costume pictures and compared them with those of other buyers who had purchased the same clothing. Song Miaomiao’s refined and fresh appearance stood out, making her seem like a true ancient lady.

The blogger took a screenshot and shared it on Weibo, sparking over 7,000 comments. Many remarked on Song Miaomiao’s captivating gaze and the sense that she was awaiting someone, while others made up stories and jokes in the comments.

In this way, a company to which Song Miaomiao had previously submitted her resume reached out to her.