Crying While Filling the Pit I Dug - Chapter 90

Excitedly, Song Miaomiao jumped up at the revelation.

“Don’t celebrate too soon,” Meng Jiangye cautioned quietly. “Xu Nanfang is incredibly popular at the moment, and his dramas boast impressive ratings. Moreover, you’re vying for the role of the female lead. While my friend reluctantly provided a script after receiving your resume, he won’t limit himself to just one actress. There are numerous talents competing with you during the same timeframe, some of whom surpass you significantly in terms of strength, fame, and qualifications.”

Song Miaomiao pleaded, “Brother Meng, I desperately need this opportunity. I’m willing to negotiate my remuneration down to the bare minimum. As long as there’s a role left for me, I’m okay with a low salary. Can you please find a way to help me?”

“The film salary is secondary to the big shot position and box office appeal. Some people can even give funds to join the group. I heard that Zeng Jiayuan also intends to participate in this movie.”

Zeng Jiayuan was the actress who portrayed Yu Ang’s girlfriend in “Record”. Despite being in the early stages of her career, her acting skills were notable. However, she was named the “Queen of Role Seizing” within the industry. If she found a script she liked, she would secure the role at any cost. When encountering individuals of higher status, she would opt for a less demanding deal or align herself with the director. This strategy wasn’t a one-time occurrence; if she encountered someone of lower stature, she would easily outmaneuver them. With her rising fame, producers were inclined to cast established names with significant followings and acting abilities. Consequently, she often cut out less popular actresses. Such dynamics were common in the industry; the more well known the celebrity, the better the resources at their disposal.

“Then what should I do?” Song Miaomiao panicked. 

She could find a way with the system Oppa, but it hadn’t released the task for a long time.

Meng Jiangye said, “Let’s not mention your obsession with Xu Nanfang. I will do my best to help you to get the female lead role of such a team. ‘Record’ will be released soon, and in conjunction with your previous filming ‘City on the Cloud’ will be aired soon, and I will continue to stir up the popularity for you and pave the way for your fame.”

At the time, Meng Jiangye said, “Wait a minute, I got a call.”

“Okay.” Song Miaomiao cut the call and waited for half an hour before Meng Jiangye called again. He asked in a surprised voice, “What’s with you and Xu Nanfang?”

Song Miaomiao was taken aback, “There is nothing between us!”

Meng Jiangye said, “Just now the producer called and said that Xu Nanfang strongly recommended you to be the lead actress in the movie.”

“What?” Song Miaomiao was surprised. “He recommended me to be the female lead? Is it for the movie ‘My Thirty-Eight Days’ you just mentioned?”

Song Miaomiao thought about it carefully. Xu Nanfang’s attitude towards her wasn’t markedly different from how he treated others. She remembered being mentioned in an interview, but when the reporter inquired about his true feelings toward her, he simply responded with a meaningful smile.

Why did he take the initiative to suggest to the producer that she play the female lead?

“Yes. You tell me everything that happened to you today.”

Uh… nothing shameful. She simply spoke a few words and explained everything honestly.

“En——” Suddenly, Song Miaomiao heard the sound of flipping pages on the other end of the phone. She concluded that Meng Jiangye was alone in the room and had turned on the speakerphone to free his hands, hence the noise.

“Whatever he’s thinking, he did us a favor and at least gave us a chance.”

Meng Jiangye said, “I looked at your filming schedule. You have eleven days to finish the film. I will negotiate a time for you and Director Yue—a trial play.”

“Okay,” Song Miaomiao said.

Meng Jiangye instructed again, “Don’t get too excited, just focus on portraying your current role well.”

“I know, don’t worry.” Although Song Miaomiao was still very excited, she also understood that she couldn’t let this emotion affect her upcoming filming.

After hanging up the phone, she gradually calmed down. Producers and directors considered various factors when selecting actors for roles—some excel in luck, others in acting skills, and some in financial backing. Xu Nanfang had recommended her, but it was up to her to seize the opportunity.

The next day, Song Miaomiao’s assistant, Xiaomi, sent over the script and the original book. It was a love suspense movie adapted from a novel, with added fantasy elements.

The book was titled “My Thirty-Eight Days”, portraying the male lead Zhang’s journey of time travel thirty-eight times in a time loop. The story entailed suspense as the male lead found himself embroiled in a murder case, time-traveling back to the day of the incident thirty-eight times to uncover the truth. Along the way, he encountered the female lead, Guan Xiaocheng, and found true love.

The role of Guan Xiaocheng was the challenge Song Miaomiao had been seeking.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was an actress.

An individual’s popularity, apart from luck, stems from various accumulations. Acting skills were crucial to becoming a Queen in the industry. Song Miaomiao acknowledged her lack of professional training and anticipated the difficulty of portraying certain characters. While imitation was one approach, what if there was no clear prototype to follow?

She didn’t dare to be negligent, so she dedicated herself to studying the original book and the script every day. She meticulously listed all her scenes, expressions, and moods in advance, constantly pondering, experimenting, and rehearsing scenes from the novel and script (including the lines of her fellow actors).

Guan Xiaocheng, portrayed by Song Miaomiao, was a young woman who sold breakfast on the street. While the male lead, Zhang Yitian, was trapped in a time loop with memories of repeated days, Guan Xiaocheng experienced each day anew. Song Miaomiao had to authentically portray Guan Xiaocheng’s reactions to Zhang Yitian in various situations.

A holographic projection tool provided by the system allowed her to record every attempt, performing in front of empty air when no opponent was present. Besides, she spent a considerable amount of time acting in front of the camera. Having rehearsed scenes numerous times during over a year of filming, Song Miaomiao had accumulated a wealth of experience. At this stage, she was confident in her ability to evoke the emotions of the female lead in any scene from the script.

Three days after receiving the script, “Record” premiered. Despite Song Miaomiao’s character, Wu Le, having a small role in her first big-screen appearance, she made a strong impression right from the start of the movie. Her captivating performance garnered praise, with her popularity soaring as positive reviews poured in. Meanwhile, some of her previous TV series premiered, attracting the attention of fans who organized screenings of her past work on forums. Additionally, two movies approached her proactively.

Meng Jiangye arranged a meeting with Director Yue, during which his wife interviewed Song Miaomiao. Initially skeptical, the director was convinced after seeing her appearance, demeanor, and acting skills. Bolstered by the recent success of “Record” and Xu Nanfang’s endorsement, Song Miaomiao secured the role.