Ch 34: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

As soon as those words left Qian Yue’s mouth, all three people present—Shen Yunxuan, Su Ye, and Li Tian—were stunned.

Shen Yunxuan hadn’t expected Qian Yue to be so fixated on her. Not only had she taken her former manager, but she had also explicitly told Li Tian not to sign her.

Su Ye, on the other hand, sensed drama and scheming. She was surprised that Shen Yunxuan, who had just started her career, was already facing this kind of betrayal from someone she knew. Su Ye couldn’t help but worry whether Shen Yunxuan might be hurt by this “friend.”

Li Tian, however, found it baffling. Xingchen Entertainment had plenty of artists, and whether they signed someone or not didn’t matter much. If a talent was promising and cooperative, they’d promote them; otherwise, they’d let them sit idle. What was worth making such a fuss about?

Still, Li Tian had seen plenty of such situations. It didn’t take him long to understand. “What’s the deal? Are you two not getting along?”

Qian Yue quickly shook her head. “No, Brother Li, you misunderstood. I’m just giving you a heads-up out of kindness. She’s my roommate, but, well… she’s an orphan, and her luck isn’t great, you know? In our line of work, it’s important to pay attention to these things. I want you to have smooth sailing without any unnecessary obstacles.”

The entertainment industry was indeed a place where superstitions ran deep. Film sets often held rituals for good luck. Knowing someone had “bad luck” would naturally make people wary. Li Tian immediately marked Shen Yunxuan as a no-go in his mind, even if he suspected Qian Yue might be exaggerating. Once such a comment was made, the idea stuck. He replied, “Got it. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll let the team know to steer clear.”

This essentially meant Xingchen Entertainment wouldn’t consider signing Shen Yunxuan. Su Ye glanced at her, only to see her smirk and shake her head in amusement.

Soon after, Qian Yue and Li Tian left. As Shen Yunxuan and Su Ye prepared to leave, Su Ye asked, “Are you okay? Who exactly is this Qian Yue?”

Since Su Ye was someone Shen Yunxuan planned to work with long-term, she decided to share everything about her relationship with Qian Yue—except for the part about being reborn. She also explained the events surrounding the recent casting decision.

Su Ye, being sharp, quickly realized something was off. “So, Qian Yue was pushing hard for you to join the fantasy drama production, even though she’s usually so desperate to act and get famous? And instead of taking a more visible role, she went for a stunt double position? The only explanation is that she has insider information and knows this low-budget film is going to be a hit.”

But Su Ye had another question. “If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be smarter for her to aim for a supporting role? What’s the point of being a stunt double for the female lead?”

Shen Yunxuan joked lightly, “Maybe she just wants to get on the female lead’s good side.”

Su Ye frowned. “Are you sure the drama production you’re joining is safe? Could there be issues?”

Shen Yunxuan replied calmly, “There are some problems, but I’ve already thought of solutions. So, what do you say? Want to take a gamble with me?”

Looking into Shen Yunxuan’s eyes, Su Ye felt an inexplicable sense of trust and mystery, as though this woman had everything figured out. Taking a deep breath, she raised her coffee cup and said, “I’m in! Here’s to our success!”

Shen Yunxuan clinked her cup against Su Ye’s and smiled. “Don’t worry. We’ll make it.”

Later, as they parted ways, Su Ye couldn’t resist asking, “Qian Yue treated you like that, and you’re not angry? How are you so calm?”

Shen Yunxuan laughed brightly, her smile glowing under the sunset. “If she acts like that, she’s not my friend anymore. I simply don’t care about people who aren’t important. Why waste my energy on her? Why let her affect my mood?”

Su Ye was deeply affected by her positivity and composure. That night, she fell asleep with a smile on her face, thinking, She’s right. Why care about those who don’t treat you well? Although her decision to work with Shen Yunxuan had been impulsive, she now felt it was absolutely worth it just for this mindset.

Meanwhile, at home, Shen Yunxuan calmly did her skincare routine. Thinking about Qian Yue’s words, was she angry? Of course not.

She had grown up as an orphan in a welfare institution, always maintaining a peaceful disposition and avoiding fights. However, for things she cared about, she would put in her utmost effort, and that dedication usually yielded good results. She had learned not to waste time but to solve problems and focus on what she loved—this brought her joy.

As for Qian Yue, she was no different from online trolls in her past life—utterly insignificant. In life, there was still a measure of fairness. Those who wasted time hurling insults gained nothing and sometimes harmed themselves. Just like Qian Yue now—she had fallen into the trap of Xingchen Entertainment and Li Tian.

Qian Yue’s underhanded actions against her didn’t bother Shen Yunxuan. If anything, it amused her. Karma had its way. She had no intention of warning Qian Yue about Xingchen Entertainment’s pitfalls, leaving her to face the consequences of her choices.

For several days, Qian Yue reveled in the idea that she had cut off one of Shen Yunxuan’s opportunities. It wasn’t until she decided to visit Shen Yunxuan’s new home that she realized she couldn’t contact her. From the roommates, she learned that Shen Yunxuan had gone back to her hometown. Frustrated and irritable, Qian Yue couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that things were slipping out of her control. Why has Shen Yunxuan grown so distant from me? she wondered bitterly.

Shen Yunxuan ignored Qian Yue and spent a few days back at the orphanage in her hometown. She brought gifts for everyone and told them she was about to start filming her first role and had landed an official job. Everyone was thrilled for her. They played with her on the lawn and sang songs together, giving her a sense of warmth she hadn’t felt in a long time.

In her previous life, Shen Yunxuan’s early career in the entertainment industry hadn’t gone well, and she took many detours before gaining stability and wealth. By the time she had resources to share, the orphanage director had already passed away from illness, and two of her favorite younger sisters had dropped out of school. The warm and loving environment she cherished had changed drastically.

Now, with a second chance at life, she was determined to spend more time nurturing this part of her life. She wanted everyone at the orphanage to thrive and hoped they all would have bright futures. She envisioned this place as a refuge for her—a place to relax completely and let go of all worries.

After a few days, it was time to return for the start of filming. But before officially joining the production, Shen Yunxuan sent the director an anonymous tip.

In her previous life, the crew had faced financial problems because the person in charge of managing the funds embezzled money. This person had covered it up by offering nice perks early on, fooling everyone. By the time the issue was discovered, the person had fled, leaving the crew unable to secure additional funding. This resulted in subpar special effects, which contributed to the show’s failure.

With an unnecessary romantic subplot added to the script and glaring special effects issues, the fantasy drama had flopped disastrously.

This time, Shen Yunxuan’s tip warned the director to keep an eye on the finance manager and catch them in the act. At first, the director dismissed the letter as a prank intended to sabotage the production. However, after a few days of observation, he realized something was indeed wrong with the finances. Furious, he fired the culprit and replaced them with someone notorious for being frugal—a “penny-pincher” who was known to be highly trustworthy.

With the new finance manager in place, the crew’s living standards dropped noticeably. Every penny was spent carefully, and the most immediate impact was seen in the simplicity of the daily boxed lunches.

Shen Yunxuan didn’t mind. She ate whatever was given to her and even used mealtime to practice her posture and refine the body language of her villainous character.

The director was very impressed with her. Although the release of the costume photos drew criticism from fans of the original novel, accusing him of casting a rookie who didn’t understand the source material, he was confident in his choice. He believed that while other characters might not match the novel perfectly, Shen Yunxuan’s portrayal of Yu Wanqing was spot-on—like the character had walked straight out of the book.

In fact, her exceptional performance made him slightly dissatisfied with the male and female leads. He unconsciously raised his expectations for them, pushing them harder. Fortunately, the leads were also committed to creating a great show and didn’t complain about his demands, which fueled his drive for perfection.

A few days into filming, Qian Yue came to visit the set. Claiming to be Shen Yunxuan’s roommate and close friend, she was allowed in by the crew members who had seen her during the casting session.

At that moment, Shen Yunxuan was sitting on a small stool in the shade, eating her boxed lunch. A higher stool in front of her held a mirror, which she was using to practice expressions appropriate for her age and character.

Su Ye, who had just poured her a cup of water, noticed Qian Yue approaching and whispered, “Why is she here? Should I get her to leave?”

Shen Yunxuan glanced up briefly. “No need. Just tell the crew not to allow anyone else to visit me. It disrupts the filming.”

“Got it.” Su Ye nodded and went to relay the message.

Qian Yue walked over, complaining, “Yunxuan, what’s wrong with you? Why don’t you reply to my messages or answer my calls?”

Finishing her meal, Shen Yunxuan set the box aside, wiped her mouth, and replied, “Oh? I must’ve missed them. I’ve been very busy lately.”

Qian Yue noticed her simple lunch and exclaimed, “Is this what you’re eating? It looks so bad!” She glanced around and realized the set was much more frugal than it had been in their previous life. In the past, outdoor filming had large air conditioners set up everywhere, but now there were only a few fans.

Picking up the mirror again, Shen Yunxuan replied casually, “The food’s fine as long as it’s filling. I need to practice micro-expressions for a scene later. You should leave; the director doesn’t like outsiders visiting the set.”

Qian Yue’s face darkened. This role was hers to begin with—one she handed to Shen Yunxuan! And now Shen Yunxuan dares to put on airs in front of her?

She glanced at the mirror and sneered, “What’s the point of practicing micro-expressions? How many close-ups will even capture them? It’s just a waste of effort—costs more than it’s worth.”

“I disagree,” Shen Yunxuan replied calmly. “I believe that every accumulated micro-expression contributes to the best performance possible.”

Qian Yue scoffed. “A show’s success depends on luck, just like a person’s fame. Think about it—how many top stars have perfect micro-expressions? Isn’t it just good fortune? And as for all those high-profile IP adaptations that failed, wasn’t it because they just didn’t have the luck for success, not because they weren’t made well?”

At this point, Su Ye returned with a crew member. The staff member, clearly upset at being deceived, said coldly, “No visits are allowed on set. Please leave and don’t disrupt our filming.”

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