After Spectating Gossip, the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Big Shot – CH64

Chapter 64

Beijing, in a private club.

A group of investors gathered together for some casual chit-chat.

Investor A spoke mysteriously, “Have you heard? Gu Xingshi has cast Bu Qianwei as the female lead in his new project!”

Investor B was shocked. “Are you serious? No way! I thought Gu Xingshi was known for his casting choices. Why would he…”

Investor C couldn’t hold back a scoff. “That was just luck before. He got lucky with a few hits, but now he’s showing his true colors. With Bu Qianwei, the actress who ‘won’ the Golden Broom Award for worst acting—who in their right mind would cast her?”

Investor D patted his chest in relief. “Thank goodness I didn’t invest in this project!”

Investor B: “Come on, let’s wait and see. They haven’t even started filming yet. Maybe it’ll turn out okay?”

Investor C laughed, “Hah! No way! You really think Gu Xingshi is some kind of miracle worker? Even if he were, Bu Qianwei’s acting is beyond saving, even for a god. Just watch, this film will be a total flop, and it might even destroy Wen Yue’s ‘unbeatable reputation’ in the investment world.”

Investor B: “I’m not so sure. Didn’t you all doubt Gu’s last two shows? And didn’t they end up as blockbusters?”

“That was then!” Investor C was full of confidence. “This time, he’ll definitely bomb!”

Investor B: “And if it doesn’t bomb, then what?”

Investor C gritted his teeth, “If this movie makes over a hundred million, I’ll call him ‘Dad!’”

*

For Sun Hongfei, it took only a second to go from “this film is a guaranteed hit” to “this film is doomed.”

Since the female lead had been confirmed, up until the official start of filming, he still hadn’t figured out why Gu Xingshi would choose Bu Qianwei.

He thought Director Pei Zhuozhi would understand his doubts, but when he looked over, he saw Pei Zhuozhi gazing at Gu Xingshi with admiration: “Only President Gu could come up with such an inspired casting choice!”

Sun Hongfei: “…What?”

Their easy confidence not only shook his aesthetic sensibilities but also his prized skills in reading comprehension.

But since both President Gu and Director Pei thought Bu Qianwei was perfect, maybe it was him who was failing to see her acting talent?

So over the next few days, Sun Hongfei watched every one of Bu Qianwei’s dramas, only to end up having nightmares each night, nearly driving himself to a nervous breakdown.

He looked at Gu Xingshi with worry, struggling with whether or not to speak up.

Gu Xingshi noticed his expression and kindly pointed out, “Old Sun, the restroom is over there.”

Sun Hongfei: “…”

In the end, he couldn’t hold back. “President Gu, I still don’t understand. Why did you choose Bu Qianwei as the lead actress?”

Gu Xingshi looked puzzled. “Haven’t you asked me this many times already? I told you, it’s because she’s beautiful!”

Sun Hongfei was devastated. He looked to Pei Zhuozhi, pitifully. “What about you, Director Pei? Do you think so too?”

Pei Zhuozhi nodded. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Sun Hongfei: “!!!”

What’s so obvious about that?!

Gu Xingshi: “Don’t you think she’s the perfect, destined female lead for our film?”

Sun Hongfei: “…”

Just as Sun Hongfei began to doubt himself, Bu Qianwei entered, flanked by her assistant and bodyguards.

She wore only a touch of light makeup, a cream-colored trench coat, and her thick black hair was casually swept back.

Despite the simplicity of her appearance, she looked strikingly radiant.

While some people’s beauty is only apparent to their fans, Bu Qianwei’s beauty was undeniable—even her critics had to admit it.

When she first debuted, a single photo of her drew millions of views, with people calling her the entertainment industry’s new ‘Lucky Star.’

But fate had given her stunning beauty only to completely close off any window of acting talent.

Despite that, Bu Qianwei continued to wield her beauty like a weapon, relying on her looks to become one of the most popular female stars in the industry.

At that moment, just by standing there, Bu Qianwei seemed to draw every gaze in the room as if she were a magnet.

Sun Hongfei couldn’t help but recall the script’s first scene with the female lead’s entrance.

A beauty with such powerful impact.

As long as she stood there, the character would already come to life.

Sun Hongfei was beginning to understand why Gu Xingshi had chosen her for the lead role.

A tall woman in a business suit stepped forward and greeted Gu Xingshi and the others. “My name is Lin Xiayu, and I’m Qianwei’s manager.”

Gu Xingshi recognized her name.

Lin Xiayu was originally a top law student, but after graduation, she didn’t enter the legal field. Instead, she became Bu Qianwei’s manager.

Lin Xiayu protected Bu Qianwei fiercely.

With her striking looks, Bu Qianwei had been in the industry for years without ever falling prey to hidden rules, standing firm in the entertainment world—a testament to Lin Xiayu’s skill.

And supposedly, Lin was famous in the industry for her ruthlessness in securing resources and negotiating every contract detail. Gu Xingshi had been worried that convincing Lin Xiayu to let Bu Qianwei take this role would be difficult.

Unexpectedly, Lin had agreed without any resistance.

The system explained: [Lin Xiayu and Bu Qianwei grew up together. She’s always looked out for her neighbor and, when Qianwei entered the entertainment industry, Lin took on the manager role to protect her. She’s even said she’d only ever be Qianwei’s manager.]

[With Lin on her side, the company couldn’t control Bu Qianwei and tried to stir up trouble between them to split them up. But Qianwei trusted Lin Xiayu completely and never doubted her. So, the company started playing dirty tricks elsewhere to force Lin Xiayu out.]

[Lin Xiayu finally reached her breaking point and decided it was time to fight back. But to protect Qianwei from the fallout, she wanted to send her somewhere safe. And just then, she saw your invitation.]

[You may not know this, but you have a reputation in the industry as ‘the ally of law and order.’ Lin probably thinks there’s no safer place for her than on your set. So, she’s entrusting her to you while she heads back to wage war!]

Gu Xingshi: [….]

For the first time, Lin Xiayu was leaving Bu Qianwei for such an extended period, and she couldn’t help feeling anxious.

She approached Gu Xingshi directly. “President Gu, I’ll be counting on you to take good care of Qianwei.”

Gu Xingshi replied, “No problem, rest assured.”

With his reassurance, Lin Xiayu began to relax a little. She started by voicing her concerns, which soon turned into praise. “Our Qianwei has such a good personality. She’s obedient and well-behaved. She never touches anything she shouldn’t. She’s been in this industry for years and hasn’t picked up a single bad habit!”

The system chimed in: [Oh, definitely! She steers clear of gambling, drugs, all of it. Doesn’t smoke, drink, party, or date. Her only hobby after work is watching cringey videos. She’s basically more boring than an office worker!]

Gu Xingshi: [….]

Lin Xiayu blushed slightly. “President Gu, you don’t think I’m exaggerating, do you?”

Gu Xingshi immediately replied, “Not at all! If anyone understands an artist, it’s their manager. If she weren’t so good, you wouldn’t have protected her so devotedly all these years!”

Lin Xiayu initially thought Gu Xingshi was just being polite, but the more they talked, the more she realized he genuinely believed in Bu Qianwei’s character. He dismissed those so-called tabloid rumors even more adamantly than she did.

Lin Xiayu suddenly felt like she’d found a kindred spirit.

No wonder people said President Gu had a keen eye for people!

Finally, she felt completely at ease.

After settling Bu Qianwei in, Lin Xiayu hurried back.

With the opening ceremony over, the crew began formal filming.

Bu Qianwei’s personality was surprisingly agreeable. She showed none of the spoiled behavior typical of many beauties and was exceptionally cooperative during filming. She followed the director’s instructions to the letter, even if it meant adjusting her stance for an hour or two without complaint.

Sun Hongfei, who had worried she might throw a tantrum, felt half his anxiety fade.

What’s more, while she wasn’t as quick to grasp instructions as Qin Wen, after some coaching from Pei Zhuozhi, her acting appeared polished. There was no sign of her notorious exaggerated expressions that had plagued her previous performances.

It turned out Bu Qianwei could act normally!

Sun Hongfei was both surprised and thrilled, his remaining anxieties finally dissipating.

Pei Zhuozhi nodded in satisfaction, sitting back behind the monitor. He picked up his walkie-talkie, “All departments, get ready. We’re going for the actual take now. Three, two, one, action!”

With his command, the camera began rolling.

Then, just as Bu Qianwei looked perfectly normal, her expression suddenly twisted.

A wave of intense mental strain hit everyone like a physical force.

Pei Zhuozhi: “???”

The cigarette slipped from his mouth.

Sun Hongfei’s smile froze, and his heart, which had finally settled, shattered as it hit the floor with a resounding crash.

“Cut!”

Pei Zhuozhi stood up. “You…”

Bu Qianwei looked baffled. “Director Pei, what happened?”

Pei Zhuozhi hesitated, thinking maybe she was just a little nervous for her first scene. He softened his tone, “No problem, let’s take it again.”

He sat back down, forgetting to put his cigarette back in his mouth. “All departments, let’s try again.”

“Scene 23, Shot 1, Take 2 of The Ghostly Gate. Three, two, one, action!”

Bu Qianwei took her position, her expression contorting even more than before. Her features seemed to drift, none of them in the right place.

Sun Hongfei felt like his soul was being attacked.

The nightmares are back to haunt me!!

Pei Zhuozhi: “!!!”

“Cut!”

He frowned at Bu Qianwei. “What’s going on with you?”

Bu Qianwei looked genuinely confused. “Director Pei, what’s wrong?”

Pei Zhuozhi replied, “Come here and watch what you just did.”

Bu Qianwei walked over to the monitor, watching her last take. She froze, stunned. “No way! I was following your instructions exactly!”

Her expression was so earnest, as though she truly had no idea why her performance had turned out that way.

Pei Zhuozhi had her try a few more times, but each attempt resulted in the same contorted expression.

It was impossible to keep filming like this.

Pei Zhuozhi clenched the half-smoked cigarette between his teeth, staring at the monitor, lost in thought.

Sun Hongfei wore a pained expression.

This is it. His worst fear had come true!

Only Gu Xingshi seemed to be contemplating something. He walked over to Bu Qianwei, who was sitting dejectedly, hugging her knees and looking completely at a loss.

He asked her, “In your previous shoots, did you ever review your own performances?”

Bu Qianwei pressed her lips together. “That was always A-Yu’s job. She never told me my acting was bad…”

Gu Xingshi asked again, “And after your shows aired, did you ever watch them?”

Bu Qianwei admitted honestly, “A-Yu said people would leave mean comments in the video chat, and she was worried I’d get hurt, so she told me not to watch. I just… never did.”

Gu Xingshi: “…”

He knew Bu Qianwei was obedient, but this was a whole new level.

After thinking it over, he asked the system: [Did anything specific happen when Bu Qianwei first started acting?]

System: [Yes. When Bu Qianwei was just eighteen and starting university, she was cast as a supporting actress in a film. But the director of that project tried to coerce her, and when she refused, he held a grudge. From then on, he found every opportunity to criticize her on set. The constant harassment eventually led Bu Qianwei to develop depression. Lin Xiayu realized something was wrong, came to the set, and discovered the issue.]

[Lin Xiayu helped her terminate the contract and took her home to recover. Although she eventually got better, the experience left a lasting trauma. Since then, her acting has been affected. Lin Xiayu, frightened by her previous state, became overprotective, to the point of sheltering her excessively…]

Gu Xingshi nodded to himself, realizing he had guessed correctly.

With this in mind, he suddenly thought of a solution.

He went over to Pei Zhuozhi and whispered something in his ear, then returned to Bu Qianwei’s side. “Shall we try again?”

Bu Qianwei hesitated, “But… I’m worried I’ll still mess it up.”

Gu Xingshi reassured her, “Don’t worry, we won’t turn on the camera. We’ll just run through the scene.”

Hearing this, Bu Qianwei’s tense shoulders seemed to relax. She nodded and returned to the set.

Gu Xingshi addressed everyone in a relaxed tone, “No need for anyone to feel tense. Cameraman, take a break. Let’s just do a practice run.”

He then shot a glance at Pei Zhuozhi.

Pei Zhuozhi left the monitor and walked over. “Qianwei, just go through that last scene for us again.”

Bu Qianwei nodded, took a moment to get into character, and began acting as the script directed.

Meanwhile, Pei Zhuozhi quietly returned to the monitor. Bu Qianwei’s image appeared clearly on the screen, and her performance was much better this time.

This was exactly what Gu Xingshi had suggested.

Gu Xingshi suspected that Bu Qianwei’s past experiences had left her with a form of PTSD. As soon as she realized she was in front of a camera, her facial expressions and body movements would uncontrollably distort.

So Gu Xingshi pretended they were just “rehearsing,” while in reality, the camera was still rolling. And judging by the results, his hunch was spot-on.

After they finished the scene, Pei Zhuozhi intentionally said, “Qianwei did well just now. Let’s start filming officially and do it once more.”

As expected, as soon as they announced the “official shoot,” Bu Qianwei’s expressions became contorted again.

After she finished, she nervously asked, “President Gu, Director Pei, how was it?”

Pei Zhuozhi pulled up the previous take and motioned for her to come over, praising her, “This was really well done!”

Bu Qianwei’s eyes lit up with surprise and joy, and it seemed her confidence was growing.

Having identified the issue, Pei Zhuozhi finally felt relieved as well. “Let’s try that last part with a different approach. Don’t worry; we’ll just run through a few rehearsals…”

Sun Hongfei, observing from the sidelines, was absolutely stunned.

Can this really work?!

It turned out, it really could.

Before each take, Pei Zhuozhi would tell Bu Qianwei that the camera wasn’t rolling and have her run through the scene several times, secretly filming the whole time. Then, when they announced the “official take,” they’d actually turn the camera off.

Bu Qianwei never suspected a thing, and with this method, she became more and more relaxed, performing increasingly well.

She was not only beautiful but also had a friendly personality, and she quickly became close friends with the other actors in the cast.

This was something that had never happened on her previous sets. Bu Qianwei was having such a good time with this team that she almost didn’t want to leave.

Even though Lin Xiayu was busy handling the turmoil at her workplace, she still checked in on Bu Qianwei, video calling her every couple of days.

Seeing how visibly Bu Qianwei’s condition was improving, Lin felt reassured.

President Gu was indeed reliable!

She knew she had made the right choice in entrusting Qianwei to him!

Toward the end of one call, she hesitantly asked, “So, how is your acting coming along?”

Bu Qianwei proudly lifted her chin. “The director said I’m doing great!”

Lin Xiayu: “!!!”

So, her Qianwei does have acting talent!

She just hadn’t had the right director before!

President Gu really does have an exceptional eye!

Coming to this set was definitely the right choice!

*

After they wrapped up the initial scenes, the crew prepared to move to Ghost Village to film the movie’s climactic scenes.

The day before their departure, Pei Zhuozhi—who usually spent every spare moment editing footage in his room—took a rare day off. He made a trip to a nearby temple, where he procured seventeen or eighteen protective charms.

Then, pretending to be calm, he joined the crew on their trip to Baofu City.

But nobody expected that the very first shoot at the new location would run into issues.

In this scene, the female lead becomes possessed by a malicious spirit, forcing her to try and kill the male lead.

It was an intense, high-energy scene.

But as soon as filming began, Pei Zhuozhi noticed that Bu Qianwei couldn’t keep up with Qin Wen’s performance.

During their earlier, everyday scenes, the difference wasn’t obvious, but now, in this emotionally charged scene, the gap between Qin Wen—a natural talent—and Bu Qianwei, an average actress, became glaringly apparent.

In this scene, the focus should have been on Bu Qianwei’s portrayal of the female lead, but right now, she was entirely overshadowed by Qin Wen. On camera, it was as if no one else existed but him.

To keep filming, either Bu Qianwei’s acting would need to make an impossible leap to match Qin Wen’s level, or…

Pei Zhuozhi, nearly tearing his hair out in frustration, knew the only option left was to ask Qin Wen to “tone it down” and adapt to her level.

But that was too unfair to Qin Wen.

And this scene, as the film’s climax, hinged on the tension between the male and female leads. If the emotional intensity fell flat, it could compromise the entire movie.

With Gu Xingshi back in Beijing handling other business, Pei Zhuozhi only had Sun Hongfei to turn to for advice.

Yet, after much deliberation, Sun Hongfei couldn’t think of any solutions either. Left with no choice, they decided to call Gu Xingshi for help.

Receiving their urgent request, Gu Xingshi rushed back without delay, heading straight to the set without resting.

As Pei Zhuozhi explained the situation in detail, Gu Xingshi reviewed the latest footage. Once Pei finished, Gu gave a calm nod. “It’s fine. This is no big issue.”

Pei Zhuozhi: “!!!”

Sun Hongfei: “!!!”

That evening, the set was prepped.

Bu Qianwei and Qin Wen changed into their costumes and had their makeup done.

Bu Qianwei felt a little anxious.

She knew the recent setbacks were due to her, and although she was trying her best to perform well, the harder she tried, the worse it seemed to get.

Qin Wen wanted to help her, but he didn’t even know where to start.

Seeing their nervous expressions, Gu Xingshi chuckled and reassured them, “Relax. Tonight, we’re going to try a different approach.”

When they were in position, Gu Xingshi said, “Tonight, we won’t be rehearsing. Let’s just jump straight into the scene.”

Bu Qianwei panicked. “Ah! But… but…”

But Gu Xingshi had already turned and taken his seat beside Pei Zhuozhi.

Pei Zhuozhi, with a serious look, picked up his walkie-talkie. “All departments, get ready…”

As he called out, “Action!” Qin Wen instantly entered character, reaching out with a grave expression to grab Bu Qianwei’s wrist.

According to the script, this was the moment the female lead, possessed by a spirit, contorted grotesquely, her expression twisted with an unnatural grin.

This was when the male lead realized they’d all been deceived by the entity.

He felt a mix of pain, regret, and terror, wanting to kill the female lead to save her but unable to bring himself to do so out of love.

In this scene, Qin Wen flawlessly conveyed every layer of the male lead’s emotions.

Bu Qianwei tried her best as well, but her performance was overly deliberate, lacking the visceral, spine-chilling effect of possession.

Qin Wen expected the same result this time—until he felt something strange as soon as he touched her wrist.

He looked up, startled to see Bu Qianwei twisted into a disturbingly unnatural posture.

Her expression was outright horrifying.

Her neck was bent at an odd angle, her eyes rolled completely back, a strange smile tugged at her lips, and her cheeks twitched slightly.

This almost lifelike contortion radiated a sense of unnameable horror.

In an instant, Qin Wen felt a chill run down his spine, every hair standing on end.

But Qin Wen’s instincts as a highly gifted actor kicked in, and he adjusted his performance on the fly to match this chilling scene.

He gripped Bu Qianwei’s wrist, his hand trembling, his voice fractured with fear, yet his gaze was filled with deep pain.

However, no one on set noticed Qin Wen’s subtle emotional shift.

Every eye was glued to Bu Qianwei. In the close-up, each muscle on her face seemed to move with a mind of its own, contorting independently, creating a scene of chaotic, nightmarish distortion.

It was a disturbing, almost sickening display of terror.

Everyone was stunned.

Sun Hongfei’s mouth hung open wide enough to fit a fist.

What the hell!!!

Is this even possible?!

He glanced at Bu Qianwei, shuddered, and quickly turned away.

Gu Xingshi looked thoroughly pleased. “I told you it wasn’t a big problem. Now do you still think Bu Qianwei is being overshadowed by Qin Wen?”

Sun Hongfei: “!!!!”

This isn’t even about acting versus being overshadowed—this is raw, visceral horror, a complete different league!

Gu Xingshi added cheerfully, “See? I told you, Qianwei is the perfect, destined female lead for us!”

Sun Hongfei: “…”

I often feel too sane for this world and its madness.

Qin Wen gave a riveting performance, pouring every ounce of his skill into the scene.

The crew watched in awe, so captivated that when the scene ended, nobody remembered to call “cut.”

Bu Qianwei sensed the scene was over, but with no “cut” from the director, she didn’t dare to break character.

Her neck creaked as if it were a rusty joint, turning inch by inch toward the director with an eerie “ka-ka-ka” sound. Her twisted form staggered in his direction.

“Direc~tor~, how~ did~ I~ do~?”

Pei Zhuozhi let out a terrified howl, grabbing a stack of protective charms and holding them up defensively. “S-stay back! Don’t come any closer!”