"Thank you everyone for your hard work on set. These milk teas are a treat from Sister Ji Min." The two assistants who had been following Ji Min were now distributing the newly bought milk tea to all the staff members present.
As the saying goes, those who eat from others become indebted, and those who receive gifts become obligated. Whether sincere or not, those who received the milk tea generally joined in with a few words of praise.
"Thank you, Sister Ji Min."
"Sister Ji Min is so considerate."
Amidst the praise, Ji Min's assistant walked to a quiet corner of the set with a separate paper bag, smiling as she said, "Sister Yingyu, this is the milk tea we bought for you. No pearls and extra ice, just as Sister Ji Min specifically instructed us."
"...How considerate of Ji Min to remember my preferences." Fu Yingyu's voice carried a hint of coldness, showing no intention of accepting the milk tea from her hand.
The deliberately snubbed assistant certainly caught the sarcasm. Her smile stiffened. Suppressing her dissatisfaction, she gritted her teeth and said, "Sister Yingyu must be joking. Sister Ji Min has always looked up to you as her role model."
Role model? More like this "rising tide" couldn't wait to crash this "receding wave" violently against the shore.
Fu Yingyu's face remained cold, but before she could speak again, her assistant Xiao Wu, standing nearby, sneered first: "I'm sorry, but as you know that everyone has joined the crew to film now. Our sister Yingyu has always been dedicated to her work. In order to be more photogenic during filming, she will never touch high-calorie drinks like milk tea during this period. I've seen her stick to nothing but plain boiled vegetables. As her assistant, shouldn't you be aware of such basic facts?"
Assistant Xiao Wu might as well have directly pointed out that whatever ulterior motive Ji Min had in sending milk tea as a gesture of goodwill was transparent.
All of Fu Yingyu's staff, from her manager to assistants, shared her dislike for Ji Min, especially after the recent incident of snatching the ranking.
Everyone in the company knew that Sister Yingyu and Ji Min were competing for the position of Tianhao Entertainment's top actress. Now Ji Min didn't dare come herself, so why did she let the assistant pretend to be a good person here?
Sister Yingyu only accepted the role of the second female lead in Zhen Feng Xiang Dui because of Ji Min's behind-the-scenes manipulation. If not for the company's pressure, Sister Yingyu would never have agreed to play second fiddle to her, regardless of the pay.
"Sister Yingyu, don't be angry. People like Ji Min won't last long in the spotlight. The position of the company's top actress is definitely yours," Assistant Xiao Wu said indignantly after driving away Ji Min's assistant.
Though Sister Yingyu had a cold personality and didn't talk much, appearing unapproachable, she actually treated those around her well. Unlike Ji Min, who acted gentle and generous in public but wouldn't even glance at assistants and ordinary people in private. Her eyes were practically glued to the sky.
Having spent long enough in the entertainment circle, Assistant Xiao Wu had seen plenty of celebrities who showed one face to the public and another in private. Some stars would even verbally and physically abuse their assistants, completely different from their public personas. Fortunately, Sister Yingyu remained consistent, never giving them a hard time. As long as they did their job well, their year-end bonuses were always higher than other assistants'.
Fu Yingyu looked down at her heavily annotated script and said flatly, "What's there to be angry about?" The grudges between them couldn't be explained in just a few words.
Even though she had decided to terminate her contract with the current entertainment company, Fu Yingyu had no intention of giving up this film directed by Director He Zhiliang. Actually, as long as the script was good, she didn't care whether she was the female lead or not - she simply didn't want to play a supporting role to someone like Ji Min.
The feeling was... like having flies contaminate something she had carefully chosen.
Fu Yingyu's journey from an unknown member of an 18th-tier girl group to her current acting prowess was inseparable from her serious approach to every role.
Her next scene wouldn't be shot until after dark. After sending her assistant away, she spent some time reading the script alone. Looking somewhat tired, she closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. When she turned her head, she noticed a little girl in costume sitting in the chair beside her, her hair tied in two cute little buns.
More importantly, she recognized this little girl.
...Why is it this little crybaby again?
Even Fu Yingyu, who never believed in fate, had to marvel at the coincidence of running into this little girl everywhere!
Following her from the Dormant set all the way to the Zhen Feng Xiang Dui set - if she weren't just a half-grown child, Fu Yingyu would have suspected she had ulterior motives for getting close to her.
Fu Yingyu recognized the little girl and instinctively reached for her pocket to get some candy, but realized she was wearing a qipao, with her clothes and bag in the makeup room. She could only put her hand back and said coolly, "Kid, you're not crying today?"
In their two previous encounters, the little girl had always been crying pitifully.
Gu Suisui, who had already been labeled a crybaby by someone, tilted her head and smiled shyly.
Fu Yingyu was not a person who liked to talk, but being with this little girl always made her feel particularly calm, and she talked more than usual. She looked toward where Ji Min was and asked casually, "Kid, let me ask you something - do you like that sister over there?"
Gu Suisui looked in the direction she indicated, shook her head, and answered honestly, "No, I don't like her."
Fu Yingyu had just asked casually, not expecting the little girl to give an answer she'd find satisfying. After all, Ji Min had a sweet and pure appearance and was skilled at putting on a gentle and generous facade, which was typically deceptive to naive children.
Surprised by this different response, Fu Yingyu grew interested and continued, "Why not? Didn't she just buy you milk tea?"
Gu Suisui's large, almond-shaped eyes gave her an air of innocence. "Even though that sister bought milk tea for everyone on set, she doesn't really like us." She could feel that much.
Fu Yingyu heard this and smiled, her cold and elegant temperament softened a little. She reached out to pinch Gu Suisui's smooth little cheek and said, "You may look a bit silly, but your eyes certainly aren't blind."
Tsk, this little crybaby is quite perceptive.