Chapter 96: Gradual Darkening
The crew filmed the dialogue scenes first before moving on to the action sequences, completing the political intrigue and palace scheming before finally shooting the battlefield scenes.
Lin Wanting framed Shangguan Xuan, and under her influence, Consort Wen grew to dislike Shangguan Xuan. Only then did Shangguan Xuan see Lin Wanting’s true nature and angrily confronted her.
Lin Wanting was embroidering, her lowered brows exuding a serene gentleness, like a beautiful and innocent little flower.
When Shangguan Xuan entered the room, Lin Wanting set down what she was holding and stood up.
Shangguan Xuan glared at her and said furiously, "Wanting, I treated you like a sister. Why did you set me up?"
Straight to the point.
Lin Wanting responded with a gentle smile, her pure eyes betraying a cold edge. "Why? Don’t you already know?"
"What do you mean?"
Lin Wanting’s innocent, lovely eyes flickered with grievance before shifting to anger. "Hongyuan and I grew up together. Auntie said he would marry me—but then you stole him away. I hate you!"
An Wen handled Lin Wanting’s emotions perfectly—her resentment tinged with naivety, making even her wicked actions and anger evoke an involuntary sense of pity.
Lin Weiwei felt overshadowed by her acting, suddenly aware of her own disadvantage.
An Wen noticed this too and subtly dialed back her presence, allowing Lin Weiwei to continue the scene.
Director Tang, of course, saw everything and had them reshoot a few takes.
An Wen had grown accustomed to fully immersing herself in scenes, especially when acting alongside seasoned veterans, which sometimes led to her overpowering her co-stars.
Afterward, Lin Weiwei smiled at her and said, "Wenwen, you did great."
"Thank you for the praise, Sister Weiwei," An Wen replied sweetly.
"You’re in your second year of high school, right? Have you thought about which university you’d like to attend?" Lin Weiwei asked kindly.
"Not yet."
"I graduated from Di City Film Academy. A few days ago, I visited Teacher Cheng, and he praised you, saying you have real talent." Lin Weiwei was clearly recruiting on behalf of her teacher.
"It’s all thanks to Teacher Cheng’s guidance. I plan to think about university in my third year. My school has also been discussing it with me."
Lin Weiwei knew An Wen had excellent grades, so her school would naturally want her to aim for prestigious institutions.
"Well, I’ve passed along Teacher Cheng’s message. Don’t feel pressured—take your time to decide," Lin Weiwei said.
Lin Weiwei was a true national actress, having skyrocketed to fame with her debut role as a martial arts heroine. Low-key and not one for excessive publicity, her works spoke for themselves, earning her a stellar reputation, a loyal fanbase, and widespread public admiration over the years.
Now 29, she felt nothing but pride when she saw newcomers like An Wen.
She had also watched the recently popular Ding Qian Kun, where An Wen’s acting rivaled even the most experienced cast members—her cold demeanor never stiff, her performance nuanced. At just 16, this girl’s potential was limitless.
Lin Wanting’s gradual darkening was portrayed without any changes in makeup or costume, relying solely on An Wen’s acting to convey the transformation.
For someone who had played numerous villainous roles in her past life, this was no challenge at all, and Director Tang was thoroughly satisfied.
True darkening came from within, not through external appearances.
Meanwhile, Ding Qian Kun continued to air to soaring ratings. Qing Sha, played by An Wen, slowly fell in love with Xuan Yuan Zun, but knowing his heart belonged to Ji Yuxi, she suppressed her feelings.
Netizens all felt heartbroken for her, sparking the trending topic "#Xuan Yuan Zun is Ji Yuxi's, Qing Sha is everyone's," which once climbed to the top of the trending list. Qing Sha, with her aloof and ethereal demeanor, silently sacrificed for love while maintaining her distance from Xuan Yuan Zun. No one but herself knew of her unspoken feelings.
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