Superstar's Development Diary
Chapter 43: Inquiring

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Inquiring

Before, when she had put on neatly arranged clothes and was made up beautifully by the makeup artist, He Jinxia already felt a bit out of place, thinking that the image was too formal.

The image people present in public and the image they maintain in private are ultimately different, the script indicated that Chen Xiaohui had just graduated and had been staying at home for a month, appearing more unkempt and disheveled, with a spirit that was lethargic and listless.

Although she had sensed the problem, she didn’t speak up immediately.

A minor star has no right to question in a film crew, which was strictly emphasized by Luo You when she entered the crew, and He Jinxia adhered closely to this rule, understanding that speaking less and doing more meant fewer mistakes.

After resolving the issue of temperament, the following shoots proceeded on the right track. He Jinxia had a good grasp of Chen Xiaohui’s behaviors and ways of speaking before entering the workplace, and each scene only took two to three takes to complete.

This made Dong Qiin breathe a sigh of relief, and she also became curious about He Jinxia.

Bodies have inertia, and so do people; when someone plays a character for a long time, they tend to make the habitual movements of their previous role when transitioning to a new one.

These are unconscious acts, and correcting them is akin to forcefully suppressing a person’s ingrained habits, which is very challenging and painful for some stars.

But He Jinxia seemed to have no such concerns.

The Chen Xiaohui who had entered the workplace was decisive, her expressions and behaviors honed by professional experiences, whereas the Chen Xiaohui who had not entered the workplace was naive, retaining the innocence from her school days, with rich facial expressions, and was a bit more temperamental.

He Jinxia shifted between these two personas with ease, not getting stuck in one and unable to enter the other.

If it were an experienced actor, this would not be surprising, but according to the research she had done, this was He Jinxia’s first time acting, right?

To perform to this level on her first time acting...

Dong Qiin couldn’t help but click her tongue and mutter to herself in admiration, "Impressive rookie," and then shouted outward, "Cut! Continue shooting tomorrow!"

"Clap, clap, clap!" A round of applause erupted, and everyone on set clapped their hands, celebrating the end of the day’s work.

By this time, the sky had already darkened. After the makeup artist had removed her makeup, He Jinxia obediently waited in the crew area for her diet meal.

Dong Qiin turned off the camera, walked over to He Jinxia, and sat beside her, casually asking, "Don’t you want to go out for a walk?"

He Jinxia shook her head and honestly replied, "Don’t know anyone."

Dong Qiin said, "What?"

He Jinxia replied, "Don’t know the way, don’t know the people, unfamiliar place, don’t want to wander."

Hearing this, Dong Qiin’s expression turned somewhat bizarre as she looked at He Jinxia and said, "Sometimes I think you are quite strange, liking to use ancient etiquette, peaceful by nature, not loving to go out, just like in ancient times..."

"Oh, right, just like those noble ladies from ancient times who hardly ever stepped out, especially quiet."

He Jinxia gave her a toothy smile, her clear eyes gleaming, "That’s because I really am a time traveler from ancient times."

A gust of wind blew by, and it seemed as if three crows appeared in the sky, cawing, while the withered yellow leaves twirled down, adding to the desolation.

Dong Qiin felt she had been chilled by a cold joke.

After a long moment, she snapped back to reality and suddenly burst out laughing, "Haha, hahaha..."

Watching Dong Qiin clutch her stomach, laughing uncontrollably, a hint of helplessness crossed He Jinxia’s face.

The most heartbreaking thing in the world is when I’m telling the truth, but no one believes me.

Dong Qiin laughed for a long time before she finally straightened up and heavily patted He Jinxia’s shoulder, saying, "I wronged you. Actually, your nature isn’t indifferent at all; you just appear aloof, but inside, the waves of your passion surge wildly."

He Jinxia: ???

What on earth are all these?!

After the laughter, Dong Qiin turned to business, "What made you think Chen Xiaohui’s naive image was ruined by the styling before?"

He Jinxia’s smile slightly faded as she thought it over, then gave her pre-prepared answer, "I searched it online and read posts saying that working outside and staying at home are very different."

"They say at home, it’s like your hair hasn’t been washed for days, moldy; clothes like salted vegetables, face broke out with acne, no makeup, slovenly..." she blurted out a list of adjectives.

She had indeed searched these details online, but she realized something was off based on her past experiences at the Red Courtyard.

Back then, the Red Courtyard liked to organize imitation activities, making money from the silver in the hands of various aristocratic young masters. As the top performer of Red Courtyard, she couldn’t miss these activities.

Today, she might be a noble lady from a distinguished family, tomorrow, she could become a maid to a noble lady, and the day after, a poor peasant in coarse hemp clothes... After playing so many roles, she had a knack for this and could tell right away that the previous styling was off.

By her side, Dong Qiin couldn’t help but nod her head in agreement, saying, "Yes, many people are like this at home. Chen Xiaohui is an ordinary person, so she should really be in this state; this is something I overlooked."

He Jinxia shook her head and said sincerely, "Director, you’ve already done well enough."

Seeing her suddenly so serious, Dong Qiin was taken aback, then shook her head, "Not enough."

He Jinxia slightly tilted her head, posing as a listener, and did not speak. Dong Qiin didn’t notice her little gesture and didn’t want to continue on this topic. She changed the subject:

"Does your company know that you’re filming with us here?"

A hint of hesitation flashed across He Jinxia’s face, slightly uncertain.

Seeing her like this, Dong Qiin’s expression turned serious and she said sternly, "What’s this, besides being your director, I am also your friend. Can’t you even discuss such a small matter with a friend?"

He Jinxia raised a bitter smile, "Sister Qiin, aren’t you aware that Tonghua and Huayi are rival companies..."

She had been well-briefed by Luo You about the history of these two companies turning from friends to foes and then enemies, entangled in their love-hate relationship, repeatedly ever since she joined the crew, telling her to be cautious.

He Jinxia felt she could recite Luo You’s words by heart; how could she dare to take risks with them.

However, it wasn’t impossible to let slip some well-known facts outside the rules.

Just when Dong Qiin thought her probing had failed, He Jinxia continued, "But sharing a little bit of information with a friend is still possible."

Dong Qiin’s face broke into a triumphant grin, and He Jinxia smiled too, a sly fox-like smile.

Following that, the two chatted amicably for ten minutes.

As Dong Qiin left, her face was a mix of satisfaction and regret, her expression so rich it was hard not to notice.

He Jinxia watched her leave, stayed in the crew location, and after getting her nutritional meal, she entered her room. While eating, she started calling Luo You.