Chinese entertainment: Top stars have no holidays

"Brother Xu, would you say we're getting extra screen time?"

Jiang Bai asked Xu Xu with some confusion.

He had just received the newly revised script from the screenwriter.

Yes, it's about half again as thick as his original script.

Jiang Bai's feelings at this moment were hard to describe.

My first time acting, my first time on a film set—two happy things happening at the same time...

But why did it turn out this way?

Zheng Shuang was frequently absent during filming, and the filming wrapped up a month early, causing conflicts with the director and crew, which severely delayed the filming schedule.

Then, he, the second male lead, and Zheng Hehuizi, the originally planned fourth female lead, were given the important task of having more screen time.

But Jiang Bai was not happy at all.

He had never paid attention to or watched the TV series "Rush to the Dead Summer" in his previous life.

His only knowledge of the show was that Hu Yitian debuted in it, and that was all.

Jiang Bai had no idea that there were so many unexpected twists and turns behind the scenes of this drama's filming, and that the second male lead was actually forced to "take over".

This is not a good thing.

Because anyone with a modicum of intelligence can imagine how badly he, the second male lead, will be attacked by Zheng Shuang's fans after "Rush to the Dead Summer" airs!

Shuangzi looks radiant, and her fans, naturally, follow her example, forming what could be called the biggest bullying group in the fandom!

You have more screen time than the female lead?

Then you're doomed. Shuangzi's fans will show you what fandom bullying is all about.

With your mother as the center and your ancestors for eighteen generations as the radius, using profanity as the main weapon and fantasies as the main skill, I will launch a 360-degree all-round attack to overturn your entire family tree.

Jiang Bai could imagine how terrifying his Weibo private messages would be after the show aired.

Does this mean he's about to fight a battle to protect his mother right after his debut, a battle he's destined to lose?

He's only halfway into the Chinese entertainment industry, and he's already under so much pressure?

No way!

Xu Xu, who had also thought of this, didn't look too happy either.

Perhaps only laymen would think that giving supporting characters more screen time is a good thing.

In fact, no actor in the industry wants to be involved in such a "good thing".

Especially for new actors, they wouldn't dare touch them at all.

If a supporting character has more screen time than the main character, isn't that just asking for trouble?

If he had a choice, Xu Xu wouldn't want Jiang Bai to step in at the last minute!

Unfortunately, the production company behind this drama is the planning company Croton, and since it's a production of their own parent company, Jiang Bai has to step in when things go wrong!

Moreover, in the entire series "Rush to the Dead Summer", only Lu Zhiang and Yan Mo are a couple that deserve more screen time.

The storylines for all the other characters revolve around the female lead played by Shuangzi; they can't function without her!

The only saving grace is that the production team of "Rush to the Dead Summer" added scenes for the supporting characters, which was entirely due to unforeseen circumstances and they were forced to do so.

If they are criticized by Shuangzi's fans because of this, the production team and the company can justifiably provide reasons and evidence.

To prove Jiang Bai's innocence, he was not only not a character who added scenes, but was also the savior of the entire crew.

If it weren't for his added scenes, this drama wouldn't have been made!

"Since things have come to this, let's eat first." Xu Xu sighed, and could only try to think of the bright side.

After receiving lunch from his assistant, Jiang Bai ate the unappetizing salmon and chicken breast salad while reading his new script.

"I have to say, the screenwriter did a pretty good job with the revisions."

While looking at the script, Jiang Bai said, "In the original plot, Lu Zhiang was sentenced to life imprisonment and his story ended after the incident."

"The new script changed the sentence to only three years. After being released from prison, he proposed to Yan Mo, and the two walked down the aisle together."

"It's like turning a tragedy into a happy ending."

"To match this ending, the romantic storyline between the two has been greatly enriched, and their characters have become more fully developed."

"From the moment they started studying in Japan, a lot of drama was added. The two of them accidentally became neighbors living on different floors and started their bickering couple mode."

"From relentless pursuit to establishing a relationship, it's a bittersweet journey."

"When Lu Zhiang learned that Fu Xiaosi had an accident and Li Xia had been wronged, he couldn't let go of his brothers in China and the past. Coupled with his inner turmoil, he hadn't completely let go of Li Xia, so he took the initiative to break up with her and returned to China alone. Yan Mo broke down and tried desperately to keep him, but to no avail."

"As a result, Yan Mo returned to China to pursue love and became Lu Zhiang's superior."

"Yan Mo is strict at work and clingy in life. Lu Zhiang complains but cares. He can't hide his jealousy and concern."

"Wow, the second half, with things like the drunken princess carry and peeling crayfish for Yan Mo, is totally the kind of romance you'd expect from the main characters!"

"Hilarious! The finale was even changed to Lu Zhiang and Yan Mo's wedding."

"It seems the screenwriter has truly run out of ideas, having lost all their strength and means."

Jiang Bai turned to the last page of the script, and he was both amused and exasperated.

This is the first time I've seen a show where, from the middle onwards, almost the entire plot revolves around a secondary couple.

The male and female leads then disappeared without a trace, and the focus shifted entirely to the second male lead.

Even the most important happy ending turned into the second male lead's wedding scene.

The first half of the film is still telling the story of the male and female leads and the second male lead's youthful pain.

The second half takes a sharp turn, becoming a bickering love story between Lu Zhiang and Yan Mo, which feels quite disjointed.

The screenwriter seems to have completely let loose.

This story has almost nothing to do with Guo Jingming's original work.

But Jiang Bai actually thought the second half of the story was even better!

It's at least better than before. Lu Zhiang and Yan Mo's characters are more fleshed out and vivid, and the story has more of an idol drama feel.

Yan Mo healed Lu Zhiang's youthful regrets and inner pain with her passionate, persistent, and unreserved love.

Lu Zhiang went from escaping to taking responsibility, and ultimately spent his life protecting this hard-won relationship.

The romantic storyline between these two characters is the most heartwarming and complete in "Rush to the Dead Summer".

I wonder how the audience will react after it's filmed.

Jiang Bai genuinely doesn't remember the broadcast schedule of "Rush to the Dead Summer" in his previous life.

When he first joined the company, he was a junior employee and was so busy with work that he had no time to watch idol dramas.

He vaguely remembered seeing a few clips of Lu Zhiang and Yan Mo on Bilibili, and it seemed that this couple had a few memorable moments that went viral.

Bai Jingting's career has progressed well since then, which also suggests that the character Lu Zhiang should not have any negative impact.

Having temporarily calmed down and accepted reality, Jiang Bai quickened his pace while chatting with Xu Xu.

At this moment, Xu Xu seemed to remember something and said with annoyance, "I almost forgot about the important matter."

"Xiao Jiang, the preliminary preparations for 'A Love So Beautiful' are almost complete."

"Several male supporting roles have been selected from the Central Academy of Drama."

"The only things left to decide are the female lead and the second female lead."

"President Dai is planning to hold a small-scale audition at the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center in a few days."

"Once the female lead is confirmed, we can start filming."

"The current plan is to officially start filming after the New Year, and the filming will take place in Zhuji, Jiangsu and Zhejiang."

"Hmm?" Jiang Bai looked up, swallowing the grass in his mouth. "Is the female lead to be chosen from among the current students at the Shanghai Theatre Academy?"

"Yes, 'A Love So Beautiful' is, after all, a campus youth drama," Xu Xu explained. "The younger the main characters are, the better."

"If there's a choice, it would be best to have freshmen or sophomores play high school students so it doesn't feel surreal."

Jiang Bai nodded, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.

What surprised him was...

If Mr. Dai is going to the Shanghai Theatre Academy to choose the female lead.

What about Shen Yue?

Shen Yue isn't a student at the Shanghai Theatre Academy!

How did she get the lead role in "A Love So Beautiful"?

Or has the butterfly effect occurred again?

Because of Jiang Bai's influence, "A Love So Beautiful" started preparations six months earlier than planned, so the choice of the female lead will also change.

Will this show become as popular as it was in the original timeline?

Jiang Bai began to worry...