The system only arrives when you're old? Then let's create a super-rich family!

After finishing her sentence, Chen Lu turned around and walked straight out of the dressing room without lingering any longer.

She was certain that this reprimand would be enough to crush a newcomer who had never seen much of the world, and that it wouldn't be long before Qin Nian'an would take the initiative to ask Zhou Bin to resign from the role of the female lead.

In the dressing room, the noise subsided into quiet whispers.

"Offending Chen Lu has brought her to the end."

"Shh! Keep your voice down, don't let Chen Lu's people hear us. Let's just watch the show and not get ourselves into trouble."

"I think she's pretty tough. She actually dared to talk back to Chen Lu just now. She probably doesn't know how powerful Chen Lu is. She'll regret it when she suffers the consequences."

All eyes remained fixed on Qin Nian'an, with few showing sympathy and the majority gloating.

Not a single extra dared to step forward and say a word of comfort.

No one wanted to offend Chen Lu, who was at the height of her fame and had a powerful background, and even less did they want to cause trouble for themselves in Hengdian for the sake of an unknown newcomer.

Qin Nian'an took a deep breath, composed herself, and sat quietly in front of the makeup mirror, letting the makeup artist do her hair and makeup.

She wasn't afraid of Chen Lu's threats, but the threats were like a thorn, firmly embedded in her heart.

For a moment, my mind was in turmoil and I couldn't calm down.

"Why don't you just tell Director Zhou you're quitting the lead role and take a supporting role with fewer scenes?" the makeup artist kindly suggested.

"Several newcomers took on roles despite her threats, and ended up losing even their extra roles that paid 200 yuan a day."

"Even if a newcomer who opposes her shows any signs of gaining momentum, she will be cyberbullied by her fans to the point that no production company dares to hire her to act in their films. The result is always the same."

"It's just bad luck that you met Chen Lu this time. You haven't graduated from university yet, have you? You have a long road ahead of you. If other directors find out that you were able to get a role with Teacher Lu on the first try, they will give you more audition opportunities."

"There's no need to ruin your acting dream because of this role."

"All done." The staff member finished the last stroke, and the complete ancient costume makeup was finished.

"Thank you." Qin Nian'an changed into her costume, her figure elegant, her eyes bright and lively, exuding the gentle yet strong temperament of the female lead Lin Qingwu in the drama.

She vaguely resembles Liu Fei, a fairy in ancient costume.

The staff knew that Qin Nian'an was determined to go down a dark path, so they gently shook their heads. That was all they could do to help her; if she wouldn't listen to their advice, there was nothing they could do.

It's a pity that such a pretty and spirited girl could have made it big in the future, and her status would probably be no less than Chen Lu's.

The crew was ready to start filming the next continuous scene, which happened to be a key scene where Qin Nian'an, Lu Chuan, and Chen Lu were all in the same frame.

The plot is a clichéd, melodramatic storyline where the female supporting character questions the male lead, Meng Jiu, about what makes her inferior to the female lead, Lin Qingwu.

As soon as the command to start filming was given, Chen Lu quickly got into character, her emotions instantly conveyed, completely different from when she auditioned.

In contrast, Qin Nian'an's mindset and emotions were in disarray due to the conflict in the dressing room and Chen Lu's threats. Her eyes were wandering, and she even forgot to control the micro-expressions on her face.

The dialogue was dry and lacked coherence, the emotional transitions were broken, and the charisma and ease she displayed during the audition were completely gone. She appeared stiff, like a puppet on strings.

"Card!"

Zhou Bin frowned, picked up the microphone, and called for a halt.

Normally, whether it's a veteran actor or a popular celebrity, if they frequently mess up, he would have already given them a stern reprimand.

But today, his gaze towards Qin Nian'an was filled with helplessness, without a trace of reproach. Instead, his tone was unusually gentle: "Nian'an, don't be nervous. Calm down, follow the character, and don't feel pressured. Let's take a minute to adjust before we start again."

After saying that, he signaled the stage crew to temporarily stop work, giving Qin Nian'an ample time to prepare.

Chen Lu, who was standing to the side, saw this and a hint of smugness flashed in her eyes.

She adopted a gentle and kind demeanor, and quickly walked to Qin Nian'an's side.

He even patted Qin Nian'an's shoulder in a seemingly considerate manner, startling her, and then pretended to soothe her gently: "Nian'an, I know it's normal to be nervous since it's your first time filming a big production."

"However, you can't force acting. If you really can't find the right feeling, don't force it, lest you drag down the entire production schedule, don't you think?"

Ostensibly offering well-intentioned advice, it was actually a way of continuing to put pressure on her, subtly implying that she should take the initiative to admit defeat and back down.

Qin Nian'an gently turned to the side, letting Chen Lu's hand slide off her shoulder. Her tone was flat, as if she hadn't caught the implication in the other person's words.

"It's okay, I'll be fine after resting for a while."

Chen Lu was surprised that Qin Nian'an dared to disrespect her. When her hand, which was on her shoulder, missed its mark, the smile on her face froze for a moment.

Noticing that everyone around them was looking at them, she said eagerly again, "Then take a break, get yourself in a better state, and we'll try again."

Her every move was like that of a senior mentoring a junior.

Liu Fei and Lu Chuan looked surprised.

Isn't it rumored in the industry that Chen Lu is backed by Shengshi Media, arrogant and domineering, and doesn't give any kind of face to actors except those of her level?

Is the sun rising in the west today?

Or has Chen Lu changed her personality?

After a short break, filming resumed.

But once your mindset is disrupted, it's not so easy to get it back.

Qin Nian'an kept telling herself not to overthink it, but she inexplicably remembered Chen Lu's threatening words in the makeup room, and her eyes began to wander. Her emotions were not in place, and Zhou Bin called "cut" several times.

Many extras on set began to whisper among themselves, their eyes filled with obvious skepticism.

"With acting skills like this? What makes her think she's got the lead role?"

"Why hasn't Director Zhou replaced him yet?"

Even Lu Chuan, who had been acting the part, looked at Qin Nian'an with a hint of displeasure.

He was even more puzzled by Zhou Bin's persistence: Had Director Zhou changed his mind today?

Seeing this, Chen Lu was secretly delighted. She walked to Zhou Bin's side and pretended to be sincere in thinking about the crew.

"Director Zhou, how about we make some adjustments? Nian'an is still a student after all and doesn't have much filming experience. All the NG takes are delaying everyone's progress."

"Why don't we postpone her scenes, or find a substitute actress to fill in for a few scenes, and then decide what to do next when she's in better shape?"

Many staff members present understood Chen Lu's implied meaning and looked at Zhou Bin, waiting for him to make a decision.

Everyone assumed that, given Zhou Bin's meticulous nature and his intolerance for any procrastination, he would most likely agree without hesitation.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Bin rejected the idea without even thinking about it, speaking in a deep voice.

"Need not."

His tone was firm, leaving no room for negotiation.

"It's perfectly normal for a newcomer to be nervous when taking on the lead role for the first time; everyone goes through this phase. A few more rehearsals will do the trick."

"My judgment of people is never wrong," he emphasized at the end.

Outsiders only saw Qin Nian'an as an ordinary newcomer, but only he and his assistant knew that the entire crew had long been bought out by Qin Nian'an's older brother, Qin Zihao, and was now the private property of the Qin family.

The Qin family's daughter is filming in his own production crew. Does he dare to replace her? Does he dare to give her attitude? You're kidding, unless he doesn't plan to pursue his dreams anymore.

Even if Qin Nian'an's performance was truly awful, a complete disaster, he would still have to protect her to the end, accompanying her through countless takes until the film could be released.

To promote Qin Nian'an, he directly received a large sum of money from the Qin family, and hired Lu Chuan and Liu Fei to support him, paying them almost top salaries, and also signing an agreement that they could not withdraw midway.

He used all his little tricks to swindle A-list celebrities.

Everyone present, seemingly acting in a movie, was actually just playing along with Qin Nian'an.

Zhou Bin observed, recalling that Qin Nian'an had been in a good state before, so why did she suddenly look so troubled?

Something's not right. A person's condition can't suddenly become that powerful. Something must be wrong.

He glanced at Chen Lu, who had a smile on her face, and his heart sank, remembering that the extras' makeup had taken a while.

He turned to his assistant, Feng Wei, and winked at her, asking the staff what had happened in the dressing room.

Feng Wei immediately understood and left to inquire.

Meanwhile, Lu Chuan and Liu Fei, who had been observing the whole thing with detached indifference, were already experiencing considerable turmoil in their hearts.

In the past, even veteran actors with extensive experience would be criticized by Zhou Bin on the spot if they had to do two takes. In serious cases, they would be replaced without any mercy.

But what about today?

Faced with a newcomer who was in poor form and frequently delayed progress, he not only did not scold or be harsh, but also patiently comforted and deliberately protected her, and even directly rejected Chen Lu's suggestion to replace her.

Abnormal, very abnormal.

The two looked at each other and saw the same thought in each other's eyes.

That means Qin Nian'an's background is probably not just that of a junior freshman; there must be something else involved.

See through, don’t say through.

The two had already made up their minds and silently chose to observe.

Seeing Zhou Bin's firm stance in defending Qin Nian'an, Chen Lu's face turned quite ugly. She felt both angry and resentful, but could only wait helplessly.

She glanced at Qin Nian'an, her dissatisfaction reaching its peak.

Feng Wei returned shortly after leaving and whispered a few words in Zhou Bin's ear.

Everyone saw Zhou Bin's expression change instantly, his face turning furious.

While they were still wondering what had happened, Zhou Bin spoke to Chen Lu in a cold and hard tone.

"Chen Lu, you don't need to act in this drama anymore."

"Now, at this very moment, pack your bags and get out of here. Get as far away as you can."

"From now on, you are no longer welcome in my film crew, Zhou Bin's crew."

Everyone was shocked by Zhou Bin's tone towards Chen Lu. What had happened?

Even professional actors Lu Chuan and Liu Fei showed surprised expressions, clearly not expecting Zhou Bin to kick them out in public.

Chen Lu is a popular celebrity under Shengshi Media, how can they not give her any face at all?

"Zhou Bin, what are you saying?"

Being publicly driven away, Chen Lu looked extremely displeased. Although Zhou Bin was a famous director, she knew in her heart that he was standing up for Qin Nian'an. She became even more resentful and rebellious, and even her assistant couldn't stop her.

"You don't want a star like me who brings massive popularity? You're going to kick me out of the production for some little girl?"

"If I leave, what will you use for marketing when your film is released? What will you use to generate buzz during the promotional period?"

Lu Chuan and Liu Fei frowned upon hearing this. They could understand Chen Lu's doubts about the previous sentence.

But the next sentence says that even the combined popularity of the two of them can't compare to Chen Lu's alone? What does that mean?

They stepped on your face; anyone would feel uncomfortable hearing that.

Not to mention celebrities of their caliber.

Despite feeling uncomfortable, the two watched the show silently, neither intending to speak until the conclusion was reached.

The extras and unsuspecting staff actually agreed with what Chen Lu said.

Why abandon such a popular star like her just to promote a little girl?

Has Zhou Bin gone mad? Doesn't he know what the consequences of his actions will be?

Offending both Shengshi Media and Chen Lu will definitely lead to suppression of the film's promotion and distribution, as well as a massive number of Chen Lu's brainless fans chasing and cursing it.

Chen Lu glanced at Qin Nian'an, whose face was grave, and said to Zhou Bin arrogantly:

"Zhou Bin, the contract is written in black and white. You unilaterally breached it, which damaged my image. First, you need to pay a penalty, and then you need to issue a public apology. That's your problem."

"I'm giving you a chance now. If you make Qin Nian'an get out of here, I can pretend nothing happened."

"Otherwise, if you offend Shengshi Media, your film's publicity, release, box office, and reputation will plummet!"