Flying Dragon Ancient Village is a hamlet near the mountains and forests, where unique customs and scenery abound; amidst the verdant greens, there stand red-pillared and flared-eave buildings, all made of wood, with scarce sightings of modern furniture.
Rosie Scott rubbed the pinched flesh on her lower back, her face blossoming into a smile as she waved hello to the group of supporting actors gossiping idly.
"Hello everyone, I'm new here, please look after me. I'm Rosie Scott."
"Looking after might not be necessary, Miss Scott; you're coming in strong with luxury cars and advisors. We little shrimps probably don't even qualify to dine at the same table as you." The woman speaking was Kerry, a perennial villainess in dramas, with thin lips, high cheekbones, and a naturally sharp look.
Rosie had an excellent memory. She'd already thoroughly read the file given by Ms. Lindsey while in the car, so she knew the other's background upon meeting.
Rosie happily approached, the smile at the corner of her eyes never fading: "You're Kerry, right? The fourth senior sister in 'Ancient Sword Technique.' I really like you, can I take a picture with you?"
Kerry could barely suppress her smile, her gaze wandering. The surrounding minor actors all followed her lead, casting envious glances. Kerry tilted her chin up proudly. If it were just an ordinary fan, she wouldn't be so smug, but the status of this one was evidently a mystery, yet from her grand entrance, she was clearly no ordinary person.
"I didn't expect you to have such good taste. Since you're a fan, I'll take a picture with you."
"Great, I'll frame the photo and hang it on my wall when I get home." Rosie chuckled inwardly, took out her phone, and snapped a selfie. With her beauty and charm, she quickly mingled with everyone by offering a few compliments.
Meanwhile, Jane got off the car and headed towards the director and producer. She had been in the circle for many years, earning respect from numerous celebrities, many directors and producers had worked with her before, so she was well-acquainted with them.
"Hey! Jane, today's a fine day. Are you back as Blake Shaw's agent again? I have to say, after you made him famous, you abruptly left, which was a bit of a loss for you." Upon seeing an old friend, Producer Sutton immediately took off his sunglasses, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes piled up in three or four layers, and several directors gathered around to exchange pleasantries.
Jane was in no hurry to explain, waiting until they finished talking before speaking happily: "I'm not Blake Shaw's agent now."
"Huh!?" Producer Sutton and the directors were puzzled, scratching their heads in confusion: "Other than Blake Shaw in our crew, who else could hire a prominent agent like you? Forgive my poor judgment, but I can't guess."
"Could it be the female lead, Melody Sutton? She recently exploded in popularity from a girl group variety show and has a lot of fans, but her status is a bit lacking," pondered Oliver for a moment.
"No, this is Melody Sutton's first acting role, and I've met her agent, a guy named Jesse," Producer Sutton said, perplexed.
As the producers and directors wondered if there was some big shot in the drama that they were unaware of, screams came from not far away. As Blake Shaw's van entered the set, the minor and major characters alike swarmed around the car, screaming incessantly like enchanted monsters.
Among them, one girl stood out, seated steadily on a low-branching tree, her smile stretching to her ears, frantically waving at Blake Shaw: "Shaw, Shaw, the ultimate heartthrob."
The tree leaves scattered golden light as the girl's eyes and brows radiated with charm, her smile carefree, wearing a peach-colored dress without fear of bugs or ants on the tree, hugging a low-branching tree unceremoniously while waving and cheering for him.
The man's eyes brimmed with stars, a gentle smile on his lips, his dimples captivating, deeply gazing at the girl hanging on the tree.
With great fame comes great attention, always surrounded by throngs wherever he goes. Hence, when Blake Shaw was filming, he rarely moved outdoor, mostly shooting indoors, surrounded by a solid wall of bodyguards, keeping strangers at bay.
With the swirling crowd, Rosie was still reluctant to come down from the tree, gazing affectionately at the hero's departing figure till inquisitive glances cast around her, causing the girl to shiver slightly, nearly falling off. She noticed Jane's taut mouth and her eyes, veiled by sunglasses, mysterious and unreadable.
Producer Sutton's eyes were uneven, particularly evident when he widened them: "Am I seeing things, is that a person hanging on the tree?"
"That's Evelyn Namgon, who's playing the second female role," Oliver pushed his glasses up his nose.
Jane crossed her arms, grinded her teeth, her voice dangerous: "She is my artist."
"..."
"..."
Leaving the astonished producers and directors, Jane briskly walked to the low tree. She took off her sunglasses, furrowing her brows at Rosie, speaking in a restrained angry tone: "Get down from there."
The girl pursed her lips and lowered her head, like a naughty child caught by a parent, oblivious to any wrongdoing. Jane approached, nose to nose, their eyes meeting: "Do you know where this is? Do you see the cameras over there? In the era of social media, everyone has a phone. What are you trying to do? Become a laughingstock?"
"I don't want to." Rosie lowered her head to admit fault, though her mind was still dissatisfied with Jane's domineering attitude, feeling a conversation could have been had peacefully instead of threateningly.
"If not, then stay put obediently." Jane gave her a glare as she left, warning her to mind her manners.
Once Jane walked away, Kerry and her followers gathered around, speaking up for Rosie's sake: "This amounts to persecution! Though Jane's formidable, she's still just an agent. How can she be so aggressive and threatening toward you?"
Rosie pursed her lips, swallowing down her retort.
Soon it was six in the evening, the sun hanging over the mountaintop, neither setting nor staying. The directors paced anxiously, the table laden with fragrant dishes, yet the lead actress Melody Sutton was nowhere to be seen.
Rosie sat next to Jane, obedient like a small Samoyed, her large round eyes, lips pursed into a line maintaining a smile, while Jane was expressionless, removing her sunglasses to reveal eyes sharp and piercing as the wind.
With a glance from her, Kerry and her followers across the table shivered.
"I swear, that 'old witch' nickname isn't without reason; I almost feel like Rosie's been kidnapped, her smile is so stiff." Despite her sharp and bitter appearance, Kerry was a classic case of 'brainstem deficit'. Not a bad person, just unable to control her tongue, something Rosie realized after their conversation earlier.
At the moment, everyone was waiting for the lead actress, even Blake Shaw had taken his seat early, its still unclear what background the absent female lead has.
Outside, the sound of tires scraping against stone and sand echoed, the directors and producers turned startled, rushing to the door to greet her.
Rosie's eyes focused intently on the door, curious about the lead actress's identity, while Jane rolled her eyes dramatically, sneering coldly: "A mere clown unworthy of stepping into the limelight."