Day Three arrived too fast.
Vincent stood outside Studio 7 at 1:45 PM, dressed in full costume—elaborate period robes in deep purple and gold, hair styled in an intricate updo with golden pins.
The makeup artist had done an incredible job. He looked like an actual imperial princess.
"Ready, Host?" Bai Yun asked.
"No," Vincent thought honestly. "But let's do this anyway."
He walked into the studio.
The throne room set was magnificent—red pillars, golden dragons, an imposing throne on a raised platform. Extras in official robes stood around. Cameras were positioned at multiple angles.
And there, beside Director Wang, sat Ren Jingchen in his wheelchair, watching everything with sharp eyes.
Their gazes met across the room.
Vincent nodded respectfully. Ren Jingchen's expression didn't change, but he nodded back.
"Yu Li!" Director Wang called. "We're doing this in one take. No do-overs. Understand?"
Vincent's heart pounded. "Understood."
"The scene: The Emperor, your brother, has just informed you that your son—the Crown Prince—has been plotting treason. You must convince him to spare your son's life while maintaining your dignity and political position. This is the moment that defines your character for the entire series. Are you ready?"
Vincent took his position, kneeling before the empty throne (they'd add the Emperor in post-production).
Teacher Liu's voice echoed in his mind: Don't act. BE.
"Action!"
The Emperor's words hit like physical blows: "Your son is a traitor."
Princess Yunxiang's (Vincent's character) world shattered. But she was royalty. She'd been trained since birth to never show weakness.
Vincent's hands trembled as they gripped his robes. His eyes widened—shock, genuine shock.
"Your Majesty..." His voice came out steady despite the tears threatening to fall. "There must be some mistake."
Vincent let one tear fall. Just one. A mother's grief cracking through years of political armor.
Then his spine straightened. His eyes, wet with tears, sharpened with calculation.
"If my son is guilty..." His voice dropped, became dangerous. "Then I, as his mother and your sister, request the honor of handling this matter internally. The family's shame should not become the court's spectacle."
His hands, trembling with grief moments ago, now folded calmly in his lap. The perfect picture of controlled power.
"I have served this dynasty faithfully for thirty years." Vincent's voice carried steel beneath the silk. "I have sacrificed my happiness for political alliances. I have borne sons for the empire's future. If this is how loyalty is repaid—"
He stopped, swallowed the rage, and bowed his head"—then I am still your servant, Your Majesty. Do what you must."
Surrender that was somehow more threatening than any declaration of war.
"Cut!" Director Wang's voice.
Vincent stayed in position, heart racing, until—
"That was... " The director stood up, staring. "That was perfect."
The crew burst into applause.
Vincent broke character, breathing hard. He'd done it. He'd actually done it.
"One take!" Director Wang laughed in disbelief. "One take and it was better than anything I'd hoped for! Yu Li, where have you been hiding this talent?"
"I wasn't hiding it," Vincent said quietly, standing and brushing off the robes. "I just never worked for it before."
Teacher Liu, standing in the corner, gave the slightest nod of approval.
And Ren Jingchen...
The Film Emperor sat motionless, his dark eyes fixed on Vincent with an expression that was entirely unreadable.
Then he wheeled forward.
Everyone went quiet.
Ren Jingchen stopped in front of Vincent, looking up at him—her—with those intense eyes.
"That was good work," he said simply.
Three words. But coming from Film Emperor Ren Jingchen, they might as well have been an Oscar acceptance speech.
[Ding! Ren Jingchen's favorability: -30 → -15!]
[Mission Complete: Prove Your Worth!]
[Reward: 200 points, Skill Book: "Understanding Ren Jingchen's Micro-Expressions"]
Vincent smiled—genuine, relieved, exhausted. "Thank you, Producer Ren."
"Call me Jingchen," Ren Jingchen said quietly. "We're colleagues now."
And for the first time since arriving in this world, Vincent felt like maybe, just maybe, he could actually pull this off.
_____
Vincent woke up the next morning to his phone exploding.
Literally exploding with notifications. The vibrations were so constant it sounded like a swarm of angry bees.
"What the hell?" He grabbed the phone, squinting at the screen.
Weibo Notifications: 9,847
Messages: 2,156
Missed Calls: 73
"Bai Yun," Vincent said slowly, "what did I do?"
"You went viral, Host! Congratulations!"
Vincent opened Weibo with a sense of dread.
The top trending hashtag was #YuLiActing. Below that: #PrincessYunxiang, #ActingTransformation, and—his heart sank—#YuLiStillTrash.
Someone had leaked the throne room scene.
The video had 15 million views.
"Oh no."
"Oh YES!" Bai Yun chirped. "Look at the comments!"
Against his better judgment, Vincent scrolled:
okay I hate to admit this but... that was actually good???
Still think she's problematic but this scene gave me CHILLS
One good scene doesn't erase her stalking Ren Jingchen
WHERE DID THIS COME FROM? Did aliens replace Yu Li???
I'm so confused. Is she actually talented or have I been wrong this whole time?
Still won't forgive her for harassing RJC but... damn. That single tear? CINEMA.
Vincent's phone rang. Manager Chen.
"Did you see—"
"I saw," Vincent interrupted.
"This is either very good or very bad." Manager Chen sounded like he'd been up all night. "The director wants to move up the shooting schedule. Strike while public interest is hot."
"How much are we moving it up?"
"Filming resumes tomorrow."
"TOMORROW?"
"Welcome to the entertainment industry, Yu Li. Oh, and you have three interview requests, two variety show invitations, and a luxury brand wants you for their ambassador campaign."
Vincent's head spun. "That's... that's insane. One scene and suddenly—"
"People love a redemption story," Manager Chen said. "Right now you're the reformed villainess. Don't screw it up."
After hanging up, Vincent scrolled further and found a post from an unexpected source:
@RenJingchen_Official: Hard work deserves recognition. Looking forward to continuing production. #AutumnMoon
It wasn't a direct endorsement, but coming from someone as private as Ren Jingchen, it was practically a glowing review.
The comments under his post were even more chaotic:
DID FILM EMPEROR REN JUST DEFEND YU LI???
omg is this character development
The enemies-to-lovers arc I didn't know I needed
He's just being professional guys calm down
PROFESSIONAL MY ASS HE NEVER COMMENTS ON ANYTHING
Vincent screenshot the post and stared at it.
[Ding! Ren Jingchen's favorability: -15 → -10!]
"He's defending you publicly," Bai Yun observed. "That's significant!"
"Or he's just being a decent producer."
"Host, why are you always so pessimistic about romance?"
"Because I've been on the other side of it," Vincent thought wryly. "I was the guy who gave just enough attention to keep someone interested but never actually committed."
"Well, now you get to see how it feels!"
"Karma really is a bitch."
_____
The 'Autumn Moon' set was on the outskirts of Beijing—a massive period drama complex that had been converted into an ancient palace.
Vincent arrived at 6 AM in full costume, having spent two hours in the makeup chair.
The atmosphere was different from before. People who'd ignored him now nodded respectfully.
"Yu Li!" Director Wang waved him over. "We're shooting the garden scene first. You remember the blocking?"
Vincent pulled up the script in his mind—both Yu Li's memories and his own studying from last night. "Princess Yunxiang confronts her sister-in-law about spreading rumors. Starts civil, ends with a wine cup being thrown."
"Exactly. Your co-star is already in position."
Vincent walked through the elaborate garden set—artificial cherry blossoms, a jade bridge over a koi pond, stone pavilions. It was beautiful in a completely artificial way.
Sitting under a pavilion in elaborate pink robes was actress Zhao Meilin, who played the Empress. She was in her early thirties, elegant, and according to Yu Li's memories, had always been cold to her.
"Sister Yunxiang," Zhao Meilin greeted with perfect politeness that didn't reach her eyes.
"Empress," Vincent returned, equally formal.
They ran through the scene blocking. Zhao Meilin was a professional—her movements precise, her line delivery flawless. But there was something sharp in her gaze when she looked at Vincent.
"From the top!" Director Wang called.
The Scene:
Princess Yunxiang approached her sister-in-law with a serene smile, but her eyes were dangerous.
"I heard interesting rumors today," Vincent said softly, each word perfectly enunciated. "About my son's... indiscretions."
Zhao Meilin's Empress smiled like a snake. "Palace walls have ears, sister. Surely you've taught your son discretion?"
"I've taught him honor," Vincent replied, stepping closer. The camera tracked his movement. "Unlike some, who spread poison disguised as concern."
"Careful," Zhao Meilin warned, her voice still sweet. "Accusations against the Empress are treason."
Vincent picked up the wine cup, his hands steady. "And accusations against the Crown Prince are..."
He threw the cup.
It shattered against the pillar behind Zhao Meilin, missing her by inches.
"...equally dangerous," Vincent finished coldly.
"Cut!" Director Wang jumped up. "That was—wait, Yu Li, you actually threw the cup?"
"The script said she throws it," Vincent said, confused.
"Yes, but we usually use CGI for the throw and you mime it—you could've hit Meilin!"
"But I didn't." Vincent had spent last night practicing his aim with tennis balls. Thank you, Teacher Liu's weird training methods.
Zhao Meilin stood up, brushing imaginary dust from her robes"No harm done. Shall we go again?"
They filmed the scene three more times.
On the final take, as Vincent walked away from the pavilion, he caught Zhao Meilin staring at him with an expression of pure calculation.
"That was personal," Bai Yun noted.
"Yeah," Vincent thought back. "But why?"