Superstar Aspirations
Chapter 12

Translator: Vian

Editor: Shem

In this world, TV dramas were generally divided into two types: one was a daily drama and one was a weekly drama.

The former was usually big productions, many famous actors and director would finish filming all episodes in advance. The copyright would be bought by the satellite TV stations before the filming, and once the production was complete, it would be broadcasted daily.

Another would be weekly broadcasted dramas.

Some weekly dramas could be broadcasted on TV, while some could only be broadcasted on the internet.

Although this drama “Ambush”, was a weekly drama and the director was also new, but it was still eventually sold to a rather good TV station. It was set every Saturday and Sunday at eleven o’clock in the evening late night slots, while also being broadcasted online at the same time.

These kinds of weekly dramas had a special aspect, they often wouldn’t finish filming all episodes when it was still broadcasting. They would only usually film about four or five episodes first, then film about one or two episodes every week, and following the audience’s feedback, they might modify it accordingly to the script.

There used to be a very popular weekly drama that changed their script because of the audience’s feedback. The second female lead was someone Rong Xu could still recognize: Tang Menglan.

Tang Menglan at that time was still a newcomer. She performed remarkably well and the character was also very likable. The audience online had been continuously asking to give the second female lead more scenes, so the originally miserable ending second female lead finally got her happily ever after, being happily married to the second male lead.

Rong Xu chose “Ambush” for the reason that it would be broadcasted in a month!

Since the task was so tight on time, the crew’s efficiency naturally needed to be high. When Rong Xu just arrived to the set, that Xiao Li who received him first left, and the makeup and costume group came to help him get his makeup done and into costume. The character posters still needed to be taken, but this time, the process wasn’t as serious as “Vie for Supremacy.” After all, the latter was this year’s blockbuster, while “Ambush” was just a weekly drama by a new crew.

Waiting till a few main actors finished taking the character posters, it was already late ten o’clock at night.

Rong Xu met the female lead Zhang Tongtong and Yi Lan, who was the second female lead. He had also met the third male lead and third female lead, but the only one he didn’t even see was the male lead Han Yanghao.

Regarding this, Rong Xu paid it a bit of attention. Originally, he thought that Han Yanghao had already taken his character posters. But when everyone had finished, assistant director Li said with anger that could reach the skies: “The filming will be starting tomorrow, yet he actually still haven’t arrived! Does he plan on coming during the opening ceremony?! Or does he simply doesn’t want to come at all?!”

Assistant director Li was specifically responsible for the actors and logistic issues. Rong Xu had only greeted him once and there were no other exchange. The other was busy till he was beaten black and blue, and in a short four hours, he had already called Han Yanghao’s manager more than a hundred times. Later on, he stopped calling. Not because it connected, but because the other person directly turned off their phone!

Rong Xu lowered his gaze, quietly sitting in front of the mirror and waiting for them to remove his makeup.

Sitting on his left was the female lead Zhang Tongtong, and on his right was the second female lead Yi Lan. Going by ladies first, the makeup artist first removed the makeup for these two actresses while Rong Xu calmly looked down at his phone, carefully reviewing the script. It wouldn’t be good if he were to NG his first scene tomorrow.

However, after a while, when Yi Lan finished removing her makeup, she turned around and saw that the assistant director Li was still trying to contact Han Yanghao. She softly muttered: “Don’t worry, he will definitely come to the opening ceremony. But for trivial matters like taking character posters, he probably wants to wait till he has some free time to take it.”

This voice wasn’t loud nor quiet, so it steadily fell into Rong Xu’s ears, Zhang Tongtong’s, and a few makeup artists’ .

Zhang Tongtong’s eyes flashed and she suddenly laughed: “I just remembered, Yi Lan, you seemed to had worked on a film last year with Han Yanghao.” Pausing for a second, Zhang Tongtong helplessly sighed: “Men ah, often would be like this. So laid-back, unlike us who especially pay attention to every filming detail.”

The makeup artist suddenly laughed: “I think Rong Xu is very good and very attentive.”

She dabbed the cotton pad with some makeup remover and gently wiped over the teen’s cheekbone area. The skin after being wiped showed almost no difference, instead it appeared to even more fair and tender like water, and didn’t look stiff and rigid. Because his makeup was currently being removed, Rong Xu didn’t move, and just hooked up his lips in a smile and said: “Am I really that attentive? Wang jie, if you continue to praise me, I’ll blush ah.”

Everyone immediately laughed.

Chatting, chatting, these women just continued to chat away.

There was a kind of alliance in the world, it’s called “the enemy of an enemy is a friend”. After when Zhang Tongtong and Yi Lan found that no one in the dressing room had any good feelings for Han Yanghao(Rong Xu didn’t declare any position), they began to quietly gossip.

“When I was working with him last year, he was more popular then he is now. You basically couldn’t see him until ten every morning, and would always go out for lunch at noon and refuses to eat the crew’s lunchboxes.”

“I just even heard Assistant Director Li cursed him as a self-important poser. Besides being handsome, I don’t know what’s good about him.”

“Let me tell you guys a secret, you can’t go around telling people okay. There was a scene he had in that drama last year that he NG-ed 32 times! That time he angered Director Feng enough to choke. Luckily, I was only a small supporting character and didn’t have any scenes with him or any exchanges. The female lead at that time was Yang Zheng and she didn’t have a very good temper either. It only took a few days of filming for her to completely ignore Han Yanghao. Han Yanghao and Yang Zheng’s fame were about the same, so he didn’t dare to offend Yang Zheng, and also swallowed some anger.”

……

Waiting till all the makeup was removed, Luo Zhentao waited for Rong Xu at the dressing room door. Luo Zhentao couldn’t help but emotionally sigh a single “really a good seedling” in his heart, then the two walked towards the hotel.

As for all those words inside the dressing room, Rong Xu listened to it all without participating.

Within the entertainment circle, there were too many of these situations where bad things were said behind a person’s back, but he estimated that these words shouldn’t be able to reach Han Yanghao’s ears. Zhang Tongtong and Yi Lan both participated in this topic, even a few of the makeup artists couldn’t help but say a few things. Han Yanghao’s relationship with others were already bad to this point, with absolutely no possibility of turning it over.

Thinking for a moment, Rong Xu casually asked: “How did Han Yanghao become famous?”

Luo Zhentao was surprised for a moment, although he didn’t understand why Rong Xu asked this question, he still honestly replied: “He graduated from an acting school five years ago, and there just happened to be a role for a movie that enlisting worldwide. His luck was very good, his looks and temperament were more or less in line with a small minor supporting role’s request, so he got the role. After that movie was released, because it was too popular, he who would have only been counted as nth male minor character became popular instead. Afterwards, he acted in a few idol dramas and became a first-tier young star.”

A movie could actually make a nth male character popular enough to become a first-tier young star?

This was honestly too strange.

Rong Xu knitted his brows: “Which movie?”

Luo Zhentao laughed: “What other movie can have such great power? Of course it’s “Evening Sound” ah, I didn’t expect that Xiao Xu never saw this movie. There are still some cinemas that are showing this movie right now. It’s said that the box office could still get more than ten to two hundred thousands per week.” Speaking till here, Luo Zhentao couldn’t help but remember: “How many people did that movie make famous ah? That year, Qin Cheng was just too popular, all the female fans around the world were going crazy for him. There would always be hundreds of fans waiting for him downstair at the office everyday, just to see him for a second ah……”

The footsteps suddenly stopped as the young man’s eyes widened, his clear eyes faintly trembled.

Before Luo Zhentao could replace out, Rong Xu turned back to normal and the two entered the hotel next to TV&Movie City.

The next morning, Rong Xu already arrived at the crew and started changing into costume and got his makeup done. Aside from Han Yanghao, all the main characters had already dressed up for “Ambush.” As the opening ceremony drew closer and closer, assistant director Li was anxious till his whole forehead was covered in sweat. While Director Zheng’s face was livid from anger.

Finally, the auspicious time arrived.

Just as the crew couldn’t wait any longer, and needed to go out to see the media, a chic and a gorgeous red sports car suddenly appeared from the end of the street side and skid into a halt. It was almost running into people!

A handsome and dashing young man got off of the car. Assistant director Li looked at him and angrily scolded: “Do you even want a bit of face!”

This remark was said extremely quietly, only Rong Xu who was standing besides him heard it.

Rong Xu raised his head to look at Assistant Director Li, but only saw the latter walked up with a smile on his face and led Han Yanghao to the opening ceremony site.

Seeing this, Rong Xu slowly knitted his brows. A few stars standing at the side were also abruptly taken aback. Waiting till everyone was up on stage, Rong Xu turned back to look at Luo Zhentao. Only when the latter nodded at him, was Rong Xu rest assured to go up on the stage and participate in the opening ceremony.

For the entire opening ceremony, the media’s attention was concentrated on Han Yanghao.

Zhang Tongtong was only an actress that just debuted two years ago, while Yi Lan barely managed to be a second-tier actress despite being in the circle for eight years. No need to even mention Rong Xu, although his appearance was the most outstanding out of the four, who would recognize him now? Aside from the few that ask him about some things regarding “Vie for Supremacy”, no one else bothered with him.

Among the many reporters, only a female journalist wearing glasses’ gaze was constantly focusing on Rong Xu. She took photos of Rong Xu nonstop. On her camera, the lightly smiling and nodding teen, the bright and sunshine-like young man, his brows like a painting, yet whole body garbed in a tailored military uniform young man……were all saved inside the camera.

When the opening ceremony was over, the female journalist turned to her assistant next to her and said: “Everyone all want to get info on Han Yanghao, so who knows who will be able to grab an exclusive. If you want to climb up the latter, you need to have a keen nose, and replace a spotlight that someone else can’t replace. I think that this actor can make it.”

The press soon left. By two in the afternoon, “Ambush” started the filming.

___

The first scene was originally set for a scene between Han Yanghao and Zhang Tongtong, but because Han Yanghao came too late, he still needed to change and get his makeup done. Director Zheng thought for a second, and decided to let Zhang Tongtong and Rong Xu go first.

In the center of the spacious and bright studio was the layout of an elegant and grand banquet scene.

There were many groups of young ladies dressed in gorgeous evening gowns, holding a wine glass. They were like this era’s most beautiful flowers, wandering among the young military officers in uniform. The music and dancing played out in the magnificent ballroom, the pleasant laughter and graceful dancing complemented each other. Extremely luxurious and extravagant; really dazzling with paper and gold.

“Ambush” tells the story of a spy in the 19-century during the period of China’s internal strife.

The male lead Bai Mingde was a member of Rong Xu’s underground gang, his identity there was a second rank officer. At that time, China’s military leaders were divided, the four leaders occupying eighty percent of China’s land. Among them, Ping City’s Hou family was the top of the four military leaders, and powerful enough to crush the remaining three families.

Bai Mingde was an officer in Hou family army. In order to gain more information, he got an idea against Huo family’s Younger Master and Marshal.

Chief Commander Huo only had one son called Huo Xi. The person was cold-blooded and ruthless, his means extremely cruel and merciless. It was said that the spies personally caught by him would had their skin peeled to the flesh, and there was no one who could gain his trust.

Bai Mingde turned this over in his mind, and thought of a certain woman.

Hou Xi had an engagement arranged for him since childhood, the woman was the daughter of Chief Commander Huo’s old comrade, and also female lead, Liang Linghui.

Hou Xi and Liang Linghui had an exceptionally strange relationship. Both did not appear to like each other, but both admitted to the marriage arrangement, and would be holding the wedding next month. Liang Linghui was taught at a high school in Ping City. This was the only chance for Bai Mingde to approach Huo Xi, so the organization arranged for an undercover agent to act as Bai Mingde’s nephew, and put this little agent into that school to study.

Bai Mingde experienced several crisis of almost being exposed and finally, was able to meet Huo Xi once through Liang Linghui.

In just twenty days, his heart, thought, and mind were already one in the same with this beautiful and intelligent woman. But if Liang Linghui didn’t marry, she wouldn’t be Huo Xi’s wife, and Bai Mingde also could not get closer to Huo Xi. Therefore, when Liang Linghui who was holding on to an ignorant love wanted Bai Mingde to elope with her, but Bai mingde refused.

Since then, after Huo Xi and Liang Linghui’s grand wedding, Bai Mingde gradually gained Huo Xi’s trust.

And this first scene that Director Zheng chose was the exchange between Huo Xi and Liang Linghui during the banquet.

Between the drinking and gambling, the guests’ good moods had already reached the peak. At this moment, everyone heard two footsteps coming down from the spiral staircase. Everyone turned around to look, just listening to the ‘da da, da da’ footsteps rang out as if it was stepping on each and everyone’s heart made the joyous atmosphere slowly turn into something serious and somber.

The officers straightened their backs and the ladies hid the expectations in their eyes.

When a slender jade like hand appeared on the mahogany railing, a woman widened her eyes in pleasant surprise. However, in the next moment, that person stretched out their other hand to offer to another beautiful and gentle woman, and descended down the stairs together.

A broad leather belt wrapped around the young man’s thin but powerful waist, outlining his perfect curves. The black uniform tightly fitted on his long straight legs, his back upright, like a pine tree unyielding to the snow. A black hairpin was pinned behind his right ear, so that only the left side had his hair blocking that pair of sharp cold eyes.

Standing on the steps of the spiral staircase, was the one that garnered all the complete attention from the military officers and ladies.

This young man looked to only be in his twenties, but all the officers downstairs that saw his chilling gaze couldn’t help but shudder. Their hearts thoroughly penetrated by the cold gaze, trembling to where they didn’t dare to speak. This glance only looked for a second before shifting away, but that powerful aura of oppression had already permeated into the entire hall.

At this moment, the young man faintly laughed: “Continue, no need to mind me.”

All the officers unanimously closed their legs, their military boots colliding, and issued out a loud neat and uniformed shout. Together they gave a military salute, and in a loud voice shouted: “Yes, Marshal!”

Huo Xi lightly nodded, a trace of cold indifference light flashed through those long narrowed phoenix eyes.

The music started again, but something seemed to be off.

The ladies’ gaze always seemed as if they couldn’t help but be aimed towards him, and those officers also weren’t as casual and relaxed as before. However, from start to finish, Huo Xi only held onto one woman’s hand. The two people leisurely walked pass everyone, heading towards the balcony.

The instant they stepped outside into the balcony, that woman directly pushed away Huo Xi’s hand and walked forward herself.

“There’s already no one around, you don’t need to pretend any more. I never wanted to come to these kind of gatherings, so you don’t need to call me for these anymore.”

The young and handsome Marshal slightly tilted his head and looked up, the cool as if water moonlight illuminated down from above. His eyelashes trembled, the moonlight seeming to have condensed into a layer of white frost on top of it. His thin lips slowly hooked up, a grim reaper like gaze concentrated onto Liang Linghui’s body. A long time after, Huo Xi suddenly laughed, a sexy voice slowly rang out: “You are my… fiancee.”

He said the last word in a extremely slow manner, as if it had full of affection.

Next to the set, there were many people who were paying attention to this first scene. When they heard this kind of low and supple voice, even the men couldn’t stop their body from trembling, the women’s heart quivering more so, unable to even tell why their face suddenly flushed red.

Dangerous, sexy, cold, and alluring.

The four words were always linked together, and at this moment, they were all gathered onto this young man’s body.

The outsider had already felt a kind of charm and fascination that was carved into their bones and engraved into their heart. That was to say, from Zhang Tongtong who was directly facing him, the tip of her ears were already burning red. Only by completely relying on her acting skills was she able to suppress her emotions and not forget herself. She simply directly turned her whole body around to not look at Rong Xu, and coldly said: “I do not mind if you go to Chief Commander and propose to terminate the engagement.”

Pa!

In the freezing cold winter night, a fast streak of wind broke across Liang Linghui’s ear. A strand of black hair was cut off by this wind when a cold silver glint flashed in front of her eyes. Liang Linghui took one step backwards in fright and suddenly fell into the embrace of two ice-cold arms.

The young man slowly raised his hand and covered her eyes, but on his other hand, was a gorgeous dagger. Liang Linghui rigidly opened her eyes wide and through the gap between the other’s fingers, saw that person nimbly used the dagger to perform an extremely perfect knife flower in the air, but it then suddenly came down!

The dagger that could cleanly cut through iron as if it was mud, penetrated through the marbled floor. The blade was completely embedded inside!

Right now, Zhang Tongtong already felt that she wasn’t Liang Linghui, but was only Zhang Tongtong. Her heart continuously trembled, the hand on top of her eyes were as cold as ice. She was clearly embraced by the other into their bosom, but she felt that this person could easily kill her in the next second.

The dreadful aura pressed down on Zhang Tongtong till she was breathing heavily, her chest violently going up and down. She didn’t even notice that she currently had been lead into the scene by the other. She only knew that she was very scared right now, scared to the point that her hands were shaking, her face also paled to a snow white.

At this time, she suddenly heard a low laugh near her ear. That man seemed to have bowed his head, gently emitting a heat next to her ear. Zhang Tongtong couldn’t see the expression on the other’s face, but that like a smile yet not a smile voice made people even more fearful than this strong winter gale.

“Shhh……”

“You need to remember… you are my fiancee.”

“Alive, you are my, Huo Xi’s people; Dead, you are also to enter my Huo family’s grave!”

The author has something to say:

Rong Rong: I’m just an eighteen years old small time actor with a bit of fame~

Qin OrangeOrange: Did he see today’s picture? Am I handsome? Am I handsome? Am I handsome? _(:3」∠)_ Mmm, there’s still only a little bit of likes and forwarding, Baby’s heart is bitter, but Baby doesn’t say anything……

Translator’s (and Editor’s) Addition:

Xu Jin: *vomits 3 gallons of blood*

Vian: Kyaah!!! ヾ(≧∇≦*)ゝRong Rong in a military uniform! A. Military. Uniform. !!!! *ignores he who is destined for a single life*

Shem: *suddenly remembers a certain chapter* *nosebleeds* (￣Γ￣) I can peacefully die right now.

Vian: Ehh, which chapter?

Shem: Thought you were advance? <.<;; I was referring to Qin Cheng’s birthday!! A military uniform!!!! (≖ᴗ≖ )

Vian: I don’t read ahead that far!!! Why are you, the editor, more knowledgeable about the plot than me?!?!

Shem: *whistles* Actually…… I only read the nsfw parts. teehee~ (ﾉ≧ڡ≦)

Vian:……

I am tired and want sleep so no extensive background info for you guys today~

Opening ceremony – It was mentioned before for “Vie for Supremacy” but i didn’t give you guys any details. Here’s a basic run down: When any new film or drama will start its filming, there needs to be an opening ceremony where they choose a good day and hold a worship ceremony.

Desks used for worship are covered with red flannel cloths, and the table was dedicated to Guandi. On both sides were incense burners and roast sucking pigs and fruit.

The camera would usually be covered with a red cloth, and then the crew in turn go and worship the gods. Finally, the red cloth of the machine is turned on and the starting is announced. Here’s some pictures

Nth – Think math, N = X = any number. It’s calling Hao Yanghao’s role insignificant.

Dazzling with paper and gold – Indulging in a life of luxury

Last word – It actually said three words because fiancee is [未婚妻 – Wèihūnqī]

Knife Flower – or Sword flower, it was originally a knife-making method that requires you to rapidly spin a sword around. Almost all knife flowers seem now are for entertainment purposes. Here’s a video of it. Professionally, it’s probably faster than the speed in the video.

Qin OrangeOrange – I don’t even know what to say (*≧▽≦)ﾉｼ)) I guess this can be counted as creative XD

This guy’s name is Qin Cheng [秦呈] while this is pronounced as Qin Chengcheng [秦橙橙]

Same thing with Qin Shen. Same sound, different characters, this[橙 – Cheng] ^^^as you can see means Orange. At least also chose a different Qin too if you’re going to do this\\o

Extra:

“The enemy of an enemy is a ……”

“ENEMY!”

Vian: …..I wonder if anyone even got this extremely obscure reference\\ (hint* it’s from Bl*** Ha**)

Sorry;;;; That is all I could think of whenever I hear that phrase now