In a narrow and dark room, Ye Qiu opened her eyes.
In her previous life, "she" was of good looks and exquisite acting skills. After years of hard work, she finally got the role of the leading lady in a famous director's film. However, just before the shooting, the trust she placed in her agent Du Siqi and her best friend Lin Feifei was betrayed, ruining her reputation and appearance.
In this life, she vowed to reach the pinnacle and make those despicable men and women suffer excruciating pain.
Merit Points: 3000
The limited Merit Points were all contributed by fans who adored her. This time, Ye Qiu would not let them down again.
She was currently a girl who had just dropped out of school to strive in the city. With no educational qualifications or connections, she could only afford to rent the cheapest basement. It was two months later when she, delivering takeouts to the film studio, was accidentally selected by the assistant director to play a small role as a palace maid, which led her into the entertainment industry.
After just paying her rent and utility bills and sending two thousand yuan to her grandmother in the countryside, Ye Qiu had less than one thousand yuan left in her hands.
She swiftly climbed out of her narrow one-meter-two bed, chose the most convenient T-shirt and jeans, and rode out on her small electric scooter.
After settling her remaining wages, Ye Qiu quit her job as a delivery rider and stepped into an internet café.
Since she was out of money, it was time to temporarily "borrow" some from her enemies. Although Du Siqi wasn't yet the top agent at Starshine Company, he had been working for many years and must have saved up a substantial amount.
Having exchanged for Hacker God skills, Ye Qiu could hack into anyone's account in the world and take every single cent without leaving a trace that anyone would be able to find.
She also forged Du Siqi's bank statement so that even if he called the police, the police and the bank would only trace it back to his normal expenditures, and he wouldn't get a penny back.
Five hundred thousand yuan wasn't a lot, but it was enough for Ye Qiu to live well for a while.
The moment she got the money, she moved out of the basement and rented a more private and secure apartment. She discarded the out-dated clothes and went to the mall to buy a few pieces from niche luxury brands.
Then, she went to a hair salon to update her look. Ye Qiu was naturally beautiful, which was why the assistant director chose her at first sight, but her hair ends were a bit dry and yellow from long periods of neglecting to dress up and self-care.
Luckily, she was young and full of collagen. A little grooming turned her into a vibrant and pretty young girl.
Next, Ye Qiu found a school and paid the school choice fee, preparing to repeat her senior year in high school. After all, she was only nineteen this year. In her previous life, it was precisely because she dropped out of school and lacked education that Du Siqi and Lin Feifei took advantage of her, spreading negative rumors online and slandering her for sleeping her way to the top.
In contrast, Lin Feifei was a regular university graduate whose parents were both teachers. She drew a large wave of public sympathy and successfully created buzz, stepping over Ye Qiu to replace her as the lead actress in the big director's new series.
As she intended to venture into the entertainment industry, Ye Qiu was planning to apply to the National Film Academy. With the year coming to an end and the need to attend arts examinations, she didn't have much time left to revise for her academic subjects. Moreover, she didn't intend to give up on "Palace City", the series that led her into the film industry in her previous life.
Aside from eating and sleeping, Ye Qiu spent almost all her time reading books. Fortunately, she was blessed with a brilliant mind and nearly photographic memory. In her old world, she had been a student and taken the college entrance examination, so revisiting the material now was like second nature to her.
Being a top student not only makes her more likable to the public but also benefits her future entry into the entertainment industry without any drawbacks.
A month later, the casting for the main female role in the drama "Palace City" began in Mountain City. The female lead, male lead, second female, and second male roles had been predetermined, and this casting was mainly for some supporting roles.
Ye Qiu was preparing to audition for the role of Princess Xuan. Upon her admission, she had already explained her situation to the dean, indicating that she might not be able to stay at school for too long.
The dean, being a responsible person, had investigated her background: both parents are deceased, leaving only a grandmother bedridden in the countryside, whose medical and living expenses all depended on her. Even dropping out for two years to gather her own tuition, when the dean knew she had to work, he did not insist on her staying at school to study. He only required her to show up for the monthly exams with grades not declining.
Ye Qiu rode her electric scooter to the film and television city, carefully recalling the plot of the main female drama "Palace City" on the way.
"Palace City" tells the story of a County Magistrate's daughter who rises from a palace maid to become the Empress. This drama doesn't rely on Mary Sue clichés but on intelligence and tactics, with constant climaxes. After its release, it broke viewership records and became the hottest series of that year.
The female lead and several concubines with more screen time were played by the hottest up-and-coming actresses of the moment, and the Emperor's role was portrayed by the award-winning actor Bo Rong. Handsome men and beautiful women made the show a topic of discussion on Weibo for several months.
Both leads and supporting actors of this show benefited greatly from their participation.
The role of Princess Xuan that Ye Qiu was auditioning for only appeared in the first five episodes, but the character was striking enough.
Princess Xuan was the Emperor's most favored concubine before the Noble Consort entered the palace. Owing to her beauty and strong family background, she made many enemies in the palace until the Noble Consort's arrival. As the Emperor's affection shifted solely to the Noble Consort, and news of her brothers' deaths at the border came, Princess Xuan was ensnared by the Noble Consort and got sent to the Cold Palace.
Born in a General Mansion and having practiced martial arts since young, Princess Xuan had a tall and slim figure with outstanding features. She caught the Emperor's eye during an autumn hunt and was then selected to enter the palace as a concubine. In reality, she was merely a placeholder for the Noble Consort. Once the rightful person entered, she lost her value and became a thorn in the Noble Consort's side.
Her death also made the female lead realize how merciless Palace City was, prompting her to be more cautious in her actions, climbing the ranks step by step.
To portray Princess Xuan effectively, it requires not just acting skills but also a particular type of appearance and figure, for she is a woman who could gain the Emperor's favor and make the Noble Consort envious enough to plot her demise.
Ye Qiu has been playing the roles of others for centuries, ensuring even those close cannot detect anything amiss. Her acting skills are unquestionably solid, and this body of her now is a rarity of beauty in the entertainment circle. Otherwise, in her past life, she wouldn't have been the object of Ye Feifei's jealousy, which led to disfigurement and took away any chance of a comeback.
Many people were interested in the role of Princess Xuan, and many auditioned. Since the screenwriter was the investor's sister, the roles were mostly approved after her review, with no underhanded deals, and success came down to sheer talent.
Today, Ye Qiu wore a crimson dress, which was Princess Xuan's favorite color for clothing. She tied her hair up in a high ponytail, applied light makeup with the eyeliner gently flicked up at the corners of her eyes. With her chin lifted, she perfectly resembled an arrogant favored concubine.
The screenwriter's eyes brightened at the sight of her, and the Director also highly approved of her acting. Ye Qiu effortlessly secured the role and signed the contract on the spot.
The production was set to start after the new year; Ye Qiu took her script and returned to her apartment.
With one month left, she also needed to start preparing for the performing arts examination.