Taeyeon was wrong...He had underestimated Kang Yong-Ji's level of shamelessness.
Kang Yong-Ji was definitely shameless enough to approach Huangfu Shuo. After all, she did not think that exposing their relationship would be of any benefit to him. For the sake of both their interests, she tossed up her options and ended up instructing her manager to locate Huangfu Shuo's home.
Afterwards, she arrived - ready for battle - at Huangfu Shuo's home during her break in the afternoon. But, to her surprise, Huangfu Shuo lived all alone in a 300 square metered high-class villa.
Back when they were still together, Huangfu Shuo was a nobody. Who would have thought, he was actually so rich now.
Huangfu Shuo did not expect that Kang Yong-Ji would turn up at his home. So, as soon as he opened the door and saw Kang Yong-Ji, his face glazed over with a moment of surprise.
Seeing this, Kang Yong-Ji removed her sunglasses and smiled at Huangfu Shuo, "You're not going to invite me in?"
Huangfu Shuo moved aside and welcomed her in. As he followed behind her, he said, "I don't have anything at home except for plain water."
"That's fine. I didn't come here for that anyway," Kang Yong-Ji leaned back on the sofa elegantly.
Huangfu Shuo sneered. Taeyeon's method indeed worked.
He had previously done so many useless things, but had no luck attracting Kang Yong-Ji's attention. Who would have thought, after accepting 'The Forensic Concubine', this woman would come knocking on his door.
"Why did you come looking for me? You wouldn't be here for a friendly catchup, right?" Huangfu Shuo sat down on the sofa opposite Kang Yong-Ji and threw his arms back casually.
"I never thought, after not seeing you for so many years, you'd actually be able to afford a place like this..."
"You're talking about this villa?" Huangfu Shuo chuckled before he answered, "I've been living here for over 20 years. Oh...that's right, I didn't get the chance to introduce my family to you before you abandoned me. I bet, if you knew who my father was back then, you wouldn't have left without hesitation."
"What do you mean?"
"Tiffany & Co's Asia Region Vice President, Huangfu Xiong, is my father," Huangfu Shuo officially introduced his father to Kang Yong-Ji. "Only after you left me, did I discover that being an heir wasn't a bad thing."
After hearing this, Kang Yong-Ji did not look pleased.
"My father's wanted to see you for a long time. He's been laughing at me for quite a few years because he can't understand why I had such bad taste back then. But, thanks to you, his son returned to his side without having to spend a cent."
Kang Yong-Ji did indeed feel a bit regretful, but she knew that Huangfu Shuo completely despised her, so she didn't think too much into it as she changed the subject, "Let's talk business. I heard that you've accepted the role of male lead for 'The Forensic Concubine'."
Huangfu Shuo did not respond. He simply lifted an eyebrow as he listened to what else she had to say.
"You still care about me, don't you? Otherwise, why would you join my enemy's camp when you obviously know that Tiffany and I are competing against each other?"
After hearing this, Huang Fushuo burst into laughter, "Miss Kang, don't you think you're overestimating yourself? You're right, I joined 'The Forensic Concubine' partially because of you. But...it was because I wanted you to remember what you've done in the past and the type of person you are. When are you planning to remove your fake mask"
"You..."
"I'm sure you know why I agreed to film 'The Forensic Concubine'. Taking Tiffany's acting ability and Crown Empire's power into consideration, as well as acknowledging that the script is of a high standard, what reason would I have to reject it?" Huangfu Shuo questioned Kang Yong-Ji.
"I don't care why you're partaking in 'The Forensic Concubine'. I simply want to tell you that if you expose our previous relationship, it will be of no benefit to you," the strength in Kang Yong-Ji's voice slowly weakened. In fact, her final words sounded angry from embarrassment. After all, things did not turn out the way she'd expected.
She came to show off...
To display her power...
To show mercy out of pity...
Unfortunately, nothing went her way!
Instead, she found out about Huangfu Shuo's impressive family background and was overwhelmed by regret. It made her feel so defeated that she wanted to dig a hole and hide from the world.
"You've finally revealed your true intention for coming here," Huangfu Shuo suddenly laughed. "You must be dreaming. As an almighty heir in the jewelry industry, there is no reason why I would want to be related to a two-faced person like you. That would be devaluing myself. Kang Yong-Ji, when it comes to family background, you can't compete with any of your so-called enemies. I'm not sure where you got the confidence to compare yourself to Tiffany."
"Is it because you're an international award-winning actress?"
"You should just wait and see how Tiffany crushes you..."
"Also, I may not reveal the bad things you've done, but it doesn't mean that I won't tear off your fake mask. I wish you the best of luck on your own." After speaking, Huangfu Shuo stood up from the sofa and crossed his arms. "The door is on your right. You can show yourself out."
Kang Yong-Ji was extremely frustrated. Without gaining a thing from visiting Huangfu Shuo, she angrily grabbed her handbag, stood up from the sofa and said to him, "With your acting, even if you act alongside Tiffany for the rest of your life, you will not be able to surpass me."
Huangfu Shuo did not respond as he shrugged his shoulders.
It was fine. After all, he wasn't the male lead anyway.
In the end, there was nothing that Kang Yong-Ji could do, so she had no choice but to leave Huangfu Shuo's home.
She was obviously steaming inside, but, she couldn't find a way to deal with Huangfu Shuo.
Should she find someone to slander him?
Unfortunately, Huangfu Shuo already made a bad reputation for himself. So, he was unaffected by Kang Yong-Ji's scheme.
That's why, as a person, it was impossible to maintain a perfect image. Because, a flawed person was easier to forgive. On the other hand, when a perfect person made a mistake, they would only attract a countless amount of scolding and be left with a dark impression that could never be erased.
After this encounter, Huangfu Shuo was completely satisfied; he finally saw through to the real Kang Yong-Ji.
Of course, the most satisfying thing was to see Kang Yong-Ji's anger and frustration, as well as the moment of regret when she discovered his family background.
...
Kang Yong-Ji was extremely frustrated. To calm herself down, she needed to hurry home and see her husband. Only then would she feel that she had made the right decision in the past.
But...her husband wasn't home and he didn't pick up his phone. Kang Yong-Ji sat on the sofa and waited for a long time. After roughly two hours, she finally heard the front door open, followed by sounds of laughter from her husband and Kang Jung-hwa.
"Honey, why are you home?"
As soon as Kang Jung-hwa spotted Kang Yong-Ji sitting on the sofa, she immediately turned serious and cautiously greeted her.
"Why are the two of you together?"
"We ran into each other outside," Kang Jung-hwa said casually before she returned to her room.
Kang Yong-Ji did not notice anything out of the ordinary, but she didn't have the courage to tell her husband about her visit to Huangfu Shuo's home. So, she simply hung around for a while before returning to the film set.
But, she had no idea, as soon as she left, the two remaining people exchanged looks and quickly ended up in the same bed together.
Rumors continued to circulate that Huangfu Shuo was the male lead of 'The Forensic Concubine'. Of course, he was more than happy to act as a cover. After all, the production had no intention to reveal the real male lead and kept their lips firmly sealed.
Since Crown Empire owned a few filming studios, it wasn't hard to keep things under wraps. So, during the time when Crown Empire had no other promotions and events, Huangfu Shuo naturally took on the responsibility of promoting for 'The Forensic Concubine'.
Huangfu Shuo continued to surround himself with women even after signing with 'The Forensic Concubine'. He had always kept a clear distinction between work and play. So, with the added fact that he had recently caused Kang Yong-Ji to suffer a blow, he was in an extremely good mood.
As a result, whenever the reporters tried to interview him, he would briefly mention 'The Forensic Concubine'. It was his way of upholding his responsibility as an actor and to show gratitude to Taeyeon for giving him the chance to humiliate Kang Yong-Ji.
Actually, from the moment they announced that he was joining the cast, one month had already passed. Yet, even he hadn't seen any signs of the male lead.
After all, the first few days of filming were focused on the scenes of supporting characters...
Even Tiffany hadn't officially appeared on set yet. Perhaps due to the two babies at home, she had not made necessary arrangements.
But, Huangfu Shuo didn't mind. He quite liked his character and enjoyed his scenes. The silver dragon-embroidered robe and jade crown on his head made him appear powerful and domineering with an imposing presence.
Compared to the male lead, his character was a lot more relaxed. It wasn't involved in as many complicated schemes and problems. He didn't need to admire the female lead without her knowing and protect his throne at the same time. If a person like this actually existed in the real world, it would also be quite tiring.
...
Actually, two days before Tiffany headed on set, she had tried to test Taeyeon. But, Taeyeon did not reveal anything out of the ordinary. He went to work as usual and took care of the babies after he arrived home. He really knew how to control himself...
"As it is our own production crew, we can be flexible. You can go home at night and our mothers can take care of the babies during the day," Taeyeon explained "If you get too tired and need to spend the night at the hotel, give me a phone call and I will make arrangements."
"Are you sure you don't have anything to tell me?" Tiffany asked one last time.
"Do I?" Taeyeon lowered his head and continued to help Tiffany pack her luggage. "The filming this time will be completely sealed off to the public and the set will be cleared every single time. The cast and crew will also sign a confidentiality agreement. You don't need to worry about anything."
"With you here, what is there for me to be worried about?" Tiffany was a little disappointed.
"Don't think too much. Hurry and check on the babies, so you can go to sleep..."
Tiffany nodded her head. After taking a bath, she returned to the bedroom. As she had an early start the next day, she did not want to waste any more time in case she would be too tired. However...after she fell asleep, Taeyeon left the house and headed to the filming studio organized by Crown Empire.
"President, everything's set to go," Sooyoung and the other members of staff were ready, especially the makeup artist and photographer.
"Apply the makeup," Taeyeon sat down at the makeup table.
"President Kim, your are so good looking..." This was the first time that the makeup artist had seen Taeyeon from such a close distance. After looking at his handsome face, not only was she flustered, she couldn't control herself from praising him.
"Focus on your work," Taeyeon ordered coldly.
The makeup artist nodded her head as she placed the white jade crown on Taeyeon's head. Coupled with the silver armor on his body, one glance and his king-like presence was enough to dazzle anyone. In fact, the photographer forgot he was even holding a camera as he dropped it on his foot.
"Of course, as soon as the President makes a move, no other actor has any business being here," Sooyoung nodded furiously.
Taeyeon was dressed in a full set of armor because his character was heading into the battle ground for the female lead. And women were most charmed by men when they looked heroic like this, especially when they had a king-like presence like Taeyeon. If he actually existed in ancient times, his face would definitely turn the world upside down...
"He's handsome! He's so handsome!"
"His face, his lips, his nose, his eyebrows...it sends sparks flying."
Tonight, they were simply taking promotional photos, but the photographer couldn't stop. When faced with something beautiful, people often couldn't control themselves from wanting to see more.
Afterwards, Taeyeon changed into a set of emperor's robes...
A few members of staff hid in the corner in excitement, "Oh God, how is there a man like President Kim in this world who is born with such a cold and sexy presence? As soon as he put on the emperor's robes, I immediately wanted to become one of his concubines."
"FML, I can't believe that we can't take a photo of him and share it with the world. What a shame!"
"Wait until the promotional photos get released, every man in Korea will feel inferior."
"Exactly! Oh my God, I'm so excited. I wonder if Tiffany's seen it."
Of course, Tiffany hadn't seen it...
At this moment, she was sleeping soundly at home.
The next morning, Taeyeon woke up like he had forgotten the photoshoot at the studio the night before. After preparing himself for the day, he escorted Tiffany to the set.
"If you miss me, give me a phone call," Taeyeon reminded with his usual thoughtfulness. He then made sure everything was fine on set before he left.
Earlier that morning, Director Chen Feng had received copies of the promotional photos. At that time, he was shocked beyond belief. But, he knew to keep it a secret without Taeyeon having to say anything. He knew that everything would eventually be revealed.
"Director Chen, where's our male lead? When will he be appearing on set?" one of the supporting actors asked. "Even Tiffany's arrived, how arrogant must this actor be?"
"The male lead won't be appearing on set for the time being due to a busy schedule. We will first film the supporting scenes and not waste any time," Director Chen explained reassuringly.
"Fine. Luckily Tiffany's here. By the way, we haven't seen her in ancient costume before! 'Concubine Ning' is about to finish filming and her fans have been praising her like she's one of a kind. Am I the only one that's noticed this? I feel like 'someone's' been in the US for too long and doesn't quite fit in here."
"You will get to see her very soon," Chen Feng smiled.
Actually, Tiffany's appearance was well suited to ancient costume. She was tall, graceful and gave off a peaceful vibe, so the crew had faith in her. She simply had to get into costume and Kang Yong-Ji would immediately feel inferior.
On the afternoon that Tiffany arrived on set, the makeup artist made a few changes to her look.
As a result, Tiffany spent the entire afternoon in the waiting room.
Tiffany's appearance was split into three stages. The first stage was during the time that she was the previous emperor's concubine; second was when she was a powerful empress dowager; and finally, the last stage was when she became the feminine royal consort.
Due to provocation from 'Concubine Ning', the makeup artist and stylist spent a lot of time and effort creating Tiffany's look.
Of course, whether as a model or an actress, Tiffany never disappointed...
Firstly, she tried on the simple but elegant look of the concubine.
As soon as the stylist finished helping Tiffany put on her plain-colored dress, everyone in the waiting room were stunned. Tiffany looked like something from a painting....
She looked exactly like a person from a painting!
In ancient times, there were a wide variety of hairstyles. Amongst them, the snake bun was one of the most difficult to pull off. But, when applied to Tiffany, it did not appear like a burden at all.
As she was playing a forgotten concubine, she did not wear any fancy hairpins or accessories, yet she looked noble and elegant. Her yellow dress made her look ethereal and warm. But, her eyes contained a cold and unapproachable aura.
Before Qing Lan had traveled through time, she barely wore warm colored colors. But, because the previous emperor had once told her that yellow made her look ethereal and warm, she fell in love with this particular set of clothes. However, her tragic story began from there. Because, from that moment onwards, the emperor never saw her again. Although he didn't throw her into exile, she was practically a forgotten concubine.
"So beautiful...You're honestly beautiful."
It was at this same time that Qing Lan met the neglected prince Jun Yilan. A forgotten concubine took care of a neglected prince. They were only three years apart in age, but they were practically like mother and son.
The Qing Lan in the past wouldn't have been able to guide Jun Yilan. But, the Qing Lan that traveled through time was exceptionally talented.
To prevent his beloved woman from suffering the same fate as someone who was in exile, Jun Yilan strived to take over the throne.
Tiffany's heart ached for the two main characters.
At the same time, she couldn't help but feel relieved. Luckily, she lived in the modern world; in a country that was rich, powerful and free.
"If we release these photos to the public, everyone will go crazy! She's much too beautiful!" the makeup artist sighed.
"What about the male lead?" Tiffany couldn't help but ask. "I still don't know who the male lead is. You guys must have done a costume fitting for him too, right?"
"Nope," the staff all shook their heads, "We honestly haven't!"
"Fine, I won't make things difficult for you." Perhaps, the only person on set that knew who the male lead was, was the director.
Tiffany cooperated for the next two costume fittings and had photos taken while the photographer cheered in excitement. Tiffany did not say a word, she simply smiled. After her work was complete, she returned to the set to watch the supporting characters being filmed.
The director was Chen Feng and his filming quality was naturally flawless. But, apart from this, the entire crew were especially focused. It was clear to see that Taeyeon had put in a lot of effort in a short period of time to find a variety of skilled actors. After all, there was nothing more important than good acting. So, Tiffany felt a lot more relaxed.
The mystery behind the male lead became an endless topic of discussion amongst the crew. But, Chen Feng did not explain anything. After all, when the time was right, he knew everything would naturally be revealed.
Soon, 'The Forensic Concubine' released Tiffany's photos to the public. In an instant, heated discussions filled the air.
_"Quick, look, Tiffany's photos have been released. Wow, she definitely doesn't disappoint. She's so beautiful!"
_"As a fan of 'The Forensic Concubine', I feel relieved after seeing these photos. I'm especially convinced by Tiffany's acting, because even her photos are capable of drawing people in."
_"Tiffany's acting is all in her eyes. They are especially good at sending precise messages. After seeing these photos, I am extra certain that she is suited to being an actress."
_"My Fany is gorgeous!"
Afterwards, someone placed Tiffany's photo next to Kang Yong-Ji's and began comparing them. This was a normal response as both women were hot topics and they were competitors. So, the public wanted to compare their capabilities.
But, even though Kang Yong-Ji's fans previously praised her so highly, when placed beside Tiffany, she was suddenly like a mere passerby. In fact, she looked especially old next to her.
_"I feel like Kang Yong-Ji is acting as Tiffany's mother..."
_"Haha, I know right. Previously, when I looked at Kang Yong-Ji, I thought she looked OK with her thick and stunning makeup. She completely had the powerful presence of 'Concubine Ning'. But, now that she is placed next to Tiffany, anyone can point out her flaws."
Kang Yong-Ji's fans immediately retaliated.
_"The two of them are from different periods, of course you can't compare them."
_"Exactly. The headpiece on Tiffany's head is heavy enough to squash her to death."
_"Tiffany looks like a fragile white lotus. She's nothing like our domineering Kang Yong-Ji."
Seeing this, 'The Forensic Concubine' released photos of Tiffany in her empress dowager costume. Now, the two women were on the same level, the fans had nothing else to say. Because, even when Kang Yong-Ji's costume and makeup changed to another stage in life, her gaze was still the same. On the other hand, Tiffany was different. As a forgotten concubine, she looked cold and miserable, but as an empress dowager, she appeared powerful but helpless. She said it all in her gaze.
_"Simply looking at the photos, Tiffany is the winner."
_"I've always felt that Tiffany was born with the gift of acting because she has a good level of understanding. Although other people can be trained, they can't compare to her."
_"Look at the way that Kang Yong-Ji's fans over-exaggerate with their praises and end up slapping each other in the face. It sure is an eye-opener."
_"I'm looking forward to 'The Forensic Concubine'. I'm really anticipating it..."
_"Although I already know the story, I can't wait to see Tiffany act it out. It will definately be fun to watch."
_"Although the male lead is a bit of a shame, I still hope to see photos of them together."
_"Exactly..."
The public's reaction was due to the assumption that Huangfu Shuo was the male lead. But, even after Tiffany had been on set for a few days, no one had heard anything about the male lead even though Tiffany and Huangfu Shuo had already met.
In reality, Huangfu Shuo liked being around people, whereas Tiffany preferred peace and quiet. The two merely tolerated each other, but they didn't have much to chat about because their personalities were too different.
Huangfu Shuo was like the life of the set. Whenever he heard other's gossip, he would play along with them, "Yes, I'm the male lead. Who else would suit the role better than me? You guys keep talking about the male lead all day. Am I not handsome enough?"
In reality, 'The Forensic Concubine' had no intention of revealing their male lead; it was a part of their plan.
"Yong-Ji unnie, it seems like this is all the other production has. After all, the male lead isn't very favorable," Kang Yong-Ji's assistant comforted her. "They've already thrown their ultimate move. Let's see what else they can do in future to attract attention."
Perhaps, the only flaw with 'The Forensic Concubine' was the fact that Huangfu Shuo wasn't suitable for the male lead. However, at this time, a fan suddenly questioned on the drama's official website, "The website still hasn't officially announced their male lead. It's still a surprise. I'm going to anticipate the day when the mystery is revealed."
Huangfu Shuo had manipulated the public for so long because he wanted to divert Kang Yong-Ji's attention. So, now that filming had commenced, he could finally clarify everything.
As a result, the public were shocked.
_"It turns out, Huangfu Shuo isn't the male lead!"
_"So he's not the male lead. Haha, I found myself subconsciously breathing a sigh of relief."
_"In that case, who could it be? I'm really looking forward to finding out!"
Although Tiffany wanted to know who the male lead was, she did not show it on her face. She knew, when they finally had scenes together, they'd eventually meet. So, it was only a matter of time.
Because Tiffany had no manager and assistant by her side, the crew took extra care of her. In fact, some members of staff didn't quite understand what she was thinking.
"Look at you. You're so famous and can have everything you want, why don't you find yourself an assistant? If you look at other big shots, they always have 2 assistants and 4 bodyguards by their side; this has already become the norm. Yet, you're still doing everything on your own."
The auntie that delivered lunch to the set noticed that noone ever came to collect Tiffany's lunch for her, so she personally brought it to Tiffany.
As Tiffany ate, she felt very warm inside.
"I think I'm fine on my own. I don't have anything that requires special care. Auntie, you're a good person."
"Haiz, it's hard to come across a steadfast person like you. Eat more."
It's not that Tiffany didn't need an assistant. But, because of the incident with Song Xin, she no longer thought it was necessary to have one. Especially after giving birth to twins, she no longer felt like a person had any need for special care.
Tiffany smiled and accepted the auntie's kindness. But, a moment later, a surprised shriek could be heard coming from the set, "I heard the male lead appeared on set! The male lead is here!"
"Did you see who it was?"
"I only heard about it. Won't we end up seeing him in the afternoon?"
Indeed, in the afternoon, Tiffany and the male lead would be filming a scene together. Tiffany refused to believe that he wouldn't be showing up.
"Oh God, I can't wait!"
After lunch, Tiffany sat on set reading her script; the scene that afternoon would be quite important. Firstly she would be filming with the secondary male. Afterwards, she would film a scene with the male lead which almost results in a break in their relationship. So, she needed to have 100% focus.
This scene was also the first scene between herself and Huangfu Shuo. She was actually quite excited. Even though Huangfu Shuo defied convention, his acting ability could not be ignored.
So, not long after, Tiffany and Huangfu Shuo began their first scene together.
Huangfu Shuo's character was one that stuck by the female lead's side. While everyone assumed that he was a eunuch, he was actually a prince from another kingdom who had been undercover beside the female lead for many years. This man's feelings towards the female lead were complex and everchanging. But, of course, he simply appeared like a cheery person in front of everyone.
As his character's personality was similar to how he was in real life, Huangfu Shuo was extremely relaxed and his interaction with Tiffany was very entertaining. The two actors only made two mistakes before they completed the scene successfully. Afterwards, it was time for Tiffany and the male lead's scene.
After hearing that the male lead was already on set, Huangfu Shuo joked in a shameless way, "I refuse to believe that there is another actor on set who is better at acting and more handsome than me."
But, at this time...
...a dark figure appeared from the change room. He was tall and incomparable!
"Oh God!"
"Look, look!"
"Oh my God..."
Every single person that saw Taeyeon couldn't help but feel excited; almost losing control of their emotions.
On one side of the set, Huangfu Shuo was talking his head off, making everyone smile and laugh. But, on the other side, everyone that saw Taeyeon walk past, felt their minds explode in shock.
"I'm the most handsome. I refuse to believe that the male lead would be better looking than I am!"
At this time, Taeyeon appeared from behind him.
The two men were very different in height. As everyone looked at them, they covered their mouths in shock. Meanwhile, Tiffany was so stunned that she threw her script to the side. Even though she had guessed that the male lead was Taeyeon, she had never seen him in clothes like this.
He was indeed born with a king-like presence. From the looks of it, Huangfu Shuo definitely looked like a supporting character.
"Am...Am I seeing things? Is that President Kim?"
The staff member next to Tiffany shook her arm and asked, "Is he alive and real?"
"Yes," Tiffany regained her composure and nodded her head at the staff member.
"I've never seen a man look so good in ancient attire. I feel so lucky. I'm about to faint."
"Oh! President Kim has arrived to work with his wife!"
"This is the true Jun Yilan. No one is more suited to this character than him."
Seeing everyone was in a craze, Huangfu Shuo turned around to leave. But, he was frightened by Taeyeon who was standing behind him. Huangfu Shuo could not deny that Taeyeon was the emperor; the emperor that hated the world - Jun Yilan.
"What a surprise, Tiffany. Did you already know about this?"
"I am in the same position as you guys. I only found out now," Tiffany replied to the staff.
"In that case, is mother pleased with this result?," Taeyeon said in a similar tone to his character in the script.
"I tried so hard to test you, but your lips were sealed. Did you do that to create this moment?" Tiffany couldn't help but glare at him. "Even if you didn't hide, you would have still surprised me. After all, I've never imagined that you'd look so dazzling in these clothes."
"What are your thoughts guys? President Kim may look dazzling, but, what about his acting? We only know that he can create scripts, but he can't act, can he?"
"I don't care if he can act or not. As long as he joins the cast, even if he has to stand there and say nothing, I would still be satisfied."
The staff once again erupted in discussions. At the same time, Huangfu Shuo, tried to show off his identity as an elder by saying to Taeyeon, "After you put on your costume, you and I will become colleagues. I don't think you are a gangster boss, right? Nor is it likely that you've ever acted before.. Since you have no experience, do you want me to teach you?"
Taeyeon was dressed in a black robe. His appearance was imposing, unlike a normal human. But, everyone was worried about his acting.
Although he was the President of Crown Empire and the investor behind this drama...
...it didn't mean that he could act.
If his acting turned out horrible, what would they do?
Taeyeon lowered his head and questioned Huangfu Shuo, "How do you plan to teach me?"
Tiffany giggled because of this. Afterwards, she lowered her head and returned her focus to her script. After all, the scene coming up was quite important.
''The eunuch played by Huangfu Shuo was discovered by Jun Yilan, so without consulting Qing Lan, he directly replaced the helpers by her side. Although Tiffany knew that the eunuch had ulterior motives, she disliked Jun Yilan's methods. After all, she was his mother.
As a result, the couple got into a huge fight. At first, Jun Yilan respected Qing Lan because she was his 'mother'. But, stressed and angry, he immediately grabbed onto Qing Lan's neck and asked if she had a heart.''
This scene required explosive power and strong emotions...
Even for an actor like Huangfu Shuo, it was difficult to complete the scene, let alone someone like Taeyeon.
Taeyeon was like a mystery. He didn't know anything, yet he chose to be the male lead.
But, most importantly, Director Chen Feng actually agreed with him?
Had he gone crazy from wanting to win against their competitor? If they couldn't find a male lead, they could have given it to him. Was it necessary to use someone that knew nothing?
"Even if someone is to teach him, that someone would be Tiffany. Did you think that Tiffany's acting isn't as good as yours?" the staff whispered into Huangfu Shuo's ear.
Huangfu Shuo froze for a moment and cleared his throat to get rid of the awkwardness.
"President Kim, is everything alright?" Director Chen Feng approached Taeyeon personally to check on him.
Taeyeon gently shook his head and reassured the director with this small gesture.
As mentioned previously, Taeyeon had suffered a lot when he first took over Crown Empire. But, to prevent himself from being used by others, he personally experienced everything within the industry himself. Whether it was singing or acting, he forced himself to learn about it and to get used to it. Because he understood, as long as he had things under control, he wouldn't need to ask others for help.
"OK, get ready. It's time to start filming!" Chen Feng returned to the camera and reminded Tiffany, "Tiffany, take notice of any changes in your emotions."
Tiffany looked at Taeyeon before she nodded at the director. The first scene was of the moment that Jun Yilan noticed Tiffany's character getting excited over some interesting knick knacks that the eunuch had brought from the outside world. However, she had never smiled like that in front of Jun Yilan. So, he was angry.
The camera first showed Qing Lan facing Jun Yilan side ways. After zooming in for a close-up of Qing Lan, it would then focus on Jun Yilan.
"Can President Kim really do it?"
"I'm nervous...I think I'm more nervous than President Kim."
"President Kim's not an actor. When he's quiet, he is like an ethereal being. I hope he doesn't destroy himself with his actions."
Before the set was cleared, the remaining members of staff placed their gaze upon Taeyeon. They were afraid that he wouldn't be able to act and would be a disappointment.
In reality, they didn't have high expectations. Some of them even covered their eyes, afraid that the scene awaiting them would be terrible.
{As soon as the clapperboard clapped down, Tiffany could be seen sitting on a carved wooden bench and giggling as she flipped through a picture album. At this time, Jun Yilan stepped in and saw the joy on her face, so he said, "I've never seen you laugh like this. This is the first time."
Qing Lan lifted her head. As soon as she saw Jun Yilan, she quickly hid the album behind her back in surprise.
Jun Yilan flicked back his robe and sat down on the wooden bench. His gaze and tone of voice contained a sense of disappointment. That's right, it was disappointment. He then lowered his head and tried to suppress his emotions before he transformed back into the Jun Yilan that Qing Lan knew. However, as he spoke, his voice sounded a little dull.
"I thought, over the years, after depending on each other for so long, you would not feel like you had to hide anything around me. But, in the end, I was simply faced with disappointment. Do I make you so unhappy?"
Qing Lan looked a little sad, but she held back her emotions and replied, "If you don't have anything else, please leave. I am tired."
After speaking, Qing Lan stood up from the bench. However, just as she took one step, Jun Yilan grabbed onto her wrist, pulled her back and pressed her against the carved wooden door. The two looked at each other. The fire in Jun Yilan's eyes looked ready to explode; he looked cold and in pain, yet angry and helpless. The complicated emotions made him confused as to what to do.
So, his hands trembled.
"I told you to be careful of the eunuch."
"You're my son. You should be calling me mother!"
"You don't believe me?" Jun Yilan asked as he gripped onto Qing Lan's neck.
"Jun Yilan, don't forget our identities. I am your mother. I can use whomever I want. It is my business. You have no right telling me what to do."
"But, what to do? I've already replaced the eunuch. From today onwards, he will no longer appear in Te Chen Palace!"
Qing Lan's face turned red as veins began to show in her eyes. Soon, tears began to flow down her cheek, past her jaw, eventually landing on Jun Yilan's right hand.
But, she had a stubbornness in her eyes, "Bring him back!"
Hearing this, Jun Yilan loosened his grip on Qing Lan's neck and looked at her with ridicule, "I forgot, mother has no intention to hurt me over an outsider." After speaking, he retreated a few steps and left without looking back.
Qing Lan leaned against the door as her soft sobs turned into a painful cry.}
"Cut!" Director Chen Feng yelled, before he stood up and exclaimed, "That was great! I never knew President Kim had such a hidden talent. Most importantly, I can't believe the two of you completed the scene in one take."
Everyone on set were stunned...
What just happened?
When did the scene end?
Everyone held their breaths. The way that Taeyeon strangled Tiffany made them feel like they had been strangled. It was much too realistic.
"Jun Yilan is deeply in love..."
"Oh...Qing Lan has it really tough. She has to control her emotions while dealing with Jun Yilan's tenderness. It's so heartbreaking..."
"Wait a minute, what did I just see? Taeyeon is amazing! No one has ever said that President Kim can act."
"He can do everything. Does he still want the rest of us to live?"
Chen Feng looked at the confused expression on everyone's faces and explained to them, "President Kim wasn't born with this talent. He had gone through training when he first took over Crown Empire."
"How come no one knew about it?"
"I think even Tiffany wasn't aware of this."
Taeyeon actually knew how to act. In fact, his acting was unfathomable!
As soon as everyone found out about this, they were filled with excitement. This world was too amazing. How could a man be this perfect?
After stepping off the set, Taeyeon returned to his usual cold self, dressed in a tidy suit with a serious expression on his face. But, when he was in his costume, he immediately became Jun Yilan.
"Did you still want to teach President Kim how to act? With President Kim's smooth acting, your skills are just like child's play!"
Huangfu Shuo scoffed and turned around with his arms crossed, "When a man is too perfect, they become boring!'
A capable actor was capable of leading the other actors they worked with, especially those that participated in the same scene.
Tiffany had already gotten used to controlling her emotions. But, just a moment ago, when she was filming with Taeyeon, she truly forgot she was Tiffany. Her every response was a reaction to Taeyeon's response.
So, she couldn't imagine the level of Taeyeon's acting.
This man deserved a beating. How could he say that he couldn't act when they were at home?
"So, President Kim, can you explain what this is all about? Didn't you say that you couldn't act?" Tiffany asked as she lifted an eyebrow.
**********
(that's for today. thanks everyone ~~~ I want to say i'm better now....thanks again)