Celebrity Girl Is My Wife

Chapter 865

As one of the most beloved idols in town, Shi Jie had achieved a level of fame and adoration that most people could only dream of.

Everywhere he went, he was surrounded by a sea of screaming fans, all vying for a chance to get a glimpse of their favorite celebrity. There was no way he was willing to endure the humiliation caused by Xie Dazui.

Before the encounter, Shi Jie had mentally prepared himself for the criticisms from the man with a terrible reputation. His nastiness, however, exceeded Shi Jie's expectations.

It was a norm in the industry for the hottest idols to branch out to acting. Given their subpar acting skills and lack of time or patience to memorize the script, many were not to deliver their lines during the actual filming. The production team would be responsible for adding the voice-over narration during post-editing.

In reality, it did not matter if the idols were talented actors. All they needed was good looks to attract a large and loyal following. As a result, the investors would be able to profit handsomely from the project's huge success.

Shi Jie's ascent to stardom was a relatively effortless journey marked by steady progress and consistent success. All of the acting ventures in which he had participated received favorable ratings and viewership, and the filming process had gone relatively smoothly.

Little did he expect that the filming of a music video would cause him so much agony.

Shi Jie refused to continue acting because he could no longer stand the lashings from Xie Dazui.

The site was filled with an awkward silence.

“What do you mean you quit? Are you giving up on the filming?” Xie Dazui hissed, undeterred by the man's anger.

Having worked with many idols in the past, the man was unfazed by Shi Jie's threats. He knew that such behavior was common in the world of entertainment.

“You're deliberately making things difficult. You're not happy no matter how I act. What exactly do you want?” Shi Jie bellowed.

Taking a puff of a cigarette, Xie Dazui replied, “What do I want? I want to produce a work that's up to my standards. I've nothing to say if you think that I'm doing all these to make your life difficult.”

The man was no longer concerned about the smoking ban at the filming location. Since you don't want to continue filming, I'll have a smoke. Let's see what you can do about that.

“Director Xie, Shi is actually—” Before Shi Jie's assistant could finish her sentence, Xie Dazui interrupted, “Shut up! There's no need to speak on his behalf. I don't care if he wants to film or not. You begged me to do this.”

Angered by the man's condescending remarks, Shi Jie snapped, “Let's call it quits. We can get another director to film this anyway.”

“Sure, you can go ahead and get a lousy director and film a crappy piece of work. It's a pity that a talented lady like Ms. Ding has to be paired up with a useless fool like you. Do you even know how bad your acting is? This collaboration is a disaster! You don't deserve to work with her!” Xie Dazui's nasty remarks left Ning Ran stunned. Xie Dazui is really a critical man who isn't afraid to speak his mind. He's courting trouble by saying that one of the most popular idols in the country is unworthy of working with him. Shi Jie's fans were already against the partnership. They would make Xie Dazui's life a living hell if they had heard his lashings earlier.

In an attempt to ease the situation, Ning Ran said, “Director Xie, there's no need for such harsh words. I'm honored to be able to work with Shi.”

Xie Dazui retorted, “Honor? Haha, I know that all of you are scared of his fans, but I'm not. Let me tell you this, Shi Jie. I've dealt with countless famous idols over the years. In the cutthroat world of idol entertainment, it's almost impossible to maintain your popularity beyond three years. While it may be tempting to bask in the adoration of fans, the reality is that only those who are willing to stay humble and perfect their craft will prosper in the profession. Their skills and abilities will carry them through the ups and downs in the industry; those who fail to do so will eventually see fade away.”

Xie Dazui was unafraid to speak the truth, even if they were unpopular or controversial. While his words were hurtful, he had good intentions.

As a stickler for perfection, he had to ensure that all his works were of high standards.

Through his unwavering commitment to quality and dedication to his craft, the man earned widespread recognition and respect in the film industry.

Shi Jie was no fool, and he knew what Xie Dazui had said was correct.

In truth, he was feeling exasperated because he did not know how to improve and meet the man's expectations. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“Let's discuss, Shi.” Ning Ran gestured for Shi Jie to follow her for a walk. She wanted to give him some tips on how to deliver the performance better.

Everyone knew that the threat to cancel filming was made in a heated moment. It was impossible to simply abort all the hard work that had been done thus far.

Once Shi Jie and Ning Ran walked out of the classroom, the former immediately kicked a chair and complained, “Xie Dazui is a bully! I didn't take acting class, so how am I supposed to know how to act well?”

Ning Ran smiled and asked, “Do you trust me, Shi?”

“Of course, if not, I wouldn't have asked for the collaboration! But I got to admit that you act really well, Ran. I wouldn't need to tolerate those nasty criticisms from Xie Dazui if I could act as well as you,” Shi Jie responded with a look of despair.

“I didn't receive professional training in acting either. I only chose to join the entertainment industry because I needed to earn a living. Now, calm down and think back to your school days. Do you recall your time in class, playing ball games, or studying at the library? You were just a typical student, not an idol. A teacher in school treated you really well, and under her encouragement, you kicked off your bad habits. You've deep respect for her. One day, you learned that your teacher was leaving. She's not going to be teaching you anymore. When you run to her office, you find that she's no longer there. Hence, you return to the classroom, wishing she would magically appear. If she's not there, it means that she's gone for good. Given your anxiety, you hurried into the classroom rather than taking your time walking back. When you saw that the classroom was empty, you felt extremely disappointed. Once you've calmed down, you reasoned that your teacher must have left for a better place. You're therefore glad for her. You imagined her looking at you with a wide smile...”

Ning Ran narrated the story in a gentle warm voice so that she could help Shi Jie picture the scene.

The fear and despair in his eyes were no longer present. It seemed that he had a sudden epiphany.

“All right. I want you to run over there and pretend that you are looking for the teacher. When you find her missing, you'll enter the classroom to search for her. Remember that you aren't an idol. You are just a student looking for her teacher,” Ning Ran said warmly.

“Okay, I'll try,” the man replied calmly.

As Shi Jie ran toward the opposite end of the school, his mind was flooded with images of Ning Ran performing the role of a teacher.

She's gone! Our paths may never cross; I'm never going to see her again! Is she in the classroom? Perhaps, I'll be able to say goodbye or maybe convince her to stay.

Feeling anxious, Shi Jie turned around and rushed to the classroom, beads of sweat streaming down his face.

Xie Dazui was surprised to see that Shi Jie appeared ready for another attempt at filming.

Being a seasoned director, he could tell by the actor's look whether or not he or she was fully absorbed in the part.

Based on the man's expression and gaze, he was certain that Shi Jie was immersed in the role.

Did Ding Mi successfully teach him how to act? Not only is she superb at acting, but she also has potential for directing, too, huh?

“Let's begin!” Xie Dazui instructed the filming crew.

Shi Jie went out of the classroom and hurried back in.

He did not dash with all his might this time, nor did he lower his head. As he scanned the classroom, his eyes were filled with anticipation and worry. He feared that his teacher would never return.

Shi Jie's eyes went from sparkling with anticipation to dull with disappointment.