The sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a warm, golden hue across the room. Jiang Lan opened her eyes and glanced at her phone: 9:23.
Jiang Lan: "……"
Her mind was still a bit hazy. She remembered transmigrating into a novel and agreeing to join a reality show with Yu Wanqiu, after which she would break up with Lu Yicheng once the show ended.
But Jiang Lan seemed to have forgotten something. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, her hair a disheveled mess.
Wait a minute…
Didn’t Yu Wanqiu tell her to wake up at seven?
In the villa across the way, laughter erupted from the east-facing room on the first floor. The room was filled with small monitors connected to cameras positioned throughout the show’s villa.
A new day had begun. The earliest riser was Yu Wanqiu, who had gotten up a little past six. Next was Chen Shuyun, who changed into a black business suit, grabbed a bag of milk, and headed out.
Then came Shen Xingyao, who had a magazine shoot scheduled for the morning. Though she was married, her close relationship with her mother-in-law had skyrocketed her popularity and resources, making her career flourish like never before.
As the doting mother-in-law, Du Wanzhou naturally accompanied her. Dressed in high-end fashion, they left the villa in a luxury car at eight o’clock.
Zhang Lin’s family led a simpler life. Zhang Lin got up to make breakfast, and after eating together, Li Jia volunteered to do the dishes. “Zhang Lin, you’re going to the hospital today, right?”
Zhang Lin touched her stomach and nodded.
The production team wasn’t surprised. Zhang Lin was three months pregnant, and aside from regular prenatal checkups, there wasn’t much else going on. They had also signed a contract beforehand, stating that if anything unexpected happened, it had nothing to do with the show.
However, Zhang Tian felt a bit regretful. Zhang Lin had been eager to make a comeback, and this variety show was a great stepping stone. But with a baby on the way, her return to the spotlight seemed increasingly distant.
Meanwhile, on the fourth floor, Yu Wanqiu had been up early, washing up, reading, and cooking breakfast. At seven, she stood outside Jiang Lan’s door for ten seconds.
At seven, the alarm went off. Jiang Lan reached out and silenced it. Time passed slowly—eight o’clock, nine o’clock…
At 9:23, Jiang Lan finally rolled over, sat up with her messy hair, and stared blankly for a while.
The crew thought this natural, unpolished look suited her well. Jiang Lan didn’t like wearing makeup, and her bare face was striking.
After a few seconds of dazed silence, she quickly got out of bed, washed up, made her bed, pulled back the curtains, and changed her clothes. Standing behind the door, she rubbed her hands together, cautiously opened it, and peeked out, only to lock eyes with Yu Wanqiu, who was sitting on the sofa.
Yu Wanqiu set down her teacup. “Awake?”
Jiang Lan: “…………”
She felt a bit guilty. She had promised to get up at seven, but it was almost ten now. “Um, Teacher Yu, I overslept. I set an alarm, but I didn’t hear it…”
Yu Wanqiu held out her hand to Jiang Lan.
Jiang Lan: “Huh???”
Yu Wanqiu: “Your phone.”
Jiang Lan quickly unlocked her phone and handed it over. Yu Wanqiu set ten alarms, from seven to seven-ten, one every minute. “You’re still young. You shouldn’t waste your precious time sleeping and indulging. If one alarm isn’t enough, set more.”
Yu Wanqiu looked at Jiang Lan. She didn’t really want to intervene, but the show required some interaction, or it would make things difficult for Zhang Tian. Seeing that the entire morning was about to be wasted, Yu Wanqiu lowered her gaze and asked, “Do you have plans for the afternoon?”
Jiang Lan quickly shook her head. She had planned to practice the piano, sleep, watch dramas, and play games.
Yu Wanqiu: “I’m going to make a guest appearance in a drama this afternoon. You’re coming with me, so you don’t just sit around doing nothing. We’ll leave at twelve.”
Jiang Lan felt as if she’d been struck by lightning. Going with her? That meant she’d be stuck playing the role of a tea-fetching, water-carrying assistant.
No way.
“Teacher Yu, won’t I just get in the way? I’m clumsy and might cause trouble. Plus, my status isn’t really appropriate.” Jiang Lan blinked at Yu Wanqiu.
Twenty million—once the show was over, they’d break up.
Yu Wanqiu frowned. “Just come. There’s some food in the fridge that I was planning to throw out anyway.”
Jiang Lan sighed. She was hungry, and if it was going to be thrown out, she might as well eat it. In the fridge, she found a sandwich, milk, orange juice, and various fruits.
Jiang Lan didn’t like milk, so she grabbed the orange juice.
The sandwich was made with whole wheat bread, filled with a fried egg, shrimp, and corn. It was quite tasty, and thanks to it, Jiang Lan wasn’t hungry by noon. Meanwhile, Yu Wanqiu had prepared a vegetable salad for herself.
At midday, under the scorching sun, Jiang Lan trudged along, head down, as they headed to the train station. Their destination was Z City, a four-hour round trip.
Jiang Lan suspected that Yu Wanqiu had brought her along simply because she couldn’t stand seeing her sleep all day.
By the time they arrived at the set, it was already three in the afternoon. Director Han Wenzheng came over to greet Yu Wanqiu. “Have you read the script? Just a heads-up, the stand-in for the cello scene injured her hand.”
Yu Wanqiu nodded. When it came to professionalism, no one could match her. Even for a minor role, she gave it her all.
This was a modern drama, and the female lead was a cellist. However, the actress, Zheng Xiaoxiao, didn’t know how to play the cello, and with the stand-in injured, finding a replacement on such short notice was impossible.
Han Wenzheng’s solution was to have Zheng Xiaoxiao fake the performance for now and reshoot the scene once a new stand-in was found. He mentioned this upfront to avoid any dissatisfaction from Yu Wanqiu.
It wasn’t a big deal, really.
The episode’s plot revolved around Yu Wanqiu’s character, a businesswoman, meeting the male lead at the restaurant where Zheng Xiaoxiao’s character worked. The male lead is momentarily captivated by the female lead, and later, when they meet again and fall in love, he recalls seeing her play the cello, realizing they had crossed paths before.
Yu Wanqiu: “It’s fine.”
She was guest-starring in this episode as a favor to Han Wenzheng. Zheng Xiaoxiao soon arrived and, noticing the cameras following Yu Wanqiu, understood the situation. She also noticed Jiang Lan but didn’t pay her much attention. With a sweet smile, she said to Yu Wanqiu, “Teacher Yu, it’s an honor to work with you. I’m a big fan.”
Zheng Xiaoxiao had only learned yesterday that Yu Wanqiu had such a grown-up son.
He was already an adult, a top student at Qinghua University, and the internet was going wild over him. Lu Yicheng was handsome, with a mother like Yu Wanqiu and a wealthy family—what a charmed life he led. Jiang Lan was lucky to have him.
Zheng Xiaoxiao glanced at Jiang Lan. Compared to Lu Yicheng, she was too ordinary. Sure, she was pretty, but she didn’t have anything particularly impressive about her. She was just a Cinderella, and there was no way Yu Wanqiu would truly accept her as a daughter-in-law.
Yu Wanqiu said, “Mm, I’ll go get ready.”
Even as a guest star, Yu Wanqiu had her own dressing room. She went in with her assistant, leaving Jiang Lan and the cameraman waiting outside.
After about fifteen minutes, a voice called out from behind. Jiang Lan turned to see Zheng Xiaoxiao.
“Hey, are you Teacher Yu’s assistant? My assistant just stepped out. Could you do me a favor?”
Jiang Lan figured she had nothing better to do, so she might as well help. “What do you need?”
Zheng Xiaoxiao looked apologetic. “It’s about the cello. Could you help me move it? Also, the piano isn’t in the right place. Director Han said it shouldn’t be here.”
Jiang Lan had been practicing musical instruments since she was a child, and she had a natural affinity for them. The cello wasn’t too heavy, so she carried it over and placed it in the spot Zheng Xiaoxiao had designated. The piano, however, was a massive thing, and she had to help the staff move it.
When Yu Wanqiu came out of the dressing room, this was the scene she saw: Jiang Lan, wearing a short-sleeved skirt, was huffing and puffing as she helped move things around, while Zheng Xiaoxiao sat nearby with a script on her lap, not reading it but instead chatting and laughing with the people around her.
Zheng Xiaoxiao didn’t need to speak in this scene; she just had to pretend to play the cello, which she couldn’t actually do. As soon as she saw Yu Wanqiu, Zheng Xiaoxiao immediately put on a smile and stood up. “Teacher Yu, you look so sharp in that outfit! Oh, by the way, is that your assistant? I asked her to help me with something. I’ll treat her to bubble tea later.”
Yu Wanqiu glanced at Zheng Xiaoxiao for a moment, then turned and called out to Jiang Lan, “Jiang Lan, come here. You can play the cello, right?”
Jiang Lan nodded, puzzled. How did Yu Wanqiu know she could play the cello?
Yu Wanqiu pulled Jiang Lan over to Han Wenzheng.
“Director Han, this is my son’s girlfriend, Jiang Lan. She’s decent at the cello and can stand in for the role.”
If Yu Wanqiu said it was fine, then it was fine. Even if Jiang Lan wasn’t great at it, it would still be acceptable.
Han Wenzheng, knowing that Yu Wanqiu was currently filming a variety show, agreed without hesitation. “The cello is over there. Miss Jiang, you can tune it. A makeup artist will take you to change into costume later.”
Zheng Xiaoxiao’s smile froze on her face.
Wasn’t this the neglected daughter-in-law of a wealthy family? Yu Wanqiu was clearly standing up for Jiang Lan. Zheng Xiaoxiao, a popular young actress, felt humiliated. But no one paid her any attention; they were all focused on Yu Wanqiu.
Soon, a makeup artist took Jiang Lan to change. Zheng Xiaoxiao’s character was a cheerful girl from a declining family who worked part-time at a Western restaurant every night, earning six hundred yuan for three to four hours of work.
Jiang Lan changed into a champagne-colored floor-length gown. She wasn’t as tall as Zheng Xiaoxiao, so she also put on a pair of high heels. Since stand-ins don’t show their faces, there was no need for makeup, but because her hair color was different from Zheng Xiaoxiao’s, the makeup artist pinned it up.
Han Wenzheng noticed that Jiang Lan’s skin was fairer than Zheng Xiaoxiao’s, so he asked the lighting crew to add a soft glow. With a stand-in, Zheng Xiaoxiao was no longer needed for this scene; only a few close-up shots of her playing the cello would be added in post-production.
It was already dark outside. Jiang Lan sat by the restaurant’s fountain, testing the cello’s sound. The tuning was off, so she adjusted it. She couldn’t figure out how Yu Wanqiu knew she could play the cello. Moreover, the original owner of this body had studied at Qinghua University’s art department, and her hands even had calluses.
The piece chosen by the production team was “Moon River.” Han Wenzheng approached Jiang Lan and said, “Miss Jiang, all you need to do is play the cello. After filming, you’ll be paid according to the stand-in’s rate.”
Jiang Lan’s eyes lit up. “Huh? How much?”
Han Wenzheng: “...Four hundred per episode.”
Didn’t Yu Wanqiu’s daughter-in-law need money?
Jiang Lan was quite pleased to earn some extra cash. When the director called for action, she began to play.
The deep, resonant tones of the cello filled the restaurant. The customers were either eating or chatting. Yu Wanqiu, playing the role of a businesswoman, entered the Western restaurant and was led to the male lead by a waiter.
After discussing business, the male lead glanced in Jiang Lan’s direction. This was where he first encountered the female lead. A curtain separated them, so he couldn’t see her face clearly, but her silhouette behind the beaded curtain was captivating.
Two cameras were focused on Jiang Lan: one for a close-up of her hands and the other for a wide shot.
On screen, the young woman’s skin glowed, her head slightly bowed. A section of her snow-white swan-like neck was visible beneath her pinned-up hair, and even her shoulders were beautifully framed.
Her right hand moved back and forth along the strings, creating an indescribable beauty.
The cameraman couldn’t resist zooming in on Jiang Lan’s face. The soft light highlighted her features, and her long eyelashes cast delicate shadows. Perhaps it was the cello’s influence, but she exuded a serene sweetness.
She wasn’t wearing makeup, but her skin was flawless, with no visible pores. The way she played the cello mesmerized the cameraman.
The male lead, realizing he had been staring for too long, snapped out of it and smiled awkwardly at Yu Wanqiu. “It sounds lovely.”
Yu Wanqiu raised her glass. “Indeed. Here’s to a successful collaboration.”
Yu Wanqiu’s scenes were brief, but the cameraman had captured so much footage of Jiang Lan that Han Wenzheng had to reshoot from two different angles before wrapping up.
After the shoot, Han Wenzheng asked, “There are two more scenes that require a stand-in. Would Miss Jiang be available?”
Jiang Lan was eager to earn more money, but she glanced at Yu Wanqiu for approval. Yu Wanqiu nodded. “Go ahead.”
The two additional scenes involved the female lead performing in a concert and working part-time, playing the piano.
Han Wenzheng asked Jiang Lan, “Can you play the piano?”
Jiang Lan nodded. Yu Wanqiu went to another set, and by the time filming wrapped up, it was already seven in the evening.
Jiang Lan received twelve hundred yuan for her work. She counted the money in the car and said, “Teacher Yu, since you helped me get this job, let me treat you to dinner!”
There was no one else in the car, and Yu Wanqiu had been holding back for a while. “...Are you naive? Didn’t you notice Zheng Xiaoxiao was making you do all the work? There were so many people on set, and she had you moving things around. Why did you do whatever she asked?”
Jiang Lan was startled. She had just been helping out without thinking much of it. Was Yu Wanqiu implying that Zheng Xiaoxiao had been trying to make things difficult for her, and that Yu Wanqiu had stepped in to defend her by having her play the cello?
Jiang Lan tugged at Yu Wanqiu’s sleeve. “I didn’t realize. So, should we go eat?”
Yu Wanqiu rubbed her temples. “We still need to return to the production team. Let’s see which train tickets are available.”
Jiang Lan: “Okay.”
