Tong Yao could not act. If she had been asked to play Dongfang Wanyu, she could not have captured even a tenth of Seventh Sister's frosty expression. Her gaze was wrong; she could not convey that cool, aloof air.
A single look would very likely have earned her a furious roar from Director Li.
Director Li was notorious for demanding perfection, especially during filming, when he could turn ruthless and refuse to recognize even his own family. He gave no one special treatment and cared only about their performance on camera. If it failed to meet his standards, he would call cut, cut, cut, cut, and the entire crew would stay to film with them, often until two or three in the morning, sometimes straight through the night.
Tong Yao did not think she was a qualified actress. She could not even meet the most basic requirements of the profession. She had stayed up late before, often losing track of time while racing to finish a manuscript, but writing and filming were completely different matters. Writing required only her pen and herself. Filming was physically exhausting. Even when she was in poor spirits, she had to force a smile for the camera. If the director disliked that smile, another round of roaring awaited her. Occasionally, he would even haul her into a corner for a thorough lecture.
For the first time, Tong Yao felt that acting truly was hard work. Once she joined a production, she was no longer her own master. Even if she felt unwell, exhausted, or sore, she had to grit her teeth and keep moving with the schedule.
"Thanks for all your hard work. Ms. Qian bought everyone a late-night snack. There's enough for everyone, so come help yourselves." The male assistant took the initiative to