The Villainess Awakens After Marrying the Male Lead’s Brother - Chapter 03

The drama in which Wen Yu acted was a xianxia with elements of the mortal world, and her role specifically revolved around the human realm.

In the drama, the male lead encountered and developed a deep connection with the white moonlight during his tribulation in the human realm. However, during a critical and ambiguous moment, he faced a crisis, and his white moonlight ventured alone into the enemy’s base, sacrificing herself to save him and thus leaving a profound impression on him. Later, he returned after completing his tribulation and encountered the female lead, who resembled his white moonlight. As a result, he repeatedly came to her aid.

Wen Yu’s role in the drama was not extensive, comprising only eight scenes, and she had few individual storylines.

Despite having limited screen time and individual storylines, Wen Yu’s character required high attention to makeup and appearance due to her role and character design.

As soon as Wen Yu arrived on set, she was immediately taken to the makeup room where the makeup artists and stylists began working on her, creating the desired look for her character. Wen Yu’s assistant, XiaoYu, accompanied her and took care of various tasks, such as serving tea, pouring water, and offering support and care.

Wen Yu closed her eyes and allowed the makeup artists and stylists to work on her. Meanwhile, she requested Xiao Yu to assist with her script reading.

Fortunately, she was controlled by the plot and had an infatuation with Jiang Yunjin. Therefore, since they were in the same cast and she was determined not to be looked down upon by him, she had already memorized her limited scenes. Due to mental exhaustion from today’s incident, however, she experienced some forgetfulness.

After Xiao Yu read the script twice, Wen Yu recalled her lines and scenes.

The makeup and styling process was shorter than Wen Yu had anticipated, taking only two hours to complete.

Wen Yu glanced at herself in the mirror and admired the transformation brought about by the skillful hands of the stylist. She wore an elegant updo with a beautiful bun while her long hair cascaded down and reached her waist. Her light blue collared dress gave her a graceful and gentle appearance. The arched eyebrows in her makeup added a touch of refined beauty to her already delicate features.

With a gentle smile and a lifted gaze, she looked absolutely stunning.

With some time to spare, Wen Yu took a moment to appreciate herself, and Xiao Yu could not help but capture the moment on her phone, “Miss, you look amazing! Even better than during the makeup trial!”

After speaking, Xiao Yu quickly covered her mouth, afraid that she might say something wrong and offend Wen Yu. She hurriedly added, “Of course, the makeup trial photos were also beautiful, but now you look even more vibrant and alive. You’re definitely more stunning in person than in photos.”

Wen Yu smiled, “Thank you for the compliment.”

She was not surprised by that answer. After all, having been controlled by the storyline and breaking free from it completely, the latter state would undoubtedly be better. After all, if it were not for the control of the storyline, she would rather die than ever imagine herself doing something like pursuing a man even after he had a girlfriend!

Thinking about this matter, Wen Yu felt frustrated. If it were not for the storyline, how could she have ended up married?

Indeed, if things were different, Wen Yu would still have been recognized as the adopted daughter of the Jiang family and inherited her parents’ wealth. Life would have been incredibly affluent and comfortable!

Wen Yu let out a sigh and gracefully walked out, lifting her dress as she went.

The makeup area was not far from the filming location, and at this moment, the shooting had not yet begun. The crew members were busy setting up the scenery for a banquet scene, where the white moonlight would make her first appearance alongside her mother.

Not far away, Jiang Yunjin and Su Lengyue stood together. Jiang Yunjin was dressed in ancient attire, while Su Lengyue wore modern clothing. Despite their contrasting outfits, their actions and intimacy caused people nearby to steal glances.

“Some people certainly have no shame, chasing after a taken man to the extent of entering the cast with funding. Our crew is truly cursed. Looks like we’ll be pulling an all-nighter tonight,” a whispered murmur sounded, a mix of concealed and deliberate intent.

Coincidentally, Wen Yu was within earshot.

Wen Yu instinctively followed the sound and noticed two girls standing nearby, their attire not as refined as the others. One of them locked eyes with Wen Yu and immediately averted her gaze with disdain.

The other girl sighed and said, “Oh well, don’t even get me started. I’ve already bought coffee for this.”

“I’ve bought some too,” the first girl chuckled. “Luckily, he has a strong will and did not stoop to such disgraceful actions. Otherwise, I’m afraid the entire production would be brought to ruins.”

“Exactly! But now, the unlucky ones are just us who are filming with them. It’s ridiculous that someone who just entered the industry as a joke has ended up in this production.”

Wen Yu furrowed her brows.

Xiao Yu immediately sensed the tension and reassured Wen Yu, “Miss, don’t overthink it. Your role is straightforward, and you’ll do great.”

Wen Yu shook her head. She had not overthought but only felt embarrassed.

Fortunately, at that moment, the assistant director noticed Wen Yu and called her over, “Ms. Wen, let’s take a look and rehearse the scene.”

Wen Yu quickly rushed over.

——

As someone who joined the production as an investor without extensive filming experience, the crew had concerns about Wen Yu potentially encountering issues that could delay the production.

Given that night scenes were already tiring, the assistant director took the opportunity to personally coach Wen Yu, providing her with guidance and tips.

Wen Yu listened attentively, fully aware that this was directly related to her paycheck.

In the storyline, Wen Yu’s character was supposed to be expelled from the production and withdraw her investment. Due to urgent circumstances, a last-minute decision was made to use another actress and alter her face using artificial intelligence. As a result, the character of white moonlight, which should have left a lasting impression, became the only flaw in the drama.

Now, Wen Yu hoped for perfection.

Wen Yu listened attentively, and the assistant director felt reassured by her dedication, “Don’t be too nervous. With your talent, you’ll do just fine.”

Wen Yu pressed her lips together and smiled, “Thank you, assistant director. I will do my best.”

Soon, the sky darkened completely, and candles lit up. The director shouted at the top of his lungs into the loudspeaker, “Get ready, get ready—!”

Everyone was prepared, and the sound of the orchestral music filled the air. Supporting actors entered the scene one by one as the camera panned across several times instead of just once, capturing various shots that incessantly alternated between close-ups and long shots.

Wen Yu followed the actress portraying her mother into the banquet hall as the eunuch’s voice sounded. Though a veil concealed her face and only her brows and eyes were visible, she exuded an otherworldly beauty that captivated many, including the male lead, who pretended to be drunk.

Each part of the scene was a separate shot, too.

Wen Yu watched intently and realized that actors needed a sense of conviction to show a stunning performance while staring into the camera. She had to admit that Jiang Yujin performed excellently.

After Wen Yu entered the scene, a supporting actor deliberately provoked her, asking her to showcase her talents in front of everyone.

Coincidentally, they were the two girls who had openly criticized Wen Yu earlier.

Wen Yu could not help but curl her lips, and her eyes showed a little smile.

At this moment, the camera was not facing her but the two girls, who did not seem to expect that Wen Yu would smile at them. They were abruptly stunned, and their mind went blank. One of the girls did not say the words already at the tip of her tongue.

“Cut, cut, cut!” The director frowned, “What happened? Can’t even say two lines?”

“I’m sorry, director. I’m too nervous,” The girl quickly apologized.

The director waved his hand, signaling to start again.

This time, it went smoothly.

Wen Yu’s character, the white moonlight, hesitated and furrowed her brows. At that moment, the male lead took the initiative to defuse the situation by playing a melody on the xiao. With his accompaniment, the white moonlight stepped onto the stage.

Together with the male protagonist, they completed an astonishing performance.

But as she headed down the steps at the end of the performance, she stumbled.

The male lead, who happened to be walking behind her, offered his support and inadvertently brushed his xiao against her cheek, causing the veil to slip and reveal her true face. In that proximity, the male lead felt struck by her beauty, and his heart was captivated by that one glance.

This scene was filmed several times, mainly with various camera changes, so Jiang Yunjin repeatedly stared at Wen Yu. His eyes were particularly moving.

“Cut!” the director shouted, “Next scene.”

The staff immediately came over to change the scenery. Wen Yu was finished with all her scenes.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yunjin quickly calmed down and took two steps back. At this moment, a crew member quickly passed by Wen Yu from behind and bumped into her with a prop. Wen Yu was forced to stagger a few steps toward Jiang Yunjin.

“Stay away from me!” Jiang Yunjin, frightened, took a few steps back.

Wen Yu steadied her body in time without moving closer. However, seeing Jiang Yujin’s attitude, she became somewhat annoyed and pouted, saying, “What? I’m about to fall, but you won’t even let me take a few steps toward you?”

Jiang Yunjin replied solemnly, “You know what I mean.”

Wen Yu looked innocent, “I don’t know. All I know is that I am your sister-in-law. Wouldn’t you lend a hand to help your sister-in-law if she were about to fall? Ah, it seems like you really dislike your sister-in-law. I’ll need to call Mrs. Jiang in a moment to tell her about it~”

Jiang Yunjin’s eyes twitched, and he said angrily, “You clearly know what I meant.”

“Tsk~” Wen Yu tutted softly. Seeing Jiang Yunjin’s face darken, she retorted leisurely, “You don’t still think I like you, do you? Sorry, I don’t like noobs!”

Jiang Yujin: “…”

Wen Yu tilted her head, “What? You don’t believe me?”

Jiang Yunjin didn’t say anything, but the doubt in his eyes didn’t fade. After all, Wen Yu had been pursuing him for many years, and now she had suddenly given up. Although her excuse was quite good, he still really couldn’t believe it.

Wen Yu said mysteriously, “If you want to know if it’s true, send me 10,000 yuan via WeChat Pay.”

Jiang Yunjin pursed his lips. Coincidentally, his assistant came over to tweak his costume, so he took over his phone and swiftly transferred 10,000 yuan to Wen Yu.

Wen Yu decisively clicked “Accept.”

Immediately after, she tapped her phone twice.

Jiang Yunjin glanced at his phone, thinking she had sent something, but there was nothing. He hesitantly replied with a question mark: “?”

[The other party has blocked you…]

Jiang Yujin: “???”

He looked up in shock, “You blocked me?!”

This was the first time Wen Yu had ever blocked him.

Wen Yu replied, “Yeah, to prove what I said is true.”

With this unexpected windfall, she was in good spirits. Her meticulously applied makeup accentuated her smiling face, and she turned around with her hands lifting the hems of her long skirt before stopping in her tracks.

Jiang Yunjin instinctively followed her gaze, his expression subtly changing. However, he still showed a hint of surprise and exclaimed, “Da ge!”

Smiling like a sycophant, the director stood next to a tall man about 10 meters away from them.

The man bore a resemblance about thirty percent to Jiang Yunjin, but his features were more rugged, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His muscular arms stretched the white shirt, and his slightly tanned skin gave him a rugged appearance, contrasting with Jiang Yunjin’s fair complexion. The chubby director beside him seemed much feebler in comparison.

At this moment, the man was looking in their direction.

The thoughts hidden in his deep eyes were unclear, as was his attitude.

For a moment, Wen Yu subconsciously recalled the plot where Jiang Yunyan, as Jiang Yunjin’s elder brother, rarely appeared, giving off the vibe of a mysterious big shot.

In front of him, Jiang Yunjin always seemed somewhat childish and obedient.

Wen Yu’s role ended in the middle of the novel. Although she would appear once or twice later, she would have little to no impact on the protagonists.

But, Jiang Yunyan’s role concluded around two-thirds into the entire story.

At this time, Jiang Yunjin had just achieved a major success, becoming the unrivaled male star in the entertainment industry.

Jiang Yunyan, however, died.

An unexpected car accident left him critically injured. Despite several days of ICU treatment, he did not recover. His parents, Mr. Jiang and Mrs. Jiang, aged significantly visibly overnight, their hair turning white. Jiang Yunjin had no choice but to shoulder the heavy burden of the family. As a result, he withdrew from the entertainment industry.

Meanwhile, Su Lengyue, who had always been linked with Jiang Yunjin as his rumored girlfriend, became completely independent and worked hard to change herself. In the end, she became a unique and extraordinary individual.

To be fair, even before awakening, Wen Yu had minimal contact with Jiang Yunyan.

They were eight years apart in age. When Wen Yu entered the Jiang family, Jiang Yunyan had already graduated early and started working at the company. He came home once a week but usually left shortly after dinner without much conversation.

The most significant conversation they had was when she threw a tantrum because she wanted to marry Jiang Yunyan, and the Jiang family’s parents pressured him to agree. Jiang Yunyan found her and discussed the pros and cons for her, asking if she truly insisted on marrying him.

Under the influence of the plot at that time, she insisted on her decision, and Jiang Yunyan eventually compromised. He then told her that he could give her everything he had except for his love.

Naturally, Wen Yu didn’t care at that time, so the marriage was settled.

From then on, they became legal relatives.

But at the same time, they were strangers to each other.

During that time, Wen Yu’s heart was still attached to Jiang Yunjin, and she had a strong aversion towards Jiang Yunyan. Even though they were married, it was more of a formality. They lived together but in separate rooms, maintaining a peaceful coexistence. It wasn’t until the plot introduced the adulterous scene that their marriage completely fell apart.

Before today, whether she was influenced by the plot or the memories from their past lives, Jiang Yunyan remained merely a symbol in Wen Yu’s heart. He was never more than a pronoun to her.

Now that he stood before her, alive and well, she contemplated how his future—his imminent death—was meant to make space and contribute to the growth of the male protagonist, and she suddenly felt a tinge of heartache.

The thought lasted only a moment before Wen Yu saw Jiang Yunjin had already run over to him. “Da ge, when did you arrive?”

Wen Yu quickly stepped forward too. How much had Jiang Yunyan seen just now, and would he misunderstand the situation? The plot did not mention that Jiang Yunyan would appear in this scenario?!

Hadn’t the adultery plotline already ended yet?

This was not okay!

Her several houses!

Wen Yu clenched her teeth, and, as Jiang Yunjin finished speaking, she squeezed her throat and shouted, “Husband, why are you here?”

.

Lao gong???

Jiang Yunjin looked at her in shock.

The director, feeling utterly confused, glanced at Wen Yu, then at Jiang Yunjin, and finally fixed his gaze on Jiang Yunyan. He inhaled deeply.

The man who was called “lao gong” by her flashed a hint of surprise in his eyes, but then he remained as steady as a rock, showing no change in his expression.