Chapter 211 - 210
"Drink it, whether you like it or not!" Director Archer’s hearing was sharp. At her words, he immediately raised his eyebrows in feigned anger. "What will we do if you catch a cold and it affects the shoot?"
Joanna: "......"
Joanna feigned a sorrowful sigh. "Ms. Lawson, just listen to him. Director Archer is so cold and heartless, an emotionless filming machine."
"Hahahaha..." May Lawson burst out laughing.
The crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes deepened with her laughter, adding a touch of gentle kindness. She played along, saying, "Director Archer was just like this when he was young, and he hasn’t changed a bit now that he’s old. He really should be called out for it."
Only May Lawson would dare say such a thing. She was the only one on set older than Conor Archer, and she had starred in many of his films in the past.
May Lawson could say it, but Joanna couldn’t chime in, or she would seem disrespectful. Some things are just playful banter when they come from a senior, but they sound like disrespect coming from a junior.
Joanna flashed a wide grin. Combined with her soaking wet hair, she looked like a pitiful yet cheerful puppy, which made May Lawson feel even more affectionate toward her.
Director Archer watched the scene unfold, smiling and shaking his head. ’Though he had never specifically asked, it was clear from their daily interactions that many actors on set had a very good impression of Joanna. From the extras playing students all the way up to the seasoned veterans, everyone seemed to have a high opinion of both Joanna and Owen Jennings. The only exception was Leah Shaw, who had a difficult personality. Owen’s strengths were his experience, his good nature, and his social skills, along with a bit of natural talent. Joanna, on the other hand, had truly formidable skills. At times, her acting even managed to overshadow her stunning looks. Give her time, and she’s sure to take flight. Winning a Best Actress award or being crowned a Movie Queen will be well within her reach. It makes his decision to pass over several A-list and B-list actresses to cast Joanna all the more worthwhile.’
The atmosphere on their side of the room was light and cheerful. Owen Jennings walked over, drying his hair. "What’s all the chatter about?" he asked brightly. "Let me in on it."
So May Lawson recounted the exchange. Owen Jennings grinned, sidled up to Joanna, and shook his wet hair at her. Joanna recoiled in mock disgust, sending the whole group into another fit of laughter.
Leah Shaw sat in her lounge chair, sipping the floral tea her assistant had just made. Seeing the scene unfold, her tone turned sour. "It must be nice to be young and pretty," she muttered. "Just flaunt it a little and everyone fawns all over you."
"Leah, what are you saying?" The assistant followed her gaze to the harmonious scene across the way. Her eyes swept over the girl’s fair, unadorned face before she lowered her voice. "Everyone gets old. She’ll only be in the spotlight for a few years. The entertainment industry pumps out so many new actresses every year. Who’s to say she won’t be pushed aside by next year? She can’t compare to you. You’re a true evergreen."
"Besides, from what I’ve seen, her online reputation isn’t that great," the assistant added. She pulled out her phone and opened up the comments section from a trending topic a few days prior.
Some of the more outrageous comments had been deleted, but most of what remained were people questioning whether Joanna could actually pull off a leading role in a Conor Archer film.
Movies aren’t the same as TV dramas, and a supporting role is a world away from a lead. Some actors always shine in supporting roles, but the moment they’re cast as the lead, they fizzle out. They just can’t carry a movie at the box office.
Leah Shaw’s expression brightened as she read the comments.
’She’s already getting so much negative press,’ Leah thought. ’If the movie bombs at the box office, Joanna will be finished in the film industry.’
While filming for *Falling Osmanthus* was still underway, several of Joanna’s recent interviews and a guest appearance on a variety show were released. They generated considerable buzz, but public opinion was sharply divided.
Meanwhile, the beverage Joanna endorsed was selling like crazy. Contrary to online rumors, she was the sole spokesperson for the brand, a fact that made many people green with envy.
But no amount of envy could change the facts. Fans were buying the drink by the caseload. The most shocking part was a single, direct order for twenty thousand cases. The news stunned everyone.
[OMG... which mega-rich fan was that? Are we sure that number isn’t fake?? What sane person buys that much?!]
[Hahahaha, I’ve got a guess. It’s probably the boss of Fullstar. I mean, it’s their own artist’s endorsement. It’s perfectly reasonable to show some support.]
’What kind of talent agency provides that much support? Can they even turn a profit?!’
Someone went directly to Fullstar’s official social media page to ask. Half an hour later, Sean Grant himself logged on to clarify: [We’re just a small business. We don’t have that kind of money, haha. We could only swing a thousand cases.]
The masses of netizens: [......]
If it wasn’t Fullstar, then who else had that kind of money to burn? The netizens immediately went into speculation mode.
「Southland Group.」
When the employees broke for lunch, they went to the company cafeteria as usual. Almost no one ordered takeout or went out to eat.
The reason was simple: the food in the corporate cafeteria was just too good. Never mind the vast array of dishes catering to every palate; there were also fresh imported fruits and all sorts of snacks. The cafeteria was so good it could have been a restaurant in its own right.
But today was a little different. Every employee in the lunch line could pick up a free drink by showing their employee ID. According to one of the cafeteria ladies, they would be giving out free drinks every day at noon from now on.
’Whoa, is the company trying to break into the food and beverage sector?’ they wondered. ’This is that new Vitamin C drink. A single bottle costs a few bucks!’
The employees didn’t know what to make of it, but everyone was happy to get an extra free drink every day. It was free, after all, and free was always good.
At the same time, they were filled with appreciation. ’Southland really is the best,’ they thought. ’The benefits are amazing. High salaries and great food are one thing, but the boss is so thoughtful, too. This new drink just came out, and it’s already on the menu for us.’
SOB... ’We’ll love Southland forever! We’ll never leave, no matter how hard other companies try to poach us!’
Because of the eye-popping twenty-thousand-case order, Joanna gloriously found herself trending online again. The news quickly spread to the set of *Falling Osmanthus*.
During lunch, Director Archer joked, "Joanna, you have such a loaded fan. When the movie comes out, they’ll have to buy out dozens of screenings for you. I’ll be waiting for my cut of the profits, hahaha."
The others joined in the teasing. Some were just having fun, but others were subtly—and not so subtly—trying to probe whether Joanna knew who this "mega-fan" of hers was.
Anyone who could buy "twenty thousand cases" of a drink in one go couldn’t be underestimated. They had to be a trust-fund kid or the scion of a powerful family—a rich person, plain and simple.
Joanna forced a strained, awkward laugh. Faced with the "interrogation" from all sides, she put on a performance of being utterly baffled, bewildered, and at a complete loss. "I have no idea," she said. "Maybe they’re not even my fan."
Just buying the drink didn’t necessarily make them her fan. The group seemed to believe her, for the most part.
Joanna breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she inwardly gritted her teeth and, where no one could see, brought a hand to her forehead in exasperation.
Owen Jennings, standing off to the side, caught the gesture. He raised an eyebrow, a look of understanding on his face.
’Of course he’s a ’mega-fan,’’ he thought.
’The CEO of Southland Group... you can’t even describe him as ’mega.’ He’s more like a ’platinum fan.’ Forget twenty thousand cases of a drink. If Joanna ever endorsed a high-fashion brand, that man would probably buy out the entire collection without batting an eye. A new collection drops, he buys it all. Then again, Joanna’s probably not too happy about it.’ Owen glanced over and saw her furiously typing on her phone, so fast it looked like sparks were about to fly. He could practically feel her speechless exasperation from here.