Although by age, Xia Siyu is one year younger than Shang Feifei. However, Xia Siyu was discovered by Qin Baizhou at nineteen, and her film was released at twenty for her official debut. But Shang Feifei, she earnestly stayed in film academy until graduation before venturing out to act. In comparison, Xia Siyu debuted a year earlier than Shang Feifei.

However, precisely because Shang Feifei studied a few more years in film academy, with a dance foundation and earnest four-year acting training, her skills were much stronger than those stars who entered film academy merely as a stepping stone. Her debut role was a small character in a major production, and because she was attractive and dedicated, the director remembered her. Next time the team started filming, an actor pulled out last minute, and she got to play the fourth female lead, which was a hit and made her popular too. After several TV dramas, she started touching films. It can be said, she also spent a long time honing her skills before having the opportunity to advance further.

Therefore, when they started collaborating years ago, she was more stable than Xia Siyu.

A few years later, Xia Siyu had already caught up, and she refused to be outdone. Perhaps when the PK was initially set, on the one hand, she was surprised at how—unfocused—the daughter of Teacher Wen was, simply tarnishing Teacher Wen’s reputation. Besides surprise, there was a bit of disdain. Although Teacher Wen’s biological daughter couldn’t inherit her legacy, she, as a fan or disciple, would continue the path of her predecessors.

But later on, Xia Siyu not only suddenly had a revelation and gained spiritual energy. She also diligently supplemented various knowledge to solidify her foundation. In just a few years, it seemed she had instant enlightenment, charging towards her goals aggressively, so she couldn’t lag behind either. Reflecting back then, a joking PK, instead, achieved her own improvement. Whenever picking a role or studying the character; whenever playing a role, she would put more effort into it and think more deeply.

This PK, who knows if it served Xia Siyu, or served herself?

Anyway, they gathered in the same crew again. Although it was for the same movie, most of the time the female lead and second lead were shot separately. In the setup, the female lead and second lead knew each other in reality, weren’t particularly familiar, but had interactions. The second lead had two faces, harmless in public, a demon behind the scenes. She harmed others, not for revenge or matters of morality, just because she "wanted" to. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

The female lead was the same; though she was kind and righteous on the surface, in fact, was stubborn and unlikable. Childhood trauma gave her personality flaws, with a tendency to be excessively obstinate, yet she held her tongue doing things, struggled to get along with colleagues, and nearly broke up with her long-term boyfriend.

Of course, movies generally divided into Group A and B. On the surface, the female lead was a cop, investigating one case after another committed by the second lead. The second lead hid in the dark, initially an unnoticed small role, until clues gradually were revealed, she emerged.

Although Xia Siyu and Shang Feifei were filming in the same place, they were divided into Group A and B, Shang Feifei’s Group A took the clear path, while Xia Siyu’s side shot some later scenes of her committing crimes and planning calmly. Once the individual scenes for both sides were finished, they would reunite to shoot opposing scenes.

As for Bo Yan, he was a guest star, could concentrate his shooting days later on. At this moment he’s still filming other parts, he has another crew, and once the schedule freed up, he would come to reunite.

But calculating the time, Bo Yan’s reunion timing is likely soon around before the New Year.

Though Xia Siyu and Shang Feifei during the crew selection phase were quite "in sync," they still don’t have much rapport. After the opening ceremony, one went left to Group A, one headed right to Group B.

Nevertheless, even though these two entered the crew, they almost never communicated, yet are constantly competing. But their competition carries a bit of freshness.

Other actresses competing in the crew, either compared clothing styles, today I wear XX haute couture, then tomorrow you’ll bring XX’s limited edition watch. Today I arrive and have the stylist make me prettier, then tomorrow I should look even better.

But Xia Siyu and Shang Feifei are different. For example, Xia Siyu has a habit, if she has no scenes that day, but has nothing else to do, she generally comes to the crew to watch other actors perform. One reason is to familiarize with the plot, another to contemplate on the side. Her acting skills improved so quickly, aside from her own spiritual energy, Bo Yan laying the foundation, teaching poetry and song compositions, observing extensively and learning from others is another reason. Moreover, she now learned Chinese opera, coming to the crew isn’t sitting leisurely aside watching, she’s also poised for practice.

Certainly not exaggerated singing, generally in opera’s basic skills, within "singing recitation acting fighting," singing itself—she’s an off-pitch master—isn’t required to sing while acting, so "singing" is currently unnecessary. "Recitation" is dialogue, but when filming she mumbles aside and disrupts progress, so shouldn’t recite at that moment. "Fighting" derives from traditional martial arts, mock battle or solo dance of "prop work," also on the flat ground turning and rolling of "blanket work," including sets of martial arts moves like "leading the charge" "trotting horse," isn’t quite convenient either.

Only "acting," generally dance-like posture expressions via hand (gestures), eye (glances), body (stances), step (footwork), etc., portraying character actions, she can use anytime, hence practices most. Anyway, Chinese opera’s female lead roles focus primarily on "acting skills." She learned dance, doing these become easily associated. Sometimes when exhausted practicing, she’ll kick a leg, strike a horse stance, stretch a bit. Even if people watch, they think she’s doing yoga or dance movement. Everyone knows she’s learned dance, so practicing seems not so unusual.

But after Shang Feifei heard about this, she also starts coming to the crew to watch. Moreover, she not only comes, but arrives earlier, leaves later than Xia Siyu. Plus, she knows Xia Siyu does stretching while watching roles in the crew. Shang Feifei certainly knows she’s learned dance, after all, she’s Teacher Wen’s daughter. She didn’t think Xia Siyu was practicing theater drama, instead figured she’s revisiting dance. Before, Xia Siyu has used dance in films, truthfully, quite well.

Indeed, in dance, without practice hands get rusty. It seems only Xia Siyu does it, so she will too!