Chapter 776: Unable to Withstand the Pressure, Hospitalized Due to Illness

The next day, Gu Cheng left the film set and continued on to school to complete his studies.

Jin Li remained immersed at the film set, filming various special effects scenes every day.

Whenever the scenes became intense, Chen Qin would nervously hover around her, muttering from time to time:

"Are you really okay? There's a Daoist temple nearby; should I go there to video call you so you can pay your respects?"

Previously, when Jin Li was filming the first installment of Dawn, she had fallen severely behind the crew's schedule and managed to endure the most difficult period precisely by using this method of paying respects to deities via video call.

Back then, she had martial arts scenes every single day, and she would inevitably pay respects to a deity every morning, noon, and night.

Once she had exhausted the deities in the vicinity, Chen Qin would drive to other locations to find more for her, striving to ensure no two days were alike.

Sister Xiang was aware of this matter; in fact, it was she who had instructed Chen Qin to seek out deities at the Daoist temple.

Both Sister Xiang and Chen Qin had their suspicions, but neither voiced them aloud.

For some things, once spoken aloud, become too shocking and extraordinary to comprehend.

In private, they had quietly discussed the possibility that this might be a form of mysterious mental power.

They believed Jin Li could use the act of worshipping deities to hypnotize herself through psychological suggestion—

convincing herself that her body was strong, capable of enduring, and absolutely fine...

thereby indirectly stimulating her physical recovery; this was the explanation they had found that fit within the bounds of modern science.

Jin Li had not originally recalled this incident, but upon hearing Chen Qin's reminder, she froze for a moment, a flash of surprise crossing her eyes.

Indeed, even she herself hadn't realized that during this current filming schedule, she hadn't visited a single Daoist temple.

Ever since entering the film set, the daily filming tasks had been arduous, yet she had persevered through them all.

Seeing her in good condition, Chen Qin had initially said nothing.

It was only because there had been too many martial arts scenes recently, severely draining Jin Li's stamina, that she had skipped reading during breaks on several occasions, choosing instead to close her eyes and rest her spirit.

This time, Chen Qin asked specifically because she feared Jin Li's health might be failing.

After pondering for a while, reflecting on how this body's constitution was becoming increasingly normal, Jin Li nodded and instructed Chen Qin to go to the nearby Daoist temple for a video call with her.

Although she felt her body could still hold up, if she could receive an infusion of divine power to improve her physical state, why would she refuse?

She was not the type to suffer needlessly when there was no hardship to be had.

While filming, Jin Li focused solely on her own scenes, rarely diverting her attention to external matters.

Even during brief moments of leisure, she spent her time reading.

Time had to be squeezed out.

If one constantly indulged in wild thoughts, one might accomplish nothing productive all day, spending the entire time merely thinking.

Therefore, she remained unaware that her partner, Bai Jiang, was becoming increasingly stiff in his performance on set; even after several adjustments to the dialogue scenes, he had failed to recover his form.

Bai Jiang's subpar performance had also sparked discussions among some of the other actors in the crew.

These rumors never reached Jin Li's ears because Chen Qin was not on set, and no one gossiped about them to her.

The junior actors did not dare discuss Bai Jiang in front of Jin Li.

No one brought the matter to her attention.

It wasn't until one day, when the crew suddenly announced a day off for rest, that Jin Li froze, lifting her head in bewilderment to look around.

Director Chu's announcement of this news was abrupt, as if it had not been scheduled in advance.

When she arrived at the set ready to film, a floor manager had rushed over to deliver this notice of the holiday.

Apart from her, all the other actors were already in position.

Today was scheduled for a relatively grand ensemble scene, and everyone had prepared mentally to grind away for three or four days.

The staff had meticulously handled the preliminary arrangements, and everyone was waiting for Director Chu's command to focus entirely on filming.

Instead, what greeted them was nothing but news of a holiday!

The entire set erupted in an uproar.

One junior actor couldn't help but remark, "I knew I wasn't mistaken yesterday; an ambulance arrived below the hotel. It was Bai Jiang's assistant who called emergency services!"

Jin Li frowned tightly, walked over to this actor, and asked, "What happened to him?"

She had not been filming scenes with Bai Jiang these past few days, but rather working with other actors.

Although she found this arrangement somewhat strange, she had not questioned Director Chu about it.

Perhaps Director Chu intended to finish the simpler scenes first before filming her sequences with the male lead, Bai Jiang, which would make the production flow more smoothly.

After all, many of her scenes were tied directly to the male lead.

The other actors exchanged glances; Jin Li softened her tone and said gently:

"Don't worry, feel free to say whatever is on your minds; I won't get angry. I just want to understand the situation.

I haven't filmed with him these past few days, nor have I contacted him privately, so I am unclear about what exactly has happened to him."

Her mind rapidly flashed through various scenarios that could befall an artist on a film set.

Bullying on set?

That was unlikely; Bai Jiang was the absolute male lead, and the other actors appeared quite respectful toward their principal cast members. Who would dare bully him?

Had he encountered some unspoken rule or coercion?

That was also impossible; for dramas directed by Director Chu, he always had the final say and brooked no interference.

If an investor's demands were excessive, Director Chu would simply reject that investment; there were plenty of people eager to fund his projects.

During the filming of the first Dawn installment, the only troublemakers had been the actors themselves, nothing else.

Therefore, Jin Li quickly zeroed in on one probable cause.

It was likely that Bai Jiang himself had encountered some problem!

Before long, the chatter and discussions among the junior actors corroborated her suspicion.

"Brother Bai's condition has been very poor lately; Director Chu reprimanded him to his face, yet his performance the next day was still unacceptable."

"Once, I went out late at night for a midnight snack and saw Brother Baijiang wandering outside. He might have been suffering from insomnia; I recall he still had a major scene the next day."

"I know. His assistant once asked me how to alleviate anxiety if an artist becomes too stressed. I offered several methods."

"I used to be a psychiatrist, which is probably why his assistant approached me. I suspect his psychological state has developed issues."

Another minor actor muttered, "Actually, it's not strange that problems arose. Director Chu's filming is too intense; every day begins with various fierce martial arts scenes."

"Sister Jinli's physical condition is excellent; she executes every move perfectly and has never been severely criticized by Director Chu. But Brother Baijiang is not a professional."

Jinli listened to these fragmented remarks, her expression growing slightly grave.

Baijiang was not a professional martial arts actor. Even though he underwent training after joining the crew, one month of training could hardly make him master a divine skill.

Another actor's voice came through: "Short martial arts sequences are manageable, but long ones severely test one's physical fitness."

"The male lead role Baijiang plays carries too much screen time, yet his movements are all stiff."

"To capture shots that look good and crisp, Director Chu might film repeatedly hundreds of times. He must be under immense pressure; after all, he is human, not a robot."

"Alright, I understand." Jinli suddenly spoke up, interrupting their conversation.

"Remember not to spread this matter externally. Wait for official notice from the crew. Let us not create our own panic, lest we damage the crew's reputation."

The other actors obediently replied, "Understood, Sister Jinli."

Jinli had no mind to discern whether their words were sincere or merely polite, but presumably, they understood the gravity of the situation and knew their limits.

Baijiang was no ordinary actor; he was the male lead of this drama.

If news of the male lead's mishap leaked out, whether this drama could even continue filming would become a question.

Surely they did not wish to toil hard through filming only for the project to collapse midway, rendering post-production impossible and preventing its release.

Many people regarded this drama as their turning point, hoping to rise to fame through it.

After dispersing these minor actors back to the hotel, Jinli took out her phone, called Director Chu, and asked for the hospital ward number.

"He is at the First People's Hospital, Ward XXX. He has a fever and remains unconscious. His assistant, seeing his temperature reach 42°C, panicked and called an ambulance."

Director Chu's voice sounded heavy; one could feel his terrible mood.

Jinli thought to herself: Could it be otherwise?

Although she was the absolute female lead of Dawn Part Two, Baijiang also had significant screen time.

When he appeared in the guise of Ji Ruibin in the second installment, he was the person possessing the world's strongest combat power.

Once he flew into a rage, neither Ruan Ruanruan nor Ruan Tang could compare to Ji Ruibin.

Facing such a situation, Jinli certainly had to visit the set.

Moreover, with Baijiang running such a high fever, she had a premonition that the crew would likely take more than just one day off.

Jinli hastily hung up the phone and returned to the hotel, coincidentally bumping into the screenwriter.

After a moment's thought, she took the initiative to speak: "Teacher Screenwriter, please wait."

The screenwriter looked at Jinli with confusion.

Jinli went with him to another location before speaking: "Did Baijiang's health problem arise suddenly, or were there early signs?"

"Stars dare not fall ill easily. What scenes has he filmed recently? Was he soaked through, or submerged in water for a long time?"

The screenwriter's expression turned somewhat odd as he countered, "You know nothing?"

Jinli blinked blankly and retorted, "What should I know?"

"I only learned today from the holiday notice that Baijiang was taken to the hospital by ambulance last night."

"I heard from other actors that Director Chu was very particular about his martial arts scenes, requiring many actions to be filmed repeatedly. So, was the pressure simply too great for him?"

The screenwriter fell silent for a long while, then suddenly sighed, "Your insensitivity is quite strong. No wonder you can achieve great things; Director Chu also appreciates you."

"An actor like you can handle matters and does not fear mishaps."

Jinli frowned: "So, Baijiang's mishap concerns me?"

The screenwriter shook his head: "The root cause can be said to lie with you, yet not with you."

"Your martial arts scenes were filmed so excellently that they seriously overshadowed the male lead's brilliance, yet your screen time is also very important."

"Chu Chenliang did not want to cut your scenes, nor did he want your performance to be worse than before, so he placed pressure on Baijiang."

"The role Baijiang portrays is supposed to be the most powerful fighter in this drama, so he hoped that when Baijiang filmed the martial arts scenes, he could convey a sense of extreme formidable strength."

"Regrettably, no matter how hard Baijiang tried, he could not meet his requirements."

"On the contrary, due to repeated NGs, excessive fatigue, and immense pressure, Baijiang could not sleep at night, yet every day he still had to face the tense filming schedule of the crew."

"And so—" The screenwriter paused, saying no more.

Everyone already knew what happened next.

Baijiang's immunity dropped, and he developed a fever.

Recalling the message he had received, the screenwriter continued: "The assistant said he started running a fever in the afternoon. They originally thought antipyretics would bring it down, but by evening, the fever surged even higher. Thus, the assistant dared not conceal it any longer and immediately called an ambulance."

Jinli was rendered speechless.

She did not know what to say.

The screenwriter said, "I am going over to check. Do you want to come along?"

Jinli pondered for a moment and said, "Originally, I intended to visit. Emotionally and rationally, I should go see him."

"But since he fell ill for this reason, I feel it is better if I do not appear before him for now."

"Moreover, the lower the profile kept regarding his illness, the better, to avoid stirring up more turmoil. I will not go."

It was somewhat like the saying, "I did not kill Bo Ren, yet Bo Ren died because of me."

Baijiang's image and temperament fit the character design of Ji Ruibin, but Director Chu miscalculated one point: this drama contains many fight scenes.

With Baijiang's physical fitness, he could not support such intense fighting sequences.

The more pressure one places on an actor, demanding they do what is difficult for them to achieve, the more impossible completion becomes.

There are many ways for an actor to break through.

Breakthroughs in action scenes, which are essentially physical breakthroughs, are actually more difficult than breakthroughs in acting.

Because the body cannot achieve mastery overnight or in a single step; this requires accumulation over years and months.

Her excellent performance in action scenes was inseparable from her daily yoga practice, which honed her physical flexibility.

Acting focuses more on the subtle expression of emotions, which might indeed allow for a sudden enlightenment one day.

With the film crew halted, Director Chu forbade any actor from leaving the set in order to suppress the news.

Jin Li called Xiang Jinli to discuss the matter; Xiang Jinli fell silent at first, then spoke with some regret:

"What a pity. The news must be sealed, so you cannot appear in public. Otherwise, now that production has stopped, I could have secured a few endorsements for you."

Jin Li laughed helplessly: "I thought you would offer some insight, but instead you're regretting your inability to exploit me."

Sui Lingfang shrugged: "Then what should I say? That you shouldn't bring such great pressure to others?"

"You are who you are. You are already a wonderful person. Why should you hide your brilliance and make way for other actors?"

"You are also the female lead with the most screen time; the audience needs to follow your performance to become immersed in the story."

"Therefore, the better you perform, the more satisfied the audience will be. If Director Chu hasn't spoken to you about this, it surely means you have no need to hide your talents."

Even while the film crew was halted, Jin Li did not stop exercising her body.

Other actors were restless and agitated, but seeing how steady Jin Li remained, they calmed down as well.

A halt in production did not mean having nothing to do; Jin Li began frantically solving practice questions.

The clamor of the outside world had nothing to do with her; she was immersed in her own world.

On the third day of the halt, Baijiang's fever broke, and news arrived from the film crew—

Production would officially resume tomorrow!

However, on the very day production resumed, the news that Baijiang had been secretly hospitalized could no longer be concealed, flooding the internet.

#Baijiang Rushed to Hospital with High Fever Late at Night!#

#Baijiang Sent to Hospital Due to Excessive Pressure from Filming#

#Baijiang Collapsed on Set from Exhaustion Due to Filming#

News, whether true or false, spread with vivid detail and aggressive momentum, clearly indicating someone had purchased trending searches to target them.

Director Chu maintained a stern expression, filming in silence, leaving this matter entirely to the public relations team.