My Artist is Reborn – Chapter 43 – Make-up photos

The decision to let Chu Mei Bo go to school was made after Shen Huai had considered it for a long time.

He watched all of Chu Mei Bo’s films and chatted with her.  

He found that Chu Mei Bo was a typical “God given talent” actress. She did not have any professional training, relying entirely on instinct when acting. 

Before she was assassinated, she had starred in 36 works, including unsophisticated female students, haughty and indifferent wealthy ladies, wealthy widows who had experienced the vicissitudes of life or hot and gorgeous widows. Each role was vivid and convincing. Even if you look at it decades later, it’s still amazing.

For example, this time playing Kwai Ji, director Gao was surprised by her performance.  

Fortunately, this time it was an immortal cultivation drama, if it was replaced by a campus drama or modern drama, I am afraid it will not have such a good effect.  

For actors, life is the soil they absorb nutrients from. After all, Chu Mei Bo’s age is far away from the present time. There are many things she has not experienced personally. Even if she can perform with her strong talent, her performance will eventually feel slightly less natural.

Chu Mei Bo had very high demands on herself. Sooner or later, she would find out about this matter herself. Instead of thinking about it at the last moment, she should prepare early.

When Chu Mei Bo listened, her originally frowning eyebrows loosened, and she nodded: “You’re right.”  

This is indeed a problem she had not considered, as Shen Huai said, if this problem is not solved on time, her acting performance will be greatly affected.

Shen Huai paused and added: “Of course, not all of them are to let you experience the campus life. I also enrolled you in the Beijing Film Academy.”

Chu Mei Bo: “Film Academy?”

Shen Huai nodded: “Although your acting skills are very good, professional performance methods and theoretical knowledge have their own value. Besides, the Beijing Film Academy not only has a performance department, but it is also good for you to have more contact with other aspects of film production.” 

Shen Huai’s words convinced Chu Mei Bo. She was not a person who would ignore  other people’s advice. Although she was uncomfortable about going back to school almost hundred years after her death, she was not as conflicted as in the beginning.

Seeing that Chu Mei Bo promised to come, Shen Huai breathed a sigh of relief, and then said, “Although the score of the Art College is not high, I am afraid it is still a bit difficult for you now. I invited a tutor for you. Until school begins, it will at least bring up some basic courses.” 

Chu Mei Bo: “…”

I can’t believe it, yet I can’t refute it.

Although Shen Huai’s plans were all made with her in consideration, Chu Mei Bo frowned doubtfully: “Why do I think your purpose is not pure?” 

Shen Huai looked calm: “You’re thinking too much. I am a professional agent and everything I do is for my artists.”

Chu Mei Bo still did not believe it, but she did not see any flaws in Shen Huai’s behavior, so she could only set the matter aside with some doubt for now.

Shen Huai silently told himself that he really wanted the best for Chu Mei Bo, not because he didn’t want to drink Chu Mei Bo’s stewed soup anymore.


The next day, Chu Mei Bo was busy studying the script and shaping her character, the rest of her time was spent studying hard.

It was a nightmare for her since she had been doing well since she was a child. She was admitted to Dongjiang University before she entered the film company in her last life, which was enough to call her an overachiever at that time. 

In the past, schools also taught English and mathematics, but her English that has not been used for so many years has degenerated. As for mathematics, it was used less and the difficulty at that time could not be compared with that of the present. It turns out that only Chinese language and history are good, the rest is a mess.

Shen Huai’s tutor was also a famous local teacher. When she saw Chu Mei Bo’s grades, her expression was not very good. This was probably the worst student in her teaching career.

This look deeply hurt Chu Mei Bo’s self-esteem.  

From that day on, she struggled with herself. Fortunately, she had a good memory, was a smart person, and was very good at drawing inferences. No matter what she learned, she could apply it in another subject very quickly. In just half a month, her grades have made great progress.

And in this life full of learning, “Tianji” finally began to shoot.

Before the official start of filming, all the actors had to take a make-up photo first.

Kwai Ji had two sets of clothes. One was for when she pretended to be an orphan and followed the male lead Chang Yu, and the other is her costume after she regained her identity.

The former is a very simple cloth, but the latter is a gorgeous red dress, which were two total extremes.

Chu Mei Bo changed into her first set of clothes. When she came out of the dressing room, her eyes were lowered. When she looked at people, her eyes were full of light, she was like a poor little white flower. However when her eyebrows frowned, her eyes revealed some evil spirits.

Director Gao did not expect that she would enter her role now, and immediately got excited: “Quick! Take a picture!”

The photographer was also inspired and constantly changed Chu Mei Bo’s movements. Chu Mei Bo had never taken makeup photos before, but she seemed born to know how to show herself in the camera lens.  

The photographer became more and more excited, he didn’t know how many pictures he took before he stopped and let Chu Mei Bo go to change in her second set of clothes.  

Director Gao Di leaned together with him to look at the photos in the camera and said with emotion, “This kind of person is born to stand in front of the camera.”

As Director Gao said it, he looked at Shen Huai standing beside him and said with a smile: “Junior Shen, you really have a wonderful eye. You discovered Xu Anqi, and this person now is even more powerful. You have found the most spirited female star in China. How on earth did you do it?”

This was not the first person to ask Shen Huai this question, Shen Huai laughed in a half-true and half-false way: “Luck.”

“Then your luck is more useful than buying lottery tickets! ” Director Gao joked.

Shen Huai showed a helpless smile. Was it really? Hell, this kind of thing is a lot more difficult than buying a lottery ticket, wasn’t it?  

Director Gao chatted with Shen Huai, taking advantage of Chu Mei Bo’s time to change her clothes and make-up, he took the regular makeup photos of several other supporting actors. In fact, their performance was not bad, but Director Gao had just finished watching Chu Mei Bo so he felt a little dissatisfied with their performance.  

These people ware newcomers. Before, they heard from their industry seniors that director Gao’s temper was very good, and he is kind to the newcomers. They were all deceived!

Director Gao was slightly regretful to let them go, and said to the deputy director: “What’s wrong with these newcomers, are they really from regular performing schools? Why can Little Chu, who hasn’t even studied acting before, compare with them?!” 

Deputy Director: “…”

When Gao Di saw that the deputy director did not speak, he wondered, “Why don’t you talk?”  

The deputy director looked straight behind him, and director Gao turned around frowning only to become stunned.

Although it was just a change of clothes and make-up, Chu Mei Bo’s whole person seems to have completely changed.

Her long dress was extremely gorgeous. On the bright red background, the mandala pattern was embroidered with gold threads, which was quite eye-catching. If you changed it for another person’s clothes, it was feared it would only seem gaudy, but Chu Mei Bo’s eyes were glamorous and the temperament was cold, which completely suppresses the skirt.

Because of her age, her facial features were a little tender, so the makeup artist picked up the eyebrow pencil for her, added thick eyeliner, and with this undisguised evil temperament, almost let people ignore her age.  

She was now the free, cruel, and cold Kwai Ji in the play.

Even Shen Huai, who had already made psychological preparations, was stunned at this moment.

Just as everyone was in a daze, the sound of the camera flash woke them up.

Gao Di looked back and saw the photographer shooting Chu Mei Bo enthusiastically.

When the final makeup photo was taken, Chu Mei Bo went to change her clothes, but the scene was still immersed in the shock she brought. When Chu Mei Bo almost left with Shen Huai, the deputy director remembered to give them the shooting plan.

Kwai Ji didn’t have too many parts to play. It could be finished in half a month or so, just in time to let Chu Mei Bo start school.

Shen Huai and Chu Mei Bo were quite satisfied.

Director Gao was also satisfied, Chu Mei Bo’s performance was unexpectedly good, she almost perfectly reflected the image of Kwai Ji in director Gao’s mind.

At last, he decided that Kwai Ji’s promotional photos would have her two identities side by side, one with a pitiful head down and the other with a slight tilt of her head and an arrogant posture.  

She did not look at the camera, but everyone who saw the picture could not help but be attracted to her.

Nevertheless, without waiting for the high-level leaders to appreciate the promotional photos for a while, the promotional staff came up with a bitter face and a computer in his hands: “Director, this is no good!”  

Director Gao frowned.

In “Tianji,” in addition to the costume photos released by the main actors, the other supporting roles have nine places. However, when the promotion photo was displayed, Director Gao became stunned.

It is said that they all wore the same clothing style and had the same photographer, but other people’s promotional makeup photos and Chu Mei Bo’s put together were taken to a new level in an instant. 

Not that they were not good, but that Chu Mei Bo’s was too good.

This picture of her… Just like a living, vivid character, even if it’s just a still picture, it can be felt.

Others, by contrast, are somewhat rigid.

The promotional staff helplessly said, “Director Gao Di, what should we do now?”

What else can I do? Only a less brilliant one can be exchanged, otherwise, if these nine photos are taken out, it will be considered that the cast is biased. 

However, Director Gao was a little reluctant to give up. He meditated for a moment and said, “Don’t change photos, change to silhouettes.”

The publicity staff’s eyes lit up: “This is OK.”

Kwai Ji was a controversial figure in the original book. There are as many people who like her as those who hate her. Even if they don’t spend much time on the stage, they can also be popular villains, and there is nothing wrong with being mysterious.  


The crew of “Tianji” soon released the  promotional photos.

The original book had a lot of fans, and the number of forwards and comments would soon increase.

The nine pictures promotional propaganda carefully circled all the actors. Chu Mei Bo also forwarded this Weibo under the guidance of Shen Huai. She did not know what to write, so she made a smiling expression.

[Ah ah ah ah ah! This is my little sister! Sister Sego!]

[Shit! It’s so ugly, isn’t it?]

[Why do other people have photos, and only Kwai Ji has a silhouette?]

[I heard that Kwai Ji was played by Liu Qingqing? ]

[Ah, Liu Qingqing! My Childhood Goddess (violence | exposed age]

[How could it be Liu Qingqing? The shadow obviously doesn’t look like her…]

[found it, it’s this @Chu Mei Bo who just sent a Weibo, looks like a newcomer ah! The crew casually found someone to play Kwai Ji.]

[Kwai Ji can’t be played by just anybody. Wait till you get scolded @Chu Mei Bo]


Edited by : Mochi Rabbit

Proofreader: Taalia

Translator Lajna

Support translation:

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is kofi3-3.png

This Post Has 5 Comments

  1. Zo Arai

    Ooomph.
    Netizen and their big mouth.
    See how CMB will captivate your hearts!
    Humph!
    Thank you for the update ❤️

    I was a bit concerned that CMB’s schooling is only to give a comedic feeling to this story, but apparently there’s a greater understanding.
    I’m glad.

  2. Netizens sure are brave to scold people and blacken them when they never show their faces using the screen as a mask, sadly its the same in reality

  3. eggcorn

    Cheering for you, CMB! ♡

  4. nanairohana

    I love author attention to detail. Like how Chu Mei is sent to art academy but Lu Yang didn’t. Chu Mei is greater legends than Lu Yang after all. But it is because Chu Mei dealed with acting while Lu Yang is singing. Her field dealed not only with attracting attention and feeling; but visual-wise. She had to learn all sort of mannerism up-to-date to protray and resonate with present viewers. While Lu Yang didn’t. I mean it isn’t as important. As he dealed with auditory sense of listeners. That is what I saw and understood in real life. Even if singer had bad reputation and scandal; if their songs are good it will still stood out and withstand times. However, if actor/actress had bad reputation and scandal; even if their acting is good, viewer that saw their acting will have mixed feeling as they will saw the character and linked it to the reputation. Overtime, if scandal proven through, all the works will be blemished; unlike songs. It is like you listened to how nauseating narration of hotdog processes, but you can still eat it. But if you saw the process in real life or repeatedly through visual media + rumours, you will be repulsed and banned it from your diet. Though a great narrator (like Lu Yang) will probably be able to make you hate hotdog through narrations only; the devil whisperer lol.

  5. Tafyun

    Sigh here we go again. Remember not to cry too much when you get face slapped. *opens ointment*

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