Chapter 126 - 124: Accident on the Set
Night fell, and tonight was another all-night shoot.
The set was brightly lit and bustling with noise, punctuated by bursts of cheers. It was Jessica Reynolds’ birthday, and the production team had prepared a surprise for her.
There were cake and flowers, everyone from the crew sang her "Happy Birthday," and they all took a big group photo at the end.
Jessica Reynolds was ecstatic. If this group photo was posted online, the hashtag "Destiny of the Phoenix Production Team Celebrates Jessica Reynolds’ Birthday" would undoubtedly start trending, netting her some valuable exposure.
Lily Sterling received a small piece of cake in her favorite taro flavor, but after just two bites, Yuna took it away. "That’s enough, Lily. You have to run in the first night scene. You’ll feel sick if you eat too much."
It wasn’t about policing her diet to maintain her figure, but simply a worry that she’d feel unwell later on.
Lily Sterling blinked her eyes and pouted, feeling a little wronged.
Not far away, Andrew Sutton watched this scene, his eyes filled with gentle warmth. But the next second, Drake stepped in front of him, blocking his view. "Andrew, time to get ready."
Drake’s expression was grim. ’What is he looking at? He stares at her every single day. The longing in his eyes is so obvious, yet he keeps staring.’
’Iris is way too trusting. It’s been over a week and she hasn’t even come to the set. Our rising star is about to have his soul snatched away. If he actually falls for Lily Sterling on set, how is the team supposed to explain that to the company and the fans?’
Andrew Sutton looked at Drake and frowned. "Have you been in a bad mood lately? You’ve looked really grim these past few days. Are you not feeling well?"
Drake heaved a long sigh. "I’m terrified, you know?"
"Terrified?"
"Yes, terrified. I feel like my job is on the line!"
Andrew Sutton blinked, confused. Then he remembered how he’d lost his temper the other day when Drake, on his own initiative, had gone to tell Lily Sterling about using camera angles for the scene. ’Could he still be upset about that?’
"It’s all in the past. Just don’t let it happen again. You don’t need to dwell on it." Andrew Sutton patted Drake’s shoulder, reassuring him gently.
Drake’s eyes widened slightly, but he felt a frustrating sense of powerlessness. The crucial point was that he couldn’t just come out and say it. After all, his fears were still unfounded; Andrew hadn’t taken any further action after adding her on WhatsApp.
’The moment he shows any more intention, I’m telling Iris immediately.’
"Actors for the next scene, get ready! Final equipment check!"
This was a scene where the characters were being chased at night by assassins dressed in black. It required a large number of extras to run and leap across compound walls and rooftops without any safety equipment, which was why the pay for this scene was higher.
The director made sure to pick extras who had relevant experience, because it wasn’t just a simple chase. The real difficulty was that it was a scene set on a rainy night.
Once the roof tiles got wet, they became incredibly slippery, which significantly increased the danger.
The crew started applying anti-slip tape to the soles of the extras’ shoes, which would help a little.
"Alright, everyone, get in position! Make sure you all stay safe!"
Four water trucks were ready. Everyone got into character. Lily Sterling stood with Andrew Sutton on one side and her idol, Yuna Sutton, on the other. In the original novel, this scene was described as being incredibly tense and full of dramatic suspense.
Lily Sterling felt a mix of nervousness and excitement.
"Start the water trucks!"
The four water trucks began to create artificial rain simultaneously. The entire set had to be drenched first to maintain continuity. Then, with the clap of the slate, the main cast began to sprint forward. The camera, mounted on a dolly track, pushed in rapidly to follow the action.
At the same time, an overhead camera captured the black-clad assassins as they leaped onto the walls and rooftops. These extras were true professionals, their pursuit relentless and unhesitating. They moved even faster up high than the actors running on the ground.
"AH—"
But just then, one of the extras on a rooftop beam lost his footing and fell. Because it was a rainy night scene, the set was dimly lit. No one even noticed someone had fallen until the pained cry rang out.
"Ugh... It hurts so much!"
The extra cried out in agony. The director immediately yelled, "Cut!" and the on-set medics swarmed forward to assess the situation.
Lily Sterling looked nervous and started to edge closer for a look. It was the first time someone had been so badly hurt since she’d joined the production. Hearing his pained cries, she knew the injury couldn’t be minor.
But Andrew Sutton pulled her back. "Don’t go. I’ll go take a look."
Before Lily Sterling could speak, Andrew Sutton strode over.
The extra was a young man in his early twenties. He seemed to have injured his ankle. He was curled into a ball, his whole body trembling in pain. His ankle was visibly deformed, probably dislocated from landing with an awkward impact. It was likely a fissure fracture, or possibly even a full break.
Andrew Sutton frowned instinctively. ’Thank goodness I didn’t let Lily see,’ he thought. ’She definitely would have been frightened.’
The production team quickly called for an ambulance. In a situation like this, he had to be sent to the hospital immediately.
"How is he? Is it serious?"
When Lily Sterling saw Andrew Sutton walk back, she hurried over to ask.
Andrew Sutton didn’t hide the truth. He gave a slight nod. "He hurt his ankle. It might be pretty serious."
Lily Sterling looked worried. "What’s going to happen? It won’t affect his acting career in the future, will it?"
Hearing Lily Sterling, Yuna Sutton, who was standing nearby, said softly, "I was just like you when I first entered the business. I couldn’t bear to see my colleagues get hurt on set. But I gradually realized that injuries during filming are all too common. Even with safety precautions, nothing is foolproof."
Andrew Sutton nodded as well. "Yuna’s right. Injuries are common, so you don’t have to be so worried."
But Lily Sterling wasn’t nervous; she was simply worried for the man, out of the kindness of her heart.
’Extras work that hard because they’re all trying to create more opportunities for themselves. If an injury ruins their foundation, they might never get another chance.’
An ambulance soon arrived on set to take the man away. But the cruel reality was that no one had the luxury of worrying about the injured extra. A single day of delay would cost a fortune; the rental fees for the four water trucks alone were not cheap.
So there was no time for anyone to adjust their mood. The set quickly returned to normal, and filming resumed.
Lily Sterling’s performance in the scene was admittedly not as strong as before, but she still dutifully saw it through to the end.
Back in her dressing room during a break, the incident was still weighing on her mind. At last, she couldn’t hold it in any longer and said to Finn, "Finn, that young man who got injured earlier... If you have time tomorrow, could you go to the hospital to visit him for me? And buy him some supplements for bone and tendon recovery."
Upon hearing this, Finn said, "Lily, you don’t have to worry. The production team will handle it. They’ll cover the treatment costs and compensation."
Yuna glanced at Finn. "Don’t you know Lily by now? She’s just worried about him. Just do what she says."
Finn had no choice but to nod. As it happened, Andrew Sutton and Drake, who were standing by the door, had overheard everything Lily Sterling just said.
Andrew Sutton looked at Drake and said, "You go, too."
Drake?