"Mom, isn't today the weekend? Why is Dad going to work?"
Fang Miaomiao didn't answer, just rubbed Wen Yan'an's head. "Your dad might have something very important to do. It's just the two of us at home today."
Wen Yan'an threw himself into Fang Miaomiao's arms. "I like being with Mom."
"That's a good boy. Then go read your books, and I should get back to my script."
After the final episode of the show in K City concluded, Chen Tianming sent her the first half of the script, saying he'd review the female lead's casting choices himself when he had time.
She understood. While Chen Tianming claimed it was for her to look at the casting, he was actually gauging her acting skills.
Chen Tianming was indeed an old fox; it was a shame he wasn't an actor himself.
Thinking this, Fang Miaomiao took out the script she had just printed from Wen Zhiyan's study.
To be honest, this play was a bit melodramatic. The villain was always a pawn in the protagonist's hands. During the apocalypse, the protagonist, relying on her knowledge of the world from her transmigration, saved the female antagonist, who was then made to fight zombies on her behalf. Grateful for being saved, the female antagonist became the protagonist's weapon, propelling her to fame and admiration.
In the end, during a battle between humans and zombies, the protagonist pointed her sword at the antagonist and declared her the source of the plague, urging everyone to kill her to restore the world's order. Amidst the outcry, the protagonist shot and killed the antagonist.
Upon waking, the female antagonist found herself reborn. She abandoned her past kindness, vowing to kill all hypocrites and leading the zombies to conquer the human settlement. She captured the protagonist, the savior from her previous life, and let the zombies rule the world.
Fang Miaomiao flipped through the script, a thoughtful look on her face.
In her past life, this movie had been a massive hit both domestically and internationally, sparking debates about the definition of heroes and villains. Some argued that a reborn antagonist should seek revenge on the deceitful, while others deemed the antagonist inherently evil and deserving of death.
But was the female antagonist truly the villain?
"Mom?"
Fang Miaomiao snapped back to reality to see Wen Yan'an standing before her, paintbrush in hand, looking at her with confusion. "An'an? What's wrong?"
"Mom, what are you thinking about? I called you so many times, but you didn't answer."
"Sorry, I was lost in thought."
Wen Yan'an pondered for a moment, then sat beside Fang Miaomiao. "What are you thinking about, Mom? Can you tell An'an?"
Fang Miaomiao briefly explained the script.
"Mom, the villain is so pitiful."
"Pitiful?"
"Mhm," Wen Yan'an nodded emphatically. "The villain in the past life didn't do anything wrong, but people branded her as the villain, as if she were evil for the sake of being evil."
"What?"
"It's like..." Wen Yan'an thought for a moment, "they created a villain for a justifiable reason. They knew the female antagonist protected them, they knew what sacrifices she made for them, but to completely eliminate the zombies, they still chose to unfairly label the female antagonist as the villain."
"They were the selfish ones, the real villains." Wen Yan'an huffed. "Mom, I really don't like that protagonist or those living people."
Fang Miaomiao, torn between laughter and tears, wiped the tears from Wen Yan'an's eyes. "Aren't we just discussing a script? Why are you crying?"
"Mom, are you going to play the villain?"
"Mhm," Fang Miaomiao nodded, wondering if the director would alter the script for next year's Green Apple Awards.
"Mom, this script is so hateful."
"Alright, alright," Fang Miaomiao patted Wen Yan'an's head. "It's just a script, it's not real. An'an, don't think too much about it."
"Okay."
After coaxing Wen Yan'an, Fang Miaomiao received a message from Chen Tianming.
Just Want to Be a Salted Fish: Director, what's up?
Chen Tianming: Cough, cough, the script has been revised. I'll send you the latest version.
Upon reading these words, Fang Miaomiao felt she might as well become a fortune teller. She had just mused that the script would likely be changed, and in the next moment, the director sent her revised information.
Chen Tianming: Rest assured, this is the last major revision. Future changes will only be minor plot adjustments.
Fang Miaomiao pondered for a moment. "Has it been changed to a dual-female lead story?"
Chen Tianming: Did you bug my place? Or the screenwriter's?
Just Want to Be a Salted Fish: Director, stop messing around. I've read the script. If it's changed, it can only be a dual-female lead. Also, elements like rebirth and transmigration might be reduced or altered, right? kuAiδugg
Chen Tianming: I'm starting to think people underestimated you before, or maybe you got struck by lightning and became smarter?
Just Want to Be a Salted Fish: !!
Chen Tianming: Just kidding, kidding. Miaomiao, honestly, my reputation is on the line with you. Miaomiao, you must work hard!
Below the message was the latest version of the script.
Download.
Print.
Fang Miaomiao looked at the freshly printed script in her hand. "Director, when will the other lead be cast?"
Chen Tianming: Oh, Miaomiao, getting feisty now?
Just Want to Be a Salted Fish: No, I just want to see how much longer I can be so indulgent.
Chen Tianming: Please shut up, thank you. You'll ruin my reputation. Believe it or not, I'll blacklist you.
Fang Miaomiao laughed heartily. "Director, don't worry. To avoid being blacklisted, I'll definitely work hard."
Putting down her phone, she finally began reading the script.
The beginning was largely unchanged, but the latter part was different. The antagonist, female second lead, did not die. Instead, she fully activated her viral body, becoming half-human, half-zombie. The half-human, half-zombie antagonist then ventured into a zombie horde, killed the leading zombies, and became the new zombie king.
In the end, the human base developed a cure for the zombie virus. Injecting it into the antagonist's body would cause her to dissipate completely, merging with the virus to save all those turned into zombies.
"Tsk," Fang Miaomiao shook her head. So, she still had to die in the end. But she had to admit, compared to her previous life, this character was much richer.
The antagonist was an experimental subject saved by the protagonist. She was devoid of emotion, only knowing to protect the person who saved her. She saw the protagonist as her only friend, her sole reliance. But in the end, she was betrayed by the protagonist. Her confusion, her pain, her bewilderment at being labeled the villain, the physical agony, and then the madness and vengeful fury upon awakening, before finally dying at the protagonist's hands.
"Chen Yao." Fang Miaomiao's finger traced the name, her eyelids drooping. "In the end, you still wanted to save these people, to save your only friend, didn't you?"