Chapter 15: “If Sister Comes to Find Me, Remember the Secret Code.”

Yu Chi’s heart skipped a beat, as if he had been stunned by the kiss. His body stiffened, frozen in place. In his left hand, he still held the computer box; in his right, he gripped the doorknob, allowing the woman to cling to him.

He looked down at her intently, his eyes betraying a flicker of confusion and disbelief.

But Sheng Li pressed her advantage, cupping his face with both hands and smiling brightly. “Your reaction… don’t tell me this was your first kiss?”

Her hands were cool, while Yu Chi’s face was warm—growing warmer by the second. Even his pores seemed to tingle under her touch. Regaining some clarity, he pulled her hands away and shoved her gently to the side. His voice, low and hoarse, carried a hint of irritation: “How could it be?”

At this point, Sheng Li appeared completely unfazed. She smiled teasingly. “If it really was your first kiss, sister will take responsibility.”

In truth, tonight’s three gifts—all carefully laid traps.

No matter which one Yu Chi chose, he would still fall into her snare.

Yu Chi glanced down at her, and for a fleeting moment, he considered throwing caution to the wind. Whether it was being sponsored, playing along, or even engaging in a fling on set—he didn’t care. But then, he turned his head away, sneering softly. “It wasn’t my first kiss, so no need to take responsibility. A laptop worth over twenty thousand yuan and a kiss from a top-tier actress—this trip wasn’t a loss for me.”

He reached for the doorknob again, turning back to glance at her one last time with a self-deprecating smile. “A big star like you has plenty of options when it comes to dating or sponsoring young men. Why keep focusing on me? There’s no benefit for you.”

Sheng Li arched an eyebrow. “Because I have good taste—I picked the best one.”

Yu Chi’s face remained cold as he snorted softly. Pulling the door open slightly, he glanced outside. The corridor at 1 AM was empty and silent.

The tall, lean figure of the young man disappeared in a flash as he closed the door behind him, walking briskly away without looking back.

After closing the door, Sheng Li took a deep breath, patting her chest to calm her racing heart. She walked back into the bedroom and flopped onto the bed, thinking how difficult Yu Chi was. She could feel it—he definitely felt something for her, though she couldn’t be sure how much.

What was he hesitating about?

Or was he afraid of something?

Afraid of being dumped?

Had Yu Chi ever been in a relationship before?!

When Xu Yang and the others visited the set last time, Sheng Li noticed that Yu Chi and Xu Yang got along well. Xu Yang was probably one of the few people Yu Chi considered a close friend. She regretted not adding Xu Yang on WeChat back then—she could have asked him about Yu Chi.

But then again, such behavior wouldn’t be rational. If a famous actress like her suddenly started asking questions, it would only raise suspicions.

Her phone buzzed.

Yuan Yuan: [Cici, did Yu Chi leave? Should I go send him off?]

Sheng Li immediately understood—Rong Hua must have specifically instructed Yuan Yuan to keep an eye on her. Yuan Yuan had been with her for four years and was loyal to her. There were things she hadn’t told Rong Hua, and Rong Hua likely didn’t know that Sheng Li had already lured Yu Chi into her room.

Sheng Li felt a wave of sadness. She was utterly alone—no allies to help her, not even a wingman. Her assistant and manager were guarding her every move. Meanwhile, Yu Chi’s female classmate Zhao Shutong had come with four companions effortlessly. Irritated, she tapped out a message: [He hasn’t left yet. He’s taking a shower. Don’t bother us anymore.]

Yuan Yuan: [……]

________________________________________

At 6 AM, in the dimly lit bedroom of the rented apartment, Yu Chi’s phone on the bedside table lit up.

Having barely slept all night, Yu Chi sat up sluggishly and grabbed his phone.

Yuan Yuan: [Um, Yu Chi, are you still in Cici’s room?]

Yuan Yuan: [While everyone’s still asleep, you should hurry and leave. Otherwise, you won’t be able to escape later [crying][crying][crying].]

Yu Chi: “……”

He found the situation utterly absurd, pulling his lips into a silent, bitter smile. He opened Yuan Yuan’s contact, intending to delete her but hesitated. Instead, he returned to mute her messages. Tossing the phone aside, he got up and headed to the bathroom.

Cold water poured over his head, droplets trailing down his broad shoulders. He wasn’t thin—his body carried a layer of muscle, his abs tight and defined. With his height and long legs, if he were to appear on camera, his physique would be nothing short of perfect.

Not to mention his handsome, chiseled features. At just eighteen, he was young and brimming with potential.

“It shows I have good taste—I picked a promising stock.”

“Because I have good taste—I picked the best one.”

Sheng Li’s words lingered in his mind like a persistent, haunting melody.

Since he was twelve, people had always seen him as a promising talent—He Yuanren, Jiang Nan, Yu Manqi, Jiang Dongmin—all of them said he had limitless possibilities.

Sheng Li was no different. She was simply banking on that.

Yu Chi irritably turned the water pressure to maximum.

At 7 AM sharp, Yu Chi arrived at the set. Sheng Li was already in the makeup room getting ready. The makeup artist asked concernedly, “Cici, didn’t you sleep well last night? Your dark circles are quite noticeable today.”

Sheng Li, feeling drowsy, took a sip of coffee. “Mm, I stayed up late. Teacher, please make sure to cover the dark circles well.”

The makeup artist then turned to Yuan Yuan, puzzled. “Hmm, why do you look so tired too? You’ve been yawning nonstop.”

Yuan Yuan was even more exhausted than Sheng Li, letting out another yawn. “I just had a nightmare and didn’t sleep well.”

“What kind of nightmare?” the makeup artist asked, amused.

Yuan Yuan caught sight of Yu Chi passing by outside and sighed with mixed emotions. “Nothing much, just a false alarm…”

Sheng Li couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

The makeup process took two hours. Once dressed in her costume, Sheng Li walked to the shooting location. Yu Chi was lounging lazily on a chair, his old laptop sitting on the small table beside him. She stood next to him and asked, “Why aren’t you using the new one?”

“I’m not. I’m planning to sell it second-hand,” Yu Chi replied lazily, glancing up briefly.

“……”

Before Sheng Li could respond, Wei Cheng approached and greeted her.

She swallowed her words and smiled instead. “Good morning, Brother Cheng.”

Wei Cheng glanced at Yu Chi, lifting the hem of his costume, and sat down beside him. With a gentle smile, he said, “I spoke with Director He last night, and he mentioned you. He said you two met a couple of days ago.”

Yu Chi turned to look at him, sitting up slightly straighter. Calmly, he replied, “Yes, it’s rare that he still remembers me.”

“You were always so polite to me before—I thought you might not remember much from your childhood. Turns out you remember everything.” Wei Cheng was mature, handsome, and charming. His smile was warm. “I heard you scored over seven hundred on your college entrance exam.”

Yu Chi frowned. “Who told you that?”

He hadn’t shared his exam results with anyone—not even Yu Manqi knew yet.

Sheng Li chimed in, her tone casual but tinged with pride. “I did.”

Yu Chi: “……”

What was she proud of? He pursed his lips.

“Director He also told me you signed with an agency—that company isn’t very good. He said it’s a pity,” Wei Cheng chuckled lightly, teasing. “But scoring that high on the exam—it’s not a waste. Attending a top university is better than lingering around film sets.”

Sheng Li interjected, “It’s not that simple. It depends on what one wants.”

Director Liu called out through a megaphone.

Time to start filming.

Sheng Li and Wei Cheng walked over. Sheng Li glanced toward Liu Dao, who was standing with his hands on his hips, smoking furiously, clearly in a foul mood. She whispered, “Director Liu seems upset today.”

If the director was in a bad mood, the actors would suffer.

Sheng Li didn’t want to endure repeated NGs under the scorching summer sun.

Last night, she had been too preoccupied with figuring out how to seduce Yu Chi to pay attention to anything else. She hadn’t heard about the incident involving Feng Xu, who was originally scheduled to join the production on July 5th. Though the trending topic had been quickly removed, it still caused quite a stir.

Feng Xu was the runner-up of a talent show two years ago. At just 20, he was popular and considered a rising star. His family had connections, ensuring he received decent resources. Although his role in Jiangshan Scroll was only fourth-tier, working alongside seasoned actors would have been a great opportunity for him. If performed well, the role could have made him stand out and gain fans. Without his family’s influence, he wouldn’t have landed the part.

After all, his acting skills were questionable.

If not for the investors’ insistence, Director Liu wouldn’t have cast him.

Wei Cheng explained, “Feng Xu got into a car accident last night due to drunk driving. He fractured several bones and is hospitalized. It’ll take months for him to recover. Worst of all, someone else was injured. The impact is huge—he definitely can’t join the production now. Director Liu wants to replace him, but the investors are pushing to insert someone else. Their acting and looks are even worse than Feng Xu’s. Liu doesn’t want them and insists on holding auditions himself.”

A popular young star involved in a drunk-driving accident causing injury would face backlash, if not outright bans.

Sheng Li hadn’t expected such an incident. She was momentarily stunned, a faint idea bubbling in her mind.

She glanced back at Yu Chi.

Yu Chi hadn’t anticipated her turning around. Their eyes met unexpectedly, and he subtly averted his gaze.

In this industry, those who paid the bills called the shots.

Even a seasoned director like Liu Dao would struggle to hold auditions against the investors’ wishes. This issue would take time to resolve.

After wrapping up for the night, Sheng Li discussed the script with Director Liu. When no one was paying attention, she asked, “Director, who will replace Feng Xu as Yang Lingfeng?” Given the number of scenes they shared, her question didn’t seem out of place.

Director Liu was visibly troubled, his face etched with worry. “Ah, we don’t know yet. Finding a replacement actor at the last minute is troublesome, but that’s the least of our concerns. This isn’t something I can decide alone.” He paused, then added superstitiously, “Maybe we didn’t pick a good start date. Something always happens on set.”

Sheng Li: “……”

She immediately thought of the delay caused by her allergic reaction.

Director Liu glanced at her and chuckled. “Oh, Cici, I’m not talking about you. Compared to that, this is minor.”

“I understand.” Sheng Li smiled faintly, subtly hinting, “Director, this character has many scenes with me. Please choose someone good-looking and talented to act opposite me. I thank you in advance.”

Director Liu waved his hand dismissively. “Alright, alright.”

As Sheng Li walked back, she saw Yu Chi stuffing his laptop into his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder before heading toward his bike.

She quickened her pace and blocked him just as he was about to mount the bicycle.

Passersby watched as she pretended to give instructions. “Assistant Yu, bring me an egg pancake tomorrow morning. The one from last time was pretty good.”

Sitting on the bike, Yu Chi’s long legs steadied him on the ground. He looked at her expressionlessly. “Mm.”

Sheng Li leaned closer, whispering, “Don’t you dare sell that laptop.”

Yu Chi smirked and whispered back, “It’s a gift. What I do with it is none of your business.”

“This is a token of affection. Of course, it’s my business,” Sheng Li said with a playful smile, her tone carrying a hint of threat. “If you dare sell it, be prepared for me to deal with you.”

Yuan Yuan, having finished packing up her things, turned around only to realize Sheng Li and Yu Chi were nowhere to be seen. Spotting them in the distance, she quickly gathered her belongings and rushed over.

Yu Chi placed his hand on the bike handle, turning his head slightly to look at Sheng Li. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he said softly, “Alright, I’ll send you the address later. If sister comes to find me, remember the secret code—I’ll open the door for you.”

With that, he hopped onto the bike and rode off.

Sheng Li: “……”

Yuan Yuan, who had just run up behind her and overheard the exchange, was left utterly baffled. “???”

Wh-what secret code?

Had they really reached the stage where they already had secret codes after just one night?