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Psst! We're moving!
When the man’s lips finally withdrew, Yan Man still hadn’t recovered from the dizzying sensation.
Ye Lin continued to support her for a moment, his palm warm and firm against the back of her neck. Only when she steadied herself against the table did he finally release her.
He asked softly, “Are you alright?”
“...”
Yan Man looked up: “You—”
Sensing a hint of accusation in her gaze, the man paused before saying, “What is it?”
“You…” Yan Man struggled to find the right words. “You made me look so… unresponsive.”
Ye Lin: ?
As she spoke, she found her confidence returning, her voice rising slightly. “At least… let me move a little, okay?”
So that was what she meant. He seemed to exhale in relief, lowering his eyes as his Adam’s apple bobbed. “…I didn’t stop you from moving.”
She wanted to retort, How was I supposed to move with you kissing me like a storm?!
Finally regaining control of her body, Yan Man smoothed her hair and said, “If the director says my performance wasn’t right for this scene—”
The man quickly interjected: “It’s my fault.”
That was exactly what she had been waiting for—the key issue she cared about.
Yan Man nodded: “Mm, good job taking responsibility.”
The director reviewed the take once, then signaled with a gesture on his walkie-talkie.
“OK, that’s good.”
Yan Man let out a sigh of relief, unsure what kind of performance she had just given. She vaguely remembered that the female lead was supposed to respond in the script, so she double-checked: “Are you sure? No need to reshoot?”
Director: “Absolutely sure.”
Different productions have different filming styles. Sometimes actors giving an unexpected performance might even make the scene better or more fitting for the character.
Just as she was thinking this, she heard the director jokingly ask, “What, do you want to do it again?”
She hopped off the table and slipped her heels back on, which she hadn’t secured properly earlier.
“No, I’m just worried about messing up and ruining my reputation as ‘One-Take Yan.’”
“…”
Because she often nailed scenes in one take, some crew members jokingly referred to her as “One-Take Yan.”
Such a glorious title couldn’t be tarnished by a kissing scene.
She walked out of the frame, grabbed her bag, and pulled out a couple of tissues.
While wiping her lips, she returned to her original spot and handed him one.
Noticing his questioning gaze, she gestured toward the corner of his mouth. “Lipstick.”
Ye Lin turned to look at a nearby mirror and realized her lipstick had smeared across his lower lip and the corner of his mouth. Gently wiping it off, he saw a vivid red stain on the tissue.
Feeling his gaze on her, Yan Man leaned over and teased, “Apple red—doesn’t it look good on you?”
“...”
After filming another heartfelt scene between the male and female leads, today’s tasks were complete.
As she left, she took off her costume and changed into her white coat. While moving, something in her pocket made a loud rustling sound. Yan Man instinctively reached in and squeezed it.
The familiar crinkling of plastic bags came from inside—Ye Lin had given her those candies.
Hearing the noise, Simon immediately locked onto her with sharp eyes. “—What’s that?!”
Realizing she’d been caught, Yan Man quickly clutched her pocket and ran toward the car. At the door, she turned around and waved cheerfully in Ye Lin’s direction as a farewell.
—This was probably the first time she had waved goodbye to him after wrapping up a day’s work since they started filming together.
Granted, it was because she remembered the candies he had given her.
Even so, thinking about how she tightly held her white pocket, smiling as she waved goodbye, resembling a playful little polar bear clutching its hard-earned prize, unwilling to let go, her enthusiastic waving making her oversized coat flutter awkwardly yet adorably—it brought an amused smile to his face too.
He curved his lips slightly.
Suddenly, Bi Tan remarked out of the blue: “Three minutes and twenty-seven seconds.”
The man furrowed his brow slightly and turned his head. “What?”
Bi Tan: “You stared at that car long after it disappeared—three minutes and twenty-seven seconds.”
“Do you like it that much? Should I arrange one for you?”
“...”
________________________________________
The next day, it was back to campus scenes.
The drama alternated between present and past timelines. Since the school days were sweet and crucial for character development, they weren’t glossed over but instead played a significant role in shaping the story.
Today, Yan Man sported a new hairstyle—a perky bun. While other actors complained endlessly about the school uniforms, she always happily donned hers.
She had never worn one before, so it felt novel.
The second female lead had her own independent storyline. The two actresses got along well and chatted during shared scenes, though unfortunately, they weren’t paired together today.
In the morning, it was her and Ye Lin’s turn for a duet scene.
While waiting, Yan Man decided to doodle on the blackboard. However, the chalk had been placed on the highest ledge by some crew member, and no matter how much she tiptoed, she couldn’t reach it.
Before her second attempt, a familiar presence approached from behind. Ye Lin extended his long arm and retrieved the chalk for her.
She broke it in half and handed him a piece.
Her smooth fingertips lightly brushed the tip of the chalk, scattering fine powder. After a moment of thought, Yan Man said, “Let me draw you.”
She began sketching on the blackboard while Ye Lin leaned against the side, watching. When the outline was complete, the man raised an eyebrow. “…Am I a pig in your mind?”
She hesitated, unsure how to explain that this was simply the only thing she knew how to draw.
Quick-witted, Yan Man shook her head and corrected herself with deliberate precision: “You’re wrong—it’s Marshal Tianpeng.”
“Is there a difference?” He tilted his head. “Does changing the last character to ‘marshal’ negate the fact that it’s essentially still a pig?”
“It doesn’t,” Yan Man admitted. “But it sounds better.”
“...”
At this point, Ye Lin suddenly realized that without noticing, they had fallen into casual conversation mode. This kind of interaction—one where they could talk freely—hadn’t existed before filming began.
Perhaps realizing this brought him inexplicable joy.
Yan Man tilted her chin and gestured toward the blackboard in front of him. “Alright, give it your best shot. Draw me.”
He assumed Ye Lin would draw something similar, but to her surprise, the man sketched a few strokes, and a rough outline began to emerge.
Then came the hair, eyes, nose…
To her amazement, the likeness was striking—it actually resembled her quite a bit.
“You can draw? When did you learn?”
“During filming,” he replied. “I once played a disillusioned painter.”
Films often require lengthy preparation periods, and many actors, upon reaching a certain level of fame, immerse themselves deeply in their roles by learning relevant skills beforehand.
She recalled reading somewhere that some actors even learned martial arts or magic for their roles.
Thinking about it, a spark of curiosity prompted her to ask further.
With anticipation, she said, “Have you ever learned any other particularly unique skills?”
“Time travel,” he replied, seemingly amused, his dark eyes meeting hers. “And invisibility. Want to try?”
Yan Man was about to say she was asking about real life, not movies, but after a moment, realization dawned. Incredulously, she exclaimed, “You’re actually telling bad jokes?!”
Ye Lin’s eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly, and he followed her line of thought:
“Am I actually human?”
Shocked by this newfound side of him, Yan Man stood rooted to the spot for a long moment before reaching out to touch his forehead. “You don’t have a fever, do you?”
“...”
She gasped, “Did spending too much time with me corrupt you too? Have you gone crazy?”
“No, I haven’t,” Ye Lin gently removed her hand, his gaze dropping slightly.
As filming was about to resume, the makeup artist approached to touch up Yan Man’s look. Standing there, she drifted into thought.
So Ye Lin wasn’t the cold, statue-like figure she had imagined—he actually had a personality of his own.
She just didn’t understand why, for such a long, long time, he had kept it hidden away.
It was as if he had suppressed certain things deeply within himself, ensuring that the image he presented to others was precisely what he wanted them to see.
—Even though the real him might not be like that at all.
…Why?
Before she could think of an answer, the director called her to the center of the frame.
After finishing this scene, the thoughts she had been pondering earlier were completely forgotten.
After lunch, they continued filming in the afternoon. By the time they wrapped up, it was already evening.
It seemed to be around eight or nine o’clock, and all the streetlights outside were on.
Yan Man remembered her doodles on the blackboard and picked up an eraser, covering her nose to avoid chalk dust flying onto her face as she wiped.
Ye Lin took the eraser from her hand and quickly cleaned it off.
She coughed twice, brushing away the floating chalk dust in front of her, then waved at him: “I’m leaving now, bye.”
Yan Man ran out, bidding farewell to each crew member and actor one by one: “Bye-bye-bye-bye, see you tomorrow!”
Like a concert guest walking past the audience seats for handshakes.
Ye Lin paused for a moment, setting down the eraser in his hand.
Yesterday, she had said many thank-yous, but today, she hadn’t thanked him repeatedly.
Did this mean that their relationship had reached a point where thanks were no longer necessary?
Standing beside the podium, he immediately pulled out his phone and opened a previously bookmarked post, continuing to read.
[If the girl has naturally accepted your advances, it means your pursuit can enter the second phase.]
[This phase emphasizes favoritism and exceptions.]
[You can relatively freely do what you want without worrying too much about being too obvious and causing her discomfort. You can do things differently for her than for others, creating an atmosphere to build anticipation.]
[But don’t rush into making a straightforward confession during this phase, because you’re still just friends. Once you’ve moved beyond this stage and become more than friends, you can proceed to the next step.]
[The third phase, the final stage, is when you can...]
Ye Lin nodded, pausing his reading here and putting away his phone.
At the beginning of December, it was the fifth-anniversary gala of the fashion magazine Flame Hunt .
Yan Man naturally received an invitation. Simon mentioned it to her while she was receiving a message from Ye Lin asking if she was going.
Soundly Slow: [Yes.]
After replying, she turned back to continue chatting with Simon.
Simon: “It’s been a while since you last attended an event. Fans have been clamoring for you to walk the red carpet this week and then come back.”
Yan Man nodded.
Time flew by, and it was the weekend. After finishing filming, she and Ye Lin got into their respective cars and drove to the venue.
Upon entering the dressing room, a long dress greeted her. Because the skirt was so long, it had to be hung from the ceiling to lie flat properly.
The staff was ironing it nearby. Yan Man was a bit surprised: “It’s so long?”
“But it’s beautiful,” Simon chimed in. “You have no idea how hard it is to borrow from this brand. If the brand didn’t think you were suitable, plus my silver tongue—I doubt we’d even get it.”
Yan Man looked up at the brand name: E House, known for its ethereal yet grand style. Some described it as every female artist’s red carpet dream. Almost every time someone wore one of their pieces, it sparked immense discussion and even dominated trending topics.
—But not every artist could borrow from them. E House had extremely high standards for collaborators.
She thought she owned two haute couture pieces from the same brand, gifts from her brother and father for her coming-of-age ceremony. Unfortunately, she hadn’t paid much attention to them at the time and never wore them.
Now, she finally had the chance to admire them closely. They were indeed beautifully crafted. The pink skirt was adorned with feathers, and above the waistline were embroidered flowers—a subtle yet eye-catching beauty.
She changed into the dress first, slipped on her heels, and sat down to begin styling her hair and makeup.
Today’s hairstyle gathered the loose strands on both sides, styled voluminously, and tied into a small bun at the back, perfectly complementing her gown and exposing her slender neck.
After finishing her hair and makeup, Simon called her out to take photos. Within ten minutes, the photos were taken, and the studio also posted an activity update on Weibo.
Soon after, E House’s overseas Instagram account shared her photos from today, officially claiming the dress.
Fashion and entertainment bloggers quickly captured these two posts and remarked:
[If I had to say who I’m most optimistic about in this tier right now, it would definitely be Yan Man… Her achievements and resources far surpass those of other rising actresses. Tonight, she’s wearing E House haute couture, officially claimed by the brand—it’s clear she’s far ahead of everyone else.]
In the comments, the blogger answered several questions from netizens.
[What accomplishments does she have?]
Blogger: [The currently airing Cherry Smoothies . Those who aren’t paying attention might not know, but this drama airs simultaneously online and on TV. Despite the split viewership, it broke records for both platforms. A friend of mine is watching it too, saying her acting is genuinely good.]
[Where is she ranked now?]
Blogger: [Almost top-tier; after the series concludes, she’ll likely reach the top tier. Honestly, borrowing from E House is incredibly difficult. She owes this to her audience appeal and collaborations with big-name directors. Plus, every time she wears a gown, it goes viral—it’s truly stunning… So they made an exception for her. As long as she doesn’t mess up, her future prospects are bright. Establishing a partnership with the brand now isn’t harmful either~]
Further down, discussions unfolded.
[Her fashion resources are amazing… E House officially claimed it, and it wasn’t borrowed by her stylist. Wow.]
[Backed by Xiwén Entertainment, her agent is Yang Simon, plus her own efforts—she and her team are really impressive.]
[Beginner here, what does official claiming mean?]
[It means the brand recognizes you, and both parties agree to collaborate. Future loans will be easier. If the relationship develops well, she might even borrow runway pieces or collectibles, which is significant recognition in the fashion world. Subsequent resources will improve too.]
…
Amidst the chatter, the gala began.
The live stream also started simultaneously, with fans entering from the official Weibo address.
Under the spotlight, the host delivered the opening remarks before moving on to the red carpet segment, where guests walked separately.
On-screen, attendees were divided into two groups based on their dressing rooms, entering from the left and right sides of the stage. As the camera panned over, the chat exploded.
[There’s Yan Man, ah! My little goose!]
[It’s Pink Little Man! Wearing her support color!]
[Ye Lin!! Hubby!! (Screaming)]
[Such a simple suit, such an impossibly handsome man [drooling]]
[What the heck, why are Coconut Grove and Manman on opposite sides of the stage?!]
[Who’s the organizer responsible for this? Come out and get beaten!]
[Within three minutes, I want to see the staff bring them together.]
Suddenly, the camera panned left, showing a black figure stepping out of line, heading toward the middle seating area, destination unknown.
The chat was equally confused: [Ye Lin stepped out?]
[Is something wrong? Is he leaving the event?]
[No way! He only attends a few events like this each year. This year there are slightly more, but in previous years, he rarely attended. Don’t leave, hubby! How will I survive without you?!]
The camera returned to the stage. After a few artists finished, it slowly panned right.
A glimpse of Yan Man’s profile flashed by. Before the chat could explode, someone noticed another familiar face beside her…
The chat fell silent for two seconds before someone spoke the truth:
[Ye Lin, coming to cling again?]
[Hahahahaha!!!]
[Yan-Ye shippers… please don’t make us cringe...]
[I literally died laughing. I was tense for ten minutes thinking our top star was leaving, turns out he came to find his wife ^^]
[Ye Lin: If the organizers don’t give us sugar, I’ll create the only sugar.]
[—Lu Xun: I never said that.]
Soon, the artists ahead of Yan Man finished walking the red carpet, and she prepared herself, holding the hem of her dress.
But the dress was so long it hindered her steps. Ahead, another actress with a long train was helped by a male actor who bent down to adjust her dress, allowing her to step onto the stairs safely.
Inspired, Yan Man cleverly hooked her leg sideways, tucking the fabric behind her neatly, clearing her path. She quickly ascended too.
But under the dim lights, the camera caught Ye Lin’s body slightly moving just before she adjusted her dress.
The chat erupted again:
[Did Ye Lin intend to lift his wife’s dress?!]
[Be confident, remove “did.” He absolutely did!]
[Arrogant Miss x Guardian Knight, who else is shipping this??!]
[Some people are dreaming again…]
[Agreed. Everyone knows Ye Lin is famously unbending… Can you stop fantasizing a bit?]
Soon, someone stirred the pot, and this topic quickly became controversial. Even Yan Man’s haters brought it up on Weibo.
[This is hilarious. Can you people stop deluding yourselves? Ye Lin lifting her dress—dream on!]
[Does anyone need me to explain? Since his debut, Ye Lin has never bowed—not even at award ceremonies. Go watch any of his events; he has NEVER bent his waist, okay?]
Soon, this person even dug up a video montage on a video-sharing site. It was a compilation of Ye Lin nodding, with over three million likes, and it stayed on the homepage for a long time.
The video showed clips from all sorts of events: teenage, young adult, and mature Ye Lin always maintained the same posture—back straight, dressed in black suits, cold and aloof, nodding slightly to the camera.
—He seems so close, almost within reach, yet untouchable, as if no one could ever approach him.
This noble coldness attracted countless fans, of course, backed by his undeniable talent. Otherwise, it would have been a disaster. Many male artists tried to imitate him but ended up failing miserably.
When imitators went overboard, coldness turned into deliberate indifference and offense. But not him—you simply looked at him, like gazing at an unreachable snow-capped mountain. He wasn’t trying to attract or push you away; it was simply his nature—he was unattainable, mythical.
That kind of aura was hard to master. Too much would seem abrupt; too little would appear frivolous.
Thus, there could only be one Ye Lin in the industry—this was the highest praise for him.
Soon, that Weibo post practically turned into a meeting for haters:
[We’ve disliked her and her fans for a long time. Can you stop fantasizing? Ye Lin lifting her dress—what a joke!]
[Maybe the Cranberries think their queen is noble.]
[Hahahaha, they actually believe Yan Man can break through this mythic principle and become an exception? How painful is it to be slapped in the face? Painful, right?]
The clock struck nine—it was Yan Man’s turn to walk the red carpet.
Earlier celebrities walked alone, but later, everyone found friends. Many actors from different productions gathered together, so some teams could walk as a group.
Only Yan Man and Ye Lin from the Cherry Smoothies cast arrived, but the main and assistant directors and the producer were also present, making it quite a spectacle.
The five walked onto the stage together, with Yan Man as the sole woman, positioned in the center.
Ye Lin stood to her left.
Because of the direction they entered from, the several-meter-long train of her dress pooled on her left side. Unlike on the ground, where she could hook it forward, she tried lifting her leg but couldn’t manage it.
Her dress was strapless, and cameras lined the front row. Yan Man raised her hand to cover her chest, planning to bend down and adjust it herself—
Just as she was about to lean down, Ye Lin, standing firm under the flashing lights, bent down, lifted her train with both hands, adjusted it neatly, and placed it behind her.
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