Embedded Files
Psst! We're moving!
In the hotel room, Sheng Li stared at her phone screen for a long time but didn’t receive any reply from Yu Chi, not even for the red envelope she sent. Was her confession and red envelope really that unattractive? Or had she overdone it?
She blamed everything on Lu Xingyu. Unable to resist, she opened their chat window and sent him a voice message: [Lu Xingyu, why do you have so many tricks up your sleeve? If you’re really bored, just go hook up with someone, stop dragging me into it.]
Lu Xingyu: [Sister, I really wanted to buy candy when I forwarded it; how was I supposed to know that the fans would make such wild assumptions...]
Lu Xingyu: [I’m not hooking up with anyone; I still remember our three-month agreement.]
Lu Xingyu: [Don’t try to back out of it.]
Sheng Li rolled her eyes and couldn’t be bothered to respond further.
She thought for a moment and then directly called Yu Chi. The phone rang several times before it was finally answered. It was very quiet on the other end, and the sounds of the keyboard and mouse were clear. For some reason, Sheng Li’s heart softened, and she said cheerfully, “Chi Ge, give me some attention, will you?”
Yu Chi had his phone on speaker, placed aside. The computer screen reflected his cold face. He glanced at the screen and thought to himself that she truly had no filter, shamelessly flirting without realizing it. His slender fingers continued typing on the keyboard as he spoke in a detached tone: “What is it? Are you going to talk about the candy that the Star Sheng CP distributed tonight?”
Sheng Li smoothly responded: “Then should I go buy you some candy now?”
A sense of defeat welled up inside Yu Chi. Compared to her carefree attitude, his sulking jealousy seemed childish and laughable. He reached for his pack of cigarettes, lit one, and took a deep drag, as if switching personalities or entering a role, and casually chuckled: “Sure, come ahead. I’ve already bought slippers for my sister.”
Sheng Li: “…”
Was this real? Was he being this obedient? She coughed and said: “Going out every night to fool around is tiring. How about another day?”
Yu Chi chuckled softly: “Alright, I’ll be waiting.”
After hanging up, Sheng Li still felt uneasy, thinking she hadn’t managed to appease Yu Chi. An idea suddenly struck her, and she raised an eyebrow as she opened the food delivery app.
Half an hour later.
Outside the rental apartment, the delivery man knocked on the door a few times: “Hello, Meituan delivery.”
After half a minute, Yu Chi frowned as he took the paper bag from the delivery man. Upon opening it, he sent a WeChat message to Sheng Li full of disbelief.
Yu Xiao Chi: [Sheng Li, are you sick?]
Sheng Li: [Did you receive the candy? Eat more, it might sweeten your mouth.]
Yu Xiao Chi: […]
Sheng Li: [Yu Xiao Chi, I want to eat egg pancakes tomorrow morning. The ones you bought before are better than what the hotel chef makes.]
Yu Xiao Chi: [No, they closed down.]
Sheng Li: […]
—
The next morning, in the lounge, Sheng Li was eating the egg pancakes made by the hotel chef while talking to her mother on the phone. Recently, she had been trending with Lu Xingyu, and Mrs. Lu was worried, calling early in the morning to confirm: “Lili, what’s going on between you and Little Lu? You’re not actually with him, right?”
“Mom, stop, stop, stop!” Sheng Li interrupted her. “Just consider those entertainment news about my romance as mere gossip. My taste isn’t that bad.”
Mrs. Lu was still a bit uneasy: “This industry is chaotic. Don’t follow others blindly…”
Sheng Li had heard these words countless times since entering the industry. Her ears were practically calloused from it. She quickly pleaded: “Alright, alright, I understand. I won’t mess around. I’m still single right now. If I start dating, I’ll definitely bring him home for you to meet first, okay?”
“Don’t find me annoying. Isn’t this all for your own good?” Mrs. Lu huffed. “Your father and I will visit you this weekend.”
Both of Sheng Li’s parents were mid-level executives in their companies and hadn’t retired yet. She had started acting in productions since she was a teenager. Back then, because of her young age, her parents were worried and visited her on set whenever they had time.
Over the past two to three years, they visited less frequently, only occasionally dropping by on a whim.
“It’s quite hectic with filming right now. Even if you come, I won’t have time to accompany you. Plus, it’s very hot. Coming here would be torture. Just stay home and enjoy the air conditioning.” Sheng Li quickly dissuaded them. After taking a bite of her egg pancake, she added, “Once this drama wraps up, I can take a break and then come home to see you, alright?”
Mrs. Lu reluctantly agreed.
After hanging up, Sheng Li turned around to see Yuan Yuan walking in with a bag. She asked, puzzled: “What’s this?”
Yuan Yuan’s expression was complex as she whispered: “Yu Chi just gave it to me.”
She opened the bag to reveal a large amount of candy—wasn’t this exactly what Sheng Li had ordered on Meituan last night?
Sheng Li: […]
Yuan Yuan said: “Yu Chi said he doesn’t like sweets because he’s afraid of cavities.”
Suddenly, Sheng Li’s mind raced, and she quickly asked: “When did he come?”
“When you said ‘I’m still single right now’…”
“…”
Sheng Li felt that her luck had been terrible lately. Despite doing nothing wrong and maintaining a clean reputation, she always inexplicably got dragged into dramatic situations. Dating was truly difficult for her. She thought for a moment and blinked at Yuan Yuan: “My dear Yuan Yuan, tell me…”
Yuan Yuan quickly clasped her hands together, her face showing distress: “Lili, I beg you, can you take a few days off? We just trended last night. What if someone is watching you? Moreover, Cheng Siqi just joined the production, and Sister Rong called last night to remind me to keep an eye on you.”
Sheng Li: […]
She sighed, knowing she couldn’t be too reckless recently. She pinched Yuan Yuan’s cheeks affectionately: “Alright, I understand. Thank you for your hard work.”
Sheng Li grabbed two candies from the bag and went to get her makeup done.
Today, she had a packed schedule, shooting from morning till night.
She also faced her first direct confrontation scene with Yu Chi, which marked their initial major scene together.
Prince Wu Huo Tingyan’s feelings for Yun Lansheng were growing deeper. Not only was he successful in love, but the old emperor was increasingly favoring him. Prince Si was anxious, and while Huo Tingyan was out of the capital on official business, he ordered Yang Lingfeng to kidnap Yun Lansheng to threaten Huo Tingyan.
Yang Lingfeng was extremely reluctant. If Yun Lansheng were taken hostage, the consequences would be unimaginable, potentially even costing her life. But he had no choice but to obey the order, gritting his teeth and accepting it. Yang Lingfeng orchestrated the kidnapping of Yun Lansheng, and after Yun Lansheng endured punishment, he devised a rescue operation to save her.
Later, Yun Lansheng was hidden by Yang Lingfeng.
…
Tonight’s shoot involved Sheng Li enduring punishment, Yang Lingfeng rescuing her, and hiding her.
It was a long take scene.
If the shoot didn’t go smoothly, they would continue filming the next night.
At 6 PM, Sheng Li began applying makeup for the punishment wounds. Since the injuries from the punishment process varied, the makeup was applied in stages, retouched after each segment. From the beginning of makeup, Director Liu started explaining the scene to Sheng Li, Yu Chi, and the actor portraying Prince Si.
Director Liu said: “Yu Chi, you don’t have much dialogue in this scene. You’re responsible for beating Sheng Li, but you admire her and are reluctant to hurt her, yet you have no choice but to do so. Because Prince Si is a madman, if you don’t beat her severely, he might suspect something and have someone else do it. Others might not show restraint, so you need to handle this yourself. Beat her hard, but skillfully, and let your emotions evolve gradually as Sheng Li gets more injured.”
Yu Chi listened with lowered eyes, softly responding: “Mm.”
Director Liu looked at Sheng Li and said: “You’re enduring abuse throughout this scene. When the physical actions begin, you might actually get hit a bit. Is that okay?”
“No problem, bring it on,” Sheng Li nodded seriously. She had acted in abuse scenes multiple times, and if they weren’t done convincingly, the scene would look fake. She didn’t want to be ridiculed on social media for prioritizing beauty over acting once the drama aired.
Director Liu nodded approvingly and then looked at Yu Chi: “Let’s try it first to see what works best.”
Yu Chi slightly furrowed his brow: “Alright.”
Director Liu turned to instruct: “Props team, prepare everything. We’re starting soon.”
Ten minutes later, the rehearsal began.
“No, Yu Chi, your strength is too light. Be harsher.”
“Okay.”
“No, your hand retracts too quickly. It looks fake.”
“Alright, I’ll do it again.”
“Still no, try again.”
“Okay…”
…
The rehearsal alone took a considerable amount of time. Sheng Li could feel that Yu Chi couldn’t bring himself to hit her. Unable to resist, she tugged at his sleeve, smiling brightly: “Yu Chi, hit me. I promise I won’t hold a grudge or curse you.”
Yu Chi’s expression was somewhat helpless, and he furrowed his brow. This scene seemed to torment both of them.
Everyone burst into laughter. Director Liu didn’t scold anyone and showed great understanding: “It’s normal for men to hesitate hitting a beautiful actress. These types of abusive scenes are the hardest to film. Plus, you’re young and relatively new to the industry. Sheng Li is a senior and currently popular. Most newcomers wouldn’t dare to lay a hand on her. The fact that you aren’t excessively cautious is already commendable.”
Taking advantage of everyone’s distraction, Sheng Li secretly traced circles in Yu Chi’s palm from an angle the camera couldn’t capture.
Yu Chi looked down at her.
Sheng Li winked at him: “Come on, if you really hurt me, at most, you’ll just have to… bring me medicine, okay?”
Everyone burst into laughter again.
Only Yu Chi watched her with a straight face. Sheng Li smiled even sweeter at him. This joke was unknown to others; only they understood. Such covert flirtation in public was maddening, leaving them wanting more.
Long-take scenes are best shot in one continuous take because resuming the next day might not capture the same feeling, and makeup and costumes might not match perfectly, risking continuity errors.
Thus, this scene began filming at 8 PM and continued until after 3 AM the following morning.
The final shot was Yang Lingfeng carrying the injured Yun Lansheng into a prepared house, gently placing her on the bed. His hand lightly caressed her pale, lifeless face as he gazed at her with obsession, his lips curling slightly into a sinister smile. In a deranged whisper, he said: “Sister, I’ve been looking for you for so long. Do you know? Finally finding you but unable to speak to you or acknowledge you… Shall I hide you here? Hide you forever, so no one can take you away from me. You’ll belong to me alone. Tell me, is that alright?”
Yun Lansheng lay there, devoid of vitality, hearing nothing.
But Sheng Li heard it all. Yu Chi delivered his lines so well that just listening to his voice conveyed Yang Lingfeng’s obsessive love and possessive nature towards Yun Lansheng, causing her eyelashes to tremble uncontrollably.
It was as if these words weren’t part of the script.
They were Yu Chi’s deeply hidden secret.
Director Liu: “Cut!”
Sheng Li opened her eyes and met Yu Chi’s profound, dark gaze, stunned by the possessiveness he hadn’t had time to conceal. She froze momentarily.
Yu Chi stood up, composed himself, and politely thanked her: “Thank you for your hard work, Sister Lili.”
“You worked hard too.” Sheng Li quickly got up, thought for a moment, and pulled out two candies from the inner pocket of her dress. She handed him one with a bright smile: “Great performance. Here, Sister treats you to some candy.”
Yu Chi: […]
He accepted the candy with a straight face, his lips twitching slightly: “Thank you, Sister.”
The two pretended to be casual while openly flirting, making Yuan Yuan watch nervously from the sidelines.
Director Liu reviewed the playback and praised generously: “Yu Chi performed exceptionally well in this section, with very appropriate emotions.” He watched it again, frowning: “Why did Lili’s eyelashes move earlier? No, we need to reshoot that shot.”
Sheng Li: […]
At 4 AM, the crew wrapped up.
—
From this scene onward, Yun Lansheng was hidden in this house by Yang Lingfeng. Due to her injuries, she couldn’t leave, and Yang Lingfeng devised ways to keep her confined there, experiencing a sort of “honeymoon.” Of course, this was merely his own fantasy. Towards the conscious Yun Lansheng, Yang Lingfeng was still the disciplined youth she had saved years ago.
Sheng Li and Yu Chi’s confrontational scenes became more frequent.
After overcoming their first confrontation scene, their chemistry improved, allowing them to subtly flirt during breaks. This overt and covert flirtation left Sheng Li craving more, making even consecutive nights of late-night shoots feel less arduous.
She told Zhou Sinuan: “No wonder so many people fall in love through acting. There are so many on-set couples. Flirting while filming is such a stress reliever.”
Zhou Sinuan teased her: “Then why haven’t we heard of you falling in love with anyone during your previous dramas?”
“I have high standards. If anyone could catch my eye, what’s the difference between me and Lu Xingyu?” Sheng Li declared confidently. Thoughts of Yu Chi flashed through her mind. He seemed to embody everything she liked in a person. Finding someone else who captivated her like he did seemed nearly impossible.
Zhou Sinuan grew more curious about Yu Chi and couldn’t help saying: “I’ll wrap up my shoot in early August and visit you on set.”
Sheng Li sneered: “Don’t come.”
Zhou Sinuan: “Oh, come on, I absolutely won’t take photos or leak anything. I just want to see.”
Sheng Li thought for a moment. Their drama was about to air soon. If they could meet up and post something on Weibo, it would be a form of promotion beneficial for ratings. She didn’t refuse anymore: “We’ll discuss it after you wrap up.”
On July 20th, Sheng Li and Yuan Yuan left the set for three days to record a program.
On the day of recording, Lu Xingyu happened to be shooting an advertisement for a new product by an international luxury brand—a deal Rong Hua had painstakingly negotiated for him, so naturally, it was crucial. Therefore, on the day of the program, Rong Hua didn’t accompany them. Only the stylist, makeup artist, and assistant accompanied Sheng Li.
The program recording ended around eleven o’clock. Sheng Li declined the production team’s invitation for a late-night snack, intending to return early and rest. However, she bumped into Huang Baiyan at the makeup room entrance. Huang Baiyan was accompanying his artist to record the program. He managed two male artists, both very young.
One of them was Feng Xu, who lost the role of Yang Lingfeng due to a drunk driving accident.
Huang Baiyan had previously managed a popular artist, though they parted ways after their contract ended. If Feng Xu hadn’t driven drunk, he might have become famous.
Such is fate.
Huang Baiyan’s reason for approaching Sheng Li was simple. Sheng Li had less than a year left on her contract with Rong Hua, and several companies and agents had contacted her with lucrative offers. However, after years of collaboration, Sheng Li and Rong Hua had developed a good working relationship and mutual affection. If one discounted Rong Hua’s favoritism towards Lu Xingyu, he hadn’t really mistreated her. After all, she and Lu Xingyu were a female and male artist respectively, targeting different markets, so there was no direct competition for resources.
In terms of capability and strategy, there was currently no better agent than Rong Hua.
Nevertheless, Sheng Li didn’t outright reject Huang Baiyan. She cautiously asked, “Huang Ge, do you sign new talents?”
Huang Baiyan was taken aback, then chuckled helplessly: “Is this a new way to reject someone?”
Sheng Li winked with a smile: “Not exactly, just asking.”
Huang Baiyan looked puzzled: “Are you recommending a new talent to me?”
Sheng Li smiled: “It’s a very promising newcomer. You might have heard of him, but probably haven’t met.”
Being an insider in the industry, and Feng Xu’s agent, Huang Baiyan knew that Yang Lingfeng’s role had been replaced by a newcomer, though he hadn’t investigated further. He assumed it was some talent pushed in by capital. He asked: “Could it be the new actor who played Yang Lingfeng?”
The incident of Feng Xu driving under the influence and injuring someone had a significant impact. No matter how strong the PR efforts were, he would have to remain low-key for the next two to three years; achieving major fame was impossible.
Sheng Li pulled up a photo of Yu Chi on her phone and showed it to Huang Baiyan, confidently stating: “As an agent, you’re more experienced at promoting talents. Once The Scroll of Rivers and Mountains airs, he’s sure to gain popularity, and his subsequent development won’t be difficult either.”
Huang Baiyan’s eyes lit up, clearly impressed by Yu Chi’s headshot. His gaze shifted from the screen to Sheng Li’s face as he smiled: “Is this kid a relative of yours?”
Sheng Li knew he was interested in Yu Chi. She gave a light-hearted summary of Yu Chi’s situation, expressing regret for such a talented and gifted younger brother being buried in a small company: “I happened to run into you looking for me, so I thought I’d mention it. Whether or not you sign him is up to you.”
Huang Baiyan hesitated: “But he still has six years left on his contract. The termination fee isn’t low.”
Sheng Li didn’t say anything further about Yu Chi, only replying: “That’s not a big issue. Just consider whether you want to sign him or not.”
—
The following evening, Sheng Li returned to Songshan Film City. As Lao Liu parked the car, he received a call. By the time he hung up, his face was creased with joy. Sheng Li overheard him mentioning admission notices and remembered that his daughter was also taking the college entrance exam this year.
Had the university admission letters already been sent out?
As she walked into the elevator, she sent a WeChat message to Yu Chi.
Sheng Li: 【What about your university admission letter? Let Sister take a look!】
After a while, she received a picture.
Sheng Li stared intently, stunned, and quickly replied: 【Why is it Peking University?】
Yu Xiao Chi: 【Because that’s what I applied for. Does Sister think Peking University isn’t as good as Tsinghua?】
Sheng Li: […]
This response was a bit infuriating.
She wasn’t unhappy, just surprised. During the audition, Sheng Li had gone to great lengths to persuade him to join. She was certain that Yu Chi loved acting, and even if he didn’t act, choosing any popular major would ensure a comfortable future.
She just hadn’t expected him to accept it so calmly.
Sheng Li: 【Of course not, Brother Chi is amazing.】
Sheng Li: 【Where are you now? On set?】
At 7 PM, the sky had just begun to darken. The lights were off in the rented apartment, and the narrow windows made the room dimly lit. Yu Chi lounged lazily on the sofa, with the admission letter spread out on the coffee table. He stopped typing and sent a voice message: 【At home. I took a day off from the director to collect my admission letter and just got back.】
His WeChat was flooded with messages—blessings from teachers and classmates.
Among them was a message from Yu Manqi. He opened it briefly, laughing self-deprecatingly. It was rare for her to care about which university he attended, though it could also be that she felt it was a pity he hadn’t enrolled in Beijing Film Academy.
Yu Chi ignored her message completely.
A new message popped up at the top of the screen.
Sheng Li: 【Sister will come see you tonight.】
—
At 11 PM, deep into the night, Sheng Li, wearing Yu Chi’s baseball jacket, a cap, and a mask, rode her bicycle into the residential compound.
Climbing to the tenth floor, she leaned against the door to catch her breath before knocking lightly.
If Yu Chi dared to make her use the secret code again…
She would…
“Secret code.”
The person behind the door lazily spoke.
Sheng Li: […]
Taking a deep breath, she cheerfully said: “Yu Chi, are you afraid to let me in?”
Before he could respond, she obediently added: “Buzz buzz buzz buzz!”
There were quite a few mosquitoes. With her legs bare, she had attracted all the mosquitoes in the hallway. Unable to bear it, she stomped her foot. Yu Chi stood behind the door, glanced down, and opened it. Sheng Li looked up, their eyes meeting, and an instant wave of ambiguity filled the air.
She lowered her head and walked in, catching sight of the pair of women’s slippers behind the door. Her face instantly heated up, her heart pounding wildly as if a thousand deer were stampeding inside her chest. She hadn’t expected him to be so obedient and actually buy them.
From behind her, the middle-aged man from across the hall called out: “Tsk, the handsome neighbor’s little girlfriend is buzzing again. Anyone would think it’s a rat.”
The soundproofing in old houses wasn’t great. With the door open, sounds from across the hall were crystal clear.
Sheng Li: […]
Yu Chi: […]
Yu Chi silently chuckled, pulling her close and guiding her in before shutting the door.
Sheng Li leaned against him, inhaling his clean, crisp scent mixed with a hint of shower gel. It was the same smell as when he had visited her at the hotel last time. She pushed gently at his chest, her throat dry, and said: “I want some water.”
Yu Chi paused, releasing her and heading to the kitchen to pour water.
Sheng Li took off the baseball jacket, revealing a white off-the-shoulder dress underneath. Holding the jacket, she changed into the slippers. Just as she looked up, Yu Chi emerged from the kitchen, handing her a glass. In a low voice, he said: “It’s lukewarm.”
Sheng Li took the glass, her heart still racing as she drank. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Yu Chi, who appeared calmer than her. Suddenly feeling competitive, she decided not to back down at the last moment after having acted like a seasoned flirt from the start.
Quickly finishing her water, she placed the glass on the cabinet.
Snap—
Both their hearts skipped a beat.
Sheng Li wrapped her arms around Yu Chi’s waist, tilting her head to look at him, her eyes smiling: “Yu Chi, can we do that princess carry again?” Her chin rested against his chest, her face slightly flushed, but she added softly, “Make it a little more intense than last time.”
Yu Chi stared intently at her face, his breathing noticeably quickened. Sheng Li silently looped her arms around his neck.
It was like repeating the script from last time, except this time both were prepared and serious. Sheng Li felt her heart ready to burst. Just a brief daze later, she was lifted up.
Though she felt the impact harder this time, Yu Chi had protected her head, so her body didn’t hurt as much as last time, but she was more disoriented. Nervously gazing up at him, her breathing uncontrollably rose and fell.
Yu Chi’s dark, profound eyes locked onto hers, his voice hoarse: “Sister, have you thought this through? This place is old and shabby. If it weren’t for me, you’d never live in a house like this. Don’t you feel wronged?”
Their eyes met, electric currents pulsing between them. The unprecedented thrill and tension almost overwhelmed Sheng Li. Just hearing his voice made her entire body go limp. She lay there, her delicate collarbone exposed, her jet-black soft hair splayed on the gray sheets, her eyes wet and gazing at him. After a moment, she hooked her arms around his neck, leaning up to kiss his lips, softly saying: “Of course not. Later, whenever you think of me, you’ll remember that I’m the sister who endured hardship with you. You’ll treat me a hundred times, a thousand times better.
“And given your personality, you’ll probably always remember me.”
“I’ve hit the jackpot, Yu Xiao Chi.”
The warm yellow light of the bedside lamp illuminated the small bedroom. The old house had air conditioning, but probably due to its age, the unit was loud and barely cooling. The air was humid and heavy. Sheng Li touched Yu Chi’s taut muscles, her hands sweaty. Despite being held tightly, she felt no sense of security. Yu Chi’s physique was undeniably perfect, but far from gentle. She admitted to herself that she was scared, but refused to admit defeat, knowing the consequences of pretending to be a seasoned flirt could be severe.
At one point, Yu Chi looked down at her incredulously, completely different from his usual cold demeanor. His eyes were slightly red, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He kissed away the tears at the corner of her eyes, then moved to nibble at her lips. Though she was the one in pain, he seemed more aggrieved, persistently murmuring in a hoarse voice: “Sister, you deceived me again. I’m in pain too.”
“Sister, you’ve been deceiving me all along. Am I your first love?”
“Answer me, Sister.”
“Don’t deceive me anymore.”
“Promise me you won’t deceive me again, okay, Sister?”
Sheng Li embraced him. Every movement sounded exceptionally clear and seductive in the silent night. The symphony of the wooden boards began with a loud creak. Unable to resist, she turned her head and bit his shoulder.
You bastard, don’t play innocent after getting what you want.
Ask again, and I’ll bite you to death.
…
The curtains were drawn tightly, casting a dim light. Two phones lay on the bedside table, their alarms ringing almost simultaneously.
Yu Chi opened his eyes, reaching out to turn off both alarms.
Glancing at the screen, it was 5 AM.
An hour earlier, Sheng Li, with her last ounce of energy, had said she needed to leave by 5:30 AM, before the crew woke up.
Yu Chi, using the faint glow of the screen, looked down at the person in his arms. The woman’s cheeks were tinged with pink, her lashes still wet, her eyelids slightly swollen. She was curled up in his embrace, her beautiful brows furrowed, seemingly displeased at being disturbed from sleep.
He hesitated, unable to bring himself to wake her.
There were over a dozen unread messages on WeChat. Yu Chi opened them; they were all from Yuan Yuan.
Starting from midnight until 2 AM, then silence.
The last one—
Yuan Yuan: 【Sis, Brother-in-law, I’m worried someone might see. Can you bring Lili back earlier in the morning? If you need assistance, feel free to call me anytime. Please, please! [Pouting]】
Yu Chi: […]
Google Sites
Report abuse