Chapter 30: Don’t Mess Up

At six in the morning, Sheng Li sneaked back to the hotel and collapsed onto the bed. Just before slipping into unconsciousness, she mumbled hazily: “Yuan Yuan, wake me up at seven. I’ll sleep for a bit.”

Yuan Yuan had only managed three hours of sleep herself. She rested on the couch outside the suite for an hour and checked the bedroom at seven, knowing full well that Sheng Li wouldn’t be able to get up even if she forced herself. Her condition would be terrible. After some thought, Yuan Yuan approached the production coordinator to reschedule Sheng Li’s morning scenes for tomorrow.

“The morning scenes tomorrow are Yu Chi’s. Let me call him first. If he can’t adjust, we’ll arrange something else.” Rescheduling just a morning session was relatively easy, and the coordinator quickly made the adjustments. Concerned, they asked, “Is Lili feeling unwell?”

Yuan Yuan: […]

If the sister owes a debt, shouldn’t the brother-in-law pay it back? Besides, Yu Chi carried Lili downstairs this morning and didn’t seem too tired!

Without hesitation or a hint of guilt, Yuan Yuan sold out her newly minted brother-in-law: “She has a stomachache and is running a slight fever.”

The coordinator understood: “Then let her rest. If she still feels unwell in the afternoon, let me know so I can rearrange things.”

The curtains in the rented apartment were tightly drawn, keeping the room dimly lit. The air still carried traces of last night’s lingering intimacy. When the phone rang, Yu Chi was lying half-asleep on the bed. Without opening his eyes, he reached for the phone and answered it.

The coordinator asked: “Yu Chi, Sheng Li isn’t feeling well. Can you move your scenes from tomorrow morning to today?”

Yu Chi almost immediately opened his eyes, his voice slightly hoarse: “Yes.”

“Did I wake you?” The coordinator sounded apologetic. “If there’s no problem, come over and prepare.”

Yu Chi cleared his throat and said: “Okay.”

After hanging up, Yu Chi sat up to clear his head and went to take a shower. At just eighteen, he was young and full of energy. After a shower and changing into clean clothes, he felt refreshed. Even the makeup artist couldn’t tell that he had only slept for an hour or two last night—his state was impeccable.

At a little past noon, Sheng Li woke up and checked her phone. Completely disoriented, she called out: “Yuan Yuan, why didn’t you wake me!”

Seeing Sheng Li about to scold her, Yuan Yuan quickly explained: “You looked so exhausted; I couldn’t bear to wake you. So, I told the coordinator you had a stomachache and adjusted the schedule. The morning scenes were Yu Chi’s, so don’t worry or get angry.”

Sheng Li: […]

Her phone buzzed with a new WeChat message.

Yu Xiao Chi: 【Sister, are you awake?】

After a few hours of sleep, Sheng Li’s physical and mental state had recovered significantly. Seeing Yu Chi’s obedient tone and recalling last night… aside from needing a bit more finesse, his stamina was excellent. This boyfriend had no flaws whatsoever.

Yu Chi perfectly fit the archetype of being a “wolf cub in bed and a puppy out of bed,” fulfilling Sheng Li’s ideal vision of a younger partner. Well, perhaps not as unrestrained as last night—a bit more moderation would be better.

In a pleasant mood with a sweet aftertaste, she slowly replied: 【Awake. I’ll take a shower and head to set later.】

In the afternoon, after finishing her makeup, Sheng Li went to wait in the staging area. Under the shade canopy, Yu Chi lounged lazily in a wicker chair, legs sprawled, face covered by a prop fan, seemingly asleep.

Sheng Li sat in the chair next to him, picking up a small handheld fan from the table and pointing it at her face. Occasionally, she glanced at him sideways.

After a while, unable to resist, she reached over and aimed the small fan at him. The paper fan covering his face blew open, revealing his features. Soon, Yu Chi opened his eyes. Still drowsy and somewhat disoriented from just waking up, he fixed his gaze steadily on Sheng Li, his eyes brimming with deep affection.

Under his intense stare, Sheng Li felt a shiver run through her body, her heartbeat quickening.

The once rebellious youth now willingly submitted to her, satisfying not just her sense of conquest but also her desires. Their physical intimacy bound them together like inseparable magnetic fields. A single word or glance altered the atmosphere between them entirely.

Noticing someone approaching, Sheng Li deliberately asked: “Younger Brother Yu Chi is awake? What did you do last night that made you so tired?”

Yu Chi: […]

He looked at her with a faint smirk, softly saying: “Sister.”

Sheng Li blinked: “Hmm?”

Yu Chi propped himself up, placed the fan on the table, rested his right hand on his knee, and reached over with his left to snatch the small fan from her hands. Lazily, he said: “Let me borrow this. I’ll return it later.”

“Lili’s here!” Director Liu called out. “Come over and listen to the scene.”

Sheng Li quickly stood up, picked up the fan from the table to shield herself from the sun, and started walking. Halfway there, she suddenly realized that their earlier exchange had been a bit off.

She had asked: “What did you do last night?”

And he had responded: “Sister.”

Sheng Li: […]

Standing frozen under the sun, she felt her face burning.

—

By the end of July, filming proceeded smoothly. Sheng Li had a packed schedule every day and dared not sneak out for late-night rendezvous anymore. With so many people in the crew familiar with Yu Chi, she also hesitated to have him visit her hotel room.

That evening, Sheng Li and Yu Chi finished shooting the final scene of “hiding the beloved.”

Yang Lingfeng’s secret hiding place was on the verge of exposure, and Yun Lansheng’s injuries were healing. She insisted on leaving to find Huo Tingyan. To ensure Yun Lansheng’s safety, Yang Lingfeng reluctantly informed Huo Tingyan, who then came to take Yun Lansheng away. On the night Huo Tingyan took her, just before leaving, Yun Lansheng asked Yang Lingfeng if he would leave with her. Yang Lingfeng glanced at Huo Tingyan and replied: “Sister, I don’t want to leave with you.”

Yun Lansheng frowned: “Why not?”

Yang Lingfeng gazed deeply at her and whispered: “Because I can’t bear to see you with someone else.”

At that moment, Yun Lansheng realized that Yang Lingfeng loved her.

Huo Tingyan wanted to kill Yang Lingfeng—not only because he was a trusted subordinate of the Fourth Prince but also out of overwhelming jealousy.

Coming to her senses, Yun Lansheng stopped Huo Tingyan. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Yang Lingfeng: “Are you sure you won’t leave with me? If you continue to follow the Fourth Prince, sooner or later, we’ll become enemies and face each other in battle.”

Between the Fourth Prince and Huo Tingyan, only one could survive. Regardless of who eventually ascended the throne, their fates were sealed.

Yang Lingfeng’s eyes were only for Yun Lansheng: “I won’t leave. If one day Huo Tingyan falls, I will protect your life.” He paused, a sickly smile tugging at the corners of his lips, his voice soft to the extreme: “If the Fourth Prince fails, Sister, don’t plead for my life. Just erect a gravestone for me. And every Qingming Festival, remember to visit.”

…

After filming this scene, Sheng Li’s eyes reddened uncontrollably. As the actress portraying Yun Lansheng, she had meticulously studied her character and those she interacted with. Yang Lingfeng had left a deep impression on her.

Though he committed countless misdeeds, he remained pure-hearted in front of Yun Lansheng. Thus, no matter how wicked he was, Sheng Li couldn’t hate this character, much like Yun Lansheng couldn’t hate Yang Lingfeng either.

Once the series aired, many viewers would likely feel the same way. Therefore, this role would leave a lasting impression and garner plenty of fans.

After completing this scene, Sheng Li felt that Yu Chi had truly brought this character to life.

It wasn’t just her. Even Wei Cheng couldn’t help but praise: “Yu Chi performed excellently. It’s no wonder Director He chose him.”

Yu Chi casually glanced at Sheng Li before replying: “Thank you, Cheng Ge.”

“Director He?” Cheng Siqi asked from the side. “Which Director He? Is it He Yuanren?”

Wei Cheng smiled: “Yes.”

Cheng Siqi glanced at Yu Chi again and asked: “Is Director He casting Yu Chi for a movie?”

“No, it’s from the past.” Wei Cheng wasn’t one for gossip and always focused on acting. Not being close to Cheng Siqi, he didn’t wish to elaborate further since it wasn’t his story to tell. He patted Yu Chi’s shoulder and walked away.

Director Liu called Sheng Li and Wei Cheng over to discuss the next scene—their kissing scene.

Yu Chi hadn’t walked far and stood nearby, seemingly watching Sheng Li absentmindedly. She suddenly felt immense pressure at the thought of filming a kissing scene in front of her boyfriend—something she had never considered before.

Now that she thought about it, she felt a bit stage fright.

After explaining the scene, Director Liu chuckled and waved them off: “You can go prepare.”

As everyone knew, Wei Cheng was an extremely gentlemanly person and would always rinse his mouth before a kissing scene. Of course, Sheng Li did the same—both before and immediately after filming.

She returned to the dressing room to prepare, passing by Yu Chi and stealing a quick glance at him.

Yu Chi expressionlessly swept his gaze over her.

Sheng Li: […]

Back in the dressing room, Sheng Li couldn’t resist sending Yu Chi a message: 【Do you want to avoid seeing this? Out of sight, out of mind?】

Quickly agree, and her stress would ease a bit!

Yu Xiao Chi: 【No.】

Sheng Li: […]

Sheng Li: 【Then do you have anything to say?】

Yu Xiao Chi: 【Don’t mess up.】