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Barbecue paired with beer—it seemed like a good combination.
Lu Zhixing remembered the scene from Tang Xin’s birthday party when Tang Dingding had hiccupped after just two sips of beer. He chuckled softly as he watched her: “Alright, let’s have some beer.”
Tang Dingding: “….”
It was just beer—why was he looking at her and laughing?
She turned to call Linlin over to bring the beer. Suddenly, she recalled the hiccupping incident from last time and felt her face flush. She quietly explained: “I can’t handle beer. Every time I drink it, this happens—I hiccup…”
So, it wasn’t that she was too delicate to drink anything but expensive alcohol.
Lu Zhixing didn’t say anything, merely smiling. Linlin arrived carrying several cans of beer, accompanied by Tang Xin, Old Feng, and Pengzhou, the male lead. Old Feng smiled at Tang Dingding: “Thank you for the late-night snack, Dingding.”
Tang Dingding smiled back: “You’re welcome.”
Everyone grabbed a can of beer, except for her. She nibbled on some grilled shrimp and beef and drank juice instead.
There was still an upcoming scene between the male and female leads, so Pengzhou was there too. Lu Zhixing glanced at him and then at Dingding: “Let’s go over the next scene while we eat.”
Tang Dingding and Pengzhou nodded.
Lu Zhixing didn’t even pick up the script. Leaning forward slightly, his eating manner lacked refinement but exuded a relaxed confidence. As he ate, he explained the scene. By the time he finished, Tang Dingding was surprised and whispered: “Director, did you memorize all our lines?”
He hadn’t missed a single word—completely off-script.
Pengzhou also thought Lu Zhixing was impressive and chimed in: “Exactly.”
Lu Zhixing paused, swirled his beer bottle, and glanced at Tang Dingding with a smirk: “No, you sent me this part to ask about it before, so I remembered.”
Tang Dingding froze. Tang Xin let out a soft hum and nudged her shoulder, grinning: “Director Lu gave you private tutoring? How come I didn’t know?”
Pengzhou joked: “Yeah, I didn’t get any either.”
Tang Dingding blushed awkwardly and glanced at Lu Zhixing: “It wasn’t exactly private tutoring—I reached out to ask…”
Didn’t that count as private tutoring?
Lu Zhixing snorted with amusement and commented: “Hmm, quite studious and hardworking. Very dedicated.”
It had been a long time since anyone had praised her like that. Her face reddened: “Thank you, Director.”
________________________________________
The next day, Tang Dingding began to understand Lu Zhixing’s intentions. Everyone’s perception of her had changed significantly. They no longer treated her with excessive politeness. Instead, they greeted her warmly as “Miss Dingding.” The younger ones even called her “Dingding Gege” (Big Sister Dingding).
Tang Dingding wondered if the title was a bit long.
At noon, Linlin happily told her: “I overheard someone talking about you earlier. They said Director Lu mentioned how studious and hardworking you are…”
Tang Dingding suddenly realized that Lu Zhixing’s comments from the previous day were deliberate. He was vouching for her, showing everyone that she wasn’t just a pretty face brought in with funding. She was genuinely putting effort into her role.
That evening, she had another night shoot.
After explaining the scene, Lu Zhixing noticed she hadn’t left yet. He smiled faintly: “What’s on your mind?”
Tang Dingding sincerely said: “Thank you, Director Lu.”
Lu Zhixing knew what she meant and lazily grinned: “Then treat us to another late-night snack.”
“Sure, a hundred times if you want.”
He was just joking around.
Lu Zhixing waved his hand dismissively: “Forget it. We can’t eat that much. Unlike Old Feng and Old Yuan, who’ve gained weight in their middle age.”
Old Feng and Old Yuan were both around 40. Their ages showed, and neither had escaped the fate of middle-aged weight gain—they both had beer bellies. Tang Dingding instinctively glanced at Lu Zhixing. His figure was tall and upright, his exposed arms sculpted with clear, defined muscles. Without thinking, she blurted: “From my perspective on judging men, Director Lu has a great physique.”
Lu Zhixing: “….”
Realizing she might have caused a misunderstanding, Tang Dingding hurriedly explained: “I’m talking about my brothers. They all have great physiques. Your build is similar to my second brother—he’s in great shape and about your age.”
Lu Zhixing found her flustered explanation amusing and chuckled softly: “Thanks. Alright, go get ready.”
Time to start filming.
Tang Dingding quickly ran off.
Old Feng and Old Yuan were sitting behind the camera equipment. Once everyone had dispersed, Old Feng stood up: “Who are you calling middle-aged and overweight?”
Lu Zhixing walked over and patted his stomach a few times: “You.”
Old Feng: “….”
Old Yuan, who was slimmer than Old Feng, protested: “I wouldn’t say I’m overweight…”
Lu Zhixing glanced at his head and smirked: “Focus on preventing hair loss.”
Old Yuan: “….”
Old Feng locked eyes with him, then looked at Lu Zhixing. He wanted to throw a few jibes back but realized there wasn’t much to criticize. The representative of handsome directors in the industry wasn’t lying—there was nothing to fault about Lu Zhixing’s looks or physique. No beer belly, no balding, and he even worked out regularly, sporting toned muscles that allowed him to carry cameras up mountains effortlessly.
Unbeatable. Unbeatable.
After teasing his two collaborators, Lu Zhixing picked up the megaphone: “Let’s begin.”
The first week of filming went smoothly. The number of NGs Tang Dingding had wasn’t high, with the most being six takes. Sometimes it wasn’t entirely her fault, and with Lu Zhixing’s praise, she gradually adapted to life on set.
That is, until Lu Zhuning entered the scene, making Tang Dingding feel a bit awkward.
Back when Lu Zhuning was dating her brother, they had exchanged WeChat contacts. But at the time, Tang Dingding had been young and studying abroad, so they’d only met twice—not very familiar, and their interactions were minimal.
Lu Zhuning was different from Tang Xin. She carried herself more formally, while Tang Xin always tried to take advantage of her—but over time, they became close.
Moreover, her brother hadn’t dated anyone in four years. When he finally showed special attention to Tang Xin, she naturally put in extra effort to support them.
When Lu Zhuning’s fans attacked Tang Xin online, Tang Dingding had retweeted and publicly sided with Tang Xin. Looking back, she felt she may have been too harsh. She never expected they’d meet again on set…
And have scenes together.
Sigh. Awkward.
Tang Dingding confided in Tang Xin about her unease. Tang Xin reassured her, but Tang Dingding still felt despondent: “She’s an award-winning actress, and I’m just a newbie. If she crushes me with her acting, it’ll be embarrassing.”
After repeated reassurances from Tang Xin, she steeled herself to face the challenge.
She had three scenes with Lu Zhuning. The first one was on the beach—a confrontation scene. Tang Dingding felt even more disheartened. Why did it have to be this kind of scene?
On the day of the official shoot, Lu Zhuning, like Tang Dingding, arrived early at the set to prepare and get her makeup done.
Lu Zhuning filmed other scenes in the morning.
In the afternoon, Tang Dingding and Lu Zhuning’s scenes were set to begin.
Lu Zhixing called both of them over to explain the scene. After finishing, he looked at Tang Dingding: “Any questions?”
Tang Dingding hesitantly replied: “Not right now.”
Lu Zhixing smiled: “Let’s do a trial run first.”
First trial run…
As a result, Tang Dingding faced five consecutive NGs, still unable to reach her best state—or rather, she was being completely overshadowed by Lu Zhuning’s acting.
Lu Zhixing’s brows furrowed slightly. He could tell that Tang Dingding wasn’t in her usual form today—nowhere near as good as she had been in the past few days. Standing behind the monitor, he called out coldly: “Focus.”
Tang Dingding, feeling both ashamed and frustrated, replied softly: “Okay.”
Lu Zhuning glanced at her and gently encouraged: “It’s fine. Let’s try again.”
Tang Dingding nodded: “Mm.”
But…
“Cut!”
“Cut!”
“Cut!”
“Cut!”
“Cut, cut, cut! Again! Dingding, you messed up your lines—pay attention.”
The set fell silent.
Only Lu Zhixing’s cold voice echoed through the air.
Tang Dingding lost count of how many times they’d restarted—definitely more than ten. Her throat felt dry as she nodded hurriedly: “Alright…”
They tried again.
Still an NG.
By the twenty-fifth NG, the sun hung high in the sky, blazing down mercilessly.
Lu Zhixing’s expression grew colder, tinged with impatience: “Dingding, what’s going on with you today? Where is your focus?”
Tang Dingding had never been publicly reprimanded like this in front of so many people. She felt humiliated, disheartened, and even too embarrassed to look up. She wondered if anyone had ever seen an actress fail so many takes.
Standing on the sandy beach, the glaring sun made her eyes sting painfully, and her nose began to feel a bit sour.
She couldn’t cry…
Crying would only make things worse.
She reminded herself firmly.
Tang Xin and Old Feng couldn’t bear to watch anymore. Old Feng interjected: “You’re scolding a young girl like this? Are you training donkeys or actors?”
Tang Xin: “….”
Little Lamb definitely wouldn’t appreciate that analogy.
Lu Zhixing frowned, hearing their words, and called for a break. The crew dispersed. Lu Zhuning was escorted away by her assistant under a parasol, leaving only Tang Dingding standing alone, looking dejected and defeated.
A pampered young lady like her, raised in luxury since childhood, had probably never been publicly criticized like this before.
“I’ll talk to her.”
Lu Zhixing set down the megaphone, uttered a few words, and strode over.
Tang Dingding kept her head bowed. Linlin, who had been about to approach her, stopped in her tracks when she saw Lu Zhixing heading over. Before he reached her, he noticed the girl’s reddened eyes, shimmering with unshed tears.
He paused, standing in front of her. Her delicate neck was tilted downward, pale and graceful. Lowering his voice, he asked softly: “Are you crying?”
Startled, Tang Dingding quickly bit her lip, holding back the lump in her throat. She looked up at him and whispered: “No, I’m not crying. It would be too embarrassing to cry after failing so many times.”
Lu Zhixing gazed down at her. Her tear-filled eyes were brimming with unshed tears, clearly on the verge of breaking down. He realized that one more harsh word from him might just make those tears spill over. Her pitiful appearance softened something in his heart, and he spoke gently: “I was a bit harsh earlier.”
Tang Dingding murmured softly: “It’s okay—it’s my fault. I haven’t fully immersed myself in the role yet…”
Lu Zhixing knew Tang Dingding wasn’t the spoiled daughter type. His tone softened further: “The sun is too harsh. Come here—I’ll go over the scene with you.”
He turned and walked ahead. Tang Dingding followed him to the shaded area. Lu Zhixing paused, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out two lollipops, handing one to Tang Dingding.
Tang Dingding: “….”
She took it, bewildered: “Director Lu, do you like candy?”
In her mind, boys usually didn’t enjoy sweets.
“It’s alright,” Lu Zhixing said lazily, popping the lollipop into his mouth as he sat down. “Little Jiaying gave it to me earlier, saying it was a bribe to make me gentler with her.”
Little Jiaying was a child actor in the production, only five years old.
Tang Dingding stared at the lollipop in her hand, shocked. Even at five years old, Jiaying knew how to bribe the director to be less harsh… She couldn’t lose!
The young girl looked up at him, her eyes sparkling: “So, what kind of candy do you like?”
Lu Zhixing: “….”
Was she trying to bribe him?
________________________________________
That evening, Tang Dingding stood outside Lu Zhixing’s door, holding several bags of nougat and two boxes of mint candies.
Lu Zhixing had just finished showering, wearing only a bathrobe. His hair was still wet, and he was drying it with a towel. Hearing a knock, he assumed it was Old Feng, who had mentioned coming over earlier.
He opened the door without hesitation and was met with the sight of Tang Dingding standing there, looking startled.
Tang Dingding hadn’t expected to encounter such a scene. She stared blankly at him, almost wanting to cover her eyes.
The man’s chest was partially exposed, his skin a healthy wheat tone. And yes, she hadn’t been mistaken—Director Lu’s physique was indeed impressive, complete with defined chest and abs…
Regaining his composure, Lu Zhixing said: “Wait a moment.”
The door closed briefly.
He quickly changed into a T-shirt and casual pants.
Outside, Tang Dingding: “….”
Her face flushed slightly, feeling a bit awkward. After hesitating for half a minute, she thought it might be better to leave.
She had just turned to walk away when…
Behind her, the man’s lazy, amused voice called out: “Not here to see me?”
Summoning her courage, Tang Dingding turned around. Lu Zhixing was now dressed in black casual wear, leaning casually against the doorframe. His gaze was warm as he looked at her. Aside from his damp, shiny hair, there was no trace of awkwardness.
Since Director Lu didn’t seem embarrassed, overthinking on her part would just come off as pretentious.
Taking a deep breath, she walked back.
Lu Zhixing glanced at the assortment of candies in her hands, suddenly feeling a headache coming on. The bribery had arrived sooner than expected. His lips curved faintly: “You brought me candy?”
“Mm…”
Tang Dingding still felt a bit shy. Her soft, sugary voice explained: “Nougat is famous here in Xiamen. I bought a bunch of flavors for you to try. There’s also mint candy.”
He had casually mentioned two types earlier, and she had bought both.
Not knowing his preferences, she had purchased a variety of flavors since the shop had a wide selection. She, Tang Xin, and Linlin had bought plenty to bring back.
Lu Zhixing pinched the bridge of his nose, then opened the door wider. With a hint of resignation, he accepted the candies from her hands: “Thank you.”
He didn’t actually have much of a sweet tooth—earlier, he had just been trying to comfort her.
Tang Dingding smiled brightly: “You’re welcome. If you like them, I’ll bring you more next time.”
Lu Zhixing: “….”
Just as he was about to reply, the door across from them opened.
Old Feng walked out and saw them: “Hey, why are you two standing at the door?”
Tang Dingding felt a bit awkward upon seeing Old Feng: “Do you have something to discuss? If so, then I…”
Old Feng said: “Yeah, do you have something to talk about? If so, I can…”
He meant to say he’d come back later.
But Tang Dingding spoke first: “Then you guys talk first. I’ll head back. Goodnight!”
She lived just two doors down, so it was a quick trip.
After they left, Lu Zhixing placed the bags of candy on the table. Old Feng followed him in, glanced at the candies, and chuckled: “What’s this? Did Dingding bring you candy?”
Lu Zhixing leaned against the sofa by the window, half-amused and half-resigned: “The girl is simple and easy to fool. After a few comforting words, she actually thought buying me candy would bribe me into being gentler with her during NGs.”
Old Feng burst out laughing: “You’re also to blame. It’s her first time acting, and she’s a young lady who brought a hundred million yuan investment to the set. You could’ve been a little more considerate instead of giving her such a hard time in front of everyone today. Really…”
“Equal treatment for all.”
“I’m telling you, don’t be so serious in the future. When has she ever been scolded like that? If it were another director, they’d probably treat her like royalty, ensuring smooth sailing for their next movie funding.”
Lu Zhixing snorted: “Am I the type to take advantage of soft favors?”
Old Feng waved him off lazily: “Fine, fine, fine. You’re the toughest one here.”
Lu Zhixing smirked: “Indeed, tougher than you.”
Old Feng: “….”
________________________________________
A few days later, after finishing her concentrated scenes, Lu Zhuning left the set.
The next day, Tang Dingding arrived at the set early, looking refreshed. When Lu Zhixing saw her, he casually pulled her aside to go over the upcoming scenes. After finishing, he looked at her: “You seem to be in a good mood today. I wanted to ask earlier—did you feel pressured while filming with Lu Zhuning?”
If she continued to fear being overshadowed by seasoned actors, it wouldn’t bode well for her future performances. Such anxiety could easily break her confidence.
Tang Dingding hadn’t expected him to notice, but after some thought, she decided to tell the truth: “As you know, she was my brother’s ex-girlfriend. I even retweeted her criticism online—it was pretty embarrassing…”
Lu Zhixing: “….”
He hadn’t expected it to be because of that.
Tang Dingding smiled again: “Director, did you finish the candy?”
Linlin had also enjoyed the treats. Out of the several bags of nougat, Tang Dingding had only eaten a few pieces, leaving the rest for Linlin.
Lu Zhixing didn’t mention that he had only eaten a couple himself. He smiled faintly: “Still some left.”
A few days later, Tang Dingding estimated he must have finished them and brought another batch.
Two months passed, and Lu Zhixing’s wardrobe was now piled high with over a dozen boxes of nougat. Tang Dingding had been delivering them roughly every ten days. Looking at the mountain of sweets, he felt a headache coming on. If he ate all these, a man in his early thirties might need to visit the dentist.
One day, his assistant discovered the stash of candy in his wardrobe and was shocked: “Director Lu, why did you buy so much candy?”
Aside from Old Feng, no one knew that Tang Dingding had been bringing the candy. Their production team rarely made headlines, and if there were any rumors, they usually revolved around Tang Xin and investor Tang Yu. Paparazzi rarely bothered them.
Lu Zhixing casually dismissed the question: “I bought them. Stop asking so many questions. Want some or not?”
Assistant: “Yes, yes, yes!”
________________________________________
A few days later, Tang Dingding, calculating the timing, once again arrived with a fresh batch of candy to bribe the director.
Lu Zhixing stood at the door, gazing at the delicate, lovely girl in front of him. He lowered his head, rubbing his temples, and sighed helplessly. Looking up to meet her clear eyes, he smiled gently: “Dingding, can we make a deal? Hmm?”
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