CHAPTER 43

Tang Ruoyao emerged from the building, dragging her suitcase. Xin Qian had been waiting by the car, looking around anxiously. As soon as they locked eyes, she hurriedly rushed forward, extending her hand. "Come on, give me the suitcase quickly."

Tang Ruoyao smiled and handed it over without hesitation.

Ever since Tang Ruoyao changed her manager, Xin Qian, as her assistant, had also become more proactive. It seemed like she was eager to embark on a great venture with Tang Ruoyao.

Just as Tang Ruoyao was about to get into the car, a head popped out from inside and politely greeted her, "Miss Tang."

Tang Ruoyao was slightly stunned, but upon closer inspection, it was Mu Qingwu's assistant.

Mu Qingwu's assistant smiled lightly and said, "Mu Jie asked me to accompany you to the set."

Tang Ruoyao: "..."

Well, if Mu Qingwu was so worried about her, then fine.

The background setting of "Under the Southern Mountain" was in the era of the Republic of China. Tang Ruoyao played the role of He Peilan, a female student in a famous school who later joined the revolution. After liberation, she became a teacher in a place called Nanshan. The story used a retrospective technique, with He Peilan as the narrator, to depict the fate of her classmates and friends, showcasing the torrents of the era and the changes that took place.

In terms of film genre, it falls into the category of art films, but it can also be seen as a semi-commercial film. In recent years, films with similar themes have had better box office responses compared to other art films. Films that pursue art while also enhancing fame are hard to come by. Since the open casting call, there have been countless auditionees, including many well-established seniors in the industry.

Previously, it was unclear whether the production team wanted to generate early hype or if others took the opportunity to spread rumors. Tang Ruoyao heard a small piece of gossip that Qin Yinong would be playing the female lead in "Under the Southern Mountain." Although Qin Yinong was entangled in scandals, her films have a large audience, and simply having her name in the leading role would generate discussions. At that time, Tang Ruoyao was preparing for the audition for the female lead, so she asked Qin Yinong about the rumors. Qin Yinong clearly and straightforwardly told her that it was not true. With a calm and confident tone, accompanied by a casual laugh, she said, "If I really took the role, would you still have a chance?"

Tang Ruoyao's cheeks grew warm, and she awkwardly responded, "Sister."

Qin Yinong chuckled over the phone. "Alright, work hard and may the audition go smoothly."

Qin Yinong's involvement was just a rumor, but at that moment, Tang Ruoyao wished it were true with all her heart. Setting aside their relationship, who wouldn't want the opportunity to act alongside a top-tier actress like Qin Yinong? Even if it meant playing a supporting role, Tang Ruoyao would willingly embrace it.

Even though she had won an award for Best Actress, the distance between her and Qin Yinong was still too far. Perhaps, after a long time, when she had carved out her own place in the industry, she would have a real chance to stand alongside her.

Unknowingly, the car arrived at the film set. Tang Ruoyao quickly pulled her thoughts back, lowering and then lifting her eyelids, displaying her usual cold demeanor.

The three of them got out of the car one after another. The person who came to greet them was a slightly chubby middle-aged man. Upon seeing them, he warmly approached with a smile on his face and said, "Little Tang, Miss Tang." He introduced himself as Mr. Li, the assistant director of the production team.

A film production usually has only one director, but there are often several assistant directors, categorized into two main types: on-set assistant directors and casting assistant directors. Tang Ruoyao had met the casting assistant director before, but this one seemed unfamiliar.

Tang Ruoyao politely smiled and nodded, saying, "Hello." without being arrogant or overly enthusiastic.

Mr. Li had heard about her personality and didn't forcefully try to get closer. He directly led her into the film set, talking along the way, mentioning who had already arrived and who hadn't, mentioning that some would be two days late.

Tang Ruoyao remembered the people that Mu Qingwu had warned her to be cautious about and mentally went through the list. She realized that only one of them, who liked to stir up controversies, had come. She breathed a sigh of relief.

As she subconsciously relaxed, a sense of amusement surged within her. She had never been afraid of these things to begin with. Mu Qingwu had been protecting her like a newly hatched chick for a whole week, and she almost started to see herself as a little white rabbit.

Tang Ruoyao first went to meet the director, Lin Guoan. Lin Guoan's appearance matched his name—he had a square-shaped face, thick eyebrows, and big eyes, exuding a sense of reliability. Lin Guoan was engrossed in conversation with the producer, Yin Huan, and didn't notice Tang Ruoyao's arrival. Yin Huan was the first to see her and waved her hand with a smile, greeting her, "Ruoyao!"

Naturally, Tang Ruoyao was brought into the conversation.

The three of them exchanged pleasantries, and Yin Huan clapped his hands and laughed, saying, "Since Ruoyao is here, let me treat you both to lunch?"

Lin Guoan had a square face that didn't seem easy to get along with, but his temperament was quite mild, with a somewhat old-fashioned intellectual style. He smiled and said, "The lady has the final say."

Tang Ruoyao smiled and said, "I humbly accept."

There was still some time before noon, so Tang Ruoyao chatted with the two of them for a while before finding the assistant director, Mr. Li, from earlier and asked him to take her to the filming location to get a feel for it. In preparation for the audition and joining the crew, Tang Ruoyao had read a lot of written records and watched video materials about the Republican era, including but not limited to autobiographies, memoirs, and literary

An actor's understanding of a character, immersing themselves in the character's inner world, and embodying the character by starting from the character's perspective, portraying what the character is like—this is certainly a dedicated and serious performance. However, the highest level of acting is authenticity, completely merging oneself with the character, pursuing the subconscious, genuine reactions in the performance, reaching a state where "I am the character, and the character is me."

This was the method taught to her by Qin Yinong, and Tang Ruoyao had been diligently practicing it, benefiting greatly from it.

"I'll explore on my own, you're busy." Tang Ruoyao politely declined the assistant director Li's offer to accompany her. Then she asked Xin Qian and Mu Qingwu's assistant to stay where they were, and she walked alone in the building filled with the atmosphere of the Republican era. Her palm gently caressed the wooden pillars of the corridor, feeling the texture of the wood beneath her fingertips. With serene eyes, she took a step and entered another world.

The eager students seeking knowledge in the academy and the turbulent times outside the academy, separated by decades, came back to life before her and approached her.

......

"Director Lin," Xin Qian saw Lin Guo'an walking straight towards them and respectfully greeted him.

Lin Guoan looked around and asked, "Where is Ruoyao?"

Xin Qian pointed to the white wall with black tiles behind her and said, "She's inside. Shall I go and call her for you?"

Lin Guoan waved his hand and said, "I'll go myself." He suddenly remembered a question from the script and wanted to ask Tang Ruoyao about her understanding of it, not wanting to waste time going back and forth.

Xin Qian blinked and said, "Let me go with you."

Lin Guoan didn't think too much about it and simply nodded, walking hurriedly.

Xin Qian sent a message to Tang Ruoyao, but there was no reply. Xin Qian sighed inwardly, thinking that she was probably completely absorbed in the filming environment again. Fortunately, the academy wasn't big, and the view was wide. Lin Guoan had even better luck. He stopped a staff member on the side of the road and inquired about Tang Ruoyao's specific location.

She was in a classroom. The classroom setting was temporary, with a professor's roll book placed on the lectern. Opening it, every page was filled with neatly written ink characters. Tang Ruoyao found the name of the female protagonist she portrayed, He Peilan, and couldn't help but silently praise the attention to detail by the production team.

She gently closed the book and accidentally met the gaze of a female staff member nearby. Tang Ruoyao tugged at her ear and smiled.

Tang Ruoyao was wearing a vintage-inspired stone blue long dress today, with a ruffled hem embroidered with matching silk thread. Her slender shoulders and waist, along with her fair arms, rested on the desk with grace and elegance. As she looked up, her gaze was gentle yet firm, giving the staff member a momentary feeling of transcending time, as if standing before them was a young student living in that era.

The staff member stood still, completely entranced, until Tang Ruoyao lowered her head to look at one of the Chinese textbooks on the desk, which snapped her back to reality, her ears burning hot.

This was bad.

She wasn't even a fan of Tang Ruoyao, yet she couldn't take her eyes off her.

When Lin Guoan entered, Tang Ruoyao was sitting at a desk, holding a vintage Parker fountain pen, sitting upright with focused concentration, meticulously writing each stroke.

Lin Guoan interrupted whatever Xin Qian was about to say and quietly watched for a while at the doorway before smiling and saying, "Ruoyao."

Tang Ruoyao's pen paused, and she turned her head, saying, "Director Lin."

She stood up as if to walk over, but Lin Guo'an raised his right hand, gesturing for her to stay in her seat, and walked over himself. He lowered his head to look at the papers on the desk and pursed his lips slightly, saying, "I hope you don't mind?"

Tang Ruoyao shook her head and smiled. "Please go ahead."

Lin Guoan took the topmost paper and held it in his hands, reading it quietly. "The greatest weakness of the youth is that they take things too lightly, and the result is either relying on luck or retreat. Because in most cases, when starting something, it's easy to distinguish who is outstanding..."

Tang Ruoyao had filled a whole sheet of paper with her writing, bold and vigorous strokes that pierced through the paper.

Lin Guoan said, "The youth nowadays should strive to change this weakness... Hmm, what's the rest? It's not very clear."

Tang Ruoyao responded effortlessly, "In dealing with matters, one should be cautious and decisive, with swift decision-making. Hold firm to one's aspirations, have keen observations, and then there will be no such thing as luck or retreat. Only through countless setbacks can we achieve our ultimate goals."

Lin Guoan set the paper down and looked at her with a significant expression. "What is this?"

Tang Ruoyao replied, "It's an excerpt from Zhang Taiyan's speech titled 'The Weakness of the Youth Today.'"

Lin Guoan stared at her intently for a moment, then burst into laughter.

In the past, Lin Guoan had heard colleagues say that Tang Ruoyao was the most outstanding among the new actors of this generation, but he had never really believed it. As an experienced director, he tended to be somewhat stuck in the past, cynical about the world, and found the entertainment industry to be filled with mediocrity. The few newcomers who could be spoken highly of were merely the best among the mediocre, forced to compromise due to market demands and the current entertainment environment.

During the audition, Tang Ruoyao did impress him, but as a director who had been in the industry for decades, he had seen countless performances that caught his eye, but not enough to truly impress him. It was not until today, with the solid and steady dedication that was rarely seen in young actors, that he had to pay extra attention to Tang Ruoyao.

"Why did you choose to memorize these lines?" Lin Guoan forgot his initial intention of discussing the script with her and asked with a smile.

"Such a famous speech, He Peilan should have a deep impression of it." Tang Ruoyao replied with a slight smile.

"She herself might not be able to recite it word for word." Lin Guoan humorously remarked. He guessed that Tang Ruoyao must have memorized more than just this piece; she had several sheets of paper filled with writing in front of her.

"That can only mean that my memory is slightly better than hers." Tang Ruoyao replied jokingly.

"Ah," Lin Guoan sighed suddenly, unable to hold back his amusement. "You remind me of someone."

"Who?" Tang Ruoyao asked.

"Another exceptional actress." Lin Guo'an casually mentioned without elaborating further. Yet, those few words made Tang Ruoyao's heart skip a beat. Could the person Lin Guoan mentioned be Qin Yinong?

Lin Guo'an asked a few more questions but quickly returned to the main topic. "There's a part in the script that I want to change, right here. Take a look..." He took out his phone, opened the script image from the previous shoot, and zoomed in with two fingers.

Tang Ruoyao reeled back her wandering thoughts and focused on listening.

During lunch, it was only Tang Ruoyao, Lin Guoan, and Yin Huan. Yin Huan brought up the incident when she and Ji Yunyao went to Star Media together, even pulling Lin Guoan into the conversation, expressing gratitude that Tang Ruoyao had been brought back. Otherwise, it would have been a huge loss for the production team.

Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but sense that Yin Huan was discreetly trying to inquire about her relationship with Ji Yunyao from the sidelines. She responded vaguely, not minding if Yin Huan's misunderstanding deepened.

Ji Yunyao's affiliation with the Ji family carried significant weight, and it was personally delivered to Tang Ruoyao by Qin Yinong herself. However, she pretended to be indifferent about it.

Upon hearing Tang Ruoyao's brief response, Yin Huan's eyes flickered for a moment. She raised her glass and smiled, "Ruoyao, I'll finish this drink for you. Feel free."

"I'll toast you as well." Tang Ruoyao graciously raised her glass and finished it in one gulp.

Yin Huan praised her for her strong drinking capacity but didn't dare to push her further. They stopped at that point.

Tang Ruoyao secretly observed Lin Guoan. Compared to Yin Huan's subtle and clever flattery, Lin Guo'an seemed more indifferent. The only time his eyes lit up slightly was when discussing the film; otherwise, he lacked enthusiasm. It was no wonder that among the directors of the same generation, only Lin Guo'an had fallen to the point of working for a talent agency. Not every director could become a competent businessman, adept at navigating through various relationships and social situations.

Tang Ruoyao had a clear understanding. She had a different attitude towards business people and had her own approach when dealing with talented individuals.

"Director Lin," Tang Ruoyao said, "there are a few scenes in the script that I'm uncertain about. Can we discuss them when you're available?"

Lin Guoan took a bite of his food and smiled slowly. "Of course, I'm always available. The screenwriter is also on set, so we can have a small script discussion session. Don't be too anxious, we'll make adjustments based on the on-set reactions once filming officially begins."

Lin Guoan was quite impressed by Tang Ruoyao's serious and pragmatic attitude that morning.

"I'll rely on Director Lin's guidance then." Tang Ruoyao's face blossomed into a gentle smile as she softly said, "To be honest, when I found out that I was confirmed for the lead role, I was so excited that I couldn't sleep all night. I almost went downstairs for a run."

Her statement was clearly meant to flatter, but Lin Guoan couldn't help but ask, "Why is that?"

"Because I get to work with Director Lin," Tang Ruoyao casually brushed aside a strand of hair near her ear, revealing a delicate long earring. As expected, she smiled and said, "I've admired Director Lin for a long time. As an actress, who wouldn't want to meet a good director and achieve mutual success?"

The phrase "mutual success" struck a chord with Lin Guoan, and he smiled, saying, "As a director, I also hope to encounter talented actors."

Tang Ruoyao observed his well-arched eyebrows and raised her glass at the opportune moment. "Here's to wishing 'Under the Southern Mountain' every success."

Lin Guo'an laughed heartily and replied, "Cheers."

Yin Huan poured herself a drink and joined in with a beaming smile, "Let's all drink to that."

......

Tang Ruoyao refused Xin Qian's support, shaking her head and saying, "I'm fine."

Her alcohol tolerance was decent, and she didn't drink too much this time. She controlled herself within limits. However, her face flushed a bit in a short period of time, adding a touch of vibrant crimson to her normally cool expression. Even her lips appeared more luscious than usual.

Xin Qian watched as Tang Ruoyao got into the car without assistance and then bent down to close the door.

Mu Qingwu's assistant handed over a bottle of mineral water. Tang Ruoyao thanked her and took it, saying, "I'll be heading back to the hotel in the afternoon. Are you going to rest at the hotel for a while or go meet Sister Mu?"

It was scorching hot, and it hadn't been easy following her around for most of the day.

Xin Qian replied, "If you want to rest, you can temporarily stay in my room."

After thinking it over, Mu Qingwu's assistant said, "Let me consult with Boss Mu."

Tang Ruoyao nodded in agreement.

After the assistant consulted with Mu Qingwu, they got out of the car at the hotel entrance and hailed a taxi. They then turned around and headed to the airport.

Xin Qian sighed and said, "Sister Mu really squeezes every ounce out of people. As soon as this is over, they have to fly over there."

"She's busy, you know." Tang Ruoyao patted Xin Qian's shoulder and reassured her, "Don't worry, you won't have a day like that."

Xin Qian watched as the taxi drove into the distance and muttered, "Having a day like that wouldn't be bad either. It would make me appear more elite, instead of being idle all day." After she finished speaking, there was no response from anyone nearby. When she turned her head, she realized Tang Ruoyao had already walked far away.

"Tang Tang!" Xin Qian stomped her foot in frustration and chased after her.

Tang Ruoyao quickened her pace and started jogging. Due to the alcohol she had consumed, her reactions were slightly delayed. She ended up getting blocked at the elevator entrance. Tang Ruoyao was just a recent graduate, and things had been going well for her lately, so she was in a good mood and playfully teased Xin Qian for a while. Finally, she cheerfully entered the room assigned to her by the production team.

The production team was generous and booked a suite. Tang Ruoyao slept in the master bedroom while Xin Qian stayed in the room opposite. What she didn't know was that her accommodation arrangement had been personally arranged by Yin Huan.

In any case, Tang Ruoyao entered the production team like this, and for the next few days, she mostly stayed on set. She either discussed details with the screenwriter and director, or wandered around the set alone, trying to get a feel for the environment. As the start of filming approached, other supporting actors gradually arrived on set. Tang Ruoyao met them one by one, except for one person. Mu Qingwu had mentioned a young male actor who was said to have a penchant for group splits, but he only arrived on the day of the shoot.

The male actor's name was You Mingxuan. He had a handsome and refined appearance, with rosy lips and white teeth. He was even more good-looking than many of the female actors on set, causing several female staff members to blush and crane their necks to get a better look.

"Sorry, Director, I'm late." You Mingxuan clasped his hands together, bowed slightly, and smiled, revealing his snow-white teeth. He had a sunny and handsome demeanor, causing the surrounding girls to cover their faces and squeal in low voices, their necks turning red.

Tang Ruoyao noticed Lin Guoan furrow his brow subconsciously when he caught sight of You Mingxuan. However, he let the assistant director come over and assign him his role, choosing to turn a blind eye to it.

Looks could be deceiving, and based on appearance alone, Tang Ruoyao couldn't tell that this person had a chaotic personal life.

Narrowing her eyes, Tang Ruoyao turned to a fellow actress whom she had recently gotten acquainted with, Xiao A, and asked, "Who is he?" Of course, Xiao A was someone outside of Mu Qingwu's reminder list and played Tang Ruoyao's classmate in the movie.

Xiao A exclaimed in surprise, "You don't know him?"

Tang Ruoyao shook her head in confusion, "I don't know him, but he looks a bit familiar."

Xiao A glanced in You Mingxuan's direction and whispered, "He's a popular rising star now, with countless female fans. How could you not know him?!"

Tang Ruoyao looked at the group of mesmerized young girls and thought she had figured it out.

Before Tang Ruoyao could reply, Xiao A spontaneously came up with a reason for her, saying, "Well, it's understandable since you're always busy with filming."

Tang Ruoyao could only mumble in response.

She made up her mind to keep her distance from You Mingxuan. Regardless of Mu Qingwu's reminder, his careless attitude had already rubbed her the wrong way. Just as the crew urged her to get ready to go on stage, Tang Ruoyao adjusted her clothes and hair and calmly stepped up.

You Mingxuan wasn't a main actor, and if his scenes weren't concentrated in the early stages, he wouldn't have appeared at the start of filming. At this moment, he was surrounded by three assistants, sitting on the chair prepared by the production team, idly looking around under the shade.

Considering the presence of the media, You Mingxuan didn't cross his legs and maintained his idol-like awareness, wearing a flawless and perfect smile on his face.

His wandering gaze locked onto the graceful figure on the stage, and a playful curve formed at the corner of his lips.

After the speeches of the main crew members concluded, with the media as witnesses, everyone burned incense and paid respects, and finally, a large group photo was taken. Tang Ruoyao stood still in her place when someone accidentally bumped into her. Then, a broad and warm hand steadied her back, and a young man's soothing and pleasant voice sounded, "Are you okay?"

Tang Ruoyao quickly avoided the collision and stood firm, saying coldly, "I'm fine, thank you."

Her gaze briefly swept across You Mingxuan's handsome face, towering over her, without lingering for even half a second, and she walked away directly.

You Mingxuan hooked the corner of his lips and chuckled to himself.

One of his assistants, who had been ordered to bump into Tang Ruoyao, remained unfazed and lowered his eyes, reminding him, "Xiao You, it's time for the group photo."

You Mingxuan casually put his hand in his pocket and smiled, saying, "Coming."

Tang Ruoyao pursed her lips slightly and stared at the man's back. The corner of her lips lifted coldly for a moment before her eyes half-lowered, revealing a dark and inscrutable expression.

After the photo was taken.

You Mingxuan looked around for Tang Ruoyao, and finally spotted her next to Lin Guoan. He inwardly sighed with regret but withdrew the steps he had already taken forward.

As the film started, in the makeup photo, Tang Ruoyao had cut her hair to shoulder-length. Some of her black hair casually fell behind her ears, revealing her crystal-clear and white earlobes. She wore a sky-blue cheongsam, holding two books in her arms. The cold and distant aura on her body had completely receded. With bright eyes, white teeth, and a smile on her slightly lowered head, she looked like a graceful lotus reflecting in the water, exuding charm.

This photo was later posted on the official Weibo account by the publicity personnel of "Under the Southern Mountain" and immediately sparked a round of reposts.

Some observant individuals have calculated that out of ten times Tang Ruoyao trended, eight times were due to her appearance. Her looks and temperament are unique in the entertainment industry, especially among the new generation of actresses whose appearances are becoming increasingly indistinguishable. She stands out from the crowd and naturally receives more and more attention.

[What does it mean to have both beauty and talent? This is it! I can't handle it! Ahhh, my sister is amazing!] (10,239 likes)

Qin Yinong remained calm and casually liked that comment using Guan Han's Weibo account, then tossed the tablet back.

Guan Han looked at the small red dot of the liked comment in the center of the tablet, pretended nothing had happened, and returned to the main interface.

The scenery outside the window rushed backward, and the surroundings became increasingly desolate as they headed towards a secluded film set. Guan Han reported to Qin Yinong, "We have another twenty minutes to go."

Qin Yinong nodded expressionlessly, closed her eyes to rest, and there was a faint hint of lingering melancholy between her brows that she couldn't shake off.

Guan Han remained silent because her life was more important.

Qin Yinong wanted to arrange a meeting with Lin Guoan for a film collaboration. Initially, she had mentioned wanting to meet him alone, but it seemed like fate was playing tricks on her. Lin Guoan, the diligent old man, claimed that he had a tight shooting schedule and couldn't spare any time. Instead, he suggested that she come to the film set, and they could have dinner together while chatting. Qin Yinong had a relationship with Lin Guoan, and since the director himself said so, she didn't want to push him further. Thus, she agreed.

She was still feeling frustrated about it.

In Guan Han's opinion, once she saw Tang Ruoyao, she would forget about the current troubles. Just now, she was only looking at a makeup photo and almost laughed her eyes out.

If Qin Yinong really didn't want to go to the film set, she could have simply waited for Lin Guoan to finish work and arrange to meet in a hotel private room. The reason she didn't suggest that might be a subconscious choice to go with the flow.

On the set of "Under the Southern Mountain."

"Hey, have you heard?" Xiao A approached in a mysterious manner. "A big shot is coming to our set tonight. It seems like they want to have a discussion with Director Lin about a new film."

Tang Ruoyao flipped through the script in her hand, showing little interest as she absentmindedly said, "Is it a producer or an investor?"

Xiao A replied, "That I don't know. I just heard it from You Mingxuan." She casually leaned back, tilting her face to the side, and unexpectedly met You Mingxuan's gaze. She suddenly exclaimed, "Ruoyao, does You Mingxuan like you? I've noticed him looking at you a lot lately."

"I don't know." Tang Ruoyao's expression froze, a hint of disgust flickering in her eyes as she responded coldly.

In a hushed voice, Xiao A said, "I don't know why, but I always feel like he has ulterior motives."

Tang Ruoyao finally glanced at her, saying indifferently, "It's always good to be cautious."

Xiao A nodded and earnestly replied, "Anyway, I'm here to focus on my acting. I'm not here to find love on the set."

At the end of the evening's work, Tang Ruoyao bid farewell to Lin Guo'an and prepared to take a car back to the hotel. However, Lin Guo'an suddenly spoke up, calling her name, "Ruoyao."

Tang Ruoyao turned around.

After a moment of hesitation, Lin Guoan said, "It's nothing."

Tang Ruoyao was puzzled but didn't ask further and walked away.

Unexpectedly, as Tang Ruoyao turned back, You Mingxuan seized the opportunity and blocked her path. He was accompanied by three other actors, two females and one male. You Mingxuan, with a charming smile on his handsome face, politely invited, "A few of us are going to have dinner. Care to join us?"

Tang Ruoyao subtly furrowed her brows and politely declined, "I'm on a diet tonight, so I wouldn't want to spoil your fun."

You Mingxuan exchanged a glance with one of the female actors beside him.

"We can do something else besides eating." the female actor approached affectionately, hugging Tang Ruoyao's arm. "We've been on set for so long, and we haven't had a meal together."

"We had a meal on the first day of filming, didn't we?" Tang Ruoyao glanced at the person while simultaneously freeing her arm from the other's grip. She wasn't accustomed to being so close to people.

The female actor was taken aback by her response and awkwardly smiled, "That was a long time ago."

"It hasn't even been a month." Tang Ruoyao retorted without giving face, nodding slightly to maintain courtesy. "Excuse me."

She moved past them, but suddenly, a human wall appeared in front of her, emanating heat. Tang Ruoyao quickly took two steps back, narrowly avoiding bumping into You Mingxuan's chest.

Tang Ruoyao took a gentle breath, her calm and cold gaze sweeping over everyone, filled with icy determination.

"Sorry." You Mingxuan said apologetically, but there was no genuine remorse on his face. Instead, a faint sense of regret seeped through. The three people beside him gathered around, and the female actor who had been repeatedly silenced by Tang Ruoyao earlier pretended to smile and said, "We really just wanted to invite you for a meal."

Tang Ruoyao looked around. Since they had finished work, most of the staff had dispersed, and there weren't many people watching their interaction. Xin Qian had been instructed to wait for her at the door, but even if she called out to her, Xin Qian wouldn't be able to hear.

However, as long as Tang Ruoyao shouted out in public, these people wouldn't dare to do anything to her. Why did they still insist on cornering her here? Tang Ruoyao thought it must be a form of coercion, assuming she wouldn't shout. You Mingxuan had been trying various ways to get close to her during this period, and she had thwarted every attempt. Soft tactics hadn't worked, so now he intended to combine them with harder ones.

If it were any other actress, perhaps they would have weighed the situation internally. It was just a meal, and there was no need to make such a big scene. They hadn't done anything, at most just "emotional exchanges" between actors. Even if it reached the director's ears, it would be understandable and reasonable. They could just bring an assistant along, and it would still be safe.

When something like this happened once, it could happen again. Tang Ruoyao couldn't help but suspect that this wasn't the first time You Mingxuan had used such methods. She wondered how many people had been victimized by him before, thinking back to the note Mu Qingwu had written for her.

She was determined not to give the other party any opportunity to take advantage.

She was pondering her escape plan when she didn't notice a graceful and elegant figure approaching the entrance of the set, followed closely by the assistant with a perpetually icy expression.

You Mingxuan, however, did notice. The person was wearing large sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat. At first glance, he felt a sense of familiarity and furrowed his brows, but he didn't immediately connect her to the famous Qin Yinong. He withdrew his gaze.

Several people were trying to persuade Tang Ruoyao, but one female actor became annoyed and reached out to grab Tang Ruoyao's wrist. Tang Ruoyao was prepared and swiftly grabbed her wrist joint, pushing her back a few steps.

"How dare you lay your hands on me!"

Tang Ruoyao moved her wrist, sneering, "Is there anything I wouldn't dare?"

The female actor immediately tried to charge forward but was stopped in her tracks by Tang Ruoyao's words, "Has no one ever taught you that before you become someone else's lackey, you should find out who you're messing with?"

With that one sentence, she insulted all four of them, and their expressions turned ugly.

Qin Yinong, who had come to defuse the situation, happened to hear that sentence and couldn't help but curl the corner of her lips.

Under the power of a tiger while pretending to be a fox, she was quite skilled at it and didn't fear offending others because she couldn't make up for the shortfall herself.

Qin Yinong lowered the sunglasses on the bridge of her nose and casually scanned the surroundings. They were all unfamiliar faces, although that devilish-looking young man seemed somewhat familiar, like someone's nephew.

She double-checked and put the sunglasses back on. Hmm, none of them were worth mentioning.

You Mingxuan and the other three exchanged glances, feeling that Tang Ruoyao was just bluffing and itching for a fight. In that moment, a disdainful chuckle reached their ears.

Everyone looked up and saw a stunningly beautiful woman not far away, who was momentarily stunned. The woman took off her sunglasses, revealing an enchanting and alluring face.

Tang Ruoyao recognized the person's appearance and immediately froze in place.

Author's Note:

Sister Qin (with a contented face): My Yao Yao has grown up. She has nine cups of water now. [This is a colloquial expression meaning someone has become more mature and experienced.]

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