CHAPTER 41

Xiang Xiaoyuan didn't get enough sleep last night. After shooting a few scenes the next day, she was looking for a place to rest.

Her own hair wasn't long enough, so she wore a wig in the film, which reached her waist, black and straight, with a small bundle of hair in the middle braided into a thin braid, with a small golden bell tied at the end.

She was wearing a red dress with embroidery on the cuffs and hem, made of good material and quite breathable.

Wearing sunglasses, she found a lounge chair and lay down.

Cai Juan sat down beside her and nudged her with her elbow. "Zou Yirui and Fang Hao's fans are here to visit."

"Yeah, I know." Xiaoyuan pursed her lips.

The crew had several requirements for fans visiting the set: the number of fans couldn't be too many, they had to be well-behaved, not too noisy, and taking photos required the consent of the artist's team and crew members.

"Anyway, it's not like I'll have any fans coming to visit me. The contrast is too stark. What would I go over there for?" Xiaoyuan whispered.

Cai Juan quietly suggested, "Aren't you on good terms with both of them lately? Just find a topic to chat about, and say hi to their fans."

Fang Hao was nice and would probably introduce her to his fans, while Zou Yirui might not, depending on her mood.

Putting herself in their shoes, Xiaoyuan had helped them a lot recently. Doing them this small favor wouldn't hurt, and she could showcase the harmonious atmosphere behind the scenes in front of the fans.

Who doesn't like their idol to have good relationships?

Xiaoyuan pursed her lips, finding this too deliberate.

Cai Juan said, "Here you go again. This is a good opportunity, don't be so proud."

Xiaoyuan replied, "Fang Hao's female fans can be crazy. If they think I'm trying to ride on his popularity, cling to him, won't they tear me apart?"

Cai Juan sighed, acknowledging the possibility.

Xiaoyuan continued, "Zou Yirui might actually try to show that we have a good relationship in front of her fans. There have been rumors that she doesn't get along with female actresses, so I could help clarify that."

Cai Juan asked, "Then why don't you go talk to her?"

Xiaoyuan said, "But I don't want to; I'm not in the mood to please her."

Cai Juan was puzzled, "I thought you were starting to see her in a different light? Trying to be friends with her?"

Xiaoyuan pondered, "Yeah, she's not actually a bad person, and being friends isn't out of the question. But that's exactly why I want it to be more genuine."

Cai Juan responded, "......"

He rubbed his forehead. "Plastic sisterhood is enough, no need to overthink it. After this collaboration, who knows if you'll even meet again."

Xiaoyuan glanced at him through her sunglasses.

Cai Juan looked at her directly, "Maybe she doesn't even want to be friends with you."

Xiaoyuan sat up and lightly kicked him. "I just don't want to go, don't use reverse psychology on me."

Cai Juan raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. If you don't want to go, then don't."

"There was nothing to talk about, so forced conversation is what I hate the most." Xiaoyuan pouted.

"So what do you like then?" Cai Juan retorted a bit irritably.

"If two people don't have anything to talk about, it's nice just to stay quietly together." Xiaoyuan said, resting her chin on her hand.

"Oh?" Cai Juan glanced at her, "Who are you planning to 'stay quietly together' with?"

Xiaoyuan didn't answer that question, instead lowering her head to check her phone, replying to a few WeChat messages before sighing, "Shi Hai isn't here. I wanted to go find him and discuss the plot with him."

Cai Juan asked, "Where did he go?"

"He said he hasn't seen his partner in a long time and missed her," Xiaoyuan read from her phone, "He even said absence makes the heart grow fonder and asked me not to disturb him."

Cai Juan chuckled, "Well, you really can't disturb him then!"

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder?" Xiaoyuan repeated these words, "What does that feel like?"

"It's like the romantic version of 'One day apart feels like three autumns,'" Cai Juan said jokingly.

Xiaoyuan looked confused.

"Hey, what did you and Wei Zhuang do when you met last night?" Cai Juan prodded for gossip.

"We just had dinner." Xiaoyuan replied.

"Just dinner?"

"Yes."

"Was the food good?"

"It was pretty good." Xiaoyuan unconsciously lifted her lips.

When she was young, there were often no meals prepared for her, so she couldn't eat well or enough. Wei Zhuang was the first person, besides Xiang Zhishi, to teach her how to enjoy food.

"How did you manage to lose an earring while having a meal?" Cai Juan was a bit regretful. Although the earring wasn't very valuable, vintage Chanel glass jewelry from the 50s is hard to find now.

Xiaoyuan sheepishly replied, "I don't know where I lost it! Anyway, I only had one left, so it's not a big deal."

Cai Juan glanced at her, "By the way, you seem to have a good impression of her, huh?"

Xiaoyuan nodded involuntarily.

Cai Juan asked again, "And what about her impression of you?"

Xiaoyuan hesitated, "It should be okay, I guess?"

Cai Juan suddenly chuckled, "So, is there a feeling of 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' between you two?"

Thinking of his previous words, Xiaoyuan felt uncomfortable, "No, we're not like that!"

"What do you mean 'not like that'? What kind of person is Wei Zhuang?" Cai Juan had been wanting to ask this for a while.

Xiaoyuan found herself at a loss for words. That woman seemed aloof, everything about her was subtle, but standing there, one could sense a hidden surge in the air.

Rumors outside all said she was mysterious and hard to figure out, skilled in business tactics.

But the Wei Zhuang that Xiaoyuan had interacted with, while mysterious, wasn't that mysterious.

She said, "Eat the parts around the eyes and lips."

She said, "They have spicy dishes here too,  another chef can make them."

She said, "Awake?" giving off a gentle big sister vibe.

"Well then, see you tomorrow night." It seemed like she knew she was trying to make excuses to avoid meeting her, and she saw through it without saying anything. Xiaoyuan felt like she couldn't hide any of her thoughts in front of her.

In fact, she didn't know why Wei Zhuang had signed a contract with her. At that time, she was just eager to get the audition opportunity, ignoring to consider Wei Zhuang's mindset.

She remembered a phrase from long ago, she said, "You've appeared in front of me many times..."

So, was it because they had met too many times that she caught Wei Zhuang's attention?

Was it all... driven by desire?

She had piqued the interest of the Wei siblings, should she feel good about herself? At that moment, a thought suddenly crossed Xiaoyuan's mind, she wasn't willing to get involved with Wei Jiaobao, but what about Wei Zhuang?

Cai Juan waited for her to answer for a long time, but her face visibly reddened instead.

He found it amusing and was about to gossip a bit when the production assistant hurried over, "Teacher Xiang, why are you still here? Your little fan have been waiting for you for half a day!"

Both Cai Juan and Xiaoyuan turned back at the same time, "Whose fan?"

To Xiaoyuan's surprise, there really was a fan waiting for her.

Zou Yirui and Fang Hao were each surrounded by a small group of fans, signing autographs, taking photos, receiving gifts, the scene was harmonious and lively.

Outside of these two small crowds, there was a young girl wearing cat-eye black glasses, petite and standing alone, which made her stand out.

Xiaoyuan's heart raced a couple of beats—she really had a fan.

As she approached, the young girl's eyes lit up when she saw her, exclaiming, "Wow!"

Xiaoyuan blinked. "You're here to see..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the girl enthusiastically nodded, "Little yuanyuan!"

Xiaoyuan froze, "?"

How old are you to call me that?

"Wow!!! You're so tall, so slim, oh my gosh! You're so beautiful! Even more beautiful than in the photos!!! Oh my gosh!!! I want to take a picture!"

Before Xiaoyuan could react, the girl had already taken several photos with a "click click" sound.

She was left speechless: ???

"Ah! Little Yuanyuan, I'm sorry! Am I not supposed to take photos?" After her excitement, the girl seemed a bit anxious. "Then I'll delete them..."

This girl was truly her fan. Xiaoyuan smiled, "It's okay, let me see how you took them."

She leaned over to take a look, although the photos were candid shots, they turned out pretty well. She nodded in satisfaction—no need to delete them.

What she didn't realize was that as she leaned in to check the girl's phone, the girl's eyes widened, and her face turned red.

"What's your name?"

"You can call me Duo miaojiang."

"Duo miaojiang.... Thank you for coming to visit. Are you still studying? Did you specially come over on the weekend?"

"...Oh, I'm not a student anymore, I've been working for several years!" The girl blushed, "I love watching movies and I really like Director He's films. Ever since you acted in 'Xiao Wen,' I've liked you, and also in 'Choice' you acted so well!"

Xiaoyuan smiled, being seen, appreciated, and liked truly felt wonderful.

Duo Miaojiang seemed to blush even more at her smile and continued, "I also watched your web movie 'I Love You!' You're so handsome!"

Xiaoyuan's smile suddenly looked a bit forced, "...Really?"

"And your movie 'Zombie and the Charming Taoist,' I watched that too, it was so interesting!"

Xiaoyuan pursed her lips, feeling a bit embarrassed, she couldn't even remember the name of that series herself.

Duo Miaojiang's eyes sparkled. "Can I have a signature from Little Yuanyuan?"

Xiaoyuan smiled, "Of course." She took the poster to sign it for her, realizing that she probably didn't know she had also acted in a teddy bear show.

Duo Miaojiang pulled out a large bag from her bag and took out a brown teddy bear in a transparent package. "And this is a gift for you. Please accept it!"

Xiaoyuan: "..."

Was this coincidence too much of a coincidence?

Zou Yirui was busy on the side, stealing a glance at Xiaoyuan, feeling a bit pity for her.

Why did she look somewhat pitiful?

Duo Miaojiang got her autograph, took photos, gave gifts, and was already satisfied. She didn't want to take up any more of Xiaoyuan's time, especially with so many fans of other main actors around. Xiaoyuan was alone with her, and she was afraid she might feel too left out in comparison. "Xiaoyuan, fighting, I'm super looking forward to it!"

"I can't wait to see you shine on stage! Go for it!!!"

The girl looked at Xiaoyuan with such focus and enthusiasm that Xiaoyuan was momentarily stunned. She called out to Duo Miaojiang, "Are you going to take a photo with me again?"

Duo Miaojiang left blushing and flustered, while Xiaoyuan stood in place, smiling as she watched her leave.

Zou Yirui stole another glance at her when she had a moment, then hesitated before turning and walking away, rubbing her eyes midway.

Suddenly, Zou Yirui felt an inexplicable heaviness in her heart.

Xiaoyuan kept holding onto the teddy bear, even after removing her makeup. She held onto it the whole time, showing off to Cai Juan, smiling from ear to ear.

Cai Juan, being more experienced, had already checked the toy to make sure it was safe before letting her keep it. Seeing her so happy made him happy too.

He searched for Duo Miaojiang online and was surprised. "Wow, she's a big deal! She specializes in editing videos, and her Weibo followers are several times more than yours!"

Xiaoyuan: "..."

Cai Juan chuckled, but he believed that after the release of "Zui Xiaoyao," Xiaoyuan's fan base would grow even more.

The most important question now was, "Xiaoyuan, how's your performance coming along?"

Not mentioning it was fine, but as soon as it was brought up, Xiaoyuan's smile faltered, "Oh."

She couldn't delay any longer, she had to get on with it next week, even if she wasn't ready.

Cai Juan could tell she was also anxious, and he remembered something else, "By the way, you're meeting Wei Zhuang tonight, right? Don't forget!"

Xiaoyuan: "..."

Oh no.

In the evening, it started to rain in the Xicheng city, growing heavier and continuing into the night. Standing in a tall building, the entire world was shrouded in a misty rain.

Wei Zhuang wore a black well-tailored loose long dress with a white rolled hem at one corner. The top light of the hotel cast a warm hue on her black hair, as she stood by the window, gazing at everything in the rain and mist.

Earlier, after discussing business matters, a senior executive arranged for the others present to relax elsewhere. Several of them were people she often interacted with, so they knew a bit about the usual preferences of these social types. Wei Zhuang typically did not participate in such gatherings, and they were aware, having attempted to invite her several times before without success.

Before leaving, the senior executive jokingly remarked, "President Wei, you really should tell me what you like next time, I can arrange it all."

Wei Zhuang remained noncommittal.

She didn't even know what she liked, so how could she tell others?

She had always been someone with very low desires—not just low desires, but she didn't have many thoughts either.

However, outside of work, she often needed something else to temporarily distract herself. Yet, after so many years, she hadn't found a comfortable way to do so.

Until Xiang Xiaoyuan appeared.

It wasn't just her appearance, it was mainly the vitality she exuded, her curiosity about everything, her pure passion for acting, and perhaps other qualities she had yet to discover.

Xiang Xiaoyuan was like a beam of light wrapped in mist.

There was a certain allure to her.

An attraction that made one want to gaze and reach out to part the mist.

And with Xiang Xiaoyuan repeatedly appearing in her mind and before her, Wei Zhuang found herself thinking for the first time that perhaps there was a hidden fate at play, so she readily accepted the arrangement.

Having lived to this age, she greatly respected the rare perceptions she had.

On her way to the hotel, Xiaoyuan tried to avoid thinking about what it would be like to meet Wei Zhuang by focusing on the parts of the script where she was stuck.

Jiang Xiaoyao had regained his memory and discovered some clues. It turned out that his master, Song Yunshan's father, Song Qingshan, knew his biological father long ago, and they were fellow disciples with a history of discord.

Jiang Xiaoyao decided to return to the sect to clarify the truth behind his parents' murder. He had some suspicions that his master might be involved in the deaths of his biological parents.

This trip was fraught with danger, and he didn't want Ling Yao to follow him or to put her in jeopardy. So, he told Ling Yao that he had regained his memory and was preparing to marry Song Yunshan and would be saying goodbye to her.

This particular scene had been rehearsed multiple times with her co-star Fang Hao, but the director always shook his head. The focus of this scene was on Ling Yao's character. After hearing Fang Hao's words, she simply looked at him, listening quietly without interjecting.

In the script, it was written that tears welled up in her eyes, but she clearly smiled and said, "Brother Jiang, have you truly made up your mind? If you have, then Ling Yao will send you off one last time, and we will part ways and never meet again."

Then she stepped forward to hug Jiang Xiaoyao.

Director Liu Qin often said her performance was lacking, that she didn't analyze the psychology of the second female lead deeply enough. As for how to perform it, she had explained several times, but Xiaoyuan still didn't understand.

With a wave of Director Liu's hand, he said, "You need to understand it yourself. This scene is crucial for the second female lead, the part where the original fans' hearts break. If you perform well, it will greatly benefit Xiaoyuan and attract more fans."

But where was she lacking? Was it in her expressions or in the intensity of the embrace?

She was still at a loss.

The elevator door chimed.

Xiaoyuan woke up and was suddenly pulled back into reality.

She was here to see Wei Zhuang.

Entering the presidential suite of the hotel, she moved slowly, the spacious suite lit up, quiet. Yet she had a strange premonition that Wei Zhuang was inside.

Sure enough, when Xiaoyuan reached the living room, she saw the woman by the floor-to-ceiling window.

It was raining outside, and she was watching the rain.

Looking at her figure, Xiaoyuan recalled the scene in the courtyard before, feeling a bit dazed.

As if in slow motion in a movie, she turned slowly and looked over.

"You're here," she said, in a flat, matter-of-fact tone.

Xiaoyuan suddenly had a strange thought. She wondered what would happen if she didn't come tonight, if she excused herself with another reason. Would her tone change?

Would she be angry?

What would she look like when angry?

Surely, she wouldn't have that indifferent expression, would she?

Xiaoyuan was almost biting her thumb in thought. When she realized, she lowered her hand and called out, "President Wei."

In fact, she was a little averse to being called that. Wei Zhuang wasn't her boss, even though they had signed a contract. In Xiaoyuan's heart, she didn't want to treat everything like a transaction, even though it wasn't one. But what else could she call her if not "President Wei"?

Transaction?

She was momentarily lost in thought.

Wei Zhuang looked at her and walked over. A subtle fragrance wafted through the air.

"What are you thinking about?" Wei Zhuang asked, approaching her, her face becoming clearer.

The rain outside suddenly intensified, as if announcing the arrival of summer, accompanied by distant thunder.

"Such heavy rain..." Xiaoyuan unconsciously murmured, her vision partially blocked by Wei Zhuang's shadow. She lifted her head passively, looking into Wei Zhuang's eyes, with her thick long eyelashes and eyes like a calm lake.

Xiaoyuan looked a bit dazed, and almost simultaneously, she felt a tickling sensation on her neck, causing her to instinctively take a step back.

Following her, Wei Zhuang also stopped.

With a loud rumble, a distant thunderclap startled Xiaoyuan.

"Ah... I was thinking about the script." Xiaoyuan honestly and somewhat disruptively said.

To be honest, up until now, Xiaoyuan hadn't found a precise and suitable way to interact with her, avoiding the subtle atmosphere after their awkward chat in the car. She could only talk about her own matters.

At least it was the truth, she had indeed been troubled by the script lately.

"I can't seem to figure out a certain plot." she tentatively said. If this topic could be opened up, it could pass quite some time, otherwise the long night would be endless...

Her heart raced slightly, as if her neck was itching again.

Wei Zhuang moved back slightly to grab a transparent water cup from the table. The table was filled with various snacks, fruits, and treats.

Wei Zhuang pointed at the food, as if signaling her to eat while she spoke. She took a sip of water and settled onto the sofa.

Xiaoyuan picked up a strawberry, sat on the armrest of another sofa, and crossed her slender legs.

Wei Zhuang didn't reject the topic, instead, she was waiting for Xiaoyuan to speak. Indeed, the film and television business of Tonghua was developed by her. Standing in front of her was a true industry tycoon. If she could provide some guidance, Xiaoyuan might be able to figure things out.

Xiaoyuan turned the strawberry over in her hands and briefly described the script, mentioning the parts she didn't understand, including the director's intentions.

She tried to keep her words concise to avoid boring Wei Zhuang and felt a little more relaxed by the time she finished, casually biting into the strawberry.

After eating the strawberry, she looked up at Wei Zhuang.

Wei Zhuang leaned back on the sofa, her gaze serene, meeting Xiaoyuan's eyes.

Xiaoyuan hesitated for a moment. "You..."

Wei Zhuang looked at her and said, "Romantic scenes require cooperation from both sides. If you're only relying on your own thoughts, it will be quite difficult."

Xiaoyuan responded with a thoughtful "Hmm."

Fang Hao could only rely on her to bring the scene to life. If she needed someone else to drive her, Fang Hao wouldn't be able to help.

From the audience's perspective, their chemistry relied solely on her acting skills. If she couldn't get into character, the scene would fall apart.

So, no one else could help her. The seniors in the crew couldn't guide her like He Chen used to.

Xiaoyuan lowered her head, feeling a bit deflated.

Another reason for her discouragement was that she suspected she had the weakest background among the main trio. Director Liu Qin seemed to be placing her dissatisfaction with the male and female lead, as well as the pressure on the script, all on her. If she didn't step up, Xiaoyuan would have to carry the scene herself.

Her dejected appearance looked quite pitiful, her head drooping like a child who couldn't find their favorite toy, a mix of sadness and unwillingness as she stared at the carpet.

The rain outside hadn't stopped, gradually lessening in intensity, a gentle patter in the background.

Wei Zhuang silently watched her, a hint of a smile flickering in her eyes.

Her lips moved slightly, just about to say something when the girl in front of her raised her head and asked, "Do you think it would help if I rehearsed that scene with someone else?"

Wei Zhuang nodded, "It's worth a try."

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Xiaoyuan's bright eyes suddenly fill with light. Her lashes fluttered, as if gentle ripples were forming.

Xiaoyuan walked over slowly, her slender waist swaying in her jeans, captivating, stopping in front of her, pausing for a moment, cheeks flushed like peach blossoms, biting her lip and slowly saying, "Then can you stand up?"

Her soft, delicate voice, tinged with nervousness, seemed to draw a quivering line through the air.

Wei Zhuang was momentarily taken aback, caught off guard by the sudden request.

BACK | TABLE OF CONTENTS | NEXT