CHAPTER 113

Wei Zhuang hadn't expected Xiaoyuan's request to be asking whether she missed her. A complex yet fleeting emotion flashed through her eyes as she remained silent.

Xiaoyuan bit her lip, her cheeks slightly flushed, but her gaze remained fixed on her.

Silence stretched between them, both on and off screen, for several seconds.

Suddenly, Wei Zhuang lowered her eyelids. Even through the iPad screen, Xiaoyuan could see the shadows cast by her long lashes on her jade-white skin, as if guarding her inexpressible emotions.

'Forget it, maybe I should change the subject.'

Xiaoyuan was somewhat disappointed, but her heart softened even more.

Just as she was about to say something, Wei Zhuang's low, magnetic voice reached her first through the air between them. "Yes."

Xiaoyuan was completely unprepared for the impact of that answer. Her face instantly burned, and she hastily grabbed the blanket to cover herself.

The soft fabric muffled her scream as her heart threatened to leap out of her throat.

The woman on the screen saw everything. A faint smile touched her deep, star-like eyes. She watched as the blanket on the bed slowly peeled back. After the dark hair was pushed aside, Xiaoyuan's bright features were revealed, her cheeks flushed, and her vibrant, soft eyes darted towards Wei Zhuang.

The unique charm she exuded, caught between girlhood and womanhood, was utterly captivating.

Wei Zhuang's gaze lingered for a second or two. When their eyes truly met, she instinctively looked away slightly.

For several moments, neither of them spoke.

Xiaoyuan's face was pressed against the blanket. From this angle, Wei Zhuang's loungewear revealed only a sliver of skin, exuding an intense air of restraint.

Her throat itched with the sudden urge to bite at that collar, to mark her neck...

Xiaoyuan's face grew even more flushed from this impulsive thought. Biting her lip, she finally broke the ambiguous silence with a soft complaint, "Why are you so busy?"

'Wait, I can't blame Wei Zhuang for this, when I get busy, I'm also working non-stop.'

"I really want to see you..." she murmured, half-burying her face in the blanket again, her lashes fluttering.

'I want to kiss you, to be int!mate with you even more.'

This last part she didn't dare voice aloud, leaving it to her eyes alone to convey.

"..." Wei Zhuang's gaze flickered, as if she wanted to say something but restrained herself.

"Okay." Xiaoyuan scratched her flushed cheek, realizing she should rein herself in—otherwise she might not sleep tonight. Still, she couldn't resist adding coyly, "Then... you have to finish things as soon as possible, okay?"

"Mhm." Wei Zhuang nodded, looking at her.

"Ahem," Xiaoyuan still couldn't bear to end the video call. "Let me tell you, Teacher Lu Yue joined the set today and even chatted with Teacher Zhu."

"Everyone was sneaking glances at them, waiting to see if they'd argue..." Xiaoyuan giggled while sharing the gossip. "Even Sister Chenying and Sister Zheng Wan were watching..."

"Surprisingly, they seemed quite harmonious."

"And here's something even more unbelievable—Director Xu, oh, I mean Xu Muyi, the son of screenwriter Xu Shumin—" Xiaoyuan elaborated on his identity, worried Wei Zhuang might not recognize him. "Would you believe he's actually the godson of both Teacher Zhu and Teacher Lu?"

Wei Zhuang's brows furrowed slightly, her expression growing even more inscrutable as she offered no comment.

Xiaoyuan keenly sensed the shift in her mood. Normally when she shared daily anecdotes, Wei Zhuang would remain composed but never with this particular detachment.

"Zhu Ehua is acting with you?" Wei Zhuang suddenly asked.

Xiaoyuan paused before replying, "Yes."

Wei Zhuang pressed further, "How is she towards you?"

Blinking in confusion at the unexpected question, Xiaoyuan truthfully answered after some thought, "Ah, quite well actually..."

She'd already filmed two scenes with Zhu Ehua.

In "Deep in the Palace," the cast's reputations far surpassed the director's, eliminating any hierarchy where directors could overpower actors. This had pros and cons—while other productions might suffer from lax performances, this set thrived on the tension between actors.

With esteemed veterans present and peers of similar stature as scene partners, no one dared act arrogantly. Everyone remained humble and meticulous, bringing out their best performances.

Both Zhou Yu and Xiaoyuan were fortunate enough to have solo scenes with Zhu Ehua and Lu Yue.

Zhou Yu had been so nervous acting opposite Zhu Ehua that he kept flubbing takes. By the fifteenth NG, his eyes were red with frustration—though Zhu Ehua said nothing. When Director Xu saw his deteriorating condition, he called for a break.

Zhou Yu nearly knelt in gratitude.

He later told Xiaoyuan, "It was pure agony."

Xiaoyuan could empathize—his fear became self-sabotage, where desperation to perform well only made things worse.

Zhou Yu admitted, "It was entirely my fault. Teacher Zhu actually gave me cues during the scene."

"Giving cues" means that during a scene, when the camera is focused on one actor, the other actor, knowing they won't be filmed, is still willing to continue performing with you to help you deliver a smooth performance.

Generally, when acting with a senior, whether they help you fully depends on their mood, because they're not on camera, and whether you perform well or not doesn't concern them.

So, in many cases, close-ups feel more like monologues, and many actors need interaction to perform, otherwise, their acting can feel very stiff.

"But having her act opposite me made me even more nervous. Ugh, my rhythm was completely thrown off," Zhou Yu slumped dejectedly. "I'm so useless!"

Zhu Ehua's presence was truly intimidating. If your performance was subpar, she wouldn't say anything, yet the subtle pressure radiating from her eyes and brows could suffocate you.

"I'd rather she just scolded me outright!" Zhou Yu lamented gloomily.

The day Xiaoyuan acted opposite her was the 12th. They had just finished shooting a group scene, and most of the cast were still on set.

Her scene—set during the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet night—depicted the young prince's unexpected d3ath, with the crown prince suspected as the murd3rer. Those close to him were interrogated. As the prince's personal attendant, Liang Ji was dragged before the Empress Dowager for questioning.

Xiaoyuan also had two NGs, after which Zhu Ehua spoke for the first time.

She asked Xiaoyuan, "Is Liang Ji afraid at this moment?"

Xiaoyuan was momentarily stunned before quickly realizing—Zhu Ehua was about to give her acting guidance. This legendary actress was surprisingly approachable on set—never late, never leaving early, and relatively accommodating toward younger actors during rehearsals.

Yet she never proactively taught others. If you performed poorly, you simply had to keep trying until you got it right. She wouldn't point out your flaws unprompted, nor did she tolerate others bothering her.

This unprecedented offer to give pointers shocked everyone present.

Zou Yirui and the others widened their eyes in surprise, "Huh?"

Zhou Yu was dumbfounded. "?"

Xu Muyi peeked out from behind the monitor with a smile before obediently ducking back.

Xiaoyuan immediately seized the opportunity. After some thought, she answered, "Liang Ji isn't afraid at this moment."

"Oh?" Zhu Ehua's lips curved, but that hint of a smile turned cold before it fully formed, and the curve at the corner of her eye sharpened.

"I could have you executed without reason—you are but an ant," she said leisurely, her tone almost casual. "An ant doesn't even deserve the chance to speak."

Invisible blades seemed to slice through the air, an imperceptible aura of bl0odlust slowly spreading.

Xiaoyuan's heart trembled. She swallowed hard, but before she could respond, Zhu Ehua added, "Think carefully before answering."

Taking a deep breath, Xiaoyuan stood still and pondered.

Of course Liang Ji was afraid—once you entered the palace, your life was no longer your own.

But he had entered with a purpose: to sow discord among these people, making them turn on each other so his true master's chosen heir could claim the throne. If he achieved this, his d3ath would be meaningful. In this regard, he was prepared to die.

What truly terrified him was dy!ng before completing his mission—that would be a worthless d3ath. And besides, who wasn't afraid of d3ath?

Suddenly enlightened, Xiaoyuan realized her NGs stemmed from not fully grasping Liang Ji's thought process.

"Liang Ji is both afraid and unafraid." she replied.

Thus, the nuance had to be balanced—he needed to outwardly portray fear, even exaggerating it slightly, while keeping his deeper dread buried, only shaken under extreme pressure.

Zhu Ehua glanced at her with a faint smile. "Figured it out? Then let's run through it once. Xiao Muyi, wait for my cue to start."

The young director popped his head out, grinning sweetly. "Got it! We appreciate your guidance!"

Eager, Xiaoyuan's eyes brightened. "Okay."

This scene required meticulous refinement. For Zhu Ehua, it posed no challenge—if executed well, Xiaoyuan would be the one to shine.

While they were rehearsing, Zou Yirui was completely baffled. "What does 'both afraid and unafraid' mean?"

Zhou Yu watched from the side with a hint of envy. "Huh? Teacher Zhu is being too nice to Xiaoyuan?"

Guo Zhilu secretly curled her lip in disapproval.

Differential treatment inevitably led to jealousy.

Meanwhile, Zheng Wan, who was getting her makeup touched up nearby, narrowed her eyes slightly for a glance before turning away without comment.

Chen Yunxiu and He Chenying, who had been chatting together, also paused and exchanged surprised looks.

Chen Yunxiu didn't dwell on it. After his surprise, he felt more at ease. As a producer, as long as the filming went smoothly and didn't fall behind schedule, it was fine.

He Chenying's gaze lingered on Xiaoyuan for a long while, lost in thought as if contemplating something.

After a long silence, she sighed with a faint smile. When Chen Yunxiu asked what was wrong, He Chenying withdrew her gaze from Xiaoyuan and said, "Xiaoyuan always shows me something new. I've never felt this way about anyone else."

Chen Yunxiu nodded. "She truly has remarkable talent and courage when it comes to acting."

He Chenying's eyes drifted back. "...It's not just about acting."

She offered no further explanation and resumed discussing other details of the scene with Chen Yunxiu.

Of course, Xiaoyuan was unaware of all this. During that particular scene, Zhu Ehua had personally guided her and even rehearsed with her twice before filming officially began.

She wasn't foolish—she could tell Zhu Ehua was making an exception for her. Later, she called Xiang Zhishi, assuming her brother had put in a good word, only for him to deny it.

Now, when Wei Zhuang suddenly brought it up tonight, a thought struck Xiaoyuan. "Frances, do you know Teacher Zhu?"

'Did you ask her to take extra care of me?'

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