At seven in the morning, Xi Tang arrived at the drama’s outdoor filming location. Today the crew was changing locations, shooting at a luxury chain resort hotel in the suburbs.

Co-produced by Parker Media and Shanghai Star Arts Film Company, the urban romance drama “Just Right Lovers” directed by Ju Bai Mei had entered its third month of filming. During the first half of this year, Xi Tang hadn’t taken a single day off, already filming two television dramas. Fortunately, both were modern settings, making it less difficult to transition between roles, but in terms of work intensity, she was pushing herself to the limit.

The entire company had grown accustomed to this. An artist who had been under contract for many years had finally become popular, but with her contract about to expire, the company was arranging back-to-back work to extract as much in fees as possible. Every morning when makeup artist Xin Ni applied her makeup, Xi Tang’s face was practically swollen from lack of sleep, and she was still half-awake, half-asleep.

Even her assistant felt sorry for her.

Throughout the entire company, perhaps only Ni Kai Lun understood that this wasn’t the worst of it.

For more than half a year, if Huang Xi Tang hadn’t been taking on work, things would have been even worse.

The scenes in the main studio had been mostly completed, and the crew had frequently been shooting on location recently. The filming period had exceeded one hundred days and was approaching its conclusion.

When Xi Tang arrived, the tent for the lead actors’ rest area hadn’t been set up yet. The set workers were still putting up the tents.

Xi Tang smiled and squeezed under the tent for the extras. An older female extra used chopsticks to open a steamed bun and offered half to her.

Xi Tang asked, “What filling?”

The woman replied crisply, “Cabbage.”

Xi Tang accepted it and sat down on a folding chair. “Thanks.”

Among the extras sat Zhang Ye. Today he was playing a wealthy boss in the background, wearing a suit vest with slicked-back hair. He grinned at her, “Master Xi, you’re not the first one here today. Someone came earlier than you.”

Ni Kai Lun’s first requirement for her artists was to always be punctual, never keeping the entire crew waiting. This was a major taboo for actors. Even Wu Zhen Zhen, who had carried herself like a Chinese empress on set, had always arrived on time for every scene.

Among the three lead actors in this drama, Xi Tang was usually the first to arrive.

Xi Tang asked curiously, “Who?”

Everyone collectively nodded toward the parking lot.

Xi Tang looked into the distance and saw that the female second lead’s trailer was already parked in the hotel parking lot.

The actress playing the second female lead was He Lu Fei. She was from the same company as Zhang Zhi Yin, previously known together as National Vision’s Double Flowers. Later, Zhang Zhi Yin starred in several good dramas and won Best Actress, establishing her position in the industry. He Lu Fei was rumored to have been involved in an affair with a well-known director in the industry, causing a scandal. After lying low for a while, she returned to the screen but was mentioned less frequently.

After a while, an assistant holding an umbrella escorted He Lu Fei as she gracefully exited the vehicle.

Upon closer inspection, although it was summer, the mountain air was still a bit cool in the morning. She wore a tight off-shoulder dress and had full makeup and hair done, her face exquisitely made up.

Xi Tang glanced at herself. Since she would be wearing clothes prepared by the costume designer for filming, Xi Tang usually dressed casually when arriving for work—jeans and a white T-shirt, without makeup, which would be applied once she arrived.

Seeing this spectacle, Xi Tang quietly asked, “Are reporters coming today?”

At this moment, her assistant A Kuan had squeezed in. Despite his chubby body, he moved with surprising agility. He quickly pulled out a container from his bag and lightly patted a layer of foundation on her face, concealing the dark circles from her lack of sleep.

Xi Tang had naturally good skin, fair and translucent. With a quick application of pink lip gloss, her face regained its radiance.

Just then, the male lead Yang Yi Lin sauntered in.

This guy wore flip-flops, black shorts, and a long-sleeved white T-shirt. His hair was messy, and his face bore the look of excessive indulgence. Several entertainment reporters followed behind him.

The set staff had finished setting up the tent for the lead actors. An assistant opened chairs and invited him to sit.

Yang Yi Lin tugged at the corner of his mouth at Xi Tang, which counted as a greeting.

As soon as the entertainment reporters arrived, they were met with the sight of He Lu Fei in her full attire. The reporters immediately surrounded her, creating a buzz of greetings and noise, with camera shutters constantly clicking.

Xi Tang crouched among a group of extras, looking up with half a cabbage bun still in her hand.

Yang Yi Lin clapped his hands at Xi Tang: “Come on.”

He took her hand and walked out without acknowledging the reporters, strolling toward the film crew’s photography set.

The reporters immediately turned their heads and spotted the two of them.

When the cameras focused on them, they were both tall and slender figures in white, relaxed and at ease, complemented by the morning’s green trees and flower shade, creating a pleasing sight.

The reporters’ eyes lit up, and they immediately changed direction, surrounding the two.

He Lu Fei quickly squeezed over, displaying a bright smile: “Brother Yi Lin, good morning, Sister Xi Tang, good morning.”

Sister.

Xi Tang mentally rolled her eyes.

In the entertainment circle, the way people addressed each other carried deep implications and meaning, especially among female celebrities. Age largely determined an actress’s career path and the feel of the roles she could play. Therefore, among female artists of similar age, if one didn’t want to offend others, no one would casually call another “sister.” For example, with Wu Zhen Zhen before, unless it was truly a much younger and completely unknown actress, any peer actress who dared to call her “sister” in front of the media basically couldn’t continue working in that production. This Miss He Lu Fei, even if her officially published information was accurate, was only a few months younger than she was.

Huang Xi Tang had only recently become popular and was still playing a young girl in this drama. For a veteran like He Lu Fei to call her “sister” was practically killing her invisibly.

He Lu Fei had become famous much earlier than her and had previously played some lead female roles. In the past year or two, her popularity had gradually declined, and she was mostly taking secondary female roles, but she had the advantage of long-term fighting experience.

Xi Tang was a bit afraid of her.

At the opening ceremony, she had thrust an elbow across, blocking half of Xi Tang’s chest. Xi Tang hadn’t noticed, only paying attention to Ni Kai Lun grimacing at her from below. By the time she realized, the reporters had already finished taking photos.

Ni Kai Lun was so angry that she berated Xi Tang for her stupidity the entire way back to the company.

After joining the production, Xi Tang quickly sensed He Lu Fei’s malice toward her.

She was working with this actress for the first time, never having dealt with her before, and had unknowingly offended her. She called Ni Kai Lun.

Ni Kai Lun seemed unsurprised: “If she liked you, that would be strange. This role was originally hers.”

Xi Tang softly said, “Ah.”

“When signing the contract for this drama, your background was enough to crush people, understand?”

Xi Tang remained silent on the other end of the phone.

Ni Kai Lun said, “Don’t think too much. It’s just one drama; finish it and be done.”

At the beginning of filming, He Lu Fei often added her lines.

Feeling somewhat guilty, Xi Tang initially tolerated it, but later she couldn’t bear it anymore. As soon as she noticed He Lu Fei adding words, Xi Tang immediately stopped, putting on a pure, innocent, and bewildered expression: “Director, this line isn’t in the script…”

The director, watching the monitor and seeing the two stop, angrily stood up from his chair and shouted through a megaphone.

After several such instances, He Lu Fei finally settled down.

In the dressing room, the makeup artist was working on Xi Tang’s face.

They chatted about the recent interview.

Some reporters had asked Xi Tang if she would be “electrified” working with Yang Yi Lin.

Or, among the male celebrities she had worked with, like Yin Nan or Brother Lin, who was more handsome?

Xi Tang smiled evasively, praising Yang Yi Lin as handsome, her smile sincere, her gaze genuine.

Yang Yi Lin was truly good-looking. Despite wearing shabby gray old-man cotton shirts around the set every day, once the camera started rolling, with him in a suit and styled hair, his almond eyes radiating charm, even the cleaning ladies on set blushed when he “electrified” them. In this circle, good looks were never in short supply. Yang Yi Lin was also dedicated; back in February when they shot rain scenes in the cold, he never complained.

But Xi Tang knew it was different.

Acting with Yang Yi Lin, including in her previous drama with Great River, after a few scenes she understood—the routine was fixed, and very relaxed. But acting opposite Yin Nan, the pressure was constant from beginning to end. The character tension and emotional fullness that Yin Nan brought to her far exceeded what ordinary popular young actors could achieve. Sometimes she became so emotionally involved that when the director called cut, she felt almost completely drained.

She didn’t know if the audience could discern these differences, but as an actress, she clearly understood the direction of her efforts.

The makeup artist began gossiping about the crew. Yang Yi Lin had a steady girlfriend in Taiwan who flew in two or three times a month. The rest of the time, Xi Tang saw different girls leaving his room every morning or night.

During breaks, Huang Xi Tang secretly asked her assistant A Kuan, “Does his girlfriend know?”

A Kuan answered, “Yes.”

A Kuan’s small eyes gleamed as he said mysteriously, “Reportedly, the man promised to marry her before he turns thirty-five, and allegedly gives her all his earnings, never spending money on other women.”

Xi Tang was puzzled: “How can he have so many girls without spending money?”

“He has some connections in the entertainment circle. Producers also respect him, and he has resources that can help people get roles.” A Kuan covered his mouth and giggled coquettishly, “Besides, countless fans want to sleep with their idol.”

Xi Tang looked at him dubiously: “What’s with that laugh?”

A Kuan pushed her shoulder, acting coy: “Well, I used to like him as Yang Kang when I was in elementary school.”

The makeup artist chimed in: “As for his girlfriend, she’s always dressed in high-end brands. Every time she visits, Brother Lin treats her like a princess. He earns so much but never manages the money; his girlfriend handles all the investments.”

Xi Tang could see that Yang Yi Lin had his merits—an exceptionally handsome face and generosity with money.

But this didn’t prevent him from nightly romantic conquests.

Strange things, this circle revealed them in the extreme.

The female second lead He Lu Fei had two body doubles, her lines were dubbed, and she was barely seen except for face shots.

This was practically the easiest drama Xi Tang had filmed since her debut.

Monday afternoon.

Huang Xi Tang finished work and walked out of the studio to see Ni Kai Lun’s car parked at the entrance.

Ni Kai Lun got out of the car and waved her assistant off duty. A Kuan left happily.

Xi Tang got into her car: “I promised Mom I’d go home for dinner.”

Ni Kai Lun said while backing up the car, “I spoke with your mom before I left and told her you’d be back later.”

Xi Tang looked at her: “Why don’t you come to have dinner at my place tonight?”

Ni Kai Lun turned the steering wheel, smiling as she replied, “Absolutely.”

In Xi Tang’s third week back in Shanghai, Ni Kai Lun took her upstairs and opened the door to the apartment above her home.

A simply decorated two-hundred-square-meter apartment, built with excellent materials. The walls were painted a clean white, sunlight poured in through huge floor-to-ceiling windows, and the brown wooden floors gleamed with a faint luster.

Ni Kai Lun said, “Come sign the papers this afternoon.”

Ni Kai Lun had secretly completed all the preliminary procedures and was just waiting for her final signature. After finding out, Xi Tang remained silent for a long time. Ni Kai Lun knew she wouldn’t agree.