As soon as the elevator doors opened, Yu Jiaze had barely taken two steps when the adjacent elevator also opened. A server carrying the meal tray Wu Man had ordered came wobbling out.

The tray blocked her vision, and she collided head-on with Yu Jiaze.

Wu Man had ordered crab roe oyster dry noodles, and at this moment the oily crab roe splattered all over the hem of his trench coat.

The atmosphere froze in that instant. The female server gasped, bowing repeatedly, nearly crying as she said: “I’m so sorry, sir, I really didn’t mean to…”

Yu Jiaze’s temple twitched.

*

Inside the room, Wu Man was momentarily dazed by Zhui Ye’s question, then asked with amusement: “Then in your eyes, what am I?”

“You’re Wu Man, born in the depths of winter, seemingly as cold and indifferent as that season. Your mouth is very tough, but when you smile you become soft, your eyes crinkle together, and the mole below the corner of your eye lifts three degrees.”

Zhui Ye answered without hesitation.

She was silent for a moment, then said: “Such careful observation—is this the innate ability of a naturally talented actor?”

“Not at all. Anyone can have it. As long as they put their heart into it.”

Inside Wu Man’s heart, a spinning top whirled around noisily, buzzing and clamoring, which she suppressed without showing any sign.

Zhui Ye leaned down a bit more, bringing them even closer together. “It’s not fair for me to be the only one talking. So in your observation, am I just a playboy?”

“Playboy, Best Actor, kid… however I see you doesn’t matter.” Wu Man leaned back, creating distance between them. “That’s how the entertainment industry is—don’t worry about what others truly think. On the surface there’s only one kind of relationship. We’re filming together, so we’re partners, colleagues, nothing more.”

Zhui Ye withdrew his hands and slowly straightened up.

“Big sister is big sister—so much older than me, living so transparently.”

She turned her head away, looking at the floor lamp.

“You saved me twice, I’ll teach you two lessons. We’re even.”

“Even—?” Zhui Ye drew out the syllable. “That doesn’t count. No matter how you look at it, I’m losing out.”

“Then what else do you want?”

“In any case, you owe me a favor.”

Wu Man said helplessly: “Fine, I owe you a favor. Can you leave now?”

She agreed haphazardly to get Zhui Ye out the door, watching him disappear around the left corner.

Just as she was about to close the door, Yu Jiaze’s figure appeared from the corner by the right elevator.

Without exaggeration, the moment she saw Yu Jiaze appear, Wu Man broke out in cold sweat all over her back. Goosebumps surged from her head to her feet like an electric current.

Between Zhui Ye’s departure and Yu Jiaze’s arrival, there were only two or three seconds.

Wu Man hadn’t yet recovered from her lingering fear when she heard him ask: “Why are you standing at the door?”

She paused, then said with quick thinking: “The room service I ordered hasn’t arrived yet. I’m so hungry I was thinking of going down to eat directly.”

Yu Jiaze wordlessly shook the trench coat in his hand, pointing at the stain: “So that was yours.”

Only then did Wu Man realize that the exquisite, miraculous timing gap had been created by the room service she’d ordered.

…If there truly are divine beings in this world, then it must be you, my stomach!

*

The location filming in Guangzhou ended here. Wu Man and Zhong Yueqing followed Team B back to the interior soundstage set up in Beijing, while Zhui Ye went with Team A to Hong Kong to finish the remaining exterior scenes for the single non-family storyline.

Ding Jiaqi’s scenes had wrapped. She had to return to school. The day they parted, she was especially reluctant, eyes reddening as she said she would miss everyone. Wang Cheng patted her head, telling her to do well on her exams and they’d see each other at the wrap party.

As some people left the production mid-shoot, naturally others joined mid-shoot.

The person joining was her dedicated body double, Fu Jingya. Since the upcoming soundstage filming in Beijing would involve bed scenes, she hadn’t followed them to Guangzhou and only officially joined the production after returning to Beijing.

Wu Man still remembered being startled the first time she saw Fu Jingya undress, because Fu Jingya’s back also bore a mark like broken feathers—identical to hers.

She couldn’t help asking: “…Is this also your birthmark?”

Fu Jingya shook her head: “How could that be, Sister Man? I liked you so much that I took your photo to get an identical tattoo.”

Wu Man didn’t know what to say.

She advised her: “If you want to pursue acting, you should get this removed later.”

Fu Jingya paused, then smiled sweetly: “Thank you, Sister Man. I’ll just follow and learn from you for now.”

Because Yu Jiaze had never allowed Wu Man to take on bed scenes before, the most risqué scenes had been things like bathing—standing scenes with clothes removed. Fu Jingya had just stood there too, with no technical skill required.

So this time, like Wu Man, she was facing her first bed scene in front of cameras.

Wu Man didn’t tell her that it was actually just a procedural scene, and that afterward she would need to do it herself in person. Therefore, Fu Jingya was so nervous she didn’t know what to do. Even though she only needed to contribute from the neck down, it was still real acting opposite someone.

Moreover, her acting partner was the rising star Zhui Ye.

Fu Jingya asked somewhat shyly: “I’ve watched ‘Sinful Son’ several times. The scene where Zhui Ye smokes in the brothel revived my girlish heart… What’s he like in person?”

Wu Man said flatly: “You’ll see soon enough.”

A few days later, Zhui Ye finished filming in Hong Kong. Team A returned to the soundstage to reunite with everyone. After adjusting their state, the crew began filming.

Fu Jingya got her wish to meet Zhui Ye. After the two politely shook hands, they prepared to film the bed scene.

Before that, Wu Man had to complete the dialogue portion first. Fu Jingya waited on the side wrapped in a bathrobe, then the two would hand off.

This bed scene took place in the storyline during Deng Lizhi and Chen Nan’s first time, happening on the day she was stood up on her wedding anniversary with Xu Long.

The meal arranged at the hotel remained untouched. After hanging up Xu Long’s call, she returned home through the pouring rain.

Opening the door, she stared at the orchid on the windowsill, feeling an impulse to push it down.

But in the end she didn’t do it, only gently moved it to the coffee table, then hugged her arms and crouched beside the table, crying out loud unrestrained amid the rumbling thunder.

The room door opened. Chen Nan, who should have been at evening study session, appeared behind Deng Lizhi.

He frantically took off his own jacket to drape over her drenched body, crouching helplessly beside her.

“Big sister, what’s wrong?”

Deng Lizhi couldn’t stop her tears, losing composure like a little girl, wiping snot and tears all over Chen Nan’s jacket while sobbing: “Don’t worry… I’ll… I’ll wash it… later…”

Chen Nan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, yet found her vulnerable crying unbearably adorable.

He pulled her into his embrace through gritted teeth: “Still thinking about housework when you’re sad—are you the Snail Girl?”

“I’m still wet, don’t hold me.”

Deng Lizhi waved her hands to break free, but Chen Nan pursued and held her again.

He said childishly yet stubbornly: “I want to.”

Deng Lizhi stopped dodging. She remained in Chen Nan’s embrace. The young man’s hug was scalding, the only refuge on this miserable, rainy spring night. Her spine gradually softened. She turned around and buried her head in his solid chest.

But Chen Nan cupped her chin, forcing her to lift her head.

“Big sister.” His voice was gentle. “You looked beautiful today, but crying makes you not beautiful.”

He lowered his head closer, like a puppy extending its tongue, carefully licking away the tear tracks on her face.

“Don’t cry.”

What seemed like a kiss but wasn’t, lips pressed against cheeks—the tenderness changed flavor the moment Deng Lizhi met him halfway.

The young man gripped her waist. She retreated a step emotionally, her mind retaining a thread of clarity, wanting to escape from the sinful Tower of Babel. The young man who’d gotten a taste wouldn’t give an inch. He wedged one foot between her legs. She tried to dodge again, and just as she was about to hit the coffee table leg, he quickly extended his palm to cushion it. The force was a bit strong. The coffee table shook, and the orchid on the edge wobbled several times.

But no one cared about it anymore.

On the third wobble, it fell “crash—” onto the cold, old-fashioned tiles, shattering into pieces.

The camera finally focused on the shattered flower petals in the foreground, then slowly refocused to the background—the young man’s and woman’s legs drawing close and entwining.

Mud spattered on the woman’s pale ankles. She knew she could never wash it off again.

“Cut. Bring in the body double.”

Wu Man released Zhui Ye, gasping for breath as she stepped back two paces. They hadn’t actually kissed just now because the camera only captured their hands and lower bodies, so Zhui Ye had just buried his head against her neck, nuzzling.

But Wu Man’s heart was still beating fast. She was clear, however, that this was Deng Lizhi’s emotion. Not hers.

Fu Jingya had already been watching slack-jawed from the side.

During the handoff, she couldn’t help saying: “Sister Man, were you possessed? I was really scared…”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Wu Man sat in front of the monitor to watch. “Do your best next.”

The next scene was Chen Nan carrying Deng Lizhi to the sofa to continue their entanglement. At this point Deng Lizhi was already in an undressed state.

Fu Jingya walked to the marked position on the sofa and slowly untied her bathrobe. Underneath she wasn’t completely bare—she was still properly wearing the bra set the costume designer had prepared for Deng Lizhi.

Wu Man’s gaze unconsciously drifted to the lower right corner, where the camera was capturing Zhui Ye.

Wang Cheng pressed the intercom: “We’ll start when you’re ready.”

The moment the slate clapped, Wu Man held her breath, her gaze locked on the lower right. She was just curious… facing another “Deng Lizhi,” could Zhui Ye still fully immerse himself the way he did facing her?

On the main monitor was a close-up of hands. Zhui Ye’s fingers traced up the woman’s waistline, fumbling for the bra clasp. His fingers trembled slightly—he tried twice but couldn’t undo the clasp.

Just through this hand movement alone, he expressed a jumble of emotions—his inexperience, nervousness, cherishing—vividly and thoroughly.

So facing another person, he could also instantly get into character.

What an impressive actor.

Wu Man drank the lemon water Wei Wei handed her, took a sip and murmured with a furrowed brow: “A bit sour.”

Really? It’s the same as yesterday. Wei Wei, who overheard, looked completely confused.

Wu Man shoved the lemon water back into her hands, rubbed her temples and said: “I’m going to rest for a bit. Let me know when this part is done.”

After this, there was still their bed scene that they didn’t know about, waiting to be filmed.

She tiptoed out of the soundstage. Just before turning through the door, she couldn’t help looking back toward the sofa.

Fu Jingya had her back to her—she couldn’t see clearly. But from this angle she could perfectly capture Zhui Ye’s expression, which the camera wasn’t filming.

His body and his expression were disconnected. Though his hands emotionally held Fu Jingya, the expression on his face was one of faint mockery.

This mockery was directed at her, because he was also looking at her.

Not looking at Fu Jingya in his arms, but casting his gaze across the distance toward her in a roundabout way. As if to say: look, because of your boring, ridiculous “principles,” I have to play pretend here with some random woman who appeared out of nowhere.

He toyed with Fu Jingya’s fingertips, but his eyes hooked onto her as she fled in disarray, speaking his line: “Big sister, how could you bear it.”

Having finished, he finally withdrew his gaze, lowering his eyes gently. His dense lashes cast a shadow on his face—a somewhat aggrieved appearance.

*

Wu Man left the soundstage and never returned.

She sent Wei Wei a message saying she wasn’t feeling well and had returned to the villa. This was the advantage of filming in Beijing—she could go home to rest anytime. Although this home wasn’t a home in the true sense, it was where she’d lived for seven or eight years and gave her a sense of security. Yu Jiaze had once said he’d buy it for her, but she refused.

She didn’t like very large houses, and didn’t need things like a small garden. She found them troublesome and hard to manage alone. A small cozy space suited her—surrounded by things crowded and full, able to firmly envelop her.

Many actresses her age were already considering how to start families and what kind of house to buy for the future. But she never thought about these things.

In her subconscious, there was only herself, at most plus a dog. In that case, a slightly bigger house would be enough.

She thought Yu Jiaze was also very satisfied with this aspect of her—following him for ten years yet never demanding any transgressive status. That’s why they could continue maintaining this relationship without falling apart.

The villa had been uninhabited for a month or so, yet there was no dust. The housekeeper came to clean every day. Wu Man dove headfirst into bed and could still smell the soft scent of sun-dried bedding.

She’d barely closed her eyes when her phone vibrated—a message from Fu Jingya.

“Sister Man, are you not feeling well?”

“Mm, are you done filming?”

“Yes! One take.”

Afterward, she should have taken over for Fu Jingya, clearing the set to film another take of the sofa scene with Zhui Ye.

But just thinking about it—on this very sofa, Zhui Ye and Fu Jingya had just been embracing intimately here—she knew she couldn’t get into the right state. Filming would just waste everyone’s time. She could only tell Wang Cheng to film it another day. Interior scenes were easy to reschedule.

She scrolled through her phone absent-mindedly, her mind wandering, when suddenly her social media feed showed a post Fu Jingya had just made.

“Someone truly lives up to being a Best Actor—his acting is too incredible! When he held me, I really had the illusion of being deeply loved. [shy][shy]”

Wu Man’s finger paused on this post.

The instant impact was like the tide coming in—after it receded, all that remained was swollen, bloated sand and gravel, uncomfortably lodged.

She thought, what did it matter that she’d debuted eleven years earlier? Compared to the Cannes Best Actor, she was nothing—the difference between those blessed by the gods and those not.

He had reached the point of effortlessly switching between emotions. Deng Lizhi, Deng Banana, Deng Apple—anyone would do. Yet she was still troubled that the emotions in the drama were too overwhelming, that facing them for the first time, she could barely control them from spilling over onto the real person.

But she would control it. And even if she couldn’t, she would conceal it very well.

*

Several days later, that sofa scene finally had to be filmed.

After clearing the set, only Wang Cheng, the cinematographer, and the sound recordist remained.

Wu Man wrapped herself in a bathrobe, standing by the sofa taking deep breaths. Her gaze fell on the fish tank in the living room. Inside was a single black fish—the one Chen Nan had caught in the script. After bringing it back, Deng Lizhi couldn’t bear to kill it or release it, so she simply kept it.

Xu Long mocked her, saying it was the first time he’d seen someone keep a black fish as a pet.

Wu Man’s mind wandered chaotically through these thoughts. Gradually she stopped feeling nervous, unconsciously transitioning into Deng Lizhi’s identity.

However, when Zhui Ye emerged, Wu Man looked up to meet him and her just-calmed breathing quickened again.

Zhui Ye looked at her: “Big sister, you’re nervous.”

Wu Man, called out so bluntly, felt somewhat annoyed, her expression tensing further.

“You should take it off.” Seeing her motionless, he extended his hand. “Or should I help you?”

“I’ll do it myself.”

She stepped back, tripped over her own foot, the bathrobe loosening open as she tumbled into the sofa.

Wu Man reflexively covered her chest, but saw Zhui Ye suppressing laughter. She immediately felt her prudish appearance was quite ridiculous.

Unwilling to concede, she changed her chest-covering posture—palms propping against her arms—into a very disdainful arm-crossing position, looking at him challengingly.

Zhui Ye still carried the remnants of a smile, eyes curved, unbuttoning his white shirt one button at a time.

Everything around was still—no wind, no clouds, no rain, everything was an artificial interior set. Yet Wu Man inexplicably felt a breeze brushing past her cheek. His white shirt was like curtains lifted by wind, the young man’s physique half-visible—before she could see clearly, he was already pressing close.

They fell onto the sofa. Her dark red hair spread out. For the role, her hair was styled wet—part of it fell onto his chest, part pressed against their touching shoulders.

This made her, who always seemed cold and hard, become damp and soft, like rain-laden clouds. Just touching them, one could feel moisture on one’s palm.

Zhui Ye gazed at Wu Man like this, twisting a strand of her hair, following it upward. His fingertips like nimble ballet dancers bounced and swayed along his own chest, fumbling to behind her ear.

Wu Man’s ears were like matchstick heads, instantly flushing red and burning through.

“Big sister, big sister…”

Zhui Ye rubbed her ear, calling to her hoarsely, making Wu Man unable to distinguish whether he was calling her or calling Deng Lizhi.

His wandering hand moved to her chin. With slight force, he turned her face toward him. They faced each other, squeezed together completely on the sofa, as if the world had only this tiny space to stand.

“We should stop… before we still can.”

Wu Man avoided Zhui Ye’s gaze. She was grateful her mind hadn’t become so muddled she forgot her lines.

“But I can’t hold back anymore.” Zhui Ye enticed her. “Big sister, be my accomplice.”

“You’ll regret it.”

He didn’t speak, proving it with action instead.

She felt the hand clasping her chin leave again, transferring to her shoulder strap, about to undo the clasp.

Wu Man closed her eyes. The image from a few days ago of him undoing Fu Jingya’s clasp flashed back precisely in her mind.

She flinched slightly. Unlike Deng Lizhi’s evasion tinged with restrained desire, this involuntary retreat seemed to hurt Zhui Ye.

His hand froze on the shoulder strap, not continuing to undo it.

Wang Cheng called cut, asking puzzled: “What’s going on? You actually made a mistake.”

Zhui Ye sat up from the sofa: “I got distracted for a moment just now.”

“The atmosphere in that last take was quite good. Rest a bit, we’ll do another take in a while.”

Wu Man grabbed the bathrobe to wrap around herself, saying quietly: “Why didn’t you tell the director it was actually my emotion in that movement that was wrong, so you couldn’t continue?”

“Because I want to know why.”

Though both still sat on the sofa, they were quite far apart. Zhui Ye propped his head up, his tone flat.

“I could feel you weren’t nervous. You were resisting me.”

Wu Man was momentarily dazed, then smiled: “You’re overthinking. This is my first time filming such an intimate scene. I really am nervous.”

“Then please, big sister, be more professional.”

He deliberately stressed the word “professional.”

Wu Man held back, but ultimately couldn’t resist the momentary satisfaction, blurting out: “Of course I’m not as professional as you. Able to invest emotions even toward some randomly pulled half-naked person.”

Oh no.

The moment she said it, Wu Man knew she’d misspoken. Annoyed at herself for having to talk back like a child to feel satisfied.

Zhui Ye froze, then asked tentatively: “Big sister, are you jealous?”

Wu Man pulled the bathrobe up higher, wrapping it inconspicuously around half her face, fake-laughing twice: “Kid, you really do love overthinking.”

She felt the sofa beside her suddenly sink. Zhui Ye had moved over.

He pulled down half the wrapping from this white dumpling, exposing her flustered face.

“Then look at my face and tell me you’re not jealous.”

Wu Man was forcibly turned to face him, meeting his eyes—so jubilant, like countless butterflies flying.

Facing such eyes, she got stuck: “I… how could I be jealous.”

He touched her nose with his fingertip, saying: “Liar.”

Wu Man was about to retort defiantly when the entire room was as if covered by God pulling a black cloth—all the lights extinguished in an instant.

“Director, the power’s out!”

The cinematographer called out in the darkness.

Wang Cheng of course wouldn’t give up because of a power outage. He told the cinematographer and sound recordist: “You two go get the generator together. We must get this take done tonight.”

The soundstage was too dark. After speaking, Wang Cheng also went out.

Rustling footsteps departed. Only she and Zhui Ye remained on the sofa.

*

Wu Man was still wearing the bathrobe and it wasn’t convenient to go outside, so she simply curled up on the sofa without moving.

But Zhui Ye also seemed to have no intention of moving.

“…Aren’t you going out?”

“I’m also still shirtless.”

Wu Man made a sound of acknowledgment and fell silent.

“We haven’t finished talking about what happened earlier.” Zhui Ye persisted.

“There’s nothing to say. I already told you I’m not jealous.”

“Then I need to clarify—I’m not as capable as you say I am.” He paused. “When filming with that body double, didn’t you notice I was looking at you?”

Wu Man didn’t respond.

Zhui Ye didn’t continue either, deliberately leaving her hanging. She wouldn’t press, as if she didn’t care about the answer.

The soundstage was incredibly quiet, only their overlapping breaths.

Suddenly, Wu Man felt Zhui Ye move a bit closer, his arm lightly touching hers. Then her left pinky and his right pinky also gently touched.

Wu Man’s pinky curled up trying to escape, but was hooked by Zhui Ye’s pinky.

This was just the first step of conquest.

Ring finger, middle finger, index finger, thumb…

He clasped each of her fingers one by one. Having just touched her wet hair, his fingertips still carried moisture—slippery and sticky, like a cunning, deadly viper coiling around her, locking tight, not letting her leave.

Wu Man’s slender fingers were thus inseparably trapped beneath his palm, unable to escape.

The sealed soundstage had not a trace of light, everything deathly still. The two people sitting on the sofa seemed to be simply sitting side by side, and no one would discover their fingers pulling at each other in the darkness below.

“Because at that time I was thinking of you.”

Wu Man’s fingers, which had been trying to pull away, froze and became obedient.

She felt her fingers being gently caressed, heard him say: “I only have one big sister like this.”

In this moment, both seemed possessed.

In the distance came the tap-tap-tap of footsteps—the cinematographer and sound recordist were pulling the generator back.

The humming work of the machine broke the thick ambiguity filling the room. Before long, the extinguished lights crackled back to life one by one. The tacit understanding that had grown in the darkness was erased by the bright white light.

Wang Cheng came in reeking of cigarette smoke, clapping his hands: “Finally got the lights back.”

He squinted at the two people on the sofa, sitting properly.

“What were you two doing just now?”

Zhui Ye said candidly: “Going over lines. What else could we be doing?”

Wu Man’s hand withdrew into the bathrobe, her expression unnatural as she echoed him. Under the glare of several high-wattage lights, her face felt burning hot.

*

After that they struggled through two more takes before Wang Cheng finally let them go.

Aside from the generator in the soundstage, the entire film base outside was still without power. From the soundstage to the dressing room where she changed clothes, the entire route was pitch black. Wu Man didn’t turn on her flashlight, groping through the darkness as if this way her chaotic emotions wouldn’t be discovered.

After changing clothes and completely transforming back into Wu Man, her expression had recovered to being perfectly composed.

Pushing open the dressing room door, two points of starlight glowed in the darkness not far away.

Two people were smoking there.

One was a woman, speaking with an excited tone: “I thought I wouldn’t see you until the day after tomorrow. Didn’t expect you’d be filming next door.”

This voice was too familiar—always carrying an inexplicable, grating self-confidence. Who else but He Huiyu?

Another person responded: “What are you filming now?”

Hearing the answering voice, Wu Man stopped in her tracks, instinctively hiding in the darkness.

The speaker was Zhui Ye.

“A period drama, female-led.” He Huiyu blew a smoke ring into the air. “I thought Spring Night was a sure thing, so I turned down all the good projects during this time. But then… now I finally got something passable, so might as well film it.”

He shrugged: “Seems like this show pays well.”

“Brat.” He Huiyu laughed and cursed. “Is your filming going smoothly?”

“The location shoots are all done. Now we’re filming interior scenes.”

“I heard rumors that this time the intimate scenes are all blocking shots with body doubles?”

“…Mm.”

“She really is consistent with her ‘principles.'” He Huiyu spoke the last two words with mockery. “I wouldn’t feel bad about anyone else getting this role, except her.”

Zhui Ye made another sound of acknowledgment: “Indeed.”

In that instant, Wu Man felt an extremely sharp anger shatter all the emotions she’d been concealing.

Unlike the displeasure triggered the first time she saw him say those things in a marketing account’s video, this anger came too abruptly and genuinely, like a stalled motorcycle suddenly speeding up, scraping the road surface, leaving dull pain after the intense reverberation.

This person said to her face that she was his only big sister, yet behind her back agreed with others that she wasn’t worthy of this role at all.

She thought Zhui Ye wasn’t that two-faced. He should detest disguise and be extremely candid. He was uncontrollable, so he didn’t need to cater to others.

This overturning of her perception was what truly made her feel angry and that dull pain.

In those few short seconds, Wu Man’s mind crackled like exploding electrical currents. Yet in the distance, Zhui Ye wasn’t finished.

He continued: “Except you shouldn’t feel bad that she got this role—you should feel bad for yourself. Because next year’s Golden Statue Best Actress probably won’t be yours either.”

He Huiyu rubbed her ear: “What are you saying?”

“Next year she’ll definitely win another award.”

“…With Yu Jiaze around, of course she will.”

Zhui Ye heard this name, his tone turning sharper.

“It has nothing to do with that person. I mean purely on her own.”

“Are you serious?”

Zhui Ye smiled, took a drag of his cigarette. The flickering spark burned a hole in Wu Man’s chest.

All those messy feelings just now leaked out through this hole and disappeared completely. What blew back with the wind was an indescribable fullness.

He Huiyu said sourly in a teasing tone: “Did she really act that well this time?”

“You can come visit the set when you have time.”

“You’re trying to trick me into bringing you good food, aren’t you?”

“I want L…”

“I know, LadyM matcha cake. I’ll bring it.”

He nodded with satisfaction: “Thank you, Teacher He.”

He Huiyu looked helpless: “Who told me I owe you.”

She took out her phone to check the time, snuffed out her cigarette, and waved: “I’m going back to film. See you the day after tomorrow.”

Zhui Ye finished his last drag and also turned into the dressing room.

After they dispersed, Wu Man slowly emerged from the darkness. She couldn’t help wondering what the relationship between these two people was.

But ultimately, what did it have to do with her anyway?

Wu Man thought this, yet still possessed-like picked up her phone, looked left and right, confirmed no one was around, then lowered her head and clicked into the gossip forum.

She entered search keywords: Zhui Ye, He Huiyu

The page pulled up a thread—”Are Zhui Ye and He Huiyu really together?”

She clicked in to see highly-voted replies full of explosive energy.

Top comment 1: “They’re not real! I’m the fake one!!”

Top comment 2: “I’ll answer seriously—they just know each other from dinner parties and have eaten together a few times. Upstairs, you’re done for.”

Top comment 3: “The Best Actor’s fans are here to whitewash again? Wasn’t it your idol who drove her home? Wasn’t it your idol who said in an interview he likes older women?”

Below were all flame wars. Wu Man frowned and exited, clicking into another post with a very sensational title.

“Zhui Ye and He Huiyu definitely aren’t publicity? Evidence inside!”

The main post read: “Zhui Ye said in an interview he really likes listening to music and has an especially treasured cassette tape . Yesterday He Huiyu was photographed going to a record store to buy cassette tapes. Who she’s trying to please is obvious, right? He Huiyu herself doesn’t even like listening to music at all!!”

Top comment 1: “This is hilarious, what kind of air hammer knocked OP’s brain loose? If I go to a record store to buy a disc now, am I also Zhui Ye’s girlfriend, thanks.”

Top comment 2: “Why do I think it seems kind of real… When celebrities act out of character, something’s usually up.”

“…”

Wu Man’s eyes glazed over reading—she didn’t see any truly useful information.

Although the internet was spreading rumors they seemed to be together, Zhui Ye had personally said he’d never been in a relationship, indirectly denying they were dating. He Huiyu had also personally denied during the audition that Zhui Ye wasn’t her young boyfriend. And from their conversation just now, they didn’t seem like a couple.

But… they also didn’t seem as simple as ordinary friends.

*

The crew rested for the next two days. Wu Man didn’t take other work either, properly giving herself two days off, making time to clear out the movies she’d wanted to watch.

Just as one movie reached its climax, a new friend request notification popped up on WeChat beside her. The applicant’s avatar was a silly-looking yellow dog having its face rubbed.

Although there was no note, Wu Man immediately realized who it was.

She accepted, deliberately didn’t greet him. He didn’t speak either.

Though Wu Man was still staring at the projection screen, her mind had already wandered, guessing why he would suddenly add her.

As the movie neared its end, a voice message from him came through, finally stopping her wild speculation.

“Big sister, it’s me.”

“Figured. What’s up?”

The environment on his end was very noisy, sounding like a bar.

“Do you remember you owe me a favor?”

“…I suppose.”

Wu Man was quite surprised. She’d thought this was just Zhui Ye talking casually, hadn’t expected he really wanted her to “repay” it.

“Well now it’s time for you to repay that favor.” Zhui Ye’s tone of speech was softer than usual. “I’ve been drinking and can’t drive. Come pick me up in a bit.”

“Where’s your assistant?”

“Something came up at home. I gave him time off.”

“Then you can find anyone to pick you up.”

“That’s why I found you.” He said matter-of-factly. “If you don’t repay this favor now, next time I’ll ask for something more excessive.”

Wu Man was silent for a moment, then said: “Address.”

Zhui Ye sent over a location pin. Sure enough, it was at a bar.

Wu Man climbed out of bed, leisurely took a shower, put on light makeup, donned a black face mask and baseball cap, wrapping herself until she could barely breathe, only then properly going out.

She arrived at the bar entrance and called Zhui Ye: “Come out.”

Zhui Ye didn’t answer immediately. Someone seemed to be holding him back. He laughed through the receiver, pressing down on the phone while speaking: “I really have to go. The person I was waiting for came to pick me up.”

The voice was distant, like submerged underwater, reaching Wu Man’s ears with a tickling sensation.

Then he spoke directly into the receiver again, the voice transmitting clearly, surfacing from the water, rippling with gentle light.

He said to her: “As you command. My big sister.”