The news of Yu Star’s suspected tax evasion replaced the video of Wu Man and Zhui Ye, becoming the hot topic of online discussion. After all, compared to the curiosity around a large-scale film, the financial dealings of high society had a broader audience and more easily triggered public resentment toward the wealthy—one stone stirring up a thousand ripples.

To prevent the matter from escalating further and alerting the relevant authorities to investigate, Yu Jiaze could only find ways to suppress the trending searches, even copying her tactic—diverting attention by selling gossip about Yu Star’s artists to the paparazzi.

As for the sacrifice ruthlessly betrayed, it was the real female lead in the mosaic video that started this whole series of events—Fu Jingya.

She was photographed by paparazzi entering and leaving a hotel with a married director. Her entertainment career had just started gaining some traction when she was labeled a homewrecker.

This was the consequence of conspiring with a tiger. When the tiger finds you useful and wants to promote you, it’s happy to give you a boost. But when displeased, it will shoot you from behind without mercy.

Therefore, when Wu Man learned the person in the video was her, she didn’t even have the thought of revenge.

She had long predicted that one day Fu Jingya would fall hard. Look, karmic retribution came. Dark eating dark—all deserved.

Unfortunately, Fu Jingya was just a nobody on the thirty-sixth tier. Even though such scandalous behavior emerged, the public just consumed the gossip briefly before turning their attention back to Yu Star’s tax evasion.

But perhaps Yu Jiaze’s fortune was truly too good. Not long after, news of *Spring Night*’s official nomination for the Cannes Palme d’Or reached China, sharing the heat.

Normally this news wouldn’t have garnered such attention, but because of the previous “spectacular” video reversal, the topic’s popularity was incomparable. The film’s publicity team was overjoyed—they hadn’t invested much money yet, but it was already universally known and attracting widespread attention.

Of course, the happiest person was none other than Wang Cheng. Although he had always been confident about *Spring Night*, declaring from the beginning that he was aiming for major awards, this film’s journey had been rocky. Until the final moment when the dust settled, no one knew if it would truly be nominated.

Therefore, when the news came out, he immediately excitedly sent a large red envelope in the Spring Night group chat. Moreover, he was especially generous—the quantity accommodated everyone.

In less than a minute, the group that was usually like stagnant water came alive. Messages about claiming red envelopes topped a long string. In the end, amazingly, two portions remained unclaimed.

Wang Cheng frowned: “Who hasn’t claimed theirs yet?”

Everyone in the group reported: “@Wu Man, @Zhui Ye, what are you two doing!”

*

The two who didn’t claim their red envelopes in time were currently busy calling each other.

Zhui Ye had just finished filming a scene. Taking advantage of the stage crew adjusting the lighting, he hid in the makeup room to video call Wu Man, but she switched it to voice.

Zhui Ye’s mood did a one-eighty from the excitement when the call connected to the gloom after seeing the black screen.

He said sullenly: “Haven’t seen you in several days, and you still won’t let me see you.”

Wu Man casually deflected: “It’s not very convenient on my end.”

In fact, she was terrified.

When Zhui Ye’s video call came through, her car had just entered the airport. The flight to his location would depart in an hour.

Zhui Ye had no idea about any of this. She couldn’t let the surprise slip at the last moment. She originally wanted to hang up directly, but she couldn’t bear to, so she gritted her teeth and switched to voice.

Zhui Ye didn’t press for details, silently accepting her explanation, then perked up again: “Ta-da~ Congratulations Sister, nominated for Cannes Palme d’Or Best Actress!”

Wu Man smiled and shook her head: “How does this count as a nomination? The film gets nominated and it’s automatic—doesn’t count as my achievement.”

“That’s not right. Didn’t you act in the film? If it were someone else, it wouldn’t have this effect.”

This suddenly piqued Wu Man’s curiosity.

“Then if Wang Cheng hadn’t chosen me back then and picked someone else, what would you have done?”

With so many intimate scenes in the script, would you perform them with another woman?

This was the subtext hidden in her question.

Zhui Ye paused before saying: “If he didn’t choose you, I would strongly try to convince him. If he still didn’t choose you, then I’d have to respect him. He confirmed me very early on. Whether out of gratitude for his recognition or doing my job well, I would still perform ‘Chen Nan’ well.”

Wu Man was silent for a long while before giving a sound of acknowledgment.

“…Sister, are you angry?”

She was somewhat angry. But the target was herself.

He was an actor. Whether intimate scenes or other types of scenes, there was no difference. Because this was his job. Just like her—she would face similar situations too.

Before this, she had never dated any actor, so she’d never considered this question. On the contrary, she was the one who had been subjected to demands.

Now, when her role was reversed, Wu Man discovered she had somewhat been influenced by Yu Jiaze.

The same desire to restrict Zhui Ye arose in her heart.

Just imagining him going through the motions with other women in the future was like the faint buzzing of mosquitoes near one’s ear when trying to fall asleep—making one irritably want to swat it away.

In fact, the mosquito didn’t exist at all. It was an illusion evolved from human selfishness and possessiveness.

Wu Man understood this clearly, so she could only suppress all her discomfort and say: “That’s not it. I’m an actor too. I understand.”

The atmosphere became somewhat strange due to this sudden question. Both sides seemed to fall into their own thoughts for a moment, not rushing to speak.

Then Zhui Ye clearly heard a female voice announcement from her end:

“…passengers prepare to board.”

He had been distracted during the first half, coincidentally only hearing the latter half.

He asked in surprise: “Sister, are you at the airport?”

Wu Man jolted, thinking quickly: “Since *Spring Night* got nominated, I’m planning to fly to LA to tell my mom this good news.”

She was indeed planning this, just that it had to come after the surprise visit.

Zhui Ye said with sudden understanding: “So our mom is in LA… Then it would have been very convenient for me to visit her before. What a shame. After you win the award, I’ll accompany you again and formally visit her.”

Wu Man hesitated, then added: “Her mind isn’t clear. She lives in a nursing home. Even if you come with me, she won’t know who you are. Because she doesn’t even recognize me.”

Zhui Ye fell silent, seeming somewhat at a loss for having inadvertently touched her sore spot.

Wu Man laughed with forced lightness: “Besides, whether I’ll win the award is uncertain. You’re talking as if I’ve already been predetermined to win.”

This time Zhui Ye immediately argued.

“Whether you win or not, you’re already the Best Actress in my heart.”

Sitting in the deserted VIP lounge, Wu Man listened to his firm answer, her face suddenly burning red.

*

Wu Man privately contacted Zhui Ye’s assistant, using the pretense of sending something to find out Zhui Ye’s hotel address. After getting off the plane and collecting her luggage, estimating that Zhui Ye should have finished work and returned, she rushed over by taxi without stopping.

In the car, her phone vibrated from time to time, each message from Zhui Ye.

“I just went to do reshoots and didn’t see your boarding message. What are you doing on the plane now? Are you sleeping?”

“Looks like you’re asleep [pig head.jpg]. Did you bring your neck and lumbar pillows? Otherwise sitting that long will be uncomfortable.”

“I’ve finished removing my makeup and returned to the hotel. Today’s filming was very relaxed, not tired at all. I told you I could do it—twelve hours a day is nothing.”

Wu Man snorted coldly at this message. Her other chat window showed a picture from Zhui Ye’s assistant—Zhui Ye sleeping with his head tilted in the van, exhaustion written all over his face.

“Then I’m going to sleep. Message me when you wake up. Oh right, don’t skip the airplane meal because it’s troublesome. You need to pay attention to your stomach.”

“Good night, Sister. Miss you.”

This kid rambled on sending a bunch of trivial things, yet Wu Man tirelessly read them over and over in the car, repeatedly feeling the urge to reply.

She very restrainedly turned off her phone screen, looking at the rapidly retreating tree shadows outside the window. Her urgent feelings were even swifter than these flowing afterimages.

Little one, I miss you too.

Really want to see you.

*

The car arrived at the hotel where Zhui Ye was staying. She pulled up her mask and guiltily opened a room on the same floor, using the room card to swipe into the elevator.

During the elevator’s smooth ascent, it suddenly paused at an intermediate floor. A blonde, blue-eyed foreign woman in provocative clothing walked in.

Wu Man glanced at her twice, finding her somewhat familiar.

It wasn’t until the elevator stopped at her intended floor and they both walked out together that Wu Man suddenly remembered—she seemed to have seen this person in some Hollywood action film.

So she was also in this co-production?

Wu Man’s thoughts wandered, but she ominously discovered this curvaceous beauty was walking in exactly the same direction as her.

…?

She couldn’t help but slow her steps, watching the foreign woman continue striding forward until she stopped at a certain guest room door.

That was also her destination—Zhui Ye’s room.

Wu Man instinctively hid herself in a corner, peeking toward her—the foreign woman raised her hand and knocked. The person who had told her on WeChat he was going to sleep soon opened the door shortly after.

Her breathing hitched slightly.

They were at some distance. Wu Man couldn’t hear clearly what they were saying, only vaguely sensing Zhui Ye’s attitude was very cold. But this didn’t deter the foreign woman—she even had a posture suggesting she wanted to rush straight into the room.

This wouldn’t do.

Wu Man clenched her fist and decisively emerged from the corner.

Zhui Ye immediately noticed her, his pupils shaking, stammering: “Si…ster…”

He didn’t know whether to be delighted or terrified, helplessly glancing at the foreign woman while pressing his body against the door frame, pulling back a few more centimeters to demonstrate his innocence.

“Sister, let me explain…”

Wu Man made a STOP gesture: “Skip that clichéd opening line. Just shut up.”

The foreign woman turned to look at her, her gaze searching, asking Zhui Ye inquiringly: “Who is she?”

Wu Man answered first: “I got a package over here for him.”

The foreign woman looked baffled: “Haaa?… you are a courier?”

Zhui Ye also asked in bewilderment quietly: “Sister, what package are you delivering? Did you leave something at the front desk?”

Wu Man rolled her eyes, stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and pulled down.

She lightly bit his lowered cheek, then kissed it affectionately, saying vaguely: “This is what Miss Wu Man asked me to courier to you.”

She released him, then looked at the foreign woman provocatively: “He is my boy.”

He is my boy.

“Yep…” Zhui Ye was stunned for a moment, then turned the tables, pulling back the loosened hand, bending down to embrace Wu Man, laughing shamelessly, “She’s my owner.”

Yes, I belong to her.

*

After the foreign woman slunk away, Wu Man instantly changed her expression.

She didn’t ask why a woman came to his room late at night or why he opened the door for her. Instead, she said with detached indifference: “Since the item Miss Wu Man entrusted to me has been delivered, my work today is finished. Good night, sir.”

She fingered the room card in her pocket and turned to find her own room.

Zhui Ye immediately panicked and followed closely, speaking as fast as rap: “Sister this really is a coincidence I’ve been very well-behaved don’t even say I have something going on with that Serena we don’t even have half a leg hair’s worth of connection I really was about to sleep when she suddenly contacted me saying I left something at her place and that she was already outside my door so I had no choice but to come out and take a look…”

Wu Man walked to her room door, listening while imperceptibly smiling to herself.

She swiped her room card, turned back beaming, and winked at him.

“Silly.”

Zhui Ye froze slightly, immediately reacting, quickly blocking the door Wu Man was about to close.

He said half annoyed, half amused: “Miss courier, I want to file a complaint.”

“What are you complaining about? I delivered everything I was supposed to.”

He coaxed: “Then can you work a little overtime for me? Otherwise I’ll complain that you’re not proactive in your work.”

Wu Man raised her eyebrow, teasing: “Fine, what do you want to send?”

Zhui Ye suddenly pulled open the door, flashed inside and kicked it shut, smoothly pressing Wu Man against the wall to one side, all in one fluid motion.

The room where the card hadn’t been inserted yet was pitch black. He inhaled the fragrance at her neck, murmuring ambiguously: “Could you also help me send a return kiss to Miss Wu Man?”

She said with feigned difficulty: “Let me think…”

Before she finished, the second half was cut off by Zhui Ye lowering his head to kiss her parted lips.

Her tongue, beyond her control, was held hostage by this invader, fiercely yet tenderly breaking through the fortress of her teeth.

She clutched at his sweater, static electricity rising in waves on her fingers, transmitting from her groin all the way to her cerebral cortex, making her instinctively go limp in his embrace.

Zhui Ye hurriedly supported her, but these protective hands had mischievous thoughts the next moment. Secretly parting the inner knit shirt, touching her skin in distracted passion.

He suppressed the emotion and desire surging in his voice that might frighten her, saying breathlessly:

“Sorry, can I change what I’m sending?”

Wu Man’s entire consciousness was also muddled, gazing hazily at his silhouette in the darkness.

Their two bodies pressed together with almost no gap. He nuzzled her cheek, laughing softly: “One kiss isn’t enough. I want to give my whole self to her.”