After Zhong Liyan left, the gathered energy of the group dissipated.
Everyone scattered around the lounge area, each settling into a corner of the sofas, busy with their phones.
Naturally, Ju Li wouldn’t simply relay Zhong Liyan’s words verbatim to the driver, Old Liu, as he had instructed.
She held her phone, opened Old Liu’s WeChat, thought for a moment, and then sent him a message:
[Brother Liu, the boss will be visiting the set shortly and will stay for half an hour before heading to Hengdian.
It’ll still be just the three of us, you, me, and the boss.
Once we arrive at the set, please find a place to park and rest for half an hour.
When the time is up, find the nearest parking spot to the set, let me know the location, and wait for us there.
I’ll bring the boss to you.
^_^]
She recalled Bai Meng mentioning during breakfast that there were no parking lots within a few hundred meters of the set. The closest place a car could go was still about five hundred metres away.
Soon, Master Liu replied: [Got it. I’m at the garage exit now and will be at the hotel entrance soon.]
Not wanting to distract him while he was driving, she refrained from further conversation.
In the time it took her to send that message, Chen Haoyu had already circled the sofa several times.
Ever since Zhong Liyan went to the restroom, he had been sneaking glances at Ju Li.
Seeing her focused on texting, he didn’t approach, afraid she’d ignore him because of work, leaving him embarrassed.
But now that she had put away her phone, he couldn’t hold back anymore. With an exaggeratedly casual stride, he strolled up to her as if he were just passing by.
Ju Li looked up to see him standing there, giving her a sheepish grin.
Scanning the nearby lounge area, she confirmed that the director and editor weren’t paying attention before smiling at him. “Do you have a scene today?”
“I do~” he answered while glancing around, seeming distracted.
Thinking he wasn’t in the mood for conversation, Ju Li stayed silent, patiently waiting for Zhong Liyan.
Though Chen Haoyu didn’t speak, he kept sneaking glances at her, occasionally shifting his weight and absently scuffing the floor with his shoe.
It was the same thing her younger brother, Ju Jing, used to do when he had messed up and was trying to confess.
She raised an eyebrow, giving him a sidelong glance as if to ask, What are you up to?
Meeting her gaze, Chen Haoyu struggled to hold back.
But even though the words were on the tip of his tongue, he found them too embarrassing to say.
His eyebrows furrowed slightly in visible distress.
Even with a mask covering his face, he still radiated an I’m-so-cool-and-handsome aura.
Since leaving the private room, he had been acting like a poised celebrity, carefully maintaining his image and demeanor.
Seeing that he still wasn’t speaking, Ju Li shrugged.
She had no idea what he was up to, clearly eager to say something, yet hesitating.
Just as she was wondering what he wanted, she caught a glimpse of Zhong Liyan emerging from the restroom, walking toward them with commanding presence.
The sunlight streaming in from the side window happened to illuminate his face, casting dramatic Rembrandt lighting that accentuated his strong, chiseled features.
For a moment, he looked like a divine figure descending from the heavens.
The busy staff around them couldn’t help but glance his way as he passed. No one was immune to the appeal of a striking, capable young man.
Chen Haoyu also noticed Zhong Liyan approaching and immediately grew anxious.
Damn, he’s coming over!
His eyes darted around, confirming that no one was within two meters of them. Only then did he turn to her and whisper, “Ju Li.”
“Hmm?” She slowly shifted her gaze from Zhong Liyan to him.
“…” Chen Haoyu met her eyes and froze again. But seeing that Zhong Liyan was getting even closer, he was running out of time.
Gritting his teeth, he finally muttered, awkwardly and quietly, “Uh… You won’t tell anyone that I cried, right?”
Thank goodness for the mask, otherwise, he’d die of embarrassment.
Ju Li didn’t catch his words clearly at first, but after a quick mental reconstruction of the muffled sounds, she pieced together his meaning.
So it’s about that…
She almost laughed but managed to hold it in, otherwise, Chen Haoyu might get so embarrassed that he’d cut ties with her forever.
“Of course, I swear,” she quickly promised, catching a glimpse of their boss just four meters away.
“Not even your boss, your family, or your boyfriend,” Chen Haoyu hastily added.
“I won’t tell anyone!” she reassured him without hesitation.
“Phew…” The weight on Chen Haoyu’s chest finally lifted. The guilty, sneaky feeling he had been carrying instantly vanished, and he straightened his shoulders, reverting to his usual confident, flamboyant self.
Ju Li had to stifle her laughter.
This guy was so guarded with everyone, yet after sharing his most vulnerable emotions with her, he was completely unguarded in front of her.
People were just like that sometimes, when they trusted someone, they trusted them completely.
“The car is here, boss,” Ju Li reported as Zhong Liyan finally reached them.
Zhong Liyan nodded, acting as if he hadn’t noticed their secretive conversation. With a smooth composure, he turned to Chen Haoyu and said, “We’re heading out first. See you at the set.”
“Alright.” Chen Haoyu nodded quickly, his eyes crinkling above his mask, looking cheerful.
Zhong Liyan waved toward Director Zhang from a distance before turning to leave.
Ju Li hurried to follow.
Chen Haoyu suddenly remembered something and called out, “Ju Li!”
Both of them turned back at the same time.
Zhong Liyan only glanced at Chen Haoyu briefly before withdrawing his gaze. His peripheral vision caught Ju Li’s expression, but he turned and walked straight toward his car as the doorman pushed the door open.
Chen Haoyu took two quick steps forward, pulled out his phone, and said, “Once we’re on set, there’ll be too many people around, and it won’t be convenient. Let’s add each other on WeChat now.”
Ju Li quickly took out her phone, scanned his QR code in an instant, and hurriedly said, “See you later~” before dashing out the door and slipping into the car outside, looking as if she was afraid of making her boss wait.
Chen Haoyu stared at his phone until the car carrying Boss Zhong and his little secretary drove away. Only then did he receive Ju Li’s friend request.
He quickly tapped ‘accept,’ then pressed his lips together, suddenly feeling a sense of melancholy.
Looking up, he saw the hotel entrance slowly closing, like the exit of a space portal.
Beyond it lay another world, where many things would change.
His emotions swirled, leaving him frozen in place, unmoving for a long while.
He wasn’t sure if it was because he had completely lost control and cried his heart out last night, or because he had handed over such a significant weakness to a young woman, or if it was something else entirely…
When he arrived on set, Chen Haoyu realised that many things had indeed changed.
Back at the hotel, Ju Li had treated him like a friend, lighthearted and at ease.
But on set, they were merely an actor and a secretary with work-related interactions.
He suddenly felt that the rare bond of ‘you’ve seen me cry’ was fleetingly short-lived.
That friendship, like a meteor, had blazed brightly across the sky, only to vanish without a trace.
She put on a businesslike demeanor, calling him “Teacher Chen,” no different from how she addressed the screenwriter as “Teacher Xiao.”
As soon as he entered the set, he was ushered away for makeup and costume changes. When he emerged, he saw Ju Li standing not too far away, but with the endless stream of staff moving between them, it felt like an impassable chasm.
Even speaking was difficult, let alone exchanging glances.
Last night, the two of them had sat on the sofa, sharing a deeply emotional and vulnerable moment. Now, it felt like a mere dream, fading away, leaving behind nothing but ruins.
With the world back to normal, he was once again that heavily scrutinised celebrity, every move watched under a magnifying glass, expected to be flawless. Many of his secrets couldn’t even be shared with his manager. Anyone could betray him for profit.
Not even family could understand his solitude.
For the sake of his public image and to avoid controversy, he couldn’t even afford friendships…
Standing amidst the crowd, he suddenly felt like a lone stick on an isolated island, rigid, dry, lifeless.
Ju Li, standing nearby, had no idea what was going through Chen Haoyu’s mind. She knew that being a celebrity came with immense pressure, but she didn’t realise how sensitive and fragile he was, how deeply lonely he felt, nor how he struggled to coexist with that loneliness.
If she had known, she might have understood why he seemed so pure when he was with her.
But instead, she stood beside Boss Zhong, silently observing the entire set, watching the cameras, the cinematographers, the director, the executive producer, and the crew members. She was absorbing all the unfamiliar information, hungry for new knowledge.
As Bai Meng reported work updates to Boss Zhong, Ju Li paid attention to his phrasing, making an effort to memorise and understand the industry terminology.
She firmly believed that all knowledge would eventually be useful, so she devoured it eagerly.
“Call the on-set accountant over,” Boss Zhong ordered after listening to Bai Meng’s report.
Bai Meng took two bottles of cold water from a staff member, handed them to Zhong Liyan and Ju Li, then turned to leave.
Ju Li looked down at the bottle in her hands, a small smile forming on her lips. She was certain that before this, Bai Meng wouldn’t have cared whether she was thirsty or not.
But now, she had earned a bit of Bai Meng’s respect through her actions, and in return, she received this small gesture of kindness.
Just as she was feeling pleased over a bottle of water, Zhong Liyan shoved his own bottle into her hands as well, suddenly making her the proud owner of two bottles of cold water.
Before she could even relish the feeling, she realised that her boss probably had a sensitive stomach and couldn’t drink cold water.
She quickly said, “Please wait a moment,” and turned to find someone from the crew to ask where she could get warm water.
Guided to the water station, she soon discovered there were no cups available.
People bustled around in a hurry, making it difficult for her to stop anyone to ask.
Just as she was about to check the tent set up behind them, her eyes landed on a woman sitting on a small folding stool under the shade of a tree. The woman had strikingly long legs and an air of confidence.
She looked young, with striking features, especially a pair of bold, arching eyebrows.
“Hello.” Ju Li approached and struck up a conversation.
The woman lifted her head, revealing her full face.
She’s stunning…
Ju Li admired her beauty from the bottom of her heart.
She wasn’t the delicate, princess-like type, but rather had a classic, commanding presence, reminiscent of Brigitte Lin and Joey Wong. A beauty with strength and spirit, one that was impossible to forget.
“Uh… Excuse me, is there a cup around here? I’d like to pour some water from that thermos.” She stared at the other girl’s face for a few seconds before finally speaking up, just in time to avoid testing the girl’s patience.
The girl didn’t say anything. She put down the things in her hands, got up, and walked into the tent. After rummaging around for a bit, she pulled out a disposable paper cup. “Is this enough?”
Her voice was unexpectedly pleasant, clear and refreshing.
“It’s enough, thank you.” Ju Li quickly expressed her gratitude. Seeing the girl sit back down, she thought for a moment before placing one of the two bottles of mineral water she was holding at the girl’s feet. “Here, for you.”
Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran back to the long table to pour herself some warm water.
Then, she heard the girl behind her chuckle and say, “Thanks, big sis.”
Her tone was carefree and full of youthful energy.
Ju Li turned back and flashed a bright smile at her. The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows, but her smile remained warm and radiant.
When she returned to Zhong Liyan’s side, she was holding her cup of warm water, her expression sweet, like she had just stolen a sip of honey from somewhere.
Zhong Liyan was listening to the production accountant report on the discrepancy between the budget and actual expenses. When his gaze landed on Ju Li, he unconsciously paused, his eyes lingering on her for a moment before returning to the accountant.
Ju Li quietly handed the cup of water to him. He grabbed it without looking, as if he had eyes on his hands, and took a few big gulps.
Watching him drink, Ju Li felt an odd sense of accomplishment, that was the water she had poured for him. She was so clever to have noticed that the boss was thirsty and wanted warm water.
The way he chugged it down… Tsk tsk.
She turned around, straightened her back, and continued observing her surroundings while eavesdropping on the conversation between her boss and the accountant.
Unbeknownst to her, every little movement and expression of hers had fallen into her boss’s view. Standing this close, even if he wasn’t looking directly at her, as long as he paid attention, he could see everything clearly.
“Boss, Chen Haoyu has been making a fuss since last week, it’s been exactly a week now. If we only calculate the direct losses he caused, it’s manageable. But if we include the indirect impact, that would be more complicated,” the accountant said with difficulty.
“Just calculate the direct losses,” Zhong Liyan replied.
“Understood. I’ll work on it now and send you the report by email later?”
“Alright.” Zhong Liyan nodded.
The accountant took the order and immediately headed to the tent at the edge of the set, he had a temporary workspace there with his laptop and other materials.
As the accountant left, Ju Li was still wondering why her boss was having losses calculated. Was he planning to penalise the producer, Bai Meng?
After all, the producer was essentially the project manager of the entire production, and any issue that arose would ultimately land on her shoulders.
Chen Haoyu was an A-lister, there was no way they’d dare penalise him.
She silently speculated but had only guessed half of it right.
Noticing that there were only thirty minutes left before their set visit ended, Ju Li reminded her boss it was time to leave.
Bai Meng quickly ran over to see them off, but Zhong Liyan waved her away with a curt “Get back to work.”
After bidding farewell to the director, Ju Li glanced at Chen Haoyu, who was preparing for his scene. She hesitated for a few seconds before finally picking up her tiny legs and running toward him.
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