The director saw that all the actors had arrived, so he no longer remained seated. He walked over and began explaining the scene to Lin Chen, Lin Nuonuo, and the others present.
The first scene of the day did not actually give Lin Nuonuo many lines, and most of her shots only required her to lie on the bed. But since this was her first time filming, the director still patiently went over everything she needed to do and explained how to act.
“Understand?”
“Understood.” Lin Nuonuo nodded and carefully memorized what he said.
The director glanced at the other actors. “What about the rest of you? Any questions?”
Everyone said they had none.
“Alright then. Get ready.”
“All departments ready, actors in position! 《Attending Physician》, Scene 37, Act 1, action!”
Act 1 was the moment when Mo Hai, frustrated by his daughter’s lack of improvement, confronted the medical staff in the ward.
It was a classic case of hospital troublemaking.
Once the director shouted ‘action’, the actors in front of the camera immediately slipped into character.
“You said you could cure her! You said you could! It’s been over a month! Why isn’t she better yet?!” Mo Hai demanded loudly, shattering the ward’s quiet.
“We said there was hope for recovery, not a guaranteed cure. Even the best hospital in the country wouldn’t dare make that promise. And this illness isn’t like ordinary illnesses—” A doctor explained.
But Mo Hai cut him off, violently grabbing his collar and shouting irrationally, “I don’t care what illness it is! We’ve spent so much money! Why is there no improvement at all?! Your hospital is nothing but a scam!”
“Calm down first. We understand how you feel, but—”
“I don’t care! We’ve been everywhere! If you can’t cure her, then it’s your problem!”
At that moment, Mo Hai portrayed the unreasonable and ignorant desperation of a bottom-tier laborer vividly.
The medical staff in the ward showed looks of helplessness. Those outside watching the commotion all wore expressions of contempt as they looked at Mo Hai.
Only Mo Bei, sitting on the hospital bed behind them all, showed none of that. She neither felt troubled nor anxious, nor did she harbor even a hint of disdain. All she had was confusion— and complete, unquestioning trust and dependence on her father, mixed with a sliver of admiration.
At the monitor, noticing the expression on Lin Nuonuo’s face, the director specifically told Camera 2 to give her a close-up.
“Not bad at all. This child has some talent.” He told several assistant directors.
Originally, Lin Nuonuo was supposed to be nothing more than a background figure in this scene. But to the director’s surprise, her facial expressions were spot-on.
“She’s doing very well. Her emotions right now fit perfectly with Mo Bei’s state of mind.” An assistant director said.
A seven-year-old child could not fully grasp life and death. It was natural that she would trust her father unconditionally. Seeing him argue with others for her sake, the mix of seventy percent nervousness and thirty percent admiration became the highlight of the performance.
Hearing the analysis, the others at the monitor nodded in agreement.
But in truth, they were all mistaken.
Lin Nuonuo’s performance had nothing to do with acting skills. She was simply reacting genuinely.
It was her first time watching Lin Chen act. This version of Lin Chen felt unfamiliar…… and a bit magical.
She had no idea whether his acting was good or not, but through the filter of a real daughter, she genuinely felt he was incredible. Hence, the unconscious admiration in her eyes.
Still, she had not forgotten she was supposed to act too.
Noticing the director’s hint, Lin Nuonuo crawled off the bed and walked toward the arguing adults, finally tugging on Lin Chen’s sleeve.
Being pulled by his daughter, Mo Hai, who had been on the verge of losing control, gradually calmed down.
And as Mo Hai led his daughter back to the bed, the confrontation finally settled.
“Good. Cut!”
The director’s voice came from outside the scene.
“Nice job. This one’s a pass! Everyone, get ready for the next act.”
Act 2 was Mo Hai caring for his daughter at her bedside. It was short, and compared to the previous tense scene, this one felt much warmer.
Mo Bei lay on the bed, while Mo Hai sat beside her, telling her a story.
Though the setting was the hospital ward, the scene was unexpectedly harmonious.
The crew, watching quietly, whispered among themselves.
“This shot looks nice.”
“Yeah, really warm.”
“To be honest, this child really looks like she could be Lin Chen’s daughter.” Someone said.
“If you look closely, their features do look a bit similar.” Another chimed in.
But no one thought much of it.
In front of the camera, Lin Nuonuo stared wide-eyed as Lin Chen read to her. It felt unreal.
Normally, when Lin Chen looked at her, he was either cold or disgusted. He had never been this gentle.
Even though she knew it was acting, her heart still fluttered excitedly.
“Dad……” She whispered. This was Mo Bei’s only line in the scene.
“Hmm?”
Lin Chen answered!
She called him ‘dad’, and he answered!
Lin Nuonuo nearly burst with excitement, barely suppressing her smile.
To keep the camera from catching it, she shrank under the blanket until only her eyes peeked out, staring directly at her father.
“What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” Lin Chen set the book aside and asked anxiously.
She shook her head.
But after only a few seconds, she couldn’t resist calling softly again, “Dad.”
Lin Chen froze. Out of the camera’s sight, his brows furrowed slightly. The script did not include that line.
But since the director hadn’t shouted ‘cut’, he could only respond again, “Hmm?”
Lin Nuonuo shook her head again, but then called out ‘dad’ several more times.
The smile on her face spread from her lips to her eyes, impossible to hide even behind the blanket.
“Dad!” She chimed playfully once more.
Affected by her mood, even Lin Chen’s eyes softened. “What do you want to say?”
Meeting his gaze, she tucked her entire head into the blanket and began giggling uncontrollably.
Only then did the director finally call, “Cut!”
He had not forgotten earlier. He simply hadn’t wanted to interrupt.
The intended scene was supposed to show Mo Bei, in pain, subconsciously calling for her father. But not wanting to worry him, she shook her head when he asked if she was uncomfortable.
What Lin Nuonuo had just performed was wildly different.
But the spontaneous moment was so natural and emotionally genuine that it felt even better than the script. So the director let it play out.
Still, because of her impromptu additions, they reshot the scene according to the script.
After a few close-ups, Lin Nuonuo’s work for the morning was done.
Lin Chen, however, had two more scenes with the male lead and several other important characters, so he remained on set. Lin Nuonuo, now ‘off work’, was brought to the actors’ rest area backstage.
It was close to lunchtime by the time the morning shoot wrapped up.
Hearing that the crew was providing meals, Lin Nuonuo became excited and went to line up for food without waiting for Lin Chen.
The staff member distributing the meals was surprised to see a child, but upon noticing her crew ID, he warmly handed her a boxed meal.
“Uncle, can I have one more?” She asked.
“Oh? You can eat two?” He laughed.
“No.” She shook her head. “The other one is for my dad. His scene just ended, and he’s still busy.”
Realizing that the ‘dad’ she meant was the actor playing her father, the staff member said nothing more and gave her another meal.
“Thank you, Uncle.”
Carrying two boxed meals, Lin Nuonuo happily headed backstage.
Someone called out behind her halfway there.
“Nuonuo.”
“Hmm?” She turned and greeted, “Sister.”
It was Xu Jia, the third female lead, who played a young nurse in the ward.
They had filmed a few scenes together earlier, so they got acquainted.
“Did you go get food?” Xu Jia asked, noticing the meals in Lin Nuonuo’s hands.
“Mm.”
“Where’s your guardian or assistant? Why did they let you go alone?” Xu Jia asked again.
Normally, child actors always had a parent or an assistant with them.
Lin Nuonuo thought of Lin Chen’s not-very-bright assistant, who was probably still discussing Lin Chen’s afternoon scenes with the staff.
“Uncle Xiao Qi is busy.” She explained.
After hearing that vague answer, Xu Jia let it go.
“My assistant also went to get food and buy fruit. How about waiting and eating together?” Xu Jia offered with a warm smile. She liked this child.
“Okay!” Lin Nuonuo nodded. Then she pointed behind her. “But I have to eat in that resting room.”
“Why?”
“My dad is there. I need to eat with him. Sister, do you want to come too?” She asked.
It took Xu Jia several seconds to process who ‘dad’ referred to.
Her friendly smile stiffened instantly.
“I…… won’t go. You go ahead. Sister will treat you to milk tea next time.” She said awkwardly before walking away quickly, almost as if fleeing.
Seeing Xu Jia’s sudden strange expression and her eagerness to distance herself, Lin Nuonuo blinked.
It wasn’t that the other party didn’t want to eat with her.
So…… she didn’t want to eat with her father?
That made more sense.
After all, the novel stated clearly that Lin Chen had a terrible reputation in the industry.
Since his debut, endless rumors and scandals have circulated about him. Cheating with fans, two-timing, ambiguous relationships with multiple actresses, even claims he was secretly married with a child…… None had solid proof, but after years of repetition, the public accepted them as true.
Anyone associated with him risked scandal.
Top stars looked down on him, and rising stars protected their reputations. Newbies like Xu Jia would never risk being photographed with someone like him.
Those rumors not only ruined his current career but also destroyed his future.
Later in the novel, Lin Chen’s true background was revealed by accident.
He was the second young master of the powerful Lin family in A City.
The internet exploded.
But those past scandals embarrassed the Lin family. When the rumors resurfaced online, some netizens even called for boycotts of Lin Group’s products. Infuriated, the Lin family publicly denied that Lin Chen was their second young master— effectively cutting ties with him.
Later, when the family divided its assets, Lin Chaojiang gave everything to the eldest son, Lin Zeyu. Lin Chen received nothing.
“So pitiful……” Lin Nuonuo muttered.
When she entered the lounge, Lin Chen had just changed out of his costume.
“Dad, it’s time to eat!” She said, offering him the meal.
Lin Chen froze. “What did you just call me?”
“Um…… time to eat. I got you food.” She said.
“The previous line.”
“Dad?” Lin Nuonuo asked in a small voice.
“You should call me uncle.” Lin Chen stressed, his tone carrying a hint of sternness.
Legally speaking, Lin Zeyu was Lin Nuonuo’s father. At most, he counted as her uncle.
Hearing his words, a trace of disappointment surfaced uncontrollably on Lin Nuonuo’s face, but she still obeyed softly, “Oh.”
Their conversation happened to be overheard by several crew members passing by. Their gazes toward Lin Chen carried an extra touch of curiosity and surprise.
Only when they walked farther away did those few finally begin whispering.
“Isn’t it just calling him ‘dad’? Isn’t Lin Chen being too fussy?”
“Yeah, he’s making a big deal out of nothing.”
“I’ve followed so many crews, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen something like this……”
In many crews, when filming, child actors called the actors ‘dad’ or ‘mom’ in the script, and sometimes they continued using those forms of address off-camera. Usually, celebrities and actors didn’t mind. Some even encouraged it to build rapport with child actors or to appear harmonious in media coverage, intentionally maintaining such affectionate titles.
Someone like Lin Chen, who hurried to distance himself, was something they had never seen before.
While those few complained about how ‘petty’ Lin Chen was being, Lin Nuonuo— the person involved— had already drifted to another thought entirely.
“Dad, can you not be such a scumbag?”
She asked with complete seriousness, leaving Lin Chen utterly baffled.
“It’s uncle.” Lin Chen emphasized again.
And what did she mean by telling him not to be a scumbag? When had he ever been one? To whom?
Lin Chen stared at Lin Nuonuo, speechless. Hearing her solemn tone just now, combined with her serious expression, anyone who didn’t know better would think he had wronged her somehow.
Facing his suspicious gaze, Lin Nuonuo added, “It’s not right to two-time a bunch of people, and lying about feelings is also wrong. If you don’t like someone, then don’t deceive them…… If you really like someone, then you should be loyal, otherwise……” She glanced at him timidly before continuing, “Otherwise you’ll be scolded, and you won’t be able to lift your head.” And your ending would be miserable.
Lin Chen: “……”
Hearing her chirp on at length, he naturally understood she was talking about those online rumors.
He had no idea where she had heard such nonsense, but wasn’t this child meddling a bit too much?
Seeing Lin Chen lower his eyes silently, Lin Nuonuo thought he was taking her teachings to heart. Feeling satisfied, she continued calmly, “You shouldn’t always keep such a cold face and be so fierce. People will think you have a bad temper and won’t want to be your friend. You should be gentler.” Just like he had been earlier in the scene.
She muttered as she spoke, occasionally dropping bits of food from her lunchbox into Lin Chen’s bowl.
Finally, when the section of his lunchbox was piled into a tiny mountain, Lin Chen’s patience ran out.
“Lin Nuonuo.”
His suddenly cold voice startled her.
“Ah?”
“Who taught you to dump the things you don’t like into someone else’s bowl?” He asked icily.
What kind of terrible habit was this? Had she learned it from Lin Zixin back home?
Although…… the food she dropped into his bowl were indeed things he liked.
Hearing his accusation, Lin Nuonuo cried injustice in her heart.
“I didn’t……” Everything she gave him was untouched, and they were her favorites……
She whispered her defense, looking at him pitifully.
Meeting the look of pure disdain in his eyes, her grievance deepened.
Holding her lunchbox, she scooted away, turned her back to him, and angrily continued eating.
Watching her sulking there, Lin Chen was speechless. How had she become the wronged one?
……
There were three scenes in the afternoon— two between Lin Chen and Lin Nuonuo, and one between Lin Chen and the male lead.
Lin Nuonuo’s scenes came first.
Because these scenes were set in the later stages of the plot after Mo Bei’s illness worsened, the makeup artist applied heavier makeup to make her look even more fragile.
Since she was already thin, paired with that makeup, it looked like a gust of wind could topple her.
Thus, when she ran to the filming location, the director and staff were startled upon seeing her.
“Careful, slow down!” The director blurted instinctively, then realized it was the makeup’s effect. Regaining composure, he began explaining the scene to Lin Nuonuo and the others.
The first shot took place in the hospital corridor.
Mo Hai returned with his daughter from outside the hospital. The two walked through the corridor, sunlight landing on Mo Bei’s bloodless face, making her appear almost transparent. There was no trace of vitality on her face, only a weak yet satisfied smile.
But halfway down the corridor, Mo Bei collapsed.
Not knowing how to act out a fall, Lin Nuonuo could only follow the director’s earlier instructions— bend her legs and fall forward.
But at the moment of falling, she instinctively clutched Lin Chen’s hand tightly.
“Cut!” The director called.
“No, that won’t do. You can’t fall like that. It needs to look real and natural, understand?” He told her.
“O…… kay.” Lin Nuonuo nodded, half-comprehending.
She honestly didn’t understand……
With no other choice, she looked helplessly toward Lin Chen.
“What does ‘look real’ mean?”
“It means your fall just now looked too fake.” He said expressionlessly.
“Mm…… Then what counts as not fake?”
“When you fall, don’t use your legs for support. Don’t think about how not to fall. Just go straight down.” He said concisely.
“Ah……” She blinked at him. “Wouldn’t that hurt a lot?”
Lin Chen: “……” Obviously.
While they spoke, the director called, “Ready? Let’s do it again!”
Everyone returned to their position.
Before the take began, Lin Nuonuo tugged at Lin Chen’s sleeve.
“What?” He asked, glancing down.
“When I fall later, remember to catch me.” Her eyes were full of trust.
Lin Chen: “……”
“Action!”
This time, Lin Nuonuo had a vague reference for what ‘no strength in the legs’ felt like.
Back at the welfare home, because there were many children, it wasn’t rare for the caretakers to miss a child or two, and sometimes older children even stole food from younger ones.
Hunger was common.
A few missed meals, and that sensation Lin Chen described, which sounded like weak legs, would appear.
Recalling that feeling, Lin Nuonuo walked feebly beside him. Suddenly, her left leg failed to lift, her right foot caught it, and she fell instantly.
Lin Chen tried to catch her, but she fell too quickly and too realistically.
With a loud thud, everyone around jumped in fright, including the director watching the monitor.
“Xiao Bei!” Lin Chen called in Mo Hai’s voice.
The shout drew attention, and medical staff rushed over.
“What happened? Isn’t she supposed to be in her room? Why did you bring her out?” The attending physician demanded.
“I…… I just wanted to take her for a walk.” Mo Hai said with difficulty. He looked shadowed and helpless, no longer bearing the earlier aggression from arguing with doctors.
“A walk? In her condition? Do you want to kill her?” The doctor scolded while ordering colleagues to carry the fallen Mo Bei back to her room.
By now, her ward had been changed from a normal room to the ICU.
“Good. Cut! That take was good, passed. Everyone, prepare for the next scene!”
Staff quickly began setting up.
The setting for this scene was the ICU.
Props were brought in. Various medical machines and monitoring devices were arranged around the bed. Though used as props, most were real rented equipment for authenticity.
Lin Nuonuo lay on the bed while staff attached tubes and wires to her.
Machines beeped steadily beside her.
The familiar yet distant sound made her dazed. For a moment, the scene overlapped with the final moment of her nightmare. The staff became the shadowy figures in surgical gowns, and the tubes seemed to be the ones tethering her life.
Even the makeup brush in the makeup artist’s hand seemed to turn into a cold scalpel.
Fear made her body tremble unconsciously. Beneath the sickly makeup, her face was truly pale.
But the thick makeup hid it well.
She struggled.
Her movement disrupted the makeup artist and props team.
“Sweetie, don’t move. We’re almost done.” The young woman responsible for props coaxed gently.
They assumed Lin Nuonuo was just impatient.
No one else noticed anything wrong.
Except Lin Chen. He seemed to sense her distress.
“What’s wrong?” He asked as he approached.
He didn’t miss the panic in the child’s eyes.
“They’re just props. Not scary.” He said flatly.
But his dry reassurance somehow pulled Lin Nuonuo out of the nightmare.
Once she calmed down, the staff sped up.
When everything was ready, filming began.
Machines lit up. Mo Bei lay in bed with tubes everywhere, while Mo Hai sat beside her in his caregiver outfit…… The room was silent except for the cold beeping.
Then Mo Bei moved, turning her head with great difficulty toward him. Through the respirator, she whispered, “Dad, am I going to die?”
“No.”
“You’re lying……”
“No, Dad isn’t lying. When we cure your illness, we’ll go back to see Grandma, back to see your classmates.”
Lin Chen recited the lines.
Looking at him, Lin Nuonuo drifted. Though his clothes differed from the final scene in her dream, the silhouettes overlapped perfectly.
She tried to reach for him, but her hand was bound by tubes.
Suddenly, she smiled sweetly at him.
She had wanted to do this in her dream, but couldn’t.
Seeing that smile, Lin Chen meant to remind her not to go off-script, but in that instant, something slammed against his heart, stunning him.
A flash— too quick to catch— passed through his mind, leaving only a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he had seen this scene somewhere before. A pang of sorrow and suffocation rose inexplicably in his chest.
“Let’s not get treatment anymore, okay? It hurts……” Lin Nuonuo whispered her line.
Lin Chen opened his mouth, but his dry throat produced no sound. He could only stare at the child before him, eyes bloodshot, his tense expression filled with pain, suppressed fury, helplessness, and above all, uncontrollable grief.
He wanted to hold his child, but with so many tubes attached to her, he had nowhere to place his hands. In the end, he could only touch her intact forehead gently to comfort her.
Outside the frame, the crew stared wide-eyed at the monitor.
“Holy crap! Lin Chen’s acting just exploded!”