This time, as usual, the revised script pages arrived with plot developments far ahead, and Wei Shihuan discovered that it was Liu Fuying who had orchestrated her entry into the palace. The emperor’s chance encounter with her outside the palace was indeed no coincidence, it was the result of Liu Fuying’s machinations.
Such a revelation of the truth, delving into inner emotions while steering the plot toward a dramatic climax, naturally made it a standout scene in the drama. As a result, everyone gathered around once again, eagerly watching the unfolding drama.
By the time Wei Shihuan learned the truth, she had already risen to the rank of one of the Nine Concubines, becoming Consort Wei. Consort Liu had always been on good terms with her, offering her much assistance. In the harem, they had long been allies, even considering each other confidantes.
Thus, when Lin Chenghuan realized that this very confidante was the one who had shattered her peaceful life and thrust her into the treacherous palace, she couldn’t hold back her fury. Of course, the anguish of being betrayed by someone close to her was the most tormenting part.
The camera and crew took their positions, and the director signaled the start of filming. The new scene quickly commenced.
“Your humble servant pays respects to Consort Liu,” Lin Chenghuan entered the hall and bowed gracefully.
“Rise quickly. Haven’t I told you long ago that there’s no need for formalities when we’re alone?” Lu Zhiwei approached and gently helped her up.
“…”
This line bore a striking resemblance to Lu Zhiwei’s off-screen remark, “No need to always call me President Lu when there are no outsiders around.” Lin Chenghuan tried hard to suppress her laughter but ultimately failed, breaking character on the spot.
“Pfft… cough, sorry.” Lin Chenghuan apologized but couldn’t stop herself from doubling over with laughter, nearly tearing up.
The onlookers were also laughing. Qin Xiao complained, “Alright, even you can’t hold it together. Looks like we really need to dose you with ‘Laughing Without Half a Step Madness.’”
“After all, Huanhuan used to work at Xia Yao, so facing the boss must be quite a shift for her,” Xu Sheng chimed in with a laugh.
Through online updates and industry gossip, everyone knew that Lin Chenghuan hadn’t parted on bad terms with her former company, so mentioning her previous employer wasn’t off-limits.
“Well then, you can spend more time with President Lu in your daily life to get used to it sooner,” Qin Xiao said to Lin Chenghuan.
“Huh?” That works? She already sought out Lu Zhiwei too often in the evenings, worried that others might think she was currying favor if they frequently saw her. Now, was she supposed to visit Lu Zhiwei under official orders?
Lu Zhiwei smiled gently and nodded. “You’re always welcome to come.”
After Lin Chenghuan finally stopped laughing, she felt a bit embarrassed under Lu Zhiwei’s gaze and glanced around the set to regain her composure. She saw some people chatting idly, others roaring with laughter, the entire set had once again turned into a chaotic den.
Lu Zhiwei quickly glanced at Qin Xiao, who subtly raised an eyebrow as if to say, “See? I’ve done you a huge favor.”
After a mix of subtle tensions and lively banter, the brief cooling-off period for the actors ended, and the scene started over.
This time, Lin Chenghuan found her footing and smoothly transitioned into the confrontation, as if the person before her was truly a longtime ally who had concealed the truth and deceived her.
“Sister Consort… was it because of you that I entered the palace?” Lin Chenghuan’s voice trembled.
“Yes,” Lu Zhiwei replied, her eyes showing a trace of remorse.
“Why… did you do this?”
“After I met you by chance that time, I admired you and felt it was a pity you weren’t in the palace. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were so opposed to entering.”
“You didn’t fail to consider it, you simply didn’t care about that possibility. You only wanted someone from a good family, with a gentle temperament and a bit of cleverness, to befriend you and serve your purposes…”
“Cut.” The director called for a stop and analyzed, “Sister Wei didn’t convey the sense of guilt, but the tenderness and concern in her eyes were spot-on. Keep it up.”
“Mm, sorry. I really don’t feel guilty very often,” Lu Zhiwei apologized.
Lin Chenghuan’s eyes were already slightly glistening, her eyelids reddening. She rubbed her eyes, and Li Xiaoyi quickly stepped forward to hand her eye drops.
“Then you could try imagining a scenario that would make you feel guilty, to get into the mood. For example, if your little secret were exposed or something…” Qin Xiao walked over to give Lu Zhiwei some direction, lowering her voice toward the end as if hinting at something.
Lin Chenghuan: “…”
Lu Zhiwei remained noncommittal, thinking to herself, What is there to feel guilty about? My intentions are already quite obvious, and the other person has long since noticed.
“Alright, I’ll try to imagine it,” Lu Zhiwei replied.
Qin Xiao was at a loss for the moment and could only let her find the feeling on her own. After exchanging a few words, she went to the side to drink some water. Lin Chenghuan thought for a moment and suddenly came up with an idea, a dangerous smile flickering in her eyes.
Lu Zhiwei looked back at her curiously. Lin Chenghuan, sharpening her metaphorical knife, stepped forward and pulled her outside to a secluded courtyard where no one was around.
“President Lu, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you.”
“Oh… go ahead.” Lu Zhiwei looked at her with a smile, thinking, Is she helping the director by trying to evoke that feeling in me? But what could possibly make me feel guilty right now?
“After you came to my house and found me last time, what did you do alone in that empty room? You didn’t cry, did you?” Lin Chenghuan said meaningfully.
Lu Zhiwei: “………”
“N-No, why would you ask that? Of course… I was just tired afterward, which is why my eyes were red.” As she spoke, even Lu Zhiwei found her own explanation weak and trailed off.
So, she’s had this suspicion all along. That day at her house, she really did notice. She never easily believed my excuse…
“Alright, I understand.” Lin Chenghuan’s emotions were also in disarray. She hadn’t expected Lu Zhiwei to have actually cried that day. Goodness, this is just too bizarre, too… overwhelming.
She had finally seized the opportunity to ask, but now that her doubts were resolved, what next? Lin Chenghuan’s mind was in a haze, her heartstrings trembling violently, making it difficult to maintain her composure.
On the other side, Lu Zhiwei successfully became flustered and guilty but soon recalled the pain and relief of surviving that ordeal. It was as if she had returned to that moment, overwhelmed by a wave of sorrow.
“I’m sorry, I…” Lin Chenghuan was at a loss, watching the sadness in the other’s eyes and feeling an urge to hug her. Unfortunately, the courtyard wasn’t entirely deserted, there were still people resting nearby.
“It’s fine. I’m actually grateful,” Lu Zhiwei said with a relieved smile. “At that time, I was immensely thankful to the heavens.”
Lin Chenghuan froze for a moment, her gaze growing complex, then stepped forward and hugged the other woman.
Forget it. If anyone sees and asks, we’ll just say we’re rehearsing. And to avoid breaking character, what’s wrong with getting a little closer to President Lu?
Lin Chenghuan quickly released her and whispered, “Thank you.”
Lu Zhiwei was still a bit dazed, but quickly snapped out of it upon hearing those words, no longer feeling so embarrassed. So, it was just gratitude? No need for that…
The two of them fell into a brief, silent gaze, a gentle breeze brushing past, the slightly cool October weather was just perfect. Lin Chenghuan soon pulled out today’s script pages and went over the lines with her.
“Wait… this big scene has quite a lot of dialogue,” Lin Chenghuan remarked.
“Yeah, thanks for calling me out here, gave me quite a scare,” Lu Zhiwei replied with a slight smile.
“Did the scare make you forget your lines?”
“A little.”
“Uh… my apologies.”
After running through the script once more, they headed back inside to continue filming. After the scare, Lu Zhiwei finally captured the feeling of guilt, much to the director’s delight.
“Great, nice! Let’s keep that take and do one more,” Qin Xiao said with a laugh.
So, Lin Chenghuan repeated her questioning, and Lu Zhiwei responded with a slightly guilty yet patient and gentle reassurance. The whole process had strong chemistry, truly a pair that could hold their own against the popular sisterly CP.
For a long time, fans of Liu Fuying and Jiang Shiwan in the book fandom had been at each other’s throats, locked in fierce battles, each side looking down on the other. This was quite normal, as both characters had their share of flaws, yet their personalities also hit many readers’ sweet spots.
Thus, Jiang Shiwan’s fans accused Liu Fuying of being hypocritical and arrogant, deciding others’ fates based on her own whims, while Liu Fuying’s fans mocked Jiang Shiwan for distrusting her sister, constantly causing trouble for her, and pointed out that it was always Liu Fuying who protected Wei Shihuan.
The two CP fanbases often clashed, though of course, there were also those who liked all three characters, and even some who shipped the unconventional Liu Fuying and Jiang Shiwan pairing.
During the filming of this scene, the screenwriter was absolutely thrilled, overjoyed to have found the perfect actors for her characters. During the break, Lin Chenghuan curiously asked about her original intentions while writing.
“Actually, I did want to write them as a yuri couple, but I really wanted to explore a polyamorous dynamic. Unfortunately, the platform didn’t allow it. In a fit of pique, I made it all about sisterly bonds instead, except for Xie Yuan, everyone’s left with unspoken feelings,” Su Xiaoxiao said with a raised eyebrow and a smile.
Lin Chenghuan: “…”
Lu Zhiwei: (¬_¬)
Han Ruoruo: (⊙_⊙)
“Pfft, hahaha! honk!” The trio fell into collective silence while Qin Xiao burst into laughter nearby, honking like a goose.
“Who knew it would get lifted later… but anyway, there’s plenty of fan content in the derivatives, and it’s thriving, so let’s just keep things as they are,” Su Xiaoxiao sighed.
“The derivative works for this story are indeed abundant. It seems imperfections in the original can be a driving force for fan creations,” Lin Chenghuan nodded.
“Yeah, yeah, some are even better than what I wrote. I’m most afraid of writing smut…”
After exchanging a few glances, they quickly moved past the topic of smut and shifted to more harmonious discussions. Soon, the resting crowd erupted in excitement, with someone cheering, “It’s out, it’s out!” Lin Chenghuan and the others immediately checked their phones.
The first wave of official promotional photos for the main cast had been released, and the news of Lu Zhiwei stepping in to play Liu Fuying was officially announced. Unsurprisingly, the announcement caused an immediate uproar.
[Who’s stepping in? Am I still dreaming?]
[Xia Yao, the top star, is actually acting! This world is truly surreal, ahhh!]
[Can she even act well? Why isn’t she just staying in her office enjoying the air conditioning, reviewing financial reports, and summoning her beauties?]
[Bosses can be so capricious… but if her acting hurts my eyes, I’m turning from a fan into a critic.]
[Is she acting just for Huanhuan? Hahaha, I’m shipping them again.]
Amid the chaotic comments, the occasional truth-teller went completely unnoticed. The online buzz instantly exploded into a sea of amusement.