And so, the two parties involved struggled to maintain their composure as they walked a lap amidst the crowd’s teasing. Finally, Lu Zhiwei returned to the starting point and set Lin Chenghuan down, earning applause from everyone around.
“Great, it looks like lifting her from the ground later won’t be a problem. If there are any issues, we can just merge two clips. Let’s go over the lines one more time, and we’ll start shortly,” Qin Xiao said with a smile.
Lin Chenghuan chuckled, straightened her collar, and picked up her script to review. Of course, she also took the opportunity to sneak a glance at Lu Zhiwei, who was also reading her script, at least she seemed much calmer than before.
Lu Zhiwei seemed to sense her gaze and looked up to meet her eyes. A ripple of emotion passed between them, but they both pretended nothing had happened and lowered their heads again.
“Huanhuan, the scene you’re about to shoot is even more submissive than the last one,” Xu Sheng teased, clearly enjoying the drama as she sauntered over with a playful grin.
“Well, the character might be submissive, but that doesn’t mean I am.”
“I don’t believe it. Have you lost weight? How do you keep in such good shape? Let me carry you too…”
“No, get away! Don’t come any closer.” Lin Chenghuan quickly dodged, and everyone burst into laughter again, chattering noisily, making the situation even more exasperating.
But in this way, the earlier incident was easily brushed aside, and soon another unexpected guest arrived on set.
“President Lu, Director Qin! Where’s our Huanhuan?” Fang Yuan asked with a smile, directing two people to carry boxes of drinks and snacks over.
“Director Fang, what brings you here! Huanhuan is over there,” Qin Xiao greeted warmly. Lu Zhiwei nodded with a faint smile but said nothing.
“Sister Fang,” Lin Chenghuan turned around and walked over with a smile, while others chimed in, “Another big shot has come to visit the set.”
“I brought some snacks for everyone. Feel free to help yourselves, and don’t say it’s not enough,” Fang Yuan exchanged pleasantries with the group. After receiving a chorus of thanks, she quickly pulled Lin Chenghuan aside for a private chat.
“Where are you at with the filming? Did I miss anything? Has the scene of kneeling as punishment in the imperial garden been shot yet?”
“Not yet,” Lin Chenghuan replied, amused and slightly exasperated.
“That’s good… There was a traffic jam on the way here. Who would’ve thought there’d be traffic from Yiwu? Ugh.”
“Sister Fang, you’ve had a long journey. Why don’t you rest first? There’s a trailer parked over there,” Lin Chenghuan pointed not far away.
“No need, it’s just a few steps,” Fang Yuan said lightly, then glanced at Lu Zhiwei, who appeared relaxed but was subtly stealing glances in their direction.
As Xia Yao’s former top agent and head of public relations, Fang Yuan had once been a key employee under Lu Zhiwei. Even after branching out on her own, she maintained frequent collaborations with Xia Yao.
Fang Yuan specialized in actor management, and given Xia Yao’s vast influence, there was no reason for conflict with her. However, after the trending incident of Lin Chenghuan’s rumored death, Lu Zhiwei had grown somewhat resentful toward Fang Yuan for refusing to disclose the truth.
Fang Yuan clearly understood Lu Zhiwei’s thoughts and turned back, murmuring quietly, “President Lu is still as intimidating as ever.”
“Huh? Lately, I feel he’s been much better,” Lin Chenghuan replied with a slight smile.
“Of course, you’d think that,” Fang Yuan said dismissively, but soon her expression shifted to one of meaningful curiosity.
“We’re about to start filming soon. I should probably review my script a bit more,” Lin Chenghuan deflected, quickly turning her attention back to the task at hand.
Before long, the actors had familiarized themselves with their lines and followed the director to the next filming location. Once the markers were set, everything proceeded in an orderly manner.
Lin Chenghuan knelt in the lush, vibrant imperial garden. The weather was slightly overcast, with rain clouds spreading across the sky. Soon, a fine drizzle began to fall, landing on her stubbornly indifferent face.
The cameras were already in place, capturing the scene of her kneeling punishment from multiple angles. As the rain grew heavier, Jiang Shiwan finally appeared in the corner, holding an umbrella. After hesitating for a moment, she walked over to Wei Shihuan.
Wei Shihuan had long noticed the figure in the distance but only glanced at her briefly when the rain above her head ceased.
“Sister, haven’t you always had a way out?” Jiang Shiwan murmured softly, her tone ambiguous, whether mocking, reflective, or bewildered.
“You’ve won,” Wei Shihuan replied coldly.
“How can such a trivial matter be called winning…”
“Do you wish to see me imprisoned and ruined beyond redemption? Even if you disregard our past affection, do not forget that our families are bound by shared interests.”
“Of course, it need not go that far… In any case, as long as His Majesty is no longer bewitched by you, I can rest assured.”
Wei Shihuan’s face was still damp with rain. At these words, she let out a cold laugh and spoke each word deliberately, sealing their estrangement.
“From now on, let us go our separate ways. Do not appear before me again.”
Jiang Shiwan was taken aback and fell silent for a long moment before replying nonchalantly, “How is that possible? In this palace, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet.”
“If it’s not necessary, do not come to see me. Like now.”
The rain poured down relentlessly. The two actors were deeply immersed in their roles, and the onlookers were moved by the emotions unfolding before them. It truly seemed as if they were witnessing a pair of sisters turned against each other, evoking sighs of regret.
Lu Zhiwei watched the scene unfold and felt a sense of relief that she had chosen to step in and take on the role of Liu Fuying, who brought warmth to Wei Shihuan. Whether on or off the set, she was no longer an outsider.
In front of the camera, Han Ruoruo remained silent for a while before speaking solemnly, “Do you think I want to see you? It’s only because His Majesty still feels soft-hearted toward you that I’ve come to bring you an umbrella. Since His Majesty only ordered you to kneel as punishment and never said you couldn’t use an umbrella, you might as well suffer less and allow me to fulfill my duty of sisterly affection.”
Lin Chenghuan tilted her head slightly, gazing at the hand offering the umbrella. She smiled faintly and reached out to take it. Just as Han Ruoruo felt a flicker of surprise, barely containing her delight, Lin Chenghuan raised her hand and flung the umbrella aside.
The paper umbrella rolled a few times on the ground before coming to a stop in the rain, battered by the fierce wind and downpour. The scene was filled with a poignant sense of tragedy, and everyone behind the camera felt a pang of emotion, watching the drama intently.
Han Ruoruo, who had been partially dry, was soon drenched by the rain. She and Lin Chenghuan, kneeling in the downpour, locked eyes in silence. After a long pause, Han Ruoruo gave a faint, bitter smile.
“As you wish. The umbrella has been delivered. I’ll take my leave.”
Han Ruoruo turned to leave, stumbling slightly in the rain before making her way to a path hidden by the trees. A worried maid hurriedly rushed to shield her with an umbrella.
Soon, Han Ruoruo exited the frame and circled back behind the cameras to watch the scene. Her assistant quickly began drying her hair. The director gave her a thumbs-up and then turned his attention back to the ongoing performance.
Lin Chenghuan remained kneeling in the rain, which alternated between heavy and light, marking the passage of time. Next, it was Lu Zhiwei’s turn to enter the scene.
This long shot was quite challenging, but it was easier on the actors since it was a rain scene. Lin Chenghuan gradually showed signs of exhaustion and pain, shrinking slightly, looking utterly pitiful.
Finally, Lu Zhiwei appeared holding an umbrella. Spotting Lin Chenghuan, she hurried over to her.
“Shihuan, if you trust me, just pretend to faint now. It’s alright, you can’t possibly kneel here for two whole hours.” Liu Fuying half-crouched, positioning the umbrella to better shield the person in front of her.
“Thank you… Sister Chenfei… but I don’t want to trouble you.” Wei Shihuan gave a weak smile and struggled to sit up a little straighter.
“How could this be trouble?” Liu Fuying took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the water droplets from her face. Wei Shihuan froze for a moment, a slightly bewildered expression crossing her features.
The specially designed waterproof telescopic camera moved closer for a close-up shot. Lin Chenghuan, seeing Lu Zhiwei so near, felt a sudden wave of confusion.
Fortunately, she quickly regained control of her expression, transitioning from bewilderment to tearfulness. Given Wei Shihuan’s character, a brief moment of disorientation was entirely reasonable.
Wei Shihuan, thinking of how the sister she had befriended after entering the palace was so sincere and considerate, while the person she had grown up with had betrayed her, could no longer hold back her sobs. Tears streamed down her face like rain.
Liu Fuying looked pained and hurriedly wiped her tears, offering words of comfort.
“In the palace, some things aren’t worth dwelling on. The Emperor has never truly cared about the inner court. He doesn’t see you as a threat, so he won’t be overly wary, this is just a minor warning.”
“Thank you… for your guidance, Sister.” Wei Shihuan was still sobbing uncontrollably.
Liu Fuying vaguely sensed that Wei Shihuan’s pain wasn’t solely due to the Emperor. She glanced at the umbrella lying discarded in the distance and asked, “Why did you throw the umbrella over there?”
“It belongs to an enemy. I don’t want to use it.”
Liu Fuying fell silent. For a moment, neither of them spoke. After a brief pause, Liu Fuying wiped her tears again and said gently, “Alright, alright, let’s talk more when we get back.”
Wei Shihuan looked up at the person before her, gradually relaxing. Her sobs subsided, but then her body swayed, and she fainted outright.
“Shihuan!” Liu Fuying’s heart raced as she caught the other woman in her arms. She draped a cloak over her, lifted her up, and strode away.
A palanquin was waiting on the path outside, attended by several palace maids. A servant hurried forward to hold an umbrella over them. Liu Fuying placed Wei Shihuan in the palanquin and walked alongside it as they headed back, marking the end of the scene.
Lin Chenghuan was completely drenched but didn’t rush to dry her hair. Instead, she looked to Qin Xiao to see if there were further instructions. Qin Xiao pondered briefly before smiling and speaking.
“Good, everyone performed well. The worst actor here was the umbrella. Huanhuan, go throw it again, and let’s get the wind machine to put in some effort!”
And so, Lin Chenghuan and Han Ruoruo returned to the set. After five attempts, the umbrella finally rolled several times and landed upside down on the ground. Although the scene was largely completed in one take, they weren’t entirely finished, multiple overhead shots, low-angle shots, and close-ups still needed to be filmed several more times.
Although multi-camera setups were often used, certain scenes required retakes, such as overhead wide shots where visible cameras in the frame would be unacceptable.
Thus, the three of them walked back into the rain, reenacting each crucial scene. Lin Chenghuan was lifted repeatedly, but with the camera often positioned extremely close and others nearby allowing her to keep her eyes closed, she focused solely on immersing herself in the role.
After more than half an hour in the rain, the scene was finally completed. Leaving the final effect to editing and post-production, they could at last head to the trailer to change and dry their hair.
Han Ruoruo had wrapped up earlier than Lin Chenghuan and Lu Zhiwei, so the latter two walked toward the trailer together, accompanied by their respective assistants or bosses.
“President Lu, you really were just playing yourself,” Fang Yuan teased with a laugh. Li Xiaoyi and the other assistants glanced up at the sky, pretending not to hear their boss’s remark while mentally replaying the confidentiality agreement.
“President Fang seems quite at ease. I thought you’d be busy with PR, brainstorming refreshing and awe-inspiring promotional strategies,” Lu Zhiwei remarked with a faint, ambiguous smile.
“…” Lin Chenghuan faintly sensed the return of the Lu Zhiwei from before. Fortunately, the trailer was now within reach, so she quickly slipped inside, escaping the tense standoff.