After changing her clothes and blow-drying her hair for a long time, Lin Chenghuan stepped out to find two distinct groups of people standing on opposite sides.
As an employee of Zhuo Yi, with her boss having come specifically to see her, Lin Chenghuan had no choice but to join Fang Yuan’s side. Fang Yuan, overjoyed, immediately pulled her into casual conversation, while Lu Zhiwei soon walked away to make a phone call.
“The atmosphere on your set is really great, so many familiar faces…” After chattering about this and that for a while, Fang Yuan’s gaze turned sly as she tried to probe Lin Chenghuan’s thoughts.
“President Lu has been on set for over half a month now. Has your dynamic with him changed at all? Any progress between you two?”
“Hard to say… I’m not sure myself.”
“Honestly, the chemistry between you two during scenes is just incredible, like you were made for each other! I almost feel bad for interrupting and keeping you from having a proper chat right away.”
“…” Lin Chenghuan’s expression was complicated. You don’t look the least bit sorry, more like you’ve got some dirt on Lu Zhiwei.
By now, Fang Yuan had clearly positioned herself as Lin Chenghuan’s “family,” ready at any moment to sharpen her knives for Lu Zhiwei. But before the sly grin could fully form on her face, her phone rang.
Glancing at the caller ID with surprise, Fang Yuan stepped aside to take the call. She returned shortly after hanging up, sighing. “I have to go. President Liu from Juxuan is also in Hengdian and insists I attend a gathering. There’s no way to refuse.”
“Take care, Sister Fang! Have fun.” Lin Chenghuan smiled as she saw her boss off, then found a spot to sit, sip a drink, and scroll through Weibo for the latest updates.
Neither Lin Chenghuan nor Lu Zhiwei were needed for the next scene, so they had a long break ahead. Lin Chenghuan relaxed and immersed herself in her phone, paying no further attention to the director’s activities. Soon, she was drawn in by the day’s trending topics.
Their drama remained high on the hot search list, with the most popular entry being “Those Hilarious Moments Acting Opposite President Lu.” Clicking in, she found a compilation of bloopers from her and Xu Sheng over the past couple of days, it was genuinely amusing.
Netizens flocked to the drama’s official Weibo to laugh and comment, then swarmed the actors’ pages to share the hilarity, creating quite the lively scene.
Lin Chenghuan replied to a few comments under her own Weibo post, a smile on her face, when she suddenly sensed a familiar presence nearby. Alert, she looked up.
Lu Zhiwei was watching her calmly, yet there was an unreadable glint in her eyes, a gaze so intense it made Lin Chenghuan’s cheeks warm.
“President Lu,” Lin Chenghuan greeted her properly, prompting a somewhat resigned look from Lu Zhiwei.
“Oh, there’s no one around.” After a quick glance around, Lin Chenghuan smiled sheepishly. “Actually, the title ‘President Lu’ sounds really nice, like the lead in a film or drama, so it just slips out easily.”
“Is that so?” Whether it was an excuse or her genuine opinion, Lu Zhiwei was visibly pleased, even a little embarrassed.
“Thank you for the kind words. Chenghuan… is also a lovely name,” Lu Zhiwei said.
“…” Lin Chenghuan’s heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt a pang of regret. What kind of conversation is this? In just a few words, the atmosphere had shifted into something unfamiliar.
Of course, after that scene earlier, the atmosphere was bound to feel delicate now. As Lu Zhiwei quickly took a seat opposite her, Lin Chenghuan felt an even deeper sense of unease.
During filming, she had been focused on immersing herself in the role and delivering the scene well, so she hadn’t dwelled too much on her co-star’s real-life identity. But now that the shoot was over, the sensations from that moment came flooding back.
Did I really fall into this person’s arms like a bottom, and did they hold me that tightly? Lin Chenghuan rubbed her temples in frustration, her mind filled with embarrassment, awkwardness, and a hint of unwillingness.
Noticing her shifting expressions, Lu Zhiwei grew a bit nervous. After a brief silence, she spoke again, “You were drenched in cold water for so long, are you feeling any headache?”
“No, I’m fine. What about you? Should we go inside to sit?” Lin Chenghuan’s heart was still trembling, but she kept her composure on the surface.
“I’m fine too, no need.” Lu Zhiwei smiled faintly and quietly watched the person in front of her.
Before filming that scene, things had been manageable. In fact, for the five months since her last visit to Lin Chenghuan’s home, she had been able to calmly maintain only online contact. But after today’s brief closeness, she realized just how much restraint she had exercised before.
If only I could hold her every day… If we could be together, wouldn’t that allow for even more indulgence, making every day thrilling?
During those past few months, she had felt content just knowing the other was alive, able to speak with her daily, it felt like a blessing. Breaking free from their superior-subordinate dynamic had been an unexpected joy. Now, Lu Zhiwei found herself wanting to push further.
Lin Chenghuan, once again enveloped by that intense gaze, felt it was too blatant to ignore. She lifted her head and met the other’s eyes.
“President Lu seems quite at leisure, not tied up with company matters?”
“I delegated those tasks to my subordinates. The company runs fine without me.” Lu Zhiwei didn’t hold back her warm, tender gaze as she replied leisurely.
“Oh, so you’re fully embracing the artist experience.”
“Yes, it’s quite interesting.”
Lin Chenghuan’s eyes drifted elsewhere, suddenly recalling how Fang Yuan had discussed over the phone why Lu Zhiwei wanted to act. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask.
Last time, she had vaguely questioned, “Aren’t you uncomfortable appearing in public?” and Lu Zhiwei’s response had been related to that, though it might not have been the real reason.
Of course, even if she asked now, Lu Zhiwei might not answer truthfully, but that made Lin Chenghuan feel more at ease about posing the question.
“Why did you suddenly decide to act?” Lin Chenghuan met the other’s gaze again, her tone meaningful.
To her surprise, Lu Zhiwei didn’t brush it off. After a moment of silence, she confessed frankly, “Of course… it’s because of you.”
“…”
“The chance to act opposite you, trend on social media together, and openly promote our pairing, how could I pass that up?” Lu Zhiwei smiled slightly, her eyes filled with affection and a hint of unease.
“!!” Lin Chenghuan felt her face instantly flush, nearly losing her composure. Thankfully, there was a stone table in front of her, or she wouldn’t have known where to put her hands.
“You’re… not hiding it at all anymore?”
“Hide what? You’ve already noticed.” Seeing her blushing and flustered state, Lu Zhiwei couldn’t help but laugh.
“President Lu, sometimes you really surprise me with how willful you can be.” Lin Chenghuan forced herself to remain calm, deliberately speaking lightly in a teasing tone.
“I wonder when you’ll indulge my willfulness.” Lu Zhiwei’s voice carried a hint of melancholy.
“…” Lin Chenghuan silently stared at her drink straw. She had been referring to how the other, as a CEO, had directly come to film, but what exactly did Lu Zhiwei mean by her words?
Though this corner of the imperial garden was quiet and deserted, faint sounds of playful scuffling could be heard from behind the rockery. In this relaxed and pleasant atmosphere, after a moment of silence between them, Lu Zhiwei quickly picked up her phone to change the subject.
“Ahem, our drama has become a regular on the hot search list.”
“Indeed, we’ll never lack promotional material from now on, every day brings amusing behind-the-scenes clips.” Lin Chenghuan smiled slightly.
So, the two opened Weibo and began exchanging replies face-to-face through the platform. Lu Zhiwei took the opportunity to search online for “does actors developing feelings during filming affect the production” and “is it appropriate to confess to an actor on set,” but found nothing useful.
Oh well, let nature take its course. So many former couples who had broken up acrimoniously could still work together professionally, their situation probably wouldn’t cause any issues…
“You’re amazing, being able to cry on cue during filming. You had me completely fooled.” Lu Zhiwei recalled another matter and praised her sincerely.
“It’s basic acting skill. Through methods like immersing in the role or recalling painful or humiliating moments from life, with practice it becomes easier. After a while, you can practically control your tear glands directly and cry for no apparent reason.” Lin Chenghuan said casually.
“I could never manage that. I rarely cry in daily life either. It seems being an artist requires… talent after all.”
As Lu Zhiwei spoke the last part, perhaps remembering what had made her cry last time, her expression slightly stiffened. Lin Chenghuan could hardly suppress her amusement, how did every topic somehow veer into subtle territory?
And so, the two chatted casually, each with their own thoughts, maintaining surface harmony while undercurrents flowed between them. The filming set was always bustling with people coming and going, and passersby occasionally recognized them, but upon seeing Lu Zhiwei, they respectfully kept their distance.
After some time, while Lin Chenghuan was playing on her phone, she suddenly received a message from Li Xiaoyi, her fans had come to visit the set again, bringing many gifts.
Since she had free time now and was in good spirits, she could go meet her fans. So, Lin Chenghuan said to Lu Zhiwei, “I’m going to see the fans who came to visit. Would you… like to come along?”
“Sure, I’ll join the excitement.” Lu Zhiwei was instantly delighted. Due to certain rumors, the other probably wouldn’t have willingly invited her to meet fans before.
Lin Chenghuan smiled cheerfully, and the two left the imperial garden together, walking along the palace path outward.
Along the way, they passed many people rushing about or dozing in chairs or cars, mostly crew members from various productions who didn’t get overly excited or chase them for photos when they saw them. After passing the security cordon around the filming area, they needed to put on their masks.
They soon reached where the fans had gathered. Many people stood holding various gifts, mostly female fans, while Li Xiaoyi and two temporary assistants chatted with them.
Lin Chenghuan took Lu Zhiwei by the hand and walked over. Some people had already noticed them, and the girl at the front holding a bouquet of flowers let out a startled gasp, stammering, “H-Huan… Huan Jie…”
Lin Chenghuan then removed her mask and said with a smile, “Thank you all for coming to see me, but please focus on your work and daily lives. There’s no need to go out of your way like this, and you really didn’t have to bring so many things.”
The crowd immediately erupted in excitement but gradually quieted down as the team leader intervened. One of the girls stepped forward to present Lin Chenghuan with a bouquet of flowers, which included a letter tucked inside.