Tan Le was puzzled when he saw the newcomer. Wasn’t this Xin Yan from Huasheng Group?
He had once seen him at a banquet. Though it was only a brief encounter, it left a deep impression on him.
His older brother had warned him not to provoke Xin Yan, and it was best not to have any contact with him at all. Otherwise, he might end up being tricked and still help the other party count the money.
Tan Le had always followed his brother’s advice obediently, and he never imagined he would have any connection with this person.
Xin Yan walked directly past the group without even glancing their way, heading straight into the villa. Tan Le didn’t even think to step forward and ask him anything.
Yan Ranran and the others were also stunned. Yu Zifei’s eyes lit up as she recognized the man’s outfit—it was from a foreign luxury brand. Though not widely known, it had a history spanning centuries.
A man with such refined taste couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
Chu Jingling’s thoughts were much simpler: this man was so handsome, even more attractive than the celebrities on TV!
Yan Ranran, however, wasn’t fooled by his appearance. For the first time, a clear expression of confusion and wariness appeared on her face. She knew his identity but never expected him to come here. Could it be that he knew Shang Lu?
Impossible! How could someone as crude as Shang Lu possibly know him?
Watching the man walk inside, Tan Le also wanted to follow and see what was happening. He instructed the security guards, “Please escort these people out. If they still refuse to leave, just close the gate and make sure they don’t get in!”
Fang Yuan quickly nodded. “Alright, we’ll drive them away right away.”
Ignoring the screams of the girls behind him, Tan Le hurried to Shang Lu’s location.
He hoped Shang Lu wouldn’t have too much contact with Xin Yan. The Xin family was like a pit of fire—even getting close could reduce you to ashes!
Shang Lu sat in front of the monitor, watching Ji Xue’s first scene. Though she still seemed a bit tense, it actually fit the heroine’s nervousness upon entering the mansion for the first time.
“Cut! That was well done.”
Hearing “cut,” Ji Xue finally relaxed and hurried over to Shang Lu, who showed her the playback.
“Look, you appear very beautiful on camera. Be more confident.”
Shang Lu never hesitated to praise good performances. But for those who just didn’t get it, she wouldn’t hold back her criticism either.
Seeing herself on the screen, Ji Xue finally smiled. “Thank you, Director. I’ll keep working hard!”
Shang Lu’s eyes remained fixed on the monitor, completely unaware that someone had approached from behind.
It wasn’t until Xin Yan spoke that she looked up at him. “Sorry, I’m late. I had some matters to attend to.”
Seeing the man’s face, Ji Xue felt a surge of admiration. There didn’t seem to be any male celebrities in the industry with this kind of style. But judging by his well-tailored suit, he didn’t look like an entertainer.
Sensing the situation, she tactfully excused herself. “Director, I need to prepare for the next scene. I’ll head out now.”
“Alright,” Shang Lu nodded.
Turning back to Xin Yan, she teased, “CEOs are always this busy. No need to apologize. We’ve already started filming, so I can’t leave. How about I have someone show you around the set?”
Unauthorized personnel were usually asked to leave the set.
But for a generous investor, Shang Lu was quite amiable. After all, out of the total investment of 40 million for this youth idol drama, Hongxin Entertainment had contributed 15 million.
Shang Lu heeded her teacher’s advice: an actor’s salary must never exceed half of the total investment.
Now she was even stricter. For “Meteor Romance,” she hired mostly newcomers, with a few big-name cameos who had limited screen time, keeping the total salary under a quarter of the investment.
Most of the budget went into set design, costumes, and props.
Especially the costumes—some were borrowed from Hongxin Entertainment, some purchased by the crew, and others privately sponsored by Tan Le.
For an idol drama, the outfits absolutely had to look good. The crew hired Ning Zitong, a renowned Chinese fashion designer, to create custom attire for the male and female leads, ensuring it suited their characters.
Of course, Xin Yan played a key role in making this connection.
So Shang Lu spoke gently and attentively to Xin Yan on set, determined to keep him satisfied.
Xin Yan suddenly crouched down and sat on a small plastic stool nearby. “No need, I’ll sit here.”
A dignified CEO sitting on a tiny stool like a schoolchild seemed somewhat comical.
But seeing Xin Yan’s composed demeanor, one couldn’t laugh—perhaps this was the aura of a true leader.
Tan Le hurried over from outside and, seeing Xin Yan sitting there while Shang Lu chatted casually with him, felt a pang of anxiety.
This little troublemaker really dared to chat with anyone!
He quickly stepped forward, shooting Shang Lu a glare. Shang Lu was baffled—why glare at her?
“Mr. Xin, why are you sitting here? Would you like me to show you around?”
Xin Yan turned his head, his cool eyes meeting Tan Le’s. “No need.”
Seeing Tan Le’s flustered expression, Shang Lu couldn’t help but laugh. “Haha, Tan Le, hurry back to filming! You’re supposed to be the photographer—why are you slacking off?”
Tan Le was exasperated. “If it weren’t for you, would I have gone out to stop them? You have no idea how much trouble this will cause later. Those old geezers will definitely complain about me again!”
Hands on his hips, he was practically fuming at this girl.
Shang Lu quickly soothed him. “Alright, alright, it’s my fault. It’s all thanks to the brilliant and mighty Young Master Tan for resolving everything.”
She showered him with a stream of compliments, leaving him dizzy with praise.
“Hmph, as long as you know,” Tan Le said, flicking his little braid before skipping away cheerfully.
Ever since deciding to become Shang Lu’s photographer, he had—for reasons unknown—gotten hair extensions overnight, claiming it made him look more like an artist.
But every time Shang Lu saw that braid, her fingers itched—she really wanted to tug on it.
Unfortunately, Tan Le forbade it, saying the extensions were too troublesome and no one was allowed to touch them, or else he’d cut ties.
Seeing how adamant he was, Shang Lu reluctantly withdrew her hand.
Xin Yan wasn’t surprised by their casual banter.
According to his information, Shang Lu had few friends, and Tan Le was one of the closer ones.
But watching them chat so freely, he felt an inexplicable twinge of envy.
He quickly suppressed this feeling. These days, he was treading on thin ice, his focus entirely on the Xin family.
He shifted his gaze back to Shang Lu. At work, her playful expression vanished, replaced by seriousness.
Even with him sitting nearby, she could stare intently at the monitor, occasionally muttering a few curses.
Although the set was somewhat chaotic, the scheduling was clear and orderly, all under Shang Lu’s control.
Xin Yan was somewhat curious, was this really Shang Lu’s first time formally directing a drama?