Who knew what kind of sin this season of Survival in the Wild had committed to deserve such a relentless streak of bad luck.
When the production crew received Yao Yi’s notice, they were initially in disbelief. Gu Ming felt incredibly guilty and directly promised to bear all financial losses incurred during this period. After a great deal of persuasion, the crew finally managed to convince her to stay for just three more days. Finishing at least fifteen days of filming would give them enough footage to piece together and submit for censorship review.
After careful consideration, Gu Ming could only agree.
However, those three days felt like an eternity. Terrified that Yan Ling would immediately target Gu Yan the moment she returned to the country, Gu Ming repeatedly instructed Yao Yi to keep a close eye on Yan Ling and report any movement the absolute second it happened.
The actress playing opposite Gu Yan was Wei Xiu, a fellow talent signed under Qianceng. She possessed a striking, elegant look and a tall, voluptuous figure. Having starred in quite a few of Qianceng’s short dramas, she was considered one of the more popular short-drama actresses of the moment.
The problem was that short dramas moved at a breakneck pace; their focus was entirely on instant gratification and cheap thrills, without requiring much depth in acting. Put that on the big screen, however, where the plot is stretched out, the camera is zoomed in, and the story relies heavily on the nuanced silence of a character’s inner psychological state, and it truly tests a performer’s subtlety.
This was where Wei Xiu clearly fell short. She frequently caused NGs by overacting and losing control of her facial expressions.
The current scene was supposed to feature Wei Xiu lashing out in anger and accidentally slapping Gu Yan. The slap mark itself would be achieved through makeup, meaning Wei Xiu needed to pull her punch upon impact…a standard technique any seasoned actor knew how to pull off.
But Wei Xiu’s execution was sloppy. Her micro-expressions consistently gave away her next move, making the act look calculated and deliberate.
This particular slapping scene was supposed to happen entirely by accident during a heated argument. It marked the first time the domestic-abuse-prone character played by Wei Xiu laid a hand on Gu Yan’s character, serving as a minor climax in the plot. Yet, under Wei Xiu’s interpretation, it looked less like an accident and more like she had harbored a deep-seated resentment toward Gu Yan all along, using the argument as a convenient excuse to vent her malice.
What shocked everyone the most was that Wei Xiu failed to control her strength entirely…and landed a very real, very hard slap right across Gu Yan’s face.
Wei Xiu was quick to apologize, looking so close to tears that one would think she was the one who had just been hit.
A searing, throbbing pain radiated across her cheek. Gu Yan pressed her tongue against the inside of her mouth, her gaze drifting toward the crowd. There sat Yan Ling, surrounded by fawning sycophants, wearing a deeply satisfied smile. Gu Yan let out a cold, quiet sneer.
“Alright, alright. Makeup artist, get over here and cover up Gu Yan’s face, redo it. We’re shooting this scene again,” the director called out. “Wei Xiu, watch the transition between your eyes and your movements. How many times do I have to tell you it’s an accident? An accident. Do you understand the word?”
“I understand, Director. I’m so sorry, everyone. I’m so sorry, Gu Yan. I’ll definitely pay attention this time,” Wei Xiu apologized profusely.
The clapperboard snapped, and the cameras rolled again. Gu Yan adjusted her mindset and seamlessly slid back into character as they launched into the argument once more.
This time, Wei Xiu pulled her strength back. Their chemistry was decent. As the slap landed, the genuine swelling from the previous blow began to resurface. With half her face flushed red, Gu Yan looked at Wei Xiu in utter disbelief, her eyes welling with tears. “You struck me?”
Only then did Wei Xiu seem to snap out of it, panic flooding her features. She stared at Gu Yan, then down at her own throbbing palm. After a long beat, she rushed forward, wrapping Gu Yan in a tight embrace while chanting apologies.
She hadn’t meant to do it. She truly hadn’t expected to actually hit her.
But had she really not expected it?
In a blind spot hidden from Gu Yan’s view, Wei Xiu stared at her own trembling hand, unable to tell if the sensation pulsing through her was regret…or exhilaration.
Fortunately, Gu Yan forgave her. Their characters shared a deep bond, and it was impossible for them to break up over a single mistake.
Wei Xiu felt a wave of relief. Yet, looking at the stubborn imprint of the slap still lingering on Gu Yan’s face, she couldn’t help but relish the memory of the exact moment her hand made contact. That sheer, unadulterated rush of gratification…
“Cut! Wei Xiu, stop playing it like some kind of psychotic freak! This is the first time Lin Zhen has ever hit someone, and it’s the person she loves. She hasn’t fully awakened her violent tendencies yet. She should feel guilty, she should loathe herself, because domestic violence is the thing she despises most in this world.”
“Go back and study the script properly. What on earth are you acting out?” Wen Ruoxi was completely fed up. The characters being brought to life felt entirely wrong. What kind of people was Yan Ling throwing her way?
But the moment she remembered the massive financial investment Yan Ling had pumped into the project just to force Wei Xiu into the cast, Wen Ruoxi swallowed her grievances.
It’s just a few extra slaps for Gu Yan to endure, she rationalized. If she can’t handle a little hardship like this, she shouldn’t be an actress.
By the time filming wrapped for the day, Gu Yan’s cheek was severely swollen. She threw on a mask and headed back to her hotel, only to find Yan Ling standing directly outside her room. It was entirely expected. Gu Yan stopped dead in her tracks.
Yan Ling chuckled, shaking her head as she stepped forward to meet her. “What’s the matter? Aren’t you going to open the door and invite me in?”
“If you really wanted to go inside, would you actually wait out here for me?” Gu Yan replied coldly. Yan Ling had booked out these entire floors ages ago; there was no need to put on this hypocritical display of waiting at the door.
“Oh, come now. I’m just trying to respect your personal privacy,” Yan Ling said smoothly. Yet, even as the words left her mouth, her hand reached out and violently ripped the mask off Gu Yan’s face.
The movement was rough, causing Gu Yan to hiss in pain. Yan Ling raised an eyebrow, her fingers callously brushing against the swollen cheek. “Oh my, how pitiful. How did you get beaten up like this? I explicitly told her to watch her strength. If she ruins this face of yours, think of how much effort I’ll have to waste looking for a replacement.”
Gu Yan watched her performance with total apathy. She allowed Yan Ling’s fingers to deliberately grind against her bruised flesh, her brow twitching only slightly from a strictly controlled reflex.
Seeing her lack of reaction, a flash of fury crossed Yan Ling’s features, but it vanished as quickly as it came. She smiled again, leaning in to press a kiss against her face.
Gu Yan clenched her fists so hard her knuckles turned white just to keep herself from flinching away. She stood entirely still as Yan Ling used her slick, slimy tongue to leave a sickening trail of moisture across her skin.
“Aren’t you afraid the security cameras will catch this?”
“Afraid of what? What do I have to fear? Even if this gets exposed, the only one whose reputation will be utterly ruined is yours, Gu Yan,” Yan Ling said, mockingly flicking her chin.
“Yan Ling!” Gu Yan snapped, grabbing her wrist.
Yan Ling merely glared back, her eyes dripping with cold, suffocating malice.
Under the crushing weight of that stare, Gu Yan was ultimately forced to let go.
Satisfied, Yan Ling curled her lips into a smirk, lightly and patronizingly patting Gu Yan’s swollen cheek. “That’s more like it. Gu Yan, don’t delude yourself into thinking Gu Ming will ever back you up. As long as you still want to survive in this industry, you will obey me blindly. Understood?”
Humiliated, Gu Yan nodded slowly.
“Open the door. I’m staying here tonight.”
Hearing the blatant implication in her words, Gu Yan’s expression shifted drastically. “No. Tomorrow’s scenes—”
“Don’t worry, no one will breathe a word.” As if remembering something amusing, Yan Ling’s smile turned thoroughly wicked. “Besides, won’t it look much more authentic that way?”
Gu Yan bit her lip so hard she nearly drew blood. She opened her mouth to fight back one last time, but Yan Ling’s face instantly froze over.
“Gu Yan, don’t give me face when you don’t want it. If you don’t want to do this inside the room, I am more than happy to join you right here in the hallway. Just remember…when the sex scandal breaks tomorrow, guess whose face will be plastered all over the front page? Yours, or mine?”
Gu Yan unlocked the door.
The scene scheduled for today was an intimate, making-up sequence between the two female leads.
Though the slap had supposedly been an accident, it had still severely damaged their characters’ relationship. To make amends, Lin Zhen…played by Wei Xiu…purposely left work half an hour early to head home and prepare a candlelight dinner.
To add a sense of romance and occasion, she even gritted her teeth and splurged on a small, delivery-ordered cake.
Though both characters had been corporate slaves for two years, they both hailed from ordinary backgrounds. Their parents couldn’t offer them a financial safety net; everything had to be earned through their own blood, sweat, and tears. They were actively trying to save up to buy an apartment together, usually pinching every single penny they could.
Under normal circumstances, a single meal between them would never exceed fifteen yuan. But today was an exception. She had made her angry, and she needed to do something tangible to show her deepest, most sincere apologies.
Aside from the cake, she had bought a single red rose. It cost nine point nine yuan.
By the time Gu Yan’s character returned home from work, the sky was pitch black. Wei Xiu had cut the power to the apartment in advance. Only after hearing the sound of the light switch being flicked repeatedly did she emerge from the kitchen, holding a tiny, four-inch cake lit with candles.
Gu Yan was, of course, pleasantly surprised, but she was also bewildered as to why she had suddenly put on this elaborate display.
Wei Xiu sheepishly explained that it was an apology. After setting the cake down on the table, she pulled the single rose from behind her back, apologizing solemnly once more: “I’m sorry. I love you. There won’t be a next time.”
Gu Yan hadn’t expected her to take the incident so heavily to heart. Her eyes brimmed with tears of genuine emotion.
The moment she had been struck, she had indeed felt angry, resentful, and deeply disappointed. But given the years of history they shared, it was impossible for her to remain furious over a single clumsy mistake. Usually, a good night’s sleep was all it took to get over it.
She never expected Wei Xiu to prepare all of this. Overwhelmed, she threw her arms around her.
With the atmosphere perfectly set and their feelings rekindled, it was only natural for the two characters to hold each other tightly and share an intimate moment.
But just as Wei Xiu leaned in to kiss her, Gu Yan couldn’t stop her mind from flashing back to the night before…to the horrific memory of Yan Ling gripping her jaw, forcing her lips onto hers. She remembered how Yan Ling had panted Gu Ming’s name, her voice thick with a greasy, nauseatingly depraved lust. The memory hit her like a physical blow, making her stomach churn so violently she nearly threw up on the spot.
Panicking, she slammed her hand over her mouth…