“It seems my reputation in your assistant’s eyes is completely ruined.”
Early the next morning, Xiao Xu stared at the reply he received on WeChat—“No need!!”
After much hesitation, he still brought the cushion with him.
Brother Shen angrily typed three exclamation marks—it must be because he was shy.
However, when Xiao Xu happily trotted over with the cushion to present it to Lin Shen, Lin Shen appeared completely normal, standing and sitting with ease.
Xiao Xu was stunned for a moment, glancing left and right. When there was finally no one around, he crept closer and whispered, “Brother, how did you get Actor Lu to let you off? Or is it that Actor Lu really—”
“Xiao Xu,” Lin Shen interrupted him, “spend less time online from now on. Don’t always let your mind wander to unhealthy things.”
Xiao Xu felt a bit aggrieved but dared not speak loudly, only muttering under his breath, “What’s unhealthy about it…”
He hugged the cushion in front of him and tentatively handed it to Lin Shen, “Then this cushion…?”
Lin Shen glanced at it, “Keep it for yourself.”
After answering, he quickened his pace and walked ahead.
If Xiao Xu had been more attentive, he would have noticed that Lin Shen’s tone was stiff when he spoke, and the tips of his ears were flushed red.
Last night, when Lu Jing leaned close to him, Lin Shen could clearly sense a certain emotion growing wildly between them like creeping vines.
Lu Jing’s strong hands ignited a trail of fire down Lin Shen’s waist, and with every half-inch they moved, the ripples in Lin Shen’s heart grew stronger.
Time stretched endlessly in that moment, as if an entire century had passed, before Lu Jing’s hand finally stopped at the hem of his pajamas.
With just a slight movement of his fingers, he could lift the fabric and slip right in.
This position brought the two extremely close, and Lu Jing’s slightly heavy breathing was particularly distinct in Lin Shen’s ear.
Lin Shen lay on the bed, motionless, like prey already caught in the tiger’s jaws, with no room to hide, waiting only to be devoured.
Just as Lin Shen thought there was no way he could escape tonight, Lu Jing suddenly pulled back, threw off the covers, and got out of bed.
Footsteps approached the bathroom, and soon, the sound of running water came from inside.
Lin Shen’s tense nerves suddenly relaxed, and his body went limp all at once.
In the following days, despite Lin Shen saying he didn’t need the cushion, Xiao Xu still forced it on him, insisting that he would need it sooner or later anyway, so it made no difference whether he used it early or late.
Besides that, Lu Jing noticed that ever since that day, Xiao Xu always looked at him with something very complex in his eyes.
Because of this, one evening, Lu Jing deliberately leaned close to Lin Shen’s ear and pretended to scold him, “It seems my reputation with your assistant has been completely ruined.”
Lin Shen’s cheeks flushed crimson, and even his neck turned a faint shade of pink.
In the makeup room, the wardrobe assistant called out to Lin Shen.
These past few days, they were filming scenes where Jiang Zhuo’s mother falls seriously ill, and Jiang Zhuo goes around borrowing money. Jiang Zhuo is a captivating beauty who retains her mesmerizing charm even in her most destitute moments.
After changing clothes, Lin Shen came out, and the makeup artist touched up his makeup before he headed to the set.
Lu Jing’s initiative to shake hands with Lin Shen had sparked quite a discussion in the crew. That same night, Wang Yilin was rejected by Lu Jing and even received a “lecture,” making the incident the primary topic of conversation during breaks.
Although everyone tactfully avoided mentioning it in front of Lin Shen himself, with Xiao Xu as the information expert around, Lin Shen didn’t miss a single detail.
Lin Shen maintained a low profile in his dealings and was humble and sincere when interacting with others. Coupled with the fact that he had secured Lu Jing’s autographs for everyone on the day Lu Jing first arrived, he was well-liked within the crew.
As for Lu Jing standing up to shake hands with Lin Shen, most people felt nothing but pure envy. However, human nature is complex, and there were always a few who couldn’t stand Lin Shen, constantly waiting for him to make a mistake.
The upcoming scene wasn’t easy for Lin Shen. Several days earlier, Lu Jing had already taken time every evening to study the script with him and rehearse their lines.
As a national idol and top-tier male star, Lu Jing’s acting skills were widely recognized in the industry.
When Lin Shen first debuted, he never imagined he would receive guidance from Lu Jing, let alone one-on-one tutoring without any tuition fees.
The lighting, sound, and camera were all in place. After Director Jiang finished discussing the scene with Lin Shen, Lu Jing briefly pointed out some details Lin Shen hadn’t paid much attention to, and then filming officially began.
This scene heavily tested an actor’s explosive power.
Jiang Zhuo clutched his mother’s critical condition notice and the hefty medical bill, tears falling with a patter, dampening the papers.
It was already late at night. He took a deep breath facing the long street, then carefully folded the documents and placed them in his pocket.
To his side was a nightclub, the place where his mother worked.
It was also the place that had led to his mother lying in the hospital, gravely ill.
The camera zoomed in as Jiang Zhuo entered the nightclub and told the waiter he wanted to see the owner.
From there, the main scene began.
Just as the owner appeared, Lu Jing suddenly called “Cut.”
Lin Shen looked toward him.
Lu Jing said, “Jiang Zhuo’s expression isn’t right. At this moment, the anger on his face shouldn’t be overly obvious. Jiang Zhuo is a character who appears fragile but is actually resolute and exceptionally ruthless toward others and himself. His emotions should gradually unfold.”
Lin Shen adjusted his state and began the second take.
However, Lu Jing’s demands were extremely high, and he called “Cut” repeatedly in the following takes.
Fine beads of sweat formed on Lin Shen’s forehead as Lu Jing, with a serious expression, explained the scene to him again and again.
After numerous repeated takes, the scene was finally completed.
Later, Jiang Zhuo’s emotions gradually erupted, his hoarse shouts filled with anger and regret echoing through the nightclub.
“Cut—”
Lu Jing called for another stop, who knows how many times it was: “Control Jiang Zhuo’s body language more when delivering the lines. Don’t just focus on the words; combine the body movements and facial expressions with the dialogue.”
Lin Shen nodded, and the makeup artist nearby stepped forward to wipe his sweat and touch up his makeup.
Not far away, people were whispering.
“What’s going on with Actor Lu today? Why is he being so strict with Lin Shen?”
“Did Lin Shen do something to upset Actor Lu?”
“That can’t be. Not long ago, Actor Lu showed his appreciation for Lin Shen.”
“But Actor Lu wasn’t this demanding with Lin Shen before. Today feels almost like deliberate nitpicking.”
The set buzzed with discussions for a while. Both actors and crew members were somewhat surprised.
Even Director Jiang couldn’t help but say to Lu Jing, “I think Lin Shen performed quite well. Why do you keep calling for retakes?”
Lu Jing’s gaze remained fixed on Lin Shen, his voice steady and resolute: “He can do better.”
This scene is the highlight of Jiang Zhuo’s entire series and will also be a highlight in Lin Shen’s acting career.
Before filming began, Lu Jing rehearsed with him daily and knew exactly what level he could achieve when performing at his best. It was precisely because of this that Lu Jing held Lin Shen to such high standards.
Prior to this, Lin Shen had never played such a multi-dimensional character, nor had he taken on such an important role as the third male lead. When faced with such a crucial scene requiring powerful emotional intensity, nervousness and mistakes were inevitable.
Everyone thought Lin Shen had already performed exceptionally well, but only Lu Jing knew he could do even better.
Lu Jing hoped he could showcase his best state, achieve the most satisfying result, and deliver an outstanding performance—for himself and for this production.
Director Jiang was momentarily stunned. He wanted to ask, “How do you know he can do better?” But seeing the look in Lu Jing’s eyes as he watched Lin Shen, he suddenly felt there was no need to ask.
He trusted Lu Jing, and he trusted Lin Shen.
Thus, the filming of this scene took much longer than expected. Yet from start to finish, Director Jiang, Lu Jing, and Lin Shen never uttered a single complaint. They simply went through take after take, discussed the scene repeatedly, adjusted their states again and again, and filmed over and over.
This scene was unlike others—many details required meticulous refinement, especially for close-ups and extreme close-ups, which placed exceptionally high demands on the actors, cinematography, and lighting.
The moon had long since quietly risen above the treetops. By the time filming wrapped up, the clock hands pointed to three in the morning.
“Everyone worked hard today. Get some rest early,” Director Jiang announced loudly.
The actors bid farewell to the director with weary expressions, while the crew continued handling the set.
Xiao Xu ran over to Lin Shen with a bottle of water. “Brother, have some water. Your voice is almost hoarse from shouting.”
Lin Shen took a sip. “It’s not that bad.”
Xiao Xu glanced around to ensure no one could overhear them and whispered, “Did you upset Lu Jing recently?”
Lin Shen squeezed the water bottle, thinking back. “Not that I know of.”
They had even kissed each other’s foreheads before bed last night.
Xiao Xu’s small head was filled with big confusion. “Then why was Lu Jing so strict with you today? Many people on set guessed you’d upset him and that he was targeting you.”
Lin Shen tapped his head. “That’s not true. Don’t listen to their nonsense.”
Xiao Xu sighed in relief, but not completely. “It’s good you two aren’t fighting, but why was Lu Jing so harsh on you today? We filmed until three in the morning.”
Lin Shen shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Truthfully, Lin Shen was also puzzled deep down. He had been secretly speculating the whole way back, but even after stepping out of the elevator, he still couldn’t figure it out.
Lin Shen swiped his card to open the door, while Xiao Xu reminded him from the side, “Brother, don’t be upset. Since you two didn’t have a conflict, there must be a reason why Actor Lu did that. After all, I’ve never been wrong about shipping couples!”
Lin Shen: “…I told you to spend less time online.”
Xiao Xu pouted. “I didn’t say anything inappropriate.”
Just then, a voice came from behind. “What inappropriate content?”
Xiao Xu didn’t react in time and instinctively replied, “Just some content not suitable for children.”
Only after speaking did he realize the voice sounded familiar. Slowly turning around, he saw Lu Jing standing to the side in a shirt and trousers. Although the question was directed at Xiao Xu, his gaze was fixed on Lin Shen’s face.
Feeling he had spoken out of turn, Xiao Xu quickly made himself scarce. “I won’t disturb your alone time. You two talk, I’ll head back to my room first.”
The empty hallway was suddenly left with just the two of them.
Lin Shen looked at Lu Jing, and Lu Jing looked at Lin Shen.
After a moment of silent eye contact, Lu Jing spoke first, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Do you and Xiao Xu often discuss those… contents not suitable for children?”
Lin Shen’s ears grew warm, and he quickly denied it. “No.”
Lu Jing opened the door, stepping aside to let Lin Shen in, then inserted the card into the power slot. The lights in the room flickered on.
“I thought so,” Lu Jing said. “That kind of topic is probably more suitable to discuss with me.”
Lin Shen blushed with embarrassment and didn’t respond.
Seeing him shyly lower his head, Lu Jing stopped teasing him and instead asked, “Tired from filming?”
“Not tired.”
Lu Jing asked again, “Are you angry with me?”
Not expecting Lu Jing to ask this, Lin Shen looked up and met his eyes.
Author’s Note:
Lu Jing: What’s the point of discussing such topics with a single dog who’s never even been in a relationship? Come to me, we can practice directly.
(A married person who wants to eat meat but can’t get any says this to his wife.)