Author: 颜凉雨 / Yan Liang Yu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 83
After the secret spilled out, Gu Jie visibly relaxed, exhaling a huge sigh of relief as if unburdened. He ran a hand through his hair, his face still showing a hint of embarrassment. “Now you know why I was embarrassed to tell you, right?”
“……” Ran Lin truly didn’t know. At the moment, all his brain cells were occupied with trying to understand the complex familial ties that have been passed down through the centuries in Chinese culture.
Seeing Ran Lin silent, Gu Jie grew more anxious. “Actually…”
“Hold on,” Ran Lin interrupted him. “Give me two more minutes, just two.”
Gu Jie closed his mouth and waited earnestly.
Two minutes later…
“Alright.” Ran Lin looked at his friend, surrendering. “Director He is your relative.”
Gu Jie didn’t understand why it took his friend a full two minutes to grasp such an obvious fact. Nonetheless, adhering to the principle of full disclosure, he added details, “Yes, he’s the husband of the third daughter from the family of my maternal grandmother’s second sister, which makes him my mom’s third cousin’s husband, my third cousin’s husband. But my grandma only had my mom as a child, and she grew up playing with the three kids from her second sister’s family, so our four families are still very close. I call him ‘third uncle’.”
“……” Ran Lin felt like his head was about to explode. He was nearly compelled to grab a pen and paper to meticulously arrange the vast Gu family tree according to seniority.
Gu Jie misinterpreted the conflicted expression on his friend’s face, thinking he was upset about the secrecy. He rushed to explain. “I didn’t mean to hide it from you. It’s just… talking about nepotism is quite embarrassing.”
Ran Lin was momentarily stunned, pulling himself back from the intricacies of the Gu family tree, then couldn’t help but find Gu Jie’s comment amusing. “You waited nearly a year for this movie, letting your capricious uncle tweak the script repeatedly, delaying the start date over and over. May I ask, is there any relative more genuine than you?”
Gu Jie thought about it, finding truth in his friend’s words. “That’s true. My aunt has mentioned it several times at dinner, saying if it’s possible to shoot, shoot; if not, let Gu Jie go do something else. Don’t delay my nephew from making money with uncertainty every day.”
Ran Lin could almost imagine the tone and presence of Gu Jie’s aunt from his recounting. “Your aunt really cares about you.”
Gu Jie smiled, feeling a deep sense of relief, as if he had just run five thousand meters. Then, he moved his chair forward, facing Ran Lin, and said, “No one in the circle knows about this. Keep it a secret for me as a friend.”
“Not as a friend.” Ran Lin looked at him squarely. “But as a brother.”
Gu Jie was visibly moved. After all the turmoil from the day before to now, it was only at this moment that he felt clear skies and a beautiful life again.
Ran Lin finally pieced together all the clues, like how Gu Jie and Director He seemed too familiar at their first meeting, or how Director He agreed to have a meal with him upon Gu Jie’s recommendation, and how Director He tried every way to make Qi Luoluo admit that Gu Jie didn’t harass her in the conversation… All these could be explained with “third uncle”.
So, Ran Lin decided that in the future, during important discussions, don’t gasp for breath. Gu Jie’s phrase “I’m saying he and I aren’t what you think, we’re not buddies,” had nearly sent him down a wildly speculative path.
“Speaking of which.” Ran Lin looked at his friend gratefully. “I’m actually the real beneficiary of nepotism here. If not for our connection, how would I have had the chance to join the crew?”
“It’s not that.” Gu Jie shook his head almost reflexively. “I strongly recommended you, sure, but what ultimately convinced him was you. Before going to dinner, he told me, it’s clear cut. If you’re suitable, you’re in; if not, you’re out. It’s about the work—no room for personal favors.”
Seeing Ran Lin still half-doubtful, Gu Jie decided to reveal all. “I had to audition for my role too.”
Ran Lin was surprised. “You had to audition?”
“Yes,” Gu Jie said matter-of-factly, but then he lowered his head again, murmuring, “But I had a fast track.”
Ran Lin: “Ah?”
Gu Jie: “I could audition first. If I fit the role, they wouldn’t need to look for anyone else.”
Ran Lin understood. That wasn’t a fast track; that was like early decision admission for college.
……
Beijing, Wang Xi’s house.
Wu Xia pushed her laptop away and grabbed the quick curry and rice meal her boss had just made for her, devouring it hungrily. Wang Xi, past the age where she could eat anything without gaining weight, could only watch enviously as the young publicist enjoyed her meal.
After a whole night of busy work, Wu Xia finally felt her stomach growl at the smell of curry. Now, with hot food in her belly, she felt comfortably content.
“Xi Jie, I understand what you meant now.” Almost done with her meal, Wu Xia slowed down her pace, took a couple of sips of hot water, and then suddenly said.
Wang Xi, who was half-heartedly browsing Weibo, looked up in confusion. “Hmm?”
Wu Xia said, “About Ran Lin being a rare animal that we need to protect.”
Wang Xi smiled. “You get it now?”
“Completely.” Wu Xia nodded vigorously. “If my friends stood up for me like that, I’d feel fearless even if the sky fell down.”
“Everyone wants friends like that.” Wang Xi sighed lightly. “But it’s not easy to actually be that person. No one expected Director He to have the foresight, so Ran Lin’s stepping up looked like it would end with both him and Gu Jie being criticized and slandered.”
“But Director He happened to record the video, so not only did Ran Lin not get criticized, but he also garnered a large fanbase. It feels like fate.” Wu Xia looked up at Wang Xi. “Xi Jie, have you heard that old saying?”
Wang Xi raised an eyebrow. “What?”
Wu Xia spoke with emotion. “The good are bullied, but heaven doesn’t deceive*.”
*Proverb referring to how good-hearted individuals might get taken advantage of but will ultimately be protected or rewarded by moral order of the universe of a higher power. Basically, justice and truth will prevail, and those who are righteous and good will be vindicated.
…..
Tianjin, a certain hotel.
Lu Yiyao hung up the phone with her agent and finally felt relieved.
Qi Luoluo was beyond redemption now. She must be desperately trying to contact Gu Jie’s team, hoping they wouldn’t sue her.
Gu Jie and Ran Lin were both trending; their keywords, aside from clarifications and righteousness, were “owing an apology to the wronged”.
Lu Yiyao leaned back into the sofa, switching back to Weibo on her phone and continuing to check Ran Lin’s homepage with his alternate account—
[Three Visits with Compassion: With friends like these, what more could one ask for?]
[Gu Jie’s Biceps: This is what real brothers are like!]
[The Phoenix Flees, the River Flows: Idol, your presence is towering today!]
[Have You Eaten Your Burning Noodles Today: Are people with fairer skin more fiery when impassioned? 🤣]
[God of Postgraduate Entrance Exam, Bless Me: I became a fan because of Linghu Xiaodao, now oddly proud.]
[To be a Great Man in Life: I don’t agree with going under those ‘circle friends’ who didn’t speak up and mock them; maybe they’ve contacted Gu Jie privately, or maybe their relationship with Gu Jie isn’t as close as you think. In any case, speaking up or not is everyone’s freedom. So I’ll just continue to fiercely like Ran Lin’s posts—a real man!]
[Frozen Mandarin Ducks in Longjing Tea: Sorry, I’ve always been biased against you. You were clearly good in “Fallen Flowers”, and I said it was bad. Here, I sincerely apologize to you. Your fans are adorable too, Little Ran fans. Who came up with this name? 233333*]
*Slang for basically lol.
Lu Yiyao scrolled through each comment, sinking deeper into the sofa as he went, feeling at ease, relaxed, and a little self-satisfied with happiness.
His gaze lingered on the apology comment, and after a long moment, Lu Yimeng replied—
[My Ran Lin Is the Best in the World—Reply to @Frozen Mandarin Ducks in Longjing Tea: It’s from the quick Q&A session in the first episode of <National First Love Drifting Stories> at Guilin station. He chose it himself. As a fan, I also think this nickname is very cute ❤️ ❤️ ❤️.]
……
Beijing, Fan Li’s house.
Seeing the auntie head to the foyer to answer the door, Lu Yimeng sprung up from the sofa like a rabbit and scampered back to her room, covering herself with a blanket pretending to sleep.
But inevitably, two minutes later, the door was knocked.
Her mother, just back from a busy evening out, knocked on the door while mercilessly exposing her. “No point in hiding. The sound of you running upstairs was like an earthquake.”
Lu Yimeng sighed and, conceding, turned on the bedroom light and reluctantly opened the door for her mother.
“I’m your mother, not a debt collector. Why are you hiding from me?” Fan Li walked into Lu Yimeng’s room, still dressed in her evening gown from the social gathering, her face showing a hint of fatigue but her eyes as sharp as ever. “Don’t wait for me to ask. Speak up. What’s your brother urgently needing hotel surveillance for, especially from a place that has nothing to do with him?”
Lu Yimeng knew she couldn’t hide it from her mother, and even if she didn’t say it, her mother could easily find out by inquiring with the person who actually handled the matter. Her asking was just for convenience.
Although she was only involved in connecting her brother with the right people to get the video, and he hadn’t told her a word about the reasons, she wasn’t foolish. After observing Weibo all night, she understood everything. But facing her own mother, she could only provide a safe answer. “He has a friend in the entertainment industry who was falsely accused. They needed the hotel surveillance to prove their innocence.”
“A friend in the industry?” Fan Li frowned skeptically. “It’s not for his own sake but for a friend’s matter?”
“Yes.” Lu Yimeng hurriedly nodded. “It’s the one who he filmed a reality show with and recently visited in Wuhan.”
Having a true fan as a sister and a mother who always thought her son wasn’t grown-up enough, Lu Yimeng’s activities were never a secret at the Fan household.
Fan Li had some recollection of her son going to Wuhan as a “friendly visit” was a novelty for him, but who exactly he visited didn’t stick in her mind.
But now, for the same person, her son was coordinating an effort to retrieve surveillance footage from afar, which seemed intriguing.
If she remembered correctly, her usually reluctant son to use family connections last did so when someone slandered him for checking into a hotel room with a fellow actor from the same crew.
She could understand that, as it concerned his reputation, but this time it had nothing to do with him, and the urgency seemed unusual.
Fan Li understood her son well; he had only one friend he considered close, Huo Yuntao, in all these years in the entertainment industry. She had never seen him close to any colleagues. Fan Li always felt her son treated the entertainment industry as a workplace. Whether acquaintances or familiar faces, it was all about work. Coupled with her son’s inherently reserved nature, the sudden emergence of a “friend” who warranted a special visit and full-fledged assistance was worth noting.
“What’s that person’s name?” Fan Li was genuinely curious.
Lu Yimeng inwardly sighed, apologizing silently to her brother while honestly telling her mother, “Gu Jie.”
“Which Gu, which Jie?” Fan Li intended to clarify the name for future reference but changed her mind upon spotting the casually tossed phone by her daughter’s bed. “He’s an actor, right? Look him up on Baidu Baike for me.”
Lu Yimeng: “…”
Having a mother attuned to the information age could be quite vexing.
Obediently, Lu Yimeng searched Gu Jie’s information and handed it over for her mother’s inspection.
Fan Li wasn’t planning anything; like all overly concerned mothers worldwide, she just wanted to know as much as possible about her child’s activities and the friends they make.
Lu Yimeng leaned in as her mother scrolled down the screen, reviewing Gu Jie’s Baidu Baike once again with her.
Although not the first time, when she saw the line “He has loved sports since he was young and continues to keep fit, falling in love with free combat after shooting <Unyielding>,” her mood plummeted once more.
“What’s that expression?” Fan Li, who found nothing amiss in the information, caught the look of despair on her daughter’s face. “Is there something wrong with this person?”
“Nothing at all.” Lu Yimeng’s voice involuntarily rose. “Especially clean, very few scandals since debut, and all the colleagues he’s worked with praise him as a great person.”
If Fan Li had mind-reading skills, she would see Lu Yimeng was deliberately defensive.
But she didn’t.
And she certainly didn’t leap to the conclusion that her daughter was already fretting over future labels for Gu Jie—brother-in-law or sister-in-law; that’s the real question.
“It’s good to make more friends.” Fan Li handed back the phone. “Your brother might seem friendly to everyone, but he’s a bit cold at heart. Being an actor is one thing, but if he goes into business in the future, it’s better to have a warmer personality.”
“Mm-hmm.” Lu Yimeng nodded, as if profoundly influenced by her mother’s wisdom.
Fan Li smiled indulgently. “Get some rest early.”
Lu Yimeng watched her mother leave, and once the bedroom door closed again, she collapsed into the soft bed, finally breathing out a sigh of relief.
But one can only dodge the inevitable for so long.
Lu Yimeng lifted her phone, staring at the drenched fighting photo of Gu Jie in Baidu Baike, thinking, ‘I can only help you up to here. How you’ll get past Mom in the future is up to your fate.’
……
The next day in Wuhan was a bright, sunny day with radiant sunshine and not a cloud in sight. The intense summer sun was too strong, and Ran Lin was literally woken up by it, regretting not having drawn the thick curtains the night before.
However, the room wasn’t hot, as the air conditioning was diligently keeping the temperature at a comfortable 26°C. Ran Lin reached for his phone to find that it was only 7:30 in the morning.
No wonder his alarm hadn’t gone off, since they weren’t starting until 9:00 a.m.; he had set his first alarm for 7:40 and his last for 8:10… Wait, starting at 9:00? How are they starting without a female lead? No, wait, they do have a female lead…
Ran Lin suddenly realized that the “Qi Luoluo incident” last night had completely made him forget another matter entirely—Jiang Yi was coming today!
Since they agreed, Ran Lin hadn’t contacted Jiang Yi again. Trusting each other, he didn’t think she would change her mind, so all he had to do was wait for her arrival.
But her not changing her mind presupposed that their crew hadn’t encountered any last-minute hitches. Now, with the turmoil caused by Qi Luoluo, especially since the reversal of events last night was after 10:30 p.m., it’s conceivable that their crew was still in the center of public attention. And for a long time to come, <Dyeing Fire> would be tagged as a movie with lots of drama, likely to be dredged up again when the movie releases.
This has nothing to do with who’s right or wrong; in the public eye, all these events revolve around the movie <Dyeing Fire>. As an artist, joining the crew at this time, especially to replace the role originally meant for Qi Luoluo, would undoubtedly be a topic of discussion and attention, no matter who it is.
And it’s just a third female lead role, hardly worth so much sacrifice from Jiang Yi.
Ran Lin pondered for a moment, then called Liu Wanwan. As soon as the call connected, he asked directly, “Wanwan, can you give me the life production manager’s phone number?”
Liu Wanwan, who had been communicating with the life production manager, naturally complied. “What’s up, Ran Ge? Just tell me, and I’ll talk to the production manager.”
Ran Lin thought about it and decided it was just a simple question. “Ask if the car arranged to pick up Jiang Yi from the airport has left yet?”
“At this time, it should have left.” Liu Wanwan didn’t think too much, but after reflexively muttering, she promptly said, “Ran Ge, wait for me for half a minute. I’ll call right now!”
After hanging up, the phone rang almost immediately. Ran Lin picked it up to hear Liu Wanwan report, “Ran Ge, they’ve already left. They said after picking her up, they’ll head straight to the set. There should be no problem starting at 9.”
Evidently, the life production manager misunderstood his intention. But no matter, he just wanted to confirm whether Jiang Yi had changed her mind. After all, she wasn’t alone; she had a team, and it’s possible that her agent and the crew could communicate any changes.
Now it seemed Jiang Yi was coming as promised.
Ran Lin put down the phone, got up, stretched a big yawn, walked over, and drew open the curtains, letting the sunlight unabashedly bask over him.
Ding dong.
Suddenly, his phone chimed with a WeChat notification.
Ran Lin turned back, picked up his phone, and saw it was from the WeChat group of the <Dyeing Fire> crew. The scene recorder sent a message, no text, just an emoticon—a bouncing enthusiastic little head saying, [Ready for a hard-working day!.jpg]
……
Today’s scene wasn’t indoors, but a four-person scene by a small river outside the town—Jiang Xiaoxiao tracking the small shop owner Ying Feng got discovered. In the ensuing chase and fight, she falls into the water. Xiao Gu arrives shortly after and rescues Jiang Xiaoxiao as Ying Feng flees. Di Jiangtao, who had been hiding in the shadows the entire time, wanted to help Jiang Xiaoxiao but was too scared due to previous threats from Ying Feng. Internally, he struggles tremendously and ends up not stepping forward. As a result, after Xiao Gu rescues Jiang Xiaoxiao, he gives the cowardly Di Jiangtao a sound thrashing.
It’s one of several pivotal turning points in the movie where Ying Feng’s true nature is revealed, Jiang Xiaoxiao starts to develop feelings for Xiao Gu, and Di Jiangtao feels regret and shame for his cowardice for the first time, setting the stage for his later acts of bravery.
Taking on a water scene on the first day was quite a “tough” arrangement. But Ran Lin understood the director’s thoughts. Because this is a scene that heavily focuses on Jiang Xiaoxiao in the first half, both the emotional and physical demands are quite high. If she could perform well in such a challenging and nuanced scene right off the bat, then the rest of her scenes would be relatively easier.
In the current situation, as the director, He Guan didn’t have time to gradually test the waters; he had to start with a challenging scene right away.
Ran Lin arrived at the location at 8:30 a.m., and by then, the shooting site was already bustling. The riverside breeze did little against the scorching sun’s heat. Perhaps it was psychological, but Ran Lin felt everyone was bustling with an energy that rivaled today’s sunshine. Compared to the low spirits of the past few days, or even to the times when shooting went smoothly before Qi Luoluo joined, the current vibe was significantly more vigorous.
Temporary makeup stations with tables and chairs were set up, and as Ran Lin walked over, he coincidentally met Gu Jie coming out from makeup, looking surprised. “So early?”
Gu Jie stretched his shoulders and rotated his arms, finally cracking his knuckles. “I’m fully charged now, just waiting for the new partner.”
Ran Lin was amused, knowing what Gu Jie meant, but to the uninformed, it sounded like he was gearing up to give the new partner a good beating.
While Gu Jie arrived early, most actors arrived around the same time as Ran Lin. So just as he sat down to start makeup, Qiu Ming, who played the small shop owner, also arrived.
As soon as he sat down, Qiu Ming said, “Finally, we can work in peace.”
Ran Lin empathized with him; he represented the sentiments of the entire crew.
“We’re behind by over ten days,” Ran Lin sighed. “Looks like we’ll have to rush ahead now.”
“I’m not afraid of rushing work,” Qiu Ming said. “How many shoots are nine to five? It’s all about working overnight.”
Another makeup artist had come over. Qiu Ming straightened up, allowing the makeup artist to work on him, but still found time to say, “I was quite surprised Jiang Yi could come to act. How did you convince her? You didn’t deceive the young girl, did you?”
Qiu Ming, in his thirties, was still considered young in the entertainment industry. However, he saw those in their twenties, like Ran Lin and others, as younger brothers and sisters, hence his brotherly and affectionate tone.
Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh at the question. “Am I that type of person? I told her from the start it was a supporting role. She’s been wanting to act in modern films and is particularly keen to work with Director He, so I just helped to connect them.”
“Hopefully the issue with Qi Luoluo doesn’t affect her impression of our crew.” Qiu Ming sighed. “If today’s shooting goes well and she joins the team, I think we ought to give her a banner for ‘rescuing us in a time of crisis’.”
Ran Lin agreed. “Yeah, and it must be embroidered with gold threads.”
Important characters always make a dramatic entrance. As the set was ready and all actors and crew were in place, Ran Lin had been fanning his face with a small fan, just like Gu Jie, for over ten minutes. The car sent to pick up Jiang Yi finally arrived.
Jiang Yi wasn’t late—it was just 8:50. The nanny van stopped right next to the shooting location, and Jiang Yi, the “firefighter”, stepped out under the expectant gaze of the entire crew.
For a moment, there was silence on the set, broken only by the rustling of leaves and the chirping of cicadas.
Jiang Yi, dressed in denim shorts and a watermelon-red batwing shirt, wasn’t very tall but was proportionate. Her hair wasn’t long, gathered into a ponytail at the back of her head, resembling a rabbit’s tail in length. Her good features and smooth forehead made her look full of vitality. She wasn’t immediately stunning but rather enduringly charming, like the girl next door.
She had seriously studied the role. Ran Lin could tell, because this wasn’t the Jiang Yi he knew. The one bouncing towards them now was the character Jiang Xiaoxiao.
The rabbit tail on the back of her head playfully swayed with her steps, bringing a breeze of cool air.
“Director He.” Jiang Yi greeted the director first before turning to everyone else with a loud, “Hello, everyone.”
Most of the crew members returned her greeting with a smile, and some even responded loudly, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Everyone was waiting for the clapperboard to snap—the success of this new Jiang Xiaoxiao would be decided as soon as the shooting officially started.
After greeting everyone, Jiang Yi turned her attention back to Director He. She was here to save the day and knew what she needed to do. “Director, I’ve already done my makeup in the car. If you think it’s okay, I can start now.”
The makeup artist had gone with the van to pick up Jiang Yi, and the outfit she wore was also changed in the car, so there was no doubt about her appearance.
Therefore, Director He only asked her, “Don’t you need to look at the script again?”
“No need,” Jiang Yi replied. “I’ve memorized it.”
Director He nodded in satisfaction and settled back behind the monitor.
Five minutes later, as everyone was in place, all eyes were on the clapper loader—
“Dyeing Fire, Scene XX, Take 1…”
Click!
“Why are you following me!” Qiu Ming went to grab Jiang Yi’s arm without saying a word.
Jiang Yi struggled free and dashed off!
Qiu Ming, after a brief moment of surprise, chased after her.
The camera on the track moved along with them.
After a few steps, Jiang Yi’s foot suddenly slipped on the edge of the embankment, causing her to stumble!
“Cut, pass!”
With the director’s cue, Jiang Yi steadied herself—slipping was scripted, but she skillfully shifted her weight to avoid falling.
The crew’s tension eased—though the embankment was safeguarded for falls, nobody wanted the actress to get hurt before the necessary shots.
This scene was just the beginning.
Soon after, with the embankment set up and the clapperboard snapping again, Jiang Yi, as Jiang Xiaoxiao, rolled down the embankment into the water!
There was a splash—Jiang Xiaoxiao fell into the water.
The river wasn’t very clear, tainted with a green tinge from algae, deterring even the most enthusiastic wild swimmers.
But Jiang Yi didn’t hesitate as she plunged in.
After the director called cut, the crew quickly pulled Jiang Yi ashore. Thankfully, the weather was hot enough to mitigate the cold river water. Still, the sight of her, once so vibrant and now dripping and disheveled, was somewhat pitiable.
Everyone knew this was a “trial shoot”. If it went well, both the footage and the actress would be kept; if not, both would be discarded. It felt like a collective assessment of the actress, which seemed quite harsh.
Yet, Jiang Yi was unfazed, waving off the towel offered by her assistant and calling out from the riverbank. “Director, let’s continue while I’m still wet!”
From her perspective, she couldn’t see the crew on the bank, but Ran Lin could see clearly. Her words had completely relaxed the atmosphere.
Satisfied with the “new employee’s” request, the director continued.
Jiang Yi re-entered the water. As the clapperboard snapped shut, she struggled convincingly in the water.
“Jiang Xiaoxiao—”
From afar came Gu Jie’s call—her hero had arrived.
Hearing the sound, Jiang Yi, while gulping down water, shouted her lines for help. “Xiao Gu… save me…”
Her voice, drifting to Ran Lin outside the camera’s view, sounded increasingly ethereal and pitiable, almost making him want to jump in and save her himself.
Splash—
It wasn’t Ran Lin’s turn to act; Gu Jie dived in instead.
“Cut, pass!”
Ran Lin thought he heard excitement and elation in Director He’s voice.
Acting was like that; once the rhythm and synergy kicked in, both actors and directors could get caught up in the moment.
By 11:30 a.m., the scenes of Gu Jie heroically diving into the river to save Jiang Xiaoxiao and their subsequent dialogue on the bank were all shot.
The director looked up at Ran Lin. “Is the emotion okay?”
Understanding what the director was asking, Ran Lin took a deep breath and nodded earnestly.
Director He immediately directed the crew to prepare for the next scene. For the current <Dyeing Fire> crew, time was of the essence, and every moment counted.
As filming progressed, no one considered it a mere “trial shoot” anymore; it was a normal, busy, and tense workday. But thanks to the cooperation of all departments, the shoot was going smoothly, providing everyone with the motivation to keep going despite the fatigue.
“Dyeing Fire, Scene XX, Take 1…”
Click!
As the tail end of the clapperboard sound drifted away, Gu Jie’s fist came swinging in the wind.
Ran Lin didn’t dodge or fuss; he just stood there, taking it…
By 4 p.m., the shooting in the small woods wrapped up smoothly. The crew immediately packed up the equipment and headed to “Di Jiangtao’s home” to shoot indoor scenes.
Ran Lin and Liu Wanwan were invited by Jiang Yi to ride together in the same car, giving the two “old friends” who had cooperated all day a chance to talk.
“How did I do?” Without any outsiders around, Jiang Yi skipped the small talk and went straight to ask Ran Lin.
Jiang Yi was naturally lively, and perhaps she hadn’t completely left the role of Jiang Xiaoxiao yet, as her eyes sparkled with a “seeking praise” glimmer.
Ran Lin gave a thumbs up, generously praising. “Perfect.”
Relieved by her friend’s affirmation, Jiang Yi exhaled deeply. “To be honest, I wasn’t this nervous even when I auditioned for <Chronicles of Winter>.”
Ran Lin understood completely. “Because during <Chronicles of Winter> audition, you only faced the director and producer. For our drama, you had to go through the entire crew’s assessment.”
Jiang Yi was surprised by Ran Lin’s perceptiveness. “Could you tell I was nervous?”
“I couldn’t tell at all. Your performance was flawless.” Ran Lin chuckled. “But I can put myself in your shoes.”
“I think the atmosphere of your crew is really great. Everyone works hard for this drama, and there’s no mess,” Jiang Yi said, clearly still excited, and when she got excited, she became talkative. “Director He is also very nice, even better than I imagined.”
Ran Lin corrected her with a smile. “Not ‘your crew’, ‘our crew’.”
Jiang Yi paused, then nodded hurriedly. “Right, I passed the assessment.”
Ran Lin was surprised. “Someone informed you?”
“No need for notification,” Jiang Yi said proudly, spreading her hands. “I can see the love in everyone’s eyes.”
“Oh?” Ran Lin drew out the word. “Who was just telling me how nervous she was?”
Jiang Yi rolled her eyes at him, unamused.
Ran Lin couldn’t help but laugh.
“What a great opportunity,” Jiang Yi suddenly murmured. “Qi Luoluo didn’t know how to cherish it.”
The sudden mention of the name stirred Ran Lin’s thoughts, and after a long ponder, he asked, “Did you see the fuss on Weibo last night?”
“How could I miss such drama,” Jiang Yi said. “Especially since it’s about the crew I’m about to join. No matter how laid-back I am, I have to follow the outcome.”
“Even though the outcome was good, taking over Qi Luoluo’s role will definitely stir up some talk,” Ran Lin said, wanting to give a friendly reminder.
Jiang Yi frowned in slight displeasure. “What do you mean I took over Qi Luoluo’s role? In my opinion, the role wasn’t hers to begin with; she was an interloper.”
Their habit of bantering from their last movie made Ran Lin instinctively want to argue. “Qi Luoluo, Jiang Xiaoxiao, how is it an interlope? Sounds like a good match*.”
*Clarity: Referring back to the meanings of their names and how their last & first names are basically opposites (opposed), which makes Qi Luoluo “fitting” to play Jiang Xiaoxiao.
“Please!” Jiang Yi retorted mercilessly. “The name doesn’t matter. What’s important is the surname. Jiang Xiaoxiao, right? The role should have the surname Jiang, so here I am, Jiang Yi, it’s destiny*.”
*Clarity: They are different Chinese characters but are homophones. Jiang (江) Yi, Jiang (姜) Xiaoxiao.
Ran Lin: “…”
Jiang Yi: “Any more questions?”
Ran Lin had none.
With an admiring nod, he faced his not-so-new partner, just like when they first met on the <Chronicles of Winter> set, extending his hand with a smile. “From today onwards, please advise.”
Jiang Yi shook the extended hand, smiling just like before. “Sure, sure.”
……
As the car drove along the bumpy country road, it didn’t prevent the actors inside from conversing—
Jiang Yi: “So what exactly is the ending of this play?”
Ran Lin: “Didn’t you get the script?”
Jiang Yi: “I did, but there was no ending. They said they’d give the ending after signing the contract.”
Ran Lin: “……”
Jiang Yi: “So why does Ying Feng want to harm Lao Zhang? And why, after discovering you were surveilling him, did he first try hard to eliminate his own suspicion, then later go all out to blacklist you too? Who do you really like, me or Xiao Gu?”
Ran Lin: “Lao Zhang is the one who set the fire that killed Ying Feng’s parents six years ago. Di Jiangtao was a witness back then, but he didn’t take it seriously. When the police asked, he carelessly gave a testimony that he didn’t know anything, and Lao Zhang got away with it. Then, not long after, he went to prison for robbery.”
Jiang Yi: “So Ying Feng targeted Lao Zhang for revenge?”
Ran Lin: “Right. And initially, he didn’t know Di Jiangtao was the witness who let Lao Zhang off. So when Di Jiangtao noticed he was watching Lao Zhang, he first tried to clear himself of suspicion…”
Jiang Yi: “But after realizing Di Jiangtao was the irresponsible witness, he wanted to take revenge on him too?”
Ran Lin: “Yeah.”
Jiang Yi: “That explains everything. So, who do you really like, Jiang Xiaoxiao or Xiao Gu?”
Ran Lin: “…I don’t have a romantic storyline in this drama!”
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