Chapter 25: The Secret Behind the White Moonlight Part 3

“I’m fine.” Zhu Hanxing had just filmed a heartbreaking breakup scene, and it felt like her heart had been ripped out. When Chun Liuyi’s character, Hu Jia, had turned to walk away, Zhu Hanxing had stood there, not daring to make a sound, biting her lip until it almost bled. Only now that the cameras were off did she dare to let it out. “Wait for me.”

The more she tried to control it, the more the tears fell. Her body gave out, and she slowly sank into a squat, clutching her aching chest.

Chun Liuyi frowned. Watching her like this made her uncomfortable. In truth, Chun Liuyi didn’t like acting with “gifted” actors. Although she had been called one when she debuted because she was good at acting from a young age, she knew it was all thanks to her mother’s “contributions.”

She was nothing like Zhu Hanxing. Chun Liuyi entered a role quickly and left it just as fast. She had a high floor but a low ceiling, unless her partner was so good that they pulled her past her limits.

Over the past few days, she had felt that pull. They would waste several takes, and just as Chun Liuyi was losing patience, Zhu Hanxing would suddenly drag her into Hu Jia’s world. In places where the script hadn’t made sense during her preparation, Zhu Hanxing’s performance would show her exactly what it meant.

Over time, Chun Liuyi had started to get lost in the role herself. It felt as if the person across from her wasn’t the singer Zhu Hanxing, but Shen Yan—the lover she had been with for years before their forced breakup.

Seeing her cry like this, a single tear escaped Chun Liuyi’s eye. “Stop crying,” she said.

Zhu Hanxing bit her lip, looking miserable. “I’m trying.”

Fearing Zhu Hanxing might faint, Chun Liuyi signaled to her assistant, who was hovering nearby, to bring a cup of hot water.

She handed it to Zhu Hanxing. “Zhu Hanxing, I don’t like women.”

“I know.” Zhu Hanxing’s sobs began to subside. She was slowly coming back from Shen Yan’s emotions. Chun Liuyi looked away, finding the sight annoying.

In the distance, the set lights were extinguished. The world fell into a profound silence.

Chun Liuyi suddenly remembered a winter long ago. Someone had cried like that behind her, and she hadn’t looked back once. She often felt she was a cold-hearted person—at least, she had been for the last decade. But she still felt bouts of misplaced compassion, like now.

She should have let Zhu Hanxing finish crying alone. Instead, she had invited her into her trailer.

Once the crying stopped and her nose and eyes were just puffy and red, Zhu Hanxing finally snapped out of it. When she spoke, she called her “Chunliu.”

“Liuyi,” Chun Liuyi corrected.

“It’s the same thing,” Zhu Hanxing said.

Ever since Chun Liuyi had told her about Shen Lideng on set, Zhu Hanxing had decided they were friends. She frequently tried to strike up conversations, though Chun Liuyi usually shut her out. If they hadn’t just shared such an emotionally intense scene, Zhu Hanxing wouldn’t have dared come over today.

Chun Liuyi couldn’t be bothered to argue about the name anymore. She asked dritly, “What do you want?”

“I’m looking for information on someone,” Zhu Hanxing sniffled.

“No comment,” Chun Liuyi said before she even heard the name.

“Aren’t you curious who it is?”

“Doesn’t matter. No comment.”

Zhu Hanxing took a sip of the hot water. The warmth traveled down her throat, soothing the stomach that had been filled with cold wind all night.

“Don’t be so heartless, Chunliu,” Zhu Hanxing pleaded in a raspy voice.

Chun Liuyi remained silent, eyes downcast.

“If you don’t tell me, I’m sleeping in your trailer tonight,” Zhu Hanxing threatened.

“If you want to end up on the trending topics, be my guest.”

Seeing that didn’t work, Zhu Hanxing tried another tactic. “If you don’t tell me, I’m going to fall in love with you.”

Chun Liuyi’s brow twitched. “Suit yourself. It’s not like you can just decide to love someone.”

“Why not? You’re excellent. We act together every day, and you know my style—I act by immersing myself. I spend half my day as Shen Yan right now. Loving you would be the easiest thing in the world…”

“Zhu Hanxing!” Chun Liuyi snapped. “Can you stop being so annoying?”

Seeing that she was truly angry, Zhu Hanxing stopped joking. “I really don’t know who else to ask, Chunliu. We have some history, don’t we? Help me. Please.”

When it came to Ming Li, Zhu Hanxing could be incredibly humble. She pressed her hands together in a prayer gesture, her eyes still shimmering with leftover tears, looking pitiful.

Chun Liuyi gritted her teeth before finally relenting. “Ask.”

“Shen Lideng,” Zhu Hanxing said. “But not about her and Gu Qingshuang. About her family. How much do you know?”

“Why are you asking about her?” Chun Liuyi asked. “I don’t know much.”

“But you two seem close.”

“Not as close as I am with you,” Chun Liuyi blurted out.

Zhu Hanxing froze. Chun Liuyi looked annoyed with herself, her face darkening. Before she could erupt, Zhu Hanxing grabbed her hand. “Sister Liuyi, I knew you were a good sister to me.”

Chun Liuyi: “…?”

Zhu Hanxing smiled radiantly. As the saying goes, one doesn’t strike a smiling face. Even though Chun Liuyi wanted to kick her out, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. “Are you asking for Ming Li?”

“Ming Li doesn’t want to know,” Zhu Hanxing said. “I do.”

“I thought you didn’t like Ming Li. Why do you care so much? Everyone has their own path to walk,” Chun Liuyi said. “Gu Qingshuang might be frustrating, but her character is solid. Getting married to her isn’t a loss.”

“How can you say that? Our Ming Li is wonderful in every way. If you look at the details, she’s the one losing out.”

“The Gu family’s status isn’t bad. How is she losing?”

“Ming Li is beautiful.”

“Gu Qingshuang isn’t ugly.”

“But she’s cold, weird, and has an ex-girlfriend!”

“…”

After a brief debate, Chun Liuyi nodded. “Fair point. So?”

“Nothing, I just want to know about Shen Lideng’s family. Specifically, that brother of hers. If someone hits him, will the family retaliate?” Zhu Hanxing asked.

“What? You hit the Little Pit Bull?” Chun Liuyi asked, surprised.

“Isn’t he called the Trash Heap?” Zhu Hanxing asked. She had only heard Ming Xi’s nicknames and didn’t actually know the boy’s real name.

“Trash Heap?” Chun Liuyi repeated, then smirked. “That’s actually quite fitting.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? You know him?” Zhu Hanxing smiled flirtatiously. “Good sister, I knew I asked the right person. You’re so well-traveled and knowledgeable.”

Chun Liuyi gave her a look. Even though she knew it was blatant flattery, she found herself enjoying it. Especially since the subject was that boy.

“Word of advice: don’t touch him,” Chun Liuyi said. “The Shen family grants that Little Pit Bull every wish. No one dares provoke him.”

“Great. He’s in the same class as Ming Li’s sister. Ming Li slapped him in public today,” Zhu Hanxing said, almost laughing. “I heard she gave him five solid slaps.”