Chapter 41

Leng Xiang felt like she had run at least eight hundred meters.

She ran straight down two streets, and the two cameramen, shouldering their heavy cameras, kept pace with her for the entire distance. She was panting heavily, and the lead cameraman was exhausted too, but that wasn’t the end of it. When the whole crew returned to the studio, Jiang Sisi announced that they had to run it all again.

Wearing high heels, she ran another eight hundred meters. At first, she held an umbrella, but it was blown away by the wind, leaving the pouring rain to lash coldly against her face. Her clothes were completely soaked through.

From Su Qing chasing the bus, to her fall, to the old man on the motorcycle asking if she wanted a ride—it was one continuous scene that had to flow without interruption.

On the third take, Leng Xiang had to fall to the ground. She didn’t run far—just enough to hit her mark for a real fall. The old man on the motorcycle grinned as he watched her tumble again and again. Each time she stood back up, he delivered his line, and she responded with hers, repeating the process over and over.

Shooting a scene six or seven times—or even a dozen—was no big deal for Jiang Sisi. Everyone went about their tasks as filming proceeded smoothly.

When Jiang Sisi finally called it a wrap, Leng Xiang felt like she hadn’t just shot two scenes—she felt as drained as if she’d filmed ten in a single day. Especially her calves; every fall scraped against the cement ground, and after several takes, they were badly bruised.

Leng Xiang collapsed directly onto the filthy motorcycle. The rain had lightened, but it was still falling. She didn’t care anymore—her whole body was drenched anyway; getting a little wetter wouldn’t matter.

Jiang Sisi approached with an umbrella and helped her up. When Leng Xiang stood, she let out an imperceptible hiss of pain.

Leng Xiang complained, “If you direct like this, won’t someone sue you to the labor bureau?”

“Anyone else would have called it quits ages ago, but you still look pretty good.” Jiang Sisi praised her sincerely. “You’re tough.”

Leng Xiang rolled her eyes at her emphatically.

Wang Linlin jogged over to Leng Xiang’s side and handed her a cup of hot water.

It was the dead of winter, and after filming in the rain all afternoon, Leng Xiang downed the entire cup in one go. Only then did she feel alive again.

Leng Xiang and Wang Linlin returned to the hotel where the crew was staying. Leng Xiang went back to her room first and took a hot shower.

Seeing how exhausted she was after running nonstop all afternoon, Wang Linlin had brought dinner to the room. By the time Leng Xiang emerged, towel-drying her hair, Wang Linlin had already set the table.

Pei Shuang only had one scene that day and had wrapped early. She’d spent the afternoon in the studio watching Leng Xiang film and had returned even earlier. Now, she lounged on her bed, legs propped up, scrolling on her phone.

Leng Xiang asked Pei Shuang, “Have you eaten dinner? Want to join us?”

Pei Shuang replied, “I already ate. You two go ahead.”

“It’s only the first day of shooting,” Wang Linlin said. “This is too grueling.”

“Leng Xiang-jie, eat more. Try this.” Wang Linlin and Leng Xiang sat around the small tea table to eat. Wang Linlin picked up some food with her chopsticks for Leng Xiang and asked, “Do you always work this hard when filming?”

Leng Xiang ate as she recalled, “Not really. Most of the time, I barely get any roles.”

Wang Linlin stared at her in shock. “…Huh?”

Pei Shuang looked up from her phone, eyeing her too.

Leng Xiang said, “So, when there’s work, you just do it right. It’s not about hard or easy.”

Wang Linlin murmured to herself, “I always thought celebrities lived glamorous lives. Turns out it’s not easy at all.”

Wang Linlin added, “Oh, right, Leng Xiang-jie, is the injury on your leg serious?”

Pei Shuang remembered how her calf and knee had hit the ground repeatedly during those takes. “I have a first-aid kit here with some contusion relief powder.”

Leng Xiang’s calf was starting to throb faintly. After the long shower, the hot water had improved circulation, making the bruised area feel slightly swollen.

Pei Shuang rummaged through the kit and was searching for the medicine when a knock sounded at the door.

Wang Linlin slipped on her slippers and went to open it. Soon, a startled exclamation came from the doorway: “Director Jiang? What brings you here?”

Leng Xiang’s chopsticks froze mid-air.

Jiang Sisi stood at the door, nodding at her with a smile. “I came to check on you.”

Wang Linlin glanced back, then stepped aside to let her in.

Pei Shuang was still digging through the kit. Hearing the commotion, she looked up and watched, wide-eyed, as Jiang Sisi walked right up to Leng Xiang and half-squatted in front of her.

Pei Shuang covered her eyes, pretending she saw nothing.

Leng Xiang still held her chopsticks, staring down as Jiang Sisi squatted before her, eyes fixed on her.

Jiang Sisi said, “Let me see your calf. How bad is the injury?”

Leng Xiang glared at her. “It’s fine.”

Jiang Sisi looked up. “Tomorrow’s shoot—I need to consider your injury. If it’s too serious—”

Wang Linlin blurted out, “We won’t shoot tomorrow then?”

Jiang Sisi gave Wang Linlin a pitying look, as if to say, Child, what dream are you living in? She drawled slowly, “…Tomorrow we’ll switch to an easier scene.”

Wang Linlin silently zipped her lips.

Jiang Sisi said, “So now, let me see that injury.”

Leng Xiang had changed into loose sleep pants. She sat on the bed, and Jiang Sisi sat beside her. Leng Xiang bent one leg and rolled up the pant leg.

The bruise was about ten centimeters below her knee, a large, ugly patch marring her otherwise fair, smooth calf. It looked quite alarming.

Jiang Sisi reached out and pressed on the bruised area.

Leng Xiang hissed in pain.

Jiang Sisi pressed again. Leng Xiang furrowed her brows but stayed silent. Jiang Sisi asked, “Can you walk?”

Leng Xiang replied, “I can walk.”

If you couldn’t, how did you get back here? Did I carry you?

Jiang Sisi glanced around and spotted Pei Shuang’s small first-aid kit. “Found the medicine?”

At the bottom of the kit was a red jar labeled “Contusion Relief Ointment” in five bold characters. Pei Shuang was still in the position of rummaging when she heard Jiang Sisi’s question. She instinctively looked down at the jar, then back up at Jiang Sisi and Leng Xiang on the bed.

While Leng Xiang wasn’t paying attention, Jiang Sisi pressed her calf again. Leng Xiang yelped in surprise and shot Jiang Sisi an angry glare. Jiang Sisi smiled back.

Pei Shuang’s face went blank as she snapped the kit shut. “Couldn’t find it. Must be gone.”

Jiang Sisi rolled Leng Xiang’s pant leg back down. Their positioning felt oddly intimate. Wang Linlin watched the two of them, her innocent eyes brimming with curiosity.

Jiang Sisi said, “After you finish eating, come up to my room. We’ll go over the script. I have medicine there too—I can apply it for you.”

Leng Xiang said, “Sure.”

Wow, late at night, the director wants to discuss the script with an actress. Totally normal.

Pei Shuang thought this, feeling her earlier actions had been very wise.

Jiang Sisi left after that, flashing Pei Shuang a smile on her way out. Leng Xiang returned to the small sofa to finish her dinner. Once done, she packed up the containers, said goodbye to Pei Shuang and Wang Linlin, and headed upstairs.

Wang Linlin waved to her, then turned to Pei Shuang with a sigh. “Director Jiang is so nice, even applying medicine for Leng Xiang-jie. Are they close?”

Pei Shuang recalled that day when she’d gone to sign the contract with Jiang Sisi—walking in to find Leng Xiang on Jiang Sisi’s lap, the two of them nearly kissing.

Pei Shuang looked at Wang Linlin with pity and affection, staring until Wang Linlin’s head filled with question marks. “What’s wrong? Aren’t they on good terms?”

Ah, this little fool.

Pei Shuang said gently, “They are on good terms—better than good. So if you see them alone together, don’t disturb them, got it?”

Wang Linlin blinked dumbly at her. “Oh, okay. Noted.”

·

Jiang Sisi was the director and the crew’s biggest investor, granting her top-tier privileges: a solo luxury VIP king suite.

Leng Xiang stood at Jiang Sisi’s door and knocked.

The door opened quickly, and Jiang Sisi welcomed her in.

Jiang Sisi’s room was at least twice the size of their standard double, with a separate living room and bedroom. There was even a game room with a pool table and a massive projector screen on one wall. Plug in a mic, and it became a KTV.

Extravagant and indulgent—truly extravagant.

Leng Xiang tsked inwardly at such lavishness, while Jiang Sisi seemed utterly accustomed to it. They passed through the living room, and Jiang Sisi led her straight to the bedroom.

The bed in the center could fit five people rolling around comfortably, making it feel a bit empty. A thick script lay open on it, looking well-worn.

Jiang Sisi said, “Have a seat first. Did you bring your script?”

Leng Xiang nodded. “I did.”

Jiang Sisi turned to brew her a cup of tea and brought back the medicine kit.

The tea was still warm, comforting in her hands, with a refreshing floral aroma.

The refined airs of a wealthy heir—elegant yet pretentious.

Leng Xiang sat on the edge of the bed. Jiang Sisi found the contusion ointment in the kit and said, “Let me apply this first. Extend your calf.”

Eyeing her posture, Leng Xiang said, “I can do it myself.”

We’ve rolled around on the same bed before. What’s there she hasn’t seen?

Jiang Sisi handed her the jar with a smile. “Press hard, or it won’t work.”

Leng Xiang took the jar, rolled up her pant leg—the bruise still glaring. She pressed, and it hurt.

“Hiss—” Leng Xiang winced as she applied the ointment. Jiang Sisi watched her clumsy motions, leaned in, placed her hand over Leng Xiang’s, and guided her to rub harder twice.

Leng Xiang cried out from the pain.

Jiang Sisi said, “Let me do it. You can’t bring yourself to press hard enough.”

True, she couldn’t be that harsh on herself.

Jiang Sisi took over. “It’ll hurt. Bear with it.”