Tong Yan’s first reaction was to glance up at the room number, thinking she might have gotten it wrong. After checking again, she confird that this was indeed the room where Shen Jianian was staying.
"Sorry to bother you, I’m looking for Shen Jianian, she..."
"What do you want?" The man’s voice was indifferent, interrupting her, with a hint of impatience.
Tong Yan felt her ears heat up, awkwardly at a loss, when her little assistant stepped in to save the situation: "Sister Yan Yan ca to bring so food for Mr. Shen."
"Oh, right... I ca to deliver so food to Shen Jianian." Tong Yan seed to rember, taking a brown paper bag from her assistant, which contained a few stacked plastic take-out boxes. "She didn’t make it to the dinner tonight, and the dishes at this restaurant are pretty good. I brought her so to try, as an apology."
Fu Jichen’s tone was intriguing: "Apology?"
Tong Yan tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled awkwardly, expressing her remorse: "I wasn’t in great shape this afternoon and caused a few NGs, making her unable to rest, so I feel really bad about it."
Fu Jichen’s eyes turned cold. So, the actress Jianian ntioned was her?
Not only did she prevent Jianian from getting rest, but she also made her fall ill.
"You can have it yourself, she’s already asleep."
Not wanting to say more, Fu Jichen shut the door.
Tong Yan’s outstretched hand was left hanging there as the door closed with a gust of wind, brushing her cheek, feeling like a slap across her face.
Anger flared in her heart, and Tong Yan furiously handed the brown paper bag back to her assistant, heading to the elevator, turning her head to vent to her assistant: "What do you think Shen Jianian ans by this? Not coming out herself and sending a man to ridicule ?"
The little assistant’s eyes followed her nose, followed her heart, knowing their artist was upset, daring not to speak. Saying too much would only make it worse.
Tong Yan stood in the elevator cab, arms crossed, her pretty face still seething with anger, getting more furious the more she thought about it: "Do you think that man looks familiar?"
"A bit."
"Definitely a CEO from so company." Tong Yan held her head high, the shiny elevator door reflecting her beautiful face, her face showing the satisfaction of having her speculation confird, "I said, how could Shen Jianian land Director Wang’s film without any agency or background if not for a benefactor behind the scenes? Didn’t expect even Director Wang would lose to capital..."
"Sister Yan Yan, please stop!"
The little assistant was scared pale by a shade, how could she dare say anything bad about Director Wang.
If soone overheard, she could forget about surviving in this industry.
Tong Yan realized she had misspoken, covered her lips, but refused to admit defeat in front of her assistant, lowered her voice, and muttered: "There’s no one else here but you, what’s there to be afraid of."
The elevator doors opened, and Tong Yan stomped out.
On the other side, Fu Jichen turned off the light again and lay down, Shen Jianian was awakened by the commotion, burying her face in his arms, groggily asking, "Who was it?"
"Not an important person." Fu Jichen gently patted her back, soothing her with a low voice, "Go back to sleep."
Shen Jianian was so tired, she didn’t think much about it and soon fell asleep again.
*
On the following morning, Tong Yan arrived at the set early in the nanny van.
Costu drama makeup takes a long ti, and soone was there even earlier than her—Fu Feibai sat on a folding chair, arms crossed, leaning back and dozing, the makeup artist was applying the wig cap for him, several silver clips in his long hair.
Tong Yan whispered: "Mr. Fu, would you like so coffee? It helps with swelling."
Fu Feibai lifted his eyelids, yawned, and accepted a cup of Aricano: "Thank you."
"No problem, we’ll have a scene together later, please be patient with ."
Tong Yan’s face was unnatural. She had NG’d too many tis yesterday afternoon, becoming "famous in one go" within the crew. This kind of fa is not what an actor wants.
Fu Feibai took a sip of coffee and smiled: "No worries."
He is usually very easygoing, never putting on airs. As long as he isn’t provoked, he wouldn’t target anyone. Having collaborated with so many crews, no one has ever said he’s hard to get along with.
Tong Yan sat next to him, getting styled by another makeup artist. Holding her coffee, she glanced sideways at Fu Feibai reading the script, brewing for a mont, pretending to be mystified: "I went to bring Jianian so food last night, and the person who opened the door was a man, really startled ."
Fu Feibai’s gaze shifted from the script, looking at her, his tone rising: "A man?"
Seeing his interest, Tong Yan perked up, about to elaborate when she suddenly realized besides them, there was the makeup artist too.
The makeup artist, seeing Tong Yan’s hint in the mirror, smiled amiably. They’ve been doing makeup for actors in major crews for years, eavesdropping on more gossip than a truckload, knowing what to say and what not to say.
Tong Yan knew they understood her, so she spoke freely: "Yes. That man was quite tall, really handso, with an extraordinary aura, probably not from an ordinary wealthy family, a rather cold personality, I didn’t dare talk to him much."
Based on her description, Fu Feibai imdiately guessed it—it was his brother visiting the set.
No wonder Shen Jianian didn’t co to the dinner last night.
Tong Yan examined his face and saw him reveal a thoughtful expression, secretly delighted. She just wanted Fu Feibai to know that the Shen Jianian he protected was indiscreet behind his back and restless while filming.
Fu Feibai: "It should be her boyfriend."
Tong Yan was taken aback; this was not the effect she wanted.
Thinking back, all the things she said were praises of that man, so it’s no surprise that others would think so.
"I don’t think so," Tong Yan deliberately guided Fu Feibai, "That man looks very old and doesn’t quite match with Shen Jianian."
Fu Feibai let out a choke, nearly spilling coffee on himself, his eyes filled with doubt toward Tong Yan. Did she think his brother was old? He’s only in his thirties.
Does Tong Yan have a problem with her eyes?
"Wh-what’s wrong?" Tong Yan noticed his odd look at her, was taken aback, wondering if she said sothing wrong.
*
In the hotel, Shen Jianian’s alarm was turned off by Fu Jichen, sleeping in late. When Xiao Yu ca knocking at the door, Shen Jianian was still in bed.
In a rush, Shen Jianian sat in the car heading to the set.
Fu Jichen had things to do in the afternoon, had breakfast with her, and then returned to Beicheng, reminding her to take care of herself before he left, giving Aunt Cheng and Xiao Yu instructions.
Xiao Yu didn’t know Shen Jianian was sick yesterday, apologized nonstop in the car, "It’s all my fault for not keeping you warm properly on set."
Shen Jianian smiled and said, "It’s not your fault. You don’t need to bla yourself."
As she got off the car with a mask on, having had a full sleep, her fever had subsided, but her body was still sowhat uncomfortable. Not taking dicine in the morning shouldn’t affect her performance status.
"Jianian, you’re here." Tong Yan, already made up, winked at her in the mirror with a suggestive smile on her face, "You’re late today."
Shen Jianian took off the mask and sat down, nonchalantly saying, "Forgot to set the alarm."
"You don’t need to explain, I understand," Tong Yan maintained her smiling expression, her tone carrying sothing unusual.
Shen Jianian didn’t understand what she ant, and she didn’t ask, closing her eyes to let the makeup artist apply her makeup.
The preparatory work was almost done, and Fu Feibai took a mont to talk to Shen Jianian, "Did my brother co last night?"
Shen Jianian was shocked, "How did you know?"
Could it be that Fu Jichen told him?
Soon, she realized it wasn’t, as Fu Feibai shrugged, looking helpless, "My brother, really, visiting the set without telling , is he still my real brother? He could have at least treated to a al."
Shen Jianian explained for Fu Jichen, "He’s busy working; he ca last night and left this morning, maybe didn’t have ti to et you..." Seems the more she explained, the easier it was to misunderstand, so she simply stopped talking.
Fu Feibai shook his shoulders and laughed.
Shen Jianian: "You haven’t told how you knew."
Fu Feibai pointed with his lips, indicating a direction, "Early this morning, gossiping to a bunch." He wasn’t foolish, seeing through Tong Yan’s little sches instantly.
Shen Jianian turned her head to look in that direction; Tong Yan was consulting an old actor with a script, her diligent little assistant filming in the distance.
How did Tong Yan know?
Just as a question mark ford in her mind, Shen Jianian recalled, last night soone seed to knock on the door. At that ti, she had taken dicine and gone to sleep, it was Fu Jichen who opened the door, saying it was not an important person, it must have been Tong Yan.
Shen Jianian rubbed her forehead, no wonder when putting on makeup, Tong Yan had that expression, and the things she said were odd.
*
The second important scene between Shen Jianian and Tong Yan would co a week later.
Without doubt, Shen Jianian was nervous, practicing the angle and strength of slapping in front of the mirror.
In the play, Yin Dai, acting emotionally, disrupted Ruoyu’s plans, then Ruoyu gave her a heavy slap, punishing her by kneeling on ice in a single outfit.
In this scene, Shen Jianian would have to slap Tong Yan.
If too light, it wouldn’t achieve the "heavy slap" effect described in the script; if too hard, Tong Yan might swallow her whole. The best performance thod is to raise the hand heavily and put it down gently; Shen Jianian was striving to practice.
Hopefully, it would go smoothly during filming.
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