Ling Sheng lifted her head and saw a handsome man pushing a bicycle under the tree. His warm and doting eyes looked over. Upon seeing her raise her eyebrows lightly, his thin lips moved gently, and his voice was so charming that it made one’s legs wobble. “Come here.”
Besides Si Chengluo, everyone—including Song Yiyan—followed the man’s gaze and realized that he was talking to Ling Sheng.
Song Yiyan’s eyes widened. It was rare for her to gossip. She lowered her voice, afraid that others would hear her. “He… He’s looking for you. Is he your husband?”
Ling Sheng did have a son. She had met him at the Rong Family; he was that adorable Xiaoqi. However, she had been so focused on talking about her own business that she had forgotten to ask who her son’s father was.
The man opposite them was really good-looking. He was the most good-looking man she had seen so far. He had an oppressive air of nobility about him, and one could tell that he was of honorable status at first glance.
Ling Sheng had not expected Jun Shiyan to come. The man was wearing a long black trench coat with a white woolen shirt inside. He was dressed casually, but it made him look even more noble.
However, could she go over at this moment? The media hadn’t left yet. If they were photographed and rumors spread, it wouldn’t be good in the end.
Before she could finish thinking, Song Yiyan tugged at her again and asked curiously, “Sheng Sheng, did you notice that there are only the three of us left in the vicinity?”
Ling Sheng took a look and realized that it was true. Even the other actors who had been walking with them to go eat had disappeared. She did not know when they had been called away.
“Who is he?” After saying that, Song Yiyan covered her mouth as she remembered. “He’s Jun Shiyan! He’s Third Master Jun, right?”
Ling Sheng looked at the little white rabbit beside her helplessly and sighed. She did not know if she should say that she was innocent or naive.
She had told her the Third Master’s name last time at the Rong Family. Little White Bunny probably still hadn’t known why she had told her that name back then!
“He… He… He…” Song Yiyan stuttered for a long time before she sucked in a breath of cold air in shock. “He’s Xiaoqi’s father? Your husband? ”
Ling Sheng corrected her very earnestly. “He’s not my husband. He’s my boyfriend.”
They weren’t married!
What husband?!
Since there was no one around, Third Master must have gotten someone to clear the area. She did not have to worry about being photographed by the media anymore. She ran straight toward the man and beamed at him. “Aren’t you supposed to come back tomorrow?”
Jun Shiyan let out a low laugh. A heart-stirring voice came from his lips as he looked at the young lady he had yearned for day and night. “I missed you. I couldn’t wait the slightest moment to see you.”
Ling Sheng’s small heart pounded, and her eyes were sparkling with stars. When she met the man’s deeply affectionate gaze, she simply felt her bones melt. It was obviously a very blatant expression of love, but why was it so seductive coming from his mouth?!
Upon seeing the young lady’s red face, Jun Shiyan only felt that she was unusually adorable and his heart melted. When he lowered his eyes, he saw that her shoelaces had come apart. He looked at the young lady and said, “Ms. Ling, please help me hold onto the bicycle.”
Ling Sheng gave him a confused look before her lips curled up in understanding. As though she had discovered a major secret, she pointed at him. “Tell me honestly. You don’t know how to ride a bicycle, right?”
Jun Shiyan did not comment. He only smiled and squatted down.
Ling Sheng had run over to him. Next, Si Chengluo and Song Yiyan saw that tall, handsome, and indescribably noble man squat down to help her tie her shoelaces very seriously and carefully.
Song Yiyan’s eyes were full of stars. Oh my god, oh my god, her heart was about to jump out of her chest! What a considerate man! He looked so, so gentle! Sheng Sheng was so blessed!
Was the person in front of her really that legendary Third Master Jun?
This isn’t right… Wasn’t he said to be cold-blooded and very, very evil? Hadn’t they also said that he was disfigured and a cripple in a wheelchair?
Si Chengluo’s eyes were desolate. He could only use a cold and nonchalant expression to hide the pain, grief, and disappointment in his heart.
This was not the first time he had seen her with this man. She had said that he was her boyfriend. He also knew that the man was a professor at the Imperial Capital University. His surname was Gu, and his name was Gu Zhishi.
Was he Xiaoqi’s father? If he was Xiaoqi’s father, why had he not married her? If he was not Xiaoqi’s father, then who was Xiaoqi’s father?
He was not a gossipy person, so he had not asked about this. However, at this moment, he actually regretted not clarifying these issues.
Upon seeing the man squat down to tie her shoelace, Ling Sheng’s smile became even sweeter. She patted his head gently. “Mr. Jun, why did you come to look for me?”
Jun Shiyan looked up and smiled lovingly. “Ms. Ling, can you have a meal with me? There’s a delicious private restaurant nearby.”
“Sure, sure.” Before Ling Sheng finished speaking, she could not help but laugh out loud. She was a little conflicted. “However, I’ve been on a diet for the past two days. You can’t tempt me. Look at my figure. Have I gone out of shape from weight gain?”
Jun Shiyan had already stood up. He examined her seriously from head to toe and shook his head. “No, you didn’t get fat at all.”
Ling Sheng frowned and let out a snort. “You big, fat liar!”
Si Chengluo and Song Yiyan also knew that since the two of them had not been removed from the scene, he treated them as Ling Sheng’s friends. They had to greet him no matter what.
Out of courtesy, Jun Shiyan invited the two of them to have dinner together. However, who couldn’t read the situation and who would be willing to be a third wheel?
Upon seeing Si Chengluo and Song Yiyan leave together, Ling Sheng looked at Jun Shiyan. “Mr. Jun, do you know how to ride a bicycle?”
Jun Shiyan shook his head calmly and smiled at her seriously. “Then, Ms. Ling, I’ll be counting on you.”
Ling Sheng patted her chest with an arrogant little expression that said ‘don’t be afraid, leave everything to me’. “Let me tell you in advance. I cycle very fast. You have to hold on tight. If you fall off accidentally, I won’t take responsibility.”
Jun Shiyan nodded and smiled as he put her sunglasses, mask, and hat on for her. He patted the car seat and asked, “Can we set off now?”
When Ling Sheng thought of how she had been taught how to ride a bicycle by someone who did not know how to ride one, it was really a miracle.
When the bicycle swayed while she was getting used to it, Jun Shiyan ran beside her with a smile. He looked at the young lady. “Ms. Ling, are you sure you can fetch me?”
Ling Sheng was nervous to begin with. She had learned how to ride a bicycle herself, but this was still the first time she had driven someone. Upon hearing his words, she got annoyed. “What nonsense are you saying?! Hurry up and get on!”
Jun Shiyan’s smile deepened as he jogged behind her. He gently helped her support the backseat and got on.
The bike swayed and looked like it was about to fall. Just as he was about to get down to support it, the bike hit the road steadily again.
Then, he heard the young lady question him in a huff. “Were you going to jump off the bicycle just now? Do you not believe in me?”
Jun Shiyan shook his head, his handsome face full of innocence. “No.”
The young lady said, “Can you swear that you had no intention of jumping out of the bicycle? Do you trust me completely?”
Jun Shiyan let out a low cough and said in a low voice, “I’m afraid you’ll fall.”
Early love was not allowed on the high school campus. When the duo cycled on the road, it was a wondrous spectacle. Students were dismissed from school at noon, and coincidentally, this road led to the canteen, which held the most people. Everyone stared at them curiously.
There were also many young girls who were just understanding what love was. They tugged at their companions and looked at the couple enviously. Ahhh, this was practically an idol drama!
That man in the backseat was surely too handsome! He was many times more good-looking than the fresh meat celebrities on television.
However, what kind of weirdo was the girl on the bicycle? Was she afraid of being recognized? Or perhaps she was hideous so she wore sunglasses, a mask, and a hat? Such a waste of this beautiful scene.
Ling Sheng, who was on a diet, had not eaten much at noon either. When they parted ways, she even remembered to tell Jun Shiyan repeatedly that the next time she had the chance, she would eat everything when she came back! She would order two portions of everything. After eating one portion, she would eat one more!
Jun Shiyan looked at the young lady and said seriously, “You really aren’t fat!”
“I don’t look fat with the naked eye, but the television screen will widen one’s body horizontally. I don’t want to be criticized for being unprofessional, without the slightest bit of professionalism as an actor who can’t even control her mouth or figure well.” Ling Sheng had high expectations of herself.
Since she had decided to do filming and had decided to be on camera, she had to do her best. She had to film in her best state. If she could not even manage the most basic—her figure, how could she be an actress? She should just go home and farm.
There was no filming in the afternoon. It was just time for the actors to get to know one another and read the scripts together. Everyone would interact with each other and share their understanding of their own characters, and what kind of method would be best to use to act them out.
Ever since Ling Sheng had arrived, other than ‘The Legend of Empress Xiaoxian’, all the other filming she had participated in had a table read[1] segment.
Especially when she acted in Director Chen Mo’s “My Wife”. Every day, before filming, there would be a table read and they would read the script together until everyone was satisfied before filming started.
In recent years in China, the marketization for best actor dramas had been increasing. In order to save production periods and costs, many producers had canceled this segment. Hence, table reads were gradually becoming a rare thing in the Chinese film industry.
Actually, script-reading was definitely an indispensable part of the filming process. This was something that actors and the production crew had to do well. When the table read went well, it would be twice as effective for the subsequent filming.
During the break interval of the table read, Ling Sheng went to get a glass of water. When she returned, she saw Si Chengluo and Song Yiyan still reading the script.
Si Chengluo was a newbie and was not familiar with everything. He was also the most serious person during the script reading and understood his own character very thoroughly.
Song Yiyan was a university graduate, so her acting skills weren’t bad. She had been dragged along by Si Chengluo to read the script with him. The others had gone out to rest and digest what they had learned from the table read.
Ling Sheng stood behind him with a glass in hand, her eyes full of admiration. Little Brother was very conscientious. She felt that this drama would definitely be filmed well.
“It’s you!” Si Chengluo suddenly dropped the script in his hand and grabbed Song Yiyan’s shoulder like he had been bewitched. “Song Yiyan, it’s you. Tell me what I have to do to help her. Tell me!”
Song Yiyan sucked in a breath of cold air in pain. She looked at the young man in front of her and realized that something was wrong with him. It was as though he had changed into another person instantly. His eyes were penetrating, as though he could see through one’s heart instantly. She looked at him in panic. “What are you talking about?”
[1] This is an organized script reading session that begins before the official shooting.
