Ye Fan extended her hands, wrapping them around He Han’s body. Her movements were slightly clumsy, yet they perfectly conveyed the heroine’s awkwardness in intimate matters, just as the scene required.

A low, soft chuckle escaped He Han as he lowered his voice. “What’s the rush?”

The dim surroundings amplified the deep, magnetic allure of his voice, making it even more captivating.

With a slight pull, He Han drew Ye Fan into his embrace.

Even through the thin layer of her garment, his hand rested firmly on her. The faint calluses on his fingertips felt rough against her skin.

The silence in the room was almost tangible. Pressed against He Han’s chest, Ye Fan could hear his heartbeat—steady and deep, like the distant rumble of summer thunder, one beat after another.

Holding her close, He Han gently eased both of them down onto the bed.

The mattress beneath them was incredibly soft. A faint smile tugged at He Han’s lips, his eyes carrying a teasing glimmer as he leaned closer to Ye Fan.

He Han’s gaze locked on Ye Fan’s, unwavering. With his other hand, he reached for the bedside table, his long fingers brushing against the lamp switch. A quiet click followed as he turned off the light.

The sudden darkness engulfed the room completely.

“Cut.” the director called out, sounding quite pleased with the result. He clapped his hands a few times.

Although both He Han and Ye Fan were filming a bed scene for the first time, their performances had clearly met the director’s expectations.

Ye Fan could feel He Han’s warm palm leave her body.

She let out a slow breath. Even the award-winning actor was so professional on his first bed scene no wonder He Han had earned so many accolades both domestically and internationally.

The lights in the room came back on.

He Han straightened up and sat on the edge of the bed. Just as he was about to get up and leave, he noticed Ye Fan was about to rise from the bed as well.

After a brief pause, He Han extended his hand toward her.

His gaze lowered, meeting Ye Fan’s eyes.

Ye Fan froze for a moment, then used his hand to steady herself as she sat up, thanking him softly.

Perhaps it was because she had been so immersed in the scene earlier, but there was a lingering, subtle emotion in He Han’s eyes.

However, just half a minute later, his expression returned to its usual calm and distant demeanor.

As the crew members had said, He Han was someone whose emotions were unreadable. No one could tell what he was thinking.

As He Han turned and walked away the director approached him to speak.

Alhough it was summer, they were shooting a night scene, and Ye Fan was wearing a thin nightgown so after filming for so long, she couldn’t help but feel a bit cold.

A background actress, Song Man, who was on good terms with Ye Fan, came over and draped a jacket over her shoulders. “Are you cold?”

Ye Fan shook her head. “Thank you.”

Not far away, He Han paused and glanced over at her.

Ye Fan stood quietly on the set.

There was a fragility in her posture, but also an undeniable strength—a rare and captivating quality.

He Han unconsciously ran his fingers over his own hand.

…

The next day, Ye Fan arrived early at the makeup room, where the makeup artist began to work on her.

Ye Fan was deep in thought. Today, she would be filming her final scene, where she would be acting opposite Tang Jin. This scene would depict a confrontation between the female lead and the dancer.

The dancer, Jin Tan, was actually an illegitimate daughter of the Shen family, while the character played by Tang Jin was the legitimate daughter of the Shen family. Later, the Shen family’s eldest daughter became a spy, while Jin Tan served the Japanese.

When Jin Tan encountered the female lead, she immediately recognized her as the Shen family’s legitimate daughter. Though they shared the same bloodline, one had become a traitor to her country, while the other remained a noble young lady.

In order to gain more trust from the Japanese, Jin Tan tried to expose the female lead’s true identity as a spy.

Ye Fan lowered her gaze, a cold gleam flashing in her eyes.

The original character had been the daughter of a wealthy family. Nie Weiru had switched her biological daughter, Tang Jin, with the original character, leading to Tang Jin enjoying a life of wealth and privilege that she didn’t deserve, while the original character endured great suffering.

Different circumstances shaped their lives in vastly different ways.

This scene, in a way, seemed to mock reality.

Tang Jin finished her makeup and sat in her seat. She looked at Ye Fan’s face, but for some reason, her temples throbbed.

She felt an inexplicable sense of unease.

Just then, her manager’s voice broke her train of thought.

The manager had called Tang Jin several times, but she was lost in thought. He anxiously urged. “Tang Jin, what are you thinking? The director is calling for you.”

It was only then that Tang Jin remembered the next scene was her confrontation with Ye Fan.

She quickly suppressed her emotions. “I’ll be there in a moment.”

Ye Fan and Tang Jin stood under the lights.

Ye Fan wore old clothes with no decorations in her hair, yet she exuded a refreshing elegance and an uncommon grace.

A flash of jealousy flickered in Tang Jin’s eyes.

She couldn’t deny it—despite her simple attire, Ye Fan’s beauty still shone through.

The people around them watched, thinking to themselves, Tang Jin was supposed to be the wealthy young lady, yet standing before Ye Fan, it was as if Ye Fan had completely overshadowed her.

The lights and cameras were set.

Rain began to fall from the sky, but Ye Fan stood tall, her back straight, with a sense of stubbornness and pride.

“We are both daughters of the Shen family. We could have lived the same life.”

“If I had been the one to stay in the Shen family, I wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

Ye Fan’s voice kept ringing in Tang Jin’s ears, and her mind suddenly went blank.

It was just a line, yet it reminded Tang Jin of the time, when she was little, that she accidentally learned she wasn’t really part of the Tang family by blood. She had been terrified at the time.

For all these years, she never told anyone about it. She always worried that one day, someone would expose her secret.

A wave of panic surged in Tang Jin’s heart.

She opened her mouth but couldn’t say a word.

“Cut!” Tang Jin made a mistake, and the director called for a stop.

Tang Jin snapped out of it and saw Ye Fan’s half-smiling face. But when she looked again, Ye Fan’s expression was neutral as if what she had felt earlier was just her imagination.

The director furrowed his brows. “Tang Jin, why aren’t you saying your lines?”

“I’ll pay more attention next time.” Tang Jin forced out an excuse.

Ye Fan looked at her, her gaze carrying an unspoken depth.

The director spoke up: “Let’s take it again.”

Ye Fan stood in the rain, raindrops slowly sliding down her chin, her clothes soaked through.

She appeared somewhat disheveled, yet it did nothing to diminish her beauty. In fact, it added a touch of pale fragility that made her even more captivating, impossible to look away from.

Ye Fan’s tone was meaningful, almost hypnotic.

“If our identities were switched, and I were the Shen family’s daughter while you became a fallen dancer…”

“We would live our separate lives. Would the ending be different?”

Tang Jin looked up, meeting Ye Fan’s cold expression.

Her heart tightened.

Every word of those lines pierced through Tang Jin’s heart. The idea of identity swapping, living different lives…

Tang Jin’s hand trembled slightly.

If she hadn’t switched places with the real daughter of the Tang family, if the real daughter had stayed in the Tang family instead of her, she wouldn’t have enjoyed all these years of wealth and luxury.

What would she do if the real daughter of the Tang family came to claim her rightful place?

Tang Jin completely forgot that she was still acting. She didn’t look at the camera, her eyes filled with unease.

At that moment, the director called out. “Cut!”

Out of respect for the Tang family’s influence, the director had always been kind to Tang Jin but after multiple mistakes, his tone grew noticeably more serious.

“Tang Jin, why didn’t you look at the camera just now? What’s going on with you today?”

After several scenes, Tang Jin was already exhausted. Her face was pale, and she didn’t respond.

Her agent tried to smooth things over, saying. “Tang Jin didn’t get enough rest. Let’s reshoot this scene later.”

Tang Jin returned to her spot, and her agent, Li, asked with concern. “Are you feeling unwell?” Tang Jin could only smile in response.

Tang Jin turned around and met Ye Fan’s gaze.

Ye Fan’s expression was calm, but her eyes seemed to see right through everything, sending a chill to Tang Jin’s heart.

After a while, Tang Jin managed to regain her composure and finished the scene. However, her emotions had been greatly affected. As soon as the scene was over, she quickly left the set.

That had been Ye Fan’s final scene. Before leaving, she called out Song Man. Earlier, when the extras had been talking about her, Song Man had defended her.

Since Ye Fan was about to leave the set and wasn’t sure when she would see Song Man again, she decided to invite her to dinner.

Song Man hesitated at first but couldn’t refuse Ye Fan’s kindness. After thinking for a moment, she said. “I’ll take you to a place.”

The two of them left the set and headed toward a nearby street. There were many small shops along the street. By now, it was dusk so the street was becoming busier as people walked back and forth.

Ye Fan had never been here before, and Song Man explained. “We, the extras, often come to this street to eat.”

“I’ll take you to a place. The food is affordable and delicious, and the owner is a great person.”

They entered the shop and sat down. Song Man recommended two bowls of specialty noodles to Ye Fan.

“I used to work here.” Song Man said.

Ye Fan looked up at her.

Song Man smiled. “People like me, who play minor roles, rarely get cast in big scenes. To make a living, I had to work here first to earn some money.”

Ye Fan thought for a moment before offering some comforting words. “Often, it’s just one opportunity that makes the difference. If you keep pushing forward, I believe your hard work will pay off.”

Ye Fan had seen Song Man act before. She was good, and her attitude was serious. Ye Fan admired people who were dedicated to their work.

Song Man spoke with a hint of envy. “You’ve had it tough too. Now that you’ve landed a role where you get more exposure, it’s a big step forward.”

“Have you thought about what you’ll do next?” Song Man asked.

Ye Fan shook her head. “Not yet. But once I set a goal, I’ll definitely stick to it.”

Song Man looked at Ye Fan, seeing how serious and determined her expression was.

Song Man smiled. “Hmm, I’ll do my best too.”

She hadn’t thought that far ahead, but if one day she could have a role like Ye Fan’s, one where she’d get more exposure, she’d be content.

At that moment, the noodles arrived. Since Song Man had worked here before, the owner made sure to serve generous portions.

They finished their meal, and Ye Fan said goodbye to Song Man and headed home.

……

Ye Fan rested for a few days at home to recover her energy.

One morning, she woke up from her sleep, stretching lazily. Turning her head, she glanced at the small bed beside her.

Dudu was already awake. He was holding onto the railing of his crib, his round, dark eyes staring intently in Ye Fan’s direction.

Dudu woke up on his own. Seeing that Ye Fan was still asleep, he didn’t cry or make a fuss instead, he waited patiently for his mom to wake up.

As soon as Ye Fan opened her eyes and looked over, he grinned widely, revealing a row of soft, white baby teeth.

Dudu started tapping the railing of his crib with his little hands, kicking his legs from side to side, and making a gesture asking to be picked up. “Mommy, hold me.”

Ye Fan smiled and sat up, lifting Dudu’s small body and placing him on her lap. ” Dud, you woke up so early. Why didn’t you call Mommy?”

Dudu put his little finger to his lips and whispered. “Shh, be quiet. Mommy is sleeping.”

Ye Fan gently pinched his little chubby cheek, feeling all her exhaustion melt away. “Today, Mommy will take you to buy new clothes.”

The filming had finished, and the final payment had been transferred to Ye Fan’s account. She was planning to take Dudu shopping for some new outfits.

For Ye Fan, as long as her own life was comfortable, that was enough. But when it came to her baby, she could never bear to let him suffer in any way. She wanted to give him the best.

With that thought, Ye Fan immediately picked up Dudu and got out of bed. She didn’t waste any time, and after getting ready, she headed out the door.

It was a bit hot outside, so before leaving, Ye Fan put a deep blue hat on Dudu’s head. Even with the hat, by the time they arrived at the mall, Dudu’s face was already flushed red from the sun.

Fortunately, the air conditioning in the mall was just right, so she didn’t have to worry about Du Du getting sick.

“Is this your baby?” The sales associate asked with a surprised look, noticing Dudu holding Ye Fan’s hand. She had never seen such a beautiful child, and he was so well-behaved too.

Ye Fan smiled and nodded. “He’s almost three. Do you have clothes for boys around that age?”

The sales associate led Ye Fan to a section of the store. “Some of these were new arrivals just yesterday, and the styles are all quite nice.”

Ye Fan picked up one piece of clothing after another, holding them up to Dudu’s small frame. As she did, she remarked that every piece looked adorable on him.

She hadn’t been particularly interested in shopping before, but she realized that she was especially happy when she was buying things for Dudu.

“Mommy, do you have new clothes?” Dudu asked, his big eyes wide with curiosity.

Ye Fan hadn’t planned on buying anything for herself. “I already have a lot of clothes, so today it’s just for you, baby.”

Dudu pouted his lips, crossing his arms over his chest. He turned his head to the side and huffed. “If Mommy doesn’t buy, then I won’t buy either.”

Ye Fan froze for a moment, her heart aching at how thoughtful her baby was.

Ye Fan looked down and kissed her baby several times. Seeing the way he was acting, she had no choice but to compromise. “Since your clothes are small, how about this—I’ll buy you three pieces, and I’ll buy one for myself. Is that okay?”

Dudu didn’t agree right away. He held up his thumb and said. “One for me.”

Ye Fan tried negotiating. “How about two?”

Dudu thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded. “Okay, fine.”

With her little one “strictly” overseeing her, Ye Fan could only pick the two pieces she liked the most and took them to the checkout.

Dudu afraid that Ye Fan might change her mind, kept holding onto her hand, only letting go when she had paid for the new clothes.

As they were leaving the clothing store, Dudu suddenly stopped in his tracks. He waved at Ye Fan, so she crouched down in front of him and said in a gentle voice. “What’s wrong?”

Dudu suddenly wrapped his arms around Ye Fan’s neck, his chubby little face rubbing against her cheek. Ye Fan wasn’t sure what he was up to, but the next moment, she froze.

Dudu pressed his cheek against her ear, his soft voice ringing out.

“Mommy, I love you.”

=^_^=