Cheng Xiaoke had been staying on the sidelines all along. To help improve Yuan Xi’s image, she and Zhang Yan went out of their way to buy a variety of drinks to share with the crew.

As soon as she returned, Cheng Xiaoke saw Yuan Xi preparing to leave the set. Puzzled, she glanced inside before asking. “Brother Yuan, what happened inside? Aren’t you continuing your practice?”

“Something came up, so I’ve decided to take a break today.” Yuan Xi replied. His gaze shifted to the drinks Cheng Xiaoke was carrying, and he asked curiously. “Why did you buy so many drinks?”

“They’re for the crew.” Cheng Xiaoke whispered into Yuan Xi’s ear. “You know the saying—‘A soft hand doesn’t strike, and a mouth full of food doesn’t complain.’ If they drink these, it might temporarily keep them from running their mouths.”

Yuan Xi nodded in understanding but added a word of caution: “Once you’re done handing these out, leave quickly. The atmosphere feels a little off today.”

Although Cheng Xiaoke didn’t quite understand what Yuan Xi meant, she nodded obediently.

With Chen Yang, the manager, providing ample funds, Cheng Xiaoke and Zhang Yan had been able to purchase high-quality drinks. Despite the odd atmosphere, Cheng Xiaoke distributed the drinks one by one to the crew and then quickly left with Zhang Yan as instructed.

Before leaving, Cheng Xiaoke glanced toward the director.

When delivering the drinks earlier, she had noticed that the director didn’t seem to be in a good mood—and his demeanor appeared to be directed at Qi Yunrou?

Following Yuan Xi’s instructions, Cheng Xiaoke made sure to finish distributing all the drinks without lingering.

Most of the filming was done during the day with only a few scenes scheduled for the evening. However, by the afternoon, word spread that the evening shoots had been canceled, allowing the crew to enjoy some free time.

With some free time on his hands, Yuan Xi glanced at the clock and decided to call his male god.

Having been on set for three or four days now, his routine had been limited to acting and learning on-site. Now that he finally had a moment to himself, he felt a strong urge to chat with his male god. It had been a while, and he couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic.

When Fu Yunzou received the call, he was still working overtime. Without Yuan Xi at home, Fu Yunzou no longer felt the need to return early. Instead, his days were filled with completing tasks at work and then heading to the gym, where he’d even extended his usual workout routine by an extra half hour.

The moment he saw Yuan Xi’s name on his phone, Fu Yunzou subconsciously relaxed. The furrow in his brows eased, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. The frustration caused by the endless paperwork seemed to melt away.

As usual, their conversation consisted mostly of Yuan Xi doing the talking while Fu Yunzou quietly listened, occasionally chiming in with a comment or two.

Yuan Xi’s tone was noticeably livelier than usual, and Fu Yunzou could sense the happiness in his voice.

It wasn’t hard to tell whether someone enjoyed their work—just listening to their tone and how much they talked about it was enough. Hearing Yuan Xi’s vibrant voice, Fu Yunzou felt reassured. He’d made the right choice in supporting him. Still… he couldn’t help but think that he needs to keep an eye on him, after all, his man could be a bit of a fool sometimes.

Recharged from his chat with Fu Yunzou, Yuan Xi was full of energy the next day. However, when he arrived at the filming location, the atmosphere remained tense and off-kilter. Everyone was silently focused on their tasks, and conversations were kept to a hushed minimum.

“Brother Yuan, why does it feel like something’s off? I heard that after you left yesterday, the afternoon scenes were canceled. Director Yu was furious and even scolded Qi Yunrou to the point of tears.” Cheng Xiaoke whispered cautiously as she walked beside Yuan Xi, holding his belongings.

Thanks to the goodwill she had built with the drinks yesterday, Cheng Xiaoke had successfully befriended quite a few members of the crew.

“Yesterday, Qi Yunrou had over ten NGs. She couldn’t manage the crying scene and had to rely on eye drops making Director Yu a bit upset. I could already tell he wasn’t in a good mood when I left.” Yuan Xi said as he pulled Cheng Xiaoke into a corner to hide. “Today’s scenes might even be adjusted.”

Cheng Xiaoke nodded and fished a milk candy from her bag, handing it to Yuan Xi. “Brother Chen will probably visit the set today, so those rumors around the crew should die down soon. Also, I heard there’s been some trouble over at the Beauty’s in Makeup set. Qi Yunrou acting like this might mean she’s scheming something.”

Yuan Xi glanced at the familiar White Rabbit candy, unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth. The rich, creamy flavor hadn’t changed a bit.

“What happened on the Beauty’s in Makeup set? Since when did you start paying attention to this stuff?” Yuan Xi used his tongue to push the candy aside, its long rectangular shape making his cheek bulge slightly.

Cheng Xiaoke put a piece of milk candy in her own mouth, speaking in a muffled voice. “Brother Chen told me to always keep an eye on what’s going on in the entertainment circle, especially with people in the same crew while filming. Qi Yunrou has a grudge against you, Brother Yuan, so I’ve been paying extra attention.”

As the candy softened, Yuan Xi couldn’t help but chew it a few times. After nodding thoughtfully, a question suddenly occurred to him. Narrowing his eyes, he turned to Cheng Xiaoke. “Xiaoke, I’ve noticed you always just call her ‘Qi Yunrou,’ not something like ‘Sister Yunrou’ or ‘Sister Qi.’ Why is that?”

Cheng Xiaoke’s expression froze. She clearly hadn’t expected such a direct question and seemed momentarily at a loss for an excuse.

Yuan Xi, noticing her stiff expression, grinned mischievously. “Don’t tell me you can’t stand her either? I knew it! I knew she couldn’t possibly be everyone’s favorite. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret. I won’t tell anyone you dislike Qi Yunrou. Just remember, when there are lots of people around, you should keep your head down. If someone catches you slipping, they might use it against you.”

Cheng Xiaoke glanced at Yuan Xi, giving an awkward smile.

Completely oblivious to her discomfort, Yuan Xi cheerfully patted her on the shoulder, looking quite pleased with himself. “Don’t worry, don’t worry! This will stay just between us. It’s our little secret!” He paused, then added to himself: Though, of course, my male god doesn’t count as ‘others.’ I can tell him.

When the director arrived, his expression was still grim, though it had improved somewhat.

“Today, we’ll start by filming Yuan Xi’s two scenes with his co-star.” Yu Xinglong announced. “Qi Yunrou, you can stay here and prepare for your crying scene. We’ll shoot your scenes in the afternoon.” After confirming the schedule with the assistant director, Yu Xinglong nodded in approval. “Yuan Xi, Liang Hao, get ready. We’ll begin with your scenes shortly.”

Yuan Xi turned to find the makeup artist, but before leaving, he glanced at Qi Yunrou. She was sitting off to the side, engrossed in her phone, chatting with someone. Whether she had heard the director’s instructions or not was anyone’s guess.

Because of Qi Yunrou, Yuan Xi and Liang Hao barely interacted. Yuan Xi was well aware that it was Liang Hao who had introduced Qi Yunrou to the crew. As much as he admired Liang Hao’s acting skills, Yuan Xi had never asked him for advice on acting.

Seated in the makeup room, Yuan Xi closed his eyes and obediently let the makeup artist work on him.

Liang Hao, sitting nearby, glanced at Yuan Xi through the mirror.

“You really enjoy acting?” Liang Hao asked suddenly.

Yuan Xi, eyes still closed, froze for a moment. Thinking Liang Hao was addressing someone else, he didn’t respond.

After waiting for a while with no reply, Liang Hao frowned and called out again. “Yuan Xi.”

“Hm? Were you talking to me?” Yuan Xi opened his eyes just as the makeup artist finished his eye makeup. He looked at Liang Hao with a puzzled expression, then glanced around the room. Realizing it was just the two of them, he nodded. “Yeah, I enjoy it.”

“I’ve noticed your acting is pretty good,” Liang Hao said, his tone regretful. “Why did you resort to being a third party and pulling strings to get in? With your talent, you could have easily earned a role through auditions.”

Liang Hao’s gaze held a trace of pity, as though he genuinely regretted Yuan Xi’s supposed misstep.

Yuan Xi stared at Liang Hao, speechless and a little annoyed. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, a familiar voice came from the doorway. Yuan Xi’s expression brightened as he turned excitedly toward the newcomer.

“A third party pulling strings? Mr. Liang, it seems you have quite the opinion of me.” Chen Yang said, leaning casually against the doorframe, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I’d really like to know who in this industry has stronger connections than me, Yuan Xi’s manager. Are you saying Yuan Xi would abandon me to be some third party instead?”

Chen Yang’s eyes were sharp, and his posture was relaxed but brimming with confidence as he stared Liang Hao down without a hint of fear.

Liang Hao’s expression shifted from surprise to awkwardness as he recognized Chen Yang. He glanced at Yuan Xi, astonished. He had never imagined that Yuan Xi’s manager would be Chen Yang.

“Brother Chen, I didn’t know Yuan Xi was one of your artists. My apologies—I misunderstood.” Liang Hao quickly apologized, realizing his mistake. Internally, he began to question Qi Yunrou’s motives and stories.

With Chen Yang as Yuan Xi’s manager, there was absolutely no need for Yuan Xi to rely on connections or become a “third party.” Everyone in their circle knew that Chen Yang had always been strongly opposed to such behavior from his artists. If anyone under his management crossed the line, they were swiftly dropped from his roster.

Seeing Chen Yang’s demeanor now, Liang Hao realized that Qi Yunrou’s claims were undoubtedly problematic.

Chen Yang let out a cold snort and walked over to Yuan Xi. “How’s the experience in the crew so far? Learning anything?”

“Yes, definitely. The senior actors here are excellent, and they’ve been really kind. They always answer my questions.” Yuan Xi replied obediently, nodding. He tilted his head as guided by the makeup artist and closed his eyes to allow the setting powder to be applied.

“Good. If anything comes up, remember to tell me immediately. I’ll be sticking around the crew for a few days to see how things are going for you.” Chen Yang said, casting a pointed glance at Liang Hao that needed no explanation.

Liang Hao: …Brother Chen, you’ve got the wrong idea about me!

After Yuan Xi’s makeup was finished, Chen Yang followed him out. Aside from Cheng Xiaoke and Qi Yunrou, everyone in the crew stared at Chen Yang in shock. None of them had expected him to show up on set.

Cheng Xiaoke’s eyes sparkled with pride when she saw Chen Yang. She glanced smugly at the others before happily running up to him and offering him a bottle of water. “Brother Chen, why didn’t you let me know you were coming? I could’ve gone to meet you!”

Chen Yang accepted the water with a smile. “I asked Zhang Yan to pick me up. You just focus on looking after Yuan Xi.”

As he spoke, he deliberately cast a glance in Qi Yunrou’s direction, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.

Qi Yunrou sat in a corner, her face stiff. From the moment she spotted Chen Yang, she knew all her previous efforts had been for nothing. Worse, it might even lead the crew, especially Liang Hao, to start questioning her.

Qi Yunrou’s fingers tightened involuntarily around the script in her hands, leaving creases on the previously pristine pages.

Why? Why is Chen Yang here?!

=^_^=