Unsurprisingly, Ying Ming and Liu Li’s newly added scenes together made the news.
There were various speculations. Some said it was Liu Li’s request, while others claimed it was Ying Ming’s. No one could verify the truth, and when the parties involved were asked, they all uniformly stated it was the director’s arrangement.

Privately, though, Liu Li had become noticeably warmer toward Ying Ming.

Since Ying Ming was friends with Shi Yi, and Liu Li was Shi Yi’s girlfriend, it wasn’t unusual for them to know each other. Grabbing a meal together or looking out for each other during filming shouldn’t be a big deal. The problem, however, was that Ying Ming and Liu Li weren’t particularly close. Even though he was aware of her relationship with Shi Yi, it had little to do with him. Now that he was inexplicably dragged into the mix, he didn’t feel pleased, only inconvenienced.

“What’s wrong? Is having a meal with me that unbearable?” Liu Li smiled as she sat across from him.

The people nearby could only see Ying Ming’s back.

He lit a cigarette. “Liu Li, what exactly are you trying to do?”

The gossip about him being gay might have entertained outsiders, but Liu Li definitely wasn’t buying it.

If that previous rape scene had been for promoting the movie, it had dragged on long enough. It was time to put an end to it. Continuing any further would only make things awkward for everyone involved.

Liu Li smiled again. “Ying Ming, you’ve been in the industry for a while. I thought you’d understand how the game works.”

“I do. That’s why I’ve been playing along this long.” He exhaled a puff of smoke. “But everything has its limits. Push it too far, and it backfires.”

If it had been anyone other than Liu Li, perhaps his patience could have lasted a bit longer.

Shi Yi was his friend. Even though their bond wasn’t particularly deep, they were still friends. Relationships in the entertainment industry were notoriously messy, but to Ying Ming, some lines shouldn’t be crossed. Flirting with a friend’s partner was one of them. And if Liu Li kept this up, the only one who’d truly end up uncomfortable would be Shi Yi.

“So, are you avoiding me because you already have someone in your heart, or because I’m not your type?”

Liu Li’s tone was one of pure curiosity.

She considered herself attractive to men, and Ying Ming wasn’t some inexperienced newcomer clinging to outdated ideals of moral purity. Even if they were just fooling around casually, there was no reason he should be keeping her at such a cold, distant arm’s length.

Maybe, at the start, her intention had been just to stir up a bit of gossip and cooperate with the movie’s promotion. But later, it had turned into something more. She was determined to test him.

She had never met someone like Ying Ming.

He looked like the type who could play the game without batting an eye, but deep down, he stubbornly adhered to some strange personal principle.

Ying Ming frowned. “Think whatever you like, but this ends here.”

Dropping by the set under the guise of checking on him, pouring him water at meals, and even dragging him into late-night script rehearsals, anyone with eyes could tell what Liu Li’s intentions were.

Some envied Ying Ming’s supposed “luck with women,” while others whispered that Liu Li was trying to catch every fish in the net. But for Ying Ming, it was nothing but trouble.

He was done playing along.

“It’s not like you’re losing anything,” Liu Li finally dropped her smile a notch. “In fact, your screen time has increased while everyone else’s has been cut. Honestly, you should be thanking me.”

Opportunities like this didn’t come often.

While the buzz was still hot, why not stir up some controversy? It wasn’t like anyone would actually take it seriously. She didn’t even mind the gossip the media was spreading about her. Did Ying Ming really care so much about protecting his scandal-free reputation?

“Liu Li, do you even realize that Shi Yi is my friend?”

He had held back for as long as he could, but in the end, he couldn’t help saying it.

Ironically, it would’ve been better if he hadn’t. Because as soon as the words were out, Liu Li just laughed.

“What’s that supposed to mean? You think just because you’re friends with Shi Yi, you can’t have a scandal with me?”

“You can think of it that way,” Ying Ming replied flatly.

Across the table, Liu Li laughed for a while before finally lifting her head. “Ying Ming, you’re too funny. Do you really think Shi Yi considers you that important of a friend?”

Was anyone still hung up on things like that these days?

She shook her head in disbelief. “Let’s be real here. I wasn’t ever planning to actually get involved with you. And look at Shi Yi. He’s seen the news and hasn’t even reacted. Don’t you think you’re overthinking it a little?”

Ying Ming continued smoking, his expression unreadable. “Or maybe you’re not thinking enough.”

“Either way,” Liu Li said, her tone casual as she stood up gracefully, “now that the story is out there, it’s not so easy to walk away from it. If you have any complaints, take it up with the investors.” She flipped her hair over one shoulder and, without waiting for a reply, strode out of the restaurant, leaving Ying Ming watching her retreating figure.

He sat there in silence, slowly taking drags from his cigarette, squinting slightly as the curling smoke clouded his vision.

This was exactly why he had no intention of ever choosing a woman from the entertainment industry to spend his life with.

They just didn’t fit.

While Liu Li was spreading rumors about her and Ying Ming all over the place, she was still keeping in close contact with Shi Yi.

Once filming wrapped each day, she would call him. Sometimes they’d meet for meals, always at discreet, familiar locations. With Shi Yi’s connections, arranging such things wasn’t hard. And Liu Li, well-versed in dodging paparazzi, handled it effortlessly.

Sometimes being followed by paparazzi wasn’t because they were particularly skilled, but because Liu Li deliberately wanted to give them something to photograph.

Shi Yi hadn’t asked much about the rumors involving Liu Li and Ying Ming.

When he first saw the reports, he mentioned it in passing, and Liu Li had brushed it off, saying the reporters were just making things up because they were bored. He didn’t press the matter after that.

Lately, though, he hadn’t seen Ying Ming.

He’d been swamped with work, barely finding time to see Liu Li, let alone anyone else.

Still, some things just had a way of lingering in the back of your mind. Not asking, not talking, or not thinking about them didn’t mean you didn’t care.

When he arranged to meet Liu Li for dinner, the TV had been showing a rerun of the scene between her and Ying Ming, one that had fueled all the gossip. Shi Yi watched for about two minutes before switching it off, unable to sit through it.

By the time Liu Li arrived, he was already in a bit of a foul mood.

As they ate, he casually brought it up, feigning indifference. “You and Ying Ming… what’s with all these escalating rumors lately?”

Shi Yi didn’t look up as he spoke, instead reaching for his glass of red wine and taking a small sip.

Liu Li smiled, her eyes glinting with amusement. “What’s this? Are you jealous?”

Shi Yi didn’t respond, simply swirling the wine in his glass with a slow, measured motion. He wasn’t quite sure if it had reached the level of jealousy. After all, his relationship with Liu Li was still in an open, undefined stage, with no clear promises about where things were heading.

Even so, he couldn’t deny that the whole situation was making him a little uncomfortable.

It wasn’t just Liu Li’s vague responses in front of the cameras that bothered Shi Yi, it was the fact that Ying Ming was his friend.

After finishing his glass of red wine, Shi Yi finally looked up at Liu Li and asked, “How much longer until filming wraps?”

“Almost done. Ying Ming doesn’t have many scenes left.”

Liu Li smiled faintly, understanding what Shi Yi cared about. There was a subtle hint of satisfaction in her eyes as she reached across the table, gently rubbing his hand in an intimate gesture. “Relax. There’s absolutely nothing between me and Ying Ming.”

Shi Yi nodded calmly. “I know.”

—

The next evening, one of Shi Yi’s friends was throwing a birthday party for his girlfriend.

Shi Yi called Ying Ming, inviting him to come along.

Since he didn’t have any night shoots scheduled, Ying Ming agreed. Kou Jing picked him up, and the two of them headed to the bar, which had been privately booked for the occasion. They mentioned Shi Yi’s name at the door and were promptly shown inside.

It wasn’t particularly crowded that night, but most of the faces were unfamiliar, and none of them seemed to be from Ying Ming’s circle.

Shi Yi was seated near the host’s spot, and when he saw Ying Ming and Kou Jing walk in, he casually lifted a hand in greeting.

Before they could say anything, Shi Yi grabbed a bottle of liquor and grinned. “You two know what happens when you’re late. Let’s get this over with.”

Kou Jing blinked, a bit surprised.

The others didn’t quite catch on to what was happening and assumed Shi Yi was just messing around. But then Shi Yi opened the bottle, poured the liquor into a glass, and slid it toward Ying Ming with a smile. “You drink first. Whatever’s left is Kou Jing’s.”

The moment he said that, Kou Jing’s face turned pale.

This wasn’t some light drink. This stuff was strong enough to catch fire.

If they drank it straight like that, they’d probably end up puking blood.

Ying Ming, who’d been smoking on the way there, took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled slowly, glancing at Shi Yi without saying a word. He didn’t move right away.

Kou Jing hurriedly leaned forward, trying to diffuse the tension. “Young Master Shi, what’s going on? Mingzi still has a shoot coming up.”

Someone else nearby also looked like they wanted to intervene, but Shi Yi ignored them.

He kept his gaze fixed on Ying Ming, saying nothing.

The silent standoff stretched for several moments until, finally, Ying Ming picked up the glass and drank.

He downed it fast.

The liquor was so strong that he almost choked after the first two gulps. His brows furrowed, and he paused briefly before finishing the entire glass in one go.

As soon as he set the empty glass down, he reached for the bottle to pour more.

Kou Jing, feeling the awkward tension thickening, quickly tried to stop him. “Damn it, enough! If you keep drinking like this, someone’s gonna end up dead.”

But Ying Ming ignored him. With a cigarette dangling from his lips, he calmly poured himself another full glass. He didn’t even glance at Shi Yi before lifting it again and drinking, his head down and his movements unhurried.

This time, he drank more slowly, but he didn’t spill a single drop. Once again, he drained the entire glass.

And then he poured another.

As he poured, cigarette smoke swirled lazily around him, creating a hazy, almost surreal divide between him and Shi Yi. The atmosphere grew tense and heavy. No one watching dared to speak, unsure what was going on. After all, it was Shi Yi who had invited Ying Ming here, yet he hadn’t said a word to him, just made him drink as soon as he arrived. Even the host of the evening hadn’t chimed in, leaving everyone else without a leg to stand on.

Shi Yi’s face darkened as he watched Ying Ming drain glass after glass.

When Ying Ming finished his third glass, Shi Yi finally reached out and pressed his hand down on the bottle. “Enough. I get it. You can hold your liquor.”

Only then did Ying Ming lift his head and glance at Shi Yi, a mocking smirk tugging at his lips. “What’s wrong? No more?”

He didn’t wear glasses while filming, and without them, his sharp gaze was piercing.

Shi Yi kept his hand on the bottle, refusing to let go as he stared right back at Ying Ming. His eyes carried a trace of understanding, but mostly, they held teasing amusement.

That mocking question seemed to trigger something in Shi Yi, and he instinctively frowned.

For a moment, their hands stayed locked on the bottle, neither willing to back down.

The tension was palpable, making everyone around them uneasy.

Finally, Shi Yi yanked the bottle away with a frustrated curse and slammed it down on the table. “Damn it!”

That slam had been heavy.

Ying Ming glanced at Shi Yi, lit a cigarette, and took a long drag. Then, after pouring himself a drink, he looked up with a grin. “Damn it, kid. Next time you’re late, I’ll make you down the whole bottle!”

Without waiting for a reply, he downed his drink in one go.

Ying Ming chuckled, and Kou Jing, ever the mood-maker, burst out laughing, leading the way.

Most of the people around the table didn’t actually understand what was so funny, but the playful exchange managed to break the tension and dissipate the awkwardness from moments earlier.

What followed was practically Kou Jing’s show.

He was quick-witted, with a sharp tongue and a head full of dirty jokes and dark humor. He rattled them off one after another, and the group laughed along enthusiastically, their earlier unease melting away in the buzz of alcohol and banter.

Ying Ming, sitting near the door, felt the effects of the liquor hit him hard. He’d drunk too fast, and his stomach wasn’t handling it well. Waving a casual hand, he excused himself and headed to the restroom.

As Ying Ming left, smiling and nodding at a few people he passed, Shi Yi’s gaze followed him, lingering a beat too long. His expression was complicated, his eyes shadowed with thoughts that weren’t easy to read.