Chapter 33

“What are you spacing out for over there?” Hearing the sound of the door closing, Li Yuwei stepped out of the room.

Sheng Qingli looked up but hadn’t had the chance to speak when Li Yuwei’s attention was already diverted.

“Oh my, the trophy! You’re much prettier than in the videos and photos.” She reached out and snatched the trophy from Sheng Qingli’s arms, then walked over to the sofa and sat down, starting to play with the cat.

Sheng Qingli: “…”

Looking at her empty hands, she felt a bit speechless and slowly walked over to sit down beside her.

The two of them placed the little kitten between them, absentmindedly petting its small head.

The trophy always behaved well around familiar people; no matter how Sheng Qingli wanted to play with it, it wouldn’t run away. Occasionally, it would change its lying position, sometimes side-lying, sometimes showing its belly, acting like it was spoiled by the two of them.

“Help…” Li Yuwei was momentarily stunned, struggling to find compliments, “I knew the trophy was cute, but I didn’t expect it to be this cute.”

Watching the trophy’s series of movements, Sheng Qingli raised her eyebrows slightly and said a bit proudly, “Of course, just look at whose cat it is.”

“Whose?” Li Yuwei teased, “It used to be yours, but now it belongs to Mr. Pei; it has his surname now.”

“…”

Sheng Qingli was momentarily speechless.

Li Yuwei noticed the frustrated look on her face and couldn’t help but chuckle, “Not convinced? If you’re not, why don’t you go over there and compete with Mr. Pei for custody?”

“He’s not in the room,” Sheng Qingli said without thinking.

Li Yuwei blinked, raising an eyebrow, “Oh, you know that clearly.”

Sheng Qingli pretended not to catch her teasing, and succinctly said, “Yi Yehua just asked me to rehearse; I told him I was busy.”

“…” Li Yuwei, knowing Sheng Qingli well, quickly understood her meaning. “And then you handed that rehearsal task over to Pei Qingci?”

Sheng Qingli nodded.

“Dead end.” Li Yuwei held back her laughter but couldn’t resist saying, “I kind of feel sorry for Yi Yehua’s little brother now.”

Sheng Qingli shot her a glance.

“I have a feeling he’s going to regret coming to rehearse with you tonight.”

Sheng Qingli didn’t reply but couldn’t help smiling when she thought of Yi Yehua’s hesitant expression before leaving.

“He shouldn’t blame me, right?” Sheng Qingli mumbled.

Li Yuwei laughed for a moment, “You’ll know tomorrow.”

She sighed, “After today, that little brother probably won’t come to rehearse with you again.”

Sheng Qingli thought seriously for a moment, “That depends on how badly Pei Qingci puts him through it tonight.”

Li Yuwei clicked her tongue, hugging the trophy and resting her forehead against it, teasing, “Based on what I know about Pei Qingci, he definitely won’t hold back.”

“…”

—

It seemed that was indeed the case.

The next day at the film set, Sheng Qingli intended to ask Yi Yehua how the rehearsal went last night and whether he needed her help.

As soon as she called for him, Yi Yehua hurriedly replied, “Sister Qingli, I’m all set; you don’t need to trouble yourself to help me rehearse.”

Sheng Qingli was surprised but didn’t say much. She nodded and smiled, “Then I look forward to your performance.”

Yi Yehua forced a smile, “Okay, Sister Qingli. My assistant is waiting for me over there; I’ll head over now.”

Watching Yi Yehua’s retreating figure, Sheng Qingli felt a bit puzzled as she looked at the person coming from the director’s side. “Mr. Pei.”

Pei Qingci stopped, glanced at her with a self-satisfied expression, “Ms. Sheng.”

They exchanged a look.

Sheng Qingli pursed her lips and couldn’t help but say, “Aren’t you worried about bad news leaking out?”

Pei Qingci raised his eyes and slowly said, “What bad news?”

“For example—” Sheng Qingli looked in the direction where Yi Yehua had just run off, “bullying the weak with the strong, taking advantage of the powerless.”

After she finished speaking, Pei Qingci glanced at her sideways. “Have I?”

Sheng Qingli looked at him without answering.

Pei Qingci lowered his gaze at her, slightly lifting his chin and smirking, “I’m not so petty as to bicker with a little brother.”

Sheng Qingli responded with an “Oh.”

Pei Qingci noticed her obvious disbelief and silently thought, “It’s just that he has poor comprehension.”

Pei Qingci wouldn’t really do anything to a newcomer, even if he sensed that Yi Yehua wanted to get closer to Sheng Qingli and build a good relationship with him.

There were plenty of newcomers eager to curry favor with seniors, and Pei Qingci wouldn’t completely squash their intentions; he just gave a suitable reminder.

Moreover, he had indeed rehearsed with Yi Yehua last night.

Unfortunately, his mind wasn’t on the right track, nor was he in the right state. Naturally, the rehearsal became rocky.

That was also why he had bolted when he saw Pei Qingci approaching. Pei Qingci had an intimidating aura, and he was genuinely a bit afraid of him.

“… But he’s a newcomer chosen by Director Zhong,” Sheng Qingli reminded him. “Are you saying Director Zhong has poor judgment in selecting people?”

Pei Qingci glanced at her, his tone indifferent but hinting at something different, “On purpose?”

“Who am I to dare?” Sheng Qingli felt a sudden tingle in her ears, looking innocent. “I was just politely reminding you that he was chosen by Director Zhong.”

Pei Qingci’s gaze landed on her face, the meaning clear—“You do dare.”

And indeed, Sheng Qingli did.

In front of Pei Qingci, she had always been quite arrogant. Relying on Pei Qingci’s indulgence, she had tested many of his limits.

Thinking of the past, Sheng Qingli pressed her lips together, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. “I…”

“Wait a moment…”

Both spoke simultaneously, momentarily stunned.

Pei Qingci collected himself, his voice slow, “You go first.”

Sheng Qingli paused, forgetting what she wanted to say for a moment.

In the silence, she finally asked, “Didn’t your manager say anything yesterday?”

She was referring to the likes on Weibo.

Their trending topic didn’t come down until midnight.

Sheng Qingli only learned about it before bed from Li Yuwei that their CP topic had surged to number one last night.

Both of their dedicated fans were quite quiet.

On Sheng Qingli’s side, it was fine; she had clarified the rumors, so there was nothing more to say.

But Pei Qingci was different; he had no messy rumors but had still created some for himself.

His fans were genuinely helpless. Sheng Qingli’s fans claimed he was clinging to her, and his fans couldn’t even refute it. They couldn’t explain that Pei Qingci’s Weibo had been hacked.

If it had really been hacked, the studio would have clarified it long ago.

The studio’s silence had already proven that the likes were Pei Qingci’s personal choice.

“Worried about me?” Pei Qingci didn’t directly answer Sheng Qingli’s question.

Sheng Qingli met his gaze, her cheeks a bit warm. “… After all, you were influenced by me; it’s normal for me to worry.”

She explained her reasons for concern.

Upon hearing this, Pei Qingci stared at her for a while, then casually said, “Stubborn.”

Sheng Qingli: “…”

For some reason, she could hear a hint of affection in his tone.

She opened her mouth, wanting to refute, when a staff member called out to her from a distance, “Sister Qingli.”

Sheng Qingli responded, “Coming.”

She turned her head to look at Pei Qingci. Before she could speak, he slightly lifted his chin, signaling, “Go ahead.”

That day, Pei Qingci didn’t have any scenes, but Sheng Qingli had quite a few with Yi Yehua.

The former’s shooting went smoothly, while the latter struggled for a long time, even making Director Zhong start smoking without progressing.

Sheng Qingli and Yi Yehua had two night scenes, and when they couldn’t shoot any longer, everyone’s mood soured.

Yi Yehua kept apologizing.

After finishing a cigarette, Director Zhong waved his hand, looking at Pei Qingci, who was watching from a distance. “Qingci.”

Pei Qingci replied, “Hmm?”

Director Zhong said, “You and Qingli do a scene for him.”

After he finished speaking, he turned to Yi Yehua. “Watch how Qingci performs and feel the emotional transitions of your character.”

Yi Yehua was momentarily stunned and awkwardly said, “Okay, Director Zhong.”

He raised a hand to touch his nose, looking at Pei Qingci. “Brother Pei, sorry for the trouble.”

“Not a problem.” Pei Qingci stood up, his tone casual. “Right now, you’re a character in the script; put all your attention into your role. If you immerse yourself, the audience might follow.”

After listening to Pei Qingci, Yi Yehua nodded, seeming to understand.

Pei Qingci and Sheng Qingli performed the scene.

One in modern attire, the other in ancient costume, it seemed quite mismatched and jarring.

But once the scene started, the atmosphere between them changed.

Until they finished their performance, the staff at the scene felt as if they had just woken from a dream.

“Oh my, I completely didn’t notice that Mr. Pei was in modern attire.”

“Who says not? Their scenes together were genuinely captivating.”

“Mr. Pei lives up to his name; he can play a calm and mature mentor and a brash young man fresh out of the woods.”

“A gifted actor isn’t just a saying.”

“…”

Listening to the praises from the staff, Yi Yehua’s expression stiffened, feeling increasingly embarrassed.

Suddenly, a shadow fell before him.

“Qing… Qingli sister.” Yi Yehua looked up, surprised to call her.

Sheng Qingli responded, “Where’s your script?”

Yi Yehua handed her his script.

Sheng Qingli took it and pointed out, “Sit down. I’ll help you analyze the scene we’re going to shoot later.”

As she spoke, she began to annotate Yi Yehua’s lines in the script.

Some emotions that Director Zhong wanted might not be written in the script, so actors need to have their own insights.

Sometimes, words can be inadequate.

Watching Sheng Qingli’s focused profile, Yi Yehua was momentarily stunned, his lips pressed into a straight line. “Sister Qingli, am I holding you guys back?”

“Everyone is the same when they’re new,” Sheng Qingli told him. “Did Mr. Pei not go over this scene with you last night?”

Yi Yehua felt embarrassed. “Right, I didn’t perform well.”

He belatedly recalled the key points that Pei Qingci had reminded him of last night.

“Among newcomers, your performance is already quite good,” Sheng Qingli assured him. “But you need to understand that this is Director Zhong’s set. He has high expectations for performances. He wants you to portray this role well and hopes that when you mention this role in the future, you feel proud of it, which is why he’s a bit strict.”

Yi Yehua was taken aback, feeling ashamed. “Sister Qingli, I…”

Sheng Qingli smiled gently, returning the annotated script to him. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Mr. Pei just gave a great demonstration, and I’ve annotated this section for you. Review it alongside the surrounding context and understand it. Once you get it, let’s practice it a few times privately before we go on.”

Yi Yehua clutched the script, feeling awkward. “If we do that, it’ll take a lot of time.”

“It’s fine,” Sheng Qingli replied with a smile. “Let them take a break.”

Yi Yehua exclaimed, “Huh?”

Before he could say more, someone from the crew called out, “Yehua is treating everyone to fruit and snacks! Come over to grab some, and everyone can take a break.”

Yi Yehua’s eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Sheng Qingli. “What’s with the fruit?”

“Mr. Pei arranged for someone to bring it over.”

“Then why did they say I bought it?” Yi Yehua was confused.

Sheng Qingli replied, “What do you think?”

Yi Yehua paused for a moment, then understood.

Everyone was just trying to do their job, and it was normal for the crew to want to finish early. Therefore, it was also reasonable for them to complain about Yi Yehua slowing things down.

At this moment, if Yi Yehua could arrange for someone to bring snacks, it could slightly alleviate everyone’s anxious feelings.

While the crew members might not particularly need the food, having it was certainly better than not.

The saying “eat someone’s food, owe someone a favor” was common in their circle.

Yi Yehua, as a newcomer, hadn’t considered this, and neither did Pei Qingci and Sheng Qingli want to make enemies.

Pei Qingci had taken the spotlight, but he still needed to make some compensatory gestures.

Moreover, it was important to note that Pei Qingci knew Yi Yehua’s manager, so he would have a way to collect that favor.

“Then I’ll treat everyone tomorrow,” Yi Yehua responded, eager to play along. Though he was a newcomer, he wasn’t lacking in social awareness. “And I’ll say it was Mr. Pei who treated everyone, alright?”

Hearing this, Sheng Qingli smiled. “You can tell your Brother Pei later.”

She pointed at his script. “While they’re eating, let’s practice the scene.”

With the guidance from Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci, Yi Yehua finally grasped a bit of the essence.

After several more rounds of practice, they finally completed the scene.

---

After wrapping up, the entire crew cheered.

Sheng Qingli changed her clothes and prepared to head back to the hotel. Just as she reached the parking lot, someone knocked on her car window.

She looked out to see who it was. “…Your driver went back again?”

Hearing the word “again,” Pei Qingci raised an eyebrow. “Ms. Sheng already knows.”

Sheng Qingli: “…”

It was hard not to know.

The car door opened, and Pei Qingci bent down to get in.

Tong Tong and the driver were unfazed, and they only set off for the hotel after he settled in.

It was already one in the morning.

The filming location was remote, and there were few vehicles on the road.

Sheng Qingli stared out at the night for a while, and her phone buzzed. It was from Li Yuwei, who had stayed at the hotel: “Why haven’t you wrapped up yet?”

She knew Sheng Qingli had night shoots but hadn’t expected it to be this late.

Sheng Qingli replied: “On my way back.”

Li Yuwei: “Ok, I’m a bit hungry.”

Sheng Qingli: “Do you want takeout, or should I buy something near the hotel?”

Li Yuwei: “Is there anything good to eat near the hotel?”

Sheng Qingli: “I’m not sure. What do you want?”

Li Yuwei: “I want barbecue.”

Sheng Qingli: “Alright, I’ll bring some.”

Li Yuwei: “Hehe, also get me two cans of beer.”

Sheng Qingli: “Aren’t you planning to sleep tonight?”

Li Yuwei: “Aren’t you shooting in the afternoon tomorrow?”

Implying that both of them could stay up late since they didn’t have to wake up early.

Sheng Qingli: “I can only watch a movie with you.”

She couldn’t eat anything; she was afraid of getting bloated.

Li Yuwei hadn’t been in the group recently, so she wasn’t worried about her weight or figure for the time being.

After finishing the conversation with Li Yuwei, Sheng Qingli said, “Tong Tong, is there a barbecue place with good food near our hotel?”

Tong Tong turned around. “Sister Li, do you want barbecue?”

“For you, Sister Yuwei,” Sheng Qingli replied.

Tong Tong: “I’m not sure. Let me ask the local crew members.”

Sheng Qingli: “Sounds good.”

While the two were chatting, a voice suddenly emerged from nearby, “Why don’t you ask me?”

Sheng Qingli: “……”

She instinctively turned her head and, meeting Pei Qingci’s deep gaze, blinked a bit flustered, “You know?”

Pei Qingci: “There’s a place nearby.”

He told Tong Tong, “No need to ask; I know the place.”

Pei Qingci mentioned the shop name to the driver, who switched the navigation.

Sheng Qingli looked over, a bit surprised, “You’ve been there?”

Pei Qingci: “I went with Director Zhong.”

Sheng Qingli understood.

The car fell silent again.

Half an hour later, the car stopped at a parking lot near the barbecue shop.

It was already midnight, and there were hardly any people on the road.

When the car door opened, Sheng Qingli initially planned to get out and buy something herself, but Pei Qingci stopped her, “I’ll go.”

Sheng Qingli replied with an “Oh,” glanced at the distance between the car and the barbecue shop, and hesitated, “… I’ll go too.”

Pei Qingci paused slightly, somewhat surprised, “Aren’t you afraid of being photographed?”

“I’m not going in with you,” Sheng Qingli emphasized.

There were hardly any cars or people on the road. Since she wasn’t going in with Pei Qingci, the chances of being photographed were low.

Even if they were photographed, they weren’t doing anything scandalous, so Sheng Qingli didn’t feel it was anything to worry about.

Hearing this, Pei Qingci paused, “Suit yourself.”

He didn’t stop her again.

Seeing the two walking side by side toward the barbecue shop, Tong Tong, who had been completely ignored, took precautions and sent a message to Lin Lin: “Sister Lin, I have something big to tell you.”

Lin Lin, still awake at midnight: “?”

Tong Tong: “Mr. Pei and Sister Li are going to buy barbecue together.”

Lin Lin: “… Are they getting back together?”

Tong Tong: “They’re just going together.”

Lin Lin: “I’m going to sleep now. If the sky falls, it’ll be tomorrow’s problem.”

Tong Tong: “… Well… sweet dreams?”

Lin Lin: “Good night.”

Sheng Qingli had no idea about the little exchange between her assistant and manager.

As she walked with Pei Qingci to the vicinity of the barbecue shop, she stopped and didn’t move forward.

She watched Pei Qingci’s retreating figure.

It was sudden; she realized that she had seen his back many times before. When they were first together, they were both very busy with work.

Every time, either he had to fly to another city, or she did.

They spent little time together, and the place where they were closest was not at home, but in the underground garage.

When she had to leave, Pei Qingci would come to the garage to see her off.

When Pei Qingci was leaving, she would go downstairs with him.

They tried to make the most of their free time together.

……

Pei Qingci’s back looked much the same as before.

But somehow, it seemed to have changed a lot.

While Sheng Qingli was lost in thought, he suddenly turned around.

Their eyes met from a distance.

Before Sheng Qingli could gather her thoughts, her phone vibrated in her hand; it was a message from him.

Pei Qingci: “Do you want to come over?”

Sheng Qingli: “Huh?”

Pei Qingci: “Come to the barbecue shop and wait.”

Sheng Qingli: “… I’m afraid Lin Lin will kill me.”

Pei Qingci: “She won’t.”

Sheng Qingli was about to reply, “How do you know she won’t? She’s my manager, not yours.”

Before she could respond, Pei Qingci gave her the answer: “I’ll protect you.”