Chapter 47

With Pei Qingci’s involvement, this bath was naturally not so innocent.

However, being apart made it feel like a new marriage.

Sheng Qingli was also willing to let him help her wash.

The bathroom was brightly lit, and the room was set to a constant temperature, making it comfortable throughout the seasons.

Once they entered the bathroom, Pei Qingci didn’t rush to take off her clothes. Instead, he sat her on the sink and shared an exceptionally long kiss with her.

When they parted, Sheng Qingli met his deep gaze, her heart racing.

Her slender arms wrapped around his neck, her cheeks slightly flushed, “Pei Qingci…”

She called him softly.

Pei Qingci gently bit her lower lip, his voice husky as he replied, “I’m here.”

His warm, heated palm rested at the edge of her shirt, his rough fingertips lifting the hem and moving upward.

When flying, Sheng Qingli always chose the most comfortable attire: simple, loose-fitting pants and a top, making it convenient for Pei Qingci’s movements.

His warm breath brushed against her cheek, making it a bit unbearable for her.

Perhaps it was because they had been apart for so long, but she found herself somewhat impatient.

Noticing her initiative, Pei Qingci chuckled softly. His kisses rained down on her, varying from gentle pecks to sucking.

He admired the changes in her expression, capturing her dazed look in his eyes.

“Miss me?” he asked softly.

Sheng Qingli wrapped her arms around his waist, giving a light, kitten-like whimper, “…I feel uncomfortable.”

Pei Qingci pressed against her soft, rounded figure, playfully biting as he asked in a husky voice, “Where do you feel uncomfortable?”

In her flustered state, Sheng Qingli grasped his hand, mumbling, “You know very well.”

Pei Qingci knew her body well enough; he couldn’t possibly be unaware of where she felt uncomfortable.

As her soft palm grasped his wrist, he chuckled softly and coaxed, “Wait a moment.”

“…”

Sheng Qingli insisted on showering first. She didn’t turn on the showerhead but applied body wash, refusing to let Pei Qingci continue until she rinsed it off.

She felt dirty.

Pei Qingci couldn’t argue with her and had to comply, turning on the shower and squeezing out body wash to clean her.

He washed her meticulously, from top to bottom, cleaning both the visible and hidden places with his hands.

The bathroom was filled with a faint floral scent, rich and enticing.

After rinsing off all the bubbles from her body, Sheng Qingli felt a bit unsteady. Noticing her movements, Pei Qingci placed her back on the sink.

At this height, it forced her close to the overhead light.

The bright light was too glaring, making Sheng Qingli involuntarily close her eyes. When she did, her senses became more acute.

Occasionally, sounds of pleasure mixed with discomfort emerged from the bathroom.

Sheng Qingli’s hands braced against the sink as she sought something to hLao onto, but she couldn’t grasp anything. When she accidentally opened her eyes and looked down, she saw his sleek, short black hair.

Instinctively, she reached out to grab his hair.

Her pale, delicate fingers slipped through his soft strands, feeling slightly prickly and a bit itchy.

It was at that moment that Pei Qingci made her feel the warmth of his agile lips and tongue even more deeply.

“Mm…” she couldn’t help but emit a sound of pleasure.

The bathroom floor and walls were drenched with hot water.

When they entered, Sheng Qingli wasn’t wearing shoes. Naturally, she wouldn’t wear them when they left.

Pei Qingci lifted her, wrapping her around his waist, kissing her as he stumbled out of the bathroom.

In the quiet room, the trophy was left outside, with occasional calls reaching inside, contrasting sharply with the heavy breathing within.

They clung to each other, unable to separate.

…

Considering Sheng Qingli hadn’t eaten dinner yet and had been traveling recently, Pei Qingci didn’t go overboard.

When the noises in the room stopped, it was just past ten o’clock.

Pei Qingci was relatively restrained; he kissed the exhausted person whose body was limp and whose voice was hoarse, placing a kiss on her delicate shoulder as he whispered softly, “Tired?”

“…Mm.” Sheng Qingli felt warmth in her ears as she actively nestled into his embrace. “I’m a bit hungry.”

“Just had a little snack and did some intense exercise, so it’s normal to feel hungry.”

Hearing this, Pei Qingci smiled knowingly, kissing her lips and asking, “What do you want to eat?”

Sheng Qingli thought for a moment and drowsily asked, “What time is it?”

“It’s a little past ten,” Pei Qingci gently sucked on her lower lip, “No need to think about the time.”

Whatever she wanted to eat, he could make.

Sheng Qingli responded with an “oh,” unable to resist looking up at him. “Mr. Pei really is—”

“Really what?” Pei Qingci asked. “Are you going to say I’m Lao again?”

Sheng Qingli was momentarily at a loss for words, playfully glaring at him. “I was complimenting you.”

“I know.” His hand caressed her cheek as he negotiated with her. “Let’s change the way we compliment.”

At his words, Sheng Qingli couldn’t help but chuckle, seriously thinking for a moment. “Well-maintained?”

Pei Qingci replied, “That doesn’t seem like a compliment either.”

Sheng Qingli was both amused and exasperated. She swatted his hand away and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him. “I’m really hungry and kind of want noodles.”

Pei Qingci asked, “What kind of noodles?”

“Anything’s fine,” Sheng Qingli replied, not picky. “But I’d like some soup.”

Pei Qingci understood.

They opened the door to the room.

The trophy was lying in the hallway, sleeping. Upon hearing the noise, it immediately opened its eyes to look at them.

Sheng Qingli felt a bit embarrassed and asked Pei Qingci to go to the kitchen first. She bent down to pick up the trophy, deciding to go downstairs to give it a can to comfort it.

After soothing the trophy’s emotions, Pei Qingci finished cooking the noodles.

Sheng Qingli preferred sour flavors, and considering that she wanted soup, Pei Qingci made two simple bowls of sour soup noodles, adding two fried eggs, a few slices of luncheon meat, and some greens for garnish.

As the sour and spicy aroma wafted through the air, Sheng Qingli felt even hungrier.

When she saw the two bowls of noodles placed on the table, she took the chopsticks and spoon handed to her by Pei Qingci and first sipped the soup.

Pei Qingci watched her slightly enjoying expression, raising an eyebrow. “Do you like it?”

“I do,” Sheng Qingli replied, looking at him. “I think you shouldn’t become a director.”

Pei Qingci knew what she meant and subtly curled his lips. “You want me to be a chef?”

Sheng Qingli nodded. “You would definitely be successful as a chef.”

“I already am,” Pei Qingci answered her.

Sheng Qingli didn’t catch on right away. “Huh?”

Pei Qingci pulled out a chair and sat down, leisurely saying, “Isn’t it a success to be Ms. Sheng’s exclusive private chef?”

“…”

Sheng Qingli found it hard to refute his words.

After thinking seriously for a moment, she nodded. “Then I guess I’m quite lucky.”

Pei Qingci smiled and agreed, “I’m more honored.”

The two chatted as they ate.

After finishing the meal, Sheng Qingli wasn’t sleepy yet. Her stomach felt full, and she couldn’t sleep for the moment.

After some thought, she invited Pei Qingci to watch a movie together.

Pei Qingci lowered his eyes, asking, “Watch at home or go to the cinema?”

This apartment had a small media room reserved for her to enjoy movies alone.

After thinking for three seconds, Sheng Qingli glanced at the clock on the wall. “Let’s watch at home this time; we can go to the cinema next time.”

They still needed to be a bit cautious.

Once they were ready, the two took the trophy and went to the media room.

“What do you want to watch?” Pei Qingci asked her.

Sheng Qingli thought for a moment. “Anything’s fine.”

After she spoke, she suddenly remembered something and looked at him. “How about we revisit our Lao movie?”

Pei Qingci replied, “Sure.”

When they were filming “Love Vow,” both of them were still a bit inexperienced, and it was this innocence that made the film a success.

Years later, sitting in the same room with Pei Qingci, once again snuggling on the sofa to watch this movie, Sheng Qingli felt something different. She sensed that the characters of herself and Pei Qingci in the film were both familiar and unfamiliar.

When the kissing scene came on, Sheng Qingli instinctively turned her head. Pei Qingci also very harmoniously lowered his head, seeking her lips.

He held her waist, kissing her as he slowly said, “When we have time, let’s go watch the sunrise again.”

Sheng Qingli drowsily agreed.

After finishing the movie, the two returned to their room to sleep.

Before sleeping, Sheng Qingli thought in a daze about how fast the day had gone by.

She wished it could slow down.

She wanted the time spent with Pei Qingci to last just a little longer.

---

The next day, Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci parted ways as they left for a private dining club.

The private club was called Tingyuan, a well-known establishment in Beicheng for its high standards and privacy. Those who came to eat here were either wealthy or influential.

Lin Lin was a bit worried about her and personally escorted her there.

“Go in; Tong Tong and I will wait for you in the lobby and have some snacks.”

Sheng Qingli responded with an “okay.”

After parting ways with Lin Lin, Sheng Qingli went upstairs.

When she entered, Pei Qingci had already been there for a few minutes. Wu Nuanshu and Wan Hongru hadn’t arrived yet, and the private room only had the two of them.

They exchanged glances.

Pei Qingci was about to reach out to Sheng Qingli when there was a knock at the door of the room.

The two quickly pulled their hands back like thieves. Pei Qingci covered his mouth and coughed lightly. “Come in.”

It was a waiter coming in to serve tea.

Seeing the two of them, the waiter was startled but didn’t show it.

As a waiter at Tingyuan, even if they saw something scandalous, they couldn’t speak about it. Everyone had signed a confidentiality agreement and wouldn’t dare to leak anything online.

After the waiter left, Pei Qingci looked at the person sitting diagonally across from him and chuckled, “Why are you sitting so far away?”

Sheng Qingli seriously picked up her teacup and took a sip. “I think… it’s better if we keep a safe distance.”

Pei Qingci: “…”

He rubbed his forehead, wanting to remind her that Wu Nuanshu knew about their relationship and that it wasn’t necessary to act this way. However, he thought it might be better this way; with her sitting so close, he really couldn’t help but get closer to her.

After a few minutes, Wu Nuanshu, Wan Hongru, and a film producer arrived.

After a simple greeting, everyone began to eat.

When they had almost finished, they started discussing the script.

What Sheng Qingli didn’t expect was that Wan Hongru had actually seen her movie.

She was pleasantly surprised.

The conversation flowed easily among them.

Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci had been reviewing scripts recently, and their understanding of the characters was thorough.

After some discussion, Wan Hongru, who had been somewhat hesitant, exchanged a glance with Wu Nuanshu.

Wu Nuanshu smiled knowingly, feeling a bit proud. Her judgment of people was never wrong; Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci were the perfect candidates for the roles of Sang Xue and Heng Yi.

The meal lasted for two hours.

When it ended, Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci still left separately.

After the two departed, Wu Nuanshu, Wan Hongru, and the producer left together.

Once in the car, Wu Nuanshu looked at Wan Hongru and said, “Director Wan, what do you think of the two actors I recommended?”

Wan Hongru replied solemnly, “They have great ideas.”

And he particularly liked actors who had ideas.

Wu Nuanshu understood. “So, it’s them?”

Wan Hongru nodded and looked at her. “Those two…”

Wu Nuanshu asked, “What?”

She started to play dumb.

Wan Hongru glanced at her and smiled. “It’s nothing; they just seem well-matched.”

Having been through it all, he could see the restrained affection between Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci when they looked at each other in the private room. Coincidentally, those emotions were exactly what the movie needed.

Wu Nuanshu was taken aback and slightly surprised. “You mean—”

“What?” Wan Hongru asked. “You think I’m more open-minded now?”

Wu Nuanshu shook her head with a smile. “You’ve always been open-minded.”

Wan Hongru huffed like an Lao man. “Don’t think I don’t know you’re teasing me.”

Wu Nuanshu smiled helplessly.

Wan Hongru remarked, “When I saw them in the private room earlier, it felt like I was seeing them again.”

Wu Nuanshu paused for a moment and softly suggested, “If we have the chance, I could invite Lao Zhong to join us and go see them?”

Wan Hongru agreed. “Sure.”

At his age, he realized that some people and things wouldn’t be there if he didn’t see them again.

The progress of the new movie was going very smoothly.

A week later, Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci signed their contracts to appear in the film.

The movie preparation would take some time, and since Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci were not in a hurry to start, they enjoyed a rare moment of tranquility while busying themselves with other work.

---

On this day, Sheng Qingli went to Licheng to support a brand.

After the event, she visited Li Yuwei on set. Li Yuwei had been filming in Licheng for two months, and this was Sheng Qingli’s first time visiting.

Sheng Qingli asked Tong Tong to help order milk tea and afternoon snacks to send to the crew.

The entire crew was very happy about her arrival.

“Sister Li!” a young actor called out to her, “Can I take a photo with you?”

Sheng Qingli nodded, “Of course.”

She asked Li Yuwei to take a picture of them.

After greeting the other actors in the crew and chatting for a while, Sheng Qingli finally went to rest in Li Yuwei’s trailer.

“How could you bear to come see me?” Li Yuwei asked while sipping her milk tea.

Sheng Qingli propped her chin and looked at her. “Because I’m starting filming in a week.”

If she didn’t come soon, Li Yuwei would rush off to her next project and might just kill her.

Li Yuwei snorted lightly. “I thought you and Mr. Pei were enjoying your little world together and would forget about me.”

Sheng Qingli smiled. “That’s not the case.”

After chatting for a while, Li Yuwei suddenly remembered something. She poked Sheng Qingli’s arm. “I’ve heard quite a few rumors on set recently.”

Sheng Qingli asked, “Like what?”

“There’s news about Yin Miaojing. Do you want to hear it?”

Sheng Qingli propped her chin and said, “Tell me.”

Li Yuwei informed her, “Yin Miaojing has been having a rough time lately. She hasn’t been able to land any roles.”

She looked at her curiously and asked, “You didn’t have anything to do with this, did you?”

Sheng Qingli gave her a casual glance. “Do I have that kind of ability?”

She had merely used a small tactic to make Yin Miaojing lose a few endorsements and two roles that had been previously secured.

Sheng Qingli now had a bit of standing in the industry, but it wasn’t much.

After all, she was still just an actress. Her treatment of Yin Miaojing was purely a way to give her a taste of her own medicine.

More importantly, Sheng Qingli knew that after the last exposure of Yin Miaojing’s affair as a mistress, she wouldn’t be able to receive any good scripts or roles anymore.

Even if there were some, they wouldn’t be many.

Most investors and producers in the industry would think twice before hiring her.

Knowing she could only take on poorly made scripts and roles, Sheng Qingli stopped thinking about her.

Yin Miaojing was someone who cared about her reputation. She had always been unwilling to lose to Sheng Qingli and be overshadowed by her.

But in recent years, no matter how much she put herself out there, the scripts she could obtain were never as good as those of Sheng Qingli. Of course, there were roles that were better than hers, but when they were brought to life, the data after the film’s release did not meet her expectations.

Not long ago, Sheng Qingli heard Lin Lin mention that Yin Miaojing was planning to give up the mainland market and develop in Hong Kong City.

Recently, she indeed hadn’t heard any news from her.

Thinking of this, Sheng Qingli looked at Li Yuwei and asked, “Isn’t she going to develop in Hong Kong City?”

“Yeah, but it’s not that easy in Hong Kong. Although most people in that circle don’t care about the personal lives of artists, I heard from a friend over there that Yin Miaojing is running into obstacles everywhere.” Li Yuwei looked at Sheng Qingli. “I thought this was something you were involved in.”

Sheng Qingli replied, “It’s not.”

She really didn’t have such a strong background.

However, as she said this, a familiar name flashed through her mind.

But she wasn’t sure, so she needed to ask before discussing it with Li Yuwei.

While the two were chatting in the RV, there was a knock on the door.

Li Yuwei got up to open the door and saw Tong Tong standing at the entrance. “Looking for you, Sister Li?”

Tong Tong nodded, peeking her head in to look at Sheng Qingli. “Sister Li, is your phone on silent?”

Sheng Qingli took it out and realized she had accidentally activated Do Not Disturb mode.

Seeing Lin Lin’s missed call, Sheng Qingli felt a jolt in her heart. “What happened?”

She lowered her voice, “Did they take pictures of me and Pei Qingci?”

That seemed unlikely.

They had been holed up at home recently, and even when they went out, it was at eleven or twelve at night.

Tong Tong replied, “…Yes.”

Sheng Qingli exclaimed, “Huh?”

Her eyes widened. “We—”

“No.” Seeing Sheng Qingli’s shocked expression, Tong Tong hurriedly explained, “It’s not that you were caught on a date.”

Hearing this, Sheng Qingli breathed a sigh of relief.

Immediately after, she frowned. “So, what did they capture?”

“They took pictures of you two eating with Ms. Wu.” Tong Tong informed her. “Check online; there are new leaks.”

As they spoke, Li Yuwei and Sheng Qingli had already opened Weibo.

The paparazzi revealed a video of Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci leaving the Pavilion Garden, one after the other.

Sheng Qingli was accompanied by her manager and assistant, so this meal could not possibly have been a romantic date. Therefore, the paparazzi titled it something like “the two are suspected to be collaborating.”

After watching the video, Sheng Qingli was slightly surprised. “How did the paparazzi even find out about the Pavilion Garden?”

Li Yuwei remarked, “…That doesn’t seem to be the main point.”

After the paparazzi released this video, the more rational fans naturally said they wouldn’t count it as an official announcement, while the less rational ones lambasted the other party, saying things like Sheng Qingli shouldn’t be trying to ride on Pei Qingci’s coattails; he’s not someone she can afford to approach.

There were also Sheng Qingli’s fans insulting Pei Qingci, saying he should stop leeching off her, etc.

Pei Qingci and Sheng Qingli could be considered evenly matched actors, both top-tier. They had both worked hard in the film industry and garnered numerous awards. In terms of domestic leading actor and actress gold awards, they had won an equal number. Pei Qingci had slightly more international nominations than Sheng Qingli.

However, nominations are one thing; his films in recent years have indeed been outstanding and exciting.

To be fair, Sheng Qingli’s work wasn’t lacking either.

The unfortunate truth is that whether in the film or TV industry, if one must compare equally matched male and female actors, the male actors typically attract more fans, have larger fan bases, and receive louder cheers and better data overall.

Sheng Qingli still hadn’t figured this out.

As the two sets of fans argued, CP fans were enthusiastically posting in response to the paparazzi’s Weibo revelation, while onlookers enjoyed the spectacle.

Just as everyone was getting into it, a marketing account took the opportunity to leak that the two were indeed going to collaborate.

A more credible Weibo account within the industry also tweeted that the two were really going to collaborate and, barring any surprises, would officially announce it next month.

After this blogger’s post, many fans commented below:

“I can’t believe it’s real! What kind of collaboration is this? Is it another cameo?”

“Ahhhhh, are we really getting this?!”

“What? They’re really going to partner up again?! What’s the script this time? Can they please do another romantic movie? I can’t keep up with these deep films; I really don’t understand them!”

“Who gets it? I dream of the two doing another ‘Love Vow.’ I can watch it while sleeping, eating, or on rainy days.”

“Since they’re collaborating again, please let it have a happy ending this time!”

“Blogger, say more! You’re the only one I trust in the entertainment circle.”

…

Seeing the comments under this blogger’s post, Sheng Qingli was confused. “Are the movies I’ve done in the past not suitable for watching while sleeping?”

Li Yuwei hadn’t thought that Sheng Qingli’s focus was on this. She shot her a look and replied, “Do you think the kind of tragic roles like Shuli Li, who struggles on the edge of poverty, are suitable for watching while sleeping?”

Sheng Qingli was at a loss for words. “But I have other works too.”

Before Li Yuwei could speak, Tong Tong chimed in, “Other works either make people cry or angry; watching them before bed really doesn’t seem appropriate.”

“…”

After being called out by the two, Sheng Qingli sighed, knowing she was in the wrong. “Alright, it’s my fault.”

At this point, Li Yuwei asked, “So you and Mr. Pei are playing a couple in this new project. The ending should be a happy one, right?”

She was also very concerned about this.

Sheng Qingli refused to answer this question.

She raised her eyebrows and glanced at her with a hint of arrogance, “I won’t tell you.”

Li Yuwei’s brows twitched, “… If you don’t tell me, it must be a tragedy.”

Sheng Qingli replied, “It’s a secret.”

Li Yuwei: “…”

The three of them chatted for a while about trending topics online when Sheng Qingli received a call from Lin Lin.

Most of the online rumors were true, and there was nothing Sheng Qingli needed to clarify. She and Pei Qingci indeed had a collaboration coming up. Lin Lin called just to remind her that for the time being, paparazzi would be keeping a close watch on both her and Pei Qingci, and they should try not to appear together in public.

Sheng Qingli sensed the underlying meaning in her words and agreed.

Without Lin Lin’s reminder, Sheng Qingli knew she needed to keep a low profile during this time. After all, the director she was collaborating with was Wan Hongru, and unless something unexpected happened, when the news broke, there would be a lot of negative trending topics about her online.

Such procedures were nothing new to Sheng Qingli.

After Li Yuwei finished filming, Sheng Qingli returned to the hotel with her.

As soon as they arrived at the hotel, a message from Pei Qingci came through. He had an interview today and had just finished and gotten back to his car.

He asked her what she was doing.

Sheng Qingli smiled, “Just got back to the hotel. How about you?”

Pei Qingci replied, “The interview just ended.”

Sheng Qingli: “What did they ask?”

Pei Qingci: “About our trending topics.”

Sheng Qingli paused, her fingers moving slightly, “And how did you answer?”

Pei Qingci: “Answered truthfully.”

Sheng Qingli: “??? ”

Pei Qingci: “The interview won’t be released until two weeks later, and I communicated with Director Wan about it in advance.”

Sheng Qingli felt relieved.

After chatting for a while, Pei Qingci suddenly said, “I’ll be home in twenty minutes. Want to video call later?”

Sheng Qingli hesitated, “I’m with Yuwei; it’s not really appropriate.”

Pei Qingci: “You don’t want to see me?”

Sheng Qingli couldn’t help but chuckle, teasing him, “If I’m not mistaken, we just parted ways yesterday morning.”

Pei Qingci replied in a flowery tone, “One day apart feels like three autumns.”

He asked with a hint of grievance, “Am I the only one who feels this way?”

Sheng Qingli: “…”

Sheng Qingli: “Mr. Pei, the movie officially starts shooting in two weeks. Can you wait until then?”

Pei Qingci: “…”

He helplessly pinched the bridge of his nose.

Suddenly, Sheng Qingli remembered her earlier conversation with Li Yuwei in the RV.

She hesitated for a few seconds before asking him, “I heard a gossip today.”

Pei Qingci: “Hmm?”

Sheng Qingli: “It’s about Yin Miaoqing. She’s developing in the Hong Kong entertainment circle, but it seems her progress hasn’t been very smooth.”

Pei Qingci smiled, “What do you want to ask?”

Sheng Qingli: “Did you have a hand in it?”

Pei Qingci: “I did.”

Sheng Qingli was taken aback and thought for a moment before asking, “But you… don’t you not keep in touch with your family?”

When Sheng Qingli first started dating Pei Qingci, she genuinely thought he was a newcomer without a background, just like her.

She even believed he was a bit poorer than herself.

After all, Sheng Qingli had known from a young age that her family was doing well. They just didn’t have connections in the entertainment industry. But she had never wanted for anything and had lived comfortably.

If not for her unwillingness to return to Nancheng and being spoiled by Mrs. Sheng, she would have been sent abroad for further studies after failing to find an internship.

Mrs. Sheng had always hoped she could study abroad for a master’s or learn something else she liked to cultivate her artistic sensibilities.

…

At least, that’s how she thought when she had just broken up with Pei Qingci.

Although Pei Qingci had a proud demeanor and a strong presence, not typical of someone from an ordinary family, his living conditions and what he wore at that time didn’t seem to belong to a wealthy person.

It was only after Pei Qingci successfully terminated his contract with his previous management company that Sheng Qingli realized… this person had a background, and his family was from a prestigious and unattainable aristocratic family.

However, like her, Pei Qingci carried his mother’s surname, which is why the paparazzi hadn’t uncovered his true identity.

It’s possible they did find out, but couldn’t release it.

Pei Qingci: “I didn’t use my family’s connections.”

He didn’t ask how Sheng Qingli knew.

Pei Qingci: “The friend I mentioned last time, the one with the surname Yu, helped me a bit.”

Sheng Qingli understood and didn’t press further.

The two of them chatted aimlessly for a while, and Sheng Qingli ended the conversation first.

She had come to see Li Yuwei and couldn’t ignore her for too long.

The two hadn’t seen each other for a while, and when they met, they chatted excitedly.

After talking until they were exhausted, they both fell into a deep sleep.

The next day, Sheng Qingli returned to Beicheng.

Remembering Lin Lin’s reminder, Sheng Qingli still didn’t let Pei Qingci come to pick her up. For the next few days, neither of them went out.

The two of them stayed at home, indulging themselves in eating and sleeping.

—

A week later, Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci went to the set for a script reading.

The movie would be filmed in three cities: Shanghai in China, Berlin in Germany, and Zurich in Switzerland.

Paparazzi had been following Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci lately.

It was no surprise that news broke about the two flying to Shanghai on different flights on the same day, and their upcoming collaboration was brought up again.

The discussions online were quite high, but due to the strict confidentiality surrounding the film, apart from confirming their collaboration, no other information was available. The main fans coordinating for the two were clueless when asked.

After arriving in the Shanghai, Sheng Qingli and Pei Qingci’s hotel rooms were no longer opposite each other.

This time, their rooms were arranged next to each other.

Pei Qingci arrived in the morning.

Sheng Qingli arrived in the afternoon.

When she landed in the Shanghai, it was raining.

After Sheng Qingli checked into the hotel, there was a knock on her door.

She felt a bit amused and quickly walked to the door, opened it, and pulled the person outside into the room, teasing, “Mr. Pei, aren’t you afraid the cameras in the hallway will catch you?”

Pei Qingci pulled her into his arms, gazing down at her and asking, “What is there to be afraid of?”

Sheng Qingli raised an eyebrow.

Pei Qingci lowered his head, pinched her cheek, and said, “I came to find my leading lady for a scene; it wouldn’t be a big deal if we got caught.”

“A scene?” Sheng Qingli was surprised.

Pei Qingci replied with an “uh-huh,” his warm breath brushing against her cheek as he deliberately asked, “Does Ms. Sheng not want to act with me?”

Sheng Qingli: “…”

After a slight pause, she thought for a moment and said, “Then should we call my husband over?”

In the movie, she has an ex-husband.

Upon hearing this, Pei Qingci looked at her with a half-smile, threateningly saying, “Who are you calling husband?”

Sheng Qingli’s gaze flickered as she provocatively replied, “Whoever plays it is… uh…”