In a few days, the filming would begin.

“Swaying” had several shooting locations.

Except for the last month of shooting at the film base in the city suburbs, the rest of the filming would be done elsewhere.

Although Ning Qiuxiu was a supporting role, she had an important part, so she was involved in almost the entire production, finishing a few days earlier than the leads.

Before joining the crew, Ning Qiuxui had given Zhan Qingyue several different types of talisman water, almost making him have an upset stomach.

However, Zhan Qingyue’s condition didn’t seem to improve.

He was still resting at home, with doctors visiting daily for basic check-ups.

Zhan Qingyue also went for monthly hospital visits, where advanced PET scans helped assess if he had any potential to wake up.

Ning Qiuxiu had accompanied him to the last check-up, and the results were the same as before.

The doctors only said they would do their best.

She hadn’t given Zhan Qingyue any talisman water at that time.

The next check-up would be in a few days, but by then, Ning Qiuxui would already be on set, and she wasn’t sure what would happen.

It had been a month since she married into the family, and a third of the three-month period had already passed.

The worst part was that she would be on set for the next two months.

Although she could go back to her father and get a bit of leniency by acting cute, she couldn’t guarantee that Zhan Qingyue would wake up.

Even though talismans still seemed to work in this world, it was a reality far different from the world of cultivation.

She couldn’t be sure if giving talisman water was truly beneficial for Zhan Qingyue’s condition.

Sigh… Ning Qiuxiu looked at the man sleeping innocently on the bed and sighed deeply. “Mr. Zhan, please wake up soon.”

“Miss Ning, don’t worry about Mr. Zhan,” Jingjing assured her, seeing Ning Qiuxui’s worried expression as she looked at Zhan Qingyue. “I’ll take good care of him, making sure he eats and drinks well. I won’t let anything go wrong!”

Ning Qiuxiu was set to join the crew the next day.

“…”

Ning Qiuxiu couldn’t communicate with Jingjing because they were on different wavelengths.

She casually teased, “Then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Not a problem,” Jingjing said, leaning in closer. “Whenever you want to see Mr. Zhan, just video call me on WeChat. I’m available 24/7—WeChat is always on, and so am I!”

Ning Qiuxiu: “……”

She didn’t understand why Jingjing had the impression that she had deep feelings for Zhan Qingyue.

Everyone else thought she married Zhan Qingyue just to get closer to Zhan Qingyuan!

“Thanks,” Ning Qiuxiu said, still playing along with her own persona and forcing a smile. “I’ll send you a bonus later.”

“Thank you, Miss Ning!” Jingjing flashed a big smile. “If you’re too busy with filming to video call, I can send you photos. I’ll make sure they’re good-looking—360 degrees with no dead angles, perfect for your screen saver.”

Ning Qiuxiu: “…….”

She really didn’t need that!

Once she finally managed to send Jingjing away, Ning Qiuxiu qsighed in relief.

Looking at the person lying quietly on the bed, she realized that, despite being married for a while, she didn’t actually have any photos of Zhan Qingyue on her phone.

They mostly acted in front of others, and in private, dealing with someone in a vegetative state left her with no interest in fussing over things.

Now… she thought it would be a good idea to take some photos for a long-term keepsake, just in case she might forget what Zhan Qingyue looked like after being apart for a while!

Ning Qiuxiu found a good excuse for herself, took out her phone, and snapped a few pictures of his face.

Her photography skills weren’t great, but fortunately, Zhan Qingyue was good-looking, so even with her mediocre skills, the photos still turned out nice.

The only flaw was that he looked a bit thin—add a filter, and he’s a handsome young man relying on his looks.

Since she was at it, she might as well take a selfie together!

Ning Qiuxiu carefully half-lay beside Zhan Qingyue, trying various poses like making a heart with her hands, peace signs, sticking out her tongue, and pouting.

Every photo turned out great, looking pure and charming.

Paired with the sleeping handsome man beside her, it created a perfect match vibe.

Sitting by the bed, Ning Qiuxui reviewed the photos from different angles and realized why people on social media loved showing off their affection so much.

She now wanted to share these couple photos even though they weren’t really in love!

Thinking this, she couldn’t help but open WeChat and uploaded a few photos to her Moments.

Since they were “married” now, sharing them wasn’t illegal, right?

Of course, she had to set the photos to be visible only to a select few.

---

The next morning, Ning Qiuxui flew to the first filming location.

Instead of having the company’s car pick her up, she had the Zhan family’s driver take her to the airport, where she met her manager, Qu Hua, and her assistant, Xiao Chi.

“Qiuxui, over here.”

As soon as Ning Qiuxui arrived at the meeting point, she heard Xiao Chi calling her.

She walked over with her suitcase and saw a large group of people, surprised, “Why so many people?”

“Xiao Qiuxiu is a big star, and it’s her first time going to the set, so of course, we need to make a grand entrance~,” Qu Hua said with a smile, “Is this enough of a show?”

Ning Qiuxiu: “… Can I use some vulgar language?”

Qu Hua stomped his foot, “I’m just joking! Qiuxui, you’re so fierce.”

“…” She not only wanted to be fierce with him but also wanted to hit him.

“These two are your temporary assistants: one for daily life and one for personal matters. This is your driver,” Qu Hua said, adjusting his tone, “and I’d like to introduce someone with great importance. This is your acting coach, Mr. Yang. Mr. Yang will be with you throughout, providing guidance on your acting skills anytime and anywhere. Even though our skills may not match others, our attitude should be good, so if anyone criticizes us, we can have a reason to respond.”

Ning Qiuxiu: “???”

This was an idea only a genius could come up with.

Ning Qiuxiu was both amused and helpless. “Qu Ge, you should have more confidence in me. My acting isn’t that bad.”

“Of course, our little Qiuxiu’s acting is the best, surpassing those who graduated from professional schools. We’ve hired the coach just to refine your skills further,” Qu Hua reassured her.

Ning Qiuxiu: “……”

There was no way to communicate.

Well, if they were going to bring someone along, so be it. Arguing with Qu Hua was futile; only through real practice would the truth reveal itself. When the time came, Mr. Yang or any other coach would naturally be reconsidered.

With the plane still some time away from taking off, Ning Qiuxiu waited in the VIP lounge, feeling bored.

She took out her phone and opened WeChat.

She saw that her Moments from last night still had likes and comments.

Jingjing: “Wow, Mr. and Miss Ning look like a perfect match, a match made in heaven, divine love!!!”

Mom: “Afterwards? You acted so quickly?”

Old Master Zhan: (smiling emoji)

Zhan Qingyuan: .

Ning Qiuxiu didn’t expect Zhan Qingyuan to actually check her Moments.

She thought about how he never believed in her feelings for Zhan Qingyue and even suspected she married him for his sake.

He must be feeling quite embarrassed now.

Feeling strangely satisfied, Ning Qiuxiu closed her Moments and saw a string of messages from Mrs. Ning on WeChat.

[Mother: Did you really sleep together?!]

[Mother: Do you need me to teach you?]

[Mother: Is he really capable?]

[Mother: Remember to use protection, don’t get pregnant.]

[Mother: Forget it, I won’t disturb you. Call me tomorrow after you see this message. Enjoy yourself (blushing).]

What in the world?

Ning Qiuxiu was astounded by Wen Ling’s imagination.

She had only posted two photos with Zhan Qingyue—fully dressed and not intimate at all.

How did it turn into something else in her mind?

She was shocked.

What kind of people were around her?

So, it’s best not to post too much about affection on social media, especially “bedroom photos,” or who knows what others might imagine!

---

Upon arriving at the filming location, Xiao Chi took the two assistants to their hotel to drop off their luggage.

Ning Qiuxiu, along with Qu Hua and Teacher Yang, went to the set.

The staff was already busy, and since it was the first day, even with thorough preparation, everything felt a bit chaotic.

After greeting the director, Ning Qiuxui was taken to the makeup room for her makeup.

Today was the shoot for the opening ceremony and the costume fitting for good luck.

Due to her role, Ning Qiuxui’s makeup would change: early on, she would be dressed as a wealthy official’s daughter with a noble appearance, while later she would wear exotic costumes reflecting her marriage to a borderland.

Ning Qiuxiu had a great sense of the camera, so the costume fitting didn’t take long.

By the time she finished and was leisurely strolling around, others were still in the chaos of getting their makeup done and finding their roles.

The main cast’s costume photos were completed by noon, and everyone had their first meal on set.

In the afternoon, the opening ceremony took place, and after everything was done, they started filming the first scene.

The first scene was a confrontation between the male and female leads.

Ning Qiuxiu observed and noted that Ji Weiliang was indeed very talented in acting.

Her emotional details were well-executed, and although she was somewhat inexperienced and a bit naive, she was already better than many young actors who relied solely on their looks.

At least she didn’t come off as awkward.

It was clear that the female lead was exceptional, and didn’t need formal training to handle her role.

The next scene involved Ning Qiuxiu and the male lead in a confrontation.

Mr. Yang, the acting coach, diligently explained the basics of acting to Ning Qiuciu—things like dialogue and positioning.

After a long day and no lunch break, Ning Qiuxiu felt very tired and struggled to stay awake while listening.

She tried to hold on, but couldn’t keep her eyes open.

She interrupted Mr. Yang, saying, “Mr. Yang, I need to go to the restroom!”

Mr. Yang had noticed that Ning Qiuxiu was losing focus, but since he was being paid to do his job, he knew that how much she learned depended on her own ability.

He waved his hand and said, “Go ahead. When you come back, we’ll rehearse the scene, and you’ll understand the techniques I’ve just explained.”

“Mm,” Ning Qiuxiu replied vaguely and went to the restroom.

The filming conditions weren’t very luxurious.

Although the crew had managed to provide separate rest areas for the main actors, there was only a shared restroom.

Ning Qiuxiu exited the rest area and went to the restroom.

Just as she was about to wash her hands, she saw Ji Weiliang enter, holding up her skirt.

— Ancient costumes are often long, and someone not used to wearing them might trip if they don’t hold them up.

It was clear Ji Weiliang was wearing one for the first time.

Ah, what a small world.

Ji Weiliang frowned slightly when she saw Ning Qiuxiu, showing clear displeasure.

Ning Qiuxiu hadn’t intended to pay her any attention, but seeing her expression made her want to provoke her.

She said, “Miss Ji, your performance just now was impressive. You didn’t seem like someone without formal training at all.”

As Ji Weiliang was about to bypass Ning Qiuxiu and head to the restroom, she overheard the conversation and felt a sense of pride.

She indeed had a talent for acting; after only a short period in an acting class, she received high praise from her instructor, who said that with more experience, she would achieve great success.

“Thank you,” Ji Weiliang said with a slight smile. “Looking forward to your performance in the next scene as well.”

The so-called anticipation was, of course, in the hopes that Ning Qiuxiu would make a fool of herself.

Ning Qiuxiu adjusted her fallen hair and replied, “I must exceed Miss Ji’s expectations. But after hearing you that night complain about how entering the crew through connections was an insult to your noble acting skills, I thought you might quit.”

Ji Weiliang regretted being too impulsive and showing her emotions in front of Ning Qiuxiu.

Now, seeing Ning Qiuxiu provoking her, she retorted, “This role was obtained through my own audition skills, and I have no regrets. Why would I quit?”

“Oh? Isn’t it because of the money you hate so much but wish you had?” Ning Qiuxiu said smugly.

Ji Weiliang’s expression changed slightly. “Ning Qiuxiu, don’t think that just because you have some money, you’re invincible. In this industry, it ultimately depends on skill. Without skill, even with the best resources and roles, you’ll still be ridiculed and never stand in the brightest spot of stardom!”

With that, Ji Weiliang didn’t wait for a response and headed into the restroom, lifting her skirt.

Ning Qiuxiu smiled dismissively. Let Ji Weiliang enjoy her arrogance now; she would see how much it hurt later!