When Chu Feiliang closed the door with a ‘click,’ Rong Guang was still sitting on a chair in the corner, dazed.
She simply couldn’t believe what she had done today.
Although the plot had been discussed with Zhang Nanchuan early on, Rong Guang knew she had added a line.
Not only did she add a line… she had given herself more of a scene.
It wasn’t uncommon for actors to improvise and change the script on the spot, but it wasn’t exactly common either. Usually, a general outline was already established during rehearsals before filming began.
But Rong Guang still added a line herself.
“You absolutely must not wake up.”
She was a little worried that Chu Feiliang would suddenly open her eyes at that moment.
So… whether out of guilt or worry, Rong Guang was bewitched into saying that one extra sentence before she truly kissed Chu Feiliang.
Except for one thing she hadn’t anticipated—Chu Feiliang actually kissed her back, and even bit her.
If their movements hadn’t been so subtle, Rong Guang suspected the camera might have captured it.
Even now, her lips were still a little numb, and her face was so hot it felt like it could steam an egg.
“What are you doing hiding here? Scared? Feeling like you’ve wronged me?” Chu Feiliang had both hands in her pockets, slowly walking over to stand behind Rong Guang. Then she bent down and said from nearby, “Or are you savoring the memory?”
Rong Guang jumped, instantly standing up. She looked at Chu Feiliang, stammering, and was the first to confess and admit her mistake, saying, “Sister…”
“Now you know to call me Sister?” Chu Feiliang chuckled lightly, wiping her lips with her thumb. “What were you up to just now? Do you know what your behavior is called? Using a public role to settle a private score, or was it deliberate revenge?”
“Neither…” Rong Guang looked at Chu Feiliang, stood up from the chair, and mustered her courage to say, “Perhaps… ‘overcome by emotion’ is more appropriate.”
Overcome by emotion?
Chu Feiliang paused. That was… quite a clever choice of words.
But she hadn’t come to argue with Rong Guang about this. She said, “That reason is plausible enough. After all, I’ve also been overcome by emotion with you several times before. We’re just returning the courtesy. We’ll be seeing each other all the time from now on. What if we’re overcome by emotion a few more times? If we make it so formal and serious every time, will we ever be able to kiss again? Besides, didn’t I bite you back?”
After speaking, Chu Feiliang grinned. “I’ve forgotten who said it just now, but a simple kiss doesn’t feel like enough; you have to bite to feel secure.”
That was… something Rong Guang herself had just said.
Caught off guard, Rong Guang’s face flushed red.
Then she registered what Chu Feiliang had just said, something about seeing each other all the time. She froze for a moment, looking up in confusion, and asked, “What do you mean, seeing each other all the time…?”
Wasn’t she about to wrap up her scenes and leave the production?
The next time they would meet would probably be after her farewell stage in December at the earliest.
Chu Feiliang cleared her throat, not realizing she had let something slip.
She changed the subject abruptly, saying, “Let’s go out. The media is waiting outside. Tonight is your wrap-up party, don’t keep them waiting too long. It’ll leave a bad impression.”
Rong Guang hesitated for a moment and said, “There aren’t that many people, are there?”
“You’ll know when you go see.” She kept her in suspense, then chuckled lightly and tilted her head up. “In any case, it’s the finale for one of my rare kiss scenes in all these years. That should count as some kind of gimmick, right?”
Rong Guang thought for a moment, secretly glancing at Chu Feiliang’s lips. Her face, betraying her, turned a little red again. She nodded and said, “Okay.”
With that, she looked at Chu Feiliang and started walking out alongside her, asking, “Are you coming with me?”
“Mhm.” Chu Feiliang nodded, seemingly completely unaware of what a sensation it would be for someone of her status to personally escort Rong Guang to her wrap-up press conference. She said very naturally, “I’ll go with you.”
It had been too long since Rong Guang had wrapped up a project alone, without Chu Feiliang present, so for a moment, she didn’t think anything was amiss.
It wasn’t until they finally reached the designated interview area and were met with a frenzy of flashing cameras from the reporters who had long been waiting outside the circle that Rong Guang belatedly remembered something—
For Chu Feiliang to personally accompany her at this time, wasn’t this a blatant show of support?!
Rong Guang gasped in shock and almost retreated.
But she had barely taken half a step back when she felt a warm palm press against her lower back, applying an opposite force and pushing her a few steps forward.
Chu Feiliang said faintly, “I’m standing right beside you, what are you afraid of? All the people who came are our own. They won’t ask shameless questions. You’ve been the leader of a girl group for so many years, can this sort of thing really stump you?”
Rong Guang subconsciously shook her head. “It can’t.”
“Then that settles it.” Chu Feiliang’s lips curved into a smile. “Go on. I won’t go over there, I’d steal your spotlight. I’ll just wait here for you to come back.”
Only then did Rong Guang walk over, looking back every three steps.
For some reason, at that moment, she was suddenly filled with the feeling of being cared for and protected every step of the way.
Chu Feiliang… was worried about her, so she had specially come along, right?
Her mood instantly brightened.
She wasn’t afraid of media interviews to begin with, and now, influenced by her emotions, Rong Guang even felt like cracking a few jokes.
She had always known what kind of interview could make a program interesting—at least in her past life, she had gone viral because of quite a few interviews.
The interview process went smoothly without any hitches. Because Rong Guang was very young, yet spoke with the composure and maturity of a veteran, she was also able to frequently drop witty remarks.
This amused the reporters present, causing them to laugh in waves. The interview questions were no longer just business-like, but had a more human touch.
Chu Feiliang was standing far away and couldn’t hear clearly. She could only stand there with nothing to do, idly pulling at dry grass.
Zhang Nanchuan finally rushed over, holding a bouquet of flowers. He sniffled from the cold night wind and asked, “How’s it going? Is it over?”
“Not yet.” Chu Feiliang gave him a suspicious look and said, “How long do interviews usually last?”
“For you?” Zhang Nanchuan glanced at her sideways, then pursed his lips. “If it were you, you’d be done in ten minutes. It’d be impressive if the reporters didn’t run out of things to say to you. How long has Xiao Rong been over there?”
“Almost forty minutes.” Chu Feiliang was a bit puzzled. “How come she’s like a silent gourd in front of me, but the moment she’s out there, she’s chatting so happily with others…”
Zhang Nanchuan had a look on his face like he wanted to say something but was holding back.
Chu Feiliang suddenly turned her head and saw his expression. She paused, then said flatly, “What’s with that look?”
“People…” Zhang Nanchuan said with difficulty, struggling with his words, “really ought to have some self-awareness.”
Chu Feiliang was quiet for a moment.
She connected what Zhang Nanchuan had just said with his attitude before and after, pointed at her own nose, and said, “Are you saying I’m difficult to get along with? That my presence is too intimidating?”
Zhang Nanchuan’s face screamed, ‘Does that even need to be said?’
Chu Feiliang fell silent.
Then she sneered, “Listen to your nonsense—alright, it’s over. Go up and give her the stuff. Are there a lot of people?”
“Quite a lot, definitely enough to give her face.” Zhang Nanchuan smiled. “This is a good opportunity to dispel the rumors about discord among the actors in the cast. This Xiao Rong is really something, she has great charisma. A lot of the young people in our crew have been secretly giving Chacha and her the green light, letting them pass for everything. Now that she’s really leaving, forget them, even I’m a little reluctant to see her go.”
“Reluctant? If you’re reluctant, don’t you have any other ideas?” Chu Feiliang gave him a mischievous look and said, “Such a good seedling. Never mind you being reluctant, I’m not willing to let her go either.”
Zhang Nanchuan nodded. After thinking for a moment, he understood Chu Feiliang’s underlying meaning and said, “We’ll see later. If there’s a chance, I’d definitely be willing to work with her again. You know I’m not the type to use trending celebrities. The stuff circulating online is useless to me.”
Having gotten Zhang Nanchuan’s assurance, Chu Feiliang didn’t continue to dawdle with him.
She took the flowers from Zhang Nanchuan’s arms. After seeing what they were, her lips couldn’t help but twitch. “What on earth did you have them order?”
“Flowers.” Zhang Nanchuan’s eyes widened. “Didn’t you just say you wanted flowers?”
Chu Feiliang: “…”
She didn’t even need to count.
The flower shop had been particularly thoughtful, even providing a card—“Ninety-nine roses, for the most charming you.”
Zhang Nanchuan was quiet for a moment.
Then he said, “Roses, well, they’re not too over the top. Anyway, no matter what you give her, Xiao Rong will like it.”
Chu Feiliang’s hand holding the flowers tightened.
Zhang Nanchuan suddenly said, “I asked you before, have you really thought it through? If you really like the little girl, don’t keep stringing her along with this vague attitude. Seriously, what you’ve been doing these days is pretty bastardly, relentlessly teasing her without giving a clear answer. What’s the deal? Are you really waiting for her to come to you and confess publicly, only for you to reject her in front of everyone?”
Chu Feiliang pressed her lips together and said nothing.
Zhang Nanchuan sighed. “If you really dare to do that, then you’d truly be less than human.”
Chu Feiliang shot him a sideways glance, then let out a cold laugh.
Zhang Nanchuan, faced with her scorn, paused but didn’t rush to speak. Instead, he asked, “Am I wrong?”
“You are wrong.” Chu Feiliang chuckled, remembering something. “If I were really as you described, I’m afraid I wouldn’t deserve to be human, toying with a young girl’s heart like that. Hey, your description, isn’t that the same tactic as emotional PUA?”
Zhang Nanchuan pursed his lips. “You know what PUA is?”
“Of course.” Chu Feiliang thought for a moment and said, “My knowledge base is quite broad, it’s just not popular yet. It’s bound to become popular in the future. You can just put your worries back in your stomach. I know how to handle this.” “Mhm.” Zhang Nanchuan responded softly. “I’m a veteran in life, at least. Don’t get annoyed if I say a few more words. I’m not so much worried about Rong Guang as I am about you. At most, if you reject her, she’ll be sad for a while and feel she misjudged someone, that she met a world-class scumbag. But you’re different. Whether you get together with her or not, you won’t have an easy time yourself. You need to get past your own issues first before you deal with anything else.”
This time, Chu Feiliang was truly silent.
A hint of frustration colored her brow. She bit her lip hard, clutching the roses in her arms so tightly, and said, “I know.”
Over by the spotlights, Rong Guang was receiving farewell wrap-up gifts from many friends in the crew she had become familiar with. Because there was a continuous stream of people giving gifts, including not just staff but also many well-known actors, the media hadn’t left either, waiting for the big fish—the main creative team.
After all, they were all familiar faces who had been screened for this event. Most of those who could get in had some exclusive information and knew that the main creative team would come over to support Rong Guang at the end.
Regardless of whether Rong Guang had someone backing her or not, even Duan Nong didn’t get such a grand send-off when she left. Even if Rong Guang really had someone pulling strings for her, to be able to do it to this extent was truly remarkable.
From any perspective, they had no reason to leave.
And then, they finally got what they wished for and saw Chu Feiliang and the rest of the main creative team arrive.
At that moment, Rong Guang finally understood what it felt like to be heartwarming and have tears well up in her eyes.
This was not her peak moment from her past.
When she first crossed over into this field, she had also been a nameless nobody, only able to quietly pack her things in a corner, with no assistant, let alone a wrap-up ceremony held especially for her.
Not to mention having the main creative team come to give her their backing.
Long after it was over, the jubilant mood throughout the crew had not subsided.
Rong Guang watched the cheerful people and got into the car with Chu Feiliang to head back.
Because they were returning rather late, besides the two of them, only Chacha and Wang Lujie were in the car.
The two of them were curled up in the back, catching up on sleep. Rong Guang held a large pile of things in her arms. She couldn’t take all the flowers people had given her, so she had found some bottles and arranged them in various places around the set, adding a splash of color.
The journey was rather silent. Apart from the sound of the car speeding along, there were no other noises.
Rong Guang glanced at Chu Feiliang and noticed that her mood had been downcast ever since she returned, not very high-spirited.
With their parting imminent, Rong Guang also felt a bit sad.
She didn’t quite know what to say. In the end, she opened her mouth and said, “Sister, on December twenty-fifth… you have to come.”
“Hm?” Chu Feiliang chuckled lightly. “Don’t worry, I’ve already requested leave from the director in advance. The second unit will be filming that day, so both he and I can find time to come see you.”
Rong Guang breathed a sigh of relief, her expression relaxing a little. She smiled and said, “Then I’m relieved.”
“Go back and get some good rest.” Chu Feiliang half-closed her eyes and said, “You’ve had a lot of scenes these past five months. Sleep well for a week before thinking about other things.”
Rong Guang smiled but didn’t answer.
She didn’t want to lie to Chu Feiliang.
Because she knew she couldn’t stay idle.
The contract termination with Star Cluster had yet to be fully settled. The first thing she had to do when she got back was to resolve this. Otherwise, it would be a thorn hanging over her heart, pricking her whenever she thought of it.
It wouldn’t cause any substantial damage, but it was very annoying.
Only by completely breaking free from Star Cluster could she move to a better platform and have more intersecting paths with Chu Feiliang.
With this motivation propping her up, Rong Guang wasn’t worried about being worn out.
The next morning, after Rong Guang and Chacha woke up, they stayed in their room for a long time, looking at each other, both feeling a bit at a loss for what to do.
After a while, Chacha blinked and said, “Sister Guangguang, should we pack?”
“Let’s pack.” Rong Guang sighed, listlessly grabbing a hairdryer and stuffing it into a cardboard box.
Chacha yawned, packing along with her in a daze. She mumbled, “I think I heard Sister Chu say yesterday that she was going to be decadent for over a week, not wanting to do anything but sleep… Did the retribution come this quickly?”
“What retribution?” Rong Guang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “This is just a normal reaction after a long period of high-strung work when you suddenly get a break.”
“Oh, I see.” Chacha responded listlessly. “No wonder I’m always so tired after my final exams.”
“The principle is the same,” Rong Guang comforted her.
Chacha nodded. The two of them packed for a while, and seeing that it was getting late, they went down for breakfast.
The staff in the cafeteria probably knew in advance that Rong Guang was about to leave the crew. Their attitude was much more enthusiastic than before. They gave her extra-large portions of everything she ordered and threw in two cups of hot milk tea.
While eating, Rong Guang saw Chu Feiliang’s car leave the hotel.
She thought about it. There was no way she could catch up on her own two legs, so she didn’t try. She stood at the entrance and watched Chu Feiliang’s car disappear from her line of sight.
This time, the next time they would meet would really be at the end of December.
“That’s still a long time away,” Chacha said, slowly chewing on a pearl from her drink, speaking as if she were a worm in Rong Guang’s stomach. “You won’t be able to see Sister Chu for a long time. You must be missing her to death.”
Rong Guang: “…And you’re just about to die from being too clever, you little imp.”
Chacha giggled, her eyes curving, and continued to sip her milk tea.
In the middle of winter, she loved drinking these warm, fragrant, and sweet things. As she drank, she tried to negotiate with Rong Guang, “Sister Guangguang, can I have another cup?”
Just as Rong Guang was about to refuse, she heard a staff member from the cafeteria exclaim in surprise, “Teacher Chu? You’re not full? Would you like something else?”
Rong Guang instantly turned her head and saw Chu Feiliang standing at the entrance, dressed in a long, linen-colored trench coat and wrapped in a scarf.
Rong Guang was a bit stunned. She gave the money to Chacha, told her to buy her own things and go upstairs after she finished eating, while she herself walked over to Chu Feiliang.
The two of them walked to a secluded path.
The film base was still under development, and it was winter, so not a single soul could be seen on the path. The trees, planted several meters apart, were bare, not just of leaves but also of most of their branches, all waiting to sprout in the coming year.
Rong Guang rubbed her hands together and said, “Sister, don’t you have a scene this morning?”
“I do.” Chu Feiliang responded lazily. “Didn’t sleep well, no energy, so I skipped it.”
Rong Guang paused, then said against her better judgment, “That’s good too. You have to be fully invested when filming. Rather than wasting film and everyone’s energy, it’s better to let the director film someone else first.”
Chu Feiliang couldn’t help but laugh.
She looked at Rong Guang and said, “What you just said is truly siding with your own, not with reason.”
Rong Guang was a little embarrassed, shrinking her face into her scarf. “But I wasn’t wrong.”
“Yes, you’re quite right.” Chu Feiliang smiled.
Then she suddenly said, “I went looking for you this morning after breakfast, but you weren’t in your room. When we were driving, Lulu said she saw someone at the restaurant entrance who looked like you from behind, but she wasn’t sure if you had left overnight, so we didn’t turn back.”
Rong Guang was taken aback. She glanced at Chu Feiliang and said, “You…”
“I didn’t see it with my own eyes. I’m at least fifty degrees nearsighted, after all.” Chu Feiliang pointed to her own eyes, squinted, and said, “Luckily, I couldn’t bear to leave, so I turned back for another look. Otherwise, I really would have missed the chance to say goodbye, don’t you think?”
Rong Guang nodded silently.
She suddenly felt her nose sting.
She had finally managed to get this opportunity to spend nearly five months with Chu Feiliang on set, day and night, and they often got to film scenes together.
But now she had to leave.
The days that had felt a bit slow suddenly vanished in the blink of an eye. Rong Guang looked back in a daze at the past five months, feeling as if she hadn’t managed to accomplish anything besides filming.
She pressed her lips together, glanced at Chu Feiliang again, and asked for confirmation, “Sister, in December, you…”
“I will definitely be there.” Chu Feiliang directly interrupted Rong Guang, speaking with certainty.
Rong Guang nodded.
Then she said, “Can I still contact you later?”
Chu Feiliang looked at her quietly.
Only then did Rong Guang realize that what she said could easily be misunderstood. She quickly tried to salvage it, “I don’t mean anything else. I… I just wanted to ask…”
As she spoke, Rong Guang felt a bit annoyed, feeling like she had just asked a stupid question.
Her WeChat contact was right there. Whether she asked this or not, if she wanted to contact her, wouldn’t she naturally be able to?
Saying it out loud made it feel like she was pressuring Chu Feiliang for a response.
Chu Feiliang didn’t notice Rong Guang’s inner turmoil. Hearing her words, she nodded. “Of course you can. Contact me anytime. When I’m filming, my phone is with Lulu. She’ll give it to me if she sees a message.”
“Okay!” Rong Guang’s eyes lit up.
She thought for a moment and said excitedly, “I heard you have an unavoidable interview in B City soon. If… if there’s enough time that day, and you’re free, I’ll treat you to a meal!”
Chu Feiliang was taken aback.
“I…” Rong Guang rubbed her hands together. “The place I’m living now isn’t far from your place. It’s only a ten-minute drive, very quick. A meal won’t be any trouble, and my cooking is very good.”
“Then it’s a deal.” Chu Feiliang squinted, looking at Rong Guang’s hands.
Then she lifted Rong Guang’s hand and examined it carefully, remarking with some emotion, “I noticed long ago that you contestants with good body proportions all have long arms and legs, but I didn’t expect your hands to be so beautiful too. I heard you can play the piano. Are you good at it?”
This was one of Rong Guang’s weaknesses.
She had learned, but that was something she learned before she was eight.
Now…
Rong Guang braced herself and said, “I can, I… I still know a little.”
“Oh.” Chu Feiliang responded, her finger lightly brushing against Rong Guang’s fingertip. She said with a curve to her lips, “The shape is quite nice too. It’s okay if you can’t. I can. I’ll teach you then. It’ll be convenient, you can help me record a four-hand piano piece. I have another use for it later.”
Rong Guang was stunned and subconsciously asked, “What use?”
Chu Feiliang’s expression became a bit profound and mysterious.
After a moment, she sighed and said, “Would you believe it if I told you—my family is arranging a blind date for me.”
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