Chapter 39: CH 39

Even the most embarrassed person had to obediently go to work.

Lao Wu was still consoling Lu Zhi Wei while she was on the way to the set.

【It’s an idol drama, it’s normal for the male and female leads to have physical contact with each other.

【Grow a thicker skin, don’t be embarrassed.】

Lu Zhi Wei: “……”

Forgive this lowly one for not being able to……

The silver lining was that the first scene of the day didn’t have Sang Wan Ci in it, so she didn’t have to face her so soon.

It was a little warmer today, so Lu Zhi Wei left the room wearing a long-sleeved top and not bringing a jacket.

She changed into her outfit and sat quietly in the makeup room waiting for the makeup artist to draw her makeup.

During the waiting period, she wasn’t idle either. She kept flipping through the script and memorising her lines, trying to get into character.

The scene later was between the little junior sister and the sect leader, mainly to show the “strong relationship” between the two.

Both the scriptwriter and director had clarified, the more sincerely and nicely the sect leader treated the little junior sister at the beginning, the more the audience would hate him in the end. This knife had to be brought down to be called a success.

As for the sect leader, it was true he was an arrogant man, but it was also true that he loved his daughter.

Otherwise, how could he do something as unforgivable as “fate exchanging”?

His biological daughter wasn’t by his side, the little junior sister was the person who could save his daughter and was a similar age, so he naturally took the little junior sister and treated her as a replacement for his daughter.

The amount of respect and dignity the sect leader’s daughter should have, he was all willing to give it to the little junior sister.

—— Until his daughter returned.

Before the fate exchange was done, he truly treated the little junior sister well.

But his character was ruthless. When he treated someone nicely, it was really nice. When he treated someone badly, he wouldn’t show them any mercy.

Or there wouldn’t be “retribution” for him either.

Lu Zhi Wei had seen how the sect leader came to an end in the story, and she could deeply feel the principles that the scriptwriter wanted to convey to the audience.

—— Don’t hurt others, in the darkness, karma will come for you.

She got her makeup done and left for the set, hugging her script.

She suddenly wanted to laugh helplessly.

Someone who had never experienced parental love now had to act as if she was on very good terms with her father.

Acting truly was living a life, you could experience anything.

But the actor portraying the sect leader was Teacher Fang Sheng with dignified features and a kind gaze, looking every bit like a loving father.

And his acting skills were excellent, Lu Zhi Wei felt very comfortable acting with him.

Fang Sheng was much older than her, and even outside of filming, he would tease her and call her his daughter.

After a while, Lu Zhi Wei occasionally felt like she really was his daughter.

She didn’t mind it, it was just a running joke during work anyway.

Remember, she never had the right to enjoy these in the past.

Once Lu Zhi Wei got to the set, Fang Sheng smiled and greeted her: “Afternoon, good daughter.”

Lu Zhi Wei laughed and replied: “Die[1], good afternoon to you too.”

Fang Sheng asked: “Do you need to practice first?”

Lu Zhi Wei said gratefully: “If you don’t mind, I would certainly be willing to.”

Fang Sheng’s acting skills were really good, he was the previous year’s Golden Laurel Awards[2] winner for the best male supporting role category.

He was also passionate and willing to teach.

After acting together for a few scenes, Lu Zhi Wei’s acting had improved tremendously under his guidance.

Actors, they all had to rely on their own ability and work.

Great acting skills had to be present too.

Besides, the system was still waiting for her to become a top actress, how could she do it without working hard and studying?

So if Fang Sheng was willing to take the time to practice with and teach her, she was naturally willing to learn.

The two of them rehearsed for a while.

Fang Sheng rubbed his chin and thought, then said: “Let me carry you on my back at the end.”

Lu Zhi Wei blinked. Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

Fang Sheng pointed at the script and said: “Although my daughter is still young, but her personality is about the same as your character’s; they’re both a little childish.

“Every time I go home, my daughter loves to jump on my back and whine for me to carry her, she’s so lazy.

“Even my son has started learning from her. Now when I get home, sigh, I’m basically a transport machine.”

Although he looked like he disdained his children’s actions, his voice couldn’t hide the warmth and amusement he felt. Clearly, he didn’t truly dislike this sort of sweet burden.

Hearing it, Lu Zhi Wei couldn’t help but smile.

How nice.

She really envied people whose fathers’ loved them so much……

Ever since she changed phones, the chat with her parents was blank to this day.

She didn’t take the initiative to text them either.

Because she didn’t know what to say.

After she left home, she slowly lost the ability to communicate with her parents.

Because of her transparency before, nothing she did would be remembered, so she didn’t bother them anymore. She worked part-time as she studied at university to be able to pay her living expenses.

After she graduated, she rented her own place and lived on her own.

Nobody in her family thought about her, it was like she had been wiped from their world.

She had no power to change this reality, and she never once complained.

No matter what, at least her parents paid to let her be educated until university……

The road ahead could be walked by herself. She had done it for so many years, what was the rest of her life?

And as for why her parents still didn’t contact her now, she didn’t know why either.

Maybe, possibly, probably it was because they were like her, not knowing what to say to this child that they hadn’t talked to for years……

Gathering her thoughts, she nodded at Fang Sheng: “Teacher Fang, I know what to do.”

… Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

Once Fang Sheng got into character, the attitude of a powerful, prestigious sect leader immediately shone through.

He sat cross-legged on the lotus platform, meditating in silence.

After a while, the sound of footsteps slowly reached his ear.

He slowly opened his eyes and the lively girl skipping towards him entered his eyes.

The little junior sister sat by his side and called: “Die.”

The sect leader nodded lightly and smiled: “Mm, you’re here.”

Towards his daughter, his smiles always came easier than when with others.

Besides, this girl was the one who was able to save his biological daughter’s fate.

The sect leader asked warmly: “How has your training been lately?”

As if he was checking on her homework.

The little junior sister said: “It’s going well.”

Then she lifted her skirt slightly and ruffled them: “It’s just that when I was practising the fire spell, I burnt myself a little. Sigh, I’m so unlucky……”

The sect leader’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he asked: “Are you okay?”

“Not okay.” The little junior sister placed a hand on her heart and showed an exaggerated expression, her eyes gleaming. “I finally wore a pretty dress and it was burnt, my heart hurts!”

“……”

The sect leader laughed helplessly: “This girl, it’s just clothing, wear whatever you want.”

Then he glanced at the scorched skirt: “Die will use some fire silkworm cloth to get some clothes tailored for you, so you won’t have to worry about burning them.”

The little junior sister’s eyes lit up immediately: “Really, die?”

The sect leader nodded.

The little junior sister’s eyes curved into crescents: “Then you have to tell them to make it prettier. If it’s not pretty I won’t wear it.”

The sect leader smiled: “Yes yes yes, I’ll definitely let you wear the most beautiful clothes in the world. After you’ve put them on, nobody will look better than my daughter.”

The little junior sister chortled and shifted over to hug his arm, resting her head on his shoulder: “Die, you’re the best! I love you the most!”

She really did like her sect leader diedie.

Without this sect leader diedie, she would have died a long time ago.

She was an orphan from a young age, a little beggar that nobody wanted.

When the sect leader found her, she was only four years old.

She had rags hanging off her skinny frame and she was covered in filth, bending over to pick up a rotten apple by the roadside to eat.

It was the sect leader who had adopted her and given the best things in the world to her, leading to her rebirth today.

All these years, she had long since taken the sect leader to be her real father.

The sect leader smiled and patted her head, taking out an apple from his sleeve to pass to her.

She looked at the apple.

Sect leader: “Don’t you like apples?”

She smiled and took it.

Sighing, the sect leader ordered: “You’re not allowed to eat apples in the elders’ classes from now on.”

She laughed and bit into the apple, refusing to answer.

The sect leader patted her head again and got up, preparing to leave.

The little junior sister stood up hurriedly and whined: “Die, I can’t walk anymore, carry me.”

The sect leader stood there with his hands behind his back, watching her.

The little junior sister immediately started pretending her knees were going weak.

Shaking his head, the sect leader turned around and bent over slightly: “Come on up.”

The little junior sister immediately held onto the apple with her teeth as she jumped up happily.

“I really don’t know what to do with you.”

“Hehe.” Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

The sect leader carried his foster daughter and walked off into the distance.

Leaving the warm scene to the cameras.

“Cut ——”

Guo Hui shouted for the cameras to stop rolling.

Lu Zhi Wei immediately jumped off from Fang Sheng’s back, not daring to bite another piece of the apple off, in case it had to be used again.

She quickly ran to the screens to watch the scene.

This scene had been re-shot a few times, she didn’t know if this take would be good enough.

Watching for a while, Guo Hui was finally satisfied: “Mm, not bad. Xiao Lu’s performance is good in this take, let’s go with it.

“Teacher Fang, you can prepare for the next scene.”

She turned around to look at the girl holding onto the apple and smiled: “Eat it, eat it, don’t waste it.”

Lu Zhi Wei sighed in relief: “Thanks Director Guo, then I’ll go ahead.”

Because of the little junior sister’s character, she didn’t know how many apples she had eaten on set.

The props director called her and the little junior sister the “apple demolisher[3]“.

Since she was able to rest, Lu Zhi Wei walked away as she ate the apple.

As she was preparing to cut through the round moon archway the crew had constructed, she suddenly bumped into Sang Wan Ci.

They both stopped walking.

At that moment, the awkward memory rushed back in like a flood.

Lu Zhi Wei froze, forgetting to chew on the apple.

The atmosphere between the two descended into deadly silence again.

At this moment, the system seemed to be unable to take their silence and smashed a mission down, shattering the quietness in Lu Zhi Wei’s ears.

【Mission issued: Feed an apple to female lead Sang Wan Ci.

【Time limit: Ten minutes.】

Lu Zhi Wei: “?”

Outrageous, does this system know any etiquette!

I’ve already bitten into it, how can I feed it to someone!

Even though she was complaining, the mission still had to be done.

It was impossible for her to waste a precious immunity pass on this sort of stupid mission!

But the question remained, how to get Sang Wan Ci to take a bite……

Her brain was in turmoil right now.

She turned the apple a few times in her hand, then held it up to Sang Wan Ci’s mouth stiffly and smiled bitterly.

“…… Do, do you want some?”

Sang Wan Ci: “……”

Lu Zhi Wei: “……”

She was numb.

Kill me…… Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

What am I doing???

She slowly pulled her hand back: “Ah, I bit into it already…… I’ll go get a new apple for you!”

Besides, the system didn’t say it had to be the one she was holding on to.

Getting a new one and holding it in her hand to feed Sang Wan Ci, that was also considered completing the mission!

Having said that, she turned to rush to the props department.

If there were scenes involving the little junior sister, the props department would always prepare a bag of apples. If they weren’t used, everybody would help to finish them.

Sometimes they even took it to pretend it was the spiritual fruit in the drama.

But as she lifted her foot, Sang Wan Ci stopped her.

“No need.”

Lu Zhi Wei put her foot down slowly, pain showing in her eyes.

Those two words have determined that I’m going to be shocked……

Lu Zhi Wei, why is your life as this male lead so bitter?

Sang Wan Ci watched as she turned around slowly, spotting a trace of sadness in her eyes.

As if her heart had been broken by Sang Wan Ci.

Lu Zhi Wei felt she shouldn’t stay too long in this place.

If she continued staying here and the ten minutes were up, her knees would really have a big problem in Sang Wan Ci’s mind.

She touched the back of her hand and was about to say goodbye when Sang Wan Ci suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist.

She pulled it gently.

She lowered her eyes.

She bit into the apple.

Lu Zhi Wei was stunned.

【System judgement:

【Mission point +1.

【Please work hard, host.】

【System reminder: The host has accumulated five mission points, a prize can be drawn now.】

The continuous system notifications snapped Lu Zhi Wei out of her daze.

She didn’t think Sang Wan Ci would actually eat it.

She thought Sang Wan Ci wouldn’t like sharing an apple with someone, especially someone who accidentally kissed her yesterday.

The apple was crisp and sweet, with a faint, fruity aroma.

Sang Wan Ci felt it was like Lu Zhi Wei, refreshing.

Seeing Lu Zhi Wei in a daze, Sang Wan Ci let go of her wrist as she patted her hand.

“Don’t think too much.

“The apple’s nice.” Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

Two sentences that had no link to each other.

But Lu Zhi Wei could understand the comfort in her words.

—— Don’t take yesterday’s events to heart, we’re still friends.

Lu Zhi Wei opened her mouth and paused, finally saying those two words: “Thank you……”

Thank you for not despising me.

Sang Wan Ci frowned slightly: “Didn’t we agree not to be so formal?”

Lu Zhi Wei sighed in relief as her eyes sparkled with laughter: “But that’s all I can think of at this moment, please let me off this time, Teacher Sang.”

Sang Wan Ci looked at her for a moment.

“Alright, I’ll let you off this time.”

With just a few sentences, the awkwardness between the two of them was dissolved.

Lu Zhi Wei stopped thinking about yesterday’s mistake.

She smiled and stretched out her hand, rubbing Sang Wan Ci’s head: “Go film, I’m leaving.”

The next scene to be shot was Sang Wan Ci’s.

After today’s shoot, the two of them would be able to rest the whole day tomorrow.

Sang Wan Ci nodded.

The two of them walked off in different directions.

Lu Zhi Wei slowly bit into the apple as she looked for a place to rest.

Lao Wu came out: 【Do you want to draw the prize now?】

Lu Zhi Wei: 【No rush, good things come to those who wait. The more I want it, the more I won’t have it.

【Besides, that ridiculous prize pool of yours, I’m starting to feel that the quicker I draw, the lesser the chance of getting a good thing.

【Let’s take it slow. Drawing a prize out of the blue, my luck might not notice and I might be able to get the right to know the storyline!】

Lao Wu: 【……】

Alright, as long as you’re happy.

Just as Sang Wan Ci reached the set and was about to call out to Director Guo, Qiu Luo suddenly appeared.

“After we knock off tonight, I need to speak to you.”

Qiu Luo looked at her with a determined gaze.

“It’s very important.”

Sang Wan Ci didn’t reply.

Qiu Luo immediately used his ultimate move: “It has to do with Lu Zhi Wei.”

Sang Wan Ci looked at him passively.

“Where.”

… Please read at jiulian lian . wordpress . com

Qiu Luo invited Sang Wan Ci to meet in a coffee shop near the hotel.

H didn’t want anybody else to interrupt them, so he booked out the whole place.

Truthfully, he thought that someone like him with money and looks should be every woman’s ideal lover.

Lu Zhi Wei?

No chance, she didn’t have money or fame and she couldn’t provide the kind of life Wan Ci wanted.

Someone like Wan Ci should be supported and protected with all the best and most luxurious things.

Most importantly, how could Wan Ci like women?

Qiu Luo: Heh, Lu Zhi Wei, you don’t even meet the most basic criteria.

He smugly sipped his coffee as he looked at the person opposite him warmly.

Sang Wan Ci had no reaction to any of this.

From when she was a kid, the thing she lacked the least was money.

Once someone was rich enough, they didn’t care about money anymore.

She didn’t touch the cup of coffee in front of her, cutting to the chase immediately: “You can say it now.”

Qiu Luo put his cup down slowly, his elegant eyes filled with seriousness: “Have you never thought of something?”

Sang Wan Ci didn’t reply.

Qiu Luo continued: “Why does Lu Zhi Wei treat you so nicely?”

Sang Wan Ci folded her arms, her expression unchanging: “Why?”

She wanted to hear what he had to say about Lu Zhi Wei.

Qiu Luo’s heart ached when he saw that she clearly hadn’t figured out the meaning.

—— Wan Ci has indeed been deceived!

Qiu Luo’s face darkened: “Of course it’s because she likes you!”

Sang Wan Ci: “……?”

[1] 爹 – First, this is NOT pronounced die, like in English. More like “de-eh”. This is a more intimate way of calling a person’s father in ancient times, like “dad”. Doubling it up (diedie) is like “daddy”. Nobody really uses it anymore in this day and age, but you hear it a lot in dramas and shows set in older time periods. Unfortunately, I feel like writing “dad” doesn’t bring across the context well, so I’m going to have to use die for these situations.

[2] 金桂奖 – If you search for golden laurel awards on Google, it’s actually an award for producers etc. This should be for actors, maybe like the Emmys I suppose.

[3] 苹果杀手 – This actually translates to “apple killer”, but apple demolisher seems more apt I think lol.