Shi Lan had her first scene to shoot in the afternoon, which was Gu Chengyuâs second scene, outdoors at the lawn of the Western-style villa belonging to Gu Chengyuâs characterâs home, under a pouring rain.
The scene depicted the end of the wedding ceremony between the male and female leads, with Fan Yan, playing the bridesmaid, walking across the lawn with an umbrella and discovering the doctor dead on the lawn.
Fan Yanâs character, after being revised, turned out to be the male leadâs cousin and the female leadâs best friend, whose main purpose for returning from studying abroad was to seek revenge.
Thus, on the surface, she was a pampered and unreasonable rich heiress, but in truth, she was a cold-blooded, ruthless assassin.
Her presence also enriched the main storyline because her main role was not to serve as a foil to the romance of the male and female leads but to be the catalyst for the rise and fall of the two families.
She had killed the doctor, but she had to ensure that no one became suspicious; amidst the chaos, Fan Yan had to cover up while responding to Gu Chengyuâs questions.
The doctorâs death at the male leadâs wedding also unraveled many grudges from the past, marking the beginning of both familiesâ decline.
At that moment, Shi Lan, dressed in an apricot-colored jacket and skirt with a shawl over her shoulders, holding her script, was waiting for her scene on set.
It had to be said that Gu Chengyu had something special that allowed him to stand out among the young actors; he was a naturally gifted actor whose performance depended on his scene partners and the directorâs guidance. It was precisely because of Director Tangâs strict demands that Gu Chengyuâs portrayal of Qin Zhenglin brought the character of the buffoonish young master to life.
The scene just then was his wedding to Chen Beini, a marriage for business alliance purposes, in which the absurd young master Qin played a trick on the bride, sowing the seeds of enmity between the two families.
The scene was full of tension; after the two finished shooting, Director Tang took the lead in applauding to affirm Gu Chengyuâs acting.
Shi Lan heard the applause coming from inside the tent, and the staff praising Gu Chengyu for his talent and promising future, but she was unaffected.
Not far away, the water truck was already in place, just waiting for Director Tangâs command.
Sun Ling saw Shi Lanâs makeup was off, and intended to find the makeup artist for a touch-up. Just as she was about to turn around, she froze.
Because she saw Yan Shixiu, dressed in a black casual suit, striding toward them with his assistant, carrying an air of sophistication and handsomeness, yet with a coldness that kept others at bay.
Sun Ling did not dare to look directly into Yan Shixiuâs eyes and quickly greeted him with a respectful bow, âPresident Yan.â@@novelbin@@
Hearing Sun Lingâs voice, Shi Lan turned to glance, saw that it was indeed the so-called gentleman but quickly turned her head away, unconcerned with his presence.
âGo ahead with your work,â Yan Shixiu signaled Sun Ling not to mind him.
Sun Ling acknowledged with an âOhâ and hastened away.
Yan Shixiu approached Shi Lan. Without saying another word, he took two steps astray and stood behind her.
Though one stood and the other sat without any interaction, there was an air of ambiguity flowing between them.
Shi Lan was not at all uneasy, for the things she was accustomed to in her previous life couldnât make her feel constrained or nervous now, even if she tried.
This left Yan Shixiuâs assistant somewhat astonished.
For he felt that the way his boss interacted with this young actress was identical to how he used to be with his late wife.
In broad daylight, he thought he must be seeing a ghost. With this thought, the assistant couldnât help but shiver.
A moment later, Sun Ling and the makeup artist approached Shi Lan.
The makeup artist timidly glanced at Yan Shixiu, then knelt down to touch up Shi Lanâs makeup, while Sun Ling stood further back, adjusting Shi Lanâs shawl for her.
After having her lipstick and eyebrows touched up, Shi Lan couldnât turn around, so she reached back and asked Sun Ling for something, âWater.â
Sun Ling, who was a little away, didnât hear her; at that moment, Yan Shixiu took the water bottle he had drunk from, unscrewed the cap, and handed it to Shi Lanâ¦