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Chapter 31: Romance Drama
Meng Ying received a phone call while already asleep. She had just returned to the hotel, and it had started raining shortly afterward. The sound of the rain added to her exhaustion. After showering and drying her hair, she lay down to sleep. In a half-dazed state, she heard her phone ringing. She groped for it and answered, burying her face in the pillow. Her voice was soft, a little hoarse, “I was sleeping…”
She didn’t check who was calling, her tone slightly coquettish.
On the other end, the man paused for a moment, and the coldness in his expression slightly faded. His voice subconsciously softened, “You’re already asleep?”
“I’m at your door.”
“I’m not opening it, I’m really tired.” Meng Ying was still half-asleep, answering softly. Her voice was quite alluring. On the other end, Xu Dian’s voice lowered a little, “Then I won’t go in, but don’t hang up yet…”
“Oh, you talk, what’s going on?” Meng Ying only heard the man’s voice, which was deep and magnetic, almost like a dream. Her eyelids grew heavier with sleep.
His tone was softer than usual.
Xu Dian asked in a low voice, “Do you think we’re a good match?”
“You? Who are you?”
Xu Dian’s brows furrowed deeply.
“Xu… Dian,” he gritted his teeth.
Meng Ying seemed to wake up a bit. She struggled to grab her phone, glanced at the screen, then lay back down and said, “Not a match…”
“I really have to sleep now.” After saying that, she hung up.
Xu Dian: “…”
The next day, when they arrived at the set, Meng Ying passed by Director Lin’s resting room and overheard him yelling from inside. The sound was so frightening that everyone around avoided the door. Meng Ying raised an eyebrow and went straight into her makeup and rest room, taking a seat and starting her makeup.
Liu Qin came in with a kettle, placed it on the table, and leaned closer to ask the makeup artist, “What’s going on?”
“Li Yuan’er offended Xu Dian and was kicked out by him. Director Lin is on the phone yelling at her. Director Lin and Li Yuan’er are actually relatives, so…,” the makeup artist whispered.
Liu Qin was shocked. She looked at Meng Ying, who also opened her eyes and glanced at the makeup artist.
The makeup artist continued, “That’s why, when Li Yuan’er and Tang Yi were arguing that night, Director Lin came out to mediate. It’s because of this.”
“No wonder…” Liu Qin said, realizing, “I was wondering why a director would play peacemaker like that…”
Meng Ying closed her eyes again.
She could guess that Li Yuan’er must have gone to bother Xu Dian last night.
That actress sure was bold.
After finishing her makeup, they went to the shooting location. Director Lin still looked upset, with lingering anger. Standing behind the camera, he gestured and said, “The second female lead is temporarily vacant. We’ll hire someone in a couple of days. For now, you all continue shooting your scenes.”
“Especially Meng Ying and Qin Jun, shoot your romantic scenes first.” Director Lin’s tone remained flat, and he kept gripping the script with furrowed brows, still apparently troubled by Li Yuan’er’s situation.
Meng Ying nodded.
As she turned, she noticed that the file cabinet Xu Dian had been leaning on the previous day was empty. She smiled and quickly looked away.
Qin Jun came out of the makeup room, changed into his costume. They still had some scenes left to film from the previous day in the interrogation room, so they continued today. With Li Yuan’er gone, everyone likely heard the news, but no one dared to ask any questions. The filming proceeded as scheduled, starting with the police station scenes and later transitioning to the villa of the male lead.
At the villa, most of the scenes were romantic ones between Meng Ying and Qin Jun.
Moon Yan would search for evidence there.
But she would also dress in a skirt she didn’t like and eat jam sandwiches and juice she didn’t enjoy, just to please Zhang Heshen.
These were all foods her younger sister, Yue Ling, liked. Before filming, Meng Ying sat in the resting room, trying to get into the mood. She closed her eyes as images from her mind swirled—memories from a year ago, and even from a few years ago, passing by one after another. When she opened her eyes again, they were filled with emotion.
She stood up, adjusted her dress. Today she wore a spaghetti strap dress, her long, fair legs and deep collarbones visible, her long hair flowing loosely. She pushed open the door.
Qin Jun, playing Zhang Heshen, was leaning against the opposite wall. He instinctively stood up straighter, his eyes deeply fixed on her face and body, filled with shock. He subconsciously took a step forward, wanting to get closer to her.
“Yue Ling…”
The camera circled around Meng Ying, capturing the look in her eyes. Meng Ying blushed slightly and looked into Qin Jun’s eyes, her gaze full of love, a love so apparent. Qin Jun was drawn into the scene as well, extending his hand to take hers. Meng Ying placed her hand in his palm, her eyebrows lowered, and in the shot, she looked as if she was deeply in love with someone.
She was willing to change for him, to do things she didn’t like. Director Lin sat on a chair, leaning forward to watch the footage, then hesitated, saying, “Meng Ying’s acting… she’s really into the role. Has she truly loved someone before?”
He asked quietly, knowing that only someone who had loved could convey such emotions, making it easier to empathize and get into character.
Xu Dian stood behind, silent.
He raised his eyes, looking at the woman in the monitor. She glanced toward him, those eyes still filled with affection. Xu Dian suddenly stepped back two paces. When he looked up again, Meng Ying’s eyes had cleared, and she smiled at him. Xu Dian’s throat tightened.
The next scene involved Meng Ying, dressed in a skirt, searching for clues under Qin Jun’s gaze, the tender moments few and far between.
It was now business as usual. Qin Jun sat on the sofa, smiling as he said to Meng Ying, “You’re quite impressive.”
His emotional scenes hadn’t been great, but he hadn’t expected her to lift the performance.
Director Lin handed the set over to the assistant director, stood up, and went downstairs. As he reached the door, he saw Xu Dian getting into the car and hurried over. Placing his hand on the car window, he whispered, “Mr. Xu.”
Xu Dian took a drag from his cigarette, a smile on his lips, looking at Director Lin.
That one look left Director Lin speechless. After a pause, he hesitantly said, “Li Yuan’er’s personality is like that, but she’s not a bad person, and her acting skills are good. She’s suitable for the second female lead… What do you think?”
Xu Dian took the cigarette from his mouth, playing with it lazily and said with a smile, “Director Lin, hire someone first. Don’t delay the progress.”
Director Lin froze.
He had no choice but to let go.
The Mercedes started, the window rolled up, and the car drove away.
At that moment, on set, the assistant stagehand brought in a large box of food, containing freshly fried chicken cutlets and milk tea. She shouted loudly, “It was ordered by Mr. Xu! Oh my gosh, he’s handsome and generous! Are you all happy?”
The crowd cheered, all expressing their joy.
Meng Ying wiped the lipstick from her lips. Chen Jie gasped, “Meng Ying, it’s all your favorite food! It’s all here! Oh my god.”
Meng Ying glanced at the boxes of food. Liu Qin brought her a thermos and said, “It was all bought for you, wasn’t it?”
“Very thoughtful,” Meng Ying smiled.
She took the milk tea and chicken cutlet from Chen Jie, bowed her head, and started eating. After filming wrapped for the day, around 7:30 p.m., there were no night shoots lately. Meng Ying and the crew headed back to the hotel.
Liu Qin and Chen Jie went to the hotel restaurant to get food, while Meng Ying returned first. As she just opened the room key, she saw Xu Dian sitting on the sofa, flipping through a magazine.
His long legs were crossed, and the collar of his shirt was slightly open.
Meng Ying frowned.
She closed the door, put down her small bag, and hung her coat. “How did you get here?”
Behind her, the magazine was shut. Xu Dian stood up and walked behind the mirror, quietly watching Meng Ying. The gaze in her eyes was indifferent, as though the emotions from just filming had never existed. Meng Ying raised an eyebrow, tied her hair up, turned around, and casually glanced at him.
That glance.
Xu Dian suddenly reached out, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into his arms. The next second, Meng Ying was thrown onto the sofa. Just as she turned around, Xu Dian leaned down, tugged open the collar of his shirt, pressed his long leg between hers, and looked down at her from above. Then, he removed his glasses.
His eyes held a cold, vicious glint.
Meng Ying frowned again.
Then, she smiled and cupped his face. “What are you doing?”
Xu Dian pinched her chin and lifted it, his thin lips pressed together. “You…”
Where did all those deep, affectionate looks go?
His throat moved, hesitating for a moment before saying, “I was…”
Before he finished speaking, she tilted her head back and kissed his thin lips, her fingers slipping inside his shirt collar. Xu Dian’s fingers tightened, and the next second, he kissed her back fiercely. He then pulled her top out from her waistband and flipped her over.
The lights in the room flickered.
Meng Ying gritted her teeth, clutching the sofa cover.
At that moment, Xu Dian held her waist, breathing heavily as he said, “Can you just listen to me for a moment? Hmm?”
But his actions didn’t stop, becoming more forceful. Meng Ying let out a low laugh, gritting her teeth, and turned her head to kiss him. When she pulled away, she smiled, “Isn’t this better?”
“I don’t want to hear any of your nonsense.”
Those words.
Totally provoked him. He squeezed her waist fiercely, and the door banged repeatedly. Liu Qin and the others had returned with the food. Meng Ying lowered her head, sweat dripping from her forehead.
Xu Dian lifted her, turned her around, and then walked toward the door while holding her.
Meng Ying froze for two seconds and grabbed his arm forcefully. Xu Dian sneered at her and immediately pushed her against the door.
Meng Ying gripped his back.
When she got angry, she bit his shoulder, but Xu Dian ignored it, lowering his head to kiss her. The door occasionally made a dull thud as if being knocked.
In Xu Dian’s mind, the look she gave Qin Jun earlier today while filming echoed, and he became more aggressive, gazing down at her and asking, “Why did you look at Qin Jun like that?”
Meng Ying’s back was drenched in sweat.
She didn’t dare to speak, burying her head without responding.
What a strange question.
At some point, the knocking on the door outside stopped. Xu Dian straightened his shirt, lifted his eyelids to speak. But before he could, Meng Ying suddenly yanked the door open, and in the next second, Xu Dian was pushed out. Before he could react, his glasses and phone were thrown out, landing straight on his chest.
Then—
Bang—
The door slammed shut.
He looked down at his glasses and phone, and after a few seconds, he turned around.
He met the stunned expressions of Liu Qin and Chen Jie, who had knocked for a long time. They had heard noises inside and were so scared that they called the police.
The coldness in the man’s eyes was palpable.
But his shirt wasn’t buttoned properly, exposing his chest. His trousers were neat, but the shirt hung loosely, not tucked in. Upon closer inspection, there were scratch marks all over his neck.
Liu Qin picked up her phone, intending to tell the police to cancel the call.
But then—
The elevator doors suddenly opened.
Three plainclothes police officers stepped out, one of them holding a stun baton, and they approached Xu Dian, pointing at him.
Xu Dian glanced at them, then briefly scanned Liu Qin. She took a deep breath and said, “We… called the police.”
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