Chapter 35: Wrap-up

Xu Dian’s kisses fell softly and gently on her cheek, and then he turned over, pinning her down on the bed, advancing toward her. Meng Ying tilted her neck, gripping the pillow.

He lowered his head and kissed her.

Their eyes met, reflecting each other.

Xu Dian became more intense, speeding up.

Meng Ying touched his face, then quickly bit her lower lip, turning her head.

Her hair spread across her face, neck, shoulders, and collarbone, beautiful like a blooming flower. Xu Dian’s gaze never left her, as he thrust into her, each movement deliberate.

Outside, the storm raged, the wind making the curtains flap, while inside, the bedside light illuminated them with a warm orange glow. His long fingers pressed into her mouth, and he leaned down, kissing her ear, whispering, “Meng Ying.”

His voice was very low.

Meng Ying hummed in response, holding him.

“Zhang…”

“Xu Dian.”

She had intended to say something else but changed her words.

Due to the sound of the rain, it was unclear, slightly muffled, and the previous “Zhang” wasn’t heard clearly. Xu Dian hummed in acknowledgment.

That night, the storm never stopped. Meng Ying was too exhausted to move, and she vaguely remembered taking another shower later.

The hot water washed over her.

She was extremely tired.

The man carried her back to bed.

In her dreams, everything was strange and surreal.

Meng Ying dreamt of many things.

But only the image of the Buddha Mountain remained clear. The next morning, she woke up to find the space beside her bed empty. She sat up, the blanket slipping off her, and sat silently for a few seconds before getting out of bed.

She got dressed, and the sky outside had already brightened, the sunlight breaking through the clouds. She tied her hair up and walked out of the room.

Xu Dian sat on the couch, his fingers moving the mouse.

His silver-rimmed glasses faintly glimmered. He looked up and met her gaze. Meng Ying smiled slightly and walked over, sitting beside him.

Xu Dian set the mouse down and wrapped his arm around her waist, saying, “I’ve ordered breakfast. It will be here soon.”

“Mm.” Meng Ying glanced at the computer in front of her.

The screen was filled with English.

When she had first gone to the finance department to find him, she had seen him leaning over his desk, speaking fluently in English with someone. That had been Meng Ying’s weak point. Afterward, she revisited English, took supplementary courses, and barely passed the CET-4 and CET-6 exams.

Speaking of which, she still had to thank him.

Meng Ying smiled.

Not long after, breakfast arrived. After they ate, Xu Dian received a phone call and told Meng Ying, “I have to go to Liao Mountain. I’ll be back in about two days.”

Meng Ying held her soy milk, sipping through the straw, and nodded.

“Mm.”

Xu Dian put down his phone, leaned on the back of the sofa, and moved closer. Then he kissed her nose.

Meng Ying smiled.

Their noses brushed lightly. She blinked, making his heart flutter. After lingering for a while, Xu Dian finally got up, tying his tie. Meng Ying set her soy milk cup down, stood, and walked over to him. She reached out to take his tie. Xu Dian released it, looking down at her. She wasn’t wearing slippers, her bare feet against the floor.

The strap of her dress slightly slipped off her shoulder, exposing smooth, pale skin, and she wasn’t wearing a bra.

He saw it all at once.

His hand moved to her waist, brushing against it.

He felt a bit reluctant.

The sun had risen high, casting a golden glow into the room. The moisture on the floor had been absorbed. Meng Ying, still in her sleepwear, walked Xu Dian to the door. She followed him outside, but stopped behind the door. Xu Dian had his coat in one hand and his phone and car keys in the other. He turned and leaned in to kiss her lips.

After the kiss, with a smile, he said, “I’m leaving.”

“Okay.”

Meng Ying smiled.

Xu Dian kissed her again before turning and heading to the elevator.

Bang!

Meng Ying closed the door.

Back in the room, Meng Ying sat on the sofa, picking up her script and flipping through it. After a while, her WeChat notifications sounded, the crew had sent a message.

“We’re ready to start filming!”

As soon as the message was sent, there was a knock on her door. She stood up and went to answer it. Liu Qin and Chen Jie were outside, with Liu Qin holding up her phone. “Filming’s starting!”

Chen Jie peeked inside, her eyes scanning the room.

Meng Ying smiled and stepped back two paces, saying, “He’s on a business trip.”

“I’m going to change clothes.” With that, she turned and entered the bedroom.

Liu Qin and Chen Jie both breathed a sigh of relief and waited a few seconds before walking into the house. Sure enough, there was no one on the sofa.

After changing into a different dress, the three of them headed to the filming location. Upon arriving, they entered the makeup room. Li Yuan’er saw that Meng Ying had arrived and secretly took a photo with her phone, which she then sent to Xu Dian.

Li Yuan’er: Mr. Xu, here’s a photo.

Xu Dian: Mm.

Li Yuan’er was a bit shocked. Mr. Xu actually replied? Was he in a good mood?

The weather cleared up, so they could start filming the outdoor scenes. The case was close to being solved, and Yue Yan was in plain clothes, heading to the area where the suspect lived to gather information.

Zhang Hesheng also followed her, and Yue Yan had no choice but to let him follow along quietly without speaking too much. He suggested, “Yue Yan, if we pretend to be a couple, it might seem more real.”

He called her Yue Yan, not Yue Ling.

This made Yue Yan’s heart race, and, almost involuntarily, she agreed.

This was also a scene that exposed Zhang Hesheng’s character.

After changing into her costume and finishing her makeup, Meng Ying came out wearing jeans, a white top, and a baseball cap. Across from her, in the makeup room, Qin Jun, dressed in a black top and gray casual pants, also walked out. Meng Ying tilted her cap down slightly, looking at Qin Jun. When he saw her, he clicked his tongue twice.

“Impressive, you’re already getting into character before we even start filming.”

They walked side by side, and Qin Jun added, “If I didn’t know this was a film, I’d think you were in love with me.”

Throughout the filming of this movie, Qin Jun had developed a great respect for Meng Ying’s acting skills. He knew she was empathetic, and from what he had heard, her empathy might have something to do with Xu Dian. He understood that she was able to immerse herself in her role, but he couldn’t help but notice how she, a beautiful actress, was looking at him this way. In the film, aside from playing a police officer, her character was often very gentle.

He could hardly resist.

Tsk, tsk.

At least the filming was finally nearing its end.

Suddenly, he said with envy, “Ah, the man you’re getting emotionally involved with must be so lucky.”

Meng Ying smiled but didn’t respond to him.

Filming the outdoor scenes was more challenging than the indoor ones. The car followed behind, and Director Lin sat inside, holding the script. He was behind the camera and said, “Meng Ying, when you say your lines, remember to bend down a bit, be more natural, and look up towards that window. Great, your state is perfect.”

“Qin Jun, you need to have more emotion in your eyes. Bring the mood in. You can steal her hand, like that, yes,” Director Lin instructed, glancing at the clapperboard.

“Action.”

The clapperboard snapped shut.

Yue Yan sat in the narrow alley, chatting with the old woman. Her gaze casually drifted upward, scanning the window that could potentially belong to the suspect. The alley was so narrow that only two people could fit. Zhang Hesheng stood beside her, wanting to ask a question, but his hand accidentally brushed against Yue Yan’s hand. He touched her lightly at first, but then, he quietly held her hand.

Yue Yan froze for a moment, lowering her head, her ears turning red.

Zhang Hesheng blushed too. He looked up quickly to avoid the awkwardness but accidentally locked eyes with a pair of black, bloodshot eyes from the window.

He froze for a second.

He looked again.

The eyes were gone.

The next two days were filled with outdoor scenes. This afternoon, they were filming the final scene, where Zhang Hesheng is shot by the killer, and Yue Yan steps forward to take the bullet for him. Just before this scene, one minute earlier, Zhang Hesheng had been telling Yue Yan to wear a dress.

Yue Yan went to change into the dress, but she was reluctant and troubled. She didn’t want to continue taking her sister’s place; she wanted to return to being herself.

She wanted to know if Zhang Hesheng loved her or her sister.

After changing into the dress, her hair flowing down her shoulders, Meng Ying’s mind was filled with memories from a year ago— the big red dress, the large door, the glamorous stars, Xu Dian not far away, holding a drink, with Yang Rou standing next to him, wearing red earrings and eyeliner.

She pushed open the door and stepped out.

The entire crew was stunned by the look in her eyes.

Director Lin’s eyes lit up, and he shouted, “Quick, quick, start! That’s the look we need! Qin Jun, get over here, yes, just like that. Everyone, come here!”

The whole crew instantly became busy.

Meng Ying stood at her designated spot.

Qin Jun walked toward the door, heading outside while holding his phone, speaking with someone on the other end. It was Yue Ling’s voice.

“Action.”

The clapperboard snapped shut.

Yue Yan chased after him, stumbling in the ill-fitting dress, calling out Zhang Hesheng’s name. Finally, she spotted him and rushed forward.

“Hesheng!”

Zhang Hesheng turned his head and saw Yue Yan. He hesitated for a moment, as though he saw Yue Ling in front of him. Yue Yan grabbed his hand, taking a deep breath.

Not far away.

A black Mercedes drove up and stopped. The car window rolled down, and a man’s arm, adorned with a watch, rested on the window. Xu Dian, holding a cigarette, looked over.

At that moment, Meng Ying, still acting, lifted her gaze, and Qin Jun did the same. The two of them locked eyes, as if no one else existed. Xu Dian caught the look on Meng Ying’s face.

Her eyes were full of tenderness and love. She held Qin Jun’s hand and said, “Zhang Hesheng, I… I love you.”

Her expression.

Xu Dian abruptly pulled the cigarette out of his mouth.

Zhang Hesheng.

She called his name so emotionally.

Just like that night, when the door opened, and she called out “Zhang Hesheng.”

Her tenderness.

Was it all for Zhang Hesheng?

Bang—

The sound of a gunshot rang out. Yue Yan threw herself in front of Zhang Hesheng, falling into his arms. She raised her hand weakly, brushing his face.

“I just want to be Yue Yan, not Yue Ling.”

“Cut, that’s a wrap! Meng Ying’s scene is done!” Director Lin laughed, clapping the script in his hands. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Xu Dian walking over. He froze for a moment, then waved and smiled, “Xu…”

Before he could finish calling out.

Xu Dian grabbed Meng Ying’s hand forcefully, holding it tightly. His eyes were filled with anger. “You look at me the same way you look at Zhang Hesheng, with the same expression, you treat me like… a substitute…”

Meng Ying’s gaze cleared.

The moment the scene wrapped, she snapped back to reality. She looked at her wrist and tilted her head with a smile. “Mr. Xu…”

“Mr. Xu, isn’t it something you’ve done before? Finding a substitute?” Liu Qin’s voice drifted over from a distance.

Xu Dian’s fingers tightened. He raised his head and looked at Liu Qin, who was standing not far away.

A few seconds passed.

He lowered his head.

He looked at the woman in front of him—her eyes clear, smiling, with no trace of tenderness or love left in her expression.

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