Pei Liang squeezed another thirty million yuan out of Pei’s dad, filling the contingency funding gap as well. Now everything was finally in place.
Since the entire crew needed time to work together, she chose to shoot the domestic scenes first.
Ninety-five percent of the movie took place overseas, but a few transition scenes at the beginning and the post-credits scene at the end had to be filmed domestically.
The shoot would not take long—two or three days at most—but it was an important opportunity for the crew to get used to working together.
That way, they could avoid running into all sorts of problems after arriving overseas. Fixing those issues then would cost far more.
As they say, Pei Liang’s luck when it came to making money had never been bad. Even in those short two or three days, the professionalism and teamwork of the production crew were beyond reproach.
After all, this was a team personally assembled by the veteran Director Liu. The actors also worked well together. They were all equally obscure, so there was no reason for any of them to overpower the others.
Pei Liang held absolute authority over the production. Without having to deal with pressure from investors, having a single person in charge truly was the best accelerator for efficiency.
The trouble, however, came from the actress playing the boss.
She had joined the production two days earlier, and all her scenes had already been completed. Her visa, plane ticket, hotel, and everything else for the trip to the gambling capital had been arranged. Then, on the day before they were due to board the plane, her agent suddenly called Director Liu to request termination of the contract.
To avoid attracting too much attention from the outside world, Director Liu had handled most matters concerning the movie himself. As a result, in the eyes of most people, he was still the one in charge.
Director Liu tried desperately to persuade them to stay, but the other side remained determined to terminate the contract. With no other choice, he made several calls to acquaintances in the industry to ask around. Only then did he learn the real reason.
“Her agent really came through this time. He managed to land her the role of the third female lead in Director Ke’s new movie, and they’ve already started discussing the contract. That’s why she’s doing everything possible to free up her schedule.”
Director Ke was one of the most renowned directors in the country. He had made several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, although in recent years he had not produced anything particularly outstanding.
There had been two or three movies during that period, but all of them had received mediocre responses—neither failures nor successes.
Even so, his status in the industry remained unquestioned. Moreover, his new project was supposedly backed by a three-hundred-million-yuan investment and adapted from a hugely popular IP. It had been heavily promoted ever since casting began.
The actor with the loudest calls to play the male lead—and the one countless fans of the original novel believed was the perfect embodiment of the character—was last year’s newly crowned Best Actor, Xie Chen.
The film was clearly aiming for the prime Labor Day holiday release window the following year. Among the movies already expected to premiere around that time, excluding any foreign blockbusters that might be imported, Director Ke’s project was, at least for now, the strongest and best-funded contender.
“And if everything goes smoothly, it’ll even be competing with us,” Director Liu said gloomily.
“No, seriously, how can she be so dishonorable? When she had no work, we never looked down on her. She signed with us without a second thought, and we didn’t even lowball her pay. We gave her all the benefits other productions offer their female leads.”
“Now she’s terminating her contract and abandoning the entire crew even though she hasn’t signed the other contract yet. We’re leaving for the gambling capital tomorrow. Where are we supposed to find a replacement at the last minute?”
“This isn’t some ordinary part. It’s the female lead—the female lead!”
Pei Liang said, “Enough. Complaining won’t help now. A last-minute breach here in the country is still better than her walking out halfway through filming overseas.”
“Objectively speaking, the opportunity to play the female lead in a third-rate production that might not even get released, versus working with a famous director on a major production with an all-star cast—choosing the latter, even at the cost of paying a breach-of-contract fee, is perfectly understandable.”
To be fair, the actress had made her decision decisively. The movie had only been filming for a few days, so the cost of breaking the contract was still low. If she had waited until halfway through production, the termination fee for a principal actor would have increased along with the filming progress and the amount already invested in the movie.
By then, both sides would have been in a difficult position.
Director Liu said anxiously, “That may be true, but where are we going to find a replacement on such short notice?”
Pei Liang thought it over for a moment, then made up her mind. “I’ll do it.”
“President Pei, you… Actually, you really could.” Director Liu was startled, then immediately became excited. “Your aura matches Gu Fei’s, and there’s hardly anyone in the crew who understands the female lead better than you do.”
“During the filming these past two days, I watched you explain the performance you wanted from the actors. When you stepped in front of the camera, I noticed that you were very responsive to it.”
“We’ll set aside whether you can act for now, but you look excellent on camera. As long as there aren’t too many intense emotional shifts, there shouldn’t be much of a problem.”
“At worst, we’ll set aside some extra time and I’ll break everything down and teach you bit by bit.”
Pei Liang was not camera-shy. In her previous life, she had given countless interviews, several of them at the request of friends or pretty boys and with an element of reality-show performance involved.
She had always been relaxed, natural, witty, and full of presence.
Even if that could not be taken as proof of any particular acting talent, Gu Fei was a character whose temperament closely resembled her own. Even if Pei Liang did not perform the role perfectly, she would never look so awkward that she pulled viewers out of the story.
And if the result truly was not ideal, they could always find a Chinese actress through the local actors’ union. In any case, the crew could not afford to delay its departure.
The next day, Pei Liang met Director Liu at the airport, and the entire crew flew out together. After confirming that no people or equipment had been left behind, Pei Liang and Director Liu boarded the following flight.
They were traveling first class. The moment they entered the plane through the private passageway, they saw the man whose name was being promoted most aggressively online as the male lead of Director Ke’s movie—the only thing missing was an official announcement.
It was Xie Chen.
Xie Chen was heading to the gambling capital to audition for a film role.
It was part of a movie franchise, one of the most profitable IPs in cinematic history. Xie Chen had been a fan of the series since childhood.
When he heard that the new installment included an important Asian character, he had immediately asked his agent to make contact and arrange an audition. In the end, he had been given the opportunity.
His itinerary was highly confidential. Even his fans knew nothing about it. Most people inside and outside the industry still assumed that he would play the male lead in Director Ke’s new movie.
His agent advised him, “Why don’t you avoid making your position so absolute? If you don’t get this role, you’ll still have Director Ke’s film as a backup.”
“If you don’t accept any work this year, you won’t have a movie coming out next year. At least don’t leave your fans waiting for an entire year.”
“Director Ke has been more than accommodating. He’s still keeping the male lead position open for you even at this stage.”
Xie Chen gave a mocking laugh. “Stop putting in a good word for him. If there’s no suitable project, I’ll just go home, watch movies, and play video games. I’d rather lie around at home until I grow mold than take a role in that kind of film.”
Seeing that his agent was about to say more, Xie Chen impatiently cut him off. “That movie was always an IP centered on the female lead. You know better than anyone who it’s really meant to promote.”
“It’s not that I can’t play second fiddle. The president of Huiyuan is willing to spend a fortune, but he doesn’t have enough clout to make the entire film industry fawn over him.”
“And stop putting Director Ke on a pedestal. What do you mean, he’s keeping the male lead position open for me? He’s become more and more shameless about chasing money over the past two years. He’s been using my name to promote this project for so long. I haven’t publicly humiliated him only out of consideration for the fact that we worked together in the past.”
The agent shook his head. “With your personality, you have to be a little muddleheaded about a lot of things in this industry. You do President Chen a favor this time, and when something good comes up next time, he’ll naturally return it.”
“With that kind of investment and Director Ke in charge, the finished film can’t possibly be that terrible. Even if President Chen’s second wife is hopeless, as long as you do your own scenes well, the audience will naturally blame her.”
“At most, people will say you chose the wrong movie. Then the company can steer public opinion and frame you as someone who was dragged down against his will. There’s nothing to lose.”
“But my reputation for ‘Xie Chen never makes a bad movie’ will be ruined.” Xie Chen frowned at his agent. “As a film actor, you do know how important one’s reputation is, don’t you?”
Put simply, reputation meant box-office appeal. Though Xie Chen was only half the age of many veteran Best Actors, he had consistently ranked among the top three male actors in the country when it came to drawing audiences to theaters.
Xie Chen had gotten a much higher starting point than most people. Others had to struggle to get into acting schools or compete for opportunities among countless extras.
He had never needed to.
He was blessed with both talent and extraordinary luck.
While traveling to a remote scenic spot with his classmates in high school, he happened to run into a film crew shooting there. The director took one look at him and immediately pulled him over for a makeover and audition. Then he kicked the male lead’s second-in-command—whose performance had made him furious—off the set on the spot.
That film went on to win numerous awards and achieve both critical and commercial success. It became a sensation that year and earned Xie Chen his first award:
Best Newcomer.
The male lead was a veteran actor over fifty, so Xie Chen received most of the film’s popularity dividends.
Despite such an impressive beginning, Xie Chen did not rush to abandon his studies and accept the many offers that came his way.
During university, he carefully selected a few films that interested him. He did not produce many, but every one was a quality work.
By the time he graduated, he had already won countless awards at a young age and become a male actor with tremendous box-office appeal. Since he had also developed a genuine and growing interest in film, he finally decided to enter the industry full-time.
Someone whose path had been this smooth, as though Heaven itself were watching over him—though he was no longer a newcomer to show business, it was hardly surprising that he remained proud, difficult to deal with, and inexperienced in the ways of the world, having never been beaten down by reality.
As his agent, Zhang Li could only sigh. “The market has changed over the past few years. Good movies are getting harder and harder to find. You can’t keep yourself on hiatus forever just to uphold these principles, can you?”
“This movie isn’t being made with the intention of turning out a disaster, either. The production team is right there, after all. In the past, you were young, and people in the industry were especially tolerant of you. But things are different now. You can’t spend your whole life being so picky that you refuse to eat unless the menu contains exactly what you like.”
“When you have no more work left, it won’t be you choosing projects anymore. The projects will be choosing you.”
Xie Chen shot Zhang Li a sidelong glance, his expression half amused and half mocking. “Do you know what you sounded like just now?”
“What?”
“Like one of those old aunts who corner young women barely in their twenties during the New Year and nag them to get married.”
“Ugh—”
Zhang Li was so irritated by the jab that he wanted to argue back, but the displeasure written plainly across Xie Chen’s face stopped him.
Xie Chen said, “You say it isn’t being made as a bad movie? Three hundred million sounds like a lot, but how much of that went to the all-star cast in paychecks alone?”
“It’s a big-budget xianxia production. The sets, costumes, and special effects all cost a fortune, and high-quality effects take a long time to complete.”
“It’s already November, and they’ve only just finished casting. They have barely five months for filming, editing, postproduction, special effects, and the final publicity campaign. With that little time, how can it not be a bad movie? Hah!”
Xie Chen had not failed to notice that his ideas and the company’s were drifting farther and farther apart. That was not a good sign.
He was proud and aloof, not stupid. When an actor and his agency gradually moved in different directions, if their differences could not be reconciled, then ultimately—
The atmosphere had grown somewhat tense when Pei Liang and Director Liu were ushered in by a flight attendant.
Zhang Li looked up, recognized Pei Liang at once, and took the opportunity to change the subject.
He nudged Xie Chen. “Look who we’ve run into.”
Xie Chen raised his head. To be honest, he did not recognize Pei Liang. He had a touch of face blindness, and although he had occasionally seen Pei Liang during her girl-group days, he had never been able to connect the face to the name.
But now, with her approaching them directly, he found his gaze caught by her extraordinarily recognizable beauty and overwhelming presence.
She wore a simple white dress with clean lines, topped with a white coat. Her hair was slicked back, revealing flawless features that needed no adornment.
Her eyes were deep and commanding, the tips of her brows and eyes slightly raised. She made no attempt to hide her aggressive edge.
When she drew closer, Xie Chen caught sight of her profile. Her nose was straight and exquisitely formed, while the perfect line of her jaw flowed down into her neck, leaving him momentarily parched.
Director Liu, walking behind Pei Liang, recognized the two men first and hurriedly greeted them with great enthusiasm. “Oh, Best Actor Xie, Agent Zhang—what a coincidence! Are you two on your way to Las Vegas—”
Zhang Li smiled. “Just going there to relax.”
They had to keep the audition confidential for now.
Whether Director Liu believed him or not, he acted as though he did and cheerfully said, “We’re going to Las Vegas to shoot a movie. If you two happen to have time, come by the set and take a look.”
Zhang Li exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries with him before Director Liu made the introductions.
“This is President Liang, the investor in this film.”
“President Liang, I’m sure I don’t need to introduce Best Actor Xie and Agent Zhang?”
Pei Liang smiled and nodded at the two men. She showed no intention of continuing the conversation or exchanging contact information, and went straight to her seat.
As it happened, her seat was right next to theirs, with only an aisle separating her from Xie Chen.
Zhang Li thought that the rumors about the young heiress planning to leave the industry were probably true. Otherwise, she would not have been so cold toward them.
Yet Director Liu had said they were going to Las Vegas to shoot a film, and was treating her like a financier.
Director Liu’s films were notorious in the industry for letting anyone in as long as they paid. Pei Liang could not possibly be investing in such a production just to throw money away. Most likely, she had bought herself the female lead.
But if she was switching to film acting, that contradicted his earlier conclusion.
Zhang Li was lazily mulling it over when he turned around and saw Xie Chen staring at her. He had been looking for quite a while and still had not pulled his eyes away.
How could Zhang Li not know him?
Xie Chen had a face so stunning that men and women alike would go weak in the knees at the sight of him.
In reality, however, he was extraordinarily fussy. Not only was he willful and self-centered, but he was also sharp-tongued. Strangers rarely saw that side of him, but the closer someone was to him, the more they had to coax and indulge him.
Otherwise, he would get upset.
With his looks, combined with the fact that he had reached such heights in his career at such a young age, countless women had pursued him relentlessly.
He simply had the emotional awareness of a wooden post. Whenever someone tried to get close, flirt, or cultivate an ambiguous relationship with him, he could usually infuriate them to death with a single sentence.
It was rare to see him stare so intently at a woman.
Zhang Li considered it for a moment. Pei Liang’s appearance and aura must have struck a chord with Xie Chen’s aesthetic preferences.
He poked Xie Chen in the arm. “What? Taken with her?”
“Her personality probably won’t mesh well with yours.”
Xie Chen withdrew his gaze and raised an eyebrow at Zhang Li, signaling for him to explain.
Zhang Li said, “That whole Cui Ying mess has been making waves these past two days, hasn’t it? Cui Ying’s studio is going to suffer serious damage this time. Even after the storm blows over, Cui Ying will never be able to return to the way things were.”
“Cui Ying’s backers are ruthless, and they’ll stop at nothing to make money. The fanbase they cultivated is the most organized and disciplined there’s ever been. Haven’t they always gotten their way wherever they went? This time, though, that young lady brought them down single-handedly.”
“Look at her now, leisurely flying abroad to make a movie, while Cui Ying’s people are practically hiring someone to take her out.”
“Didn’t you say that the atmosphere online had improved a lot whenever you happened to go online lately? That was her doing too.”
“And I heard she terminated her contract with her former agency. She caused such a huge mess, yet there hasn’t been even the slightest dispute over breach of contract. That shows how formidable she is.”
“A woman that capable? You simple-minded fellows can admire her from a distance, but don’t get involved.”
Xie Chen hadn’t been online lately, and his assistant had relayed all the major news in the entertainment industry to him. He knew there was someone like that, but he hadn’t expected her to be the woman standing right in front of him.
Zhang Li should have known better than to say all that. Instead, he had stirred up Xie Chen’s stubborn streak.
With a scornful laugh, Xie Chen said, “Only useless men are intimidated by strong women. A truly outstanding man doesn’t need to look for a sense of superiority in front of a woman.”
Zhang Li was momentarily speechless, then nodded. “Say whatever you want. The last person who went up against her, Cui Ying, is already dead. Someone who can cut off a man’s livelihood with a single move like that—you’d better stay away from her and stop inviting trouble.”
Xie Chen refused to believe it. The more Zhang Li tried to suppress him, the more fired up he became.
The moment Zhang Li finished speaking, Xie Chen called out, “Miss Pei.”
Pei Liang was holding a tablet and reading through some documents. At his words, she looked up at Xie Chen.
Her movement was unhurried and composed. Her gaze traveled smoothly from her full forehead to her brows, eyes, and nose as her eyelids lifted, finally settling on him.
Her eyes were deep and focused. In the end, they locked directly onto Xie Chen’s.
The lofty confidence Zhang Li had just whipped up in Xie Chen instantly shrank away. His entire body tensed, then retreated, and he had to force himself not to avert his gaze.
His words, however, were already timid. Pointing at Zhang Li, he said, “My agent wants your contact information. He says there may be opportunities for collaboration in the future.”
Pei Liang raised an eyebrow. To be honest, she had little interest in the male lead at this point.
The female protagonist of this world’s original story was the type who grew over time, and the male lead would also undergo considerable changes.
At the beginning, the male lead possessed extraordinary talent and luck. At a young age, he had already reached heights most people could never attain in their entire lives. As a result, he was immature, arrogant, and hopelessly inept at dealing with people. He had made enemies all over the industry.
The film he was going to audition for in the gambling capital would undoubtedly be a success. He would become the second male lead in a highly anticipated new installment of a world-famous intellectual property, attracting the eager attention of audiences across the country.
However, shortly before the film’s release, its director and producer would both be exposed on social media for insulting Hua Nation. The evidence would be irrefutable and spark public outrage across the country.
The film, originally scheduled for the National Day holiday season, would naturally be pulled from release. Xie Chen would go from being the nation’s pride to an awkward and controversial figure. Even though his fans defended him, countless investors and production teams would still shy away from him during such a sensitive period.
Then, with certain people deliberately steering public opinion, things would only get worse. Although Xie Chen had stated his position immediately after the insult scandal broke, declaring that he would donate the salary he earned from the film, people still followed the orchestrated narrative.
They claimed that after spending several months working alongside the director and producer, how could Xie Chen possibly have been unaware of their political views? He had simply been willing to disregard the dignity of his country for fame and profit, and had only rushed to distance himself once things had blown up.
The film production team led by Director Ke and the capital behind it were the most aggressive in their attacks.
For one thing, Xie Chen had refused their offer for that film, which meant he had offended them. For another, the movie’s box-office performance and reviews had both been poor. It had only narrowly avoided complete embarrassment because there had been no serious competitors during the golden week.
They attributed part of the film’s failure to Xie Chen’s refusal to play the highly anticipated male lead, while also using the scandal as an excuse to divert public attention from the movie’s poor reception.
Thus, they mobilized their affiliated marketing accounts and online trolls to attack Xie Chen from every possible angle.
Xie Chen, whose life had originally gone smoothly, fell from grace. It was the first time he had tasted the fickleness of human relationships, and the experience transformed his personality.
He became mature and restrained, low-key and melancholic.
After two years in seclusion, he would eventually work with the female protagonist, Yu Wenqing, in a low-budget film. When the movie became a surprise hit, he would return to the top, and because Yu Wenqing had worked with him during his lowest point, he would come to see her in a different light.
To be honest, Pei Liang preferred men who knew how to behave, so she had never intended to approach the male lead too early.
Now that she had finally met him, she found that he was nothing more than an oversized elementary-school student.
Hearing his clumsy excuse, Pei Liang gave him a half-smile. “Are you sure you only want to discuss business?”
Xie Chen practically had to drag his own heart upright and command himself not to lose his nerve. A faint flush touched the tips of his ears.
Yet he spoke in a haughty tone, as though he were doing her a great favor. “It’s not as if we can’t discuss other things.”
Pei Liang, however, replied, “Sorry, I’m busy with work. I don’t have time to humor children.”
With that, she lowered her head and continued reading her documents.
Xie Chen stiffened completely. Slowly, he turned his head and stared at Pei Liang in disbelief.
When he saw that she genuinely looked as though she wanted to be left alone, his composure shattered. An inexplicable flare of anger surged within him.
“You—”
Zhang Li hurriedly stopped him. “Forget it. Miss Pei is a career-oriented, strong woman. She’s busy every day and doesn’t have time for idle chatter. We can talk when there’s an actual collaboration to discuss.”
Xie Chen clenched his teeth. “How do you know? Are you close to her?”
Zhang Li: “…”
Damn it, I’m only trying to give you an out. This idiot has gone so wild he can’t even tell friend from foe.
Zhang Li’s heart sank. Sure enough, Xie Chen had already opened his mouth again.
He gave a cold laugh. “I heard from President Liu that you’re going abroad to make a film in the gambling capital?”
When Pei Liang looked up, Xie Chen continued, “You’re the investor in the production?”
Pei Liang nodded. “Obviously.”
A self-assured, professional look appeared on Xie Chen’s face as he began lecturing her. “Then you’ve stepped into every pitfall a film can possibly encounter.”
When Pei Liang said nothing, merely signaling for him to continue, Xie Chen sneered. “I worked with Director Liu early in my career. His cinematography and visual language are impeccable.”
“However, his narrative ability, plot distribution, and control over the rhythm and pacing are all somewhat lacking.”
Director Liu was startled. “Best Actor Xie, you’ve seen my films?”
Xie Chen nodded. “I’ve seen several. It’s obvious that Director Liu no longer trusts his own story structures. Several of his recent films have simply replicated the same framework. The subject matter may be different, but if you break them down by editing and extract the setup, development, turning point, and climax, you’ll find that the time allocated to each section is identical.”
How was that any different from filling in a coloring book by following the grid?
Director Liu was utterly mortified. He had always consoled himself with the thought that he was now so terrible that no one in the industry would bother watching his films.
He had never expected Best Actor Xie to have seen nearly all of them—and to have identified his trick with such brutal precision.
It was practically a public execution. Director Liu shrank into his seat like a quail.
Xie Chen continued, “You’re traveling abroad with the crew, so I assume you’re more than just an investor. Are you the producer? Or the female lead?”
Pei Liang replied, “Both.”
Even Xie Chen froze for a moment. Then he looked at Pei Liang with solemn respect.
“An outsider giving instructions to industry professionals, and an idol taking on the lead role in a film without any transition at all—you’re impressive.”
“Given the structure of this production team, you still dared to shoot on location overseas with a mixed Chinese-and-foreign cast. I can spot four major pitfalls at a glance.”
Xie Chen leaned over and gave her a smug, irritating smile. “Miss Pei, I hope you haven’t invested too much in this film.”
Pei Liang glanced at Xie Chen. There was no denying that the man was handsome. In the original novel, he had already hit rock bottom by the time he appeared, and not once had the narration described him with words like these.
His eyes were bright and sly. Even when angry, he was spirited and dazzlingly alive, constantly flaunting his presence.
Yet whenever he talked about films, his expression became focused and serious. Even when watching Director Liu’s low-rated, terrible movies, he approached them with professional care and caution.
That was why his work had such a good reputation. Talent might have favored him, but he never treated his work carelessly. Behind it all was his devotion to his own creations, along with the tireless effort he poured into them.
To be honest, although his words were unpleasant, the problems he pointed out really did hit the nail on the head.
If Pei Liang were truly an inexperienced amateur who acted on wishful thinking, his advice could indeed save her a great deal of money.
Thinking of this, Pei Liang decided that this elementary-school chick wasn’t quite as hopeless as she had thought.
Especially after witnessing his pride and sharp edges firsthand, she couldn’t help thinking about how, before long, reality would grind those qualities smooth, forcing him to grow up at a truly painful cost.
And so Pei Liang felt that someone who strutted around with his tail held high yet had a soft heart underneath wasn’t actually so bad.
She smiled and replied, “Oh.”
Then she lowered her head and continued reading the documents.
Oh—?
Xie Chen felt like a street clown who had performed his heart out without receiving so much as a single coin, only to be treated as though he were blocking someone’s way.
When he saw that Pei Liang truly had no intention of paying him any attention, Xie Chen reminded himself that he wasn’t the sort of person who would shamelessly pester someone or make a scene.
He sat up straight with a deeply aggrieved expression. Then, the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
He wore a funeral-face for the entire flight, frightening even the flight attendants who had wanted his autograph into keeping their distance. Zhang Li, sitting nearby, also didn’t dare provoke him for fear of being caught in the crossfire.
Still, Zhang Li couldn’t help clicking his tongue inwardly. As expected, with this guy’s awful personality, unless someone had a fan’s rose-tinted view of him or was simply lusting after his face, who could stand this blockhead who couldn’t say a single nice thing?
On the other hand, being rejected was probably for the best. When Xie Chen had signed with their company, he was already highly famous, so he had received the highest-level management contract. The company couldn’t even interfere with his dating life.
After all, he was an actor, not an idol—he stood at the very top of the entertainment industry’s hierarchy.
But Xie Chen was young and handsome, with an impressive track record. Even without deliberate promotion, he would naturally attract a huge number of girlfriend fans. If he started dating, it would inevitably hurt the company’s interests.
After more than ten hours in the air, the plane finally landed at the gambling city’s airport.
Xie Chen followed behind Pei Liang and the others as they came out through the private passage.
Since this was a secret trip and they were in a foreign country, there was no need to worry about fans recognizing him and causing a commotion.
Staring at Pei Liang’s back, Xie Chen grew more and more indignant. He hadn’t even managed to get her contact information—not that anyone should misunderstand. He was simply feeling aggrieved after what had happened today. If he couldn’t get one back at her, the matter would keep eating at him.
Just then, Pei Liang’s phone rang up ahead. She glanced at the caller ID, and a smile appeared on her face.
When she answered, she said, “Baby? You’ve already reached the hotel? Go ahead and eat first.”
Hearing this, Xie Chen suddenly felt hollow inside. Then, in an instant, malice welled up in him.
He leaned close to Pei Liang’s ear and used his formidable acting skills to create an intensely suggestive atmosphere. His tone and voice suddenly became low, magnetic, and seductive.
His deep, sensual voice sounded beside Pei Liang’s ear and carried through to the other end of the call.
“I had a wonderful time on the plane. Remember to call me.”
There wasn’t a single genuinely suggestive word in the sentence, yet he made it sound as though the two of them had already had sex on the plane.
Sure enough, the person on the other end fell into a long, stunned silence.
Pei Liang looked up at Xie Chen, only to see him wearing a wicked yet deliberately casual expression.
“We’re even now,” he said.
Feeling inexplicably stifled, he turned around and prepared to leave.
But the moment he turned, someone grabbed him by the hair.
The pain made him instinctively spin back around. Then, with his head pulled down, a pair of moist, full lips carrying a fresh, springlike scent covered his own.
It wasn’t a fleeting peck or a tentative taste. It was an aggressive, possessive assault.
Someone who had never even experienced his first love could hardly have been prepared for such a thing. Xie Chen’s entire body went weak, and his legs nearly gave out.
Just as he began to lose himself in it, the other person abruptly stopped and pulled away.
She licked her red lips, patted him on the cheek, and smiled knowingly.
“Now we’re even.”
With that, she turned and got into the car waiting to pick them up.
It had all happened so suddenly that Director Liu and Zhang Li, who had witnessed it, were left as stunned as mice that had just had their food snatched away.
Director Liu only recovered after Pei Liang had already left, then hurried after her.
Looking at Xie Chen’s foolish expression, Zhang Li thought, You actually dared to provoke her? He could only be grateful that this wasn’t happening back home. Otherwise, Weibo would be crashing again tomorrow.
He was being far too optimistic, however. He didn’t know that, at the exact moment the two of them kissed, a camera had happened to capture the entire scene perfectly.
Pei Liang arrived at the hotel the production team had booked. It happened to be dinnertime in the gambling city.
The other members of the crew were eating, while the main cast and several other core members sat at a separate table.
When they saw Pei Liang arrive, complicated expressions appeared on their faces, as though they wanted to say something but didn’t know how.
Lu Baobei—the actress playing Huang You, the third sister—awkwardly greeted her. “Sister Liang, you’re here?”
Pei Liang pulled out a chair and sat down with a smile. “Someone deliberately played a prank at the airport. Director Liu was there the whole time, so don’t read too much into it.”
“Oh…”
Everyone at the table visibly relaxed. They had thought they’d accidentally overheard some scandalous secret involving their boss while she was on the phone.
Only Director Liu’s smile was somewhat stiff. It had indeed been a prank, but Pei Liang had bullied the other person thoroughly in the process.
In any case, the production soon became frantically busy, and no one paid much attention to the little incident.
Filming couldn’t begin the moment they arrived. Although the applications for the shoot had been submitted long ago, procedures in X Country were notoriously complicated. Different filming locations even required applications to different government departments.
They also had to contact the local film union to handle casting, apply to rent filming locations and equipment, and coordinate the shooting schedule.
Only after completing this endless pile of tedious work could production finally begin. That was the cumbersome reality of filming across national borders.
While everyone on this side was working at full speed, two days later, across the ocean in China, a hot search exploded out of nowhere and shot to the top of every major media outlet.
[ Xie Chen Pei Liang ]
The trending topic contained only two names, but one belonged to an undisputed top-tier celebrity in both popularity and professional ability, while the other belonged to a woman who had recently thrown the entire entertainment industry into chaos. The impact of seeing the two names together was self-evident.
Many female fans clicked on it, only to feel their vision go black when they saw the contents.
[Best Actor Xie and Pei Liang Share a Passionate Kiss in the Gambling City—Are They Secretly Dating? Is This the Real Reason Pei Liang Quit Showbiz?]
Pei Liang had only just trended for allegedly dating Cui Ying, and everyone had already seen how that had turned out.
But unlike the fabricated trend from before, the photographs this time were crystal clear. There was no way for either of them to deny it.
Fortunately, aside from his film projects and a few carefully selected partnerships with high-end brands, Xie Chen had always kept a low profile.
Except during periods when his films were being promoted, he rarely appeared in public. His box-office appeal came from the reputation and broad audience base he had built up through one excellent work after another, not from fan traffic.
Most ordinary passersby who saw the trending topic found it surprising that these two people, who seemed to have nothing to do with each other, had suddenly been exposed as a couple. Many also thought they were a poor match. Still, most people figured it was their relationship and their choice. They would casually post something expressing shock or offering their congratulations and leave it at that.
Even the more extreme comments from his girlfriend fans were often shut down by the general public. After all, Xie Chen wasn’t an idol and had never profited from the fan economy, so there was no reason for him to follow those rules.
This time, hardly anyone dared to storm Pei Liang’s account. The lesson from Cui Ying’s incident was still fresh, and everyone in the country knew how formidable this woman could be.
Xie Chen’s agency, however, was somewhat dissatisfied with the situation.
In their view, Xie Chen was still young and had limitless potential. It was a shame not to take advantage of all the benefits right in front of him. With the entertainment industry’s circumstances changing and the domestic film market becoming increasingly sluggish, Xie Chen couldn’t afford to let such excellent conditions go to waste and end up narrowing his own path.
So the people higher up called Zhang Li directly to demand an explanation.
The answer they received was actually a relief: as long as the two of them weren’t dating, that was all that mattered.
The company then contacted Pei Liang’s side as well. After all, the photos clearly showed them kissing, so they couldn’t simply deny it and claim that the public had mistaken some random passerby for them. They needed to come up with an explanation that would satisfy everyone.
Only after an agreement had been reached did Zhang Li return to the room to find Xie Chen.
At the moment, he was sitting beside the floor-to-ceiling window in the presidential suite of the most luxurious hotel in the gambling capital, staring blankly at the night view outside.
Every now and then, he touched his lips. When he heard Zhang Li come in, he asked in a hollow voice, “If she already has a boyfriend, why did she kiss me?”
Zhang Li was so exasperated he felt like stomping his feet. “Because you were asking for it, going out of your way to provoke her!”
Xie Chen’s face flushed. “Even so, she couldn’t possibly go around kissing just anyone as payback, could she?”
“Why not? She’s obviously an experienced player. Someone like you wouldn’t even be enough to fill the gaps between her teeth, so stop provoking her.”
Xie Chen’s expression darkened. “Are you very familiar with her, Zhang Li? How can you just make statements like that? By that logic, I could say you look sleazy, so you obviously aren’t a good person.”
What the hell was the difference between this and raising a daughter who turned against you the moment she fell in love?
Zhang Li took a deep breath. “Fine, fine. Let’s not talk about that for now. The country has already gone into an uproar over this.”
“The company’s position is that since you aren’t dating, it’s best to clarify things immediately. It’ll be better for both you and Ms. Pei.”
Xie Chen scoffed lazily. “What’s there to clarify? Ever since I debuted, I’ve said that I would never hide a relationship. If I found someone, I’d say so openly.”
“Although this time—cough—fans should have been mentally prepared for it. There’s no need to rush into a clarification.”
Zhang Li stared at him strangely for a long while before asking, “Xie Chen, you’re not trying to break Ms. Pei and her boyfriend up, are you?”
“You pulled the same stunt at the airport before. Now you know perfectly well that this kind of rumor is enough to drive any man crazy once he sees it.”
“I used to think you were just a blockhead. I never expected you to have such a scheming, faux-innocent side.”
Xie Chen froze. He was just about to curse Zhang Li when he suddenly understood what he meant. A look resembling guilt appeared on his face.
Zhang Li’s vision went black. He hurriedly waved his hand and said, “The company has contacted Ms. Pei’s side. We can say that you two were filming.”
“There’s a male character in her production who only appears for a few minutes—a romantic fling for Ms. Pei’s character. You can add an airport scene, wear the same clothes you had on that day, and shoot a couple of shots. That’ll neatly explain everything.”
“But I already turned down that solution on your behalf. You don’t take terrible films anyway, even if it’s only a few minutes as a cameo.”
The moment he finished speaking, Xie Chen shot to his feet.
With an utterly high-minded expression, he declared, “I do think we should find a way to clarify the rumor.”
“And out of basic humanitarian concern, now that I know their production is full of traps, I feel that as a fellow member of the industry, I have a duty to offer them some guidance after running into them in a foreign country.”
“Let’s go. Where is their production crew now?”
