The phone line carried only the deep, steady sound of a man's breathing.
Ning Yuxuan had achieved her goal. A faint smile curved her lips as she lowered her head to fiddle with the silk ribbon bow at her chest.
If he said he missed her, then she’d give him something more vivid to imagine—something to make him miss her even more.
After what felt like an eternity, Xie Zhiyan’s low, husky voice finally came through the headphones: "Ning Yuxuan."
It had been a while since he’d called her by her full name. A shiver ran through her heart.
Ning Yuxuan: "Hmm?"
Xie Zhiyan’s voice was heavy: "Acting so bold—are you this confident because you know I can’t come see you right now?"
He had seen right through her, but she played innocent. "Not at all. Didn’t you ask me what my dress looked like? You still haven’t answered my question. Was my description detailed enough? Can you picture it?"
"Not enough," Xie Zhiyan said. "I’ll see it for myself when I see you."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Her fingers, still toying with the ribbon, paused.
She scoffed lightly. "Wishful thinking."
As if she’d let him see her in her nightdress so easily.
Xie Zhiyan didn’t press the topic further. Instead, he said, "I’m flying to London tomorrow for a business meeting. The flight leaves at eight in the morning."
Ning Yuxuan: "...Oh."
Xie Zhiyan: "It’s an eleven-hour flight. Liu Cheng is coming with me. If you have an emergency, you can contact another assistant, surnamed Wu. I’ll send you his contact details later."
Ning Yuxuan wanted to say she didn’t have any urgent matters, but considering the possibility that Huayuan might face trouble again, it was better to have a backup plan.
She agreed. "Alright, got it."
Xie Zhiyan: "Nothing else you want to ask me?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Not really."
That wasn’t entirely true.
She wanted to ask how long he’d be gone, when he’d be back.
Habits were terrifying. Over the past few weeks, she and Xie Zhiyan had seen each other often—never more than four or five days apart.
So she’d taken it for granted that once she returned to Beicheng, she’d see him again—maybe he’d pick her up from the filming set like last time, or come over for dinner on Sunday night.
But London was over ten thousand kilometers away. If Xie Zhiyan was flying there for work, he might not make it back by the weekend.
Still, Ning Yuxuan refused to ask outright. She didn’t want him to know just how much she wanted to see him.
Xie Zhiyan: "I’ll text you after I land tomorrow."
Ning Yuxuan spoke against her own feelings: "You don’t have to. It’s not like I’m dying to know how you’re doing."
Xie Zhiyan: "But I am."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Xie Zhiyan softened his voice as he finished the thought: "I’ll miss you."
Her heartbeat quickened. Unable to hold back, she asked, "Did you go to another dinner tonight? Have you been drinking?"
Xie Zhiyan chuckled lightly, sidestepping the question. "Do I need to be drunk to say I miss you?"
"Well, no, it’s just..." Ning Yuxuan took a steadying breath. "You’ve said you missed me more times today than in the past month combined. It’s just... unfamiliar."
And it didn’t help that every time he said it, her pulse skipped a beat.
Xie Zhiyan: "Is that your way of asking me to say it more often, so you can get used to it?"
The corners of Ning Yuxuan’s lips lifted slightly. "You can interpret it that way if you want."
Xie Zhiyan’s tone turned suggestive. "Then is there anything you’d like to say to me?"
At that, Ning Yuxuan unconsciously bit her lower lip. "No."
Xie Zhiyan seemed to exhale faintly.
Just then, there was a knock at the door.
Ning Yuxuan wasn’t sure if she’d heard right, so she stepped out onto the balcony to listen. Sure enough, there it was—a soft but distinct knock knock.
The sound of running water from the bathroom hadn’t stopped yet.
"Someone’s at the door," Ning Yuxuan said. "I’ll talk to you later. Let me see who it is."
"Alright."
Ning Yuxuan glanced at the screen, hesitated, then ended the call.
Outside stood Ning Shiyue.
"Mom mentioned she was running low on steam eye masks," he said. "The mall down the street is still open, so I bought two packs."
Ning Yuxuan took the plastic bag from him.
"If there’s anything else she needs, just let me know," Ning Shiyue added, glancing toward the bathroom. "Is Mom showering?"
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "Yeah."
"Then I’ll head back."
Not long after Ning Shiyue left, Ning Fei emerged from the bathroom.
"Yuxuan," she said, towel-drying her damp hair, "Did someone come by just now?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Mm. Ning Shiyue dropped off some steam eye masks."
Ning Fei nodded. "I’m done showering, Yuxuan. You should go wash up soon too."
Ning Yuxuan: "Okay."
Before heading to the bathroom, she checked her phone.
After the call ended, Xie Zhiyan had sent two messages—one with Assistant Wu’s contact, the other with his flight details.
Ning Yuxuan clutched her phone, typing a few words before hesitating and deleting them.
In the end, she still replaced "I miss you a little too" with "I'm going to take a shower."
She knew Xie Zhiyan was different from Gu Yunhao, and she also knew that her past self had been controlled by the plot, making her so persistent in pursuing a love that was never meant to be—regardless of her own dignity.
But while feelings could be withdrawn, the experiences of the past had left their mark on her, making her habitually guarded.
Call it greed if you will.
She wanted a lot—to hear him say he missed her, to receive a proper confession from him.
Yet she wasn’t willing to lay bare all her emotions so quickly in front of him.
As if only by doing so could she remain invincible in this relationship.
...
The next morning, Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan went to the film set together.
Ning Shiyue had left much earlier, so by the time they arrived, he was already in the makeup room, fully styled and waiting for his scene.
Ning Fei had brought gifts from her suitcase and handed them out to the crew members.
Despite her status as an accomplished senior, Ning Fei carried no airs at all. The younger actors loved discussing acting techniques with her, and at the moment, she was surrounded by a small group.
Ning Yuxuan found a spot with a good view and watched the lively scene for a while.
When Ning Shiyue went for a lighting test, a crew member approached and led Ning Yuxuan to the styling room.
The night before, at Director Zhang’s insistence, she had agreed to make a cameo appearance in one scene.
Ning Yuxuan sat in the chair, first getting her makeup done before changing into her costume.
The makeup artist, a woman in her thirties, was efficient and professional.
Ning Yuxuan chatted with her casually, "Were you just doing Ning Shiyue’s makeup?"
The makeup artist picked up her tools and replied, "Yes. I handle not just the actresses but some of the male actors too. I’ve been in charge of Shiyue’s looks for this entire series."
Ning Yuxuan joked, "Do we look alike?"
The makeup artist thought for a few seconds. "Feature-wise, not really."
Ning Yuxuan laughed. "Right? Back when Ning Shiyue and I were in the same middle school, people always said we siblings didn’t look much alike."
The makeup artist dampened a sponge and began applying foundation. "But there is one thing you share."
Ning Yuxuan asked, "What?"
The makeup artist praised sincerely, "You both have incredible skin—flawless and luminous. In all my years doing makeup, I’ve seen fewer than five people with skin as good as yours."
Ning Yuxuan smiled. "Maybe we inherited it from our mother."
Ning Fei’s complexion was enviably perfect, and she aged remarkably well—barely any visible lines even in her fifties.
Period drama makeup took longer to apply, and since Ning Yuxuan’s character was meant to be a great beauty, the look had to be striking yet refined.
Just the eye makeup alone took nearly half an hour, with false eyelashes meticulously applied one by one.
An hour and a half later, the full makeup and hairstyle were finally complete.
Ning Yuxuan changed into her costume, and a stylist came over to adjust the final details.
When she stepped onto the set in full costume, she drew many glances.
Most of the crew had met her the night before, but it had been dark, and she’d been bare-faced.
Now, with her dramatic makeup, many didn’t recognize her as Ning Shiyue’s sister at first glance.
"Is that a new actress? She’s stunning—how have we never seen her before?"
"When did the crew add another actress? Director Zhang didn’t mention anything!"
Gradually, people realized she was Ning Shiyue’s older sister, whom they’d met briefly the night before at his birthday celebration.
But no one was more shocked than Ning Shiyue himself.
Aside from the main cast, a production had countless supporting actors.
Some roles only had a few scenes, and once those were shot, their paths might never cross again. Ning Shiyue wasn’t much of a socializer, so it was possible he’d never even learn some of their names.
Scenes were never shot in chronological order, and today’s sequence featured Ning Shiyue’s character—the male lead—in his early days as a rookie in the martial world, encountering a beautiful woman.
Still inexperienced, the kind-hearted protagonist helps her, only to be betrayed and thrown into danger, eventually rescued by his sworn brother.
Before filming, Ning Shiyue hadn’t known who would play the woman opposite him.
So when Ning Yuxuan appeared in full costume, his eyes nearly popped out.
"Ning Yuxuan?!"
Director Zhang chuckled and patted his shoulder. "What do you think? Stunning, right? I told you your sister was perfect for the role."
Zhang Tai had only seen Ning Yuxuan's costume a few minutes earlier than Ning Shiyue.
However, having been a director for so many years, he trusted his eye for talent. When he saw Ning Yuxuan without makeup the day before, he immediately felt she was perfect for the role.
Whether it was her looks or her figure, she could effortlessly embody the "stunning beauty" persona.
The final styling turned out even better than Zhang Tai had imagined.
If Ning Yuxuan hadn’t clearly stated earlier that she had no interest in acting, he would have tried convincing her to audition for a role in his next project.
But no matter how breathtaking Ning Yuxuan’s period costume appeared to everyone else, in Ning Shiyue’s eyes, it was nothing short of a shock.
"Director…" Ning Shiyue asked, "Are you sure you want me to act opposite my own sister…?"
Zhang Tai chuckled and nodded. "Yes. This scene only has two lines for Yuxuan. Xiao Ning, guide your sister a little, and let’s try to wrap it up within three takes."
Both Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue shared the surname Ning, but Director Zhang had grown accustomed to calling her "Yuxuan" over the past few days and couldn’t switch gears now.
Ning Shiyue’s last sliver of hope was dashed.
He silently glared at Ning Yuxuan, his eyes conveying his displeasure: Why didn’t you tell me about this cameo earlier?
Ning Yuxuan grinned and mouthed back, "Birthday surprise."
Ning Shiyue: "…"
As if he’d believe that. She just wanted to mess with him.
They ran through the scene once.
Most of the lines belonged to Ning Shiyue, and at first, he delivered them smoothly.
But when he had to look at Ning Yuxuan and say, "Who would have thought someone so beautiful on the outside could be so vile and deceitful within?"—he froze for the first time.
Ning Yuxuan blinked. "What’s wrong, Ning Shiyue? Can’t bring yourself to compliment me, or can’t bear to insult me?"
Ning Shiyue didn’t hesitate. "Obviously, it’s the compliment part!"
Even so, after two more rehearsals, Ning Shiyue kept stumbling after the first half of the line, unable to finish the second half.
Director Zhang walked over, giving Ning Shiyue a knowing look. "Xiao Ning, I know you and your sister are close, but professionalism matters! If the script calls for insults, you’ve got to deliver!"
Ning Shiyue: "…Yes, Director."
He knew actors needed conviction.
But every time he locked eyes with Ning Yuxuan, his mouth seemed to rebel, tripping over itself.
Ning Fei also came over to watch the siblings perform.
She never imagined she’d live to see her son and daughter acting together, and she found it utterly amusing, recording them on her phone.
Word spread, and soon, other crew members gathered to watch.
Ning Shiyue was the type to prepare meticulously for every scene, memorizing his lines the night before. It was rare for him to struggle like this.
Among the onlookers, a young actor whispered, "Yiming-ge, this scene doesn’t seem that hard. Why is Shiyue-ge having so much trouble?"
Zhuang Yiming smirked knowingly. "That’s his real sister he’s acting with. It’s called bloodline suppression."
"Ohhh…" The young actor nodded, though not entirely convinced.
No matter how awkward he felt, Ning Shiyue’s professionalism eventually prevailed.
After half an hour of effort, they finally got the scene right.
When Ning Shiyue found Ning Yuxuan afterward, she was taking selfies with her phone.
Since the costume was too gorgeous to waste, even if she couldn’t post the photos publicly yet due to confidentiality, she could at least keep them for herself.
Ning Shiyue sat in the chair beside her, eyeing the culprit of his earlier torment. "Last night, when Director Zhang pulled you aside, it was to ask you to cameo in that role, wasn’t it?"
Ning Yuxuan admitted without hesitation. "Yep. So? Don’t I look amazing in this getup?"
She winked at him and flashed a peace sign.
Ning Shiyue: "…It’s fine."
To be fair, Ning Yuxuan’s styling today was stunning.
But having grown up with her face, Ning Shiyue had long known his sister was gorgeous and popular with guys—he was somewhat immune by now.
Besides, if he actually praised her, she’d get even more insufferable.
Ning Yuxuan glanced at him. "Don’t you have more scenes to rehearse?"
Ning Shiyue: "My next one isn’t until the afternoon. I can take a break."
The director had thoughtfully avoided scheduling another scene for him in the morning, letting him rest until after lunch.
Ning Yuxuan nodded.
Her phone chimed with a notification—a message from Assistant Wu, Xie Zhiyan’s assistant.
She had added him as a contact earlier that morning.
Opening the image he sent, she studied it.
Ning Shiyue hadn’t intended to snoop, but a glance at Ning Yuxuan’s phone screen revealed a floor plan of an apartment.
He exclaimed in surprise, "You’re looking at apartments?"
Ning Yuxuan shot him a sidelong glance but didn’t respond, though she didn’t put her phone away either.
Ning Shiyue shifted his chair closer for a better look.
He wasn’t mistaken—Ning Yuxuan’s phone indeed displayed a detailed floor plan.
Frowning, he asked, "Why are you renting a place? Isn’t it fine living with Mom? And if you’re serious about renting, why didn’t you ask me first?"
After all, he had experience in this area—his current apartment was rented.
Ning Yuxuan met his gaze and replied nonchalantly, "Not renting. Buying."
Ning Shiyue blinked. "Huh?"
"You…" His brows knitted together. "Managing Mom’s hotel isn’t enough? Now you’re getting into real estate?"
Ning Yuxuan laughed. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I’m not planning to dive into property development."
Ning Shiyue pressed, "Then why—?"
After a brief pause, his eyes widened in realization. "You’re not planning to move in with Xie—"
Catching himself mid-sentence, he glanced around furtively.
The film crew was busy with their tasks, oblivious to their conversation.
Ning Fei, on the other side of the set, was engaged with a young fan—an aspiring actor—and hadn’t noticed them either.
Clearing his throat, Ning Shiyue lowered his voice. "You’re not thinking of living with Zhiyan, are you…?"
Ning Yuxuan smirked.
She hadn’t actually considered that yet.
The idea of buying a place had only come up the previous week. Ning Yuxuan had told Xie Zhiyan they could start browsing for suitable options.
Today was the first time Xie Zhiyan’s assistant had sent her a few potential properties, complete with documents and floor plans—curated by Assistant Liu based on her preferences.
Even if they did buy a place, she’d likely continue living with her mother for now.
But seeing Ning Shiyue’s stunned expression, she couldn’t resist teasing him. "What’s the big deal? Couples living together isn’t exactly unusual these days."
Ning Shiyue stared.
"Wait." He suddenly caught on. "You said you’re buying, not renting. If it’s just about living together, why not rent? Why buy?"
Ning Yuxuan deadpanned, "Because Xie Zhiyan’s loaded. Buying is more convenient than renting—no strings attached."
Ning Shiyue was momentarily speechless.
Hard to argue with that logic.
"…So when are you planning to move in with him?" he finally asked.
Ning Yuxuan nearly laughed at how easily he’d taken the bait.
"Why do you care?" she countered. "Afraid you’ll miss me when I’m not around at home?"
Ning Shiyue scoffed. "In your dreams!"
"Really?" Ning Yuxuan arched a brow. "Who was it that called me specifically to complain about me bringing Xie Zhiyan home for dinner while you were away? If I actually move in with him, you’ll probably bombard me with calls whining about me not coming home for meals."
Ning Shiyue pressed his lips together.
"Well, it’s not like you’re married yet," he muttered. "You can’t just live with him forever. When I’m home, you should come back for dinner sometimes."
Ning Yuxuan gave him a surprised look.
She’d expected him to brush it off, claiming he didn’t care whether she came home or not.
Ning Yuxuan ventured, "And… what if I do get married someday?"
Ning Shiyue shot her an exasperated glance. "You and Zhiyan have only been together for what—a month? Marriage is ages away. And if you two ever seriously consider it, you’d need Mom’s approval—and mine, as your brother."
Ning Yuxuan fell silent.
A pang of guilt flickered through her as she remembered the red certificate locked away in her drawer.
After lunch, Ning Shiyue had several scenes to film in the afternoon.
Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei watched from behind the monitors as he performed.
This was Ning Yuxuan’s first proper glimpse of how Ning Shiyue worked on set.
She had to admit—his professionalism was impressive. Even through the screen, his emotional intensity was palpable.
A glance at their mother’s expression confirmed it: Ning Fei’s eyes shone with quiet pride.
She made a habit of visiting Ning Shiyue’s sets, and each time, his acting showed noticeable growth—this project especially.
By evening, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei strolled through nearby attractions, sampling local delicacies.
Ning Shiyue had night scenes to shoot and couldn’t join them.
At seven o’clock, Xie Zhiyan texted Ning Yuxuan to say his flight had landed.
By eight-thirty, Ning Shiyue called.
"A few people from the crew organized a barbecue gathering, and they insisted I ask if you’d like to join. If you’re not interested, I’ll turn them down for you."
Ning Yuxuan: "Where is it?"
Ning Shiyue: "Near the hotel we’re staying at. If you’re coming, I’ll send you the location."
After hanging up, Ning Yuxuan explained the situation to Ning Fei.
Her mother, who watched her diet to maintain her figure, wouldn’t be joining, so Ning Yuxuan would be going alone.
Ning Fei had no objections: "You love barbecues, don’t you, Xuanxuan? It’s good for you to go with Shiyue and the others. I’ll just take a cab back to the hotel."
Ning Yuxuan: "Text me once you get back to the hotel."
Ning Fei smiled lightly: "Alright. Have fun with Shiyue and the group, but don’t stay out too late."
Ning Yuxuan nodded in agreement.
The barbecue gathering was Zhuang Yiming’s idea—partly for a late-night meal and partly to celebrate Ning Shiyue’s birthday again.
The director and a few veteran actors hadn’t come, so it was just the younger members of the crew.
By the time Ning Yuxuan arrived, several beers had already been cracked open, and the conversation was lively.
When she appeared, Zhuang Yiming was the first to stand up and welcome her: "Yuxuan-jie, you’re here! Come on, we saved this seat next to Shiyue-ge just for you."
Everyone was seated around a large round table, with one empty spot beside Ning Shiyue.
Ning Yuxuan took her place next to him.
The night before, the crew had only exchanged brief greetings with her, so this time, the actors properly introduced themselves.
There were ten people in total—the female lead, the second female lead, the first, second, and third male leads, as well as a few supporting actors who had filmed the night scenes with them.
The group got along well, and since Ning Yuxuan wasn’t part of the entertainment industry, there were no conflicts of interest. Their compliments came from genuine admiration.
One actress said, "Yuxuan-jie, your period costume today was stunning. Tiantian kept gushing about how beautiful you looked!"
The mentioned "Tiantian" blushed and laughed: "It’s true! Yuxuan-jie, you’re so gorgeous—you really suit historical styles."
"Absolutely!" Zhuang Yiming chimed in. "Someone even asked if you were single… I told him not to dream about the impossible!"
The table erupted in good-natured laughter.
Ning Yuxuan accepted the praise graciously, cracking open a beer while enjoying the skewers.
Beside her, Ning Shiyue occasionally smiled to himself.
Though he’d never say it out loud—and might even feign annoyance when Ning Yuxuan boasted to him—he secretly loved hearing others compliment her.
With several young male actors present, the group had hearty appetites, especially after a long day of work. The skewers on the table were quickly devoured.
Zhuang Yiming ordered several more rounds of meat and vegetables.
As the conversation flowed, someone suddenly called Ning Yuxuan’s name from behind.
"Yuxuan."
Hearing the vaguely familiar voice, both Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue turned around.
