Ning Yuxuan walked under the streetlight and video-called Xie Zhiyan.
Once the call connected, she first enlarged her own side of the screen to check her reflection in the camera.
No grease on her lips, no stray chili powder from the skewers on her face.
A low chuckle came through her earphones.
Ning Yuxuan rolled her eyes. "I’m just checking how I look. Got a problem with that?"
"None at all," Xie Zhiyan replied, amusement clear in his voice.
She huffed.
Only after confirming her appearance did she switch to enlarging his side of the screen.
From the background, Xie Zhiyan seemed to be in a hotel.
Curious, Ning Yuxuan peered at the wall behind him. "Show me what kind of luxury suite the great CEO Xie is staying in. What’s the decor like?"
Xie Zhiyan laughed. "After finally getting this call, all you care about is the hotel’s interior design?"
She blinked. "Obviously. I’ve seen you plenty of times—nothing new there."
He sighed but obliged, switching the camera to show her the room’s furnishings.
The suite was spacious. Xie Zhiyan first walked from the bedroom to the living area to give her a tour.
Grey carpet covered the wooden floor, while the walls were adorned with subtly patterned wallpaper, exuding a vintage charm.
In the center of the living room stood a deep red leather sofa, accompanied by a wooden side table holding a small potted plant and a lamp.
Ning Yuxuan had only meant to satisfy her curiosity, but she soon found herself engrossed.
She’d recently been discussing vintage-themed hotel designs with her team, and this place happened to spark some ideas.
"Hey, Xie Zhiyan, pan the camera a bit—is that a bookshelf over there?"
Xie Zhiyan: "..."
The camera shifted toward the direction she indicated.
Ning Yuxuan scrutinized the details while unceremoniously directing him further. "Move it a little more to the left… yeah, right there."
After inspecting the entire living room, she wanted him to take her to the balcony next.
"I want to see how they designed the balcony. I’m thinking of making Huayuan’s balcony stand out too."
Xie Zhiyan didn’t move.
Thinking the connection might be lagging, she called his name. "Xie Zhiyan?"
Suddenly, the camera flipped back to his face.
Ning Yuxuan froze.
"I have a meeting with a client in half an hour," he said calmly. "And besides…"
His gaze dipped slightly. "Weren’t you supposed to show me the dress?"
Only then did she remember the original purpose of this call.
She’d been so preoccupied with Huayuan’s renovations lately that the moment she saw the hotel, her mind flooded with design ideas.
Noticing her reluctance, Xie Zhiyan relented. "If you really want to study the hotel’s layout, I’ll have Liu Cheng take more photos and videos from different angles for you later."
Ning Yuxuan: "...Deal!"
Xie Zhiyan: "Now, can we focus on the main event?"
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
How did "showing a dress" sound so suggestive when he said it?
The camera had been trained on her face.
She held the phone farther away.
"Here," she said. "It’s just a green dress."
The emerald-green gown had thin straps, with a velvet bodice that transitioned into silk from the waist down.
The dress was exquisitely tailored, rich in details, but the video quality probably didn’t do it justice.
Now that she thought about it, asking him to look at a dress over video had been a questionable decision.
Ning Yuxuan glanced down.
The neckline was lower than usual—fine in person, but awkward when pointed directly at the camera.
She tugged the straps up slightly.
Another soft laugh came through the earphones.
She glared at him through the screen. "What’s so funny? The straps were uncomfortable. I was just adjusting them."
Xie Zhiyan hummed knowingly. "I thought you were worried I’d see too much."
Ning Yuxuan: "...Xie Zhiyan, keep talking and I’m hanging up."
Since when did he have such a rogue side?
Unfazed, he replied, "You’re the one who wanted to show me the dress."
She blurted out, "I said the dress. What were you looking at?"
Xie Zhiyan: "Also the dress."
Ning Yuxuan: "..."
Yeah, right.
She huffed. "Are you done looking yet?"
Xie Zhiyan countered, "In a hurry?"
Ning Yuxuan muttered, "My arm’s tired from holding the phone out like this."
Xie Zhiyan: "Then don’t hold it so far. I just need to see you."
His voice was deep and smooth, with a slight rasp that made her ears tingle.
Her arm was getting sore.
She lowered the phone slightly and grumbled, "You never wanted to see the dress. You just wanted to see me."
Xie Zhiyan replied breezily, "You and the dress are both beautiful. But you more so."
Ning Yuxuan: "...Smooth talker."
"You’ve seen what you wanted," she said. "Shouldn’t you return the favor?"
Xie Zhiyan: "The room tour wasn’t enough?"
Ning Yuxuan: "Nope."
Xie Zhiyan asked, "What else do you want?"
She bit her lip, studying the man on the screen.
Having just met with a client, Xie Zhiyan was dressed in a crisp white shirt and tie.
She didn’t think her gaze was that obvious, and the video resolution wasn’t exactly HD.
Yet Xie Zhiyan seemed to notice where her attention had wandered. He loosened his tie slightly. "What’s on your mind?"
Ning Yuxuan swallowed silently.
The way he tugged at his tie… well, it did something to her.
"Your tie, I mean…" she stammered. "Aren’t you hot?"
In Jiangcheng, the nights were the only respite from the sweltering heat. Even a short stroll in a strappy dress could leave one sweating.
Xie Zhiyan arched a brow. "Are you suggesting…?"
Ning Yuxuan suddenly realized how her words might have sounded—like an invitation.
"Not suggesting anything!" Her cheeks warmed. "Just curious! Keep your clothes on!"
The more she spoke, the worse it got.
Xie Zhiyan chuckled. "It’s not as hot here as it is in Jiangcheng. A shirt is just fine—"
He paused, then added, "If that’s what you were asking about."
She sensed a double meaning.
"That’s exactly what I was asking," Ning Yuxuan insisted. "You’re the one reading into it."
Xie Zhiyan: "Reading into what?"
Ning Yuxuan bit her lip, refusing to continue playing coy with him. "Didn't you say you have a client meeting later? Don’t you need to prepare?"
"I do," Xie Zhiyan replied. "But I wanted to hear your voice a little longer. Tell me, what did you do today?"
Ning Yuxuan fell silent for a moment before murmuring, "What’s so interesting about that? You hear me talk all the time anyway."
Despite her words, she still recounted her day on set to Xie Zhiyan.
Eventually, the conversation turned to Ning Shiyue.
"Ning Shiyue saw the floor plans Assistant Wu sent me," Ning Yuxuan said. "He was surprised when he heard we were buying a place."
Xie Zhiyan asked, "Have you found any you like?"
"There are two that seem nice," she replied. "I’ll tell you more in person when you’re back."
Buying a house might have been a simple matter for Xie Zhiyan, but since it carried the weight of being their "marital home," Ning Yuxuan didn’t want to treat it lightly.
"Alright," Xie Zhiyan agreed. "Then I’ll wait till I’m back."
Ning Yuxuan went on to describe the sights she had visited with Ning Fei that evening.
Their conversation was interrupted when someone knocked on Xie Zhiyan’s hotel room door—Liu Cheng reminding him that his client meeting was about to start.
Once Liu Cheng left, Ning Yuxuan said, "Go ahead and get to work."
Xie Zhiyan’s voice was deep and tender. "Goodnight."
She almost reflexively returned the sentiment before remembering it was still afternoon where he was.
Instead, she softly hummed in acknowledgment, then, after a pause, ended the call.
By the time she returned to their hotel suite, Ning Fei was already asleep, having left a small lamp on in the living room for her.
Ning Yuxuan tiptoed through her nighttime routine, changed into her nightgown, and slipped into bed.
Ning Fei stirred at the sound of her daughter’s movements, murmuring drowsily, "Xuanxuan?"
Ning Yuxuan knew her mother suffered from neurasthenia and insomnia—there had been nights in the past when Ning Fei tossed and turned until dawn.
But lately, it seemed her symptoms had eased.
In the original storyline, Ning Fei’s insomnia had only worsened over time, leaving her sleepless night after night—likely from worrying over Ning Yuxuan and Ning Shiyue.
Before her shower, Ning Yuxuan had checked her phone and seen a message from Ning Shiyue:
Tomorrow morning’s my big scene. Make sure you get to the set early—don’t miss my stellar performance.
If events had unfolded as originally written, Ning Shiyue would have been stuck in another production right now, forced to play a poorly written, one-dimensional side character, only to be mocked online for his acting in leaked footage.
But everything was turning out better.
A small smile touched Ning Yuxuan’s lips as she whispered back, "Mm, Mom, go back to sleep. I’m heading to bed too."
"Mm," Ning Fei mumbled. "Goodnight, Xuanxuan."
"Goodnight, Mom."
The next morning, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei returned to the set.
This was their last full day in Jiangcheng—they would be flying back to Beicheng on Friday morning to prepare for another shoot.
According to the director, Ning Shiyue was filming a pivotal scene that morning: his character being betrayed by a close friend. Ning Yuxuan guessed this was the "big scene" he had mentioned.
She and Ning Fei watched from behind the monitors as Ning Shiyue performed.
The scene had only a handful of lines, with the latter half relying entirely on silent emotion—giving him plenty of room to shine.
His portrayal built in layers: disbelief at first, then crushing disappointment, and finally, restrained grief and fury.
Director Zhang had set up multiple cameras to capture Ning Shiyue’s expressions from every angle.
After the first take, Ning Fei gave her verdict: "He’s found his footing."
Acting was something that could be taught, but true understanding came from within.
Even as an award-winning actress herself, Ning Fei hadn’t been able to pass down every nuance of her craft to Ning Shiyue.
Though he had improved with each of his previous dramas, there had always been something missing.
But this time, Ning Shiyue had poured himself into the role—and Ning Fei had watched, riveted.
Even as a layperson, Ning Yuxuan could tell he had done well.
She teased Ning Fei, "At this rate, our family won’t just have one Best Actress—we might get a Best Actor too."
Ning Fei chuckled. "I can’t say for sure, but based on that performance just now, he certainly has the makings of one."
Ning Yuxuan suddenly gasped in mock realization. "Oh, wait—I forgot something."
"What?"
She leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, "Even without Ning Shiyue, our family might still end up with another Best Actor."
Ning Fei blinked, then lightly swatted her daughter’s arm. "What nonsense are you spouting?"
Grinning, Ning Yuxuan rubbed her arm in exaggerated pain. "It’s a possibility! Why’d you hit me? That hurt!"
(Ning Fei hadn’t actually hit her hard at all.)
Ning Fei shot her a look. "Serves you right for talking nonsense."
By the time Ning Shiyue finished filming—Director Zhang had asked for another take from a different angle, despite his strong first performance—he found Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei playfully bickering.
He scowled. "Did you two even watch my scene?"
He was proud of his work, and the director had praised him—but Ning Fei and Ning Yuxuan’s opinions mattered just as much.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have insisted Ning Yuxuan come early to see it.
With a straight face, Ning Yuxuan shook her head. "Nope. I was telling Mom a joke. You’re done already?"
Ning Shiyue stared at her in disbelief.
They’d missed his big moment?
Ning Fei sighed. "She’s teasing you. We both watched the first take in full. You did wonderfully."
Ning Yuxuan nodded. "Mom even said your acting in that scene had Best Actor potential."
Ning Shiyue hesitated. "...Really?"
Ning Fei smiled. "Really. It was excellent."
Ning Yuxuan added, "Once this airs, if anyone dares criticize your acting again, your fans should just spam them with gifs from this scene. Instant knockout."
Ning Shiyue coughed, looking away. "It’s not that big a deal. Just... decent, I guess."
His tone was dismissive, but the corners of his mouth were fighting a losing battle against a grin.
The rest of the day was packed with important scenes for Ning Shiyue, including several in the afternoon.
Zhuang Yiming, however, as the third male lead, had no scenes scheduled for the entire day—just one in the evening.
Seizing an opportunity, Zhuang Yiming sidled up to Ning Yuxuan: "Yuxuan-jie, I had a few too many drinks last night—I didn’t say anything weird to you, did I?"
Ning Yuxuan looked at him with amusement. "It was just beer. Your tolerance is that bad? You blacked out from beer?"
Zhuang Yiming scratched his head. "Not exactly, but my memory’s a bit fuzzy…"
Last night, knowing he didn’t have scenes scheduled for the next day, he had drunk more than anyone else present.
Waking up this morning, he vaguely remembered rambling a bunch of nonsense in the taxi ride back and immediately regretted it.
He wasn’t sure if he’d said anything offensive to Ning Yuxuan.
"Yuxuan-jie," Zhuang Yiming ventured, "if I said anything inappropriate last night, don’t take it seriously. It was all nonsense."
Ning Yuxuan’s brow twitched. "Like when you complained about how annoying Cen Meng is on set?"
Zhuang Yiming froze for a second before replying without hesitation, "That part wasn’t nonsense."
He glanced around, then lowered his voice. "To be honest, Yuxuan-jie, a lot of us minor actors have issues with Cen Meng. Even Little Yao, who was with us at the barbecue last night, has been bullied by her in another production. But since she’s got connections, nobody dares speak up."
In this industry, the quickest way to bond isn’t through mutual friends—it’s through mutual enemies.
Zhuang Yiming and Little Yao, who played a supporting role, had only just met when they discovered they both despised a certain actress who’d recently vanished from the scene.
After comparing notes, they confirmed they were talking about the same person: Cen Meng.
"Yuxuan-jie, speaking of which…" Zhuang Yiming asked curiously, "do you know the inside story? Has Cen Meng’s sugar daddy already dumped her?"
Ning Yuxuan replied, "Probably."
She hadn’t paid much attention.
But if Gu Yunhao were still with Cen Meng, her reaction yesterday when his name came up wouldn’t have been so strained.
Zhuang Yiming sighed in relief. "Good. I heard the guy behind her is no joke. When she came at you all fake-nice yesterday, I was worried for you, Yuxuan-jie."
"Anyway, forget that!" Zhuang Yiming coughed and lowered his voice further. "Yuxuan-jie, about last night in the car… Did I ask you about your boyfriend?"
Ning Yuxuan arched an eyebrow.
Zhuang Yiming hurriedly added, "I was just drunk and blabbering! No hidden meaning—please don’t take it to heart!"
Ning Yuxuan smirked. "Relax, I didn’t mind."
Zhuang Yiming grinned. "Thanks, jie."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure appeared beside them.
Ning Shiyue glared at Zhuang Yiming. "Who are you calling ‘jie’?"
He didn’t even call Ning Yuxuan "sister" at home—who gave this guy the right?
Zhuang Yiming laughed awkwardly. "Just a term of respect! Respect!"
Ning Shiyue got to the point. "Director Zhang wants to see you. Said it’s important."
"Got it!" Zhuang Yiming replied immediately. "I’ll head over now. See you later, Yuxuan… Yuxuan-laoshi!"
After Zhuang Yiming left, Ning Yuxuan looked at Ning Shiyue with amusement.
Ning Shiyue scowled. "What’s that look for?"
Ning Yuxuan teased, "You won’t call me ‘sister,’ but you won’t let others call me that either?"
Ning Shiyue: "…"
Maybe it was because they were only two years apart, but he’d never gotten used to calling Ning Yuxuan "older sister."
They’d always addressed each other by name.
But him not using the term was one thing—hearing someone else say it gave Ning Shiyue an inexplicable irritation.
"That Zhuang Yiming is actually a year older than you," Ning Shiyue deflected. "How shameless to call you ‘jie.’"
Ning Yuxuan raised an eyebrow. "He calls you ‘Shiyue-ge’ too, doesn’t he?"
Ning Shiyue: "…That’s different!"
"There’s literally no difference," Ning Yuxuan countered logically. "Besides, by your logic, if Zhuang Yiming can’t call me ‘jie’ because he’s older, then you’re two years younger—shouldn’t you be calling me that? But I can’t even remember the last time you did."
Ning Shiyue muttered, "It’s just a title, why make a big deal…"
Remembering how seriously he’d just corrected Zhuang Yiming, his voice trailed off guiltily.
Ning Yuxuan crossed her arms, enjoying this. "If it’s just a title, then say it. ‘Jie’ or ‘older sister’—I’m not picky."
Ning Shiyue opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
The words themselves were harmless, but actually saying them felt unbearably awkward.
Another actor rushed over. "Shiyue-ge, the makeup artist needs you. Says they have to adjust your look for the next scene."
Ning Shiyue seized the escape. "Right, I’ll go now."
Before leaving, he glanced at Ning Yuxuan and tossed out a flustered, "We’ll talk later!"
Ning Yuxuan watched as Ning Shiyue hurried off to the makeup room.
This guy—was calling her "sister" really that hard?
---
That evening, Ning Yuxuan strolled around the lake with Ning Fei, taking photos.
This trip was mainly to visit Ning Shiyue on set, so they only ventured out to sightsee when the weather cooled in the evenings.
After dinner, Ning Yuxuan and Ning Fei returned to their hotel.
Ning Shiyue couldn’t wrap up filming early tonight, so he told them not to wait and to head back first.
Around nine, a knock came at their door.
Ning Shiyue walked in carrying two bags, which he set on the coffee table. "Local specialties from Jiangcheng."
After a pause, he added, "Not that I wanted to bring them. One of the crew members is from here and insisted you had to try this stuff."
Ning Yuxuan peeked into one bag—vacuum-sealed marinated snacks.
Ning Fei would never eat such salty food, so these were clearly for her.
The other bag held coconut milk pastries, which Ning Fei might actually try.
Ning Shiyue looked at them. "I’ve booked a car for tomorrow. It’ll pick you up at 8:20 AM to… take you to the airport."
As he spoke, his eyes flicked to Ning Yuxuan.
She looked up from the bags, baffled by his oddly furtive expression.
Ning Yuxuan asked, "Did you use my money to book a luxury car?"
Ning Shiyue: "…Seriously? You think I’m so cheap I’d use your cash just to call a car?"
Ning Yuxuan folded her arms. "Pretty much."
Ning Shiyue: "…"
"Ahem, anyway—" he said, "just be ready by 8:20 tomorrow. I got two hours off from Director Zhang to see you off at the airport."
Ning Yuxuan frowned. "What time’s the flight again? Is 8:20 cutting it close? The airport’s pretty far."
She hadn’t booked the tickets herself and couldn’t recall.
Ning Shiyue waved it off. "Plenty of time. Mom and I checked, right, Mom?"
Ning Fei: "Mm."
Ning Yuxuan glanced at the two of them: "...Alright."
After chatting for a while longer, Ning Shiyue went back to his room.
Ning Fei also headed to the bathroom to shower.
By the time Ning Yuxuan finished her shower and got into bed, Ning Fei had already gone to sleep.
Before drifting off, Ning Yuxuan picked up her phone to check.
There were a few work-related messages from Zhou Lin, as well as a text from Tao You asking how her trip to Jiangcheng was going. She had already replied to all of them before her shower.
Other than that, there were no new messages.
Hesitating for a moment, Ning Yuxuan tapped open her chat with Xie Zhiyan.
Their conversation still hadn’t moved past last night’s video call.
The entire day had passed without a single word from Xie Zhiyan.
Her fingers hovered over the text box, but after a few seconds of hesitation, she didn’t type anything. Silently, she closed the app.
Behind her, Ning Fei’s gentle voice spoke up: "Xuanxuan, we have to wake up early tomorrow. Go to sleep soon—stop staring at your phone."
Ning Yuxuan: "...Mm."
She set her phone down on the nightstand.
This man.
Just two days ago, he had been saying all those sweet things about missing her—she had almost believed him.
And now, on the third day, his true colors were already showing.
With these thoughts swirling in her mind, Ning Yuxuan clutched the edge of the blanket and drifted into sleep.
The next morning, the alarm jolted her awake. By the time she got up, Ning Fei had already finished getting ready and was packing her luggage.
By the time Ning Yuxuan had brushed her teeth, washed her face, and changed, Ning Fei was fully prepped and ready to go.
Ning Shiyue knocked on the door and shot Ning Fei a meaningful look. "Mom, let’s take the luggage down first."
Ning Fei agreed.
The two of them each grabbed a suitcase and headed downstairs.
Ning Yuxuan was still in the middle of tying her hair into a ponytail, her arm suspended mid-air.
What’s the rush?
It was only 8:07—they still had thirteen minutes left.
Especially Ning Shiyue—not only did he not wait for her, but he also only took the big suitcase.
Her bright yellow carry-on was still sitting on the floor, fully packed, and he couldn’t even be bothered to grab it for her.
Silently grumbling about Ning Shiyue in her head, Ning Yuxuan loosely tied her hair into a low ponytail.
Her phone chimed with a message from Ning Shiyue:
Ning Shiyue: [The driver’s already downstairs—it’s a black car with a license plate ending in four nines. Just bring your suitcase down when you’re ready.]
Ning Yuxuan replied with a simple "K."
She grabbed the small pastry Ning Fei had left for her on the entryway cabinet as breakfast and wolfed it down in a few bites.
After double-checking that she hadn’t left anything behind in the room, Ning Yuxuan pulled her carry-on along, took the keycard, and stepped out.
After handing the keycard to the front desk, she walked out of the hotel.
The morning sun was a little too bright, and Ning Yuxuan squinted as she spotted the car with the four nines on its plate.
The car looked expensive—had Ning Shiyue actually booked a luxury ride?
She wheeled her suitcase over, but no one came to greet her or open the door.
Ning Yuxuan found it odd, but since the license plate matched, there shouldn’t be any mistake.
She stepped forward and tapped on the window. "Excuse me, could you pop the trunk? There’s one more suitcase."
