Su Yue agreed to take on the play, and a meeting was arranged at Jin Mingyuan’s Brother company with Director Guan. She found Director Guan to be a serious yet thoughtful individual, which explained why his films consistently exceeded expectations, offering fresh perspectives.
It wasn’t Jin Mingjing’s first encounter with Su Yue, but it was his first time seeing her since she had lost weight. He was utterly captivated the moment she walked in, almost losing his composure. He understood then why Director Guan had been so insistent on casting Su Yue. With her stunning looks, even if the film didn’t explode, it wouldn’t be far off. Her face alone was enough to mesmerize audiences.
“Time is urgent. You need to join the crew by the end of this month. Don’t worry about anything; the company will handle all arrangements for you. I’ll also assign a temporary assistant for you ,” Jin Mingjing told her every perks available for her joining .But Su Yue’s only goal was to make this movie well; she didn’t plan to sustain a long career in entertainment. Jin Mingjing understood; after all, from a family like hers, there was no need to rely on the entertainment industry for income at all .
“And regarding acting, Director Guan will guide you. Do you need me to hire a teacher for you too?” Jin Mingjing asked, concerned about Su Yue’s lack of experience and potential stage fright when acting alongside seasoned crew members. He thought a professional teacher could offer constant guidance.
Su Yue smiled and politely refused, “Thank you for your arrangements. As for a teacher, I don’t need one. I believe the director’s guidance will be enough.”
Seeing her resolve, Jin Mingjing conceded. “Alright then, feel free to ask me if you need anything at any time.” He knew Su Yue was helping him out of respect for his sister, Jin Mingyuan, and he didn’t want her to feel taken advantage of.
As the month drew to a close, Su Yue prepared to join the crew. The filming location was a remote mountain village. That night, under the thick moonlight, the yard was bathed in bright white light, the grass tips gleaming with silver, and the surroundings were quiet.
“I’m joining the crew tomorrow,” she said, having already taken a long leave from school. As a junior, taking time off was easier compared to her sophomore year, as this year focused mainly on internships.
Jiang Ci emerged from the bathroom, dressed in black pajamas, the coolness of the cold water still clinging to him. It was autumn, and the weather had cooled considerably, especially at night. Yet, he still preferred cold showers.
He grabbed a dry towel, placed it on his head, and sat in front of Su Yue, his hair still wet. “Tomorrow?” he asked slowly.
“Yeah, I’m the last one to join the crew,” she replied, having heard that the other actors had already arrived two days prior. Su Yue naturally took the towel from Jiang Ci’s head and began to dry his hair. His soft, short hair tickled her palm.
“I’ll arrange two assistants for you,” Jiang Ci said lazily, closing his eyes, clearly enjoying the feel of her soft fingertips running through his hair.
“No need, Mingyuan’s eldest brother has already arranged people for me,” Su Yue gently wiped his hair, finding Jiang Ci surprisingly obedient at that moment, a stark contrast to his usual cool demeanor.
“Other people’s arrangements are their business. You must use my people,” he stated. He had been “cleaning up” some individuals recently, and her temporary departure from City B was also good, but she needed his people by her side to ensure her safety. The man who had seemed cute a second ago was now back to being arrogant.
“Well, you can arrange it if you want, but I won’t have time to take care of your people,” Su Yue said, neither disgusted nor angered by Jiang Ci’s strong attitude. She understood his care for her and was happy he was arranging assistance.
“They’re there to take care of you, not for you to take care of them,” Jiang Ci said, glancing at Su Yue. Seeing no resistance in her expression, his usually cold brows relaxed slightly.
“Understood.” Su Yue finished drying his hair and handed him the damp towel. “I don’t know how long the filming will last, but there will be breaks. If you miss me then, I’ll arrange a time to come back.”
“Yeah.” Jiang Ci tossed the wet towel aside, then turned and gently pressed her down. His slender fingers traced her chin, and he leaned in for a kiss. They were at the end of the bed, and Su Yue turned her head, catching their reflection in the large mirror. Jiang Ci’s black pajamas pressed against her sheer pink nightdress. Her face flushed, an indescribable sense of intimacy filling the air as she looked at their reflection.
“Where are you looking?” Jiang Ci straightened her face. He glanced at the mirror and a slight smile played on his lips. “You’re going to be gone for so long, Su Yue. I want to collect my reward in advance.”
“Collect what?” Su Yue blinked, a little bewildered.
Jiang Ci didn’t elaborate further, but slowly leaned down, his thin lips gently pressing against hers. It was soft and moist, and he felt an irresistible urge to linger.
The next day, Su Yue met Jiang Ci’s assistants: Sheng Tian, who looked sweet and cheerful with two small dimples, and Sheng Yan, who had a serious, reserved expression. Their voices were as contrasting as their demeanors.
“Hello, Madam, my name is Sheng Tian,” the sweet-looking girl said with a cute smile.
“Madam, I’m Sheng Yan,” the serious girl introduced herself.
Su Yue nodded.
Sheng Tian explained, “Madam, President Jiang has instructed us to take care of you during the next period of time.”
“Well, get in the car.” Jiang Ci had already told her last night, so she wasn’t surprised.
On the plane, Su Yue learned more about her two new assistants. Sheng Tian was cheerful and talkative, while Sheng Yan was more restrained and quiet. What truly surprised her was that both were highly skilled, and Sheng Yan even mentioned that Sheng Tian was the better fighter.
As Su Yue looked out at the blue sky and white clouds, she fell into contemplation. These two young women possessed remarkable abilities, suggesting they had trained from a young age. They shared a surname but were not sisters, indicating they were likely raised within a prominent family. The only renowned Sheng family she knew was the mysterious Sheng family from City C, whose group was among the world’s top 100, comparable in stature to the five Jiang families.
She realized Jiang Ci held many secrets. Otherwise why he send people to protect her? Was she in danger? What had he been doing recently?
Meanwhile, in a top-floor presidential office in City B, Jiang Ci, dressed in a sharp black suit, stood with a cold expression. The scar on the left side of his face, far from being hideous, added a touch of arrogance and fierceness.
“Mr. Jiang, Sheng Minghao has signed the agreement,” reported Gu Qing, a tall, thin man standing by the desk.
Jiang Ci lazily raised his eyelids. “Good, then close the net.”
Gu Qing continued, “Mr. Jiang, there’s news about the young master. Our people found some clues about Mrs. Lu Xin’s mother and sister. Two people showed up in City D, but they’ve moved out.”
“Continue to check,” Jiang Ci commanded.
“Yes, President Jiang.”
After Gu Qing left, the large office fell silent. Jiang Ci leaned back in his chair, a mocking tug at the corners of his mouth. Four years was long enough to get his revenge.
Outside the airport, the spacious and comfortable RV sent by Jin Mingjing was waiting. The ride was smooth, and Su Yue felt no fatigue, thanks in large part to Sheng Tian’s constant chatter and amusing jokes. Before she knew it, the car had left the city and driven into a remote mountainous area.
The village was surrounded by mountains, with many houses featuring white walls covered in moss and falling plaster, revealing the yellow soil and red bricks beneath—a picture of dilapidation.
When Su Yue stepped out of the car, the crew was already waiting for her .
“Miss Su, you’re here.” Mao Yuanyuan, the assistant Jin Mingjing had assigned to Su Yue, was the first to speak. “My name is Mao Yuanyuan, and President Jin ordered me to serve as your assistant and take care of you during filming.” Mao Yuanyuan had a round face, and her cheeks were flushed from standing in the sun, making her look quite endearing.
“Hello,” Su Yue smiled warmly at her.
Mao Yuanyuan was instantly mesmerized by Su Yue’s delicate beauty. As an assistant, she possessed certain skills and had closely followed the entertainment industry, familiar with every female star. Yet, she had never seen anyone so exquisitely beautiful. No one disliked beautiful things, and Mao Yuanyuan was openly excited to have such a gorgeous goddess at her charge.
“These two are also my assistants, Sheng Tian and Sheng Yan. I’ll leave it to you for the next period of time,” Su Yue said gently. Having grown up in an orphanage and experienced hardship before entering the entertainment industry, she understood the demanding nature of work and never made things difficult for assistants or staff.
“Hello.” Mao Yuanyuan was slightly surprised but immediately greeted Sheng Tian and Sheng Yan without questioning why there were additional assistants.
“Miss Su, the director has prepared the opening ceremony. Everyone has arrived, and we can begin once you’re seated,” another staff member informed them.
“Okay, I see,” Su Yue responded.
The opening ceremony took place on a cement clearing in the middle of the mountain, where millet was typically sun-dried. The hurried preparations meant it was a relatively simple affair. The entire crew—director, scriptwriters, actors, costume designers, lighting technicians, executives, camera operators, and more—numbered in the hundreds. The ceremony should have happened earlier, but the search for the leading lady had taken quite some time. With Su Yue finally cast, they simply chose the day before filming, which happened to be an auspicious date.
When Su Yue appeared before everyone, everyone’s
jaws dropped. Many finally understood why the director had sought out a newcomer.
In City B, Jiang Xuan sat at her makeup table, in high spirits. The opening ceremony for her new play had just taken place that morning, and she had officially announced her upcoming involvement with the crew. Tonight, she would attend an event as the wife of the Hengyuan Group’s president.
In the past, she had deliberately kept her identity as a Jiang family daughter-in-law under wraps, fearing that others would attribute her achievements to her connections. She had only revealed it after achieving some success, missing many opportunities and enduring much hardship along the way. But now, it was different. She had secured the lead role in Director Wu’s new play, a far cry from her previous supporting roles.
“Miss Jiang, your skin is truly remarkable. It’s the best I’ve seen among female stars—white and smooth. You don’t even need powder; you’re already stunning,” the makeup artist praised while applying Jiang Xuan’s base makeup. Though a bit exaggerated, Jiang Xuan’s skin was indeed in excellent condition.
Jiang Xuan, felt flattered, as she raised her crimson lips, her smile becoming even sweeter. “Really?”
Just then, her agent, having just finished a phone call, walked in with a strange expression. She handed her mobile phone to Jiang Xuan. “Look.”
“What happened?” Jiang Xuan took the phone and glanced down.
“Didn’t you say your sister-in-law wasn’t interested in entering the entertainment industry before? Why is she now the heroine of Director Guan’s new work?” The agent was astonished by the trending news. If she had known Su Yue was interested in acting, she would have tried to sign her with her own agency.
Jiang Xuan stared at the phone screen and clicked on the trending news. The webpage displayed photos from the opening ceremony of Director Guan’s new work. The most striking photo, naturally, featured Su Yue, radiant with her unadorned face. She had become the heroine of Director Guan’s new work!
Jiang Xuan’s fingertips gripping the phone turned pale, and Jiang Xuan’s eyes also darkened. When she first learned Director Guan was making a new film, everyone had vied for an audition, even she had tried, but Director Guan had eliminated her in the first round. At the time, she hadn’t been too discouraged, recognizing that she wasn’t yet qualified to work with him. But now, Su Yue, who couldn’t even act, had become Director Guan’s leading lady?
Su Yue had clearly stated before that she wouldn’t enter the entertainment industry and had refused Jiang Xuan’s help. Now, she had quietly landed the lead role in a famous work . Was she trying to humiliate Jiang Xuan?
“I don’t know, she did say before that she wouldn’t enter the entertainment industry, and my mother-in-law also said that the Jiang family doesn’t allow both daughters-in-law to enter the entertainment industry,” Jiang Xuan said, still staring at the trending topics, her delicate voice losing some of its sweetness.
The agent leaned against the makeup table, narrowing her eyes. “Xiao Xuan, this isn’t the first time your sister-in-law has outshone you. Now, as a newcomer, she’s managed to secure the lead role in Director Guan’s new film. While you’re the lead in Director Wu’s film, you know the difference in prestige and fame between these two directors right.”
Seeing Jiang Xuan remain silent, the agent patted her shoulder. “I genuinely considered signing your sister-in-law because I saw her immense potential. However, I brought you into this industry, so my loyalty naturally lies with you. Let me remind you: from now on, your sister-in-law will undoubtedly continue to overshadow you and become an obstacle to your progress.”
Jiang Xuan looked up, feeling astonished from her agents remarks .