***
Chapter 5 – Temper
He Yujing stood up and walked toward Wu Qi.
Seeing him approach, the surrounding staff greeted him one after another. Wu Qi responded politely, “Teacher He.”
“May I have a word with you?”
“Of course.”
The two walked to a quiet corner of the studio. He Yujing spoke first: “Your standards are very high. Honestly, it’s even stricter than I expected.”
“Perhaps a bit demanding, but that’s how you get a quality result.”
Wu Qi believed he had grasped the meaning behind He Yujing’s earlier remarks during the break. Jiang Liusui was chosen by He Yujing,repeatedly stalling or hesitating on set was, in a way, slightly challenging He Yujing’s authority. To smooth things over, Wu Qi offered a subtle compliment: “Good things take time[mfn]慢工出细活 (màn gōng chū xì huó) – lit. slow work produces fine craftsmanship[/mfn]—you understand that, I’m sure.”
He Yujing nodded as if in agreement, then frowned and asked, “I don’t know much about acting, but is Jiang Liusui’s acting a bit lacking?”
“He’s young, and his experience isn’t rich, so some aspects are inevitably unsatisfactory. Actually, for his age, his current performance is quite good. But I assume you want to do this properly—forcing him would only compromise the result.”
Wu Qi spoke logically, his expression sincere: “I forgot to ask—do you have enough time? If we take too long, will it interfere with other work?”
“No problem. Having strict requirements is fine,” He Yujing smiled at him. We’ll take our time and shoot carefully.”
“I already told Xiao Jiang to relax and not to worry. No matter how the MV is shot, we won’t replace him. He seemed to understand as well. With your high standards, he can learn more from the process.”
Hearing He Yujing say that no matter how the MV is shot, they wouldn’t replace anyone, Wu Qi’s expression changed slightly, and he forced out a smile: “Yes, if you all think that way, that’s good.”
As they spoke, Wu Qi secretly glanced at the other person they were discussing. Jiang Liusui was still nestled among the soft pillows, his head slightly bowed, hiding his expression.
If He Yujing had given such assurance, then he could no longer use this MV shoot to threaten Jiang Liusui.
“I have something urgent come up, so let’s stop here for today.” He Yujing spoke politely but directly decided the entire crew’s schedule. “Sorry for delaying progress on the first day.”
Wu Qi couldn’t figure out what He Yujing meant by suddenly calling a stop—whether he knew nothing at all or had some inkling about the issues between him and Jiang Luisui.
Although uncertain in his heart, Wu Qi still smiled and agreed on the surface: “Then let’s pause for now. It’s just as well—Xiao Jiang isn’t in good form. He can rest for a day to find his rhythm.”
The script supervisor came over and announced that filming would be paused for the day. Jiang Luisui didn’t expect them to stop directly and instinctively looked toward the person who could make such decisions. Not far away, He Yujing was heading toward the dressing room, apparently to remove his makeup, while his assistant Lin Chong hurriedly spoke to him.
“Brother Yu, what sudden work do you have? How come I don’t know about it?” Lin Chong felt uneasy seeing him distractedly pressing his phone. “…Could it be that you’ve been too busy and stressed lately, so you decided to give yourself a day off?”
The more Lin Chong thought about it, the more possible it seemed. Given He Yujing’s usual behavior, this kind of willful move where he drops everything was something he would actually do. But if Shen Jie asked about it later, failing to keep an eye on him would be his responsibility.
He Yujing was currently contacting Shen Jie, asking her to find out if there had been any previous conflicts between Jiang Luisui and Wu Qi. The two sides told completely different stories. Although he leaned toward one side in his heart, he couldn’t casually accuse someone without evidence.
Lin Chong was still chattering away. Without looking up, He Yujing said, “I’m on vacation, so you get to rest too. Isn’t that good?”
Lin Chong said miserably, “Shen Jie will kill me.”
“Alright then, cherish the last day of your life.”
Hearing such an utterly merciless reply, Lin Chong’s vision went dark.
“Brother Yu…”
A voice suddenly called out. Lin Chong turned and saw the young actor who had been filming with them today.
Ever since the news of the MV preparation had been released, countless people had contacted the company. Even He Yujing had personally reviewed profiles of many actors and models. There were a few with good qualifications, and the director was quite satisfied, but He Yujing still wasn’t impressed. No one expected him to ultimately choose someone so unknown.
Lin Chong secretly observed Jiang Liusui and thought to himself—this one really stands out the most. That unscrupulous boss He Yujing’s eye for talent is truly impeccable.
Jiang Liusui jogged over in a few quick steps. During the shoot, he had been barefoot. To make it easier to run over, he directly stepped on the heels of his platform shoes. His footsteps made a tapping sound, revealing a bit of childishness.
Jiang Liusui’s tone grew earnest: “Thank you for being willing to trust me.”
“It’s just a temporary pause,” He Yujing said matter-of-factly. “I never said I trust you.”
“Mm, I know.” Jiang Liusui couldn’t help but smile.
He had initially asked He Yujing for help as a gamble, never expecting the other to actually listen seriously. It seemed he even intended to verify it further. Being treated fairly in this industry was truly something to be grateful for.
“Let me make this clear,” He Yujing said, his tone a little sharp as he noticed Jiang Liushi smiling at him, unsure of his intention. “If it turns out you’re just throwing mud[mfn]泼脏水 (pō zāng shuǐ) – lit. splash dirty water; to slander or defame someone[/mfn] at someone else, you’ll be the one who ends up in trouble.”
Jiang Liusui’s smile didn’t fade, completely unfazed by the threat: “Okay.”
“I’ll wait until you’ve checked everything properly.”
Shen Jie’s efficiency had always been high. That very evening, she reported the results to He Yujing.
“Have you heard of ⟪The Glass Mirror⟫?” Shen Jie’s voice came steadily through the phone. “It’s a TV drama currently in preparation, one of the major productions this year. Jiang Liusui previously sent an audition tape to the crew but didn’t pass. Wu Qi is the chief director for this series. Other than that, they don’t seem to have any other connections.”
“I asked around a bit. Wu Qi’s fondness for attractive people isn’t exactly a secret in the industry. You said Wu Qi shot the same scene four or five times? He might have had ulterior motives—maybe he was deliberately making things difficult.”
Shen Jie paused briefly, offering an objective analysis: “But it could also simply be that his acting wasn’t up to standard, failing to meet Wu Qi’s requirements.”
“Then it had better be that,” He Yujing’s expression was cold. “If he was doing all that nonsense, making me waste the whole morning too…”
Shen Jie naturally knew what he was thinking and comforted him: “The thing is, it’s a very delicate matter. Wu Qi’s excuses for holding him back won’t raise any eyebrows… Acting ability is subjective. What if Jiang Liusui simply couldn’t meet his standards?”
He Yujing, however, said: “Who cares if his standards are right or wrong?”
“…?”
“From now on, whatever Wu Qi says, if I think it’s good enough, then it’s good enough.”
“…Fine, you call the shots.” Shen Jie was no stranger to his domineering personality, but she trusted his judgment. “No matter what, since you’ve made it clear no one will be replaced, Wu Qi has no reason to stir up trouble and risk offending us.”
“If he behaves and doesn’t delay the filming from now on, let’s just drop it. The song is set to release next month, and we have less than twenty days left. Picking a fight with the director at this critical time would be too much trouble.”
Even if Wu Qi tried to make things difficult, his methods might be despicable, but in Shen Jie’s eyes, there was no reason to burn bridges. They were all in the same circle; they would continue to meet each other. Even if she and He Yujing didn’t take Wu Qi seriously, there was no need to offend him unnecessarily.
To put it bluntly, Wu Qi’s target was Jiang Liusui—it had nothing to do with them.
He Yujing remained silent, and Shen Jie took it as a tacit agreement. Considering he wasn’t the type to meddle, Shen Jie didn’t think much more about it, gave a few more reminders, and finally felt at ease.
The next morning at the MV set.
Jiang Liusui arrived early; the crew hadn’t fully arrived yet. The makeup artist, unaware of the previous day’s events, glanced at him and sighed with regret: “What a shame—yesterday’s styling was so perfect, and we only got half a day of filming.”
Jiang Liusui took a seat in front of the mirror and smiled at her. “Then I’ll trouble you to make me look just as good today.”
The young girl was immediately thrilled and flustered: “Of course, of course! I’ll make you even more handsome today!”
After getting home yesterday, Jiang Liushi told Jiang Chuan about the unexpected trouble on set.
Although he’d once considered asking Wu Qi for help, voluntarily approaching him was completely different from being coerced or manipulated. Jiang Chuan was both shocked and furious, feeling somewhat embarrassed remembering his own earlier foolish idea. Over the phone, he vehemently condemned Wu Qi’s despicable character.
“…And of course, he did it in a way that, on the surface, shows no flaws, so we can only suffer in silence.” After finishing somewhat awkwardly, Jiang Chuan, worried Jiang Liusui might act impulsively, cautioned him, “Take care of yourself. Keep evidence if you have to, but don’t truly provoke Wu Qi. I’ll report this to the company.”
Considering the one silver lining in the situation, Jiang Chuan added, “Fortunately, regardless of He Yujing’s stance, he halted filming yesterday. Wu Qi will have some reservations because of that. He probably won’t cause you any more trouble for now.”
“Don’t let it affect you. Focus on filming. Even if Wu Qi wants to find fault, he has to consider the actual situation.”
Jiang Liusui also believed Wu Qi was unlikely to stir up trouble for the time being. Besides, if trouble was destined to come[mfn]祸躲不过 (huò duǒ bù guò) – lit. misfortune can’t be avoided[/mfn], worrying endlessly wouldn’t help.
But unlike Jiang Chuan, he actually had considerable trust in He Yujing. With that reassurance, he felt relatively relaxed upon arriving on set.
The more the director tried to pick on him, the more important it was to maintain his composure. Ding Yan had specially bought iced coffee to reduce any puffiness, but even after waking up early, Jiang Liusui’s face showed no signs of swelling.
With the coffee unnecessary, Ding Yan found himself with some free time and began searching Jiang Liusui’s name on Weibo’s public feed.
After scrolling for a while, he couldn’t help but remark, “Suisui, your feed is so harmonious! Everyone’s praising you—rare to see so many strangers saying good things.”
The makeup artist was carefully applying eye primer for Jiang Liusui. Once she finished, he lifted his eyelids slightly. “Worth it for this little perk.”
Ding Yan burst out laughing, and the makeup artist joined in. She genuinely liked Jiang Liusui and couldn’t resist chiming in, “Once this MV is released, you’re definitely going to be famous! Teacher He has a talent for creating stars—every artist who had worked with him all developed very well.”
“Aside from you, the only other collaborator on this album is Teacher Su. She just signed a new endorsement deal a few days ago—you won’t be far behind.”
“Brother Yu and Teacher Su…” Remembering how Shen Sijia constantly obsessed over the rumors between He Yujing and Su Wan, Jiang Liusui asked quietly, “Are they dating?”
“No, no, it’s all just baseless rumors[mfn]捕风捉影 (bǔ fēng zhuō yǐng) – lit. catching the wind and grabbing shadows[/mfn]. You can’t take it seriously.” The makeup artist abruptly changed the subject, “But honestly, I don’t think just anyone could date Teacher He. The pressure would be immense.”
Ding Yan, being half a fan of He Yujing—able to sing every one of his songs from start to finish—eagerly joined the discussion, “Why? Shouldn’t it be great? Just thinking about having He Yujing as a boyfriend…”
Ding Yan struggled to find the right words, his limited vocabulary finally leading him to exclaim, “Damn, just thinking about it feels amazing.”
“Look at you, Xiao Ding.” Jiang Liusui leaned back in his chair, joining in their playful banter, “So you’ve been having such improper thoughts about him.”
Seeing how approachable Jiang Liusui was, the young makeup girl grew even more enthusiastic, “You guys don’t get it. He’s just too perfect in every way—it’d make anyone insecure. Being with a man like that offers no sense of security.”
She admitted honestly, “But honestly… sometimes, when I see He Yujing, I can’t help but daydream a little.”
Ding Yan burst into laughter, and Jiang Liusui’s eyes curved into smiles. Just then, someone knocked on the door from outside.
Wu Qi walked in and glanced at the other two people in the room, “Everyone out, please. I need to go over today’s schedule with Xiao Jiang.”
The makeup artist, confused, packed up her tools, while Ding Yan, knowing Wu Qi had ill intentions toward Jiang Liusui, stayed put and didn’t move.
The relaxed atmosphere from their earlier chat vanished instantly. Jiang Liusui’s nerves tightened. He hadn’t expected the other party to seek him out alone so soon, but with Wu Qi going this far, he knew he couldn’t avoid the confrontation any longer.
“In that case,” Jiang Liusui said calmly, “Ding Yan, you can go out first.”
“But…”
“Go. The director wants to speak to me alone.”
Still uneasy, Ding Yan left, pausing briefly as he exited to leave the door slightly ajar, just in case.
Wu Qi leisurely pulled over a chair and sat down facing Jiang Liusui.
“Is there some misunderstanding between us? We didn’t get to finish our conversation yesterday, and upon reflection, I think we should have a proper talk.”
“I know you’re a young man with your own principles, and I genuinely want to help you.”
“……”
“You’re still young and might not fully grasp how fierce the competition in this industry is. There’s no need to view this kind of arrangement as such a big deal.” Wu Qi’s eyes, clouded by years of indulgence[mfn]酒肉侵蚀 (jiǔ ròu qīn shí) – lit. eroded by wine and meat[/mfn], narrowed slightly, “Between He Yujing’s MV and the resources I can provide you afterward, it’d be almost impossible not to become famous. Just think about it—how many people would kill for the opportunity you have right now?”
“Director Wu,” Jiang Liusui suppressed his disgust, his tone even, “I’ve told you more than once that I have no interest in this kind of arrangement.”
Toward the end, Jiang Liushi added a remark that sounded polite but cut like a blade[mfn]绵里带刺 (mián lǐ dài cì) – lit. cotton wrapped around thorns[/mfn]: “Just as you said, opportunities like this are rare. With those resources of yours, you’ll surely be able to find someone more suitable.”
Wu Qi finally dropped all pretense. Seeing how stubbornly ungrateful Jiang Liuxi was, he sneered: “I don’t want to make things difficult for you, but if you keep refusing to appreciate my kindness[mfn]不识好歹 (bù shí hǎo dǎi) – lit. unable to tell good from bad[/mfn], I have plenty of ways to make you yield! Believe it or not, besides this MV, you won’t get another job ever again!”
Wu Qi glanced at the phone in Jiang Liusui’s hand. Instead of getting angry, he laughed: “Oh? You’re even recording this?”
Jiang Liusui hadn’t intended to hide it anyway. He slammed the phone onto the dressing table, stood up, and looked down at the man before him, saying coldly, “As long as you stop harassing me, I won’t release the recording.”
“Go ahead and try,” Wu Qi said unhurriedly. “See who’s willing to help you release that recording, which media outlet would offend me for a nobody like you?”
“I know you’ve said some things to He Yujing. Don’t think your pretty face means you can latch onto He Yujing—He doesn’t fall for that nonsense at all! If things really blow up, who do you think he’ll believe—me or you?”
Despite his words, remembering how He Yujing had directly halted the shoot earlier made Wu Qi wary. Not daring to cause more trouble on set, he spat on the ground resentfully and said, “I’ll let you off this time! Just wait and see! Someone as unknown as you—I don’t believe I can’t make you pay!”
Outside the dressing room, He Yujing stopped his hand from pushing the door open.
He arrived at the set a little later than Jiang Liushi, intending to talk about the matter with Wu Qi. Just as he reached the door, he heard sounds coming from inside.
Wu Qi’s words grew increasingly unpleasant, belittling Jiang Liusui as utterly worthless and lacing his speech with numerous insults. He Yujing frowned and was about to push the door open—
“There’s something you never seem to understand.”
It was Jiang Liusui’s voice, cold and clear, as if he didn’t care at all about the verbal abuse, yet carrying a tension so tightly restrained it felt ready to explode.
He Yujing paused.
Jiang Liusui knew that, as unpleasant as Wu Qi’s words were, some of it was true.
In this industry, you had to know when to bow your head. For now, the best strategy would be to brush Wu Qi off with a laugh, then report it to Jiang Chuan and the company to find a solution.
But Wu Qi had harassed him repeatedly, and Jiang Liusui had reached his limit.
If he didn’t make Wu Qi feel disgusted in return, he really couldn’t swallow this anger.
Seeing that he still dared to speak back, Wu Qi cursed disdainfully: “Go on, keep talking then! What is it that I don’t understand? A pretty boy who makes a living off his face, and now you’re trying to give me a lesson?”
Screw you, Jiang Liusui thought.
Men like Wu Qi were long past feeling shame—ordinary pushback wouldn’t hurt them at all. If he wanted to hit where it really hurt…
“So you admit I rely on my looks?” As if not taking it as an insult, Jiang Liusui repeated the words mockingly, actually agreeing with Wu Qi. “If I wanted to play that game, I’d have more “hidden rule” opportunities than I could count.”
He spoke plainly and bluntly, tearing through the facade of barely maintained dignity, treating his own striking appearance as a priceless bargaining chip.
Stunned by this statement, Wu Qi froze in his seat. Jiang Liusui continued calmly, “So even if I wanted to play that kind of game, I’d never bother with someone like you—”
He deliberately paused, his eyes filled with malice: “—who’s so low-class.”
Hearing those last words, Wu Qi flew into a rage: “What did you just say?! Are you out of your mind?”
He abruptly stood up, raising his hand to slap Jiang Liusui.
Jiang Liusui seized his wrist in a tight grip. Wu Qi struggled violently, his face turning bright red, but a body long indulged in wine and women could not match the strength of a young person—his bones were being crushed with a creaking sound.
“Let go, you motherfucker, release me! I’ll fucking kill you…!”
Seeing his frantic rage, Jiang Liusui instead smiled.
Even at a time like this, his smile was both beautiful and sinister. Wu Qi was stunned for a moment.
Noticing this, the mockery in Jiang Liusui’s eyes deepened: “You get so mesmerized by me even when you’re angry. Pathetic, really.”
— — — —
Author’s Note:
Let Xiao Jing see Xiao Sui’s bewitching side.
— — — —
