The police and gangster film that Ji Ling had recently taken on was only halfway through filming. In fact, after he signed on, Ji Ling started to regret it. Police and gangster films were outdated now; young audiences probably lost interest as soon as they heard the genre, and older viewers weren’t much better off. There was no way to play the nostalgia card either.
At least the patriotic films had been gaining some traction recently, but this movie’s production didn’t rely on connections within the public security system, nor did it have mainstream department recommendations. It was still a commercial film at its core. If there were any sensitive scenes, no one would back it up, and getting through censorship would be a struggle.
However, the female lead was Zhong Mingwei, so Ji Ling still had a bit of confidence.
But after Ji Ling went through the material carefully, he couldn’t help but chuckle. The director of this film had some ideas.
Police and gangster films were supposed to feature tough guys, but in this one, apart from Zhong Mingwei, all the important male characters were famous ‘fresh meat’ (young, good-looking idols) in the industry.
The actor playing the male lead was an idol, known for portraying wealthy young masters on TV. This time, the director had cast him to play a tough role, and Ji Ling couldn’t even imagine how he would pull it off.
It was a bold move, but whether the audience would buy it was still up in the air. Now Ji Ling understood why the producers were so focused on marketing; his cut from the contract was quite generous.
Such a clever move could go viral with good promotion, but if the marketing failed and the audience reacted negatively, the backlash could be intense.
The crew was currently filming at an out-of-town film studio, and Ji Ling made a special trip to check things out.
Although summer had already passed, the weather was still hot. It seemed the crew had been here for about a month, just to shoot a few indoor scenes. This was because the director was very strict, insisting on multiple takes until he was satisfied with each scene.
‘Serves you right for casting fresh meat,’ Ji Ling thought, but none of this really mattered to him. He was only here to observe the marketing elements.
At this pace, Ji Ling estimated that the film wouldn’t be finished until next year. There was no need to rush; he had plenty of time to work on the planning. So, he took the opportunity to visit the set.
When Ji Ling arrived, the male lead was running in and out of a makeshift building, with the crew following him around. The director kept shouting ‘Cut! Cut!’ making Ji Ling feel tired just watching.
Meanwhile, Zhong Mingwei was sitting under a parasol on the side, wearing sunglasses and sipping iced tea leisurely.
Ji Ling walked over and greeted her, “Big star, living the easy life, huh?”
Zhong Mingwei smiled at him, “Oh, Boss Ji, I heard you came. Didn’t expect you to come watch the shoot.” She waved over an assistant to move a chair for Ji Ling, then asked, “Would you like some bitter melon tea to cool down and refresh your skin?”
“…No, thank you,” Ji Ling politely declined.
Zhong Mingwei continued smiling, “You’re handsome, Boss Ji, but you still need to take care of yourself.”
“…Miss Zhong, why are you calling me ‘Boss’ now?” Ji Ling chuckled.
Zhong Mingwei replied, “I got used to it after hearing everyone else say it. Boss Ji, you’ve become more famous in the industry lately. If I hadn’t been smart, I wouldn’t be able to keep up with you now.”
Ji Ling humbly replied, “Not at all, I still rely on Miss Zhong to look out for me.” He glanced at the exhausted male lead and then at Zhong Mingwei, who seemed so relaxed, and added, “You look pretty chill, Miss Zhong.”
Zhong Mingwei peered over her sunglasses at him, “You’re pretending to be clueless, Boss Ji. I may be relaxed now, but I’ll have to lead the scene later, and I’ll be exhausted both physically and mentally. That’s why I’m drinking bitter melon tea now—so I don’t get too worked up.”
Ji Ling smiled, “Miss Zhong has such a good temper. You won’t explode.”
Zhong Mingwei waved her hand dismissively, making a gesture like she didn’t want to talk about it, then pointed to the male lead, “Well, at least he doesn’t have an attitude. He genuinely wants to learn to act, so he can handle some hardship.”
Ji Ling agreed, “That’s not bad.”
Zhong Mingwei continued, “It’s a pity he lacks talent. Acting requires talent.” She paused, then added, “I guess everything requires some talent. Like you, Boss Ji, although you’re young, you’re really talented in business, which makes you stand out compared to others your age.”
Ji Ling smirked internally, thinking that people his age seemed like children to him. If he couldn’t beat a child, that would be embarrassing.
But he simply said, “Miss Zhong, you always flatter me. I feel embarrassed.”
Zhong Mingwei said with a nostalgic tone, “I told you, you remind me of a friend of mine. That person also had a lot of talent. You’re very similar, so I sincerely think Boss Ji has a bright future.”
Ji Ling thought for a moment, then smiled slightly, “Tell me about your friend. What kind of person are they?”
Zhong Mingwei paused, and Ji Ling thought she wouldn’t answer. But then she pushed up her sunglasses and spoke, “He’s very confident, always thinks he’s right, very dominant. When he decides to do something, nothing can stop him. And he’s very rich.”
Ji Ling lowered his gaze, “Sounds like a difficult person to get along with.”
Zhong Mingwei laughed, “Actually, he’s not that terrifying. I’m a bit afraid of him, but as long as you go along with him, things go smoothly.”
Ji Ling was surprised by her response and asked, “You’re afraid of him?”
Zhong Mingwei hesitated briefly but then quickly regained her composure. “Yes, actually, he’s a good person. But I can’t help but worry about making him angry,” she said, taking off her sunglasses and furrowing her brows. Her expression showed a complexity Ji Ling hadn’t seen before. “It’s not the kind of fear that makes you want to please him, but a natural fear of a strong person. I’m not sure if you understand.”
Ji Ling’s perception of her shifted again, and he calmly replied, “Not really.”
Zhong Mingwei smiled and put her sunglasses back on. “It’s like how a rabbit instinctively wants to run when it sees a wolf. Even though it knows it’s a dead end, it still tries to escape. Boss Ji wouldn’t understand because you’re a wolf yourself.”
Ji Ling thought back carefully. He realized he probably hadn’t ever been afraid of anyone.
So, he didn’t understand and asked Zhong Mingwei, “If that’s how you feel, why do you still want to be friends with him?”
Actually, the word ‘friends’ was just a cover. Both of them knew that, but neither would say it outright.
Zhong Mingwei let out a soft sigh and asked Ji Ling in return, “Boss Ji, do you like anyone?”
Ji Ling froze for a second.
Seeing his reaction, Zhong Mingwei understood right away. She gave a bitter smile and said, “It’s just that when your heart’s drawn to someone, there’s no controlling it.” She lowered her voice and spoke gently, “Feelings like that… it’s not just fear. No matter how strong someone is, sometimes, they can still feel a kind of tenderness.”
When she noticed Ji Ling still looked confused, she chuckled and said, “You’ll get it once you fall for someone. Even the toughest person has moments that make you feel for them. You’ll suddenly find them adorable. Your heart will ache for them. You’ll want to understand them, to accept everything about them.”
Ji Ling looked back at her quietly.
That was when Zhong Mingwei started to feel a bit embarrassed. She said, “Oh man, how did I end up talking to you about love? You must be bored to death.”
She smiled calmly. “Anyway, it’s all in the past now. Just think of it as me venting a little.”
Ji Ling gave a self-deprecating smile. “Honestly, I’ve never thought about that stuff before, but I actually find it pretty interesting.”
Zhong Mingwei raised an eyebrow and said with a teasing smile, “Well, of course. You bosses only care about money, money, and more money. Maybe give some attention to the girls around you, huh?”
She looked around, then leaned in and said to Ji Ling, “Boss Ji, keep what we talked about a secret, okay? If those gossip-hungry people find out, my goddess image is toast.”
Ji Ling smiled sincerely. “Of course.”
Just then, the male lead’s scene wrapped up. Zhong Mingwei stood up, ready for her turn. The makeup artist came over to touch her up, and Ji Ling stepped aside without needing to be told.
He watched her, feeling kind of awkward inside.
Everything Zhong Mingwei just said… it was basically a confession. She’d never said anything like that before. He didn’t think she’d buried her feelings so deep.
For the first time, Ji Ling found it hard to face her. So, he took the chance to slip away from the set.
As he walked, Ji Ling replayed their conversation in his head. Normally, this kind of emotional stuff didn’t interest him at all. But somehow, Zhong Mingwei’s words really stuck with him.
What she said… felt strangely familiar.
Still, Ji Ling hadn’t completely figured it out. After all, he wasn’t here for fun.
After wrapping up his business, he got ready to head back to the hotel, then return home. He made his way through the film set toward the parking lot.
The place was still buzzing. Groups of tourists and star-chasing fans filled the ancient-style streets. Some filming areas were surrounded by crowds, everyone hoping to catch a glimpse of a celebrity, not caring how hot it was as they pressed up against the barricades.
Ji Ling couldn’t help glancing toward the crowd. One glance—and he spotted someone completely unexpected.
He saw Yan Yueshi.
Ji Ling couldn’t help but sigh again. He must’ve had some serious fate with the Yan family in a past life. Even out of town, he could still run into Yan Yueshi.
She was standing in the shadow of an old-style wall, a hidden spot. Beside her stood another man—someone Ji Ling had seen before.
This time, he got a good look. The man’s face looked familiar. From the front, he seemed even older than when Ji Ling saw him from the back last time. Honestly, standing next to Yan Yueshi, they looked almost like father and daughter.
That surprised Ji Ling a bit.
They seemed to be talking about something. Then someone showed up, and the two quickly went their separate ways. Yan Yueshi left alone, and the man walked straight in Ji Ling’s direction. It was the opposite of what had happened before.
Ji Ling stepped forward on purpose, walking right into his path. The man even gave him a smile that looked like a polite hello.
Ji Ling wasn’t expecting that.
He thought to himself, ‘What the hell? Am I really that famous now?’
On the way back, Ji Ling dug through his memories, and finally remembered who the guy was.
He was a director in the industry. Not top-tier, but he’d made quite a few films.
That made Ji Ling feel a little better… but then he remembered the guy’s age—so much older than Yan Yueshi.
If Yan Yixuan, who’s super protective of his little sister, found out… he’d probably blow a gasket.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
