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In the soft, dusky light, on the stage watched by all, young Han Lusheng lightly tossed his water sleeves. The plain white silk traced two graceful arcs through the air, then was slowly, slowly gathered back into his hands as he took delicate steps. "The slender threads of clear spring... drift into this idle courtyard, swaying like strands of spring..."

His voice was unhurried and lilting, clear and tranquil. Every raised hand and step brimmed with tender grace, while the wistful charm and secluded sorrow of a young woman's chamber spread outward like ink wash spilled across white rice paper, gradually blooming into a haze.

Fang Kaizhi sat before the monitor, and his eyes lit up at once. He could not help straightening his back and leaning toward the screen, his gaze burning as he watched Du Liniang softly chant and sing upon the stage.

It was a scene steeped in springtime longing, as though even that stretch of yellowed years had been rendered breathtaking.

Director Fang shouted an unusually excited "Cut!" He could not restrain himself from rising to his feet, walking beneath the stage, and giving Lu Heng two thumbs-up. He praised him lavishly, "Good, good, good! Xiao Heng, you're absolutely incredible. You're a genius! You got such a difficult scene in one take. You're amazing..."

Lu Heng looked at Fang Kaizhi beneath the stage, so excited that he was practically incoherent, and felt a little embarrassed by the praise.

Though he had no scenes that afternoon, Rong Xiu had come over for some reason to watch. Looking at Lu Heng with undisguised amazement, he smiled. "Xiao Heng, you were fantastic. You completely brought to life Boss Han's stunning first appearance. I'm under so much pressure now."

Even Lu Heng could not help smiling. He looked at Rong Xiu speechlessly and said helplessly, "Brother Rong, don't tease me."

"I'm serious." Rong Xiu looked at Lu Heng solemnly. "I need to work even harder. You're so outstanding, Xiao Heng. My performance in the scenes ahead can't let this scene down."

Lu Heng smiled, thinking Rong Xiu was simply teasing him. But the other actors who had witnessed Lu Heng's performance did not think Rong Xiu was joking. They exchanged looks for a while, an inexplicable pressure rising in their hearts.

After this scene, Director Fang shot several more supplementary shots, both onstage and off. Group scenes like this looked as though they passed in an instant, but they were rather troublesome to film. The script supervisor had to direct the extras—who should make what expression, who should say which line when the camera swept past—and make sure there were no continuity errors in the shots.

This time, Lu Heng's task was much easier. He only needed to perform movements onstage, but even so, the scene was filmed over and over for more than two hours. During that time, a makeup artist came up to touch up his makeup, and an assistant brought him water. A straw had thoughtfully been placed in the newly opened bottle of mineral water, and the assistant smilingly addressed Lu Heng as "Teacher Lu."

Lu Heng knew that half of it was joking and half was sincere respect. Capable people could get along more easily wherever they went. That was true everywhere.

By the time the scene was finished, Zhao Miao, who had been called to the hotel to visit the "patient," finally stormed back to the production set. The moment he arrived, he keenly noticed that everyone's attitude toward Lu Heng seemed a little different.

Zhao Miao raised his brows, leaned closer, and asked with a grin, "What happened?"

Lu Heng, who was having his makeup removed, smiled faintly and casually said, "Nothing."

But the makeup artist helping remove his makeup could not hold it in. She grabbed Zhao Miao and chattered away about Lu Heng's filming that afternoon.

"...It was really beautiful. Forget acting—even if Teacher Lu really went onstage to perform opera, he'd definitely be a star." As she spoke, the makeup artist gave him an earnest thumbs-up.

Zhao Miao reached out and patted Lu Heng on the shoulder, laughing. "Not bad. I leave you alone for a little while, and you've already become a teacher?"

Lu Heng glanced at Zhao Miao, who was forcing a smile, and raised a brow. "What's wrong with you this time?"

It would have been better if he had not asked. The moment Zhao Miao heard that, the smile vanished from his face. Without caring that the makeup artist was still working beside them, he cursed openly, "Isn't it all because of that petty bastard Yue Sennan? He actually went behind my back and tattled to the company. Now Hu Yuexi and Cao Yan are both blaming me for siding with outsiders and screwing over my own people..."

Lu Heng understood the moment he heard it. After yesterday's press conference, Zhao Miao had mocked Yue Sennan for his "ugly greed." Then Wei Linxuan had brought Kentucky Fried Chicken to visit the set. Yue Sennan had lumped those two incidents together and, after returning to the hotel that afternoon, called Star Entertainment to badmouth Zhao Miao.

The reason Star Entertainment had sent Hu Yuexi and Cao Yan over today was, firstly, to placate Yue Sennan and, secondly, to resolve this trouble. Yue Sennan had originally wanted to use the company to pressure Zhao Miao into apologizing to him. But Zhao Miao simply ignored the matter, even refusing Hu Yuexi's request that he put in a good word for Zhao Miao.

"You know, Yue Sennan went back to the hotel last night to talk to the company about Huaxia Imperial Entertainment filming him pushing someone on set. Yue Sennan wanted the company to discuss it with Huaxia Imperial Entertainment and see if they could get the video back. But Wei Linxuan refused. They're still thinking of other ways. With Sister Hu's abilities, even if you release that video, it probably won't cause much of a stir."

Zhao Miao glanced at Lu Heng and gave him a heads-up. "I may not think much of Yue Sennan, but since Sister Hu has asked, I won't say anything else afterward."

Although Zhao Miao was not one of Hu Yuexi's artists, the two had been in the same company for many years, so they were naturally close in private. Zhao Miao regarded Hu Yuexi as his own older sister. Though he disliked Yue Sennan, he would not make things difficult for Hu Yuexi over someone like him. Besides, this also involved the struggle between Huaxia Imperial Entertainment and Star Entertainment, so he could not do anything.

Otherwise, he really would be siding with outsiders.

With Zhao Miao's pride, he would not normally explain himself so clearly. The reason he gave Lu Heng an explanation was simply because he liked him and genuinely considered him a friend.

Lu Heng understood Zhao Miao's concerns as well and immediately nodded. "Don't worry. The companies are the companies; we're us."

After changing into his next costume and makeup, Lu Heng hurried back to the studio. This time, they were filming the part where, after Han Lusheng's elderly father died, his elder brother and sister-in-law did not want to raise this burden and discussed selling him to a male brothel, while Han Lusheng tearfully begged them not to.