Zhao Wenshu called that evening to let him know, and Shen Lian arrived on set first thing the next morning.
Instead of sitting, he stood there looking handsome and poised, cradling his insulated cup and taking sip after sip.
On his final round checking the set, Zhao Wenshu passed Shen Lian and casually said, "Sit down while you drink."
Shen Lian merely nodded, without showing the slightest intention of moving.
If anyone asked, he was working on shaping his figure lately.
Someone teased him with a laugh. "Teacher Shen, with looks like yours, do you really need to work on your figure?"
Shen Lian smiled through his tears. "There's always room for improvement."
What else could he say? Oh, I've been flipped back and forth like a fish in a frying pan these past few days, and a certain part of me has reached the absolute limit of what a body can endure, so I can only stand. Or you could bring me a bed. Lying down works too.
When the stylist arrived, Shen Lian set down his insulated cup and followed her into the makeup room.
"You've been working hard, Teacher Shen. You've lost weight again," the stylist remarked. The first impression Lu Xiaokai was supposed to give was of beauty and slenderness. She hadn't expected Shen Lian to keep demanding so much of himself to fit the role.
Shen Lian said nothing. Lost weight? More like lost some of my life force.
In fact, when Chu Yilan had felt Shen Lian's waist that morning, he'd been filled with regret. He'd stood in front of him, measuring with his hands for ages, his sharp brows drawn so tightly together they could have tied themselves in a knot.
Shen Lian had laughed at the sight and, with no regard for