Ji Dongyang wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her up. He turned to pour coffee, handing her a cup. Zhou Yining happily accepted it, taking a sip from the cup. She suddenly called out to him, “Hey, Ji Dongyang.”

He held his coffee cup, leaning casually against the edge of the table. He hummed lightly through his nose. “Hmm?”

Zhou Yining smiled at him. “When are we going on a date? A sneaky, hidden one.”

Ji Dongyang turned his head to look at her, raising an eyebrow. “Where do you want to go?”

Zhou Yining tilted her head, thinking. She didn’t know where they could go. Ji Dongyang was too high-profile. If they were photographed, it would be trouble. Any date with him would have to be in secret.

If only they could go abroad, she thought.

“Let me think about it first. I’ll tell you when I decide.”

He set his coffee down and said very lightly, “Mm.”

The coordinator knocked on the door, calling from outside, “Dong-ge, get ready for the shoot.”

Ji Dongyang glanced at Zhou Yining. The two walked out of the restroom one after the other. The crew was already used to Zhou Yining occasionally emerging from Ji Dongyang’s restroom and didn’t think much of it. After all, they were the male and female leads, shared the most scenes, and had just worked together on one show. It was normal for them to be familiar.

They filmed Ji Dongyang and Yu Yuanhang’s scenes first. Wei Zhong chatted with the two of them, and once everything was ready, they began shooting.

Zhou Yining waited nearby for her turn. Zhang Ran came over with her phone and whispered into her ear, “Yining, you have a call.”

Zhou Yining glanced at the screen and said flatly, “Answer it for me. Say I’m filming and unavailable.”

Zhang Ran paused, then quickly walked to the side with the phone. Staring at the two characters for “Dad” on the screen, he answered. “Hello, Father Zhou. Yining is currently filming and can’t take the call.”

Zhou Lihui frowned. “Who are you?”

“I’m her assistant.”

“I see. Tell her to call me back later.”

After hanging up, Zhang Ran relayed Zhou Lihui’s message to Zhou Yining. Zhou Yining curled her lips in a look of mockery, her gaze cold as she looked forward.

After waiting for over an hour, it was Zhou Yining and Lu Ling’s turn for a scene.

When the morning shoot wrapped, Zhou Yining slowly ate her boxed lunch from the crew. The food was a little cold. She took a few bites but lost her appetite. Suddenly, she wanted a cigarette. She hadn’t brought any herself, but her character, Pei Yuan, smoked, and the crew had prepared prop cigarettes, Soft Yuxi brand.

She took the pack of cigarettes from the table, found a quiet corner, and lit one against the window. Halfway through the cigarette, the phone in her pocket rang.

Zhou Yining pulled out her phone and answered. “Dad.”

Zhou Lihui: “Come home tonight. You’ve been back here for several days and haven’t returned home once. Is that appropriate?”

Zhou Yining smiled, her hand dropping to her side. Her fair, slender fingers lightly flicked the ash. Leaning against the wall, she tilted her head back and exhaled a smoke ring.

Ji Dongyang emerged from the washroom, and this was the sight he saw. This was Zhou Yining, not Pei Yuan. He could distinguish clearly.

He heard her speak indifferently, “Fine. I’ll come back in the next couple of days.”

Zhou Yining hung up the phone. The cigarette was already burned down. She pulled out another one from the pack. Suddenly, she felt something was wrong. She turned her head and saw Ji Dongyang walking towards her.

She suddenly felt caught in the act. The cigarette in her hand felt like a hot potato; she didn’t know what to do with it.

Most men didn’t like women smoking, and Ji Dongyang was the same. He walked up to her, plucked the cigarette from her hand, and looked slowly at her. “Didn’t I say to tell me when you want to smoke?”

Zhou Yining suddenly smiled. She really wanted to hug him, but this was a hallway, and two prop guys were organizing equipment down the way.

She restrained herself, laughing flirtatiously. “Why do you care?”

When a man cares enough to manage a woman, it means he cares. Thinking this, Zhou Yining smiled even more smugly. Ji Dongyang felt slightly awkward from her laughter, but he maintained his calm exterior. He put the cigarette back into the pack. “This is a crew prop.”

Zhou Yining: “…”

She watched him confiscate the crew prop and turn to leave, unable to utter a single word.

At the same time, A Ming, who had been out all morning, returned. He placed the two books on the table. Ji Dongyang glanced at them. “Take them back to the hotel now.”

A Ming was confused. “Can’t I just take them back after wrapping up tonight?”

Does he really need to make a special trip?

Ji Dongyang nodded. “Yes. Take them back now.”

Lest that girl see them and steal them again. What is she afraid of?

He lowered his gaze to the two books: Schizophrenia and Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Before accepting the script for The Heart Knot, he had received scripts for similar subject matter. He had read them but wasn’t satisfied, so he hadn’t taken them on. Director Wei Zhong’s films always had a good reputation, and the screenwriter was the most famous in the industry, Li Yan. Undoubtedly, this was a good movie, and he didn’t want to miss it.

He hadn’t expected an accident to occur.

That accident was Zhou Yining.

Since Zhou Yining wasn’t staying at the hotel, she couldn’t sneak into his room, and their time alone was even shorter. Every day, she could only seize brief moments to slip into his restroom, stealing a kiss or a hug when no one was around. At first, Ji Dongyang would chase her out, but later, he let her be.

Three days later, Zhou Yining finished work at 6 PM and drove herself back to the Zhou family home. She arrived before 7 PM. Zhou Lihui had just returned home as well. The housekeeper was preparing to serve dinner. Zhou JiaHui and Xia Yun sat on either side, and Zhou Lihui sat at the head of the table. The whole family seemed harmonious and happy.

The housekeeper saw her return and quickly turned back. “The… the eldest miss is back.”

Zhou Yining glanced at the dining table and found the sight somewhat glaring. She quickly turned her head away. Xia Yun was gorgeous, gentle, and soft-spoken. Even in her forties, she was well-maintained, gentle, and beautiful. When Qin Yuan hadn’t returned in her childhood, Zhou Yining always thought Xia Yun was her mother, and she followed Zhou JiaHui in calling her “Mom.” The little girl was always so confused about why “Mom” was so biased. Every time she fought with her sister, “Mom” always sided with her sister. She felt utterly wronged, thinking she wasn’t obedient enough.

She was very, very obedient back then. She just wanted “Mom” to like her a little more.

But no matter how obedient she was, “Mom” always preferred her sister.

Of course, there were exceptions. When Zhou Lihui was present, Xia Yun usually favored her. The four- or five-year-old girl would feel as happy as if she’d been given candy, happy for the whole day. Today, Mom liked me a little more than she liked my sister.

But as soon as Zhou Lihui left, “Mom” would stop liking her.

So, her greatest wish as a child was for both her father and mother to be by her side, so that “Mom” would always like her.

The twisted nature of that childhood made Zhou Yining feel a suffocating pain in her chest whenever she thought of it.

…

Zhou Lihui stood up from his chair and instructed the housekeeper, “Add a set of bowls and chopsticks for Xiao Ning. And stir-fry two more dishes she likes.”

The housekeeper hurried into the kitchen to busy herself.

Zhou JiaHui, who had already picked up her chopsticks, saw Zhou Lihui set his down, waiting for Zhou Yining to be seated before they ate together. Displeased, she put her chopsticks down and glared at Zhou Yining. “If you were coming home, why didn’t you come back sooner? I’m starving.”

Zhou Yining didn’t bother to acknowledge her. She pulled out a chair, sat down, picked up her chopsticks, and took a piece of beef. “If you’re going to die, do it quickly. I didn’t want to come back either, but Dad called me several times.”

Zhou JiaHui also took a piece of beef and sneered. “You’re the one who should die! Being a celebrity really makes a difference. Now you’re acting like a big shot.”

Zhou Lihui spoke sternly. “That’s enough. You just got home, and you’re already bickering with your sister. What’s this talk about dying? It’s unseemly.”

Zhou JiaHui immediately felt deeply wronged. “Dad, she was the one who spoke to me first! How can I argue by myself? You’ve been biased toward her ever since she went abroad.”

Xia Yun’s expression changed slightly. “JiaHui, don’t talk nonsense. Eat.”

The dining table finally fell silent.

After the meal, the TV in the living room was showing a preview of a variety show. Zhou Yining glanced at it. It was the episode where the cast of Taiping Dynasty was promoting the show. She looked disgusted. “He’s just a walking cold front.”

Ji Dongyang, with his strong, handsome features, gave a slight smile. “Don’t look at her smiling like an angel; she’s actually a devil.”

Huh? He said she smiled like an angel.

Zhou Yining was furious at the time and only noticed the “devil” part that followed. The reason he said that then was probably because she had bitten his lip.

Zhou JiaHui was very displeased. “Dong-ge having to act in the same drama as you is a torment for him. With you in it, I don’t even have the desire to watch the show. And for The Heart Knot, you only got the lead role because of Yanjun-ge, right?”

If this were in the past, Zhou Yining would have argued with her until the sky turned upside down, but now she had no interest.

She picked up her backpack from the sofa, ready to leave.

Zhou Lihui called out to her, “Wait. Come to the study with me.”

Zhou Yining looked back at him. She followed him into the study with her bag still on her shoulder.

Closing the door, Zhou Lihui turned to look at her. “Xiao Ning, listen to your father. Withdraw from this production. You can film whatever movie you want in the future. I consulted Mike; this is not good for your condition.”

Zhou Yining was expressionless. “I won’t withdraw. I said I will finish the filming.”

Zhou Lihui suppressed his anger. “Will you just listen to your father this one time? If you have another episode, how am I supposed to explain it to your mother?”

Zhou Yining sneered. “This is my own business. You don’t need to explain it to anyone.”

Having said her piece, she turned to leave.

She pulled the door open suddenly and saw Zhou JiaHui standing right outside the door. She gave her a cold glance and hurried downstairs.

She rushed all the way out, got into her car, and slammed the door shut with a Bang!

She started the engine and drove away quickly.

Ji Dongyang had just returned to the hotel when A Ming called out to him, “Dong-ge, the show airs tonight. Do you want to watch?”

Ji Dongyang remembered the variety show they had filmed a while back. A Ming had already turned on the TV, and it was showing the main segment, the part where the two of them traded barbs.

NOTES

Soft Yuxi: A specific, popular brand of Chinese cigarette, used here as a prop.

Minor Flower: An industry term for a popular, young female actress.