Gu Nansheng flew back to Nancheng two days later.

This time, she was joining a production crew to film a television drama.

A recently popular web novel titled Late Love Sky was about to be adapted into a TV series. As soon as fans heard the news, they spontaneously launched an online poll asking, “Who do you think should play the male and female leads?”

Gu Nansheng received an overwhelming 75% of the votes for the female lead role.

The male lead candidate was He Yanli, who received 69% of the votes. Gu Nansheng had seen him on television before, he was a gentle and reserved man with an unmistakably scholarly aura.

By the time the production team approached her, she had already finished reading the novel.

The story roughly went like this:

When the female lead was still a teenager, both of her parents passed away, leaving her and her younger brother to rely on each other to survive.

The younger brother was actually a child abandoned at their doorstep many years ago by unknown parents while her parents were still alive. Although the boy had a disability in his leg, the family had always raised him as their own son.

The male lead and female lead were childhood sweethearts, but the male lead’s parents looked down on the female lead’s background and tried to force them apart.

Unwilling to put him in a difficult position, the female lead left her hometown with her younger brother.

To survive, she had no choice but to work at dance halls, accompanying guests and singing for money.

But throughout it all, she remained pure and never sold herself.

Years later, the male and female leads met again.

The female lead’s feelings had never changed, and the male lead had also remained unmarried all these years. They still loved each other deeply and could never truly forget one another.

One day, the younger brother’s biological parents finally found him. Only then did he learn the truth about his origins, he was not actually the female lead’s real younger brother.

His biological parents hoped he could forgive them. After abandoning him all those years ago, they had never been able to have another child. Now, they wanted him to return home and inherit the family business.

The younger brother refused.

Ever since learning the truth about his identity, every time he saw the male lead visiting the female lead, his heart would ache unbearably.

Gradually, he could no longer distinguish whether his feelings toward his sister were familial affection or love.

But how could a disabled man like him ever be worthy of the perfect older sister he admired so deeply?

So he buried his feelings and continued acting as a sensible, obedient younger brother, staying quietly by her side and protecting her, even if it meant forever playing the role of “little brother.”

In the end, the male and female leads got married, but the female lead died from complications during childbirth.

She gave everything she had to bring a lovely baby girl into the world.

The male lead spent his remaining years consumed by grief and longing, his sorrow eating away at him day after day.

Before his death, he entrusted the child to the younger brother.

Eventually, the younger brother returned to his original family and raised his sister’s daughter alone for the rest of his life, never marrying.

And throughout her entire life, the female lead never knew…

That there had been another person in this world who loved her just as deeply.

What surprised Gu Nansheng the most was that the fan-favorite choice for the second male lead was actually Lin Siyan.

Ever since participating in a reality show, Lin Siyan had earned the title of “The Nation’s Little Brother.” With his adorable yet handsome appearance, he was deeply loved by audiences.

His original songs Clearly It’s You, Meeting Again, and Threads of Love had dominated the top three spots on major music charts.

By now, he had already become one of the entertainment industry’s hottest rising stars.

It was obvious that the production team had chosen Lin Siyan not only because he fit the role visually, but also because his immense popularity would bring massive traffic and attention to the drama.

Since the story was set during the Republican Era, the filming location was chosen to be Xicheng, a city rich with historical landmarks.

Although it was already close to November, the weather in Xicheng remained pleasantly warm, carrying the gentle feeling of early autumn.

It was Gu Nansheng’s first time visiting Xicheng. The streets, polished smooth by the passage of countless years, gleamed softly beneath the sunlight. Trees lining both sides of the roads were still lush and green. From the narrow alleyways came the melodious sound of flutes drifting through the air, blending together with the faint fragrance of tea, making the city feel even more steeped in ancient charm.

Gu Nansheng and Xuanxuan checked into the hotel arranged by the production crew.

Whenever she filmed, she preferred staying somewhere quiet, so she had specifically requested a more secluded room from the directors beforehand.

She ended up staying in the innermost room on the fourth floor, while Xuanxuan’s room was arranged right next door.

Before officially joining the production, she had already familiarized herself with the entire script.

After resting for a full day, filming officially began the next morning.

Once Gu Nansheng finished her makeup and stepped outside that morning, she happened to see the director discussing scenes with He Yanli.

“Nansheng, come over for a moment,” the director called out as he introduced them. “This is the male lead for this production, He Yanli. You already met during the opening ceremony, but you two should chat for a bit and get familiar with each other. We’ll be filming Scene Twelve shortly.”

“Hello, Teacher He.” Gu Nansheng shook his hand politely.

“You’re too polite. Just call me Yanli.”

Just like he appeared on television, he truly was a refined and gentle man. She had seen some of his historical dramas before. Dressed in flowing white robes, with picturesque features and a graceful smile lingering at the corners of his lips, he gave people the comforting feeling of a spring breeze.

This time, his styling consisted of a light-colored changshan embroidered with elegant bamboo leaves along the hem. Merely standing there made it easy to imagine him as the graceful and scholarly male lead from the novel itself.

Today was their very first scene together.

The scene depicted the reunion of the male and female leads after many years apart.

Gu Nansheng wore a crescent-white qipao. The tailored fit perfectly accentuated her elegant curves. Her willow-shaped brows and vivid red lips made her breathtakingly beautiful, every movement exuding irresistible charm.

The two reunited in a dance hall after years of separation.

“Wanqing?” The male lead, Fu Yunzhou, stared at the woman mingling among different men in disbelief.

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Xiang Wanqing’s breathing faltered for a split second. She forced herself to remain calm as she turned around. “Yunzhou?”

“It’s really you? How did you end up… here?” Fu Yunzhou could hardly describe the emotions surging through him.

“What’s wrong with this place? It’s quite nice.” She casually brushed a strand of hair behind her ear with slender pale fingers, smiling with deliberate flirtation.

No.

The Wanqing he knew should not have been like this.

She used to be like a lily, pure and shy. What exactly had she gone through during these years apart to become this woman standing before him now?

Fu Yunzhou’s heart felt as though it were bleeding. The way he looked at her was filled with unbearable pain.

Xiang Wanqing could not endure the heartbreak in his gaze. Her heart trembled slightly as her fingers twisted the handkerchief tightly until her knuckles turned pale.

To expose the most humiliating part of herself before the person she loved most…

All she could do was desperately maintain the fake smile on her face.

“Come with me!” Fu Yunzhou grabbed her hand.

“Go with you? Don’t make me laugh!” She forcefully shook his hand away. “Your parents don’t care about my background anymore? Look at what I’ve become now, do you think they would ever accept me?”

“Wanqing…” Fu Yunzhou slowly lowered the hand he had stretched toward her.

“Stop being foolish. Go back, Yunzhou. We ended a long time ago…” Tears shimmered in Xiang Wanqing’s eyes, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.

She turned her back to him and spoke the cruelest words she could manage.

“Don’t come see me again. The old Xiang Wanqing is already dead…”

Fu Yunzhou’s heart twisted in agony.

No.

He had finally found her again after all these years. How could he possibly let her disappear from his life once more? No matter what happened, he would stay by her side.

“Wanqing… wait for me.” He softly murmured as he watched her departing figure.

“Cut!” the director shouted. “Excellent! We got it!”

Gu Nansheng walked over and used a tissue to wipe away the tears that were about to fall.

“I almost couldn’t keep up with your acting just now,” He Yanli said softly. “Actors create sparks through clashing emotions. We grow by supporting and bringing out the best in each other. Nansheng, I’m truly happy to work with you. I believe we’ll definitely bring the audience an incredible production this time.”

Hearing his encouraging words made Gu Nansheng extremely happy.

Ever since entering the acting industry, she had stumbled forward little by little while constantly growing and improving.

And if the thing she loved could continue becoming better and better, then there was nothing in the world more fulfilling than that.