Act One, the first year after the breakup

Jian Ru smiled, but due to the strain on her wound, her smile was grimacing, even more unappealing than crying. "Thus, this is what we call... an accident!"

Jian Ru is slowly driving her newly purchased red mini car through the sparse traffic. She is already driving very slowly, yet the indicators on the car's navigation system are still rapidly approaching a certain villa community, almost overlapping.

Zhang Xin opened her eyes in a daze, her beautiful large eyes still looking bewildered, as if she had not yet grasped the situation. Jian Ru quickly helped her pack up her things, preparing to sneak away quietly while no one was paying attention.

Let that pair of adulterers go to hell

... ...

Zhang Xin looked forward with hesitation. "This doesn't seem very good, does it?"

Forget it, seeing you so thin, I can't even see you on camera

In deep winter, Beijing becomes particularly cold at night, as the wind sweeps in with a thin layer of snow, enveloping the city. The rich cultural heritage of the city seems to be shrouded in a layer of chill brought on by this sudden snowfall

The snow in the air has unknowingly ceased, while the snow on the ground has transformed into crystal-clear ice, shimmering with brilliant light under the bright headlights.

... ...

... ...

Jian Ru's fingertips froze, and the fingers gripping the mouse gradually tightened

Under the imposing presence of Wei, Jian Ru ultimately yielded, quickly dressing up in a flamboyant manner before heading out

You! What is the purpose of this again?

At this time, when Mr. Wei personally came to visit, wearing such an expression of utter misfortune, she immediately felt an ominous premonition. "Looking for me so late? Could it be that the company is going to sell me again?"

The director called out: "Cut! OK!" The group of actors portraying the background concubines immediately breathed a sigh of relief and each went to find warm clothing to fend off the cold

In this day and age, if you want to be a good actor, you must pay the price... If you wish to be a chaste and virtuous woman, go home, get married, and have children!

"Are you leaving first?" The producer, Yue Dasha, had somehow wandered over to her side and promptly reached out to steady her designer handbag, which she nearly dropped in shock. "Is this how you show me no respect?"

Before leaving, Jin Ru intended to remind her that the number of women Yu Qifei had slept with was no less than the snowflakes drifting outside. She had only seen them fall to the ground, and few had ever perched on the branches. If she wanted to throw herself into his arms, she had to be mentally prepared for the possibility of falling to the ground. However, she then thought again, it was well-known that Young Master Yu could write a book chronicling his romantic escapades; how could Zhang Xin, who had secretly admired him for so long, be unaware of this?

Within the intricately carved and painted palace architecture, light illuminates the aged hues from various angles. Jianhu, dressed in a thin, plain-colored brocade robe, sits gracefully on a red lacquered wooden chair. Her exquisite features, enhanced by a perfectly applied makeup, exude elegance and beauty. Her lustrous eyes are crystal clear, yet they reveal an unshakeable indifference. In the midst of silence, her slightly upturned lips reveal a smile colder than thin snow, perfectly showcasing the remaining pride of a once-favored concubine in the imperial harem.

Do not tell me this was an accident. With your driving skills, how could you crash into a guardrail on a deserted street in broad daylight?!

In the end, he silently turned around and left

The enthusiastic chorus of agreement rose spontaneously, and the pace of work clearly accelerated.

After two consecutive months of filming, Jian Ru's already chaotic biological clock was completely destroyed. Returning home late at night, she was clearly exhausted, yet felt no inclination to sleep. Therefore, at half past three in the morning, when Wei Ye entered with a face that was as changeable as the weather, she was still spiritedly reading Weibo comments in front of her computer.

She has been searching all along, but has never encountered it. Or rather, it can be said that she will never encounter it again

There are some people whom you would rather die than meet

In the thick of the night, the leading actress and the producer engaged in lively conversation, their enthusiasm ablaze, completely disregarding the disturbances from the numerous onlookers, who had long since grown accustomed to such scenes, each attending to their own business.

This is also acceptable! Master Wei was so surprised that his small eyes widened. Who are those people? They are so impressive. How about I let Luo Qing go, she... What?! Young Master Ye Shizhong is having a birthday? Which Ye Shizhong? It can't be... Ah? It really is!

They are a group of privileged young masters, and we cannot afford to offend them. The higher-ups have just stated that you must go tonight; otherwise, you won't even be needed for minor roles in the future

Suddenly, she saw a message @ her, from an ID she had not followed, with only three words: It is snowing ... ...

"Let's call it a day for today, wrap it up." As soon as the director spoke, the crew members felt grateful and relieved to finish for the day

Matters of love have never been the concern of outsiders

An hour later, many enthusiastic comments from fans appeared on Weibo: "Little Meat, I just watched the promotional video for 'Deep Palace', and you are far more beautiful than Chen XX! I fully support you!"

The upcoming scenes were not as smooth. After all, Chen Yaoyao was a newcomer, and she repeatedly failed to find the emotional state of love and hate while acting opposite the male lead. The group of concubines accompanying her had their legs stiff from standing, daring to feel angry but not to speak out. The director was also somewhat impatient, glancing at the distracted producer beside him but unable to express his frustration, so he could only let it pass when it was close enough.

She smiled without changing her expression and replied, "I think it is very effective on camera"

Having played many roles of a mere bystander, she had long grown accustomed to such treatment. She casually teased the unknown bird in the cage and fiddled with the frayed golden silk embroidery on her cuff, managing to get through the scene.

It is much better now. What kind do you want? A real estate tycoon, a Shanxi coal boss, or a high-ranking official? I have a pile of stock on hand. Whether you can defeat the original partner and successfully rise to power depends on you.

Unconsciously, the speed of the car increased, like the fleeting wind. ... It seemed as if she could once again smell the damp scent of the parking lot and see that slightly trembling car ...

At this moment, she still does not forget to promote herself, and Wei Ye is completely impressed by her dedication. If she were willing to apply this dedication to climbing into the beds of investors who could control her fate, her future would have been bright long ago, and he would not have to spend every day cleaning up her mess. However, sometimes, he feels a bit of pity for this girl who insists on walking her own path in the murky waters of the entertainment industry, even if it leaves her battered and bloodied.

... ...

This call of "Qifei" is so endearing!

The ringtone of Wei Ye's phone rang, and with a determination to face death, he answered: "Hmm, she agreed to go, but... there is a condition, she wants to be the leading actress in the new play..."

She paused for a moment, took a barely noticeable breath, and then continued in a nonchalant tone: "If there is a man in this world who can treat me this way, I would immediately abandon my relentless pursuit of a career in the performing arts, bear his children, and become a virtuous wife and devoted mother."

When even the authorities are confused, how clear can the bystanders be?

The makeup artist hurriedly chased after to retouch her makeup, while the costume designer was busy helping her arrange her costume. However, her fiery gaze lingered solely on the young master Yue beside her

She looked up again, but the figure had long since disappeared, leaving only the empty corridor, desolate and void of life

Jian Ru smiled, and her already feminine face added a touch more charm. "Well, in the future, you should get me more art films."

This dialogue ... . ... she indeed found it somewhat difficult to respond, fortunately, someone helped her to respond.

"You haven't had dinner yet, why not go with them to get a free meal?" she said

In fact, my demands are not high... When it comes to marriage, Jian Ru's gaze drifts towards the dark clouds of the night, "I want a man... Even if I ruin my own reputation, even if I completely destroy his worldview, the woman he desires will always be only me."

Jian Ru exhaled onto her frozen hands, searching for her part-time assistant Zhang Xin with a still indifferent gaze, only to find her curled up asleep in a chair. Looking at Zhang Xin's frail figure and recalling how this small frame had accompanied her for over twenty hours in the harsh winter, while she only paid her a pitifully small part-time salary each month, Jian Ru couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt. She draped the cotton coat she had prepared over Zhang Xin, while she herself sat down in a corner wearing a thin costume and pulled out her phone.

The phone displayed two missed calls, with the last five digits being zeros. She searched her memory and confirmed it was an unfamiliar number, so she paid it no further attention and opened Weibo to scroll through the comments

A decisive reply came through the phone: "Okay!"

Wei Ye looked at her with disdain, casting a glance at her figure concealed by the oversized white T-shirt, and asked, "So are you going or not?"

"Marriage and childbirth?" This topic is better than the previous one, and Jianru immediately became lively. "Sure! Wei Ye, do you have any good introductions?"

Did you hear that? Are you trying to make me knock you out and carry you away?

An hour later, Wei Ye rushed to the hospital and immediately saw Jian Ru, covered in blood. A wound over an inch long marred her originally smooth forehead, oozing blood, while metallic fragments embedded in her arm gleamed, with drops of crimson blood falling, a truly harrowing sight

Thinking of that person, she felt as if her soul had been lost. The roar of Wei had become barely audible in her ears. "Hurry up and change your clothes! Even if you die on a man's bed tonight, you must go!"

Upon hearing this rather magnetic and plaintive voice, Jian Ru immediately smiled radiantly, and her tone of explanation was exceedingly sincere, "Hehe, how could I dare to disregard the face of Young Master Yue? It's just that... I haven't had dinner in a long time; I've given it up!"

The green light at the intersection suddenly turned red, a red as vivid as blood. She jolted awake and slammed down on the brakes

Little meat, hold on!

Although Chen Yaoyao, who plays the favored concubine, is a newcomer, she indeed possesses a certain aura of a film queen. She leisurely waits for her assistant to help her put on a chestnut-red cashmere coat, gracefully walking towards producer Yue Qifei in a manner befitting a red carpet appearance

After pondering for half a day, she finally realized that the phrase "adulterous couple" referred to the producer Yue and Chen Yaoyao across from her, and she let out a helpless wry smile

"You want me to accompany those young masters in their revelries..." Jian Ru continued to scroll through the comments on Weibo with her fingertips and casually said, "Alright! The company has cast me as the lead actress in that major production, but I can't guarantee that I will truly make them happy."

Jianru looked at the wall clock, the hour hand pointing exactly at 11. "This time is precisely when one feels indulgent after a hearty meal. If I go, it would be like a sheep entering the wolf's den. Wei Ye, can you bear to feed me to those hungry wolves?"

Otherwise, why would he bother with her mess

Mr. Wei cast a stern glance at her, then sat down heavily on the sofa, "I really don't understand, with so many valuable items in the company, why do they always choose you, the most difficult one to deal with!"

Immediately following, the producer Yue Dasha added, "Everyone must be hungry, let me treat you all to a feast"

It is a pity that sitting next to the dazzling favorite consort, adorned in bright yellow, her overly understated attire and makeup seem somewhat understated, almost blending into the background. In a court romance drama that is racing against the clock, there is no need to waste film on the inner thoughts of background characters, so the camera moves away from her without any lingering affection, lingering instead on the favorite consort.

You! Wei was so angry that he directly threw the sofa cushion at her face: "Go dream!"

Oh? Is this method effective for treating heartbreak?

No response

The straight silhouette walked away, and Jian Ru gradually came back to her senses, lowering her head to continue refreshing the comments on Weibo.

"Indeed, having a small face doesn't necessarily mean one looks good on camera." At that moment, Chen Yaoyao, who had a slight baby fat, appeared and tightly clung to Producer Yue's arm, wishing she could press her entire body against him to assert her claim. "Qifei, the director is calling you over to take a look at the sample footage."

The doctor wanted to treat her wound, but she surprisingly asked him to wait a moment, calmly taking selfies for herself and posting on Weibo

Accompanied by the piercing sound of brakes, the scenery before her spun rapidly, the night making it impossible to distinguish between the sky and the ground

Mr. Wei was in a fit of anger and did not notice that she used the phrase "still". He cast her a disdainful glance and said, "Have you acted in too many idol dramas?!"

It doesn't matter, Young Master Yue won't mind inviting a few more people to dinner, especially if they are beautiful women

Because I am naturally beautiful and cannot abandon it

If she remembers correctly, Ye Shizhong has only one son, named Ye Zhengchen. Although she is not familiar with Ye Zhengchen, he does have a childhood friend who is quite familiar with her

Jian Ru changed out of her costume and gently patted the sleeping Zhang Xin, "The work is done, let's go back to school and continue sleeping."

The cold air, mixed with a few half-melted snowflakes, squeezed in through the drafty window cracks, blowing against her back with an oppressive chill. Yet, she remained motionless, not even moving the finger resting on the screen of her phone.

As soon as her words left her lips, the figure hurrying down the corridor suddenly halted outside the treatment room, their breath, initially quickened by excessive anxiety, gradually elongated, elongated...

She turned around and saw Zhang Xin staring blankly in the direction where Yue Qifei had disappeared, his once bright eyes now painted with a dreamy hue, a gaze that could only come from deep love... Not long ago, she too often looked at a man with such eyes...

The next scene will once again feature the concubines engaging in a battle of wits and words, with subtle jabs and hidden attacks. Jian Ru remains merely a backdrop, still completely overshadowed by Chen Yaoyao.

A new comment appeared below her injured photo, "No one is worth you hurting yourself like this"

The streetlights rushed by, forming a brilliant band of light. It was just like one night a year ago, when she left the hospital, and the neon lights flashed before her eyes in such splendid colors

An actress who does not aspire to be the leading lady is not a good actress

Watching as Young Master Yue was half-dragged away, Jian Ru could only pat her stiff smile. "Zhang Xin, please help me bring over my coat"

After much hesitation, Zhang Xin ultimately decided to join the crew for dinner