"Don't pry into their affairs, or you'll cause trouble for yourself."

She looked up at Lin Shuang's room, and thinking about what had happened to her, Gan Tang felt uneasy. She pulled Fu Shaojie a few more steps and asked, "Can you please stop coming to see Lin Shuang? After all, she used to be Dad's woman. What if Dad finds out? Don't you want to live anymore?"

"I only come here occasionally..." Sensing Gan Tang's gaze, Fu Shaojie immediately changed the subject: "I'll listen to my sister."

Ever since Gan Tang got the jade pendant for Fu Shaojie, Fu Shaojie has been very obedient, which makes Gan Tang feel a little awkward. She waved for him to leave.

Fu Shaojie asked Gan Tang, "Sister, what do you want with Lin Shuang?"

"Don't pry into adults' affairs."

"..."

In the room, Fu Cheng gently wiped the bloodstains from Lin Shuang's hands with a cotton swab.

"He's causing you trouble again?"

"No!" Lin Shuang hurriedly shook her head and started shooing people away again.

Fu Cheng bandaged his wound and looked at the woman whose body remained tense, feeling a tightness in his chest: "Why do you always avoid me? Am I bothering you?"

Lin Shuang lowered her head, embarrassed, and said, "I can't give you what you want."

"I don't want anything." He was quite agitated, startling Lin Shuang into taking a step back. Little did she know, the person who wants nothing is the most terrifying.

Fu Cheng calmed himself down and continued, "The production crew has already postponed the start of filming for a month, and you..."

Lin Shuang also became agitated, "Young Master Cheng, don't I even have the right to choose whether or not to act?"

“That’s not what I meant. I just thought you would like it. I didn’t mean to force you to do anything, so you don’t need to be so afraid of me,” Fu Cheng emphasized again.

Looking at the woman before him, who kept her head down and said nothing, Fu Cheng dejectedly withdrew his gaze. "Fine, since you don't want to act, I'll inform the production team to find a new female lead. You get some rest, I'm leaving."

"I do." Watching Fu Cheng's retreating figure, Lin Shuang blurted out. She couldn't bear the looks in her parents' eyes anymore. She wanted to go home, she really wanted to go home.

"Really?" Fu Cheng turned around, his voice still childish and immature.

Lin Shuang stood up and bowed awkwardly, saying, "Thank you, thank you."

Then, she ran into the bedroom.

Fu Cheng looked at the closed door and smiled contentedly.

When did this feeling begin? That year, he went to Jinhai University to provide financial assistance, and stood under the magnolia tree on campus, watching the buds about to bloom.

Is this a sycamore tree?

"This is a white magnolia." A light, melodious voice came from behind the tree trunk, and a pair of large, watery eyes peeked out. Long, black hair brushed against the book on her chest, and the fragrance was pleasant.

"Are you from the Forestry Academy, young lady?" he asked somewhat awkwardly.

"What does this have to do with the Forestry Academy? That's common sense." She smiled slyly, her bright eyes, as clear as the moon, shining into his barren heart and giving rise to boundless expectations.

That was the first time he saw her. Who could have predicted that when he returned to Jinhai covered in wounds, he would see that magnolia flower appear beside his godfather?

From then on, they became strangers.

...

"Sister Shuang, you acted so well in that scene just now. The director was moved to tears watching it on the monitor."

As the film crew moved to another location, an assistant draped a coat over Lin Shuang's shoulders.

"It's not that exaggerated." Lin Shuang walked towards the RV. "Go and confirm with the director again which scene is next. It would be bad if there were any last-minute changes that would delay the schedule."

Upon boarding the RV, a chubby figure appeared on the cramped bed. He Zhong lay there shirtless. Lin Shuang quickly locked the RV door.

The assistant nearly got bumped into, touched her nose, and asked in confusion, "Sister Shuang, what's wrong?"

Lin Shuang leaned against the car door and said hurriedly, "You should go right away!"

"Your water glass."

"I don't need it."

He Zhong enjoyed watching Lin Shuang's flustered state, like a kitten with its claws clipped, it was so intriguing. He patted the bedside and laughed in a creepy way.

Lin Shuang closed the window tightly, sat down timidly, and called out "Master".

He Zhong reached his hand inside the corner of his clothes and kneaded it with enjoyment. "Filming in this godforsaken place makes it easy for the owner to find us, and they don't even bother to delete it."

In her previous projects, she often had to take leave to meet with He Zhong and Lu Zhengqian. Because of this frequent absences, the production team had to cut her scenes. Therefore, despite her hard work, many producers and directors had complaints about her.

Lin Shuang said with a heavy heart, "I dare not not come to the film that Young Master Cheng invested in."

"He really cares about you." He Zhong tightened his grip, causing Lin Shuang to flinch in pain. She knew that his competitive spirit was flaring up again, so she quickly tried to appease him.

"It's because the master trained him well."

He Zhong noticeably reduced his strength, switching to a more enjoyable friction. "How many times has Fu Cheng come?"

"The filming location is remote, so he hasn't come here many times." Seeing He Zhong exert himself again, Lin Shuang realized she had said the wrong thing and quickly replied obediently, "Three times, he's only come three times."

He Zhongdao said, "Keep him around for a while. He and Mo Huaixing have been having a bad relationship lately, so keep an eye on them and report back to the master."

He needed to know the extent of the breakdown in their relationship in order to determine when he could use Fu Cheng's help to eliminate Mo Huaixing.

"Yes," Lin Shuang replied, tears welling in her eyes.

He Zhong pinched Lin Shuang's face and sighed, "It's a pity that with that girl Lu Xintang around, Mo Huaixing wouldn't dare, and Fu Cheng wouldn't believe it either. Otherwise, with your pretty face, it would be much easier to handle."

He touched her for a long time and got aroused, then pushed Lin Shuang onto the bed. Lin Shuang frantically grabbed He Zhong's hand that was tearing her clothes, pleading, "These are costumes from the film crew, we're going to film a scene soon, please don't, Master."

"Troublesome, take it off yourself."

"Master, we're about to start filming."

"Um?"

"Thank you, Master." Lin Shuang dared not say another word.

She used to be able to count down the days, but now, she doesn't know how much longer this will last. After dealing with Mo Huaixing, there's Fu Shaojie; after Fu Shaojie, there's Fu Cheng.

Fu Cheng...

Thinking of Fu Cheng, Lin Shuang felt a pang of pain and tears streamed down her face.

Aside from having to report some mixed news to He Zhong every few days, these past few months on the set have been the most comfortable months Lin Shuang has had since meeting He Zhong.

Fu Cheng would come sometimes, but he never spent time alone with Lin Shuang. Occasionally, he would steal a glance at her while talking to others, or sit quietly in front of the monitor and watch her act.

The peaceful life was shattered on the day filming wrapped.

At the wrap party, He Zhong called, and Lin Shuang hid in the hotel stairwell to answer the phone.

"I'll have Fu Cheng go back to the hotel with you in a bit; someone might take pictures."

"After the wrap party, many people will leave, including Fu Cheng..."

Before Lin Shuang could finish speaking, her trembling voice, He Zhong had already hung up the phone. He wouldn't allow any of his pawns to go against his decisions.