Chapter 50

As the sun set, the island was dimly lit, and the locals stopped them from going any further, saying it wasn't safe.

So they only strolled around the town for a short while before Cheng Qingqing took her to the filming location to see the houses that would be used for shooting.

The detached house by the sea, with its spiral staircase and open-plan exterior corridor, is a very faithful recreation of the script.

However, when she and Cheng Qingqing went up to the second floor, Shen Li felt a sense of peace and tranquility.

“No one lives here, so Li Nan’s communication with the homeowner went relatively smoothly. However, the outside environment looks a bit shabby, but the inside is alright,” Cheng Qingqing said, opening a door with her key. “Look, the scene is just finished and has been redone. Doesn’t it have that feel?”

The female lead's father passed away early in her life, leaving behind an old house that she and her mother lived in together.

The room is small, with a layout that shows the whole room at a glance. But the mother and daughter are optimistic and love life. The interior is decorated warmly, and with all the doors open, you can see the dim, golden afterglow of the setting sun on the balcony.

"I feel like I'm actually there." Shen Li walked inside, observing the details of the house as she went: floral curtains, glass stickers that reflected colorful luster, a vintage wooden bed, and a picture frame at the head of the bed.

Each piece of furniture instantly draws her into the script she has read.

"It's exactly what I imagined. I didn't expect Li Nan to be so accurate."

"I told you long ago, he's got some skills."

After finishing looking at Chen Li, I walked back and happened to reach the door. The lock clicked, and the person who came in was Li Nan.

She asked in surprise, "Huh? You didn't go back to the guesthouse to sleep?"

"After you wake up, come back here and see if anything is wrong."

"I've seen it, it's perfect." Shen Li gave a thumbs-up. "Amazing."

Li Nan smiled, walked over and got closer to her. Shen Li saw him move his lips, as if he wanted to say something.

"Someone's here?" Cheng Qingqing also came out from the inner room.

Seeing that it was Li Nan, he wasn't surprised and teased, "Weren't you sleeping? Why did you come here again? How many times a day do you come? You've finished the work and you're still not at ease."

Li Nan replied with a teasing tone, "It's my first time directing your family's Best Actress winner, and I'm suddenly getting nervous thinking about filming starting tomorrow."

Cheng Qingqing smiled: "It's only human nature."

The room was immediately filled with laughter and cheerful conversation. Shen Li breathed a sigh of relief, wondering what Li Nan had wanted to say, but she was grateful that Cheng Qingqing had come out to interrupt.

She made her rejection of Li Nan very clear and her attitude was very firm, but as Cheng Qingqing said, feelings are not so easy to let go of.

She said she wanted to have a proper talk with Li Nan again, but she hadn't actually figured out how to do it yet.

As Shen Li pondered, she didn't notice that her gaze was fixed on Li Nan. Li Nan, who was looking at her, naturally noticed immediately.

"President Cheng, I have something I'd like to say to Shen Li alone." Li Nan brought it up directly, and Shen Li's expression changed slightly.

He knew that Shen Li also had something to say to him.

“Okay, you two chat.” Cheng Qingqing turned around and secretly winked at Shen Li, giving her a “I’ve done my best” look.

"Then I'll be going now."

Watching Cheng Qingqing leave, Shen Li closed her eyes, her heart pounding. Scenes of conversation flashed through her mind as she tried to figure out how to say them.

Shen Li was unaware that her expression was extremely distressed. Li Nan was also feeling uneasy, and his intuition told him that it was time to end this completely.

During this time, he asked Cheng Qingqing about it and learned about Shen Li and Luo Mingxiu's past.

She knew that Luo Mingxiu's feelings for Shen Li were no less than her own, and that the person she had once looked down upon, even thought unworthy of being a rival in love, had actually long occupied an important place in Shen Li's heart.

He's already learning to let go, but it's difficult. Shen Li is his first love, and he's always been emotionally detached; he might only ever love her for the rest of his life.

What can he do? This is the consequence of unrequited love; he has to bear it. Unrequited love is not what he wants.

Moreover, love is not a required course in his life. If he can't have it, he doesn't want to be bothered anymore. He thinks it's better to have a short pain than a long one.

"Li Nan, I have someone I like."

As he expected, the final answer was right in front of him, and Li Nan felt relieved. He was extremely glad that he had won the filming rights to this work and invited Shen Li.

To have the chance to photograph your beloved person completely once in your life, leaving behind a work that bears both your names.

No regrets.

"I..." Shen Li wanted to say sorry, but felt that saying those three words would be even more cruel.

"I understand," Li Nan said, his voice strained.

"I'm serious, I'm not just saying this to fool you." Shen Li cautiously looked up to observe Li Nan, whose face was filled with undisguised sorrow.

So... did you understand completely this time?

She wanted a definite answer.

"Excuse me, let me compose myself." Li Nan turned his back to her. This man, who usually joked with her and seemed carefree, was now crying uncontrollably because of his heartbreak.

He squatted on the ground, burying his head and sobbing. After a long while, he stood up again and smiled at her.

I respect your decision.

Shen Li thought that repeatedly refusing would definitely hurt the other person, causing the relationship to gradually cool down, and she would lose another friend.

But actually, no. Decisively refusing and accepting rejection are essential lessons in adult relationships.

The day after refusing, which was the opening ceremony, Shen Li met Li Nan in the corridor outside her room. He was still the same as before, but because things had been made clear, he was more tactful.

"No matter what, I hope these three months will be a shoot without any personal emotions," Li Nan told her after the opening ceremony.

"Okay." As if her long-suppressed emotions had finally found an outlet, Shen Li's mood had never been more relaxed and bright than it is now.

After finishing her work here, Cheng Qingqing returned to City B with Chun Chun. After sending them to the airport, the official Weibo account of the new movie released a photo of the start of filming.

The discussion was so intense that it trended on the top of the list, and actors who had worked with him sent their congratulations.

After the series of blessings, a red dot lit up on Luo Mingxiu's profile picture.

Luo Mingxiu: Good luck with the start of filming.

Shen Li stared at the few simple words, sliding her finger up and down, without saying anything.

According to the rules, there should be no meeting or contact, but he was surprisingly obedient in this matter.

What could she do? Shen Li didn't want to continue like this. Since she liked him, she had to tell him clearly that the old rules didn't apply anymore.

She pressed the call button, and her heart suddenly started pounding. The dial tone went off for a long time, but no one answered.

Shen Li typed a few words into the chat box: Can I take a call? I need to.

The message was answered immediately after it was sent.

"Hello." Luo Mingxiu's voice was faint and somewhat hoarse.

Shen Li: "Your cold isn't better yet?"

“Okay,” Luo Mingxiu said, suppressing a cough, “That’s all.”

"Is this good?" Shen Li frowned. "Did you take your medicine?"

"have eaten."

Luo Mingxiu had indeed just taken his medicine and was now lying in bed feeling drowsy. His throat was sore and dry. Xiaowen had asked for half a day off for him, and if he didn't feel better by tomorrow morning, he would go to the hospital for an injection.

However, there's no need to tell Shen Li any of this; she won't care.

"What is it?" Luo Mingxiu lowered his eyes, thinking of the message he had just sent, and sneered, "Does the boss have to say I'm bothering him just for turning on his phone to say hello?"

"Luo Mingxiu, do you still like me?"

"I like it, of course I like it." Luo Mingxiu answered mechanically. The effects of the drug made him very sleepy. He couldn't muster any emotions. His mind was hazy. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Shen Li was unusually gentle today.

"I like you too, Mingxiu. Do you want to date me?"

Luo Mingxiu opened his eyes wide.

The phone made a loud thud, like something heavy falling to the ground, startling Shen Li: "What happened?"

Then a series of noises came from the other side, and after a long while of rustling, Luo Mingxiu's voice was finally heard.

"I tripped and fell, and my phone got stuck in the crack of the bed."

The reason given was nonsense. In fact, after hearing those words, Luo Mingxiu immediately sobered up and paced around the room shirtless, trying to figure out if he was dreaming.

His mind was instantly filled with the sounds of "I like you" and "Want to date?" His heart was pounding, and he was so excited that he, who couldn't dance, would bang his head on the ground and break into a street dance.

"Are you alright? Are you feeling better?" Shen Li's soft voice came again.

"Hmm, I feel better." Luo Mingxiu's ears turned bright red. "Sister, is this really not a dream? I forgot to record it, could you say it again? Today is May 27th, I booked a plane ticket, I'm coming to see you..."

"Stop, calm down." Shen Li was amused by his tendency to say whatever came to mind.

"Is it convenient to video chat? Let's just meet here. Focus on filming and don't fly over."

"Wait a minute." Luo Mingxiu quickly put on his clothes, picked up his phone again, and solemnly started the video call.

Seeing Shen Li's face, Luo Mingxiu's heart beat even faster. He raised his hand to tidy his hair, which he had messed up while hurriedly putting on his clothes, and then walked to the mirror to check his appearance.

There were so many tricks up his sleeve, but Shen Li was losing patience and reminded him again, "Mingxiu, you haven't answered my question yet."

Even though he spoke in a simple tone, it felt like a tickle on Luo Mingxiu's heart, and he couldn't help but feel aroused.

"I like it, I'm willing!" Luo Mingxiu leaned close, his eyes intense, his tone still very excited.

If it weren't for the screen separating them, Shen Li felt like he was about to pounce on her.

“Then we’re a couple now,” Shen Li said with a smile.

Upon hearing the word "couple," Luo Mingxiu's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. His sister, the person he liked so much, was his girlfriend?

“However, Luo Mingxiu,” Shen Li said, her expression turning serious.

"To be clear, I've only been in one relationship, and I've been married and divorced. For me, relationships are just a spice of life, not as important as acting."

I'm not good at handling relationship issues. You might find that things aren't as wonderful as you imagined after you get together with me. But if we're compatible, I'll gradually learn how to nurture our relationship as we get to know each other.

In short, I hope that from now on, we can stop viewing each other through rose-tinted glasses and start a relationship as our most authentic selves, okay?

"Okay." Luo Mingxiu nodded deeply, his eyes shining.

"Why are you crying?" Shen Li looked at the large tears streaming down the face of the person opposite her, and didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Luo Mingxiu wiped his eyes: "I'm sorry, I always thought you hated me and always coldly pushed me away. I didn't expect that you still cared about me and seriously considered my feelings for you without my knowledge."

"I like you so much, and I want to see you right now."

"Stop! If you dare come any closer, I'll take back my confession."

"No." Luo Mingxiu said dejectedly.

Shen Li laughed: "Just kidding, how come you're so funny? How long until filming wraps up?"

Luo Mingxiu: "Two weeks."

"That's fast," Shen Li raised her eyebrows and flipped through her schedule. "The detective's license expires next month, and we'll be recording a variety show. See you then."

"Can't I come see you right after filming wraps up?" Luo Mingxiu's lips curled down slightly. "Next month is still a long way off."

"I'm your girlfriend now, are you afraid I'll run away?" Shen Li said. "Focus on your work and wait for me to come back."

"Then it's settled." The word "girlfriend" made Luo Mingxiu beam with joy again. He stared at Shen Li and just kept smiling at her.

"Silly girl," Shen Li chuckled, "I'm hanging up."

Luo Mingxiu looked reluctant to part. Because of his cold, his voice was low, and he looked at her with a flushed face.

"Sister, you're so cunning."

Shen Li was confused: "What did I do again?"

He said, "You joined the crew and dropped a bombshell on me, making me overjoyed. From the moment I hung up the phone, I started thinking about you every day."