Chapter Seven

Every time Su Xian's wine glass was empty, the person next to her would refill it with red wine, the glasses clinking together with a crisp sound. She bent her legs and leaned back on the sofa, holding the slender stem of her glass, swirling the purplish-red liquid, taking a sip, then another.

"Is this your script?" Lin Zhiyuan's gaze fell on the person beside her; a tote bag lay sprawled on the sofa, revealing a corner of the script's white surface. "May I take a look?"

Su Xian reached out and pulled out the stack of scripts, handing them over. His fingers traced the corner of the script, which was already curled from being turned over so many times. “Snow Abyss,” he read softly. “The name is quite nice.”

Su Xian turned his head. He sat upright, his short black hair parted in front of his forehead, his head bowed as he intently read the script in his hands. His long eyelashes fluttered, casting a shadow beneath his eyes. His nose was straight, the tip of it slightly translucent under the light; I wondered what it would feel like to touch.

His lips were slightly pursed. She was very close to him, close enough to see the bluish stubble around his lips, which was just beginning to sprout. He must also shave every morning, applying foam to his face and then shaving it off little by little with a razor, starting from his chin and slowly moving upwards.

Lin Zhiyuan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. "Your character biography is so detailed. It feels like you've already immersed yourself in the role."

Su Xian's gaze returned to his face, and their eyes met. Her face felt a little hot, unsure whether it was from his praise or from her own thoughts.

Su Xian hurriedly lowered her head, picked up the wine glass, brought it to her lips, and whispered "Thank you."

The hot breath she exhaled onto the rim of the glass seemed somewhat impolite. Holding the glass, she hesitated, unsure whether to take a sip or put it down.

Lin Zhiyuan put the script back on the sofa. "If we hadn't talked about it at dinner, I would have really thought that Miss Su studied acting."

"Actually, I'm still a bit curious, because doing scientific research is also very challenging. But Ms. Su ultimately chose to become an actress. Was there any other reason? Or was there some opportunity that changed Ms. Su's life plan?"

Why become an actor? Almost everyone would say it's all about the money. No other profession makes as much money as being a celebrity. You can easily make enough for an ordinary person to live on for a lifetime.

Such labels have always followed Su Xian, and even though she has now entered the ranks of skilled actresses through her own efforts, there are still voices of doubt.

No one ever looks beyond her standard answer, "I want to try new fields and challenge myself," to delve deeper into why she chose to become an actress.

Su Xian took a sip of her drink, while Lin Zhiyuan leaned back on the sofa, quietly waiting for her reply.

"During my junior year summer vacation, I gained some popularity online because I helped the school shoot a promotional video."

"My agent first approached me, wanting to sign me. But I was preparing for graduate school entrance exams at the time, so I refused. Unfortunately, I didn't pass. My... a classmate said I failed because I was too restless and couldn't calm down."

This classmate was her boyfriend at the time. Recalling the naive things from her student days, Su Xuan smiled self-deprecatingly.

"So I had to rush to submit my resume and look for a job, but because of my low profile at the time, the company I wanted rejected me on the grounds of confidentiality."

“The jobs I wanted didn’t want me, and the jobs that wanted me I didn’t want. Luckily, my agent didn’t give up. She came to persuade me and talked to me about my future plans. Sister Lin is one of the top agents in the industry and has enough ability to protect me. I didn’t refuse outright this time, but asked her to give me time to think about it.”

"Don't your family object?" Lin Zhiyuan asked her.

"I have no family left," Su Xuan said softly.

"terribly sorry."

"It's alright." Su Xian smiled, picked up the wine bottle, and poured wine into her glass.

Su Xian still remembers that when she told her boyfriend about her idea of ​​becoming an actress, he strongly opposed it. At that time, he was already working and planned to save enough money to get married in a few years. He scolded her for being materialistic and vain, and said that she would sell her body to get ahead.

Su Xian slapped him and moved out of the house they had only been living together for a short time.

It was only six or seven years ago, but Su Xian felt like it had been a long time. Perhaps it was because this was the first time she had mentioned it to someone, or perhaps it was because she had been drinking and had more to say without realizing it.

“From childhood to adulthood, I’ve always been pushed along. I studied hard to make my mother happy. After my mother passed away, I felt like I lost my purpose. Taking the postgraduate entrance exam was a suggestion from a classmate, but he was right. I really couldn’t calm down because I was very confused.”

Su Xian leaned back on the sofa, drinking one sip after another.

“My agent’s appearance did help me and gave me a completely new direction. And this direction was my own choice, not for my mother, not for anyone else, but for myself.”

"So it's true that I said I wanted to challenge myself by becoming an actor."

"So, has it been tough getting to this point?" Lin Zhiyuan's voice was gentle and deep, like the finest velvet, softly enveloping her heart.

Of course it was tough. From a clueless newcomer who spent all her time on set learning and observing, to a leading lady who could carry a drama. Only Bai Lin and herself know the hardships she endured along the way.

"It's all worth it, even if it's hard work." Su Xuan smiled.

After finishing the last sip of her drink, she leaned her head against the sofa. The alcohol was making her dizzy, even the small lamp above her head seemed to be casting a light on her skin. Su Xian turned her head and saw Lin Zhiyuan staring at her. He was sitting sideways, one hand propping up his temple. She didn't know how long he had been watching her.

She was so close to him that she could distinguish a hint of cedar from the faint floral scent of her hair, and so close that she could only see herself in his deep brown eyes.

His gaze was gentler than the sea breeze that lingered on her skin, weaving a delicate web of affection that captivated her completely.

That was the reason she had never dared to look him in the eye.

Su Xian's heart was pounding, as if all the blood in her body was rushing to her face. Her face was burning hot, and even her ears were getting hot.

The wine glass, which had been slumped on the sofa, rolled to her side, the cool touch bringing Su Xian back to her senses. She sat up, her bare feet sinking into the oak floor. Her shawl had slipped down, revealing a thin black camisole strap. Su Xian pursed her lips, straightened the shawl, placed the wine glass back on the table, grabbed her tote bag, put the script inside, and then reached for the ESSE bag on the table to put it away.

“Smoking is not a good habit, Miss Su should quit.”

Su Xian had regained her composure after all the hustle and bustle. She opened the ESSE and shook it. "I originally had five left. Before Mr. Lin arrived, I did consider that since I didn't have a lighter, I might as well take this opportunity to quit."

"In that case, it's my fault," Lin Zhiyuan chuckled.

Su Xian smiled slightly, "Thank you for the wine."

She lowered her head, put the cigarettes into her bag, pretending not to notice his gaze, and prepared to go back to her room. Because she didn't want him to see that she was drunk, she stood up a little slowly.

"Wait a minute," Lin Zhiyuan called out to her.

Su Xian turned around, looking puzzled.

"Miss Su, why don't you give this wine a name?"

Su Xian looked at the glass table; the wine bottle was empty. It seemed that she had been drinking alone the whole time, from the moment she started talking about herself. No wonder she felt so dizzy.

The moon quietly shifted its position, hiding behind Lin Zhiyuan, only revealing a pointed corner, painting his tall figure with a layer of silver frost. She always had to tilt her head slightly to meet his gaze.

Now, Lin Zhiyuan lowered his eyes and slowly put the watch he had just placed on the table back on his wrist. Whether it was in the coffee shop last time or on the cruise ship today, his every move was always composed and elegant, like a bamboo, graceful and refined.

“Qingyue,” Su Xuan blurted out.

Lin Zhiyuan looked at her.

"I meant the name of the wine, Qingyue, the 'yue' in 'moon'."

Lin Zhiyuan turned around following her gaze, smiled knowingly, and said, "It's a very nice name."

Su Xian smiled back, "Then I'll head back now."

"etc."

What's wrong now? Su Xian turned around again. Lin Zhiyuan had one hand casually in his pocket, a half-smile playing on his lips as he looked at the sofa.

The effects of the alcohol washed over Su Xian's face, and her fever, which had subsided, spiked again. A little flustered, Su Xian took two steps back, bent down to pick up her tote bag from the sofa, and walked back to her room without looking back, closing the French windows behind her.

Su Xian pressed the button by the bedside, and the electric curtains slowly moved, while Lin Zhiyuan remained standing in the same spot. She felt extremely dizzy and stared blankly at him through the glass.

His lips moved silently. "Good night."

With a "snap," the curtains closed completely, separating the two worlds inside and outside the window.