Chapter 60

**60**

Early the next morning, Jiang Peng came to pick her up, even bringing makeup.

“I heard Lin Chi values the artist’s fashion expression a lot; it directly affects the quality of her shoots.” Jiang Peng explained this to her, worried that Ning Zhi might be impatient with the formality.

Ning Zhi had heard of Lin Chi’s great reputation before. Matching her exceptional professional skills was her personality—no matter how arrogant the stars who loved to show off were, they had to restrain themselves in front of her because none could outshine her.

“Does she take worse photos just because the artist’s fashion sense is average?” Ning Zhi was unconcerned, shifting her gaze away from the mirror to look at Jiang Peng.

“Come on, look up a bit,” the stylist reminded, and Ning Zhi complied.

Jiang Peng said, “That’s not it. With her level, the bottom line won’t be too low; no matter how she shoots, the photos won’t be bad. But for artists who suit her eye, the photos are bound to become trending topics.”

Ning Zhi smiled.

After finishing her makeup, she looked in the mirror. It was an everyday look, and her outfit was too, but with many details and designs that, once photographed, could be directly posted on Weibo to earn praise for her excellent personal style and stunning natural beauty.

Very scheming.

Jiang Peng didn’t waste any time and arranged for someone at the airport to take a set of candid photos from a passerby’s perspective.

As they got off the airport expressway, Ning Zhi suddenly said, “Let’s schedule a live stream on Saturday night.”

Jiang Peng immediately agreed.

Lately, time has been fragmented; there’s no time to record variety shows, only commercial shoots and brand events. Ning Zhi also has to focus on exams, and right after that, she has fashion shows to attend. In other words, she hasn’t had a proper program to interact with fans for over four months.

A live stream at this moment would be perfect.

“What’s the content of the live stream?” Jiang Peng asked, “And how long will it last?”

“Just chatting casually with fans, and singing. I haven’t sung for them in a long time,” Ning Zhi said casually. After thinking for a moment, she added, “During my one-year debut anniversary, I was on set and only posted a video. There was no event. Although everyone understood, they were still quite disappointed. This live stream will be a way to make it up to them.”

It was clear from the start that Ning Zhi saw this live stream as a benefit for her fans, not a business event. Jiang Peng already had a rough idea of the live stream’s flow in his mind.

Then, he felt something was off, looked at Ning Zhi suspiciously several times, and asked, “Why are you in such a good mood today?”

Hmm?” Ning Zhi snorted lightly, but soon couldn’t hold back a smile, asking in a relaxed tone, “Is it that obvious?

Jiang Peng nodded, “You do whatever you’re told, cooperate so well, and even took the initiative to want to do a live broadcast. You were clearly unhappy last night and didn’t want to shoot the cover.”

“Who said I didn’t want to?” Ning Zhi retorted.

Anyway, I’m just very reluctant,” Jiang Peng said with a smile, gossiping as he asked, “What’s the good news? Tell me about it.

Ning Zhi, of course, didn’t say anything and gave him a few curt words to brush him off.

The filming location had also been reached.

This was a scenic spot on the outskirts of City C. The traces of autumn were especially evident in this northern city; the vegetation was already touched by wind and frost, half still green and half withered yellow.

Withered and flourishing intertwined, there were still exceptionally blooming flowers, which not only highlighted vigorous vitality but also carried the withering beauty of death.

A rather unique scene.

As soon as Ning Zhi jumped out of the car, she was captivated by the view before her. She took a photo and sent it to Shen Yizhi.

The staff picking them up at the airport had mentioned the name of this scenic area on the way, but Ning Zhi hadn’t listened carefully and couldn’t recall it.

She looked around left and right but couldn’t find anything like a door number, so she simply sent her location.

“I’m here this afternoon,” she added in a message.

Shen Yizhi replied, “I’ve boarded the plane.”

After a while, she also sent over a picture, a photo of the airport taken from the airplane window.

The photo was quite beautiful, with several planes parked in the distance and the vast blue sky stretching far away.

They were about to take off soon.

Shen Yizhi really came to find her.

Ning Zhi only now began to feel a sense of reality.

She brightly grabbed Yang Yang’s hand and whispered in her ear, “Later, Shen Yizhi will come over. You bring her in.” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but smile, “So we don’t get kicked out by the staff for being outsiders.”

Yang Yang looked confused upon hearing this news. They had only been apart for two days, and now they were going to meet again?

These two people seemed a bit off… Yang Yang looked at her, hesitating to speak.

Jiang Peng was already chatting with Lin Chi over there when he called out to Ning Zhi.

Ning Zhi instinctively tilted her head. A smile still lingered on her face, the corners of her eyes gently curved, and the joy flowed from her clear eyes, along with the small dimples at the corners of her mouth, as if carrying a light and pleasant breeze of surprise.

But the smile was brief; almost the moment she turned her head and saw Lin Chi, it faded away, replaced by a polite, businesslike smile as she walked over.

Lin Chi was a tall, striking beauty with bold features. She looked at Ning Zhi with interest, openly appraising her before finally showing a fairly satisfied expression. She reached out and shook Ning Zhi’s hand.

“I’ve seen your promotional photos,” she said with a smile. Seeing Ning Zhi’s slight confusion, she added, “The set released in May, where your character wears a blue and white school uniform—there aren’t many actresses with that kind of aura. It left a deep impression on me.”

Hearing this, Ning Zhi immediately knew which set of promotional photos she was referring to.

It was quite strange. Although she had left the crew, the people she met these past few days kept bringing it up. Apparently, working with Mei Lan and Shen Yizhi was something very noteworthy.

Ning Zhi was in a good mood and politely complimented Lin Chi in return.

Lin Chi’s gaze was somewhat scrutinizing; she examined Ning Zhi’s face with a straightforward and bold look that could easily come off as offensive.

However, Ning Zhi had already been warned before coming that the photographer might be difficult to deal with, so she was mentally prepared and let her look her over with a calm expression.

It seemed Lin Chi had finally finished her assessment and didn’t bother to hide her thoughts, saying, “The proportions of your facial features are very favorable.”

“Thank you.” Ning Zhi thanked her for the compliment.

Lin Chi laughed: “You’re really interesting.” But the next second, she instantly switched to work mode, “Let’s have a discussion first.”

Ning Zhi naturally agreed, her gaze sweeping over the people behind her, where a group was setting up the scenery.

Only then did she realize that the blooming flowers she had just seen among the withered plants were designed by the set designers, using real flowers. Ning Zhi identified one of them as the tropical Cassia obtusifolia.

These are small yellow flowers growing on low shrubs, densely clustered like stars in the Milky Way, very delicate and beautiful.

She wasn’t sure if it was just Ning Zhi’s illusion, but she felt that such a setting was very fitting for a boy who looked as clean as if washed by rain.

Not far away, there was a building with white exterior walls, fitted with large glass panels through which the interior scenes could be seen. It was a rest area in the scenic spot, borrowed to serve as a temporary office.

“We’re shooting a fresh and beautiful girl today,” said Lin Chi’s assistant, a guy dressed so fashionably he looked as exaggerated as a model on a runway.

Ning Zhi sat in the chair, the plan they had finalized resting on his lap, his slender fingers slowly flipping through it.

Lin Chi stood beside her, leaning against the table with his hands resting on the surface behind him.

The cover of a magazine is usually given a theme by the magazine company; if there is no theme, the photographer has the freedom to create. Top photographers often have their own ideas and opinions and hold significant authority over the shoot.

For celebrities, as long as there is nothing detrimental to their image, they just follow the photographer’s arrangements.

But Ning Zhi frowned more and more deeply as she flipped through this plan.

A fresh and beautiful girl.

The assistant spoke vaguely, but Ning Zhi immediately understood his plan by combining the planning sketches and concept art.

Boys and girls in their youth are very eye-catching; that freshness and innocence, paired with the autumn scenery and blooming little flowers, can easily produce exquisite and heartwarming photos as long as she shows a bit of expressiveness.

A very reliable plan.

But Ning Zhi’s expression grew increasingly serious as she listened.

After the assistant finished speaking, she looked up and asked, “Is there an alternative plan?”

The dozen or so people inside all looked stunned.

She immediately asked about alternative plans, which meant she didn’t approve of the current one at all.

Everyone was surprised. Lin Chi’s reputation was well-known, and even if the artists on her team had their own ideas, they would usually suggest them tactfully. It was rare to see someone reject everything so bluntly; this was too straightforward.

The room fell silent, and everyone instinctively turned to look at Lin Chi.

Lin Chi bent down, pinching the plan on Ning Zhi’s knee between his index finger and thumb. Ning Zhi’s hand was still pressing on it, and the paper texture slid from under her hand into Lin Chi’s.

Her expression was calm, her high, straight nose sculpted and deep. Seeing that no one spoke and all eyes were on her, she raised an eyebrow and said casually, “You all discuss among yourselves.”

After speaking, she began flipping through it herself.

The assistant’s face showed a trace of nervousness. Considering Ning Zhi’s popularity, he spoke politely, “Your team reviewed this plan yesterday, and at that time, there were no objections—could you please explain which parts of this proposal you are dissatisfied with?”

He first pointed out that Ning Zhi’s side had already reviewed it, and her sudden opposition now was tantamount to going back on her word. Then, he took a step back and said he could accept minor changes. This way, he stood his ground while also saving face for Ning Zhi.

He thought he had spoken quite gracefully.

Ning Zhi looked at him directly, making him a bit uncomfortable as he fanned himself with the paper in his hand and smiled, asking, “Teacher Ning, why are you looking at me like that?”

Ning Zhi controlled her tone: “The film is already in post-production, and soon it will enter the promotion phase. There will be stills released, which might coincide with this issue of the magazine.”

She actually wanted to be more tactful, after all, Lin Chi was standing right beside her, so she had to save some face. But once she spoke, she couldn’t help but add a sting to her words.

The assistant’s expression changed.

This plan was his work; Lin Chi was not involved. However, she had once mentioned that she really liked Ning Zhi’s set of styled photos, so he naturally searched for them and also found the set very special. Unconsciously, he looked up more movie stills and, while making the plan, inadvertently incorporated some of those concepts.

Shooting for print and film is different; films focus more on storytelling, while print emphasizes atmosphere.

He only borrowed some of the feelings, and he believed that even when the final product came out, no one would notice the connection between the two sets if they were compared side by side.

Unexpectedly, Ning Zhi was so sharp; without even seeing the whole piece, he sensed the connection between the two and pointed it out so bluntly.

The assistant was a bit flustered but deep down felt that it really wasn’t a big deal. Who could discover the similarity between the two just by looking at the plan and listening to the description? It was just that Ning Zhi had just played this role.

Moreover, there were so many photos of boys and girls during the flowering and rainy seasons. Isn’t it normal to have a slight feeling of similarity? If anything, it was just some vague borrowing.

With this thought, the assistant regained confidence. He slightly raised his voice but still maintained a sincere attitude: “Teacher Ning, you might have some misunderstanding.”

Ning Zhi’s face was expressionless, calm and resolute: “No misunderstanding. Either change the plan or change the person.”

Everyone’s expressions changed, whispering among themselves. The assistant’s face was flushed red, unable to maintain composure.

Jiang Peng remained steady. He glanced at Lin Chi, who had been silent all along. Lin Chi was slowly flipping through the stack of papers in his hand, showing no reaction.

Jiang Peng was helpless. He didn’t want to clash with Lin Chi, as he hoped to cooperate in the future. But since Ning Zhi had taken such a firm stance, he could only try to stabilize the situation from Ning Zhi’s position first.

He was about to speak when, “slap—” a light sound rang out, and those thin pages were thrown onto the table. Lin Chi finally finished reading.

Ning Zhi clasped her fingers together on her lap, her expression unchanged. Lin Chi looked down at her, then suddenly reached out, lifting her chin to make her look into his eyes.

Caught off guard, Ning Zhi was first startled, then met Lin Chi’s scrutinizing, playful gaze. Her lips pressed into a thin line, feeling offended, she raised her hand, grabbed Lin Chi’s wrist, and pulled it down forcefully.

“Don’t get handsy.” Her tone was cold and harsh, her eyes returning his gaze with hostility.

Suddenly, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Everyone dared not breathe, feeling that it was definitely over this time, and the shoot was inevitably going to fail today. Unexpectedly, Lin Chi smiled. She nonchalantly withdrew her hand and looked up, saying, “Change the plan.”

The assistant’s face changed drastically. Lin Chi looked at him and said the next sentence: “You leave.”

The room quickly became lively again, as if what had just happened never occurred, as if no one had been kicked out at all.

The original plan was rejected, and a new plan needed to be made as soon as possible.

“After you actors finish filming, do you really have to go somewhere else to defend this play?” Lin Chi dragged over a chair and sat down, finally at the same height as Ning Zhi.

She was joking, after all, she had worked with many actors and had never seen anyone so passionate about their own work that they couldn’t even accept a little borderline borrowing.

Ning Zhi didn’t know what other actors were like, but probably not many actors were like her, who wished to stay in the play forever, pouring all their emotions into it.

Her brows and eyes were somewhat cold, but her words were incredibly serious: “No one is allowed to offend it in front of me.”

After she finished speaking, she thought of Shen Yizhi again, not knowing how many times it had been today. She wanted to check the time, see how much had passed, and calculate how much longer it would be before Shen Yizhi could appear before her.

But the phone was with Yangyang, and there was no wall clock here either.

Ning Zhi felt a bit restless, but since there were many people here, she could only slightly lower her gaze and hide her emotions.

When she turned her head, she found Lin Chi looking at her again, still with that scrutinizing gaze, like a precise detector scanning every inch of her face.

“Lindy,” she called out.

The styling director hurried over, and Lin Chi said, “Design her a look that’s as sweet as a cherry, yet as fresh as a green plum.”

Lindy nodded, then studied Ning Zhi for a few seconds before saying, “Can you describe it in a more concrete way?”

Lin Chi clicked his tongue and said to Ning Zhi, “Between the Little Prince and the Rose, haven’t you played the role of the Little Prince more often?”

The Little Prince and the Rose are two images: the protector and the protected, the pursuer and the pursued.

Ning Zhi thought for a moment, but before she could respond, Lin Chi made the decision on his own: “Let’s try the imagery of a rose, kept under a glass dome, a proud and precious rose.”

Lindy’s eyes lit up, and she snapped her fingers: “Leave it to me.”

Everyone got moving; the set needed to be dismantled and rebuilt, and new costumes had to be prepared.

But with a clear concept, the efficiency was very high.

In less than three hours, everything was ready.

Lin Chi casually tied up her big wavy long hair with a rubber band, revealing large Bohemian-style ceramic earrings on her ears, neat and wild.

“Action.”

Ning Zhi walked outside; the backdrop had been completely refreshed, replaced with clusters of more conspicuous flowers, but not roses—just one rose was enough.

The yellow double-pod cassia was still there, but now it no longer carried the fresh charm it had before. The small yellow flowers blended with the roses between them, highlighting a hint of coquettishness, like a young boy acting spoiled.

Ning Zhi looked down at the small flower standing upright in front of her. Lin Chi pressed the shutter button. Ning Zhi’s eyelashes were long, and when she slightly lowered her head, there was a hint of gentleness, but her lips pressed into a straight line revealed a touch of indifference. The proud elegance of the little rose combined with its bright red tenderness, sometimes near, sometimes far, elusive.

Lin Chi zoomed in the lens and said, “Smile.”

Ning Zhi recalled a chapter from “The Little Prince,” imagining the image of the rose, and revealed a smile.

The delicate girl had a beautiful smile, the atmosphere was fully charged, and people around let out sounds of admiration.

But Lin Chi was not satisfied; this was a performed smile. What she wanted was a smile from the heart.

“Ning Zhi, imagine this: the Little Prince returns from Earth. Do you see him happy?”

Ning Zhi tried hard to put herself in the role, but it didn’t work well. The rose and the little prince have a relationship of taming and being tamed; the rose is the one who is loved, and being loved makes her fearless and aloof. No matter what, she just couldn’t relate.

She shouldn’t play the role of the beautiful rose. If Shen Yizhi is the little prince, then she should be the fox who is used to waiting. They had a few very sweet meetings, but in the end, she would still leave.

Ning Zhiyue found it increasingly hard to immerse herself; in such a lavish and festive atmosphere, her brows and eyes drooped, like a rose in full bloom that was wilting on its own.

Lin Chi frowned and muttered softly, “Well, now it’s perfect—you’ve turned into a little bitter melon of the human world.”

But the movements of her hands didn’t stop; she kept pressing the shutter.

“Imagine this: the person you like has always liked you back. You are the one who is favored. Even if he leaves you to go to another planet, he will definitely come back,” Lin Chi continued to guide.

Ning Zhi was stunned. Had Shen Yizhi always liked her?

From the age of eight to fourteen, Shen Yizhi used her care and a gentleness different from others to tame her. From fourteen to twenty, she tamed her again with distance and longing, making her unable to leave her anymore.

Wouldn’t it be possible that while taming her, Shen Yizhi herself was also being tamed by her?

She also liked her.

Whenever Ning Zhi thought of this possibility, her heart trembled uncontrollably. She knew it was impossible, yet she couldn’t help but indulge in it.

She recalled the original text of “The Little Prince.”

Do you know… my flower… I want to take responsibility for her! She is so fragile! She is so innocent. She only has four thorns to protect herself…

So Shen Yizhi appeared in the hospital that day, after six years, suddenly appearing before her eyes, he was there to protect her.

Ning Zhi was almost convinced; she was Shen Yizhi’s rose.

She smiled, surrounded by a riot of flowers, her beautiful eyes brimming with laughter, the blush at the corners of her eyes spreading softly—delicate yet proud, like the most beautiful and precious rose in the world, nurtured by love.

She was always the one who was favored.

It was at this moment that Shen Yizhi arrived; she saw a Ning Zhi she had never seen before.