Hidden Affection - Chapter 02

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If every actor wants to work with Mei Lan, then every actor both loves and fears Shen Yizhi.

The love comes from the fact that with her, the box office is guaranteed, and the quality of the film is also assured—it’s almost a win-win situation of fame and fortune.

The fear is that acting alongside Shen Yizhi, one’s performance will be visibly overshadowed to a heartbreaking degree.

Fans are particularly petty; on Bilibili, they edited a video with over ten million views, specifically compiling actors whose acting was crushed by Shen Yizhi over the years, which caused some prideful method actors to be very reluctant to collaborate with her for a while.

To Ning Zhi, Jiang Peng and Su Xin’s words meant that a traffic star mass-produced on the entertainment industry’s production line like her was not worthy of acting alongside the highly skilled Grand Slam Best Actress Shen Yizhi.

Ning Zhi held herself together, at least not showing displeasure, and looked at Mei Lan with a faint smile on her lips.

Unfortunately, she was still too young; even though she tried to control her expression, that smile was still a bit too stiff.

I haven’t had experience with film acting, and my skills aren’t enough, but isn’t there Director Mei? Could it be that Director Mei’s works aren’t something she would even consider?

Not only was the smile stiff, but the words spoken were also very stiff.

…

…

After all, he was only twenty years old; this time last year, he was still sitting in the classroom studying. Jiang Peng scratched his head awkwardly, wanting to say something comforting, but a look of interest appeared in Mei Lan’s eyes.

Actually, just now, she thought Ning Zhi looked suitable, but still felt something was missing. It wasn’t until now, when her little temper flared up, that Mei Lan realized Ning Zhi had been too exquisitely beautiful earlier, and what was missing was precisely that reckless and straightforward youthful spirit.

« I’ve looked for her, » Mei Lan said.

Ning Zhi was momentarily stunned, then immediately delighted.

A smile appeared in Mei Lan’s eyes: « After this film project was approved, the first person to be confirmed was Yi Zhi. »

She already knew that Shen Yizhi was perfect for this role. When she first flipped through the script, her initial reaction wasn’t about Chi Sheng, but about the character Ruan Yinmeng, who seemed tailor-made for Shen Yizhi.

Ning Zhi secretly took pride in her own insight.

But she refused, » Meilan said again, « She doesn’t seem to like this kind of subject matter.

Ning Zhi’s smile immediately disappeared.

After seeing Meilan off, it was almost three o’clock. Ning Zhi was too lazy to go back, so she borrowed the company’s lounge, planning to just get through the night casually.

In the end, she closed her eyes for a long time but couldn’t fall asleep, and the more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

What does it mean not to like this kind of subject matter? She pondered with her eyes closed in the darkness.

Could it be that Shen Yizhi is already unwilling to even try films with homosexual themes?

Thinking this way, Ning Zhi found it even harder to fall asleep.

She turned over in the dark, thinking about having to start work at seven the next morning, and forced herself to calm down, hoping to fall asleep quickly.

Unexpectedly, after her mood settled, she still felt no sleepiness, but she recalled that the first time she heard about the director Mei Lan was from Shen Yizhi.

Shen Yizhi was very happy that day and told her on the phone that she was going to work with a very outstanding director.

She asked for the director’s name, found and watched her work, and then quietly hoped that Shen Yizhi’s first film would achieve good results.

That film indeed became a great success, and afterward, Shen Yizhi became increasingly busy, so it gradually took a long time for her to see her again.

As Ning Zhi kept thinking, her memories drifted away. When she came back to her senses, it was already dawn outside the window. Her assistant Yang Yang called her, saying that breakfast had been bought and was waiting for her downstairs at the company.

In the following period, Jiang Peng reduced her schedule and filled the freed-up time with a large number of acting classes, as well as art classes.

Chi Sheng is an art student, and there are many painting scenes in the movie. She needed to learn some knowledge in this area, at least so she wouldn’t look like a novice when picking up a paintbrush.

After Mei Lan heard that the company had arranged acting classes for her, she specifically contacted Ning Zhi, reminding her not to forget to study the script. For someone like her who had never been involved in acting, the fastest way to get started was to try the experiential style of acting, making the understanding of the script crucial.

So Ning Zhi was cramming her acting skills while studying the script and pondering the characters in the gaps between her engagements.

However, the results were not ideal; Ning Zhi found it hard to concentrate, and from time to time, her mind would wander to Shen Yizhi.

She remembered that when Shen Yizhi chose roles, she only looked at the depth of the character, considering only whether it was suitable and worthwhile; everything else was irrelevant.

The character Ruan Yinmeng was complex and delicate, and the entire plot was very good. She thought Shen Yizhi should give it a try.

But she refused.

President Su had two more discussions with Meilan, mainly about the film’s content restrictions, promotion, Ning Zhi’s schedule during filming, and Ning Zhi’s billing order.

The first three points were easy, and they quickly reached an agreement. The last point, according to Meilan, was that it still depended on the status of the other female lead.

When discussing this, Ning Zhi was present. Su Xin’s voice carried a lazy tone, as if smoked by tobacco: « Unless you can really invite Shen Yizhi, who else can overshadow A Zhi? »

It’s common for two lead actors in a drama to fight over billing. Su Xin’s comment was just casual talk, not taken seriously. After all, if a real fight breaks out, it’s a matter for the fans.

Fans don’t care what the company and the production team discuss privately. They will always think that as long as their idol isn’t the top lead, they are being wronged and that there’s some hidden conspiracy.

However, Su Xin was also stating a fact. Except for Shen Yizhi, who is already popular and award-winning, no matter how good the acting skills of other actresses are or how many works they have, they may not be able to surpass Ning Zhi, who is currently at the peak of her popularity.

Mei Lan, however, was unhurried and smiled, saying, « No rush, let’s wait and see. »

They talked with ease, each fully aware of the other’s boundaries.

Su Xin privately said to Ning Zhi, « It would be great if you could really get Shen Yizhi. After all, same-sex marriage has only been legal for two months, and many people still don’t accept it. Your first film is on this topic, and if you don’t perform well, it could be a big disaster. Having Shen Yizhi to support you will definitely help. But if she comes, forget about having the lead role for yourself. »

Everything has its pros and cons, which is vividly reflected in this issue.

Ning Zhi’s worries grew heavier.

A week later, Ning Zhi finally couldn’t help but send Shen Yizhi a WeChat message, asking where she was.

Shen Yizhi replied a few minutes later: « At home. »

Concise and to the point, just two words, a period, no nonsense, and no emotion.

Ning Zhi tightened her grip on the phone, called over her assistant, and instructed, « Let’s go somewhere. »

She decided to speak with Shen Yizhi in person.

This was her first film, and the title « Yifan » certainly sounded better and more appealing. But the risk of failure was also significant; after all, with such a subject matter, even other directors probably wouldn’t dare to try.

But whether it’s the billing position or the ability to perform well, these are not the main concerns for Ning Zhi.

What she cared about more was that she wanted to collaborate with Shen Yizhi.

The opportunity to appear in the same movie as Shen Yizhi is very precious, and maybe this is the only time.

No matter what, she wanted to give it a try.

Yangyang was driving, and Ning Zhi reported the name of a residential community.

Yangyang recognized this community; it is famously expensive and also famously safe, with an extremely well-established security system that no one can enter except the residents.

Are you here to visit a friend? I’m afraid you’ll need to notify your friend and the security before we can let you in…

Yang Yang parked the car at the entrance. As she was speaking, someone came over from the security booth. Ning Zhi rolled down the car window. The security guard saw her, smiled and nodded, then raised his hand to signal, and the gate opened.

Yang Yang hadn’t finished speaking, looking puzzled. While driving inside, she thought maybe Ning Zhi had already contacted her friend on the way here.

Once inside the community, under Ning Zhi’s guidance, the car stopped in front of a detached villa.

Ning Zhi held the script in her hand and read it all the way through. At this moment, she hesitated for a moment but still took it with her when she got off the car.

Before getting off, she instructed, « I’ll be out in about half an hour. You can play on your phone for a while. If Brother Peng asks for me, just tell him the truth. »

She was quite meticulous by nature and kind to others. When rushing to appointments, she often ordered takeout for the staff. In situations like this, when someone had to wait, she would let them know how long the wait would be.

Yangyang curved her eyes slightly and waved her hand, saying, « Got it, got it. Go ahead and meet your friend with peace of mind. »

Then, she watched Ning Zhi walk to the front door of the villa, press the doorbell once, and after waiting for a while with no one coming to open it, she directly used her fingerprint to unlock the door and went inside.

Yang Yang: « … » Did A Zhi buy a house here? She’s always by her side all day long, so how come I didn’t know?

This was Ning Zhi’s second time here; the last time was more than two months ago. That time, Shen Yizhi had registered her fingerprint on the door lock to allow her free access.

This house has excellent lighting. The living room is open to the second floor, making the ceiling very high. The walls are pure white, and sunlight streams in through the second-floor windows, casting a warm golden glow that spreads through the air.

Upon entering, there was a sense of stepping into the sacred grandeur of a church.

The living room TV was on, playing a documentary, and a beige thin blanket was casually draped over the sofa facing the TV.

Ning Zhi paused slightly, thinking that this boring person even chooses documentaries to watch.

She walked inside, and except for the sound coming from the screen, the entire house was very quiet.

Although I had been there once before, it was at night and raining, quite different from the scene now bathed in sunlight.

Ning Zhi couldn’t help but feel a bit restrained.

She paused at the stairway, pricked up her ears to listen, and only after confirming there was no noise on the first floor did she proceed to the second floor. She remembered that Shen Yizhi’s study was on the second floor.

Upon reaching the study door, she indeed heard voices coming from inside.

After confirming that Shen Yizhi was home, Ning Zhi decided to wait downstairs for her. Just as she was about to turn around, she heard her name mentioned from inside.

Ning Zhi’s figure paused, seeing that the study door was ajar with a crack, he walked over and leaned in to listen.

Think it over carefully. Your marriage is like a bomb that could explode at any time. Once it goes off, you will definitely be dragged down. It’s still not too late to get a divorce now; just consider this relationship as if it never existed.

It was the voice of Lin Shao, Shen Yizhi’s agent.

Ning Zhi was stunned for a moment, then a surge of anger flared up inside him.

Outsiders think it’s bad enough that she isn’t even worthy of acting opposite Shen Yizhi, but the people around Shen Yizhi treat her like an unshakable nuisance, guarding against her and going to great lengths to persuade her to get a divorce.

Before their marriage, they clearly agreed it was a mutual arrangement, each getting what they needed, so how come when it comes from Shen Yizhi’s manager, it sounds like she is the one clinging to Shen Yizhi, and Shen Yizhi is desperately trying to avoid her?

The anger grew stronger and stronger, and Ning Zhi directly pushed the door open.

The study door was silently pushed open, revealing the scene inside.

Lin Shao was facing away and hadn’t noticed the door opening, but Shen Yizhi, sitting behind the desk, saw it.

Ning Zhi’s gaze passed over the still babbling Lin Shao, suppressing her anger, expressionless as she locked eyes with Shen Yizhi, her legal partner.

Shen Yizhi was calm and composed, neither embarrassed nor guilty; she even calmly curved the corner of her lips and smiled at the furious Ning Zhi.

After locking eyes for a few seconds, Ning Zhi looked away first, his gaze falling on Lin Shao, who was speaking earnestly.

Lin Shao was saying, « The sooner the better. If you’re too embarrassed to speak up, I’ll talk to her for you. How hard is it to get rid of this fleeting internet celebrity? » Then a slightly provocative voice came from behind.

Alright then, what price do you plan to offer to get rid of me, this fleeting internet celebrity?

the Complete book is translated over on my Patreon 

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