Hidden Affection - Chapter 04

The essence of their marriage is that each takes what they need, without mentioning feelings.

Ning Zhi returned to the car, and the relaxed expression on his face disappeared.

« A Zhi, are we leaving now? We need to hurry, Brother Peng is already waiting for you in the recording studio, » Yang Yang asked while starting the car.

Ning Zhi looked at the house once more through the car window and said, « Let’s go. »

A week later, Ning Zhi received the notice that the role of Ruan Yinmeng had been given to Shen Yizhi, and the start date was set for early June.

The filming location was in Pingcheng. Meilan made a grand gesture by renting a large area and setting up a real scene.

Ning Zhi had memorized all the lines and read through the script several times. Several sets of costume photos were taken.

However, all the photos were solo shots; there were no pictures taken with Shen Yizhi.

After chatting at Shen Yizhi’s place that day, Ning Zhi never saw her again. She didn’t care, not only that, she even cursed the useless Shen Yizhi in her dreams, afraid that she might get too deeply into the role and like her, which was just wishful thinking.

…

…

However, it wasn’t like she had never seen her before; while surfing the internet, she saw Shen Yizhi. She had entered a small bar and was photographed by passersby, who then uploaded the pictures online.

The small bar was on a quiet street. Shen Yizhi got out of the car, opened the door, and seemed to sense someone watching her. She looked down briefly, and the light from inside the door poured out, shining on her. Half of the glow was orange-yellow, and the other half was shrouded in the hazy night. She noticed the camera but didn’t panic; she smiled at the person filming and then calmly went inside.

The comments under that Weibo post were all praising her as peerlessly elegant.

Ning Zhi secretly scoffed, « Peerlessly elegant? Such an outdated phrase from the last century being brought back. » But after watching the video again, even he had to admit that the phrase was indeed fitting.

Whether the company deliberately leaked the news to stir up some hype or it was leaked through other channels, several marketing accounts revealed in mid-May that Ning Zhi would be collaborating with Shen Yizhi and Mei Lan on a new film that was about to start shooting.

Once the news broke, the haters quickly jumped in, mocking Ning Zhi for having a big face and being an idol who knew nothing but marketing to rake in traffic, daring to latch onto the two biggest legends in the film industry.

Fans quickly rushed to the scene to control the narrative, stating that without an official announcement, there would be no meetings, and they promoted Ning Zhi’s latest single.

It’s all the usual routine that fan circles are used to.

There was no reaction at all from Shen Yizhi’s side; not only was she silent, but her fans were also largely quiet. Marketing accounts pushed the news onto trending searches, but Shen Yizhi’s fans rarely spoke up.

It is the calmness after weathering countless storms, and also the confidence Shen Yizhi, as a quality actress, gives her fans. They simply disdain to pay attention to baseless rumors.

At the same time, it inevitably comes across as arrogant.

It wasn’t until the official movie account posted promotional photos and the main creators shared them that the news was confirmed.

After confirmation, it wasn’t the end of the story; fans, of course, happily shared the news, celebrating together.

Meanwhile, haters grumbled that Chinese-language films were hopeless, complaining that a singer with no acting experience could get such great opportunities, and regardless of whether it was true or not, it didn’t stop them from mocking.

At the same time, another group of people is focused on a very critical question: whether this film can be released in theaters.

In the past, domestic films with LGBTQ themes never considered passing censorship or obtaining the Dragon Seal, but now it’s different. Same-sex marriage was legalized three months ago, and since it is now out in the open, perhaps works on this subject no longer need to be as taboo as before.

The film hasn’t even been made yet, but there have already been twenty or thirty trending topics filled with negative and mixed opinions, with the discussion heated and widespread.

Ning Zhi, a top-level internet surfer, keeps up with current events and even used a secondary account to participate in the discussion of the last topic.

This film is an art-house movie, but Director Mei’s films never lose money. Even as an art-house film, it can achieve box office results comparable to commercial films.

From the very beginning, this play was aimed at theatrical release, but whether it can actually be shown depends on the final review.

After all, the film’s subject matter is quite niche, taboo, and sensitive—not only involving same-sex relationships but also prostitutes and underage high school students, areas that most film industry professionals find troublesome and high-risk.

Officially joined the crew at the beginning of June.

The weather had already become somewhat sultry; Ning Zhi, being from the south, was quite familiar with this kind of humid heat.

Jiang Peng was uneasy and followed along, planning to stay for a few days of filming so he could be ready to comfort Ning Zhi at any time.

It was Ning Zhi’s first time acting, and with a director like Mei Lan who scolds everyone equally regardless of their status, even before filming started, Jiang Peng was already worried that Ning Zhi would be scolded into quitting.

On the first day of joining the crew, before the official filming began, Mei Lan took Ning Zhi on a tour of the set, personally explaining some of the shooting procedures and pointing out basic knowledge like positioning.

The moment Ning Zhi arrived here, it felt like returning to the old city district of the early 2000s. The alleys were narrow, the houses old, the utility poles on the street thin and weak, and even the bricks on the ground were unevenly laid, so that stepping on them on a rainy day could splash mud up to one’s pants.

Old and worn, yet carrying the tranquility and comfort of time, as if placing a rocking chair under the paulownia tree at the doorstep would allow one to leisurely sway back and forth with a large palm fan.

« These buildings are constructed so realistically, » Ning Zhi remarked. This alley is called Tonghua Lane in the movie. A few paulownia trees were scattered along the roadside, but unfortunately, the paulownia flowers bloom around the Qingming Festival. At this time of year, only dense shade remains on the trees.

Meilan was quite satisfied as well. She, as usual, held a cigarette between her fingers: « It took quite a bit of time. »

Ning Zhi glanced at the cigarette between her fingers. Su Xin also smoked, but unlike Meilan, Su Xin smoked like drinking coffee—taking a small sip when idle, a quick puff to refresh when tired. Ultimately, it was optional and very casual.

Mei Lan smoked as if she had already given up her life, and it felt like every pore of her body was being invaded by the smoke.

« What? You want one too? » Mei Lan glanced at her sideways.

Ning Zhi quickly refused, « No, I can’t touch that. It would be trouble if I got caught. »

Mei Lan scoffed lightly, « You’re already twenty, and your fans are still that strict? »

Ning Zhi smiled but said nothing.

It’s not that the fans are strict; it’s clearly the haters who are strict. But she herself just doesn’t like the smell of smoke.

Several crew members from the props team were inspecting the area. Filming was set to officially begin tomorrow, and there could be no mistakes with the props or the real scenes. Ning Zhi’s gaze followed their figures, and their meticulous attitude made her nervous as well.

« To help you quickly get used to the rhythm and get into character, we’ll shoot ** first tomorrow. » Mei Lan exhaled a puff of smoke and said abruptly.

Ning Zhi’s heart suddenly caught in her throat, and it took her a moment to find her voice: « Which scene? »

« The first match, » Mei Lan replied.

Ning Zhi immediately recalled the moments before and after that scene. Meilan smiled at her through the curling smoke and gently patted her shoulder: « Don’t worry, Shen Yizhi is here. She will help you get into the role. »

There were fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Perhaps because the director’s schedule was irregular, with years of late nights and hard work, although only thirty-four, she seemed to look a little older.

Ning Zhi’s originally dry throat gradually moistened upon hearing the name Shen Yizhi. Her chest instantly felt intensely warm. She turned her head away and said lightly, « Is she really that capable? Can she really handle me? »

After saying that, she realized she had just insulted herself.

Ning Zhi fell silent, pressing her lips tightly together.

Meilan smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes becoming more noticeable, but strangely, the sense of age about her seemed to diminish.

« If Shen Yizhi’s acting can’t carry you, then I’ll have to consider replacing the actor. » Mei Lan’s voice carried a smile, but her expression was serious, clearly meaning what she said and not trying to scare Ning Zhi.

Ning Zhi wasn’t scared at all; she was just muttering that she wanted to see just how impressive Shen Yizhi really was.

What Mei said, both directly and indirectly, was clearly that if even Shen Yizhi can’t carry you, then you shouldn’t be acting; you’re not cut out for this line of work.

The evening dinner was for the main cast and crew to eat together, serving as a way to gather everyone who would be working together for the next several months and get to know each other.

Everyone had arrived except for Shen Yizhi. A male actor playing a supporting role asked about it, and Mei Lan, who was chatting with the producer, casually replied, « She has other plans and will only arrive in the evening. »

So, even after the final dinner ended, there was still no sign of Shen Yizhi.

The place to eat was not far from the hotel where they were staying. Jiang Peng had a last-minute appointment and, seeing that Ning Zhi hadn’t drunk much, didn’t follow her. Before leaving, he repeatedly urged her to be careful, not to wander around, and not to be photographed.

Ning Zhi naturally agreed.

The shoot starts tomorrow, and she feels a bit nervous. She wants to go back to the hotel to review the script again, at least to memorize her lines better and to carefully ponder the character’s personality and emotions.

She walked out of the elevator alone, took off her mask, and played with it in her hand.

The wall sconces on both sides emitted a faint glow, casting a somewhat dim light. A sconce lit up at intervals, extending all the way to the end of the corridor, giving off a vintage yet exquisite feel.

Ning Zhi walked over slowly and saw two people standing beside a wall sconce—a man and a woman. The woman had her back to them, and the man wore a serious expression, speaking rapidly. Suddenly, he noticed Ning Zhi and stopped talking.

Ning Zhi saw that Shen Yizhi seemed to sense something and turned her head. There was a hint of weariness in her eyes and brows. When she saw Ning Zhi, her expression froze slightly, and her gaze lingered on her as she approached.

Ning Zhi walked within her gaze, feeling very awkward, but she still remembered what happened last time and the scene to be filmed tomorrow. Suddenly, it was as if something soft blocked her throat, making her unable to speak.

She simply pretended not to see it and walked past Shen Yizhi’s shoulder with a very cold demeanor.

At the moment they brushed shoulders, she felt the fabric on their shoulders lightly rub against each other, as if she could hear the faint sound of friction.

After walking quite a distance, a voice suddenly came from behind: « Wait. »

It was Lin Shao’s voice.

Ning Zhi stopped in her tracks, thinking impatiently, « Didn’t I say enough last time? Do I really have to persuade her in person again to hurry up and divorce Shen Yizhi? »

She turned around, and Lin Shao had already caught up.

He obviously felt a bit awkward but still remained polite, standing in front of Ning Zhi and apologizing, « I’m sorry for offending you last time. I didn’t understand the situation clearly. I hope I didn’t cause you any trouble. »

Ning Zhi was momentarily stunned, her gaze passing over Lin Shao and looking toward the spot where Shen Yizhi had just stood.

Under the dim wall lamp, Shen Yizhi’s figure had already disappeared. She opened the door to her own room and went in, and Ning Zhi only caught a glimpse of the corner of her skirt.

the Complete book is translated over on my Patreon