Chapter 68

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Chapter 68: Sweet Extra (One): Title

After winning the Best Actress award, scripts began pouring in for Song Yutian.

However, most of them failed to satisfy either Sister Chen or Song Yutian herself.

Three months later, Song Yutian finally accepted the female lead role in a historical fantasy film.

The film was adapted from a supernatural novel in which the male lead held absolute prominence, with the female lead’s screen time being only one-third of his.

But Song Yutian didn’t care about billing disputes—she prioritized the story, the characters themselves, and the production team ‘s qualifications.

The director and screenwriter had jointly won an international award two years prior, now they were the most sought-after duo in the industry.

The male lead was played by Tao Yan, a three-time Best Actor nominee and one-time winner acclaimed for both his looks and acting prowess.

Most importantly, the female lead character offered to Song Yutian boasted rich characterization, a dramatic yet logical character arc, and a striking contrast in personal growth.

The moment Song Yutian first read the script, she immediately told Sister Chen she wanted the role.

The director maintained extremely high standards, insisting on on-location shooting for nearly every scene.

Recent filming locations near nature reserves offered less-than-ideal conditions.

While the staff arranged props, two actresses rested beneath a nearby canopy.

"Wenyan, did you know Zhong Yueli’s coming for a cameo today?" Wang Cheng said while powdering Yang Wenyan’s face.

"Zhong Yueli?" Yang Wenyan looked up in surprise. "Which role?"

"The male lead’s old friend," Wang Cheng answered. "Can you believe he’d trek to this wilderness just for a single-scene role? It must be for you, right?"

"Don’t talk nonsense," Yang Wenyan chided. "We’re not that close."

Though dismissing her assistant’s speculation, Yang Wenyan’s heart fluttered momentarily.

Could Wang Cheng be right? Perhaps Zhong Yueli really had come for her?

After all, they did share some history.

Wang Cheng persisted, "How are you ‘not close’? Didn’t he play your devoted second male lead?"

Yang Wenyan’s lips twitched upward as she feigned nonchalance. "That was ages ago."

Five years ago, Zhong Yueli had just debuted while she had already been playing female leads.

She’d treated him like any other supporting actor then—essentially beneath her notice.

Unexpectedly, Zhong Yueli’s popularity had kept skyrocketing, culminating in his winning both Best TV Actor and Best Film Actor honors over the past year.

Later encounters had seen her attempting camaraderie as a former colleague, only to receive chilly responses.

But maybe… could Wang Cheng’s theory hold water? Perhaps Zhong Yueli had harbored feelings all along?

Wang Cheng snickered, "Five years mean nothing! With your beauty, isn’t five years of pining normal? Why else would he take this trivial role?"

Yang Wenyan basked in the flattery but continued denying it. "Maybe he’s visiting other friends here."

"What other friends?" Wang Cheng challenged.

"Oh, wait—" He shot a glance at Song Yutian. "Didn’t he join some variety show with our female lead? Right, Song Yutian?"

On the first day of filming, he’d mocked an extra’s looks, only to be lectured by this woman.

Wang Cheng still seethed about it.

Did this Best Actress fluke make her special?

Song Yutian kept her eyes closed, ignoring him.

Wang Cheng pressed on, "I almost forgot—our leading lady rose through reality shows. Not everyone’s like Wenyan, valuing prestige over trashy variety gigs."

Yang Wenyan let her assistant’s mockery continue unabated.

She’d always resented Song Yutian.

This nobody who had lucked into Director Cheng’s lead role via some show, then won awards, now outranking her?

Let Wang Cheng handle the dirty work.

Song Yutian finally looked at Wang Cheng. "Oh?"

Wang Cheng froze, unprepared for her response. Previously, she’d always buried herself in scripts.

As he opened his mouth, a male figure appeared.

Yang Wenyan turned with delighted surprise. "Yueli! We were just talking about you."

"Really?" Zhong Yueli’s gaze shifted meaningfully. "What about?"

Yang Wenyan maintained eye contact until she realized his last question seemed directed at Song Yutian.

Must be mistaken, she decided, opening her mouth to reply.

Song Yutian interjected, "About your variety show appearances and compromised standards."

The rising tone carried a teasing lilt.

Yang Wenyan and Wang Cheng’s expressions froze simultaneously.

Wang Cheng hurriedly said, "Brother Yueli, I didn’t mean it that way. Don’t listen to Song… don’t listen to Yutian."

After a fleeting moment of panic, Yang Wenyan swiftly regained her composure.

Having observed her these past days, Yang Wenyan had initially believed Song Yutian to be someone tolerant.

Yet the moment Zhong Yueli arrived, Song Yutian instantly revealed her true colors.

Nevertheless… Yang Wenyan sneered inwardly.

Based on her understanding of Zhong Yueli, he would never indulge Song Yutian.

Over the years, she’d encountered Zhong Yueli at several events.

She assumed their past collaboration—when her billing had surpassed his—would earn her special treatment.

She’d even extended gestures of goodwill, but Zhong Yueli had never granted her face.

He remained utterly detached from backstage squabbles.

How could such an impervious man possibly be swayed by Song Yutian’s petty schemes…

"Is that so?" Zhong Yueli’s voice turned cold as he glanced at Yang Wenyan and Wang Cheng.

Yang Wenyan’s pulse quickened. "Wang Cheng was jesting. You know he’s served me for years—always speaking without thinking."

"Then he should speak less," Zhong Yueli stated coldly.

Yang Wenyan hadn’t anticipated this reprimand. "Understood…" she reflexively replied.

Only then did she comprehend—Zhong Yueli had unprecedentedly intervened in a cast dispute and disciplined her assistant.

More astonishingly, Zhong Yueli’s expression softened as he turned to Song Yutian: "Yutian, how many scenes today?"

"Two."

As the male lead, Tao Yan, dominated most daytime sequences, Song Yutian’s schedule remained light.

Yet her confrontation with Tao Yan marked a pivotal turning point in the story—her character’s defining moment.

After brief consideration, she added, "Though… one scene carries particular significance."

"Good." Zhong Yueli nodded with a smile.

He remained oblivious to impending complications.

Watching their exchange, Yang Wenyan abruptly conceived a thought—

Could Zhong Yueli truly have come for Song Yutian?

She instantly suppressed the thought.

Impossible.

Song Yutian’s first scene paired her with Yang Wenyan.

Despite tensions with Yang Wenyan’s assistant, both actresses maintained professional rigor.

The sequence wrapped efficiently.

Zhong Yueli observed throughout.

Descending from the set, Song Yutian informed him, "My crucial second scene approaches. I’ll review my lines."

"Proceed," Zhong Yueli acknowledged.

His cameo concluded swiftly thereafter.

One hour later, cameras rolled on the protagonists’ emotional climax.

Per the script, Song Yutian’s character—exhausted by Tao Yan’s ambivalence—resolved to seduce him.

Under night’s concealment, she entered his bedchamber. Discovered, desperation fueled her resolve.

She committed irrevocably.

His reactions cycled through shock, anguished conflict, then vehement rejection.

Physical disparity ensured her defeat.

Though set in a bedroom, the scene maintained decorum—costumes remained intact beyond minor dishevelment.

Emotional intensity dominated.

Yesterday’s consultation between Song Yutian, Tao Yan, and the director had concluded: preserve raw emotion through single-take filming.

Over-rehearsal risked draining authenticity.

To Song Yutian, this dramatically charged sequence—while emotionally volcanic—lacked physical intimacy surpassing even standard kissing scenes.

Thus, she’d forewarned Zhong Yueli… not.

Everyone was a professional actor; they should have had no problem handling emotional scenes of this intensity.

Before filming, Song Yutian had mentally prepared herself for this scene to be a grueling ordeal.

But she still didn’t anticipate it taking this long.

During filming, Song Yutian and Tao Yan had improvised at times, sparking fresh chemistry.

The director had delightedly kept their improvised moments and encouraged more diverse interpretations.

Meanwhile, the director’s standards were exceptionally strict—the slightest emotional misstep meant reshooting.

In the end, Song Yutian and Tao Yan had filmed from morning until dusk before finally satisfying the director.

Song Yutian lost count of how many times she’d pushed him down or declared, "I want you," to Tao Yan.

When the director called "Cut," Song Yutian exhaled deeply.

"Yutian, you’ve worked hard," Tao Yan said courteously, helping her up.

"Thank you," she replied.

"Did I hurt you when pushing you earlier?"

"It’s fine," Song Yutian said with a smile. "You collided with those pillars so many times—that must’ve hurt more."

Tao Yan chuckled, but as he opened his mouth to respond, his peripheral vision caught a man approaching Song Yutian.

"Yutian." Zhong Yueli cut into their conversation.

She turned, surprised. "Have you been waiting here the whole time?"

The scene had dragged on so long she assumed he’d left ages ago.

Zhong Yueli’s expression darkened slightly, but he nodded. "Yes."

The scene between Song Yutian and Tao Yan had stretched from daylight to darkness.

Eager to impress Director Cheng, Yang Wenyan lingered near his monitor throughout.

To her astonishment, Zhong Yueli remained there too.

Initially flattered, Yang Wenyan thought he might be seeking her company—until she noticed his gaze never lingered on her beyond a fleeting second.

His attention had stayed fixed on Song Yutian.

Yang Wenyan observed how Zhong Yueli’s brow furrowed imperceptibly whenever Song Yutian delivered romantic lines to Tao Yan or shoved him down—micro-expressions perhaps even he didn’t register.

For hours, the man’s features had shifted in tandem with the woman onscreen.

Yang Wenyan sensed she’d stumbled upon something significant.

Yet she dismissed it as a delusion.

How could that woman be so blessed?

A debut lead role under Director Cheng, instant box-office triumph, and Best Actress accolades—now even the reigning superstar Zhong Yueli mooning after her?

Impossible.

Everything Yang Wenyan had strived for years to attain, Song Yutian had achieved within one?

Unthinkable…

Her heart plummeted when Zhong Yueli had immediately approached Song Yutian post-filming.

Driven by unknown compulsions, Yang Wenyan had shadowed them for five minutes like a tabloid stalker.

She watched their exchange. Saw Song Yutian turn to leave. Saw Zhong Yueli seize her hand—then release it, head bowing.

Yang Wenyan blinked, disbelieving.

She spun away, retreating to the set—yet the image remained burned behind her eyelids.

That look on Zhong Yueli… as if he were courting Song Yutian.

Courting desperately, braced for rejection.

Perhaps she’d never truly known Zhong Yueli.

Or perhaps Song Yutian had changed him.

"If you won’t speak, I’m leaving. My assistant’s waiting."

Song Yutian turned.

Two steps later, Zhong Yueli’s grip closed around her from behind.

She paused mid-step and glanced back at him.

The man released his grip, lowering his head slightly as he uttered her name: "Yutian."

Song Yutian asked, "What’s really going on with you?"

After a prolonged hesitation, the man finally spoke.

"That particular scene… you took too many takes. Was this level of repetition truly necessary?"

Song Yutian’s eyes widened as she stared at Zhong Yueli.

"What?"

Zhong Yueli shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"If I recall correctly," Song Yutian said, "you’ve been in this industry for five years now."

Zhong Yueli crossed his arms. "Your point is?"

"Then you should know it’s standard practice to shoot dozens—even hundreds—of takes to achieve the perfect cinematic result."

Zhong Yueli nodded. "I’m aware."

"Then what were you trying to imply earlier?"

After a weighted pause, he suddenly declared, "I want official recognition."

Song Yutian blinked. "Recognition?"

"The kind that entitles me to feel jealous." His words fell with deliberate emphasis, syllable by syllable.

Silence stretched between them.

Just as Zhong Yueli emitted an almost imperceptible sigh, preparing to dismiss it as humor, Song Yutian broke the quiet.

"Very well," she said, lips curving. "Given your sincerity…"

She deliberately trailed off, observing his poorly concealed nonchalance as he glanced away.

"…I’ll grant you this recognition." Her voice softened. "You may be my boyfriend."

The man froze, disbelief etched across his features. "Truly?"

Her answering nod held playful certainty. "Truly."

Immediately—

"Wait, what’re you—"

"Exercising my rights as a boyfriend."

"What if we’re seen?"

"What of it?" His arms tightened around her. "We’re officially together now."

"…Fine. You may proceed."

"Yutian."

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

"I know."

"And you?"

"Must you ask?"

"I want to hear you say it."

"Never."

"Then I’ll have to kiss it from—"

"Wait! Alright, alright…"

Song Yutian’s whisper floated between them: "I love you too."