If Shu Yi didn't mention it, she'd be fine, but once she did, she just wanted to poke fun at it. A good urban romance drama turned into a comedy by Chang Zhiyuan's improvisation.
He acted as he pleased, and the director not only dared not object but also had to keep laughing along with him.
"The more I talk about it, the more teary I get. I'm super afraid of Chang Zhiyuan getting close to me now," Shu Yi said, her expression turning impatient when mentioning Chang Zhiyuan.
"What about the kissing scenes?" Shen Yin asked curiously.
This drama was not only Shu Yi's first on-screen kiss, but also her very first kiss in real life.
Shu Yi's face turned red as she said, "We've shot it twice now."
"Ah! Sister Shu Yi has filmed a kissing scene!"
Qi Ji's exclamation made Shu Yi even more embarrassed.
So the kisses in TV dramas are real, huh? She had thought they were all post-production effects.
"I'm seriously fed up with him now. He could have nailed the kissing scene in one take, but he kept messing up. I seriously suspect he's doing it on purpose."
"Does Chang Zhiyuan like Sister Shu Yi?" Qi Ji asked.
This question left both Shen Yin and Shu Yi silent.
Shen Yin didn't know the answer, and Shu Yi, as the person involved, was even more puzzled. As the saying goes, "The bystander sees most of the game." This was true for Shu Yi.
After some hesitation, Shu Yi said with an uncertain tone, "I don't know. He's a playboy, and sometimes I really get annoyed with him."
Shen Yin didn't know how to help Shu Yi with this kind of issue either.
Shu Yi was sensitive and cautious when it came to matters of the heart.
"So did Chang Zhiyuan deliberately want to film the kissing scene with Sister Shu Yi?" Qi Ji asked.
Upon hearing this, Shen Yin felt like laughing. Not just deliberately—he had probably plotted it for a long time. Otherwise, why would the original actor have been replaced for no reason? And this media tycoon just happened to take over the role.
"He's your boss, Sister Shu Yi, and he's never acted before, has he?" Shen Yin asked Shu Yi.
"Yeah, he's never acted before. This is his debut performance."
When Qi Ji heard this, her first reaction was that Chang Zhiyuan would be criticized for having no acting skills and ruining the drama with his terrible acting.
Shen Yin also remembered Shu Yi's previous worries and asked, "So how's his acting? Can you continue working with him?"
Shu Yi waved her hand dismissively. "I can't keep working with him. If the penalty for breach of contract wasn't so expensive, I'd have quit already."
"Is Chang Zhiyuan's acting that cringeworthy?" Shen Yin asked.
"No, no, his acting is quite good. He's just being himself—shameless, constantly saying flirtatious lines. I can't keep up with his improvisation. He's turned a good drama into his own personal playground."
Shu Yi was exhausted. If she could, she would complain nonstop for three days and three nights.
"I think if this drama actually airs, I'll be the one getting criticized."
"Let's take it one step at a time. Let's eat first. If anyone criticizes you when it airs, I'll scold them back for you," Shen Yin said, thinking that eating was the only way to reduce Shu Yi's suffering for now.
"Don't worry, Sister Shu Yi. I'll also scold them back for you. If I can't win the argument, I'll hire internet trolls to support you," Qi Ji chimed in.
"It's so nice to have you two," Shu Yi said, almost forgetting that the few people in front of her were all young millionaires. She was so lucky to have two millionaire friends.
"By the way, how have you both been while I was away? Little Qi Ji, are you enjoying your newlywed bliss?"
Qi Ji blushed and nodded. She seemed to be happy every day, without a care in the world. Aside from drawing illustrations, she had nothing else to do but eat, watch shows, and read comics.
"Wow, I'm jealous. Being happy is the most important thing."
"Yeah, Zheng Zheng is also very happy," Xu Yunzheng said as she gnawed on a pork rib.
Upon hearing this, Shu Yi suddenly remembered something. "Little Qi Ji, have you considered having a cute little baby like Zheng Zheng?"
"I've thought about it a little. Zheng Zheng is so adorable and warm," Qi Ji replied.
"If you want one, go for it. I hope I can hold another godson by April next year," Shu Yi said excitedly, imagining herself holding a baby in each arm as she strolled around.
Qi Ji fell silent. She did love babies and really wanted one.
"She's still a child, though. Xue Jingrui is treating her like a precious daughter right now," Shen Yin explained.
"Whoa, that's so cool! Is that what a 'dad husband' is like? I'm envious," Shu Yi said, her mind filled with all sorts of imagined plotlines. She felt like she could write a book about it.
"Sister Shu Yi, since Sister Shen Yin says you're knowledgeable about matters of the heart, could you help me analyze something?"
"You've come to the right person."
In the next room, Xue Jingrui, Xu Xiuhe, and Chang Zhiyuan sat together, sipping tea and sighing.
"Why didn't they invite us when the three of them are having a meal together?" Chang Zhiyuan asked indignantly.
"Shut up. My son's wife is there, and I haven't even complained," Xu Xiuhe said calmly as he drank some water.
"Exactly. My wife is there too. By the way, who do you have a connection with in there?" Xue Jingrui added.
That stung. Chang Zhiyuan felt that the two men in front of him were inhumane. How could anyone say such things? Were they bullying him for not having a wife?
"My godson is there, and so is my fiancée."
"Enough, why did you decide to take on this acting role?" Xue Jingrui asked.
"Jingrui, you don't understand. I don't want to suffer on set either, but could I bear to watch that woman kiss another man? I couldn't."
"Couldn't you have just changed the script?" Xue Jingrui suggested.
"Xiuhe, can't you see? He just wanted to kiss her, which is why he took on this role. By the way, can you even act?" Xue Jingrui questioned Chang Zhiyuan.
"Of course I can act. Who knows, maybe after this drama, I'll become an overnight sensation and switch careers to become a big star," Chang Zhiyuan said, starting to become self-absorbed. He felt he was simply a gifted natural, even praised by the director. He was born to be an actor.
"We've strayed from the topic. When did those three become so close?" Xue Jingrui asked.
He had always known that Shu Yi and Shen Yin had a good relationship since they had known each other for a long time and had worked together on a set before. But when did his little wife become so close with them? They had only met a couple of times, right?
"Women's relationships are mysterious. As long as they're not competitors, they treat each other like sisters," Chang Zhiyuan explained.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Xue Jingrui wondered.
In Shen Yin's room, Shu Yi was trying to analyze the situation.
"Qi Ji, are you afraid that you'll become too dependent on Xue Jingrui?"
Qi Ji nodded.
Shu Yi truly didn't know how to advise Qi Ji. Qi Ji's situation was different from Shen Yin's – she had no good feelings towards Xue Jingrui, and was beating around the bush without clearly explaining things. Her judgment had been so poor before.
"Qi Ji, I don't really know how to advise you. I'll reserve my opinion, but if he continues to treat you so well, it's not impossible. Sometimes, girls need to be more clear-headed. Don't think that love is everything, that you must possess it. If we never meet the one we love in this life, and there's someone who treats us exceptionally well, even without romantic love, over time it could develop into a familial affection. So on this point, you need to think about what you want."
