In an instant, Yan Mu could barely contain herself, because... it was Xie Qinzhou after all!
Zhi Yao watched with an amused smile as Yan Mu reached out her hand. Meanwhile, the fox lying in Zhi Yao's arms had its golden eyes filled with displeasure, as if it would not hesitate to bite off Yan Mu's hand the moment she dared to touch it.
Seeing this, Yan Mu quickly withdrew her hand sheepishly. However, Zhi Yao wasn't afraid of Xie Qinzhou at all.
She made a dismissive "tch" sound, with a hint of sarcasm, then proceeded to roughly rub Xie Qinzhou's belly twice more before unceremoniously tossing him onto the sofa.
Yan Mu felt a pang of concern, worried that Zhi Yao might have hurt Xie Qinzhou. But looking at Zhi Yao's expression, she didn't dare to speak up.
Steeling herself, she asked, "Sister Zhi Yao, what... what brings you here?"
Zhi Yao sat down on the sofa, glancing at Xie Qinzhou who was playing dead beside her, and said, "I came to check on you, and also... to see if he's behaving himself."
Zhi Yao carelessly played with her nails as she spoke, "Xie Qinzhou, let me remind you: if you don't behave and still have any crooked ideas in your head, next time you won't be so lucky. I will absolutely, without a doubt, have Pei Chiyao flay you alive."
These words made Yan Mu's heart tremble, but to Xie Qinzhou, they were like a breeze passing by his ears. He didn't even bother to lift an eyelid.
Though Xie Qinzhou remained silent, Yan Mu hastily spoke up, "Don't worry! Sister Zhi Yao, please don't worry! I'll definitely keep a close eye on Xie Qinzhou. I promise he won't do anything bad again!"
"It better be so."
Zhi Yao slowly stood up, about to leave, when she suddenly seemed to remember something. She abruptly turned back to Yan Mu and said, "Yan Mu, remember to keep your ears and tail well hidden. Don't let them be exposed under any circumstances."
She wouldn't help Yan Mu again. After all, she and Yan Mu had no real connection. She had already helped her twice, and things shouldn't happen a third time.
The reason Zhi Yao was willing to lend a hand was simply because she saw a reflection of herself in Yan Mu. But this slight sense of goodwill wasn't enough for Zhi Yao to keep helping her.
The young girl quickly walked out; her scenes for the day weren't finished yet.
However, when Zhi Yao left the break room, she unexpectedly spotted an uninvited guest on the set!
"Brother Cheng, your look this time is so handsome!"
That voice...
Zhi Yao turned back in disbelief, only to see... He Kaiting?!
Why was this woman always haunting her?
Zhi Yao watched as He Kaiting persistently clung to the male lead of this drama — Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng was considered a rising star in the industry with a considerable fan base. His face was quite fair, giving off a bit of a pretty boy vibe. He had many fans, most of whom were devoted "wife fans" and "girlfriend fans."
Jiang Cheng had previously worked with He Kaiting, and they were considered to have a good relationship in the industry.
But Zhi Yao didn't know this.
She wasn't very familiar with Jiang Cheng to begin with, and seeing him being friendly with He Kaiting made Zhi Yao even less inclined to interact with him.
He Kaiting had brought a food truck loaded with drinks and snacks, distributing them for free to the crew members. Zhi Yao walked past them with an expressionless face, but He Kaiting called out to her.
"Oh my, isn't that Zhi Yao?"
She called out in a friendly manner, her face adorned with a gentle smile. Anyone who didn't know better might think they were close friends.
Zhi Yao had no desire to engage with her at all, not even sparing her a glance.
However, He Kaiting's manager beside her chimed in, "Oh, Kaiting, you actually know her?"
He Kaiting covered her mouth and giggled, "Of course I know her. Wasn't she the one who snatched that advertisement from me? I heard that this time, she also stole this role from Tian Ruoyi."
"My, my, having Pei Chiyao as a backer certainly makes one impressive. The question is, how long can Pei Chiyao remain her backer?"
They spoke with thinly veiled sarcasm, and He Kaiting's mood improved greatly as she watched Zhi Yao's face grow paler.
"Using one's looks to curry favor can't last long, can it?" She finished with an even more unrestrained laugh, "I think some people should make the most of it while they haven't been tossed aside, quickly grabbing resources and making money."
Once Pei Chiyao dumped her, she would definitely team up with Tian Ruoyi to destroy this woman.
Zhi Yao acted as if she hadn't heard He Kaiting's words and was about to walk away.
He Kaiting and her manager had been putting on quite a show, but Zhi Yao hadn't even given them a glance. This made He Kaiting feel like she was wasting her time.
She grew increasingly annoyed. Seeing Zhi Yao about to leave, she immediately said, "Zhi Yao, I'm talking to you!"
A deafening silence fell over the surroundings, with everyone watching Zhi Yao and He Kaiting. Who didn't know that He Kaiting had connections? Plus, she had good relationships with Jiang Cheng and the director. Zhi Yao, on the other hand, rarely interacted with the crew, so no one was willing to stand up for her. Everyone was just watching the drama unfold.
At this point, Zhi Yao finally looked up, gracing He Kaiting with a glance. "Talking? I'm sorry, I didn't hear anyone talking. All I heard was a bunch of dogs barking. It's quite noisy."
Her eyes and brows were filled with indifference.
Upon hearing this, He Kaiting's expression changed. She quickly adopted a fragile demeanor, clutching her chest as she said, "Zhi Yao, I was just trying to give you some friendly advice. After all... these things happen all too often in the entertainment industry."
What kind of advice needed to be given in front of everyone? This wasn't advice; it was an attempt to embarrass Zhi Yao.
But Zhi Yao knew very well that the more she engaged with He Kaiting, the more emboldened He Kaiting would become. Right now, she just wanted to finish her scenes for the day and go home to sleep.
"Director, can we start now?"
Zhi Yao showed no intention of acknowledging He Kaiting.
The director, of course, was aware of Zhi Yao's relationship with Pei Chiyao. Given Pei Chiyao's status, he didn't dare let He Kaiting humiliate Zhi Yao too much. If Pei Chiyao were to find out later... the consequences would be unthinkable!
He hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, we can. Is the props team ready? Is the wire rigging prepared?"
Today's scene was considered a climactic moment in the plot.
Zhi Yao's character would engage in an aerial fight with the male lead, testing the actor's ability to control their movements.
This, however, was precisely Zhi Yao's forte. Being an agile little Fox, hanging and swinging in mid-air was no problem at all. Moreover, Zhi Yao had already been suspended for several scenes before, all of which she had performed excellently, gaining considerable experience.
Therefore, Zhi Yao didn't take it to heart.
She also failed to notice He Kaiting below, exchanging meaningful glances with others.
"Take some time to get used to it up there first."
For those with a fear of heights, being suspended on wires can actually be a terrifying experience.
