“…Alright, then take care of yourself. I don’t have much going on here, but if anything comes up, I’ll make sure to call you.” The rustling sound woke him up. Yu Junqing wasn’t entirely sure what he’d heard, but it sounded like Wang Shilin on the bed was talking to someone on the phone.
After hanging up, Wang Shilin noticed Yu Junqing’s half-open eyes peeking out from under the covers and looked a bit apologetic.
“Did I wake you?”
Yu Junqing shook his head, ridding himself of the lingering drowsiness, finally back to full alertness.
“What’s going on? Does Director Wang have something urgent to handle?” Wang Shilin had just been speaking in Mandarin. Even though his Mandarin was smooth, if he were talking to foreign friends, that crisp British accent would make Yu Junqing completely lost. Only when it came to calls from Wang himself would he willingly speak Chinese.
“Yeah, my dad’s not been feeling well. I had someone take him for a checkup yesterday, and it turns out an old issue flared up again. I told him to stay in the hospital for observation for a day before being discharged.” Wang Shilin stretched lazily, dark circles under his eyes betraying a sleepless night worrying about his father.
Concern flashed in Yu Junqing’s eyes. “How’s Director Wang? He seemed fine these past few days. How could his condition relapse so suddenly?”
“Don’t even mention it. The old man keeps thinking he’s still young, nagging me constantly while secretly pushing himself to work late into the night. With his health, it’s just too much.” Wang Shilin felt frustrated just thinking about it. His father was stubborn, refusing to show how much he truly cared. When he first returned, that stubbornness had caused a lot of friction between them. If he hadn’t later realized the sincerity behind his father’s actions, he would have gone abroad for good.
Stubbornness aside, his father valued appearances, never letting anyone know how much effort he was putting in behind the scenes.
Wang Shilin sighed and flopped back onto the bed. Managing a film crew wasn’t easy, and with his father’s illness, the potential for chaos only increased.
Yu Junqing thought along the same lines. Having witnessed countless on-set conflicts during his own filming days, he knew that if the director couldn’t control the crew, filming would be a nightmare.
“What about the assistant director? Have them help out today,” Yu Junqing suggested, planning for contingencies.
“No need. I have a friend in the industry coming over; he can help.” Wang Shilin rolled onto his side. He knew the assistant director’s type—solid but a little too soft. His father had chosen that person to balance out his own more impulsive temperament, not to handle anything major.
Yu Junqing didn’t know what he was thinking, but knowing someone from the industry would assist eased his mind. Still, he hoped Wang Shilin would take care of himself; despite not being very old, his father had enough health issues.
Yu Junqing sighed, wrapped himself in the blanket, and drifted back to sleep.
By morning, Wang Shilin likely hadn’t slept further. Yu Junqing woke to find him already reviewing scripts and planning shots. Despite Wang Shilin often appearing casual and carefree, when filming, he was fully focused—a “Zi Xiao Fu” type through and through, practically a mold of Director Wang himself.
Yu Junqing tidied the floor bedding, storing extra quilts in the cabinet. Though one was the lead actor and the other the director, the room was unremarkable. At night, sleeping there was fine, but during the day, the spread of blankets and a single bed blocked almost every corner.
“Awake?” Wang Shilin glanced up briefly before diving back into work. Other staff hadn’t arrived yet; he didn’t press them. He just wanted to visualize the day’s shoot and ensure smooth execution.
“I’ll get breakfast first,” Yu Junqing said, quietly moving toward the bathroom.
The bathroom wasn’t great, with a lingering smell, but he quickly freshened up and informed Wang Shilin before leaving.
Walking down the corridor, Yu Junqing felt some relief. Wang Shilin’s normally easygoing face was now taut with stress—straight lips and sharp eyes gave off immense pressure.
Yu Junqing decided to go downstairs for breakfast. The crew had a small restaurant for mornings; the chef’s skill was good, and Yu Junqing loved the sweet-and-sour crystal vegetable dumplings.
He ordered two portions and idly scrolled Weibo on his phone. His previous project was still trending, and without notifications off, he’d be inundated daily.
Taking a sip of tea, Yu Junqing’s eyes widened, nearly spitting it out. One headline showed Director Wang being assisted into a hospital by a young man, with the title screaming: “Director Wang and a mysterious man visit hospital at night, rumored to have a second ‘Little Director Wang’!”
Yu Junqing nearly dropped his phone. A second “Little Director Wang”? They were speculating Wang had another son?
Looking closely, the young man’s height and build seemed familiar—probably Wang Shilin. So this was from when he had accompanied his father to the hospital?
Yu Junqing shook his head at the media’s imagination, then buried himself in breakfast, deciding to eat an extra portion to calm down.
He finished two servings but froze when the third portion tempted him. Filming required him to stay slim, and another portion would be overkill.
His phone vibrated loudly—early morning—bringing a bright smile to his face. It was Brother Rui calling!
“Could you help pack this?” Yu Junqing handed over the staff to-go bag without hesitation.
“Good morning,” Bo Rui’s voice carried that mature male allure, slightly nasal from just waking up, sounding clingy and teasing, instantly brightening Yu Junqing’s mood.
“Morning, Brother Rui.” He added a subtle nasal tone, sounding almost playful.
Bo Rui, surprised, asked, “Are you sick? Didn’t sleep well last night?”
Yu Junqing covered the bag and pretended calm, lying about rubbing his nose.
Downstairs, Wang Shilin hadn’t eaten yet. Yu Junqing offered him a breakfast pack, and he ate it directly. Yu Junqing noticed he seemed hungry after all.
Finished quickly, Wang Shilin looked at Yu Junqing. “You have something on your face.”
Yu Junqing rushed to the bathroom—sure enough, some green residue on his chin. No wonder he hadn’t noticed earlier.
Once cleaned up, they headed to the outdoor set for today’s scene—Luo Er’s first time learning from Luo Xu, trying to touch his previously colorless heart.
Arriving, Yu Junqing noticed Yun Qi, usually late, was already there.
She wore a white floral slip dress, thin stockings, and a thick cloak—odd for the cold. Yu Junqing didn’t know she was observing Wang Shilin from afar, her emotions shifting from surprise to embarrassment once he stepped out.
Yun Qi, jealous and calculating, attempted to interact with Wang Shilin over breakfast, hoping to get close. Wang Shilin calmly stepped aside, keeping distance, observing her attempts.
Her questions about her scenes were barely understood, as her mind wandered, irritating Wang Shilin. He still had residual worry over his father.
Suddenly realizing his irritation, Yun Qi panicked and spilled her coffee, inadvertently hitting Wang Shilin.
Yu Junqing, just coming out of the dressing room, saw the scene unfold. Onlookers’ expressions shifted from surprise to sympathy for Wang Shilin, realizing Yun Qi had caused the mishap.
A voice suddenly remarked, “Women should maintain some dignity,” startling everyone.
The morning’s calm had completely shifted.