Wen Chu was truly grateful to Qi Yuan.
She had pursued her dream, taking the entrance exam for the Film Academy in Jing City, hoping to stay there, but her mother fell ill.
At that time, her father hadn’t yet been promoted to Chief Engineer, and to support her studies, the family had spent every last cent.
She had already planned to drop out and return home to accompany her parents.
It was that contract from Qi Yuan that saved her.
Gu Cheng turned off the lights in the dining room and carried her into the master bedroom.
Wen Chu wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes smiling.
Gu Cheng smiled as he kissed her neck, tracing gentle kisses.
Wen Chu kissed his cheek, her fingertips brushing over a mole on his Adam’s apple.
He caught her hand, looked up, desire in his eyes, and pressed his lips to hers.
In an instant, the room’s temperature rose.
The bedsheet slid to the floor, silk cascading and spreading out.
After a long while, Wen Chu sat in his arms, drenched in sweat, her white dress loosely draped over her.
Gu Cheng ran his fingers through her damp hair, his Adam’s apple moving with residual warmth.
A phone that had fallen to the floor rang.
Wen Chu turned to look—it was two WeChat messages from Yan Xing.
Yan Xing was from the Yan Family in Hai City, also a friend of Gu Cheng.
Her breath was slightly uneven.
“Your phone has a message.”
Gu Cheng: “I’ll check it later.”
Wen Chu smiled, releasing his neck.
She bent backward, her waist incredibly flexible.
Gu Cheng’s eyes narrowed, watching her exposed waist, utterly tempting.
Wen Chu easily reached for the phone, sat back up, face flushed, and handed it to him.
Gu Cheng watched her for a few seconds, then grabbed her waist, his voice hoarse.
“Are you trying to kill me?”
Wen Chu blinked, shoved the phone into his hand.
“Hurry and look.”
Gu Cheng took it and unlocked the screen.
Yan Xing had sent a Doctor’s contact—someone who’d just arrived in Jing City.
The next message asked: The address of Qi Yuan-jie’s house hasn’t changed, right?
Wen Chu saw Qi Yuan’s name and her heart skipped a beat out of work instinct.
She asked softly, “You found a doctor for Qi Yuan?”
Gu Cheng made a sound of assent, copying the address and sending it to Yan Xing.
He looked up.
“Her anxiety disorder still needs a doctor. We can’t let her keep troubling you.”
Wen Chu’s eyes curved.
Gu Cheng knowing Qi Yuan didn’t surprise her, because she’d met Gu Cheng at Qi Yuan’s Birthday Party.
The Qi Family and Gu Family had business ties, their relationship close.
In fact, Wen Chu had met Gu Cheng through Qi Yuan.
At that Birthday Party, she’d been an almost invisible Stand-in actor.
She’d hidden in a corner drinking, and when the dancing began, Gu Cheng danced with Qi Yuan first.
After handing Qi Yuan’s hand to her boyfriend, Gu Cheng walked over to her and extended his hand.
She stared at that hand, and before she knew it, placed hers in it, and he pulled her into his arms.
He smiled, leading her to the center of the dance floor.
She looked up at him quietly.
He said with a smile, I’m Gu Cheng. And you?
Under the dazzling lights, she replied, I’m Wen Chu.
“Hello, Wen Chu…”
His gentle voice sounded above her.
After the party, Gu Cheng and she exchanged contact information.
The second time they met was on set.
She was Standing-in for Qi Yuan, positioning the camera.
The contract she’d signed was for Gold Medal Body Double—other than action scenes, which weren’t hers, she covered the rest: stunts, nudity, acting, hand shots, etc.
The Manager had once said she was born for Qi Yuan.
Though she didn’t like the phrase, for eight years, it was the truth.
At that time, she was still inexperienced, following the Sub-director’s instructions, standing in the spotlight, back to the light, when she saw him lift the curtain and walk in, smiling at her.
He’d come to visit Qi Yuan on set and happened to see her.
After that, they met more often.
He was a son of a powerful Jing City family, frequenting many venues.
Sometimes he’d help Qi Yuan with errands, sometimes at banquets or events—she’d often see him, and he always looked out for her.
Once, she got a call that he was drunk and needed someone to pick him up.
She didn’t know what she was thinking at the time but agreed.
At the bar, sure enough, he was drunk, reaching for her.
She remembered their first meeting, reached out to help him up, but unexpectedly, he pulled her into his arms, and the others in the booth began cheering.
He looked down at her, and as her heartbeat quickened, asked, Will you be my girlfriend?
Without knowing why, when she met his affectionate eyes, she nodded.
That became four years together.
“Shower together?”
Gu Cheng put down the phone, pressed her waist, and whispered in her ear.
Wen Chu came back to her senses, nodded with a smile.
Gu Cheng stood up, lifted her, and carried her into the bathroom.
***
Two hours later, Wen Chu sat on the edge of the bed, towel-drying her hair.
Gu Cheng, wearing half-rimmed glasses, was working.
Wen Chu leaned against him.
Her tablet buzzed with a message.
She picked it up and checked.
It was a WeChat message from her best friend Xi Ning.
Xi Ning had been her high school classmate, and after university, she stayed in Jing City as the Editor-in-chief of an entertainment magazine.
Her writing was sharp, factual yet vivid, and highly sought after, especially for entertainment industry stories.
All the major studios wanted to work with her.
Xi Ning sent over a video.
Xi Ning: You shot this, right? Even if this back view turned to ashes, I’d still know it was you.
Wen Chu opened the video.
It was from a recent drama Qi Yuan starred in.
The show told the story of a Heroine’s lonely life, finding and losing, then choosing to retire from the Jianghu.
The scene showed her performing a Sword Dance on Cangshan before retreating.
Originally, the dance was called Sever Life with One Sword, but after she left the Jianghu, it was renamed Snow for the Rest of My Life.
So, dancing in the snow, with no blood, the Sword Dance became especially gentle.
For the entire scene, Wen Chu had performed the dance, since Qi Yuan’s back injury made filming impossible.
So, it was Wen Chu throughout, adjusted so her face was never shown—only a back view, dancing alone with a sword in the snow.
Wen Chu replied: It’s me. What about it?
Xi Ning: What about it? Go look! It’s all over the Hot Search! Everyone’s praising Qi Yuan’s acting, her elegant figure, her excellence, and even Tangren Productions is considering letting Qi Yuan star in their big IP Wind and Moon at Dusk.
Xi Ning: These years, how many times have your shots as her Stand-in made the Hot Search? She’s sitting pretty while reaping the empire you built for her.
Wen Chu opened the Wei Bo Hot Search.
The top entry was the video.
#Qi Yuan Sword Dance# followed by a big red ‘Explosion’ symbol.
The Heroine drama was near its end.
The ratings had hovered around second or third place, but this final scene had pushed it to number one, creating a long-tail viral effect.
Wen Chu looked at the comments below.
“No wonder it’s Qi Yuan. She made the Heroine drama a hit.”
“This scene expressed endless loneliness and was breathtakingly beautiful.”
“Qi Yuan is amazing.”
“Qi Yuan NB, I love you Qi Yuan.”
“I love Heroine. It was so well filmed.”
“Qi Yuan Changhong!!”
Xi Ning: You stand-in for her like this, and she still keeps suppressing you!
Xi Ning was extremely indignant on Wen Chu’s behalf, especially over that twisted contract that locked Wen Chu in the shadows.
Back then, when the Manager approached Wen Chu to sign, they’d promised she didn’t need to wait until the contract expired; during its term, they’d gradually find her suitable roles to let her appear on screen.
Now, eight years had passed, and not only did they never find her any roles, but the suppression grew even worse.
Wen Chu replied to Xi Ning: Nothing to be done. Just have to wait for the contract to end.
Xi Ning: So frustrating.
Wen Chu sent a sticker to comfort her.
She then watched the video a few more times, reading comments that didn’t mention Qi Yuan by name but praised the beautiful dance and figure.
She took it as praise for herself.
Scrolling through, she immersed herself, taking comfort.
No one cheered for her, so she cheered for herself in her heart.
She leaned into the man beside her.
Gu Cheng noticed her movement and turned to look.
Wen Chu’s soft hair draped over her shoulders.
She looked up, smiling, and handed him her phone.
“Look, it’s on the Hot Search.”
Gu Cheng glanced down, his eyes behind the lenses focusing on the phone.
He saw the figure in the video and recognized his own girlfriend.
The corners of his lips rose.
“So beautiful.”
Wen Chu gave a soft hum and leaned against his shoulder.
“When we filmed that scene, it was in the snow. So cold, but exhilarating.”
“Too bad I wasn’t on set to see it.”
Gu Cheng said softly.
Wen Chu watched the video too.
“You were on a business trip in Li City then.”
Gu Cheng wrapped his arm around her waist, watching the video seriously.
His eyes swept over the title #Qi Yuan Sword Dance#, then back to Wen Chu’s figure in the snow—red-clad, soft yet sharp.
Wen Chu recalled before Qi Yuan’s back injury.
“Actually, Qi Yuan had played such roles before. When her back was still fine, she could act in them.”
That was years ago.
That video had also made the Hot Search, though it wasn’t as explosive as now.
Gu Cheng listened, not responding.
He held her tighter.
***
Shan Yue Bay Villa
The Manager called.
“With the Heroine drama so hot, there’s hope for the Golden Tripod Awards this year. Get some rest, don’t overwork, and drink more water.”
Qi Yuan, wearing loungewear, answered.
The Manager laughed.
“I’ve sent you the first ten episodes of Wind and Moon at Dusk. Take a look. We’ll decide whether to accept it.”
“Okay.”
Qi Yuan ran her fingers through her hair.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
The housekeeper went to open the door, letting in a Doctor in a tailored suit.
The Doctor looked at Qi Yuan.
The housekeeper said, “Miss Qi, this Doctor is here to see you. He was invited by Young Master Gu.”
Qi Yuan hung up, took the business card from the Doctor.
The Manager, hearing ‘Young Master Gu’, raised an eyebrow before the call ended.
Qi Yuan glanced at the card.
“Psychological consultant?”
“Yes. Knowing your special status and difficulty leaving home, I came for a house call. If you think I’m suitable, I can stay in Jing City for a few months to treat you.”
Qi Yuan looked at the title on the card.
Quite an impressive background.
Footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Qi Yuan turned to see Fang Yi coming down in a dark suit—her boyfriend.
Fang Yi was a screenwriter.
He raised his brow, came to Qi Yuan’s side, and took the card.
He glanced at Qi Yuan.
“Young Master Gu really is your good little brother. Still so concerned for you.”