The wealthy military officer spoils his wife excessively

Mr. Yi's eyes even welled up with tears. Whether it was genuine emotion or just acting, there was warmth flowing through him at that moment. He turned his face away to wipe his eyes, then took the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

Mr. Yi once said that he didn't trust anyone, but he trusted her, and he wasn't just saying that casually.

By this point in the performance, Suwen and Xue Shaofeng were already very immersed in their roles. At that moment, Suwen stared intently at Xue Shaofeng, and it was as if time and space had reversed. She was Wang Jiazhi, and sitting opposite her was Mr. Yi, whom she loved but hated to the core.

Mr. Yi actually liked Wang Jiazhi, even though she was just a mistress. He once said that everyone else was afraid of him, but she was different. Her casual conversation and the unintentional revelation of her true nature attracted him.

He was initially attracted to her, but he only wanted to play around. However, he became increasingly entangled in the relationship. When she looked at him so earnestly, he felt completely lost.

Xue Shaofeng's acting here is truly superb; no wonder he's consistently ranked as the highest-paid Hong Kong male artist in mainland China for many years. The subtle emotional shifts are conveyed through his facial expressions, even every glance. His gaze towards her seems to hold a quiet, burning flame that could consume them both. Perhaps at some point in bed, he might even wish to torment her to death—a woman who can control her emotions is terrifying enough. He's the kind of person who lives on the edge, accustomed to life, death, and torture every day; the last thing he needs is emotion.

As he subtly wiped away his tears, Suwen unconsciously placed her hand on his. Xue Shaofeng's presence on set was truly powerful, just like what Lao Zhang taught in acting class: a truly good actor not only fully immerses themselves in the role but also draws other actors into the scene. That's acting skill, and that's why actors always cast big names as co-stars.

At this moment, Suwen and Xue Shaofeng could no longer say who had led whom. Mr. Yi sighed, slowly took her hand, and a look of pity flashed across his eyes.

The scene was supposed to end there, but Xue Shaofeng improvised, grabbing her hand and almost roughly pulling her towards him. Su Wen lost her balance and fell into his arms, looking up at him with a hint of confusion in her eyes, then glancing at Director Wei out of the corner of her eye. Director Wei didn't move or call "cut," but simply continued watching intently.

Xue Shaofeng's face still held the expression of Mr. Yi, the thoughtful look of Mr. Yi, but he cupped Suwen's face and kissed her fiercely.

It opened its mouth wide and, with a ferocious and predatory manner, almost swallowed her whole.

Suwen did not resist. If the story continued to unfold here, perhaps Mr. Yi would also kiss Wang Jiazhi deeply, declaring his possession and expressing his inner turmoil. After all, this silent exchange of feelings, although they did nothing, had already subtly changed some things.

Just like in the next scene of the script, Mr. Yi asks Wang Jiazhi to pick out diamonds for him.

Seeing that Suwen did not resist, Xue Shaofeng kissed her even more passionately, his tongue probing inside her, his kiss fervent, excited, and uncontrollable. Even as he repeatedly convinced himself that this was just acting, in that instant, the woman in his arms was fatally alluring.

However, this scene wasn't in the script. Everyone present knew that the kiss wasn't Mr. Yi's; it was Xue Shaofeng's. It was Xue Shaofeng kissing Nie Suwen, and had nothing to do with Mr. Yi or Wang Jiazhi.

This is also what left Suwen feeling lost and confused.

The kissing scene was so intense and passionate that anyone watching would suspect something was going on between the actors. Especially since the other actor was Xue Shaofeng, a well-regarded A-list actor known for his ability to quickly immerse himself in and detach himself from his roles. It's precisely because he avoids being typecast by his characters after filming, allowing him to be versatile and convincing in any role, that he has built a strong reputation in the entertainment industry over the years.

Now, however, he was staring intently at him, his eyes dark and his expression subtle and complex.

The two were still embracing when Suwen panicked. Seeing that Director Wei had no intention of stopping them, she quickly pulled herself out of the role of Wang Jiazhi and returned to the carefree Nie Suwen, pushing him and saying, "Brother Feng, you're too into the role. If you keep going like this, we won't be able to finish filming."

Xue Shaofeng realized what was happening but didn't move, looking at her hesitantly.

Su Wen quickly cast a pleading look at Director Wei, but he remained silent, staring at the two of them as if deep in thought. Ji Xuan, standing to the side, glared at him with eyes that were practically spitting fire.

Xue Shaofeng's hand was still on hers, and she could even feel his palm pause for a moment before slowly lifting it up.

A sliver of clarity finally returned to his thick, almost impenetrable eyes. He bowed slightly to the director and Suwen, saying, "I'm sorry for taking up everyone's time."

Director Wei leaned back on the sofa and said meaningfully, "Very good, I'm very satisfied with this scene. We can just act it out like this during the actual filming."

Xue Shaofeng's performance as Su Wen was so captivating that not a single word was uttered.

But Suwen knew that she had won.

This role is hers.

Ji Xuan had been waiting for her to make a fool of herself, but now her face was as white as the pinkish-white wall.

Director Wei at least didn't let Queen Ji make a wasted trip, by inserting a cameo role into the film. In total, she had less than ten lines, which was worse than not having any at all, and it was rather ironic.

Ji Xuan was so angry she could cry, but since the big director had spoken, she couldn't refuse.

Actually, you can't really blame Director Wei. The women in this drama are either middle-aged, wealthy wives of officials or simple, upright female college students. It's quite difficult to pick out a beautiful role that suits Ji Xuan.

Xiao Ai saw Su Wen and Director Wei come out of the suite together, followed by Ji Xuan, who looked utterly defeated. Her eyes lit up, and she gaped in disbelief.

Once Director Wei had walked away, Su Wen gave her a light tap: "Stop embarrassing me, okay? You could stuff an egg in your mouth."

It took Xiao Ai a while to close her mouth: "I really didn't expect this."

A newcomer who has only filmed one TV series beat the Golden Horse Award for Best Actress—that's like the moon crashing into the Earth.

Suwen was indignant after hearing her theory: "I'm a professionally trained actor, after all. In terms of acting skills, I'm not necessarily inferior to her."

"But..." Xiao Ai turned around and looked, "What's wrong with Brother Feng?"

Suwen then realized that she had been so busy bragging to Xiao Ai that she had neglected Xue Shaofeng. She owed her role to Xue Shaofeng's excellent cooperation and should have thanked him properly, but…

Since they came out, Xue Shaofeng had automatically fallen to the back, his hands in his pockets, head down, seemingly lost in thought.

Suwen recalled the kiss from earlier, pursed her lips, and a hint of embarrassment flashed across her face.

Xiao Ai became even more curious: "What happened between you and Brother Feng?"

"Nothing much, just ask less of what you shouldn't ask."

Xiao Ai pouted; this was clearly a case of being embarrassed and angry.

If you think it's that easy to land a leading role in Director Wei's film, you're underestimating this internationally renowned director. Before filming began, Director Wei gave Suwen a "military order," keeping her in Shanghai for grueling training. The main training consisted of speaking Shanghainese, wearing old-fashioned cheongsams and high heels, learning to sing Suzhou storytelling, and studying historical materials from that era, all to mold her into a living, breathing Shanghai woman of the 1940s. If Director Wei wasn't satisfied with her performance a month later, he could replace her at any time.

To secure the contract, Suwen finally settled down in Shanghai. Xue Shaofeng had other commitments, so he rushed to catch a flight as soon as the deal was finalized. Director Wei was constantly on the go, negotiating sponsorships, meeting investors, and overseeing the construction of props and filming locations. He had to do everything himself, leaving only two local Shanghai teachers to instruct her daily.

Suwen checked out of the hotel. She felt that to be a true Shanghainese and to truly embody the culture of the Bund, she had to immerse herself in the local life, experience it firsthand, and not just stay in the hotel and try to understand it from a distance.

The teachers reported this to Director Wei, who agreed, but she paid for the rent herself.

The area around Jing'an Temple is extremely valuable, so Suwen gritted her teeth and rented a two-bedroom apartment in a garden community. She and Xiao Ai each had a room, and the teachers would usually teach in the living room when they came.

Every morning before dawn, she gets up to go for a run in People's Park, mainly to chat with the elderly people who do their morning exercises. Shanghainese has evolved over the years, and many changes have occurred among young people; only the elderly can speak the most authentic Shanghainese, and they still retain the most traditional Shanghai customs in their lives.

She would sit by the flower bed and watch the old men play chess, sometimes chiming in with her broken Shanghainese. At first, no one paid her any attention, but over time, she became a familiar face, and the old men would greet her with a squint: "Young lady, you're so energetic! You're here again today."

The elderly have an innate tendency to nag. Once you get to know them, they'll talk endlessly about the old shikumen houses, the bustling Bund, and the British concession, their sighs tinged with nostalgia, as if to say, "You young people today wouldn't understand." Suwen is quite patient, usually staying with them from six or seven in the morning until nine or ten o'clock when she has to rush back to class.

The teachers mainly focused on teaching her walking and posture. After all, it wasn't enough for her to just wear a cheongsam and strike a pose; her walking, speaking, and every movement had to conform to the characteristics of women of that era. To enable her to walk freely in a cheongsam, the teachers had her practice walking every day in high heels with a dictionary balanced on her head, walking from the living room to the balcony without dropping the book. After a whole day, Suwen not only had a stiff neck but also swollen feet, and she lay on the bed, unwilling to move an inch.

For some reason, she remembered watching Huanzhu Gege and how Rong Momo seemed to discipline Xiao Yanzi in the same way, and she couldn't help but laugh again, with a touch of bittersweet humor.

Ye Zi visited her once during this time. Ye Zi was on her way to Hengdian, passing through Shanghai, and stopped by to comfort her. She also brought her good news: Zhou Mo had sold the copyright to her and agreed to adapt the script with the screenwriter, striving to recreate the novel's scenes as realistically as possible, bringing a visual feast to both novel fans and television viewers.