The wealthy military officer spoils his wife excessively

That was the night Suwen caught them.

At that moment, Daisy was furious and angrily declared, "If you don't help me, I'll find a way to turn things around. Just you wait and see!"

I knew she would do that back then.

Suwen sat quietly, keeping him company through this contradictory and conflicted moment.

Xue Shaofeng remained silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Actually, I don't blame her for doing this. Both people are responsible for the breakdown of a marriage. I know I haven't done enough. This time she wanted to create a scandal, and I couldn't say anything. Consider it as what I owe her, and I'll repay her. I just feel very sorry for everyone in the crew, and for you who worked so hard to understand the character. Everyone was working very hard, and this was bound to be an excellent movie, but now because of my situation, the scandal has overshadowed the movie's brilliance."

Suwen quickly waved her hand, comforting him: "Brother Feng, don't think like that. The crew is like a big family. If one of us encounters difficulties, everyone will lend a hand..."

Xue Shaofeng suddenly took her hand, and Su Wen choked, unable to say anything more, just staring at him in disbelief.

"I had never been able to grasp Mr. Yi's inner thoughts. Before filming started, Director Wei also said that I hadn't gotten out of the deep and affectionate roles I played before. But now I can finally understand Mr. Yi's character. It's not that he doesn't love, but that he can't love, and he doesn't know how to love. Love should have died in his heart long ago. Reason, status, and position all told him that he couldn't love this woman, but he was still unconsciously attracted to her. In the end, he could only end his love with his own hands."

"He didn't just execute a relationship; he gave himself the only chance in his life to confront his own feelings. Girl, I know I've lost my right. You're wonderful; you're one of the few truly clean people in this industry. Don't pay attention to the gossip. One day you will shine brightly, and I will be sitting in the audience, quietly watching you and applauding you."

By the time Suwen realized what was happening, Xue Shaofeng's lips had already left her forehead. He lingered there gently, as if to soothe her, and then kissed her eyes and eyelashes.

"I don't know if you need anything from Mr. Lu. I'm a married man and can't offer anything like those wealthy families. I know I'm not qualified to compete with him. I can only help you to the best of my ability. But I still have to remind you that I've been in this industry for a few years longer than you, and I know more about the anecdotes of wealthy tycoons and female celebrities. There are genuine feelings involved, but very few of them end well. You're a smart girl, and I believe you'll know how to handle things."

After he finished speaking, his hand had somehow reached behind her neck. Suwen felt a coolness on her neck, and then something golden hung down from her collarbone.

Su Wen raised her head, still feeling dizzy. Xue Shaofeng had already stepped back a few paces and finally regained his normal expression: "I have many friends, but none of them are truly willing to listen to me. Thank you for being with me at this moment, and thank you for your support in front of the reporters."

He had already turned and left after he finished speaking. Su Wen was stunned for a long time. She picked up the chain that was hanging on her chest and saw that it was a new necklace for this season. It had not yet been released in mainland stores and could only be bought in Hong Kong. When Xue Shaofeng called her from Hong Kong during the Mid-Autumn Festival, he had actually already bought this necklace. He was holding it in his hand and playing with it, thinking about what reason to give it to her. But she declined it with a few words, and he couldn't bring himself to give it to her.

Having carried it with me for so long, I finally put it on her with my own hands today. It felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders, a kind of suicidal act that almost cruelly extinguished all my thoughts.

Perhaps it was this scandal that forced him to confront a reality: he was a divorced man and simply not worthy of someone as innocent as her.

Besides, she already has someone she loves. It's best to give up on that idea as soon as possible.

Suwen clutched the necklace pendant in her hand, stunned for a long time before she thought to chase after them. However, the empty corridor was deserted, and the soft, heavy carpet absorbed all the sound of footsteps, but it could not hide her pounding heart.

The corridor was quiet, but Suwen felt a vague unease. This gift was too precious; she understood seven or eight parts of Xue Shaofeng's meaning. She was grateful, yet felt an indescribable burden.

After a long pause, she shook her head, turned and went back to her room. The door slammed shut with a bang, the sound echoing dully in the corridor. Then, with a creak, the safety door next to her was pushed open, and a silent Lu Zheng walked out, his face expressionless.

After Suwen calmed down from Xue Shaofeng's unexpected confession, the doorbell rang again.

Suwen quickly unchained herself, hurriedly hid the chain in her bag, and got up to open the door.

When the door opened, she saw Lu Zheng's face.

The hotel corridor was dimly lit, casting dappled shadows on his face. Suwen couldn't see his expression clearly, but she heard him ask calmly, "How did filming go today?"

"It's alright, isn't every day the same?"

"Xue Shaofeng has been in the industry for eight years and is a two-time winner of the Hong Kong Film Awards for Best Actor. The number of female celebrities he has been romantically linked to in recent years can be counted on one hand. Why? Because Xue Shaofeng's agency has cultivated an image of him as an excellent single man, and his female fans are fierce. Previously, a rumored girlfriend wanted to use him to advance her career, but she only managed to create a news story about having dinner together. However, she was boycotted by Xue's female fans, and in the end, that female celebrity was blacklisted."

Lu Zheng spoke casually, his expression relaxed, before his gaze returned to Su Wen.

"That's right, you and Xue Shaofeng are both artists in the company, but I don't think I need to remind you who is more important. If a scandal breaks out, who do you think the company will abandon and who will it protect?"

With a swift and clean motion, the knife fell swiftly. Su Wen seemed to see a ferocious fang bared beneath Lu Zheng's faint smile.

In fact, Su Wen knew about the female celebrity who used Xue Shaofeng to generate news. She had only collaborated on one movie with Xue, and rumors about them started circulating online. Later, she was photographed having dinner with Xue, looking very intimate, which immediately made headlines, and the female celebrity became famous overnight. However, her good fortune didn't last long. Her rise to fame was as swift as her fall from grace. She had already amassed a considerable following of young fans after just two films and received nominations at several film festivals, but due to a joint boycott by online fans, she was ultimately blacklisted by her company and disappeared from the public eye.

I heard that the female celebrity had powerful backers when she debuted, but in the face of huge profits, connections with high-ups are worthless. Besides, Su Wen's popularity is far less than that of the female celebrity. When it comes to sacrificing one to protect the other's future, the one who can't bring the greatest profit to the company will inevitably be abandoned. Sacrificing pawns to save the king—that's always been the way it is.

Celebrities are mass-produced products, just like on an assembly line. A single talent show can unearth a whole batch of new artists. Companies don't care much about signing these newcomers; after all, if just two or three become wildly popular and lucrative stars from such a large pool, the company is guaranteed a profit. Maintaining their star performers and introducing successors at the right time—this is the core philosophy of modern talent agencies.

Seeing Suwen's expression turn serious, Lu Zheng casually reminded her, "I watched the press conference live this afternoon. Nie Suwen, you really have courage. A newcomer who has just debuted and doesn't have many works yet, can go and support the Hong Kong Film Awards Best Actor. You must not fail to cultivate yourself into a warrior, but instead be guided to the path of a martyr."

Lu Zheng was now advising her from the perspective of a company operator, without any consideration for her feelings, and his tone was unpleasant no matter how you looked at it.

Suwen knew that everything he said made sense, but for no reason she felt a surge of anger, and she asked in a harsh voice, "Then what can we do? The deed is done."

Lu Zheng was stunned for a moment, a fierce look flashing across his face. He raised his head, his eyes sharp: "How else did you two cook? A man and a woman alone in a room, holding hands, kissing on the forehead, and even filming a sex scene, what more do you want to cook? Aren't you satisfied?"

"..."

After that night, Xue Shaofeng never got close to her again. Whether on set or in private, he was always polite and kept a certain distance from her.

Lu Zheng never contacted her again.

The world suddenly became quiet.

After finishing filming the morning's scenes, Suwen removed her makeup, ate lunch, wandered around for a bit, and then returned to the set, only to see the trailer for their film playing on the projection screen.

The filming is nearing completion, so the trailer needs to be edited out as soon as possible to coincide with the US release promotion. The US investors repeatedly brought up this issue at lunch today.

Their film is expected to be released around the end of the year, starting in the US, followed by European countries, then Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, and the rest of Asia. Given the strict and complex censorship process in mainland China, it will likely be the last to be released there. It will probably take some time before domestic audiences become familiar with Nie Suwen's new face.

Accompanying them were Director Wei, Xue Shaofeng, Teacher Chen, and the rest of the production crew, as well as the American investors and producers. Their expressions varied, but most wore a look of astonishment. Su Wen and Xue Shaofeng quietly sat down to watch together.

The one-minute and forty-five-second trailer uses alternating visuals and subtitles to tell the story's outline: "In old Shanghai, an ordinary girl is given an extraordinary mission: to assassinate an enemy. She must win his heart while simultaneously breaking her own."

The screen shifts between light and shadow, dappled with dynamic energy, replaying countless memorable moments. From the bustling streets of Nanjing West Road to Wang Jiazhi, a down-on-her-luck college student returning from Hong Kong, she and her classmates plot to assassinate Mr. Yi (played by Xue Shaofeng) on ​​the beach, practicing disassembling and assembling firearms while blindfolded. She applies makeup in front of the mirror, dons exquisite stockings, and gradually transforms into the glamorous Mrs. Mai from her first encounter with Mr. Yi. Their first meeting, their meal together, her escort home, their affair, their entanglement, the diamond ring… until the screen goes dark, revealing the tragic scene of a group of students facing execution on a cliff edge.