Chapter 101: A Newcomer Who Knows Nothing
As a seasoned and tactful businessman, Mr. Chen immediately put on a smile and greeted the two of them.
Director Feng also forced a smile, but his brows furrowed slightly.
Situations like this were common in the industry, so he wasn’t exactly surprised. Still, witnessing it firsthand made him uncomfortable, and his impression of Shen Xi took a serious hit.
He had originally thought she was just a hardworking young actress, but now it seemed like she was working hard in a different way.
Even though he didn’t like it, a sense of unease crept up on him.
Director Feng had strict standards for his productions and had scolded Shen Xi a few times on set.
Now, he started to worry. If this girl felt wronged and whispered complaints to Gu Hanling, a powerful figure like Gu Hanling could easily make it difficult for any production company to hire him as a director again.
“Morning.”
Gu Hanling greeted them casually, then naturally wrapped an arm around Shen Xi’s slim waist. Feeling the warm, firm grip of his hand, Shen Xi looked at him, stunned.
Seriously? In public? Taking advantage of her like this? Isn’t there already enough misunderstanding?
The expressions on the two men across from them grew even more complicated.
They never expected the refined, gentlemanly Gu Hanling to be so bold and shamelessly affectionate in public.
Guess that’s what makes him a true big shot.
But then, the next moment, Gu Hanling smiled slightly and said in a calm tone.
“This is my wife, Shen Xi. She’s a newcomer who doesn’t know much, so I hope you both will be patient with her.”
The moment those words landed, Mr. Chen and Director Feng froze on the spot, their faces filled with shock.
They nearly swore out loud in disbelief.
Suddenly, everything clicked into place. No wonder a powerful figure like Gu Hanling had randomly shown up on their set.
So Shen Xi wasn’t just some actress he was interested in. She was his wife.
More importantly, she wasn’t just Gu Hanling’s woman. She was the wife of the head of the Gu family.
This was explosive news! Compared to trending gossip online, this was on a whole different level.
Unlike other wealthy families or celebrities, who loved flaunting their wealth and connections, the true elite kept things low-key.
At that moment, Gu Hanling’s icy gaze shifted to Director Feng.
“Some of her scenes might be too difficult for her to handle. I’ll have to trouble you to make adjustments.”
Before Director Feng could respond, Mr. Chen, as the production company representative, quickly nodded with a wide smile.
"Rest assured, Mr. Gu, I understand completely."
How could he not? No man would want his wife to be touched by others. Not even for acting.
And for someone like Gu Hanling, who had been in a position of power for so long, his sense of control must be incredibly strong.
Standing to the side, Director Feng suddenly felt the urge to settle a score with someone…
That someone being the head director at Su City TV.
Back when they worked on the talent show Masked Singer King, Gu Corporation was one of the key financial backers.
That director must have known about this all along and deliberately kept it from him!
……………………………………
After finishing breakfast together, Gu Hanling left.
Shen Xi watched his retreating figure, biting her lip as a complicated mix of emotions filled her heart.
Even though Mr. Chen and Director Feng wouldn’t spread the news, more people had now learned about her connection to Gu Hanling.
But what was the point of playing with her like this?
Did he just want to watch her struggle after their eventual divorce and see others laugh at her expense?
Meanwhile, Across the World in Europe.
Far away in Europe, Edward had initially used a royal commission as an excuse to search for his illegitimate daughter.
He hadn’t expected much from Shen Xi, especially when it came to designing a piece featuring such a rare and valuable gemstone.
Perhaps she had some talent, but it was impossible for someone so young to reach a world-class level.
Yet, within just a week, he received her design sketches.
At first glance, he was stunned.
Even though modern royalty no longer held real power, they had access to the finest jewelry designs in the world.
Still, Shen Xi's work stood out.
Out of curiosity, Edward submitted her design, along with a rendering of the final piece worth over 100 million euros, to the International Jewelry Design Masters Competition, known as the Oscars of the jewelry world.
What happened next was beyond anything he had imagined.
Shen Xi's design, which blended classical and modern elements, was both unique and deeply meaningful.
It immediately caught the attention of the judges during the preliminary round.
In fact, they even suspected that the legendary world-class master, who had been retired for years, had secretly come out of retirement.
In the end, Shen Xi’s design made it to the finals and won first place.
The European media exploded with coverage. Normally, the Jewelry Design Masters Competition didn't receive this much attention.
But this time, public interest soared because…
The winner's identity was unknown.
There was no official photo of them.
The winner was Chinese.
And only 22 years old!
A young designer named "Susie" had taken the industry by storm.
The controversy even caught the attention of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
After negotiations with Edward, he respected his daughter’s wishes and kept her true identity a secret.
For now, the detailed information about "Susie" will not be made public, unless Shen Xi chooses to reveal it herself.
However, the international media was in an uproar. The more mysterious something is, the more people want to uncover the truth.
Meanwhile, in a filming set in China.
Far away, deep in the mountains with poor signal, Shen Xi was completely exhausted from filming and had no idea what was happening in the outside world.
"Cut! Cut! Cut!"
This scene featured Shen Xi's cross-dressing character, Mu Xue, alongside top actress Zheng Shuangshuang and action star Zhong Wei.
There were many other actors involved, but the issue was the female lead, Zheng Shuangshuang kept making mistakes.
Director Feng was known for being strict about filming quality, and after several hours, they still couldn’t get this scene right.
The problem was that Zheng Shuangshuang’s face had to be clearly shown, so they couldn’t use a stunt double.
"Miss Zheng, maybe you should take a break?"
Director Feng frowned, his tone showing slight impatience.
Still, since Zheng Shuangshuang was an A-list actress, he maintained a basic level of respect for the industry’s power dynamics.
Zheng Shuangshuang’s face darkened, but she didn’t say anything.
Instead, she walked off to rest under her personal sunshade, where her assistant immediately handed her a water bottle and towel, then fanned her with a mini fan.
Shen Xi, feeling drained, leaned against a tree. The thick costume made her forehead drip with sweat.
It was September, and though the mountains offered some relief from the heat, the mosquitoes were unbearable.
"Xixi, your sword moves were amazing just now! You were the most focused during training."
Xiaoxiao, who also didn’t have an assistant, ran over and handed Shen Xi a bottle of water.
"Thanks."
Shen Xi smiled, took the bottle, and wiped her forehead casually.
Mr. Chen had offered to assign her an assistant, but she turned it down.
First, she didn’t want to act spoiled. Second, she didn’t want the crew to suspect anything unusual.
Surprisingly, Director Feng treated her quite well.
Whenever she wasn’t filming, Shen Xi would quietly observe the behind-the-scenes work on set.
The director didn’t mind and would even give her pointers about filming techniques from time to time.
After a few more days, the crew finally finished shooting all the outdoor scenes.
Her cross-dressing character, Mu Xue, officially exited the storyline. Which meant she no longer had to wear that suffocating wig and layers of hair gel.
Back at the hotel, Shen Xi washed out the gel from her hair.
As she stood in front of the mirror drying her hair, an unexpected memory surfaced. That night when the man helped dry her hair.
The woman pressed her lips together, a trace of complicated emotions surfacing in her heart, something she couldn’t quite describe.
The next morning, the crew moved to the ancient architectural film set in the county town.
Today's scene featured Mu Xue, who, for the first time, appeared in female attire at the prince’s banquet in the male lead’s mansion, attempting to assassinate the crown prince, only to be discovered by the male lead.
It was said that she would be wearing an expensive, valuable cultural heritage outfit for this scene.
Shen Xi arrived early at the makeup room, where the makeup artist greeted her with a smile.
"Miss Shen, today is your big scene, we need to make sure you look your best!"
Shen Xi forced a small smile. This was her first time wearing full female makeup.
"Your skin is flawless, and your features are stunning. Just a little enhancement, and you'll be breathtaking enough to make men lose their minds."
As the makeup artist worked, they couldn't help but marvel at her beauty.
Today's makeup was more refined than usual, her eyes deep like autumn waters, her lips soft and elegantly colored.
She then changed into the handmade embroidered Hanfu, rented at a high price.
The outfit was mainly light purple, adorned with exquisite floral patterns.
Her delicate curves were subtly visible beneath the semi-transparent fabric, making her beauty almost otherworldly.
Inside the grand hall, actors playing high-ranking officials and nobles filled the banquet scene.
The good news. Today, Zheng Shuangshuang wasn’t in this scene, so there shouldn’t be any unnecessary retakes.
"Action!"
At the director’s cue, Shen Xi stepped into the banquet hall.
As the music played, she began to dance gracefully, drawing everyone’s attention.
Her performance not only showcased the results of her month-long training but also perfectly expressed Mu Xue’s complex emotions.
As the dance reached its climax, Mu Xue's gaze suddenly turned cold, her eyes locked onto the crown prince in the distance, filled with a subtle yet deadly intent.
The male lead, played by Zhong Wei, instantly sensed that familiar killing aura.
Suspended by wires, he leapt into the air and landed beside Shen Xi, his arm swiftly wrapping around her slender waist.
However, Zhong Wei froze for a moment. He hadn’t expected that beneath the flowing Hanfu, Shen Xi’s waist was so incredibly slender and soft, feeling surprisingly delicate to the touch.
For a split second, his mind went blank, causing him to forget his next line.
This scene was a key turning point in the storyline, so despite his hesitation, Director Feng insisted on keeping the original script unchanged.
Shen Xi also paused, not because of the hugging scene that was clearly written in the script, but because…
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of Gu Hanling.
He was standing beside Director Feng, his eyes dark and unreadable, his usual faint smile carrying a hint of coldness.
No one knew how long he had been watching.