Great, another workaholic.
That director was already the most intense of the intense. For a 30-episode drama, the production schedule estimated that Yu Shuman's part would take about five to six months to film, and she's only the third female lead. Who knows how long it will take for the main leads? It's certainly not going to be a short time.
Qin Ran had already prepared for a long-term investment, knowing that this drama would probably take at least a year or more to be released.
Yes, it's a promising long-term money pit.
But seeing Yu Shuman like this, her initial thought of replacing the director quickly cooled down. If Yu Shuman had no complaints, then Qin Ran certainly couldn't just rush in and give someone a beating.
Qin Ran sat next to Yu Shuman, accompanying her during a break. When Yu Shuman went back on set, the director called for a retake three times, and it took seven or eight takes before they finally got a pass. During that time, the director scolded her countless times, each time harsher than the last.
Qin Ran held back her anger, while the producer became more and more anxious, relieved only that Qin Ran didn't just drag Yu Shuman off the set.
This time, when Yu Shuman came back, she didn't need to touch up her makeup and could finally wrap up for the day. Hearing this good news, Qin Ran jumped up and accompanied Yu Shuman to her dressing room.
Back in the dressing room, Lucy helped Yu Shuman remove her makeup and joked, "This shoot has been the toughest since I started working with you."
Yu Shuman felt a bit embarrassed, but Qin Ran was straightforward: "Thank you for your hard work, Sister Lucy. I'll make sure you get a nice bonus later." Lucy whistled, "Cool, thanks, boss."
Lucy didn't think getting a bonus was an insult to her profession; she became Yu Shuman's dedicated makeup artist team because Qin Ran paid her well.
Lucy wouldn't say no to money.
After packing up her things, she and her assistant left the room, leaving only Qin Ran, Yu Shuman, Wu Special Assistant, Sister Li, and Xiao An. Sister Li was particularly perceptive and knew about Qin Ran and Yu Shuman's relationship, so she quickly pulled Wu Special Assistant and Xiao An out of the room, leaving the space for the two of them.
Once everyone had left, leaving just Qin Ran and Yu Shuman, the air seemed to thicken with tension. Without much hesitation, Qin Ran walked over to Yu Shuman, opening her arms for a hug.
Yu Shuman didn't refuse and reached out to pull Qin Ran into her embrace.
"Xiao Ran, did you miss me?"
Qin Ran buried her head in Yu Shuman's shoulder, her curly hair falling against her cheek, tickling her slightly—but not as much as her heart, which had been lonely for over ten days. With a heavy, nasal voice, she replied, "Mmm," and then awkwardly asked, "Didn't you miss me, Shuman?"
Yu Shuman answered honestly, "I did."
Hearing Yu Shuman's straightforward response, Qin Ran couldn't hold back any longer. She lifted her head from Yu Shuman's shoulder and found Yu Shuman's lips, kissing her passionately.
Maybe because she was exhausted from filming, even someone as energetic as Yu Shuman found herself retreating two steps, ending up pressed against the dressing table. The table was relatively low, just the right height for her to sit on. As she leaned back, the various bottles and jars of makeup products on the table rattled, making a crisp sound.
Yu Shuman braced herself against the dressing table, her fingertips pressing down slightly. Qin Ran instinctively wrapped her arms around Yu Shuman's neck, closing the distance that had grown between them due to Yu Shuman's retreat, pulling them tightly together.
Yu Shuman lifted one hand to the back of Qin Ran's neck, holding her close. Qin Ran's hair, already messy from the long flight she had taken straight to the set, fell in disarray behind her. Because of their shifting positions, Yu Shuman was slightly lower than her, causing Qin Ran's glasses to slide down and press against Yu Shuman's cheek.
The glasses were becoming uncomfortable, and with Qin Ran continuing to kiss her, Yu Shuman had to gently tap the back of Qin Ran's neck, signaling for her to pull back.
Qin Ran understood Yu Shuman's signal, but she kept kissing for a little while longer before finally letting go. Adjusting her glasses back into place, Qin Ran then leaned against Yu Shuman, starting to act spoiled: "Shuman, stay with me tonight. Today is the 31st, the last day of the year. Can't you spend it with me?"
Yu Shuman, wrapped around by Qin Ran's clinginess, had no choice but to agree: "Alright."
The two of them lingered in the dressing room for a while, until Xiao An returned and knocked on the door, signaling it was time to leave. Yu Shuman reluctantly let go of Qin Ran and allowed Xiao An to come in.
Once inside, Xiao An began tidying up the remaining bottles and jars. After all, these were expensive items bought by the big boss, so she made sure to pack them up carefully. The room didn't have security cameras, so if something were stolen in the middle of the night, there would be nowhere to complain. After Xiao An finished packing, Yu Shuman said, "Xiao An, you can take the night off."
Xiao An happily agreed, "Sure thing, Shuman. You two have fun~" She then quickly left, carrying her things. Wu Special Assistant and Sister Li were even more considerate, not even bothering to come by. Yu Shuman laughed, "Let's head back to the hotel and rest for a bit."
Qin Ran, of course, had no objections and eagerly followed Yu Shuman out the door. They walked together to the filming base's parking lot. From a distance, Qin Ran could already see some people with cameras and long lenses. Fortunately, Yu Shuman had already changed her clothes and was well-covered with a hat and sunglasses.
Qin Ran wasn't used to seeing this kind of scene and was a bit stunned, but Yu Shuman quickly put a hat on her. The hat was soft and warm, fitting perfectly on Qin Ran's head. Turning to look at Yu Shuman, Qin Ran couldn't see her eyes through the sunglasses, but she could see the smile on her lips.
"They're just taking random pictures. If they can't get anything, they'll leave. And with how well we're covered, they won't get much anyway."
In the middle of winter, everyone was bundled up, especially celebrities who were particularly protective of their privacy. With their hats and sunglasses on, even zooming in with a camera wouldn't reveal much more than an outline, making it hard to identify anyone.
The security guards at the filming base were already doing their best to keep people out, but there were always a few who managed to slip through by various means. Some even got close enough to the set to take candid shots to sell to fans or media outlets.
Qin Ran had seen similar gossip online before, where a fan had managed to capture a tiny silhouette from 800 meters away using a super-zoom lens and claimed it was their idol. When Qin Ran saw that, her reaction was one of pure amazement, thinking, "Wow, that actually works?"
Now, seeing it in person, she was genuinely shocked and realized she needed to arrange for personal bodyguards for Yu Shuman.
Navigating around the paparazzi, Yu Shuman finally got them into the car and drove straight out of the filming base. Although the hotel was close to the film studio, walking there would undoubtedly land them on the next day's trending topics, so even for a short distance, they drove.
The car pulled into the hotel's underground parking lot, and Yu Shuman led Qin Ran out, explaining, "This hotel has pretty good security, so it's hard for paparazzi to get in. They're very strict about who comes and goes."
As a public figure, even though Yu Shuman was still considered a minor celebrity, her participation in various events and the high-value jewelry and outfits she wore often landed her in the headlines, attracting a lot of unwanted attention from the paparazzi.
The hotel where Yu Shuman was staying was called the Star Hotel, a popular choice among celebrities filming in the area due to its good service, strong security, and excellent facilities—three key reasons why stars chose it.
The production team had booked Yu Shuman an executive suite. While it wasn't the best room available, it was still quite nice. They took the elevator up to the room, where Yu Shuman pulled out her key card and invited Qin Ran inside. Yu Shuman then began showing Qin Ran around her room, "This place is actually really nice. There's even a small bar where Xiao An sometimes makes coffee for me. There's also a small kitchen here. I was planning to cook something for myself when I had the time, but I haven't had the chance yet."
Yu Shuman chattered on like a little bird, talking about how there was a massage bathtub in the bathroom, which the hotel staff cleaned and disinfected daily, and how Xiao An would always double-check it, so it was perfectly safe to use.
She mentioned that after a long day of filming, she liked to soak in the tub to relieve the day's fatigue.
After showing off the suite, Yu Shuman told Qin Ran she could sleep in the guest room that night. Xiao An had her own room and didn't share with Yu Shuman.
They rested on the living room sofa for a while, and Yu Shuman made coffee for Qin Ran. Knowing Qin Ran's taste, she didn't add too much sugar, but for her own coffee, she added plenty of sugar and cream. Qin Ran, being playful, took a sip of Yu Shuman's coffee and found it so sweet that she wrinkled her nose.
"It's too sweet."
Yu Shuman chuckled, "I think it tastes great. You're too young to be so used to bitter flavors—be careful, or you'll end up like Sister Li, addicted to bitter coffee."
"If Sister Li hears you say that, she'll be mad and give you a hard time."
Yu Shuman winked at Qin Ran, "Just don't tell her, and we'll be fine."
They chatted for a while, mostly Yu Shuman talking and Qin Ran listening. Yu Shuman shared funny stories from the set and talked about how much she was learning and improving. Her voice was full of excitement, and she seemed to genuinely enjoy her current life.
But work is never without challenges. Just in the short time Qin Ran was on set, she saw Yu Shuman get scolded harshly by the director. Of course, the director didn't single her out; he yelled at everyone. Zeng Qian got so upset she was on the verge of tears, and the others weren't much better, all looking miserable.
Yet in Yu Shuman's recounting, there wasn't a hint of unhappiness, as if everything she encountered every day was a source of joy.
Qin Ran set down her coffee and couldn't help but ask, "Shuman, if you ever feel wronged, please tell me. I'll make sure to stand up for you."
Yu Shuman laughed softly at Qin Ran's words, "Xiao Ran, you sound like my parent."
"Not your parent… your family. If you're ever wronged, you have to let me know."
Yu Shuman put down her coffee, walked over to Qin Ran, and wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging her tightly.