A man's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea. Li Ling was confused and really wanted to punch him. She stood dumbfounded in front of Director Jin, wondering whether she should continue talking to this person or just jump out the window. Maybe jumping out the window would be easier. Her thoughts were restless, and she glanced to the side. The rain was getting heavier. In the darkness, the heavy rain curtain looked like a silent, grinning bloody mouth. The swaying hotel room had instead become a small safe house. She wavered; not jumping wasn't impossible. As if sensing Li Ling's thoughts, the young man slowly walked over, pressed her shoulder, and, like pressing an early education toy, pushed her onto the sofa. "Sit properly," he said, casually picking up the remote control next to him and stuffing it into her hand. "Don't overthink it, just watch TV." Li Ling was dumbfounded, unable to bear it any longer, but still couldn't hold back: "Director, who exactly is overthinking?" Jin Jingyao lowered his eyes, still in that tone of coaxing a child, and said lightly, "Then what are you afraid of?" Li Ling showed a disapproving look and repeated her earlier words earnestly. Jin Jingyao: "It's normal for you to come to my room. More than half of the crew has been here, and no one will think anything of it." She was choked up, pursing her lips and saying nothing. He continued, "This is my crew, you have to trust me." The last time the young man said this, Li Ling found him ridiculous, so boastful, the world wasn't a toy top revolving around him. The nobleman at the top of the pyramid hadn't seen the dark side of the world, but she had. But this time, when she looked up, she actually found his voice very powerful, his shoulders very broad, and he sounded somewhat trustworthy. The heavy rain pounded on the windows. Outside the glass, the wind howled sharply. And Jin Jingyao was so calm. His gaze at her was like a deep pool, like James Stewart's mesmerizing trick, making her feel dizzy. Li Ling, somewhat flustered, picked up the remote control next to her and said, "Alright, Director, whatever you say is right. I'll listen to you, let's watch a movie, haha." Jin Jingyao glanced at her again. This glance pierced through her thoughts. Maybe he knew she was hiding, but he said nothing, just sat back at the desk and quietly put on his headphones. Li Ling actually had no interest in watching a movie. To show her loyalty to the director, she simply rewatched his debut film, "Blood Swan," in which Director Jin played a psychopathic killer. The film was well-made, captivating, with a tightly woven narrative and a constant underlying tension. At first, she was distracted, but as the story progressed, she became more and more immersed. Some movies are like that; the second viewing feels more impactful than the first. "Blood Swan" reached its climax, where a few art students who had accidentally entered the villa were amazed to find a collection room on the second floor, a room full of marble sculptures. Each sculpture should have been the work of a master, extremely exquisite, elegant, and lifelike. However, when the close-up shots focused on the faces of the sculptures, despite their varied expressions, they all shared the same ferocity, distortion, and a kind of tearing pain. These sculptures were the private collection of the homeowner, all with the same theme, "death." And at the end of the room, the killer played by Jin Jingyao sat quietly. The composition and lighting of the scene were very meticulous, like a painting by Caravaggio. His face was pale, his eyes slightly closed, so handsome it didn't seem real, almost blending in with the sculptures. Indeed, someone mistook him for a statue. A curious female student walked up to him, tentatively reaching out her hand, wanting to touch his eyelashes. He opened his eyes and gave her a slight smile, then very precisely twisted the other person's neck. The background sound was the crack of a spine breaking, accompanied by screams and the sound of people fleeing. The close-up, however, focused on the young man's face. He looked serene, almost holy, with a slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth, as if undergoing a baptism of evil. The camera cut to the outside of the window, where ripples spread across the lake. A snow-white swan slowly spread its wings in the night. Li Ling couldn't quite explain why. The first time she saw this scene, she only felt horror, perversion, and even a bit of neck pain. But this time, she actually began to empathize with the killer, thinking he looked... somewhat lonely. Why was he sitting among a group of lifeless statues? Was this a disguise, or a form of self-loathing? Li Ling's heart trembled, feeling that her thoughts were strange and somewhat illogical. She turned her head and stole a glance at Jin Jingyao, who immediately caught her. He took off his headphones. "Why are you looking at me?" Li Ling said ingratiatingly, "Nothing, just thought your acting was really good." Jin Jingyao looked indifferent. This was normal; he was a young genius, praised by so many that his ears must have grown calluses. Li Ling racked her brain to come up with a more unique compliment and said, "Much better than Luo Mingqing." Jin Jingyao's face visibly darkened, and he immediately picked up his headphone case. She seized the moment to ask, "Director, may I ask you a question?" "No." Li Ling: "..." Despite his words, he only held the white headphones in his hand and did not put them on. Li Ling said, "Earlier, Mai Sheng said that Zhou Jing was your work from your student days. What about 'Blood Swan'? Was that your first script?" Jin Jingyao: "He really has a loose tongue." Li Ling looked at him eagerly. "Director, would you consider answering the question directly?" "No." Despite his words, Director Jin frowned and reluctantly said, "Not 'Blood Swan.' My first script was 'A Ling.'" Li Ling was taken aback. Jin Jingyao: "Why such a dumbfounded expression?" Li Ling: "I just suddenly felt a bit moved that you entrusted such an important script to me. I will definitely perform it well." "You're overthinking it," Jin Jingyao said. "I just felt it wasn't well-written and didn't want to shoot it." Li Ling nodded understandingly. "I heard you haven't figured out the ending yet. It's okay, don't worry, you'll come up with it as you shoot." Jin Jingyao looked up and gave her a cold glance. Li Ling: ? A moment later, she realized she had answered a deadly question incorrectly. She said ingratiatingly, "Director, how could it not be good? Your writing is so good it made me cry." Jin Jingyao remained unmoved. Li Ling cursed him inwardly and then said more proactively, "If you want to discuss the script, I'm available anytime, Director." Jin Jingyao's expression finally softened a bit. He slowly played with the headphones in his hand and suddenly asked, "What ending do you hope for them?" Li Ling said hesitantly, "Zhou Jing killed someone, so their story probably can't end well. But if A Ling leaves him, she probably can't survive either, right?" "I'm a rather conventional audience member; I still hope they can have a happy ending." Li Ling thought Jin Jingyao would mock her for being 'indeed very conventional.' But he looked at her with an unreadable expression and said, "I understand." Li Ling smiled at him again and said, "It's okay, Director, just write with confidence.""No matter what the outcome, I will support you." Jin Jingyao said, "Really?" She nodded earnestly. Seeing that he seemed to have an idea and continued to revise the script, she started playing the next movie. She deliberately chose the movie "He Po's River," the one Luo Mingqing was replaced in. She thought it would be a blockbuster, but as she watched, she unexpectedly felt a subtle sympathy for Luo Mingqing. Director Jin's filming style is very versatile. How can someone go from making "Dog Bites Dog" to "An Andalusian Dog" in the next film? This was a super slow, obscure, and surreal film. The title was "He Po's River," and after watching for almost half an hour, Li Ling still didn't know who He Po was. With Luo Mingqing's level of intelligence, he must have been utterly confused during filming, not knowing what he was doing. No wonder he was replaced. Li Ling tried hard to persist for another ten minutes but still fell asleep. She slumped in her seat, almost falling over, about to hit her head on the sofa. Someone gently caught her with their hand. She leaned against his waist, breathing softly, sleeping soundly. Claiming to be his die-hard fan, she ended up falling asleep watching his movie. Clearly, this film had a full house during its premiere at the cinema, with applause lasting for over ten minutes afterward. Jin Jingyao, without much expression, turned off the movie and the lights, laid her flat on the sofa in a more comfortable position, and even tucked a pillow under her head. He returned to his desk and opened his laptop. Li Ling turned over on the sofa, possibly because the keyboard noise was too loud. Annoyed, he clicked his tongue, closed the laptop, and took out a notebook and pen. - She slept very well. Li Ling turned over and fell off the sofa. With a "thud," she woke up from her dream, scared out of her wits. The room was very dark and quiet. The carpet was soft enough that the fall didn't hurt much. The sound of rain drifted in faintly from outside, and the shifting light on the ceiling created secretive shapes, like fish in the deep sea. Dazed, Li Ling took a long time to remember what had happened. She had actually fallen asleep in the director's room. She hadn't done something so unreliable in ten years. The TV was already off. Li Ling rubbed her eyes, got up from the floor, and found the director also asleep at his desk. He really looked like a college student cramming for finals in calculus. His face was pressed tightly against the notebook, smudged with ink, his glasses crooked on his nose, and he still held a pen in his hand. His long eyelashes trembled slightly, casting shadows under his eyes. He looked... kind of cute. Not sure where this sudden maternal instinct came from, Li Ling shook her head vigorously, dragging the wrong thoughts into the recycle bin. She tiptoed over, draped a coat over him, and took off his glasses. At that moment, a hand gently grasped her wrist. Amber eyes suddenly opened, like lightning breaking through clouds, tearing through the canopy, leaves rustling down. Li Ling was startled, dropping the glasses, the sound muffled by the carpet. "Di-director..." It was just a false alarm. Jin Jingyao was still not fully awake. He blinked, looking dazed and not quite conscious. She gently removed his hand. He frowned, like a child unwilling to let go of a toy. Li Ling used one finger to smooth his handsome brow. He didn't resist much, just looked at her and said softly, "You still have to go."Because he wasn't fully awake, his voice sounded lower and huskier than usual. It was more like a murmur in a dream than actual speech. Li Ling picked up the glasses that had fallen to the ground for him. "Mm, good night," she whispered. It was past three in the morning. When she pushed the door open to leave, her movements were gentle, not wanting to disturb anyone's dreams. The hallway was very quiet. The overwhelming rain brought a heavier dampness, faintly mixed with an almost imperceptible smell of smoke. Li Ling turned around and saw a spark in the darkness, along with a pair of blood-red, almost beast-like eyes. Those eyes were staring at her intently. She was so frightened that her heart nearly stopped. Luo Mingqing's figure was hidden in the darkness, a faint glimmer of light sweeping slowly across his expressionless face like a sleepwalking windshield wiper. He sat on the hallway floor smoking, looking disheveled and dejected, with countless cigarette butts scattered around his feet. Li Ling's heart tightened. Had he been sitting at the door all this time? Was he crazy? She tried to cough, but the sensor light didn't come on. "The light's broken," Luo Mingqing said. She pretended not to hear and ignored him, turning to go back to her room. But Luo Mingqing spoke from behind her, "Sister, you stayed in the director's room for six hours." He was originally an idol, so his voice should have been deep and pleasant, his bread and butter. But perhaps because he had smoked too much, his voice had become hoarse, with a metallic roughness that was quite grating. Li Ling's heart pounded, and she no longer wanted to pretend. Facing away from him, she said coldly, "Mr. Luo, you're so punctual, how come you were late for the shoot this morning?" Luo Mingqing exhaled a puff of smoke and said vaguely, "I saw the call sheet didn't have you on it, so I didn't want to go." "Wasn't that late, was I? You're really taking his side," he added meaningfully after a pause. Li Ling said, "He pays my salary. If I don't take his side, should I take yours? We're not close, are we?" "Sister, you've changed a lot, so sharp-tongued now," Luo Mingqing smiled. "I remember you used to be so dumb, couldn't talk back even when Uncle scolded you." How dare he mention her father. Li Ling's hand clenched tighter, almost wanting to rush over and kick him, to confront him. But she gradually understood that people like him were like stubborn glue. Anger would excite them; indifference was the best counterattack. "I've seen enough people like you, you get used to it," she said calmly. "People like me," Luo Mingqing lifted his head slightly, staring at her back. "What kind of person am I?" A twisted fake smile hung on his face, but his eyes were fixed on Li Ling's back, his eye sockets reddening again. Emotions in the dead of night are always hard to hide. He tried hard to suppress the choke in his voice. Then, Luo Mingqing awkwardly exhaled a puff of smoke, the dirty white smoke enveloping his face, becoming the best shield. But it didn't matter whether he hid or not. She wouldn't turn back to look at him anyway. Li Ling didn't even bother to answer his question, lowering her head to insert the key into the lock and turn it. It seemed she really hated him. Since he entered the industry, his father's influence was paramount. Which minor celebrity didn't fawn over him? Who dared to treat him like this? Luo Mingqing gave a soft, self-deprecating laugh and took a deep drag on his cigarette. "Don't worry, I'll keep your secret. But, how about giving me a little something in return?" Li Ling paused. "What do you want?" "Teach me how to act."Luo Mingqing said, "My agent told me everything. Why don't you want to be my teacher?" He raised his hand and opened the door a bit, letting the bright light pour in. "My room is always open for you." Inside, it was very clean, meticulously tidied up, no different from the director's room. But the stark white light shone out, illuminating the face of the superstar at the door. His back was slightly hunched, his eyes bloodshot, and the weariness in them betrayed his age. It was as if he had been in the dark for too long, unable to adapt to such glaring light, like a nocturnal creature. Luo Mingqing squinted his eyes instinctively. Suddenly, a strange sense of self-loathing and shame arose in his heart. Maybe he shouldn't have opened the door, shouldn't have exposed his discomposure in front of her. He wasn't even wearing shoes, and the wounds on his feet were bleeding profusely. Li Ling turned around and gave him a cold glance, her gaze pausing for a moment. He accurately caught that fleeting look of astonishment. She saw his wounds. A faint hope of weakness sprouted in Luo Mingqing's heart. Since she saw it, would she care about him? Would she comfort him like she did when they were young? He still remembered how gentle her voice was, how she held him in her arms and told him not to be afraid. It was strange that after all these years, despite holding so many people and seeking countless substitutes, he had never found anything exactly the same. Her warmth, her breath. Li Ling walked towards him step by step. Luo Mingqing's hand trembled unconsciously, almost unable to hold the cigarette. He was too focused on watching her, hadn't flicked the ash for a long time. The red tip of the cigarette grew weaker, like trembling lips. Ash piled up on the cigarette, and pale smoke drifted out futilely. Li Ling bent down and took the half-burnt cigarette from his hand. He looked up at her, just watching, without any struggle. His eyes suddenly became very bright, a weak, hopeful brightness. Li Ling smiled and flicked the burnt-out ash onto him. "Too many rooms welcome me, brother, get in line." She smiled at him. Luo Mingqing was completely stunned. With a "bang," her door closed. Darkness completely swallowed her silhouette, while he still sat in the ugly light. He waited for a long time, staring intently at that door, not even caring that his hand was burned by the cigarette butt. The door was tightly shut, not leaving even a crack. The pain and burn were insignificant. The pain made him clear-headed, yet also made him sink. His eyes dimmed, like a cigarette butt stomped out harshly, unwanted. Then, he looked up again and laughed like a madman. - Li Ling returned to her room, and the facade of superiority immediately disappeared. Her mind was filled with "Damn, Luo Mingqing is a lunatic" and "He better not spread any nasty rumors, that bastard." Anxiety kicked in, and she took out her phone, only to find that 9787532754335 had just sent her a message. Before she could see what it was, he quickly retracted it. Li Ling: ? "What did you send?" she asked him. 9787532754335 was silent for a moment and said, "Nothing, sent it by mistake." Li Ling didn't pay much attention, just feeling uncomfortable with the smell of smoke on her. She threw her phone on the table and went to take a shower. Wrapped in a towel, she came out to find that 9787532754335 had left her another message, asking, "Did you see it?" He seemed very nervous. Li Ling teased him on purpose, "Yes, I saw it."9787532754335 fell into silence. When she finished drying her hair, he was still silent. Li Ling felt a bit sorry for him and thought she was being a bit unethical, teasing someone so late at night. So she said, "I was just kidding, I didn't see it. You retracted it so quickly, how could I have seen it?" 9787532754335 replied instantly: "Really didn't see it?" Li Ling reassured him, "Really." In truth, she was very curious about what he had sent that made him so afraid of her seeing it. But as a considerate idol, she deeply respected her fans' privacy, so she just said with concern, "It's so late, you should get some rest." 9787532754335 was silent for even longer, then said with some difficulty, "I can't sleep, my son's homework isn't finished yet." Li Ling was stunned. She hadn't expected, really hadn't expected, that 9787532754335 was staying up late helping his son with homework. Could it be that the message he sent by mistake was his son's report card? Truly, the hearts of parents are always concerned for their children. Such great fatherly love. She was filled with respect and sent him a whole row of [thumbs up] emojis. In the next room, Jin Jingyao lowered his eyes, staring gloomily at his phone screen. The message he had just retracted was: "What were you talking about in the hallway?" He had almost been discovered by her. Damn.