Li Ling sat on the set, looking down at the script. Today, they were going to shoot a very intense confrontation scene. Yang Yuanyuan breaks into Zhou Jing's basement, shattering his dream. He only has time to hide A-Ling in a cabinet before being pinned to the ground and beaten by others. The scene was extremely chaotic. The basement's environment was complex, filled with numerous props, making the action scenes very challenging. The crew was worried about the actors getting hurt, so a bunch of staff members were conducting routine checks, and the camera was tested over and over again. Luo Mingqing was among them, but he wasn't very focused, occasionally turning back to steal glances at Li Ling. The manager initially thought the action scenes were dangerous and wanted to persuade him to use a stunt double. But not only did the director disagree, Luo Mingqing himself was against it. In the entire movie, this was the only scene where he and Li Ling would appear in the same shot. So he had to perform it himself. However, moments later, he received a phone call and hurriedly ran out. Li Ling was sitting in a corner of the audience seats reading the script when she suddenly felt a shadow blocking her view. She looked up to see Luo Mingqing staring at her seriously. "Ms. Li, I have something to tell you." Li Ling said, "Whatever it is, let's talk after the shoot." "No," Luo Mingqing insisted, "It's very important." He stood in the narrow aisle, blocking her view with his body, and lowered his voice, speaking rapidly, "Listen to me, I've found out everything. He's been lying to you." Li Ling was a bit confused. "Who lied to me?" "Of course, Jin Jingyao," Luo Mingqing spat out his name with hatred. Li Ling raised an eyebrow in surprise. "How did he lie to me?" "This movie will never be completed, and it will never be released." Li Ling was stunned. "Why?" Just a few days ago, the director had confidently told her that this film was going to get the Dragon Seal for release. At that time, she had felt somewhat moved. In all her years in the industry, Li Ling had never seen her face on the big screen. For some reason, Luo Mingqing seemed to understand her well and whispered, "The release is very important to you, isn't it?" Li Ling naturally denied it and asked him what he really wanted to say. Luo Mingqing said, "Don't you find it strange that the movie has been shooting for so long, yet he still changes the script every day and can't even write the ending?" Li Ling said, "It's not that strange." Is it strange to change the script? Some people shoot movies without a script at all, just using an outline to improvise. Luo Mingqing looked down at her and said word by word, "That's because you don't know the old Jin Jingyao. I've worked with him before. He's a perfectionist and a control freak. He wouldn't shoot a script unless it was polished to perfection..." Li Ling suddenly understood. "He's evolved, stepped out of his comfort zone." Luo Mingqing almost went crazy. "No, he can't write anymore. He's finished! Listen to me, he hasn't made a movie in the past two years—he claims to be busy preparing a new film, but that's not true. He's been seeing a psychologist!" "He doesn't have the ability to work right now. He can't finish this movie. He's been lying to you, lying to everyone." Li Ling asked, "What do you mean by 'doesn't have the ability to work'?" "Exactly what it sounds like," Luo Mingqing said. "He can't write a script, not a single word. He has no inspiration, he's finished. Out of desperation, he pulled out some old student work to shoot." "Do you think anyone would be interested in such a lousy script? He made it so mysterious, but he couldn't get any investment. His previous producer barely managed to get Chen Fei involved, but the proud director couldn't negotiate and offended the guy's son. Now he's funding it out of his own pocket, losing money every day, and the whole crew is just playing house with him."Luo Mingqing's face darkened, and the more he spoke, the angrier he became. "Damn it, I got fooled by this idiot too. Who wants to act in his trashy film? But I'm fine, I won't be acting for long anyway. But it's different for you, sis... You're putting so much effort into this, I feel it's not worth it for you..." Li Ling said, "Is that so." She lifted her head and looked at the set in front of her. From the first day of shooting, the order here had been very methodical. It was the most professional and best-atmosphered crew she had ever seen. Everyone revolved around the director like satellites. He seemed to naturally know the answers to all problems. Whether the props were suitable, if the storyboard needed changes, if the art direction was usable, big or small, nothing escaped his attention. Was all this just child's play? Who said he wasn't capable of working? As if by some telepathic connection, even though Luo Mingqing's voice was very low, Jin Jingyao still turned his head and glanced at them. His gaze was not friendly, as if he was glaring at her. Had he discovered the actors slacking off and badmouthing him? Li Ling awkwardly smiled at the director, who coldly averted his gaze. She said to Luo Mingqing, embarrassed, "Keep your voice down." Luo Mingqing felt like he had punched the air, and he glared at her angrily. "Sis, don't you believe me?" Li Ling: "Are you his doctor?" Luo Mingqing: "..." "Anyway, I've looked into it." He gritted his teeth. "It's true, I guarantee it." Jin Jingyao's situation wasn't easy to investigate. His family background was too good, and his reputation too prominent. Most people, at least on the surface, didn't want to offend him. He also had a very powerful producer by his side, guarding him like a watchdog. Luo Mingqing privately sought out many connections. When he couldn't get answers from people in the industry, he had to humble himself before his stepfather. He hadn't bowed his head to that old man in years; this was the first time, for Li Ling. Jin Jingyao was sick, had always been sick. Otherwise, how could his scripts be so twisted? But who in the arts isn't a bit sick? At least he could work before. In the past two years, his problems had worsened, even affecting his creativity and life. The reason he stayed reclusive wasn't to be mysterious; his condition was so bad he couldn't go out, and he had changed doctors multiple times. How could he possibly have the ability to finish a film? Countless people were waiting to see him fail behind his back. "Let's talk outside." Luo Mingqing pulled her out of the set. Li Ling followed him indifferently. Luo Mingqing said a lot, gradually becoming a bit breathless, but his tone grew more earnest. "You're seriously acting, but he's just a madman playing house." "And those bed scenes, how could they not have ulterior motives? Sis, don't be fooled by the aura of a great director again..." - "Director, what's wrong? Are the props unusable?" A staff member asked nervously, seeing Jin Jingyao's face suddenly look bad. Jin Jingyao said expressionlessly, "They're fine." The staff member sighed in relief and continued checking the next area. Jin Jingyao followed behind, absentmindedly pressing his earpiece, continuing to listen to the chatter in his ear. It was noisy, stupid, and a waste of his time. But Luo Mingqing was right about one thing. He was indeed very crazy, and indeed very controlling. That's why there were recording devices all over the set; he could hear everything they said. Otherwise, he wouldn't allow this person to continue existing in front of him. Luo Mingqing was annoying, but the progression of the story always needed a scapegoat. Sometimes, Jin Jingyao felt like his condition was getting worse. He began to blur the lines between film and life; the entire set had turned into a massive basement, hiding a fragile lover who needed protection. He didn't want her to see his scars, yet he desperately wanted her to see them. If she could accept them, he would be happy. If she couldn't, he would. He didn't know what he would do. Now, he just wanted to hear Li Ling's answer. In his earphones, Li Ling said, "Are you overthinking this? I've been filming with the director for so long, and I can't tell if he has mental issues?" Jin Jingyao: ? Luo Mingqing said in surprise, "You knew all along?" "He prepaid the full amount for the film. A normal person wouldn't be so generous with money." Jin Jingyao: "..." "Oh, and one more thing." The woman in the earphones paused, as if hesitant to say something very important. The young director held onto a last glimmer of hope. She gave a sincere compliment: "His lips are very soft, and he has a great body." Jin Jingyao: . A staff member suddenly showed a very frightened expression: "Director, what's wrong? You look like you're about to hit someone. Please don't hit my face; I just had Thermage done." Jin Jingyao coldly took off the earphones, threw them on the ground, and stomped on them, saying, "You saw wrong." - Luo Mingqing didn't expect that after saying so much, Li Ling hadn't listened to a word. He looked at Li Ling with a hurt expression and suddenly said, "He's just taller. How is his body better than mine?" Li Ling: ? She was so scared that she took three steps back. Fortunately, he remembered they were on set and didn't plan to unbutton his shirt. But what he did next was even more terrifying. He lowered his head, opened his phone, and showed her an underwear ad he had recently taken time off to shoot. "Just finished shooting, no edits yet, straight from the original." Luo Mingqing said, "Do you want it? I can send it to you on WeChat." He looked at her proudly: "And I didn't stuff any socks." Li Ling: "..." What a novel way to ask for someone's WeChat. Brother, maybe you should see a psychologist too. She awkwardly returned the phone to him, planning to run away on the spot. But Luo Mingqing grabbed her sleeve again and said earnestly, "Sister, I'm serious. Please don't act with him anymore." "Whatever resources you need, I can give them to you. Movies, magazines, endorsements... I'm doing pretty well now. How about this, you sign with my company, and I'll have my manager take care of you..." He kept rambling, lost in his fantasies, not noticing that Li Ling's face had turned even paler. That night, Li Ling told him, "The director is my savior." The words stabbed into his chest like a knife. The director forced her to shoot bed scenes, yet she called him her savior. How could she be so foolish? At first, he wanted to stab her out of anger, but then he realized she must have been deeply deceived. He felt responsible for making her see the truth, for rescuing her from the mire. So he painstakingly dug up Jin Jingyao's secrets. And indeed, as he had thought, everything the director did to her was harmful. He wouldn't allow her to drown in the same river. Grabbing her sleeve wasn't enough; he wanted to hold her hand. But at that moment, Li Ling took a step back. Luo Mingqing grasped at the air in vain, stunned, waking from his hero's dream. "You don't believe me?" he blurted out, "Look closely, I really didn't stuff any socks!" Li Ling: ".........." Calm down, calm down. She remained calm, took a deep breath, and smiled reservedly. "Mr. Luo, what exactly do you mean by telling me all this? Do you have a grudge against the director? Want to settle it in the restroom?" Luo Mingqing's eyes revealed even more complex emotions, as if he was about to unzip his pants at any moment. "No, what does he have to do with this? I'm doing this for you. I've always... I..." He took a deep breath. Clearly, he had a lot to say but didn't know where to start. His tongue felt tied in his mouth, like a tangled ball of yarn, and he could only clumsily, like a babbling baby, say: "I'm very grateful to you for teaching me how to act these past few days..." Li Ling said, "Then you might have misunderstood. I taught you how to act because I didn't want you to delay the filming schedule. I did it for the director, not for you." Luo Mingqing stared at her, his eyes slightly reddening. Suddenly, he felt a fear, a baby-like fear. He wanted to grab her by the neck and make her stop talking, to not say another word. His intuition told him she was about to say something that would terrify him. He didn't dare to listen, couldn't listen. But he had no choice but to listen. Li Ling said, "Actually, back then, I took care of you not because I liked you that much, but to make my father happy." She smiled at him, a radiant smile, but her words were incredibly cruel: "I never really considered you my brother." - Li Ling returned to the set. Filming hadn't started yet, and others were busy with checks. A staff member saw her and happily invited her to sit in a cabinet for a while. "..." Li Ling gladly agreed. The cabinet wasn't small. She hugged her knees and leaned against the wall, fitting just right. The darkness and cramped space brought a sense of comfort, and the noisy lights of the set seemed to gradually fade away. Her mind was in turmoil, thinking that what Luo Mingqing had said to her was half-true, half-false, and not entirely nonsense. For instance, the director's insomnia, illness, and mood swings... The second time they met, he had rewritten the script so much that he ended up in the hospital. She had never seen a director like this. She seemed to understand Luo Mingqing's hint: trashy movies deserve trashy actors, just like a crippled A-Ling could only live in Zhou Jing's basement. If Director Jin wasn't in some kind of low point, how would she have the chance to star in his film? Strangely, her first reaction upon hearing this wasn't disappointment. Nor was she very worried that she might end up, like before, making a film that couldn't be released, all efforts in vain. She didn't think much about herself. She just felt heartache. He was clearly a genius. Clearly, he should be making films with great flair, winning awards, and being admired by everyone. Why was he sick, seeing doctors, hiding himself away? Why could he only act as a couple with an unknown actress in a basement? Why could even someone like Luo Mingqing point fingers at him behind his back? She had deliberately said those harsh, retaliatory words to Luo Mingqing. Not for herself; she had long stopped caring about him. She said it for the director. Li Ling felt very strange, very unfamiliar. The feeling of her heart swelling, as if it was about to be wrapped in many red threads and jump out of her chest, was something she had never experienced before making this film. She had no choice but to type into a search engine: "Heartache for a man." [Heartache for a man, unlucky for life.] [Heartache for a man is the beginning of misfortune.] Li Ling felt much calmer and was about to exit the webpage when she saw a post titled "Who wouldn't feel heartache for a boy like this," with a picture of Luo Mingqing in a high school uniform from a certain campus idol drama. Li Ling: ? Just then, the cabinet door was suddenly yanked open. Strands of light streamed in, and Jin Jingyao looked down at her from above, saying, "What are you hiding in there for?" The set was very bright, and his face was also very bright, like an Apollo statue in the sunlight, making one's heart skip a beat. Li Ling's heart felt like it was lifted, giving her a start, and her phone fell out of her hand. On the screen, the sunny school uniformed boy Luo Mingqing once again faced off with the young and handsome Director Jin. Li Ling: "..." Why does this scene feel a bit familiar? She awkwardly reached to pick up her phone, but Jin Jingyao was faster, bending down to pick it up for her. Li Ling said very awkwardly, "Thank you, Director," but he had no intention of giving it back to her. It seemed like his obsessive-compulsive disorder was acting up again. He very slowly and carefully wiped the dust off her screen. His seriousness was somewhat nerve-wracking. He finally returned the phone to her. To say he returned it, in fact, the two of them played tug-of-war with the phone for at least a minute. Li Ling felt that Jin Jingyao really wanted to take the opportunity to crush the screen. She tried hard to prove her innocence: "Um, Director, I was definitely not hiding in the cabinet to look at... photos." Jin Jingyao: "Oh." With a "bang," he closed the cabinet door tightly. The assistant director outside said, "We're about to start shooting, why can't we find Teacher Li anywhere? Director, have you seen her?" Jin Jingyao: "No." Li Ling: ?