CH 59

Rise in Fame

She looked down and gently pinched the corner of his shirt. After a roll of his throat, Xie Yan ultimately pulled her hand away and said mellowly, “But I don’t believe in myself.”

Su Shen: “……”

She blinked and blushed, “But… He Hua said there are snakes here at night.”

There seemed to be a hint of timidity in her soft voice. Taking a deep breath, Xie Yan pinched her cheek helplessly and said, “Don’t regret it.”

His gaze was so passionate that Su Shen’s heart beat faster than ever before, but she believed in Xie Yan.

The wooden bed was enough for the two of them to lie down. With a thin blanket covering, Su Shen slept on the inside of the bed. After Xie Yan turned off the hanging lamp, the entire tent fell into darkness.

When the side of the bed sank, she indistinctly saw him lie down. With her eyes closed, Su Shen could feel her heart beating rapidly.

The sound of them playing cards loudly could be heard from outside from time to time. Su Shen opened her eyes slightly and found that everything was hazy in the darkness.

“They’re too noisy.”

His sudden voice startled Su Shen for a beat and saw Xie Yan sitting up immediately, walking out of the tent with a few strides.

Amidst the darkness, there was no light in the tent. Not long after, the tent was opened again with Xie Yan returning, only that the noise outside was gone.

Noticing that he laid down again, Su Shen asked curiously, “What did you say to them?”

“Nothing much.” Xie Yan turned over. Although nothing could be seen in the darkness, he couldn’t help but reach out to hold her waist.

Feeling his burning hand on her waist, Su Shen blushed, but she didn’t say anything, quietly letting him hold her silently. 

However, sleeping like this, she felt that the person beside her was breathing a little unstably. She couldn’t help but look up and asked softly, “You can’t fall asleep?”

Amidst the darkness, his eyesight was superb. Through a gap, a faint beam of moonlight shone through. The woman laid on her side in his arms, with her collar wide open, that snowiness only made him restless. 

How could he fall asleep at this time? 

Su Shen couldn’t see a thing and could only tuck him in. She accidentally touched his waist and said softly blushingly, “Sleep early, you still have to film tomorrow.”

At this time, the person was moving around oblivious to everything. Xie Yan closed his eyes and tried his best to adjust his breathing.

With her eyes closed, Su Shen was sleeping without a worry. Unbeknownst as to when, a warm touch suddenly appeared on her lips. She instantly opened her eyes and met with a pair of obsidian eyes.

He pried open her lips, breathing heavily as if he couldn’t wait to taste her last sweetness. The scent permeating from her seemed to destroy his willpower.

“Xie Yan…” Su Shen felt muddle-headed and panted heavily. Didn’t he want to sleep? Why was he so impulsive all of a sudden? 

As he left hot kisses on her neck, he bit her neck and said hoarsely, “I won’t do anything. Trust me.”

As he spoke, his hot hand slipped into her shirt, and her smooth skin destroyed his last hint of sanity.

In the darkness, the temperature seemed to have risen a little. Blushing, Su Shen grasped the thin blanket powerlessly and believed his words for no reason.

Seeing that she seemed to have believed him, Xie Yan just wanted to smile bitterly. She was too naive. How could she believe that he really would do nothing at this time?

However, he ultimately stopped. He buried his head into her neck and took a deep breath. “Sleep, I’ll only hug you.”

Su Shen: “…….”

Hug… Why did he have to put his hand into her shirt…

Her face was almost red like a tomato, but no one could see it clearly in the darkness. Thinking of Xie Yan’s character, she closed her eyes and fell asleep nevertheless.

Seeing that her breathing became even and slow, Xie Yan sighed, with a trace of helplessness in his eyes. Why did he have to torture himself like this…

……

Su Shen didn’t know when she fell asleep but she was woken up by the heat. When she opened her eyes, the blazing sun outside had already illuminated the tent. From time to time, voices could be heard, and the figure beside her was already no longer there.

She rubbed her eyes and sat up from the bed in a daze. When she was fully awake, she folded the blanket and went outside after changing her clothes. The sunshine outside immediately shone on her blazingly and painfully.

“Su Shen, quickly eat breakfast. We have to get going.”

Just at this moment, He Hua came over with a pot of water. He couldn’t bear the awful weather and couldn’t wait to leave.

“Got it.” Hearing this, Su Shen went back into the tent to get her toothbrush and face towel.

After washing up, she immediately put on her sunscreen. Then, she saw Xie Yan coming over with a few bags of breakfast.

He had already changed into the film’s camouflage costume. He was tall and steady. At the sight of him, Su Shen thought of last night and couldn’t help but blush. It was not like she knew nothing. After enduring for a night, Xie Yan must’ve been very uncomfortable.

“What are you putting on?” He asked casually.

Hearing this, Su Shen placed her sunscreen into her suitcase then walked to the table, and sat down. She took a cup of soymilk and had a sip.

“Sunscreen.” She stretched out her fair and slender arm, swaying it in front of his palm, “Look how tanned you are.”

Looking at her swaying arm, Xie Yan grabbed her arm and said mellowly, “So long as you aren’t.”

Su Shen wanted to withdraw her hand, but his grip was tight. Blushing, she could only use her other hand to grab the soymilk.

Just at this moment, He Hua came in. Seeing that the two were still eating, he urged, “Su Shen, quick. We have to wait for the bus in town later.” 

Su Shen also knew that transportation here was not very convenient, so she got up and said to Xie Yan, “I’m leaving now.”

Xie Yan glanced at He Hua from the corner of his eye without saying anything.

Seeing this, Su Shen went to take her suitcase. She had brought a lot of things with her when she came here. Now that they have all been taken out, the suitcase was pretty light.

As she exited the tent, Xie Yan followed after. The staff outside were still adjusting the equipment, and it seemed that today was the day of the skydiving scene.

Seeing that He Hua and Su Shen were about to leave, everyone wished them farewell one after another, while the director was talking to the props team. Under the blazing hot sun, everyone was sweating profusely.

They were going to be sent to town using the water van that the production crew used to purchase water with. After the driver had put her suitcase onto the car, Su Shen turned around and looked at Xie Yan gravely. “Remember what you said. You must use a body double for any dangerous stunts.”

She looked rather serious. Xie Yan stepped forward and held her petite body in his arms. He then buried his head into her neck and took a deep breath, “Remember to eat well.”

He Hua, who was sitting in the car, couldn’t help but poked his head out and shouted at the two still clinging to each other, “Let’s go, let’s go! It’s not like it’s a separation of life and death!”

The driver couldn’t help but burst into laughter. It was the first time that he had seen Xie Yan being so lovey-dovey with his girlfriend. It really didn’t match his style.

Hearing his urging, Su Shen pushed him away blushingly, “I’m leaving now, you can go back.”

She then turned around immediately and got into the car, closing the door hard, trying her hardest not to look back at Xie Yan.

The car started to drive soon after. In the car, He Hua said unhappily, “He can stay here all he wants to. In any case, I won’t come here ever again.”

Knowing that he was still angry at the fact that Xie Yan accepted this film, Su Shen didn’t say anything. Instead, she took out her phone to check if there was any signal.

To go into the city, they still had to wait for the bus. It was already 3:00 pm when the two of them got on the plane, and then, after a ten-hour flight, they had to change to a domestic flight. When they returned to Shanghai, it was already 1:00 pm the next day. Without any time to rest, Su Shen took a shower and changed her clothes in the hotel before rushing to set.

When the director saw her return, he immediately asked her to change into her costume and shoot the next scene.

It was another action scene. Perhaps it was because of the jet lag, Su Shen was so tired that she NGed several times. After wrapping up at 9:00 pm, she felt light-headed all over.

As Su Shen was returning to the hotel, she didn’t know if it was her illusion, but she felt that the car behind had been following them. After returning to the hotel, only then did she have the time to check her phone.

When Liu jie asked her if she had come back, Su Shen just replied with a “yes”. She then went online to check the comments and arched her brow. She suspected that the company had bought enough hype for her to last the whole year. Her name was still on Hot Search after all this time.

At this time, the movie’s box office had already exceeded 900 million and movie sales gradually declined, same with the other movies. Among them, there was a dark horse. It was a small production comedy film. Its leading actors were not very famous, but its box office had unexpectedly reached one billion. 

Although their movie was not a huge hit, it wasn’t a flop either—just mediocre. However, these things didn’t have anything to do with her, a supporting actress. She didn’t know if it was because the company had spent too much on marketing, but her popularity was too high. The selfie that she had posted yesterday at the airport had over 50,000 comments unexpectedly. In the past, she only had six or seven thousand comments at most.

Netizen A: Isn’t she afraid of hyping overboard? Just a supporting actress, yet she hyped like she’s a leading actress. [smiley face]

Netizen B: I feel sorry for Fan Meng. This b***h is too disgusting. No matter what, Fan Meng’s still a Best Actress. Her acting’s better than yours by a mile!

Netizen C: The antis are hilarious. What’s wrong with being a supporting actress? You’re saying like everyone in this industry hasn’t played a supporting role before. Nevertheless, the supporting character is still better than that rigid face of the female lead. [smiley face]

Netizen D: After watching the movie, I really dislike the female lead. On one hand, saying that she would let go, and on the other hand, not allowing the male lead to get in touch with the imperial concubine. Ahaha, what a green tea b***h!

green tea b***h – a girl who seems innocent and charming but is actually calculating and manipulative

Netizen E: Love the imperial concubine that Su Shen played as! Before entering the palace, she was innocent. After being corrupted, she was still so beautiful. In particular, her acting in the scene where she suicided was off the charts!!! 

Netizen F: Fan Meng’s die-hard fans are so disgusting. Don’t they have a clue about their idol’s acting? No wonder Xie Yan was willing to film a kiss scene with Su Shen and not her. Just that rigid face of Fan Meng’s, who would kiss her after seeing it? [smiley face]

Currently, there were catfights ensuing in forums and on social media platforms where people compared her and Fan Meng. Su Shen couldn’t tell which comments were real and which were bought by the company. In any case, there indeed existed a grudge between her and Fan Meng. Even if their fans didn’t fight with each other, their relationship wouldn’t get better anyways.

Perhaps knowing that she was back, Liu jie just so happened to call her. Su Shen leaned against the headboard exhausted and pressed the speaker button.

“When did you arrive?”

Hearing the voice from the other end of the phone, Su Shen answered insipidly, “In the afternoon. Shot several scenes. Exhausted.”

Hearing this, the person on the other end paused before saying conscientiously, “Have a good rest. Be careful lately, there may be paparazzi following you.” 

“En?” Su Shen was somewhat confused.

“You’re a hot topic right now, the subject of talk. There have been several FMCG* brands who’ve asked you to endorse them. But I’m still negotiating the price. It won’t do if the compensation is any less. With your fame high right now, those paparazzi definitely want to follow you and see if there’s anything to expose, so you have to be careful and don’t go out for dinner with anyone casually.” Liu jie said seriously.

FMCG – fast-moving consumer goods

At that, it suddenly occurred to Su Shen that the car following behind them just now seemed to be paparazzi. 

“Got it. Don’t accept any new scripts for me for the time being. I want to have a rest.” She rubbed her temples, her eyelids heavy as a thousand pounds.

At that, Liu jie said conscientiously, “You can have a week of rest, but no longer. Your career just started. By the way, there’s a modern romance drama that’s seeking you. The pay’s pretty high too, a total of ten million. I heard that they booked Jiang Yin as the male lead. Think about it. I’ll send you the script later.”