Chapter 55: Reconciliation

Chapter 55: Reconciliation

Qi Ming found An Wen incredibly beautiful, even when she was crying.

He had initially wanted to argue, but seeing her reddened eyes, the words died in his throat. Instead, he said, "Let's do it again."

This time, he fully immersed himself in the role, and the scene was approved.

An Wen cried so much that her head throbbed, and her assistant helped her sit aside to soothe her eyes. Qi Ming glanced over, only to be met with a glare from her assistant.

"A Zeng, how have I been treating An Wen?" Qi Ming asked his assistant.

The assistant didn’t understand why he was asking and replied, "Ming-ge, don’t you dislike her?"

"How do you know?" Qi Ming was puzzled.

"Anyone can see it. You barely interact with her outside of filming, and you hardly ever talk to her," the assistant said.

Qi Ming hadn’t realized his behavior was so obvious. If others noticed, then she must have too—yet she never complained.

Lu Man'er had told him that An Wen was backed by investors and had no acting skills, but during scenes, he sometimes felt overshadowed by her, even needing her to guide his emotions.

He began to doubt Lu Man'er’s words. This girl was clearly talented and hardworking.

"A Zeng, buy a cup of milk tea and send it to An Wen," Qi Ming suddenly said.

His assistant looked shocked. "Ming-ge, are you trying to make peace?"

"Just go!" Qi Ming snapped.

An Wen was also surprised when she received the milk tea. She thanked Qi Ming’s assistant, saying, "Thank you."

Qi Ming was watching her, and An Wen nodded at him with a faint smile.

Now it was Qi Ming’s turn to be surprised. It seemed a single cup of milk tea had dissolved their previous tension.

"An Wen is way too easy to please," the assistant remarked when he returned.

Across the way, An Wen was sipping her milk tea while reviewing the script. Qi Ming shook his head inwardly. She’s not easy to please—she just doesn’t care.

After the milk tea incident, the two got along much better. The number of NG takes decreased, and scenes were often approved in one go, leaving Director Wu Yan beaming.

As they spent more time together, Qi Ming gained a deeper understanding of An Wen. There were plenty of beautiful people in the entertainment industry, but none as stunning, skilled, and diligent as her.

She was only 15, yet she carried herself with more maturity and grace than he did. His impression of her soared.

One day, during a break, An Wen was playing a game when Qi Ming approached her. "Need a teammate? I’m a King-rank player—I can carry you."

"Sure, this match is almost over," An Wen replied.

After finishing, she started a new game and invited him.

"An-mei, who’s this guy? Are you cheating on me behind my back?" Xia Jin’s teasing voice came through.

"Have some shame," Ye Xiaoxing retorted.

"Ah-Xing, are you jealous?" Xia Jin deliberately mimicked a Taiwanese accent.

"Not at all. Right now, I just want to dunk your head in a vat of vinegar to wash your mouth clean," Ye Xiaoxing shot back, also adopting the accent.

"Then his head would be full of vinegar, and it might even purify his brain," Cheng Hanwen added.

"Does vinegar have purifying effects?" Xia Jin asked.

"My mom always uses vinegar to clean pots. What’s the difference between your thick skull and a pot?" Ye Xiaoxing fired back.

...

As the banter continued, Qi Ming suddenly realized who they were.

These three were all major figures—a top-tier male idol, a nationally renowned female actress, and a highly skilled male actor. Normally, he would have to greet them respectfully as seniors.

So why were they like this in private? Qi Ming was utterly bewildered.