The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Chapter 169 You Care About Me?

Inside the studio, the lights were dazzling, illuminating everything as if it were daytime. After filming a set of shots, the staff were busily preparing for the transition to another location.

Inside, the set design is exquisite, successfully recreating the unique charm of the Republic of China era, with every detail exuding a strong retro atmosphere. The reddish-brown wooden furniture appears even more warm and inviting under the soft lighting. The octagonal table is dignified yet elegant, adorned with several exquisite porcelain pieces and a pot of freshly brewed tea. The fragrant aroma of tea mingles with the woody scent in the air, creating a uniquely warm and inviting atmosphere.

Shang Yibo wore a well-tailored gray long robe, the buttons on the lapel fastened meticulously, which accentuated his slender figure and made him appear even more refined. He sat leisurely on the ornately carved armchair, one hand casually resting on the armrest, the other gently holding the script, intently memorizing his lines, his face revealing a calm and composed demeanor.

Shen Qing, dressed in a well-tailored cheongsam embroidered with delicate floral patterns in soft colors, perfectly complemented her gentle and graceful demeanor. Standing elegantly beside Shang Yibo, she exuded a captivating charm, like a beauty who had traveled through time.

At this moment, the photography assistant was holding a light meter, carefully adjusting the lighting on Shen Qing's face. Every movement he made was professional and focused, ensuring that every detail would be presented in the best possible way. He quietly gave instructions to the lighting assistant: "Adjust the angle of the front light slightly to make Ms. Shen Qing's eyes clearer."

He then walked up to Shang Yibo, gesturing with the instruments, and said to the lighting assistant, "Turn off one set of sidelighting for Yibo; this will make the light and shadow appear more three-dimensional. Add a frosted shade to the ambient lights to enhance the hazy effect; this will create a better atmosphere than what's achieved in post-production." The lighting assistant responded quickly and began meticulously adjusting the direction and intensity of the lights…

Two makeup artists came over to touch up Shen Qing's and Shang Yibo's makeup. Shang Yibo cooperated with the makeup artists, his gaze inadvertently drifting towards the doorway, where he spotted a familiar figure in the crowd. The figure seemed to sense his gaze and slowly walked towards him. As the person drew closer, Shang Yibo was pleasantly surprised to find it was Zhou Yanruo.

Zhou Yanruo was dressed in a simple business suit, her long hair tied back in a low ponytail, and wearing flat loafers. Although her face showed slight fatigue, her almond-shaped eyes were still bright and alert. Shang Yibo knew at a glance that she must have come directly from the company without going home, let alone resting. This made him both surprised and distressed—surprised by her appearance, yet distressed by her hard work.

Shang Yibo gently put down his script, elegantly lifted the hem of his long robe, stood up, and slowly walked towards Zhou Yanruo. Zhou Yanruo greeted him with a smile, "Shang Yibo, how did the filming go?"

Shang Yibo didn't answer directly, but instead asked with concern, "Why did you come here? Didn't we agree that you were going home to rest today and didn't need to come?"

Zhou Yanruo replied, "I had nothing to do at home, so I thought I'd come and take a look. It's not far from the city center; it only took me less than two hours to get here."

Shang Yibo frowned slightly, revealing his concern for her, "I wanted you to go home and get some rest and catch up on your sleep."

Zhou Yanruo feigned annoyance: "Look at you, you complain when I don't come to visit the set, and now that I'm here, you're starting to nitpick. Don't be so childish, it doesn't suit your status as a big star."

Shang Yibo didn't like being seen as a "child" by Zhou Yanruo. He glanced at Zhou Yanruo and said, "Then tell me, how should I behave to fit this role? Give me an example."

Zhou Yanruo was amused. "Set an example? I've never been a star, how can I set an example for you?"

Seeing Zhou Yanruo laughing happily, Shang Yibo's mood brightened up, so he smiled along with her, "Why don't you be a big star for once, have some fun, and experience it firsthand?"

Zhou Yanruo shook her head and laughed, "Looking at you is enough for me. I have no interest in becoming a star."

Shang Yibo raised an eyebrow. "Really not? Are you sure?"

Zhou Yanruo feigned surprise and said, "What, are you planning to switch careers and become a talent scout, and make me a star?"

Shang Yibo said seriously, "Yes, as long as you want to."

Looking at Shang Yibo's serious expression, Zhou Yanruo couldn't help but chuckle, "Come on, take care of yourself first, you big star!"

Then, she lowered her voice and asked, "Ding Jiajia already told me about what happened this afternoon. Are you... alright?"

"Me? It's nothing, I didn't take it to heart at all. It was Ding Jiajia who insisted on arguing with Qi Qingnan, I don't care," Shang Yibo replied easily.

"That's good." Zhou Yanruo nodded in relief.

"Did you rush over because you were worried about this? You underestimate me. I'm not that petty," Shang Yibo teased.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yanruo smiled knowingly.

The two stood among the bustling staff, talking as if no one else was around.

At this moment, Shen Qing walked towards them. Seeing that the two were chatting happily, she made conversation by saying, "It's President Zhou! Teacher Shang's solo footage has been shot, and now we're going to shoot the duo footage. President Zhou, are you late?"

Zhou Yanruo's smile faded, and she replied, "This shows that I arrived at the perfect time."

Shen Qing asked innocently, "Oh? What do you mean?"

Zhou Yanruo pretended to be serious and said, "Shang Yibo is a professional actor. Do I need to supervise his professionalism? It's just that he doesn't usually care about the trivial things off-camera, which is why we staff members need to keep an eye on things for him. I was too busy recently, and that's when some unprofessional people took advantage of the situation."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qing's face flushed and paled with embarrassment, and she forced a smile, saying, "It's not about taking advantage of loopholes at all. It's clearly because Teacher Shang is magnanimous and has a global perspective."

Zhou Yanruo smiled slightly, with a hint of teasing: "Teacher Shen Qing is quite empathetic towards people who 'find loopholes'."

Shen Qing quickly waved her hand: "No, no. I was just saying it casually according to my own understanding. President Zhou, don't take it seriously."

Zhou Yanruo responded easily, "No problem, no problem, I just didn't take what Teacher Shen Qing said too seriously."

"Pfft." A soft laugh suddenly came from behind. Shang Yibo turned around and found that Ding Jiajia had quietly stood behind them at some point.

Ding Jiajia laughed and said, "So you guys are doing 'Qipa Talk' here. This lineup is hilarious."

Shang Yibo asked, "Go and ask if we can continue filming."

Ding Jiajia replied, "I just asked the assistant director, and it'll be ready soon. He also said that this scene only needs two more takes before we can wrap up. The production crew is preparing to order takeout and they're counting the number of people. Is everyone hungry? Are you planning to eat on set or go back to the city..."

Shen Qing quickly chimed in, "How about we go back to the city? I'll treat you. It'll be a good opportunity to thank Teacher Shang for his help. Since there's no better time than today, how about we do it?"

Shang Yibo politely declined, saying, "No need."