Isn't This a Contract Marriage? Why Are You Sneaking Kisses! - Chapter 27

[@Not_Grumbling_Li_v]: To respond to today’s controversy: Song Wuyu in Prejudice is the only character inspired by a real-life prototype, and that prototype is Shen Silie. This time, I also strongly recommended Shen Silie to the production team for the role of Song Wuyu. Regardless of what misunderstandings occurred in the past, I believe Shen Silie will definitely play this role well.

As soon as the original author spoke out, the number of people in the comments section shouting about the casting being “unsuitable” dropped significantly.

However, other remarks remained:

【Li-zi! Are you being kidnapped! If you’re being kidnapped, write two books immediately! If not, write three!】

【Help, I can’t take this anymore. Where does Baby Wuyu resemble this Shen person at all? I can’t visualize it.】

【Suspicion that the investors forced the actor on the author by threatening her. How pathetic.】

【To be honest, Song Wuyu is actually quite disgusting. I don’t understand why so many people like him. He’s the child born from Mama Qiuchi being trafficked; please speak up for Qiuchi, okay? So gross.】

【A prototype… Goddess, you really know how to be sarcastic. Song Wuyu is a ‘dark-hearted’ guy who acts obedient on the outside, and Shen Silie also looks gentle to death but showed his true colors on that variety show. Who says this prototype is wrong? It’s perfect. Supporting Shen Silie as Song Wuyu, they’re a perfect match.】

【I understand now. Love you, Li-zi.】

Two weeks passed.

The atmosphere on set was equally tense.

He Ye’s assistants were carrying a large load of milk tea, distributing them to the crew one by one. A group of people accepted the drinks and surrounded He Ye to thank him. He brought his own funding to the production, was good-looking, rich, low-maintenance, and while his acting wasn’t masterful, it was sufficient. Being generous enough to treat everyone frequently, the entire crew had a very favorable impression of this male lead.

He Ye’s assistant distributed the tea down the line until they reached Shen Silie. The assistant gave Shen Silie an apologetic smile: “Sorry, we didn’t buy enough again today. I’ll make it up to you next time.”

Shen Silie didn’t look up, merely waving his hand. “It’s fine, I don’t like sweet drinks.”

Hearing this, the little assistant left giggling.

Many people looked over, unable to hide their mocking gazes. He Ye and Lin Chu were on good terms; everyone knew about the “grudges”—whether real or fake—between He Ye and Lin Chu.

The people in the crew had pulled various petty tricks lately. He had been buying milk tea for a week, and every single time Shen Silie was the one “left out.” It was nothing on its own, but the fact that they came to ask him every single time made it impossible to ignore even if he wanted to.

Shen Silie, accustomed to such things, withdrew his gaze and continued to memorize his lines.

Quite a few young extras had already arrived. As filming was about to start, Shen Silie communicated briefly with the cinematographer. Xu Tang arrived late.

The background of this scene is after Cheng Muxia graduates; with an excellent resume, she joins the Wan family’s company in the planning department. This is also when she reunites with the male lead, Wan Sinian.

Wan Sinian, who relied on his father to be parachuted in as Cheng Muxia’s superior, naturally had a relationship with this girl that was fraught with friction since their youth.

The two were highly combative in their daily interactions at the company, but due to the pressure from his father, Wan Yunheng, Wan Sinian didn’t dare to be too blatant. After three years of ups and downs and several corporate competitions, Wan Sinian appeared cynical but had matured significantly. He always stepped in to help at critical moments—consciously or unconsciously, openly or secretly helping Cheng Muxia quite a bit. Within three years, Cheng Muxia successfully became a regular employee and was promoted to the position of Vice Manager.

Their relationship evolved from verbal sparring to an unconscious, underlying romantic tension.

Song Wuyu appears at this time. Having attended an ordinary university in a small city, he relied on his outstanding professional abilities to successfully become a secretary in the planning department, coming to Cheng Muxia’s side. With his intervention, the male lead Wan Sinian finally begins to understand his own feelings.

After a quick rehearsal.

Shen Silie took the thermos handed to him by his assistant and took two sips of hot water. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Xu Tang, who was laughing at something Lin Chu said.

Lin Chu’s character didn’t have much screen time in the original novel, but he was good at socializing. With Shi Xu as his backing and his good relationship with the investor’s son, He Ye, he had been given many extra scenes.

Inevitably, they had to cross paths frequently in the crew lately.

Xu Tang and Lin Chu had been friends for years. It was no secret that Shen Silie and Lin Chu had a conflict. Although Shen Silie didn’t want too much contact with Lin Chu, he had to admit the man was incredibly socially adept—tactful and pleasing to everyone. No one in the crew disliked him.

In fact, even Shen Silie hadn’t disliked the man at the very beginning.

And for the role of Song Wuyu—if the author hadn’t spoken up—it had almost been internally decided that Lin Chu would take it.

Shen Silie lowered his eyes, avoiding the various gazes around him, and focused on his own work.

Everyone prepared to get into character for the reunion of Song Wuyu and Cheng Muxia. This was a scene of intimacy between the original childhood friends, which was walked in on by the hot-tempered Wan Sinian, who hadn’t yet realized his own feelings.

The male lead was supposed to rush in angrily and bump into Song Wuyu by the door, causing him to spill coffee all over himself, followed by a scolding from the female lead. This was the first time the male lead felt jealous and the first key turning point in their relationship.

Following a loud “Action—!”

Filming officially began.

The midday sun was bright outside the glass windows of the breakroom. Many people were eating in the cafeteria at this hour, so there were only a few people scattered about the room.

Song Wuyu stood by the door of the breakroom, his focus on the phone screen in his right hand.

Cheng Muxia was in sharp professional attire, her curly hair tied in a ponytail—bright and beautiful. She entered wearing comfortable block-heeled leather shoes. Having learned earlier that her childhood friend had joined the same company, she had finally waited for her lunch break to meet him in the breakroom.

“Wuyu?” Cheng Muxia’s voice was tentative, her tone rising slightly at the end.

The two hadn’t seen much of each other for nearly seven years, only contacting each other occasionally on their phones. Later, as work got busy, contact became rarer, consisting mostly of holiday greetings. Seeing him again now, Cheng Muxia inevitably felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Hearing the call, Song Wuyu turned to look at the woman.

The youth was also in a work uniform. Time had finally polished his features into sharper lines; his aura was no longer one of gloomy self-deprecation, but had become reserved and modest.

Cheng Muxia only then noticed that Song Wuyu was still wearing the silver-framed glasses she had given him at graduation. The eyes behind the lenses were no longer always shrouded in haze as they used to be. His honey-colored pupils reflected faint glints of light—quiet like a pool in late autumn—yet they rippled with tiny waves and a long-absent timidity upon seeing her.

As if he had just realized what was happening, Song Wuyu finally spoke in a slow, gentle voice: “Sister Muxia, long time no see.”

The two, who hadn’t met in years, exchanged words in the breakroom, gradually becoming reacquainted. As they spoke, a colleague who had joined the company alongside Song Wuyu chimed in and handed him a cup of coffee.

Following the script, Shen Silie took the coffee. However, the moment his palm touched the cup, the scalding temperature of the surface made him freeze for a split second.

But before he could react.

He Ye suddenly pushed the door open and barged in from behind.

Shen Silie was knocked off balance, stumbling forward.