Chapter 8

Just as Xia Xi was about to turn back the way she came, she suddenly heard a heated argument ahead, and the name "Lin Wei" was mentioned.
Lin Wei? Was it the Lin Wei she was thinking of?
Her curiosity was instantly piqued, and she quietly moved toward the source of the voices.
After walking about a dozen steps forward, Xia Xi spotted a handsome man and a delicate, pure-looking girl standing not far away. On closer inspection, the girl's features bore some resemblance to Xia Xi, who was now crouching by the wall.
When she got a clear look at the man's face, she couldn't help but feel dazed. He had a tall, straight nose, thin lips, and sword-like eyebrows that slanted sharply into the dark strands of hair at his temples. His handsome profile was flawlessly defined, and under the glow of the lights, he gave off a radiant, star-like aura.
Xia Xi's eyes saw nothing else,
"Lu Yisheng, I came to find you today to ask you one last time, do you like me or not?"
"No." His voice was terrifyingly calm.
"Heh, I actually knew it would end like this, but I still couldn't let go and had to come ask you one more time. But now it's fine," The girl smiled bitterly at this point. "Lu Yisheng, you really are a stone that can't be warmed."
Lu Yisheng? Xia Xi unconsciously repeated the name softly. She felt it sounded very familiar, but couldn't recall where she'd heard it before.
Perhaps the name Lu Yisheng held greater attraction for Xia Xi. She had already forgotten about Lin Wei, whom she'd vaguely heard mentioned earlier, and was now completely preoccupied with the name Lu Yisheng.
Where had she heard it before?
Just as Xia Xi became immersed in her thoughts again, the conversation nearby had ended. The girl who had been speaking had left, and the handsome man narrowed his eyes slightly as he walked toward Xia Xi's direction.
"Lu Yisheng, why does this name sound so familiar?" Xia Xi muttered under her breath.
"Oh, really?"
Xia Xi was startled by the sudden voice. She froze for a moment before looking up to see the man named Lu Yisheng standing not far from her, watching her with great interest.
“...”
"What, does my name sound familiar to you?" The man's voice was pleasant, like a melodious piano piece spinning and floating in the breeze, gradually intoxicating.
"Hahaha," Even someone as thick-skinned as Xia Xi felt somewhat awkward in this situation. She forced out a dry laugh, shook her head, and said seriously, "No, I don't think I know you. I just thought the name was particularly nice, so I repeated it."
"Is that so?" The man chuckled softly, gave Xia Xi a deep look, and without saying anything more, walked forward. After a short distance, he stopped and turned back to look at her, asking casually, "Aren't you going back to the hotel?"
"Oh, right, yes, yes, I am." Only when the man asked did Xia Xi snap out of it. She nodded and quickly walked toward Lu Yisheng, giving him an ingratiating smile.
That night, the moon was bright and the stars sparse. The streetlights were very bright, and a faint floral fragrance wafted through the air. Xia Xi glanced sideways at the man walking beside her. His profile glowed brilliantly under the light, momentarily dazzling her.
But how did this person know I'm staying at a nearby hotel?
Xia Xi had originally thought the hotel was close by, but she hadn't expected to follow Lu Yisheng for over half an hour before arriving. The walk left her utterly exhausted and feeling hopeless. So when she finally saw the hotel, she was particularly moved.
"Lu Yisheng, Xia Xi, how did you two end up together?" A puzzled voice came from behind Xia Xi, making her freeze. She turned around to see Li Wen, the director of "Fate of Immortals," looking at them with surprise, his eyes flickering with a hint of unease when they landed on Xia Xi.
Huh, is he also part of the crew?
Lu Yisheng noticed the dazed expression on Xia Xi's face beside him and guessed what she was thinking. He said lightly, "Director, you might need to introduce us to each other. I know Xia Xi, but it seems she doesn't know me."
Hearing Lu Yisheng's words, Xia Xi mechanically turned her head to glance at him. He still looked like a refined, handsome gentleman with delicate features and a gentle demeanor, but Xia Xi couldn't shake the feeling that this man was full of mischief.
"Hahaha, really? There's actually someone who doesn't know you, Lu Yisheng?" The director, who had seemed in a bad mood earlier, suddenly sounded gleeful for some reason upon hearing Lu Yisheng's remark. "Xia Xi, you really don't know Lu Yisheng? He's the male lead of our drama 'Fate of Immortals,' and besides,"
The director's reminder finally jogged Xia Xi's memory about where she had heard the name Lu Yisheng before. A few days ago, it had been mentioned on the news broadcast. It went something like:
Lu Yisheng was a miracle in the film industry. At just 28 years old, he had already won multiple domestic Best Actor awards. Last year, with his film "Shadow," he was even nominated for an Oscar and the Best Actor award at the three major European international film festivals.
It could be said that his achievements in film were unmatched domestically, and he was recognized by the most authoritative international organizations as a once-in-a-century talent in the film industry.
Honestly, Lu Yisheng's status in the entertainment world had long surpassed that of young actors and even many seasoned veterans.
But hadn't he always made movies? Why was he suddenly acting in a TV drama?
"I want to try something different, experiment with a new style."
When Xia Xi heard Lu Yisheng's reply beside her, she realized she had unknowingly voiced her inner doubts aloud, and received an unexpected answer.
"Wow, Lu Yisheng, not bad." Director Li narrowed his eyes, patted Lu Yisheng on the shoulder, and kept glancing back and forth between Xia Xi and Lu Yisheng. He felt like he was picking up on some gossip. "Answering every question, that's not like you."
"It's nothing that can't be said. It's just that no one else asked." Lu Yisheng's gaze swept over Xia Xi's slightly awkward expression, and he shot Li Wen a warning look before calmly explaining.
"Whoa!, Alright, brother, I get it. I won't stick around and bother you then. I'm off." Li Wen paused for a moment upon seeing Lu Yisheng's reaction, a flicker of confusion in his eyes, but he quickly broke into an understanding smile, one that made Xia Xi feel uneasy.
Xia Xi watched the director's retreating figure with some frustration. She felt the atmosphere was strangely awkward and thought she should say something to Lu Yisheng to break the eerie silence, but she couldn't think of anything to talk about at the moment.
"Xia Xi."
"Hmm?"
Hearing Lu Yisheng's magnetic voice above her head, Xia Xi froze for a second before slowly looking up. Whether it was her imagination or not, she felt his voice was filled with temptation, like a lover whispering in her ear.
"Why do you look so nervous?" Lu Yisheng lowered his head and chuckled softly by Xia Xi's ear, causing her to tremble involuntarily before she panicked and fled. "S-see you next time!"
"Alright, see you next time." Lu Yisheng watched Xia Xi's flustered retreating figure, an intoxicating smile unconsciously spreading across his lips.
The night was beautiful tonight, though it was unclear whose heartstrings it had plucked.