The two actors in the scene performed with even more subtlety, expanding upon Su Huan's line to develop additional interactions, making this already excellent scene even more intimate and nuanced.
Shen Xiaoyu's attention, initially focused on the two, gradually shifted elsewhere.
Come to think of it, Su Huan seemed rather unusual lately, constantly hovering around her, plus all those trending topics.
During the past ten years, although Su Huan and Tang Tang had always marketed their CP, the frequency of them trending had never been this high. Logically, after so many years, they should have entered an old-married-couple phase and would trend even less frequently.
But these recent trending topics...
Shen Xiaoyu reopened her phone, having learned her lesson and worried about accidentally liking something again. This time she opened her alternate account before safely searching for the "Huan-Tang" trending topics.
As she suspected, she found the issue—these trending topics were all purchased.
Shen Xiaoyu closed her phone, twirling it in her hand as the system chattered noisily in her ear.
[This must be Su Huan's doing. She must love you, otherwise she wouldn't use Tang Tang to test your reaction.]
[Su Huan must have realized she loves you after you left. Why don't you try guiding her when she's drunk? You might complete the mission that way!]
But the system quickly calmed dow.
[If it were that simple to complete the mission, what were those ten years for?]
[They were just our bad luck,] Shen Xiaoyu coldly replied.
She didn't believe Su Huan subscribed to the philosophy of only valuing what's lost, nor did she believe Su Huan was the type to realize her feelings only after separation.
However, to avoid such a situation, it was best to keep her distance.
The director in front of her also noticed something off in the performance. He had originally allowed the two to improvise but hadn't expected Tang Tang to stray so far, so he quickly called for a stop.
Shen Xiaoyu looked at the time. With a thirty-minute break, she had enough time to grab something to eat and use the restroom.
Time was even more generous than Shen Xiaoyu had anticipated; she even had time to bring some food to Shi Qiubai to replenish her energy.
When she came out of the restroom, she happened to see Tang Tang also emerging from a stall.
Tang Tang had already changed out of her elaborate costume, retaining only her hair accessories.
Upon seeing Shen Xiaoyu, Tang Tang seemed delighted, her lips curling into a smile. "Sister Xiaoyu, you've come to use the restroom too?"
Shen Xiaoyu nodded blankly, checking the time. "Shouldn't you be filming right now?"
She nodded, her eyes shifting as if somewhat embarrassed. "Sister Su Huan thought I was too tired, so she asked the director to let me rest longer. My stomach was feeling uncomfortable, so I came back to use the restroom."
Shen Xiaoyu made a sound of acknowledgment, washed her hands, and headed for the exit, showing no intention of chatting further.
Tang Tang, seemingly oblivious, ran after her, pretending to be affectionate as she linked arms with Shen Xiaoyu, saying in a crisp voice, "Sister Xiaoyu, why are you walking so fast? Don't you want to chat with me? Or is it that you don't want to hear how good Sister Su Huan is to me?"
"Let go of me!" Shen Xiaoyu's voice suddenly turned cold. "That's your business, it has nothing to do with me."
"How can it have nothing to do with you?" She stepped closer, deliberately lowering her voice. "After ten years, you still couldn't get Su Huan to marry you. You're truly useless!"
Shen Xiaoyu suddenly raised her head, looking at her with sharp eyes, her heart jolting.
"You..."
"Su Huan told me that if it weren't for using you, she would never have kept you by her side." Tang Tang's smile deepened. "During all those days you fought for her, Su Huan was always with me, during the day and also at night."
Shen Xiaoyu's face instantly darkened like storm clouds before a downpour. Even though she had already given up, hearing these words still brought a sharp pain to her heart.
She wanted to shake off Tang Tang, but Tang Tang clung to her like glue, smiling as she spoke words that cut like knives.
"Sister Xiaoyu, thank you for your sacrifice. We will step on you to become the most dazzling superstars. And you, just wait to rot in the mud." As she spoke, she seemed to suddenly remember something and playfully winked.
"That audition ten years ago, the reason Su Huan didn't let you go was because she listened to me. Making you her manager was also because of my words. These ten years of yours were just a joke!"
Shen Xiaoyu listened, burning with anger. She forcefully shook off Tang Tang's hand.
Tang Tang glanced at something in the corner, her smile transforming into terror as she let out a scream.
The scream attracted the attention of others, who all looked over just in time to see Shen Xiaoyu forcefully 'pushing' Tang Tang to the ground.
The elaborate headdress caused Tang Tang's head to hit the ground, making a dull thud.
"Tang Tang!"
Everyone rushed over, with Qin Miao squeezing to the front to help Tang Tang up, glaring angrily at Shen Xiaoyu.
Tang Tang's eyes glistened with tears, her face full of pain. "Sister Qin, my head hurts so much..."
Qin Miao reached behind her head and felt something wet, immediately becoming anxious. "Blood! It's blood! Call an ambulance! Quickly call an ambulance!"
Chaos erupted among the crowd, with people calling for help and searching for the first aid kit, everything in disarray.
Shen Xiaoyu stood in place, looking down at Tang Tang on the ground before raising her head to meet Su Huan's gaze.
Su Huan stood in the crowd, quietly staring at her, her eyes filled with an indecipherable emotion.
Shen Xiaoyu's heart sank. "I didn't push her."
"The surveillance footage will tell!" Qin Miao helped Tang Tang up, her eyes cold. "Shen Xiaoyu, this matter isn't over!"
With that, she left supporting Tang Tang.
Shen Xiaoyu ignored her, only looking at Su Huan, seemingly both emphasizing and explaining, "She fell by herself!"
Su Huan lowered her gaze, glanced at the blood on the ground, and left without saying anything.
Shen Xiaoyu stood dumbfounded under the scrutinizing and suspicious gazes of everyone, her body suddenly feeling much colder.
She silently sat behind the director, watching Su Huan and others film.
Tang Tang, who had gone to the hospital in the afternoon, quickly returned with a pale face but wearing a smile, explaining to everyone concerned that there was no problem and she could continue filming.
When she met Shen Xiaoyu's gaze, she seemed somewhat afraid, turning away to avoid her stare.
This made the gazes of others toward Shen Xiaoyu even stranger.
Noticing this, Shen Xiaoyu suddenly felt it was pointless. With the protagonist's halo in place, no one would believe anything she said.
Rather than sitting there inviting humiliation, it was better to leave voluntarily. That would be better for everyone.
Shen Xiaoyu took a deep breath and sent a message to Shi Qiubai, saying she had something to attend to and needed to leave for a while, but would return after handling the matter.
The filming in front of her continued, with Su Huan and Tang Tang re-entering the scene. The director directed the camera to move in, capturing more detailed expressions.
As the candlelight flickered, Su Huan gradually moved closer to Tang Tang. Just as she was about to kiss her, she suddenly stopped, all tenderness vanishing from her eyes, leaving only coldness.
Before the director could speak, Su Huan withdrew from the frame, leaving behind Tang Tang, who was still immersed in the romantic atmosphere. She looked at Su Huan in bewilderment, only realizing a moment later that they were filming.
The director finally called cut, and makeup artists and stylists rushed forward to touch up their makeup and adjust their styling.
Su Huan stood not far from Tang Tang, her eyes cold. "Please don't get distracted. Focus on filming."
Tang Tang blushed, nodding timidly. "I'm sorry, it's my fault."
She touched her head, pointedly saying, "Maybe it's because I just fell, so my head hurts a bit. I'll try my best to control it, and absolutely won't waste everyone's time!"
The director said cheerfully, "It's fine. You were doing great just now. Let's do it again like before. Tang Tang, remember, when she approaches you, you need to stab the knife in with determination and ruthlessness. Understand?"
Tang Tang nodded.
Nearby, Su Huan looked toward where Shen Xiaoyu had been but didn't see her.
Her eyes suddenly sharpened as she pushed aside the people in front of her and took a few steps toward Shen Xiaoyu's direction, anxiously looking around.
The director, having just finished explaining the scene to Tang Tang, turned and saw Su Huan's alarmed expression, looking somewhat confused. "Su Huan, who are you looking for?"
"Where's Shen Xiaoyu? Wasn't she just here? Where did she go?" She grabbed the director, asking anxiously.
The director also looked toward where Shen Xiaoyu had been. Not seeing her, confusion crossed his face. "Xiaoyu was just here. Maybe she went to the bathroom?"
He changed the subject, "Alright, let me explain the next scene to you."
Su Huan had no interest, her eyes fixed on the direction where Shen Xiaoyu had disappeared, desperately wanting to find her right away.
Her assistant, noticing her urgency and anxiety, immediately said, "Sister Huan, please continue filming. I'll go find Sister Shen."
Having been with Su Huan for five years, she understood both of them. Though she didn't understand why Shen Xiaoyu had chosen not to be Su Huan's manager, in her heart, she still respected Shen Xiaoyu more.
Su Huan wanted to go herself, but given the circumstances, she couldn't leave. She could only tell her assistant, "After you find her, send me a message."
The assistant nodded and left.
Su Huan watched her retreating figure, her hand clenched into a fist under her sleeve.
For some reason, she had a bad feeling, as if Shen Xiaoyu was leaving her for good.
Carrying these emotions, Su Huan returned to the scene. When stabbed by Tang Tang, her expression didn't change at all, as if she had known all along that this would happen.
Tang Tang cried like a peony in the rain, saying sorry while increasing the pressure on her hand.
"I have a reason why I must do this! Forgive me."
Su Huan's expression was blank, her body trembling slightly from the pain. Shen Xiaoyu's face appeared in her mind, causing her heart-wrenching pain.
This scene moved many people on set. The marketing team that Qin Miao had brought was recording behind-the-scenes footage to be released online later.
Meanwhile, Su Huan's assistant searched the entire set inside and out, eventually finding Shi Qiubai in the training room and learning from her that—
Shen Xiaoyu had gone home.