Chapter 93: A Delightful Sisters’ Gathering

Lin Zhiwei knew very well that if not for the vast gulf in strength between them, and for the expert support standing behind him, Ling Ziheng would never have needed to keep himself hidden in the entertainment world of Hua Country. Those years must have been terribly hard for him.

She did not want to become his burden. In truth, she only wanted to help him complete the perfect performance and, along the way, fulfill her own dream as well. But the burdens on each of their shoulders seemed unlikely to allow them the simple luxury of savoring the stage.

Silently, she gazed out the window, her expression cold.

Seeing her lost in thought as she looked outside, Ling Ziheng understood her worries. He took her hand gently and said, "Don't think of me as so weak. It's only that the right time hasn't come yet. I told you, from now on you have me. You will never be alone."

Lin Zhiwei came back to herself and nodded. She believed him.

Ling Ziheng thought that he should find a chance to talk to her alone later. With two extra people here now, if he said too much, the girl might feel embarrassed.

"Director Lin, should we head back to the studio now?" Pei Xi asked as they neared the studio.

"No need. Take me home instead. I have an appointment today." A flash of excitement crossed Lin Zhiwei's face.

"All right." Pei Xi quickly instructed the driver to continue on.

"Have fun," Ling Ziheng said, reaching over to pat her head.

Uh... how did he know everything? Lin Zhiwei's little smugness had not even lasted half a second before it was shattered. "You didn't secretly install cameras on me, did you? How do you know everything?" she asked, trying to test him.

"Hm." Ling Ziheng let out a soft laugh from his chest. Only this girl could have such a wild imagination. "I heard yesterday that Yin Mier and the choreographer had an appointment for noon today."

So that was it... Lin Zhiwei shot him a look. As expected of the scheming movie emperor; his observation was sharp and meticulous.

When she got home, Lin Zhiwei immediately began removing her makeup and getting ready. She had agreed with Mier that today she would return to her own face, and she hurriedly prepared herself in a flurry.

Once the heavy disguise was removed, Lin Zhiwei felt incomparably comfortable, as though even the pores on her face could breathe freely. This was, after all, her own foolish idea, and now it had left her having to disguise herself every day just to go to work, making herself look neither fully human nor fully ghostlike.

The doorbell rang, and she dashed to open it. Yin Mier stood there in a pink dress, bright with youthful vitality. Lin Zhiwei smiled dreamily. Ah, as expected, the woman she had taken a fancy to was a feast for the eyes.

The moment Yin Mier opened the door, she was instantly transfixed. Though she had mentally prepared herself, seeing the real person still left her speechless with shock. She had always thought that, with her own looks, she could not be counted among the very best in the entertainment world, but she was still widely regarded as a beauty.

Yet upon seeing Lin Zhiwei without her disguise, she could not help but feel ashamed. The girl before her was far too striking, far too dazzling.

Though she had only just removed her disguise and there was still a faint flush on her face, the charm in her eyes and brows, the vivid sparkle of her spirit, and her exquisitely delicate features made it impossible not to keep staring. At last, Yin Mier understood the meaning behind Ling Ziheng's words: "There is a beauty, unforgettable at first sight; not seeing her for a day makes one miss her like mad."

Yin Mier smiled lightly and shook her head. It did seem reasonable. Even the version of Lin Zhiwei who had already shaped her features into something plain and unremarkable had been irresistibly attractive; how much more so now, when all her masks had been removed?

"Your face is downright bewitching," Yin Mier said as she entered, sighing in admiration.

"And I am bewitching? I'm practically disguising myself into disfigurement. One day it wouldn't be surprising if you saw me turn into a toad," Lin Zhiwei replied bitterly, rolling her eyes.

"So what should I call you now?"

"In humble service, I am Lin Zhiwei." Lin Zhiwei made a ceremonial bow.

Pfft. Yin Mier immediately laughed. With every sentence, her disguise slipped; the fairy who had just been standing there with wandering eyes and tender brows, simply pleasing to behold, had now been revealed as a fleeting illusion.

"I brought you a tube of ointment. My father comes from a family of traditional Chinese medicine physicians, but he couldn't stand the infighting within the system, so later he became a wandering healer. This was compounded by him himself, and it's especially effective for scars and allergies." Yin Mier took a tube of ointment from her bag and handed it to Lin Zhiwei.

Lin Zhiwei accepted it in delight, staring at Yin Mier as though she had unearthed a treasure. "Oh my, if I were really a man, I'd absolutely marry you. You're practically a fairy."

Yin Mier smiled. "Stop being so silly. Do you want me to apply it for you? You probably won't control the amount well yourself."

"Yes, yes, of course I do." Lin Zhiwei quickly beckoned her to sit beside her.

Ah, with such beauty at her side, this was paradise on earth. What use were men!

At that very moment, Ling Ziheng, who was in a meeting at the Ling Group, sneezed. The manager giving a report beside him jumped in surprise, and Ling Ziheng waved a hand to tell him to continue.

"Weiwei, may I call you that?" Yin Mier asked as she applied the ointment to Lin Zhiwei.

"Of course. You can call me whatever you like. Calling me dear would be even better." Lin Zhiwei closed her eyes, thoroughly enjoying herself.

Yin Mier sighed helplessly. She had no way to deal with her; this girl simply had no restraint when it came to teasing others.

"Do you not need to go to the studio this afternoon?"

"No need. I've arranged everything. Though the media isn't likely to be keeping tabs on you for the time being, it's still not suitable for you to stroll around outside in broad daylight. Let's just stay home, watch some dramas, eat some snacks, and relax."

"Wonderful. I haven't watched a movie in ages." A spark of excitement flashed in Yin Mier's eyes. "How about we watch Ling the movie emperor's The World of the Founding Era?"

"Watch him?" Lin Zhiwei looked baffled.

"This film is a pinnacle of Chinese cinema. Every actor in it is superb; even the smallest supporting role is performed to perfection. I only watched half of it before, but I've been wanting to study it." As she said this, Yin Mier's eyes were full of admiration.

During those years when the film market was in decline, this grand historical production had practically saved the entire industry. At first, no one was optimistic about Ling Ziheng in a period costume role, and historical films often drove audiences away because the plot was not rich enough and the fight scenes were weighed down by shoddy special effects.

So when it was first released, it did not sell well. But just one week later, its rating on Douban had been pushed to 9.5, which was truly baffling. At the time, Yin Mier had been busy promoting her album and had no time to join the crowd at the cinema; she had only seen the trailer, and even that had captivated her deeply.

Unlike traditional wuxia period dramas, The World of the Founding Era thrust the story straight into a fever pitch from the very first scene, when Ling Ziheng, dressed in tattered clothes, lifted the brim of his hat.

"Uh, sure. I'm fine with anything." Lin Zhiwei shrugged indifferently. She had heard her instructor's analysis of this film in a film appreciation class before; it was indeed a pinnacle work, and one of the reasons she had chosen to help Ling Ziheng. That bewitching man could act and put on an act in real life; in film, it was surely child's play.

"Hey," Yin Mier nudged the calm-faced Lin Zhiwei. "When you see a film of your own movie emperor, don't you feel even a little something?"

Lin Zhiwei looked up. "Now that you mention it, there is a little something. It's just that in the latter half, when he argues with Hai Chaosheng and draws his sword, I always feel he should have been a bit more frenzied."

Yin Mier's face instantly darkened. She slapped the sofa and cried, "Good heavens, Weiwei, where did your girlish heart go?!"

"Maybe it was eaten when I was born." Lin Zhiwei shook her head helplessly. It really couldn't be blamed on her. Anyone who had spent six years drifting through life in a daze would become heartless, indifferent, and free of desire; and if that life had been ruled by a black-faced lord of hell, it was only natural to feel as though life itself were not worth living.