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The popularity of "Nirvana in Fire" has swept through the entire film and television industry like wildfire, and the second-run broadcast rights have been fiercely contested by major TV stations, with prices soaring to an astonishingly high level.

The characters played by Su Ning as Prince Yu, Chen Xiaojun as Princess Nihuang, and Hu Ge as Mei Changsu have unsurprisingly become the most popular screen figures this autumn, with their popularity and reputation reaching unprecedented heights.

However, behind this clamor and praise, there is a person who seems to be in a cold shadow, his heart being repeatedly gnawed by resentment and bitterness...

She is Liu Tao, who plays Xia Dong, the head of the Suspended Mirror Bureau.

Watching Princess Nihuang, dressed in a red military uniform, looking heroic and valiant, gazing deeply into Mei Changsu's eyes on the television screen, Liu Tao felt as if an invisible needle had pierced her heart.

There was a time when this role had been offered to her, but if it weren't for Suning's bizarre and forceful intervention, and if it weren't for Chen Xiaojun's "connected" arrival...

The one who should be enjoying this immense glory now is Liu Tao!

And now?

She could only play Xia Dong, a minor character with far fewer scenes than Nihuang, an important supporting role, but ultimately just an accessory in the main story.

What made her feel even more embarrassed and hurt was that it was no secret in the industry that she got the role; she had "brought her own investment to the production."

This label stands out starkly in a work like "Nirvana in Fire," which achieved legendary status through its exceptional quality.

While others praise Hu Ge's superb acting skills, Chen Xiaojun's stunning crossover performance, and Suning's exuding elegance, the gazes directed at her always seem to carry a hint of scrutiny and understanding, as if to say, "Look, she's the one who got in by throwing money at the problem."

This huge psychological gap made Liu Tao feel an indescribable humiliation every time she saw reports related to herself, or even every time she cooperated with publicity as "Xia Dong".

She felt like an outsider who was dressed up and trying hard to fit into an elegant banquet, but everyone could see through her and knew that the "invitation" she held was bought with money.

Especially in some online discussions, people occasionally compare her to Nihuang, played by Chen Xiaojun, and the comments that completely crush her make her feel ashamed.

"If only I could have gotten Nihuang back then..." This thought lingered in her mind like a curse.

She couldn't help but recall the resentment and sliver of hope she felt when she learned that Chen Xiaojun had replaced her in the role...

With her experience and popularity, she felt that even if she wasn't Princess Nihuang, she would definitely be the best choice for the second female lead.

But reality has given her a resounding slap in the face.

She picked up her glass and took a big gulp, but the icy liquid couldn't extinguish the fire in her heart.

Outside the window, the city lights reflected in her complex and unfathomable eyes.

She felt like she had become a joke, a joke that used all her strength only to highlight the brilliance of others.

This unpleasant feeling, like vines growing in the dark night, quietly entwined around her heart.

She knew that on the huge ship of success that was "Nirvana in Fire," she was just an insignificant passenger, and might even be regarded by some as a "connectionist."

The glory at the bow of the ship always belongs to those who steer it with true ability.

Will this lingering resentment become a thorn in her side in the future, or even give rise to unpredictable changes?
At this moment, only she herself knew what kind of turmoil was surging beneath her calm exterior.

……

In early winter, the film studio was swept up by a cold wind, stirring up dust from the set.

The crew of "Qin Liangyu" is filming a night scene. The firelight illuminates Chen Xiaojun's heroic profile, and her posture holding a long spear already has the demeanor of a female general.

When Liu Tao appeared on set, wrapped in a camel-colored coat, night had just fallen.

She greeted familiar staff members with a smile, saying that she was just passing by to visit the set, and was also carrying hot drinks to distribute to the crew.

"Director Su is explaining the scene to Xiaojun, so you may have to wait a little while." The assistant director politely led her to the monitor to wait.

Liu Tao stood quietly in the shadows, her gaze fixed on Su Ning, who was focused on her work.

He was wearing a director's vest, standing tall and straight, meticulously adjusting Chen Xiaojun's grip on the gun.

At that moment, Liu Tao couldn't help but recall her experiences on the set of "Nirvana in Fire"...

He was just as focused on guiding her in practicing martial arts moves back then, but one late night after work, he left tender traces in her room.

"Cut! This one's done." Su Ning's voice startled her from her reverie.

He turned around and saw her, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes before he regained his composure: "What brings you here?"

"I was filming on the next set and heard you were shooting a night scene, so I came to check on you." She handed over a cup of still-warm coffee with a polite smile.

It was nearly midnight when we finished work.

Just as Liu Tao was about to leave, her phone vibrated and she received a text message: "Room 1107".

Her heart suddenly started racing.

The same room number, as if it were a cycle of fate.

It was the same room number on the set of "Nirvana in Fire," the place where that relationship that changed everything began.

The door was ajar.

Liu Tao pushed open the door and entered, seeing Su Ning standing by the window, with scattered lights from the film and television base outside.

"Sister Tao, you're becoming more and more charming, like a ripe red apple." His voice was exceptionally clear and ambiguous in the silence.

Liu Tao stepped closer and asked meaningfully, "Then who is prettier, me or Chen Xiaojun?"

This distance was too dangerous; she could smell the familiar cedar scent on Su Ning.

During those secluded nights on the set of "Nirvana in Fire," this scent lingered around her pillow.

"Woman, why are you so competitive?" Su Ning said, but his hand touched Liu Tao's cheek.

“From filming ‘Nirvana in Fire’ until now, I’ve realized I’ve fallen into your trap.” She tiptoed and kissed his lips, just like that out-of-control night a year ago.

As her clothes slipped down, Liu Tao vaguely recalled Qin Liangyu, played by Chen Xiaojun, on set during the day...

The woman who can stand openly beside Su Ning.

But this thought was quickly overwhelmed by a surge of emotion.

Time passed unnoticed. After it was over, Liu Tao leaned against the headboard, looking at Su Ning's sleeping profile.

As I gently traced the bridge of his handsome nose with my fingers, a mix of emotions welled up inside me.

My phone screen lit up with a message from my agent: "Sister Tao, would you like to take on a cameo role in 'Qin Liangyu'? It's not a big role, but the character is memorable."

Liu Tao put down her phone and laughed self-deprecatingly, knowing full well that this was compensation from Suning.

Perhaps she will never be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with Suning as openly and honestly as Chen Xiaojun.

But at least for this moment, the man's body temperature is real.

Outside the window, a waning moon hangs above the antique-style buildings of the film and television base, its cool light bathing this world full of theatrical dreams.

……

As night deepened, only a bedside lamp cast a warm yellow glow in the hotel room.

Liu Tao leaned on Su Ning's shoulder, her fingertips tracing circles on his chest, her voice carrying a languid aftertaste and a barely perceptible hint of probing: "Su Ning, I've read the script for 'Qin Liangyu' carefully. That cameo role... isn't its screen time a bit too thin?"

She raised her head, her eyes gleaming in the dim light. "I think that with my abilities and market appeal, I can definitely handle more complex roles, such as... the female lead, Qin Liangyu."

Upon hearing this, Su Ning chuckled softly but did not reply immediately.

He reached for the cigarette case on the bedside table, took out a cigarette, lit it, and the scarlet flame flickered in the darkness.

His profile was somewhat blurred by the swirling smoke.

"The role of Qin Liangyu was tailor-made for Xiaojun from the very beginning." Su Ning's voice was calm, but it carried an undeniable determination. "Her image, temperament, and the aura of a leader she naturally exudes as the company's CEO are all highly compatible with the role. This will not change."

Liu Tao's eyes dimmed instantly, a sense of resentment and grievance welling up inside her.

But before she could say anything, Su Ning abruptly changed the subject.

“However…” He exhaled a smoke ring, turned his head, and looked at her face, which was full of disappointment. “The company does have a new S-level project in preparation for the second quarter of next year. It’s a modern urban business war theme. The female lead’s character is an investment banking elite who has fought her way through the male-dominated Wall Street. She is beautiful, shrewd, ambitious and aggressive… I think that would suit you very well.”

Liu Tao's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively held her breath.

S-class project, female lead!
This aligns far better with her current career trajectory and commercial value than playing the lead role in a historical drama.

"Really?" Her voice trembled slightly with excitement. "When have I ever lied to you?" Su Ning's fingertips lightly brushed her cheek, the movement carrying a hint of intimacy, but his eyes were sharp as an eagle. "But, such good resources are something so many people would kill for. Why should I give them to you?"

His fingers slid down to her chin, applying slight pressure to force her to lift her head and meet his gaze.

“So, you have to show me your… sincerity.” His voice was low and seductively magnetic, every word carrying an unspoken implication, “Not just tonight, but I require you to be available at any time.”

The room fell silent, with only the sound of their breathing mingling.

Liu Tao could clearly hear her heart pounding.

This is a blatant transaction, exchanging dignity and body for a bright future.

She looked at the unfathomable man before her. He controlled enormous resources and could easily elevate her to the heavens or crush her into the dust with a single stroke.

Without much hesitation, his deep-seated desire for fame and fortune, along with his unspeakable jealousy and rivalry with Chen Xiaojun, instantly overwhelmed everything else.

"Hmph! Su Ning, you are really greedy."

Am I really greedy?

Then she revealed an extremely charming smile, took the initiative to move closer to him, and her warm breath brushed against his ear.

"Su Ning." She called his name, her voice sweet as honey, "Don't you know my sincerity? From 'Nirvana in Fire' to now... when have I ever refused you anything you wanted?"

She grasped his large hand and guided it to her most proud and stunning spot, giving her most straightforward answer through her actions.

“That Wall Street elite is destined to be mine.” Her eyes burned with ambition as she spoke, each word distinct. “And my sincerity will satisfy you…”

Su Ning smiled with satisfaction, a smile that belonged to a predator, a smile of complete control.

He stubbed out his cigarette and rolled over, casting her into his shadow.

Outside the window, the neon lights of the city never go out.

In this enclosed space, a pact based on desire and self-interest was forged in the darkness of night.

Liu Tao closed her eyes, letting the waves of her senses overwhelm the banks of reason, while only one belief remained etched deep within her heart...

She was determined to seize the leading lady at all costs, to show everyone, especially Chen Xiaojun, who truly deserved to stand at the top.

……

The crew of "Qin Liangyu" had just finished their night shoot, and a chill spread with the night.

Chen Xiaojun removed her heavy armor and changed back into her everyday clothes, feeling utterly exhausted.

She habitually looked towards that familiar window in the hotel's main building; the light was on in Suning's room.

But tonight, a strange intuition pierced her heart like a fine needle.

She saw the light in that window flickering, and the curtains seemed to be drawn tighter than usual.

This tiny detail stirred up a storm in her heart.

"Mr. Chen, would you like me to prepare a late-night snack for you?" the assistant asked with concern.

“No need,” Chen Xiaojun said, withdrawing her gaze, her voice somewhat unsteady. “I want to take a walk by myself.”

She walked slowly along the quiet path of the film and television base, and the various details of the filming of "Nirvana in Fire" uncontrollably floated into her mind.

She recalled the way Liu Tao looked at Su Ning on the set of "Nirvana in Fire"—that burning gaze filled with adoration and longing; she remembered several times late at night when she went to Su Ning to discuss the script, she vaguely heard subtle noises coming from the room; she remembered how Liu Tao always managed to get close-up shots and lines that didn't belong to her…

These subtle clues, which she had previously deliberately ignored with her rationality, now connected in her mind, forming a truth that she was unwilling to face but had to believe.

Back in her room, Chen Xiaojun stood by the window, gazing at the lit window across the street, her emotions as complex as an overturned palette.

She understands Suning.

A man at the top like him is never short of women throwing themselves at him.

Liu Tao's initiative and allure are an irresistible temptation for any man.

Moreover, in this circle, the exchange of sex for resources is already an unspoken rule.

"Ridiculous! What right do I have to be sad?" she asked herself with a bitter smile. "Didn't I also get to where I am today because of his support?"

But despite her understanding, the heartache she felt was so real that she couldn't breathe.

The feeling is like having your beloved possession defiled, yet having to maintain composure and pretend not to know.

My phone screen lit up with a message from Suning: "Your condition is very important for the scene tomorrow morning, so get some rest."

Her fingers trembled slightly as she looked at the seemingly caring but actually distant message.

He's always like this; even after being intimate with other women, he can still calmly fulfill his duties as director, as if nothing has happened.

She really wanted to reply with a tentative question, even if it was just an emoji.

But in the end, she simply replied calmly, "Okay, Director Su. You should get some rest too."

"Don't worry! I know what I'm doing! Don't overthink it."

"Hmph! What a scumbag." That was Chen Xiaojun's final assessment.

This is her position: a proper, sensible partner and confidante who never oversteps her boundaries.

She couldn't indulge her emotions and desires like Liu Tao did, because what she wanted was never just a fleeting affair.

Back in her room, Chen Xiaojun went into the bathroom and let the warm water wash over her body, trying to wash away the inexplicable sticky feeling in her heart.

In the mirror, her gaze gradually shifted from confusion to determination.

“Qin Liangyu…” she murmured the character’s name, as if drawing strength from it.

In the play, Qin Liangyu, facing her husband's taking a concubine and the strife in the court, was she not just as forbearing and resilient?

She suddenly understood the deeper meaning behind Su Ning's insistence on her playing this role...

It's not just because her appearance matches, but also because she possesses a similar tenacity and clarity of mind to Qin Liangyu.

"That's it," she said to herself in the mirror. "Hold onto what you should hold onto, and get what you should get."

After drying herself off, she picked up the script and began preparing for tomorrow's scenes.

Those densely packed annotations were her only salvation in this complicated relationship.

As night deepened, the lights across the street finally went out.

Chen Xiaojun put down the script, turned off the desk lamp, and buried herself in the soft pillow.

In the darkness, a warm drop of liquid silently slid down the corner of my eye and quickly disappeared into the pillow.

When the sun rises tomorrow, she will still be the radiant Chen Xiaojun, Suning's most capable partner, and the undisputed leading lady of "Qin Liangyu".

As for those thoughts that arise in the dead of night, let them remain forever sealed in this unknown night.

However, with a "click" as the door opened, the alert Chen Xiaojun immediately woke up and saw Su Ning closing the door.

"Su Ning, you... why did you come here? Aren't you going to keep your Sister Tao company?"

"She had gotten what she wanted, so she left satisfied."

"Hmph! What did you promise her this time?"

"Andy, the female lead in the TV series 'Ode to Joy' whose filming was postponed."

"Hmph! You're quite generous to her."

"Xiaojun, I'd like you to play another female lead, Qu Xiaoxiao, and I'll also make a cameo appearance as Zhao Qiping."

"You bastard! Are you just trying to get an acting role?"

"Hehe, I want everyone to think we're a match made in heaven."

"..."

...(End of chapter)