This director is vindictive.

Chapter 289 A Night Visit to the Master of Balance
Just as Chen Mo was about to be tortured by the three men's gazes, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the film set.

Chen Mo secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

This is a lifesaver! No matter who it is, he decided he had to thank them properly.

This is a lifesaver!

But the next moment, he completely forgot that idea and felt even more overwhelmed!

"Everyone has worked hard. I brought some fruit, come and have some!"

Chen Mo recognized that voice all too well; Fan Binbin had arrived!

She walked gracefully over, her dark cheongsam accentuating her slender figure. She carried a thermos in her hand, and her gaze swept over the three people who were frozen in place. Her smile deepened. "Oh dear, it seems I've arrived just in time?"

As she spoke, she gave Chen Mo a meaningful look.

Regardless, although Chen Mo was having a bit of a headache, he had to admit that Fan Binbin's arrival was really timely, at least freeing him from his dilemma.

As for the later transformation from Romance of the Three Kingdoms to Four Seasons of Prosperity, oops, to Four Kingdoms of Hegemony, well, that's how it is now, Chen Mo can't care about that anymore.

"You two are here too, what a coincidence!" Fan Binbin said with a smile.

It has to be said that Fan Binbin had a very strong presence at this moment, especially with her poised and generous demeanor, which immediately eased the tense atmosphere between the other three women.

Fan Binbin's sudden appearance was like a breath of fresh air, temporarily dispelling the tense atmosphere on set. She placed the thermos on the rest table next to her, gracefully lifted the lid, and the rich aroma of chicken soup immediately filled the air.

"Don't just stand there!"

She greeted them with a smile, her gaze sweeping over the three ladies: "This is a slow-cooked soup that I've simmered for four hours. It'll get cold if we don't eat it soon."

Chen Mo was the first to react and immediately said to the three of them, "Sister Binbin's cooking is excellent, you should go and try it."

Yang Mi and the other two exchanged a knowing glance, as if to say, "Let's call a truce for now!"
Indeed, only a more powerful enemy could make them temporarily stop their tit-for-tat confrontation.

The main reason is that Fan Binbin acted so gracefully and confidently. If they continued to argue here, she would be outshone without even realizing it!
"Sister Binbin, you can even make soup? I have to try it!" Yang Mi followed closely behind, walking towards the rest area, her high heels making a crisp sound on the floor.

Zhao Liying and Zhang Yuqi exchanged a glance and followed.

The four people sat around a small table, creating an eerily harmonious scene.

Chen Mo stood still, his forehead already beaded with sweat. He quietly took a half-step back, considering whether he should take this opportunity to slip away.

"Chen Mo!"

Fan Binbin, without looking up, ladled out soup: "Where are you going?"

Four pairs of eyes shot towards him simultaneously. Chen Mo froze on the spot, managing a dry laugh: "I...I'll go get everyone the tableware."

"no need!"

Fan Binbin magically produced a set of exquisite tableware from her handbag: "I've prepared everything."

Chen Mo had no choice but to bite the bullet and walk over. When he took the soup bowl from Fan Binbin, his fingers accidentally touched her fingertips, and he immediately felt three sharp gazes.

"How does it taste?" Fan Binbin asked, resting his chin on his hand, but his eyes were on the other three.

"Not bad," Yang Mi commented.

"Too much salt!" Tiger Girl Zhang Yuqi bluntly stated.

Zhao Liying took a small sip and said softly, "It's cooked just right."

Chen Mo lowered his head and gulped down his soup, wishing he could bury his face in the bowl. He felt like a mouse surrounded by four cats, each elegantly licking its paws, yet ready to unleash its sharp claws at any moment.

No, she's already a mother, can't she give her child's father some face?

"You guys are really something! So many people are watching this!" Fan Binbin suddenly said.

Chen Mo paused for a moment, then glanced gratefully at Fan Binbin. Fan Binbin, however, gave him a charming look, as if to say, "How are you going to thank me?"

The other three women immediately realized what was happening and glanced around. Although they all dodged the attack, their faces still felt a little hot.

Thinking back to the exchange between the three of them, it's likely that this group has already made it a hot topic for gossip.

The aroma of chicken soup wafted across the set, defusing the tense atmosphere with a few deft strokes from Fan Binbin, leaving a subtle calm around the table where the four sat. Chen Mo, holding his bowl, glanced at the surrounding staff, especially noticing the evasive looks from Zhao Ming, Hu Ge, and Huang Bo, and Liu Yifei's overtly secretive and furtive glances. He was speechless!
She calls herself a celestial beauty? She's nothing but a gossipmonger. Her fans should really see her true colors.

Old Hu, Huang Bo, Zhao Ming, and Chen Mo were all seething with hatred!

Seriously, they're not friends at all! When their friend is in trouble, they just stand by and watch, it's infuriating!
Chen Mo was secretly cursing his friends for their mischievousness and love of watching the drama unfold when Fan Binbin suddenly tapped the rim of her bowl lightly with her spoon. The crisp sound drew everyone's attention. She raised an eyebrow and called out to a corner of the set, "Brother Bo, if you guys keep hiding, this pot of soup will be completely ruined."

Upon hearing this, Huang Bo immediately poked his head out from behind the prop box, rubbing his hands together and chuckling, "Binbin, you're cooking yourself, so I have to support you!"

Saying this, he grabbed Hu Ge, who was still pretending to be an ostrich, and walked towards the table. Hu Ge followed with a sheepish smile, and as he passed Chen Mo, he winked and mouthed, "Take care, brother."

However, regardless of the circumstances, perhaps because of Fan Binbin's words, they realized that continuing to make trouble would only make them a laughing stock, or perhaps because they brought the others over, so the scene became quite harmonious.

We've finally made it through the toughest part.

Chen Mo couldn't taste the chicken soup at all.

Fortunately, Fan Binbin then demonstrated her skillful handling of the situation, and Chen Mo led them around while introducing some of his ideas for the wedding.

This made the scene very harmonious for a time.

However, when night fell, Chen Mo felt another chill run down his spine.

The four women all went to the rooms that had been arranged for them.

Clearly, this is to leave the choice to Chen Mo.

Choosing what to choose is the most troublesome thing. Can't we choose everything? Even if it's a little harder and more tiring, he'd be willing to sleep together in a larger bed, even if it means taking a day off tomorrow!
Instead of the way it is now!
In the end, Chen Mo simply didn't choose any of them. Well, he's trying to be fair. Master Chen Mo, the master of fairness, is officially online!
Sure enough, one monk carries water, two monks share the burden, but three monks have no water to drink, let alone four female demons.

"Knock knock knock!" Just as Chen Mo finished washing up and was about to go to sleep, there was a sudden knock on the door.

When Chen Mo opened the door, he saw Fan Binbin leaning against the door frame, water droplets still dripping from her hair, her collarbone faintly visible through the neckline of her dark silk robe.

She swirled the wine bottle in her hand, the amber liquid tracing an alluring arc on the glass: "I heard a certain master of diplomacy needs someone to pour wine tonight?"

Chen Mo's Adam's apple bobbed, and his fingers unconsciously tightened around the doorknob.

The warm yellow light from the corridor wall lamps cast a fuzzy halo around her features, making her smiling eyes appear even sharper. As he stepped aside to make way, he caught a whiff of her pleasant shower gel scent!
"Them." Chen Mo had just started to speak when Fan Binbin interrupted him, "I know what you're worried about."

"Don't worry, I've taken care of everything for you! How are you going to thank me?" Fan Binbin walked straight to the minibar, the bottle opener twirling beautifully between her fingers.

"How did you handle it?" Chen Mo asked curiously.

"What else can we do? Of course, we'll reason with them and appeal to their emotions," Fan Binbin said with a charming smile.

As she spoke, she handed the wine glass to Chen Mo.

Chen Mo was filled with question marks.

As he reached for the glass, Fan Binbin suddenly withdrew his wrist, tilted his head back, and brought the wine to his mouth. The next second, cool lips pressed against his, the astringency of tannins exploding between his teeth, and he tasted a more subtle sweetness hidden behind the aroma of the wine.

With a clatter, the crystal glass rolled onto the carpet.

Chen Mo's hand hovered in mid-air before finally landing on the ribbon knot at her lower back.

However, Fan Binbin suddenly stood up, chuckled, and said, "Alright, I should go!"

Chen Mo was immediately dumbfounded.

She leaned down and gently pecked Chen Mo again, then said, "Xiao Zhao will be here soon! After all, she's the leading lady at this wedding, isn't she?"

Chen Mo breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you!" Chen Mo said sincerely.

"You know that much!" Fan Binbin said, giving him a flirtatious wink.

Let's rewind to an hour earlier. In Zhao Liying's room, Fan Binbin, Zhang Yuqi, Yang Mi, and Zhao Liying sat at four different positions on the sofa.

“You guys are all mothers now, and you don’t even consider the occasion when you’re jealous!” Fan Binbin said.

Yang Mi and the other two looked at each other, all somewhat indignant, but knowing they were in the wrong, they remained silent.

"Alright, what's there to be jealous about? Everyone has their day to be the leading lady. You two, did you also think about that day when other people would come and cause trouble?" Fan Binbin said irritably.

Yang Mi and Zhang Yuqi looked at each other, both feeling a little embarrassed.

Because what Fan Binbin said is indeed correct.

Each person gets one turn; this was something Chen Mo had already agreed upon with them. What's the point of arguing about who goes first?
And will the originator of this practice have no descendants?
"Okay, Xiao Zhao, I was wrong today, I apologize!" Although Zhang Yuqi was fierce, she was not an unreasonable person, and she immediately spoke to Zhao Liying.

“Me too!” Yang Mi paused and then said.

“Since you’ve already decided on this man, then don’t worry about these things. What good will it do you besides causing him trouble?” Fan Binbin said again.

"I shouldn't have said this, but I doubt Jing Tian would say something like this either. It's better to avoid these kinds of things in the future!"

“Today, Xiao Zhao is the main character. Tonight, you two and I shouldn’t argue. Let’s do it this way from now on. What do you think?” Fan Binbin said, looking at the three of them.

"I have no opinion!"

"Me too!"

Yang Mi and Zhang Yuqi also came to their senses at this moment. Having been in the entertainment industry for so many years and doing quite well, they were certainly not fools.

So everyone has become more rational now.

Chen Mo was destined not to belong to any of them alone, so what was there to fight for?

Everything was fine before, wasn't it? Everyone was keeping in tacit agreement, avoiding direct confrontation!
And if they go even further today, what will happen later?
When they play the leading lady again, won't they have to go through the same thing again?
Therefore, the two of them also felt that Fan Binbin's statement was indeed correct.

In the stillness of the night, the wall lamps in the corridor cast a dim, yellowish glow. Chen Mo leaned against the door, the faint scent of red wine still lingering on his fingertips. Fan Binbin's parting words, "Xiao Zhao will come," made his heart flutter slightly, yet strangely reassuring.

Sure enough, not long after, light footsteps stopped outside the door.

"Not asleep yet?" Zhao Liying's voice was very soft, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquility of the night. She was wearing a light-colored nightgown, and her hair was slightly damp, so she had obviously just taken a shower.

Chen Mo stepped aside to let her in, closing the door behind him. "I've been waiting for you," he smiled, his gaze sweeping over her slightly flushed earlobes.

The aroma of red wine still lingered in the room. Zhao Liying glanced at the overturned wine glass on the carpet, her eyebrows twitching, but she asked nothing. She walked to the window, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the tassels of the curtains. "Sister Binbin...did she tell you everything?"

"Mm." Chen Mo stood behind her, his hand lightly resting on her shoulder, feeling her tense shoulder line slowly relax. "Thank you."

Zhao Liying turned around, looked up at him, and her eyes shone with a faint light.

"Actually, I went a bit too far today."

She pursed her lips: "I know it's not the right occasion, but I just can't help it."

Chen Mo sighed and ran his thumb across her eye—where there was a very faint shadow of fatigue.

"is my problem."

He lowered his voice: "I always try to please everyone, but in the end, I only make things difficult for you. Of course, the biggest problem is that I am too greedy. I always want everything, but I can't handle it well."

Zhao Liying suddenly laughed and poked his chest: "Even a master of impartiality can make a mistake?"

"Completely and thoroughly."

Chen Mo grabbed her fingers and pulled her into his arms. She smelled of familiar citrus shower gel, mixed with the coolness of the night breeze.

Outside the window, the shadows of trees swayed gently, and moonlight shone through the gauze curtains, spreading a silvery white across the floor.

Zhao Liying leaned against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat, and suddenly said, "Actually, we've already discussed it... From now on, everyone's 'home turf' will be taken care of by everyone else."

She paused, then said in an even softer voice, "But you have to promise me one thing."

"What?" Chen Mo asked, puzzled.

"Don't hide." She raised her head, her eyes clear and firm: "Like today, you could have stood up sooner, but you always tried to run away, always wanted to treat everyone equally!"

Chen Mo's Adam's apple bobbed, a bitter feeling welling up inside him, mixed with guilt.

Yes, at least he didn't perform well today! After all, this wedding was for Zhao Liying, so it would be wrong for me to treat everyone equally.

"This wedding is mine, and you are mine too. At least in this wedding, you are mine."

Zhao Liying tiptoed closer to his ear, her breath brushing against his neck: "At least tonight... you're not allowed to bring water anymore."

Chen Mo chuckled softly, tightening his grip on her waist: "Yes, ma'am, leading lady."

As soon as Zhao Liying finished speaking, Chen Mo felt a warm sensation rise in his chest.

She's always like this; seemingly petite and delicate, she's more resolute than anyone else when it matters.

He looked down at her slightly flushed cheeks, the moonlight casting dappled shadows on her eyelashes through the gauze curtains, like a layer of silver dust.

"Okay, I'll do whatever you say tonight."

Chen Mo's voice was a little hoarse as he gently brushed his fingertips through her hair, tucking a stray strand behind her ear. Zhao Liying's earlobes were smooth and lustrous, with a slightly cool touch, which made him want to caress them a few more times.

She gave a soft snort, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his collar, her grip light but firm: "Talk is cheap."

Before Chen Mo could react, she had already stood on tiptoe and kissed him.

The kiss carried a hint of defiance, as if it were a desperate attempt to prove something.

Chen Mo chuckled softly, then cupped the back of her head with his hand and took the initiative.

A gust of wind suddenly blew past the window, and Zhao Liying shrank her neck.

Chen Mo grabbed her mischievous hand and deliberately put on a stern face: "Who just said that we weren't allowed to bring water tonight? Ms. Zhao, are you trying to lead the way in breaking the rules?"

She raised her chin confidently: "How can that be the same? I'm checking if the male lead is ready."

Before she could finish speaking, Chen Mo leaned down and sealed her lips with his. Zhao Liying subconsciously bit his lower lip, and when she heard him gasp in pain, she quickly soothed him with her tongue. As a result, he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

During their struggle, the bedside lamp was bumped and shook. In the warm yellow light, Chen Mo saw tears welling up in her eyes. He suddenly remembered the first time he saw her on set—she was wearing a dirty costume, squatting in a corner, diligently studying the script, like a stubborn little animal.

Now the little beast is well-fed and glossy, but it still shows its sharp fangs when aroused.

"What are you laughing at?" Zhao Liying tugged at his hair in annoyance. Chen Mo shook his head. His actions spoke volumes!
As the moonlight streamed in again, Chen Mo noticed the person in his arms drawing circles on his chest with her fingertip, each stroke deliberate as if she were signing her name. He took the finger and brought it to his lips, when he suddenly heard her ask, "You mean...they're all really asleep?"

There was a hint of childlike uncertainty in his tone.

Whether they're actually asleep or not doesn't matter; what matters is that none of us will get any sleep tonight!

"Huh? Are you crazy? We have filming tomorrow!"

"I'm the director, what I say goes. Tomorrow's a day off!"

After saying that, Chen Mo silenced her with a kiss!
A night breeze lifted a corner of the curtains, and moonlight quietly crept up the edge of the bed. In the distance, the faint sound of a piano drifted from somewhere, like an unfinished romantic prelude.

Of course, that night, they ultimately failed to ensure that no one could sleep.

I'm just too tired!

Even so, Chen Mo didn't wake up until late the next day.

I was woken up by hunger; some of the work is mainly physical labor!
The place beside him was already deserted, clearly Zhao Liying had gotten up much earlier than him.

Thinking of how someone had cried themselves unconscious last night, yet recovered much faster than him, Chen Mo couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle.

(End of this chapter)