This director only directs blockbusters.

On Friday night of the third week of training, Fan Binbin sent a text message.

"Director Yang, it's your day off tomorrow, let me treat you to a meal."

Yang Ning was watching the painting progress on the city wall model and casually replied, "Okay, where?"

"You choose the place, it's on me."

"Wangfujing Hotel, it's closer."

They stopped there for a while.

"Could we go somewhere else? I'd like to find a quiet place."

Yang Ning raised an eyebrow. This girl usually trains very hard and doesn't talk much, why did she suddenly decide to treat everyone today?

"Then you decide."

"Okay, I'll send you the address tomorrow night at 7 PM."

When the address was sent, Yang Ning was taken aback.

It's not a restaurant, it's the name of a residential complex. A high-end apartment complex next to Chaoyang Park.

He called: "Fan Binbin, is this address wrong?"

"Yes," Fan Binbin said calmly, "It's my home. I cook for myself."

"..."

"If it's inconvenient for Director Yang, we can go out to eat another day."

Yang Ning glanced out the window; the rain had just stopped, and it was getting dark early.

"It's fine, your place is fine."

"Okay, see you at seven."

After hanging up the phone, Old Xu leaned over and asked, "Who was that?"

"Fan Binbin, please have dinner."

"Oh, a private date?" Old Xu winked. "Not bad, Yangzi. That girl's got feelings for you..."

"Yeah, right." Yang Ning stuffed his phone into his pocket. "It's just a regular meal."

"A casual dinner at home?"

Yang Ning ignored him and continued looking at the model.

But a question lingered in his mind. Fan Binbin was ruthless during training but cold in private; this sudden outburst was a bit strange.

But he didn't think much of it. It's normal for actors to treat directors to dinner. Although going to their homes is a bit unusual, well... never mind.

---

At 6:50 p.m. on Saturday, Yang Ning found the neighborhood according to the address.

The access control was strict; the security guard stared at him for three times before letting him through.

The building is over twenty stories high. The elevator is eerily quiet.

When the door was opened, Fan Binbin was wearing a light gray loungewear outfit, her hair was loosely tied up, she wasn't wearing makeup, and there were some powder stains on her face, but it didn't affect her charm.

"Director Yang, please come in." She stepped aside.

The room was spacious, but not cluttered. White walls, wooden floors, a beige sofa, and a bottle of unopened red wine on the coffee table. The most striking feature was the entire wall of bookshelves, crammed full, yet neatly arranged.

There was a smell of stewed meat in the air.

"Please sit down, I'll go check on the soup." Fan Binbin turned and went into the kitchen.

Yang Ning sat down on the sofa and looked around.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows is the night view of Chaoyang Park, with its winding strips of lights. Inside, the main lights aren't on; just a few floor lamps provide a warm, yellow glow.

It was so clean, it didn't look like a human living there. There was no clutter, no things lying around, and even the remote control was placed right in the center of the coffee table.

The sound of chopping vegetables came from the kitchen, a steady, rhythmic thud.

Yang Ning got up and walked to the kitchen door.

Fan Binbin, wearing an apron, was bending down to shred potatoes. Her knife skills were excellent; each shred was of uniform thickness. A pot of simmering potatoes was steaming on the stove.

"Do you need any help?" he asked.

"No need, it'll be ready in a minute." Fan Binbin didn't look up. "Please have a seat. There's water on the coffee table; help yourself."

Yang Ning didn't leave; he leaned against the door frame and watched.

She cooks with great focus, as if she's performing a meticulous task. Adding salt, tasting the broth, adjusting the heat—every movement is swift and efficient.

"Do you cook often?" he asked.

"If you live alone, you have to know a little bit." Fan Binbin put the shredded potatoes into the pan with a sizzling sound. "Ever since I started learning to cook, I make my own meals whenever I have time, and I've actually come to enjoy it."

The dishes were served one by one.

The braised pork belly was glistening with flavor, the shredded potatoes were stir-fried until crisp, the steamed sea bass was drizzled with soy sauce and hot oil, and there was also a stir-fried vegetable dish. The soup was yam and pork rib soup, milky white in color.

Four dishes and a soup, home-style cooking, but each one is exquisite.

"I didn't expect you to have this skill." Yang Ning sat down.

Fan Binbin opened a glass of red wine and poured two glasses: "I didn't know how before, but I learned later."

Why learn it?

"Because..." she paused, "there are some dinner parties I don't want to go to, and sometimes I just want to be alone."

Yang Ning understood.

The two clinked glasses. The red wine was smooth, fruity, and not astringent.

"Try the dish." Fan Binbin handed over chopsticks.

The braised pork belly melts in your mouth, with a perfect balance of sweet and savory. The shredded potatoes are crisp and cooked to perfection. The fish is fresh, and the vegetables are tender.

"It's delicious," Yang Ning said sincerely.

Fan Binbin smiled and lowered his head to eat.

After taking a few bites, she suddenly said, "Director Yang, do you know when I filmed my first movie?"

Sixteen years old? From "My Fair Princess"?

"That's the second one." Fan Binbin took a sip of his drink. "The first one was when I was fifteen. I was an extra in a small film crew, playing a maid. I only had two lines. I filmed for a day and got fifty yuan."

She picked up a piece of fish and carefully removed the bones.

"I was naive back then, thinking that filming would be fun. But on the first day, the director scolded me until I cried, saying that I couldn't even walk properly. After that, I arrived at the set two hours early every day to watch how others acted, how they moved, and how they adjusted to the lighting."

Yang Ning didn't speak, he just listened.

"After filming that movie, I got fifty yuan, and I treated my mom to KFC," Fan Binbin laughed. "She cried while she ate, saying that her daughter had suffered. I said it wasn't hard, it was fun."

Car headlights swept past the window, leaving a bright and dark mark on her face.

"Later, I gradually got acting roles, but they were all minor ones. Sometimes I would wait an entire day just for a single line. I experienced wearing only a single layer of clothing in winter and a cotton-padded coat in summer."

She raised her glass, looking at the color of the red wine under the light.

"Later, 'My Fair Princess' became a hit. Everyone said I became famous overnight and was lucky."

Nobody asked how many maids I had played before, or how many times I had died.

But saying all this is just sentimentality. There are far more people in the entertainment industry than me who are worse off than me, but at least I've made it through. To put it bluntly, I'm famous now.

Yang Ning clinked glasses with her.

"And then what happens after you become famous?" he asked.

"Even more tiring." Fan Binbin put down his cup. "Every day I'm rushing to announcements, filming movies, and socializing."

Sometimes I fly to three cities in a single day, and when I wake up I don't even know where I am.

But I feel fulfilled and happy despite my exhaustion, because this is the life I want.

She took a bite of greens, chewing very slowly.

"But there are also painful times, and the most painful time is when everyone is telling you what to do—"

What to wear, what to say, who to eat with, and who not to talk to.

It's as if you've become a product, and you have to follow the instructions.

"Never thought about quitting?"

"I definitely thought about it." Fan Binbin looked up at him. "Especially when I was being scolded the most, I really wanted to quit."

But then I thought, so many people depend on you for their livelihood—your agent, your assistant, your company… If you fall, they will fall with you.

Most importantly, when I woke up the next day, I realized I still liked my current life. No one can have everything they want in this world.

She smiled, a smile that was both bitter and carefree.

"So I just endured it. I acted in bad movies, took on bad roles, made money, and supported my team."

Gradually, I became numb, thinking that this was probably how it would be—to be a pretty vase, fade into obscurity, and then disappear. But I wasn't willing to accept that, so…”

Yang Ning poured her more wine.

"Then why did you take this role? You should know that I'm just a new director, and my demands are so outrageous," he asked.