Guide to Rising to Power as a Wife in Beijing's Elite Circle

The night sky over the East China Sea is completely different from that of Jingjing.

With no light pollution and no tall buildings obstructing the view, the dark blue sky was sprinkled with stars like scattered diamonds, and the Milky Way stretched across the horizon like a luminous ribbon. The moon hung low, astonishingly large, and its cool light bathed the Gobi Desert, gilding the desolation with a layer of silver.

Chen Nuo, wrapped in a thick military overcoat, sat on a rock outside the filming base, his breath quickly dissipating in the cold air.

I've been on set for seven days now.

She was so busy for those seven days that she barely had time to rest.

I get up at five in the morning to assist with stage preparations;

During the day, I followed Liu Qingsong to the set, recording the parameters of every shot; at night, I organized the script supervisor sheet, often staying up until the early hours of the morning.

Tired, but fulfilled.

I was so busy that I barely had time to think about that person.

almost.

7 PM, the base's canteen.

The crew of over thirty people squeezed around several long tables, eating a simple meal of four dishes and a soup, but the atmosphere was very warm. The nights in Northwest China were bitterly cold, but the canteen was well-heated, and everyone drank hot water and chatted.

Jiang Wen sat down next to Chen Nuo naturally and served her some food: "This mutton is delicious and not gamey. You should try it."

"Thank you," Chen Nuo said, taking small bites.

"Are you from the Film Academy?" Jiang asked.

"Yes, directing major."

"Impressive." Jiang Wen gave a thumbs up. "Director Liu doesn't usually take students along. The fact that you were able to come along means you must have some special skills."

He said this sincerely, without any intention of flattery.

Chen Nuo smiled and said, "I was lucky."

"Don't be modest." Jiang Wen took out his phone. "Can we add each other on WeChat? You can ask me technical questions in the future."

Chen Nuo hesitated for a moment, but still scanned the code.

After adding him as a friend, Jiang Wen's profile picture was a photo he took in the desert, smiling brightly in the sun. His WeChat Moments were full of photos of various shooting locations and landscapes, brimming with energy and enthusiasm.

He is completely different from Fang Jingxiu.

Fang Jingxiu's WeChat Moments was blank, and his profile picture was a black and white silhouette of a building, just like him: deep, restrained, and unfathomable.

My phone vibrated; it was a WeChat message from my father.

"Nono, did you contact Fang Jingxiu today?"

Chen Nuo stared at the message, his fingers tightening.

She replied, "He hasn't spoken to me for thirteen days."

Soon, my father called.

Chen Nuo walked a little further away to answer the phone: "Dad."

"What's going on?" Chen Jianguo's voice was serious. "Why haven't you contacted me for so many days?"

"...He doesn't reply to my messages."

"You won't send it if I don't reply?" Chen Jianguo's tone was stern. "Nono, what have I ever taught you? Men, especially men like Fang Jingxiu, are never short of women. There are plenty of young, beautiful, and well-connected women who want to climb up to him. If you stop, someone else will immediately take your place."

Chen Nuo bit her lip: "But Dad, he hasn't come back..."

"Whether he replies or not is his business; whether you send it or not is your business," Chen Jianguo interrupted her.

"You need to let him know that you're always there. Even if he doesn't reply, you should still send him a message every few days. Tell him what you filmed today, what you ate, what interesting things happened. Make him feel that he's a part of your life."

"But……"

"No buts." Chen Jianguo's tone softened a bit. "Nono, listen to me. A man like Fang Jingxiu, who got to this position before he was even thirty, is already used to being in control. He likes you because you make him feel relaxed and comfortable. But if you suddenly disappear, what will he think? He'll feel that you don't value him enough, that you don't take him seriously."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "Besides, his current distancing doesn't necessarily mean he doesn't like you anymore. He might be testing you, seeing if you can remain calm and whether you're truly mature."

Chen Nuo held the phone, her fingers icy cold.

Is that right?

Is it a test, or is he truly tired of it?

"Dad," she asked softly, "what if he really doesn't like me anymore?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then Chen Jianguo said, "Then you should send him even more messages. Send them until he feels indebted to you, until he feels embarrassed, until he takes the initiative to come to you."

"...Will this work?"

"It works," Chen Jianguo said confidently. "Men all fall for this. A young and beautiful girl doesn't mind your coldness and keeps caring about you. Over time, he'll feel guilty, soften, and remember how good you were to him."

Chen Nuo closed his eyes.

She felt tired.

Calculation, weighing options, testing... Is this what adult emotions are like?

"Nono," Chen Jianguo's tone softened, "I know you feel wronged. But this is reality. If you want to climb up, if you want to stand beside him, you have to endure it, you have to persevere."

"……I see."

After hanging up the phone, Chen Nuo walked back to the filming location.

Jiang Wen was still sitting there. When he saw her come back, he handed her a bottle of hot milk tea: "I just got this from the prop truck. It'll keep you warm."

Chen Nuo accepted it: "Thank you."

"You don't look well," Jiang asked cautiously. "Are you alright?"

"It's nothing," Chen Nuo forced a smile. "I'm just a little tired."

The two sat for a while longer until Liu Qingsong's voice came through the walkie-talkie: "Everyone, get ready! Filming will begin in twenty minutes!"

Chen Nuo stood up and handed the hot water bottle back to Jiang Wen: "I'm going to get back to work."

"it is good."

The moment Chen Nuo turned around, she took out her phone and opened the pinned chat window.

The last message was from her: "Take care of yourself."

No reply.

Chen Nuo stared at the screen for a few seconds, then typed:

"Brother Xiu, we're filming a night scene in the East China Sea today, and there are so many stars. If you're working overtime, remember to look at the night sky."

send.

Like completing a task.

Then she put away her phone and went into the filming location.

The lights come on, the equipment is in place, and the actors are in position.

Liu Qingsong shouted, "Action!"

Everyone got to work.

Chen Nuo stood behind the monitor, holding the clapperboard. She stared at the screen, recording every detail, forcing herself to concentrate.

But out of the corner of my eye, I still glance at my phone.

It remained silent.

Until 3 a.m. when they finished work and returned to the makeshift prefab house where the crew was staying, their phone hadn't been lit up at all.

Chen Nuo took a shower and lay down on the bed.

The prefabricated house has very poor sound insulation; you can hear Jiang Wen and his colleagues playing games next door, as well as the sound of the wind from the distant Gobi Desert.

She picked up her phone and took one last look.

Then turn off the screen and bury your face in the pillow.

The nights in Qinghai are cold, and the blankets are thin.

She curled up in a ball, like a wounded little animal.

And Jingjing, two thousand kilometers away.

Fang Jingxiu stood by the office window, holding his mobile phone.

On the screen are two messages that Chen Nuo sent today.

One message came in the morning: "Brother Xiu, we're filming a night scene in the East China Sea today, and there are so many stars. If you're working overtime, remember to look at the night sky."

One message came after we finished filming: "We filmed until 3 a.m. today. The wind was so strong in the Gobi Desert. Goodnight, Brother Xiu."

He stared at the words for a long time.

Then exit the dialog box and lock the screen.

The phone screen went dark, revealing his tired face.

He knew what he was doing.

I also know that doing this might be wrong.

But he couldn't control himself.

Every time I see her news, I think of that night.

The sheets she slept on, her scent, her bright eyes when she looked up at him.

Then it will get out of control.

Therefore, he could only deal with it by ignoring it.

I can only not reply, not see, and not think.

But why...?

Why do I feel so empty inside?

Fang Jingxiu lit a cigarette and looked out the window at the night sky over Jingjing.

It was hazy and there were no stars.

He suddenly remembered what she had said: "There are so many stars."

What do the stars look like in Qinghai?

What is she thinking when she looks at the stars?

Fang Jingxiu took a deep breath and stubbed out his cigarette.

I can't think about it anymore.

He turned around, returned to his desk, and continued reading the documents.

But those densely packed words seemed to have lost their meaning at this moment.

Only one thought remained in my mind...

She was in the East China Sea, watching the stars.

And he, in Jingjing, missed her.