The world of film and television starts from the flow of money

After Zhu Yuyan left, the study returned to silence. The candlelight burned shorter, and the light became even dimmer and softer.

Yi Huawei sat quietly behind his desk for a while, reviewing the information Zhu Yuyan had just reported with his own deductions in his mind. After confirming that there were no omissions, he slowly got up.

I walked to the copper basin stand and quickly washed my face with the slightly cool water. The icy water brought a refreshing coolness to my skin. I dried my face with a towel, loosened the belt of my outer garment, and prepared to rest.

Although I don't feel tired, following a regular schedule has become a habit.

Just as his fingers touched the curtain of the inner room, he paused slightly.

At his level, his spiritual perception had long surpassed the ordinary five senses, becoming more of an intuition about the "harmony" of his surroundings. At this moment, the tranquility outside the study door, which had blended seamlessly with the night and the breeze, showed a very subtle "stagnation." A slightly disordered aura had lingered outside the door for a while now.

Yi Huawei remained calm, casually raising his right hand and making a light, airborne gesture towards the door.

"Squeak-"

With a soft click, the door, which was not fully latched, slowly opened inward.

Outside the door, the halo of light from the lantern under the eaves slanted in, outlining a slender figure.

Shan Wanjing kept her right hand slightly raised, her fingertips about to touch the door, as if she was about to knock. The door suddenly opened by itself, obviously taking her by surprise, making her freeze for a moment, her raised hand hanging in mid-air, looking somewhat at a loss.

At this moment, Shan Wanjing is completely different from the dashing and spirited Princess Dongming during the day, dressed in a smart outfit.

Her long, black hair was completely let down, flowing smoothly over her shoulders and back, the ends still damp from her shower, with a few strands playfully clinging to her fair neck.

Her face was completely bare of makeup, revealing her striking features, which had been carefully enhanced. Her skin had a delicate pink hue, like the finest peach blossom jade, making her appear even more tender. In the dim light, her eyes were misty with a thin layer of water, and in their movement, they lacked their usual sharpness, gaining a rare softness.

She wore a light cherry blossom-colored nightgown. The upper body was a short-sleeved shirt with a cross-collar and right-fastening front, close-fitting but not tight, with simple, same-colored intertwined floral patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs, delicate and elegant. As she raised her arm, the cuffs slipped down slightly, revealing a section of her fair, snow-white wrist, her wrist bones slender and exquisite. The lower body was covered with matching long trousers, tapering at the ankles, making her legs appear even straighter and longer. Over this, she loosely wore a long, thin, moon-white silk jacket with silver trim, the front not properly closed, casually open, revealing the cherry blossom color of the nightgown underneath and a small patch of delicate collarbone. On her feet were a pair of light turquoise soft-soled embroidered shoes, the uppers embroidered with small twin lotus blossoms.

Bathed in the dim light of the corridor, she seemed to radiate a soft glow. A night breeze carried her faint fragrance, a blend of soapberry and some sweet floral dew.

However, her exquisitely beautiful face was now abnormally flushed. The blush spread from her cheeks to her ears and neck, like someone drunk, or perhaps extremely shy. Her eyes darted away, avoiding Yi Huawei's gaze, her long, curled eyelashes fluttering nervously like startled butterfly wings. Her slightly parted red lips seemed to want to say something, but no sound came out, and her delicate nostrils twitched slightly with tension.

Shan Wanjing had obviously been standing outside the door for a while, perhaps hesitating and mustering her courage, but she didn't expect the door to open so suddenly.

Yi Huawei had already turned around and was facing the door. He looked at Shan Wanjing, who was blushing and at a loss, but his expression remained calm and composed.

"Why aren't you asleep so late? Is something wrong?"

This ordinary tone seemed to make Shan Wanjing even more embarrassed. She quickly lowered her hand, which had been frozen in mid-air, and subconsciously pulled her open jacket tighter, trying to cover something up, but found that the action was somewhat more of a cover-up. Her fingers unconsciously twisted the belt, and her knuckles turned white.

"Master...Master..."

Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz, hesitant and stammering, completely lacking the crispness of her voice during the day: "Disciple...disciple..."

He stammered "disciple" for a long time without getting to the point, his cheeks turning even redder, almost as if they were about to bleed. His eyes darted around, sometimes looking at the ground, sometimes glancing elsewhere in the room, but he dared not look at Yi Huawei.

Yi Huawei didn't urge her, and just quietly watched her.

The night breeze swept through the courtyard, carrying the faint chirping of insects from afar, which only accentuated the tranquility of the place and the pounding of Shan Wanjing's heart.

"me……"

Shan Wanjing took a deep breath, glanced quickly at Yi Huawei, then lowered her head again, her voice trembling slightly: "Disciple...can't sleep. My mind...is in turmoil."

She seemed to feel a little relieved after saying those words, but then felt even more embarrassed.

"Oh?"

Yi Huawei's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly: "What's causing this disturbance?"

Shan Wanjing bit her lower lip, leaving faint teeth marks on her full, cherry-like lips. She hesitated, her toes unconsciously grinding against the ground.

"It's just...it's just...Master, you suddenly came back! This disciple...this disciple is so happy, so very happy. But...but it feels like a dream, I'm afraid that when I wake up, Master will be gone again..."

As she spoke, her eyes seemed to redden again.

"...Also, Master has instructed me to oversee Jiangyou and prepare to receive the troops advancing north...I...I'm afraid I won't do a good job and will let Master down."

Having finally found a "legitimate" reason, Shan Wanjing's voice became slightly more steady: "In the past three years, although I have been managing things here, I have mostly followed orders, with the support of Master's strategies and the Xiangyang headquarters. Now, I have to take charge on my own, coordinate military affairs in several counties, and monitor all directions... I... I am not confident."

Yi Huawei's face remained expressionless as he took two steps forward to the doorway. He was considerably taller than Shan Wanjing, making her appear even smaller.

When Shan Wanjing sensed her master's approach, her body stiffened slightly, and she lowered her head even further, almost burying it in her chest. Only the corner of his plain white inner robe and the tips of his ordinary cloth shoes could be seen.

"Just for this?"

Yi Huawei's voice came from above.

Shan Wanjing gave a soft "hmm," barely audible. "Raise your head," Yi Huawei said.

Shan Wanjing trembled, hesitated for a moment, and then slowly raised her head. Her face was flushed, her eyes darting around, carrying a hint of trepidation and shyness.

Yi Huawei's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then he reached out and tapped her smooth forehead lightly with his index finger.

"Boom."

A soft sound.

"have a bee in one's bonnet."

Yi Huawei withdrew his hand: "Since I've entrusted this place to you, it means I trust you to handle it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. If you encounter any difficulties, the entire Heavenly Dao Alliance will be there to support you. Why trouble yourself?"

He paused, looking at Shan Wanjing who was covering her forehead, somewhat dazed and aggrieved, and continued, "As for me, I will come back when it's time to come, and I will leave when it's time to leave. You just need to do what you're supposed to do, and you don't need to worry about this."

Shan Wanjing lowered her hand from her forehead. Her master stood right in front of her, so real, his aura warm and familiar. But... the burning emotion in her heart that had kept her tossing and turning was like magma that had been suppressed for a long time, churning violently.

Yes, that's how Master always is. He arranges everything, gives absolute trust, and then leaves, as if he has everything under control, and as if... he doesn't care about the concerns of others after he leaves.

But how could I not worry about it?
Six years ago, she was still the little princess of the Dongming Sect. Although she was intelligent and lively, she was ignorant of the dangers of the world and the profound principles of martial arts. It was her master who appeared in the Dongming Sect as if descending from the sky, subduing her mother with unparalleled power and recognizing her talent at first glance.

Over the years, her master personally laid the foundation for her, taught her exquisite swordsmanship and mental techniques, and guided her through every hurdle in her martial arts journey.

Her master didn't speak much, but every word she uttered went straight to the heart of the matter; she was strict in her demands, but never harsh. When she was injured during practice, it was her master who used his internal energy to heal her; when she was frustrated and discouraged, it was her master who gave her silent encouragement.

Gradually, that awe was mixed with more and more dependence, admiration, and an emotion that transcended master and disciple, which she herself was not clearly aware of. She began to unconsciously search for that figure in blue in the crowd, began to be overjoyed by a simple compliment from her master, and began to be absent-minded when her master left. She practiced her skills desperately, not only to become stronger, but also to be able to catch up with her master's back, to make him look at her more, and to one day stand by his side instead of always looking up to him.

The separation three years ago felt like a long, agonizing ordeal to her. She followed her master's orders and came to this remote place, shouldering a heavy responsibility. She suppressed all her longing and unease, forcing herself to grow and managing the place in an orderly manner, hoping that when her master returned, he would see a disciple who would make him proud and even... feel honored.

But when his master actually returned, after the initial elation of regaining what was lost, came an even deeper unease.

The master was still the same master, lofty and composed, as if the three years of separation were nothing more than a fleeting moment to him. He easily saw through her pretense, calmly affirmed her achievements, and naturally entrusted her with greater responsibilities... yet he seemed never to notice, or care, the raging, uncontrollable emotions that had already spread through her heart.

Standing before her master, looking into his calm eyes and listening to his rational words, Shan Wanjing felt the emotions that had been suppressed for so long surging and churning like magma, almost burning away her reason.

"No need to... worry about it?"

Dan Wanjing murmured these four words repeatedly, her voice trembling with a hint of grievance that she herself was unaware of.

Tears welled up without warning, quickly blurring her vision. She took a sudden step forward and crashed headlong into Yi Huawei's arms!
Her arms wrapped tightly around his waist like vines, her cheeks buried deep in the white fabric of his shirt, and warm tears instantly soaked the area.

"Master...Master! No! It's not like that! This disciple...this disciple can't do it!"

“Your disciple cannot help but worry! For the past three years... every single day, your disciple has thought of you! I worry about where you have gone, whether you are safe and sound, whether you have encountered any danger... Every time I see your image, I think of you, and my heart feels empty and aches!”

"I have done my best in everything, building the statue and managing the town, not only to fulfill my master's orders, but also... to let you know that Wanjing has grown up and can share your burdens. She is no longer the little girl who needs your constant care!"

Dan Wanjing raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears, and looked at Yi Huawei's chin, which was so close to hers. Tears streamed down her face like broken beads, wetting her cheeks and his clothes.

"Master...do you know? Wanjing...Wanjing's feelings for you..."

Shan Wanjing's voice choked with sobs, barely able to continue. Her face, still flushed, was washed away by tears, making her look disheveled and pitiful. Yet, her eyes burned with a fierce intensity: "...It's not just a teacher-student relationship! It's been more than that for a long time!"

These words seemed to have exhausted all her strength. After saying them, as if she had lost her support, Shan Wanjing buried her face back in her arms, her shoulders shaking, as if she wanted to pour out all the longing she had accumulated over the past six years and the naive yet increasingly clear love at once.

“From the day you took me as your disciple…from the day you taught me swordsmanship…from the day you left and came back…Wanjing’s heart…has long been…long been tied to you! I know I shouldn’t…I know this is wishful thinking…I know you are like the bright moon in the sky, unattainable…but I can’t control myself! I really can’t control myself!”

"Master... it's not that I'm ignorant or arrogant, it's just... I like him so much that I don't know what to do..."

“Every day for the past six years, this affection has grown stronger, like wild grass, threatening to engulf me… I’m afraid… afraid that if I don’t speak out, I’ll go mad…”

"Even if... even if you think this disciple is absurd, rebellious, and want to punish or expel this disciple... this disciple will still speak out!"

Shan Wanjing's outpouring was incoherent, interspersed with sobs and trembling, yet it clearly expressed the deep emotions hidden in her heart that could no longer be concealed.

Yi Huawei's body stiffened slightly when she rushed into his arms, hugged him tightly, and began to confide in him.

With his cultivation and state of mind, he had long since reached a state of tranquility, unperturbed by worldly affairs. He possessed the ability to see into people's hearts, and naturally, he wasn't oblivious to the subtle changes in Shan Wanjing over the years. However, for him, in this long life and pursuit, matters of love had long since become a distant concept. He took her as his disciple because he saw her excellent aptitude and character; it was part of his plan, and also a step in accordance with cause and effect. Teaching her, nurturing her, and giving her trust and responsibility were all based on reason and plan.

He never imagined, nor did he ever care, that such a passionate and unwavering love between a man and a woman would blossom in this master-disciple relationship.

At this moment, the trembling body, scalding tears, and courageous confession of the girl in his arms were like a pebble thrown into a deep well. Although it did not create much of a splash, it still caused a tiny ripple to spread across the calm surface of the water.

Yi Huawei didn't immediately push her away, nor did he respond to her embrace. He simply stood there quietly, letting her hold him tightly and pour out her emotions. A complex glimmer flashed in his deep, starry eyes—surprise, a hint of understanding, a touch of helplessness, and perhaps… a subtle, almost imperceptible emotion that even he himself hadn't fully grasped. (End of Chapter)