Huayu: This top star doesn't play by the rules.

As Meng Ziyi finished speaking, the entire living room fell silent.

The smile on his face gradually faded, and the tenderness in Chen Chao's eyes froze. He looked at Meng Ziyi, his Adam's apple bobbing, and asked incredulously, "What did you say?"

At this moment, Meng Ziyi realized what she had said, and her face turned pale instantly. She hurriedly waved her hands, explaining, "No! That's not what I meant! Chen Chao, don't misunderstand!"

Her eyes welled up with tears, and she nervously grabbed his hand, explaining incoherently, "I didn't mean you don't have to take responsibility, I'm just... I'm afraid that if we officially announce our relationship now, it will affect you."

"You're currently in the most crucial period of your career's rise. If you start dating at this time, your fans will leave, the production team will have objections, and what if 'Princess Agents' is canceled because of this?"

"And there's myself." Meng Ziyi's voice gradually lowered, her fingertips clutching the hem of his clothes. "I don't want people to always say 'This is Chen Chao's girlfriend' when they mention me. I also want to have my own works, to stand on my own two feet, and to stand shoulder to shoulder with you, instead of just following behind you."

Seeing her reddened eyes, and the struggle and seriousness in them, Chen Chao's disappointment dissipated.

Having been reborn, how could he not understand these things? He understands the rules of the Chinese entertainment industry better than many people in this era, and he also understands what the relationship of a rising star means in the era of internet traffic.

He had thought about these issues, but more than his future, he cared about her feelings and whether she would feel insecure or hurt.

As for not being suitable for the traffic-driven path because of his relationship, it's not a big problem for Chen Chao, since he has talent in addition to his popularity.

Reaching out, Chen Chao pulled Meng Ziyi into his arms, gently patting her back and speaking softly, "You silly girl, how could I not have thought of these things?"

Burying her head tightly in Chen Chao's arms, Meng Ziyi asked in a muffled voice, "Then...you're not angry?"

"Why would I be angry?" Chen Chao smiled and kissed the top of her head. "I just didn't expect my sister Meng to think so far ahead."

The two embraced for a while, enjoying a quiet and tender moment, before finally opening up to each other. Since Meng Ziyi had made this choice, Chen Chao would naturally respect it.

The agreement the two ultimately reached was simple: they would not officially announce their relationship to the public, and if anyone asked about their relationship, they would answer that they were good friends.

"However, we can forgo the formal title for now." Chen Chao reached out and pinched Meng Ziyi's cheek, who was quite satisfied with the agreement, a hint of cunning in his eyes. "But the things that need to be done cannot be neglected."

Instantly understanding Chen Chao's meaning, Meng Ziyi's cheeks flushed red again. She reached out and playfully punched him, but he grabbed her wrist and kissed her directly.

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After they officially started talking, Chen Chao's suite became their unspoken little home. Meng Ziyi even moved most of her belongings over, claiming it was "to make it easier to rehearse together and not delay the filming schedule."

To others, the relationship between Chen Chao and Meng Ziyi was no different from before. They would greet each other when they met, had great chemistry when acting together, and would still hang out with Li Yitong and Chen Xingxu during breaks to share snacks.

The only people in the crew who were relatively clear about the relationship between the two were Chen Xingxu and Li Yitong, who were good friends. They often helped the two cover for each other in the crew, keeping them out of the sight of other crew members.

Every morning, Chen Chao would get up half an hour early, either to pack Meng Ziyi's favorite breakfast from the hotel restaurant, or to cook for her himself, such as a bowl of wontons, so that Meng Ziyi could have a hot breakfast when she groggily got up.

During breaks in filming during the day, Meng Ziyi would pull Li Yitong along, grab her snack bag, and casually slip over to Chen Chao's side.

In the evening, Chen Chao would accompany Meng Ziyi to review the scenes for the next day, correcting her movements step by step and teaching her how to convey emotions with her eyes.

In such a sweet and ordinary daily life, time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, Chen Chao's filming of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" came to an end. He also ushered in the final major scene of the character Ouyang Ke - the death of Ouyang Ke.

This scene is the final chapter of the character Ouyang Ke's story, and it is also the scene that most severely tests the actor's skills.

In this version of The Condor Heroes, Mu Nianci overheard Yang Kang and Wanyan Honglie's conversation about killing Ouyang Ke. She intended to warn Ouyang Ke, but instead, he caught her off guard and immobilized her with acupressure.

But just as Ouyang Ke was about to harm Mu Nianci, Yang Kang arrived. Originally, Ouyang Ke was concerned about Yang Kang and planned to let Mu Nianci go, but Yang Kang claimed that he no longer cared, which made Ouyang Ke lower his guard. He then turned around and stabbed Ouyang Ke several times. Ouyang Ke believed until his death that he had died because of a woman.

Unlike the 08 version of Ouyang Ke, Chen Chao's portrayal of Ouyang Ke showcases his cunning, treacherous, and lecherous nature. Although he is also in love with Huang Rong, he remains a womanizer.

There aren't many lines in this scene; the actors' eyes and body language are the main means of conveying the complex emotions of the character on the verge of death.

If the performance is good, the character of Ouyang Ke will be fully established, and even if he is a villain, he will be memorable to the audience; but if the performance is bad, he will only become a stereotypical villain who deserves to die, and all the previous efforts will be wasted.

So before filming began, Jiang Jiajun specifically called Chen Chao over and repeatedly confirmed with him: "Are you confident about this scene? Ouyang Ke is not a purely stereotypical villain."

"He has the pride of the young master of White Camel Mountain, the obsession with Huang Rong whom he cannot have, the disbelief at Yang Kang's sneak attack, and even a hint of self-mockery about the absurdity of his life. These emotions should be revealed layer by layer, without being rushed or too overwhelming."

"Director Jiang, don't worry." Chen Chao nodded, his tone calm. "I'm ready."

To prepare for this scene, he read through all the plot points about Ouyang Ke in the original novel over and over again, thoroughly understanding the character's life from birth to death.

He knew this character all too well. Was Ouyang Ke bad? Yes, he was a womanizer, ruthless and cunning, and had many lives on his hands.

But he was also quite tragic, living his entire life in the shadow of his uncle, or rather, his biological father, Ouyang Feng, and never receiving the recognition he longed for until his death.

Huang Rong, whom he longed for, never gave him a second glance, and in the end, he died at the hands of Yang Kang, whom he didn't even take seriously. How ironic.