After being dumped by the diva, I was picked up by her arch-enemy.

Chapter 154 Deeply Rooted

Next is the scene of delivering the sword.

The scene shifts to Duan Xiaolou's residence. Tan Yunxiao is sitting on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), rubbing a pair of iron bladders with walnut oil.

Jiang Yichen pushed the door open and came in.

"Senior brother."

Tan Yunxiao looked up and saw that he was holding a long box in his arms.

"What is it?"

Jiang Yichen placed the box on the table and pushed it in front of him.

"Open it and take a look."

Tan Yunxiao wiped his hands and opened the box. He paused for a moment when he saw the ancient sword, then smiled.

"Hey, where did you find this?"

"The Zhang family's old collection." Jiang Yichen—no, at this moment Cheng Dieyi—stood across the table, staring intently at Duan Xiaolou's face.

The intensity of that gaze was overwhelming.

It contains anticipation, probing, and a desperate gamble where all chips are bet.

Tan Yunxiao drew his sword and casually brandished it a couple of times.

"Not bad. Good stuff."

After he finished speaking, he was about to put the sword back in its case.

It was just a casual action.

Jiang Yichen's eyes shattered.

It's not the kind of broken story you see in acting.

Something really did crack open from the depths of his eyes.

For Cheng Dieyi, this sword is a token of his three years of hard work, and the embodiment of the four words "remain faithful to one's vows to the end".

To Duan Xiaolou, it was just a pretty sword.

That's it.

Throughout the entire scene, Jiang Yichen never uttered a single line expressing "my feelings for you".

But everyone present understood it.

After Chen Ge shouted "Cut!", he remained silent for a long time.

He walked up to Jiang Yichen and stared at the face that still bore traces of Cheng Dieyi's expression.

"How old are you again?"

"Twenty-three."

Chen Ge shook his head.

He said nothing, turned around and walked back behind the monitor.

But Chen Hao heard him mutter something to himself.

"He was born to do this."

.......

We finished work that evening.

Tan Yunxiao removed her makeup and waited for Jiang Yichen outside the film set.

When Jiang Yichen came out, his makeup was completely removed, but his eyes hadn't completely left the character.

Tan Yunxiao glanced at him, and without saying a word, dragged him outside.

"Let's go get some barbecue."

I'm not hungry.

"Who asked if you were hungry? You're not in the right state right now." Tan Yunxiao strode forward. "Getting too immersed in the role can lead to trouble. I've seen it all before. Let's have some barbecue, a couple of beers, and get that Cheng Dieyi off you."

Jiang Yichen didn't struggle and followed him.

On the way, he asked, "Are you ready for tomorrow's scene?"

Tan Yunxiao paused for a moment.

tomorrow.

Duan Xiaolou publicly announced his marriage to Juxian.

Cheng Dieyi broke off all contact with the authorities.

Tan Yunxiao turned around and looked at his junior brother, whom he had grown up with since childhood.

"Third brother."

"Um?"

"I won't hold back in tomorrow's scene. I'll act exactly as Duan Xiaolou is supposed to."

Jiang Yichen nodded.

"Then don't hold back either," Tan Yunxiao said, patting him on the back.

"Tear Cheng Dieyi's heart to pieces."

.........

the next day.

In the afternoon, the film set changed locations.

The main hall of Hua Man Lou was adorned with red silk and the character for "happiness," and a table set with sacrificial animals and wine.

The extras took their positions. Dozens of actors dressed in Republic-era costumes sat on both sides, playing the roles of guests who came to offer their congratulations.

Before filming began, Chen Ge called Jiang Yichen and Tan Yunxiao aside for a private chat.

"This scene was filmed in only one take."

Chen Hao was startled. "Director Chen, such an emotionally charged scene, only one take?"

Chen Ge ignored him and only looked at Jiang Yichen.

"Emotions are genuine the first time. The second time is just acting. You only have one chance to show me Cheng Dieyi's breakdown."

Jiang Yichen nodded.

"clear."

Chen Ge then looked at Tan Yunxiao.

"The core of Duan Xiaolou's scene is not 'cruelty,' but 'complete unawareness.' He doesn't know that he has stabbed Cheng Dieyi. He has simply chosen the life that a normal person would choose."

Tan Yunxiao responded in a muffled voice.

"start."

The clapperboard fell.

The hall was filled with the clinking of glasses and lively conversation.

Tan Yunxiao sat in the main seat, with an empty chair next to him—that was Juxian's place. He held a wine glass, his face flushed, and he smiled at everyone he met.

That smile came from the bottom of my heart.

It wasn't the laugh of a tyrant, but the laugh of a common man about to win the heart of a beautiful woman. Rugged, satisfied, and tinged with a hint of embarrassment.

The curtain was lifted.

Jiang Yichen walked in.

His outfit today was Cheng Dieyi's casual attire—a moon-white long gown, with the buttons at the collar fastened meticulously. His hair was neatly combed, and his face was fair.

At first glance, it appears very calm.

But he walks the wrong way.

Every step felt like walking on a knife's edge. My back was taut to an unnatural degree—as if it would fall apart if I loosened it.

He walked up to Tan Yunxiao.

"Senior brother."

Tan Yunxiao looked up, a smile still on his face.

"Dieyi! You're here! Have a seat!" He warmly pulled out a chair for her. "Your sister-in-law will be out in a bit; you'll have to toast her then!"

sister in law.

The word fell into the air like an extremely fine needle, piercing somewhere.

Jiang Yichen did not sit down.

He stood there, looking at Tan Yunxiao.

That look made Chen Ge, sitting behind the monitor, grip the armrest tightly.

It wasn't anger. It wasn't resentment.

It was a tremendous, unbelievable sense of bewilderment.

It's like a child being suddenly told that the real world he's always thought was fake.

"Senior brother," Jiang Yichen called out again.

This sound was much softer than before.

"Are you really going to marry her?"

Tan Yunxiao was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.

"Of course! The banquet's already set!" He slapped his thigh. "Don't worry, even after I get married, I'll still perform with you! Our partnership is unbreakable!"

He said this sincerely, without any malice.

But it is precisely this "lack of malice" that is most deadly.

Because in Duan Xiaolou's world, Cheng Dieyi is his partner. He is his brother. He is his fellow student with whom he has sung on stage for twenty years.

That's it.

Jiang Yichen's lips moved slightly.

"It was a promise."

His voice was very soft, so soft that only he could hear it.

"A promise made for a lifetime is a promise made for a lifetime."

"A difference of a year, a month, a day, or an hour doesn't count as a lifetime."

Tan Yunxiao did not respond this time.

He looked into Cheng Dieyi's eyes and finally realized something was wrong. But he didn't understand. He really didn't understand.

Just then, the curtain behind them was lifted again.

The actress who played Juxian came out.

A red wedding dress, a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe.

Tan Yunxiao's face immediately changed to a different kind of smile—a gentle, husbandly smile. He stood up, strode towards Juxian, and reached out to take her hand.

Jiang Yichen stood still.

Look at those two clasped hands.

His expression didn't change much.

But everyone saw it—his hands hung at his sides, his five fingers slowly closing, closing, clenching. His fingernails dug into his palms, his knuckles turning white.

Then he laughed.

A laugh that's more painful than crying.

Congratulations, senior.

He turned around.

Walk outside.

After taking three steps, I stopped.

There was no turning back.

"This is 'Farewell My Concubine'—"

His voice suddenly turned cold. Cold to the bone.

"You dare to challenge me?"

The words fell.

He lifted the curtain and went outside.

The curtain swayed twice behind me before coming to a stop.

The audience was silent.

"Click."

Chen Ge's voice came from behind the monitor.

No one moved.

The dozens of people on set stood frozen in place, as if they had been immobilized.

A lighting technician was standing on a ladder when he dropped the light shield he was holding without even noticing.

Chen Ge stood up.

He took off his reading glasses and wiped them on the hem of his shirt. The movement was slow.

Then he walked to the center of the set.

When Chen Hao passed by, he saw that the director, who was over sixty years old, had tears in his eyes.

Chen Ge walked outside the curtain.

Jiang Yichen stood in the corner of the studio with his back to everyone. His shoulders were heaving slightly.

Chen Ge stood behind him for a while.

In the end, he only said one sentence.

"amazing."

He turned and walked back to the monitor. He said something into the walkie-talkie.

"This footage is to be archived separately. No one is allowed to touch it."

"What if this movie were to be released..."

The assistant director took a deep breath and shook his head vigorously.

"Stop talking. I'm already thinking of nominating him for an Oscar."

That evening, we finished work.

Jiang Yichen returned to the hotel.

After taking a shower, I found more than a dozen unread messages on my phone.

In the "Supervision and Management Committee" group.

Xu Zhiyou posted a selfie of herself working overtime in the office: "I've been working so late, Jiang Dagongchen, did you have a hard time filming today?"

Gu Ruanxing: "Send me a photo from today's announcement."

Jiang Yichen picked up his phone, thought for a moment, and pulled out a photo from the set today—a photo secretly taken by the assistant director.

In the photo, he is wearing Cheng Dieyi's moon-white long gown, his face is turned to the side, and his gaze is fixed outside the frame.

Send it to the group.

Xu Zhiyou replied with a string of ellipses immediately.

Then came the line: "Jiang Yichen, you're really cheating in ancient costume."

Gu Ruanxing was a beat slow.

He only replied with two words.

"nice."

Then he added, "Don't get too caught up in the drama. I can tell you're not in a good mood today. Go to sleep early."

Jiang Yichen stared at the sentence for a moment, stunned.

This woman's intuition was frighteningly sharp.