The Secret of Second Marriage

This time, I was startled and did not push Shen Xing away.

When he held me, for some reason, I felt my heart race a little... The embrace was warm, devoid of lust, only a feeling of mutual understanding and appreciation.

I always thought that, in my heart, Shen Xing was just a younger brother.

He's a recent college graduate who hasn't even settled into his career and life yet. What kind of future can he offer me?

But I was still captivated by his tenderness, unable to extricate myself. Perhaps I am a fickle woman.

Shen Xing hugged me tightly from behind, her body emanating a minty scent that was so refreshing, clean, and vibrant, carrying the aroma of youth.

I heard his heart pounding so fast, like a drumbeat, that it almost instantly brought me back to my senses.

I whispered, "Shen Xing, let me go!"

"it is good"

Although Shen Xing verbally agreed, she still hugged me tightly from behind with both hands, showing no sign of letting go. Suddenly, I felt a warm tear fall onto my hand.

Shen Xing hugged me tighter and suddenly said, "Man... I've been so tired, exhausted, and helpless lately. I really miss you... I have to be careful around people on set every day. I'm afraid they'll say I'm a nepotism hire, and I'm afraid of all the backstabbing and infighting on set..."

Especially after work, when I return to my lonely room alone, there's not a single person to talk to.

"Only when I'm with you can I feel the warmth of home."

I was stunned.

His words made me waver a little. I really didn't expect that he had been having such a hard time lately.

But I'm raising my daughter alone and struggling in society, so I really don't have the energy to accompany a boy as he grows up.

I didn't know what to say, so I just wiped away his tears, then gently pushed him away and said, "I'm sorry, we're not meant to be."

A gentle night breeze blew, and cherry blossom petals fell like rain from the streets, creating a particularly romantic scene.

A shower of petals fell on our heads, and for a moment I felt like I was filming an idol drama.

Shen Xing was silent for a moment, then looked down at me and said, "I'm sorry for being so abrupt."

"I have a boyfriend, Jiang Hui. I'm sorry, but even if I had to do it all over again, I would still choose him!"

I say.

Because what I need is a mature man who understands me.

Hearing my words, Shen Xing, still unwilling to give up, asked me, "During this time, haven't you thought about me at all, Man?"

"Don't say that. You have a bright future ahead of you; we're not a good match."

I say.

Here we go again.

Shen Xing masked her bitterness with a smile and said softly, "Actually, younger men are quite nice. They care about their older sisters, they comfort them, they're always eager to please... In fact, younger men can be sincere too!"

"What did you say?"

I didn't hear the last few words clearly, so I asked again.

Shen Xing suddenly joked, "I was just kidding. Actually, being your younger brother isn't so bad. Okay... I'm not teasing you anymore. You're going to the film set to shoot tomorrow, good luck!"

I started working here several months earlier than you, so I'm practically your senior. Feel free to ask me anything you don't understand! I'll look after you on set!

I asked him, "Have you been very busy filming lately?"

"Yeah, I'm practically living in Hengdian. The company is giving me roles in period dramas, and the schedule is packed. I just finished filming one drama and immediately jumped into the next one."

Shen Xing said, "However, filming a movie is different from filming a TV series. Movies take longer to film, and the characters need to be developed more meticulously. I heard from the director that our film is set in Hangzhou, and we will also be filming in Beijing."

When I saw Shen Xing talking about acting, he treated acting like a stage surrounded by spotlights. He was like a star, handsome and charismatic, with an irresistible star quality.

As we were taking a walk, quite a few passersby were taking pictures of Shen Xing with their phones and whispering among themselves, saying things like, "My goodness, her looks are absolutely stunning, could she be a celebrity?"

"Shen Xing, you will definitely become a big star."

I say.

Shen Xing replied, "Man, if that day ever comes, I will still be your younger brother."

My heart skipped a beat as I thought of the day he visited me and what he said to me before leaving: that even if I became a big star someday, he would still love me.

I told myself not to think about those unrealistic and impossible things, then I glanced at my watch and said, "It's getting late, let's hurry back to the hotel."

Shen Xing and I went back to the hotel together. We each went to our own rooms, and he waved to me with a gentle smile before jogging back to his room: "I'm going back to my room now, bye-bye, Man!"

His hotel wasn't on the same floor as mine, so I went back to my hotel room and locked the door.

Mr. Jiang sent me a message saying, "Man, Tangtang was at her grandma's house after school today. Grandma made a lot of delicious food for Tangtang. Tangtang knows that her mom went to film a movie. She is very sensible and well-behaved. After school, she did her homework obediently and even chatted with her grandma!"

I said, "President Jiang, thank you so much. You are truly a benefactor in my life!"

I sat alone on the hotel bed, feeling utterly alone. Suddenly, I missed my daughter and Mr. Jiang terribly.

General Manager Jiang said, "Keep it up, Man. Focus on filming. I'll take some time off to visit the set when I have the chance."

"Okay, it's a deal."

I say.

After saying goodnight, I drifted off to sleep alone late at night.

In that half-dreaming, half-awake state, I dreamt of many past events, of my ex-husband arguing with his mistress, and of me watching from the sidelines, completely indifferent. In the dream, I finally stopped crying and stopped feeling sad for this man. I felt that I had overcome the emotional hurdle with my ex-husband.

A woman who has overcome the trials of love has nothing to fear in this world anymore.

The next morning, I set my alarm and got up around 4 a.m. I changed my clothes, washed my hair, and put on light makeup. The fog was still a bit chilly, so I put on a coat and carried my small work case, which contained my phone, comb, cosmetics, script, and clothes.

The crew's car picked me up, and I went to the film set with the actors.

Shen Xing had already arrived at the film crew's dressing room.

He was only in his early twenties, but he was exceptionally diligent and hardworking. He got up so early to put on makeup, and when he saw me, he greeted me with a smile and called me "sister."

I greeted him with a smile, then went to the dressing room next door to get my makeup done. The makeup artist brought me a blue shirt and a black suit, curled my hair into slight waves, and applied exquisite makeup, instantly giving me the look of a sophisticated urban woman.

The entire crew has started filming. The theme of our movie is how I deal with a scumbag and his mistress! As a full-time housewife, after discovering my husband's infidelity, I will show you how I take revenge on him and his mistress step by step.

Although literature is adapted from reality, the screenwriter made some changes to my real-life experiences in order to better highlight the characters in the film.

After I finished my makeup, the crew gave me steamed buns and soy milk in the morning.

But by the time I finished putting on makeup, the steamed buns and soy milk had gone completely cold.

I brought bread and made myself a cup of milk, and ate that for breakfast.

The room where we were going to film had been cleaned up, cleared out, and filled with various props.

After we finished our makeup, the actors and the entire behind-the-scenes team went to the opening ceremony. At the opening ceremony, monks were invited to chant sutras, and various offerings such as pig heads and steamed buns were laid out. All the actors offered incense one by one.

This is probably a tacitly accepted ritual in the entertainment industry, hoping to bless the entire crew to start filming smoothly, wrap up filming, and then be released successfully.

Holding an incense stick, I stood behind the director, producer, and others, sincerely placing the incense in the incense burner, bowing three times, and silently praying that the filming would be completed smoothly.

This is my first movie.

Shen Xing had been silently following behind me since some time ago. When I burned incense, he held a stick of incense in his hand and prayed with me.

Although I am the female lead in this drama, I am still a newcomer. I was unknown at the opening ceremony, no one spoke to me, and no one paid attention to me.

But Shen Xing stood next to me and pointed, saying, "The man over there with the director and producer is the male lead, Man. In this art film, he plays your husband."

He's a veteran actor with excellent acting skills; he's a true middle-aged veteran.

I followed his gaze and saw the male protagonist standing in the crowd. Although he was over forty, he was still exceptionally handsome, with a mature and refined air that came with the passage of time.

He has a scholarly air about him, which would make him perfect for the role of my husband.

I had seen the male lead's movies before. Back then, I was just an ordinary housewife, and I occasionally saw him on TV.

I never dreamed that one day I would break into the mainstream and make a movie with him.

He should also be considered one of my idols. He is very famous on screen. When he was in his twenties, he starred in a movie and became the youngest Best Actor in mainland China.

His name is Lu Zheng.

He was undoubtedly the male lead in the entire production, showing me what the entourage of a movie star is all about. He was surrounded by a group of assistants, had his own RV, a special movie star lounge, and his meals were specially prepared by the production team from a five-star hotel.

I really wanted to say something to him all morning and ask for his autograph, but then I thought about how he's a movie star and I'm just a newcomer, and it would be impolite to bother him like this for the first time.

So I didn't go up and introduce myself in the end, until Shen Xing pulled me over and said in a low and respectful voice, "Hello, senior! She is the female lead in this drama, and I am the second male lead."

Lu Zheng glanced at me, his eyes indifferent, showing no sign of a smile.

However, when he saw Shen Xing, his eyes lit up, and he suddenly asked, "How is your father's health?"

Shen Xing paused for a moment, then said awkwardly, "His health is still okay."

Lu Zheng patted Shen Xing on the shoulder and said, "If you need anything on set in the future, feel free to contact me. If it weren't for your father getting me to act in his film, I might not have had the chance to become a Best Actor. Your father is my benefactor!"

"My dad is my dad, and I am me."

Shen Xing seemed reluctant to have his father mentioned, and politely said...

I never knew who Shen Xing's father was, or why people in the entertainment industry respected him so much.

However, I could still glean some information from their conversation: I wasn't originally cast as the female lead in this drama, but Shen Xing thought I was quite suitable and recommended me to the director.

Moreover, Shen Xing played the role of the second male lead.

He has helped me a lot.

If he had such a powerful father, why did he have to work part-time to study and become a tutor at my house? I don't know why, but I just feel that Shen Xing's relationship with his father was terrible after his mother passed away.

Shen Xing has good upbringing and did not rely on his father's connections. He was very polite on set, always addressing people as "brother" or "sister," and his colleagues on set liked him very much.

Shen Xing and I were just ordinary friends on set. Apart from filming, we would just find a corner in the crew to rest and memorize our lines. We were both the kind of people who worked extremely hard.

After the opening ceremony, at noon the director called a few of us main actors to his room, ordered some dishes, had a casual meal, then explained the script to us, and gave us a film and television project shooting schedule, specifying the exact time and scene.

I'm a newcomer, so I'm quite low-key. I just listened to the director and the male lead talking about the script.

I heard they value this film quite a bit. It already has a lot of online traffic and is a popular urban romance film about marriage and mistresses. It's scheduled to be released at the end of the year.

The Best Actor didn't talk to me much. He probably thought I was a newcomer and not qualified to act alongside him. Fortunately, the director was very kind to me and supported my role.

In the afternoon, we officially started filming on set.

I was particularly diligent and hardworking, perhaps because I had real emotional experiences, so I had a deep resonance with the character in the role. When I put myself into the role, every cry and every line I uttered was delivered with particularly natural emotion, without the slightest hesitation.

After I rehearsed three scenes with the Best Actor, his impression of me gradually changed. During breaks in filming, he even taught me how to look at the camera.

He said, "Jiang Man, right? You are one of the most hardworking and talented actresses I've ever met. To be able to do this well in your first acting role is truly remarkable; you have real talent."

You made a deep impression on me. I rarely praise people, and I rarely recommend people to directors, but you are really quite good. You're not one of those people who can't do anything because of connections.

"Thank you for your recognition, Brother Zheng."

I say.

After Lu Zheng and I got to know each other, he stopped putting on airs like a movie star. He would occasionally joke with me. He said that when he first entered the entertainment industry, he didn't know anything and was a very impetuous young man. He was lucky to meet mentors and seniors who taught him how to act.

That's how he gradually got to where he is today.

I am very grateful for my first film shoot; it taught me so much useful knowledge.

On set, I called him very seriously: "Teacher Lu".

Although Lu Zheng appears aloof on the surface, you might think he's cool and god-like if you don't know him. But once you get to know him, you'll find that he's actually quite humorous and loves to joke around.

He said he saw the spiritual energy in me, so he was willing to take me on as his apprentice halfway through my studies.