Shen Xiaoxing agreed to let her return to work, and An Ruo was so thrilled that she called Secretary Fang that very day to give him a heads-up, officially reporting back to Gu Chao the next morning.
The man had informed Gu Chao in advance, so the moment she walked in, his gaze deliberately swept over her still-flat belly.
"Back to your old post. Without your supervision these past days, the filming progress has stalled. You need to catch up quickly."
An Ruo gave a slight nod. "I will!"
The crew wasn't taking time off for the Spring Festival, and during her absence, Yang Sisi had been overseeing things.
The weather in April was mild, neither hot nor cold, with a breeze carrying the scent of spring.
The filming location was at Qishan, a popular spot for celebrities and influencers to check in, boasting beautiful scenery with mountains and water—perfect for a historical romance drama.
An Ruo took a car to Qishan. On set, numerous filming rigs were set up, and staff bustled about everywhere. She first entered the makeup room, scanned the area, and finally landed on a strikingly glamorous figure.
This was the lead actors' makeup room, spacious inside. Several staff members recognized her and politely greeted her.
"Hello, Director An."
She smiled lightly and nodded back. "Hello."
Hearing the commotion, Song Weiwei, who was having her makeup done, raised a hand to pause the makeup artist. She turned her face and indeed saw An Ruo approaching.
Song Weiwei waved at her playfully. "Long time no see, Director An."
An Ruo had come to say hello and check on how the lead's filming was going. Looking up, she saw Song Weiwei beaming so brightly. She was dressed in an ethereal white long gown, and the makeup artist was styling her hair...
"Where have you been off to lately?" Song Weiwei teased her casually. "I thought you'd quit."
An Ruo chuckled softly. "Sorry, I had some family matters and took an extended leave."
Luckily, she hadn't posted on social media or told anyone about her overseas trip—otherwise, her and Shen Xiaoxing's ordeal in New Zealand would be common knowledge by now.
"Hey, I heard from your assistant that you got married? Is that true?"
An Ruo paused briefly, not intending to hide her marriage. She openly showed the ring on her finger. "Yeah."
"When did that happen? Why haven't I heard you mention it?"
"Last year."
Song Weiwei had a gossipy streak and suddenly grew curious. "Is he handsome? Weren't you still in school? How did you meet?"
"Uh..." An Ruo hadn't expected her to be so inquisitive and didn't know where to start. She pursed her lips and smiled lightly. "We're... a marriage-first, love-later kind of thing."
She'd been seeing that phrase a lot online lately, and it fit her and Shen Xiaoxing perfectly.
Besides, she couldn't exactly say she'd initially taken her sister's place in an arranged marriage, and that her current husband was supposed to be her former brother-in-law!
That was too complicated and not exactly something to be proud of—she didn't want too many people knowing.
"Marriage first, love later." Song Weiwei's fangirl heart exploded as she clutched her chest. "That's so sweet! Was it a blind date or...?"
"...Blind date."
Song Weiwei clasped her hands together. "Even sweeter."
An Ruo didn't get it. "Sweet?"
"How could a marriage-first, love-later thing not be sweet?" Song Weiwei lightly bumped her shoulder. "By the way, what does he do?"
"He..." An Ruo thought for a moment. "He's just an ordinary office worker."
Song Weiwei nodded, understanding. From their chats, she knew An Ruo wasn't from a wealthy family, so a blind date likely meant someone from a similar background.
"Is he good to you?"
On that point, An Ruo answered without hesitation. "Yeah. He's really good to me, dotes on me a lot."
"That's good—proves you've got good taste."
Pleased by the compliment, An Ruo bit her lip, a faint smile spreading across her face.
Women always have plenty to talk about. Just as An Ruo thought she was done, Song Weiwei asked curiously, "He's older than you, right?"
"Yeah."
"How much older?"
"Seven years."
Song Weiwei clicked her tongue. "An old cow eating tender grass!?"
"..."
"No wonder he dotes on you so much—older men tend to know how to take care of someone."
An Ruo wondered what Shen Xiaoxing's face would look like if he heard that.
...
They hadn't seen each other in a while and had endless topics to chat about.
Suddenly, frantic footsteps echoed from the hallway outside, high heels clattering urgently on the floor. Strangely, though the steps were panicked, no one shouted.
When the makeup room door swung open, the entire space seemed to freeze. Staff, actors, and makeup artists all turned to look.
An Ruo followed their gaze and saw a trendy man strolling in lazily under everyone's admiring stares.
He had a soft, delicate look, with strikingly beautiful phoenix eyes, an aloof demeanor that seemed cold, sea-blue hair casually swept across his forehead, and pale lips pressed together.
A term popped into An Ruo's mind, fitting him perfectly—puppy-like boyfriend!
She knew who he was: the male lead playing Chi Yunfeng in this drama, opposite Song Weiwei—Shi Yibo.
Just like online rumors, he had a cold personality, not one for socializing or initiating conversation.
Seeing her staring intently, Song Weiwei waved a hand in front of her face. "What, you into him?"
An Ruo snapped back to reality, embarrassed. "No way..."
She had a husband, for crying out loud!
"Don't hold back. Liking him isn't something to be ashamed of. As your good sister, I'll get you an autograph." Song Weiwei turned and waved at the man, raising her voice. "Hey, Shi Yibo—"
An Ruo broke out in a cold sweat and quickly covered her mouth to stop her from saying more.
How embarrassing in front of all these people!
Hearing her, the man turned his head slightly, seeing them tangled in an odd embrace. An Ruo waved awkwardly at him, signaling it was nothing.
Shi Yibo coolly looked away, and the makeup artist continued working on him, his expression unchanged from when he walked in.
Song Weiwei pulled An Ruo's hand away. "I don't get why you'd fall for such a cold, poker-faced guy."
"I didn't..."
"But hey, I'm in this industry—I know he's got tons of fans. Don't worry, leave it to me."
An Ruo watched her pat her chest like a true buddy.
Just as she was about to say something, a staff member came in to call Song Weiwei for filming.
Staying alone in the room was too boring, so An Ruo followed the crew to observe the shoot—she was supposed to be supervising anyway.
Though Song Weiwei wasn't a trained actress, she'd been in the entertainment circle for a few years, honing her skills through web dramas. Under the director's guidance, she handled it with ease.
An Ruo watched appreciatively and handed tea to Song Weiwei during breaks.
She had to admit, Song Weiwei looked stunning in makeup. When she walked toward her, An Ruo was almost startled into thinking she'd time-traveled.
Later, there was a scene between her and the male lead, Shi Yibo. Both were drop-dead gorgeous, and every interaction on screen felt natural.
During the afternoon shoot, the director called out anxiously. An Ruo stood to the side, focused on replying to Shen Xiaoxing, when someone suddenly grabbed her arm.
"Director, look—isn't there a ready-made beauty with great looks and presence right here?" Song Weiwei pushed An Ruo forward by the shoulders.
An Ruo's looks were undeniable. The first time the director saw her, he thought she was an actress from another crew, only to learn she was the supervising director from their partner company.