Chapter 9: The Scene That Changed Everything

The next day on set, they filmed the climax of Crimson Moon.

The pop star (Xiao Mei) is tied to a chair. The killer (a stuntman in a mask) is about to strike. And Mia the manager—Shi Xi’s character—bursts in with a fire extinguisher and saves the day.

It was supposed to be silly. Action-comedy. But when Shi Xi raised the fire extinguisher, her face wild and desperate, something shifted.

She wasn’t Shi Xi anymore. She was Mia. And Mia was terrified—not for herself, but for the pop star, this annoying, vapid girl she’d spent years managing. Mia loved her. Like a sister. Like family.

“Get away from her!” Shi Xi screamed, and the sound tore through the warehouse.

She swung the fire extinguisher. The stuntman dodged. She swung again, and again, until he backed into a wall and she was standing over him, breathing hard, tears streaming down her face.

“Cut!” Director Lin’s voice was hoarse. “That’s a wrap!”

The crew burst into applause.

Xiao Mei, still tied to the chair, stared at Shi Xi with something like awe—or fear. “Where did that come from?”

Shi Xi lowered the extinguisher, her hands shaking. “I don’t know.”

But she did know. That was Shi Nian. The legend. The woman who had won three Best Actress awards by bleeding emotion onto the screen. She was still in there.

Gu Yan was standing by the monitor, his arms crossed. He wasn’t clapping. He was just watching her with an expression she couldn’t name.

Later, as she was packing up, he appeared at her side.

“That wasn’t acting,” he said. “That was exorcism.”

“Maybe.” She zipped her bag. “Maybe I just have a lot to scream about.”

He was quiet for a long moment. Then: “Stay. After the wrap party. I want to show you something.”

“Is this another not-a-date?”

“It’s a secret.” He walked away, then glanced back. “Wear something you don’t mind getting dirty.”

[DING! Gu Yan’s interest level: 75%. The fish are now placing bets.]

The fish can go to hell, she thought.

But she was already planning what to wear.