Lu Tingchuan looked at Xia Shi. “What’s wrong?”
In fact, they were husband and wife, two lifetimes of it, so even if Xia Shi didn’t say anything aloud, he could sense her mood immediately.
“I think I understand why Yun Duo gave up the fashion career she loved and entered showbiz instead. Also why she shows up to set every day even though she doesn’t have any scenes left.”
Xia Shi tilted her head, a bright smile on her lips.
Lu Tingchuan froze. That expression on her face was all too clear—how could he not get it? He gently tapped Lu Xuan on the head. “Go find Brother Xiaoyang and play, okay?”
Lu Xuan pouted and sighed in mock exasperation. “Always with the secret talks. Why are there so many secret talks?”
Despite the complaints, his little legs dutifully carried him out the door.
Xia Shi giggled.
Lu Tingchuan frowned. “You’re saying… she likes me?”
Xia Shi’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Women are very sensitive when it comes to romantic rivals. Her eyes gave her away. Of course, you can always say I’m just being paranoid.”
Lu Tingchuan didn’t think Xia Shi was wrong at all—but the realization did catch him off guard. That definitely hadn’t happened in his past life. But then again, he had a terrible relationship with his family back then, and barely interacted with Yun Duo. She’d stayed in fashion and never joined the entertainment world. So…
“But… we’re siblings.”
Xia Shi shook her head. “Not blood-related.”
“Still siblings. As long as my dad and her mom are married, she and I are family—legally speaking, that makes us adoptive siblings. That’s considered a prohibited relationship for marriage.”
Xia Shi raised a brow. “So you mean… if it weren’t forbidden, it wouldn’t be a problem?”
Lu Tingchuan froze, realizing he’d walked right into that one. He immediately raised his hands in surrender. “My bad! I said it wrong. I promise I’ll avoid her when possible, keep my distance, and handle it properly—without upsetting Dad and Auntie.”
Xia Shi gave two approving “Mmhm”s and let him off the hook.
When they stepped outside, they found Lu Xuan staring at Tao Ziqian with sparkling fanboy eyes, trailing behind him and tugging at the edge of his shirt. “Brother Tao, just let me try! Just a little bit!”
Tao Ziqian had been in the industry for three years. For the first two, he was a barely-visible extra. But earlier this year, he skyrocketed to fame after playing a supporting role in a fantasy drama—one so memorable it outshone the male lead. His fanbase exploded from a few hundred thousand to ten million. He was the one now reshooting scenes in place of the disgraced actor.
That said, Tao Ziqian was still young and hardly knew how to deal with children. Lu Xuan had completely flustered him. When he saw Lu Tingchuan and Xia Shi approaching, he practically exhaled in relief, looking saved.
Lu Tingchuan pulled Lu Xuan aside. “Behaving naughty again? Brother Tao is working. We shouldn’t bother him.”
Tao Ziqian quickly waved his hands. “No, no, Teacher Lu, not at all. Lu Xuan’s really sweet. He’s no trouble. He’s just really interested in the wire rigs.”
Assistant Xiaoyang chimed in, “Lu-ge, when Lu Xuan saw Teacher Tao flying around on wires earlier, his eyes were glued to him the whole time.”
“Daddy!” Lu Xuan tugged at Lu Tingchuan’s arm with wide eyes hopeful.
Lu Tingchuan turned to Xia Shi. She shook her head. “No way. It’s too dangerous.”
Lu Tingchuan shrugged at his son. “Sorry, buddy. Even Dad can’t help with this one.”
Lu Xuan immediately redirected his efforts, blinking up at Xia Shi with his most innocent, pitiful expression—so cute that Xia Shi almost melted on the spot.
“That rig is work equipment for Daddy and Brother Tao. It’s not a toy. And look at how hard those uncles in the rigging team are working to make sure Daddy and Brother Tao are safe. Do you really want to make them go through all that again just for a little curiosity?”
Lu Xuan looked over at the crew still bustling around. Though visibly disappointed, he nodded obediently. “Okay, I won’t play with it.”
Xia Shi gave him a kiss on the forehead. “Good boy.”
Director Zhang Huai had just arrived and, after hearing the situation, his eyes lit up. He pulled Lu Tingchuan aside. “I’ve got an idea. How about letting Lu Xuan play the younger version of your character?”
Lu Tingchuan blinked. “Wasn’t that role already given to He Hao?”
He Hao was a well-known child actor, only six years old, but already with several roles under his belt. His acting was among the best for kids his age.
“Yeah, but I just got a call from his mom—He Hao had to be hospitalized for acute appendicitis. With his scenes already scheduled and the actors lined up, if we wait until he recovers, we’ll lose the window. And we can’t exactly expect him to jump back into filming right after surgery.”
Lu Tingchuan got the picture. This film had already gone through enough trouble. Though the reshoots weren’t extensive, coordinating actor schedules had been a nightmare. They had a limited window—just a few days—and missing it would mean the others might no longer be available. Plus, the reshoots were expensive, and every extra day meant more costs.
Zhang Huai pressed on. “Come on, we’ve known each other for years. Do me this one favor. And don’t worry—we’ll pay Lu Xuan fairly.”
Lu Tingchuan smiled bitterly. “It’s not about the money.”
“I know that. But I still have to make it right.”
“Can’t you find someone else?”
Zhang Huai sighed. “Too tight on time. We already extended the lease on this lot after pulling tons of strings. We have to clear out in five days max. Where am I supposed to find another suitable kid in that time?”
“Director Zhang, this is a major production. Lu Xuan’s never acted before—I’m worried he might mess it up.”
Zhang Huai lit up at the hint of hesitation. “Every actor has a first time. And people are always more forgiving with child actors. No one expects perfection from a five-year-old. Honestly, I’ll admit I’ve got my own motives here. This is a commercial film, not an art house piece. The stakes are high. But your family’s popularity is off the charts right now…”
Lu Tingchuan laughed. “Director Zhang, you really are calculating.”
Zhang grinned. “Just think about it.”
“You’re saying Lu Xuan should act?” Xia Shi was stunned.
Lu Tingchuan explained, “He’d play the younger version of my character. Originally, He Hao had already wrapped, but because his scene partner had to be replaced, they’re reshooting everything. The role’s not huge—five scenes total. If Lu Xuan does well, we stick to the plan. If not, they can cut one or two.”
Xia Shi looked troubled. “He’s still so young.”
“I know. I’m not saying he has to become a child star. Just think of it as a fun experience. Whether he chooses to go into this industry later—that’s his choice.”
It was true: not helping out would make things tricky for Director Zhang. Xia Shi looked at Lu Xuan’s eager, sparkling eyes and couldn’t bring herself to say no. Still, she pulled him into her arms seriously.
“Sweetie, do you really want to do this?”
Lu Xuan was clearly waiting for this moment. He nodded furiously. “Yes, yes!”
“But acting’s not just flying through the air like you saw earlier. You’ll have to memorize lines, hit your marks, make expressions… It’s hard work. If you agree, Mommy and Daddy won’t force you. But once you do, you can’t complain it’s too hard or quit halfway. Just like learning piano. If you choose it, you stick with it—no matter how tough.”
Lu Xuan started to nod again, but Xia Shi raised a hand. “Don’t rush. Think it through carefully. When you’re ready, tell me.”
He paused, looked up at Lu Tingchuan. “Will Daddy teach me?”
“Of course.”
He turned to Xia Shi again and thought for a while, then whispered, “Mommy, you’ll stay with me too, right?”
Xia Shi smiled. “Yes. I’ll be there every day.”
His face lit up. “Then I want to do it!”
Lu Tingchuan’s lips curved into a smile. Perfect. Now he didn’t even have to make up reasons to keep Xia Shi at the set. They’d been practically inseparable these days, and after getting used to it, he couldn’t stand the thought of being apart—not even for a day.
