When Feng Wan saw who it was, she merely glanced over and pretended not to recognize him, quickly shifting her gaze. She wasn't stupid—this man had clearly come for Yuan Huihui.
However, based on how things had played out in her previous life, Kong Rui had never been so bold and blatant.
Then again, now that she—the nominal girlfriend—had already faded out of the picture, wouldn't that give him the perfect excuse to openly pursue Yuan Huihui?
Seeing Feng Wan, who used to be madly in love with him, now act like a total stranger, looking at him as if he were just anyone else, Kong Rui couldn't help but feel furious. Still, for the sake of appearances, he forced it all down and didn't dare lose his temper.
The news that the "genius director" Kong Rui had arrived spread like wildfire across the filming set. Even the show's director couldn't stay seated and immediately came out with great enthusiasm to welcome him.
First, he had people serve tea and water, then asked if he'd like to join them for lunch. His warm hospitality made everyone watching feel sick with envy.
By the time Yuan Huihui returned, what she saw was the director—who had once treated her with indifference—now fawning over Kong Rui like a lapdog, wagging his tail and begging for favor.
This was the entertainment industry: ruthlessly pragmatic. If you're popular, you're in the right. Wherever you go, people will show you respect.
At that moment, Yuan Huihui made a decision—she no longer wanted to claw her way up alone, step by painstaking step. That path would take far too long. Her ambition surged wildly.
She no longer cared that she'd been annoyed when Kong Rui first showed up. Now, all she could think about was: how could she make use of this old man's power to her advantage?
Meanwhile, Kong Rui, who had only been half-heartedly responding to the director, became overwhelmed with heartache the moment he saw Yuan Huihui. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms and comfort her.
Unfortunately, he still had a shred of reason left. He knew he had no official status in her life, and showing affection on camera would only harm her career.
The director, a seasoned old fox, immediately understood the situation.
He promptly paused Yuan Huihui's shoot and even thoughtfully arranged a private room where the two could talk undisturbed.
The other staff and guests also understood the unspoken rules and tactfully looked away, going back to their own business.
As soon as they entered the room, Kong Rui took Yuan Huihui's hands in his, worry written all over his face. He asked anxiously, "Huihui, what happened to your face? Did someone hurt you? Don't be afraid—just tell me, and I'll take care of it."
He looked at her with encouraging eyes, showing not even a hint of disgust toward her face, which was covered in ointment.
Hearing the deep concern in his voice, Yuan Huihui's heart softened a little. This time, she didn't push him away like she usually would.
Her tacit acceptance only made Kong Rui even more certain that Yuan Huihui still had feelings for him—it was just that, due to their identities in the industry, they had to keep their distance.
One had to admit, Kong Rui had quite the imagination. Unfortunately, the fantasy in his head was nowhere near the truth.
As for the mysterious injury on her face? It had actually been caused by her accidentally bumping herself while sleeping. She couldn't even pin the blame on someone else if she wanted to.
"Kong-ge, I accidentally hurt myself in my sleep. Oh, right—why did you suddenly come looking for me today?"
Faced with the goddess's question, Kong Rui didn't hesitate. He told her outright that Editor Lin from the program team was one of his people and that's how he'd found out about her situation.
As for the shady act of secretly monitoring his ex-girlfriend? He'd keep that detail buried deep—he would never let Yuan Huihui find out.
At this moment, Yuan Huihui felt complicated emotions. It was hard not to be moved by a man who constantly wanted to take care of her. But when she thought about the power and wealth of the man she truly had her eye on, she quickly composed herself.
"You should rest for a few days while you recover. Pack your things and come back to the capital with me later," Kong Rui said.
"I can't, Kong-ge," she replied. "I have my principles. I need to stick to the filming schedule. I can't afford to be labeled as a diva."
Kong Rui felt even more protective of the kind and responsible girl in front of him. It made him believe she was the only one in the world truly worthy of his devotion.
If not for the contract breach penalty hanging over her, Yuan Huihui probably would've left with him in a heartbeat. But she couldn't. Even more importantly, she couldn't ask Kong Rui for help—that would only expose her true intentions.
Elsewhere, Feng Wan and her group were preparing lunch. Everyone was exhausted from gathering supplies, so they decided to keep the meal simple and save their energy for a proper dinner later.
Zhou Zhengkang, seeing that some man had come looking for Yuan Huihui, felt bitter. He felt like he had misjudged her—that she was no different from the rest of the female celebrities, using any means necessary to climb higher.
At the same time, rumors began swirling that Kong Rui had a new lover—another celebrity. The gossip shot up the trending charts in an instant.
Clearly, there were no real secrets in the entertainment world. Kong Rui's actions today had stirred up the paparazzi in full force.