"Go!" Mu Xiaoran looked at her with a heart full of sorrow. Gong Suxue forced a smile, a cold and desolate one.
"I wish that you and I forget each other in the vast world, never to meet again in this lifetime." Gong Suxue turned around and walked into the sandy wind. There were tears streaming down her face, but her eyes were firm.
Mu Xiaoran stared blankly at Gong Suxue as she walked away. He wanted to chase after her but stopped in his tracks.
"Cut!" the director shouted.
But at this moment, An Ke was still immersed in the role of Gong Suxue, with tears in her smile, looking so cold and lonely.
"An Ke, you did a great job. You're simply a natural actress!" the director praised effusively.
"You're exactly the Gong Suxue in my mind. You're cold, proud yet emotional."
"I also think she's a perfect fit for the role of Gong Suxue," the second male lead exclaimed. He was completely spellbound while acting with her and felt as if he was being led by An Ke.
An Ke blushed a little and shook her head. Yeah, she was quite a match. Just like Gong Suxue, she had given her heart but wasn't trusted. How could she not empathize?
"Why don't you consider becoming an actress? You're really a good candidate."
"I'll think about it later," An Ke smiled. She wasn't sure if she liked acting. She just simply liked the role of Gong Suxue.
"Let's move on to the next scene. Keep that state. It's perfect."
"Start!" the director shouted.
"Your Highness, please don't hurt him. I'm begging you, Your Highness," Gong Suxue cried to Gong Suran.
"He's the prince of the Mu Kingdom. I can't let him go," Gong Suran said coldly.
"Your Highness, this is the first time I'm begging you. You can tie him up and watch over him. I just beg you not to hurt him, Your Highness." With that, Gong Suxue knelt down.
Gong Suran was stunned. He had never seen his sister like this before. Now, there was both cold pride and pleading in Gong Suxue's eyes, which made people feel pity for her.
"Maybe it was a mistake for me to let you go to the Mu Kingdom. Get up," Gong Suran said, trying to help her up, but Gong Suxue didn't move. Gong Suran sighed.
"I won't hurt him. Get up."
"Thank you, Your Highness," Gong Suxue said, with tears in the corners of her eyes as she looked at Gong Suran.
"I sent you there hoping you'd bring people back, but instead, you left your heart there."
Gong Suxue didn't say a word. Her brother was right. When she went to the Mu Kingdom, she didn't bring Mu Xiaoran back but left her heart with him.
But her heart was already cold. That was the last thing she did for him. From then on, she would never mention him again, never.
Gong Suxue looked outside the palace walls. The palace maids were singing inside the palace.
The willows by the palace wall, the jade hairpins on the head...
Who says true love will never fade...
As she listened, Gong Suxue couldn't help but shed tears. She started to sing.
"The lonely wine, locks away the spring sorrow. The past is hard to talk about."
Her voice was so cold that it made people feel lonely.
"Cut!" The director clapped his hands loudly.
"Take a look for yourself. You really did an amazing job," the director said admiringly.
"I'll take a look," An Ke said, then leaned over to watch the footage of her performance.
In the video, every move of hers was full of sadness, every gesture told a story. She couldn't even recognize herself in the camera. She was quite shocked.
"Ke'er, you're really great," Ruixin said sincerely.
"If you act well, you might have a chance to cooperate with Xia Li in the future."
An Ke's eyes suddenly lit up. The director noticed her bright eyes and seemed to be thinking.
"If you want, in the next drama, I can invite Xia Li. You two can be the co - leading actresses. But the condition is that you have to be the leading actress in my dramas for three years."
"Co - leading actresses? I can't do it. Xia Li is so excellent," An Ke hesitated.
"Come on! This is your chance to get close to Xia Li. You've been longing for this for a long time, haven't you?" Ruixin interrupted An Ke's thoughts. An Ke was very hesitant.
"Xia Li is a great actress, but I think you are too. I trust my own judgment. Miss An Ke, I hope you can trust yourself too," the director said sincerely.
"Okay! But I don't want my character to have any overly revealing scenes. I prefer something more 'innocent'," An Ke said shyly, but actually, this was very important to her. She didn't want to have any close contact with those men, nor did she want He Ting to see such scenes.
"No problem. If there are such scenes, we can arrange a stand - in."
"Thank you, director."
"That's all for today. It's getting late. You can go back first."
"Goodbye, director."
After that, An Ke took Ruixin back home.
"I'm so happy. I actually have a chance to act in the same drama with Xia Li."
"I want to be the young mistress's assistant so that I can also see Xia Li."
"Little Ruixin," An Ke pretended to be a noble lady and stretched out her hand.
"Your humble servant is here," Ruixin replied with a smile.
"Escort this princess back to the palace."
"Yes," Ruixin said, then helped An Ke up and walked in a proper manner.
As soon as An Ke and Ruixin entered the He Mansion, they felt the low - pressure atmosphere.
"Where have you been?" He Ting looked at her.
"I just went out for a walk," An Ke said calmly, but Ruixin beside her looked very nervous. He Ting noticed.
"Ruixin, tell me. What did you and the young mistress do?" He Ting stared at Ruixin seriously.
"N... nothing. The young mistress and I just went out for a stroll," Ruixin said guiltily, not daring to look up.
"I want to hear the truth."
"I went for an acting audition."
"What? An acting audition? What for?"
"I just tried it out for fun, and the director said I did a good job."
"What's the director's name?"
"Um... I don't know."
"What drama are you filming?"
"Um... I don't know either." By now, An Ke was a bit embarrassed, feeling that she really knew nothing.
"Where is the filming location?"
"Next to the Guangmao Building," An Ke replied quickly. Finally, there was a question she could answer.
"Okay, I see. As long as you like it. But promise me, next time when you go out, let Li Li accompany you, okay? I'll worry about you," He Ting looked at An Ke.
An Ke lowered her head without saying a word and just nodded.
"Good girl," He Ting stepped forward and stroked An Ke's head.
An Ke was a bit shocked and flustered, but she still didn't look up.
"I have something to do. I'll go back to my room first," An Ke said and then rushed back to her room in a hurry.
He Ting smiled as he watched An Ke's hasty retreating figure.
"Yuan Ping, help me find out which filming crew was shooting near the Guangmao Building today."
"Okay, wait a minute."