Starlit Reverie: Love Beyond the Limelight

Chapter 7: Beneath the Mask

The set buzzed with activity as Xuyen tried to focus on his lines, pushing aside the tumultuous emotions that threatened to consume him. But his efforts were in vain as Jianxuo's presence loomed like a dark cloud, casting a shadow over everything he held dear.

As filming progressed, Jianxuo's hostility towards Xuyen became increasingly evident, his words laced with venom as he launched a relentless campaign of bullying and harassment. Each barb struck deep, leaving Xuyen reeling with pain and humiliation.

But it was Jianxuo's final blow that cut the deepest, his words a cruel reminder of the wounds that still festered within Xuyen's soul. "No wonder Zhang Yifan wants nothing to do with you," Jianxuo sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "Who could ever love someone as pathetic as you?"

The words hit Xuyen like a dagger to the heart, tearing through the fragile facade he had built around himself and leaving him exposed and vulnerable once more. With tears threatening to spill from his eyes, Xuyen fled the set, seeking refuge in the solitude of his van.

But as he entered the dimly lit interior, Xuyen's heart skipped a beat as he came face to face with the last person he expected to see—the film emperor himself, Zhang Yifan.

For a moment, time seemed to stand still as Xuyen stared into the depths of Zhang Yifan's eyes, searching for any hint of the cold indifference he had come to expect. But to his surprise, he found only concern and compassion reflected back at him, softening the edges of the film emperor's usually impassive facade.

"What's wrong?" Zhang Yifan asked, his voice gentle yet firm. "You seem troubled."

Unable to contain the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm him, Xuyen felt the dam break as tears streamed down his cheeks, his body trembling with the weight of his sorrow. "It's...it's Jianxuo," he choked out between sobs. "He...he said such awful things to me, and I don't know how much more I can take."

To Xuyen's surprise, Zhang Yifan's expression softened even further, his eyes filled with a depth of understanding that took Xuyen aback. "I'm sorry you had to go through that," he said, his voice tinged with genuine sympathy. "But please know that you're not alone. I'm here for you, if you'll let me be."

In that moment, as Xuyen stared into the eyes of the man he had once admired from afar, he felt a glimmer of hope flicker to life within his heart—a beacon of light guiding him through the darkness that threatened to consume him whole. And though the road ahead would be fraught with challenges and obstacles, Xuyen knew that with Zhang Yifan by his side, he could face whatever the future held with courage and resilience.