Two months into the filming of “The Tale of XX,” it was already early spring. This year, Qin Yilu turned 24. Her mother had obtained a safety jade clasp from a temple, had it blessed by a master, and urged her to always carry it.
After spending more than two months together, the relationships among the cast seemed to have improved significantly.
Ever since ‘The Tale of XX’ released the official stills on Weibo, the fans of the “All the Way North1Yilo-Zhongbei” CP2couple exploded with excitement.
Qin Yilu felt genuinely embarrassed because she had indeed ridden the wave of their fan base and had gained 800,000 followers. Consequently, within the cast, she became even more like a “sycophant” to Jin Zhongbei.
One-third into the filming of ‘The Tale of XX,’ the male and female leads had a grand wedding. From this point on, Jin Zhongbei and Qin Yilu had more physical contact on-screen.
For example, they held hands;
For example, they kissed on the cheek;
For example, the male lead occasionally gave the female lead a princess carry;
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Lele handed her half a biscuit and said, “It’s past six; if you eat more, you won’t be able to control your weight.”
Qin Yilu looked pitifully at Lele and said, “Next time, don’t give me half; throwing away the other half is such a waste.”
The catering for the crew of “XX Chronicles” was really good. The second male lead had gained four pounds since he first arrived. Qin Yilu would have gained some weight too if her manager and assistant hadn’t been closely watching her.
Jin Zhongbei, who was nearby, smiled when he heard this. Female stars often had to be strict with themselves to look good on camera.
“Brother Bei, Aso had some dinner sent for you.”
Jin Zhongbei felt a beam of light behind him and asked, “What?”
“Half a roast duck, ham, sea bass with fried oil, and, by the way, plum wine. Aso said you’ve been working hard lately, and everyone else has gained weight, but you’ve lost weight. He thought you should treat yourself.”
Qin Yilu peeked at the meal boxes and Lele pulled her away, saying, “Stop looking; the more you look, the hungrier you’ll get.”
Qin Yilu closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “I’ll just smell it. I can smell the aroma of the roasted duck, the crispy skin, the tender meat. It’s delicious, really delicious.”
Lele replied, “…”
Jin Zhongbei turned around and saw her lost in ecstasy. “Yilu—”
Qin Yilu suddenly opened her eyes, and they were gleaming.
“There’s quite a lot of food, let’s eat together.”
“Alright.”
Lele held onto her hand tightly and kept shaking her head.
Qin Yilu approached her and said, “Please, I’ll just savor the aroma, I won’t be greedy. Don’t tell Brother Chen.”
Jin Zhongbei’s assistant brought two sets of utensils, and Qin Yilu cheerfully helped. “Thanks, but I can manage on my own.”
Jin Zhongbei looked at her as she perked up and asked, “Has Shen Chen not been coming around lately?”
“It seems like he’s helping me negotiate an endorsement deal,” Qin Yilu whispered, “If he were here, I definitely wouldn’t dare to eat like this.”
“You’re not fat at all,” Jin Zhongbei said, holding her. She weighed just over 90 pounds, so she wasn’t overweight.
That was what bothered Qin Yilu the most. “I look fat on camera, and I’m worried about inheriting my dad’s physique.”
“How fat is your dad?”
Qin Yilu opened her phone and found a picture of her with her dad. “Here, this is what my dad looks like now.”
Jin Zhongbei lowered his head to look at the photo of Qin’s dad. He was tall, around 6’3″ (about 1.9 meters), but his beer belly was becoming more pronounced. Just as Qin Yilu described, with a beer belly and a shaved head, he had a somewhat imposing, serious look that could be reminiscent of a mob boss.
“It probably won’t be genetic.”
Qin Yilu bit her chopsticks, looking puzzled.
“You didn’t inherit your dad’s height.”
Qin Yilu was about to explode. She had finally grown to 5’3″ (161 cm). When she filmed period dramas, she wore flat shoes, which made her appear a bit shorter when standing next to him. But when she filmed contemporary scenes, wearing high heels was no problem at all. “That’s because I was a premature baby, and my nutrition during the embryonic period wasn’t fully absorbed, so I was born early. But I do have the height genes in me, which won’t affect my next generation.”
Jin Zhongbei: “…”
Unbeknownst to them, Qin Yilu had devoured a duck leg and about a dozen large shrimp. “Jin Teacher—”
“Hmm,” Jin Zhongbei responded calmly.
“Tomorrow’s scene—”
Jin Zhongbei slowly chewed a piece of duck meat. Surprisingly, it tasted quite good; he’d have to have Aso buy it again.
“You mean the bedroom scene in the script, which involves a kissing scene, and then you bringing me down— ” Qin Yilu hadn’t had this kind of filming experience before, “Is the kissing scene done by stand-ins or…?”
Jin Zhongbei looked at her, “Do you have any specific requests?”
Qin Yilu blinked, “Um… what kind of request can I have? Do I dare make any requests to the movie emperor? I mean…”
“I haven’t had a kissing scene before, no experience at all. Tomorrow, just be prepared for me to be awkward.” After hesitating for a moment, Qin Yilu spoke her mind.
Jin Zhongbei replied softly, “In “Eternal Sword and Dragon Slayer,” how did you film that scene with Yihan? Did you use stand-ins?”
“We used stand-ins—it was fake,” Qin Yilu eagerly shared her experience. “Yihan and I performed well, and we got through that scene in one take.”
Jin Zhongbei pondered for a moment, “Well, you should be prepared for tomorrow’s scene not to use stand-ins.”
Qin Yilu stared at him in astonishment and cleared her throat, “Then… please take good care of me.”
Meeting her gaze, Jin Zhongbei smiled gently, “Please take care of me too.”
The bedroom scene, lit romantically with soft lighting, was filmed in the afternoon, creating an ambiance filled with charm and intimacy.
Qin Yilu faced the most nerve-wracking scene of her career. Shenchen came over to comfort her, saying, “You need to show the professionalism of an actress.”
“Shen Ge, you wouldn’t understand.”
Lele sighed, “So many people want this opportunity, and you’re acting with Bei Shen himself. You need to realize how many of his female fans envy you.”
Qin Yilu covered her face, “I have no experience.”
“Bei Shen surely has experience, so if you stay natural and immerse yourself, you’ll be fine. Perhaps the female lead is experiencing this for the first time, just like you,” Shen Chen reassured her.
“After we finish filming, I want to eat roast duck.”
“Sure,” Shen Chen agreed.
It was late night when they entered the filming location. Jin Zhongbei returned from the palace to his home, and in a few days, he would lead his troops into battle. No one knew when he would return.
Jin Zhongbei entered the bedroom. Since their marriage, they had been sleeping in separate beds.
During the night, the maids were not allowed inside, so they had no knowledge of their current situation.
Qin Yilu sat in a chair, engrossed in reading an ancient book and didn’t notice him approaching from behind.
“It’s late, and you’re not resting. What are you reading?” he asked.
Qin Yilu turned around and called out, “Husband.”
Husband – they had been married for half a year now, and she was the eldest granddaughter-in-law of the Yuan family. With him leaving, many responsibilities within the Yuan family would fall on her shoulders.
Jin Zhongbei’s gaze was intense, his jaw clenched, and there was a hint of coldness about him.
“Husband,” Qin Yilu called softly again, her eyes showing concern.
Jin Zhongbei’s throat moved slightly. “Fu’er, three days from now, I will lead the troops into battle.”
Qin Yilu’s face froze for a moment, and her expression became conflicted. “Husband, please be careful. I will be waiting for you at the city gate on the day of your triumphant return.”
Jin Zhongbei slowly raised his head, his fingertip resting on her chin. “Fu’er…”
When he kissed her lips, Qin Yilu’s nervous breath seemed to stop. His lips were cool, but his fingertips carried a burning warmth.
“Fu’er, while I’m away from home, be careful,” he said, each word hitting her heart. “If anything happens to me, I’ve already made arrangements for the future.”
Qin Yilu gazed at him, her eyes unblinking. If his kiss had made her nervous earlier, his words now filled her with fear.
Jin Zhongbei let out a sigh. “I shouldn’t have kissed you. Alright, get some rest.”
He turned to leave, but his sleeve was tugged.
Qin Yilu pulled at his robe forcefully. “Husband, don’t go.”
Jin Zhongbei stood there for a while.
The two of them remained in a standoff, both knowing what would happen if he stayed tonight.
In the end, emotions triumphed over reason.
Jin Zhongbei turned back slowly, his gaze burning. “Madam, allow your husband to stay.”
In an instant, the world spun around Qin Yilu as he carried her to the wooden bed.
The sheer curtains descended slowly.
Jin Zhongbei gradually unbuttoned her clothes, revealing her fair skin. He slowly leaned down and planted a kiss on her collarbone.
It was clear that he felt Qin Yilu’s body tremble slightly.
“Good!” the director called a halt. “Very good. Let’s take a break, everyone.”
Qin Yilu let out a deep breath, and Jin Zhongbei handed her the clothes. She quickly dressed, her hands trembling so much that she struggled with her clothing.
At this point, he had also removed his shirt, revealing his strong upper body.
He quickly dressed again, and seeing Qin Yilu still struggling with her clothes, he realized there might be an issue. “This outfit seems to have a problem. Teacher Jin, could you please call Lele to assist me?”
Jin Zhongbei glanced at her and reached up to adjust her clothes. His eyes, however, caught a glimpse of the marks on her neck – the ones he had just left with his kisses?
Qin Yilu had finally finished dressing, her face now so red it seemed she might bleed. She kept thanking him profusely, “Thank you! Thank you!”
In the evening, Jin Zhongbei returned to his room to rest.
Aso was also there. “Brother Bei, are you not in a good mood?”
Jin Zhongbei raised his finger and massaged his forehead.
“Hehehe, do you feel guilty after kissing Yilu today?”
Jin Zhongbei opened his eyes and gave him a cold look.
“I heard it was Yilu’s first kiss.”
“Stop blabbering.”
Aso composed himself and said, “Brother Bei, a few days ago, I met Director Jin, and he asked me to pass along a message. You’re about to celebrate your 33rd birthday.”
“Alright. Tell him to have my birthday gift ready.”
Aso asked, “By the way, are you really determined never to get married in your life?”
Jin Zhongbei fell into deep thought and slowly replied, “Plans can change.”
Aso’s scalp tightened. “Good! Good! Good!”
After finishing the wedding night scene, Qin Yilu had a dream that night. She was hugging Jin Zhongbei, kissing him several times and sweetly calling him, “Husband—Husband—”
The next day, she noticed that Jin Zhongbei was avoiding her from a distance.
She posted a message on her Weibo account “Cute passerby fan of Beibei” saying, “Oh, Bei Shen has a great body. His future wife is going to be so lucky [blush] [blush].”
The plan for the “The Tale of XX” production was to shoot the indoor scenes first, leaving the outdoor scenes for later. Therefore, by the end of April, Qin Yilu had finished her scenes. It was around that time that she finally realized she might have feelings for Jin Zhongbei. Falling in love with a man who had no intentions of getting married was truly complicated!
As she became aware of her feelings, she spent a lot of time thinking alone. Eventually, she decided to seek help from Jiang Xiao.
At that moment, the Zhou couple was taking Little Bean Sprout to see the rapeseed flowers.
Qin Yilu said, “Jiang Jie, what should I do now? I’ve been dreaming about him for several nights in a row. I initially thought it was just lingering from the role, but after a day of careful thinking, I don’t think it’s that.”
Jiang Xiao was on the phone with her while walking and responded, “Actually, I know Jin Zhongbei quite well. The idea that he’s against marriage might be just speculation from the outside. It’s possible he’s met someone he likes.”
Qin Yilu said, “Since the filming is over, we’re having dinner together tonight. I’ll just tell him directly. If he doesn’t feel the same way, I’ll just let it go.”
Jiang Xiao chuckled and asked, “Does Shen Chen know about this?”
Qin Yilu replied, “I haven’t told him. If I did, he would definitely scold me to death.”
Jiang Xiao said, “In fact, both Zhou Xiulin and I are really looking forward to seeing what kind of style Jin Zhongbei truly likes. For a long time, people have thought that Cheng Ying and Jin Zhongbei were the best match, but unfortunately, over these many years, nothing has developed between them.”
Qin Yilu sighed, thinking that Jin Zhongbei might not like her type.
That night, they had reserved a private room at a hotel near the film studio. Several lead actors were present, and as their parting was approaching, they were in a relaxed mood.
Qin Yilu was given a few glasses of alcohol, even though the alcohol content wasn’t high. For someone like her, who couldn’t handle alcohol, it was enough. During the dinner, her thoughts were starting to become a bit fuzzy.
The actress who played the second female lead in the series asked her, “Yilu, you’ve acted in three movies, which of the three male actors do you like the most?”
Qin Yilu rested her chin on her hand and said, “Of course, it’s Yuanshu. He loves only Zhenfu throughout his life. A man like him, isn’t he loved by every woman?”
Jin Zhongbei glanced at her, and despite her slight intoxication, he answered her question clearly.
Qin Yilu got up and went to the restroom outside.
After a while, she hadn’t returned, so Jin Zhongbei got up to find her.
As he left, some of the actors joked, “Have you guys noticed how concerned Bei Shen is about Yilu?”
“Bei Shen has a good relationship with Jiang Xiao, and Yilu has good luck; she’s Jiang Xiao’s favorite.”
“But that doesn’t mean anything.”
When Jin Zhongbei finally found Qin Yilu, she was leaning against a wall, watching the fish in a tank. He walked up to her and said, “Everyone is waiting for you.”
Qin Yilu looked up at him and smiled, “Teacher Jin, do you think these two fish are a couple?”
“I’m not sure.”
“I think they are.”
Jin Zhongbei supported her arm, “You’ve had too much to drink. Let your assistant come to pick you up.”
Qin Yilu leaned on his arm, gazing deeply at him, “Teacher Jin, you’re really handsome, especially in ancient costumes. Teacher Jin…”
“I think I might like you.”
Jin Zhongbei halted in his tracks.
“Not just a bit, but a lot.” Qin Yilu held his hand tightly, her face filled with concern, “Do you like me, my husband?”
Jin Zhongbei chuckled, “I think you’re just too deep into your role.”
“How about this, give me a probationary period. Let’s give it half a year to see if we’re compatible. If not, we’ll call it quits.”
Jin Zhongbei squinted, “Is it a lack of confidence in me, or in yourself? Half a year? What if I say the probationary period can be extended?”
“For how long?” She blinked.
Jin Zhongbei’s lips curled slightly, “How about a lifetime?”
Qin Yilu had a broad smile, she reached up and gently touched his face, then pinched him, “It’s not an illusion, is it!”
Jin Zhongbei chuckled, “Alright, I’ll take you back.”
“No, no, no!” Qin Yilu wasn’t about to miss such a great opportunity.
“Do you still want to drink?”
She bit her lip and slowly said, “I want to kiss you.” Her voice got lower and lower, “The other day, it was you who kissed me, and on set, I was too nervous. I haven’t really had the chance to experience the feeling of a kiss…”
Jin Zhongbei felt like he was dealing with a little rascal. He said firmly, “Go back first. We can talk about it when you’re sober.”
“I’m not drunk; I’m very sober. I’m afraid that if I’m really sober, I won’t dare to kiss you.”
Jin Zhongbei sighed, “I’ll remember that.”
Qin Yilu was like a child with a new candy, “My husband, you’re so nice. I really like you.”
At the end of April, the filming for “The Tale of XX” concluded.
In early May, Pa Pa Weekly published a series of pictures showing Jin Zhongbei and Qin Yilu dating.
The fans were ecstatic.
“Bei Shen is finally off the market!”
“Is this for real? But this tabloid magazine is never reliable; I’m not sure if I can believe it!”
“We need more details!”
…
Unfortunately, neither of the two directly responded to the news.
In reality, Qin Yilu was torn when she saw the news, and Shen Chen was infuriated. A rising star in her career getting into a relationship with a superstar, and the kicker was that the superstar was not young.
“Brother Bei, what is he thinking? Is he planning to get married?”
Qin Yilu nodded.
“A secret marriage?”
Qin Yilu shook her head.
Shen Chen was about to lose his mind. “I need to have a serious talk with Bei Shen about your plans.”
In July, a press conference was held before the premiere of “XX Chronicles,” and the main cast members were all in attendance. Reporters didn’t miss the chance to ask a barrage of questions, most of which were focused on the two leads.
When it came to Bei Shen, people were still careful not to be too intrusive. Consequently, most of the personal questions centered on Qin Yilu.
“Yilu, after finishing “The Tale of XX,” what’s your biggest takeaway?”
After giving it some thought, Qin Yilu wanted to answer that her biggest takeaway was a boyfriend. But she couldn’t say that to the reporters. “I think it’s the improvement in my acting skills, thanks to Mr. Jin’s guidance.”
“What about Bei Shen?”
With a gentle smile, Jin Zhongbei turned his head towards Qin Yilu, his gaze filled with tenderness, and his voice melodic. “I think my biggest takeaway is my girlfriend’s first kiss.” He raised his hand to hold hers. “We’re together now, just as everyone thinks.”
Qin Yilu remained silent for a moment and then said, “Please focus on ‘XX Chronicles’!”
Sansukini: There’s one more chapter for the conclusion of Qin Yilu-Jin Zhongbei Extra, then 2 more extras for the Zhou’s. See you again next Saturday.
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Oh em gee! They’re so cute. ☺️