Everyone was bundled up in thick scarves and gloves. Some actresses were even more exaggerated, holding hand warmers typically used in the depths of winter.
Shi Xinxin, utterly confused, grabbed Xiao Mi and asked, "What's going on? Why is everyone dressed so warmly?"
Xiao Mi scanned Shi Xinxin from head to toe, then patted her shoulder, her voice tinged with helplessness. "Didn't I text you? Didn't you see it? We're going to the suburbs to film today, and the temperature there is ten degrees colder than in the city center!"
"Ah?" Shi Xinxin exclaimed instinctively. She awkwardly scratched her head and explained, "I'm so sorry, Xiao Mi. I thought you were joking, so..."
Xiao Mi sighed and began to comfort Shi Xinxin. As Shi Xinxin nodded in thanks, she inwardly chided herself for her own carelessness. Whatever happened today, she had to face it herself.
About ten minutes later, the crew gathered, and the entire group set off toward the outskirts in a procession.
However, upon arriving in the suburbs, Shi Xinxin truly understood the meaning of "regret."
Compared to the bright sunshine in the city, the sky here was overcast, devoid of any sunlight. The air was cold and damp, and the mountain wind blowing from the west was bone-chillingly sharp, almost piercing to the heart.
After just an hour of filming, Shi Xinxin's legs were trembling, her lips were turning blue, and her hands felt as if they were about to freeze. Yet, gritting her teeth, she didn't ask to stop.
The director, well aware of the hardships of filming under such conditions, allowed the crew a brief rest.
Upon hearing the announcement of a break, Shi Xinxin breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on a stone bench with Xiao Mi. Despite her own pale and cold face, Xiao Mi kept pushing her scarf and hot water bottle towards Shi Xinxin, who repeatedly refused.
"If you give me your scarf and hot water bottle, won't you freeze yourself? You should keep them for yourself!"
"Oh, Xinxin, take them. I'm not cold, really not cold!" Xiao Mi insisted on pressing her scarf and hot water bottle into her hands, but Shi Xinxin refused.
After this back and forth, Xiao Mi stopped insisting. As the cold wind blew, Shi Xinxin shivered, drawing her neck into her shoulders.
Just then, a familiar figure suddenly appeared. Shi Xinxin, who had been resting with her eyes closed, was startled by the sudden appearance.
The man who had suddenly appeared was none other than Yue Ran, who was infatuated with her.
Perhaps due to the cold weather, Yue Ran's usually smiling face had turned icy, devoid of any expression or hint of a smile.
He furrowed his handsome brows, slowly walked to Shi Xinxin's side, and then, as if by magic, produced a scarf and a bottle of hot water from behind him, placing them into Shi Xinxin's hands. Before Shi Xinxin could speak, he turned and left without a word.
"This scarf..."
Shi Xinxin murmured softly. She looked down, her eyes wide with surprise at the scarf and hot water in her hands.
She found it incredible. This pink scarf was embroidered with a little bear? And the thermos bottle had a Hello Kitty design? Could it be that he had prepared these items specifically for her?
Seeing her stunned, Xiao Mi quickly took the scarf and expertly wrapped it around Shi Xinxin's neck.
"What are you spacing out for? Put it on quickly! If you get sick, it won't be worth it!"
Shi Xinxin put on the scarf and drank a few sips of hot water, feeling her body gradually regain sensation. Her previously stiff and cold hands slowly grew warm.
Shi Xinxin looked up, gazing gratefully in the direction Yue Ran had left.
But as she looked up, she suddenly noticed countless dagger-like gazes directed at her. Shi Xinxin scanned her surroundings and found that there were about a dozen actresses looking in her direction with their own agendas.
The actresses' expressions varied, but the one thing they had in common was the resentment and malice in their eyes. Their ferocity was as if Shi Xinxin owed them her life.
It turned out that so many people had witnessed Yue Ran giving her things. This was bad; with so many tongues wagging, gossip was bound to spread soon.
Shi Xinxin couldn't understand why so many people in the world found pleasure in slandering, spreading rumors, and gossiping about others, completely unaware of how much they were inadvertently hurting them.
Xiao Mi followed Shi Xinxin's gaze and looked around, instantly understanding what Shi Xinxin was thinking.
She put an arm around Shi Xinxin's shoulders and placed Shi Xinxin's hands into her own, comforting her, "The pure will remain pure. Just do your best and don't worry about what others say."
Shi Xinxin gripped the hot water bottle, feeling the warmth gradually seep into her heart.
After a moment of hesitation, Shi Xinxin gazed in the direction Yue Ran had left and said, "Love is truly a peculiar thing. In any case, I have to thank him today."
Xiao Mi smiled and said no more.
She knew that Shi Xinxin had always been straightforward and unpretentious, with no hidden motives or ill intentions.
From the moment some people are born into this world, their lives are destined to be extraordinary. The dust and grime of the mundane world cannot dim their brilliance. The light of stars will eventually break through the dirt.
All she had to do was help Shi Xinxin manage everything and strive to guide her onto that glorious and dazzling path to stardom.
As Shi Xinxin had predicted, after Yue Ran gave her the scarf and water, many actresses indeed began to badmouth her behind her back, including some lesser-known foreign actresses.
"I don't know if Yue Ran is blind or bewitched to fall for the likes of Shi Xinxin."
"Exactly. Honestly, I don't think she's attractive at all! Just a plain, ordinary face. I really don't know how the director cast her, letting some random person play in a TV series?"
"Heh, what makes me laugh the most is Yue Ran's feelings for her. He's probably just playing around, messing with her, right?"
These actresses spoke one more harshly than the other, like a theatrical performance. What they didn't know was that every single word of their cruel remarks was overheard by Shi Xinxin, who happened to be passing by.
Although this wasn't the first time she had heard people speak ill of her behind her back, Shi Xinxin was still filled with anger. She clenched her fists, her teeth gritted tightly, and her rationality struggled to control the rage burning in her chest.
She feared that in the next second, she would lose control and rush into the room to shout at those actresses: "The truth is not what you say it is!"