He was very poor.

Yes indeed, very poor.

Yang Siyue sat down in her chair and took out her phone. He Xinyan did the same since they both didn't want to watch Gu Yebei and Wu Minger act all lovey-dovey in front of them.

A few minutes later, He Xinyan looked up as she saw a familiar face.

It was Li Yuyan.

He Xinyan raised one eyebrow and looked at the schedule for today. Li Yuyan had two scenes today. . . with her.

She smiled and closed her phone, "I'm going to go change. Filming is starting soon."

After changing, He Xinyan had a few solo scenes before lunch. She mainly watched other people film until it was lunch time.

They ate lunch and after that, it was her scene with Li Yuyan.

He Xinyan got dressed and walked into the room. She sat down on the chair and looked around for Li Yuyan.

Today's scene was fun. It was after Concubine Xi caught her maid trying to seduce the emperor, and she was going to scold her.

After this scene, it was the scene where Concubine Xi's maid got killed.

A few seconds later, Li Yuyan walked over and refused to look at He Xinyan. The director also sat down in his chair and put on his headphones.

"This is scene 122. Everyone ready?"

He Xinyan nodded her head and Li Yuyan also hesitantly kneeled down onto the ground in front of He Xinyan.

"Okay. Beautiful Things Past, scene 122, take 1! Action!"

He Xinyan threw the porcelain tea cup she was holding in her hand down onto the ground in front of Li Yuyan, who flinched in fright.

"Yinlan, do you know what you did wrong now?!"

Li Yuyan looked up with her eyes slightly red from the eyedrops she used before this scene began, "Master, you have to help me. I don't want to live my entire life as a servant. Master!"

Concubine Xi frowned with disgust, "Yinlan, how did I not see this side of you before?"

"Master. . ."

Concubine Xi folded her hands together and looked down at her maid coldly, "Yinlan, I have been helping you all this time and trying to cover for you. Don't think I don't know what you have done in the past."

Yinlan looked up nervously, "Ma - Master, what are you talking about?"

Concubine Xi sighed, "I know you were the one that caused Consort Hua's miscarriage."

Yinlan's eyes widened and she was at a loss for words, "I. . . How?"

"I know you, Yinlan. You have been with me since before I entered the palace. I know that you are very ambitious, and I don't blame you for that. However, what you did was too much today! I have been trying to protect you because my father instructed me to, but I cannot protect you now! There is no way the empress will let you off the hook. I won't either!"

Tears began flowing out of Yinlan's eyes as she scrunched her face up, "Master you have to help me!"

"I can't. I have nothing to do. I warned you several times before, but you never listened. There is no way for me to save you now."

Yinlan fell down onto the floor, "Why?! Why?! Why am I born to be a servant?! I wanted to be a concubine too, but father only sent you! Why!"

Concubine Xi's father became Yinlan's guardian when she was 12, and Yinlan always called him "father". When she was 16, she was sent into the palace with Concubine Xi.

Concubine Xi stood up and stepped down to where Yinlan was kneeling.

She raised one arm up and slapped it across Yinlan's face. This was not part of the script and Li Yuyan was shocked. She forgot to react and He Xinyan continued to speak her next lines.

"Come!" Immediately, several guards ran into the room.

"Bring Yinlan to the empress's palace. The empress can decide the punishment for Yinlan."

"Yes, Concubine Xi." Two guards grabbed onto Yinlan, and dragged her out of the room.

After they were gone, Concubine Xi fell back down onto her chair and closed her eyes with a sigh.

"Cut!" The director stood up and Li Yuyan walked back into the room. One side of her cheek was swollen since He Xinyan actually slapped her quite hard.

Li Yuyan looked quite angry as she marched into the room.

"Good, good!" Director Ma said, "He Xinyan, you have great potential! Your acting today was really nice! Li Yuyan!"

Li Yuyan turned around and looked at Director Ma. Her original angry expression softened a bit since Director Ma's expression was also quite scary.

"Li Yuyan, I know you don't have a lot of scenes, but this is one of your most important ones! The slap wasn't part of the script, but I think it was a great addition! It adds more to the mood and intense feeling of the scene. However, your reaction ruined it! Acting! Li Yuyan, this is acting! You have to know how to act!"

Li Yuyan looked down frustratingly and bit her lip, "But. . ."

"But what?!"

Li Yuyan glanced up, "Nothing."

Li Yuyan's assistant ran over with an ice pack in her hands and Li Yuyan immediately grabbed it.

He Xinyan watched her with a smile as she sat back in her concubine chair and smiled. Wu Minger also came over and handed He Xinyan a bottle of water.

He Xinyan took a sip, making sure not to mess up her lipstick.

Wu Minger grinned and tapped He Xinyan on the shoulder. He Xinyan looked up with a raised eyebrow. Wu Minger smiled at her and gave her a thumbs up.

"I want to watch that scene on repeat! It felt so great to see Li Yuyan being slapped!"

He Xinyan chuckled, "Then let's do it again."

Wu Minger frowned confusedly.

"Director Ma, you are right. I don't think Yuyan's reaction was very on point. Should we try the scene again to hopefully make it better? After all, that is one of her main scenes."

Director Ma crossed his arms together and slowly nodded, "Sure. I think that is a good idea."

Li Yuyan's eyes widened and she was about to refuse but the director had already put his headphones on already.

Li Yuyan marched over to He Xinyan, "You! You did that on purpose, right?!"

"What do you mean? I genuinely think the scene was bad and your acting was even worse. I don't want that in the drama."

"Li Yuyan, get into position!"

Wu Minger tried to hide her giggle as she ran off and Li Yuyan grudgingly kneeled back onto the ground. He Xinyan smiled as she watched her.

The second time, He Xinyan slapped the other cheek so both of her cheeks were swollen now. This time, Li Yuyan's reaction was just a little better, but it was still not perfect.

However, He Xinyan, being the nice person she was, decided to let Li Yuyan off the hook. After the second take, she let the scene pass and she left to go change.

Li Yuyan had one ice pack on each cheek as she left the filming site to go home. There was a flame inside her, but she had nowhere to let it out.

All she could do was get mad at her assistant and hit her to try and get rid of her anger.

She entered the car and kicked her feet onto the ground as she rubbed her cheeks gently.

He Xinyan! Soon. . . Very soon, she would become the legitimate and superior daughter in the He family. She wouldn't let He Xinyan step over her anymore!

---

After filming, He Xinyan got to spend time with Wu Minger today. They went out to drink tea and ate cake. It was time for dinner when she returned home.

She was the last to arrive at the dining table tonight.

Li Yuyan's cheeks were still swollen and red when she arrived, and He Xinyan couldn't help but smile.

When the people saw her, they all turned to look at her. Li Huiran glared at her angrily and Bai Jiawei stood up from his chair.

"He Xinyan, you're back!"

He Xinyan sat down in her chair and crossed her legs together, "You guys didn't have to wait for me."

Bai Jiawei frowned, "I heard that you slapped your sister during filming today."

He Xinyan took a sip of water, "Sister?"

She raised one eyebrow, "Do you mean Yuyan?"

Bai Jiawei's expression darkened a little more, "Yes. How dare you slap your older sister?!"

Li Yuyan looked down pitifully and her eyes turned slightly red.

"During filming, my job is to act. The scene required a strong and angry feeling, so there is nothing wrong with me slapping her. If Li Yuyan is that weak and sensitive, she shouldn't act. I can go tell the director tomorrow that Li Yuyan doesn't want her role anymore."

Li Yuyan looked up angrily and jumped up from her chair, "That slap wasn't even part of the scene! You purposely added it because you don't like me!"

He Xinyan also stood up from her chair and her smile disappeared, "You're right, I don't like you."