My Moonlight Overlord

Episode2

The crew stayed in a hotel right next to the film city, just a ten-minute walk from the set.

As soon as YunHe returned to her room and collapsed onto the bed, her phone started buzzing incessantly with notifications, all coming from the crew's WeChat group.

The assistant director was posting in the group: "Gold sponsor dad has arrived at the set with gifts! Tonight at 7 PM, everyone meets at the Seafood Restaurant next door. Don't miss it!!!" He posted the message three times, nearly crashing the chat group.

The seafood restaurant next door was quite upscale, with meals costing thousands, so treating the entire crew was quite the gesture.

Considering the group size of over thirty people, plus various assistants not in the chat, the investor was likely shelling out tens of thousands.

Staring at her phone, YunHe was genuinely impressed. "It must be nice to be rich!"

Xiaotang, busy organizing scripts for the next day's shoot, perked up curiously. "What's up, sis?"

YunHe handed her the phone.

Three seconds later, Xiaotang squealed loud enough to lift the roof, "Ah! That's amazing! Can I go too? I want to eat king crab!"

YunHe wasn't sure: "Maybe...?"

Regardless, at 6:50 PM, YunHe and Xiaotang were promptly at the entrance of the seafood restaurant.

The enthusiastic server welcomed them inside.

Only upon entering did YunHe realize the sponsor had booked the entire second floor for the crew's dinner. She estimated about ten people per table, with four tables already full and several half-full.

YunHe and Xiaotang made their way to a table on the edge. This table was a slight step up from being extras; it included those playing maids, guards, and even the assassin who had "killed" YunHe that afternoon.

The atmosphere here seemed even better than at the main table, as everyone was happily chatting away, unconcerned with daily shooting hierarchies.

It was past seven by ten minutes, and the sponsor had yet to appear. The dishes were all served—crabs, lobsters, abalone, oysters laid out in abundance, tantalizingly out of reach, much to everyone's frustration.

Not particularly hungry initially, YunHe felt her appetite grow as the crab in front of her seemed to eye her with its beady eyes, beckoning, "Come eat me!"

YunHe swallowed hard and looked away.

The restlessness wasn't unique to her alone.

The assassin beside her muttered, "Why isn't he here yet?"

A guard replied nonchalantly, "Typical big boss behavior."

The assassin, probably starved, shifted the conversation: "Why would someone randomly treat us to dinner like this? Money to burn?"

YunHe pondered the same question. It was common for investors to treat main crew members, but inviting the entire group, especially the likes of them, was unusual.

"Maybe the investor is just rewarding everyone?" guessed the guard.

"It's just that simple," chimed in the actress playing the old maid, her voice low. "This film's a low-budget project, pooled together by several companies. Chengfeng Media only contributed because of the male lead."

The film's male lead was a new idol from Chengfeng Entertainment, not particularly high-profile within the glittering firmament of Chengfeng's stars, hardly justifying a dinner invitation from the CEO.

"That's even stranger. The male lead isn't even here today, off on another engagement. Why would Chengfeng invite us to dinner?" someone curiously asked.

This sparked further discussion and speculation.

YunHe listened in quietly, her ears pricked up. Xiaotang beside her mirrored her actions almost exactly. The old maid spoke with a tone of worldly resignation, "Who knows? There's probably more to it than meets the eye."

Her words were cryptic, spurring the imagination.

Who, then, was the focus if not the feast?

"Which young, pretty actress isn't it!" Such things were not uncommon in the industry.

Indeed, the conversation soon turned: "I heard he came during the afternoon shoot, unexpectedly, and the director wasn't even aware. By the time anyone noticed, he had been watching Song Sisi for quite some time."

"So, he's taken a fancy to Song Sisi?"

As for YunHe, who had also filmed with Song Sisi all afternoon, her lower status made her practically invisible in this context.

YunHe herself didn't think much of it and simply adopted an 'I see' expression upon hearing this.

"That shouldn't be it. What's so good about her that an investor would be interested unless he's blind?" the old maid frowned, clearly not a fan. She had suffered from Song Sisi's poor acting enough to hold a grudge.

"She's pretty, though," someone countered.

"Yeah, I think she's attractive too," agreed the assassin and the guard.

The conversation naturally veered towards whether Song Sisi was actually beautiful, a debate on the differences in male and female perceptions of beauty.

Losing interest, YunHe picked up her phone and started playing a game. She was addicted to Candy Crush and was stuck on level 259, which she couldn't pass. Busy with filming during the day, she took the opportunity now to indulge.

Just as she was focusing on her game, a commotion at the staircase drew everyone's attention—except YunHe's, who didn't even look up.

Xiaotang craned her neck to see and then nudged YunHe excitedly. "Sis, look, a real hottie!"

YunHe kept her eyes on the colorful blocks on her screen, amused, "How handsome can he be?"

"Super handsome! Way more than the male lead!"

"Really?" YunHe glanced over briefly, but before she could get a good look, her phone made a cheerful sound.

Her attention returned to her game just in time to see a big 'game over' flash across the screen.

Another round lost.

YunHe sighed and put away her phone.

Xiaotang continued to stretch her neck, trying to get a better view, but the man had already taken a seat at the main table, blocked from view by several other tables.

Reluctantly, Xiaotang withdrew her gaze.

Seeing Xiaotang's infatuated expression, YunHe couldn't suppress her curiosity. "Is he really that handsome?"

"Really!" Xiaotang nodded vigorously. "If you don't believe me, ask them!"

The guard confirmed, "He really is!"

The assassin added, "Even as a guy, I think he's handsome!"

The old maid concluded, "So if he really likes what's-her-name, he's not only blind but also a disgrace to his own face."

YunHe: "..."

Mature actors dare to speak their minds, and it seemed the old maid's dislike for Song Sisi was quite deep.

YunHe decided to keep her head down and stay out of it.

Others might criticize, but it wasn't suitable for her, given that she and Song Sisi were from the same company. Moreover, Song Sisi was the darling of their company's boss. If word got back to her, while others could simply finish their roles and leave, YunHe would still have to continue at the company.

So, she endured when possible, and when she couldn't, she endured some more.

That was the survival strategy she had learned over the past two years.

The sponsor had arrived, and the dinner was about to start.

At the main table, the sponsor took his seat at the head, flanked by his assistants and the director, with the female lead and second lead among others nearby.

From the moment he sat down, Song Sisi's gaze hadn't strayed from his face.

The new CEO of Chengfeng Entertainment, under 30, young, successful, and wealthy... Song Sisi felt her heart pounding, a sure sign of attraction.

Unaware of Song Sisi's inner thoughts, the director put on a sycophantic smile as soon as the sponsor sat down, stood up with his glass raised, and announced loudly to everyone, "Let me introduce tonight's host, one of the investors of 'The Princess's Escape from Marriage' and the new CEO of Chengfeng Entertainment, Meng Jun, President Meng! Let's give him a warm welcome!"

Applause broke out enthusiastically.

Meng Jun also stood with his glass raised, his demeanor still cold, his cool gaze briefly sweeping the room before he said, "Thank you."

His thanks, uttered so icily, seemed to carry a layer of frost.

After speaking, he showed no interest in drinking, sitting down with a face void of expression, the toast just a meaningless gesture to him.

Truly, he offered no face at all.

The director's smile almost faltered before he awkwardly sat back down.

His assistant, Chen Yi, quickly explained, "President Meng doesn't drink alcohol, please understand."

The director mopped his brow: "Of course, of course. Tea is fine for President Meng."

Meng Jun nodded.

Everyone finally began to eat.

YunHe sat in a corner, her gaze drifting back down to her utensils. Her long, thick eyelashes shadowed her eyelids, hiding the turmoil within.

Meng Jun. Meng Jun.

She whispered the name between her lips.

That brought back memories of the boy she knew.

Always in neat school uniform, stern, his face cold, his glances at her always indifferent, sometimes even impatient.

His most common remark to her was: "YunHe, you're annoying."

YunHe snapped out of her reverie.

In a blink, eight years had stealthily passed, but Meng Jun still looked the same as in her memories.

Only taller

now, his frame no longer the slimness of youth but more robust, his demeanor more reserved and mature, his school uniform replaced by a sharp suit...

Yet some things seemed unchanged.

Still aloof, still proud, still fascinating.

Indeed, he was the man she had once shamelessly chased... and never caught.

Thinking this, YunHe abruptly became more conscious of her surroundings, shrinking a bit, a tad intimidated.

Xiaotang noticed her discomfort and asked with concern, "Sis, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just remembered something trivial."

Xiaotang placed a crab on YunHe's plate, whispering, "Forget about work at the dinner table, eat up, sis. There's not enough to go around."

YunHe looked at the crab, now reddened from cooking, waving its claws at her.

She suddenly smiled.

Why worry so much? Whether it's Meng Jun or President Meng, filling her stomach was the priority.

YunHe donned her gloves and happily began dissecting the crab in front of her.

Across several tables, the man in the main seat very "casually" glanced over, his eyes pausing for a second on someone, then just as "indifferently" withdrawing his gaze.

His already expressionless face turned a few degrees colder.

Was he less appealing than a crab?