The Warmth of the Sun in the Winter

The sound of the school bell startled them both.

Ren Yuxin jolted, nearly dropping her iPad, while Su Yuanzhou rolled his eyes and stood up lazily.

"Keep staring at the clouds, and you're gonna fail English," he muttered, but there was no real bite in his tone.

Ren Yuxin blinked, realizing he was speaking to her.

Before she could respond, he had already walked away.

Ren Yuxin blinked, realizing he was speaking to her. Before she could respond, he had already walked away.

The sound of her alarm pulled her abruptly from the dream.

Ren Yuxin shot upright, her heart pounding. 

She grabbed her phone from the bedside table and groaned when she saw the time: 7 a.m.

Rubbing her eyes, she murmured, "What kind of weird dream was that?"

By 8 a.m., Ren Yuxin arrived on the set, the first to show up.

The early morning sunlight bathed the beach in a soft, golden hue, and the rhythmic sound of waves crashing against the shore filled the air.

Today, they were filming the first scenes for Bai Ye's new music video, Midsummer.

Unlike TV series, music videos don't have a proper plot. The audience would first be presented with some daily, warm interactions between a couple.

In a scene in a cinema, the female lead suddenly had a nosebleed. Then, the scene changed to the hospital. The female lead was lying on the hospital bed, and the male lead was holding the medical report, crying sadly.

A melodramatic plot? Absolutely. But with Bai Ye's hauntingly sorrowful voice and poetic lyrics, it would undoubtedly become a chart-topping hit.

The first location was the picturesque beach in Miyun District.

Ren Yuxin stepped out of the luxurious car, the salty breeze tugging at her hair.

Just then, another car approached from the opposite direction.

Ren Yuxin casually leaned against the chair while the make-up artist did her makeup, and then the legendary A-list star slowly got out of the car.

The orange light of the setting sun shone on the man's side profile.

He had an impressive height, a high nose, and perfect facial features that were a little too exquisite, and the fatigue between his eyebrows added a sense of broken beauty.

His skin was very fair, and it was very attractive under the sun.

Ren Yuxin's assistant, Yang Xiaotao, gasped dramatically, clutching her heart. "Oh my god, Miss Yuxin! He's so beautiful. Like, unfairly beautiful!"

Ren Yuxin did not have much of a reaction. She thought that this person was pretty, as pretty as a young girl.

As the makeup artist worked on her, she stifled a yawn.

"Miss Yuxin, are you tired?" the makeup artist asked, noticing her drowsy expression.

"I didn't sleep well last night," she admitted with a small laugh. "I had the weirdest dream."

"What kind of dream?"

"I dreamt I was back in high school, reliving everything exactly as it happened. It wasn't just vivid; it felt… real. Like I'd traveled back in time."

"You must miss those days," the makeup artist said with a smile.

Ren Yuxin nodded, her gaze drifting to the horizon. "I do. Those days were so simple, so carefree. It's hard not to miss them."

The director's voice cut through the tranquility, calling for the first scene.

Ren Yuxin, now dressed in a baby pink sundress, stood by the water's edge.

The soft fabric fluttered in the breeze as she adjusted her posture.

The male lead, Su Jing, joined her, offering a warm smile that seemed to melt hearts.

Yang Xiaotao nearly squealed. "He waved at us! Did you see that? He's so polite and charming!"

Ren Yuxin chuckled lightly, shaking her head at her assistant's enthusiasm.

The scene they were shooting was simple—a playful chase along the shore.

Ren Yuxin was supposed to run ahead, laughing, while Su Jing chased after her, their carefree joy captured in slow motion.

"Action!" the director called.

Ren Yuxin took off, her laughter ringing out as her bare feet kicked up sand.

She turned to glance back, expecting Su Jing to be right behind her. Instead, she saw him slowing down, his figure shrinking in the distance.

"Cut!" the director shouted, clearly annoyed. "Ren Yuxin! Why are you running like you're competing in the Olympics? You're supposed to be flirting, not fleeing!"

The crew burst into laughter as Su Jing collapsed onto the sand, hands on his knees, gasping for air. "I… I can't… She's too fast," he panted dramatically.

Ren Yuxin jogged back, trying to hide her grin. "Sorry! I guess I got carried away."

Bai Ye, who had come to observe the first day of shooting, couldn't suppress a chuckle. 

She had been anxious about how Ren Yuxin would perform, but this unexpected moment of hilarity eased her worries.

The director sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, let's try this again. This time, Ren Yuxin, pretend you like the guy chasing you, okay?"

"I'll try my best!" she replied, her tone playful.

Su Jing, still catching his breath, muttered, "If she runs like that again, I'm going to need a stunt double."

The crew burst into laughter again.

As the sun began to set, casting the beach in hues of orange and pink, they finally captured the perfect shot.

Ren Yuxin and Su Jing, framed against the glowing horizon, their laughter blending harmoniously with the sound of waves.

In the original script, it was supposed to be an intimate scene between the male and female leads, but after some editing, it became a wholesome interaction.

Usually, in order to catch people's attention, there would be some very erotic scenes.

But it didn't matter. Bai Ye didn't need those scenes to help her new song gain momentum.

Bai Ye stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, her sharp eyes focused intently on the monitors.

The crew bustled around her, adjusting lights and cameras, but her attention was glued to Ren Yuxin on the screen.

Ren Yuxin, dressed in a flowy white sundress, moved with a natural elegance as she walked barefoot along the shore.

The camera captured her in soft focus, her hair gently tousled by the sea breeze.

"She's something else," Bai Ye muttered to herself.

"Who's something else?" her assistant, Xiao Qian, asked, handing her a bottle of water.

"Ren Yuxin," Bai Ye replied without looking away. "She's not the most experienced actress, but she has this… presence. The camera loves her."

Xiao Qian nodded. "That's true. She doesn't even need the typical dramatic antics to draw attention. Just being there is enough."

Bai Ye smirked. "Exactly. No need for over-the-top stunts or those ridiculous erotic scenes some directors rely on."

Xiao Qian chuckled. "Not that the audience would complain if we had those."

Bai Ye rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress a grin. "Please. My song doesn't need cheap tricks to go viral. The story, the music, and her—it's more than enough."

Some actors were good at crying scenes or emotional scenes, but they were clueless when it came to physical coordination.

However, Ren Yuxin's limbs were very coordinated, and her performance was very intense.

"She's photogenic, but she's also got this spark," Bai Ye mused aloud.

"You're obsessed," Xiao Qian teased.

"Shut up."

By the afternoon, the spotlight shifted to Su Jing, who was filming a long shot of surfing. The crew marveled at his athleticism as he cut through the waves with ease.

"Show-off," Ren Yuxin muttered under her breath, lounging in a shaded chair with a cold drink in hand.

"You're just jealous because he gets to play while you had to run laps on the beach," Yang Xiaotao said, grinning.

Ren Yuxin snorted. "Hardly. Let him have his moment. I've done enough cardio for a lifetime."

After eight grueling hours, the director finally called it a wrap.

Ren Yuxin was utterly drained.

Back at her hotel suite, she flopped onto the couch in her favorite pajamas, scrolling aimlessly through old photos on her phone.

She stopped when a particular picture caught her eye.