#llx

Lin Ling is a plucky upcoming actor who's only had minor experience in the industry before and has finally hit it big and bagged a protagonist role in a major motion picture production after his agent, Ms J, promoted him like hell. It goes well at first, he blazes through the auditions and performs well on-set, able to even do most of his stunts himself. Everything seems to be going great - until it comes to romantic scenes with his co-lead and designated love interest Xiao Yueqing. The director is never happy no matter how many times they rehearse and re-shoot, no matter how many times Lin Ling kisses her or says 'I love you', the director insists that there is no chemistry, that it is awkward and sexless and cold. It gets to a point that he threatens dropping Lin Ling from the production entirely unless he can solve the issue, and a despairing Lin Ling desperately paces set after the day is over, pulling out his hair and trying to think of a way to salvage this.

Sat on the set still and watching him is his co-star and far superior, an extremely famous and renowned actor - X. The guy is only here to play a bit part to lure in audiences and so his name can be on the poster, but Lin Ling sees everyone else fawn over him all day anyway like he's the main star. It makes Lin Ling resent him a bit, so without thinking he initiates conversation, hoping to drive him off. Instead, X coaxes him into telling him the issue - that Lin Ling has never been in a serious relationship or been in love before, that he has no idea how to act it or how to mime out the intimate scenes or where his thoughts should be, what emotions he should convey and when.

X looks him over, eyes sparkling behind glasses that cost more than Lin Ling's monthly rent, and then he rises. Stepping over, thin fingers tilt the younger man's chin up.