By afternoon, under He Zhan's steady guidance, Ye Xiaoxiao—inhabiting Jo Fei's body—gradually found her rhythm. Several consecutive scenes were completed smoothly, each take better than the last.
When filming wrapped for the evening, Wayne walked over to her side and spoke gently.
"May I drive you home?"
"No need," Ye Xiaoxiao replied quickly. "Jo Third—ah, I mean, my third brother will come pick me up. Thank you."
She still wasn't used to Wayne speaking to her in this tone. In her memories, this man had always yelled whenever he spoke to "Ye Xiaoxiao."
"Alright then," Wayne said with a smile. "You did really well today. Honestly—whatever you do, you do it brilliantly. I admire that."
At that moment, Jo Fei's spirit was floating beside him, her face twisted in pure disdain.
"What's wrong with this guy? Why does he have to come over and chat?"
She waved her hands in front of Wayne's face as if swatting flies.
"Shoo, shoo! As if I'd want to talk to you!"
Seeing this ridiculous scene, Ye Xiaoxiao couldn't help but laugh.
Wayne mistook her reaction as delight at his praise and pressed on eagerly.
"Then… can I ask you out to dinner sometime?"
Ye Xiaoxiao froze.
She remembered her days in the crew—Wayne had been sharp-tongued, yes, but he'd always looked out for her, more like an older brother than anything else. Besides, she desperately wanted to know how the real Ye Xiaoxiao was doing now.
She nodded softly.
"Okay."
Jo Fei's spirit shrieked. She lunged for Ye Xiaoxiao's arm, her hand passing straight through.
"Didn't I tell you to ignore him?! You actually agreed?! Are you trying to kill me?!"
Before Jo Fei could spiral any further, a familiar car rolled to a stop nearby, interrupting the awkward, surreal exchange.
"My brother's here," Ye Xiaoxiao said, her heart skipping a beat. She almost slipped and called out the habitual "Brother Wayne," but corrected herself in time.
"…Goodbye."
She gave him a quick nod and hurried toward Jo Yi's car.
"See you tomorrow, Jo Fei!" Wayne called after her.
He stood there watching as she got into the car, only turning away once the vehicle disappeared around the corner. A satisfied smile slowly spread across his face.
[The Jo Residence]
At dinner, the Jo family table felt emptier than usual.
The eldest brother, Jo Sheng, was still working late at the company. The second brother, Jo Lin, was staying overnight at the hospital. Tonight, only Mr. and Mrs. Jo and the third brother, Jo Yi, were present.
Mrs. Jo picked up a piece of meat and placed it in her daughter's bowl, her voice gentle with concern.
"Feifei, is filming too exhausting? You've lost weight."
Jo Fei's spirit drifted toward her mother.
"Mother, it's only been one day of filming. How could I have lost weight already?"
"If it's too tiring, you can quit," Mr. Jo added. His tone was stern, but worry was unmistakable in his eyes. The Jo family was wealthy enough that their daughter never needed to work—but Mr. Jo was a notorious daughter enthusiast, eager for the whole world to know his girl was a star.
"Exactly," Jo Yi chimed in, setting down his cutlery.
"Staying on set all day isn't like ballet tours. Can your body really handle it?"
Hearing the layered concern, Jo Fei—or rather, Ye Xiaoxiao—froze slightly. Her chopsticks paused midair. Steam rose from the dishes, blurring her vision, and suddenly she thought of her long-lost biological mother. Something lodged in her throat.
She shook her head slowly, a genuine smile forming.
"It is a little tiring… but it's actually quite fun."
Lowering her gaze to hide her emotions, Ye Xiaoxiao reflected on the past. She had once been nothing more than a runner in the crew, organizing costumes and props. Now she sat at the center of the camera's gaze, surrounded by familiar directors, assistants, and faces. Her identity had changed—but that sense of familiarity grounded her in an unexpected way.
For her, all of this was worth it.
And yet she knew—
This warmth had never truly belonged to her.
[Hospital]
The hospital room was filled with the sharp scent of disinfectant and the monotonous beep—beep— of machines.
Ye Xiaoxiao lay on the bed as always, her face pale as paper.
Mrs. Ye sat at her side, eyes swollen and red. When Wayne stepped in, she rushed toward him as if grasping a lifeline.
"Wayne… what should we do? Xiaoxiao still hasn't woken up…" Her voice trembled with despair.
Wayne gently patted the back of her hand.
"Auntie, don't worry. Xiaoxiao will wake up. I'll stay here with you until she opens her eyes. Why don't you rest on the sofa for a bit? I'll keep watch."
After Mrs. Ye sat down, exhausted, Wayne moved to the bedside and sat beside the unconscious girl.
Looking at the familiar round face from his memories, he leaned close to her ear and whispered,
"Xiaoxiao, did you know? There's another girl like you—she slept for a long time too. Half a year. But a miracle happened. She woke up… and now she's the female lead in a drama."
His gaze softened, tinged with emotions few could decipher.
"Her name is Jo Fei. She's the girl I love most. So, Xiaoxiao… I believe you'll wake up too."
The moment his words fell, the air in the room seemed to still—as if an invisible ripple had spread outward.
[Jo Family Dining Table]
At the same moment, dinner continued at the Jo residence.
Jo Fei was lowering her head to sip her soup when a sudden burning sensation flared at her wrist. Beneath her sleeve, unnoticed by anyone else, the silver ring she wore emitted a faint, eerie glimmer.
"Sss—"
Her hand jolted, the spoon lightly clinking against the porcelain bowl.
"What's wrong, Feifei?" Mrs. Jo asked anxiously. "Is the soup too hot?"
Jo Fei—Ye Xiaoxiao—froze. She instinctively pressed her wrist, where the silver ring felt cold yet strangely searing. Her heart raced.
For a fleeting second, it felt as if someone far away had called her name—a low voice that tightened her chest.
She forced a smile.
"It's nothing. I just got distracted."
Yet as she looked at the Jo family, a chill crept through her.
Why had the silver ring reacted?
Jo Fei's spirit hovered in midair, arms crossed, an eyebrow arched as she studied Ye Xiaoxiao's distracted state. She had noticed the ring's disturbance too, a thoughtful glint flashing in her eyes.
"I'm full," Ye Xiaoxiao said suddenly, her speech faster than usual as she suppressed the throbbing in her wrist.
"Dad, Mom, Third Brother—please enjoy. I'm going to rest."
She dared not linger, fearing the sharp-eyed Jo family might notice something—and even more, fearing what the mysterious ring might do next.
Before leaving, she unconsciously glanced toward where Jo Fei's spirit hovered. In that brief exchange of gazes, unspoken emotions tangled between them.
Then she turned and hurried upstairs.
With each step, the heat at her wrist faded slightly. But the lingering sensation—as if someone were calling her from afar—seeped into her bones like a cold wind.
Back in her room, the moment the door closed, she slumped against it, breath coming in shallow gasps.
Something had begun to resonate.
And whatever it was—
it had already crossed worlds.