The ChuanXiang studio buzzed with barely contained chaos the moment Guiying stepped through the doors, staff rushing past with lighting equipment, someone shouting about a missing prop bowl, another voice calling for the second camera to be repositioned before the director arrived.
"Mr. Tang!" A production assistant appeared almost instantly, ushering him inside with visible relief. "Thank you for coming; we're running a little behind schedule today."
Haiyan peeled off toward a side room the moment someone gestured him toward the lounge, settling into a chair near the window with the easy patience of a man used to waiting.
A hand caught Guiying's wrist before he'd taken two more steps, tugging him toward the makeup chairs with more urgency than necessary.
"Sit, sit, we need to move fast." The man's grip tightened around his arm, pulling harder than the situation called for.
