Chapter 350

Chapter 350: Chapter 349

That was just how Simon Lockwood was, with his quirky little rituals: she had to be the one to hang up first, they had to say goodnight before bed, and she had to check in whenever they were apart…

Sometimes, Joanna Kennedy felt completely smothered by his rules. But more often than not, she savored the all-encompassing sense of security and the feeling of being looked after.

The assistant was in the middle of stifling a laugh when she glanced in the rearview mirror and saw her artist smiling in the back seat. The sight startled her; she worried that all the ridicule from netizens had finally made Joanna Kennedy crack.

The shoot was scheduled to last about a month, and just as Quentin Simmons had said, it was deep in the mountains. Accommodations were rustic bungalows, and with no heating in the mountain winter, bathing was a real issue. They got half a day off every Sunday, which was their only chance to go to the public bathhouse in town.

Despite these conditions, Joanna Kennedy endured it all without a single complaint. For scenes set in particularly harsh environments, she would even proactively ask for another take.

The entire crew’s opinion of the “trophy” actress completely changed. They were finally convinced that Joanna Kennedy hadn’t just bought her way onto the project.

Who says a beautiful actress can’t handle hardship or doesn’t have acting chops? They’d be the first to disagree.

But the resilient “delicate flower” everyone saw, Joanna Kennedy, nearly burst into tears the moment she closed her room door behind her.

“My… my hands have been so itchy these past few days whenever they touch hot water…” Joanna Kennedy’s voice was filled with grievance as she held up her bright red hands to the phone’s camera.

Her once fair, slender fingers looked swollen and flushed with an unnatural redness. Simon Lockwood knew at a glance it was frostbite. His brow furrowed. “Have you been using frostbite cream?”

“I have,” Joanna Kennedy said. “It’s not working.”

“Simon, will this leave permanent damage?” Joanna Kennedy was sick with worry. She’d heard other actors on set say that once you get frostbite, it comes back every year.

She’d often been cold as a child in the orphanage, but the memories were so distant now that she couldn’t recall if it had ever “recurred.”

The thought of having to endure that bone-deep itch of frostbite every winter from now on made Joanna Kennedy want to cry for her future self.

“It won’t,” Simon Lockwood said, his gaze fixed on her red fingers. His own heart felt as if it were crawling with ants, their bites making him ache and itch along with her. “Just make sure you stay warm and keep applying the cream. It won’t come back.”

“Okay…” Joanna Kennedy nodded emphatically, feeling a little self-conscious under his gaze. She pulled her hands away from the camera.

“Joanna…” Simon Lockwood began, then hesitated. After a moment, he continued, “When are you coming back?”

“We’re three-quarters of the way through filming. It should be soon,” Joanna Kennedy replied.

“Can I come visit you on set?”

This was the umpteenth time Simon Lockwood had asked that question. He wanted to hold her hand and tuck it into his pocket. He wanted to kiss her, to comfort her. He didn’t want to learn about her suffering through a cold internet connection.

Simon Lockwood was on edge. This feeling of helplessness left him restless every single moment.

Joanna Kennedy froze. With great difficulty, she forced out two words: “…You can’t.”

Simon Lockwood’s gaze dropped, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

Joanna Kennedy quickly added, “…Actually, it doesn’t hurt that much. It’s just a little itchy. The crew gave us frostbite cream, and Tina is taking great care of me. Simon, please don’t worry about me…”

“…Okay.” Simon Lockwood’s response was soft. He clearly hadn’t given up on visiting. Joanna Kennedy started to regret complaining to him. ‘We’re just like any other couple in a long-distance relationship,’ she thought.

Even knowing he would worry and his heart would ache for her, she just couldn’t shake that bad habit of feeling wronged the moment she heard his voice.

“I’ll come right back as soon as the shoot is over. You can come pick me up then, okay?”

“…Okay.”

“Come on, smile for me~” Joanna Kennedy teased playfully. Not wanting to disappoint her, Simon Lockwood forced a slight curve to his lips. Joanna Kennedy showed no mercy. “That’s an ugly smile!”

Simon Lockwood: “…”

“Come on, try again,” Joanna Kennedy said, completely unabashed and bantering. “I want to see the standard eight-tooth grin. Your eyes have to crinkle. It has to be a good-looking smile, got it?”

She rambled on, but Simon Lockwood wasn’t distracted. When Joanna Kennedy finally paused for breath, he repeated, “So I really can’t come?”

“…”

Joanna Kennedy sighed. Her heart felt like it was being scratched to pieces, but reason won out. “I really can’t…” she said, the words a struggle.

Quentin Simmons was notoriously strict in the industry. To ensure everyone’s performance wasn’t affected by outside chatter, all his film sets were closed. Set visits were out of the question; they had even confiscated everyone’s electronic devices at the beginning of the shoot.

Joanna Kennedy was crystal clear about her goals. She was counting on this movie to transform her career. If she didn’t shed the “popular but talentless” label, her haters would forever use her relationship to attack her.

Only with a solid body of work and real skill could she escape being defined by her popularity and allow her loyal fans to hold their heads high.

‘No matter how hard it gets, no matter how tired I am,’ Joanna Kennedy thought, ‘I have to nail this movie.’

Through the cold phone screen, their eyes met, and a silent longing spread between them. The pleading look in Joanna Kennedy’s eyes was just too pitiful. Simon Lockwood couldn’t bring himself to push her any further. “All right…”

Simon Lockwood glanced at the time. They had been on the video call for nearly an hour and a half. It was now nine-thirty at night, and Joanna Kennedy had an early shoot the next morning. If they kept talking, she wouldn’t get enough sleep. He gave his final instructions:

“Don’t leave the space heater on all night. Remember to turn it off before you go to sleep. And don’t point it right at your face. Didn’t you say your skin was getting dry and flaky?” Simon Lockwood spoke at a steady pace that made it easy to absorb his words. “Remember to put your down jacket on right after you finish filming outside. And don’t forget to drink the ginger tea. You have to drink it, even if it tastes awful. If you catch a cold, you’re the one who’s going to be miserable…”

Simon Lockwood recited this litany of small concerns every day. And even though she’d heard it countless times, Joanna Kennedy still listened intently, without a trace of impatience. When he asked if she remembered everything, Joanna Kennedy nodded vigorously. “I remember.”

‘He doesn’t have much of a playful side… well, okay, he has plenty of it, but only in certain situations.’ Joanna Kennedy thought Simon Lockwood was like an old fuddy-duddy, so prim and proper even when he was showing concern.

It was time for her to rest, and he had said all he needed to say. Reluctantly, Joanna Kennedy said, “Simon, goodnight…”

“…Goodnight.”

「Sinclair Gardens.」

Staring at the blank screen of his phone, Simon Lockwood didn’t stir for a long moment. Finally, he switched on his desk lamp and returned to the research project he had left half-finished.

Simon Lockwood had been busy lately, too. With winter break approaching, finals week had left most students at Jornheim University completely drained. While it didn’t affect him as much, it still meant he had no time to spare.

Half a month later, filming for *Blossoming* finally entered its final stages. The wrap party was held in the small town, and it was the most unpretentious one Joanna Kennedy had ever attended.

The director, Quentin Simmons, didn’t drink, so everyone else tactfully stuck to tea or soup. When everyone was about halfway through the meal, Quentin Simmons stood up. “You’ve all worked very hard,” he said. “Go home, get some rest, and have a good New Year.”