Achieving A Happy Ending With The Tragic Female Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 64

“Sorry,” Su Mi said to the director, but her eyes remained fixed on the strikingly beautiful Guan Yue.

Guan Yue suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, thinking to herself: Director, you should come take a closer look at this person’s gaze, it’s like she wants to devour me.

The director looked at the monitor. “OK, teachers, let’s take it from the top.”

The two returned to their positions and quickly found their character states as the clapperboard snapped. Everything went smoothly at first, but whenever their eyes met, the director would call “Cut.”

Once, twice, three times.

Although this director wasn’t as famous as Su Mi, she was meticulous and serious. Regardless of who the actors were, she would tirelessly repeat a scene until she achieved the desired effect.

By the sixth time, as the director shouted “Cut” again, Su Mi saw Guan Yue glare at her with a hint of resentment.

Because the desired shot remained elusive, the director walked over to analyze the scene with the two leads.

“Teacher Guan, Duan Yuebai is the eldest miss of this household. When you first see her, your eyes should show wonder, not a look of being startled.”

“As for Teacher Su, your emotional performance in the first half was fine, but your emotions need to be more restrained when you see Qi Youwei. I trust your acting experience, perhaps it’s just been a hectic day and you haven’t adjusted your state yet. It’s okay, we have time to find the best state together.”

For Su Mi, this felt like a “slap in the face” needing a director to analyze a character’s psychology so minutely for her.

Realizing her lapse in professionalism, Su Mi reined in her emotions and nodded to the director. “I’m ready.”

“And Teacher Guan?”

Guan Yue, who was having her makeup touched up, took a deep breath and flashed a professional smile. “I’m fine too.”

The director returned to her station to begin a new take. This time, both actresses managed to suppress their personal feelings and found their characters’ proper states.

[Under the night sky, the two stood facing each other, one restrained and calm, the other gentle and soft.

Duan Yuebai looked at the young girl who was about to become her father’s ninth concubine. When the girl looked up, her eyes reflected the moonlight, shining brightly.

A gust of wind blew, knocking the flower tucked in Qi Youwei’s hair to the ground. She reached to pick it up, but someone was faster.

With slender, well-defined fingers, Duan Yuebai picked up the flower and took two steps forward, her white pleated skirt swaying slightly. The colors of their dresses blended harmoniously in the night.

She tucked the flower back into Qi Youwei’s hair.

“What is your name?” Duan Yuebai’s gentle voice sounded from above.

Qi Youwei looked up cautiously at the famously talented and beautiful eldest miss of the Duan family.

“Qi Youwei… my name is Qi Youwei.”

The voice drifted away with the wind into the night, but it left a clear mark in someone’s heart.]

“Cut!”

The director finally got the effect she wanted. The shot froze on the moment of their eye contact. She clapped excitedly. “OK, OK! This is it. But sorry, teachers, we need you to stay a bit longer to film a few close-up shots from different angles.”

The pick-up shots went much smoother. Before long, the director had all the footage she needed.

“Hard work, teachers. You can wrap up for tonight.”

As the director announced the end of the session, the tension among the crew dissipated. The set became noisy as the prop team began clearing away items and the staff handled the aftermath.

However, Su Mi, who had just finished the scene with the flower, didn’t move an inch. She remained looking down at the person in front of her, her hand still resting near the flower in Guan Yue’s hair.

Guan Yue looked up at her, appearing as if she hadn’t quite stepped out of character yet.

Their lingering closeness caught the director’s attention. She poked her head out and shouted, “Teachers, go back and rest early. We have several scenes tomorrow!”

Hearing the director, Guan Yue instinctively took a step back, but she was standing right in front of the sedan chair’s crossbar. Her lower back slammed into the wood, and her face went pale for a moment.

“What’s wrong?” Su Mi frowned and reached out to check on her, but Guan Yue dodged.

“Miss Su, this scene is over,” Guan Yue said with a professional smile, though she spoke through gritted teeth.

Su Mi’s gaze darkened as she withdrew her hand and stepped back. “I see.”

Just then, their assistants approached.

“Teacher Su, are we heading straight back to the hotel? There’s a stir-fry place nearby. I ordered some food to be delivered to the hotel within forty minutes.”

They had rushed from an event to the airport and then straight to the set. They had only eaten some bread on the way. Su Mi had barely had a proper meal all day.

Su Mi watched Guan Yue’s departing figure and gave a brief nod of agreement.

The location was remote, and the production had arranged for them to stay in a small town ten miles away. Since one hotel couldn’t house everyone, they were split between two.

Whether by a deliberate arrangement of the logistics team or mere coincidence, Su Mi and Guan Yue were assigned to the same hotel. Though they left the set separately, they ended up waiting for the same elevator.

Several actors and crew members were around. When the elevator arrived, everyone habitually let Su Mi enter first. Guan Yue, however, didn’t bother with such pleasantries and walked straight in. Su Mi glanced at her and followed, and the others filed in after them.

Midway, everyone got off at their respective floors until only Su Mi, Guan Yue, and their two assistants remained.

Su Mi looked at her and suddenly asked, “Does it still hurt?”

Xiao Xin (Su Mi’s assistant) looked at her boss in surprise. She hadn’t expected her to initiate a conversation, and the other party’s reaction surprised her even more.

Guan Yue shot a glance at Su Mi and snapped, “Thanks to Miss Su, it doesn’t hurt at all.”

The sedan chair Guan Yue had to sit in during the scene was quite low. Moving in and out of it repeatedly had already made her back uncomfortable, and the recent bump had left her with a dull ache whenever she moved.

Hearing her boss’s sharp tone, Guan Yue’s assistant caught Xiao Xin’s surprised look and gave an embarrassed, apologetic smile while secretly tugging at Guan Yue’s sleeve, pleading for her to tone it down. It was exactly this sharp tongue and temperament that had cost Guan Yue many jobs. The person across from them was the famous Film Queen Su, they couldn’t afford to offend her.

Su Mi wanted to say more, but the elevator doors opened. Guan Yue didn’t want to spend another second in that confined space and walked out without hesitation.

Xiao Xin was about to follow Su Mi when she received a phone call. It was the restaurant saying the food had arrived. Su Mi took the small items from Xiao Xin’s hands, saying she could take them to the room herself. Xiao Xin handed over the room card and took the elevator back down.

As Su Mi used her key card, she noticed Guan Yue watching her from nearby, as their rooms were on the same floor and adjacent. When she looked back, she only saw Guan Yue’s profile as she turned to push her door open, followed by a loud thud as the door shut.

Guan Yue’s assistant, still holding some of Guan Yue’s things, stared blankly at the closed door. “…”

Sister, you seem to have forgotten me!!!

Before she could even knock, the door swung open again, revealing Guan Yue’s slightly flushed face. She grabbed the items from the assistant. “Alright, go back and rest early.”

Guan Yue glanced at Su Mi, who had witnessed the whole thing. Feeling she had lost face, she slammed the door shut again.

Beep!!

Su Mi swiped her card and entered. She inserted the card into the slot, and the room instantly brightened, revealing luggage that had been delivered earlier. She set her things down and sent a message to Xiao Xin.

Su Mi placed her phone on the coffee table and closed her eyes. After a day of traveling and immediate work, she was exhausted. She gathered her energy, found her makeup remover, and went into the bathroom.

The cleansing balm melted away the makeup, revealing her naturally cold and elegant features. As she finished and turned off the tap, she heard a knock at the door.

Opening it, she found Xiao Xin holding a food bag and another bag from a pharmacy.

“Teacher Su, did you get hurt somewhere?” Xiao Xin asked. “Do you need me to help apply medicine?” On her way to get the food, she had received a message from her boss asking her to find a nearby pharmacy to buy ointment for swelling and bruises.

“No need. You should go rest too.” Su Mi took the medicine out and began reading the instructions for side effects.

Knowing her boss’s temperament, Xiao Xin didn’t push. “Then I’ll head out. Remember to eat.”

“Mhm,” Su Mi replied without looking up.

Once she finished reading, Su Mi took the bag containing the ointment and headed to Guan Yue’s room next door. She knocked.

Knock, knock!

Inside, Guan Yue was browsing her phone. Her social media notifications were at 999+, she had never seen anything like it. The trending topics were dominated by a “Hot” tag: #Film Queen Su Stars in The Jade Waist Slave.

The movie’s popularity had skyrocketed, and Guan Yue’s name was being seen by people across the country. However, the voices of doubt regarding Su Mi’s involvement were louder than the praise. People couldn’t understand why she would take a role in such an obscure script.

The script contained many intimate scenes between the two female leads. Since Su Mi had never done an intimate scene in her career, some began to speculate about her sexual orientation.

Guan Yue, who was happily “eating melons” (scrolling through gossip), suddenly froze. That’s right, there are intimate scenes in this movie. Is Su Mi crazy for taking this? She remembered that every time she had even brushed against Su Mi in the past, the woman would push her away in disgust.

The sudden knocking interrupted her thoughts. She stood up, but the movement tugged at the pain in her lower back. Rubbing her back, she walked to the door.

Su Mi was about to knock again when the door opened. Guan Yue had changed into comfortable loungewear and wore a carrot shaped headband, making her look somewhat cute.

Guan Yue froze for a moment upon seeing Su Mi before her beautiful face hardened. “What are you doing here?”

“Coming to see you…”

“No need. Goodbye!” Guan Yue tried to shut the door before she could finish.

Seeing the door closing, Su Mi actually reached out her hand to block it. Instead of the door clicking shut, there was a dull thud. Su Mi’s long fingers were caught between the door and the frame. Her cold face contorted slightly as she suppressed the pain.

Guan Yue was startled and immediately pulled the door open, her face filled with unmasked panic. “Are… are you okay?” Her eyes darted between Su Mi’s face and her hand, wanting to touch her but not daring to.

Seeing her worried expression, Su Mi suddenly let out a pained look, her voice strained. “Mhm, it hurts a little.”