Achieving A Happy Ending With The Tragic Female Lead [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 71

After Su Mi finished speaking, the room fell into a silence where only the breathing of two people could be clearly heard.

Guan Yue felt her clenched palms grow hot. She opened her hand and pressed it against the cool wallpaper, hoping to lower the rising temperature of her skin. Her mind was a chaotic mess, she didn’t know what to say.

Su Mi was clearly waiting for an answer. She tried to touch Guan Yue’s hand, but the moment her fingertips brushed the back of it, Guan Yue pulled away.

Noticing the rejection, Su Mi lowered her eyes slightly to hide their depth. She backed away a little, yet her hand remained resting on Guan Yue’s waist as she asked, “Do you have nothing to say to me?”

Guan Yue avoided her gaze, her eyes landing vaguely on a random spot. “What is there to say… Just because you like me, does that mean I have to like you back?”

“Just that?” Su Mi stood a bit straighter, the ambiguous atmosphere around her slowly dissipating.

Guan Yue’s fingers began picking at the embossed wallpaper, one stroke after another. “What else? Have you forgotten that the person I hate most is you?”

Su Mi asked her, “Why do you hate me so much?”

Guan Yue pursed her lips and snorted coldly, “Guess for yourself.”

Su Mi watched her silently with calm eyes. “Then why haven’t you pushed me away? Whether I’m kissing you or holding you, you haven’t pushed me once.”

Guan Yue was momentarily speechless. Right, why hadn’t she pushed her? If it were anyone else, she might have even hit them by now.

“I… I just didn’t react in time.”

“Is that so?” As she spoke, Su Mi suddenly leaned in again. Their lips stopped mere millimeters apart. A curve played at the corner of her mouth. “Guan Yue, you still haven’t pushed me away.”

As if suddenly waking up, Guan Yue raised her hand to Su Mi’s shoulder and pushed her back slightly, defending herself: “I was thinking about something just now, that doesn’t count!”

“What were you thinking about?”

“I was thinking…” Guan Yue started to answer instinctively, then snapped back to reality. She bit her lower lip and let go. “Why should I tell you!”

“Because I want to know why you didn’t push me away.” Su Mi stared directly at her, wanting to hear the answer from her lips.

Guan Yue pushed harder against her. “If it were someone else, I might not have pushed them away just now either.”

The moment those words left her mouth, she felt the temperature around her drop. She looked up to see Su Mi’s eyes, which were now like frozen ice. She subconsciously swallowed. “I only said might…”

“It’s impossible, and it’s not allowed.” Su Mi pursed her lips, her voice carrying a trace of nonchalant threat.

Guan Yue hated being “controlled” like this. She stubbornly retorted, “How is it impossible?”

Su Mi didn’t answer. Her gaze dropped slightly to look at her, though she didn’t say a word, it made Guan Yue feel a chill. Uncomfortable under the stare, Guan Yue urged, “I’m going to rest. Go to the front desk and get a replacement card, then go back to your own room.”

Su Mi finally retracted her hand from the other’s waist. A large gap of cool air flooded between them, as if they had been separated.

“Rest early.”

Su Mi, who earlier seemed determined to stay at all costs, was now remarkably efficient. After speaking, she turned to leave. She pulled open the half-closed door and walked out.

Standing behind the door, Guan Yue watched Su Mi’s retreating figure. The persona she had been forcing herself to maintain began to fade.

Is she really angry?

Guan Yue bit her lip hard. What a joke, the person who came out of nowhere to confess was her, so who was she putting on that act for by leaving like that? And while she should have felt relieved that this person was finally leaving, for some reason, she felt a momentary dip in her mood.

Feeling increasingly unsettled, Guan Yue prepared to close the door, out of sight, out of mind. However, just as the door was about to shut, that familiar hand gripped the edge again.

Guan Yue was startled and immediately let go of the door, glaring at her: “What are you doing? Do you want to get pinched again?” There were still faint red marks on Su Mi’s fingers.

“Guan Yue, I won’t give up.” Su Mi pushed the door open a bit more and moved closer.

“What?” Guan Yue even forgot to hide.

Su Mi looked closely into her eyes, watching her curled eyelashes flicker. Their breaths were almost overlapping. Su Mi watched Guan Yue’s subconscious habit of biting her lip and smiled slightly.

“Goodnight.”

Click!

Su Mi gently pulled the door shut from the outside. She looked at her hand resting on the door handle.

Better not push Guan Yue too hard, give her some time.

Su Mi turned to walk toward the elevator and ran into the small assistant returning from shopping. Because of the previous “misunderstanding,” the assistant grew nervous the moment she saw Su Mi, gave a hurried greeting, and rushed back to her boss’s room.

After a knock, the door opened almost instantly. The assistant felt as if the door had been opened a bit too quickly.

Seeing who it was, Guan Yue spoke flatly, “Oh, it’s you.”

The assistant, carrying bags of supplies: “…” Should I leave then? Should I call that person back for you?

The next day, Su Mi didn’t run into Guan Yue when she left.

When she arrived at the set, everyone was laughing and eating breakfast. Some people raised their hands to greet her. Since Su Mi had stayed on set after filming yesterday, although she still had that “stay away” aura, she would occasionally chat with others, so the staff were no longer as stiff around her.

In the dressing room, the staff brought breakfast for Su Mi and Xiao Xin. Su Mi thanked them and ate; since she had woken up so early, she hadn’t sent Xiao Xin to buy anything. During this time, she didn’t forget to flip through her script, which was covered in notes she had written the night before.

A moment later, Guan Yue walked in with a bag of breakfast, her eyes half-closed with sleepiness. Su Mi looked up, and their eyes met. She swallowed her food: “Morning.”

Guan Yue still seemed a bit awkward. After a pause, she replied, “Morning.”

“Teacher Su, did you not sleep well last night?” The makeup artist felt Su Mi’s under eyes looked a bit dark today, though in this industry, lack of sleep was common.

“Mm.” Su Mi indeed had trouble sleeping, which was why she had spent the night writing notes in her script.

Then, the voice of another makeup artist came from behind Su Mi. “Teacher Guan, did you also not sleep well?”

“No, I slept great.” Guan Yue said firmly, though she caught a glimpse of the other person’s back in the mirror as she spoke.

Su Mi’s makeup artist, hearing that Guan Yue also hadn’t slept well, turned to look at Guan Yue with a gossiping heart. When she turned back, she accidentally saw Teacher Su looking down at the script with a hint of a smile on her face.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen Teacher Su smile, but this smile was clearly different from her acting on screen or her polite professional smiles. Curious about what plot point could make Teacher Su smile like that, the makeup artist took a quick peek at the script.

She only caught a few words: “Whip,” “Red Marks,” “Crying.”

The makeup artist silently opened her mouth in shock and lowered her head to continue adjusting her tools. Who would have thought Teacher Su was this kind of person in private…

Unaware that her image had collapsed, Su Mi elegantly finished the last bite of her breakfast and carefully wiped her mouth and hands with a wet wipe. The makeup artist finally began applying her makeup.

Once finished, Su Mi headed to the set alone. Today, Su Mi and Guan Yue had to finish their scenes on different sets first. Su Mi’s morning scene was with a veteran actress playing the mother of her character, Duan Yuebai. The filming went smoothly.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that it was time for Su Mi and Guan Yue’s scene together. This scene followed the moment Duan Yuebai rescued Qi Youwei, after which the two began to grow closer. The director was meticulous, perfecting even the smallest prop placement before finally calling for action.

[Lately, everyone in the Duan household knew that the obscure Ninth Concubine had somehow gained the Eldest Miss’s favor, the two were often seen together. The Eldest Miss even allowed her to enter and leave her courtyard, a place usually strictly off-limits to outsiders.

On this day, Duan Yuebai led Qi Youwei to her residence. The Duan family’s old mansion mostly retained its traditional look, but due to the popularity of Western culture, it was a blend of East and West.

In Duan Yuebai’s room sat a piano. Her mother had hired a teacher for her years ago, though she had neglected her lessons later on. After returning from studying abroad, she found the house had kept it well-maintained, so it looked brand new.

Qi Youwei had rarely seen such a rare Western object and couldn’t look away. Duan Yuebai walked to the piano, lifted the cover, and opened the lid. Her slender fingers brushed over the white keys. She turned her head slightly, “Want to try?”

Qi Youwei hesitated, then nodded gently. Duan Yuebai invited her over, and they sat side by side. Instead of starting with a formal lesson, she chose a simple melody to play for her. While playing, Duan Yuebai glanced at Qi Youwei and saw her watching intently. A deep, doting tenderness appeared in her eyes. “Come, follow me.”

She struck a note. Qi Youwei timidly placed her hand on the keys and pressed the first note.]

“Cut!” The director called out from behind the camera. “Teacher Guan, your hand position is wrong. It looks like you’ve studied piano.”

Guan Yue looked down at her hands. She had been forced to learn piano by her parents since she was a child, it was practically muscle memory. “Sorry, my fault.”

Guan Yue apologized and stretched her fingers, accidentally brushing against the person next to her. When the director called action again, Guan Yue tried to enter the state, but she couldn’t calm her heart with the two of them sitting so close.

Until the director called “Cut” again: “Teacher Guan, you’re playing too fast. At this rate, you could teach Duan Yuebai instead.”

Guan Yue’s face flushed red from being distracted. To make matters worse, Su Mi added from the side: “You play quite well.”

Guan Yue glared at her, mouthing silently: It’s all your fault.

Perhaps the repeated NGs made Guan Yue too nervous. Combined with her inner agitation, she couldn’t find the “timid and ignorant” state required for Qi Youwei. It was truly difficult for a person familiar with the piano to act like they knew nothing.

As the cameras rolled again, just as Guan Yue was about to place her hand, the person beside her suddenly shifted. An arm reached around her from the side. A hand, slightly larger than hers, covered the back of Guan Yue’s hand, its slender fingers aligning perfectly with hers.

Su Mi guided her hand onto the keyboard, resting lightly over it. This posture brought them even closer. Su Mi was practically half-embracing her from behind, her other hand resting on Guan Yue’s shoulder. She could clearly feel the stiffness in Guan Yue’s body.

Su Mi tilted her head slightly, her black hair cascading down and swaying in the air. “Don’t be afraid, let me lead you.”

Su Mi’s voice was deep and gentle, dragging out a soft tone. The director watched Guan Yue’s visible surprise on screen and the blank expression as she was led to press the notes and finally nodded in satisfaction.

The simple notes, with their deliberate pauses, gradually wove into a green yet lively melody under Su Mi’s guidance. When the final key was pressed, the lingering resonance echoed in the room for a long time. Sunlight streamed through the window, first illuminating their overlapping hands, then slowly moving to their profiles.

Guan Yue instinctively looked up at Su Mi, crashing straight into those indifferent yet darkly ambiguous eyes. The frame froze.

“OK! Excellent, this scene is a wrap!” the director shouted excitedly.

Su Mi’s fingers suddenly shifted, sliding into the gaps between Guan Yue’s fingers as if she intended to interlace them in front of everyone. Startled, Guan Yue pulled away with force.

Thump!

The sound of several piano keys being slammed down at once caused the entire crew to look over. At that moment, Guan Yue wished she could stuff herself into the piano.

Su Mi, however, retracted her hand calmly and explained to the crowd: “Sorry, I accidentally pressed the keys just now.” The crew went back to their business.

The two returned to the break area. Their chairs were less than half a meter apart, and Su Mi shortened that distance even further. Every time Su Mi tried to speak, Guan Yue turned her face away: “Don’t come near me right now.”

Su Mi was puzzled: “Why?”

Guan Yue forcefully demanded silence: “Why do you have so many ‘whys’? Stop asking why.”

Su Mi suddenly laughed, leaning in with one hand propped up: “Did your heart skip a beat just now?”

Guan Yue nearly jumped out of her seat like a startled cat. “Are you crazy? Why are you saying that in a place like this?” There were people everywhere, what if someone heard?

“You didn’t deny it,” Su Mi said.

“I….” Guan Yue was about to snap back, but looking into Su Mi’s eyes, the words wouldn’t come out. Finally, she blurted, “If my heart skipped a beat, it was for Duan Yuebai.”

Su Mi frowned. “You like Duan Yuebai?”

Guan Yue followed the thread: “Yeah, Duan Yuebai is great. She’s gentle, rich, and has a good temper. She doesn’t force me to do things, she indulges me. I like that type, not someone like you.”

Su Mi listened, her expression turning cold as she gave a flat “Mm.” Her eyelashes lowered, her voice and face revealing nothing. So, is this why the original plot had her falling for the other lead during filming?

Guan Yue felt a faint sense of unease. She wondered if she had gone too far; after all, someone like Su Mi was used to being the “favored daughter of heaven” and rarely heard negative things about herself. But it was impossible for her to bow her head to Su Mi.

Fortunately, the director didn’t make them wait long, and they were soon back to work. After filming started, Su Mi’s state didn’t seem as good as before; she was “NG-ed” several times before she adjusted. Consequently, Guan Yue also became preoccupied.

They filmed until evening. After the wrap, Su Mi and Guan Yue went back to the hotel in their respective cars. Between the lack of sleep and a full day of filming, Su Mi was exhausted. When she was tired, she couldn’t be bothered to control her expressions, and the coldness radiating from her intensified.

Before entering the elevator, everyone was laughing. Once inside, the atmosphere became so heavy that no one dared to speak. When the elevator reached their floor, everyone scrambled out. Guan Yue looked at Su Mi, who was resting with her eyes closed, feeling conflicted. Could she really be hurt by what I said? In her memory, Su Mi wasn’t that fragile.

When they reached the floor, Su Mi opened her eyes and looked at Guan Yue. “We’re here, let’s go.”

As Su Mi took out her key card to open the door, Guan Yue’s hesitant voice came from behind her. “Actually… you’re not completely bad.”

Su Mi stopped and turned around. “Hmm?” But she reacted instantly. “So you don’t like your Duan Yuebai anymore?”

Guan Yue was choked for a moment.

Suddenly, Su Mi’s phone rang. It was the director. She answered, and the director’s voice came through. “Hello, Teacher Su? Are you with Teacher Guan right now?”

Su Mi glanced at Guan Yue. “Yes, she’s right next to me.”

“Good, good. Please put it on speaker. I won’t call you one by one.”

“Sure, hold on.” Su Mi opened her door and looked at Guan Yue. “Let’s go inside first.”

Guan Yue was reluctant, but standing in the hallway for a call seemed too conspicuous, so she followed her in. Su Mi closed the door and turned on the speaker. “Go ahead, Director.”

“It’s like this. I just discussed it with the assistant director. The forecast says it’s going to rain in a few days. We can take that chance to film the heavy rain scene. So, please try to find the ‘feeling’ for it over the next two days. We want to get that scene perfect when it rains.”

The two of them agreed. After the director hung up, Guan Yue began to recall. “Heavy rain… which scene is that?” Why did they need to “find the feeling” in advance?

Su Mi, standing to the side, looked over and said darkly, “It’s the scene where your favorite Duan Yuebai receives her punishment.”

“Su Mi, you’re so….” Before she could say “childish,” Guan Yue suddenly realized what followed that scene.

It was their second intimate scene, the bed scene.

Su Mi picked up another copy of the script from the room. She turned her head to look at Guan Yue, her eyes darkening. “Teacher Guan, want to run the scene with me?”