After My Thoughts Were Read, My Master Led Me to Change My Fate - Chapter 24

Ning Songwu braked sharply. Ignoring the wounds that split open on her body due to the sudden movement, she held her long sword horizontally in front of her, blocking the person who had been chasing her relentlessly.

Was this person some kind of demon crawled out of purgatory? How could she manage to pursue and kill her with a sword all the way here?!

She wanted to ask that same question she had asked a thousand times: how exactly had Ning Songwu offended Lin Yuxue to deserve such a hateful calamity?

Ning Songwu forced herself to maintain her strength, her voice trembling: “Lin Yuxue, wake up! This is a cliff, and below is scorching lava!”

What happened?

Ran Fanyin looked up in confusion. Fang Qing didn’t look at her, but stood up to direct: “Songwu, let’s retake a shot from the left angle. Little one, don’t be too tense.”

“Okay.”

Ning Songwu lowered her head in thought for a moment, then bent down to take the hand of the already weary child actor. She said softly, “Let’s do one more, you can do it!”

Her voice was very quiet and wasn’t picked up by the on-site microphones. Ran Fanyin only saw her leaning down with a smile to say a few words. The child actor nodded happily, gave her a “mua” through the air, and regained a bit of energy.

“See, she seems to have some kind of magic.” Fang Qing watched for a while, and once certain both were ready, sat back behind the monitor. He turned his head to look at Ran Fanyin: “Get ready, you’re up next.”

This take passed quickly. Next was the appearance of the “Junior Sister” after growing up. The first scene was the Junior Sister resting her head on the Senior Sister’s lap, listening to her talk about things.

The child actor rested on Ning Songwu’s lap, lingering for a moment before saying in a voice that still hadn’t completely lost its childishness: “Auntie, you have to do your best!”

Ning Songwu gently pinched her cheek.

Ran Fanyin took all of this in, but she was a bit nervous. When she walked over to Ning Songwu, who was already seated in position, her hand subconsciously tugged at the floating ribbons on the side of her long dress.

“Junior Sister.” Ning Songwu’s eyes curved slightly. She reached out to grasp Ran Fanyin’s hand. Ran Fanyin was startled for a second, followed the connected hands with her gaze, and crashed right into a pair of eyes as gentle as water.

Those belonged to the “Senior Sister,” not Ning Songwu. Ning Songwu wouldn’t be this gentle; no matter how she smiled, she carried a vague maturity that also brought a sense of distance.

Ran Fanyin settled her mind and whispered, “Senior Sister.”

“…The journey of the Great Dao, the world…”

“Senior Sister is chanting those boring things again.”

The little Junior Sister reached out and grabbed a lock of the Senior Sister’s hair. It was long, falling to the side of her waist, and could be toyed with carefully in one’s hand.

The Senior Sister raised her hand and swatted away the unruly hand, her voice turning slightly cold in feigned seriousness: “Master said if you still can’t recite this passage by heart today, you don’t get dinner.”

“To whom shall I recite it?”

“To me…”

The words had just left her mouth when the Senior Sister regretted them. She should have just grabbed the second or third disciple; reciting to her was just giving the Junior Sister another excuse to procrastinate.

She was always helpless when it came to this girl.

“Exactly  Senior Sister certainly wouldn’t have the heart to let me go without dinner, right?” Her large, round eyes were filled with cuteness as she gazed at her dear Senior Sister.

“Senior Sister is so strict.”

The little one pouted, but obediently used her wrist to guide her sword, lifting it a bit higher. “One must not be lazy in cultivation. A little lack today and a little tomorrow will add up to a distance of a hundred and eight thousand miles.”

“Yes, yes, Senior Sister. What is the next form?”

The young girl stood with her sword, smiling beautifully. After thinking for a moment, she casually flourished the sword in a simple “sword flower.”

The feeling of showing off was evident in her expression.

The Senior Sister looked on, her mind wandering for a moment. She reached out to pluck a peach blossom petal that had fallen on the girl’s head, using the gesture to avoid the child’s burning gaze. After a moment of calming herself, she stepped back.

“The next form is thus.”

The tip of the sword flicked upward, then pierced down rapidly. With a twist of her body, she thrust toward her back.

Clean and decisive.

“Cut!”

The previous takes had all passed in one go; this “Cut” came unexpectedly. Several crew members froze for a moment before reacting.

Fortunately, because the previous takes were smooth, Fang Qing was in a quite good mood. He just shouted from afar: “Little Ran, why did you freeze on the spot? The Junior Sister can’t be wooden; she needs to be vibrant.”

Ran Fanyin did not turn around. Instead, she looked at the “Senior Sister” in front of her. Since the “Cut” was called, Ning Songwu had stood with her hands behind her back, sword held behind her, looking like a solitary immortal beyond the world. The breeze stirred her ink-black hair; she looked as if she were ascending to heaven, seemingly having already left this world.

Senior Sister was like this gentle but cold and detached. She looked at outsiders as if looking at a tree, with no emotional fluctuations.

Is this what it means to be ‘in character’?

Ran Fanyin tilted her head and replied: “Director Fang, I feel that at this moment, the Junior Sister should be dazed for a while.”

The person she admired had performed a new sword technique so cleanly and decisively, and she was already in a state of blossoming love. Whether looking at the sword technique, the person, or the slender waist as she twisted her body, the Junior Sister should not be in a “vibrant” state at this moment.

She would be dazed, and would also quickly snap out of it.

This was the Junior Sister.

It was what the Junior Sister told her after she entered the role.

Fang Qing strode over and asked Ran Fanyin to explain her reasoning in detail.

Ran Fanyin explained everything clearly.

The “bamboo” that had been standing still as if rooted to the ground swayed slightly and turned her body around: “I agree with Teacher Ran’s idea.”

“At this moment, even the Senior Sister’s heart is in chaos, let alone the Junior Sister’s,” Ning Songwu said harmoniously, her voice still a bit cold, but finally regaining some of the feeling that belonged to Ning Songwu.

How can someone move in and out of character so fast?

Ran Fanyin’s admiration grew.

“Then, compared to the woodenness just now, let’s have a little less of it. That moment just now was too wooden—it didn’t look like a Junior Sister seeing her Senior Sister; it looked like a mortal seeing a deity land right in front of them,” Fang Qing made the final decision. Before turning to leave, he patted Ran Fanyin again.

“You are much more steady and calm than I imagined. Not bad, keep it up.”

Ran Fanyin hissed in pain.

This person had patted the exact spot that had been hit hard just before.

It’s definitely bruised!

This is an occupational injury; there must be compensation!

“Get ready, another take!”

The Senior Sister finished her move, sheathed her sword, and turned to face the somewhat frozen gaze. She waved her hand in front of the girl and asked softly: “What’s wrong?”

“Ah, nothing, it’s nothing.” The Junior Sister scratched her head, carrying her sword to an open space: “It should be like this.”

She imitated her Senior Sister’s manner flicking the sword, turning, and thrusting.

But it was always just a bit off.

“It should be like this.” The Senior Sister walked over, placing her arm around the girl’s waist and her other hand on her shoulder: “A bit lower.”

The faint fragrance on the Senior Sister continuously invaded the air around the Junior Sister, tightly wrapping around her.

She couldn’t concentrate at all.

Finally, as the sword thrust out again, the Junior Sister’s foot slipped. Before she could let go of the Senior Sister’s sash, she pulled them both down onto the ground.

“Fortunately, I threw the sword away,” the Junior Sister giggled, the corners of her mouth lifted high.

“You’re still laughing!” the Senior Sister said with feigned anger, reaching out to rub the back of the Junior Sister’s head. “Did you hurt your head in the fall? Don’t fall and turn into a little girl who only knows how to giggle; that would be even sillier.”

“Senior Sister!”

The Senior Sister smiled gently: “It seems you didn’t fall and turn stupid.”

The fragrance of wine filled the entire peach forest. Even the Junior Sister was stunned when she arrived with her sword.

Who dared to drink in the peach forest?

Weren’t they afraid of being cleaved by Senior Sister’s sword?

She pushed aside a peach branch weighed down by flowers and looked toward the usual practice spot. A person was leaning against a branch, their sashes fluttering, holding a wine flask.

From her angle, she could even see the clear wine shimmering in the sunlight as it slowly fell into the person’s slightly parted red lips.

Looking down, the clothes had slipped a little, revealing a snowy white neck and a straight collarbone, and further down…

So…

“Cut!”

Ran Fanyin called the “Cut” herself, turned around, covered her nose, and ran out.

Er Mao followed her closely. Fang Qing didn’t dare delay either, fearing something was wrong, and followed after.

Only Ning Songwu was left somewhat bewildered, even reaching up to adjust the piece of clothing draped over her chest.

Actually, it looked quite nice.

A moment later, Fang Qing returned with a strange expression and stood beside Ning Songwu.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Why can’t I feel your charm at all? How are these young actors being mesmerized by you left and right?”

Fang Qing asked sincerely, resting his chin on his hand.

Ning Songwu brushed back a lock of hair blown across her chest and smiled gently: “If you felt it, the person in your house would probably hack me to pieces.”

“But I’ve never felt it. Logically, I haven’t lost the ability to appreciate beauty.”

“What exactly happened?”

“Little Ran has a nosebleed.”

Ning Songwu’s movements paused: “Maybe… she has too much internal heat?”

“Senior Uncle, that thing was here just now, but now it has disappeared again.” In her sea of consciousness, a young girl’s cold, clear voice chimed in, effectively cooling Ning Songwu down.

So, it specifically chooses times when the two of them are close?

Teacher Ning indicated she understood.

Ran Fanyin returned to the set after a brief treatment. Under the joint gaze of Fang Qing and Ning Songwu, she walked step by step, her pretty face flushed red.

“I… I probably haven’t been drinking enough water lately. Sorry for delaying the shoot.” Ran Fanyin stuttered a bit. After finishing, she took several deep breaths: “I’m okay now, let’s get ready to film!”

Fang Qing: “No need for more mental preparation?”

Miss Ran shook her head firmly.

The Junior Sister stepped forward slowly and helped adjust the clothing on the Senior Sister’s chest, covering most of the “spring light.”

“Senior Sister, you’re drunk.” She turned her head, not daring to look at those misty, drunken eyes.

A coldness touched her neck. A sword appeared out of nowhere, cutting her clothes and holding a piece of the fabric against her chin.

“…Senior Sister?”

“Why does little Junior Sister not dare to look at me? Even like this, you only look at the sword and not at me?”

The Junior Sister turned her head quite stiffly. Before she could say anything, rain suddenly fell from the sky.

A heavy rain that instantly soaked them both.

The curtain of rain was misty. The sword holding her clothes had disappeared, replaced by a pair of warm hands pressing down the clothes that were about to slip—the heat was startling.

The next instant, through the curtain of rain, the Junior Sister felt a hot object pressed against her lips. It took a moment of dazing before she realized it was the Senior Sister’s thin lips, pressing against her, allowing no retreat.

Yet, she herself pulled away.

When Fang Qing called “Cut,” Er Mao and Yuan Qiao both rushed over with umbrellas. Ran Fanyin was still a bit dazed.

Ning Songwu wasn’t in a hurry, standing there quietly to accompany her as she calmed down.

From the part where the Senior Sister’s sword flicked open the clothes, it was all different from the script. But Ran Fanyin had caught it, which was why she dared to deliver that kiss through the misty water when the sudden rain fell.

“I didn’t get your consent beforehand, sorry.”

“It’s… fine…”

Ran Fanyin took several deep breaths, touched the corner of her lips, and smiled.

“That part Teacher Ning added at the end was simply wonderful.”

Ning Songwu smiled gently, pressed down on the other’s head, rubbed it, and also cleared the moisture from her body.

“Go back and clean yourself up quickly. Don’t catch a cold; this rain is quite freezing.”

“Yeah, how can it be almost June and still have such freezing rain?”

Yeah, what’s going on?

Ning Songwu looked past the edge of the umbrella, gazing at the sky.

Above the sky, Xu Yueping looked at the half-shadow and a camera in her hand, sighing.

“Senior Uncle Ning, sorry, it escaped, but the tool has been obtained.”

“Is it another driven lesser demon?”

“No, it’s a low-level demon with independent consciousness.”

Ning Songwu withdrew her gaze and chuckled twice.

This matter was becoming more and more interesting.

This lava… why is there no bottom? I’m not going to completely melt here, am I?

Will it hurt a lot to fall to the bottom of the lava?

So, the bottom of the lava is like this… so warm, so soft…

And it smells good.

Like Master’s scent…