After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 50

Filming a Xianxia drama requires a powerful sense of conviction. No matter what kind of bizarre description the director gives, the actors must immediately perform against thin air or a tracking marker to bring the character to life.

“Let’s get one more for safety,” Du Yaozhi said to Director Chen, her face veiled in red silk after perfectly executing an emotional outburst.

The crew members nearby whispered amongst themselves. “The Master’s look is killing me!! I’m speechless from her beauty!!” “Teacher Du is incredible! Even with the red silk covering her face, you can feel the secrets hidden in her eyes. Are all actors like this?” “Post-production has it easy now; no need to painstakingly edit in details or fix special effects.” “Aside from that snag with the kiss scene, Teacher Du’s performance in everything else is top-tier!!”

The gossip drifted into Du Yaozhi’s ears. That stuck kiss scene felt like a thorn in her heart. She had specifically finished reading Shen Qing’s novel and even studied those “temptress arts” as reference material, how was she still unable to out-kiss her?

Du Yaozhi bitten her lip unconsciously. This won’t do. I have to win a kiss against Shen Qing.

Zhou Yue happened to message her: I’m coming to see you tomorrow afternoon! Sister Lin gave me strict orders to ‘learn some skills’ to bring back. Ugh, I’m so stressed.

Du Yaozhi replied from the motorhome: I’m stressed too.

 Zhou Yue: What could you possibly be stressed about?

 Du Yaozhi: My kissing skills are too good; I’ve kissed her into a daze. 

Zhou Yue: 

Du Yaozhi stole a glance at Shen Qing beside her. Shen Qing was leaning her head on her hand, busy with work, occasionally taking a sip of hot water. As she exhaled softly and set the cup down, her wrist dangled slightly; when she lowered her head, a faint shimmer of moisture could be seen on her lips.

She looked like a total temptress.

Feeling the intense gaze, Shen Qing turned her head. Du Yaozhi looked away unnaturally. “Is your throat feeling better?” After being out in the rain for so long, what if she caught a cold?

Shen Qing acted as if she didn’t notice the concern. “When do you want to kiss?”

It wasn’t that she was ‘kissed into a daze,’ it was that she was already ‘dazed’ to begin with.

Du Yaozhi’s fingertips brushed the warmth of her cup before she slowly moved her chair half an inch closer to Shen Qing. Her knees were almost touching Shen Qing’s trousers. Her voice held a softness she had deliberately tried to suppress. “If I kiss you before you’re better, wouldn’t I be bullying you?”

“I’ll wait until you’re well,” Du Yaozhi declared as her final ultimatum. She added hot water to Shen Qing’s cup and pushed it back toward her.

Shen Qing gave a soft “Mm.”

The white steam blurred their vision, making one’s heart feel itchy. Du Yaozhi propped her chin on her elbow, lost in thought. When did she start caring so much about Shen Qing? She couldn’t even bring herself to be sharp with her anymore. She was even starting to find excuses to get close to her.

Perhaps the impact of that rainy night was too great. Shen Qing saving the kitten felt like she was saving a homeless version of Du Yaozhi herself.

When Shen Qing had pulled her from the mire, her long hair was no longer meticulous but clung disheveled to her face and neck. The storm had weighed down her lashes, and those eyes—usually so cold and calm—were washed out by the rain. Her shoulders looked so thin under her soaked clothes, and they were trembling.

She hadn’t appeared as a savior. Instead, she appeared as a disheveled, vulnerable human being, stripped of all her halo and disguises. A living, breathing Shen Qing who was real enough to be fragile.

The shock of that moment had been deafening. Du Yaozhi’s heart had been seized with a pain so sharp she could hardly breathe a pain so deep she could no longer use the “contract” to numb herself.

Perhaps Shen Qing is also waiting for me to get closer?

Du Yaozhi cut off her train of thought. She wasn’t incapable of letting her guard down just a little. She tapped on her screen: Got any secret manuals to share? The ‘deep kiss’ kind, not shallow ones. Something powerful, ideally something that can out-kiss a temptress.

Zhou Yue: What kind of ‘new kink’ are you two into now? Du Yaozhi: Work requirements.

Heh. Nice job drawing a line, but your heart is probably screaming for it, right? Zhou Yue thought. But being a kind soul, she chose to believe Du Yaozhi’s nonsense. After all, what kind of best friend wouldn’t help a girl in need? She had to back her up!

Zhou Yue waved her hand and sent over a pile of clips: Try these! Guaranteed to work!

The phone lagged for a second, then messages hit like grenades after a refresh. Boom, boom, boom.

Du Yaozhi couldn’t even look: Zhou Yue smirked: Hey!! Believe me, this move will definitely subdue the temptress! Du Yaozhi: Not a chance.

One minute later. Du Yaozhi, half-doubting: Really?

**

Because Du Yaozhi was ahead of schedule, the crew finished early today. After work, she dozed off in the motorhome. The heater hummed low, pumping in hot air that melted into her breath, making it feel scorching. Perhaps because the tutorials she watched during the day were too evocative, she had that dream again.

In the dream, Du Yaozhi approached step by step; an unbalanced desire wound around her heart like vines. Her fingertips brushed Shen Qing’s flushed earlobes, her voice low and raspy like it was steeped in wine.

“I’ll find you myself.” Du Yaozhi’s finger slipped through the ring around Shen Qing’s neck, hooking it playfully and tightening her grip. Then, she gave it a shake.

So wicked.

The heater was in full swing, and the sweetness of the rose fragrance swirled in the small space. A slight movement nearby made Du Yaozhi snap her eyes open. Her back was soaked with sweat, the silk pajamas sticking clammily to her shoulder blades.

“What are you doing!” Du Yaozhi sprang up from the bed the moment she woke up and saw the embarrassing content on Shen Qing’s phone.

“Choosing a collar for the kitten,” Shen Qing explained calmly, holding her phone out for Du Yaozhi to see.

Oh, it’s for the cat. Du Yaozhi let out an internal sigh of relief, and the red on her ears faded slightly.

Du Yaozhi: “How do you know the kitten’s size?” Shen Qing: “Visual estimation.” Du Yaozhi: “…” Fine. The woman who’s afraid of cats.

Du Yaozhi pulled out a drawer and took out a measuring tape, carefully unraveling it as she squatted down. The kitten was a bit scared but cooperated. As she comforted it, Du Yaozhi hesitated, the tape measure dangling loosely on the floor.

“Haven’t you thought about adopting it?” Seeing Du Yaozhi dazed, Shen Qing’s gaze drifted from the kitten to her.

Du Yaozhi: “I have.” But she was still haunted by the fact that the cat had gone missing. She felt she should have been more alert. She doubted herself—could she really take care of a kitten?

Du Yaozhi lowered her gaze. “Perhaps there’s a better home for it.”

Shen Qing remained silent for a while before looking up. Her cold eyes reflected the warm light, her tone calm but unwavering. “If an attachment has already been formed, wouldn’t it be an unspeakable cruelty to the cat to tear it away yourself?”

The cool voice echoed in Du Yaozhi’s ears, unknowingly finding its way into her heart. She began to suspect Shen Qing wasn’t talking about the cat, but about her.

She did feel something for Shen Qing. Whether it was the undercurrent of tension when they locked eyes, the shiver when their skin touched at the dinner table, the runaway heartbeat during the kiss scenes, or that… ahem, dream. When Shen Qing stood in the rain, Du Yaozhi’s instinctive worry had overshadowed everything else.

She still had desire for Shen Qing; that was a fact. Du Yaozhi felt that if she really wanted to get close to her and understand her, she had to first admit her own small dependency. Then, she could give the other person a way out.

After a long silence, Du Yaozhi let out a very soft breath. She had always been the proactive one. “Shen Qing.” “Mm?” “You’re right. I’ll adopt the kitten. I’ll try my best to give it a beautiful home.”

Shen Qing’s gaze softened as she turned around. “I’m not finished,” Du Yaozhi called out, fiddling with the edge of her clothes. “Besides that, there’s us”

Shen Qing’s hand, which had been scrolling through the phone, froze. She looked up, her glamorous eyes staring unblinkingly at Du Yaozhi.

The hot air swirled between them. Du Yaozhi spoke slowly, moving past the previous topic. “I can try to trust you. We can try to establish a small, intimate relationship. Like friends—very close friends.”

“I also know there are things you can’t say right now. So, I won’t give you 100% of my trust.”

The first half of Du Yaozhi’s sentence was solemn, making Shen Qing’s breath hitch, but the second half brought a lighter tone. “But I won’t deliberately try to trick you into talking about what happened back then anymore. I’m willing to wait. I’m willing to take the time to get to know you again.”

“So, you don’t have to stay so wound up all the time. If something’s on your mind, you can tell me,” Du Yaozhi said.

Shen Qing listened in silence. Du Yaozhi hadn’t given a speech that long in a while; it felt a bit like reciting lines, and she wasn’t sure if Shen Qing was really taking it in. To show her sincerity, Du Yaozhi decided to prove it with action. Right in front of Shen Qing, she used her alt-account to add Shen Qing. Once Shen Qing accepted, Du Yaozhi pinned her to the top of her chat list.

“But you can’t tease me anymore,” Du Yaozhi added, putting her phone away. No taking an inch and demanding a mile. We go slow.

Shen Qing didn’t know why the topic had shifted so suddenly, but if Du Yaozhi wanted to talk, she would listen. Hearing this, Shen Qing gave a soft smile. “Tease?”

How could she bear to?

Du Yaozhi thought Shen Qing was asking for a reason, so she stiffened her neck. “Because I’m very ‘dangerous’ right now. You’d better behave.” Otherwise, those terrifying moves from my dreams will be used on you.

“Okay,” Shen Qing said, a hint of a smile in her eyes. “I’ll behave.”

Du Yaozhi held out a hand to her. “Do you want to hold hands?” Shen Qing didn’t stand up immediately; her fingertips simply brushed the edge of her phone screen. As her gaze lifted, she leaned in slightly, her arm naturally crossing the gap between them, waiting for a response.

Her melodic voice seemed to melt into Du Yaozhi’s ear, causing a tingle.

Hold hands? Du Yaozhi turned her head arrogantly and demanded the phone, “The collar. Stop looking.”

**

The adoption process wasn’t exactly fast. They had to submit materials first. Since their filming schedule was tight, they went to submit the forms that same evening. Afterward, to look after the kitten, they decided to stay in the motorhome for one more night.

Shen Qing and the kitten stood face to face. Shen Qing raised a long finger and pointed toward the cat. “Move it.” It was round and sitting right in the middle of the path.

Du Yaozhi: “Why are you being so mean to Qing-bao?”

Qing-bao?

Shen Qing’s finger paused. When she looked up, her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, her voice carrying a hint of subtle bewilderment. “Who are you calling?”

“Didn’t hear me?” The kitten’s name, obviously.

Du Yaozhi twirled a lock of her long curly hair around her finger, tying a light knot and slowly releasing it. She leaned forward slightly, teasing Shen Qing with great interest. “The left side of the character is related to water, and the right side is the ‘Qing’ from ‘blue-green.’ Guess.”

Anyone who spent even a little time online knew that Shen Qing’s long-time fans called her “Qing-bao.” In person, because Shen Qing was so cold and distant, fans were more reserved. But online, they were fanatical and had even made various memes of her. Du Yaozhi had saved a few before but never posted them, thinking she should show restraint in front of the real person.

Now, of course, Du Yaozhi found teasing Shen Qing directly much more fun.

Shen Qing’s gaze lingered on her face for two seconds before she looked away. Her lips moved slightly, then pressed tight; she refused to speak.

I knew you’d react like that.

Du Yaozhi picked up a pen and deftly wrote two characters on the application form. She deliberately wrote the left radical with a flourish, pausing slightly on the final stroke.

When the paper was turned over: (Qing-bao, meaning ‘Mackerel-treasure’)

Shen Qing, who had been waiting for a serious name: 

Du Yaozhi wrote another line, flipped it over with a smirk. Special Note: Please do not assume this refers to anyone. The reason for this name has absolutely nothing to do with the actress Shen Qing!

“It looks like you’re trying too hard to hide it,” Shen Qing commented, her eyes on the screen. Du Yaozhi: “Rejected. This is the kitten’s prestigious name.” Shen Qing: “Does it have a nickname?” Du Yaozhi was honest: “Of course. The nickname is Qing-bao.”

Shen Qing glanced at her, her lips twitching almost imperceptibly, but she didn’t argue. She took a sip of hot water. “Which obscure character is it this time?”

“This time, it’s your name.” Du Yaozhi held the pen between her index finger and thumb, using the back of her hand to brush back her hair. Every word felt like a tiny hook. “It’s a little selfish whim of mine. You won’t mind, will you?”

Of course, the name wasn’t because she liked Shen Qing or was grateful to her for finding the kitten. Well, maybe it was. But the bigger reason was, Du Yaozhi had a wicked idea.

If she named it that, wouldn’t Shen Qing instinctively prick up her ears every time she called the cat? That would be far too much fun.

When Du Yaozhi looked up, her eyes were filled with a bright smile, looking incredibly charming and making no effort to hide her mischievous intent. Shen Qing shook her head helplessly; when Du Yaozhi had a bad idea, she didn’t even try to act.

Shen Qing looked down at the kitten, choosing to indulge her. “Qing-bao.” “Meow.” The kitten wasn’t exactly polite in its greeting.

Du Yaozhi took out a cat teaser with a bell, waving it around for the kitten to play. “Tell me, why does it always huddle by my feet and never run over to you?” As her sleeve moved, a faint scent of roses filled the air.

“It likes you more,” Shen Qing said flatly. Du Yaozhi wondered: “Then it keeps meowing—is it because I’m close to you? Is it a little jealous and trying to get my attention?”

Jealous? A cat? Shen Qing’s expression cooled. She set down her cup, stood up, and snatched the teaser from Du Yaozhi’s hand.

“You—” “Shh,” Shen Qing gestured for silence. Before Du Yaozhi could speak, Shen Qing placed the teaser on the nightstand and knocked twice with her knuckle. The kitten, frustrated, immediately pounced. Shen Qing then pulled the long handle back and without looking up, locked it in a box. Meaning: confiscated.

The kitten, feeling tricked and miserable, jumped off the box and scurried to Du Yaozhi’s feet, whimpering. “Meow!” Du Yaozhi laughed, picking up the grumbling kitten and scolding her. “How can you be like this?”

“Qing-bao doesn’t get jealous,” Shen Qing said with a cold blink, sitting back down. She really is picking a fight with a cat.

“Really?” Du Yaozhi rubbed the kitten and lectured it, “I don’t like a Qing-bao who gets jealous.” “Hear that, Qing-bao?” Du Yaozhi shouted deliberately into Shen Qing’s ear.

The kitten understood. She was pointing at the mulberry to scold the locust tree, insulting Shen Qing by talking to the cat.

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