After the Agreement, the Aloof Movie Queen is Chasing Me All Over the Internet - Chapter 52

After checking on the cat, Yaozhi left “Qing-bao” in Xiao Yu’s care and headed to the spectator area with Zhou Yue.

“Sister Yaozhi!” Shu Yuanxiang waved at them. “Over here!”

Zhou Yue looked at the girl. “Is that your assistant? The one who was in your motorhome last time?”

“Yes, that’s her.” Yaozhi patted Zhou Yue on the shoulder. “Go with Yuanxiang. I’ve got scenes all through the afternoon and evening.”

Aside from the intimate scenes, which required a closed set, Zhou Yue was free to watch and learn from the rest of the shoot. Gu Lin had Yaozhi’s best interests at heart, reminding her repeatedly to make sure Zhou Yue actually picked up some professional knowledge rather than just slacking off. Consequently, Yaozhi had asked Yuanxiang to keep a close eye on her.

“Remember to actually learn something useful,” Yaozhi warned Zhou Yue, otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to account for it to Gu Lin.

Zhou Yue nodded vigorously, promising she’d be a model student.

“Don’t you worry, Sister Yaozhi! I’ve got this covered,” Yuanxiang chimed in. She planned to take Zhou Yue to watch Yaozhi film all afternoon, surely that counted as “serious study”?

“I’m counting on you,” Yaozhi said, pinning her hopes on Yuanxiang. She watched them walk away, feeling a bit apprehensive. Zhou Yue was notoriously sociable; she’d probably be chatting Yuanxiang’s ear off within minutes.

Just as Yaozhi was about to look away, she caught sight of Shen Qing.

Shen Qing had just finished a scene that required no makeup. Her skin possessed a translucent, almost ethereal paleness, and the wind from the blowers had tossed a few stray hairs across the bridge of her nose. She was speaking quietly with Jing Ping but seemed to sense a gaze from afar.

She turned, her eyes locking onto Yaozhi’s.

Yaozhi saw Shen Qing’s long lashes flutter slightly—just as they had during their kiss that morning—and her heart gave a sudden lurch. The noise of the busy set and the hum of equipment faded into a blurred background, leaving only the rhythm of her own pulse.

Their eyes met for a fleeting second.

Upon making eye contact, Shen Qing immediately turned and took a tiffin carrier from Jing Ping. Noticing a small box of cake inside as well, she hesitated for a moment before picking that up too.

She took a couple of steps toward Yaozhi, her lips parting as if to call her name. “Du Yaozhi”

But her voice was drowned out by a much louder cry of “Sister!”

Yaozhi, sensing someone was looking for her, turned away just as she was about to approach Shen Qing. She stepped back, her heel crunching a fallen leaf into the dirt.

The leaf lay broken and silent on the ground and it felt as though something had broken in Shen Qing’s eyes as well. The woman who had promised a “fresh start” was, once again, walking toward someone else.

Gu Rong’er approached, script in hand, her face wearing a look of calculated distress. “Terribly sorry to bother you, Sister, but I’m struggling with an emotional transition in our scene this afternoon. Could you help me run through it?”

Her attitude was sincere, her eyes clear and full of a student’s humility. Yaozhi, always patient, saw no reason to refuse.

Since the afternoon shoot involved all three of them, Yaozhi thought it best to include Shen Qing. She glanced back at the approaching woman. “Do you want to join”

Before she could finish, Shen Qing said nothing. She simply held the tiffin carrier in silence, turned, and walked away.

She wasn’t wearing a coat. Her thin, ink-black costume clung to her slender back as she moved, looking as if she were being pushed away by an invisible, icy gale. Yaozhi instinctively reached out to catch her, but the silk sleeve brushed past her palm and was swept away by the wind.

Yaozhi’s heart skipped a beat, her fingers clenching into a fist.

That afternoon, Shen Qing and Gu Rong’er were rehearsing their scene.

Yaozhi and Rong’er had already practised the earlier section at lunch, so they cleared those takes quickly. It should have been a straightforward scene with no hiccups.

As it happened, they were filming the very segment Yaozhi had used for her audition. Chen Yinqing had loved Yaozhi’s idea with the red string so much that she’d officially changed the character Lianlan’s token to a red cord.

Rong’er’s performance was competent—her delivery was solid, but it lacked the “soul” that the red string required.

Chen Yinqing pursed her lips. “Shen Qing, give her some guidance.”

“Alright.” Shen Qing nodded and stepped forward.

“Um…” Seeing Shen Qing approach, Rong’er suddenly plucked up her courage. “Could we ask Teacher Du to come over as well?”

After all, when she had been practising alone with Yaozhi, Shen Qing had walked away. Given the nature of Shen Qing and Yaozhi’s relationship and Shen Qing’s status—Rong’er felt it was only right to involve her.

Shen Qing’s hand froze in mid-air. She fixed her gaze on the girl.

Rong’er hurried to explain, “I just thought… Teacher Du auditioned for this role too. If both she and Teacher Shen guide me, the result might be even better.”

Chen Yinqing found it odd. Rong’er had been well-behaved and likable lately; why make such a request now? But as the investor’s starlet had spoken, there was no reason to refuse. With a nod from the director, a production assistant was dispatched to fetch Yaozhi.

Yaozhi was bewildered when she arrived. She’d only just finished her own scenes; why was she needed again? But if the director was asking, it had to be important.

She hurried over, casting a quick glance at Shen Qing, who remained expressionless, before turning to Rong’er. The younger girl politely made room for her as Chen Yinqing spoke. “Yaozhi, Rong’er is struggling with the emotional depth here. Have a look together.”

Yaozhi understood immediately. She asked Rong’er to walk through the scene without lines first. Shen Qing had taught her that years ago—it helped ground the emotions rather than relying solely on vocal delivery.

It worked. Yaozhi quickly spotted the issue. “Look at me. Lianlan’s emotion isn’t a single burst; it’s a wave of hesitation.”

Yaozhi demonstrated, her fingers lightly brushing her own wrist as if an invisible red string were tied there. “When she holds the string, her fingers should tremble. There should be a sense of finality mixed with reluctance. Her eyes need to show the struggle, rather than just handing it over.”

She looked at Rong’er. “Can you feel that?”

Rong’er nodded, a diligent student. She thought for a moment and untied the red string from her own wrist. “Use this. It’ll be easier to demonstrate.”

“Right.”

Work was work; Yaozhi didn’t let personal feelings interfere. She looped the prop around her hand and focused on teaching Rong’er, too busy to notice Shen Qing’s expression. Yet, she couldn’t help but feel a sudden chill in the air.

With the actual prop, Rong’er improved rapidly, grasping the essence of the character. However, because Yaozhi was so focused, she didn’t notice that her hair pin had loosened. After a graceful turn, the pin hit the ground with a sharp clink.

Startled, Yaozhi instinctively bent down to retrieve it. Before she could, two slender hands entered her field of vision.

Shen Qing and Rong’er had both reached for it at the exact same time.

Yaozhi was stunned. What on earth is this atmosphere?

Ultimately, Shen Qing withdrew her hand. Rong’er, looking awkward, picked up the pin and handed it back to Yaozhi.

“Thank you… Rong’er.” Yaozhi thanked her, though she had been prepared to thank Shen Qing.

Rong’er seemed equally caught off guard, standing there in a daze. “Oh, you’re welcome.”

Shen Qing’s gaze swept over the two of them, her voice devoid of emotion as she spoke to the director. “Director Chen, let’s keep that for the behind-the-scenes footage.”

Chen Yinqing looked at the three of them and the palpable tension, then at the monitor showing Rong’er’s marked improvement. She smiled. “Fair enough. That was interesting; it’ll make a good extra.”

Interesting? Behind-the-scenes stuff is supposed to be cheerful and fun, isn’t it? What was that?

Yaozhi looked at Shen Qing, but Shen Qing didn’t meet her gaze. She simply glanced at the red string on Yaozhi’s wrist, and the air grew even colder. Yaozhi felt as though the blood had frozen in her veins.

What now? It was just work, wasn’t it?

Refusing to indulge Shen Qing’s mood, Yaozhi turned to look at Zhou Yue. Her friend was sitting on a small stool, looking utterly gob-smacked, her face screaming: Is THIS the ‘serious study’ you mentioned?

Yaozhi swallowed her frustration. The kissing scene tonight would surely be better.

**

After the scene finally wrapped, Gu Lin called Zhou Yue, laughing. “So, Yue-yue, tell me. What have you learned from Yaozhi today? A big production like this must be a real eye-opener.”

Zhou Yue: “I’ve learned that calling someone ‘Teacher’ is a great way to summon a bloodbath…”

Gu Lin was speechless. “You learned what?!”

The subtle tension of the day lingered like a silent undercurrent, building toward the highly anticipated kissing scene that night.

The lights and cameras were set; the area was cleared. There was a taut sense of expectation in the air—everyone was waiting to see if Yaozhi could pull it off this time.

Yaozhi took a deep breath and leaned in for the kiss. This time, she abandoned all the “techniques” she’d learned and tried to lose herself in the moment.

However, Shen Qing’s lips were colder and stiffer than she remembered. It felt like kissing a piece of unresponsive, frozen jade.

No, it wasn’t unresponsiveness. It was a more subtle, agonizing form of restraint.

Gradually, that restraint crumbled. Yaozhi tasted a hint of something spiralling out of control. Shen Qing’s lips and tongue were no longer passive; she took over with an almost extreme, long-repressed intensity.

The iceberg had shattered. She could no longer hold back.

The kiss felt as though Shen Qing wanted to devour Yaozhi whole. Her breath was hot and chaotic, searing against Yaozhi’s skin. There was no gentle exploration, only an absolute, overwhelming possessiveness.

It felt like a punishment.

Amidst their tangled breathing, the clash of teeth carried an uncompromising aggression. Mixed with their ragged gasps, it became the most intoxicating temptation in Yaozhi’s ear. Panic flared in her heart, and her body went weak.

“Cut!” Director Chen shouted.

Yaozhi froze.

“My apologies, Director. I caused the NG,” Shen Qing said first, standing up to apologize. “It was my fault. Let’s go again.”

Her cool voice brushed against Yaozhi’s ear, still carrying a breathless edge that felt like she was playing with fire.

Yaozhi stood there, her face dark, her chest heaving from a lack of oxygen and a sudden, inexplicable fury.

“Your energy is off. Let’s take a break,” Chen Yinqing sighed. She couldn’t understand why this scene kept failing.

The onlookers began to whisper.

“Teacher Shen caused an NG? Surely not?”

“That’s the second time the kissing scene has stalled. What’s going on?”

Shen Qing took a steadying breath, her gaze falling lightly—almost thinly—back onto Yaozhi. “Once more.”

Looking at Shen Qing’s regained composure, all the day’s accumulated grievances, confusion, and the sting of being treated with such erratic emotion boiled over in Yaozhi’s heart.

Why? Why was it so easy for Shen Qing to provoke her? Why did she still have these feelings for her? And what about Shen Qing?

“Teacher Shen.”

The lights dimmed, hiding the emotion on Yaozhi’s face. “A word, if you please.”

She gave the director a quick nod and, ignoring the startled looks from the crew, practically hauled Shen Qing away from the filming area. She headed straight for a secluded corner where props were temporarily stored.

Why… just why?

Yaozhi suddenly found the clips Zhou Yue had sent her quite amusing, letting out a self-deprecating, cold laugh.

Surrounded by clutter and deep shadows, the only light came from the distant set, outlining their blurred silhouettes. To compensate for the height difference, Yaozhi was wearing heeled boots for the scene. In the cramped corner, the sound of her sharp heels clicking against the concrete—tap, tap, felt as though she were stepping on their frayed nerves.

Shen Qing closed her eyes and took a breath. She’d barely managed a single word of an apology for the NG when she was ruthlessly cut off.

“Shen Qing,” Yaozhi said, the words rasping in her throat.

“I still love you. I told you we could start over. But is this how you treat me? When you kiss me like that, I feel things. I can’t act! Do I really have to spell it out for you?!”

Feel things?

Shen Qing had just looked up when she winced in sudden pain.

Yaozhi had stomped her heel onto the bridge of Shen Qing’s foot. She seized Shen Qing’s jaw and slammed her lips against hers.

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