Forced to Act out a Strange Script with a Rival - Chapter 45

The warm, delicate skin beneath her fingertips felt like fine velvet wrapped around warm jade.

Li Ting’s hand was forced to stop there, as if welded in place by invisible rivets.

Sally’s excited commands and the dense, rapid-fire clicking of the camera shutters mingled in her ears into an annoying drone.

The harsh glare hit Li Ting’s profile and the “on-camera” hand with no obstruction, stinging her eyes so badly that she experienced a brief moment of darkness.

In the confusion, a deep, voice laced with sticky desire, like a phantom, sounded faintly in the depths of her consciousness, carrying an undeniable possessiveness:

So beautiful… this body.

She is trembling because of me… Don’t you want to possess her?

Noisy!! So noisy!!

Stop yelling!!

The thought was so sudden, so dark, yet so crystal clear.

Li Ting’s heart sank, and a chill instantly shot from her spine to the top of her head. Her nails dug deeply into the palm of her other hand; the sharp pain instantly sobered her chaotic mind slightly.

She clearly perceived that the temperature of the patch of skin under her fingertips was rising rapidly, like ignited charcoal.

Even clearer was the wild, disorderly heartbeat transmitted through the thin flesh.

That was Si Xiaoxiao’s heartbeat.

Time, amidst the harsh light, noise, and the burning heartbeats under her fingertips, seemed to be infinitely stretched; every second was as difficult to endure as a century.

Li Ting maintained a half-crouching posture. With everyone’s eyes focused on her, she couldn’t fully relax and could only put her weight on her right foot.

But the muscles in her calf and ankle were already beginning to protest with soreness.

She could feel sweat silently sliding down her temples and hairline, soaking the edge of her cap brim.

It really is getting difficult.

Finally!

“Cut!”

Sally’s voice was like a sound from heaven, but what she brought was not a final end, but a new round of torment.

“Little assistant and Xiaoxiao, don’t move yet!” Sally’s voice was like a new set of shackles, instantly nailing the intending-to-withdraw Li Ting back to her original spot: “Keep that pose! Perfect! Hold it!”

She completely disregarded the almost palpable awkwardness and stiffness between the two and turned to direct the others present with resolute efficiency: “Makeup artist! Come over! Quick!”

Perhaps having long been accustomed to the master’s mannerisms, the makeup artist instantly rushed over, carrying her case.

Sally pointed to Si Xiaoxiao’s smooth back, near the bottom of the shoulder blade, her finger almost touching Li Ting’s hand: “Add a few h**k marks in this spot! They need to be ambiguous! Remember! Ambiguous! That kind of half-told, half-hidden feeling! The color and shape must be spot on!!”

The makeup artist looked troubled but opened her case as instructed, taking out professional oil paints and a sponge.

She cautiously approached Si Xiaoxiao’s back, trying to find a spot to apply the makeup near the shadow of Li Ting’s palm.

Si Xiaoxiao’s body instantly tensed up even more, like a fully drawn bow; she even held her breath.

She could clearly feel the cold touch of the unfamiliar makeup brush and the sticky texture of the oil paint landing on her sensitive skin. This feeling made her scalp tingle; she felt like a salted fish on a cutting board, at the mercy of others, unable even to turn over—it was truly pathetic.

“No!” However, Sally glanced at it and frowned, rejecting it: “The color is too pink! Looks like an allergic reaction! It needs to be deeper, a purplish-red with a hint of bruising! The shape is also wrong! Too round! It needs to look like it was forcefully sucked, with slightly blurred, spreading edges! Have you ever actually kissed someone?!”

The makeup artist quickly changed colors, re-mixed the shade, and tried again.

“Still not right!” Sally was like a tyrannical perfectionist, her eyes cold: “Too stiff! Ambiguous! Do you understand ambiguous?! It needs to have that trace of being left behind passionately in a moment of lust! Not painted on! It’s completely wrong!!”

Facing such a demanding client, the makeup artist had no choice but to try again and again.

What difference was such an abstract description from a multitude of colorful reds!

“The shape here is okay, but the color is too light again! No impact!”

“The edge treatment on this one is too deliberate! Needs to be natural! Like it was left in an uncontrollable moment of passion!”

“Wipe it all off! Redo it!!”

Sally was extremely frustrated. No matter how the makeup artist tried, she remained unsatisfied.

Finally, she lost all her patience.

“Tsk!” Sally lightly clicked her tongue, crossed her arms, and paced around the stiff pair. Her sharp gaze swept over Si Xiaoxiao’s smooth back, then looked at the at-a-loss makeup artist, and suddenly made a shocking suggestion: “Why don’t we just find a handsome guy to leave a few real ones on Xiaoxiao’s back right now! It would be quick and authentic!”

She stopped, tapped her finger on her chin, and her gaze swept over the surrounding male models—several well-built men waiting to shoot other scenes.

The moment she said this, both Si Xiaoxiao and Li Ting froze stiff in shock.

“Xiaoxiao, sit up.” Sally was completely unaware of the bomb she had dropped. She snapped her fingers, composedly: “Come, come, come, lads, come over! Stand in a line, let our protagonist pick one she finds agreeable!”

Following Sally’s command, a dozen tall, long-legged, muscular male models, wearing only tight shorts or vests for the shoot, lined up quickly in front of Si Xiaoxiao, sporting either confident or suggestive smiles, waiting for the “Queen’s” favor.

Their bronze skin shimmered with oil under the lights. The strong smell of sweat, hairspray, and even a certain pungent cologne mixed into a highly aggressive male scent that assailed them.

It made Si Xiaoxiao feel a wave of suffocation.

In Sally’s view, it was only about leaving a h**k mark for the sake of ambiguity; there was nothing wrong with it.

However, Si Xiaoxiao instinctively felt resistant and tried to seek aid.

But, as if to avoid suspicion, Li Ting pulled her hand away the moment the release notice was given.

Si Xiaoxiao sat up awkwardly, not finding the sight before her pleasing. She only felt the offensive smell and greasy aura of the men wafting towards her.

The way those men looked at Si Xiaoxiao made her feel like she had become some kind of vulnerable prey, with undisguised assessment, curiosity, and even a kind of lewd interest that caused her physical nausea.

“Does it have to be a real h**k mark?” Si Xiaoxiao’s voice was dry and tight. She didn’t know why she was so resistant.

But Sally was not a conservative person from China; she clearly didn’t understand what modesty and shyness were, and she proposed quite frankly: “Of course. Relax, it’s no big deal. Find someone you find pleasing to the eye; tonight, you might even have a wonderful night.”

Si Xiaoxiao bit her lip, her gaze sweeping across the group of men. The thought of having to do something with one of them instinctively made her feel sick.

But Sally was her idol. She didn’t want to reject her idol, nor did she want to ruin the shoot for personal reasons.

The immense pressure and fierce resistance waged a battle in her heart, making her tremble slightly. Her fingers unconsciously gripped her dress tightly.

Maybe, I should just endure it… it’s just for art…

A clear, cold voice, carrying an undeniable calmness, sounded beside her, like a sharp sword piercing through dark clouds.

“Can’t I do it?”

The voice wasn’t loud, but it instantly silenced all the clamor in the studio.

Everyone’s attention snapped, instantly focusing on the “assistant” who had been silently standing at the edge of the shadows, like a backdrop.

Li Ting still had her cap pulled low. The wide brim cast a deep shadow over her face, revealing only the clear lines of her jaw and her tightly pressed lips.

She stood there with a calm posture. Her loose casual wear concealed her figure, yet still couldn’t hide her inherent radiance.

Despite the most inconspicuous attire, she was now like a magnet, drawing all attention.

Sally’s sharp eagle eyes instantly narrowed, filled with scrutiny and immense interest, as she carefully looked up and down at this “assistant.”

Li Ting didn’t wait for Sally to reply. She took a small step forward, still maintaining that reassuring calmness. Her voice was steady and logical, clearly articulating the advantages and disadvantages: “Ms. Sally, I understand your pursuit of perfect artistic vision. But, if I may be frank, ‘creating’ h**k marks this way carries extremely high risks.”

She slightly turned her head, her gaze seeming to sweep across the male models. Her tone was gentle but forceful: “Firstly, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. The shoot involves many people. If someone records a private image—or even just descriptive text—of Xiaoxiao being… and it gets leaked, it will be a devastating blow to the artist’s image.”

Then, she paused, and a barely noticeable chill entered her gentle tone: “Secondly, due to cultural differences, Xiaoxiao may not be attracted to the gentlemen present.”

Her words were well-reasoned and hit the key points, completely standing from the perspective of protecting the artist and the work’s safety. The playful look on Sally’s face gradually gave way to seriousness. She rubbed her chin in thought, signaling Li Ting to continue.

“And…” Li Ting’s voice slowed down further. The corner of her mouth under the cap’s shadow seemed to twitch slightly as she slowly opened the large net she was weaving: “As a fellow woman, having me do the operation would be much better than a stranger male, at least in terms of psychological acceptance and avoiding unnecessary awkwardness. What do you think?”

Si Xiaoxiao, on the side, was screaming in her heart: It IS awkward! It’s super awkward with Li Ting!!

However, she didn’t dare to say it directly.

Then she had a change of thought: Compared to those stinky, ugly men, it’s better to be kissed by my arch-rival!!

Besides, our mouths have already touched, so what’s the big deal about kissing the back!!

Si Xiaoxiao tried hard to convince herself this way. Moreover, Li Ting was her assistant and on her side now, fighting for her interests.

Sally’s eyes grew brighter and brighter. Li Ting’s calm analysis and proposed alternative solution seemed to open up a new world for her!

She abruptly clapped her hands, excited: “Brilliant! Assistant Miss, you’ve convinced me! This angle is newer! More boundary-breaking! The tension between women, that kind of secret, entangled, and falling-into-desire feeling! Perfect! I agree to let you do it!”

Li Ting glanced at Si Xiaoxiao, pulled her hat lower, and reached out to Sally with composure: “The appearance fee.”

Sally was always a straightforward person and immediately waved her hand, indicating: “I’ll double Xiaoxiao’s pay, and count a portion for you, how about that?”

Once it’s in her account, don’t even think about getting it out!!

Si Xiaoxiao’s eyes lit up. Instantly, all resistance and awkwardness vanished.

She wished Li Ting could create clones. It’s just leaving a h**k mark, what’s the big deal!!! Bring on more Li Tings, kiss me however you like!!

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