I Ran Away After Flirting with the Goddess - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

At the wine tasting, An Rongrong clutched a glass of Merlot and sat in the dim corner of a sofa, sipping slowly. Her gaze, slightly hazy from the alcohol, was fixed on Shen Lishu, who was chatting with someone by the staircase.

Today, Shen Lishu wore a red, off-the-shoulder, strapless gauze gown. Her long, wavy black hair was draped over her back as she leaned lazily against the wooden banister, laughing and chatting in a relaxed manner.

This “Grand Slam” Film Queen had been the center of attention from the moment she arrived. It was as if all the lights in the hall converged on her, making even the strands of her hair seem to glow.

In An Rongrong’s eyes, the brightly lit hall was now dark and silent; everyone else had become a mere backdrop, leaving only the radiant Shen Lishu standing in the spotlight.

Under the light, Shen Lishu held one arm across her waist while gently swirling her glass with the other. Her red lips curled into a smile and her eyes shimmered; a simple, casual movement was made elegant and sexy in her hands.

Shen Lishu smiled and took a sip. The red wine moistened her lips, making them glisten under the lights.

An Rongrong’s face felt hot as the buzz from the wine finally caught up with her.

She had specifically chosen a fruity Merlot because she was afraid of getting drunk, yet it still went straight to her head.

Tonight’s banquet was hosted by Su Jiang, a well-known manager in the industry who had a deep passion and expertise for red wine. Su Jiang loved inviting friends from the circle over for tastings.

Normally, an 18th-tier artist like An Rongrong—who had debuted through a girl group survival show—would never be able to squeeze into such a high-end, niche gathering. However, she got lucky; Director Mao, from her new production, didn’t want to attend and gave her the invitation instead.

Director Mao had put it this way: “Shen Lishu is going. Go there to broaden your horizons and find a way to spend some time with her privately. It’ll be good for filming your romantic scenes.”

Mao Yi, a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, was nicknamed “Nitpicker” within the industry. Despite his unkempt appearance, his requirements for filming were meticulous down to the smallest detail; he refused to compromise on anything.

His new drama, Lapse, was a “Girls’ Love” (GL) film. An Rongrong was the second female lead, and Shen Lishu was the first.

The Film Queen had a powerful aura. It was normal for a newcomer to be intimidated when acting opposite her, but An Rongrong was playing her lover in the script. How could she possibly succeed if she was always holding back?

“You have to let loose,” Director Mao said, shoving the invitation embossed with a wine bottle into her hand. “Go there, see the world, and build up some courage.”

An Rongrong wasn’t exactly cowardly, but in front of Shen Lishu, even the fiercest little leopard would turn into a kitten rubbing against her slender legs.

To An Rongrong, Shen Lishu was more than just a Film Queen and a senior in the industry; she was her goddess and the one who had guided her into show business. She held extraordinary significance.

If she hadn’t loved her so much, An Rongrong wouldn’t have gone so far as to shamelessly use her connections just to land a role in this drama.

When she first heard that Shen Lishu was going to film a GL drama, An Rongrong was still in girl group training. She had been so excited she performed a standing split on the spot, wishing she could wrap her leg behind her head just to calm down.

Usually, An Rongrong was a little spark plug on set, great at livening up the atmosphere. But the moment she had to act with or speak to Shen Lishu, she became as stiff and nervous as a failing student facing the dean, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

That was why Director Mao said she was afraid of her.

An Rongrong’s love for Shen Lishu was much like the Merlot in her hand: pure and full-bodied. At the same time, the sweetness carried a hint of acidity that lingered on the palate.

Sweet and sour.

Shen Lishu was like the eye of a storm; everyone revolved around her. In just a short time, men and women—some with faces An Rongrong recognized from the screen and some she didn’t—approached her with glasses in hand to say hello, even if it was just to call out, “Sister Lishu.”

Only An Rongrong, the one with the best “vantage point,” huddled in the corner, not daring to step forward.

She had utterly failed Director Mao’s expectations and wasted his invitation.

The wine’s aftereffects were strong. A mist rose in An Rongrong’s eyes, and her vision grew increasingly blurry. Even Shen Lishu’s figure in the distance gradually blurred into a patch of red.

Because Shen Lishu always wore bold red lips to public events, fans privately called her the “Red Rose.”

In An Rongrong’s opinion, describing Shen Lishu as a rose was too small-minded.

Today, the Film Queen—with her exquisite makeup and a subtly visible cleavage—was clearly a lush, full red peony.

The colors were vivid and deep, the petals layered and rich. Every gesture exuded a mature, sexy charm that made one too shy to look for too long.

No wonder she was such a “bee and butterfly magnet.”

“Lishu,” Su Jiang approached, swaying elegantly in a black chest-length gown like a proud black butterfly. She raised her glass toward Shen Lishu. “That little youngster over there seems to have been staring at you the whole time. Looks like a new face. Did you bring her?”

Su Jiang gestured with her chin toward the dimly lit sofa and took a sip of wine. “Looks like she’s drunk.”

Shen Lishu turned her head and looked back. She saw An Rongrong shaking her head from side to side in an attempt to stay conscious, looking like a dog shaking water off itself after a bath.

Her red lips curved upward as she lazily retracted her gaze. “I didn’t bring her, but I do know her.”

“There aren’t many people whose names you, Shen Lishu, bother to remember.” Su Jiang teased with a wink. She didn’t have the habit of prying into others’ privacy or social circles, so she stopped there and changed the subject. “What have you been busy with lately? Didn’t that Republic-era drama wrap up already?”

“I’ve joined a new production, Director Mao’s,” Shen Lishu took a sip of red wine and leaned back against the banister, her posture lazy and alluring. “Lesbian.”

Everyone in the circle knew Director Mao. He loved making arthouse films and never cared about whether a topic was popular or how much traffic it generated; he only cared about the script. If the script was good, he filmed it.

His works weren’t made to cater to public aesthetics but were aimed at winning domestic and international awards.

“Girls’ Love?” Although she knew Director Mao followed the road less traveled, Su Jiang was still surprised. “That’s not a common theme. Why the sudden desire to challenge a drama like that?”

“To repay a favor.” Shen Lishu swirled her glass. “And I’ve never dealt with this genre before, so it’s a good chance to try. Besides, urban dramas don’t take long; it’ll be over in a few months.”

“That’s true,” Su Jiang said curiously. “Who is your co-star? Anyone I know?”

Shen Lishu gave a soft “Mm.” “You probably do.” She turned her head again, her eyes shimmering under the lights, gorgeous and tempting. “We just met.”

Su Jiang followed her gaze, her eyes landing squarely on An Rongrong. “Her?”

After all, she was the only one sitting there.

An Rongrong was wearing a white lace-trimmed camisole jumpsuit with a gauze skirt. The sleeveless design perfectly showcased her snowy skin. Her hair was pulled into a loose bun adorned with flower-shaped accents—a look that was charming with a touch of playfulness.

The overall style suited her age perfectly—someone in her early twenties, caught between maturity and cuteness.

“She’s quite pretty. She has that pure, clean look, not a ‘web celebrity’ face,” Su Jiang commented while crossing her arms. “Director Mao certainly knows how to pick them. She’s a good prospect.”

But she seemed to be a new face in the industry; Su Jiang had no memory of her.

She looked at Shen Lishu. Shen Lishu thought for a moment and said uncertainly, “I think she’s a sophomore. Debuted through a reality show. I’m not entirely sure.”

Even though they were playing opposite each other, they had only been filming for a couple of days and were still in the adjustment phase. It was normal not to be familiar yet.

Besides, she had heard Director Mao say more than once that this little youngster was quite afraid of her.

“A newcomer? Then she must get scolded by Director Mao a lot…” Su Jiang shook her head with sympathetic “tsk-tsks.”

Mao Yi was extremely picky. Even when working with his old partner, a Film Queen like Shen Lishu, he could still find flaws where none existed. Not to mention a newcomer; plenty of actors had been scolded to tears by him.

“She’s doing okay. She’s Director Mao’s new ‘favored daughter,'” Shen Lishu joked. She told Su Jiang, “Go ahead and get busy. I’ll drink for a bit and then head back. I have to return to the set tomorrow, so I can’t overindulge.”

“Alright. If you like anything, just say the word and I’ll pack a bottle for you to take back.” Su Jiang saw some friends approaching and went over to greet them.

Shen Lishu sipped her wine, her peripheral vision scanning the hall before glancing back at the sofa in the corner.

In the short time she had spent talking to Su Jiang, An Rongrong had been cornered by a man.

Whether he was a guest invited by Su Jiang or someone brought along by another person, the man was in his thirties and looked oily. He sat on the armrest of An Rongrong’s sofa in an intimate posture, his intentions obvious.

This circle looked glamorous on the surface, but underneath, it was filled with all sorts of monsters in human skin.

An Rongrong was young and pure-looking, and she was currently drunk. To anyone watching, she looked like an easy target.

This technically had nothing to do with Shen Lishu. After all, even if An Rongrong was young, she was a professional and should have some sense of how to handle herself.

Yet, Shen Lishu still carried her glass and walked over gracefully.

An Rongrong was struggling to deal with the man’s advances. The alcohol had numbed her nerves, making her reactions a beat too slow.

“Are you drinking Merlot? Fruity. It certainly suits your age.” The man inhaled deeply from his own glass with a look of intoxication and held it out to An Rongrong. “Want to try mine? Chateau Haut-Brion. It has a strong flavor.”

An Rongrong’s head was spinning, but she tried to remain polite. “No thank you, I’m not interested.”

“Don’t be so quick to refuse. You have to taste a wine personally to know if it suits your palate.” Under the guise of offering the wine, the man leaned down, trying to press his face against An Rongrong’s long, fair neck.

She was as pure as a lily after the rain—fresh, clean, and in bud.

Now, with her face flushed from the wine, it was as if a seductive red border had been tinted onto those clean white petals.

She looked like an elf newly arrived in the mortal world—a perfect combination of innocence and allure, a veritable temptress.

These two supposedly contradictory traits were fully embodied in the drunken An Rongrong, making one’s heart and soul stir.

The man’s gaze was stuck like glue to An Rongrong’s face. Just as he was about to look further down her neck, he suddenly heard someone greet him.

“Hi.”

The light in front of them was blocked. Both of them looked up at the same time.

Shen Lishu looked down at the man and asked with a curl of her lips, “Want to taste my red wine?”

“Film Queen Shen!” The man’s tone was shocked. He stood up, feeling flattered.

However, he had only halfway stood up when a glass of red wine was splashed directly into his face and onto his clothes.

The man was wearing an expensive white shirt. With the red wine stain, the garment was practically ruined.

“How does it taste?” Shen Lishu swirled the empty transparent glass with a faint smile; there wasn’t a drop left inside. “If you want to drink, come find me. Why bother her?”

The man’s expression turned ugly. Shen Lishu looked at him with disdain, her red lips curving as she softly uttered one word: “Scram.”

Shen Lishu came from a wealthy background and had her pick of top-tier resources from the moment she debuted. People used to criticize her acting, but her skills eventually slapped the “marketing accounts” in the face. She had won so many awards she could practically walk sideways in the industry.

Others were “Little Princesses” of the Beijing circle; she was the Queen. No one dared to offend her lightly.

Naturally, the man didn’t want to be blacklisted by Shen Lishu. He immediately forced his stiff face into an apology to An Rongrong and slunk away.

Shen Lishu placed the empty glass on a nearby table and sat in the spot the man had just occupied—the armrest of An Rongrong’s sofa. She crossed her legs, her posture elegant yet imposing.

An Rongrong was already drunk, and her nervousness now made her mind go completely blank. She couldn’t say a word and could only stare blankly at Shen Lishu.

She had beautiful, clean eyes like dark grapes. Now, moistened with tears, she looked up obediently and submissively, resembling a little puppy. It made one want to rub that fuzzy head.

“Where is your manager?” Shen Lishu asked her. “How did you get here?”

“I… I took a taxi.” An Rongrong’s ears turned red. Her entire body was radiating heat from the inside out.

The Goddess had just stood up for her!

A hundred “screaming chickens” were shrieking in An Rongrong’s heart. She pressed her hands against her legs, afraid she would lose control and perform a standing split for Shen Lishu right then and there!

Shen Lishu looked at her and fell silent for a moment, as if feeling she had taken on a burden.

An Rongrong was drunk. If she left her here alone, other ill-intentioned people might try to pick her up. Shen Lishu truly couldn’t bear it.

“I’ll take you back.” She didn’t plan on drinking anymore either, and she stood up as she spoke.

An Rongrong’s legs felt weak. Seeing Shen Lishu turn to leave, she grew anxious. Before she could react, she had already “grown the guts of a dog” and grabbed Shen Lishu’s forearm, successfully hanging onto her arm.

She had become a “body attachment” to the Film Queen and her Goddess.

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