My Nemesis and My Wife - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Start of Filming.

“You seem to care more about whether we slept together and how many times than you do about my feelings.”

Jiang Yan went from thanking the director to the investors, from sharing character insights to discussing life ideals. It wasn’t until her eighth or ninth “mmm” that she ran out of things to say. She ended her speech, released Qin Lan’s hand, and smiled: “This is my first time participating in an ensemble series. It’s quite fresh and I’m a bit nervous, so I talked too much. I hope no one was bored.”

Yu Jintang immediately smoothed things over, and someone below shouted, “Teacher Jiang, I love you!”

“Not boring at all, say a few more words, Teacher Jiang!”

Jiang Yan smiled gratefully at the crowd, then turned back to look at Qin Lan, her tone extremely intimate: “Sorry, Teacher Qin, I accidentally said too much. I didn’t tire you out, did I? Does your arm ache?”

Qin Lan’s mind was a mess, so she didn’t notice the “green tea” undertone of the remark: “It’s fine. I exercise regularly.”

Jiang Yan gave a shy smile: “I see. It seems Teacher Qin’s arms are very well-trained.”

Qin Lan vaguely felt something was off about that sentence, but she couldn’t put her finger on it.

Extra Palace Maid No. 1: “Teacher Jiang asked Teacher Qin if her hand was sore.” Palace Maid No. 2: “Teacher Qin said she trains her arms regularly.” Palace Maid No. 3: “Heh… Is this ‘arch-nemesis’ literature?”

“Alright, next we begin the worship of the four directions!” Yu Jintang shouted at the right moment.

The staff handed out incense. Yu Jintang also took some and stood with them. Everyone held the incense in silent prayer and bowed three times.

They turned, continued bowing, and after all four directions were finished, Yu Jintang invited Best Actress Feng to be the first to place her incense.

When it was Qin Lan’s turn, she walked up, bowed her head slightly, and stuck the incense into the burner. Her sunglasses made her look somewhat cold and detached.

She walked back, brushing past Jiang Yan. The woman didn’t look at her, standing before the incense burner with her eyes closed in silence for a long time. Whispers came from the crowd below as she finally bowed deeply three times, her profile exceptionally devout.

Qin Lan’s gaze fell on the silhouette of her bowing back, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Why is this woman suddenly being so serious…

After the opening ceremony, Yu Jintang treated the lead actors to dinner.

About a dozen people trickled into the private booth. Looking around, aside from the three main leads, everyone else was a complete nobody—”18th-tier” obscure actors.

The configuration of this crew felt strange from top to bottom, which naturally attracted media attention when the roles were announced. A marketing account had written a ten-thousand-word essay analyzing the Era of Pink Beauty crew. First, it questioned why the top-tier Best Actress Feng Manhong would collaborate with a young director making her first TV series.

Second, it questioned why Jiang Yan, who was already somewhat successful in the film world, would sabotage her own career to film such a controversial drama. Third, it questioned why the “Qin-Jiang” duo, who had maintained a status of “not seeing each other again until death” for three years, had suddenly reunited.

Fourth, it mocked Yu Jintang for only being able to recruit a bunch of nobodies to act. At the very least, an important role like Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi shouldn’t be played by someone who had been a background extra for over ten years! It seemed she really couldn’t find people and had to pull her best friend Qin Lan into the play.

The marketing account questioned for nine thousand words, and the only conclusion was that Feng Manhong must have some dirt in the director’s hands.

The comment section was in total agreement.

Six months ago, the same-sex marriage bill was officially implemented in the mainland.

The mindsets of the older generation are hard to shift, so various obstacles still existed within the country. Public media only published relevant news on the day of the passing, essentially giving it the “cold treatment.”

Film and television were still dominated by heterosexual romance. While a small number of BL (Danmei) and GL (Baihe) adaptations no longer used “friendship” as a cover to pass censorship, they were limited to simple confessions. The boldest same-sex image on screen was merely a kiss on the corner of the mouth.

However, the script Yu Jintang produced contained several high-intensity intimate same-sex scenes, even including a bed scene that would have been hard to pass even in a heterosexual romance script. It could be said that Era of Pink Beauty was the first legitimate same-sex film/TV work after legalization.

Therefore, despite Yu Jintang announcing an open casting call, there were few takers. Since it had only recently become legal, opposition sentiment was strong in many regions, and most people were still observing. Yu Jintang was secretly worried about the three most important female leads.

Although Qin Lan was willing to support her, she thought she wouldn’t be able to find good actors for the remaining two positions. She didn’t expect Feng Manhong to show up, and even more surprising was Jiang Yan she was actually willing to appear in a crew that included Qin Lan.

Yu Jintang was in a good mood and ordered several bottles of red wine. During the meal, everyone gradually became familiar with each other. Feng Manhong was a superstar, so no one dared to joke with her, but the younger ones spoke more. A few male actors had red faces from drinking and boozily tried to toast Qin Lan.

Qin Lan had a flippant smile on her face as she raised a glass of juice. Jiang Yan glanced at her.

After a while, Qin Lan toasted Feng Manhong, still holding juice. Jiang Yan glanced at her again.

She leaned in slightly toward Yu Jintang: “Teacher Qin doesn’t like to drink anymore?” Yu Jintang looked at her and smiled: “Not exactly, but she has indeed quit. She doesn’t go to bars much either.”

Jiang Yan rolled her eyes and raised her wine glass: “Teacher Qin, I toast you.” Qin Lan looked at her across two people, raised her juice, and gave a perfunctory nod. Jiang Yan smiled as if she hadn’t noticed and downed the entire glass of red wine in one go.

Even Feng Manhong was shocked: “Xiao Jiang, why are you drinking so fast?”

Jiang Yan smiled at her, but her eyes only looked at Qin Lan. The woman was frowning, the shadows beneath her brow heavy, and her cold expression looked very sharp. Jiang Yan touched her chest as a surge of pleasure rushed through her: “Mmm… I’m just afraid Teacher Qin isn’t happy.”

Feng Manhong glanced at Qin Lan, whose sharp expression hadn’t softened. Yu Jintang tutted inwardly. To her surprise, Jiang Yan poured another glass and raised it toward her: “Director Yu, I toast you.”

Yu Jintang subconsciously glanced at Qin Lan. Qin Lan was still frowning, seemingly lost in thought. She had no choice but to pick up her glass and clink it with the other. Jiang Yan downed it again. Her face was a bit flushed, but her gaze remained clear: “I heard Director Yu owns a bar, so you must be a lover of fine wine. I also enjoy a small drink. I toast Director Yu again.”

She said “small drink,” but downed it in one go once more. Yu Jintang’s heart was thumping, and she was forced to drink along. However, Jiang Yan started pouring again, as if she would keep drinking forever if no one stopped her.

The others noticed and began to stop her from drinking. Jiang Yan swayed slightly, but her eyes remained fixed on Qin Lan.

Yu Jintang leaned over and whispered to Qin Lan: “Sacrifice yourself a bit. If this keeps up, something will happen.”

Jiang Yan watched her and heard Qin Lan say: “The outside world has always said our relationship is bad, and I think they are right. I’m a person who likes to speak straight. We’re going to be working together for several months; don’t let our private grievances affect the filming.”

Jiang Yan seemed to let out a laugh: “Private grievances? Is that how Teacher Qin views the relationship between us?”

Qin Lan said seriously: “Regardless of what the relationship is, I don’t want it to affect work.”

Jiang Yan raised her glass toward her from afar. “Then, I toast Teacher Qin one more time. After this glass, Teacher Qin will send me back to the hotel, and we can talk about these ‘private grievances’ you mentioned.”

The van was waiting outside, but Jiang Yan said she wanted to walk. She was very drunk, but she still maintained her poise, walking with great elegance. Qin Lan walked a bit behind her, staring at Jiang Yan’s shadow with complex feelings.

“Qin Lan, have these three years been okay?” she asked, her profile thin and exquisite, breathtakingly beautiful.

“Would you not know if they were okay?” the woman pouted behind her, saying unhappily: “You went to film movies, not go abroad.”

“Actually, you could film more movies too,” Jiang Yan said. “I don’t want that incident to affect your work.”

“I do what I want,” Qin Lan said dryly. “None of your business. Also, why did you snatch my role?”

“Mmm? Didn’t Teacher Qin say she wanted to break through her fixed style?”

Qin Lan was stumped by her words: “And that means you can snatch my role?”

“I didn’t snatch it; it was open and fair,” Jiang Yan said.

One of them was suited for Shangguan Wan’er and the other for Princess Taiping. Roles that fit one’s personality too closely can limit development; only with contrast can one continue to break through.

It was just that she and Qin Lan were of one mind—they both intended to try a new style.

Jiang Yan played with a willow branch, taking a long time before speaking: “Qin Lan, why did you stop drinking?”

Qin Lan’s heart skipped a beat. She looked over, and Jiang Yan also raised her head, still looking like a vixen. The way she toyed with the willow branch made her look like Su Daji; her waist was incredibly beautiful.

“I just don’t like it anymore,” she lied casually, feeling as if she were the willow branch being repeatedly rubbed in the other’s hands.

“Liar,” Jiang Yan said softly. “You drank very happily last time.”

Qin Lan’s heart tightened: “Which time?”

Jiang Yan lowered her head and said gloomily: “Two weeks ago, at Yu Jintang’s bar.”

Qin Lan was shocked: “So that day, you actually went?”

Jiang Yan said resentfully: “You drank too much; you actually don’t remember anything.”

Qin Lan said nervously: “Then did I… did I do anything?”

Jiang Yan went silent again, only looking at her. Qin Lan’s vision went dark, and she said anxiously: “Just say it!”

“Why?” Jiang Yan asked. “Why do you want to know?”

“Because it concerns the innocence between you and me!” Qin Lan let it slip. Jiang Yan, as expected, smiled: “Innocence? Does such a thing exist between me and Teacher Qin?”

She stepped closer and said: “Teacher Qin is always worried about things that don’t matter. Compared to my feelings, you seem to care more about whether we slept together and how many times than you do about my feelings.”

“How can that not matter?” Qin Lan said anxiously, her heart feeling a bit bitter because of the second half of her sentence. Sleeping together once could be called an accident, but twice… that changes the nature of it!

Jiang Yan looked at her for a long, long time, giving a weary smile that made Qin Lan’s heart twitch: “Fine, Teacher Qin, I lied to you. Nothing happened that day. You drank too much, I sent you to the hotel, and I left after you fell asleep.”

Qin Lan visibly breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Yan watched her silently, the smile vanishing from her face.

“Send me back.” She slowly slid down the tree trunk, squatting on the ground as if she had no strength left, murmuring: “My head is so dizzy.”

Qin Lan took out her earphones and put them on. Soon a car drove over, and the bodyguard Ye Wei walked over: “Eldest Miss.”

Qin Lan pointed at Jiang Yan at the foot of the tree: “Get her into the car.”

Ye Wei nodded, took off her coat to cover Jiang Yan, and propped her up. Jiang Yan got into the car very obediently, curling up in the back seat. Qin Lan hesitated for a moment, convincing herself she was only sitting in the back because she was afraid Jiang Yan would hit her head in the car. Ye Wei sat in the driver’s seat and started the car.

“Back to the hotel,” Qin Lan said.

Jiang Yan looked like she had fallen asleep, sitting very quietly in the back, curled up and facing the city lights outside the window. Qin Lan felt uncomfortable everywhere in the back seat, and couldn’t help but regret why she had changed her mind again. But stopping the car now to move to the front would be too deliberate, making it look like she, Qin Lan, was afraid of Jiang Yan. So, she endured the discomfort in the back, feeling the scent of Jiang Yan’s perfume everywhere.

She irritably rolled down the window and couldn’t help but urge: “Drive faster.”

Ye Wei silently stepped on the gas. Brightly lit skyscrapers gradually appeared, with that golden tulip on the side blooming quietly.

The benefit of filming with Yu Jintang manifested at this moment wherever they went, they could stay directly at her family’s hotels. The Yu couple had their eldest daughter, Yu Jinxiang, who now handled the family industries. Since they had another child late in life, they basically let her roam free.

Yu Jintang had vacated three floors for the crew, but she and Qin Lan stayed in the presidential suite on the top floor.

Jiang Yan was supported into the hotel by Ye Wei, with Qin Lan walking behind expressionlessly. They took her to her room door, and Ye Wei let her go.

“Wait… wait a second.” Jiang Yan climbed up, staggering against the door, not forgetting to strike a beautiful pose as she reached into her bag.

She fumbled for a long time and pulled out a small piece of paper from a hidden compartment. It had Feng Manhong’s signature on it.

“Here,” she said.

Qin Lan took it skeptically: “I thought you weren’t going to give it to me?”

Jiang Yan lowered her eyes and said without much emotion: “I asked for it for you in the first place.”

Qin Lan looked at her guardedly: “What are you planning now?”

Jiang Yan practically wanted to roll her eyes. She turned around and slammed the door in her face.

“I really hate that Jiang Yan to death, she knows nothing but how to oppose me all day.

Fine, for the sake of Best Actress Feng’s signature, I’ll grudgingly forgive her.”

Three days after the start, the Era of Pink Beauty crew officially began filming.

Yu Jintang had a habit when filming: if there were bed scenes, they had to be finished ahead of schedule. On one hand, it allowed the actors to enter the emotional scenes quickly; on the other, it reduced the risk of actors developing feelings during the shoot by finishing the sensitive scenes early.

Qin Lan sat in the dressing room with little interest, staring at the mirror in a daze.

Assistant Xiao Qing was very excited: “Sister Qin, Sister Qin, you’re going to film an intimate scene with Best Actress Feng! That’s Feng Manhong, don’t you totally worship her? Sister Qin, why do you seem unhappy?”

Qin Lan appeared listless: “Mmm, happy.”

Xiao Qing said worriedly: “Sister Qin, are you feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m fine.” Qin Lan closed her eyes as the makeup artist covered her dark circles.

“Then why do you have insomnia?” Xiao Qing was very concerned.

“Have you never seen someone who’s frustrated? Why do you even have to worry about my insomnia?” Qin Lan said impatiently: “Go see what everyone is doing outside.”

“Oh.” Xiao Qing went out pouting, thinking Qin Lan found her annoying. After a while, she returned to the dressing room, and Qin Lan suddenly asked: “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

Xiao Qing: “Huh?”

Qin Lan opened her eyes: “Didn’t I tell you to go see what everyone is doing outside?”

Xiao Qing: “…Director Yu and the assistant director are outside checking the cameras, and the set is already built. Best Actress Feng is still in the dressing room next door. Your clothes have also arrived, Sister Qin.”

Qin Lan waved her hand: “You didn’t see enough, go look again.”

Xiao Qing walked out completely baffled.

However, after a while, she still dutifully returned. She thought Qin Lan might be bored after being in makeup for so long, so she specifically picked some funny things to say: “Sister Qin, hehe, guess what I just saw? Two camera guys weren’t looking where they were going and they bumped into each other while holding their cameras! Hahaha…”

Qin Lan waved her hand again: “You’re looking at the wrong things, look again.”

Xiao Qing stood outside the door for the third time, countless question marks floating through her mind.

She was confused for a long time and didn’t know what to look for, so she went to the van and got Qin Lan’s favorite liqueur chocolates and ran back. Just as she reached the door, she saw Yu Jintang walking over as well. Xiao Qing hurried over and said, “Sister Yu, Sister Yu, did anything special happen today?”

Yu Jintang: “?”

Xiao Qing explained, and Yu Jintang was also puzzled, asking slowly: “She just told you to come out and see, and see what’s happening outside?”

Xiao Qing nodded: “Yup.”

Yu Jintang pondered for two seconds and grinned: “That fellow isn’t straight anymore…”

Xiao Qing was shocked: “When was Sister Qin ever straight?”

Yu Jintang smiled and shook her head: “A few fresh things did happen today. First, a camera-operating grandma carried an investor across the road, then the lighting reflector was painted rainbow by my second uncle’s neighbor’s great-aunt, the assistant director’s dog was just explaining the script to everyone, and Jiang Yan has a temporary schedule conflict and asked for leave.”

Xiao Qing didn’t understand any of it, but she repeated it verbatim to Qin Lan.

Qin Lan’s cursing came from inside: “Yu Jintang, you’re sick in the head!”

Outside the door, Yu Jintang gave a faint smile and walked away.

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