Never Forget - Chapter 13

“All done!” The makeup artist stepped aside and gestured for Ye Zhuyi to look in the mirror. “How do I look?”

Although the script was only half-complete, the background and character roles were already well-defined. Jing Que was a spy thriller set in the 1940s, during the early days of the Wang puppet government. In Shencheng, Yin Zhonghe had established the “Special Action Department” to conduct a massive crackdown on intellectuals.

Yin Zhonghe had a younger brother, Yin Xingmang, a playboy who had been studying abroad. On the day he returned to China, he was secretly replaced by the female lead. Disguised as a man, the female lead went undercover by Yin Zhonghe’s side, waiting for the right moment to steal the “Reset Plan.”

After Yin Xingmang’s identity was questioned by those close to Yin Zhonghe, she began frequenting dance halls. There, she met the second female lead, Shen Manqing.

Shen Manqing was once the daughter of a wealthy businessman, but her father had been framed by a rival, leaving her family ruined. To support her sick grandmother and mother, she was forced to become a dance hall girl. After discovering Yin Xingmang’s true identity as a woman, Shen Manqing helped her in the dance hall. Later, Yin Xingmang married her to provide cover for her female identity. The rest of the plot, detailing Shen Manqing’s life as Mrs. Yin, was contained in the second half of the script.

The previous individual costume photos featured her as a dancer. Ye Zhuyi’s makeup was bright and charming, and she wore a red sleeveless floor-length cheongsam. Even just standing there, she exuded elegance and allure.

The upcoming group photo would be after she became Mrs. Yin. Her outfit had changed to a truffle-colored bamboo-patterned satin cheongsam. The half-inch round collar made her neck look long and graceful. A brooch on the collar matched her emerald earrings set in shell flowers.

Her makeup had been changed to a light look. Her M-shaped lips, as if drawn on, were painted glossy, making her look delicate but not overly glamorous. The waves in her hair were styled with larger curls, making her look soft but not seductive.

Ye Zhuyi looked at herself in the mirror, a dimple appearing on her cheek. She smiled and said, “Sister Jin, your hands are so skillful. Just a moment ago I was a dancer, and now…”

“Now what?” the makeup artist, Sister Jin, raised an eyebrow, looking a bit proud. She asked curiously.

Ye Zhuyi thought for a moment and found the right word. “Now I’ve turned over a new leaf.”

“Hahaha, that’s right! Director Lu told me your individual costume photo is a dancer who fell into the dust, and the group photo is a married woman. That’s exactly what turning over a new leaf means.” Sister Jin suddenly paused and glanced at the door. She lowered her smile and whispered, “Your good husband is here.”

Ye Zhuyi’s heart skipped a beat. She froze in her chair, watching Qin Zhizhen appear in the doorway through the makeup mirror.

Qin Zhizhen wore a perfectly tailored vintage plaid suit. The jacket was left unbuttoned, and the top button of her indigo shirt was undone, giving her an effortless, dashing look. Her bangs were slicked back and styled, while the rest of her hair was tied into a neat bun. With her naturally sharp features and bold makeup, she looked strikingly androgynous—a blend of feminine grace and masculine handsomeness, like a sophisticated rebel.

Ye Zhuyi couldn’t tear her eyes away. She loved every version of her Zhenzhen.

Standing by the door, Qin Zhizhen looked tall and elegant. Her expression was unreadable, her deep eyes hidden beneath long lashes. She glanced at Ye Zhuyi for a fleeting moment before turning to Sister Jin. “Is her makeup and hair done?”

“Yes, yes, it’s all done,” Sister Jin whispered, clutching her heart. “Just one look at her and I’m questioning my own sexuality.”

Ye Zhuyi overheard and nodded in complete agreement.

Qin Zhizhen noticed Ye Zhuyi nodding like a little chick pecking at grain. She raised an eyebrow. “If you’re ready, let’s go to the shoot.”

“Yes, Teacher Qin,” Ye Zhuyi replied, quickly standing up and heading toward the door.

“Wait, change your shoes first!” Sister Jin called out urgently.

Ye Zhuyi skidded to a halt. She saw Qin Zhizhen tilt her head slightly, her gaze dropping to Ye Zhuyi’s feet.

During the makeup session, Ye Zhuyi had swapped her high heels for a pair of panda-themed sandals. Qin Zhizhen, who loved pandas, stared at them for a long moment.

Ye Zhuyi knew Qin Zhizhen was looking at the pandas, not her feet, but she still felt an odd sense of shame and couldn’t help but curl her toes.

Qin Zhizhen’s gaze shifted from the panda head to Ye Zhuyi’s foot. It was slender and delicate. Is she so nervous she’s about to dig a hole in the floor? Qin Zhizhen wondered.

She looked away, the corners of her lips curving upward slightly.

Did she just smile?! Ye Zhuyi’s heart hammered wildly. By the time she looked up again, Qin Zhizhen had already returned to her usual cold and aloof expression.

Afraid of keeping her waiting, Ye Zhuyi didn’t have time to think. She quickly slipped off the sandals and put on her small heels.

The group photo for the movie’s promotional materials needed a specific background, so they moved to a room downstairs.

Ye Zhuyi followed closely behind Qin Zhizhen, her gaze lingering on the other woman with hidden affection.

Qin Zhizhen’s bun was tied loosely at the back of her head, with stray hairs framing her face and stirring a whirlwind of thoughts in Ye Zhuyi’s mind.

Ye Zhuyi was certain that Qin Zhizhen’s fleeting smile wasn’t an illusion, but she couldn’t decipher its meaning.

Was she smiling at the cute panda? Or was it something else?

The doorway had two steps. Recalling how Ye Zhuyi had tripped and sprained her ankle twice before, Qin Zhizhen stepped down one level and instinctively turned back to check on her.

Sure enough, before she could even warn her to watch her step, Ye Zhuyi, lost in her own thoughts, missed her footing just as Qin Zhizhen had predicted.

Qin Zhizhen reacted quickly, grabbing her arm and pulling her forward. Ye Zhuyi stumbled and crashed straight into her.

The impact was heavy. Qin Zhizhen winced and said helplessly, “Do you have a special skill for this?”

Enveloped in a sweet fragrance, Ye Zhuyi felt the arm Qin Zhizhen held burning hot. Her mind went blank, and her heart raced like a wild deer.

She looked up at Qin Zhizhen, her clear eyes filled with innocence and confusion. Her red lips parted slightly. “?”

Qin Zhizhen gazed steadily at her delicate, exquisite face.

The temperature in the air seemed to soar. Ye Zhuyi suddenly felt short of breath, wondering if the high collar of her qipao was too tight.

Inside the room, the photographer raised her camera and snapped a picture of the two women. Click.

“The atmosphere in this shot is incredible,” the photographer said with a smile. “Let’s recreate this later. Teacher Qin, Teacher Ye, please come over and take your positions.”

Qin Zhizhen averted her gaze and released Ye Zhuyi’s arm. She stepped off the platform and walked toward the center of the room.

The warmth of Qin Zhizhen’s palm still lingered on her arm. Ye Zhuyi unconsciously covered the spot with her right hand and took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

“Teacher Qin,” Ye Zhuyi said softly as she caught up. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Qin Zhizhen replied coolly.

The photographer’s assistant guided Qin Zhizhen to sit at the mahjong table, and Ye Zhuyi stood behind her.

“Teacher Ye, lean down and get closer to Teacher Qin,” the photographer directed, waving her fingers while looking through the lens. “A little closer. Yes, just like that. Now, reach around Teacher Qin from behind and help her play a tile.”

Ye Zhuyi followed the instructions, but her neck and arms were stiff, and her expression remained tense.

“Teacher Ye, you’re too stiff,” the photographer noted. “Try to relax.”

“I’m sorry,” Ye Zhuyi said, forcing a small smile as she tried to adjust her posture.

Qin Zhizhen tilted her head. They were so close that a stray strand of hair from her forehead brushed against Ye Zhuyi’s cheek, sending a tingling sensation through her. Ye Zhuyi unconsciously stiffened her back.

“Teacher Ye…” The photographer sighed in frustration and rubbed his temples. “The way you were just now, when you almost tripped and Teacher Qin caught you, was perfect. Now you’re too stiff.”

“…Sorry.” Ye Zhuyi sighed inwardly. She didn’t want to be stiff, but she was so flustered by the proximity that she didn’t know what to do with her hands or feet.

The atmosphere in the room grew awkward. They were stuck on the very first set of photos.

Qin Zhizhen chuckled softly and joked, “How about you trip again?”

The tension instantly broke. The photographer rubbed his nose and chimed in with a laugh, “I’m down for that.”

Ye Zhuyi glanced at the smile on Qin Zhizhen’s face and felt her heart flutter as if being gently scratched by soft velvet. Zhenzhen is trying to save me.

Unlike acting in a scene, where she had to focus on the performance, now she was completely captivated by Qin Zhizhen at this close range. The lights hit Qin Zhizhen’s cheek, highlighting her pale, jade-like skin. Ye Zhuyi could even see the tiny mole on her earlobe.

Click.

The photographer seized the moment and snapped two photos. “Yes! That’s it! Perfect! Now, Teacher Ye, stop looking at Teacher Qin and look at the cards.”

Ye Zhuyi reluctantly tore her gaze from Qin Zhizhen’s profile and shifted it to the cards in her hand. She suddenly remembered the words the photographer had interrupted her with back on the stairs. “Teacher Qin, you said earlier that I had a special skill… What was it?”

“Hmm.” Qin Zhizhen turned her head to look at her, her tone dry. “The skill of ignoring the stairs.”

Ye Zhuyi froze. Why did she ask such a stupid question?!

This was the third time. If it happened again, Qin Zhizhen would probably think she was an idiot. Ye Zhuyi closed her eyes, her ears flushing red with embarrassment. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find the words.

In the end, she said nothing.

Qin Zhizhen glanced at her reddening ears and made a soft “tsk” sound. Then, she turned her head and curved her lips into a smile where Ye Zhuyi couldn’t see. Some people look so silly and naive when they aren’t pretending, she thought.

After a few more clicks of the camera, the photographer finally lowered it, a smile still on his face. He raised a hand and gave an “OK” gesture. “That’s it. Teacher Qin, Teacher Ye, you can take a break for now.” He then turned to his assistant and said, “Go check if Teacher Chen and Teacher Xu have arrived.”

The makeup artist quickly touched up their looks, while the props team rearranged the table. They placed the “Reset Plan” folder and two guns in the center.

Before long, the other two male leads of Jing Que arrived. Chen Ming, a Movie King, played Yin Zhonghe. The other lead, a morally ambiguous character also embedded with Yin Zhonghe, was played by the top young idol, Xu Qingfeng.

This was Ye Zhuyi’s first time meeting them. There was no time for pleasantries, so they simply nodded in greeting.

Under the photographer’s assistant’s guidance, Ye Zhuyi and Chen Ming sat facing each other, while Xu Qingfeng stood beside Chen Ming. Qin Zhizhen wrapped his arms around Ye Zhuyi from behind, their hands overlapping as they held the same set of cards.

The scent of Qin Zhizhen’s unique fragrance lingered at the tip of her nose. Enveloped in his aura, Ye Zhuyi felt the warmth of his palm on the back of her hand. Her throat tightened, and she swallowed unconsciously.

“Teacher Qin, lower your head a bit more. Whisper in Teacher Ye’s ear while keeping your eyes on the folder in the middle of the table. Teacher Chen and Teacher Ye, maintain this position. Teacher Xu, stand slightly behind Teacher Chen, with half your body out of the frame,” the photographer instructed, checking the shot.

Qin Zhizhen lowered his head and adjusted his angle. His lips were almost touching Ye Zhuyi’s ear. In an instant, she felt herself stiffen like a wooden doll in his embrace.

“Relax,” Qin Zhizhen whispered.

Warm breath enveloped her entire ear, sending a tingling sensation through her whole body. Ye Zhuyi’s hand, still holding the cards, clenched instinctively.

The reminder only made her stiffer. Qin Zhizhen let out a nearly imperceptible sigh.

As the warm breath brushed against her ear, Ye Zhuyi’s long eyelashes fluttered. Her ear turned a deep crimson. She swallowed hard, her voice soft and light. “Teacher Qin… I’m ticklish.”

Don’t get so close.

But don’t move too far away either.

Qin Zhizhen froze for a moment and was about to pull back.

“Great, great! Teacher Qin, look at me, look at me,” the photographer urged. “Just this set and we’re done. Hang in there for a little longer.”

Qin Zhizhen held her pose and said in a low, hushed voice, “Just bear with it.”

Her voice was gentler than usual. Ye Zhuyi wanted to cry but couldn’t. She took a deep breath, letting herself drown in Qin Zhizhen’s scent, suppressing the fluttering in her heart as she endured the intermittent warmth of the breath against her ear.

Following the photographer’s directions, they took a few more sets of photos. Just as Ye Zhuyi was about to reach her limit, they finally wrapped up. The moment the photographer called out “Good,” Ye Zhuyi’s shoulders slumped.

“Sorry, that was tough to endure, wasn’t it?” Qin Zhizhen released her hand and straightened up.

Ye Zhuyi turned to look at her, her eyes glistening.

She looks just like that Pomeranian at home, Qin Zhizhen thought. She stared for a moment before reaching out to ruffle Ye Zhuyi’s hair.

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