Never Forget - Chapter 18.2

Qin Zhizhen took Chengcheng’s marker and paused at the blank spot on the helmet. “Are you sure you want me to sign the helmet?”

Signing on her body would be even better, Ye Zhuyi thought, but she didn’t dare say it out loud. Suppressing her flirtatious thoughts, she nodded earnestly. “Yes, just on the blank spot.”

Qin Zhizhen looked at Ye Zhuyi and suddenly felt like teasing her. “Chengcheng said you didn’t want an autograph. If you don’t need one, you don’t have to force yourself.”

Ye Zhuyi froze and stammered, “Uh, no… It’s not that I don’t want one… It’s just…”

“Pretty older sister says she regrets it!” Chengcheng shouted from the side. “Give her an autograph! Give her one!”

His outburst finally snapped Ye Zhuyi out of her daze. “Chengcheng said he had a godmother who was a big star. I just didn’t expect it to be Teacher Qin.”

“I regret not asking for the autograph,” Ye Zhuyi added after a brief pause.

Qin Zhizhen let out a soft chuckle. She lowered her head and, under the glow of the streetlamp, signed her name on the helmet.

The warm yellow light bathed her, softening her features and instantly melting away her usual aloofness.

Ye Zhuyi finally realized that Qin Zhizhen had been teasing her. A ticklish sensation, like a kitten’s gentle scratch, washed over her, leaving her feeling soft and weak inside.

“Chengcheng is Zhou Wen’s grandson,” Qin Zhizhen said as she finished the last stroke of her name.

Ye Zhuyi’s lips parted slightly in surprise.

“Are you about to leave?” Qin Zhizhen asked, capping the marker.

Ye Zhuyi retrieved her helmet and reluctantly admitted, “Yes, I am.”

“Say goodbye to… pretty older sister,” Qin Zhizhen said, handing the marker back to Chengcheng and patting his head.

The words “pretty older sister” wrapped in Qin Zhizhen’s teasing tone slipped into Ye Zhuyi’s ears, blossoming into an infinite, tender affection that made her ears burn with heat.

Chengcheng obediently said, “Goodbye, pretty older sister.”

“Goodbye, Chengcheng,” Ye Zhuyi replied. She instinctively glanced at Qin Zhizhen and caught a fleeting smile on her face. Her eyes curved into a smile, and a sudden surge of courage emboldened her. “Goodbye, Superstar Godmother.”

Qin Zhizhen was caught off guard. She froze for a moment, but Ye Zhuyi’s playful jab didn’t annoy her. In fact, she found it amusing. It felt like her pet Pomeranian suddenly giving her a playful little nip while they were wrestling. Qin Zhizhen raised an eyebrow. “I don’t have a goddaughter this big.”

Ye Zhuyi fell silent, her lips pressed together, unable to think of a comeback.

Qin Zhizhen gave a soft snort and patted Chengcheng on the back, signaling him to leave. After walking a few steps, she turned back to see Ye Zhuyi still standing there. “Get home safely,” she said.

The evening breeze ruffled Qin Zhizhen’s messy hair, softening the cool edge of her voice. After speaking, she turned and continued walking. The dim yellow streetlights cast a gentle glow on her solitary, proud figure, lending her an unexpected softness.

Ye Zhuyi watched her, letting her emotions run wild.

She had once believed that time would slowly erase her feelings for Qin Zhizhen. But she had learned that as time passed and she experienced more in life, some emotions didn’t fade. Instead, they fermented, grew wildly, and deepened over the years.

The sound of wind rustling through leaves filled her ears, almost blending with the steady beat of her own heart. Her thoughts drifted with the breeze. Ye Zhuyi put on the helmet, carefully avoiding the spot where Qin Zhizhen had signed it.

Chengcheng rode his motorcycle in a circle around the neighborhood, with Qin Zhizhen walking beside him the entire way. When they passed Building 5 again, Qin Zhizhen instinctively glanced toward the parking area. Ye Zhuyi was nowhere to be seen.

“Ah! It’s the pretty older sister who gave roses to the other pretty older sister!” Chengcheng pointed.

Only then did Qin Zhizhen notice Hua Jin. She looked away and said coolly to Chengcheng, “It’s getting late. Let’s go home.”

*****

After Friday, Ye Zhuyi never ran into Qin Zhizhen again.

Their WeChat chat history ended that night after Ye Zhuyi had messaged Qin Zhizhen to say she was home safe. Qin Zhizhen had replied with a single, terse “Mm.”

Ye Zhuyi often felt a sudden urge to tell Qin Zhizhen that they used to be close friends. She wanted Qin Zhizhen to remember her, but she also feared that doing so would bring back painful memories.

The choice to forget everything suggested that the accident must have been devastating for Qin Zhizhen.

But this agonizing distance was torture for Ye Zhuyi. Like a stalker, she would check Qin Zhizhen’s Moments every spare moment, hoping the proud little cat had posted something new.

After opening their chat window for the countless time, Ye Zhuyi stared at their old messages until she lost herself in thought. For the first time, she regretted her poor social skills.

It will be better once we’re on set, Ye Zhuyi thought. She put down her phone and channeled her emotions elsewhere.

Over the next two weeks, Ye Zhuyi devoted more time to dance practice, gradually mastering the Old Shencheng accent. She even sped up her video editing schedule.

The day before filming began, the official Weibo account for Jing Que released the lead actors’ individual promotional photos. Qin Zhizhen’s character was a woman disguised as a man, and her promotional set featured two distinct looks: a sharp, dapper young master and an elegant woman in a cheongsam. Both styles sparked a firestorm of discussion on Weibo.

“When women get handsome, men have no chance.”

“Sister, I’m yours!!”

“Sister, don’t let gender hold you back!”

“There’s no look Qin Shen can’t pull off. [Cheering]”

“Qin Shen is so cool and beautiful. But man, Ye Yaoyao’s cheongsam look is stunning too!!”

“What kind of otherworldly beauties are these? I’m drooling. [Crying]”

“So is Zhuyi really the top? Sobbing… I need to go watch those ‘mother and daughter’ fan vids to get my fix of Top Zhuyi!”

“Team Ye Top, no shaking! [Screaming]”

As these comments climbed to the top, Ye Zhuyi’s burner account, “Zhenzhen, Did You Counterattack Today?”, saw a massive surge in followers. The video she edited of the female Taoist and her young disciple even trended on the hot search list.

Ye Zhuyi didn’t react much to the news. She simply saved Qin Zhizhen’s two sets of costume photos and went to pack her luggage.

Nothing made her happier than seeing Zhenzhen on set.

The filming was mainly based at the Film and Television Center in Old Shencheng. The production crew had booked three floors of the nearby Xinli Hotel for the actors. There were only two Presidential Suites available. The production assistant in charge of accommodation had arranged for the two male leads to share one, while Qin Zhizhen got the other one all to herself. Ye Zhuyi was assigned a deluxe suite on the second floor.

When Ye Zhuyi and Xiao Qiao arrived at the hotel, the production assistant was already waiting for her at the elevator on the second floor.

As the elevator doors opened and he saw Ye Zhuyi, the assistant flashed an exaggerated smile. He led her to her room, explaining the arrangement of the Presidential Suites along the way.

Ye Zhuyi smiled. “For someone of my status, this is already very generous.”

Her voice was soft and devoid of emotion. The assistant felt as if she had seen right through him. He coughed awkwardly and shifted uncomfortably.

“Are the other three lead actors staying in the Presidential Suites upstairs?” Ye Zhuyi asked.

The assistant wiped the sweat from his forehead. “Yes, that’s right.”

So Qin Zhizhen was staying upstairs. Ye Zhuyi nodded and asked, “Is Teacher Qin here yet?”

“Not yet.”

At the door, the assistant used another key card to open it. He felt like Ye Zhuyi was a walking refrigerator, and her presence made him break out in a cold sweat. He handed the key card to Xiao Qiao. “Teacher Ye, I have other things to attend to. I’ll be going now.”

“Alright, go ahead,” Ye Zhuyi said faintly.

Xiao Qiao pushed the suitcase into the room and glanced at the assistant’s retreating back. She shut the door and couldn’t help but complain, “He’s giving you this fancy suite just because you’re not famous. He’s looking down on you.”

“It’s common in this industry to treat people differently based on their status. Besides, he has his reasons.”

The assistant probably feared that Qin Zhizhen would be unhappy if they were asked to share a room. Ye Zhuyi feared it too. This arrangement was actually quite good.

Xiao Qiao sighed and helped her unpack. While Ye Zhuyi was placing her toiletries in the bathroom, Xiao Qiao changed the sheets and duvet cover. Just as she finished making the bed, there was a knock at the door.

Ye Zhuyi, who had just come out of the bathroom, was closer to the door and went to open it. The assistant was waiting outside with a forced smile. “Teacher Ye, it’s like this… Teacher Qin just arrived. After learning about the suite arrangements, she felt they were unfair and suggested that you share the Presidential Suite with her. She also said that if you prefer your current room and don’t want to move, that’s perfectly fine too.”

Ye Zhuyi froze for a moment. She quickly processed the key information and asked for confirmation. “Teacher Qin wants me to share a room with her?”

“Yes,” the assistant nodded slowly. “If you don’t mind, of course.”

Inside, Ye Zhuyi was celebrating wildly, but she kept her expression completely neutral. She suppressed her excitement and forced herself not to even smile too broadly. “How could I mind? I’ll move over right away. Thank you for coming to tell me.”

“It was nothing,” the assistant said with a smile, then excused himself to attend to other matters.

Ye Zhuyi closed the door and turned to Xiao Qiao inside. “Xiao Qiao, take the sheets off again—” She glanced at the bed and smiled. She truly appreciated Xiao Qiao’s thoughtfulness.

“I already took them off,” Xiao Qiao said, holding the toiletries Ye Zhuyi had just placed in the bathroom. “Are we moving now?”

“Yes.” Ye Zhuyi walked over to the suitcase and took out the gift she had prepared for Qin Zhizhen.

After repacking, Ye Zhuyi and Xiao Qiao headed to the third floor. On the way, they ran into the assistant. Xiao Qiao handed back the original room key, and the assistant mentioned that the key for the presidential suite was with Qin Zhizhen.

Ye Zhuyi stood before the dark wooden door of the suite. Her fingers curled and then relaxed. She took two deep breaths, then knocked.

While waiting for a response, she mentally rehearsed several greetings, but none of them would be used.

The door opened, but it wasn’t the face she had been longing to see. Instead, Lian Rong appeared with a bright smile, stepping aside to welcome Ye Zhuyi inside. “Teacher Ye, please come in. The bedroom on the left is yours. Here is your key card.”

“Thank you.” Ye Zhuyi took the key card and handed it to Xiao Qiao, who wheeled the suitcase into the bedroom to start unpacking.

Lian Rong scratched her cheek. “Teacher Ye, you don’t have to be so formal with me.”

Ye Zhuyi smiled without replying. She reached into the gift bag and handed Lian Rong the present she had prepared.

“I can’t possibly accept this,” Lian Rong said, waving her hands.

“Please, take it. I made these cookies myself,” Ye Zhuyi replied, having guessed that Lian Rong would be reluctant to accept a gift.

“Wow!” Lian Rong quickly took the cookies. “I’m so lucky to be eating cookies handmade by my idol!”

Ye Zhuyi glanced at the bedroom to the right. The door was shut tight. “Is Teacher Qin… not here?” she asked, clutching the gift bag.

“Teacher Qin is in the meeting room discussing things with Director Lu,” Lian Rong explained.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Ye Zhuyi’s eyes. She had wanted to give the gift to Qin Zhizhen in person, but now she would have to wait until he returned.

Lian Rong showed Ye Zhuyi around the suite before heading back into Qin Zhizhen’s bedroom to finish tidying up. Ye Zhuyi returned to her own room, where Xiao Qiao had already changed the bedding and was now arranging her toiletries in the bathroom.

“Yezi, I’ve made the bed for you. You can take a short nap if you’re tired,” Xiao Qiao said as she took Ye Zhuyi’s clothes from the suitcase and hung them in the wardrobe.

Ye Zhuyi sat on the edge of the bed and placed the gift bag on the nightstand. “Thank you for your hard work,” she said with a smile.

“I’ve hung the dress for the banquet separately for you,” Xiao Qiao said.

“Alright.” Ye Zhuyi glanced at the dress. It wasn’t the one Ke Shu had told her to wear.

Ke Shu had chosen a form-fitting, deep-V gown. The dinner tonight would be attended by the production’s investors, and it was obvious what Ke Shu was trying to achieve by making her wear that dress. The one Xiao Qiao had hung separately was a simple slip dress, refreshing but not revealing.

Xiao Qiao went into the bathroom and began rinsing a basin with hot water. “You’ll definitely be pressured to drink tonight,” she said thoughtfully. “I made you a small cake. It’s in the box next to your suitcase. Eat some first to line your stomach.”

“Okay. Xiao Qiao, you’re so thoughtful. Will your future girlfriend be jealous of me?” Ye Zhuyi teased.

She sat on the sofa, opened the box, and began eating the cake slowly.

Xiao Qiao froze. She stared at the running water in silence for a moment before finally asking, “Um, Huahua… is she…?”

Before she could finish, Ye Zhuyi’s phone rang. Ye Zhuyi picked it up, answered with a few brief words, and hung up.

“What were you about to ask?” Ye Zhuyi asked Xiao Qiao.

“It’s nothing,” Xiao Qiao said, shaking her head as she changed the subject. “Are you heading out?”

“Yes, I’m going down to the conference room for a script reading with Director Lu and the others. It’ll probably be time for the banquet by the time we finish,” Ye Zhuyi replied, picking up the clothes Xiao Qiao had set aside for her. “You should go back and rest once you’re done getting ready.”

Xiao Qiao stepped out of the bathroom and let Ye Zhuyi go in to change. “Send me a message when you’re finished,” she said. “I’ll come pick you up.”

After changing into the dress, Ye Zhuyi checked her appearance in the mirror. Her freshly straightened, dyed black hair and the dress Xiao Qiao had chosen toned down the natural charm of her features.

Zhenzhen will be at the script reading too, won’t she? Ye Zhuyi glanced at the gift on the nightstand. After a moment’s thought, she decided to wait until after the banquet to give it to Qin Zhizhen in person.

A suite on the first floor had been converted into a conference room, with the living room sofas rearranged into a circle. When Ye Zhuyi arrived, only Zhou Wen, Lu Buping, and Qin Zhizhen were there. She had to fight the urge to keep her eyes glued to him.

Soon after, Xu Qingfeng and Chen Ming arrived.

The group began discussing the full script they had received, along with the character development and other related matters. This was Zhou Wen’s first time trying a female-led spy drama. The entire plot revolved around the female lead played by Qin Zhizhen. There weren’t many romantic scenes, and the intimate scenes between the female lead and the male lead were even fewer than those between the female lead and the female supporting character.

Qin Zhizhen flipped through the script and helplessly expressed her confusion, “Is this going to be a lesbian movie?”

Ye Zhuyi’s heart skipped a beat. She felt that when Qin Zhizhen mentioned “lesbian,” she seemed… a little reluctant.

“Why do you think that?” Zhou Wen’s expression was a bit subtle. Her eyes were bright, and she looked quite excited.

Qin Zhizhen pinched the bridge of her nose and didn’t answer the question directly. Instead, she turned to Lu Buping and asked, “How are you planning to film that bed scene?”

The only bed scene in the script was between the female lead and the female supporting character. It was a bed scene under surveillance. In order to help Yin Xingmang prove that she was a “man,” Shen Manqing had sex with Yin Xingmang under Yin Zhonghe’s supervision. Naturally, they couldn’t actually do it, so it was all Shen Manqing’s acting. In this scene, Shen Manqing needed to be topless.

Ye Zhuyi also had reservations about this scene. She could accept a bed scene, but appearing nude on camera… She had no say in the matter. Ke Shu had told her that they had already signed the agreement. They had to film it as written, or they would be replaced.

“If we film this scene exactly as written, it definitely won’t pass censorship,” Qin Zhizhen pointed out bluntly.

“I’m considering that too,” Lu Buping said. “I think we can handle it more subtly. How about using a screen for a silhouette shot?”

“But if we use a silhouette, won’t it be impossible to tell that Shen Manqing is the one acting?” Chen Ming questioned.

“Besides facial expressions, we could also use voice,” Xu Qingfeng said. After he spoke, Lu Buping and Chen Ming gave him a meaningful look. He cleared his throat, his ears turning red.

“Don’t be embarrassed. We can understand, young man,” Lu Buping said with a smile. “But just hearing a voice isn’t enough to convince Yin Zhonghe that Mangmang is his younger brother.”

The group was discussing Ye Zhuyi’s role, yet no one asked for her opinion.

Qin Zhizhen turned to the silent Ye Zhuyi and asked, “Ye Shiyi, what do you think?”

Shiyi.

Ye Zhuyi snapped her head up to look at Qin Zhizhen.

“Is that a nickname?” Zhou Wen teased.

Qin Zhizhen looked confused. “Isn’t her WeChat name 11?”

“That’s probably meant to be ‘yiyi,’ like a nickname,” Xu Qingfeng said with a smile.

“Shiyi is easier to say.” Qin Zhizhen frowned slightly and said calmly, “Let’s get back to the main topic.”

“How about using a screen for the silhouette shot, followed by the final close-up?” Ye Zhuyi bit her lip, looking a bit shy. “We could also use audio. I can give it a try.”

“The final close-up.” Lu Buping immediately understood her idea, and her mind already started sketching out the scene. “That works, that works. We’ll test it out later. I’ll come up with a backup plan if we need it.

After resolving that issue, Chen Ming and Xu Qingfeng each raised two more questions. None of them were too complicated, and the group quickly found solutions through discussion.

By the time the script was finalized, the sky outside had darkened. Lu Buping glanced at her watch. “We’re done earlier than expected. Let’s go eat. We’ll be working together for the next six months, so let’s use this dinner to get to know the other actors and crew members.”

Everyone put down their scripts and moved to a famous restaurant near the Film and Television Center.

Many people attended the dinner, and the entire crew had booked a private hall. Ye Zhuyi saw Jin Yue, dressed provocatively, being held in an investor’s arms. She quickly looked away, pretending she hadn’t seen anything.

During the meal, Ye Zhuyi sat far from Qin Zhizhen, and they didn’t exchange a single word. Recalling Qin Zhizhen’s attitude during the script reading, Ye Zhuyi felt a heavy tightness in her chest. She couldn’t even focus on her food or drink. The investors didn’t dare bother Qin Zhizhen, so they turned their attention to Ye Zhuyi instead. She struggled to keep up with them and unwittingly drank far too much.

The pot-bellied man beside her refilled her glass again. Ye Zhuyi frowned in annoyance and instinctively looked up at Qin Zhizhen. Their eyes met, and Ye Zhuyi blinked, trying to read the emotion in Qin Zhizhen’s gaze.

“Xiao Ye, you have a bright future ahead of you. I’m really impressed by you. Come, let me buy you another drink,” the man said, leaning in with his glass, his large body pressing against hers.

Ye Zhuyi subtly shifted away. She fought back her irritation and declined, “President Xiao, I really can’t drink any more.”

“One last glass,” the man said, narrowing his eyes. “Are you refusing to give me face?”

“President Xiao, how about I give you face instead?” Qin Zhizhen suddenly spoke up.

Xiao Lei hadn’t expected Qin Zhizhen to initiate a conversation. Flattered by the attention, he felt his ego stroked, but he wasn’t so drunk to miss the point: Qin Zhizhen was clearly protecting Ye Zhuyi. He took the graceful exit Qin Zhizhen offered, clinked glasses with him, and stopped pressuring Ye Zhuyi.

Seeing this, the other investors also left Ye Zhuyi alone and turned their attention elsewhere.

Ye Zhuyi breathed a sigh of relief. She glanced at Qin Zhizhen, who was elegantly sipping his white fungus soup with his head lowered.

The dinner party didn’t end until ten o’clock.

As they left the restaurant, Ye Zhuyi felt a wave of dizziness while stepping down the stairs. Her high heels seemed to be rebelling against her. She stumbled twice and was about to fall when someone caught her.

Having dodged several unwanted advances during dinner, Ye Zhuyi’s first instinct was that it was another investor. She turned to glare and instinctively tried to shake the person off.

But the person before her was so stunningly beautiful that Ye Zhuyi froze. Then she heard a voice like heaven itself: “If you try to shake me off again, that’ll be the fourth time.”

In an instant, Ye Zhuyi’s fierce glare softened. She was like a bristling, defensive puppy that turned sweet and docile the moment its owner appeared.

“Teacher Qin,” Ye Zhuyi said, her body and mind feeling flushed, perhaps from the alcohol. “Thank you for just now.”

“You’re welcome. You looked so pitiful just then,” Qin Zhizhen said casually, letting go of her wrist.

The alcohol was still rushing to Ye Zhuyi’s head, painting her cheeks with a rosy glow that made her already bright and lovely face even more radiant. Her eyes were clear and shimmering with moisture. She stared at Qin Zhizhen for a moment, then smiled, a small dimple appearing on her cheek.

Qin Zhizhen’s own lips curved into a smile. “You look just like my Pomeranian,” she added.

Ye Zhuyi tilted her head and played along. “Woof.”

“…”

Qin Zhizhen looked away, a fleeting smile vanishing from her lips like a blooming flower that withers in an instant.

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