Sis, Do You Need a Dog? - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Yu Yuanye

Having been best friends for years, Yu Yuanye was even a few months older than Cheng Shuyi, yet she still felt a slight tremor of alarm when she caught the look in her friend’s eyes at this moment.

Through the rising wisps of smoke, Cheng Shuyi’s gaze was fixed on the car door behind them that was slowly opening. There was no emotion in her eyes; she looked like a strict artist scrutinizing a piece of work she wasn’t quite satisfied with.

This was a realm Yu Yuanye could never reach in her lifetime.

In Cheng Shuyi’s eyes, people seemed to cease being human; they became commodities divided into grades and ranks, labeled with price tags and constantly adjusted on the shelves.

Yu Yuanye turned her head to look at Si Tingbai, who was frequently glancing over, and suddenly felt a flicker of pity.

“Shuyi, though I shouldn’t say it, I’m still a bit worried.”

Yu Yuanye withdrew her gaze and looked seriously at her friend. “Some people seem easy to control and manipulate on the surface, but in reality, they are lunatics who will do anything when pushed too far. My Master’s wife’s best partner was… at her own wedding, by a criminal she had sent away who had just been released… My Master’s wife still hasn’t moved on from it.”

“With someone like that Lola person, I’m really afraid she…” Yu Yuanye’s voice trailed off as footsteps drew near behind them.

Si Tingbai, having finished her wardrobe and makeup, was supposed to go straight to the set for filming, but when her eyes landed on Cheng Shuyi, she couldn’t help but draw closer.

“Eh—” In the time it took the photographer to adjust a piece of equipment, he looked up to find the model had already run off.

Cheng Shuyi had rented out this entire street today. Aside from a few shop owners and clerks cooperating with the shoot, everyone else belonged to Cheng Shuyi. The spot where she and Yu Yuanye were chatting was not far from the RV and directly faced it, so when Si Tingbai started walking over, Cheng Shuyi’s gaze had already landed on her.

Today, Si Tingbai’s persona was a bookstore clerk. She wore the staff uniform provided by the shop: an acorn-gray-brown shirt tucked into deeper clay-brown trousers. The fabric of the shirt was soft, and the stylist had deliberately folded the collar. The front buttons were open to the third one, faintly revealing her collarbones and long, fair neck, with sleeves rolled up to show lean, white forearms.

Si Tingbai was tall with long legs—a standard “nine-heads” body ratio. Her long legs were encased in the clay-brown trousers, and as she walked over expressionless, she looked cold and cool.

“This is just a staff uniform?” Yu Yuanye had seen many artists following Cheng Shuyi, but she still felt her eyes brighten upon seeing this newcomer. “Not bad, this rookie has a very noble air.”

Hearing the praise, Si Tingbai bowed slightly to Yu Yuanye with polite humility and grace. Although she was at a distance, her eyes never left the two women.

This person standing next to Cheng Shuyi was someone she hadn’t seen on set for the past month. Since she wasn’t a work colleague, she must be a friend from her personal life. A friend of “Sister” was someone she needed to respect.

Yu Yuanye raised her eyebrows in surprise, and her gaze toward Si Tingbai gained a few points of favor.

“Today, the main lens follows Sister Guan. Side angles are Xiao Yi and Chen Chen. Ten sets per group; bring out five groups first for selection.” Cheng Shuyi’s voice was flat. The elegant fragrance around her blended with the smell of tobacco, adding a hint of sharpness and spice.

Cold and forceful—this was Cheng Shuyi’s usual demeanor when discussing business.

Si Tingbai felt Cheng Shuyi’s gaze linger on her and couldn’t help but raise her eyes to meet it. But Cheng Shuyi looked away first.

The wish for eye contact fell through, leaving Si Tingbai a bit dejected. She nodded obediently in response. Her gaze fell on the cigarette between Cheng Shuyi’s fingers; this was the reason she had come over.

“Sister, this.” Si Tingbai’s voice was very soft, completely different from the aura she had arrived with.

Cheng Shuyi didn’t respond, but Yu Yuanye laughed loudly, took the cigarette from Cheng Shuyi’s fingers, and took a puff. “Go on and shoot. You don’t need to worry about your Sister Cheng over here.”

Yu Yuanye had wanted to snatch this cigarette for a while. She wasn’t addicted to smoking, but the burning nicotine kept wafting into her nose, acting as a powerful lure.

Having her cigarette taken, Cheng Shuyi didn’t get angry; she simply shifted into a posture with her arms crossed over her chest. There was a faint trace of a smile in the look she gave Yu Yuanye.

The staff members passing the set occasionally stole glances at Yu Yuanye; after all, no one dared to be so presumptuous in front of Cheng Shuyi.

Among the many curious gazes, one was exceptionally cold.

Si Tingbai’s eyes darkened, her stare fixed on Yu Yuanye’s fingers for a long time.

This cigarette was smoked by Sister.

What right did she have to smoke the same cigarette as Sister? It was so ambiguous and intimate.

Being the “bullseye” of such a stare, Yu Yuanye shivered slightly and joked, “Being a star really isn’t for ordinary people. With these eyes falling on me, I really want to arrest them one by one for interrogation.”

“Don’t have an episode on my set.” There was still a smile in Cheng Shuyi’s voice. When she spoke with Yu Yuanye, the icy distance in her eyes gradually dissipated.

The tacit intimacy between old friends created a thick, impenetrable barrier for outsiders.

Standing outside that barrier, the jealousy in Si Tingbai’s eyes grew deeper. She called out somewhat aggrievedly, “Sister, if I today…”

“Not today.” Cheng Shuyi seemed to finally notice her, her voice cold. “A month’s worth of model cards has been collected. This weekend, I’ll have someone help you move into the trainee dormitory.”

Cheng Shuyi’s rejection was crisp and decisive. For a moment, the atmosphere turned heavy. Almost instantly, the light in Si Tingbai’s eyes dimmed.

“She’s been busy for you for a whole month; it’s time to give your Sister Cheng back to me.” Yu Yuanye joked to ease the tension, throwing an arm around Cheng Shuyi’s shoulder and saying in a “tea-like” manner: “Little sister Shuyi, you wouldn’t disregard your big sister’s feelings like that, would you?”

She didn’t notice the flash of ruthlessness in the eyes of the person who had been staring obediently at her just as the lashes lowered.

Cheng Shuyi let out a soft “tsk” and slapped Yu Yuanye’s hand off her shoulder. “Stop being disgusting.”

“It’s perfect. I drove here. When we’re done drinking, I’ll take you back.” Yu Yuanye swung her car keys and gestured toward the distance with her chin. “Handsome, right? After a year of living frugally, I finally bought my dream machine. I’ll let you ride it twice tonight.”

The set was crowded with work vehicles; Yu Yuanye’s ride was parked far down the road. It was a brand-new Harley motorcycle, standing as a unique sight among the massive work trucks and nanny vans.

“I said I’d give you one, but you didn’t want it.” Cheng Shuyi looked at the person still standing before her and said coldly, “Have you heard enough?”

Her voice was very cold, a warning issued as if her patience had reached its limit.

Si Tingbai’s little scheme to linger there was exposed. She could only mumble an apology and turn to run toward the photographer.

The moment she turned, Si Tingbai suddenly looked back. Her gaze cut through the traffic, locking firmly onto that Harley.

“Oh, don’t be so mean to the kid,” Yu Yuanye said, playing peacemaker.

With the model on set, the photographer officially began working.

Si Tingbai’s identity today was a part-time bookstore clerk. For the sake of realism, the shop manager gave her two stacks of books that had just arrived. Books on art and history were tossed together. A thick scent of printer’s ink wafted from the new books—an unfamiliar smell that wasn’t exactly pleasant and was quite irritating.

Inexplicably, Si Tingbai missed the scent of tobacco that had been around Cheng Shuyi moments ago.

Cheng Shuyi in her work state was more charming than in any other state. She stood in the crowd like a creator descending to earth, orchestrating everything on site. People at this moment were just like objects; wherever her fingertips—stained with bright red nail polish—landed, the people and objects had to be in place within three seconds.

Cheng Shuyi never spared anyone’s feelings; regardless of how high a position someone held, if they made a mistake, she would scold them relentlessly. It was common for people on her sets to be brought to a psychological breakdown and burst into tears by a few words from her.

Thinking of this, Si Tingbai couldn’t help but recall the tender look Cheng Shuyi gave her last night.

She treats me differently. This shouldn’t be doubted.

Si Tingbai looked down at the half-arranged books. Her gaze paused, and she couldn’t help but start missing Cheng Shuyi again.

If I accidentally crushed my hand, would Sister refuse to go drinking so she could take care of me?

This thought only surfaced for a moment before Si Tingbai dismissed it. Her hands couldn’t be injured. They had to be kept to serve Sister.

But…

The two people standing there were still chatting merrily. Cheng Shuyi’s face was lit with a smile; clearly, the topics Yu Yuanye found were very interesting. The rapport between old friends was truly enviable.

Si Tingbai looked up from the layers of wooden shelves. Through the glass window and the barrier of book stacks, she saw the Harley mixed in among the pile of cars.

“Sister Guan!” Si Tingbai suddenly turned around and gave a brilliant smile to the person capturing angles. “I want to go out to use the restroom.”

Although Cheng Shuyi said to produce five groups first, the actual shooting took the entire afternoon. It wasn’t until the sun began to dip toward the horizon and Si Tingbai had rearranged the bookshelf three times that she finally heard Sister Guan say it was over.

The two who had been chatting outside had long since entered the RV, the tightly closed doors and windows preventing any outsiders from peeking in.

Si Tingbai’s gaze was fixed on the car door, wishing she could grow telescopic eyes and ears to stay by Cheng Shuyi’s side every second. Unfortunately…

“Tingbai, come remove your makeup. Once it’s off, change out of the clothes.” The makeup artist, carrying her kit, interrupted Si Tingbai’s thoughts.

At the same time, inside the car, an “End” message and new photos popped up on the screen of the ongoing video conference.

Cheng Shuyi casually clicked on one of the groups and said flatly to the other end of the screen: “Notify everyone of a meeting on Monday.”

“You better not drink. I’ll bring the newcomer over.”

Before the person on the other end could argue, the meeting was closed.

Yu Yuanye, looking like she was enjoying the show, teased: “Sue, if only I could give orders to the boss like you do.”

“Then let’s switch. You want to work for this drunkard?” Cheng Shuyi’s long finger tapped lightly, and the photo interface stayed on one specific picture; she didn’t continue looking. “Where are the detailed files I asked you to check last time?”

Seeing the topic turn to her, Yu Yuanye rolled around on the sofa and let out an “aiyo.” “Didn’t I give you all the info on this rookie a month ago? Clean as a whistle.”

“You know what I’m talking about.” Cheng Shuyi’s voice turned cold.

The instant change of face brought a sense of oppression.

Yu Yuanye didn’t dare play around anymore and sat up straight. “Sue, it’s been nine years. Even her family isn’t investigating anymore. Why bother?”

As soon as she spoke, a sharp “eye-dagger” was thrown her way. The atmosphere turned cold instantly, the suffocating pressure forcing Yu Yuanye to frown and change her tune: “When I went to the capital on a business trip this time, there was no progress regarding that case. However, I heard the Si family’s internal affairs haven’t been peaceful lately. But your suspicion doesn’t hold up.”

Yu Yuanye paused slightly and said decisively, “That rookie you picked up is not a member of the Si family.”

“Is that so?” Cheng Shuyi pondered for a moment and let out a soft laugh. “But her files have been tampered with.”

Yu Yuanye was stunned by this sentence and uttered a confused “ah?” “Tampered?”

Cheng Shuyi didn’t speak. Her finger clicked the mouse, popping up a detailed personal file—

Si Tingbai, Female, Eighteen years old. Blood Type AB. From the Capital. Sent to a capital orphanage at the age of eight, raised by the director.

“The background is completely clean. More importantly, her education.” Cheng Shuyi paused. Even after a month, she still remembered her surprise when she first saw Si Tingbai’s records.

Entered the Peking University Junior Class at twelve, then was recommended for admission to the PKU Finance Department for a direct doctorate.

Calling her a genius wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

“Do you think such a person would really end up wandering the streets?” Cheng Shuyi’s voice was very thin, unreadable.

Yu Yuanye’s brain couldn’t keep up. She scratched her head and asked, “But she’s an adult. The orphanage no longer provides support services.”

Knock, knock, knock—

A gentle knock on the door. The wardrobe assistant’s voice sounded from outside: “Sister Sue, Tingbai has finished removing her makeup. I’ve come to get the clothes she needs to change into.”

Cheng Shuyi gave a look, silently closing the file.

Getting the hint, Yu Yuanye sat up with a “carp skip” motion, her tone instantly becoming playful: “How about this? Drink with me, and tell me the details tonight~”

Cheng Shuyi glanced at her and parted her red lips: “Get out.”

The car door opened. After the assistant came in to get the clothes, she hurried back down. Yu Yuanye followed closely behind, running happily toward her beloved ride.

The scene of the completed task was very lively; the street that had been silent all afternoon was filled with laughter once again.

“Aiyo-wei!”

Yu Yuanye looked at her flat tire and couldn’t help but start cursing: “Who punctured my tire?!!!!!!”

Her shout wasn’t small; the crew members still packing their gear all turned to look.

Si Tingbai, who was currently slipping into Cheng Shuyi’s car, didn’t even lift her head.

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