The Cold CEO Chases His White Moonlight - Chapter 20

Warmth seeped through layers of coolness, the softness amplified by the effects of alcohol.

The wine was sweet, slipping past parted lips, seeping into the mouth where their lips met, then swept away by an unknown tongue, only to be passed back between their teeth.

Gu Yunhui casually tossed the wine glass onto the floor and half-embraced Ji Zhiwei, pulling her into her arms.

Her body had been chilled by the cold wine, but now there was a source of warmth right before her.

Unconsciously, Ji Zhiwei pressed closer into Gu Yunhui’s embrace, inching forward until they were truly entwined.

The kiss deepened relentlessly.

Ji Zhiwei could no longer taste the sharpness or sweetness of the alcohol only Gu Yunhui’s scent filled her senses.

Her tongue, too, seemed numbed by the wine, dulling her sense of touch.

Yet Gu Yunhui’s movements were rough, almost as if she wanted to devour Ji Zhiwei whole.

So even though her lips and teeth felt numb, Ji Zhiwei could still keenly perceive Gu Yunhui’s every motion.

The wine glass shattered as it hit the floor.

On the television, the chime of midnight rang out precisely.

The host was still delivering New Year’s blessings, but Ji Zhiwei could no longer make them out.

Gu Yunhui had blocked her ears, leaving her body and mind consumed by the woman before her.

She could hear Gu Yunhui’s movements, the obscenely wet sounds and her own soft whimpers.

This kind of kiss was something Ji Zhiwei had never experienced before, far too overwhelming for her.

Her heart raced wildly, her breath coming in short gasps.

Dizzy from the lack of oxygen, tears welled up in her eyes.

They rolled down her cheeks and onto her collarbone, mingling with the spilled wine from earlier.

Just before her vision blurred completely, Ji Zhiwei hazily thought—

She had become like a wine cup, endlessly drained by Gu Yunhui’s insatiable demands.

Finally noticing Ji Zhiwei’s distress, Gu Yunhui pulled away.

Oxygen flooded back into her body, the sensation of revival stark and undeniable.

Gasping for air, Ji Zhiwei’s heaving chest was still slick with sweat, droplets sliding down her skin.

“Why haven’t you learned to breathe properly?” Gu Yunhui tapped Ji Zhiwei’s nose with a hint of disdain.

She had just started getting into it, and this little thing was already spent.

Ji Zhiwei stared blankly at the ceiling, unable to respond just yet.

“Dummy.” Gu Yunhui patted her cheek again, delivering her verdict.

By the time Ji Zhiwei regained her senses, Gu Yunhui had already fetched a new glass and was sipping wine.

Seeing the glass being offered to her, Ji Zhiwei instinctively shrank back.

“Like a scared turtle. I wasn’t even going to do anything.” Gu Yunhui hadn’t intended anything, but seeing Ji Zhiwei’s reaction, she lightly tapped the glass against her forehead.

The slight chill did little to dispel the lingering heat.

“Aren’t we going to?” Ji Zhiwei came to her senses, still seeming eager.

Gu Yunhui glanced at her, then averted her gaze upon seeing the vivid marks still marring her skin.

“Can you even take it? And yet you’re asking for more.”

Ji Zhiwei looked down and saw the red marks on her body.

She felt fine, really. Gu Yunhui had held back today none of it hurt too much.

Not like the punishment from when she had tried to mark Gu Yunhui, nor like their reunion after two months of abstinence.

“…Go clean up already.” Gu Yunhui gritted her teeth in frustration.

Three times, where was she supposed to get any more energy?

But without marking, it never felt quite complete, so she didn’t want to bother.

Ji Zhiwei touched her burning forehead, then covered her face and went to tidy up.

And so, the dreamlike New Year’s Day passed just like that.

As the semester ended, Ji Zhiwei topped her class with an outstanding GPA.

Yet all of these seemed trivial compared to the upcoming filming schedule.

Before joining the crew, Ji Zhiwei even visited a temple on her own to pray for smooth sailing ahead.

There was a small incident along the way.

A young novice nun grabbed Ji Zhiwei and insisted on telling her fortune.

“Esteemed benefactor, I see darkness between your brows, a sign of impending bloodshed in the near future,” the little nun declared solemnly, clutching a string of beads.

“…” Ji Zhiwei had seen this script too many times. Nine times out of ten, it was a scam, and the remaining one was just recruiting for some cult.

“Hey, hey, don’t walk away! I haven’t finished! Benefactor, take this it can protect you once.”

The little nun held onto Ji Zhiwei with surprising strength and forcefully shoved a jade bracelet into her hand.

“Alright, how much?” Ji Zhiwei sighed.

She knew temples were struggling these days, and aggressive sales tactics weren’t uncommon.

The little nun perked up immediately. “Not 998, just 398! Come on, scan the QR code to pay!”

Hearing the price, Ji Zhiwei had no intention of paying.

The nun grew anxious. “This was blessed by our master! I’m practically losing money at 398!”

Ji Zhiwei might have believed her if she hadn’t also muttered something about seafood paella.

“Two hundred, take it or leave it. If you can really divine fortunes, can’t you tell I’m broke?” Having just splurged on a birthday gift for Gu Yunhui, Ji Zhiwei had no spare cash.

The little nun fell silent.

She had thought Ji Zhiwei, dressed so elegantly, would be prosperous only to find she had a mere 200 to her name.

She tearfully accepted the money, her “tears” practically drooling from the corners of her mouth.

If this hadn’t been a well-known temple in the city, Ji Zhiwei would have walked away without a second thought, let alone bought the bracelet.

She decided to treat it as a donation. As she left, she could still hear the little nun muttering about food.

The jade bracelet looked genuine, though the quality was mediocre.

Ji Zhiwei tucked it into her pocket, placing it beside her most cherished pendant.

Finally, the day arrived to join the crew. After the opening ceremony, Ji Zhiwei met the main cast of the series.

The female lead was, of course, Lu Peijiu, whom she had met before.

The actress playing the third female lead was named Zhang Shuyue, an unknown newcomer. But judging by her looks, she fit the original novel’s description of Sinan better than Ji Zhiwei did.

The main cast also included two male actors. Lili was a female-centric drama with patriotic themes, so there was no male lead, though these two still had significant roles.

One was a popular A-list star in recent years, while the other seemed more like a stage actor.

Lu Peijiu greeted Ji Zhiwei warmly and even assigned one of her own assistants to her.

Ji Zhiwei had no team. Her previous agency had suggested waiting until after this project to discuss better terms.

Being alone on set was inconvenient, so after some hesitation, Ji Zhiwei accepted the offer.

The assistant, Tan Wan, was a female beta with a round face, round head, and big, round eyes adorable, though her professional skills remained to be seen.

Today was the day for costume and makeup photos.

Ji Zhiwei shared a dressing room with Zhang Shuyue. While getting styled, Zhang Shuyue struck up a conversation with her.

“Teacher Ji, I’ve seen your audition performance it was truly impressive.” True to her name, Zhang Shuyue had a gentle personality. Based on Ji Zhiwei’s estimation, her secondary gender was likely beta.

“Thank you for the praise, but I still have a lot to improve on. No need for formalities technically, you’re my senior.” Since the other party was friendly, Ji Zhiwei couldn’t afford to be cold either.

By the end of the morning, the two had grown familiar enough to exchange WeChat contacts.

Wen Ran, being one of the most complex characters in the script, required Ji Zhiwei to shoot three different stages of makeup and styling.

The first was her youthful phase, where she and the female lead, Du Shihuan, were neighbors who often visited each other to pick fruits and share tea.

The second was her young adult phase, after Du Shihuan was taken back to the general’s mansion without a word of farewell, vowing never to see her again.

The third was her adult phase, where the two reunited as adversaries.

The makeup artist lavished praise on Ji Zhiwei’s skin condition and facial proportions, making her so uncomfortable she wanted to flee the awkward situation.

Fortunately, the makeup artist was highly skilled. Though Ji Zhiwei’s features naturally leaned toward cuteness, transforming her into a fourteen-year-old still posed some difficulty.

Once the first-stage look was complete, Ji Zhiwei went to shoot promotional stills with Lu Peijiu.

Logically, Lu Peijiu should have been even harder to style as a fourteen-year-old, yet when Ji Zhiwei saw her in costume, only one thought came to mind: This is Du Shihuan, the girl who played in the fields with Wen Ran.

Through sheer acting prowess, Lu Peijiu suppressed the maturity that couldn’t be hidden by makeup alone.

She linked arms with Ji Zhiwei, looking every bit like a fourteen-year-old girl.

Ji Zhiwei realized the gap between herself and an award-winning actress was far from small, so she focused intently on observing Lu Peijiu.

After finishing the shoot with props, Ji Zhiwei grabbed her notebook and went straight to Lu Peijiu for advice.

Lu Peijiu didn’t hold back either, even moving the makeup artist to Ji Zhiwei’s dressing room so they could work on the next look while she gave pointers.

At one point, Zhang Shuyue also came over to listen in.

Lu Peijiu found it amusing.

Blame her dear director Ye for preferring promising newcomers over untalented celebrities riding on popularity.

Now she was stuck having to mentor these youngsters.

The second look was shot alongside Zhang Shuyue and the A-list male actor.

In her young adult phase, Wen Ran encountered the Sinan family, who were seeking refuge.

The male actor played the general in the drama, one of Wen Ran’s key allies.

It was after this chance meeting that the two formed an alliance and laid out their future plans.

The two newcomers slipped into their roles quickly just a few poses for the promotional shots, and they were done.

The male actor, however, was only average in skill, and Director Ye Pingsheng had to guide him extensively before he finally finished.

Judging by Ye Pingsheng’s expression, this might not have been his first choice for the role.

The third look was simpler, and since it was another collaboration with Lu Peijiu, the two wrapped up quickly.

Seeing that there was still time, Ji Zhiwei began familiarizing herself with the set.

Before today, she had only seen these things in school or on recordings. Now, she had successfully joined the production and could finally see them in person.

Everything fascinated Ji Zhiwei, and she observed with such focus that she didn’t notice a pair of eyes watching her from a distance.

Those eyes curved into a smile, gazing at Ji Zhiwei with a teasing glint.

“Xiao Ji, come here for a moment.” Ye Pingsheng was currently directing the male leads and supporting actors’ makeup looks, his cigarette nearly crushed between his teeth.

Ji Zhiwei was puzzled but walked over nonetheless.

“You’ve studied Sinan, and so has the General. Come on, tell him, what expression should he be wearing in this scene?” Ye Pingsheng was barely holding back her anger.

If it weren’t for Song Jingying’s reputation, and the fact that after the Yan family’s investors were driven away by Gu Yunhui, other investors had banded together to pressure Ye Pingsheng, how could she have possibly chosen this person?

Ji Zhiwei glanced at the scene and quickly realized which part they were filming.

“In this scene, the General’s close friend suddenly betrays him. The General had his suspicions beforehand, so he can’t help but feel disappointed now. But it’s not about his friend ruining his plans, it’s about his friend not trusting or understanding him. So, perhaps Teacher Song’s expression should be a bit more conflicted.”

Ji Zhiwei’s voice grew quieter as she spoke, sensing Song Jingying glaring at her.

“Well said. Xiao Zhang, what do you think? And Xiao Jiang too.” Ye Pingsheng vented her frustration by calling on several of the main cast members excluding Lu Peijiu as if to emphasize that even the newcomers knew better than this long-established A-lister.

“Hmph.” Once filming finally wrapped, Song Jingying shot the three newcomers an equally disdainful glare before being swarmed by his entourage and escorted off set.

“At least he’s not joining us for dinner.” Typically, there was a group meal on the first day of filming, but Song Jingying, pride wounded after being publicly corrected, refused to attend.

Ji Zhiwei glanced at her assistant. “Do you know him?”

“I’ve seen him a few times with Teacher Lu. Total diva.” Tan Wan shook her head emphatically.

Ji Zhiwei quietly filed the information away.

“Some of the investors will be joining us for dinner tonight,” Ye Pingsheng mentioned once everyone was seated.

Ji Zhiwei’s eyes lit up. Could Gu Yunhui be among them?

The next moment, she spotted that all-too-familiar figure Gu Yunhui had indeed come.

Except, Gu Yunhui was holding onto the arm of someone Ji Zhiwei didn’t recognize.

Support The Cold CEO Chases His White Moonlight