The Film Queen’s Little Bunny Wife - Chapter 2

The Legend of Empress Crane Spirit tells the story of an immortal crane, raised by a high god, descending to the mortal world to seek an opportunity for ascension. By chance, it ends up saving the young Crown Prince.

The crane then assists the Crown Prince in becoming Emperor. Over time, the two exchange affections, and the Emperor, overcoming all opposition, elevates the Crane Spirit to the position of Empress.

However, the Crane Spirit cannot accept the influx of concubines into the six palaces. After much painful deliberation, she chooses to renounce romantic love and dedicates herself to matchmaking.

Using her status as the mistress of the inner palace, she helps others find love, ultimately transcending the mortal realm to achieve immortality a romantic comedy film.

The plot is already past the halfway point. Ling Hanyan is currently filming the scene where the Crane Spirit, having just assumed the Empress’s position, grapples with her longing for a monogamous union and the painful decision to abandon this relationship, knowing that the deep affection of a mortal emperor is transient and unreliable.

She is naturally detached and aloof, earning her the posthumous title of “The Widowed Queen Actress” (a term suggesting she acts without attachment to romance).

Several takes later, her eyes only convey the emotion of finally being able to give up on this philandering dog of a man a feeling of “I’m so happy I could pop a bottle of champagne!”

As for “one lifetime, one couple,” what is that? Is it edible?

The director is also frustrated. While he feels her performance is acceptable in a way, he also believes that if there were a truly complex emotional transition, the female protagonist’s characterization would be much richer.

After repeating the line “Save one thread (of emotion)” eight times, he tells Ling Hanyan to rest and try to find the feeling.

He then follows the assistant director to analyze the footage, hoping to salvage even a tiny bit of lingering attachment from those eight takes. Just a little bit, and with the right music added in post-production, it could create a great effect!

Ling Hanyan has a habit: whenever she joins a new crew, she finds a secluded, quiet spot to relax.

Last time, she accidentally let Lin Yingxue discover this bamboo grove. Knowing that the other girl likes crowds and wouldn’t bother her unnecessarily, she didn’t pay much mind to it.

But unexpectedly, Lin Yingxue has come again this time, and she brought a guest.

A girl who is exquisitely beautiful, with delicate features and skin as white as snow. Even having seen many beauties in the entertainment industry, Ling Hanyan is still struck by how stunning this girl is as she stands there gracefully.

She is wearing a soft dress trimmed with white fluff, tightly clutching her handbag with both hands, looking as innocent as a junior high school student.

The way she looks at Ling Hanyan is tentative; her lips are pressed together, but the smile lines around her eyes betray her excitement.

Lin Yingxue pushes the startled Tu Jiaojiao, who has frozen upon seeing her idol, forward: “Sister Yan, this is your little fan girl! She came specifically to see you!”

After ensuring Tu Jiaojiao is settled, Lin Yingxue slips away, having fulfilled her mission.

“H-Hello, my name is Tu Jiaojiao.” Sitting on the stone bench, Tu Jiaojiao’s gaze is glued to the woman opposite her.

Compared to the image of Ling Hanyan she remembers from the screen, the actress looks much younger and more glamorous, though the overall resemblance is striking. A beauty time never defeats; Ling Hanyan has always been like an ever-blooming flower, or a magnificent, blazing sunset dyeing the horizon red.

Dressed in her costume now, the look Ling Hanyan sends her is filled with question and curiosity. Tu Jiaojiao feels her small body is completely exposed under the Empress’s noble and imposing presence.

Internally, she is ecstatic, barely able to maintain human form. I so badly want to turn back into a little rabbit, to look up at her, and snuggle in her arms…

This thought tumbles, spins, and rises in her mind, finally exploding, scattering sweet, powdery dust into the air.

As an actress, Ling Hanyan is used to being stared at. She offers a polite, distant smile: “I am Ling Hanyan. Thank you very much for your admiration.”

Her voice is so lovely too…

Tu Jiaojiao keeps grinning, revealing two small buck teeth. In her mind, she secretly calculates that the distance between them is only about one meter no, less than a meter!

“Did you bring a pen?” The cool voice drifts through the wind rustling the bamboo grove.

Tu Jiaojiao blinks, realizing Ling Hanyan intends to sign something for her!

She rummages through her bag for a long time, finally producing an eyeliner pencil and a slightly damaged copy of Ling Han’s Solitary Bloom, tremblingly offering them: “This is all I have.”

“That will do.” Ling Hanyan’s gaze sweeps over the cover, and her expression becomes slightly strange. She can guess that the contents inside are probably related to her bringing something like that right to the source. However, she can’t fathom the thoughts of fans. She picks up the book, intending to open it and sign on the blank flyleaf.

Tu Jiaojiao remembers the content is about events that haven’t happened yet. If Ling Hanyan sees it, it will be over! Her tail instantly stiffens, and the whole rabbit feels like she’s about to faint.

Some unknown strength and courage surge through her, and she lunges forward, pressing down firmly on the cover, “Just sign the cover!”

“Whatever works,” Ling Hanyan replies, then frowns when the girl doesn’t move. She reaches out, takes the girl’s arm, and pulls her onto the stool to sit properly, “You’re blocking it.”

“Oh… okay.” Tu Jiaojiao’s ear tips instantly turn red. She just had skin-to-skin contact with her goddess! The woman smells wonderful, like lily-of-the-valley mixed with rose wine.

Since neither of them is the fiery, passionate type, and without Lin Yingxue there to ease the atmosphere, things quickly fall quiet again.

Ling Hanyan’s thought process is always solitary. Even with Tu Jiaojiao’s eyes almost glued to her, she doesn’t consider anything beyond: My fan is so well-behaved. As an idol, I feel very proud. She casually strikes a pose for the girl to look at.

After sitting a while longer, a crew member calls for Ling Hanyan. Ling Hanyan picks up the heavy phoenix crown resting on the stone table, preparing to put it on. As she lowers her head, she catches a glimpse of the reluctance and yearning in the girl’s eyes, and her heart skips a beat.

The Crane Spirit must have felt the exact same way when deciding to abandon the Emperor’s love and move towards her own path.

To thank Tu Jiaojiao for helping her grasp the crux of the scene, even though they were rushing her, she lowers her eyes and asks, “Jiaojiao, would you like to take a picture with me?”

Facing separation from Ling Hanyan, Tu Jiaojiao was on the verge of tears from disappointment. Hearing this, her eyes light up: “Yes!”

Click. The smile of both women is captured.

Staring at Ling Hanyan’s gentle, radiant smile on her phone screen, a surge of immense courage floods Tu Jiaojiao’s heart. She bites her lower lip and asks, “Ling Hanyan, if you have time, could we have a meal together? My… my family has a small investment in this film…”

Since starting her acting career, Ling Hanyan, with her exceptional looks and cool, almost ascetic aura, has attracted a certain type of attention. She has heard this request at least five times, if not ten.

How did she respond to people like that when she was younger? Well, she flipped the table and unceremoniously told them to scram. She’d seize the opportunity to expose the person’s sordid deeds in public, not caring if it made everyone uncomfortable. Consequently, she was frequently reprimanded by her agent and called low-EQ online. People said if Ling Hanyan weren’t so fiercely temperamental, she wouldn’t have landed a leading role past her twenties.

In the last couple of years, Ling Hanyan has learned to be more indifferent. When encountering such situations now, her attitude isn’t as harsh as before. But no one has ever delivered that sentence imbued with endless vulgarity with the almost crying expression this girl currently wears.

Perhaps it was Tu Jiaojiao’s slightly reddened eyes that stirred her pity.

“Yes. The day after tomorrow at six in the evening, let’s meet at Yunshang Ju (Cloud Top Residence),” Ling Hanyan hears herself say.