The Movie Queen And Her Rival Just Went Public! - Chapter 27

Chapter 27

After the strong, prophylactic injection from Viky and Miky, Su Cancan was highly guarded against the next person at the door. Consequently, when Shen Luoyan opened the door, her expression was calm, but she was secretly holding her breath.

“Hello, teachers! We are also guests on 《FOR U》, living next to the Pear Garden at the intersection.”

As the door opened, two youthful and vibrant faces appeared. The girls looked like they were in the throes of a passionate romance, standing side-by-side, their clasped hands interlocked. When one spoke, the other smiled and looked at her.

Youyou continued, “We’re really sorry to bother you without warning. We are both students at Ning City Academy of Fine Arts. I’m Youyou, and she’s Zhouzhou.”

Youyou clearly grew up in a supportive family environment. She was completely unintimidated by Su Cancan and Shen Luoyan, who were older and had a certain social status. She was beautiful, sweet-talking, and smiled like a little sun.

Zhouzhou, beside her, was slightly more reserved, but her demeanor was also generous and appropriate. The doting affection in her eyes quickly faded when she looked away from Youyou. Standing on the doorstep, she was one step lower than the two inside the house, looking up slightly. The strong sunlight, filtered through thin clouds and reflected in her dark pupils, shone with a look of determination.

Zhouzhou squeezed Youyou’s small hand. Youyou understood and let go. Zhouzhou then held up a paper bag covered with random drawings and presented it to the two of them.

Zhouzhou: “This is a small welcome gift we prepared. They’re just little things we made ourselves. We hope the teachers like them.”

The scene was about 80% similar to what happened twenty minutes ago, but Su Cancan felt the experience was completely different.

The two young couples were similar in age. The former couple displayed a slickness and caution comparable to seasoned corporate veterans; their vulgarity and oiliness were inevitable products of long-term immersion in that mindset. The latter couple was fresh and clean like blank paper, possessing a sense of propriety without deliberate flattery or false praise. Just a few words from them put people at ease.

Su Cancan hurriedly took the paper bag: “How could we not like them? It’s our good fortune to receive handmade gifts these days. You put a lot of thought into this.”

“Speaking of which, it’s quite a coincidence. We’re both from Ning City,” she said, pointing to herself with her free hand, then to Shen Luoyan. “I also applied to the Ning City Academy of Fine Arts when I took the entrance exams. I almost became your senior. Please don’t be formal; just call us ‘Jie’ (Sister) to make us feel closer.”

Youyou’s eyes lit up: “Okay, Sister Cancan!”

She rubbed her hands: “I know! The video of your random interview after the art exam went viral. Your final results showed you were number one in the performance majors at all three schools: Ning Yi, Shanghai Theatre Academy, and Central Academy of Drama. Even back then, I thought you were especially beautiful.” She paused for two seconds as if remembering something. “Sister Luoyan was interviewed, too, and also trended.”

The named Shen Luoyan’s eyebrows twitched. Her usually unflappable expression strained, slowly loosening and cracking. She gave a light cough and replied, “Really? I don’t recall.”

Youyou struggled to remember: “Yes, yes! You were just passing by and were stopped and interviewed because they mistook you for an examinee…”

As dusty memories were uncovered and brought to light, Su Cancan finally recalled the incident.

The year of her art exam, her mind was focused entirely on the promise she made to her parents. She took tests at several schools, always feeling anxious and overthinking. Only when she walked out of the Ning Yi gates did her heart feel as steady as a fixed weight. At age seventeen, she wasn’t sure about anything, but perhaps it was the familiar comfort of being a local. During the interview, she confidently stated that her name would definitely be on the qualified list. Later that evening, a friend preparing for the exam with her informed her that she was trending.

Friends drifted away, silently talking behind her back. When Shen Luoyan debuted, she even dug up these old stories for comparison and defamation.

Her first-ever trending topic brought no joy.

“Come inside and talk,” Shen Luoyan’s cool voice interrupted their reminiscing.

Youyou held Zhouzhou’s hand again: “No, no, we just came to say hello. We don’t want to disturb your rest, sisters!” With that, the two girls prepared to leave.

“Wait a minute!” Su Cancan called out, gently handing the paper bag to Shen Luoyan. “We prepared gifts, too. Let me get them for you.”

Fearing the two young women would leave, Su Cancan quickly pattered in her slippers toward the study. She retrieved her own gift, then casually pulled out one of Shen Luoyan’s prepared gifts from the adjacent drawer. When she returned, the three of them were huddled together adding each other on social media.

“Adding WeChat? Share it with me later,” she told Shen Luoyan.

After placing the four small boxes into Zhouzhou’s hand, Su Cancan said: “We didn’t prepare gift bags. I’m afraid you’ll have to carry these back. Please accept my WeChat friend request later, and feel free to come hang out with us whenever you like.”

Youyou clicked to accept the friend request, put down her phone, looked at the packaging boxes, recognized the brand, and gasped, covering her mouth: “No, no, this is too valuable, we can’t accept it.”

Su Cancan couldn’t help but gently tap her round head. Shen Luoyan’s fingers moved slightly: “Please take it. Your Sister Cancan just said that it’s the thought that counts, regardless of value. If you like them, then they are suitable.”

Youyou savored the gentle touch on her head and smiled sweetly: “Thank you, Sister Cancan, thank you, Sister Luoyan.”

Su Cancan noticed a tiny dimple on her left cheek. As she watched them leave, she heard Youyou softly sighing that it was a good thing she had washed her hair today.

“You like them very much?” Shen Luoyan asked, closing the door and seeing Su Cancan bouncing into the living room with the bag.

Su Cancan paused: “Of course. Being around young people makes you feel young, and being around young and lovely people like them is twice as effective.”

She turned around: “Listening to Youyou really brought back some memories from the art exam. At that time, almost everyone in our acting class was traveling all over the country, testing at different schools we’d applied to early. My friend and I flew to a few places. Although the acting coach I found said I was a sure pass, I was still very nervous. Ning Yi was the fourth or fifth school, I can’t recall. I only remember being stopped for an interview after the test. I answered everything they asked with great confidence. My trending topic was a surprise; my friend discovered it first and told me. That friend…”

She shrugged and smiled, ending the topic.

Shen Luoyan took two steps forward.

Su Cancan put on a smile: “Looking at it now, you truly are the chosen one for the entertainment industry, Shen Luoyan. Schoolwork must have been stressful during the art exam period, right? I heard the top scorer in the joint exam for multiple cities was from our school. It must have been you. You didn’t plan to take the art exam but were randomly interviewed, you didn’t study at a performing arts school but became an actress after graduation, and you became famous right after your debut.”

Su Cancan clicked her tongue, purely lamenting, not jealous.

Shen Luoyan pursed her lips. Her path had indeed been smooth. If she hadn’t experienced it herself, she would also question whether she had the protection of a major figure behind the scenes.

“Alright, Film Empress Shen, let’s open the kids’ gifts,” Su Cancan teased her, shaking the paper bag in her hand. “I saw in their profiles that one is in oil painting and the other in sculpture. We get to appreciate the work of future artists first.”

Shen Luoyan’s expression softened, and she followed her into the living room.

The sheer curtains in the living room were half-open, allowing soft light to penetrate the room. Su Cancan walked to the coffee table and sat on the floor with her legs crossed, disregarding her image. Upon closer inspection, the previously strange pattern on the bag turned out to be different types of flowers interspersed with the initials of their two names.

Something tapped her shoulder. Su Cancan turned her head.

Shen Luoyan placed a cushion down: “The floor is cold.”

If Shen Luoyan hadn’t mentioned it, Su Cancan wouldn’t have noticed, but after she spoke, a wave of coolness rushed up her spine. Without overthinking, Su Cancan supported her upper body, lifting her buttocks slightly off the floor. Shen Luoyan received the signal and pushed the cushion over to the spot where she was about to sit. Su Cancan sat down, everything feeling natural and appropriate.

The small couple’s gifts were extremely thoughtful. They had personally made the outer packaging bag, and even the cardboard box inside was handmade, matching the style of the outer bag. Su Cancan took out the items and a card dropped out. Shen Luoyan helped her pick it up.

Wishing the teachers good health, success in work, and that you find your beloved companion soon. — Youyou, Zhouzhou

Su Cancan’s fingertip rubbed the rough surface of the card, guessing that the cute handwriting belonged to Youyou.

The packaging box was opened, and two small, fist-sized, snowy-white plush animals lay on the fluffy, multicolored raffia grass. Su Cancan immediately spotted the long-haired cat on the left and picked it up to examine.

She held the cat’s waist up to the sunlight. The completely white little cat was in a crouching position, its tiny paws tucked underneath its body. Its lazy, relaxed appearance bore a slight resemblance to her. An outsider couldn’t tell the exact crafting process, only that the workmanship was exquisite; every single strand of fur seemed to have been carefully sculpted. The tiny item, the more closely she looked, the more details she discovered, and the more she cherished it.

It wasn’t until the warm, soft light dried the moisture in her eyes that Su Cancan reluctantly grasped the little cat and twisted back to her original position.

“Aren’t you going to look?”

Su Cancan turned around and realized Shen Luoyan was very close to her. Shen Luoyan’s eyes were also retreating from that direction, though her body still held its original posture. She scooted to the side.

Shen Luoyan didn’t say anything, picking up the small dog on the left and distractedly playing with it.

Su Cancan secretly marveled at Shen Luoyan’s self-control, noting that the words and actions of others didn’t affect her at all and that she could hide everything inside without showing it. Su Cancan’s hand reached toward the raffia grass again.

Stories had circulated online about empty boxes filled with raffia grass being given to girlfriends. Their box, with just these two handmade small animals, was eighteen times better than those. Su Cancan was only rummaging again not because she disliked the contents, but because she saw something different in the center when she first opened the box and wanted to check.

Her eyesight was good; she did find a small oil painting. The subjects, of course, were her and Shen Luoyan.

“Truly thoughtful,” Su Cancan exclaimed.

Shen Luoyan shifted her attention to look. It was indeed thoughtful.

The two of them had never been in the same frame before. The two outfits chosen were not only perfectly matched but also had some history.

Shen Luoyan’s outfit was the black gown from the day she won the Golden Branch Award for Best Actress, and Su Cancan’s was a long, strapless red dress—their outfits from their very first awards ceremony, two years apart.

A collision of black and red, the alternation of night and day.

As a myriad of thoughts passed through Shen Luoyan’s mind, Su Cancan suddenly noticed a clue.

In the 《Nian Qing》 film set, didn’t the extra who asked her for an autograph have a phone case with an image of the two of them kissing? Weren’t the two people in the picture wearing these two exact outfits?

A coincidence?

Su Cancan frowned, silently praying that this was just her overthinking and arrogance, that their CP fandom hadn’t reached the point of being omnipresent.

She put down the oil painting and bit her lip.

No way am I filming a dating reality show with CP fans!