The Movie Queen is Flirtatious and Doting - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

“Oh? Hating me so much your teeth ache?” Ye Yansheng laughed. “That person couldn’t possibly be me, could it?”

Gu Yinglian glanced at her, thinking to herself: It is you.

The two went to the lounge to rest for a while, waiting for the other actors to finish their scenes before continuing.

Filming consecutively was exhausting, especially since Gu Yinglian hadn’t rested well the night before. Within moments of sitting down, she was so drowsy she wanted to sleep. Ye Yansheng sat beside her and said, “If you don’t mind, I can lend you my shoulder for a bit.” Gu Yinglian minded a little and tried to force herself to stay awake, but eventually, she couldn’t hold out. Her head lolled to the side and landed right on Ye Yansheng’s shoulder.

Ye Yansheng smiled, adjusted her head to a better position, and leaned in closer to let her rest comfortably. The lounge was relatively quiet, with no staff coming in to disturb them.

Gu Yinglian gradually drifted into a deep sleep, greedily soaking up the rest. However, the posture was somewhat uncomfortable, and after sleeping for a while, her neck began to ache. Ye Yansheng nudged her slightly, and Gu Yinglian startled awake. She tried to open her eyes but found it nearly impossible. That feeling of extreme exhaustion was truly the worst. She desperately wanted to go back to the dorm and sleep until the world ended.

After an unknown amount of time, Ye Yansheng’s manager came in to call them; it was their turn to film.

Ye Yansheng nudged Gu Yinglian again. “Wake up, it’s time to shoot the next part.”

“Mm,” Gu Yinglian mumbled, still unable to pry her eyes open.

“Film first, sleep later, okay?” Ye Yansheng coaxed.

Gu Yinglian finally opened her eyes and was startled by the face right in front of her. She snapped awake, and Ye Yansheng laughed at her reaction. Gu Yinglian hurriedly pulled herself together. “Is it our turn?”

“Yes, let’s go. Get your makeup touched up.” Ye Yansheng stood up.

Gu Yinglian followed her out. Once they finished this scene, they could go back—until the night shoot began.

…

The first few days were manageable, but after filming for over ten days straight—sixteen hours a day on a revolving schedule—Gu Yinglian was reaching her limit. Ye Yansheng looked at her with concern. “Can you keep going? Looking at the progress, we still have over a month to go.”

“I’m fine, I can do it,” Gu Yinglian insisted.

Despite her words, she used every available second to sleep and recharge. Fortunately, she had done her homework; she had internalized the script and memorized the lines so thoroughly that she only needed a quick glance before stepping onto the set. Under this high-pressure environment, her acting had improved significantly. The most obvious change was her ability to enter character almost instantly.

Three months ago, as a rookie, she had been anxious about whether she could perform well. Now, she didn’t even have time to be anxious. Her life consisted only of acting and sleeping; the moment someone shouted “Action,” she was in character.

It had to be said that Gu Yinglian had a natural talent for acting. Not only was her memory superb, but her comprehension was higher than average. Combined with her deep emotional range and hard work, she was growing at a visible pace. When acting opposite Ye Yansheng, she no longer seemed outmatched.

The director naturally praised the rookie for her rapid progress. Gu Yinglian heard it so often she just gave polite responses, not letting it get to her head.

…

Recently, Gu Yinglian encountered a major challenge. An upcoming scene involved a grand business gala. Gu Yinglian, now fully established as the “black-bellied” heiress, had already battled Ye Yansheng through several episodes, leaving them as bitter rivals. They were both to attend this gala—a war without gunpowder. In the scene, Ye Yansheng would invite her to… dance! But in reality, Gu Yinglian could not dance!

Gu Yinglian approached Ye Yansheng to discuss the scene. Ye Yansheng laughed. “You don’t know how to dance?”

Gu Yinglian shook her head. “No.”

“It’s fine,” Ye Yansheng said. “I’ll teach you.”

Gu Yinglian was worried. “Is it too late for a crash course?”

“It’s simple. Our schedule is a bit lighter for the next few days, so we’ll have enough time. We’ll practice when we get back to the dorms.”

“But I have zero foundation. Could we…” Gu Yinglian hesitated. “Could we use a body double?”

Ye Yansheng looked at her, her expression turning serious. “You are still a newcomer. You should work hard to learn new skills and not rely on doubles. Dancing isn’t high-difficulty stunt work; it’s better to do it yourself. Besides, I’ll be leading you. What are you afraid of?”

Seeing Ye Yansheng’s reaction, Gu Yinglian feared she would be labeled “unprofessional” if she insisted on a double. She reluctantly accepted the arrangement, though her heart was full of unease.

The dance they had to learn? The Tango.

According to the screenwriter, it was a dance of solemnity, sacredness, and wild passion—perfect for expressing their current state of mutual hostility. The two would compete on the dance floor, moving like two beautiful white swans. (White swans? Screenwriter, are you sure you aren’t thinking of ballet?)

During their free time, Ye Yansheng began teaching her. Both wearing slippers in Ye Yansheng’s room, they moved back and forth.

Ye Yansheng placed her hand on Gu Yinglian’s waist and guided her steps. “Don’t be so nervous. Relax. Just like acting, treat the steps I teach you as a script to memorize. Once you’ve memorized them, the dancing will follow. I’ll walk you through it once. Relax.”

Gu Yinglian took several deep breaths, trying to loosen up. Ye Yansheng led her through the steps, but Gu Yinglian’s eyes were glued to the floor. She was essentially being dragged along. Ye Yansheng found it hilarious. “Why are you only staring at your feet? Are they more beautiful than my face?”

Gu Yinglian looked up at her. Her height only reached Ye Yansheng’s shoulder; usually, she wore heels several centimeters higher than Ye Yansheng’s to minimize the height difference, but dancing in heels was too tiring for practice, so they stuck to flats.

“Did you remember the steps?” Ye Yansheng asked.

“I was too busy looking at my feet,” Gu Yinglian admitted. “I didn’t get it.”

“Then I’ll teach you again. Pay attention this time.”

Gu Yinglian nodded, and Ye Yansheng led her through it once more. This time, she memorized the general rhythm.

“This dance has a fast tempo,” Ye Yansheng explained. “You need to be fluent in the steps before we can add the music. We’ll practice several more times; make sure you memorize the sequence in your heart.”

“Okay,” Gu Yinglian replied.

Ye Yansheng continued to lead her, explaining as they moved. Gu Yinglian focused intensely. After several rounds of practice, she slowly began to get the “feel” for it, and it didn’t seem quite so impossible anymore.

Ye Yansheng, meanwhile, had finally achieved her wish of openly and legitimately holding that slender waist. She felt immensely satisfied. Opportunities to be this close to her for a valid reason were rare—especially with the other party willingly letting herself be pulled into her embrace…