The Movie Queen is Flirtatious and Doting - Chapter 8

Chapter 8

After lunch, Ye Yansheng told Gu Yinglian to go rest, as a guest room had already been prepared. Gu Yinglian felt a bit uneasy at the thought of staying over—what if something inexplicable happened?

Seeing her hesitation, Ye Yansheng couldn’t help but laugh. “Afraid I’ll do something to you? Rest assured, I don’t have the energy for that… for now.”

Relieved by that, Gu Yinglian followed her upstairs. Though it was called a guest room, it was of the highest caliber, comparable to a suite in a luxury hotel.

Once Ye Yansheng left, Gu Yinglian sat on the edge of the bed. A faint, pleasant fragrance lingered in the room, making her feel relaxed. She walked to the window; outside were the garden and the pool. The afternoon sun cast a quiet glow, and the pool shimmered with a serene blue light.

After watching for a while, exhaustion caught up with her. She yawned and lay down on the bed. The comfortable mattress and the fragrant air lulled her into a sweet dream.

When she woke up, she was shocked to find it was dark outside. She checked the time—it was already 6:00 PM. Anxious to get home, she splashed her face with water in the bathroom and hurried downstairs.

The beautiful housekeeper greeted her, and Gu Yinglian nodded politely. “Where is Sister Ye? I need to head back and wanted to say goodbye.”

The housekeeper gestured outside. Gu Yinglian nodded and stepped out.

She found Ye Yansheng swimming. Seeing Gu Yinglian, Ye Yansheng swam to the edge and asked, “Lian, want to come in for a dip?”

Gu Yinglian shook her head. “Sister Ye, I’m heading home. I came to let you know.”

“Going back?” Ye Yansheng said. “Why not stay the night? It’s such a hassle to travel back.”

Gu Yinglian replied awkwardly, “No, I really have to go. Thank you so much for the hospitality today.”

Ye Yansheng climbed out of the pool and wiped her face with a towel. Even without makeup, she was stunning—her skin was pale, delicate, and flawlessly maintained.

Gu Yinglian stared at her for a moment until Ye Yansheng teased with a smile, “What, don’t recognize me?”

Embarrassed, Gu Yinglian looked away. “I really should go. I promise I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”

Seeing her persistence, Ye Yansheng didn’t push further. “I’ll have my driver take you.”

“No, it’s fine. I’ll just call a cab.”

“It’s very hard to get a taxi around here,” Ye Yansheng noted.

Gu Yinglian thought about it and finally agreed.

The driver dropped her off around 7:00 or 8:00 PM. Back at her apartment, Gu Yinglian took a deep breath. After being “baptized” by the luxury of Ye Yansheng’s mansion, her own place—which she used to be satisfied with—now felt a bit shabby. Truly, comparisons are odious.

She grabbed some clothes and headed for a shower. Afterward, she sat at her desk, staring blankly at the lyrics she had written:

The day I first saw you, a mysterious sentiment began to stir. What attitude should I hold toward you? One moment mocking and cold, the next flirtatious and doting. I admit, when you pampered me, my heart skipped a beat. Is it that you are too gentle, or am I too naive? A pure little rabbit falling for a fierce big bad wolf.

She picked up her pen and added two more lines:

I admit it was nothing more than vanity, Your affection has blinded my eyes.

As she looked at the words, she thought of Ye Yansheng. Regardless of her character, a woman that exceptional was bound to be eye-catching. And her body… Gu Yinglian couldn’t help but recall those perfect curves. She was beautiful from every angle.

Wait? Was her heart actually fluttering? Was it an illusion?

But we’ve only had two meals together… that’s way too easy! Gu Yinglian rubbed her forehead, feeling a sense of impending doom. If this continued, she was going to “turn” (become gay). Why did such a beautiful, tempting woman exist? And why was she interested in her? That housekeeper was leagues ahead of her, and the maids were all ethereal beauties.

Could they all be part of her ‘harem’? Recalling Ye Yansheng’s reputation, Gu Yinglian forced herself to calm down. That’s right—that woman was famous for this! Female influencers, singers, actresses—she had flirted with them all. She didn’t even spare the makeup artists. A total predator!

Gu Yinglian felt she was being too naive. Ye Yansheng was just playing “hard to get,” and she was falling for it hook, line, and sinker. To be safe, she decided it was best to stay away. They lived in different worlds.

Still, thinking about that plate of grapes… she had never tasted anything so expensive in her life.

Sighing, she picked up Dream of the Red Chamber to read for the fourth time—partly because it was a timeless classic, and partly because she felt her own “cultural cultivation” was lacking. She read until midnight before finally falling asleep.

Since she didn’t have any scenes the next day, she spent it lazily. After a month of intermittent filming, a true day off was a rare luxury. She tried to call her friends, but everyone was busy with work. She felt a bit lonely, realizing that as their lives diverged, so did their social circles.

She spent the rest of the day looking over the script, designing some small nuances for her performance. By the time she returned to the set the following day, she was feeling quite motivated.

Because Gu Yinglian’s scenes were mostly with Ye Yansheng, and Ye Yansheng was constantly with the male lead, Gu Yinglian naturally had some contact with him. They would run into each other in the makeup room or occasionally rehearse lines.

The male lead, Xu Feifan, was a rising idol who had bought his way into the production. His acting was mediocre, but his ego was massive. Since Ye Yansheng ignored him outside of filming, he didn’t bother her; instead, he turned his attention to other actresses. Gu Yinglian, the “pure white lotus,” quickly caught his eye.

Under the guise of “rehearsing lines,” Xu Feifan frequently called Gu Yinglian over. Since they did have a few scenes together, she didn’t want to offend him and complied. Ye Yansheng, seeing this, was far from pleased. She hadn’t even “warmed up” her target yet, and someone was already trying to snatch her away?

Gu Yinglian thought they were just rehearsing, but Xu Feifan soon started getting handsy. This was blatant sexual harassment.

“Mr. Xu, please take your hand off my shoulder,” Gu Yinglian said, maintaining a polite but firm smile.

Xu Feifan leaned in, acting like a thug. “What? This is just how I rehearse. Didn’t you know?”

Gu Yinglian pushed his hand away, her face turning cold. “Please respect yourself.”

Xu Feifan scoffed and pinched her chin. “It’s your lucky day that I’ve taken an interest in you. Do you know how many women are dying to throw themselves at me?”

Gu Yinglian swiped his hand away and turned to leave, but he grabbed her arm. “Hey, where are you going? we aren’t done yet!”

Gu Yinglian was fuming—she was seconds away from kicking him in the shins. She had never met someone so shameless! Just as she was struggling to break free, Ye Yansheng marched over. She pulled Gu Yinglian behind her and, with a swift whirlwind kick, sent Xu Feifan flying.

He crashed into the tables and chairs, clutching a sprained wrist. “You b*tch!” He scrambled up, ready to fight.

The commotion drew screams from assistants and managers. The director rushed over. “What happened? Why are you fighting?”

“Ask her!” Xu Feifan yelled, red-faced. “Don’t think you’re untouchable just because you’re famous! I’ll ruin you!”

Ye Yansheng sneered. “We’ll see who ruins who. Keep your hands to yourself, or next time I’ll chop them off and feed them to the dogs!”

“Fine!” Xu Feifan screamed at the director. “I want a new lead actress! Either she goes, or my investors pull the funding!”

The director was in a total bind. The drama had been filming for a while, and Ye Yansheng was the primary draw for the audience. Replacing her would be a catastrophic loss. But if the investors pulled out, the project would die.

“Everyone, calm down!” the director pleaded. “Feifan, go to the hospital and get checked out. We’ll discuss this later. Everyone, take five!”

Seeing the mess she had “caused,” Gu Yinglian panicked. If Ye Yansheng lost her role or gained a reputation for being violent, her career could be ruined. She stepped forward and bowed to Xu Feifan. “Mr. Xu, this was my fault. I sincerely apologize. Please… please don’t replace the lead!”

Ye Yansheng stepped in and pulled her up. “You don’t need to bow to someone like him. It’s just a role. Being on a set with a person like this makes me lose my appetite anyway!”

Xu Feifan had been about to soften when he heard the apology, but Ye Yansheng’s words set him off again. “Ye Yansheng! Don’t push your luck! I’m telling you, you’re finished on this show!”

The director was caught between a rock and a hard place.