The Second Fall - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Not Enough Kissing

The person Nian Guanqi pointed at was precisely Lan Cixing…

Well, the space right in front of her.

Rong Yushu’s sharpest-tongued assistant happened to be walking past Lan Cixing, blocking her for a moment and falling right under Nian Guanqi’s pointing finger. The assistant’s eyes instantly lit up like the dawn; she looked ready to charge forward.

Nine out of ten people working as Rong Yushu’s assistants are her fans. The remaining one is a super fan. Although He Lanli had a slight familial connection, she still adored Rong Yushu. Setting aside desire and focusing purely on looks, kissing Rong Yushu was a massive win for her. He Lanli took a breath and stepped forward.

Suddenly, Rong Yushu, reclining in the luxurious chair, tilted her chin at her. It was her usual posture for giving orders. He Lanli’s muscle memory kicked in; she instinctively walked in the direction Rong Yushu pointed.

The obstruction was gone. Nian Guanqi’s finger now seemed aimed directly at Lan Cixing’s eyes.

Nian Guanqi didn’t care who it was. She just wanted to grab a passerby to demonstrate for Mu Huai. She didn’t mind He Lanli mysteriously walking away; after all, there was still someone there wearing a mask.

“Hurry up and come over,” she said, still in a foul mood and sounding quite blunt.

Lan Cixing pointed at herself, stunned. Who is supposed to kiss Rong Yushu? Me?

Rong Yushu tugged lightly on Nian Guanqi’s sleeve.

“Yes, you. Come over and help us test this out.” Nian Guanqi finally took a breath and stopped looking so ferocious.

Lan Cixing, her brain in a state of total shutdown, drifted to the center of the set. She saw Rong Yushu leaning back in the chair, watching her with leisure. Her eyelashes had been brushed many times, making them longer and more prominent than usual.

To match the plot, she wore heavy makeup; her hair was permed in a vintage style, and brown contact lenses covered most of her green pupils, creating an unexpectedly deep and charming hue. Her features had been adjusted for the character, but they didn’t mask her original beauty.

She simply propped her face up and looked at Lan Cixing—elegant, idle, her posture half-arrogant and half-seductive. Yet the moment her eyes flicked toward Lan Cixing, Lan Cixing knew she was “out of character.” The person waiting to see her make a fool of herself right now was Rong Yushu, not the female lead, Jiu Lisheng.

Lan Cixing swallowed, soberly realizing she had been called to kiss Rong Yushu in front of everyone. Even if it was just acting. Lan Cixing had acting experience; although she hadn’t had a passionate kiss on the big screen, she had filmed several ambiguous scenes.

But… this was Rong Yushu. Lan Cixing gripped the hem of her shirt, her chest already starting to feel hot. It would be fine if it were anyone else. Without prior experience, she could truly treat it as just acting. But with Rong Yushu… Lan Cixing was afraid she couldn’t control herself. Getting too deep into the role makes it hard to leave. Always dwelling on intimacy is bad for the mind and body.

“Um, Director, it’s not convenient…” Lan Cixing’s eyes darted away to avoid Rong Yushu’s gaze, still trying to decline.

Nian Guanqi saw her reddened ears and thought she understood everything. “It’s fine. You don’t have to take off your mask, and we won’t film you. Just lean in and provide a ‘feeling.’ I don’t believe you can perform worse than this one who’s stuck and can’t move.”

Ultimately, Nian Guanqi was just angry at Mu Huai and wanted to show her how it was done. She didn’t actually intend to film a kiss scene between Lan Cixing and Rong Yushu.

The aforementioned Mu Huai finally burst into tears nearby, sobbing with a sound as tragic as if her heart had been carved out. Half of this crying was acting. Everyone on set was an industry insider; who couldn’t see through it? No one cared about her except her own assistant, who rushed over to comfort her. Mu Huai just shook her head, biting her lip and saying nothing.

She was truly indignant. She hadn’t seen this assistant two days ago; everything was fine when it was just her and “Sister Rong.” She wouldn’t have been unable to perform then. She had thought this assistant had been fired, but it turned out she was just on leave and had returned after a few days. And that was one thing, but Rong Yushu had been looking for her all day today, not giving Mu Huai a single second of attention.

“Stop crying, Sister Mu Huai, your makeup is ruined. It’ll take time to redo it later…” The assistant’s comfort was earnest. Mu Huai’s crying stopped for a second. If it’s ruined, it’s ruined. At worst, we won’t film. She stomped her foot in anger.

Others didn’t understand why she couldn’t perform. Only she knew how cold Rong Yushu’s eyes were when she had tried to kiss her. She looked like a god of slaughter fresh off a battlefield. Mu Huai had even felt a chilling killing intent several times; her whole body started shaking the moment she saw Rong Yushu’s eyes, so how could she possibly kiss her?

Thinking of this, Mu Huai glared fiercely at Lan Cixing. Rong Yushu was probably being so fierce because she didn’t want to do the kiss scene. Therefore, she didn’t believe this Alpha could pull it off.

Lan Cixing didn’t notice Mu Huai’s cold stare at all. She looked at Rong Yushu a few more times, her heart palpitating wildly. Rong Yushu continued to squint at her. Even though the fox-eyes had been painted into “peach blossom” eyes, it couldn’t stop that sharp light from making Lan Cixing flush with shame.

“Relax.” Just when Lan Cixing thought Rong Yushu was going to humiliate her, Rong Yushu actually spoke to soothe her. “Just consider it a sacrifice for art. I won’t treat you poorly.” Her tone was still that of Jiu Lisheng.

It didn’t sound quite right to Lan Cixing, but she was truly coaxed into calming down. She asked the screenwriter for the script of this scene.

Actually, comparing Lan Cixing’s acting to Mu Huai’s was a bit like bullying. When Lan Cixing left the industry at 24, she had already won numerous minor awards and had been nominated for major ones twice, including once for Best Supporting Actress.

Only someone like her was worthy of being Rong Yushu’s rival. In those two years, every major and minor award went to either her or Rong Yushu, or they were nominated together. By the time she retired, she had only one fewer “Best Actress” award than Rong Yushu. But in the very movie where Rong Yushu won Best Actress, Lan Cixing had won Best Supporting Actress.

Mu Huai was a new-generation idol whose acting skills were mostly hyped by fans; she had no real substance. Even after being out of the industry for four years, Lan Cixing was a “dimensional strike” compared to her.

Lan Cixing studied the script. The quality was high, covering all the points she needed to express. The director was experienced. Logically, a “can’t perform” situation shouldn’t occur. Lan Cixing didn’t even need to see the full context. When she put down the script and opened her eyes again, her entire aura had changed.

Her clothes were still modern—Lan Cixing always dressed simply, today wearing a fashionless shirt and shorts. The only distinctive thing was the pair of emerald earlobes. Her image was far removed from the calculating, ruthless yet morally ambiguous second female lead of the play. But those eyes… they were already the second female lead herself.

This transformation made even Nian Guanqi hold her breath. The screenwriter gasped. What kind of master had they just grabbed off the street? She could pull people into the scene just with her eyes. This level didn’t match Rong Yushu’s, but compared to Mu Huai, Mu Huai looked pathetic.

Lan Cixing sat on the empty end of the chair and looked at Rong Yushu, actually offering a smile. Her mouth couldn’t be seen, but her eyes alone showed this smile was malicious, yet so sincere that no fault could be found.

Rong Yushu knew she had entered the role. She instantly returned to her previous posture and tilted Lan Cixing’s chin up. The script said the element of this scene was “seduction.” The screenwriter had carefully noted who was seducing whom and the possible actions.

But Lan Cixing moved first to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. The second female lead rarely did such things. This movement perfectly fit the character, yet it made the subsequent flirtation even more alluring. No one dislikes the contrast between innocence and charm.

Lan Cixing took a step forward, her eyes changing. Rong Yushu followed her lead and leaned back; she was at a higher level and didn’t need to act so deliberately—every movement lacked any trace of “performance,” every frown and smile was the character herself.

Lan Cixing could still keep up with Rong Yushu’s acting. She guessed that Rong Yushu was leading her; otherwise, with her skills having regressed for four years, she couldn’t have kept up with the current Rong Yushu.

The two had ambiguous gazes; the emotions in their eyes grew colder, portraying the sense of detached rationality quite clearly. Of course, Rong Yushu’s portrayal was deeper and more natural. Lan Cixing had, after all, been away for too long. Even so, Nian Guanqi watching from the side wanted to applaud. Because she didn’t want to disturb this perfect atmosphere, her face turned red from excitement.

As Lan Cixing was about to press closer, she paused, withdrawing a trace of lingering affection from her eyes. Rong Yushu caught it immediately and moved forward, following Lan Cixing’s little design. Good actors always have designs that jump out of the script. This was an ability Mu Huai lacked. To find it in a random passerby… Nian Guanqi was moved nearly to tears. This was the image she wanted to film.

And now, Lan Cixing was held by the shoulder, her hair being tugged, almost pressed against Rong Yushu’s face. Originally, the scene should have ended here. The director only wanted Lan Cixing to “test” the scene, not to actually kiss, which is why she was allowed to keep her mask on.

But Rong Yushu’s eyelashes swept down. As if her nail had accidentally hooked it, she pulled the troublesome mask off. She kissed her without hesitation.

“!” Lan Cixing was pinned down. The sudden scent of white tea made her head spin. The softness of the lips numbed her body. She was kissed right out of character, becoming even more ashamed. She grabbed Rong Yushu’s collar haphazardly, trying to make her stop, but was forced to endure the passionate kiss.

Her cheeks were cupped. Rong Yushu didn’t let anyone see her face; her long fingers covered Lan Cixing’s face, while her sharp nails reflected light, blocking prying eyes. From the outside, one could only see Rong Yushu’s lowered eyelashes, unruly strands of hair, and her tender hands. Even Lan Cixing couldn’t see Rong Yushu’s eyes clearly or know if she was still in character.

She only knew the kiss seemed a bit too intense. Rong Yushu swept from the outside to the inside, carefully tending to every inch, occasionally giving her a chance to breathe, then biting lightly. Lan Cixing’s chest heaved as she struggled. She turned her head, but Rong Yushu wouldn’t let her go. Rong Yushu was as dominant as if she wanted to suck all the oxygen out of her body, slowly pinning her against the chair until she truly became the “receiver.”

After a long while.

Rong Yushu finally let go of the poor Lan Cixing. Lan Cixing was dazed from the kiss, her soul having flown off to some distant heaven, and her clothes were slightly disheveled. Rong Yushu, on the other hand, was calm. With a flick of her nail, she put the mask back on Lan Cixing. Throughout the entire process, she truly didn’t let anyone see Lan Cixing’s face.

Lan Cixing’s hand was still in Rong Yushu’s palm. She was gasping for air, but half of it was blocked by the mask. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly; if the setting weren’t wrong, Rong Yushu would have truly held her to help her recover.

Rong Yushu simply couldn’t do that. She wiped the corner of her mouth, her fox-eyes full of insatiability, like a hungry wolf scanning Lan Cixing. Then she retracted all emotion and apologized to Nian Guanqi. “Sorry, Director Nian~ She seduced me just now, and I couldn’t help myself.”

Lan Cixing, who still couldn’t get up: ? Who seduced whom? I was kissed so miserably, and Rong Yushu says I was the active one?

“Oh, oh, no… it’s fine.” Nian Guanqi was also stunned for a second by Rong Yushu’s explanation. However, given Rong Yushu’s status, whatever she said went. So now, it really was Lan Cixing who had seduced Rong Yushu.

“This scene is about seduction! This feeling is exactly right.” Nian Guanqi didn’t dwell on why Rong Yushu chose to kiss. She was still immersed in the performance, clicking her tongue as if she had new ideas for shots.

The screenwriter also huddled over, wanting to ask Lan Cixing what she was thinking when she designed the little movements for the character. Lan Cixing finally sat up and slowly began to explain her thoughts to the screenwriter. Rong Yushu hadn’t left; her long legs were stretched out, maintaining her previous pose while resting them on Lan Cixing. Judging by her eyes, she had been out of character for a long while. She showed no emotion now, as if the person who had kissed Lan Cixing into a state of distraction in public wasn’t her.

Lan Cixing stole a glance at Rong Yushu. She couldn’t move her legs away, so she just made do and focused on talking to the screenwriter. The atmosphere at the center of the set was heated by the test performance of the two.

Only one person was so unhappy she was about to cry. Mu Huai was twisting a water bottle in the corner, truly fuming. “Why could she act so well? And Rong Yushu actually… actually didn’t target her. Do you know how terrifying the look she gave me was? It’s not my fault I couldn’t act; it’s clearly that person who didn’t want to cooperate with me!” She grumbled, her breathing as fast as if she had run 800 meters.

Her assistant didn’t dare speak. She had an inkling that Rong Yushu was targeting Mu Huai, but she didn’t dare tell her. The guess was baseless and too far-fetched. Mu Huai and Rong Yushu didn’t have overlapping fanbases, and their families had no business dealings; there shouldn’t be any conflict. Rong Yushu was such a big name; what did Mu Huai do to deserve her personal targeting?

With a bang, the water bottle was sacrificed, slammed to the ground. Mu Huai’s hands trembled as she took out her phone to message her family. She had to find out the background of this meddling bodyguard!

No one noticed Mu Huai storming off the set.

After Lan Cixing finished talking to the screenwriter, Nian Guanqi returned. She originally wanted to sit down, but after looking, there wasn’t a single empty spot on the large chair, so she could only stand silently in front of Lan Cixing.

“Are you Yushu’s bodyguard? Have you acted before?” Nian Guanqi’s attitude could be described as pleasant.

“I’ve practiced,” Lan Cixing said honestly, her peripheral vision still glancing at Rong Yushu. It had been at least fifteen minutes. Rong Yushu was still lying there, not moving an inch. Lan Cixing’s waist was about to be snapped by her legs, and her whole body was burning up.

“Just practiced? Then you have a real talent for acting!” Nian Guanqi looked at Lan Cixing as if she were a newly discovered treasure.

Lan Cixing’s mouth twitched behind the mask. She wasn’t lying. During her hard training at the military academy in her youth, when would she have had the chance to take acting classes? She was different from Rong Yushu; she hadn’t come from a formal acting school. She explored everything herself. Her early roles were essentially playing herself; it was only after acting with Rong Yushu that she began to learn how to enter different characters.

“I practiced for quite a long time, I don’t deserve the praise. It should be longer than Miss Mu Huai.” Lan Cixing didn’t want to attract more hate. Unfortunately, Mu Huai couldn’t hear her. Even if she did, she would just think she was being pretentious.

“Oh, stop being modest. We have a supporting role. I wonder if you’re interested in a cameo? Looks aren’t an issue, and it’s not many scenes. We couldn’t find the right person before, so we just deleted the character. Now, I feel you’re very suitable.” Nian Guanqi was here to scout her. Such talent was a waste if she didn’t act. Nian Guanqi was even fantasizing about debuting Lan Cixing and watching her blow up with a single role.

Lan Cixing dazed for a moment. When she first entered the industry, someone had said something similar to her. She took that role, became famous on a small scale, got fans, and signed with an agency. Now, she really… regretted it.

Lan Cixing instinctively lowered her head, her peripheral vision scanning toward Rong Yushu again. It was as if Rong Yushu was her master, holding the power of life and death over her. For something this big, it should be Rong Yushu who decided.

She blinked.

Rong Yushu sat up almost instantly. By the time Lan Cixing opened her eyes again, Rong Yushu had her arm around her waist, jokingly teasing Nian Guanqi.

“Director Nian~ Snatching people in broad daylight, isn’t that a bit much? She’s mine.” Rong Yushu’s voice was very soft, deliberately using the exact same tone as in the play. It made Nian Guanqi shudder. “However, we can discuss the matter of a kiss-double.” With a wink, Nian Guanqi understood her meaning.

“Then come over later, and we’ll discuss it properly.” Perfect—Nian Guanqi didn’t want to be held back by Mu Huai anymore either.

Lan Cixing was still a bit dazed. After Nian Guanqi left, Rong Yushu immediately withdrew her hand. The warmth on her waist vanished, and Lan Cixing’s heart skipped a beat once more. She caught up with Rong Yushu, cautiously tugging at her sleeve.

“Um, Boss, about just now…” she had so much she wanted to ask.

Rong Yushu suddenly turned around, her fox-eyes narrowing dangerously, the light in them charmingly seductive.

“What? You didn’t get enough of the kiss?”

Support The Second Fall