The Villainess A Marked the Seductive Movie Queen - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Wonderful

The phone alarm rang. Liu Yitong opened her eyes to see a sliver of bright light leaking through the gap in the blackout curtains; it was already morning.

She silenced the alarm, her mind still foggy. Looking down, she found herself draped in a velvet blanket. The bite inhibitor, which should have been covering her face, sat idle on the slate coffee table in front of her. Beside it stood a glass of water, resting atop her familiar diary.

Liu Yitong’s drowsiness vanished.

Her sluggish brain began to spin, unable to retrieve any memories of what happened after she had strapped on the bite inhibitor, bound her wrists, and lain down on her bedroom bed last night.

Her heart quickened for a moment before returning to its normal rhythm.

No one can remain perfectly calm when waking up to an altered environment, and Liu Yitong was no exception. However, this eerie situation had now occurred for the fourth time in recent days. Life had taught her early on how to coexist harmoniously with discomfort.

Liu Yitong adjusted her breathing and regained her composure. She checked the blanket and saw the Ti Amo hotel logo embroidered on the corner; the same was true for the bottom of the water glass.

She was certain she hadn’t requested these items. Even in a five-star suite, she remained as cautious as if she were in a budget hotel; if it wasn’t in her own luggage, she wouldn’t use it.

Finding these things now, however, wasn’t entirely surprising. She was becoming accustomed to the fact that nothing was strange once she opened her eyes—things she wouldn’t dare do while conscious might not be off-limits while she slept.

However, compared to the previous times when she woke up with aching limbs and feeling more exhausted than if she hadn’t slept at all, she felt unexpectedly refreshed this morning. Her sleep last night hadn’t been long, but the quality was superb.

With so much on her mind, Liu Yitong rarely slept soundly; she could count the good nights on one hand. The last time was the month before joining the crew; Shu Ran felt she was too tense and took her for a medicinal bath and massage. The skillful therapist and the valeric acid from the herbal steeps, combined with the heated mineral stones, had granted her a rare night of peace.

What was the variable last night?

She noticed an essential oil lamp on the table and, assuming it was the cause, noted the brand to buy one for herself later.

After tidying up efficiently, she prepared to head to the set. She had scenes all day, so her mental state was crucial. She drank a cup of black coffee and, as per her routine, prepared to inject the suppressant into the back of her neck.

But the moment the needle touched her skin, she hesitated.

Her physical state was remarkably good today, and so was her gland. The organ that usually felt swollen and hot from over-injection was now soft and relaxed. Her tissues and her senses had formed a secret connection, making her trust her body—trusting that she could control it and that it would obey her commands.

Ultimately, she put the syringe down. She decided to be kind to herself today and give her gland a holiday.

The set was busy after breakfast. The director and director of photography were mapping out shots, while the makeup team worked on the two punctual young actresses. They had scenes together in the morning, while the afternoon would almost entirely consist of Liu Yitong and Ruan Minxue.

The thought of the afternoon made Liu Yitong nervous, but it didn’t show on her face. Beside her, Xiao Zhizi proactively struck up a conversation, asking for the secret to her “calm as still water” demeanor.

“Ugh, thinking about Director Zhang’s murderous eyes staring at me from behind the monitor makes me feel like I can’t breathe,” Xiao Zhizi said, dramatically clutching her throat. She added, “Yitong, while we’re waiting to start, let’s run the lines one more time!”

“Okay,” Liu Yitong replied calmly, looking away from the girl’s throat-clutching antics. Though she didn’t initiate closeness, she didn’t reject it either. She understood a normal girl’s fear in a strange environment—the instinct to find a companion of a similar age and experience. She viewed herself as a bedside plush toy, merely fulfilling a function of companionship.

She never considered that some people approached her not as a tool, but because they were genuinely attracted to her traits. Xiao Zhizi was one such person.

Xiao Zhizi leaned against Liu Yitong’s arm. Girls sharing secrets often involved physical proximity. She bared her excitement without reservation:

“Sister Ruan is actually here!”

When Xiao Zhizi had been demonizing Director Zhang, Liu Yitong had remained unruffled. Now, at the mere mention of “Sister Ruan,” her body honestly stiffened.

Xiao Zhizi didn’t notice, continuing to chirp: “Doesn’t Sister Ruan have the morning off? Why is she at the set again?”

The makeup artist teased them with a laugh. “Maybe she’s scouting for newcomers? You two better perform well. If you can latch onto those coattails, your careers will take off!”

“Wow, Sister, saying that makes me want to start dreaming!” Xiao Zhizi stared unblinkingly in the direction of Ruan Minxue.

Liu Yitong knew exactly where Ruan Minxue was. She only had to turn her head to see her. She wanted to look, but she didn’t. Instead, she surveyed the surroundings; everyone was busy, and aside from Xiao Zhizi, almost no one was staring directly at Ruan Minxue. Without the “cover” of a collective gaze, her own look would be too exposed.

She forced herself not to turn, keeping her neck stiff as she stared at Xiao Zhizi. But Xiao Zhizi was still staring at Ruan, her face full of smiles. A surge of restlessness burned in Liu Yitong’s chest, and she couldn’t help but interrupt:

“Let’s practice the scene.”

“Ah, right…” Xiao Zhizi kept staring. “In a second, just one more moment…”

They were so close that Liu Yitong could almost see the reflection of the figure in Xiao Zhizi’s eyes. That figure was like the only vibrant stroke in a monochrome ink painting, dazzling and unsettling.

“Ah!” Xiao Zhizi let out a soft cry. “She’s looking over here!” She then raised her voice without hesitation, waving. “Sister Ruan—!”

Feeling like a thief with a guilty conscience, Liu Yitong’s shoulders jolted. She looked down at her script, feigning intense focus. Her ears began to burn.

A person’s gaze has temperature. The gaze of someone you love carries enough heat to make cold water boil. It was Ruan Minxue looking over.

Liu Yitong pretended to be absorbed in her script, lying to herself that she didn’t care.

“Sister Ruan!” Xiao Zhizi’s voice was as sweet as honeyed flower tea. “You look exceptionally beautiful today! I’m not just being polite—your complexion is truly wonderful!”

“I rested quite well last night,” the distant female voice drifted over, warm as a spring breeze.

“Then I hope Sister Ruan can rest as well as last night every day!”

“Thank you. You too.”

Xiao Zhizi’s arm tightened around Liu Yitong’s without her realizing it. The heat in Liu Yitong’s ears spiked, so hot it made her frown. It felt as if that distant gaze was intensifying, only fading when the footsteps moved away.

“…Tong? Yitong?”

“Ah.” Liu Yitong snapped back to reality.

“Sorry for keeping you waiting!” Xiao Zhizi stuck out her tongue. “Weren’t we going to run the lines? Let’s start!”

“Oh, okay.”

Liu Yitong had been dazed just now because of envy. Envy of the person in front of her, and the person walking away. Envy that one didn’t have to pretend not to care, and the other didn’t have to pretend that she simply… didn’t.

A young girl’s feelings are like trembling morning dew; reason is the hand that snaps the branch. By the time she and Xiao Zhizi had run the scene twice, the moisture on the branch had vanished. She was back to being a cold, stoic plant.

Filming officially began. Each department worked in sync like interlocking gears. The two newcomers’ morning scenes weren’t vital, but no one slacked off. Filming went smoothly. After Zhang Lishen called “Cut,” he only had them do one safety take for coverage, offering no further critique.

No critique from Director Zhang was good news.

During the break, the two girls sighed in relief as their respective makeup artists adjusted their looks. Liu Yitong glanced at Xiao Zhizi, thinking that Ruan Minxue had been paying attention to her lately. Since they were far enough apart now, if she stole a glance at Ruan Minxue, Ruan would likely just be looking at Xiao Zhizi and wouldn’t notice her.

Theory established. Practice begun.

Liu Yitong’s gaze, like a swimming fish, slid away from Xiao Zhizi and moved slowly toward the director’s monitors.

The little fish fell straight into a net.

What caught her was Ruan Minxue’s gaze. Unexpectedly, Liu Yitong locked eyes with her.

She is… actually looking at me.

The crew members moving around them seemed to blur into a time-lapse, their silhouettes becoming a filter for the atmosphere of this eye contact. Ruan’s focus was solely on her, her effortless smile playing out in slow motion.

Liu Yitong also acted composed, pretending her gaze was just passing through, and gave an elegant nod in response. A beautiful recovery.

Their eyes moved apart. It was just a casual exchange of glances with a colleague in the workplace.

Lunch break.

Liu Yitong didn’t join the crew. Instead, she went outside the set alone. During a break in the morning, she had received a message from her rehabilitation specialist, Ding Qing, saying that while it wasn’t urgent, she hoped Yitong could make a video call to Liu Lin when she had time.

It was a sunny day. The noon wind was ironed by the sun, carrying a warmth that relaxed the nerves. The sycamores were shedding their spring fluff, and the new green leaves rustled beautifully in the breeze.

Liu Yitong leaned against a tree trunk to rest for a moment. Once relaxed, she dialed Ding Qing. The call was answered quickly, and Liu Lin appeared on the screen, holding a handmade cloth doll.

The fine lines at the corners of the middle-aged woman’s eyes told the story of a turbulent life, but her crescent-shaped eyes were full of smiles, hinting at the gentle beauty of her youth. The doll in her hands had crooked stitches, a giant head, a tiny body, and long limbs—it looked like an ice cream cone with four candy strings hanging off it. If it weren’t for the high ponytail on its head and the black eyes, Liu Yitong would never have connected it to herself.

“Tongtong! Look!” Liu Lin shook the doll excitedly. “This is my homework for today! I finished it all by myself! Can you tell? It’s you!”

Liu Yitong smiled at the “ugly” doll and nodded. Ding Qing’s voice came from off-camera, explaining softly:

“Ms. Liu’s hands were still shaking when she held the needle yesterday, but today she managed to sew the cotton into the cloth properly without any leaking out. She’s very happy. When I said ‘Tongtong will be proud of you,’ she got so excited she insisted on showing off to you.”

Liu Yitong smiled silently. She vaguely remembered learning to dance as a child; the floor moves easily wore out her pants. At first, the patches Liu Lin sewed were ugly. Once, while watching a sports meet, Liu Lin heard her daughter being teased by classmates. Liu Lin, who had never touched a needle in her life, suddenly became an expert, sewing patches so seamless they were invisible. Of course, during those days of learning, Liu Lin always wore rubber gloves and never let Yitong see her skin.

As Yitong grew up, she understood what happened. There was no sudden “epiphany”; it was simply practice overcoming clumsiness. Now that Liu Lin’s brain was injured, specifically the precentral gyrus that controls fine motor skills, no amount of practice could bring her back to that state.

Liu Yitong looked at the screen. This ice-cream-cone doll was likely the peak of Liu Lin’s craftsmanship from now on. Seeing the girl’s silence, Ding Qing prompted gently:

“Isn’t Ms. Liu going to get a compliment from you?”

A compliment? Liu Yitong’s first reaction was bewilderment. The doll was “aggressively” ugly, and she could barely keep from laughing. She could offer a white lie; she was an adult and knew social niceties.

As she was searching for the right words, her silence and hesitation had already provided an answer. Ding Qing said softly:

“Ms. Liu, do you rarely compliment yourself as well?”

“Eh?” Liu Yitong froze.

“That won’t do. You can’t ignore the effort your mother is putting in to overcome her ‘deficiencies’ just because she used to achieve ‘excellence’ effortlessly. Anyone who tries hard deserves praise. Praise your mother, okay?”

Liu Yitong was sharp; she knew Ding Qing was implying something. She lowered her eyes, gave a polite and restrained response that she had learned, then turned back to Liu Lin. “Mom, you’re amazing. You’ve made so much progress.”

Sure enough, Liu Lin beamed. The wrinkles at the corners of her eyes folded like a little girl’s bubble skirt. Her emotion was infectious, making Liu Yitong feel genuinely pleased.

After a few minutes of small talk, Ding Qing said it was time for Liu Lin’s nap. Liu Yitong coaxed her mother into going to sleep and ended the call.

The screen went dark. Her hand holding the phone dropped. The smile remained on her lips, but the light in her eyes faded bit by bit.

Waking up this morning to find more variables proved her condition was worsening. But she was busy; life was pushing her forward, and she couldn’t stop to rest. She had no time to see a doctor.

She was sick, and she missed her mother. She had just finished a call, yet the more they talked, the more she missed her. She wanted to lean on her mother, but she couldn’t. Now, her mother was leaning on her.

Liu Yitong’s eyes stung slightly. During the call, Ding Qing hadn’t overstepped, but Liu Yitong realized she had unconsciously developed a long-standing bad habit.

The newly enlightened girl thought awkwardly: I worked hard today. Can I get a compliment too?

She raised her hand. Her knuckles were a bit stiff. She raised her wrist higher, and higher, until it reached the top of her head. She tentatively rubbed her own hair twice, simulating a protector’s affection.

“You’re amazing.”

She said it very quietly. Like her left hand touching her right, or a stone hitting a rock. She felt no inner movement, only a sense of resistance. Praising myself, validating myself… it doesn’t seem that necessary.

“Pathetic,” she whispered to herself, pulling her hand away. “It’s just what’s expected.”

The afternoon work involved scenes with Ruan Minxue. Unexpectedly, Liu Yitong appeared even calmer than usual. Extreme environments seemed to trigger her peak potential. When the assistant director, Yue Yi, came to run through the flow, her composure was so steady that Yue Yi couldn’t help but comment that she looked like a veteran actress who wasn’t even nervous about acting with Ruan Minxue.

Liu Yitong only responded with a smile. Once the woman left, she silently squeezed her cold, trembling fingertips.

She heard a commotion and followed the sound. Ruan Minxue had changed into her costume and returned to the set, dressed in sophisticated office wear: a cream silk blouse slightly open at the collar to reveal her sharp collarbones, and a black skirt that hugged the curves of her hips. Her long hair was pinned in a low, elegant bun, with a single curled lock resting against her ear, allowing a glimpse of the pearl drop on her earlobe.

When Ruan spoke, the pearl chain swayed gently, catching the light and making her look radiant. Even the sun seemed to favor such a beauty.

Liu Yitong lowered her head to regain her focus, planning to observe others on set to dissipate her nerves. But when she looked up, the atmosphere of the set made her even more tense. The camera crew, sound team, and even the directing staff were all operating at a higher state of energy. All for Ruan Minxue.

There are always those few people whose presence changes the “field” of the environment—inspiring, encouraging, and creating a chain reaction that produces perfect results. The gazes focused on Ruan Minxue reminded Liu Yitong of how arrogant she was: a girl who didn’t easily fall in love, yet gave her heart to someone so globally adored.

“Everyone in position—!”

Zhang Lishen’s voice came through the megaphone, the high frequency distorted by a slight burst of static, which only served to make everyone focus even more.

The first scene of the afternoon was: After Qiao Jing gets into trouble at school, Du Ran arrives late but stays to be scolded together. Upon learning the reason for Qiao Jing’s grievance, she defends her neighbor sister unconditionally, leaving the homeroom teacher speechless. It was primarily a scene between Du Ran and the teacher.

The next scene was the first confrontation between the two leads, requiring an outdoor shot. After a quick transition, Liu Yitong and Ruan Minxue stood together at the school gate’s starting point, waiting. Because the early part of Counter-Kill involved many campus scenes, the crew had rented a nearby middle school. Although it was the weekend, some well-informed students had come to watch the excitement, their heads peeking from a distance, looking at the two stars with envy.

One particularly bold girl couldn’t help but shout: “Sisters—you two look so good together—!”

The unique honesty of adolescence made Liu Yitong smile. Even if the girl likely meant “you both look beautiful,” Liu Yitong privately interpreted it as “you look beautiful standing together.” Her smile brought warmth to her cool features under the setting sun, showing a rare glimpse of the youthfulness appropriate for her age. Light danced on her eyelashes.

She didn’t know how captivating she was when she smiled, nor did she know that for someone who had only seen her cold face, the effect of this smile was doubled. She thought silently: Since an outsider is cheering for us, it shouldn’t be too sudden to look at Ruan Minxue now.

She turned her head and, sure enough, Ruan Minxue was already looking at her.

“The light is perfect right now.”

Ruan Minxue spoke first. As she spoke, the pearl under her ear swayed slightly, reflecting the light. Liu Yitong stared at that point of light and nodded in agreement.

Ruan added, “I’m going to ad-lib a bit later. Can you keep up?”

Though it was a question, it felt like a command. Liu Yitong stiffened, focused, and breathed carefully. Her face remained unruffled. “I can.”

The “safety take” principle usually required actors to first accurately replicate the script. If the director was satisfied, they would then give the actors a chance to improvise or enhance the dramatic conflict. Ruan Minxue skipping the safety take meant she was certain she had a better way than the script. Even though Liu Yitong knew she was an inexperienced novice, she didn’t want to show weakness in front of Ruan Minxue, nor could she refuse.

Hearing her firm answer, Ruan Minxue tilted her head slightly, circled her finger in the air, and added: “It has to be done in one take.”

Liu Yitong understood. The best twilight light only lasted a short time; once it was gone, it was gone. The woman before her, bathed in the gorgeous play of light and shadow, was exceptionally beautiful. That beauty deserved to be frozen by the camera. Liu Yitong decided to give her all to protect this shot.

“I’ll get it in one take,” she promised.

A newcomer’s first scene with a Best Actress was already at maximum difficulty. Merely recreating the script wasn’t enough; she had to catch the other’s unpredictable reactions. Fortunately, since their first meeting, they had been subtly clashing every second. Liu Yitong was a novice at acting, but she was an expert at reacting to Ruan Minxue.

Du Ran and Qiao Jing walked out of the school gate, sharing a look. They were supposed to start talking while maintaining physical distance.

But Ruan Minxue suddenly reached out, her thumb and forefinger pinching Liu Yitong’s cheek. Her smooth fingertips sank slightly into the soft cheek. The girl held her breath, her eyelashes trembling, her mouth puckered by the pinch. After a moment, she lowered her eyes uncomfortably but didn’t pull away. She just hissed as if the wound had been aggravated and said:

“Sister, it hurts.”

“So you actually know what pain is?” Ruan Minxue withdrew her hand but rubbed her fingers together as if savoring the texture. “A face this good… you should know to protect it. It would be a shame to be disfigured.”

“…” Liu Yitong was silent for a long time before muttering, “I thought you were going to blame me for fighting and causing trouble…”

“She hit you first; of course you hit back,” Ruan said. “I’m just thinking, when should I sign you up for martial arts classes? Let you learn how to strike back while protecting yourself.”

“Heh.”

They shared a smile, and the distance between them dissolved.

Everything above was improvisation not in the script. Only then did they proceed with the scripted dialogue. The brief estrangement they hadn’t communicated about was handled as something that didn’t need words and didn’t affect their intimacy, highlighting the core of their relationship: Even with a generation gap, how could a girl lacking love not be moved by an older sister who can empathize with her?

Du Ran and Qiao Jing: the one who could always engage in physical contact without burden was actually transparent in her heart; the one who always avoided closeness but couldn’t bear to refuse was actually full of ambiguous thoughts.

Ruan Minxue was fully in character, constantly offering touches not written in the script. Liu Yitong accepted them and held her own; her reactions were subtle and poignant. With both her body and mind operating at high speeds, Liu Yitong eventually reached a point of overload. Occasionally, her reaction was a bit slow, but she was carried by Ruan Minxue’s gentle, indulgent smile, keeping the scene from falling flat. They played the characters, and the characters, in turn, fed back into them.

Until the most beautiful light of the day faded into the horizon between the mountains and the sky. The set grew dark, requiring artificial lighting. Several people gathered around the monitor to watch the playback. The light and shadow were dreamlike, making both women look stunning, and the atmosphere between them shimmered with an indefinable ambiguity.

Zhang Lishen simply said, “Not bad.”

The rest of the directing staff, seeing the head director was satisfied, praised them directly. They said the interaction was stunning and natural—even those who weren’t into “shipping” wanted to see more of them.

Liu Yitong felt a bit overwhelmed and humbly credited the Best Actress for her guidance. This was a standard, safe response in a senior-junior relationship.

But Ruan Minxue said, “I didn’t guide her. Good acting is just good acting.”

Though it was a rebuttal, it was a firm compliment. Liu Yitong froze, for once not knowing how to respond. Yue Yi nudged her. “When we praise you, you take it as a formality. Now that Sister Ruan has praised you, you have to believe it, right?”

Unused to such praise, Liu Yitong gave an awkward smile. Seeing this, Yue Yi felt for her and encouraged her further: “Yesterday there were still flaws in your lines, but today they were naturally perfect. Truly impressive!”

Liu Yitong was still humble. “It’s nothing, just what’s expected…”

“An actor delivering lines well is expected,” Ruan Minxue interrupted softly. “But delivering them perfectly after just one night is not ‘nothing.'”

The words were like threads passing through her eardrums and straight to her mind. Liu Yitong shuddered and looked up at Ruan Minxue, meeting her meaningful, smiling gaze.

Ruan Minxue raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t something that can be achieved through so-called ‘strong will’ alone. You also had to overcome physical wear and tear. A little less rationality and restraint, and it might have backfired.”

Physical wear and tear…

Liu Yitong pursed her lips. The tongue that had felt normal since the morning now throbbed with a faint sense of presence. She heard Ruan Minxue emphasize:

“You did a wonderful job. That deserves praise.”

Liu Yitong bit her lip and nodded, accepting the compliment. Her heart was in a turmoil. When a child falls and no adult is around, they usually don’t cry. Only when an adult sees them and comforts them do they cry even harder.

Liu Yitong admitted, she felt a little like crying right now. Just a tiny bit.

The night scenes were to be shot at the studio. The crew moved, and actors had to wait in groups for the vans to pick them up. Liu Yitong felt her emotions were too turbulent and didn’t rush onto the first van, saying she’d wait for the next one to compose herself.

The school gate was still open. Having left school too early, she felt sentimental and walked laps around the athletic field. She walked with her head down, the tips of her sneakers brushing against the red and white track, kicking a small pebble.

The pebble rolled and rolled until it was stopped by the tip of a high-heeled shoe coming from the opposite direction.

Liu Yitong gasped, stopped, and looked up to see Ruan Minxue. Ruan Minxue hadn’t left on the first van either.

“Sister… Ruan.” Liu Yitong was stunned for a moment before regaining her composure. “You’re here too.”

“Mm,” Ruan Minxue replied casually. She turned naturally and began walking in the same direction as Liu Yitong.

Liu Yitong had never imagined she would actually walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Ruan Minxue. Her head was spinning, and she struggled to find a topic. “Thank you for the compliment today, Sister Ruan. It means a lot to me…”

“It wasn’t a compliment, just the facts,” Ruan Minxue laughed softly. “Hearing your lines today, I finally figured out why your tongue was injured last night.”

“Last night?” Liu Yitong was suddenly wide awake.

Ruan Minxue turned to look at her, still smiling with total understanding. “So, as I thought, you really did forget about last night.”

Shocked, Liu Yitong stopped in her tracks. Ruan Minxue kept walking forward with her hands behind her back. Looking at her slowly receding back, Liu Yitong’s heart felt like a surging ocean tide.

The surface of the deep sea was calm, but inside it was humming with chaos. Countless biological activities and geological forces left their marks there.

The bite inhibitor. The water glass. The blanket. The diary. …The exceptionally peaceful sleep.

The fantasies Liu Yitong didn’t even dare to dream had become reality. The clues she saw this morning weren’t from her own sleepwalking antics—someone had actually been with her. And that person… was Ruan Minxue.

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