Transmigrated as the Contracted Alpha Who Marked the Film Queen - Chapter 85

Lu Xian didn’t go too far after pressing her lips against Ling Tingyu’s delicate skin for a few seconds, she withdrew.

Being kissed by Lu Xian first thing in the morning was a bit overwhelming for Ling Tingyu.

Lu Xian’s lips were warm, and when they met hers, a soft sound escaped Ling Tingyu’s lips. By the time she realized it, faint red marks had already bloomed across her slender waist.

“Jiejie, I have to go to the set for reshoots later. You should rest well in the room today.” Lu Xian got up from her, but Ling Tingyu caught her wrist.

Ling Tingyu had been thoroughly teased, expecting her to continue, but Lu Xian stopped.

“Lu Xian…” Ling Tingyu called out in a soft, delicate voice, sitting up to wrap her arms around Lu Xian’s neck.

She nestled weakly in Lu Xian’s embrace, unwilling to let her go.

“What’s wrong, jiejie?” Lu Xian held her waist, pressing warm lips to her smooth forehead.

Ling Tingyu tilted her face up to kiss her. “Not enough…”

Lu Xian hugged her and kissed her for a while before saying, “Jiejie, wait for me to come back.”

“Mmm…” Ling Tingyu let Lu Xian tuck her into the blankets, soothing her to sleep before finally leaving.

The filming progress for Waiting for the Rain to Stop had gone much faster than expected. When Lu Xian wrapped up her final scene, the crew erupted in cheers and applause.

Jiang Shuyi handed her a bouquet of flowers. “Happy wrap-up!”

“Thank you, Director Jiang.” Lu Xian accepted it with a smile. “Happy wrap-up.”

“I’ve booked our flight back to Jingzhou tonight. We leave in an hour.” Jiang Shuyi sent her the license plate number of their rental car.

By the time they arrived in Jingzhou, it was nearly midnight. As soon as they stepped off the plane, Ling Tingyu leaned drowsily against Lu Xian. “So sleepy…”

Lu Li came to pick them up. “Get in the car.”

Lu Xian carried her inside. “Jiejie, sleep for a bit.”

“Mmm.” Ling Tingyu nuzzled against her neck, too exhausted to stay awake any longer.

Lu Li glanced at them through the rearview mirror. “Tingyu seems really worn out lately.”

“Yeah.” Lu Xian nodded. “She hasn’t had much time to rest properly.”

After returning from the neighboring city, Ling Tingyu stayed home to recuperate while Lu Xian immediately joined the cast of a serious drama.

This time, when Ling Tingyu wanted to follow her to the set, Lu Xian refused, worried she’d overexert herself.

Left with no choice, Ling Tingyu stayed home, waiting for Lu Xian to return each day.

Halfway through filming the serious drama, Lu Xian received a call from Jiang Shuyi. “Waiting for the Rain to Stop will premiere online next Friday!”

Lu Xian had just finished shooting for the day when she heard the news and immediately wanted to share it with Ling Tingyu.

From filming to release, Waiting for the Rain to Stop had been an unusually smooth process.

Excited, Lu Xian asked, “Director Jiang, what should I do now?”

“Just cooperate with the company’s promotional efforts,” Jiang Shuyi said with a laugh. “After that, we wait for the premiere and see how it performs.”

Lu Xian nodded. “Got it.”

After hanging up, she drafted a promotional post and shared it on Weibo.

Though Lu Xian had a small fanbase, the comments under her post were mostly dominated by fans of the original novel.

[Please don’t ruin the adaptation!]

Most of the responses were dismissive, expressing sympathy for the source material.

Lu Xian took a deep breath and closed the comment section.

Jiang Shuyi messaged her: “Don’t mind the online chatter. Let the work speak for itself after the premiere. I have faith in it.”

Her words gave Lu Xian confidence and reassurance.

“Waiting for the Rain to Stop” premiered during the winter break season, competing with several other highly anticipated web dramas. Based on early promotions, expectations for “Waiting for the Rain to Stop” weren’t particularly high.

Especially with the overwhelming negative voices online, Lu Xian felt a growing sense of unease. Just as she was about to exit Weibo, she noticed an increasing number of reposts and mentions.

Upon opening it, she realized Ling Tingyu had reposted her drama promotion post.

[“My wife’s new drama is about to premiere, please give it your support!”]

Shortly after, Lu Xian received a call from Ling Tingyu, whose voice sounded groggy through the receiver: “Lu Xian, are you back yet?”

“Jiejie, I’m on my way home now.” Driving back, Lu Xian felt much lighter, eager to see her sister as soon as possible.

Ling Tingyu chuckled softly: “Then I’ll wait for you.”

…

On the day of the premiere, Lu Xian took leave from the set to watch the drama at home with Ling Tingyu.

At 8 p.m., Lu Xian brought over a plate of cut fruit and settled onto the sofa, feeding Ling Tingyu a piece.

Ling Tingyu took a bite, leaving the other half for Lu Xian to finish.

“Lu Xian, are you nervous?” Ling Tingyu nestled against her, reminiscing. “Thinking back to when my first lead role aired, I remember being incredibly nervous.”

Lu Xian met her gaze. “Very nervous. But seeing my work on the big screen, it’s mostly happiness.”

“Mhm.” Ling Tingyu smiled. “And a sense of accomplishment. Then you’ll grow to love filming more and more.”

Waiting for a drama to air had always been the most anticipated part of filming. Now, Ling Tingyu completely understood how Lu Xian felt.

She squeezed Lu Xian’s hand. “Don’t be nervous.”

Lu Xian’s phone buzzed, Wen Tian was calling via video.

When Lu Xian answered, Ling Tingyu appeared in the frame as well.

Wen Tian, who hadn’t seen Ling Tingyu in a while, excitedly signed: [Sister Tingyu, long time no see!]

Ling Tingyu smiled. “Long time no see. Are you on winter break?”

[Yes! I knew Lu Xian’s drama was airing today, so I dragged my classmates to watch it with me. Now our whole class is gathered around the computer.]

When Wen Tian learned about the premiere, she had tirelessly promoted it, first in her own class, then even in neighboring ones.

Lu Xian was touched. “You’ve worked hard.”

“I helped with promotions too!” You Yijia’s face suddenly appeared in Wen Tian’s video. Wen Tian quickly moved the camera away, gesturing for her to stay quiet.

“You Yijia?” Lu Xian straightened. “Why are you at Wen Tian’s place?”

You Yijia grinned sheepishly. “I helped Wen Tian move a few days ago. Her parents were so hospitable they invited me over for dinner.”

Wen Tian’s cheeks flushed as she signed at You Yijia: [Dinner’s over. You can leave now.]

“I’m in no rush.” You Yijia sat on Wen Tian’s small, soft bed. “I’ll stay until the drama’s done.”

[No!] Wen Tian tugged at her arm, trying to push her out, but You Yijia refused to budge. Frustrated, Wen Tian rolled up her sleeves: [Want me to throw you out?]

“Tian Tian…” You Yijia frowned slightly. “I’ll leave soon.”

Watching their playful scuffle, Lu Xian and Ling Tingyu couldn’t help but laugh.

Wen Tian huffed and picked up the phone again. [Gotta go, I need to kick You Yijia out. Bye, Sister Tingyu! Bye, Lu Xian!]

When the video call ended, Lu Xian belatedly gasped, “Why is You Yijia still in contact with Wen Tian?”

Lately, every time You Yijia spoke with Lu Xian, Wen Tian’s name would inevitably come up.

Lu Xian hesitated, “Could it be that You Yijia…”

Ling Tingyu chuckled and pinched Lu Xian’s cheek. “You’re absolutely right.”

“…” Lu Xian was stunned. The fact that You Yijia had feelings for Wen Tian was so obvious, yet she’d only just realized it.

“Alright, don’t overthink it.” Ling Tingyu glanced at the time. “The show is about to start.”

At exactly eight o’clock, the TV screen lit up with “Waiting for the Rain to Stop.”

As the theme song played, Lu Xian tightened her grip on Ling Tingyu’s hand, her palms sweating with nervousness.

After the first four episodes aired, both women were left wanting more.

Ling Tingyu, still immersed in the story, finally snapped out of it and said, “Lu Xian, I’m certain this drama’s ratings will be phenomenal.”

From the very first episode, they were completely drawn in, their emotions following the plot’s twists and turns. Before they knew it, four episodes had flown by, leaving them craving more.

As the episodes concluded, fans flooded Weibo with demands:

[Can’t wait! Release more episodes soon!]

[So excited to see how the story unfolds!]

A week into the broadcast, Jiang Shuyi monitored the backend data closely. While initial viewership wasn’t exceptionally high, retention rates were impressive, with consistent numbers across the first four episodes, proof that viewers who tuned in were hooked.

Wei Han asked, “Director Jiang, should we buy some trending topics for promotion?”

“This drama doesn’t need paid promotions. Too much hype might backfire.” Jiang Shuyi proposed an alternative: “Have the marketing team create more sweet clips to attract viewers. Reward the most creative edits.”

“Understood.” Wei Han relayed the instructions, and the marketing team sprang into action.

Jiang Shuyi’s strategy proved effective. Once the romantic compilation clips were released, audiences were captivated.

[Just from these clips, I’m already tempted to watch. Is it really this sweet?]

[Rom-coms are the best!]

[I’ve finished it, it’s amazing!]

[Totally worth it! Everyone should watch it!]

Before the marketing team could produce more edits, they discovered countless fan-made compilations circulating online. As these fan edits multiplied, the drama’s viewership soared.

When Lu Xian checked Weibo again, she was stunned her follower count had skyrocketed by three million, and her inbox was flooded.

[Lu Xian is the perfect Ling Xi, no arguments!]

[I admit I judged you too harshly before. I apologize, you’re incredible in this role!]

[From now on, I’m your biggest fan!]

For the first time, Lu Xian truly felt the thrill of rising fame.

[Thank you all for your support! I’ll keep working hard!] she posted on Weibo. Within minutes, comments poured in, surpassing ten thousand in no time.

Lu Xian was utterly astonished.

By the time the series concluded, Jiang Shuyi summoned Lu Xian to the office. “Waiting for the Rain to Stop” has topped both viewership and popularity charts,” she announced.

Jiang Shuyi’s initial investment had multiplied several times over.

“Lu Xian, several media outlets want interviews in the coming days. I’ll need you to cooperate, it’ll be tiring, but worth it.”

“It’s no trouble at all,” Lu Xian said with a smile. “Director Jiang, feel free to assign me any work. I’ll do my best.”

“Good.” Jiang Shuyi patted Lu Xian’s shoulder. “Are you ready for fame?”

The question caught Lu Xian slightly off guard. Truthfully, she wasn’t fully prepared for sudden popularity and was still adjusting.

Jiang Shuyi reassured her, “Relax. Leave any problems to me.”

With Jiang Shuyi’s support, Lu Xian felt more confident. “Thank you, Director Jiang.”

……

At Jingzhou Broadcasting Station.

Ling Tingyu accompanied Lu Xian for the interview.

While Lu Xian was getting her makeup done backstage, she reviewed the interview script during the wait.

When the interview officially began, Lu Xian was still nervous.

Ling Tingyu walked over and hugged her, gently patting her back in encouragement. “Relax, I’m right here with you.”

Lu Xian exhaled softly. “Sister, I’ll do my best.”

The host began the introduction: “We’re delighted to have with us today Lu Xian, the lead actress of the hit drama Waiting for the Rain to Stop.”

The twenty-minute interview revolved around the show’s plot.

The host smiled throughout as she asked, “During the filming of Waiting for the Rain to Stop, was Ling Tingyu always by your side?”

Ling Tingyu was sitting in the audience at that moment. Lu Xian nodded and replied, “Yes. Having my sister with me makes me feel at ease.”

The host teased, “You two seem really sweet together.”

After the interview ended, Lu Xian finally relaxed. “Sister, how did I do? Did I say anything wrong?”

“You were amazing,” Ling Tingyu said, holding her hand as they walked out. “Much better than my first interview. I was so nervous back then, I didn’t even know where to put my hands.”

This was the first time Lu Xian had heard Ling Tingyu mention such things.

When she had read about Ling Tingyu’s rise to fame, the details were sparse. Lu Xian had assumed Ling Tingyu never struggled with nerves.

Now, whenever Lu Xian attended events, Ling Tingyu was always there beside her, reassuring her not to worry.

Lu Xian felt grateful to be by Ling Tingyu’s side now. “Sister, I’ll always be with you from now on, just like you’re here for me.”

Ling Tingyu tilted her head slightly to look at her. “I don’t get nervous anymore, though.”

Lu Xian said earnestly, “Sister, I want to be with you.”

Having missed out on Ling Tingyu’s past, Lu Xian wanted to make up for it however she could.

“Let’s go home, sister,” Lu Xian reached out her hand. “I’ll cook something delicious for you.”

“Mm, I’m starving.” Ling Tingyu took her hand, their fingers intertwining as they walked back.

The parking lot was a short distance from the station. Lu Xian held Ling Tingyu’s hand as they strolled along the sidewalk.

“Aren’t you tired, sister?” Lu Xian pulled her close. “You’ve been running around with me to all these events these past few days. You must be exhausted.”

“Not at all.” Ling Tingyu leaned against her, enveloped in a sense of security.

“Time with you is when I feel most at ease.” She would never feel tired.

Lu Xian wrapped her arms around Ling Tingyu from behind as they walked, then bent down to press a kiss against her soft, fair cheek.

“Mmm…” Ling Tingyu felt the warmth of the kiss against her face.

After pulling away, Lu Xian turned to open the car door. “Get in, sister.”

Once Ling Tingyu was seated, Lu Xian leaned in to fasten her seatbelt.

“Lu Xian…” Ling Tingyu looped her arms around Lu Xian’s neck, her gaze lingering on her lips.

Lu Xian chuckled and leaned in closer. “Here, sister. Kiss me.”

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