Waking Up to a Contract Marriage with the Film Queen - Chapter 13

Le Yiqiu returned to her room and freshened up. Lying on the hotel bed, she stared quietly at the ceiling.

These past few days had felt like a dream. Her memories were frozen at eighteen, yet her time had jumped to twenty-eight. Whether it was time travel or amnesia didn’t really matter; the reality was what it was. All she could do was focus on improving her current situation.

The first step was already complete: she had successfully joined the film crew to study. And aside from studying, of course, there was the matter of falling in love.

She replayed her interactions with Lin Xianing in her head. She had noticed that Lin Xianing wasn’t entirely indifferent toward her—the faint flush on her earlobes when Le Yiqiu confessed, and that flicker of helplessness, anticipation, and confusion when she mentioned courting her.

Lin Xianing wasn’t as cold as she acted; there had to be a reason for her distance. Then again, they had a signed contract. According to the agreement, if either party developed real feelings, the contract was voided, and they would divorce unconditionally. Whether their current marriage could survive didn’t matter much to Le Yiqiu—after all, you could always get remarried after a divorce.

What mattered was how to get Lin Xianing to date her. Plotting out “wife-chasing” strategies in her mind, she eventually drifted off to sleep.

In the morning, Le Yiqiu was jolted awake by her alarm. She rolled over groggily, blinking her eyes open. Through the heavy curtains, she couldn’t tell what the weather was like. She reached out to flip the light switch, illuminating the room.

She lay there for a moment, took a deep breath, and sat up. After a wide yawn, she wobbled out of bed. Today was her first official day on the job, and now that she was awake, she was genuinely excited to see what she would learn.

She got ready quickly. In the sweltering summer, a T-shirt was the standard uniform. Skirts were impractical on set, and she was afraid of getting tanned in shorts, so she settled on casual trousers and a sun-protection jacket. Pulling her hair into a simple ponytail, she looked like a college student who hadn’t even graduated yet.

Who would believe she was nearly thirty?

People’s ages were hard to tell these days, but usually, that vibrant, youthful aura fades as the years go by. The youth that had long vanished from the twenty-eight-year-old Le Yiqiu had returned in full force, fueled by her eighteen-year-old soul.

Leaving the hotel, she ran right into Lin Xianing.

Catching sight of Le Yiqiu’s outfit and the energy she radiated, Lin Xianing felt a sudden surge of deja vu—transported back to a summer years ago, watching a carefree, spirited girl swing a racket and pour her heart out on a court.

Just as Lin Xianing looked, Le Yiqiu turned around. Lin Xianing immediately averted her gaze, pretending to be indifferent.

Le Yiqiu noticed nothing. Seeing it was Lin Xianing, she flashed a bright smile. “Morning, Teacher Lin!”

She understood the rules; they had to keep their distance in public. Since she hadn’t been in the public eye for years, there was very little information about her online. Unless someone was looking for it, no one would ever suspect their relationship.

Lin Xianing found herself unintentionally swept up by the girl’s energy and offered a small smile in return. “Morning.”

Beside her, Chen Tao, the assistant, looked noticeably sour. Unlike the public, Chen Tao had been by Lin Xianing’s side for years and knew far too much about the history between these two.

In Luo Luo’s eyes, Lin Xianing wasn’t a good wife. Similarly, in Chen Tao’s eyes, Le Yiqiu was a terrible one.

In all their years of marriage, Le Yiqiu had never once visited Lin Xianing on set. Chen Tao recalled that every time she saw Le Yiqiu, it was at the couple’s home. She would only catch a glimpse of the woman when dropping Lin Xianing off. Back then, Le Yiqiu had always seemed listless, shrouded in an air of apathy as if nothing in the world could interest her.

Even when Lin Xianing came home stumbling drunk, Le Yiqiu’s expression never shifted. She would just impassively help her onto the sofa and pour a glass of water. Chen Tao often worried that if she left, her boss would just be left to sleep on the couch all night. But since she couldn’t linger in their private home, she always had to leave.

Since last year, Lin Xianing had stopped going home altogether, choosing to stay out. Chen Tao knew then that the marriage was nearing its end. A relationship this painful is better off over, she had thought more than once.

Because of those memories, Chen Tao had a very poor impression of Le Yiqiu. This was her first time seeing her out in the world, and the change was jarring. The silent, languid woman seemed like a phantom; this warm, cheerful person felt like the truth. Chen Tao couldn’t understand how someone could change so drastically, but that didn’t stop her from holding onto her grudge.

After the greeting, Le Yiqiu headed for the crew’s shuttle bus. Lin Xianing had her own luxury van and wouldn’t be joining her. Lin Xianing’s eyes darkened slightly as she watched Le Yiqiu board the bus.

Once on the shuttle, Le Yiqiu’s brow furrowed. The smell was… not great. In the summer, people sweat, and if a bus isn’t aired out properly, the scent becomes stifling. She had always hated the smell of buses, and this was making her nauseous.

After a few minutes, she couldn’t take it anymore. Realizing she had enough time, she hopped off, deciding to walk to the set instead.

On the way, she stopped at a breakfast stall for a bowl of clear broth noodles. Eating hot soup in the summer heat left a fine sheen of sweat on her forehead. She didn’t mind. She used the stall’s sink to wash her hands and then applied a layer of light, fragrant hand cream. A girl like me has to keep her hands well-maintained, she thought.

The Film City was well-equipped, with streets lined with shops and teeming with people. Near the hotels, you could find anything you needed for food or entertainment. It was a ten-minute drive to the set, which meant at least a thirty to forty-minute walk.

She had only been walking for a little while before she started huffing. Her twenty-eight-year-old body had been sedentary for far too long; it wasn’t built for long-distance trekking. Thankfully, the light exercise she’d been doing lately helped her push through.

Every so often, she would find a patch of shade to catch her breath. Suddenly, she noticed a row of electric scooter shops on the right side of the street. She beamed. I don’t have to walk to work anymore!

Without a second thought, she marched into a shop. A few minutes later, she rode out on a small, vibrant green electric scooter, complete with a matching green helmet. It was cute, but the look was… a bit peculiar. A green scooter was one thing, but a green hat carried a certain cultural connotation in China (symbolizing being a cuckold) that most people avoided.

However, the morning commuters were in too much of a rush to care. It wasn’t until she reached the set that she drew a few double-takes.

Le Yiqiu rode through the gates with zero shame. After a quick loop, she decided to park her scooter right next to the row of luxury celebrity vans. Parking is parking, and a scooter is a vehicle, right?

She didn’t notice someone standing by a car watching her. Once the scooter was settled, she casually hung her helmet on the handlebars. Tucked in the front basket was a second helmet—a bright pink one. Red and green, she thought, now that’s what I call a sense of style.

The reason she’d bought two was, of course, for a date.

Le Yiqiu glanced at the helmets, then scanned the area for Lin Xianing. As it happened, Lin Xianing was already watching her. Since there were too many people around to talk, Le Yiqiu pulled out her phone, typed a few words, and then waved the device at Lin Xianing to signal a message.

Lin Xianing checked her phone. A faint, hidden smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

Le Yiqiu: I’ll take you to the night market on my scooter tonight.

While eating breakfast, Le Yiqiu had overheard people saying the Film City was hosting a month-long lantern festival. It had started on Qixi (Chinese Valentine’s Day) and was supposed to be much more lively than the usual night markets. Back in her “eighteen-year-old” days, she loved nothing more than hitting the night markets near school.

She wanted to share the things she loved with the person she loved. Lin Xianing was the first person she thought of.

After reading the message, Lin Xianing looked up to find Le Yiqiu, but the girl had already walked away. Her retreating back looked exceptionally cheerful, as if she were buzzing with anticipation for a reply.

Lin Xianing’s eyes flickered with a complicated emotion. She handed the phone back to her assistant, offering no reply at all.

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