MQSP - Chapter 39
Chapter 39
"What are you doing? Waiting for me to help you undress?" Su Yu saw the little one pitifully hugging her skinny self and couldn't resist teasing her.
"No, no, no, I'll do it myself, I'll do it…" Baiye said, secretly glancing at Auntie Lin, instinctively hoping she would come to her rescue. But then she remembered that the director had insisted she take off her clothes for this scene, so there was probably nothing Lin Yuqing could do to change that.
Lin Yuqing met her gaze and seemed to misinterpret her meaning. "You want me to help you?" she asked, surprised.
"Pfft! Of course not!"
"Let me explain briefly. This part is mainly about Yuqing's character. After the city was massacred, the King believes you have rebellious intentions and specifically orders you to escort her back to the capital. You know full well that this is a death trap and that nothing good will come of your return. However, you still hold a final shred of hope for the monarch you have served for so many years and decide to go. In this moment, you feel a sense of parting sorrow for An Xi. You're afraid she'll worry, and you're also afraid she'll try to stop you. But deep down, you're conflicted and really want to tell her about the things weighing on your heart."
"You can be more affectionate here, more intimate is fine too. You can improvise the specific actions; I won't set any limits for you. If you really can't manage it, you can simply have her rest her head on your lap. I won't say any more about that."
After speaking, Su Yu turned to look at Baiye. "An Xi's part here is mainly to be a little difficult, throw a small tantrum, act a little cute, that sort of thing. You can figure it out. Can you do that?"
Baiye nodded and looked at Lin Yuqing, who was frowning deeply. Please don't let her act cute…
"A few keywords: deep affection, parting sorrow, reluctance. Alright? You two take a moment to get into character. Baiye, hurry up and take off your clothes."
Assistant Wang Qiong brought over a long robe. She and another staff member held it open, shielding Xiao Ye from view. They both turned their heads away. "Okay, you can take it off. We're not looking."
Baiye hesitated for a moment, then steeled herself and pulled off her t-shirt. She immediately wrapped the robe around herself and obediently lay down on the bed, facing inward, waiting for filming to begin.
Su Yu glanced at Lin Yuqing and gave her a signal. The latter nodded, indicating she was ready.
Lin Yuqing got up and walked to the entrance of the tent. Just as she lifted the flap, she nearly ran into Xue Yuexian, who was shamelessly peeking through a crack…
Lin Yuqing didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This woman was being quite attentive to Xiao Ye this time, and it had surprisingly lasted for so many days. Ignoring her, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment, and by the time she lifted the flap and entered the tent, she was already in character.
An Luocheng entered the tent with extremely light steps. She walked to the side of the bed, leaned down, and looked. An Xi was facing inward with her eyes tightly shut, seemingly asleep. She sat down quietly by the bed, afraid of waking the sleeping girl.
She carefully lifted the robe covering An Xi. The moment her fragrant shoulders were exposed, the little one clearly stirred.
Su Yu was about to yell "cut," but she saw the girl on the bed turn her head and shoot Lin Yuqing a resentful glare. "Hmph." With a huff, she turned her back again, even pulling the robe up to cover herself.
Su Yu was amused by her action. The kid was pretty good at saving the scene, so she didn't interrupt the take.
An Luocheng was taken aback by her glance for a moment, then gave a wry smile. She placed a hand on her waist, stroking it gently, her brow furrowed as she stared ahead as if lost in thought. After a long pause, she lowered her head to look at the little one on the bed. "Let me see?" Her tone was entirely consultative, with none of the commanding presence of a general who led three armies.
Hearing this, An Xi scooted further inward, completely ignoring her.
An Luocheng was a little helpless. She patted her small head. "Don't be angry. Let me see." Her voice was gentle, utterly doting.
Su Yu clicked her tongue from the side, whispering to Wang Qiong, "I've never heard her speak to anyone so gently before."
"+1," Wang Qiong nodded eagerly, her eyes glued to Lin Yuqing's gaze, which was brimming with affection. If only she would look at me like that~~~
"Hmph…" An Xi grumbled softly, but she had compromised.
When the robe was pulled down, revealing the several gruesome scars, Lin Yuqing's brow furrowed sharply. Although she had seen them several times already, her heart still felt a sharp, needle-like pain.
An Luocheng sighed inwardly. "Today, I hit you too hard." Her words carried a hint of self-reproach.
"Hmph." An Xi grumbled, glancing at An Luocheng and noticing her gloomy expression. "I… I'm fine. I'm tough, I can take a beating," she said, trying to comfort her stubbornly.
An Luocheng pulled the robe down a little further, until the scars were fully exposed.
She picked up the small white medicine bottle from the side, dabbed some of the liquid on her finger, and carefully applied it to the wounds.
"Hiss…" An Xi cried out in pain, arching her back.
Lin Yuqing was startled, afraid she had really hurt Xiao Ye. She immediately slipped her left arm under her, pulling her into an embrace. She leaned down and gently blew on her wounds, her worry completely visible on her face.
Su Yu and Wang Qiong were dumbfounded. "When did she become so uninhibited when filming intimate scenes?"
"Teacher… Teacher Lin!!!" Xiao Ye was stunned when she was suddenly embraced, then her face filled with embarrassment. Auntie Lin's arm was wrapped right around her chest, not an inch off… It would have been fine any other time, but right now, she was only wearing a thin pasty… This was too weird!!!
"Tsk, it's rare for Yuqing to be in such a good state. What are you yelling for! I didn't call cut, so you're not allowed to interrupt her," Su Yu said, displeased.
"Um… s-sorry."
"Hold that position, don't move. Get a close-up," she called to the cameraman nearby.
"Alright, let's do it again from the top. Act just like that. I like that feeling."
Lin Yuqing nodded and was about to get up.
"Teacher Lin…" Baiye called out to her softly.
"Hm?"
The little one looked troubled. "When… when you hold me later, can you move your arm up just a little bit? You can even choke my neck!"
"What are you doing, planning a murder?" Su Yu overheard and shot back. "Do it just like before. There's no one watching, so what's there to be shy about!"
"Yuqing, you can go deeper, improvise more. This feeling is excellent, keep it up."
"Baiye, don't be so bashful. The person in front of you is the one closest to you, the one you'll entrust your life to. What is there to be shy about with her?"
Su Yu's casual words set off a tidal wave in the little one's heart.
The person in front of you is the one closest to you, the one you'll entrust your life to…
They started again and smoothly reached the same point. An Luocheng held An Xi in her arms, gently blowing on her scars.
Baiye's mind was filled with the phrase the one closest to you, the one you'll entrust your life to. She felt that Auntie Lin's embrace was warm and steady. Her initial shyness was gone, replaced by a sense of enjoyment. She tilted her little head and rested it on Auntie Lin's chest, savoring the tenderness she was given.
The two of them just held each other, greedy for the other's warmth…
"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing! Say your lines! Have you two gotten addicted to hugging or something?" Su Yu had been waiting for nearly five minutes, and the longer she watched, the stranger it felt. The two of them were just holding each other, not moving at all, each with a look of pure bliss on their face. What the hell!
"Ahem…" Lin Yuqing collected herself and looked down at the little one in her arms, who was still enjoying the moment. "Focus on acting! What are you thinking about!" she chided, displeased.
"This part is your line!" Su Yu mercilessly exposed her.
"Um…"
Lin Yuqing's old face flushed red. She released the little one and turned to leave again.
Baiye looked at Su Yu with a pleading gaze. "Maybe we shouldn't do the hug after all…" She looked so pitiful. Auntie Lin's embrace was comfortable, but being held by Auntie Lin while naked was just… too weird, ahhh!!
"Unless you have a better way of expressing it."
Lin Yuqing frowned. A better way of expressing it…
They started again. When An Luocheng dabbed the ointment on An Xi's back, the little one's body trembled, but she didn't arch up as before. She didn't move from the bed at all, so Lin Yuqing had no way to hold her.
"Hey, what are you doing? Why is there no reaction at all?"
"I… it doesn't hurt!" Baiye said stubbornly, her neck stiff with defiance.
Su Yu didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She walked over, rolled up her sleeves, and feigned hitting her. "You can't act properly, is that it?"
"Ooh… I can…"
"Alright, it's fine. We'll just do it again. I won't hold you this time. Just focus," Lin Yuqing quickly interjected to smooth things over.
"Okay!" Baiye nodded eagerly. Auntie Lin was the best!
Only Auntie Lin would try to save her from excessive embarrassment. Director Su and the others were all bad people, hmph!
Baiye silently made a mental note.
"Why are you out again? How many NGs has it been? Do you even know how to act? You might as well let me do it. Bed scenes are my specialty," Xue Yuexian said, glancing at Lin Yuqing with disdain.
"You'd better not get any ideas about her again. Otherwise, I guarantee you'll regret it," Fang Yi said faintly from the side. Then she gave Lin Yuqing a slight smile, which left Lin Yuqing stunned, unable to understand its meaning.
They started again. An Luocheng sat by the bed, clutching the medicine bottle in her hand but not applying it to An Xi's back. She just held it tightly.
"Xiao Xi, you've grown up. It's time for you to stand on your own."
An Xi was taken aback. She turned her head to look at An Luocheng. "A-Niang, what do you mean by that?"
An Luocheng didn't say much, only offering her a slight smile. As she got up to leave, An Xi grabbed her wrist.
"You… you're just leaving like that?" An Xi's eyes darted around.
An Luocheng looked at her with some confusion. "Didn't I just say I hit you too hard? And you said you were fine. What more do you want?"
An Xi pursed her lips and flung An Luocheng's hand away. "Fine, fine, you can go! Just leave me here to die in pain!"
An Luocheng smiled, looking at the pouting little one, and returned to sit by the bed. "Then I'll stay with you for a while?"
"This… you're the one who wanted to stay with me." An Xi put on a reluctant act, the very picture of tsundere pride.
An Luocheng looked a little helpless. "Why do you always say the opposite of what you mean?" Her tone was full of mock disdain.
"Hmph!" An Xi smiled and scooted closer to her.
An Luocheng said nothing, gently stroking her waist.
"In a few days, I… will escort Her Majesty back to the capital."
"Escort Her Majesty? That's strange. She didn't ask you to escort her when she came, so why is she putting on airs on the way back…"
An Luocheng didn't speak. An Xi frowned, studying An Luocheng's expression carefully. She felt that something wasn't right.
"Her Majesty specifically requested you to escort her?"
"Yes."
"Then that's even stranger. We just captured Canglan City, and it's not yet secure. How can they transfer the commander-in-chief away? Isn't she afraid the Yu army will launch a surprise counterattack?"
"Don't overthink it. While I'm gone, all matters in the camp will be handed over to you and Liang'er to manage." An Luocheng raised a hand to pat her head, as if she were giving her last instructions.
"A-Niang, what's wrong with you? Did something happen?"
"It's nothing." An Luocheng shook her head, avoiding An Xi's gaze. She pulled the robe up, covering her.
"Rest now. I'll stay here with you."
"Mmm…" An Xi obediently lay down, closing her eyes and feigning sleep. She replayed the events of the past few days in her mind. Suddenly, a shiver ran through her. Her eyes flew open, and she grabbed An Luocheng's hand.
"What is it?" An Luocheng was startled.
"You can't go back!"
An Luocheng's brow furrowed with a hint of impatience.
"I have already decided on this matter. You need not say more."
"Decided? Do you have any idea how dangerous this trip is? Don't you know what kind of person the King of Yi is? How could she possibly let you return safely? This is clearly a death trap!"
An Luocheng's expression darkened, but she remained silent.
Seeing this, An Xi's face grew even paler.
"You… you know? You know, don't you?"
"Don't speculate any further. This time, just consider it the final bottom line for me as a subject."
"But you know she…"
"Enough!" An Luocheng snapped in a low voice, her face stern.
An Xi didn't dare say more. She obediently shut her mouth and remained silent for a long while.
"I'll go back with you," she said with unusual determination.
"There's no need," An Luocheng refused flatly.
"A-Niang…" An Xi placed her hand on her arm and squeezed it tightly. "A-Niang, nothing can happen to you! The An family can't lose you… and I… I can't live without you…" Her voice was choked with a sob.
"What nonsense are you spouting." An Luocheng smiled and patted her head, but behind that smile was a trace of bitterness.
An Xi rested her head on An Luocheng's thigh, and An Luocheng gently stroked her waist. The two of them enjoyed this rare moment of tranquility.
An Luocheng stared at the flickering candlelight for a long time, then looked down at the girl on her lap. An unconscious, faint smile appeared on her lips. She leaned down and placed a light kiss on An Xi's exposed shoulder, then moved her head back onto the pillow, got up, and left.
Baiye's cheeks were burning. Did Auntie Lin just kiss her? She did kiss her, right! Oh my god, Auntie Lin actually kissed her! Even though it was for a scene, still, Auntie Lin kissed her!!!
She was still excited after a while, but the director hadn't called cut. Wasn't it over?
She secretly glanced back at Su Yu and saw her clutching her chest, staring blankly with a lovestruck expression. Next to her, Wang Qiong had the exact same look on her face. What was going on…
"Director Su? Is it over?"
"How can Lin Yuqing be so charming when she kisses someone? So alluring… Now I know why she never does intimate scenes. She's just too damn lethal!"
"I know, right? That gaze was so gentle… so focused. It makes you so envious!!" Wang Qiong shot a mischievous glance at Baiye, making the little one jump. She hadn't done anything!
When Lin Yuqing lifted the flap and came back in, she was still smiling slightly. "Did we get it?"
Seeing Su Yu nod, Lin Yuqing handed Baiye her clothes, then held up the robe that had been covering her to shield her from view, turning her own face to the side.
The little one, her face shy, quickly changed her clothes and followed Lin Yuqing out of the tent, one after the other.
"You weren't really eaten, were you!" When Xue Yuexian saw how red her face was, the worldly boss thought it looked a lot like an afterglow and was terribly worried.
Her words made Baiye wish she could find a hole to crawl into.
"You… you're too much!" She covered her cheeks and ran away.
"Ah… so cute…" Xue Yuexian gazed dreamily at Baiye's retreating back. She really adored her.
After that scene was finished, there was nothing for An Xi to do for the time being. The next parts focused on the power struggle between An Luocheng and the King, An Luocheng's persecution, and so on. It was mainly Lin Yuqing's part.
Baiye could take a short break, nurse her injuries, and prepare for the next big scene: the kiss.
The moment the little one was told her next scene was a kiss, her face was already burning. She remembered the line that had made her feel so embarrassed and had left such a deep impression: "Should I use my tongue…?"
Ugh, so shameless!!
The afternoon shoot was basically the part between An Luocheng and the King. Baiye had wanted to watch for a while to learn, but that Xue Yuexian was constantly fawning over her, which she found incredibly annoying. She had no choice but to leave early.
As they neared the intersection at Linxi Road, Baiye asked Fang Yi to stop the car.
"I need to go to the supermarket to buy some ingredients. You can just drop me here, Auntie Fang."
"Hm? You're going grocery shopping? Do you know how to cook?"
"I can make a few simple home-cooked dishes," Baiye said with an embarrassed smile.
"Oh? When can I try your cooking?"
"I… uh…" Baiye was in a bit of a bind.
"What? Is that not allowed?"
"Uh, maybe when there's a chance…" Baiye replied softly. I only want to cook for the person I like…
"Alright," Fang Yi said with a light, knowing smile.
"Well, Auntie Fang, I'll get going then."
"Okay."
Fang Yi watched Baiye cross the road and enter the supermarket before she drove away.
The moment Lin Yuqing walked through the door, she heard clanging sounds from the kitchen. Without even changing her shoes, she went straight into the kitchen and dragged the little one out by her ear.
"Your injury isn't even healed, and you're already making a fuss again!" she scolded, displeased.
Baiye quickly grabbed the hand pulling her ear and looked at her pitifully. "It's rare that I got back early today, so I wanted to make something nice for you all~" Her tone was a mix of coquettishness and grievance.
Hearing this, Xia Xiaozi went to peek into the kitchen. "Ooh, sweet and sour pork ribs and steamed fish. You can't eat any of this!"
"It's okay! I'm happy just watching you eat! Besides, I can have the stir-fried asparagus lettuce and celtuce~"
Baiye brought the dishes to the table, looking to be in a very good mood. Lin Yuqing was a little puzzled. Did something happen today to make her so happy?
"Dinner's ready!" Baiye served rice for both of them and placed Auntie Lin's separate, smaller portion in front of her.
"Auntie Lin, you worked hard filming. Let's eat!"
Lin Yuqing gave her several long looks, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the favor. Why was the little one acting so strange and attentive today?
Just as they were about to pick up their chopsticks, the doorbell rang. The three of them were visibly stunned. No one ever came to this house. Why would someone be ringing the doorbell?
"It's probably property management," Xia Xiaozi said as she got up to open the door. She looked through the peephole but didn't see anyone.
"Who is it?" she asked, cautiously opening the door a crack.
The door was pushed open. The chopsticks in Baiye's hand fell directly onto the table. She shot up in alarm, staring at the familiar figure standing in the doorway.
"Auntie… Auntie Fang…??" Baiye panicked. Why was Fang Yi here?!
"What, am I not welcome?" Fang Yi glanced at Xia Xiaozi, who was blocking the doorway, and then smiled at her.
Xia Xiaozi panicked too. She subconsciously looked back at Lin Yuqing, waiting for her instructions.
"Since she's already here, let her in." Lin Yuqing didn't show excessive surprise. Instead, she nodded at Xiao Ye, signaling for her to sit down and eat. But Xia Xiaozi could tell at a glance that she was forcing herself to remain calm.
Baiye had no appetite left. Watching Fang Yi walk into the room, her heart was about to leap out of her chest. Never mind how Fang Yi had found this place—had she followed her? Or did she know Auntie Lin lived here? Regardless, she had seen her at Auntie Lin's house. Didn't that mean their relationship could no longer be hidden? This would definitely cause huge trouble for Auntie Lin!!
Seeing the sweat on Baiye's nervous forehead, Fang Yi sat down opposite her and flicked her on the head. "What's wrong with you? Are you that scared of me? I don't eat people."
"Auntie Fang, you… how did you get here…" Baiye's voice trembled slightly. She looked truly terrified.
Fang Yi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. How had she scared the girl this badly? She hadn't even done anything.
"I was afraid that if I didn't show up, someone might put laxatives in my breakfast tomorrow." As she spoke, she shot a sidelong glance at Xia Xiaozi, clearly still holding a grudge about that morning's sandwich.
Lin Yuqing pursed her lips and forced a somewhat strained smile. Her heart was pounding. She subconsciously grabbed Xiao Ye's hand under the table. Although she knew Fang Yi would find out about Xiao Ye's identity sooner or later, she truly hadn't expected it to be so soon.
Baiye looked down at Auntie Lin's hand gripping hers. She could feel the distinct sweat on her palm and squeezed her hand back just as tightly.
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