A OO Love After Officially Announcing with the Best Actress - Chapter 2

The floor manager returned an hour later. Seeing that Lin Ke and Lu Tu were still waiting, he gave the director a call.

The entire call lasted less than a minute.

“She agreed?” Lu Tu was surprised.

The floor manager nodded, hung up, and led the way for Lin Ke and Lu Tu.

Lu Tu nodded repeatedly in agreement, but after being poked by Lin Ke, she reluctantly chimed in: “I wonder which teacher the second female lead is? Will it be a bother if we go over? Is there anything we should pay attention to?”

She was subtly fishing for information about the second lead. The floor manager smiled, looked back at Lin Ke meaningfully, and said, “I wouldn’t dare blab about that. Teacher Lin will see for herself soon enough.”

Lin Ke felt her skin crawl at the manager’s look.

It was almost completely dark now. A breeze tunneled through the long streets and short alleys, making it less hot. An old woman was enjoying the cool air at her courtyard gate, lazily waving a cattail leaf fan.

The environment was a bit like an old Beijing quadrangle, but Xiao Feng—the character Lin Ke was playing—didn’t live here.

Wait, why is there a smell of hotpot?

“We’re here,” the floor manager’s voice interrupted Lin Ke’s thoughts. “Director Shen, Teacher Lin.”

Lu Tu’s expression turned fawning as she bypassed the manager to greet them: “Director Shen—!”

The latter half of the word almost cracked. Lu Tu’s high-pitched tone took a sharp turn, using an even more sycophantic, shrill voice to cover the breaking note: “Ah~ it’s Best Actress Lin! I’ve admired you for so long! Such an honor!”

Lin Ke’s whole body shuddered, and she froze on the spot, completely dumbfounded.

Shen Feng was a major director with many works under her belt. A female Alpha in her early thirties, she lacked the pretension of a big shot and stood up to shake Lu Tu’s hand: “Assistant Lu.”

Another graceful figure stood up as well. She had a slender frame, wearing short sleeves and long pants, in slippers, eating hotpot with a bare face. She looked so simple that she didn’t resemble the influential Best Actress from the internet at all, but her features and physique were top-tier, possessing a natural, effortless elegance.

Lu Tu bowed slightly, wanting to shake Lin Bingran’s hand.

Lin Bingran said, “No need for formalities. My hands are covered in hotpot oil. Have a seat; there are stools nearby.”

Lin Ke tugged at her hot pants, looking like she wanted to shred the denim material.

Lu Tu introduced them: “Xiao Lin, come here quickly. This is Director Shen Feng—you met during the audition—and this is Best Actress Lin.”

“I’m so sorry, Director. Xiao Lin’s flight was delayed today, so we’re late…”

Shen Feng: “It’s fine, as long as you’re here. Nothing important happened today, no delay.”

After the pleasantries, Lu Tu moved aside to make space for Lin Ke.

“Director Shen,” Lin Ke turned her head to look at Lin Bingran. She opened her mouth in terror, but it felt as if her throat was stuck. Her face flushed red, and she coughed twice, squeezing tears from the corners of her eyes.

Lu Tu looked at her like a disappointing child, nearly losing her temper: “Xiao Lin! Greet them!”

Lin Ke couldn’t get the words out. Her eyes were pinned firmly to the bluestone floor.

Shen Feng glanced at Lin Bingran, thinking: Has she really reached the point of loathing her so much she can’t even look at her?

Lin Bingran remained unruffled. Holding a cup of clear tea, she calmly sipped it through the swirling steam of the hotpot.

The scene was suffocating. Lu Tu couldn’t bear to watch.

Shen Feng observed, neither intervening nor speaking up. Lin Bingran and Lin Ke were playing dual leads; they would be working together and seeing each other constantly. Being a peacemaker now was meaningless.

Besides, in her decade-plus in the entertainment industry, she had never seen an actor so incapable of social grace—Lin Ke wasn’t even pretending.

As for Lin Bingran, she was a Best Actress; her status spoke for itself. Lin Ke relied on marketing herself against her online, yet showed her such a face in person. Since the situation was awkward and embarrassing, Lin Bingran wouldn’t take the initiative to greet her either.

Lin Bingran calmly fished out a piece of fatty beef.

The small stools were right there, but no one dared to move an inch.

As the minutes ticked by, Lin Ke’s mouth remained tightly shut.

Lu Tu tried to save the situation: “Director Shen, Teacher Lin… Xiao Lin is a bit carsick…”

Shen Feng’s expression soured. She set her chopsticks down with a sharp thwack on the table.

Lu Tu immediately silenced herself.

Lin Ke trembled. Her head was lowered. Her face was a chaotic mix of indignation, resentment, endurance, and longing—the layers were so rich it was as if she were possessed by a Best Actress herself.

Lin Ke’s neck thickened, her face turned a dark red, and her eyes were bloodshot. Someone who didn’t know better would think she had suffered a great injustice and was about to burst into tears.

“Te… Teacher Lin, hello,” after a long while, Lin Ke looked up, tears falling in strings like a waterfall.

“Waaaah,” Lin Ke sobbed. “I… I am your fan. Seeing you… I’m just too emotional… waaaah.”

“…”

Lu Tu stared with eyes as wide as copper bells. She was amazed by Lin Ke’s “lying-through-her-teeth” acting skills.

Crying tears of joy upon meeting your idol—how perfectly normal!

Lin Bingran couldn’t finish her meal. She shot a look at Shen Feng: This is the “hater” you were talking about?

Shen Feng choked on her tea, saying in disbelief: “You’re Bingran’s fan?”

“Yes,” Lin Ke’s voice still carried a sob. “Teacher Lin, I want… I want to shake your hand…”

Lin Bingran: “…”

Lin Bingran stood up to shake her hand, then said, “Sit down.”

Lin Ke nodded and sat, pulling a tissue from her bag to wipe her tears.

Lu Tu sat on the other side, trembling and walking on thin ice.

Shen Feng handed out disposable chopsticks to Lin Ke and Lu Tu. After a moment, she asked: “Are you really Bingran’s fan?”

Lin Ke gave an “Mhm” and tried to fish some slippery sweet potato noodles out of the pot. She couldn’t catch them, so Lu Tu fished two out for her.

Shen Feng: “How many of Bingran’s representative works do you know?”

The sweet potato noodles slid back into the pot. Lin Ke and Lu Tu swallowed simultaneously.

Lin Bingran gave a low laugh and said, “Don’t make it hard on the kid. Just tell me about my works from 2015.”

Lin Ke: “…”

I thought you were a good person, but it turns out you really are a Great Demon King!

Lin Ke gave a calm smile, though her eyes were still red. She said: “You filmed so many dramas in 2015. The period drama Landscape Scenery, the urban emotional movie Seven Year Itch, and the costume movie Chaotic War. I like all of them very much. You injured your shoulder in Chaotic War, right? Did it leave any lasting effects? Is it still a problem now?”

Shen Feng was stunned and glanced at Lin Bingran: “You were injured filming that year?”

Lin Bingran lowered the heat on the induction cooker and said casually, “Yeah, a minor injury. Not many people know about it.”

Lin Ke had submitted a perfect score on her test. She breathed a sigh of relief and steadily fished a chopstick-full of noodles into her bowl.

Lin Bingran propped her chin on her hand and watched her. After a while, she smiled. Her red lips were enchanting, revealing a dimple in her cheek.

Lin Ke didn’t dare look directly. She lowered her head, the hotpot steam stinging her eyes.

“Oh, what’s wrong?” Lu Tu asked. “Steam in your eyes?”

Lin Ke nodded, rubbing her eyes incessantly until the already red eyes became bloodshot.

Seeing this, Shen Feng said, “Go back to the hotel and rest first. It’s nothing major. The production crew will send out the notice later. The van will be dispatched tomorrow and will be waiting downstairs at the hotel on time.”

Lu Tu stood up, bowing and scraping. “Sorry about that, Director. I’ll take Xiao Lin back now.”

Shen Feng waved her off: “Go on, go on.”

“Director,” Lin Ke said, then shot a restrained and cautious glance at Lin Bingran. “Teacher Lin, I’m leaving now.”

Lin Bingran: “Go ahead.”

Lu Tu supported Lin Ke, and the two disappeared into the alleyway leading to the intersection.

Shen Feng withdrew her gaze and said with a smile, “Look at this moat; the water is quite clear.”

Lin Bingran smiled faintly: “A one-meter-wide shallow ditch hardly deserves to be called a moat.”

Lin Ke and Lu Tu turned into the alley. Once they were out of Lin Bingran and Shen Feng’s sight, they immediately let go of each other and charged toward the town exit at full speed.

When they reached the set location, where a few staff members were still working overtime, Lin Ke and Lu Tu quickly grabbed each other again and slowed their pace.

Previously, Lu Tu was supporting Lin Ke; now, Lin Ke was supporting Lu Tu.

After walking a few steps, Lu Tu realized something was wrong with her right leg limping. “Wrong side!”

They quickly swapped roles. Lin Ke limped with her left foot. After two steps, she asked, “Smoky thighs?”

Lu Tu’s mouth twitched: “Charcoal-grilled, more like.”

The two straightened up and walked out of the town without looking sideways.

The sound of two hurried car doors closing followed. Lu Tu sat in the passenger seat, still shaken: “That was a close call.”

Lin Ke slumped across the entire back seat, feeling dejected: “So pathetic!”

“Alright,” Lin Bingran smiled. “If you have something to say, say it.”

Shen Feng raised her chin slightly. “Well?”

Lin Bingran scoffed: “Quite interesting, the little hater.”

“Don’t worry,” Lin Ke’s confidence was a bit lacking. “I exhausted everything I’ve ever learned. That performance definitely had no flaws.”

Lu Tu felt her hands on the steering wheel still shaking. She said, “You acted really well. I really didn’t misjudge you. That move just now was a stroke of genius. How did you think of it?”

Lin Ke sat up straight and rubbed her eyes while looking at her phone screen: “In a flash of lightning and flint, at the critical moment, inspiration just came to me. It must be my natural cleverness.”

Lu Tu: “…”

“You could actually memorize Lin Bingran’s works,” Lu Tu said. “And you even knew she was injured! Even Director Shen didn’t know!”

Lin Ke glanced out the window unnaturally. The sun had completely set, and the mountains stretched out in black silhouettes. “I’m her anti-fan. You have to know yourself and your enemy to win a hundred battles.”

Lu Tu understood: “I need to report this to the company immediately. This is too shocking! Lin Bingran is actually coming to act in a Category III film!”

Lin Ke felt insulted. “Watch your mouth! This is an art film! The passion scenes are all a sacrifice for art!”

Lu Tu looked at her in the rearview mirror and nodded: “And you’re about to sacrifice yourself for art.”

Thinking of the script, Lin Ke couldn’t help but blush, beginning to worry about her on-screen first kiss and first night.

Lu Tu saw through her in an instant: “It must be miserable to film intimate scenes with someone you hate.”

Lin Ke put down her phone and murmured, “I’m about to sacrifice myself to Lin Bingran.”

“…”

“…”

“That sentence doesn’t seem right?” Lu Tu said.

Lin Ke immediately denied it: “Your imagination.”

Upon arriving at the hotel arranged by the crew, Lu Tu went to the front desk to get the keycards.

Lin Ke pretentiously wore her baseball cap, sunglasses, and mask.

This building was basically booked out by the Wind Chime crew for actors and staff. Most people coming and going were crew members. While waiting in the lobby, Lin Ke saw two actors who were more famous than she was.

She was too tired today and had no energy to play the humble junior, so she closed her eyes to nap.

Lu Tu got the room cards and, with her sharp eyes, caught two actors and chatted them up for over ten minutes.

Lin Ke felt a pat on her arm and woke up. Lu Tu was as gentle as a mother, dragging two large suitcases that had been sent to the hotel earlier. “Go up and sleep.”

The hotel room was on the fifth floor, room 502.

Lu Tu: “I’m on the third floor. Call me if you need anything.”

“It’s late. Take a shower and sleep early. I got the call sheet. You need to go to makeup early tomorrow for costume photos, the opening ceremony, the script reading… there’s a lot to do. Besides me, the company assigned you an assistant who will arrive tomorrow. By the way, what do you want for breakfast?” Lu Tu began nagging while unpacking the suitcases, laying things out one by one.

Lu Tu: “There are many people and mixed Alphas in the crew. Remember to carry your scent blocker at all times. The first thing you do every morning is spray this. I’ve put it on your nightstand.”

Lin Ke nodded and listlessly picked up a few pairs of shoes to arrange at the entryway.

“Put that down!” Lu Tu said. “Go sit.”

Lin Ke: “…”

Lin Ke fished out a cup, washed it, and poured two glasses of water.

Lu Tu pulled out the script and smoothed the curled edges. “Where should I put the script?”

Lin Ke pointed randomly. “Put it on the coffee table.”

Lu Tu was busy running back and forth, her feet barely touching the ground, very excited. She was a female Omega, and her ability to fight like this was honed through working with several previous artists. It’s worth mentioning that Lin Ke was the most famous one she had ever managed.

Lin Ke came out after her shower, having washed off the scent blocker. When she left the bathroom, she brought with her a sweet and sour scent.

Lu Tu suddenly asked: “How much longer until your heat cycle?”

Lin Ke said: “Still a few days. Why?”

Lu Tu then said: “Then I’ll bring you two doses of suppressants.”

“Mhm.”

Feeling comfortable after the shower, Lin Ke leaned delicately by the French window, holding a goblet of plain water, self-pitying her reflection. “Why does it have to be her?”

Lu Tu made the bed and placed a cup of hot water on the nightstand. “Still thinking about it? This water is here; if you’re thirsty in the middle of the night, just take a few sips. Don’t drink too much, or your face will be swollen tomorrow morning.”

“I know,” Lin Ke said. “Just a simple tidy-up is enough. Go back and rest.”

Lu Tu had just finished. “Then I’m leaving.”

“Wait,” Lin Ke turned around. “Tutu, tell the company that since I’m collaborating with Lin Bingran now, can they take down those marketing articles?”