A OO Love After Officially Announcing with the Best Actress - Chapter 9

Running through the scenes and fine-tuning the camera positions based on the actors’ movements took another half hour.

To match the background and setting of the time, the indoor lighting for the shoot relied entirely on candles or those old-fashioned light bulbs.

The light was dim and yellowish. The camera operator, holding the equipment, poked his head out from behind the machine to check the angles; his sunken features looked like dark pits in the shadows.

Lin Ke kept staring at him. She couldn’t help but take a step back, rubbing her arms. The set felt eerie, sending a chill down her spine.

“You’re stepping on my skirt.” A voice erupted right by her ear.

Lin Ke let out an “Ah!” and jumped away, whipping her head around—no one?

“Look lower,” Lin Bingran said.

Lin Ke looked down: “…”

Lin Bingran was hiding behind the door, sitting on a small folding stool. Her mouth seemed to be moving, her cheeks puffing out rhythmically.

“…Teacher Lin, could you please not scare me?” Lin Ke said, her heart still thumping from the fright.

Lin Bingran held a pair of disposable chopsticks in her right hand, her left hand cupping the air beneath them. Between the sticks was a piece of braised pork, which she was eating with great gusto.

It was Lin Ke’s first time encountering such a bold “on-set snacker”: “…You aren’t… eating the props, are you?”

Lin Bingran: “No one can tell if one piece is missing.”

Lin Ke felt like she heard the snorting of a little pig. Doing the math, Lin Bingran was born in the Year of the Tiger—could she actually be a “ginger pig”?

Lin Ke asked: “Is it good?”

Lin Bingran finished, tossed the chopsticks, and noticed two wrinkles on her cheongsam. She stood up to smooth them out and said casually, “Not bad.”

Once the coordination was done, Shen Feng announced they were ready. Lin Bingran headed upstairs.

Lin Ke and Mrs. Zhou waited downstairs for the clapperboard.

“Action!”

Li Fengling’s right hand rested on the wooden banister of the stairs, her left hand cradling her right elbow.

She was momentarily stunned by the pair of eyes that had suddenly drawn close. She pursed her lips, wanting to retreat, but her feet felt nailed to the spot.

Chu Feng looked like an idiot; her face flushed red. She suddenly jerked back, lowered her head, and gripped the hem of her clothes, stammering out: “Miss.”

Hearing this form of address for the first time, Li Fengling was dazed.

Mrs. Zhou hurried over, grabbing the back of Chu Feng’s neck, and hurriedly called out to Li Fengling: “Young Mistress.”

Then she scolded Chu Feng: “Who told you to shout like that!”

Mrs. Zhou pinched Chu Feng’s ear and dragged her down the stairs, clearing the way for Li Fengling to descend.

Li Fengling didn’t speak. Her long cheongsam trailed on the floor, brushing past each step of the dark brown wooden staircase.

Mrs. Zhou told Chu Feng to clean the attic, stuffing a rag and a bucket into her hands before slapping her on the back.

Chu Feng was busy at the Li residence from dusk until sunset.

She seemed to have inexhaustible energy, carrying the bucket upstairs with water splashing out constantly. She passed the round window connecting the second floor to the attic many times, hoping for another glimpse of the girl she’d seen earlier that day.

“Young Mistress,” Mrs. Zhou said, holding a meal tray as she stood with Li Fengling in the dim hallway. “Don’t lower yourself to that child’s level. I just picked her up randomly in town; she doesn’t know our family’s rules.”

The candlelight flickered. Li Fengling’s gaze was somewhat dull and vacant. She neither smiled nor spoke; she took the tray from Mrs. Zhou and pushed the door into the Master’s room.

Scene after scene was filmed until 4:00 AM. As soon as Shen Feng shouted “Wrap,” everyone on set looked like they wanted to collapse and sleep on the spot.

Lin Ke’s eyes were heavy with sleep. When she went to the dressing room to change, her arms were so sore she could barely lift them. She put on her civilian clothes and dived straight into the heated van.

“Let’s go home. I’m exhausted.”

Lu Tu had been catching up on sleep in the car and wasn’t tired now. She asked, “Did the shoot go smoothly today?”

Lin Ke leaned over the table, let out a lazy yawn, and pulled a bottle of mineral water from the fridge. “It was quite smooth. Lin Bingran looked out for me quite a bit tonight.”

Lu Tu clicked her tongue. “Repaying a favor? In any case, getting close to the Best Actress is definitely for the best.”

Lin Ke didn’t respond. Lu Tu looked back at her and wisely dropped the subject.

Staying up too late can actually make it harder to sleep. Lin Ke played with her eyes for a bit, then Lu Tu told her to sit up, saying that playing on her phone while lying face down was bad for her.

Lin Ke: “I’m hungry.”

Lu Tu glared at her like she was a spoiled child. “You only have a few hours to rest before the next call. Don’t you feel tired? You can’t eat sweets, and high-oil is a no-go.”

As the van drove into the city, many breakfast stalls were already setting up. Lin Ke turned off her phone and tucked it into her pocket. “Then how about a jianbing guozi (savory crepe)?”

Lin Ke gripped half a jianbing guozi, walking with Lu Tu through the chilly night air.

“I wonder when the crepe vendors will start recognizing me,” Lin Ke mused, fantasizing about the day she’d be famous across the country.

Lu Tu: “Just act well. With a big director like Shen Feng, even if you don’t blow up immediately, high-quality productions will prioritize you in the future.”

But lesbian themes were sensitive. Unlike Lin Bingran, Lin Ke didn’t have a body of work; taking this kind of movie could easily pigeonhole her into a specific genre. It’s easy to dive in, but hard to “get back to shore.”

Lin Ke took a big bite of the crepe, waiting for Lu Tu’s next point.

Lu Tu: “Besides, Lin Bingran is in the crew. You and she have intimate scenes—the box office for this can’t be low!”

Lin Ke mumbled, not as optimistic as Lu Tu. Intimate scenes… there was one coming up in two days, but…

Lin Ke: “…So what if we film it? Whether it can actually be broadcast is another story.”

Lu Tu scolded her for being a jinx.

Approaching the hotel entrance, a luxury motorhome drove into view.

Lin Ke: “Who is that?”

Lu Tu: “The Best Actress, obviously.”

A sedan followed closely behind the motorhome. Once it stopped, a man with a tall, straight posture stepped out.

Lin Ke didn’t recognize him and said casually, “Isn’t he hot wearing a suit in the middle of summer?”

“Holy crap!” Lu Tu cried out in shock. “Du Yi?!”

Lin Ke narrowed her eyes: “Lin Bingran’s manager?”

Lu Tu tossed her crepe into the trash and quickly straightened her clothes. “I’m going to say hello!”

Lin Ke mourned the lost bite of food. “Good luck.”

Before Lu Tu could start her sprint, she suddenly calmed down. “Du Yi probably came because of what happened earlier today.”

Just then, Lin Bingran stepped out of the van, and Du Yi naturally took her small handbag.

The two entered the hotel lobby together. No one noticed the two people by the trash can outside eating crepes.

“There are rumors that Du Yi is Lin Bingran’s boyfriend,” Lu Tu noted.

Lin Ke finished the last bite of her crepe and threw away the wrapper. She felt around but couldn’t find a tissue to wipe her mouth. “Let’s go back. I’m sleepy.”

Lu Tu stopped her: “Wait! If Du Yi really is her boyfriend… let’s wait a bit before going up to avoid an awkward encounter.”

Lin Ke, having no hidden agenda, simply said, “Oh.”

Ten minutes later, the two went upstairs. Lu Tu returned to the third floor, and Lin Ke to the sixth.

Lin Ke twisted her lock and heard a sound from the door behind her. She slipped inside and slammed the door shut.

Du Yi came out of room 601 and asked, “Who lives across from you?”

Lin Bingran leaned against the doorframe and replied, “Lin Ke.”

Du Yi frowned: “Why her?”

Lin Bingran: “You’re asking me?”

Du Yi loosened his tie, his brow furrowed. “Do you want to change rooms? I’ll talk to the crew, or you can move out. I’ll find you a house nearby.”

“No need,” Lin Bingran said.

Du Yi didn’t push it. “We’ll talk about everything tomorrow. Get some rest. I’ll go to the set to watch you film tomorrow morning.”

Lin Bingran remained noncommittal.

Lin Ke hid behind her door, passionately typing on her phone.

“Du Yi is NOT Lin Bingran’s boyfriend!”

Lu Tu replied: “And how do you know now?”

Lin Ke: “I watched him leave. Ten minutes?! Is an Alpha that fast?!”

Lu Tu spoke with the tone of someone who’d seen it all. “What do you know? Ten minutes is enough to do a lot of things!”

Lin Ke was shocked: “You’re so dirty~”

Suddenly, there were two knocks on her door.

Lin Ke jumped in fright. She put her eye back to the peephole and was so startled by an amber eyeball staring back at close range that she dropped her phone.

Hearing the noise, Lin Bingran became even more certain someone was behind the door. She said, “Open up.”

Lin Ke: “…”

The door was twisted open.

Lin Ke stood in the entryway. Lin Bingran was only two fist-lengths away, her nose twitching involuntarily.

Lin Ke was genuinely traumatized by Lin Bingran’s nose and murmured: “…Teacher Lin, please stop smelling my pheromones. This is harassment.”

To her surprise, Lin Bingran lowered her eyes, clicked her tongue, and said, “Pheromones that smell like jianbing guozi?”

Lin Ke: “…”

Lin Bingran gestured with her chin toward Lin Ke’s side. “Aren’t you going to pick up your phone?”

Lin Ke leaned down to grab it, just as Lu Tu’s reply popped up.

“Ten minutes is enough for an Alpha to kiss an Omega until her legs are weak and she’s totally drained! You’re so innocent!”

Lin Ke’s face flushed. She had already removed her makeup in the dressing room; standing under the light now, she looked as delicate as a flower, with no sign of fatigue after the all-nighter.

Lin Bingran asked: “Boyfriend or girlfriend?”

“Of course not!” Lin Ke froze, then hurriedly denied it. “I said during the script reading, I’m not in a relationship.”

Lin Bingran didn’t believe her at all, but in this industry, everyone is tight-lipped about romance. Normally, there was no need to press, but Lin Ke was her co-star. In Shen Feng’s words, their auras didn’t mesh—there was no sexual tension.

Lin Bingran said casually: “The simplest way to get into character is for you to go out, experience it, and bring real emotions into the scene.”

Lin Ke: “Huh?”

Lin Bingran said: “It’s too late to fall in love. I suggest you go find a hookup. At least you’ll be able to film the bed scenes properly.”

Experience it, then use all those methods on you?!

Lin Ke actually felt embarrassed for Lin Bingran!

Lin Bingran: “You aren’t still a virgin, are you?”

Lin Ke: “…”

She felt completely played by Lin Bingran. How could this person be so wicked!

Lin Ke’s expression shifted from cloudy to clear, which surprised Lin Bingran. “Hooking up is normal in this circle, you…”

“So, Du Yi is your boyfriend?” Lin Ke smiled sarcastically. “Typical. Putting on a show and seeking pleasure is what you’re used to. Du Yi is tall and handsome, and an Alpha to boot…”

Seeing the conversation was going off the rails, Lin Bingran grabbed Lin Ke’s shoulder. “Are you looking for a lawyer’s letter?”

Lin Ke choked. She was all bark and no bite, a storm cloud that thundered but never rained. “No… no… I mean… Teacher Du looks handsome, charming, elegant, and talented…”

Lin Bingran asked: “You like his type? I’ll introduce you to him tomorrow then.”

Damn it!

How did it come to this?!

Lin Ke’s face turned bright red: “…I obviously don’t like him! I… I don’t hook up! I will act my scenes well!”

Lin Bingran didn’t speak.

Lin Ke looked up nervously and noticed that the Best Actress’s dimples were very prominent.

She realized she’d been teased!

Lin Ke: “…Teacher Lin, go rest. Staying up late is bad for you.”

Lin Bingran rested one arm on her elbow, the corner of her lips hooked up. Her right hand slid from Lin Ke’s shoulder down to her sweatpants. She flexed her fingers, slowly winding the drawstring of Lin Ke’s pants around her finger.

Lin Bingran was standing too close; she smelled of fresh tea. Lin Ke swallowed hard, her attention entirely fixed on that slender, snowy-white finger, feeling as if Lin Bingran might pull the drawstring out at any moment.

“Then how about I teach you another way?” Lin Bingran said, her red lips parting slightly, her white teeth barely visible.

“Of course, there are conditions,” Lin Bingran said poisedly.

Lin Ke was woken up by her alarm. She lay in bed for five minutes to gather her thoughts before grabbing her phone.

The “Great Demon King” had sent a message two minutes ago.

“Let’s have jianbing guozi for breakfast.”

“Damn it!” Lin Ke flipped over and buried herself in the bedding, kicking her legs in frustration. She let out a muffled roar: “What a mess!”