Acting Out of Character (GL) - Chapter 18

Chen Ge held the roast squab she had been longing for yesterday—now finally in her hands—and whispered a “Thank you” to Luo Jingyi before falling into a deep state of reflection.

How did Sister Luo know I wanted roast squab? And how did she know I like the skin extra crispy?!

Luo Jingyi patted her shoulder with a smile that carried a lingering, unreadable meaning, making Chen Ge feel even more apprehensive.

As Luo Jingyi and Feng Yunxin headed upstairs, Chen Ge watched them for a moment. Just as they reached the second floor, Feng Yunxin’s expression changed suddenly after a brief exchange, and both stopped in their tracks. Chen Ge’s heart skipped a beat in tandem.

Are they fighting? Why?

Feng Yunxin: “What? You’re leaving the day after tomorrow? Why the rush? You didn’t say that yesterday!”

“I never planned to stay long. I have a mountain of work in Beijing.”

“What about the inspiration scouting in the village?”

“I’ll do it tomorrow. Arrange a place for me to stay.”

“…But what about the filming here?”

“What? I’m a guest star brought in at the last minute to save the day. Can’t I finish my scenes with one more day of shooting?”

“This…”

Luo Jingyi faced her, arms crossed, leaning against the wall. “Feng Yunxin, tell me the truth. The ‘guest star’ bit was a lie too, wasn’t it? You intended to make me a permanent guest from the start.”

Since things had reached this point, Feng Yunxin stopped hiding it. “We don’t really have ‘guest stars’ here. Everyone is paired up; if you leave, someone is left alone.”

“Then make them a trio. I guarantee it’ll look better than a same-sex CP.”

Feng Yunxin: “??”

Luo Jingyi turned to leave, but Feng Yunxin grabbed her. “Sister, what’s the rush? Can’t it wait?”

“Truly, no. Director Tao picked three more actors for Minor’s Last Wish and wants me there in person. If I don’t finalize the lead soon, someone on the creative team might jump off a building.”

Feng Yunxin (Puzzled): “It’s the 5G era. Do you really need to go back for auditions? Can’t you do a video audition? It’s fast and convenient.”

Luo Jingyi (Snapping back): “Even with 10G, you have to see them in person to know if they fit.”

“Why see them in person? The audience sees them through a screen anyway, not in the flesh.”

For once, Luo Jingyi was actually stumped by Feng Yunxin’s logic. She paused for a second but didn’t continue the argument.

“I’m leaving the day after tomorrow. Period.” Luo Jingyi left that final word and headed upstairs with a cold face, leaving Feng Yunxin sighing heavily and following her to nag some more.

To an outsider, it looked exactly like a couple’s quarrel. Feng Yunxin questioned her, Luo Jingyi walked away in anger, and Feng Yunxin followed in regret to coax her back…

The warmth of the roast squab seeped through the plastic bag into Chen Ge’s palm. After a moment of thought, she placed the squab in the refrigerator.

“Sister Yi—just three more days! Just three!”

Feng Yunxin followed her into her private lounge. As Luo Jingyi touched up her makeup in the mirror, Feng Yunxin slammed the door shut and began wailing.

“Sister Yi, if you’re scouting for inspiration, one day isn’t enough! Look, if you give me three more days, I promise to collect every piece of material you want! Starting today, I’ll send people door-to-door to ask about that old case in Li Village. Your legs are long, sure, but asking every household yourself is exhausting. Why not let me do the legwork? Whether it’s the truth or just messy gossip, I’ll gather it all for you and hand it over on the day you leave. Deal?”

Seeing Luo Jingyi unmoved, Feng Yunxin sat on a floor cushion and rested her head on Luo Jingyi’s lap, looking pitiful. “Sister Yi, it’s a win-win… You’re the ‘hook master’ of this crew, my pillar! If you leave, this variety show is dead!”

Luo Jingyi really didn’t want to deal with this mess. But seeing the tears in Feng Yunxin’s eyes, she remembered a scene from years ago on the school rooftop—Feng Yunxin holding her, comforting and staying by her side tirelessly…

Luo Jingyi sighed and reached for her phone.

Feng Yunxin: “…Are you really that cold-blooded?!”

Luo Jingyi glanced over the top of her phone. “I’m telling Director Tao I need three more days. I’ll head back to Beijing after that.”

Feng Yunxin’s pity act vanished instantly. She sat up straight. “Really?!”

“I am leaving in three days, no matter what.”

“Fine, fine! I won’t stop you! I’ll even organize the whole village to give you a grand send-off!”

“I’ll give you a list of the info I want,” Luo Jingyi said. “Make sure you actually investigate. It’s best if you can find the people involved.”

“I’ll try my best!”

“What do you mean ‘try’? You will get it done.”

“I will try my best to get it done!”

Luo Jingyi: “…”

Today’s filming was relatively light. Perhaps because the guests were worked to the bone yesterday, Feng Yunxin adjusted the content to be more “human” to avoid actual labor injuries.

In the morning, before it got too hot, they went fruit picking. Sun Ruibin was wary: “Is it another competition?”

Feng Yunxin laughed. “No competition. You’re traumatized. We’re just filming some cooperative scenes between partners.”

Feng Yunxin was a woman of her word; picking cherries was easy and not tiring at all. Luo Jingyi remained fully covered. Even though her face was hidden, the total lack of exposed skin confirmed it was her.

The morning footage was visibly boring. After lunch, everyone was drowsy from the heat and fell asleep. Chen Ge, having woken up late, wasn’t sleepy. With thirty minutes left before the afternoon shoot, she sat on a small swing at the end of the hallway near the backyard, watching the Indian film Andhadhun on her tablet.

As she watched, she began to feel nauseous. She stopped swinging, thinking the motion was making her sick, but the feeling didn’t fade—it grew stronger. Clutching her chest, she set her tablet down and tried to stand up, but the urge to vomit spiked. She covered her mouth and bolted for the nearest bathroom.

Feng Yunxin hadn’t napped; a rough cut of the first episode had arrived, and she had to review it to give feedback to the editors. Since evening was the “golden hour” for filming, she had to work whenever possible. She headed to the third-floor bathroom with her laptop, planning to review the cut while using the facilities.

Just as she sat down, she heard Luo Jingyi knocking. “Are you in there?”

“I just got in!”

“How long?”

“At least half an hour.”

“…Half an hour? What are you doing in there for half an hour?”

“I’m cultivating inspiration.”

“I don’t know about inspiration, but stay in there that long and you’ll cultivate hemorrhoids.”

Feng Yunxin: “…”

Since the third-floor bathroom was occupied, Luo Jingyi went to the first floor. The second-floor toilet was clogged, and a single glance at it had nearly blinded her. Luo Jingyi was not about to unclog a stranger’s mess. After reporting the issue to a staff member, she crossed herself and walked to the ground floor.

The first-floor bathroom had been renovated with two stalls and a sink. Luo Jingyi used her perfume as a disinfectant, spraying the air repeatedly before cautiously inspecting every corner of the stall. Barely usable. She used disinfectant wipes on the seat and lined it with toilet paper to ensure no direct contact.

After finishing, she sanitized the faucet, washed her hands thoroughly, and meticulously applied hand cream. She felt refreshed.

Just as she pushed the door to leave, the door was pushed from the outside, and Chen Ge stumbled directly into her arms.

Luo Jingyi: “What the—”

“Sorry, Sister Luo, I…” Chen Ge looked up, her face terrifyingly pale. Mid-sentence, she lurched and ran to the sink.

Chen Ge vomited violently. Luo Jingyi held her arm firmly to keep her from collapsing and gathered her long hair in her other hand to keep it clean. Chen Ge retched until she had nothing left, gasping for air. Luo Jingyi noticed the severity and realized something was wrong.

A staff member walked in, and Luo Jingyi sent her to get mineral water. By the time the staff member returned, Luo Jingyi had cleaned Chen Ge’s face and mouth.

Chen Ge was limp as a noodle, unable to stand, but she realized Luo Jingyi was holding her. She raised a hand to push Luo Jingyi slightly away. Luo Jingyi, confused by the resistance, felt a flicker of annoyance, but seeing the tears on Chen Ge’s lashes and her pained expression, she softened. She uncapped the water and let Chen Ge take a sip.

“Thank you,” Chen Ge whispered.

“What happened to you?”

“I don’t know…” Chen Ge closed her eyes. “Heatstroke?”

“Doesn’t look like it,” Luo Jingyi said.

The staff member added, “Could it be food poisoning?”

“Food poisoning?” Luo Jingyi asked. “Everyone ate the same bento at lunch. If it was food poisoning, everyone would be sick. How do you feel?”

The staff member shook her head. “I feel fine.”

Luo Jingyi suddenly thought of the roast squab she had brought. Could the squab be the problem? That hotel’s restaurant was indeed unreliable. She felt a wave of regret; she had known the hotel’s food was questionable, so why had she given it to Chen Ge? She just wanted to give her a treat so she wouldn’t have to eat the terrible crew meals. Good intentions turned into a disaster.

Chen Ge started retching again. Luo Jingyi couldn’t watch anymore. “Regardless of what it is, get her to a hospital.”

Feng Yunxin arrived on the scene. “What’s going on?”

“Lend me your car,” Luo Jingyi said.

“Huh? Where are you going? What’s wrong with Chen Ge?”

Chen Ge gasped, looking at Feng Yunxin with teary eyes. Feng Yunxin seemed hesitant to lend the car.

“It’s okay… I’ll just rest a bit,” Chen Ge said.

Luo Jingyi, frustrated, pulled her along. “Don’t be stubborn. Get to a hospital. Food poisoning is dangerous.”

Chen Ge was too weak to resist. Luo Jingyi practically carried her to the car. Feng Yunxin was dazed. The Empress Dowager being this considerate? Is the sun rising from the west?

Chen Ge found herself in the passenger seat, with Luo Jingyi leaning over to buckle her seatbelt. Seeing Feng Yunxin watching from outside with a look of disbelief, Chen Ge unbuckled the belt.

“I’m not going,” Chen Ge said. “I don’t want to go.”

She began to struggle. Luo Jingyi, who usually lacked the patience to serve others, grabbed Chen Ge’s wrists and pinned them down.

“It’s not up to you.” Luo Jingyi’s eyes flashed with anger.

Chen Ge’s breathing grew heavy. Due to the nausea and dizziness, tears fell uncontrollably. She looked at Luo Jingyi, who was inches away, and said word for word:

“Since you chose Director Feng, you should treat her well… you should be single-minded with her.”

The car was quiet. The scent of Luo Jingyi’s white musk quickly masked the scent of the car’s air freshener.

Luo Jingyi stared at her coldly. “What did you say?”

Chen Ge took a deep breath, unafraid of the dangerous look. “I don’t need your care. Please be faithful.”

“Faithful to whom?”

“Director Feng…”

“Why would I be faithful to her?”

Chen Ge: “??”

Something felt wrong. “Aren’t you and Director Feng… in a relationship?”

Luo Jingyi: “Me and her? What kind of relationship are two women going to have?”

Chen Ge was so shocked she felt like she’d shrunk a size. “What? You aren’t lovers?”

Luo Jingyi: “Who’s her lover? Are you crazy, or am I?!”

Chen Ge: “…”

So, they aren’t lovers at all?

Chen Ge’s head spun even faster. Who am I? Where am I? Is it too late to jump out the window and run?