Acting Out of Character (GL) - Chapter 26

Beep—

“Hello? Sister Yi? Well, look who finally resurfaced. You actually have time to call me?”

Luo Jingyi stood deep inside the orchard. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the fruit trees and fell across her body, but no matter how hot the sun was, the chill on her face remained unchanged.

“Xiao Ke, there’s something I’d like to ask you about.”

Xiao Ke said, “I wouldn’t dare call it asking for advice… Go ahead, Sister Yi. I’m already kneeling.”

Only Luo Jingyi called him Xiao Ke. Almost everyone else addressed him as President Ke. He was the vice president of Kunyu Culture, while his father was the chairman.

Kunyu Culture was an influential company in the industry that handled artist management, production, and distribution.

Xiao Ke had been Luo Jingyi’s junior at university. When they were students, his father had only recently established Kunyu Culture. It was a tiny company constantly on the verge of collapse. After losing nearly all its capital investing in a drama, it even faced bankruptcy.

Xiao Ke greatly admired Luo Jingyi’s scripts. At the time, Luo Jingyi was still writing television dramas and had a project that was about to begin production.

Xiao Ke was convinced the drama would become popular. He strongly recommended Tang Feng, the only male actor signed to his family’s company, for the lead role. He hoped Tang Feng would become an overnight sensation and lift the company along with him.

The creative team had originally favored another actor who already had some recognition. But after watching Tang Feng’s audition, Luo Jingyi felt he was more suitable and quickly made the final decision.

Tang Feng became enormously popular because of that drama, immediately joining the ranks of first-tier young actors and winning several prestigious awards.

Kunyu Culture paid off its debts and began nearly a decade of prosperity from that moment onward.

To this day, Xiao Ke, Tang Feng, and everyone at Kunyu Culture held Luo Jingyi in great respect.

Luo Jingyi asked Xiao Ke, “Your company has plenty of publicity resources, doesn’t it?”

Xiao Ke said, “Of course. You can have as many as you want. What’s going on? Is your new film about to premiere? I heard you’re still casting.”

“The film is still being cast. I’m contacting you about something else.”

After Luo Jingyi explained the entire situation, Xiao Ke immediately agreed.

“Isn’t that simple? Leave this idiot to me. I’ll teach her how to behave!”

“Then I’ll trouble you.”

Xiao Ke was curious. “But Sister Yi, what did this woman surnamed Song do to offend you? It must be serious. In all these years, you’ve never personally asked me to deal with some insignificant nobody.”

Luo Jingyi looked into the distance, where Chen Ge was peering around as though searching for something.

“She didn’t offend me,” Luo Jingyi said. “She bullied one of my little friends.”

Xiao Ke: “…”

So she was protecting her own.

Who was it? Who?!

Who could possibly make the Empress Dowager care this much…?

Suppressing his urge to gossip, Xiao Ke did not dare ask further.

After saying it, Luo Jingyi also felt that her explanation sounded slightly inappropriate, so she added:

“More importantly, I need you to promote my friend’s web variety show.”

“Director Feng’s rural-life web show?”

Luo Jingyi smiled. “You’re well informed.”

“Of course. This is my industry. I heard Sister Yi went south. Did you actually join Director Feng’s production?”

“Don’t mention it. She’s my only childhood friend. If I don’t help her, who will? Not only did I join the show as a guest, I’m also responsible for writing the script.”

Hearing that, Xiao Ke understood completely.

“Don’t worry, Sister Yi. Kunyu will definitely promote your variety show properly!”

Luo Jingyi smiled. “Then I’ll have Yunxin send you a cooperation contract later.”

Xiao Ke exclaimed, “Why would we need a contract? Your business is my business, Sister Yi. I’ll have someone begin writing the publicity proposal immediately and send it for your approval tonight!”

Chen Ge spotted Luo Jingyi and hesitated over whether to approach.

Luo Jingyi looked at her. “All right. I’ll wait for your proposal.”

After ending the call, Luo Jingyi walked toward Chen Ge.

“What is it?”

Chen Ge said, “Director Feng said everyone’s heading back.”

“Then why haven’t you gone?”

Luo Jingyi’s question was distinctly leading. Chen Ge could only say:

“I was waiting for you.”

“Were you afraid I wouldn’t find my way back? That I’d get lost here?” Luo Jingyi continued digging into the matter. “Or were you afraid Song Ruyu might attack me again?”

As someone who had written scripts for years, clarifying the logic behind a character’s actions was part of Luo Jingyi’s daily work.

Guiding Chen Ge toward the conversational path she wanted was effortless.

Embarrassed by the questions, Chen Ge raised a hand to scratch her head, then remembered the injury on her forehead and abruptly stopped.

“Song Ruyu already left. The paths here all look very similar, so it genuinely is easy to get lost.”

Then she truly had been worried.

Satisfied, Luo Jingyi walked outside with her.

When they reached the main road, Song Ruyu, Qian Yu, and several others were already far ahead, continuing to film.

The final crew member in the orchard packed away the tools, tossed them onto a cart, and pushed it toward the farmhouse courtyard.

Outside the cameras’ range, Luo Jingyi and Chen Ge walked side by side at the back.

The sun was setting. Large clouds across the sky had been dyed crimson.

Luo Jingyi could no longer remember when she had last walked through the countryside with someone or who had been beside her.

She had never imagined that after Feng Yunxin tricked her into coming here, she would genuinely begin caring about the production—or about anyone involved in it.

The heat lifted parts of Chen Ge’s high ponytail. The setting sun covered her in soft light, and fine sweat had gathered along her neck, yet she smelled pleasant.

Luo Jingyi had never encountered such a quiet knight protecting a flower. Afraid the child might become uncomfortable if they continued walking in silence, she initiated a conversation.

“Were you and Song Ruyu friends before?”

Chen Ge shook her head and answered honestly, “Not really. I’m in the film-and-television division, while she’s in the idol division. We only greeted each other when we happened to meet at the company.”

“That’s good.”

Chen Ge: “?”

Then I can deal with her however I like. Even if I strike hard, there’ll be no consequences.

The group returned to the farmhouse courtyard and continued filming.

Song Ruyu glanced at the outline. There was another segment in which the CPs peeled lychees together.

Song Ruyu rolled her eyes.

She had to cooperate with Chen Ge again.

How fucking annoying.

Song Ruyu also discovered that she had been assigned to Group B, where she was expected to diligently peel lychees.

Group A was cooking lychees into preserves. Director Feng was also with Group A, analyzing the outline and dialogue.

Song Ruyu felt displeased.

Why did she have to exhaust herself peeling lychees until her hands turned red, merely to provide props for Group A?

There were no entertaining moments at all in Group B. Even the director was distracted and kept glancing toward Group A.

Song Ruyu began peeling carelessly, eating one lychee for every one she prepared.

She planned to make Chen Ge peel everything once she arrived.

Wasn’t Chen Ge exceptionally talented at acting and pretending? Then she could not blame Song Ruyu for openly making things difficult.

Dropping the branch earlier had only been a warning. As long as Chen Ge needed to continue promoting a CP with her and relying on her for attention, Song Ruyu would not let her off!

Chen Ge could peel this entire basket of lychees!

Song Ruyu waited with a cold smile.

Unexpectedly, when Chen Ge arrived, she did not join her to peel lychees. Instead, Feng Yunxin summoned her to Group A.

Song Ruyu: “?”

What did this mean?

Was she going to Group A again?

Song Ruyu thought that was fine too. Although she would need to invent another way to torment Chen Ge, Group A had cameras and entertaining scenes, which was much better than performing manual labor in Group B.

Song Ruyu put down the lychee in her hand and prepared to go to Group A, but Group B’s director stopped her.

The director was somewhat angry.

“What are you doing? We’re filming you. How can you simply walk away?”

Confused, Song Ruyu pointed toward Chen Ge.

“Wasn’t I moved to Group A?”

The director glanced over. “No. You’re still in Group B.”

Song Ruyu became even more puzzled. “My CP went to Group A.”

The director smiled. “Oh, your CP has been changed.”

Song Ruyu: “?? When did that happen? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“You know now, don’t you?”

Song Ruyu panicked.

What did this mean?

Had she and Chen Ge been split up?

At that moment, Qian Yu came over. He used a chopstick to push the pit out of a lychee and seemed delighted with himself.

“Look at this brilliant brain of mine. It works wonderfully. This makes everything much easier.”

Song Ruyu nearly screamed at him.

“Why are you here?!”

Qian Yu continued removing the flesh without even lifting his head.

“I’m here to do menial work with you. What else would I be doing?”

“Who wants to do menial work with you?!”

“You think I want to? I don’t want to form a CP with you either.”

“Why—why did my CP become you?”

Annoyed by her questions, Qian Yu gave her three words:

“No idea.”

Song Ruyu saw several cameras pointed toward Chen Ge, filming her.

Chen Ge stood before the stove in the open kitchen. She poured the peeled lychee flesh into a large pot, added a small amount of salt, and left it to soak.

Luo Jingyi approached from behind, braced one hand beside her, and leaned close as she asked:

“What are you making?”

The distance between them was extremely small. Luo Jingyi was slightly taller than Chen Ge, and their positions made it look as though Chen Ge was leaning within her embrace, with Luo Jingyi about to wrap an arm around her waist at any moment.

The way Luo Jingyi leaned toward her and the gentle tone she used made them resemble a deeply affectionate couple.

Feng Yunxin and the staff held their breath.

There it was!

That was exactly the feeling they needed!

Why hadn’t they paired these two together from the beginning?

What an unforgivable waste!

Chen Ge held the pot with both hands and stared fixedly at the peeled lychees inside, not daring to move.

She feared that even the slightest movement would make her touch Luo Jingyi.

Luo Jingyi, however, still felt they were not close enough. She whispered beside Chen Ge’s ear:

“Lean closer.”

Without turning around, Chen Ge obediently shifted backward a tiny amount.

“I’m making canned lychees in syrup,” Chen Ge said, appearing completely focused on the task before her.

Luo Jingyi took her time and asked with a leisurely, almost indulgent tone:

“Oh? How do you make them?”

As she spoke, her gaze moved away from the pot and toward Chen Ge’s profile, admiring the small ear beside her that was gradually turning red.

“You… put the lychees into the pot and soak them in water with a little salt. When you cook them later, you add sugar and simmer slowly. Once the lychee flesh floats to the surface, you can put them in the refrigerator to chill.”

Luo Jingyi praised her ambiguously.

“How do you know so much?”

The arm Chen Ge had pressed lightly against Luo Jingyi trembled.

Luo Jingyi always made her nervous.

Chen Ge’s expression remained unchanged. Only Luo Jingyi, standing against her, could feel just how tense she was.

Now Luo Jingyi and Chen Ge were an officially promoted CP.

What were CPs supposed to do? Give the audience sweet moments and act as though they were dating, weren’t they? Display their socialist sisterhood?

Then Luo Jingyi would not hold back.

“Actually, the director gave me the instructions just now,” Chen Ge honestly confessed.

“You’re so honest. Why are you this adorable?”

In a voice only the two of them could hear, Luo Jingyi continued:

“Turn around and look at me.”

Chen Ge did not need to turn to know how close they were.

If she looked back, the tips of their noses would almost touch…

A dangerous image appeared in Chen Ge’s mind. Her hands became unsteady, and the pot she had been about to place on the stove overturned.

“S-Sorry!”

Her face completely red, Chen Ge attempted to clean it up. Luo Jingyi’s other hand—the one not braced beside Chen Ge—circled around and caught her.

“Don’t touch it. I’ll do it.”

Chen Ge: “…”

This time, Chen Ge was completely enclosed in Luo Jingyi’s arms.

Gulp.

The staff members secretly swallowed.

Feng Yunxin was so delighted she nearly took flight on the spot.

“Xiao Chen, your face is incredibly red.”

Chen Ge could only continue apologizing.

After cleaning up the spilled lychees, Luo Jingyi said to Feng Yunxin:

“That take won’t work. Film another one.”

Despite being the director, Feng Yunxin asked Luo Jingyi:

“Where should we begin?”

“From the beginning.”

Feng Yunxin’s smile nearly made her eyes disappear.

I knew it!

As Fortress Besieged said, when an older person falls in love, it is like an old house catching fire—completely beyond saving.

Chen Ge’s legs felt slightly weak. She could not help wondering—

Was this what promoting a CP felt like?

She had promoted one with Song Ruyu for so long, yet her heart had never beaten this quickly…

And now they had to do it again?

Chen Ge took a deep breath and pressed the cooler back of her hand against her burning cheek.

Sister Luo was truly skilled at this.

Chen Ge forced herself to pull herself together.

She was an actress. How could she become embarrassed by an intimate scene?

She needed to behave more professionally and avoid holding Sister Luo back.

They were about to film again, which meant Group A needed another pot of peeled lychees.

Group B’s director said to Song Ruyu:

“Hey, stop standing there. Peel another potful for them!”

Song Ruyu drew in a breath.

“I—”

The director had no intention of hearing what she wanted to say. After giving the order, he returned to work.

Song Ruyu: “…”

Her lungs were about to explode from fury!

Author’s Note:

Luo Jingyi: Since we’re officially a CP now, I won’t hold back.

Skill activated—Stage One.

Stage Two continues in the next chapter.