Acting Out of Character (GL) - Chapter 31

Because the reality show had suddenly exploded in popularity and sparked widespread discussion online, the generous sponsor—who had barely paid Feng Yunxin any attention since filming began—suddenly called her.

The sponsor told her to film without worry and speak up if she encountered any difficulties. The investors would do their best to resolve them.

If they were going to make a reality show, they should make the finest one possible!

They should aim for every episode to surpass a hundred million views! Whatever platform they wanted, the investors could negotiate with it, and the eventual profit share would also be considerable.

Feng Yunxin was startled.

More than a hundred million views per episode? This…

She had only just learned how to walk, yet they already wanted her to fly into the heavens. As expected of their generous sponsor—truly ambitious.

In all her years as a director, this was the first time investors had placed such high expectations on Feng Yunxin. It was impossible not to feel nervous.

Still, nervous or not, Teacher Luo was here!

Their Teacher Luo was a gold-medal screenwriter whose films had earned tens of billions at the box office. That revenue had been accumulated with real money. What did a little online view count matter?

It certainly wouldn’t be difficult for her!

Luo Jingyi was like Feng Yunxin’s safe harbor and money tree.

Having Teacher Luo nearby genuinely gave her such a profound sense of security…

Feng Yunxin had already begun imagining the web variety show becoming an enormous hit. Her value would rise beyond comparison, she would earn ten or twenty million, and then she could return home and flaunt it before her wretched father.

The entire morning’s filming was actually exhausting, but now that Feng Yunxin had something to look forward to, she worked with greater motivation and efficiency.

Over several hours, forget drinking water—she had not even sat down once. She remained on the front lines of filming the whole time.

By noon, Feng Yunxin finally felt both thirsty and hungry.

Just as she finished the cold coffee in one gulp, the assistant director hurried over in a panic.

“D-Director Feng, have you checked your phone?”

Feng Yunxin was so exhausted she felt ready to split apart.

“What phone? I haven’t even finished this morning’s work. We finally have a chance to become a hit, and our generous sponsor has such high expectations. Of course I need to film properly and efficiently.”

The assistant director coughed. Her expression contained thirty percent awkwardness, thirty percent bewilderment, and forty percent delight in Feng Yunxin’s misfortune.

“Well… perhaps you should check Weibo on your phone. You seem to have liked something rather extraordinary.”

“What extraordinary thing could I possibly have liked? I haven’t touched my phone all morning.”

As Feng Yunxin spoke, she reached for her phone.

Suddenly, that explicit little drawing floated through her mind, and her expression instantly stiffened.

No way. Surely not?

Could she genuinely be that unlucky?

She couldn’t possibly have liked that post, right?!

And she had been using her official account!

By the time Feng Yunxin took out her phone to check, her face had already turned yellow.

She prayed desperately in her heart.

Please don’t let it be true. Please don’t. Please—

All right.

She had liked the explicit drawing.

The like was firmly there.

Although the picture itself had already been removed and could no longer be displayed, her like remained securely at the top of the activity feed on her official “Feng Yunxin” account.

Feng Yunxin: “…”

What terrible sin had she committed?!

She had only been passing by! She had never intended to like it!

Feng Yunxin immediately removed the like.

Probably no one had seen it, right?

After all, her account had only a little over ten thousand followers, and more than half were zombie accounts forcibly assigned to her by Weibo.

No one would notice what she had liked, surely?!

Having fulfilled her duty by warning Feng Yunxin, the assistant director left and continued working.

She walked to the side and spoke with several staff members about something. After every few sentences, they glanced at Feng Yunxin.

Feng Yunxin: “…………”

Help!

Everyone’s finger slipped sometimes, but why had hers happened to like an explicit drawing of that troublesome Luo and the darling of her heart?

It might have been tolerable if Teacher Luo had at least been the top in the illustration, but instead…

If Luo Jingyi discovered this…

Feeling extraordinarily guilty, Feng Yunxin glanced toward Luo Jingyi.

At that moment, Luo Jingyi was resting. She and Chen Ge stood beside the window, speaking quietly and smiling together in perfect harmony.

Teacher Luo probably hadn’t seen it.

She wouldn’t see it.

This nightmare would surely pass peacefully and disappear.

Feng Yunxin pressed her palms together and silently prayed.

Unfortunately, events did not unfold as she wished.

Not only did the matter fail to pass peacefully, but Feng Yunxin’s like also attracted countless onlookers.

Originally, the “Gewai Xindong” CP super-topic did not contain many people. It ranked outside the top one hundred on the CP chart and had little popularity.

After all, the web variety show had only recently begun attracting attention. The speed at which their CP had already heated up was actually quite remarkable.

The super-topic had only just been established, and little fan content had been created. That artist’s explicit drawing had practically circulated through the entire super-topic once already.

Once people discovered that the director of Our Rural Life had liked it, the post began its second round of circulation, and CP fans started celebrating wildly!

It originally had just over three hundred reposts. Feng Yunxin’s like directly pushed it close to seven hundred.

【Holy shit—is this really what I think it is?! The director herself liked it?!】

【It’s confirmed! The director personally hammered the evidence into stone!】

【Gewai Xindong is real!】

【Who could’ve imagined that the first web-variety-show CP I ever shipped would actually be real?!】

The artist was terrified and excited in equal measure and specially posted a new update:

【Director Feng, Director Feng, is that really you?! Are you hinting that Sister Xin and classmate Muge are genuinely together?! And I didn’t reverse the CP, right?! I don’t care—if you don’t answer, I’ll take that as confirmation!】

Just as the explicit drawing approached eight hundred reposts and began showing signs of spreading beyond the fandom, the image was removed.

This only made the spectators even more curious.

Some netizens who watched Our Rural Life purely for gossip swarmed beneath the artist’s Weibo and demanded the fan art that had been liked by the director.

The artist wrote:

【I never imagined that the first time I broke out of the fandom would be because I drew explicit art…】

The artist tried posting it twice more, but no matter how she edited the image, it could not be displayed.

People also attempted to attach it in the replies, but nothing appeared.

【What do we do? It can’t be posted at all.】

【I’ll create a group chat. Let’s talk there.】

【Yes, yes, yes! Please let me join!】

A major CP fan created a group, and more than a thousand people flooded inside immediately.

Group owner:

【…Are explicit drawings really this powerful?】

The matter gradually continued spreading.

Zhao Lian was renovating Luo Jingyi’s villa, standing inside while watching the construction team install wallpaper and carpet.

After observing for a while and finding the work reasonably satisfactory, she casually checked her phone. A major fan account she had followed for the web show had reposted “Gewai Xindong” content onto her home feed.

They already had a CP super-topic?

That quickly?

Zhao Lian entered the super-topic with a cheerful smile and browsed through it.

The more she saw, the more silent she became.

…

During the midday break, Luo Jingyi finally managed to sit down and rest.

While massaging her lower back, she took out her phone to check the web variety show’s rising popularity and the progress of its publicity.

Naturally, she saw the super-topic belonging to her and Chen Ge.

Gewai Xindong?

That name…

Although things had not reached that point, it wasn’t bad.

The profile picture of the CP super-topic was a screenshot from the paper-cup water relay, when Luo Jingyi had held Chen Ge’s face to steady her.

They were standing exceptionally close, and the way Luo Jingyi cupped Chen Ge’s face made it appear as though she were about to kiss her.

Luo Jingyi couldn’t help smiling.

They certainly knew how to choose a picture.

She was unfamiliar with many Weibo functions, but she had explored CP super-topics while revising the script for Feng Yunxin.

After all, to write chemistry that audiences would enjoy, she naturally needed to conduct thorough grassroots research. That was Luo Jingyi’s professional habit.

A story disconnected from ordinary people’s lives was not a good story.

After researching for an entire night, Luo Jingyi had become somewhat familiar with CP super-topics. She knew how to view featured posts and how to browse new ones.

This was the first time she had discovered and entered the Gewai Xindong super-topic. Everyone inside appeared cheerful and harmonious. No one knew her true identity and believed only that her name was Luo Xin.

Good.

Luo Jingyi had originally intended to appreciate everyone’s glowing praise of how perfectly matched she and Chen Ge were.

But then…

What explicit drawing?

What did they mean, the director had liked it?

What delicate flower, golden cucumber, ferocious bottom, powerful submissive partner?

What did they mean Chen Ge had made her meow?

Who were they talking about?

Were they talking about her?!

Feng Yunxin was hiding in a corner eating when she suddenly sensed an intense pressure filled with murderous intent approaching from behind.

A strip of shredded potato still hung from her mouth. When she turned around, Luo Jingyi was standing behind her without her noticing.

“Yunxin.”

Luo Jingyi called her name with a gentle smile.

Feng Yunxin: “…”

It was over.

Teacher Luo definitely knew about the like.

The last time Luo Jingyi had spoken so gently and called her “Yunxin” was when Feng Yunxin had accidentally dropped Luo Jingyi’s out-of-print book, purchased abroad and signed by her idol, into the toilet.

At the time, Luo Jingyi had told her—

Choose between your head and hand-copying the entire book.

Feng Yunxin had nearly copied her hand off before finally finishing. The incident had become one of her nightmares.

Was the nightmare about to repeat itself now…?

Luo Jingyi continued smiling.

“Come with me.”

Feng Yunxin shook her head rapidly.

“I-I-I can’t come.”

Luo Jingyi looked at her again.

Feng Yunxin: “…”

Feng Yunxin brought Luo Jingyi upstairs to the lounge, swept her hand toward the floor, and knelt down.

Dropping to her knees like a fierce tiger, Feng Yunxin apologized sincerely:

“I genuinely know I was wrong! I genuinely didn’t do it intentionally…”

“What exactly happened?” Luo Jingyi asked.

Feng Yunxin explained everything that had occurred that morning, then emphasized:

“Normally, I never would’ve liked it. Whenever I browse Weibo with my official account, I always use my left hand precisely because I’m afraid my finger might slip and like something inappropriate! If you hadn’t suddenly frightened me, I never would have liked that kind of picture!”

Luo Jingyi said, “…So you’re blaming me? Your liking explicit artwork was my fault?”

Seeing that Luo Jingyi was only a millimeter away from exploding, Feng Yunxin hurriedly said:

“No, no, of course not! I was only reconstructing the scene! Besides, the picture has already been removed. No one can see it anymore!”

Luo Jingyi grabbed her by the collar like a demon about to drain away all her yang energy.

“What exactly was depicted in that picture?”

“So… you didn’t see it?”

“It was already removed. How could I see it? Hmm?”

Every time Luo Jingyi’s smile blossomed, Feng Yunxin grew even more terrified.

“It was… explicit art. What else could it be?”

“Describe it in detail.”

Feng Yunxin said, “…Well. Teacher Luo, here’s the thing. Any explicit picture severe enough to be removed must naturally be extremely explicit. It can’t really be described in ordinary language. It was just… kissing, touching, bodies entwined…”

“Are you certain you didn’t like it deliberately?”

Feng Yunxin nearly leapt up.

“Do I not value my life?! Why would I deliberately like that kind of picture?!”

“Judging by your reaction, the picture wasn’t merely explicit. It would also make me angry, correct?”

“…”

That damned screenwriter’s intuition!

Why did it have to be so damned accurate?!

Feng Yunxin was nearly suffocating and could only continue evading the question.

“Actually, it was drawn quite well. Truly. Both you and Xiao Chen looked beautiful.”

Luo Jingyi closed her eyes and tried to force the erupting volcano back down.

Fortunately, she hadn’t appeared on the show under her real name.

It was obvious that Feng Yunxin was avoiding the subject and refusing to describe the picture properly.

Luo Jingyi no longer wasted time on her. She would find the image herself.

She refused to stop until she saw its true appearance today.

What kind of picture was it?

She wanted to see exactly what “making her meow” meant.

Luo Jingyi summoned Zhao Lian and ordered her to find the picture.

Zhao Lian, who had only just received an enormous red packet: “…”

Fine. She would find it.

If she didn’t enter hell, who would?

Zhao Lian secretly infiltrated the CP fan group and genuinely found the explicit picture.

One glance made Zhao Lian, who had never dated anyone, turn completely red.

Standing behind the phone screen with a dark expression, Luo Jingyi said:

“Let me see.”

Zhao Lian was afraid Luo Jingyi might become angry and smash her phone after seeing it. Trembling, she asked:

“T-Teacher Luo, why don’t I send it to you on WeChat?”

Luo Jingyi gave an extremely low-pressure “Mm.”

Feeling as though she had been pardoned, Zhao Lian found the three characters “Luo Jingyi” on WeChat and hurriedly sent it.

After sending it, she noticed WeChat messages rapidly appearing above.

Administration Xiao Ku:

【[Wiping sweat][Wiping sweat][Wiping sweat]】

Secretary Weiwei:

【…………】

Finance:

【?】

Screenwriter Lin Ling:

【????】

Screenwriter Cheng Hui:

【Uh, this…】

Zhao Lian nearly snapped her phone in half!

Dear mother!

She hadn’t sent it to Teacher Luo!

She had posted it in the studio’s work group!

Ahhhhh!

Why had she sent it immediately after seeing the three characters “Luo Jingyi”?!

Hadn’t she noticed the additional words “Studio” after them?!

Her contact name for Luo Jingyi was clearly “Teacher Luo”!

Zhao Lian frantically recalled the message, but Luo Jingyi, who was holding her phone, had already seen everything clearly.

Cold sweat poured continuously from Zhao Lian.

“…………”

The work group containing forty-five people fell into deathly silence.

Chen Ge had originally wanted to find Luo Xin and tell her that she had nearly finished preparing the earlier script and could perform it at any time.

Unexpectedly, Sister Luo was nowhere to be found.

While Chen Ge held a can of water and drank, Xiao Mao ran over excitedly.

“Chen Ge, you’re going to become famous!”

Xiao Mao wrapped an arm around Chen Ge’s shoulders and held out her phone.

“Look at this!”

Seeing the image, Chen Ge was so startled that she forgot to swallow the water in her mouth.

Why was Xiao Mao showing her this kind of explicit picture?

Wait.

Why did the people in the drawing resemble her and Sister Luo?

Xiao Mao said, “It’s fan art of you and Sister Luo Xin! You’re the top!”

Chen Ge sprayed an entire mouthful of water into Xiao Mao’s face.

Xiao Mao: “…Chen Ge, you’re so dirty.”

Author’s Note:

Chen Ge: I’m not! I didn’t!

Luo Jingyi: Mm. I know you aren’t the top.