Acting Out of Character (GL) - Chapter 4

Chen Ge and Song Ruyu disembarked from the plane, each carrying a backpack as they stepped into the stifling heat and thick, humid wind before entering the shuttle bus.

Inside the bus, the air conditioning was blasting. Song Ruyu took off her mask and fanned herself for a while, but she was still drenched in sweat. She looked over at Chen Ge, who was wearing a black tracksuit over a tight camisole; despite being bundled up, Chen Ge showed no signs of sweating.

Song Ruyu was curious. “Sister Ge, aren’t you hot?”

“I am, but I’m used to it.”

“Oh, right, you’re originally from the South. This weather down here… they say it’s 33°C just like Beijing, but it’s so humid and damp that it feels way hotter. It’s a literal steamer! Look, my back is soaking wet…”

As Song Ruyu grumbled, she noticed a young girl with a round face and round eyes across from them stealing frequent glances at her.

Recognizing the behavior, Song Ruyu immediately understood. She hadn’t expected to have gained enough fans from that survival show to be recognized randomly on the street. She instantly adjusted her posture and said with a smile, “So, you recognized me.”

The girl hadn’t expected Song Ruyu to speak to her. She didn’t actually know Song Ruyu well, but she had watched the show for her “ultimate bias.” Song Ruyu had been in the same group as her favorite contestant, so she remembered her.

Just a moment ago, the girl was thinking: No way, Song Ruyu didn’t take the private VIP car for first-class passengers? She’s actually taking the shuttle bus? Is her company that stingy?

Being “approached” by Song Ruyu, the girl politely said she had watched Debut Now! Season 3 and really liked her. She praised her looks and stage presence, calling her a total “all-rounder ACE.” She added that it was a shame she was eliminated so early.

Modern fangirls have a way with “rainbow farts” (flattery), and her words made Song Ruyu beam with joy. While saying “Oh, it was nothing,” Song Ruyu took the phone from the girl’s hand.

“Do you want a photo together?”

The girl asked, “Can I? But doesn’t your agency forbid you from taking photos with fans?”

The question was a bit awkward for Song Ruyu. Usually, only popular artists are restricted by their agencies. For a 17th-tier celebrity like Song Ruyu, being recognized by a passerby was more a testament to the passerby’s extensive knowledge than her own fame. Sister Si had only one rule for her: don’t cause trouble; everything else was fine.

Song Ruyu cheerfully changed the subject: “I just dote on my fans like that.” She then handed the phone to Chen Ge. “Sister, could you take a quick photo?”

Chen Ge felt a bit embarrassed as people on the shuttle bus stared at them like they were at a zoo. “Just… take it here?”

Song Ruyu already had her arm around the girl’s waist. She urged, “Hurry up.”

“Alright.” After snapping several shots, Chen Ge handed the phone back. “See if these are okay.”

Song Ruyu told the girl, “If you post these on the Super Topic page, remember to Photoshop me a bit.”

The girl nodded while looking at Chen Ge. She felt Chen Ge looked familiar but couldn’t quite place where she had seen her; she seemed like a celebrity as well. Having been in the fan culture for a long time, the girl could tell from Chen Ge’s aura that she was someone of note.

Not only was her physique excellent, but even in a tracksuit and a non-fashionable backpack with light makeup, her features were so refined they belonged on the big screen. There was a cold elegance in her eyes that kept people at a distance—an aura of “high-class” sophistication. Standing next to her, Song Ruyu was half a head shorter; though an idol, her figure and presence were completely outmatched by this older sister.

Who is she?! The girl was frustrated; she knew she’d seen her, but she just couldn’t remember!

The girl spoke up to Chen Ge: “Can I take a photo with you too?”

Chen Ge hadn’t expected this, and Song Ruyu was stunned. Chen Ge said, “Sure, but I’m not dressed properly today.”

The girl immediately rushed to her side. “No way! You can pull off anything, Sister. You’re so beautiful.”

Blushing at the compliment, Chen Ge gave her a small smile. Without a mask or sunglasses, she was in her “natural state,” and that smile made her look as stunning as a lotus rising from the water. Her slightly elongated eyes paired perfectly with her heroic brow line. When she smiled, the distance she projected vanished, replaced by a charmingly shy contrast.

This sister is tall, cool, and beautiful. She looks a bit cold at first glance, but she’s actually quite cute…

The girl asked Song Ruyu to hurry and take the photo. Song Ruyu reluctantly took one and tried to hand the phone back, but the girl insisted, “Take a few more!”

Song Ruyu: “…”

Song Ruyu mindlessly tapped the shutter a few times before handing the phone back. The girl checked the photos and praised Chen Ge: “Sister, you’re really gorgeous. Are you an actress?”

Chen Ge replied, “I suppose so. Just an 18th-tier one with no major works.”

“Is the industry blind?! Sister, what’s your name?”

“Chen Ge. ‘Chen’ like the surname, and ‘Ge’ as in ‘motto’ (geyan).”

The girl gasped. “Ah! It’s you! I know! I know! You’re Zhou Qiang!”

Chen Ge was surprised. She smiled and asked, “You’ve seen Skinny Dipping?”

Skinny Dipping was the only movie where she had played the female lead. Zhou Qiang was the character’s name. The film had been highly acclaimed by critics and was the debut work that “tricked” her into the industry.

It was the best crew she had ever worked with: a great director and a gold-medal screenwriter. Even though it was a low-budget indie film, she had received several Best Newcomer nominations back then, though she ended up being just a “runner-up” for all of them. Since Skinny Dipping, she hadn’t appeared in anything notable. People said her debut was her peak.

It was a painful truth.

The girl stayed by Chen Ge’s side, asking about her career over the last few years and why she hadn’t made more movies. Chen Ge looked down and said, “Actually, I have filmed movies, but they weren’t very good works. Some didn’t even make it to theaters, so you wouldn’t have seen them.”

“You didn’t work with Teacher Luo again?”

“Teacher Luo? Screenwriter Luo?” Chen Ge sighed. “I’d love to, but unfortunately, there’s been no opportunity.”

The script for Skinny Dipping was written by Luo Jingyi when she was only seventeen. After graduating university, Luo Jingyi wrote several scripts, won awards, and achieved minor success, but she always remained fond of the script she wrote in her youth. She eventually found investment to film it as a memento.

Back then, Luo Jingyi wasn’t as established as she was now. She wasn’t yet the “Grand Empress” everyone feared, so she didn’t have the status to be overbearing. She couldn’t interfere much with the director’s casting, so she focused on writing and didn’t stay with the crew, leaving the completion entirely to the director.

The final result had made her very unhappy. The acting was okay, but the film felt rigid and lacked soul. Luo Jingyi watched it once and shelved it. It was after this movie that she decided that any project of hers must be personally overseen by her; otherwise, the final product would be too far from her vision.

Because of this dissatisfaction with the “crumpled past,” Luo Jingyi had almost no memory of the actors in Skinny Dipping, let alone any thought of working with them again. Meanwhile, Chen Ge’s career had started high and stayed low, struggling until today.

Noticing Chen Ge’s disappointment, the girl comforted her: “I knew your aura was extraordinary! You stand out wherever you go because you’re a good actress! Don’t lose heart; this industry requires resilience. So many people stay hidden for ten or twenty years before they get famous! Suffering creates art—I believe in you!”

Chen Ge actually took the girl’s words to heart, looking thoughtful.

The shuttle arrived at the terminal, and the girl chatted with Chen Ge all the way to the luggage carousel. Chen Ge looked back to find Song Ruyu, fearing she might get lost, and only continued once she saw her catching up.

While waiting for luggage, the girl asked, “Are you two from the same company? Are you here to film something?”

Song Ruyu stood with her hands on her hips, fully armored in a hat, sunglasses, and mask. She said coldly, “It’s work-related, not convenient to disclose.”

The girl said “Oh” and didn’t press further. She asked Chen Ge, “Sister, would it be convenient to exchange WeChat and add each other?”

Before Chen Ge could answer, Song Ruyu reached out her hand and refused: “No, company rules forbid private contact with fans!”

The girl was puzzled. “Sister Chen Ge is an actress. Isn’t ‘no private contact’ just for you idols? Since when do actresses care about that?” Being a fan, the girl knew the industry rules well.

Song Ruyu: “Still not allowed.”

Chen Ge said, “Xiao Song, your luggage is here.”

Song Ruyu saw her sticker-covered suitcase and went to grab it. Halfway through, she realized she couldn’t lift it herself and immediately called for help. “Sister, come help me!”

Chen Ge told the girl, “WeChat really isn’t very convenient, but I have an account on Modern Cinema called ‘MuGe’—it’s just the character for my name (格) split into two (木 and 各). Followed by my birthday, 0411. If you need anything, you can leave a message on my profile.”

” Modern Cinema? That app? Do you write movie reviews on it?”

“I write a bit when I have time.”

Chen Ge saw her own suitcase coming out and noticed Song Ruyu was about to be pulled away by the conveyor belt. She waved to the girl and headed toward the luggage.

The girl, who only had a backpack, had no luggage to wait for; she had only come along to talk more with Chen Ge. It wasn’t good to keep bothering them while they were working.

Leaving the terminal, the girl picked up her rental car. As she got in, she received a call from Luo Jingyi.

“You arrived?” Luo Jingyi asked.

“Yes, yes. I’m heading to the hotel now.”

The girl was actually older than she looked—twenty-five—but her round face and casual clothes made her look like a college student. Her name was Zhao Lian, and she had been Luo Jingyi’s scheduling assistant for three years. So far, she was the longest-serving assistant Luo Jingyi had ever had.

Luo Jingyi originally had three assistants: a work assistant, a personal assistant (who had resigned last month, leaving the position vacant), and Zhao Lian. Lately, Zhao Lian had been so busy she was losing hair. She had to handle scheduling while also filling in as a personal assistant, a task she found difficult to voice her complaints about.

Teacher Luo was more than just a little picky. The reason for a scheduling assistant was that before Luo Jingyi went anywhere, the assistant had to go ahead and confirm everything: the hotel’s location, room layout, mattress softness, orientation, floor height, indoor temperature, the professionalism of the butler, and even the profiles of other important guests. Not to mention whether the hotel’s restaurants and bars could satisfy her demanding palate.

Zhao Lian had to “test-stay,” “test-sleep,” and “test-eat” everything in advance. Any slight dissatisfaction would directly affect Teacher Luo’s daily life and her writing. If the “Grand Empress” wasn’t served well, the whole world would shake.

“How long until you’re sure?” Luo Jingyi’s voice sounded a bit frightening, suppressed with an irritability that suggested she might explode at any moment.

Sensing her frustration, Zhao Lian said, “Soon. I’ll be at the hotel in about half an hour. We’re Platinum VIPs, so the room should be cleaned and checked in by now.”

“Send me the hotel location.”

Zhao Lian sent it over immediately.

“20 kilometers from Li Village…” Luo Jingyi muttered to herself.

“Li Village?” Zhao Lian was confused. “Teacher Luo, are you going to Li Village?”

“I don’t want to go either.” Luo Jingyi had a headache. “An old friend of mine is filming a reality show there. They said a non-celebrity guest had an accident on the way and is in the hospital. He’s begging me to save the day.”

“What? You’re going on a reality show?” Zhao Lian was stunned.

“Maybe.” Luo Jingyi thought the whole thing was absurd.

“Then… should I still handle the hotel?”

“Of course,” Luo Jingyi said. “It’s not like I’m going to stay in the village. Have I gone mad?”

The Author has something to say:

Luo Jingyi: It’s impossible for me to stay in the village. I will never stay there.

Chen Ge: I think I see a “flag” fluttering in the wind.