Acting Out of Character (GL) - Chapter 5

Luo Jingyi had never imagined she would participate in some wretched reality show—much less one filmed in a remote mountain village.

Had her childhood friend not chased after her and begged as though her life depended on it for three days and three nights, Luo Jingyi would never have agreed to something like this for anyone else.

The timing was almost absurd.

Luo Jingyi had only just tricked her mother and her mother’s girlfriend into coming to her house to recuperate—mainly so they could look after Ancestor.

Her travel assistant had barely left to scout things out, and the thought of traveling for research had only just entered her mind when she received a “work notice” from her childhood friend, Feng Yunxin.

Three days earlier.

Luo Jingyi had gotten up punctually at six in the morning to write her script, but the writing was not going well.

Feng Yunxin suddenly appeared with her pink Sailor Moon profile picture.

She sent a voice message in an affectedly sweet voice:

“Sister Yi, what have you been doing lately? Have you chosen your destined female lead yet? How is the new script coming along? Are you eating, drinking, using the bathroom, and sleeping well?”

Luo Jingyi did not even need to see her. From the sycophantic, servant-like tone in the WeChat message alone, she knew this brat definitely wanted something.

Luo Jingyi replied with one word:

“Spit.”

Feng Yunxin had sent an entire string of syrupy voice messages, only to receive a one-second response from Luo Jingyi.

It seemed the female lead still had not been settled, and the script was not going smoothly either.

The Empress Dowager was in a terrible mood.

Sure enough, when Feng Yunxin opened the message, she heard that single word: “Spit.”

Fine. She had been granted permission, so she immediately began spitting out her long string of nonsense.

“Here’s the situation. I recently accepted a web variety show—a reality show—and I’m the director. It’s being filmed in a gorgeous little village in the south. We originally invited a few rising stars and ordinary amateurs to participate together, but the project has run into a small problem. Our crew has already arrived, but one of the amateurs we signed had a motorcycle accident two days ago and broke their leg, so naturally they can’t come anymore. I thought and thought about who could fill this enormous hole, and only our all-capable Sister Yi is qualified for the job.”

Afraid Luo Jingyi would not give her another chance to speak, Feng Yunxin poured out the entire cause and sequence of events in one breath, hoping Sister Yi would give her an answer.

As expected, Luo Jingyi did not agree so easily. She replied:

“You’ve fallen so far that you’re directing reality shows now?”

Feng Yunxin pouted and muttered irritably to herself, “She hasn’t even agreed yet, and she’s already insulting me?”

Another WeChat message from Luo Jingyi arrived:

“If you need an amateur, that should be easy. Why drag me all the way there? Just grab one of your assistant directors or production coordinators and put them on the show.”

Feng Yunxin immediately began flattering her:

“How could that work? First of all, even though my web variety show is obscure, all the guests are handsome men and beautiful women. Even if we flop, we still need to flop with dignity, right? The assistant directors and production coordinators? How could those crooked melons and cracked dates ascend to the ranks of immortals? Even if we’re missing an amateur, we still need a fairy to save the day. I’ve thought it over again and again. Apart from Sister Yi, who else could command the entire set? You’re the only fairy I know.”

“Can you stop flattering me so shamelessly? You know I would never participate in a reality show.”

Feng Yunxin practically knelt before her through the Wi-Fi. “Great-Aunt, I’m begging you! The sky above me has a hole in it, and I’m waiting for you to come patch it!”

Luo Jingyi remained merciless and replied:

“Go find Nüwa if you need the sky repaired.”

Of course Feng Yunxin knew that Luo Jingyi had always kept an extremely low profile.

Forget reality shows—even when she won awards, she never appeared onstage to accept them. She did not want the public to know what she looked like, so she could live the most ordinary life possible.

In Luo Jingyi’s own words, she was a screenwriter. Her job was to write about joy and sorrow, separation and reunion, explore the character arcs that interested her, and uncover the genuine drama of human life.

Struggling through the entertainment industry and playing along for show were not things a screenwriter should be doing.

As long as something had nothing to do with her, she did not want to waste too much energy on it.

After being friends with Luo Jingyi for so many years, how could Feng Yunxin not understand the way she conducted herself?

But the reality show truly lacked a guest this time, and the situation was becoming desperate.

They were about to be forced to leave an empty slot. Every additional day they remained there burned through more money, while the producers had given them only a tiny budget, most of which had already been spent renting the location. Any excess costs would have to be covered by the production team themselves.

They had already searched the entire surrounding area and found no one suitable.

They had also asked various managers in their industry work groups. Some looked down on their obscure eighteenth-tier web variety show, while others genuinely could not spare anyone because the schedules conflicted.

Then Feng Yunxin thought of her old friend.

Teacher Luo herself might not provide much variety-show entertainment, but her noble face was beautiful.

She would not even need to speak. As long as Teacher Luo appeared onscreen and sat prettily to the side like an ornamental vase, the problem would be solved.

She might as well try inviting Teacher Luo. How would she know unless she tried?

If Teacher Luo came, she would not merely fill the vacant guest position. There was another life-or-death problem too. If this Empress Dowager helped her deal with it, the reality show might even have a chance of coming back from the dead.

So Feng Yunxin shamelessly pestered Luo Jingyi.

After two days of harassment, Luo Jingyi still showed no intention of agreeing. Instead, she warned her:

“Keep yapping and I’ll block you. Believe me?”

On the third day, Feng Yunxin enthusiastically appeared again. This time, she directly requested a video call.

Luo Jingyi was waiting for her travel assistant to report back about the hotel details, but the first person to appear was this nuisance.

Fine. Apparently, everything she had said before had been useless.

Luo Jingyi planned to show her the kind of face that inspired fear in both gods and humans.

Unexpectedly, when the video connected, she did not see Feng Yunxin. Instead, the entire screen was filled with green.

“Ta-da! Sister Yi! Guess where I am!”

“A particularly beautiful little mountain village in the south, where you’re miserably filming your reality show.”

“That’s right… But look! Isn’t this village beautiful? Doesn’t it look like the sort of place you’d want to visit for research? Look at these clear waters and green mountains, filled with spiritual energy. Maybe if you came here to write, your mind would immediately clear!”

“You secretly investigated my itinerary? Who told you? Xiao Zhao?”

“Zhao Lian is far too timid. Even if you gave her three extra lives, she still wouldn’t dare betray you.”

“Then who betrayed me?”

Feng Yunxin still wanted to preserve the secret, but Luo Jingyi’s mind worked too quickly. Her next guess was correct.

“My mother?”

Feng Yunxin’s hand trembled, accidentally switching to the front-facing camera. Her guilty expression immediately appeared onscreen.

Luo Jingyi sat in a massage chair, letting it knead her aching lower back after sitting for too long, and gave a cold laugh.

“Tell me. How did you bribe the old lady this time? She actually revealed my whereabouts to you.”

“Sister, stop shaking. You’re already shaking into a mosaic. Ah… The old lady is beautiful and kindhearted. Why would I need to bribe her? I simply acted pitiful and complained about my suffering in front of her, and she exposed every last detail about you.”

“You’re trying to drive a wedge between my mother and me.”

“How could I? I’m offering you an excellent idea for gathering material! Didn’t you say your new script was adapted from a true story? And that it took place in a small southern city? No wonder you’ve been struggling to write it. Think about it. If you want to write a story set in a small city in the south, staying in Beijing obviously won’t work. You need to travel south. Only with the right atmosphere can you write it properly.”

“Thank you for your concern. I’ve already asked Xiao Zhao to arrange a hotel for me, and I’m preparing to leave.”

“You’re leaving? Where are you going?”

“Wuyi Mountain.”

The moment Feng Yunxin heard “Wuyi Mountain,” her grin nearly stretched to her ears.

“Just look at this, Sister Yi. How could fate bring us together so perfectly?”

Luo Jingyi: “…”

“Our crew is in Li Village, only twenty kilometers from Wuyi Mountain! Oh my, when are you arriving? Should I pick you up?”

“No need.”

“Then once you’ve checked into the hotel, I’ll come find you?!”

“…”

Feng Yunxin changed her expression and said seriously:

“Sister Yi, I’m honestly not exaggerating. Li Village has a long history and is highly representative of this entire region. If you want to get close to the lives of people around Wuyi Mountain, Li Village can definitely give you a complete picture. Our production team is already coordinating with the local government and villagers. As long as you come over, I can help gather whatever materials you want. If you want to immerse yourself directly in the local way of life, I can arrange that too.”

Luo Jingyi said, “The real incident my new script is based on happened in Li Village.”

Feng Yunxin nearly jumped up. “Really? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”

“You never asked.”

“That’s perfect! Then it’s settled!”

“…Wait. How is it settled? I still haven’t agreed.”

“Oh, I know our Sister Yi has a sharp tongue but a soft heart. How could you possibly refuse?”

Feng Yunxin was already in her thirties, yet when she became excited, she bounced around without the slightest dignity of a director.

Luo Jingyi admitted defeat. This was her only childhood friend. Now that her location had been exposed, Feng Yunxin would probably charge over and annoy her to death anyway.

Luo Jingyi gave her a serious warning:

“You’re not allowed to use my real name on the reality show.”

Hearing this, Feng Yunxin knew Luo Jingyi had genuinely agreed. She nearly nodded her head off.

“We won’t, we won’t! We can make up any name! You’ve wrapped yourself more tightly than a zongzi whenever you appeared before the media all these years. No one knows who you are. We can write down any random name when the time comes!”

“Can I avoid showing my face?”

“…Do you seriously want us to mosaic your face?”

Half voluntarily and half through deception and coercion, Luo Jingyi finally agreed.

But she absolutely would not stay in Li Village. Insects probably flew out from every direction, while poultry droppings covered the ground. She could already imagine what it looked like.

Impossible. She would not stay there even if someone beat her to death.

When Chen Ge and Song Ruyu left the airport, members of the reality show’s production team met them at the arrivals exit, helped with their luggage, and led them toward the underground parking lot.

When they entered the production van, they discovered that a young man was already sitting inside.

He was in his early twenties and very tall. His long legs barely fit inside the vehicle. Despite the blazing weather, he wore a generous layer of foundation, making his entire face appear pale and luminous beneath his bright golden hair.

The moment Song Ruyu climbed in, she exclaimed, “Huh? Qian Yu? Are you Qian Yu?”

The young man quickly recognized Song Ruyu too.

Since both had competed on talent shows, they immediately began chatting enthusiastically.

Song Ruyu sat beside Qian Yu, while Chen Ge sat in the back. Once their luggage had been loaded, the vehicle departed.

Chen Ge looked at the scenery outside and discovered that the area truly was beautiful. Green mountains surrounded them beneath light clouds and a gentle breeze, somewhat resembling her hometown.

After growing accustomed to gray, hazy Beijing, the green waters and mountains before her gave her a sense of familiarity and warmth.

The vehicle traveled for over an hour along winding mountain roads before finally reaching Li Village.

The production team had already established its base there. They had rented a large rural courtyard house where all the guests would stay, and most of the filming would also take place there.

The other crew members lived on the small hillside behind it.

Song Ruyu and Qian Yu chatted the entire way, exchanging recent news about various talent-show contestants until they reached their destination.

After getting out, Song Ruyu exclaimed, “The scenery here isn’t bad. There are mountains behind us and water nearby. Look at this farmhouse. I thought it would be some tiny mud-brick house, but it’s surprisingly modern. A three-story building with floor-to-ceiling windows—nice and bright.”

Qian Yu said, “Of course. We’re filming a show. Who would watch something completely rustic and shabby?”

Song Ruyu laughed twice. “Do you think anyone will watch just because it isn’t shabby? Isn’t this basically a gathering of washed-up nobodies?”

Just as she said that, several staff members happened to walk past. They overheard her and turned to glance at her.

Song Ruyu stuck out her tongue.

The parking area was some distance from the courtyard entrance. Qian Yu dragged his suitcase over to find a staff member.

Song Ruyu grabbed him. “Aren’t you going to carry my suitcase for me?”

Qian Yu said, “Huh? You only have one suitcase. Just roll it over yourself.”

Song Ruyu wriggled her shoulders coquettishly. “The road is uneven. It needs to be carried.”

With no other choice, Qian Yu carried one suitcase in each hand and struggled toward the courtyard.

At that moment, Chen Ge had just pulled her own suitcase from the trunk. Song Ruyu turned back and smiled smugly at her, then pointed toward Qian Yu’s back as he carried her luggage.

Chen Ge tugged at the corners of her lips in response. Song Ruyu clasped her hands behind her back and strolled easily toward the courtyard.

A production coordinator came over to help, but Chen Ge said, “No need. I can handle it.”

The coordinator looked at her twenty-eight-inch suitcase. Even without lifting it, he knew it must be extremely heavy. After all, female celebrities’ luggage was never lightweight.

The road had not been renovated. It was a twenty-year-old concrete path filled with pits and cracks. The production team had deliberately left it unrepaired because they wanted the location to remain authentic.

That also made the road difficult to walk on and the suitcase even harder to roll.

The coordinator assumed Chen Ge was merely being polite and followed behind her, afraid she might run out of strength halfway and need him to take over immediately.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ge truly could manage.

After pushing the suitcase twice and finding it too inconvenient, she simply lifted it off the ground.

A twenty-eight-inch suitcase was genuinely not light. But whenever Chen Ge was not working, she spent her time reading, watching films, or going to the gym.

She was not exceptionally strong, but carrying her own suitcase presented no problem.

She carried it to the courtyard entrance and pushed open the gate. The path inside was much smoother.

Just as Chen Ge prepared to roll her suitcase farther in, she sensed something unusual behind her. Turning around, she discovered a camera operator filming her.

Chen Ge let out a surprised “Huh?” and laughed. “You’ve already started filming?”

The camera operator said, “The director said we’re recreating the most authentic rural life. Authenticity is what matters to us.”

This was Chen Ge’s first time appearing on a reality show where cameras were pushed directly into her face.

She did not know just how “authentic” the director wanted everything to be. When she faced an unfamiliar camera and was not expected to act but simply display her true self, she felt somewhat uncomfortable, and her smile grew slightly stiff.

Not all of the guests had arrived yet, so official filming would not begin until the next day.

Song Ruyu had been exhausted after traveling all day. She showered and went to sleep early.

Chen Ge shared a room with her. After showering, she discovered that the Wi-Fi in their room had stopped working. She went outside to ask the production team about it and happened to encounter Qian Yu downstairs.

“Hey.” Qian Yu stood in the first-floor living room, doing who knew what. The moment he saw Chen Ge, his face lit up, and he waved her over.

“I was looking for you,” Qian Yu told her. “Director Feng wants you to pick someone up.”

“Pick someone up?”

“The vehicle is ready and waiting outside the courtyard. Go with the assistant director.”

Chen Ge was confused. “Who am I picking up?”

“Director Feng’s close friend.” Qian Yu thought for a moment. Afraid Chen Ge might refuse to go, he casually fabricated a story. “Director Feng’s lover. Her partner is coming to visit the set, but Director Feng can’t get away, so she wants you to help. Keep this confidential. Don’t spread it around.”

Chen Ge glanced at the wall clock. It was already ten-thirty, and the trip to the airport would take more than an hour…

Feng Yunxin had originally asked Qian Yu to pick the person up.

The guests on this reality show would form pairs to complete missions. The person Feng Yunxin wanted Qian Yu to collect was his partner—

Luo Jingyi, who was replacing the injured amateur guest.

The reality show planned to begin filming from the moment the partners first met. Qian Yu was supposed to collect Luo Jingyi from the airport and then take her to the hotel near Wuyi Mountain.

Feng Yunxin had not yet explained this portion of the filming to him and intended for the assistant director to brief him on the way.

But it was already very late, and Qian Yu could not be bothered to go.

Had the person been a famous director or screenwriter, he would have rushed there eagerly. But to travel such a long distance this late just to collect an amateur? That was ridiculous.

Since he happened to encounter Chen Ge, he immediately deceived her into going instead.

“All right.” Chen Ge was not particularly sleepy. Since the director’s lover had traveled all this way, she did not mind helping pick her up. It would only take about as long as watching a film.

When Chen Ge climbed into the production van, Assistant Director Hu was already snoring loudly in the passenger seat.

He was supposed to explain the basic scene to Qian Yu and substitute for the usual camera operator during filming. He had intended to rest his eyes briefly, but unexpectedly fell deeply asleep.

The driver knew two people were supposed to depart that night. Seeing someone enter the vehicle, he did not wake the assistant director and simply drove toward the airport.

Feng Yunxin had just finished an eight-hundred-round argument with her father over the phone and nearly died from anger before finally hanging up.

When she checked her phone, she exclaimed in surprise. Teacher Luo had sent her an entire string of WeChat messages.

Feng Yunxin hurriedly replied:

“I really can’t get away right now. The person picking you up has already left and will meet you at the airport. Get along well with the kid. He’ll be your CP on the show.”

Luo Jingyi’s flight had Wi-Fi, and she quickly replied with an angry reaction image of a cat giving a murderous glare.

Feng Yunxin explained:

“I already mentioned this before. You’ll need to pretend to be in love with him. You won’t really be dating—it’ll be like acting, something performed for the audience. But you still need to become familiar with each other to create the right feeling. Develop some chemistry with the kid so things will look natural once filming starts.”

“We also have to develop chemistry?”

“Of course! You’re a screenwriter, not an actress. If you don’t develop some feeling first, I’m afraid you’ll look unnatural in front of the cameras.”

Now that Feng Yunxin had successfully tricked Luo Jingyi into coming, her manner of speaking was as though the year 1949 had finally arrived: liberated, mistress of her own fate, and standing with a newly straightened spine.

After thinking for a moment, Feng Yunxin added:

“If you truly don’t know how to promote a CP, just order the kid around however you like. A queen and her little puppy—that dynamic works too.”

Author’s Note:

They’re coming, they’re coming. They’re finally about to order each other around—cross that out—meet each other.

The Empress Dowager: Let me see which little puppy has come to serve this dowager.

Chen Ge: Not me. I didn’t. I already have a promotional CP.

The Empress Dowager: Oh. Then I’m your real CP.

Chen Ge: ??