Truly Dedicated to Art (Lily ABO) - Chapter 7

The curtains were drawn tightly shut. Outside, the sun was blazing high in the sky, but inside the room it felt like eternal night — lazy, dim, and hazy. Yu Shuinao slowly woke up in the rich woody scent. Her fingertips curled unconsciously, as if still remembering her bold actions on that porcelain-white back last night. The water-washed silk duvet slid across her naked skin, its clean and smooth touch completely different from the thin blanket that had been soaked with their mixed fluids the night before.

The bedsheet was clean too…

She pulled the duvet around herself and leaned against the headboard. Her waist sank into the soft pillows like soaked silk, completely drained of strength. The moment she moved even slightly, a dense, tingling ache spread through her lower back.

The area between her legs felt relatively dry and fresh, but… it was as if the scent of cedar had seeped into her very bones.

Last night…

She had been bent into all kinds of shameful positions, her pussy repeatedly filled with thick cum. The sound of water being stirred, the slapping of flesh, satisfied gasps and moans — the memories flooded back like a tide.

Yu Shuinao raised her hand and touched the gland at the back of her neck. It was no longer hot at all.

Did a heat period pass this quickly? Besides, in her memory, her heat was still a long way off, and her cycles had always been regular and precise. That was why she hadn’t thought about it at all last night and hadn’t brought any suppressants.

She got out of bed completely naked and walked to the bathroom.

The clothes prepared for her were thoughtfully folded and placed nearby.

Under the bright bathroom lights, the mirror honestly reflected all the ambiguous and intense marks on her body. Deep and light hickeys spread from her collarbones all the way down to her lower abdomen. The most numerous and heaviest marks were on her breasts — so dark they made her remember how the woman had gently licked, sucked, and lightly bitten them last night, like a patient hunter slowly luring her into the trap of desire until she couldn’t help saying those embarrassing, heart-pounding words.

Although she had already anticipated this day when she signed the contract, at the time the feeling of shame had dominated her thoughts. Yet when it actually happened, it didn’t feel as repulsive as she had imagined.

Moreover… last night she had been the one actively begging the woman…

Yu Shuinao lowered her head and splashed her face with cold water, trying to suppress the memory that made her cheeks burn.

After washing up, she changed into the prepared clothes.

Just like everything else here that was thoughtfully arranged, the style and size of the clothes were very similar to what she usually wore. It was a light apricot linen shirt dress with a waist-cinching tie that perfectly outlined her slender waist. If she remembered correctly, it was a style she had seen in the latest fashion magazine.

This dress did a good job of covering the hickeys on her collarbones.

After getting ready, she returned to the guest room and found her phone. It was already 1 p.m., and there were quite a few unread messages.

Cheng Lingheng had sent many messages, mostly work-related — about future schedules, script selection, etc. The details could wait until they met in person.

As soon as she came downstairs, she ran into Aunt Zhou.

“Good afternoon, Miss Yu. I was just wondering whether I should go wake you up for lunch. The food has been kept warm.” Aunt Zhou’s tone was warm and friendly.

Aunt Zhou guided her to sit at the dining table and brought out dish after dish from the kitchen.

As soon as Yu Shuinao sat down, she noticed a blister pack of capsules and a glass of water on the table.

Birth control pills.

The slightly romantic thoughts that had lingered because of the cedar scent and hickeys vanished completely. For some reason, this perfectly normal and reasonable action brought a faint sting of humiliation.

The corner of her lips twitched. She swallowed the pill.

…

“I’ve screened the upcoming projects twice. Most of the standout roles in the prepared film crews have already been cast. Besides, you’ve just returned to the country and are still a new face in the industry, so I think starting with a TV series would be steadier. What do you think?” Cheng Lingheng took a sip of water, her voice gentle with a slight upward lilt at the end.

Yu Shuinao nodded. “I have no problem with that.”

“I’ve picked two TV scripts with very different characteristics.” Cheng Lingheng pushed two scripts over and first tapped the light blue cover on the left. “The suspense drama is Director Zhao Ming’s project. She’s famous in the circle for her good temper. The crew atmosphere is relaxed, her aesthetics are solid, and the final product quality is always guaranteed. However…” Her tone shifted subtly, “it relies heavily on the actors’ comprehension and chemistry. She’s not very good at directing or coaching actors. When the actor matches her, they can elevate each other. When they don’t…”

“They just replace the actor?” Yu Shuinao asked curiously.

“When they don’t match, the actor’s bad performance gets nailed to the pillar of shame as black history. If Director Zhao can’t teach them by the end, she simply gives up. She believes it’s the actor’s own responsibility. She only cares about her rhythm and visuals being good enough. Also, replacing someone is too much trouble, and many investors won’t agree.” Cheng Lingheng chuckled, then tapped the white-covered script on the right. “The xianxia drama is Director Wei Lan’s. She’s notoriously hot-tempered. Countless actors have cried from being scolded on her set.”

“Director Wei… I remember she used to do more films. I actually quite like her work.”

“Yes, Wei Lan started with movies and later switched to TV series. But she still holds TV productions to movie-level standards. She’s extremely strict with camera work and performance details. There have been cases where she shot over a hundred takes for one scene and still wouldn’t pass it.” At this point, Cheng Lingheng’s tone softened a little. “Her temper is truly bad, but she’s genuinely talented and knows how to train actors. Many actors who were criticized for poor acting skills have at least reached a passing level under her lens.”

Yu Shuinao lowered her head and flipped through the scripts. They weren’t complete versions, but all the important information was clearly conveyed.

“The director is one factor, but what matters more is which script you like better. There’s no rush. Take your time and think about it.”