Chapter 59
In the afternoon, they continued filming the interactions after Lu Ke and Cheng Youwei met, which were somewhat comical.
Lu Ke kept going to the backyard to find Cheng Youwei. The yamen runners in the house, with their upper bodies bare, were awkwardly plastered against the walls, trying to reduce their presence.
During this time, Lu Ke pestered and shamelessly persisted until she finally built a good relationship with Cheng Youwei. Although Cheng Youwei always had a cold expression, she firmly believed that the two of them were now friends.
Friends should tell each other everything, so she tried various ways to pry information out of him.
Cheng Youwei noticed her intentions. He was willing to be her follower because he relied on her attention-seeking nature, which made things more convenient. Therefore, he quickly loosened his tongue and informed her that during a recent undercover investigation, he discovered that the fugitive might have entered a brothel here.
It wasn't until past eight in the evening that the director called for an end to filming. Everyone, starving, rushed to eat.
As soon as Xia Linxia got her boxed meal, she ran towards the direction of the nanny van.
"Slow down, ancestor," Xiang Huaimeng complained, unable to keep up as Xia Linxia sprinted like she was being reincarnated. This scene amused many people on set.
When they finally reached where the nanny vans were parked, Xiang Huaimeng saw that Xia Linxia wasn't getting into her own car. Instead, she was looking around anxiously.
"What are you looking for?"
"Where's Sister Ji's car?" Xia Linxia carefully checked every license plate but couldn't find Ji Fengxue's. "Wasn't her car parked here yesterday?"
"Oh, it's Linxia." The production assistant saw a sneaky figure from afar and realized it was Xia Linxia upon closer inspection. "Are you looking for Ji Fengxue?"
"Yes, where is she?"
"They haven't finished filming yet. The agent had the driver take the car to another group's location for convenience."
Xia Linxia pursed her lips and shot him an annoyed glance. "It's not me saying this, but the food you prepared is too unappetizing."
Production assistant: "?"
He thought Xia Linxia was throwing a tantrum and couldn't help but want to lecture her. Then he heard Xia Linxia say, "And stir-fried pork with onions. Don't you know Sister Ji doesn't eat onions?"
The production assistant chuckled. "I really didn't know that. With so many people in the crew, how can we cater to everyone's taste?"
Xiang Huaimeng stopped her from saying more harsh words. It was just that their relationship was so good that they always cared about each other's eating habits.
"Alright, alright, I know. It's just worrying about your girlfriend, isn't it?" The assistant waved his hand generously. "I know now. I won't prepare stir-fried pork with onions next time, okay?"
Xia Linxia nodded then and asked, "Can we order takeout nearby?"
"No. The director chose such a remote place precisely to focus your minds and finish filming here properly." The assistant smiled and pointed to the wooden archway in the distance. "But if you want to try something different, there are quite a few small restaurants outside."
"Thank you," Xia Linxia said, thanked him, and got into her car, instructing, "Go to Sister Ji's group."
Xiang Huaimeng drove herself, but the road was bumpy, and Xia Linxia, sitting in the car, swayed back and forth, holding the boxed meal tightly to prevent it from spilling.
The other group was outside the town, with towering mountains in the distance. The crew had set up a shed below, and a group of people were eating together.
Xia Linxia scanned the area from the car and immediately saw Ji Fengxue standing under a tree, gazing in a certain direction. The wind in the valley was strong, lifting her clothes, and her long, black hair was gently stirred. The lights in the distance illuminated her profile.
She looked like a figure from a painting.
Xia Linxia stared blankly for half a minute, suddenly feeling as if they were in two different worlds. After the director shouted "Cut," she could quickly return to her state as Xia Linxia, but Ji Fengxue was still immersed in her character.
She had acted in many plays but rarely thought about the true meaning of acting, only that she had to do it. For popularity, for traffic, to support the entire team behind her, she had to accept these jobs.
And her fans were infinitely tolerant. As long as she didn't do anything illegal, they would still praise her every day. Over time, she even felt she was amazing, the next Oscar winner.
But after being reminded by Ji Fengxue today, she realized she hadn't even touched the threshold of acting.
"We're here," Xiang Huaimeng said after waiting for a while and seeing that she hadn't gotten out of the car.
Xia Linxia came back to her senses, got out of the car with the meal box, and the crew members along the way looked at her with meaningful eyes, greeting and teasing her.
"Yo, Linxia, here to deliver food to your girlfriend?"
"The food for both groups is the same. This isn't delivering food, it's delivering love."
"Wow, public display of affection, so envious."
Hearing Xia Linxia's name, Ji Fengxue pulled herself back to her senses. As soon as she turned around, Xia Linxia was in front of her.
"Have you eaten?" Xia Linxia asked.
"Not yet, have you?"
"Me neither, let's eat together." Xia Linxia found a small table and sat down, took out her boxed meal, and opened her chopsticks. Seeing that Ji Fengxue hadn't started, she asked, "What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
"No." Ji Fengxue slightly curved the smile at the corner of her lips. Just as she was about to get a boxed meal from Chen Nian, she saw that Chen Nian and Xiang Huaimeng were already eating in a corner.
"..."
She had no choice but to get another boxed meal and sit opposite Xia Linxia. As soon as she put down the meal box, Xia Linxia snatched it away.
Then Xia Linxia pushed her own boxed meal over and said, "Here, I've picked out all the onions for you. Eat quickly, there's still filming later."
Ji Fengxue's fingers paused, her eyes flowed, and she looked at Xia Linxia with focus and seriousness.
The beauty's eyes were full of affection.
Xia Linxia felt a little embarrassed by her gaze, averted her eyes, and said stubbornly, "What are you looking at? I'm just afraid you'll have problems eating and drag down the whole crew. I'm thinking of the bigger picture."
Ji Fengxue smiled silently, unable to control herself, and reached out to scratch her chin. "Thank you, Xiao Bao."
A ticklish sensation came over her, but Xia Linxia couldn't help but lift her chin, which made her feel flattered, and it was quite effective.
"Tsk tsk tsk." Xiang Huaimeng glanced back at the scene, curled her lips, turned around, and rolled her eyes. "Lovey-dovey couple, so cheesy."
Chen Nian smiled. "What do you know?"
"Of course, I know." Xiang Huaimeng poked at the rice. "With so many people here, we have to put on a good show. You know, Xia Linxia, you're so good at acting out your CP relationship, why don't you apply that to your actual acting?"
Chen Nian buried her head in her food, deciding not to bother with this fool anymore.
Half an hour later, Xia Linxia finished eating and had to rush back to the other side. There was still a night scene to finish filming. She asked, "When will you guys finish here?"
"There's just a bit of finishing up, and then we can join you." Ji Fengxue saw her off into the car. "Wait for me."
"Okay."
Xia Linxia waved goodbye from the car, and only then did she savor the meaning of that sentence. Wait for her? They were about to meet, so what was there to wait for?
Back at group A, she quickly changed her clothes. Next, she would disguise herself as a man and, with Qiu Xingzhou's little maid, sneak into the brothel at night.
She changed into more neat and tidy clothes, tied up all her hair, and secured it with a hair crown. She truly looked like a peerless young master.
Xia Linxia held a fan and pretended to flick it a couple of times in front of the mirror, sighing, "No wonder they say cross-dressing is so obvious. With my face and figure, it's hard to disguise myself."
Makeup artist: "..."
"Come, there's still a beard to stick on," the makeup artist said sinisterly, picking up a fake beard and sticking it on her face.
Xia Linxia could no longer maintain her composure.
At this moment, a staff member told her to hurry and prepare, as group B had arrived and would start filming immediately.
Xiang Huaimeng ran in to pick her up, her fists clenched, her face excited. "Oh my god, they were just doing a walkthrough, and Teacher Ji looked too beautiful! I'm going to be mesmerized!!!"
Xia Linxia tapped her head. "You're always by my side, haven't you become immune to beauty yet?"
Xiang Huaimeng ignored her and kept urging her to go and film scenes with Teacher Ji, saying, "Go and see for yourself, I guarantee you'll have a deeper and more profound understanding of beauty."
The two walked towards a carved building. There were people everywhere. She had already done a walkthrough with the director's cooperation, so as soon as Chen Lianjie saw her, he began to clear the area and prepare to film.
All irrelevant staff were withdrawn, and the extras took their positions.
Zuihuan Lou.
The liveliest brothel in Wuyi Town. Every evening at dusk, this street would become bustling. Beautiful girls stood at the entrance, occasionally escorting a beaming guest inside.
Lu Ke and the little maid stood outside the main entrance, touching their fake beards at the same time. She looked at Cheng Youwei next to her. He had a stern face, looking nothing like someone visiting a brothel; he clearly looked like he was attending a funeral.
The girls at the entrance immediately spotted these handsome "young masters" and rushed to solicit them.
Lu Ke subtly stepped on Cheng Youwei's foot, and then, with a laugh, was surrounded by the girls and led into the lobby.
The hall was spacious and bright, with carved beams and painted pillars, filled with a decadent atmosphere.
Lu Ke took a deep breath, automatically ignoring the scenes she shouldn't be seeing, and took out her money bag, weighing it in her hand, which immediately attracted the attention of many girls.
The madam, blinded by money, immediately stepped forward. "Esteemed young master, do you have a preferred lady?"
Lu Ke suppressed her voice and said, "We three brothers are from out of town and want to see the beauties of Wuyi Town. Call out your most beautiful girl to accompany us three brothers."
"Oh, isn't this a coincidence!" The madam smiled so widely her eyes disappeared, and her hand automatically reached for her money bag. "Our Mihuan has already started receiving guests. She's been trained for a long time. You won't find anyone more beautiful than her in the entire Wuyi Town."
"Oh? Is that so?" Lu Ke said unconvinced. "Call her out to see."
"Oh dear, young master, you don't know, our Mihuan is favored by noble guests." The madam chuckled, weighing the money bag in her hand. "Your money might not be enough."
As they were talking, several burly men walked in from the entrance, shouting, "Today I'm going to see Mihuan, and no one is allowed to snatch her from me! I've been waiting for so many days!"
The madam immediately arranged for the girls to receive guests and stepped onto the central stage, smiling. "Esteemed guests, I know you're all waiting for Mihuan. She's still getting ready, please wait a moment."
A man, holding a girl, asked loudly, "I brought a thousand taels of silver today. Will Miss Mihuan choose me tonight?"
Lu Ke and the other two sat down, listening to these words. It didn't sound like guests choosing girls at all; it was more like girls choosing guests?
The three exchanged glances. Lu Ke leaned over and whispered, "Could the suspicious person be one of these guests? How did so many wealthy and noble people appear in such a small town?"
As they were talking, Lu Ke suddenly noticed that the surroundings had fallen silent for a moment, and then they heard a crisp and melodious bell sound. They all looked up towards the second floor.
She saw a woman wearing a golden hairpin shaped like a flowering tree, her black hair smooth and glossy, with a strand of blue silk falling onto her fair and delicate neck. Over a red inner garment, she wore a thin red veil, her skin faintly visible. She walked out of the room barefoot, with a string of bells on her feet, each step seeming to land on their hearts.
Everyone couldn't help but gaze at her.
Beneath the red veil was porcelain-like skin, faintly and hazily evoking people's desires.
And the woman's face was so noble and flawless, as if she were a celestial being who had accidentally fallen into the mortal world.
Immediately after, a burst of cheers erupted from below. The guests had already started arguing about tonight's bedchamber.
"Esteemed guests, please don't rush. Please place your items on the table and see who can impress her the most." The madam smiled.
In a short while, countless tables were filled with valuable objects, making Lu Ke's heart pound.
She looked directly at the woman named Mihuan. To her surprise, Mihuan scanned the surroundings, and her gaze stopped on her face.
The beauty smiled enchantingly, her chin slightly raised.
"I like this young master."
Everyone present was stunned, even the madam's expression stiffened. This young master was handsome, but that bit of money...
The beauty turned and walked downstairs, approaching Lu Ke's table. Lu Ke looked around, nervously standing up and rubbing her hands. Her belt was suddenly hooked by a slender finger.
Immediately after, with warmth and softness entering her embrace, the woman actually leaned in proactively, putting one arm around her waist and gently brushing her cheek with the other hand. The tender touch made Lu Ke blush.
Her ear suddenly felt hot. The beauty breathed a puff of hot air into her ear. "Young master, this servant will accompany you tonight."
Lu Ke nervously clenched the tablecloth, took a deep breath, extended a finger, lifted the beauty's chin, and, imitating a dissolute young master, teased, "Then I shall not decline."
The beauty's eyes slightly raised, her gaze sparkling, filled with a thousand tender affections. Her eyelashes fluttered like butterflies, stirring people's hearts. Her charming eyes were like silk, and her red lips curved slightly, her every smile and frown being quite enchanting.
"Cut."
However, the two remained standing there.
Chen Lianjie's face finally showed a hint of a smile. "Fengxue, you truly continue to impress me. As soon as you guide Linxia, she can get it in one take."
Ji Fengxue smiled. "She's just gotten into character."
Hearing this, Xia Linxia finally came back to her senses, retracted her finger that had been lifting the chin, and rubbed it behind her back for a moment, her face still flushed with lingering emotion.
"I'm going to get some water," she said, seemingly fleeing in disarray.
Ji Fengxue watched her retreating figure, lowered her head, and suppressed her smile. Subconsciously, she raised her hand and looked at it. Just now, this hand had touched her cheek, her flushed cheek.
Whether it was for the sake of the play or for some other reason, this blush was enough for Ji Fengxue to savor for a long time.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Xiang Huaimeng watched Xia Linxia gulp down a mouthful of water and then take a small fan out of her bag. She couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's wrong? Are you that hot?"
Xia Linxia turned her back and ignored her.
Xiang Huaimeng, however, walked around to her front and returned to the previous topic. "How was it! Did you feel Teacher Ji's beauty up close! Oh my god, I thought she was playing herself when she acted as an aloof immortal, but why is she so... I can't describe it, but it's just stunning!"
Xia Linxia understood what she meant.
It was normal for women of the pleasure quarters to be seductive and enchanting; it was nothing unusual. But the brilliance of Ji Fengxue's role was that her face was proud, cold, and aloof, as if she were not of this world, yet her body was soft and boneless, fallen into the mortal world.
This huge contrast made everyone unable to resist.
Including Xia Linxia.
When she looked up and saw her, the astonishment at that moment was not fake. When the soft and warm body leaned over, the nervousness and shyness were also not fake.
That's why this scene could be completed in one take; all emotions were natural reactions.
She quietly touched her chest, seriously contemplating, for whom was this racing heartbeat sounding?
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