Chapter 68
The night was deep, and the entire film crew, free of any extraneous personnel, was working in an orderly fashion.
Xia Linxia watched the prop team bustling about in Lu Ke's room. She held a hot water bottle, preparing to "travel light" later, needing to keep warm.
After the props, lighting, and camera departments had coordinated everything, the staff preparing for artificial rain had just finished filling the machines with water when raindrops began to fall from the sky.
Just as Xia Linxia was about to return, an umbrella appeared above her head. She turned to look at Ji Fengxue beside her, who was still draped in that gossamer-thin red gauze. Ji Fengxue asked, "Cold?"
"Cold," Ji Fengxue smiled. "Hug me."
"Tsk." Xia Linxia placed the hand warmer in Ji Fengxue's hand, clasped her own hands together, exhaled some warm air, and vigorously rubbed Ji Fengxue's arms. Ji Fengxue smiled as she felt the warmth generated by the friction.
Chen Lianjie emerged from the main door and saw this scene. He shouted into his walkie-talkie, "You two, that's enough. Don't show off your affection now; save some energy for the bedroom."
His voice echoed throughout the entire crew, and everyone who was busy working burst into laughter.
Ji Fengxue: "..."
Xia Linxia: "..."
"All departments, final equipment check. Actors, prepare to enter the scene," Chen Lianjie called out.
The two put down their hand warmers. The stylists stepped forward to give their hair and clothes a final touch-up before they entered the room.
This scene actually focused on the concepts of "emotion" and "desire." If there is emotion, it naturally leads to desire, but can desire lead to emotion?
The two characters perfectly represented these two concepts.
After her interactions with Cheng Youwei, Lu Ke had secretly fallen for him. However, a young princess from the capital arrived, who was Cheng Youwei's childhood sweetheart. In terms of family background and social status, she far surpassed Lu Ke.
Lu Ke was secretly disheartened, which was noticed by the perceptive Lu Wuyi. Lu Wuyi told her that men could not escape the control of desire.
This scene depicted Lu Wuyi guiding Lu Ke on how to utilize her physical advantages to make men linger.
Outside the window, the rain pattered, and the surroundings were silent.
Lu Ke sat before the bronze mirror, her face bare of makeup, yet her brows felt as if they had been delicately drawn. She gently raised her eyes and looked at the beauty before her, asking with concern, "Will Youwei really like it?"
"Of course. Beauty is a sharp weapon," Lu Wuyi said as she meticulously outlined Lu Ke's brows and placed a piece of red paper with lip rouge by her mouth.
Lu Ke opened her mouth as if to bite it, but the red paper was withdrawn. She looked at the other person in confusion.
"Too crude," Lu Wuyi said, demonstrating herself. Her pink lips parted slightly, her eyes blinked, and she looked over with a hint of unspoken emotion. A red imprint was left on her lips, and the subtle pursing of her lips ignited a fiery passion in the observer.
Lu Ke imitated her movements, finally achieving a semblance of grace.
"You go," Lu Wuyi said, taking her hand and leading her behind the screen. A large wooden tub was placed there, filled with fragrant, petal-strewn water.
Lu Ke stood frozen in place, allowing Lu Wuyi to slowly and deliberately undress her. As the last layer of clothing was removed, she stepped into the tub and obediently sat down.
Lu Wuyi scooped up hot water and poured it over her, whispering, "Men, they fear beautiful women with good figures the most. Do you think Cheng Youwei is truly a man without emotion or desire? He's just good at hiding it. The more such men are, the heavier their desires."
Lu Ke nodded thoughtfully.
After bathing, she put on the ethereal dress that Lu Wuyi had prepared. She had never worn such attire before, and standing before the mirror, she almost didn't recognize herself. Was this delicate, graceful woman with exquisite features truly her?
Lost in thought, a pair of slender arms wrapped around her waist from behind. Lu Wuyi leaned close to her ear, her breath warm as she whispered, "Do you know what to do next?"
Lu Ke's face flushed, and she shyly asked, "Perhaps... we should just forget it?"
Lu Wuyi ignored her, her hand brushing against Lu Ke's cheek. She coaxed, "Even if there isn't Cheng Youwei, there's Zhang Youwei and Li Youwei. Are you going to remain alone your entire life? You are a beautiful woman, capable of captivating hearts. Why not try?"
Lu Ke was speechless. Immediately after, a force pushed her onto the bed. The bed curtains rustled, and a beautiful figure landed on top of her.
She propped herself up with one hand on the edge of the bed and asked nervously, "This isn't quite right, is it?"
"Shh," Lu Wuyi placed her index finger on Lu Ke's lips. "Kiss me."
"..."
"You don't know how?" Lu Wuyi crawled up a bit, her dark hair falling, her eyes cast down. She stared at Lu Ke's soft lips and smiled, "Close your eyes."
"Cut!" Chen Lianjie exclaimed. "Xia Linxia, what's wrong with you? Your eyes are darting around too much. This is Lu Ke seeking help from Lu Wuyi, but it's completely turned into Lu Wuyi forcing you. The sexual tension isn't enough."
Xia Linxia sat up awkwardly and rubbed her face. "I'm sorry."
"It's alright. Scenes like this are rarely successful on the first try," Ji Fengxue said, sitting beside her and tidying her disheveled hair.
They filmed a few more times. Each time they reached the crucial moment, Xia Linxia faltered, either her facial expressions were stiff, or her eyes would shy away. Once, she even turned her head.
Chen Lianjie sighed, "Aren't you two a couple? Why is kissing so difficult?"
Xia Linxia felt wronged and helpless. Internally, she also wanted to finish filming quickly. However, this scene was too seductive, and she would always subconsciously break character. Seeing Ji Fengxue's face, she couldn't help but think of reality, leading to an overly strong reaction that was difficult to avoid.
But she also knew the importance of this scene. It wasn't just for attracting attention; it was about the emotional development of the two protagonists, especially the second female lead. For Lu Wuyi, who was described as having lips desired by thousands, she initially found it amusing to teach Lu Ke how to use her body to seduce men. However, during this process, she gradually became moved by Lu Ke's pure innocence. The intimate contact at the end left Lu Wuyi feeling a sense of loss, causing a slight waver in her past life and thoughts.
"Xiaxia, come here," Ji Fengxue called from behind the slate.
Xia Linxia walked over listlessly. Ji Fengxue took her hand. "Your performance just now was very good."
"Really?" She felt a warmth from the hand holding hers and was reluctant to let go. Hearing this, her heart also felt warm.
"Yes, look at this scene. You captured the micro-expressions well. I felt that in that moment, you truly entered Lu Ke's character."
Xia Linxia was surprised and looked at Ji Fengxue in astonishment. "How did you know?" At that moment, she had indeed reacted as Lu Ke would.
"What made you return to being Xia Linxia again?"
Xia Linxia said with a sense of desperation, "You."
Ji Fengxue raised an eyebrow, understanding the root of her problem. She turned to Chen Lianjie and said, "Director, I'll borrow her for two minutes."
"Go ahead, go ahead," Chen Lianjie said, his throat dry from talking for so long. He let Ji Fengxue manage her partner and turned to instruct other staff members, "Camera two, come here. That close-up just now wasn't switched naturally."
Xia Linxia was led to the center of the room. Staff members were busy at their respective posts, and there were faint sounds of conversation.
Knowing that Ji Fengxue wanted to discuss the scene with her, she looked at her intently, waiting for a signal.
Ji Fengxue stopped walking and glanced back at their clasped hands, not letting go. She looked up and said, "I am Ji Fengxue."
"?"
Xia Linxia looked at her in confusion. Just as she was about to ask what she meant, a hand cupped her chin. Before she could react, a shadow suddenly fell before her eyes, and a pair of warm lips pressed against hers.
Xia Linxia stood rigidly, forgetting to even breathe. Her entire body's blood seemed to solidify into a series of defenses, which then collapsed with a roar.
She opened her eyes wide, but felt as if her body was no longer her own. She couldn't hear the sudden cheers from around them, nor could she see the curtain of rain falling from the eaves.
Everything around them turned into a dim, silent landscape, with only her heart pounding uncontrollably, louder than the thunder outside, deafeningly so.
Her chest felt hot.
Her fingertips trembled. She reached out as if to suppress the frantic beating of her heart, but saw Ji Fengxue slowly open her eyes. The warmth on her lips suddenly receded, and Ji Fengxue looked at her with a sense of wistful loss.
Ji Fengxue wiped her lips with her fingertips and smiled faintly. "Now that your first kiss with Ji Fengxue is gone, are you still afraid?"
Xia Linxia was still lost in a daze.
"If you're still not used to it, Ji Fengxue will kiss you again," Ji Fengxue's lips curved slightly. "Kiss you until you are completely familiar with Ji Fengxue."
Xia Linxia blinked. Before she could reply, the other person truly kissed her again.
Xia Linxia lost her footing for a moment, her knees buckling. A hand suddenly appeared around her waist, steadying her.
Only then did she snap back to reality. She pushed Ji Fengxue away, her face flushed crimson. On such a cold day, she still felt hot, her mouth agape, unsure of what to say.
The staff's cheers continued. When filming began, many had worried that the two would be too affectionate on set and neglect their work. However, they later found that their behavior was normal, and they didn't even have overly intimate interactions, which was very friendly to the single people. Now that filming was halfway through, seeing them kiss in public was truly explosive, and even the burly men couldn't help but applaud.
Xia Linxia was so embarrassed by their words that she ran out of the room, both shy and angry. But it was raining outside, and she had nowhere to run.
A moment later, Ji Fengxue walked under the eaves and said with a smile, "You've kissed Ji Fengxue in front of so many people. You shouldn't be afraid anymore, right?"
"What kind of crazy idea is this!"
"Crazy idea?" Ji Fengxue took two steps closer and suddenly leaned in. Xia Linxia instinctively closed her eyes. Ji Fengxue smiled, "I don't think it's a crazy idea at all. Aren't you used to it now? Let's go, there's only a little bit left to finish."
Ji Fengxue took her hand again and led her back into the room.
Xia Linxia took several deep breaths and lay back down on the bed. Looking at Ji Fengxue who was leaning over her, although she was still a little nervous, it was true as Ji Fengxue had said. They had already kissed, so what else could be a big deal?
The script supervisor clapped the slate, and the cameraman sat on the track to film the close-up.
Xia Linxia heard Ji Fengxue say, "Close your eyes." She pretended to be natural and closed her eyes, feeling the lingering warmth on her lips from just moments ago. The next second, the familiar warmth covered her again.
Ji Fengxue whispered the lines, "Like this, surrender yourself to the other person bit by bit, satisfying their desire for conquest."
Xia Linxia opened her eyes hazily and imitated her actions, tilting her head to peck her lips. "Really?"
Ji Fengxue paused for a few seconds, then lowered her head and kissed her back. "Yes, you're very smart. You're learning well."
The bed curtains swayed in the wind outside, and the rain splattered on the windowsill, unable to drown out the rustling sounds within the room. On the bed, figures in white and red intertwined, and two gauze dresses fell to the floor.
"The more composed a person is, the more sensitive spots they have. You can explore little by little like this, finding their weaknesses," Ji Fengxue bit her earlobe, her lips tracing a path down her neck, then returning to her lips. She gazed at the vibrant, tempting red lips and gently sealed them.
Xia Linxia's body felt numb, a cold sweat breaking out on her forehead. Being controlled, she instinctively cooperated with her movements. Ji Fengxue was a film empress; she could guide Xia Linxia in both emotion and action. All she needed to do was follow her.
At this moment, her lips were parted, and her tongue touched a similar one. Her entire body trembled instantly.
This kiss scene didn't mention French kissing, did it?
But the director hadn't called cut, and the other person hadn't stopped. Clearly, she was immersed in the role. Xia Linxia had no choice but to close her eyes to avoid revealing her emotions. However, the dance of their tongues left her feeling somewhat dazed. The next moment, she pushed against the other's shoulders and flipped over, pinning her underneath. Just as she was about to lower her head to kiss her, Ji Fengxue reached out and blocked her lips.
Ji Fengxue's forehead was also beaded with sweat, a few strands of hair sticking to her face. She chuckled softly, "Your weakness has been found."
Xia Linxia laughed a few times.
"Cut, that's a wrap!" Chen Lianjie exclaimed with some excitement.
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