The day Li Chu went to the airport, it was drizzling.
Li Chu drove herself, without her assistant. Wearing a mask and a hat, she blended into the crowd, inconspicuous in the early spring chill, a time when many people wore masks anyway.
Ning Manqing was also dressed modestly. A black down jacket hid her figure, and she wore glasses. If Li Chu hadn’t been so familiar with her, she might not have recognized her.
She gave Ning Manqing a thumbs-up in approval and took her back to the hotel Ning Manqing had booked.
“The flight to join the film crew is tomorrow night, at midnight.”
“A red-eye?” Li Chu frowned. Even if the flight time was similar, red-eyes were never as comfortable as daytime flights.
“The schedule is tight.” Ning Manqing had wanted to arrive earlier, but her work had kept her busy. This was all the time she could manage.
“Well, it’s almost two days, that’s enough time,” Li Chu said cheerfully, seeing Ning Manqing’s slightly annoyed expression. She wanted to say something more but didn’t know what, so she remained silent.
Many actors broke up because of long-distance relationships, often because they barely saw each other due to conflicting schedules.
It was noon, so they ordered lunch at the hotel. Li Chu had planned to make the most of every minute with Ning Manqing, but now that she was actually with her, she felt awkward bringing up that .
Their current relationship was ambiguous and delicate. Directly jumping into bed usually happened in two scenarios: either they were already an established couple, comfortable with intimacy, or they were friends with benefits, purely focused on physical needs.
They were neither, so it seemed they hadn’t met with the sole intention of having sex. Instead, they spent the afternoon hand-in-hand at a popular ice-skating rink, their interactions filled with a subtle, almost innocent sweetness.
“I’m not very good, Teacher Ning, you have to hold on tight to me!” Li Chu wasn’t a skilled ice skater. Her experience was limited to roller skating; she’d only tried ice skates a couple of times. She had intended to learn, moving from skiing to ice skating, but her interest in makeup and a chance to learn from a professional had taken precedence.
When she was searching for places to visit in the city, she saw the large ice-skating rink and couldn’t resist trying it out.
“Okay, I’ll hold you tight,” Ning Manqing replied, holding back a smile as she watched Li Chu, nervous as a little penguin.
Conscious of their public image, they kept their masks on. The masks narrowed their field of vision, focusing their attention. Li Chu’s heart skipped a beat as she met Ning Manqing’s smiling eyes.
Gliding on the ice felt wonderful and liberating. Li Chu, holding Ning Manqing’s hand, quickly went from hesitant to relaxed. She wasn’t timid and had a foundation in skating, so she soon let go of Ning Manqing’s hand, skated a few simple laps, and excitedly waved at Ning Manqing after her successful attempt.
Seeing Ning Manqing taking her picture, she made a peace sign. Even with her face partially covered, the photo captured her joy.
Ning Manqing tapped the screen, setting the photo as the background for their chat, then put her phone away.
After her initial success, Li Chu skated further ahead, with Ning Manqing following close behind, watching the young woman enjoy herself.
“Teacher, take my hand, let’s skate together!” Li Chu extended her hand, changing her form of address. She avoided using Ning Manqing’s surname, mindful of the surrounding people. Even though the rink wasn’t crowded, it was best to minimize any risk of being recognized.
Li Chu wasn’t wearing gloves, and her fingertips were red from the cold. Ning Manqing took her pink-white hand, the change in address giving her a strange feeling, like she was secretly out with a favorite student. She couldn’t help but smile at the thought. If Tao Tao were still a student, she would definitely be the well-behaved type. Who wouldn’t like such a cutie?
Li Chu pulled Ning Manqing from one end of the rink to the other. Ning Manqing, the more skilled skater, even twirled her around, making Li Chu’s face flush with happiness.
Someone skated over and patted Li Chu’s shoulder, startling her.
“Whoa, it really is you two! Pretty bold, huh? So many people here, and you’re just… doing this?” The person was also wearing a hat and mask, only their eyes visible. The familiar voice made Li Chu instantly recognize him.
Li Chu exclaimed in surprise, “Brother Zhao! What a coincidence! Are you here to skate too?” It was Zhao Zhichun, the male lead who had no romantic scenes with the female lead, someone Li Chu hadn’t seen in over three months.
“Yeah, I haven’t taken on any new projects. I’m being picky. I’m not in this industry for the money or fame. I live nearby and I like skating, so I come here often. So, aren’t you two busy? You have time for… this ?” Zhao Zhichun, who came from a wealthy family and only took on roles he was interested in, explained his presence and then gestured knowingly at Li Chu and Ning Manqing, hinting at their supposed date without explicitly saying it.
“Busy, that’s why I made time to see her,” Ning Manqing replied, her smile disappearing the moment Zhao Zhichun approached. If you know we’re making time for each other, shouldn’t you take the hint and leave us alone?
“Wow, that’s tough. Don’t worry, I’m here. No problem, I’ll cover for you!” Zhao Zhichun patted his chest, giving Ning Manqing a “trust me” look. Don’t worry, I’m a good bro, I’ll keep this a secret!
Ning Manqing and Li Chu were both speechless. Ning Manqing wondered how Zhao Zhichun had managed to misinterpret the situation so badly, while Li Chu felt a little embarrassed. Well, she and Teacher Ning… although it seemed like… they were indeed on a date.
“We probably won’t be photographed,” Ning Manqing tried to reason, still hoping to get rid of Zhao Zhichun, who was proving to be a major third wheel.
“Sister Ning, you’ll never know how bored and persistent paparazzi can be. Sometimes they’re not even staking you out, but if they happen to see you, then it becomes a big deal,” Zhao Zhichun sighed dramatically. As a former A-list celebrity who had been photographed picking his feet on his balcony in the middle of the night, he knew how relentless they could be.
Li Chu and Ning Manqing weren’t actually that worried, but Zhao Zhichun’s words proved prophetic.
That night, as Li Chu and Ning Manqing were discussing more intimate matters in their hotel bed, a call from her agent nearly made her jump out of it.
“Where are you? Duoduo said you took a leave of absence and went out without her?” Li Chu, still unaware of the connection to Ning Manqing, replied to Tang Congnan, “I’m at the hotel. A friend I haven’t seen in a long time came to visit, so we’re spending a couple of days together.”
“That friend is Ning Manqing, right?”
“Uh, yes. Teacher Ning is about to start filming and we might not see each other for a long time, so I took some time off,” Li Chu answered truthfully. Tang Congnan knew about her close relationship with Ning Manqing. She cautiously asked, “What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
“You two went out to eat and didn’t even try to be discreet! Your fame is different now, you know! You and Ning Manqing were photographed eating together, and they sent me the photos, demanding hush money.” Tang Congnan’s tone was irritated. He wasn’t upset that Li Chu was out with someone, but that she wasn’t being careful, especially given that one was an alpha and the other an omega. Even if he believed there was nothing between them, others might not.
“Zhao Zhichun was also with us. There’s nothing going on between Teacher Ning and me,” Li Chu immediately clarified, then let out a muffled groan.
The voice on the other end of the line immediately became concerned. “What happened?”
“Nothing, I was pouring water and bumped into something,” Li Chu replied shakily, widening her eyes at Ning Manqing and mouthing, Stop it.
“Honestly, be more careful. It’s not good to get bumps and bruises. So Zhao Zhichun was there too? Then it’s fine. I bought the photos anyway. Although I know Teacher Ning is a good person and there’s nothing like that between you two, just in case, you must be more careful next time.” The mother-hen agent continued to chatter, unaware that the person on the other end of the line was nearly being brought to tears by the “good person” he was talking about.
Li Chu hung up the phone, teary-eyed, still puzzled by Tang Congnan’s unwavering belief that nothing was going on between her and Ning Manqing. Was it because Ning Manqing seemed so upright? But how could such an upright person do such things?!
Li Chu’s fingertips left several scratches on the silken white sheets, her eyes misty and pleading. The lights in the room were off, and from their high floor, they could see the neon lights of another building flickering outside the window. The neon lights blurred in Li Chu’s vision, as if transmitted from another world. Condensation clung to the window, everything felt damp and cold, yet Li Chu felt the opposite.
In the dim darkness, the beautiful woman’s facial features were also vaguely obscured.
“There’s nothing going on between us?” the beauty asked slowly, her voice rising slightly at the end. Even though Ning Manqing knew Li Chu was just trying to avoid revealing anything to her agent, hearing those words still made her uncomfortable. In that moment, the discomfort even surpassed reason, causing her to act impulsively.
For example, changing the uniform motion into accelerated motion, watching Tao Tao being bullied but not daring to respond.
Li Chu didn’t know how to answer, so she sniffled and called Ning Manqing’s name, a hint of appeasement in her voice. The peach scent of her pheromones fluctuated with her emotions, clinging softly to Ning Manqing, full of docility.
Ning Manqing loved Li Chu’s obedience, but sometimes this very obedience left her helpless, just like now.
“I’ll let you off the hook this time,” Ning Manqing whispered in Li Chu’s ear, making her eyes redden. This wasn’t letting her off the hook, it was clearly worse.
The cold air was expelled and compressed, silencing all the uneven sounds.
…
Ning Manqing didn’t let Li Chu see her off when she left.
Back on set, Li Chu was listless. Zheng Ru, the second person after Qian Duoduo to notice her unusual state, couldn’t help but ask if something was wrong.
“Huh? No?” Li Chu looked at her, confused by the question.
“That’s good. You looked so down, I thought something had happened,” Zheng Ru said, patting her chest in relief.
“Do I look like I have something on my mind?” Li Chu pointed at her own face, doubtful. Zheng Ru nodded. Li Chu, still puzzled, looked at Qian Duoduo, who also nodded.
“Maybe it’s because I want fried chicken, but my agent won’t let me have any,” Li Chu said sadly.
Zheng Ru nodded sympathetically, finding this truly relatable, just like when she wanted chocolate but her agent forbade it.
Neither Li Chu nor Zheng Ru remained gloomy for long. The director’s call brought them back to reality, and they began preparing for the scene.
Li Chu’s filming schedule wasn’t particularly tight. In her free time, she researched the historical figure that Ning Manqing’s character was based on. This was a person who didn’t exist in Li Chu’s original world, a character created within the world of the book: a female general, a Heavenly Stem, named Ling Shan.
In this world, gender differentiation occurred at the age of twelve. During a time of constant war, Ling Shan joined the army after her differentiation, making a bold declaration: “One day, the enemy will bow their heads, simply because they behold me, Ling Shan!”
She wasn’t boasting. She was a brilliant strategist and a fierce warrior, becoming a renowned general at eighteen. She spent her life fighting in the north and south, tirelessly working to reclaim lost territories. She was undoubtedly a hero, but her life wasn’t without its hardships. She experienced great glory, but also suffered exile due to the emperor’s suspicion. During a national crisis, she was recalled by the new emperor, reinstated as commander, and shed blood to restore peace to the land, ultimately dying on the battlefield.
She was a remarkable figure, even just in the historical records. Even before filming began, Li Chu was already looking forward to seeing Ning Manqing’s portrayal of Ling Shan on the big screen. She was confident that Ning Manqing would do the role justice.
“Sister Li Zi, the director is calling for you!” Zheng Ru’s voice pulled Li Chu from her thoughts. She entered the studio to meet the director and discuss the scene.
Most of Li Chu’s scenes as Man Ying were filmed in front of a green screen, as Man Ying’s appearances were always grand, cultivation-themed spectacles that couldn’t be realized without special effects.
Her role wasn’t particularly large. With a bit of scheduling coordination, a month of filming was sufficient.
The day of Li Chu’s final scene, the weather wasn’t great. The sky was overcast, threatening rain, but the forecast predicted only cloudy skies, with little chance of precipitation.
Li Chu checked the weather in Ning Manqing’s filming location and found that it was experiencing heavy rain, which had started the previous day. She sent Ning Manqing a message, reminding her to be careful in the severe weather. There was no reply, and Li Chu felt a pang of unease. She dismissed the feeling. Ning Manqing wouldn’t be in any danger, would she? She was busy filming, and sometimes it took a day for her to reply to messages. It was perfectly normal.
Li Chu entered the studio, ready to film her final scene with a cheerful heart.
In a hospital room in Ningsu Town, the atmosphere was heavy. Ran Yanru had already given the producers and director a thorough dressing-down, sparing no harsh words. Now, seeing Ning Manqing lying in bed, her face was grim as she continued her reprimand in a low voice.
“Why were you filming in the rain? Why didn’t you stop earlier? Just because she’s an alpha with a strong constitution, you think you can treat her like this? Who would take responsibility if something serious happened?”
“Someone tampered with the wires, why didn’t you check them more carefully? Do I have to teach you these things?”
Ran Yanru had nearly had a heart attack when she received the news. Fortunately, the film crew was cooperative and quickly conducted an internal investigation, determining that the wires had been deliberately damaged. However, this didn’t absolve them of responsibility.
Ran Yanru didn’t yet know who was behind it. The culprit had been handed over to the police, and she would wait for Ning Manqing to wake up before deciding on the next course of action.
Thankfully, the rain had softened the mud where Ning Manqing had fallen, otherwise her injuries would have been much worse.
The director and producer wanted to defend themselves. They were also worried about their lead actress, but seeing her lying there, they didn’t know what to say, so they just stood there and took the scolding.
“Are you sure the news has been completely blocked?”
The producer wiped the sweat from his forehead and said, “Yes, absolutely.”
Ran Yanru nodded and softened her expression as she spoke to them. Ning Manqing’s phone, which she was holding, vibrated. She looked down and saw a message from a contact named “Tao Tao,” reminding Ning Manqing about the heavy rain. Ran Yanru locked the screen and put the phone in her bag.
By the time Li Chu finished filming her final scene, it was dusk. She checked her phone; Ning Manqing still hadn’t replied.
Li Chu put her phone in her pocket and went to the dressing room to change. As she came out, ready to leave, she suddenly heard the flapping of wings.
A swallow landed on the eaves, flitting about. Li Chu looked up at it, blinking. “Little swallow, little swallow, is Teacher Ning alright over there?”
The swallow flapped its wings and flew away. Li Chu nodded thoughtfully. “Oh, you’re saying she’s fine? Thank you.” She chuckled, feeling a little silly.
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