Hard to Coax
On the third anniversary of the movie 《Look Up》, the official Weibo account released some behind-the-scenes footage from the film’s production. Most of it was of the actors interacting and laughing on set, with one exception: 《Professional! Song Yushi, while sick, filmed a fight scene, nearly fractured a bone, and did it in one take!》
Although the official post’s text was an understatement, it didn’t lessen the belated shock and fear Song Yushi’s fans felt.
【It’s been three years, and I’m only just finding out about this! QAQ Yushi, why did you hide it from us!】
【I remember now, wasn’t it raining that day? A fansite admin said Yushi didn’t look well when she left the set. Later, Yushi posted on Weibo explaining she just hadn’t rested well. It must have been because of that scene, right?】
【I’m so scared for her in hindsight. I just rewatched the movie, and you really can’t tell at all. I’m crying.】
【Our big star is so professional and hardworking. I’m in awe.】
Passersby expressed their admiration, and fans felt a lingering fear. But as Song Yushi’s “toxic solo stan,” Qi Ke was furious.
After their marriage, Qi Ke amicably terminated her contract with Mangosteen Entertainment and established her own studio. Aside from releasing one album a year, holding two concerts, and taking on one interesting variety show, she rarely made public appearances.
But relatively speaking, Song Yushi was even more idle than her.
Song Yushi’s career was focused on acting, but good scripts were hard to come by, and even with a good script, there wasn’t always a suitable role. And since Song Yushi disliked being on variety shows, she would only appear on several in a row to promote a drama, rarely showing up in public otherwise.
In early September, Song Yushi was invited by her alma mater to teach in the acting department. Her course load wasn’t heavy, just three classes a week. She was strict, practical, and professional, making students who had initially come just for the novelty genuinely fall in love with her class.
On the third anniversary of the release of 《Look Up》, Song Yushi was first greeted by a surprise from her students.
Banners were stretched from the doorway to the lectern.
“Happy 3rd Anniversary, Officer Chen!”
“Happy 3rd Graduation Anniversary to Hong Kong Film Award Best Actress ‘Officer Chen’!”
“Teacher Song, if you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands!”
The last one was clearly just for fun, but it was hung in the most conspicuous spot despite the class committee’s objections, signed with the names of every student in the class. Song Yushi squinted at it for a moment, then clapped her hands with a deadpan expression.
The entire class: “…”
She really doesn’t look happy, Teacher Song!
Seeing the bewildered faces of her students, Song Yushi tried to suppress the smile at the corners of her lips but failed. She finally broke into a smile and said, “Thank you, everyone—” Her tone shifted. “Today is a theory class. Please open your books to page 35.”
The entire class: “…”
That’s it?!
Then they resigned themselves to it. In a forty-five-minute class, Teacher Song had already made a great effort by chatting with them for nearly two minutes. She had even clapped her hands because she was happy, what more could they ask for?
The class flew by.
“That’s all for today’s class.” Song Yushi put down the chalk, paused, then looked up and pointed at the banners. “Thank you.”
“Um…” A student raised his hand and gestured with his chin. “Teacher Song, look at the big screen.”
Song Yushi turned around.
The other half of the wall beside the blackboard was a multimedia setup. The projector screen hadn’t been retracted and was currently displaying someone’s Weibo homepage. Once they saw whose it was, all the students went: “Ooh—”
It was Qi Ke, who had reposted the behind-the-scenes footage from the official 《Look Up》 account and tagged Song Yushi: Baby is so amazing in places I don’t know about! [smile.jpg]
Song Yushi: “…”
Qi Ke!
Though her heart was in turmoil, Song Yushi’s expression remained calm. She closed her book and assigned homework: “Form groups of three to four. Each group will choose a script to rehearse. Report your groups to the class president, and the class president will give them to me. We’ll review them in class next week.”
“Class dismissed.”
“Goodbye, Teacher!”
Song Yushi nodded slightly and was the first to leave the classroom. If her back could talk, the students were sure it was saying: Goodbye, my ass!
“Teacher Song is walking in a hurry.”
“Something’s on her mind.”
“She’s in a rush to get home.”
“Is there going to be domestic violence?”
“Why would there be domestic violence? Isn’t Teacher Qi praising Teacher Song?”
“Don’t you think that smiling emoji is terrifying?”
“It seems like Teacher Qi really didn’t know about Teacher Song filming a fight scene while sick. She looks really angry but still has to maintain a smile. Women in love!”
“So Teacher Song must be rushing home to coax her wife, right?”
After some discussion, they reached a conclusion swiftly. The entire class exchanged knowing glances, all thinking the same thing, and simultaneously went: “Tsk, tsk, tsk!”
Finally, they concluded: “Teacher Qi is easy to coax, as long as the one coaxing her is Teacher Song!”
But they never expected that this time, Qi Ke would be very hard to coax.
When Song Yushi got home, she checked the bedroom, the recording studio, and the study, but couldn’t find Qi Ke. It wasn’t until Candy tugged at her pant leg, leading her to the gym and barking at the door, that Song Yushi could believe that Qi Ke was actually working out.
She was running.
She ran with the same focus as someone applying screen protectors on a pedestrian bridge, completely ignoring Song Yushi who was standing right in front of her.
Song Yushi was amused by this thought.
Qi Ke glanced at her, panting, “Is it funny?”
Song Yushi rested her elbow on the treadmill, cupped her chin in her palm, and looked at Qi Ke earnestly. “Are you angry?”
Qi Ke snorted coldly and turned her face away.
But her gaze wouldn’t leave Song Yushi from the corner of her eye.
Song Yushi sighed inwardly and began, “I wasn’t thinking that much at the time.”
She was starting to explain.
“No,” Song Yushi smiled again and said, “I was thinking too much at the time. I was afraid you’d worry, afraid you’d rush over regardless of everything, afraid our relationship would be discovered by others. And—”
Her fingertips by her face twitched, and Song Yushi lowered her gaze. “It was really nothing.”
Qi Ke looked at her.
Every time Song Yushi went to class, she dressed in an intellectual and gentle manner, with a white blouse and a skirt, like moonlight stepping out of a dream. Her vulnerable appearance was even more pitiable. She said in a low voice, “It’s not like it hasn’t happened before. I’m used to it.”
Qi Ke got even angrier!
Song Yushi: “?”
Playing the victim isn’t working?
Helpless, Song Yushi had no choice but to watch Qi Ke finish her run, then follow her to the shower, trailing her like a little tail. Qi Ke asked, “What are you following me for?”
Song Yushi answered honestly, “This is my home.”
Qi Ke stomped her foot and shut her out of the bathroom.
Song Yushi didn’t rush to get in. She stared at the ceiling and counted the seconds. On the sixth second, the bathroom door was pushed open. Qi Ke poked her head out and glared at her irritably. “Aren’t you cold?”
Song Yushi tilted her head, saying nothing, just looking at her.
Qi Ke couldn’t stand her gaze and huffed, “Get in!”
Song Yushi smiled to herself and walked in barefoot.
The moment she entered, she was pinned against the wall and kissed. Song Yushi obediently accepted Qi Ke’s somewhat frantic kiss, slowly tasting a hint of fear in it. Her heart skipped a beat, and she wrapped her arms around Qi Ke’s neck, patting her back soothingly.
The bathroom light was soft and ambiguous, reflecting the red rims of Qi Ke’s eyes.
Song Yushi murmured, “Qi Ke…”
“You should have told me.” Qi Ke cupped her face, speaking word by word. “You should know, in this world, there is someone who should worry about you without any psychological burden. I have to be that person.”
“I…”
“Don’t get used to it.” These weren’t practiced sweet nothings, but spoken with a clumsy charm. “Believe me, baby, I love you, which means I’m willing to bear this for you.”
After speaking, Qi Ke kissed her, their lovers’ whispers drowning between their lips and teeth.
What is love?
Love is desire and passion, it is day and night, it is three meals and four seasons, it is the courage to disregard everything, it is my right to worry about you.
Elopement
As winter was nearing its end, Song Yushi and Qi Ke planned an elopement. Reportedly, the paparazzi followed them around Yunzhou City for half a day, only for the car to drive straight out of the city. They lost them when they reached the urban-rural fringe.
For this, netizens mocked the paparazzi for a long time. The paparazzi tried to save face: They must be vacationing in the countryside, because we couldn’t find any flight records for them.
The netizens’ mockery grew even stronger.
【Holy crap, I’m just… holy crap. I suggest the paparazzi switch to criminal investigation. Their tracking skills are unprofessional, but their perseverance is admirable.】
【Do the paparazzi not know that Qi Ke has a private jet?】
【Poverty has limited the paparazzi’s imagination.】
【I remember there’s a private airstrip right where they were lost, right? Damn! There are so many rich women in this world, why can’t I be one of them?】
【Damn! There are so many people in Qi Ke’s sea, why am I not one of them?!】
【Screenshot sent to Song Yushi.】
【???】
While the netizens’ discussion was heating up, Song Yushi and Qi Ke were indeed already on a private jet, their flight path heading south.
Song Yushi’s contract hadn’t expired yet, so she was still one of Sister Ming’s artists. Sister Ming was howling on the other end of the line: “Qi Ke! Where have you abducted my big star? Don’t you know that skipping work means a pay cut!”
Qi Ke tutted. After Sister Ming finished yelling, she said slowly, “Our family has money. Cut it if you want.”
Sister Ming: “Haha.”
She knew it!
She then turned to speak to Song Yushi: “She’s being willful, and you’re being willful right along with her?”
After saying it, she found it strangely familiar. It seemed that ever since Song Yushi got together with Qi Ke, she had been saying things like this to her, and every time, Song Yushi would—
Song Yushi: “I proposed it this time.”
Sister Ming: “…”
Her face hurt so damn much.
Song Yushi had already brought the tablet in front of the camera. With a tap of her finger, she explained to Sister Ming, “Because I was the one who proposed it, to ensure its rigor, I made a PPT for our escape plan. The theme is ‘Elopement’.”
Sister Ming: …You really didn’t have to be so serious.
“We’ll go to Australia first to see kangaroos, then to the Sydney Opera House…”
Sister Ming: “…”
Stop!
That day, Sister Ming still listened to Song Yushi’s entire report on her and Qi Ke’s elopement plan PPT, ultimately shedding tears of envy and hanging up resentfully after snapping, “So what if you’re rich?”
The next day, Song Yushi’s studio posted on Weibo: @Song Yushi The boss has eloped with @Qi Ke for their honeymoon. She made a twenty-eight-page PPT. We’ll report back to you when they return.
Netizens: 【Shocked.jpg】【Stunned.jpg】【As expected of you.jpg】
A month later, Song Yushi and Qi Ke returned from their elopement. As promised, Song Yushi posted the PPT online. In addition to the plan, she also included some travel tips and travel photos with Qi Ke.
Netizens: …
Is this showing off their love, or showing off their love! Or showing off their love!!!
Queen
@GirlGroupLoveBot: A certain disbanded five-member girl group in the domestic entertainment industry. S is the versatile captain who can be both cool and sweet, Y is the heaven-sent main vocalist and “little wolf dog” maknae. They are the ceiling of girl group romance in the domestic entertainment industry. They’ve kissed on camera, exchanged vows before a priest, gotten married with high-profile trending topics, and achieved success in both career and love.
Tomorrow is the Hundred Flowers Award ceremony. The captain is nominated for Best Actress, and the main vocalist is a presenter. The first time the captain won Best Actress at the Hundred Flowers Awards, the two had already broken up. But this time, her crown will be placed by her.
【Decoded in a second! Song Yushi and Qi Ke!】
【Ah? Isn’t it a bit much to say this when the final results aren’t out yet? What if Song Yushi doesn’t win Best Actress?】
【It’s just CP brain, no need to take it too seriously, right?】
【A rational analysis, the Captain’s chances aren’t that solid this time. This year’s competition is notoriously strong, all the nominees are powerhouse actresses. It’s not a guaranteed win for the Captain.】
【Just ship it and be done with it. Why get so hung up on the details?】
【We don’t know who will win yet, so there’s no need to mock her in advance. Why not look forward to Song Yushi winning the Hundred Flowers Best Actress award tomorrow?】
The internet was buzzing with discussion. Eight hundred threads were started in the forum discussing the Best Actor and Actress awards, as well as why Qi Ke was invited to be a presenter.
Qi Yu CP fans sighed with a tsk: The little couple just wants to be together.
Qi Ke’s fans were speechless: Why wouldn’t she be invited? Qi Ke has the talent and the achievements. She’s more than qualified to be a presenter at an awards ceremony. Certain rival fans should remember to use their side accounts when they talk. One look at your homepage and we know whose fan you are. What are you so sour about?
Song Yushi’s fans: …
No need to interview them!
As for how Qi Ke had “wormed her way in,” the Sweet Day teammates also had a heated discussion. By the time Qi Ke opened the group chat, she saw 999+ messages.
WeChat Group – 【We’re Getting Rich Today】
Zhong Yi: I think so too.
Chengzhi: Right?
Meng Ying: It’s great to be rich.
Qi Ke: …
Zhong Yi: 【Crap, wrong chat.jpg】
Chengzhi: 【It’s been over two minutes, I can’t recall it. Maybe I should just play dead.gif】
Meng Ying: 【This account has been hacked.gif】
Song Yushi: …
Qi Ke: Too lazy to scroll up. What bad things are you saying about me?
Song Yushi: They said you were invited to be a presenter at the Hundred Flowers Awards because you bribed the organizers.
Meng Ying: Captain, you were lurking!
Qi Ke: You saw them talking nonsense and didn’t help me clarify?
Zhong Yi: That means our guess was right, wasn’t it?
Song Yushi: No.
Zhong Yi: ?
Song Yushi: The chat was moving too fast, I couldn’t get a word in.
Meng Ying: So what’s the real story?
Chengzhi: 【Perking up my little gossip ears.jpg】
Qi Ke: You misunderstood me. I don’t want to talk about it.
Song Yushi: A teacher at the Film Association is a fan of Qi Ke’s music, so he proposed inviting her as a presenter. Then they sent her an invitation.
Qi Ke: …Baby!
Song Yushi: .
Song Yushi: Sorry.
Meng Ying: Ahaha, ahaha, ahahahaha.
Chengzhi: As expected, not as explosive as the online rumors 【scorn.jpg】
Qi Ke: What are the online rumors?
Zhong Yi: They said you were so regretful about not being there when the Captain won her first Hundred Flowers Best Actress award that you pulled all sorts of strings and bribed people, and even decided to sneak in disguised as a security guard if you failed.
Song Yushi: …Nonsense.
Chengzhi: I think so too.
Meng Ying: Right! Who would do something like that!
Qi Ke: Who’s been spying on me?
Song Yushi: ?
Chengzhi: ??
Meng Ying: ???
Zhong Yi: ????
Qi Ke: Capture. Dismantle. Understand?
Sweet Day Teammates: …
We don’t understand!!!
With that problem solved, the group moved on to heatedly discuss other matters. Song Yushi put her phone aside and stared out at the night scenery, counting the lights in the building across the street when her phone suddenly rang.
Without thinking, Song Yushi answered it.
It was Sister Ming. She still had some work at the company and could only arrive tomorrow. She spoke in a heartfelt tone, “Don’t overthink it. Get a good night’s sleep and rock the red carpet tomorrow. Outshine everyone.”
Song Yushi laughed, “I have strong mental fortitude.”
“Really?” Sister Ming said, “Xiao Nan told me that during the last Hundred Flowers Awards, you spent the whole night trying on your evening gown.”
Song Yushi: “…”
Xiao Nan, your bonus is gone.
“But this time you have Qi Ke with you, so it’ll definitely be better than last time.” Sister Ming chuckled. “During the last Hundred Flowers Awards ceremony, Qi Ke and I were working overtime at the company. We watched a few clips while eating takeout. When they announced it was you, Qi Ke jumped up in excitement and ate two extra bowls of rice.”
Song Yushi could picture how Qi Ke must have looked then.
Proud and exultant, like a child.
As if suddenly remembering something, Song Yushi said, “That time you called me…?”
“Yeah, Qi Ke asked me to call.” Sister Ming said, “I didn’t know what had happened between you two back then. I actually believed her nonsense about her phone being dead and being afraid she’d cry if she talked to you.”
Back then, Song Yushi had just returned to the hotel from the celebration banquet. At five in the morning, the sky was beginning to show the first light of dawn, the stars were shining brilliantly, and the sky was gradually brightening. She received that call from Sister Ming.
Sister Ming said she saw from a candid photo that she was back at the hotel, so she was calling to say congratulations. She added that someone next to her wanted to say something too. She passed the phone over, and after a few seconds of silence, the call was disconnected.
As if by a stroke of fate, Song Yushi felt that it had been Qi Ke.
At the time, it was just a guess.
Now, it was confirmed as the truth.
After hanging up with Sister Ming, Song Yushi thought for a moment and called Qi Ke, but the ringtone sounded from just outside the door. Song Yushi froze for a second, then looked toward the door.
Qi Ke, who had just stealthily opened the bedroom door, was caught off guard by the sudden ringtone. She stared blankly at Song Yushi, then at the name displayed on the phone. A moment later, she realized what was happening and threw herself into Song Yushi’s arms. “My surprise is ruined!”
Song Yushi, caught between laughter and tears, hugged her back. The bit of melancholy she had felt instantly vanished. She leaned back against the headboard, laughing as she dodged Qi Ke’s tickling hands. “Stop fooling around.”
“Did you miss me?” Qi Ke stopped but was unwilling to get off her, nuzzling against her like a clingy kitten. “You must have.”
Song Yushi raised an eyebrow. “How did you reach that conclusion?”
Qi Ke lifted her chin. “If you didn’t miss me, why did you call me?”
Song Yushi hummed in agreement, then found an excuse to rebut her. “I wanted to ask why you weren’t here yet. If you didn’t get here soon, I was going to sleep and not wait for you.” As she spoke, she looked into Qi Ke’s eyes, let out a laugh, and couldn’t help but kiss her. “Alright, I missed you.”
Qi Ke offered her right cheek.
Song Yushi: “?”
“Kiss the right side too.”
“…”
“And up here.”
“…”
“And down here.”
“…”
Could you please not make dirty jokes so nonchalantly with such an innocent face?
…
…………
The following evening, the Hundred Flowers Awards for Popular Film ceremony kicked off in Shanghai, with the red carpet segment broadcast live. The official commentary was full of platitudes about the star-studded, A-list event.
【That’s for sure, there are no nobodies here.】
【This is great, so great. They’re all powerhouse actors. I wonder when my little idol will make it big.】
【If Qi Ke and Song Yushi don’t walk the red carpet together today, I’ll eat the red carpet.】
【Then you won’t get the chance. They’ve already walked it.】
【??? What did I miss?!】
【You missed the couple walking the red carpet, you missed the couple signing their names together, you missed the couple’s public display of affection (for the host and audience), and you also missed Qi Ke tripping on her dress and falling into Song Yushi’s arms.】
【…That’s so damn exciting.】
【Worth the price of admission.】
【What are the little lovebirds doing inside? Anyone have a picture for me!】
The little lovebirds were kissing.
The bathroom stall was small and cramped. Outside, people came and went, the noise bustling and chaotic. Song Yushi sat astride Qi Ke’s lap, cupping her face to bite her lips. They were wearing the same shade of lipstick, which now smeared together, blending into an even more vibrant and beautiful color.
Song Yushi released Qi Ke, their foreheads touching as she panted slightly.
Qi Ke reached up to pat her back. Her delicate skin was covered in a thin layer of sweat, fine and silky. Qi Ke whispered, “Feeling better?”
“Mhm.” Song Yushi pursed her lips and shot her a playful glare. “Why didn’t you stop me?”
Song Yushi was nervous. Although it wasn’t obvious, and she looked normal on camera—no one else would be able to tell—Qi Ke could.
She had asked Song Yushi in a low voice, “Baby, what can I do to make you not nervous?”
Song Yushi stared at her lips and blurted out, “Kiss you.”
And so she kissed Qi Ke.
Although the whole world knew about their relationship, it wasn’t appropriate to kiss so openly in the main awards hall. They had to hide in a bathroom stall, like high school sweethearts sneaking away to kiss between classes, afraid of being discovered, kissing as if they couldn’t bear to part.
Song Yushi’s thumb rested on Qi Ke’s lips as she whispered, “Your lipstick is smudged.”
Qi Ke said, “You ate it.”
Song Yushi’s face flushed. She ducked her head and found a lipstick in her bag, slowly and carefully reapplying it for Qi Ke. After she finished, she pressed her own lips against Qi Ke’s, smacking them together, then tilted her head up for Qi Ke to see. “How is it?”
Qi Ke laughed at her cleverness. “Perfect!”
Song Yushi got up from Qi Ke’s lap, straightened her gown, and went out first. By the time Qi Ke had composed herself and returned to her seat, the ceremony had already begun over there.
The proceedings followed a well-rehearsed schedule, moving along at a steady pace.
Until it was time to announce the Best Actor and Actress. Qi Ke, as a presenter, walked onto the stage with the final results. Although she was dying to open the list immediately, Qi Ke first rambled on for a bit before finally tearing open the envelope.
The background music swelled.
The large screen split into four sections, showing Song Yushi and the three other nominated actresses.
Song Yushi smiled at the camera.
Qi Ke opened the final list.
She glanced at it quickly, then lowered her head, her thin lips close to the microphone. “The winner of the 36th Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actress is—”
She looked toward Song Yushi.
A single glance held an eternity.
Song Yushi’s heart leaped into her throat. Finally, she saw Qi Ke’s lips move, clearly articulating a name: “Song Yushi!”
Thunderous applause erupted.
Song Yushi stood up, bowed to the camera, and walked toward the stage.
Qi Ke’s gaze followed her.
She was her lover.
She was her queen.
She would crown her on this stage, watched by thousands.
Ten years, fifty years.
This long and beautiful life.
