Her Rose – Chapter 63

As it turned out, for some people, a direct punch when they offend you is far more effective than a pleasant negotiation. Less than ten minutes after Cheng Ying hung up, a large commercial vehicle with the production crew’s logo pulled up to the hotel entrance. The assistant director, who had previously played innocent and pitiful on the phone, insisting there were no cars, personally came to the lounge and respectfully invited them out. Along the way, he apologized countless times for his tardiness and neglect.

The first time he said sorry, Jiang Hanguang wanted to reply with “it’s okay,” but the alpha beside her gave her hand a very suggestive squeeze, so she had to drop the idea.

Cheng Ying listened to his apologies with a reserved expression. Only when he had talked himself hoarse did she finally offer a lukewarm smile and extend her hand. “Director Yu, you’re too kind. We understand that things are busy on the first day of shooting. I hope we can have a pleasant collaboration in the future.”

The assistant director, who had been babbling for a long time, quickly grasped her outstretched hand, wiped the sweat from his brow as if a great weight had been lifted, and said in a tone of someone who had survived a disaster, “Of course, of course. You’re right, Boss Cheng.”

Jiang Hanguang was amused by Cheng Ying’s demeanor, which was somewhere between noble and aloof and simply putting on airs. Remembering that Cheng Ying was doing this for her, she felt a touch of sweetness.

The filming location was indeed at the Central Film and Television City. Whether by coincidence or design, they were actually using Studio Five, the same one where 《White Robe》 was filmed.

The familiar location reminded Cheng Ying of her first meeting with Jiang Hanguang, and a smile couldn’t help but appear on her face.

Back then, she had thought about just ignoring Jiang Hanguang. She was truly… blind and foolish.

Although the exterior of the studio looked the same as always, the shooting area inside had been transformed beyond recognition.

The ethereal immortal mountains and pavilions had been replaced by a two-story Western-style house, decorated to be both cozy and elegant. A dozen or so staff members were moving back and forth in the shooting area, conducting pre-shoot tests. The production area was also a scene of everyone at their posts. Although it looked busy, it was far from chaotic.

Cheng Ying shot a half-smile at the guilty-looking assistant director, told him to take Xiao Xiao to the rest area, and then led Jiang Hanguang straight to the director, who was at the very center of the production area.

Yan Zhi had just turned fifty this year, but his hair was already completely white, and his face looked much older than his actual age. His eyes, however, lacked the characteristic cloudiness of middle-aged and elderly people. They were extremely bright and sharp, like an eagle that, though old, had lost none of its imposing presence.

In the slightly cool studio, he wore a plaid shirt with a knitted sweater over it. With one hand on his chin, he stared grimly at the camera monitor in front of him, looking just like one of those stern, unsmiling, academically-obsessed old professors nearing retirement at a university.

Cheng Ying didn’t rashly interrupt him. Although she wasn’t fond of this firecracker type of director, she had to admit that he had the capital to be arrogant and a solid character. At least he was much better than those idiots who had nothing to their name but spent all day lusting after actors’ bodies.

Most importantly, she and Jiang Hanguang would be here for at least half a month. If they got on this man’s bad side, their days would likely be spent amidst roaring. Yan Zhi’s nickname was “Big Brother of the Director’s Circle”—not the kind of big brother who would listen to your troubles and offer gentle comfort, but the kind who, at the slightest disagreement, would get right in your face, no matter who you were.

When Yan Zhi’s work finally came to a pause, Cheng Ying approached with a smile and greeted him, “Director Yan, I’ve brought Hanguang to report for duty.”

The perpetually displeased old man turned to face the ever-smiling young woman. His gaze swept casually over her before settling on Jiang Hanguang behind her. With furrowed brows, he sized Jiang Hanguang up and down, like an old farmer inspecting the growth of cabbage in his field.

Jiang Hanguang, however, wasn’t nervous. She had seen plenty of ugly expressions before. She gracefully nodded at Yan Zhi. “Hello, Director Yan.”

Too beautiful, her aura too cold. A bit ill-suited for Gu Qingsheng.

Yan Zhi made his first judgment in his mind. The script described Gu Qingsheng’s appearance as the delicate, pretty girl-next-door type, which was on a completely different level from Jiang Hanguang’s eye-catching beauty. Moreover, although Jiang Hanguang’s own temperament wasn’t exclusionary, it carried a sense of detachment that made it seem impossible for anyone to get too close to her.

Could such a person really play that delicate, dodder-like young girl?

Yan Zhi’s participation in this film was a company assignment. Although he had a big temper, he wasn’t unreasonable. When the employee sent by the company to have him sign the contract swore up and down that, aside from the actor designated by the sponsor, the entire crew would be under his command, he had reluctantly accepted the task.

Designated by the sponsor meant she had backing. But Yan Zhi didn’t care about that messy stuff. From his professional perspective, Jiang Hanguang was not suitable for this role.

But it was still too early to jump to conclusions. Yan Zhi just hoped that Jiang Hanguang’s professionalism was solid. He had gone for a check-up at the hospital two days ago, and the doctor told him his blood pressure was abnormally high and that he’d best not lose his temper so easily anymore.

So now, he just nodded at the two of them indifferently. “Welcome. Go to the dressing room and get ready. We start shooting in an hour.”

With that, he called over someone who looked like an assistant and had him take the two to the makeup room.

As she turned her head, Cheng Ying made a very subtle funny face at Jiang Hanguang, mouthing two words without making a sound: “So fierce.”

Jiang Hanguang chuckled and gently squeezed her finger in criticism.

As the sole lead of the film, Jiang Hanguang was unsurprisingly assigned a spacious dressing room. In this short time, Xiao Xiao had already wiped down the chairs and everything, and was chatting idly with the makeup artist who was already waiting there. Seeing the two enter, she hurried forward to greet them.

The makeup artist was a tall female omega with exquisite, beautiful makeup and a perm of big waves. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw Jiang Hanguang. She came over, took her hand, and said enthusiastically, “Oh my, you’re even more beautiful in person than on TV! Little sister, what skincare products do you usually use?”

Jiang Hanguang glanced awkwardly at the makeup artist, who was clearly under thirty, thought for a moment, and replied, “Nothing special, just the usual stuff.”

This wasn’t false modesty. After marrying Feng Nan, she rarely even left the house and had no need to dress up, so naturally, she didn’t pay much attention to such things. She bought skincare products randomly based on which brands had high sales. After leaving him, her funds were tight, and her spending in this area dropped to student-era levels. She really had no beauty secrets to share.

Cheng Ying watched this makeup artist, who was even more enthusiastic than Xiao Xiao, with lines forming on her forehead. She coughed twice to interrupt her questioning. “Director Yan told us to come for makeup. The shoot starts in an hour.”

“No problem, no problem.” The makeup artist beamed. “With Miss Jiang’s foundation, she’ll look beautiful even if I do her makeup with my eyes closed.”

She enthusiastically took Jiang Hanguang’s hand, led her to a fitting room cordoned off by a curtain, and pushed her inside. Then she turned to Cheng Ying and Xiao Xiao. “Why don’t you two wait outside for a bit?”

Cheng Ying immediately became wary. “What for?”

The makeup artist, however, looked innocent. “I’m not used to having others around when I’m doing makeup. Besides,” she suddenly gave Cheng Ying an ambiguous wink, “the longer the wait, the bigger the surprise, right?”

Cheng Ying: “…”

After all, it was a professional habit of a specialist, so she couldn’t really object. After ordering Cheng Mantou to monitor the situation inside via surveillance just in case, she rubbed the goosebumps on her arms and sat down with Xiao Xiao outside the dressing room.

As soon as they sat down, Xiao Xiao leaned over with a knowing look. “Boss Cheng, it’s fine. Even though the makeup artist likes omegas, Miss Jiang definitely won’t like her back.”

Cheng Ying: “…It’s only been this long, and you’ve already found out her sexual orientation?”

Xiao Xiao looked as if it were a matter of course. “I remember what you said. I have to protect Miss Jiang. She’s so beautiful, someone is bound to be smitten. Ah…”

The rest of her words were swallowed back down under Cheng Ying’s glare. But Cheng Ying had nothing to criticize, so she could only say dryly, “Good job.”

The words had barely left her mouth when Cheng Mantou’s sharp intake of breath sounded in her mind.

Cheng Ying immediately tensed up. “What is it?”

“Slurp, nothing.” Cheng Mantou gave a dry cough. “I was struck by the beauty.”

“Are you crazy?” Cheng Ying was speechless.

Cheng Mantou’s tone was like a mischievous child dangling a piece of meat in front of a big bad wolf. “Don’t you want to see?”

“…No. I’ll see her eventually anyway.” The makeup artist’s ambiguous gaze flashed through Cheng Ying’s mind again.

Why was everyone teasing her as if she were some kind of sex-crazed maniac?

Jiang Hanguang was already hers. What was there to be anxious about?

Not knowing who she was competing with, Boss Cheng sat expressionlessly at the door of the dressing room like a door god. During this time, out of embarrassment and anger, she muted Cheng Mantou, who had been babbling nonstop in her mind trying to tempt her.

Half an hour later, the dressing room door cracked open. The makeup artist poked her head out and waved at the two of them like a spy making contact. “She’s ready.”

Xiao Xiao had just rushed forward two steps when she noticed the unfriendly gaze from her side. She immediately and wisely made way. “Boss Cheng, you first.”

Cheng Ying let out a barely audible huff and strode inside.

Jiang Hanguang was already standing in front of the dressing room mirror, examining her makeup with a hint of novelty. Seeing Cheng Ying enter, she quickly turned her head to ask for her opinion. “How is it?”

Cheng Ying didn’t speak. Xiao Xiao, who followed her in, covered her mouth and also said nothing. The makeup artist watched from the side with a beaming smile. For a moment, the dressing room, now occupied by four people, fell into a dead silence.

Jiang Hanguang couldn’t help but feel a little awkward, wondering if something was wrong with her. She blinked and asked cautiously, “Does it not look good?”

Cheng Ying: “It looks good.”

It wasn’t that it didn’t look good; it was clearly far too good.

Jiang Hanguang was wearing a light pink, knee-length silk slip dress. The silky fabric perfectly outlined the woman’s graceful figure, which was usually hidden under modest clothing, revealing it in full view: her delicate collarbones, her rounded shoulders, the soft curves of her chest that were tantalizingly concealed yet hinted at, her supple waist so slender it seemed two hands could completely encircle it, and her long, straight calves that had a slight muscle definition, making them look exceptionally firm and beautiful.

Light pink is a color that challenges the wearer’s skin tone, but against Jiang Hanguang’s fair, almost luminous skin, it was unexpectedly complementary.

The woman wore light, youthful makeup that transformed her originally distant aura into a budding temptation, as tender and moving as the new shoots of a willow tree in spring. It was as if a gentle pinch would release an alluring sap.

Cheng Ying heard Xiao Xiao’s gasp of amazement beside her, and she also heard her own heart pounding like a drum.

Probably due to her upbringing, Jiang Hanguang would never wear clothes like this. She didn’t shy away from her own beauty, but she steered clear of clothes that overly emphasized her omega traits.

If it weren’t for filming this scene, she probably wouldn’t know how much longer it would have been before she could see Jiang Hanguang like this.

Young, beautiful, and captivating. It made one want to lock her tightly in an embrace and devour her, bite by bite.

But at the same time, her heart inevitably began to ache with a sour feeling.

Xiao Xiao had already rushed over, chirping like a little bird that had discovered a beautiful flower, circling Jiang Hanguang and showering her with compliments.

Jiang Hanguang was so embarrassed by her praise that a faint pink blush appeared on her jade-like face, and she humbly demurred in a low voice.

Cheng Ying, however, couldn’t bring herself to praise her lover as openly as Xiao Xiao did.

Her mind was filled with the thought that, in a moment, this version of Jiang Hanguang would appear before the bustling crowd outside, to be seen by everyone.

An actress, of course, is better off being seen by as many people as possible.

But right now, Cheng Ying only wanted to hide Jiang Hanguang away, to trap this sprite, who would surely inspire romantic fantasies, in a glass castle she had built for her.

To be kissed only by her, tormented only by her, tamed only by her.

This was her Jiang Hanguang.

Overwhelming thoughts washed over her sanity like a tide—dark thoughts that must never be known to anyone, not even Jiang Hanguang.

Because they would inevitably hurt Jiang Hanguang, Cheng Ying would never let them become reality.

The blood of that demon, Cheng Mo, flowed in her veins, and her spirit had, to a certain extent, been conditioned by Cheng Mo.

But she was aware of these things. A whole Jiang Hanguang could only exist in the sunlight. No matter how beautiful a flower, it could not survive in a place devoid of light.

So she simply walked over, met Jiang Hanguang’s hopeful and questioning gaze, and said with a smile, “It’s very suitable. Do a good job in a bit.”

Jiang Hanguang’s initially uneasy heart finally settled after receiving Cheng Ying’s affirmative look. She nodded obediently. “Okay.”

Cheng Ying took in the change in the woman’s expression. To her, at this moment, all of Jiang Hanguang’s trust and goodwill carried a hint of seduction. She secretly pinched herself twice to calm down but didn’t dare to speak to Jiang Hanguang again, so she could only sit to the side and accompany her in reading the script.

It was time to start filming. When Jiang Hanguang appeared on the set, all non-essential personnel had been cleared out, leaving only the necessary production crew. Even so, she unsurprisingly garnered a wave of amazed gasps. Yan Zhi still wore the expression of someone who was owed a fortune, but his eyes were even brighter.

The person playing Gu Qingsheng’s lover was a female alpha who had recently debuted. The moment she saw Jiang Hanguang, her eyes went wide. It wasn’t until Yan Zhi’s roar startled her into a shiver that she quickly composed herself, but her eyes kept darting around, not daring to land on the person beside her.

Although this seemed very unprofessional, everyone present tacitly approved of her actions. They were so far away and were already nearly captivated beyond reason; for that girl to be so close and still be standing strong was a testament to her amazing self-control.

Fortunately, the protagonist of this film was Jiang Hanguang, and Yan Zhi planned to blur the character of the lover. The alpha didn’t even need to show her full face; otherwise, the scene probably couldn’t be filmed today.

Jiang Hanguang took a slight breath, calming her tense nerves. Regardless of whether the look was suitable, the performance was what mattered most.

Although the thin and cool slip dress made her feel very uncomfortable, her long-trained professional qualities as an actress allowed her to get into character the moment Yan Zhi called ‘action’.

Today, Gu Qingsheng, as usual, saw her lover to the door. After getting married, she had temporarily quit her job to rest at home because they were trying to conceive.

Leaving a light kiss on her lover’s face, she coquettishly asked her lover to bring her a slice of her favorite cake on the way home.

Just like all the days before, she played the role she was supposed to play.

A well-behaved daughter, an obedient student, a loving wife.

However, everything seemed different from before. She restrained her eager heart until the door was completely closed.

Three minutes later, as if she had rehearsed it countless times, the Omega quickly bolted the door and ran back to her room.

The set’s scenery changed accordingly, becoming a bedroom decorated in soft pink.

This omega, who had just been like a little girl, unceremoniously pulled out the chair by the desk, sat down in a very unladylike posture, let out a cheer of liberation, and opened a locked drawer.

She took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, which clashed completely with the style of the entire bedroom.

Her hands trembled slightly. She knew this was not something an omega trying to conceive should be doing.

But no matter how she restrained herself, that innate yearning for freedom and all things unknown tormented her day and night, never leaving.

She had endured long enough and was unwilling to endure any longer.

The cigarette was lit. She eagerly brought it to her lips and took a drag. Although she choked and coughed violently, she still took a second puff without hesitation.

The acrid, hot smoke flooded her lungs, and along with her heart, which was beating particularly fast from doing something wrong, it brought her a sense of pleasure from breaking free of her restraints.

Like a larva finally poking its head out of a tightly sealed, protective cocoon, she greedily narrowed her eyes. Like the carefree and dissolute people in the movies, she held the cigarette with a gesture she had practiced countless times in secret, smoking with contentment and delight.

It seemed some people were born with a talent for indulging in pleasure. She didn’t need anyone to teach her. By the time one cigarette had burned down, she had already grown accustomed to and mastered this skill that a good girl should never have.

A sense of accomplishment swelled in her heart. She craved more.

She got up to check her door lock, then circled the bedroom like a thief. She sat back down at the desk, a flush rising on her face, opened her computer, and found some videos she had hidden long ago.

Panting and certain sounds that were hard to describe but instantly recognizable came unimpeded from the computer. Many people present revealed secretive, knowing smiles.

Gu Qingsheng’s breathing grew heavier as the sounds from the video intensified. She hugged herself as if she were cold, yet her hands caressed her own waist and back as if in a lover’s touch.

The woman’s hands were slender and fair, but the force was so great that they left clear marks on the silk nightgown.

Her eyes were still so dark and bright, but within them burned a desire that would make one’s blood boil with just a single glance.

She was like a fledgling succubus. She clearly knew nothing, but with just her alluring face and body and her innocent yet sensual expression, she was enough to firmly grasp everyone’s soul.

Who wouldn’t want to possess her? Who wouldn’t want to fall into the bottomless abyss with her?

At least, no one on set could shake their head no right now.

She wasn’t revealing anything, and her movements weren’t exaggerated, so why couldn’t they look away?

Cheng Ying sat in a dark corner next to the production crew, quietly watching Jiang Hanguang on the stage.

Even now, she still had to admit Jiang Hanguang’s talent and quality as an actress.

The Jiang Hanguang in the dressing room earlier had been stunning enough, but her aura was still her own. Even if you wanted to do something to her, meeting the woman’s clear, mirror-like eyes would still make you feel unworthy.

But now, those once-clear eyes were filled with a fresh, naive, yet perfectly understandable desire.

She was no longer that incomparably beautiful rose, covered in thorns that kept people from getting close.

But a poppy that one couldn’t resist, one that made you want to die by her side even if it meant death.

As long as you weren’t afraid to die and dared to touch her, you could have her.

No one could escape such a temptation, could they?

Cheng Ying heard the cameraman beside her swallow and silently pressed her lips together, burying the thought of blowing up the studio deep in the boundless sea.