“Why didn’t you discuss this with me first?” Song Nanqiao raised her hand and somewhat helplessly pinched the girl’s cheek.
When an investor sleeps with an actress, it’s bound to attract some gossip, to a greater or lesser extent.
“If I had told you, you probably wouldn’t have agreed, right?”
Wen Wenyao smiled, knowing Song Nanqiao very well. Song Nanqiao would never willingly subject herself to public scrutiny. If she had been informed in advance, Song Nanqiao would definitely have refused to share a room.
“The director agreed to it.”
“I’m not just an actress; I’m also Miss Wen of the Wen family.” The girl smiled sweetly, her eyes curved, wearing an innocent expression.
Song Nanqiao sighed. She had no way to deal with this girl.
“The rooms are ready. Let’s head back to our room.” Wen Wenyao hooked her hand through Song Nanqiao’s, and under the gaze of the staff, the two of them entered the elevator together.
Inside the elevator, Wen Wenyao kept a tight hold on Song Nanqiao’s arm, her soft body leaning against Song Nanqiao. From time to time, she would hold onto Song Nanqiao’s arm and sway it, portraying herself as a girlfriend.
“Show some restraint; save the intimacy for when we’re back in the room.”
“What does it matter in the elevator?”
Wen Wenyao didn’t seem to care and continued to hug Song Nanqiao’s hand tightly, refusing to let go.
When they arrived in their room, as Song Nanqiao had anticipated, there was a large 1.8-meter bed.
It seemed that Song Nanqiao was destined not to have a peaceful sleep.
Every time they slept together, Wen Wenyao would always toss and turn for a while. Sometimes it was just for a little over ten minutes, and at other times, it could be one or two hours. In any case, Wen Wenyao never stayed still voluntarily.
As soon as Song Nanqiao put down her luggage, Wen Wenyao hugged her.
“Be well-behaved tonight. You have to go to the set tomorrow. Spend some time memorizing your lines.” Song Nanqiao poked Wen Wenyao’s little head and her expression turned serious.
“Tomorrow is just a ten-second appearance with no lines. The scripted scenes with lines come later.”
The director intentionally placed some simple scenes at the beginning so that Wen Wenyao could get used to it first.
“That’s not acceptable. You need to make a good impression on the director. Let me see your script.”
“All right.” Wen Wenyao obediently retrieved the script from her bag and handed it to Song Nanqiao.
Taking Wen Wenyao’s script, Song Nanqiao glanced at it briefly and got a rough idea of Wen Wenyao’s character.
“Are you playing the last princess?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have confidence?”
“I should be fine in the early stages. This character starts as a royal relative, so I just need to portray the grace and character traits that a princess should have. But I’m uncertain about the later part.”
“What do you mean?”
“This character undergoes a transformation from the last princess to a foreign geisha. The princess part is manageable, but for the geisha part, I’ll need to study further.”
Wen Wenyao was unsure; the director’s requirements included showcasing the princess’s tragic fall from grace, her struggle between her princess and prisoner identities, and her eventual acceptance of her prisoner identity while retaining the royal grace and her innate purity.
Song Nanqiao carefully examined Wen Wenyao’s face. It had to be said that the director had done an excellent job with the casting. Wen Wenyao naturally exuded an air of grace, combined with her clean demeanor and elegant gestures, making her perfectly suited for the role of the last princess.
Playing a geisha might seem like a waste of her charm, but it was precisely this contrast that would evoke a sense of pity and lamentation in the audience.
“If you perform this role well, you’ll attract a lot of fans. You have the advantage of good looks, and this character, although in a supporting role, is quite attractive.”
“That’s only if I perform well,” Wen Wenyao smiled faintly and then reached out to take the script from Song Nanqiao’s hand.
She was always very serious in her work and never cut corners. Since she had decided to become an actress, she needed to carefully understand the role’s charm and strive to portray it authentically.
Under Song Nanqiao’s gaze, Wen Wenyao sat on the desk and began to carefully study the script, appearing extraordinarily focused.
Song Nanqiao: “I’m so relieved.”
System: “It’s a good thing for the child to work hard on her career.”
One person and one system very sensibly exited the room and ran downstairs to the billiard room to play some billiards, also providing some alone time for Wen Wenyao.
Around 10 PM.
Song Nanqiao received a message from Wen Wenyao.
Wen Wenyao: I’ve been studying the script for tomorrow, and I’m having trouble understanding it. Come up and sleep now.
Song Nanqiao: Okay
When Song Nanqiao returned to the room again, Wen Wenyao was already in the shower. On the table was the script they had been looking at earlier, and Song Nanqiao’s gaze fell on the pencil marks and annotations.
“She’s really putting in the effort,” Song Nanqiao expressed her satisfaction.
“If you’re satisfied, reward your little cutie with a sweet goodnight kiss.” Wen Wenyao said as she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.
On her snow-white shoulders were still glistening water droplets that hadn’t been dried yet.
With her cheeks slightly flushed from the steam, she looked exceptionally pure, and her previous mischievous demeanor added a touch of cuteness.
Without waiting for Wen Wenyao to speak, she was already in Song Nanqiao’s arms, tilting her head up and gazing at Song Nanqiao with expectant eyes.
Song Nanqiao naturally knew what she wanted, so without a word, she kissed her.
A sweet kiss.
Song Nanqiao held Wen Wenyao’s slender waist and pulled her closer, while also wrapping a towel around her.
“Get some rest; you have a shoot tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
After receiving Song Nanqiao’s goodnight kiss, Wen Wenyao was as happy as if she had received candy. Like a child, she dried her hair and then lay down on the large bed. As soon as Song Nanqiao turned off the lights, she fell asleep peacefully.
The next morning.
Before dawn, Song Nanqiao woke Wen Wenyao up.
Their manager was already waiting outside.
Today’s scenes needed to be completed at sunrise, so before 6 AM, Wen Wenyao had to go to the set to get her makeup done and prepare for the shoot. The director wanted it to be done in one take if possible.
As Wen Wenyao’s girlfriend and the organizer of the event, Song Nanqiao naturally had to wake up early and accompany her.
The makeup artist on set adjusted Wen Wenyao’s lipstick color under the glow of the studio lights.
“Miss Wen has beautiful skin and features, just as rumored,” the makeup artist marveled as she looked at Wen Wenyao in the mirror.
“What’s the rumor?” Wen Wenyao asked curiously.
“People who have worked with Miss Wen or the director have all praised Miss Wen’s exceptional facial features. Even without makeup, she can outshine all the actresses in the entertainment industry.”
“Thank you, but I’ll focus more on my acting skills,” Wen Wenyao replied with gratitude and began to examine herself in the mirror.
She remembered that Song Nanqiao seemed to be a fan of good looks.
At first, Wen Wenyao didn’t pay much attention to her appearance, but now it seemed that she had brought her many surprises. Sometimes, Wen Wenyao wondered if Song Nanqiao would have fallen for her so quickly if it weren’t for her looks.
“Little Wen, the director is calling for you.”
Their manager, Sister Lan, rushed over to take Wen Wenyao to the set.
“Okay.” Wen Wenyao got up from her chair and followed her manager, turning on her phone’s flashlight as they walked to the shooting location.
Song Nanqiao was waiting for her on set.
As soon as Wen Wenyao saw Song Nanqiao, her mood improved significantly. Song Nanqiao was smiling and made a cheering gesture.
“Little Wen, stand here. You won’t need to recite lines for this shoot. It’s not very difficult. What you need to do is to leave a stunning look when the sun rises. Remember, don’t look at the camera too deliberately.”
Since this was her first shoot, the director carefully guided Wen Wenyao, and the crew members kept adjusting their positions.
Finally, when the sun rose, and a beam of sunlight shone on Wen Wenyao’s cheek, the director shouted “Action!”
In the warm sunlight, the sixteen-year-old princess, upon hearing someone calling her name, turned slowly…
Her expressive facial features carried a gentle smile, her clean and pure aura combined with her youthful charm.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment as if the world had come alive when she turned her head…
Song Nanqiao held her breath, momentarily stunned. Now she finally understood the phrase “With a backward glance and a smile, she was a hundred times more charming; the palace ladies’ makeup paled in comparison” from a famous poem. [1]
The director, looking at the footage on the backstage computer, was also ecstatic, slapping his thigh and excitedly exclaiming.
“This is amazing! Even the computer can’t recreate this face.”
Then he hurriedly shouted “Cut!”
As soon as the director called “Cut!,” the crew members put down their cameras. Their manager quickly brought out a down jacket to put on Wen Wenyao.
“No need, Sister Lan, I brought my clothes.”
“Really? I didn’t see you bring any.”
“It’s in her hands.”
Wen Wenyao looked over at Song Nanqiao standing in the distance, who was looking a bit dazed.
“Is your girlfriend pretty?” She began to engage Song Nanqiao in conversation.
“Yes, she is,” Song Nanqiao replied somewhat awkwardly.
“Your girlfriend must be feeling cold right now. What should you do?”
“I should give her a jacket,” Song Nanqiao said as she handed over her jacket.
“No, you should hug me.”
Wen Wenyao didn’t take the jacket but instead leaned against Song Nanqiao, her towel-wrapped body seeking warmth.
“That’s why you should wear the jacket,” Song Nanqiao insisted as she draped it over Wen Wenyao’s shoulders and zipped it up for her.
“Today, there’s no shooting in the afternoon. Will you accompany me to this amusement park?”
Wen Wenyao took out her phone.
She had planned this, as these two days were relatively light in terms of work. Besides, the attraction was close to the shooting location, so Wen Wenyao decided to spend the afternoon with Song Nanqiao.
“What do you want to do there?”
“Go to the amusement park. I heard there’s also a food street.”
“Pfft, how childish. You’re almost in your senior year of high school, and you want to go to an amusement park.”
“Hmph, can’t high school students go? From now on, you have to take me there once a year.”
Wen Wenyao grumbled, feeling a bit aggrieved.
Although she was already quite grown-up, she had never been to an amusement park. It was a rare opportunity, and Song Nanqiao had called her childish. It was just too much.
“If you want to go, I’ll take you there every year.”
Song Nanqiao reluctantly agreed while internally calling her a childish brat.
“Accompany me for breakfast.”
“Sure thing, bigstar.”
The two of them walked, one in front of the other. Their manager watched from a distance, somewhat suspicious.
[1]: A line from the poem “Song of Everlasting Regret” by Bai Juyi, a poet from the Tang Dynasty. The line translates to “With a backward glance and a smile, she was a hundred times more charming; the palace ladies’ makeup paled in comparison.” This line describes the beauty and charm of Yang Guifei, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China and a favorite concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. The poem tells the story of their tragic love affair and its consequences.
“Why didn’t you discuss this with me first?” Song Nanqiao raised her hand and somewhat helplessly pinched the girl’s cheek.
When an investor sleeps with an actress, it’s bound to attract some gossip, to a greater or lesser extent.
“If I had told you, you probably wouldn’t have agreed, right?”
Wen Wenyao smiled, knowing Song Nanqiao very well. Song Nanqiao would never willingly subject herself to public scrutiny. If she had been informed in advance, Song Nanqiao would definitely have refused to share a room.
“The director agreed to it.”
“I’m not just an actress; I’m also Miss Wen of the Wen family.” The girl smiled sweetly, her eyes curved, wearing an innocent expression.
Song Nanqiao sighed. She had no way to deal with this girl.
“The rooms are ready. Let’s head back to our room.” Wen Wenyao hooked her hand through Song Nanqiao’s, and under the gaze of the staff, the two of them entered the elevator together.
Inside the elevator, Wen Wenyao kept a tight hold on Song Nanqiao’s arm, her soft body leaning against Song Nanqiao. From time to time, she would hold onto Song Nanqiao’s arm and sway it, portraying herself as a girlfriend.
“Show some restraint; save the intimacy for when we’re back in the room.”
“What does it matter in the elevator?”
Wen Wenyao didn’t seem to care and continued to hug Song Nanqiao’s hand tightly, refusing to let go.
When they arrived in their room, as Song Nanqiao had anticipated, there was a large 1.8-meter bed.
It seemed that Song Nanqiao was destined not to have a peaceful sleep.
Every time they slept together, Wen Wenyao would always toss and turn for a while. Sometimes it was just for a little over ten minutes, and at other times, it could be one or two hours. In any case, Wen Wenyao never stayed still voluntarily.
As soon as Song Nanqiao put down her luggage, Wen Wenyao hugged her.
“Be well-behaved tonight. You have to go to the set tomorrow. Spend some time memorizing your lines.” Song Nanqiao poked Wen Wenyao’s little head and her expression turned serious.
“Tomorrow is just a ten-second appearance with no lines. The scripted scenes with lines come later.”
The director intentionally placed some simple scenes at the beginning so that Wen Wenyao could get used to it first.
“That’s not acceptable. You need to make a good impression on the director. Let me see your script.”
“All right.” Wen Wenyao obediently retrieved the script from her bag and handed it to Song Nanqiao.
Taking Wen Wenyao’s script, Song Nanqiao glanced at it briefly and got a rough idea of Wen Wenyao’s character.
“Are you playing the last princess?”
“Yes.”
“Do you have confidence?”
“I should be fine in the early stages. This character starts as a royal relative, so I just need to portray the grace and character traits that a princess should have. But I’m uncertain about the later part.”
“What do you mean?”
“This character undergoes a transformation from the last princess to a foreign geisha. The princess part is manageable, but for the geisha part, I’ll need to study further.”
Wen Wenyao was unsure; the director’s requirements included showcasing the princess’s tragic fall from grace, her struggle between her princess and prisoner identities, and her eventual acceptance of her prisoner identity while retaining the royal grace and her innate purity.
Song Nanqiao carefully examined Wen Wenyao’s face. It had to be said that the director had done an excellent job with the casting. Wen Wenyao naturally exuded an air of grace, combined with her clean demeanor and elegant gestures, making her perfectly suited for the role of the last princess.
Playing a geisha might seem like a waste of her charm, but it was precisely this contrast that would evoke a sense of pity and lamentation in the audience.
“If you perform this role well, you’ll attract a lot of fans. You have the advantage of good looks, and this character, although in a supporting role, is quite attractive.”
“That’s only if I perform well,” Wen Wenyao smiled faintly and then reached out to take the script from Song Nanqiao’s hand.
She was always very serious in her work and never cut corners. Since she had decided to become an actress, she needed to carefully understand the role’s charm and strive to portray it authentically.
Under Song Nanqiao’s gaze, Wen Wenyao sat on the desk and began to carefully study the script, appearing extraordinarily focused.
Song Nanqiao: “I’m so relieved.”
System: “It’s a good thing for the child to work hard on her career.”
One person and one system very sensibly exited the room and ran downstairs to the billiard room to play some billiards, also providing some alone time for Wen Wenyao.
Around 10 PM.
Song Nanqiao received a message from Wen Wenyao.
Wen Wenyao: I’ve been studying the script for tomorrow, and I’m having trouble understanding it. Come up and sleep now.
Song Nanqiao: Okay
When Song Nanqiao returned to the room again, Wen Wenyao was already in the shower. On the table was the script they had been looking at earlier, and Song Nanqiao’s gaze fell on the pencil marks and annotations.
“She’s really putting in the effort,” Song Nanqiao expressed her satisfaction.
“If you’re satisfied, reward your little cutie with a sweet goodnight kiss.” Wen Wenyao said as she emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel.
On her snow-white shoulders were still glistening water droplets that hadn’t been dried yet.
With her cheeks slightly flushed from the steam, she looked exceptionally pure, and her previous mischievous demeanor added a touch of cuteness.
Without waiting for Wen Wenyao to speak, she was already in Song Nanqiao’s arms, tilting her head up and gazing at Song Nanqiao with expectant eyes.
Song Nanqiao naturally knew what she wanted, so without a word, she kissed her.
A sweet kiss.
Song Nanqiao held Wen Wenyao’s slender waist and pulled her closer, while also wrapping a towel around her.
“Get some rest; you have a shoot tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
After receiving Song Nanqiao’s goodnight kiss, Wen Wenyao was as happy as if she had received candy. Like a child, she dried her hair and then lay down on the large bed. As soon as Song Nanqiao turned off the lights, she fell asleep peacefully.
The next morning.
Before dawn, Song Nanqiao woke Wen Wenyao up.
Their manager was already waiting outside.
Today’s scenes needed to be completed at sunrise, so before 6 AM, Wen Wenyao had to go to the set to get her makeup done and prepare for the shoot. The director wanted it to be done in one take if possible.
As Wen Wenyao’s girlfriend and the organizer of the event, Song Nanqiao naturally had to wake up early and accompany her.
The makeup artist on set adjusted Wen Wenyao’s lipstick color under the glow of the studio lights.
“Miss Wen has beautiful skin and features, just as rumored,” the makeup artist marveled as she looked at Wen Wenyao in the mirror.
“What’s the rumor?” Wen Wenyao asked curiously.
“People who have worked with Miss Wen or the director have all praised Miss Wen’s exceptional facial features. Even without makeup, she can outshine all the actresses in the entertainment industry.”
“Thank you, but I’ll focus more on my acting skills,” Wen Wenyao replied with gratitude and began to examine herself in the mirror.
She remembered that Song Nanqiao seemed to be a fan of good looks.
At first, Wen Wenyao didn’t pay much attention to her appearance, but now it seemed that she had brought her many surprises. Sometimes, Wen Wenyao wondered if Song Nanqiao would have fallen for her so quickly if it weren’t for her looks.
“Little Wen, the director is calling for you.”
Their manager, Sister Lan, rushed over to take Wen Wenyao to the set.
“Okay.” Wen Wenyao got up from her chair and followed her manager, turning on her phone’s flashlight as they walked to the shooting location.
Song Nanqiao was waiting for her on set.
As soon as Wen Wenyao saw Song Nanqiao, her mood improved significantly. Song Nanqiao was smiling and made a cheering gesture.
“Little Wen, stand here. You won’t need to recite lines for this shoot. It’s not very difficult. What you need to do is to leave a stunning look when the sun rises. Remember, don’t look at the camera too deliberately.”
Since this was her first shoot, the director carefully guided Wen Wenyao, and the crew members kept adjusting their positions.
Finally, when the sun rose, and a beam of sunlight shone on Wen Wenyao’s cheek, the director shouted “Action!”
In the warm sunlight, the sixteen-year-old princess, upon hearing someone calling her name, turned slowly…
Her expressive facial features carried a gentle smile, her clean and pure aura combined with her youthful charm.
Time seemed to freeze at that moment as if the world had come alive when she turned her head…
Song Nanqiao held her breath, momentarily stunned. Now she finally understood the phrase “With a backward glance and a smile, she was a hundred times more charming; the palace ladies’ makeup paled in comparison” from a famous poem. [1]
The director, looking at the footage on the backstage computer, was also ecstatic, slapping his thigh and excitedly exclaiming.
“This is amazing! Even the computer can’t recreate this face.”
Then he hurriedly shouted “Cut!”
As soon as the director called “Cut!,” the crew members put down their cameras. Their manager quickly brought out a down jacket to put on Wen Wenyao.
“No need, Sister Lan, I brought my clothes.”
“Really? I didn’t see you bring any.”
“It’s in her hands.”
Wen Wenyao looked over at Song Nanqiao standing in the distance, who was looking a bit dazed.
“Is your girlfriend pretty?” She began to engage Song Nanqiao in conversation.
“Yes, she is,” Song Nanqiao replied somewhat awkwardly.
“Your girlfriend must be feeling cold right now. What should you do?”
“I should give her a jacket,” Song Nanqiao said as she handed over her jacket.
“No, you should hug me.”
Wen Wenyao didn’t take the jacket but instead leaned against Song Nanqiao, her towel-wrapped body seeking warmth.
“That’s why you should wear the jacket,” Song Nanqiao insisted as she draped it over Wen Wenyao’s shoulders and zipped it up for her.
“Today, there’s no shooting in the afternoon. Will you accompany me to this amusement park?”
Wen Wenyao took out her phone.
She had planned this, as these two days were relatively light in terms of work. Besides, the attraction was close to the shooting location, so Wen Wenyao decided to spend the afternoon with Song Nanqiao.
“What do you want to do there?”
“Go to the amusement park. I heard there’s also a food street.”
“Pfft, how childish. You’re almost in your senior year of high school, and you want to go to an amusement park.”
“Hmph, can’t high school students go? From now on, you have to take me there once a year.”
Wen Wenyao grumbled, feeling a bit aggrieved.
Although she was already quite grown-up, she had never been to an amusement park. It was a rare opportunity, and Song Nanqiao had called her childish. It was just too much.
“If you want to go, I’ll take you there every year.”
Song Nanqiao reluctantly agreed while internally calling her a childish brat.
“Accompany me for breakfast.”
“Sure thing, bigstar.”
The two of them walked, one in front of the other. Their manager watched from a distance, somewhat suspicious.
[1]: A line from the poem “Song of Everlasting Regret” by Bai Juyi, a poet from the Tang Dynasty. The line translates to “With a backward glance and a smile, she was a hundred times more charming; the palace ladies’ makeup paled in comparison.” This line describes the beauty and charm of Yang Guifei, one of the Four Beauties of ancient China and a favorite concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang. The poem tells the story of their tragic love affair and its consequences.
