Chapter 21 CP21
Warm hands stroked Chen Fu's knees; the pain from the pressure and Lu Yu's ambiguous attitude made her unconsciously furrow her brows.
"What happened?"
Lu Xiaomi didn't expect her voice to be so deep when she opened her mouth.
The ambiguous attitude was softened, and after a moment of silence, Chen Fu reiterated that it was something that had happened a long time ago.
It was indeed a long time ago, Lu Xiaomi thought wearily, it must have been four or five years ago.
"If you really don't have time to go to the hospital, you can have your assistant pick up your medication regularly, instead of carrying a bottle of painkillers with you."
A jolt of electricity shot through her skin as it was gently kneaded. In the silence, Chen Fu heard her heart pounding like a drum.
How did she know about these seemingly trivial things from a few years ago?
Lu Xiaomi casually placed her hand between Chen Fu's legs, her gaze slowly moving upwards, her movements exuding complete control.
"Jiang Qing came to see you today?"
Her tone carried a hint of preconceived notion, as if she had tacitly acknowledged the relationship between Chen Fu and her. This intensified the electric shock-like feeling in Chen Fu. She watched as Lu Yu stood up in front of her, her scrutinizing gaze hidden in a hazy shadow.
She was unusually flustered when she explained. This kind of jealous questioning was usually easy to defuse; she just had to throw the topic back at her. She had used this trick to retaliate against Lu Yu before. But after being glanced at by the person in front of her, Chen Fu could only speak honestly this time.
She said Jiang Qing was filming in Studio B today, and we ran into each other by chance after filming. He saw me going into the water and gave me a towel.
Chen Fu spoke haltingly.
"You two seem to be getting quite close lately."
Then what?
Her calm tone concealed an emotion about to erupt. Without thinking, Lu Xiaomi reached out and pinched Chen Fu's cheek.
Both of them were startled when this action was made.
"Don't listen to his sweet talk, Jiang Qing is not a good person."
The sensation of her face being kneaded was still vivid. The action was too intimate, like treating her like her own possession. Upon reflection, it felt like it carried an unbridled lust. A throbbing emotion, accompanied by heat, spread throughout her body. Chen Fu's thighs, pressed against the sofa, suddenly felt uncomfortable. Even her smooth nightgown felt rough, and a faint, itchy sensation lingered between them.
Not only Chen Fu, but Lu Xiaomi was also infected with the sensual mood. The spaghetti strap nightgown could not hide Chen Fu's beautiful collarbone and the curves of her body. She let go of her hand and followed her gaze downwards, only to find that the soft touch of her fingertips made her even more fantasizing.
"Ding-dong."
The voice of Spiritual Sea 0413 suddenly rang out, congratulating the host on successfully triggering the side quest.
"What side quest?"
The fox cub's words carried a hint of teasing.
"This is a once-in-a-century side quest; completing it will immediately increase your favorability by twenty points."
"The mission requirement is... to invite Chen Fu to share a bed with you!"
Sharing a bed...
How the hell do I invite them?
He cosplayed as the domineering CEO from the TV series, pinning Chen Fu against the wall with one hand and then casually tossing his head, saying, "Hey woman, you've successfully caught my attention. Let's sleep together tonight."
...
It sounds too silly, and there's a possibility that Chen Fu will think I'm stupid and look down on me.
Seeing the atmosphere gradually becoming awkward, Chen Fu, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up and said, "President Lu, it's too late today, why don't we get some rest?"
Because of nervousness, her voice was somewhat stiff and unnatural. As soon as she finished speaking, Chen Fu turned and walked towards the bathroom.
"Can."
Without a second thought, Lu Xiaomi grabbed Chen Fu's wrist. She gripped it tightly, and the burning heat of her palm brought a new tingling sensation. The person who wanted to escape immediately stopped in her tracks.
See you in a bit.
*
That's so embarrassing.
After taking a bath, Lu Xiaomi lay on the bed pretending to be dead.
She had no idea where she got the courage from, but she actually grabbed Chen Fu's wrist to prevent her from leaving. The task of inviting Chen Fu to share a bed was too perverse; only 0413 could come up with such a thing.
They had shared a bed before, though this wasn't the first time they'd ever been intimate. This act carried many possibilities for what might happen next, but precisely because of these possibilities, the anticipation turned bittersweet with nervousness. She didn't know how to face Chen Fu, nor how this should begin or end...
Footsteps gradually sounded, and Chen Fu, who had just taken a shower, gently knocked on the door. The sound struck Lu Xiaomi's heart, and she nervously turned off the bedroom light; in the unknown, darkness always gave her a sense of security. She heard Chen Fu open the door and enter. Lu Xiaomi pulled the covers tighter around herself, pretending to be asleep.
Excessive tension amplified her senses; even the slightest friction could cause a tremor in her heart. Chen Fu slowly came up from the other side, her movements as light as a feather.
After Chen Fu adjusted her posture, she stopped moving. Lu Xiaomi breathed a sigh of relief and then yelled at 0413, who was watching the show, in her mental sea, saying, "Is that enough? The mission is considered complete."
"Twenty points of favorability, please credit them to your account quickly!"
The fox cub was shaken so hard it was breathless. Before 0413 could reply, in the darkness and silence, Lu Xiaomi felt herself being held in someone's arms.
It's Chen Fu.
Like being electrocuted, a burning sensation quickly spread throughout her body, and time seemed to stretch out. The pleasant scent of shower gel wafted up from Chen Fu's body. She buried her face in Lu Xiaomi's shoulder, and the soft friction instantly began to tease Lu Xiaomi's neck. Chen Fu's clasped hands rested on Lu Xiaomi's waist and abdomen.
The close contact made Lu Xiaomi's heart almost jump out of her chest, and her slight struggle made Chen Fu hug her even tighter.
"Don't move."
Chen Fu said.
"Let me hold you for a while."
Every sensory point was already excited, so there was no need to be more direct. Lu Xiaomi's heartbeat quickened because of Chen Fu's words, and 0413 skillfully used her favorability to offset the impending punishment. Also in the darkness, Lu Xiaomi broke free from Chen Fu's restraints and sat up.
The cool moonlight revealed the face of the person beneath her. Chen Fu's long, curly black hair cascaded down like roses, and her expression was softer than ever before. Lu Yu had been so incredibly kind to her, without any apparent reason. In all her years in the industry, she had never encountered anyone treated her like this. Her pent-up emotions boiled over, and she felt a surge of desire to open herself up and offer him what she could possibly want in return.
But then, with a touch of shyness, she covered her face, not wanting to meet Lu Yu's gaze, yet her eyes still darted out through her fingers.
In the darkness, Chen Fu breathed out a soft breath and hooked her arm around Lu Yu's collar.
*
When she woke up again, the person beside her was gone. The fox cub was sleeping peacefully at the foot of the bed. Lu Xiaomi blushed and pulled it up by its tail.
"You swindler! The mission rewards aren't even enough to cover the penalties! This system is a total rip-off!"
Fueled by anger at being deceived by 0413, Lu Xiaomi showed Han Xiao's apology video to his manager the very next morning.
Looking around, this kind of thing is actually quite common in the entertainment industry. Han Xiao is Tianyu's top artist, and his agent has always turned a blind eye to his behavior. However, he never expected that his leniency would lead to such a disaster. Han Xiao's entire team put in countless efforts to get the role of the second male lead, and now, it's all for naught.
With the situation so dire, the production team couldn't just sit idly by. Han Xiao's scenes were drastically cut, ultimately reduced to a three-day shoot. The agent was furious upon learning this, but dared not retaliate because Han Xiao had been in the wrong. He called Tianyu headquarters, and the head of the acting department, upon hearing the news, was also enraged. He immediately booked Han Xiao a plane ticket for the afternoon of the day after filming wrapped, saying he was sending him abroad to rest for a while.
It's called a rest, but it's really just a semi-hibernation.
The second male lead's wrap party was held yesterday afternoon, but very few people attended. Halfway through the meal, Yanshan suddenly rushed over in a rage. He was drunk and didn't even bother with pleasantries. He pointed at Han Xiao's nose and launched into a tirade, accusing him of ruining his role and the script.
As the screenwriter and director of the drama "Cultivation," Yan Shan poured his heart and soul into the creation of every character. He especially liked the second male lead, and how could he not be angry to see his favorite character's storyline being significantly cut due to the actor's personal issues?
Today, Chen Fu's schedule mainly consisted of scenes with Jiang Qing. During the lunch break, Jiang Qing came over and, having also heard about Han Xiao's situation, cautiously asked her if she was alright, fearing that Chen Fu would be embarrassed and hesitant to tell the whole story.
"Honestly, I find his behavior disgusting."
Seeing that Chen Fu had no reaction, Jiang Qing continued speaking on his own. He was young and had a high starting point, so he prided himself on having earned everything through genuine ability and hadn't seen much of the shady stuff in the industry. Plus, he was at an age where he was easily swayed by emotions, so naturally he felt particularly contempt for Han Xiao's behavior.
"I always thought Han Ge was a very polite and well-mannered person, but he actually did something like this behind my back!"
Jiang Qing said indignantly.
Han Xiao's appearance was indeed very deceptive; Chen Fu had been fooled by him when she first entered the industry. Looking at Jiang Qing's indignant expression, she couldn't help but feel a touch of mockery.
"You can't see into someone's heart. People in our line of work are all good at acting. Who knows what someone might do behind your back?"
Jiang Qing almost jumped up on the spot. He said, "Who said that? There are still good people among the actors. Trash like Han Xiao is just an isolated case."
Chen Fu smiled and asked him, "What's all the excitement about? Did I touch a nerve?"
Jiang Qing is young and has always been too aloof since becoming famous. But ever since Chen Fu looked down on him, he seems to have suddenly become more sensible. He speaks and acts much more clearly, which makes Xiao Lingdang completely infatuated with him.
"Sister Fu, it's been over a month since I joined the crew, don't you know what kind of person I am?"
Perhaps sensing that Chen Fu suspected him, Jiang Qing's expression gradually became serious. Unlike Han Xiao's easygoing and refined demeanor, his appearance carried a sharp edge with youthful spirit, making him seem upright and reliable.
Chen Fu was so annoyed by his teasing that she kept saying "okay" several times.
The atmosphere gradually became ambiguous and silent amidst the playful banter. Jiang Qing coughed twice and said, "I'll go prepare first." Chen Fu's smiling eyes darkened.
She remembered what Lu Yu had told her that day. Lu Yu told her not to get too close to Jiang Qing, because his team had been busy lately, putting all their effort into promoting the male lead's role. Ye Xin couldn't swallow that insult; she always wanted to be one step ahead of her.
This confession silenced Chen Fu. She glanced at him indifferently and said, "I understand. I have my own plans for the rest."
Chapter 22 CP22
The afternoon's scene was an explosion scene. During the investigation, the female lead was lured to an abandoned warehouse. The culprit had planted explosives next to the warehouse, intending to kill her and the female lead together. At the critical moment, the male lead suddenly appeared. He rushed in through the raging flames, grabbed the female lead's hand, and escaped from the warehouse.
It may sound like a tired old trope, but this scene is set during the transition period of the male and female leads' relationship, and can be considered the first climax of the entire TV series.
With sponsorship from the Lu Group, the production team of "Cultivation" has always been very generous with its filming. To ensure the success of this explosion scene, the props team set up six detonation points, which would be detonated one by one as Jiang Qing pulled Chen Fu out. Because the detonation points were scattered, the scene was not particularly dangerous.
Before filming began, Xiao Lingdang brought Chen Fu water. After chatting with Jiang Qing, Chen Fu had been sullen. Xiao Lingdang thought that Chen Fu hadn't gotten over Han Xiao's shadow yet. After thinking for a while, she smiled and said to Sister Fu, "Don't think too much. There are still more good people in this world."
Chen Fu was indeed filled with lingering fear. Han Xiao's midnight visit had almost become a nightmare that haunted her for the rest of her life. So close, so very close... Han Xiao was drunk that night. If he had actually come in...
"People like Han Xiao are still a minority. Brother Jiang has been in the industry for several years. Unlike Han Xiao, he has always acted conscientiously and has never caused any trouble."
The girl spoke with a smile on her face. Chen Fu followed Xiao Lingdang's gaze and saw Jiang Qing listening to Yan Shan explain the play not far away. He bowed slightly, his attitude towards Yan Shan respectful and humble. In fact, Jiang Qing's achievements were already quite remarkable, but he was always modest, saying that he still had much to learn, whether in private or in front of the camera.
Appearance and temperament can reflect a person's state of mind. Unlike Han Xiao's gloomy temperament, Jiang Qing is more like a tall tree. He has told Chen Fu more than once that he loves performing arts very much, but hates the decadent atmosphere of the entertainment industry.
As they got to know each other better, Chen Fu's opinion of Jiang Qing gradually changed. Her difficult past had made her prone to assuming the worst of people, but now, looking back, she realized that Jiang Qing might be a rare good person in this circle.
*
There's still some time before filming officially begins, and the props team is conducting repeated explosion experiments at a nearby location to ensure the accurate amount of explosives used. Lu Xiaomi, who came to visit the set, watched in horror; the billowing flames resembled ferocious demonic claws, causing her to take a half-step back in fear.
When Lu Xiaomi was fourteen, her home was destroyed in a fire. Because of the trauma, the memory was always very vague in her mind. She only remembered that she was sleeping in her bedroom on the second floor when thick smoke suddenly billowed into the window, the wooden staircase leading downstairs burned through, and the heatwave turned the room into hell. In a panic, she jumped out of the window and fell onto the lawn outside the balcony.
The trauma left from childhood is always particularly severe. From then on, she was especially sensitive to things like fire, and Lu Xiaomi rarely even ate barbecue.