Qin Chaomu gasped a couple of times, her tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxing as she raised her hand to push against Shen Guai’s shoulders.
“Is this all you’ve got?”
It wasn’t until she had pushed Shen Guai to a safe distance that Qin Chaomu slowly sat up. She undid a button on her shirt and propped herself up with both hands on the bed, looking at Shen Guai with a rather provocative gaze.
“So the rumors were true after all. Shen Guai really is the entertainment industry’s number one ‘tempting uke’ (bottom).”
Shen Guai felt pinned by Qin Chaomu’s ambiguous gaze. Through Qin Chaomu’s amber pupils, she saw a complex swirl of emotions, different from anything she had seen before.
Grabbing Qin Chaomu’s shirt collar with her right hand, Shen Guai used her left to instinctively undo another button. In a heat of passion, she lunged forward.
A rich milky fragrance enveloped Shen Guai. Sucking on the softness between their lips and teeth, this was the first time Shen Guai had ever taken the initiative to kiss someone.
In an instant, a wonderful sensation surged through her heart, a feeling that was itchy, comfortable, and impossible to put into words.
Following Shen Guai’s lead, Qin Chaomu slowly lay back down. She gently held Shen Guai’s wrist while her other hand played with Shen Guai’s long hair, as if they truly were a pair of lovers.
“Sister…”
With her face inches away from Qin Chaomu’s exquisite features, Shen Guai even if she were just a dog, couldn’t overcome the biological instinct to gravitate toward beauty.
Inside the play or outside of it, Shen Guai could no longer tell the difference. In a gap between kisses, she called out softly in a raspy voice.
Qin Chaomu’s brow twitched.
“Sister…”
Shen Guai uncontrollably kissed the corner of Qin Chaomu’s lips again aiming a bit off then her dimples, her undereye area, and her earlobe.
Qin Chaomu was stunned.
To be precise, her brain had crashed.
She had filmed many kiss scenes before, they were always just a performance, physical but never emotional.
But in all her time filming, this was the first time she had ever heard someone call her “Sister” over and over during the act.
What did this mean?
A confession?
The original pink blush on her cheeks was now overlaid with another layer of heat. Qin Chaomu instinctively closed her eyes, her throat bobbing slightly.
Shen Guai planted a final kiss on Qin Chaomu’s forehead. At that exact moment, Qin Chaomu opened her eyes, and their gazes met.
In those faint, amber eyes, Shen Guai saw desire.
They were extremely beautiful eyes, slightly upturned at the corners and large. Because she was always rolling them at Shen Guai, Shen Guai used to jokingly call them “sanpaku eyes,” but now, they were slightly unfocused and hazy as she gazed back.
Sometimes, logic cannot defeat desire.
Like right now.
Pressing down onto Qin Chaomu’s lips again, Shen Guai found the right spot. With her lower lip pressing against the seam of Qin Chaomu’s mouth, Shen Guai’s tongue flicked against the shallow line of the kiss until Qin Chaomu finally parted her lips.
The collision with Qin Chaomu felt like a shock of static electricity, making Shen Guai’s body tremble involuntarily.
By the time Shen Guai regained her senses, it was too late.
Shen Guai slowly pulled away, dazed for a long time.
It wasn’t until Xin Shang shouted “Cut!” that Shen Guai snapped back to reality. She turned her face away and pursed her lips.
“Go practice your kissing technique, it’s terrible.”
Qin Chaomu buttoned her shirt and smoothed out the wrinkles on her sleeves before standing up from the bed. As she passed Shen Guai, she looked back, a mysterious, faint smile on her pretty face.
It looked like mockery.
Of course.
Shen Guai’s chaotic heart instantly returned to logic. A jerk is a jerk.
“My experience isn’t rich, but how could I compare to you, Sister? Your scandal history has more entries than a dog has fleas.”
Seeing Qin Chaomu look back, Shen Guai winked her right eye at her, and then, with a face change worthy of Sichuan Opera, she grabbed Qin Chaomu’s hand. “Just kidding~ Sister~ You belong only to me~”
Qin Chaomu unceremoniously shook off Shen Guai’s hand, her smile deepening.
“Don’t you like Chen Qinghe too?”
Shen Guai was left confused by Qin Chaomu’s sudden pivot. What did mocking her bad kissing have to do with whether she liked Chen Qinghe?
“Mumu, you two are such a perfect match!”
Chen Qinghe stood by Qin Chaomu’s side like a loyal lackey, holding a small electric fan.
Suddenly pulled into an embrace, Shen Guai’s shoulder bumped into Qin Chaomu.
Qin Chaomu maintained her half-dead fake smile. The hand gripping Shen Guai’s shoulder slid down to grab her hand, locking their fingers together.
“Guaiguai said she’s not feeling well, I’m taking her back first.”
Qin Chaomu didn’t forget to pat the hair on Shen Guai’s head with her free hand, suddenly planting a kiss on Shen Guai’s cheek.
“Stupid couple, get lost already,” Chen Qinghe joked, nudging Qin Chaomu with a fist.
“Even if you like Chen Qinghe, you better tuck those feelings away. Right now, you are mine.”
Once they were far enough away, Qin Chaomu let go of Shen Guai, her expression one of disgust.
“Did you rot your brain reading CEO novels as a kid?”
Shen Guai felt it was all bizarre. The “CP” (couple pairing) was something she had been forced into. What, did she not even have the right to like her idol?
Qin Chaomu had no acting skills and no character. She wasn’t like Chen Qinghe talented, kind-hearted, perfect in every way.
If time wound back to when she was fifteen, Shen Guai would still make the same choice: to become Qin Chaomu’s anti-fan.
“I’m just giving you a friendly reminder.”
Qin Chaomu’s eyes darkened, her expression steady. But under Shen Guai’s watchful gaze, Qin Chaomu’s hand was restlessly twisting the ring on her thumb.
“You can like Chen Qinghe; you can like anyone.”
Qin Chaomu paused. “Just please don’t let it affect me.”
Without giving Shen Guai a chance to respond, Qin Chaomu turned and left without looking back.
Shen Guai’s heart skipped a beat. For the first time, she felt the sadness of that “damn wicked woman.”
Qin Chaomu’s acting was bad, so bad she was flamed by the whole internet as a “vase” (pretty but empty), forcing her to play ugly or old roles just to pivot her career.
It was so bad that Shen Guai could see through her professional fake smile in a second.
But her sadness… that seemed real.
Shen Guai sat absentmindedly in a KTV booth while Jin Xi and Wutong were passionately belting out songs.
Today was Jin Xi’s birthday.
Every year, Shen Guai would spend it with her. Jin Xi’s usual routine was to showcase her “broken gong” singing voice in front of Shen Guai.
After a rendition of Love Business, Jin Xi and Wutong sat down on either side of Shen Guai.
“What’s wrong, little Guaiguai? Are you being driven crazy by Qin Chaomu?” Jin Xi clicked her tongue and shook her head, hugging Shen Guai along with Wutong as they faked crying.
“Do you guys think… is it possible for a person to like someone they hate?” Shen Guai pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head deep. Her voice was milky and sweet, always giving the impression she was acting spoiled.
“Who do you like?” “Qin Chaomu?”
Jin Xi and Wutong instantly caught the scent of gossip, speaking in tandem.
“No way!” Shen Guai’s voice went up an octave. She looked up, her eyes wide.
Looking at Shen Guai’s face, which was full of a “fragile” beauty, Jin Xi and Wutong looked at each other and teased, “You like Qin Chaomu?!”
“No, no, no… I don’t like her. I was just asking randomly.” Shen Guai waved her hands frantically. She coughed, then grabbed a bottle of mineral water from the table and started chugging.
“No way, Teacher Shen. It’s only been a few days and you’ve already been taken down by Teacher Qin?” Wutong spread her hands and sighed to the heavens.
“Liking someone you hate…”
Jin Xi tapped her fingernail against the microphone. “It’s not impossible. But if Guaiguai can’t figure out her feelings, why not take a step toward her?”
“Take a step toward her?”
Shen Guai blinked in confusion. “I’m not really sure. My heart races when I see her, and when she’s sad, I feel sad too. I used to think of her occasionally, but lately, it’s getting more frequent.”
“Is that love?”
“Not necessarily. It could be withdrawal symptoms,” Jin Xi added, taking a sip of milk tea.
“I knew it. How could I possibly like her?”
“But you treat her differently than everyone else,” Jin Xi said seriously. “Even last year, when you first joined the set and met her, your attention on her far exceeded that of any other star.”
“That’s because I hated her so much.”
Shen Guai pouted, speaking unhappily.
Jin Xi smiled. “Hate and love share a common trait: you pay intense attention to their every word and action. If one day the shining points of that person outweigh your prejudice, perhaps the person you hate will become the person you love.”
“Maybe it’s love. Or maybe it’s an illusion born of over-fixation.”
Shen Guai lowered her head thoughtfully. She hadn’t taken a single sip of her fruit tea, instead biting the straw repeatedly, her brow furrowing deeper.
Is it real love? Or just an illusion?
“But regardless, you and she are a couple in name right now. If you really confirm your feelings, seize the opportunity.”
“After all, heart-fluttering moments don’t come often. I’ve never seen Guaiguai fall for anyone.”
Wutong looked at Shen Guai and then at Jin Xi, feeling a bit lost. As someone who hadn’t even graduated college yet, these things felt very far away.
Wutong shook her head and used an opener to pop two bottles of beer. She kept one and handed the other to Jin Xi.
“Happy birthday to Sister Jin! I wish Sister Jin a happy birthday and little Guaiguai her heart’s desire. Bottoms up!”
With that, half a bottle of beer disappeared.
“Not bad, little girl. You have a bright future,” Jin Xi teased Wutong, then followed suit with half a bottle.
Shen Guai stopped sighing and grabbed a bottle of beer from the table, struggling for a while to open it.
“Little Guaiguai, you don’t have to drink.” Jin Xi hurried to stop her. Shen Guai had a low tolerance for alcohol. Aside from the last time she was tricked into drinking by Qin Chaomu when Jin Xi wasn’t around, Jin Xi usually protected her well, even in front of investors, Shen Guai never touched a drop.
“I don’t want to ruin the mood. I’ll just have a little bit~”
Shen Guai blinked and smiled. She waited for Wutong to help her open the beer, then held the bottle and mimicked Jin Xi and Wutong, gulping it down.
Half a bottle later.
Jin Xi and Wutong looked helplessly at Shen Guai, who had collapsed unconscious on the table. They spread their hands and sighed.
Hearing a knock at the door, Qin Chaomu put down her pen. The desk was covered with a full page of the Heart Sutra she had been transcribing.
“Someone’s here this late? Chen Qinghe?”
Qin Chaomu stood up in annoyance and walked to the door. She paused for a second to fix her expression, putting on a smile before opening the door.
The moment the door opened, the smile on Qin Chaomu’s face vanished.
Jin Xi and Wutong were each supporting one side of Shen Guai’s waist. Wutong, looking like she had found a savior, said excitedly:
“Teacher Qin, Teacher Shen is drunk. Can you help take care of her? Jin Xi and I want to go clubbing.”