Even in the sweltering peak of midsummer, Shen Guai arrived at the set looking listless, wrapped in a thick, heavy blanket. As the intense sunlight hit her, she shivered uncontrollably, she was running a fever.
Today’s schedule featured a scene between Qin Chaomu and Chen Qinghe. Qin Chaomu had personally fought to get Chen Qinghe the role of the “fourth female lead” the “White Moonlight” ex-girlfriend of Qin Chaomu’s character, Bei Qing.
That was the problem.
Standing not far away, Shen Guai gritted her teeth. Chen Qinghe was playing Qin Chaomu’s ex, which meant they shared a massive amount of emotional scenes. Though the role was small, every scene was a “banger” and every single one hit Shen Guai right where it hurt.
Right now, for instance, Chen Qinghe’s character was wiping sweat from Qin Chaomu’s forehead with an expression full of adoration. She leaned into Qin Chaomu’s shoulder like a delicate bird, looking up at her and chatting happily.
“Teacher Shen, have a seat.”
Director Xin Shang patted Shen Guai’s shoulder, looking quite satisfied. Although Chen Qinghe hadn’t acted in years, her skills were still there, she portrayed that sense of repressed, restrained love perfectly. Xin Shang couldn’t help but feel that Qin Chaomu had been right, it would have been hard to find anyone else to play such a gentle, cold, and elegant character.
“I heard you haven’t eaten all day. Here, have this.” Xin Shang handed his lunchbox to Shen Guai with a cheeky grin. “Feeling sick and you still ran over here to watch your ‘wife’?”
Shen Guai turned her face away awkwardly and snatched the lunchbox, snapping the lid open with a loud clack.
“Who’s watching her? I came to learn from Teacher Chen’s acting.”
Under the studio lights, Qin Chaomu wore a black suit jacket over a simple black mini-skirt. Below her fair, straight legs were red-bottomed black heels, the quintessential “abstinent” female CEO look.
Shen Guai coughed, her gaze shifting as she stared intently at Chen Qinghe. In the scene, Chen Qinghe was playing Qin Chaomu’s secretary, supposedly reporting on work, they were actually conducting a clandestine office romance.
Catching Shen Guai in her peripheral vision behind the monitor, Qin Chaomu followed the girl’s gaze until it landed on Chen Qinghe. Qin Chaomu’s brow furrowed unconsciously, though she quickly smoothed out her expression.
“Scumbag couple,” Shen Guai muttered, pouting.
“Teacher Shen… your chopsticks are upside down…” Xin Shang reminded her gently.
“Do they have a kiss scene?” Shen Guai lowered her head, flipping her chopsticks to the correct side. She tried to sound casual, as if she didn’t care.
“There is one. But it’s a camera-angle trick,” Xin Shang laughed. “Your CP with Teacher Qin is so popular right now even if I had ten thousand lives, I wouldn’t dare arrange a real kiss between her and someone else.”
“…”
Shen Guai wanted to say something but stopped, watching gloomily as Qin Chaomu and Chen Qinghe’s faces drew closer and closer on the monitor.
Snap!
The wooden disposable chopsticks were snapped clean in half. Shen Guai’s eyebrows were knitted into a tight knot, her mouth pulled into a deep frown, her displeasure was written all over her face.
“Teacher Shen, are you okay?” Xin Shang was startled. Shen Guai never usually watched other people’s scenes. Why did she show up today only to act so strangely?
“I’m fine, Director Xin… I just… prefer eating with half-chopsticks.” Shen Guai gave a sheepish smile, but her eyes remained fixed on Chen Qinghe with a murderous glare.
Closer. Even closer. They were almost touching lips!
“Cut! Passed.”
Xin Shang understood the ways of the world. It was obvious Shen Guai didn’t want Qin Chaomu having intimate scenes with anyone. Grinning, the director’s eyes crinkled into slits. Shipping is so easy, he thought.
Shen Guai stirred her rice aimlessly with her broken sticks, looking up at the two women as they went on break. Qin Chaomu took off her blazer, folded it over a chair, and leaned forward, fiddling with a ring on her thumb. After a few spins, she looked up and stole a glance toward Shen Guai.
When their eyes met, Qin Chaomu immediately looked down.
“Did you know Shen Guai is your fan?” Qin Chaomu whispered, head tilted.
“Huh?” Chen Qinghe didn’t hear her. She cupped her ear and leaned closer to Qin Chaomu.
Qin Chaomu pinched Chen Qinghe’s ear and said coldly, “I said, you’re already retired, stop coming out here to ruin people.”
“What?” Chen Qinghe was stunned. She had no idea why Qin Chaomu was suddenly acting crazy and scolding her for no reason.
Xin Shang watched in shock as Shen Guai practically mashed her rice into a paste. Despite the heat of midsummer, sitting next to her made him feel a chill down his spine.
“Mumu, you can’t break your promise! You have to come to my new book signing. Please, I’m begging you…” Chen Qinghe grabbed Qin Chaomu’s shoulders, shaking her pitifully.
“Mhm,” Qin Chaomu responded flatly. She squinted, resting her chin on her hand, hiding her unhappiness.
This was Chen Qinghe’s first scene. It was also the first time Shen Guai had come to watch.
Qin Chaomu was very jealous of Chen Qinghe.
“Why is she wearing a blanket in this heat?” Qin Chaomu muttered to herself. “Did she… catch a cold that night?”
“Mumu, what are you talking about…” Chen Qinghe frowned, reaching out to feel Qin Chaomu’s forehead to see if she was the one with the fever.
Slap!
Before she could touch her, Chen Qinghe’s hand was intercepted mid-air.
“Teacher Chen, I finally get to see you act in person. I’m such a fan!”
Shen Guai grabbed Chen Qinghe’s fingers with suspicious enthusiasm, forcing her hand down. Chen Qinghe’s expression flickered as she hissed in pain, wondering why this little girl had such a terrifying grip, she nearly broke her fingers.
Shen Guai was doing it on purpose. When rivals meet, eyes burn red. Though she was smiling, she was applying pressure, leaning in close to Chen Qinghe. In Shen Guai’s mind, this was a “warning.”
But in Chen Qinghe’s eyes, Shen Guai’s “tough girl” act was incredibly cute. Chen Qinghe couldn’t help but pinch Shen Guai’s cheek, shouting to Qin Chaomu, “Oh my god, Mumu! She’s so adorable!”
This praise was a stamp of approval for Qin Chaomu’s taste, a way of telling her best friend that the “little girlfriend” had passed the test.
Qin Chaomu’s eyes darkened. She sat up straight, ignoring their “intimacy,” and went back to spinning her ring.
“Oh my god, Guaiguai! I can’t believe you’re my fan!” Chen Qinghe was slow to catch on, completely oblivious to the bizarre tension vibrating between the three of them.
Shen Guai glared furiously at Chen Qinghe, but because her cheek was being squished, it was hard to speak. She could only try to kill her with her eyes.
Chen Qinghe turned excitedly to Qin Chaomu. “Why didn’t you mention this, Mumu? Guaiguai is my little fan!” She was genuinely thrilled, it had been a long time since she’d met a fan, let alone a top-tier starlet.
“Yeah. Truly.” Qin Chaomu looked drained. She grabbed an Iced Americano and stuffed it into Chen Qinghe’s hand, effectively pulling her away from Shen Guai’s face.
“If you had this much energy on variety shows, you wouldn’t have become a has been,” Qin Chaomu snapped, her tone harsher than her usual banter.
Holding the coffee, Chen Qinghe felt a pang of bitterness. Not because of the insult, but because she hated Iced Americanos and Qin Chaomu knew that. Had Qin Chaomu completely forgotten her preferences after only three months apart? Was this what it was like? Forgetting old friends for a new girlfriend?
Shen Guai squeezed between them, unceremoniously bumping Chen Qinghe aside to sit down. Their shoulders brushed, and Qin Chaomu stiffened, taking an awkward sip of water.
“Guaiguai, when did you start liking me?” Chen Qinghe asked with a beaming smile.
The water bottle in Qin Chaomu’s hand creaked as she squeezed it flat. She ground her teeth. “What did you just call her?”
“Guaiguai,” Chen Qinghe laughed. “Wait… too many people call her that. How about… Little Fan?”
Shen Guai didn’t speak. She glanced at Qin Chaomu’s exquisite profile, then at the Americano in Chen Qinghe’s hand. Her heart felt heavy.
Does Qin Chaomu really love Chen Qinghe? Then what am I? A sacrifice for their secret romance? A clown standing in front of the flashbulbs? Or just conversation fodder for Qin Chaomu to woo Chen Qinghe?
“What’s wrong, Little Fan? Are you feeling unwell?” Chen Qinghe tugged at Shen Guai’s blanket.
Qin Chaomu glanced at her. The usually vibrant Shen Guai looked frail and pale, her lips devoid of color. She looked exhausted.
And she came all this way just to watch Chen Qinghe?
Qin Chaomu’s throat moved. A hidden spark of anger flared in her eyes. “She’s always like this,” she said coldly. “Never knows how to take care of herself. Just a ‘lickspittle’ (simp).”
“Me? A simp? Heh.”
Shen Guai stood up, her eyes rimmed with red. She clapped her hands and laughed bitterly. “Right! Qin Chaomu, you’re absolutely right! I, Shen Guai, am a f***ing simp!”
Chen Qinghe looked at Shen Guai, then at Qin Chaomu, shrinking back in fear. “How did this… turn into a fight?”
As she watched their retreating figures, she shook her head and sighed. “These two are so weird. But… God, they’re so shippable!”
Qin Chaomu sighed, grabbed Shen Guai’s hand, and forcefully led her out of the set to a deserted corner.
“You like Chen Qinghe, don’t you?” Qin Chaomu asked, crossing her arms and looking expressionless.
The question pierced Shen Guai deeply. So, in Qin Chaomu’s heart, she was just a simp, a stumbling block in the perfect love story between her and Chen Qinghe?
“Yeah, I like her. Are you jealous? What’s it to you, Qin Chaomu? I like Chen Qinghe! Does it bother you?”
“I’m going to pursue her! What are you going to do about it?” Shen Guai was pale as a sheet; even her threats sounded weak.
“Nothing. Chen Qinghe is indeed kind and cheerful. It’s normal to like her.”
Qin Chaomu looked down, biting her lip. “It’s just… we are a couple to the public. If you choose to chase her, it will affect both of our careers.”
“Qin Chaomu, stop acting so high and mighty. You’re just being selfish. This ‘couple’ thing is just an excuse! Do you think I’m so stupid that you can play me like a fool and kick me around like a ball?”
“You f***ing know that the person I like is…”
Before the word “You” could escape, Shen Guai’s lips were firmly pressed shut.