Chapter 98: Half a Pack of Tissues
Being touched like that, in such a compromising position, by the person you liked, in front of so many people… Ji Junxin almost lost control, using all her strength to suppress the moan that was about to escape her lips.
Her body tensed like a drawn bow, her lips pressed tightly together, her breath held, afraid of making any unintended sounds. She thought she had successfully swallowed the moan… at this moment, NGs didn’t matter, maintaining control was a victory in itself.
But victory wasn’t so easily won.
The scene now reached the part where the young empress leaned over, her head between Miao Qianye’s legs, to deliver the baby.
Ji Junxin had just managed to suppress the strange sensations from Mi Hongdou’s earlier accidental touch when Mi Hongdou’s head appeared between her legs… well, it was part of the script, and Ji Junxin, her mind in a daze, couldn’t stop it. But why did Mi Hongdou have to breathe on her leg!
Logically, women giving birth wouldn’t be wearing pants. But they couldn’t film it that way, so Ji Junxin was wearing white pants, the legs rolled up to her knees, as if she wasn’t wearing any.
As Mi Hongdou leaned over, her head between Ji Junxin’s legs, she exhaled.
Although it wasn’t as sensitive as her thigh, there was no barrier of fabric this time!
It was February, and the weather was cold. Ji Junxin had already NGed several times, and even with the blanket, her exposed legs were cold. Mi Hongdou’s warm breath tickled her leg, but the tingling sensation wasn’t just on her leg…
Ji Junxin, already slightly disoriented from the earlier touch, now felt completely overwhelmed by Mi Hongdou’s breath.
Mi Hongdou seemed to be saying her lines, but Ji Junxin couldn’t hear them clearly. She felt that despite her clenched jaw and held breath, she had made a sound when Mi Hongdou exhaled on her leg. But… what kind of sound? She couldn’t tell.
Why wasn’t it over? Why wasn’t he calling cut? … Ji Junxin desperately wanted to escape this strange state. She needed to use the restroom, she couldn’t hold it any longer… It must be all that fruit tea! She fidgeted, hoping Director Pan would notice and call cut!
Mi Hongdou, oblivious, continued with her lines and actions, her head moving in and out between Ji Junxin’s legs… Just as she leaned in again, Ji Junxin, shifting slightly, bumped her head with her leg.
Ji Junxin, unable to see what was happening below, froze. Before she could even process how close Mi Hongdou’s head was, her attention was drawn to the sensation on her leg.
Soft hair brushing against her skin, a ticklish feeling… Mi Hongdou’s forehead touched her leg. From the hair, to the forehead, to the warm breath, Ji Junxin could now imagine Mi Hongdou’s position, and combined with their current posture, the warmth of Mi Hongdou’s forehead ignited her, all restraint gone.
Ji Junxin’s body trembled, a strange sound escaping her lips. She clutched the blanket, her fingers digging into the fabric, her toes curling, gripping the bedsheet.
No… The intense moment passed, her body still tense, but her mind clearer. So, she hadn’t been able to hide her reaction? Ji Junxin’s eyes blurred, and she closed them.
Meanwhile, Mi Hongdou, her head under the covers, heard Ji Junxin’s soft moan. Had she bumped her leg too hard? She was a little worried, but the scene was almost over, just one more line after she emerged from under the covers… Mi Hongdou quickly retreated and delivered her final line.
“Excellent!” Director Pan’s voice boomed, followed by applause.
Finally, no NG, a pass! Mi Hongdou breathed a sigh of relief.
Ji Junxin, who had closed her eyes, afraid of being exposed, slowly opened them and looked at the cheerful Director Pan, confused.
Excellent? What did that mean?
“Okay, we’re done!” Mi Hongdou smiled and poked Ji Junxin’s belly through the covers. “You can take this off now, no more heavy belly. Come on, get up, I’ll untie it for you.”
Ji Junxin didn’t move. She still hadn’t processed how they had passed the scene, and… she hadn’t fully recovered from that strange sensation.
The racing heart and the tingling numbness had subsided, replaced by an inexplicable exhaustion and weakness. This feeling… she had read similar descriptions in some yuri novels, but… it couldn’t be…
“What’s wrong?” Seeing Ji Junxin lying motionless, her legs still bent, Mi Hongdou touched her flushed face, worried. “You’re burning up… do you have a fever?” She had thought Ji Junxin’s blush was part of her acting, but the heat was real!
Just being touched by Mi Hongdou made her vision blur. Ji Junxin quickly moved away before her heart started racing again.
Was her body so sensitive now that even a casual touch was unbearable? She didn’t have time to think, she quickly got out of bed, her body weak. “I don’t… have a fever, I need to use the… restroom…” Ji Junxin was startled by her own hoarse voice, but she forced herself to finish and then quickly fled to the bathroom.
Mi Hongdou frowned, watching her leave. It was rare for Ji Junxin to go to the restroom without her… could it be that now that she wasn’t playing a pregnant woman anymore, she no longer needed her? Mi Hongdou felt a pang of disappointment.
If Ji Junxin knew what Mi Hongdou was thinking, she would have yelled, disappointed? If it weren’t for Mi Hongdou, she wouldn’t have had to escape!
After a long while, Ji Junxin emerged from the bathroom, clutching a half-empty pack of tissues, her face pale. As she slowly walked back to the set, her feelings towards Mi Hongdou were incredibly complicated…
Mi Hongdou’s feelings were also complicated… Could someone explain why Ji Junxin, after a trip to the restroom, was now looking at her with such a resentful, even annoyed, expression? What had she done? Could it be because she hadn’t offered to accompany her to the restroom? Wasn’t she supposed to be a mature adult, not an elementary school student!
Ji Junxin, having composed herself, still didn’t want to be touched by Mi Hongdou… who knew how long this strange sensitivity would last! She didn’t want to waste another half pack of tissues!
She nervously approached Director Pan and asked to see the playback of the scene.
Director Pan, in a good mood, readily agreed.
So, they gathered around the monitor.
Ji Junxin looked at Director Pan and Pan Xiang on her left, then at Mi Hongdou, who had appeared on her right. She actually wanted to watch it alone, to understand how they had passed the scene, why did everyone have to watch together!
But she couldn’t think of a reason to monopolize the screen and could only resign herself to the situation.
Ji Junxin knew from the script that most of the shots in this scene were focused on the young empress. Miao Qianye, groaning in pain, was just a prop. Now, as the playback started, she hoped the camera would stay on Mi Hongdou and not on her!
Director Pan played the last take, starting from the point where the young empress reached the foot of the bed.
Normally, she would focus on Mi Hongdou’s performance, but this time, Ji Junxin didn’t even pay attention to the young empress’s lines, her attention completely on Miao Qianye, her own character.
The young empress reached the foot of the bed, her expression anxious, but her voice calm and reassuring. She took a few deep breaths, rubbed her hands together, bent down, and reached under the covers.
Ji Junxin watched the close-up of the blanket, a lump rising, then another, then the two lumps separating. The camera zoomed out, and the young empress lifted the blanket, revealing Miao Qianye’s bare legs.
Her face flushed, her expression a mix of pain and restraint, her hands clutching the blanket, Miao Qianye on screen perfectly portrayed a woman in labor.
Ji Junxin sighed inwardly. She wasn’t acting like a woman giving birth, but like a woman being… well… never mind, her performance was good.
This part was acceptable, the embarrassing part was coming up.
Soon, the young empress on screen leaned over, her head between Miao Qianye’s legs. And then, Miao Qianye suddenly twitched, her body tensing, frozen, as if paused. Her expression was strained, her breathing shallow, even the groaning stopped.
“Xiao Ji, this shot is excellent! You’ve done your research, haven’t you? That feeling of pushing during contractions, even holding your breath, very realistic!” Director Pan couldn’t help but praise her.
“…” Ji Junxin forced a smile… So, holding her breath could be interpreted as pushing during labor. That was why he hadn’t called cut.
Before she could mentally complain, she heard herself let out a soft moan on the screen. Yes, it had been so uncomfortable then… she had made a sound…
“There’s usually a moment of weakness after such exertion. I didn’t even think of this when I wrote the script, but you portrayed it, truly impressive!” Pan Xiang praised her sincerely.
The camera shifted back to the young empress. Ji Junxin glanced at the two praising her, were they joking? They both looked at her with sincere expressions.
Okay… thank you… for your… interpretation…
On the screen, the young empress, while offering words of encouragement, leaned over again. Ji Junxin thought Pan Xiang was really pushing it, writing “glance,” fine, but having her repeatedly going in and out… it was too much.
Just then, Miao Qianye on screen suddenly moved.
Ji Junxin flinched. Yes, this was it… this was when her leg bumped against Mi Hongdou’s forehead… Even just watching it now, she felt the warmth on her leg, as if she was being ignited again.
Ji Junxin clenched her fist, watching intently. The scene was nearing the birth, and she had thought the camera would stay on the young empress, but it was now focused on Miao Qianye.
Miao Qianye’s face was flushed, her lips pressed tightly together, her usually sparkling eyes now filled with tears, her expression a mixture of pain and helplessness. Then, as if hit by a wave of unbearable pain, her body tensed, tears streaming down her face, her upper body involuntarily lifting slightly.
Ji Junxin clearly heard herself, despite her clenched jaw, let out a whimper… and it wasn’t quiet…
So that was what she sounded like… when aroused… Ji Junxin secretly glanced at Mi Hongdou, who was standing next to her. She wanted to find a hole and hide!
“This part,” Director Pan suddenly pointed at the screen, “and this part, we can zoom in and speed it up during post-production, to create a continuous shot of tension and release.”
Ji Junxin looked back at the screen. He was pointing at her hand, which was clutching the blanket, and her toes, which were curled…
“No… need…” Ji Junxin protested weakly.
The screen shifted to the young empress, her face beaming. “It’s here, it’s here!”
That was the last line of the scene. But the screen didn’t fade to black! Ji Junxin saw her own hand… and her feet… relaxing… What the hell! She looked at Director Pan, puzzled.
“Haha, after the tension of pushing, comes the release, a perfect shot, Ji Junxin, well done!” Director Pan said, his tone full of praise. Pan Xiang nodded in agreement.
Ji Junxin’s lips moved, but no words came out. She finally understood why this take had passed… the screenwriter and the director, their perspectives were truly unique!
So, her being aroused, her reaction… looked like giving birth? Although she hadn’t been exposed, Ji Junxin had escaped unscathed, but she was still incredibly angry!
She slowly turned to Mi Hongdou, a strange smile on her face. “What do you think of my performance?” she asked.
“It was very good, very realistic! And if we add those close-ups like Director Pan said, the birthing scene will be even more convincing. I didn’t expect you to be so good, so realistic… the script only asked for some simple groaning…” Although they were close, this was the first time Ji Junxin had asked her about her acting. Mi Hongdou, a long-time fan, finally had a chance to praise her idol and showered her with compliments. But as she spoke, she noticed Ji Junxin’s expression darkening.
Why… was she unhappy? Did she think her praise was too formal, insincere? Seeing Ji Junxin’s growing displeasure, Mi Hongdou quickly changed her tactic, switching from a serious tone to a teasing one. “Haha, so, after playing a pregnant woman for over a month, you’ve thoroughly researched the role, that’s why your birthing scene was so realistic? Very impressive!” Teasing with a hint of praise, this should be better, right? Could she sense her sincerity? Mi Hongdou looked at Ji Junxin expectantly, ready to offer more praise.
Ji Junxin’s expression did change, from slightly dark to… incredibly dark!
Realistic! You think I was being realistic! Ji Junxin’s hands trembled with anger. She had been aroused, and the person who aroused her thought her reaction looked like giving birth!
At this moment, Ji Junxin wanted to yell at Mi Hongdou, “You asshole!”
Of course, she couldn’t say that… so she just stormed off, suppressing her anger and the urge to vomit blood.
Mi Hongdou watched Ji Junxin’s retreating figure, her face dark, and thought that this time, it wouldn’t be so easy to appease her with honey pomelo tea and rice cakes. She was worried, but she still didn’t understand why Ji Junxin was angry. She had even changed her tone to praise her. Could it be… that she was still angry about her not accompanying her to the restroom earlier? So, was she really an elementary school student?
What happened next seemed to prove that Ji Junxin wasn’t an elementary school student, but a kindergartener!
Ji Junxin had stormed off, but she still had to come back for the next scene.
Ji Junxin returned with a dark expression, transformed into Miao Qianye, filmed a scene, then transformed back into Ji Junxin and stormed off again…
This happened three times before lunch.
Thanks to Jiang Lingling, since she started managing her restaurant, Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin’s lunches had been taken care of. From the initial poaching of chefs to the menu reform, the free food promotion for the crews in Shudian, and then the introduction of customized meals, in just over a month, Jiang Lingling’s restaurant had gained a good reputation. And Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin also benefited, enjoying warm, delicious, and varied lunches, a welcome change from the simple fare at the estate.
Of course, with Mi Hongdou’s cooking skills and Ji Junxin’s discerning palate, any new dishes from Jiang Lingling’s restaurant were always served to them first.
Today, there was a new dish: preserved radish and duck soup.
A warm, hearty soup was perfect for this cold winter day.
Since the birthing scene, Ji Junxin hadn’t spoken to Mi Hongdou. She appeared for her scenes, then immediately left, Mi Hongdou didn’t even have a chance to appease her, she didn’t even know why Ji Junxin was so angry.
But it didn’t matter, for a foodie, food was the answer.
As soon as Mi Hongdou entered Jiang Lingling’s luxurious RV, she saw the conspicuous pot of soup in the center of the table. With a new dish, Ji Junxin’s mood should improve… Mi Hongdou mentally thanked Jiang Lingling.
As expected, even though Ji Junxin was ignoring her, she still came when it was time for lunch. However… at the square table, she sat opposite Mi Hongdou, not next to her as usual.
Well, it was better than not coming at all, Mi Hongdou sighed inwardly.
When Ji Junxin sat down, Mi Hongdou, as usual, served her a bowl of soup.
And then… Ji Junxin didn’t take it, but got another bowl and served herself.
Jiang Lingling, who had just arrived and didn’t know what had happened between them, couldn’t help but smile, watching their childish interaction.
A CP’s fight was a single dog’s opportunity!
So, Jiang Lingling smiled.
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