Chapter 61: Absolutely Not, Absolutely Not – Straight Girl Tricks
Song Mingzhi originally intended to rehearse with Dong Ling, or rather, to teach Dong Ling how to act in the next scene.
If her true intentions were to be analyzed, she wanted to be alone with Dong Ling.
Doing anything together would be fine.
However, tonight’s plan was interrupted by Dong Ling’s stomach ache. Dong Ling lay in bed covered with a blanket, the script covering half of her face, revealing one flushed cheek.
“It seems I don’t have many scenes left, then you won’t have to make time to teach me.”
Dong Ling recalled what Director Yu told her and relayed it to Song Mingzhi.
It was true that Liang Jin’an’s later life and even her downfall were inextricably linked to You Su Changying, but Yu Shuangwei didn’t focus the second half of the movie on their relationship, but more on the power struggle between Liang Jin’an and her son, the emperor.
Power, this was something this woman pursued relentlessly throughout her life, even until death, something she clung to tightly.
“I’m happy to teach you, don’t worry about taking up my time, I don’t mind.”
Song Mingzhi felt a little wistful after hearing Dong Ling’s words, after all, she truly enjoyed coaching Dong Ling, so to let Dong Ling see her true feelings, she said this out loud.
After speaking, she felt a little nervous, her words were quite straightforward.
Dong Ling understood her meaning and said sincerely: “Mingzhi, you’re such a good person.”
Most people formed first impressions easily, and Dong Ling was no exception. Her first impression of Song Mingzhi wasn’t from their encounter in the hospital corridor, but from the information the system implanted in her mind.
In this pre-loaded information, Song Mingzhi was a talented woman with a dream of acting, but was suppressed and couldn’t enter the entertainment industry.
This was indeed the impression Dong Ling had when she first met her, and although Song Mingzhi wasn’t a professional actress, her acting skills were already better than many, it was pure talent.
Dong Ling thought Song Mingzhi was kind and helpful, so hearing her say that she didn’t mind coaching her, she felt Song Mingzhi was truly a good person.
Just like how Song Mingzhi would often guide Pu Xingchun and other actors who came to discuss the script, she just wanted to help her juniors and contribute to a healthier development of this industry.
Dong Ling understood this mentality, because she also often guided those who learned to play the violin, not expecting anything in return, but purely hoping they could find joy in learning and immerse themselves in the beautiful world of music.
Song Mingzhi, who had expected some other response but was instead given a “good person” card: …………
Song Mingzhi was very confused, trying to understand Dong Ling’s thoughts was even more difficult than reading her opponents’ minds at the negotiation table, Dong Ling’s responses were always beyond her analysis.
Dong Ling seemed easy to understand, yet also unreadable.
Human thoughts could never be as straightforward as numbers, Song Mingzhi could understand stock trends and predict market prospects, but she couldn’t understand Dong Ling’s heart.
“It’s getting late, Mingzhi, you should go rest, my scenes aren’t urgent, I’ll practice on my own first, and then ask for your help.”
Dong Ling looked at the time on her phone, it was getting late, and Song Mingzhi had a scene to film tomorrow morning.
According to the normal schedule, they should have rehearsed the script just now, but because of her stomach ache and Xuan Du’s interruption, they didn’t do anything.
Song Mingzhi couldn’t find a reason to stay, so she nodded to Dong Ling and left the room.
After memorizing her lines for a while, Dong Ling picked up her phone, she planned to browse Weibo for a bit before going to bed.
She had completely forgotten about her previous Weibo post, and since she had deleted it, she naturally assumed no one would pay attention to it anymore.
But she clearly underestimated humans’ curiosity and empathy, as soon as Dong Ling opened Weibo, she was stunned by the numerous private messages.
Those comforting her, saying “There’s no hope in turning a straight girl gay” and “Don’t date straight girls” were fine, but what was up with those promoting themselves, even asking for a relationship?
This was truly beyond Dong Ling’s comprehension.
Dong Ling quickly turned off the private messaging function and posted another Weibo message to explain the situation.
@Jieshi: Private messages are now off, please don’t ask me for a relationship, thank you. And she explained to me, she’s not angry.
Dong Ling browsed Weibo for a few minutes, refreshed the page, and found many replies.
@TaoTaoYunWuSZD (SZD – Shi Zhen De – It’s real): Sister, wake up, it’s just a straight girl trick.
@DreamsOfAncientKingdom: You can never wake someone who’s pretending to be asleep in the name of love.
@DontForceMeToBegYou: Is that Miss S some kind of Jiang Ziya? Why are you so hooked, refusing to let go? (Jiang Ziya was a legendary figure known for his fishing skills, often used as a metaphor for someone skillfully manipulating others.)
@WaitLetMeSpeakFirst: Everything I wanted to say has already been said, then I wish you success.
@SweetSongZhong: Although you’re an anti-fan and I don’t like you, you and that straight girl who’s stringing you along should just break up.
Dong Ling stared at this CP fan’s name, a strange feeling in her heart, and fell asleep.
The August sun was scorching, but ignoring the heat, the scenery was beautiful.
Yu Shuangwei had a small set built in the imperial garden to film the Empress Dowager’s debauched activities.
This was one of the Empress Dowager’s favorite activities, or rather, a favorite activity of any hedonist.
Playing blindfolded hide-and-seek with a group of beauties in the imperial garden, surrounded by laughter and flirtatious whispers, kissing whoever she caught, what a blissful life.
You Su Changying was initially one of these beauties, but later, this game became exclusive to her and Liang Jin’an.
It wasn’t because Liang Jin’an’s love for You Su Changying was so deep that she gave up on everyone else, but for another reason.
Liang Jin’an was intrigued by You Su Changying, but her affection wasn’t enough for her to give up on others, but after You Su Changying, at Liang Jin’an’s behest, killed the woman who almost disfigured her, You Su Changying seemed to have awakened, and when Liang Jin’an brought a new person, she did something incredibly daring.
She killed that person. Although she was punished, she caught Liang Jin’an’s eye even more.
The newcomer was the only son of a court official, he belonged to the faction that opposed the Empress Dowager’s regency, so his father was summoned to the palace as a threat. You Su Changying understood Liang Jin’an’s intentions from her words and did this for her.
She didn’t gamble wrong, Liang Jin’an outwardly scolded and confined her, but in reality, doted on her even more.
Compared to simple beauty, someone who could whisper sweet nothings in bed and also act as her sharp sword, taking on the blame, was much more to Liang Jin’an’s liking.
Besides this, there was another important reason for You Su Changying’s exclusive favor, her background.
She wasn’t from Great Liang, her homeland had been conquered, she had no one to rely on but Liang Jin’an, someone who could be firmly controlled, for someone in power like Liang Jin’an, this was undoubtedly a different kind of satisfaction.
But Liang Jin’an didn’t expect that the blade she had sharpened would eventually pierce her own throat.
Dong Ling stood beside Yu Shuangwei, watching the clip on the monitor, her scene was next.
The imperial garden set was decorated with real flowers, even in the corners.
The light floral fragrances mingled, creating a lingering scent. Dong Ling adjusted her thin clothes, memorizing her lines.
The focus of this scene wasn’t on Song Mingzhi, but on Pu Xingchun.
The empress and the Empress Dowager were playing a debauched game in the imperial garden, surrounded by palace guards to prevent others from entering, but they didn’t know that the emperor, after his morning court session, was sitting and relaxing in a hidden spot, so there were three people in the imperial garden.
The Empress Dowager, blindfolded, pressed the empress against a rockery, their intimacy hidden by the flowers and trees, You Su Changying saw the emperor quietly standing there.
She continued speaking playful words, but her eyes were looking in the emperor’s direction.
To perfect this eye-acting, Yu Shuangwei and Song Mingzhi spent a considerable amount of time coaching her.
In the shot, the two women in gorgeous costumes were whispering sweet nothings to each other.
Dong Ling looked in Pu Xingchun’s direction, her voice soft as she acted coquettishly with the woman on top of her.
She took a flower from her hair, which the woman had just put there, the pistil pale pink, the stem slender.
The flower, held between her delicate fingers, stopped at the woman’s back, right above her heart.
She made a downward stabbing motion, and at the same time, to prevent the battle-hardened woman from noticing anything unusual, she kissed the other person’s lips.
It was just camera trickery, Dong Ling’s lips didn’t land on Song Mingzhi’s lips, but on her cheek.
Song Mingzhi usually covered the small mole on her cheek with makeup, Dong Ling could only see it when she wasn’t wearing any.
Although she couldn’t see it now, Dong Ling knew her lips landed on that spot.
Their breaths mingled, so close it was hard to tell whose was whose.
The next shot would focus on Pu Xingchun, then back to this kissing scene, so Dong Ling and Song Mingzhi had to maintain this position for at least half a minute, until Yu Shuangwei yelled cut.
Dong Ling inevitably became distracted, she thought, she really wasn’t a good actress.
In her limited field of vision, she saw half of Song Mingzhi’s cheek and her eyes covered by the red silk.
She stared at Song Mingzhi, lost in thought, not knowing what she was thinking at this moment.
But she was relaxed, because it didn’t matter what she was thinking or what her eyes revealed, Song Mingzhi couldn’t see.
This gave her an unusual sense of security. Dong Ling’s thoughts wandered, she tried hard to ignore the sensation on her lips, but in this motionless posture, it was the most prominent sensation.
Her lips seemed to stiffen uncontrollably, Dong Ling couldn’t help but move slightly, but almost immediately, she froze again, glancing at the red silk from the corner of her eye, she closed her eyes and tried to distract herself by thinking of other things.
But she couldn’t help but wonder, what was Song Mingzhi thinking at this moment?
Song Mingzhi was thinking about her.
Even though her vision was blocked, Song Mingzhi could easily picture Dong Ling’s current appearance.
She had imprinted Dong Ling’s every look in her memory, recalling them with perfect clarity.
When Dong Ling’s lips moved slightly, a tingling sensation spread across her cheek.
The mingled floral fragrances filled her lungs, like a romantic rain.
Leave a Reply