Gu Qingtong had never heard such a tone and voice from Yan Chi before. Though it was a warm breath, it made her facial features contort uncomfortably. Subconsciously, she wanted to break free to find some sense of safety, but all she could see was a sea of crimson red. Unfortunately, there seemed to be a hint of Yan Chi’s fragrance on the ribbon, which added a touch of exquisite entanglement to the fear of being blindfolded and unable to see anything. But the slight pain on her chin gradually brought her back to her senses. Suddenly, she realized that Yan Chi was already in character, playing the role of the deranged woman “Xuan Qingyun.”
Wait a moment…Yuan Jingyu asked her to audition, but it was to act opposite of Yan Chi’s character Xuan Qingyun. Moreover, Yan Chi had just called her Mei’er.
This time, Gu Qingtong finally realized that the role she was about to audition for, the legendary role without a script, could be none other than the second female lead He Haomei in “Bai Mei Sheng”?!
Almost in the moment she regained her senses, she forcefully calmed her heart down. Gu Qingtong knew that this was her last chance. Yuan Jingyu must have been watching her performance on the monitor by now. If, under these circumstances and with Yan Chi’s guidance, she still couldn’t get into character, it would surely disappoint both Yuan Jingyu and Yan Chi, and she would lose this final opportunity.
But how could she act with Yan Chi when she didn’t even know the script?
Gu Qingtong was a hardworking individual. She usually relied on time to thoroughly understand her roles, which allowed her to handle any situation during auditions. It could be said that her high success rate was a result of her dedication and accumulated experience over time. She suppressed her feelings of panic and actively delved into her memory. After all, when she was preparing for the role of Xuan Yao before, she had studied all the major characters in the story to better understand their motivations and emotions. Combining the story’s plot summary, reconstructing this segment’s approximate storyline wasn’t difficult. At this moment, she had secretly infiltrated this palace, likely in search of something. And the appearance of Xuan Qingyun precisely indicated that all of this was a trap she had set. Suddenly, Gu Qingtong remembered this scene from an earlier segment.
During her first attempt to seduce and assassinate Xuan Qingyun, He Haomei was unexpectedly exposed early on by the latter, leading to a disastrous outcome for her. Xuan Qingyun decided to keep her alive for her usefulness while also toying with her emotions. She imprisoned He Haomei in her palace, a place where she couldn’t escape nor end her life. Pretending to submit to Xuan Qingyun, He Haomei temporarily eased the situation. However, behind the scenes, she secretly communicated with remnants of the Crown Prince’s faction.
She was seeking evidence to expose Xuan Qingyun’s involvement in the murder of her husband, in order to clear the Crown Prince’s name from false accusations and imprisonment. After all, the late Emperor was still alive at that time, and Xuan Qingyun had not fully consolidated her power, so she had some reservations. When she was at a loss for a plan, the wet nurse who had cared for the Fifth Prince in his childhood approached her with a crucial piece of information. It turned out that besides the incriminating evidence carried by the assassin who killed the Fifth Prince, there was also an unidentified mark on the assassin’s body.
As no one recognized the mark, the lead came to a halt, and they could only frame the Crown Prince for harming his siblings. The wet nurse revealed that she had hidden her identity and infiltrated Xuan Qingyun’s side for a long time to aid the Fifth Prince’s revenge, which finally yielded some results. She had discovered that beneath the palace, there was a secret chamber, and she even knew how to access it. If they could infiltrate while Xuan Qingyun was absent, they might uncover some hidden secrets.
After enduring the nightmare-like environment of the Royal Princess’s residence, they had finally found someone else who opposed Xuan Qingyun. When the wet nurse presented various pieces of evidence, He Haomei finally believed her story. Collaborating with the informant from the Crown Prince’s faction, they formulated a meticulous plan. They intended to infiltrate the palace while Xuan Qingyun, dressed as the Emperor and representing him, attended a ceremony at the Guo Temple to pay respects to the heavens.
However, unexpectedly, the wet nurse turned out to be a trap set by Xuan Qingyun.
She had never believed He Haomei’s fake submission; it was just an act and a means of manipulation. The goal was to use the former Fifth Imperial Consort as bait to lure out the remnants of the Crown Prince’s faction hidden in the shadows, eliminating them completely without leaving any potential threats behind.
Xuan Qingyun understood better than anyone the necessity of cutting off problems at their roots, yet she hesitated to eliminate the biggest threat, He Haomei. Whether it was due to some other purpose or an unwillingness to let go, perhaps even she wasn’t entirely clear.
He Haomei remained unaware that her accomplices, the ones she was expecting to come to her aid, were not going to show up. She proceeded to sneak into the palace according to her original plan, only to be apprehended by Xuan Qingyun, who hadn’t left at all.
Given the circumstances, He Haomei was desperate, realizing she had been exposed. She shed her facade of deceit and pretense. With these thoughts in mind, Gu Qingtong was already able to immerse herself in the character, subconsciously adjusting her emotions.
In this moment, He Haomei shouldn’t have felt fear or dread. Long before, she must have contemplated the consequences of failure, unafraid of death and even welcoming it. Her emotions should have been fueled by anger and despair, not out of fear, but due to the betrayal by the wet nurse who had betrayed the Fifth Imperial Prince. She felt a deep sense of frustration and regret as she realized her carefully devised plan had utterly collapsed.
Thus, the fear and stiffness that had gripped her when suddenly restrained by Yan Chi gradually transformed into trembling. It wasn’t fear she experienced, but rather a sense of tragic realization of her own foolishness and insignificance. The meticulously planned scheme that she had spent so much time crafting was declared an unequivocal failure in an instant by Xuan Qingyun’s actions.
She could never defeat this woman who openly scorned and humiliated her at every turn.
All the previous efforts of enduring and submitting, even resorting to repulsive acts to gain trust, and using her body to please and cater to the other person, all of it had been in vain. In Xuan Qingyun’s eyes, it must have been nothing short of a joke.
From this point on, even if Xuan Qingyun didn’t kill her, she would only intensify her efforts to keep her under tight control, likely restricting her even more. Whether it was Yan Chi standing behind Gu Qingtong or Yuan Jingyu watching the two from in front of the monitor, they could both clearly sense her immersion into the role. It was evident that she had begun to immerse herself in the character, even without a script.
Even without a script, Gu Qingtong knew what she should say, “…..Xuan Qingyun, were you laughing at me the whole time?”
Unable to see the scene before her, Gu Qingtong gritted her teeth and struggled to utter each word with a trembling voice. When she finally managed to call out her name, He Haomei had already torn off her mask, revealing endless hatred and resentment towards her.
Yan Chi didn’t continue with the lines from the original story either; instead, she spontaneously responded to Gu Qingtong’s words: “How could I possibly label the significant favor Mei’er did for me as a joke? If it weren’t for you, those people wouldn’t have revealed their true intentions anytime soon. They’re a bunch of old foxes, cautious all their lives, yet they fell into the trap set by our Mei’er. You truly live up to your skill in manipulating leaders.”
As she spoke, Yan Chi’s emotions suddenly shifted again. Even though it started as praise, as her tone progressed, it became increasingly laced with a chilling and damp undertone.
Indeed, Xuan Qingyun was extremely suspicious and would never believe the woman who held such deep-seated grudges against her. Therefore, she looked down on He Haomei’s betrayal from her high position, waiting for the moment to close in.
Xuan Qingyun had rehearsed this scenario countless times in her mind. When she finally saw the woman behind the mask and witnessed the disgust and hatred in her true expression, a surge of violent rage once again dominated her thoughts.
Betrayal was truly her bottom line, especially a betrayal of this magnitude. She had achieved her goal, so why did she feel no trace of happiness? She could easily have disposed of this useless traitor by having her killed. So why did she choose to personally come back and capture her, even at the cost of missing her own inaugural ceremony?
The eyes that Yan Chi opened were no longer as indifferent as before.
After the boundless rage, there was a struggle in her expression. Her emotions seemed to have taken on a tangible form, swirling around her and pressing heavily onto Gu Qingtong.
Though she often couldn’t perceive emotions from everyday situations, she was exceptionally skilled at imitation and performance. The more she immersed herself in a role, the more terrifyingly authentic it became, as if she had donned the mask of that character.
This was a skill that Yan Chi, who had lacked emotions since childhood, had learned to appear less like an outsider.
Many who had acted opposite of Yan Chi had said that she was a genius, but a genius that was intimidatingly out of reach. It was not only difficult to keep up with her acting, but also impossible not to be overwhelmed and intimidated by the emotions emanating from her.
Seeing Yan Chi’s emotions deepen once again, Yuan Jingyu was surprised, and she couldn’t help but worry about whether Gu Qingtong could match Yan Chi’s performance.
After all, even through the screen, she could feel the torment.
But to fully portray the essence of this play, the process of breaking through the cocoon and emerging as a butterfly was necessary.
Gu Qingtong was still a newcomer, and coincidentally, she needed someone like Yan Chi to push her step by step.
After a nervous moment, Yuan Jingyu wasn’t in a hurry either; she continued watching the improvised performance of the two.
However, to her surprise, once Gu Qingtong immersed herself in the performance, she seemed to detach from reality.
This was thanks to her resilience and ability to focus solely on one thing.
Even when blindfolded, she could still keenly sense Yan Chi’s emotions.
But in this moment, Gu Qingtong, playing the role of He Haomei, was stubborn and furious, and she naturally wouldn’t be afraid of any of Yan Chi’s ferocity and paranoia.
With only slightly pale lips, Gu Qingtong realized the implications of Xuan Qingyun’s words and anxiously asked the one question she cared about: “What did you do to them?!”
At this point, He Haomei clearly understood why Xuan Qingyun had spared her and allowed her to communicate with traitors. She had been used as bait.
She had thought she truly gained Xuan Qingyun’s trust, acting so foolishly and arrogant. It resulted in harming many loyal subjects who trusted her, including respected elders, childhood friends, and benefactors who had gone to great lengths to help her and her husband…
“What happened? What else could have happened? Naturally, they were accused of treason and I’ve cleaned up this group of treacherous officials for my imperial father.
After all, how could such a trivial matter bother His Majesty’s venerable presence?”
Yan Chi spoke calmly and methodically, but in the next moment, she used a more dangerous tone as she leaned close to Gu Qingtong’s ear and spoke the truth:
“Mei’er, have you tasted it? The price of betrayal.”
As she spoke, she gently moved the fingers that were holding Gu Qingtong’s chin. Her fingertip, without any reservation, traced up to her pale lips, just like before, prying them open as if she wanted her to experience something.
Betrayal, it seemed as if she was talking about those remnants of the prince’s faction betraying the emperor. But Gu Qingtong clearly knew that she was referring to herself.
Xuan Qingyun understood He Haomei too well. Hurting people she cared about, innocent people, hurt her more than any physical punishment she could receive.
As if she couldn’t bear it any longer, Gu Qingtong fiercely bit down on Yan Chi’s slender finger, leaving a circle of teeth marks on that art-like fair and smooth skin.
She had nothing now, only her teeth as her weapon to make a feeble resistance. Under the influence of her emotions, the bite she delivered wasn’t light at all. However, Yan Chi seemed as if she couldn’t perceive pain at all, scoffing and saying:
“When did this start, I wonder? Mei’er, daring to bite her master?”
As if her patience had run out, Yan Chi’s eyes narrowed slightly, and she uttered two words, finally revealing her superior attitude: “Let go.”
Gu Qingtong didn’t comply and continued to bite firmly.
“You should know that I don’t like to repeat myself. Those people were just recently imprisoned today. If you don’t let go, you’ll see them being executed by beheading at the noon court session tomorrow.”
Throughout, Xuan Qingyun had countless ways to pressure He Haomei.
It seemed as if she had jumped into this pit, from which there was no escape since the beginning.
Gu Qingtong shivered all over, finally releasing her grip with extreme reluctance.
“Count how many times Mei’er has angered me today. Betrayal, collaboration, disrespectful words, and even attempting to bite me. Do you understand the consequences of such insolence?”
As she spoke, Yan Chi extended the back of her hand, slowly admiring the small delicate tooth marks forming a pattern, dampened by wetness. Her eyes held a deep crimson hue.
Gu Qingtong knew that the punishment was the underground chamber that held He Haomei captive, filled with countless instruments. In the presence of those things, He Haomei’s pride and self-respect would be shattered in an instant, and Xuan Qingyun’s favorite pastime was savoring her suffering.
Every time Xuan Qingyun brought her in, she enjoyed covering her eyes, leaving her in the grip of fear, not knowing what would happen in the next moment.
“Oh, I forgot to tell Mei’er. The hidden palace you’ve been searching for is none other than the room that holds you captive. Isn’t this secret, unknown to others, quite exciting?”
With her keen sense of hearing, Gu Qingtong suddenly heard a faint clinking sound from Yan Chi’s end. The next moment, something icy and heavy was fastened around her delicate wrist, and both her hands were locked behind a pillar.
Not only that, she felt as if Yan Chi had squeezed herself between her legs.
Could it be…Is she going to take this act for real?!
This sensation brought Gu Qingtong back to her senses almost instantly from the improvisational acting. However, not only could she not see the expression on Yan Chi’s face, but her hands were also restrained.
Caught off guard and forgetting everything in a rush, she disregarded the ongoing audition and revealed her cowardly nature. Her voice quickly softened and took on a slightly teary tone, “Yan Chi, no, please don’t, I’m scared…”
Upon hearing these words, Yan Chi’s movement halted, and the intense hostility in her dissipated in an instant. Amidst the darkness that shrouded her, her voice sounded strangely soothing, “It’s alright now, it’s not real.”
As she spoke, she first released the handcuffs that were fastened to the pillar.
Then, Yan Chi’s palms supported her head, and both hands simultaneously unraveled the silk blindfold, allowing Gu Qingtong to regain her vision. What she saw upon finally regaining her sight was a mixture of panic and glistening in her eyes.
“Did, did I mess up the audition?…” The question that came out when she opened her mouth only made Gu Qingtong feel even more miserable. After all, the whole plot of “Bai Mei Sheng” revolved around such sensual scenes. She was just at that level, and she ended up instinctively calling Yan Chi’s name out of fear.
Yan Chi simply said: “You’ve performed very well already. Just gradually adapt to the scenes where physical contact is needed.”
Then, she turned towards the camera behind and said in a calm tone: “Director Yuan, let’s stop here for today.”
While the emotions were intensifying step by step, Yuan Jingyu had been closely monitoring the surveillance screen, fearing to miss even the slightest detail. Even on a real set, this sort of intense atmosphere was something she wouldn’t dare to disrupt, as it was truly heart-pounding.
Whether it was the fierceness and involuntary concern portrayed by Yan Chi as Xuan Qingyun, or the mix of stubbornness and despair shown by Gu Qingtong as He Haomei, it felt like both lead actresses were practically bringing their characters to life.
But what astonished Yuan Jingyu the most was the intense sexual tension between the two, which was indeed the most fitting she had seen among the cast she had guided. Even without the explicit scenes, the dialogues and interactions between the two carried hidden undertones. To borrow a popular phrase circulating online, just a single glance could set the scene.
However, the abrupt ending left Yuan Jingyu feeling a bit frustrated. Although she understood that it might be too challenging for Gu Qingtong, who was new to performing such scenes, and she needed time to adapt and learn, she couldn’t help but wish to start shooting those scenes right away.
Yuan Jingyu was alone in front of the monitoring screen, observing the transition of Gu Qingtong and Yan Chi from their acting to their current states, which were starkly different. The subconscious reliance of Gu Qingtong on Yan Chi and the careful comfort and actions of Yan Chi all registered in Yuan Jingyu’s eyes.
A faint speculation suddenly arose in her mind. Was it possible…that these two were actually a couple? Yuan Jingyu was taken aback by her bold thought. Who was Yan Chi? A loner! Moreover, Gu Qingtong was the one she personally brought in to play “Bai Mei Sheng,” Yan Chi hadn’t even mentioned it to her before!
Thinking about it, Yuan Jingyu believed that Yan Chi might be similarly captivated by the strong allure of theatrical art, just like herself. Or perhaps, Yan Chi hadn’t fully detached from the role of Xuan Qingyun.
When Yuan Jingyu regained her senses, Gu Qingtong and Yan Chi were no longer in the frame.
In the blind spot of the camera that Yuan Jingyu couldn’t see, Gu Qingtong looked at Yan Chi and asked persistently: “Did you arrange a backdoor for me! How could Yuan Jingyu suddenly ask me to audition for the supporting female role?”
“It wasn’t me; it was Yuan Jingyu’s idea. After she saw you on the variety show, she was inspired and thought you might be suitable for the role of He Haomei. I just had to agree or disagree.”
While speaking, Yan Chi casually grabbed Gu Qingtong’s hand and pulled up her sleeve, carefully checking if her wrist was marked red by the prop handcuff.
“…Ah? Was there such a thing?”
Why did Gu Qingtong feel like Yan Chi was teasing her? She was skeptical: “Then why did you deceive me into auditioning for the third female lead role?”
“I was afraid you wouldn’t want to star in a same-sex film with me, so I tricked you into coming like this. And Yuan Jingyu wanted to see your improvisational skills.”
After making sure her delicate skin was unharmed, Yan Chi didn’t let go. Her gaze fell on the space between their fingers, a touch of darkness appearing in her eyes.
Suddenly, she remembered the spontaneous moment when Gu Qingtong bit her finger earlier.
Seems like she quite liked it.
Bitten by those small, pristine white teeth, leaving behind a unique mark, as if she had become something of hers.
Seeing Yan Chi suddenly fall silent, Gu Qingtong inexplicably sensed a dangerous atmosphere.
“Why… why did you suddenly stop talking?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Gu Qingtong watched in wide-eyed astonishment as Yan Chi brought the finger with her remaining bite mark to her lips, tracing along the indentation with a slow lick.
