Despite being very curious, Director Yuan knew that the priority was to film the last scene well. Once everything was ready, the shooting began.
The recent encounter with the Bodhisattva1Meaning the buddha, in this context, it’s similar to a savior was unexpected for Gu Qingtong, but it turned out to be a false alarm.
Knowing that she had to film and didn’t want to affect her emotions and immersion in the role, Yan Chi didn’t ask her about it.
So at this moment, Gu Qingtong had already put the recent misunderstanding behind her and immersed herself in the role of He Haomei, who was caught in conflict and pain.
Since she no longer had any other scenes, Gu Qingtong had repeatedly practiced and adjusted this scene in front of the mirror countless times.
With just a lift of her eyes, the pure and sparkling gaze that belonged to Gu Qingtong transformed, as if it were filled with endless struggles and hesitations.
Gu Qingtong’s makeup and styling were originally simple, but under such a gaze, her fragility was particularly evident.
Just one look at her, and one would be captivated and moved by her sorrowful eyes.
Yuan Jingyu took in all of Gu Qingtong’s progress.
If, at the beginning during the audition, Gu Qingtong’s emotional impact came from her thorough understanding of the character and her hard work in acting, then after months of performing alongside Yan Chi and being enlightened, she had now completely merged herself with the character. It was more like she was playing herself rather than a role.
Undoubtedly, Gu Qingtong’s adaptability was very strong.
He Haomei was naturally different from the usually carefree and optimistic Gu Qingtong. However, she portrayed the character without any sense of discord. Her elegant but more charming appearance now had a soul under such hesitant and melancholic expressions.
Gu Qingtong held the dagger, tucking both her hand and the dagger into the wide, flowing sleeve.
The entire palace was empty, with only the scent of sandalwood lingering.
Everyone knew that the noble person and her highness had been in a cold war for a long time.
Her Highness was already injured and weak, plagued by nightmares every night, muttering about the princess consort in her troubled sleep. Awakening in the middle of the night from these nightmares, she would vomit blood.
Everyone knew Her Highness couldn’t live without that esteemed person, yet only Her Highness was unwilling to humble herself and seek reconciliation. She would rather drown in her sorrows alone within the drapes.
When He Haomei appeared outside the palace, the attendants around Xuan Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief and discreetly dispersed. It seemed the princess consort couldn’t let go of Her Highness after all….Her Highness’s yearning had finally been answered. She would surely be overjoyed upon seeing her.
Little did they know that He Haomei had long fallen into darkness, coming with the intention of severing all ties. Standing at the entrance to the inner hall, Gu Qingtong simply stood there quietly, knowing that each step forward would bring her more heartache. The coldness of the dagger seemed to pierce her bones, unclear whether it was due to Xuan Yao’s death or the knowledge that it would soon pierce Xuan Qingyun’s chest again.
She suddenly recalled the scene of her first meeting with Xuan Qingyun. At this moment, He Haomei had gained all of Xuan Qingyun’s trust and affection but had also lost something of her own to the other.
At this moment, a weak, familiar voice emerged from within the drapes: “Mei… Mei’er.” This cautious call was something He Haomei had never heard from Xuan Qingyun—so humble and desolate. It was as if even a slightly louder voice would scare away the nightingale he longed for day and night.
Gu Qingtong was not unfamiliar with this voice of Yan Chi, a memory from her past life where Yan Chi had pathetically and feebly begged her for a kiss flashed before her eyes. Even though she knew it was all an act by Yan Chi, Gu Qingtong’s heart felt as if it had been slashed by a sharp blade. She clearly felt a pang, and soon, an emotion named bitterness spread rapidly.
She had never been able to bear seeing Yan Chi like this. In an instant, her eyes welled up with a mix of sorrow and helplessness, too real to go unnoticed by the director and the surrounding onlookers. The camera captured this close-up, elevating the emotional intensity to a climax.
Gu Qingtong quickly regained her composure, collecting her emotions, as if He Haomei knew she could no longer afford to be sentimental. The sadness and despair in her eyes fluctuated, a fierce struggle of pain.
She thought Xuan Qingyun had awakened, but through the red gauze drapes, she could see a graceful figure lying on the chaise longue2long reclining chair. Clearly, Xuan Qingyun had been talking in her sleep.
Was she dreaming of her…
No wonder someone as proud as Xuan Qingyun would show such humility and pain for the first time. But it was all meaningless now.
At this thought, Gu Qingtong’s eyes suddenly turned cold, dark and lifeless. As her emotions surfaced, she moved, gripping the dagger and taking steps toward Xuan Qingyun. Though her bare feet made no sound on the ground, each step felt as heavy as walking on the edge of a blade.
After what seemed like an eternity, Gu Qingtong finally saw Yan Chi. Her head rested on the chaise longue, her face pale, her hair scattered around her, falling messily from her cheeks like a net that bound her. The familiar brows and eyes, once fierce and dominant, now lacked their former glory, resembling a princess fallen from grace.
Even Gu Qingtong had never seen Yan Chi so weak and despondent. Yan Chi’s acting was exceptional, naturally affecting Gu Qingtong, who was performing opposite her. Gu Qingtong’s gaze trembled violently. Although she had resolved not to be moved by her again, seeing her so devoid of pride and vitality, she couldn’t help but want to reach out and grasp her.
Xuan Qingyun had always been a light sleeper, and the moment He Haomei reached her, she sensed the familiar presence. So, when Yan Chi opened her eyes, they were filled with endless hope and obsession. Yet, whatever emotions she had, upon seeing Gu Qingtong, they were extinguished, as if she could only see her.
Yan Chi struggled to get up, but the movement seemed to aggravate her wounds, causing her to tremble all over and her face to turn even paler. Fearing that He Haomei would worry, she made no sound. After a long while, she managed to sit up and forced a faint smile, asking, “Mei’er… have you forgiven me?”
Xuan Qingyun was not unwilling to let go of her pride to seek her out, but every attempt ended in fiercer arguments. Xuan Yao’s death had become an insurmountable chasm between them. Xuan Qingyun knew better than anyone that He Haomei could never forgive her. As her body and spirit began to crumble, she feared facing He Haomei’s lifeless eyes, thus she succumbed to nightmares. But He Haomei had come to her once more. Her eyes showed a flicker of emotion because of her, giving Xuan Qingyun hope again, prompting her to muster the courage to ask, even if she knew it was a delusion.
Forgiveness…?
He Haomei suddenly felt like laughing. Did she have the right to forgive Xuan Qingyun on behalf of the dead? Through repeated humiliation and endurance, she had gained the tyrant’s love, but had also lost herself. Only after Xuan Yao’s death did she realize that their love was nothing but an illusion.
“Forgiveness? I don’t know. I just wanted to see you one last time,” Gu Qingtong said, her right hand holding the dagger twitching under her sleeve, just as it had during the first assassination attempt. But now, she didn’t need sweet words to make Xuan Qingyun trust her. As long as she reached out to Xuan Qingyun, even knowing it was a deep abyss and a trap, Xuan Qingyun would grasp her hand without hesitation.
Yet, achieving her goal brought He Haomei no happiness or satisfaction.
Gu Qingtong’s gaze fixated on Xuan Qingyun’s left chest, where she had once taken an arrow for her, nearly piercing her heart, just beneath the collarbone. Gu Qingtong had once stayed by the critically injured Xuan Qingyun’s side for days and nights, personally tending to her wounds and administering medicine. She had managed to pull her back from the brink of death. But now, she was about to plunge the dagger in, ending it all.
“Let me see… your wound,” she lied without a trace, adding a hint of warmth to her voice for the first time to reassure Xuan Qingyun.
But Yan Chi’s eyes lit up with hope at Gu Qingtong’s concern. She didn’t move, but her voice trembled as she spoke, “Mei’er, let’s go back to how things were, shall we? I don’t care about this kingdom anymore. Once Xuan Ming grows up, I will step away from the power struggle and go with you to your beloved Jiangnan.”
Xuan Qingyun’s life had always revolved around power and ascending to the highest position. Her hands were stained with blood, and her illness had long taken root. Yet, when He Haomei’s attention and concern returned to her, all her obsessions seemed to vanish. Before Xuan Yao’s death, such words would have been the most tender ones He Haomei could hear, and she would have agreed without hesitation.
But now, everyone she cared about had died, directly or indirectly, at Xuan Qingyun’s hands. Alone and without any desire to live, how could she accept living without resentment with the person whose hands were stained with her loved ones’ blood? Despite her resolved thoughts, Gu Qingtong’s words remained gentle: “There’s plenty of time. Let’s talk about it later. After not seeing each other for a few days, is this all you want to discuss?”
As she spoke, her left hand reached out, naturally pushing Yan Chi’s scattered hair back over her shoulder. Her hand deliberately brushed against Yan Chi’s chest several times, clearly searching for the exact spot to deliver a fatal blow, ensuring she wouldn’t miss.
The biggest difference between He Haomei and Xuan Yao was that Xuan Yao was weak, trapped by love and unable to move on, preferring to die to escape the pain. But He Haomei bore more burdens and remained more clear-headed. She had seen the blood of her family, friends, and loved ones spill, and her world was not confined to Xuan Qingyun alone. She was capable of carrying out her intentions.
“I missed you so much.”
Yan Chi bitterly spoke of her extravagant hopes. She clasped Gu Qingtong’s left hand tightly between her own, feeling the familiar, scorching warmth without sensing any resistance from the other. It seemed as though she was truly willing to let go of everything. As if bewitched, Yan Chi cautiously probed further into her heart, “Can I… kiss Mei’er?”
Her eyes were filled with a vulnerability and obsession that she hadn’t even realized herself, emotions she had always feared exposing to He Haomei.
Gu Qingtong smiled, her voice soft, “Sure.” She leaned closer, seemingly about to kiss her. At the same time, her right hand, which had been hanging by her side, lifted slightly, and a cold glint appeared from her sleeve.
Xuan Qingyun almost doubted whether this was a dream she hadn’t yet awoken from. But even in her dreams, she had never kissed He Haomei. Yan Chi’s eyes were fixed on Gu Qingtong’s lips, fearing that the dream would shatter and she would disappear in the next moment. Just as He Haomei’s lips were only a step away, instead of the soft, warm sensation, Xuan Qingyun felt the excruciating pain of a blade piercing her wound and reaching her heart once again.
It wasn’t a dream after all. And in the end, she would never kiss He Haomei. She swallowed her voice and blood silently, not looking at the wound in her chest, but urgently chasing Gu Qingtong with her eyes, which were filled with shattered hopes. At this moment, Yan Chi seemed like a bird with broken wings, plummeting from the clouds into a deep abyss and endless darkness.
All the docility on Gu Qingtong’s face vanished, replaced by numbness. She withdrew the dagger from Xuan Qingyun’s heart, blood splattering onto her sleeve, resembling shocking red plum blossoms. Without any support, Yan Chi collapsed onto the couch as if drained of all strength. Blood gushed from the wound, rapidly staining her white undergarments red.
Yan Chi lay in a pool of blood, her eyes, seemingly tinged with crimson, fixed on the woman before her. Her once stunning visage was now poised for a solitary, splendid death. From the moment He Haomei decided to strike, there was no turning back. She didn’t want any trace of her attachment to Xuan Qingyun to show on her face, so she hid all her emotions in numbness, not daring to look at Yan Chi again.
The rapid loss of blood made Xuan Qingyun realize she would likely die here. When she had sought to conquer He Haomei, she had known this day of backlash would come. From the moment she fell in love with her, she had already lost everything. Dying by her hand might not be a bad way to go. She thought with self-mockery but still unwillingly asked, “Did you ever have any true feelings for me?”
“No.” Gu Qingtong’s gaze did not fall on Yan Chi but stared blankly at the blood-dripping dagger. She lied.
Seeing her reaction, Yan Chi, who had been staring at her eyes, finally felt a peaceful dissipation and slowly closed her eyes, “Mei’er probably doesn’t know how obvious her lies are…”
Blood inevitably trickled from her mouth, and she barely had the strength to finish her sentence. She had always been able to see through He Haomei’s lies, even the dreamlike concern and kiss just now. She had willingly fallen into her trap.
Hearing this, Gu Qingtong’s grip on the dagger tightened. Even as the blade cut into her palm, she seemed oblivious to the pain.
Their blood mingled, dripping from their pale knuckles. The woman before her had been motionless for a long time. Gu Qingtong stepped out of the hall, her entire body feeling as if it had been retrieved from an icy pit. There was nothing left. Until the woman’s death, she dared not look at that exquisite face again.
What awaited her outside was not light, but a dim world filled with wind and snow. She was barefoot, stepping into the snow, but the chill outside was no match for the piercing cold within her heart. Blood trailed from the couch to the snow outside. The fierce wind scattered her hair, and a red silk ribbon, used to tie her hair, fell and lay quietly in the snow, catching Gu Qingtong’s attention.
It was the ribbon Xuan Qingyun had once used to blindfold her eyes. Xuan Qingyun had kept it with her, even when seriously injured, using it to bandage her own wounds. This ribbon, intended to deceive and comfort Xuan Qingyun, now felt like a knife stabbing into her own heart, with a delayed, dull pain that shattered her facade of numbness.
Tears welled up instantly, filling her eyes. She desperately turned back, wanting to catch one last glimpse of the person through the blurred vision caused by the wind and snow. But all she saw was a vast expanse of life and death separating them. She was free, but also eternally bound.
Even after hearing Director Yuan call for the scene to end, Gu Qingtong couldn’t stop her tears. True sorrowful crying is silent, with tears falling like broken beads from her cheeks. The emotions she had poured into the role over the past three months made it difficult for Gu Qingtong to snap out of it. Especially since her co-actor was Yan Chi, making her feel an almost physical pain.
Normally, Gu Qingtong would have felt embarrassed to cry in front of so many people. But now, she was too heartbroken to care about her image, her vision blurred by tears.
“Tongtong, it’s over,” a voice came from in front of her, casting a shadow over Gu Qingtong’s vision. Yan Chi never asked anything, only said those reassuring words, “It’s over.” As long as she was there, everything was fine.
“If I kiss you now, does it count as Xuan Qingyun being kissed by Mei’er?” she asked, her voice thick with sobs and a nasal tone, still grieving over Xuan Qingyun not receiving He Haomei’s kiss even at her death.
“Yes,” Yan Chi responded. Despite knowing they were surrounded by people, Gu Qingtong wrapped her arms around Yan Chi’s neck, stood on tiptoe, and kissed her. Her tear-dampened lips touched Yan Chi’s, making the normally sweet kiss taste slightly bitter.
It was their first public kiss, a beautiful entanglement of two beauties in the snow. As Gu Qingtong and Yan Chi kissed, returning to their true identities, the kiss was long and lingering, with love almost overflowing. The crowd around them erupted in exclamations and cheers.
Under the enveloping love, Gu Qingtong finally managed to pull herself out of the emotional turmoil from earlier. Hearing the voices outside, her cheeks and the tips of her ears turned red. She quickly pushed Yan Chi away, telling her to let go.
Knowing that Gu Qingtong was shy, Yan Chi stepped back a little and, noticing the tear-streaked face, teased, “What a silly girl, your makeup’s all smudged like a little kitten.”
They still needed to shoot the wrap-up video! How could she face the camera looking like this?! This realization snapped Gu Qingtong back to attention. She let out a small cry and ran off to find the makeup artist for a touch-up.
When she returned, the entire crew was in a celebratory mood. Working under Director Yuan Jingyu’s rigorous standards required everyone to be on high alert and fully focused. But now, with the tension suddenly lifted, everyone felt a sense of liberation. Gu Qingtong felt the same relief.
As a lead actress, Gu Qingtong had often been the target of Director Yuan’s critiques, correcting her mistakes repeatedly. Yan Chi knew this was beneficial for Gu Qingtong’s growth and didn’t say much, but after particularly challenging scenes, she would always comfort her little wife.
Finally, the filming was complete!
Gu Qingtong felt an immense sense of relief. However, before she could return to Yan Chi’s side, several crew members surrounded her for group photos. She was only rescued when called to cut the wrap-up cake. Standing next to Yan Chi, they both held the plastic knife together.
As they focused on shouting “Wrap-up success!” for the photo, Yan Chi’s hand subtly shifted down, wrapping around Gu Qingtong’s hand, guiding the knife to cut the cake.
“What are you doing? We got caught on camera!” Gu Qingtong exclaimed in surprise. However, with so many people in the group photo, there was no way to retake it just because of their overlapping hands.
Seeing the large cake in front of her, Gu Qingtong had an idea. She pouted and, using a fork, scooped some frosting and playfully slapped it onto Yan Chi’s face. Fearing retaliation, she immediately fled to the side.
No one expected the usually stern Yan Chi to be the first person to get smeared with cake during the wrap-up celebrations. Yan Chi had never been smeared before, and Gu Qingtong had done what everyone else had long wanted to but dared not do.
A hint of a smile appeared in Yan Chi’s eyes. She didn’t rush to wipe off the frosting but instead quietly moved towards Gu Qingtong, who was looking elsewhere for her. Before Gu Qingtong knew it, she was caught and held tightly in Yan Chi’s arms, unable to escape.
“I’m sorry, sister!” She quickly admitted her mistake. But Yan Chi wasn’t letting her off so easily.
“Tongtong knows how to apologize properly,” Yan Chi said in a slightly forceful tone, though a smile played on her lips. “You have to lick the cake clean.”
Gu Qingtong finally realized Yan Chi’s sneaky plan for not wiping her cheek. Though there weren’t many people around, the thought of licking her face was still too embarrassing!
“No way, there’s foundation on it,” she immediately refused.
“I already removed my makeup when I cleaned the fake blood pack, so that’s not an excuse. Tongtong, don’t you think you should face the consequences for your mischief?” Yan Chi’s gentle but firm tone enveloped Gu Qingtong.
Unable to escape, Gu Qingtong reluctantly stuck out her pink tongue, slowly licking the white frosting into her mouth. Despite her caution, she couldn’t avoid licking Yan Chi’s cheek. Once the cake was gone, it left behind a trail of moisture, making Gu Qingtong blush furiously. She quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe it off, pouting, “There, happy now?”
“Yes, but it seems like Tongtong still has something she’s hiding from me,” Yan Chi’s gaze deepened. “What were you really learning with the staff before filming?”
Gu Qingtong’s heart skipped a beat, surprised that Yan Chi remembered. She hastily claimed, “Of course, I was learning how to act, haha. I was preparing for today’s scene!”
Despite Yan Chi’s persistent questioning, she got no further answers and eventually let it go, though she kept a note in her mind.
After the wrap-up, the crew’s celebration banquet began in the evening. Since the location was remote, the banquet was held at the hotel where the crew was staying. Gu Qingtong and Yan Chi planned to stay one last night at the hotel after the banquet and fly back to City A the day after to participate in a live stream for a variety show.
“Teacher Yan,” Yuan Jingyu finally found some free time and approached Yan Chi discreetly, clearly not forgetting what he’d overheard earlier. “I’ve been hearing something from the staff lately…”
Yan Chi, sensing the familiar gossipy look in Yuan Jingyu’s eyes, was intrigued. “What’s that?”
“First of all, I didn’t start this! They said….you were having some issues, like your skills weren’t up to par, and Qingtong was unhappy about it?”
“Is that true? Did that really happen?”
