Chapter 14: In Character

The last sip of wine at your throat, after I drink it, the poison that pierces my heart…

Cheng Jinzhi took off her clothes—the garment was semi-transparent anyway. In the camera’s view: a fair, slender back, red silk fluttering. The bath water was clear, fresh petals floating on its surface. Cheng Jinzhi’s toes touched the water, stirring half rings of ripples. Cheng Jinzhi was relaxed, languid. Her feet sank beneath the surface, then her whole body. She leaned against the edge of the bath, her hair loosely pinned up, the damp ends clinging to her fair chest. A rustle of undressing, and another person entered the water.

Mandarin ducks in the water, necks entwined. Rong Si sipped a mouthful of wine and fed it to Cheng Jinzhi. Cheng Jinzhi leaned half against Rong Si, the corners of her brows full of affection. Rong Si draped an arm over Cheng Jinzhi’s shoulder, leaning in to kiss her lips. Cheng Jinzhi curled her lips and turned her cheek away. Rong Si cupped Cheng Jinzhi’s face, her fingers stroking Cheng Jinzhi’s lips. Cheng Jinzhi lifted her eyelids, parted her lips slightly, and took Rong Si’s finger into her mouth, biting it inch by inch, sucking it inch by inch.

Rong Si took a few sharp breaths, suddenly embracing Cheng Jinzhi, burying her head in her neck, biting down. The finger Cheng Jinzhi had bitten probed underwater. Rong Si’s hand lingered only on the inside of Cheng Jinzhi’s thigh, while Cheng Jinzhi had to perform the state of Rong Si’s finger already “inside.” Cheng Jinzhi bit her lower lip, her arms tightening around Rong Si’s neck…

“Cut.” Director Yi said.

Rong Si grabbed a waterproof garment and wrapped it around Cheng Jinzhi. Cheng Jinzhi turned her head to look at Director Yi Yi in the distance.

“Miss Cheng, your foreplay with Miss Rong was very good. Just one tiny thing was off.” Yi Yi said. “It was a bit stiff. This entire scene requires boneless limpness. The instant you use any force, the audience will see it. You can’t exert yourself.”

“Mm, okay.”

They shot several more takes, and on the last one, Yi Yi still didn’t look relaxed. He called cut and clapped his hands. “Let’s put this one aside and shoot the next few scenes.”

This was the first time Cheng Jinzhi had trouble with a scene, and the feeling was a long-lost one. Later on, she’d only acted in “no-brain-needed” “floating dramas” with no acting requirements, and compared to “young actors,” she’d always get it in one take. Even when there was a good script, if the heavy scenes weren’t on her, the director had no demands of her.

After wrapping for the day, Cheng Jinzhi went to review the footage. Yi Yi’s personal style was already showing. Directors of his age were still fumbling and following trends, but he was a standout among the younger generation. Yi Yi’s camerawork was free—but not aimless. There was a thread guiding his lens, keeping it from scattering.

Cheng Jinzhi had meant to skip straight to the scene they’d just shot, but she paused on an earlier shot—one from two days ago. A passionate scene with her and Rong Si backstage: the first intimacy between Miss Jia and Weicheng. Rong Si’s Miss Jia paused at the door, lit a cigarette, picked at the splinters on the doorframe. A bit of wood shaving stuck to her index and middle fingers, and she rubbed it away with her thumb. Such a simple micro-movement conveyed Miss Jia’s deliberation perfectly. The shot cut from her fingers to her eyes—Rong Si’s eyes were full of desire. The emotion in them was layered. In just a few seconds, Rong Si flicked away her cigarette and turned to go back inside to Cheng Jinzhi.

“Miss Rong has a strong sense of drama.” Director Yi Yi walked over. Seeing Cheng Jinzhi watching intently, he watched alongside her.

“Mm.” Cheng Jinzhi envied and was jealous of Rong Si for this—as if she could command any role she wanted.

Cheng Jinzhi quickly scanned her own performance. It was natural at first, but when she reached the part where she frowned—maybe it was psychological, but she felt something off that she couldn’t articulate. “Director Yi, does this scene really need to be reshot?”

“This shot is only a few seconds. If it really won’t work, we’ll have to let post-production compensate.”

“Then I’ll go back and feel it out again.”

“Mm.”

Just as Cheng Jinzhi was about to leave, Yi Yi called her back. “Miss Cheng, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. You’ve done very well.”

Cheng Jinzhi’s performance had already far exceeded Yi Yi’s expectations. Yi Yi knew he was nitpicky, and he couldn’t be too demanding of his actors.

“Mm, thank you, Director Yi.” Getting Yi Yi’s verbal encouragement lifted Cheng Jinzhi’s spirits considerably.

When Cheng Jinzhi stepped out, she saw Rong Si, already changed into her own clothes, standing at the door waiting for her. “Going home today?”

“Today…” Cheng Jinzhi had been about to say she had plans tonight, but looking at Rong Si, she thought of something. “Mm… let’s go home.”

Old He drove up front, Cheng Jinzhi and Rong Si in the back. These days, Cheng Jinzhi rarely went back to her villa. One, because of company matters—she lacked business acumen and handled things very slowly. In her past life, she’d signed things hastily; now that she was back, she certainly couldn’t do that again. Two, classes, while also juggling her celebrity status. So she and Rong Si saw little of each other—usually just a glance or two on set. Before they could exchange two sentences, they’d be stripping again. One second Cheng Jinzhi was asking if Rong Si had eaten, the next she was being stripped bare by her. Quite an experience, really.

“What do you want for dinner?” Rong Si spoke. “There’s a supermarket up ahead.”

“Let Ah Wei handle it.”

“Mm.”

Ah Wei booked a French restaurant. Mid-meal, Cheng Jinzhi glanced at Rong Si. Rong Si had already finished—her plate barely touched. Half a glass of juice remained; she’d probably only had juice.

“Not to your taste?”

“No.” Rong Si said. “I don’t eat much at night.”

You don’t eat much any time. Cheng Jinzhi waved and ordered some appetizing snacks for Rong Si.

“You’re still growing. Eating so little won’t do your body good.” Cheng Jinzhi had the waiter place the snacks in front of Rong Si.

“Mm.” Rong Si lowered her head and ate a little, chewing slowly like she was actually full.

This reminded Cheng Jinzhi of an interview with Rong Si. The host asked how she maintained her figure. Other actresses would say they were naturally skinny, or that they ate fruit and never dieted. Rong Si just said bluntly: “I don’t eat.”

“Doesn’t that make you hungry?”

“I haven’t been full for a long time. I’m used to it.” Rong Si added, “Actually, if you don’t think about it, you don’t feel very hungry.”

Don’t think about it, and you won’t be hungry. Cheng Jinzhi was in awe. When she wasn’t filming and staying home in bed, she was fine, but once she started shooting, she was starving all the time. It wasn’t a matter of thinking—her body truly needed food. She had no idea how Rong Si managed to restrain herself.

While Cheng Jinzhi wolfed down her food, Rong Si wiped her mouth, which made Cheng Jinzhi feel a bit “guilty.” She looked at her own figure—not fat, but still that tiny hint of “sin.” So she “forced” Rong Si to eat a little more. You can’t be the only one who’s thin.

Back home, Rong Si didn’t go straight to her room. She wandered around the small garden outside.

“There’s such a strong wind outside—what are you wandering for?” Cheng Jinzhi had showered and came out to see Rong Si still wandering.

“Stuffed.” Rong Si watched Cheng Jinzhi approach.

“Stuffed?” Looking at Rong Si, Cheng Jinzhi realized. Her stomach was stuffed?

“Rong Si, do you have a stomach problem?”

“Ate too much.”

“Are you blaming me?” Seeing Rong Si ignore her, Cheng Jinzhi muttered. “I ate way more than you…”

When Rong Si came out of the shower, Cheng Jinzhi tossed her two boxes of digestive tablets. “If you can’t eat it, don’t eat it. I gave you stuff and you ate it all—I thought you were just dieting.”

Rong Si didn’t say anything. She broke off two tablets and poured herself a glass of water. “It won’t ruin your appetite, will it?”

“It’s fine. It’s not like we’ll share many meals.” Cheng Jinzhi said carelessly.

After she said it, Rong Si didn’t look at her. She just put the digestive tablets away. “Do you want me to stay with you tonight?”

“Actually, there’s something… I want to…”

“Mm?”

“Want you to help me.” The words were hard to say, but once out, a huge weight lifted. She’d actually been wanting Rong Si to teach her—teach her how to act a role well.

“Help with what?”

“I messed up that scene during the day, didn’t I? I want you to help me.”

“How?”

“Mm… I was thinking of having you analyze it for me, but then I thought—even if you analyze it, I won’t understand. And if I do understand, I can’t act out the feeling…” Cheng Jinzhi rambled on and on, finally getting to the heart of it. “Could you give me a demonstration?”

Cheng Jinzhi said this very quickly because she was embarrassed. As a reincarnator, this role was originally one she’d “stolen” from Rong Si.

“Mm, okay.”

When Rong Si said “okay,” Cheng Jinzhi wanted to grab her head and kiss her.

There was a swimming pool in front of Cheng Jinzhi’s villa. They adjusted the pool temperature and did the demonstration there.

The moment she entered the water, Rong Si was in character. She had the script memorized backwards and forwards—not just Cheng Jinzhi’s role, she’d even analyzed the warlord in it. The exchange went smoothly. When Rong Si lifted her eyelids and licked her finger, Cheng Jinzhi’s heart unmistakably lurched.

Looking at Rong Si’s expression—languid and seductive, body soaked through, slippery like an ungrabbable little demon—Cheng Jinzhi unconsciously fell into the role, led by Rong Si. She held Rong Si, biting her neck…

Her hand slid down, her fingertip even pressing against Rong Si’s underwear.

Rong Si reacted instantly. Her legs clamped around Cheng Jinzhi’s hand, her expression startled as she looked at Cheng Jinzhi.