Chapter 3: Bed Scene

The site was noisy.

A temporary shooting stage was being set up next door, and this audition space had been hastily carved out as well.

Cheng Jinzhi’s manager looked annoyed. He glanced up—the air conditioner mounted on the wall was dripping water. Probably broken. DC looked down at the two “Lord Buddhas” seated before him.

On the left sat Director Yi—Yi Yi, the rising star of art films, eccentric in temperament, wearing round sunglasses even indoors. On the right sat his own “Lord Buddha,” Cheng Jinzhi. In such a “harsh” audition environment, Cheng Jinzhi should have thrown a fit long ago. But today, she sat there calmly.

Seeing Cheng Jinzhi wipe sweat from her brow, DC quickly found a fan and started waving it at his boss lady, hoping to prevent a tantrum that would make his ears suffer.

The biggest investor in Girls’ Fortress was Cheng Jinzhi. Originally, she’d suggested Gao Yi to Yi Yi.

“She’s not suitable.” Yi Yi hadn’t even screened the audition tape. Just that one sentence.

Cheng Jinzhi wouldn’t hear of it. This film was her investment for Gao Yi. She’d never skimped on resources for Gao Yi.

“Rong Si is next.” DC looked at the audition list and reported to Cheng Jinzhi.

Yi Yi seemed to hear DC. He rested his hand on the table impatiently. He hated it when investors stuffed “ghosts and monsters” into his films. Although Cheng Jinzhi hadn’t said anything this time, he knew why she was here. He’d been in the industry only a short while, but he knew Cheng Jinzhi liked women. She had Gao Yi on top, and this girl named Rong Si below—probably her new favorite. Filthy.

When Rong Si entered, Cheng Jinzhi raised her hand without looking at DC. “Stop fanning. You’re bothering me.”

“Okay, okay.” DC quickly put away the fan and asked Yi Yi beside him, “Director Yi, are you hot?”

Yi Yi didn’t answer DC. He just watched Rong Si walk in.

The script was nothing special. When Rong Si performed, Yi Yi glanced at the script several times.

Rong Si was auditioning for the female lead, Weicheng. Girls’ Fortress was a lesbian film set in the Republic era, using the class collisions of its protagonists to reflect social upheaval. Conveying mainstream values clearly wasn’t Yi Yi’s thing, so he’d added some “sensuality and sound” to scare off several flower actresses. He didn’t want to be too meticulous about the upper-class society of that era either, but once the shooting budget came down, the remaining investors were scared into muttering “keep in touch” and fleeing. Because of the subject matter, investing in this film felt like charity work. Few bosses were willing to take it on—until he met Cheng Jinzhi at a party.

Cheng Jinzhi watched Rong Si sitting on the prop bed. Even before the camera zoomed in, you could feel the allure of Rong Si in character.

“Watch the play, watch the play. You watch the player’s greed, anger, and folly; the player in turn laughs at your wild words.” The character came quickly. As she spoke, Rong Si curled her lips, her seductive eyes fixed on the camera.

Beautiful.

Cheng Jinzhi sighed inwardly. Normally, the camera guides the actor’s positioning, but Rong Si moved so naturally it seemed like she was setting the rhythm of the script. In this film, Weicheng was an opera actress trying to climb into the ranks of the powerful, with some very provocative flirtation scenes. Cheng Jinzhi glanced at Yi Yi beside her. These art film people really were secretly perverted to the core.

After the five-minute audition, Yi Yi added two more scenes for Rong Si. He seemed somewhat satisfied.

In her previous life, Cheng Jinzhi had also acted in this film. She hadn’t originally planned to. It was because watching Rong Si sparked a desire to tease her. Cheng Jinzhi played the other female lead, with very explicit bed scenes against Rong Si’s character. Cheng Jinzhi never expected the film to become popular. Out of nowhere, audiences started comparing Rong Si’s performance with hers. Rong Si won in a crushing landslide. Later, her own petty unwillingness to admit defeat led her to bribe the judging committee and compete against Rong Si for the Newcomer Award. Audiences weren’t blind. The award Cheng Jinzhi won brought not applause but overwhelming mockery.

After Rong Si’s audition, Yi Yi stood up, walked over to her with the script, and started chatting. Rong Si listened attentively, nodding now and then. Clearly, she was cast.

“Director, I want to be in this film.” Twisting the cap back on her water bottle, Cheng Jinzhi also stood up.

“Miss Jia?” Yi Yi asked.

Miss Jia was the other lead in the film, appearing mainly in bed scenes, very aggressive in them. The character was thin, not requiring much internal drama.

“No. I want to play Weicheng.” Cheng Jinzhi said.

Cheng Jinzhi still remembered the salon where Rong Si stole the show. At the time, Cheng Jinzhi had just finished a campus drama that received decent reviews, and her parents were pleased. When the Rong family came over to greet them, her parents joked half-seriously: “Your little girl has a great look. Comparable to celebrities in the entertainment industry. Has she ever thought about it?”

“My sister is going to do great things in the future.” Rong Si’s younger brother Rong Zhan spoke up. “How could she be compared to those amusing clowns on TV?”

“Rong Zhan, don’t talk nonsense.” The Rong parents knew Cheng Jinzhi’s major. Their faces showed embarrassment, but their tone couldn’t hide pride. “Jinzhi is a big star. Si’er couldn’t possibly compare to Jinzhi. Besides, Si’er has no interest in that direction. She thinks we work too hard and wants to study economics to help us.”

Then Rong Si walked over. She nodded to her family, then gave symbolic greetings to the Chengs. Her parents were already mortified, so naturally they didn’t chat with Rong Si, and Rong Si didn’t seem inclined to chat with them either. At just sixteen, she carried a self-consciously polite aloofness that rubbed Cheng Jinzhi the wrong way.

She hadn’t seen Rong Si much after that, but she heard about her often. Rong Si was the standout of their generation—accomplished in everything, practically reaching for the sun.

After Rong Si entered the entertainment industry, she quickly rose to fame. While Cheng Jinzhi was still shaking off her scandals, Rong Si had already obtained everything she wanted. By the time Cheng Jinzhi finally developed some acting skill, Rong Si had already retreated behind the scenes. Everything she wanted so desperately, the other woman just casually “abandoned.” She was jealous of Rong Si’s talent, jealous of Rong Si’s equanimity. Rong Si was like a mirror, showing her all her own darkness and insecurity.

“Weicheng?” The director frowned.

If Rong Si could play Weicheng, so could she. And she would play it even more beautifully than Rong Si. “I’ll play Weicheng. Rong Si plays Miss Jia.”

“Boss Cheng, this is tens of millions of investment. This isn’t a game.” Yi Yi swept his gaze over Cheng Jinzhi again.

“Boss, didn’t you just say the other day you had a better choice?” DC quickly pulled Cheng Jinzhi aside. Seeing her resolute expression, DC grew more anxious. “Don’t tell me the better choice is you.”

“What’s the rush? The company’s paying.”

“Fine, fine, I give up, okay?” DC raised his hands in surrender. Everyone knew Boss Cheng was a rich fool with money to burn. “If you want to play Miss Jia, fine. But the female lead Weicheng has a lot of nude scenes. Several little flowers already declined.”

Cheng Jinzhi wasn’t listening to DC. She turned her head and met Rong Si’s gaze. Rong Si was watching her, expressionless.

Yi Yi didn’t say no. After all, Cheng Jinzhi was the investor. He tossed the script to Cheng Jinzhi, telling her and Rong Si to run lines together, see how it worked.

Miss Jia’s scenes were almost entirely intense bed scenes. They managed to pick out one section with dialogue… a bed scene.

This scene required taking off clothes. Given the location constraints, Yi Yi relaxed the dress code.

Rong Si lay on the bed. Cheng Jinzhi knelt on her stomach. Their starting positions were natural, making the manager cough awkwardly.

“What are you doing?” Yi Yi glanced at DC. “Call it.”

DC quickly picked up the clapperboard on the table. “Scene one, take one.”

Since the camera couldn’t see, Rong Si didn’t bother with expressions. She seemed to think Cheng Jinzhi wouldn’t last thirty seconds.

This was a relatively gentle bed scene. Compared to the earlier intensity, this moment between Weicheng and Miss Jia was tender.

Cheng Jinzhi flicked her long hair over her shoulder, exposing her ear, biting her lower lip as she slipped into character.

A seductive hum escaped her nose. “Eldest Miss…”

“What do you want?” Miss Jia, played by Rong Si, sat up.

Cheng Jinzhi’s hand came to rest on Rong Si’s shoulder. “I…”

Rong Si reached up and gently squeezed Cheng Jinzhi’s ear. She blew warm breath against it, then pressed a kiss there. Cheng Jinzhi turned her face away, lips pressed tight.

At this point, Yi Yi sat up. He wiggled his finger, signaling the camera to zoom in. The shot cut to Cheng Jinzhi’s eyes. Yes—that’s the feeling that should be in her eyes.

“Mm?”

“I’m not telling you.” Cheng Jinzhi’s lips curved upward, her voice light. She was fully in Weicheng’s character now. In her previous life, she’d watched Girls’ Fortress no fewer than twenty times.

“Then what would make you tell me?” Rong Si followed, seeming slightly surprised at how deep Cheng Jinzhi was in character.

“Nothing would make me tell you, unless… you smile…”

Cheng Jinzhi tapped Rong Si’s lips. “Smile at me.”

“Am I not smiling?”

“I want a happy smile.”

“A happy one. Then you should make me happy.” Watching Cheng Jinzhi, Rong Si began to look slightly uncomfortable.

“I will…”

Cheng Jinzhi cupped Rong Si’s cheeks. Just as she was about to kiss her, Rong Si turned her face away, lowering her eyelids. “Sorry, Director.”

“Cut.” Yi Yi called it, seeing Rong Si drop out of character.

“It’s my problem. Director, you should find someone else.” Coming out of the scene, Rong Si’s expression returned to its usual calm.

Yi Yi frowned. “Work out your own issues. Come find me when you’ve settled them.”

Cheng Jinzhi got into the driver’s seat. She tried to start the engine several times, but it wouldn’t catch. The fire in her heart was about to explode. Rong Si wasn’t walking fast—she lagged several steps before getting into the passenger seat.

“Who told you to get in?” Watching Rong Si’s nonchalant expression, Cheng Jinzhi’s powder keg of anger ignited. Even having lived over forty years, even facing an eighteen-year-old Rong Si, she still couldn’t restrain herself.