Chapter 39: Did You Miss Me?

The fights in these past days prompted the Weibo account “Delicious Persimmons” to put up a notice, also in its bio. “Please do not pit the two celebrities against each other or compare them. Anyone who does will be blocked on sight. We don’t need follower growth or a bigger circle. Keeping to our own little corner; anyone uncomfortable, unfollow. Love Si’er, love Jinzhi, love the Little Persimmons.”

The bigger Persimmon CP accounts now were “Persimmon Supply Station,” “Delicious Persimmons,” and “Persimmon Official Website.” At first, “Delicious Persimmons” had the most followers, but after the popularity of the fan-made MV 《Becoming Infatuated》, “Persimmon Supply Station” quickly grew to thirty or forty thousand. “Persimmon Official Website” also followed closely, though still with fewer followers than “Delicious Persimmons.”

After “Delicious Persimmons” posted the announcement, “Persimmon Official Website” reposted it. “Hope we can accompany these two young idols through a long, flowing stream.”

“Persimmon Supply Station” merely gave a “noncommittal” like, without reposting. This reflected the beginning of a “split” among the major fan account owners, as they privately discussed how a repost might draw too much attention from passersby.

As the online discussion raged, episodes five through eight of 《Beauty of Rivers and Mountains》 aired. The drama streamed on the video platform “Ailuke,” a recently popular streaming service. The drama’s popularity had also helped it land a few significant financing rounds lately.

“《The Finite》! The opening theme I never skip! Praised!”

“The first four episodes aired at the end of July, but only a week has passed and I feel like I’ve waited a month. Checking in for early August.”

《Beauty of Rivers and Mountains》 was planned for forty episodes. The original novel had over three million characters; the drama version cut many of the explicit and violent plotlines. On Saturday, Ailuke crashed several times due to too many viewers, drawing complaints. “Ailuke? Don’t over-lube—go fix your broken circuit in that shabby shop.”

On Sunday, Ailuke’s page was a little figure fixing a circuit. By evening, when 《Beauty of Rivers and Mountains》 aired, the online viewing stabilized, and most netizens streamed smoothly. The drama’s popularity also boosted interest in 《Girls’ Fortress》. Since mainland film lacked a rating system, 《Girls’ Fortress》 wouldn’t air in the mainland. It would first go to film festivals for judging, then have its Hong Kong premiere, then do overseas film meet-and-greets. Yi Yi was very confident in himself; most directors wouldn’t do overseas meet-and-greets—cultural differences made it likely to be a losing proposition. But he’d set his sights high. Although overseas meet-and-greets were money-losers, they built reputation. At least domestically, he counted as a director “going international.”

For Cheng Jinzhi and Rong Si, this was also a good opportunity to “go abroad and boost their status.”

《Girls’ Fortress》 was still in post-production. Estimated to go overseas next May, attending the Warner Film Festival in May, the Turin Film Festival in June, and the Venice Film Festival in September. Then it would return and premiere in Hong Kong. If reception was good, it would also compete for the Kaisi Golden Man Award starting in November. The Golden Man Award was the world’s most influential film award.

In China, 《Girls’ Fortress》 was still an R-rated film. The official Weibo didn’t reveal much, just posting a few official announcements. By mid-August, seeing how interested everyone was, they cut a fairly clean three-minute sample and posted it online.

“So seductive. No wonder Teacher Cheng’s acting improved—she’s been ‘trained’ by Teacher Rong.”

“Ahhh why am I not a girl, then I could too… wait, I am a girl?? Why is the gap between girls so huge!”

“The difference between people is huge. Eighteen or nineteen-year-old Rong Si can sleep with Teacher Cheng, while I… have to go repeat a year qaq Goodbye, world.”

Around mid-August, Wang Zhang called Cheng Jinzhi and Rong Si back to work. Cheng Jinzhi had come down from the mountain. Besides managing her schedule and company affairs, she’d squeezed in two days to visit Grandma on the mountain. Time—it was idle if you wanted it to be, and busy if you paid attention. Busy for over ten days without knowing what she’d been busy with.

When she saw Rong Si again, Cheng Jinzhi was obviously startled. Damn, Rong Si had grown taller. The moment she saw her, she pulled Rong Si’s arm, drawing her close to compare heights. “How tall are you now?”

“Haven’t measured.”

“Director Wang, Rong Si grew taller.” Cheng Jinzhi looked at the director with mixed feelings. “Do you think the audience will find it weird—the lead suddenly growing taller and older as the show goes on?”

“It’s fine, we’ll adjust later.” Wang Zhang didn’t mind; she even smiled. “Miss Rong, your height is more than enough for a little flower. If she gets any taller, the domestic young actors won’t be able to handle it.”

Among the more famous domestic young actors, their claimed heights had some water in them. Those who were 172-175 cm reported as 180. Those who reported 170 were often only 165-168. Of course, by Rong Si’s cohort, boys generally weren’t under 175 cm. The younger they went, the stricter the height requirements—it was the celebrity era after all.

“Mm.”

“After today’s filming, you two don’t leave yet. How about a celebratory dinner?” Wang Zhang said.

From Wang Zhang’s beaming face, one could see how satisfied she was with the drama’s current influence.

“I’m fine with it.” Cheng Jinzhi said, glancing at Rong Si.

Rong Si was an “old cadre” who slept early.

“What about Miss Rong?” Wang Zhang also followed Cheng Jinzhi’s gaze to Rong Si.

“Mm, that’s fine.”

Filming wrapped around midnight. During makeup removal, Cheng Jinzhi dozed off—she’d been traveling since coming down the mountain, and even with a sleep mask and neck pillow, she hadn’t rested well. Her makeup was light and came off in over forty minutes; Rong Si’s took about an hour and a half. Besides removing makeup, she also did a bit of skin hydration.

“For the meal, don’t wear makeup.” Rong Si saw Cheng Jinzhi about to apply light makeup again. “Let your skin rest.”

“Mm, I won’t. Just a nude look.” As she applied, Cheng Jinzhi looked at Rong Si enviously. “Rong Si, your skin is so good. With such heavy makeup, your skin still didn’t suffer.”

“It only looks decent.”

Wang Zhang’s assistant came to fetch them. They followed her, chatting idly. Just as she was about to enter, Cheng Jinzhi felt something odd. Hey? Rong Si was acting weird today—she was actually responding to her, actually saying this much?

At the table, after a few bites, Cheng Jinzhi teased Rong Si. “Rong Si, after all these days apart, did you miss me?”

Rong Si looked at her without speaking, which made Cheng Jinzhi feel awkward. “Cough, just joking.”

She could never successfully joke with Rong Si. With Xia You and Gou Yu, they’d toss the joke back. After the meal, it was three in the morning. Director Wang Zhang still looked energetic, seemingly wanting to drag them to play billiards.

“Director, we still have scenes in the afternoon. We’ll head off.” Rong Si glanced at the listless Cheng Jinzhi and spoke up.

“Fine, fine, go on back.” Wang Zhang had her assistant send Rong Si and Cheng Jinzhi to the hotel arranged by the crew. These days, they were filming at the Shanghai Film and Television Base, and the crew had arranged a hotel nearby.

The summer was more than half over before Cheng Jinzhi remembered her old classmate Xia You in Shen City. Xia You had been asking her to come play. Now that she was in Shen City, she definitely had to find time to see her.

Cheng Jinzhi hadn’t been too sleepy at first, but in the car, in that enclosed space—especially with the assistant playing soft music up front—she was so sleepy her head was swaying.

Soon, a slightly cool hand reached over, and her swaying head finally found a resting place. Cheng Jinzhi pillowed on Rong Si’s shoulder. “Have you been home all these days?”

“Mm.”

“According to Ah Wei, you always go to the city library.”

“Mm. My teacher is recompiling a textbook on behavioral performance, and I’m collecting materials for him.” Rong Si said. “I also want to do some studying myself.”

“Mm…” Cheng Jinzhi didn’t hear much of the rest; she was too sleepy to listen.

At the hotel, Cheng Jinzhi got her room card, wanting only to collapse onto her big bed. In her high heels, she clicked ahead while Rong Si walked half a step behind. Reaching her room, Cheng Jinzhi swiped open the door. Finally, sleep. She gave Rong Si a smile over her shoulder. “Good night.”

Rong Si paused. As Cheng Jinzhi half-stepped into the room, she spoke. “Missed.”

“What?”

Rong Si didn’t answer, just quickly returned to her own room.

Missed? Missed what? Cheng Jinzhi thought she might have gone deaf from sleepiness.

She lay on the soft bed, and suddenly, the words from dinner came back to her.

“Rong Si, after all these days apart, did you miss me?”

“Missed.”

Rong Si’s reaction time was so long.

She’d almost forgotten already.

But once remembered, Cheng Jinzhi didn’t know why her ears felt hot.

She touched her ears and found her sleepiness completely gone. Cheng Jinzhi tossed and turned several times. Couldn’t sleep. With her eyes closed, Rong Si’s words rang in her ears.

Damn it! Right now she just wanted to go to Rong Si’s room… flip her off… and ruin her good night’s sleep…