Chapter 12: Play Within a Play (Part Four)

The two princesses, Duan Shu and Duan Hua, were renowned in the Great Duan Dynasty as the “Peerless Twin Beauties.” The second princess, Duan Shu, was multi-talented and skilled in dance, while the eldest princess, Duan Hua, was eloquent, persuasive, and adept at strategy. She had once led troops alongside Crown Prince Duan Yun to quell the rebellion in the Jiangnan region and was specially enfeoffed as the Eldest Princess for her efforts. However, she had fallen gravely ill during the campaign, leaving her with lingering health issues.

This scene captured the moment when Eldest Princess Duan Hua, taking advantage of the chaos in the Great Liang Dynasty, dispatched Protector General Jiang Ning along with spies embedded in the Liang imperial family to rescue her imperial younger sister, who had been held hostage, and bring her back overnight.

Duan Hua hurried into Qiong Garden. Her face was pale with a sickly tint, and her chest heaved with slightly rapid breaths from walking too quickly.

Sensing someone inside, she drew her sword and held it at the ready. Upon seeing Duan Shu, she swiftly sheathed it and tossed it aside, striding forward joyfully.

“Younger imperial sister Duan Shu, it’s been so long.”

“Imperial Sister.”

Tears welled up in Duan Shu’s eyes as she gazed at Duan Hua. The palace walls and courtyards were deep and isolating; her eldest sister had always been like a mother to her. They had shared a deep bond since childhood, and Duan Shu had no one else to confide in about the humiliations and loneliness she endured far away in Great Liang.

Choking back a flood of grievances, she stepped forward and embraced Duan Hua.

Lu Zhiyu’s gaze flicked toward Qin Yue, who was still trying to steal a few more shots, then she took Bai Xirou’s hands and led her into the main camera’s frame.

They occupied the optimal positions for the two side cameras as well. No matter how bold Qin Yue was, she wouldn’t dare steal the spotlight now—it would ruin the shot’s harmony.

Though the director tacitly allowed the backdoored Qin Yue a few extra seconds of screen time, he wouldn’t tolerate a mere maidservant openly usurping the supporting actress’s spotlight.

Bai Xirou’s body stiffened for a moment, her hands twitching uncomfortably for a few seconds before she naturally relaxed her fingers against the back of Lu Zhiyu’s hand.

From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Lu Zhiyu’s profile. The woman’s skin was fair as jade, glistening faintly with sweat; her lashes lowered slightly, her gaze deep and profound, giving an impression of profound scheming. A peach-blossom mole on her right cheek softened with her expressions, evoking pity and affection.

Having been overshadowed by Qin Yue, Bai Xirou had finally been rescued by Lu Zhiyu. Unconsciously, she studied the other woman’s features. As they walked, she thought that the person beside her was incredibly captivating—not the flashy, unforgettable kind of beauty, but one full of unique character and strong recognizability.

Duan Shu and Duan Hua walked side by side. They had so much to say, yet after years apart, they hesitated for a long time, unsure where to begin.

Qin Yue trailed behind, fuming on the sidelines. She couldn’t squeeze into their interaction at all. The rumored vase, Lu Zhiyu, seemed like a completely different person on set, controlling the entire scene and suppressing Qin Yue the moment she entered frame, making it impossible to add lines or screen time.

Duan Hua held Duan Shu’s hands as they walked along the bamboo-lined path toward a secluded pavilion in the woods.

The two sat down together in the pavilion.

A trace of deep worry filled Duan Hua’s eyes as she said, “Imperial sister, every day I awaited news from you via messenger pigeon, fearing something had happened to you in Liang. General Jiang Ning has been gone for so long, and now Great Liang’s war-mad Northern Rock King holds the reins of power. Tonight, he has already attacked Fuqiu Mountain, just over twenty li from the imperial city. With our treasury empty, I’m afraid Great Duan’s fate is truly at an end.”

Duan Shu’s face paled as she replied, “What about Crown Prince Brother? I heard he went missing in the battle at Fuqiu Mountain. Any news?”

Duan Hua shook her head. “Fuqiu Mountain lies in a deep valley with complex terrain, unpredictable winds, and lurking beasts and venomous insects. Our second imperial brother was gravely wounded and vanished there—I’m afraid the outlook is grim.”

Duan Shu seemed to lose half her soul, murmuring, “Imperial Sister, if even the imperial city falls… then Great Duan is doomed.”

A scout rushed in to report, “Barbarians are attacking outside the imperial city. His Majesty has personally led the troops into battle. Carriages have been halted outside the palace. Please, Your Highnesses, change clothes and flee the palace at once.”

The teacup in Duan Shu’s hand shattered on the ground. Trembling with fear, she said, “Imperial Sister, what do we do now?”

Duan Hua stuffed the bundle from the scout into Duan Shu’s arms. “You escape, but I must stay.”

Her gaze distant yet resolute, she declared, “No egg survives unscathed when the nest is overturned. If this is fate, how dare I flee on my own authority? Beneath my command lie the souls of ten thousand Liang soldiers. If I flee now with the enemy at the gates, not only will I shame Great Duan’s honor and morale, but the warriors fighting to the death on the battlefield will despise me.”

Her eyes blazed like prairie fire. Though a frail woman beset by illness, her aura was majestic, no less than any man’s.

Bai Xirou froze, utterly captivated by Lu Zhiyu’s performance. She stared dazedly, her next line and action stuck in her throat until she finally snapped out of it and stiffly picked up the cue Lu Zhiyu tossed her way.

“Cut. That’s a wrap.”

The director stood, headset on, signaling a switch to the leads’ scene in the soundstage.

Qin Yue stormed out of the set and marched straight up to Lu Zhiyu, sneering sarcastically, “Lu Zhiyu, haven’t seen you in a few days, and you’ve gotten awfully bold. A nobody like you dares block my path? Don’t you know President Du is backing me hard right now? Changing scripts, adding scenes—it’s all just a word from me if I want it. If you’re not careful, I’ll whisper a few things, and President Du will have you running errands like a dog again.”

Lu Zhiyu didn’t bother glancing at her. She shrugged off the stifling tan outer robe and turned to leave, dismissing her as a mere clown not worth mentioning. Suddenly, a chill wind brushed the back of her head.

She spun around to see Bai Xirou coldly gripping Qin Yue’s wrist.

Qin Yue was frozen mid-swing with her bag aimed at Lu Zhiyu, standing awkwardly in embarrassment. Furious, she wrenched her hand free and glared at Bai Xirou.

Bai Xirou stepped back to Lu Zhiyu’s side and looped an arm around hers, whispering, “You okay? She didn’t bully you, did she?”

Lu Zhiyu paused, then smiled faintly and turned to Bai Xirou. “We just talked. Nothing happened.”

Qin Yue glanced back and forth between them, laughing in rage. “Fine! Just like the hot search on Weibo—you two are ‘sisters’ thick as thieves, helping each other out. Just wait. Whether it’s Super Star Era or our upcoming co-production, I’ll make sure you can’t even lift your heads.”

Lu Zhiyu watched Qin Yue storm off bag in hand, then turned to Bai Xirou. “You two have bad blood?”

Her thoughts wandering, Lu Zhiyu blinked and added, “Last time you nearly fell from the lift platform—was that Qin Yue’s doing too?”

Bai Xirou followed Lu Zhiyu to the resting area by the set and sat on a bench. She unzipped her handbag slowly and said, “Yan Jing was Qin Yue’s ex-boyfriend. He kept her as a sugar baby for half a year. Last time at an audition, Qin Yue and I were both up for the same role, and that rich second-gen was watching. Then they broke up, Yan Jing started hounding me relentlessly, and well, you know the rest.”

Lu Zhiyu twitched her lips. She couldn’t tell if Bai Xirou was telling the truth or not, or whether Yan Jing and Qin Yue had been split by a scheming white lotus or if the guy had just chased Bai Xirou first.

Either way, with Qin Yue now under Du Yueze’s wing and Yan Jing forcing girls into prostitution, neither was any good.

Bai Xirou pulled two peach-flavored lollipops from her bag and handed one to Lu Yuan. Seeing the girl shyly take it with a sneaky grin, Bai Xirou’s lips curved up slightly too.

“Lu Zhiyu.”

Startled by the sudden call, Lu Zhiyu turned with an “Ah?”

As her mouth opened, the peach-flavored candy was popped in. The sweet aroma spread richly across her tongue.

Lu Zhiyu instinctively licked it, but the round candy was quickly withdrawn.

“Sweet?”

Bai Xirou leaned down, one hand on the folding chair’s armrest. Her slender fingers held the lollipop as she looked down at Lu Zhiyu. Her fine brows arched playfully, dimples faint on her fresh cheeks, her eyes sparkling like scattered stars—serene yet mesmerizingly deep.

Her beautiful face naturally evoked a desire to protect and cherish.

Lu Zhiyu admired Bai Xirou’s lovely, seductive youthfulness, thinking it no wonder some men fell for girls like her. Even she had felt a strange flutter just now.

Bai Xirou extended her pink tongue, sliding it over the candy where Lu Zhiyu had licked, sucking for a moment. A strange glint flickered in her eyes as she smiled. “You helped me on set. This makes twice I owe you.”

Executive Director Meng Heng patted Chief Director Chen Wen’s shoulder. “Old Chen, look at those two newcomers. Don’t you think there’s something there?”

Chen Wen was still reviewing footage. Seeing Meng Heng fixate on the newbies, he said, “What? They’re both under President Du. If you’ve got beef, don’t take it out on them.”

Meng Heng rolled his eyes. “Director Chen, I mean, don’t you think they’d be perfect for that yuri script you’re prepping?”

Chen Wen slapped the table at the idea. “Huh, now that you mention it, yeah—they’ve got that vibe. Perfect flavor match, and as industry newbies, they’re cheap. Let’s see how they perform next.”

Lu Zhiyu had a small role in the first scene’s fourth act. She twisted open a bottle of mineral water from the folding table and drank, while Lu Yuan handed her a wet wipe to clean up.

Lu Zhiyu took it gladly, stretched her body, and sat on the bench. She skimmed her single-page script, memorized it, then turned to Lu Yuan. “You already thanked Gu Yinsu for me? What’d President Gu say?”

Lu Yuan’s face flushed crimson. She stammered, “President Gu has such a strong presence—kinda scary. I said it quick, didn’t see her respond, and left.”

Lu Zhiyu frowned. She wanted Gu Yinsu’s attention. After all, per her plan, she’d pay off over five hundred thousand in breach fees to Du Yueze’s company within a year, jump to Gu Ye Global Films, and gaining Gu Yinsu’s personal favor would boost that greatly.

Even if their first impressions had been awful.

Thinking of her embarrassing nosebleed and dopey image upon meeting Gu Yinsu made her want to crawl into a hole all the way to the Pacific.

Lu Zhiyu turned to look at Gu Yinsu, only to find the woman staring fixedly back at her, those cold, iron-like beautiful blue eyes inscrutably lingering on her.

The phone on the table suddenly rang, “Agent” flashing on the screen.

Lu Zhiyu glanced puzzled at Lu Yuan—definitely not hers—then answered curiously.

“Hello?”