Chapter 147: Act
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
Ruan Yesheng's eyes held a charming smile, but her heart felt a bit nervous.
She was afraid Xi Mo would say no to her.
But deep inside, she had a strange confidence, thinking Xi Mo wouldn't refuse now, because she could clearly feel Xi Mo's kindness to her, Xi Mo's special treatment.
Even if Xi Mo didn't have those kinds of feelings for her, she surely saw her as a very close friend, or why would Xi Mo have done so much for her, broken so many rules for her?
She wavered on this line of contradiction, holding a cherry in her hand, waiting for Xi Mo's answer.
Xi Mo looked at Ruan Yesheng, stayed quiet for a moment, then softly said, "Okay, I'll accompany you."
If Ruan Yesheng's earlier smile was like a flower bud not yet open, after hearing Xi Mo's reply, her smile bloomed like bright flowers on a branch.
Her eyes curved as she smiled, shining so brightly.
Xi Mo watched the smile in her eyes, her lips curling slightly too.
But Ruan Yesheng was still a bit surprised. She thought Xi Mo might agree, but she never expected Xi Mo to agree so quickly, with no hesitation or awkwardness at all.
Xi Mo saw the thoughts hidden in her expression and said, “I told you, I’ll make up for it however I need to, depending on what you want. That’s my promise, and I’ll keep it.”
“Yeah, I know you’re always true to your word,” Ruan Yesheng said, her heart softening like a puddle.
But somehow, she couldn’t help asking, “If it was another friend, would you be just as true to your word?”
After all, Xi Mo was serious by nature. She always finished work on time and with quality. When she promised to help a friend, she kept her word, helping fully without ever backing out.
Ruan Yesheng worried she was just one of those “other friends,” that Xi Mo’s reliability was the same for everyone.
She was greedy. Being Xi Mo’s friend wasn’t enough; she wanted to be the most special one.
Xi Mo slowly finished the half-eaten cherry, tossed the pit, wiped her hands with a tissue, and looked at Ruan Yesheng. “Other friends won’t ask me to accompany them like you do.”
Though Xi Mo’s tone was calm, Ruan Yesheng’s heart skipped a beat, as if something sparked there.
Xi Mo said, “Only you ask me to eat cherries with you. Others don’t, so keeping my word about eating cherries applies only to you, since you’re the only one who asks.”
Ruan Yesheng’s heart pounded, burning hot.
Xi Mo looked at her. “It’s simple logic, isn’t it?”
“Yes,” Ruan Yesheng said with a soft laugh, murmuring her reply.
Hearing such a mood-killing logic, why did she taste a hidden sweetness in it?
Xi Mo stood up. “I’ll go to the study to print this part of the script. It will make acting easier. Wait here a bit.”
“Okay,” Ruan Yesheng nodded obediently, watching Xi Mo go upstairs.
When Xi Mo’s figure vanished at the staircase, out of sight, she looked away, sat on the sofa’s edge, and gazed at the uneaten cherry in her hand.
She had bought big cherries, the kind too plump to pop in your mouth in one bite.
For someone refined like Xi Mo, eating one big cherry took several bites.
Ruan Yesheng held the cherry’s ends, took a small bite.
Then another.
Circling the pit, she bit gently, slowly, one nibble at a time.
A misty haze floated in her eyes. She ate the cherry with a special charm, as if it wasn’t a cherry but some fantasy that stirred her heart.
After biting, cherry juice stained her lips. She slightly stuck out her tongue, licked her upper lip, and savored a vague, unspoken feeling between her lips and teeth.
Ruan Yesheng finished the cherry, sat on the sofa waiting for Xi Mo, then her phone pinged with a message. She opened it. It was from Shen Qingbie.
In a voice message, Shen Qingbie said, “Ruanruan, what are you doing now?”
If it was any other time, Ruan Yesheng would’ve chatted with Shen Qingbie for a bit, but now things were different. She didn’t know when Xi Mo would come back. If she got caught up and missed feeding Xi Mo cherries, no, missed acting with Xi Mo, such a serious matter wouldn’t be worth it.
Ruan Yesheng quickly replied, “I’m lying down, about to sleep, when you messaged.”
Shen Qingbie’s voice sounded a bit annoyed. “You'r sleeping this early?”
Ruan Yesheng typed fast. “Not early. Check the time. It’s almost 11.”
Shen Qingbie said, “11 is nothing. I’ve got night scenes these days. Sometimes I don’t sleep until 2, okay?”
Ruan Yesheng said, “Then you should catch some sleep while you can.”
Shen Qingbie said, “I’m wide awake now. I can’t sleep at all.”
Ruan Yesheng was anxious, worried Shen Qingbie would keep talking forever. She stopped typing, sent a voice message instead.
She yawned lazily on purpose, even lay on the sofa, rolled over, letting the rustling sound get recorded. She mumbled sleepily, “I’m dead tired, too lazy to type. I have to sleep now. Let’s talk tomorrow. If we keep going, I’ll drop my phone on my face.”
Ruan Yesheng acted so naturally, like it was second nature. Shen Qingbie believed her and felt bad about disturbing her sleep. She said, “I just wanted to tell you, I tossed and turned all night, and finally made a big decision. Thanks to you. If not for you, I wouldn’t have decided.”
Ruan Yesheng was squinting, phone against her ear. One eye lifted slightly. She said in a voice message, “What decision?”
But Shen Qingbie said, “You’re so tired, and I can’t explain it quick. I won’t say more. Let’s talk later. Goodnight, Ruanruan.”
Ruan Yesheng felt like a lump stuck in her throat, neither going up nor down.
Great. She wanted to hear some juicy gossip, but Shen Qingbie cut it off. She only heard the start, and her curiosity itched like crazy. Helpless, Shen Qingbie, who could ramble a basketful of nonsense, really went silent. No sound came from the phone. Unable to get gossip, Ruan Yesheng lay on the sofa, pondering.
After a moment, something clicked, and she pieced it together.
Shen Qingbie’s thoughts were easy to guess.
Today, she told Shen Qingbie it was no use asking her, to ask Yu An directly. Was Shen Qingbie’s big decision about this?
Shen Qingbie acted fast. Once decided, she didn’t delay. Right after messaging Ruan Yesheng, she called Yu An.
The phone rang twice, then connected quickly.
Shen Qingbie gripped her phone and blurted out, “A'Yu, why don’t you want me?”
Yu An had just picked up the phone when Shen Qingbie’s angry question hit her. Her heart trembled instantly, like it got zapped by Shen Qingbie’s words. Her hand shook, and the phone slipped from her ear.
She quickly steadied herself, grabbed the phone fast, and put it back to her ear.
Shen Qingbie heard Lin Shunfeng’s voice through the phone. “Sister Yu An, I saw your phone almost fell. Are you okay?”
Yu An said softly, “I’m fine. I’m going to the balcony to take this call.”
Shen Qingbie’s face darkened.
Pretty boy is still there this late?
This translation was originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
What, the balcony?
Don’t balconies usually come with upstairs rooms? Yu An said she’s going to the balcony. Was she in some room with Lin Shunfeng right now? Late at night, just Yu An and pretty boy in a room together?
The room didn’t sound lively, no other noises. Was it just Yu An and that pretty boy in there?
Detective Shen’s mind spun with all sorts of scenarios, and she was fuming.
Lin Shunfeng said kindly, “It’s windy on the balcony, it's really cold. Put on a jacket.”
Shen Qingbie heard it, her heart souring. Pretty boy acting all warm and caring with that move. Was this the kind of considerate style Yu An liked?
Yu An was anxious, and didn’t bother grabbing a jacket, and hurried to the balcony in just a sweater, closing the glass door behind her.
“Qingqing, I was busy just now, and couldn’t talk right away,” Yu An said, leaning on the balcony railing. It was an open scenic balcony, with no sealed windows. Winter's cold wind blew her long hair. She wrapped one arm around herself, holding the phone with the other to talk to Shen Qingbie.
“I know, you were busy chatting with pretty boy,” Shen Qingbie said.
“What did you say?” Yu An found it funny, lowering her voice so Lin Shunfeng wouldn’t hear. “You're calling Lin Shunfeng a pretty boy?”
“Isn’t he?” Shen Qingbie said. “Look at that little face, all white and clean.”
Yu An said, “Your little face is way fairer and cleaner.”
Shen Qingbie was mad, but Yu An’s words felt like a candy stuffed in her mouth, even from so far away.
She was a bit happy, but still annoyed. The candy tasted sweet, sour, and angry all at once. She said, “I’m way fairer than him. Don’t you see how many fancy skincare brands I endorse?”
“Yes, yes, Qingqing is the best,” Yu An said, smiling. Cold wind mixed with rain hit her, but she didn’t seem to notice.
Shen Qingbie’s voice softened. “A’Yu, you’re on the balcony, right? Are you wearing a jacket properly?”
“On the balcony, I’m wearing one,” Yu An said gently.
“Pretty boy just told you to wear a jacket, and you’re already on the balcony? You put on clothes that fast? Don’t you need to grab one from the rack?” Shen Qingbie might act silly sometimes, but her logic was sharp. She loved detective stories.
Yu An wanted to laugh even more. How could this little fool be so clever sometimes, and so cute.
“The coat rack is right by the balcony door. I opened the door and grabbed it,” Yu An lied.
“Good,” Shen Qingbie said, relieved, muttering, “Don’t catch a cold.”
“I won’t. I’m dressed warmly,” Yu An said, shivering a bit.
....
Ruan Yesheng lay on the sofa, her legs swinging back and forth.
She thought, with Shen Qingbie’s personality, she’s probably already on the phone with Yu An. Wonder how it’s going. While worrying, she felt hands gently hold her left calf.
Xi Mo called, “Yesheng.”
Her body froze, her playful legs stopping dead. She looked back.
Xi Mo let go and asked, “Are you tired? You suddenly lay down.”
“Not tired,” Ruan Yesheng thought, no way she would be tired at a crucial moment like this. She quickly sat up from the sofa. “I was just lying here thinking.”
Her eyes lit up at the script pages in Xi Mo’s hand.
“Where do you want to rehearse?” Xi Mo handed her a copy of the script and a marker, asking.
“Let’s go to the dining counter. It fits the script, since the cherries are on the table,” Ruan Yesheng said, getting off the sofa, carrying a bowl of cherries to the counter. She grabbed two movable chairs and set them by the counter.
Xi Mo looked down at the script, marking key details with the marker, then arranged the chairs per the script’s directions.
One chair close to the counter.
The other a bit farther away.
She measured the distance in her head, sat on the farther chair, and pointed to the closer one. “You sit there. Let’s set our spots.”
Ruan Yesheng sat on the inner chair as told.
Xi Mo sat upright and said, “You… come closer.”
Ruan Yesheng leaned forward, her head nearing Xi Mo, but still a bit too far to reach.
Xi Mo slid her chair a little closer, leaning toward Ruan Yesheng.
Both leaned in, their cheeks almost touching, lips just inches apart.
Ruan Yesheng’s breath tightened, but she held the close pose, whispering, “Is this close enough to feed you with my mouth?”
“Mm,” Xi Mo didn’t pull back yet. Her eyes fixed on Ruan Yesheng’s slightly moving lips. “This distance works. You can feed me, but I can’t reach the counter. It matches the script.”
After saying that, she leaned back.
Ruan Yesheng, seeing this, sat up straight too, her eyes smiling, watching Xi Mo, who was seriously setting up the rehearsal scene.
So focused on following the script.
Serious in such a cute way.
Xi Mo said, “The chairs are set. Don’t move them again. The script says they’re fixed to the floor, and can’t be moved. We need to keep it realistic.”
“Okay,” Ruan Yesheng said, grinning. “Gu Ru is smart, look at this setup. So clever. My character’s chair is by the table, can grab cherries with her mouth. Your character is far, can’t reach the table’s cherries. Both tied to chairs, and the chairs won’t budge. There's no choice but for me to feed you with my mouth. It will make the audience think two female leads feeding cherries isn’t weird.”
The setup’s logic was so tight, Gu Ru really thought of everything to pass review.
Xi Mo stayed silent.
“I mean, my character feeds your character with her mouth,” Ruan Yesheng said, laughing as she corrected herself.
“Do you want to read the script again?” Xi Mo asked.
“No, I can recite this part backward,” Ruan Yesheng said.
Xi Mo stayed silent again.
“You?” Ruan Yesheng looked at her.
“I… don’t need to read it again. We can start rehearsing,” Xi Mo said, lowering her eyes.
“Let’s do it.”
Ruan Yesheng picked a cherry, held it with her fingers, and said, “I’ll hold this cherry in my mouth, stay still. Come close, and take a bite.”
“Take a bite?” Xi Mo sensed something off. “Isn’t it you holding the cherry in your mouth, and I take it with mine to eat?”
Author's Note:
Wood block, of course not. If you take it with your mouth and eat, you would grab it in a second. But if Ruanruan holds the cherry in her mouth and you bite, you two would be eating for ages.
Qingqing and A’Yu’s straight-girl love is also heating up on that little balcony.
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