tiantianyingshi

“Qiao Xin, what are you thinking? Why didn’t you do what you were supposed to do? Where’s your expression? It’s all wrong,” Ye Zian scolded him harshly.

Qiao Xin hatefully clenched his teeth. He still couldn’t forgive Ye Zian for ordering Tang Tu to punch him, but Qiao Xin had to pretend to obey Ye Zian, “Apologies, Director Ye. I dozed off a little.”

“Let’s do this a second time. Both of you need to treat this seriously. Action.”

Gu Qing pulled Ji Ning by her wrist and took her from her bedroom to the back garden. Ji Ning shook him off, annoyed.

“What is your problem? It’s one o’clock; why did you drag me here to the garden?” She glared at Gu Qing.

Gu Qing stared at her, his handsome face expressionless.

Ji Ning pushed him, “Speak, or else I’m going to go.”

As her voice fell, she walked around Gu Qing and was about to go. Gu Qing abruptly pulled onto her and said with an interrogative tone, “Did you go to the forest behind the school with Duan Nanfeng today?”

Ji Ning frowned, “How do you know that?”

“What did you talk about, and what did you do with him?” Gu Qing continued. It was as if he wasn’t going to let her go if Ji Ning didn’t make herself clear.

Ji Ning was infuriated, “Why do you have to ask so many questions? Do I have to report to you every time I say something to another boy?”

Gu Qing laughed coldly, “Don’t try to switch to a different topic. Why did you follow Duan Nanfeng to that forest?” Gu Qing’s tone was heavy, and there was a hint of cruelness in his eyes as if he was going to hit her if Ji Ning didn’t give a reply.

Ji Ning was scared and stepped back, but her arm was being held onto by Gu Qing, and she couldn’t move.

“Are you starting to like Duan Nanfeng now?”

Ji Ning suddenly stopped being angry as she heard this. She locked her eyes with Gu Qing’s and said in a soft voice, “Is my liking for you that valueless in your heart? Why don’t you have any trust in me? I went to the forest with Duan Nanfeng to discuss the city-wide performance we’re going to be in next month when we will be representing the school.”

Gu Qing suddenly looked very happy and pulled Ji Ning into his arms.

He said close to her ears, “I just care about you too much. I like you.”

“Okay, cut,” Ye Zian said.

As the director stopped them, Qiao Xin immediately let go of Liu Man. But his right hand, whether on purpose or unintentionally, lightly touched Liu Man’s butt.

Liu Man’s body stiffened even more.

Qiao Xin laughed. Before, when they were acting, he could sense her body stiffening when he hugged her, and it was as if she was a stone. He almost couldn’t continue his acting. Ye Zian noticed this, too, but he didn’t cut them because this was a scene filmed from far away. Nobody would notice after the editing.

Qiao Xin used a voice soft enough so only Liu Man would be able to hear it,

“Have you never been hugged by a man?” He said meaningfully.

This question was too personal, and Liu Man didn’t even want to answer him. Her last part of this scene was with Yang Huayue, so she didn’t mind making Qiao Xin her enemy.

Which was why Liu Man turned around and left without answering.

Qiao Xin was shocked.

Did he just got ignored?

Who, out of those female actors with no fame, didn’t act subservient when they saw him?

And this extra with no power and money dared to offend him? Did she not want to stay in the entertainment circle anymore?

Liu Man walked into the resting room to add some make-up, and Yang Huayue followed her to sit right next to her. The two make-up artists quickly came up to help them with their make-up and get ready for the next scene.

At first, nobody talked, and the entire room was silent. Only the sounds of make-up artists fumbling with bottles could be heard.

Right at this time, Yang Huayue said out of nowhere, “Did Qiao Xin grope you just now?”

!!!

The two make-up artists exchanged glances. Their expressions remained the same as they continued to do whatever they were doing, but their ears paid close attention. They were not surprised at these things. To survive in this circle, the first rule was to shut one’s mouth. However, they still wanted to listen to this gossip.

Yang Huayue’s question was so straightforward that Liu Man didn’t know how to reply. After all, she and Yang Huayue weren’t the only ones in this room.

Liu Man didn’t say anything.

Yang Huayue knew she was more introverted than herself, so Liu Man must’ve been too embarrassed.

Yang Huayue continued, “I saw it. Qiao Xin put his hand on your butt.”

!!!

!!!

The make-up artists’ hands, while putting on the foundation for them, almost slipped.

Liu Man’s face exploded into a deep shade of red, which was so prominent even the foundation couldn’t cover it. “What Qiao Xin did is so disgusting, and he didn’t blush. Why are you blushing?”

“He only lightly touched it. Maybe it was unintentional,” Liu Man said in a small voice.

“Hehe,” Yang Huayue laughed coldly, “Professional actors like us have scenes where we get into close contact with each other. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hug, a kiss, or a bed scene; we always know when to stop. We always remind ourselves and are discreet about our actions, and we can’t cross a single line. Qiao Xin knows you’re a neophyte and did it on purpose. He should feel very shameful.”

Yang Huayue looked even more furious than Liu Man, and Liu Man comforted her, “Let it go. I’m not going to expose him. After tonight, I won’t be seeing him in the future anyway.”

“If any other men are trying to grope you in the future, don’t be scared and just slap them.”

Yang Huayue suddenly turned her head and told the two make-up artists standing behind them, “Do not leak what we just talked about.”

The two make-up artists quickly promised. They were very scrupulous and would be able to keep this secret.

Liu Man thought Yang Huayue looked cute when she tried to help her out.

But then, when they started to shoot the next part and got into their respective characters, Yang Huayue stopped being cute.

It was late at night when Ji An pushed open Ji Ning’s bedroom door.

Tonight was dull, and the dark clouds covered up all the stars and moonlight. There was no brightness at all. Ji An walked straight to Ji Ning’s bed in the dark, her footsteps soft and soundless.

Ji Ning was already asleep with her eyes closed. The corners of her lips were rising upward as if she was dreaming about something peaceful and good.

Ji An stared at her smiling face. The last hint of hesitation and scaredness in her eyes transformed into mercilessness and hatefulness. She pulled straight the rope her left hand had been holding onto and tangled it onto Ji Ning’s neck.

Ji Ning was awoken by the feeling of suffocation. She felt something was tightening on her throat, and she was unable to breathe. She opened her eyes and could only see darkness, and someone was standing behind her.

Ji Ning unconsciously started to struggle and pull on the rope on her neck, but that person tightened it more. Ji An wanted her dead. Ji Ning’s face started to get pale, and her hands started to drop until they were drooping beside her body. Everything happened so fast that Ji Ning didn’t even get a chance to call for help before she died.

All of Liu Man’s parts in “The Sound of the Wind” were completed.

Credits: Sydney