Chapter 27: I Am Jiang Ye’s Girlfriend
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The set fell utterly silent.
It took Jiang Ye several seconds to react. He cleared his throat. “Yes, exactly. Wasn’t that acted beautifully?”
He turned to Ou Hao. “See? That’s exactly the feeling I wanted.”
Damn it, my first kiss is gone just like that?
I’d originally wanted to save it for Dudu...
“Director Jiang, can I have a word with you?”
Ou Hao furtively dragged Jiang Ye into a corner. After looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, he lowered his voice. “Old Jiang, I really can’t do this kissing scene.”
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, you can’t? You’re a professional actor, and you’re telling me you can’t film a kissing scene?”
“It’s not about whether I’m professional or not.” Ou Hao edged closer and lowered his voice even further. “Ma Sichun and I are at a critical point in our relationship. If behind-the-scenes footage of me kissing someone gets out now, won’t all my efforts go to waste?”
Jiang Ye stared at him for two seconds before suddenly snorting. “Oh, come on, Brother Ou. What are you pretending to be so devoted for? Weren’t you all over that little internet celebrity last month? And now you’re playing the innocent young man with me?”
Ou Hao grew anxious. “This time it’s true love! Besides...”
He suddenly lowered his voice. “Old Jiang, why don’t you stand in for me?”
“What?”
Jiang Ye thought he had heard wrong.
“Look,” Ou Hao said, gesturing as he spoke. “We’re about the same height, and our side profiles are similar too. Put on my costume and a wig. The camera will only film your back and side profile. No one will be able to tell!”
What?!
He was 185.8 centimeters tall, while Ou Hao was only 180. How could they possibly be about the same height?
Yet Jiang Ye instinctively glanced toward Meng Ziyi in the distance. She was touching up her makeup, and beneath the sunlight, the lines of her profile were impossibly delicate.
Her lips looked soft, too...
“It’s settled!”
Before Jiang Ye could refuse, Ou Hao darted away. “I’ll go talk to the wardrobe department!”
“Hey! You—”
Jiang Ye had not even finished speaking when Ou Hao disappeared.
Ten minutes later, in the dressing room.
“Director, don’t move. The wig is slipping.”
The makeup artist struggled not to laugh as she fitted Jiang Ye with a traditional-style wig.
In the mirror, Jiang Ye had already changed into Ou Hao’s pale moon-white costume. The makeup artist had deliberately deepened the contours of his face, and no matter how he looked at himself, he felt he was at least a head more handsome than Ou Hao.
“All done!”
The makeup artist stepped back two paces, then suddenly burst into a laugh. “Director, you actually look rather handsome like this.”
Jiang Ye walked out of the dressing room with a dark expression. The set fell silent for a second before erupting in a wave of muffled laughter.
“What are you all laughing at?” Jiang Ye snapped, embarrassed and furious. “Do you still want to wrap for the day or not?!”
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Everyone immediately fell silent, though their lips continued to twitch.
Meng Ziyi had been reading the script. When she looked up and saw Jiang Ye’s appearance, her eyes lit up at once.
“Director... what are you wearing?” She came trotting over, her eyes sparkling.
Jiang Ye coughed awkwardly. “Ou Hao had something come up at the last minute, so I’m standing in for him in this scene. You... don’t have a problem with that, do you?”
The corners of Meng Ziyi’s lips rose uncontrollably. “Of course not!”
She had answered too quickly, so she hurriedly added, “I mean... it’s a sacrifice for the sake of art. Thank you for your hard work, Director.”
Jiang Ye had the distinct feeling that something about her words was off, but there was no time to think about it. “Everyone to your positions. Prepare to shoot!”
Meanwhile, Ou Hao had already changed out of his costume and was sitting in a corner of the rest area with Yu Menglong.
Yu Menglong nudged Ou Hao’s arm, his face full of confusion. “Hey, you’re really not going to do it? Meng Ziyi is gorgeous. With an opportunity this good, you might as well kiss her!”
Ou Hao shot him a sidelong glance and gave him a look that said, You’re still too young. “Little brother, you don’t understand.”
He lowered his voice. “Didn’t you notice the way Meng Ziyi looks at Jiang Ye?”
“What way?” Yu Menglong asked blankly.
Ou Hao shook his head, looking as though he could not bear to see such wasted potential. “When a female actress is truly willing to throw caution to the wind, things move very quickly. My buddy Jiang Ye may act serious and proper all day long, but he’s rotten to the core.”
“What if those two end up in the same bed one day? If he remembers that I kissed his woman, wouldn’t that amount to putting horns on his head? Wouldn’t the guy come after me for revenge?”
Yu Menglong’s eyes widened. “Is that really necessary? Director Jiang seems perfectly normal around Meng Ziyi to me.”
“Heh. Just wait and see.”
Ou Hao crossed one leg over the other, entirely unruffled. “I’m simply planning ahead. Don’t you know the rules of the underworld? A friend’s wife is off-limits. Even if she isn’t his wife yet, she might be tomorrow.”
Yu Menglong nodded thoughtfully, then turned to look at Jiang Ye, who was directing the stand-in through the kissing scene’s movements, and at Meng Ziyi, who stood nearby with her gaze following Jiang Ye the entire time.
“Now that you mention it...” Yu Menglong narrowed his eyes. “Meng Ziyi really does seem to be sneaking glances at Director Jiang nonstop.”
“Exactly.” Ou Hao patted him on the shoulder. “To survive on a film set, you need more than acting skills. You also need to know how to watch the show. This is far more entertaining than the script.”
...
“Scene twenty-seven, kissing-scene stand-in version. Action!”
Meng Ziyi strode over aggressively and shoved the “Crown Prince” against the bookshelf.
Jiang Ye’s back struck the shelves. Before he could react, Meng Ziyi had already risen onto her toes and kissed him.
This kiss was even more passionate than the last.
Her lips were soft and moist, carrying the faint fragrance of peach-flavored lip gloss.
She hadn’t been wearing that before, had she...?
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She planted one hand against the bookshelf beside Jiang Ye’s ear, while her other hand gently cradled his face. Her fingertips trembled ever so slightly.
Jiang Ye stood frozen, dazed by the kiss.
According to the script, he was supposed to look surprised before half-heartedly resisting. But at that moment, he was genuinely so shocked that he forgot to react.
“Cut!”
Deputy Director Zhang Ming, now holding all the power, wished he could shoot the scene a hundred times.
“Director... er, Crown Prince, you need to show some reaction.”
The set erupted in laughter.
Jiang Ye’s old face flushed red. He glared fiercely at everyone. “Again!”
On the second take, Meng Ziyi became even more absorbed.
She gently rubbed her lips against Jiang Ye’s, even giving his lower lip the faintest of bites.
Jiang Ye finally remembered that he was supposed to be acting. He cooperated by putting on an expression of surprise and intoxication, his hand unconsciously settling around her waist.
“Big brother, we came to see you!”
The entrance to the set was suddenly pushed open.
Lin Jianjun walked in at an unhurried pace, with two girls following behind him.
Tian Xiwei wore her hair in two round buns, with strawberry-shaped pearl clips pinned at the ends. They swayed lightly as she ran.
A pink knitted cardigan was draped over a white Peter Pan-collar dress, its cuffs and hem trimmed with lace. Pink bows decorated her white Mary Jane shoes, while the pink leg warmers around her calves bounced playfully with every step.
Her small face had been looking around curiously, but the moment she saw Jiang Ye kissing Meng Ziyi, she froze.
What?!
Wasn’t he a director? Why was he kissing an actress over there?
So this was how it was? The scoundrel had taken her money and still refused to take responsibility for her?!
“Uncle, you’ve finally arrived!”
Jiang Ye released Meng Ziyi, straightened his collar, and hurried over with a perfectly natural tone.
Meng Ziyi followed him, her curious gaze moving between the two girls. “Hello.”
“Hello, sister. I’m Jiang Ye’s younger sister.”
Lin Xiaoman hid behind Lin Jianjun and timidly poked her head out.
Tian Xiwei suddenly straightened her back. As she lifted her chin, the strawberry hair clip flashed dazzlingly. “Hello, sister. I’m Jiang Ye’s... girlfriend.”
What?!
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