Married in a Daze - Chapter 73
Chapter 73
Qin Zhenzhen saw Yu Changlin walking over as she finished filming for the day. She hurried to meet him, while Ji Lu followed behind, draping a coat over her shoulders. Qin Zhenzhen gathered the collar and called out, "Director Yu."
Yu Changlin, still holding a rolled-up script, stopped in front of Qin Zhenzhen. "Leaving tomorrow?"
Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "Mm, I'll be gone for three days."
Yu Changlin thought for a moment. "I heard it's in City M?"
Meng Xin had mentioned this when she came to ask for leave. Qin Zhenzhen confirmed, "Yes. Three days of filming. I should be able to make it back in time..."
"Don't rush back." Yu Changlin cut her off. "Aren't we shooting on location next? We'll pass through City M. You can wait there for us to regroup. Saves you the back-and-forth travel."
Qin Zhenzhen lightly patted her own forehead. "That works too."
It would even give her an extra day to rest. She smiled. "Thank you, Director Yu."
Yu Changlin met her clear, bright eyes. "No need. Doing a good job in the film is thanks enough for me."
Qin Zhenzhen struck a military pose. "Received!"
Yu Changlin chuckled at her antics, shaking his head. Their relationship had eased considerably over this period, but he still scolded her when necessary and spoke his mind. He wouldn't go easy on her just because she had improved.
Initially, Qin Zhenzhen had heard others describe him as having a peculiar temperament. Combined with her "fail" on the first day, she felt a certain amount of fear towards him. But recent interactions had diluted that initial impression. Now, she felt his personality wasn't peculiar at all. He was very fair and professional, separating personal and work matters. Talking to him didn't require beating around the bush; being direct was better.
Someone called for Director Yu from a distance. After giving Qin Zhenzhen a few more instructions, he let her go. Ji Lu, following behind her, waited until Yu Changlin had left before taking a couple of steps forward. "Zhenzhen, do you need help packing?"
She usually helped pack for every trip, but now Qin Zhenzhen was living at Lu Ruyun's place, making it inconvenient for her to go over.
Qin Zhenzhen thought for a moment. "No need, I'll pack myself."
Ji Lu acknowledged this and followed her to the car.
Around eight in the evening, it was rush hour. Combined with the cold weather, even more people were driving, inevitably causing traffic jams. Qin Zhenzhen kept glancing at her phone as time ticked by, a hint of anxiety coloring her pretty face.
"Zhenzhen, do you have something else going on?" Ji Lu asked, noticing her frequent phone checks. Qin Zhenzhen shook her head and sighed. "No, it's fine."
As soon as she spoke, the car inched forward slowly. By the time Qin Zhenzhen reached the apartment, it was already past nine. Lu Ruyun was sitting on the sofa in a sweater and casual pants, reading a book. She glanced up at the sound, lips pressed together. "You're back."
Her tone was light, betraying neither joy nor anger.
Qin Zhenzhen kicked off her high heels and walked in, muttering softly, "So many people. I was stuck in traffic forever."
Hearing her grumble, the pent-up irritation Lu Ruyun had been feeling dissipated considerably. Qin Zhenzhen normally returned around seven, so she had prepared food early. Who knew she still wouldn't be back by eight? She considered calling but felt it might be making a mountain out of a molehill. Maybe Qin Zhenzhen had already forgotten about the celebratory dinner tonight.
So she had just sat on the sofa, reading the same page of her book for two hours.
Qin Zhenzhen stole a glance at Lu Ruyun out of the corner of her eye. Seeing her sitting calmly on the sofa, head bowed in concentration over her book, one hand holding the book and the other resting on the arm of the sofa, her posture less formal than usual and quite casual, Qin Zhenzhen walked over with a smile. "Teacher Lu, have you eaten?"
When she smiled, her voice carried a hint of sweetness, different from her usual public persona. The last time Lu Ruyun saw her like this was when she was acting coquettishly with her mother. She opened her mouth. "Not yet."
Qin Zhenzhen sat beside her. "Perfect, then. Let's go out to eat."
Lu Ruyun glanced towards the kitchen where the food was still being kept warm and pressed her lips together. "It's late. Let's just eat something simple at home."
Half an hour later, Qin Zhenzhen stared at a feast fit for an emperor and swallowed hard.
Let's just eat something simple at home.
This was really—too simple.
Sitting at the dining table, Qin Zhenzhen looked up. "You made all of this?"
Lu Ruyun didn't answer, just handed her a pair of chopsticks. Having spent so much time with her, Qin Zhenzhen had a rough grasp of her personality. Her silence now was tacit confirmation. Qin Zhenzhen looked at Lu Ruyun with admiring eyes. "Teacher Lu, you're really amazing!"
The light reflected in her eyes, as if countless stars were shining with brilliant light. Meeting her gaze, Lu Ruyun felt a slight tremor in her heart.
Her gaze lingered on Qin Zhenzhen. Qin Zhenzhen was actually very thin. During their scenes together, it wasn't as noticeable, but she had leaned out even more since filming Mountain Girl. She'd heard Qin Zhenzhen had lost over ten pounds in a week when auditioning. The role required it, so she had to maintain this slightly underweight look.
After a few bites, Qin Zhenzhen noticed Lu Ruyun hadn't moved. Tilting her head, she asked, "What's wrong?"
Lu Ruyun, somewhat unnaturally, placed food in her bowl. "Nothing. Let's eat."
After dinner, Qin Zhenzhen helped Lu Ruyun clean up the dishes. They sat on the sofa, the TV playing ads, filling the entire apartment with sound. Qin Zhenzhen lounged contentedly, half-sprawled on the sofa. Seeing Lu Ruyun was done, she asked, "When is the second round of auditions?"
Lu Ruyun sat beside her, placing a plate of cut fruit on the coffee table before answering. "In a week."
Qin Zhenzhen calculated the time. In a week, she wouldn't be in City A. It seemed celebrating early today was a very wise decision. Using a fork to pick up a piece of apple, she extended her hand towards Lu Ruyun. "Fighting! I look forward to hearing the news of your successful audition!"
Lu Ruyun glanced at her, then at her outstretched hand. She reached out, grasped Qin Zhenzhen's hand, and bent her head to eat the offered fruit. Qin Zhenzhen froze for a few seconds, blinking as her eyes met Lu Ruyun's gaze.
She had thought Lu Ruyun would take the fork.
This wasn't following the script.
Qin Zhenzhen's heart thumped wildly. Her wrist still seemed to carry the lingering warmth from Lu Ruyun's fingertips. The room's temperature seemed to spike suddenly. Qin Zhenzhen felt her cheeks grow slightly warm, a stifling heat settling in.
The atmosphere was ambiguous, rippling with unspoken tension. Neither spoke, only the TV host telling a joke broke the silence.
Just as Qin Zhenzhen was about to burst and say something, Lu Ruyun's phone rang. Like a punctured balloon, Qin Zhenzhen deflated instantly. She watched Lu Ruyun pick up the phone and walk towards the window. Hurriedly, she picked up a piece of apple from the plate and ate it. The cool sensation spreading from her taste buds slightly soothed her restless heart.
She waited and waited, but Lu Ruyun didn't return. The restless heat Qin Zhenzhen had felt gradually subsided. Her phone on the coffee table lit up. She picked it up and saw a reminder from Ji Lu not to forget to pack and to meet Jian Mu and the others at the airport at seven tomorrow morning.
Qin Zhenzhen replied that she knew, glanced towards Lu Ruyun's direction, then turned and entered her room. She quickly packed a few clothes and daily necessities. As she often went on location shoots or promotional tours, she kept some things ready. Qin Zhenzhen opened her suitcase, picked and chose, finally selecting a few down jackets. She heard City M was even colder than City A, so she packed mostly warm clothing.
After packing, she was sweating. Picking up her pajamas, she walked out. Lu Ruyun wasn't by the window anymore. She didn't know if the call had ended. Shrugging, she walked into the bathroom.
After going downstairs, Lu Ruyun sat on the sofa, paper and pen in hand. "Go ahead, I'll write it down."
"Mm. Got it. Okay. Besides that, send all the information to my email."
After finishing the business discussion, He Shuangshuang, unusually, asked a gossipy question. "Is Qin Zhenzhen home?"
Lu Ruyun glanced towards the study, her heart instantly softening, her voice carrying a hint of a smile. "Mm, she just finished dinner."
Hearing her voice soften, He Shuangshuang couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
A friend was indeed different from a wife.
She had been so formal and serious just now, but the mere mention of Qin Zhenzhen's name made her voice practically ripple with spring warmth. Unable to take it, she said, "I'm hanging up."
"Oh, right. Yaoyao asked me before what's going on between you and Qin Zhenzhen now. What should I say?"
Lu Ruyun leaned back on the sofa, listening to the sound of running water. She said lightly, "Tell the truth."
He Shuangshuang: ...
After hanging up, Lu Ruyun looked over the notes she had written again, then lowered her gaze. When Qin Zhenzhen came out of the bathroom, she saw Lu Ruyun holding the paper, looking at it intently. The living room was silent; Lu Ruyun must have turned off the TV.
She walked over and peeked over Lu Ruyun's shoulder. "What are you looking at?"
Hearing a voice beside her, Lu Ruyun instinctively turned her head. Her lips brushed past Qin Zhenzhen's cheek—a touch carrying a hint of dampness and a rich, fragrant scent, a soft fragrance that seemed to seep into the bones. The fingers holding the paper tightened slightly. Qin Zhenzhen seemed not to notice Lu Ruyun's reaction, her attention focused on the words written on the paper. "Isn't this..."
Listed on the paper were many advertisement names and program titles, along with numerous familiar terms. Qin Zhenzhen looked at her, puzzled. "Why are you writing these?"
Lu Ruyun averted her gaze, struggling to remain composed, though her voice was a bit low. "It's nothing. Shuangshuang sent it, wants me to see if any are suitable for shooting ads."
"Shooting ads?" Qin Zhenzhen's voice rose slightly, looking at Lu Ruyun incredulously. "You're really considering shooting ads?"
This was so unlike Lu Ruyun's usual style!
First, accepting the audition for Drunken Dreams of Jianghu was shocking enough. Now she actually wanted to boost her visibility by shooting ads? Had her plan worked? Was Lu Ruyun no longer planning to hide in her shell?
This thought flashed through her mind, making her eyes sparkle with happiness. Lu Ruyun, meeting her gaze, couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile. "Are you that happy?"
"Of course!" Because Lu Ruyun's "training" plan was the complete opposite of her own—Lu Ruyun needed to go out often, while she had to stay home—Qin Zhenzhen had felt she didn't have many opportunities to contribute. She originally thought she'd take Lu Ruyun out after Mountain Girl finished filming. She never expected Lu Ruyun would come to a realization and step out on her own.
Qin Zhenzhen's happy eyes curved into crescents. She pointed at the paper. "Don't take this one. This brand's recognition isn't good. And this one..."
When it came to shooting ads, she was much more experienced than Lu Ruyun. She knew the market conditions well. Now, with her index finger pointing at the paper, she had an air of someone strategizing a grand plan. Lu Ruyun looked sideways at her serious profile and shining, bright eyes, a subtle shadow deepening in her own gaze, her eyes turning deep and dark.
Qin Zhenzhen, absorbed in her task, pointed out various ads and programs on the paper and couldn't help adding, "How about I ask Sister Meng to choose for you? Sister Meng is more sensitive to variety shows and such."
"Or have He Shuangshuang contact Sister Meng."
Immersed in her own world, she didn't notice the change in Lu Ruyun's expression. Leaning forward, her upper body pressed against the back of the sofa. A drop of water from her damp hair fell onto Lu Ruyun's neck. It should have been cold, but the droplet felt like burning oil on Lu Ruyun's skin, instantly setting her entire body aflame.
Lu Ruyun hurriedly lowered her head, her eyelashes falling, her long hair covering her profile. When Qin Zhenzhen turned her head, she saw Lu Ruyun's black hair and the crown of her head. "What do you say?"
"Should we contact Sister Meng..."
Lu Ruyun spoke. "No need."
Her voice was slightly low, carrying a tone not usually present, as if suppressing something. Qin Zhenzhen nodded. "Okay."
After saying that, she removed the dry towel, letting her damp hair fall loosely behind her. She casually dried it with the towel. Lu Ruyun looked up and saw a slender figure reflected in the dark TV screen. Her gaze traveled from top to bottom, watching until the tips of her ears quietly flushed red.
After drying her hair for a while, Qin Zhenzhen went back to the study to get the script. She handed it to Lu Ruyun. "Do we still need to rehearse tonight?"
Lu Ruyun snapped out of her daze, quickly lowering her head with a light cough. She took the script from Qin Zhenzhen, her expression calm. "Of course we need to rehearse."
After handing over the script, Qin Zhenzhen gave her hair a couple more wipes with the towel. Seeing Lu Ruyun looking down intently at the script, she frowned. "Can you understand it like that?"
Lu Ruyun looked up at her and said lightly, "I can understand."
Qin Zhenzhen's mouth twitched. "But... your script is upside down."
Lu Ruyun: ...
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