Married in a Daze - Chapter 169
Chapter 169
The Best Actress award at the Shengshi International Film Festival was currently the most brilliant report card Qin Zhenzhen had submitted in her career. Standing on the award podium, facing numerous seniors and countless camera flashes, she raised her lips in a light smile and said slowly, "...The person I am most grateful for is my beloved."
The audience below immediately erupted in enthusiastic applause, and bullet comments flooded the screen, followed by a barrage of praise.
Lu Ruyun watched Qin Zhenzhen's radiant smile under the camera and couldn't help but chuckle softly herself.
After winning the award, Qin Zhenzhen went through three consecutive interviews before returning to the country. Naturally, her life underwent a dramatic upheaval. With the title of Shengshi Film Festival Best Actress and Shengshi Film Queen now attached to her name, she could no longer be defined merely as a rising star or a top-tier starlet. It could be said that she had already earned the qualifications to stand on equal footing with Tang Ya.
Even to surpass her.
Because her role in Mountain Girl had completely replaced the classic films he had previously made with Tang Ya in the hearts of Director Yu Changlin's fans.
When repeatedly asked about this issue, Qin Zhenzhen would purse her lips and smile, maintaining a humble attitude. She neither disparaged Tang Ya nor elevated herself. In front of everyone, she still respectfully addressed Tang Ya as her senior.
This senior had also sent her congratulations on her award, adopting a posture of amity.
After seeing the Weibo post Tang Ya had made, Qin Zhenzhen tossed her phone into her bag, looked up, and rubbed her temples. "Wake me when we get there."
Seeing her utterly exhausted look, Ji Lu nodded. "Okay, get some sleep."
Qin Zhenzhen drifted into a dreamland almost as soon as she finished speaking.
Ji Lu turned her head to look out the window. A few days ago, when they had gone to Country G, her mood had been tense. She hadn't expected to be even more nervous upon returning home. Even though Zhenzhen was now adorned with honors, her heart was still pounding wildly, as if the moment the award was announced was still vividly replaying before her eyes.
So thrilling and stirring.
When they arrived at the apartment, Ji Lu saw Lu Ruyun standing near the entrance, strolling about. She didn't wake Qin Zhenzhen. Instead, she called out to Teacher Lu first. Lu Ruyun glanced over, saw Ji Lu open the car door, and Qin Zhenzhen leaning her head to one side, lightly asleep.
She strode over quickly in a few steps and got into the car.
Ji Lu glanced at the car behind her. Her phone screen lit up as she wavered between calling a cab or calling He Shuangshuang. After thinking for a few seconds, she turned off her phone and casually hailed a cab on the roadside.
She didn't notice the person following behind her, whose gaze dimmed upon seeing her flag down a taxi before also turning around and returning to their own car.
He Shuangshuang had come to Lu Ruyun's apartment first thing in the morning. She knew Qin Zhenzhen was returning to the country today, and Ji Lu would definitely be back too. She had originally thought she might run into her at Lu Ruyun's place, but who knew that person would come and go in such a hurry? She didn't even have time to step forward and say hello.
Well, it wasn't that she didn't have time.
She was just... timid.
She let out a sigh, turned the car around, and drove off in the opposite direction from Ji Lu.
Inside the apartment, Lu Ruyun held Qin Zhenzhen as they slept on the sofa. After several days apart, she seemed to have lost a bit of weight compared to when she left. She must have been too exhausted; otherwise, she wouldn't have remained completely unaware even when Lu Ruyun carried her home.
Qin Zhenzhen slept until evening. When she woke up, the sky was fading into darkness outside. She opened her eyes first, then abruptly sat up. Only after seeing the familiar surroundings did she relax slightly and call out, "Ruyun?"
Lu Ruyun was cooking dinner. Hearing the sound, she turned her head to see Qin Zhenzhen rubbing her eyes and standing behind her.
"You're awake."
Qin Zhenzhen nodded, still a bit dazed upon waking. Lu Ruyun smiled at her expression, took two steps forward, and hugged her. Qin Zhenzhen also wrapped her arms around Lu Ruyun's waist in return, nuzzling against her. "You smell good."
Lu Ruyun was amused. She let go of her and tapped a finger on her forehead. "Go wash up."
Qin Zhenzhen pouted, then stubbornly kissed Lu Ruyun once before heading to the bathroom.
When she came out again, Lu Ruyun had already prepared dinner. As if to celebrate for her, the dinner was very lavish—seven or eight dishes, along with a pork rib soup. Qin Zhenzhen hadn't eaten a proper meal in days, and the aroma alone made her stomach rumble loudly.
Lu Ruyun served her a bowl of white rice. Qin Zhenzhen picked up a rib with her fingers, but before she could put it in her mouth, Lu Ruyun's chopsticks knocked it away. Qin Zhenzhen looked at her with a wronged expression, her bright eyes glistening.
A light cough came from the living room. Lu Ruyun lowered her head. "Has Sister Meng sent you your schedule yet?"
Qin Zhenzhen put away her coquettish demeanor and shook her head. "Not yet, she's making adjustments."
Because of the award win, many of her original engagements had to be changed, and her acting fees needed to be renegotiated. So, Meng Xin would be busy for a while. Lu Ruyun nodded and took a bite of rice. "Director Yu still wants to work with you again, right?"
Qin Zhenzhen hummed in affirmation. After she won the award, Yu Changlin had discussed collaborating again. But Qin Zhenzhen had only said she would think about it. It wasn't that she was putting on airs or didn't want to work with Director Yu. It was just that she had read the script for his next film and felt it wasn't very suitable for her.
Hearing this, Lu Ruyun asked, "What did Director Yu say?"
Qin Zhenzhen put down her chopsticks and rubbed her rounded belly. "Not much, just asked me to consider it."
Whether it worked out or not wouldn't affect her relationship with Director Yu. After all, Yu Changlin knew what kind of person she was.
Lu Ruyun also put down her bowl and wiped the corners of her mouth with a tissue. "How about this: later, I'll call Meng Xin and have her send over all the film audition notices. We can look at them together."
Qin Zhenzhen looked at Lu Ruyun, her eyes twinkling like little stars. "No problem, Teacher Lu. I'll listen to you."
After saying this, she blinked, looking at Lu Ruyun with a teasing gaze. The latter's expression remained normal, but her cheeks flushed slightly, and her brow carried a hint of delight.
After dinner, Lu Ruyun cleared the dishes. Qin Zhenzhen sat on the sofa watching a replay of last night's film festival awards ceremony. Seeing the moment she won the award, she couldn't help but smile at Lu Ruyun and say, "Teacher Lu, watching me confess to you on stage, were you very moved?"
Lu Ruyun wiped her damp hands with a cloth, walked over, didn't say a word, lowered her head, cupped Qin Zhenzhen's cheeks, brought her lips close, and expressed her feelings with action.
The two of them, holding each other, made their way into the bathroom. An hour later, they emerged wrapped in bath towels. Lu Ruyun asked her, "Do you have any engagements in the next few days?"
Kissed into a state of oxygen deprivation, Qin Zhenzhen replied hazily, "Don't know, depends on Sister Meng's arrangements."
Lu Ruyun leaned close to her ear and whispered, "Then push them all back."
Qin Zhenzhen's brain short-circuited; she didn't react immediately. "Push them back? Are you going to teach me how to act again?"
Lu Ruyun thought for a few seconds. "You could say that."
Qin Zhenzhen blinked, watching as Lu Ruyun's arms wrapped around her again. The two of them stumbled into the study. She hooked her leg and closed the door. The study was pitch black, with no moonlight able to penetrate. Faint, muffled sounds were swallowed by the darkness, not ceasing for a long time.
Three days later, Qin Zhenzhen finally understood why Lu Ruyun had asked her to push back her schedule.
Because they had been rehearsing for three whole days straight—bed scenes.
Every time she pushed Lu Ruyun away and said she couldn't take anymore, Lu Ruyun would make her touch the spot over her own heart and then tell the utterly confused Qin Zhenzhen that she was still feeling moved.
Moved, my foot.
By the end, Qin Zhenzhen was afraid to move at all.
Three days later, Meng Xin came to the apartment with the new schedule to see Qin Zhenzhen. Lu Ruyun had gone to the studio. When Qin Zhenzhen went to open the door, her legs were weak.
Meng Xin handed the new schedule to Qin Zhenzhen. "That's all for now. Take a look."
Looking at the jam-packed schedule, Qin Zhenzhen felt a bit of a headache. She pointed at the film audition notices. "Sister Meng, could you separate all of these out? Ruyun and I will take another look."
"As for all the advertising requests, just turn them down."
Meng Xin nodded. "Okay."
After saying that, she took out an invitation. "Oh, right. This is for the X Gold Qianhua Awards. They want to invite you to present an award."
Qin Zhenzhen stared at the invitation blankly for a few seconds. The X Gold Qianhua Awards—the most prestigious domestic award ceremony. She had once fantasized about what it would be like to stand on that stage one day to receive an award.
She never, ever imagined she would directly skip the receiving-an-award part and be the one handing out awards to others.
She placed the invitation to the side. "I understand. I'll discuss it with Ruyun later."
Meng Xin nodded. "OK."
"If there are no problems with the rest of the schedule, we'll arrange it like this."
Qin Zhenzhen parted her red lips. "That's fine for now."
Meng Xin agreed and then prepared to get up and leave. Qin Zhenzhen tried to get her to stay for dinner, but Meng Xin waved her hands repeatedly. "No, no. You should enjoy your time alone with Ruyun."
Qin Zhenzhen watched her practically fly out the door in her high heels. She gave a light snort, then turned and called Lu Ruyun.
Lu Ruyun had just finished a meeting with a few artists and was summarizing things with He Shuangshuang. Upon receiving her call, her lips curved upward. "Awake?"
Qin Zhenzhen sat on the sofa and shifted her posture. "When are you coming back?"
Her voice carried a soft, delicate quality, so sweet it made one's heart tremble slightly. Lu Ruyun looked at the few forms in front of her, leaned back in her chair, and said, "I'll be right back."
He Shuangshuang, who was holding some forms, looked at Lu Ruyun in disbelief, then at the yet-to-be-finalized plans. "You're going back now?"
Lu Ruyun, having hung up the phone, raised her eyes to look at her. "Is there a problem?"
He Shuangshuang twitched the corner of her mouth, teasing, "No problem. As long as you're happy."
Lu Ruyun smiled. "I am quite happy."
After saying that, she said to He Shuangshuang, "Shuangshuang."
"As long as you take one step forward, you'll be this happy too."
He Shuangshuang: ...
Why do married people all seem to develop a potential for matchmaking?
But what she said wasn't necessarily wrong.
Take a step forward.
Who knows if happiness lies ahead.
After Lu Ruyun left, He Shuangshuang sat on the sofa in a daze. Mei Ling came in to ask if she should order dinner for her. He Shuangshuang waved her hand, indicating it wasn't necessary. Seeing her staring out the window, Mei Ling asked curiously, "Sister Shuangshuang, what are you thinking about?"
He Shuangshuang glanced at her. "Thinking about wanting to be alone."
Her voice wasn't as lively as usual; it held a somewhat low note.
Mei Ling blinked, very sensibly nodded, and walked out. Not even half an hour later, the office door opened. Meng Xin was eating dinner and waved at her upon seeing her. "Shuangshuang, come eat."
He Shuangshuang waved her hand. "Not eating. I'm going out for a bit."
Meng Xin, already carrying her boxed meal, walked over to her and glanced at her wristwatch. "Going out now? Something up?"
He Shuangshuang nodded. "Something's up."
"I'm going to find Jingjing." [Note: 'Jingjing' sounds like 'to be quiet/alone' in Chinese, a pun on her earlier statement.]
Meng Xin blinked in confusion: ???
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