Chapter 9 She's really not just a little crazy. :"Waiting to be the first to say good evening to Teacher Qin."

"Aren't you ashamed?" she muttered under her breath, "acting horny in broad daylight."

"What's there to be shy about with Teacher Qin?" Jiang Yan smiled shyly, then sat down next to her generously, pulling her assistant over as well: "Or has Teacher Qin never seen a cheongsam with such a low slit?"

"Stop acting up." Qin Lan scolded her, "Did I tell you to sit here?" Then she called out to Xiao Qing, "Xiao Qing, Xiao Qing! Take this person away!"

Seeing Xiaoqing dawdling and hesitating, Qin Lan simply reached out and pulled her along. Jiang Yan staggered to her feet, her lips barely moving as she said, "Teacher Qin, why won't you even let me sit down..."

Qin Lan exploded instantly: "Doing, doing, doing! All you think about is doing! Get out of here! Don't stay here!"

Jiang Yan was taken aback, then took her hand intimately, her voice earnest and her breath sweet as orchids: "Teacher Qin has misunderstood. I just wanted to sit next to you for a while."

Qin Lan was disgusted by this person's ability to change his expression and shuddered, pulling her hand away: "Can't you even sit for a moment? Get out of here!"

Jiang Yan wasn't annoyed; her bare knee brushed against Qin Lan's leg, seemingly unintentionally. Qin Lan instantly recoiled, her face flushing crimson: "You—you—get lost!!"

"I'm so sorry, I upset Teacher Qin..." Jiang Yan suppressed a laugh, looking pitiful, but the cunning in her eyes was only left for Qin Lan to discern: "I'll leave now."

Qin Lan hugged her arms and trembled uncontrollably: "Aaaaah! How can there be such a shameless person?!"

The extras were whispering among themselves: "Teacher Qin really does have a bad temper; she won't even let us sit down for a moment."

"Who says otherwise? Teacher Jiang is even better. She's so gentle and kind. Yesterday, she even gave me some candy because I had low blood sugar."

Qin's fans were unhappy: "Since filming started, the entire crew's afternoon tea has been provided by our Sister Qin!"

"That's because Yanyan isn't that rich. Yanyan is just an ordinary person, and she's not well-off either, but she still donates to impoverished areas regularly."

"Our Sister Qin donated even more, unlike some people who have been in the industry for several years and have filmed so many dramas, yet still have the nerve to say they have no money."

Compared to the fierce infighting among the solo fans, the conversation between the three mysterious fans in the corner was much stranger.

Palace Maid #1: "Teacher Jiang said she wants to have sex with Teacher Qin."

Palace Maid #2: "Teacher Qin reacted strongly, saying that Teacher Jiang's mind was full of nothing but sex."

Palace Maid No. 3: "Teacher Jiang said that Teacher Qin misunderstood; she just wanted to sit next to Teacher Qin for a while."

Palace Maid No. 1: "On the other hand, Teacher Qin said I couldn't even sit down for a moment."

The second palace maid said in a deep voice, "It's obvious who's only thinking about doing things..."

"Are you done yet?" Yu Jintang asked after finishing with the assistant director, then proceeded to talk about the next scene. The dance teacher and etiquette teacher stood by, as Jiang Yan had a dance scene to perform, which required her to convey a sense of both strength and grace. The choreographer had ingeniously added two sword moves, and Jiang Yan practiced them in the distance, holding a prop sword and mimicking the movements of the teachers.

"Later, Teacher Song and Teacher Feng will laugh together. Teacher Song will recite her lines, and Teacher Feng can glance at Teacher Song."

Yu Jintang gestured with the script, and Song, the actor who played Li Zhi and had been playing minor roles for ten years, nodded and gave Feng Manhong a knowing smile. Yu Jintang nodded repeatedly: "Yes, that's it. Both of you acted very well."

Feng Manhong smiled and said, "I have acted with Teacher Song before. Teacher Song is very experienced, so there is no need to worry when acting with him. I just did not expect that acting with other actors would go so smoothly. Xiao Jiang and Xiao Qin's acting skills are very mature. They are promising young talents."

Yu Jintang's official response: "Speaking of which, both Teacher Qin and Teacher Jiang are from Beijing Communication University. They were already famous when the new four little actresses were selected four years ago. Both teachers have both good looks and acting skills. Beijing Communication University hopes that they can go back and share their experience every year."

Qin Lan wanted to roll her eyes.

"I heard that Director Yu is also from the Beijing Broadcasting Institute?" asked Song, a former extra who had been playing minor roles for ten years.

“Yes, I was in the same year as both of your teachers.” Yu Jintang smiled.

Feng Manhong smiled and said, "Then you should all be my junior classmates."

"Little Qin and Little Jiang are actually classmates!" said Song, a former extra who had been playing minor roles for ten years, in surprise. He didn't follow the internet much and only knew that Qin Lan and Jiang Yan had a bad relationship; he never expected that they were actually classmates.

“Yes, Xiao Jiang often mentions Xiao Qin to me.” For some reason, Feng Manhong had a maternal smile on her face.

Qin Lan blinked, her face showing no concern, but in reality, she hadn't missed a single word.

Just kidding, what else could Marguerite Gautier possibly pour out of her mouth besides Longjing tea?

The actor surnamed Song, who had been playing minor roles for ten years, was surprised and looked at him strangely: "Does Xiao Jiang often mention Xiao Qin to you?"

Yu Jintang also calmly pricked up her ears.

“Yes.” Feng Manhong adjusted her headdress and pondered, “Xiao Jiang is a good girl. She recommended Xiao Qin to me, saying that Xiao Qin’s acting skills are much better than hers, and hoped that I could take care of her when we work together in the future. Now it seems that’s not necessary at all. Teacher Xiao Qin’s acting skills are very mature, and she is already one of the best at her age. Except for some issues with the love scenes…”

Qin Lan's heart skipped a beat, and her expression changed in an instant.

The actor surnamed Song, who had been playing minor roles for ten years, seemed thoughtful: "Now it seems that Teacher Jiang and Teacher Qin are both good people. That's why I don't like reading on the internet; it's a mess and they make up all sorts of things..."

“I don’t like browsing the internet either,” Feng Manhong laughed. “You have to actually understand it to know what’s going on.”

Jiang Yan was ready at this moment, and the choreographer and others left the center of the venue. Yu Jintang sat back down. "Alright, now the actors and equipment should return to their positions. Please be quiet."

With mixed feelings, Qin Lan walked to Feng Manhong's side and couldn't help but glance down again. Jiang Yan was already dressed, her robe completely covering her bare legs that had just brushed against Qin Lan's. At this moment, she was still Jiang Yan, but the moment the filming began, her smile changed, and she was now Princess Taiping of the Tang Dynasty.

Princess Taiping was still smiling, but when she spoke, her voice was sweet and charming: "Your subject wants to dance for Father and Mother to entertain them."

After saying this, the princess began to dance, her expression lively, full of energy, and vigorous.

The Emperor and Empress laughed loudly: "If my son is not a military officer, then what is the meaning of this?"

Taiping said, "Although I am not a military officer, if Father and Mother could bestow upon me a consort, this robe would be of use."

Li Zhi was taken aback, then burst into laughter. Empress Wu also laughed, saying with satisfaction, "My son has grown up and is ready to choose a husband."

Taiping responded with a smile, her gaze fixed on Shangguan Wan'er, whose head was still bowed. She only trembled slightly when Shangguan Wan'er uttered the words "imperial son-in-law."

Her smile was bright, but her heart ached. Her departing figure was both elegant and forlorn. Shangguan didn't love her, but they had once been close friends. She knew Shangguan's thoughts, and Shangguan understood hers. She was a princess, and most people feared her, while Shangguan had been a slave, enduring countless cold stares and ridicule.

They had no friends.

Two independent individuals gradually came together in the deep palace. During their lonely youth, they once truly regarded each other as their best friends.

Her choice meant that she would become estranged from Shangguan Wan'er from then on.

＊

They did reshoots on set that night, but Qin Lan didn't have any scenes. However, Bai Ai took her to an interview, so by the time Qin Lan returned to the hotel, the filming had already wrapped up, and the crew's cars were parked outside.

She dismissed Bai Ai and stepped into the main hall.

A beautiful woman was sitting on the sofa with her back to them. Qin Lan glanced at her twice and casually said to Xiao Qing, "Look over there, she's a beautiful woman from behind."

Xiaoqing nodded: "Sister Qin's taste is definitely top-notch, but it would be great to see her face clearly, hehe."

"His back view is quite elegant, but why does it feel a little familiar..." Qin Lan wondered.

Xiaoqing said eagerly, "Sister Qin, your opening is too old-fashioned. I just went up and said 'Hello, beautiful lady...'"

The beautiful woman stood up and turned her head. It was Jiang Yan: "Good evening, Teacher Qin."

Qin Lan was stunned on the spot.

Hello Xiaoqing quietly hid behind her.

"No, it's not you, sister." She was speechless for a long time: "What are you doing sitting in the hotel lobby so late at night?"

Jiang Yan smiled and said, "I'll be the first to say good evening to Teacher Qin."

Qin Lan: "Are you out of your mind?!"

Jiang Yan held up the script: "Okay, actually there's a scene I don't quite understand, and I wanted to ask Teacher Qin about it."

Qin Lan: "Don't you have a relationship with Actress Feng? Go ask her."

Jiang Yan paused subtly for a moment: "It's a scene with Teacher Qin, so it's not appropriate to ask about Actress Feng, is it?"

"I think you acted quite clearly." Qin Lan walked towards the elevator: "Yu Jintang is definitely not asleep. Go ask her."

Jiang Yan: "Is Teacher Qin sure you want me to do this?"

Qin Lan knew the plot of tomorrow's filming by heart and didn't see anything wrong with it: "Go ahead."

Jiang Yan was a little disappointed, but then her enthusiasm returned in an instant: "Alright then, I'll go ask Director Yu about the bed scene between me and Teacher Qin..."

Qin Lan turned around abruptly and covered her mouth.

Xiaoqing coughed loudly because she was choked by the air.

Jiang Yan narrowed her eyes into crescent moons, and gently pecked her palm with her lips.

Qin Lan's eyes widened, and she abruptly withdrew her hand, accidentally slapping Xiao Qing across the face.

"Are you crazy?!" she exclaimed in a low voice, but her tone was uncontrollably high.

"Ugh—" Xiaoqing cried out in pain, her eyes brimming with tears.

Qin Lan glanced at her, feeling annoyed, and casually said, "Go back and apply ice. Go to Bai Ai's place tomorrow to collect your workers' compensation."

Xiaoqing stopped crying, Xiaoqing was overjoyed, and Xiaoqing walked away with a happy smile.

The elevator doors opened, the crowd receded from them, and Jiang Yan stepped inside, her hand on the open button.

Qin Lan ignored her and waited outside with his arms crossed.

"It's late, isn't Teacher Qin going up?" Jiang Yan asked her.

"None of your business," Qin Lan said arrogantly. "Are you the Pacific Ocean police?"

Jiang Yan pondered, "Could it be that Teacher Qin is afraid to come in?"

Qin Lan sneered as she strode into the elevator: "What's there to be afraid of? Don't really think you're someone important."

Jiang Yan smiled and moved closer to her. Qin Lan immediately took a step back, looking at her warily: "What are you doing?"

Jiang Yan said seriously, "If Teacher Qin is so averse to contacting me off-screen, how can I get into character on set?"

"It's none of your business." Qin Lan was displeased because her heart trembled slightly when she got a little close.

The elevator reached the fourth floor, and Qin Lan pointed outside: "You've arrived."

Jiang Yan exclaimed in surprise, "But I haven't even rehearsed with Teacher Qin yet!"

"No need to rehearse." Qin Lan raised her chin, trying to sound confident: "I never need to rehearse when I'm acting."

"Alright then." Jiang Yan was composed in both advance and retreat, and slowly walked out: "Good night, Teacher Qin."

Qin Lan stormed upstairs, angrily kicking off her high heels: "That damn Jiang Yan! All she ever thinks about is taking advantage of me!"

She had memorized the script perfectly and knew that her bed scene with Jiang Yan wouldn't start filming until the day after tomorrow at the earliest. Jiang Yan's dirty tricks regarding the scene were one thing, but her unwillingness to wait even a day longer revealed her ruthless nature.

Qin Lan finally understood what Jiang Yan's actions, which she had previously thought were meant to annoy her, were all about.

She stormed into the bathroom and turned on the water to take a shower.

As she washed, she began to worry again. Actually, Jiang Yan's suggestion had tempted her for a moment. She knew that she had a particularly strong reaction to physical contact with Jiang Yan. Although she was very reluctant to admit it, she was indeed anxious about the intimate scene that was about to take place.

She was so worried that she couldn't take a shower. After quickly finishing, she put on a bathrobe, went to the coffee table, picked up the script, and began to prepare diligently.

＊

Princess Taiping's girlhood came to an end with her marriage to Xue Shao.

Xue Shao was Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi's nephew and the second son of Princess Chengyang. He was the perfect choice to marry Princess Taiping.

The wedding was grand and lavish. The entire city of Chang'an was brightly lit, as bright as day. The wedding cars passed through Zhuque Avenue, and the procession snaked like a fiery dragon. The towering torches even scorched the leaves of the trees along the way.

Shangguan Wan'er had to deliver an imperial edict to Empress Wu, so she had to come to the wedding and witness the entire process of Princess Taiping's marriage.

Qin Lan was physically present, but her mind was elsewhere. Even Jiang Yan, dressed in her wedding gown, couldn't attract her attention at all—she stared into the void, single-mindedly pondering how to complete tomorrow's bed scene.

Qin Lan was competitive and never considered running away or using her connections to pressure Yu Jintang into revising the script. But she was also worried. She already lacked confidence in front of Jiang Yan; what if Jiang Yan got too close and she overreacted, constantly breaking character?

Xiaoqing, holding a fan, was chatting with several extras. The set was chaotic; Yu Jintang's voice was hoarse from shouting, and various actors, carrying floor-length robes, were walking around. This scene was one of the grandest in the entire series, focusing heavily on set design and costing a lot of money. Yu Jintang had been running around all day, finally getting all the necessary shots filmed. Qin Lan had few scenes and almost no lines, so no one noticed her lapse in concentration.

Jiang Yan was kept behind for reshoots that evening, and Qin Lan felt like she'd been granted a pardon. She returned to the hotel early to shower. She was extremely frustrated, and after staring at the script for a while, she became even more agitated. So she simply changed her clothes and went out again.

"Are you still in Los Angeles?" she called Yang Xingji. "Out having some fun."

"Wild? Sister Qin is at a bar again?" The electronic music on Yang Xingji's end was deafening, making her phone vibrate.

"Why go to a bar? I've said I'll never go to a bar again in my life," Qin Lan said fiercely. "I want to go somewhere quiet."

"What do you mean? I heard you right? Go to An'an's place? You want to go to the library?"

"Find me a quiet place to talk!" Qin Lan roared, unable to contain herself any longer.

"Wait for ** to call back!" Yang Xingji hung up the phone.

Qin Lan was even more frustrated after making a phone call, so she went downstairs for a stroll. After a while, she realized that if she continued strolling like this, she might run into Jiang Yan who was finishing work, so she quickly left the hotel and moved towards the air-conditioned areas around her.

A moment later, Yang Xingji sent a message: "[Send me an address]"

Qin Lan sent her her location, and twenty minutes later Yang Xingji appeared at the convenience store entrance, wearing a shiny pink leather jacket, her stage makeup still on under her hat and mask, looking rather furtive.

"Hey Sister Qin, you're in the same production crew as Actress Feng, why don't you give me any perks?" Yang Xingji whispered to her, "Aren't you a sister? That's so unfair."

Seeing that she was in a better mood, Qin Lan laughed and said, "I don't even get any benefits, and you still want more? Dream on."

Yang Xingji and she walked out arm in arm. The heat wave hit them, and she couldn't stand it. She pulled Qin Lan into a low-key car parked by the roadside.

"I don't care, I'm moving to another location the day after tomorrow. I have to practice tomorrow, so you have to take me to your film set tonight."

"Going to the film set?" Qin Lan instinctively wanted to refuse: "Stop bothering me, I just got back from there."

"Please, Sister Qin, please, please." Yang Xingji pleaded pitifully, "She's my only idol. I'd be happy if you could just let me see her from afar. I know you don't want to see Jiang Yan, but I won't make things too difficult for you. Just take me inside for a look, and then we'll leave."

Yang Xingji and Qin Lan's mother are close friends despite their age difference. They became inseparable after discovering they were both fans of celebrities. Although Qin Lan also liked Feng Manhong, her mother complained that Feng Manhong always had a grumpy face when she wasn't smiling, unlike Yang Xingji, who always wore pigtails and was full of youthful energy, and was very down-to-earth when it came to following celebrities.

From the day Yang Xingji fell for Feng Manhong, she maintained daily contact with her confidante, Qin Lan's mother, demonstrating the extent of her fervor. Qin Lan knew her wish and thought that compared to Yang Xingji's lifelong desire, she wasn't going to make things difficult for her; satisfying this pitiful pink-haired girl lying on her lap was more important.

"Get up right now," Qin Lan complained. "If your fans knew that their top idol was this pathetic, they would definitely unfollow him on the spot."

"Sigh, I'll just be myself, who cares what they think or do?" Yang Xingji immediately raised her head, wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes with her fingertips, put down the mirror to check her eye makeup: "Uncle Wang, tell Sister Qin to go."

Driver Lao Wang turned around as instructed.

Qin Lan gave directions with no other choice.

Yang Xingji took off her hat and mask, pulled a small box from the car, and began removing her makeup. She had just finished performing that evening and was worried that overly heavy girl group makeup might leave a bad impression on Feng Manhong. Qin Lan helped her recreate Yu Jintang's features and overall look, but halfway through, she remembered something: "It seems Actress Feng quite likes Jiang Yan. How about I make you look a bit more seductive?"

Yang Xingji was so frightened that he waved his hands repeatedly: "Does the goddess like things so... so heavy and colorful? No way, I can't handle that style."

Qin Lan held the eyebrow pencil, looked her up and down at her energetic face, and suddenly smiled: "At least you have some self-awareness."

Yang Xingji: "?"

The two sneaked into the film set.

A key prop in one of the sets collapsed, and filming hasn't finished yet. Feng Manhong had probably just finished filming and was walking towards the dressing room.

Qin Lan opened her eyelashes and looked towards the center of the crowd. Jiang Yan was still there, still wearing her bright green wedding robe.

Qin Lan felt relieved. It was completely dark outside. She half-covered the light of her phone flashlight with her hand and led Yang Xingji into the lounge, stumbling along the dark path.

The room was noisy. The various actors who had finished the previous performance were outside removing their makeup and changing clothes. Feng Manhong had a private room, and the door was half-closed at the moment.

Qin Lan was about to go in and knock on the door, but Yang Xingji was so excited that she kept pulling her along and asking, "Wouldn't it be a bit inappropriate to go in like this? Actress Feng must be removing her makeup! I just saw that she was wearing very thick clothes. It's so hot. Let's wait until she changes before we go in."

Qin Lan also had this idea, but she was afraid that Jiang Yan would come later. Just as she was hesitating, someone suddenly patted her right shoulder.

She turned her head, but there was no one to her right. Qin Lan was taken aback for a moment, then realized the other person's trick and looked impatiently to her left: "Who is it? How boring... Ugh!!"

Jiang Yan stood beside her with a smile, her hands clasped together, looking full of anticipation.

"It's you?" She was startled, her face turning pale. "Weren't you filming reshoots?"