Chapter 79. Irrational behavior.

Upon hearing Shen Wuyang's words, the studio staff all looked at Chu Ruofu with envious eyes.

"The work was inspired by Teacher Chu, and the female protagonist is none other than her."

"Teacher Chu seems kind and reserved. She is nothing like the female lead in the original novel. If she can play this role well, she will definitely shock many people."

Shen Wuyang is a world-renowned suspense writer whose inspiration comes from Chu Ruofu, which will surely be reported by major news outlets.

If "The Villainess" becomes a global hit and Truth or Ruofu wins the award, her future glory will be unmatched.

Chu Ruofu's eyes revealed surprise. After returning, she read the entire novel "The Villainess". The female protagonist in the original work was obviously a polar opposite to her. The female protagonist in the original work was like the protagonist that everyone was familiar with: poor family background, a mother who was addicted to gambling, a father who was drunk, and a naughty younger brother.

This kind of setting is very common in novels. Usually, a female protagonist with such a family background will meet a destined person to save her, but the female protagonist did not meet such a person.

She possessed extraordinary beauty, but in impoverished circumstances, this beauty undoubtedly became a death sentence.

The female protagonist in the original novel had extraordinary ideas from a young age. She wanted to escape her miserable family, achieve upward social mobility, and live a good life, even if it meant using everyone.

She succeeded; her heart was as cold and hard as a rock. Even though she received a lot of love, she never changed her mind. She was extremely cruel to anyone other than herself, and even if the other person gave everything for her, she could not get a single bit of genuine affection in return.

Many readers who have read the original novel have criticized the female lead as indeed being a wicked woman, confirming the character setting in the original novel's title.

Chu Ruofu felt the same way after reading it the first time, but after reading it again, she felt that the original female protagonist was not simply evil; her evil stemmed from her family, society, and the evil of those around her.

In short, a fully fleshed-out character is not just one-dimensional. She has not yet fully understood the character, and when she learned that Shen Wuyang's inspiration for his creation came from her, she felt somewhat complicated.

He revered her as his muse and wrote a villainous character for her, which did not make her feel vilified; on the contrary, it sparked much reflection.

Director Chen showed Chu Ruofu the costumes and appearance designed based on the original character, and asked for her and Shen Wuyang's opinions on whether there were any areas that needed improvement. If so, he suggested communicating with them promptly.

The official character photos signify the finalization of a person's image. They require taking many perfect shots so that when they are released to the audience, they can immediately attract the audience's attention and generate discussion.

The female protagonist in her teenage years was dressed like she was in a prestigious school, wearing a shirt and pleated skirt. She was youthful, pure, and innocent, a sweet and innocent school beauty.

The female protagonist in her adulthood creates a false identity for herself: she comes from a privileged family, is the only daughter of her parents, and is a naive yet dignified and elegant young lady.

During her teenage years, she entered an international elite school, where she obtained a considerable amount of money from young and naive male students, and then ruthlessly abandoned the young master she was in love with.

During college, she changed her city identity, dressed and used things that rivaled those of a wealthy heiress, made friends with even more noble people as her best friends, and through her best friends, met the chosen sons of aristocratic families.

Even with assets far exceeding those of ordinary people, she never forgot her goal of upward social mobility. Love was the most ephemeral thing, and even marriage was merely a means to achieve her objective.

Chu Ruofu used to play villains with one-dimensional personalities, only needing to be 'vicious' towards the female lead and trip her up. Now that she has been given the role of the female lead, which is completely different from her own personality, she is starting to feel some pressure.

The character design that Director Chen showed her was very much in line with the image of the female lead in the original work. She looked at Shen Wuyang.

“These designs are excellent.” Shen Wuyang looked at Chu Ruofu and said, “You would look beautiful in them.”

Chu Ruofu felt a slight flutter in her heart upon hearing his praise.

Director Chen said, "The staff has already prepared the costumes. Ms. Chu, please go and try them on and get your hair and makeup done."

Chu Ruofu agreed and, guided by the staff, went to change clothes and get her hair styled. She first changed into a Girls' Generation shirt and pleated skirt; the high-quality fabric looked lustrous on her.

The stylist gave her a fresh, light makeup look and tied her hair up in a ponytail, making her look youthful and beautiful.

"So beautiful, you look like a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl," the makeup artist exclaimed.

Looking at her youthful reflection in the mirror, Chu Ruofu marveled at the magic of makeup, which could create different kinds of beauty.

After completing her first makeup and styling look, Chu Ruofu walked out wearing white socks and black leather shoes. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, with Director Chen and Shen Wuyang's gazes being the most intense.

Director Chen said, "You seem like the female lead has stepped out of the book."

When Shen Wuyang was writing, he had imagined what the female lead would look like in a high school uniform. He always felt that the image he imagined was missing something. When he saw Chu Ruofu slowly walking over, his heart was completely captivated and he stared at her without blinking.

Chu Ruofu smiled at them. Admiring glances always bring joy, and their affirming attitude boosted her confidence.

Director Chen originally wanted to explain the feeling of the female lead's character setting to Chu Ruofu so that she could better express it in the photographer's lens. However, he caught a glimpse of Shen Wuyang out of the corner of his eye. He only found out after returning from the dinner party that Shen Wuyang and Chu Ruofu were filming a dating reality show.

This writing genius is deeply in love with the goddess, but the goddess's heart belongs to someone else. The dating show is not over yet, so of course, pursuing someone requires a lot of competition to win her over. As a fan of Shen Wuyang, he will definitely help his idol.

"Master Shen, could you and Teacher Chu discuss the character's personality so the photographer can take the pictures later?"

Shen Wuyang walked up to Chu Ruofu and asked, "Have you read the original novel?"

Chu Ruofu looked at Shen Wuyang with complicated emotions. Just two days ago, the two of them had slept together in a hotel, and she had coldly told him to keep his distance from her in the future. Now they had met again in the photography studio.

She whispered, "I've watched it twice, but I still don't understand the female lead's personality well enough."

Shen Wuyang stared at her with his dark eyes and said, "You were born in winter. Your family didn't have enough charcoal to get through the winter. Your father once abandoned you, but your mother picked you up."

“You suffered neglect and violence from your parents since childhood, and you have a gentle and introverted personality, but you have a stubborn and proud spirit in your bones. Reading has broadened your horizons and you do not want to succumb to fate.”

"You learned to read people's expressions from a young age and were good at pretending to be innocent and kind. People would lose their guard against you because of your beauty."

"You often have a gentle smile on your lips, and your eyes look innocent and wet like a young deer, but in reality, your eyes are cold and devoid of any smile, filled with an ambition that is unwilling to accept your fate."

Chu Ruofu was gradually drawn into his emotions by his words.

Shen Wuyang led her to the photography area and said, "Go ahead and take pictures. You can do it."

If Chu Ruofu were in that situation, she would also have to pretend to be the prey to lower people's guard in order to escape hell, given her poor family background and outstanding beauty, surrounded by wolves, including her parents who harbored a subtle malice towards her.

The photographer was very satisfied with Chu Ruofu's expression and took hundreds of photos of her in the same pose, resulting in hundreds of photos of the same look.

After shooting a representative outfit from her teenage years, the assistant quickly went over to hand her water and offered her tissues to wipe her sweat.

A hand reached out from the side, holding a lightly scented tissue, and wiped the fine sweat from Chu Ruofu's forehead.

Chu Ruofu paused for a moment, and when others looked over, she quickly took the tissue from Shen Wuyang's hand: "Thank you, I can do it myself."

A hint of grievance flashed in Shen Wuyang's eyes as she whispered, "I just wanted to wipe your sweat."

The assistant stared at Chu Ruofu and Shen Wuyang with wide, curious eyes.

Chu Ruofu went to the dressing room to change her look. Next, she was going to shoot the costume fitting for the female lead's adult period. Since this movie is a suspense story centered around the female lead, she is the absolute protagonist and has a large part in the film, so there are many different looks.

After finishing her makeup, she changed into an expensive heiress-style outfit, carrying a luxury handbag, wearing pearl and diamond earrings, and a delicate diamond chain around her neck. She became noble and elegant, as unapproachable as a noble heiress.

She stayed in the studio all day, and the shoot didn't end until evening. Shen Wuyang didn't leave; he stayed in the studio watching her shoot and occasionally came over to talk to her.

Shen Wuyang was personally involved in this film project. He had to approve everything from the selection of characters to the costume design. Therefore, even though Chu Ruofu wanted to avoid suspicion with him, she had to have more contact with him due to work.

She wanted to be ruthless and adopt a businesslike attitude, but he was like a pitiful puppy, obedient and clingy without being annoying.

After the photoshoot, Chu Ruofu's schedule for the day was over. Shen Wuyang waited anxiously by her side, offering to treat her to dinner, but she declined, saying she wanted to go home and rest early.

Shen Wuyang had no choice but to give up and watch her leave.

After getting into the company's van, Chu Ruofu turned on her phone. She had been busy filming today and hadn't had time to check her phone; there were some messages she hadn't replied to.

She first replied to Xue Fangfei's message, telling her that the filming went smoothly that day.

Gu Junsheng sent her several messages, asking if she was done with her work and asking her to reply or call him when she was done.

With her assistant by her side, she felt embarrassed to have a long phone conversation with Gu Junsheng, so she replied with a message telling him that she was on her way back to her apartment.

"Sister Fu," the assistant finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Is that Mr. Shen pursuing you?"

Chu Ruofu looked up at her and immediately denied it: "No, he and I are just colleagues."

The assistant thought it didn't seem like it. Shen Wuyang stared intently at Chu Ruofu. Sometimes he was shy and timid, but no matter how Chu Ruofu treated him, he would always stick to her like a puppy.

And, no matter how many times his owner chased him away, he didn't seem to care; he only wanted to cuddle with his owner.

Back at the apartment.

Chu Ruofu dismissed her assistant, nestled on the sofa, and video-called Gu Junsheng. He sat behind his desk, his black hair neatly combed, revealing a cool and handsome face. He wore gold-rimmed glasses on his high nose, exuding a mature and aloof air.

"Still not off work?" she asked.

Gu Junsheng said calmly, "Yes, there's some work to be done at the company."

Chu Ruofu gave an "oh," tilted her head to look at him, and felt a little melancholy. Both she and Gu Junsheng were very busy with work. If they were to be together in the future, she would be filming for two to three months and wouldn't be able to see him.

He often travels domestically and internationally for work, and sometimes we can't see each other for ten days or half a month.

In order for two people to maintain a relationship, they need to be tolerant and trusting of each other enough.

Gu Junsheng noticed her slightly downcast mood and asked, "What's wrong? Did the photoshoot this afternoon not go well?"

Chu Ruofu shook her head: "No, it went very smoothly, and the director was very satisfied."

"Have you had dinner yet?" Gu Junsheng asked.

Chu Ruofu said, "...I'm not very hungry."

Gu Junsheng asked gently, "Was the takeout from that restaurant last time good?"

"Delicious." Chu Ruofu searched the restaurant's name that day and found that the average cost per person was over a thousand yuan. No wonder the food was so good. The deliveryman was very formal, giving people the feeling of a private butler.

"I'll have my assistant order you another one," Gu Junsheng said with concern. "No matter how busy you are, you must eat three meals a day on time."

For some reason, Chu Ruofu thought of the domineering CEO in the novel and chuckled.

Hearing her laugh, Gu Junsheng's eyes flickered slightly, and he asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Chu Ruofu turned over and lay down, saying, "You must have never heard the saying that nine out of ten CEOs have stomach problems."

Gu Junsheng paused for a moment, then a faint smile appeared on his lips: "Actually, rich people know more about health preservation. They eat healthy meals every day and have people specifically to take care of them. They take good care of themselves from head to toe, inside and out."

He earnestly explained to her: "Presidents of wealthy families are more afraid of health problems than ordinary people. If they feel unwell, they will get checked immediately. Therefore, it is extremely unlikely that a president would get stomach problems."

After listening, Chu Ruofu said, "What if the president is so busy that he doesn't eat breakfast and drinks heavily all the time?"

“If that’s not true,” Gu Junsheng said calmly, “we might drink when discussing cooperation, but not to the point of getting stomach problems. If we’re so busy every day that we don’t eat breakfast.”

He pushed up his glasses with a sigh and thought, "This only proves that this person has a problem with his work-rest schedule, and the company's operation is also problematic. It won't last long."

Chu Ruofu was convinced by his theory and said, "So, most rich people are like you, with regular schedules, getting up early to exercise, eating breakfast at fixed times, and going to work?"

Gu Junsheng nodded: "I can't guarantee others, but at least my circle of friends are all normal."

Chu Ruofu frowned slightly and said, "My circle is different from yours. We might eat one meal a day, or four meals a day. We often go to bed late and get up late, or occasionally go to bed late and get up early... In short, our schedules are very irregular."

The two rarely discussed such deep topics.

Gu Junsheng suddenly understood what she meant. He looked at her fair face in the camera lens with gentle eyes and said, "For your health, I would like you to have a regular schedule, but I will not require you to do so."

"Everyone has their own lifestyle. You and I have different jobs, and I will be tolerant of everything about you."

Chu Ruofu's heart pounded, and she asked, "Really?"

Gu Junsheng hummed in agreement and said calmly, "Ruofu, your takeout has arrived. Go open the door."

Chu Ruofu didn't realize how quickly the chat had passed. She rolled over, got up, and put on her shoes, saying, "I'll go get them now."

She opened the door, and there was the same deliveryman she'd met before. He told her to be careful as he handed her an insulated box with a perfectly polite smile: "Madam, enjoy your meal."

Chu Ruofu arranged the food on the dining table, put her phone away, and watched Gu Junsheng working on the other end of the video call, occasionally glancing at it and chatting with her for a few minutes.

She finished her dinner, and he finished his work and prepared to go home.

Chu Ruofu was about to take a shower and apply a face mask. She had worn makeup many times today, and her face felt stuffy and uncomfortable, so she needed to moisturize her skin.

While applying a face mask, she habitually opened a short video platform to watch some funny videos, and suddenly came across a behind-the-scenes video reposted by a marketing account.

At the photoshoot for the costume fitting of "The Villainess," renowned writer Shen Wuyang was present. He personally directed and co-directed this suspenseful film, and the female lead is none other than Chu Ruofu, the female lead who became a sensation on a dating reality show.

In the video, the director's voice can be clearly heard, asking Shen Wuyang if Chu Ruofu was the source of his inspiration. Shen Wuyang replies in a clear voice that it was indeed true.

The marketing accounts are saying that after searching Chu Ruofu's past information, she is an ordinary actress whose appearance and acting skills are not outstanding in the entertainment industry. So why is she able to play the lead role in "The Villainess"?

These remarks immediately sparked a lot of mixed comments. Then, the marketing account released a video of the makeup and styling shoot. The blurry video looked like it was taken secretly, but Chu Ruofu's personal look was very beautiful.

Marketing accounts showered the film with praise, saying they were looking forward to its release and that it would definitely be a huge hit.

Chu Ruofu really admires these marketing accounts. They can say whatever they want, which has boosted the popularity of the content. The comment section is like a battlefield, and some people are even shipping her and Shen Wuyang as a couple in the comments section of the video.

She should be thankful that Gu Junsheng doesn't read entertainment news much, otherwise...

Thinking back to that day, she felt extremely guilty.

Gu Junsheng doesn't care about entertainment news, but his assistant is a fan of the Fusheng CP (Fusheng Couple) super topic.

CP fans can be very fierce when they fight, and it's common for them to compare and criticize each other. When the Fu Yang CP saw that Chu Ruo Fu and Shen Wu Yang had interacted offline, they took screenshots and showed off with various CP topics.

Being intimate with a male guest on a dating show doesn't mean you can actually have that kind of relationship in real life.

In real life, the Fuyang couple is clearly sweeter.

The next day.

Chu Ruofu was resting at home, studying the script of "The Villainess" in preparation for filming on set, when she suddenly received a call from Gu Junsheng.

Are you home?

Chu Ruofu's heart skipped a beat: "At home."

Gu Junsheng said calmly, "I'm downstairs at your place."

Chu Ruofu thought she had misheard: "Huh?"

Gu Junsheng said, "I came because I wanted to see you."

Chu Ruofu ran to the balcony, leaned on the railing and looked down. She really saw a familiar car downstairs. How could he suddenly appear in Haicheng?

"Come up here later, my house is a mess, let me tidy it up."

This sudden appearance caught Chu Ruofu off guard. Unlike in the dating reality show, her home was now a mess, with clothes that had just been washed and dried on the sofa and unfinished snacks on the coffee table.

A single woman's home is usually a mess, and she panics when guests come over.

Gu Junsheng could tell she was flustered. He was already standing in the elevator and said slowly, "It's okay, I'll help you pack."

"No, I don't need you." Chu Ruofu hugged the clothes and stuffed them into the closet, saying, "I'll get it done right away."

She had just closed the wardrobe door when she heard a knock at the door.

So fast?!

Chu Ruofu took a deep breath, slowly went over to open the door, and saw Gu Junsheng in a suit and tie. She looked somewhat dazed.

After not seeing each other for several days, meeting again suddenly felt like meeting a stranger.

Chu Ruofu pulled at the door and said timidly, "Come in."

Gu Junsheng asked her, "Do you have slippers for the guests?"

Chu Ruofu quickly opened the shoe cabinet in the entryway, took out a pair of slippers, and placed them in front of him.

Gu Junsheng changed his shoes and walked into her new apartment. The apartment was actually registered in her name, and the rent she paid was temporarily held in an account. He hadn't found the right time to tell her yet.

Chu Ruofu asked him to sit on the sofa and poured him a glass of water: "Why did you suddenly come? Don't you have to go to work today?"

Gu Junsheng said, "Today is Saturday."

Whether or not a director takes weekends off is up to him. He had an unimportant appointment that he could choose to attend or not, but he declined it.

As for why he suddenly appeared in Haicheng, it was because his assistant sent him a link to a video clip showing Shen Wuyang accompanying Chu Ruofu during a photoshoot. She didn't tell him about this.

Is it because they feel it's unnecessary, or is there another reason?

He was jealous.

Since Beijing and Haicheng were in different cities, he worried that other men would approach her while he was away.

Chu Ruofu felt a little embarrassed. As an actress, she didn't have a two-day weekend, so she sometimes lost track of what day of the week it was. She asked, "Did you drive here yourself?"

Gu Junsheng said, "I came by car."

Chu Ruofu sat down not far from him, sitting upright and proper.

Dissatisfied with her aloofness, Gu Junsheng naturally reached out and grasped her wrist, gently pulling her into his arms and embracing her, his voice low and deep: "Did you miss me?"

Chu Ruofu naturally wanted to. She and he were in a state of ambiguity but not quite lovers. She was a little shy and squeezed out a single word: "Want to."

Gu Junsheng lowered his head and stroked her soft, fragrant hair, saying, "I missed you so much."

Chu Ruofu nestled in his arms. The fabric of his fine suit was slightly cool, but his hand holding hers was warm and clean. She felt warm and secure in his embrace.

Seeing her shyly lower her eyes, Gu Junsheng felt a slight stirring in his heart. He reached out and pinched her chin, lifted her fair and delicate face, and gently kissed her lips.

His movements were both gentle and forceful. He held her tightly in his arms, pried open her teeth, and plunged in, entwining his tongue with hers.

Chu Ruofu blushed without realizing it, her lips and teeth carrying his cool, woody scent, the crisp taste filling her.

After a while, Gu Junsheng released her, kissed her rosy lips, and said in a hoarse voice, "Haven't you learned how to breathe yet?"

Chu Ruofu gazed into his deep eyes, her face burning. She bit her lip, her kisses always following his lead, forgetting to breathe.

Seeing her innocent and obedient appearance, Gu Junsheng's Adam's apple bobbed, his eyes darkening, and he asked, "Do you still have the things you bought last time?"

Chu Ruofu remembered the last time he went out of the apartment and came back to buy a box of condoms. He had made thorough preparations so as not to hurt her and to let her experience the feeling of pleasure.

"Yes," she said softly.

Gu Junsheng carried her to the bedroom and closed the door.

Chu Ruofu lay softly on the bed, and Gu Junsheng pressed down on her, his tall figure enveloping her beneath him.

"Wait a minute." Chu Ruofu remembered the mark Shen Wuyang had left on her a couple of days ago, and nervously and guiltily refused, "It's daytime now."

Gu Junsheng paused, and the usually restrained and patient man actually acted so rashly and irrationally.