CHAPTER 62

The city had just entered winter, and Wei Zhuang's place hadn't turned on the heating yet. Outside, thunder and rain clashed violently, and the temperature dropped suddenly, but Xiaoyuan felt a heat spreading through her body.

She covered her lips, straining not to make a sound. She felt very strange at that moment, as if her mind was spinning and she was dizzy.

What's the difference between intimacy between women and that between men and women?

Would the intimacy process be different?

She had no clue.

She had very little experience in romantic matters, with no examples to draw from.

The brief relationship she had in college was so distant now that she couldn't even remember her boyfriend's face. She only recalled that he was introverted, spoke little, smiled shyly, and was somewhat melancholic. His favorite pastime was photography, and he often took pictures of her.

They would kiss and hug, and Xiaoyuan didn't mind his closeness. He was very clean and always had a faint scent of soap.

When young and full of vigor, there are times when control is lost. Xiaoyuan remembered that time, when neither of them had experience, feeling flustered and anxious. He ended up hurting himself, she couldn't get into the mood, and some bad memories came back, so she started crying.

He apologized in a panic, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I couldn't resist when I heard your voice."

After that, they parted ways unhappily.

Since then, whenever he tried to be intimate with her again, Xiaoyuan always found excuses to avoid it.

Eventually, they naturally drifted apart.

......

So Xiaoyuan had no idea she had this side to her, passively lying there as the woman above her showed affection. Wei Zhuang's movements were gentle, her emotions didn't seem intense, more like a curious exploration, gently seeking.

But Xiaoyuan was already starting to feel overwhelmed, biting her lip, her vision becoming hazy.

The woman's warm palm caressed her cheek, brushing against the back of Xiaoyuan's hand that was covering her lips, tickling her and pulling her hand away.

Xiaoyuan breathed lightly, her feather-like lashes quivering as she looked at Wei Zhuang. From this angle, Wei Zhuang's pale skin was partially hidden by her soft black hair, like a bright moon concealed behind clouds.

They gazed at each other silently, ambiguously.

Suddenly, a bit of desire rose in Xiaoyuan, and she lightly bit the woman's hand.

As if taken by surprise, Wei Zhuang paused, her eyes flickering slightly, a hint of a subtle charm emerging, making her features lively, a kind of allure that wasn't usually seen.

A thrilling charm.

Under this charm, Xiaoyuan felt her blood boiling.

Wei Zhuang didn't say anything, just leaned down, her hair coolly brushing against Xiaoyuan's chest.

A mist clouded Xiaoyuan's eyes, she only felt Wei Zhuang's actions becoming heavier, the intensity of her caresses and kisses.

She heard her own shameful sounds and then heard Wei Zhuang's low, indistinct voice saying, "Don't hold back."

......

Initially, she didn't understand the subtleties between women, but when it truly came to that point, everything flowed naturally, as if she had learned it without a teacher.

The woman's fingers wandered in the gentle expanse, going in a little and then out, continuously, slowly, back and forth...

Xiaoyuan's legs trembled, her consciousness blurred, giving herself instinctual responses she wasn't even aware of. She felt as if she was submerged in gentle waters, with ripples gently trembling around her.

When the suffocating wave hit her for a moment, she softly sank into the bed.

For a long time, her face was to one side, her eyelashes wet, cheeks flushed, her trembling body being comforted inch by inch by the warm palm.

When her breathing steadied, she opened her eyes and met Wei Zhuang's gaze. She suddenly felt dazed and incredibly embarrassed, rolled to the side, pulled the blanket over herself, wrapping herself up completely.

She covered her face with the blanket, nervous and shy, realizing that she had been a bit too loud just now.

She couldn't bear to face her.

She clutched the blanket tightly, wrapping herself up even more, too embarrassed to speak at this moment. But her ears unconsciously listened to the sounds outside the blanket.

After an unknown amount of time,

The bed moved.

She only heard Wei Zhuang say, "Get some sleep."

The next moment, Xiaoyuan felt a gentle press on the blanket above her, a touch that was soothing and fleeting.

Then there was a slight sound, the sound of her moving around. Xiaoyuan couldn't steady her heartbeat, couldn't restrain herself, and secretly lifted a corner of the blanket, watching Wei Zhuang leave the room.

She tossed the blanket aside, letting out a soft sigh, and touched her face, which was still warm.

Her heart felt a bit soft and melted, and her body was slightly weak, experiencing for the first time this sensation of overwhelming emotion slowly ebbing away.

The thunder outside ceased, and the rain lightened significantly. She thought about various things for a short while, then the world before her dimmed, and she fell asleep.

......

Cai Juan had been unable to reach Xiaoyuan on the phone. He didn't know whether to be happy for her, anxious, worried about her, or worried about Xiang Zhishi. In the end, he was too busy and just had to put everything aside.

The heavens might crash, and the sister might seek romance, let her be.

Since Xiaoyuan became popular, many calls had come in for Cai Juan, reviving old relationships that had long been buried.

This industry is so realistic and power-driven. Cai Juan originally thought his social skills had rusted, but after more than a month, he realized they not only hadn't rusted, but had actually been polished to a shine.

Some came to build connections, some to probe into the details, and others to discuss collaborations.

There were even those trying to poach talent, and they chose this stormy weather to do it!

Boyi's Manager Chen started by discussing the weather, how terrible it was, advising not to go out, then smoothly transitioning to asking about Xiaoyuan's whereabouts.

Cai Juan scoffed inwardly. Did she think he was just starting out in the industry? He had looked into this Chen before—she had previously managed Lu Jingnian. When Xiaoyuan was filming "Their Little Affairs," Chen had visited the set once, and Cai Juan had wanted to greet her, but Chen had turned and left without even looking at him. He had held back his anger and didn't mention it to Xiaoyuan.

Well, well, well, how the tides turn, huh?

Now she wants to poach her? Not a chance.

He chuckled, "Our Xiaoyuan went to the gym," Cai Juan touched his hair, speaking in a mocking tone, "You know how busy she's been lately, right? Every day she has to take photos, oh, she has to go out every day, she can only rely on this weather to find time to work out."

'Who's like your Lu Jingnian, treated as a pawn? Staying cooped up at home every day, eating junk food, and getting fat, right?'

"Hahaha, we're just lucky, that's all. Who would have thought that Director Sun's computer would actually get hacked? Oh, it scared me to death, you know? We don't have the money for PR! If it weren't for our Xiaoyuan being talented and catching the writer's eye, we wouldn't have become popular so quickly."

'It's all thanks to your Boyi, shifting the blame but ended up making us famous, trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice, right?'

"Yes, yes, it's a misunderstanding, misunderstanding, 'Zui Xiaoyao' having such good viewership is all thanks to Boyi, and Fang Hao is also particularly outstanding."

'Now that Fang Hao is mentioned, it must hurt your heart, right? You must hate it, right?'

"Hahaha, well... no, no, we are just a small studio. Yes, we only recently signed with Feiyi, feeling a bit strapped for cash, hahaha. I can't make decisions on this, I have to discuss it with our boss."

'Here it comes, first testing them, then prying for information, and then hyping up Shiyuan Studio, saying that Xiaoyuan has great prospects and has better resources in a big company.'

Cai Juan curled his lips. 'Your Li Feng under Boyi is like a mad dog, when he goes crazy, he even goes after his own artists. How could Yuan'er go there?'

'And if our Yuan'er wants something, what resources does she not have access to?'

'Do you know who she's sleeping with now?'

Cai Juan took a few deep breaths. He hadn't expected that despite his sarcastic remarks, the other party could still keep the conversation going.

He furrowed his brow, feeling that things were not as simple as they seemed.

To be honest, Shiyuan Studio is pretty weak right now. Xiaoyuan has just become popular, and their business is relatively weak, unable to keep up. Now that big names are coming to use their platform, they've already shown friendliness. This can be taken slowly, no need to rush.

The main thing is what their next project will be: what type of TV drama or movie will they take on?

If they're going for a TV drama, will it be a similar historical drama, or should they consider other genres, like period pieces or idol dramas? The biggest problem is that taking on a drama of the same production level as "Zui Xiaoyao" is nearly impossible.

So should they go for a movie? What genre of movie should they choose? Commercial or art film?

While TV dramas can be popular, movies are a more prestigious existence. A hit film can really elevate an actor's status!

In these days, scripts have been flying into their studio like snowflakes—there are many, but very few with high quality.

The main issue is that while they have exploded in popularity, the market is still watching. Besides, good scripts and big productions are rare, and competition is fierce.

The fact that Manager Chen came to haggle with him proves that there must be insider information on big projects at hand.

What they lack the most right now at Shiyuan Studio is information.

After analyzing, Cai Juan immediately put in all his energy, focused and devotedly conversed with her, flattering and engaging in conversation for over an hour.

Finally, he successfully pried some information from her.

Huo Bijun, the national male god, an Oscar-winning actor, renowned director, this individual with multiple titles in the industry is currently planning an important project.

He needs a female lead, aged under 28, and the casting director for this project has yet to finalize the actress.

Of course, Manager Chen wouldn't disclose the specifics of the project to him, but that was enough.

This is simply a great opportunity.

After hanging up with Manager Chen, he began calling Xiaoyuan, but she didn't pick up.

Ah, this child is really lost in her own world.

Cai Juan couldn't contain his excitement and sent her a WeChat message.

After sending the message, he went to find Xiang Zhishi to discuss, but after searching around, he found out that he had left at some point.

In this weather, when did he leave the house?

......

Xiang Zhishi entered the private art bar just as the storm began to subside.

It was quiet inside, with only him as a customer.

He found a seat, and the bar staff brought him a drink, indicating it was sent by someone on stage.

On stage, a female singer was covering an old song by Lin Yilian, just reaching the chorus: "...If I could give up the whole world, at least there's you worth cherishing. And you being here is a miracle of life..."

The female singer tied her hair up in a high ponytail, with a delicate face and a hint of a smile as she looked at him, singing towards him, "Maybe I could forget the whole world, but I just don't want to lose track of you..."

Xiang Zhishi listened quietly but didn't touch the drink.

After the song ended, she came down, dressed in a studded leather jacket with jeans and studded boots, a style that didn't seem to match her temperament but unexpectedly created a contradictory beauty.

"Why aren't you drinking?" Yu Qiuse sat opposite him.

"I quit." Xiang Zhishi said.

"Oh, I heard you were sick," Yu Qiuse said casually, "Are you better now?"

"Mm." he nodded.

Yu Qiuse smiled at him again, "Back then, I hadn't settled in the country yet. Fortunately, you didn't die."

Xiang Zhishi remained silent.

Yu Qiuse said with a sweet smile, "But if you had died, it wouldn't matter, I would come back for your funeral, Brother Shitou."

With that, she picked up Xiang Zhishi's drink and downed it, waving to the server for a second glass.

"What do you think of this bar?"

"It's pretty good." Xiang Zhishi scanned around, it was decorated in an artistic and elegant style, and a quiet ambiance.

"I bought it and decorated it according to your taste," Yu Qiuse said softly. "Everything here, I spent time working on myself, so it's been two years now."

"..." Xiang Zhishi sighed softly.

"You said you wanted to open a bar, where we could sing together after work and drink with friends."

Xiang Zhishi fell silent for a moment and said, "I've forgotten that I said that."

"It's been many years, back then you were in your first year of graduate school, hadn't met your sister yet, and you still had your dreams." Yu Qiuse said.

That year he was in his first year of graduate school, she was in her first year of high school, her grades were poor, she hated studying, her parents were abroad, and her aunt in China was a professor at Xiang Zhishi's college, so she asked Xiang Zhishi to tutor her.

She fell in love with him at first sight.

And thus, she had a reason to strive for high scores.

Yu Qiuse took another big sip of her drink, "I wrote you a drawer full of love letters, finally mustered the courage, and gave them all to you at once. You said you'd be with me after I got into college."

"We had so many common interests, we both loved listening to music and singing. Hehe, a few years ago, when I returned from abroad, the song I debuted with was written by you. Did you know that?"

"I know."

"You like autumn, so I took this name for myself. The season we were together was autumn, even though it was only a short year, it was indeed a beautiful autumn."

She took another sip of her drink, "You said that once your sister achieved her dreams, you would come find me, but I waited and waited, and you never came."

"A few years ago, I flew back and forth every year, staying in China for a few months each year, either in Shencheng or in Beijing, easy to find."

"I watched the entertainment news but never saw Xiaoyuan's name. I guessed maybe the time wasn't right. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to wait any longer."

"May," Xiang Zhishi called her by her English name, "didn't you get married?"

"Oh, so you knew," Yu Qiuse took out a cigarette, lit it, the smoke swirling around her face, "After we broke up, I went to US and underwent psychological treatment. Later, it became too painful, and I wanted to find someone to love me."

"I just want you to be happy." Xiang Zhishi said.

Yu Qiuse looked at him for a moment and suddenly laughed, "You really have no conscience. I bet you were overjoyed to hear I got married, naturally forgetting your promise to me."

"I owe you an apology." he replied, his tone heavy.

Yu Qiuse laughed heartily, suddenly grabbing her drink and throwing it, "...It's not that easy!"

Outside the window, the night was desolate, the lights dazzling. Xiang Zhishi sat in the back seat of the car, pressing a handkerchief to his forehead, his brows furrowed in gloom.

......

Not knowing how long she had slept, when she woke up, it was a warm and quiet dusk.

Xiaoyuan took a minute to remember what had happened before she fell asleep. She reached for her phone to check the time. It should have been in the living room, but she found it on the bedside table.

This discovery made her heart involuntarily skip a beat. She calmed herself down, it was already half past five in the evening.

There were several missed calls and countless messages from Cai Juan on WeChat. Since it was already late, she wasn't in a hurry to reply.

She sat up, and as soon as the blanket fell away, she reacted and covered herself, quickly grabbing her pajamas and half-covering herself as she headed to the bathroom.

The hot water sprinkled down in the shower, hot mist filled the air. She stood underneath, involuntarily looking at herself, feeling a strange sensation in her heart that she couldn't put into words.

Her body carried her scent.

After a moment of daze, she slowly started to wash herself.

Once finished, she went to the wardrobe to pick out clothes, but paused in confusion. The wardrobe didn't seem to match the style Wei Zhuang had prepared for her. It dawned on her that on the 34th floor, apart from Wei Zhuang, no one else had lived here.

She chose a simple black shirt and black pants. The pants were too long, so she rolled them up a bit and selected a long beige trench coat to wear before stepping out.

In the living room, Wei Zhuang was sitting and reading. Hearing the sound, she looked up.

Xiaoyuan's cheeks flushed slightly. "I have to go back."

Wei Zhuang's gaze swept over her body, pausing at the hem of her pants where her snow-white feet were exposed.

"Your shoes are on the cabinet behind you."

Xiaoyuan turned around and saw two large boxes. The top one contained shoes—she opened it and found a pair of white casual shoes along with socks.

The other box must have contained the clothes prepared for her.

Xiaoyuan hesitated, her face growing even hotter. She couldn't easily take off the clothes she was wearing, so she reluctantly sat down and put on the shoes.

"Um, I have to go now." she said softly.

As she looked up, their eyes met once again.

Wei Zhuang nodded and set her book aside.

Xiaoyuan's toes wiggled, but she didn't take a step forward. With her head lowered, she didn't know what she was expecting, only aware of Wei Zhuang's dress appearing beneath her lashes.

"..."

"..."

"The driver is waiting for you in the garage."

"Oh."

The room fell silent again.

Only her handbag vibrated wildly, ruining the mood.

Xiaoyuan sighed helplessly, the subtle atmosphere had been interrupted. She raised her head. "Well... I'll go then." Wei Zhuang stared at her, and under her gaze, Xiaoyuan's face turned slightly red. She turned and walked towards the door.

What's happening? Why is there a slight feeling of reluctance? There was a lot of work waiting for her.

She reached the door but stopped.

When would they meet again?

Walking away like this felt a little bittersweet.

A bold thought flashed in her mind, too daring for her to handle, making her hands tremble. She held her breath.

Turning around, she ran, trying to suppress the fiery heat in her ears, and stood in front of Wei Zhuang. She tiptoed and leaned toward the woman.

In her haste and nervousness, she missed the kiss and ended up bumping their faces together.

Xiaoyuan almost lost her balance, unable to believe what had just happened. Her eyes widened in shock, and when she regained her senses, she didn't dare look at Wei Zhuang's expression. Embarrassed, she let out a whimper, covered her face, and turned to run away.

The door slammed shut with a bang.

The room fell silent again.

Wei Zhuang stood in place, the light casting her tall, graceful silhouette on the carpet. Her expression was initially inscrutable as she looked toward the door. Then her brows and eyes twitched slightly, and her delicate fingers touched her chin that was bumped...

After the thunderstorm passed, the night in Shencheng was slightly cold, with a faint mist lingering in the air. Xiaoyuan rolled down the car window and took a shallow breath.

The sky was tinged with a washed-out dark blue, stars were scarce in the city, and the traffic on both sides of the road whizzed by.

Xiaoyuan gradually calmed down from her turbulent emotions and checked the messages that Cai Juan had sent her.

[Come back quickly, there's a movie audition waiting for you, the production is amazing!!!]

[Wow! The script is so thrilling, it's by Huo Bijun! Oscar-winning actor! Great director! 'Three Golden' He Chenying's second ex-husband! You know, right? Oh my God, I'm going to faint!]

Xiaoyuan smiled. Cai Juan was truly one of a kind, only he could share positive news while adding juicy gossip on the side.

She put away her phone and gazed out the car window, lost in thought. She remembered the night she went to see "Choice." She was struggling to find good movie resources, and all paths seemed blocked. Everything she did felt like a desperate gamble with no hope.

After watching the movie, tears streamed down her face on the bus, for her passion, for the affirming praises, trying hard not to let herself despair, hoping for a turnaround in her seemingly hopeless situation.

It felt like it had happened just yesterday, yet it seemed so distant now.

But now, countless beautiful opportunities awaited her ahead—movies she loved and unforgettable people.

That night, Xiaoyuan fell asleep with the script in her arms. She dreamed she had entered a forest, first hearing the rustling sounds of insects. Countless fireflies floated up from the grass, swirling around her.

Gradually, they flew up into the sky, transforming into a sea of bright stars.

With her eyes closed, she smiled sweetly in her sleep.

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