CHAPTER 117
When the two returned to Wei Zhuang's place, they were both a bit tired and went to their respective rooms to wash up and shower.
Wei Zhuang had just finished showering when she received a call. "What is it... it's not the main competition?"
The person on the other end began explaining in detail—issues with the investors' budget, disputes between the distributors and the film team, and a myriad of other factors.
After listening for a few seconds, Wei Zhuang grasped the core issue and cut in, "So it's the non-competitive screening section?"
"Yes, yes! It's confirmed now. Apologies, President Wei, the news just came through."
"Okay, I understand."
Hanging up, Wei Zhuang frowned slightly. Good thing she hadn't mentioned it earlier—Xiaoyuan would have been disappointed and upset.
She stepped into the living room and glanced around. Xiaoyuan was probably still showering, so Wei Zhuang didn't hesitate before pushing open her bedroom door.
Should she tell her that the film had been selected for the non-competitive section? It was still a global premiere, something worth celebrating, right?
But once again, she wasn't the first to break the news.
This vague, lingering discomfort wasn't the first time she'd felt it.
Why did she keep feeling this way?
Lost in thought, a sudden scream from the bathroom snapped her back to reality.
Wei Zhuang's expression tensed, and she quickly strode over, knocking on the bathroom door. "Xiaoyuan?"
"Ahh, what do I do now?" Xiaoyuan groaned from inside.
She had just remembered something while showering. Looking down, she grimaced in frustration. Filming required her to wear a chest binder, and with the sweltering heat, the area had been drenched in sweat by the end of each day.
Thankfully, she took care of it every night at the hotel, so she hadn't developed any rashes—yet.
The first few days had been unbearable, but she gradually got used to it—so much so that she barely noticed the binder anymore. However, over time, it had left faint red marks on her skin...
Dropping the towel, Xiaoyuan turned in front of the mirror, examining herself. Two red lines framed her chest like a border. She reached out to touch them—some spots were even chafed, swollen, and slightly itchy...
'Ah!!!'
'This looks awful!'
"Xiaoyuan?" Wei Zhuang must have heard her scream and knocked again.
"Oh, it's nothing, nothing!" Xiaoyuan called back before continuing her inspection. After being bound for so many days, her chest seemed... smaller than before?
She wasn't particularly big to begin with—previously a 32C—but now, it looked noticeably smaller. Maybe not even a C anymore.
After wrapping up Huo 3, she had lost weight, and her chest had shrunk a bit. This time, though, it was probably purely from being compressed!
Pouting, Xiaoyuan lamented—this movie was literally making her chest disappear!
'Wahhhh!!!'
"Are you sure you're okay?" Wei Zhuang knocked once more.
"...Yeah, I'll be out in a sec."
With a sullen expression, she pulled on her pajamas and slowly opened the door, trudging out with her head down. When she looked up, she met Wei Zhuang's slightly concerned gaze.
Her face flushed, and she ducked her head again. "I'm going to get some water."
Without another word, she walked out dejectedly, all the way to the water bar in the dining area, poured herself a glass of water, but had no real intention of drinking it. Instinctively, her eyes drifted downward again.
Wei Zhuang walked over, observing Xiaoyuan from a distance, studying her expressions and movements with a slight tilt of her head.
Why does she look a bit silly and dazed? What is she looking at?
Xiaoyuan felt a gaze land on her. Turning her eyes, she saw Wei Zhuang leaning against the wall, her pale complexion accentuated by the light gray loungewear, a hint of warmth in her eyes.
Xiaoyuan grew even more flustered, masking it by taking a sip of water. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Wei Zhuang heading toward the living room. Setting down her cup, she instinctively moved wanting to follow her.
Wei Zhuang took a few steps, heard the sound behind her, and turned around, almost bumping into Xiaoyuan.
Their eyes met in the air, and this time, Wei Zhuang spoke first, "What's wrong?"
Xiaoyuan pouted, letting out a soft whimper as she buried her face into the woman's shoulder like a wronged little animal. "If I tell you, you're not allowed to laugh at me."
"Mm," the woman hummed softly, her eyes rippling because of Xiaoyuan's movement. "Tell me."
Xiaoyuan's cheeks burned as she leaned close to Wei Zhuang's ear. Wei Zhuang obligingly bent slightly to listen as Xiaoyuan mumbled something in a tiny, indistinct voice.
After hearing it, Wei Zhuang fell silent, her expression subtly perplexed.
Xiaoyuan glanced at her hurriedly, then grew even more embarrassed at her reaction. She twisted away and hurried to the sofa, grabbing a book to pretend to read.
Moments later, she heard Wei Zhuang approach, her usually cool voice now softened. "...Getting smaller from filming?"
Mortified, Xiaoyuan hid behind the book before blurting out, "Yeah... I wore a chest binder a lot while playing Liang Ji. Just now in the shower, I noticed they looked way smaller, and it made me upset. But now I'm fine."
Now she was so embarrassed she could dig her toes into the floor!
The living room fell into silence.
After several seconds, Xiaoyuan lowered the book—only to find Wei Zhuang watching her, a faint but unmistakable smile curling at the corners of her lips, her deep eyes glinting with amusement.
That subtle yet vivid smile illuminated her otherwise cool features, revealing an unintentional but captivating femininity.
Xiaoyuan froze, her heart skipping a beat. Why did she suddenly remind her of Zhu Ehua?
She quickly dismissed the thought—how could that be?
Her gaze followed Wei Zhuang as she came over and sat beside her. Only then did Xiaoyuan snap out of it, setting the book aside.
"You said you wouldn't laugh at me..." Xiaoyuan looked at her. Looking closely again, she didn't seem like Zhu Ehua after all, it was just a momentary feeling. But regardless, she loved seeing Wei Zhuang smile.
That rare, tender look in her eyes was too precious, too captivating!
"You're still laughing..." With Wei Zhuang looking at her like that, Xiaoyuan felt the air thinning. "I, I'm serious..."
"Really?" Wei Zhuang asked.
Xiaoyuan held her breath, suddenly at a loss for words.
The atmosphere grew tense.
......
Xiaoyuan's dazed eyes drifted from the ceiling lights down to Wei Zhuang's shoulder. She didn't know how she ended up in Wei Zhuang's arms, they were pressed very close, face to face.
Biting her lip, her face burning, Xiaoyuan felt the woman's hand glide beneath her pajamas, tracing slow, gentle strokes that seemed to caress her frantically beating heart.
"Mmm..." Xiaoyuan's lips trembled slightly, breath growing uneven.
"It hasn't gotten smaller..." The woman's pale red lips quivered slightly in her vision, glistening with an almost hypnotic sheen.
Unable to resist the temptation, she leaned in eagerly for a kiss.
The kiss gradually intensified, their breaths naturally quickening and mingling as one.
"Hiss... Mm.." Wei Zhuang's fingers must have brushed against the deeper marks, causing a slight stinging pain that made Xiaoyuan shiver—though not just from the discomfort.
They parted slightly, Wei Zhuang breathing heavily as she asked with concern, "Let me see how bad it is?"
"No, you can't look!" Xiaoyuan flushed crimson, panting as she clutched at her buttons.
Wei Zhuang gazed at her with darkened eyes. "Can't?"
"Mmm..." Xiaoyuan unconsciously licked her dry lips. "It's not serious, don't look..."
It's too ugly—absolutely can't let her see.
One of the woman's hands rested on her shoulder while the other's fingertips traced slow circles along her neck.
Xiaoyuan shivered, her watery eyes pleading. "That tickles..." Just as her collar was about to be undone, she grabbed Wei Zhuang's hand, struggling against the rising tide of desire. "Don't..."
Wei Zhuang never forced her. At the slightest resistance, she would stop—just as she did now, withdrawing her hand. "Okay."
Xiaoyuan remained half-lying in her embrace. For a while, neither spoke, simply basking in the quiet int!macy.
"I've heard your film was selected for the non-competition section of the Venice Film Festival for screening." Wei Zhuang murmured.
Xiaoyuan blinked up at her. "Wow!"
"They'll probably change the title."
Xiaoyuan nodded. Given its inclusion in a prestigious A-list festival, the third case's heavy, socially relevant themes couldn't possibly retain the original comedic title like "Detective Collection of So-and-so."
"I saw an edited version in Beicheng earlier," Wei Zhuang's fingers ghosted through her hair, "though I'm not sure if it's the final cut. The quality is excellent—you acted very well..."
Before she finished speaking, Xiaoyuan leaned in to kiss her. "But Tonghua didn't invest in this film? How did you get to see the edit?"
A faint smile curved Wei Zhuang's eyes. "Tonghua is handling distribution for 'The Long Night.'"
Xiaoyuan understood, smiling brightly. "Thank you for telling me, I'm so happy!" She tilted her face up to capture Wei Zhuang's lips again.
"Ruan Qing says my schedule will be packed soon, but I want to stay with you a few more days." Xiaoyuan murmured, panting softly.
"As you wish."
"I'll disturb your rest..."
"..."
Entwined together, their shadows merged on the carpet.
Xiaoyuan had initially harbored other intentions tonight, but exhaustion overwhelmed her—desire outstripped by fatigue. She suspected Wei Zhuang felt the same.
Blushing, she murmured, "Not tonight... let's sleep early."
True to form, Wei Zhuang agreed.
Fearing temptation might sway her resolve, Xiaoyuan quickly rose from the woman's lap.
"Then let's get some early rest."
As Wei Zhuang turned to leave, Xiaoyuan instantly caught her wrist, blinking playfully. "Wait—are you really making me sleep alone?"
Perhaps because they had video called frequently last month, Xiaoyuan realized they had found a very suitable way of getting along.
Under this dynamic, she unconsciously grew more greedy, becoming increasingly unguarded in front of Wei Zhuang and indulging in childish coquetry more and more.
Wei Zhuang paused, her gaze returning to rest on the other's face.
Xiaoyuan thought she might refuse in that moment, yet she said nothing—neither rejecting the hand-holding nor objecting as they naturally walked step by step into her bedroom.
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