CHAPTER 119
Xiaoyuan had initially been slightly bent over, but gradually she found herself sitting on the CEO's lap, her entire body leaning into the woman.
Wei Zhuang had been momentarily stunned by Xiaoyuan's sudden action in the first second or two, but the sweet fragrance from Xiaoyuan's lips had already reached her. Like a kitten, Xiaoyuan licked and nibbled, as if tasting something delicious. Wei Zhuang pulled her closer, cradling the back of her head as they kissed.
Xiaoyuan wrapped her arms around Wei Zhuang's neck, gradually understanding and mastering the legendary, head-spinning technique often depicted in movies. Their lips and tongues slowly melded together, their hair brushing against each other, tickling...
As they became more immersed, each intertwining of their tongues felt like savoring the moist petals of spring. They both sensed a newfound novelty they'd never experienced before—who knew a kiss could be so intoxicating?
Wei Zhuang's hands gently caressed Xiaoyuan's shoulders, hair, and neck. Xiaoyuan, being in a more convenient position, grew bolder in her movements, even gaining the upper hand for several seconds. She distinctly heard Wei Zhuang let out a soft, rare moan.
That faint, rare sound sent electric currents crackling through the air, jolting Xiaoyuan's entire being. Encouraged, she trailed kisses from Wei Zhuang's lips down to her neck and shoulders...
Wei Zhuang's expression shifted slightly. Her slender, pale throat moved as she caught Xiaoyuan's mischievous hand. Xiaoyuan's flushed face pressed against Wei Zhuang's chest, their gazes locked together.
"...Can't I?" Xiaoyuan faltered under that intense stare, her guilt overwhelming.
Wei Zhuang's eyes flickered briefly before settling back on her.
"You... this morning, when I was still half-asleep..." Xiaoyuan bit her lip, her fingers teasing the collar of Wei Zhuang's shirt before her hand was caught.
Xiaoyuan got up from her, stood straight, and met her gaze without backing down, her lips unconsciously pouting as if to bolster her own confidence.
It's not a big deal—she was just a few years younger, maybe ten or more? Not that Xiaoyuan had counted carefully. None of that mattered! She wouldn't lose in terms of presence!
Wei Zhuang was dressed in a white shirt and white suit pants, the collar of her shirt now pulled open by Xiaoyuan, revealing flawless skin and the strap of a white bra...
She leaned back against the sofa, crossing her long legs, and the look in her eyes shifted slightly, the corners of her eyes tilting up with a faint trace of amusement.
Aside from the slightly cold lines of her profile, the curves of her eyes and lips were unusually soft. The slightest hint of a smile made her exude an alluring, delicate charm.
What kind of lethal seduction was this? Normally unseen, but when it appeared occasionally, it was utterly irresistible—far too devastating!
Xiaoyuan's face grew increasingly red, her heart racing so fast she thought she might have arrhythmia.
Wei Zhuang watched her, then gave a slight nod. "I should have asked for your consent." she paused here, and Xiaoyuan's heart nearly leapt out of her chest.
Wei Zhuang smiled—the first time Xiaoyuan had ever seen her smile so clearly at her, and with such meaningful subtlety. "Besides, you gave me plenty of encouragement."
It took Xiaoyuan a full five or six seconds to process what had just happened. She couldn't even doubt her own ears—Wei Zhuang had just teased her.
And this was the first time the woman had ever flirted with her.
And she'd even said—Xiaoyuan had given her plenty of encouragement.
Ah!
"Frances, mmm... here..."
She wrapped her arms around the woman's neck, pressing close to her ear, panting almost tearfully, her toes curling as she rubbed against Wei Zhuang's leg.
"Zhuang, Zhuang Zhuang... you're so good, I—I, mmm..."
She even remembered nearly being folded in half.
God, that new position was just too... too too... She couldn't even think of the right word.
Xiaoyuan's face burned so hot she thought she might explode. More details surfaced in her mind, vivid and replaying relentlessly. Covering her face, she couldn't bear to stay another second in front of Wei Zhuang. She turned and fled, feeling the woman's gaze follow her as she ran, her legs so weak she nearly stumbled!
Wei Zhuang withdrew her gaze, lowering her eyes to continue reading the newspaper, her lips still curved upwards. She took an imperceptibly slow breath.
Xiaoyuan stayed in her room for a long time, only emerging sluggishly for lunch at two in the afternoon.
Wei Zhuang was home too.
The two ate lunch in silence, Xiaoyuan even sipping on a glass of red wine.
"Don't you have to go to the company today?"
The lounge area played vinyl records, and the coffee table was set with fruit and snacks. Xiaoyuan sat on the carpet, picking at small fruits, while Wei Zhuang sat in a nearby armchair, listening to the music.
"Not today. It's Sunday."
"Oh, so you'll be working tomorrow?" Xiaoyuan rested her chin on the dark walnut coffee table, watching her.
Wei Zhuang didn't answer the question. Instead, she asked, "Is there anywhere you'd like to go?"
Was she implying they might have a chance to travel together?
Xiaoyuan's heart leapt with joy, and she flashed her a sweet smile. "I just finished filming—I really don't feel like moving."
She'd much rather stay home quietly with Wei Zhuang like this. More time together, without interfering with her work.
"In a few days, things are going to get busy again." Xiaoyuan added with a slight sigh.
"Would you like to go out for dinner?" Wei Zhuang asked her again.
"Hmm... I don't feel like going out," Xiaoyuan really didn't want to leave either. "Besides, your two chefs cook really well."
Wei Zhuang had two private chefs, one specializing in Chinese cuisine and the other in Western dishes. They could basically prepare any dish she could think of.
Wei Zhuang didn't press further.
Repeatedly turning down her kindness didn't feel right. Xiaoyuan observed Wei Zhuang's expression and was relieved to see no signs of displeasure.
The two sat quietly for a few minutes.
Xiaoyuan pursed her lips, then crawled over from the carpet to the woman's legs, leaning against her. Her big eyes blinked up at Wei Zhuang with a bright, smiling gaze.
Wei Zhuang's attention was drawn to her. She looked down and reached out to scratch Xiaoyuan's chin. Like a contented kitten, Xiaoyuan's eyes curved with pleasure. She straightened up, gradually moving onto the woman's lap, then fully sprawled on top, saying softly, "I just want to stay at home with you!"
Wei Zhuang's eyes lowered slightly, a faint ripple of emotion crossing her face.
Xiaoyuan had expected her to smile, but she didn't. Feeling slightly unsatisfied, she leaned in to kiss her. The moment she caught Wei Zhuang's scent, Xiaoyuan couldn't help but crave even more closeness.
After a while, Xiaoyuan murmured, "My legs are numb."
Wei Zhuang pulled her up onto her lap. Xiaoyuan wrapped her arms around her and kissed her again in their familiar position.
Much later, Xiaoyuan rested her cheek against Wei Zhuang's neck and whispered, "Can you not go to work for the next few days?"
"You can spend more time at home."
'That means she can't skip work.' Xiaoyuan figured as much—she had only said it casually. Just hearing the President say those words was enough for her.
She looked up at Wei Zhuang with a smile, hugged her again, and leaned in for another kiss.
......
Fans had noticed that Xiaoyuan's Weibo posts had become much more frequent these days.
On the morning of the 26th, she posted: [A leisurely, happy morning~ #ZZ]
On the evening of the 27th: [Watching Frances McDormand in Fargo. I adore her. #ZZ]
On the 28th, she shared several photos of a delicious dinner. #ZZ
At first, the comments didn't pick up on anything unusual. Replies included, [Looks like Sister Yuan is really enjoying her break from filming!] and [That food looks amazing—mouthwatering!]
But gradually, people started to wonder. [What's with this weird tag? And only one #? What does it mean?]
[When people start posting cryptic stuff, it usually means they're in love!]
[So... Sister Yuan might have someone?]
[But she's always on set. Unless...?]
[...She seems so happy these past three days. Maybe she's with someone special?]
While her fans speculated wildly online, Xiaoyuan received a call from Ruan Qing that same night. Seeing the Weibo comments had already made her nervous, and hearing Ruan Qing's voice made her even more anxious. Surprisingly, Ruan Qing's tone was much gentler. "Sweetheart, have you eaten yet?"
Xiaoyuan coughed. "Yeah, I have." She stepped away from Wei Zhuang into a side room to take the call and immediately confessed, "Sister, I get it. I won't post random stuff on Weibo anymore."
Ruan Qing burst into laughter on the other end, "Hahahahaha, I'm really not calling about that. You can post whatever you want on Weibo normally, but tomorrow night they're announcing the Venice nominations. I just called to remind you."
Xiaoyuan: "...Okay." So she meant she shouldn't post anything like her recent Weibo updates tomorrow, right?
"Alright, that's all. Just remember the interview we discussed earlier."
Was she really about to hang up? Xiaoyuan felt somewhat puzzled—wouldn't her agent normally have more questions? This didn't seem like Ruan Qing's usual work style at all.
Could she already know?
Xiaoyuan's heart skipped a beat as she quickly called out, "Sister?"
"What is it, sweetie?"
"Don't you have... any questions for me?"
Ruan Qing chuckled, "What questions would I have?"
"I mean... if I were dating someone, wouldn't you have questions?"
"Oh! Actually, yes!" Ruan Qing's tone suddenly turned serious. "Is this person from our industry?"
"No," Xiaoyuan hesitated, thinking about Wei Zhuang's identity, then softly added, "Not exactly."
Ruan Qing seemed to ignore the latter part, simply saying, "Oh, alright then. That's all I was concerned about."
Xiaoyuan nearly laughed—clearly, the incident where Huo Bijun and He Chenying had announced their relationship without informing her in their youth had left deep psychological scars.
"The rest is your private business. You can tell me when you think I need to know or when you need my help."
After hanging up, Xiaoyuan checked her Weibo again and realized she'd been somewhat carried away lately—time to tone it down.
Meanwhile, in a luxury apartment elsewhere, Assistant Gao lounged on the sofa, snacking on grapes while gleefully scrolling through Weibo.
The young man massaging her legs from the foot of the sofa asked cheerfully, "Sister, did something good happen?"
"Haha! Yes, something wonderful!" Assistant Gao opened her secret alt account and quickly typed a Weibo post.
"Can you tell me? Let me share the joy!"
"No way!" She winked at him, holding up a grape. "Here, have some nutrition."
As the young man leaned in to take the grape, Assistant Gao pulled him closer...
Xiaoyuan had already put her phone aside, so she missed the update from her secretly followed account "0's Secret Garden": [Let's count how many 'Frances' and how many '#ZZ's there are? (wink)]
On the evening of the 29th Beijing time, Venice announced its nominations. Huo Bijun's film originally titled "Huo 3," now renamed "The Long Night," was selected for the non-competition screening section, scheduled for the festival's second day.
After the announcement, "The Long Night" team released a teaser poster and 30-second trailer, with the marketing team buying a trending hashtag.
Huo Bijun immediately reposted the announcement.
Xiaoyuan also reposted it—this time carefully avoiding her usual "#ZZ" tag.
An hour later, He Chenying—who rarely posted—reposted Xiaoyuan's repost instead of Huo Bijun's original.
Netizens quickly noticed the subtlety, remarking with amusement, [In Three-Golden-Award-Winner He's hierarchy, even her ex-husband's posts rank below her junior sister!]
[Strictly speaking, they are senior brothers, senior sisters, and junior sisters. Hahahaha!]
[Sister Yuan is killing it! First a Magnolia Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 'Drunken Wanderer,' then a Feihe Award nomination for Popular Actress, and now 'The Long Night' made it to Venice Film Festival! Oh wait, this is actually her second time at a major European film festival!]
[She's absolutely crushing it! Two of the Big Three European festivals under her belt already. Even without winning major international awards yet, these credentials are impressive! Domestic film festival nominations should be a given now!]
[I saw the trailer! Holy sh!t! Is Sister Yuan playing another beautiful-yet-tragic character? I'm so here for it!]
[Just wanna ask those haters who mocked 'Little Yuanyuan's' acting skills—how's that humble pie tasting? Hahaha this is so satisfying!]
[And after this, she's got 'Deep in the Palace' coming up with an all-star cast! This one project alone outshines ten ordinary ones!]
The fan group "Gardeners" was buzzing with excitement too.
Top fan Duo Miaojiang reposted with the caption: [Our girl's making us proud! This proud mama's in tears!]
......
Xiaoyuan spent a long time scrolling through Weibo comments, gradually feeling dazed. From "Drunken Wanderer" to "The Long Night" and now "Deep in the Palace"—over this past year, she'd kept her head down working, barely looking up to see how far she'd come.
When she first started making films, she'd been arrogant, convinced she deserved only the best scripts, that she was born for the silver screen, that her high starting point would guarantee continuous ascent to the pinnacle of cinema.
Then came the repeated humblings that nearly wore away all her pride, leaving only her stubborn dedication to filmmaking.
Without even realizing it, she'd traveled so far—gaining this much recognition, achieving some of those dreams she'd once fantasized about.
She exhaled shakily, eyes growing warm, then stood up and ran to Wei Zhuang, burying herself in the woman's embrace with a muffled sob.
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