Lady By The Pillow - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: The Scent of Medicine

The next day, the cast began training.

Any actor with fight or dance scenes had to train for 2-3 hours after the table read. Shi Qing had two scenes involving flowing-sleeve dances, one during a court rivalry and the other after she gains power. Wei Jiuyi, as a future rebel leader, had many fight scenes and a demanding physical regimen.

The dance and physical training took place in the same large studio, separated by a curtain. When Shi Qing practiced her flowing-sleeve dance, she often heard shouts from the other side. Several male actors, playing vanguard soldiers, were fresh out of film school and out of shape. Their groans of pain from weight training were deafening. After two days of this, Shi Qing hadn’t heard a single sound from Wei Jiuyi. Only when she heard the martial arts instructor say, “Wei Jiuyi, you’re doing well, keep it up,” could she confirm that Wei Jiuyi was indeed next door.

On the third day of training, a sharp cry echoed from the studio:

“Ahhh!”

A male actor playing a lieutenant twisted his ankle during a break. He’d been showing off by trying to dunk a basketball onto a spring mat, and he heard a loud “crack” as he landed. His ankle was already swollen.

He held his foot, his handsome face crumpled. “Don’t look, guys! This is so embarrassing!”

His “brothers-in-arms,” also playing lieutenants, roared with laughter. “Haha, how are we supposed to take you to the hospital if we don’t look?”

“Where’s the cart from this morning? We’ll push you!”

“Hahaha, that’s what you get for trying a slam dunk!”

The martial arts instructor was both amused and exasperated. “Can you guys please stop giving me headaches? Look at the actresses. When they train, they train. When they rest, they rest. You guys are the only ones with so much drama!”

The more the instructor scolded, the more the others laughed and the more the injured actor cried.

Amid the commotion, Shi Qing noticed an actress named Fang Fei, who played the long-princess’s maid. Fang Fei was staring intently at Wei Jiuyi, who stood on the edge of the crowd.

Wei Jiuyi’s posture was striking. Dressed in a white T-shirt and black workout pants, her long hair was tied in a high ponytail. A long spear rested on the ground beside her. She didn’t have any makeup or styling, and her shirt was smudged with dirt, yet she exuded a natural, heroic presence. She looked like a victorious warrior, standing at the edge of the battlefield, laughing freely with the rest of her comrades.

Unconsciously, Shi Qing’s lips curled into a smile. She looked back at the injured actor and found the scene quite comical. Her smile widened.

On the other side of the curtain, Wei Jiuyi watched the commotion, too. Amid the laughter and attention on the injured actor, her gaze discreetly found its way through the crowd to the slender figure in the back.

For the past few days, Shi Qing had been practicing her flowing-sleeve dance, dressed in a white dance outfit. She held the long sleeves in her arms, making her look even more delicate, like a willow branch. Wei Jiuyi’s eyes burned with a fiery intensity as she stared at the soft bundle of silk and gauze that shifted with Shi Qing’s movements.

No words were exchanged. No glances met. Yet, a powerful emotion surged in the shadows between them.

The spectacle ended when another actor returned with a cart and they wheeled the injured actor away.

The next few days were quiet. Days were spent on table reads, and evenings on training. Everything was proceeding smoothly.

The table read lasted seven days, with continuous meetings and discussions until the entire cast had a thorough understanding of the script. During this time, the director noticed a difference between the twin actresses and their roles. After a detailed discussion, he realized they were better suited for each other’s roles and switched them. The rest of the cast remained unchanged.

On the last day of the table read, the session finished early. The cast headed to the training studio, and by seven o’clock, they were done—but the studio bus hadn’t arrived yet.

“I called. They said there’s traffic and it’ll be about half an hour,” the training team leader announced, shaking his phone. He suggested, “I saw some shared e-bikes outside. It’s only about three or four kilometers; we can get back in ten minutes.”

A dancer in Shi Qing’s group checked an app. “There are only 11 bikes, but there are almost 20 of us. It’s not enough.”

Fang Fei suggested, “The girls can ride two to a bike. We’re all so skinny; there’s plenty of room for two.”

The team leader immediately refused. “No, safety first. An actor got hurt just two days ago. I can’t risk anything else, especially with filming about to start.”

Shi Qing didn’t say anything. She was easygoing; she was fine with riding an e-bike, but if there weren’t enough, waiting for the bus was okay, too.

Wei Jiuyi, always full of ideas, stepped forward. “I saw some regular bikes, too. A few people can ride those back. It’s not far.”

Actors from the martial arts group agreed. “Yeah, we can ride bikes. It’s less of a workout than our training.”

“The girls can take the e-bikes, and I’ll ride a bike.”

“Me too! We can stop for a snack on the way, hehe!”

The cast worked well together, considering each other’s needs.

Streetlights formed a winding path in the night sky. The 20 actors disbanded outside the studio, scanning bikes and heading off. The team leader called the bus driver and told him to return to the hotel without them.

Shi Qing scanned an e-bike and followed the navigation to the hotel. She stopped at a convenience store to buy a salad for herself and a pudding for Dong Ya, who loved them.

As she left the store, she saw Wei Jiuyi waiting at a traffic light on a bike. It was cold, but Wei Jiuyi was wearing the long winter jacket from their film school, so she looked warm enough. A car stopped next to her, and a fan rolled down the window to ask for a photo. Wei Jiuyi leaned over and held up a peace sign.

It was good to be famous. You could run into fans on the street.

“That’ll be 24.80 yuan, miss,” the cashier said.

She was young, with a fresh face, likely a student working over the winter break. She glanced at Shi Qing and, after a moment of hesitation, spoke as she tore the receipt.

“You look familiar. Are you an actress?”

Shi Qing was surprised. She smiled. “Yes, I am.”

The young woman grew more excited. “Can I take a photo with you?”

Shi Qing teased, “You don’t even know who I am. You won’t have anyone to show the photo to.”

The girl’s eyes lit up. “Who says? You’re so pretty and have such a great presence; you’ll be famous one day. When you are, I’ll take this photo and post it in all your fan sections to make everyone jealous.”

Shi Qing laughed. She couldn’t resist the genuine enthusiasm of young people. She stood beside the girl and gently made a heart shape with her fingers.

Twenty minutes later, Shi Qing returned to the hotel. She took off her shoes in the entryway, but the living room light was off. Only Dong Ya’s bedroom and the bathroom were lit.

What was going on?

Usually, Dong Ya would be playing video games in the living room at this time.

“Xiao Ya? Xiao Ya?” she called out.

A weak voice came from the bathroom. “Qing-jie, you’re back…”

Her voice sounded faint. Something was wrong.

Shi Qing knocked on the bathroom door. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Dong Ya’s voice replied, “I’m fine. My stomach just got upset. Do you need to use the bathroom? Wait a minute.”

“I don’t. Is it bad? How are you feeling?” Shi Qing asked.

After a flush of the toilet, the door opened. Dong Ya’s face was pale, and her forehead was covered in beads of sweat. She leaned against the doorframe, looking extremely weak.

“I’m okay. It’s just my enteritis acting up. I’ll be fine once I take my medicine.”

Shi Qing helped her to the sofa. “Where is it? Did you take it?”

Dong Ya leaned weakly on a cushion. “No, I didn’t bring it with me. I called a delivery service to get it.”

“How long until it gets here?” Shi Qing asked.

“Hmm… let me check.”

Dong Ya fumbled for her phone. Shi Qing took it and sighed. “The order was canceled.”

Dong Ya looked devastated. “What? Why?”

Shi Qing looked up nearby pharmacies on her phone. “I’ll go get it for you. The nearest one is only two kilometers away. It’ll be a quick ride on the e-bike.”

“No, you can’t! You’re a celebrity! What if someone recognizes you?” Dong Ya worried.

Shi Qing sighed. “Don’t worry, not that many people know me.”

And even if they did, what was wrong with a celebrity buying diarrhea medicine?

She made a cup of salt and sugar water for Dong Ya and helped her drink it. She put the phone next to her. “I’ll be back as soon as possible. If you start feeling really bad before I get back, call me, and I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Dong Ya’s eyes were teary as she bit her lip. “I’ll be okay, sister. I’ll wait for you to come back.”

Shi Qing grabbed the keys and left.

She saw Wei Jiuyi and another person, Fang Fei, waiting for the elevator.

“Teacher Shi, are you heading out, too?” Fang Fei asked enthusiastically.

Shi Qing zipped up her jacket and smiled faintly. “What a coincidence. Are you two going somewhere?”

Fang Fei’s eyes curved as she smiled. “Yeah, I had a question about the script, so I asked Teacher Wei to come with me to discuss it.”

As she spoke, she touched her eyebrow, a slightly unnatural gesture. Shi Qing had studied micro-expressions; touching the eyebrow could be a sign of a lie. She didn’t reveal that she knew this.

“You can discuss the script in your rooms, too. It’s cold outside, and it’s not safe for just two women to go out at night,” Shi Qing said.

Fang Fei quickly said, “That’s true. Teacher Wei, isn’t your room a suite? Why don’t we go to your room?”

Wei Jiuyi licked the tip of her canine tooth. The sharp sting filled her with an unnerving calm. She managed a generous smile and said, “My assistant is there, so it’s not very convenient.” And a hotel room was too private of a space.

Fang Fei was taken aback for a moment before nodding in a way that showed she half-understood and half-didn’t. A faint blush crept to her ears. “Oh, right. Our discussion might get loud. It’s probably better for us to be alone.”

Wei Jiuyi nodded. “Mhm. I’m driving, so it won’t be cold. By the way, Teacher Shi, what are you going out for?”

Shi Qing’s expression was unreadable. A strand of black hair fell from her clip and curled around her neck, tucking into the high collar of her jacket.

“To buy something,” she said.

She didn’t say what she was buying or for whom.

Ding!

The elevator arrived. The three women, each lost in their own thoughts, entered with neutral expressions. Shi Qing went to the ground floor, while Wei Jiuyi and Fang Fei went to the underground parking lot.

Shi Qing didn’t think much of it. Wei Jiuyi was in her past. That girl, Fang Fei, was pretty and outgoing. Maybe they were just discussing the script, or perhaps Fang Fei was using it as an excuse to get closer to Wei Jiuyi.

Either way, it was none of Shi Qing’s business. The most important thing was to get the medicine for Dong Ya.

There were plenty of e-bikes available. She scanned one of them and followed the navigation.

A low-key car drove out of the parking garage behind her. It stayed a hundred meters back, not too close and not too far, following Shi Qing.

In the passenger seat, Fang Fei pointed at her phone’s navigation. “Teacher Wei, I think you’ve gone off course. You need to make a U-turn up ahead.”

Wei Jiuyi glanced at the screen. “This road is too narrow to turn. We’ll turn at the big road ahead.”

Fang Fei noticed the figure on the e-bike ahead. A hint of disappointment crossed her face, but she still smiled. “You’re right. It’s easier to turn on the main road. Let’s just keep going.”

It seemed it wasn’t the car that had gone off course.