Lady By The Pillow - Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Testing the Waters (Part 2)
Only one kind of emotion doesn’t allow for frankness.
The synchronized “don’t know each other” was a lie that only made the situation worse. After saying it, they both froze for a moment.
Wei Jiuqi was quick to react, giving Lu Zhen a charming, apologetic smile. “Does meeting yesterday count?”
Shi Qing tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and analyzed the situation in a serious tone. “I suppose? Teacher Lu, in that case, the three of us are old friends now.”
Lu Zhen burst into laughter at their synchronized banter. “Hahaha! Alright, old friends it is. This show will be a big test for you two. Make good use of that tacit understanding you have.”
When she mentioned the show, Shi Qing’s eyes lit up. Although it seemed like she was only there when she needed something, she had come to have lunch with Lu Zhen for the sake of her work.
Wei Jiuqi, on the other hand, was clearly operating on the same logic. She also wanted to quickly change the subject so Lu Zhen wouldn’t focus on their unusual chemistry. She said, “Speaking of this show, I’m feeling a little stressed.”
Lu Zhen nodded in understanding. “Of course. This show is a huge production, and the character arcs are so vast. It’s not easy to do it justice.”
She took a sip of soup and continued her analysis. “And this is your first time in a TV series. A 72-episode run, with you as the lead, is a considerable challenge.”
Shi Qing didn’t speak much. After Lu Zhen was finished, she added a single sentence. “There are also many senior actors in the crew.”
Wei Jiuqi wrinkled her nose. “Now that you say that, I feel even more stressed.”
Shi Qing froze at that. A strained expression almost appeared on her face.
Wrinkling her nose was Wei Jiuqi’s standard gesture for being coy, but the tone was completely different from before.
That was more than a year ago, when they were still together.
Wei Jiuqi always knew how to hit the right note to make her happy. Sometimes when Shi Qing was reading her script, the other woman would come and rub her neck like a cat, purring, “A-Qing, you’re reading so slowly. I’ve already finished.” Then that nimble hand would slyly slip under her shirt. She’d pout her lips, wrinkle her nose, and whisper with a sly smile, “Won’t you give me a reward?”
Shi Qing could never get mad at her.
She was so young, so good at being coy, so good at being adorable. How could Shi Qing ever get mad at her?
Once, after a night of indiscretion, Shi Qing’s “little jasmine” became a little inflamed. Wei Jiuqi helped apply the medicine and then held her all night. She would wake up in the middle of the night to kiss Shi Qing’s cheek, mumbling sleepily, “I’m sorry, A-Qing, I won’t do it again.”
Shi Qing was kissed dozens of times that night. Once, when she turned over, it woke Wei Jiuqi, who immediately pressed her soft body against Shi Qing, kissed her cheek, and said in a clingy voice, “I’m sorry, A-Qing…”
This kind of playful affection happened so many times that when Wei Jiuqi just said, “I feel even more stressed,” Shi Qing’s first reaction was that it was abnormal.
Wei Jiuqi was no longer using a soft voice to be playful. Instead, her voice was low, like a mature woman making casual conversation in the world of fame and fortune.
She really had grown up a lot.
Lu Zhen didn’t seem to notice anything. After all, Wei Jiuqi was naturally lively, and it was endearing when she occasionally joked and acted a little cute with a senior.
“The greater the pressure, the greater the motivation.”
She offered her advice. “The first time I was the female lead in a play, I was so nervous I couldn’t sleep all night. Every morning I’d wake up and go straight to rehearsals. I couldn’t bear to leave even after dark.”
Wei Jiuqi asked, “What happened after that?”
Lu Zhen said, “Then I performed. Actually, as long as you are well-prepared, once you’re on stage, it’s just about enjoying the process.”
“Right, practicing hard and having a good foundation are important.”
“Of course. Without a good foundation, you’ll be afraid to get on stage.”
“But I feel like all you stage actors are especially good with your lines.”
Lu Zhen was humble. “Not at all.”
Wei Jiuqi was quick to provide emotional validation. “Yes, you are! When we were reading lines today, I felt that every word you said was so beautiful and so perfectly in character. I just felt like something was missing in my own performance.”
Even though Wei Jiuqi was young, her conversational skills were excellent. She knew how to get the conversation going and how to follow up, providing emotional value and a very comfortable atmosphere.
Lu Zhen took a bite of eggplant and commented on their lines. “Both of your lines are already very good for young actors. You only feel that your skills are lacking because you each demand more of yourselves. It’s the same for me; I still actively try to improve my line delivery.”
Shi Qing, who rarely spoke, asked a question. “Teacher Lu, you still need to improve?”
Lu Zhen hummed. “Of course. You’re never too old to learn, and the art of performance has no end.”
Wei Jiuqi leaned forward slightly. “Then, Teacher Lu, how do you usually improve your lines? Or rather, are there any exercises that are suitable for us young actors who don’t have a very good foundation?”
Lu Zhen gave an honest answer. “There are, but I wouldn’t recommend it.”
Wei Jiuqi was confused. “Why?”
Lu Zhen had finished eating. She put down her chopsticks, took a sip of soup, and her tone became more serious, with a hint of a warning. It was meant for both Wei Jiuqi and Shi Qing.
“Many people who study acting too much become mechanical. The reason I delivered that line well is because I’ve encountered countless similar lines in my career. I know where to pause and which word to put the emphasis on. It’s a formulaic, uninspired delivery. I’m just doing technical work, not artistic work.”
Shi Qing seemed to vaguely understand. “You mean…”
Lu Zhen continued, “The foundation of your line delivery is already quite good for young actors. So, there’s no need for you to learn my mechanical acting methods. My classes are for college freshmen. Moreover, acting is an art. Good art comes from the friction between actors. It’s unique. You two have a lot of scenes together. I suggest you collide and create friction in character. That way, the lines you say will be dynamic, not just ‘correct’.”
A word from a wise person is worth a decade of study.
True art isn’t about “how a sad person should speak,” but about “how a sad Xianglin’s Wife and a sad Kong Yiji should each speak.” It’s about the unique dynamism that belongs to the character.
The three of them chatted enthusiastically, from line delivery to acting, and then from the crew to their agencies.
Later, as they were getting up to leave, Lu Zhen asked Wei Jiuqi how she got her unusual name.
Wei Jiuqi smiled and said, “Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997, right? My mother is from Hong Kong, so she gave me that name.”
Wei Jiuqi’s mother, Wei Shu, was a director who had been a force to be reckoned with in the film world, specializing in suspense films.
Shi Qing was the last to find out about this.
“Last” included all the online gossips.
“97 is too much, not even telling us.” When Dong Ya found out, she was angry for a while. “Her mother is so rich, and she was pretending to be a poor college student to fool us.”
That was a while after they had broken up. Wei Jiuqi’s sudden rise to fame had attracted a lot of attention, and in the vast sea of people, Shi Qing seemed especially insignificant.
“Maybe she had her reasons,” Shi Qing said without any resentment or anger. She turned and immersed herself in her script, designing new movements for her character.
The three of them walked back from lunch when a young woman suddenly jogged up to them and cautiously asked Wei Jiuqi, “Hello, Wei Jiuqi, I’m a big fan of yours. Could I have your autograph?”
The girl had her hair down, was wearing a white t-shirt, jeans, a camel-colored trench coat, and white sneakers. Her face was young and innocent, and her eyes sparkled as she looked at Wei Jiuqi.
The three of them stopped. Wei Jiuqi pointed at herself. “Me?”
The girl nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, yes.” She held out a photo and a pen. “Is that okay?”
Wei Jiuqi was delighted to be recognized by a fan asking for an autograph. She took the photo generously.
“Of course.”
She smiled, and a small dimple appeared on her left side.
She signed the photo with a gold pen. Her handwriting was so dashing it was like a doctor’s prescription, even more illegible. The girl took the photo, held it with both hands, and stomped her feet, as happy as a joyful magpie.
Watching the scene, Shi Qing felt a little nostalgic.
When Wei Jiuqi was still her “little kitten,” Shi Qing had wondered what it would be like when her kitten became a big star, surrounded by people asking for autographs and photos.
And now, here it was.
No one had ever asked Shi Qing for an autograph.
Not a genuine fan, anyway, not like the fake fans her agency would arrange to greet her at the airport.
Once, feeling dejected, she went to a mall without sunglasses or a mask. She stayed from noon until the mall closed. Only one college student came up to her and asked for her contact information.
Shi Qing had been in a bad mood then. She smiled at him and said, “I’m sorry, I’m waiting for my girlfriend.”
Where was her girlfriend?
Even Wei Jiuqi hadn’t appeared in her life yet. She was completely alone.
It must be a very happy thing to be recognized by a fan for no reason and be asked for an autograph.
“Thank you, big sister!” The girl took the photo and held it carefully. She then mustered up her courage and asked, “Um, can I take a photo with you?”
Wei Jiuqi naturally agreed. “Of course.”
She took the girl’s phone, found a good angle, and then her mind was racing as she looked at Shi Qing and waved. “Teacher Shi, do you want to join us?”
That way, she would have a photo with Shi Qing.
Shi Qing was stunned. She gave an apologetic smile. “I don’t think so, but I can take the picture for you.”
A hint of disappointment flashed across Wei Jiuqi’s face, but it was gone in an instant. She handed the phone to Shi Qing. For the photo, she slightly bent her knees to accommodate the fan’s height and put an arm around her shoulder. The girl was so excited she started crying, vowing to support Wei Jiuqi for life.
Wei Jiuqi thanked her, then turned her head, her expression freezing.
Shi Qing was gone.
Lu Zhen was waiting for her and explained, “She went to buy yogurt. Let’s head back now.”
Wei Jiuqi started walking toward the supermarket. “I’ll go get some yogurt too.”
But Lu Zhen said, “I asked her to get some for us.”
Wei Jiuqi stopped in her tracks. “Huh?”
She turned her head, and when her eyes met Lu Zhen’s, she saw a subtle warning in her experienced gaze.
She stood there as Lu Zhen smiled faintly, her eyes growing deep. “Little Wei, you have a lot of fame now, and a lot of eyes are on you. So, you can’t let people see what’s on your mind.”
The words stopped there. They weren’t overly blunt or too profound, just enough to make Wei Jiuqi understand.
Aside from an overjoyed fan, Shi Qing, Lu Zhen, and anyone with a sharp eye could see that Wei Jiuqi wanted to take a photo with Shi Qing.
Even though her expression was impassive and her actions were restrained, it was like a seamless garment made of silk; any small hole was exceptionally obvious.
Having only known each other for a day, if they wanted a photo, it should have been a polite, straightforward colleague photo at the end of the day or before a meeting.
It should have been with their own phones, done openly and frankly.
There was no need to use a fan as an excuse to get a picture in a roundabout way.
It was truly not a straightforward thing to do.
And there is only one kind of emotion in this world that doesn’t allow for such frankness—
Unrequited love.