Mistakenly Married a Substitute Wife, Falling in Love with the Movie Queen - Chapter 28

When drunk, Sang Baili didn’t become rowdy or act out, but she would stubbornly pursue what she wanted.

Her left hand, restless as a fish’s tail, playfully circled and caressed Shen Shuangjing’s hand. Shen Shuangjing indulged her for a while, then turned the tables, pressing her palm firmly against Sang Baili’s, filling every space between her fingers, locking them in place.

Sang Baili relaxed, letting Shen Shuangjing hold her hand. She tilted her alluring face upward, her captivating, watery eyes gazing at Shen Shuangjing with tender affection.

Though they had shared more intimate moments before, the last time had been during a stormy night, the dim light blurring their vision. Shen Shuangjing had surrendered to the sensations of touch.

This time was different.

The living room lights were bright, and Shen Shuangjing’s vision sharpened. Her gaze swept across the room, taking in the vivid, intense atmosphere.

The details she couldn’t clearly see before now struck her eyes with dazzling clarity.

Dazzled and mesmerized, she flusteredly lowered her head, her gaze falling to the wooden floor beneath her feet.

“Sister, do you want to exercise?” she asked.

Sang Baili hummed softly through her nose, a sound that served as tacit agreement.

Shen Shuangjing remained silent, her fingers exploring the conjecture in her mind.

After a few breaths, her slender fingers grew damp.

Sang Baili let out an involuntary gasp, curling her toes in restless discomfort. It felt as if her bones had suddenly been drawn out of her body. Her bangs brushed against Shen Shuangjing’s shoulder as she panted urgently.

Shen Shuangjing turned her face, her cheek pressing against Sang Baili’s soft hair. Their posture resembled swans entwined neck to neck, their temples rubbing together.

She murmured, “Liar. You’re not being honest, Sister.”

Using the excuse of feeling hot, no less.

But Sang Baili’s body betrayed her, telling Shen Shuangjing that her sister had long been wet. It wasn’t a genuine desire for exercise; a different word would have been more appropriate.

Shen Shuangjing’s hand smoothed down Sang Baili’s back, soothing her sister’s emotions, before settling on her slender, beautifully curved waist.

The jade-like tip of Sang Baili’s nose flushed a delicate pink, her breath ghosting against Shen Shuangjing’s neck. “Xiao Jing, don’t stop. Punish me.”

The sudden halt in movement left a void in her heart, a desperate need to be filled.

But Shen Shuangjing’s fingers remained still, pinching her earlobe lightly. “This is your punishment.”

Sang Baili protested, “That’s all? You could be a little rougher.”

Shen Shuangjing knew exactly what she wanted.

Her sister’s ulterior motives were as clear as day.

“You still don’t like telling the truth, do you? But that’s okay. Let’s just consider this a five-star after-sales service for you.”

Her fingers slid downward.

The splashes of water grew more frequent.

A warm, wet sensation slid across Shen Shuangjing’s collarbone, igniting sparks of indescribable heat.

Her cheeks flushed crimson, as if burned by fire, and she took a hesitant step back.

“What are you doing?”

The head buried against her chest lifted. Sang Baili licked her lips, her crimson tongue flashing briefly as she spoke, her voice curling with casual certainty: “Kissing your collarbone.”

Shen Shuangjing’s breath hitched for a moment. “No, that’s not necessary.”

Tonight, she only wanted to serve her sister.

Sang Baili’s fox-like eyes, slightly glazed with wine, widened in confusion. “But you liked it so much last time.”

The atmosphere thickened, as if returning to that night when the air had been heavy with unspoken desire.

Shen Shuangjing’s cheeks flushed faintly, her gaze momentarily lost in thought. But as Sang Baili leaned in for another kiss, the desire in her eyes faded. She pressed her hands against Sang Baili’s shoulders.

“We have to shoot the final makeup photos tomorrow,” she said calmly. “We can’t have any kiss marks.”

She kissed Sang Baili’s forehead. “Let’s make this quick and efficient.”

With tender efficiency, she completed the five-star after-sales service.

The next morning, Shen Shuangjing traveled to a neighboring city for the final makeup photoshoot.

Two-thirds of the scenes involving Shen Shuangjing took place at a bar called Night Ripple, and the promotional photos were also shot there. For the film, the director had scouted nearly every bar in Jing City, large and small, but none quite fit the bill. Finally, in a neighboring city, he found a small bar on a commercial street that he liked and rented it at a high price.

Since filming hadn’t officially started and there was no permanent dressing room, the makeup artist prepared Shen Shuangjing in a private booth within the bar.

“Are you satisfied?” the makeup artist asked.

Shen Shuangjing studied her heavily made-up reflection in the mirror. “If I’m not, can we redo it?”

Smoky eyeshadow, two layers of thick false eyelashes, and silver highlighter on her nose bridge and cheekbones created an exaggerated and gaudy look.

The director approached. “I’m satisfied. No need to redo it.”

Shen Shuangjing stuck out her tongue, the heavy lashes fluttering dramatically. “Just kidding.”

The makeup artist had used the same style Zhong Zhong, the third female lead, wore while working at the bar: heavy, gaudy, and extravagant. Under natural light, it looked overdone, but at night, when the bar’s colorful lights came on, it would blend seamlessly with the bar’s decadent atmosphere.

Shen Shuangjing changed into a strappy dress and black pointed-toe stilettos, working with the director, lighting crew, and other staff to film scene after scene.

Meng Manli, arms crossed, handed her an insulated cup with a straw during a break. “Do you not wear heels often?”

Shen Shuangjing nodded, sipping through the straw. “Is it that obvious?”

“Very obvious,” Meng Manli replied. “When you wear heels, you walk like you’ve never worn them before. Your legs are stiff. Fortunately, today’s just the wardrobe fitting, not the actual filming. You still have time. Practice walking in heels at home until they feel as natural as flats before we start shooting.”

After finishing her drink, Shen Shuangjing grabbed a small blanket and wrapped it around herself. “Okay, I’ll practice more.”

Her current challenge wasn’t walking poorly, but the biting cold.

At just above 10 degrees Celsius, she was forced to wear a light dress. Even the heat packs stuck to her thighs offered no warmth against the frigid air.

The director, however, remained unsatisfied. Not a single shot in the final cut met her expectations. The crew repeatedly attempted to reshoot scenes, trying different setups within the bar.

Eventually, the director gave up for the time being. “Let’s take a break,” she announced. “We’ll resume shooting outside the bar at five o’clock this afternoon.”

Shen Shuangjing, ravenously hungry, pulled out the rye bread Meng Manli had prepared for her.

The bread was dry and tasteless, but Shen Shuangjing managed to eat most of a slice, washing it down with water.

Having spent the entire afternoon filming in her first pair of stilettos, her legs felt like foreign objects—aching and swollen.

At five o’clock, the crew moved to the bar’s entrance.

As the workday ended, the narrow street gradually came alive. Advertisements and streetlights flickered on, illuminating the twilight sky.

A sudden inspiration struck the director. She instructed Shen Shuangjing to walk toward the bar’s entrance.

Shivering from the cold, Shen Shuangjing clenched her jaw, lazily holding a prop cigarette between her lips. Her eyes, filled with the weary melancholy of her character, lifted her foot and took a step toward the bar.

Slowly, she took another step.

“Perfect! Absolutely perfect!” the director exclaimed excitedly.

The crowd gathered around the camera to watch the footage.

On the screen, pedestrians hurried along a late autumn street, bundled in warm clothing. A girl stood with her back to the crowd, her expression blank, yet a deep sorrow lingered in her slightly downcast eyes as she gazed at the garishly lit neon sign of a bar.

The flickering light and shadows danced across her face, but failed to penetrate the depths of her ink-black pupils.

The bar was a place of indulgence and excitement, yet the girl, though dressed flamboyantly, showed no trace of exhilaration. The loneliness that enveloped her created a stark contrast with the lively atmosphere of the street, easily piquing curiosity about the true colors of the heart hidden beneath her made-up face.

This was precisely the air of mystery the director had sought for the character’s promotional photo.

The assistant pointed out a flaw: “Director, Shen Shuangjing’s neck wasn’t covered with foundation. There’s a color difference. Should we touch up her makeup and reshoot?”

The director shook his head, his decision final: “Imperfections make it feel real.”

Back at the villa, Shen Shuangjing sprawled on the sofa, transforming into a salted fish.

Whenever she thought her physical stamina was top-notch, reality would strike her down. Wearing high heels felt like taming her limbs—after a full day of this ordeal, her legs ached with an unbearable soreness.

A dull ache throbbed in her heel. She curled her leg up and saw that a layer of skin had been rubbed raw, the dried bl00d crusted over.

She grabbed her phone and texted Sang Baili.

Big Whale Eats Little Whale: Sis, do we have any bandages at home?

Half an hour earlier, at a bar in Jing City.

Soft music drifted through the air as Fang Han sipped her Long Island Iced Tea, teasingly eyeing the person across from her.

“The moment you walked in, you had every eye in the place on you.”

Sang Baili sat calmly, propping her chin lazily in her hand. “Who doesn’t enjoy admiring a beautiful woman?”

“They’re not just admiring you,” Fang Han countered. “They’re trying to flirt. I bet they’re guessing about our relationship right now. Someone’s going to lose patience soon and come over to talk to you.”

Sang Baili kept her gaze fixed straight ahead. “Forget it. I’m not interested in strangers.”

Fang Han threw her hands up in mock surrender. “Alright, let’s get down to business. What relationship advice did you want from me today? This relationship guru and love expert knows all the answers.”

Sang Baili’s bright black-blue eyes narrowed slightly, like the dim night sky. “I’ve been having those kinds of dreams lately.”

Fang Han immediately understood. “Rated R?”

Sang Baili shot her a sidelong glance, not denying it. “Ever since I watched that short video you sent me.”

Fang Han couldn’t help but giggle, earning a sharp glare from Sang Baili. She cleared her throat. “Alright, I’ll stop laughing. I thought it was something serious. Isn’t this normal? Just treat it normally.”

Sang Baili frowned. “Normal?”

She used to think it was normal too, but subconsciously, Shen Shuangjing’s slender, pale hands kept surfacing in her mind, impossible to shake off.

She couldn’t stop overthinking.

And this was her own private turmoil. Last night, Shen Shuangjing had calmly helped her unilaterally, making her feel like she was driven by intense desire and acting unreasonably. Fortunately, Shen Shuangjing wasn’t home when she woke up; otherwise, she wouldn’t have known how to face her.

She was bothered by why she had fantasized about Shen Shuangjing and couldn’t suppress the turmoil in her heart.

Fang Han grew serious. “Of course. Having those kinds of needs is perfectly normal. Just take care of it.”

A girl with pink highlights seized the opportunity to approach, giving Sang Baili a suggestive smile and lingering gaze. “Can I get to know you?”

Sang Baili was about to refuse when Fang Han winked and gestured at her phone.

She checked her phone and saw a message from Mountain Valley Letter King: A perfect opportunity to take care of your needs.

A fleeting frown crossed Sang Baili’s brow, an inexplicable aversion rising within her.

She switched off her phone and looked up at the girl. “I’m sorry.”

The curt words, paired with the aloofness in her eyes, radiated a cold distance.

The girl refused to give up, her jade-green eyes sparkling with interest. “Could I ask why? If you don’t dislike me, we could start as friends and get to know each other.”

Sang Baili replied, “I’m married.”

The girl paused, surprised. “Really?”

Sang Baili retrieved her newly arrived custom wedding ring from her handbag and slipped it onto her finger. “Genuine article. I hope you find someone you like soon too.”

The girl smiled, realizing she’d approached the wrong target. “Thank you. I wish you and your partner a lifetime of happiness.”

After the girl left, Fang Han looked at Sang Baili in admiration. “You played the ‘married woman’ role so convincingly!”

Sang Baili retorted, “Because I am.”

She stroked her chin, the dazzling wedding ring on her ring finger nearly blinding Fang Han.

Fang Han sighed regretfully. “If you have needs, don’t be so reserved! That was such a perfect opportunity—you couldn’t even seize a freebie!”

Sang Baili closed her eyes briefly, an inexplicable irritation stirring within her.

Firstly, she wasn’t the type to casually sleep with strangers to satisfy her needs. Secondly, Fang Han’s suggestion repulsed her, extinguishing her desire like water dousing a flame.

The urge had vanished completely.

She looked at Fang Han and said, “Thanks. I think this matter is resolved.”

“You’ve come to your senses?” Fang Han asked.

“No,” Sang Baili replied. “You’ve successfully cured me of my desires.”

She regretted agreeing to come here with Fang Han. She was tired of strangers hitting on her and irritated by their leering gazes.

She wasn’t lying to Fang Han. Her heart had suddenly shifted from spring to winter hibernation.

Fang Han exclaimed in shock, “I treat you like a friend, and you’re ruining my reputation as a relationship guru!”

Sang Baili didn’t respond. She received a WeChat message from Shen Shuangjing.

“Talk later. I’m leaving.”

She hurried out of the private room and called Shen Shuangjing. “Why do you need a band-aid? Where did you get hurt? I’m coming back right now.”

“Aren’t you out having fun?” Shen Shuangjing asked.

“I wasn’t having fun. I was asking a friend about something, and I’m done now.”

Shen Shuangjing’s injury was more important.

Besides, now that her desires were gone, she could face Shen Shuangjing normally. Of course she had a home to return to.