Reborn into the Obsessive Love of a Dark and Twisted Shadow Queen - Chapter 11

The other students in the audience watched the two actors perform in complete silence. Ji Qingshu and Chu Xueyi were considered among the best actors in their class.

Ji Qingshu, in particular, had earned universal praise from teachers and professors alike. It was only a matter of time before she would become an award-winning actress.

It was enough to make anyone seethe with envy.

Chu Xueyi closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and prepared for the first scene of the day—a scene where the young mistress throws a fit.

In this film, the young mistress, a spoiled and hot-tempered heiress, loses her temper frequently.

However, for professional actors, portraying emotionally charged characters is often easier. It allows them to easily evoke strong reactions from the audience, as long as the performance avoids being overly awkward.

It’s always you! Every single time! You can’t even do one thing right, you useless wretch!

I told you to fetch my shoes, and you come back soaked to the bone? How am I supposed to wear these? I refuse to wear shoes drenched in rainwater!

Chu Xueyi delivered the lines, and the students in the audience fell silent, secretly marveling at her rapid improvement.

It seemed another name would soon be added to the list of those they envied.

Miss, please don’t be angry. I took great care of these shoes—they didn’t get wet at all, not even the box.

See?

Ji Qingshu carefully held out his hands, as if cradling something precious. Acting often involved handling props, which could be quite cumbersome. That’s why they mostly performed without any physical objects.

Chu Xueyi lowered her gaze, a hint of disdain flickering in her eyes.

Truth be told, Ji Qingshu’s gaze had already started to frighten her, constantly reminding her of the absurd things he had done to her.

But… this was acting!

Chu Xueyi had no intention of backing down. This was a scene with a future Best Actress winner—every opportunity was precious.

She approached slowly, her steps deliberate and graceful.

In the film, her character was a refined lady, so her gait couldn’t be hurried like that of a countrywoman. Nor could she walk with the brisk efficiency of modern people, as if every second mattered for getting to class or work on time.

Chu Xueyi frowned slightly.

The script read What appears in the young lady’s vision are two shoes placed neatly side by side.

The shoes weren’t wet from the rain they were simply disliked for appearing disheveled at first glance to the wealthy young lady.

So what if they’re not wet? How can I wear them when they’re in such a mess?

Chu Xueyi recalled the scene from the movie and raised her hand to slap Ji Qingshu across the face, perhaps getting a little too immersed in the role.

Remembering how Ji Qingshu had dodged her kick the previous night, Chu Xueyi instinctively assumed he would evade this slap as well.

So she didn’t hold back.

But the moment Chu Xueyi’s palm moved, Ji Qingshu took a step forward.

Chu Xueyi had calculated every possibility, but she never anticipated Ji Qingshu would pull this move.

Seeing that her slap was already in motion and couldn’t be retracted, Chu Xueyi could only try to lessen the force at the last moment. Even so—

Smack!

A crisp sound rang through the air between them.

Now, not only Chu Xueyi was stunned, but the students watching from below widened their eyes in disbelief. Who would have thought such a simple play would have such a dramatic twist?

Chu Xueyi, shaken by the impact, naturally wanted to stop the performance. But Ji Qingshu had no intention of letting her off the hook.

Instead, he seized her wrist, his expression earnest and sincere, the madness in his eyes mirroring the male lead’s perfectly.

This matter is my fault, Young Mistress. Strike me as you wish. The harder you hit, the better I’ll feel.

Chu Xueyi was momentarily overwhelmed by this torrent of affection and acting prowess, leaving her speechless. Yet a thread of rationality still clung to her mind.

Oh my god!

Ji Qingshu’s acting is terrifying! I almost couldn’t keep up.

Damn it… If he’s this good in school, what will he be like after graduation?

Chu Xueyi, armed with the memories and skills of her rebirth, had been sparring with him, yet she still found herself at a disadvantage. Ji Qingshu truly was a monstrous talent!

Still, this indirectly proved she had chosen the right mentor. Studying under him for the next year or two of university should yield invaluable lessons.

A flicker of satisfaction warmed Chu Xueyi’s heart.

She took a step forward, tears welling in her eyes, only to vanish as if forcibly suppressed by their master.

You…

The female lead’s heart should now be aching for the male lead, a conclusion Chu Xueyi had reached after countless viewings of film analyses.

A hint of tenderness flickered in her eyes, betraying her concern. Anyone watching could tell she cared.

As soon as the scene ended, Chu Xueyi immediately released her grip. Unfortunately, Ji Qingshu’s fingers remained clamped around her wrist, his delicate fingertips brushing against her skin.

Chu Xueyi could only feel the patch of skin on her wrist grow hot and tingly.

Why didn’t you dodge?

Seriously, why didn’t Ji Qingshu move away?!

Chu Xueyi decided to stop dwelling on it. If Ji Qingshu wanted to touch her wrist, let him. After all, she had just slapped him hard across the face.

But… just as Chu Xueyi resigned herself and stopped resisting, Ji Qingshu voluntarily released her hand.

It was as if his earlier deliberate touch had been nothing more than a figment of Chu Xueyi’s wildly narcissistic imagination.

What’s there to dodge? It’s just to make the performance more convincing.

Ji Qingshu’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he gazed directly at Chu Xueyi, neither flinching nor avoiding her gaze, like a puppy waiting to be adopted by its owner.

Let me put some ice on your face.

Chu Xueyi had to interrupt their practice. Just as Ji Qingshu had told her before, an actor’s face was paramount. They had to minimize injuries as much as possible.

Fortunately, the performance venue had vending machines. Though they didn’t have ice, they did offer chilled drinks.

Chu Xueyi scanned the QR code and grabbed a green can of Sprite.

She hurried back, intending to hand it directly to Ji Qingshu. But then she remembered the five distinct finger marks on his face—all her doing.

Just tossing him a cold drink to ice his cheek might seem a bit insensitive, she thought. Driven by a sense of responsibility, Chu Xueyi approached him slowly.

Slightly awkward, she sat beside Ji Qingshu and pulled out a tissue, carefully wrapping it around the Sprite can. This way, even if he pressed it against his cheek, the cold wouldn’t cause direct pain or frostbite.

Xueyi, could you help me apply this? Ji Qingshu asked, feigning innocence, hoping she would offer him this thoughtful service.

This was a test of boundaries.

This was a way to gradually make her accept him, even though each step carried the risk of her noticing his affection and fleeing in fear.

But Ji Qingshu had decided to try anyway.

His mother had always said, You have to fight for what you want…

Ahem, actually, his mother never said that. It’s just… a personal goal Ji Qingshu had set for himself.