She Said: A Passionate Kiss [Entertainment Industry] - Chapter 37

“Pingwan, it’s so late and you’re still out?” Ji Zheping had poor eyesight at night and couldn’t clearly see the woman standing beside her.

“Teacher Ji,” Gu Pingwan greeted her and then nodded at the man beside her. “You two just finished?”

Qin Feng’s hair was a complete mess, and his eyes drooped with exhaustion. “Yeah. I thought you left earlier?”

“I brought my classmate to see the tree.” Gu Pingwan didn’t know how to introduce Qiang Huai, so she turned her head and saw Qiang Huai smiling.

With a gentle voice, Qiang Huai said, “Good evening, Teacher Ji. We’ve met before.”

“This is?” Qiang Huai asked Gu Pingwan.

“My colleague, Qin Feng,” she replied.

“Nice to meet you, Qin Feng.”

The moment Qin Feng saw Qiang Huai, his sleepiness vanished. “You’re… Qiang Huai?”

“I am,” Qiang Huai replied, still smiling like a warm spring breeze.

Ji Zheping had pretty much guessed that the tree was a gift from Qiang Huai. She nodded in acknowledgment but said nothing. She had indeed been a bit too harsh when she’d previously approached Gu Pingwan. After being rebutted by Qiang Huai, she had felt somewhat guilty.

“That tree… it’s your gift, isn’t it?” Qin Feng looked at Gu Pingwan, then turned to ask Qiang Huai.

“Mhm.”

“You two must be really close. I lost contact with my high school friends long ago,” Qin Feng said, yawning. He was clearly exhausted.

“Teacher Ji, you keep chatting. I’m going to bed,” he added, walking toward the staff dormitory.

Ji Zheping held a thermos in her hand, twisting the lid as she spoke. “I knew something had changed with Pingwan lately. She used to keep her head down and focus solely on work, never speaking much.”

“So it’s because she’s been spending more time with you.”

Qiang Huai thought Ji Zheping was about to say she had led Gu Pingwan astray and made her less focused on work.

But Ji Zheping continued, “Young people should be vibrant and cheerful.”

Back at the institute, Gu Pingwan hardly said more than five sentences a day. And even those were strictly work-related. She was always alone.

But after returning from Jincheng, her personality had clearly brightened—she even joked around sometimes. Ji Zheping had been wondering about the sudden change, and now, seeing the two of them together, she understood the reason.

She looked at Qiang Huai, who shone like a star in the night, and saw that Gu Pingwan seemed illuminated just by standing next to her.

“Teacher Ji,” Qiang Huai said with a smile in her voice, “Pingwan has always been wonderful.”

“I really was too harsh before. I’ve reflected on that. You were right to push back. I shouldn’t have said such hurtful things.” Ji Zheping had genuinely reflected on her actions—she had been too emotional and overly protective of her talented student.

Qiang Huai understood her thoughts. “Teacher Ji, it’s rare to see a teacher who’s willing to reflect like you.”

“If I put myself in your shoes, I might’ve acted even worse.”

Gu Pingwan stood beside Qiang Huai like a child, listening to the conversation. Why did she feel like she couldn’t get a word in?

“For someone as talented as Pingwan, I’d want to hold on tight too,” Qiang Huai said with a smile. Ji Zheping laughed heartily at that.

She started to take a sip of water, then changed her mind and closed the thermos. “You two continue chatting. I’ll treat you to dinner another day.”

“Good night, Teacher Ji,” Gu Pingwan said sweetly.

After Ji Zheping left, Qiang Huai asked Gu Pingwan to take a photo of her.

She stood under the hydrangea tree with the research institute building behind her. The streetlights shone through the branches, casting a gentle light on her shoulders like a divine aura.

When the photo was done, Qiang Huai waved her over. “Take one with me?”

“Me? I don’t think so…” Gu Pingwan mumbled.

Qiang Huai pretended to be hurt. “Alright then. After all these years of friendship, I guess it meant nothing if you won’t even take a photo with me.”

Hearing that, Gu Pingwan reluctantly walked over and awkwardly leaned closer.

Qiang Huai flashed a triumphant smile and pulled Gu Pingwan in by the shoulders. The two stood head-to-head beneath the hydrangea tree and took a photo together.

When they reached the dormitory building, Qiang Huai nudged Gu Pingwan’s arm.

“We’re already downstairs. Aren’t you going to invite me up for a bit?”

“It’s too late today. Don’t you have filming tomorrow?” Gu Pingwan explained.

“I’m just teasing. Go on up and get some rest.” Qiang Huai brushed some catkins off Gu Pingwan’s shoulder.

Gu Pingwan nodded.

Qiang Huai wanted so badly to pinch Gu Pingwan’s soft cheeks but managed to hold back. “Good night.”

“What time are you heading to the set tomorrow?” Gu Pingwan asked.

“Seven-thirty. Why?”

“No reason.” Gu Pingwan turned and left after answering.

After she went upstairs, Qiang Huai returned to her villa.

Skirt Skirt (Qun Qun) had just woken up from a nap when she saw Qiang Huai returning. Her eyes sparkled with gossip. “So, what were you two up to?”

“Can you not be so crude?” Qiang Huai was both amused and exasperated. “Aren’t you a writer?”

Skirt Skirt blinked innocently. “Exactly because I’m a writer, I talk like this.”

“I thought you two were being shy ‘cause I was home, so you went out to get a room instead. Come on, spill it—what did you do?” Skirt Skirt pressed a banana to Qiang Huai’s neck like a knife.

“I took her back to her dorm,” Qiang Huai replied helplessly. She suddenly remembered how Skirt Skirt once misread “chive egg” (韭菜鸡蛋) as “fat vegetable egg” (肥菜鸡蛋)… Not all writers were cultured, apparently.

“Why not do something else? Like twining around each other like snakes at the dorm entrance? Making out wildly in the hallway? Or maybe giving a little rub here and there?” Skirt Skirt got more excited the more she talked.

Qiang Huai was speechless. “You shouldn’t be writing on Jinjiang. You belong on HaiTang.”

Skirt Skirt rolled her eyes.

After Qiang Huai finished washing up, Skirt Skirt came into her room with her blanket.

She unapologetically took up half the bed. “Tonight, it’s time for the long-overdue bestie heart-to-heart.”

“Big sis, I have filming tomorrow.” Even though Qiang Huai said that, she still let Skirt Skirt onto the bed.

Back in high school, Qiang Huai’s home was always empty, so Skirt Skirt would come over to hang out and stay the night. They would talk about everything—life, dreams, anything.

Skirt Skirt knew Qiang Huai liked women, but she herself was straight. Even if she weren’t, the idea of dating a close friend was just too weird for her.

“No crossing this line, or your precious Gu Pingwan might get jealous~” Skirt Skirt drew a line between them with a long pillow.

Qiang Huai teased, “You’re sounding like a green tea b*tch.”

“Hahaha, I am one~ Don’t you like green tea girls, sis?” Skirt Skirt replied with an exaggerated tone.

“You can leave now.” Qiang Huai dropped her voice. “I haven’t even slept with Gu Pingwan yet, and you’re already taking her spot.”

“Aiya, it’s only a matter of time. Don’t rush.” Skirt Skirt said.

“You really like Gu Pingwan that much?” Skirt Skirt stared at the ceiling, where the lamp’s patterned light cast warm shadows on the wall.

Qiang Huai didn’t answer for a while. Skirt Skirt nudged her with her blanket before she finally reacted.

“What do you like about her? I think she’s pretty average,” Skirt Skirt continued bluntly.

Qiang Huai finally said, “You’ve written too many novels. You’ve created too many perfect characters and now expect everyone around you to be like that.”

Gu Pingwan graduated from Tsinghua, got into the Chinese Academy of Sciences on recommendation, and now worked at a research institute. But beyond all the accolades, she was just a genuinely kind person.

Skirt Skirt thought about it and agreed—none of the men around her impressed her at all. “But I feel like she doesn’t like you back.”

“But she’s kinda flirty.” Now that Skirt Skirt thought about it, was Gu Pingwan just a straight girl leading a lesbian on?

“Yeah, that’s just like a romantic push-pull from a novel.” Skirt Skirt muttered to herself, almost sending Qiang Huai to sleep.

After gossiping about a bunch of entertainment industry scandals, Qiang Huai finally caught on. “Wait—you just wanted to collect material! This wasn’t about heart-to-hearts at all!”

“Exactly!” Skirt Skirt made a silly face. Just then, Dian Dian (the dog) came running in. Girl and dog strutted out of Qiang Huai’s room like they owned the place.

Qiang Huai couldn’t even tell who the real dog was anymore.

Lying in bed alone, she wondered—what exactly was her relationship with Gu Pingwan? Could it be, like Skirt Skirt said, that Gu Pingwan didn’t really like her that way?

The next morning.

Gu Pingwan showed up at the villa door, holding two bags of breakfast.

Qiang Huai quickly freshened up, got dressed, and came downstairs.

“What are you doing here?” She clearly hadn’t gotten enough sleep.

Gu Pingwan glanced at her watch. “I was afraid you wouldn’t have time to eat, so I brought breakfast for you two.”

She figured Qiang Huai probably hadn’t gotten much sleep after driving her back last night. If she skipped breakfast too, she’d have no energy for the day.

Gu Pingwan had gotten up two hours early and bought hot milk and sandwiches for both of them. Originally, she thought of buying iced Americanos—since she’d heard celebs drank them early in the morning—but remembering that Qiang Huai was on her period, she opted for hot milk instead.

Skirt Skirt came downstairs and saw Qiang Huai eating breakfast. “Oh? A love breakfast delivery?”

“There’s some for you too.” Qiang Huai pointed at the untouched portion.

“You two eat. I’m gonna hit the bathroom and go back to sleep.” Skirt Skirt disappeared again into the bedroom.

After breakfast, Qiang Huai asked Gu Pingwan if she had any plans for the day. Naturally, she didn’t.

“Wanna come hang out at the set with me?” Qiang Huai asked.

“Won’t I be a distraction?” Gu Pingwan looked unsure.

“Of course not. Lots of celebs have friends visit them on set. I…” Qiang Huai thought for a second. “Aside from Sister Qin and Xiaoyu, I don’t have anyone else.”

After hearing that, Gu Pingwan suddenly felt bad. Would Qiang Huai feel lonely seeing others being visited on set while she had no one? Would she hide under the blankets and cry?

Then she looked at Qiang Huai’s sincere gaze. “Alright.”

When they arrived at the set, a lot of people greeted Qiang Huai.

“Good morning, Teacher Qiang!”

“Have you eaten, Teacher Qiang?”

Qiang Huai smiled and replied, “Good morning. Yes, I had a love-packed breakfast.”

Xiaoyu came rushing over. Her ears were sharp, and she nearly lunged to cover Qiang Huai’s mouth when she heard that. But she restrained herself. “Teacher Qiang, Engineer Gu. Good morning.”

“Good morning.”

“I’m heading to makeup. You can follow Xiaoyu around,” Qiang Huai said when she saw the makeup artist enter the dressing room.

“Engineer Gu, I’ll show you around.” Xiaoyu offered.

Qiang Huai had already informed the director that a friend was visiting and had arranged a place for her.

It was Gu Pingwan’s first time on a film set. She’d only ever seen the finished product—never the equipment and all the behind-the-scenes work.