The Green Tea Actress Has Too Much After-Show Drama - Chapter 2

By the time Sister Hou stormed to her door, Ran Long was still sound asleep in her rented apartment.

“Who is it?! What’s all the racket this early in the morning?! Didn’t I leave a note? Just leave the delivery at the door!”

Ran Long groggily climbed out of bed, smoothed down the nightgown that had bunched up around her stomach, and shuffled to the door, her hair a tangled mess.

She glanced at the clock—only 11 a.m. Who had the nerve to come knocking at this hour? Didn’t they know she didn’t officially wake up until 2 p.m.?

Her morning grumpiness was tinged with suspicion.

A friend? What friends did she even have? No one had visited her place in ages. The police? Ever since her first attempt at pushing boundaries on stream had been criticized by her number one fan, she’d stopped flirting with danger. Debt collectors?

The knocking grew more insistent. Too lazy to slip on her slippers, Ran Long threw on a denim jacket and headed for the door.

Peering through the peephole, the visitor looked vaguely familiar, but not familiar enough for her to place a name.

“Who are you?” Ran Long called out without opening the door. The apartment’s soundproofing was terrible. She stood barefoot on the relatively clean entryway mat, the plastic fibers tickling her soles.

“I’m Xiao Hou!”

“Xiao Hou? I thought you’d at least be a person.”

“Uh, Hou as in Marquis! I’m your new manager!”

“Oh, a little Marquis~” Ran Long rubbed the corner of her eye, pushed open the door, and flicked the eye discharge from her hand onto the newcomer. “So, how do you plan to torment me?”

“Torment you? Forget that for now! Just look at this audition invitation!”

Sister Hou shoved the tablet into Ran Long’s arms without another word, her adrenaline surging, revealing a rare assertive side.

Ran Long glanced at the email subject and sender, her expression utterly calm—neither pleased nor surprised. Sister Hou nearly wondered if she couldn’t read.

Ran Long walked into the room without closing the door behind her, her way of inviting people in.

She sprawled on the sofa, her long legs, pale from lack of sunlight, crossed and folded, curling into a corner as she prepared to meticulously examine the email’s contents.

Sister Hou closed the door. Finding no guest slippers in the shoe cabinet, she stepped barefoot into the room. She found a single-seater sofa and was about to sit when Ran Long snapped, “What are you doing?”

Sister Hou froze mid-air, her buttocks obediently hovering. “Me? I didn’t do anything!”

“You’ve been wearing those pants all day, dragging them everywhere, and now you’re just going to sit on my fabric sofa? It’s hard to clean.”

“Then… where should I sit?”

“Stand, sit on the floor, or take your pants off,” Ran Long said without a flicker of emotion.

Sister Hou’s temples throbbed. She’d heard of divas, but no one in the company had the clout to pull such stunts. This was her first time facing such unreasonable demands. Lacking experience in handling such situations and terrified of provoking the temperamental “ancestor,” Sister Hou dared not resist and reluctantly settled onto the cold, tiled floor.

Having asserted her dominance, Ran Long cheerfully opened the attachment. The document contained a detailed plot synopsis and character descriptions.

After carefully reading through it, Ran Long realized it was a script with two female leads and a lesbian theme:

The two protagonists were high school classmates: one a budding artist, the other her model. What began as practice for drawing the human form soon evolved into an exploration of anatomy. As they spent more time together, they grew increasingly drawn to each other, their exploration quickly transforming into passionate embraces, repeated again and again, oblivious to the world around them.

When the sketchbook was stolen, the nude girl in the drawings instantly transformed from a beloved, quiet youth into the target of ridicule among her peers. Their relationship suffered as a result.

Years later, the woman who had been the subject of the paintings attended the artist’s exhibition. By then, the artist had become the wife of a wealthy businessman…

A cliché plot, yet strikingly bold. Ran Long thought the audacity lay in the film’s uncertain prospects for domestic release.

The role assigned to Ran Long in the email was that of the woman who had been painted in the story.

But none of that mattered, because: “I’m not taking it.”

The three words Ran Long spat out landed with a resounding thud in Sister Hou’s ears. A second later, she realized it was the sound of her own heart shattering on the floor.

Sister Hou scrambled to her feet, her eyes bulging like a goldfish as she confronted Ran Long. “What?! Did I hear that right? You’re not taking what? You’re turning down Director Yuan’s film?!”

“You heard correctly. I’m not taking it. Please decline on my behalf.”

“But… why? You must have a reason!”

“This is Director Yuan’s film. If I’m playing the lead, then Qiu An will be the other lead. That’s why I’m not taking it.”

“Just because of Miss Qiu?”

“Just because of Qiu An.”

“No!” Sister Hou, burning with liver fire, spoke urgently. “This is your perfect comeback opportunity! I don’t know what happened between you two before, but she’s willing to put the past behind her…”

Before she could finish, Ran Long’s slender, bony hand shot out from her side and clamped down on Sister Hou’s jawbone with brutal force. Her eyes blazed with fury as she glared at her.

Ran Long gritted her teeth. “She’s willing to put the past behind her? Say that again, and see what happens!”

Sister Hou’s jaw felt like it was about to shatter. Terrified, she stammered, “I was wrong… Sister Ran, I won’t say it again. I was wrong…”

Ran Long released Sister Hou’s jaw, but her eyes remained filled with lingering rage.

Sister Hou felt the dented muscles in her cheek slowly spring back into place, and goosebumps belatedly crawled up her spine.

How could she have forgotten the Blacklist’s scathing review she had just memorized?

“Crazy b1tch. Gives off violent vibes. Best not to provoke.”

Rubbing her cheek, Sister Hou had a premonition: this film was her once-in-a-lifetime chance to defy fate. She couldn’t let her cowardice squander this golden opportunity. Regrouping her courage, she asked:

“What exactly happened between you and Miss Qiu?”

“None of your business.”

“Alright, Sister Ran,” Sister Hou persisted, undeterred. “If you have any concerns about the production, please tell me. This is the best project Gourd Media has ever secured, and the company will spare no resources to protect your interests!”

“Oh? Really?”

“Absolutely!”

“Then do you have those extra-long RVs with kitchens and bathrooms?”

“Of course!”

“Can I get a dedicated makeup team just for me, and an assistant team of at least ten people?”

“Absolutely!”

“How about replacing Qiu An?”

“I didn’t ask about that…?”

Did I hear that right? she wondered. What kind of company is Gourd Media, and what kind of clout does Ran Long have? Even if they had the audacity of a bear and the ferocity of a leopard, they couldn’t possibly replace Qiu An!

“No problem?” Ran Long raised an eyebrow, her smile radiant.

“Well… it’s not like they’ve confirmed Miss Qiu for the other role yet. Why don’t we go audition first and see?”

“Hmph. The role is Qiu An’s. Yuan Chengyin would never abandon his precious leading lady and waste effort finding someone else. I’m not going.”

Sister Hou straightened her posture, her half-squat transforming into a full kneel. For the sake of her wealth and status, she would stoop to any depths, even kowtowing.

“Sister Ran! Please, I’m begging you!”

“I said I’m not going! Go back where you came from and stop bothering me!”

Sister Hou, having been thrown out, wailed and screamed at the door for half an hour.

When her voice was nearly hoarse, she finally composed herself and muttered in a raspy whisper, “Heh. It’s just an audition. There’s no guarantee you’ll even get the part. What’s with all the attitude? If you won’t go, I’ll push another artist!”

Just as she turned to leave, the door behind her slammed open with a bang, the gust of wind nearly blowing her off her feet, bag and all.

“What did you just say?”

“I-I-I didn’t say anything, Sister Ran!”

“Listen carefully: as long as I audition, and the casting team dares to choose fairly, there’s no chance I won’t get the part!”

“Of course! I know that, Sister Ran! You’ll definitely get it!”

“How old are you this year?” Ran Long suddenly asked, out of the blue.

“T-twenty-five.”

“I’m older than you. Stop calling me Sister Ran,” Ran Long said, looking down at her. “You’re my manager now. How can you accompany me to contract signings dressed like a student? From today onward, no one calls you ‘Little Monkey’ anymore. Everyone calls you ‘Sister Hou.'”

“But…”

“No buts! I’m not finished. Listen carefully: go pick out some more formal clothes right now. Throw away that backpack and those cartoon hair clips! I don’t care how you do it, find a way to make yourself taller! And what’s with this limp hair? Go get it permed—immediately!”

Sister Hou was short and had a youthful appearance, and her posture around superiors was overly deferential. She lacked the presence to assert herself. Wearing platform shoes was uncomfortable, maintaining permed hair was a hassle, and those cartoon hair clips were her favorites… But hopefully, these changes would prove effective in future business negotiations.

“Understood!” Ran Long’s imposing presence was so overwhelming that Sister Hou nearly saluted. After a moment, she quietly confirmed, “You mentioned signing a contract? So you’re planning to audition?”

“I am!”

On set.

Sister Hou carried the leftovers that the elderly woman had nibbled on to Ran Long’s RV.

The RV door was slightly ajar, warm yellow light spilling through the crack and the curtains. Sister Hou’s hand froze on the door handle as she seemed to hear a faint, eerie sound from inside.

An ominous premonition surged through her, warning bells ringing incessantly in her mind:

Don’t open the door. Don’t open the door. Don’t open the door.

A sticky, squelching sound, smack, smack, irregular and repetitive.

The rustling of fabric, soft and sandy, kept reminding her of Qiu An’s silk shirts.

Speaking of Qiu An, Sister Hou couldn’t help but envy her assistant.

Working for such a talented and popular Best Actress meant being showered with paychecks and awards. More importantly, Qiu An was beautiful, kind-hearted, and down-to-earth, never throwing tantrums or making unreasonable demands.

Sister Hou saw herself as Ran Long’s storm and rain, constantly being summoned and bossed around on set. One moment, she needed freshly brewed sour plum soup from the pharmacy; the next, she demanded seasonal, naturally grown red apples; and then she insisted her iced Americano couldn’t be too bitter.

Regardless of whether Ran Long’s demands were reasonable, Sister Hou couldn’t fathom where Ran Long found the time to constantly manipulate her.

She also wondered why Qiu An, a Best Actress of such stature, would agree to take on this project alongside her mistress. Had she lost a game of truth or dare?

The scene they filmed two days ago took an entire day to shoot. The lighting crew was on the verge of collapse, and even the director’s eyes were red with anger, tears threatening to spill.

The problem was obvious to everyone: Ran Long was the culprit. Yet the woman stubbornly refused to take responsibility, blaming Qiu An for her poor performance and lack of cooperation.

Hmph! Compared to Qiu An, what was her mistress but a mere pudding?

The Best Actress, out of consideration for Ran Long’s pride, went along with her claims, taking all the blame upon herself. Ran Long, however, simply shrugged and declared, as if she were a grand master:

“See? It’s all her fault for not cooperating properly!”

Ugh! Ran Long showed no shame, but Sister Hou was mortified on her behalf.

She couldn’t fathom how Ran Long’s skin had grown so thick—thicker than cowhide, thicker than a cow itself.

If she could just borrow a few meters of Ran Long’s thick skin, would she really have to swallow her pride and read her master’s mood?

I wish I could soul-transcend into Qiu An’s assistant! she thought. Are there any satisfying novels like that I could read?

Wait, what just happened? How did she suddenly start thinking about Qiu An’s assistant?

By the time Sister Hou snapped out of her daze, she had completely forgotten why she had been hesitating outside the RV door. The food was getting cold; she needed to hurry and deliver it to her little tyrant.

Ran Long hated the smell of microwaved food and forbade her from using the RV’s microwave. If the food wasn’t to her liking, Sister Hou would have to either trek all the way to the dining area to reheat it or shamelessly use Qiu An’s RV to warm it up.

Given the choice, she’d always prefer the first option. But Ran Long insisted on the second. Ran Long had no shame, but Sister Hou did!

Doesn’t she realize what kind of person Qiu An is? What kind of impression does it make to have me warming up food in her RV every day?!

Grumbling inwardly, Sister Hou vented her frustration and resentment by yanking open the RV door with excessive force.

This rash act would become the most regrettable moment of her life.

If she weren’t so afraid of pain, she would have gouged out her own eyes right then and there.