The Green Tea Actress Has Too Much After-Show Drama - Chapter 22

In early summer, young cicadas perched upright on branches, shedding their exoskeletons to emerge as adults, their first buzzing calls heralding the noisy summer ahead.

The college entrance exams had just ended, and the newly liberated students, restless with newfound freedom, plunged headfirst into driving schools’ peak promotional season. Countless fresh-faced youngsters crowded behind steering wheels, eager to become licensed drivers.

Inside the RV, where the air conditioning struggled against the stifling heat, a passionate kiss was unfolding with unrestrained intensity.

The private setting and perfectly crafted atmosphere fueled Ran Long’s desires. She let her tongue slip between Qiu An’s lips, tasting her deeply.

Though Qiu An never voiced it, Ran Long could sense her longing—even a subconscious encouragement for this intimacy.

Yuan Chengyin hadn’t explicitly requested tongue in the kissing scene, but who cared about Yuan Chengyin?

Ran Long wanted to kiss, to kiss deeper, to transform this tentative peck into a full-blown embrace. She wanted to kiss Qiu An breathless, to watch her plead for mercy before her.

Despite being a novice at kissing, she couldn’t explain her sudden confidence. But with Qiu An’s vulnerable yet impassioned face before her, the urge to conquer her grew irresistible.

Ran Long used the excuse of picking out a bento box to send Sister Hou away.

Having just finished the afternoon’s filming and not even changed out of her costume, Ran Long eagerly grabbed Qiu An’s wrist and dragged her into the RV.

Why wait until after the night shoot? We have plenty of time during dinner, don’t we?

Qiu An knew what Ran Long wanted. She let herself be pulled along without resistance or complaint.

Under the watchful eyes of the crew, many witnessed Qiu An being dragged into Ran Long’s RV.

Rumors flew like wildfire through the set.

Some claimed their on-screen chemistry had spilled over into real life, overwhelming them with passion. Others, more informed, whispered that it was a rekindling of old flames, an irresistible pull of the past.

Regardless, the consensus was that their feelings were overwhelming. Whether it was platonic affection or something more, each person drew their own conclusions.

Only Yuan Chengyin, the absolute authority on set, remained untouched by the gossip. He was currently pacing anxiously, timing his next move. In truth, he longed to pin the two actresses to a bed and force them to kiss all night, until they were numb, until they no longer felt anything for each other. Only then could they focus on their roles, kissing exactly as he directed, without distraction.

Meanwhile, Sister Hou, Ran Long’s trusted confidante, remained excluded from the gossip circles, oblivious to the undercurrents swirling around her. She was diligently chopping pork belly, muttering under her breath in a stream of curses, her words as filthy as her task.

Only Xi Xi, sitting in the RV next door, witnessed everything firsthand. The curtains on both vehicles weren’t drawn tightly, and through the gaps, combined with her imagination, she could clearly see every detail. Without the “beauty filter,” the scene was actually quite cringe-worthy; she couldn’t bear to watch.

Ran Long had been thinking about a French kiss since they were at the villa.

But she probably wouldn’t have dared to act on it without Qiu An’s tacit approval.

It was truly impolite.

If Qiu An hadn’t responded so eagerly when Ran Long licked her lips, instead of pulling away.

If Qiu An’s teeth hadn’t parted wider when Ran Long’s tongue first touched them.

If Qiu An hadn’t paused briefly at the initial contact, then entwined herself with Ran Long even more seductively.

Kissing was merely a human act of exchanging saliva. Ran Long had never felt any romantic stirrings while watching it in movies or TV shows; instead, she’d felt discomfort.

Because she always remembered that behind the scene were two actors—perhaps unfamiliar colleagues, or even bitter rivals who couldn’t stand each other.

Must be an occupational hazard, she thought.

Today, she finally found herself in a similar situation.

Yet strangely, she didn’t feel disgusted or awkward. Instead, she felt… quite comfortable.

Ran Long attributed this feeling to the pleasure of seeing Qiu Anchen, the man who had taken everything from her, submit beneath her.

It just feels so good! she thought, unconsciously becoming addicted to it.

Her desire to delve deeper never ceased. Glancing sideways, she noticed Yu Youxuan’s attire: beneath the white silk shirt, a faint hint of red peeked through.

She recalled Qiu An’s filming outfit for the day—the most provocative low-cut halter dress.

Impatient, Ran Long had rushed her into the car without letting her change.

Why not just unbutton the shirt? she wondered. All this modesty is such a nuisance.

Thinking this, Ran Long acted accordingly.

One button, two buttons, three buttons. Qiu An’s face flushed crimson, her body burning hot. Her reason seemed to have been reduced to ashes, as she silently allowed Ran Long to continue.

Having undone the buttons, Ran Long didn’t immediately strip the shirt off. Instead, she traced her fingers across the skin between the open flaps.

Qiu An’s entire body was exquisitely sensitive; wherever Ran Long’s fingers roamed, a crimson flush bloomed in their wake.

If she could act this convincingly, then forget it. She can have the Best Actress award, she can steal all the roles.

“You know,” Ran Long said maliciously, “I think I’d be better suited to play Yu Youxuan than you.”

“How about we switch roles? You could play Shen Zixin. Your awkward shyness is exactly like hers. That way, Yuan Chengyin would be satisfied, and we could keep filming.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Ran Long had only suggested it casually, never expecting Qiu An to reject it so firmly.

She had assumed Qiu An would argue that the role of Yu Youxuan suited her better, but instead, Qiu An whispered between her trembling lips:

“No one is more suited to play Shen Zixin than you.”

“Huh? Did you say that wrong, or did I mishear you?”

“I didn’t say it wrong, and you didn’t mishear me.”

Qiu An spoke in a breathless whisper. Her body was so sensitive to Ran Long’s teasing that even her voice trembled, terrified she might accidentally moan aloud.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because you’re braver than I am.”

Ran Long’s left eyebrow furrowed while her right arched, completely baffled by Qiu An’s words.

Ran Long didn’t consider Shen Zixin brave, nor did she see herself as courageous.

Personal grudges aside, Ran Long believed Qiu An was the truly brave one.

Just the fact that Qiu An had left her remote mountain village alone and traveled so far already made her far more formidable than Ran Long.

Not to mention how she had lurked by his side for so many years, only to stab him in the back at the end, completely upending their life circumstances. Afterward, she even hypnotized herself into believing she was a righteous hero…

Who said Qiu An wasn’t brave? This Qiu An was far too brave.

After witnessing the passionate kiss between the two women, Sister Hou’s small mind froze.

Clutching her lunchbox, she wandered aimlessly around the RV like a lost soul.

Xi Xi, who could see the absurdity unfolding inside the RV, naturally noticed Sister Hou’s bewildered state outside.

She watched Sister Hou stumble upon the scene, her mind short-circuiting into stunned silence.

Xi Xi could have stopped her, but she assumed Sister Hou’s hesitation at the RV door meant she had heard the commotion inside and was weighing her options. She never imagined the silly girl would simply zone out at such a critical moment.

Of course, if Xi Xi hadn’t been so eager to watch the drama unfold, she would have intervened immediately.

Xi Xi had been harboring Qiu An’s secret crush on Ran Long for ages. She desperately wanted to bring Sister Hou into the loop, share the burden of this earth-shattering secret, and enlist her help in managing it.

Yet when she stepped out of the RV and called Sister Hou over, she said, “They’re just rehearsing for a scene they didn’t pass. What’s the panic?”

Xi Xi mused that Qiu An should really pay her more—a higher salary and a bigger bonus. Not only did she manage Qiu An’s studio and serve as her personal assistant, but she also had to keep her secrets.

Even a donkey wouldn’t be as hardworking, honest, and quiet as her.

“I thought… so it was all an act! You scared me to death!”

Thanks to Xi Xi’s loyalty, Sister Hou’s wandering soul finally returned to its place.

A full forty minutes passed, and the lovey-dovey couple in the RV showed no signs of coming out.

Sister Hou stared at the mangled bento box in her hands, her brow furrowed with worry. “Xi Xi, do you think they’ll still have time for dinner?”

“Who knows? Let’s wait a bit longer.”

They waited until the production coordinator called the actors for makeup touch-ups and to return to the set. Ran Long never came for the ruined bento box.

Sister Hou couldn’t bear to see the perfectly good meal go to waste. “Can I take the leftovers to feed the stray cats?” she asked Xi Xi.

Xi Xi countered, “Do you really need my permission for something like that?”

Sister Hou grinned sheepishly. She seemed like a house dog trained too long by the company and Ran Long, accustomed to seeking her master’s approval even for simple tasks like going outside. If her master wasn’t around, she’d temporarily adopt a new one.

“Do you know if the kittens have any dietary restrictions?”

Xi Xi shook her head, suppressing a smile at Sister Hou’s disappointed expression.

This little fool, she thought. Ran Long and Qiu An have really scared her half to death.

“I don’t know, but I can help you search online.”

Xi Xi had originally intended to say, “You can search online,” but the words always seemed to twist into something else as they left her mouth, so she didn’t dwell on it.

Xi Xi picked up her phone and browsed for a moment before telling Sister Hou, “The internet says kittens shouldn’t eat onions, ginger, or garlic, and they shouldn’t have food that’s too oily or salty.”

“Oh… this bento box hits all the wrong notes! Is it destined to be wasted?”

Xi Xi thought for a moment and replied, “I think stray cats probably aren’t too picky. If you don’t give it to them, they’ll just dig it out of the trash to survive.”

“Hmm…”

“Maybe you could rinse the food with plain water?”

“Oh my god, Xi Xi! Are you a genius?!”

“I…”

Before Xi Xi could deny it, Sister Hou had already rushed off to buy bottled water, her face beaming.

Xi Xi shook her head helplessly. If even this counted as genius, what was the point of the title?

She found Sister Hou to be a truly fascinating person, so overjoyed just to find a use for the leftover bento box.

If people’s desires stopped there, would happiness be so easily attainable?

Ran Long wasn’t avoiding the boxed meal; she had simply forgotten about dinner altogether.

Fueled by a surge of adrenaline, she felt no hunger whatsoever.

What was a boxed meal compared to the more satisfying and fulfilling “meal” right in front of her?

After wrapping up the night shoot and returning to the hotel, Ran Long finally felt a pang of hunger when she saw Qiu An gracefully approaching her.

Tossing her hair aside, she asked casually, “Shall we continue? Do you want to shower first, or…?”

Before Qiu An could finish, Ran Long threw her bag onto the carpet and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

Later, after showering and lying in bed with a face mask on, her stomach finally began to rumble.

Two questions plagued her mind:

First, where had her dinner gone?

Second, after all that kissing, Qiu An’s acting skills hadn’t improved one bit?

Tomorrow was the deadline. Would their film crew really disband like this?

Ran Long pulled out her phone and sent a WeChat message to Sister Hou.

Super Malevolent Woman: Where did you put my lunchbox?

Ten minutes passed without a response from Sister Hou. Ran Long reluctantly peeled off her face mask and opened her food delivery app.

But it was late, and most restaurants were closed, leaving only barbecue, fried chicken (which she couldn’t eat), and convenience store bento boxes (which she didn’t particularly like).

After scrolling through the options, Ran Long ordered some oden and sent another WeChat message to Sister Hou.

Super Malevolent Woman: Do you have the contract for “The Sound of Falling Leaves”? Let me see it.

Ran Long wanted to check if she could claim compensation due to the contract’s termination caused by another actor’s force majeure.

Great Sage Equaling Heaven: The contract is at the company. I’ll have them scan and send you a copy tomorrow when I get to work.

Super Malevolent Woman: That’s too much trouble. Forget it for now.

Super Malevolent Woman: But what about my lunchbox?

Another ten minutes passed, and Sister Hou still hadn’t replied. Ran Long threw a couple of shadow punches into the air and began considering asking the company to replace her assistant—and maybe even her manager.