The Green Tea Actress Has Too Much After-Show Drama - Chapter 29

Just as Qiu An opened her mouth to eat the mutton Ran Long was feeding her, Yuan Chengyin suddenly stood up, slamming his hand on the table. Several sets of silverware clattered to the floor.

The commotion startled the producers and assistant directors nearby, effectively drawing everyone’s attention.

“Ah! Um, that…” Yuan Chengyin frantically searched his mind, finally spotting the saving grace—the wine glass in front of him. “I… I’d like to propose a toast to everyone!”

No one dared ignore the director’s gesture. Glasses were quickly raised, and those with empty glasses scrambled to find someone to refill them.

Amidst the flurry of activity, everyone subtly glanced toward Ran Long and Qiu An, their eyes betraying a shared curiosity.

The ambiguous and enigmatic relationship between these two had become a topic of speculation. Even if Qiu An weren’t involved, the gossip would still be irresistible.

But it was Qiu An! Despite her meteoric rise to fame over the past few years, no scandals or rumors had ever surfaced. Known for her dignified and aloof demeanor, she always seemed to act with calculated precision, as if following a pre-written script. The biggest drama in her career had been the two slaps Ran Long had given her. And now, Ran Long, the very embodiment of those infamous slaps, was causing a stir by her side. Even if the King of Heaven himself proposed a toast, everyone would be watching!

Ran Long’s gaze fixed on Qiu An’s parted lips. Qiu An glanced dismissively at Yuan Chengyin, who was trying to interrupt them, and ignored him, lowering her lashes as she took the meat from Ran Long’s hand—and her thumb along with it.

An unfamiliar sensation surged through Ran Long’s thumb. Qiu An’s lips were soft, moist, and warm.

She was reminded of their kiss. Not that she was particularly infatuated, but… it must have been the alcohol.

Qiu An didn’t release her hand, tentatively probing with her tongue to draw the meat into her mouth.

Naturally, her tongue brushed against Ran Long’s thumb.

A buzzing filled Ran Long’s mind. Her hand trembled as she clumsily shoved the mutton into Qiu An’s mouth. Finally, she withdrew her finger, grabbed her wine glass, and stood up.

The crowd held its breath. They had witnessed Qiu An accepting Ran Long’s offering, and though they didn’t know the details, Ran Long’s flushed cheeks and racing heart were enough to fuel their imaginations.

Amid the boisterous clinking of glasses and lively chatter, only Qiu An remained seated, savoring the meat in her mouth.

She clasped her hands beneath her chin, a knowing smile playing on her lips. It really does taste better when it’s fed to you, she thought.

The gathering ended without incident.

As the crowd dispersed, Yuan Chengyin couldn’t shake off the lingering unease from the feeding incident earlier.

She wanted to ask Ran Long why she had fed Qiu An so publicly, but Ran Long was too drunk to speak coherently.

She also wanted to ask Qiu An why she had accepted Ran Long’s feeding, especially knowing what today was…

Oh no… When she turned around, she saw Qiu An holding Ran Long by the waist, pressing her head against her chest…

Never mind.

As long as the film premieres on schedule, that’s all that matters. Worrying about trending topics, public opinion, and all that would be a never-ending headache.

A director’s job is done once the film is finished. After that, it’s best to bury your head in the sand like an ostrich.

Qiu An carried Ran Long to her car. Since Sister Hou was also drunk and unable to care for Ran Long, Qiu An naturally took responsibility.

Just as she was about to close the car door, she saw the producer, Sister Wang, staggering toward them. Sister Wang had also had too much to drink, her tongue thick and slurred.

Sister Wang blocked the car door from closing, her breath reeking of alcohol as she leaned into the car. “Qiu An, Ran Long,” she slurred, “I saw the footage Cheng Yin sent me. Your performances were abso-fucking-lutely phenomenal! The success of this film rests entirely on you two… Oh, thank goodness you insisted on signing Ran Long back then…”

“Sister Wang! You’re drunk!” Qiu An quickly interrupted, worried about her loose tongue.

“I’m not drunk! This is nothing! I could handle another three or four rounds, easy!” Sister Wang chuckled, forgetting that such feats were only possible in her younger days.

Ran Long’s eyes flickered between the two women, her drunken haze gradually clearing.

She possessed a peculiar superpower: even when heavily intoxicated, her mind remained remarkably lucid, though she might forget the details later.

Of course, even when “lucid,” her behavior could occasionally become more outrageous and illogical.

She glanced at Sister Wang, then at the slightly tense Qiu An, and asked, “Sister Wang, what did you just say? Qiu An insisted on casting me?”

“Yes, what’s wrong? Didn’t you know?”

Qiu An interrupted, “Don’t listen to Sister Wang.”

“Qiu An, be quiet for now.”

Qiu An reluctantly fell silent.

“Oh dear, hasn’t anyone told you? You didn’t think Cheng Yin sold you this favor, did you? That’s not how it works at all! You’re thanking the wrong person. Cheng Yin even voted against you!”

Ran Long glanced at Qiu An, who silently turned his head away.

A realization struck Ran Long, and she pressed Sister Wang further, “Shen Zixin is practically a main character, isn’t he? Even if Qiu An is famous, how could the production company agree if Director Yuan opposed it? Besides, you were at the audition too. After seeing my performance, you wouldn’t have voted for me either, would you?”

Qiu An’s hands unconsciously clenched into fists, a detail Ran Long noticed. Just as Qiu An was about to stop Sister Wang from answering, a warmth suddenly covered the back of his hand—Ran Long had placed her hand over his.

“So Qiu An, just an actor, managed to override the director, the production company, and the producers—all the most powerful figures?”

“Oh, don’t put it like that! What do you mean, ‘just an actor’? Our production company is President Qiu’s studio, isn’t it? And President Qiu’s studio follows President Qiu’s orders, doesn’t it?”

Ran Long froze, stunned.

No wonder no one from the production company had attended either of her auditions. She had even wondered if the producers had some connection to Yuan Chengyin, given their past agreement from university…

But no matter how she speculated, Qiu An never crossed her mind.

Composing herself, Ran Long said, “So that’s how it is. Thank you, Sister Wang. I understand now.”

After a few more polite exchanges, Sister Wang reluctantly closed the car door behind them.

The ride home was silent.

Ran Long wasn’t holding back because of the driver’s presence; she had simply drunk too much wine, and the bumpy road was making her nauseous.

Finally back at the hotel, Ran Long rushed straight to the bathroom, barely closing the door before collapsing over the toilet and retching violently.

Having eaten a hearty meal earlier, there was plenty to expel.

The lamb soaked in red wine had churned in her stomach, brewing into a freshly cooked, steaming mess.

Just as Ran Long began to recover, the lingering smell triggered another wave.

Footsteps approached from behind. Ran Long knew Qiu An, ever the master of superficial gestures, would force herself to ignore her disgust and come in to “check on her.”

Ran Long didn’t want Qiu An to see her in such a disheveled state. She wiped her mouth, closed the toilet lid, and flushed.

As she stood up to wash the vomit from her hands and mouth, her head swam. The alcohol seemed to have pooled in her head, leaving her with a nauseating mix of a hangover and motion sickness.

Her legs wobbled, and she nearly fell. Suddenly, a warmth enveloped her side. The expected bruises, cuts, and broken bones never materialized.

Qiu An had rushed to her side. Seeing her about to fall, she swiftly pulled Ran Long into her arms.

Ran Long strained to open her eyes, only to see that most of the vomit on her hand had been wiped off by Qiu An’s dress.

The gown she had painstakingly kept free of mutton fat was now so easily stained.

It wasn’t just frustrating; it felt deeply unfair.

“Here,” Ran Long said weakly, pointing to the stain. “It’s dirty.”

“It’s nothing,” Qiu An replied, not even glancing at the stain, her gaze fixed on Ran Long’s eyes.

“How much was it? I’ll pay you back.”

Ran Long didn’t know how much the dress cost, but she knew she couldn’t afford to pay for it right now. Even if it meant going into debt, she would repay him.

She was already used to living with debt, but she didn’t want to owe Qiu An any favors.

“It’s fine. Just send it to the dry cleaner.”

“Nonsense! Do you think I’ve never worn clothes like this before?”

“It was just a small gathering today, a barbecue. I didn’t wear anything too expensive.”

“If you knew it was just a small gathering, why did you dress so… so formally? Anyone would think we’d wrapped up filming! Popping champagne halfway through is bad luck, you know… Ugh…”

Halfway through her sentence, Ran Long lifted the toilet lid and started vomiting again.

This time, she didn’t have time to lean over. The vomit splattered everywhere—on the floor, her clothes, even her hair. Yet Qiu An didn’t flinch, didn’t pinch her nose, didn’t even frown slightly.

Qiu An continued to half-embrace Ran Long, gently patting her back rhythmically.

Even though they were alone, Ran Long forced a bitter smile.

Does Qiu An really need to keep up this charade? she wondered. Surely she’s not worried I’ll blab about this to others.

Besides, what could she even say? I drank too much and threw up everywhere, and Qiu An, who came back with me, didn’t even flinch?

Ninety-nine out of a hundred commenters would say she deserved it, while the remaining one would gush about how cool Qiu An looked with her cold expression, declaring, I want to marry her!

After finally emptying her stomach of most of the alcohol, Ran Long’s mind began to clear.

She pushed Qiu An away, urging her to stop clinging to her messy self. “Go change into clean clothes and deal with your dress.”

“That can wait. Let me get you some warm salt water first, okay?”

“No, I want to shower first.”

“Absolutely not. You’re still drunk. What if you slip and fall? This bathroom is full of sharp edges—it’s too dangerous. I can’t risk it.”

Ran Long had a bad feeling.

“What about me? I’m all dirty and smelly. I can’t just not shower, right? That’s disgusting.”

“You can shower, but someone needs to watch you.”

Qiu An would later regret not being more specific. Her vague, ambiguous words left an opening for Ran Long to exploit.

“Then… then… then let’s call Sister Hou up here.”

Ran Long must have drunk her brain dry to agree with Qiu An’s suggestion.

Qiu An: “……”

Ran Long: “……What’s with that look? Fine, I’ll call her myself.”

They both forgot a crucial detail: Sister Hou was also drunk.

So when Ran Long dialed Sister Hou’s number and Xi Xi answered, she was suspicious for a moment but quickly brushed it off.

Without even asking, Ran Long declared, “Sister Hou is drunk. She’s not available.”

Qiu An’s eyes had barely lit up when a shout suddenly erupted from the other end of the phone: “What do you mean I’m not available? I’m your manager! Even if you asked me to climb mountains of knives or plunge into seas of fire, I’d be there in a heartbeat!”

Sister Hou had slept soundly during the dinner and the car ride, and now, despite her slightly impaired judgment, she was bursting with energy.

Xi Xi’s voice chimed in from the phone: “You should rest, Sister Hou. I’ll handle it.”

“No way! You can’t handle Ran Long! You don’t know her—she’s got a million petty demands and a temper like a viper. She’ll tear you to shreds!”

Ran Long glared at the phone, her face darkening.

Sister Hou’s lack of tact was one thing, but couldn’t Xi Xi at least try to shut her up?

Letting her blurt out all that nonsense was mortifying!

Just then, Qiu An, who had been observing the exchange, suddenly spoke up: “Why don’t you both come up? I actually have something to discuss with Xi Xi anyway.”

Sister Hou immediately chimed in: “Yes, ma’am! Hehehe…”