Chapter 689: A Million Times for You (51)Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Okay.”
Tuoba Rui turned around to leave without saying another word to her.
s.h.i.+ Xiaoyu sat by the bed and reached a hand out to stroke her own face with a menacing look of vengeance in her eyes.
“Someone, come in!”
“Madam.” The bodyguards standing by the door immediately entered.
“Bring me an ice pack.”
“Alright.”
——
The filming of the drama series officially began.
All the actors and crew members had joined the production unit, and the first day of filming will take place on the next day.
The lead actor and actress were staying in two adjacent rooms in the hotel.
They arrived at the television filming studio and would have to check into the hotel at night.
After lunch, Yan Ge instructed his a.s.sistant, Xiao Li, to call Fang Erlan over for a ma.s.sage.
Xiao Li immediately proceeded to do as instructed. Two minutes later, Fang Erlan entered while Xiao Li returned to his own room.
Since it was rather warm inside the room due to the heater, Fang Erlan removed her quilt jacket and left her b.u.t.toned s.h.i.+rt on. Staring at Yan Ge, who was lying on the bed, she said, “Don’t you want a shoulder ma.s.sage? Sit up straight.”
“Just do it while I’m lying down. Give me a back rub too. Do it with more strength.”
He has so many requests, Fang Erlan thought to herself, pouting her lips in annoyance.
She walked toward the bed in her slippers and reached out to begin ma.s.saging him with great force.
She began rubbing his shoulders with her tiny hands before making her way down his back. She could feel his body tensing up the moment she pressed down on his lower back.
“Was I using too much strength?”
“No, it’s just perfect. Keep going,” said Yan Ge, lying on his stomach with his eyes tightly shut in immense pleasure.
Thus, Fang Erlan continued to ma.s.sage him with brute force.
“Did you specifically take up ma.s.saging lessons?”
“No, I just picked it up and got better after ma.s.saging my grandmother several times.”
“Continue to ma.s.sage me until I tell you to stop. Got it?”
“Sure.”
Yan Ge felt his eyelids getting heavier as a sudden weariness began to set in.
After ma.s.saging him for about half an hour or so, Fang Erlan discovered that he had already dozed off. However, she did not stop and continued ma.s.saging him, but with much lesser strength than before.
Yan Ge woke up after the hour-long nap, only to find that she was still standing beside the bed. To the shock of Fang Erlan, he turned his body over abruptly, causing her hands to land just below his abdomen.
Further below would be his…
She swiftly retracted her hand, blus.h.i.+ng red with embarra.s.sment,
“You’ve already ma.s.saged me for so long, you may stop now.”
Fang Erlan gave her aching hands a little shake and said, “I’ll be returning to my room, then.”
“Since there’s nothing else for us to do and filming is about to begin tomorrow, why don’t we rehea.r.s.e our lines together right now?” he suggested, leaning against the headboard sluggishly. He then instructed, “Bring me the scripts on the table.”
She turned around to do as instructed.
“Bring yours here too.”
“There’s no need for that. I’ve already memorized all my lines for the first ten episodes.”
Shock and surprise were written all over Yan Ge’s face. Unlike Fang Erlan, who had memorized all ten episodes in one go, actors and actresses would usually just skim through the script and memorize only their respective lines right before the filming of each scene. Besides, it was a tough feat since she was the lead actress and would have a lot more lines to memorize.
However, he soon thought that it was understandable for her to put in extra effort since it was her first time being cast as the female lead. He casually glanced through the script for the scene where he would be starring alongside her, before putting the script away and beginning to rehea.r.s.e the lines with her.
Indeed, he did not fall short of her expectations. Soon, they both got into their roles and rehea.r.s.ed the scene smoothly.
At the end of it, Fang Erlan asked, “I’ve watched the historical dramas you starred in previously. I also read about you on discussion forums, and the netizens claim that you only stage kiss your co-actors during kissing scenes. Is that true?”
“Not all the time,” Yan Ge answered with raised brows.
Fang Erlan thought to herself immediately, I reckon you only choose to kiss the actresses who you think are attractive and easy on the eyes. I bet you’d definitely stage kiss those who don’t appeal to you or have stinky breath.
“There are a lot of kissing scenes in this drama series that we’re starring in. Do you think I’ll stage kiss you?”
“That goes without saying,” Fang Erlan answered without hesitation.
He smiled and said, “Go back to your room to rest.”
Fang Erlan left his room while rubbing her aching wrists.
——
“Baizhi, has there been news from that person?”
The “person” whom Madam Xu was referring to was none other than the chieftain of the organization Xu Baizhi belonged to.
However, the man had yet to call her again after telling her that he would inform the chieftain of her request.
Several days had pa.s.sed since then.
However, Xu Baizhi was not at all eager or impatient, since not receiving a call of rejection meant that there was still a chance.
“Not yet.”
Madam Xu was much more worried compared to Xu Baizhi. “I really don’t know what we’re supposed to do now,” Madam Xu said anxiously.
“Mother, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. Don’t worry about it now.”
Madam Xu nodded and asked, “I’m going to the mountains later to offer some incense. Would you like to come with me?”
“Sure.”
The butler entered the room hastily and greeted, “Madam.”
“How’s it?”
“The people we sent to Beijia Bay have returned and they said that the main door is already locked. They climbed up the wall and discovered that there was a newly erected tombstone in the backyard.”
Madam Xu sighed and said, “That just means the elderly lady has pa.s.sed on then.”
The butler did not utter a single word and retreated to the living room quietly.
“An Xiaoning was right. The elderly lady really had only a few days left to live,” Xu Baizhi remarked.
“Yeah. This elderly lady is really capable. It’s a pity that she decided to take An Xiaoning as her apprentice instead. If only she were willing to teach you a thing or two,” Madam Xu lamented.
“An Xiaoning is naturally gifted. I’m not psychic either.”
“So what if you’re not? I heard that many non-psychic people have successfully managed to master the techniques of fortune-telling too.”
“The elderly lady told me that those fortune-tellers who don’t possess any psychic powers are mostly just swindlers. Even those who have internalized the fortune-telling techniques taught by their mentors only possess limited knowledge. At the same time, there are also those who rely on supernatural beings to gain their powers.”
“Spirits and supernatural beings usually possess humans with the purpose of gaining something. If we manage to garner the help of spirits by fulfilling their wishes, we wouldn’t have to be afraid of anything. Aren’t I right, Baizhi?” said Madam Xu.
“Yes, but that’s such a far-fetched idea. What can we possibly do for the spirits, and how am I supposed to encounter them in the first place? Also, don’t get any ideas about things like that. The elderly lady said that it’d bring about karmic retribution,” Xu Baizhi said, objecting to her mother’s suggestion.
“You’re right.”
Xu Baizhi’s mobile phone began vibrating all of a sudden. She whipped it out and said to her mother, “It’s the higher-ups.”
“Hurry and answer then.”
Xu Baizhi swiped her finger across the screen to answer and placed the phone beside her ear. “h.e.l.lo.”
“There’s a reply from the higher-ups. Our organization has always had a rule that states that none of the members are allowed to leave the organization unless they’re dead. However, you’re an exception, and the higher-ups are willing to let you off on one condition. If you can fulfill it, you’ll be allowed to leave and we won’t look for you again,” the man answered, sounding cold and aloof as usual.
Xu Baizhi’s eyes lit up in surprise and she quickly asked, “What’s the condition?”
“Find out An Xiaoning’s birth characters and time of birth.”
Shocked beyond her senses, Xu Baizhi answered, “An Xiaoning? She’s a psychic herself and she knows the importance of birth characters and timing. How could she possibly tell me hers?”