Chapter – 73
She asked curiously:
âYou donât feel awkward watching your own movie?â
Qin Shiyue wondered about it. Watching herself act in a drama always felt embarrassing, like she wanted to cover her eyes.
âI donât feel awkward. After all, I didnât act badly,â Lin Qingyi replied. Watching her old films helped her think. She could reflect on whether her acting had been the best choice. With more maturity now, she wondered how she would act the same scene differently.
âYouâre so confident?â Qin Shiyue felt a little envious of Lin Qingyiâs self-assurance.
âDo you think I acted badly?â Lin Qingyi asked back.
âIâve never seen it. How would I know whether you acted well or not?â Qin Shiyue lied, feeling a little guilty. In truth, she had watched all of Lin Qingyiâs movies. There were two films she had seen three times. The movie Lin Qingyi chose now was one of themâbecause it contained a very seductive bed scene. Lin Qingyiâs bare back and slim waist had looked amazing. Her body was too beautiful. Even as a so-called rival, Qin Shiyue couldnât help glancing at it. While watching, she had thought Lin Qingyi seemed cold on the surface but actually had a sensual side, otherwise she couldnât have performed such a tempting scene.
She didnât know why she had watched that movie three times. And that bed sceneâwell⌠maybe she had watched it more than three times.
Now, with Lin Qingyi choosing this film, Qin Shiyue felt strangely uneasy. It was like her secret thoughts had been discovered. She quickly pushed the feeling away and told herself that as long as she didnât admit watching the movie, Lin Qingyi would never know.
Lin Qingyi didnât doubt her words. Since Qin Shiyue had previously avoided her and showed no interest, it was natural she wouldnât pay attention to her movies. Still, Lin Qingyi had chosen this film on purposeâit was the one where she had appeared most boldly, full of feminine charm and sexual tension. Qin Shiyue was interested in women, so this might work as subtle temptation.
âGo ahead and turn off the lights,â Lin Qingyi instructed. It would create a better movie atmosphere.
She knew darkness could nurture a sense of intimacy.
After turning off all the lights, they were ready. Qin Shiyue sat beside her, waiting to hear Lin Qingyiâs professional comments about acting. It was strangeâhaving watched the movie three times, Qin Shiyue suddenly felt like a student who had already done her homework. She knew the plot well.
But only a few minutes after the film started, Lin Qingyi changed her position. She casually leaned her body against Qin Shiyue.
Qin Shiyue, who had been focused on the movie, felt her thoughts scatter. A small flutter rose in her chest. The sofa was largeâwhy lean on her? The position felt intimate, though it could also be explained as ordinary closeness between women. Qin Shiyue forced herself to think of Lin Qingyi as just a straight woman. Straight women could unintentionally be very flirtatious, and the poor lesbian Qin Shiyue became stiff under the sudden contact.
Should she push her away? If she didnât, the closeness made it hard not to be affected. She might start imagining thingsâlike whether Lin Qingyi actually had feelings for her. But she feared overthinking it. There was a common saying: one of the three great illusionsââshe likes me.â
Qin Shiyue felt this might be one of those illusions. Still, she let Lin Qingyi lean on her. It wouldnât cost anything. And as a single adult woman lacking emotional warmth, the slight physical contact made her feel strangely comfortedâlike a brief return to youthful emotions. Besides, Lin Qingyi smelled nice. Qin Shiyue even secretly inhaled the scent of her hair. What shampoo was that? It smelled so good.
Illusions were dangerous. But what ifâjust what ifâit wasnât an illusion?
Lin Qingyi noticed Qin Shiyueâs body stiffen. Her closeness had an effect. Qin Shiyue didnât push her away, and Lin Qingyi slightly smiled in the darkness.
While Qin Shiyueâs thoughts were still wandering, Lin Qingyi began to explain the movie seriously.
âActors must learn to immerse themselves. First, you should suppress your own personality and match the characterâs atmosphere and behavior. Analyze the characterâs motivationâŚâ
Qin Shiyue realized Lin Qingyi was teaching something valuable, so she pushed aside her messy thoughts and listened carefully.
âCharacter values, details of the plot, and natural performance all work together. Lookâthis role is handled well. The characterâs values determine his choices and inner conflict, and his expressions and movements show his emotions. That attention to detail is very goodâŚâ
Lin Qingyi had been leaning against Qin Shiyueâs arm, but talking and watching the movie seemed to tire her. Her body relaxed and slid down. She lay down completely, resting her head on Qin Shiyueâs thigh.
Qin Shiyue looked at the person using her thigh as a pillow and wondered: did straight women do this? It felt like a pose for lovers. But since Lin Qingyi was teaching useful things, Qin Shiyue decided it was worth lending her leg.
Lin Qingyi seemed worried Qin Shiyue wouldnât understand, so she only explained a few highlights. After resting for a while, she closed her eyes as if taking a short nap. Qin Shiyue worried she might fall asleep, but Lin Qingyi occasionally said a word or two, proving she was still listening.
Finally, the movie reached the bed scene that Qin Shiyue had watched many times before.
