I woke up to find I have a child - Chapter 63
If truth be told, Dugu Yuehua hasn’t seen Han Feixu since they finished filming ?Blossoming Dreams?when Han Feixu was 18. Later on, they exchanged two more phone calls and from then on they only saw each other on the news, whether to be on the Internet or on TV. Eight years ago, Han Feixu’s character was very outgoing, so Dugu Yuehua felt that something was wrong with her when she said such polite words.
But if one thinks carefully, eight years have already passed so naturally the child from eight years ago has become a mature adult. So of course her personality has changed.
While Dugu Yuehua managed to convince himself that this was the case, Han Feixu was struggling to come up with an explanation and desperately trying to find a way to justify herself.
After eating a meal together, Dugu Yuehua has to go back on set and so with no time for idle small talk, Dugu Yuehua said directly to her, “You can’t play the role of Qi Hanxue. She is too upright for you as your looks don’t fit such a character. How about considering the second female lead? Although she is second in name, she actually has more scenes than the female lead and she would be a much more difficult character to act out.”
Han Feixu had already read the final draft of the script and in the first few drafts the second female lead met a tragic end together with the villain. In this final version, however, the second female lead did not die but instead ran away by herself. Who knows where she went and what terrible things she would do again as the script left behind an open ending.
Han Feixu frowned, “Second female lead….Director, you can see that in my current state that I need a film where I can play the leading role.”
Dugu Yuehua stood firm on this point, “No, you can not play Qi Hanxue.”
Qi Hanxue suffers from a mental disorder for even years. As her name suggests, she is thin and weak, cold, indifferent, and gloomy. Han Feixu doesn’t match any of these words and….she looks too sexy for such a character. If you let her put on an upright police officer’s uniform and then make a poster out of it, then some vulgar men might think this is an inappropriate type of movie.
However, Han Feixu didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Sure, it doesn’t matter if she plays a second female lead in a TVdrama series, but must she also play the second female lead in the movies as well? Isn’t she lowering her own status by doing so?
Han Feixu didn’t speak. Meanwhile, Dugu Yuehua continued to study her face and the more he looked at it, the more he felt that she would be best suited for the rule of Xia Ning. Han Feixu’s debut was in his movie and at the time she didn’t understand anything, thus she followed everything that was taught by him and Ye Mignxin. So her acting style is strikingly in line with his strict aesthetic preferences.
There are very few actors nowadays who can enter his eyes. Even if they were to go to a random film school and bring a naive actress who hasn’t been influenced by others for him to train, it would just take too long. Besides, he was no longer the young man he used to be. Now, as a middle-aged man, he no longer had any energy to teach children.
Dugu Yuehua tried to persuade her with a few more words, then after hearing that she was hesitating because of a status issue, he tentatively suggested after thinking about it, “What if….I make another film with two heroines in it?”
Han Feixu immediately raised her head to look at him. Dugu Yuehua shrugged, “In terms of ranking, however, although Xia Ning would be considered a heroine, she will still be second.”
He then quickly added in fear that Han Feixu would reject it, “I plan to turn this movie into a series of movies. You’ve read the ending, it’s an open ending. Therefore, the squeal will revolve around Xia Ning’s life. In that movie, Xia Ning will be the only heroine. Aren’t anti-heroes becoming very popular in Europe and America? So I also want to make a movie with a villain-like protagonist. Of course, this would depend on the response to the first movie, but as long as the person who plays Xia Ning plays it well, the sequel is guaranteed.”
Chinese films rarely turn into a multi-movie series, unless the movie itself is part of a bigger franchise such as highly successful video games, superhero series, and so on. Bigger franchises mean higher traffic, and so there are few people who will create a second movie from an independent movie series like the one Dugu Yuehua is planning to create. It is evident that he has a lot of confidence in his own judgment and skills.
If Dugu Yuehua does this, Han Feixu will be satisfied as well. Dugu Yuehua could be considered a living neon sign. He doesn’t ever make any bad movies so when people see his name on the movie they are ready to buy tickets without even reading the movie summary. Being able to star in three of his films back to back will definitely make people think she’s very capable.
Or that she’s having an affair with Dugu Yuehua = =
Han Feixu felt a little excited and couldn’t help laughing. The corners of her mouth lowered again as she remembered something, “Have you found an actress to play Qi Hanxue yet? Will the other party have objections to having two heroines?”
Dugu Yuehua smiled: “As long as it’s you playing the other heroine, the other party will have no objections.”
Han Feixu silently looked at his sly face, “So it’s Ye Mignxin who will play Qi Hanxue.”
Dugu Yuehua snapped his fingers, “That’s right! Your mind is still as bright as ever!”
Han Feixu: “….”
“She is our biggest investor, provided the screenwriters, and even provided the core parts of the script. If I don’t let her participate as a lead actress, then that’s just too unreasonable.”
Wait a minute.
Han Feixu blinked dumbfoundedly, “Ye Mingxin provided the core parts of the script?”
Dugu Yuehua rubbed the stubble on his chin, “En, she told the main screenwriter everything. Then the screenwriter added their own embellishments and imagination to the story, but by the time they were done one couldn’t even see the original story in it anymore. Ye Mingxin was so stunned and for a long time too when she read the first draft. Hahahaha, this is what we call art derived from life and an art that surpasses life itself.”
Han Feixu asked curiously, “Then what was the original summary of the story she provided at the beginning?”
“I don’t know,” Dugu Yuehua scratched his head, “Something that had to do with her own personal life experiences. She didn’t tell you anything?”
She didn’t.
On the way back, Han Feixu kept going over the lines in the script as she tried to figure out what part of it comes from Ye Mingxin’s personal life. However, each character was just too miserable and none of them seemed even slightly similar to Ye Mignxin.
Zhong Yunayuan glanced at her through the rearview mirror, “It’s not a good idea to read in the car, you’ll easily get motion sickness if you continue. “
Han Feixu hummed noncommittal. Who knows if she actually heard what Zhong Yuanyuan said so Liang Zhu took out a three-fold umbrella from her bag. She stretched out the stick and then turned around to hit it directly on Han Feixu’s forehead.
Han Feixu angrily looked up, “What?!”
“Stop reading. If you really want to know, you can just ask her. You two have been married for how many years now? There should be no secrets between you two. If you ask, she’ll definitely tell you.”
Han Feixu fidgeted, lowering her head again as she turned another page of the script. She muttered in a quiet voice, “She won’t tell me. She keeps everything from me. She would never tell me anything if it weren’t for the fact that she can’t hide it forever from me.”
Liang Zhu turned her head around in surprise, “What has she been hiding from you?”
Han Feixu closed the script in her hands and looked up at the roof of the car. She squinted at it and said, “Basically everything.”
Han Feixu couldn’t explain it either. They’ve been getting along for five months now and their conversations mainly consisted of Yiyi, the film crews, what did you and I do today, etc. Do normal couples usually behave like this? That doesn’t seem right, does it?
Couples who are passionately in love should be able to talk about a variety of topics. Everything from national politics to trivial matters, from aesthetic preferences to one’s personal values and beliefs. Ye Mingxin had never discussed any of these things with her. Now, if it were just these simple things then perhaps it isn’t such a big deal. After all, in Ye Mingxin’s eyes, they’ve been together for many years and probably already talked about these things with each other before. However, she would notice sometimes that when she mentioned something, she would unintentionally or intentionally be distracted by Ye Mingxin and forget all about the previous topic. If it was once or twice she wouldn’t have noticed it, but naturally she began to notice something was wrong after it happened many times.
Especially when it came to subjects about her childhood, her life in Shanghai, and her university student days. Ye Mingxin would change the subject every time before she could even say a few words.
Han Feixu had brought up these topics in the first place because she wanted to inquire about her wife’s past, but Ye Mingxin very vigilantly didn’t let her know anything at all.
Han Feixu felt like her heart was being torn apart in frustration. She especially wanted to know who Ye Mingxin was talking about that day when she was drunk.
She guessed that it had something to do with Ye Mingxin’s psychological shadows. Things that happened in the past always seem to jump out when we’re at our weakest. Of course, prying into someone’s private matters is always a bad thing. Even if they’re your partner, it isn’t something one should do. So Han Feixu never asked explicitly what was going on, only slightly probing on the sidelines. However, even after so much probing, she returned with her hands empty and felt a little unhappy at this fact.
Now that she had learned that this script originally sprouted from Ye Mingxin’s personal experiences, Han Feixu immediately concluded that it has something to do with Ye Mingxin’s traumas. But after looking through the script over and over again, she couldn’t see any connection to Ye Mingxin.
If Qi Hanxue is Ye Mingxin’s prototype, then it doesn’t make sense. Ye Mingxin does not have a mental disorder, a brother who was eaten by a serial killer, nor an IQ of 160. Neither is Xia Ning like her because how could Ye Mingxin be some sort of smart pervert?!
Han Feixu closed the script again and scooched forward. She sat in the middle of the back row and moved towards the front to put her hands on the backrests of the two seats in front of her. She coughed twice and asked, “Hypothetically, I really do mean hypothetically, you wanted to know what happened to someone in the past but can’t directly ask the person involved. What do you do?”
Liang Zhu and Zhong Yuanyuan looked at each other and replied in unison: “Ask Jiang Lingyan.”
“….”
“Do you think I haven’t thought of that already? The problem is that as soon as I finish asking her she’ll just turn around and tell Ye Mingxin what I asked her word for word. What’s the use of asking her in the first place!”
Liang Zhu looked at her speechlessly, “You shouldn’t have asked in the first place, alright? If someone isn’t telling you something then there usually is a good reason why they’re not telling you. Have you never thought that you might hurt Ye Mingxin if you find out what she didn’t want you to know? What you’re doing might just be rubbing salt in her wounds.”
The car fell silent for a moment and none of them spoke again for a while. Han Feixu silently lowered her head, as if repenting. Zhong Yuanyuan narrowed her eyes, “I know a way that won’t let Ye Mingxin find out.”
Han Feixu quickly raised her head again with a “shuaaa” sound, “What way?!”
Liang Zhu: “….” Everything she said just now was in vain!
“Go and ask Jiang LingYuan instead,” Zhong Yunayuan had one hand on the steering wheel and the other leaning against the car window, “Didn’t they all grow up together? If Jiang Lingyan knows something, then Jiang LingYuan should know about it too and she definitely won’t tell Ye Mingxin.”
Oh ho.
Han Feixu smiled cheerfully, “Amazing, why didn’t I think of that!”
Zhong Yuanyaun triumphantly waved a hand, “This is a small matter. After all, I also used to be something like a paparazzi, so I still have some investigative skills I can teach you.”
The journey to their destination took only three hours and was a lot faster than their return journey. They encountered many traffic jams and didn’t return to the hotel until the sky was already dark.
She asked for Ye Mingxin’s spare key card from Lan Zhu and then nonchalantly walked past all the other rooms to head straight to Ye Mingxin’s door. She glanced around, making sure no one was secretly filming or watching her. Even the windows to this room were fitted with special blinds to stop any paparazzi from secretly photographing them. She took out her key card and then with a beep, the door opened as Han Feixu quickly and skillfully sneaked in.
The door automatically locked behind her and Han Feixu didn’t make a single sound as it clicked behind her.
Her “sneaking around” skills have already reached the level of an experienced professional. = =
The sound of running water came from the bathroom. The carpet on the floor already dampened their footsteps so there was no need for her to lightly tread on it. She walked over to the door, hesitating whether to go in or not as she stood in front of it.
Now that she thinks about it, some things are like taking drugs. Every time she tells herself this will be the last time, but then before she knows it happens again a second time. By the time you realize it, you’ve done it a third time.
Both of them have been very busy recently so in terms of physical contact, even kissing happened rarely. Yes, they both don’t have time, but they also always have to be on guard due to the many eyes and ears around them.
But if you think about it, all this sneaking around is pretty exciting too.
This hotel’s bathroom door is made of tinted glass, so you can see some faint lighting but can’t see the actual person inside. The person is also bathing on the south side of the bathroom so one can’t see anything even if they wanted to form this angle. Han Feixu can only curse the hotel architect for not being able to read the room.
The sound of running water gradually stopped and Han Feixu blinked in panic. She hurried back to the bedroom and sat upright on the bed, pretending to be as innocent as possible. Yes, of course she just arrived and doesn’t know anything, what are you talking about?
After waiting for about five minutes, Ye Mingxin still didn’t come out of the bathroom. Han Feixu stood up again and returned to the bathroom door. There was no movement coming from the inside. She frowned and leaned forward to place her ear on the door.
Very faint sounds bled through the door, the sounds of suppressed gasps and water dripping. Ye Mingcin’s voice seemed to ache with a special sort of pain as it trembled, the volume wavering, “Little Xu….”
Han Feixu, who was still standing outside the door, “…..”
This old lady is standing right here and you would rather talk to empty air and play by herself?!
Han Feixu’s face turned all shades of red and green. The blood rushed to her bed and without a second thought she opened the door. Ye Mignxin instantly turned around when she heard movements behind her and froze. Han Feixu came in at the most inappropriate time, at the most intense and critical moment. If Ye Mingxin was a man, she would have wilted by now.
Ye Mingxin had never experienced such an embarrassing situation before. Her skin still carried a flushed hue, full of desire, and her mouth was open but not a single word came out.
Her period is coming soon and so her hormones have been all over the place these days. When she was taking a bath just now, she had no other plans, and after indulging in some of her fantasies for a while, her body was aroused. Then she thought that with Han Feixu still in Xiangshan with no news on when she’ll come back and that even if she came back they wouldn’t have time to themselves, so she…..
She forced herself to calm down and straighten her face, “Little Xu, I….”
Han Feixu stared at her for a few seconds, then closed the door behind her. As she walked over, she reached behind her neck and pulled down the zipper of her dress.
She walked over to the bathtub and sat on the edge as she stretched out an index finger to lift Ye Mingxin’s chin towards her. With a charming smile, she said, “Woman, today I must make you remember my name. And my name is you’ll wish you were dead when I finish with you.”
Ye Mingxin: “….”
That sensation of tingling pleasure surged in her body once again.
No amount of big talk can make up for skill. Han Feixu’s techniques aren’t very good and she often can’t control her own strength and ends up hurting Ye Mingxin instead. Fortunately, Ye Mignxin is a patient person and slowly taught Han Feixu the correct techniques and Han Feixu slowly learned them until she was on the right track.
The temperature in the bathtub soon dropped to unacceptable levels so they filled the tub with another round of water. After the two of them cleaned up, they moved back to the bedroom.
After taking a bath, every pore on her skin could breathe again and her fine and soft hairs stood on their ends. Han Feixu felt light and fluffy, as if she was walking on clouds.
Ye Mingxin leaned against a soft pillow while Han Feixu laid next to her. Han Feixu was always very clingy with her during these soft moments, and Ye Mingxin loved these moments the most. She lowered her head and saw Han Feixu was still restlessly fidgeting around. She turned to her side and put an arm under Han Feixu’s neck and let Han Feixu use her arm as a pillow. Her slender legs pressed against her fidgeting legs, stopping her from moving. Han Feixu turned her head in response and buried her face in her chest, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes in satisfaction.
Since they were busy doing other things when she got back Ye Mingxin was only now able to ask her about her day, “So, how did your talk go?”
“Of course it went well,” Han Feixu raised her face and said proudly, “I said I wouldn’t act in his movie unless I am the heroine. The director barely said another word before he proposed having two heroines in this movie.”
To the person they like, no one can help but brag and Han Feixu is the same = =
But after hearing Han Feixu’s words, Ye Mginxin fell silent. After a long time, she hesitantly told her the truth, “Little Xu, I think you may have been tricked by him. This movie already has many protagonists. From the very beginning we planned to have at least six protagonists and two of them are female. If you look at it this way, of course you could call it a movie with two heroines.”
Han Feixu: “….”
After taking several deep breaths to calm herself and swallow back the urge to swear loudly, she sat up and crossed her legs to look at Ye Mingxin, “If you play Qi Hanxue, then we’ll be staying together again for this next production.”
Ye Mingxin tilted her head. She hasn’t agreed to play Qi Hanxue yet.
Most likely it was Dugu Yuehua who told Han Feixu that. He probably thought with 100% certainty that if Han Feixu decided to take the role then she would soon follow after. Hah, this Dugu Yuehua is looking down on her IQ a little too much.
Ye Mingxin: “Isn’t it a good thing to stay together? Then we won’t have to separate and live in two different places.”
Well, let’s just let Dugu Yuehua look down on her. Her current agenda is all centered on Han Feixu anyway, so where she goes, she will follow = =
Han Feixu, on the other hand, was thinking about a different matter, “If we stay together all the time, then our time away will overlap and Yiyi will have to stay by herself in Beijing. I’m afraid she’ll feel abandoned all alone in that house.”
A producer named Ye Mingxin smiled, “Don’t worry, this film will be shot in Beijing and near our home too.”
Modern-themed films don’t need a special location or studio and simply need an office building so there’s no problem using the Gan Company’s building. Han Feixu blinked, “How do you know about this? The director told me today that the location is still undecided.”
Ye Mingxin raised an eyebrow, “The location is undecided because the investor hasn’t given us his money yet. I’ll call him about the money tomorrow and ask him to find a suitable place near our house.
Is that really a good idea?
Facing Han Feixu’s questioning gaze, Ye Mingxin brushed away the hair that had slipped from Han Feixu’s shoulders, tucking it back behind her. Then, leaning in, she moved closer and planted a kiss on her cheek, “Don’t worry, the location isn’t that important and the interior scenes are easy to arrange. As long as we have the funds, Dugu Yuehua will also try to fund a place near his home to shoot.”
Han Feixu stared at her and then suddenly started laughing.
“What are you laughing at?”
“You really look like a newly rich upstart right now.”
Ye Mingxin sighed pretentiously and said dramatically, “It’s unavoidable. One who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and one who stays near ink gets stained black.” (T/N: this is a chinese saying that means one’s behaviors is influenced by those they associate with)
With this perfect atmosphere and happy mood, Han Feixu looked into her eyes and asked after much deliberation, “I heard from the director that the core of this script was provided by you.”
Ye Mingxin didn’t reveal any strange expression and nodded with her usual poker face, “Yes, but it has been completely pulled apart and rebuilt since the very first draft. You can’t really say that I provided the core of the script anymore, it’s more accurate to say I provided the inspiration and the screenwriter came up with a brand new script from the inspiration.”
Han Feixu laid back and looked up at her, “Then tell what “inspiration” you provided to the screenwriter at the start of all this.”
From this angle, Han Feixu’s eyes looked wide and big, and her eyes were twinkling like someone who was eager to hear a story. Ye Mingxin sat up nonchalantly and took out her phone, “I told Chang Hao and his wife what Han Yiren did. Of course, I didn’t tell them myself and took a book out of Han Yiren’s book by spreading rumors. Today these rumors finally reached Chang Hao’s wife’s ears. Can you guess as to how she reacted?”
Ye Mingxin had a smile on her lips but Han Feixu stared at her with a blank face.
“I don’t want to guess.”
“Alright, then I’ll tell you directly, she took Han Yiren’s company and…”
Han Feixu’s face remained blank, “I don’t want to know what she did. I want to know what inspiration you provided.”
Han Feixu turned over and sat up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she said in a calm tone, “I’m pretty sure you’ve already noticed that I’ve been asking a lot about your past. First of all, I want to apologize. I know it’s wrong to dig into other people’s privacy and for that I am sorry.”
Ye Mingxin was still tightly clutching her phone, blinking quietly as she waited for her next words.
“Secondly, I am a very curious person and can’t control myself, so if you don’t tell me, I will still continue to ask. How about we make a deal: if you answer a few of my questions, as long as they’re within reason, I promise to never, ever ask again in this lifetime.”
Ye Mingxin finally put down her phone as she nodded, “You may ask.”
Han Feixu crossed her legs, “Why didn’t you tell me about the true background of this script? Is it because you are ashamed of it?”
Ye Mingxin shook her head, “I’m not ashamed.”
“Then you didn’t tell me because it involved the secrets of your own family?”
Ye Mingxin couldn’t hold back her laughter, “Little Xu, please stop watching TV shows from 2008 anymore.”
What does that mean?
Ye Mingxin shook her head again, “No, my family is your family so if it was a family matter I would not have hidden it from you.”
“Last question, is it a good or bad thing?”
Ye Mingxin shifted her gaze away and after several seconds of thinking she said, “En….for me, I’d say it’s a good thing.”
This answer was not within Han Feixu’s expectation, after all if it’s something good why wouldn’t she tell her? She almost blurted out this question, but fortunately she remembered her promise and said with pursed lips, “Then I won’t ask anymore, as long as it’s a good thing.”
Ye Mingxin smiled, “Are you worried for me?”
Han Feixu lowered her head slightly but silently raised her eyes, “Yes.”
Ye Mingxin was touched by her honest answer, and she extended her arms, assuming a welcoming posture similar to what Yiyi does. “Come here and give me a hug.”
Han Feixu moved her arms away, “Why do you want a hug, it’s so hot.”
Even though she said this, she still sat down in Ye Mingxin’s lap and soon after laid down in her arms. It was as if the person who was complaining about it being too hot wasn’t her at all.
Han Feixu soon fell asleep, but Ye Mingxin was not as tired as her. Although she doesn’t sleep much more than seven hours a day, she still couldn’t fall asleep before midnight out of habit.
Lying next to Han Feixu, she scrolled through her phone and then turned her gaze to the soundly sleeping Han Feixu.
Han Feixu always slept heavily. Her mother once said that if there was an earthquake and she was thrown out of the window, she still wouldn’t wake up.
Thinking of those words Zhong Ya had once said to her at the dinner table, the corners of her lips raised up. She put down her phone and moved closer to Han Fexiu, calling out her name, “Little Xu?”
Sure enough, her eyes didn’t move at all.
Ye Mingxin moved closer, hugging her gently as she whispered in her ear, “I’m not telling you because I want to protect you. Not everything is worth remembering. You’ve finally managed to forget it and so it’s for the best to not bring up such matters again.”
When Han Feixu no longer moved, Ye Mignxin leaned over and kissed her ear, “Good night, Little Xu. I love you.”