Previous | Table of Contents | Next
All the lights in the studio fell. The premiere began.
Once again, Shao Cixin and Wen Zhihan were sitting next to each other.
The screening began. A familiar green logo screen passed, and the opening sequence slowly rolled in.
The brightness of the screen illuminated everyone’s faces.
In the dim light, Shao Cixin gently took Wen Zhihan’s hand, placing their intertwined fingers on the armrest between them.
Her face blossomed into a satisfied smile, content and happy.
Wen Zhihan turned to look at her wife through the light of the screen.
Her mind flashed back to the first time she sat next to Shao Cixin, during the premiere of Red Lotus. At the time, she asked her secretary to communicate with the committee, because she selfishly wanted to get closer to Shao Cixin.
Now, she didn’t need to arrange anything to attend the premiere of The General. The organizers would take the initiative to put her next to Shao Cixin.
Shao Cixin would also take the initiative to be intimate with her, holding her hands and interlocking their fingers.
Wen Zhihan smiled and returned her attention to the screen.
Her fingers moved slightly, quietly tightening her clasp on her lover’s hand.
The lights and shadows constantly shifted as the plot progressed, sweeping through every corner of the studio, occasionally illuminating their eyebrows and eyes as well as the wedding rings on their hands.
No one in the studio made a sound.
Shao Cixin took the premiere very seriously.
The General would be released in theaters soon, where it would be rated by the audience.
She was not sure what the outcome would be, but she hoped that this film would help her pursue her dream of winning the Best Actress award at this year’s film festival.
At the very least, she believed in her director, Long Hui.
From an audience’s perspective, Wen Zhihan felt that The General was worth the price of admission.
The protagonist’s struggle between power and position made viewers root for her success. The plot was both unexpected and cohesive, successfully whetting the audience’s appetite while also fulfilling their expectations. The overall viewing experience was very good.
From a producer’s perspective, Wen Zhihan would also consider investing in Long Hui’s next movie.
As Shao Cixin’s wife, this film was flawless.
So much time has passed, but she still liked Shao Cixin’s goddess-like Buddhist costume very much. After post-production, Shao Cixin’s appearance on screen became even more flawless and sacred, piquing Wen Zhihan’s interest.
The gods and Buddhas are not to be offended.
But outside the film, Shao Cixin was neither a goddess nor a Buddha. She was a real lover that Wen Zhihan could hold, touch, and kiss.
Wen Zhihan leaned toward Shao Cixin and whispered her name. “Cixin.”
Shao Cixin turned in her wife’s direction.
She heard Wen Zhihan say, “You’re very beautiful. You act very well too.”
It was a familiar compliment.
During the premiere of Red Lotus, Wen Zhihan used these same words to praise her.
But now that their relationship has changed, it came with a completely different mentality.
Shao Cixin raised her eyebrows. She hooked her fingers at Wen Zhihan.
When Wen Zhihan leaned closer, Shao Cixin raised her hand to cover her lips and whispered ambiguously, “As long as jiejie likes it.”
Taking advantage of the momentary darkness, she kissed Wen Zhihan on the cheek.
The screen lit up again.
Their eyes met.
Wen Zhihan saw Shao Cixin’s seductive expression. Her junior sister was teasing her again.
Wen Zhihan tightened her grip on Shao Cixin’s hand and responded with a smile, “Focus on the movie.”
From then on, Shao Cixin’s hand became increasingly dishonest. She rubbed the back of Wen Zhihan’s hand and stroked her fingers, as if she would feel dissatisfied if she wasn’t involved with Wen Zhihan for even a single moment.
But her eyes were always locked on the big screen. She was successfully doing two things at once, not once falling behind in either task. It was impossible to find fault with her.
Wen Zhihan glanced at their hands, smiled, and said nothing.
It didn’t matter.
Heaven and earth lasted forever[1], and she had plenty of time to return the favor.
The premiere came to a successful conclusion. When they were let out, it was already past five in the afternoon. Since it was near dinner time, Shao Cixin and Wen Zhihan decided to eat out.
Shao Cixin picked up her bag of everyday clothes and walked to her dressing room.
She was wearing a delicate dress sent by a big brand, and it would be inconvenient to wear it out to eat, so she planned on changing into a more comfortable outfit.
Wen Zhihan greeted Rong Ya, then followed Shao Cixin backstage.
The dressing room was a makeup room that had been temporarily set aside for Shao Cixin’s needs.
The door could be locked from the inside, which provided a good cover of privacy.
Shao Cixin was about to close the door when she saw Wen Zhihan coming. She immediately opened the door like a waiter. The only thing missing from her act was a formal greeting.
Wen Zhihan had brought Shao Cixin a coat, fearing that she would be cold after she left the event venue.
They locked the door, and the single room became a private space just for the two of them.
Shao Cixin fixed her long hair in front of the mirror, scrutinizing herself in the mirror.
Sure enough, she was beautiful today.
She turned to Wen Zhihan and asked, “Is your wife pretty?”
Wen Zhihan smiled and walked over to embrace Shao Cixin’s waist. “Yes. Our Cixin is the most beautiful person in the world.”
Shao Cixin was so happy that she sucked her lips and said, “President Wen, please show me.”
Wen Zhihan’s eyes fell on Shao Cixin’s mouth.
Her lipstick was bright and moist, like a red honey fruit that had just been taken out of the water, making people feel intoxicated.
Wen Zhihan couldn’t help but lean closer, but then she stopped and abruptly raised her gaze to look into her lover’s eyes.
Mrs. Wen, who had been waiting for a kiss: “?”
Wen Zhihan’s expression softened, and she lightly patted Shao Cixin’s waist. “Be good, go change your clothes first.”
Shao Cixin raised her eyebrows.
It seemed that her President Wen was being especially patient today…
Shao Cixin walked into the changing room. She kept the door ajar and didn’t bother to close it completely.
It was her wife who was sitting outside. Wen Zhihan had already seen everything, so Shao Cixin didn’t care if she looked.
When she was halfway through taking off her dress, she realized that she had forgotten her clothes outside.
“Zhihan, help me get my clothes. They’re on the chair.”
Wen Zhihan said okay.
Then the door widened, and Wen Zhihan walked in.
After she had unzipped her dress, Shao Cixin held it loosely in one hand, revealing a pair of beautiful and fair shoulders.
Her long, slightly curly hair was draped over these shoulders, flowing like seaweed floating in the sea. She was especially bright and dazzling today.
“Put them down over there.”
“Okay.”
After Wen Zhihan set down Shao Cixin’s clothes for her, she did not leave right away. Instead, she approached Shao Cixin. “I’ll help you.”
Shao Cixin blinked her eyes. She didn’t know what she needed help with.
The next second, Wen Zhihan’s lips were already on hers.
Their feelings turned turbulent and passionate in each other’s gentle embrace.
Wen Zhihan’s hand wrapped around Shao Cixin’s waist. With a gentle tug, she effortlessly finished unzipping Shao Cixin’s dress.
Wen Zhihan took Shao Cixin’s hand in hers and lowered them to her sides, stroking them gently. After a few seconds, she let go and held Cixin’s face, kissing her passionately.
Shao Cixin’s luxurious and elegant dress fell to the ground, causing a small, cool breeze to rise at their feet.
The cold air swept across Shao Cixin’s skin, and Wen Zhihan’s hands fell to her waist. Their feverish kiss in the cramped space was like a cool mint stimulating her nerves.
Her whole body became sensitive and aroused.
The fire in her heart was stoked.
She was very familiar with what came next.
After all, they had done it countless times at home, and they understood each other’s motions.
Wen Zhihan’s kisses fell on her brows and cheeks, then behind her ears then…nothing.
Their intimacy was suddenly interrupted, catching Shao Cixin off guard.
Wen Zhihan took out the sweater from Shao Cixin’s bag and put it in her hands.
Then, she deftly bent over to pick up the forgotten dress left lying on the ground. When she returned to her full height, she smiled serenely.
“Cixin, please change your clothes. I’ll go out first.”
Shao Cixin: “?”
She didn’t feel like she had done anything wrong???
Wen Zhihan folded the dress and put it into Shao Cixin’s black storage bag. Then she left and sat on a makeup chair, waiting calmly, as if she had completely forgotten what she had just done.
After a while, Shao Cixin pushed the door open and walked out.
Shao Cixin wore a loose beige sweater pulled over a striped shirt. Further down, a simple pair of jeans covered her legs, and her heels were replaced by flat white shoes.
Her whole person looked youthful and energetic.
She put her high heels in her shoe bag. She finished tugging on her sweater as she walked toward Wen Zhihan. Then she sat directly on Wen Zhihan’s lap and looked up at her with a dissatisfied expression.
“Wen Zhihan, you’ve learned bad things.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your kindness[2] is long-lasting, your kindness is short-lived. You teased me and then ignored me!”
It was too awful forcing someone to turn off their engine all of a sudden!!!
Wen Zhihan took Shao Cixin into her arms, her expression unchanged. With her smile undiminished, she said in a gentle and innocent voice, “I’m just learning from Cixin.”
Shao Cixin was confused. “How did you learn from me?”
Wen Zhihan raised her hand to help Shao Cixin adjust her collar. She asked calmly, “What did you just do to me when we were watching the movie?”
Shao Cixin, who had indeed stimulated her wife on purpose: “…”
Wen Zhihan: “Hmm?”
Shao Cixin said seriously, “I didn’t do anything. I was just being affectionate to my wife.”
Wen Zhihan responded calmly, “I am also just being affectionate to my wife.”
Shao Cixin was surprised and said, “Tsk tsk. Wen Zhihan, you’ve really learned bad things.”
Wen Zhihan smiled. “Mrs. Wen taught me well.”
Shao Cixin admitted defeat.
She had no way to deal with this affectionate Wen Zhihan. Even worse, she felt like Wen Zhihan was getting more and more adorable the more she looked at her.
Learning badly was cute, learning from her was also cute—Wen Zhihan was just too cute!
“Oh no!” Shao Cixin finally remembered Rong Ya and Lin Mumu. “Are they still waiting for me to bring the dress?”
She had been so immersed in spending time with Wen Zhihan that she forgot her manager was still waiting for her.
She hoped she didn’t keep Rong Ya and the others waiting for too long!
Shao Cixin quickly stood up, but she found herself held down by Wen Zhihan.
Wen Zhihan calmly said, “There’s no need to rush. You can take your time. I’ve already told them that the dress will be sent back at a later time, so they can leave first.”
When Shao Cixin heard that Wen Zhihan had already handled the situation, she instantly felt relieved.
Sure enough, Wen Zhihan’s presence gave people a sense of security.
“Come on. Let’s go eat.” Shao Cixin said, returning to a calm state of mind.
The dress was left in the back seat. Shao Cixin sat in the passenger seat, fastening her seat and replaying the day’s events in her mind.
After the car started, she turned to look at Wen Zhihan and asked her about her experience watching The General.
Wen Zhihan gave her an objective evaluation and concluded, “I personally think that it a was good movie, and that Cixin’s acting skills have improved.”
Shao Cixin was naturally happy that she was praised for her improved acting skills.
Then she thought of something else. She gazed at Wen Zhihan with interest and said, “So when I was filming on set, you came just to see me, right?”
Wen Zhihan didn’t deny it.
Her sweetheart whom she had lost and found had finally given her a legitimate reason to approach her, but then she quickly left to film for several months, leaving Wen Zhihan constantly thinking about her at home.
Shao Cixin couldn’t help but smile when she thought of Wen Zhihan’s many schemes to create opportunities to get closer to her.
Her Mrs. Shao had gone through a lot of trouble for her, and she was even careful about how she approached her. Her actions were mostly harmless and cute.
At this moment, Wen Zhihan suddenly asked, “Cixin, when did you fall in love with me?”
Shao Cixin thought about it. She said seriously, “A few days before my birthday last year.”
She began to recall the past. “At that time, I was watching a variety show with you at home, and then I kissed you. Afterward, I realized that something was wrong with me.”
Then she said, “Well, to be honest, after I realized that I liked you, I struggled for several days, refusing to admit it…”
Wen Zhihan stopped at the traffic light. She looked sideways at Shao Cixin, her eyes full of confusion, “Why?”
Shao Cixin actually resisted liking her?
Was she, Wen Zhihan, so abominable?
Sha Cixin said as if it was obvious, “You yourself prevented me from liking you. It was written in the agreement that we can’t become emotionally attached, so I was also afraid that you didn’t like me back, that I was wasting my feelings again, and that you would be unhappy if you found out.”
Wen Zhihan: “…”
It was a mistake. She should’ve known better than to agree to that contract in the first place.
Shao Cixin continued, “Of course, it turns out that I couldn’t escape your tenderness. When I just decided that I was going to keep my distance, you kissed me and all the floodgates opened. I still tried to keep myself honest, to resist, but then you called me ‘Beautiful Mrs. Wen’ and I was gone again.”
She smiled, “You prepared a birthday surprise for me and gave me the most unique gift in the world. You went to great lengths for me, and you were so considerate to me. At this moment, I immediately surrendered—I couldn’t hold out anymore.
“To be honest, I never realized that I could be so hopeless…”
It turned out, she didn’t have any restraints. As long as Wen Zhihan took the initiative to walk towards her, even if she was just curling her finger at her, Shao Cixin would find her impossible to resist.
Wen Zhihan was her destiny.
“But I don’t regret it,” Shao Cixin said. “I don’t regret liking you.”
Even if Wen Zhihan didn’t like her, so what?
Even if her love journey was bumpy, so what?
She would still like Wen Zhihan, and she would still willingly fall into her hands.
Fortunately, the heavens were generous and kind. They not only gave her a new life, but also sent her a gentle and touching surprise.
Wen Zhihan was moved. She gently kissed the tips of Shao Cixin’s fingers.
“I don’t regret it either.”
I love you. As the sun and the moon bear witness, this will never change.
Shao Cixin suddenly wanted to kiss Wen Zhihan again.
She wanted to kiss her beautiful eyes and her soft lips. She wanted to tell her how much she loved her through actions louder than words.
But Wen Zhihan was driving, so Shao Cixin was forced to be good and sit still.
“Let’s finish dinner quickly and get home faster,” Shao Cixin urged. “We can eat dessert at home.”
Wen Zhihan didn’t understand. “Dessert at home?”
Shao Cixin pretended to be pitiful. “What’s wrong? I’m not your sweetie anymore?”
Wen Zhihan finally comprehended Shao Cixin’s meaning. She laughed and agreed, “Yes, my little sweetie.”
Shao Cixin’s eyes curved.
Fearing that Wen Zhihan might doze off while driving, Shao Cixin chatted with her the whole way back.
She recalled when they were still discussing their marriage.
Shao Cixin said, “Zhihan, at that time, I really thought you married me just because you like beautiful people.”
She sincerely believed that her President Wen was also a face fan[3] like her.
She had even been thankful. At least there was this one condition that could keep Wen Zhihan in her arms and have her agree to help the Shao family.
In the present, Wen Zhihan smiled. “The person I like is indeed a beautiful person. She obviously knows that she is beautiful. Otherwise, when she was in high school, she wouldn’t beg me to let her go on the basis of her beauty.”
During their teenage years, Shao Cixin was always arrogant when she broke the rules and cowardly when she was caught.
Not only was she cowardly, but she even went out of her way to bribe the disciplinary committee so that they wouldn’t write down her name.
Wen Zhihan still remembered the ways Shao Cixin would beg her.
She would act out absurd scenes like flipping her hair flirtatiously or posing against the wall.
At the time, the closest Wen Zhihan ever came to touching her sweetheart was when Shao Cixin once held her arm and pretended to be pitiful while begging to be let go.
When it came to discipline, Shao Cixin would employ the use of the infamous thirty-first tactic[4] in the Strategies of War everywhere she went, springing her beauty trap wherever she pleased.
The line that left the most lasting impression on Wen Zhihan was, “Please let me go because I look so beautiful,” and so she remembered it to this day.
This senior sister really considered letting her junior sister go, but she never thought her heart would be stolen instead.
In fact, she never let go of her first love.
Shao Cixin wasn’t ashamed after hearing this.
Instead, she became pleasantly surprised, “Ah, so it turns out that the beautiful person you were talking about was me!”
She pretended to be shy. “Senior Sister, you’re really something. Since you remember it so well, I wonder what else you remember.”
Wen Zhihan curled her lips and smiled softly as she drove the car into their community’s parking lot. “I still remember that you said you would help me with my homework if I didn’t write down your name.”
Shao Cixin: “…”
A first year offering to help a second year with their homework…
When she was scared, she could really come up with some crazy ideas to escape.
Wen Zhihan parked the car and turned to look at Shao Cixin.
She said in a coaxing voice, “So when I was in my third year of high school, sometimes I would really want to find you to help me with my homework.”
Shao Cixin: “…”
She said, “Thank you for your invitation, but I’ll have my name written down instead.”
The author (热到昏厥) has something to say:
Xin Xin: This is not homework. This is torture!
Senior Sister: Didn’t you say that you would help me with my homework if I didn’t write down your name?
Xin Xin: I will be careful with my words and deeds in the future and become a good person.
Recently, I have been giving out sweets to replenish the sugar levels for our senior sister, who has suffered a lot.
After writing about their wedding, the main text will be finished, and I will begin writing the extras.
Although there are only a few days left this month, I will continue to write. I am so poor that I will strive to obtain a perfect attendance Q=Q
The full text will definitely be finished next month. Thank you all in advance for your company~
[1] “天长地久” (tiān cháng dì jiǔ), or alternatively translated more literally as “Heaven is enduring, and earth continues on,” is a Chinese idiom that essentially means “forever.” It also describes something that never changes, such as true love.
[2] Shao Cixin’s name “Cixin” (慈心) can be read as “kindness” or “compassion,” so here she’s making a pun with her own name. In the original text, she states in the third line “慈心长，慈心短。撩了慈心又不管” or “Your kindness is long, your kindness is short. You teased Cixin and then ignored her,” so she states “慈心” twice as a word and finally once to refers to herself. Since referring to yourself in the third person doesn’t have the same ‘cutesy’ connotations in English as it does in Chinese, I left the last “慈心” out of the translation.
[3] “顏控” (yánkòng), literally someone who is obsessed with appearances.
[4]“美人计” (měi rén jì) or “beauty trap.” It’s one of the Thirty-Six Strategies of War written in an essay by Wang Jingze in the 6th century. In this sense, it refers to the seduction strategies carried out by (mostly) women for the purpose of espionage and intelligence-gathering.
