Chapter 75: The Black Tea Girl

Throughout the journey, Chu Qingchan merely held her phone, never once looking at him; the only words she uttered were addressed to Chu Fengyi. Her tone was uncharacteristically gentle, leaving Chu Fengyi bewildered—what had happened, was her sister unwell?

She didn’t voice her questions, but being clever, a few glances at Xu Lin—who sat in the back and not beside her sister—were enough for her to piece together a rough idea.

When they arrived at the set, the second day of filming began, and most of Xu Lin’s scenes were scheduled for that day. There was a conversation scene with Chu Qingchan, who played his teacher, and another with Liu Qinnuan, the actress playing the female lead.

He had just finished with makeup when the dark-humored screenwriter came over, reminding Xu Lin of the promise he had made to ask about Chu Fengyi—something he had yet to do.

“Did you ask Miss Chu?” the screenwriter inquired.

“She said she’s still considering. I’ll talk to her again soon—she's quite busy, after all.”

“If everything goes well, her role requires about ten days of filming. We can even split the schedule. Over six months, finding ten days is manageable.”

“For a supporting role, you’re being remarkably accommodating. I admire your dedication.”

“I could simply not make the film, but if I do, I want it to be something I’m satisfied with. Profits, scheduling—none of that concerns me. This is for myself.”

“In that case, I’ll have a proper conversation with her.”

The screenwriter nodded, then remarked, “But Chu Qingchan seems off today. During the rehearsal just now, she wasn’t as smooth as yesterday. Didn’t rest well?”

“Maybe she’s still affected by what happened yesterday,” Xu Lin offered as an explanation.

“Oh, I heard something about a girl who likes Liu Qinnuan, following and spying on her?”

“Yes. I’ll talk to her, help her adjust her mindset.”

“Good. And don’t forget to ask for me.”

“Of course.”

Meanwhile, Chu Qingchan, having come down from the set, sat beside Chu Fengyi, took a deep breath, and seemed to make a decision.

“Hey, little sister.”

“Hm? Why are you calling me ‘little sister’ like that? It’s so weird.”

“Ahem! You’re not a child anymore, I…”

This time, Chu Qingchan wasn’t angry, just continued, leaving Chu Fengyi at a loss—what on earth had gotten into her?

“When was I ever a child? I’m already twenty—almost twenty-one.”

“That’s not what I meant. Today I saw you and Xu Lin… You’re a woman now, so I hope you and Xu Lin get along well.”

“To be honest, when I first met Xu Lin, I sensed something different about him—his kindness, his gentleness.”

“He was the one who reached out when I was at my lowest. I developed feelings for him, but I don’t know if it’s love or friendship—it’s all muddled with gratitude.”

“But as we spent more time together, those other feelings faded, and I think I’ve started to really like someone for the first time.”

“Just as he once said, he wasn’t sure if he loved me, and I wasn’t sure either. But now I believe he’s made his choice—I like him. Still, if the one he loves is my sister, I can let go. I just want her to be happy.”

By the time Chu Qingchan finished, she was visibly stirred, but when she turned, she saw Chu Fengyi still staring at her in utter confusion.

“Chu Qingchan, when did I ever get together with Xu Lin?”

“You don’t have to hide it. I saw everything.”

Chu Qingchan grew a little annoyed—she had summoned all her courage to give up, yet her sister still acted like this!

“Why are you glaring at me? I didn’t do anything. Last night, I was bored, so I went to chat with Xu Lin and accidentally fell asleep there.”

“But nothing happened! If you doubt me, I can go to the hospital for proof.”

Now Chu Fengyi understood: Chu Qingchan must have seen Xu Lin’s nosebleed and misunderstood the situation. Her imagination was wild!

“But… the blood…”

“That was just Xu Lin’s nosebleed. I was planning to take him for a checkup after filming.”

“…”

Chu Qingchan was stunned—had she really worked up the courage to give up on Xu Lin for her sister, only to discover it was all her own imagination?

“No, wait—I also saw that… box.”

“Are you a detective? I clearly put it in the bottom drawer. You didn’t even check if it had been opened. And don’t forget, you have one in your room too.”

“Maybe so… but you shouldn’t be sleeping together!”

“We were just chatting. Who knew we’d suddenly fall asleep?” Chu Fengyi’s cheeks flushed; she was embarrassed to admit she’d wanted to relive the feeling of someone beside her and had even used a signal jammer to sneak into Xu Lin’s room.

“I’m still confused about you two. You haven’t known each other long, and you started out on bad terms—how did things improve so quickly?”

“Maybe it’s just a change in mindset.”

“You really have been more normal lately.”

“When was I ever not normal?” Chu Fengyi protested.

“You’re normal now. Anyway, if you really like Xu Lin, I’m truly willing to step aside and let you be together.”

“All right, I like him.”

“…”

Chu Qingchan stared at her sister for a few seconds, then suddenly stood up. “Why should I give up? When we were kids, I always let you have everything. Not this time!”

She strode toward the set, hair tossed by a sudden gust, leaving Chu Fengyi with a dashing silhouette.

“Just like before—I don’t need you to step aside. Let’s compete fairly. Xu Lin can choose whoever he wants.”

Chu Fengyi’s words drifted after her, and Chu Qingchan, hearing them, turned and flashed her middle finger.

“Stupid little sister!”

Chu Fengyi caught her lips forming the words and responded in kind with a middle finger of her own, unable to suppress a smile. For a moment, it felt as though they had returned to childhood, playing together as always.

After that, filming went much more smoothly. Even Xu Lin was puzzled—he hadn’t even had time to help her adjust her mindset, yet she seemed completely fine.

However, during their scene together, Xu Lin found himself making mistakes, as Chu Qingchan’s demeanor toward him had changed; she was suddenly intense, almost aggressive. Whenever he looked into her eyes, he’d lose his lines. Yet every time the director called for a cut, it was always because of Chu Qingchan.

“Chu Qingchan, what’s with that look in your eyes? You’re playing a teacher comforting a wounded young man—not seducing him,” the director chided.

The crew burst into laughter, making Chu Qingchan lower her head in embarrassment.

Fortunately, she was a professional. After adjusting herself, she completed the scene perfectly, earning the director’s applause.

“Excellent work—that was a beautiful scene. This short film hinges on the emotional exchanges between the young girl and the teacher, and you delivered wonderfully. Liu Qinnuan, you’ll need to work hard to keep up.”

“Yes, Director,” Liu Qinnuan replied, though her gaze kept drifting toward Xu Lin.

Since the day began, Liu Qinnuan had been especially attentive to him. At first, Xu Lin thought it was gratitude for his help the day before. But her behavior grew stranger—she kept finding excuses for physical contact, making him uncomfortable rather than pleased.

It was as though she wore the face of a serene beauty, yet her actions belonged to a manipulator.

“Be careful of that girl,” Chu Qingchan said, patting his shoulder. “She’s old black tea.”

“What does that mean?”

“More practiced than the green tea girls.”

“…”