After Being Scummed – Chapter 81

I want to see you

After finishing work late at night, Zuo Jingyou returned to the hotel to freshen up and received a video call from Yin Bai. Zuo Jingyou clicked on the video, and Yin Bai’s delighted face appeared before her eyes: “Teacher Zuo, Teacher Zuo! How was work today?”

Yin Bai was chattering away, as if she had been waiting for her at home all day and finally greeted her eagerly, like a little dog wagging its tail and barking at her feet.

Zuo Jingyou smiled, raising her eyebrows slightly. “It was great… The director is someone who finishes work on time. It’s not as urgent as other production crews, where you have to work late into the night.”

Yin Bai clapped her hands and said with a smile, “Director Xu, right? She also made independent films, carrying the camera herself, so she values her own time and others’ time.”

Zuo Jingyou nodded in agreement. “Yes, that’s right. So when working with her on a film, there’s no overtime. I find it very relaxed.”

Yin Bai giggled, “As long as you feel relaxed, I’m relieved to see that you don’t look very fatigued when you return.”

Being observant, Yin Bai quickly noticed a slight injury at the corner of Zuo Jingyou’s mouth. She raised her hand and pointed to her own mouth, curiously asking, “Teacher Zuo, what happened here? Has the recent weather been too dry and caused some peeling?”

“Oh? Really?” Zuo Jingyou raised her hand and lightly touched her lip, as if she hadn’t noticed anything, and furrowed her brows. “It shouldn’t be peeling. It must have been Xiao Nian’s doing.”

Xiao Nian? Bit you?

Yin Bai felt a surge of blood rush to her head, making her feel dizzy. She pointed at the corner of Zuo Jingyou’s lips, widened her eyes in astonishment, and raised her voice, “Xiao Nian? What did you film? Why did she bite you?”

Still in this kind of place! It’s clearly not a serious play!

Zuo Jingyou looked at Yin Bai’s exaggerated reaction and smiled, her lips curving slightly. “What else could it be? Of course, it’s a kissing scene. Haven’t you seen it on set? Most directors would film an intimate scene to break the ice when cultivating a screen couple, intensifying their emotions…”

“Wait, wait!” Yin Bai interrupted angrily, furrowing her brows and expressing her displeasure. “Even if it’s a kissing scene, it shouldn’t be like this! You got bitten and injured! What’s wrong with Xiao Nian? Doesn’t she know that an actress’s lips are important?”

Zuo Jingyou blinked in surprise and muttered to herself inwardly. It seems that Yin Bai doesn’t seem jealous.

Zuo Jingyou hooked her lips, smiling lightly, her eyes filled with ambiguous and indistinct light. “It’s okay, I bit back too. Xiao Nian’s lips must have been impressive as well.”

Wait a minute… You bit back?

Yin Bai blinked her eyes, feeling another surge of anger in her heart. She took a deep breath and looked at Zuo Jingyou earnestly, asking, “Did you kiss passionately?”

Zuo Jingyou furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment, and replied, “Not really, we just got into the scene… In that kind of situation, it’s hard not to have a passionate response…”

Yin Bai took a deep breath, then exhaled heavily, her face puffed up like a pufferfish.

She glared at Zuo Jingyou with an indignant expression and said seriously, “Zuo Jingyou, wait for me.”

“Hmm? What are you going to do?”

What else can I do! I’m so angry, so angry!

Yin Bai put down her phone, picked up the cane by her side, and rummaged through the wardrobe until she found a distinctive emerald green hat. After putting it on, she returned to the sofa, raised her phone again, and looked at Zuo Jingyou.

With a stern face, Yin Bai glared at Zuo Jingyou and pointed to the hat on her head, saying angrily, “Do you know how I feel right now? This is how I feel!”

She’s wearing a green hat!¹

Zuo Jingyou couldn’t help but burst into laughter, her eyes twinkling as she looked at Yin Bai and said, “That’s too exaggerated. It’s not like that at all.”

Yin Bai was livid and couldn’t listen to anything else. She looked at Zuo Jingyou earnestly while wearing the hat and asked, “Then tell me, who kissed better? Why did you have such a passionate kiss scene with her?”

Her lips even peeled! She couldn’t bear to kiss so passionately!

Zuo Jingyou couldn’t help but curl her lips, looking at Yin Bai with a gentle expression. “Yin Bai, you’re so adorable.”

“Don’t think that calling me adorable can make this matter go away! Tell me, is it true? Will you dare to kiss her like that in the future?”

Zuo Jingyou had a smile on her face as she sighed and said, “Okay, okay, it’s just acting after all. Of course, my baby is the best at kissing. Her lips are softer than rose petals, her body is delicate, everything about her is soft and kissable.”

Yin Bai still couldn’t believe it. “Really?”

Zuo Jingyou nodded. “Really, why would I lie to you?”

Zuo Jingyou sighed and looked at Yin Bai with great fondness. “Alright, take off your hat. I don’t accept these accusations from you. You’re slandering me.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.” Yin Bai took off the hat from her head and shrugged. “You know, I’m not blaming you or distrusting you. I’m just… feeling jealous.”

Zuo Jingyou looked at her softly and said, “Hmm, I see. Our little Bai is like a pickled cabbage, so sour.”

Yin Bai huffed and glared at Zuo Jingyou with a pout. “Don’t say that about me. Do you think I’m not cute anymore?”

“You’re adorable, adorable.” Zuo Jingyou placated her half-heartedly. Then she sighed and said to Yin Bai, “Actually, you shouldn’t always assume that it was me kissing Teacher Xiao. If you think about it that way, I only took back the kiss you gave her from her lips. Wouldn’t that make you a little happier?”

Yin Bai’s mind suddenly became tense, and she looked at Zuo Jingyou, who had a serious expression, and shook her head frantically. “No, no, it doesn’t have to be like that. You don’t have to think that way…”

Oh no, who’s the one feeling jealous now? Can she still feel jealous? It’s likely that Zuo Jingyou would be even more jealous!

Zuo Jingyou lay sideways on the sofa, revealing a large expanse of cleavage, and looked at Yin Bai with a smile that was not quite a smile. “Why not think about it this way? I think it’s a way of thinking that benefits both you and me…”

“Otherwise, I’m really worried about the way I looked at Teacher Xiao Nian, full of jealousy. You don’t know how much it reminded me of you, especially when she got into character.”

Zuo Jingyou bit her lip slightly, expressing some displeasure. “I really… the more I think about it, the angrier I get, the more I think about it…”

Yin Bai was completely taken aback this time. She shrank her neck and said with great guilt, “Teacher Zuo, calm down, calm down… It’s all work… If it’s really not possible, we can stop filming…”

Zuo Jingyou glared at her. “You’re taking it lightly. How can we not film? In work, we always have to overcome various difficulties. Acting with Teacher Xiao Nian is already a small difficulty…”

Apart from being affected by getting into character, there’s really nothing much.

After Zuo Jingyou finished speaking, she sighed and looked at Yin Bai. “So, you behave better lately, don’t get jealous or talk nonsense, got it?”

Yin Bai made an OK gesture and obediently said, “I’ll be good and make sure not to trouble Teacher Zuo.”

After warning Yin Bai, Zuo Jingyou couldn’t help but add, “Also, don’t casually come to visit the set. Let me know in advance. I’m afraid it will affect my state of mind.”

“Okay, okay, I won’t come randomly. When Teacher Zuo misses me, I’ll rush over without hesitation.”

Her good attitude gradually dissipated the inexplicable frustration that had arisen in Zuo Jingyou.

Because Director Xu’s breakthrough had paved the way, Zuo Jingyou and Xiao Nian almost found their own states in the subsequent filming, and they were practically delivering outstanding performances on set every day.

Zuo Jingyou was an ambitious person in her career. Acting opposite Xiao Nian, who was not much inferior in skill and was a true acting enthusiast, gave her a sense of being matched with a worthy opponent, allowing her to experience the exhilarating pleasure of her work.

Although Zuo Jingyou had instructed Yin Bai not to visit the set, she still took charge of providing meals for the crew, arranging for the hotel to deliver food trucks every day, thereby establishing a strong presence on set.

After completing one-third of the filming, Lu Qing’s film crew also arrived at this film and television city for the subsequent shooting. As both wives were in the same film and television city, it was only natural for them to visit each other on set.

Xiao Nian took the opportunity to make a cameo appearance in Lu Qing’s production, playing a role with limited screen time. In return, Lu Qing was invited by Director Xu to make a guest appearance on her own set.

On one occasion, after Zuo Jingyou and Xiao Nian finished filming, they saw Lu Qing holding Xiao Nian’s jacket, waiting outside the camera. As soon as Xiao Nian emerged, Lu Qing helped her put on the coat, asking about her well-being in a gentle voice and discussing their performances.

Witnessing the tenderness in Lu Qing’s eyes, Zuo Jingyou found it hard to imagine that someone who appeared so serious and upright on the outside could harbor such deep emotions within, which were both moving and captivating.

Zuo Jingyou thought to herself that she was starting to miss Yin Bai a little.

Just as she had this thought, Yin Bai’s call came in. Zuo Jingyou smiled and answered Yin Bai’s call, and Yin Bai’s excited voice came through, saying, “Teacher Zuo , Teacher Zuo, are you done for the day and ready for lunch?”

Zuo Jingyou nodded and said, “Hmm, I’m ready.”

At this moment, Yin Bai was curled up in the office chair in the study, spinning around softly as she spoke to Zuo Jingyou. “Today, I had someone prepare a super delicious steak for you, along with your favorite champagne. You’ll definitely love it.”

Although Yin Bai couldn’t be there in person, she made sure to prepare something delicious for Zuo Jingyou every day, making an effort to establish her presence as the legitimate girlfriend.

Speaking of this, Yin Bai curved her lips, speaking softly and pitifully to Zuo Jingyou, “Teacher Zuo, it has been a month since you started filming the movie. I miss you so much… Can I come and see you? I’ll be obedient and absolutely won’t cause you any trouble.”

She sounded like a child, pitiful and pleading.

Zuo Jingyou hesitated for a moment and said, “Do you really want to come see me?”

Upon hearing this, Yin Bai immediately sat up straight, eagerly saying, “I really want to! Every moment, I want to see you, only you! You have no idea how much I miss you. I feel like I’m turning into a lovesick monster!”

A lovesick monster? What a strange thing to say.

Zuo Jingyou smiled gently and chuckled, “Sure, but let me give you a heads up. Director Lu is also filming in the adjacent set to ours, and she occasionally comes over…”

Meow meow meow? Lu Qing often comes over to show affection with Xiao Nian?

Yin Bai anxiously exclaimed, “Teacher Zuo, wait for me! I’ll pack my bags immediately and fly over!”

How could this be allowed! This is too presumptuous. How can Teacher Zuo handle it alone?

Yin Bai immediately summoned Zhang Yu and asked her to pack her luggage. Half an hour later, she headed to Haicheng Airport and rushed straight to the film and television city where Zuo Jingyou was located.

1. Wearing a green hat is a cultural metaphor in Chinese slang that implies a man’s wife or girlfriend is unfaithful or has cheated on him. It is considered a symbol of being cuckolded.