“Very nice!” Director Dou glanced at Su Qi, then at Su Ling across from him. He could not help but marvel at the excellent genes that clearly ran in this family.
The brother was about six feet tall, while the sister stood at around 5’8”. Both were tall, well-proportioned, and strikingly beautiful — like masterpieces sculpted by God Himself.
“If you wear some insoles and get your height over 175 centimeters, it won’t be an issue,” Director Dou mused, warming up to the idea of Su Qi dressing as a man. “Would you like to perform a short scene for us, Miss Su?”
As long as the acting was up to par, everything would fall into place seamlessly!
Without any hesitation, Su Qi set down her teacup. “Sure.”
The differences in the way girls and boys spoke and behaved were striking. If the acting fell short, capturing only the surface while missing the essence, it would ultimately feel awkward and out of place.
Unfazed, Su Qi pulled out a hair tie and tied her flowing waves into a sleek ponytail, letting it cascade down her back. With a swift motion, she swept her bangs aside, unveiling her smooth, full forehead.
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Pkalnvsa Psw pyv dlyacu okvb jlld kdvlalpv yp bl oyvnble bla alvaklhl y xyjlwr nypl qasx bla pxyzz cyt. Ekvb elqv pvasjlp sq yd lulcaso rldnkz, pbl vaydpqsaxle bla pzldela, okzzso-zkjl casop kdvs csze, pvakjkdt yanblp. Gqvla yrrzukdt y zyula sq rsoela, bla qlyvwalp pllxle vs byhl vaydpqsaxle yp kq cu xytkn.
Fw Ck pzsozu nzsple bla lulp. Ebld pbl srldle vblx ytykd xsxldvp zyvla, bla ldvkal elxlydsa bye eayxyvknyzzu nbydtle.
Tla casop yanble okvb nsdqkeldnl, qayxkdt lulp yp ellr yde eyaj yp vbl ycupp. Mbl nsadlap sq bla xswvb vwadle pzktbvzu esodoyae, obkzl bla qzyozlpp qynl vkzvle wr pzktbvzu, lmwekdt yd yka sq yaastydnl. Slzymle yde zydtwke, pbl pvalvnble bla zkxcp, bla rspvwal lmwekdt y nypwyz lzltydnl. Gp pbl lqqsavzlppzu zkqvle vbl vlynwr qasx vbl vyczl, lynb xshlxldv lmwele yd lqqsavzlpp nbyax.
Gv vbyv hlau xsxldv, pbl oyp ds zsdtla blaplzq cwv bkx.
Pkalnvsa Psw’p lmralppksd oyp sdl sq pblla yxyglxldv, bkp lulp tzlyxkdt yp bl qkmle bkp tygl sd Fw Ck.
Ylydobkzl, Fw Nkdt oyp ellrzu kxralpple cu bkp pkpvla’p ynvkdt. Rd zlpp vbyd qkhl plnsdep, Dkys Ck’p tygl, lmralppksd, xshlxldv, yde yway bye nbydtle nsxrzlvlzu. Plprkvl olyakdt y ealpp, ds vaynl sq qlxkdkdkvu oyp zlqv kd bla. Jlqsal bkx pyv y pvaydtla, okze ulv lqqsavzlppzu lzltydv.
Gp pbl plv vbl vlynwr esod, Fw Ck pzkrrle cynj kdvs bla pollv, yesayczl plzq. Ekvb okel, kddsnldv lulp, pbl czkdjle yv Pkalnvsa Psw yde kdiwkale, “Eyp vbyv sjyu?”
Pkalnvsa Psw pdyrrle cynj vs alyzkvu, bkp lmnkvlxldv prkzzkdt shla yp bl lawrvle kdvs yrrzywpl. “Mbyv oyp kdnalekczl! Gal usw alyzzu fwpv y qkapv-ulya pvweldv yv vbl qkzx ynyelxu? Zsw’al ps vyzldvle!”
Her performance was leagues ahead of Lin Yun. It was clear he had struck gold with her!
Clapping along, Su Ling shook his head in amazement. “I almost didn’t recognize you, Xiao Qi.”
With a bashful smile, Su Qi explained, “In class, my teacher would always teach us how to portray different characters by repeatedly playing scenes from films and dramas. I’ve only scratched the surface, so there’s still so much more to learn.”
Director Dou exclaimed with conviction, “Just this much is more than enough! I’m all in on your idea of dressing as a man!”
With a hint of anxiety in her voice, Su Qi admitted, “I’m worried my voice might not work.”
After all, girls naturally had higher-pitched voices. When she deliberately tried to deepen hers, it came off as forced, which ended up undermining her performance.
Director Dou waved his hand dismissively. “With technology as advanced as it is today, tweaking your voice to sound male with AI is a piece of cake!”
Su Ling pondered for a moment, then added thoughtfully, “If it’s AI, my friend’s company specializes in that and can provide the technology you need.”
Director Dou adjusted his glasses, eyes glinting with curiosity. “If you don’t mind me asking, which tech company does your friend belong to?”
Su Ling pointed to the bee-shaped camera on the table and answered, “Ever heard of Fu Lin Group, Director Dou? This smart camera is one of their innovations.”
“Fu Lin Group!” Director Dou enthused, his eyes gleaming. “Their tech is top-notch and has won multiple international patents! This is fantastic! Since you have connections there, Mr. Su, I’ll leave the voice-changing AI to you!”
With a businesslike demeanor, Su Ling responded, “I can set things up for you, but you’ll need to cover the costs yourself.”
Products from Lin Zhou’s company were far from cheap. The more advanced the AI, the steeper the price. Take this bee-shaped camera, for instance — its market price began at a whopping 1.5 million1 CNY 1,500,000 is approximately US $205,530.13. !
Director Dou’s mouth twitched slightly, and he gritted his teeth. “Alright!”
He hoped the price of the voice-changing AI would not exceed his budget. Otherwise, he would really have to tighten his belt to make ends meet.
After ironing out the details, Director Dou and Su Qi agreed to begin filming at eight the next morning. Satisfied, he left with a contented smile.
Su Ling and Su Qi courteously walked him to the courtyard gate.
The basketball court gleamed under bright lights, illuminating Director Dou’s way to the accommodation. The grains scattered on the ground glowed in the light, and Su Ling suddenly slapped his forehead, a look of realization crossing his face.
“I can’t believe I forgot!”
Su Qi looked at her brother in confusion, her brow furrowing. “What… what did you forget?”
Su Ling looked up at the dark sky, then down at the weather report on his phone. When he saw that rain was expected in the wee hours, he pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the onset of a headache.
“I forgot to collect the grains!”
When his sister arrived, he was so overwhelmed with joy that he pushed the matter completely out of his mind.
As a result, he had to work through the night to gather the grains, or else they would be ruined if the rain came later that night.
“Brother…” Su Qi hesitated briefly before asking, “Need a hand?”
Su Ling glanced at his sister’s smooth skin and waved her off. “It’s fine. You’ve got a shoot on the mountain tomorrow, so go get some rest. Brother Lin and I will take care of this.”
Bro-Brother Lin?
Su Qi gently bit her lip, her mind tangled in uncertainty. She had no idea how to address the man. Should she call him “Brother-in-law” or “Sister-in-law”? No matter how she tried, the words felt awkward, as if they caught in her throat. But calling him “Brother Lin” felt far too intimate, and the mere thought of saying it made her cheeks flush with embarrassment.
Su Ling could not miss the awkwardness written all over his sister’s face, so he reached out to ruffle her hair affectionately before leading her back inside.
In the guest hall, Lin Feng, who was done with the dishes, sat stiffly on the mahogany chair. His gaze locked with the Dragon Li kitten’s in a tense standoff. At his feet, King crouched obediently with a ball in his mouth, wagging his tail in a desperate bid for attention.
Realizing what was happening, Su Ling hurriedly stepped in to defuse the situation, worried that his zoophobia could flare up at any moment.
Bending down, Su Ling took the ball from King’s mouth and swiftly tossed it outside. With a few excited barks, King shot out like an arrow. Then, Su Ling grabbed a teaser wand and waved it in front of Lion. Entranced, the Dragon Li kitten leaped gracefully off the coffee table and began chasing after it, completely unaware it was being led away.
With the crisis averted, Lin Feng felt the tension in his body began to ease, his strained nerves relaxing for the first time in hours.
Su Qi tilted her head as she watched the scene before her in confusion.
It seemed her brother moved through the routine with remarkable ease, as though he had done it countless times before.
After luring the little ones away, Su Ling turned to Lin Feng and noted, “We still haven’t gathered our grains yet.”
Lin Feng furrowed his brows, casting a wary glance out at the darkening sky beyond the window.
“Why don’t you start gathering the grains? I’ll take Xiao Qi upstairs and be right with you.” Su Ling suggested, effortlessly lifting Su Qi’s luggage.
“… Sure,” Lin Feng murmured, rising to his feet and making his way outside.
Trailing closely behind Su Ling, Su Qi veered around to the staircase hidden just behind the folding screen.
“Brother… maybe I should help out too?”
Su Ling effortlessly lifted the suitcase and climbed the stairs. He advised softly, “Be good. Get to bed early so you’ll have energy for tomorrow’s work.”
Su Qi let out a soft sigh, resigning herself to follow her brother upstairs to the guest room.
Upstairs, there were only three rooms in total. At the east end was Su Ling’s bedroom. The middle room, once belonging to Second Grandfather, stood empty after Bai Jincheng took the alcove bed. It had not been renovated yet due to a lack of time. To the west was the guest room, furnished with a bed, a bathroom, and air conditioning.
“I’ve changed the bedding, so it’s all clean. The bathroom’s over there, and it has a water heater for a hot shower.” Su Ling gave a brief yet thoughtful rundown of the room’s layout. “You should take a shower and get some rest.”
“Okay, Brother,” Su Qi said obediently. “Don’t push yourself too hard.”
“It’s fine. I’ve been here for three or four months now and have done everything from digging the soil, loosening it, planting rice, and growing vegetables. I’m practically an expert by now.” Su Ling raised his arm, flexing his muscular biceps with a confident grin.
In response, Su Qi could not help but laugh at his antics.
Once his sister was taken care of, Su Ling left the guest room and rushed downstairs. As soon as the two little ones spotted him, they bounded over. Su Ling reached down to scratch King’s head and lovingly stroked the Dragon Li kitten.
“I don’t have time to play with you today, so you’ll have to be good and play by yourself.”
Meow!
Arf arf!
Ignoring the little ones’ pleas, Su Ling coldly strode out of the guest hall, picked up the wooden rake propped against the wall, and walked through the gate.
On the basketball court, a man was gathering grain with a wicker scoop, tipping it into a basket once full. Noticing someone approaching, he paused and turned to see who it was.
Su Ling stretched his limbs and sighed, “Being a farmer sure isn’t easy.”
I’ve been working in the fields all day, and now I still have to gather the grains, even though it’s already nearly half past nine. By the time I’m done, it’ll probably be well past midnight.
“You rest. I’ve got this covered,” Lin Feng reassured.
“Not a chance. It’s faster with two.” Su Ling insisted, pushing the grain with his wooden rake.
The basketball court stretched wide, its surface covered in a golden sea of grains. It took considerable effort to push it from one end to the other, gathering it into small mounds. Even then, a broom was needed to sweep up the stray grains.
They gathered the grain into a single heap, swiftly scooping it up with a wicker scoop and pouring it into basket after basket. Soon, two or three dozen were filled to the brim.
By the end, Su Ling was gasping for air, and Lin Feng was struggling to catch his breath as well. Nevertheless, he hurriedly stacked the baskets together and secured them with a plastic tarp.
“All done,” he declared, dusting off his hands.
Too exhausted to move, Su Ling slumped onto Lin Feng’s back and whined, “My back aches, and my legs are cramping.”
Lin Feng turned, and as if by instinct, Su Ling leaned into his embrace. “Want me to carry you?”
Su Ling nuzzled against his chest for a moment, then straightened up with some effort. “No need, I can still walk.”
With that, they supported one another on their way back to the courtyard. Just as they stepped inside, the midnight rain began to fall. Su Ling sank into the chair, the soothing sound of the rain filtering through the window. He took a slow sip of warm water, letting the gentle warmth settle in his chest.
That was close! If they had been even a moment later, both of them would have been drenched to the skin.
After drinking some water, he felt some strength return. Dragging his heavy feet, he made his way up the stairs to the bedroom.
Sweat-soaked from gathering grain, they stumbled into the bathroom for another shower. Exhaustion weighed heavily on them, so neither had the strength for anything else. Once they finished washing, Su Ling could not even be bothered to dry his hair. He collapsed onto the soft bed and let his body sink into the comfort of the sheets, too drained to move an inch.
With more energy to spare, Lin Feng grabbed a hair dryer and began blow-drying Su Ling’s hair.
Su Ling propped himself up, lying on Lin Feng’s thigh with his arms wrapped around his waist. With his eyes half-lidded, he allowed Lin Feng to blow-dry his hair.
Once wet, his natural curls tightened even more and became slightly unruly as the hair dryer blew warm air through them. Lin Feng used his fingers instead of a comb, tenderly working through Su Ling’s hair while soothing his scalp with gentle kneads.
A contented “Ngh” rumbled from Su Ling, his voice low and relaxed.
Lin Feng’s eyes smoldered with unspoken emotion as they lingered on the gentle, kitten-like youth. With a quiet resolve, he quelled the desire he had held back for what felt like an eternity.
“All done.” He switched off the hair dryer and set it down on the bedside table.
As sleepiness tugged at him, Su Ling turned over and rolled on the silk blanket. The cool air from the air conditioner enveloped him in comfort, and with a deep exhale, he sank into the pillow, ready to drift off.
Lin Feng’s large hand pressed against his bare back, skillfully applying just the right amount of pressure to massage away the tension and ease his muscles.
“Ah, be gentle!” Su Ling lifted his heavy eyelids, his eyes shimmered with a soft, watery gleam as he gazed up at the handsome man before him.
Lin Feng retorted, “It won’t be effective if I don’t apply enough pressure.”
Left with no choice, Su Ling grudgingly allowed him to massage his back, his drowsiness slowly fading away.
Su Qi dozed off for a while, only to be jolted awake in the dead of night by the urgent need to relieve herself. Groggy and disoriented, she stumbled out of bed and then froze at the sound of her brother’s voice calling out.
“Ah… Be gentle! That’s too hard—”
A sudden shiver ran through Su Qi, snapping her wide awake.
“A little higher… Yes, that’s it… Mmm… Right there… That feels amazing…”
In an instant, Su Qi’s face flushed bright red.
The quaint house had a charm to it, but the soundproofing left much to be desired!
The author has something to say:
Su Ling, who was getting a massage: Ow, it really hurts!
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