CH 55

The Top Couple Is a Bit Sweet by Krish72825-31 minutes

"Teacher Song, when you can't win the argument with me, you resort to using your body to threaten me. As a man, don't you find it shameful?"

Wen Li quickly moved back, trying to find a hiding spot on the two-meter-long bed, but there was nowhere to hide. When she reached the corner of the bed, with no way to retreat, she could only stubbornly push all the blame onto him.

Song Yan smiled and pulled her back into his arms.

With her in his embrace, smelling the fragrance from her neck, he couldn't be bothered by her earlier words.

"Now, don't be so stubborn," he said softly.

"...Who's being stubborn? Weren't you the one who started it?" Wen Li retorted.

Song Yan seemed to compromise and spoke gently, "If you don't want to admit it, I won't force you. How about we find a way to get along comfortably? We can continue tomorrow."

Wen Li thought, could there be such a good thing? Giving her all the initiative?

She was hesitating when Song Yan revealed his condition.

"But you have to give me some response. Unlike you, I don't like playing games with people."

Wen Li immediately retorted, "Who's playing games with you? Don't portray me as that kind of woman. I said it's just a tactic."

Although she came up with these tactics on her own and didn't know if they were effective or not, judging from Song Yan's resistant tone, they were probably not effective, which annoyed him.

Feeling defeated, her confidence waned.

Song Yan didn't know the twists and turns in her mind at the moment. He chuckled a few times, showing no remorse in his tone, and said casually, "Sorry then, your tactics are too formidable. I'm in a constant state of uncertainty every day, and I really don't want to play with you anymore."

Wen Li was easily influenced, so when she heard that, her drooping head immediately lifted, and she asked, "Am I really formidable?"

Song Yan threw her words back at her, "If you're not formidable, then what am I doing right now?"

Before she could say anything, Song Yan turned his head and, as if seeking revenge for the torment she had put him through these days, he bit her earlobe.

Instinctively, Wen Li tried to break free.

"This is your response," Song Yan tightened his arm, "Still want to play games?"

Wen Li explained in a low voice, "No, I'm just itchy..."

Song Yan stopped biting and switched to kissing.

Later, after releasing her ear, he kissed her lips. Unlike Wen Li's rough and domineering style, as if he wanted to break her teeth, their lips met softly and silently. It was only when their tongues met the moist sounds of wet kisses emerged.

Wen Li was able to respond up to this point.

But she couldn't go any further.

She grabbed his hand, wanting to say "no", but he grabbed her back and directly placed the ball in her court, "Refusing means you don't like me."

"..."

How could this be!

Usually, Wen Li was a very proud person in bed. She didn't find many tiring actions pleasing and she didn't enjoy them herself. She just exerted herself to fulfill her physical needs, as long as the goal was achieved, she didn't care whether Song Yan was satisfied or not.

But today, Song Yan had caught her weak spot.

When she said she didn't want to, he said in disappointment, "So, this is your response". When she wanted to explain, he added, "So, you were playing games with me". When she stopped arguing, she wore a face that said, "Think whatever you want", and he said, "So, you don't like me".

Wen Li criticized him inwardly. What about "I won't force you"? Wasn't this forcing her?

In certain situations, this man would become a different person altogether. His hands were like unreasonable bandits who knew where the valuable things were often hidden in the deepest places of households, so he went searching in those hidden spots.

He found it; Wen Li couldn't help but let out a cry.

The treasure was found, the path was open, and the leader of the bandits arrived, plundering everything and taking whatever he wanted.

With just these few words, Song Yan led her to experience a completely different physical intimacy.

She had flushed eyes, clutching the bedsheet, exhaling weakly.

They were going on for a long time and his actions were fierce. Wen Li, who was accustomed to relishing things, couldn't hold back. A few tears burst out from the corners of her eyes. She sniffed and hiccupped, a sound different from her low moans.

"Song Yan, you bastard! I'm already crying, and you still...!"

Song Yan turned her body around, making her face him. He reached out his finger and touched the corner of her eye, somewhat surprised, and then smiled. "So, you really cried?"

Wen Li's anger was ignited by his smile, and she pushed him away, "Get lost! What response do you want? I should just ignore you, let you hang yourself!"

He kissed her eyes and coaxed, "Alright, alright, my delicate little one, I'll be gentle."

While Song Yan was soothing her with his words, he found it both funny and exasperating. He hadn't expected to make her cry. Who could have imagined that this girl had such a sharp tongue, fearless in any situation, yet so delicate and vulnerable in her body? She was nothing more than a paper tiger.

From beginning to end, all the things Wen Li refused to admit were responded to with her physical compromises and obedience under Song Yan's half-coercion, half-seduction.

Wen Li turned her back to him, resting her head on Song Yan's arm, breathing slowly.

Although she was thoroughly satisfied, it still felt humiliating.

Song Yan kissed the back of her head.

His voice was still hoarse, but his words were clear and struck Wen Li's heart, "You like me."

Wen Li's heart tingled, and she muttered, "Who the hell likes you?"

He tightened his arm and embraced her from behind, pressing his entire body against her back. He lowered his head and buried it in the nape of her neck, filled with satisfaction and a heart brimming with emotions. He chuckled softly and repeated himself.

"Young girl, you really do like me."

Wen Li was speechless, "Senior, are you a broken record?"

"Yes, Senior is a broken record," He continued to smile, "Young girl, you like me."

Wen Li had nothing more to say. Perhaps Song Yan was naturally compatible with her, knowing that she had a stubborn mouth, so he cleverly and shamelessly sought answers from other places.

She could sense his happiness but didn't quite understand why he was so happy.

It felt like begging a parent for something for a long time, and finally getting it, but without the composure and maturity of an adult. Just a moment ago, when he was about to reach his limit, those few cries of "young girl" near her ear almost made Wen Li feel like she was back in high school.

But they were still so young back then. Could calling her that really bring about any special excitement?

She didn't know. Perhaps he was just a pervert.

Considering how much he liked her, she could only reluctantly accept this perverted quirk of his.

——

The unexpected situation on the bed directly caused a slight delay in the rehearsal the next day.

However, there was a difference between the tardiness of the guests and the rookie actors. If a rookie actor was late, their attitude might be criticized, but the guests were already well-known artists, so the production team didn't mind much as long as it didn't affect their own rehearsals.

Being late could be a big deal and a small deal at the same time. Even if the production team didn't think it was a big deal, once the show aired, it was inevitable that people would seize upon the weakness and criticize them. Therefore, Wen Li and Song Yan apologized to the staff.

Song Yan's state on the second day was clearly different from the previous day. He got into his zone, and Wen Li quickly followed suit. As a result, even Ning Junxuan's progress picked up.

After rehearsing the scenes, the guests changed into their costumes and went directly to the set for a dress rehearsal.

Song Yan and Ning Junxuan were in a modern drama, which was relatively easy in terms of makeup. They rehearsed there first and then came to Wen Li's side to change into the ancient costumes.

The makeup and costumes for the period drama took more time. [The S-Class Acting Awards] was a variety show that the TV station focused on promoting this year. The investors had high expectations for it. Therefore, with sufficient funding, they were able to hire the original behind-the-scenes makeup and set design teams from film and television dramas. The previous episodes had gone viral several times due to the highly authentic scenes and costumes.

After sitting for a few hours, the makeup was done. Wen Li walked out of the dressing room carrying her twelve-layered skirt.

The costumes were heavy, so Wen Wen helped her carry the long train, lightening the load for her.

Although Song Yan's makeup started after hers, he was a man, so it was easier for him to put on the wig and makeup. He was already waiting at the door, planning to walk to the set with her.

The two met eyes at the door of the dressing room and both paused for a moment.

This scene was not a court scene, so Song Yan was not wearing imperial court attire. He was dressed in a purple round-collared robe. Wen Li's Juyi clothing was also purple. They unintentionally wore matching colors, creating a subtle forbidden love atmosphere using clothing, cleverly designed by the film styling team.

Wen Li stared at Song Yan and pouted, "I still look better in purple."

She loved comparing herself with others. Song Yan used to ignore her comparisons, but today he unexpectedly engaged in the comparison.

"The color of your outfit looks outdated. Mine looks better."

"Where does mine look outdated? It's obviously lighter than yours."

As they walked to the set, they encountered many rookie actors along the way. Some of the rookie actors were not involved in Wen Li and Song Yan's play, so they hadn't interacted much with the two teachers. They were somewhat introverted when facing the teachers and didn't dare to say much. After greeting them, they watched as the two left, then excitedly exchanged their thoughts with their peers.

"That was incredible, absolutely incredible."

"Now I finally understand why my agent told me not to easily accept period dramas and stick to contemporary ones."

Then they came across Wang Miao, who was dressed as the little fox fairy from Wen Li's play. She immediately looked at them with shining eyes and said, "Teacher Song, Teacher Wen, you both look great in these costumes."

Wen Li raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who looks better?"

"Huh?" Wang Miao thought for a moment, deciding not to offend anyone, "You both look equally good."

Wen Li wasn't buying it at all. "Don't play this game with me. Who looks better?"

"Um."

Looking at the serious Wen Li, Wang Miao hesitated and looked at Song Yan. With a gentle smile, Song Yan lightly raised his hand that was hanging by his side and pointed at Wen Li next to him.

Understanding the cue, Wang Miao immediately caught on and loudly exclaimed, "Teacher Wen Li, you look better!"

Wen Li was satisfied and praised her in return, "You really suit this playful fox fairy look, it looks great on you."

Wang Miao breathed a sigh of relief and gave a grateful look to Song Yan.

The dressing room was not far from the shooting studio. When they arrived on set, both of them were experienced actors and didn't need hands-on guidance. The director on set said, "Let's have the two teachers go through the scene first to familiarize themselves with the camera angles."

Entering the beautifully designed ancient setting, the director stared at the monitor. If it weren't for the fact that the two artists were holding scripts and the stylist was there to adjust their hairstyles and clothes, they would have looked like two ancient-period people that belong in Ancient China.

Although it was a temporary set, he believed that if they performed well, this scene would be no less than filming a typical historical movie.

Experienced actors were efficient with their time. They didn't need instructions for every movement that wasn't in the script. They knew where to find the camera and the right angles to start the scene.

There were no specific action instructions in the script, so they decided on their own where to place their hands and feet while delivering their lines. It wasn't about a perfect recreation of a film, but rather using their experience to create gestures and movements that matched the characters' psychological states.

They went through the scene once. After watching Wen Li and Song Yan's performance in the scene, the on-set director, who was used to guiding rookie actors, couldn't find any mistakes worth pointing out.

"Let's do it one more time, please, Director," Wen Li turned to Song Yan and asked, "When you reached out earlier, I didn't catch it properly and hesitated. Do you think it's better for me to avoid it or give you a different reaction?"

The director himself had no objections, but Wen Li became stricter with herself and repeatedly rehearsed with Song Yan in the areas she felt were not perfect.

Everyone present knew that this was a variety show with limited rehearsal time, so it couldn't be compared to shooting on a film set. In a film set, actors had plenty of time to polish their performances, rehearsing many takes. When faced with a demanding director, it was even possible to shoot a single shot a hundred or more times.

They were treating this scene as if they were meticulously carving a film.

The staff didn't know that Wen Li was being so strict with herself because she wanted to secure the role in Song Yan's movie.

Song Yan clearly intended to accompany her in this meticulous process.

So the on-set director also became serious. If the actors themselves weren't afraid of the trouble, as a director, he certainly couldn't give up. The three of them treated this rehearsal on set as if they were rehearsing for a Spring Festival Gala, meticulously polishing every movement and subtle expression.

By the time of the live recording the next day, the on-set director in charge of this scene was brimming with confidence. He even felt like he was standing on the stage of a film festival awards ceremony.

The recording was scheduled for the afternoon and the audience started to enter at noon. All the guests and actors were backstage preparing.

Wang Miao and Ning Junxuan's fantasy segment was drawn as the first performance order. Both of them were nervous and went to Wen Li's dressing room before going on stage to seek encouragement.

The stylist was still inserting hairpins into Wen Li's hair when she tilted her head slightly, making a gesture of encouragement to the two.

"Go for it, don't embarrass me."

"Yeah!"

"We can do it!"

Receiving encouragement, the two rookie actors applauded each other and prepared to go on stage.

The recording entered the countdown, and after the "3, 2, 1" countdown, the host walked from the backstage to the center of the stage under the spotlight.

"Here is the grand finale of [The S-Class Acting Awards], a talent competition reality show that cultivates the next generation of actors, sponsored exclusively by the organic milk that grants your body buff1, derived from the grasslands. Hello, everyone, I am the host, Wang Kecheng. Welcome to today's event."

Applause erupted from the audience below the stage.

"First, let us introduce the three judges, who have been with us from the first episode until our grand finale, as well as our special guest judges today, several directors and producers who are well-known among audiences and passionate about film and television dramas!"

On the TV screen in the backstage dressing room, the live footage of the stage was being broadcast.

When the host introduced Qiu Ping, he stood up and nodded to the audience behind him, with a proud smile on his face, typical of a renowned director.

Compared to him, Yu Weiguang's smile appeared much more calm and peaceful.

"In addition to our guest judges, we have also invited eight guest actors, but as they have other tasks to attend to, they are currently preparing backstage. Please look at our big screen to get to know who the eight guest actors are."

When Song Yan appeared on the screen, the cheers of the audience seemed to be audible even in the dressing room.

Then Wen Li appeared, and upon careful listening, it seemed that the cheers reached the dressing room from the front stage.

"This time, our performance is divided into two parts. The first part consists of the performances of the newly emerging actors who have advanced in the competition. Their performance order was determined by drawing lots, and there are a total of eight short plays, with each play segment derived from the outstanding film and television works of our eight guest actors. The second part is a random drawing of pairs among the eight guest actors for tribute scenes, which is not a competition but a challenge for the guest actors themselves, as well as a tribute to each other and classic film and television works. Please look forward to it."

After delivering the lengthy lines, the camera cut directly to the side studio where the first play segment was set.

In the ethereal Yaochi, Wang Miao and Ning Junxuan were already in position.

With Wen Li's guidance and the support of the original play, this confession scene was romantic and youthful. The dry ice and lighting effects in the studio made the scene even more ethereal and surreal. The love story between the little fox fairy and the young emperor, combined with the fresh faces of the emerging actors, had profound implications that were not difficult to grasp but held unparalleled artistic conception.

And they succeeded.

When the director called "Cut", the stage erupted in applause.

The judges and the public gave their affirmation. Wen Li in the dressing room breathed a sigh of relief.

The following short plays in the program became much easier to watch.

The recording of the show took a long time; both the backstage staff and the artists had to wait for a long time. Fortunately, they were used to the tedious backstage work behind the dazzling stage after entering this line of work. After the eight short plays ended, Wenli stood up from her chair and stretched her waist.

Wen Wen was good at entertaining herself and quietly took out her phone to film her.

"Sister, when the program preview comes out, I'll send you this segment in a short video and name it 'Empress Dowager's Health Exercise'. How about that?"

"...Don't use my popularity to gain followers for yourself."

Wen Wen pouted, "It's the studio's account, not mine."

Finally, it was time for the guests' short plays segment. The first one to appear was Duan Hong with his selected female partner.

It wasn't as good as Wang Miao and Ning Junxuan's segment; Duan Hong had a typical tough guy appearance with sharp facial features, which wasn't suitable for the role of a young immortal lord.

But his acting skills were excellent, although his appearance was not suitable, he didn't break character.

In the guest exchange segment, there was no voting process after they appeared from the side. Instead, the interview segment was extended by a few minutes.

Duan Hong admitted that his appearance was not suitable for this role and said directly, "So I think it's important for actors to know their positioning. They should be aware of what roles they can handle and what roles they can't. If you don't have the ability, taking on a challenging role like this can easily make you a laughingstock. I'm not suitable for this kind of drama; it would be better for Wenli to play it. Unfortunately, she also had bad luck and drew a play directed by Director Yu. I hope she does well in her short play."

Wenli frowned, feeling that Duan Hong's words had a hidden meaning.

In front of the camera, the host couldn't delve into this statement and asked Duan Hong for his opinion on his partner's performance.

"It's great. Kids from a professional background catch on quickly. Personally, I think she and Wang Miao both did well. To say something that might offend Wenli, I even think Wang Miao's performance in that segment surpasses the original version from a few years ago. There are some small details in the design that are more agile than the female lead in the original version, perhaps that's the advantage of actors from a professional background."

The audience below started whispering, especially the fans of Wenli.

"Did I misunderstand? Is this actor subtly mocking our Sanli for not having a professional background and saying her acting is inferior to newcomers?"

"Damn, that's what he meant."

"He's bashing without even watching Sanli's dramas. In his eyes, idol drama actors have no acting skills, while serious drama actors are all talented."

"I'm starting to feel angry for Sanli."

In the backstage area, Wang Miao, along with a group of newly debuted actors who had finished their performances, sat together watching the guest exchange segment with a horrified expression.

All those new designs were taught to her by Wenli, so how did they end up being used to belittle Wenli?

Wenli, who had given guidance to Wang Miao for her short play, also realized that there were certain aspects she could have handled better years ago when she was filming this drama. However, the drama had already finished and she had no chance to review it. Taking advantage of this program, Wen Li shared her progress and understanding from the past few years with Wang Miao, hoping that she could deliver a more polished performance compared to the relatively inexperienced one at the time.

After Duan Hong finished speaking, the expressions of the judges and the audience evaluators present were subtly different.

It wasn't until a female producer picked up the microphone and agreed with Duan Hong's words.

"I want to say that I agree with Teacher Duan Hong. An actor's appearance and temperament actually determine which type of roles they are suitable for, whether it's idol dramas or serious dramas. This doesn't mean demeaning any idol drama actors. Compared to idol dramas, serious dramas are indeed much harder to handle. Although Teacher Duan Hong's appearance may not be suitable, his acting skills are convincing enough for every audience evaluator present. But what if it were idol drama actors trying to perform in serious dramas? Even if they have the right appearance but lack acting skills and haven't received systematic guidance, they would fail to evoke empathy. What use would that be?"

She claimed not to demean idol drama actors, yet she borrowed Duan Hong's sarcastic remarks towards Wen Li, subtly mocking the current idol drama actors for lacking acting skills and being unable to carry serious dramas.

Everyone knew that currently, the market share of idol drama actors was far greater than that of some lesser-known serious drama actors. Some people were dissatisfied with this situation, so they spoke out.

They directly labeled all idol drama actors as "without acting skills".

Another producer who specialized in investing in idol dramas also picked up the microphone and started arguing with the female producer.

It was unknown whether this segment would be cut during post-production.

Wen Li couldn't help but feel even more pressure.

What if she made a mistake later? This was a live shoot, different from the filming set. There was no chance for retakes.

"Wen Li, it's your turn soon."

The staff member in charge of the program flow came over to remind her.

"Okay."

Walking to the waiting area of the set, Wen Li, who had rich acting experience, felt for the first time that she needed some comfort at this moment.

Song Yan would enter the set a few minutes after her. After finishing their scene together, he still had another modern drama to shoot with Ning Junxuan. Time was tight, so they couldn't sit in the dressing room and watch the broadcast together.

When Song Yan approached her, Wen Li didn't want to relay what Duan Hong and the female producer said on the stage. It would make her seem too vulnerable.

She quietly tugged on Song Yan's sleeve, hidden under his large robe.

Song Yan lowered his head and looked at her. "What's wrong?"

"I'm a little nervous," she whispered, "Teacher Song, can you encourage me?"

Wearing a robe and a headdress, the young Empress Dowager adorned with magnificent pearls and brocade had a slightly worried expression. She didn't have the demeanor of an Empress Dowager but seemed more like a favored concubine who had been wronged.

She was proud and arrogant but also had moments of insecurity.

The on-site staff people were making final adjustments to the equipment and set. The two artists stood in the center of the set; Song Yan turned off his microphone and said, "Don't worry, I'm here."

Wen Li felt much better, so she also turned off her microphone and took advantage of the situation, "What if I become a burden to you? Won't you blame me?"

Song Yan smiled, "Why would I blame you?"

Wen Li snorted, "What about others? If I were someone else right now, would you still be so magnanimous and kind?"

"Hmm? I wouldn't care about others."

"That's unfair treatment."

"I've never been fair in my life. I'm quite biased," Song Yan gently flicked the tassel hanging from the pearls on her head with his finger. There was a smile in his eyes, and he whispered in her ear, "Because I only like you."

The young and handsome Emperor, dressed in a noble and majestic outfit, with fierce eyes akin to twin golden dragons, had a playful and charming way of speaking. His smile was enchanting, and his words were soft and gentle.

"Junior, when you were still in high school, you performed a solo dance at your school's anniversary celebration. At that time, you stood alone on the stage, with no one around you except for the accompanying music. All the lights were focused on you, yet you didn't make a single mistake. Now that you've grown up, this time you're not alone on stage; you have me by your side. Even if you make a mistake, as your husband, I will cover for you. So don't be nervous, just give a normal performance."

Meanwhile, on the stage, the host was already introducing their upcoming performance.

"The next performance features our esteemed teacher, Wen Li, and her co-star—"

"Teacher Song Yan!"

In the side stage of the studio, all the staff and actors waiting there heard the screams coming from the audience seats.

"Damn it!!! Sisters who didn't manage to get tickets for the public performance, you've missed out!!!"