What kind of nonsense is this about a college dropout from Beijing Film Academy being reborn as Bian

Chapter 24: The Allure of That One Bite

The restroom was so quiet that only the sound of their breathing could be heard.

The footsteps outside the door stopped.

"Mimi?"

Liu Kaiwei's voice drew closer, coming through the door with a hint of cautious probing.

"Mimi? Are you in there?"

Then came the knocking on the door.

Knuckles tapped on the door panel three times, slowly and deliberately, yet it made Yang Mi's eyelashes tremble suddenly.

She subconsciously tightened her grip on Guan Shengbai's collar, holding it even tighter.

Guan Shengbai felt a slight tremor in her fingertips and was about to speak...

In a moment of panic, Yang Mi reached out and pressed his head into her arms.

Guan Shengbai felt a sudden darkness before his eyes.

His nose brushed against something warm and soft, and his breath was filled with the faint scent of her perfume mixed with the smell of alcohol.

The sounds around me were instantly blocked out, leaving only the muffled sound of my heartbeat, indistinguishable as to whether it was hers or mine.

Yang Mi bit her lower lip; the blush on her face was no longer just from being drunk.

Whether it was annoyance at Liu Kaiwei's persistent pestering or resentment that he had ruined her plans at this crucial moment, her voice carried an undisguised impatience.

"Is there anything I can help you with? I'm touching up my makeup."

Liu Kaiwei, standing outside the door, remained silent for a moment.

He stood in the corridor, dressed in a suit and tie, but looked somewhat disheveled.

Just now at the banquet, he noticed that Yang Mi got up and left, and then Guan Shengbai also disappeared.

The simultaneous disappearance of these two people made him extremely uncomfortable, as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

He endured it for a long time, but finally got up and followed.

But when he heard Yang Mi's voice coming from the bathroom, his anxiety subsided.

At least she was actually in the bathroom.

As for where Guan Shengbai is, perhaps I'm just overthinking it.

"Honey, I came over because I saw you were a little drunk and I was worried about you."

Liu Kaiwei's tone was deliberately gentle, and his voice was lower than usual.

"If you're feeling unwell, shall I have my assistant go buy some hangover medicine?"

"No."

Yang Mi's voice came through the door, cold as if she were talking to a stranger.

"I'm fine, you can go back now."

Liu Kaiwei, however, remained standing still.

During his recent visits to the set of "Tiny Times," he hasn't been able to find a chance to have a private chat with Yang Mi.

Every time I tried to get closer, I was either blocked by her staff or brushed off with a few words.

Being separated by a door at this moment has become a strange opportunity for solitude.

He took a deep breath, feeling that this might be an opportunity given by God.

"Honey".

His voice softened, taking on a more sincere and earnest tone.

"Actually, I've always wanted to find an opportunity to make things clear to you."

"I know you've been avoiding me lately, and I know I haven't done enough in some ways. But, Mimi, I'm sincere."

Inside the cubicle, Yang Mi listened to the sudden, heartfelt confession outside the door, but her body grew increasingly stiff.

It wasn't Liu Kaiwei's words that made her waver, but the person in her arms.

Guan Shengbai was pressed against her chest, his breath filled with the soft, warm fragrance of her body.

But the problem is he's almost out of breath.

Yang Mi pressed down too hard, burying his entire face in her arms, his mouth and nose completely blocked, and he could only get a very limited amount of air with each breath.

He began to struggle.

Yang Mi felt the movement in her arms and instinctively tightened her arms, pressing him down even more firmly.

At the same time, Guan Shengbai's hand, which had been supporting her waist, tightened unconsciously due to the suffocating embarrassment.

The warmth of that large hand seeped through the thin fabric, like a hot iron, making Yang Mi's waist tremble violently.

Her body froze instantly.

Outside the door, Liu Kaiwei's confession continued.

"What you saw before was all a misunderstanding. Susan is just my personal assistant; there's really nothing between us."

His tone was somewhat urgent, as if he was afraid that Yang Mi would interrupt him.

"I know I misunderstood you that time. I've already fired her. She won't be on my team anymore, so you can rest assured."

Yang Mi gritted her teeth, trying to deal with the confession outside the door while also suppressing the increasingly restless Guan Shengbai in her arms.

But the hand that was resting on her waist continued to act up, slowly tightening its heat on her side, like a fire burning from her waist all the way to the tip of her heart.

Unconsciously, she pressed down harder on the back of Guan Shengbai's head.

"Mimi?"

Seeing that there was no response from inside, Liu Kaiwei outside the door called out again tentatively.

Are you...listening?

"I'm listening."

Yang Mi's voice squeezed out from the crack in the door, but the last syllable trembled slightly uncontrollably.

Liu Kaiwei heard the tremor in her voice and thought that his sincerity had moved her. He was overjoyed and his tone became even more earnest.

"Honey, I'm serious. If you're willing to give me a chance, I can—"

Before he could finish speaking, a very soft and short cry suddenly came from the cubicle.

"what!"

The sound wasn't loud, but it struck Liu Kaiwei like a thunderbolt.

He stood there, frozen in place, the rest of his words stuck in his throat.

That was Yang Mi's voice.

Can't go wrong.

But he had never heard her make that sound.

With a tremor that she could hardly contain, or a scream that seemed to come out of nowhere after being suddenly struck by something.

Inside the cubicle, Yang Mi stared wide-eyed down at the person in her arms.

Just now, Guan Shengbai bit her when he was suffocating.

The bite landed precisely on the most delicate spot.

Yang Mi felt a sharp pain mixed with numbness in her chest, as if her bones had been removed. Her body went limp, and her hands, which were pressing down on Guan Shengbai's head, involuntarily loosened.

Guan Shengbai finally broke free from her embrace, panting heavily.

He raised his eyes and met Yang Mi's eyes, which were filled with shame and anger, and silently moved his lips.

"You want to murder your own junior brother?"

Yang Mi then noticed his flushed face and the fine sweat on his forehead, and finally understood what had just happened.

Her face flushed even redder, the redness spreading from her forehead all the way down to the base of her neck.

Liu Kaiwei, standing outside the door, panicked completely.

"Mimi?! What happened to you? Did you fall?"

His hand was already on the doorknob, his voice full of anxiety.

"Should I come in—"

"Need not!!"

Yang Mi's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of barely concealed panic and anger.

She braced herself against the door with one hand and pushed Guan Shengbai, who was still breathing heavily, to the side with the other, forcing herself to steady her voice.

"I'm fine! I just got poked by my lipstick while touching up my makeup!"

Guan Shengbai leaned against the partition next to him, finally catching his breath. When he heard this extremely lame excuse, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.

Yang Mi glared at him, her eyes screaming, "If you dare to make a sound, I'll kill you."

Guan Shengbai raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, then silently mouthed a name.

Ma Shuya.

Yang Mi was taken aback for a moment.

Of course she knew who that name belonged to.

Wu Qilong's ex-wife had an ambiguous affair with Liu Kaiwei back then.

There are even rumors that Wu Qilong's marital breakdown was due to Liu Kaiwei's involvement.

Her eyes darted around, and she instantly understood what Guan Shengbai meant.

The man was handing her a knife.

The knife used to drive away that persistent guy outside the door.

Yang Mi took a deep breath and turned back to the door panel, her voice returning to its cool and aloof tone.

"So what's the deal with Ma Shuya?"

Liu Kaiwei, standing outside the door, looked as if he had been doused with a bucket of ice water; the color drained from his face instantly.

His lips moved several times before he could barely manage to squeeze out a sound.

"Those were all rumors from several years ago."

His tone carried a hint of guilt and evasion, and his voice was several octaves lower than before.

Why are you bringing her up?

"A rumor from several years ago?"

Yang Mi's voice was as cold as a knife, every word stabbing at Liu Kaiwei's weak spot.

"You know your own mess, I don't need to say more."

Liu Kaiwei, standing behind the door, had a layer of cold sweat on his forehead.

How could she know such a secret?

Where did Yang Mi find out about this?

"No, it was an accident!"

His voice carried a hint of panic as he quickly explained.

"I promise I haven't contacted her since I met you! Mimi, you have to believe me—"

"Enough!!"

Yang Mi's voice suddenly rose, carrying a hint of undisguised anger.

"Don't you see this is a public place? How long are you going to block my door?"

"Do you want news like 'Liu Kaiwei followed a woman into the restroom' to appear in the papers tomorrow?!"

Liu Kaiwei looked as if he had been slapped hard across the face, his face turning pale and then red.

He instinctively took half a step back, his gaze darting nervously around the empty corridor.

"I...I didn't mean that..."

"Then why aren't you leaving?"

Yang Mi's voice already carried an undisguised annoyance.

Liu Kaiwei opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but found that his throat felt like it was blocked with cotton, and he couldn't squeeze out a single word.

He clenched his fist so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palm.

Then he turned around and walked quickly to the other end of the corridor.

The leather shoes stomped rapidly on the marble floor, as if fleeing some raging flood or ferocious beast.

Only when the footsteps completely disappeared at the end of the corridor did the two people in the cubicle breathe a sigh of relief.

Yang Mi leaned against the door, feeling as if all her strength had been drained, and slowly slid down to sit.

The imposing manner he had shown towards Liu Kaiwei just moments before vanished completely in that instant.

She looked up at Guan Shengbai in front of her, her mind flashing back to everything that had just happened.

She took the initiative and forcefully kissed the man in front of her.

I pressed his head against my chest and almost suffocated him.

He even witnessed the entire dramatic and messy love triangle.

Not to mention that bite...

Yang Mi subconsciously touched her chest, where the stinging sensation had not completely subsided, but what made her heart race even faster was the lingering tingling sensation.

Her face flushed again.

If she could dig a crack in the ground right now, she would crawl into it without hesitation.

"that……"

She opened her mouth, only to find her voice was incredibly soft, completely lacking the imposing presence she had when facing Liu Kaiwei.

Guan Shengbai acted as if nothing had happened, straightened his wrinkled collar, and then stretched out a hand to her.

"Senior sister."

His voice was so calm it was as if nothing had happened.

"It's alright, we should probably head back now. If we stay any longer, people will start to get suspicious."

Yang Mi stared blankly at the hand he extended, its knuckles distinct, long and strong.

She hesitated for a moment, but still placed her hand on it.

Guan Shengbai pulled her up from the ground and patted her shoulder, his tone as relaxed as if he had just accompanied her to a promotional event.

"You tidy up first, I'll go out now. We'll go back at different times."

Yang Mi nodded subconsciously.

Guan Shengbai walked to the door, listened to the sounds in the corridor, then opened the door and strode out.

The door closed gently behind him.

Yang Mi stood alone in the bathroom, looking at her face, which was bright red, in the mirror, and turned on the faucet.

She poured the icy water into her palms, scooped up a handful, and slapped it on her face, trying to cool down the burning sensation that had reached her ears.

But no matter how the photos were taken, the woman in the mirror always exuded a spring-like charm that she couldn't suppress.

It’s over.

She said to herself.

This time it's really over.

……

……

When Guan Shengbai returned to the private room, the lively atmosphere at the table had not diminished at all.

Xie Yilin was playing a drinking game with the head of the lighting crew, her voice so loud it could lift the ceiling off the building.

Guo Caijie leaned back in her chair, holding a freshly poured glass of red wine. When she saw him walk in, her eyes narrowed.

"Why did it take you so long?"

Her tone was casual, as if she were asking how the weather was today.

Guan Shengbai sat down in his seat without changing his expression, picked up the teacup in front of him and took a sip.

"constipate."

Two words: crisp and clean.

Guo Caijie rolled her eyes, looked away from him, and went back to watching Xie Yilin play rock-paper-scissors.

Guo Biting, who was standing next to him, didn't say anything. She just glanced at Guan Shengbai for a moment before looking away without making a sound.

About seven or eight minutes later, Yang Mi walked in from the door of the private room.

She had already touched up her makeup, and the blush on her face was mostly covered by foundation, leaving only a faint trace of pink at the corner of her eyes.

Her hair had been combed again, and each strand was meticulously tucked behind her ears.

He seemed to have regained his dignified and composed demeanor, as if what had just happened in the restroom was just an illusion.

She sat down in her seat, picked up the now-cold tea in front of her, and took a sip, her movements impeccably elegant.

"Honey, where did you go? I thought you fell into the toilet!"

Xie Yilin shouted something at the top of her lungs, which made the people next to her laugh.

Yang Mi rolled her eyes at her, a flawless smile playing on her lips.

"I touched up my makeup."

Guo Caijie glanced back and forth between her and Guan Shengbai, picked up her wine glass, took a sip, and said nothing.

Guo Biting smiled and placed a piece of food on Yang Mi's plate, her voice still gentle.

"Honey, try this shrimp, it's quite tender."

"Thanks."

Yang Mi accepted the dish, her tone polite but distant.

The atmosphere at the table returned to its lively state.

Guan Shengbai was pulled aside for photos by the makeup team girls, toasted by the lighting team guys, and patted on the shoulder by the production crew brothers who told him not to forget them if he became famous.

He agreed to each request, his smile never wavering, his sincerity impeccable.

The wrap party concluded amidst laughter and joy.

As I left the Cantonese restaurant, a light drizzle was falling from the Shanghai night sky, and the air was damp and chilly.

Guan Shengbai stood at the door, wrapped his coat tighter around himself, and looked up at the gray night sky.

Behind him were the faces of the "Tiny Times" crew coming and going. Some waved goodbye to him, while others tugged at his sleeve and talked for a long time, reluctant to part.

He agreed to each of them, then turned and got into the taxi waiting by the roadside.

The car slowly drove away, and Guan Shengbai leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes.

……

……

A few days later, in Kyoto.

The headquarters of Huanrui Century stands in the cold winter wind, its glass curtain wall reflecting the gray-blue sunlight.

Guan Shengbai climbed out of the taxi and looked up at the building.

He had been here more than once in his past life as a public relations professional, but this was the first time he had stepped through this door as an artist.

Zeng Jia's office is on the sixteenth floor.

When he pushed open the door, Zeng Jia was sitting behind her desk, flipping through a document in her hand.

Hearing the door open, she looked up and gave a perfectly timed smile.

"You're here. Were you cold on the way?"

"It's alright, I'm used to it."

Guan Shengbai sat down on the sofa, took the hot tea handed to him by his assistant, and took a sip.

Zeng Jia closed the file in her hand, walked around from behind the desk, and sat down on the sofa opposite him.

"I called you here today mainly for two things."

Her tone was as crisp and decisive as ever.

"First of all, all the procedures for you as an artist with Huanrui have been completed."

From this moment forward, you are an officially contracted artist with H&R Century Pictures, and you will be under my management.

"Contracts, social security, personnel files—everything that needed to be done has been taken care of. You just need to sign."

Guan Shengbai nodded, took the documents she handed him, flipped through them, and casually signed his name.

Zeng Jia watched his nimble movements and nodded inwardly.

The young man's composure surprised her.

When other newcomers sign with a big company like Huanrui, they will inevitably feel some undisguised excitement or nervousness.

But Guan Shengbai's expression remained unchanged from beginning to end, as if he were signing an ordinary delivery slip.

Of course, it's more likely that this kid genuinely trusts his "Sister Jia".

"The second item."

Zeng Jia picked up another thin document from the table and handed it to him.

"I've found you a role."

Guan Shengbai took the document, opened it, and immediately raised his eyebrows.

"New Police Story 2013?"

"right."

Zeng Jia leaned back on the sofa, her hands folded on her knees, her tone calm yet sharp.

"Starring Jackie Chan and directed by Ding Cheng. The production team consists of some of the top talents from Hong Kong."