Disguised as a Man, She Has Eight Men Fighting Over Her - Chapter 49

Chapter 49

The summer afternoon sun had turned vicious, and the air was unbearably muggy. Today’s covert-guard costume made it worse: three layers of clothing, a broad leather waist guard, and a black mask that seemed designed to punish its wearer.

“Promising kid, remember the moves the action director taught you?” Director Fu asked through his megaphone.

Her binder was crushing her chest. She managed a nod.

“Okay! Scene Two Hundred One, Camera C. Prepare!”

In this scene, the emperor was traveling incognito. As his covert guard, she had to follow vigilantly behind him through a bustling ancient street, where black-clad assassins would ambush them.

The slate clapped. Lin Cheng slipped into character at once. The only part of her face visible above the mask—her eyes—swept warily over the street as she kept close behind Xie Zhi. Though dressed in ordinary clothes, he could not conceal the natural nobility of his bearing.

Several black-clad men suddenly descended from above on wire rigs.

She drew her sword instantly.

“Lin Chen, don’t really hit them!” Director Fu shouted.

At the warning, Lin Cheng rotated her wrist and deftly bled the force from her strike. A low, magnetic chuckle seemed to come from Xie Zhi right beside her. Her ears heated; on her next turn, she stepped on the toe of his boot without changing expression.

Xie Zhi: “…”

Once the attackers had been dealt with, Director Fu called, “Cut! Okay—very good! That’s a take!”

Lin Cheng breathed out in relief and trotted back to the rest canopy. She tore off her mask and gulped down ice water, but the oppressive heat spreading from her chest did not ease at all.

The binder was too tight, and sweat had soaked the clothes beneath it. She furtively checked her surroundings. When no one seemed to be watching, she turned her back, reached behind herself through the heavy costume, and pinched several clasps open.

Not enough. She pulled harder.

*Snap!*

Too much—the entire binder sprang open.

Her covert-guard outfit had three full layers, with a wide, heavy leather guard cinched around the outside. There was no possible way to reach inside and fasten the binder again.

Sweat beaded anxiously on the tip of her nose. Before she could work out what to do, Director Fu boomed, “Lin Chen, Xie Zhi! Come shoot close-ups.”

Lin Cheng’s vision went black. Keeping her waist slightly bent, she scurried over.

Xie Zhi frowned. “Sick? Stomachache?”

She forced out a smile uglier than crying. Her voice was weak. “No. I’m just a little hot. It feels stuffy.”

Director Fu paid no attention and called for them to begin.

The action director immediately corrected her posture.

“Lin Chen, chest out! You’re a covert guard, not a thief!”

Lin Cheng wailed inwardly, but under everyone’s eyes she could only grit her teeth and obey, forcing her back and waist straight. The moment she did, the unsupported line of her chest became considerably clearer.

“Exactly! Great pecs. Hold it!”

Lin Cheng: “…”

Thank heaven for the mask and heavy costume.

Fortunately, the filming went smoothly. As soon as Director Fu called cut, Lin Cheng lowered her head and followed tightly behind Xie Zhi. The man in front suddenly stopped, and she crashed straight into his back.

Something soft pressed unmistakably against him.

Xie Zhi spun. His gaze flashed over her chest, tongue pressing his palate, eyes turning pitch-black.

What was happening beneath this little bastard’s clothes?

The world inverted. Before Lin Cheng could scream, he had thrown her over his shoulder.

“Pretend you fainted.”

At this point, Lin Cheng could only cooperate. Being carried away without dignity like a sack was still better than having everything wobble conspicuously. Resigned, she closed her eyes.

“Little Zhi?” Director Fu hurried over.

“Heatstroke. He’s done for today.” Xie Zhi tossed the words out lightly, then strode away with Lin Cheng still over his shoulder.

Fu Shan froze. “Heatstroke? He looked perfectly fine during those close-ups.” He scratched his head, thoroughly puzzled. Since when had Xie Zhi become so kindhearted that he personally carried someone home?

The crew exchanged bewildered looks and began whispering. Xie Zhi’s abrupt good deed—and the domineering way he had done it—had clearly stunned them all.

Lin Cheng’s stomach, meanwhile, churned where it pressed against his shoulder. She secretly cracked one eye open.

Once out of sight, Lin Cheng whispered, “You can put me down.”

“Mm.”

He unloaded her from his shoulder, stuffed her into the passenger seat of a sightseeing cart, then circled around and started it from the driver’s side. The cart rolled lazily away from the set, a faint breeze finally dispersing some of the stifling heat.

The sight of Xie Zhi driving in imperial costume made her snort with laughter.

“Still laughing? What if someone discovered you?”

“It was too hot. I only wanted—”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Xie Zhi asked, freeing one hand to tug at the tight collar of his own costume.

“How could I tell you something like that?”

Xie Zhi braked, leaned close across the wheel, and stared into her eyes.

“So we’re not close?”

His sweat and the incense of his costume surrounded her. Her heart skipped.

“N-no.”

Her guilty look inexplicably eased some of his anger. “We’ll discuss it when we get back.”

Lin Cheng stole a glance at him, her heart seesawing uneasily.

Back at their lodging, Lin Cheng quickly removed her makeup and changed into her own clothes. She checked the time, then looked toward Xie Zhi, who sat in a chair playing with a lighter. After hesitating again and again, she finally spoke.

“Brother Xie Zhi, could you take me out of the base? I want to call a cab and visit Grandma at the hospital.”

Xie Zhi looked up from his lighter.

“Are you closer to me or Shen Qingrang?”

Lin Cheng stared at him. What did that have to do with anything?

But she understood perfectly that the wise submitted to circumstances. “You.”

“Me or Jiang Si?”

“You.”

“Shi Yu or Yan Ci?”

*(Pei Jinye: Am I a dog? I don’t even get mentioned?)*

“You, you, you. Always you.”

Apparently pleased, Xie Zhi picked up the keys and spun them twice around his index finger.

“Give me five minutes.”

Lin Cheng exhaled. Serving a sovereign truly was like serving a tiger.

The battered van had barely rattled a few meters beyond the base gate when Xie Zhi suddenly hit the brakes and stopped crookedly at the roadside. He turned toward her, one hand loose on the wheel and the other resting lazily along the back of the passenger seat. His black eyes held hers as a wicked smile curled his lips.

“I changed my mind.”