Chapter 377

Zhu Lin blinked her eyes: "You really have to watch?"

"I've never seen it before—I want to broaden my horizons."

Zhu Lin's hand rested on her waistband: "You stare at me and I can't pee."

Gong Ying understood—once, while she was urinating, Zhu Lin walked into the bathroom, and she froze mid-stream, only resuming after Zhu Lin left.

"Then at least let me turn around."

Gong Ying turned her back; Zhu Lin hesitated, barely starting to undress, when suddenly she cried out, "Ah!"

Gong Ying spun around quickly: "What's wrong? Are you giving birth?!"

"Give birth to your own big head, ghost!"

"Did you bleed?" Gong Ying worried. "Why else would there be blood?"

"It's my period!" Zhu Lin told Gong Ying to hand her a sanitary pad.

At this time, China's first sanitary pad factory had broken ground but hadn't started production; after meeting Wei Ming, both of them bought foreign brands from the Friendship Store.

Gong Ying sighed: "So we can only wait until the period ends to test?"

Zhu Lin laughed and tapped Gong Ying's head with the stick: "If I'm having my period, that means I'm not pregnant—what's the point of testing?"

"Oh, I see," Gong Ying tucked the pregnancy test away. "Then I'll keep it for myself—it's expensive."

Zhu Lin felt uneasy—if she herself was pregnant, she'd feel guilty toward Gong Ying; if Gong Ying was pregnant, she'd feel just as bad.

At that moment, they heard Wei Ming's voice downstairs; they weren't surprised—they'd already seen his luggage.

Zhu Lin smirked: "Shall we tease him?"

"What, tell him you're pregnant and make him choose?" Gong Ying scoffed. "Why make things hard for him? Xiao Wei didn't want this either—he's got it rough enough."

Hearing Xiao Xue's words, Zhu Lin gave her a thumbs-up: You're truly the cozy little cotton-padded jacket to this troublemaker—even I'm tempted, not to mention men.

"But we still shouldn't let him get too comfortable," Zhu Lin insisted on teasing the troublemaker.

Just then, Wei Ming's footsteps drew near; Zhu Lin hurried to tidy up, still half-bare-assed when he pushed the door open.

"You—you two are doing what?" Wei Ming frowned, confused. "Xue-jie, since when do you have a habit of watching people use the toilet?"

Gong Ying blushed furiously: "Who's watching her? We're just testing!"

Wei Ming recognized the old pregnancy test and glanced at it nervously: "The, the result?"

Zhu Lin pulled up her pants: "The result is—I'm on my period."

Hearing this, Wei Ming exhaled in relief, yet felt a tinge of regret—he'd never been a father in two lifetimes, and he was genuinely curious what it felt like.

Gong Ying asked: "Why did you suddenly come to Shanghai?"

Wei Ming: "I figured you two were both here, and our little family hasn't been together in ages, so I came. But the day after tomorrow I have to go to Guangzhou, then to Hong Kong for the movie premiere."

Zhu Lin, having washed her hands, said: "You came just in time—in a few days, Xiao Xue is leaving for Suzhou to film 'Bǐ Zhōng Qíng.'"

"When I arrived at noon, I glanced at your study—Xue-jie, your brushwork has grown even more elegant, like the Jin and Wei styles," Wei Ming praised.

"Everyone on set is working hard—I won't let myself fall behind," Gong Ying added, then recounted stories from their training and introduced the cast.

She was practically the only big name—the two male leads, Little White Dragon and Tang Sanzang, were both newcomers; the film's box office would rest entirely on her shoulders.

Lately, actors at Shanghai Film Studio were probably all in low spirits—'Bǐ Zhōng Qíng' chose Gong Ying, and Beijing Film Studio's Xie Jin's new film 'Qiū Jǐn' had also confirmed Li Xiuming from Beijing Film Studio.

Aside from Zhang Yu, Shanghai Film Studio was suffering from a shortage of young female actors.

Since all three had eaten, it was time to rest.

Zhu Lin deliberately said: "Originally, Xiao Xue and I were sleeping together. Since you're here now and it's inconvenient, I'll sleep in the next room."

Seeing her move to leave, Wei Ming boldly grabbed her arm and turned to Gong Ying: "Xue-jie, look at this bed—it's long and wide. Three people won't be cramped, right?"

Gong Ying knew Zhu Lin was teasing the fool, but finally nodded in agreement: "Fine, fine, let's all sleep together."

Surprised that Gong Ying agreed, Wei Ming rushed to freshen up—tonight, let Senior Lin help him push!

When he came out, the two were already in pajamas, lying in bed, leaving the middle spot open for him—so thoughtful, so tempting.

Even in his past life, when he'd lived so freely, he'd never had it this good.

Wei Ming lay between them, still half-doubting it, feeling his life had reached its peak.

He slipped his arms over their necks, letting them rest on his sturdy shoulders, then kissed one, nuzzled the other.

"I've got something else I want to tell you," Wei Ming continued, speaking of the 'Journey to the West' crew's three visits to invite him to serve as consultant.

"Too bad 'Dream of the Red Chamber' didn't ask me—if they had, I'd have pushed you two straight into the roles of Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai."

Zhu Lin lightly slapped him: "Do you think I haven't read 'Dream of the Red Chamber'? Those female leads are all teenage girls—where are we going to find a Daiyu or Baochai like us?"

What an irreparable regret—if only they were ten years younger, they'd be the perfect, heaven-sent Daiyu and Baochai.

Gong Ying smiled: "'Journey to the West' is great too—I watched 'The Monkey King: Uproar in Heaven' with my mom many times as a child. Sun Wukong has always been my eternal hero."

Wei Ming grinned: "So have you thought of any 'Journey to the West' roles you'd like to play? I've got influence now—I can arrange it for you."

Seeing them silent, Wei Ming added: "Don't underestimate TV dramas. Right now, their influence can't match films—but I believe that once 'Journey to the West' airs, almost no film or TV drama will rival its impact."

The only exception was 'Shaolin Temple.'

Gong Ying asked: "So you're really confident about this series?"

Wei Ming said: "Of course. Right now, there are only about ten million TVs in the country. By the time this series finishes filming, there'll be at least sixty to seventy million—reaching at least two or three hundred million viewers. And if it's well-made, it can be rebroadcast every year—maybe every household in the country will see it. And crucially, I'm here—I'm here, so this series will be top quality."

Of course, it would be even without me.

Wei Ming added: "I've convinced Liu Xiaoqing—she's agreed to play the White Bone Spirit."

This news surprised the two women. Zhu Lin said: "As your consultant, we'll support you—but 'Journey to the West' is full of female demons. Do you think I look like a female demon, or Xiao Xue?"

Wei Ming: "Who says only female demons? There are goddesses too—and good humans, like the Queen of the Women's Kingdom."

Wei Ming's true intention was revealed—he wanted Zhu Lin to take the role of the Queen of the Women's Kingdom.

In the future internet era, her fame would rival Gong Ying's across the land, and eighty percent of that would stem from the emotional weight of this role.

In his past life, Senior Lin had indeed achieved greater success in TV dramas, even winning the Golden Eagle Best Actress award—but compared to the dual Best Actress honors from the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers, she still fell far short.

"The Queen of the Women's Kingdom?"

Zhu Lin recalled the novel's passage—she practically threw herself at Tang Sanzang, grabbing him, forcing marriage, then feeling ashamed and ending it hastily.

"Good little Wei—you think I'm exactly like that in your mind, huh~"

Wei Ming quickly kissed Senior Lin, soothing her: "TV dramas need adaptation and beautification—the director said the Queen of the Women's Kingdom is different from the original, and this trial is the hardest of the eighty-one tribulations."

Wei Ming explained the TV version's plot to Zhu Lin—this was also Yang Jie and the two screenwriters' vision: to make Tang Sanzang face an emotional trial, adding humanity to the holy monk.

Hearing Wei Ming's explanation, Zhu Lin finally grew interested.

Then it was Gong Ying's turn to hesitate—what role could she play?

In 'Journey to the West,' apart from the Queen of the Women's Kingdom, only Guanyin Bodhisattva could be called a female lead.

Wei Ming fantasized about Gong Ying as Guanyin—but her face shape likely wouldn't match the director's vision, since traditional Guanyin statues had never featured a pointed oval face.

As Gong Ying pondered which role she could play, Wei Ming's hand had already become unseemly beneath the covers.

After all, two women lay beside him—one untouchable, so he'd have to settle for himself.

But do you think I'm touchable?

At first, Wei Ming crept around stealthily; soon he didn't even bother hiding. Zhu Lin beside him said: "Hey, it's only eight o'clock—so eager?"

Wei Ming: "Early to bed, early to rise. Tomorrow I'll visit Jueyuan."

Zhu Lin: "Shall I turn off the lights for you?"

Wei Ming: "I don't mind—but if Xue-jie feels shy…"

Gong Ying: "Turn off the lights!"

Zhu Lin slowly got up to turn off the lights, then heard rustling sounds—until Wei Ming suddenly exclaimed, "Huh?"

Zhu Lin burst into laughter, taking Wei Ming's underwear aside—he wouldn't be getting it back tonight.

Gong Ying sighed: "Actually, I'm on my period too—I haven't finished yet."

Wei Ming's plan for Senior Lin to help him tonight was completely ruined—he usually remembered their dates, but today he'd been too eager; clearly, "lust clouds the mind" was a perfectly accurate phrase.

He reached for his underwear, only to find it had been confiscated by Senior Lin—so be it, garlic bird, garlic bird.

"Honestly, I didn't really want that—I'm already content just quietly talking with you two," Wei Ming said, resigned but sincere.