Chapter 156
Chapter 156
The large house was relatively empty. Apart from a few housekeepers, Jun Zishu saw nobody else.
“Do you live alone, Teacher?”
“Mhm. My parents live abroad. My elder brother and little sister are in the country, but we live separately,” Yu Fanshu said as she led Jun Zishu upstairs.
“You have a little sister, Teacher?”
“Mhm. She’s about the same age as you.”
Upon arriving on the second floor, what entered Jun Zishu’s eyes was a spacious living room. The floor was carpeted, and the room’s interior decoration gave off a cozy feeling.
Jun Zishu guessed that Yu Fanshu rarely ever entertained guests here. The rooms on the first floor were meant for the live-in housekeepers, and there didn’t seem to be any guest rooms on the second floor. Other than a spacious living room, there was only a very wide and elaborate room on the second floor.
After entering the room in question, Jun Zishu followed Yu Fanshu through several doors.
“This place looks so unique.”
On the outside, the house looked like your typical European villa. Yet, the interior felt unique and magical. It was especially true for this network of rooms on the second floor.
“Mhm. I put a lot of thought into designing this place back then. I designed this place mainly for my own comfort,” Yu Fanshu said as she beckoned at Jun Zishu, welcoming the latter to her domain.
“How should we start training?”
“Follow me.”
Yu Fanshu opened the door on her left. Then, when Jun Zishu saw what was behind the door, she couldn’t help but feel a little dizzy.
Behind the door was a room composed entirely of mirrors. Just walking into it gave Jun Zishu an apprehensive feeling. Whether it was the four sides, the ceiling, or the floor, Jun Zishu could see a reflection of herself.
“Teacher… Are we training here?”
“Mhm. It’s a little intimidating, right? But don’t be scared. They’re just a bunch of mirrors.”
“I’m okay. I’m just finding it a little…intriguing,” Jun Zishu said as she ran her fingers across the cold mirrors. Due to the lack of furniture, her voice echoed a little when she spoke.
“Let’s begin, then. I’ve watched all your past performances before, so I have a rough understanding of your problem.”
Pfft. Jun Zishu wanted to hide her face in shame. There was a reason why netizens had criticized the original owner so brutally. The original owner’s acting was truly unbearable to watch. Even Jun Zishu had difficulty watching it. Yet, Yu Fanshu had watched every one of the original owner’s performances from start to end. If this wasn’t love, what could it be?
“Teacher.”
“Hm?”
“It must’ve been a terrible experience for you.”
“No, it’s not terrible at all. You just need to practice more,” Yu Fanshu said, a vague smile appearing on her face when she recalled how much she struggled to watch through Jun Zishu’s past performances.
“Mhm!”
Afterward, Yu Fanshu pressed on an inconspicuous switch in the corner. Then, one part of the mirror next to her started showing an image.
Upon closer look, Jun Zishu found a well-hidden screen behind the mirror.
“Hong Yu, I love you very much.”
A young girl’s voice came through the mirror. When Jun Zishu looked at the displayed image, she couldn’t help but have the urge to curl up in embarrassment. Even though she knew she wasn’t the person acting on the screen, it still felt embarrassing nonetheless.
“I’ve chosen a few clips where you express emotions such as joy, anger, sadness, etc. The emotion you’re expressing in this clip is love. Do you see anything wrong in your performance?”
“My expression is too stiff.”
It was incredibly awkward acting.
“Yes. Your expression gives off a very awkward feeling. Your eyes aren’t even focused on the male lead. It feels like you are just looking in his general direction rather than his actual person. It is also obvious you are only pretending to be happy as you recite your lines. This isn’t a unique case. Your other confession scenes are more or less the same.”
Jun Zishu nodded. She totally agreed with Yu Fanhsu’s assessment.
“Look at me,” Yu Fanshu said.
Jun Zishu nodded again and looked at Yu Fanshu.
Afterward, Yu Fanshu didn’t say anything and simply stared at Jun Zishu, an illusory smile on her face as she stared at Jun Zishu earnestly.
Jun Zishu also looked back at Yu Fanshu and inadvertently felt herself getting dragged into Yu Fanshu’s play.
Even though there was no sunlight or wind in the room, Jun Zishu felt like spring had blossomed around her. She could tell that the person before her was conveying fondness to her.
“Did you feel it?”
“You’re amazing, Teacher.”
Jun Zishu knew that Yu Fanshu possessed excellent acting skills. However, after experiencing it first-hand, she couldn’t help but be shocked.
With just her eyes alone, Yu Fanshu could make others feel the emotions she was trying to convey.
Jun Zishu felt that she had learned something today. In reality, she wasn’t a very skilled actor. She could only play her roles well because she had inherited the memories of the bodies she occupied. Meanwhile, this was the first time she had witnessed and experienced acting of such caliber.
“What did you feel?”
“I feel your gentle fondness for me.”
“Mhm. The most direct way the audience can feel an actor’s emotions is through the actor’s face, particularly the eyes. Face the mirror and practice your facial expressions. Once you think you are ready, perform it for me.”
“Okay.”
It was very easy for an actor to hypnotize themselves and lose themselves in a scene when acting in front of a mirror.
Yu Fanshu stood a short distance away and quietly observed Jun Zishu.
Meanwhile, Jun Zishu looked at the somewhat unfamiliar face in the mirror before her and closed her eyes.
Expressing fondness? I like you very much? But who do I like?
Jun Zishu opened her eyes, her pupils looking a little hollow.
She didn’t know who she needed to like.
While searching through her memories, Jun Zishu suddenly recalled the little ghost she encountered in her previous mission and the smile the little ghost used to show her.
As Jun Zishu thought about Jiang Yinshuang, light gradually returned to her eyes. A smile had also appeared on her face, but it wasn’t a happy one. Instead, her smile gave off a sad feeling.
No, the emotions are wrong.
Jun Zishu massaged her face. She needed to convey happiness, not sadness.
“I can’t get into character, Teacher. Can I try it with you?” Jun Zishu asked as she turned to Yu Fanshu.
“Okay.”
After staring at Yu Fanshu for a while, Jun Zishu lowered her head.
“Still can’t do it?”
“Mhm.”
“Come, look up at me.”
Yu Fanshu cupped Jun Zishu’s face with her hands and locked eyes with Jun Zishu.
“Empty your mind and just look at me right now.”
Jun Zishu blinked, her eyes reflecting Yu Fanshu’s face.
“Whisper in your heart that you love me,” Yu Fanshu whispered in a guiding and coaxing tone. “You love me. You want to be with me forever. You will feel especially happy and sweet inside when you see me.”
Little Fairy quietly watched this scene from the side, and she couldn’t help but find her superior’s actions amusing and embarrassing.
“I love you…”
Jun Zishu softly muttered. However, she couldn’t help but feel that her heart and body were isolated from each other. After thinking it over, though, she gradually felt the feelings Yu Fanshu described. Then, a smile appeared on her face as she warmly gazed at the person before her.
“Wrong.” Yu Fanshu shook her head, denying Jun Zishu’s acting. Then, frowning like a stern teacher, she said, “You don’t love me. I can’t see any love in your eyes.”
“I will keep on working hard.”
Subsequently, Jun Zishu tried to express love through her facial expressions for the next half an hour. Unfortunately, all of her attempts received Yu Fanshu’s disapproval without fail.
“Why don’t we try something else for now, Teacher?” Jun Zishu asked. Her eyes had started to hurt after all that staring. She really didn’t know what she needed to do to express passable fondness.
“Okay.”
Yu Fanshu was also feeling a little tired. She even started feeling a little miserable after repeating “You don’t love me” over and over for half an hour.
Following this, they performed expressions such as anger and sadness, as Jun Zishu requested. In these cases, Jun Zishu performed magnificently, and she received Yu Fanshu’s approval in no time.
“Huh? Your acting skills are clearly much better than your past performances.”
Yu Fanshu felt that she didn’t need to put much effort into teaching Jun Zishu after all. The person before her was like a sponge that quickly absorbed whatever she taught. Apart from love, Jun Zishu could express emotions such as hatred and anger perfectly and naturally.
“It must be because of your excellent instructions that I managed to learn so quickly, Teacher,” Jun Zishu said, her flattery causing Yu Fanshu to blush.
In reality, Yu Fanshu had already prepared herself for a long battle when she promised to teach Jun Zishu. Yet, after digging the trenches and stocking up on supplies, the other party had collapsed less than an hour after the battle began.
Although this was a happy outcome, she still couldn’t help but be a little dumbfounded.
“Let’s stop practicing for now. Come here.”
Yu Fanshu sat cross-legged and patted the mirrored floor beside her, indicating for Jun Zishu to sit down.
“Do you like acting?” Yu Fanshu asked.
“It’s okay.”
Jun Zishu’s opinion toward acting was neutral. It was also the case for the original owner. It wasn’t until the original owner had gotten good at acting that she started to like it sincerely.
“I like acting. It’s fun to bring a story to life. I also like the aspect of being able to roleplay as different people,” Yu Fanshu said, describing her passion for acting. Then, she asked, “Why did you enter the entertainment industry in the first place?”
“To make money and become famous,” Jun Zishu said without batting an eyelid.
“That’s all?”
“It’s that cheesy,” Jun Zishu said, shrugging.
“You must have never fallen in love,” Yu Fanshu suddenly said.
“Why do you say that?”
“If you’ve been in love with someone, you wouldn’t be incapable of expressing love with your eyes.”
When Yu Fanshu said those words, she didn’t know whether she felt happy or sad about this situation.
“Have you ever been in love, Teacher?”
“No, but I can imagine it,” Yu Fanshu said.
“Actually, I have never really understood that kind of emotion. I used to think it didn’t matter, but I don’t want to continue being like that anymore. However, I don’t know what I have to do to make this place beat,” Jun Zishu said, looking a little dazed as she tilted her head and pointed at her heart. “I used to think that all you need to do to express love is to voice it verbally and take actions that show the other party that you love them. However, there is one person who likes me but has never said it to me. Honestly, I don’t even know if I am the person he likes.”
Did the little ghost like her? Or did the little ghost like the original owner’s skin that she had been wearing?
“Your heart will give you the answer when you like someone. Also, how did you know that this person likes you if he has never said it to you? Did you hear it from other people?”
“No, he only has me in his world. He is very simple and easy to see through. He wears his emotions on his sleeve. It is the case even for love.”
“He must be a very important friend to you.”
When Yu Fanshu said so, her heart inadvertently felt a little sour.
“That’s right. He is very special and important to me.”
“If there is a chance, I kind of want to meet him.”
“You can’t meet him anymore. He has left this world already to save me.”
“I’m sorry…”
“It’s okay. I wish to learn how to love, but I can’t seem to learn it,” Jun Zishu said in chagrin.
“Actually, you do know how to love,” Yu Fanshu said. After all, was love something that needed to be learned? Wasn’t it an instinct humans were born with?
“Hm?”
“You just don’t understand it yet.”
“Do you understand it, Teacher?”
“I think so.”
“Can you teach me then, Teacher?”
Jun Zishu held up her chin and pursed her lips slightly as she looked at Yu Fanshu.
“What?”
Yu Fanshu froze for a moment, looking a little dumbfounded.
“My request must sound very presumptuous. I was just asking casually, so you don’t have to mind it, Teacher,” Jun Zishu said when she noticed the awkwardness on Yu Fanshu’s face. “Actually, it’s not necessary to learn it. This kind of thing still depends on fate…”
“Okay,” Yu Fanshu suddenly said, interrupting Jun Zishu’s next words.
This time, it was Jun Zishu’s turn to freeze.
“You don’t have to be so kind to me, Teacher,” Jun Zishu said, finding the little angel before her even cuter than before.
“But I want to.”
It was an impulsive yet justifiable reason.