Chapter 99: Pickled Radish and Old Duck Soup
“What are you laughing at?!”
Ji Junxin, sulking, and Mi Hongdou, feeling hurt, both glared at Jiang Lingling.
Jiang Lingling, unfazed, smiled even wider.
The assistant and Bai Tang quietly served the food, not commenting on their employers’ childishness.
Ji Junxin didn’t take the soup Mi Hongdou offered, so Mi Hongdou drank it herself. Although her heart was a little hurt, the soup was undeniably good.
The pickled radish and old duck soup was clear, with a few drops of oil floating on the surface, similar to chicken soup at first glance. But one sip, and the difference was clear. Chicken soup was savory and rich, but this duck soup was even more fragrant, the pickled radish cutting through the richness, removing the greasiness, making it refreshing.
Mi Hongdou took a sip, savoring the deliciousness, and glanced at Ji Junxin, who was carefully blowing on her soup. Seemingly noticing her gaze, Ji Junxin looked up, met her eyes, then… haughtily put down her bowl and looked away.
Although Ji Junxin didn’t say anything, Mi Hongdou could practically hear her inner “hmph!”
She could only hope that the little foodie, after eating her fill, would be in a better mood… Mi Hongdou quietly drank her soup.
Ji Junxin, still sulking, slowly looked back at Mi Hongdou, who was calmly drinking her soup as if nothing had happened, and her annoyance intensified.
It was infuriating to be taken advantage of, and the other person acting like nothing had happened!
Ji Junxin knew that Mi Hongdou’s touches had been unintentional, and that her own reactions were her problem, but she was still angry!
Watching Mi Hongdou leisurely sipping her soup, seemingly not planning to appease her, Ji Junxin glared at her and then took two large gulps of soup.
The duck soup, kept warm in a clay pot, was scalding hot when ladled into the bowls. Ji Junxin hadn’t let it cool down enough, and the two large gulps burned her tongue and throat, her eyes instantly reddening.
Ji Junxin looked at Mi Hongdou pitifully, but Mi Hongdou, thinking about how to coax the little foodie later, continued sipping her soup, not noticing Ji Junxin’s watery eyes.
The other three at the table did notice, but seeing Ji Junxin’s teary eyes fixed on Mi Hongdou, they assumed it was just an escalation of their little spat, not realizing that she had burned herself.
Eating at the same table with a quarreling couple was awkward… The three focused on their food, pretending to see nothing, so no one mentioned Ji Junxin’s red eyes, and Mi Hongdou, without any clues, continued drinking her soup.
Ji Junxin’s first instinct, after burning her tongue, had been to seek comfort from Mi Hongdou, forgetting her earlier anger and sulking. But Mi Hongdou had missed this opportunity… and Ji Junxin became even angrier.
The pickled radish and old duck soup, Jiang Lingling’s restaurant’s new dish, was truly delicious. The broth was rich and flavorful, the duck meat tender and not gamey at all, and the pickled radish was refreshing, not too sour, with a hint of sweetness, a perfect pairing with the duck. Although it was a clear broth, it was incredibly appetizing with rice.
… “A lot” wasn’t the three bowls Ji Junxin had already eaten.
When Ji Junxin, after three bowls of rice with the soup, stood up to get a fourth, even if it meant losing face, Mi Hongdou couldn’t ignore it anymore.
“We still have filming this afternoon…” Mi Hongdou said, her head lowered, then took a bite of pickled radish, still not looking up, as if speaking to the radish.
The assistant looked at Mi Hongdou, confused, then, nudged by Bai Tang, lowered her head.
Jiang Lingling, always perceptive, knew that Mi Hongdou’s words weren’t directed at her and happily continued eating her fried chicken.
Ji Junxin, who had been using food to vent her frustration, silently put down her bowl and said to Jiang Lingling, “I’m full, thank you for the meal…” Without waiting for a reply, she quickly left.
“Uh… I wanted to tell her that the dessert is sawdust pudding… she would have liked it.” Jiang Lingling, surprised by Ji Junxin’s sudden departure, looked at Mi Hongdou, who was still eating the pickled radish. “Is she really not having dessert?”
“…” Mi Hongdou silently ate the radish. The slight sourness filled her mouth, but her heart felt even more sour! She felt incredibly wronged!
Saying nothing, just sulking, Mi Hongdou couldn’t understand why Ji Junxin was being so childish. And even food couldn’t appease her…
If even food couldn’t comfort her… what could she do? Mi Hongdou felt a deep sense of helplessness.
After the meal, Ji Junxin was long gone, Bai Tang and the assistant also left, leaving only Mi Hongdou and Jiang Lingling in the car. Mi Hongdou felt she needed to talk to Jiang Lingling about what happened this morning, perhaps Jiang Lingling, who seemed knowledgeable about yuri, could offer some insight into Ji Junxin’s behavior.
But just as she started, Jiang Lingling’s phone rang.
Jiang Lingling, who had been eagerly waiting for the gossip, answered the call, said “okay,” then, her expression turning serious, said she had an important matter to attend to and asked Mi Hongdou to wait for two minutes.
Before they became familiar, Jiang Lingling had always been the arrogant, untouchable rich girl. Even now, with her restaurant becoming successful, Mi Hongdou still felt that she was rather casual in her business dealings.
But now, Jiang Lingling’s serious expression, her focused attention as she typed on her phone with both hands, made Mi Hongdou realize that when she was serious, she was truly serious.
What important matter could it be? … Jiang Lingling’s seriousness made even Mi Hongdou feel a sense of tension, and she unconsciously held her breath, not wanting to disturb her.
Jiang Lingling’s demeanor was so intense that Mi Hongdou wondered if she should excuse herself…
But before she could move, Jiang Lingling’s expression relaxed, returning to her usual carefree self.
“So, you said you woke up this morning and found that Ji Junxin, who usually sleeps in, was already up, and then?” Jiang Lingling effortlessly switched between seriousness and gossip.
“Is your matter resolved?” Mi Hongdou, still surprised by her sudden change of face, asked considerately, “I don’t really have anything to do, if you’re busy, I can go for a walk…”
“No!” Jiang Lingling grabbed Mi Hongdou’s hand. “You’re a rare source of entertainment for me, you can’t leave before I’m blind! Tell me, tell me, I saw you two earlier, I’m dying of curiosity!”
“…” Mi Hongdou felt that seeking relationship advice from Jiang Lingling was a mistake, this person seemed to only have a gossip soul, not wisdom.
Mi Hongdou abruptly changed the subject, “Is it something urgent? You should take care of it first…”
“Hey! You!” Jiang Lingling released Mi Hongdou’s hand, slightly annoyed. “Fine, fine, I’ll satisfy your curiosity, and you satisfy mine, deal?”
“I…” Mi Hongdou wanted to say that she wasn’t trying to trade gossip! Jiang Lingling’s earlier matter seemed serious and confidential, she didn’t want to know! Knowing too many secrets could be dangerous!
But Jiang Lingling never considered other people’s feelings. Before Mi Hongdou could refuse, she started talking. “So, the person who called me just now, he’s kind of like my employee. His main job is to monitor my favorite author’s page and call me as soon as she updates.”
Mi Hongdou, no longer wanting to refuse, thought, that… sounded like gossip!
Birds of a feather…
Mi Hongdou looked at Jiang Lingling with interest. Jiang Lingling shrugged. “That’s it.”
“…” Mi Hongdou’s face fell, and she made a move to leave.
Jiang Lingling grabbed her hand. “Hey, hey, you’re leaving just like that? We agreed to exchange gossip!”
Who agreed? Mi Hongdou, not wanting to hurt Jiang Lingling too much, asked, “Which author?”
“Who else, of course, it’s the one I recommended to you last time.” Mentioning her favorite author, Jiang Lingling’s face was first filled with pride, then with a pitiful complaint. “She updates at different times every day, it’s so hard to get the first comment, I often miss it and end up way down the list.”
Mi Hongdou had visited Jinjiang at Jiang Lingling’s recommendation and had even read a few novels secretly at night. She understood terms like “update,” “first comment,” and “bottom of the list.” But Jiang Lingling’s explanation was still confusing. “You’re saying, you hired someone to monitor your favorite author’s page and see when she updates?”
“No, no, no…” Jiang Lingling held up one finger, then two, and showed them to Mi Hongdou. “I hired three people.”
“You hired three people to monitor three different authors?” Mi Hongdou’s confusion was evident.
Talking to her was like playing the lute to a cow! Jiang Lingling looked at Mi Hongdou as if she was an idiot, then, for the sake of the gossip she was about to receive, patiently explained, “Because I want to get the first comment on my favorite author’s latest chapters every day, I hired three people. Their job is to constantly refresh her page and notify me as soon as she updates, so I can grab the first comment.”
“I understand, but why do you want the first comment?” Mi Hongdou was still confused.
Jiang Lingling almost choked, she suddenly wanted to slap Mi Hongdou across the face, like Ji Junxin did.
“Because if I get the first comment every day, she’ll notice me!” She took a deep breath and continued explaining, for the sake of the gossip.
“Oh…” Mi Hongdou finally understood.
Jiang Lingling breathed a sigh of relief, it had been a struggle. But Mi Hongdou’s next question almost made her choke again.
“You like this author so much, could it be that you… have feelings for her?” Mi Hongdou’s tone was now questioning, not just confused.
“You…” Jiang Lingling instinctively wanted to deny it and mock Mi Hongdou for her overactive imagination, but the words caught in her throat.
She felt a little… confused…
Mi Hongdou figured Jiang Lingling’s brain had shut down, even if she told her about what happened today, she wouldn’t be able to figure out what was wrong with Ji Junxin, so Mi Hongdou took the opportunity to escape, leaving Jiang Lingling alone in the car, lost in thought…
Ever since learning that the author Jiang Lingling liked was Pan Xiang, Mi Hongdou had known that Jiang Lingling’s fantasy of a sophisticated older sister was doomed. But she hadn’t expected Jiang Lingling to hire three people just to refresh a webpage and get the first comment, how extravagant. She was so rich, why didn’t she just buy the website? … Mi Hongdou’s earlier question about Jiang Lingling having feelings for the author had been a casual one, influenced by her recent reading of yuri novels, where every subtle hint seemed to lead to true love. But Jiang Lingling’s reaction… was surprising.
It was a dilemma. As Jiang Lingling’s friend, if her casual question had inadvertently revealed Jiang Lingling’s true feelings, and she came to her for advice on pursuing the author, she couldn’t refuse to help. But Pan Xiang had confided in her, trusting her with her secret, she couldn’t betray her. So, Mi Hongdou instinctively felt that she couldn’t get involved in this, and seeing that Jiang Lingling’s brain had shut down, unable to offer any insight into Ji Junxin’s behavior, she quietly slipped away.
But just as she left the car, she ran into Pan Xiang, and she didn’t know what to do, how awkward…
Pan Xiang, seemingly oblivious to Mi Hongdou’s awkwardness, greeted her eagerly, “Finished eating? What dessert did Jiang Lingling have today?”
“Sawdust pudding…” Mi Hongdou glanced in the direction Pan Xiang came from. “Did you and Director Pan finish eating? Is he still not letting you join us? It’s pitiful that you only get dessert every day. We tried a new dish today, pickled radish and old…”
Before Mi Hongdou could finish, Pan Xiang covered her ears and shook her head. “No, no, no! Don’t tell me what you had for lunch!”
Mi Hongdou closed her mouth.
Pan Xiang dropped her hands, her face full of complaint. “My grandpa is so annoying! Jiang Lingling invites him to lunch every day, but he thinks that as a director, he shouldn’t get too close to the actors. He refuses to come himself, and he even stops me, saying that as his granddaughter, I also represent him, so I should avoid any bias and eat the crew meals with him. And those crew meals… don’t even get me started, barely edible. And it’s so cold now, sometimes the food gets cold, the oil congeals, I can only eat rice with soup!” She looked at Mi Hongdou, seeking an ally.
“…” Mi Hongdou didn’t know how to respond. Everyone had their own way of doing things. Some were carefree and didn’t care about what others thought, like Jiang Lingling. Others were more cautious, always trying to maintain a good image, like Director Pan. There was no right or wrong… But it seemed that Pan Xiang and Jiang Lingling shared similar views, no wonder Jiang Lingling liked Pan Xiang’s writing.
Not getting any agreement from Mi Hongdou, Pan Xiang pouted. “Hmph, you’re on Grandpa’s side! So, what was that pickled radish dish you had for lunch?”
“Didn’t you just tell me not to tell you?”
Pan Xiang looked at her pitifully.
“It was Jiang Lingling’s restaurant’s new dish, pickled radish and old duck soup. The pickled radish cuts through the richness of the duck, it’s very good.” Mi Hongdou pointed at Jiang Lingling’s RV. “Go quickly, Jiang Lingling saved a bowl for you, have it before you eat your dessert.”
Pan Xiang’s eyes lit up, then dimmed. “Sigh, Grandpa forced me to eat so much at lunch, if I have another bowl of soup, I won’t have room for dessert.”
What are you pretending for! You and Ji Junxin both have bottomless stomachs! Mi Hongdou wanted to retort, but thinking about Ji Junxin, her heart sank, and her desire to tease vanished.
“It’s okay, pickled radish and old duck soup aids digestion. You’ll have room for two desserts after the soup.” Mi Hongdou comforted Pan Xiang.
So, the comforted Pan Xiang happily went towards Jiang Lingling’s RV.
Mi Hongdou walked in the opposite direction, then stopped and called out to Pan Xiang, “Hey, if someone always tries to be the first to see someone else, what does it mean?”
Pan Xiang turned around, confused. “Who are you talking about?”
“The one who always appears first,” Mi Hongdou replied.
“Um… seeking attention? Interested in that person?”
“What about the other person?” Mi Hongdou asked.
Pan Xiang thought for a moment. “Probably find it strange?”
Tsk… Mi Hongdou waved and walked away, mentally lighting a candle for Jiang Lingling.
What a strange question… But this little interlude didn’t affect Pan Xiang’s pursuit of food. Jiang Lingling was quite thoughtful. She had been freeloading desserts for days, and not only was Jiang Lingling not annoyed, but she had even started saving food for her, she was such a good person. Pan Xiang mentally gave her a thumbs-up.
Jiang Lingling, both pitied and praised, had no idea about these varied assessments of her character.
When Pan Xiang arrived at the RV, Jiang Lingling was still frowning, lost in thought. Seeing her, she pointed at a thermos on the side.
“Are you okay?” Pan Xiang, despite everything, was still concerned. Seeing Jiang Lingling’s troubled expression, she asked before reaching for the food.
Jiang Lingling slowly looked up at Pan Xiang. This little girl, forget about yuri, she probably didn’t even have any experience with heterosexual relationships…
“The soup is still warm, drink it.” Jiang Lingling said, then returned to her phone, her brow furrowed.
Hmph, so ungrateful… Pan Xiang ignored her, opened the thermos, and saw a large bowl of steaming soup with duck meat and pickled radish. Haha, although Jiang Lingling was ungrateful, she was still a good person! Pan Xiang happily took the bowl, blew on it, and took a sip.
The warm, fragrant soup soothed her stomach, which had been abused by the crew meal earlier.
Suddenly, there was another person in the RV, sitting next to her, either blowing on the soup or slurping it loudly… Jiang Lingling could no longer focus on her reading.
“Hey…” Jiang Lingling nudged Pan Xiang, who was gnawing on a duck bone. “If someone always tries to be the first to see another person, why?”
Pan Xiang froze, and crack, the duck bone in her mouth broke…
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