Category: Reborn to Stew Soup (GL)

Chapter 84: Tea Tree Mushroom Beef p2

Mi Hongdou looked around the kitchen and regretfully told Jiang Lingling that if she wanted the full eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, three soups, two thick soups, and four desserts she had requested, they would have to go grocery shopping. Jiang Lingling’s menu consisted of common ingredients: chicken, duck, fish, beef, mutton, seafood, and vegetables. Even without much experience in restaurant management, Jiang Lingling could sense that something was wrong.

Buying this restaurant had been an impulsive act, and so was her promoting the staff. It was just a toy, its main purpose being a well-equipped kitchen for Mi Hongdou to cook in, so she could freeload. Profit wasn’t the goal, just breaking even. This had been Jiang Lingling’s attitude until this morning.

But after being criticized by Mi Hongdou about the restaurant’s food, the proud Jiang Lingling felt a blow to her ego. Hence the frantic poaching of chefs this morning and the extravagant lunch. Jiang Lingling was a strange person. If she treated the restaurant as a toy, she wouldn’t care. But once she started taking it seriously, she wanted to be the best. She wanted to make this restaurant the best in Shudian by the time filming ended. Not the best in the entire city, but a must-try for everyone who came to Shudian. This sudden ambition led to her sending the free three delicacies soup to the crew for lunch.

Three delicacies soup, meticulously prepared and flavorful, free delivery starting with her own crew. Jiang Lingling wasn’t short on money, she wanted to use the most delicious food to promote her restaurant. Of course, the crew members were just a starting point, the most important targets were the actors. The influence of celebrities was immense. A positive comment from a famous actor on Weibo was even more effective than a TV commercial. Compared to the potential benefits, the cost of the free food was negligible.

Jiang Lingling planned to select a few dishes and send one to each crew filming in Shudian. If the actors didn’t eat it at first, the crew members would, and as long as the food was good, the actors would eventually be tempted. Filming in Shudian was a 24/7 job, her restaurant could provide customized meals, celebrities had money and wanted good food, she could provide high-end, customized meals, on-demand service. And people were emotional creatures. A warm meal when you were hungry, a hot soup when you were cold, it could win hearts and build a good reputation. Once the restaurant became famous, and she had built relationships with the celebrities, she could develop some packaged specialties that could be shipped nationwide, and her investment would be returned quickly.

In just one morning, Jiang Lingling had envisioned a bright future for her little restaurant. Mi Hongdou had no idea that her casual comment had inadvertently pushed Jiang Lingling onto the path of entrepreneurship, revealing her business acumen.

But even the best plans needed a solid foundation. With ingredients running low in the afternoon, just before dinner service, Jiang Lingling realized there was a problem with the restaurant’s internal management. Now that the restaurant was no longer a toy but the starting point of her ambition, she wouldn’t let the problem continue.

With her focus now on her business, Jiang Lingling’s demands on Mi Hongdou decreased. The eight cold dishes, eight hot dishes, three soups, two thick soups, and four desserts were now simplified to “whatever you want to make with the available ingredients.”

Jiang Lingling’s concession was exactly what Mi Hongdou wanted. She had originally planned to use a delicious meal and a pleasant atmosphere to discuss the prosthetic belly issue with Director Pan. Now, without him, a simple meal would be easier.

Including the assistant and Bai Tang, there were only six of them for dinner, all women. The weather was cold, so Mi Hongdou immediately scrapped the eight cold dishes. She remembered that at lunch, although Ji Junxin enjoyed the fish fillets in the pickled fish, she found the soup too sour and salty and was disappointed. Pickled fish, to infuse the fish with flavor, required strong seasoning, making the soup unsuitable for drinking. Mi Hongdou decided to make eggplant fish with a clear broth, the fish fillets delicious and the soup drinkable, Ji Junxin should like it. She also saw some fresh pork bones and taro in the kitchen, so she would make taro and pork bone soup, warm and comforting in winter, with extra ginger to dispel the cold. Speaking of dispelling the cold, Mi Hongdou thought of the live crabs in the kitchen. January crabs were the fattest, and she hadn’t had any since arriving in Shudian in autumn. The small kitchenette in their hotel suite couldn’t accommodate a large steamer. She would steam some crabs and make a few stir-fries, that would be enough.

Mi Hongdou told the others about her plan, and they had no objections. Only Bai Tang seemed confused, not understanding why Ji Junxin, Pan Xiang, and the assistant looked so excited and expectant after hearing the menu, as if they hadn’t eaten in days. It wasn’t even as extravagant as the lunch…

Bai Tang’s confusion would be resolved a few hours later. Even if she was full, she wouldn’t be able to stop eating.

Jiang Lingling went to her office. Mi Hongdou didn’t rush to the kitchen. The five of them played mahjong in a private room until almost four, then Mi Hongdou went to the kitchen.

A little past four, usually a busy time in the kitchen, but it was empty. Last time, there had been two chefs, now there were only ingredients. Mi Hongdou wasn’t surprised. Jiang Lingling, once she set her mind on business, was a force to be reckoned with. By now, the restaurant staff must have been sent somewhere for… re-education.

Whether the kitchen was crowded or empty didn’t affect Mi Hongdou’s performance. An hour and a half later, the food was ready, and she was still alone in the kitchen.

After calling the others to help carry the dishes upstairs, Mi Hongdou texted Jiang Lingling, asking her to come and eat. She had thought that Jiang Lingling, busy with her restaurant plans, would take a while, so she had used insulated containers. But less than three minutes after sending the message, Jiang Lingling arrived.

In this cold winter, for the sake of food, everything could be put aside.

Twice-cooked pork with garlic chives, scrambled eggs with shredded pork and yellow chives, dry pot cabbage, beef with tea tree mushrooms, iron plate tofu, steamed eggs with shrimp and clams, eggplant fish, taro and pork bone soup, eight dishes filled the small table.

They were all home-style dishes, not as elaborate or extravagant as the lunch in terms of ingredients or cooking techniques. But after one bite of the beef, Bai Tang knew that she would never want to work for another artist! She had to be Mi Hongdou’s assistant forever! The beef was incredibly tender, practically melting in her mouth, yet still retaining its texture… It was chewy but not tough! Tender and juicy! She had taken a piece from the top of the plate, not even coated in sauce, yet it was incredibly flavorful. The surface seemed to have been seared, with a subtle smoky aroma. Although it was beef tenderloin, it was incredibly juicy, surpassing any beef dish she had ever tasted. The creamy fragrance of butter, the savory aroma of tea tree mushrooms, and the natural flavor of beef blended perfectly, each chew more delicious than the last. It was the best food in the world… Just one piece of beef, and Bai Tang’s eyes were already tearing up. She wanted to sign a lifetime contract with Mi Hongdou right then and there.

Jiang Lingling’s assistant, who had just taken a bite of tea tree mushroom, although not as dramatic as Bai Tang, who was tasting Mi Hongdou’s cooking for the first time, was also deeply moved. The tea tree mushrooms, having absorbed the flavors of the beef and butter, tasted almost like meat. Their naturally chewy texture made them resemble vegetarian beef, it was the most delicious thing in the world.

If Bai Tang and the assistant expressed their thoughts at the same time, they might have fought over which dish was the best in the world.

Unlike the others, who were engrossed in the food, Jiang Lingling, although she had quickly arrived, seemed distracted.

Pan Xiang watched as Jiang Lingling, lost in thought, scooped a spoonful of steamed egg, a clam with its shell open perched on top.

Shouldn’t she pick out the clam with chopsticks first? Perhaps Jiang Lingling, the unconventional one, had a different way of eating clams? Pan Xiang watched with amusement as Jiang Lingling brought the spoon to her mouth, then… stopped her before she could put it in.

“Are you going to eat the shell too?” Pan Xiang grabbed Jiang Lingling’s wrist, seeing her dazed expression, suddenly grateful that she was sitting next to her, she had just saved a life.

“Are you going to drink the shell fragments?”

Almost at the same time, another voice came from the other side of the table, echoing Pan Xiang’s words.

Chapter 84: Tea Tree Mushroom Beef p1

To Mi Hongdou’s surprise, the staff member wasn’t there to call for another take, but to announce that the scene was a pass, and they could go back and rest.

The actors, who had been expecting several more takes, looked at Director Pan, thinking they had misheard. Had that scene actually passed?

Director Pan wasn’t joking.

Although Jiang Lingling’s improvisation wasn’t as smooth and flawless as Mi Hongdou’s earlier performance, Jiang Lingling’s splashing of the water, Ji Junxin’s kick, and Mi Hongdou’s scolding were all well-executed, effectively portraying their alliance and the intended lesson for Concubine Zhu. Most importantly, Jiang Duo’s reaction had also been very natural. There was no need for a reshoot, and even if they did, it would be difficult to replicate this take.

Director Pan patiently explained to every inquiring actor that it was indeed a pass, finally dispersing the crowd. He wiped the sweat from his brow and smiled wryly. Everyone was so used to Jiang Duo’s NGs.

Having just had lunch, and finishing a scene so quickly, wrapping up before 2 PM, when they had been prepared to work until late at night, everyone was stunned. Director Pan didn’t realize that his decision had given them a false impression: perhaps changing the scene was the best way to deal with the NG queen. Fortunately, they only dared to think it, few were as daring as Jiang Lingling or as unintentionally brilliant as Mi Hongdou.

The actors gradually dispersed, and even Jiang Duo left at some point. Soon, only Jiang Lingling, Mi Hongdou, and Ji Junxin remained near Director Pan, and their two assistants.

“The scene passed, why aren’t you leaving?” Director Pan asked Jiang Lingling, who couldn’t hide her smugness. “Are you waiting for me to praise you?”

“I managed to get a one-take pass on a scene with the NG queen, shouldn’t you praise me, Director Pan?” Jiang Lingling, never one for modesty, was feeling proud. Since he mentioned it, she wouldn’t be polite.

“Heh…” Director Pan almost laughed. “Do you think it was all your doing? If Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou hadn’t helped you, you would have either been drenched or scolded by Jiang Duo into another NG.”

Jiang Lingling waved her hand dismissively. “It’s okay, we’re friends, they wouldn’t steal my credit.” She looked at Director Pan expectantly.

Was she being naive or just stupid? Director Pan pretended not to see her expectant gaze and waved her away. “Alright, alright, now that it’s over, you can go.”

“No, I’m waiting for Mi Hongdou,” Jiang Lingling said proudly. “We’re finishing early today, she’s cooking for me.”

“…” Director Pan’s hand froze, and he looked at Mi Hongdou.

“Join us, Director Pan,” Mi Hongdou said, inviting him enthusiastically. She was looking for an opportunity to discuss the prosthetic belly issue.

Before Director Pan could answer, Jiang Lingling suddenly interjected, “It’s because of me that Xiaomi agreed to cook, shouldn’t you praise me, Director Pan?”

“…” Director Pan looked at Jiang Lingling’s smug face and reluctantly refused, “No, I have something to do.” He wouldn’t encourage her strange behavior.

“I’m free,” Pan Xiang said, ignoring her grandfather’s displeasure and raising her hand eagerly. “I’m in for dinner.” Director Pan mentally facepalmed.

“Haha, of course you’re coming. Speaking of which, how about we discuss the script during dinner? I think there are a few places we can improve.” Jiang Lingling said excitedly.

Pan Xiang silently lowered her hand. Her grandfather had already been annoyed by one script revision, and she wanted to change it again… why not just let her be the screenwriter for the entire production?

“Heh, I’m just giving you a heads-up, so you’ll be prepared next time.” Jiang Lingling was clever. If she had mentioned it earlier, they would have definitely stopped her. But having succeeded once, suggesting further changes would meet less resistance. And the crew had already gotten used to her scenes being constantly revised. As if worried that Pan Xiang would disagree, she added, “It’s also to reduce NGs.”

Hearing this, both Director Pan and Pan Xiang understood her intentions… Pan Xiang was speechless. Director Pan was conflicted. It seemed a bit harsh on Jiang Duo, but if they didn’t do this, there would be even more NGs later.

It was a dilemma. Director Pan shook his head. Since Jiang Lingling wasn’t leaving, he would just ignore her and turned to Ji Junxin, pointing at the props in the courtyard. “You deviated from the script earlier, but fortunately, we had enough cameras rolling and captured most of it. Just one shot, when you kicked the bucket, you were too fast, the cameraman didn’t react in time, we only got Jiang Duo’s expression. Go back to your position, we’ll reshoot that kick.”

Ji Junxin felt a little embarrassed. It had been a purely instinctive reaction… she hadn’t meant to splash mud on Jiang Duo.

“Speaking of which, that kick was excellent.” Pan Xiang said excitedly. “When I wrote the script, Miao Qianye’s character was supposed to be intelligent and resourceful, which becomes more apparent in the estate scenes, she’s the strategist of the trio. This kind of character wouldn’t resort to Wei Xunqin’s direct confrontation, nor could she use her status to suppress others like the young empress. So, for the conflict scenes in the estate, I had Miao Qianye working behind the scenes, subtly retaliating later. But then, during conflicts, her character seemed a bit… suppressed and passive. But that kick, it was brilliant! A strategist can use overt tactics too, not just schemes. That small action, it doesn’t ruin the character, it even adds a touch of… mischievous charm! A little bit of wickedness makes a character more likable!”

“Still a ‘little girl’… aren’t you a little girl yourself?” Jiang Lingling, never one for politeness, asked, “Ji Junxin is the intelligent strategist, then what am I?”

Pan Xiang, who hated being called a “little girl,” smiled mischievously and pointed at the overturned bucket: “You’re the clueless brute with superhuman strength, the sacrificial lamb who does all the dirty work.”

Jiang Lingling, who hated being called a “brute,” snorted and proudly raised her chin, not deigning to argue with a child.

Ji Junxin, inexplicably praised, went to reshoot the scene, slightly embarrassed.

Except for Ji Junxin and a few others, the actors had already left, but the crew members were still there, waiting for the reshoot.

Pan Xiang’s praise made Ji Junxin feel a little embarrassed about her impulsive kick. But it was just a shot of her foot, her blush wouldn’t affect the filming.

The reshoot was quickly done.

It was only two o’clock. Mi Hongdou thought for a moment, then decided not to go back to rest, but to go to Jiang Lingling’s restaurant, prepare the food, and then rest after dinner.

Pan Xiang happily went with the others to remove their makeup and have lunch.

Backstage, while removing their makeup and changing, Jiang Lingling asked considerately, “We’re not inviting Director Pan?”

Pan Xiang rolled her eyes. “Didn’t he say he had something to do? And after your improvisation earlier, you still want to invite him? Do you want him to lecture you?”

Although Pan Xiang’s words weren’t very nice, they were well-intentioned. Jiang Lingling felt a little uncomfortable, but she had to admit, it made sense. She wouldn’t hold it against her.

Mi Hongdou, having her makeup removed with her eyes closed, listened to their conversation and thought that there was always someone who could control someone else. Even Jiang Lingling, although unaware that the person sitting next to her was her favorite author, was still somewhat restrained. If it were anyone else speaking to her like that, they would have been dealt with long ago.

As the saying goes, if you have love in your heart, you see love everywhere…

In this love-filled world, Director Pan, stubbornly hoping that his granddaughter would come and invite him to lunch, was forgotten in a corner of the set… Stubbornness and arrogance were indeed risky.

A little before three, they arrived at Jiang Lingling’s restaurant. It wasn’t dinner time yet, and the kitchen was empty. “Empty” as in few people, and also “empty” as in lacking ingredients. It was normal for a restaurant kitchen to be less busy outside of peak hours, but lacking ingredients was strange.

Chapter 83: Protection

Everyone was shocked when Jiang Lingling deviated from the script and splashed water on Jiang Duo.

Perhaps because the weather was getting colder, and Jiang Duo’s NGs had become everyone’s pain point. Or perhaps because of Jiang Lingling’s established reputation for retaliation. In the freezing January weather, no one intervened when Jiang Duo was drenched. The actors at the center of the scene were too startled to react. The crew members watched with a mixture of shock and amusement. Even Director Pan, the most neutral figure, was about to speak when Pan Xiang stopped him, whispering something in his ear. He frowned, but remained silent.

As Jiang Lingling put down the bucket and angrily addressed Jiang Duo, everyone assumed that Jiang Duo had somehow provoked her, and this was her retaliation. A bucket of water, naturally, would be followed by a torrent of abuse… everyone was curious about the reason.

Stolen money, stolen roles, stolen food, stolen father, stolen boyfriend, stolen girlfriend? All sorts of wild speculations filled their minds.

From the splashing of water to the first word, just a second or two, enough time for their imaginations to run wild. But they hadn’t expected to hear Jiang Lingling perfectly reciting her lines from the script.

Are you kidding me? If there were subtitles in real life, that would be everyone’s thought.

Jiang Lingling, following the script, berated the concubines for their inaction, incompetence, and disrespect towards the Empress. After the last line, she felt a sense of satisfaction, having finally vented her pent-up frustration.

The scolded concubines, as written in the script, stood in stunned silence, their faces grim. However, this time, the grim expressions weren’t entirely acting.

According to the script, Jiang Duo, the main target of Jiang Lingling’s scolding, should now retaliate, accusing Jiang Lingling of disrespecting her superiors.

But Jiang Duo, having recovered from the shock, had forgotten all about acting. She was already angry at Jiang Lingling because of the three delicacies soup incident at lunch, and now she had been drenched for no reason. Even if Jiang Lingling’s subsequent lines suggested that the splashing was just improvisation, it was still unfair! Why did she have to be drenched in freezing water because of Jiang Lingling’s improvisation! Jiang Duo’s face, red with anger and embarrassment, forgetting all about the script and NGs, just wanted to retaliate.

She lunged for the water bucket by Jiang Lingling’s feet. Half a bucket of water wasn’t enough to vent her anger, but she knew that if she missed this opportunity, she wouldn’t have another chance to publicly retaliate against Jiang Lingling. Using acting as an excuse? If Jiang Lingling could do it, so could she!

Jiang Duo’s movement was so swift that even Jiang Lingling didn’t react. After her display of power in the past few months, who would dare to splash water on her?

As Jiang Duo reached for the bucket, her face a mixture of anger and anticipation, Director Pan, who had anticipated this, signaled for a close-up.

Tsk… if they really started fighting, it wouldn’t be good. Director Pan frowned, slightly anticipating the unscripted drama, but also worried about the potential consequences. Jiang Lingling wasn’t someone who would take things lying down. He should have called cut earlier, after Jiang Lingling splashed the water, as Pan Xiang had suggested. But… everyone’s reactions had been so genuine, it was a good take. Director Pan was conflicted.

Success was within reach… Jiang Duo was pleased with her quick action. But she didn’t expect someone to be even faster.

As her fingers touched the bucket handle, a delicate foot suddenly appeared, kicking the bucket. The remaining water splashed out, mixing with the mud, the bucket bouncing and rolling, splattering muddy water onto Jiang Duo’s face.

The foot, clad in a light green, embroidered shoe with a lily pattern, quickly retreated.

Everyone knew that the situation had deviated from the script. Jiang Duo, humiliated, couldn’t hold back anymore. Since she couldn’t splash the water, she would retaliate directly! And who owned that foot!

Jiang Duo straightened up, her eyes burning with rage as she looked in the direction of the foot.

Ji Junxin, seeing the mud splattered on Jiang Duo’s face, felt a little guilty and wanted to wipe it off, but she stopped. Because Mi Hongdou spoke.

Not to mediate, not to defend, but to deliver her line.

According to the script, after Jiang Lingling’s scolding, Jiang Duo should retort, accusing her of disrespecting her superiors, and then Mi Hongdou, as the young empress, would reply coldly, “And your earlier outburst, wasn’t that disrespectful too?”

Now, after Jiang Lingling splashed the water and delivered her lines, Jiang Duo hadn’t followed the script, and Ji Junxin had even interfered… the scene had completely deviated from the script, and yet, Director Pan hadn’t called cut!

Seeing Jiang Duo’s furious gaze, following the direction of the foot, about to land on Ji Junxin, Mi Hongdou stepped forward, shielding Ji Junxin, and frowned, her voice sharp. “Concubine Zhu, it seems you haven’t learned your lesson, should I teach you personally? In our current situation, we’re all in this together, your outburst is a disgrace to us all!” She glared at Jiang Duo disdainfully, then glanced at the other concubines, her expression gradually returning to calmness.

Still acting, even now? Jiang Duo was stunned by Mi Hongdou’s shamelessness and her ability to twist the situation. “This is ridiculous! Are you all ganging up on me? What was that about splashing water on me? That wasn’t in the script! How did I offend you? Why would you do this to me in this freezing weather! Are you crazy!” Jiang Duo was furious, her finger, initially pointing at Jiang Lingling, now trembling as it shifted to Ji Junxin. Mi Hongdou was partially blocking Ji Junxin, but she could still see the sympathy in her eyes. Thinking of Ji Junxin’s status, Jiang Duo’s tone, although still angry, softened slightly when addressing her. “And Miss Ji, I…”

“Cut!” Director Pan’s booming voice interrupted Jiang Duo’s attempt to play the victim.

The tense atmosphere on set instantly dissipated. The actors, although still in their positions, relaxed, and some started chatting quietly.

Mi Hongdou quickly pulled Ji Junxin away from Jiang Duo. Who knew what that crazy woman would do? Although the scene had been satisfying, safety was the priority.

Jiang Duo choked, her outstretched hand now pointing at empty air. The cold water had seeped through her clothes, chilling her to the bone. No, that wasn’t the worst part. The worst part was, she felt incredibly awkward. She was the one who had been wronged, but when she tried to retaliate, everyone dispersed, leaving her hanging, her anger unresolved.

Everyone felt awkward and quickly distanced themselves. Jiang Lingling was too domineering, Mi Hongdou’s quick thinking was impressive, and Ji Junxin, usually so gentle, had delivered a perfectly timed kick. And Jiang Duo… well… seeing her like this was quite satisfying. She had been causing so many NGs, making them suffer in the cold and work overtime, it was karma.

Everyone moved away, leaving Jiang Duo alone, no one even offering her a way out. Well, not exactly, Jiang Lingling was still there, but without her earlier fierceness, her arms crossed, a mocking smile on her face as she looked at Jiang Duo. The humiliated and awkward Jiang Duo felt like she had been slapped in the face.

Her trembling hand pointed back at Jiang Lingling, her lips moving slightly. Jiang Lingling smiled, raised her index finger, and wagged it slightly. “Don’t provoke me, you’ll regret it.” Ignoring Jiang Duo’s darkening expression, she happily went to brag to Mi Hongdou. Hmph, the one who tried to scheme against her little foodie had been taught a lesson, perhaps she could get extra dessert now, Jiang Lingling thought, pleased with herself for venting her anger and earning a favor at the same time.

As for the trembling Jiang Duo, who cared about her…

Such blatant targeting was hard to ignore. Director Pan, frowning, sighed, looked around, and asked a few crew members to find Jiang Duo’s assistant. Although Jiang Duo’s increasingly poor acting and frequent NGs had made him lose all patience with her, seeing her being bullied like this, the grandfatherly Director Pan couldn’t help but feel a little sympathetic. That Jiang Lingling, she had some acting talent, but her personality… was a bit extreme, he thought.

Pan Xiang, who had been watching, noticed Director Pan’s sympathy for Jiang Duo and his displeasure with Jiang Lingling. She had initially thought that Jiang Lingling’s splashing of the water was a deliberate change to the scene, so she had stopped her grandfather from calling cut. But now, it seemed that it was indeed a change, but for the sake of venting her anger… Pan Xiang was amused by her own misjudgment but also worried that Jiang Lingling had gone too far. Fortunately, the scene had been filmed smoothly and looked quite good.

Now, seeing Director Pan’s conflicted expression, Pan Xiang, wanting to defend Jiang Lingling, spoke up, “This scene has Jiang Duo in it, are we reshooting?” Even she, who wasn’t always on set, knew about Jiang Duo’s reputation as the NG queen.

Director Pan looked away from Jiang Duo and Jiang Lingling, rewatched the scene, and said with a conflicted expression, “It seems… we don’t have to.” Jiang Lingling’s actions, Ji Junxin’s interference, and Mi Hongdou’s final lines, Jiang Duo’s emotions were even better than what was written in the script. Well, they weren’t exactly “acted.”

“It’s all thanks to Jiang Lingling, provoking Jiang Duo like that, otherwise, who knows how many times we would have had to reshoot. We saved time and resources.” Pan Xiang said cheerfully.

“Do you really think Jiang Lingling splashed the water to provoke Jiang Duo for the sake of the scene?” Director Pan asked, surprised, couldn’t believe his granddaughter was so clueless.

“…” Although she wanted to defend Jiang Lingling, Pan Xiang didn’t want to be seen as an idiot, so she cleared her throat and changed the subject. “Ji Junxin is known for her good temper, that kick earlier was clearly to help Jiang Lingling. And Mi Hongdou, although a newcomer, is a talented actress and very humble. The way she spoke just now, she didn’t give Jiang Duo any chance to retaliate. And the other actors, some of them have worked with Jiang Duo before, even now, they’re not showing any concern.”

Pan Xiang didn’t mention Jiang Lingling, but Director Pan understood her implication, it wasn’t just Jiang Lingling who disliked Jiang Duo, everyone did. “Perhaps… it’s because of her recent frequent NGs, they feel like she’s holding them back.” He stated a fact, not defending Jiang Duo.

“What about Jiang Duo’s assistant?” Pan Xiang saw Jiang Duo’s assistant approaching with a small towel. She pointed at the assistant, then at Bai Tang, who was taking out thermoses and hand warmers from her large bag. “Well, perhaps it’s just a matter of how attentive the assistants are?”

Pan Xiang’s seemingly casual remark made Director Pan fall silent. Disliked by the entire crew, even her own assistant unwilling to show genuine concern, Jiang Duo’s interpersonal skills were truly lacking. It was understandable that Jiang Lingling, with her temper, was the first to snap. And with Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou on Jiang Lingling’s side, Jiang Duo must have done something to offend everyone. Director Pan, already slightly biased, felt his sympathy for Jiang Duo fading…

Seeing Director Pan engrossed in the playback, Pan Xiang was relieved. She didn’t want him to have any negative impressions of Jiang Lingling because of this incident. After all, Wei Xunqin was the character she had put the most effort into, she couldn’t let any bias affect the filming.

Jiang Lingling, unaware that she had almost lost Director Pan’s favor, happily took a small peach cookie from Bai Tang. The crispy, fragrant snack, paired with the honey water from her assistant, was a perfect combination. Being with Mi Hongdou meant good food.

“You’re happy now, but what if Jiang Duo comes and attacks you later?” Mi Hongdou was speechless at Jiang Lingling’s smugness.

“She wouldn’t dare.” Jiang Lingling winked at Mi Hongdou meaningfully. She took a bite of the cookie. Crunch, crunch. Teaching Jiang Duo, who had been trying to get close to Ji Junxin in both lifetimes, a lesson was indeed satisfying. Seeing that Jiang Lingling didn’t seem worried about Jiang Duo’s retaliation, Mi Hongdou didn’t say anything more. There was no deep hatred between Jiang Lingling and Jiang Duo, and she owed Jiang Lingling another favor for this. Thinking this, she took a handful of peach cookies from Bai Tang’s bag and gave them to Jiang Lingling. This favor, she would slowly repay it.

Jiang Lingling and Mi Hongdou had a tacit understanding, but Ji Junxin was still confused. After two cookies, she couldn’t help but ask, “Jiang Lingling… you suddenly deviated from the script, did Jiang Duo offend you somehow?”

“Heh…” Jiang Lingling couldn’t help but glance at Mi Hongdou. Liking such a clueless person, was she okay? …

Mi Hongdou, understanding, looked away.

Facing the inquisitive Ji Junxin, Jiang Lingling cleared her throat and said seriously, “You also deviated from the script, you even splashed mud on Jiang Duo’s face, did she offend you?”

Ji Junxin: “…”

Mi Hongdou: “…”

Jiang Lingling smiled triumphantly.

Don’t be so smug, you have no sense of camaraderie! Mi Hongdou glared at Jiang Lingling. “She was trying to protect you! If she hadn’t moved, Jiang Duo would have drenched you!”

Ji Junxin nodded vigorously.

“No, I believe Ji Junxin wouldn’t be so cruel, we’re friends of justice!” Jiang Lingling said seriously, giving Ji Junxin a cookie and winking. “Right?”

Friends of justice… did she think they were filming a superhero movie? Mi Hongdou was worried that Jiang Lingling would reveal too much, and why was she giving Ji Junxin a cookie after just teasing her? Did she think one cookie could make amends? She was too naive!

Ji Junxin silently took the cookie. Although she had initially felt a little guilty about kicking the bucket and splashing mud on Jiang Duo, thinking about what Jiang Duo and Lu Gaoshi had done, she felt that it was a justified act of revenge.

Mi Hongdou: “…”

Okay, she was the naive one.

Mi Hongdou took another handful of cookies from Bai Tang’s bag and gave them to Ji Junxin, preventing her little foodie from being swayed by the wrong person.

Just then, Jiang Duo’s angry voice came from afar, scolding someone for being late, bringing a small towel, not bringing her clothes… a torrent of pent-up frustration directed at her assistant, who had finally arrived with a small towel.

“So that’s the legendary artist who treats their assistant like a slave…” the assistant said, her eyes wide with newfound knowledge.

“Now you know how lucky you are,” Jiang Lingling said, raising her chin proudly.

Another wave of Jiang Duo’s angry shouts reached them, and the assistant patted her chest, praising Jiang Lingling profusely. Her words were so eloquent and heartfelt that everyone was impressed.

Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin glanced at Bai Tang, who was standing quietly beside them. Having a normal assistant was truly a blessing…

Although they didn’t care about the content of Jiang Duo’s scolding, her angry tone was unsettling.

“It seems Jiang Duo is really angry, she usually NGs a lot after being upset, so be careful later during filming,” Mi Hongdou warned, frowning slightly. “Especially you, Jiang Lingling, keep the water bucket far away from her. If she does anything, run.”

Jiang Lingling chuckled. “If she dares to do anything to us, it won’t be her assistant she’s scolding now.”

It made sense.

A few crew members approached from Director Pan’s direction. Mi Hongdou sighed. It was starting again. She hoped Jiang Duo wouldn’t cause any trouble, and that Jiang Lingling would heed her warning and be careful. As for Ji Junxin… Mi Hongdou glanced at Ji Junxin, who was eating walnut cookies. It’s okay, she would protect her.

Chapter 82: Repaying Kindness p2

After this incident, Wei Xunqin quietly lived her life as a low-ranking concubine. Without the Emperor’s favor, and not qualified to greet the Empress, she was practically invisible. But the young Empress always remembered her, occasionally summoning her for a chat, which prevented the other palace staff from mistreating her. This was another act of kindness from the Empress.

At first, Wei Xunqin was worried that having carried the Emperor’s child would displease the young Empress. Every time she was summoned, although she wanted to see the Empress, she was also filled with trepidation. But later, she noticed that the Empress, rumored to be deeply in love with the Emperor and easily jealous, often met with Miao Qianye, the Emperor’s current favorite. They played Go, enjoyed tea, and seemed to get along well. Even the Emperor’s favorite concubine… Wei Xunqin had a strange feeling, perhaps the Empress didn’t love the Emperor as much as the rumors suggested? This thought was slightly rebellious, but it made her feel more at ease when summoned by the Empress, and she could even chat with Miao Qianye, which was unexpected.

She wanted to repay the Empress’s kindness, but in the palace, besides the Emperor, the Empress was the highest authority. And this Empress wasn’t the type to engage in power struggles and schemes. All Wei Xunqin could do was occasionally make some simple, home-style dishes for the Empress, a small gesture of gratitude, she felt useless.

But she didn’t expect that her usefulness would soon be revealed.

The rebels attacked the capital, the Empress surrendered, and the harem was confined to the estate.

The estate was dilapidated, resources scarce, even food was meager. These women, daughters of officials and wealthy families, had never had to worry about such things. They couldn’t even bear the conditions, let alone think about how to survive. The few maids and eunuchs who came with them, some were from poor families, but they were also the most opportunistic. Now that they were all confined, although these women still held their titles, who would depend on whom in the future was uncertain.

There weren’t many servants, the higher-ranking concubines had one or two, the lower-ranking ones had none. Fewer servants, more work for each. Worse food and living conditions than in the palace, no monthly allowance or rewards, a bleak future, practically prisoners, most of the servants were resentful. At first, they still performed their duties, fetching water, chopping wood, cooking, and serving. Firstly, because they were still adjusting to the situation, the hierarchy still clear, the concubines still acting superior, the servants still accustomed to being ordered around. Secondly, those who survived in the palace always kept their options open. They were just confined temporarily, perhaps the rebels would be defeated soon, perhaps they would be released.

But the young Empress, Miao Qianye, and even Wei Xunqin knew that the servants they could still control now, in a few days, seeing no hope, would become unmanageable, perhaps even rebellious. The concubines had brought some valuables with them, but… if things continued like this, using those valuables on the servants might only worsen the situation.

Unfortunately, the other concubines didn’t understand their current predicament. The young Empress wanted to talk to them, but Miao Qianye stopped her. They were all in a state of panic, revealing the harsh reality now would only make things more difficult to control. They had to experience the hardship themselves. And when they realized the difficulty, when they tried and failed to find a solution, that would be the time for the young Empress to step in, to take control and win their hearts.

Miao Qianye’s strategy made the young Empress realize that during their interactions in the palace, Miao Qianye had been hiding her intelligence. If it came to wisdom, perhaps she was even more capable than the Empress. But now, they were allies, there was no need for pretense.

On the first day of their confinement, Wei Xunqin pledged her loyalty to the Empress. To gain her trust, she revealed her gratitude for the Empress’s kindness on that snowy night and offered practical suggestions: how to repair the houses with straw and mud, what kind of fruits and vegetables were suitable for the soil, what crops could be harvested quickly, even whether they could negotiate with the guards to raise chickens, ducks, and livestock, sharing some of the produce to appease them.

The young Empress and Miao Qianye weren’t from humble backgrounds, they knew these things in theory, but they lacked practical experience. They had considered finding a few knowledgeable servants, but no one was more suitable than Wei Xunqin, whose loyalty was unquestionable. The young Empress cautiously revealed Miao Qianye’s pregnancy to Wei Xunqin and, seeing her surprise but not resentment, was relieved, and the three formed an alliance.

While the other concubines complained about the dilapidated houses, the dirty environment, and the terrible food, the young Empress, Miao Qianye, and Wei Xunqin were already planning for their survival.

The earlier porridge scene, Wei Xunqin wasn’t present, she had been trying to befriend a seemingly approachable female guard.

And the upcoming “besieging the empress” scene took place after their alliance, when the other concubines, having experienced the hardship and the futility of their complaints, were ready for a change.

The young Empress and Miao Qianye, after forcing themselves to eat the disgusting porridge, returned to their courtyard and were soon surrounded by a group of complaining concubines.

This scene involved Jiang Duo, so everyone was prepared for repeated NGs. Fortunately, the two afternoon scenes had been moved to the morning, which eased their anxiety slightly.

The young Empress and Miao Qianye sat opposite each other at a stone table, two cups of lukewarm water in front of them. The other concubines, with nowhere to sit, stood around them, continuing their complaints from the dining table.

It was just past noon, the sun was out, providing a little warmth, and they had just eaten, so they weren’t cold yet. In this relatively comfortable state, the young Empress with her cold demeanor, Miao Qianye with her serene expression, and the chattering concubines, all performed well. Even Jiang Duo’s performance was surprisingly good. With her raised voice and aggressive demeanor, she perfectly embodied the troublemaking Concubine Zhu, eager to instigate and provoke.

Everyone noticed Jiang Duo’s performance. Although they didn’t know what had triggered her sudden enthusiasm, it was a good thing. Even though they were still acting, they felt more relaxed, hoping that with Jiang Duo’s good performance, they could finish this scene in one take and go back to rest early.

After a while, the scene reached its midpoint. Next, it was Wei Xunqin’s turn, who had gone to befriend the guards, then returned with a bucket of water for the young Empress and Miao Qianye.

Jiang Lingling effortlessly carried the bucket into the courtyard, just like the Wei Xunqin in the script, accustomed to hard labor.

In the script, seeing the concubines surrounding the young Empress and Miao Qianye with angry expressions and harsh words, Wei Xunqin rushed over, put down the bucket, and started scolding them, from their useless crying when the rebels attacked the capital, to their current complaining and inability to even control the servants, to their disrespect towards the Empress. Her non-stop berating silenced the concubines, who then appealed to the Empress to control this unruly concubine.

Jiang Lingling loved this scene. She had been annoyed with these women for a long time. Although she had sent them soup earlier for strategic reasons, she still disliked them. Given a chance to vent her frustration, she wouldn’t hold back. Pan Xiang’s revised script was truly excellent, the more she acted, the more natural it felt, Jiang Lingling thought.

Carrying the bucket, she walked towards the group surrounding Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin. Just as Jiang Duo reached the peak of her rant, Jiang Lingling, aiming carefully, splashed half the bucket of water on her.

Instantly, silence. Even Jiang Duo, drenched, was stunned.

Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin also stared at Jiang Lingling, shocked.

Before anyone could react, Jiang Lingling spoke.

Chapter 82: Repaying Kindness p1

Legend had it that the world was once shrouded in darkness, until a god brought light.

Thus, heaven and earth were created, land rose, waters receded, and life flourished, all by grace…

Wei Xunqin, on the verge of unconsciousness, saw a figure in elaborate, luxurious clothing approaching. The figure knelt beside her. Wei Xunqin’s fading vision, like a dying ember flaring briefly, focused, and with the last of her strength, she saw the person clearly.

It was the Empress!… Looking at the Empress, kneeling beside her with a worried expression, Wei Xunqin suddenly felt that perhaps her luck wasn’t so bad after all. Empress Qin Muxue and Emperor Ji Yan were a young couple, once deeply in love. Although rumors of the Miao concubine’s favor were spreading, everyone knew that the Empress’s position was unshakeable. If the medicine had been given on the Emperor’s orders, then the only person in the palace who could save her child was right here.

“Save my… child…” Wei Xunqin clutched her hand tightly, forcing out the most important words. “It’s the Emperor’s child.” Although she hated the Emperor who had taken advantage of her, if she didn’t say it, the child would probably be considered illegitimate and disposed of.

As soon as she said this, the young Empress froze. A brief moment later, an undeniable pain flashed across her face. Seeing the devastated young Empress, Wei Xunqin suddenly wished her vision was still blurred, so she wouldn’t have to see such sadness.

A deep sense of guilt washed over Wei Xunqin. If she had a choice, she wouldn’t have appeared before the young Empress like this, carrying the Emperor’s child. Even now, facing death, she couldn’t help but recall a snowy night over a year ago. The supervisor of the Imperial Garden cleaning staff was a cruel old woman who delighted in finding excuses to punish the maids and eunuchs. That night, it was bitterly cold, and they, dressed in thin clothes, were shivering as they swept the endlessly falling snow, a futile task. Even the movement couldn’t generate enough warmth against the biting cold. They thought they would freeze to death… It had been a moment of similar despair, and then they had encountered the young Empress, who was accompanying the Emperor on a stroll. Unlike the Emperor, who ignored them, the young Empress stopped and told them to go back inside, to wait until the snow stopped before sweeping, there was no need for such pointless work. Then, someone, emboldened, reported the old woman’s cruelty. The old woman was punished and transferred, and their lives became much easier, until… recently, the old woman, through some connections, had returned, which led to Wei Xunqin’s current misfortune.

The young Empress had shown her kindness. Seeing that it was the Empress who had found her, Wei Xunqin believed she would be saved, but she also felt a deep sense of guilt. Her child and her own life on one side, betraying her benefactor on the other, life was full of such difficult choices.

There was no turning back. The only person who could save her child was right here. Wei Xunqin was too weak to speak, only her pleading gaze remained.

“I will save you… and your child…” The young Empress suppressed her pain, her voice filled with determination. She ordered the servants to carry Wei Xunqin to the nearest chamber and summon the imperial physician.

Hearing the Empress’s orders, Wei Xunqin breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone said that Empress Qin Muxue and Emperor Ji Yan were truly in love, and because of this, the Empress was jealous. In recent years, the Empress had reigned supreme in the harem. Even occasional favorites were short-lived, only the Empress, the Emperor’s childhood sweetheart, enjoyed his lasting affection. The Empress’s methods were well-known. Wei Xunqin had heard these rumors in the palace, but even after that snowy night, she hadn’t considered it proof of the Empress’s kindness. She was poorly educated, but after so many years in the palace, she understood the meaning of “rumors stop at the wise.”

She had witnessed the Empress’s kindness, that was enough. Wei Xunqin had always hoped to repay the Empress’s kindness before leaving the palace, but as a lowly maid, she had no opportunity.

Knowing her own insignificance, and with her freedom approaching, Wei Xunqin had resigned herself to never being able to repay the Empress’s kindness. She hadn’t expected that one day, she would appear before the Empress like this, a betrayal of that kindness. She felt ashamed.

The Empress, appearing like a goddess, promising to save her, despite her guilt, Wei Xunqin felt a sense of relief, as if she had found her anchor. The young Empress anxiously gave orders, and Wei Xunqin felt herself being lifted.

Saved… she thought, and then a sudden, excruciating pain ripped through her abdomen, as if her insides were being torn apart. Wei Xunqin convulsed uncontrollably, feeling something… slip away. She shouldn’t have felt anything amidst such pain, but she clearly felt the sudden emptiness in her womb.

Palace secrets were numerous, and although Wei Xunqin hadn’t experienced them all, she had heard many stories. And… the connection between mother and child, the sense of loss was undeniable. For the first time since being forced to drink the medicine, Wei Xunqin looked down at herself. Her skirt was stained crimson, some areas darker, dried blood re-soaked… And the ground beneath her was a pool of blood…

She had… tried her best… Wei Xunqin struggled against the person who was lifting her, easily breaking free. The servant hadn’t been holding her very tightly. Wei Xunqin collapsed back onto the ground.

The young Empress, who had been urging the servants to summon the imperial physician, heard the thud and turned around, startled. The servants apologized profusely.

Wei Xunqin weakly tugged at the Empress’s skirt. The Empress, ignoring the servants’ apologies, knelt beside her and tried to lift her up.

“No… the child… it’s gone.” Wei Xunqin didn’t have the strength to resist, barely even the strength to speak. She whispered, her voice barely audible, “No need… to save me…” I’m sorry.

The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was the Empress’s shocked expression… Wei Xunqin regretted coming to the Imperial Garden. If she had known the child couldn’t be saved, she wouldn’t have… wouldn’t have let the young Empress witness this. Causing her worry and sadness, and now this shock, it was a true betrayal of kindness. In her final moments, Wei Xunqin deeply regretted not saying those three words earlier. Even in death, she couldn’t apologize to the young Empress.

Wei Xunqin, of course, didn’t die. But the child, was indeed gone.

When Wei Xunqin woke up in a soft bed, she wished she were dead. She had betrayed her benefactor, and her child was gone. What was the point of living? To continue being a burden to the young Empress?

Wei Xunqin wanted to die. She lay still, thinking that without food or medicine, she would probably die in a few days. As for revenge… she knew she was powerless, she couldn’t even find out who was responsible. It was better to die than to be a burden to the Empress. And she couldn’t face the Empress anyway. Wei Xunqin thought this, but a few hours later, the young Empress arrived.

She brought two imperial decrees. One, promoting Wei Xunqin to the rank of Cainü, a seventh-rank concubine. The other, demoting Consort Liu to commoner status and confining her to the Cold Palace.

The young Empress’s expression was complex as she looked at Wei Xunqin, but her voice was apologetic. “I’m sorry, the child couldn’t be saved. I can only give you the rank of Cainü for now, and later, when there’s a chance… as for Liu, she was once favored by the Emperor, executing her directly isn’t possible. But once she’s in the Cold Palace, I can ensure that she’ll never leave. Rest well… you can still have children.” The last sentence was difficult to say, and then she left.

Wei Xunqin’s apology, unspoken, was met with the Empress’s apology, a strange twist of fate.

In just a few hours, Wei Xunqin had become a member of the imperial harem, granted a rank. Although not high, considering her background and the fact that she wasn’t favored by the Emperor, it was actually quite a high rank. And the culprit had been found and punished. Wei Xunqin suddenly didn’t want to die anymore. Not because of the rank or the newfound privilege, but because she felt that after all the young Empress had done, dying now would be too ungrateful.

The elders in her village used to say, only by living could you repay kindness.

It seemed they were right.

Chapter 81: Wei Xunqin

After Qiao Rubai strategically hired Pan Xiang, the script for “Imperial Secrets” underwent a major overhaul. Not only did the latter half of the plot change completely, but even minor details were meticulously revised. By the time Mi Hongdou received the offer from Qiong Yu, the story, its emotional nuances, and its underlying message were vastly different from what she remembered from her previous life.

Perhaps because this was Pan Xiang’s first time as a screenwriter for a film, even after submitting the complete script before filming resumed, she couldn’t resist making further revisions. Initially, the crew grumbled about these constant changes, but with Pan Xiang backed by Qiong Yu, the major investor, and her grandfather, the director, they could only complain privately. Later, seeing that both Qiong Yu and Director Pan accepted Pan Xiang’s meticulous approach, the complaints subsided. In the entertainment industry, adaptability was essential. Since complaining couldn’t change anything, it was better to spend the time familiarizing themselves with the new script. Fortunately, Pan Xiang’s revisions were mostly minor adjustments to actions, lines, and set design, all within reasonable limits, and mostly for scenes they hadn’t started preparing yet.

However, what they didn’t expect was another major revision when Jiang Lingling joined the cast, focusing on her character, which frustrated the actors who were still learning the new script. The agencies quickly informed their artists that this revision was based on Qiong Yu’s suggestions, not Pan Xiang’s personal whim, which saved Pan Xiang from being targeted.

Although the companies claimed it was Qiong Yu’s decision, everyone knew that the one who benefited was Jiang Lingling. Her character was originally an insignificant extra, just a background figure in both the palace and estate scenes, with barely any lines, let alone any character development. Compared to the extras hired locally, she just had a few more scenes and lines.

But after the revision, the importance of Jiang Lingling’s character changed drastically. Originally a nameless extra, now she had a significant role, almost on par with Jiang Duo’s important supporting role.

In the revised script, Jiang Duo’s character was the antagonist. Although her role was substantial, playing a villain always had its drawbacks. Villains, especially those without any redeeming qualities, were rarely liked by the audience. And the better the actor portrayed the villain, the more they were disliked. Often, after playing a convincing villain, an actor would struggle to get positive roles, often being typecast.

Although people often said the world wasn’t black and white, but shades of gray, deep down, they still preferred positive, kind, and virtuous characters. Positive energy brought hope and warmth, something even the most cynical couldn’t resist.

So, in films and TV shows, the most popular characters were usually the virtuous protagonists, followed by the positive supporting characters. Of course, there were exceptions, where a virtuous supporting character, perhaps through self-sacrifice or unwavering righteousness, became more popular than the lead.

Simply put, playing a villain was risky, caution advised.

There was a case in point. Years ago, in a popular palace drama, a villainous nanny constantly schemed and even directly harmed the protagonists. The audience’s hatred for the character extended to the actress, who was often verbally abused in public, even refused service by taxi drivers, and threatened by children.

Playing a villain came with great pressure.

But a good story needed both protagonists and antagonists, conflict and depth. So, to attract talented actors, screenwriters now paid more attention to developing the villains, often giving them tragic backstories or justifications for their actions, so the audience’s dislike wouldn’t extend to the actors, allowing for more talented actors to take on villainous roles.

Originally, the script for “Imperial Secrets” also had some redeeming qualities for Jiang Duo’s character. For example, coming from a family with a low-ranking official and many concubines, she lacked security and, after entering the palace, desperately sought the emperor’s favor and a stable life. This simple backstory, even if only shown briefly, added a touch of pity to the character. And in a palace drama, scheming and betrayal were inevitable. In the original script, both Miao Qianye and the young empress were involved in the power struggles, there were no purely virtuous characters for comparison, so Jiang Duo’s villainy was limited. In fact, in the original script, the young empress schemed against Miao Qianye, and Miao Qianye eventually poisoned the emperor and empress. Compared to them, Jiang Duo was just a fickle opportunist. Dajin Entertainment had put in a lot of effort to secure this role for Jiang Duo.

But less than a month after filming started, the script underwent a major revision, completely changing the latter half of the plot. The early part was still about petty power struggles in the harem, but the middle part became a story of the concubines uniting to protect the imperial heir. With everyone putting aside their past grievances and working together, Jiang Duo’s character, even with just minor acts of instigation, became incredibly annoying.

Moreover, in the revised script, the young empress and Miao Qianye were no longer just women fighting for love. One, driven by a sense of righteousness, wanted to preserve the imperial bloodline. The other, filled with maternal love, cared for the child. The two, working together, became beacons of hope and warmth, leading the harem towards harmony.

As the saying goes, a drop of ink in a basin of black water isn’t noticeable, but a drop of ink in a basin of clear water is incredibly jarring.

After Pan Xiang’s revision, Jiang Duo’s character, from the moment she arrived at the estate, became that drop of ink in clear water, incredibly conspicuous.

And in the end, the young empress’s death was indirectly related to Consort Zhu, played by Jiang Duo. The more virtuous a character, the more the audience loved her, and the more they hated the one who caused her demise. With Pan Xiang’s script, the earlier attempts to humanize Jiang Duo’s character would be completely wasted.

Dajin Entertainment wasn’t stupid. The revised script, although elevating the overall quality of the film, weakened the two characters they provided. Zhang Zijing’s emperor was no longer the central figure, and Jiang Duo became the main antagonist. It was hard to say which version was more beneficial to Dajin. But they were already on Qiao Rubai’s ship, there was no turning back. The script revision, for Dajin, was just a minor adjustment. For Zhang Zijing, the added battle scenes might even broaden his acting range. But for Jiang Duo, after the release of “Imperial Secrets,” she would probably be typecast as a villain for a long time.

Because everyone could see the potential drawbacks of Jiang Duo’s role, despite its substantial screen time, the other actors, with smaller roles and more experience, didn’t initially have any strong opinions about her. Of course, later, Jiang Duo’s constant NGs and troublesome behavior made her unpopular, but that was another story.

Similarly, if Jiang Lingling, a newcomer, had been given a minor role and then had it revised into a villainous role on par with Jiang Duo’s, the other actors wouldn’t have reacted so strongly. But Pan Xiang had transformed her insignificant role into a positive and substantial one, almost equal to Jiang Duo’s. The actors were furious. Not only did they have to accommodate Jiang Lingling’s learning of the new script, but they were also being overshadowed by this new, compelling character. Even with the agencies repeatedly emphasizing that this revision was a joint decision by Qiong Yu and the investors, the actors couldn’t accept it. They couldn’t directly target Qiong Yu or Pan Xiang, who was supposedly just a pawn, so they targeted Jiang Lingling, which led to the initial conflicts on and off set.

However, Jiang Lingling’s resilience and her swift and decisive retaliation surprised everyone. Those who clashed with her either learned their lesson or were reprimanded by their agencies. By the time they started filming the estate scenes, the hostility towards Jiang Lingling had mostly subsided. Of course, this was also partly due to Zhang Zijing and Jiang Duo’s frequent NGs diverting attention and perhaps also Ji Junxin’s sudden closeness to Jiang Lingling. Anyway, the other actors, although not exactly friendly towards Jiang Lingling, no longer glared at her, and some even acknowledged her with a nod.

Jiang Lingling had finally weathered the storm.

Actually, Pan Xiang was also partly responsible for Jiang Lingling being targeted. She had made the character too compelling, too likely to become a popular supporting role.

So, how exactly had Jiang Lingling’s character been revised?

Her previous role as a nameless extra didn’t need further elaboration.

After Pan Xiang’s revision, Jiang Lingling’s character now had a name: Wei Xunqin, a low-born palace maid in charge of sweeping the Imperial Garden. After the emperor met and favored Miao Qianye, the young empress, although outwardly gracious, felt a twinge of jealousy. She tried to be virtuous, as an empress should be, but she was still young and struggled to maintain the facade. One day, she and the emperor had a minor argument, her words subtly suggesting his recent infatuation with Miao Qianye. Although not explicitly stated, the implication was clear to both of them. Offended, the emperor left the empress’s palace, intending to go to Miao Qianye. But halfway there, he remembered his love for the empress and, thinking that she was upset because of Miao Qianye, he couldn’t bring himself to go. He abandoned the idea of visiting Miao Qianye, but also couldn’t bring himself to return to the empress, so he went to the Imperial Garden for a walk, to clear his head.

What happened next was somewhat cliché. Tired from walking, the emperor rested in a pavilion. The attentive servants, worried that he hadn’t finished his dinner, brought him food and wine. Drinking alone, still feeling frustrated, the emperor accidentally got drunk. Intoxicated, he felt even more annoyed with the empress and decided not to go anywhere. He was about to retire for the night when he encountered Wei Xunqin, who had been assigned to sweep the Imperial Garden as punishment. Seeing her delicate features and capable demeanor, so different from the other delicate and fragile concubines, the emperor was intrigued. Remembering the empress’s accusation of him favoring only one person, he took Wei Xunqin with him, thinking he could favor more than one.

The emperor, accustomed to delicacies, wanted to try simple, home-style food. But as the saying goes, novelty doesn’t always equate to preference. After trying the simple dishes, the emperor decided that he still preferred delicacies. So, after a night of passion, the heartless emperor left without a word. The servants, always following the emperor’s lead, seeing this, and since Wei Xunqin had no rank, assumed it was just a one-night stand and sent her back to her duties, sweeping the garden.

The poor girl, who had only one more year before leaving the palace, was now ruined by the emperor, without even a title. An ordinary palace maid would either seek help from someone influential or commit suicide. But Wei Xunqin, although from a poor family, was resilient. Being taken by the emperor, she had no choice. His refusal to acknowledge her, she also had no recourse. She would just treat it as being bitten by a dog and continue with her life, hoping to leave the palace in a year, using her meager savings to buy some land and live a simple life.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Wei Xunqin missed her period. Before she could figure out what to do, she was forced to drink medicine. Those who brought the medicine were dressed as palace maids and didn’t even try to hide their actions. Wei Xunqin didn’t know if it was the emperor’s doing or someone else’s… As a palace maid, she couldn’t keep the child anyway, but she was reluctant. Her family had been poor, and her parents, to feed her younger siblings, had sent her to the palace. “Sent,” but it was practically selling her. When she was home, she had helped with everything, tending chickens, gathering wheat, cooking, cleaning, working in the fields, but she still couldn’t escape her fate. She couldn’t say she wasn’t resentful, but she considered the money from selling her as repayment for her parents raising her. This child, although she knew she couldn’t keep it, being forced to drink the medicine, Wei Xunqin was heartbroken.

The room was locked from outside, but no one guarded it. It seemed that those who gave her the medicine didn’t think a woman who had just had a miscarriage could cause any trouble. Wei Xunqin, enduring the pain, climbed out the window, grateful for her childhood experience of climbing trees and swimming. Having escaped, she didn’t know where to go. A palace maid’s life was cheap, she didn’t even know who had sent those people. If it was the emperor’s doing, then seeking help was useless… and in the palace, there were countless women who wanted to bear the emperor’s child, no one would help her.

Wei Xunqin had served in the palace for years, she knew there was no escape. But… she was still reluctant, even in despair, she couldn’t bear to lose this fragile life. Finally, she went to the place she was most familiar with, the place where her misfortune began… the Imperial Garden. She hoped that on this chilly afternoon, there might be a kind soul in the garden who would save her child.

The pain intensified. Crimson blood trickled down her legs, staining the grass. Wei Xunqin felt her limbs turning cold and numb, her vision blurring, a strange buzzing in her ears. Besides the excruciating pain in her abdomen, the rest of her body felt numb… no, not her legs, the warm gush between her legs… Wei Xunqin didn’t dare to look down, didn’t dare to think, she just kept moving towards the Imperial Garden.

A trail of blood, intermittent yet continuous, stained the stone path and the grass, a line of despair.

When Wei Xunqin finally reached the Imperial Garden, she saw a group of richly dressed people in the distance. Her vision blurred, she couldn’t see clearly who they were, who among them were kind, who were to be feared. Driven by a single, desperate thought, she stumbled towards them, and then, as expected, she was stopped.

“Save my… child…” Wei Xunqin didn’t know who had stopped her, a maid, a eunuch, or a guard, it didn’t matter. She clutched the person tightly, using the last of her strength to speak, then collapsed.

The person she grabbed didn’t try to catch her, letting her fall onto the cold stone path.

The weather was cold, and lying on the cold stone would normally make anyone shiver. But Wei Xunqin, having lost so much blood, her body already cold, couldn’t feel anything.

Despair? Yes, deep despair. But also hope. She had to have hope.

Wei Xunqin’s strength was gone, she knew she couldn’t even stand up again. Her vision blurred, only vague figures moving around, the sounds around her a jumble of voices. She lay there, unable to see or hear clearly, but she still held her head high, desperately searching for that sliver of hope, that chance for her and her child.

Chapter 80: Three Delicacies Soup

Without Jiang Duo in the morning scenes, and with everyone united in their desire to avoid NGs and further exposure to the cold, filming went smoothly, even finishing almost an hour ahead of schedule.

If they were in Shudian, Director Pan would have dismissed them early for lunch and rest. But here at the estate, with the inconvenient location, the crew had boxed meals, and the actors either ate with them or had their assistants order takeout. Even if Director Pan dismissed them now, they would just have to wait, hungry.

With the morning scenes completed smoothly, and everyone in good condition, Director Pan, after considering the available actors, brought forward two afternoon scenes. He explicitly stated that if they finished these two scenes, there would be no more filming in the afternoon, they could go back early, a reward for their good work.

The weather was cold, and the sun’s warmth was limited. It wasn’t warm in the morning, and even if it was warm in the early afternoon, it would be freezing again by late afternoon. Since they had to wait for lunch anyway, they might as well finish early and wrap up for the day. So, everyone worked hard and finished the two extra scenes before lunch.

To finish early, the lunch break for the estate scenes was only one hour, not enough time for the actors to go out for a proper meal, but at least their assistants could order takeout, so they didn’t have to suffer the standard crew meals.

Mi Hongdou figured that Yang Lianyi, suddenly sending Bai Tang back a few days ago, must have been concerned about her situation. Otherwise, filming at the estate, without an assistant, even getting a decent meal would be difficult. But although Bai Tang was back, her skills weren’t needed for ordering lunch. There was Jiang Lingling.

This was the second day of filming at the estate. The day before, Jiang Lingling had insisted on treating Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin to lunch, not letting them order their own. So, they had a very ordinary lunch from Jiang Lingling’s restaurant. This morning, after a scene, Jiang Lingling invited them again, but this time, no one fell for it… Mi Hongdou just said that Bai Tang had already been sent to buy takeout. But Jiang Lingling was persistent, pointing at Bai Tang, who was chatting with her assistant, and saying that since she was already here, there was no need to trouble two people, she had already ordered, and Bai Tang didn’t need to go. Mi Hongdou was about to refuse again when Jiang Lingling waved at her assistant, and the assistant pulled Bai Tang away.

Such blatant hijacking, Mi Hongdou was speechless. Her earlier impression of Jiang Lingling as a reliable friend was clearly an illusion. But what finally made her give in was Jiang Lingling’s repeated assurance that the lunch wasn’t from her restaurant, which reassured Mi Hongdou. But when she asked which restaurant it was from, Jiang Lingling just smiled mysteriously and refused to answer, which was incredibly frustrating.

Anyway, after the morning scenes, as soon as Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin removed their headpieces, their makeup still not completely removed, Jiang Lingling came to drag them to lunch.

Jiang Lingling’s chauffeured car was practically a small, luxurious mobile home, even more impressive than the one Qiong Yu provided for Ji Junxin. It was fully equipped with a table, chairs, and even a bed, and looked very opulent. Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin, hurried into the car by Jiang Lingling, saw a table laden with food, which looked… better than yesterday’s.

The assistant had already brought Bai Tang to the car, and the five of them sat around the table.

Jiang Lingling enthusiastically served everyone a large lion’s head meatball. It was almost as big as the bowl itself, leaving no room for anything else.

Mi Hongdou looked at the smiling Jiang Lingling, then at the giant meatball in her bowl, feeling that their friendship was being tested…

Ji Junxin, also traumatized by yesterday’s lunch, sniffed the air and, giving Jiang Lingling face, took a bite of the meatball. Mi Hongdou closely watched her expression, ready to intervene if it wasn’t good.

To Mi Hongdou’s surprise, after two chews, Ji Junxin’s eyes lit up.

The lion’s head meatball had been deep-fried, then braised, similar to the fried meatballs in soup Mi Hongdou had made the night before. The outer layer, crispy and fragrant from frying, encased the tender meat inside. The braising sauce had seeped into the meatball, making it incredibly flavorful. One bite, and the aroma of meat exploded in her mouth, it was delicious. The only thing missing was a bowl of rice!

Ji Junxin savored the meatball, looked around, and then asked Jiang Lingling shyly, “Is there any rice?”

Of course, there was rice.

Both Ji Junxin’s expression and her question told Mi Hongdou that the meatball was a hit. Mi Hongdou also took a bite. It was indeed very good, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, the sauce flavorful, and most importantly, it didn’t contain any ginger pieces, just ginger juice, which explained why Ji Junxin liked it. But the taste was familiar… Mi Hongdou took another bite and looked at Jiang Lingling. “This tastes a lot like the meatballs from Wanzi Ji, doesn’t it?”

“Wanzi Ji? That restaurant in Shudian that specializes in meatballs?” Ji Junxin, her ears sharp, heard the familiar name. “I said I would bring some back for your mother, but we haven’t been back to Jiang City. But they only sell ready-made meatballs, not cooked dishes, why is this lion’s head meatball braised?”

Mi Hongdou was also unsure. The texture was very similar to Wanzi Ji’s, but Ji Junxin was right, Wanzi Ji had fried lion’s head meatballs, but not braised ones. “Did you have someone buy the fried meatballs from Wanzi Ji and then have someone else braise them?” she asked Jiang Lingling.

Jiang Lingling smiled. “You have such a discerning palate. But you’re only half right. I did send someone to Wanzi Ji this morning, but not to buy meatballs, I had them poach a chef. Speaking of which, can you tell the difference in the braising sauce?” Jiang Lingling pointed at a pot of braised mutton being warmed on a small alcohol stove. “Lao Yang’s, the most famous mutton restaurant in Shudian, I poached their best braised mutton chef. And I had him braise the fried lion’s head meatballs made by the Wanzi Ji chef.”

No wonder Jiang Lingling had insisted on treating them to lunch! Mi Hongdou suddenly understood. It was because she had criticized the food from her restaurant earlier, hurting her pride, so she immediately took action to redeem herself.

What a proud rich girl!

“You’re very efficient, filming in the morning, and you still had time to poach two chefs.” Mi Hongdou, remembering her earlier criticism, decided to be nice since Jiang Lingling had made such an effort. “Wanzi Ji and Lao Yang’s are both famous restaurants in Shudian, poaching two chefs in one morning is impressive.”

Jiang Lingling, appeased by the compliment, puffed up her chest. “Two chefs are nothing.” She casually pointed at the other dishes. “Big plate chicken from Yuanfang Restaurant, pickled fish from Lai Yi Tiao, boiled pork slices from Qin Jin Private Kitchen, spicy shrimp from Gan Guo Tian Xia. Time was a bit tight this morning, so I only poached these few chefs. Don’t worry, there will be more joining my restaurant. And you don’t have to ask Bai Tang to order takeout anymore, lunch is on me. Anything you want to eat around Shudian, just name it.”

Mi Hongdou looked at the dishes. They were indeed popular dishes from restaurants around Shudian. Jiang Lingling’s attempt to redeem herself was a bit… excessive.

Well, poaching chefs was still less extravagant than buying an entire restaurant. Mi Hongdou smiled wryly. She knew Jiang Lingling would be upset by her criticism, but she hadn’t expected such a drastic reaction.

Ji Junxin, listening to Jiang Lingling, tried the boiled pork slices. It was indeed the same taste as the dish they had at Qin Jin Private Kitchen.

“Except for the vegetables, all these dishes were made by the chefs you poached?” Mi Hongdou tried the stir-fried bok choy with mushrooms. The bok choy was crisp and tender, the mushrooms springy, the seasoning perfect. “Did the chefs from your restaurant make the vegetables?” she asked suspiciously.

“Of course not. These are from Wen Xiang Zhai, but I haven’t finalized the terms with their chef yet, so these vegetarian dishes are just takeout.” Jiang Lingling seemed a little embarrassed, but quickly regained her confidence. “But I think he’ll join my restaurant soon.”

Wen Xiang Zhai was the most famous vegetarian restaurant in Shudian. Many actors were very conscious about their weight, unlike Ji Junxin. So, there were many vegetarian restaurants around Shudian, but few were truly good. Wen Xiang Zhai was one of the best.

Mi Hongdou agreed with Jiang Lingling’s assessment. After all, with Jiang Lingling’s way of throwing money around, few could resist such a generous offer.

All these delicacies from around Shudian gathered on one table, it was a truly blissful lunch for Ji Junxin. But after listening to Mi Hongdou and Jiang Lingling’s conversation, she couldn’t help but ask, “You poached so many chefs, what about the original chefs in your restaurant? Are you firing them?” She still remembered the carrot bunny carved by the thin chef, although not as good as Mi Hongdou’s, it was the thought that counted.

“Those chefs…” Jiang Lingling smiled and exchanged a meaningful look with Mi Hongdou. “Of course, I’ll keep them. Although their cooking isn’t very good, they’re still useful.”

Mi Hongdou looked away, feeling like she was an accomplice to some evil deed.

Jiang Lingling’s poaching strategy was quite successful. Today’s lunch was far superior to yesterday’s. She had intended to gather all the best chefs from around Shudian and treat Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin to lunch. After a few polite refusals, they were no match for Jiang Lingling’s forceful generosity. Fortunately, Mi Hongdou could repay the favor with her cooking.

Ji Junxin, however, couldn’t offer anything Jiang Lingling needed. Giving her money was out of the question, she knew Jiang Lingling would just throw it back. She could only keep this favor in mind, hoping to repay it later.

Being friends with the capricious, arrogant, and rich Jiang Lingling did come with some strange pressure. But it had to be said that when Jiang Lingling was kind to someone, it was unconditional. Although there was pressure, her sincerity was evident. And despite her extravagance, Jiang Lingling wasn’t an unpleasant person. After a few interactions, Ji Junxin had also warmed up to her, the earlier awkwardness from the food-snatching incident forgotten.

This showed how well Lu Gaoshi understood Ji Junxin. Using food to win her over was indeed an effective strategy. Mi Hongdou had succeeded, and so had Jiang Lingling…

But there were successes and failures in life.

When Jiang Duo arrived at the set with carefully packaged, warm three delicacies soup, at the usual lunch time, she saw that everyone was already eating. Not only that, but from the director to the crew members and the actors, almost everyone had a small bowl of three delicacies soup, similar to what she had brought. She was stunned.

Jiang Duo didn’t have any scenes in the morning, she only needed to arrive in the afternoon for makeup and costumes. But after thinking about it for a day, she had decided to try and get closer to Ji Junxin. So, she went to Wanzi Ji, the restaurant Ji Junxin liked, bought some meatballs, and then asked a chef from another restaurant to make three delicacies soup with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and vegetables. Considering Mi Hongdou, Jiang Lingling, and the others who were always with Ji Junxin, she even prepared extra portions, hoping to build relationships with those around Ji Junxin.

But after all her efforts, arriving at the set with the soup, she found… everyone already had a bowl of three delicacies soup. What a coincidence. Jiang Duo wasn’t stupid, if everyone had it, then Ji Junxin must have it too, so she was no longer in a hurry. She hesitated for a moment, then approached a friendly-looking crew member, hoping to start a conversation.

Jiang Duo hadn’t expected the seemingly friendly older woman to be so dismissive, just giving her a few perfunctory responses. But getting closer, Jiang Duo could see that the older woman’s soup, besides the meatballs, bamboo shoots, vegetables, and mushrooms, also had shrimp, sea cucumber, and even a small abalone!

If at first, Jiang Duo had thought the soup was a crew perk, now she was certain that such extravagance wasn’t from the production’s budget.

Seeing the older woman’s dismissive attitude, Jiang Duo skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point: “I arrived a little late, the crew meals are quite good today, such a hearty soup.”

The older woman, who had been giving Jiang Duo perfunctory responses with a deadpan expression, suddenly smiled, as if suddenly realizing something, her gaze towards Jiang Duo now tinged with disdain. “This soup isn’t from the crew, it’s from Jiang Lingling, several large pots of it. She sent a bowl to everyone and said there’s more if we want it, all-you-can-eat.” She pointed towards a row of canopies in the distance. “If you go now, there might still be some left.”

The sudden mockery in the older woman’s eyes annoyed Jiang Duo. Did she think she was after this soup? Who would be so shallow! Jiang Duo was furious, but she knew her current standing in the crew and couldn’t afford to cause trouble, so she just forced a smile and left.

Hmph, the crew hates filming your scenes, everyone knows you came here after hearing about the good soup, not because you had afternoon scenes, the older woman thought, not caring whether Jiang Duo went to the soup station or not.

The colder the weather, the stronger their dislike for Jiang Duo.

Jiang Duo naturally didn’t go to the soup station, she had her own soup. And it was all Jiang Lingling’s fault, sending soup today, upstaging her with more expensive ingredients, how annoying, that nouveau riche!

Jiang Duo had planned to bring the soup, share a meal with Ji Junxin, and build a relationship. But she hadn’t expected Jiang Lingling’s unpredictable actions. So, she could only return to her car and eat with her assistant.

But when she reached the car, she saw her assistant eating from a bowl that looked just like the older woman’s soup bowl earlier.

“Miss Jiang…” The assistant, startled by Jiang Duo’s sudden return, froze, a piece of sea cucumber on her spoon. Seeing Jiang Duo staring at her bowl, she thought Jiang Duo was blaming her for eating alone and quickly explained, “I went for a walk earlier and someone at the canopy gave me a bowl of soup. It’s really good, with sea cucumber and abalone, Miss Jiang… should I get you a bowl?”

Jiang Duo had prepared the soup herself, not wanting her assistant to know too much. She hadn’t expected to be slapped in the face like this… Hearing her assistant’s words, Jiang Duo’s face turned green. Did she look like someone who needed a bowl of soup? She was so angry that she walked away…

The assistant ate the sea cucumber, speechless. This Miss Jiang was so moody and difficult to please. After this film, she would have to see if there were any openings at Dajin, hopefully, a new artist to work with.

Jiang Duo had no idea about her assistant’s thoughts. She was filled with resentment towards Jiang Lingling. All her efforts this morning had been ruined by Jiang Lingling, and she had even been humiliated twice. She was furious.

The first scene in the afternoon was the reshoot of the “besieging the empress” scene, which had been postponed because everyone was too full from the porridge yesterday. Jiang Duo, fuming, changed into her costume, finished her makeup, and reread the script, her anger intensifying.

The previous scene was about the young empress and Miao Qianye leaving after eating the porridge, and the remaining concubines, having no one to vent their frustrations on, but also hungry, reluctantly eating their porridge.

This scene followed directly from the previous one. Although they had eaten the porridge, the taste was unbearable for these pampered women. Their stomachs full, their rebellious spirits returned. They went to the empress and Miao Qianye’s courtyard, demanding that the empress ask the guards for rice, oil, meat, anything edible, even complaining about the dilapidated estate and demanding better accommodation. Jiang Duo’s character, Concubine Zhu, naturally led the charge.

If that was all, Jiang Duo could at least use the scene to vent her anger.

But of course, it wasn’t just that.

As they were besieging the empress, Jiang Lingling’s character arrived, smoothly resolving the situation and even humiliating Concubine Zhu.

How could Jiang Duo not be even more furious reading this scene?

Unlike Jiang Duo, who was so angry that she couldn’t even eat the meatball soup she brought and had to film on an empty stomach, Jiang Lingling, full and satisfied, was eagerly anticipating this scene.

Chapter 79: Pregnancy

The estate scenes were filmed on a wasteland near a small village close to Shudian, a bit of a drive from the studio. Compared to the palace scenes filmed in Shudian, the crew now spent more time traveling, which wasn’t very convenient. However, for the actors, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Although the commute was longer, the costumes and makeup for the estate scenes were simpler. What used to take over an hour for the elaborate palace attire now took only half an hour. Overall, it was less tiring for the actors.

Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou, discussing the assistant situation and making phone calls on the way, arrived late. By the time they reached the makeup and costume area, Jiang Lingling was already dressed, and the hairstylist was working on her hair.

Before they could greet Jiang Lingling, they were whisked away by the costume staff. More precisely, Ji Junxin was whisked away, and Mi Hongdou followed out of habit.

The staff was a little anxious. Starting today, Ji Junxin would be wearing a prosthetic belly. It was the first day, so they had to check the fit and make adjustments. The delay on the road made them worried that Director Pan would call for them before they were ready.

Actually, at the beginning of the estate scenes, Miao Qianye was only two months pregnant, her belly barely showing. But Director Pan, always striving for realism, insisted on using a prosthetic belly, even though the elaborate palace attire had hidden it. Now, with the simpler clothes in the estate scenes, even subtle changes had to be considered. The previous day, Ji Junxin’s scenes were all sitting down, so she didn’t need it. But today’s scenes included full-body shots, so the prosthetic belly had to be ready.

The two-month prosthetic belly was just a piece of cloth with a thin layer of cotton padding, tied around the waist. Under the clothes, it was practically invisible. But Director Pan insisted, so no one argued.

Mi Hongdou touched the soft, padded cloth and smiled at Ji Junxin. “Fortunately, it’s winter, it’s quite warm. Filming this scene in summer would be torture.”

Ji Junxin also touched it and nodded in agreement.

The staff member chuckled. “Don’t think that prosthetic bellies are always this light and comfortable. This is just for the early months. Later, we’ll have to change it. Director Pan said the weight has to increase with the months. The later ones are filled with rice, heavier and heavier. The last one, we tried it, it’s so heavy you can barely stand up straight.”

Ji Junxin found it interesting. She had played pregnant characters before, but the prosthetic bellies were usually made of silk floss, she had never heard of adding rice.

Mi Hongdou, however, immediately grasped the key point and asked to see the other prosthetic bellies.

The staff member couldn’t refuse and rummaged through the props storage, finding one for five or six months of pregnancy. “The larger ones aren’t ready yet, this is for five or six months.”

Mi Hongdou took it, weighed it in her hand, and frowned. “The size is right for five or six months, but it’s so heavy, almost ten pounds… Whose baby weighs ten pounds at five or six months? Even twins wouldn’t be this heavy.” She looked at Ji Junxin’s slender waist with concern. Even this one would be a struggle for her, and the later ones would be even heavier.

“The weight of a pregnant belly isn’t just the baby,” the staff member, a middle-aged woman, said, not wanting to discuss the details of pregnancy with these young girls, her tone vague.

It must also include the amniotic fluid and the placenta, right? Mi Hongdou, a veteran of two lifetimes, wasn’t a young girl. Although the staff member’s words made sense, the weight in her hand was real. It felt like a ten-pound bag of rice, supposedly cotton mixed with rice, but it felt like pure rice!

Ten pounds, even carrying it in one hand was heavy, let alone tied around your waist. Mi Hongdou had always admired Director Pan’s dedication to realism, but looking at the heavy prosthetic belly, then at Ji Junxin, she no longer thought it was such a good thing.

“Aren’t you changing, Xiaomi?” Ji Junxin touched the prosthetic belly. “Should I try this one? It looks impressive.”

Of course, it was impressive, ten pounds! Mi Hongdou held it further away. She didn’t even want Ji Junxin to lift it, afraid she would hurt her hand.

But Director Pan’s decision seemed reasonable, there was no reason to object. Mi Hongdou found the straps and started putting it on. “I’ll try it first.”

The straps were complicated, and Mi Hongdou needed help from the staff member. As soon as she took her hands off the belly, it was as if someone had kicked her in the back. The weight almost made her lose her balance.

Fortunately, Ji Junxin, surprisingly quick-witted, caught her.

Mi Hongdou steadied herself, holding her belly, her back straight, her legs slightly apart, almost in a horse stance. Even with preparation, she hadn’t expected it to affect her balance so much.

“With this on, forget about acting, even standing and walking is difficult,” she said to the staff member.

The staff member shrugged helplessly. “But Director Pan said it has to be realistic.”

Well, they would have to talk to Director Pan.

“It does look very realistic.” Ji Junxin suddenly reached out and touched the prosthetic belly, smiling playfully. “Be a good baby, listen to your mommy.”

Ji Junxin’s teasing made Mi Hongdou blush. “This is your prosthetic belly, if there’s a baby, it’s your baby,” she retorted.

Seeing Mi Hongdou blush, Ji Junxin realized that her teasing was a bit much for a twenty-year-old girl and apologized. “Okay, okay, this baby is mine.” She patted the prosthetic belly again. “Be a good baby, Mommy loves you!”

You idiot! Mi Hongdou’s face burned. The belly was still on her! Pointing at her belly and calling it her baby, what did she mean! Mi Hongdou knew Ji Junxin was just being playful, but… her imagination ran wild… the more she thought about it, the weaker she felt, almost unable to support the weight. Idiot, idiot, idiot!

Not wanting to argue with this idiot, Mi Hongdou, her waist already aching from the straps, quickly took it off. But holding the prosthetic belly in her hand, she felt a strange sense of loss, as if the connection between her and Ji Junxin had weakened. She had been brainwashed by the idiot.

But she couldn’t let Ji Junxin suffer like this.

Ji Junxin was looking at the prosthetic belly with interest, about to try it on, when Mi Hongdou pushed her, along with the padded cloth, into the changing room.

“Go change, we’ll be late.” Mi Hongdou closed the door firmly.

“I just want to try it on!” Ji Junxin protested from inside, but Mi Hongdou blocked the door.

After some rustling and the sound of the lock clicking, Mi Hongdou rubbed her aching waist, returned the prosthetic belly to the staff member, and whispered, “Put this away, don’t let Ji Junxin use it. The weight should be introduced gradually, this is too heavy, she might hurt her back. It would be troublesome if she injured herself.”

Mi Hongdou’s words made sense. Director Pan’s demands were one thing, but if Ji Junxin injured herself wearing this, it would be their responsibility. The staff member quickly put the prosthetic belly away, somewhere Ji Junxin wouldn’t find it.

Relieved, Mi Hongdou touched her own flat stomach, feeling slightly awkward, and went to change.

She hadn’t expected more trouble while she was changing.

The changing rooms were connected. Mi Hongdou took her clothes and entered the one next to Ji Junxin’s. She wasn’t used to having someone else dress her, so she always took her clothes inside and changed herself. During the palace scenes, with the elaborate costumes, she would only leave the outer layers outside. Now, with the simpler clothes for the estate scenes, she didn’t need any help.

But just as she finished putting on her inner garments and was putting on her socks, she heard the sound of a lock clicking next door, followed by Shen Zhu’s voice.

“Sister Junxin, President Qiao’s secretary just called and asked me and Xiao Zhang to go back to Jiang City.” Shen Zhu’s face, unseen by Mi Hongdou, was full of concern. “I don’t know what’s so urgent that we both have to go back. If we both leave, there will be no one to take care of you. Why don’t you ask President Qiao if Xiao Zhang can go back first, and I can stay here with you? Then I can switch with her later, so you’ll still have someone here.”

Mi Hongdou was struggling with her shoe, bent over, her head feeling a little congested. And from Shen Zhu’s mouth, “Miss Ji” had become “Sister Junxin,” the intimacy level increasing rapidly. Annoyed, she yanked on the shoe, and it came off easily.

Fortunately, Ji Junxin, having made up her mind, wasn’t easily swayed. She just smiled at Shen Zhu’s seemingly concerned words and replied, “Since it’s President Qiao’s arrangement, you should go. If it’s nothing serious, you’ll be back soon. If there is something, President Qiao will arrange for someone else, don’t worry.”

Ji Junxin’s words soothed Mi Hongdou’s anger, and Shen Zhu was silent.

Shen Zhu had been Ji Junxin’s assistant for a while. Even though she hadn’t done much actual work, she knew that Ji Junxin usually listened to Qiao Rubai. She hadn’t expected Ji Junxin to keep her here, she just wanted to find out why Qiao Rubai had suddenly summoned them back. But Ji Junxin had deflected the question, not revealing anything, wasting her efforts in trying to be friendly and amusing earlier.

Not getting any information, Shen Zhu, a little unwilling to give up, was about to say more when the door of the changing room next to hers was suddenly flung open, slamming against hers with a loud bang, cutting her off.

“Hey, why aren’t you dressed? It’s cold outside.” Ji Junxin, noticing Mi Hongdou in her inner garments, quickly pushed her back into the changing room and thoughtfully closed the door.

Mi Hongdou, who had been about to come out and confront Shen Zhu, was pushed back in. Was Ji Junxin protecting Shen Zhu? Mi Hongdou’s anger intensified, and she was about to open the door again when she heard Ji Junxin’s nagging from outside, telling her to get dressed quickly and not catch a cold. She had also said it was cold outside when she pushed her in earlier… Listening to the non-stop nagging, Mi Hongdou gradually calmed down. Looking at the closed door, she was amused. Ji Junxin’s pushing and closing of the door was quite smooth, she wondered who she learned it from.

Shen Zhu silently watched as Ji Junxin stood by Mi Hongdou’s door, nagging her to get dressed, her gaze not shifting at all, and she knew that perhaps, in Ji Junxin’s heart, she was no longer important. And Mi Hongdou’s earlier gaze had been… rather fierce. Had she noticed something? Feeling a little guilty, Shen Zhu decided to retreat. It was just a trip back to Jiang City, she would return, and when she did, she would definitely win Ji Junxin over. Then, she would see how much Ji Junxin still cared about this Mi Hongdou.

Thinking this, Shen Zhu slowly left the changing area and ran into Jiang Lingling. Remembering the strange food she had just forced herself to eat, Shen Zhu was startled and, avoiding eye contact, quickly walked away.

Did she have to act like a mouse seeing a cat? … Her assistant had already reported that Shen Zhu had finished the food, even throwing up once, so Jiang Lingling wasn’t surprised to see her. It was time to send the menu.

So, while Mi Hongdou was still changing, her phone in the pile of clothes chirped. After some effort, she dug it out. It was a message from Jiang Lingling: [Mission “Eat Till You Burst” completed, video evidence available, ready to submit, please prepare the reward…], followed by a long list of dishes, from cold appetizers to stir-fries, from braised dishes to soups and desserts, a full course meal.

This time, Mi Hongdou didn’t hesitate and simply replied “Okay.” She was so agreeable because, firstly, Shen Zhu, who clearly had ulterior motives, had been dealt with, which pleased Mi Hongdou, and secondly, she still had to discuss the prosthetic belly matter with Director Pan. And such discussions, naturally, required a pleasant, post-feast atmosphere…

As for Jiang Lingling, having listed so many dishes, she was prepared for a long negotiation with Mi Hongdou. As long as Mi Hongdou agreed to make a third of them, it would be her victory. But she hadn’t expected such a quick and agreeable reply, which surprised and delighted her. She and her assistant had basically decided to keep the restaurant and poach some good chefs, replacing the current ones. Now that she thought about it, those chefs were still useful, she should keep them, and invite anyone she disliked to a meal there.

Jiang Lingling didn’t know how many people would dread her dinner invitations in the future because of this sudden idea. She also didn’t know that the usually mediocre food from her restaurant had been deliberately sabotaged by some disgruntled staff members these past two days, just to make her regret promoting that naive new head chef. And of course, she didn’t know that the feast she had just extracted from Mi Hongdou would be shared with the freeloading group.

Life was full of surprises, nothing was impossible, except perhaps for things beyond even Jiang Lingling’s imagination.

When Mi Hongdou finished changing and came out, only Ji Junxin was there. Shen Zhu was gone, probably summoned back to Jiang City by Qiao Rubai, having no other options. Mi Hongdou mentally praised Qiao Rubai. Having a reliable and powerful ally to remove the troublesome elements around Ji Junxin was reassuring. Thinking of this, she wondered how Qiao Rubai would react if she found out that she was also reborn… just the thought made her feel a little awkward.

It was January, and the weather was freezing, often dropping below zero. Everyone had heating pads on, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for the thin costumes. Filming at the dilapidated estate was much colder than in the palace sets in Shudian. During breaks, the actors could wear down jackets and coats, but during filming, they could only wear their thin costumes. In this situation, everyone tried their best not to NG, even if they weren’t in their best condition, they would force themselves to focus, to minimize their time in the cold.

The morning sun offered no warmth. Fortunately, Jiang Duo wasn’t in any of the morning scenes, her scenes were all scheduled for the afternoon. They wondered if it was Director Pan’s deliberate arrangement. After all, the afternoon sun was slightly warmer, and even with NGs, it wouldn’t be as torturous as in the morning. While silently thanking Director Pan for his consideration, they also mentally criticized Jiang Duo.

No one in the crew had a good impression of Jiang Duo now. Even the actors who had initially been friendly towards her were now avoiding her. Even Zhang Zijing, from the same company, no longer had any romantic interest in her, just maintaining a polite facade. Now, filming the estate scenes, without Zhang Zijing’s presence, Jiang Duo didn’t even have anyone to talk to.

However, although they disliked Jiang Duo, they also found her to be quite tactful, not trying to force friendships, which saved them the trouble of having to deal with her.

If Qiao Rubai knew their thoughts, she would probably laugh her head off. Jiang Duo wasn’t being tactful, she was simply shifting her target to someone else she could cling to.

Two nights ago, the night of the bone broth hot pot feast. After the late dinner, Qiao Rubai and Yang Lianyi, with Yang Miemie, not wanting to drive back at night, found a hotel near Shudian. Somehow, Jiang Duo found out where Qiao Rubai was staying and brought some soup late at night, her intention of currying favor obvious.

Yang Lianyi, who had been trying to poach Qiao Rubai for Mengguan, and whose relationship with Qiao Rubai had improved considerably although Qiao Rubai hadn’t agreed yet, now saw Qiao Rubai as her personal property. Someone trying to poach her property? Heh…

Jiang Duo, unlucky, was mocked and ridiculed by Yang Lianyi and then sent away, soup and all. And Jiang Duo realized that although Yang Lianyi hadn’t used any harsh words, every sentence felt like a slap in the face. She couldn’t even complain to anyone.

Qiao Rubai had watched the entire exchange without intervening. Jiang Duo felt that all the food she had given Qiao Rubai was wasted, this person wasn’t reliable. Remembering that Mi Hongdou had dined with them, and recalling Lu Gaoshi’s earlier words, Jiang Duo regretted not listening to Lu Gaoshi and focusing on Ji Junxin…

She wondered if it was too late to try again…

Chapter 78: Temptation

Jiang Lingling had been plucked from her impoverished village by Dong Yuannan and transformed from a poor country girl into a pampered city girl. He treated her better than his own daughter, showering her with delicacies and experiences beyond most people’s wildest dreams. She had everything she wanted, indulged to the extreme.

For a few years, Jiang Lingling was captivated by this extravagant lifestyle. But the novelty soon wore off. After seeing countless sights and tasting countless delicacies, life seemed… stagnant. How much could one see or eat in a day, even if they did nothing else? When material possessions no longer held any excitement, Jiang Lingling felt a void in her spiritual life. Simply put, she was bored.

Back in her village, life had been filled with poverty and hardship, every day a struggle for survival. But it hadn’t been boring. Of course, even now, bored and pampered, she wouldn’t go back to her old life. As the saying goes, it’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but difficult to go back.

Reading novels on Jinjiang was Jiang Lingling’s way of filling the spiritual void. The ancients said, “Speak less, read more,” and they were right. Jiang Lingling’s boredom subsided after she started reading. Somewhat subsided, because although reading filled the void, it also brought new problems. Real life was so mundane, while the stories in books were so exciting: wuxia adventures, palace intrigues, supernatural mysteries, immortal cultivation fantasies… Jiang Lingling was captivated by these fantastical worlds.

Until her dreams became as vivid as the stories she read. She dreamt of bloody wuxia battles, of scheming in the palace, of battling ghosts and demons with magic… The world in her dreams was amazing!

Dong Yuannan, always concerned about his goddaughter, was the first to notice something was wrong. Jiang Lingling spending all day at home was one thing, but sleeping all day, besides eating, was definitely a sign of illness! He took her to the hospital for a thorough checkup, but the results showed that she was perfectly healthy. Jiang Lingling herself felt strong enough to take down two oxen, she didn’t understand why her godfather was so worried. So, looking at the perfect health report, Dong Yuannan couldn’t help but ask. Fortunately, Jiang Lingling adored her godfather and, without any embarrassment, told him everything about her obsession with daydreaming. Well, perhaps Jiang Lingling simply didn’t know what embarrassment was, it had nothing to do with adoration.

Jiang Lingling didn’t think it was a big deal. But Dong Yuannan panicked. If there was nothing wrong with her physically, then it must be a mental problem!

A normal parent would take their child to a psychologist, or even a psychiatrist. But Dong Yuannan, a self-made man who had navigated the complex world of business for years, wasn’t a normal parent. After talking to Jiang Lingling, he spent the entire night in his study, emerging the next day looking like a panda, and declared, “Let’s enter the film and television industry!”

She loved the worlds in books so much that she didn’t even want to wake up from her dreams? Then go act, go experience those fantastical worlds! Dong Yuannan enthusiastically brought his goddaughter into the entertainment industry, their first stop being the “Imperial Secrets” production, which was already filming.

At first, Jiang Lingling wasn’t very enthusiastic. Acting meant following a script, with fragmented scenes, often filmed out of order, it wasn’t as smooth, novel, and exciting as her dreams. But she always listened to Dong Yuannan, so she reluctantly joined the crew. For the first month, she was busy trying to get Mi Hongdou to make her egg fried rice and fighting with those who disliked her. She didn’t feel anything about acting.

But then, things changed. Pan Xiang, the screenwriter, repeatedly revised Jiang Lingling’s scenes, and although it was troublesome to learn the new lines, Jiang Lingling felt that she was gradually getting into the role. She remembered the first time she became immersed, she had almost forgotten her real identity, truly becoming the concubine in the palace. It was a wonderful experience. Jiang Lingling found increasing joy in acting. If at first, she had entered the industry to please Dong Yuannan, now she genuinely loved it.

She didn’t need the fame or the applause, just the act of performing brought her happiness. Of course, she was still very proud whenever Director Pan praised her.

Being an actress was amazing! Jiang Lingling thought this and believed that other actors must feel the same. Well, perhaps not all actors, but at least Mi Hongdou should feel this way.

After three months of filming, Jiang Lingling was no longer a complete newbie. At least, in her opinion, Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin had the fewest NGs and received the most praise from Director Pan. It seemed… that Mi Hongdou also enjoyed acting. So, when Jiang Lingling heard Mi Hongdou seriously say that she wanted to be Ji Junxin’s assistant, she was incredibly shocked.

Just for a moment. But then, considering Mi Hongdou’s feelings for Ji Junxin, besides the shock, she felt that it was a natural progression. Compared to love, many things could be sacrificed.

A film would eventually end, and they would go their separate ways, the next collaboration uncertain. Having fallen in love with acting, Jiang Lingling, who now bought all the entertainment magazines, knew that friendships formed during filming often faded with time and distance, especially… when the feelings were more than just friendship. Jiang Lingling looked at Mi Hongdou, who was sincerely confessing her feelings to Ji Junxin, and could only sigh.

Everyone had their own pursuits. Although Jiang Lingling felt that it was a waste for Mi Hongdou to give up acting and become an assistant, she had no right to interfere. Even standing here felt intrusive.

So, as soon as Mi Hongdou finished speaking, Jiang Lingling quietly retreated…

“What if I were your assistant?”

Mi Hongdou’s words were like a thunderbolt, striking Ji Junxin.

If Mi Hongdou were her assistant, then she would always be with her, not leaving after a project ended, not drifting apart because of busy schedules. She would always be by her side, within reach. She could even share a room with her during filming. And when they weren’t filming, she could be her personal assistant, living with her. Right, her current one-bedroom apartment was too small… Perhaps she should buy a bigger one, a duplex, with enough space. No, no, that would be too big, what if they lived on separate floors? A two-bedroom apartment would be better, separate rooms but on the same floor, not too far apart. Although not as close as sharing a hotel room, it was still good. She could buy an apartment near Mi’s mother’s place, so Mi Hongdou could visit her mother often, but she had to come back to her place at night. Being close to her mother’s place, there would be no excuse for Mi Hongdou not to come back.

Mi Hongdou’s one sentence sparked countless fantasies in Ji Junxin’s mind, from working and living together, to buying a new apartment, to even wondering what kind of interior design Mi Hongdou liked.

It was such a tempting thought… Ji Junxin couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this hopeful and excited about life. Was it when she first started acting, filled with anticipation for this new life?

She could see that Mi Hongdou’s offer was sincere, not a joke. That was why she felt such a surge of hope and excitement. But… she quickly suppressed it.

It was such a wonderful and tempting offer, like a feast presented to a starving person, almost irresistible. Ji Junxin bit her lip, the dull pain strengthening her resolve.

“I already have two assistants, I can’t afford a third,” she said, forcing a smile, dismissing Mi Hongdou’s words as a joke.

But if Mi Hongdou could say it out loud, it wasn’t just a joke. Admittedly, she had spoken impulsively, reacting to Ji Junxin’s words about them eventually separating, about only Shen Zhu being able to stay with her. But as soon as the words left her mouth, Mi Hongdou had a realization. Yes, this was the solution, the only way to always be with Ji Junxin, to always protect her. If she became Ji Junxin’s assistant, then Lu Gaoshi, Shen Zhu, and the like, their schemes wouldn’t matter, because Ji Junxin would only need her. Then, she could accompany Ji Junxin during filming, in her daily life, even if Ji Junxin got married and had children, as her assistant, she could still stay with her, never leaving. Wait, she couldn’t think about that, it hurt. But being an assistant, it was a really good idea.

Mi Hongdou, now determined, seeing Ji Junxin’s polite refusal, became anxious. “I’m serious, I think I would be a good assistant. Look, I can do everything your current assistants can do. And I can cook, they can’t, right?” Determined to persuade Ji Junxin, she had to use her trump card. “Think about it, if I were your assistant, I could make you breakfast every morning, we could bring lunch to the set, and late-night snacks and desserts, of course. I could make you whatever you want, whenever you want, no need to worry about scheduling. And…”

“No…” Ji Junxin forced herself to interrupt, to avoid hearing the even more tempting offers. “I can’t hire you as my assistant.”

“…” Mi Hongdou’s enthusiasm was doused with cold water, and her voice was tinged with disappointment. “Why?”

Ji Junxin was about to explain, then stopped and asked, “Then why do you, a talented actress, want to be my assistant?”

Because she couldn’t bear to be apart from her, of course! Mi Hongdou looked at Ji Junxin, the words on the tip of her tongue, then swallowed them. Saying that would reveal her true feelings. She suddenly regretted it, she could have taken a more gradual approach, there was no need to be so direct now.

“Haha, we’ll talk about this later,” Mi Hongdou said, forcing a smile and changing the subject.

Ji Junxin didn’t speak. They looked at each other, and Mi Hongdou, feeling guilty, looked away first.

Mi Hongdou hadn’t said it out loud, but Ji Junxin understood. How could she not? A talented actress, with connections and opportunities, about to become famous with two upcoming dramas, suddenly wanting to give it all up and become an assistant, what other reason could there be? It must be… just like how she was reluctant to part with her, Mi Hongdou was also reluctant… A sweetness bloomed in Ji Junxin’s heart, strengthening her resolve.

“No, I won’t hire you as my assistant, not in the future either.” Ji Junxin didn’t want to give Mi Hongdou any more hope and, despite the pang in her heart, firmly rejected her.

Mi Hongdou felt hurt, but she couldn’t argue further, or it would only make Ji Junxin overthink. It was frustrating… Mi Hongdou took a deep breath.

Ji Junxin couldn’t miss Mi Hongdou’s disappointment.

“I’d rather see you shine on screen than be my assistant.” Ji Junxin, not wanting Mi Hongdou to be unhappy, explained, “Although I also don’t want to be apart from you after this film, I don’t want you to make such a sacrifice. Even if we can’t film together, we’ll still be good friends, right?…”

The classic “give a slap, then offer a sweet date” tactic. Mi Hongdou sighed, but the date was still sweet.

“So I will absolutely not hire you as my assistant.” Ji Junxin emphasized seriously. Only she knew how much it pained her to say those words… It seemed she wouldn’t need to buy a new apartment after all. She really wanted Mi Hongdou to be her assistant… but it seemed she was destined to be alone.

“Okay, I understand.” Mi Hongdou saw Ji Junxin’s seriousness. Although rejected, her heart still felt warm. But seeing Ji Junxin’s resolute demeanor, she couldn’t help but feel a little unwilling. “But if I were your assistant, I could cook for you every day, aren’t you even tempted?”

Tempted! Her heart was practically leaping with joy! Ji Junxin forced herself to remain calm and retorted, “So if you’re not my assistant, you won’t cook for me anymore?”

“…” Mi Hongdou was speechless.

Jiang Lingling, having tactfully retreated, stopped behind some cover, still worried about those two fools, and watched from afar. They seemed to be talking calmly and then walked away together. Jiang Lingling was relieved, but also a little disappointed. So, no one noticed her leaving? Was a single dog’s presence that insignificant!

Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin weren’t fools, they noticed Jiang Lingling’s absence, just a little late. After Ji Junxin firmly rejected Mi Hongdou, and Mi Hongdou accepted the rejection, their minds slightly calmer, they realized that Jiang Lingling was gone. Well, it wasn’t much different from not noticing at all.

But the set wasn’t that large, Jiang Lingling wouldn’t get lost. Ji Junxin assumed Jiang Lingling had something to do and left. Mi Hongdou’s guess was closer to the truth, she figured Jiang Lingling had tactfully left to give them some space. Jiang Lingling, although often unreliable, could be considerate sometimes.

As they walked towards the makeup area, Ji Junxin thought that the assistant topic was finally over. But after a few steps, Mi Hongdou spoke again.

“After this film, who knows when we’ll have another chance to work together. How about letting me be your part-time assistant during this time? We’re eating, living, and working together anyway, and you don’t have much for an assistant to do.” This time, Mi Hongdou’s offer was more carefully considered. Of course, seeing Shen Zhu’s closeness to Ji Junxin and feeling uncomfortable was one reason, but more importantly, she felt that Shen Zhu’s sudden clinginess was suspicious. She needed time to investigate, and during that time, it was best to limit Shen Zhu’s access to Ji Junxin.

Mi Hongdou’s persistence surprised Ji Junxin. But thinking about it, Mi Hongdou was right. She didn’t really have much for an assistant to do. These past few months… packing, cleaning, cooking, those were all tasks an assistant would normally do, and Mi Hongdou had already been doing them. Mi Hongdou had practically been her part-time assistant! Ji Junxin felt a pang of guilt for her obliviousness and unintentional exploitation.

“But Shen Zhu just asked me to give her and Xiao Zhang more tasks…” Ji Junxin still remembered Shen Zhu’s words, and now that she had realized it, she couldn’t continue exploiting Mi Hongdou.

What a naive fool… Mi Hongdou looked at Ji Junxin, exasperated. How could she be so clueless? How badly had she been manipulated in her previous life!

“…Are you angry?” Ji Junxin clearly saw the annoyance in Mi Hongdou’s eyes.

“No…” Mi Hongdou shook her head, then nodded. “Okay, I am a little angry, but not at you. Listen, you heard what Jiang Lingling said, Shen Zhu was asking about your whereabouts, who knows what her intentions are? This could be a big deal. You might think she was just being concerned, but there might be something else going on. You can’t judge a book by its cover, right? I have a suggestion. Tell Qiao Rubai about Shen Zhu asking about our trip, let her handle it. She’s your manager, she should know about this.” Mi Hongdou would investigate Shen Zhu herself, but that would take time. Judging by Ji Junxin’s reaction, she hadn’t experienced Shen Zhu’s true nature yet and probably wouldn’t readily distance herself from her. But Qiao Rubai was different, if she knew about this, she would act immediately, better safe than sorry.

Mi Hongdou understood Qiao Rubai’s personality, and Ji Junxin, having grown up with her, knew her even better. Knowing Qiao Rubai’s decisiveness, Ji Junxin hesitated.

“Call her now.” Mi Hongdou stood firm, not moving until Ji Junxin made the call.

Ji Junxin didn’t move, and neither did Mi Hongdou. Finally… Ji Junxin called Qiao Rubai.

As expected, Qiao Rubai just told them to focus on filming and leave everything else to her.

Ji Junxin hung up the phone, a little sad. “So, she’s going to transfer Shen Zhu?”

Definitely. Qiao Rubai was so reliable, Mi Hongdou was relieved. Of course, she still had to comfort Ji Junxin.

“It’s okay, we’ve already agreed that I’ll be your part-time assistant during this time. It’s just right that Shen Zhu is being transferred.” Mi Hongdou intended to comfort Ji Junxin, but she couldn’t help but feel a little smug.

When did they agree? … Ji Junxin glared at Mi Hongdou, who smiled at her, and Ji Junxin couldn’t help but smile too.

Well, actually… it wasn’t so bad.

Chapter 77: Separation

When one chooses compliance over defiance, their options become limited. Like Shen Zhu, from being led to the table by the assistant, to being pressed into a seat by Jiang Lingling, to taking the first bite, each act of submission led her down a path of forced consumption.

And this path wasn’t easy.

If, at first, Shen Zhu still held a sliver of hope that Jiang Lingling was just promoting her restaurant, then after the first bite of pork ribs, she knew there was a hidden agenda. But facing the increasingly cheerful and enthusiastic Jiang Lingling, Shen Zhu was trapped. She couldn’t refuse to eat and could only hope that the other dishes weren’t as disgusting as the ribs.

In fact, the ribs were indeed the worst of the breakfast spread. But the other dishes, although not as repulsive, were also surprisingly bland. If it weren’t for this situation, Shen Zhu would have definitely rejected them.

The fishy pork ribs, the dry shumai, the dense and chewy sponge cake, the bitter radish cake, the tasteless custard buns, the wontons filled with ginger and scallions, the mushy noodles…

Shen Zhu forced herself to try everything Jiang Lingling placed in front of her. By the time she put down her chopsticks, her stomach churned, and she felt nauseous. But it was over. She breathed a sigh of relief, swallowing hard to suppress the urge to vomit.

“I’m… full,” she said to Jiang Lingling with a forced smile, hoping that Jiang Lingling, seeing her suffering, would let her go.

She looked full, but… Jiang Lingling’s expression was full of shock. “Impossible, you’re already full? This is just a small appetizer. Do you think the restaurant I bought with a fortune can’t even make a decent breakfast?” She clutched her chest dramatically, as if about to collapse.

Such good acting, what a waste not to become a professional scammer, the assistant thought. Every time she thought Jiang Lingling couldn’t be any more devious, she would surprise her.

Jiang Lingling’s shocked and hurt expressions were so convincing that Shen Zhu almost believed them. But when Jiang Lingling piled more food in front of her and enthusiastically urged her to continue eating, Shen Zhu knew that the shock and hurt were all an act.

The food was so bad, and she was being forced to eat it. Shen Zhu wasn’t stupid, she knew Jiang Lingling was messing with her. But why? … She hadn’t offended Jiang Lingling, she was just Ji Junxin’s assistant. They barely interacted, oh, wait, they did. Shen Zhu suddenly remembered that she had approached Jiang Lingling’s assistant a few days ago, asking a few questions. But Jiang Lingling wouldn’t be doing this just because of that, right?

Shen Zhu looked at the seemingly normal breakfast, her appetite completely gone. But Jiang Lingling, relentless, kept piling food in front of her, urging her with a smile. Everyone in the crew knew about Jiang Lingling’s arrogance. This sudden attentiveness, it was abnormal. Shen Zhu didn’t dare to refuse directly. But she really couldn’t eat anymore. Perhaps seeing Shen Zhu’s hesitation, Jiang Lingling picked up her chopsticks, picked up a piece of dim sum, and held it to Shen Zhu’s mouth.

Being fed by Jiang Lingling, what an honor, something Shen Zhu wouldn’t have even dared to imagine before. Of course, she didn’t want to imagine it now either. The sponge cake was right in front of her mouth, and even though she knew it would be terrible, Shen Zhu had to open her mouth and take a bite.

She finished the sponge cake in a few bites. As soon as she swallowed the last piece, Shen Zhu jumped up and retreated a few steps. “That’s enough…” she said, forcing a smile.

Enough? She was far from bursting. Jiang Lingling looked at her assistant, who, with a helpless expression, quickly moved to Shen Zhu’s side and grabbed her arm.

The prey was wary, any further pretense of kindness was useless. Jiang Lingling’s smile, however, became more genuine. She beckoned Shen Zhu. “Come here,” she said, pointing at the chair. “Sit down.”

If earlier, Shen Zhu had been trying to avoid offending Jiang Lingling, now she realized that whether she left or not, she had already offended her. So, if not now, when? Shen Zhu stopped talking and struggled to free herself from the assistant’s grip.

The assistant wasn’t particularly strong, and with Shen Zhu struggling, she couldn’t hold her. She looked at Jiang Lingling, hoping for instructions. This was on set, after all. Earlier, Shen Zhu had been cooperating, but if she made a scene now, it wouldn’t be good for anyone.

Jiang Lingling understood the assistant’s unspoken question. But… she didn’t care.

She pointed at the breakfast spread. “Sit down and finish this. Then you can leave.” Since Shen Zhu wasn’t cooperating, she wouldn’t waste time on pretense. “Of course, if you don’t mind offending me, you can leave now without eating.”

Shen Zhu stopped struggling. Was Jiang Lingling showing her true colors? She was practically saying that if Shen Zhu left, there would be consequences.

“Why…” Even if she was doomed, Shen Zhu wanted to know why.

Jiang Lingling just smiled, not answering.

“Because of Mi Hongdou?” Shen Zhu finally asked. Mi Hongdou’s sudden enthusiasm earlier, urging her to have breakfast with Jiang Lingling, had seemed strange. After getting out of the car, she hadn’t wanted to come. But the assistant had insisted, and Shen Zhu, thinking it was just a meal, had agreed. But after the first bite, she knew she was wrong, although she still held a sliver of hope that it was just Jiang Lingling’s unique taste. Then she suspected that Mi Hongdou, knowing how bad the food was, had deliberately sent her here. But now, with Jiang Lingling’s blatant hostility, Shen Zhu realized that she had been too naive. This wasn’t just a prank, it was a deliberate act of retaliation, orchestrated by Mi Hongdou and Jiang Lingling.

Jiang Lingling had brought so much food, and Shen Zhu had already tried everything, she felt sick. Making her finish it all was torture… She had only made a few comments to Mi Hongdou in the car, there was no need to be so ruthless, Shen Zhu felt miserable. Mi Hongdou had a good reputation on set, she was always kind and friendly, she didn’t seem like the type to be so unforgiving. Confused, Shen Zhu asked Jiang Lingling for confirmation.

However, Jiang Lingling just smiled, leaning against the table with her arms crossed, not answering.

Jiang Lingling’s demeanor made Shen Zhu, who had been almost certain it was Mi Hongdou’s doing, unsure. Had she offended Jiang Lingling, not Mi Hongdou? Was it because of the questions she had asked the assistant a few days ago? Just asking a few questions shouldn’t warrant such treatment. Shen Zhu racked her brains, trying to figure out the reason, but she couldn’t.

Of course, she couldn’t. Who would believe that Jiang Lingling would go to such lengths just for a meal?

“You’ve been thinking long enough, the food will be cold soon, and it won’t be as delicious.” Seeing Shen Zhu just standing there, Jiang Lingling checked her phone and gave a “kind” reminder.

“But it’s… too much…” Shen Zhu knew she could leave, even make a scene and avoid eating all this. But she didn’t dare… Jiang Lingling… having said this much, if she didn’t eat, even if she escaped today, there would be consequences later. No one could protect her, not even that person… Shen Zhu suddenly thought of Ji Junxin. If Ji Junxin was willing to protect her, perhaps Jiang Lingling would also let her go for Ji Junxin’s sake.

“Don’t negotiate with me.” Jiang Lingling tapped the table impatiently. “Either eat, or leave.”

Even if Ji Junxin was willing to protect her, it would be difficult to ask for help now. Shen Zhu glanced at the empty chauffeured car. And it seemed that Ji Junxin really cared about Mi Hongdou. Before becoming Ji Junxin’s most trusted person, she couldn’t ask for her help with this kind of thing.

Shen Zhu sat down silently and started eating.

Seeing this, the assistant felt a pang of sympathy. She and Jiang Lingling often played pranks, but it was usually just retaliation against those who bullied Jiang Lingling. This time was different, Shen Zhu hadn’t done anything to Jiang Lingling, but Jiang Lingling seemed relentless.

Seemingly sensing the assistant’s sympathy, Jiang Lingling beckoned her over.

“You said Shen Zhu talked to you a few days ago,” Jiang Lingling said, her voice low, ensuring Shen Zhu couldn’t hear.

The assistant nodded.

“And you said she asked you what we were doing when we went back to Jiang City with Ji Junxin,” Jiang Lingling continued.

The assistant nodded again.

Jiang Lingling’s expression turned serious. “Think about it, she’s Ji Junxin’s assistant, if she wanted to know what Ji Junxin was doing in Jiang City, couldn’t she just ask her directly? If you wanted to know where I went, would you ask Bai Tang? Would you ask Shen Zhu? You would ask me directly, right?”

The assistant thought about it and nodded.

“So, Shen Zhu not asking Ji Junxin, but asking you instead, is definitely suspicious. If she was truly loyal to Ji Junxin, why would she ask you? Asking you means she’s not completely loyal, perhaps she’s being bribed by someone. Do you still feel sorry for her?” Jiang Lingling said righteously, brainwashing her assistant.

Although the assistant knew Jiang Lingling was manipulating her, she had to admit, it made sense. The sympathy in her eyes when she looked at Shen Zhu disappeared.

Jiang Lingling mentally praised her own cleverness. As for the things she just said to brainwash her assistant, haha, of course, they were all made up. But her assistant had a strong sense of justice. If she knew that she was doing this to Shen Zhu just for a free meal from Mi Hongdou, it would disrupt their harmonious relationship.

But Jiang Lingling didn’t know that her made-up story was actually very close to the truth.

Similarly, Mi Hongdou, nibbling on the sticky rice roll, didn’t expect Jiang Lingling to take her angry words so seriously.

For Mi Hongdou, the pickled mustard greens, youtiao, and meat floss filling, although not Ji Junxin’s favorite, was the classic version. And today, the half-eaten roll, having been bitten by Ji Junxin, tasted strangely sweet. Mi Hongdou didn’t dare to dwell on this sweetness, it felt… creepy.

Ji Junxin also didn’t want to overthink the exchanged rice rolls. Her earlier, random thought of an indirect kiss had made her blush furiously, she couldn’t handle any more wild imaginations. But even so, she ate the rice roll slowly, savoring each bite. It must be because there was only half left, she had to cherish it, Ji Junxin told herself.

They were both eating breakfast, but those outside the car were suffering, while those inside were happy.

Even savored slowly, the half-eaten rice roll was quickly finished. Ji Junxin licked her lips, glanced at Mi Hongdou, who, sensing her unsatisfied gaze, offered her the other half. “Not full? Want some more?” One bite led to another, this time, Mi Hongdou offered without hesitation.

Ji Junxin shook her head vigorously. “No, no need, I still have soy milk.” She started searching for her cup in the insulated bag.

Soon, she found it, along with a piece of paper.

“What’s this?” Ji Junxin unfolded the paper. “Rice roll with egg, sausage, and pork tenderloin in the bag with the bow. Rice roll with pickled mustard greens, youtiao, and meat floss in the bag with the single knot.”

“…” Mi Hongdou looked at the surprised Ji Junxin and smiled. “Did Bai Tang write this?”

Bai Tang… “Oh…” Ji Junxin suddenly exclaimed. “I remember now, Bai Tang told me she left a note in the bag. But then Shen Zhu came and I forgot.”

As expected of Bai Tang, she was always so meticulous. Mi Hongdou smiled reassuringly. “It’s okay, we’ll ask Bai Tang to buy more tomorrow.”

Ji Junxin felt a little guilty. But thinking about the accidental exchange, it was actually quite amusing, so she didn’t dwell on it.

There were always unexpected twists and turns in life, not always smooth sailing, but… not always bad either.

After finishing their breakfast and chatting for a while, Bai Tang came to the car to call them for makeup and costumes. This task was usually handled by Ji Junxin’s two assistants, but today, it was just Bai Tang, without Shen Zhu or the other assistant.

Mi Hongdou, getting out of the car, immediately looked towards Jiang Lingling’s large table. Jiang Lingling and her assistant were standing by the table, and Shen Zhu was sitting opposite them, her back to the car, seemingly eating. As Mi Hongdou got out, Jiang Lingling also happened to look over, and Mi Hongdou, while Ji Junxin was still in the car, gave Jiang Lingling a thumbs-up.

Jiang Lingling grinned and returned a “V” sign for victory.

Shen Zhu, focused on eating so she could leave quickly, missed this exchange.

Jiang Lingling had scenes today, so after Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou left to prepare, she also left. Before leaving, she instructed her assistant to film Shen Zhu eating, not letting her go until she finished. After giving these instructions and a few more threats to Shen Zhu, Jiang Lingling went to join Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou.

Shortly after Jiang Lingling left, Shen Zhu put down her chopsticks and looked at the assistant pitifully. “I really can’t eat anymore. She’s gone, just pretend you didn’t see anything and let me throw this away.”

Earlier, the assistant might have felt sympathetic and let her go. But after being brainwashed by Jiang Lingling, she felt that Shen Zhu, having asked her about Ji Junxin’s activities, was disloyal, so she wouldn’t agree.

The assistant took out her phone and showed it to Shen Zhu. “Miss Jiang asked me to record everything before she left.”

“…” Shen Zhu looked at the assistant, who was starting to record, and felt a surge of resentment. Who had she offended? … She picked up her chopsticks and continued eating angrily.

Jiang Lingling caught up with Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin and started to take credit. “I…”

“I saw you treating Shen Zhu to breakfast, thank you,” Mi Hongdou quickly interrupted, glancing at Ji Junxin and giving Jiang Lingling a look.

Ji Junxin also smiled. “Thank you.”

“Heh, it was nothing, nothing.” Jiang Lingling saw that dealing with Shen Zhu was Mi Hongdou’s idea, kept secret from Ji Junxin. Looking at Ji Junxin’s sincere expression of gratitude, she couldn’t help but say, “By the way, there’s something, it’s not a big deal, but I overheard it, so I thought I should let you know.”

Mi Hongdou gave Jiang Lingling a warning look.

Jiang Lingling raised her chin slightly, annoyed. Did they think she was so unreliable?

“Shen Zhu came for breakfast today, and it reminded my assistant of something. She said that she hasn’t interacted much with Shen Zhu since joining the crew. But a few days ago, Shen Zhu suddenly approached her and, after chatting about everything, asked her a question. She asked where we went when we went back to Jiang City together.” Jiang Lingling finished and added, “That time we went back to Jiang City and picked up Ji Junxin from Nan Tian.”

No wonder Shen Zhu seemed suspicious today. Mi Hongdou frowned. So what was Shen Zhu’s intention? Whose side was she on? …

The Nan Tian incident had resulted in Lu Gaoshi’s dismissal. Could Shen Zhu have been bribed by Lu Gaoshi? To try and get her back? Mi Hongdou’s first thought was Lu Gaoshi. She instinctively felt that Shen Zhu must have been bribed, which wasn’t good.

“Junxin…” Mi Hongdou looked at Ji Junxin worriedly, wondering if Shen Zhu had said anything to her before she got in the car. If Lu Gaoshi returned, it would be a disaster.

Ji Junxin also frowned, she didn’t understand why Shen Zhu would ask about that after so long.

“Perhaps… Shen Zhu was just asking casually?” Ji Junxin, of course, hadn’t guessed Mi Hongdou’s thoughts and didn’t understand her worry.

What an idiot, Jiang Lingling and Mi Hongdou exchanged glances, reaching the same conclusion.

“Regardless, it’s still a bit strange.” Mi Hongdou looked at Ji Junxin with concern. “Don’t be alone with her anymore. If she wants to talk to you privately, call me over.”

Although she didn’t think Shen Zhu would cause any real trouble, Mi Hongdou’s words warmed Ji Junxin’s heart. But then, thinking about the future, the warmth turned into a chill. “After this film, we’ll eventually go our separate ways. Then Shen Zhu will still be my assistant, and you won’t be with me all the time.”

Ji Junxin’s words, tinged with an unexpected sadness, surprised everyone.

“What if I were your assistant?”

If Ji Junxin’s words had surprised Jiang Lingling, then Mi Hongdou’s almost made her jaw drop.