Category: Reborn to Stew Soup (GL)

Chapter 39: Have You Eaten?

Jiang Lingling, with half-finished makeup, seemingly unconcerned about her strange appearance, stood before Ji Junxin, hands clasped behind her back, and unceremoniously scanned her up and down before asking, “Isn’t Mi Hongdou filming today? Where is she?”

So, you were checking if I had Mi Hongdou hidden up my sleeve? Ji Junxin glanced at her and replied slowly, “She doesn’t have any scenes in the first few takes, she’ll probably be here later.”

Ji Junxin had mixed feelings about Jiang Lingling. On the one hand, this person’s first appearance was marked by her arrogant attempt to snatch food, which made it hard to like her. Not to mention that after Jiang Lingling officially joined the crew, she had pestered Mi Hongdou several times to make her egg fried rice. If it weren’t for the fact that Mi Hongdou didn’t have many scenes here and was truly busy, she might have actually given in and cooked for her. It was just a bowl of egg fried rice, and it wasn’t even for her to make. Ji Junxin knew she shouldn’t be so bothered. But the thought of Mi Hongdou spending her precious time cooking for Jiang Lingling made her uncomfortable. So, although she didn’t show it, Ji Junxin was actually a little unhappy about Jiang Lingling joining the crew. But on the other hand, Jiang Lingling’s presence had inadvertently helped Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou.

The news of Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin sharing a room had quickly spread through the crew. It was common for crew members to share rooms, especially when filming on location with limited budget and hotel rooms. Even actors sharing rooms wasn’t unusual. However, for someone of Ji Junxin’s status, sharing a room was unlikely. When the news spread, Lu Gaoshi, as Ji Junxin’s manager, should have said something to clarify, but she didn’t. Later, Director Pan, having heard some gossip about Mi Hongdou not only using Qiao Rubai’s connections but also clinging to Ji Junxin, specifically praised Mi Hongdou’s acting skills during filming and casually mentioned, “Having you and Ji Junxin share a room to learn from each other was indeed the right decision. Keep up the good work!” He didn’t say anything more. Whether others believed it or not, he didn’t care. At least, his words dispelled some of the increasingly wild rumors. Mi Hongdou’s acting was indeed good, and she had a few powerful backers. Sharing a room wasn’t such a big deal to be gossiped about constantly. Soon, everyone’s attention was drawn to Jiang Lingling, who had her scenes rewritten.

Since Jiang Lingling had inadvertently diverted the gossip about Mi Hongdou using connections, Ji Junxin was willing to exchange a few words with her, as long as the topic wasn’t about when Mi Hongdou would cook for her.

Based on her understanding of Jiang Lingling these past few days, Ji Junxin thought that her lukewarm response would make her snort haughtily and turn away. But she was wrong.

“…Have you had breakfast?” Jiang Lingling’s voice softened, then, seemingly uncomfortable with this tone, she cleared her throat and resumed her usual slightly forceful and arrogant tone, but her words didn’t match her tone. “I bought too much breakfast today, here, have some, it’s very delicious.” Without waiting for Ji Junxin’s response, she brought her hand from behind her back and placed a bag on Ji Junxin’s dressing table. Then, as if her tail was on fire, she quickly walked away and returned to her makeup chair.

Ji Junxin couldn’t quite process it. The sun had indeed risen from the east today. Ji Junxin looked at Jiang Lingling, who was having her makeup done with her back turned, and then at the translucent plastic bag with the “KFC” logo in front of her. It was a large bag, bulging, likely containing all varieties of KFC breakfast items. KFC’s preserved egg and lean meat congee was quite good, and their scallion pancakes were also good, but she had already been filled with a delicious breakfast, a deliciousness that no KFC food could surpass. Wait, something seemed off… Ji Junxin facepalmed. What she should be thinking about was why Jiang Lingling gave her breakfast, and whether she should return it while it was still warm.

Speaking of that egg fried rice, Mi Hongdou had wanted to make it for Jiang Lingling several times, but she was truly too busy and tired, and rendering lard was also troublesome. A few days ago, Mi Hongdou had told Ji Junxin that when she wasn’t so busy, she would make the fried rice for Jiang Lingling. Ji Junxin felt a little unhappy for some reason, but she didn’t have the right to object, so she just said, what if, after making one meal, she kept asking for more? Mi Hongdou’s reply was that she wouldn’t. That confident reply made Ji Junxin inexplicably unhappy, and she turned over and went to sleep, ending the conversation. Anyway, Jiang Lingling had been persistent about a bowl of egg fried rice for a month, she was a strange person. Previously, when they ran into each other, Jiang Lingling would at most ask Ji Junxin about Mi Hongdou’s schedule. They weren’t close, so this sudden act of giving her breakfast was puzzling.

Unfortunately, Ji Junxin was too surprised earlier. The words of refusal were on the tip of her tongue, but before she could say them, Jiang Lingling ran away. Well, she ran away, and with her back turned, there wasn’t even eye contact. Ji Junxin wasn’t sure if returning the breakfast now, with so many people backstage, would be too embarrassing for the proud and arrogant Jiang Lingling. But keeping it, firstly, she couldn’t eat it, and secondly, she felt uneasy accepting a gift with unclear intentions. She had a feeling that eating her breakfast would lead to trouble.

While Ji Junxin was hesitating, Jiang Lingling suddenly moved. Her makeup didn’t seem finished yet, and she seemed to be heading towards the bathroom, followed by an assistant. This was her chance! Ji Junxin stopped her makeup artist and picked up the heavy KFC bag.

There was only one way from the backstage area to the bathroom. Ji Junxin chose an inconspicuous corner near the bathroom and waited for Jiang Lingling to return. As she waited, she overheard a conversation between Jiang Lingling and her assistant.

“Do you think Ji Junxin likes KFC for breakfast?” Jiang Lingling asked, slowly wiping her hands with a tissue handed to her by her assistant.

“She probably… likes it?” The assistant didn’t know how to answer. It was Jiang Lingling who insisted that KFC was the best and gave Ji Junxin KFC for breakfast. Now, she was the one who was unsure.

“I also think she’ll like it. In my opinion, KFC is the most delicious.” Jiang Lingling’s tone was full of certainty and pride. “She’ll definitely like it.”

“So, are we still getting KFC for lunch as planned?”

“Yes! Get a little of everything. I’ll send her breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks every day. Then I’ll ask her to talk to Mi Hongdou for me, and the egg fried rice will be mine.” Jiang Lingling was full of confidence.

“Are you sure… KFC for every meal?” The assistant recalled Jiang Lingling’s plan to win over Ji Junxin. Four meals a day, all KFC. The assistant felt that it was unreliable but didn’t dare to object directly, so she could only subtly hint, “Won’t she get tired of eating KFC every meal?” Eating so much fast food, even if she didn’t get tired of it, it wouldn’t be good for her health.

Jiang Lingling looked at her assistant strangely: “Is there a problem? KFC is the most delicious food, you can’t get tired of it no matter how much you eat. When my godfather first brought me out, the first meat I ate was KFC, and I ate it for three months straight without getting tired of it. Get some for me too for lunch today. Oh, Mi Hongdou might also be here at noon, get extra.”

“Okay…” The assistant didn’t dare to offer any more suggestions. Anyway, it was Jiang Lingling’s idea, and the food was from KFC. If it didn’t work out, it wasn’t her fault.

Their voices weren’t loud, but Ji Junxin was standing close enough to hear everything. So, four meals a day, all KFC? Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks, all KFC? Was she trying to kill her? … Ji Junxin looked at the heavy KFC bag in her hand. She had a feeling that Jiang Lingling was serious. If she didn’t refuse, she might really send her KFC four times a day for three months straight.

Was she… crazy? …

What Ji Junxin didn’t know was that, in Jiang Lingling’s eyes, KFC was truly the most delicious food in the world. When Godfather Dong Yuannan brought her out of that poor and backward village, saving her from an early marriage and a life of hunger, the first satisfying meat meal she had was KFC at the airport. Order whatever she wanted, eat whatever she wanted, so much meat, something she had never experienced even during the New Year. The fried chicken was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the roasted chicken was fragrant and firm. It was the best and most delicious food Jiang Lingling had ever eaten in her life.

Even later, when Dong Yuannan, adhering to the principle of “raising girls richly, raising Jiang Lingling extravagantly,” took her to eat delicacies all over the world and hired a top nutritionist to take care of her three meals a day, in Jiang Lingling’s eyes, the most delicious food in the world was still KFC. Only KFC, in her heart, was supreme. It marked the end of her poor and miserable years and brought her into a new world.

It was her most cherished food, and she clumsily wanted to share it with Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou, hoping that Mi Hongdou could make her a bowl of fried rice, because her godfather seemed to like it very much.

The assistant didn’t know Jiang Lingling’s thoughts, and neither did Ji Junxin. So, the assistant just thought she was stubborn and strange, while Ji Junxin was just shocked and puzzled. Then, holding the bag, she walked forward and stood in front of Jiang Lingling.

“Um… I’ve already had breakfast…” She had to refuse this time to avoid having to refuse four times a day in the future. Ji Junxin thought this and said this, but she hesitated when she saw the hurt expression on Jiang Lingling’s face.

That was… a suddenly very, very sad expression. There were no tears, not even reddened eyes, but Ji Junxin was certain that it was an expression of deep sadness. She could even feel that Jiang Lingling herself was aware of it and was trying to suppress it, to pretend that nothing was wrong. This expression was somewhat familiar. Ji Junxin felt like she had seen it somewhere before…

Jiang Lingling opened her mouth, but no words came out. Ji Junxin saw the corners of her mouth droop slightly before quickly returning to normal.

The perceptive assistant reached out. But just as she was about to touch the bag, Ji Junxin pulled it back.

“But, I’m not quite full yet, thank you for the breakfast.” Ji Junxin clutched the bag tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force. She remembered where she had seen that sad expression before.

Chapter 38: Sandwich

On the coffee table, a square sandwich was cut diagonally into two triangles. Judging from its thickness, it looked very substantial. As she got closer, the aroma of toasted bread intensified, and Ji Junxin gulped silently. Next to the sandwich, a glass was filled with a milky white liquid. Sniffing it, it seemed to be milk. Under the glass was a quarter of an A4-sized piece of paper, which read, “Celebrating one month of living together! o(n_n)o~”. Ji Junxin picked up the still slightly warm glass of milk, took out the paper, and felt a warmth emanating from the delicate handwriting.

She washed up faster than ever. Forget about lotion, Ji Junxin didn’t even apply toner, returning to the coffee table in record time. She touched the glass of milk. Yes, still slightly warm. It seemed that her speed, despite having to suppress her appetite, was commendable. The aroma of breakfast was enticing. Ji Junxin, finally back at the table, didn’t immediately reach for the food. Instead, she picked up the note she had already read several times before washing up, read it again, carefully placed it aside, and picked up the glass of milk.

The milk was rich, smooth, and not greasy, with a hint of sweetness. It must be fresh milk with a shelf life of five to seven days, heated gently with a little sugar. Ji Junxin loved this taste and took several sips. The warm milk flowed down, warming her from the inside, dispelling her drowsiness and bringing a morning vitality.

For Ji Junxin, whose cooking skills were subpar and showed no signs of improvement, besides meticulously calculated egg fried rice, milk with cereal was her most frequently made dish. Fresh milk, gently heated, a little sugar added, removed from the heat while still warm, and then poured over honey-flavored cereal rings, eaten quickly after stirring. The crispy cereal rings had to be eaten immediately after being soaked in warm milk, so that the outer layer was slightly moist while the inside remained crispy. A satisfying crunch with every bite, fragrant and delicious, mixed with milk, no matter how much she ate, it wouldn’t be dry. After finishing the cereal, there would usually be a little milk left, infused with the honey and wheat flavors from the cereal, tasting much better than plain milk. Compared to the complexity of stir-frying different dishes, with different amounts and combinations of ingredients, requiring different amounts of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar, adding a fixed amount of sugar to a fixed amount of milk was much easier for Ji Junxin. So, milk and cereal were always stocked in her apartment as emergency rations. Therefore, adding sugar to milk, even if Ji Junxin wasn’t an expert, wasn’t exactly new to her. But for some reason, she felt that this glass of milk, both in terms of flavor and texture, was much better than what she usually made. It was strange.

There was no cereal to go with the delicious milk, but compared to cereal, the sandwich on the plate was clearly more tempting.

The greater the anticipation, the greater the need for patience. The warm milk dispelled the freshness from washing up, while also putting her body in a state of maximum craving and anticipation for food. Ji Junxin approached the sandwich, cut into two triangles, with the anticipation of a grand feast, not finding anything wrong with such solemnity.

The bread slices on the outside of the sandwich were slightly yellowed, with a subtle sheen. Ji Junxin picked up the triangle on the right. The sandwich felt a little firm, not as soft as the ones she usually bought from the bakery. From the cut side, she could see layers of lettuce, egg crepe, ham, and meat floss between the two slices of bread. The vibrant red, yellow, and green layers were visually appealing and appetizing. All the preparation and waiting were for this moment, for this perfect bite! Ji Junxin’s fingers tightened around the sandwich, and she took a bite…

Restraint and patience were just a facade. In reality, Ji Junxin, driven by intense craving, had washed up and even lingered a bit. When she finally started eating, she took a large bite, her pearly white teeth brushing past her fingers holding the sandwich. The sandwich lost a significant chunk, the teeth marks very close to her fingers. If someone saw this scene, they would definitely ask if she had bitten her finger. Of course, Ji Junxin wouldn’t admit it, even though the part of her finger that brushed against the teeth marks on the sandwich throbbed with a dull pain…

As the saying goes, when it comes to food, nothing else matters. Ji Junxin, after taking a bite of the sandwich, didn’t have the slightest bit of attention to spare for her narrowly escaped, slightly injured finger, because all her senses were captivated by the wonderful taste in her mouth.

As soon as she bit into it, Ji Junxin knew that the outer layer of bread was different from the sandwiches she usually bought. Fragrant! Crispy! Crunchy! Her teeth easily broke through the slightly firm outer layer of bread, and then came the soft inside.

The seasoned, thin egg crepe layers provided a rich and substantial texture. The pan-fried ham slices were firm and slightly crispy on the surface. The concentrated aroma, compressed during the frying process, now exploded in her mouth, intoxicating her senses. And the loosely layered, sweet, savory, and fragrant meat floss, a taste of childhood, added a sense of comfort and nostalgia to the sandwich. The lettuce, also used as filling, must have been blanched. Although it wasn’t as crisp as raw lettuce, it still retained its fresh fragrance and successfully neutralized the greasiness of the sandwich. Although the blanched lettuce wasn’t as texturally pleasing as raw lettuce, from a hygiene and safety perspective, it showed the maker’s care. During the month they lived together, they had gone to the buffet downstairs twice. Every time she took some raw vegetables, Mi Hongdou, with a worried expression, would silently replace them with other food. Thinking about how Mi Hongdou, although young, acted mature and caring, the slightly wilted lettuce tasted even better than usual.

Thin egg crepes, pan-fried ham, shredded meat floss, blanched lettuce, and evenly spread salad dressing, the five flavors blended harmoniously, each detail showing care. But the most amazing part was the two outer slices of bread, crispy and fragrant, both in texture and taste, far superior to bread toasted in a toaster or oven. Ji Junxin carefully examined the sandwich in her hand, which was now less than half after one bite. Hmm, there were some oil stains on the surface, but it didn’t taste greasy… With Ji Junxin’s limited culinary experience, analyzing how the bread slices were made was naturally… impossible. Fortunately, for a foodie, such inquisitive thoughts were fleeting. Her attention was quickly drawn back to the food itself.

Delicious and limited food should be savored to maximize the enjoyment. Ji Junxin, having tasted the deliciousness, abandoned her earlier aggressive approach and slowly finished the rest of the sandwich in small bites. After a few more sips of milk, she reached for the other triangle on the plate. Fortunately, Mi Hongdou had made two, not just one. Otherwise, being unsatisfied halfway through would be torture. One sandwich was just enough to satisfy her initial craving. She would savor the second one slowly.

She picked it up and took a bite. The same crispy bread slices. Ji Junxin, enjoying the deliciousness, narrowed her eyes, but they widened in surprise when she tasted the filling.

What was this? Savory, fragrant, and fresh, with a smooth and creamy texture and a subtle graininess. The rich aroma was like crab roe, but without the fishy smell. Savoring it carefully, there was also a faint fragrance of cucumber. One bite, and the delicious taste was incredibly tempting. She wanted to take another bite immediately, but she also wanted to linger on the lingering aftertaste of the first bite. It was a dilemma. She had assumed both sandwiches were the same and hadn’t looked closely at the second one before taking a bite.

Ji Junxin looked at the side of the sandwich. The filling had three layers: off-white, bright green, and orange-yellow. The off-white layer was the thickest, followed by the green, and the orange-yellow was the thinnest. The three layers of smooth and delicate filling were neatly arranged in the sandwich. The orange-yellow layer, although the thinnest, was the most eye-catching. Ji Junxin carefully observed and then cautiously tasted each layer separately. The off-white one seemed to be mashed potatoes with a hint of black pepper. The bright green one was finely diced cucumber, almost like cucumber puree. And the thinnest orange-yellow layer was the key to the entire sandwich’s flavor: crushed and spread salted egg yolk! Although she couldn’t tell whether it was salted duck egg yolk or salted chicken egg yolk, for someone who always wished salted eggs were all yolk and no white, that savory, fragrant, and rich orange-yellow filling, with its oily sheen, was incredibly tempting.

Ji Junxin had eaten many kinds of sandwiches, from simple ham and egg or meat floss and egg sandwiches to more elaborate tuna or beef sandwiches… but she had never eaten such a strange yet incredibly delicious combination of potato, cucumber, and salted egg yolk. The richness of the salted egg yolk, combined with the smooth mashed potatoes, was even better than crab roe in terms of flavor explosion. It was shockingly delicious.

So, the question now was… why was this sandwich so small!

The delicious breakfast brought an incredibly good mood, which lasted until Ji Junxin arrived at the set and saw Jiang Lingling having her makeup done backstage.

Among the drama’s investors, there were Qiao Rubai and Yang Lianyi, who couldn’t be swayed by money, and naturally, there were others who could be easily bought. The day after the test shoot at the estate, Jiang Lingling replaced an actress who had already filmed several scenes and joined the crew. Of course, officially, the actress had suddenly become unwell and withdrew from the production, and Jiang Lingling took over. But how Jiang Lingling actually joined the crew, everyone knew.

This kind of thing wasn’t uncommon in the industry. It would be gossiped about for a few days, and then forgotten. Moreover, “Imperial Secrets” had already undergone a major overhaul of the script and cast a month after filming started. Compared to that, Jiang Lingling just taking over a small supporting role wouldn’t cause much of a stir. However, what everyone didn’t expect was that after Jiang Lingling joined the crew, the scenes for this supporting concubine were also revised.

As a drama mostly set in the harem, besides a few important characters like Ji Yan, Miao Qianye, and the young Empress, the other supporting concubines weren’t complex. The supporting concubine that Jiang Lingling replaced was originally just a stepping stone in Miao Qianye’s rise in the harem, causing some trouble and spreading some rumors before fading into the background. But after the revision, this concubine had a special background and became an important supporting character with a specific purpose in the estate scenes. Not only did her screen time increase, but more importantly, the originally bland villain, after the changes, gained depth and complexity, leaving a deeper impression on the audience. Not to mention others, just the actresses playing the other ordinary concubines naturally felt uncomfortable. But feeling uncomfortable didn’t change anything. After all, she had a rich and influential godfather, they couldn’t compete.

They couldn’t compete with her godfather, but they could still play some tricks. Cold shoulders, exclusion, snatching makeup artists, deliberately causing NGs, petty actions were endless, and it seemed to have escalated to snatching boxed meals in the past two days. The originally harmonious atmosphere on set was now somewhat chaotic. But these petty actions wouldn’t normally be too excessive or last too long. It was just that Jiang Lingling was someone who wouldn’t take any losses. Ignoring the exclusion was one thing, but last time, a girl who had just found an excuse to snatch Jiang Lingling’s makeup artist was somehow locked in the bathroom and couldn’t get out. Everyone guessed it was Jiang Lingling’s doing, but there was no proof. And the girl who deliberately caused Jiang Lingling to NG a few times, when filming a rain scene later, Jiang Lingling made mistakes and NGed dozens of times, resulting in several actors, including Jiang Lingling herself, catching a cold. If it was a coincidence, who would believe it? But in this industry, even petty actions were usually done discreetly and subtly. Jiang Lingling was so straightforward, unwilling to suffer any losses, retaliating directly, even if it meant harming herself in the process, as long as she could vent her anger.

Jiang Lingling’s godfather had money, but he wasn’t very familiar with the inner workings of a film set. Jiang Lingling wasn’t signed with an agency, so no one smoothed things over for her. Her direct retaliation did make some of those playing petty tricks restrain themselves, but others were probably plotting even worse tricks. The atmosphere on set seemed to have worsened in the past few days.

These things wouldn’t normally affect Ji Junxin. She had seen similar things happen on other sets before, but they never happened to her, and Qiao Rubai never let her get involved. This time, Ji Junxin, who already didn’t have a good impression of Jiang Lingling after the food-snatching incident, naturally wouldn’t get involved. She just watched them go back and forth, and in the end, Jiang Lingling didn’t suffer any real losses. She didn’t understand what they were trying to achieve.

This month, most of Mi Hongdou’s scenes were for the other production. She didn’t have many scenes here, and when she came, she filmed and left. Ji Junxin was worried that with the young empress’s scenes starting soon, she didn’t know if Mi Hongdou could adapt to such a bad atmosphere on set. She didn’t expect that after all this commotion, Director Pan hadn’t intervened. Wasn’t he afraid that it would affect the filming? Ji Junxin had thought that Director Pan would finally step in after the rain scene with dozens of NGs, but he didn’t do anything, which was strange.

With Ji Junxin’s current status in the industry, she could ignore those petty actions, stay out of it, and it wouldn’t affect her. What she didn’t expect was that today, as soon as she entered the makeup room, Jiang Lingling, with half-finished makeup, walked up to her and, with just one sentence, dispelled the good mood brought by the two sandwiches.

Chapter 37: The Tables Have Turned

Having not shared a room with anyone for years, and with so much happening the previous day, Mi Hongdou forgot to put her phone on vibrate before going to bed. Now, the ringing startled her. After seeing the name on the screen, she sighed, quickly got up, and went to the living room. She seemed to see the person on the bed next to her stir, wondering if the ringing had also woken her up. Thinking this, Mi Hongdou felt even more resistant to answering the call. At the same time, she confirmed the identity of the familiar figure she had seen the day before.

Mi Hongdou couldn’t remember how long it had been since she and her father had spoken. If she hadn’t seen a figure resembling Mi Yu on the set the previous day, she probably wouldn’t have answered this call. However, having seen someone who looked like Mi Yu the day before, and receiving a call from Mi Hongcai early the next morning, Mi Hongdou had to answer. As expected, after a few polite greetings, without even waiting for Mi Hongdou’s response, he got straight to the point, asking about her plans after graduation.

From the moment she saw Mi Hongcai’s name light up on her phone screen, everything he said was basically within Mi Hongdou’s expectations. It was the same as in her previous life, just not at this time, and not with this probing tone.

At this time in her previous life, Mi Hongdou hadn’t joined the “Imperial Secrets” crew. “Divorce, So Be It” was filmed in Jiang City, so there was no chance encounter with Mi Yu. It wasn’t until “Divorce, So Be It” became a hit that Mi Hongdou’s acting career came to Mi Yu’s attention. Mi Yu, who was still in college, pestered Mi Hongcai to contact Mi Hongdou and ask her to help her get into the industry. After divorcing Wang Linyue, Mi Hongcai, forget about fatherly love, had barely seen Mi Hongdou. His only contribution was probably the few hundred yuan of child support he deposited into the bank card every month. So, in her previous life, after returning the card and the money to Mi Hongcai when she turned eighteen, Mi Hongdou thought that she wouldn’t have anything to do with this father anymore. However, this thought changed after she finished filming “Divorce, So Be It.”

This was mainly due to two reasons. One was the drama itself. Mi Hongdou played the adult Lin Qiao, who acted as a mediator and comforter amidst her parents’ marital conflicts and family disputes. The drama ended with a happy ending, Lin Qiao’s efforts and sacrifices rewarded with a flawed but loving family. The second reason was that “Divorce, So Be It” was Mi Hongdou’s first drama. Without formal training, she meticulously studied the script over and over again and immersed herself in the role of Lin Qiao, finding it difficult to detach for a while. It could be said that during the filming, because Mi Hongdou was too immersed in the role, it even triggered her sadness over the lack of a complete family in her own life. A single mother, busy making a living, couldn’t take care of everything. After filming “Divorce, So Be It,” Mi Hongdou couldn’t help but wonder, what if, what if her father had been involved in her growing up… What if… It was precisely because of this sudden conflict and regret that when Mi’s mother, after watching “Divorce, So Be It,” asked if she should have agreed to have another child back then, so that Mi’s father would have stayed, Mi Hongdou did something she regretted for the rest of her life. She… nodded…

In her previous life, Mi Hongcai, seeking her help for Mi Yu, appeared at this time. Gentle, polite, with a kind smile… It wasn’t the first time Mi Hongdou had met her father, but it was the first time she met him with longing. One was asking for a favor, deliberately trying to get closer, while the other was filled with longing, subconsciously ignoring the other party’s intentions. After a few interactions, they got along quite well. So, in her previous life, after repeated requests from Mi Hongcai, Mi Hongdou, putting aside past grievances, paved the way for Mi Yu, asking Yang Lianyi to give Mi Yu a role in “Divorce, So Be It 2.” However, since Yang Lianyi was obsessed with “cute things” and really didn’t like Mi Hongdou’s half-sister, even for Mi Hongdou’s sake, the role she offered was just a minor one with not much screen time. But for Mi Yu, who was still in college, getting this role and some exposure was already enviable. However, for Mi Yu, having a person she had always looked down upon as the lead, while she played a supporting role with little screen time, with Mi Yu’s personality, how could she accept it so easily?

The stories of the foolish old man and the wolf, the farmer and the snake, they were all true. Mi Hongdou, holding the phone, had a hint of mockery in her eyes. After being reborn, if she was still blinded by that false family affection, she might as well jump off a building! This time, if Mi Yu didn’t provoke her, then fine. But if she did, she shouldn’t blame her for being ruthless.

On the other end of the phone, Mi Hongcai was trying to subtly bring up the question, using the excuse of concern to inquire about Mi Hongdou’s recent life and work. Mi Hongdou suppressed the urge to hang up immediately and, after several rounds of back and forth, finally made Mi Hongcai believe that she was working as an advertising designer at a small, unknown company. After hanging up, Mi Hongdou felt that her face was stiff. Speaking gently and kindly while feeling disgusted and angry was still quite difficult for her. She had already experienced Mi Yu’s persistence and Mi Hongcai’s manipulation with filial piety in her previous life. If Mi Hongcai, like in her previous life, had come to her after “Divorce, So Be It” became a hit, when she was starting to become famous, and the second drama was about to start filming, when she had established herself in Mengguan and the industry, Mi Hongdou wouldn’t have bothered with him for so long. The key was that now, in Shudian, both of her dramas had just started filming, and she didn’t have the energy to deal with them.

This time, Mi Hongdou wanted to see if, without her help, Mi Yu could still enter the industry so smoothly. This time, Mi Hongdou could foresee that after “Imperial Secrets” and “Divorce, So Be It” aired, she would become even more famous and have a more stable footing than in her previous life. Mi Hongcai was willing to spend money for his daughter, but the key was, would money really be useful at that time? It would be more interesting to deal with them then. Mi Hongdou touched her left shoulder. After their falling out in her previous life, she had accidentally learned that the scar wasn’t an accident, but a deliberate act by the eight-year-old Mi Yu. From then on, Mi Hongdou had decided to completely cut ties with them. If it weren’t for the fact that she was busy eating and drinking with Ji Junxin later, and didn’t have the time or the energy, she would have taught them a lesson long ago. If they still didn’t behave this time, Mi Hongdou wouldn’t mind taking a break from her eating and drinking to deal with them.

Just in case, after hanging up on Mi Hongcai, Mi Hongdou called her mother. She didn’t mention Mi Hongcai, just said that the two dramas she was filming didn’t have any large-scale publicity plans for the near future, and asked her mother not to tell anyone about her acting. Actually, Mi Hongcai hadn’t called Mi’s mother since the divorce. If he wanted to find her, he would contact Mi Hongdou directly. However, Mi Hongdou didn’t dare to underestimate their shamelessness and really didn’t want to waste time dealing with them at this time, so she still made this call to her mother.

Day after day, the filming of both dramas progressed smoothly. Especially for Mi Hongdou, who had a lot of scenes in both, so after the first few days of adaptation, her schedule was packed every day. Perhaps the two companies had discussed it, but basically, she filmed for one production each day. If it weren’t for this arrangement, even if Mi Hongdou was reborn, she might have developed a slight split personality.

With such a busy schedule, Mi Hongdou was basically out early and back late. Forget about finding time to cook for Ji Junxin to increase her favorability, even eating together was difficult to schedule. But at least, living together, they could see each other before going to bed, chat for a bit, and every night, Mi Hongdou could open the curtains for her idol and check for bats, which was a comfort and a small joy amidst her busy filming schedule.

Ji Junxin actually quite liked this kind of life. Perhaps because she and Mi Hongdou really clicked, living together and chatting every day was quite nice. It was just that Mi Hongdou’s filming schedule was a bit tight recently, and Ji Junxin was also embarrassed about the digestive tablets incident that night, so one was too busy, and the other was too embarrassed to mention it. After the candied egg rolls, Ji Junxin hadn’t had a chance to experience Mi Hongdou’s cooking again. It was a pity that the palace scenes seemed endless. If they could finish them quickly, they could move on to the estate scenes. Ji Junxin was looking forward to the few cooking scenes the little empress had in the estate.

Unknowingly, a month of living together passed by peacefully. That day, when Ji Junxin woke up, she saw that the bed next to her was empty. She listened carefully, but there was no sound from the bathroom or the living room. Okay, she must have gone to film early again. During the first few days of living together, they would compare their schedules, checking what time they would leave, what time they would come back, whether they could eat together, or if they would eat separately. Later, they realized that it was always the poor Mi Hongdou who was out early and back late, with no time to spare. So, they gradually stopped comparing schedules. Ji Junxin quickly got used to waking up alone in the room.

However, this was destined to be a different morning.

As Ji Junxin, still drowsy, came out of the bedroom and walked towards the small study, before even reaching the bathroom, the aroma of food wafted towards her, making her stop. After taking a few deep breaths, confirming that the aroma was real and not a hallucination caused by her morning hunger, she immediately abandoned the bathroom and quickly walked to the living room.

It wasn’t a hallucination… Her previously sleepy, half-closed eyes now shone with the sharp glint of a foodie on the hunt.

Chapter 36: Medicine, Medicine, I Need Medicine!

Mi Hongdou woke up, sat up, and the scratching sound disappeared. She sat alone in the darkness for a while, hearing nothing. Perhaps it was a dream? Mi Hongdou rubbed her face, feeling a little foolish, quietly got up to use the bathroom, came back, climbed into bed, and tried to sleep again.

Perhaps because she had washed her face in the bathroom, she felt refreshed and didn’t fall asleep immediately this time. Soon, the rustling sound started again. Mi Hongdou pinched her palm. It was a dull ache, not a dream. The sound was in the bedroom, and quite close. Mi Hongdou held her breath and listened carefully. It seemed to be coming from… the bed next to her. Where was a small animal coming from on the bed next to her!

Earlier, Ji Junxin had politely let Mi Hongdou choose her bed. The bed by the wardrobe had a white background with a light yellow puppy pattern, and the one by the window had a light purple jacquard pattern. Keeping Ji Junxin’s favorite, or keeping the style she usually used outside, was a dilemma for Mi Hongdou.

Although she felt that it would be lovely to let Ji Junxin sleep on the bed with the cute puppy pattern, Mi Hongdou honestly kept the jacquard one for Ji Junxin. The biggest takeaway for Mi Hongdou tonight was a clearer understanding that the person in front of her wasn’t the same person she knew and interacted with. Indeed, having some foreknowledge could help her gain Ji Junxin’s favor faster. But more importantly, perhaps they needed more time to get to know each other again.

So, in the end, Mi Hongdou slept on the outer bed. When she got up to use the bathroom earlier, she didn’t have to pass by Ji Junxin’s bed. Now, Mi Hongdou regretted it a little. If she had chosen the inner bed, she would have had a reason to walk past and investigate. Otherwise, getting up now would be too abrupt. But she couldn’t fall asleep without knowing what was going on. Mi Hongdou lay still, waiting. The sound continued, a light, rhythmic scratching, as if something was scratching fabric.

“Ahem…” Mi Hongdou coughed deliberately and turned over, making some noise.

The sound stopped abruptly.

If it wasn’t an animal, and not some supernatural being, then undoubtedly, the source of the sound was Ji Junxin.

Why was she scratching at something in the middle of the night? Could it be that she wasn’t full? Mi Hongdou’s first thought was that Ji Junxin, after having a bowl of porridge, two eggs, and most of the candied egg rolls, was still hungry. She was too embarrassed to ask for more, so, starving in the middle of the night, she could only tearfully and secretly rummage for snacks in bed… Mi Hongdou’s imagination was vivid. But where would she get snacks from? And why would eating snacks make a scratching sound? Or was she uncomfortable? Having a nightmare? Mi Hongdou’s imagination and self-doubt made her uneasy.

Finally, Mi Hongdou gave up and spoke softly, “Are you… asleep?”

The bed next to her was silent, as if all the previous sounds had been her imagination.

Mi Hongdou resisted the urge to turn on her phone and check what was going on and asked again, in a lower voice, “Are you asleep? I seem to hear something… scratching…”

Having said this much, there was finally some movement from the bed next to her. There was a rustling sound, as if someone was turning over, and then Ji Junxin’s muffled voice: “Maybe it’s some small animal outside the window, digging in the dirt.”

Are you kidding me! Such a high floor! Forget about where a small animal would come from! Tell me, where’s the dirt! Was such a clumsy excuse really appropriate? Mi Hongdou mourned the disappearance of Ji Junxin’s IQ.

However, exposing her idol wasn’t right. Since Ji Junxin had responded, it meant that nothing major was happening. To avoid having her IQ insulted by her idol, the quick-witted Mi Hongdou replied, “Yeah, maybe it’s a bat scratching at the window.” She pulled up the blanket and prepared to go back to sleep.

For a long time, there was no more scratching sound from the bed next to her. Okay, since there was no more sound, she wouldn’t pry further. Going to sleep was the priority. Mi Hongdou thought this, calmed down, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

Just then, a faint “Hey… hey…” came from the bed opposite her.

“What’s wrong?” Mi Hongdou tearfully crawled back from the edge of dreamland.

“Can you… check if there are any bats outside?” Ji Junxin’s voice was small and weak, unlike her usual self.

So! Are you admitting that it was you scratching earlier? I was just making a casual remark! Mi Hongdou mourned the imaginary bat.

Perhaps because she had opened her eyes so many times in the darkness, Mi Hongdou could now vaguely make out the outlines of the room. For example, on the bed next to her, there was a… something… curled up in a ball? Ji Junxin’s bed was near the window. Could it be that she was scared by her casual remark earlier? Thinking this, Mi Hongdou was no longer sleepy and quickly got up to deal with the consequences of her own words.

She pulled open the blackout curtains, and moonlight streamed into the room through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Although it wasn’t as bright as the lights, it was more than enough to see everything in the room. The first thing she saw was Ji Junxin, curled up in a ball on the bed near the window, only her small, frightened face visible.

If Mi Hongdou still couldn’t tell that Ji Junxin was truly scared by her words, she would be an idiot. Overwhelmed with regret, Mi Hongdou softened her voice: “Look, there are no bats. And the window is very sturdy.” She even knocked on the window. A solid thump.

Ji Junxin breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing a little, and the ball on the bed uncurled slightly. “Then… then… let’s go to sleep.” Ji Junxin shyly burrowed further under the covers. She was most afraid of rats, bats, and the like. Even if she knew that the sound earlier wasn’t a bat scratching at the window, just imagining a bat clinging to the other side of the glass, just a short distance away, was enough to scare her.

“Should I close the curtains?” Seeing how scared Ji Junxin was, Mi Hongdou held the curtains, not daring to close them without permission.

They were on a high floor, and there were no buildings opposite them. Ji Junxin hesitated for a moment and replied softly, “Then… close them a little, but not all the way.”

Mi Hongdou closed most of the curtains, leaving a small gap for Ji Junxin and letting in a sliver of moonlight, so the room wasn’t completely dark. After dealing with the curtains and returning to her bed, Mi Hongdou realized that she had walked past Ji Junxin’s bed twice, and she hadn’t smelled any food. So what was she scratching at earlier? Was the bed uncomfortable?

Mi Hongdou had many questions, but she didn’t ask. After all, they weren’t that close yet. Constantly asking questions would be awkward. She didn’t want to be seen as nosy and troublesome.

Ji Junxin, however, shyly emerged from under the covers and asked, “Do you want some water?” After Mi Hongdou shook her head, Ji Junxin got up, padded out to the living room in her slippers, and the sound of pouring water could be heard.

How long could it take to pour a glass of water? After the sound of pouring, Ji Junxin didn’t come back. There were rustling sounds from the living room, not very loud at first, but soon escalating into the sounds of opening cupboards, suitcases, plastic bags, all kinds of opening and rummaging, one after another. If Mi Hongdou could still stay in bed after hearing this, she would be deliberately ignoring it.

Getting out of bed for what seemed like the nth time that night, Mi Hongdou rubbed her face and went to the living room. As expected, several cupboards were open, and two suitcases lay on the floor, their contents in disarray. The culprit was rummaging through a third suitcase.

“What’s wrong?” So, this was the nth time she had asked this question tonight… Mi Hongdou was really afraid that Ji Junxin would find her annoying. But having seen this scene, it would be even stranger to just walk past without asking.

In just a few minutes, Ji Junxin had practically gone through all her luggage. So, the medicine kit was with Lu Gaoshi? … Previously, when working away from home, Ji Junxin was used to relying on Lu Gaoshi for everything. Many things she didn’t use often were kept by Lu Gaoshi. If she needed anything, she would just call her. She hadn’t found it inconvenient before, but now, it was clearly troublesome. “I… my stomach hurts a little. Do you have any medicine?” Ji Junxin finally gave up on the third suitcase, which was now a mess, straightened up, and said a little embarrassedly.

“Yes, yes, I do. Where does it hurt?” Mi Hongdou was startled and looked Ji Junxin up and down, wishing she could turn her eyes into x-ray machines.

“It’s nothing, just a minor problem.” Having been uncomfortable for a while, feeling that she wouldn’t be able to sleep without taking some medicine, Ji Junxin had to ask, “Can you lend me some?”

This wasn’t a sci-fi movie, her eyes couldn’t turn into x-ray machines. Mi Hongdou quickly resigned herself to the situation and took out her medicine kit from her luggage. “What’s wrong? What kind of medicine do you need? Let me see if I have it. But you can’t just take medicine randomly. Should we go to the hospital? Where does it hurt?” Mi Hongdou was getting anxious, her speech speeding up. Although it was out of concern, it sounded a bit like an interrogation.

“…” Ji Junxin, who just wanted to take the medicine kit without saying anything, was stopped by Mi Hongdou.

“Don’t just take medicine randomly, tell me first, where does it hurt?” Mi Hongdou opened the medicine kit but wasn’t ready to let the seemingly unreliable Ji Junxin have access to it yet.

“…” Ji Junxin blushed and shuffled back.

“…” Seeing Ji Junxin like this, Mi Hongdou wondered if she was prying into some strange personal matter… But after knowing her for so long in her previous life, she had never seen her unwilling to talk about anything. “Period cramps?” Mi Hongdou thought for a moment, took out a box of painkillers from the medicine kit, and held it out to Ji Junxin.

Painkillers… that would work… it could do the job. Ji Junxin hesitantly reached out.

Then, the painkillers, so close at hand, were put back into the medicine kit by Mi Hongdou. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Don’t take medicine for period cramps. I’ll make you some brown sugar water, see if that helps.” Mi Hongdou put down the medicine kit, preparing to make the sugar water.

“No…” Ji Junxin grabbed Mi Hongdou’s wrist, her face burning red. “It’s not that. I just… have a stomachache.”

Stomachache? Not period cramps? Then she must have eaten something wrong? But that didn’t make sense. If her stomach hurt now, it must be because of something she ate a few hours ago. But she had made everything herself, there shouldn’t be any problem! Mi Hongdou’s mind raced. Could it be the boxed meal she ate on set? No… Mi Hongdou paused. There seemed to be another possibility.

“Then… what medicine do you want to take?” Mi Hongdou asked the same question again, not expecting an answer, but wanting to see Ji Junxin’s reaction, to see if it was what she thought.

As expected, when asked what medicine she wanted, Ji Junxin hesitated and didn’t speak, her head lowering further and further, her hand releasing Mi Hongdou’s wrist.

Mi Hongdou had a hunch. “Let me see, is it uncomfortable here? Or here? Or here?” Mi Hongdou asked Ji Junxin to look at her and pressed on different parts of her abdomen, the upper abdomen, the stomach area, and the lower abdomen.

After a moment, under Mi Hongdou’s insistent gaze, Ji Junxin silently raised a finger, pointing to her stomach.

Okay, it was really what she thought… Mi Hongdou couldn’t believe it! She almost blurted out a comment, but seeing Ji Junxin’s evasive gaze, as if she wanted to quickly get back into bed and pretend nothing had happened, Mi Hongdou knew that if she said it directly, the favorability she had gained today would probably be gone.

She found a box of medicine in the kit, opened it, took a tissue, placed a pill on it, thought for a moment, and added another one. Then she put the tissue with the two pills in Ji Junxin’s hand. “For stomachaches, take this. I often have stomachaches, and I always take this.” She pushed the glass of water Ji Junxin had poured earlier towards her. “You can chew it or swallow it whole.”

The pills in her hand were triangular and had a faint fruity scent. They tasted a little sour, a little sweet… a very… familiar taste. Ji Junxin silently took the medicine, thanked her, blushed, hastily packed her messy luggage, and went to bed.

Mi Hongdou also returned to the bedroom. That night, neither of them mentioned the fact that Ji Junxin had overeaten, causing a stomachache that kept her awake for a long time, even waking Mi Hongdou up, and then taking two digestive tablets.

After cooking, eating, rubbing her stomach, and searching for medicine, coupled with sharing a room for the first time, neither of them slept very well. Fortunately, their scenes the next morning weren’t too early, so they could sleep in a little.

Unfortunately, even though they had specifically set their alarms later, it wasn’t the alarm that woke them up in the end.

Mi Hongdou grabbed the incessantly ringing phone from the nightstand, looked at the name on the screen, then at the still dark sky outside, and sighed deeply.

Chapter 35: In Your Dreams

Mi Hongcai, reeking of alcohol, stumbled into the house and collapsed onto the sofa, his eyes half-closed, burping repeatedly.

“Why did you drink so much again?” Wang Bide frowned, got up, opened all the windows, and then sat back down as far away from Mi Hongcai as possible.

“Business dinner, business dinner…” Mi Hongcai slurred, burping again. The smell of alcohol in the room intensified. “Get me a glass of water and a couple of steamed buns. I only drank, I’m not full.”

Wang Bide reluctantly got up, went to the kitchen, poured a glass of cold water, and handed it to Mi Hongcai. “It’s so late, where are the steamed buns coming from? Do you think I’m that woman? I can’t do such menial work as making steamed buns.”

“Why are you mentioning her again? That was decades ago.” Mi Hongcai gulped down the cold water, slightly quenching his thirst and sobering up a bit.

Mi Yu had been standing far away since Mi Hongcai entered, afraid of the smell of alcohol. Now that the air in the room was circulating and the smell had dissipated somewhat, she walked towards the sofa and said, “Dad, didn’t I call you this afternoon and say I saw Mi Hongdou at Shudian Film City? She was even wearing a costume. Is she filming? Is she going to be an actress?”

“Impossible, impossible.” Mi Hongcai waved his hand and held out the glass to Wang Bide. “Pour me another glass of water, the last one was too cold, I want warm water. If there are no steamed buns, just get me something to eat.”

Wang Bide didn’t take the glass and said angrily, “I told you not to give Li Ma time off so casually. Now that there are no servants, do you want to treat me like one?”

“Hey, hey, what are you talking about?” Reprimanded like this, Mi Hongcai sobered up a bit more. He rubbed his head and unsteadily got up, went to the kitchen himself, and poured a glass of hot water.

The water was too hot to drink. Mi Hongcai, still drunk, couldn’t find the cold water jug. He poured out half of the hot water and filled the glass with tap water, swirling it around and taking a large gulp.

“Dad, there’s half a box of pizza next to the rice cooker.” Mi Yu stood at the kitchen door and pointed to a corner of the kitchen.

Mi Hongcai slowly shuffled over, found the cardboard box, opened it, and smiled. “Isn’t this just Tujia flaky baked flatbread?” He took a piece and started eating, regardless of whether it was cold or hot.

Mi Yu frowned: “Dad, I’ve told you so many times, it’s pizza, not some flatbread.”

“Okay, okay, it’s not flatbread, it’s foreign flatbread.” Mi Hongcai took two large bites and another big gulp of water before continuing, “I still say, it’s not as good as Tujia flaky baked flatbread. That one has fresh minced beef marinated with cumin, meat floss, and minced garlic, sprinkled with coarse salt, pepper, and chopped scallions, then baked. Oh, it’s so delicious. Much better than this flatbread with some sour stuff on it.”

“…” Mi Yu didn’t even want to talk to him. She snorted, went back to the living room, sat on the sofa, and whispered to Wang Bide, “So uncultured.”

“Don’t say that about your father.” Although she said that, the corners of Wang Bide’s lips curled up slightly before quickly returning to normal.

The pizza was cold, and the sour taste of the tomato sauce was even stronger. Mi Hongcai wasn’t used to it. But fortunately, he had drunk too much earlier, and his sense of taste was dulled, so he managed to eat a few pieces. As he ate, he thought that the Tujia flaky baked flatbread from the small street vendor was still the best. It looked similar to this, but the taste was much better. Before Mi Hongcai became rich, he ran a small food stall, so naturally, he had a special fondness for those authentic local snacks. Even now that he was wealthy, he wasn’t used to these foreign things. But Wang Bide and Mi Yu never ate at those small restaurants.

After eating the pizza and drinking water, Mi Hongcai sobered up considerably and started to feel sleepy. He stumbled out of the kitchen, ready to go to bed.

“Dad!” Mi Yu, seeing that Mi Hongcai was about to go upstairs, called out to him unwillingly. “How is that Mi Hongdou doing recently? What is she doing, do you know?”

Mi Hongcai glanced at Wang Bide, who seemed to be watching TV intently, and coughed. “You know I haven’t seen that child in more than two years. Shouldn’t she still be in school?”

Before Mi Yu could respond, Wang Bide threw the remote control onto the sofa and said sarcastically, without looking at Mi Hongcai, “Oh, you remember quite clearly, ‘that child.’”

“Hey, hey, Mi Hongdou, Mi Hongdou, I haven’t seen her for years. The last time was when she turned eighteen, right? After that, I didn’t have to pay child support anymore, so I haven’t seen her.” Mi Hongcai obsequiously sat next to Wang Bide, picked up the remote control, and put it back in her hand.

“Mom…” Mi Yu was frustrated. Was this the time to be jealous?

Wang Bide glanced at her slightly unhappy daughter and stopped making a fuss. She took the remote control with one hand and pushed Mi Hongcai away slightly with the other. “That Mi Hongdou should have graduated by now. I’m telling you this now, she’s an adult now. Whether she finds a job or not, what kind of job she finds, it’s none of your business, don’t interfere.”

“Yes, yes, I know, I know.” Mi Hongcai nodded.

“Dad, I really saw Mi Hongdou in a film crew at Shudian today. Can you call them tomorrow and ask about it for me?” Mi Yu was still persistent. Although she was studying acting, she was only a sophomore and hadn’t had any opportunities to join a crew. If even Mi Hongdou could act in a drama, why couldn’t she?

Mi Hongcai glanced at Wang Bide, who remained silent, and waved his hand dismissively. “What’s there to ask? She didn’t study acting, let her be.”

“Dad, you didn’t pull some strings to get her into acting, did you?” Mi Yu narrowed her eyes. “Why are you being so evasive?”

“Hey! Don’t talk nonsense!” Mi Hongcai broke out in a cold sweat. This was going to lead to sleeping on the floor tonight. “I’m in the food business, not the movie business. Besides, if I had connections, wouldn’t I think of my own daughter first? Why would I let her go?”

“So she’s not your daughter?” Mi Yu was very unhappy.

“My own daughter is you, I’m talking about you. She… sigh, I can’t control her anyway.” This was actually true. Since he divorced Wang Linyue, although they were both still in Jiang City, they had never met again. He had seen Mi Hongdou a few times, but perhaps because her mother had said something to her, they never became close when she was young, and they had even less to say to each other when she grew up. This daughter was like she didn’t exist, how could she compare to Mi Yu, who grew up by his side and was so close to him?

“Then will you ask for me or not! I really think it was her!” Mi Yu wouldn’t be fooled by Mi Hongcai’s attempts to brush it off.

“Aiya, even if it was her, so what?” Mi Hongcai still remembered the last time he met Mi Hongdou. They sat face to face, drank coffee, barely spoke two words, and in the end, Mi Hongdou gave him a bank card. That card was the one he specifically opened after divorcing Wang Linyue, and it contained all the child support payments he had made over the years. Actually, Wang Bide was strict with their finances, so even after Mi Hongcai became rich and his restaurant chain took off, the monthly child support payments were only a few hundred yuan. That small amount of money, over more than ten years, they hadn’t touched it, leaving it all in the card, and returned it all at once. Mi Hongcai tried to refuse, but Mi Hongdou just got up and left, so he could only accept the card. Although he hadn’t seen Wang Linyue all these years, he could guess that it wasn’t easy for a single woman raising a child. But if she didn’t want the child support, why didn’t she refuse it in the first place? Why wait until Mi Hongdou turned eighteen to return the untouched card? Mi Hongcai never understood this and always felt a bit awkward about it, so he hadn’t contacted them since. Now, Mi Yu insisted that he inquire about it, and he really didn’t want to.

Mi Hongcai never told Wang Bide and Mi Yu about the returned child support. Firstly, because he didn’t understand it himself, and secondly, because he felt inexplicably ashamed. So now, Mi Yu couldn’t understand why Mi Hongcai, who usually indulged her, was being so hesitant and evasive, and she became even more unhappy. “If I was mistaken, then fine. But if it was really her, why can an art student get a role in a drama, while I, an acting student, can’t even get an audition? If it’s really her, Dad, you have to talk to her and ask her to recommend me to the crew.”

“I don’t have any contact with them anymore. Even if it’s really her, would she listen to me? Besides, do you remember? You’ve only met once, when you were eight and just found out you had a sister. You insisted on having her come to your birthday party. And then, she injured her shoulder, and you never played together again. If it weren’t for the time I went to see her two years ago, and you secretly followed me, you wouldn’t even know what she looks like now, right? You just saw her from afar through the cafe window, are you sure you didn’t mistake her for someone else today?” Mi Hongcai doted on his daughter, but he wasn’t a fool. Hearing his daughter’s somewhat unreasonable demands, he really didn’t know what to do.

There were some things he really didn’t know how to say. When Mi Yu was young, she didn’t know that before Wang Bide, Mi Hongcai had another wife and daughter. It wasn’t until she was almost eight that, somehow, she heard about it while playing at the restaurant. Not only did she make a fuss, but she insisted on meeting her half-sister, who was three years older than her. Mi Hongcai eventually brought her over. But within a few hours, she injured her shoulder in the kitchen, covered in blood. It seemed that from that time onwards, Mi Hongdou, who had been somewhat close to Mi Hongcai when she was younger, always had a cold expression. But in any case, Mi Yu never asked to see Mi Hongdou again after that and became more obedient for a while. They said it was an accident in the kitchen, and Mi Hongcai hoped that was the case. The two families, which were already not very close, became even more distant. Now, even if Mi Hongdou was really acting, whether she would be willing to help her half-sister… Mi Hongcai thought it was unlikely.

“That shoulder injury… she also said it was her own fault, that she was playing around and knocked something over, scratching herself.” Mi Yu stamped her foot. “Anyway, I don’t care, you have to ask for me. If you don’t find out, I won’t be able to sleep!”

Mi Yu also understood that if her status wasn’t high enough, forget about getting someone into a crew, even just introducing someone to a director or screenwriter she had worked with, they might not give her face. But what did that have to do with her? If Mi Hongdou was really in the crew, any introductions would be using Mi Hongdou’s connections. If it worked out, great. If not, it had nothing to do with Mi Yu. At worst, she could just continue to pretend that Mi Hongdou didn’t exist.

“Sigh…” Mi Hongcai was about to refuse again, but Wang Bide interrupted him.

“The child asked you to ask, so just ask. Will asking cost you a pound of flesh?” Wang Bide grabbed the remote control and turned off the TV. “Go to bed early. Tomorrow morning, you go ask. After you’ve asked, then go to the company.”

“Mom is the best!” Mi Yu happily hugged Wang Bide’s waist and stuck her tongue out at Mi Hongcai triumphantly.

“Okay… okay…” Mi Hongcai was always so afraid of his wife. He would ask, since there would be no peace until he did.

“You,” Wang Bide pointed at Mi Hongcai, who was getting up to take a shower and go to bed, “sleep in the guest room. The smell of alcohol is too strong, I can’t sleep.”

Mi Hongcai sniffed himself and said innocently, “It’s not strong, I’ll shower, and the smell will be gone.”

Wang Bide shook her head: “Guest room.” She didn’t care that Mi Hongcai was unsteady on his feet and went upstairs with Mi Yu.

The bedding in the guest room seemed like it hadn’t been aired out for a while. Mi Hongcai tossed and turned in bed, unable to fall asleep. From what Wang Bide and Mi Yu said earlier, Mi Hongdou had already graduated. He wondered what kind of job she had found. Thinking about Wang Linyue, back when he had a small food stall and wanted to expand, when he went out for business dinners, there would always be warm tea to sober him up and warm snacks in the steamer when he came home. The steamed buns Wang Linyue made were also exceptional. But, no matter what, her refusal to have a son was wrong. Otherwise, she could be living in a big house with him now. But, Wang Bide was still more beautiful. One thought after another ran through Mi Hongcai’s mind, and he couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.

He wasn’t the only one who couldn’t sleep that night.

Mi Hongdou, after taking two showers and cooking two meals, was truly tired. She forced herself to take a third, quick shower, and as soon as she lay down in bed, her eyelids started to droop. But, in her drowsiness, she seemed to hear a rustling sound, like a small animal scratching at something, continuous and unsettling. Mi Hongdou jolted awake, her sleepiness gone, and sat up.

Chapter 34: Candied Egg Rolls

She wasn’t full! But to a normal person, a large bowl of rice porridge and two boiled eggs was already quite a lot. It was only after eating this simple meal that she realized how delicious it truly was. Ji Junxin practically inhaled the food, even though it was still a little hot. After finishing, the aftertaste only made her feel hungrier. Or, to be more honest, that feeling wasn’t hunger, it was craving.

Now, Mi Hongdou had hit the nail on the head regarding Ji Junxin’s unsatisfied appetite, but she didn’t dare to admit it. This was only the first day they were living together, and the first time Mi Hongdou had cooked in the room. It would be too impolite to say she wasn’t full after eating the food that was offered. Moreover… maintaining a good image was important for future meals. Ji Junxin reluctantly shook her head and forced herself to say, “I’m… full…”

Where was the experienced actress with superb acting skills… Mi Hongdou couldn’t bear to expose Ji Junxin’s expression, which clearly contradicted her words.

“Speaking of which, I just took a shower and I’m a little hungry. I want to make a dessert.” Mi Hongdou paused, glanced at Ji Junxin, who seemed to have suddenly taken a hit and lost a lot of HP, and smiled. “This is also my first time making this dessert. If you’re not sleepy, can you help me taste it later?”

Looking at the smiling Mi Hongdou, Ji Junxin guessed that even though she said she was full, Mi Hongdou was certain that she wasn’t and was offering her a way out. Not bad, quite considerate, and the offer was tempting. But the question was, why not just offer it directly! Why did she have to expose her and ask if she wasn’t full! It wasn’t cute at all… Ji Junxin, feeling a little dejected, held the dishes, lowered her head, and shuffled her feet slightly. In the end, she couldn’t resist and said, “Okay… then, what kind of dessert are you making?”

“How about candied egg rolls? It only requires simple ingredients.” Mi Hongdou said as she opened the refrigerator to get the eggs, but she stopped as she touched them and hesitated, turning back. “We had egg fried rice and boiled eggs today. If we have candied egg rolls too, is that too many eggs in one day?”

Eh? Ji Junxin, who had just happily accepted the offer and was looking forward to the candied egg rolls, was suddenly dealt another blow, her HP hitting rock bottom. The only edible things in the room were rice and eggs. If she couldn’t eat eggs, what dessert could she have? She wanted to say that it wasn’t too many eggs, she could eat a hundred more, but she couldn’t. She was very unhappy! Dangling a carrot in front of her like this was cruel. She wiped away a tear in her heart and replied slowly, “Then, you eat.”

Mi Hongdou was also a little troubled. She had asked that question out of genuine concern for whether Ji Junxin was eating too many eggs in one day. But as soon as she said it, the person in front of her, who had a faint smile, suddenly forced a smile. If she had known, she wouldn’t have said anything. Sigh, she should have known that for a foodie, dangling food like that was a huge blow. It was like being hungry late at night, finding a takeout menu, choosing a bunch of things you wanted to eat, and then calling the restaurant, only to be told, hehe, they were closed. However, if it were the Ji Junxin from her previous life, she probably wouldn’t have said “Then you eat.” She would have seriously said that it didn’t matter if she ate a hundred eggs a day, bring on the candied egg rolls.

Looking at Ji Junxin, whose face was full of conflict but didn’t insist on eating the candied egg rolls, Mi Hongdou suddenly realized the difference between the person in front of her and the person she knew in her previous life. They were the same person, but she hadn’t become that person yet. Perhaps, with her and Qiao Rubai’s intervention, she wouldn’t have the chance to become that person. This… wasn’t a bad thing. But her heart suddenly felt empty, a strange, inexplicable sadness washing over her, almost making her choke.

“Actually, it’s almost midnight…” Ji Junxin’s hesitant voice brought Mi Hongdou back to reality.

“Huh?” Mi Hongdou, who had just caught her breath, couldn’t react to Ji Junxin’s sudden announcement of the time.

“Cough…” Ji Junxin put down the dishes and pointed at her watch. “It’s almost twelve o’clock. After twelve, it’s a new day.” She didn’t dare to look directly at Mi Hongdou, keeping her eyes on the floor. After speaking, she quickly picked up the dishes and went to the sink.

A new day, did that mean… a new egg quota? How subtle. Haha… Mi Hongdou almost burst out laughing. The strange sadness and emptiness that had been lingering in her heart were dispelled by Ji Junxin’s cute and indirect reminder.

In her previous life, she must have also hoped to live happily, without being hurt. Mi Hongdou squatted by the refrigerator, watching Ji Junxin busily washing dishes at the sink. Her previously empty heart was gradually filled again.

“Let me wash them. You go take a shower, and we can have dessert together when you’re done. It’s getting late, let’s divide the work and save time, so we can go to bed early.” Mi Hongdou picked up two eggs, stood up, walked to the sink, and turned off the tap.

“…” Ji Junxin hesitated.

“Go shower quickly, or the dessert will be cold and won’t taste as good.” Mi Hongdou started washing the dishes.

“Then… I’ll wash the dishes next time!”

“Okay.” Mi Hongdou nodded with a smile.

They had already made plans for next time? Ji Junxin, washing her hands and going to the bedroom to get her pajamas, still couldn’t quite process it. Something seemed off… Although the egg fried rice had awakened her selfish desire to eat more of Mi Hongdou’s cooking, this person was a little too accommodating. One meal after another, she felt a little embarrassed. She had even made plans for next time just now… would Mi Hongdou think she was being too much? Ji Junxin wanted to hide her face. But, um… the important thing was, what to eat next time… How about big plate chicken?

Mi Hongdou, who had finished washing the dishes and was now cracking eggs, had no idea that the next meal was already being planned before this one was even finished.

Fortunately, when she was organizing the seasonings earlier, she found cornstarch, otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to make the candied egg rolls.

She cracked two eggs into a bowl, whisked them, added a pinch of salt and cornstarch, and mixed well. Then, she took another small bowl and mixed cornstarch with water to make a slurry. She poured a small amount of oil into the wok, swirled it around to coat the surface, and poured out the excess. Turning the heat to low, she poured in an appropriate amount of egg mixture. Mi Hongdou held the handle of the wok, flicked her wrist, and the egg mixture spread evenly along the sides, forming a beautiful thin crepe. Repeating this four times, four thin and soft egg crepes were ready. The aroma of fried eggs filled the room.

Mi Hongdou sniffed. As expected, open kitchens had their drawbacks. Even with the range hood on, the smell of cooking was still a bit strong.

In the bathroom, smelling the aroma of eggs, Ji Junxin showered even faster.

After the egg crepes cooled slightly, she rolled them up and sealed the edges with the cornstarch slurry. Four egg crepes became four egg rolls. She cut the egg rolls into small pieces, deep-fried them until golden brown, and took them out. The aroma of eggs in the room intensified.

Mi Hongdou, hearing the sound of water from the bathroom, just set the fried egg roll pieces aside to cool, without proceeding to the next step.

When Ji Junxin finished showering, her face full of uncontainable anticipation, pretending to casually pass by, Mi Hongdou gestured for her to wait on the sofa and reheated the wok.

A small amount of oil, a few spoonfuls of sugar. When the melted sugar started to bubble, she turned off the heat, poured in the egg roll pieces, quickly stir-fried them, and plated them. While the sugar was still melted, Mi Hongdou picked up a few pieces of egg rolls and quickly pulled out some sugar strands in the air.

When the plate appeared in front of Ji Junxin, golden egg roll pieces coated in sugar syrup were neatly arranged, with a cluster of thin, palm-high sugar strands spun into a lacy pattern above them. It looked not only interesting but also very appetizing.

Mi Hongdou took two pairs of chopsticks, gave one to Ji Junxin, and gestured for her to start first. Perhaps because it was late at night, or perhaps because the light hitting the crisscrossing sugar strands created a dreamlike atmosphere, Ji Junxin suddenly felt that the person in front of her seemed… exceptionally gentle? Not the shy little empress she met the first time, not the slightly awkward girl who introduced herself and brought roast pork the second time, not the serious newcomer who talked about immersion and detachment… Logically, Ji Junxin was older and more experienced in the industry than Mi Hongdou. In their interactions, Ji Junxin had always been the dominant one, and Mi Hongdou was slightly nervous. But tonight, it seemed different. Or rather, after showering, Mi Hongdou seemed different? Even her gaze carried a kind of gentleness, and… tolerance?

It must be because she hadn’t eaten enough and was hallucinating from hunger. Ji Junxin shook her head and quickly picked up a piece of egg roll to calm her nerves. As her chopsticks touched the egg roll on the plate, the sugar strands in the air swayed. Hmm… Ji Junxin stopped and instead broke off a piece of sugar strand.

The thin, glistening sugar strand swayed on her chopsticks. Ji Junxin carefully controlled her strength and brought it to her mouth. A sweet taste spread, and then it was gone. It was just an ordinary sweet taste, but perhaps because the sugar strand was so unique and beautiful, it tasted better than ordinary sugar. Ji Junxin broke off another sugar strand and ate it before turning her chopsticks towards the egg rolls.

She picked up a piece, pulled it up, and the still-melted sugar syrup formed new sugar strands. Normally, when Ji Junxin ate candied dishes, she wouldn’t pay much attention to the sugar strands. But perhaps inspired by Mi Hongdou’s plating, the newly formed sugar strands caught her eye. She couldn’t help but quickly swirl them in the air above the plate.

There wasn’t much sugar syrup on the egg rolls, not enough for Ji Junxin to draw a full circle, but it formed a semi-circle, leaning against the previous cluster of sugar strands. The increasingly intricate sugar strands looked like an irregular little flower. Ji Junxin, pleased with her creation, looked up and found Mi Hongdou also looking at her with a smile. Gentle, tolerant, nostalgic… Ji Junxin felt that the look in her eyes contained too much information, and she couldn’t fully decipher it.

Ji Junxin lowered her eyes and gently blew on the still slightly hot egg roll before putting it in her mouth. The cooled sugar syrup had formed a crispy candy shell, encasing the tender, fragrant, and soft egg roll. One bite, and it was crispy. The sweet taste quickly gave way to the aroma of the egg roll inside. The layers of egg roll added a chewy texture, locking in the eggy fragrance, which combined with the candy shell as she chewed. It was so delicious she could swallow her own tongue. Crispy, sweet, chewy, and fragrant! It couldn’t be more delicious!

If at first, Ji Junxin had some doubts about Mi Hongdou’s gaze and some reservations about their first meal together, then after one bite, she couldn’t stop. It was a struggle to think that she could finish the entire plate by herself while constantly reminding herself that she couldn’t eat it all.

Why was it so delicious… It surpassed all the candied dishes she had eaten before. But why was Mi Hongdou looking at her so gently? Did she think she was eating too much? That she had no manners? No, she wasn’t usually such a big eater, please don’t misunderstand… Okay, just look, could she have another piece…

For some reason, she felt like crying while eating this delicious food.

Here, one person was taking small bites of an egg roll, while the other was eating piece after piece. Overall, it was a warm and harmonious scene. But elsewhere, it was a completely different story.

“Mom, it’s past midnight, why isn’t Dad back yet?” Mi Yu glanced at the clock on the wall and threw the magazine in her hand onto the sofa next to her, as if in a fit of pique.

Wang Bide diverted her attention from the TV drama she was watching and also glanced at the clock: “He said he was out for a business dinner, who knows when he’ll be back.”

“Hmph, I told him I had something to talk to him about, why didn’t he come back earlier?” Mi Yu yawned, her impatience growing. She had been out with a few classmates for two days, having fun at Shudian Film City, but the filming locations were all blocked off, and they couldn’t see inside. Mi Yu was studying acting in college and wanted to be an actress in the future. It was a bit of a pity that she didn’t see anything this time. On the way back, she saw a crew filming in a small village near Shudian. Unfortunately, by the time they stopped, filming had already wrapped up. Just as Mi Yu was about to leave, she seemed to have seen her half-sister, still in costume. It was quite surprising.

“I told you, you were mistaken. That Mi Hongdou studied… painting or something, how could she be filming?” Wang Bide said disdainfully. “Besides, even if it was really her, she would probably just be an extra. She should have graduated by now, right? Could it be that she couldn’t find a job and went to be a temp worker?” She finished with a sneer.

Mi Yu didn’t say anything for a while, seeming to be considering the possibility. “Then, if it was really her, and she couldn’t find a job, would she come looking for Dad?”

Wang Bide, who had been leaning back on the sofa, immersed in the TV drama, suddenly sat up straight. “That’s right! When your dad comes back, I have to talk to him. We can’t let that side of the family pester us again, it can’t be ambiguous!” She stopped watching the drama and frowned at the clock, looking worried.

Just then, the door opened, and Mi Hongcai returned.

Chapter 33: Rice Porridge with Eggs

“The porridge is almost ready. Go wash your hands, and we can eat soon.” Mi Hongdou stirred the porridge with a spoon, scooped some up, and slowly poured it back into the pot. The porridge was thick but not too heavy, just right.

Just porridge wasn’t enough. Mi Hongdou turned off the heat and poured the porridge into a large bowl to cool. She took two eggs, washed them, and soaked them in a bowl of cold water. Then, she quickly washed the pot she used for the porridge, filled it with cold water, and put it back on the stove. After a short while, she put the soaked eggs into the pot of cold water, turned on the heat, and started boiling them. At the same time, she inserted a wooden chopstick into the pot and slowly stirred clockwise.

“Why are you stirring it?” Ji Junxin came out after washing her hands and saw that the pot now contained something different.

“To make them look better.” Mi Hongdou said as she sprinkled a small spoonful of salt into the boiling water and continued stirring. “There’s only rice here, so we’ll have boiled eggs with porridge, is that okay?”

“Okay!” Ji Junxin looked at the large bowl, which was a little more than half full of rice porridge. “Are you having some too?”

“It’s all yours, I’ve already eaten.” Mi Hongdou’s hands didn’t stop moving. “I’m almost done here. Why don’t you take the porridge to the coffee table first? Be careful, it’s hot.”

Although the suite had an open kitchen, there was no dedicated dining area. They could only put the food on the coffee table in the living room and eat on the sofa. Naturally, it wasn’t as comfortable as eating at a proper dining table. But Ji Junxin didn’t mind such minor details.

Ji Junxin took a few tissues, wiped the already clean coffee table, folded a few more and placed them on the table as a heatproof mat, and then carried the porridge over.

While they were talking and working, the eggs in the pot were also done. She scooped them out, put them in a bowl of cold water, and after a short while, took them out, placed them on the counter, and peeled them. The aroma of eggs mingled with the scent of rice porridge in the room. Ji Junxin sniffed and quickly followed the smell from the sofa to the kitchen counter.

The peeled, white eggs nestled in Mi Hongdou’s palm. One in her hand, one on the plate. Hmm… Ji Junxin looked at the pot, which now only contained clear hot water. So, just two eggs? Her stomach growled. She felt like she could eat at least ten… The closer she got, the stronger the aroma of eggs. Ji Junxin secretly gulped, feeling both anticipation and a slight disappointment.

But soon, Ji Junxin’s attention shifted from the inadequacy of two eggs to Mi Hongdou’s hand.

Originally, a white, round, and smooth peeled egg nestled in a similarly white, slender, and delicate hand was a pleasing sight. But suddenly, a knife appeared… Before Ji Junxin could react, the knife flashed twice, and the whole egg in Mi Hongdou’s palm was cut into four even wedges.

While boiling, due to the centrifugal force created by the stirring chopstick, the yolk had solidified in the center of the egg. Now, cut like this, the aroma of eggs filled the air. The four wedges, with their slightly runny yolks and whites, were evenly distributed and looked very appealing. Normally, Ji Junxin’s attention would have been completely on the food. But today was different.

“Is your hand okay!” When she ate the egg fried rice that afternoon, Ji Junxin knew that Mi Hongdou had real culinary skills. Cutting the egg so skillfully with her bare hand now, it must not be her first time, she must be confident. But even experts make mistakes! Looking at the white hand holding the egg, Ji Junxin didn’t have time to admire the perfectly boiled egg, her attention completely focused on Mi Hongdou’s hand.

“It’s fine, I always cut them like this.” Mi Hongdou put the cut egg onto the plate, raised her hand, and waved it in front of Ji Junxin. “See, it’s fine.” Then, without waiting for Ji Junxin’s response, she picked up the other egg and cut it twice with the knife.

“…” Okay, after the initial surprise, seeing it again with preparation, the shock was much less. Even so, after Mi Hongdou put the second cut egg onto the plate, Ji Junxin still took her hand and carefully examined her palm before letting go.

Her hand was… touched by her idol? Mi Hongdou’s hand trembled slightly, and she could only use her other hand to reach for the soy sauce bottle. After a moment, she drizzled soy sauce and sesame oil over the eggs. Although her movements were a little slow, she still measured the amounts precisely. The soy sauce landed accurately on the yolks, most of it absorbed by the soft, slightly runny yolks, the rest flowing down the whites onto the plate. Then, a small drop of sesame oil on each wedge, fragrant and flavorful. A plate of still warm boiled eggs was ready.

A bowl of rice porridge with a plate of eggs. Ji Junxin gently stirred the porridge with her chopsticks and secretly glanced at Mi Hongdou, who was washing the pot, feeling a little embarrassed to eat alone. But both the porridge and the eggs smelled so good… Ji Junxin poked the eggs again and sniffed, looking a little pitiful.

When Mi Hongdou, who was focused on washing the pot and knife and quickly cleaned up the kitchen in two minutes, turned around, she saw the plate of untouched eggs, the seemingly unchanged porridge, and Ji Junxin, who looked conflicted and pitiful for some reason.

“Why aren’t you eating? Don’t you like it?” Although the dish was simple, Mi Hongdou was quite confident in her cooking. Why wasn’t Ji Junxin even trying it?

Ji Junxin fidgeted on the sofa. “What did you eat tonight? Are you hungry now? Do you want to get a bowl and eat together?”

Looking at Ji Junxin’s uneasy demeanor, Mi Hongdou suddenly had a flash of inspiration and seemed to understand what she was struggling with. “I had… big plate chicken tonight. The chicken was very tender, and the potatoes were soft and flavorful, spicy, savory, and fragrant. Such a big plate, I ate it all by myself, and also a plate of wide noodles, I mixed them in too.” Mi Hongdou said, spreading her arms to gesture a circle the size of a washbasin. “So, I’m not hungry at all right now. You eat quickly, I’ll go… take a shower.” Mi Hongdou went to the bedroom to get her clothes. It was just right, while Ji Junxin was eating, she could take a shower, avoiding awkwardness for both of them.

Big plate chicken, did she have to describe it so deliciously! Ji Junxin gulped silently. But, you have big plate chicken, and I have big plate chicken’s eggs!

She picked up a wedge of egg, scraped it against the edge of the plate, and put it in her mouth. As expected, it smelled good and tasted even better. The savory soy sauce, the fragrant sesame oil, mixed with the tender, slightly runny egg yolk, it was delicious. The slight saltiness, followed by a mouthful of rice porridge, the two blended perfectly in her mouth, a perfect match! Ji Junxin ate a bite of egg, then a mouthful of porridge, and sighed contentedly, no longer envious of Mi Hongdou’s big plate chicken.

Although she had already showered earlier, she still needed to shower again after cooking. Mi Hongdou, coming out of the bedroom with another set of pajamas, glanced at the living room and saw Ji Junxin’s back as she ate. Only then did Mi Hongdou relax. Heh, big plate chicken… She had actually just eaten a bowl of unappetizing three-delicacy fried rice at the restaurant downstairs… But Ji Junxin was such a foodie, and the food at this hotel was terrible. She should already know that. If she had told the truth, Ji Junxin definitely wouldn’t have given up on her offer to eat together so easily. Although the three-delicacy fried rice wasn’t good, Mi Hongdou, thinking that anything would do, had still eaten quite a bit. So, when she made the late-night snack, she had only planned to make enough for Ji Junxin. Such a small portion, if shared between two people, would definitely not be enough. Mi Hongdou hadn’t expected Ji Junxin to be so considerate at this time, so embarrassed to eat alone that she repeatedly invited her, forcing her to tell a harmless little lie. Fortunately, she only started blushing after returning to the bedroom.

With Ji Junxin in the room, Mi Hongdou showered even more quickly. When she came out, Ji Junxin had just finished eating and was clearing the bowls and chopsticks from the coffee table. Mi Hongdou quickly walked over to help, but Ji Junxin, seeing her, sped up for some reason and picked up the bowls and plates, about to head to the kitchen.

“Let me wash them, you go take a shower, it’s getting late.” Mi Hongdou reached out, wanting to take the dishes.

“No… I’ll wash them.” Ji Junxin clutched the dishes tightly and stepped back.

It was just washing dishes, why was she being so polite? Mi Hongdou instinctively felt that something was wrong… She looked at the dishes in Ji Junxin’s hands. The porridge bowl was completely clean, not even a single grain of rice left. The plate that originally contained the eggs only had a thin layer of soy sauce left. Hmm… she ate very cleanly. Looking at Ji Junxin, who was trying to hide the dishes, Mi Hongdou understood.

She remembered one time in her previous life when they went to a famous restaurant in another city for food. That restaurant specialized in clay pot rice with preserved meats, which were marinated according to the restaurant’s secret recipe. Whether it was preserved chicken, preserved pork, or preserved sausage, it was all delicious. When made into clay pot rice, the oil from the preserved meats seeped into the rice, making it incredibly fragrant. And then the crispy rice at the bottom of the pot, just thinking about it made her mouth water. That day, they arrived a little late and ordered two servings of preserved meat clay pot rice. The rice was indeed delicious, and Mi Hongdou had finished most of hers, leaving only a little bit of the crispy rice that was difficult to scrape from the sides and bottom. At that restaurant, they paid first, then ate. As soon as Mi Hongdou finished eating, Ji Junxin urged her to leave quickly. Mi Hongdou didn’t understand at first and told her not to rush, slowly wiping her mouth. Then Ji Junxin became a little anxious, blushing slightly and whispering, “Let’s go quickly, I ate too cleanly, I’m afraid they’ll laugh at me when they come to collect the dishes.” Mi Hongdou looked closely and saw that Ji Junxin’s black clay pot, which had contained the rice, was completely empty, the black bottom and sides scraped clean. If it weren’t for the layer of oil, it wouldn’t even need washing. Of course, they quickly left after that.

With that experience, how could Mi Hongdou not understand what Ji Junxin was hiding now? She just hadn’t expected that their meeting would be brought forward, and she had gone from being an accomplice to the object of Ji Junxin’s embarrassment. Mi Hongdou suddenly felt a little emotional, but she quickly realized another problem. Since she had eaten so cleanly, could it be that…

Mi Hongdou hesitantly asked tentatively: “Are you… still hungry?”

Ji Junxin, her sore spot poked, froze slightly…

Chapter 32: I’m Back

The supermarket wasn’t far from the hotel, and they arrived in less than ten minutes. However, just as they reached the entrance, a call from the crew summoned Ji Junxin back.

The crew ultimately decided to film according to the chronological order of the script as much as possible and moved the equipment back to the palace set. The scene they filmed that morning, although good, couldn’t be used. After setting up the equipment again, Director Pan thought that since they needed to recalibrate anyway, they might as well film a scene. He chose one of Ji Junxin’s scenes.

After confirming that it was just a scene between Ji Junxin and some extras, Mi Hongdou didn’t see any reason to follow. She could only watch Ji Junxin leave, their first supermarket trip together after her rebirth ruined.

Since she was already at the supermarket entrance, Mi Hongdou thought she might as well buy the things herself.

She quickly found soy sauce in the condiment aisle and also grabbed a bottle of vinegar. Mi Hongdou recalled that the other seasonings in the room seemed complete. Leaving the condiment aisle, she entered the produce section, pushing a shopping cart and hesitating in the middle of the aisle.

Logically, someone like Ji Junxin, who couldn’t cook, shouldn’t have so many seasonings in her room… The open kitchen and the pots and pans were understandable, they should be standard in the hotel suite. But seasonings, would a suite come with those too? Mi Hongdou had never stayed in such a well-equipped hotel. So, where did those seasonings come from? Without Ji Junxin around, Mi Hongdou’s IQ gradually returned to normal, and she finally started to question the strange things she had seen in the room.

Lu Gaoshi should also know that Ji Junxin wasn’t good at cooking, logically, she wouldn’t have prepared these things for her. Could it be that assistant named Shen Zhu? The image of Shen Zhu happily accepting the autograph book appeared in Mi Hongdou’s mind. In her previous life, before Ji Junxin retired, Lu Gaoshi had handled all her trivial matters. Now that Qiao Rubai was also reborn, she should be finding ways to get rid of Lu Gaoshi, who later sided with Jiang Duo. Could it be that the butterfly effect had brought that insignificant little assistant from her previous life into the spotlight? Was it Shen Zhu who arranged all those things?

Thinking back to those seasonings, even the expired soy sauce bottle, they were all new and unopened. It must be due to Qiao Rubai’s influence that Ji Junxin started using someone other than Lu Gaoshi. And Shen Zhu, finally given a chance, would definitely try her best to do a good job. Seeing the open kitchen in the suite, she might have bought those things to show her attentiveness and gain favor. The more Mi Hongdou thought about it, the more plausible her guess seemed.

Unfortunately, Ji Junxin herself was terrible at cooking, especially when it came to measuring ingredients and controlling the heat. In her previous life, it wasn’t until Ji Junxin retired and had plenty of free time that she, by chance, started learning to bake, opening the door to a new culinary world that suited her. In baking recipes, the amount of each ingredient was precise down to the gram and milliliter. The order of mixing, the strength of stirring, the baking temperature and time, everything was detailed. It was perfect for Ji Junxin, who even needed measuring cups and an electronic scale to make fried rice. From baking small cookies and cakes to large cream cakes, Ji Junxin made great strides in her new culinary journey. Speaking of cakes, Mi Hongdou sighed again. If she hadn’t had the accident, she could have tasted the ice cream flavored cream cake that Ji Junxin recently developed.

Anyway, Ji Junxin had no talent for cooking. If the seasonings were arranged by Shen Zhu, it wouldn’t win Ji Junxin’s favor at all. Looking at the soy sauce and vinegar bottles in the shopping cart, Mi Hongdou’s mood inexplicably improved. Gaining Ji Junxin’s favor wasn’t just about preparing a bunch of seasonings, it was about turning those seasonings into dishes. Thinking this, she felt a surge of excitement, her footsteps unconsciously drifting towards the produce section.

But, would it be strange if she suddenly started cooking in the suite? Would Ji Junxin mind the smell of cooking oil in the open kitchen? Changing her mind, Mi Hongdou stopped, took out her phone, and started typing.

“What time will tonight’s filming end?” Mi Hongdou typed, glancing at the time in the top right corner, almost 5 PM, and added, “Does the crew provide dinner?” After typing the message, she was about to send it when she froze.

She didn’t have Ji Junxin’s number! After being reborn, she had been so out of it that she forgot she wasn’t close enough to Ji Junxin to have exchanged numbers yet.

So, all their interactions these past few days were purely coincidental?

She naturally had Ji Junxin’s number after she retired, even if not in her phone, she had it memorized. But she really didn’t have Ji Junxin’s number from before her retirement.

Silently deleting the message, Mi Hongdou glanced at the produce section and dejectedly left the supermarket with just the soy sauce and vinegar.

Ji Junxin, who was having her makeup done at the film set, hungry and enduring the process, would have cried if she knew what opportunity she had missed by not exchanging numbers with Mi Hongdou earlier.

Putting on period makeup was troublesome. While Ji Junxin was changing and having her makeup done, the crew members were eating their boxed meals. Although the crew meals were very ordinary, the aroma was enticing, and there were many people eating together. Ji Junxin, hungry, found the usually unappetizing boxed meals somewhat tempting. When only her lips were left to be done, Ji Junxin, who had been craving food, could finally eat.

However, by now, the crew members had finished eating, the atmosphere was gone, and the boxed meal, which had looked tempting because she couldn’t eat earlier, tasted very ordinary… Ji Junxin, with only her lip makeup left to be done, didn’t dare to eat or drink too much. She just ate a few bites of the dishes and a few mouthfuls of rice, just enough to take the edge off her hunger.

After eating the boxed meal, she missed the egg fried rice from earlier even more… if she had known it was so delicious, she should have brought a bigger bowl and swapped it with the prop bowl before filming, the half-hungry Ji Junxin thought.

The night scenes weren’t difficult, just a bit long, and were filmed in several takes. By the time they were almost finished, only a few close-ups left to film, it was almost 10 PM. Ji Junxin thought that if the close-ups took too long, she might not get back until midnight, so she asked the crew member in charge of notifying actors about filming schedules for Mi Hongdou’s number and sent her a message.

Mi Hongdou, who was bored and playing with the moonlight in the bedroom, heard her phone beep. A message appeared: “This is Ji Junxin. Filming isn’t over yet. You rest early. I’ll try to be quiet when I get back so I don’t wake you.”

After sending the message, Ji Junxin sighed softly. It seemed that living together would indeed be a little inconvenient. She hoped that the little empress wouldn’t mind too much; otherwise, she would feel very embarrassed.

But soon, Ji Junxin’s phone lit up. “I’m not sleepy. Does the crew provide dinner at night? I heard it’s braised lion’s head meatballs tonight. Was it good?”

“Not at all! I was having my makeup done when they were eating. It smelled good, but when I actually ate it, I found that the lion’s head meatballs were full of scallions and ginger!” Ji Junxin paused, added a crying emoji at the end, and sent the message.

Pfft! Mi Hongdou almost burst out laughing when she received the message. When she heard that the crew meal tonight was lion’s head meatballs, she knew that Ji Junxin, who hated scallions, ginger, and garlic, would be in for a bad time. Those finely chopped scallions and ginger that were impossible to pick out were Ji Junxin’s biggest food enemy. As expected, mentioning lion’s head meatballs elicited a tearful reply. Looking at the cute and pitiful crying emoji at the end, Mi Hongdou was amused at first, then felt a pang of sympathy. She must not be full… poor thing…

“Did you not eat much? Are you hungry now?” Mi Hongdou’s message went unanswered for a while.

Meanwhile, Ji Junxin was filming the last few close-ups. Fortunately, everything went smoothly, and they finished in half an hour.

Although the filming took a long time that night, it went smoothly. Most importantly, it was all scenes with extras, and Ji Junxin’s state was much better than the previous day. Director Pan, happy, waved his hand and announced late-night snacks.

Late-night snacks! The few bites of food she had earlier were long gone. The starving Ji Junxin, hearing about late-night snacks, almost wanted to skip removing her makeup and go straight there. However, seeing the message from Mi Hongdou on her phone, sent half an hour ago, Director Pan’s late-night snacks no longer seemed so appealing.

Was there a better opportunity than this? “Filming is over, I’m coming back. I only ate a little tonight, I’m so hungry… hungry… hungry…” Ji Junxin smiled, chose a pitiful finger-pointing emoji, and sent the message.

“Do you want to eat late-night snacks outside?”

“I don’t want to eat outside… (pitiful face)”

“Are you coming back now?”

“Yes! (cute face)”

“But aren’t you hungry…” Where was the gentle and mature foodie… Mi Hongdou had never seen Ji Junxin act so cute in her previous life. Holding her phone, Mi Hongdou’s heart itched from Ji Junxin’s messages, each with an emoji. It was like seeing a tiny, adorable kitten, so cute it made her heart itch.

“I’m hungry… (crying face) I really want to eat the egg fried rice from this morning…” No matter how she hinted, Mi Hongdou didn’t respond. Having craved the egg fried rice all night, Ji Junxin finally confessed her wish. After sending the message, Ji Junxin held her phone tightly, clasped her hands together, and silently prayed that she wouldn’t be rejected.

“Isn’t egg fried rice too greasy at night… How about I make some congee? It’s easier on the stomach.” Mi Hongdou had checked earlier, and there were only rice and eggs in the suite, no lard, no free-range eggs, and no leftover rice to make delicious egg fried rice. She didn’t want to make ordinary fried rice for her idol.

“Okay! I’ll be right back!” Ji Junxin’s reply was quick.

This message didn’t have an emoji. Mi Hongdou felt like she had been tricked.

Removing makeup wasn’t easy. Half an hour later, when Ji Junxin left, Director Pan was surprised that she would leave without having any late-night snacks, especially since she loved food so much.

Ji Junxin arrived at the hotel, took her key card, opened the door, and saw Mi Hongdou, a few steps away, wearing a light pink nightgown, her hair tied up, stirring a pot of rice porridge with a spoon. The room was filled with the aroma of rice.

Hearing the noise, Mi Hongdou was startled. She stopped and looked towards the door. Seeing that it was Ji Junxin, she breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “You’re back?”

Taking a deep breath of the fragrant rice porridge, Ji Junxin suddenly felt a warmth in her heart and smiled back at Mi Hongdou. “I’m back.”

Chapter 31: Overflowing Happiness

The words she had always wanted to say but hadn’t, the feelings she had always wanted to express but hadn’t, were now laid bare. As soon as the words left her mouth, Mi Hongdou was incredibly embarrassed, but amidst the rush of blood to her face, she also felt a sense of relief. It turned out that saying these words wasn’t as difficult as she had imagined. But her face was burning hot, what should she do!

For some reason, Ji Junxin heard Mi Hongdou’s “I like you too!” as “I like you!” Her mind went blank, her eyes widened slightly, and a strange warmth rose from behind her ears and spread across her cheeks…

Just one sentence, and both of them were blushing furiously.

Ji Junxin felt dizzy, something seemed off. Fortunately, the slightly delayed “too” finally registered. “I like you too!” What did that mean? Ji Junxin calmed herself down and quickly recalled when Mi Hongdou’s unusual behavior started. It was right after she had given Shen Zhu her autograph, when Mi Hongdou suddenly said she was going out for a walk. So, the “like” she was referring to must be the kind of admiration Shen Zhu had for her, right? No longer shocked, Ji Junxin’s mind was now functioning normally. Thinking this through, she realized her initial interpretation had been a bit of a leap.

“You’re saying, you like me too?” Ji Junxin was eighty to ninety percent sure that the “like” Mi Hongdou meant was the kind of admiration Shen Zhu had expressed earlier, the kind a fan has for their idol. But she didn’t know why, when she felt a slight resistance from Mi Hongdou’s hand, which she was holding, she asked again.

Argh… she wanted to find a hole to hide in! The heat on Mi Hongdou’s face wouldn’t subside. She really didn’t understand why the words that Shen Zhu had spoken so casually and cheerfully were so embarrassing and awkward when it was her turn. Mi Hongdou was looking down, searching for a crack in the ground. If Ji Junxin hadn’t been holding her hand, she would have run away. Now that Ji Junxin had asked, Mi Hongdou could only nod.

The little girl in front of her had her head lowered, her expression hidden, but her ears were completely red. Ji Junxin wasn’t satisfied with Mi Hongdou’s nod. Although Mi Hongdou’s “I like you too!” was so sudden that Ji Junxin had momentarily missed the “too.” Missing one word, it sounded like a confession. With the extra word, it could be interpreted as a fan’s admiration for their idol. But why was she so shy?

Ji Junxin had been famous for several years and had a considerable number of fans. She had heard countless normal confessions like “Ji Junxin, I like you very much!” and more passionate ones like “I’ll always support you, I love you the most!” Recently, the phrase “give birth to monkeys for you” had become popular, and her Weibo comments were occasionally filled with messages like “My dear, I want to give birth to monkeys for you!” Of course, these were all online. Ji Junxin hadn’t yet met a fan in real life who said they wanted to give birth to monkeys for her. As an idol, there would be many people who liked her. Hearing those supportive and affectionate words often, she was touched, but it didn’t cause much of a stir in her heart.

Perhaps it was because Mi Hongdou was also an actress, or perhaps because Ji Junxin already had some admiration for her. When Mi Hongdou said those words, Ji Junxin’s first reaction wasn’t to simply take it as a fan’s admiration for their idol. Although she quickly corrected herself, that brief misinterpretation still puzzled her.

Perhaps it was because Mi Hongdou’s expression when she said those words wasn’t the joy of a fan confessing to their idol, but rather the embarrassment of a confession blurted out in a moment of pique, Ji Junxin thought, finding her own misinterpretation somewhat amusing.

Mi Hongdou, who had lived several decades across two lifetimes, was also puzzled. While still embarrassed, she was already berating herself. She was so old, yet she had no resilience. It was just being a fangirl, why was she so flustered that her legs felt weak!

Mi Hongdou, caught between embarrassment and self-reproach, remained silent with her head lowered. Mainly because she didn’t dare to look up and see if her idol, after hearing her confession, would smile kindly and respond like she did with Shen Zhu… Although that would be nice, it still felt like something was missing.

The little girl in front of her kept her head down and didn’t speak. Earlier, when Ji Junxin asked, “You’re saying, you like me too?” she only nodded without saying anything. Ji Junxin had never encountered such a shy fan and had no experience dealing with this kind of situation. She could only recall her interactions with fans on Weibo.

In Ji Junxin’s limited experience, ordinary fans would say “I like you very much.” More enthusiastic fans would say “I love you so much.” The most passionate ones would say “I want to give birth to monkeys for you.”

Ji Junxin, wanting to understand Mi Hongdou’s situation, inexplicably asked: “Do you also want to give birth to monkeys for me?”

Mi Hongdou, who was struggling with whether to buy a nice, big notebook to get Ji Junxin’s autograph when they went to buy soy sauce, was startled by this question, as if she had been stepped on, and jumped back: “Give birth to monkeys? Do you even know what that means? What do you mean ‘too’? Who else are you giving birth to monkeys with?” It had only been a few days since her rebirth, and she had been busy with signing contracts and filming, so Mi Hongdou hadn’t had time to browse the internet. Was the phrase “give birth to monkeys” already popular? Even if it was, who would dare to give birth to monkeys with Ji Junxin? If people had fangs, Mi Hongdou’s would be bared right now.

“Cough…” Ji Junxin had originally just been teasing, but she didn’t expect the previously shy girl to suddenly turn serious and question her, even looking a little angry. Even if she knew that “give birth to monkeys” meant having children, the current atmosphere wasn’t suitable for this kind of joke. “Well, since we’re both out here, how about we go buy soy sauce?” Ji Junxin abruptly changed the subject. As for what level of fan Mi Hongdou was, based on her awkward confession earlier, she didn’t dare to explore further.

Even if it was an abrupt change of topic, it was still a way to resolve the awkwardness, wasn’t it? Who knew that Mi Hongdou wouldn’t take the hint and instead pulled Ji Junxin, her expression serious, and said: “Giving birth to monkeys means having children. You can’t just say that to others. If someone jokes about giving birth to monkeys with you, don’t respond positively. Although on the surface, it’s just a joke, and no one will take it seriously, you still have to be careful. What if someone uses this kind of joke to create a scandal? It would be troublesome…” It wasn’t like similar things hadn’t happened to others in her previous life, just not with the phrase “give birth to monkeys.” Now, although Qiao Rubai and Mi Hongdou were reborn, “Imperial Secrets” had already started filming, and Zhang Zijing, Jiang Duo, and Lu Gaoshi were still around Ji Junxin. Moreover, there was also the reality show collaboration coming up. During such a long period, if Qiao Rubai and Mi Hongdou disrupted someone else’s plans and caused unforeseen consequences, it wasn’t impossible.

In Mi Hongdou’s eyes, Ji Junxin needed to be protected. Some jokes, if taken too far, might become real. She didn’t know how Zhang Zijing got close to Ji Junxin and won her heart in her previous life. Anyway, these two years were crucial, and all-around protection was necessary. In her previous life, Zhang Zijing had clearly used Ji Junxin to rise to fame. After being reborn, Mi Hongdou wouldn’t give him the chance to even create rumors with Ji Junxin, let alone be together.

Suddenly, the little girl was no longer shy, but instead looked like a worried old woman, repeatedly giving her advice. The previous awkwardness was completely dispelled by Mi Hongdou’s rambling. Ji Junxin had never met someone so long-winded. She already knew what Mi Hongdou was saying, but she couldn’t bear to tell her that she understood. Inexplicably, a warmth spread through her heart. Ji Junxin realized that she really liked this kind of concern.

“Alright, alright, I won’t give birth to monkeys with anyone else, only with you, only with you, okay? Let’s go, let’s go buy soy sauce.” Ji Junxin hadn’t intended to interrupt Mi Hongdou, but she suddenly saw Lu Gaoshi and Jiang Duo walking towards them across the street and didn’t want to run into them. It wasn’t anything else, it was just that after what Mi Hongdou said, her heart felt warm, and she didn’t want to run into Lu Gaoshi and have her heart chilled again. At least, not now.

So, Ji Junxin said this and pulled Mi Hongdou away.

What did she say? Give birth to monkeys with me? Mi Hongdou, being dragged away by Ji Junxin, would absolutely not admit that for a moment, she felt like she had been struck by a huge lightning bolt called “happiness”!

“I just told you not to casually say ‘give birth to monkeys’ to others…” Although it was a reprimand, Mi Hongdou’s voice was weak.

“Okay, okay, I won’t say it casually, I’ll only give birth to monkeys with you.” Ji Junxin pulled Mi Hongdou, quickening her pace, casually responding without noticing that Mi Hongdou’s face was getting redder and redder.

She was just saying it casually! She was just teasing! Mi Hongdou knew this in her heart, but it didn’t stop her from feeling like she had been struck by a cluster of lightning bolts called “overflowing happiness.” Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, pain and joy intertwined, it was a strange feeling. She shouldn’t be feeling this way… but, she might as well indulge for a few seconds, just a few seconds.

Idols were really annoying! Idols who casually teased were the most annoying! Mi Hongdou glared at Ji Junxin, who looked completely unfazed, and decided to buy an extra-large, extra-thick notebook later, and a bunch of ingredients to make a table full of delicious food. If Ji Junxin didn’t fill the notebook with autographs, she wouldn’t let her eat! Not a single bite!

Mi Hongdou’s plan was beautiful, but as the saying goes, plans never survive contact with the enemy…

Chapter 30: Fan

A wise man submits to circumstances. Jiang Duo’s deliberately humble attitude quickly pleased Lu Gaoshi, and their subsequent conversation went quite well. They exchanged words, each with their own thoughts, and chatted warmly.

Lu Gaoshi had long known that she couldn’t take over Ji Junxin’s management from Qiao Rubai. Of course, she also knew that even if she did, she wouldn’t be able to do a good job. So, her strategy had always been to be a good assistant to Ji Junxin, taking care of all her needs, big or small, work-related or personal. Lu Gaoshi was older and had been with Ji Junxin longer, and she also held the title of manager, so the assistants later assigned to Ji Junxin by the company were all tightly controlled by her and had little chance to get close to Ji Junxin. Lu Gaoshi was responsible for Ji Junxin’s food, clothing, housing, and transportation during work. Even in her private life, Lu Gaoshi often used the excuse of caring for the independently living Ji Junxin to buy groceries and go to her apartment, cooking and cleaning for her. It had to be said that Lu Gaoshi’s strategy was quite effective. Ji Junxin, as she had planned, became closer to her and trusted her more. As for the assistants, they came and went, several groups had been replaced. Lu Gaoshi didn’t mind. Anyway, if Ji Junxin needed anything, she would contact her first. Those assistants were just there to be ordered around. If they didn’t like it, they could leave.

Later, as Ji Junxin became more and more famous, some of the young assistants were her fans. Lu Gaoshi saw this and, without saying anything, would assign them more troublesome tasks. If they did well, Ji Junxin wouldn’t know. If they did poorly, Lu Gaoshi would just dismiss them with a few words. Lu Gaoshi had been in the industry for a long time and knew the power of fans. Ji Junxin was such a naive person, if she met a devoted fan as her assistant, she would definitely be touched. After all, what Lu Gaoshi did was superficial. It wasn’t easy to see through it, but if a truly sincere person appeared, the difference would be immediately obvious. However, whether that difference would be revealed depended on Lu Gaoshi. Assistants were supposed to do their jobs well. If they made mistakes, they could be fired. Up to now, at least in terms of logistics, Lu Gaoshi felt that she was irreplaceable to Ji Junxin.

Precisely because Lu Gaoshi always felt that she had a good grasp of Ji Junxin’s weaknesses and understood her thoughts, that Ji Junxin was a grasshopper in her palm, unable to escape, she readily agreed to the Jiang family’s proposal. But if Lu Gaoshi, who was currently being flattered by Jiang Duo, could spare a moment to pay attention to the people passing by outside the cafe and ask a few more questions, perhaps she could have guessed that Ji Junxin, who had always relied on her, was starting to have other ideas.

Outside the cafe, Shen Zhu, who was often ordered around by Lu Gaoshi, was hurrying back to the hotel with two rolls of something in her arms.

The cut shower curtain, in an ink painting style, was attached to the metal frame above the bathroom glass door with strong double-sided tape, adding a touch of elegance to the small study. Shen Zhu’s arrangement was praised by Ji Junxin. Praised by her idol and boss, the little girl couldn’t hide her smile, her whole being practically glowing! Mi Hongdou, who had been relieved that the bathroom problem was finally solved, suddenly felt a little irritated.

Mi Hongdou walked to the door and gently tugged at the curtain. Although it wasn’t very convenient to move the curtain back and forth, compared to window stickers that would leave marks on the glass, this arrangement wasn’t bad.

“Besides the double-sided tape on the metal frame, I also added several strips diagonally at the two corners. This shower curtain isn’t heavy, it should hold.” Shen Zhu, noticing Mi Hongdou’s action, continued with a smile. “If you’re worried, I can come and reinforce it regularly.”

“It’s okay, I’ll keep an eye on it. If it comes loose, I’ll add more tape, it will be fine.” Ji Junxin said with a smile.

Previously suppressed by Lu Gaoshi and without any opportunities, now being able to interact with Ji Junxin so many times in one day, Shen Zhu was not only excited but also felt that her idol was truly beautiful, gentle, generous, and easy to talk to. It turned out that her boss was much easier to serve than that manager Lu Gaoshi! Thinking about all the chores she was usually ordered to do, Shen Zhu had an idea and responded to Ji Junxin, half-jokingly: “If Miss Ji has to do these small things herself, then aren’t we assistants getting paid for nothing? Miss Ji, you can ask me to do anything, I’m on call 24/7.” She winked playfully.

Shen Zhu’s face was a little chubby, giving her a baby face that made her look younger. This childish gesture didn’t seem out of place at all, but rather made her look very cute.

Hearing this, Ji Junxin could tell that Shen Zhu was trying to curry favor with her. However, from the bedsheets to the shower curtain, Shen Zhu had handled both tasks to Ji Junxin’s satisfaction. She needed someone she could rely on when she no longer used Lu Gaoshi, so she gladly accepted the offer and smiled, “There will be plenty of things for you to do in the future, I’m just afraid you’ll find it tiring. And don’t call me Miss Ji, I’m a few years older than you, just call me Sister Ji.”

“Sister Ji! I’ll definitely work hard, I’m not afraid of being tired!” Shen Zhu readily agreed. She could sense the implication in Ji Junxin’s words. Regardless of why Ji Junxin suddenly stopped relaying messages through Lu Gaoshi, being able to work directly under Ji Junxin was a great advantage for Shen Zhu. Of course, Shen Zhu couldn’t ignore Mi Hongdou, who was favored by both Qiao Rubai and Ji Junxin, and turned to her, saying, “Sister Mi, since you’re living with Sister Ji, if there’s anything you need, just call me anytime. I might not be able to handle big things, but I’ll do my best with logistics!”

Mi Hongdou’s lips twitched slightly. Sister, what sister? Although you look young, you’re clearly older than me! The words she wanted to say turned around in her mouth, but in the end, reason prevailed over impulse. She couldn’t ruin her image in front of her idol. But she was really annoyed! Unable to complain, she could only nod silently. She didn’t know why, but when Shen Zhu first came to install the curtain, Mi Hongdou didn’t have any particular feelings towards her. Now, she felt a slight dislike.

Mi Hongdou couldn’t understand where this strange emotion came from. She wasn’t someone who easily formed negative impressions of others. This Shen Zhu seemed easy to get along with, logically, there was nothing that should have left a bad impression on her. It was strange. But soon, Mi Hongdou’s doubts were answered.

Shen Zhu, after chatting happily with Ji Junxin for a while, hesitantly took out a small notebook and a pen from her bag and handed them to Ji Junxin. “Sister Ji, actually, I was your fan before becoming your assistant. I really like you. Would you mind giving me your autograph?” Shen Zhu said, unlike her earlier cheerful demeanor, she now looked a little shy.

Mi Hongdou, who had been listening to their conversation while absentmindedly playing with a lemon, immediately looked up when she heard Shen Zhu’s words. Seeing Ji Junxin happily taking the notebook and signing it seriously, a surge of frustration welled up inside her, almost making her crush the lemon in her hand!

Mi Hongdou was somewhat introverted. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have silently admired Ji Junxin for so many years in her previous life, never telling her that she was her fan until she died. Perhaps there had been opportunities to say it, but by the time she felt she had reached a status where she could tell Ji Junxin, Ji Junxin had already retired. Later, when they became friends, Ji Junxin never talked about the entertainment industry, and they only talked about food. Mi Hongdou naturally wouldn’t bring it up and stir up Ji Junxin’s memories. So, in her previous life and this life, for so many years, the words she had always wanted to say, the things she had always wanted to do, that Shen Zhu had just casually done in front of her!

Well, there were countless fans who had done the same. It wasn’t a marriage proposal, it wasn’t signing a marriage certificate… Few people, like Mi Hongdou, had such a strange obsession, needing to achieve a certain level of accomplishment before confessing their admiration and asking for an autograph. But in any case, seeing this harmonious scene between her idol and her fan, Mi Hongdou suddenly felt very sad…

“I’m going out for a walk.” Mi Hongdou couldn’t suppress the overwhelming sadness and forced herself to say calmly, without waiting for a reply, she quickly walked out as if escaping.

“…” Shen Zhu, who had just received the autographed notebook with a message from her idol and hadn’t even had time to be happy, was almost startled by Mi Hongdou. She took a deep breath and carefully asked Ji Junxin, “Sister Ji, what’s wrong with Sister Mi?”

Ji Junxin shook her head in confusion, but instinctively felt that she should go and check. With this thought, Ji Junxin couldn’t sit still any longer. She quickly urged Shen Zhu to leave and then grabbed her key card and went out.

Mi Hongdou hadn’t gone far. After leaving the harmonious duo, she went outside the hotel, took a few breaths of fresh air, and felt much better. As Ji Junxin’s fan, the more attractive her idol was, the more fans she had, the happier she should be. Why was she inexplicably sad just now! It was just someone who suddenly appeared and achieved something she hadn’t been able to achieve in both her previous and current lives. And Shen Zhu wasn’t the only one who had achieved it. It was her own fault for being sentimental, always feeling that it wasn’t the right time to speak up, repeatedly missing the opportunity to achieve her goal. Hmph, it was just asking for an autograph in a small notebook. She would buy an extra-large notebook later and ask Ji Junxin for an extra-large autograph! No, not just one! At least two! Three, four, five! Hmph!

As Ji Junxin anxiously searched for her missing little girl, she saw Mi Hongdou pacing back and forth on the lawn not far from the hotel as soon as she stepped outside. As she approached, she could hear her muttering something while walking.

“What are you saying?”

In Mi Hongdou’s imagination, she had already filled half a notebook with Ji Junxin’s autographs. Her mood was gradually improving because of this fantasy. Suddenly, the voice of the person she was fantasizing about appeared beside her, startling her and making her stumble.

Ji Junxin quickly reached out to steady her: “Be careful! You suddenly came out here alone, muttering to yourself, what are you saying? Are you okay?”

What was she saying? She was saying that she would ask for half a notebook of autographs, or she wouldn’t cook for her anymore, hmph! Unfortunately, Mi Hongdou only had the courage to think it, she couldn’t actually say it to Ji Junxin.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Tell me what’s bothering you, and I’ll help you! Are you homesick? Should I ask Shen Zhu to drive us back to Jiang City for the night?” Mi Hongdou remained silent, and Ji Junxin became anxious. Something was clearly wrong. But hadn’t she been fine earlier…

Hmph! Shen Zhu again! There are thousands of fans in the world, is Shen Zhu the only one you care about! Mi Hongdou, who was already inexplicably unhappy, now felt even more irritated by Ji Junxin’s repeated questions, which also included Shen Zhu.

“I’m not unwell, I like you!” The words that blurted out of Mi Hongdou’s mouth stunned the chattering Ji Junxin, and also startled herself.

So… where’s a hole to hide in!