Category: Reborn to Stew Soup (GL)

Chapter 29: Wild Imaginations

Since the hotel staff wouldn’t help, she could only seek help from her own people. Ji Junxin wanted to ask the crew if they had any spare large cardboard sheets or easily attachable and removable window/door stickers that wouldn’t leave any marks. Ji Junxin habitually wanted to call Lu Gaoshi and ask her to inquire, but she hesitated after taking out her phone. She almost forgot about their earlier unpleasant conversation. Ji Junxin sighed and dialed her assistant, Xiao Shen, instead. Xiao Shen had handled the bedsheet matter quickly and efficiently, and Ji Junxin hoped to train her so that when… Lu Gaoshi retired early, there would be someone to take over.

To make things easier for Xiao Shen, Ji Junxin explained the situation and her idea in detail, which took some time. But after hanging up, she found Mi Hongdou in the living room, carefully examining a bottle of soy sauce by the open kitchen counter.

Ji Junxin glanced at the unopened plastic seal on the soy sauce bottle and felt a sense of helplessness. Sigh, had she noticed the unnatural detail? How should she explain this? It was so troublesome. Ji Junxin walked over, bracing herself.

Hearing the footsteps behind her, Mi Hongdou turned around with the soy sauce bottle in her hand and frowned. “This soy sauce is past its expiration date…”

Eh? Oh… Ji Junxin nodded woodenly.

“I don’t have any scenes to film tonight. How about I go buy a new bottle of soy sauce later?” Mi Hongdou continued.

“Okay…” Ji Junxin continued to nod, then suddenly realized something and added, “I don’t have any scenes tonight either. How about we go together later?” She offered to buy new soy sauce, did that mean she could cook? She wondered what other dishes Mi Hongdou could make. Should she buy some other ingredients later? There were only eggs in the refrigerator. Oh, she suddenly craved braised pork, five-spice chicken, squirrel fish, sweet and sour shrimp, lion’s head meatballs, beef with vermicelli noodles, moo shu pork, pork rib soup, egg yolk tofu, all kinds of fried rice, all kinds of fried noodles, all kinds of noodle soups. Would she make them for her? Would she, would she, would she…

Unfortunately, Mi Hongdou didn’t notice the conflicted and expectant gaze beside her and just said, “Okay.” Then she put down the soy sauce bottle and continued to examine the other seasonings. So, Ji Junxin, without getting any more information, fell into a deep well of imagination…

Some people worried about whether they could eat, and what they could eat. Some worried about whether they could hide, and how much they could hide. And some people argued about who they could win over, and how many people they could win over.

“What did you say! You think you’re incompatible with Ji Junxin, but you get along well with Qiao Rubai?” Lu Gaoshi, who was sipping coffee, almost spat it out all over Jiang Duo, who was sitting opposite her. “Who is Qiao Rubai? Isn’t her reputation in the industry big enough? If she was so easy to approach, when your father contacted me back then, why didn’t he ask me to take you to Qiao Rubai to gain her favor?”

Did this person even understand which was more difficult, gaining Ji Junxin’s favor or Qiao Rubai’s? Lu Gaoshi was a little exasperated. She really didn’t understand how such a smart and elegant man like her father could have such a clueless daughter. The best way to leverage Qiong Yu’s influence was for Jiang Duo to appear more often in front of Ji Junxin and gain her favor. As long as Ji Junxin had a good impression of her and put in a good word for her in front of Qiao Rubai, wouldn’t signing with Qiong Yu from Dajin be a piece of cake? Even those outside Qiong Yu knew that Ji Junxin and Qiao Rubai were childhood friends. Now that Qiao Rubai was the head of Qiong Yu, a word from Ji Junxin in front of Qiao Rubai was worth more than countless words from outsiders. Ji Junxin had such a good personality, such a gentle nature. Most importantly, Lu Gaoshi felt that after being Ji Junxin’s manager for so many years, she understood her very well. She had given Jiang Duo so many pointers and even personally praised her in front of Ji Junxin several times. The path had been paved, yet Ji Junxin didn’t seem to have any interest in Jiang Duo, let alone look at her differently. Lu Gaoshi felt that there was nothing wrong with her plan and tactics. The lack of progress must be Jiang Duo’s fault.

Perhaps because Lu Gaoshi had been rejected by Ji Junxin over the phone earlier, losing face, and then Ji Junxin didn’t even answer her two subsequent calls, she was even more embarrassed and angry. Now, Jiang Duo’s suggestion of not pursuing Ji Junxin’s favor and instead directly targeting Qiao Rubai was like mocking Lu Gaoshi’s incompetence, mocking her earlier confident claim that with her around, winning over Ji Junxin wouldn’t be a problem. The rejection by Ji Junxin was a slap in the face.

Hmph, you can’t even gain Ji Junxin’s favor, and you think you can win over the aloof Qiao Rubai? Wasn’t that wishful thinking! The mockery and disdain on Lu Gaoshi’s face were undisguised.

Jiang Duo wasn’t stupid, she saw Lu Gaoshi’s expression. She was just the manager of a popular actress, and an incompetent one at that. What was there to be arrogant about? Although she also looked down on Lu Gaoshi, for now, she was still useful. Jiang Duo clenched her fists under the table, but maintained a smile on her face and said softly, “Aunt Lu, I also think that approaching Ji Junxin is the most effective method. After all, you’re her manager, it’s convenient for you to arrange things. But I don’t know why, there are always some unexpected incidents that prevent our plans from going smoothly. I think it might be fate. Although we haven’t made much progress with Ji Junxin these days, Qiao Rubai seems to like food too. Almost all the food we prepared for Ji Junxin was eaten by Qiao Rubai.” Jiang Duo paused, glanced at Lu Gaoshi, whose expression had softened slightly but was still tense, and continued, “And every time she comes, she seems to come to my place and ask if I brought any food. You said Ji Junxin likes to eat, and the food I bring each time is enough for four people. Qiao Rubai can basically finish it all. I think… she’s quite approachable.”

Jiang Duo didn’t say everything. After these days of constantly being “encountered” by Qiao Rubai, chatting for a bit, and then having all the food she prepared for Ji Junxin eaten by Qiao Rubai, time and time again, what Jiang Duo actually felt wasn’t that Qiao Rubai was approachable, as she said. Rather, Jiang Duo seemed to sense that Qiao Rubai was very interested in her. Perhaps, not just because of the food…

There were too many things happening in the industry, too much chaos. Unlike Ji Junxin, who had been protected by Qiao Rubai and Qiong Yu since her debut and was oblivious to the dark side of the industry, Jiang Duo had seen too much. Qiao Rubai’s approach, their conversations, her accepting the food, these actions, in Jiang Duo’s eyes, were never coincidental. Just as Lu Gaoshi said, who was Qiao Rubai? At such a young age, she had taken over Qiong Yu Entertainment under the Qiao Corporation. How could such a person have any interaction with a small-time actress from a small entertainment company for no reason? For good food? To make a new friend? Heh, perhaps only the naive Ji Junxin in Lu Gaoshi’s words would think that way. Qiao Rubai… Jiang Duo had inquired about her. She seemed to have never had a boyfriend. Her closest and most cherished friend was Ji Junxin, a woman. Although Qiao Rubai only chatted with Jiang Duo and ate her food, without any other significant interaction, in Jiang Duo’s eyes, this was Qiao Rubai’s special treatment towards her.

If Qiao Rubai really had those feelings for her, what should she do? This was the dilemma Jiang Duo had been facing these past few days. Perhaps, that was the ultimate shortcut. A shortcut that someone might have already taken… The image of Ji Junxin flashed through Jiang Duo’s mind.

Lu Gaoshi didn’t know what Jiang Duo was thinking and felt that her words made some sense. However, Lu Gaoshi, relying on her years by Ji Junxin’s side, thought she understood both Ji Junxin and Qiao Rubai. Now, the usually obedient Ji Junxin was becoming increasingly difficult to control, while the usually aloof Qiao Rubai was actively extending an olive branch to Jiang Duo. This made her suddenly feel that the situation was completely out of her control. She felt that something was wrong, but she couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

However, the matter of Ji Junxin and Qiao Rubai could wait. This Jiang Duo was really opinionated and difficult to control. If she couldn’t control Jiang Duo, then achieving her goal would be even more troublesome. Lu Gaoshi’s gaze towards Jiang Duo darkened: “Even so, it’s possible that Qiao Rubai is only momentarily interested. If you give up on gaining Ji Junxin’s favor for such a vague possibility, you might lose more than you gain. Look, that Mi Hongdou, somehow caught Ji Junxin’s eye, and now she’s even moved into her room. Qiao Rubai even helped arrange it. We won’t talk about those empty words about guiding acting skills and improving together. Just look at Qiao Rubai’s attitude, even personally arranging the room. If Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin become friends, you can imagine Qiong Yu’s attitude towards Mi Hongdou in the future.”

Jiang Duo had been present when Ji Junxin called Lu Gaoshi earlier. Although she couldn’t hear what Ji Junxin said, from Lu Gaoshi’s replies, she knew that in a way, she had lost to Mi Hongdou. However, her focus was no longer on gaining Ji Junxin’s favor. But hearing what Lu Gaoshi said, Jiang Duo suddenly realized that if Ji Junxin had really taken the shortcut, there was no reason for Qiao Rubai to let someone else move in. Could it be that she had misunderstood Qiao Rubai’s sexual orientation? For some reason, Jiang Duo felt a faint sense of disappointment and wasn’t as confident in her previous persistence.

“Then, should we try both sides?” Jiang Duo quickly masked her disappointment and looked at Lu Gaoshi obediently. “I heard that there’s something big happening with that reality show later, and Qiao Rubai seems to be busy with it recently. Do you know anything about this reality show?”

Jiang Duo’s tone and attitude clearly pleased Lu Gaoshi. She took a sip of coffee unhurriedly, wiped her mouth, and then said, “Did you hear this from Qiao Rubai?”

Jiang Duo shook her head: “I just heard about it.”

“Heh.” Lu Gaoshi sneered. “This plan is highly confidential.” She took a small sip of coffee and didn’t say anything more.

Under the table, Jiang Duo clenched her fists. This was a case of “no pay, no gain.” Taking a deep breath, Jiang Duo maintained a flawless smile: “By the way, when my father called me yesterday, he said he wanted to treat you to dinner for all the help you’ve given me. When are you free recently? We can have dinner together? And talk about that plan?”

Lu Gaoshi put down her coffee cup and smiled with satisfaction.

Chapter 28: Pervert

The suite’s bathroom had three walls and no windows. The remaining side was a sliding glass door made of two oversized transparent glass panels, connecting to the small study. The glass door was pure, clear glass, not frosted. Perhaps because the glass door was so transparent, the hotel was worried that guests wouldn’t be able to tell whether it was open or closed, ruining the elegant design if they bumped into it. So, a finger-thick transparent, hollowed-out floral pattern ran across the glass door as a marker.

The bathroom design was also quite nice. The transparent sink and the crystal decorations on the wall shimmered under the light, complementing the glass door, creating a bright, luxurious, and sparkling effect. It made the huge bathtub in the center of the bathroom look even more opulent.

This design was very eye-catching. However, standing in the study, or in the bedroom facing the study, one could clearly see everything inside the bathroom, with no obstruction.

When Mi Hongdou finished looking around the bedroom and the small study and turned to see the transparent bathroom, she immediately imagined many awkward situations that could occur tonight, and her mood plummeted.

Ji Junxin had thought that Mi Hongdou was unhappy and hesitant because she had seen through her little scheme. Now, having the real problem pointed out, after a moment of surprise, Ji Junxin was relieved. As long as she hadn’t noticed anything strange about the kitchen, it was fine.

“The bathroom… I didn’t think much of it when I was living alone.” Ji Junxin put the flowers on the table, walked to the bathroom door, and looked up. “There’s no rod here, there’s no way to hang a curtain…”

Right, Yang Lianyi had mentioned before that this was originally a suite with a double bed, so the transparent bathroom wasn’t hard to understand. Mi Hongdou took a deep breath and glanced at Ji Junxin, who was walking into the bathroom with a relaxed expression. Was she the only one who was nervous?

“Yeah, there’s really no way to hang anything here.” After circling the bathtub twice and not finding a rod, Ji Junxin shrugged helplessly at Mi Hongdou. “It seems like it wasn’t designed for curtains. Do you mind it very much?”

Don’t you mind! Looking at Ji Junxin, who genuinely didn’t seem to mind, Mi Hongdou’s mind was flooded with a wave of imagined scenarios.

What if Ji Junxin walked past the door while she was showering? No, she didn’t even need to walk past. Even if she was in the bedroom, she could still see the bathroom, a clear, unobstructed view! In that situation, she would be so embarrassed that she would want to stay in the bathtub forever! No, she had to undress before getting into the bathtub! Just thinking about it was embarrassing! She felt the warmth that she had just managed to suppress rushing back to her face. Mi Hongdou didn’t dare to imagine being seen anymore and quickly thought of something else, desperately trying not to blush in front of Ji Junxin.

Speaking of which, Ji Junxin should also be shy, if she was seen by her… Just this thought flashed through her mind. Before she could think further, the warmth that she had just suppressed, triggered by this thought, exploded from her heart. Not just her face, but her whole body felt hot. What… what was she thinking just now! Mi Hongdou’s breath was hot, and she felt faint.

Thoughts race quickly. Mi Hongdou felt like she had spent a long time imagining those scenarios, so long that she felt dizzy. But in Ji Junxin’s eyes, it was just a moment. After asking, “Do you mind it very much?” the little empress’s face turned completely red in an instant. Oh, or maybe not just her face. Ji Junxin glanced at Mi Hongdou’s increasingly pink wrists. It seemed that the little empress was a very sensitive child…

Ji Junxin, amused, patted Mi Hongdou’s shoulder and comforted her: “It’s okay. Although there’s no place to hang a curtain, we can find a way to solve it. I won’t let you be seen.” For some reason, a teasing remark slipped out of Ji Junxin’s mouth, surprising even herself.

Mi Hongdou, whose complexion had just started to return to normal, was hit by another wave of heat. Being seen, being seen naked, it was so embarrassing!

Seeing Mi Hongdou’s face turning even redder, Ji Junxin stopped teasing and asked curiously, “Didn’t you use public bathrooms in college?” Why was she so easily embarrassed… She didn’t dare to ask the second half of the sentence, afraid that the little empress would faint from the heat.

Oh right… The blood drained from Mi Hongdou’s face, returning to its normal color. She had used public bathrooms before! She had lived two lifetimes, older than the current Ji Junxin! What was she embarrassed about! Her reaction just now was too embarrassing and strange! No, she couldn’t be like this, she couldn’t be looked down upon by her idol. She was here to increase favorability! Mi Hongdou didn’t have time to analyze why she had acted so strangely just now and quickly followed her idol’s train of thought: “Cough, in college, it was indeed public bathrooms. I didn’t think of it just now. If it’s too troublesome, then let’s not worry about it…” The second half of the sentence was against her true feelings, but to appear easygoing and not troublesome, Mi Hongdou went all out.

“College, public bathrooms…” Ji Junxin repeated Mi Hongdou’s words, feeling a little… unhappy?

Mi Hongdou didn’t notice anything and continued to nod in agreement.

Ji Junxin lowered her head and fiddled with the flowers in the bouquet. “So I look like a pervert?” College had public bathrooms, which wasn’t much different from the current situation. Why was she so unwilling to use the transparent bathroom now, when facing her! Ji Junxin thought her unhappiness stemmed from being treated differently by Mi Hongdou, but after asking, she felt that it wasn’t just that… or, not only that?

If Mi Hongdou still couldn’t see Ji Junxin’s displeasure, she would be truly blind. But how could she explain this! Her idol wasn’t a pervert! But it was indeed because it was Ji Junxin that she was so concerned… Mi Hongdou didn’t know what to say.

“No… no, it’s not that.” She had to deny it quickly. Mi Hongdou struggled to find the right words: “I’m just a little nervous. And in the public bathrooms at school, I didn’t know anyone. I never went with my roommates, or with anyone I knew. So, I didn’t know anyone around me. Plus, public bathrooms are always steamy and foggy, even if you know someone, you can’t see who’s who. And, my university and home are both in Jiang City. I often went home to stay and shower. I didn’t use the public bathrooms very often… unlike here, where the transparency is so high, and we know each other…” Mi Hongdou’s voice became softer and softer, and she didn’t even know what she was saying anymore.

Not going with acquaintances, not very often… Ji Junxin felt a little better, but not enough!

“My dorm had a bathroom in college.” Ji Junxin’s expression softened as she poked the baby’s breath in the bouquet.

“Oh… that’s nice.” Mi Hongdou couldn’t help but sigh. When she first entered college, she had also hoped that her dorm would have a bathroom. The reality, of course, was disappointing.

“That’s not the point!” Ji Junxin looked up, her expression serious. “The point is, I’ve never used a public bathroom!”

So? Why so serious? Mi Hongdou didn’t know how to respond. She felt that… Ji Junxin at this time was a bit unpredictable. “So? You want to try?” Mi Hongdou tried to guess Ji Junxin’s hidden meaning.

Naturally… she was wrong…

“…” Ji Junxin was speechless. Did she really not understand? She was getting a little angry!

Mi Hongdou’s eyes were full of confusion. Ji Junxin sighed in resignation and continued to explain: “I’ve never used a public bathroom, I’m not even as nervous as you. Even if something goes wrong, you’ll be the first person to see me naked, so it’s me who’s at a disadvantage, okay?”

Well… that’s true… wait… that’s not right… “The first person to see you naked shouldn’t be your… mother…?” Mi Hongdou questioned, “Or the doctor who delivered you?”

…! Could they still have a normal conversation! Ji Junxin was speechless.

“Hehe… I’m just kidding…” Mi Hongdou waved her hand. Although she didn’t know why, seeing Ji Junxin getting angry was a little amusing, but she clearly couldn’t continue to provoke her. After all, they weren’t very close yet. But even after they became close in her previous life, she had never seen Ji Junxin react like this. Back then, she would only smile faintly, with a faint sadness. She never showed any strong emotions in front of her. Now, it really made her… have more inexplicable expectations. Mi Hongdou’s gaze gradually deepened.

Seeing Mi Hongdou spacing out again, Ji Junxin sighed in resignation: “Wait for me here, I’ll go ask the hotel staff if there’s anything they can do.”

Ji Junxin thought that since they could even disassemble the bed, adding a curtain shouldn’t be a problem. Who knew that it would actually be a problem.

The person who was summoned was the same manager who had helped change the beds earlier. But this time, he apologetically refused Ji Junxin’s request. According to him, the hotel’s design was personally done by the owner. He had taken the liberty of changing the beds earlier, which had ruined the owner’s design, and the owner had already scolded him for several hours. This bathroom was one of the owner’s favorite designs. The transparent sink and the surrounding crystal decorations were all meant to create a sparkling effect. No obstructions, no cover, clean and beautiful. Forget about installing a rod or hanging a curtain, if he dared to even mention it to the owner, he would probably be fired.

The manager, looking as if he had swallowed two plates of bitter melon, repeatedly apologized. Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou felt sorry for him and let him go.

The manager left, but the problem remained. Ji Junxin wasn’t too concerned. In her opinion, although it wasn’t very convenient for two people to live together without a curtain, it was manageable if they were careful. However, although the little empress said it was okay, it was obvious that she was still very shy. The hotel wouldn’t help, but the problem still needed to be solved.

Ji Junxin frowned, thinking hard, fiddling with the baby’s breath in the bouquet. Suddenly, she had an idea.

Chapter 27: The Bathroom

“Oh…” Ji Junxin’s slightly embarrassed face peeked out from behind the opened door. Her gaze swept over the flowers in Mi Hongdou’s hands and the luggage at her feet. After a moment, she finally said, “You’re here, come in quickly…”

Why didn’t her idol seem very happy to see her! Could it be that Qiao Rubai had forced this cohabitation on Ji Junxin? Although Mi Hongdou had been apprehensive and tried to refuse the arrangement before, she still had an indescribable sense of anticipation in her heart. This small anticipation, fueled by Yang Lianyi’s forceful encouragement on the way, had made her so nervous that she felt feverish. But now, Ji Junxin’s reaction made Mi Hongdou’s heart sink. She felt like crying, but she couldn’t show it on her face. Having come this far, there was no turning back.

Mi Hongdou gritted her teeth and stepped inside, not even glancing at Yang Lianyi in the hallway. Those who sell out their teammates today will be sold out themselves one day!

Inside, the smell of vinegar was even stronger, pungent even. The source of the smell was immediately apparent. Just two steps from the entrance, on the floor, lay a broken glass vinegar bottle, a puddle of vinegar, and a pile of vinegar-soaked paper towels. Vinegar was still slowly spreading from the edges of the paper towel mountain. The scene was quite spectacular in both scale and volume.

Why would there be a broken vinegar bottle in a hotel room? Mi Hongdou’s gaze instinctively moved upwards from the broken bottle. Hmm, the suite was quite luxurious, it even had an open kitchen. Eh, what were those? Mi Hongdou wanted to take a closer look, but a nimble figure darted out, blocking her view.

“Cough… this was an accident. I’ll have someone clean it up right away.” Ji Junxin nervously rubbed her fingers and gave Mi Hongdou an awkward smile. “Why don’t you go check out the room first?” She pointed towards the bedroom and gently pushed Mi Hongdou’s back.

After being pulled by her idol’s sleeve, she was now touched on the back by her idol! Mi Hongdou felt her previously cold heart suddenly warm up. The warmth continued to rise, threatening to rush to her face. Instinctively, Mi Hongdou felt that she shouldn’t blush, so she subconsciously wanted to get away from Ji Junxin and hide. She couldn’t care less about the items that had piqued her interest earlier.

Holding the flowers and dragging her suitcase, Mi Hongdou quickly darted into the small study. From the layout of the suite, Mi Hongdou was now out of Ji Junxin’s sight, but she could still hear her calling housekeeping to clean up. “Phew…” Mi Hongdou breathed a sigh of relief and touched her face. It was indeed a little hot.

After suppressing the inexplicable blush, Mi Hongdou finally had the chance to observe the place where she would be living with Ji Junxin for quite some time. She hadn’t had time to look at the living room outside. Now, standing in the small study, the bedroom was on one side, and the bathroom was on the other. She looked at the bedroom first. There was no door between the bedroom and the study, so they were practically connected, making it seem quite spacious. Standing in the study, facing the bedroom, there was a row of wardrobes on the left and a floor-to-ceiling window on the right. Between them were two single beds. The single bed by the wardrobe had a duvet cover with a white background and a light yellow puppy pattern, warm and playful. The bed by the window had a light purple jacquard duvet cover, looking elegant.

In her previous life, Mi Hongdou had watched many of Ji Junxin’s interviews and variety show appearances. In one episode, the artists were asked about their little-known quirks. Ji Junxin had mentioned that she always brought her own bedsheets, duvet covers, and pillowcases when staying away from home. Perhaps for the sake of the show’s effect, the host didn’t let her off so easily, saying that many people did that, so it couldn’t be considered a quirk, and urged her to share another one. Ji Junxin thought for a moment, but instead of mentioning a new quirk, she added to the previous one. When staying away from home, it was usually for work, and other people would inevitably enter her room. So, when she was out, the bedding she brought was usually in mature, elegant, and generous patterns. But in reality, what she truly liked and used at home were cute patterns. For example, pink bunnies, brown bears, and various colorful cartoon fruits… Mi Hongdou still remembered Ji Junxin’s slightly shy expression after saying that on TV, which made the other artists laugh. This self-exposure finally satisfied the host.

So, it was within Mi Hongdou’s expectations that Ji Junxin would bring her own bedding. However, what surprised her was that there was also a set for her. Her heart felt warm, an indescribable feeling.

The bedroom was clean and simple, and she finished looking around in a few glances. Then she looked at the small study next to her. There was a fruit bowl on the table, filled with apples and oranges that could be stored for a while, and a lot of fresh lemons. Using fresh fruit to scent the room was another one of Ji Junxin’s little hobbies. Because of this, Ji Junxin always had a faint fruity fragrance about her. It seemed that she liked lemons recently. No wonder she had smelled a faint lemon scent when they talked earlier. Mi Hongdou poked a small lemon in the fruit bowl with her finger, a smile appearing on her face.

One familiar little detail after another gradually calmed Mi Hongdou down. Although she and Ji Junxin weren’t considered friends yet, she felt that at this point in time, when Ji Junxin hadn’t been hurt by the scumbag yet and wasn’t so guarded against others, she could do more. Perhaps their relationship could go beyond just eating and drinking together like in her previous life. They could become closer friends, spend more time together, and have a longer-lasting relationship. Mi Hongdou’s thoughts at this time were still very pure, just wanting to get closer to her idol, be a good fan, and be a good friend.

Precisely because of this purity, when Mi Hongdou finished looking around the bedroom and the small study and turned her gaze towards the bathroom on the other side, she froze, then was completely stunned.

Meanwhile, Ji Junxin was marveling at the hotel’s amazing service. Not only were they willing to disassemble, buy, and move beds without complaint, but even the housekeeping service was lightning fast. The broken bottle and the paper towel mountain were swept away. Disinfectant spray, spray, spray, mop clean, disinfectant spray, spray, spray, wipe clean with a cloth. No more shards, no more stains. Soon, the sparkling floor looked as if nothing had happened. Watching the unsung hero finish the job in two minutes and leave, Ji Junxin closed the door, finally feeling… less embarrassed.

So, in a good mood, Ji Junxin appeared behind Mi Hongdou at her most awkward moment. “How is it? Is the room okay? The beds were just changed this afternoon. If you need anything else, we can add it.”

“Uh…” Mi Hongdou turned around woodenly, speechless.

Ji Junxin, taking the bouquet from Mi Hongdou and looking for a place to put it, didn’t hear anything after the “uh” and looked at Mi Hongdou questioningly. The person in front of her hesitated, as if she wanted to ask something but couldn’t bring herself to say it. Just as Ji Junxin was about to ask, she suddenly had a thought and quickly closed her mouth.

Could it be… that she had seen through it?

If she had known, she wouldn’t have been so hasty… Ji Junxin regretted it very much. After wiping the induction cooktop until it sparkled, Ji Junxin stepped back, stepped closer, looked left, looked right, and still felt that it wasn’t eye-catching enough, and its practicality wasn’t strong enough. After some consideration, Ji Junxin asked the hotel for a set of pots, pans, bowls, and dishes, and went to the supermarket near the hotel to buy some oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. Ji Junxin wanted to make the place look natural, like a place where she would actually cook, so even though there was a small refrigerator in the living room with decent capacity, she had to reluctantly give up on various ingredients she wanted to eat and only bought some eggs and rice. There was no other way, she only knew how to make egg fried rice… However, without measuring cups and an electronic scale, she hoped that Mi Hongdou wouldn’t actually suggest that she show off her skills. Time was tight, and there were some flaws in her setup, but to create this atmosphere, Ji Junxin had put in a lot of effort and was exhausted. Just before Mi Hongdou knocked on the door, Ji Junxin had just discovered another flaw: the seasonings she had just bought were all new and unopened. A bunch of brand new things just sitting there looked too unnatural! But Ji Junxin was unlucky. Just as she opened the first bottle of vinegar, the knock came. Startled while trying to figure out how much vinegar to pour out to make it look more natural, her hand trembled, and the bottle of vinegar smashed on the floor. Then, hearing someone turning the doorknob outside, the panicked Ji Junxin could only hurriedly throw a pile of paper towels onto the spreading vinegar and open the door.

Could it be that she saw the brand new seasonings and suspected that they were all bought recently, and then misunderstood that she was inviting her to stay with the same intention as the girl who wanted to buy the rice, to have her cook? … Ji Junxin was anxious. Yes, the egg fried rice and peanut candy made by Mi Hongdou were delicious, but cooking was just a bonus, it wasn’t the main reason for inviting her to stay! She shouldn’t have been so hasty… It wouldn’t be good if the little empress misunderstood.

Ji Junxin’s setting up the kitchen was undoubtedly with the intention of creating a nice environment, arranging everything, and living together for a while. If Mi Hongdou was in a good mood one day and decided to cook something, she could also benefit. But if this caused Mi Hongdou to misunderstand and created a rift between them, it would be a great loss. Ji Junxin was anxious, but she didn’t know how to explain, afraid that speaking up would only make her seem more suspicious.

Anxious and flustered, Ji Junxin forgot that she was still holding the bouquet. Her subconsciously tightening grip on the flowers made the wrapping paper rustle. In the quiet room, where neither of them spoke, the sound was particularly noticeable. Ji Junxin immediately loosened her grip upon hearing it. However, this slight sound was enough for Mi Hongdou to notice Ji Junxin’s unease.

Mi Hongdou was worried that Ji Junxin’s slightly displeased expression was because she was dissatisfied with the room arrangement, so she no longer hesitated. She pointed at the bathroom connected to the small study, swallowed, and said, “The bathroom… it’s completely transparent, is that okay?”

What? Ji Junxin followed Mi Hongdou’s finger and froze…

Chapter 26: Lies

After her mother repeatedly assured her that she neither snored nor ground her teeth in her sleep, Mi Hongdou hung up the phone, still worried. After all, they slept in separate rooms at home. Maybe her snoring or teeth grinding was too quiet to be heard… The news of sharing a room with Ji Junxin made Mi Hongdou deeply anxious. Even her mother’s assurances couldn’t calm her down. Should she call her college roommate? Mi Hongdou was conflicted…

Meanwhile, at the hotel, Ji Junxin also encountered a small problem.

Qiao Rubai arranged the bed swap, subtly gave Ji Junxin a few more pointers, took a call, and left. The hotel staff, having been paid, were efficient. In less than an hour, they brought two single beds from a furniture store in town. The style naturally wasn’t as good as those in big shopping malls, but it was on par with the hotel’s original beds. Most importantly, the wood was good and didn’t have any strange smells. The big problem of changing the beds had been solved by Qiao Rubai before she left, so there shouldn’t be any more issues. But Ji Junxin looked at the two beds in the room and felt that something was still wrong.

The suite had a living room upon entering, and further inside was an open study. It was called a study, but it was actually just a small connecting area with a desk. It connected to the bedroom on the left and the bathroom on the right, without any separating walls. Earlier, when they moved the old bed out through the study, it had been quite a struggle. Now, the double bed in the bedroom had been replaced with two single beds. One was next to the wardrobe against the wall, and the other was near the floor-to-ceiling windows. The bedroom wasn’t particularly large, and the distance between the two beds was only enough for two people to stand side by side, but it was enough for everyday movement.

Ji Junxin circled the two beds twice. The placement was good, so what was wrong? Her gaze suddenly fell on the pristine white duvet covers. Ji Junxin slapped her forehead, finally realizing what was wrong. She rummaged through her suitcase, took out clean bedsheets and duvet covers, compared them to the new beds, and breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they were just a little too big.

Everyone has their little quirks. Ji Junxin’s quirk was that she didn’t like using hotel bedsheets and duvet covers. She always brought her own and changed them as soon as she arrived at the hotel. Firstly, for cleanliness, and secondly, they looked more homely and helped her sleep better.

However, Mi Hongdou hadn’t arrived yet. Ji Junxin thought that she should at least extend the courtesy of letting the little empress choose her bed first. So, she put the bedsheets away again. But looking at the white bedsheets on the bed and then at her own in the suitcase, she felt that it wasn’t very friendly to change only her own bedding when they were sharing a room…

Some of her spare bedding was with Lu Gaoshi. She should have a new, washed, and unused set… Ji Junxin thought that she should prepare a set for the little empress as well, so she called Lu Gaoshi, who had gone somewhere. However, Ji Junxin didn’t expect that as soon as the call connected and she mentioned that Mi Hongdou would be moving in, before she could even bring up the bedsheets, Lu Gaoshi interrupted her in a raised voice, repeatedly objecting.

“How can two people sleep well in the same room!” “You’ve only known each other for a few days, you don’t know her character or living habits. If you find out you’re incompatible after living together, can you just kick her out?” “Different sleep schedules will affect your rest, how can you live together!” “She’s trying to get close to you because you’re famous, she has ulterior motives!” … Lu Gaoshi didn’t wait for Ji Junxin’s response and went on and on, finally concluding that she should quickly find a reason to refuse before Mi Hongdou arrived.

Admittedly, some of what Lu Gaoshi said made sense. For example, different sleep schedules could indeed affect rest. Or, different living habits might cause friction. However, Ji Junxin felt that these problems could be overcome. Although she hadn’t interacted much with Mi Hongdou, the latter had left a good impression on her. Mi Hongdou moving in would firstly facilitate their interaction, laying a good foundation for their frequent scenes together, and secondly, Ji Junxin felt that the other crew wasn’t very friendly towards Mi Hongdou and hoped that living here would be more conducive to her growth as an actress. Lu Gaoshi’s words made Ji Junxin waver for a moment, but she quickly remembered what Qiao Rubai had said before leaving.

“Actually… we were considering whether to have the little empress move in, or Jiang Duo.” Ji Junxin’s lie instantly silenced the chattering Lu Gaoshi on the other end of the phone.

“Then, why not choose Jiang Duo?” Lu Gaoshi’s previously assertive voice became cautious, probing, and slightly hopeful.

“The main reason for sharing a room is to build rapport. Considering the number of scenes we have together, I have more scenes with the little empress.”

“But…” Lu Gaoshi realized that this was a good opportunity for Jiang Duo to get close to Ji Junxin, but Ji Junxin’s reasoning was too sound, and she didn’t know how to object. “But, after all, you and Jiang Duo joined the crew together and have been getting along for over a month. You’re much more familiar with her than with Mi Hongdou, who just arrived a few days ago. Living together wouldn’t be so awkward.” Lu Gaoshi could only grasp at straws.

“Is that so…” Ji Junxin’s voice revealed a hint of hesitation.

Having been with Ji Junxin for so many years, Lu Gaoshi could hear the wavering in her voice and immediately pressed her advantage: “Yes. Look, Jiang Duo likes to cook. Didn’t she bring you pork jerky earlier when she heard you hadn’t eaten breakfast? If you live together, when you’re hungry at night, you can cook together.” She hit where it hurt. Lu Gaoshi knew Ji Junxin’s weakness.

“That’s true. But I don’t know Jiang Duo very well…” Ji Junxin seemed to be persuaded, her tone softening.

Thinking that she had persuaded Ji Junxin, Lu Gaoshi beamed on the other end of the phone: “Aiya, I think Xiao Jiang is a good girl. If you live together, you can chat more and get to know each other. Don’t worry, I’ll help you refuse Mi Hongdou. When can she move in? It’s convenient since she’s in the same hotel as you.”

Ji Junxin’s expression darkened. When she mentioned Mi Hongdou moving in, Lu Gaoshi tried every way to dissuade her, from living habits to character. Although her words were subtle, Ji Junxin could hear that she desperately wanted to disparage Mi Hongdou. It was completely different with Jiang Duo. Lu Gaoshi was full of praise, living habits, character, familiarity, none of it was a problem. She even praised Jiang Duo’s cooking skills. Did she think she was a mindless foodie? Although Qiao Rubai had paved the way, and she had been mentally preparing herself for days, when a simple lie revealed Lu Gaoshi’s two-faced attitude, Ji Junxin still felt a deep sense of disappointment.

“No need. I’ve already decided to live with the little empress. Jiang Duo is a famous actress, it wouldn’t be appropriate for her to share a room with me. Sister Lu, you don’t have to worry about this.” After saying that, Ji Junxin hung up the phone. As for getting new bedsheets and duvet covers from Lu Gaoshi, she was no longer in the mood to deal with her.

She really didn’t know what Jiang Duo’s background was. Lu Gaoshi’s protectiveness towards her made Ji Junxin very disappointed. Undeniably, when Ji Junxin insisted on becoming an actress instead of a teacher and fell out with her family, Lu Gaoshi, who appeared like an elder, had brought her a lot of comfort. Afterward, she had taken care of her for several years. Ji Junxin not only felt grateful to Lu Gaoshi, but also dependent on her. Because of this, she hadn’t ignored Qiao Rubai’s initial warning, but she had been unwilling to think about it. Until these past few days, when Lu Gaoshi started speaking up for Jiang Duo more and more, and seemed to have some underlying dissatisfaction with her. Just now, Ji Junxin had improvised a little performance, and Lu Gaoshi had taken the bait.

Facing Lu Gaoshi’s change, the usually withdrawn Ji Junxin had to face reality. But after facing it, she regretted it… Why couldn’t she remain oblivious? What was the point of seeing clearly? Ji Junxin smiled wryly, holding the phone. It would only lead to fewer and fewer people around her.

The way to stop the spread of unhappiness was to keep herself busy. After repeatedly rejecting two calls from Lu Gaoshi, Ji Junxin completely gave up on getting clean bedsheets from her.

Over the years, Lu Gaoshi had been acting as Ji Junxin’s assistant. She took care of almost all of Ji Junxin’s daily needs. The two assistants assigned by the company could only be ordered around by Lu Gaoshi to do chores and rarely got close to Ji Junxin. Previously, Lu Gaoshi had arranged everything for Ji Junxin, and she hadn’t seen any problem with it. But now, when she checked her phone and found that she only had the number of one of her two current assistants saved, she was really speechless.

Shen Zhu, the assistant, had been assigned to Ji Junxin after training for one year, four months, and sixteen days. This was the first time she received a call directly from Ji Junxin. When she answered the phone and heard Ji Junxin’s voice, she was quite flattered.

“Buy a set of bedsheets and duvet covers, beige or similar light warm colors. Have them washed and dried as soon as possible, I need them this afternoon.” Shen Zhu hung up the phone and silently recited Ji Junxin’s words, making sure she remembered the task before rushing off to do it. This was the first task assigned to her directly by Ji Junxin, not through Sister Lu. Shen Zhu, as Ji Junxin’s hidden fan, was determined to do a good job.

Naturally, Shen Zhu wasn’t the only one working efficiently. After suppressing Mi Hongdou over the phone, Yang Lianyi felt that it wasn’t enough. She put aside her work for the “Divorce, So Be It” crew and went to the hotel where the crew was staying. As expected, she caught Mi Hongdou sitting on the bed, spacing out and not packing her luggage.

Not only did she urge her repeatedly, but when Mi Hongdou finally stood up and started packing, Yang Lianyi even helped her. She was a newly signed artist, okay? For Qiao Rubai’s sake, there was no need to be so eager to sell out her own teammate. Anyway, an hour later, Mi Hongdou and her luggage were delivered to Ji Junxin’s door. Oh, and also the bouquet of flowers that Yang Lianyi bought on the way.

Mi Hongdou, pulling her suitcase with one hand and holding the bouquet with the other, stood at the door, preparing for the final round of mental preparation.

“Ahem…” Seeing Mi Hongdou hesitating again, Yang Lianyi coughed from the end of the corridor. When Mi Hongdou looked at her, she pointed at the door in front of her.

Alright, the two-year contract was probably too long. She didn’t think Yang Lianyi was so unreliable in her previous life! Mi Hongdou looked away from Yang Lianyi, who was gesturing for her to go in, smoothed her hair, and knocked on the door.

After just two knocks, she heard a series of crashes from inside, followed by Ji Junxin’s exclamation. Startled, Mi Hongdou instinctively reached for the doorknob. Click, click… the door didn’t open. Mi Hongdou then realized that this was a hotel, and she didn’t have a key card.

Just as Mi Hongdou was about to ask what was going on inside, the door clicked open.

Then, a strong smell of vinegar wafted out…

Chapter 25: Moving In

Alright, as expected, a bowl of egg fried rice wasn’t enough to max out the favorability, Qiao Rubai sighed inwardly.

“Although it’s a suite, the living room is still too simple. Firstly, the curtains aren’t right. The bedroom has blackout curtains, but the living room doesn’t, so the light blocking is poor. Secondly, the hallway and the living room are only separated by a door. You can enter the living room directly with a key card, there’s definitely no sense of security. Even if we ask the hotel staff to set it up, it would seem like we’re not taking the little empress seriously.” Ji Junxin’s supplementary explanation was reasonable and completely dispelled Qiao Rubai’s idea of having the die-hard fan temporarily watch over the foodie for her.

“If it doesn’t work, then forget it.” Qiao Rubai pondered how effective it would be to just have Mi Hongdou stay in the same hotel as the crew, but not in the same room as Ji Junxin.

“It’s not that it won’t work…” Ji Junxin wasn’t very familiar with the “Divorce, So Be It” crew next door, but judging by the title, it was a family ethics drama. She had happened to glance at the set earlier, and it seemed like the people there weren’t particularly fond of the little empress. The unfriendly Zhang Weiguo had left a deep impression on her. Thinking about it now, it seemed that the atmosphere in her own crew was indeed better. At least, there was herself, and Director Pan. Ji Junxin automatically ignored the fact that the drama next door was Mengguan’s own production, and Mi Hongdou was actually from Mengguan.

“Hmm?” Qiao Rubai was still considering whether to have a crew member give up their room for Mi Hongdou. She was pondering the profound question of whether Mi Hongdou could prevent the foodie from being led astray if they weren’t roommates, when Ji Junxin’s sudden change of tone almost made her miss it.

Ji Junxin carefully considered the layout of her room. The living room had been ruled out. The small study was too small. After all, it was a hotel. Even if it was a suite, the most suitable place to live was still the bedroom… Ji Junxin had lived there for many days. The suite was on a high floor, the bedroom faced south, it was spacious, and the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the fields, offering a nice view. Most importantly, the soundproofing and light blocking in the bedroom were excellent, ensuring a good rest no matter when she slept. “How about asking the hotel if they can replace the double bed in the bedroom with two single beds? The bedroom is big enough, it won’t be too crowded for two people.” Ji Junxin thought aloud, then added, “I remember the bed is modular, it should be able to be taken apart, right?”

Really… so a bowl of egg fried rice could increase favorability this much! Qiao Rubai couldn’t believe it. So, in her previous life, Ji Junxin was really tricked by Jiang Duo’s food? Angrily pinching the extra flesh around her waist, Qiao Rubai decided that even if she became a fat person after her rebirth, she wouldn’t let Ji Junxin eat anything made by Jiang Duo! It was too foolish to bear.

Seeing Qiao Rubai’s displeased expression, Ji Junxin asked, “What’s wrong? Is my suggestion bad?”

“Good… let’s do that. I’ll talk to Mi Hongdou later.” Qiao Rubai’s face darkened, and she finally couldn’t hold back. “Do you remember what happened on Little New Year’s Eve last year?”

“Um… we made and ate tangyuan at my place?”

“And?” Qiao Rubai’s face darkened even more.

Ji Junxin looked back innocently.

What a heartless foodie! “That night, it was snowing heavily, and we had a little wine. I couldn’t drive. You booked a hotel room for me. Do you remember?” Qiao Rubai gritted her teeth.

“Oh, I think so, what about it?” She continued to look back innocently.

“It was snowing, and you didn’t let me stay, you made me go to a hotel!” Qiao Rubai, defeated by the egg fried rice, went into complaint mode.

“But my apartment only has one bed. It would be too pitiful to let you sleep on the sofa. The hotel is right in front of the apartment building, connected by a corridor. You wouldn’t even get snowed on walking over. Was that hotel uncomfortable? Sister Lu has stayed there a few times and said it was quite good.” Ji Junxin, missing the point, didn’t understand why Qiao Rubai suddenly brought this up.

The mention of Lu Gaoshi made Qiao Rubai snap out of her complaint mode. Anyway, getting Mi Hongdou to move in was the priority. The person she wanted to pursue wasn’t Ji Junxin, so there was no point in being angry.

The matter was unilaterally decided. After several days of observation, Qiao Rubai felt that Mi Hongdou at this time should already be a fan of Ji Junxin and wouldn’t object to this arrangement. Perhaps Mi Hongdou’s fandom wasn’t as fervent and devoted as in her previous life. But it didn’t matter, as long as she was a fan. Qiao Rubai had some confidence in Ji Junxin’s charm.

While Ji Junxin was removing her makeup and changing clothes, Qiao Rubai called Yang Lianyi. As she expected, Yang Lianyi, who was currently interested in her, was very accommodating. Without even asking Mi Hongdou’s opinion, she agreed to pack her up and send her, along with her luggage, to the hotel where the crew was staying that afternoon. Qiao Rubai hung up the phone, watching the three words on the screen gradually disappear, a smile appearing on her face.

As Ji Junxin had said, the double bed in the suite was modular and easy to disassemble. The troublesome part was bringing in two single beds. The hotel was fully booked, where would they find extra beds? Considering that they still had a long time to film, and the lead actors’ rest would affect the filming, Qiao Rubai asked the hotel manager to buy two new beds and have them delivered that afternoon. After arranging the beds, Qiao Rubai came out of the bedroom and saw Ji Junxin rummaging through something on the counter by the entrance.

“Don’t tell me you’re letting her move in so she can make you fried rice every day?” Qiao Rubai walked closer, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

When she entered earlier, Qiao Rubai hadn’t paid much attention, only vaguely seeing a sink on the counter by the entrance. Now, looking closer, she realized that it was actually a simple kitchenette. It was just that because the range hood was built into the cabinet above and the induction cooktop was embedded in the counter below, she hadn’t noticed that it was actually an open kitchen.

“Of course not.” Ji Junxin, who was wiping the induction cooktop with a tissue, didn’t even look up. “Besides fried rice, there are other things to eat.”

Fortunately, she didn’t respond to the first half of her sentence! Qiao Rubai snorted and let her be. One look and she knew that this simple kitchenette wasn’t even equipped with a spatula. It was just there for the guests to look at, to add a bit of ambiance. Ji Junxin actually thought she could cook there. She would be in for a surprise later.

Qiao Rubai didn’t burst Ji Junxin’s bubble. The priority was to get Mi Hongdou to move in.

The project was at a critical stage. If it weren’t for those investors, Qiao Rubai wouldn’t have time to come to the set. After dealing with them, Qiao Rubai probably wouldn’t have time to come and supervise for a long time. She hoped that Mi Hongdou would be competent and keep Jiang Duo far away.

Ultimately, she still couldn’t find a legitimate reason to keep Ji Junxin away from Jiang Duo. Although she had hinted at it, that person who was busy wiping the stove probably didn’t understand.

“What do you think about what I said last time, about letting Lu Gaoshi retire early?” She couldn’t touch the one backed by Dajin Entertainment for now, but she could get rid of the other one first.

The diligent little bee wiping the stove stopped, crumpled the tissue in her hand, and mumbled: “Sister Lu has been with me for so long…”

“…She’s very close to Jiang Duo from Dajin now.” Qiao Rubai knew that getting Ji Junxin to let go of Lu Gaoshi wouldn’t be easy. She couldn’t directly tell her to stay away from Jiang Duo for her own good, so she could only hint at it, hoping that Ji Junxin would discover those people’s malicious intentions herself, to prevent future trouble.

“Hmm.” Ji Junxin responded softly. This wasn’t the first time Qiao Rubai had brought this up. From Lu Gaoshi repeatedly mentioning Jiang Duo in front of her and giving her food made by Jiang Duo, Ji Junxin could already confirm Qiao Rubai’s words. But… she still had some… lingering hope…

Qiao Rubai wanted to say a few more words to enlighten this fool, but looking at the increasingly unhappy Ji Junxin, she finally sighed and didn’t continue. She had known Ji Junxin for so many years. Although she shouldn’t criticize elders, Qiao Rubai really disliked Ji Junxin’s parents. She even felt that if Ji Junxin hadn’t grown up in such an environment, she wouldn’t have been so easily deceived by Jiang Duo.

Lu Gaoshi was also a problem… Lu Gaoshi had been assigned to Ji Junxin since her debut. She was incompetent, doing an assistant’s job with a manager’s salary. Precisely because she was incompetent, to secure her position, she did even better than the average assistant, taking meticulous care of Ji Junxin. Qiao Rubai had once wanted to remind Ji Junxin that Lu Gaoshi only looked like an elder, she wasn’t her real elder. But seeing that Ji Junxin was happy, and Lu Gaoshi hadn’t caused any trouble, Qiao Rubai had temporarily put the matter aside in her previous life. Who knew… Qiao Rubai rubbed her temples, hoping that now that she had spoken up, Ji Junxin would be more wary of those two.

Distinguishing between sincerity and hypocrisy wasn’t that difficult, especially for someone like Ji Junxin, who was constantly acting and analyzing characters. But the difficulty lay in whether Ji Junxin was willing to distinguish… She was just a childhood friend, not her parent. Qiao Rubai was worried sick, but she couldn’t force Ji Junxin to wake up. It seemed that she could only continue down the path of becoming a fat person. Qiao Rubai smiled wryly. Just a Lu Gaoshi made her so hesitant, she absolutely couldn’t let her develop any favorable impression of Jiang Duo.

When Mi Hongdou received Yang Lianyi’s call, she was completely stunned. This kind of arrangement to help her get closer to Ji Junxin, no need to ask, was definitely Qiao Rubai’s doing. But, wasn’t this move a bit too much? Mi Hongdou’s first reaction was to shrink back.

In her previous life, Mi Hongdou had silently admired Ji Junxin for six years, six years of only seeing her in person from afar at award ceremonies and public events. Mi Hongdou didn’t want Ji Junxin to think that she was trying to climb the social ladder, so she worked hard, waiting for the opportunity to legitimately approach Ji Junxin by being signed to Qiong Yu by Qiao Rubai. She needed to become good enough to stand before her idol. This had always been Mi Hongdou’s thought.

After being reborn, when she signed with Mengguan, Mi Hongdou knew that the time she needed this time would be shorter. But she didn’t expect it to be this short! It was too short, she wasn’t prepared at all! Mi Hongdou’s resistance was strongly suppressed by Yang Lianyi. This kind of opportunity to infiltrate the enemy camp was too rare, Yang Lianyi wouldn’t allow Mi Hongdou to back down.

Unable to resist, Mi Hongdou went to a deserted corner, took out her phone, dialed a number, and said with a tearful voice: “Mom… it’s me. I want to ask something… do I… snore when I sleep?”

Chapter 24: Entering the Inner Sanctum

Whether Jiang Lingling was a country bumpkin before was another story. Anyway, when Dong Yuannan introduced her to the public, she was already quite fashionable. Of course, her personality flaws were obvious: capricious, arrogant, and rich. Later, Jiang Lingling, relying on Dong Yuannan investing in various productions, acted in many roles, but she never became very popular. Dong Yuannan wanted to invest in a drama and make her the female lead, but Jiang Lingling had a strong personality and mediocre acting skills, she couldn’t carry a drama. After drifting in the industry for two years, something happened to Dong Yuannan.

Well, it wasn’t a big deal. Real estate companies, the waters run deep. Anyway, there were some problems with the company, and Old Dong couldn’t handle the pressure, suffering a stroke and being hospitalized. The company was in trouble, the boss was down, and the wife only knew how to take care of children. Many people were waiting to see Old Dong’s downfall. Then, his goddaughter stepped forward. Well, of course, a capricious rich girl who only knew how to spend money couldn’t turn the tide in this situation. It wasn’t a drama, it couldn’t be so unrealistic. Jiang Lingling just stepped forward, supported Old Dong’s wife, took Old Dong’s son, who was still in middle school, and threw wads of cash at the people who came to the company to collect debts. Then she went to the hospital and put a chopstick in the hand of the stroke-stricken Old Dong.

Treatment, rehabilitation, Jiang Lingling went back and forth between the company and the hospital, patiently explaining each problem to Old Dong. Old Dong, holding the chopstick, slowly and painstakingly typed replies on the computer. The company was saved, although it had shrunk considerably. He was also saved, although his speech and movement weren’t completely recovered.

So, those who were waiting to see Old Dong’s downfall turned to watch his wife’s downfall.

Such a loyal and capable “goddaughter,” shouldn’t she be promoted to wife? Although one shouldn’t abandon their wife who had been with them through thick and thin, such a lively and devoted young woman was also rare. For a time, the onlookers wavered, worrying about Old Dong.

However, day after day, there was no news. Jiang Lingling became the face of Old Dong’s company, learning to rebuild it bit by bit, truly becoming a strong businesswoman. Of course, she was still as capricious and arrogant as ever, just… not as rich.

These were matters of the business world, and Mi Hongdou wouldn’t normally pay much attention. But the key was that later, when Jiang Lingling was helping Old Dong with the company, she found that they didn’t have enough money. So, she returned to the entertainment industry, invested a small amount of money in a drama, and starred in it herself. “Queen of the Business World,” the title was a bit cliché. It was an urban drama about a self-made female protagonist, a business genius, who fought against rich playboys and corrupt officials, dominating the business world. Jiang Lingling played herself, even revealing her background to the media to create hype. With this one drama, the company got the money it needed, and Old Dong’s company officially recovered. Mi Hongdou even made a cameo appearance in that drama, which was her first official contact with Jiang Lingling in her previous life. Capricious, arrogant, but loyal, Mi Hongdou’s first impression of her wasn’t bad.

Because of this drama, the godparent relationship between Jiang Lingling and Old Dong was brought into the spotlight. Some media outlets made ambiguous insinuations, and of course, there were also those who talked about true feelings revealed in times of adversity. But the main focus was still on gossiping about the two of them.

Unexpectedly, a few days later, two videos appeared online, and their view counts skyrocketed, opening the netizens’ eyes.

In one video, Old Dong, whose speech was still slightly slurred, slowly and haltingly recounted how, when he was young and poor, he was helped by a family in his village. After he became rich, he repeatedly sent money back to express his gratitude. Who knew that when he finally had the time and money to return to his hometown, he found that only a young daughter was left in that family. The money he had sent back over the years had fallen into the hands of their relatives, who were about to marry the fifteen-year-old daughter off to a cripple in the village. He was so angry that he had a heart attack on the spot. It was that young daughter who went to the village to call for help and took him to the clinic. The debt of money he owed in the early years had become a debt of life that year. Now, he owed her more than he could ever repay. He had originally disdained explaining, but now he realized that people’s imaginations were truly limitless. Old Dong’s wife also appeared in the video, angrily rebuking those who gossiped and expressing her gratitude to Jiang Lingling, saying that she would treat her like her own daughter in the future. Finally, Old Dong choked up and said that he just wanted to be a good father and hoped that everyone would have a kind heart and look at the world with compassion.

The second video, released more than an hour later, was of Jiang Lingling, who briefly expressed three points. One, the media outlets that claimed she and Old Dong were a couple, wait to be sued. Two, Old Dong, your video is too melodramatic, delete it quickly. Three, she was a lesbian, she had a girl she liked, and please stop imagining her in heterosexual relationships. Every time she read the newspapers, she felt apprehensive.

Soon, the view counts of the two videos topped the charts. There were comments expressing being touched, and also comments accusing them of putting on a show. Of course, the main focus was no longer on the relationship between Old Dong and Jiang Lingling, but on the fact that Jiang Lingling, the rising star of the business world who had finally transitioned from supporting roles to the female lead with “Queen of the Business World,” had just come out!

Mi Hongdou still remembered that when these two videos were released in her previous life, she was at Ji Junxin’s place, experimenting with Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup. While stewing the soup, she heard Ji Junxin softly sobbing outside, which startled her and made her rush out of the kitchen. She found that Ji Junxin had been moved to tears by the two videos. Mi Hongdou watched them. Old Dong’s heartfelt confession was truly moving.

A few days later, Wang Quan, known as the “captain of the paparazzi,” confirmed Old Dong’s story online. Wang Quan was famous in the industry for only reporting facts and not accepting bribes. For a time, those who had speculated about Old Dong and Jiang Lingling fell silent.

Later, until Mi Hongdou fell from the wires, the openly lesbian Jiang Lingling continued to thrive in both the business and entertainment worlds, a true example of a capricious and domineering rich person.

The past was like a fleeting cloud. Seeing the young, capricious, and still immature Jiang Lingling, and the relatively healthy Dong Yuannan, Mi Hongdou felt a lot of emotions. It was normal for the reborn Qiao Rubai, who knew the truth, not to show any knowing expression. But Ji Junxin, why did she only look thoughtful?

Dong Yuannan took Jiang Lingling away, leaving behind a word of praise for Mi Hongdou. The other investors didn’t say much, just greeted Qiao Rubai and left one after another. This incident was instigated by Old Dong. Now that he was gone, those who had been influenced by him naturally quieted down. Moreover, the scene they had just seen, although it looked good, only professionals could see the subtleties, while outsiders only saw the surface. That was all they could see.

After the investors left, Qiao Rubai’s ambiguous gaze fell on Mi Hongdou, scanning her up and down, left and right, until she shivered and hid behind Ji Junxin. Only then did Qiao Rubai stop and pull Ji Junxin away to remove her makeup. Ji Junxin wanted to take Mi Hongdou with her, but before she could speak, Qiao Rubai squeezed her wrist. Knowing that Qiao Rubai had something to say to her privately, Ji Junxin obediently followed.

Really, she couldn’t understand why Yang Lianyi was attracted to such a serious face before her rebirth, and she understood even less now. Mi Hongdou wiped the nonexistent sweat from her forehead and breathed a sigh of relief.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Junxin followed Qiao Rubai, whose expression wasn’t good. “Do the investors have any opinions about today’s scene?” Could it be that someone among them who understood acting and had read the script noticed that the little empress hadn’t grasped the role properly? Ji Junxin was a little anxious, not realizing that her anxiety was also reflected in her tone.

“No opinions. They all think Mi Hongdou performed well, and the fried rice looked delicious. This time, it was just Old Dong trying to promote his goddaughter, to see if there were any suitable roles for her here. He left after praising Mi Hongdou, so there’s no problem.” Qiao Rubai released Ji Junxin’s hand, rubbed her slightly protruding belly, which was full of sweet soup, and frowned, slowing her pace. “Actually, before the script was revised, his goddaughter had a small supporting role. But after the changes, there was no suitable role for her. I guess Old Dong isn’t giving up. Even if he doesn’t want to compete for the role of the empress anymore, he probably still wants to try for other roles.” However, this was no longer Qiao Rubai’s concern. If Old Dong wanted to make a move, he probably wouldn’t dare to target someone from Qiong Yu. She just didn’t know which company’s actress he would set his sights on, but the result would probably be revealed soon.

Ji Junxin was stunned: “You’re saying that the girl just now came to compete for the role of the empress? Fortunately, she didn’t succeed.” Acting opposite such an arrogant girl wouldn’t be pleasant. Although Mi Hongdou was a newcomer, she was much better than that girl.

“What, after just eating a bowl of the little empress’s rice, you’re already speaking up for her?” Qiao Rubai laughed. “Was the rice delicious?”

“Delicious!” In front of Qiao Rubai, Ji Junxin didn’t need to hide her foodie nature. “It was so delicious, incredibly delicious!”

“Egg fried rice… how delicious could it be?” Qiao Rubai didn’t expect Ji Junxin to react so strongly and couldn’t help but tease her.

“Um…” Ji Junxin tilted her head and thought for a moment. “Every grain of rice was coated with egg, the egg wasn’t dry, it was a little crispy, and it was very fragrant.” Actually, Ji Junxin wanted to say that when she ate that bowl of rice, she had a special feeling. It was the same when she ate the peanut candy made by Mi Hongdou backstage last time. It was very special, as if she could feel the maker’s care through the food, that kind of heartfelt meticulousness that made the food especially delicious… Ji Junxin couldn’t say these words out loud, she felt it would be too presumptuous.

Qiao Rubai, touching her slightly full belly, looked at the serious foodie and suddenly had a flash of inspiration: “Putting aside Mi Hongdou’s cooking skills, what do you think of her acting?”

“As a newcomer, her acting skills are definitely top-notch.” Ji Junxin gave a very positive evaluation, then added, “But her performance isn’t very stable. I think it’s probably due to lack of experience. But I feel that as long as she’s given some time, with the director explaining the scenes a few more times, and after filming a few more scenes, this problem can be solved.” This was Ji Junxin’s conclusion based on Mi Hongdou’s earlier inability to connect with Zhang Zijing and her misinterpretation of the empress’s character in this scene.

It was a fair assessment. Qiao Rubai suddenly wasn’t so sure if Ji Junxin would accept her proposal. After all, this person, from some point onwards, had developed a very strong sense of territoriality. It was okay to invite someone in for a visit, but staying overnight…

As they slowly walked towards the makeshift backstage area, Qiao Rubai, who had hesitated several times, finally spoke up when she saw Lu Gaoshi and Jiang Duo standing together in a corner: “Mi Hongdou and the other two from Mengguan joined the crew late, and the hotel we’re staying at is full. The other two are just minor characters, so it’s not a big deal. But the Empress’s role is quite important. She was originally supposed to stay in Bao Yueqiao’s room, the actress who played the Empress before, but that room was given to Pan Xiang. Now, only your and Director Pan’s rooms are suites. You also said that she needs someone to explain the scenes to her. How about letting her move in, setting up a bed for her in the living room of your room?” Qiao Rubai understood Ji Junxin’s preference for small apartments and her reluctance to have guests stay overnight. So, she didn’t have much hope when she made this suggestion. She didn’t expect Ji Junxin to be bribed by a bowl of egg fried rice and allow someone to enter her inner sanctum.

As expected, Ji Junxin stopped walking, thought for a moment, and then answered seriously: “No.”

Chapter 23: Godfather

Mi Hongdou ultimately didn’t go over for a closer look. After all, even if she confirmed it was that person, there was nothing she could do, only add to her frustration. On this good day, when she had just been praised by her idol, Mi Hongdou decided to maintain her good mood for a little longer.

However, just because Mi Hongdou didn’t go looking for someone didn’t mean no one would come looking for her.

“Make me another bowl of that egg fried rice, I’ll pay you.” The persistent Jiang Lingling, clutching money, came to find Mi Hongdou again.

The originally harmonious atmosphere instantly froze.

Although Jiang Lingling was looking for Mi Hongdou, for some reason, both Director Pan and Mi Hongdou’s first reaction was to look at Ji Junxin. Only Pan Xiang, oblivious to the situation, looked at this arrogant girl with interest. She was asking for a favor, yet spoke with such arrogance. Only a fool would sell it to her.

Mi Hongdou quickly realized that this no longer had anything to do with Ji Junxin and retracted her gaze, looking directly at the young and hot-headed Jiang Lingling. After seeing Jiang Lingling earlier, Mi Hongdou had consciously looked towards the group of investors. As expected, Jiang Lingling had been brought in by someone. Actually, in the later years of her previous life, Mi Hongdou had interacted with Jiang Lingling and considered her somewhat of an acquaintance. Now, it was just a matter of a bowl of fried rice. Making it for her wasn’t a big deal. However, this girl, besides being capricious and arrogant, was also a bit stubborn. She was afraid that this wouldn’t end with just one bowl of rice.

While Mi Hongdou was hesitating, Pan Xiang spoke with a smile: “Miss, if you’re hungry, just drive to the nearby village. There are plenty of farm restaurants there. As long as you pay, they can make you anything, not just egg fried rice, even a whole chicken feast. This is a film set, not a cafeteria, no one sells food here.” Pan Xiang saw Mi Hongdou’s hesitation, but she didn’t understand what there was to hesitate about. Just because she had some connection to the investors? Pan Xiang, backed by Director Pan and Qiao Rubai, wasn’t afraid of her. If she were a true food lover, like herself, wanting to get a free meal would be understandable. But looking at her attitude, it was as if everyone owed her a feast. She wasn’t likable at all. Forget about not having food, even if there was, it wouldn’t be her turn. After speaking, Pan Xiang winked at Ji Junxin.

Ji Junxin was also dissatisfied with Jiang Lingling’s arrogant attitude. Moreover, Mi Hongdou was an actress in the crew, not a cook who could be ordered around. She herself had to wait for the reshoot to eat another bowl of egg fried rice. What was this person who barged in trying to do? “Cough… yes, not for sale.” Arguing wasn’t Ji Junxin’s forte. She wanted to say, “Who cares about your money? If Mi Hongdou was willing to sell the rice, I would buy it all, it wouldn’t be your turn, you random stranger.” However, using money to measure the food Mi Hongdou made was too vulgar. Ji Junxin thought that she had also been influenced by this vulgarity and became even angrier.

Since both Pan Xiang and Ji Junxin had spoken, Mi Hongdou wouldn’t offend them for Jiang Lingling’s sake. However, knowing a bit about Jiang Lingling’s future, she didn’t want to be too harsh and just shook her head, making her stance clear.

Jiang Lingling didn’t listen to Pan Xiang and Ji Junxin’s words at all. After Mi Hongdou shook her head, she angrily rummaged through her pockets, pulled out a wad of red bills, didn’t even count them, and without saying a word, held the money out to Mi Hongdou.

This… this kind of… rude, nouveau riche behavior was shocking. Fortunately, she held it out, not threw it. Pan Xiang looked at the wad of cash in Jiang Lingling’s hand and roughly estimated that it was about two thousand yuan. Buying a bowl of egg fried rice for two thousand yuan? This girl wasn’t just rich, she was probably also a crazy rich person. Besides, who would carry so much cash in their pockets without a wallet? In Pan Xiang’s eyes, Jiang Lingling had been classified as someone crazy to be avoided.

Pan Xiang was too stunned to speak. Director Pan awkwardly looked away, not knowing how to get involved in this strange girl’s bizarre behavior. Ji Junxin, however, was truly angered: “Do you think you can buy anything with money? Do you think… do you think…” This behavior of throwing money at people, coupled with Jiang Lingling’s arrogant expression, angered Ji Junxin. Her tone became harsh, but unfortunately, lacking experience in insulting people, she didn’t know how to express her anger, her face flushing red.

“Do you think everyone is your mother and has to spoil you…” Pan Xiang, unable to stand it any longer, completed Ji Junxin’s sentence.

Ji Junxin’s anger subsided. She pulled Mi Hongdou behind her, “She’s trying to set you up. If you take her money and cook for her today, the media will twist the story.”

Being… pulled by her idol’s… sleeve! Jiang Lingling wasn’t the type to set people up. She was usually the one being set up. But Mi Hongdou wouldn’t be so foolish as to say that out loud. Being pulled by her idol’s sleeve felt surreal. Was this strange feeling really okay? In her previous life, when she interacted with Ji Junxin, Ji Junxin was already very good at keeping a distance from the world. Mi Hongdou had never experienced this kind of treatment. Suddenly, she truly felt the benefits of rebirth. The Jiang Lingling in front of her was becoming more and more… not annoying.

“Newcomer Sells ‘Herself’ for Money,” “The Secret ‘Sugar Daddy’ Behind the Egg Fried Rice,” “2000 Yuan for a Bowl of Rice, Newcomer’s New Price”… Just imagining it, Ji Junxin could come up with several news headlines. She glanced at the foolish-looking Mi Hongdou. Newcomers were so naive. Ji Junxin began to wonder if this girl who wanted to buy the rice was really brought by the investors, or if someone had sent her to frame Mi Hongdou. In her eyes, Jiang Lingling had transformed from a slightly unpleasant stranger to a hidden class enemy.

Ji Junxin, holding Mi Hongdou with one hand, habitually reached for her phone in her pocket to call Qiao Rubai. Then she realized that she had rushed over to see how the egg fried rice was made and hadn’t even changed her clothes. She was still wearing her costume, where would she have her phone? Ji Junxin, unable to find her phone, ignored Jiang Lingling, whose expression was getting worse and worse, and stood on tiptoe, looking around for Lu Gaoshi, who was holding her belongings.

She didn’t see Lu Gaoshi, but her searching gaze caught the eye of Qiao Rubai, who was holding her waist and still dealing with the investors. At the same time, she also saw Jiang Lingling with them.

So, Qiao Rubai, like a tour guide, led the group of investors over.

Compared to the relieved Ji Junxin, Jiang Lingling clearly felt the power of having backing.

“Godfather…” Jiang Lingling, repeatedly rejected, acted like a little girl who had been wronged outside and pulled on the sleeve of a chubby man among the investors, a man with a bald head and a protruding belly. The chubby man chuckled and patted her head.

The word “godfather” made everyone’s eyes gleam with intrigue. Except, of course, Qiao Rubai and Mi Hongdou.

“Godfather, I can’t get that fried rice.” Jiang Lingling, still clutching a wad of cash, complained angrily.

The chubby man’s smile didn’t fade. His gaze swept over Mi Hongdou, Ji Junxin, and Qiao Rubai. He took the money from Jiang Lingling’s hand. “Alright, it’s okay, let’s go eat something else.” He skillfully straightened the slightly crumpled bills and put them back in Jiang Lingling’s hand.

“But, Godfather, you clearly wanted to eat the egg fried rice she made.” Jiang Lingling looked at Mi Hongdou unwillingly.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. The egg fried rice Lingling makes is even more delicious. Let’s go back, and Lingling can make it for Godfather.” The chubby man patiently coaxed her.

“Really?” Jiang Lingling didn’t think her own cooking could compare to the fragrant bowl Mi Hongdou had just made.

“Really, really, our Lingling’s cooking is the best.” The chubby man said, pulling Jiang Lingling’s sleeve, greeting Qiao Rubai, and leading her away. After taking two steps, he seemed to remember something, turned around, and smiled kindly at Mi Hongdou, abruptly saying, “Little Empress, good performance, keep up the good work.” Then, he really left.

The loving father and daughter left, leaving behind a group of people with different expressions. Mi Hongdou secretly glanced around. Except for Qiao Rubai and Ji Junxin, everyone else was more or less embarrassed. Of course, a capricious young goddaughter and a wealthy, middle-aged godfather, in this situation, most people would imagine an impure relationship between them.

However, in a few years, they would know that these two were truly just a pure godfather and goddaughter.

Dong Yuannan, when he was young, was dirt poor. Later, he made a fortune in the stock market and entered the real estate industry, becoming a nouveau riche developer. When he was poor, he couldn’t afford to marry. It wasn’t until he made his fortune in the stock market that he married a woman more than ten years younger than him, and he never remarried. Their relationship had always been good, but five or six years ago, Dong Yuannan returned to his hometown. When he came back, he brought a fifteen-year-old girl with him, saying that she was the daughter of a fellow villager. Her family had all passed away, and she was alone, so he took her in as his goddaughter. That girl was Jiang Lingling. Suddenly bringing a goddaughter back really shocked his wife.

Dong Yuannan’s hometown was a very poor place. No one knew what Jiang Lingling was like before. Dong Yuannan himself was an uneducated nouveau riche. His wife only cared about raising their son and didn’t care about the goddaughter, so Dong Yuannan transformed Jiang Lingling in his own way. As for the specific method, it was probably something like, “Godfather has money, don’t be afraid to spend it,” or something like that… Anyway, when Jiang Lingling appeared in public two years ago, she wasn’t unfashionable, just rich…

In her previous life, many people misunderstood the relationship between Dong Yuannan and Jiang Lingling. There was no helping it. These two always acted like they lacked common sense, calling each other “godfather” and “goddaughter” in public, even closer than a real father and daughter. In her previous life, Jiang Lingling also seemed to have entered the entertainment industry around this time. She had a role as a concubine in “Imperial Secrets.” Mi Hongdou didn’t have any impression of her other works, mainly because her attention was focused on Ji Junxin at that time. She only knew that there was such a person in the industry, and that this person had such a godfather. Right, Mi Hongdou was also one of the people who misunderstood them.

But at that time, no one inside or outside the industry expected that life would always be more dramatic than fiction!

Chapter 22: Eight Treasure Sweet Soup

Mi Hongdou, who had been expecting criticism from Ji Junxin, wasn’t just stunned after hearing what Ji Junxin said to Director Pan, she was practically petrified… This rollercoaster of emotions was too complex to describe.

To put it simply, it was like buying a two-dollar lottery ticket, hoping to win ten dollars. When checking the numbers, she was surprised to find, wow! She had actually won three hundred dollars! Before she could celebrate, she realized she had misread a number and hadn’t won anything, losing the two dollars she spent on the ticket. Dejected, she was about to leave and try again another day when she glanced at the ticket again. Hey! She had checked the wrong draw date! Checking again, she realized she had won the five million dollar grand prize!

Ji Junxin had no idea that the petrified Mi Hongdou was actually ecstatic. She thought Mi Hongdou was feeling down because the scene hadn’t been approved. “It’s okay… the scene was filmed very well. For the reshoot, you only need to use five or six out of ten of your skills, and it will be fine.” Ji Junxin didn’t have much experience comforting people, so her words felt inadequate. After speaking, she felt that it wasn’t what she wanted to convey.

She was even praised by her idol… Hearing the gentle comfort, Mi Hongdou’s frustration from the failed scene was thrown into the Pacific Ocean, no, into a black hole in the universe.

Being praised for messing up was a bit embarrassing. After struggling for a while, Mi Hongdou managed to squeeze out a sentence: “I… I’ll work hard next time!”

“Although this scene doesn’t quite fit the plot, the final result is really good. It would be a waste to just delete it. Why don’t we keep it for now? Maybe we can use it as behind-the-scenes footage and release it before or after the movie premiere. Right, let’s keep the eating scene too. It looked very appetizing. Sister Junxin, was the egg fried rice delicious?” Pan Xiang returned from somewhere, holding a bowl of eight treasure sweet soup, and nudged Ji Junxin playfully with her elbow.

“Cough… delicious…” Ji Junxin, her foodie nature exposed, was a little embarrassed, fidgeting slightly, her voice dropping to a mosquito’s hum. But the two words “delicious” were very clear.

The sudden, faint sound of someone gulping must have been a collective hallucination, haha…

“Putting aside the script, both scenes were well-filmed. Let’s keep them for now and see if we can use them later.” Director Pan, smoothing things over, glared at Pan Xiang. He knew that this girl hadn’t had any and was now teasing others. “By the way, Xiaomi, I see you’re very skilled with the traditional stove. Have you lived in the countryside before?”

Mi Hongdou was taken aback and couldn’t immediately respond to Director Pan’s attempt to change the subject. Country life? Naturally, she hadn’t experienced it. However, in her previous life, under the training of Ji Junxin’s various recipes, she was not only skilled with traditional stoves, but also a master at digging holes and roasting beggar’s chicken or stewing mutton.

“No, I haven’t. I just enjoy experimenting with cooking and have some understanding of various stoves and utensils.” She couldn’t reveal the truth about being forced to improve by a foodie, so Mi Hongdou could only modestly say that it was a personal hobby.

Then, paying close attention, she noticed that her words made Ji Junxin’s eyes light up.

“Sister Hongdou is so amazing! There are a few more cooking scenes for the Empress in the later part of the script. Remember to save a bowl for me!” Foodies always appear in groups. Pan Xiang’s eyes shone as she flipped through the script, slightly regretting that she hadn’t written more cooking scenes and details for the Empress.

“All you think about is food. If you had known Xiaomi could cook earlier, wouldn’t you have turned this drama into a food documentary?” Director Pan jokingly pointed at the bowl in Pan Xiang’s hand. “In this remote wilderness, where did you get this? Don’t tell me you brought it yourself. You’re eating it all by yourself, not sharing with anyone.”

The usually large rice bowl was filled with sweet soup. White fungus, longan, red dates, lotus seeds, goji berries, peanuts, and gorgon fruit, with a half-eaten egg nestled inside. The soup looked well-cooked.

“Speaking of this soup, it’s really…” Pan Xiang paused, finally finding the right words. “It’s really a pie from the sky.”

“A pie?” Director Pan glanced at the soup. “Do you think with your insight, you can still be a screenwriter? Why don’t you go home and do your homework?”

“Aiya, it’s just a metaphor, a metaphor, do you understand?” Pan Xiang stamped her foot. “Fine, it’s soup from the sky. Just now, I saw President Qiao and the actress who plays Concubine Zhu, what’s her name, oh whatever. I saw President Qiao and her over there. She was holding a thermos, and President Qiao was standing next to her, eating something, bowl after bowl, non-stop. I was curious, so I went closer to take a look. President Qiao invited me to have some soup…”

“So you just drank it? Didn’t you bring a bowl for your grandpa?” Director Pan, who hadn’t had his wife’s loving lunchbox today, was a little unhappy.

“…” Pan Xiang looked at her unhappy grandfather, then at the two people next to her who were trying not to laugh. “Fine, I’ll tell you. President Qiao said that Sister Junxin had already eaten a lot of egg fried rice, so I shouldn’t give her any soup. She originally asked me to leave after finishing the soup, but I wanted to show off. She even made me take a bite of the egg before letting me go. She said that if I didn’t, Sister Junxin might act pitiful, and I would give her the soup. And, before I got this bowl, President Qiao had already drunk several bowls. This was the last one.”

It seemed like there was a lot of information to unpack… Compared to Ji Junxin, who was blushing with embarrassment, Mi Hongdou, frowning, was clearly thinking more deeply.

“By the way, is there something going on with President Qiao recently? Even if it’s just soup, bowl after bowl, it seemed like she drank too much.” Actually, Pan Xiang felt that when she approached and Qiao Rubai invited her to have soup, there was a look of… relief on her face. Was she seeing things?

Concubine Zhu? Jiang Duo? Since when were Qiao Rubai and her so friendly? Weren’t they supposed to be wary of best friends… Mi Hongdou frowned.

Poor Qiao Rubai, who was currently guarding against the “best friend” threat, finally finished the thermos and sent Jiang Duo away, clutching her waist. This foodie’s romantic tribulations weren’t easy to block. Qiao Rubai smiled wryly and pinched her recently expanding waist. She was so envious of those who could eat whatever they wanted without gaining weight!

“You’re talking about Jiang Duo?” Ji Junxin clearly wasn’t thinking as deeply as Mi Hongdou. “She spoke up for me earlier. I should go and thank her.”

Hmm? Mi Hongdou didn’t have time to think about the relationship between Qiao Rubai and Jiang Duo. She turned her head and said seriously, “Director Pan, when will the reshoot be? Are we still filming the egg fried rice scene? Or the original wild vegetable fried rice scene?”

As expected, the topic successfully stopped the foodie in her tracks.

“Well, it depends on whether we go back to the original set to finish filming there before coming back, or just continue filming here.” Director Pan seriously considered the question. Both options had their pros and cons. “As for what to film…” Director Pan looked at Ji Junxin.

“…” Ji Junxin quickly winked at Director Pan.

Director Pan smiled: “Let’s still film the egg fried rice scene. You only need to use three or four out of ten of your skills this time.”

Ji Junxin blushed slightly, relieved. It seemed that the little empress didn’t know about her capriciously changing the script. However, Mi Hongdou’s mentioning the reshoot made Ji Junxin feel that this NG also had its benefits. She could eat egg fried rice again. Ji Junxin felt a little guilty for having such a thought. So, Jiang Duo, and the fact that Mi Hongdou would only need to use a fraction of her skills for the reshoot, were all overshadowed by her anticipation for the egg fried rice.

Unfortunately, Mi Hongdou’s gaze was drawn to a somewhat familiar figure in the crowd in the distance, and she didn’t notice the expectant look in Ji Junxin’s eyes.

Was it her? Why was she here? Mi Hongdou couldn’t resist the urge to go closer and see if it was the person she was thinking of.

At the same time, the girl who was being watched by Mi Hongdou, unaware, took out her phone and dialed: “Mom, I think I saw that Mi Hongdou…”

Chapter 21: Protection

The night before, Mi Hongdou was already in bed, about to sleep, when she received a call from the “Imperial Secrets” crew about a change in the next day’s scene. Fortunately, it was just making wild vegetable fried rice, which was only a few lines in the script, not a difficult scene. However, the key was that she would be acting opposite Ji Junxin. Even though the script said that Miao Qianye just held the bowl on her lap, gazing into the distance without eating, for Mi Hongdou, this was the first time showcasing her skills in front of her idol. She had to do her best! As for considering the appropriate culinary skill level for an empress in the drama, that had long been overshadowed by the excitement she felt upon receiving the call.

This must be Qiao Rubai giving her another opportunity, right? Mi Hongdou mentally gave Qiao Rubai a thumbs-up, determined not to let down the good intentions of a fellow reborn person. She would definitely maximize her idol’s favorability towards her before Ji Junxin developed any interest in Zhang Zijing!

Just as Mi Hongdou was racking her brains, thinking about which wild vegetables were in season and would be fragrant when stir-fried with rice, another call came, changing the wild vegetable fried rice to egg fried rice. At this point, Mi Hongdou no longer had any doubts. Changing from wild vegetable fried rice to egg fried rice, this must be Qiao Rubai giving her an opportunity! Otherwise, why would she specifically choose egg fried rice, the dish most likely to increase Ji Junxin’s favorability?

In her previous life, Mi Hongdou had the good fortune to be friends with Ji Junxin for almost four years. Ji Junxin’s special fondness for egg fried rice naturally couldn’t be hidden from her. After Ji Junxin retired, her love for food increased proportionally. Mi Hongdou, as Ji Junxin’s hidden die-hard fan, naturally supported her wholeheartedly. So, when they got along well, they often went on food adventures together, and Mi Hongdou would tirelessly research ancient recipes that Ji Junxin liked, finding ways to recreate them for her.

However, the best-laid plans of foodies often go awry. Sometimes, ingredients would be sold out, or they would be in a remote location where the desired food wasn’t available, or sometimes, the recipes they tried would fail… At times like these, the disheartened Ji Junxin needed a bowl of egg fried rice to comfort her wounded soul.

It could be said that egg fried rice was the dish Mi Hongdou made the most and was most skilled at.

Now, hearing that the dish for the next day’s scene had been changed, Mi Hongdou could almost foresee herself showing off her skills in front of her idol and gaining her favor. She couldn’t be more grateful to Qiao Rubai!

So, after ending the call, Mi Hongdou, no longer sleepy, quickly got up and went straight to the hotel kitchen. Choose the rice, steam the rice! Authentic egg fried rice was best made with leftover, cold rice. Late at night, Mi Hongdou, her eyes shining, cooked rice in the kitchen.

Early in the morning on the day of filming, Mi Hongdou got up early again and went to the hotel kitchen to render a bowl of lard from fresh pork fat. It was a pity that the eggs in the hotel kitchen were all ordinary large eggs… Fortunately, there were many farms around the hotel. Before going to the set, Mi Hongdou went out and bought a few free-range eggs. With this, everything was ready, just waiting for the foodie.

Mi Hongdou specifically chose fragrant lard to fry the rice, believing that Ji Junxin would definitely take a bite after filming. Mi Hongdou was very confident in her egg fried rice, it would definitely win Ji Junxin’s favor. However, she didn’t expect Jiang Lingling to appear halfway. Mi Hongdou saw that Ji Junxin was interested in the rice, so naturally she helped to stop Jiang Lingling. But she didn’t expect that Ji Junxin, to keep the bowl of rice, would actually eat it on camera, in character.

After finishing the rice, Ji Junxin went to remove her makeup, satisfied. When Director Pan came to call Mi Hongdou, she was still a little dazed.

“Take a look.” Director Pan pulled Mi Hongdou aside and showed her the two scenes they had just filmed. “What do you think?”

The second scene, where Ji Junxin ate the rice, was also filmed without onlookers. Mi Hongdou had watched from afar, only seeing Ji Junxin methodically eating the rice spoonful by spoonful. Unlike now, where the cameraman had given a close-up, capturing the slight upturn of the corners of her mouth as she ate…

She knew she would like it! Mi Hongdou was also very satisfied…

“…” Director Pan glanced at Mi Hongdou, whose face was beaming with happiness, and silently opened the script, pointing. “Why could a pampered empress, cooking for the first time, be so skilled?”

“Huh?” Mi Hongdou, still immersed in the satisfaction of winning her idol’s favor, was stunned. Oh right… something seemed wrong. Only now did Mi Hongdou realize that she hadn’t been immersed in the role, not from the moment she handed the bowl to Ji Junxin, but from last night, after receiving the call, she had been out of character the whole time.

So, there was no way for her to truly embody the empress… Director Pan’s words were like a bucket of cold water, waking Mi Hongdou up.

“Then, can’t we use the scene we filmed today?” A familiar voice came from behind Mi Hongdou and Director Pan. Mi Hongdou stiffly turned around. As expected, it was Ji Junxin, who hadn’t removed her makeup yet.

However, the problem now wasn’t why her idol, who was supposed to be changing clothes, had suddenly appeared, but… Her first scene with her idol, and she had messed up, messed up fundamentally. Mi Hongdou felt terrible… She was supposed to be increasing favorability, but now it was probably decreasing.

“We probably can’t use it. An empress, so skillfully using the stove and frying rice, it’s too out of place.” Director Pan said, looking around and lowering his voice again. “But, let’s consider it a pass today. Otherwise, those investors who came with Xiaoqiao will make a fuss. We’ll find some time to reshoot it later.”

Mi Hongdou secretly glanced at Ji Junxin. Her serious face showed a hint of displeasure… Had she really decreased her favorability? Just as Mi Hongdou was on the verge of tears, wanting to bang her head against a bowl of cold rice, Ji Junxin spoke: “But, I think it was filmed well. Even if she’s an empress, there can be empresses who can cook.”

Eh? Mi Hongdou, struggling on the brink of death, perked up her ears.

“But the audience might not think so. Besides, there’s no foreshadowing. The empress suddenly being so capable is too jarring.” Director Pan also thought the scene was well-filmed, it could even be broadcast on a cooking show. It was a pity that it didn’t fit the plot.

“But, the script mentions that the empress comes from a military family and loved to ride and hunt with her father and brothers since she was young, and only settled down after meeting Ji Yan, who was still a prince, when she entered the palace with her mother. Then, it’s also possible that the young empress wasn’t someone who only knew about music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Perhaps she had seen others cook before?” Ji Junxin took the script from Director Pan, flipped through it, and pointed to a line on a certain page.

Director Pan looked and laughed: “That’s the character’s background introduction. A newcomer might not know, but you should know. That’s written for the actors to help them understand the character. A movie has limited time, many things won’t be shown, so we can’t foreshadow or explain why the empress is a good cook.”

Ji Junxin was speechless… It wasn’t her first day filming, she understood what Director Pan was saying. But she had just followed them over and happened to see the replay of Mi Hongdou’s cooking scene. The smooth and skillful movements, the smoky stir-fry, it was like watching someone paint with bold strokes, full of charm and beauty, a refreshing sight. No wonder… even though she couldn’t see it from the courtyard earlier, the smell was so fragrant.

Thinking about the bowl of egg fried rice earlier, the seasoning was perfect, fragrant but not greasy, firm but not dry, simply delicious. After eating, and then seeing the process of Mi Hongdou making it, Ji Junxin couldn’t bear to see such a well-filmed scene go to waste. Ji Junxin had a feeling that if this scene was included in the movie, it would definitely gain Mi Hongdou countless fans. However, what Director Pan said made sense, and Ji Junxin couldn’t think of a way to refute it. She could only look at Mi Hongdou apologetically.

It was fine if she didn’t look, but upon looking, the person next to her seemed to be… frozen?

Chapter 20: The Next Scene

From the moment Mi Hongdou started heating the wok and melting the lard, Ji Junxin, who had only eaten a few bites of burnt scrambled eggs since last night, was captivated by the aroma. Yet, she had to follow the script and sit obediently in the courtyard, holding a cup and pretending to be deep in thought. With her back to the kitchen shed, she couldn’t see anything, so she strained her ears, listening to the sounds of cracking eggs, stirring, and the sizzling of the ingredients hitting the hot wok… Ji Junxin, surrounded by the aroma, imagined the progress of the egg fried rice in the wok while maintaining a vacant expression, occasionally lowering her head to take small sips of water. It was a pity that the script required Miao Qianye to sit in the courtyard, lost in her thoughts due to weakness and worry, until the young Empress brought her the steaming hot rice. Otherwise, she would have gone to the stove to watch. Maybe, next time, she could also make scrambled eggs without burning them, even without measuring cups, scales, and recipes.

Ji Junxin, savoring the aroma of food in the air, waited with great anticipation and a little regret. Finally, she received the key prop from Mi Hongdou, a bowl of beautiful golden rice with white egg, just as she had imagined. But before she could even hold the bowl steady, someone came to snatch it away. What was the meaning of this! The girl in front of her, judging by her appearance, although her makeup was a bit heavy, was probably only in her early twenties after removing it. Judging by her clothes, well, they were designer brands. It was just that her perfume was a bit strong, and up close, it slightly interfered with the aroma of the egg fried rice… Ji Junxin frowned and instinctively pulled the bowl closer as the girl reached out. She didn’t look like a beggar, so why was she asking for food?

“Miss, we’re filming here. Is there anything I can help you with?” A clear female voice rang out from behind the food-snatching girl.

The girl retracted her hand and turned sideways, revealing Jiang Duo, who was holding a thermos and had addressed her.

“Didn’t you finish filming and call cut? This prop is useless now. I want this bowl of rice, I don’t want the bowl itself.” The girl looked at Ji Junxin, then at Jiang Duo, her expression clearly saying, “I’m giving you face by asking you for something, and you’re still hesitating, how annoying.”

Ji Junxin and Jiang Duo made a living from acting, so how could they not understand that obvious disdain? But the point was, she was robbing them and was even annoyed that they weren’t cooperating, wasn’t she being too presumptuous! This person was too rude, Ji Junxin was a little angry. Of course, she wouldn’t admit that what made her most angry was that the person wanted to snatch the bowl of rice she really wanted to eat.

“May I know who you are?” Jiang Duo remained polite, but maintained her stance as she continued to talk to the food-snatching girl. Although she maintained a smile on her face, she was already cursing Lu Gaoshi in her mind. Lu Gaoshi had said that Ji Junxin was in a bad mood recently, and bringing food at this time would be the easiest way to befriend her. She had also said that with an outsider causing trouble for Ji Junxin on set, this was the perfect opportunity to gain favor, and she pushed Jiang Duo forward to save the day. While Jiang Duo was still hesitating, Lu Gaoshi pushed her forward, so she could only speak up. As she got closer, she saw that the girl was young, but her clothes were expensive, and even her perfume was two grades higher than hers. Most importantly, as soon as the girl spoke, she knew that she wasn’t easy to deal with. Jiang Duo always wanted to maintain an image of kindness and generosity, and she didn’t want to have a damaging argument with this tough girl on set. She wasn’t a big shot like Ji Junxin, who had Qiong Yu backing her, so she could only soften her tone.

Perhaps because Jiang Duo’s attitude was good, the girl haughtily raised her chin towards Qiao Rubai and the group of investors in the distance. “Don’t you know, many investors are here today for inspection?”

Jiang Duo was secretly annoyed. Lu Gaoshi was really unreliable, how could she have gotten her involved in this? The people who came today were all on the same level as Qiao Rubai. If this girl was really someone important’s someone… Jiang Duo stopped talking.

Seeing that Jiang Duo wasn’t responding, the girl nodded with satisfaction and reached out to Ji Junxin again: “Since the crew’s money comes from the investors, then there’s no problem with me taking this bowl of rice, right?”

Speechless! Ji Junxin, whose worldview had been shattered, still stubbornly clutched the bowl.

The commotion in the courtyard wasn’t loud, so the girl had been there for a while before finally attracting the attention of those in the distance. Well, mainly Qiao Rubai’s attention. Her “anti-Jiang Duo radar” was always on. Qiao Rubai, who had been busy dealing with the other investors, immediately sensed something when her radar detected Jiang Duo next to Ji Junxin. She excused herself and strode towards the courtyard. As Qiao Rubai approached, she saw Mi Hongdou, who was much closer, rushing towards the three-person standoff.

Just the time it took to drink some water, and they were already surrounded. The place where Mi Hongdou was drinking water wasn’t far from the courtyard. Although there were some obstacles, she could still hear most of the conversation outside. She had just taken a sip of water when Director Pan came over and pulled her aside to talk. Mi Hongdou’s attention was still on the situation outside, so she didn’t quite hear what Director Pan was saying. She just felt that the arrogant voice outside sounded familiar.

Coming out, she saw that it was indeed an old acquaintance. Oh, no, they should still be strangers at this point. But this Jiang Lingling, really, no matter when, she was always memorable. No wonder she felt like something was missing after joining the crew. This person should have been one of the concubines in the drama. But, with Qiao Rubai being reborn and the script changed so much, it wasn’t strange that Jiang Lingling wasn’t in the cast.

Compared to the often capricious and arrogant, but actually not bad Jiang Lingling, it was Jiang Duo, standing next to Ji Junxin, who Mi Hongdou truly disliked. Hmph, best friend? With her, the ultimate die-hard fan, what need was there for a caring best friend? Mi Hongdou angrily joined the fray.

“The rice, I steamed it last night. The eggs, I bought them at noon. The lard, I rendered it this morning. The firewood… my assistant, Bai Tang, collected it.” Except for the last sentence, everything else was true. The hotel conditions were limited, so to let Ji Junxin eat this bowl of rice, Mi Hongdou had put in a lot of effort to gather the ingredients since receiving the call last night. “Although the investors funded the crew, this bowl of rice wasn’t bought with the crew’s money.”

In her previous life, Mi Hongdou had interacted with Jiang Lingling. Although this girl was capricious and arrogant, she wasn’t a bad person. At least, she wouldn’t do anything like robbery. Her demanding attitude now was probably, as she said, because in her view, the investors had funded the production, so taking a bowl of rice wasn’t a big deal. Of course, this logic and behavior were strange in themselves, but Jiang Lingling’s thinking was always strange.

As expected, after Mi Hongdou spoke, Jiang Lingling wasn’t so arrogant anymore and shut her mouth.

Ji Junxin’s grip on the bowl loosened, and she breathed a sigh of relief. But soon, she was shocked by the girl in front of her.

“I’m sorry, I misunderstood.” Jiang Lingling’s expression was sincere as she took out fifty yuan from her pocket. “Since it wasn’t bought with the crew’s money, then I’ll buy it.”

Her expression was serious! Ji Junxin felt a jolt… She looked at Mi Hongdou stiffly. At this time, she should probably return the bowl to Mi Hongdou, right? She slowly raised her hand. After all, with the owner present, she couldn’t just keep the rice. No, wait, she could buy it too! Ji Junxin’s slowly rising hand stopped. “I…”

Before Ji Junxin could make her offer, Mi Hongdou decisively interrupted her: “Sorry, this rice is an important prop, it’s not for sale.”

When Mi Hongdou accompanied Ji Junxin on her food adventures, they had encountered situations where there was only one chicken left, or where a restaurant only accepted reservations and they had to buy the reservation slot from someone else. Ji Junxin’s expression just now was clearly that of someone who was about to bid, no matter how high the price! Mi Hongdou knew her too well! Although she was touched that the egg fried rice she made was considered valuable enough for Ji Junxin to bid on, the point was that Jiang Lingling wasn’t someone who would give up easily. It was better to discourage her from the start. Anyway, whether the prop was important or not, they knew, but Jiang Lingling didn’t. Mi Hongdou lied without batting an eye and secretly winked at Ji Junxin.

“Really?” Jiang Lingling looked suspiciously at the two of them.

Ji Junxin, receiving the hint, suddenly found her backbone: “Yes! This is an important prop. We need to use it right away!” When Ji Junxin arrived earlier, she had seen that the dilapidated bowl Mi Hongdou was holding when she came out of the changing room wasn’t big. Regardless of whether it originally contained oil or rice, it was clearly not enough to make another bowl. If she gave this bowl to someone else, she might not have another chance to eat it. And she wasn’t close enough to Mi Hongdou to ask her to cook for her again. Thinking this, Ji Junxin made up her mind. “We need to use it to film the next scene!” She said, clutching the bowl and quickly running towards Director Pan.

She didn’t know what Ji Junxin said to Director Pan. Soon, the onlookers were cleared out, the cameras started rolling, and only Ji Junxin, no, Miao Qianye, holding the bowl, was left in the courtyard.

One mouthful, two mouthfuls, three mouthfuls… In the shot, Ji Junxin silently finished the entire bowl of rice, not even leaving a single grain.

“Isn’t that wrong? In my script, didn’t it say that after Miao Qianye took the bowl, she just put it on her lap, without any appetite to eat?” Pan Xiang arrived a little late, just in time to see Ji Junxin eating. She flipped through the script, found that she hadn’t remembered it wrong, and quickly asked Director Pan if he had added the scene on the spot.

“Shhh…” Director Pan lowered his voice. “She didn’t want to give up the bowl of rice, so she asked me to add a scene of her eating to discourage the person who wanted to buy it from her.” Ji Junxin was kind and easy to work with, and Director Pan was very satisfied with her. Directors liked obedient actors who didn’t cause NGs. This small favor was nothing.

So capricious! Shocking!

Pan Xiang sniffed the lingering aroma in the air. This kind of behavior of eating alone was too capricious! Could they still be friends!

Director Pan pulled Pan Xiang, who was still craving the food, aside and showed her the footage of the young Empress cooking. Her craving instantly turned into drool… Director Pan, amused and exasperated, asked, “Didn’t you notice anything?”

“It looks delicious! Was there only one bowl? Ji Junxin ate it all? Ji Junxin actually ate it all!” Pan Xiang said with annoyance. “It’s all because of the traffic jam today. If I had arrived earlier, I could have at least had a couple of bites!”

Pan Xiang, immersed in her food fantasy, was knocked on the head.

“Do you still remember that you’re the screenwriter? Didn’t you notice anything wrong?” Director Pan was speechless. Who did this child inherit her traits from?

“Um…” Pan Xiang took out the wrinkled script from her bag, which was crammed with snacks, and flipped through it. “What’s wrong? Eh?”

Because the script for “Imperial Secrets” had undergone major revisions a month ago, time was tight, and Pan Xiang, who had been brought in at the last minute, hadn’t had time to write everything in detail. She was a writer with a rich imagination, but not a very experienced screenwriter. Pan Xiang had many details and connections in mind, but she couldn’t always perfectly present them in the script. So, after revising the script, she had been staying on set, to add details during filming.

Like this scene, there was no detailed description of the Empress making fried rice. In Pan Xiang’s view, an actor filming a cooking scene with a large wok for the first time would always end up covered in soot and flustered. Then, they could have the post-production team edit it to fit the scene of the Empress cooking a full meal for the first time, finally managing to make a bowl of rice. All the busyness and clumsiness were to highlight the importance she placed on Miao Qianye and her unborn child. As for the later cooking scenes, with the passage of time, the Empress would gradually improve. They could ask the crew members for guidance then. This time, it was a test shoot, and the crew members had only briefly explained how to use a traditional stove to Mi Hongdou the night before, without any actual practice.

As a result, they didn’t expect Mi Hongdou to perform so well, making delicious egg fried rice with such fluidity that it stunned the crew members. Director Pan knew the investors’ intentions today. Mi Hongdou’s performance didn’t match the image of the Empress cooking for the first time, but it looked great on camera, stunning not only the crew members but also the investors. It was just one scene. This scene could be reshot later, but Director Pan didn’t want to replace the actor. So, today, he let the take pass without any NGs.

After hearing Director Pan’s explanation, Pan Xiang nodded repeatedly. In this short clip, Mi Hongdou’s culinary skills impressed her. She could totally film a cooking show. Director Pan and Pan Xiang both believed that Mi Hongdou’s misinterpretation of the scene was partly due to Pan Xiang’s lack of detailed description in the script, and partly because Mi Hongdou was a newcomer.

However, Mi Hongdou, who was no longer a newcomer, hadn’t misinterprered the scene for those reasons…