Category: Reborn to Stew Soup (GL)

Chapter 102: The Bottom or Not

“Heh…” Ji Junxin let out a cold laugh without looking up.

Mi Hongdou immediately felt foolish.

She had simply wanted to know if Ji Junxin would still be interested in her if she lost her culinary skills… if they could still be so close…

Having waited so long in her previous life, and with everything going so smoothly in this one, Mi Hongdou felt that her happiness was too fragile. Any setback, and her confidence and courage would crumble. Especially now that she had feelings for Ji Junxin, she was constantly worried and insecure. Having been treated with indifference by Ji Junxin all day, unable to understand the reason, she desperately wanted some reassurance.

But her question had triggered alarm bells.

Forget about reassurance, just getting past this hurdle would be a miracle!

Ji Junxin’s displeasure was so obvious that Mi Hongdou quickly tried to amend her question before Ji Junxin could even respond. “I mean, if my cooking wasn’t good, would I… lose points in your eyes?”

“So you think… in my heart, you’re just a chef?” She had already thrown enough tantrums today. They had just reconciled, and Ji Junxin had initially just sneered at Mi Hongdou’s question, trying to hold back her retort. But Mi Hongdou’s amended question was like adding fuel to the fire, and Ji Junxin couldn’t contain herself any longer. She looked up.

Ji Junxin’s gaze was icy, reminding Mi Hongdou of the coldness she had felt earlier. She waved her hands frantically. “No… that’s not what I meant.”

Under Ji Junxin’s cold stare, Mi Hongdou, afraid of their fragile reconciliation shattering, desperately tried to explain, but the more she tried, the more flustered she became.

Her sleeve knocked a stainless steel fork off the counter, and it clattered to the floor.

The tense atmosphere, or rather, Ji Junxin’s aggressive demeanor, was broken by the sudden sound.

Mi Hongdou, the culprit, stopped her frantic gestures. She should have known better, this wasn’t a good question. She had known it was a risky question, but she had still asked it, hoping for that one percent chance of a positive answer, how foolish…

But who wasn’t foolish? Many had said things they regretted for a lifetime, all for that one percent chance.

Fortunately, Mi Hongdou’s foolish question wasn’t that catastrophic.

The clatter of the fork startled Ji Junxin, snapping her out of her anger. And she noticed Mi Hongdou’s flustered state, which she had overlooked in her anger.

The coldness in her eyes faded, replaced by confusion. Why, when she clearly liked Mi Hongdou so much, was she making her so anxious?

Mi Hongdou didn’t know her feelings. So, to Mi Hongdou, she might just be a friend because of her cooking skills. Although she was angry… it wasn’t entirely Mi Hongdou’s fault.

She was supposed to protect her, not make her suffer.

Ji Junxin discarded her arrogance, took a few deep breaths, and said, “I do like your cooking, but to me, it’s just a skill. I’m friends with you, not with your skill.” She paused. “If one day, I was disfigured, paralyzed, couldn’t act anymore, would we still be friends?”

Ji Junxin’s unexpected, comforting words surprised Mi Hongdou, but then her following question hit her like a ton of bricks.

“Don’t say such things!” Mi Hongdou anxiously slapped Ji Junxin’s hand. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

“…” For some reason, Mi Hongdou’s flustered reaction was strangely endearing to Ji Junxin. She suppressed a smile and said, following Mi Hongdou’s words, “I won’t say it again.”

Mi Hongdou calmed down, but her face was still flushed.

They were both silent, but the silence now wasn’t cold, but rather… warm. Ji Junxin touched her cheek, it was a little hot. This strange atmosphere felt familiar… wasn’t it similar to… the birthing scene this morning! Her heart was also racing.

They were just sitting here, why was her heart racing! Why was she feeling so warm! But… she couldn’t indulge in this feeling.

“I’m not full from dinner…” Ji Junxin said, putting on a pitiful expression and blinking innocently at Mi Hongdou. “Is there any more toast?”

I’m still angry at your careless words, okay? And now you’re acting cute? Although that was her thought, facing the now normal Ji Junxin, Mi Hongdou said that garlic butter toast was quick and easy to make, just a few minutes.

Mi Hongdou went to make the toast. Ji Junxin took a sip of the still-warm cream of mushroom soup. It was nice… not fighting, she could ask for food without feeling guilty.

After a long and tumultuous day, or rather, a tumultuous day for Mi Hongdou, late at night, they devoured a large pot of soup and five trays of garlic butter toast. Ji Junxin, of course, did most of the eating.

“This toast is really good, crispy and fragrant. And dipping it in the soup is also delicious. This oven was a good purchase!” Ji Junxin finished the last piece, soaking it in the soup.

Mi Hongdou nodded in agreement. The oven was indeed a good purchase, it had lured Ji Junxin back with its fragrant garlic butter toast.

It had been a strange and tiring day for Mi Hongdou, ending with this awkward reconciliation. But looking at the full and satisfied Ji Junxin, she was happy with the outcome. As they got into their beds, exchanged goodnights, and turned off the lights, the day’s chaos seemed to end.

But for Ji Junxin, the day’s impact was far from over.

In the darkened room, the light from her phone screen illuminated Ji Junxin’s bed.

After more than a month of diligent nighttime reading, Ji Junxin was no longer clueless about yuri.

The internet was truly a wonderful thing. Many secret, unspeakable questions could be easily answered with a simple search.

Initially, Ji Junxin had only searched for information about yuri because of her feelings for Mi Hongdou, wanting to understand love between women. And then she had fallen into the rabbit hole of yuri novels.

The basic explanations of yuri were easy to understand, she could relate. But after understanding the basics, she craved connection, wanting to know that she wasn’t alone.

She had browsed a few yuri forums, but the overwhelming number of “seeking relationship” posts scared her away. Then, by chance, she stumbled upon a yuri novel, and a new world opened up before her.

The story also depicted unspoken feelings, hesitation, and the struggle between distance and closeness. Although Ji Junxin knew it was just fiction, she resonated with the characters’ emotions. Whether real or fictional, she knew she wasn’t alone in her struggles.

Once you enter the world of yuri, there’s no turning back.

Now, having immersed herself in this world for over a month, Ji Junxin felt like an expert.

With Mi Hongdou asleep, Ji Junxin, snuggled in bed, instead of reading new chapters, reread some of her favorite ones, specifically those with… suggestive titles.

Although she claimed it was for research, her face was flushed. If she had a mirror, she would blame it on the lack of oxygen under the covers.

But she didn’t have time for that. Ji Junxin, rereading those chapters, came to a conclusion: the “neko” would have uncontrollable physical and vocal reactions to their lover’s touch. And today… she had reacted that way to Mi Hongdou’s touch, so… was she the “neko”?

Why! Why would she be the neko! She had such a strong aura! She was destined to be the Empress Dowager! Why was she the one being pushed down, being… taken! It would be much more fitting, no, more appropriate, if she were the one doing the taking!

Ji Junxin didn’t want to accept this role, but based on her limited reading, her earlier reactions did suggest… she was the neko.

So, the full and slightly disgruntled Ji Junxin drifted off to sleep.

Usually, she and Mi Hongdou spent their days together, and she could only read at night, after the lights were out, and not for too long, since they had early morning scenes. Although she had been reading yuri for over a month, she had only finished a few novels.

And whether by fate or bad luck, those suggestive chapters mostly described the “tachi” taking the “neko,” the “neko’s” passionate moans and weak cries… So, Ji Junxin, thinking she was now an expert in yuri, didn’t even know about the important concept of “switching.”

You have to read more, or life will teach you the hard way.

Although she knew she and Mi Hongdou could never be together, Ji Junxin still minded her assigned role. But such embarrassing thoughts were best kept secret, so she could only swallow her bitterness.

Neko it is, since we can’t be together anyway, what’s the difference? After a few days of struggling with this, Ji Junxin decided it was pointless, only adding to her sadness.

Better to cherish the present than to dwell on the impossible.

She couldn’t forget Mi Hongdou’s flustered reaction that night, dropping the fork. Ji Junxin had no experience with love, she didn’t know how to love someone properly. This time, she didn’t try to apply lessons from acting. She didn’t understand, and she had no opportunity to practice.

She didn’t know how to love, but she knew she had to protect Mi Hongdou, not hurt her…

So, she started learning how to be a good friend, not letting her emotions get the better of her.

Everyone had their own personality, their upbringing and experiences shaping their choices. And within these limitations, it was easy to repeat the same mistakes.

A violent person, even after apologizing, might still resort to violence. A workaholic, even after realizing the importance of family, might still prioritize work. A jealous person, even after feigning kindness, might still gossip.

These were extreme examples. But everyone had their habits, and unless they experienced a major change or a sudden epiphany, it was difficult to change those habits and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Ji Junxin tried her best, and she was doing well.

During the last month of filming at the estate, she was more restrained, enjoying the food and the company, expressing her affection appropriately, no tantrums, no cold shoulders, no complaints… A perfect partner on set, a sweet and adorable friend in real life, Mi Hongdou felt incredibly pampered.

Things had seemed to be going downhill, but then there was this unexpected turn for the better. This blissful month passed quickly, and by the time the estate scenes wrapped up, Mi Hongdou still felt like she was in a dream.

“Imperial Secrets” was mainly divided into three parts: the palace, the estate, and the battlefield, then back to the palace.

The battlefield scenes were Zhang Zijing’s domain. After the estate scenes, before returning to the palace, Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin still had a few outdoor scenes.

According to the script, the emperor, having regrouped his forces, returned. He also sent a small troop to rescue the harem from the estate. They were rescued, but there were casualties. During their journey north to meet the emperor, half of them died.

The rescue scene had already been filmed. The remaining outdoor scenes were about their escape, facing both pursuers and the chaos of war.

During the palace scenes, they were clean and beautiful. Even in the estate scenes, although the environment was dilapidated, they were still relatively clean. But the escape scenes were different… They had to run, fall, and roll in the mud and grass. Even for scenes where they were just walking on a dirt road, the crew would sprinkle dirt on them. Fortunately… in the script, they used soot to camouflage themselves during the escape, so the crew used makeup to create the same effect.

But once they started filming the escape scenes, they longed for a shower every minute. Previously, after each scene, Director Pan would give them time to rest, touch up their makeup, drink water, review their lines. But for the escape scenes, the actors all insisted on filming continuously, no breaks needed! They wanted to finish as quickly as possible, to minimize their time covered in dirt.

Every completed scene brought them closer to a shower. Who would want to rest while covered in dirt? With everyone united in their desire to finish quickly, even Jiang Duo’s NGs seemed to decrease. No one wanted to face the wrath of a united crew.

The escape scenes were scheduled for four days. But Director Pan hadn’t expected them to finish before 3 PM every day for three days straight… if he hadn’t insisted, they would have even skipped lunch to continue filming. Although he didn’t allow it, they shortened their lunch break to fifteen minutes, and after eating, they would hover around him, eager to resume filming, forcing him to start early. Their enthusiasm made him think that his next project should be filmed in the Loess Plateau.

Besides being covered in dirt during filming, cleaning up afterward was also a hassle.

Mi Hongdou had always insisted on washing her and Ji Junxin’s clothes, only sending the more delicate items to the dry cleaners, handling the rest herself with the washing machine. But during the escape scenes, after changing out of their costumes, they had to wash everything. Mi Hongdou, exhausted, could only handle their inner garments, leaving the rest to Bai Tang.

Having an assistant was helpful. But Ji Junxin’s new assistant, who had supposedly been in the hiring process for two months, still hadn’t arrived, and neither of them mentioned it.

Some things, an assistant could handle, others… couldn’t.

During the estate scenes, their showers had taken half an hour. Now, during the escape scenes, they each needed an hour.

When they returned, Mi Hongdou would always find an excuse to let Ji Junxin shower first, either saying she needed to boil water or that she was tired and needed to rest.

The one who showered first could relax sooner, the other had to endure another hour of discomfort. Ji Junxin knew Mi Hongdou’s consideration, and it made her unhappy. Such thoughtfulness, how could she just stand by and watch her fall in love with someone else! Mi Hongdou was the worst!

This was the third day of filming the escape scenes. They wrapped up at 2:50 PM. Just one more day, and they could return to the palace, to the clean and beautiful palace sets.

The actors’ faces were filled with relief, including Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin.

Back at the hotel, before 3:30 PM, Mi Hongdou touched her stomach and said she was a little hungry and would have some bread first, Ji Junxin could shower first.

Mi Hongdou hadn’t expected Ji Junxin to also touch her stomach and say she was also hungry and would have some bread too.

So, the two, covered in dirt, each ate a piece of bread.

Mi Hongdou, who wasn’t actually hungry, angrily munched on the bread. Her usual excuses, “boiling water” and “being tired,” had worked perfectly well, why did she suddenly use “hungry” today? She was creating problems for herself.

After the bread, Mi Hongdou said she was full and needed to rest, urging Ji Junxin to shower. But Ji Junxin refused.

“You go first today,” she said firmly.

“But…” Mi Hongdou tried to find another excuse, but Ji Junxin interrupted her.

“You’ve been letting me go first for the past two days, can’t I let you go first today? Friends shouldn’t always have one accommodating the other.” Ji Junxin, her hair covered in dirt, stood by the door. “Go shower.”

Friends… she couldn’t always be the accommodating one, if she kept insisting, Ji Junxin would find it strange… Mi Hongdou gave in. Showering first meant relaxing sooner.

Mi Hongdou went to the bathroom.

Listening to the running water, Ji Junxin touched her hair, covered in dirt… Mi Hongdou had waited for her like this for the past two days, she could do it too. She couldn’t always be the one being taken care of, she was supposed to be the one protecting Mi Hongdou! Ji Junxin praised herself for her persistence.

Time passed slowly. Perhaps because of the dirt in her hair, Ji Junxin felt that time was dragging. Just as she reached up to touch her hair again, the water stopped. She glanced at the clock, only forty minutes had passed. Had Mi Hongdou… finished already? She usually took an hour…

Did she rush because… I was waiting? Ji Junxin suddenly felt that her earlier insistence wasn’t such a good idea. Had Mi Hongdou even had a proper shower?

Just as she was wondering, a series of crashes came from the bathroom. The previously quiet room, the sudden noise startled Ji Junxin, and she jumped, sending a small cloud of dust into the air.

“What’s wrong?” she asked and rushed towards the bathroom.

It was just a short distance.

When she reached the bathroom door, she saw…

The shower curtain, which Shen Zhu had bought and attached to the door frame, had fallen…

And in the transparent bathroom, Mi Hongdou, completely naked, was holding a towel, her right leg raised, drying her calf.

Mi Hongdou, still startled by the falling curtain, hadn’t had time to react when Ji Junxin rushed in. Their eyes met.

Oh shit! Mi Hongdou’s mind went blank, she lost her balance, and splat, she fell to the floor.

When it rains, it pours…

Chapter 101: Garlic Butter Toast

When you relax, you tend to get careless. Mi Hongdou, amused by Ji Junxin’s dramatic outburst, didn’t realize that Ji Junxin’s pent-up frustration had just reached its boiling point.

Not coming home for dinner was one thing, but coming back so late! And not even calling! And then, not even explaining, just laughing! What was so funny!

Ji Junxin was feeling incredibly sensitive today. Mi Hongdou not apologizing and even laughing at her was the last straw.

Ji Junxin grabbed her phone, stood up, glared at Mi Hongdou, and stormed off to the bedroom.

Despite the glare, Mi Hongdou’s earlier anxiety and insecurity were gone. She realized that Ji Junxin wasn’t giving her the cold shoulder, she was just throwing a tantrum. Although she still didn’t understand the reason for Ji Junxin’s mood swings, as long as it wasn’t cold indifference, Mi Hongdou wasn’t afraid.

Love was a strange thing. When you loved someone, your emotions were easily influenced by them. A knowing glance could bring joy, a touch could make your heart race, a cold expression could cause panic, a dismissive gesture could instill fear. Love could change you, or rather, reveal a different side of you.

Mi Hongdou’s emotions had been on a rollercoaster all day, from happiness to confusion, to anxiety and fear, and now, to a renewed sense of determination. Having her emotions manipulated like this wasn’t pleasant. But the other person was Ji Junxin, and she couldn’t be angry. All the turmoil seemed worthwhile, as long as it didn’t end badly.

Ji Junxin went into the bedroom, and after a moment of hesitation, Mi Hongdou followed.

She almost bumped into Ji Junxin, who was coming out.

Ji Junxin hadn’t expected Mi Hongdou to follow so quickly and instinctively took a step back, startled. Then, with a serious expression, she walked past Mi Hongdou towards the bathroom.

Mi Hongdou followed closely.

Even without turning around, Ji Junxin could hear her footsteps.

Fine, follow me, I’m still angry.

Ji Junxin entered the bathroom, pulled back the curtain, then, as she was about to close the door, Mi Hongdou pulled it open again.

The bathroom door was made of glass, and without the curtain, everything inside was visible. Ji Junxin was about to use the restroom, how could she with Mi Hongdou holding the curtain open?

Even though she was angry and didn’t want to talk to Mi Hongdou, she had to say something. “What are you doing?”

Mi Hongdou, seemingly oblivious to her annoyance, smiled and replied seriously, “I didn’t accompany you to the restroom on set today, I’m making up for it now.”

“What?” Ji Junxin thought she had misheard.

“When we started filming the estate scenes, you said the makeshift restrooms were scary and asked me to accompany you every time.” Mi Hongdou’s smile didn’t waver as she looked at the seemingly stunned Ji Junxin. “I couldn’t go with you today, so I’m making up for it now.”

Oh… so she hadn’t misheard.

What a strange way to apologize. Ji Junxin looked at Mi Hongdou meaningfully, then, with a “hmph,” she slammed the glass door shut, almost hitting Mi Hongdou’s nose.

Mi Hongdou was stunned. Ji Junxin’s little tantrum was so sudden. Although not accompanying her to the restroom was the least likely reason for her anger, Mi Hongdou had wanted to test it out. But before she could say anything more, Ji Junxin closed the door. How could they have a conversation like this!

Why is she so hard to appease… Mi Hongdou held the curtain, looking at Ji Junxin inside, and sighed.

Seeing Mi Hongdou’s dejected expression, Ji Junxin smiled slightly. Under Mi Hongdou’s gaze, she slowly walked towards the toilet and then lifted the hem of her shirt.

A clatter from behind the glass door. Ji Junxin looked up. As expected, the curtain was swaying, and Mi Hongdou, who had been staring, was gone.

Tsk…

Accompanying me to the restroom, she said it so seriously, but as soon as I actually tried to use it, she ran away.

Ji Junxin watched as the curtain slowly stopped swaying, her earlier mischievous impulse subsiding.

Heh, she was teasing me, and now she’s regretting it? Ji Junxin thought, a self-mocking smile appearing on her lips.

Indeed… she did regret it.

But unlike her, who was easily aroused, Mi Hongdou didn’t seem to have any such intentions. Ji Junxin’s smile widened, masking her growing bitterness.

In the kitchen, the flustered Mi Hongdou gulped down two large glasses of warm water, then decided she needed a cold one.

Ji Junxin’s tantrums were truly potent! She didn’t even need words to chase people away…

Mi Hongdou thought about Ji Junxin’s earlier action, about to… undress in front of her… Her feelings were complicated.

Even friends shouldn’t do that!

A glass of cold water calmed her down. Thinking about it now, even if she hadn’t left, Ji Junxin wouldn’t have actually… She had lost again…

But even after realizing this, Mi Hongdou, leaning against the kitchen counter, her gaze drifting towards the open study area connecting the bathroom and the bedroom, saw Ji Junxin coming out of the bathroom after three glasses of water. Remembering the earlier scene, she felt a little apprehensive. There was still plenty of time tonight, she would wait…

Then she saw Ji Junxin coming out of the bedroom, holding clean pajamas.

She was going to take a shower. Mi Hongdou, now wiser, didn’t approach.

Ji Junxin beckoned Mi Hongdou, a mischievous smile on her face. “Hey, weren’t you going to accompany me? Coming?”

No way! Just that gesture made Mi Hongdou’s nose bleed! Why did she tease her earlier! She was reaping what she sowed, but she hadn’t realized Ji Junxin’s teasing power was so strong!

Mi Hongdou shook her head repeatedly. Ji Junxin watched for a moment, then went into the bathroom with her pajamas.

As the water ran, and she undressed, the warm water flowing over her skin, Ji Junxin sighed. She seemed to have found Mi Hongdou’s weakness. She was so easily embarrassed. Although she had inadvertently acquired a new skill, she wasn’t happy. Who would want to tease someone who only saw them as a friend! It only hurt herself in the end!

It was a cold February night, and Ji Junxin’s heart felt even colder. She showered for a long time, the hot water gradually warming her up. Slightly.

After a hot shower on a cold night, the next logical step was to get into bed and snuggle with the warm hot water bottles. Ji Junxin had also thought so, but this thought vanished the moment she opened the bathroom door.

Such a wonderful aroma! The smell of milk!

Ji Junxin stood at the bathroom door, torn between returning to the bedroom and going to the living room.

Mi Hongdou, you’re good!

In the end, she couldn’t resist the aroma and went to the living room.

The closer she got, the stronger the milky scent. Ji Junxin had intended to linger, but the aroma drew her in, and she quickened her pace. The suite wasn’t large, and she quickly reached the living room.

On the induction cooktop in the open kitchen, a pot was steaming. On the counter, where the microwave used to be, was a similar-looking appliance, and Mi Hongdou was fiddling with it, her back turned. The original microwave was now on the coffee table, perhaps broken.

Now that she was close to the food, Ji Junxin felt a little embarrassed. Coming to look for food right after their little spat… She stopped by the sofa.

The milky aroma filled the air. Seeing that Mi Hongdou was still busy with the appliance, Ji Junxin stood on tiptoe, trying to see what was in the pot. But it was too far, and her legs weren’t long enough, she could only vaguely see something white inside.

Warming milk late at night? Ji Junxin, who had only had two small fried yellow croakers for dinner, felt her stomach rumble.

Well… milk was fine…

Having just had a little fight and feeling embarrassed to ask for food, Ji Junxin silently stared at Mi Hongdou’s back.

But Mi Hongdou’s attention was completely on the microwave-like appliance, oblivious to the almost giraffe-like figure behind her.

“Achoo…” Ji Junxin, in her thin nightgown and without a jacket, after waiting for a while, sneezed.

Mi Hongdou finally turned around. The appliance, which had been partially hidden, was now fully visible. Ji Junxin thought it was just a new microwave. But it was glowing red, clearly containing food. So, besides milk, there was something else to eat? Ji Junxin’s eyes lit up.

The next step, Mi Hongdou would invite her to have dinner, or a late-night snack, right? And after eating, she wouldn’t be able to stay angry, and they could make up, Ji Junxin thought happily.

“Why are you out here without a jacket again!” Mi Hongdou said, not at all as Ji Junxin had expected, and quickly ran to the bedroom. Before Ji Junxin could react, she returned with the jacket Ji Junxin usually wore over her nightgown.

Wrapped in the thick jacket, Ji Junxin quickly warmed up.

Mi Hongdou, while nagging about Ji Junxin always forgetting to wear a jacket, poured her a glass of warm water.

Hmph! So only water, no food! Ji Junxin took the water, drank a little, and lingered.

“Feeling warmer now? I aired the jacket with the blanket this morning, it’s nice and warm. The bed is also warm, you probably won’t even need the hot water bottles tonight,” Mi Hongdou said with a smile, seemingly oblivious to Ji Junxin’s inner struggle.

Hmph! Was she trying to get rid of her! Just because she had a little tantrum and went to the buffet, there was no dinner for her now? How mean!

Ji Junxin clutched the glass and turned away, unhappy.

So… Ji Junxin had lost interest in her cooking? … Mi Hongdou, seeing Ji Junxin about to leave, thought about her choosing the buffet over her homemade dinner. If she no longer enjoyed her food, then their friendship… was it going downhill?

Mi Hongdou’s expression turned gloomy, but Ji Junxin, already turning to leave, didn’t see it.

The atmosphere in the room plummeted.

Just then, a clear “ding” rang out.

Mi Hongdou knew it was the oven. But if food no longer appealed to Ji Junxin, what was the point? Ji Junxin wasn’t interested, and she had no appetite either, it would just be a waste.

Even so, she opened the oven.

A rich aroma of garlic butter filled the air, overpowering the milky scent.

Mi Hongdou looked at the toast on the tray, golden brown, perfect.

It was a pity that no one would eat it. She felt a pang of sadness, seeing her lovingly prepared food ignored.

“Isn’t that a new microwave? It’s an oven?” Ji Junxin’s voice came from behind her.

Mi Hongdou, startled, almost touched the hot tray.

Ji Junxin was standing very close behind her. Mi Hongdou turned around, practically face to face with Ji Junxin, and startled again, almost stuck her hand in the oven.

“Huh? Oh… it’s an oven.” Ji Junxin’s sudden reappearance and closeness flustered Mi Hongdou.

Heh! I was trying to start a conversation! How am I supposed to continue with that response! Ji Junxin, drawn back by the aroma of garlic butter, thought she might as well go back to bed.

Ji Junxin puffed up her cheeks and turned to leave.

Then, Mi Hongdou’s soft voice came from behind her: “The toast is ready, want to have some?”

Just “some”? I haven’t had any dinner!

“Okay!” Ji Junxin turned around, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

Mi Hongdou, who had offered just as a last-ditch effort, was surprised that Ji Junxin agreed. Was she suddenly interested in garlic butter toast?

But it was a good thing that Ji Junxin was interested in her food again. Mi Hongdou’s movements became lighter as she prepared the soup and toast.

Dinner? Late-night snack? It was garlic butter toast with cream of mushroom soup.

The golden-brown toast, the rich aroma of butter and garlic, it was incredibly tempting.

Ji Junxin didn’t like chunks of garlic, but minced garlic or garlic juice was fine. Otherwise, she would miss out on this deliciousness.

The two small fried yellow croakers she had earlier were long gone. Back with Mi Hongdou, her appetite seemed to have returned, and she was glad she came back.

Homemade food always had the best ingredients. The toast was generously buttered on both sides, the garlic finely minced, only the fragrance, not the pungent taste. One bite, and the crispy, savory toast, the aroma of butter and garlic filling her mouth, it was incredibly delicious, instantly surpassing any store-bought snacks.

The only flaw was that it was too small, a few bites and it was gone. Ji Junxin ate two slices before putting down her fork and taking a sip of the soup.

The cream of mushroom soup, which Ji Junxin had initially mistaken for warm milk, was rich and creamy, without the artificial taste of powdered milk. The thick mushroom slices, sautéed with onions, now simmered in the creamy soup, were fragrant and chewy, the mushroom aroma complementing the milk.

A few sips of the warm soup, and she felt warm all over, the earlier coldness melting away. At least now, Ji Junxin was thinking about why the baking tray was so small, only holding six slices of toast, not about why Mi Hongdou had teased her and then laughed it off earlier.

“Did the hotel provide this oven?” Ji Junxin took another slice of toast, eating more slowly this time, savoring each bite.

“No, I asked Bai Tang to buy it. So we can bake other things too,” Mi Hongdou said, taking a slice and biting into it. The garlic flavor wasn’t too strong, Ji Junxin should like it.

So she bought it today… to appease me? Ji Junxin couldn’t help but think, but she didn’t dare to ask.

Since Ji Junxin had started the conversation, Mi Hongdou also carefully asked, “When I came back, you were in the living room, were you waiting for me?”

Ji Junxin looked at Mi Hongdou, then, instead of answering, asked, “Where did you go?”

Mi Hongdou was embarrassed to admit that she had followed Ji Junxin to the buffet restaurant and then chickened out. She just pointed at the food and said she had been out buying these things. As for what happened before that, she wouldn’t mention it.

Ji Junxin, having received an answer, felt much better. So she hadn’t gone out with someone else!

“Oh,” she said and continued with her soup.

Was that “oh” an acknowledgment, or an “oh, I was waiting for you”? Such a brief response!

“Were you waiting for me?” Mi Hongdou couldn’t help but ask again.

I already answered! Ji Junxin looked up, snorted, and changed her answer. “No.”

Mi Hongdou tried to hide her disappointment. “Then were you angry today?”

“No.” Having reconciled, Ji Junxin naturally denied it, or the next question would be “why?”

Liar! Mi Hongdou pouted and didn’t ask any more questions.

Ji Junxin won this round of probing.

But the victor wasn’t happy. Because… there were only two slices of toast left, and by the principle of fair distribution, they were both Mi Hongdou’s… Ji Junxin silently drank her soup. Although it was delicious, the toast was even better!

“Let’s have this for breakfast tomorrow too,” Ji Junxin said, cleverly securing tomorrow’s breakfast. At least she had something to look forward to, so she wouldn’t lose sleep again.

“The soup is fine, but not the toast, it has garlic, we can only eat it at night,” Mi Hongdou said, picking up a slice. Seeing Ji Junxin’s disappointed expression, she asked, “What’s wrong?” Was she still angry?

“Nothing…” Ji Junxin tried to ignore the last slice of toast and focused on her soup.

They seemed to be getting along better now, but Mi Hongdou still felt a lingering tension beneath the surface calm.

There was a question she had been wanting to ask all day, but she was afraid it would shatter this fragile peace.

Looking at Ji Junxin, who was quietly drinking her soup, Mi Hongdou hesitated, then finally asked, “If one day, I lost my memory and couldn’t cook anymore, could we still be friends?”

Before she could even finish, Ji Junxin froze, her spoon clattering into the bowl…

Chapter 100: Fried Yellow Croaker p2

After a scene, while preparing for the next one, Ji Junxin was holding the baby, and several actors were playing with it. Mi Hongdou joined them, hoping to interact with the baby, and perhaps with Ji Junxin, but Ji Junxin didn’t even look at her, and Mi Hongdou’s heart sank.

She didn’t dare to try again.

Thanks to Mi Hongdou’s restraint, the afternoon filming went smoothly. In this cold winter weather, filming at the estate, everyone wanted fewer NGs and an early wrap. The makeshift tents offered little protection against the cold.

During the estate scenes, they had lunch with Jiang Lingling, and dinner was just the two of them. With Ji Junxin’s “pregnancy” act, they usually just went back to the hotel, and Mi Hongdou would make a simple dinner.

In the chauffeured car, Mi Hongdou was planning what to make for dinner to appease Ji Junxin when, upon arriving at the hotel, Ji Junxin went straight to the buffet restaurant downstairs.

Mi Hongdou watched Ji Junxin enter, stunned.

In her previous life, their friendship had started with Mi Hongdou’s cooking, a talent inherited from her mother. After years of practice, she had become Ji Junxin’s regular dining companion. In this life, with her culinary experience, she had used food to win Ji Junxin’s favor, their relationship progressing beyond just food buddies. They were now good friends.

And today, watching Ji Junxin enter the restaurant without even looking back, Mi Hongdou suddenly felt that… Ji Junxin no longer needed her. If she didn’t need her, could they still be friends? Mi Hongdou’s heart was filled with anxiety.

She hesitated outside the restaurant, then followed Ji Junxin inside.

But she didn’t know what to do once she was inside.

She felt like a middle school girl who had seen her crush and followed them into a restaurant, too shy to even approach, let alone speak.

She was… afraid.

Both Ji Junxin’s attitude and her own overthinking made her afraid.

Inside the restaurant, Mi Hongdou didn’t look for Ji Junxin, but just surveyed the buffet area and found a seat.

This buffet restaurant was on the first floor of their hotel. Having lived there for a while, they had eaten here often. Mi Hongdou knew which dishes were good, which were just okay, which were Ji Junxin’s favorites.

She chose a seat near the salad bar.

Ji Junxin’s favorite dish here was the fried yellow croaker, small fish marinated and coated in batter, fried until crispy and fragrant. She could always eat a small plate of them.

But remembering that Ji Junxin had already had lunch and then barbeque with Director Pan, Mi Hongdou chose Ji Junxin’s second favorite: salad.

The salad dressing here was good. There were two kinds of salad, mixed fruit and plain banana. Mi Hongdou preferred the former, Ji Junxin the latter. Ji Junxin always said that banana was the perfect complement to salad dressing, those who ate mixed fruit salad, like Mi Hongdou, couldn’t appreciate the true essence of salad dressing.

Mi Hongdou didn’t understand how one could appreciate the “essence” of salad dressing…

She sat there, a little nervous.

She had been sharing a room with Ji Junxin for months, she shouldn’t be this nervous…

Mi Hongdou, having carefully chosen her seat, after waiting for a while, saw Ji Junxin approaching.

She clutched her sleeve, unsure whether to sit up straight or try to appear smaller.

Perhaps because of her poorly chosen location, Mi Hongdou watched as Ji Junxin bent down, took a plate, filled it with salad, and walked away… without even glancing in her direction.

So, there was no telepathic connection between them? Mi Hongdou leaned back in her chair, disappointed.

Meanwhile, Ji Junxin returned to her table with the salad, but she didn’t sit down. She stood there, looking around.

She didn’t see the person she was looking for. She had been standing there for a while, even if Mi Hongdou couldn’t find her immediately, she should have seen her by now! Had Mi Hongdou not even come? Ji Junxin was unhappy! They had agreed to have dinner together every night!

She sat down angrily and poked at the small plate of fried yellow croaker in front of her, her appetite gone. It had been the same at lunch. She had thought that having barbeque with Director Pan and the others would comfort her, but she had no appetite, just watching them eat. She had felt so hungry in Jiang Lingling’s car earlier, thinking she could eat three more bowls.

It was all Mi Hongdou’s fault! Forbidding her from eating certain foods! Not even eating with her! And saying her birthing scene was so realistic! Ji Junxin stabbed a fish with her fork, looking at the mixed fruit salad she had placed on the opposite seat, her mood terrible.

She had waited all afternoon for Mi Hongdou to come and coax her! She had even planned to make up with her if she came… Now! Hmph! Ji Junxin angrily stuffed a fried yellow croaker into her mouth.

Mi Hongdou, completely unaware of what she had missed, sat at her table, dejected, oblivious to the growing resentment in the same restaurant.

Knowing Ji Junxin was here, although she had no appetite, Mi Hongdou didn’t leave. She kept glancing towards the salad bar, hoping that Ji Junxin would come and she would have the courage to approach her, and with the help of food, perhaps they could talk and resolve their awkwardness.

After all, Ji Junxin always got a second, sometimes even a third, helping of salad… Mi Hongdou thought and waited patiently.

But Ji Junxin, having lost her appetite, after just a few pieces of fried yellow croaker, went back upstairs.

She had left early, not because she wasn’t hungry, but because she wanted to go upstairs. Perhaps Mi Hongdou was cooking, and seeing her back so early, she would ask if she had eaten, if she was full, and then Ji Junxin could pretend to be pitiful and complain about the terrible buffet food, and Mi Hongdou would invite her to eat something else. Then they could reconcile!

Ji Junxin had it all planned out. But she never expected the hotel suite to be empty!

They had agreed to have dinner together! She was here! Where was Mi Hongdou! Ji Junxin stood in the empty suite, furious!

Reconciliation? No way!

Meanwhile, Mi Hongdou, the object of Ji Junxin’s anger, waited in the buffet restaurant, but Ji Junxin never returned to the salad bar. Perhaps she had eaten too much of something else and wasn’t in the mood for salad, Mi Hongdou thought, disappointed… Unable to even seize this opportunity for reconciliation, she was definitely going to be blacklisted.

Dejected, she left the restaurant, bought some groceries, and returned to the suite. The first thing she saw was Ji Junxin, sitting on the sofa, looking at her coldly.

Mi Hongdou, who had been treated with indifference all day, shivered.

Was there anyone who could tell her what she had done wrong!

She had thought that although Ji Junxin’s gaze was cold, since she was looking at her, she would say something.

But she didn’t…

Ji Junxin quickly looked away and started playing with her phone.

Mi Hongdou, frozen at the door, felt incredibly awkward.

She quietly entered, closed the door, put down the groceries. Neither of them spoke. The awkward silence stretched between them.

“Are you full?” Mi Hongdou, surrendering first, asked, trying to break the ice.

Ji Junxin slowly looked up, her gaze thoughtful, then…

“Hmph!” She replied with a single syllable and turned her head away with an exaggerated, tsundere-like motion, straight out of a cheesy teen drama.

“Pfft…” Mi Hongdou’s frozen heart shattered from Ji Junxin’s childish behavior.

“What’s so funny!” Ji Junxin, having heard Mi Hongdou’s laughter, turned back and glared at her. “You finally decided to come back! Do you know what time it is! You were gone for so long, why didn’t you just fly away!”

“Hahaha… I told you to stop reading those Weibo posts, you’re so funny.” Mi Hongdou finally relaxed. So, her earlier worries about being blacklisted or ignored were unfounded. Ji Junxin now looked like a wife waiting for her drunk husband to come home late at night, fuming…

Although Mi Hongdou knew her analogy was a bit off, it was accurate! Her anxiety gone, her courage returned, and she laughed heartily.

Brave people always faced greater challenges.

Mi Hongdou’s unrestrained laughter pushed Ji Junxin, who was already on the verge of exploding, over the edge!

Chapter 100: Fried Yellow Croaker p1

The pickled radish and old duck soup, while the duck meat was indeed tender, still had some hard bones. Pan Xiang spat out a bone, grateful it was a small one from the back. If it had been a leg bone, she might have chipped a tooth.

While Pan Xiang was still staring at the broken bone, Jiang Lingling nudged her. “So, why do you think it is?”

Why would someone always want to be the first to see another person?

Because you’re an idiot, of course! Although that was her thought, Pan Xiang put on a friendly expression. “Who do you want to see first thing in the morning?”

Pan Xiang felt that suppressing her urge to retort was already a sign of goodwill. To have a heart-to-heart with Jiang Lingling, she even softened her voice, imitating Mi Hongdou. She had expected Jiang Lingling to elaborate, but her question had the opposite effect, Jiang Lingling bristling like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

“Me? No! I’m just saying, hypothetically. Why would you think it’s me? It’s not me…” Jiang Lingling just wanted to chat, to distract herself from Mi Hongdou’s earlier words, not to have a deep conversation with this little girl. Pan Xiang’s question had hit too close to home, and she instinctively denied it.

But Jiang Lingling hadn’t expected that her denial, intended to prevent Pan Xiang from making assumptions, would have the opposite effect. Her evasiveness only confirmed Pan Xiang’s suspicions. Heh.

Both Mi Hongdou and Jiang Lingling had asked her the same question. Recalling their earlier observations, Pan Xiang couldn’t help but speculate. Jiang Lingling seemed to get along well with both Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin, she wouldn’t do anything… strange, right? …

“Fine, it’s not you.” Knowing that a direct approach wouldn’t work, Pan Xiang decided to play along. “If someone always wants to be the first to see another person, it’s because they’re bored. There’s so much delicious food and beautiful scenery in the world, they should go out and explore, not fixate on one person. Once they’ve experienced enough, they’ll realize how childish it is. As for the other person, they have their own life, they might not even notice.”

This answer was different from the one she gave Mi Hongdou. This time, she was clearly referring to Jiang Lingling and Mi Hongdou, her words a subtle warning.

But Jiang Lingling wasn’t swayed. Thanks to Dong Yuannan’s generosity, she had already experienced countless delicacies and seen countless sights, even finding reality boring and escaping into the 2D world. So, according to Pan Xiang, she had already experienced enough, yet she still wanted to get the first comment, not finding it childish at all. Did that mean… what Mi Hongdou said was true?

Jiang Lingling wasn’t opposed to this possibility, just surprised.

She was obsessed with the 2D world, but did she have to find her CP there too?

Seeing Jiang Lingling lost in thought, Pan Xiang, pleased with herself, thought that her words had been effective.

But to Jiang Lingling, Pan Xiang was just a little girl. She had heard Pan Xiang’s words, but her interpretation was vastly different.

Sometimes, even a slight deviation could lead you far from the right path.

This was also true for Mi Hongdou today.

Seeing that Jiang Lingling was still confused, Mi Hongdou gave up on asking her and decided to ask Ji Junxin directly. But the film set wasn’t that large, and after searching twice, she couldn’t find Ji Junxin, which worried her.

She had wanted to talk face-to-face, to see Ji Junxin’s expression. But since she couldn’t find her, she had to resort to other methods. She had seen both Jiang Lingling’s assistant and Bai Tang backstage earlier, which meant Ji Junxin was alone somewhere. Mi Hongdou’s worry intensified, and she went to Bai Tang to get her phone and call Ji Junxin.

As soon as the call connected, a familiar ringtone came from Bai Tang’s bag.

Bai Tang took out Ji Junxin’s phone, glanced at the caller ID, and awkwardly showed the screen to Mi Hongdou.

Mi Hongdou silently hung up. Right, they couldn’t carry their phones while in costume, so they left them with Bai Tang.

“Why didn’t she take her phone at lunch?” Mi Hongdou asked, her face clouded with worry.

You just came to get yours too… Bai Tang thought, but couldn’t say it out loud. “She probably… forgot?”

What a good answer…

Mi Hongdou frowned, turned, and walked away, preparing to search for Ji Junxin again.

Bai Tang softly said, “Miss Ji went out with Director Pan.”

“Didn’t Director Pan just finish lunch? Where did they go?” Mi Hongdou turned back, frowning.

“It sounds like they went for barbeque,” Jiang Lingling’s assistant said, seeing Mi Hongdou’s intense aura and helping Bai Tang out.

They just had lunch, what barbeque! She must be avoiding her! Why was she so angry! Mi Hongdou was annoyed but didn’t ask further and just turned and left, fuming.

Bai Tang breathed a sigh of relief after Mi Hongdou left. Both Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin were usually easygoing, but today, they seemed to be radiating a chilling aura. Although they hadn’t said anything harsh, just being near them was oppressive. She hoped they would return to normal soon.

Mi Hongdou also hoped so, but the other party wasn’t cooperating.

Mi Hongdou waited and waited, finally seeing Ji Junxin return. But it was almost time for the afternoon scenes. Fixing their hair and makeup, surrounded by crew members, Mi Hongdou couldn’t find a moment alone with Ji Junxin, and no matter how often she glanced at her, she received no response…

Everything had been fine until the first scene this morning. After a few NGs, Ji Junxin’s mood seemed to sour, but then Pan Xiang came to discuss script revisions, they had found common ground, and after some tea and snacks, Ji Junxin seemed to have cheered up. But then, after nailing the next take in one go, she had become unhappy again, officially sulking. It must have been during the playback… Mi Hongdou thought about it carefully. The only possible reasons for Ji Junxin’s anger were: she hadn’t praised her acting enough, or she hadn’t accompanied her to the restroom.

Both seemed childish, but Mi Hongdou couldn’t think of any other reasons.

Ji Junxin’s sudden cold shoulder made Mi Hongdou anxious.

In any relationship, there was always one who cared more. And when problems arose, the one who cared more was naturally the more anxious one.

In her previous life, it had taken years of admiration before Mi Hongdou had the chance to become Ji Junxin’s friend. And in this life, having gotten closer and realized her own feelings, she was now deeply in love. With their current conflict, and Ji Junxin’s cold shoulder, Mi Hongdou felt incredibly insecure.

Her courage dwindled with each passing moment. She had initially wanted to ask Ji Junxin directly, but now she hesitated, even wanting to avoid the truth.

Sometimes, seeking the truth required courage. And when courage failed, avoidance became the default.

The afternoon scenes were all about taking care of the baby, with both the young empress and Miao Qianye involved. Both Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou performed well, their inner turmoil hidden from the camera.

Although they were in the same scenes, there were other actors present, not just the two of them like in the birthing scene. So, Mi Hongdou’s plan to use the scenes to subtly probe Ji Junxin’s feelings was thwarted.

Scene after scene, Mi Hongdou’s courage dwindled. Although Ji Junxin no longer disappeared immediately after filming, Mi Hongdou didn’t dare to pull her aside for a private conversation.

If she approached, and Ji Junxin walked away, she wouldn’t be able to continue filming.

A private conversation was out of the question. But she could still try to talk to her during group conversations.