Category: Reborn to Stew Soup (GL)

Chapter 107: Ice Cream Cake

Perhaps no one understood Ji Junxin’s tendency for deep immersion and her difficulty in detaching better than Qiao Rubai, her friend and manager. In her previous life, Qiao Rubai’s approach had been to reduce Ji Junxin’s workload and give her ample time to rest after each project, avoiding contact with co-stars she had shared intense scenes with, until Ji Junxin recovered and was ready for her next project.

However, her efforts hadn’t been enough, or perhaps not careful enough, which was how Jiang Duo had managed to slip in. So, in this life, with a second chance, besides removing those who shouldn’t be there, Qiao Rubai was even more cautious about Ji Junxin’s immersion.

Pan Xiang’s revised script had been approved by Qiao Rubai, so she knew about the Empress’s suicide scene. But like Director Pan now, she had also thought that this scene could elevate the emotional impact of the entire film. So, eager to finalize the script and appease the other investors, she hadn’t asked Pan Xiang to change it.

But as filming progressed, when Qiao Rubai received Ji Junxin’s late-night message about her struggles with being unreasonably angry at a friend, she realized that Ji Junxin now considered Mi Hongdou a very important friend. Or perhaps… even “very important friend” wasn’t enough to describe Mi Hongdou’s place in Ji Junxin’s heart.

Anyway, the rapid development of their friendship, in Qiao Rubai’s view, was dangerous, Ji Junxin’s feelings bordering on… combustion. Remembering the unpleasant events of her previous life, Qiao Rubai specifically inquired about the filming schedule and rushed over for the Empress’s suicide scene, to prevent Ji Junxin from getting too immersed.

Although Qiao Rubai wasn’t an actress or a director, she had years of experience in the industry, across two lifetimes. This kind of tragic scene, if the actor became too immersed, it would definitely affect their emotional state. And with Ji Junxin’s tendency for deep immersion… it was best to avoid it altogether.

And Director Pan was insistent on realism. Qiao Rubai was still trying to figure out how to persuade him to lower his expectations when Mi Hongdou offered to “die” again to help Ji Junxin get into character. And Qiao Rubai, from various clues, was almost certain that Mi Hongdou was also reborn.

Hearing Mi Hongdou’s offer, Qiao Rubai was furious!

How clueless can she be! Doesn’t she know how devastated Ji Junxin was when she died?

Consumed by anger, she had dragged Mi Hongdou to the bed, wanting to show her what Ji Junxin was like after her death in the previous life.

She had stormed in, full of anger, ready to act out the scene herself.

But although she remembered every detail of that scene, as if it were yesterday, she realized that trying to act it out was presumptuous.

She stood there for a moment, feeling a surge of anger, but no tears.

The difference between a professional and an amateur…

She desperately wanted Mi Hongdou to see how Ji Junxin was after her death! But she couldn’t just cry on command, let alone portray Ji Junxin…

Fortunately, Director Pan had called for a break, and the crew’s attention wasn’t entirely on them. But her pulling Mi Hongdou into the bedroom had been noticed by some, including the stunned Ji Junxin and the confused Director Pan.

Qiao Rubai, who had intended to showcase her “acting skills” and teach Mi Hongdou a lesson, was now embarrassed by her own impulse. She had been momentarily blinded by anger… Even though that scene was so vivid in her memory, she wasn’t an actress! And she was still angry at Mi Hongdou, even imagining Mi Hongdou dead, she couldn’t cry. Qiao Rubai stood there awkwardly.

Mi Hongdou, pushed onto the bed, remained hidden behind the curtains, silent. Ji Junxin, looking at the motionless Qiao Rubai and the still curtains, didn’t know what they were doing.

Just as she was about to approach Qiao Rubai, Qiao Rubai looked up and said, “Don’t come over yet.”

Ji Junxin stopped.

Qiao Rubai looked at Ji Junxin intently, then quickly walked to the bed where Mi Hongdou was lying.

Damn it, I’m so angry, even if I can’t cry, I still want to slap her!

Since being pushed onto the bed and having her eyes closed, Mi Hongdou had remained still, listening to Qiao Rubai’s retreating footsteps, then the long silence…

In the silence, she seemed to hear faint sounds from afar, muffled conversations, the rustling of movement. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make out the words or decipher the actions.

Mi Hongdou wondered, if a person died, and their soul lingered with a sliver of consciousness, would it be like this? Unable to see, unable to speak, only the lingering sense of hearing, a final connection to the world. She suddenly felt a pang of fear. In her previous life, after falling from the wires, if she hadn’t been reborn, but truly died, would it have been like this, lying still, straining to hear the last sounds?

And before completely fading away, whose voice would she hear? No… perhaps, hearing nothing would be better.

Qiao Rubai’s earlier unusual behavior made Mi Hongdou think she was about to tell her something. But lying there in silence, she became afraid. Did she really have the courage to hear it? She felt uneasy, wanting to get up.

Just as she was about to, she heard approaching footsteps.

The curtains were pulled back, a gust of wind chilling Mi Hongdou. The person didn’t speak, and Mi Hongdou, feeling nervous, was about to open her eyes.

A warm hand, as if anticipating her action, covered her eyes, a firm, almost rough touch.

Even without the person speaking, Mi Hongdou knew who it was from the gesture.

Qiao Rubai’s hand was firm, and Mi Hongdou gave up on escaping, lying still, no longer trying to open her eyes. The pressure on her eyes, although still there, didn’t increase.

Silence.

Qiao Rubai sat cross-legged on the bed, the curtains separating them from the outside world. She had stopped Mi Hongdou from opening her eyes and now peeked through a small gap in the curtains. Others couldn’t see inside, but she could see outside.

She wasn’t trying to tell Mi Hongdou a secret or do anything inappropriate. She just wanted to confirm one thing, then deliver a slap in the face.

“Be a quiet corpse and listen. I’ll remove my hand, but don’t open your eyes,” Qiao Rubai said, not wanting to look at Mi Hongdou.

Mi Hongdou didn’t move.

Qiao Rubai nudged her with her knee. “Speak.”

“Okay…” Mi Hongdou didn’t understand why a quiet corpse had to speak.

Qiao Rubai, having received a response, removed her hand.

She glanced outside. Ji Junxin was still standing where she had been told to stop.

“I’m asking you, if you were to die, how do you think you would die?” Having stood awkwardly outside for a while, Qiao Rubai’s mind had become clearer, and she felt she should confirm Mi Hongdou’s identity before proceeding, to avoid accidentally slapping an innocent person.

“…” Mi Hongdou guessed that Qiao Rubai was about to talk about her previous life, but she hadn’t expected such a…

This kind of conversation shouldn’t be happening in such a strange place. Qiao Rubai, who had been momentarily blinded by anger, now wanted to get it over with quickly. Seeing Mi Hongdou’s silence, she nudged her again with her knee.

Ouch! The quiet corpse felt the impact.

“Probably from falling off faulty wiring during filming, due to the company’s cost-cutting measures.” Mi Hongdou, annoyed by the knee nudge, decided to subtly criticize Qiao Rubai while confirming her identity.

Although Mi Hongdou’s answer confirmed her suspicions, Qiao Rubai was still stunned.

So it’s my fault that you died?

Qiao Rubai felt incredibly wronged! In her previous life, she had been killed while investigating Mi Hongdou’s death. And now, after being reborn, she had brought Mi Hongdou into this production early, was still trying to find out the truth about their deaths, and Mi Hongdou was blaming her?

Judging by Mi Hongdou’s resentful tone, and her own actions, which were vastly different from her previous life, Qiao Rubai was certain that Mi Hongdou already knew about her rebirth. She had suspected Mi Hongdou, but hadn’t revealed herself because she wanted to find out the truth about their deaths first. And Mi Hongdou hadn’t revealed herself because… she was resentful?

So, what had she been doing these past few months! Qiao Rubai, not understood by her fellow time traveler, felt a surge of anger.

Unbelievable! I’m going to slap her!

Qiao Rubai took a deep breath, her voice low and strained. “Let me tell you a story.”

Mi Hongdou, after her subtle jab at Qiao Rubai, had been waiting for a retort, her muscles tensed. But Qiao Rubai didn’t attack again, instead starting a story in a seemingly melancholic tone.

“Once upon a time, there was a rather unlucky person.”

Hearing the beginning, Mi Hongdou knew she was about to talk about her previous life. But then she realized that the protagonist of the story wasn’t her…

“Once upon a time, there was a rather unlucky person, let’s call her… Xiao Chi. Xiao Chi had a friend whose birthday was coming up. Being a terrible cook, she started practicing making a cake long before the birthday, even choosing a new ice cream flavor to learn.”

Qiao Rubai continued, watching with satisfaction as Mi Hongdou’s eyebrows furrowed.

“This person also had another friend, let’s call her… Boss. Xiao Chi, although showing some potential in baking, was… essentially a terrible cook, you know…”

“Can you get to the point?” Mi Hongdou couldn’t take it anymore, she opened her eyes and looked at Qiao Rubai.

Her eyes, having adjusted to the darkness, were immediately covered by a hand.

“Are you listening? If not, I’m leaving,” Qiao Rubai said, annoyed. Was she here to deliver a slap or receive one?

“I’m listening…” Mi Hongdou said, giving up. “I’ll close my eyes.”

Her compliance wasn’t rewarded. “I told you to be a quiet corpse, why are you talking!” Qiao Rubai nudged her with her knee again.

…Mi Hongdou was speechless. Should a quiet corpse talk or not? Did Qiao Rubai think she was a necromancer?

Despite her inner complaints, eager to hear the rest of the story, she obeyed.

“While learning to make the ice cream cake, Xiao Chi repeatedly asked Boss to try it. Boss, after eating so much cake, wondered why Xiao Chi was going to such lengths for a friend’s birthday. Xiao Chi said she had eaten so much of her friend’s cooking, it was time to return the favor. So, on her friend’s birthday, Xiao Chi brought the newly made ice cream cake to the set where her friend was filming. To surprise her, she texted her friend, saying she would bring the cake at noon, but she actually arrived much earlier, waiting for her friend’s wire scene to finish. She even said that since she had texted her friend that she would come at noon, her friend would be surprised to see the cake when she came down.” I also told her it was already a surprise that she came, that the text message was unnecessary. Thinking about it now, if you had really died then… at least you would have seen that message, would have known that your favorite idol, the friend you cherished, truly cared about you and wanted to celebrate your birthday. You had been her fan for so many years, and she did care about you as a friend.

As Qiao Rubai spoke, her voice became choked with emotion. She had forgotten about delivering a slap in the face, and Mi Hongdou… also seemed to be forgotten.

“We were standing there, watching as you were lifted up on the wires, and then… you fell. I don’t even remember what I was thinking then, it was all a blur. Everyone, including me, including her, we all rushed towards you. We thought you were just injured… but we didn’t expect you to fall, and we didn’t expect… the safety boxes and mats below to be… inadequate. By the time we reached you, you were… already gone. We tried CPR, but… nothing. So, we gave up, calling for an ambulance, calling the police, it was chaos. I was… in shock. I just watched her, kneeling beside you, checking your pulse again and again, pressing on your chest, her movements, initially calm and rhythmic, becoming more and more frantic, desperate. Those first aid methods probably wouldn’t have worked anyway. And someone who had been without a pulse and breath for so long wouldn’t suddenly come back to life. I knew, everyone knew, she should have known too. But she couldn’t stop, I knew she couldn’t stop, and I couldn’t stop her. I just watched as she cried silently, repeating those useless actions, trying to wake you up. Finally, someone tried to stop her, but she, usually so gentle, pushed him away, almost knocking him to the ground. She didn’t seem to want anyone’s help, she just wanted you back. I didn’t know what to do. Perhaps I thought… that her desperation… might actually create a miracle… I didn’t stop her, I stopped those who tried to stop her. Until the ambulance and the police arrived.”

Qiao Rubai felt the warmth and dampness in her palm but didn’t stop. She had come here for revenge, but now, she just wanted to tell Mi Hongdou this story, a story Mi Hongdou didn’t know in her previous life, a story about Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou, a story from their past.

“The paramedics and the police confirmed your death. She could no longer pretend. You were carried away on a stretcher, into the ambulance. I thought she would ask to go with you, but she didn’t. She didn’t speak, didn’t move, didn’t even cry. She just knelt there, where you fell, for a long, long time, motionless. The ambulance left, and the police stayed to take statements. I was worried about her, so I helped her up. I was prepared for her to push me away, but she didn’t. She let me lead her away, even drank the water I offered her, and didn’t resist when I wiped her face. I thought she had accepted it, that she was okay. But when the police asked for her statement, her name, her relationship to you, the moment she heard your name, she frowned and asked, ‘Where’s Mi Hongdou?’”

Chapter 106: Fruit-Scented Toast

The new assistant, Zhong Yin, was a plump young woman with a round face and a cheerful smile, like the tangyuan (glutinous rice balls) eaten on New Year’s morning.

Zhong Yin was a capable and efficient assistant. When Ji Junxin wasn’t filming, she would be by her side, taking care of everything, from her clothes and bag to her makeup and costume, ensuring everything was perfect. When Ji Junxin was on set, she would watch from the sidelines, chatting with the crew. Although plump, she was pleasant-looking, with a cheerful demeanor and a sweet tongue, quickly befriending the crew members.

Mi Hongdou had known Zhong Yin in her previous life.

In her past life, Zhong Yin joined Qiong Yu about five years later, around the same time as Mi Hongdou. By then, Ji Junxin had already retired, and Zhong Yin was working with Bao Yueqiao. She had been similarly plump, her cheerful personality and sweet-talking quickly winning over the senior staff at Qiong Yu.

In her past life, Mi Hongdou had been focused on her acting career and on becoming Ji Junxin’s food buddy. She wasn’t close to Zhong Yin, or even Bao Yueqiao. It was Bai Tang who had told her about Zhong Yin. “Never judge a book by its cover” seemed to perfectly describe Zhong Yin. Despite her plump and seemingly naive appearance, many at Qiong Yu, after chatting with her, found themselves in a good mood, but realizing later that they hadn’t learned anything about Bao Yueqiao, while she had gleaned a lot of information from them. She was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. And she was so skilled that people would willingly chat with her again. At that time, Zhong Yin, working with Bao Yueqiao, handled everything efficiently, both big and small tasks, making Bao Yueqiao’s manager both happy and frustrated – happy to have less work, frustrated at being practically redundant.

Mi Hongdou observed that Qiao Rubai, having brought Zhong Yin in years earlier to be Ji Junxin’s assistant, had really put in a lot of thought. Lu Gaoshi had been fired, Shen Zhu was problematic, and Xiao Zhang… was also questionable. With no reliable assistant for so long, it seemed Qiao Rubai had been searching. A capable assistant was easy to find, a capable assistant with a clean background was difficult.

The current Zhong Yin seemed less experienced than when she first joined Qiong Yu, but her work ethic was just as meticulous and dedicated. Given time, she would definitely be a great asset to Ji Junxin.

Mi Hongdou knew that Qiao Rubai must have put in a lot of effort to find Zhong Yin so early. Combined with her experience from her previous life, she also felt that Zhong Yin was a good fit for Ji Junxin. But with Zhong Yin’s arrival, Mi Hongdou felt that her days of being Ji Junxin’s sole caregiver, their shared life, were coming to an end.

Zhong Yin was also quite tactful. Although she was Ji Junxin’s assistant, since Mi Hongdou was also living there, she would disappear whenever Ji Junxin wanted some privacy. Previously, without an assistant, Ji Junxin would have breakfast with Bai Tang and lunch and dinner with Mi Hongdou. Zhong Yin didn’t interfere, quietly eating her own meals. She was diligent, always by Ji Junxin’s side, and had a sweet tongue, but she wasn’t as clingy and fawning as Shen Zhu.

She was a good assistant.

Unfortunately, Mi Hongdou’s good impression of Zhong Yin, like a bubble, quickly burst.

Not because Zhong Yin was incompetent, on the contrary, it was because she was too competent!

As an assistant, Zhong Yin was eloquent, capable, hardworking, responsible, and even quick-witted, she was already excellent. And then, she became even better!

One afternoon, during a break in filming, Bai Tang, as usual, took out some tea and snacks for Ji Junxin. Then, Zhong Yin also took out a bag of snacks, smiling and offering them to everyone.

The snacks were simple, similar to the garlic butter toast Mi Hongdou had made before, except these were sweet buttered toast.

Sweet buttered toast was usually made by cutting toast into small squares, buttering them, sprinkling sugar on top, and baking until golden brown.

But Zhong Yin’s toast tasted different. The small, bite-sized squares were crispy but not crumbly. Besides the aroma of butter, there was also a faint fruity scent. Mi Hongdou could tell it was probably grapefruit or lemon, but if it were just fruit jam, the toast wouldn’t be so crispy. So, she guessed it must be fruit powder.

Mi Hongdou, with her culinary knowledge, could only guess. Ji Junxin, captivated by the unique flavor, asked directly. And Zhong Yin’s answer was… she had used homemade candied fruit powder instead of sugar, hence the combined aroma of butter and fruit, fragrant but not greasy. She even generously shared her homemade candied fruit.

And so… Mi Hongdou’s favorable impression of Zhong Yin, like a bubble, burst.

Two tigers can’t live on the same mountain.

With filming nearing its end, Mi Hongdou was increasingly reluctant to part with Ji Junxin. And now, there was someone who would be with Ji Junxin every day, she felt a twinge of jealousy. This person being capable was one thing, at least she could take care of Ji Junxin, but she was also a good cook!

Mi Hongdou felt that after filming wrapped, Ji Junxin wouldn’t need her anymore.

She hated overlapping skill sets!

Although slightly jealous, Mi Hongdou still felt that having someone like Zhong Yin to take care of Ji Junxin… was a good thing.

But once, when she casually asked Ji Junxin about her impression of Zhong Yin, Ji Junxin had simply replied… “She’s okay.”

Why would an almost perfect assistant only receive an “okay”? Mi Hongdou didn’t understand, but she was secretly relieved.

The reason for this, Mi Hongdou naturally didn’t know.

Ji Junxin wasn’t stupid, she could see Zhong Yin’s competence. But on Zhong Yin’s first day, Ji Junxin had shown her around the suite, complaining about the flimsy shower curtain. And then, a few hours later, Zhong Yin, somehow persuading the hotel owner, had someone remove the curtain that Mi Hongdou had painstakingly reattached with layers of tape and replace it with opaque, frosted film with an ink painting design, even adding a lock on the inside.

Wasn’t this bathroom the owner’s favorite design? Wasn’t it supposed to be transparent and sparkling? Why, when she and Mi Hongdou had asked before, it had been impossible, and now Zhong Yin had solved it so easily?

“Now you don’t have to worry about the curtain falling. And you can lock it from the inside,” Zhong Yin said thoughtfully.

What could Ji Junxin say? Could she say, I wanted the curtain to fall! I wanted to barge in!

Ji Junxin could only praise Zhong Yin’s efficiency, feeling frustrated.

Some people, no matter how good they were, their timing was just… off.

Regardless of how Zhong Yin’s arrival changed their lives, the script, with each passing day, became thinner.

Soon, only the final scenes remained.

Four years after returning to the palace, the emperor’s old injuries relapsed, and he died without leaving a will. In court, some officials, recalling the Empress’s surrender, worried that the eldest prince, raised by her, would be controlled by her, that the Ji dynasty would fall into the hands of the Qin family. So, the court was divided, some supporting the eldest prince, Miao Qianye’s son, others supporting the second prince, born to Consort Zhu (played by Jiang Duo). To ensure the eldest prince’s ascension, the Empress committed suicide.

Today’s scene was one of the most important: the Empress’s suicide, and Miao Qianye’s desperate but futile attempt to stop her.

Mi Hongdou’s suicide scene went smoothly. Drinking flat cola wasn’t pleasant, but it wasn’t terrible either, certainly better than soy sauce.

But the next scene, of Miao Qianye rushing to the Empress’s palace, only to find her dead, wasn’t so smooth.

According to the script, Miao Qianye, upon receiving the news, rushed to the Central Palace, but the curtains of the bed were drawn. As she stumbled closer, she saw a pool of blood by the bed. Her hand trembling, she slowly pulled back the curtains, revealing the Empress lying still, blood by her side, seemingly vomited after taking poison. Miao Qianye reached out, checking for a pulse, then her hand dropped, and she stumbled back, collapsing to her knees, wailing in grief.

Ji Junxin’s performance was smooth and without hesitation. But Director Pan felt something was missing.

He replayed the scene.

Her initial panicked rush, her desperate dash into the Empress’s chamber, her brief hesitation upon seeing the drawn curtains, her trembling hand as she pulled them back, these details, not explicitly written in the script, were perfectly captured. And then, seeing the dead Empress, her disbelief, her questioning, her confirmation, and finally, her grief, all matched the script. Even her final wail conveyed her deep sorrow.

Everything seemed perfect, even exceeding the script in some aspects. But Director Pan still felt something was lacking.

As the director, he had to ensure the smooth flow of the plot, the richness of details, and the emotional resonance. Having worked on this film for months, he knew the story inside and out.

Ji Junxin’s performance was good, technically flawless. But Director Pan felt that it wasn’t enough. In his opinion, this scene was a crucial plot point and also a pivotal emotional moment. He even felt that the emotional impact of this scene should surpass the earlier assumed death and the later actual death of the emperor.

Although logically, those two events should be more emotionally charged, this scene, he felt, was the true highlight of the film. Although… something still felt off. But that was his director’s intuition.

Because he valued this scene so much, Ji Junxin’s good performance wasn’t enough.

Incorrect lines, wrong movements, even inappropriate emotions, those could be easily corrected. But a “lack of something,” that was difficult for an actor to fix.

Director Pan understood this, so he didn’t say much, just that this scene was important, he wanted to film a few more takes to have more options for editing, and then, after a brief discussion with Ji Junxin, he asked her to be more… invested.

So, for the second take, Ji Junxin did put in more effort. Her panicked rush, her fear upon entering the chamber, her final grief, she amplified the emotions.

Compared to the first take, the second one was much more emotionally charged.

But Director Pan still wasn’t satisfied.

Intuition was just intuition. Feeling was just feeling. Such subjective experiences were difficult to articulate, let alone to quickly understand and improve.

Director Pan wasn’t an unreasonable director. The scene was technically fine, just not reaching his standards. Although frustrated, he wouldn’t vent his anger at the actors.

“The emotional intensity is already strong, any more, and it would be over the top,” he muttered to himself, frowning.

Then, a familiar yet somewhat distant voice came from beside him.

“What’s wrong? Isn’t this scene good?” Qiao Rubai, having just arrived from Jiang City, had walked in just as Director Pan was replaying the second take.

Director Pan, startled, turned around. It was Qiao Rubai, no wonder no one had announced her arrival.

“Yes, it’s good.” Qiao Rubai’s presence didn’t ease his frustration. “But something is missing. I thought it was the emotional intensity, but even after asking Ji Junxin to amplify it, it’s still not what I want.”

“I think it’s good.” Qiao Rubai, seeing his troubled expression, said, “This take is good enough, it’s a pass.”

Director Pan shook his head. “No.”

Qiao Rubai was speechless.

She had rushed here this morning, leaving her work in Jiang City, because of this scene, the death of the young empress. And when she arrived, the scene was already finished.

Seeing that the scene was safely and smoothly completed, she had been relieved. But after some contemplation, Director Pan had decided to reshoot.

Several takes.

Although he had said it was because the scene was important, needing more footage for editing, the repeated takes made everyone uneasy. It felt more like they were NGing.

But with the repeated takes, Director Pan started to understand what was missing.

“Xiao Ji, your emotions… they’re not genuine enough,” he said to Ji Junxin gently. “It’s not about the intensity, it’s about the genuineness. The difference between acting and truly feeling it, do you understand?”

Ji Junxin nodded.

He loved actors who were perceptive and obedient! Director Pan suppressed his impatience and continued patiently, “So, for the next take, imagine you’re really Miao Qianye, losing the young empress, who has been your companion and support, truly feel it, don’t just act, be more immersed.”

Although he had taken Ji Junxin aside, Qiao Rubai, worried, and Mi Hongdou, also concerned, had followed.

Hearing this, Qiao Rubai couldn’t help but interrupt. “She’s an actress, isn’t acting enough? Why does it have to be real?”

Director Pan wasn’t offended, he just explained, “If this entire film had been just acting, then I wouldn’t ask for genuineness in this particular scene. The point is, in this film, Ji Junxin, Xiaomi, even Jiang Lingling, their performances, both in the palace and the estate scenes, were driven by genuine emotions, not just acting. So, there’s no reason for this crucial scene to be any different. Whether this film can reach its full potential depends on this scene.”

As a renowned director, his words carried weight, and Qiao Rubai couldn’t refute them.

Seeing the tense atmosphere, Mi Hongdou, worried about Ji Junxin’s state after so many takes, gently tugged at Ji Junxin’s sleeve and said half-jokingly, “It’s okay, if he wants genuineness, I’ll drink some flat cola in front of you, then lie down and pretend to be poisoned. Just imagine I’m really dead, see if that helps you get into character.”

Mi Hongdou’s words were partly to lighten the mood, partly to help Ji Junxin meet Director Pan’s requirements. After all, emotionally charged scenes, repeated takes were exhausting, and the more they filmed, the worse the performance might become.

Mi Hongdou’s well-intentioned words, however, were like a spark to Qiao Rubai, who had specifically come for this scene.

“Oh, really?” Qiao Rubai sneered, putting her hand on Mi Hongdou’s shoulder. “Come, let me show you what ‘genuine’ means.”

She pulled Mi Hongdou towards the bed where she had just been lying down.

Ji Junxin, sensing something was wrong, followed, about to say something to Qiao Rubai.

But Qiao Rubai, as if she had eyes on the back of her head, quickly turned around. “Stay there, don’t come any closer.”

Her tone was sharp and unquestionable. Qiao Rubai had never spoken to Ji Junxin like this before, and Ji Junxin, stunned, stopped, and Qiao Rubai pulled Mi Hongdou further away.

Seeing that Qiao Rubai wasn’t doing anything to Mi Hongdou, just having her lie down on the bed where she had played dead earlier, Ji Junxin didn’t follow.

“Lie down,” Qiao Rubai said, pressing Mi Hongdou onto the bed.

“You…” Mi Hongdou looked at Qiao Rubai, confused. What was she doing?

“You want genuineness? Let me show you. Let me see… how dare you… how dare you make her act like you’re really dead.” Out of Ji Junxin’s sight and earshot, Qiao Rubai’s whispered words were laced with barely suppressed anger, her voice even slightly trembling.

Qiao Rubai’s words were cryptic and pointed. Mi Hongdou’s heart pounded, and she was stunned. So Qiao Rubai, seeing her dazed state, pushed her onto the bed and even closed her eyes.

In the darkness, Mi Hongdou listened to Qiao Rubai’s retreating footsteps.

Qiao Rubai left, and although Mi Hongdou could get up, she didn’t…

She seemed to understand what Qiao Rubai was trying to tell her.

Chapter 105: Pan-Fried Shepherd’s Purse Dumplings p2

Foodie Ji Junxin surrendered.

Having surrendered, she naturally couldn’t leave. After lunch came dinner, and after dinner came late-night snacks…

After the snacks, it was finally time to leave.

“Not staying over?” Mi’s mother looked disappointed. “Stay, we’ll have porridge tomorrow morning, and I’ll buy some pastries. There’s a shop nearby that sells delicious, crispy flatbreads, with shredded radish filling, pickled mustard greens filling, preserved greens filling, and…”

“Mom… Ji Junxin hasn’t been home in a long time either.” Mi Hongdou had to interrupt. She had just wanted to bring Ji Junxin back to Jiang City, and now her mother was trying to keep her overnight. Although her mother’s hospitality was commendable, she only had one bed! Sleeping with Ji Junxin, would she go crazy! And… Ji Junxin also had parents! And Mom, your daughter is right here, did you even look at her today? Did you mistake someone else for your daughter?

Mi Hongdou’s words interrupted Mi’s mother’s menu recital and also Ji Junxin’s wavering resolve.

So, despite Mi’s mother’s reluctance, Ji Junxin left.

Mi’s mother, unhappy, went upstairs and pointed at the kitchen. “Go wash the dishes.”

“I’ll do them tomorrow…” Mi Hongdou, also full, collapsed onto the sofa.

“Wash them now, the oil will congeal overnight.”

Mi Hongdou was heartbroken. “Mom, I haven’t been home in months, can’t I rest for a day before washing dishes?”

Mi’s mother snorted. “I haven’t asked you to wash dishes in months, what’s the big deal?”

“…Nothing.” Mi Hongdou resignedly got up. “Anyone would think Ji Junxin is your daughter.”

This comment hit a nerve. “Hmph, if it weren’t for you telling her to go home, we could have had breakfast together tomorrow.” She snorted again. “You sent her away, how else can I vent my frustration but by making you wash the dishes?”

So that was the reason… Mi Hongdou was stunned. “She has her own parents! It’s just a two-day break, how can she stay here the whole time? We have to go back to Shudian tomorrow afternoon!”

Mi’s mother paused. “Are you going together tomorrow? Is she coming?”

“Mom!” Mi Hongdou raised her voice. “Even if you’re Ji Junxin’s fan, can you please restrain yourself? You’ll scare her!”

Mi’s mother was taken aback, then retorted, “Who said I’m her fan! I just think she’s a beautiful, adorable, and talented young lady… unlike you, hmph!”

Mi Hongdou, having revealed her own secret, was about to regret it when she was attacked, so she retorted, “Aren’t you? Where’s that autographed poster you got for Old Wang or Old Li’s daughter? Did you give it away?”

“You…” The hidden fan, exposed and embarrassed, said angrily, “Hmph! I am a fan, so what! I don’t have to explain myself to you! You’re so unlovable! Why weren’t you born a boy? Then I could at least hope for you to bring her home as my daughter-in-law! Hmph!” She stormed off to her room.

Although they depended on each other, Mi Hongdou and her mother weren’t particularly close. They rarely had such long, heartfelt conversations. Usually, Mi’s mother watched TV in the living room, while Mi Hongdou stayed in her room. It had been a long time since Mi Hongdou had seen her mother so happy.

Mi Hongdou stood there for a long time, then whispered, “Yes, why wasn’t I born a boy?” Then she could openly pursue Ji Junxin. But she still preferred being a woman. It was difficult…

It wasn’t just Mi Hongdou who found things difficult. Ji Junxin, in the chauffeured car, after much hesitation, called her parents. It was late, and they were both home. But before she could say much, her father brought up the blind date again. So Ji Junxin, having just experienced Mi’s mother’s warmth and missing her own parents, chatted with them for a bit, then decided to return to her own apartment.

After getting out of the car, she was alone again. Although it was March, and the coldest part of winter was over, standing in the wind, she felt even colder than during the estate scenes.

Her apartment, empty for three months, was still relatively clean. Just changing the bedsheets, dusting, and mopping, and it would be livable. As she worked, Ji Junxin was glad that she had emptied the refrigerator and removed the fruits before leaving, otherwise, the place would be uninhabitable.

The one-bedroom apartment was quick to clean. But after showering and settling in bed, Ji Junxin felt the usually cozy apartment strangely cold and empty.

She had become used to Mi Hongdou’s presence.

Ji Junxin sighed and closed her eyes, trying to sleep.

But she felt cold, lonely, and a little scared… Unable to sleep, she sat up and turned on the light.

No warm hot water bottle…

If she had stayed at Mi Hongdou’s place, she wouldn’t be so miserable… and there would be delicious porridge and flatbreads for breakfast tomorrow… Mi Hongdou was the worst!

Mi Hongdou, who was being blamed by her mother for washing a mountain of dishes and finally getting to rest very late, had no idea that her one comment had earned her the resentment of two people.

And there were many things she didn’t know, like how, upon returning to Shudian, the new palace scenes wouldn’t be as easy to film as they had imagined.

In the early palace scenes, Empress Qin Muxue and Miao Qianye, after the empress let go of her attachment to the emperor, had developed a sense of camaraderie. This bond deepened during their time at the estate, united in their shared goal of protecting the heir. But upon returning to the palace, things changed.

Emperor Ji Yan had many women, but his true love was still Empress Qin Muxue. Many of the concubines who had been with them at the estate died during their escape. The survivors, returning to the palace with the victorious emperor, were all promoted. But the emperor only spent the night with the Empress, not even with Miao Qianye, who had borne him a son. The promoted concubines were practically widows. Still, life in the palace was better than toiling in the fields. Many accepted their fate. Of course, some still yearned for the emperor’s favor, like Concubine Zhu, played by Jiang Duo. But although he rewarded them, he didn’t favor them. It wasn’t until the Empress persuaded him that he finally visited Miao Qianye, and then, to avoid resentment from the others, he also visited a few other concubines who had been with them at the estate.

The plot itself wasn’t unusual. But Director Pan didn’t understand a note Pan Xiang had added to the script: why, after their escape and reunion with the emperor, was there a subtle awkwardness and distance between the Empress and Miao Qianye? The note even specified that this feeling should persist until the Empress’s death at the end.

Director Pan couldn’t understand. They had developed such a close bond at the estate, practically sisters, why this awkwardness now? Hadn’t the Empress let go of her attachment to the emperor? He felt the note was unnecessary and discussed it with Pan Xiang.

Pan Xiang found it awkward to discuss this kind of plot point with her grandfather, but she explained it nonetheless.

At the estate, without the emperor, they had shared goals and values, and the hardship had strengthened their bond. But now, back in the palace, their positions were different, they were sharing a man. One favored, the other not, it was awkward. And the favored one persuading the emperor to also favor the other, even more awkward. And not just awkward, but also… unhappy. They had gained the emperor, but lost the intimacy and mutual support they had shared at the estate.

Pan Xiang’s explanation made Director Pan understand. He even found it brilliant. If Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin could portray this awkwardness and conflict, these scenes would be very compelling. He felt a slight unease, something still felt off, but excited by the new plot development, he ignored it.

Since the estate scenes, although there were occasional disagreements between them, Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin’s relationship had deepened, which was why their performances during that arc had been so smooth. Now, back in the palace, having to act with a subtle awkwardness in their scenes together, even in group scenes, was a challenge.

When facing difficulties in acting, there were two common methods: immersion and empathy.

Immersion meant becoming the character, experiencing their awkwardness. But the thought of having to portray the awkwardness of sharing a husband was… awkward.

Empathy meant recalling your own most embarrassing moments and using those emotions. For Mi Hongdou, her most embarrassing moment, in both lifetimes, was probably the bathroom incident a few days ago. She couldn’t think about it during filming without blushing. As for Ji Junxin… it was also that scene, but instead of blushing, she would probably feel a surge of heat.

So, for this pervasive awkwardness in the palace scenes, they couldn’t use immersion or empathy, they could only rely on their acting skills. Fortunately, they were both talented and experienced, and although their performance didn’t quite reach Director Pan’s vision of “perfect awkwardness,” it was still quite good.

Time passed quickly. Another month, and the palace scenes, without many of Jiang Duo’s scenes, progressed smoothly. “Imperial Secrets,” originally scheduled to wrap up at the end of April, was now nearing completion in mid-March.

No longer needing to act awkward, Mi Hongdou was relieved. But the thought of no longer sharing a room with Ji Junxin after filming ended filled her with a sense of loss.

So, as filming drew to a close, Mi Hongdou spent even more time preparing food and drinks for Ji Junxin, not just their daily meals, but also various fruit teas and snacks.

Although Jiang Lingling also enjoyed these treats, they weren’t made for her. So, the poor single dog’s desire for a relationship intensified. It was April, she had to find someone before Singles’ Day.

But finding a partner wasn’t that easy. Jiang Lingling, often staring wistfully at the snacks from Mi Hongdou, earned many sympathetic glances from Pan Xiang.

Jiang Lingling had also considered whether she had feelings for her favorite author, but it seemed a bit far-fetched. She loved the author’s stories, but it was the writing she loved, not the person. She liked the author, but… love? It didn’t seem that intense.

Unable to figure it out, Jiang Lingling temporarily put the thought aside, continuing to hire people to get the first comment on her stories, still a devoted fan.

After returning to the palace set, Jiang Lingling’s scenes decreased significantly. She could no longer use the excuse of script revisions to torment Jiang Duo, and she was bored. So, she had more time to read, and sometimes, she even managed to get the first comment herself. Getting it herself was more satisfying than having someone else remind her.

Perhaps, without a partner, having this… spiritual anchor, this daily ritual, wasn’t so bad. At least she didn’t feel so lonely.

As filming neared its end, Ji Junxin felt a sense of… a countdown, dreading each passing day, wanting time to slow down. She would soon be alone again. Although she knew they would still be friends after the film, it wouldn’t be the same. Leaving this production, this shared life, things would change. Even if they had the opportunity to work together again, they wouldn’t be living together, sharing every day and night.

Ji Junxin’s sadness couldn’t be dispelled even by Mi Hongdou’s culinary creations.

Just as Ji Junxin was dreading the end of filming, Qiao Rubai, rubbing salt in the wound, sent her a new assistant…

Chapter 105: Pan-Fried Shepherd’s Purse Dumplings p1

When Ji Junxin woke up, the room was dark, only a faint light emanating from Mi Hongdou’s bed. She fumbled for her phone, the screen showing it was past 10 PM. Her mind was hazy, the events in the bathroom earlier, were they a dream? The kind of dream you have in spring?

“Awake?”

Mi Hongdou’s sudden voice startled Ji Junxin, her hand trembling, and her phone fell back onto the bed, plunging her into darkness again.

“Mmm…” she mumbled, retrieving her phone. The shock had woken her up, so it hadn’t been a dream after all.

“Hungry?” Mi Hongdou asked.

“Hungry…” Ji Junxin instinctively replied, then instantly regretted it. Oh my god, I cried again earlier, are my eyes puffy? What if Mi Hongdou turns on the light and sees them! She quickly burrowed under the covers.

A rustling sound from the other bed. “Then I’ll make dumplings, you can get up later.” Mi Hongdou’s voice faded with her retreating footsteps.

Ji Junxin cautiously peeked out from under the covers. Still dark, she was relieved, and stuck her head out.

With Mi Hongdou gone, Ji Junxin turned on the light, used her phone as a mirror, and checked her face. Her eyes seemed fine, just a little dry, probably because she had slept for a while.

After applying eye drops, Ji Junxin decided to follow Mi Hongdou’s advice and stay in bed for a little longer.

In the kitchen, Mi Hongdou mixed the minced pork and chopped shepherd’s purse, added an egg white, ginger, scallions, garlic, and other seasonings, and slowly stirred it clockwise until the mixture became sticky.

When Mi Hongdou started wrapping the dumplings, Ji Junxin came out, as usual, wandered into the kitchen, then went to the sofa and waited. Mi Hongdou, while wrapping, glanced at Ji Junxin, who was playing with her phone, seemingly normal, and felt relieved.

Ji Junxin had fallen asleep, but Mi Hongdou, after lying in bed for a while, couldn’t sleep. She got up, found some double-sided tape, and reattached the shower curtain. Although it didn’t seem very secure, it should last the night.

Back in bed, she still couldn’t sleep, her mind replaying the bathroom incident. It was frustrating. To Ji Junxin, it had just been a playful joke, but to Mi Hongdou, who had been seen naked and even bitten by the person she liked… it was both embarrassing and strangely exciting.

Having lived two lifetimes, even with her limited romantic experience, she knew… she had been aroused when Ji Junxin bit and licked her. That strange sensation, caused by Ji Junxin, wasn’t unpleasant, she even felt a lingering… longing.

But… it was wrong. Ji Junxin was straight! Her past relationship with Zhang Zijing was proof! Mi Hongdou wouldn’t let that scumbag near Ji Junxin in this life, but she also couldn’t confess her feelings to a straight girl. Ji Junxin deserved better, and her own arousal from Ji Junxin’s unintentional actions made her feel… like a predator…

Although Ji Junxin had been the one teasing her, Mi Hongdou felt guilty.

Seeing that Ji Junxin didn’t mention the bathroom incident after waking up, Mi Hongdou was relieved.

Ji Junxin naturally wouldn’t mention it. She had seen the reattached curtain.

It was just an accident, what was there to expect? … She rubbed her slightly sore eyes, suppressing her inappropriate fantasies.

Mi Hongdou had originally planned to boil the dumplings, not wanting to deal with the oil and smoke after showering. But feeling guilty, she decided to pan-fry them instead.

She heated the wok, oiled it, added the dumplings and water, and turned on the heat… Pan-fried dumplings were easy to make, but achieving the perfect crispy skin and tender filling required precise control of the heat and the amount of water.

Of course, it was no problem for Mi Hongdou. Soon, the aroma of frying filled the room.

Ji Junxin sniffed the air. Although still sad, she felt a little happier.

The shepherd’s purse and pork dumplings, thin-skinned and generously filled, after frying, the top skin tightened, the bottom crispy, their golden-brown color incredibly appetizing.

Ji Junxin carefully picked one up, blew on it, and took a small bite. A burst of hot steam, carrying the unique aroma of shepherd’s purse, filled her mouth. Tilting the dumpling slightly, she tasted the hot, savory juices, making her anticipate the next bite.

The dumpling skin, firm and slightly crispy, the filling with the perfect ratio of meat and vegetables, juicy and flavorful, chewy but not tough, it was incredibly delicious.

Normally, dumplings with the same filling, when boiled, would have a lighter flavor, refreshing and easy to eat in large quantities. Steamed dumplings would be slightly saltier, the flavors more concentrated, the skin chewier. And pan-fried dumplings were the most aromatic and flavorful of the three. Similar in size to steamed dumplings, the skin both chewy and crispy, richer in both flavor and texture, although slightly greasy, and you couldn’t eat too many.

Of course, that was… under normal circumstances.

The pan wasn’t large, only holding twenty dumplings at a time. Mi Hongdou had made forty, planning to fry two batches, Ji Junxin eating most of them, and herself having a dozen or so.

Perhaps because it was a late dinner, Ji Junxin ate with focused attention, picking up, blowing on, and eating one dumpling after another, her movements smooth and efficient, even accelerating slightly. Mi Hongdou, seeing this, made another twenty while waiting for the second batch to finish frying.

Although the meal was long, it was quiet. After three batches of dumplings, they only chatted briefly about what happened on set today, mostly eating in silence. Mi Hongdou felt the atmosphere was different, a little strange, but seeing Ji Junxin seemingly enjoying the food, she figured she was just overthinking, perhaps Ji Junxin was just tired after her nap and not as lively as usual.

Actually… that wasn’t the case…

The warm, delicious dumplings did comfort Ji Junxin. After a few, although her heart still ached, she felt a little better. The power of food… She devoured more than two plates of dumplings, feeling incredibly full.

Even for Ji Junxin, this was more than her usual amount. Although she enjoyed the meal, she felt uncomfortable later.

They had woken up around 10 PM and finished eating close to midnight. They had an early call time for the last day of the escape scenes, so they quickly washed up and went to bed.

With the lights off, and Mi Hongdou’s phone also dark, the bedroom was quiet and dark, perfect for sleeping. But Ji Junxin tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Her earlier nap was one reason, overeating was another. And the third reason, comforted by the food, she finally had the courage and the time to process the afternoon’s events.

To be precise, whenever she closed her eyes, she saw the image of a naked Mi Hongdou.

Perhaps because of the darkness, Ji Junxin no longer suppressed her thoughts, indulging in them, replaying every detail of the scene that afternoon. Perhaps it was the greasy dumplings, a full stomach breeds lustful thoughts?

Standing, lying down, kneeling… the damp hair, the smooth skin, the delicate collarbones, the partially exposed breasts, and further down… Ji Junxin remembered Mi Hongdou on the floor, clutching the towel, the small movements of her hand beneath it…

The familiar heat, fueled by her imagination, spread through her. And the image of Mi Hongdou became clearer, more vivid…

The bed was warm, the hot water bottle Mi Hongdou had thoughtfully refilled radiating heat, adding to her internal fire, making her uncomfortable. She closed her eyes, but all she saw was Mi Hongdou on the bathroom floor, tugging at the towel. Ji Junxin fidgeted restlessly…

In the darkness, her legs pressed together, her fingers nervously clutching the edge of her nightgown, her teeth biting her lower lip, her expression strained, her thoughts racing. She imagined herself opening the bathroom door, walking towards the fallen Mi Hongdou, pulling away the towel, removing her hand, and then… She imagined herself opening the door, walking towards the kneeling Mi Hongdou, letting her approach, that position, the places she could touch, similar to the birthing scene, no… not just touching…

The chaotic thoughts and the burning sensation gradually subsided. Ji Junxin’s indulgence in her fantasies only made her more uncomfortable.

Mi Hongdou, you’re the worst! Ji Junxin bit her lip and angrily kicked the hot water bottle.

The only result was a burning sensation on her foot, not any relief.

The night was long, and Ji Junxin finally drifted off to sleep, her mind filled with frustrated thoughts of Mi Hongdou. Her last thought before falling asleep was… after reacting like that today, am I still a qualified neko?

Under the cover of darkness, we often indulge our desires. And when dawn arrives, it brings back the rationality we abandoned.

Both the sunlight and the hustle and bustle of the film set revitalized Ji Junxin. Last night’s fantasies seemed like a distant dream, and her interactions with Mi Hongdou returned to normal. Well, a deliberately constructed normalcy, but still…

The next day’s escape scenes were successfully completed, but there was no celebration. For most of the actors from the estate scenes, their part in “Imperial Secrets” was over, including Ye Xin and Hao Ba from Mengguan. After the last scene, the crew had a small farewell dinner, and the next day, many of the rooms in the hotel were occupied by new faces, the next batch of palace maids.

For Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou, the changes in the crew didn’t affect them much. After the escape scenes, before returning to the palace, they, along with the surviving concubines, had to go to the battlefield set and film a few scenes of their reunion with the emperor and their return to the palace with his army.

They didn’t have many lines in these scenes, just a few at the beginning, during their reunion with the emperor, and then just a few shots in the background of the battle scenes.

This took a few days.

Having been tormented by Jiang Duo’s NGs during the two months of filming at the estate, the crew seemed to have forgotten about Zhang Zijing’s own tendency for NGs. The scenes went smoothly without Jiang Duo, and many no longer resented Zhang Zijing. Except, of course, Mi Hongdou.

Zhang Zijing, as if having undergone a personality change, had become cheerful and approachable. He was good-looking, and now, without his usual bad temper, he quickly became popular with the girls in the crew. Although he hadn’t made any obvious moves on Ji Junxin yet, Mi Hongdou still felt a sense of unease.

Logically, the best defense was offense. If she was worried about Ji Junxin getting together with Zhang Zijing again, she should find a suitable boyfriend for Ji Junxin. Mi Hongdou knew this… but she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She wanted Ji Junxin to find someone better, but she also wanted to keep her by her side.

The more you loved someone, the more you wanted them to be happy, but you also couldn’t be completely selfless, couldn’t just push them towards someone else, even if it meant their happiness…

Mi Hongdou, despising her own selfishness while also guarding against Zhang Zijing, was exhausted after a few days of filming at the battlefield set.

After the battlefield scenes, they returned to the palace set in Shudian. Considering they had been working non-stop for over three months, and the palace set needed to be rearranged, the crew was given a two-day break.

Mi Hongdou hadn’t been home in over three months, even spending New Year’s Eve at Jiang Lingling’s restaurant. Now, with a break, she was naturally going back to Jiang City.

Ji Junxin hesitated. Her father had called a few days ago, first lecturing her about the hardships of being an actress and the benefits of being a teacher, then subtly mentioning a young doctor from a scholarly family, whose parents were also teachers, a decent and good-looking young man. He asked if she wanted to meet him when she returned.

“Meet,” wasn’t that just a blind date? … Ji Junxin was surprised. She had thought her parents didn’t care about anything besides their teaching careers. So, they did care about her marriage? She was already struggling with her feelings for Mi Hongdou, how could she deal with a blind date? But… facing her parents’ rare display of concern, she couldn’t refuse directly, so she used the excuse of being busy with filming. Her father, naturally, launched into another lecture about her career choice, urging her to become a teacher.

And now, after just a few days, she had a break.

She couldn’t go back to her parents’ place, only to her small, empty apartment, what was the point? Ji Junxin didn’t want to go back.

But when Mi Hongdou learned that Zhang Zijing was also staying on set during the break, she insisted on taking Ji Junxin with her. Two days, she couldn’t leave Ji Junxin alone with Zhang Zijing. What if he used his sweet words to seduce her? She would regret it forever.

So, Mi Hongdou enthusiastically praised her mother’s cooking and sincerely invited Ji Junxin, successfully taking her back to Jiang City.

Ji Junxin felt a little embarrassed about imposing on them for a meal, but Mi Hongdou’s detailed descriptions of the dishes, from their aroma and texture to their taste, from the ingredients to the sauces, made it sound irresistible. And she didn’t want to be apart from Mi Hongdou either. Traveling together, and then having a meal at Mi Hongdou’s place, meant more time together than staying alone at the hotel. So, she readily agreed.

As promised months ago, Ji Junxin brought delicious meatballs from Shudian as a gift for Mi’s mother, who welcomed her warmly.

Leaving Shudian in the morning, they arrived at Mi Hongdou’s place just in time for lunch. A home-cooked meal, naturally, couldn’t compare to Jiang Lingling’s daily feasts. But Mi’s mother’s cooking was also far from ordinary.

Braised mutton with cabbage and vermicelli, a simmering pot of beef with enoki mushrooms in bone broth, sweet and sour spare ribs sprinkled with sesame seeds, a whole five-spice chicken and a pile of braised quail eggs, a clay pot of pork bone and radish soup in the center of the table, and two vegetarian dishes: stir-fried bok choy with mushrooms and bamboo shoots, and sauteed king oyster mushrooms with bacon and butter.

While Mi’s mother went to put away the meatballs, Ji Junxin tugged at Mi Hongdou’s sleeve, her face slightly red. “This is too much food, I’m so embarrassed,” she whispered.

Before Mi Hongdou could comfort the seemingly apprehensive Ji Junxin, Mi’s mother returned with a large plate.

“Why are you standing? Come, sit and eat!” She waved them over and squeezed the plate onto the only empty spot on the table. It was a plate of fried small yellow croaker, neatly arranged, still steaming, surrounded by butterflied, fried shrimp, sprinkled with spices.

The aroma of the dishes filled the air, a comforting, homey scent.

This meal… must have taken hours to prepare. Ji Junxin, feeling embarrassed, hesitantly picked up her chopsticks.

The bok choy, crisp and tender, the bamboo shoots fresh and flavorful, the mushrooms plump and not salty, it was delicious! Ji Junxin’s eyes narrowed slightly, a small, unconscious gesture she always made when enjoying food.

Although it was a small gesture, Mi Hongdou was very familiar with it. Ji Junxin liking her mother’s cooking was wonderful. But… why did Ji Junxin, three times in a row, only take small portions of the stir-fried bok choy with mushrooms and bamboo shoots?

“You’re so thin… don’t just eat vegetables. It’s okay to have some meat, you won’t gain weight,” Mi’s mother said, swapping the vegetable dish with the fried yellow croaker.

Having closely observed her idol, and seeing that Ji Junxin had only eaten vegetables, Mama Fan was worried.

Gain weight? What’s that? Ji Junxin, who never gained weight no matter how much she ate, didn’t understand the concept.

The fried yellow croaker was now closer, its aroma even more enticing. Ji Junxin took a small fish and ate it.

Crispy! Fragrant! Tender! So much better than the ones at the buffet!

The fish was slightly hot, but not too hot to eat. The batter was fragrant and not too salty, the fish crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, even the bones were edible. The heads had been removed, and the tails were crispy, so Ji Junxin ate the entire fish, bones and all.

One led to another, and encouraged by Mi’s mother’s smile, Ji Junxin ate quite a few.

Delicious food, instead of filling you up, only whetted your appetite. Although she wanted to be more reserved, Ji Junxin gradually shed her embarrassment and indulged in the feast.

Perhaps because Ji Junxin’s first few bites were all vegetables, or perhaps because she ate the small yellow croaker so slowly and delicately, even the tails, or perhaps because Mi’s mother often read gossip news about celebrities who only ate vegetables to stay slim, she now looked at Ji Junxin with concern and kept urging her to eat more, to try different dishes, to have some soup…

Mi Hongdou, at first, found it a bit awkward. Ji Junxin could devour over forty pan-fried dumplings in one sitting, could her mother please not look at her with such pity, as if she was a starving child who hadn’t eaten meat in years? And… wouldn’t it make Ji Junxin feel even more embarrassed?

But Ji Junxin didn’t seem embarrassed at all, she even seemed to enjoy Mi’s mother’s nagging. She ate whatever Mi’s mother offered, her movements still refined, but her speed not at all slow.

Soon, Mi Hongdou felt like the odd one out at the table… with one busy talking and the other busy eating, who had time for her?

Why did she always feel superfluous whenever Ji Junxin was around?

The lunch lasted for over an hour. Mi’s mother was happy, Ji Junxin was full. As for Mi Hongdou… who cared about her?

After lunch and some chatting with Mi’s mother, Ji Junxin felt she should leave, after all, Mi Hongdou hadn’t been home in a long time, they needed some mother-daughter time.

Just as she was about to excuse herself, Mi’s mother looked surprised. “Not staying for dinner? You brought those delicious meatballs, I was planning to make three delicacies soup with them tonight. Meatballs with quail eggs, bamboo shoots, yellow chives, tofu skin, and wood ear mushrooms, and some egg dumplings, it’s so delicious. You have to stay and try it. I also bought a black fish, we can make boiled fish, or do you prefer boiled pork slices? I think both are good, with some Sichuan peppercorns… the aroma would fill the entire room! I have other ingredients in the refrigerator, tell me what you want, and I’ll make them all!”

Mi’s mother’s enthusiastic invitation, listing dishes, made Ji Junxin speechless… so this tactic was hereditary!

Chapter 104: It’s All Your Fault

Ji Junxin’s bite was sudden, taking Mi Hongdou completely by surprise.

Mi Hongdou didn’t even have time to react. The pain in her right shoulder was dull, not sharp, suggesting a gentle bite. But Ji Junxin’s warm breath against her bare skin sent shivers down her spine. Mi Hongdou’s mind went blank, all thoughts erased, only the burning sensation on her shoulder where Ji Junxin’s breath had touched remained.

Being bitten was an accident, not pulling away immediately was Mi Hongdou’s hesitation.

If she moved suddenly, would she hurt Ji Junxin’s teeth? This strange thought prevented her instinctive reaction to escape. She didn’t even realize that if she pulled away, hurting Ji Junxin’s teeth was one thing, she, whose flesh was being bitten, would be the one in pain.

Ji Junxin’s bite was swift, but then she slowed down, her teeth gently pressing into the flesh. The slow, gentle pressure didn’t cause much pain, just a strange tingling sensation.

Her shoulder was on fire, her body was on fire, even her mind was ablaze.

She couldn’t tell if the heat was from her own embarrassment or from Ji Junxin’s warmth. But she didn’t have to figure it out.

Ji Junxin’s teeth pressed gently, and then… Mi Hongdou felt something soft and warm, like the flesh of a shellfish, brush against the bitten spot…

In this position, what that soft, warm thing was, Mi Hongdou knew without a doubt.

Her body tensed, and then, as if fireworks exploded in her mind, the tingling on her shoulder was replaced by the sensation of being licked. Mi Hongdou’s last thought before her mind completely shut down was: Idiot! Don’t you know you’re supposed to retract your tongue when biting someone! You just licked me!

How long did it last? A mind in shutdown… couldn’t tell time. All Mi Hongdou knew was that it wasn’t until Ji Junxin released her and took a step back that she regained her scattered wits. Her stiff body didn’t want to remember how long she had been frozen…

Her mind rebooting slowly, still struggling to form a coherent response, she was hit by Ji Junxin’s “symmetry is beauty” statement.

Mi Hongdou’s body was still burning, her mind still hazy, but even so, she couldn’t agree with Ji Junxin!

Symmetry was beautiful, but Ji Junxin’s bite couldn’t possibly be symmetrical!

Mi Hongdou stiffly turned her neck to the right. Sure enough, there were two rows of teeth marks on her right shoulder. Although roughly in the same location as the scar on her left shoulder, it wasn’t symmetrical at all!

If Ji Junxin’s expression weren’t so innocent, Mi Hongdou would have thought she did it on purpose!

But… that was impossible… Ji Junxin wasn’t a dog, she wouldn’t bite her on purpose…

So the only explanation was… Ji Junxin was a mischievous idiot!

Mi Hongdou felt ridiculous, her body burning from Ji Junxin’s mischievous bite, she couldn’t help but retort!

“Look! Where’s the symmetry?!” Mi Hongdou pointed at her left shoulder, then her right. “One is a scar, the other is two rows of teeth marks! Completely different in both shape and number!”

Ji Junxin, who had only bitten Mi Hongdou on impulse, driven by an unbearable desire, didn’t care about Mi Hongdou’s complaint.

Mi Hongdou’s focus was strange. Instead of being concerned about the shape and number of marks, shouldn’t she be more concerned about the slipping towel? Ji Junxin didn’t even bother responding to Mi Hongdou’s seemingly logical argument, her attention fixed on the exposed skin above the towel.

The taste of Mi Hongdou still lingered in her mouth, and Ji Junxin swallowed. The girl’s shoulder, tender yet firm, had been tempting. Even slowing down, prolonging the bite, hadn’t been enough to satisfy her, so… she hadn’t been able to resist licking it. Compared to teeth, a tongue could gather more information, the texture and taste sending shivers down her spine, her legs almost giving way.

It was like drinking poison to quench thirst. Before the poison could take effect, Ji Junxin pulled away.

Facing Mi Hongdou, who seemed about to question her, Ji Junxin casually offered the excuse she had prepared. She had expected her excuse to be challenged, her actions questioned, but… Mi Hongdou’s complaint was about symmetry…

How… unexpected (and delightful).

Ji Junxin licked her lips. Mi Hongdou’s earlier appearance had been too tempting, and she had acted on impulse, without any logic. But one bite wasn’t enough to quench the fire in her heart. It was like adding fuel to the fire, briefly suppressing the flames, but only to make them burn even fiercer later.

One bite wasn’t enough, she wanted to devour her, to leave her mark on every inch of her skin.

Ji Junxin, her knowledge of “harmonious chapters” still limited, had no technique, only instinct, wanting to devour Mi Hongdou bite by bite.

“Hmm… it does seem asymmetrical.” Ji Junxin, masking her desire, feigned confusion, trying to appear harmless, and looked at Mi Hongdou’s shoulders thoughtfully. “It’s okay, I’ll make them symmetrical for you.”

She leaned forward.

Stepping into the same pit twice wasn’t an accident, it was stupidity!

Ji Junxin’s words set off alarm bells in Mi Hongdou’s mind. How could one scar and two bite marks be symmetrical? She would have to add another mark! Having been tricked once, Mi Hongdou wouldn’t fall for it again. As soon as Ji Junxin finished speaking, she quickly shuffled backward.

“No… no need for symmetry!” Mi Hongdou said, moving suddenly and feeling a chill. She looked down and realized that her towel had shifted, exposing almost everything. Oh my god.

Her mind reeling, her face burning, Mi Hongdou took two more steps back, grabbed her discarded clothes from the laundry basket, and held them in front of her, then, trying to maintain her composure, said to Ji Junxin, who hadn’t moved but seemed to be radiating a predatory aura, “You go out first… I’ll get dressed, and then we’ll fix the curtain.”

She couldn’t care less about acting like a good friend anymore. Even the best of friends wouldn’t stand face to face like this, one fully clothed, the other naked. It was just too strange… So, her earlier escape had been the right decision!

Winter clothes were layered, and Mi Hongdou, in her haste to cover herself, had practically pulled everything out of the laundry basket. Although the clothes were mismatched, they effectively covered her.

Ji Junxin, however, was unhappy.

It was as if God had opened a window, revealing the most beautiful scenery, then quickly closed it. And she would probably never see it again…

Ji Junxin wanted to yell, You’re cruel! You’re heartless! You’re cruel and heartless!

But some closed windows would never be opened again. Ji Junxin understood this, but she still couldn’t tear her gaze away from Mi Hongdou, even though she could only see a pile of rumpled clothes now.

The atmosphere in the bathroom was turning awkward when a sudden sneeze broke the silence.

Mi Hongdou sniffled, a little embarrassed… It was cold in the winter, and with the bathroom door open, and although the clothes blocked her front, the earlier heat had dissipated, and she felt a chill.

“Don’t worry about the curtain, go back and rinse yourself with hot water.” Ji Junxin said, her gaze fixed on Mi Hongdou, but she was backing away towards the door.

Ji Junxin understood her earlier impulse. In that brief moment of lost control, she had even thought that if she acted on her desires, Mi Hongdou might not even resist. The now calmer Ji Junxin couldn’t understand why she had thought that. But she knew… she couldn’t do it.

She had tested Mi Hongdou earlier, with the hot water bottle and the accidental touch of her foot. Mi Hongdou hadn’t shown any romantic interest. In this situation, taking advantage of Mi Hongdou’s affection, her unconditional kindness, would be wrong. Forget about the consequences of failure, even if she succeeded… how could she face Mi Hongdou as a friend again?

Today was an accident, an opportunity. But Ji Junxin felt she didn’t deserve it.

Ji Junxin retreated, and Mi Hongdou stood still.

Reaching the door, Ji Junxin smiled faintly. “Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you in the living room. I won’t come back in here.”

She turned and left, her movements decisive, seemingly without any hesitation.

Mi Hongdou, although she had been the one asking Ji Junxin to leave, felt a pang of guilt seeing her go.

But then she mentally slapped herself. She was the one who was seen naked, she was the one who was bitten! Why feel guilty!

Not wanting Ji Junxin to wait too long, Mi Hongdou quickly showered, only half-drying her hair. She came out and thoughtfully offered to find some double-sided tape to fix the curtain before Ji Junxin showered.

It had only been a little over a month since Ji Junxin last tested Mi Hongdou. She knew that Mi Hongdou hadn’t had any romantic feelings for her then, and it was unlikely for such a significant change to occur in such a short time. But… she still couldn’t resist testing her again.

“It’s okay, no need to fix it. I don’t mind you seeing me.” Ji Junxin said, taking a couple of steps towards the bathroom, then suddenly turned around and smiled. “Since I accidentally saw you naked earlier, why don’t you come in, and I’ll let you see me too, to make things even.”

She walked back towards Mi Hongdou and reached out as if to take her hand.

“No… no need…” Mi Hongdou pulled back her hand, took two steps back, and shook her head. “It wasn’t intentional.”

Ji Junxin didn’t insist, just smiled and put her hands behind her back. “Intentional or not, I still saw you. Let you see me too, and we’ll be even.” Seeing Mi Hongdou still shaking her head, Ji Junxin winked playfully. “We’re both girls, I don’t mind, and I’m not too bad to look at.”

Although Ji Junxin’s tone was light and playful, Mi Hongdou’s throat tightened, and her heart raced.

Just listening to her, imagining it, made her nose bleed, how could she actually look!

Mi Hongdou shook her head vigorously.

Ji Junxin, seeing her firm refusal, couldn’t continue her offer. She quickly said, her tone still playful, “Well, I did offer to compensate you. You’re the one who refused, don’t regret it later. And no peeking!” Then, seeing Mi Hongdou switch from shaking her head to nodding, she quickly turned and walked towards the bathroom.

Ji Junxin was finally gone. Mi Hongdou breathed a sigh of relief. Being seen naked by Ji Junxin was embarrassing enough, but seeing Ji Junxin naked… she might faint!… Just imagining it made her blood boil! She touched her nose, thankfully, it wasn’t bleeding.

Having been Ji Junxin’s fan for so long, Mi Hongdou had always placed her on a pedestal. Even now, sharing a room, knowing her own feelings, she only thought about how to take care of Ji Junxin. Seeing a naked Ji Junxin… she hadn’t even dared to imagine it. Ji Junxin’s offer was like Pandora’s box, and Mi Hongdou resisted. Not just because she was afraid of losing control, but also because… Ji Junxin didn’t know her feelings, it was just a playful offer between friends, accepting it would be taking advantage, it would be disrespecting Ji Junxin’s attempt to ease her embarrassment.

Mi Hongdou felt quite righteous about her decision, but she didn’t realize that her righteousness had brought Ji Junxin to tears. Ji Junxin was now quietly crying in the bathroom, the sound of running water masking her sobs.

And she had every reason to cry! Although she knew Mi Hongdou didn’t have romantic feelings for her, she had still clung to a sliver of hope, summoning all her courage to make that embarrassing offer! And Mi Hongdou hadn’t taken the bait at all! It was a huge blow to her pride! Ji Junxin felt embarrassed, ashamed, and miserable.

Loving someone so much that you wanted to devour them whole, and then… being rejected, even after such a blatant invitation, it was… tragic…

I even said, “We’re both girls, I don’t mind,” Ji Junxin thought, filled with regret and sadness. Who doesn’t mind?! If it weren’t you, I would have strangled her! She hid in the shower, biting her fist and sobbing quietly.

The shower had just been turned on, the steam hadn’t yet fogged up the glass. If Mi Hongdou walked past and glanced inside, she might have seen Ji Junxin’s heartbroken expression.

But… she wouldn’t walk past. Ji Junxin knew this, and it made her even sadder.

In the kitchen, Mi Hongdou, while still processing the strange sensation of being bitten by Ji Junxin, was efficiently preparing the filling. Thanks to everyone’s hard work, they had been finishing early recently. After showering, there was plenty of time to cook.

But she didn’t want to deal with oily fumes after showering. So, tonight’s dinner was… dumplings. She had asked Bai Tang to buy fresh shepherd’s purse, and she would make shepherd’s purse and pork dumplings.

The pork, ground from a whole piece at the market, didn’t contain any Chinese yam, which Ji Junxin disliked. After grinding, Mi Hongdou felt it was still a bit coarse, so she minced it further before putting it in a large bowl.

After preparing the pork, she cleaned and chopped the shepherd’s purse, blanched it, drained it, and then put it in another bowl.

Ji Junxin was still showering. Knowing that salt would draw out the moisture from the shepherd’s purse, Mi Hongdou decided to wait until Ji Junxin was finished before mixing the filling, to preserve the texture.

After a while, Ji Junxin came out, but her face was covered with a white sheet mask. Mi Hongdou, hearing the sound and turning around, almost jumped out of her skin.

“It’s so cold, isn’t the mask freezing?” Mi Hongdou frowned. Ji Junxin had good skin, wouldn’t a face mask in this weather be too cold?

“It’s alright…” Ji Junxin peeked at the ingredients Mi Hongdou was preparing. “Are we having dumplings tonight?”

“Shepherd’s purse and pork, want some?” Mi Hongdou started rolling up her sleeves. “I’ll just mix the filling and then we can start wrapping. I’ll cook you a bowl first, it’ll be quick.”

Ji Junxin stopped her. “I’m… a little sleepy. Can I have some after I take a nap?”

Ji Junxin’s voice was a little hoarse, well, it had been a little hoarse earlier too. For Ji Junxin to give up on food and want to nap, she must be really tired… Mi Hongdou naturally agreed, glad that she hadn’t mixed the filling yet.

After covering the bowls with plastic wrap, Mi Hongdou returned to the bedroom and was surprised to find the blackout curtains drawn, the room dark, and Ji Junxin already in bed, seemingly asleep.

Asleep so quickly? Did she even take off the mask?… Mi Hongdou wanted to check, took a few steps, then changed her mind, turned on her phone’s flashlight, and checked the trash can. Seeing a discarded mask inside, she was relieved.

But if she hadn’t changed her mind and gone to check on Ji Junxin, she would have seen a crying, pitiful figure.

Because she had cried in the bathroom and her eyes were red, Ji Junxin, afraid of being seen, had used the face mask as an excuse to go to bed, hoping her eyes would return to normal. But as soon as she was nestled in the soft, warm bed, the grievances returned, and she started crying again.

She heard Mi Hongdou enter and immediately stopped crying, even holding her breath. She had already made up too many excuses today, and although the unsuspecting Mi Hongdou seemed to believe them all, she didn’t want to make up another one to explain her sadness.

What was there to explain… It’s your fault! It’s all your fault!

Mi Hongdou entered, walked around, then got into her own bed. So Ji Junxin couldn’t cry anymore… Unable to even cry, her stomach rumbling, she thought of the delicious shepherd’s purse and pork dumplings… Ji Junxin tearfully drifted off to sleep, filled with resentment.

Chapter 103: Accidental Exposure

Mi Hongdou, sprawled on the bathroom floor, felt dizzy.

She had thought showering first wouldn’t be a big deal. But now, she had been seen naked!

After that eye contact with Ji Junxin, and the hard fall, Mi Hongdou clung to a shred of rationality. Despite the pain, she instinctively covered herself with the towel.

She remembered an online joke: If you were naked in a public bathhouse when a fire broke out, and you had to run outside with only a small towel, would you cover your chest or your lower body? The answer: You fool, cover your face!

Now, with only a towel, what should she cover?

She had fallen sideways, facing the glass door, facing Ji Junxin. Instinctively, she covered her chest, then, seeing Ji Junxin’s gaze on her abdomen, she quickly pulled the towel lower. Fortunately, it was much larger than the one in the joke. It barely covered her lower body, exposing most of her breasts, but at least the crucial parts were hidden. Mi Hongdou mentally praised her quick thinking.

So, if this were a brain teaser, where should she place the towel?

The correct answer: roll over, turn her back to Ji Junxin, and the towel would only need to cover one area.

Of course, Mi Hongdou’s mind wasn’t working, let alone capable of solving brain teasers.

From falling to covering herself, it had all happened in a flash. Only then did she realize, had she been too deliberate? If a friend saw you naked after a fall, the normal reaction… shouldn’t be to cover yourself, right? It should be… to ask for help? Or to get up quickly? In this situation, she didn’t want to interact with Ji Junxin at all! She just wanted the ground to swallow her whole!

Mi Hongdou cautiously looked up at Ji Junxin, then froze. Ji Junxin had just… left.

Although she also found the situation incredibly embarrassing, Ji Junxin just leaving without a word of concern hurt Mi Hongdou’s feelings.

But with Ji Junxin gone, the awkwardness also seemed to dissipate slightly.

However, this slight relief and hurt only lasted for a few seconds.

Because… as Mi Hongdou pushed herself up to her knees, the bathroom door opened.

She left, didn’t she! Mi Hongdou looked up at Ji Junxin, who also seemed to be blushing, and clutched the towel tighter, pulling it lower…

Inside the bathroom door was the vanity area, the shower stall was separate. The steam was usually contained within the stall and then vented out, not affecting the rest of the bathroom. That was why, when the curtain fell, Ji Junxin, standing outside, had a clear, unobstructed view of Mi Hongdou.

Ji Junxin, rushing towards the sound of the crash, her heart pounding from the running, and then seeing the naked girl inside, her heart leaped into her throat.

Her first impression was of smooth, white skin, like jade, flawless. Mi Hongdou’s wet hair was messily tied up, a few strands clinging to her shoulders. Ji Junxin could almost see water droplets sliding down her shoulders…

Downwards…

Her delicate collarbones, usually hidden by clothes, her unexpectedly ample breasts, the light pink nipples small and cute, making one wonder if they would become even more enticing when aroused. Ji Junxin’s gaze almost lingered there, unwilling to move.

Unfortunately… gravity dictated that the water droplets couldn’t reach those soft peaks.

But it didn’t matter. Lower regions had their own allure…

Mi Hongdou was standing on one leg, the other raised, her calf resting on her knee, her legs forming the shape of the number “4.” And because of this posture, the top of the “4” was slightly open… Although from Ji Junxin’s angle, she couldn’t see much beyond a glimpse of… thatch… she couldn’t help but imagine the hidden scenery.

The water droplet, sliding down Mi Hongdou’s shoulder, couldn’t reach those soft peaks, but… it would eventually reach that hidden valley. Ji Junxin, thinking this, suddenly felt a pang of jealousy towards the water droplet, freely traveling across Mi Hongdou’s body. If she were that droplet, she would definitely fall into that valley, but before that, she would explore the peaks.

Since seeing the naked Mi Hongdou through the glass door, Ji Junxin had been in a daze, her thoughts uncontrolled.

Instinct took over. Her heart pounded, a heavy, rapid beat she could barely endure.

Their eye contact was brief. Almost as soon as their gazes met, Mi Hongdou, startled, lost her balance and fell, landing awkwardly.

Awkward, that was Mi Hongdou’s feeling. To Ji Junxin, it wasn’t awkward at all.

Looking down at someone gave you a sense of power, a sense of control, like a predator eyeing its prey.

Mi Hongdou’s hair tie, already loose, came undone as she fell, her wet hair spilling around her.

Helpless, vulnerable, defenseless, unlike her earlier untouchable demeanor, she now looked… soft and submissive.

Ji Junxin almost opened the door and rushed in.

But… she was a step too late.

Mi Hongdou, sprawled on the floor, looked utterly vulnerable.

If earlier, Ji Junxin had just wanted to be a water droplet, tracing the contours of Mi Hongdou’s body, now, looking down at her, she wanted to… pounce, to claim her, to preserve this moment of vulnerability. She wanted to touch her, to trace the paths the water droplets had taken, to explore every hidden curve with her lips.

Ji Junxin shook her head, trying to dispel these sudden, almost frightening thoughts. Mi Hongdou had just fallen, and she wasn’t even checking if she was okay, what was she thinking!

Just as she managed to regain some control, Mi Hongdou moved.

She quickly unfolded the towel and covered her chest.

Ji Junxin’s first reaction was relief, seeing that Mi Hongdou was still conscious enough to cover herself. Her second reaction was, Don’t cover yourself!

With one area covered, Ji Junxin’s gaze instinctively shifted to another.

And then Mi Hongdou pulled the towel lower, covering that area as well.

To Ji Junxin, the vulnerable Mi Hongdou on the floor was like prey, and she was annoyed by the towel blocking her view.

But this annoyance quickly vanished.

The towel was too small. Covering one area meant exposing another. Trying to cover both was a struggle.

The light pink nipples were covered, but the towel, stretched taut, created a… tempting cleavage.

Her lower body was barely covered, the towel held in place by Mi Hongdou’s hand, the fabric stretched to its limit.

Mi Hongdou, in her panic, hadn’t noticed, or perhaps she hadn’t expected Ji Junxin’s thoughts to go to such a… place.

Ji Junxin saw… the slightly curled-up girl on the floor, her left hand pressing the towel against her chest, her right hand, palm up, fingers curled around the edge of the towel. And because the towel kept trying to spring back, she had to constantly tug at it.

… it was as if her fingers were… moving back and forth beneath the towel.

Of course, Ji Junxin knew it wasn’t… but the girl’s skin, no longer its earlier pristine white, was now flushed with a light pink, her expression a mixture of panic and anxiety, and that constant movement of her hand… Ji Junxin’s mind went blank, her heart pounding.

Ji Junxin, overwhelmed by the unintentionally suggestive sight, realized that her earlier fantasies of touching and exploring weren’t enough. She wanted to… do that to Mi Hongdou. She wanted to pull Mi Hongdou’s hand away and replace it with her own!

Her mind hazy, her breath hot, Ji Junxin felt like she was burning up, her vision blurring, her throat dry, she swallowed unconsciously.

Damn those suggestive chapters! She blamed the yuri novels she had been reading.

No, I can’t let this continue!

The sight before her was too tempting, too alluring, but the last vestiges of her reason forced her to leave, to leave quickly.

Reason prevailed.

Ji Junxin fled, and when she finally stopped, she was in the living room.

There was a half-empty glass of water on the coffee table, probably from last night.

She picked it up and gulped it down.

The icy water, carrying the chill of winter, flowed down her throat, chilling her from the inside. She felt like her organs were freezing, a painful coldness.

But the effect was immediate. Her body cooled down, then her mind, her blurry vision clearing.

She had to go back and help Mi Hongdou up!

What kind of friend would just leave after seeing their friend fall naked in the bathroom? It would be too suspicious!

Although she had just been fantasizing about Mi Hongdou, being a good friend was the priority.

She ran back to the bathroom, grabbing the first-aid kit from the living room on the way. She would say she had gone to get the kit, worried about Mi Hongdou’s injuries. It was a flimsy excuse, but better than nothing. She had just thought of this explanation when she saw Mi Hongdou kneeling on the floor.

Kneeling, submission, servitude…

Ji Junxin froze, watching…

The naked girl, her hair disheveled, knelt before her, her slightly flushed skin turning even pinker, then red.

During the birthing scene earlier, Mi Hongdou had also knelt like this, reaching between her legs… touching her… and then she had felt… that.

That forbidden, unbearable, overwhelming pleasure… was it… caused by Mi Hongdou, in this position?

Yes… she hadn’t seen this angle before. In this position, in this attire, or rather, lack thereof, even without being touched, just looking at her like this… she felt a strange stirring, a familiar feeling she hadn’t expected to experience again.

The fragile thread of reason in Ji Junxin’s mind snapped.

She wanted to touch every inch of Mi Hongdou’s skin, to replace the towel with her own hands, to be touched by the kneeling Mi Hongdou, to re-experience that unfinished pleasure…

Unable to resist, Ji Junxin opened the bathroom door.

The warmth of the bathroom and the chill of the living room mingled.

Mi Hongdou, still kneeling on the floor, shivered, either from the cold air or from Ji Junxin’s sudden appearance.

Ji Junxin, standing in the doorway, felt a surge of heat, either from the warmth of the bathroom or from the scent of Mi Hongdou’s shower gel and shampoo.

“I… brought the first-aid kit… are you hurt?” She stepped into the bathroom, then stopped, unsure of the look in her eyes. Was it the look of a predator eyeing its prey? Or a cat in heat? She tried to control her expression, but her voice was still hoarse.

Fortunately, Mi Hongdou didn’t seem to notice.

“I’m fine…” With Ji Junxin practically inside the bathroom, Mi Hongdou couldn’t worry about how to get up gracefully. If Ji Junxin helped her, she would probably combust! She quickly got to her feet, clutching the towel.

“Oh…” Ji Junxin replied absentmindedly, her gaze fixed on the glimpse of skin revealed by the shifting towel.

Ji Junxin was struggling. One part of her, conditioned by years of propriety, criticized her for taking advantage of Mi Hongdou’s vulnerability. The other part just wanted to… look a little longer…

Instinct won.

“Um…” Mi Hongdou thought that even between friends, in this situation, shouldn’t Ji Junxin give her some privacy, let her shower, or at least change? Reminding her would be a normal thing to do, right?

While Mi Hongdou was thinking about how a good friend should act, Ji Junxin, acting on instinct, took another step, closing the distance between them. They were now only a can of cola apart.

Mi Hongdou felt her throat tighten. Even in this tense situation, she could still think of using a can of cola for comparison.

Ji Junxin’s fingertip lightly touched Mi Hongdou’s left shoulder.

Mi Hongdou’s attention was on her shoulder, she didn’t even notice her own involuntary shiver.

Then, Ji Junxin, her eyes smiling, leaned closer to Mi Hongdou’s right shoulder and bit down.

Mi Hongdou’s mind went blank.

After a moment, Ji Junxin lifted her head and took a step back.

They were now three cans of cola apart.

“You…” Mi Hongdou’s lips moved, speechless.

Ji Junxin looked at the new mark on Mi Hongdou’s shoulder, then at the exposed nipple above the slipping towel, licked her lips, and said seriously, “Don’t you know, symmetry is beauty?”

Symmetry my ass!

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.