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…
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