Chapter 58: Medicine and More Medicine p2
Zhang Zijing’s diarrhea had developed into acute gastroenteritis. After Ji Junxin and the others returned, he rushed to the hospital, received two IV drips, and took a lot of medicine, before his condition stabilized. This ordeal not only weakened him physically but also left him feeling depressed. There was already Mi Hongdou in the crew, who disliked him, and now there was also Jiang Duo, whom he had come to dislike. If it weren’t for her numerous NGs and making him drink so much cold water, he wouldn’t have had diarrhea, wouldn’t have been so weak, and wouldn’t have been NGing so much. Zhang Zijing’s initial attraction to Jiang Duo had turned into resentment.
Actually, Zhang Zijing’s bad mood would be perfect for the fight scenes on the battlefield. He could vent his emotions and play the role authentically. Unfortunately, they were currently filming the palace scenes, and most of his scenes were with Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou, of course, also with Jiang Duo and Jiang Lingling. He didn’t have many scenes with the other concubines or ministers. So, every day, he had to act opposite Mi Hongdou, who disliked him, Jiang Lingling, who looked down on him, or Jiang Duo, whom he found annoying. And they were all supposed to be love scenes. Zhang Zijing felt miserable. He should at least be happy filming with Ji Junxin, right? But he wasn’t… Whenever he had scenes with Ji Junxin, Mi Hongdou would be sitting next to Director Pan, watching with a cold expression. Once, while filming with Ji Junxin, Zhang Zijing made a mistake with his lines and instinctively glanced at Director Pan. Heh… he saw Mi Hongdou, her face dark, looking at him with disdain. Sometimes, Zhang Zijing really wanted to ask Mi Hongdou what grudge she had against him! She had the same expression even when he was NGing scenes with other people! So, Zhang Zijing filmed every scene with a terrible mood, how could his completion rate be high?
As for Jiang Duo, that afternoon, she had been distracted by her worry over her father’s meeting with Lu Gaoshi alone. So many NGs… She wanted to perform well, but she couldn’t stop worrying. As a woman, she understood Lu Gaoshi’s intentions. She did want to use Lu Gaoshi to climb the social ladder, to get closer to Qiong Yu, not just for connections, but for resources. Jiang Duo desperately wanted to be famous, so when her mother suggested that her father contact his former junior, Lu Gaoshi, she had guessed what would happen, and she knew it wasn’t right, but she hadn’t stopped it. Even her mother had suggested it, and she hadn’t objected, so it shouldn’t be a problem, right? As long as she was present during their meetings, it would be fine. Jiang Duo thought this and did this. During their three-person meetings, Lu Gaoshi was always elegant and reserved. Even if her gaze towards her father was meaningful, with Jiang Duo present, she didn’t say anything inappropriate. But without her there… Jiang Duo was very worried, but she had to stay and film. She couldn’t offend Director Pan… Once she got close to Qiao Rubai, what was Director Pan to her? The worried Jiang Duo could only comfort herself with fantasies of a bright future, so distracted that she couldn’t help but NG.
Actually, that night, after Jiang Dingyi got home and sent Jiang Duo a message, briefly mentioning his conversation with Lu Gaoshi, Jiang Duo’s heart had settled. So, the next day, her performance quickly returned to her usual level. Her acting was still average, but if Director Pan wasn’t too picky, it was passable. Jiang Duo hoped that her NG streak was over. But that night, her hope was shattered.
That afternoon, when Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou returned, Jiang Duo didn’t see Lu Gaoshi and assumed she was still in Jiang City dealing with something. So, when Lu Gaoshi knocked on her door that night, Jiang Duo wasn’t surprised. It was probably the same old topic of how to befriend Ji Junxin. Jiang Duo opened the door and welcomed Lu Gaoshi in, but she was dismissive of the upcoming conversation. In her opinion, Ji Junxin, whom she couldn’t win over, couldn’t compare to Qiao Rubai, who always finished the food she brought. But Lu Gaoshi was still useful for now, after all, she had some connections in Qiong Yu, Jiang Duo thought.
But she was wrong. What Lu Gaoshi told her this time was something she had never expected. Her mother had been addicted to gambling for almost a year, and her father’s photo studio and all their other properties had been sold to pay off her gambling debts. Not only that, but all the money she had earned since entering the industry was gone. That was her hard-earned money! Hadn’t her mother said she was just keeping it for her, helping her manage her finances! All their money, everything was gone. From what Lu Gaoshi said, she had already lent them money twice. If it weren’t for Lu Gaoshi’s money, their house would have been sold to pay off the debts. Lu Gaoshi’s words weren’t fast, but they chilled Jiang Duo to the bone.
Jiang Duo didn’t know how she sent Lu Gaoshi away. She couldn’t even process why Lu Gaoshi had told her all this. She only knew that all her hard-earned money was gone. Jiang Duo had a younger brother, ten years younger than her, and she had always known that most of the family’s properties, business, and even money would be left to him. But she hadn’t minded. She was an actress, she could earn her own money, and when she became more famous, she could earn even more. She valued money, so she worked hard to earn it, but now, it was all gone. Money could be earned again, but her mother’s gambling addiction, if it couldn’t be cured… Jiang Duo could almost imagine having to spend all her future earnings to repay her mother’s debts, a debt she could never repay, and then having her family’s scandal exposed by the media. She hoped that it was all just Lu Gaoshi’s nonsense, but this fleeting hope was quickly shattered by her father’s confirmation over the phone.
They had no money left, they were in debt to Lu Gaoshi, and her father seemed unable to control her mother. Oh, right, it was always her mother who made the decisions in their family. Her father, who always listened to his wife, even if his wife asked him to sell himself, wouldn’t he do it? Heh… Jiang Duo felt her thoughts turning dark. Was she destined to spend her life repaying her mother’s debts? No, she wasn’t famous yet, how could she be ruined like this?
Mi Hongdou had returned to the “Imperial Secrets” set, and the filming schedule was packed. Jiang Duo wanted to go back, but she couldn’t get leave. She couldn’t tell the truth, and she didn’t dare to make up easily exposed lies, so she could only endure. With a terrible mood and having to endure, Jiang Duo’s NG rate reached a new high.
And Jiang Duo, preoccupied with her family problems and the constant NGs, didn’t even notice that Lu Gaoshi hadn’t appeared on set since their conversation that night.
Including the two days when Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou went back to Jiang City, Director Pan had endured four days of Zhang Zijing and Jiang Duo’s NGs.
This was the fifth day. The sun had risen, but Director Pan was still in bed, refusing to get up. He didn’t want to witness another day of NGs. His last shred of patience had been exhausted during last night’s rain scene. Zhang Zijing’s performance made him want to kick him out of the crew! He couldn’t take it anymore, the constant NGs because of forgotten lines, awkward movements, and sheer stupidity. He didn’t want to get up, he didn’t want to do this anymore!
Director Pan’s wife was speechless at his rare act of defiance. After trying to wake him up several times, only to have him cling to the blanket and refuse to budge, she decided to ignore his childish behavior. After all, she was his wife, not his boss. Thinking this, she happily abandoned him, got dressed, and prepared to go out for morning tea by herself.
Jiang Lingling, who was also ready to quit, was sneezing non-stop, using up a whole box of tissues. It was so unlucky… Thinking about the sympathetic looks from Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou when she was informed about last night’s rain scene with Zhang Zijing, Jiang Lingling wanted to cry. Knowing it would be an NG-fest and still having to endure it was a huge test of her patience. Fortunately, they finally finished the scene, but it was two hours later. In this weather, wearing that damp costume, standing in the rain for two hours, even the strong Jiang Lingling couldn’t avoid catching a cold.
The most infuriating part was that in that rain scene, her character had to walk through the rain towards the emperor, who was standing under the eaves, and then hug him. So, for those two hours, she was the only one getting drenched! Jiang Lingling hated Zhang Zijing and also criticized Pan Xiang, who wrote the scene. What grudge did she have against her! Achoo…
Jiang Lingling wanted to stay in bed. After last night’s experience with that scumbag Zhang Zijing, she felt she had the right to stay in bed, it was her prerogative!
But she received a message, so she reluctantly got up, clutching a box of tissues.
Jiang Lingling hadn’t forgotten that the pig’s feet should be arriving today, but she hadn’t expected Dong Yuannan to deliver them personally. He had left at 4:30 AM and texted her at 7 AM, already halfway there.
With Dong Yuannan coming, she couldn’t stay in bed. Jiang Lingling sat up, cross-legged, and started typing on her phone.
Director Pan’s phone beeped, but he didn’t want to reach for it. His wife, after getting dressed, came over and checked the message for him. Soon, he felt a cold object being placed against his warm cheek.
So cruel… they were supposed to love and cherish each other until old age, why treat him like this… Director Pan grumpily took the phone from his face. The message was already open.
[Director Pan, the braised pig’s feet are coming!] Sender: Jiang Lingling.
Director Pan bolted upright in bed. His wife, who was supposed to be out for morning tea, was sitting in a chair, looking at him with a smile.
After getting a definite answer from Jiang Lingling two days ago, Director Pan, eager to please his wife, had already told her about the braised pig’s feet. No wonder she had woken him up so efficiently after reading the message. Good job, wife! Director Pan beamed, quickly got dressed, and rushed to the set with his wife.
Although Director Pan had slept in, because he acted quickly afterward, he arrived at the set just as Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou had finished changing and were having their hair done.
Director Pan took his wife on a tour of the backstage area, then left.
“Did you text Jiang Lingling?” Ji Junxin whispered to Mi Hongdou.
The warm breath against her ear made it itch, and her heart itched too. Mi Hongdou felt like she had a nest of kittens in her heart. Why was her heart always itching recently? “I did, she hasn’t replied yet. She probably overslept. I’ll call her later if she doesn’t show up.” Mi Hongdou had learned her lesson. To avoid having to buy KFC to appease Jiang Lingling again, after not seeing her at her usual makeup station, they decided to send her a message.
Just as Mi Hongdou and Ji Junxin were whispering, their two hairstylists practically glued to them, Jiang Lingling arrived, clutching her box of tissues, followed by her assistant carrying several more boxes.
“You… achoo… so early… achoo…” Jiang Lingling greeted Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou, her mouth and nose covered with tissues.
It seemed that even someone with superhuman strength couldn’t withstand two hours in the rain. Poor Jiang Lingling. Ji Junxin and Mi Hongdou exchanged glances, a shared thought passing between them.
“You have a cold, why don’t you tell Director Pan and rest today? We can film your scenes later. Or should you go to the hospital for an IV drip?” Ji Junxin asked with concern.
“Achoo… no, the braised pig’s feet are on their way.” Jiang Lingling consciously kept her distance, her face buried in tissues. “I have to be here.”
“The pig’s feet are already cooked, you don’t have to stay here to cook them, go see a doctor!” Mi Hongdou thought Jiang Lingling’s cold was quite serious, she wouldn’t be able to film even if she stayed. Moreover, she seemed to have scenes with Zhang Zijing today. She was afraid Jiang Lingling would actually tear him apart.
“Um, I don’t… achoo… I don’t need to cook them.”
Jiang Lingling’s voice, muffled by the tissues, was a little unclear, and Mi Hongdou thought she had misheard.
“I cook them?” Mi Hongdou was stunned. “Aren’t the pig’s feet already cooked?”
“My godfather is coming too. Do you remember the egg fried rice, chicken and corn soup, spicy chicken, stir-fried pomfret, braised beef brisket with potatoes, and silver carp and tofu soup you promised me?” Jiang Lingling recited the dishes in one breath, then sneezed.
“Cooking today? But we have scenes scheduled until tonight!” Mi Hongdou was shocked. “And I don’t think spicy chicken was on the menu I promised you…”
“But I have a cold! I want crispy, spicy chicken…” Jiang Lingling looked at Mi Hongdou with a pitiful expression.
Please don’t use the word “I” like that, it made it difficult to be friends with her.
Mi Hongdou’s face was full of black lines: “Even if I agreed, I don’t have time. Should I cook in the middle of the night? As a late-night snack?”
“Add spicy chicken to the menu.” Jiang Lingling looked at her assistant. “Tell them to buy more chicken, we’ll eat it while watching TV tonight as a snack.”
The assistant, her hands full of tissue boxes, fumbled for her phone and started dialing. “We were going to buy three chickens, make it six.”
Mi Hongdou was stunned. Six chickens worth of spicy chicken, was she trying to give everyone diarrhea? And cooking so many dishes in the middle of the night, was she planning to eat them for breakfast? She couldn’t understand Jiang Lingling’s logic at all… Mi Hongdou looked at Ji Junxin for help, then froze.
Why that pitiful expression! Her eyes were almost tearing up! It wasn’t her who had to cook all night, why was she about to cry! “Are you… okay?” Although confused, Mi Hongdou still felt a pang of sympathy. She looked so pitiful.
Ji Junxin’s eyebrows furrowed, her lips trembling, she looked down at her fingers, silent.
They were surrounded by people, the two hairstylists still working on their hair. It wasn’t a good place to talk, but Mi Hongdou was worried. “Is your stomach hurting again?” she whispered.
“No!” Ji Junxin, still looking pitiful, looked up shyly and, after a moment, mumbled, “I just… hearing those dishes… I… kind of… want to eat them…”
Mi Hongdou, who had just found Ji Junxin’s pitiful and shy demeanor adorable, was stunned again. So who was the one who had two candied eggs and a bowl of noodles with scallion oil for breakfast! And she was already thinking about food again… did she even remember her stomachache last night?
“Let’s eat together! We can have it for lunch! You didn’t eat much for breakfast, right?” Jiang Lingling, her ears sharp, extended a friendly invitation.
“Not much!” Ji Junxin happily replied, her eyes shining as she looked at Mi Hongdou.
Do you two even remember Director Pan, who’s waiting for us to film? Mi Hongdou felt her worldview shattered again.
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