Chapter 95: Promises
Ji Junxin didn’t sleep well. The prosthetic belly was uncomfortable, and her dreams were chaotic and exhausting.
When the alarm rang, she woke up groggy, unable to remember her dreams. It was a frustrating feeling, like having exerted effort for nothing.
Her mind slowly cleared, but her body, still tired, craved the warmth of the bed. Then, hunger pangs jolted her awake.
The bedroom was dark, the blackout curtains slightly parted, letting in a sliver of soft morning light. It was perfect… for sleeping.
Ji Junxin opened her eyes and saw the empty bed next to hers.
Mi Hongdou’s bed was made, her pajamas neatly folded. To avoid clashing in the bathroom, Mi Hongdou always woke up a little earlier. This was the usual sight that greeted Ji Junxin every morning.
But today, it felt different.
Normally, she would close her eyes, snuggle back into the warm bed, and drift off again until Mi Hongdou woke her up. But today, she was wide awake. Last night’s events replayed in her mind, and looking at the empty bed, she suddenly felt anxious.
She had wanted to talk to Mi Hongdou, to explain… how had it suddenly become morning?
Mi Hongdou… must be angry… Ji Junxin sat up and listened intently. There was no sound from the bathroom.
She looked at the alarm clock. It was usually the time she would still be sleeping in, Mi Hongdou should be washing up, why was it so quiet? Could it be! She was angry! Ignoring her? Left without her? Ji Junxin, listening to the silence from the bathroom, felt a chill run down her spine, her body freezing in the cold winter morning.
No… she hadn’t had a chance to explain… Ji Junxin quickly got out of bed, her foot missing the slipper and landing on the cold floor. The coldness of the floor couldn’t compare to the coldness in her heart… Normally, she would whine pitifully and wait for Mi Hongdou to bring her a wet wipe, but today, she didn’t care and quickly put on her slipper.
Even if she had been delusional last night, realizing that Mi Hongdou couldn’t possibly have those feelings for her, she still didn’t want Mi Hongdou to dislike her! She was torn between wanting answers and fearing those answers. So, she rushed to the bathroom door, then hesitated for a few seconds before pulling back the curtain.
The bathroom door was transparent, she could see everything inside without even opening it.
The bathroom was empty…
So, her words last night had been too much… that dismissive “I’ve been acting for years, I have experience,” it must have sounded like something a villain would say. Had she… decided to ignore her? …
Ji Junxin’s hand lingered on the curtain, her heart sinking. She didn’t want to think, didn’t dare to think, didn’t even want to move.
“You’re up? So early? Why are you out here without any clothes on!”
The familiar voice came from nearby.
Ji Junxin’s body trembled slightly. She slowly lowered her hand and turned to see Mi Hongdou, her brow furrowed, walking towards her.
A dream? Ji Junxin looked at Mi Hongdou, confused.
To Mi Hongdou, Ji Junxin just looked sleepy and dazed.
“You’re shivering… I’ll get you a jacket.” Mi Hongdou reached Ji Junxin, noticing her trembling, and turned towards the bedroom.
Then, her arm was grabbed.
Ji Junxin’s grip was tight, a slight pain Mi Hongdou noticed.
Mi Hongdou looked at Ji Junxin, who seemed to have something to say, and quickly said, “I’ll get you a jacket.” She tried to pull away, as if wanting to escape, but Ji Junxin’s grip tightened.
Ji Junxin, however, was too flustered to notice Mi Hongdou’s attempt to escape.
The wrist in her hand, slender but real, she could feel Mi Hongdou’s pulse, and she finally believed that this was real, not a figment of her imagination.
She had been reading a lot of yuri novels recently, and she felt that at this moment, the next logical scene would be her throwing herself into Mi Hongdou’s arms, savoring the comforting reality.
But novels were novels, and reality was reality… Ji Junxin slowly released Mi Hongdou’s wrist, reluctant.
Mi Hongdou, not noticing Ji Junxin’s wistful expression, quickly went to the bedroom. If it weren’t for her concern for Ji Junxin catching a cold, she would have stayed in the bedroom a little longer, to calm her racing heart.
Their conversation last night hadn’t ended well. Mi Hongdou had lain awake for a long time, thinking not only about last night, but also about everything since her rebirth, and then about her previous life with Ji Junxin.
When blinded by a single leaf, you often missed the forest. But when you calmed down and removed the leaf, you would see your mistakes clearly.
Undoubtedly, in both lifetimes, Mi Hongdou had admired Ji Junxin, her idol, even striving to be like her. But in this life, encountering the unguarded Ji Junxin, less distant and more warm and approachable, had amplified her attraction. She liked Ji Junxin more and more, and as they worked and lived together, Ji Junxin had gradually become, without Mi Hongdou even realizing it, more of a precious little foodie who needed her care than a dazzling star.
As the distance between them closed, the admiration hadn’t disappeared, it had just transformed.
No longer an untouchable figure, but someone soft, adorable, and needing protection… Mi Hongdou had almost forgotten her earlier devotion, her unwavering support for Ji Junxin’s every word and decision. This forgetting had led her to cross a line last night, interfering with, even rejecting Ji Junxin’s decision, trying to change her.
She was supposed to be a loyal, supportive fan… Why, after liking her even more, even loving her, did she want to change her? …
Was what she thought was good for Ji Junxin truly good for her? Did Ji Junxin really not know what was best for her? Or was she, Mi Hongdou, unable to understand Ji Junxin’s deeper reasons?
Her insistence on removing the prosthetic belly last night had been too forceful… a mistake she couldn’t excuse, even with her concern.
Late at night, Mi Hongdou rediscovered her original intention and reflected on her actions.
Realizing her mistake, but not knowing how to apologize, Mi Hongdou, seeing Ji Junxin’s seemingly troubled expression, instinctively wanted to escape. But she couldn’t bear to see Ji Junxin shivering in her thin nightgown. She quickly returned with Ji Junxin’s jacket.
Ji Junxin felt warmer after putting on the jacket, not just physically.
“Since you’re up early, I made breakfast, let’s eat before we go,” Mi Hongdou said, avoiding Ji Junxin’s gaze, her voice gentle.
Breakfast? Ji Junxin paused and sniffed the air. The aroma of food was quite strong now, why hadn’t she smelled it earlier! If she had, even seeing the empty bathroom, she wouldn’t have jumped to the conclusion that Mi Hongdou was ignoring her!
Consumed by the fear of being abandoned, even a foodie could lose her sense of smell.
After washing up, it was breakfast time.
It was rice porridge with boiled eggs seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil, the same breakfast Mi Hongdou had made for her the first night they moved in. Back then, it was because of limited ingredients. Now, with a fully stocked kitchen, this simple breakfast was a rare sight.
Ji Junxin stared at the food, lost in thought. Mi Hongdou gave her a boiled egg.
The soft, tender yolk, seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil, was as delicious as the first time. Ji Junxin glanced at Mi Hongdou, who was eating her porridge. She must also remember this as the first meal she made for her. Different from the egg fried rice she made for Miao Qianye, this was the first meal Mi Hongdou had made for her, Ji Junxin.
Ji Junxin remembered that they had agreed to have steamed buns for breakfast. So, Mi Hongdou suddenly changing her mind and making this breakfast, could it be… to mend their strained relationship after last night’s argument?
The thought made Ji Junxin feel guilty. She should have apologized earlier. It was her fault, and Mi Hongdou was the one making amends.
The warm porridge and the savory egg warmed her from the inside, giving her the courage she lacked last night.
The apology wasn’t as difficult as she had imagined.
After Ji Junxin, clutching her bowl, stammered her apology and explanation, she realized that her hands were red from the hot bowl…
Mi Hongdou had made this breakfast with a heavy heart, full of apologies. Of course, she hadn’t expected Ji Junxin to sense it. She had been struggling with how to apologize for her behavior last night. After all, she couldn’t tell Ji Junxin the real reason for her change of heart, but not explaining would make any other words sound like excuses.
She had originally planned to smooth things over with a nice meal, leaving the unspoken apology for later.
But she hadn’t expected Ji Junxin to apologize to her. Ji Junxin’s words, “I’ve been acting for years, I have experience,” hadn’t angered or upset her at all, just made her worry that she was being annoying. She had wanted to interrupt Ji Junxin’s repeated apologies, but Ji Junxin’s pitiful expression stopped her. So, stunned and sympathetic, she had listened to the entire apology…
Mi Hongdou’s first thought was, she was the one at fault, and Ji Junxin was apologizing, how shameless of her. But before she could apologize herself, she noticed Ji Junxin’s reddened hands.
Fortunately, they were just red, not blistered…
Mi Hongdou, amused and concerned, carefully applied burn ointment to Ji Junxin’s hands, transforming the two small, white hands into two pink paws that smelled of sesame oil, almost edible.
Poor Ji Junxin, whimpering from the burn, still asked Mi Hongdou if she was still angry, her words stabbing at Mi Hongdou’s heart.
She had thought she was a terrible person before, now she felt even worse! She had lived two lifetimes, yet she wasn’t as brave as Ji Junxin!
Having applied the ointment, Mi Hongdou, half-squatting, gently held Ji Junxin’s two little pink paws, thinking that this posture was quite suitable for what she was about to say. So, she didn’t stand up, but looked up at Ji Junxin, who was still pouting pitifully, waiting for her answer, and said, “I was never angry at you… It was my fault. I’m the one who should apologize… as your fan, as your friend, I shouldn’t have forced my opinions on you, shouldn’t have tried to control you.” She should have supported her, helped her, done what she wanted… she didn’t say the last part out loud.
Ji Junxin, who had been using the prosthetic belly as an excuse, shifted uncomfortably and couldn’t look at Mi Hongdou’s sincere eyes. “I know, you were worried about me. Anyway, it was my fault… I’m sorry… I won’t do it again.” Her voice was low, full of guilt.
“It’s okay, I’ll be there for you, if you’re immersed in a role, I’ll be immersed with you, if you want to improve your acting, I’ll help you, whatever you want to do, I’ll be there with you…” Mi Hongdou didn’t want Ji Junxin to change her mind because of her behavior last night, so she expressed her support even more clearly. Then she added, “Remember, I said you never have to apologize to me. If you ever have to, it means I’ve done something terrible. So, it was my fault, please don’t say those words again.”
Mi Hongdou’s tone was sincere, her words gentle, her expression full of warmth.
Ji Junxin looked at Mi Hongdou, a sudden sense of disorientation. “Whatever you want to do, I’ll be there with you,” and “You never have to apologize to me,” were those really things you would say to a friend?
Then, last night’s wishful thinking surfaced, a slap in the face, bringing her back to reality.
Don’t be delusional, there’s no point in fantasizing about the impossible, reconciling was the priority. Ji Junxin held out her hand. “Let’s make up.”
“…” Mi Hongdou looked at the small, slightly oily hand, smelling of sesame oil. Although she wanted to reconcile, it was hard to reach out in this situation.
As the saying goes, don’t miss an opportunity when it presents itself.
Mi Hongdou hesitantly took Ji Junxin’s hand, shook it… then, her face full of black lines, went to wash her hands, and then reapplied the ointment to Ji Junxin’s right hand.
“It’s not as red anymore, just wash it off before we leave.” Mi Hongdou looked at the two slightly oily paws, sat back down, and took a sip of her porridge. “It’s lukewarm now, not too hot.”
The two, immersed in the joy of reconciliation, their brains momentarily offline.
Ji Junxin was the first to recover…
“So… should I just use my face to eat?” Ji Junxin held up her two oily hands. “The bowl is slippery, the chopsticks are slippery…”
“…” Mi Hongdou froze.
Ji Junxin chuckled and got up. “It would have been better if you hadn’t reapplied the ointment, now I have to wash them again, so oily.”
“Hey…” Mi Hongdou quickly stopped her. “It’s best to apply the ointment right after a burn, if you wash it off now, it will hurt, and reapplying it won’t be as effective.”
“Then I’m not eating?” Ji Junxin was dismayed. Weren’t they supposed to happily enjoy their first meal together after making up?
“Should we ask Bai Tang to buy some steamed buns for the car?” Mi Hongdou regretted making porridge and burning the fool.
Ji Junxin refused. “I want porridge and boiled eggs!”
“But…” Mi Hongdou hesitated.
“Didn’t you say you would do anything I wanted?” Ji Junxin held up her slightly injured hand, like a royal decree.
Mi Hongdou’s face burned from her own words.
So, with Ji Junxin refusing to give up on breakfast, and Mi Hongdou refusing to let her wash her hands, the only solution was… feeding her.
Ji Junxin pretended to be unwilling, and Mi Hongdou pretended to be exasperated… but actually, one ate happily, and the other fed her gently, both seemingly enjoying it.
Every piece of egg was carefully coated in soy sauce and sesame oil before being fed to Ji Junxin. Every spoonful of porridge was gently scooped from the surface and cooled before being offered. Mi Hongdou performed these repetitive actions patiently and tenderly, her gaze gentle whether towards the egg, the porridge, or Ji Junxin. Being needed by the person she loved, being able to care for her like this, was an unspeakable happiness for Mi Hongdou.
A bite of egg, a mouthful of porridge, being cared for by the person she loved, Ji Junxin’s heart pounded, and her face felt hot… it must be from the warm food, she thought, glancing at her slightly pink paws. She would probably need to apply the ointment again later…
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