After We Broke Up, She Started Pursuing Me [Entertainment Industry] 37

Chapter 37

“Hey, Teacher Ji, I…”

Shi Qin wanted to say something more to decline, but Ji Chen just turned back, smiled faintly, elegant and generous. Now in her early thirties, she had the graceful charm that came with age.

The hint of gentleness in Ji Chen’s eyes made Shi Qin pause for two seconds.

“We’re all in the same cast. We’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other in the future. You don’t have to be so polite with me.”

Her voice was soft, her tone as comfortable as a gentle breeze, and she spoke so appropriately and naturally that it was impossible to find a reason to refuse.

“Okay… then thank you in advance, Senior…” Shi Qin replied politely. Her mind suddenly recalled some of the staff’s comments about Ji Chen; not only was she gentle and intellectual, but she was also polite to others, and her professional skills were top-notch.

Shi Qin secretly sized up Ji Chen for a moment and thought to herself that it was indeed true. It was hard not to have a good impression of such a person.

Ji Chen was a little taller than Shi Qin. Hearing her say that, she lowered her eyes and smiled again. “Senior is too formal. Just call me Ji Chen.”

As the two were still talking, Mo Li came running over, panting slightly. When she saw the swollen side of Shi Qin’s face, her heart ached with both pain and sadness.

She recognized Ji Chen, so she greeted her first. “Hello, Teacher Ji.”

Ji Chen smiled and nodded. Seeing the worried look in Mo Li’s eyes, she guessed her thoughts and said directly, “Let’s go back to the dressing room together. The ice my assistant got should have arrived.”

Mo Li was still unclear about the situation. She looked at Shi Qin, who nodded at her. “Mhm, let’s go.”

There was still some time before the next scene started filming. The three of them walked together. Mo Li walked behind them, watching as Ji Chen’s fair, slender hand loosely held Shi Qin’s wrist, a little surprised.

If she remembered correctly, the two of them should have had no interaction before. They had officially met on the day of the script reading, and today was only the first day of filming…

But she didn’t think too much about it. After all, she had also heard the cast’s comments about Ji Chen, and at this moment, her good impression of her grew even more.

But it wasn’t just her who had this doubt. Shi Qin was even more at a loss in the face of Ji Chen’s sudden warmth.

The lead actors all had their own separate dressing rooms. By the time the three of them arrived, a bag of ice was already on the small table.

Just as Mo Li was about to get it, Ji Chen stopped her. “Hey, wait.”

With that, she took out a white and blue checkered handkerchief from her bag and wrapped the bag of ice in it. “Wrapped like this, it won’t be so cold when you apply it.”

“Oh, oh, okay.” Mo Li reached out to take it, but Ji Chen just smiled at her, brushed past her, and walked straight to Shi Qin.

Shi Qin watched her approach in a daze. “Sister Chen…”

She still felt that, given their relationship, calling her by her full name was a bit inappropriate.

Hearing this address, Ji Chen raised an eyebrow and smiled. “It’s rare for someone to call me that. Come on, turn your face a little to the side.”

It turned out she was going to apply it for her personally.

A faint doubt also rose in Shi Qin’s heart. She remembered that on the day of the script reading, the two of them had only briefly met. Today was their first formal conversation.

To put it bluntly, they didn’t know each other at all. Their relationship was only slightly closer than that of strangers.

But Ji Chen’s warmth and enthusiasm didn’t seem feigned…

“It’s okay. I can do it myself.” Faced with Ji Chen’s approach, Shi Qin still wanted to tactfully refuse.

She was naturally moved by the sudden kindness, but she still wanted to maintain some distance.

This industry was too complicated.

Ji Chen seemed to see through her thoughts, just pressing her lips into a faint smile, not rushing to give the ice to Shi Qin. Instead, she said, “Actually, I’ve known you for longer than you think.”

“Huh?” Shi Qin looked up at her, her eyes filled with confusion.

“Mhm, and, I quite like you.” Ji Chen was still smiling, her expression natural and appropriate, not at all embarrassed by this direct statement.

But Shi Qin was even more baffled, her brow furrowed slightly. Like? What kind of like? Which like?

Seeing her expression full of confusion, Ji Chen added, “I also followed your debut film. At that time, I felt you would be a good actress in the future.”

“And as it turns out, my judgment wasn’t wrong.”

Hearing that a senior had been silently paying attention to her, although she didn’t know if it was true or not for the time being, she was naturally moved, her expression softening.

“No, no, I’m still a newcomer. I still have a long way to go.”

Ji Chen smiled faintly. The two of them chatted a bit more about their careers before she asked Shi Qin to lift her head again.

This time, Shi Qin didn’t refuse. After all, after hearing what she had just said, she also felt it was good to have someone looking out for her in the same cast. Making another connection was never a bad thing.

When she didn’t speak, Ji Chen took the handkerchief with the ice and silently applied it for Shi Qin. She couldn’t apply it for too long, or her face would get too cold and swell even more. She had to lift it every few seconds.

Her touch was also gentle, as if she were treating a priceless treasure with care. Shi Qin naturally enjoyed it, feeling for the first time like she was being cared for by an older sister.

No one spoke, and the air fell silent. Seeing this, Mo Li didn’t want to disturb them. Just as she was opening the door to leave, she happened to run into Zhou Jinsi and Jiang Nuo.

Just now, after seeing Shi Qin leave with that strange woman, Zhou Jinsi had been worried about her face, but she couldn’t say it directly to Jiang Nuo.

Fortunately, after Jiang Nuo asked the director about the situation, she found a staff member to ask where Shi Qin had gone and brought her along.

“Hey, Sister Jiang, Teacher Zhou.” Mo Li was a little surprised to see the two of them come over as well.

Zhou Jinsi nodded at her, while Jiang Nuo smiled politely. “We came to see Xiao Shi. How’s her face?”

Mo Li: “Oh, oh, Teacher Ji is applying ice for Sister Shi.”

Hearing this, Zhou Jinsi couldn’t help but take a step closer and look into the room.

It was noon, and the sun was shining outside, but the curtains in the room were drawn. From her perspective, it was still a bit dark inside.

And Shi Qin was sitting on the sofa not far away, her head slightly tilted up, her face turned to the side, her back to Zhou Jinsi’s direction. And the woman from just now, one hand lightly holding her chin, the other holding something, was probably applying it to the injury.

Suddenly, the woman seemed to be tired. She bent down, her head lowering closer to Shi Qin’s face, her exquisite features also turning toward the door.

She seemed to have noticed Zhou Jinsi’s gaze. Her eyes shifted, and her line of sight met Zhou Jinsi’s.

Zhou Jinsi didn’t look away, just furrowed her brow slightly, an unknown emotion welling up in her heart, sour and full, making her feel a wave of discomfort.

But the woman stopped what she was doing, turned around, and completely faced this way.

Mo Li turned back and introduced her, “Teacher Ji, this is Sister Shi’s manager and friend, here to see her.”

Hearing this, Ji Chen had a smile on her face, but her eyes held no emotion. “I see. Then come in quickly. Xiao Shi’s face is about done being iced.”

With that, Ji Chen’s gaze turned to Shi Qin, but Shi Qin’s eyes were fixed straight ahead. Ji Chen followed her gaze and saw the tall, slender girl.

The moment she had heard Mo Li’s words, Shi Qin had turned around. Seeing Jiang Nuo and Zhou Jinsi, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy. They were both people she considered very close to her heart.

Especially Zhou Jinsi. She hadn’t expected that this blockhead would come along too…

It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. How has she gotten even better-looking… It can’t be that I’m just missing her too much, right?

Zhou Jinsi was also looking at her. For a rare moment, she didn’t dodge as she usually did. Instead, a hint of a smile even appeared on her lips, which made Shi Qin unable to help but curve her lips as well.

But their eye contact was brief. After all, there were still other people present. They had to be mindful of propriety.

After Shi Qin looked away, Zhou Jinsi subconsciously lifted her eyes again and looked at Ji Chen, who happened to be looking at her as well.

Her face was still gentle, but her eyes held a sense of distance, a half-smile that wasn’t a smile.