After We Broke Up, She Started Pursuing Me [Entertainment Industry] 38

Chapter 38

Just as Zhou Jinsi and Jiang Nuo walked in, they heard Shi Qin say, “Um, Sister Chen…”

The three people in the room all looked at Shi Qin in unison.

“How about, I go back to my place first? It’s not right to bother you for so long.”

What she said was reasonable, but Shi Qin did indeed have some selfish intentions.

No matter what, this was Ji Chen’s dressing room. And with other people present, if she and Zhou Jinsi wanted to talk about something…

Ji Chen’s face was gentle. After a moment of contemplation, she also said with great tact, “Okay. As it happens, the next scene is mine. I need to prepare a bit too.”

Although Shi Qin’s intention was obvious, and as an adult, one should understand the meaning behind her words, her words also gave Shi Qin a way out, so she wouldn’t feel any awkwardness.

Shi Qin understood. She stood up, faced her, and smiled serenely. “Thank you for helping me with my face, Sister Chen.”

Her tone was light and natural, the end of her sentence lilting upwards. With one sentence, Shi Qin had pulled the two of them much closer. Jiang Nuo, on the side, also politely thanked Ji Chen.

Ji Chen smiled and nodded. As she watched them leave, the smile that had never quite reached her eyes faded even more.

.

Shi Qin didn’t have a scene in the next part, so the three of them could sit in the dressing room for a little longer.

Jiang Nuo was checking the red and swollen area on Shi Qin’s face, while Zhou Jinsi sat silently to the side, watching them without a word.

Her originally porcelain-like little face now had a palm-sized red mark. Although the swelling had subsided a little after the ice pack, the contrast between her left and right cheeks was still obvious.

Jiang Nuo’s heart naturally ached. Qin Zhen was used to being spoiled and arrogant. She had used real force in that slap. But with her powerful background, no matter how bad her actions were in private, no one dared to say a word.

When she wasn’t working, Jiang Nuo would often go to the gym. Over time, her hands had developed some calluses. Shi Qin felt the slightly rough touch on her face, like the care of an elder. She didn’t find it uncomfortable; in fact, her heart was touched.

She subconsciously opened her mouth. “Aun—”

The moment the sound came out, she noticed Zhou Jinsi still sitting on the side and corrected herself, “Sister Jiang, it doesn’t hurt anymore. Sister Chen applied ice for me for a while. It should probably go down soon.”

Jiang Nuo sighed softly and glanced at Zhou Jinsi beside her. The girl seemed to be in deep thought, her mind wandering.

Thinking that she wasn’t in the industry, she spoke frankly to Shi Qin, “You know Qin Zhen’s personality. Some things can’t be helped, but you don’t have to pay her any mind in private.”

“Of course, I understand.” Shi Qin thought the same. Besides, she didn’t want to bother with someone like Qin Zhen, who was arrogant and looked down on everyone. She wished she could stay far away.

Jiang Nuo finally couldn’t hold back the pity in her heart. She raised her hand to smooth Shi Qin’s hair, then gently stroked it before saying, “I told you long ago, this industry is too complicated. There are too many things you have to endure.”

Her words held a deep meaning. Shi Qin understood, but just raised an eyebrow. “I know, Sister Jiang. Since I chose this industry, I will definitely persevere.”

The implication was that no matter how difficult the path, she would not regret it.

“Mhm…” Jiang Nuo sighed again. She wasn’t a woman of many words, but she felt sorry for this child.

Sometimes she wondered, if Shi Qin hadn’t entered this industry back then, would she be like Zhou Jinsi now, a teacher educating others, or have some other stable job?

To be an ordinary person, an ordinary child, to live happily however she wanted—this was what Jiang Nuo had once hoped for Shi Qin’s future.

But this thought had been shattered from the moment Shi Qin decided to enter this industry.

Now, she only hoped that this child could live a little more comfortably, and be well-loved by more people.

The two of them chatted for a while. Later, Jiang Nuo received a call, saying she had work to attend to. After giving Shi Qin a few more instructions, she left alone.

She didn’t call for Zhou Jinsi when she left. After all, when they were talking just now, she hadn’t missed the way Shi Qin would occasionally glance at the person beside her. She knew the two young people had other things to talk about, so she went along with it.

After Jiang Nuo left, the room suddenly fell silent. Zhou Jinsi dazedly came back to her senses.

Shi Qin sat on the sofa, while she sat on a small stool next to it. Neither of them spoke, and a certain awkwardness grew in the dead silence.

In truth, it wasn’t that Zhou Jinsi didn’t want to speak, but the words of concern had been rehearsed in her mind over and over again. She didn’t know how to say them to sound natural.

Shi Qin waited for this person for a long time, but she didn’t speak. She finally gave up the idea of letting her take the initiative. Just as she opened her mouth, their two voices collided.

“Why did you come over today?”
“Is your face okay?”

They looked at each other, and when they looked away, a hint of a smile appeared in both their eyes. Perhaps since the rainy night, the two of them had reached some kind of tacit understanding.

“I… came with Auntie Jiang, to see…” you.

Shi Qin chuckled lightly, leaned closer to her, and raised her hand to brush away the stray hair from her forehead. Then, her gaze stopped at the other person’s clear eyes. “It’s a rare occasion for Teacher Zhou to come and see me.”

Zhou Jinsi didn’t refuse her touch, but repeated her earlier question.

“Your face… is it better?”
“Mhm, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Although she said so, when Zhou Jinsi saw the red mark on her face, a sour ache rose in her heart again. She felt sorry for her but couldn’t say it.

In all the time she had known Shi Qin, when had she ever seen anyone treat her like this?

“Why did you agree to film another take?” There was confusion in Zhou Jinsi’s eyes. She added, “She wasn’t treating it as acting at all…”

She wasn’t a fool. Who would hit their co-star like that while filming?

Shi Qin said with some helplessness, “What could I do? She suggested it, the director agreed, and no one on set said anything. I couldn’t very well raise an objection, could I?”

“Am I supposed to go against the capitalists? Actually, this industry is no different from society. In fact, for those at the bottom who are controlled by capital, or who intend to rely on capital, it might be even harder to endure.”

After she finished speaking, Zhou Jinsi, just like Jiang Nuo before, let out a faint sigh.

She suddenly remembered Shi Qin saying that she wanted everyone to remember her.

But later, Zhou Jinsi had thought about it. She didn’t believe Shi Qin’s goal was so superficial. And she had never had any interest in this industry before. How could a person’s nature change so suddenly?

Then what was it all for?

Seeing Zhou Jinsi silent, Shi Qin thought she was worrying about her. Not wanting to make the atmosphere heavy, she changed her tone and said, “Don’t think too much about it. It’s a good thing I iced it in time. Otherwise, even makeup might not have been able to cover it up later.”

Hearing this, Zhou Jinsi’s thoughts turned, and she remembered the woman who had applied the ice for Shi Qin just now.

She said, as if casually, “That senior… seems like a nice person.”

“Mhm… but I’ve only just gotten to know her. But she’s a very good actress, worth getting to know.”

Just gotten to know her, so why was she willing to apply the ice for you personally?

Zhou Jinsi suppressed the strange emotion in her heart, but Shi Qin immediately followed up, “And she said she’s been following me since my debut… I don’t know if that’s just a pleasantry or…”

Shi Qin was wondering to herself. With Mo Li not around, she was venting to Zhou Jinsi as if she were a sounding board, not noticing that the person beside her was looking increasingly grim.

Zhou Jinsi picked up the mineral water on the table, twisted it open, and took a sip. The cool liquid washed away much of her frustration. Only then did she chime in, “Maybe she really is following you.”

Her tone dropped at the end, not a question, but a flat statement.

“Didn’t you say she’s a nice person?”

No matter how much Zhou Jinsi disguised it, Shi Qin sensitively detected the change in her tone.

Although it was still as calm and emotionless as usual, at this moment, her voice had deepened, becoming a little colder, and seemed to be tinged with the faint sourness of old vinegar.

Looking at the person silently drinking water, Shi Qin raised an eyebrow and suddenly smiled, a smile that was clearly filled with an irresolvable sweetness.

Zhou Jinsi was feeling frustrated. Just as she was about to tilt her head back for another sip, the water bottle in her hand was slowly taken away by Shi Qin. She turned to look, only to see Shi Qin’s tone turn light and teasing as she asked:

“Teacher Zhou, you’re not… jealous, are you?”

The moment the words fell, Zhou Jinsi immediately frowned. Just as she was about to speak, she choked on her own saliva and couldn’t help but cough a few times, a faint blush appearing on her face.

Shi Qin rested her elbow on the armrest of the sofa, propped up her face, and watched the changes in Zhou Jinsi’s expression with great interest. She couldn’t help but think that this person was always so easy to tease.

Her reaction was so obvious, one poke and it would burst.

After Zhou Jinsi calmed down, she was about to speak when Shi Qin beat her to it.

“I was overthinking it, right?”

“Of course…” Zhou Jinsi feigned a serious expression. “Don’t… twist my meaning. I just think it’s good to have people who can look out for each other at work.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Shi Qin’s hand, propping up her face, came down. She poked Zhou Jinsi’s chest with a slender finger. “I thought Teacher Zhou was unhappy because she saw me being a little intimate with someone else.”

You know it was a little intimate…

Zhou Jinsi looked elsewhere, cursing inwardly, but her mouth said, “I’m not that unreasonable.”

“Oh, that’s good. I still have a lot of acting questions to discuss with Sister Chen. I want to go find her more often in the future…”

Zhou Jinsi: “…”

Zhou Jinsi glanced at Shi Qin. Seeing her sincere expression, her eyes even holding a hint of admiration and longing, the little bit of frustration that had just dissipated rose again.

She took the water bottle from Shi Qin’s hand and took another sip.

“Pfft…” Shi Qin really couldn’t hold back her laughter.

She reached out and poked Zhou Jinsi’s cheek, which was puffed out from not swallowing. Her eyes curved, and she said with a smile, “Zhou Xiao Si, do you know you’re a little cute when you’re jealous?”

Zhou Jinsi swallowed the water and said in an unreadable tone, “I told you, I’m not. You’re overthinking it.”

Shi Qin laughed even louder. Zhou Jinsi was suddenly a little embarrassed and angry. She was about to turn away when Shi Qin grabbed her by the arm and pulled her over.

Shi Qin rested her chin on her shoulder, then lifted it, her lips brushing against her ear as she whispered, “I’m not overthinking it…”

“I’m thinking of you.”

At these words, Zhou Jinsi’s body stiffened. She uncomfortably lowered her eyes to the floor, contemplating whether to respond to Shi Qin’s words.

Seeing her silent, Shi Qin whispered in her ear again, “Are you still angry?”

“I’m not angry…” This time, Zhou Jinsi’s tone was much softer, a barely perceptible smile on her lips.

The two of them leaned against each other intimately, neither of them speaking, a tacit understanding between them. However, the door was opened at this moment.

After so many years of being together, Shi Qin had long since come to treat Mo Li as a close acquaintance. Over time, Mo Li had lost the habit of knocking.

And so, the moment she opened the door, she saw the scene of Shi Qin intimately leaning on Zhou Jinsi’s shoulder and neck.

She felt two gazes turn to her in unison. Although such an action between two women was not surprising, she still felt inexplicably awkward.

She probably shouldn’t have appeared at this time…