Chapter 49: World Two [19] Part 1

Jing Ke tidied up the room very efficiently. Her self-brought suitcase still contained the old standard equipment: a full set of documents plus the necessary Laptop.

“Shall we go eat now?” Jing Ke asked after washing her hands upon finishing tidying up. While drying her hands with a towel, she turned to look at Shao Qing leaning against the doorframe.

Shao Qing’s attire was also very casual. Her originally styled, one-time big waves had turned into slightly wavy long hair after washing it the previous night, draped casually down her back.

“It’s about time for a meal. What do you want to eat? My treat,” Shao Qing straightened up, reaching to tuck an unruly strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a friendly smile reserved for friends.

Jing Ke barely thought before giving her answer. “For the first meal, how about hot pot? We can find a small private room and take our time eating.”

Shao Qing naturally had no objection. “Sure, there’s one just outside the community. Shall we walk there?”

“Yes!” Jing Ke agreed immediately.

–

Shao Qing’s popularity had been riding high recently. To avoid being recognized by fans upon going out, she chose a casual outfit similar to Jing Ke’s. After donning a baseball cap and a mask, she and Jing Ke walked out the villa’s Main Entrance one after the other.

While Shao Qing locked the door, Jing Ke glanced at the empty space in the front yard, and an idea suddenly popped into her head.

The empty space left at the entrance seemed perfect for planting trees. A loquat tree on one side, a tangerine tree on the other. In a few years, they could have pure, natural, pollution-free fruit.

“Jing Ke, let’s go. We’ll exit through the north gate; the hot pot place is that way.” Seeing Jing Ke staring blankly at the empty space, Shao Qing walked over and gently patted her shoulder.

“Oh, okay, coming.” Jing Ke retracted her thoughts and followed Shao Qing.

After walking for about three minutes, Jing Ke couldn’t help but share the idea that had come to her with Shao Qing and ask for her opinion.

“Planting trees, huh.” Shao Qing blinked, a hint of reminiscence appearing in her eyes. “I originally left that land empty intending to plant something. But once I join a film crew, I’m gone for several months. When I’m busy, I simply can’t spare the time to take care of them.”

Shao Qing sighed lightly. “Having the assistant specifically come over just to water plants felt like too much trouble for him, so I just left the space empty.”

In Shao Qing’s initial plan, she would live with her grandmother, allowing the elderly woman to plant whatever she liked in the front and back yards.

But plans couldn’t keep up with changes. Grandma Shao hadn’t been able to settle permanently in the villa. Shao Qing herself also couldn’t stay at the villa for long periods. So, the front and back yards were only set up with the simplest lawns, following a policy of letting them grow freely.

“For planting trees, you only need to carefully tend to them during the transplantation period. Once they take root, tending to them once a month is sufficient,” Jing Ke said, seeming quite knowledgeable about caring for plants.

“Shall we visit a plant and flower market after eating and buy some things to plant? If you’re away for filming and don’t have time, I can look after them for you,” Jing Ke tried to volunteer.

Hearing this, Shao Qing was somewhat tempted. However, she currently still saw Jing Ke only as a friend.

In Shao Qing’s expectation, Jing Ke just needed her care for a while. Once Jing Ke found a means of making a living in the country, she would likely move out of the villa.

“Thanks, but I’d rather wait until I have free time myself and slowly research it,” Shao Qing found an excuse to politely decline. “Growing things needs to be done with your own hands. That way, you truly feel a sense of accomplishment when the plants grow.”

“That makes sense too.” Jing Ke nodded, regretfully abandoning her idea of helping plant trees.

The hot pot restaurant Shao Qing chose was right outside the residential community, a fifteen-minute walk away.

Relying on her baseball cap and mask, Shao Qing wasn’t recognized by anyone and smoothly obtained a small private room.

Recalling Jing Ke’s appearance when eating fruit earlier, Shao Qing thrust the ordering tablet into Jing Ke’s hands, telling her to order whatever she liked.

“I’m not a picky eater. As long as it’s not overly heavy-flavored, I can accept it,” Shao Qing said.

“Okay, I’ll order based on my judgment then.” Jing Ke’s gaze fell on the menu items. Seeing the option to order half portions, she very adeptly ordered all the dishes she wanted to try as small portions.

Jing Ke had developed a habit at some unknown point. She very naturally chose a four-grid pot base. Two sections of clear broth placed diagonally opposite, leaving one mild mushroom broth pot and one heavy-flavored beef tallow spicy pot.

“What would you like to drink? Fruit juice or soda?” Jing Ke asked.

Shao Qing paused in her chat with her agent. “Juice, I suppose. Soda makes me feel bloated easily.”

“Okay, I’ll order apple juice then.” Jing Ke placed the order. When the server came to set up the pot base, she casually handed the tablet over.

Seeing that half the pot base was clear broth, Shao Qing became even more convinced of her speculation.

Jing Ke really was short on cash, even economizing on a meal. It seemed she’d need to pay more attention in daily life and make sure Jing Ke didn’t have to spend money whenever possible.

Jing Ke had no idea that a habit she’d developed in a previous world was misinterpreted by Shao Qing in this world as being short on money. Seeing the pot start to bubble gently, she even volunteered to go prepare the dipping sauces.

“This one is made according to the recipe written on the condiment bar. This one is a special dipping sauce I learned to make myself. You can try them and see which you prefer.”

Relying on her long and nimble fingers, Jing Ke brought in four small bowls of dipping sauce in one go—two for Shao Qing and two for herself.

Shao Qing wasn’t picky, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying delicious food.

Seeing that both dipping sauces looked quite good, Shao Qing directly tossed two slices of lamb into the spicy beef tallow broth. Once cooked, she fished them out and tried each of the two sauces Jing Ke had prepared.

The one made according to the condiment bar’s recipe was standard; it tasted exactly how Shao Qing expected hot pot dipping sauce to taste.

But the one Jing Ke called her exclusive dipping sauce made Shao Qing raise her eyebrows the moment it entered her mouth. During chewing, it released a unique fragrance, and even after swallowing, the aroma lingered in her mouth.

“How did you make this sauce? Is it a secret recipe shared by a netizen?” Having tasted something delicious, Shao Qing’s eyes lit up. She looked at Jing Ke expectantly. “Would you mind telling me the recipe?”

“I learned it before. It’s not difficult. If you like it, I can take you to make it next time?” Jing Ke said with a smile.

“Alright, it’s a deal.” As she spoke, Shao Qing tossed two more slices of lamb into the pot. When they were cooked, she chose the exclusive secret sauce again.

–

After finishing the hot pot and leaving the private room, they happened to see half of the sun’s body disappearing behind the distant mountains, the lingering afterglow painting the sky a dazzling orange-red.

Shao Qing looked up at the sky, gazing at the sunset for a moment with slightly narrowed eyes, then couldn’t resist taking out her phone to snap a photo.

“Pink sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky at morning, sailor’s warning. Seems like tomorrow will be another clear day,” Shao Qing remarked, suddenly turning back to look at Jing Ke.

“Want to take a photo with me? I’ll post it later to introduce you first. That way, if we attend banquets together later, you’ll be my publicly known friend,” Shao Qing suggested.

The orange-red sunset fell on Shao Qing’s off-white jacket, making her normally bright facial features appear softer than usual.

“Sure, you can introduce me as your friend who just returned from abroad,” Jing Ke said, taking a step forward to stand beside Shao Qing, making it easier for her to take the photo.

Shao Qing’s height was 1.73 meters, which was considered tall among female artists. When wearing a gown and high heels, she could reach the altitude of male celebrities.

The body Jing Ke obtained through this transaction had a mixed-race parent, making her height five centimeters taller than Shao Qing’s. Her facial features also appeared more dimensional than those of a typical native, possessing a heroic spirit unique to women.

Shao Qing directed Jing Ke to stand behind her. After removing her mask, she leaned her body slightly to the side, allowing Jing Ke’s full facial features to be captured.

“Come on, look at the camera.” Shao Qing quickly found a good angle. Just as the corner of Jing Ke’s mouth lifted slightly, she seized the moment and pressed the shutter, capturing their first photo together.

“Not bad. The lighting and angle are great. Your eyes look exceptionally beautiful here.” Shao Qing didn’t hold back her praise, generously bringing her phone in front of Jing Ke.

Jing Ke leaned in for a look. The upper halves of both of them, along with the sunset, were frozen in the photo. One looked radiant and bold, the other looked heroic yet introverted.

Hmm, they seemed especially compatible. It really looked like the two were fated partners.

The advantage of having outstanding looks was obvious. After taking the photo, Shao Qing didn’t even need to retouch it; she only needed to add a simple filter before posting it online.