Chapter 41: Warm Me Up

Sure enough, a woman’s words couldn’t be trusted. Yesterday she said “not even certain,” and if Cheng Jinzhi had come home any later today, they’d probably be rolling between the sheets. Cheng Jinzhi felt she should have knocked first instead of walking straight in. She was holding late-night snacks, looking like a complete idiot.

Before Cheng Jinzhi could back out, Xia You and the other woman turned.

The other woman looked familiar.

Wasn’t this her mother’s matchmaking target, Fu Qiansheng? Well, this was even more awkward.

The snacks Cheng Jinzhi had bought sat on the table as the three of them just sat there. Xia You had wanted to break the awkward silence by introducing them, but then thought—why introduce? They all knew each other. It was just that she’d never expected them all to “meet” again… like this…

Xia You felt she should do something, so she opened the food container. “Jinzhi, you even brought midnight snacks. Wow… they’re all… dishes I don’t like.”

“…” Cheng Jinzhi snapped apart her chopsticks. “Just bought whatever.”

“I think these need reheating.” Xia You took the “steaming hot” food boxes to the kitchen.

“I’ll help.” Saying this, Cheng Jinzhi stood, and out of politeness, smiled at Fu Qiansheng. Fu Qiansheng blinked, then nodded with a polite smile too.

“What’s going on with you?” In the kitchen, Cheng Jinzhi’s “face changed” instantly, whispering while pinching Xia You’s waist. “I’m working my butt off out there, and you… you…”

“I thought things weren’t certain, so I didn’t want to say anything about her situation.”

“Well, what’s the situation now? Did you two get together?”

As she finished speaking, Xia You, who’d just closed the microwave, looked dazed.

“Xia You, you can’t be serious.” Cheng Jinzhi’s mouth opened. If it had been anyone else, she might believe it was a moment of passion. But Xia You wasn’t like that—her mouth was dirty, but her heart was conservative. Xia You’s looks were only above average at Jingying, but her unique artistic temperament made her stand out in the grade. Not to mention inside the school—outside, plenty of rich second-generation and coal-mine bosses sent her flowers and cars. Their university wasn’t like regular schools. Regular schools were academic, rarely going off campus. The performing arts students constantly had commercial shows and gigs. And someone like Xia You was often invited to act. Xia You’s father was a university professor; her mother was the deputy commander of the August First Art Troupe. She’d played the guzheng since childhood and won competition after competition, big and small.

When Cheng Jinzhi walked in, she’d seen Xia You being the initiator—arms around Fu Qiansheng’s neck, offering a kiss. She’d thought Xia You and Fu Qiansheng had confirmed their relationship.

“How did you two even meet?”

“When you had people teach Fu Qianxi a lesson…”

“Right. Afterwards, you told me, so I stopped bothering him.” Then Cheng Jinzhi realized. “Fu Qiansheng came to see you?”

“She pushed Fu Qianxi’s head down and made him apologize to me.” Xia You said. “I didn’t intend to be all saint-like. It was seeing Ah Sheng—I don’t know why…”

“Ah Sheng? Xia You, your terms of address are so sweet!”

Xia You “shyly” punched Cheng Jinzhi’s shoulder. “How annoying!”

Then she said seriously, “Jinzhi, I think I really like Ah Sheng.”

“…So you’re breaking up with me?”

“We might still have a chance, actually.” Xia You “shyly” wrapped her arms around Cheng Jinzhi’s neck. “How about you be my secret lover? We can—”

“Xia You, Jinzhi, are you two done?” Fu Qiansheng came over on her cane.

Xia You immediately “pushed” Cheng Jinzhi away, going to hug Fu Qiansheng’s arm with “spring in her face.” “Done.”

Cheng Jinzhi clutched her “wounded” chest, staring at Xia You with a face full of “shock.” Women in love were simply… so shameless!

Although Fu Qiansheng said she’d leave afterward, Cheng Jinzhi took the initiative to stand up, hands waving in front of her chest, in the pose of a “spare tire making way.” “No, no. I’m the one leaving.”

Fu Qiansheng had limited mobility, so Xia You saw Cheng Jinzhi to the door.

“Stop here.” Cheng Jinzhi said with “sarcastic” warmth. “I won’t interrupt your ‘business.'”

“Come on.” Xia You gave Cheng Jinzhi a big hug, cupping her face. “How do I love you so much?”

“Enough.” Cheng Jinzhi also cupped Xia You’s face. “Little You, seriously. You really need to think this through. Though your conditions are a bit worse than mine, finding someone better than Fu Qiansheng would be easy.”

“It’s not that Fu Qiansheng is bad. It’s that she’s a woman, and your family… is so conservative.” Cheng Jinzhi said. “Most importantly, Fu Qiansheng hasn’t given you any commitment yet. She’s the most ‘honest and sincere’ person—that’s what my mom sees in her. If she hasn’t promised you anything, it means she’s holding something back.”

“Actually today… it was me who kissed her… first…”

“Little You, you’re not falling in. You’ve fallen in head first.”

As Xia You and Cheng Jinzhi talked, Fu Qiansheng came over on her cane, apparently feeling she should see Cheng Jinzhi off too.

Seeing them “in perfect harmony,” Cheng Jinzhi left feeling “sour.” Couples were terrifying. In half a sentence they’d gaze sweetly into each other’s eyes, then finish the second half. Even just talking, they’d fix each other’s collars and sleeves. So! Terrible! Was she sour? Of course Cheng Jinzhi was sour… The more she thought, the sourer…

She’d had exactly one relationship, and she’d been abused into a masochist. So unfair.

Sitting on a street corner, her phone screen flashed—a message from Rong Si. “Good night.”

“Not good night.” Cheng Jinzhi typed.

After a long while, Rong Si called. Her voice was intermittent. Probably poor signal at the set. “Where are you?”

“I’m in Hedong District.”

“Send me your location. I’ll pick you up.”

Rong Si didn’t even ask what she was doing, who she was with—just said she’d come pick her up. Did her voice sound that “dejected”? She sent her location, then obediently stood by the road waiting for Rong Si. A moment ago the streetlights had felt cold. Now they seemed a little warm.

Rong Si came with DC—Rong Si had no license yet, so DC drove. Rong Si opened the door and pulled Cheng Jinzhi, waiting by the road, inside. The moment she was by Rong Si’s side, Cheng Jinzhi pouted. “I’ve been abandoned by a pair of ‘lesbians.’ I’m never speaking to them again.”

It wasn’t really anything. It just made her feel especially alone in front of the couple.

Rong Si tidied Cheng Jinzhi’s hair. “Mm. Then don’t speak to them.”

Hearing that, Cheng Jinzhi became even more aggrieved. She wrapped her arms around Rong Si’s neck, burying her face in her shoulder.

“You’re still filming?”

“Mm. I have to go back to the set for makeup later.”

Cheng Jinzhi’s eyes were watery.

“If you can’t sleep, you can come back to the set with me.” Rong Si added.

Who wanted to go to the set? She’d definitely go back to the hotel. If she couldn’t sleep, she could lie down and slap on two face masks. “Don’t you think I talk too much?”

A couple days ago, Rong Si had said “missed” to her, making her especially excited. Later, Rong Si had looked at her a few times, seemingly unable to hold back, saying, “You seem especially excited.”

Rong Si’s expression was as if her excitement came from taking drugs. Later, thinking about it, Cheng Jinzhi decided she’d overthought it. Rong Si’s “missed” probably meant “missed shutting her up.” After all, that night at dinner, she really had talked a lot, chatting at Rong Si for no reason—probably “bothering” her.

“It’s fine.” Rong Si said.

Cheng Jinzhi rolled her eyes at Rong Si. She hated it when Rong Si used “neutral words.” Anyway, the set wasn’t far from the hotel. She’d go take a look, and maybe she’d get sleepy and go back to bed. At the set, Rong Si went backstage to do her makeup. Cheng Jinzhi chatted with the director for a bit, then wanted to play on her phone—only to find she had zero signal. She asked DC for his phone. No signal either. “Huh?”

“Boss, what’s wrong?”

“Rong Si just called me.” Cheng Jinzhi said. “How did the signal get so bad in just a moment?”

“The signal’s always been bad here.” DC seemed to recall something, then nodded. “Oh, right. Miss Rong ran outside to call you.”

“She ran outside to call me?”

“Yeah, she probably ran quite far. She was a bit out of breath when she came back.”

“Mm…” Cheng Jinzhi held her phone. It felt hot. That call—Rong Si’s voice had been intermittent, and now she remembered Rong Si’s soft breathing, her voice in her ear. “Send me your location. I’ll pick you up.”

“Recently the power draw’s been high; maybe some wire’s down somewhere. Boss, bear with it, might be better in a few days…” DC droned on.

Cheng Jinzhi lit the screen, looking at the call that had lasted just over a minute.

Rong Si’s makeup took at least an hour. When she came out, she glanced at Cheng Jinzhi up front, seemingly not expecting her to still be there. This scene was a group scene—Rong Si acted opposite several veteran actors. Even among them, Rong Si’s performance didn’t falter. Her spine straight, she exuded the full bearing of the Eldest Princess.

Afterward, the veterans seemed still unsatisfied, running several more lines with her.

“Why haven’t you gone back to sleep?” After her lines, Rong Si didn’t go backstage to remove makeup. She came straight to Cheng Jinzhi.

“I’m not sleepy.” Cheng Jinzhi said stiffly. “Anyway, you’re heading back too. Might as well go together—it’s on the way.”

“Mm. Then I’ll go remove my makeup.” Rong Si’s tone was light.

“Good.” Cheng Jinzhi said, then followed Rong Si.

“Mm?” Rong Si saw Cheng Jinzhi squeeze into the makeup room too.

“I’ve got nothing to do anyway. Together.” Why was she so awkward? God, she was a forty-something auntie—why was she so awkward in front of this little brat??

Rong Si looked at Cheng Jinzhi. The corners of her lips seemed to rise. “Mm.”

Seeing Rong Si’s lips curl, Cheng Jinzhi froze for a second.

Was Rong Si… smiling at her?