Chapter 43

As the year drew to a close, the racing schedule intensified, and the Formula 1 World Championship drivers’ standings were on the verge of updating.

Xia Zhuxi scrolled down the mouse wheel, pulling the table to the very bottom. After late October, there were still three races left: Mexico, Brazil, and the United Arab Emirates.

All three were in the tropics. Perfect.

Jian Ge sat at the desk opposite, assuming Xia Zhuxi was deeply analyzing race footage. She walked over for a look, only to find a travel website open on the screen:

Mexico Travel Guide! Craft Your Special Honeymoon! This One Article Has It All~

Fly South for Winter~ Brazil Romantic Getaway · 50 Must-Visit Sweet Spots!

Jian Ge: “……”

Should she tattle to the Boss that Xia Zhuxi wasn’t taking work seriously?

She pictured the fallout in her mind and inexplicably imagined Chu Yun wearing a flower crown, camera in hand, sneaking photos of some wife-wife couple from behind.

Ridiculous.

It was probably fallout from that last video conference.

Tattling wasn’t an option. The Boss and Ace were in cahoots!

Xia Zhuxi minimized the page. “Peeking is shameful.”

Jian Ge crossed her arms. “Oh, really? With the page zoomed that big, you’re clearly showing off, but you call it peeking.”

Xia Zhuxi opened the page even wider, the pink heart-filled “Honeymoon Plan” practically blinding someone.

Jian Ge: “……” She felt like a puppy kicked to the roadside. Why was she hurting herself like this? Boo-hoo.

Xia Zhuxi: “You just gonna stand there?” She glanced at the clock in the bottom right of the screen. “Still half an hour till quitting time.”

Only then did Jian Ge remember her actual errand. “Open QQ Mail. I forwarded you an email.”

Xia Zhuxi clicked on the latest one. It was from their university class monitor, forwarded from J University’s official account.

J University’s centennial celebration, warmly inviting alumni from all eras to reunite in Yu’an!

It had been over a week since Xia Zhuxi last saw Shen Jingsong.

Reuniting in Yu’an? Excellent!

A alma mater’s centennial was a grand affair. She absolutely had to go.

What else could you call it but four years of dorm-room friendship and two years of revolutionary camaraderie? Jian Ge was totally in sync with her. “When are you going to see your wife?”

Xia Zhuxi was still scrolling through the email and didn’t reply.

Jian Ge knew her too well. “Look, you’re a big name at J University—the top star from our department. Don’t you have to go back for the centennial and show your face? Maybe swing by the Slow Tune crew while you’re at it?”

《Slow Tune》 was Shen Jingsong’s new drama.

The mention of a set visit made the corners of Xia Zhuxi’s mouth curve up. “Sure. Let’s pick a time.”

Jian Ge raised an eyebrow. “It’s the school celebration! Who knows, you might run into a bunch of old acquaintances.” She waggled her brows at Xia Zhuxi. “Catch up over dinner or something.”

Xia Zhuxi tsked. “Like that goddess you crushed on for a full four years? The one where you mustered your courage at graduation to confess, only to see her making out with her girlfriend right in front of you?”

Jian Ge snatched the squirrel figurine hanging off her monitor and brandished it in warning. “Too far!” She stormed back to her desk and ignored her.

Neither of them spoke for a solid twenty minutes.

As quitting time approached, Xia Zhuxi’s hot milk tea and cheesecake arrived. The delivery guy shouted from outside, “Who’s Big Brother Jian?!”

Jian Ge blinked in confusion and dashed out. “Me!”

The delivery guy pointed to the order slip. “There’s a note for you.”

A note?

Jian Ge carried the insulated bag back to the office and read the slip: “Don’t be mad. I’ll buy the tickets.”

She was equal parts annoyed and amused. She snuck up behind Xia Zhuxi and patted the back of her chair. “You’re forgiven. It’s been years of this routine—can’t you mix it up a little?”

Xia Zhuxi grabbed her bag with one hand and headed to punch out. “No new tricks. Just tell me the dates.”

Jian Ge checked her densely marked-up calendar. “I need to coordinate with OA first. I’ll let you know later.”

~~~

Jian Ge took three days of personal leave. Three days later, she flew straight to Yu’an.

Xia Zhuxi took this trip to Yu’an without telling Shen Jingsong ahead of time.

They hadn’t booked a hotel either. They borrowed Chu Yun’s SUV in Yu’an and drove straight to the Slow Tune set.

Though it wasn’t a blockbuster production, the Slow Tune crew’s producer had put real heart into it, opting for as many practical locations as possible. The latest scenes were set in a canyon with layered peaks, cascading waterfalls, and the crew camped out at a tourist resort village, dressed up as a mountain stronghold.

It was a break after a NG take, during a scene where the female lead’s group passed through the canyon and got kidnapped back to the stronghold by bandits.

November in Yu’an was still balmy, the sun shining brightly overhead, with treeshade covering the stone plaza of the “stronghold.”

Two or three dozen extras playing bandits lounged under the trees, resting.

Xia Zhuxi emerged from a nearby thatched hut, decked out in rugged bandit garb.

Jian Ge clapped a hand over her mouth to stifle a laugh. “Don’t say, you actually look good dressed like that.”

Xia Zhuxi had tied her hair into a high ponytail with a scrap of cloth, paired with a monocle eyepatch and a long saber at her waist. She said happily, “Really?”

Jian Ge nodded. “Yeah, mainly because you’ve nailed the vibe.”

Fine, so she was saying Xia Zhuxi had that bandit air about her.

Out of the way!

Xia Zhuxi gave Jian Ge a gentle nudge with the hilt of her saber and turned to look at the pink sedan parked in the center of the stone plaza.

Jian Ge opened the insulated lunch bag in her hand and jerked her chin toward the sedan. “I’ve already cleared it with the director. Go on.”

Xia Zhuxi took the items out of the bag. “Thanks for your full support, Big Brother Jian.”

Jian Ge’s expression changed in alarm. “Get out of my sight right now.” She hated that nickname from her college days, even though she’d once been proud of it.

Xia Zhuxi walked over slowly, step by step.

The expansive stone-brick plaza was surrounded by lush green trees. The pink sedan’s decorations shimmered faintly in the sunlight, its tassels hanging still, the curtains embroidered with butterflies dancing in pairs.

The male lead and the supporting actors seated at a distance looked over in surprise. Xia Zhuxi casually lifted one corner of the curtain with a languid air, holding a bamboo skewer as she slowly extended her hand inside.

A string of bright red hawthorn candy skewers gradually poked into the sedan.

Shen Jingsong was sitting inside the sedan, waiting for the director’s instructions. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of red and stared in surprise at the candied hawthorns. Who from the crew was handing out snacks?

Her laughter rang out like silver bells. “Who’s there? Is it Huan Huan?”

No answer came. The skewers drew a little closer to her, and a short section of sleeve slipped in through the sedan window too—deep brown frayed homespun cloth, the kind worn by the bandit extras.

Strange. She wasn’t close with any of the extras, and the director and production staff didn’t allow them to bother the other actors anyway.

Shen Jingsong’s voice grew a touch sterner. “The director’s about to call for the second take. Get back to your position.”

There was a note of warning in her tone, but the person outside showed no sign of backing off. Instead, they grew even bolder.

Half an arm reached in through the window now, the hand holding the skewer tilting upward slightly to bring the syrup-coated hawthorns right up to Shen Jingsong’s face.

How rude—this person some obsessive fan who’d snuck in as an extra?

Shen Jingsong frowned, her red lips parting but before she could speak, she suddenly noticed the diamond ring on the hand offering the skewers.

The diamond sparkled, set in a snowflake-shaped mounting, with a circle of tiny diamonds spelling out “xsx” engraved on the band.

?!

Shen Jingsong leaned to the side, brushing past the skewers as she lifted the curtain from inside the sedan. The unexpected person stood right outside, sunlight blazing behind her as she smiled at Shen Jingsong.

Xia Zhuxi leaned forward from the waist up, her eyepatch covering half her face, her bandit costume giving her a dashing, heroic air.

The female bandit chief was half-crouched, holding up the candied hawthorns to offer them through the window. Inside the sedan, the delicately dressed young lady of the marquis’s household suddenly looked up—bright eyes and white teeth, crimson lips alluring.

Shen Jingsong curved her lips in a smile and whispered, “How is it you?”

Xia Zhuxi shook the skewers. “Wife, why don’t you come home with me and be the lady of my stronghold?”

Shen Jingsong narrowed her eyes. That wasn’t how the script went.

But no matter.

She asked, “Does your home have a big red flower quilt?”

Xia Zhuxi replied, “No flower quilt.”

She took Shen Jingsong’s slender white hand and placed the skewers in it.

Xia Zhuxi said warmly, “But it does have a pair of mandarin ducks at play in the water.”

Shen Jingsong smiled radiantly and lifted Xia Zhuxi’s hand to press a kiss to the back of it.

A mark of vermilion lipstick remained on the back of Xia Zhuxi’s hand, right next to the xsx ring on her ring finger.

They shot three takes of the sedan arriving at the stone plaza before it passed muster—the male lead’s actor was a hyped-up traffic star with shaky acting skills.

After that, they filmed two more scenes, not wrapping up until after dinnertime.

Next, they needed to reshoot some solo shots for the male lead, so Shen Jingsong took Xia Zhuxi back to the hotel first.

“No hotel booked?”

On the road, Shen Jingsong asked Xia Zhuxi and Jian Ge in surprise.

Jian Ge was sitting in the back seat again—the one she hated most, with Xia Zhuxi and Shen Jingsong up front. “Teacher Shen, you should ask her.”

Shen Jingsong turned to Xia Zhuxi. “Why’d you come to Yu’an? For an event? Not F4 again, is it?”

Xia Zhuxi said, “No. I’ll explain once we’re in the room.”

Oh ho, the room.

Jian Ge in the back rolled her eyes.

Ignoring that eye-roll in the rearview mirror, Xia Zhuxi smiled sheepishly at Shen Jingsong. “I figured you wouldn’t just leave me out on the streets anyway.”

Shen Jingsong understood. “Ah~” Of course not.

Oh wow, she wouldn’t leave her out on the streets.

Then straight into the wife’s room.

God, Jian Ge couldn’t take it anymore.

She cracked the car window a bit and took a deep breath.

Hurry up and get to the hotel!

She never wanted to ride in a car with the two of them again!

They finally arrived at the hotel, and Jian Ge booked herself a single room.

Surrounded by laughter.jpg

~~~

Qifeng had increased Shen Jingsong’s budget. She had the Panoramic Suite to herself, while Xiao Chen and Betty shared a room next door. The rest of the assistants and crew stayed downstairs.

The suite featured modern minimalist decor, infused with the elegant scent of white tea. A swing chair hung beside the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room, offering a view of lush green trees and distant mountains beyond.

Xia Zhuxi set the suitcase aside. Shen Jingsong slipped off her coat, revealing a soft knit dress. She beckoned Xia Zhuxi over, removed the phone case, and peeled off a Little Red Flower.

“Wow.” Xia Zhuxi’s eyes sparkled. She spun around, digging into her bag for the Wish Passbook. She counted the stickers inside—adding the one Shen Jingsong was about to give her would make just enough for an exchange coupon.

A first for life itself.

Bursting with excitement, Xia Zhuxi dashed toward Shen Jingsong, who lounged on the swing chair. Xia skidded to a sudden stop, then dropped to a crouch on the carpet, leaning against Shen Jingsong’s legs. She looped her arms around her knees through the skirt’s soft folds, gazing up with eyes bright as stars.

Shen Jingsong pressed the Little Red Flower sticker to her chest, mimicking a traffic cop. “Speeding ticket!”

Xia Zhuxi burst into delighted giggles. Yeah, taking a race car out on a regular highway would definitely earn her one.

She threw her arms around Shen Jingsong. “Are you issuing me a ticket for this lifetime?”

Shen Jingsong lowered her eyes, waves of light shimmering within them. “Do you want it?”

Xia Zhuxi nodded with utter sincerity, as earnest and heartfelt as could be. “Yes.”

The swing chair swayed ever so slightly.

Shen Jingsong grasped one of the ropes and let out a long, thoughtful hum. “With conditions.”

Xia Zhuxi knew it couldn’t be that straightforward. She adopted a humbly deferential posture. “What conditions?”

Shen Jingsong’s eyes curved into playful crescents, the corners of her mouth lifting. “Kiss me.”

Their gazes intertwined, and Xia Zhuxi was blindsided by the soft, bewitching allure in her eyes—like a sudden electric shock.

Her legs turned to jelly, and she nearly couldn’t haul herself up from the carpet.

Xia Zhuxi swung one knee onto the swing chair, planting her other foot firmly on the ground. She drew Shen Jingsong into her embrace and leaned in slowly.

Shen Jingsong’s lips filled her vision, and Xia Zhuxi mulled over what she wanted to redeem with her coupon.

A mere sliver separated their lips—a tiny quadrilateral gap, through which warm white light seeped.

Xia Zhuxi heard a murmur of “Still zoning out?” before her lips ignited with heat. Shen Jingsong took the lead and kissed her.