CSGM - Chapter 102
Chapter 102: A Pat on the Head
"Isn't that a bit too cruel?" Chu Xi grumbled under her breath as she followed her into the elevator.
"I just want you to drink some medicinal soup to nourish your body," Ren Zhi said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
A gentle stab.
Chu Xi thought to herself that Ren Zhi was truly vengeful. She rubbed her throat and decided to stay quiet for a while.
The elevator didn't stop at the third floor but went directly up to the fourth.
Ren Zhi, who had just been speaking with her, only now realized and glanced at Chu Xi.
"You're not going home?"
"I'll see you to your door first," Chu Xi said.
We're in the same building, what's the point of seeing me to my door, Ren Zhi thought.
After they stepped out of the elevator, Chu Xi asked:
"What wish did you make just now?"
"Didn't you say it wouldn't come true anyway?" Ren Zhi retorted, repeating Chu Xi's words back to her. "It's just a rare physical phenomenon. The wish isn't important."
"Hehe..." Chu Xi laughed dryly.
"Come on, tell me."
It's not too much to ask, is it?
She was always so curious about Ren Zhi.
Ren Zhi thought for a moment.
"My wish is for you to successfully finish filming your current movie."
"That's it?"
Chu Xi raised an eyebrow.
It sounds like she just made that up on the spot, doesn't it? Does she think I'm a fool?
But Ren Zhi said seriously, "This is also my wish."
"You're the protagonist. The film's success is closely tied to your performance. Of course, I hope you'll do your best during filming and deliver a high-quality performance."
It sounded like the wish, though perhaps improvised, was sincere in its content.
Ren Zhi was being quite frank.
Chu Xi asked just as bluntly, "Because you invested in it too, right?"
"That's right." Ren Zhi didn't hide it, answering directly.
However, that was only part of the reason, not all of it.
She knew how hard-won a leading role was. The opportunity was precious, and as a senior in the industry, it was only natural for her to hope Chu Xi would seize it.
Chu Xi tilted her head and asked her.
"Then what would count as not messing it up?"
She hoped Ren Zhi wouldn't tell her to be as much of a grinder as she was.
Chu Xi didn't think she had the workaholic gene.
If that were the case, she would have to disappoint Ren Zhi.
But Ren Zhi thought for a moment and said:
"Don't strive for perfection, just strive to have no regrets."
Chu Xi smiled.
Isn't that the principle behind everything?
In other words, it meant giving it her all. As expected of the entertainment industry's queen of the grind.
"Alright, I get it," she said with a smile.
Without realizing it, the two had been standing in front of Ren Zhi's door for a while. It would look a bit silly if they kept standing there.
Ren Zhi reached out and unlocked the door with her fingerprint.
Chu Xi suddenly said, "I don't know what you've experienced in the past, and maybe you're quite lonely, but you can trust me."
She raised her hand, patted Ren Zhi's head, and gently stroked backward through her thick, soft hair.
It was a gentle, soothing gesture, like stroking a kitten's fur to please it. Her palm was warm.
"Anyway, I'm just downstairs. Call me if you need anything."
Chu Xi smiled and left. The light in the hallway seemed like clear, warm sunlight, creating the sudden illusion of holding the night at bay.
Ren Zhi walked to the shoe cabinet, her expression still one of surprise. She stood there stunned for a moment before finally pulling the door closed.
The New Year's holiday passed in the blink of an eye.
The film crew's rare vacation vanished just like that.
The interior scenes for Three Kingdoms were finished. For the remainder of the schedule, the crew would be heading out for location shoots.
According to the schedule, this meant Chu Xi wouldn't be able to come home for a long time.
Early the next morning, she went to say a reluctant goodbye to Ren Zhi.
Ren Zhi said, "Go on, then."
She didn't seem the least bit reluctant to see her go.
Her tone was flat, her speech a little fast. She seemed so heartless.
...?
How could she be like this?
Chu Xi said, "I'll be gone for a month. There'll be no one to bring you breakfast, no one to pick you up at night..."
Ren Zhi looked at her, her beautiful eyes seeming to ask three words: So what?
Chu Xi felt her reaction was far too cold.
"Don't you think a month is a long time? I'll be on the road with the crew for a month. We won't be able to see each other. Won't you have trouble adjusting?"
The point was, how could Ren Zhi have absolutely no reaction to this?
Even feeling a little pity for her, knowing she'd be worked to the bone on location for a month, would have been something.
But Ren Zhi didn't show a single extraneous emotion. Does she even have a heart?
Ren Zhi looked at her and smiled.
It was a smile that seemed to say she was being naive.
She had filmed on location, "wandering" with a crew, for three to five months at a time. Not coming home for a month was just part of the job.
So what was there to be surprised about?
Ren Zhi said, "You'll get used to it after you've been on a few more sets."
The implication was that Chu Xi was making a fuss over nothing, while she herself was completely used to it.
Chu Xi sighed.
When it came to work, Ren Zhi was truly a seasoned pro.
"Alright, I'm off to fulfill your wish."
"Go on. I'll be starting on a new set soon anyway."
"Huh? What set?" Chu Xi asked. "What new project are you filming?"
"A television drama."
Ren Zhi's answer was as good as no answer at all. Seeing that the crew's call time was approaching, Chu Xi didn't have time to chat any longer. She said goodbye and went downstairs.
It was only later, in her tutoring group chat with the Four Little Flowers, that she found out about Ren Zhi's new drama.
Ren Zhi had personally negotiated the deal for that drama at a business dinner. All the major sponsors had invested specifically for her. She was not only the lead actress but also a producer, finally holding a position of real power on set and having a say in her own project.
It was said to be a top-tier script. Excerpts had been revealed on a variety show called Screenwriter Competition, and it had remained famous online ever since, garnering immense attention.
In the entertainment industry, it was the kind of coveted resource known as a "big pie."
That's great.
It sounded wonderful, and Chu Xi was happy for her.
Ren Zhi's career seemed destined for success, with no downturns.
While Chu Xi was still filming in the remote mountains, Ren Zhi released her new album on an auspicious day. It became an explosive, overnight success.
The album had nine songs, but on the day of its debut, Ren Zhi only released three of them.
These three songs were:
the ethereal and clear The Wind Rises, the classic and elegant Shu Embroidery, and the warm and healing Rice Fragrance.
The three songs each had their own unique style, and all were high-caliber productions.
Like stars, each with its own brilliance, none was inferior to the others despite their different styles.
But the one that best fit the demographic of Ren Zhi's fanbase and the mainstream online audience was The Wind Rises.
Therefore, it was also the album's lead single.
The album was titled Feng Xi.
Looking at the album information, Chu Xi wondered if the "Xi" in the title also contained a part of her own name.
If so, Ren Zhi really knew how to show her gratitude.
Ehehe...
"Hiss..." Just as she finished her internal chuckle, she sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.
The assistant applying her medication immediately stopped, apologizing in a panic.
"I'm so sorry, Teacher Chu!"
Seeing the assistant's guilty and worried expression, Chu Xi had to comfort her.
"Oh, it's fine. You can continue, just be a little gentler."
"Okay, okay, Teacher Chu. Let me blow on it for you..."
She was in such a miserable state that even the crew assistant was treating her with polite deference.
Last week, she was so exhausted she got a nosebleed. The day before yesterday, a strenuous scene caused her armor to chafe her skin raw. Today, her forehead was gashed by a rock. The combination of a few action scenes felt like it had taken half her life.
However, even though the sharp edge of a rock had scraped her forehead today, sending blood down one side of her face, it really wasn't considered a serious injury.
Compared to the bloody, raw patch on her arm where the armor had worn away the skin, it was nothing.
It was all a matter of perspective.
The assistant had just disinfected the gash from the rock and was now changing the dressing on her arm.
The discarded gauze in the trash can was dotted with blood, looking pitiful. The mottled, raw flesh of the wound was also quite frightening. Chu Xi had even gone to a nearby hospital for a tetanus shot the other day.
"Filming action scenes is really a high-risk job," the crew assistant murmured.
"Yeah, it is... Hiss... It's fine, I can take it. Go ahead and apply it," Chu Xi said, letting the assistant change her dressing as they spoke.
"But my salary is much higher than yours, so you don't need to pity me," Chu Xi didn't forget to remind her, helping the assistant see the reality of the situation.
"You actually have it worse. We both work around the clock, but your pay is more depressing."
The assistant's hand, holding the cotton swab, nearly trembled and pressed down hard.
"..."
Teacher Chu really didn't need to tell me all that.
The large abrasion on Chu Xi's arm was gruesome to look at, and the sting of changing the dressing was quite painful.
But soon, a light and sweet melody began to play from her phone, almost making her forget the pain.
"I once struggled to break free from this vast world, and drowned myself in its whispered dreams..."
Ren Zhi's voice was like a fizzy, peach-flavored soda, and a single sip was a light, refreshing sweetness that went straight to the heart.
The aftertaste lingered, a pleasant tingle for the senses.
Even though Chu Xi had heard this song many times in the parallel world.
But Ren Zhi's voice possessed a fragrant sweetness that no other singer had.
"The evening wind lifts the white in your hair, smoothing the scars that memories left behind..."
"In your eyes, light and shadow mingle, and with a smile, flowers bloom..."
The corners of Chu Xi's lips slowly curled into a smile.
"It's so beautiful..." the crew assistant couldn't help but exclaim.
"What song is this?" the assistant asked.
"It's Ren Zhi's new music. She just released three songs today. You should listen to them when you have time."
The assistant let out a "Wow." It was Ren Zhi's!
It was better than songs by many professional singers. When Chu Xi played the next track, Shu Embroidery, the assistant became even more convinced.
A star in both music and acting—as expected of a top-tier celebrity. Teacher Ren was so multi-talented!
She was going to add both of these songs to her playlist today!
After hearing the three new songs, netizens reacted much like the assistant—with constant amazement. They urged Ren Zhi to release the rest of the tracks quickly, declaring that the album of the year had been born.
For a time, Ren Zhi's popularity was once again unmatched.
The release of her new album, combined with the news that she had landed an S-tier script, was a double dose of joy for her fans. For the past few days, the Cheeses had been in a state of constant celebration.
They spread the news far and wide, eager to promote their idol—the one with the strongest work ethic and professional skills—to the entire world.
The "ChuChu dong Ren" CP fans, holding their banner high, were also feasting.
The album was titled Feng Xi. Such beautiful characters. The character for "cherish" (惜) was composed of the character for "heart" right next to the character for "Xi" (昔).
Releasing an album while secretly confessing her feelings for Xixi—the CP fans devoured this sweet morsel!
And you still say you two aren't wives? Stop pretending! Gasp.
【On the surface, she's releasing an album, but she's actually being sweet with her wifey. Zhizhi, you're a pro! /[Licks screen]】
The shipping experts were blatantly savoring this sweet moment from every angle. When their comments appeared before the career-focused Cheeses, the latter couldn't take it anymore. The two factions, the "scatterbrained" and the "unhappy," once again went to war.
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