CSGM - Chapter 118
Chapter 118: Sleep Confession
Xiao Ju had never imagined that Sister Xi's feelings for Sister Zhi were of that kind.
At first, she thought it was just a simple, close friendship… Who would have thought!
But despite that, Xiao Ju found that she wasn't resistant to the outcome of Chu Xi's sudden words.
It wasn't like when she saw others pestering Sister Zhi with confessions, which she found distasteful.
Xiao Ju felt no opposition in her heart to Chu Xi confessing to her sister like this.
Xiao Ju felt it would be impolite to keep listening; she shouldn't be here.
But since she was already here, her ears were still perked up. If you can't escape, you might as well accept it.
Subconsciously, she felt the probability of Sister Zhi accepting was slim. After all, her sister's heart was set only on her career.
As expected-
"That's enough. Get out," Ren Zhi said, her tone cold.
It was like a teacher dismissing a student from the classroom right after they had finished answering a question.
Imposing and domineering, and even a little impersonal.
Xiao Ju swallowed softly.
Chu Xi froze for a moment, her brow furrowing with a hint of hurt.
Ren Zhi repeated, "I don't want to hear it. Get out."
Chu Xi's eyelids drooped. "Alright."
After Chu Xi left, Ren Zhi held her head and slowly sat back down in her chair, taking several deep breaths.
Xiao Ju, who had been acting like she was invisible, was finally cued.
"Xiao Ju, don't tell anyone what just happened."
Xiao Ju nodded repeatedly. "Oh, oh, oh, I understand!"
Good heavens, how could she dare say anything? She could see the color had drained from Sister Zhi's face.
How could the color not drain from Ren Zhi's face? Her heart felt like it was about to leap out of her chest.
Chu Xi's gaze was like the sun, impossible to look at directly.
Ren Zhi hoped she was being serious.
But she was also terrified that she was being serious.
Could she really be in a relationship? With Chu Xi.
Ren Zhi asked herself this question, but for a long time, she couldn't come up with an answer.
Chu Xi received a red dot notification on WeChat.
It was Yan Kun, sending her a friend request through the Jade-Carving Ballad crew's group chat.
Having just been kicked out by Ren Zhi, Chu Xi let out a frustrated and annoyed "tsk" and almost hit "Decline."
It was only because she happened to be walking back to her own dressing room that she changed her mind.
"Xixi! There's milk tea!"
The moment she pushed the door open, Jin Yuan called out to her happily.
Chu Xi looked inside the dressing room. A large pile of bags was in the corner, but there weren't many milk tea bags; most were mixed food bags.
On every makeup station, there was a cup of milk tea and a bowl of matsutake and radish soup from outside the scenic area. On her station, however, there were two cups of milk tea.
Yan Kun's assistant came over and said, "Teacher Chu, would you like some matsutake soup? I figured you'd prefer milk tea, so I got you that instead."
Very good. They were even large cups.
Chu Xi said, "No need to switch."
It seemed Yan Kun was treating everyone to milk tea again, but this time it was for the entire dressing room. The actors got soup, while the assistants and makeup artists got milk tea.
Chu Xi sat back down in her seat and took a couple of sips of her milk tea. Even though it was sugar-free, it was much better than plain soup.
She accepted Yan Kun's friend request.
Chu Xi: 【If you have something to say, just say it.】
She knew that when Yan Kun was being attentive for no reason, he had ulterior motives.
Yan Kun: 【Please teach me how to solve a Rubik's Cube.】
Yan Kun was too embarrassed to talk to her in public, probably because he felt it was beneath him to ask for a favor. What a kid.
Chu Xi typed with a smirk: 【So your hobby won't seem so lame? Do you want to learn for yourself or to show off?】
It was so direct. When Yan Kun saw the words "show off," he felt as if his thoughts had been seen through, and a sense of shame washed over him.
He explained: 【I really like it. I want to change the audience's impression of me.】
He didn't want to be mocked by everyone all the damn time!
Did they think he enjoyed seeing memes mocking his hobby day in and day out?!
Yan Kun thought to himself that he needed to find an opportunity to refresh the netizens' opinions.
By now, Chu Xi pretty much understood his needs.
Didn't he just want to show off in front of others and win back some face?
Chu Xi: 【Have you seen the painting "White Center"?】
Yan Kun didn't reply for a long time. In the mirror's reflection, he was still staring at his phone.
Chu Xi added: 【By Rothko.】
Yan Kun: 【You mean Moscow?】
Chu Xi: "..."
So stupid. Yan Kun actually thought she had made a typo.
Chu Xi gave up on the idea of giving him a lesson on art history and stated her requirements directly:
【If you want to show off, go buy 1200 Rubik's Cubes and move them to a place with enough space. If it's indoors, the ceiling needs to be at least 2.5 meters high.】
Ah… Yan Kun did indeed want to show off a bit…
Although Chu Xi's words were blunt, the fact was, she had precisely grasped his intentions.
So he agreed to buy that many Rubik's Cubes; they weren't expensive anyway. But he still wanted to ask what she was going to teach him. Unfortunately, the break on set ended just then, and it was time for the crew to get back to work.
Before heading out, Chu Xi passed by his seat and patted his shoulder.
"I'm busy lately," she said. "Let me know when you're ready, and I'll teach you how to score a point."
Zhou Yu watched from the side.
"A Kun, what were you guys talking about?"
Yan Kun: "Oh, it's nothing… just some personal stuff…"
Chu Xi had already left. Back in the dressing room, Zhou Yu pondered. She didn't seem to have any ulterior motives, but she was actually quite good at winning people over…
Last time, she was discussing hobbies with Zhuang Yuge, and now she was getting friendly with Yan Kun in private.
She was surprisingly good at making connections, Zhou Yu mused.
To be honest, Chu Xi was unsettled for the entire afternoon on set.
Ren Zhi would only look at her and speak to her when they were filming a scene together. The moment it was over, her gaze would shift away, refusing to even meet her eyes.
She wouldn't chat with her privately either and had even locked the door to her dressing room. She wouldn't open it even when Chu Xi knocked.
The only words Ren Zhi had for her came via a WeChat message:
【You calm down, and I'll calm down for a bit too. /[Smile]】
Confessions are risky. If you fail, you get kicked out. Chu Xi had learned another lesson.
Although she had learned something new, she felt a little uncomfortable.
But unlike the amateurish Yan Kun, even with her chaotic thoughts, her work efficiency was barely affected.
No, that's not right. If anything, her efficiency was even higher.
Chu Xi was in a greater hurry to get off work. She filmed tirelessly, skipping breaks during her solo reshoots, and urged the director:
"Can we continue? Let's not waste time."
The director was, of course, happy that Chu Xi was willing to work like a horse without a break. He immediately got to it, and after they finished, he even teased her with a smile:
"In such a rush to wrap up today? Got something on tonight? It's a holiday after midnight, you're not going to…"
The director trailed off there, giving her a knowing look without saying anything more explicit.
When it came to celebrities' love lives, if they didn't bring it up, you didn't ask.
This was especially true for idols.
As everyone knew, an idol dating was equivalent to their career collapsing. Even if they were really in a relationship, it was best you didn't know.
Chu Xi glanced at him and replied faintly:
"You're overthinking it."
It was just that Ren Zhi wouldn't let her say so much outside, so she was in a hurry to go home and say it.
The more she bottled it up, the more Chu Xi felt like a stone was lodged in her chest.
Was there some flaw in her?
Why wouldn't Ren Zhi accept?
She wanted Ren Zhi to agree.
She really, really wanted Ren Zhi to agree.
They should be girlfriends.
Just as Xiao Yuan had said, that way Ren Zhi could open her heart more to her, and she could stay by Ren Zhi's side for a long, long time.
After asking twice, Chu Xi realized she truly wanted to accomplish this.
Otherwise, the wish to be Ren Zhi's girlfriend would circle in her mind like a spell, impossible to shake off.
On the way home, she asked Jin Yuan:
"Do you think Ren Zhi likes me?"
Jin Yuan nodded firmly.
"She does! Teacher Ren definitely likes you too!"
Chu Xi: "I think so too."
Although she also believed this, she still asked.
She probably needed to find some satisfaction from Jin Yuan's words.
After all, Ren Zhi wasn't as honest with her as Jin Yuan was.
In the car on the way home tonight, Chu Xi no longer looked at Jin Yuan like she was a little fool.
She chatted with Jin Yuan, "You were right. I like Ren Zhi. I don't know if it has anything to do with my orientation, but I really, really like her."
Jin Yuan sat up straight in the passenger seat, turned to look at her, and blinked.
Chu Xi continued to praise her, "You provided me with a new way of thinking. I also think it's more appropriate for me to be her girlfriend."
Jin Yuan: "Wow!!!"
What kind of genius was Xixi!!!
Her learning ability was truly top-notch, and it was the same when it came to romance!!
Of course, if Jin Yuan knew her idol had already been rejected twice, she probably wouldn't think so.
Chu Xi pulled the car over.
"Alright, Xiao Yuan, I'm heading home. Be careful on the road and stay safe."
Once Chu Xi drove herself to the entrance of her residential complex, Jin Yuan would get back into the driver's seat and drive herself home.
"Go for it, Xixi!" she said, cheering Chu Xi on as they parted.
Chu Xi gave her an "OK" sign, not looking at all like someone who had been rejected twice, so naturally, Jin Yuan couldn't have guessed.
Over the course of the day, Chu Xi realized she liked Ren Zhi a lot.
There was no need to delve into what kind of like it was; she had already grasped the strong desire within her.
Her new wish was to be Ren Zhi's girlfriend.
The time after the rejection felt like torture. In Chu Xi's logic, the solution to a problem was always to break the current stalemate.
She had thought of a new idea.
It felt as if every second was passing slowly, filled with the anticipation and anxiety of waiting for a "yes" or "no." Chu Xi's blood flowed quickly as she installed an audio device in the drone.
Only after everything was done did she realize she hadn't even changed her shoes since coming home, nor had she turned on the lights in her room.
...
She rubbed her eyes. No wonder they felt so sore while she was working; she had been fumbling in the dark for half the day.
Hehe, Chu Xi was amused by her own antics.
But she let out a breath of relief. In the dim room, a gentle light flowed in her clear eyes.
She had inadvertently found a new kind of happiness.
It turned out that when you liked someone, the feeling of that affection was sweet.
Psychologically, Chu Xi had never experienced such a novel sensation.
Ren Zhi was definitely the most unique person she had ever met, in every sense of the word.
She now acknowledged this with all her heart.
Chu Xi switched on the room's lights and sent the drone flying.
It took a great deal of effort, cajoling and pestering over the phone, until she finally promised that "as long as Ren Zhi opens the window to let her drone in for the projection, she would absolutely not bother Ren Zhi anymore." Only then did Ren Zhi helplessly push the window open a crack.
Chu Xi was stubbornly persistent. If she were a dog with a bell, Ren Zhi was sure she would have been annoyed to death by now!
"Just open the window, please, my good sister. My eyes are about to go blind from making this, and there's no one to appreciate it. Just do me this one favor, just once… the last time, I promise it'll help you sleep well…"
A gust of wind from outside blew against Ren Zhi's face. She pinched the bridge of her nose, holding her phone. "Come in."
From the phone, Chu Xi said, "Hehe."
The drone tilted its head and swayed in front of her as if showing off, even doing a smug little spin before entering the room.
Chu Xi stared at the screen, operating the remote control, and flew it to a corner near the ceiling.
"I'll project from here, okay?"
"Do whatever you want, but don't look at me," Ren Zhi said, getting back into bed.
"Don't worry, I can't see you. My camera's perspective is up in the sky. How else could I project for you?"
The drone's head turned towards the ceiling, and a light suddenly shone, casting a pink underwater world into Ren Zhi's field of vision.
Chu Xi's eager voice came through the phone, "Is it pretty? Do you like this one?"
Ren Zhi: "...It's alright."
Was Chu Xi an unkillable cockroach?
Or was she trying to appease her again because she thought she had made her angry at noon?
Ren Zhi was a little bewildered by her, unable to understand what on earth Chu Xi had been thinking these past two days.
Was she just flirting on a whim? Or did she want to hear what Ren Zhi thought of her…?
The thoughts of a straight girl were truly hard to guess.
Just as Ren Zhi was sighing deeply, unable to figure it out, the white noise of deep-sea currents suddenly filled the room.
The moment it appeared, it instantly merged with the underwater projection on the ceiling, filling the entire room.
The water flowed with a slow, gentle thickness, occasionally punctuated by the sound of a fish blowing bubbles or swimming by at a faster speed.
Instantly, the air around her ears seemed to become soothing and tranquil.
Ren Zhi glanced towards the corner. The sound effects were coming from the drone.
"Did you design this?" she asked into the phone.
"Yeah. I felt it was missing something with just the visuals before. This is my improved version. I added natural white noise. Does it feel more relaxing?" Chu Xi laughed.
Ren Zhi turned over, burying herself under the covers. She couldn't listen to too much of Chu Xi's eager and attentive voice.
"You could sell this technology. A lot of people would be willing to pay for it."
It was cozy and sleep-inducing, a true blessing for insomniacs.
Afraid she would say something else, Ren Zhi quickly cut her off without pausing, "I'm going to sleep. Good night."
Chu Xi said softly, "Okay, good night."
Silence fell on her end of the line, leaving only the rhythmic, soothing natural white noise drifting through the air in the room.
Ren Zhi lay with her eyes open, unfocused, thinking about what kind of help she could offer Chu Xi starting tomorrow to repay her for all these things she had done.
It would also lighten her own psychological burden.
Perhaps then she wouldn't toss and turn, her heart so restless.
Although her mind was racing, under the dual comfort of sight and sound, a wave of drowsiness gradually washed over Ren Zhi.
Her eyelids drooped lightly, and she heard Chu Xi ask by her ear:
"Hello? Are you asleep?"
She didn't respond, thinking that if Chu Xi assumed she was asleep, she would hang up the phone herself.
And she was indeed falling asleep, very close to it.
Just as Ren Zhi lay motionless for half a minute, Chu Xi's voice suddenly drifted by her ear.
No, it came from above, gently emanating from the drone.
"Ren Zhi, I like you."
Ren Zhi's eyelids shot open, and she stared at the ceiling in shock.
A minute later.
"Ren Zhi, I like you."
The drone repeated.
The voice was as rhythmic and calm as the white noise, not intense enough to disturb Ren Zhi's sleep.
The sentence was simply set to play once a minute, inserted into the background audio.
"Ren Zhi, I like you."
"Ren Zhi, I like you."
...
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