CSGM - Chapter 122

Chapter 122: Give an Inch, Take a Mile

Chu Xi rested at home until eight in the evening.

Gazing at the inky blackness spreading outside the window, she grew increasingly restless.

She said to Xiao He, "Let's go. We're going to pick up Ren Zhi."

"Huh...?" Xiao He was stunned for a moment, looking at her somewhat weak complexion.

"But Sister Xi, hasn't your fever broken yet?" Xiao He wanted to tell her not to go out into the wind at night.

Chu Xi paid her no mind. She was already on her feet after saying that, looking impatient.

Right now, she wanted to see Ren Zhi.

Honestly, Ren Zhi actually had Xiao He stay with her, instead of staying to keep her company herself.

Chu Xi grumbled. Forget it, she would go find her herself.

"I'm fine. I'm going upstairs to change now. I'll be down in a bit, and we'll go together. If you don't go, I'll go by myself."

Xiao He quickly stood up from her chair. "I'll go, I'll go!"

Sister Zhi had arranged for her to stay home and help Sister Xi recuperate. Now that Chu Xi was going out, what would she do at home alone?

She didn't forget to remind her, "Then, Sister Xi, wear something thicker. It's colder at night!"

Chu Xi took half an hour to change.

Xiao He was starting to find the wait surprisingly long, wondering what was taking her. But when she saw Chu Xi coming downstairs, her jaw nearly dropped in shock.

Where was the big, windproof jacket she had imagined?

Why was Sister Xi wearing a black long coat that didn't look very thick? Not only was it unbuttoned, but underneath she wore a crop top, revealing a sliver of her abs and her delicate, smooth collarbones. Below that was a straight-cut long skirt in the same color as the coat.

A chunky silver necklace, earrings, a ring on her left hand—she had put them all on.

With red lipstick and a light base of makeup, the color returned to her face, and her handsome, refined features were on full display.

Her hair was untied, styled with a bit of wax, and combed into a wolf cut.

Wild and sexy. Xiao He instantly understood how she had spent that half hour.

Considering all that, half an hour was actually pretty fast...

Wait... they were just going to pick someone up. Anyone who didn't know better would think Chu Xi was going to a gala!

Xiao He drove to Film City. Chu Xi immediately switched cars, slipping into Ren Zhi's van, which was closer to the set, and watched her film through the window.

Xiao He followed, playing on her phone while occasionally glancing at Chu Xi, who was staring at Sister Zhi without blinking.

Her head didn't even move. Could that gaze be any more infatuated? She was practically turning into a "waiting-for-wife" statue...

She watched until filming wrapped up and the crew started packing up the cameras. Ren Zhi went to the dressing room to remove her makeup.

Chu Xi was about to get out of the car when Xiao He reminded her:

"Ahem... Sister Xi, Sister Zhi said you should wait for her in the car. Don't wander around the set."

Chu Xi obediently but regretfully said, "Alright."

After another half-hour wait, Ren Zhi came out wearing a mask.

When she pulled open the rear door and saw the person already sitting inside, smiling at her and patting the seat for her to get in, she was clearly taken aback.

Ren Zhi slowly got into the car and closed the door. She glanced at Chu Xi a few times before asking slowly:

"Are you here to walk a runway...?"

But she had to admit, Chu Xi's look had a certain flair to it, a bit more stunning than usual.

Chu Xi: "Not at all. You have to dress up a little when you go out."

She asked Ren Zhi with a grin.

"Have you had dinner? What do you want to eat when we get home?"

Ren Zhi asked her at the same time.

"Has your fever gone down?"

As she spoke, she reached out to feel her forehead. Chu Xi instinctively dodged back.

Chu Xi mumbled, "It's mostly gone..."

Hearing this, Ren Zhi shot her a glare, forcibly reached out, and felt that she still had a low-grade fever. She smacked her on the forehead, half angry, half amused.

"Chu Xi, is there something wrong with your head? You're not even better yet, and you're out here preening like a peacock?"

"Uh... now that you mention it, I do feel a little dizzy."

Chu Xi tilted her head and shamelessly leaned against her shoulder.

She even looked up, her eyes curving into a particularly happy, goofy smile.

Xiao He was reminded of that saying... what was it again... Even a fierce woman can't resist a persistent suitor.

Chu Xi asked, "Is there anywhere you want to go tonight?"

Ren Zhi said coldly, "Xiao He, drive home."

Chu Xi muttered under her breath, "Oh..."

Home was fine too. Home was good.

Then she really did rest her head on Ren Zhi's shoulder and dozed off for a bit. The dizziness was real, the kind where you feel completely drained of strength.

However, Chu Xi didn't forget to say softly, "A low fever is nothing. I'll come to the set with you tomorrow... Don't move, let me lean on you for a bit. I feel sick."

Seeing her looking so frail and weak, Ren Zhi's heart softened with affection. As expected, she tacitly allowed her to sleep on her for the entire ride.

She slowly raised her hand and held her a little tighter so she wouldn't sway with the car's movement.

Chu Xi gently and greedily inhaled her scent.

"Baby, you smell so good..."

Chu Xi said it as if she were talking in her sleep, the first two words mumbled indistinctly, but Ren Zhi could tell they definitely weren't the two characters of her name. It sounded like some kind of intimate nickname. She was startled and immediately warned her.

"Don't just say things!"

"Oh, I wasn't," Chu Xi argued, secretly delighted.

For some reason, that feeling just now made her heart race and filled her with a bit of excitement.

So this was what it felt like to give an inch and take a mile—it just got happier and happier.

Chu Xi's heart itched, like a new sprout that had broken through the soil and wanted to keep growing wildly upward.

If only she could say it one more time. Savoring the pleasure she had just felt, she couldn't help but lick her lips.

After getting home, the two had to part ways on the third and fourth floors, and time suddenly seemed to become dull.

Chu Xi didn't have many clear memories of that night. The only thing that stood out was Ren Zhi nagging her and watching her take her medicine before going upstairs.

As soon as Ren Zhi left, Chu Xi fell into a deep sleep in her bedroom.

The next day, she woke up still running a low fever and coughing, but it wasn't a big deal.

As the saying goes, recovering from an illness is like pulling silk from a cocoon—it's a slow process.

Chu Xi could bear it. She went to Film City and worked as usual.

On the surface, you couldn't tell she was sick or weak at all.

She saw some new faces on set.

There was the "mainstream goddess" Zhao Yuanyuan and the renowned veteran actress Wen Huixiang, who were also playing important supporting roles.

Although according to their Baidu profiles, both actresses were in their early forties, seeing their energy, complexion, and well-maintained appearance in person, they looked no different from women in their thirties.

On set, Zhou Yu complimented Wen Huixiang on how young she looked, saying you couldn't tell her real age from her face. Wen Huixiang laughed heartily, then pointed to her face and said:

"Ahaha, this cost money."

But Chu Xi wasn't one for socializing. After filming a few scenes, she had barely spoken to the other actors outside of her lines.

Wen Huixiang and Zhao Yuanyuan had simple hobbies. During breaks on set, they would find an unused table on the side, set up a game board, and play to pass the time.

Chu Xi saw the black and white stones. Go? I'll go see if it's interesting—

She went over and glanced at the board. It turned out they were playing Gomoku.

Instantly bored. Nope, I'm out.

But more and more people started gathering around their game table, lining up to play. Zhou Yu went, Zhuang Yuge went, and even some minor actors who weren't busy and were bold enough went to ask if they could play a round.

Of course. The two actresses were very welcoming and even gave up their seats to let everyone play together.

Jin Yuan saw how lively the set was and asked Chu Xi, "Xixi, aren't you going to join?"

Chu Xi glanced at her and asked in return, "Do you think a game like that is difficult?"

Her tone carried a hint of disdain.

Oh... Jin Yuan nodded. Gomoku was too simple for Xixi. Right, she would definitely find it boring.

Just then, the camera was on Ren Zhi. Yan Kun's assistant team delivered a dozen bags of fresh fruit to the set, and everyone rushed over to grab some.

Chu Xi's eyes lit up. She nudged Jin Yuan with her elbow. "Xiao Yuan, go!"

Some people on this set were like starving tigers pouncing on their prey. Chu Xi and Jin Yuan queued up together and only managed to get two bunches of purple grapes.

Chu Xi washed the grapes, had Jin Yuan bring her a paper cup, and sat down in an open area on the set. She peeled the grapes one by one and gently placed them in the cup.

Jin Yuan, watching her: "...?"

Then Jin Yuan glanced toward the camera and seemed to understand.

Teacher Ren wasn't done filming yet. Who Xixi was preparing this for was plain as day.

Chu Xi peeled the grapes while smiling at the filming in progress. Jin Yuan watched her, her eyes practically glued to her.

Oh my god, if this isn't falling in love, what is?

When filming was over, Ren Zhi walked out, and Chu Xi's gaze followed her every move.

Ren Zhi came over, and Chu Xi held up the paper cup. "I prepared this for you."

She looked down to see Chu Xi sitting on the stone steps, looking up at her attentively, her eyes sparkling with a smile.

I can't take it. Is this person part dog? Why do I always get the feeling she's like a dog proudly presenting me with a piece of meat?

Ren Zhi met her gaze for a second and felt as if a flame had struck her heart, burning fiercely. But the other person had already peeled the grapes and presented them to her; it would be rude to refuse.

Ren Zhi had no choice but to take the paper cup, but she immediately fled, saying:

"I'm going to go check that out over there."

The game table on the side of the set, surrounded by a crowd, became the perfect destination for her "hasty retreat." She plunged into the group, and her conversation merged with theirs.

"What are you guys playing... Oh, Gomoku. I know a little... I'll give it a try, but I'm not very good..."

Chu Xi craned her neck to look over, then headed in that direction.

"I want to play too," Chu Xi said, joining the circle.

Jin Yuan, trailing behind, looked at her with a knowing expression.

—Wow, just a minute ago you said Gomoku was too simple and boring.

Sure enough, wherever Teacher Ren was, that was Xixi's "most interesting place in the world." I'm swooning from this ship.

Jin Yuan lowered her head and snickered behind her.

Chu Xi got a chance to play against Ren Zhi, and she threw the game so hard you could fill the Pacific Ocean with the water she released. The onlookers, seeing how quickly she lost, even encouraged her to play a few more rounds.

Everyone was treating her like a "newbie," the subtext being: You're so bad, you can play more. We'll go easy on you.

Ren Zhi won another landslide victory. She lifted her eyelids to glance at Chu Xi. "Aren't you going to take this seriously?"

Chu Xi looked at her with admiration and smiled. "I was being serious. You're just too good."

Zhou Yu, standing nearby, joked, "No way, Chu Xi, you're this bad at Gomoku? The five- and six-year-olds in my village play better than you, hahaha..."

Chu Xi shot him a sidelong glance and ignored him completely.

After Ren Zhi stopped playing and left, she said to the onlookers, "I'll play one more round."

Then she glanced coldly at Zhou Yu. "You play."

Seeing that she was still unconvinced, Zhou Yu was amused. He sat down. "Fine, fine. I'll play."

"Xiao Yuan, go get my black blindfold," Chu Xi called to Jin Yuan.

She had two blindfolds for when she played blind characters in scenes: a white gauze one and a black one. While the white gauze was slightly translucent, the black one made it impossible to see when worn.

Jin Yuan left and returned quickly. To everyone's shocked and disbelieving gazes, Chu Xi tied the cloth over her eyes, knotting it at the back of her head.

"Xiao Yuan, you'll call out the coordinates for me."

She gave a cold laugh. You had to admit, she really had the air of an expert. She said to Zhou Yu mockingly:

"Come on. Hurry up and crush me with your superior skills."

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