Acting as the Movie Queen Love Rival’s Golden Finger GL - Chapter 18

“…Let her come over. Mm, two in the afternoon. I’ll send you the detailed address later. Okay.”

As Song Jianzhi spoke on the phone, she leaned toward the kitchen doorway and peeked inside. Ming Xu was wearing an apron, her sleeves rolled up as she busied herself at the counter. From behind, her waist was slim and her legs were long, her hair tied into a ponytail, neat and clean.

After the matter on the other end was settled, Song Jianzhi hung up, washed her hands, and moved a little closer. “Let me help.”

Ming Xu turned her head to look at her. “Do you eat spicy food?”

Song Jianzhi nodded vigorously. One look and it was clear she loved spicy food.

“Then I’ll make spicy lotus root cubes.”

“Okay.” Song Jianzhi answered, looking left and right. “What can I do?”

Ming Xu was still cutting bamboo shoots into thin strips. She quickly finished cutting the last bit, then opened the lid of the clay pot steaming with white vapor to take a look. The blood foam had already all boiled out.

She turned off the heat, took a white porcelain spoon from the utensil rack, and handed it to Song Jianzhi. “Here, skim the foam clean.”

As she spoke, she even demonstrated it for Song Jianzhi.

Song Jianzhi watched Ming Xu’s movements without blinking, learning extremely seriously.

Ming Xu wanted to rub her head again.

So obedient.

The slowest step in making tomato-potato braised beef brisket was the stewing. First, the beef brisket was stewed together with tomatoes, onions, and carrots for half an hour. Then Ming Xu picked up the lid again and instructed Song Jianzhi to pour in the cut potato chunks. She turned the heat low and stewed it for nearly an hour before finally taking it off the stove.

The other two vegetable dishes were made very quickly: cold dressed green bamboo shoots, spicy lotus root cubes, and a tomato egg soup. None of them took much effort.

“See whether it suits your taste.” Ming Xu handed Song Jianzhi a bowl of white rice, then sat down and picked up her own chopsticks.

Song Jianzhi expectantly scooped up a spoonful of beef brisket. The onions had already cooked down somewhat, and the broth was rich and fragrant. It tasted especially good mixed with white rice. The beef brisket was tender and flavorful, while the potatoes were soft and fluffy, having absorbed enough meat flavor to taste even better than the meat itself.

“It’s so delicious!” Song Jianzhi looked at Ming Xu with sparkling eyes. “Ming Xu, you’re way too amazing.”

Seeing her eat with such obvious delight, Ming Xu could tell she was genuinely happy, and only then did her heart settle a little. “As long as you like it.”

“Of course I like it!” Song Jianzhi swallowed a mouthful of beef brisket and remembered that in the original work, the female lead also knew how to cook. But when she was alone, she rarely did. Even when she had time, she would casually eat something simple like toast or egg noodles and be done with it.

Presumably, Ming Xu at that time had not been happy inside.

The bamboo shoots were refreshing, and the spicy lotus root cubes whetted the appetite. Song Jianzhi ate without even lifting her head, proving through action what it meant to be truly supportive.

After eating, they put the bowls and chopsticks into the dishwasher. Song Jianzhi had eaten a little too much, so she stood and walked back and forth around the apartment to digest, while saying to Ming Xu, “Someone from Xinghan will come over later. It’s your new manager. She’ll be responsible for taking over your upcoming matters.”

Remembering that in the original book, Ming Xu and Pei Zishu had always had a good relationship, but when Ming Xu left, Pei Zishu chose to stay at Xiwang, Song Jianzhi said, “If your original manager’s contract expires in the future and she wants to change companies, Xinghan welcomes her. You can tell her.”

Ming Xu took a sip of water, her expression calm. “We talked about this. She supports me leaving, but she still has other artists under her. She can’t just abandon them.”

“In any case, we’re still friends.”

Song Jianzhi also said, “One more friend means one more path. You’re all in the same industry, so who knows? Maybe you’ll meet again one day.”

Ming Xu then asked, “The manager Xinghan arranged for me is?”

Song Jianzhi tilted her head. “Ye Ziqing.”

“Ye Ziqing?” Ming Xu paused. Although she was not with Xinghan, she still knew about famous top-tier managers in the industry.

This manager had once brought out quite a few top artists. At present, she only had two artists under her. One was a Best Actor who had basically retired from acting in recent years, staying at home obsessed with gardening and health maintenance, only occasionally appearing on shows when invited.

The other was… Chen Yuanning.

In short, anyone who could make Ye Ziqing take action either had excellent potential or was a top-tier connection. And Ming Xu had never met Ye Ziqing before, so she could first rule out the possibility that Ye Ziqing had taken a liking to her abilities.

Then—

Ming Xu looked at Song Jianzhi. Song Jianzhi’s eyes were sparkling, the corners of her lips slightly lifted, and her cheeks flushed.

Like some adorable creature waiting to be praised.

With a little restraint, Song Jianzhi asked, “Ye Ziqing is Xinghan’s gold-medal manager. Her resources and connections are still passable. What do you think?”

Song Jianzhi: Is my work satisfactory? This manager I found! Is it satisfactory?

Ming Xu could not describe the feeling in her heart. It was like ice had been dropped into whiskey. Her heart kept melting, and tiny bubbles that made her tremble rose up, leaving her whole heart faintly sour and numb.

“Am I worth it?” Ming Xu finally asked softly, tightening her grip on the teacup in her hand. It was warm.

Having Xinghan terminate her contract for her—she believed she had that value. She and Xinghan would be mutually beneficial.

But Song Jianzhi had personally followed up on everything, and Ming Xu had dragged Song Jianzhi into such a matter. Even though Ming Xu had done her best to remedy it, people always had a hurdle in their hearts that they could not get past.

Now that she had only just calmed down a little, Song Jianzhi had placed another gift before her. A top manager in the industry represented connections and resources others could not obtain no matter how much they begged. It was a smooth road straight to the heavens.

Song Jianzhi was looking forward to Ming Xu’s approval, looking forward to her liking this gift. In those clean, crystal-clear amber eyes, there was no trace of any other thought.

Facing this kind of Song Jianzhi, Ming Xu began to doubt herself for the first time.

Did she truly have the value, the ability, to be worthy of all this?

Was she… worthy of someone like her?

“Of course!” Song Jianzhi said without hesitation, even looking a little confused, as if she did not understand why Ming Xu would think of that. But then she immediately began reflecting on whether this whole series of actions seemed too unnatural to Ming Xu.

After all, Ming Xu did not know about the system or the mission.

Song Jianzhi wrapped a finger around a strand of hair that had fallen in front of her chest and hurriedly tried to make up for it. “I told you when I poached you, didn’t I? You’re coming to fill Xinghan’s vacancy for a top female artist. You have to cooperate with Ye Ziqing and work hard to earn back the contract termination fee for the company.”

“You have to create lots and lots of revenue for the company, got it?” Song Jianzhi said fiercely.

Ming Xu looked deeply at her, then suddenly revealed a faint, clear smile. “Understood. Thank you, Director Song.”

S-Song Director?

People from Xinghan had called her that before, but when these three words came from Ming Xu’s lips, they somehow had a different feeling.

Song Jianzhi curled a finger and scratched her cheek, shifting her gaze away somewhat bashfully.

“N-no need to thank me.”

“Ding-dong.” The doorbell rang.

Song Jianzhi gave an “ah” and said, “That should be Ye Ziqing. I’ll open the door.”

Ming Xu set down her cup and stood. “I’ll go.”

Ming Xu walked to her side, placed both hands on her shoulders, and gently pushed her over to sit on the sofa. Then she restrained herself and let go, though her palms still retained the warmth and feel of Song Jianzhi’s arms.

“Director Song, please wait a moment,” Ming Xu said, a trace of laughter passing through her eyes.

Song Jianzhi could only sit obediently there, watching her client rush to do things for her.

Song Jianzhi: Did I press some strange switch?

Author’s Note:

The previous chapter has been revised. Little sapphics who haven’t read it can go back and take a look. Sending hearts.

An artist hooking up with a director—intoxicating.

Love makes people feel inferior, but love also makes people become better.

As the female lead of the original text who was bullied by that idiot, Sister Ming Xu is destined to be temporarily unable to compare with the idiot in terms of power. But our female lead is a growth stock. She has drunk plenty of Growth Happiness! [Not really.]

Not even one bottle of Six Walnuts for Wei Xiao!

The counterattack begins next chapter.

Thank you, bosses. Feeding all the bosses Six Walnuts!