Foreseeing the Future: The Scheming Film Queen and I Got Married - Chapter 22

“Eat some meat.” Zhong Ximei picked up a large piece of chicken for Gu Shiqiu. “Why do you keep eating vegetables, young lady? No wonder you’re so skinny. Eat more. If you don’t, that thing over there will eat it all.”

Dong Yao, who had been called “that thing,” had her cheeks puffed out as she ate one bite of meat after another, not touching a single vegetable.

One only ate meat, while the other only ate vegetables.

As Dong Yao ate, she said, “Mom, stop putting food in her bowl. Let her eat by herself. You’re making her uncomfortable.”

Zhong Ximei glared at her, and Dong Yao tactfully shut up.

Gu Shiqiu smiled and ate the chicken Zhong Ximei had given her.

The flavor was rather heavy, with a strong spiciness. Gu Shiqiu drank a mouthful of water. She was not quite used to it, but she still finished it.

“I keep looking at you and feeling like you’re a bit familiar, as if I’ve seen you somewhere before,” Zhong Ximei suddenly said.

“But for a young lady as pretty as you, if I’d seen you before, logically speaking, there’s no way I wouldn’t remember. How strange.”

Gu Shiqiu had just been about to reply when Zhong Ximei slapped her own forehead. “I remember now.”

As she spoke, Zhong Ximei got up and walked toward the cashier counter.

When she returned, she was holding a crumpled piece of paper. “I knew I’d seen you before. The person in this drawing—isn’t it you?”

The piece of meat Dong Yao had just picked up fell back into her bowl. Her neck stiffened slightly as she looked over.

What was going on? Hadn’t that drawing been tucked into the last page of the sketchbook? Hadn’t she already hidden it under the pillow and even covered it with the quilt?

How had it ended up in Zhong Ximei’s hands?

Gu Shiqiu took the drawing paper.

Dong Yao watched helplessly. She wanted to stop her, but it was too late.

Gu Shiqiu glanced at the drawing on the paper. It was only a simple line draft, roughly outlining a person. Although it was drawn hastily, it was not hard to tell that the person in the drawing was Gu Shiqiu.

Dong Yao buried her head in her rice bowl, feeling extremely gloomy.

She had hidden it precisely because she was afraid Gu Shiqiu would see it and feel embarrassed. After all, secretly drawing someone did not seem very appropriate. But now, with things like this, her hiding had been completely pointless.

Gu Shiqiu looked at Dong Yao. “You drew this.”

Dong Yao nodded, pretending to be natural. Since she had drawn it, she had drawn it. It was not a big deal. Just act natural and open about it. “Yeah. I just drew it casually at the time.”

Dong Yao looked at Zhong Ximei in slight annoyance. “Mom, why are you randomly taking my things?”

Taking it was one thing, but she had even shown it to Gu Shiqiu!!!

Zhong Ximei said, “Who randomly took your things? I picked it up from the floor a few days ago and put it at the cashier counter for you.”

Dong Yao was instantly left speechless.

Zhong Ximei continued, “Little Gu, you don’t know this, but my Little Yao has loved drawing since she was young. The only thing is, she doesn’t like drawing portraits. After all these years, this is the first time I’ve seen her draw a portrait…”

Dong Yao hurriedly covered her mouth.

My dear mother, please stop talking.

Zhong Ximei slapped her hand away. “What are you doing?”

Dong Yao gave her a look.

Zhong Ximei said, “Are your eyes cramping?”

Dong Yao: “…”

Gu Shiqiu laughed softly.

Dong Yao’s face heated up. She explained as if trying to cover things up. “I usually do draw portraits too. When I drew this one, I just happened to do it casually. Don’t misunderstand.”

Zhong Ximei knocked Dong Yao on the head. “What misunderstanding? What could Little Gu misunderstand?”

Dong Yao held her head where she had been hit, her eyes resentful.

Gu Shiqiu lowered her head and looked at the somewhat wrinkled drawing paper, her brows lifting.

“Can you give this drawing to me?” Gu Shiqiu asked.

Dong Yao awkwardly scratched her head. “It isn’t drawn well, and the paper is wrinkled.”

Gu Shiqiu said, “But I like it very much. Can you give it to me?”

Dong Yao tugged at the corner of her mouth. “If you like it, then take it.”

Gu Shiqiu smiled. “Thank you.”

After that, Gu Shiqiu’s gaze remained on the drawing paper the whole time, as if she truly liked it.

Dong Yao suddenly felt a little regretful. If she had known this thing would be given to Gu Shiqiu, she would have drawn it more carefully back then.

Gu Shiqiu temporarily put the drawing down, and her gaze landed on Dong Yao.

Dong Yao pretended to be eating very seriously.

Gu Shiqiu suddenly reached out. Because Dong Yao’s attention had been on Gu Shiqiu the whole time, she instinctively dodged backward.

Before Gu Shiqiu could say anything, Zhong Ximei said, “What are you dodging for? Even Little Gu couldn’t stand looking at it anymore and wanted to help remove the grain of rice from your face.”

There was rice on her face? Dong Yao randomly wiped at her face, but the grain of rice stayed exactly where it was.

Gu Shiqiu said, “Let me help you.”

As she spoke, Gu Shiqiu reached out and pinched the grain of rice from her face.

When her fingertips brushed across Dong Yao’s cheek, they brought with them a faint coolness and ripples.

After dinner, the sky outside had turned completely dark.

Gu Shiqiu’s car was parked about ten minutes away. Seeing that it was late, Zhong Ximei had Dong Yao walk her there.

The evening breeze was gentle, dispersing the heat.

From the roadside ditches and fields came waves of frog calls.

Under the dim yellow streetlights, the two walked side by side, chatting sporadically.

“Are you going back to Tobei overnight?” Dong Yao asked.

Gu Shiqiu hummed and said, “I have an advertisement shoot tomorrow morning.”

Dong Yao took out her phone and checked the time. It was already eight o’clock.

From here to Tobei, taking a bus and then transferring to a train would take five hours. If one drove, even at the fastest, it would still take three hours. If Gu Shiqiu left now, by the time she arrived in Tobei, it would basically be eleven at night.

And she still had to get up early for work. Clearly, she did not have much time, and yet she had come here in such a rush.

Going through all this trouble—was it just to see her?

What was there to see about her? If Gu Shiqiu really wanted to see her, wouldn’t a video call be enough? Running all the way here and back was so tiring.

Gu Shiqiu turned her head and noticed that Dong Yao was a little absentminded. “What are you thinking about?”

Dong Yao kicked at the grass by the roadside. “With you rushing like this, won’t you be very tired?”

Gu Shiqiu smiled faintly. “No.”

As they walked, Dong Yao casually pulled a piece of foxtail grass from the roadside and played with it in her hand.

Her mood felt heavy.

There was no particular reason why she was unhappy. It was only because Gu Shiqiu was about to leave, and the next time they met might be far, far away.

Before, she had still felt a little awkward being with Gu Shiqiu and did not know what to say. Now, it seemed she had become a little reluctant to part.

This change in emotions was truly unpredictable. Dong Yao could not help silently mocking herself.

Ahead, a black car was parked. It was Gu Shiqiu’s car.

Gu Shiqiu walked over, and Dong Yao followed behind her.

How had they arrived so quickly? She still wanted to keep walking with Gu Shiqiu for a while longer.

“Get in the car. Be careful driving at night.” Although she was reluctant inside, none of it showed in her words.

Gu Shiqiu hummed, opened the car door, and got in.

Dong Yao waved goodbye to her.

Bang.

The car door closed.

Dong Yao pouted. She was reluctant to part with Gu Shiqiu and had waved to her, but why did Gu Shiqiu look as if she could not wait to leave?

I waved goodbye to you. Shouldn’t you wave back at me too?

Dong Yao suddenly began to gnash her teeth childishly.

She had thought the car would start, leave her with a mouthful of exhaust, and leave her standing there pitifully and miserably. Unexpectedly, the car window slowly rolled down.

Gu Shiqiu leaned out from inside and said, “I almost forgot. I brought you a small gift, but I haven’t given it to you yet.”

Gu Shiqiu handed a small box out through the car window.

Dong Yao’s gloom was swept away. She happily bounced over. “Why did you bring me a gift too? Why are you so polite?”

Although her mouth said there was no need to be polite, Dong Yao’s hand accepting the gift showed absolutely no intention of being polite.

Gu Shiqiu said, “Since I specifically came over, of course I had to bring something. Besides, you gave me a drawing, so I naturally should give you something in return.”

Dong Yao’s hand holding the box stiffened. That drawing was not worth a return gift.

“Can I open it now?” Dong Yao asked.

Gu Shiqiu nodded. “Of course.”

Dong Yao immediately opened the box. It was a square pink paper box, tied with a blue ribbon into a bow. The packaging was exquisite.

For a normal person, the steps would be to untie the bow and open the packaging. For someone “not quite normal” like Dong Yao, she simply pulled it apart.

The delicate packaging instantly split apart.

Gu Shiqiu watched her method and froze for a moment, then looked at her with amusement and helplessness. Did she not know that pulling the bow would open it? There was really no need to be this “violent.”

This person was truly silly. Gu Shiqiu smiled silently.

Dong Yao, however, did not feel there was anything wrong. This was how she always opened things.

As soon as she opened it, she smelled a faint osmanthus fragrance.

It was osmanthus cake.

“Try it. I don’t know whether you’ll like it,” Gu Shiqiu said.

Dong Yao picked up a piece and put it into her mouth. It melted as soon as it entered, and the sweetness was just right—not too cloying. Ordinary osmanthus cakes tended to be a little dry, but this one was not dry at all.

“It’s delicious.” Dong Yao’s eyes narrowed slightly.

After finishing one piece, she immediately ate a second, stuffing her cheeks until they puffed out.

Gu Shiqiu observed the changes in her expression and knew that her “delicious” came from the heart.

It seemed she had chosen the right osmanthus cake. Dong Yao did indeed like eating it.

“Can I try some too?” Gu Shiqiu said.

Dong Yao picked up a piece and handed it over. She had just been about to speak when the words got stuck in her throat.

Because…

Gu Shiqiu leaned over and bit the osmanthus cake Dong Yao had handed her.

Her lips and tongue brushed across Dong Yao’s fingertips, soft, wet, and warm.

Dong Yao’s hand stiffened. She stared at Gu Shiqiu blankly, unconsciously swallowing the osmanthus cake still in her mouth.

Gu Shiqiu withdrew, tasted the osmanthus cake, and nodded. “Mm. The taste really is good.”

The osmanthus cake was delicious, but at this moment, Dong Yao could hardly taste it. All her attention remained on the sensation from when Gu Shiqiu had bitten the osmanthus cake and accidentally touched her fingertips.

Could this person not have taken it with her hand and then eaten it? Why did she have to bite it directly!

Dong Yao withdrew her hand. Her fingertips felt hot.

For some reason, her face also started to burn.

“Why that expression? Are you that reluctant to part with one piece of osmanthus cake?” Gu Shiqiu teased.

Dong Yao came back to herself. “No, it’s just… um, what brand is this osmanthus cake? It’s pretty good. After I finish these, I’ll buy more online.”

Dong Yao tried to use this to change the subject.

Gu Shiqiu raised her brows. “I won’t tell you.”

Dong Yao looked at her blankly.

Gu Shiqiu said, “You don’t need to know what brand it is. If you like eating it and want more, just let me buy it for you.”

Dong Yao frowned. “Wouldn’t that be troublesome for you?”

“But,” Gu Shiqiu said with a smile, “I really like it when you trouble me.”