Everyone in the Entertainment Industry Thinks I’m a Flirty Diva [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 47

Chu Xi noticed Gu Mingjing seemed somewhat disdainful of her spiked club and indignantly defended it: “Don’t look down on it! This is the souvenir I won on my first day filming the show today! It’s one-of-a-kind and very meaningful, okay? I bet you’ve never received such a unique gift in your life!”

Gu Mingjing’s eyelid twitched at the word “unique” as he eyed the spiked club Chu Xi was handing him.

Still, he slowly reached out, gradually inching closer to the club.

Chu Xi, however, seemed impatient with his slowness and boldly shoved it into his arms: “Take it!”

Gu. Holding-a-spiked-club. Domineering-CEO. Mingjing: “………………”

After presenting the club, Chu Xi noticed Gu Mingjing still looked sullen, showing no joy as a birthday recipient should. She couldn’t help muttering, “It’s your birthday, not a death anniversary. Why the long face?”

Chu Xi had whispered this without expecting a response, but Gu Mingjing suddenly replied, “It is my mother’s death anniversary.”

Chu Xi looked up: “Huh?”

Realizing what he’d said, she immediately stammered an apology: “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

Gu Mingjing smiled self-deprecatingly: “It’s fine.”

Chu Xi fell silent, now understanding why Gu Mingjing was in no mood to celebrate and why Assistant Gao had been so desperate to trick her into coming.

Though Assistant Gao might have exaggerated somewhat about Gu Mingjing’s current state.

Still, having one’s birthday coincide with a parent’s death anniversary would dampen anyone’s spirits.

Chu Xi eyed the spiked club in Gu Mingjing’s arms.

He’s already suffering so much, and you gave him this ridiculous thing.

She slowly reached out: “Maybe… you should give it back to me.”

Gu Mingjing: “???”

The man who had seemed to disdain the club moments ago now tightened his grip on the handle.

Chu Xi: Hmph.

As the saying goes, the birthday person reigns supreme. Chu Xi forgave Gu Mingjing’s earlier obstinacy. Seeing him like this, she vaguely sensed that because of this reason, he might never have properly celebrated a birthday since childhood.

It was quite pitiful. No matter what, her grandmother would always make her a bowl of longevity noodles on her birthday every year.

Chu Xi noticed several liquor bottles on the bar counter and knew Gu Mingjing hadn’t eaten. He probably dismissed takeout as unhygienic and beneath him. She opened the fridge and found it packed to the brim—vegetables, meat, all kinds of ingredients. The housekeeper must have restocked it during her regular cleaning visits every few days.

Chu Xi shook her head at the fully stocked fridge.

Gu Mingjing was about to become the first person in history to starve to death despite having a pantry full of food.

Since she was also hungry, Chu Xi decided to repay his kindness in full. Rolling up her sleeves, she searched the kitchen for an apron.

Gu Mingjing: “You’re…?”

Chu Xi put on the apron, tying the straps into a bow behind her back. “Cooking. Aren’t you hungry?” She glanced at him, caught a whiff of alcohol, and wrinkled her nose. “Go take a shower and change your clothes.”

“Alright.” Gu Mingjing knew he smelled unpleasant. Clutching the baton Chu Xi had given him, he left.

By the time he returned after showering and changing, the aroma wafting from the kitchen was already making his stomach growl.

Standing at the kitchen doorway, Gu Mingjing saw Chu Xi in a beige apron, her once-short hair now grown to a medium length and tied loosely at the nape of her neck. She was bent over, tasting the soup from the pot with a ladle.

He had no idea Chu Xi could cook—and judging by the smells, she was quite good at it.

Back when they were together, they mostly ate out. He’d never asked her to cook, and she’d never offered.

Hearing Gu Mingjing approach, Chu Xi set down the ladle and tugged at his sleeve as if she’d been waiting for him. “Come here, come here.” She handed him her phone, then pushed up her sleeves. “Finally. Quick, take a picture of me.”

The moment Gu Mingjing raised the phone, the warm, cozy kitchen atmosphere erupted into chaos. With a whoosh, flames roared from the wok, the heat blasting against their faces. The sudden spectacle nearly made him drop the phone, but he managed to snap a shot just in time. Then, the flames vanished, and Chu Xi was already wielding the spatula and wok with gusto, stir-frying vigorously.

Once the sautéed beef was plated, Chu Xi wiped her hands on her apron and checked the photos Gu Mingjing had taken. Satisfied, she nodded—he’d perfectly captured the most thrilling moment of her flipping the wok mid-flame.

Three dishes and a soup were served: sautéed beef, steamed yellow croaker, stir-fried greens, and tomato egg soup.

Gu Mingjing had barely glanced at the spread when Chu Xi rushed over, urgently stopping him. “Don’t touch it yet!” She raised her phone and snapped several pictures of the dishes. After reviewing them, she said, “For my Weibo post. Okay, now we can eat.”

Pleased with how the dishes turned out today, Chu Xi compiled a six-photo collage—Gu Mingjing’s action shot of her cooking and her own shots of the finished dishes—applied a food filter, and posted it on her verified Weibo account, “Actress Chu Xi.”

The caption read: “Let me treat you to a meal~”

She hadn’t posted in a while, mainly because she wasn’t sure what to share. But her fans had been clamoring for updates daily, and today, she’d finally found the perfect material.

Only after posting did Chu Xi pick up her chopsticks with contentment.

The dishes looked quite appetizing, and she had already posted them on Weibo. However, only two people would actually get to taste them.

Chu Xi silently thought that Gu Mingjing was getting off easy, but since it was his birthday today, she let it slide.

Lured over by Assistant Gao’s exaggerated flattery and coaxing, she had even stayed to cook for him since he had no one to celebrate his birthday with. She truly was both beautiful and kind-hearted.

The two sat facing each other as Gu Mingjing picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the beef strips.

Chu Xi asked expectantly, “How does it taste? Pretty good, right?”

She wasn’t some female lead from a cheesy drama who would serve the male lead a dish without even tasting it herself, only for him to choke it down with forced praise. She had already sampled each dish—while they might not compare to a five-star hotel, they were definitely on par with a decent little restaurant.

Gu Mingjing nodded. “Mhm. Delicious.”

Chu Xi then picked up a small bowl and served him some tomato and egg soup. “Try this too.”

Gu Mingjing obliged, finishing the entire bowl she had given him.

She made sure he tasted all three dishes and the soup, each receiving his approval, before finally letting him eat in peace. Her mood was thoroughly uplifted.

For a while, neither spoke. Gu Mingjing kept his head down as he ate, only to suddenly notice Chu Xi hadn’t touched her food—she was silently watching him with a slightly odd expression.

He looked up questioningly.

Their eyes met, and Chu Xi pursed her lips before suddenly saying, “Don’t you think… right now, I kind of seem like someone to you…”

Gu Mingjing was momentarily stunned by her fair, delicate face.

He recalled how she had looked in the kitchen, wearing an apron as she bent over the stove to prepare the meal.

She did resemble someone.

The rare warmth in the house felt like that of a hostess.

Just as Gu Mingjing seemed about to say something, Chu Xi burst into laughter:

“Don’t I seem like your mom today?!”

“Are you a little happier now?!”

She even raised an eyebrow at him and threw in a wink.