Famous Actresses, Please Keep Your Distance From Me - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Once the Qingming Festival passed, the rains in Yuncheng began to patter down. They were relentless, with no intention of stopping, shrouding the entire city in a misty, somber shadow.

By shortly after 5:00 PM, the sky had already lost any trace of light. The dim, damp pavement reflected the scattered glows of various streetlamps.

Inside the “Sparkling Star” building, every light was ablaze. The glowing shop sign on the front courtyard and the wall stood out sharply in this small industrial pocket, which was otherwise dominated by hardware stores and auto repair shops—because “Sparkling Star” was a pet cremation and funeral service center.

It was housed in a small two-story commercial building on the Second Ring Road. The location was somewhat remote, tucked near a highway overpass with the constant hum of traffic nearby.

At this moment, several cars were parked in the yard. Being Saturday, more owners had come to commemorate their beloved pets or hold farewell ceremonies.

On the second floor, in the pet body preparation room, Cen Zhi was cleaning the remains of a Corgi. The dog was only three years old, with the common orange-and-white coat and a sturdy build; it was clear he had been well-cared for. Under normal circumstances, he should have been running vibrantly somewhere else, rather than lying silently on this preparation table.

The freshly blow-dried fur was soft, but the body was stiff. His eyes remained open due to the loss of muscle tension. This was the third pet Cen Zhi had prepared today.

Wearing a mask and leaning over, she left only her eyes exposed as she met the gaze of the breathless little dog. Her breathing was light. Wearing gloves, she gently gripped his upper and lower eyelids, squeezing lubricant onto them until the eyes finally closed. Then, she picked up a cotton swab to begin clearing the debris from his ears.

The cleaning process for a pet was extensive. After a series of meticulous steps, nearly thirty minutes had passed by the time she finally straightened her back.

She packed away her tools—discarding what needed to be thrown out and disinfecting the rest—before pushing the small table through a door in the wall to the adjoining farewell room. There, she began decorating the area with dried flowers.

The farewell room was thoughtfully arranged. It featured photos of the pet’s life, his favorite toys, and cans of food. A small blackboard at the front displayed the date: “April 8, 2023” and “Kongkong’s Farewell Ceremony.”

“Kongkong” was the Corgi’s name.

Cen Zhi stroked his head one last time. Feng Xingxing, the receptionist, poked her head through a crack in the door and whispered, “Sister Cen, can I let the owners in?”

“Yes.”

Feng Xingxing opened the door wide. Within seconds, a young couple appeared. At the sight of their pet’s current state, their eyes—already swollen from crying—began to overflow again. The man held himself together slightly better, but the woman broke down again, sobbing the dog’s name as she held his body.

But the Corgi would never respond again. He wouldn’t perk up at the sound of his name or wag his short limbs to rush toward them.

The door closed. Outside, the rain continued to fall. Inside, the light was soft, and the owners’ cries were filled with grief.

Cen Zhi stood to the side with her head bowed. Behind her mask, her lips were pursed. Even though she had prepared nearly a thousand pet remains over the past three years, she was still moved by scenes like this.

After a long while, once the owners seemed a bit more stable, Cen Zhi spoke softly: “Shall we begin the ceremony?”

“…Yes,” they replied, their voices thick with congestion.

Cen Zhi lit the candles, their flames flickering slightly. In the solemn silence, the owners placed flower petals over Kongkong’s body. Their fingers trembled; tears fell one by one.

The woman choked up again, her voice breaking as she said her goodbyes: “You were only three. You must be a very young and cute puppy in Doggy Heaven… Mommy misses you so much…”

Cen Zhi left the room amidst the sound of her trembling voice.

The farewell ceremony wouldn’t end quickly. Another staff member would be responsible for transporting Kongkong to the suburban crematorium later. Normally, Cen Zhi would stay longer to talk with the owners about the pet’s life, but today she was out of time.

She went to the staff restroom, removed her mask, washed her hands, and took off her work clothes. Her clear, elegant face was no longer hidden. Looking in the mirror, her gaze was calm, though her complexion was a bit dull from a poor night’s sleep.

After a few seconds, she pulled off her hair tie, letting her wavy hair fall back. Exhaling deeply, she left the restroom, put her uniform in her locker, and grabbed her phone and crossbody bag.

Predictably, several messages from Yu Lu were waiting on WeChat.

Yu Lu: It’s almost time! Ah-Zhi!

Yu Lu: Don’t you dare flake on me for work again!

Yu Lu: One hour left!!! If you’re late, you better start thinking of an apology!!!

The sheer number of exclamation marks made Cen Zhi’s eyes ache. She let out a small huff and replied: On my way.

Today was Yu Lu’s birthday. As a friend of three years, Yu Lu had sent her the invitation a month ago. She had rented out a “Trendy Play” arcade district in Yuncheng so her friends could enjoy all the games without waiting in line.

Cen Zhi wasn’t fond of parties, but Yu Lu’s enthusiasm was hard to refuse. Moreover, this was Yu Lu’s 30th birthday—a significant milestone. The only issue was that Cen Zhi’s profession often involved “last-minute” calls. After all, accidents and deaths are unpredictable, so she could never guarantee a 100% on-time arrival.

Yu Lu understood this and never truly blamed her, though her verbal prodding was constant. It looked like she might just make it.

Cen Zhi went to the front desk and tapped on the counter. Feng Xingxing, who was watching celebrity videos on mute, looked up and smiled. “Sister Cen.”

“My phone might be away where I’m going. If there’s an emergency, just contact Wen Lin. I’ve already told her.”

“Sparkling Star” was a partnership between Cen Zhi and Wen Lin. It was Wen Lin who had spotted the market gap and brought Cen Zhi to Yuncheng to pioneer the business. Unexpectedly, they had persevered, and the shop was now one of the top pet funeral homes in the city.

“Got it, Sister Cen.” Feng Xingxing pointed habitually to a bouquet of flowers sitting nearby. “That guy from the auto repair shop sent these again…”

Feng Xingxing didn’t even bother mentioning his name. In her two years at the front desk, she had accepted so many flowers for the two bosses that she had stopped using names, referring to them as “the auto repair guy” or “the hardware store guy.” Names didn’t matter because the bosses never remembered them anyway.

She had to admire their thick skin; they kept trying despite being rejected so many times. But looking at her boss’s face, Feng Xingxing felt it was entirely understandable.

“I’ll come in tomorrow and turn them into dried flowers; the shop needs some anyway,” Cen Zhi smiled. “Get home safe tonight after work. I’m heading out.”

“Bye, Sister Cen!”

Meeting Yu Lu at 6:30 PM didn’t leave much time. Cen Zhi got into her car and used the few minutes to apply a quick makeup look. Outside, the rain was fine and dense, coating the windshield; the rhythmic thud of the wipers was the only sound in the car.

Cen Zhi hated this kind of weather. She preferred a torrential downpour that was over quickly. To make matters worse, it was dinner time, and the traffic on the overpass was as thick as sludge.

If Wen Lin were driving, she’d be throwing a fit by now, but Cen Zhi remained unruffled. It seemed as though nothing had been able to stir her emotions for years. Or perhaps she was simply used to the gridlock.

After advancing another agonizing few meters, Yu Lu called. Cen Zhi put it on speaker. “Yu Lu.”

She was in the habit of using people’s full names, avoiding overly affectionate nicknames. Yu Lu called her “Ah-Zhi,” but Cen Zhi never reciprocated.

“Are you finished?” Yu Lu asked.

Watching the slow crawl of cars ahead, Cen Zhi tucked her hair back. “Mhm. I’m on the road, but I’ll probably be a few minutes late.”

“Fine,” Yu Lu said. “But you won’t be the last one, don’t worry.”

Cen Zhi laughed softly. “I’m not worried. I know some of your friends are world-class procrastinators.”

“Today is different, hehe.” Yu Lu’s laugh was mysterious. “I’ll give you a little spoiler: there’s a heavyweight guest coming tonight.”

“Is this a spoiler just for me, or do all your ‘sisters’ know?”

“Agh! Being a straight girl means you can just do whatever you want, doesn’t it!”

Cen Zhi stopped teasing and asked, “Which influencer friend is it?”

Yu Lu was a food blogger with millions of followers. Over the years, she had met many celebrities and influencers. Because she had so many friends, she had rented out the entire arcade district.

“It’s a huge surprise. I’m definitely not saying who,” Yu Lu urged. “Just hurry up.”

“I’m trying.”

The call ended. Cen Zhi gripped the steering wheel, her face expressionless as streetlights flickered across the car’s interior. When she finally exited the highway, she hit a red light. The drizzle continued, and most pedestrians were still huddled under umbrellas.

Cen Zhi glanced toward a large LED screen on a nearby mall. It was playing an advertisement for a jewelry brand. The spokesperson in the ad was the popular actress, Duan Rujin.

Duan Rujin’s beauty was top-tier even in the star-studded entertainment industry. When she first burst onto the scene four years ago, she had instantly gained a massive following based on her looks alone. Even now, passersby stopped at the foot of the screen just to admire her.

Cen Zhi didn’t even pause the tapping of her finger on the wheel. She looked for a moment, then calmly looked away.

Ultimately, just as she predicted, she arrived five minutes late to the arcade. Located in a prime mall area, the foot traffic here was much higher than at “Sparkling Star.” Yu Lu’s ability to book the place during peak hours was a testament to her wealth.

The mall was crowded. The fifth floor was mainly for entertainment, featuring a cinema, an ice rink, and a children’s park. As soon as Cen Zhi stepped out of the elevator—surrounded by noisy kids—she saw Yu Lu standing twenty meters away at the entrance, waving at her.

Cen Zhi walked over and handed her the gift she had prepared. “I’m late, but no punishment.”

“The punishment is that you can’t dodge the camera tonight. I have barely any selfies with you in my album, little sister.”

Cen Zhi nodded frankly. “Fine.”

Yu Lu laughed and patted her shoulder. “Go on in. Remember to put on the non-slip socks. I’m going back to the elevator to pick someone up.”

“Is the ‘heavyweight guest’ here?”

Yu Lu grinned mischievously. “Yep. You’ll never guess who it is.” She handed the gift bag back to Cen Zhi. “Take this inside and put it in a locker for me, I almost forgot.”

“Okay.”

Cen Zhi didn’t care who the guest was. She was just here for Yu Lu’s birthday. It had nothing to do with her.

She took the bag to the front desk to register, then swiped her card to enter the storage and waiting area. The people inside were all close friends of Yu Lu; Cen Zhi had met them before.

“Meeting again,” Cen Zhi said with a light smile, putting her bag and the gift into a locker.

A girl named Xiao Shi handed her non-slip socks and teased, “Ah-Zhi, you’ve entered the ‘Silk Cave’ (web of women) again.”

“You guys see a straight girl and act like you want to carry her off into the night.”

The sexual orientation of these women matched their gender; Yu Lu was the same.

Xiao Shi’s expression immediately soured. “…D*mn, seriously. The straight girl I met recently was too much. She actually asked me in a bar if I wanted to go to the restroom to kiss. Like, what even is that?”

The other women crowded around to gossip about the details, asking Xiao Shi why she didn’t just agree—it’s not like she’d lose anything by sleeping with a straight girl.

As Cen Zhi changed her socks, her eyelids twitched at their words.

Five years ago, I thought the same thing.

However, she was never one for emotional gossip. She pulled out her phone to check the work group chat for “Sparkling Star.” Kongkong had been sent to the crematorium, and the owners had gone along, crying their eyes out again.

That was when Yu Lu walked in with her “heavyweight guest.”

Just as Cen Zhi was sighing internally for Kongkong, she heard Xiao Shi and the others gasp and whisper “Wow,” trying to suppress their excitement.

“First time meeting you all.”

Hearing that voice—as clear and cool as a mountain stream—Cen Zhi’s nerves jolted. She lifted her eyelids.

The newcomer happened to tilt up the brim of her cap, looking straight toward her. The rest of the introduction fell clearly into her ears:

“I am Duan Rujin.”

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