Famous Actresses, Please Keep Your Distance From Me - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

A week had passed, and the marks from the wound on the webbing of Duan Rujin’s thumb had faded, leaving only faint traces.

Cen Zhi hadn’t expected Duan Rujin to do that, and she instinctively denied it: “I wasn’t.”

“Then I must have misunderstood,” Duan Rujin said. “But there are still two shots to go. It’s such an ordeal.”

Cen Zhi didn’t take the bait. She shifted her gaze to the cats in the enclosure. It was only April, so the weather wasn’t too hot yet, but by July or August, Yuncheng would become so hot it felt like people were melting—let alone these animals with their thick fur.

“I hope they get adopted within the next two months,” Cen Zhi said, having already folded her umbrella. “Otherwise, once summer hits, they’ll be very uncomfortable.”

Duan Rujin turned serious as well. “Mhm.”

Some of the cats were clearly very friendly. As they stood outside the iron gate, cats kept approaching them, wagging their tails and rubbing their heads against the mesh. Cen Zhi crouched down and cooperatively reached her hand in, petting their heads one by one.

One tabby cat suddenly turned and opened its mouth, aiming right for Cen Zhi’s hand.

Duan Rujin called out: “Be careful.”

“It won’t bite.” Cen Zhi didn’t pull her hand back.

The tabby indeed didn’t bite; it merely mouthed her hand gently before licking it, then wandered off, swaying its long tail.

Duan Rujin also crouched down, mimicking Cen Zhi by petting the other cats.

“You can also scratch their chins; they find it very relaxing,” Cen Zhi instructed from the side.

Duan Rujin followed suit, though she looked a bit puzzled. “Why were you so sure it wouldn’t bite you?”

“Because its posture was relaxed. If it intended to bite hard, it wouldn’t look like this.”

After petting the cats for a while, they washed their hands and moved to the next enclosure. They spent over an hour there before finishing the tour. This station had fewer animals than the one Brother Xin managed—about two hundred or so—but two hundred was still no small number. It meant at least two hundred families were needed for adoption.

The manager of the rescue station looked a bit dejected when he realized neither of them intended to adopt, but he still said goodbye politely and thanked them for coming.

Stepping out of the rescue station, Cen Zhi’s mood was neither heavy nor light. Over the past three years, she had seen many scenes like this. Despite doing her absolute best, there was always a lingering sense of powerlessness.

“My assistant has other things to do; she won’t be coming,” Duan Rujin’s voice brought her back to reality. “I’ll have to hitch a ride with you, Cen Zhi.”

Cen Zhi wasn’t surprised by this outcome and agreed quite calmly: “Mhm.”

“Eh?”

“No resistance at all?” Duan Rujin let out a soft laugh.

Cen Zhi gave her a flat look. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

“Don’t get used to it,” Duan Rujin said. “Otherwise, I might start pushing my luck.”

Cen Zhi pulled open the car door, offering no reply to that.

The car felt a bit stuffy from being in the sun, and the air inside was somewhat stale. Cen Zhi opened the windows to air it out before turning on the air conditioning. she drove seriously, though she wasn’t sure where they were going. It wasn’t until they hit the main road that she remembered to ask: “Where are you going?”

“Lunch with you. I don’t know where you’re taking me either,” Duan Rujin answered as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Cen Zhi: “…” Cen Zhi: “Fine.”

It was indeed lunchtime. She called ahead to a restaurant she frequented and ordered three or four dishes, reserving the most secluded table at the very back.

In less than ten minutes, the car pulled over to the curb. Having patronized this place for three years, Cen Zhi was very familiar with the owner and called her “Big Sister” like everyone else.

“I thought you’d be coming with Little Wen, Little Cen,” the owner greeted them warmly, her eyes lingering on Duan Rujin. “But this beauty… why does she look so familiar?”

Duan Rujin only smiled. “I also think Big Sister looks like someone I’ve known for a long time.”

Cen Zhi’s lips curved slightly. “Big Sister, I’ve known you for three years.”

“Oh, how could I forget! Please, come in, come in. The same spot as usual.”

The reason this spot was secluded was that it sat at the end of an extension, similar to the tip of a cleaver’s handle. It only had a few small square tables, and the walls were covered in unique graffiti. The overall decor was a bit retro but very clean, and the extension featured a window that looked out onto the bustling overpass outside.

“You managed to find a little shop like this.”

Cen Zhi poured her the standard lemon water provided on the table. “This is where I met Yu Lu.”

“I haven’t heard her mention that.” Duan Rujin added, “But since I told you how I met her, it’s only fair you give me some details now.”

“…”

Cen Zhi took a sip of lemon water. “When I first came to Yuncheng, I wasn’t very familiar with the area. I wanted to find a place to eat and ended up in this shop, which was struggling back then.”

“It doesn’t look like it’s struggling now.” Duan Rujin noticed that some tables already had appetizers served.

“Not anymore.” Cen Zhi smiled. “But at the time, Big Sister was almost forced to close. Even though the food was great, the location isn’t ideal, as you saw. There’s that wall outside, and ‘good wine needs no bush’ simply doesn’t apply here. Their dishes were delicious, but they weren’t getting new customers. That night, only a few tables were occupied—one was mine, and another was Yu Lu’s.”

Duan Rujin rested her chin on her hand. Big Sister brought the dishes out at that moment, beaming at her. “I remember why you look familiar now! I love watching your dramas. Don’t worry, our food is excellent. Little Cen was right to bring you here.”

“Thank you, Big Sister.”

Once the owner left, Cen Zhi continued: “Yu Lu was already a somewhat famous food blogger then. She was doing a review of hidden gems like this. However, she had forgotten her camera tripod that day. She looked around and approached me, asking if I could help her film.” she recalled, “I didn’t agree at first, but I went home and brought back my own tripod for her.”

Duan Rujin picked up her chopsticks and began placing food into her bowl. “Is that how you became friends?”

“Yes.” “After she finished filming, she came to sit at my table specifically to thank me and talk about food.”

Duan Rujin asked tentatively, “Are you a foodie too?”

“Is there anyone in the world who doesn’t like good food?”

Duan Rujin chuckled. “True.” she lifted her eyes. “Then what can we talk about?”

“Hmm?”

“I mean…” Duan Rujin paused. “Common topics. Like what you have with Little Lu.”

Cen Zhi’s eyes flickered. “Why are you asking that?”

“Come on, Cen Zhi. I don’t believe you can’t tell that I want to be friends with you.”

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