Famous Actresses, Please Keep Your Distance From Me - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Cen Zhi hadn’t intended to ask so directly. As she had thought that afternoon, she didn’t feel she had the right to dwell on it, yet she desperately craved the answer. Otherwise, what if she had misunderstood?

After agonizing for half an hour, she couldn’t hold back and sent the message. She had already wasted too much energy on this one sentence; she didn’t want it to continue.

While waiting for Duan Rujin’s reply, she couldn’t help but wonder what the answer would be. Fortunately, she didn’t have to wait long.

By Any Means: “Am I not worthy of being your friend?”

Cen Zhi let out a breath of relief, yet her heart felt heavy. As she suspected, she had misunderstood. It was a good thing she asked.

“You are worthy.” Cen Zhi sent the words, feeling suddenly drained of strength.

To avoid raising Duan Rujin’s suspicion, she immediately shifted the topic: “It’s likely to rain in Liucheng tomorrow, remember to bring an umbrella.”

This counts as a normal “friend” concern, right?

By Any Means: “You aren’t even in Liucheng, yet you’re checking the weather forecast there?”

By Any Means: “The heart of the “Mille-Feuille Cake” is known to all.”

Cen Zhi didn’t defend herself. During her period of hesitation, she had indeed been browsing, and because the thought was lingering in her mind, she had unconsciously looked at things related to Duan Rujin. Now that Duan Rujin had pointed it out jokingly, she realized she was being a bit too attentive.

It shouldn’t be like this.

Cen Zhi snapped back to her senses. She couldn’t let herself sink deeper into this relationship; things were fine as they were. She scrambled for an excuse: “No, it’s just that someone from a shop in Liucheng is coming to talk to us tomorrow, and they mentioned it.”

“Oh? What are you going to talk about?”

“They want to learn from our experience. The industry in Liucheng isn’t very mature yet.”

The two resumed their casual, lazy chatting until they eventually bid each other “Goodnight.” Cen Zhi looked out the window. Though it had been clear in Yuncheng for days, there wasn’t a single star to be seen. She lowered her eyes, trying to cast aside her inner turmoil.

She woke up on Thursday after a restless sleep. She didn’t look bad enough to need foundation to hide her complexion, but she hadn’t lied to Duan Rujin—people from a pet funeral service in Liucheng were indeed coming for advice.

They arrived quite early. Not long after Cen Zhi and Hao Man reached the shop, the guests appeared. One was named Song Lianyin, the other Xu He. After explaining their purpose to Feng Xingxing at the front desk, they were led upstairs to the meeting room.

Since there was only one body to prepare that morning and the schedule was set, Cen Zhi acted as the primary presenter. She used a PowerPoint presentation she had made herself—the very research she had been busy with lately—incorporating many of their own case studies.

By noon, Song Lianyin and Xu He were completely absorbed. In the afternoon, they followed Cen Zhi and Hao Man into the preparation rooms to observe the procedures. While these things can be figured out eventually, learning from a senior helps avoid many pitfalls.

Cen Zhi and Hao Man held nothing back, explaining as they worked.

“A pet’s body will stiffen and then soften. Stiffening happens because blood stops flowing and coagulates, making the muscles hard. Softening occurs as cells begin to break down…” Cen Zhi explained to Song Lianyin as she gently wiped the body of a dog, her voice soft and tender.

Song Lianyin, wearing a mask, nodded. “I see, Teacher Cen.” She then asked, “Teacher Cen, our boss wanted to ask if you could come to Liucheng for a visit?”

“Why would I need to go to Liucheng?”

“She wants you to provide some on-site guidance at the shop, including some of the decor details.”

Cen Zhi frowned. “It’s your shop; you can figure it out gradually. There are plenty of examples online. Just make the decoration and layout feel warm.”

“I said the same thing,” Song Lianyin admitted. “But the boss said she hasn’t seen you in a long time.”

Cen Zhi paused. “I can’t decide this on my own. Let me ask.”

Cen Zhi went back to the office and called Wen Lin, who was resting. It was mid-afternoon, but Wen Lin sounded like she had just woken up. “What is it?”

“Wen Lin.” Cen Zhi felt exasperated. “Do I really have to deal with your ex-girlfriend’s business?”

Cen Zhi hadn’t dated in years, but Wen Lin had. Her “hiding” was only from the general public. For instance, Sun Shuyi, who was now in Liucheng, was Wen Lin’s ex. In fact, Sun Shuyi was like Wei Shu—she had met Wen Lin at “Shining Star” after losing a beloved pet. Their breakup hadn’t been ugly, but there were still lingering feelings, and Cen Zhi knew it was one of the things that troubled Wen Lin.

Sun Shuyi had returned to Liucheng and opened a pet funeral center, using the “learning experience” excuse to send people to “Shining Star.” But shouldn’t the person invited be Wen Lin? Why was it Cen Zhi?

“Who knows what she’s planning?” Wen Lin grumbled as she fully woke up. “What did she say?”

Cen Zhi said calmly, “She wants me to go to Liucheng for a face-to-face consultation.”

“Is she paying for travel and a hotel? If not, don’t go.”

“Is that the point? If you want to go, go yourself.”

“I’m not going. She didn’t invite me. Besides, she’s my ex; I don’t meet with exes.”

“Heh, is that so?” Cen Zhi mocked. “I wonder who it was that got drunk and wanted to call her recently.”

Wen Lin: “…”

Wen Lin: “Just go. I’ll cover your shifts.”

“Fine. It’s just a business trip, not like it’s hard labor.”

The matter was settled. On Saturday, Cen Zhi followed Song Lianyin and the others onto the high-speed rail. Two hours later, she was in Liucheng. The rain was drizzling, much like those days after the Qingming Festival in Yuncheng. The sky was grey, and pedestrians were hurrying by.

Cen Zhi didn’t tell Duan Rujin she was coming. She was only staying for two days, and Duan Rujin had her own work. However, Cen Zhi knew deep down she wanted to see her; she was simply suppressing the thought.

She checked into her hotel and went to Sun Shuyi’s center. The location was far better than “Shining Star”—the surroundings weren’t desolate, and there were restaurants and fruit shops nearby. Since the shop hadn’t built a reputation yet, the staff were idle. When Cen Zhi arrived, Sun Shuyi was actually watching Animal World and sobbing uncontrollably.

“…Long time no see,” Cen Zhi used the clichéd opening.

Sun Shuyi pressed a tissue to her eyes. “Heavens, Zhi, why are you here now?”

“Didn’t Song Lianyin tell you?”

Song Lianyin and Xu He spoke up immediately: “Boss, we messaged you on WeChat, but you didn’t reply.”

“I was too engrossed in the show.”

Sun Shuyi led them to the lounge. She had wiped her face, but her eyes were still red. “Zhi, it really has been a long time. Are you well?”

“I’m fine.” Cen Zhi paused. “Even though you won’t ask, I wanted to say… she’s doing well too.”

Cen Zhi wasn’t there just for small talk. Once Sun Shuyi gathered herself, the two focused on the shop’s construction, pushing everything else aside. Sun Shuyi treated her to lunch, after which Cen Zhi returned to the hotel to rest.

As she sat on the sofa holding her phone, a message from Wen Lin popped up asking about the shop, but it was obvious who she was really asking about. Cen Zhi didn’t call her out and gave a formal reply.

After exiting the chat with Wen Lin, Cen Zhi saw the “orange” nickname and Duan Rujin’s cloud avatar. After a struggle, she messaged: “When are you going back to Yuncheng?”

Duan Rujin didn’t reply instantly. Cen Zhi wasn’t in a hurry and got up for a glass of water. When she returned, she saw the reply.

By Any Means: “Tomorrow.”

By Any Means: “You have to accompany me for my shot tomorrow; it’s the fourth one.”

It’s already been nearly three weeks. Cen Zhi felt a sense of trance. She typed: “Understood.”

Finally, she confessed: “I’m in Liucheng.”

The next second, a WeChat call from Duan Rujin came through. Cen Zhi blinked and answered. Before she could say a word, she heard Duan Rujin ask, “Where are you staying, Cen Zhi?”

Cen Zhi gave her the name of the hotel.

“Wait for me. I’m coming to find you right now.”

“Aren’t you busy at noon?” Cen Zhi’s hand instinctively clenched into a fist.

“Are you going to be busy in the middle of the day?”

“Not really.”

Duan Rujin’s voice tilted upward: “Then that’s that. I’m coming to see you for a nap. Is that allowed?”

“…It is.”

Their hotels weren’t far apart, and the one Sun Shuyi had booked for Cen Zhi was quite nice. However, Cen Zhi looked at her large double bed and fell into thought. Since she came alone, it was naturally a room with one large bed.

When Duan Rujin said “nap,” did she mean sleeping on this bed?

The wait was strangely anxious, but the moment the doorbell rang, everything went silent. She could only hear her own breathing. She walked over and opened the door.

Because it was a bit cold in Liucheng, Duan Rujin was wearing a hoodie and jeans, holding an umbrella. She wore a mask, and her hat was already in her other hand. Seeing Cen Zhi, her eyes curved. “What brings Miss Cen to Liucheng?”

“You didn’t ask on the phone?” Cen Zhi countered, letting her into the room.

Duan Rujin took off her mask and looked at her, saying leisurely, “How could I have said it clearly on the phone? What if one of the reasons was because I’m in Liucheng? I would have missed a wonderful moment.”

Cen Zhi met her gaze and gave a shallow smile. “Mhm. That was one of the reasons.”

Duan Rujin felt like her heart couldn’t take it.

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