Famous Actresses, Please Keep Your Distance From Me - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Cen Zhi didn’t know what grievance the city of Liucheng held, but even as she lay in Duan Rujin’s bed after showering, the rain outside was still pattering. However, she had no time to worry about that; only one thought swirled in her mind: Why is Duan Rujin’s skincare collection so incredibly complete?

Yet, she also knew her desire to leave wasn’t that strong. After all, if she really wanted to go, could Duan Rujin have forced her to stay?

The bed was large, about two meters wide. Both of them were relatively slender, and at the moment, they were on opposite sides, the distance between them even further than it had been at noon. The white sheets had a faint scent of laundry detergent—it wasn’t unpleasant.

The lights in the room were off, leaving only a single scented candle burning on the nightstand. The fragrance of gardenias drifted through the air, and the flickering shadows of the flame performed various dramatic plays on the wall.

Cen Zhi kept her eyes lightly closed, but sleepiness refused to knock on her door. Just as she let out a breath, she heard Duan Rujin ask, “Can’t sleep?”

“…A little.”

Duan Rujin’s voice was soft. “Me too.”

Cen Zhi’s lashes fluttered. She turned her head and, through the dim light, saw that Duan Rujin was also looking at her. Their eyes met. She didn’t shrink away; instead, she rested her hand under her face and asked, “Why can’t you sleep?”

“Maybe because I’m lying in the same bed as you?”

“…” Cen Zhi tried her best to keep her breathing steady, her reply carrying a hint of a comeback. “I didn’t see you having trouble sleeping at noon.”

No, Duan Rujin was truly strange. Why did she keep saying things that made her heart race? She was almost certain that Duan Rujin was, as Yu Lu said, a “straight girl.” Back in Yuncheng, when Duan Rujin asked what they should talk about, she had suggested “talking about a romance.”

And now, a similar conversation.

Duan Rujin seemed to just realize it. “Oh, right.”

Cen Zhi opened her mouth, wanting to say, “I didn’t see you having trouble sleeping five years ago either”, but she couldn’t say that. She suppressed the thought and changed the subject. “But don’t you think the distance between us is so far it would take twenty minutes by taxi?”

As soon as she finished speaking, Duan Rujin paused for a moment, then directly rolled over. In just a few seconds, the distance between them closed abruptly, leaving only about half a fist’s width of space.

Cen Zhi’s breath hitched.

She had been expressing that the distance was a bit far, but she hadn’t said she wanted to be this close—so close she couldn’t even smell the scented candle anymore. They were now sharing the same pillow.

“What about now? How long would a taxi take?” The dimples on Duan Rujin’s cheeks showed clearly, visible even in the dim light.

“One second, fine.” Cen Zhi propped herself up slightly to smooth out the wrinkled duvet.

What she didn’t realize was that as she did so, her hair brushed against Duan Rujin’s chin and neck, causing the person beside her to close her eyes. Cen Zhi finished smoothing the blanket and lay back down.

Perhaps being close really did help; she actually felt a bit sleepy. Before long, her eyelids grew heavy, and Duan Rujin beside her had already closed her eyes, her breathing even. Holding onto a sliver of consciousness, Cen Zhi whispered a soft “Goodnight.”

When she woke up, the rain outside was still falling. Through the partially closed curtains, the world outside was a hazy blur. It took Cen Zhi a few seconds to remember where she was.

Duan Rujin was already up and wiping her face in the bathroom. Cen Zhi sat up and reached for her phone. Besides new messages in her work group, there was one from Sun Shuyi. Sun Shuyi said they could have lunch together once she woke up, and then she would take her to the high-speed rail station.

Cen Zhi politely declined. She and Duan Rujin were heading back this morning; there was no need to wait until afternoon. Besides, there wasn’t much left to do at the shop; everything that needed to be taught had been covered yesterday. Strictly speaking, the business trip was two days, but half of it had been spent sleeping with Duan Rujin.

No, Cen Zhi quickly shook off that thought. Humans need rest; how could that time be counted that way?

“Breakfast is on the table.” Duan Rujin appeared at the bedroom door. Her face was bare, but its beauty was undeniable.

Cen Zhi nodded. “Okay.”

She was even wearing Duan Rujin’s pajamas, which fit her quite well. However, looking in the mirror felt a bit subtle—she had the strange illusion of being a “hidden lover in a golden chamber.” Cen Zhi had to admire her own imagination. She felt she was desecrating her pure friendship with Duan Rujin and felt a wave of self-disdain.

After breakfast, Xiao Yuan arrived. She handled the checkout at the front desk. Cen Zhi and Duan Rujin went to the basement and got into the car. They had to drop Cen Zhi off at her hotel to pack her things before they could leave together.

Cen Zhi went back into the hotel alone. Duan Rujin stayed in the back seat chatting with Xiao Yuan.

Xiao Yuan smiled. “Sis, your friend is wearing your clothes.”

“She didn’t bring a change of clothes last night.” In fact, she hadn’t given Cen Zhi the chance to get a change of clothes. It had to be said that seeing Cen Zhi in her pajamas and casual wear made her feel very pleased—it felt like she had “marked” her.

“By the way, Xiao Yuan, once we get to Yuncheng, you go back to your apartment first. I have something else to do,” Duan Rujin instructed.

Xiao Yuan understood but asked curiously, “Are you going to see that person?”

“Mhm.”

Xiao Yuan knew Duan Rujin had liked someone for several years, but she didn’t know the person was a woman, let alone that she had already met her. Duan Rujin hadn’t told anyone she liked Cen Zhi—not even her manager, Sister Rong. Everyone assumed the person was a man. Although the company told her she could date as long as it wasn’t public, they all defaulted to it being a man. Besides, she hadn’t made any real progress with Cen Zhi yet. She would deal with that later.

Cen Zhi didn’t keep them waiting long. In about ten minutes, she was back in the car, sitting in the back seat with Duan Rujin.

“I’ll wash your clothes and return them to you.” Cen Zhi had changed back into her own clothes—all black.

Duan Rujin had expected this and nodded. “Okay.”

The car hit the road, and Xiao Yuan drove attentively. Cen Zhi looked at the passing streetscape, pursing her lips. She wondered where that paper sunflower had been placed. She hadn’t seen it last night, and she hadn’t spotted it today either. It felt like some bizarre game of “treasure hunt.”

Once they were on the highway, Duan Rujin grew sleepy again, her head nodding off. Cen Zhi glanced at her, then at Xiao Yuan driving, and silently shifted a bit closer—but made no other move.

However, the moment Duan Rujin leaned against her, she couldn’t help but stiffen her body, her gaze fixed forward rigidly. She told herself that this action was strictly within the bounds of friendship.

But then, Duan Rujin did something that was definitely outside the bounds of friendship—

She grabbed Cen Zhi’s hand.

Cen Zhi glanced sideways at the person next to her. From this angle, she could see Duan Rujin’s long eyelashes. Before she could say anything, Duan Rujin leaned close to her ear and whispered, “You insisted on holding my hand while sleeping last night. Now, I’m taking my turn.”

Cen Zhi didn’t quite believe her.

As if to prove her words, Duan Rujin added, “If you don’t believe me, we can sleep together again tonight and try. I’ll record the whole thing.”

LMAO.

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