My Straight Childhood Friend Successfully Pursued Me After The Breakup - Chapter 43.1

A person won’t, and shouldn’t, fall into the same pit twice.

Even more so, the first time she fell was because the pit was covered with green turf and adorned with tempting little cakes.

Zuo Xian couldn’t resist the temptation and didn’t see the trap, so she fell head over heels into the pit.

But after falling once, and finally climbing out, she looked back to see the green turf torn away, revealing a deep, dark hole, and the little cakes mashed into a muddy mess.

Zuo Xian would have to be out of her mind to package herself up and throw herself back in.

However, having this confidence in herself didn’t mean everyone else had confidence in her.

As Liu Xinyu, who accompanied Zuo Xian through that dark period, her first reaction upon learning that the drama’s producer was Tao Ran was to take Zuo Xian and leave.

On the first day of filming, Zuo Xian was just arriving on set when Liu Xinyu pulled her into a corner. Everyone around stared, momentarily stunned.

Guan Wen, who was walking behind, quickly explained their relationship to prevent everyone from thinking that Forensic Doctor Liu was kidnapping the makeup artist.

“What are you doing?” Zuo Xian was dragged into a makeshift props room by Liu Xinyu.

It was only thirty or forty square meters, filled with props of all sizes. Zuo Xian picked a chair and slowly sat down.

Liu Xinyu saw her still looking calm and relaxed, and her temples pulsed. “You can still sit down right now?”

“I don’t have hemorrhoids, why can’t I sit down?”

Hearing her still joking around at a time like this, Liu Xinyu’s expression grew even more serious. “You didn’t know the producer of this drama is Tao Ran, did you?”

“I knew.”

“When did you find out?”

“Yesterday.”

Liu Xinyu: “Then you…”

Liu Xinyu carefully weighed her words, frowning deeply, and finally squeezed out two words: “Aren’t leaving?”

For someone who was usually sharp-tongued to become so cautious, even hesitant, showed how serious this matter was.

Yet, for something so major in Liu Xinyu’s eyes, Zuo Xian, as the person involved, acted completely indifferent.

“Why should I leave? I signed a contract. If I leave, will you pay the penalty?”

Hearing this, Liu Xinyu paused, then she seemed to have imagined something, and her brows furrowed with disgust.

“She played a trick on you?”

During the time Tao Ran was gone, Liu Xinyu often used her to wound Zuo Xian, but when she reappeared, the one most worried about Zuo Xian and most resistant to Tao Ran was Liu Xinyu herself.

“Can’t it be because of my superior skill?” Zuo Xian said lazily. “I’m one of the hottest makeup artists in the entertainment industry, you know.”

Liu Xinyu stared at her. “What do you mean, you’re going back to her?”

“You’re overthinking it. Can’t it be that I’ve let go?” Zuo Xian had been dissatisfied with Liu Xinyu’s tactless way of speaking for a long time.

How could someone so accurately say what she least wanted to hear every single time?

“Let go?” Liu Xinyu let out a laugh, and then her smile slowly disappeared. She looked directly at Zuo Xian, but couldn’t change her choice.

An indescribable feeling surged up from her heart. Liu Xinyu couldn’t say what it was, but there was probably a sense of being frustrated with her for not living up to expectations, and worry.

More than anything, it was a sense of helplessness.

Liu Xinyu took a step back. “Fine, just make sure you know what you’re doing.”

“If there’s nothing else, I’m going to work. Your professional guidance is finally idle, and now it’s my turn to be busy.”

With that, Zuo Xian stood up and was about to walk out when her wrist was suddenly grabbed by Liu Xinyu.

“Seriously, what do you want?” Zuo Xian impatiently shook her hand, but couldn’t pull it away.

Though her younger cousin was shorter than her and had an innocent, rounded face, she was a regular at the gym.

Zuo Xian only looked tall; she was actually a complete klutz when it came to exercise, otherwise, she wouldn’t have been dragged off by Liu Xinyu.

They hadn’t spoken yet when the door of the props room was suddenly pushed open. The set manager, leading Tao Ran, saw the two of them as soon as they opened the door.

Tao Ran’s gaze fell on their clasped hands, but she quickly looked away after just a second.

“Teacher Zuo and Forensic Doctor Liu, what are you looking for? You can ask me if you want to find anything. I organized all of these, so it should be easy to find.” The set manager chuckled.

“Nothing.” Zuo Xian shook Liu Xinyu’s hand again, and this time she pulled free. Rubbing her left wrist, she said casually, “I came to see if there were any small accessories. Do you know where the honorary medals we bought were placed?”

“Those have already been taken to the makeup room.”

Zuo Xian was surprised and immediately praised, “You are so thoughtful! Some of the crews I’ve worked with before made me go pick things out from the props room myself.”

The set manager was praised and looked a little embarrassed. “It’s just my job.”

“In that case, Forensic Doctor Liu and I will be leaving.” Zuo Xian smiled and nodded, her eyes briefly passing over Tao Ran. She didn’t ask why Tao Ran was with the set manager in the props room.

But she didn’t deliberately ignore Tao Ran either, merely offering a polite smile, just as she would to any executive. “Producer Tao, please carry on with your work.”

Liu Xinyu was not as polite as Zuo Xian. She shot a dagger look at Tao Ran, and when she walked past her, she tried to bump into her.

Before she could touch her, Zuo Xian pulled her away, hooking her arm around Liu Xinyu’s neck, leaning down close to her ear, her lips almost touching Liu Xinyu’s ear.

She whispered a warning, “Liu Xinyu, behave yourself.”

The two “intimate” figures walked further and further away. Tao Ran withdrew her gaze, and the set manager was still searching for what Tao Ran had requested.

“Don’t trouble yourself,” Tao Ran said. “I suddenly remembered Director Xu might have it. I’ll go ask her.”

“Ah? Oh, all right, all right.”

On the other side, Zuo Xian half-dragged, half-pulled the reluctant Liu Xinyu. Once they were far away, she let go and asked, “What were you trying to say just now?”

She had originally intended to warn Zuo Xian again, urging her not to be forgetful once the wound healed, but seeing her polite yet distant demeanor just now, Liu Xinyu understood her attitude.

So she pursed her lips and shook her head. “Nothing.”

“I really need to go to work now.” Zuo Xian said before leaving. “Wait for me tonight, we’ll eat together.”

“Got it.”

Watching Zuo Xian leave, Liu Xinyu stopped and turned to walk back.

However, as she rounded the corner, she saw Tao Ran alone. Liu Xinyu clicked her molars together and her tone was very rude.

“Tao Ran, stay away from Zuo Xian.”

In the face of Liu Xinyu’s warning, Tao Ran glanced at her. The habitual gentle smile vanished from her lips, and her eyes were indifferent yet sharp.

“You are probably not in a position to say that to me on her behalf.”

“Not in a position?” Liu Xinyu took a few steps forward, her cheeks twitching slightly. “When she was heartbroken and lost, I was the one who stayed with her. When she nearly had an accident due to her daze, I was the one who saved her. Do you think I’m not in a position?”

“Accident?” Tao Ran’s eyes, which had been as calm as a mirror lake, immediately rippled. She pressed, “What kind of accident did she have?”

“You don’t have the right to know.” Liu Xinyu returned the phrase ‘no right’ to her. “Tao Ran, if you have any conscience left, stay away from her. You should know that what Zuo Xian hates the most is making up for things afterward.”

Yes, Zuo Xian detested the two words ‘making up.’

The last person who claimed to want to make it up to her is still locked up in prison, which has only added a layer of mockery to the words ‘making up’ for Zuo Xian.

“Making up…” Tao Ran clearly remembered that past event. The skin under her wristband and on her back felt like it was burning.

Liu Xinyu didn’t say anything, but let out a sneer. She felt she had said enough and didn’t want to stay in the same place as Tao Ran any longer, so she turned and left.

Tao Ran stood alone, still savoring the words “making up” on her tongue. After a long while, she let out a bitter laugh.

Making up?

That word was too mild.

What she needed to do was atonement.

Today was the first day of filming. Unlike many other directors who might be more patient at the start and willing to lower their standards slightly to help actors adjust, Xu Juan’s requirements were set from the beginning: a stable benchmark. If the actors could pass it, they were qualified; if not, they had to do it again.

For Guan Wen, who was used to acting in idol dramas, even with ample preparation, truly going into a serious drama as the female lead still made her slightly immature and timid.

It was this slight immaturity that caused her to have one NG after another.

The sky was getting dark, and the sunset reflected on the glass windows, like an abstract oil painting.

“Alright, take a break. We’ll shoot the last scene in a moment. We’ll wrap up after that.”

Everyone on set breathed a sigh of relief and rallied their spirits, determined to make this last take the most perfect one.

Zuo Xian went up to touch up Guan Wen’s makeup.

The young actress’s eyes hinted at the numbness of being worn down. Zuo Xian lifted her chin with her index finger, and while doing her makeup, she comforted her.

After all, she and Guan Wen had known each other for so long. Guan Wen called her ‘sister’ and genuinely respected her like an older sister.

As the older sister, she had to show some support.

Zuo Xian encouraged her, “Finish the scene well, and I’ll treat you to dinner later.”

Guan Wen’s eyes lit up, then she looked a little conflicted. “But my weight…”

“Don’t worry, it’s all clean, and eating it won’t make you gain weight.”

“Okay!”

Guan Wen instantly brightened up, her spirits lifting significantly. Not far away, Director Xu looked slightly surprised and couldn’t help but talk to Tao Ran next to her.

“I thought an idol actress like Guan Wen would cry after being scolded a couple of times, or at least look downcast, but she has such resilience and is even smiling now. Young actors like this are rare nowadays.”

The setting sun cast light and shadow on Zuo Xian’s profile. She was gazing at the bright-eyed young actress in front of her with her eyebrows curved into a smile, a look that was almost endearingly gentle.

Tao Ran couldn’t take her eyes off her. Her right thumb slowly rubbed the watch face on her left wrist. After a long while, she softly hummed, “Mm.”

She lowered her eyes, hiding the envy in them.

After a short break, the last scene began. Perhaps Zuo Xian’s offer of a meal worked, or perhaps Guan Wen suddenly had a breakthrough, but the scene was passed in just one take.

The veteran actor she was working with had prepared to redo it many times, but was pleasantly surprised to get off work early and praised Guan Wen cheerfully before leaving.

After tidying up her things, Zuo Xian sat in Guan Wen’s dressing room, waiting for her to change so they could go eat.

As for Liu Xinyu, Zuo Xian had already sent her ahead to the restaurant to order food.

She was looking down, playing on her phone, when the dressing room door was suddenly opened. Zuo Xian thought it was Guan Wen’s assistant, so she said without looking up, “Wenwen is changing clothes.”

“Then I’ll just sit here and wait for her.” A familiar, gentle voice sounded. Zuo Xian froze, looked up, and saw Tao Ran, dressed in a light green long dress, looking gentle, elegant, and casual.

Zuo Xian paused, then remembering her “normal interaction agreement” with Tao Ran, she nodded and moved over to the other end of the sofa.

“Have a seat, CEO Tao.”

“Thank you.”

Tao Ran sat down perfectly straight, her back erect, her neck and shoulders lovely. Zuo Xian only glanced at her and subconsciously straightened her own posture.

The two sat on the same sofa, but didn’t speak, and an awkward atmosphere spread between them.

“Um…” Zuo Xian couldn’t take it anymore and spoke first. “Did you need to see Guan Wen for something?”