After My Flash Marriage with the Movie Queen - Chapter 26

Compared to her other roommates, Wu Lili—the girl on the opposite bunk—was truly losing her composure.

“Nanbei, you tell me right now—what kind of love potion did you feed Zhao Xunyin?”

After a long silence, Wu Lili finally blurted out the exact same line from her dream.

She hadn’t meant it maliciously. Sure, she joked all the time about marrying Zhao Xunyin, but she wasn’t delusional—she knew that was a fantasy. Now that Zhao Xunyin’s actual wife was sleeping across from her, as a devoted fangirl, asking this one question didn’t seem too out of line, right?

But for some reason, as soon as she said it, Shi Nanbei’s eyes went red again—as if she was about to burst into tears.

Wu Lili: “…”

Excuse me? You’re the one who stole my wife—why are you crying? Which of us has the right to be sad here?

Yang Shan, however, caught on to something else entirely.

“Shouldn’t you be more curious about why Nanbei’s grandma even knows Zhao Xunyin? Actually, now that I think about it—Nanbei, does your grandma know any other celebrities? Forget Zhao Xunyin, I’d settle for Liu Yifei. Maybe ask your grandma to introduce me?”

That was enough to snap the other three girls out of their daze. They jumped into the conversation, chattering excitedly about how Shi Nanbei’s grandmother might have come to know someone like Zhao Xunyin.

Shi Nanbei, lost amid the noise, blinked in confusion. “Wait a second—shouldn’t you guys be asking whether I really married Zhao Xunyin?”

That reminder finally hit Wu Lili. She slapped her thigh. “That photo you showed me before lights-out—was that really you and Zhao Xunyin?”

Shi Nanbei gave a small, pitiful nod, her voice trembling with innocence. “It’s true. Beibei doesn’t lie. Beibei even told you herself.”

Wu Lili stared at that tearful, doe-eyed face and repeated to herself over and over: She’s not just Zhao Xunyin’s wife—she’s also my adorable roommate, my dear sister!

A sister like family!

“Holy sh*t!” Wu Lili finally exploded right in front of Shi Nanbei.

Tears welled up instantly in Shi Nanbei’s eyes, one shimmering drop sliding down her cheek. “Lili”

Wu Lili: “…”

Who gave you permission to act cute right now?

Expression dark, Wu Lili sat cross-legged on her bed, eyes locked on Shi Nanbei without blinking. The intensity of her stare made Shi Nanbei’s scalp tingle and her stomach twist with dread, mentally replaying dozens of imaginary death scenes in which Lili avenged her heartbreak.

Shi Nanbei trembled. “…”

I hate my wife. sob sob.

After a long silence, Wu Lili finally asked in a low voice, “You—you really married Zhao Xunyin?”

Once the question was out, things flowed more easily. At least this was better than the nightmare version where Lili had come at her with a knife after finding out. Compared to that, this was progress.

Shi Nanbei nodded nervously, whispering in her defense, “Lili, I didn’t mean to keep it from you. I tried to tell you so many times, but you never let me finish”

Before she could go on, Wu Lili waved her off dramatically.

“Enough, shut up. I don’t want to hear another word.” Her eyes were rimmed red as she threw herself face-first into her blanket. After a long silence, she let out a wail so loud it could’ve been mistaken for someone whose wife had just run away.

Well, technically, she had.

Shi Nanbei could only watch helplessly from her bed as Wu Lili wept in despair under her blanket. The other roommates—heartless creatures—didn’t bother comforting her at all, still gossiping about which celebrity they’d want to marry instead.

Looking at Lili’s devastated state, and remembering how the entire internet seemed to be yearning after her wife, Shi Nanbei felt a pang of guilt and sorrow.

Of course she was upset!

Why on earth had she let herself be so dazzled by Zhao Xunyin’s beauty during that blind date that she’d ended up speedrunning into marriage?

Regret. So much regret.

If she hadn’t married Zhao Xunyin, she wouldn’t have to live every day in fear.

If she wasn’t so anxious, she wouldn’t have nightmares.

And if she didn’t have nightmares, she wouldn’t have to face a heartbroken Wu Lili bawling her eyes out right now.

Guilt. Endless guilt.

Lili, I’m sorry. I’ve wronged you.

After crying herself out, Wu Lili finally lifted her head from the blanket and asked solemnly, “Nanbei, I’ve treated you well all these years, haven’t I?”

There was no denying it. For all her silliness, Shi Nanbei knew who was good to her. Maybe it was her small, naïve appearance, but she often got taken advantage of outside—and every time, Wu Lili would roll up her sleeves, drag her along, and reclaim justice on her behalf.

“You’re my baby, you hear me? Nobody gets to bully you except me!” Lili had once declared proudly.

Shi Nanbei immediately stopped crying. “…”

“Lili treats me the best,” Shi Nanbei said softly, hugging her pillow on the bed.

Wu Lili’s eyes gleamed. “Then can you ask Zhao Xunyin to let me join you for a 3P?”

Shi Nanbei: “…”

Shi Nanbei: “?”

The other roommates instantly perked up.

“Make that a 4P?”

“I’d gladly be a zero for the queen of film—count me in for 5P!”

“Let’s go all out—7P! Let our goddess share her blessings!”

Shi Nanbei: “…”

Blessings? Is that what we’re calling this now?

Maybe I should just divorce Zhao Xunyin and let you all have her instead.

Distressed +100611.

Seeing her horrified face, the roommates decided to show mercy and drop the jokes. Wu Lili, now fully recovered from her grief, clapped her hands and said, “Anyway, since we’re all roommates, remember our rule: if anyone gets a partner, we all go out for a meal together. Now that you’re married, shouldn’t you bring Zhao Xunyin along for dinner with us?”

Before Nanbei could even process that, the others chimed in enthusiastically.

“Agreed!”

“I second the motion!”

“I vote yes.”

“All in favor—Nanbei, it’s settled.”

Shi Nanbei looked around at the five of them, opened her mouth, then wisely shut it again. “…”

If you’ve all already decided, why even ask for my opinion? What’s the point?

Under pressure, she had no choice but to agree—though she warned them that Zhao Xunyin was a busy star, and if she didn’t have time, they shouldn’t force it.

Wu Lili immediately waved off the concern, eyes shining with devotion. “That’s fine! Even if it’s 2 a.m., if she’s free, we’ll climb over the dorm wall just to have dinner with the Queen!”

Everyone nodded in solemn agreement.

Shi Nanbei: “…”

You really don’t have to go that far. But sure, whatever you say.

The next day, when Shi Nanbei called Zhao Xunyin to tell her about it, her tone was mournful—expressing just how she’d been interrogated until midnight by her roommates.

Zhao Xunyin, the root cause of it all, only laughed heartily over the phone. “Sounds like your roommates are adorable.”

Shi Nanbei’s breath hitched. Thinking of how those “adorable” girls had grilled her like a suspect, she gritted her teeth. “How adorable, exactly?”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Danger question +1.

Fortunately, as an award-winning actress and seasoned flirt, Zhao Xunyin knew how to survive. Her tone immediately softened. “Just average. Compared to my wife, they don’t even come close.”

Shi Nanbei listened to the glamorous film queen humbling herself over the phone, and her feelings grew complicated.

This Zhao Xunyin, feels nothing like the cool, distant goddess I used to idolize in middle school. Wasn’t she supposed to be an untouchable flower on a high peak?

“Be good at school,” Zhao Xunyin said sweetly, as if nothing was amiss. “If things go smoothly, I’ll be back in Chengdu in a few days.”

Shi Nanbei sulked. “Don’t come back.”

“What’s wrong?” Zhao Xunyin’s voice softened even more, patient and coaxing.

Shi Nanbei bit her lip. Just imagining Zhao Xunyin showing up in front of her wolfish roommates made her shiver. She straightened her back, mustering her courage. “I have final exams coming up. You’ll distract me if you come back.”

Fully immersed in her self-created drama, Shi Nanbei declared righteously, “I am the ruler of a nation. I must put my country first. My consort, you mustn’t cause trouble.”

On the other end of the line, Zhao Xunyin chuckled. But instead of playing the cool empress like last time, she slipped into the role of a seductive concubine.

“Then does Your Majesty not miss your concubine’s beautiful body at night?” she purred.

Completely outmatched, Shi Nanbei’s face flushed, her heart raced, and her nose nearly started bleeding.

Shi Nanbei: “…”

What is wrong with my wife?

Panicking at the thought of Zhao Xunyin discovering how shamelessly she reacted, Shi Nanbei clutched her phone and stammered,

“Th-the emperor is not that kind of person! My consort, cease your nonsense! I’m hanging up!”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Excuse me? Who’s the one being ridiculous here? Did she just accuse me—a double award-winning actress—of being the one making trouble?

Baa?