After My Flash Marriage with the Movie Queen - Chapter 53

When it came to coaxing her wife, Zhao Xunyin was an expert—no trace of her usual aloofness or celebrity reserve. She could be playful when she needed to be, tender when the moment called for it, and self-reflective when she ought to be. Before long, Shi Nanbei found herself staring at her in disbelief.

“Are you really the same cold, expressionless movie queen I see on TV?”

What happened to that distant, untouchable goddess? That cool, silent persona?

Where?

“Absolutely genuine,” Zhao Xunyin replied without the slightest hint of embarrassment, perfectly at ease shedding her public image in front of her wife.

Shi Nanbei sighed in mock defeat but her mood had clearly lifted. She was never the type to hold grudges—if something upset her, she said it. Zhao Xunyin had already explained and coaxed; to keep fussing about it would make her the unreasonable one.

“Oh, right! I brought you a gift!” she suddenly remembered her purpose for coming, her expression brightening as she reached into her pocket. “Ta-da! Look!”

With a wide grin, Shi Nanbei held up a bracelet in front of Zhao Xunyin, who blinked in surprise.

“This is?”

To be fair, Zhao Xunyin’s discerning eyes couldn’t quite process what she was looking at. Yes, it was a bracelet—but the round pendant dangling from it was peculiar, to say the least.

Well, last time it had been a keychain. This time, a bracelet. The girl was definitely improving her gift-giving skills.

“It’s a present!” Shi Nanbei said enthusiastically, slipping the bracelet onto Zhao Xunyin’s wrist and pointing to the circular pendant. “See this little round thing? There’s a sensor inside. If you tap it, my bracelet will vibrate.”

As she explained, Zhao Xunyin instinctively glanced at Shi Nanbei’s wrist, where an identical charm shimmered faintly.

Interesting. Novel, even. But still.

“Where do you even find these things?” Zhao Xunyin asked.

“I just bought it at a shop,” Shi Nanbei said proudly, clearly satisfied with her own taste. “Sometimes when I’m playing games or reading, I don’t notice your messages. But now, if you tap this, I’ll feel it! Cool, right?”

She demonstrated it right then and there. To Zhao Xunyin—who was admittedly out of touch with most modern gadgets—the simplicity was surprising. Tap one bracelet, and the other would buzz and light up in a rainbow of tiny flashing colors.

It was cute, no doubt about it, but on a thirty-four-year-old, award-winning actress, it looked slightly out of place.

After all, she’d spent years wearing only custom jewelry and designer outfits—never anything this kitschy.

Still, she smiled and said warmly, “I love it.”

Then, in full view of Shi Nanbei, she slipped the bracelet onto her left wrist. “Thank you, sweetheart, for the lovely gift.”

She leaned in and kissed the corner of the girl’s lips, her smile brimming with affection.

Shi Nanbei blushed immediately. Thoughtful and considerate as she was, she also knew Zhao Xunyin’s public image, so she added softly, “You don’t have to actually wear it, you know. Just keep it with you. When I miss you, I’ll tap mine.

And if you feel it, you can tap back, okay?”

“Of course,” Zhao Xunyin said tenderly, cupping her wife’s face. “As long as the event organizers don’t have specific styling requirements, I’ll keep it on me all the time.”

Shi Nanbei beamed, wrapping her arms around Zhao Xunyin and planting two quick kisses on her cheek. The small gestures sent little ripples through Zhao Xunyin’s chest.

“Come back to the hotel with me tonight?” she asked, her voice low and coaxing.

She was staying in Ningbo for the night before flying to Beijing early the next morning for a film promotion. Since her silly, adorable wife had come all this way to see her, she wasn’t about to waste the opportunity.

But Shi Nanbei shook her head immediately. “I can’t. I came with Lili. It’s not safe for her to stay at the hotel alone.”

Zhao Xunyin knew her wife was soft-hearted, but still pressed her fingers to her temple helplessly. “So, you came all the way here just to see me for five minutes and then leave? Not even staying the night?”

Seriously? Was she really losing out to a mere roommate?

“Hm? Of course. I just came to support my idol. It’s not like I expected any entanglements,” Shi Nanbei said with righteous confidence. “If the security wasn’t so strict, I wouldn’t even have called you. As a fan, I’ve fulfilled my duty. I just hope you, my dear idol, can also exercise restraint.”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Fine. I’ll restrain myself.

Or at least, she meant to.

But the moment they got in the car, Zhao Xunyin couldn’t help teasing her the entire ride, leaving Shi Nanbei’s cheeks glowing red.

When the driver finally dropped them off at the hotel, Shi Nanbei got out without a trace of reluctance, waved goodbye like it was nothing, and turned to leave with Lili.

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

What was her wife’s attitude toward her supposed to be, exactly? Zhao Xunyin couldn’t help laughing under her breath.

She was over thirty now and knew she needed to be discreet, especially with her name constantly in headlines. But as she sat there, watching her little wife in an oversized hoodie with her hands stuffed in her pockets, head down as she walked away, she couldn’t resist.

So much for restraint.

She muttered something to her manager about changing hotels for the night, threw on a mask, hat, and sunglasses, and followed after her.

Her manager was speechless.

Can you please be mature for once? What’s the big deal? You act like you’ve never slept with your wife before!

At the hotel reception, Shi Nanbei and Lili were checking in when the staff’s gaze flicked toward the entrance—where a tall, well-proportioned woman in heavy disguise had just walked in.

Wow. Long legs. Definitely stunning.

Zhao Xunyin stepped forward and said politely to Lili, “I’m sorry to intrude, but would you mind booking one more room?”

Lili almost fainted on the spot. Her idol was talking to her!

“O-of course!” she squeaked.

At this point, you could’ve told her to sleep on the sidewalk and she would’ve agreed without question.

“Could you help me open another room, please?” she said to the receptionist. “Big bed. No—waterbed if you have one!”

Shi Nanbei: “…”

Wow. Bold.

And just like that, thanks to her beauty and charm, Zhao Xunyin successfully “borrowed” Shi Nanbei from her loyal fan. Before they left, Lili clung to the doorframe, teary-eyed, and whispered,

“You have to do us proud tonight, Beibei.”

Shi Nanbei: “?”

Do what, exactly?

Zhao Xunyin, on the other hand, was highly impressed by Lili’s “team spirit.” To show her appreciation, she even exchanged WeChat contacts and scrawled a dramatic signature across Lili’s T-shirt.

Lili looked so touched she nearly burst into tears again. If Shi Nanbei hadn’t been there, she probably would’ve dropped to her knees to deliver a heartfelt acceptance speech.

Once they were in the room and the door was closed, Shi Nanbei turned and said dryly, “Have things gotten that bad for you lately?”

Zhao Xunyin froze halfway through removing her hat. “What?”

“In my impression, big stars are supposed to be loaded. Don’t tell me you’re so broke you can’t even afford your own hotel room?”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Ah. She suddenly remembered that one time she’d pretended to be broke just to get sympathy from her wife.

“Let’s, uh, talk about that later,” she said with a weak laugh, steering the topic away. It wasn’t the time to explain her earlier “sob story.” Besides, it was late, and her little wife needed to rest.

She was used to sleepless nights, but Shi Nanbei wasn’t. The poor girl had just finished exams and flown all the way here just to see her—it tugged at Zhao Xunyin’s heart.

But before she could continue, Shi Nanbei gave her a long, meaningful look and repeated slowly,

“‘Talk about it later,’ huh?”

Her expression was complicated, her tone teasing but tinged with mock exasperation. “Is that Your Majesty’s way of saying you can’t resist my youthful charms?”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Excuse me? I’m the one who’s supposed to be irresistible!

And for the record, ‘talk about it later’ is an idiom—not an invitation!

Still, idioms aside, Zhao Xunyin’s reputation was already ruined in that moment.

That night, restraint was a lost cause.

By the time morning came, Shi Nanbei’s voice was hoarse, and she was glaring at Zhao Xunyin in indignation.

So much for “just sleeping.”

Do all celebrities break promises this easily?