After My Flash Marriage with the Movie Queen - Chapter 6

Since she’d said the wrong thing earlier, Shi Nanbei behaved especially well for the rest of the ride. She sat obediently in the passenger seat, answering sweetly whenever Zhao Xunyin called her name.

“What is it?”

Zhao Xunyin couldn’t help feeling both amused and exasperated. For some reason, she suddenly remembered the time when a much younger Shi Nanbei had torn up her homework while playing at her house, then run up to her crying for a hug.

Truly, the saying was right—three-year-olds never change. In some ways, Shi Nanbei hadn’t grown up at all.

“Your grandmother knows I’m back. Let’s visit her tomorrow, all right?” Zhao Xunyin said as she thought of it, turning slightly to the well-behaved girl beside her.

“Mm, sure, no proble” Shi Nanbei stopped mid-sentence, froze for a beat, and turned toward Zhao Xunyin, a little nervous. “Wait, you didn’t tell Grandma that we got married, did you?”

Zhao Xunyin’s lips curved faintly, unseen from that angle. “I did.”

A beat later, a wail burst out beside her.

“Oh no, oh no—Grandma’s going to break my legs!”

A vein pulsed on Zhao Xunyin’s forehead. “…”

Why on earth would your grandma break your legs because you married me? Do you think this double Best Actress doesn’t deserve you or what?

Suppressing the urge to strangle this overgrown child, Zhao Xunyin took a deep breath and asked evenly, “Why would she do that, exactly? Wasn’t she the one who set you up on blind dates in the first place?”

Shi Nanbei glanced at her, then stared straight ahead at the road. After a pause, she said with mild melancholy, “Because Grandma told me not to marry anyone older.”

Her father had married a woman seven years his senior, which had nearly driven her grandmother mad. Ever since Shi Nanbei was born, the old lady had been hammering it into her head—find someone your own age, similar interests, and whatever you do, don’t go for someone older.

Older people are hard to handle!

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

As the woman ranked Most Desired Wife among Chinese celebrities, Zhao Xunyin’s emotions were complicated. So the kid really was hung up on her age.

She was just about to ask, if you think I’m old, then why marry me? But before she could speak, Shi Nanbei muttered under her breath,

“But you’re so pretty. Once Grandma sees you, she probably won’t break my legs. I mean, I’m her granddaughter!”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

So your logic is—if legs must be broken, it should be mine?

Maybe Grandma should break yours after all. You’re too good at tempting fate anyway.

Since they were visiting Grandma the next day at noon, Zhao Xunyin asked if Shi Nanbei could skip going back to the dorm, then simply drove her straight to her villa in Longquan.

“Are all celebrities this rich? You’ve got a villa in every city?” Shi Nanbei was wide-eyed when she learned Zhao Xunyin even owned property in Chengdu. So I really did marry into money, a wealthy older woman at that?

“Not exactly,” Zhao Xunyin said as she drove. “Most of my properties are in Shanghai and Beijing. Chengdu’s just because I studied here once, so I bought a place.”

“You studied in Chengdu?” Shi Nanbei perked up. “Then can you speak Sichuan dialect?”

“Hm?” Zhao Xunyin thought for a moment. “A little. Like, what are you doing? I can understand most of it, but I don’t speak much.”

Shi Nanbei sighed in disappointment. “Aw, I thought you could. Then I wouldn’t have to speak Mandarin anymore.”

Zhao Xunyin chuckled. Most Sichuan locals spoke Mandarin with mixed tones, but Shi Nanbei’s pronunciation was perfectly standard, with no hint of an accent. “Why? You speak it just fine.”

Shi Nanbei replied earnestly, “Because then I could call you a gua wazi (little fool).”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

And her grandma still didn’t break her legs? If she doesn’t, I might.

With Shi Nanbei’s chatter, the ride to Longquan was lively and easy. The villa sat in Zixia Mountain, Tong’an Town—surrounded by lush hills, rivers, and misty air. It was the perfect summer retreat.

“This place—this feng shui—is ideal for cultivating immortality,” Shi Nanbei said with heartfelt awe after getting out of the car.

The gated community had excellent security, so paparazzi wasn’t a concern. Zhao Xunyin, locking the car, happened to overhear her and asked, amused, “You can read feng shui?”

Well, that would be a surprise.

Shi Nanbei shook her head honestly. “No, but I can take a pulse. Want me to read yours?”

Then she added brightly, “Since you’re my wife, I’ll do it for free!”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Please. Stop. Talking.

The villa door had a fingerprint lock. Zhao Xunyin took Shi Nanbei’s hand, pressed her finger three times to record it, then said, “You can stay here when I’m not in Chengdu.”

“Oh.” Shi Nanbei nodded obediently, not daring to ask more—her wife’s expression looked a little fierce.

The villa was spacious, each floor nearly 200 square meters, four floors counting the basement.

“The first floor’s the living room and kitchen; the basement’s a private theater. Second floor has my bedroom and study, third has guest rooms and a rooftop garden,” Zhao Xunyin explained as she entered. She bent down to pull a pair of slippers from the cabinet and placed them by Shi Nanbei’s feet.

“Put these on. Hardly anyone visits, so we’ll buy more later.”

Looking around curiously, Shi Nanbei asked, “You live here alone?”

“Who else would I live with?” Zhao Xunyin gave her a wary look. She never knew what shocking thing this kid would say next—her middle-aged heart couldn’t take it.

“Oh.” Shi Nanbei’s expression dimmed slightly, as though she hadn’t heard what she wanted.

Setting down her bag, Zhao Xunyin waved from the hallway. “I’ve had a packed schedule lately and haven’t rested well. I’m going upstairs for a nap. You want to come with me or do your own thing?”

Shi Nanbei blinked, pointing at herself. “Me? Come with you? How?”

Looking at that innocent face, Zhao Xunyin—usually not one to tease—suddenly found herself saying, “Didn’t you call me back for our wedding night? How else would you keep me company?”

Shi Nanbei instantly thought of that night after they’d registered their marriage, when she’d hidden under her dorm blanket secretly searching how girls make love. Her face turned crimson.

It was her first time, after all.

“Do we have to… today?” she asked, looking conflicted. “I still have homework to finish.”

(And I haven’t trimmed my nails yet.)

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Right. She’d almost forgotten—this kid was still a student.

Sinner.

“I’m joking. Go finish your homework in the study,” Zhao Xunyin said, leading her there. The study was bright and minimal—two large desks, two high-end computers, and walls of bookshelves filled with everything imaginable. “I don’t use this room often. If you need anything, let me know.”

Shi Nanbei nodded, staring at her wife’s stunning face. Finally, she mustered up the courage to say what she’d been holding in all afternoon:

“Um, could you maybe not talk to me so gently?”

Zhao Xunyin: “?”

Shi Nanbei met her gaze seriously. “You’re too pretty. When you talk to me like that, I really want to kiss you.”

Only Shi Nanbei’s grandmother knew she was an extreme face-connoisseur. That was, in fact, why Grandma had introduced Zhao Xunyin to her.

And sure enough, the plan worked. Shi Nanbei had zero resistance to Zhao Xunyin’s looks. Even back in the car earlier, she’d almost lost control. Sure, she’d been a fan of Zhao Xunyin since middle school—but now, with her teenage idol standing right in front of her, speaking softly and smiling gently, how could she possibly hold back?

Shi Nanbei had spoken with all seriousness, but for some reason Zhao Xunyin just laughed softly. Her voice grew even gentler as she asked, “Then why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“Because I’m the top.” Shi Nanbei said solemnly. “I can’t take advantage of you.”

Zhao Xunyin—who’d survived years of the entertainment industry’s chaos—was utterly defeated. In all her life, she’d never met anyone quite like Shi Nanbei. With this kid, she could never predict the next line.

A top, huh. What do you even know about that, little one?

“Well then,” Zhao Xunyin said with a teasing smile, “now that I know you want to kiss me, as your lawful wife, I officially permit it.”

Shi Nanbei thought for a second—technically, that was true. Wives could kiss each other, right?

So she leaned forward happily and gave a quick, shy lick at the corner of Zhao Xunyin’s lips before retreating just as fast. Her face flushed red as she nodded, satisfied.

“Sweet! Just as I thought.”

Zhao Xunyin couldn’t help laughing softly. Watching the bashful Shi Nanbei, she thought,

This girl really is like a little milk kitten.

Soft, warm, and irresistibly sweet.