After My Flash Marriage with the Movie Queen - Chapter 7

“Then go study for a bit. I’m going to lie down and nap in the bedroom. Later, I’ll take you out for dinner, alright?” Zhao Xunyin gently patted Shi Nanbei on the head, speaking to her in the tone of a big sister.

“Okay.” Shi Nanbei smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons. With that sweet, soft tone of hers, she promised, “I’ll be good.”

Reassured, Zhao Xunyin went to the bedroom, took a shower, and prepared to catch up on some sleep. She had just started to doze off when something suddenly occurred to her: if Shi Nanbei was doing homework, shouldn’t she have brought her books or something? Come to think of it, hadn’t the girl come over empty-handed?

The more Zhao Xunyin thought about it, the stranger it seemed. She sat up, pulled on her bathrobe, and went to the study next door. She even knocked on the door politely—but after waiting a few minutes without a response, she frowned. Not in the study?

With that thought, she turned the knob and walked in.

And there she was—Shi Nanbei—wearing headphones, sitting in front of the computer, gleefully playing a video game.

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

She knew Shi Nanbei wasn’t that well-behaved.

Zhao Xunyin walked up behind her. Shi Nanbei’s gaze was locked on the screen, utterly focused, not even blinking. Watching for a while, Zhao realized it was some kind of treasure-hunting game. The character—a half-dressed girl in a frilly skirt, backpack and gun in hand—was running around looting houses, scavenging anything she could find.

Bullets. Energy drinks. Medkits.

So she likes these kinds of scavenger games, Zhao mused. Having never played online games herself, she found it oddly fascinating. Girls will always be girls—so fond of collecting things.

That thought led her to another: Next time I buy her lipstick or handbags, I’ll just get the full set—all shades, all styles.

Well, good thing she earned enough for that.

Just as Zhao Xunyin was about to pat Shi Nanbei on the shoulder to get her attention, the girl suddenly spoke in a cold, commanding tone:

“Don’t move.”

Zhao’s hand froze midair. “…”

Did she just catch me?

“Someone’s in the house. You guys got grenades?” Shi Nanbei said seriously into her mic. “Second floor, east side. I hear footsteps. Someone throw a grenade in there.”

Tactical?

Zhao crossed her arms and stared at her, falling into thought.

Maybe I misjudged this kid.

When she looked back, Shi Nanbei was already storming up the stairs in-game, moving with practiced precision. She shot down her opponent cleanly—swift and efficient, nothing remotely “sweet” or “cute” about it.

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Not only not cute—downright ruthless. After killing the player, she even looted their corpse box without hesitation.

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

What are kids playing these days? This is deranged!

“I got a 98K!” Shi Nanbei cheered, clearly delighted. “Anyone got an 8x scope?”

Zhao blinked. A 98what?

Then she heard the girl switch to an exaggeratedly flirtatious tone: “Heyyy, handsome~,give me your 8x scope, please? Pretty please?”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

Excuse me?

Unable to bear it any longer, Zhao reached over, yanked off Shi Nanbei’s headphones, and said coldly, “Handsome?”

Shi Nanbei turned, saw Zhao standing behind her in a light yellow bathrobe—dark hair draped over her shoulders, arms crossed, face dark—and froze. “H-hi?”

She’s dead.

Zhao arched a brow. “Homework? ‘Handsome guy’?”

Shi Nanbei: “…”

Unfortunately, the mic was still on.

[CutieShengSheng]: Did you guys just hear something?

[QingYi-chan]: Sounds like player 3 just got caught flirting by her girlfriend?

[CutieShengSheng]: HAHAHA serves her right! Calling strangers handsome for loot—karma!

[QingYi-chan]: Wait—so player 3 has a girlfriend?

[CutieShengSheng]: Bro, seriously? You don’t even have one!

[QingYi-chan]: I’m gonna kill you!

[YangYang]: You two idiots, stop gossiping! There’s a car approaching—145 direction!

Zhao Xunyin stood there, regal and silent, her expression unreadable. Shi Nanbei, caught red-handed, sat there awkwardly fiddling with her fingers and tried to change the subject.

“Wow, you’re not wearing any makeup, right? You’re so pretty, jiejie.”

Zhao said nothing, just stared.

Shi Nanbei: “…”

Whimper.

“I was actually doing homework before this” she tried weakly.

“Where’s the homework?” Zhao asked coolly.

Shi Nanbei: “…”

Whimper, whimper.

Realizing she couldn’t talk her way out, Shi Nanbei bit her lip, lowered her head, and blurted, “They invited me to play—I didn’t even want to!”

Zhao: “Heh.”

Shi Nanbei: “…”

Whimper, whimper, whimper.

Her head drooped lower and lower, until her chin nearly touched her chest. Then, in a soft, hoarse voice edged with fatigue, Zhao asked, “Didn’t you tell me you were going to study?”

That tone made Shi Nanbei’s guilt surge. She didn’t even dare look up. “I’m sorry! I was wrong!”

Zhao might’ve let her off, if not for something Shi Nanbei’s grandmother once told her—back when they’d first met for the arranged marriage:

“Nanbei’s parents weren’t around much when she was little, and I didn’t discipline her strictly. That’s why she’s wild—always causing trouble. One day she’s fighting at school, the next she’s yanking some boy’s pants down. Nearly drove me to break her legs!

Still, she’s got one good trait—she’s great at apologizing.”

“But listen, Xunyin,” the old lady had said earnestly, gripping her hand. “Don’t be fooled by that sweet little face of hers. She’s been playing innocent since she could walk. If she messes up, don’t hesitate—just teach her a lesson!”

At the time, Zhao hadn’t quite believed it. But now, she had to admit, the old lady was spot on. It was a miracle Nanbei’s legs were still intact.

Zhao sighed inwardly, but still asked in a calm, measured tone, “And what exactly were you wrong about?”

Though she wasn’t truly angry, Zhao valued honesty in a marriage—especially at the start. Even a small lie deserved correction.

Still, she thought wryly, five years ago I wouldn’t have believed I’d end up married to someone thirteen years younger than me. It’s practically childcare.

“I was wrong to play games,” Shi Nanbei said immediately, her tone properly remorseful—though sincerity was another matter.

Zhao gave a quiet hum. She’d been in the entertainment industry long enough to see through people easily; these childish tricks were nothing new.

“Shi Nanbei,” she said evenly, “don’t try to weasel your way out of this. If you’re going to apologize, do it properly.”

Shi Nanbei froze. She was just about to argue when Zhao suddenly softened her voice, sighing faintly.

“I haven’t slept in nearly forty-eight hours, Nanbei. I’m exhausted.”

A smart woman’s greatest opponent is another smart woman.

Shi Nanbei had always prided herself on being clever—it had gotten her out of plenty of scrapes—but compared to someone like Zhao Xunyin, her wit was child’s play.

Zhao had long outgrown the age of throwing tantrums over love and betrayal. Experience had given her a steadier view of relationships. When trust was broken, she didn’t cry or make a scene. She understood that too much noise only led to resentment.

Since she had chosen to marry Shi Nanbei, she intended to build something real. And that meant knowing when to assert boundaries—and when to use vulnerability as leverage.

Moments ago, she’d been fully in control. But by revealing just a sliver of weariness, she deftly shifted the emotional balance, making Shi Nanbei’s guilt surge and her defiance melt away.

It was a masterclass in quiet authority—one that Shi Nanbei could only look up to in awe.