After My Flash Marriage with the Movie Queen - Chapter 85

This time, the reward for completing the mission was a night’s accommodation. First place would stay in the presidential suite of a five-star hotel. Second place also stayed in a five-star hotel, but only in a standard room. Third place got a four-star hotel, while fourth place would be staying at a rural farmhouse inn.

A farmhouse inn.

An He’s face instantly darkened.

She refused to accept this—she truly refused to accept this. Especially when she saw her best friend win effortlessly again, resentment burned in her chest. But as her teachers always said back in school, a person ought to learn diligently

and ask questions sincerely. So, she took a deep breath and earnestly asked Shi Nanbei how she managed to complete her mission this time.

Seriously—everyone here is gay.

So why is your gayness so ridiculously powerful?

“I didn’t do anything,” Shi Nanbei said, rubbing the back of her head with a dazed look. “I just went up and played the erhu for a bit, and then they all started crying and praising me.”

Zhao Xunyin: “…”

A bit?

You played for ten whole minutes, okay?

No one knew where she found that melody, but the performance was tragic enough to shatter hearts—mournful, gut-wrenching—no normal person could hold back their tears. Let alone the grandpas and grandmas in the teahouse, all of whom were pushing sixty.

Her performance was so catastrophically tear-jerking that even the passersby outside the teahouse thought someone had died inside. They came in to watch, and after watching for a moment, they also started crying.

Shi Nanbei was truly outrageous—not only because she played so dramatically, but because before stepping on stage, she had deliberately placed a bowl in front of the microphone. As she played, the elderly spectators lined up to drop money into her bowl.

The grandpas and grandmas were full of praise:

“The last time I heard a tune this tragic was at Old So-and-so’s funeral in our village. That man suffered his whole life, never had a single good day. Even the folk band cried at his funeral. Didn’t expect a young girl like you to play something so soul-stirring.”

When Zhao Xunyin heard that, her face turned pitch black.

Was that supposed to be a compliment?

Only silly Shi Nanbei puffed her chest proudly and said, “Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you, Grandma!”

Zhao Xunyin could barely watch. At that moment, she finally understood why Shi Nanbei once told her she studied suona and erhu so she’d “never go unemployed.”

This skill set really could take her anywhere.

Who doesn’t need a funeral musician, after all?

The teahouse scene was too overwhelming. Unable to stand it, Zhao Xunyin turned away, planning to ask production to cut this footage—she couldn’t let Shi Nanbei trend online because of this. But as soon as she turned around, she saw several burly cameramen behind her, all holding their cameras while wiping away tears.

Zhao Xun-yin: “…”

There’s no saving any of you.

An He had never heard of someone making people cry with an erhu solo before. She was dumbstruck.

An He: “???

You can make people cry with an erhu?”

What technique was this?

What rank was this?

What Shi Nanbei couldn’t tolerate most was people doubting her skills—this was her livelihood!

How could she allow such disrespect?

So, she declared seriously, “Why can’t I? Don’t you know the saying? ‘There’s no one the erhu can’t make cry, and no soul the suona can’t send off.’ Don’t look down on traditional instruments.”

An He: “…”

I wouldn’t dare look down on you!!!

In that instant, Shi Nanbei’s image grew ten feet tall in An He’s mind.

How could she not admire her?

This woman could play the suona and the erhu. Better maintain this friendship—who knows when those skills might come in handy.

Shi Nanbei agreed wholeheartedly and even promised on the spot, “Don’t worry. If you ever have a kid, I’ll bring my suona to the full-month banquet. I promise I’ll shock the entire room!”

Zhao Xun-yin: “…”

No, you won’t want that!

An He: “…”

No, she definitely does not deserve that!

In the end, Shi Nanbei and Zhao Xunyin secured the five-star hotel room cards, while An He gloomily took Boss Qi to their simple rural inn.

The contrast was brutal.

And Zhao Xunyin still had the nerve to look at An He with that smug, fake smile—so arrogant it made one’s teeth ache.

Before leaving, An He glared and said, “You’re awful. You’ve betrayed the bond we had when we shared a bed.”

Unfortunately—or very intentionally—Shi Nanbei heard this. After dropping that line, An He sashayed off with Boss Qi.

Leaving Zhao Xunyin alone to face her wife’s blank stare.

“When,” Shi Nanbei asked, “did you sleep with An He?”

Zhao Xun-yin: “…”

Not that kind of sleep!

We are not talking about the same sleep!!!

Shi Nanbei’s eyes showed a hint of disgust. “Were you always this deranged before? Even rabbits don’t eat the grass beside their own burrow. You actually went after your best friend—tsk.”

Zhao Xunyin turned green.

I DIDN’T! I’M INNOCENT! COME BACK AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF, AN HE!!!

The variety show wrapped smoothly. Thanks to this program, Shi Nanbei formed a deep friendship with An He and Boss Qi. Through Boss Qi’s connections, she even got to have dinner with her idol, Ms. Yang Qiyue.

Looking at Yang Qiyue’s beautiful, delicate face—and especially her warm smile—Shi Nanbei nearly had a nosebleed. Zhao Xunyin was furious. She even went to confront her boss about it.

“Didn’t you see how her eyes were sparkling when she looked at Yang Qiyue? Do you not realize how green my head felt?”

Boss Qi sat back in her leather chair. Faced with Zhao Xunyin’s interrogation, she remained calm and composed, her expression as placid as still water.

“When you were filming that variety show,” she said mildly, “you certainly enjoyed yourself.”

Boss Qi had not forgotten how, during the entire shoot, Shi Nanbei kept “miraculously” pulling off stunts and dragging Zhao Xunyin along for one effortless win after another—while she, who couldn’t compare to Shi Nanbei in anything, was despised by her own wife to the point of emotional devastation.

This grudge could not go unavenged.

Qi Yu thought expressionlessly: And since Shi Nanbei’s greatest wish is to meet Yang Qiyue, then of course, as a considerate and world-class boss, she should kindly arrange a romantic dinner for the two of them—purely to promote their relationship.

Mutual benefit. Perfect.

Zhao Xunyin was utterly stunned by Boss Qi’s maneuvering: “…”

Who would’ve thought that the heir of Qitian Group—the elegant, dignified, famously principled Boss Qi—could be this petty and vindictive?

Respect. Truly.

As a result, Zhao Xunyin stewed in jealousy for a full half month, because during those two weeks Shi Nanbei would occasionally remember little details from her dinner with her idol—and every time she did, she’d get all shy and flustered again.

Anyone would be jealous.

When the first season of “The Story of Wives” aired, it had already been a month since Shi Nanbei started school.

The first episode happened to drop on a weekend when Shi Nanbei was off. Her roommates all knew she’d filmed a variety show, so they refused to let her go home to Longquan. They dragged her back to the dorm instead—six girls sitting in a row with an iPad—declaring that they were “helping her boost the view count.”

Shi Nanbei wanted to refuse, but before she finished a single sentence, Wu Lili cut her off mercilessly and asked:

“You slept with my woman and I didn’t make a fuss. And now you can’t even grant me this tiny request—to stay in the dorm and watch my woman’s variety show with me?”

Shi Nanbei: “…”

That line struck straight at her soul.

She had no idea why, but even after several months, every time she saw Wu Lili she still felt guilty—like she really had stolen someone’s husband and become the shameful homewrecker.

Unbearable.

So, she had no choice but to be pinned down by her five roommates and forced to watch the show in the dorm.

The production team, for reasons unknown—possibly just to stir trouble—opened the episode with the footage they shot at Shi Nanbei and Zhao Xunyin’s home.

When the door opened and Wu Lili saw Shi Nanbei walking out of Zhao Xunyin’s bedroom, the pressure and aura beside Shi Nanbei instantly dropped several degrees.

Shi Nanbei: “…”

It’s over. I’m scared.

But instead, Wu Lili stared at the screen and murmured, “I don’t know why, but watching the woman I love sleep with the woman who loves me kind of turns me on.”

Shi Nanbei: “…”

You pervert!!!

After Episode 1 aired, online reactions were overwhelmingly positive, and Shi Nanbei quickly gained a large new wave of fans.

Especially Zhao Xunyin’s fans.

Before Shi Nanbei’s identity was revealed, they had been caught off guard by Zhao Xunyin’s sudden marriage. They were suspicious and annoyed at this unknown wife, some even guessing that Zhao Xunyin had pulled an “old-man move” and married some young internet influencer.

Sure, who Zhao Xunyin married was her business, and they had no right to interfere.

But as fans, they still wanted a sister-in-law who was at least pleasant to look at.

Then the tabloids exposed Shi Nanbei.

And the fans realized.

Not only was she easy on the eyes, she was ridiculously impressive.

“Oh my god, Little Dumbcutie is SO cute! Hiding behind Zhao Xunyin like a scared kitten.”

“HAHAHAHA why do I always think of that time she befriended a tabloid paparazzo on the street and said her favorite actress was Yang Qiyue?”

“It’s not just you.”

“+10068.”

“+1008611. I’m terrified she’ll call the cameraman ‘big bro’ again any second now.”

“I’m dying—Zhao Xunyin’s ‘I’m an award-winning actress, why does no one recognize me?’ face is priceless.”

“Zhao Xunyin is so pitiful, being judged by an elementary-schooler.”

“Queen Zhao: I’m a film queen. Does my dignity mean nothing?”

“OMG Shi Nanbei is a total pro?”

“Little Dumbcutie is THIS badass?”

“Zhao Xunyin, a walking burden, being carried by Shi Nanbei.”

“The way those elderly uncles and aunties looked at Shi Nanbei, that’s exactly how my grandparents look when bragging about someone else’s kid.”

“So wholesome.”