Reborn! Caught Up by the Critically Obsessed Actress - Chapter 16

Xie Jingcheng was not a stupid person, and at this moment, she could more or less guess a few things. She had many admirers, and Peng Zhi’en was naturally one of them. However, she truly had no interest in this type of man.

Because what the other person loved was not herself; on the contrary, he loved everything about her except her soul.

Her family background, her looks, her reputation, her star power.

Such a person was shallow and incredibly boring.

She didn’t know why so many actresses would rush headlong into a relationship with him.

But faced with Song Qingxing’s unreasonable request, Xie Jingcheng still agreed, putting down her fork and feeding the other person another glass of wine.

She had originally thought that since Song Qingxing dared to drink so boldly in front of everyone, she must have some tolerance for alcohol. However, the facts proved that she had overestimated the person.

After only a few sips of red wine, Song Qingxing hadn’t even finished chewing the beef, and the alcohol had already spread from her stomach to her mind.

Her cheeks began to flush pink, like cherry blossom petals accidentally scattered in spring. Xie Jingcheng raised a hand to tidy the person’s hair.

She sighed with a bit of helplessness.

Forget it, I should take this drunkard home first.

She hadn’t planned to attend this so-called wrap party from the beginning. It wasn’t because she didn’t respect the film, but because she had only taken on this movie reluctantly due to personal favors.

Finishing the performance was already good enough.

Although, by the later stages of filming, more than half of Xie Jingcheng’s private motives were no longer entirely due to someone else’s request.

Standing up, she slipped her arm around Song Qingxing’s waist, her fingers gripping her side. With just a slight effort, Xie Jingcheng picked Song Qingxing up.

The jacket that had been draped over her was now covering this little drunk cat, because if the media were to accidentally capture it, who knew what kind of messy gossip might circulate.

Song Qingxing swayed as she stood up, her entire weight leaning on Xie Jingcheng’s shoulder. Allowing herself to be led, she slightly tilted her head, and her nose could press against Xie Jingcheng’s long, porcelain-white neck.

The crook of the other person’s neck carried a refreshing, cool fragrance.

Perhaps trusting the scent, Song Qingxing instinctively continued walking forward with the person. The restaurant’s building wasn’t particularly tall.

It was only about five stories high, but even so, it was equipped with an elevator, and even a VIP exclusive one.

Xie Jingcheng walked into the exclusive elevator, and soon went downstairs. The lobby was bright, but there weren’t many people. This place was mainly for people in the film and television industry to discuss business.

It wasn’t meant to earn money from ordinary people.

It was a typical business dining venue.

But even so, quite a few people in the lobby silently cast their gaze upon Xie Jingcheng. The cameras in their hands were eager to click.

But ultimately, no one dared to take a picture.

After all, being a paparazzi was just a job, and no one was so desperate as to risk their life for money. Although Xie Jingcheng had repeatedly explained to those around her that her family was clean and didn’t engage in dirty dealings.

But people are like that; they’d rather believe it than not. What’s more, rumors are like fire carried by the wind, growing fiercer and fiercer.

The Porsche waited outside, its black body sleek. The driver got out to open the door for them, and Xie Jingcheng helped Song Qingxing into the car.

“Miss, where are we going?” the driver asked.

“To the hotel where I’m staying.”

There were likely more paparazzi following Song Qingxing’s hotel. Some from less reputable backgrounds, even if they promised not to expose anything, would secretly pass it on to close contacts.

So, even with the most formidable family background, it wasn’t always possible to conceal everything.

For the sake of caution, Xie Jingcheng decided to go to her own hotel.

The car started, and Xie Jingcheng closed her eyes, ready to doze off. Just then, the phone in her pants pocket vibrated—someone was calling.

Xie Jingcheng was about to reach for it.

But her fingers had only just touched the phone’s casing when the person beside her suddenly turned her head. Song Qingxing was restrained by the seatbelt, so she couldn’t completely lean on Xie Jingcheng.

But her forehead was pressed against Xie Jingcheng’s neck, utterly disturbing her peace of mind.

Xie Jingcheng raised her hand to help her sit up straight, only to see Song Qingxing open her eyes, dazed. Her figure was alluring, and her clothes were disheveled at the moment.

It was hard not to have suggestive thoughts.

“Xie Jingcheng, didn’t you want to kiss me?”

“I can kiss you, but can you be my lover for ten years?”

Xie Jingcheng’s heart stopped.

Why would the person being exploited still ask to continue being a lover?

This was completely unreasonable.

Xie Jingcheng opened her mouth helplessly, just about to say that such a request was unreasonable and that she had no right to occupy a woman’s most beautiful ten years.

Then she heard a shocking statement that could make her eyes fall out.

“I want to find a ten-year sugar mommy. I know this is very excessive, but since you covet my face and I covet your resources, isn’t this a fair trade? I don’t want to fade away…”

She closed her eyes.

She saw her father, his face covered in blood and his teeth knocked out by debt collectors.

These people operated in a grey area, and even reporting them to the police wouldn’t resolve things easily.

There were also her mother’s expensive medical fees. Clinical research for rare disease medication is extremely costly, and the drugs themselves are expensive, especially those that need to be imported because they are unavailable domestically—they cost even more.

A bottle of medicine costs eighty thousand, another ninety thousand. This was not a joke.

Not all medications were covered by medical insurance or eligible for reimbursement.

Song Qingxing had to bear these costs.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have wanted to become an actress, because being an idol or a singer only earned so much money, and most of the time, she was squeezed by the company.

But being an idol was very happy.

She didn’t have to worry about external opinions; she could dance when she wanted and sing when she wanted, only needing to consider her fans.

However, the idol system in China was not as developed as in Japan or Korea; there wasn’t even a decent music show stage. Only by venturing into the acting world could she achieve sustained development.

“I…”

Xie Jingcheng hesitated.

She wouldn’t sympathize with a person for no reason, but what about the person who made her heart flutter?

If that person merely said, “It’s raining today,” your heart would still pound twice.

Before she could finish her sentence, her chin was suddenly gripped, and her lips were sealed by soft ones.

After a gentle lick, there was a more wanton and aggressive plunder.

Song Qingxing didn’t know many techniques, and she used all she had on Xie Jingcheng. The temperature inside the car quickly rose.

Xie Jingcheng glanced at the driver; he was focused on driving. Even if he heard some noise in the back, he probably wouldn’t dare to look back.

She clearly knew she should push her away at this moment.

Yet, Xie Jingcheng still hesitated. She just reached out and wrapped her arm around Song Qingxing, leaning in. She returned the kiss for about three seconds.

Finally, she forced the two of them apart.

She took out a tissue to wipe the moisture from the corner of Song Qingxing’s mouth.

“Ten years from now, Song Qingxing, you’ll be almost forty. Do you truly not want to get married or have children by then? If you are a hundred percent sure…”

Xie Jingcheng didn’t go through much inner struggle, just like when she decided to become an actress—once the decision was made, she would never regret it.

“Then I agree.”