Transmigrated as the Future Movie Queen's Arch-Nemesis - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

After that small interlude in early November, Su Mi’s filming seemed to hit its stride, as if she had finally had a breakthrough. Of course, this “breakthrough” only meant she was significantly better than before; at the very least, she could speak her lines fluently in front of the camera. As for comparing her to professional actors, she still had a long way to go.

Days went by one after another. At the behest of the original host’s grandmother, the shooting schedule for Su Mi’s scenes was specifically extended, giving her more opportunities to stay on set and learn. For Su Mi, it also meant more time to spend with Xin Keke.

“I’m heading out.”

“Stay safe~”

The sound of the door closing softly echoed through the room. Su Mi rolled over in bed, clutching her phone, unsure of what to look at. Xin Keke had an early shoot today and had left at eight. Su Mi was a light sleeper, and once she was up, it was hard to drift back off. She decided to just hug her quilt and wake her brain up while lying in bed.

She had expected Shi Yaya to cause trouble during this time, but ever since their last conversation, Shi Yaya hadn’t bothered her or Xin Keke again. She seemed to have recognized the reality that she wasn’t welcome and had shifted her efforts toward getting on good terms with the other minor supporting actors and staff. Well, Su Mi thought, as long as she doesn’t bother us, that’s fine.

Su Mi tossed and turned in bed. Just as she was aimlessly scrolling through her phone, she happened to glance at the calendar: November 13th.

…Wait, it’s already mid-November? In the blink of an eye, she had been in this world for over half a month. Looking at the date, she felt like she was forgetting something… Could it be a friend’s birthday? But she had transmigrated into a book—she didn’t have any friends here who could say “happy birthday” to her…

Wait, a birthday?

A realization suddenly hit her. Was Xin Keke’s birthday in November?

Her heart skipped a beat, and cold sweat broke out on her forehead. In the original text, there was basically no one who celebrated Xin Keke’s birthday; even Xin Keke herself rarely remembered it. It wasn’t until the later stages, when Liang Shaoyun appeared, that he threw her a lavish birthday party. That one event had moved Xin Keke to tears.

Oh, boy. If I miss Xin Keke’s birthday, wouldn’t that mean missing a perfect opportunity to turn my image around in her eyes?

Let me see, her birthday is… November 14th.

The information popped into her mind as if on cue. It wasn’t a particularly special date, nor did it overlap with any of her friends’ birthdays in her real life, but Su Mi just remembered it. After finishing the novel, she had tried to search for fan art online, but since the novel was obscure in fan circles, she had eventually stumbled upon a character profile card posted by the author herself. Next to the chibi character were character details, including the birth date.

Su Mi felt incredibly lucky to have a good memory. She was also lucky she had searched for the information the very night she finished reading. With one day left and no scenes of her own to film, she could absolutely prepare a surprise for Xin Keke.

Sorry, Brother Liang, but this time, the one with the cheat code is going to beat you to it!

Since she couldn’t sleep anyway, Su Mi played on her phone for a bit before jumping out of bed to start prepping for tomorrow’s surprise. A cake was a must—she could go out and order one later—but as for the gift… given Xin Keke’s personality, if she sent something too expensive, she’d worry about Xin Keke feeling burdened; if she sent something too cheap, she’d worry that because the original host’s family was so wealthy, something too cheap would look bad.

Forget it, let’s just get a cake sorted for Xin Keke first.

Having made up her mind, Su Mi put on some clothes and headed out. In her initial impression, these film bases were built in the middle of nowhere, far from the city. But now that she was a part of the crew, she realized that the surrounding economy had long since been stimulated, developing into a complete ecosystem. Finding a custom cake shop wasn’t difficult at all.

She walked around for a bit and spotted a cake shop on the commercial street that looked quite exquisite in its storefront and interior design. She pushed the door open, and the bell chimed. As she entered, she was hit with a rich, sweet aroma. The shop was small but clean and decorated in a very cozy style. Coffee and white tablecloths covered small tables by the windows, and each table held a small vase with two or three flowers in full bloom, making the atmosphere instantly relaxing.

“Hello?”

Hearing the voice, Su Mi turned back. The shop owner straightened up from behind the counter. She was an incredibly cute girl with baby-fat cheeks that were fair and tender, looking very much like a peach. Her brown hair was tied into a sleek low ponytail, and her eyebrows and eyes were curled in a smile. “Hello! Are you here to buy a cake?”

For some reason, Su Mi found her very approachable, and the subtle feeling of unease she’d had upon entering soon dissipated.

“Ah, yes~” The original host was naturally beautiful, and Su Mi didn’t spare her own smile. “A friend has a birthday tomorrow, and I want to pick out a cake for her.”

“That’s lovely.”

The atmosphere became friendly and cheerful. The owner brought over something handmade, similar to a menu, and placed it in front of Su Mi. “Are you looking to order from a picture, or would you like to see our signature styles?”

“Hmm…”

Great, one question, and Su Mi was already struggling. In reality, she always felt a whole cake was too much to finish, so when it was her own birthday, she would just go out with her best friend for hotpot. When her best friend had a birthday, she would just pick out a gift she liked, share a meal, and that was it. Neither of them were the type to obsess over cake. Consequently, she hadn’t done any research on cakes at all.

However, Su Mi knew that because she had no parents, Xin Keke had never really had a “proper” birthday. She didn’t want to just pick a pretty cake and call it a day for a day like this. Perhaps she was being greedy, but she wanted to make this birthday feel special.

She flipped through the menu the owner brought, feeling like she’d stumbled into a world of flowers and colors; her eyes were instantly overwhelmed. Ah, this… How can there be so many types of cakes? You bakers are too amazing!

Su Mi dared not look anymore, quickly closing the door to this new world and turning to the owner for help: “Miss, I have trouble making decisions.”

The owner laughed at her, then asked very patiently: “That’s fine! Tell me, what kind of style were you thinking of for your friend? Is she a boy or a girl?”

“She’s a girl,” Su Mi said, adding quickly, “an incredibly, incredibly beautiful girl.”

“I want to choose something special for her—something different from the others, something that really suits her.” Su Mi scratched her head, feeling a bit embarrassed. “But I know you guys usually have templates or photos to go by, so I’m not really sure…”

As she spoke, she saw the owner gently shake her head: “That’s not true.”

“Since you want to give her a one-of-a-kind cake, I’d suggest doing it yourself,” she smiled. “A cake made with your own hands will have more commemorative value.”

Making a cake for Xin Keke with my own hands? A path she hadn’t ever imagined appeared. A flicker of hope ignited in Su Mi’s heart: “That’s possible… but I don’t have any experience. I’m scared I’ll mess it up and she’ll hate it.”

“Hahaha, that won’t happen! I’ll be right here to help you~”

The owner laughed heartily. Seeing her smile, the tension Su Mi had been feeling melted away.

“Okay, then I’ll come back at this time tomorrow. Sorry to trouble you with the preparations.”

A DIY cake, Su Mi thought, must be better than just finding a picture online and having the shopkeeper make it, right? Plus, she could draw. Hmm, drawing on a board and drawing on a cake should be… roughly… the same, right?

After confirming she would come to make the cake tomorrow, the owner discussed the details with Su Mi, such as the cake base, whether she wanted fruit filling or Oreo cheesecake, etc. Su Mi even remembered that Xin Keke liked sour things and wanted to use lemon-flavored cream for the frosting, but the owner stopped her, warning her that “it might lead to some misunderstandings about the flavor.”

After a happy discussion that lasted all morning and paying the deposit, it was nearly 11:00 AM when Su Mi pushed the door open to leave. She was in a fantastic mood. Sorry, Brother Liang, but I’ve stripped you of your chance to be the star since the moment I arrived.

I wonder if Xin Keke will be very happy tomorrow. Thinking of Xin Keke, Su Mi couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from twitching upward. She pulled out her phone, just about to send Xin Keke a message, when she lit up the screen and saw a WeChat message from her.

Her Majesty the World’s Best Best Actress (Note added by Su Mi): You went out? There’s no one in the room.

Checking the time, it had been three minutes ago. Su Mi beamed and quickly dialed Xin Keke back. As soon as it connected, she asked happily: “Are you off work for lunch?”

“Mn.”

“I went out to buy… uh, buy some things.” That was close; I almost let it slip about the cake. “What are you having for lunch? Do you want to go out and grab a bite together?”

Xin Keke’s voice came softly from the other end: “There’s more filming in the afternoon.”

“Oh, oh… then you should definitely get some good rest at noon.”

After a brief pause: “I bought some food on the way back. I thought you’d be in the room.” Xin Keke hesitated slightly: “…Are you coming back to eat?”

In that instant, Su Mi felt as if she had seen an angel’s wings. My god, she knew I didn’t have any scenes today, and she even brought me food. It was like an iron tree blooming with flowers. Su Mi felt like she was about to explode with happiness.

“Yes, I am! I definitely am!” Su Mi nodded wildly, though Xin Keke couldn’t see it over the phone. “Wait for me, I’m taking a cab back right now~”

“No rush.”

It was a simple three-word sentence, but the lilt in Xin Keke’s voice was incredibly gentle. That gentleness reached Su Mi easily, and she felt it deep in her heart.

After hanging up, Su Mi looked up at the blue Changning sky. So, persistent, unwavering effort really does pay off, doesn’t it?

For Xin Keke’s birthday tomorrow, I’d better put on a great performance~