Accidentally Sold Myself (Rebirth) - Chapter 38

38: Gu Xi’s Plan for Revenge

Gu Xi was dragged out of bed by Wang Xiaoya in the middle of the night. She nearly forgot that in the novel, the female protagonist transmigrated at the moment of waking from a dream, which happened to be right now.

Rubbing her head, her eyes still bleary, Gu Xi cursed herself for digging her own grave. If she had known, she would’ve written that the protagonist was hit by a car at noon instead.

“Gu Xi, hurry up! The director’s rushing us. Wash up quickly—I’ve prepared water for you. I’m going to grab breakfast now.” Wang Xiaoya instructed before dashing out the door.

Seeing this, Gu Xi flopped back onto the bed, hoping to steal just five more minutes of sleep…

But the moment Wang Xiaoya returned, she let out a startled yell, “Wait, no, stop—!”

Splash! Gu Xi was jolted awake by a splash of cold water. Furious, she glared at the culprit, Huai Anlu, and snapped, “Are you freaking insane?”

“Awake now? See, my method works! I’m a busy person, you know, and I went out of my way to come all this way to wake you up. You should be grateful.” Huai Anlu said nonchalantly.

Suppressing her anger, Gu Xi pointed at her and said coldly, “I’ll remember this favor, and I’ll repay it someday.”

Huai Anlu nodded, smirking slyly. “Good, good. But… going against the director isn’t exactly wise. Anyway, I’ve had my fun. Let’s go—the actors are waiting!”

Her blatant threat didn’t faze Gu Xi, who wasn’t an actor or working for her. What was there to fear?

Ding! The Jinjiang System reminded Author Ji: It’s best not to offend the director. She’s got a quirky personality, and if she gets upset, she might turn your work into a flop, which would damage your reputation and cost you luck points.

Fine. Gu Xi reluctantly got up, wiping the water from her hair. Thankfully, though Huai Anlu was crazy, she had some restraint—the water wasn’t too much.

Munching on the steamed buns Wang Xiaoya brought, Gu Xi hurried to the set. Lu Wanrou was already in costume, dressed in ancient attire, and the male lead was ready too.

Gu Xi took an extra glance at the actor playing the male lead. He was dignified with a touch of gentleness, exuding an aristocratic aura—perfect for the role. But his appearance reminded her a lot of Huai Anlu.

Rubbing her chin thoughtfully, she muttered, “Could they be related?”

“What are you looking at? Oh, his name is Gu Chengbin. I’m telling you, you’re already a married woman, so keep your eyes in check, or else Luo Ningshuang will definitely eat you alive.” Lu Wanrou teased, stepping forward and giving them a playful pat.

Gu Xi turned to look at her, joking, “Her… well, I don’t know how she’d react, but your lover will definitely get jealous. After all… this book has plenty of, ahem, you know what I mean.”

Lu Wanrou: “…”

“Gu Xi, for the sake of our shared fate, can we make a deal? Could you maybe tone down those overly intimate scenes?” Lu Wanrou pleaded, her face contorted with a bitter smile.

“No way is an Oscar-worthy actress like you begging for pity? Nope, changing it would be too much hassle, and it’d ruin the vibe. Besides, you’re a pro—when you get home, just play the sympathy card. With your skills, you’ll have him wrapped around your finger in no time.” Gu Xi wasn’t about to waste time revising the plot. Not a chance.

Lu Wanrou: “…”

“Actors, to your positions!” Huai Anlu shouted.

Hearing this, Lu Wanrou gave up and prepared to act. She lay on the ground, getting into character.

“Scene one, take one, action!”

Lu Wanrou raised her head in confusion, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. She shook her head, forcing herself to stay alert.

Propping herself up, she stood slowly, muttering in bewilderment, “Where am I? Wasn’t I drunk at the bar?”

Her eyes conveyed not only confusion but also a hint of fear and unease.

Watching the monitor, Huai Anlu slapped her thigh and praised Gu Xi, “Your team’s got sharp eyes! Her acting is phenomenal. How have I never heard of such a young, talented actress in the industry before?”

“Just lucky.” Gu Xi replied, a bit smugly.

Suddenly, Huai Anlu called, “Cut! Redo it.”

Confused, Gu Xi asked, “Wasn’t that pretty good?”

Huai Anlu replayed the footage, pointing at the screen. “Look closely. Spot the problem?”

Gu Xi leaned in, analyzing the scene. It showed the male lead encountering the female lead, and their chemistry was solid—one surprised, the other captivated. But the male lead seemed overshadowed by the female lead. Hesitantly, she said, “The male lead’s a prince, but his presence is completely dominated by her.”

“Exactly! Well done.” Huai Anlu said.

Then she shouted to the actors, “Hey, Lu, dial back your intensity! And you, Gu Chengbin, I’m giving you a chance here. If you don’t step up, don’t expect another one. Tone down the flamboyance—I want masculine dominance, got it?”

Gu Chengbin looked aggrieved, pinching his fingers as he mumbled, “Got it, sis. I won’t embarrass you.”

Sis? Gu Xi glanced at Huai Anlu in surprise. “He’s your brother? Cousin?”

Huai Anlu shook her head. “My real brother. I took my dad’s surname, he took our mom’s.”

That explained it. Looking between them, Gu Xi said, “No wonder you two look so alike.”

“Alright, prep for scene one, take two, action!”

Huai Anlu didn’t deny it but complained, “He’s such a handful, always so flamboyant. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got a boyfriend.”

“Having someone you like is nice.” Gu Xi said, her thoughts drifting to Luo Ningshuang with a hint of longing.

“No way,” Huai Anlu waved her hand. “If he really has a boyfriend, my dad would be the first to drop dead.”

Every family has its struggles, it seemed. Curious, Gu Xi couldn’t help but gossip, “Sister Lu, you’re probably around 30, right? I’m dying to know—who’s the guy that can handle you?”

Huai Anlu frowned. “Boyfriend? What’s that? Edible? But I’ll indulge your curiosity. I don’t have a boyfriend, but I do have a girlfriend, and we’re about to get married.”

Gu Xi was shocked. In her previous life, Huai Anlu never married. Did she break up with her girlfriend? Or did her dad split them up? Cautiously, she asked, “You’re not worried your dad will freak out?”

Huai Anlu shook her head. “Nah, I don’t need to carry on the family line. My brother took my mom’s surname, so my parents agreed his first kid will take the Huai surname.”

She sure didn’t hesitate to throw her brother under the bus. Still, Gu Xi warned, “No matter what, if you really love your girlfriend, you should plan for the worst. Make sure she’s secure and doesn’t worry. The biggest mistake couples make is lack of communication. Even the deepest love can fade with time.”

Huai Anlu looked surprised, glancing at Gu Xi briefly before falling into thought. After a moment, she shouted, “Cut!”

Gu Xi: “…” That’s all she heard after all that?

Huai Anlu marched over to Gu Chengbin, scolding him, “Where’s the dominance? You’re acting so soft! This isn’t a GL drama—people might think it’s two women in love. Gu Chengbin, if you can’t do it, I won’t hesitate to replace you.”

“No, sis, I’ll do better! Please don’t replace me.” Gu Chengbin pleaded timidly.

Huai Anlu glared at him, then stormed back to Gu Xi, snapping, “Gu Xi, you go coach him.”

Gu Xi: “…Huh?”

“Please, I’m counting on you. I heard what you said earlier—go!” Huai Anlu urged.

Coach him? She had no idea how to do that! But seeing Gu Chengbin’s hopeful eyes, Gu Xi steeled herself. “Are you nervous?”

Gu Chengbin nodded. Gu Xi sighed. “Try taking deep breaths. Picture the most dominant man you can think of.”

He shook his head, shyly admitting, “I tried that. It didn’t work.”

Gu Xi thought for a moment, her gaze landing on Lu Wanrou. Inspiration struck. “See your female lead? Imagine she’s the mistress who stole the person you love most. Can you stand that? Can you face a shameless vixen like her and stay calm?”

Gu Chengbin actually visualized it, his anger flaring. “No way! That mistress has to die!”

Lu Wanrou shivered inexplicably, feeling like her costume was too thin.

“Yes, keep that energy! We’re ready to shoot.” Gu Xi called to Huai Anlu.

“Scene one, take three, action!”

This time, the shoot went smoothly. Gu Chengbin was brimming with intensity, almost like a righteous cult leader, his glare deadly.

Of course, the target of his “killing intent” was just Lu Wanrou.

Gu Xi silently apologized to her in her heart, then settled down to start writing…

It wasn’t until noon that Huai Anlu stopped filming. She patted Gu Xi’s shoulder, curious. “How’d you get him to click?”

Gu Xi recounted exactly what she told him. Huai Anlu slapped Gu Xi’s thigh, declaring, “Oh no, that kid’s definitely got a boyfriend.”

Gu Xi: “…” Sis, two women shouldn’t be this touchy—slap your own thigh!

“I’ve gotta interrogate him.” Huai Anlu said, determined.

Gu Xi quickly grabbed her, persuading, “Your brother’s not a kid anymore, and he seems pretty well-behaved. He wouldn’t hang out with sketchy people. Just let it go.”

“But… my dad’s waiting for grandkids!” Huai Anlu protested.

Gu Xi smirked slyly, then quickly hid it. “That’s easy. Men can’t exactly have kids, but for a woman, it’s a piece of cake.”

Huai Anlu pointed at herself, uncertain. “You mean me having a kid?”

Gu Xi’s lips curved into a calculating smile. “Exactly. If your brother really loves someone, you can’t force them apart. Plus, if you get pregnant, it’ll strengthen your bond with your girlfriend. She’ll be head over heels for you!”

Huai Anlu, swayed, nodded. “That makes sense!”