Accidentally Sold Myself (Rebirth) - Chapter 8

8: Dropping the Mask

Luo Ningshuang parked the car at a hotel owned by the Luo family. After Gu Xi got out, Luo Ningshuang tossed the car keys to a valet, instructing him to take it to the parking lot.

Looking at the opulent, extravagantly luxurious hotel before her, Gu Xi suddenly felt like Cinderella stumbling into a palace. Glancing around, she noticed that every car pulling up was a high-end sports car, and the wealthy people stepping out wore brands she couldn’t identify—though she did recognize a Chanel bag carried by a woman nearby.

“Stop daydreaming, let’s go!” Luo Ningshuang tugged Gu Xi into the hotel. The staff, spotting them, immediately bowed and escorted them to a private room.

Gu Xi sat down, feeling slightly awkward, while Luo Ningshuang appeared perfectly at ease.

Not wanting to seem out of place, Gu Xi straightened up confidently. Luo Ningshuang gave her a puzzled glance but said nothing, handing her the menu. “Order whatever you want.”

Gu Xi flipped through the menu, overwhelmed by the variety. She was relieved to see Chinese translations alongside the foreign text, but even so, she had no idea what to choose. Glancing at the prices, she quietly handed the menu back to Luo Ningshuang. “You order. I don’t know how.”

Luo Ningshuang took the menu and rattled off a string of words Gu Xi couldn’t understand. The waiter retrieved the menu and said politely, “Very well, please wait a moment.”

Once the waiter left, Gu Xi asked curiously, “What did you order?”

It was her first time in such a fancy place, and she couldn’t help but think of the exquisite, mouthwatering dishes she’d only seen on TV. Her stomach growled loudly, much to her embarrassment.

Luo Ningshuang smirked but didn’t tease her. Instead, she reached out, tucking a stray strand of Gu Xi’s hair behind her ear. “Don’t worry, it’s all delicious.”

Gu Xi felt a tickle in her ear, her face warming slightly. She turned her head to avoid the gesture, maintaining a calm exterior while internally screaming: This woman’s flirting skills are too much! I’m no match for her!

Desperate to distract herself—knowing their marriage was fake and bound to end someday, so she couldn’t let herself fall for Luo Ningshuang—Gu Xi pulled out her phone. Luo Ningshuang didn’t seem bothered, calmly pouring herself a cup of tea and sipping it.

Gu Xi’s attention locked onto a message from her online friend:

Friend: Hahaha, your big sis just sold the film rights! Excited?
Gu Xi, thrilled, replied instantly: OMG, sis, let me cling to your coattails!

Her friend responded immediately: Hey, what have you been up to? Why the late reply? Coattails are yours, no problem, but you gotta tell me your pen name so I can promote your work!

Gu Xi thought for a moment. They’d known each other for three years, and her friend had always been trustworthy. It was time to reveal her identity.

Gu Xi: MoeLazyDog is me! Please, let me hug your thigh!

Friend: No way! I’ve read your stuff! That CEO novel of yours is great. I’ll try pitching it for film rights too. Who knows, you might hit it big, and we’ll be an unstoppable duo!

Gu Xi’s writing did decently, but she’d never considered selling film rights. If it actually happened, she’d finally have some financial security. Really? Thank you! Haha, by the way, what’s your pen name?

Friend: PrincessWantsToHarmMe. Surprised? Shocked?

Gu Xi’s heart raced with excitement, and she was about to reply when Luo Ningshuang interrupted, “Put the phone down for now. Let’s eat.”

Gu Xi nodded, intending to send a quick reply since it wouldn’t take long. But as she typed “Wait,” Luo Ningshuang snatched her phone, accidentally hitting the send button in the process.

Gu Xi looked up, meeting Luo Ningshuang’s slightly displeased raised eyebrow. Pouting, she turned her attention to the dark, unappetizing thing on her plate. “…What’s this?”

Forgetting her phone for a moment, she pointed at the dish, which looked nothing like the gourmet food she’d imagined.

The waiter answered patiently, “This is French foie gras, paired with red wine for an exquisite flavor.”

Gu Xi wasn’t about to drink—she’d get into trouble—but this tiny portion? How was it supposed to fill her up? Noticing there were no chopsticks, only a fork, she glanced at Luo Ningshuang, who was elegantly cutting a small piece of foie gras and eating it slowly.

Gu Xi rolled her eyes. Why bother cutting such a tiny piece? She speared the entire chunk of foie gras with her fork and popped it into her mouth. It was delicious, fragrant, but it only made her hungrier.

She shot Luo Ningshuang a resentful look.

Luo Ningshuang’s eyes widened, as if finding Gu Xi’s behavior amusing, and she burst out laughing. Turning to the waiter, she said, “Bring the next dish.”

“Right away,” the waiter replied.

The next dish arrived quickly. “This is French escargot, cooked in butter with…”

“Enough, just tell me how to eat it.” Gu Xi interrupted, starving enough to devour an entire cow.

The waiter demonstrated, using a small pair of tongs to effortlessly extract the snail meat.

Gu Xi mimicked him, pulling out the snail meat and piling it into her bowl. Then, using a spoon, she shoveled it all into her mouth. The flavor was good, but again, there was so little of it. She just wanted to finish quickly and hoped the next dish would be more substantial.

The waiter, swallowing hard, was stunned. He’d never seen anyone eat so unceremoniously at this upscale restaurant, stuffing their mouth in one go. He continued serving. “This is an oyster, lightly grilled.”

Gu Xi, seeing only two oysters, slammed the table. “I’m done!”

Two measly oysters? How long was this meal going to take? She turned to the flustered waiter. “I want tomato scrambled eggs and a bowl of white rice.”

The waiter looked helplessly at Luo Ningshuang. This was a Western restaurant; they didn’t serve tomato scrambled eggs.

Luo Ningshuang nodded calmly. “Tell the kitchen to make it. If they don’t know how, have the manager show them.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After the waiter left, Gu Xi muttered, “No more Western food.”

“Alright, no more.” Luo Ningshuang said, amused by Gu Xi’s childish frustration. Most people would kill to dine here, yet she was full of complaints.

The tomato scrambled eggs, a simple dish, were brought out by the manager himself, who apologized as he set it down. “I made this myself. I hope it’s to your satisfaction.”

Gu Xi scooped rice onto the dish, mixing it unceremoniously. She wasn’t refined—she was just an ordinary person, after all. Stirring it together, she ate and said, “It’s fine. Tastes good.”

The manager gave a wry smile, glancing nervously at Luo Ningshuang. He was terrified of upsetting the big boss; one wrong move, and he could be out of a job.

As Gu Xi ate, her phone lit up. Luo Ningshuang glanced at it and saw the message:

Friend: What’s with the “wait”? Babe, I’ve been waiting so long the flowers have wilted. Why haven’t you replied?

Luo Ningshuang looked at Gu Xi, who was too focused on eating to notice. She tapped the phone, scrolling up the chat, and her lips curved into a smile—MoeLazyDog! Well, well, so it’s you. She closed the phone, placing it back beside Gu Xi, and continued eating her foie gras leisurely.

Finally satisfied, Gu Xi sighed contentedly, patting her stomach. Seeing Luo Ningshuang still eating slowly, she didn’t want to rush her. Picking up her phone, she excitedly replied: Big shot, you hid it so well! Knowing I’m your fan and not telling me? I’m crying!

Friend: You finally replied!

Gu Xi: Sorry, was eating!

Friend: No worries. I’m planning a trip to relax. Shouldn’t you show some hospitality?

Hospitality? Gu Xi typed tentatively: How about you come visit me?

Friend: Smart move! Not in vain that I just pitched your work to a film company. They’re reviewing it now and will get back to you in a few days.

Gu Xi: Wow, thank you, big shot! Love you! You have my number—call me when you come, and I’ll treat you to good food and drinks.

Friend: Deal. Wait for me.

Gu Xi was thrilled, hoping her work might sell for film rights too. Thinking of the card Luo Ningshuang gave her, she wondered if any money had been deposited yet—probably not until next month, since she’d just started her job.

She logged into her JJWXC (Jinjiang) account to check her earnings, then her bank card. Seeing 3,000 yuan deposited, she breathed a sigh of relief.

A notification popped up in her backend. Clicking it, she saw:

“Big shot, Queen threw another thunder!”
“Let go of that Queen, let me have her!”
“Big shot, with Queen’s tips, shouldn’t you do a burst update?”

Gu Xi checked her account—six deep-water bombs! Inspired, she ignored whether Luo Ningshuang was done eating, opened her writing app, and started typing furiously.

Luo Ningshuang didn’t call her out, pocketing her phone and glancing at her watch. There was still time, so she let Gu Xi write. But that friend of hers seemed to have ulterior motives.

Film rights piqued Luo Ningshuang’s interest. The industry was lucrative, but deep waters. If she were to invest, she’d need her sister’s help, especially since the Xiao family was waiting for her to slip up. She had to tread carefully.

“I’m going to make a call. Wait here.” Luo Ningshuang said. Gu Xi nodded, and Luo Ningshuang signaled the manager to keep an eye on her.

Stepping into a private room, she called her sister in the U.S.

At that moment, Luo Lingxi was swamped, dealing with a stunning blonde woman who was pestering her. “Yin Na, can you stop bothering me?”

Yin Na raised her hands. “Okay, okay, I’ll stay quiet. Happy?”

Luo Lingxi was about to retort when her phone rang. She answered immediately, her tone softening. “Ningshuang, what’s up? Trouble?”

“No, Sis, I need you to look into something for me. It’s not convenient to have it investigated here.”

Luo Lingxi frowned. Her sister was fiercely independent and rarely asked for help. “Tell me, what is it?”

Yin Na, seeing Luo Lingxi’s gentle demeanor for the first time, felt a pang of jealousy. But hearing it was her sister, she could only envy.