After Swapping Bodies with the Movie Queen, She Ended Up with Me (GL) - Chapter 20

The news of Xu Qing bringing back a basket of radishes from her temple visit quickly spread among the production crew. Rong Qing and others carried the radishes in together, weighing them before setting them down—they were lighter than expected.

“Only 27 pounds for something this heavy?” Xu Qing leaned on her knees in disbelief, staring at the scale’s numbers and murmuring, “I swear it felt heavier than me.”

Rong Qing chuckled at the basket of radishes. “These look really fresh. Should we cook them for dinner tonight?”

After having just a corn cob and two eggs for breakfast, followed by a full day out, Mu Lingwan wasn’t particularly hungry at noon. The two had casually stopped at a seaside convenience store for some oden, where Rong Qing found the radishes especially delicious—hence her idea of using this batch for oden too.

“That many? How would we even prepare them?” Xu Qing naturally slung an arm over Rong Qing’s shoulder, leaning on her lazily. “You know me—I’m only good at eating and singing. Lingwan, you catch my drift?”

The gesture was so natural that Rong Qing barely had time to react before being half-pulled into an embrace. Through the thin fabric, she could even feel the warmth of the other’s body, freezing her stiff in place.

Noticing the sudden tension in the person she held, Xu Qing narrowed her eyes at Rong Qing’s odd expression.

“What’s wrong?” Xu Qing asked. “Not feeling well?”

Rong Qing forced a laugh, slipping out from under Xu Qing’s arm to clutch a pale radish. “I’ll go wash a couple. We can ask the others how to cook them when they arrive.”

Watching Rong Qing flee like a startled rabbit, Xu Qing sensed something off. A prickling gaze made her turn—only to find Mu Lingwan standing nearby, staring at her with cold, disdainful eyes, the slight droop of her eyelids forming an expression all too familiar to Xu Qing.

This Rong Qing… why did she resemble Mu Lingwan so much?

Xu Qing had noticed the strangeness more than once. Initially, she’d picked up on Mu Lingwan’s unusual behavior—always overly polite, yet whenever Xu Qing pressed, the responses were flawlessly logical.

And now, this person called Rong Qing wore the exact same look of disdain Mu Lingwan used to give, deepening Xu Qing’s bewilderment.

Really strange…

Lost in thought, Xu Qing didn’t notice Jiang Jiang and Mu Lingwan moving the radish basket to the kitchen corner. Mu Lingwan rolled up her sleeves to help Rong Qing.

“N-no need,” the Mu Lingwan stammered nervously.

“Two people are faster,” the Rong Qing replied calmly, mouthing ‘cameras rolling’ at her. The Mu Lingwan fell silent, and the two stood side by side at the sink, each scrubbing a large radish.

The more Xu Qing watched, the weirder it seemed. She didn’t know Rong Qing well, but Mu Lingwan’s behavior was definitely off.

Noticing the pink tips of those ears, Xu Qing frowned.

As Rong Qing and Mu Lingwan washed the radishes in the kitchen—scrubbing the plump, arm-thick vegetables until they gleamed—Xu Qing and Jiang Jiang went upstairs to shower. By the time they returned, Qiao Ming and Shen Nian had just arrived.

“You’re back?” Xu Qing asked in loose loungewear, eyeing their exhausted faces curiously. “What happened? You two look like you just ran a marathon.”

“Pretty much,” Ming Qiao replied, handing her coat to the assistant before turning to Xu Qing. “We got swarmed by fans while checking in at the commercial district. It took forever to shake them off and get back.”

“Where’s your driver?”

“We lost him and couldn’t get through. In the end, the VJ helped us hail a cab,” Ming Qiao said.

Xu Qing sighed sympathetically. “You two had it the hardest—the business district is always packed.”

Ming Qiao looked exhausted, and Shen Nian’s expression wasn’t much better. Glancing around the living room and noticing Mu Lingwan and Rong Qing were missing, she asked, “Has Sister Mu not returned yet?”

“They came back with me earlier—probably in the kitchen,” Xu Qing said, noticing the sweat-dampened strands of hair at Shen Nian’s temples. “Go take a shower. I’ll check on them in the kitchen.”

Shen Nian nodded and headed upstairs, with Ming Qiao following after handing the check-in photos to the director’s assistant.

In the kitchen, Rong Qing was busy cooking. Mu Lingwan, who had no culinary skills whatsoever, had reluctantly agreed to assist for the cameras. She stood nearby, wrestling with a grater and a stubborn carrot.

When Xu Qing entered, she spotted Mu Lingwan before making her way to Rong Qing. Peering over her shoulder, she asked curiously, “What are we having for dinner tonight?”

Unlike the others, Xu Qing was a singer who only appeared on camera during new releases, so she wasn’t as strict about her diet. As long as she didn’t balloon suddenly, she ate whatever she pleased.

Fresh from the shower, Xu Qing carried the lingering scent of steam and minty body wash, the aroma so strong it made Rong Qing feel lightheaded.

“…We’re making carrot rolls. Can you eat those?” Rong Qing asked, turning to her.

“What’s a carrot roll?”

“It’s like a steamed bun, but instead of chili, we use shredded carrots, crushed peanuts, and other seasonings.”

“Never had it. Is it good?”

“Yeah, I loved it as a kid.”

“Oh.” Xu Qing’s gaze flickered slightly as she smiled at Rong Qing before turning to Mu Lingwan, who was still struggling with the grater. She sidled over and asked, “Is that thing really that hard to use?”

Mu Lingwan was already in a foul mood, and Xu Qing’s comment—”Is that thing really that hard to use?”—sounded to her like a jab at her incompetence.

“Why don’t you give it a try?” Mu Lingwan snapped coldly.

Xu Qing instinctively shrank back, the familiar tone making her obediently take the remaining half of the carrot. Mu Lingwan crossed her arms and watched as Xu Qing vigorously grated away.

“Put more force into it. Hold the bowl steady.”

“You’re spilling carrot everywhere—can you even do this?”

“There you go, harder now, hold the bowl—good, keep going.”

Seeing Xu Qing getting the hang of it—and speeding up—Mu Lingwan patted her shoulder and said, “Remember to soak the shreds in water after you’re done.” Then she walked over to Rong Qing, who was kneading dough, and asked quietly, “Need me to do anything?”

Xu Qing, still clutching the carrot, looked puzzled but said nothing, continuing to grate in silence.

One radish would have been enough for making radish rolls, but Rong Qing washed two. So with the leftover one, she rummaged through the fridge and found a pack of oden seasoning. While steaming the radish rolls, she prepped other ingredients to make a pot of oden.

Rong Qing was quite skilled in cooking, and the fridge was well-stocked. Besides the radish rolls and oden, considering the female artists needed to watch their figures, she also prepared a salad and stir-fried two vegetable dishes. Finally, after Xu Qing’s persistent begging, she even made her a portion of braised chicken with mushrooms.

By the time the oden was ready, all the other dishes were done too.

“Did… Sister Mu make all these?” Shen Nian widened her eyes slightly at the four or five dishes before her.

“Not entirely. Everyone helped out,” Rong Qing said, sitting nearby. “The oden and braised chicken were made with pre-packaged seasonings. Teacher Xu Qing helped with the salad. Strictly speaking, I only stir-fried two vegetable dishes.”

Ming Qiao glanced up at her, took a bite of the radish roll, and frowned slightly. “Too sweet.”

Rong Qing was taken aback by this comment.

Shen Nian also took a bite and said, “Not at all. I think the flavor is just right. Qiaoqiao, you’ve been cutting sugar for too long—everything tastes sweet to you now.”

Ming Qiao didn’t respond, setting down the radish roll and starting on the salad instead. Shen Nian, however, ate all the radish rolls cut for her with gusto, smiling at Rong Qing. “It’s been so long since I’ve had such delicious food.”

Rong Qing held her bowl and smiled without saying anything.

After everyone had eaten their fill, they began reviewing the day’s tasks. Learning that Ming Qiao and Shen Nian had visited downtown attractions and even bustling commercial streets, they couldn’t help but suspect the director’s team had played a dirty trick on them.

Comparatively, having Rong Qing and Mu Lingwan wait until evening to film the sunset seemed like the easiest task of all.

“Everyone did very well today, especially Xu Qing and Jiang Jiang’s team. Not only did they complete their task, but they also brought back a basket of radishes. Looks like we won’t have to worry about meals for the days to come,” the director said.

At these words, the sharper ones among them looked up at him, sensing something amiss.

“I’m sure you’ve all noticed,” the director addressed the group at the table, “the fridge is packed full, but we can’t just keep taking without replenishing. So, dear couples, while completing tomorrow’s tasks, remember to bring back some ingredients too.”

Mu Lingwan frowned. “So, we have to prepare our own meals for the next two weeks?”

“Exactly. After all, daily necessities like firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea are all part of love. Only by taking care of every detail can two people stay together long-term,” the director encouraged them. “Today’s activities are over. Let’s all work hard again tomorrow!”

Everyone: “…” Speechless and disdainful.

After dinner, Shen Nian and Rong Qing started cleaning up. Rong Qing used cling wrap to pack the leftovers and put them in the fridge, taking stock of what was inside.

The fridge provided by the production team wasn’t large—a double-door model with the left side for freezing and the right for refrigeration. The freezer contained some pre-prepared chicken, beef, and fish, while the fresh food compartment was mostly leafy greens, eggs, milk, and a shelf of fruits.

With the basket of radishes Xu Qing obtained today, the six of them should have enough food to last about a week.

“Should… last us a week, right?” Rong Qing calculated silently in her heart.

“Sister Mu, I’ve finished my part here,” Shen Nian said while drying her hands, addressing Rong Qing who had her back turned. “What are you looking at?”

“Oh, I was just calculating how long these supplies will last us,” Rong Qing turned around with a smile and replied, “Since you’re done, why don’t you go upstairs and rest? You must be tired from going out today.”

Shen Nian’s dark pupils fixed intently on Rong Qing as she took a step forward and said, “Sister Mu, can I talk to you alone?”